Published at 22nd of August 2026 8:04 am

Chapter 4428: An Unknown Player

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Miss Mearsheim shook her head. "The Kandrian Empire has absolutely no reason to sneak around like a rat. In the first place, they wouldn’t even sell this information. They have the mining capacity to mine an entire infected world by themselves. They would keep it to themselves and milk the esoteric matter."

"Well, with that logic, the same can be said for the other powers as well, including the Esocline Federation," Director Seltis replied. "Remember, when the Esoterist found out that Planet X-167 was an infected world, he immediately monopolized it without selling it. That’s just the logical move for powerful entities capable of undertaking planetary mining operations."

"...which means we can infer that whoever is responsible for this company is unable to mine infected worlds for themselves," she frowned. "That suggests individuals with limited means. Probably not a state actor. Probably not a massive corporation."

"That gets rid of easy suspects, unfortunately," Director Seltis heaved a sigh. "All the low-hanging fruit sources of information have absolutely nothing on who the true core of this company is."

"Then why don’t we try some heavier sources of information?" she raised an eyebrow. "What about the Beggar’s Sect? They have people everywhere. They surely know who is responsible for this company."

"They’re expensive."

"It’s worth it to know what we’re dealing with," Miss Mearsheim remarked. "Besides, I find it rather odd that this company managed to find an infected world just three months after being set up. It might be good luck, or..."

She narrowed her eyes.

"It might be more."

"You mean a reliable way to find infected worlds?" Director Seltis scoffed. "Yeah right. No chance. Not even the Kandrian Empire and Esocline Federation have come close to acquiring something like that."

"Well, for now, contact the Beggar’s Sect and ask them who the major stakeholders of this company are," Miss Mearsheim instructed him. "Also, once I make the transaction. Use our contacts at whatever bank this company has an account in to try and get a name from them. Since all banks demand disclosure during the KYC process, they should know whoever is behind this company."

"Will do, Ma’am."

Miss Mearsheim immediately returned to the email once Director Seltis departed, accessing the contract document. It was a simple contract detailing the terms of the agreement, with the signature of the CEO, Neera.

"She expects me to sign this digitally?" Miss Mearsheim was almost in disbelief. Technically, a digital contract was just as valid and binding as a physical contract. But digital contracts were sneered upon as frivolous. They were generally reserved for purely digital or online services with anonymous service providers on the interweb.

For the CEO of EsoQuest Solutions to offer a digital document for such an important transaction involving a hundred million alliance credit was absurd at best. It frankly made light of what was being offered, so much so that Miss Mearsheim had her doubts about this company.

Was she being defrauded? Was this all some scheme to get a hundred million credits from her and then simply disappear?

"They would have put more effort into appearing legitimate if this was fraud."

No one cared more about their appearance and perception than fraudsters, after all. They usually had elaborate set-ups and showcases to try and preemptively crush any possibility of the other side suspecting them to be fraud.

Yet, the email was so laughably low-effort that it simply didn’t make sense for it to be fraud.

BZZZT

"Contact this Neera individual. Set up an appointment in my office at the soonest," she informed her secretary.

"Yes, Ma’am."

*****

"Miss Ria, the CEO of Terrestrike just requested an appointment with me," Miss Neera spoke with a commpad to her ear, sitting at her table in her office.

Her tone was a little nervous and tense, speaking to the significance of the event.

"So?" Ria’s voice emerged from the commpad, ringing in her ear. "Go visit her. I would imagine she just wants to meet with you before making a huge transaction. That’s probably going to happen numerous times with multiple mining mega-corporations."

The two of them spoke on a secure, direct micro-wormhole communication line. That meant that it couldn’t be tapped, ensuring that the conversation was secure.

"Trust me, I know his woman by reputation," Neera replied with a tenser tone. "She’s undoubtedly trying to figure out who’s behind this company. Miss Mearsheim is a fearsome business leader who’s extremely distrustful. She does not like not knowing everything about the people she conducts business with. She’s going to pressure me into revealing who the true core of this company is."

"Then just don’t tell her," Ria replied with a nonchalant tone. "Be inscrutable and opaque. Give her nothing. If people find out about me, then it will be a whole mess."

"She might not accept the offer then," Neera whispered. "I really think you should consider revealing yourself to her. Business at this scale does not occur with anonymous partners. Establishing a rapport, trust, and understanding is the bread and butter of business."

"I told you, I don’t care for that crap, Neera," Ria huffed. "I’m not a businesswoman. I’m a pathwalker on a mission. A very important mission. If this Mearsheim lady doesn’t take the offer, then so be it. It’s her loss. She will soon realize that we are the real deal. She’ll be forced to accept our offers, sooner or later, if she doesn’t want to get left behind."

"...Very well."

It wasn’t a few days before Neera found herself standing at the gate of the headquarters of Terrestrike, heaving a deep breath.

The massive establishment was nothing less than a fortress that merely resembled a corporate forest. Massive skyscrapers towered higher than her eyes could reach, reaching extraordinary heights. Despite its heights, the light manipulation technology in the City of Hajin meant that the massive skyscrapers didn’t impede light at all.

The moment she provided the invitation for the appointment, security let her in, before she was promptly teleported to the entrance of the office of Miss Mearsheim.

CLACK

The door opened, and the familiar old woman stood before Neera, directing a piercing gaze that sized her up.

"Welcome to Terrestrike, Miss Neera."

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