"Da Xin Laboratory was acquired?"
"Yes, it was a routine acquisition by the Xi Clan Consortium." Xin Rui told Tai Yu about it in private, her tone calm. "Officially, it's a merger between two laboratories, which is common enough, but the timing was unfortunate."
"Merger or acquisition, what does that have to do with your contract?"
"During a merger, any contracts under negotiation have to be suspended and reviewed again. Mine didn't pass the review. They proposed revisions and would no longer guarantee the 'determination of death' clause, on the grounds that judicial appraisal results can't be locked in ahead of time and that it doesn't comply with legal standards."
That was the most important clause in the entire contract. No wonder the negotiations had fallen apart.
Tai Yu spoke frankly. "Their reasoning is pretty solid. If this really went to court, the judge probably wouldn't support it either. Hmm, I remember this clause was buried in the repayment agreement with the intermediary... They found even that?"
Xin Rui gave a quiet "Mm," then added, "The laboratory merging with Da Xin is Jixiu—the one Senior Loren works at."
"Jixiu." Tai Yu's focus was elsewhere. "The one that sponsored the Deep Blue World team battles."
"Yes."
"Did you ask Loren about it?"
"Senior Loren learned about it later than I did."
"It probably didn't reach the assistant researcher level." Tai Yu thought for a moment. "That Madaruvir—though he's a mechanical repair specialist, he's Loren's superior, and they've dealt with each other before. Did you ask Loren to inquire?"
"Senior Loren did ask." Xin Rui was certainly not the type who couldn't bring herself to ask for help. She had considered every possible avenue, but the world did not show her kindness alone. "That person said, 'Don't pry into things that don't