Chapter 194

March 7th listened to the familiar muttering of the company employees,

and immediately recognized this group of people.

【Notice to all guests: the Interstellar Peace Company will be conducting special operations at the hotel. Please follow the staff in charge of evacuation to the designated safe area, otherwise coercive measures will be taken!】

The company team leader began broadcasting the notice.

【—Like hell I will!】

【These guys never learn — told them not to drink random stuff on the job!】

【You few, drag him away and send him back to his room—】

【—Later I'll hold a meeting and we'll do a proper review of how to write the incident report!】

At this moment, Toppa arrived in a towering rage before this group of company employees,

and after a thorough dressing-down,

sent them all packing.

【... Young Lady Toppa!】

【Didn't expect to run into you in Penacony.】

The Astral Express crew, seeing this, walked over,

and March 7th couldn't help but be the first to greet Toppa.

【Long time no see, everyone from the Astral Express. I've heard all about your business from Aventurine.... Hm?】

Toppa responded to the three with a smile,

but at that moment, a message came through her comms earpiece.

【... It's fine, just do as they ask, try to avoid conflict with the Family......】

【Report to me before taking any action.】

【Mm. Mm, okay.】

【Sigh...... as you can see, the company isn't exactly welcome in Penacony.】

【The Family's hospitality is just polite on the surface. The former frontier prison is now turning the tables and putting shackles on company employees.】

【Only Aventurine, who brought an invitation, is allowed to attend the Canjiasheng Society. The rest of us attendants....】

0 Seeking flowers 0

【Don't even qualify to enter dreamscape, can only stay in the real-world hotel.】

After Toppa ended the call,

she gave Himeko and the others a wry smile and a brief explanation.

【No wonder Aventurine's been looking for partners everywhere — turns out he can't get company support inside the dream.】

Himeko listened to Toppa's explanation,

and seemed to have a sudden realization.

【I hear his situation isn't looking great. You're helping investigate some..... things unfavorable to the Family, right?】

【Outside the dream, if you need anything just let me know. The company never shortchanges its partners.】

Toppa said sincerely to the three.

【Thank you, Young Lady Toppa.】

【We're about to ask the Hounds about the case — maybe you've already dealt with them?】

Himeko asked Toppa about the Hounds' whereabouts.

【See, they're following right behind. Just go find them....】

【Perfect, help draw their attention away for me. Being stared at nonstop is too uncomfortable.】

Toppa subtly pointed to a spot not far behind her,

where two members of the Hound family were tailing her.

【Oh right, Xiang Xing.】

【How does it feel doing business with Aventurine? Must be quite an adjustment, right?】

【That's just his style — "all or nothing" is his old catchphrase.】

【He's always getting close to people while pushing his clients to take reckless risks......】

【To each their own, I won't judge.】

【But Aventurine's luck really is good — most of his cases wrap up perfectly, he's basically never lost a gamble.】

【So on the matter of reclaiming Penacony..... I'll be watching with interest too.】

Toppa turned her gaze to Xiang Xing,

and suddenly started chatting with her about Aventurine.

【The premise is aligned interests.】

Xiang Xing replied.

【Of course.】

【In a deal, what matters is which side of the table you're sitting on.】

【As for the two cases..... sorry, I don't have much information either.】

【You'll have to keep investigating for the details.】

Xiang Xing: "Sigh, can't find any trace of Firefly in the real world."

March 7th: "Uh.... it's pretty normal not to find anything, right?"

March 7th: "After all, Young Lady Firefly looks super mysterious."

Xiang Xing: "My precious Firefly, how did you even entered dreamscape?"

Firefly: "Um... I..."

Silver Wolf: "Hehehe, of course it was us Stellaron Hunters who kidnapped her and forced her in!"

Stelle: "Oh, I don't buy it."

Silver Wolf: "Huh? Why wouldn't you believe it!"

Stelle: "If you hadn't said it like that, I might have believed you, but the fact that you said it on purpose means I don't believe it."

Silver Wolf: "Damn it, what the hell is this reverse psychology crap!"

March 7th: "Speaking of which, Young Lady Topaz, so you're in Penacony too."

March 7th: "But why are your subordinates still so dumb?"

Stelle: "Don't tell me they got bashed silly by my baseball bat back in Belobog?"

Stelle: "That's not on me!"

Topaz: "Ahem... my apologies."

Topaz: "My subordinates really are far too stupid."

Topaz: "Once we're back, I'll put them through an extra-long training cycle and make sure they're completely transformed!"

March 7th: "Completely transformed? Sounds like those employees are in for it again."

Furina: "So this is what the company's employees are like?"

Furina: "The gear they're wearing looks pretty impressive!"

Hu Tao: "They have to go out fully armed just to carry out a mission!"

Hu Tao: "Their casualty rate must be pretty high, right? Feels like they're all potential clients for the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!"

Hu Tao: "When the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor breaks out into the universe, maybe I could roll out some custom packages for the company's employees?"

Hu Tao: "Like a group discount of fifty percent off for a hundred people, plus a luxury requiem service on the house?"

Lumine: "......."

Paimon: "Hu Tao... maybe just stop talking..."

Topaz: "Miss Hu Tao... what you're saying... the company's employees shouldn't need that just yet...."

Topaz: "But... the universe is so vast, there'll always be places that need it. This is a business opportunity, after all."

Topaz: "If you're interested, you could come find me. I'll help you figure out how to expand your Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's business out into the universe."

Hu Tao: "Oh my, how wonderful! Then thank you very much, Young Lady Topaz!"

Topaz: "No need for such formality, Miss Hu Tao. It's a small thing — let's just be friends."

Xingqiu: "Goodness... with Young Lady Topaz's help, could Director Hu's Wangsheng Funeral Parlor really flourish throughout the universe?"

Lumine: "This is too weird, way too weird!"

Venti: "Ehe, if it really works out, wouldn't Consultant Zhong Li get rich right along with them?"