The Commodore didn't elaborate further, keeping his heavy gaze locked onto The Raven.
This time, it was Specimen Fourteen.
If it hadn't accidentally been pushed onto the auction block, this lethal,
undocumented weapon would have cruised right through Project Zero-Transit's domain under the guise of standard medical supplies, landing safely in Whitecliffe Harbor.
And the ship's crew wouldn't have been any the wiser.
What about all the times before?
Had those smooth, incident-free shipments concealed similar contraband?
Or perhaps something even more catastrophic?
If a simple payout was all it took to wipe the slate clean today, what would stop Obsidian Sun from exploiting the transit route again tomorrow?
That was the one line Lucius Vael absolutely refused to let anyone cross.
"Using Project Zero-Transit for your business is acceptable."
"Borrowing our routes is fine."
"But only if you play by the rules."
The silhouette in the dark shifted slightly. Even through the voice modulator, the glacial fury radiating from the man was palpable. "Treating my territory as your own clandestine backchannel is taking Project Zero-Transit for a fool, don't you think?"
The Raven's fists clenched, his gaze turning predatory.
The Commodore's stance was undeniable.
He didn't give a damn about the financial loss, or the chaos that had erupted on the auction floor.
He cared that someone had circumvented his absolute authority, doing the one thing no one did on his ship: operating off the grid.
For an organization that had ruled the high seas on pure dominance and strict codes, this was an unforgivable provocation.
After a tense silence, The Raven finally spoke. "So, how do you intend to resolve this?"
"Simple. You have two choices," The Commodore replied evenly.
The massive central monitor flickered, displaying a blank high-risk biological transit declaration form.
It detailed the required client
information, cargo classificationnet
containment responsibilities, and the severe penalties for undocumented Smuggling
Every line was clear, binding, and absolute.
"Since Obsidian Sun is so eager to cooperate, expect you to verify the facts immediately," The Commodore said smoothly. "If this
cleric oversight during the
handover have the responsible party complete the paperwork."
ve the rehe merely a
"Tell me which channels were used, whose clearance was bypassed, and what exactly was omitted."
"Pay the fines, submit to the audits, and give my crew the explanation they are owed. Nothing less."
The Raven's expression darkened precipitously.
He knew better than anyone that
venet
officially claiming Specimen Fourteen meant taking the fall for smuggling a catastrophic
bioweapon it wouldn't end with a simple fine.
FindNovel.net
The moment Obsidian Sun stepped into the light, the world would know they were manufacturing Obsidian Augments.
The buyers would demand to know how many more existed and what the
organization planned to do with an army of unkillable monsters.
Every enemy, rival, and greedy syndicate would swarm them. Obsidian Sun would become a global target overnight.
The Raven couldn't possibly confess to ownership. "I've already told you, Specimen Fourteen doesn't belong to us."
The Commodore seemed to have anticipated this exactly. Without missing a beat, he replied, "Then we proceed with the second option."