The handling of Jarilo-VI's debt had basically reached its conclusion. Many players' impressions of Topaz had improved quite a bit.
At first, they thought she was cold and unfeeling, but they never expected the complete opposite.
However, if one chose to ask Leon for help, her performance in this aspect was somewhat lacking.
The plot that highlighted Topaz's character more required choosing to ask Himeko for help.
Of course, for the players, it didn't really matter.
The advantage of the god's-eye view was that they could obtain the results of different plot choices.
They also finally understood why Leon had said earlier that they could beat up company employees however they wanted.
It turned out there were personal connections and social considerations involved...
Although they still didn't know the other party's specific identity for now, they only needed to know that it was a high-ranking company executive with considerable say.
After controlling the protagonist to return to the hotel to rest, the scene once again shifted to Topaz's perspective.
This was the true conclusion of the interlude chapter's plot.
Choosing different people to ask for help resulted in different plots here as well.
If one chose Himeko, Topaz's rank would be lowered from P45 to P44.
Her base salary would be adjusted, and she would be removed from all bonus plans she participated in during one cycle, including stock options and performance bonuses.
For ordinary workers, this kind of punishment would be no different from the sky falling.
But Topaz didn't feel there was anything wrong with it at all. She had no objections to the punishment result, clearly having already prepared herself mentally.
If one chose to ask Leon for help, then Topaz would not face any punishment.
The conversations after the meeting ended were naturally different as well.
???: "Since none of you have any objections, then let's adjourn the meeting."
Topaz strolled through the snow and ice, admiring this world that had changed her inherent perceptions and thoughts.
She never expected that someone was still in the meeting channel and hadn't left.
"Yo, pretty lucky, huh? You messed up such a big project and didn't even get punished."
"Looks like this can't be explained just by the higher-ups taking care of you. Oh, they've all gone offline. In that case—"
"I'll just turn off this garbage sound effect."
The gradually returning normal voice sounded much more pleasant to the ear. Topaz immediately recognized it.
"Aventurine? Why are you still here?"
"What kind of question is that? Can't I be here? Why are you so disgusted? I'm not even your superior…"
Aventurine chuckled and said meaningfully:
"Although before the meeting, I thought it would turn out that way, but now it seems you've met a benefactor again."
Topaz smiled faintly: "In your words, I'm just lucky."
"Really though. Even I'm curious. Just who could be so powerful that they could get your punishment waived?"
"If you have something to say, just say it directly."
"Nothing much. I'm just concerned about you. I said before that the Jarilo-VI case looked thorny at first glance and wouldn't yield much profit. Looks like the conclusion hasn't changed?"
Aventurine's tone shifted.
"No no no… Could it be that for people in our line of work, having a kind heart might actually widen the path instead of narrowing it? Hahahaha, interesting..."
Topaz rolled her eyes slightly and didn't want to waste time talking about these meaningless things with Aventurine.
"Anything else? I'm going to enjoy my wonderful vacation. Hanging up."
"…Hey, don't hang up, don't hang up!"
There was a trace of helplessness in Aventurine's tone.
"You really aren't in the mood to chat, huh. Fine, then I'll say something you'll be interested in—"
"While you were playing the friendship game on Jarilo-VI, Diamond settled the big shot from the Construction Materials Logistics Department. That's why he was absent from today's Round Table Meeting."
Topaz's expression instantly turned serious: "Taravan?"
Aventurine: "That's right. The famous Taravan, one of the seven-person board of directors. He's placed his vote on us."
"On us, not the Marketing Development Department. Understand? This time, Oswaldo finally can't laugh anymore."
After Aventurine confirmed it a second time, Topaz's brows furrowed slightly as she pondered the deeper meaning behind it.
The company had numerous departments, but the upper management ranks weren't complicated.
The highest was P50. That rank belonged to the Chairman, which was the noble Lord of Preservation, Qlipoth the Amber Lord.
Of course, this was the company founder's one-sided wish. Qlipoth had never responded.
The company founder was P49.
Below that were the seven-person board of directors at P48.
P47 were the core personnel, such as Diamond, the Emanator of Preservation.
Among Topaz and the other Ten Stonehearts, they covered the three ranks of P44 to P46.
Now Aventurine was saying that a big shot at P48 was placing his vote on their Strategic Investment Department. How could she not feel surprised?
It seemed… something big was coming.
"Why aren't you saying anything? Don't tell me you're so shocked you can't speak?"
Aventurine's slightly amused voice came through.
"Get straight to the point, Aventurine. Stop beating around the bush."
"Straightforward. I'm currently at Pier Point headquarters. There's a big business deal concerning the entire department. Diamond specifically named me to handle it—"
"However, I'm short one reliable project manager. Friend, it has to be you."
Topaz chuckled and crossed her arms as she countered: "Interesting. What kind of big business deal made you learn how to cooperate as well?"
Aventurine: "What else could it be? Penacony, of course."
"…What?"
Topaz was stunned.
"This kind of deal should at least require someone at P46 or above to step forward. I had already assumed it would be Opal or Obsidian."
"Who knows? The people from the Family don't have very normal heads. Want to do business with them? I don't think there's much chance."
Aventurine didn't seem to care much and changed the subject.
"But the company's methods have never been limited to just transactions. At times like this, it's people like me who should step forward, right?"
"How about it? A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Consider it. Who knows, it might help you take another step forward."
"There's still plenty of time before the grand event begins. You have more than enough time to use your vacation to think carefully about whether you want to join."
On the surface, he was asking for her opinion, but Aventurine's tone sounded as if he was already certain of success.
It was as if he was convinced that Topaz would definitely join.
"..."
Topaz pondered for a long while before leaving behind one sentence and hanging up the communication.
"…I'll reply to you later."
She stretched her limbs. Her gaze casually swept around before suddenly stopping in the direction Numby was heading.
At the end of that direction was a furry, familiar creature.
After thinking for a moment, she remembered why it looked familiar.
She had seen it not long ago at the museum. It was called a polar bear, labeled as an extinct creature.
Something she thought was impossible to see again had now appeared right before her eyes.
Did this indicate that Bronya and the others were right?
Would this world's future also be like it was now?
Thinking of this, Topaz sincerely revealed a smile, glad that she had made the correct choice.
※Future Market · Part Two
Completed
The interlude chapter's plot had completely ended. Ah Xian let out a long breath.
"The familiar version ending that sets up for the next part. Playing the disconnected chapter."
"Is it coming? Could it be that version 1.5 will open Penacony?"
"This name has been mentioned since the end of the Xianzhou plot, but there still isn't much information. I'm a bit excited."
"Wait, no… Version 1.5's character illustrations have already been released. Huohuo and Argenti..."