When the Clock struck nine that evening, the offices of the Ancient City Municipal Government were still brightly lit.
Unlike what most people imagined, the nine-to-five rhythm of a civil servant usually applied only to operational departments. "Service institutions" and "nerve centers" such as the Secretariat, General Office, and Mayor's Office often considered nine or ten at night to be just the beginning. Working until dawn was routine.
There was too much to do at night: preparing for upcoming meetings, arranging tomorrow's inspection of the industrial district, facilitating private communications between senior leaders. It was entirely possible that matters had already been settled at night, while the daytime meeting merely went through the motions and left a written record.
The General Office staff had also grown accustomed to stealing moments of rest amid their work. When they had no urgent tasks on hand, their real job was to "wait for work that might arise."
At times like this, taking a brief nap or handling some personal business was nothing unusual.
But today was different. Not only had all the city's top leaders arrived, but the heads of every district were also present. The office secretaries serving as liaisons all wore tense expressions as they waited for news.
"The Development Zone Secretariat just called. The people causing trouble and storming the airship factory have been subdued, but they still haven't identified the organizers behind it. They're hoping for support from our side."
"Support? Their Development Zone has plenty of people and manpower. They have heaps of overstaffed Professionals. They need our support?"
"Support in name, perhaps. After all, most of them are foreign races. If the suspects behind the incitement are Phosphorus People or other foreign races, that is one thing. But if they turn out to be humans..."
The General