The Punishing, Upgrading, and Core Node Maintenance Authorization of a Direct Superior

The air in the izakaya was a mix of the charred scent of grilled meat and the sweet, cloying odor of cheap shochu.

The lantern light was dim and cast a rough, deep texture over the grain of the wooden table.

Zuo Shi poured a cup of wine for himself, then picked up the flask and filled the empty cup in front of Baishi. The liquid was murky, and tiny bubbles popped along the rim of the cup.

"Have a taste. It's wine brewed by Sand Scorpion. It packs a punch—a rare treat in this sea of sand."

Zuo Shi picked up his cup, but instead of drinking, he tapped his knuckle against the table in a steady rhythm.

Baishi raised the cup with both hands, keeping the rim slightly lower than Zuo Shi's, and clinked them gently together.

After the crisp sound of impact came a stretch of silence.

"Baishi, how long have you been in our Third Squadron?" Zuo Shi asked abruptly.

"Reporting to the captain, counting today, three days," Baishi replied, his voice muffled by his mask so that no emotion could be detected.

"Three days."

Zuo Shi repeated the phrase, drained his cup in one go, and his Adam's apple bobbing as the spicy liquid went down.

"In three days, you first helped me protect our sector and subsidies from the ANBU, then helped Ji Tu clear up a mess bad enough to cost them their heads, and finally, without a sound, sent Director Kato of the Logistics Division into the dungeons of the Inspection Group."

He put down his cup and looked at Baishi, his gaze appearing exceptionally sharp in the dim light.

"Every single thing you did stayed within the rules without a single flaw. Well done."

He paused, and his tone shifted.

"But