"Correction, I borrowed it."
"Taking something without the owner's permission is called stealing!"
"I left a note."
"Does a note count as permission?"
"The figures were all packed in shockproof cases, with five layers of soft cloth outside. They're perfectly safe."
Bai Zhu explained as he backed away.
"Should I be thanking you, then?"
"No need to be so polite between friends."
Milluki raised his hand again, but Bai Zhu directly hooked an arm around his shoulder and steered him aside.
"Enough, don't let people laugh at us. I'll give you two options."
"Let go of me first."
"First, come with us to NGL. Once the mission is over, the equipment and figures will be returned intact."
"What's the second?"
"Go home right now."
Bai Zhu raised a hand and pointed toward the coast.
"Gela Jiang and I can study your equipment. We'll have to figure out how to start the scout drones and unlock the terminals on the spot. Doesn't matter if we break something—I'll compensate you at the friendship rate."
Milluki stopped struggling.
"You gave the stuff to Gela Jiang?"
"He already left."
"The figures are with him too?"
"All of them."
Much of the color drained from Milluki's face.
Milluki raised a hand to cover his chest and took several breaths.
"I'm going to kill you."
"Come to NGL first. We can discuss it on the way."
"I'm not going!"
Milluki shook off his arm.
"NGL bans electronic equipment. What am I supposed to do there? Dig dirt in the forest with you?"
"Relax. We brought Gela Jiang specifically to help you smuggle in your equipment. We won't make you go in naked."
Piyu walked over and held her phone out before him.
"This commission comes with official compensation."
A product photo was displayed on the screen.