Longzuo Prefecture.
Langzuo Guard.
Not far from the Dongshan Corridor stood a sizable estate known as Three Immortals Manor.
In name, Three Immortals Manor belonged to an Eighth-Rank Aristocratic Clan under the Langzuo Guard. Ordinarily, it looked no different from any other farmstead: growing grain seeds and spirit fruits, occasionally selling a little low-grade spirit poultry meat.
In reality, however, it was a covert outpost under the Three Talents Directorate, activated only at critical moments.
Such as now.
A group of "outsiders" had gathered within Three Immortals Manor.
Aboveground, the manor's farmers still worked as they did every day. Yet among the clan guards were many unfamiliar faces, and their numbers were far greater than usual.
The vast underground chamber, meanwhile, was brilliantly lit. Dozens of Fluorescent Spirit Lamps had remained illuminated for many days and nights.
Three Immortals Manor's underground chamber had been excavated specifically for this purpose. Not only was it immense in area, but its ceilings were exceptionally high. At this moment, at least several hundred long desks stood packed tightly within it. Behind every desk, a clerk bent over in busy work, while beside them rose piles upon piles of books and account ledgers vast enough to make one's scalp tingle.
The entire chamber was eerily quiet. Other than the rustle of turning pages, the clack-clack of counting rods striking together, and the occasional scrape of clothing or cough, there was almost no other sound.
The atmosphere was tense and solemn.
At the very top of the underground chamber was a platform extending from its edge. The platform commanded a broad view, allowing one to overlook the entire chamber and take in every movement below.
At this moment, three people sat in their respective grand chairs on the platform, leisurely sipping tea as they waited in