Finally, Daphne decides to conceal to Payneath about her relationship with Stairmount. For more than two hours, she tells everything; about Stairmount's true identity as a member of Chrono, how Stairmount saved her life when the genocide against the Neptunian-Plutonians happened, how they fled from Pluto to Jupiter, how she was rejected by the Deputy Ambassador of Pluto and it finally forced Stairmount to take her and her mother along with him to Emerald, the city he was born and raised. And last, how Chrono took his parents into custody by using his fault in Sapphire Genocide Project, forcing Stairmount to keep becoming their servant even though he is actually eager to get out from the organization he hates so much. Of course, Daphne doesn't reveal everything; Daphne doesn't mention the fact that Stairmount is the chief researcher at Mist Laboratory, although she doesn't know that Payneth has uncovered the matter. And about Sierra Pathogen, she still keeps it tightly closed, and so is the fact that Stairmount is forced to pass the pathogen toward Saturn people.

"So, he actually wants to get out of Chrono, but he can't, due to his parents' problems." That's how Daphne chooses to end her story. She bows her head slightly. "Because of me. Because of me, he suffers a lot right now. I feel so guilty, so..."

"So, you want to help him?" Payneth asks.

Daphne nods.

Payneth asks again, "Can it be, the main reason why you asked me about the way to delete the data of Chrono's victim in their documentation, is actually for Stairmount Rivers?"

Payneth is a real intelligence! Or maybe, she has guessed everything... Daphne gives a small nod.

Payneth turns silent. She takes a cup, fills it with water, then drinks it. But after that, she still says nothing. Even for a very long time. Payneth's silence lets Daphne go cold in dread, extremely anxious. The young woman clutches her hands tightly under the table, trying hard to reassure herself.

"That's a very difficult thing - one might even say, impossible to be done."

Daphne gasps. It turns out that Payneth's silent behavior, which she really hopes it to come out with satisfying result, just ends with this kind of answer.

Payneth opens her ultra-cyber minipad, which immediately shows a transparent screen in mid-air. She stares at the screen while it displays a fluctuating result. It keeps going this way for about ten minutes, until something appears on the screen. The result. Payneth points at it, while Daphne now looks confused.

"What is that?..." Daphne seems confused as she stares at the screen which shows nothing except a small sentence in the middle of the screen, saying: "You are blocked."

"This is all I get after I search the data about Stairmount Rivers for a long time."

Daphne blinks. "But, I could see the result yesterday?!..."

"Well, that's the problem. It's a common result. All data search engines will surely lead to that same result. Stairmount Rivers is a public figure, it must be strange and suspicious if Chrono locks all data about him. However, what we want to look for is something different."

"But, my request is to diminish the data of Stairmount's parents, not to search the entirety of his data..."

"We can't even access the entirety of his data, then let alone diminish his data. Judging from your words, Rivers' parents play an important role that letting Chrono be free in controlling him at will. In that case, how can it be so easy to access."

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Payneth clicks the button of the laser pen, then the transparent monitor shows another result. "Look at this. It's the same." She points to the screen. Below the search button with Stairmount's parents' names inside, it is written; "You are blocked." "As I said before, the victim of Chrono whom we want to diminish also becomes the determining point of accomplishing our goal. Now we want to diminish Rivers' data, who is probably the most popular person on the entire Planet at this moment. Even I am not sure whether the Chief Officer of Enigma can do this or not...  no, let alone diminish it, perhaps he won't be reluctant to take a glance at it, because it tends to trap him into something extremely dangerous."

Daphne lowers her head, her shoulders slum languidly. She feels her energy gets sucked away in an instant due to deep disappointment.

"But... I'm challenged to do that."

Daphne soon raises her head; looking at Payneth in disbelief.

Payneth nods, slightly but firmly. "That's right, I just thought of one thing. It turns out that there's still something Chrono doesn't know yet. The fact that Stairmount Rivers is in a relationship with you..."

"Really?" Daphne has her mood lifted rapidly in a sudden. Because, it means that Stairmount's efforts are not in vain.

Payneth nods. "As well as the other data, which I've got from your story earlier. Maybe if I document it in Enigma, Enigma can even outperform Cosmos * and by then can teach them a lesson... Don't worry, I won't do that." Seeing Daphne's face which is pale with shock, Payneth immediately adds. "I will hide this matter. This is a very important matter. You know, there are many double agents in Enigma. We don't know which ones are the real Enigma, and which ones are the agents from Cosmos or other Nature Continent countries."

*) Cosmos : Jupiter's intelligence agency.

"Re... really?!" Daphne covers her mouth, horrified.

"Intelligence's work is really far from the word 'fun'. It is more suitable to say that our lives are all at stake - we can die at any moment, and we have to be prepared for that."

Fear trickles down her spine. The deeper she enters into this dark world, the more she realizes that the level of danger she is facing gets higher. She grits her teeth. No, I can't be such a coward. For the sake of Stairmount, I will face every kind of danger whatever it takes!

"Well, that's why I think, Chrono is not as powerful as I thought, that's why I get interested in dealing with this matter. Huh, maybe the rumors that Chrono is the super top elite organization on the entire Planet are just the results of a hyperbolic blow-up. They are deceiving the human mind with promotional tricks. Just like salespeople who always boast that their products are the best while their competitors' products are stingy." Payneth purse her lips. Her  attitude makes Daphne more convinced that Payneth really hates Chrono, so she has made the right decision by trusting Payneth. "Oh, let me tell you. I am Payneth, one of the most experienced IT team at Enigma. Well! Come on, let's just try our luck. Hopefully, we can succeed."

A light breeze plays Payneth's long hair and lets it flutter, accentuating the confident aura emitting from her. In response, Daphne smiles widely. "Yes, Miss Payneth. Hopefully, we can succeed."

Copyright ©️ by boundless_universe