Yin Lan: This mission only looked intimidating; the process was actually pretty easy

"Three specialists, I've already sent people to check the documents you mentioned... Headquarters definitely has backups, but we can't guarantee the originals are still there."

"After all, we've only done the bare minimum maintenance on this 'Supreme Evolution' thing. Nobody can guarantee it won't break down after all these years, right? The original design lifespan of these things might have been limited... And the technology it uses is indeed not very compatible with our current systems."

Inside a laboratory once invested in by "Supreme Evolution" and jointly sealed by the Universal Trade Association and Truth Company, the outsourced site manager of the "maintenance station" brewed loose tea for "Loquat Candy," "Paper Kite," and "Dionysus," patiently explaining the situation.

Seeing the ingratiating manner of the outsourced station manager, Loquat Candy nodded slightly in return.

"I understand. We're just going through the motions, no need to be too nervous... We're going to visit more than twenty outposts in the Outer City today. You've already covered six, and you have about ten more to go."

"The company's intention isn't to punish you outsourced sites or inspect your data storage... Supreme Evolution itself has been defunct for so long, how can we expect you to maintain the old equipment they left behind in pristine condition for ten years?"

Loquat Candy smiled and spoke, and the outsourcing station manager nodded quickly.

"You're absolutely right! But we've certainly never neglected our work..."

As he spoke, the station manager from the outsourcing company quickly took out a metal box from the drawer, carefully pinched open the seal with his fingernail, and then slowly pried open the edge.

"Gentlemen, please enjoy your tea with some snacks—these are high-end items from 'Shangtang Pastries' that my son brought back from the Inner City last month. I believe the three of you will find them pleasant."

Paper Kite shook her head and said, "Your son bought this for you... We can't eat yours, you should keep it for yourself."

Yin Lan had already reached for the tea and snacks, but upon hearing Paper Kite's words, she silently withdrew her hand.

Loquat Candy nudged the Paper Kite with his elbow.

"Just eat what they tell you to eat. They only complain after they've already torn it down. You act like you're some kind of noble person."

As she spoke, Loquat Candy took out a delicate pastry, put it in her mouth, and then sipped her tea.

"It's very smooth and the sweetness isn't overpowering; the quality of 'Shangtang Pastries' is consistently high..."

Paper Kite glanced at the Loquat Candy, frowned, and whispered to the Loquat Candy.

"These 'Shangtang Pastries' are considered a luxury item for Commoner in the City That Never Sleeps. They're usually sold in limited quantities, and only Noble can buy them without limit. This stationmaster is only a sixth-class citizen, not a wealthy family... This box of pastries is worth two or three months' salary for him!"

"His son bought it especially for him, how can you eat it?"

Looking at the Paper Kite, Loquat Candy sighed, "Comrade Qi Han, I know your intentions are good... but you still don't understand the City That Never Sleeps at all—this is the third outsourcing company site we've visited, and the only one contracted by a small to medium-sized company... Under these circumstances, he'll only feel at ease if you, as the 'special technician from the Headquarters a large company,' have something to eat and take some food."

Although Paper Kite didn't quite catch on at first, he wasn't stupid and quickly understood.

What you said... makes a good point.

After listening to Loquat Candy's advice, Paper Kite reached for the pastry, put it in her mouth, and smiled.

"It's really delicious, the flavor is very delicate. Actually, it's my first time trying it."

"You should try some; after all, your son bought it for you."

As Paper Kite spoke, the outsourcing station manager, seeing that Paper Kite's tone wasn't just polite, nodded in agreement.

"Okay... I'll try some too."

He carefully picked up a piece from the edge of the box, making sure his fingers didn't touch the other pastries, broke off a small piece in his hand, put it in his mouth, and before he could even taste it, he quickly said...

"It's truly delicate and smooth, with a pleasant flavor... it's wonderful."

As he was speaking, there was a knock on the door.

"Knock knock!"

The stationmaster quickly jogged to the door, opened it, took a stack of documents from outside, and immediately handed them to them.

"The three of you, this is a briefing on the current status of the data... Please take a look."

As the station manager spoke, Loquat Candy took the document and glanced through it.

"Okay, no major problems, the random inspection passed," Loquat Candy stood up, patted the station manager on the shoulder, "You did a good job as station manager, very responsible and conscientious, and the reception was also well done—I'll praise you more in my report later."

The Paper Kite nodded to the stationmaster.

Finally, Yin Lan, with two snacks stuffed in her cheeks, quickly stood up, drank the tea in her cup in one gulp, and took out a small card from her pocket and stuffed it into the stationmaster's arms.

"This is so delicious... I won't let this half-box of your fancy pastries go to waste. If you ever need anything in the future, just take this card into the Inner City, find this address, and mention the name 'Dionysus.' It can solve something for you—or you can give it to your son too. He should be studying at the Alchemy Academy in the Inner City, right?"

The stationmaster stood there stunned for a moment, then muttered, "How could he be so promising as to attend the Alchemy Academy? He works as a driver for Noble in the Inner City..."

However, Yin Lan didn't hear what the outsourcing site manager said.

After all, Yin Lan had already left, following in the footsteps of the Loquat Candy and the Paper Kite.

So...

When he saw the name and suffix on the gold-embossed metal business card, he was so startled that his hand trembled and he almost dropped the card. By the time he tried to return it, the person was already gone.

Outside the door, Paper Kite, who had already walked a distance away, looked at Yin Lan, who was struggling to swallow her tea and snacks, and said helplessly.

"You really love these tea snacks... Although I think Comrade Loquat Candy is right, it would actually make him feel more at ease if we ate some, but you've given him way too much."

Yin Lan sighed, "Your son only ate a Sandwich this morning, so it's easy for him to talk like that. I was dragged out of bed by Xiao Nian this morning and only ate two bites of bread. I accompanied you two to run two hundred outposts and three hundred miles. How could I have survived without eating something?"

"And those tea snacks were really delicious—besides, I certainly didn't eat them for nothing."

Paper Kite asked curiously, "I was just about to ask, what was that card you gave him?"

"It's nothing much, just a gift from Duke I helped twice. Although I don't operate much in the Barren Realm, I do have some connections... I don't need it to help the organization, but it's a good deed."

Yin Lan waved her hand and said.

Then, Yin Lan sighed, "However, this task was easier than I imagined... Although the process was a bit tedious, we didn't encounter any unexpected problems."

"Just go to each place, have some tea, and chat; that should be enough to settle things."

Loquat Candy said with a smile, "We had made ample plans, and with Comrade Xiao Nian's direct connections and Comrade Director's indirect connections, it was indeed impossible for us to encounter any major obstacles in the early stages."

"I estimate that for a long time at the beginning of this mission, our pace will be like a vacation!"

"And... we're probably not even the most comfortable here—the other two groups are from the Divine Power Group and the Security Bureau, and they're going directly to the Inner City, so their level of hospitality... is probably even higher than ours."