She nonchalantly reached for the fresh data files the ship had just provided.
She gave the papers a casual flick and began to peruse them at a sluggish pace. Her movements were lethargic, her demeanor completely disengaged.
It looked as though she was merely skimming to figure out what cocktail of drugs to prescribe for Specimen Seven's next session.
In reality, as her eyes swept over the documents, her brain was rapidly processing and cataloging every single detail.
The tiny details the ship thought they had so cleverly obscured were already clicking into place, forming a much clearer picture in her mind.
Specimen Seven's physiological metrics.
The A.W.S designation.
It was all but confirmed. These sentient cargo pieces were semi-finished assets the Black Sun had engineered based on the fragments of her grandmother's original research.
If they ever actually succeeded in finalizing a stable product...
It wouldn't just mean some underground syndicate had bred an army of monsters.
It would trigger a global catastrophe.
The Black Sun's ambitions were far grander than anyone realized.
A fleeting frost chilled the depths of Serena's eyes, swiftly concealed behind her mask of lazy greed.
On the surface, she remained completely unfazed.
Yet, she was acutely aware of her current predicament.
The administration didn't dare touch her right now because Specimen Seven couldn't survive without her.
But the moment they docked at Whitecliffe Harbor, or found a more stable alternative.
Her status as the specialized medical consultant would instantly shift from a VIP guest to a critical liability.
She had physically treated Specimen Seven, diagnosed the flaw in the neural chip, and reviewed restricted data.
Project Zero-Transit would never let a rogue variable possessing their secrets walk away alive.
Her priority was to use her Raven-Crest Access Card to map out the Sanctum Vault's Outer Perimeter as quickly as possible.
Ideally, she needed to orchestrate a perfectly legitimate reason to enter the vault's exterior once again.
As for Fenris...
Serena's gaze darkened slightly.
He might be the single biggest obstacle standing between her and the vault.
But he could also be the most useful pawn on the board.
Serena let out an exaggerated yawn, tossing the files aside as she
collapsed onto the bed,
Currently fittered with nich
stacks of cash,
"This garbage data is putting me to sleep."
"Whatever. It's not like I can pawn these useless numbers for hard cash anyway."
The observers behind the surveillance cameras were left utterly speechless.
This Panacea really didn't bother hiding her absolute disdain for anything that wasn't money.
About an hour later.
The comms terminal in her suite suddenly lit up.
Director Kaelen's respectful voice echoed through the speaker. "Your Excellency, apologies for interrupting your rest."
Serena slowly peeled her eyes open. "Is something dying again?"
Director Kaelen hurried to reassure her. "No, no. It's not Specimen Seven."
He paused, his tone turning even more cautious. "It's regarding the upcoming
private viewing of the sentient cargo."
Serena arched an eyebrow. "Viewing?"
"Yes," Director Kaelen confirmed.
"Since you are now officially retained as our specialized medical
consultant, we require your
presence during the private viewings
to manage any potential instability the assets might exhibit."
Serena fluttered her lashes, her voice dripping with lethargy. "Get to the point."
He immediately complied. "Our highest-tier client, The Sterling Sovereign, has
secured priority viewing rights for the sentient cargo."
"The administration hopes that you will act as the escorting medical consultant and accompany The Sterling Sovereign during hiso inspection."
The Sterling Sovereign?
She had never heard that alias before.
But to possess the highest level of buyer clearance on Project Zero-Transit.
He was clearly no ordinary player.