Ethan watched the man's expression, a faint, knowing smile on his lips.
"So, this phrase here: 'agrees… to deploy only two (2) Expert-tier crafters.'" Ethan's tone was deceptively light. "How do you explain the factual presence of two additional Expert-tier players on your team?"
The moment the question left his mouth, the muscles in the man's face twitched violently.
"I… I imagine they must have just leveled up to Expert after arriving here to work on the project," the man stammered, digging his own grave with sheer desperation. He had no other choice. To admit the deception outright would trigger the system-enforced penalty clause instantly. "I'll have them both replaced immediately…"
