Meeting

Black clouds churned like spilled ink overhead, pressing low. Lightning flickered within them, and thunder rumbled.

Director Li had originally planned to hold the meeting in the conference room of the base inside the mountain, where being underground would avoid most eavesdropping and surveillance. While he was busy arranging the venue, he noticed that the black clouds in the sky were slowly circling around a point at the airport. The cloud cover hung so low that it seemed one could reach up and touch it...

An idea suddenly struck him.

"Change the meeting location! There!"

He pointed at the lawn in front of the control tower, and staff immediately began moving tables, chairs, and equipment.

The officer in charge of the meeting looked at the black clouds pressing down overhead, then at the tables and chairs on the lawn. Something about it felt strange. Could it be that the unidentified creature did not like going underground into the mountain?

"What if it rains?"

"It won't. Since that dragon agreed to meet, there definitely won't be an accident. Carnivorous beasts can become agitated in overly cramped spaces. The lawn outside is best."

"Your reasoning is rather far-fetched. It had better be true."

"Let's hope so."

Unrelated personnel swiftly departed the airport by vehicle, and martial law was imposed. In a short time, tables and chairs had been set up on the lawn beneath the eye of the storm. Miraculously, though the sky was dark and thunder rolled in waves, not a single raindrop fell. There was only the deafening rumble.

Once a row of tables and chairs had been arranged, capable-looking men and women in black jackets and white shirts took their seats. Besides several senior officers, there were also two recordkeepers responsible for documenting the meeting.

They opened portable computers