Wait a second. Wasn't that the card he had given Thora? So now his Thora was using his card to buy gear from him? Which meant, in the end, he was the one losing money. Seeing Darius's expression darken, Thora calmly withdrew the card and said seriously, "Even though we're mates by law, this concerns the entire Wolffang unit. For long-term cooperation, I don't want you to take a financial hit. I'll contact General Stanton later and have him coordinate the payment with you." Her tone was professional, completely separating personal matters from business. That only made Darius's expression sink deeper. So in her eyes ... they were just business partners? Thora didn't linger. "I've got training this afternoon. I'm heading out."She turned and left, only realizing once she stepped out that her patience had been seriously tested today. Somehow, the anger she'd felt toward Darius earlier had mysteriously vanished. Unfortunately, just as Thora's mood improved, someone else's mood hit rock bottom. ... Back inside the R&D center, a heavy chill settled over the room. Every tech on the floor kept their heads down, silently focused on their work, not even daring to breathe too loudly, afraid they'd set off the Alpha's temper. Luckily for them, his anger ended up directed elsewhere. Half an hour later, Darius lounged back in his office chair, speaking on the phone with Hugo. "General Stanton, I'm sure you understand the value of Skybound's R&D department. And it's not like Wolffang is lacking funds, is it?" Darius said, voice laced with a mocking smile. On the other end, Hugo was already drowning in stress. Negotiating with one of the world's most powerful corporate moguls? Pure torture. He remembered Darius being pretty easygoing before, but today, every word felt like a loaded trap, every sentence pushing him closer to a cliff. At this point, he was seriously wondering, Did someone piss Darius off, and now I'm the poor bastard taking the fall? Hugo cleared his throat. "Mr. Blackwood, about the price ... do you think there's any room for negotiation?" Darius replied slowly and deliberately, "No. There isn't." Hugo was silent for a beat, then let out a resigned sigh. "Understood. I'll have the funds transferred shortly." Darius hung up, finally feeling a little better.Meanwhile, Thora had no idea what was going on. After leaving the Skybound Group, she headed straight for the Starlance Central Bank. Using the passcode Marlon had given her, she retrieved something from a safety deposit box, then left without lingering. Back when she'd exposed Laurel's crimes at the Stanton's estate, Marlon had pulled her aside for a private conversation before he left. "Thora, since you've officially joined the military, I want to give you a heads-up. I've stored something important in a safety deposit box at the Starlance Central Bank. It's yours now. The key I gave you last time? It opens that box. Keep it safe, and don't tell anyone about it," he'd said. As for what was inside, Marlon hadn't said. Judging from his expression, he didn't seem entirely sure himself. Thora hadn't pressed him, her instincts told her that even Marlon might not fully understand what the key unlocked.She didn't retrieve it just because of what he said. It was Laurel's confession that made her act fast. Someone had helped Laurel erase evidence of a murder, and their target had been this key—or rather, whatever the key was meant to open. But the key had been with Marlon. It hadn't appeared in any of Thora's inherited memories, which meant Laurel would've had no way to get her hands on it. Back at the base, Thora took off the chain around her neck and stared at the box in front of her, brows drawn tight. This was the item stored in the vault. It looked like wood, but it wasn't. It was some kind of metal alloy. The kind of material that could survive buried underground for tens of millions of years ... without ever degrading. She slid the key into the lock. The moment it clicked open, her soulstone pulsed violently inside her chest.