Late at night, Unified Bureau.
Under the dim, yellowish lights, only staff moved about in silence.
The Phantom Agency was still operating. Night-shift members calmly completed their handovers with colleagues getting off work on time, then took up their posts and continued their needle-in-a-haystack work.
A knock sounded outside Ms. X's office.
Yegor.
"Sorry to disturb you." He inclined his head slightly. "Any news?"
"What a pity. Intelligence work is always a grinding process. You can't come to me at the last minute and suddenly expect me to be a magical blue robot cat who can do anything and produce a solution."
Ms. X rose calmly and asked casually, "Bourbon? Or Highland?"
"Still only whiskey?" Yegor frowned.
"You need some. Look at that face of yours—you've been drinking coffee until you're nearly dead. Have a glass. You'll thank me." Ms. X set a glass before him.
It was filled to the brim, the heavy amber liquor giving off an enticing aroma that made Yegor smile helplessly.
"Spare me. It's not time to celebrate yet."
"So, what did you come to see me about?" Ms. X returned to her seat.
"I brought you good news." Yegor submitted today's Regeneration Plan observation report. Ms. X's brows lifted slightly, and at last, she chuckled softly.
"What is it?" Yegor asked. "For the Phantom Agency to participate in the Regeneration Plan for only the second time in two hundred years and gain such a strong position—you should be happy."
"Happy? Yes, a little. But she probably isn't too happy about it." Ms. X sighed. "Having such troublesome work dumped on her, trying to seize the initiative and control the situation—that's understandable. But more than that, it's probably rebelliousness, isn't it?"
You want me to do this?
Fine.
Then are you ready to bear the