"You have no idea how many people are wishing you would close your eyes forever. As a slave, you shouldn't have resisted your master… but you killed that man." Jade sighed softly, "No lawyer dares to defend you. Perhaps you should try to argue for a plea of not guilty?"

"That's not difficult, but it's meaningless."

Jade smiled faintly: "You're very confident in your eloquence, aren't you? Did you think the same way when you deceived the Intelligentsia Guild?"

"I got what I wanted, that's all. You wanted perfect building materials, and I just gave you a possibility, a small gamble. If you were lucky, the Company could have dug anything out of the yellow sands of Aegis Harbor, even the remnants of the Sand King (Tayzzyronth). Unfortunately, you weren't lucky."

"I don't deny that. But what I'm curious about is why such an elaborate deception ultimately didn't benefit anyone—including the criminal himself?"

Kakavasha's lips curved into a smile: "Madam, I have obtained what I wanted—to be brought before you and to begin the next grand gamble."

—

Teyvat.

Inside a tavern in Gray River.

"He, he actually dared to deceive even the Company?"

Furina's eyes widened, looking at the ragged young man in Celestial Screen with some disbelief. "A slave… deceiving the largest Company in the galaxy and the Intelligentsia Guild! One person offending the forces of two Paths, and then causing immeasurable losses? How did he do it? Is he not afraid that the Company will grind him to dust?"

"Those who can become The Ten Stonehearts indeed possess some incredible abilities, more or less."

Navia stirred her black tea gently with a silver spoon, smiling as she watched Furina's exaggerated reaction. "Oh, Furina, don't get so excited. Put yourself in their shoes. If you were a high-ranking official of the Company—say, this elegant lady—and you encountered such a brazen fellow, what would you do?"

"Do you even need to ask?" Furina slammed her hand on the table, righteous indignation in her voice. "How dare he deceive me! Send him directly to Epiclese Opera House, let Neuvillette judge him severely! Then lock him up in Fortress of Meropide, and let him repent for the rest of his life!"

"Uh…" Navia held her forehead, momentarily at a loss for words.

As the two chatted, Aikefei approached with two plates of exquisite desserts. Both cakes were enticing, but Furina's portion was adorned with sparkling frosting and rare berries, its rich aroma almost reaching half of Gray River.

"Aikefei, I also want a Cupcake just like Furina's!" Navia winked at the golden-haired girl not far away, raising her hand to signal.

"I'm sorry, Miss Navia." Aikefei shook her head regretfully. "This is a special edition I prepared for Lady Furina. Because some of the special ingredients were prepared in advance yesterday, there's only one portion."

"Eh—" Navia drew out the sound, gazing longingly at the cake in front of Furina. Compared to Aikefei's craftsmanship, the macarons she had just baked seemed inferior.

Seeing Navia's pitiful gaze, Furina couldn't help but smile. She picked up a knife and fork and neatly cut the cake in half: "Here, half for you."

"Furina, I knew you were the best!" Navia happily took the plate, forked a piece into her mouth, and closed her eyes in bliss.

"But speaking of which…" She swallowed the cake and looked back at Celestial Screen. "I don't think the Company will easily judge him—at least not execute him or send him to prison."

"Ah? Why?"

"Someone like Gold Dust, who is bold and meticulous and dares to dance on the edge of a knife, is exactly the kind of talent the Company lacks. Instead of destroying him, it's better to turn him into a sharp blade in the Company's hands, always pointing its sharp edge at the Company's enemies."

—

"Then let's talk about this second grand gamble. Tell me, what do you plan to wager this time?" Jade asked unhurriedly.

"My life. I bet you won't send me to the execution ground."

"Hmm… and what do you wish to gain?"

"I want your Rana (Chief) to see me. I have something to say."

Jade's smile deepened: "And then?"

"I want money."

"It can't be that simple, can it?" Jade thought she had misheard.

"It's that simple, thirty Taamba, the price of half my life, no more, no less." Gold Dust said confidently, "With this money, I can climb to a higher position than you, holding more wealth than you… I bet you wouldn't dare to give it to me, so, call him over."

"Interesting." Jade said meaningfully, "Unfortunately, 【Diamond】 will not see you, no one can see him. So at this moment, I am 【Diamond】's representative, making decisions on his behalf."

Jade's gaze fixed intently on the young man's beautiful, violet-like eyes: "You are wrong. Thirty Taamba, I will give you, and far more than that. Wealth, status, power… the Company will give you everything you want and don't want."

"Kakavasha… is a good name, but unfortunately destined to be buried in the dirt. But 'you' deserve to live, to create more wealth for us. Go, choose a favorite outfit for yourself, and then choose a satisfactory identity… and then make good use of them, child."

"May your schemes never be exposed."

—

Zenless Zone Zero.

"Wuwuwu ah ah he really did it! He really did it ah ah ah!!"

"He really climbed to a higher position than this lady… wuwuwu… wait, it should be higher than her, right? In short, he's just so amazing ah ah wuwuwu!!"

Inside the casual observation room, Ju Fufu was sobbing, her nose twitching, tears falling like broken strings of pearls, even her two usually upright ears drooped.

"Senior Sister, you don't have to cry so sadly, do you?"

Pan Yinhu, who was practicing nearby, was so startled he couldn't even stand steadily in his horse stance. His plump body waddled over, "Does Junior Brother want to make you a plate of stir-fried fatty intestines? Or should I steam you a basket of buns?"

"Junior Brother Pan, I, I…" Ju Fufu was crying so hard she couldn't speak clearly, even Master Yixuan, not far away, couldn't help but feel a pang of softness in his heart.

"I… I want beef filling… wuwuwu…"

"Alright!" Pan Yinhu scurried off, quickly disappearing into the courtyard, and soon his grunting sounds of stoking the stove could be heard from the kitchen.

Yixuan leaned against the door, a smile playing on his lips: "Fufu, this is the first time I've seen someone cry so sadly and still remember to specify the bun's flavor."

"No, I didn't! Master…" Ju Fufu wiped her face haphazardly with her hand. "I, I call this turning grief into appetite! Don't ask where the grief came from, Master, in short, it's all Gold Dust's fault! Every time I see him, I can't help but have my tear ducts burst…"