When Gu Heng returned to the outskirts of Class D's base, Ayanokoji was already standing at the boundary between the public trail and the tree line.
He did not step forward to greet him, merely glanced at the terminal in Gu Heng's hand.
"Something from Class A?"
"Class A's observation records."
"What did you pay?"
"A judgment mixed with truth and falsehood."
"You told them the false part too?"
"I told them there was a false part in it."
Ayanokoji looked toward the western trail.
"They'll still use it."
"That's why it has value."
Gu Heng did not continue explaining outside. He led Ayanokoji back to the base. Class D's status on the public page had not changed. Horikita was still standing beside the confirmation point, Hirata was checking the completed supply records, and Yukimura was reading the withdrawal times aloud against the internal chart, item by item.
No one had dismantled their original assignments just because Gu Heng had left once.
That meant the anonymous message had not carried out a second redeployment for Class D.
On the public page, Class D's current public base was still listed as the registered public confirmation point on the western side.
This was a status they had submitted earlier, not a route Gu Heng had entered on the spot.
Horikita noticed him first.
"Whose observation point was it?"
"Class A's."
"Hashimoto?"
"Yes."
"What did he give you?"
Gu Heng handed over the observation records without including the terms of the exchange.
"Only their public actions."
Horikita scanned the three lines.
"Class C went to the west first, then southeast, then back west. They didn't complete confirmation of any independent area."
"They aren't competing for resources," Hirata said.
"At least, these records can't prove that they are," Yukimura corrected. "Class A only saw