Once exposed, it wouldn't just sabotage their upcoming deals in Whitecliffe Harbor; it would permanently obliterate the absolute trust Project Zero-Transit had spent years building.
To make matters worse, the situation outside was rapidly spiraling out of control.
A massive horde of buyers and hunters was swarming The Sanctum Vault.
If the crew continued to deny The Sterling Sovereign's request, it would only confirm everyone's suspicions that they were hiding an incredibly valuable secret.
Once that happened, even a full lockdown wouldn't be enough to contain the riot.
The executives exchanged horrified glances, their faces turning ash-gray.
They were trapped.
Neither option was survivable.
And the man sitting before them was the absolute last person on Project Zero- Transit they could afford to offend.
Nicholas smirked, his fingers rhythmically tapping the armrest. "My patience is limited. I highly suggest you make your choice quickly."
...
Meanwhile, the perimeter of The Sanctum Vault had descended into total anarchy.
Hordes of hunters, buyer-hired mercenaries, gray-market brokers, and intelligence peddlers surged toward the restricted zone.
The ship's security forces were forced to pull massive numbers from other sectors just to lock down the public routes leading to the vault.
Layer after layer of barricades were erected.
"Step back! Everyone step back immediately!"
"The Sanctum Vault is a restricted zone! No unauthorized personnel allowed!"
"Take one more step, and the crew will consider it an act of hostility against Project Zero-Transit!"
But the warnings fell on deaf ears, completely drowned out by the frenzy of greed. Someone sneered, "If there's nothing in there, why are you panicking?"
"Weren't you bragging about a fair and open auction tonight? Why are you hiding the real treasure?"
"The Sterling Sovereign demanded
an inspection, and you're still
เอน
blocking us? The crew is definitely trying to embezzle the Living Assets
"Get out of the way! We just want to verify the cargo data, we're not stealing it!"
The chaos escalated.
The security guards desperately tried to hold the line while screaming for backup over their comms.
Amidst the pandemonium, a squad
of heavily armed mercenaries
arrived led by Jerrick Lancaster clad in black tactical gear.
The overwhelmed head of security looked at Jerrick like he was a savior. "Mr. Fenris! We're losing control of the perimeter! Command wants the situation stabilized Immediately. Nobody gets near The Sanctum Vault!"
Jerrick cast a cold glance over the rioting crowd. "Leave the outer defense lines to me."
The security chief blinked. "This..."
Jerrick stared him down. "Your men are too slow."
The chief bristled at the insult.
But pride didn't matter right now.
Fenris was a top-tier international mercenary commander hired specifically for high- risk security on this route.
When it came to suppressing riots and locking down zones, his squad was infinitely more capable than standard ship guards.
Gritting his teeth, the security chief nodded. "Then we leave it in your capable hands, Mr. Fenris."
Without another word, Jerrick seized control of the outer perimeter.
No one suspected his true motives.
His reputation as a premier mercenary commander alone guaranteed the crew's trust.
With him managing the chaos, the ship's forces finally breathed a sigh of relief. Little did they know, the very first thing Jerrick did after taking command...
Was systematically seal off every single extraction route Black Sun had prepared.