"Three pieces of planetary artifact? Are you out of your mind?!" Hedrick roared, his hand crashing down on the map table so hard that the strong wooden frame creaked beneath the force. His face flushed with anger, the veins on his forehead standing out.
"Three pieces," Theo repeated firmly, his tone calm but unyielding. "And I am not asking for scraps or broken junk. I want second-tier artifacts at minimum, or first-tier if the items carry great value—like a Beast-Taming Artifact or a Jar of Greed ."
His eyes narrowed, sharp and focused. "We, the Shadow Swords, are recognized across Sectors 99, 100 and 101 as the largest secret intelligence organization, and that is not just our claim—it is confirmed even by rival groups. Only THE Syndicate stands above us. And yet, until now, we have never once involved ourselves in a direct clash with any major force. Our actions have always been confined to paid assignments, detached and impersonal."
