"Observation," Lin Chen repeated.
"Only within limits I define."
The room went quiet.
A Subtle Shift
Professor Moore didn't respond immediately.
That pause was deliberate.
Most people negotiated upward—asking what they could gain.
Lin Chen negotiated inward—deciding what others were allowed to see.
The Terms
"No access to core decision logic," Lin Chen said calmly.
"No data export. No model replication."
Moore raised an eyebrow.
"You're asking me to study a shadow."
"I'm offering you proof," Lin Chen replied.
"That the shadow works."
System Confirmation
[System Evaluation: Negotiation Posture — Dominant.]
[Risk Mitigation: Acceptable.]
Moore glanced at the display without comment.
He noticed.
The Counteroffer
"One condition," Moore said.
"If the system fails—publicly—I walk away."
Lin Chen nodded.
"Fair."
Failure was inevitable.
What mattered was who learned from it.
An Unexpected Clause
"And you," Moore added,
"will attend one closed symposium."
"Observers only," Lin Chen said.
"Observers only," Moore agreed.
Handshake
No contracts.
No signatures.
Just a handshake between two people who understood leverage.
Aftermath
As Moore left, Lin Chen remained seated.
The system updated quietly.
[External Interaction Node Established.]
[Influence Radius: Expanded.]
The board was getting larger.
End of Chapter 67