In the basement of the Silver Claw Merchant Guild at the other end of Silver Crown City's eastern district.
Barlow was reviewing the monitoring records sent back that afternoon. The Elven Merchant Association's consignment channel had added three second-tier daggers, with the supplier listed as "Ginkgo Alley · Su."
He closed the report and tapped the tabletop three times with his index finger.
"Prepare another batch of scrap iron and ore sand. Send it over tomorrow morning."
His assistant nodded and was about to leave when Barlow called him back.
"Add some ordinary goods. His wife might like them. Flour—top-grade flour."
Dawn had barely broken when the squeak of wheels rolling over stone slabs sounded from the entrance to Ginkgo Alley.
Saina was feeding the chickens in the yard. Hearing the noise, she set down the feed basin and walked to the gate. Two goblin porters carried crates inside, while behind them, a short man pushed a flatbed cart piled with several sacks of black refined coal and a crate of iron materials.
At the very back was a sack of something white as snow.
Saina's gaze locked onto the white sack, and her steps unconsciously quickened.
"What's this?"
The porter lifted the sack off the cart and set it by the courtyard gate, patting the dust from its surface. "Supervisor Barlow ordered it. Fine top-grade flour, included as a gift."
Saina crouched down, untied the sack, grabbed a handful of flour, and rubbed it between her palms. The flour was fine in texture and cleanly white, without any coarse bran or grit mixed in.
She stood up, and the wariness on her face eased somewhat.
"Your supervisor knows what he's doing."
The porter left with an ingratiating smile. Saina carried the flour into the kitchen and set it