Miss Witch Doesn't Want to be a Diva

"Each new album costs 400 Federation Coins, and with the lottery, roughly one in every five people gets a free copy. We have over 4000 questionnaires, around 800 copies, which means a total cost of 320,000 Federation Coins. However, the intelligence we gather—even if it doesn't completely satisfy the client—can easily be sold to others inquiring about Hexia for 2 to 4 million Federation Coins. If we make any special discoveries, that's like hitting the jackpot."

"Boss is amazing," the burly man beside him said, scratching his head admiringly.

"This is what it means to delve into the front lines and obtain first-hand intelligence. Those guys who only know how to scrounge for leftovers online will never understand," said the fat man with sunglasses, shaking his finger.

"Boss is truly wise."

"Hehe o(*￣︶￣*)o"

"Um, Boss, are we not going to continue gathering information about the 'Grey Dust Crystal' as the commission requested?"

"You don't get it. A commission is a commission, but our ultimate goal isn't to complete the commission. It's to make money using the commission, understand? Making money is for enjoyment and comfort. Some commissions look good to complete on the surface, but it's best not to touch the ones that could cost your life."

"Grey Dust Crystal is an established giant corporation. Getting intelligence from them is not something people at our level can handle."

"But if we only complete part of it, the commission deducts 70% of the fee," the big guy still didn't quite understand.

"You're too naive. We're after that remaining 30% of the fee because it's the easiest and most profitable. The bones further in might look tempting, but the risks and costs are many times higher."

"There are a lot of people eyeing this commission right now. Don't worry. Besides you and me, there are certainly many big firms and capable people looking for loopholes in Grey Dust Crystal. We little fish just need to hide underneath and sip some soup. Those blue-coats from the Court of Judgment won't bother with us specifically."

The scanner in the room whirred, issuing beeps as questionnaires were fed into it. Information about Hexia was continuously selected, categorized, and summarized. Then, the AI neatly organized the completed data, slowly presenting it.

[According to the survey analysis, Hexia Tilan's Talent Ability is mostly related to "cold," "Condensation," and "calm."]

[The majority of the audience on-site reported that Hexia's singing has an extremely strong power of Infection, making one feel as if they are there in the moment, as if she is whispering in their ear.]

[The protective ability that comes with her singing manifests as blue flames surrounding, an enhancement of Magic Power activity, and a small number of people observed a possible slight time-stopping ability...]

[Among the fans of Hexia, the proportion of fanatics is significantly lower than the average for other songstresses, indicating a more calm and rational demeanor.]

One piece of analyzed intelligence after another was slowly revealed. Looking at these conclusions, the fat man with sunglasses was quite pleased. He paced back and forth with the paper in hand. After some thought, he added some ambiguous conclusions of his own—not because he was diligently analyzing, but simply to make the intelligence report look longer and more substantial, thereby ensuring a better fee.

Before long, this front-line analysis intelligence was delivered to the client, and then this intermediary integrated it with information from other investigators and reported it again.

The higher-level investigation organization, using this intelligence and analysis, then compared it with the reports from several other hired firms. Once everything was consolidated, they continued to relay the findings upward.

In this way, by the time the information from all levels, organizations, and personnel converged, it was all inputted into a super AI for further filtering, deduction, and analysis, until the final answer appeared.

"So, is it the case that Hexia's Talent Ability is highly related to the 'Rhythmic Crystal' produced by Grey Dust Crystal?" the man in a gray suit asked, rubbing his forehead while sitting in front of his desk, with a projected screen in front of him, on which the super AI was presenting the analysis results.

[Yes, the probability is about 91.35%, meaning that the production of 'Rhythmic Crystal' cannot be done without Hexia's personal involvement.]

[The specific process may involve Grey Dust Crystal storing or sealing Hexia's Talent Ability in some way, and then releasing it again.]

"With such storage and conversion, can she bear the consumption alone?" the man in the gray suit doubted.

[If ample magic power reserves, a recovery ritual, transcendent potions, and assistance from sharing the burden with other transcendent beings of a similar rank are prepared, this consumption can be reduced.]

"Using all known technologies and methods available in the current market, calculate the production limit for 'Grey Dust Crystal'."

[Calculating, please wait.]

[If we use the legendary products of all the known giant corporations, combined with the most optimal recovery rituals and an unlimited supply of magic power, and around 2000 transcendent beings of the same rank to assist, with Hexia Tilan as the core, we could produce approximately 20,000 to 40,000 cubic 'Rhythmic Crystals' per day. However, this method would greatly exhaust the individual at the heart of it, making it unsustainable.]

"It seems that Grey Dust Crystal has overstated their production capacity," he said upon hearing this news, his emotions mixed with joy and sorrow.

He was glad that Grey Dust Crystal was not as powerful and terrifying as he had feared, but he was sad because they indeed possessed some techniques previously unknown, likely a product of the Songstress's abilities and her own innate talents.

"If this information is revealed, exposing Grey Dust Crystal's exaggerated claims about their output, could it damage them?"

[Analyzing...If the information is disseminated and Grey Dust Crystal themselves admit to it, it could indeed tarnish their image and reputation. However, given the quality of 'Rhythmic Crystal,' the production amount is still within the Star Domain government's tolerance, and the likelihood of a complete fallout between them and Grey Dust Crystal is less than 7%.]

"Still not enough," he leaned back in his office chair, looking up at the gloomy sky outside the floor-to-ceiling window.

"Grey Dust Crystal, Hexia Tilan, Star Domain government..." he murmured to himself, contemplating these names.

In the past, even a large corporation like theirs would not want to offend any one of them, but now...

If he gave up, then once Grey Dust Crystal rose further, coupled with high-level cooperation with the Star Domain government, they would soon gain control of most of the influence in the Four-leaf Crystal Star Domain. By then, it wouldn't just be a matter of losing money.

He raised his hand, intending to pick up the communicator he had dialed before, but after hesitating for more than ten seconds, he put it down again, the struggle and torment in his heart causing his expression to contort with pain and his brows to furrow deeply.

No, he needed to find a way to solve the problem.

Suddenly, the man sat up sharply and stood up, pacing back and forth in the room as he thought of solutions.

If I'm this restless, what about the others? Are they feeling the same as I am right now? With that thought, he contacted several core forces within the Saint Yingo camp.

"...That's settled then, a special meeting will be convened tomorrow, and you all must attend," he concluded, ending the call. The man sighed in relief, then frowned again as he pondered how to persuade these people to align with him by the following day.

After a long while, he suddenly looked up, gazing at the stopped rain and the gloomily pale sky that the clouds were starting to clear from, and took a deep breath.

"You're forcing our hand, Hexia Tilan."

Upon reflection, in the midst of this storm, that girl was like the key eye of the storm and the pivotal point of connection. If she stopped, the storm and all the changes would slow down.

Although touching a Songstress in the Federation is an absolute taboo and a grave offence, the potential outcome was too tempting, so enticing that it made one's mind flutter just thinking about it.

Should he go through with it? What if it were successful? Even if he became a suspect and faced harsh punishment, as long as there was no concrete evidence, how bad could it get? At worst, he could lie low for decades and gradually restore what was lost.