Ichinose did not return to her companions first.
Her gaze swept over the origin point pinned down by Class C before settling on Gu Heng's face.
"If I take my people back now."
"Will you count this change of meeting point as Class B changing its mind at the last minute too?"
"No."
Gu Heng said.
"If you leave now, Class D will take the loss from this wasted trip ourselves."
Ishizaki snickered from the side.
"That sounds nice enough."
"If you really take the loss from a wasted trip, will Class D still dare come out to trade tomorrow?"
Gu Heng ignored him.
He shifted the waterproof bag at his feet half an inch farther behind White Stone.
The people who had originally been prepared to exchange at the upstream point also retreated with it.
This was not about making Class B trust Class D. It was about pulling both classes out of the origin point Class C had occupied first.
The girl beside Ichinose still clutched her terminal.
"But the forum already says you lured us into an unconfirmed area."
"Which means you can still turn back now."
Gu Heng looked at her.
"The origin point is occupied by Class C."
"The upstream point was changed by Class D."
"If you don't trust us, turn around now."
"Class D will bear the risk for the rest of this stretch ourselves."
The sound of water slapped through the space between them.
The smile at the corner of Ishizaki's mouth remained, but it could not rise any further.
Ichinose did not decide immediately.
She crouched down first, picked up a leaf softened by the water, and compared it between two rocks.
"From here to White Stone, who goes first?"
"No one goes first," Gu Heng said. "One person from each