Chapter 711

I don't doubt the Celestial Shipping Administration's finances… but! This isn't about money! Besides, the cargo on this transport ship belongs to the Scholars' Society. If you want to inspect it, shouldn't you at least summon a commissioned person from the Scholars' Society to be present?

Xing crossed her arms coldly and said: "... You're dragging in unrelated things, even bringing up the Scholars' Society people. You show no sincerity in solving the problem. Mr. Si Ke Te, considering our past dealings, I'll let you in on a secret: your transport ship was attacked by the step-leavers; this could be big or small."

"Hehehe, do you think I'm easily scared? How would you say it's big, and how would you say it's small?"

Yan Qing added: "Putting it mildly, you are victims of the step-leavers' robbery. But putting it seriously, why would the step-leavers attack you on the route to Luofu? Could someone among the crew be colluding with them? Perhaps we need to thoroughly interrogate all crew members to eliminate this risk."

Si Ke Te was startled by Yan Qing's words, and his tone shifted immediately: "... Well, actually, having a Scholars' Society commissioner present isn't a necessary condition; I'm not... hoping the relevant procedures could be more compliant and complete, am I?"

Xing continued: "Even if you insist on having a Scholars' Society commissioner present, that's fine—I'm as close with Professor Laatio of the Scholars' Society as family. As the saying goes, 'father and son in battle'—if I step forward, isn't that the same as the Scholars' Society stepping forward?"

"What nonsense is this? Even if you're married to him, you can't represent the Society!"

——

JOJO's Bizarre Adventure: Unbreakable Diamond.

""Father and son in battle"... So that's how it's used!"

"Hold on, Yitai, don't learn that!" Guanglai Kangyi raised his forehead, not knowing where to start explaining for a moment, but was Xing's metaphor really appropriate? He felt something was off...

"I find what Yan Qing said somewhat makes sense." Josuke still recalled Yan Qing's earlier words; indeed, there were some details they hadn't noticed.

"If the step-leavers attacked the transport ship, can the company's machine step-leavers be used? They wouldn't rob cargo they can't use, would they? It's like a wild gorilla rushing into a fruit shop, not grabbing bananas but wanting the owner's latest phone model—however you look at it, it's strange."

"It's quite clear, combining the prior biological data, the reason the step-leavers attacked the transport ship was to secretly hide aboard and safely reach Luofu, but there's one thing... I find it very strange."

"What?"

Koichi put forward his idea: "Do the step-leavers know that the Immortal Vessel has recently been holding a martial ceremony? Do they know the Immortal Vessel currently has three generals stationed? Even if they wanted to launch the Abundant Folk War, they shouldn't pick this timing, right?"

In Koichi's view, with this little manpower... let alone launching a war, even occupying a dock port would be difficult; why would they choose to invade the Immortal Vessel at this sensitive moment? The timing is also terribly chosen.

——

Perhaps the earlier incidents in Jinren Xiang and Pinokangni hurt him badly, so Xing intends to lower her stance.

She clasped her hands together, putting on a pleading expression: "Please, please! I boasted in front of my friends, saying I could persuade you… If you don't relent, I'll have no face to hang around them! Please don't be so heartless!"

""Jinren Xiang and Pinokangni are my fault; I sincerely apologize to you. Please, magnanimous one, don't hold a petty person's grudge against me—give me a chance to mend my ways and start anew!"

Si Ke Te stared blankly for... about three seconds, then burst into a hearty laugh: "Hah? Trying to lower your stance to win my sympathy? As a company specialist, do you think there's even a milligram of sympathy left in my chest? Get lost!"

Yan Qing couldn't bear to watch, repeatedly tugging at Xing's clothes: "Teacher… we don't have to lower ourselves this much, do we?"

Seeing that soft tactics didn't work, Xing decided to try another approach.

""How about this, brother? We're old acquaintances… If you do me a favor today, we'll surely repay you in the future. How about it?"

Si Ke Te was somewhat surprised: "Who openly bribes like that? If I grant you a favor in front of all these company brothers, won't the disciplinary staff come after me for trouble?"

Xing quickly added: "No problem, the brothers will get their share too!"

""Uh..." Yan Qing weakly said from behind: "Teacher… we should still use lawful means."

——

Spy × Family.

"Oh? Si Ke Te's words have hidden meaning—if it weren't outright bribery, couldn't we just 'conveniently' help a bit?"

Lloyd lowered the newspaper in his hand; setting that aside, this Si Ke Te is quite sharp, but if he could subtly hint to Xing, he'd be even sharper.

"What Yan Qing just said about it being big or small is actually quite reasonable; I feel Yan Qing has improved not only in swordsmanship but also in handling these everyday trivial cases." Yoru couldn't help but praise, and the train crew, who had experienced the Kudoku disaster a few months ago, felt that Yan Qing gave off the same vibe as Su Shang—like a raw recruit—but after not seeing him for a few months, he seemed to have matured a great deal.

(He's polite and well-spoken, already sharing adults' worries at such a young age—how wonderful……)

Yoru unconsciously revealed a relieved smile.

"Mmm……!" Upon hearing her mother's inner thoughts, Anya was struck as if by lightning.

Clearly it was a leisurely afternoon when the three family members watched the sky together on a day off, yet for no reason it gave Anya a sense of impending danger.

(Mom wouldn't be envying other people's kids, would she?!)

Anya hurriedly sat beside Yoru and put her arms around Mother's waist.

"Anya… what is this……?"

"Someday I'll be able to do that too!" Anya firmly clenched her small hands.

"What can?"

"In studies, in life…… I can also make great progress!"

"Oh, not bad, Anya." Lloyd lifted the teacup before him, "... also beginning to have a bit of that mature-young-adult feel like Yan Qing—really not bad."

——

Seeing that neither soft nor hard tactics worked, Xing had no choice but to invoke the Immortal Vessel's law to persuade him: "According to the territorial principle, since this batch of cargo is lingering in the Immortal Vessel's port, the Celestial Shipping Administration naturally has the right to inspect."

Yan Qing nodded and said: "Indeed. As stated in Article 27 of the Ports and Forts volume of the Immortal Vessel Code: 'All officials and private goods, upon entering the port, shall be subject to inspection; those who violate this shall be treated as possessing stolen goods.'"

Si Ke Te momentarily felt overwhelmed: "Huh? What does that mean? … I can't translate this contact beacon at all."

""Simply put, if you insist on refusing our cargo inspection, we'll have no choice but to confiscate it as contraband."""