Daziel threw on his clothes and rushed towards the pier.
He arrived to find a knot of company employees, clad in their uniforms, locked in a heated confrontation with members of the Aurum Alley Chamber of Commerce. The air crackled with tension, both sides bristling and ready to explode into a brawl.
"Why are you holding our goods hostage?!" someone shouted.
"Exactly! We followed every procedure! It's this local gang that's being unreasonable…" another voice retorted.
"Enough of the excuses!" a third voice boomed. "Something's wrong with your foreign imports! They've damaged our Chamber's merchandise, and you'll compensate us!"
"Bullshit!" came the immediate reply. "More like there's something wrong with your cheap goods, and now you're trying to shake us down!"
...
Daziel shouldered his way through the agitated crowd.
"Scott!"
The moment Scott's eyes landed on Daziel, relief washed over his face like a tidal wave. He practically sprinted towards him.
"Mr. Daziel, you're a sight for sore eyes! You have to be the judge here, these Xianzhou people are nothing but highway robbers!"
Daziel's gaze swept across the scene. He spotted Sushang on the periphery, dressed in her familiar yellow and white, a black skirt completing the ensemble. She stood with the Aurum Alley Chamber of Commerce group.
"Mr. Daziel! Over here…"
Sushang's face brightened, and she waved him over.
But before she could finish her greeting, Scott cut her off, his voice sharp –
"Hey, hey, hey! Mr. Daziel is here at my invitation, to see justice done! You little busybody, stay away from him!"
Scott shot Sushang a glare that could curdle milk.
Then, spinning on his heel, he plastered on a sycophantic smile and turned to Daziel. "Mr. Daziel, look at this. All our company's goods are top quality, strictly controlled, absolutely no issues. But these Xianzhou locals, they're insisting there's something wrong and demanding to open our crates for inspection! It's outrageous! We followed all the proper channels, orders, documents – why are they harassing us?"
Just then, Mingxi, the petite secretary from the previous day, stepped forward, her expression glacial.
"Humph, it's not up to your company to decide if there's a problem or not!"
Mingxi's voice was icy. "Our goods were stored right next to yours, and they were damaged as a result. Isn't that your responsibility?"
Scott wasn't about to back down. "Well, I'm not so sure about your goods either! Maybe your cargo is faulty, and it damaged ours! If you're so confident, let's inspect everything together! Who's afraid?"
Mingxi's face tightened, a flicker of hesitation crossing her features. She seemed uncertain, reluctant to agree.
Suddenly, a clear, authoritative voice cut through the mounting tension.
"Quiet down, everyone!"
Every head turned towards the sound. A graceful foxian woman in a cheongsam was gliding towards them.
Her movements were fluid and elegant, her demeanor poised. Two long, pale legs flashed beneath the cheongsam's hem, momentarily stealing the breath from onlookers.
It was Yukong, from the Sky-Faring Commission.
Yukong's arrival instantly defused some of the raw tension in the air.
"Master Yukong!" Mingxi and Sushang both bowed in respectful greeting.
Yukong offered a slight nod, her gaze sweeping over the assembled crowd before finally settling on Daziel.
"Mr. Daziel, you're here as well." Yukong's voice was smooth and alluring, like warm honey.
Daziel maintained a calm facade, returning a polite nod. "Master Yukong, it's been a while."
But inside, his mind was reeling.
Why is Yukong showing up so early?!
In the "Aurum Old Alley's Market is Noisy" storyline, Yukong's appearance was much later, closer to her confrontation with the Golden...
Why now?!
While the "Awakening Winter Dream" and "Letter from a Strange Woman" tasks had undergone significant revisions, the timeline itself had remained relatively consistent, maintaining the original ending.
But Daziel felt a growing unease, a sense that the world line was becoming increasingly unstable, the deviations spiraling more and more out of control.
This time, it might be beyond anything he anticipated…
Yukong moved between the two factions, her presence a calming island in the sea of conflict. "Secretary Mingxi, Mr. Scott, this endless arguing is achieving nothing."
"Given that this dispute concerns international trade and falls under the Sky-Faring Commission's jurisdiction, perhaps I can mediate and help you resolve this amicably? Would that be agreeable?"
Mingxi and Scott exchanged glances, a hint of wariness flickering in both their eyes.
"Since Master Yukong has offered her assistance, it would be impolite to refuse," Mingxi conceded.
"With the Sky-Faring Commission ensuring fairness, our company is, of course, delighted," Scott echoed quickly, his earlier arrogance returning.
Yukong smiled, a subtle curve of her lips. "Excellent. Since both sides suspect the other's goods, the inspector shouldn't be from either Xianzhou or your company. Fortunately, both parties hold Mr. Daziel in high regard. Perhaps we could ask Mr. Daziel to conduct the inspection?"
"Me?"
Daziel was momentarily taken aback. He knew this moment was coming, but not quite like this.
"Understood... Then, I will inspect the goods."
Having already witnessed the original plot, Daziel knew Scott's deceit, the hidden machines designed to cause damage.
He couldn't help but find the business tactics in Star Rail rather petty, resorting to clumsy sabotage.
He wondered how the modified plot would unfold now.
"Thank you, Mr. Daziel, for your trouble."
Yukong offered Daziel a slight bow, then turned to Mingxi and Scott. "Please have your goods moved here, and Mr. Daziel will examine them box by box."
"Yes, Master Yukong."
Mingxi, though with a slight reluctance still lingering in her expression, instructed her subordinates to start moving the cargo.
Scott, on the other hand, looked positively smug, radiating confidence. "Mr. Daziel, be thorough now! Don't miss a single detail!"
Daziel ignored Scott, unimpressed by his bluster. He simply replied coolly, "I'll do my best."
The cargo boxes were quickly rearranged, soon crowding the pier space. The air thickened with a medley of scents – spices, textiles, polished wood, a faint metallic tang – all underscored by a palpable undercurrent of tension.
Daziel drew a deep breath, walked to the nearest crate, and unlatched the lid.
"This is… an antique ceramic jar?"
Daziel carefully lifted out a jar, turning it over in his hands. It was simply shaped yet adorned with delicate patterns, undeniably possessing the aura of a genuine antique.
"That's right! A prized piece from our collection," Scott interjected, puffing out his chest. "Rich history, perfect proportions, and those naturally occurring textures on the surface are completely unique! Absolutely authentic!"
Daziel tuned him out, his focus solely on the jar. He lightly tapped its side with a fingertip, listening to the resonant ring, feeling the cool, smooth ceramic beneath his fingers.
"Hmm… seems fine."
Daziel set the jar aside and picked up another.
And so, methodically, Daziel began to inspect the crates, one after another. They contained a diverse array of goods – not just the exquisite porcelain, but also camphor wood shelves, bolts of silk, and more…
As time ticked by, a faint furrow appeared on Daziel's brow. He had examined over a dozen crates, and so far, found nothing amiss.
Whispers rippled through the onlookers. Some began to wonder if the whole dispute was just hot air, and there was nothing wrong with the merchandise at all.
"Mr. Daziel, well? Everything in order with our goods, wouldn't you say?" Scott pressed, his voice dripping with self-satisfaction.
He was already picturing the deflated faces of the Aurum Alley Chamber of Commerce.
_____
Hey there! I'm Wallnut-chan! 🌸 I'm translating this fanfic and restoring some +18 scenes that were cut from the original work—since explicit content isn't allowed in China. I went through everything carefully and reinserted the scenes while staying true to the story! Hope you enjoy it!
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