Apocalyptic Rebirth: With a repairman system space, she rises again.-Chapter 723: Waiting on the decision.

In the meantime, Sunshine had no idea how long she would have to keep waiting. Some time had passed since the Repairman Council had told her to give them time to deliberate on her offer. The decision she thought would come in five to ten minutes was dragging on longer than she expected.

She was sure Zevran was contributing to most of the delay.

In the sterile, overly bright waiting room of the council chamber, the air felt thick enough to chew. Refreshments had been provided_ a spread of pink-colored liquids and protein packed nuts that smelled vaguely of strawberry and citrus. But only two of the trio were actually enjoying them. She was too nervous to eat.

The prime core was supposed to be the most desired stone in the galaxy. The council should have said yes to her offer immediately. Why the need to deliberate at all? She felt like someone on trial, waiting for a jury to decide if she was guilty or not.

Nine, already in a full-blown celebratory mood, was currently halfway through a bottle of sparkling pink fizz. He leaned back in his chair, some of his legs up on a table that definitely wasn’t meant for feet. "I’m telling you, Suni, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel already," he chirped, his voice buzzing with caffeine and optimism.

"The council has no choice but to take your offer."

Sunshine leaned against the wall, trying to mirror his energy because she wanted to be hopeful. She picked up a bottle, her hand trembling just a fraction. Beside her, the bug clicked its mandibles in agreement. "You need to put a timeline when they agree, tell them to fix the rifts as soon as possible such that Hades and the kids are safe. Then, we can have more time to take on repair jobs on cooler worlds, become wealthier than our ancestors and live like royalty. Let us toast to that sister."

They raised their bottles, the glass clinking with a satisfying ping.

Just as they were about to drink, supervisor Vortan winced. It wasn’t a small twitch, it was a full-body flinch, his eyes fixed on the massive wooden doors of the entrance.

Nine stopped mid-sip, letting out a long, frustrated sigh. "Vortan, buddy, pal... I mean supervisor stop doing that. It is putting a dumper on things."

Vortan blinked, looking genuinely confused. "Doing what?"

"The face! The ’something is going to go wrong’ face," Nine said, waving a nut flavored cracker at him. "You’re spoiling the party vibe. Every time we clink glasses, you look like you just swallowed a hot battery."

Vortan didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he winced again_ longer this time, his shoulders hunching up toward his ears. "You two do not understand anything at all," he muttered, his voice low and gravelly. "I have dealt with this council for decades. It is never a good thing when they do not quickly come to a settlement or decision. In this case, they have been deliberating for far too long. That means that the number of those not on board are many."

"You’re just a pessimist as usual," Nine countered, though his smile faltered slightly. "We are talking about the prime core here. One tiny piece goes on the black market and big shots from every world come out to buy it. The council is not stupid. They will make the right decision."

"So you would think, but I am a realist," Vortan snapped, his body giving a sudden, violent shudder. "I have a bad feeling. A very, very bad feeling. It’s like the air is charging up before a lightning strike."

Before Nine could offer another witty comeback, a soft chime echoed in Sunshine’s head.

[Host, you have received a priority video message from Bjorn.]

"Play it," Sunshine said, her voice sounding smaller than she liked.

A holographic projection flickered into life before her eyes. Only she could see it. Bjorn appeared, looking disheveled, her hair sticking out in three different directions. She looked like she hadn’t slept since the last century.

"Hey, Sunlight," Bjorn started, rubbing her eyes. "Look, first things first_ I need more of that mutated bird meat. And some spices from earth, they are the best on the market especially that MSG, what do they put in that?" She paused, her expression shifting from hungry to deeply somber. "Anyway now... the important part. I’m sorry, Sunlight. I really am. I failed. I scoured every corner of the black market, from the amateurs to the experienced traders. There are no Master Repairmen for hire. None. Zero. It seems like they are all busy lately." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Sunshine felt a cold stone drop into the pit of her stomach. That was her plan B, and it was canceled.

"My contacts promised to let me know if they found any," Bjorn continued with a dry, bitter laugh. "Apparently, finding a Master Repairman right now is like finding Phima bloom petals! It’s almost a fairy tale. So please let me know if you find one so that I can stop looking."

The hologram flickered and died.

Sunshine sat frozen. She let out a dry, self-deprecating scoff. She had actually allowed herself to have hope. What a stupid mistake.

"System," Sunshine muttered, her eyes stinging. "Send a message back to Bjorn. Tell her the meat is on the way and send it. Also tell her... tell her Phima bloom petals aren’t rare. I have a lot of them. If she needs some, she can have a few at a very high price of course."

Just then, the heavy doors groaned open. A junior aide stepped out, his face unreadable. "Sunshine Quinn? The Council will see you now."

Sunshine’s heart didn’t just beat; it hammered. It was a frantic, panicked rhythm against her ribs. If Bjorn had failed to find help on the outside, this room_ this group of old, stubborn leaders_ was her only plan left. It had to succeed. If they said no, Earth was essentially a ticking time bomb with a very short fuse.

As she walked into the chamber, the confidence she had been wearing earlier evaporated instantly. She looked up at the high dais and saw Zevran’s face.

Zevran wasn’t even trying to hide it. Her expression was a toxic cocktail of triumph, mockery, and pure, unadulterated happiness. It was the face of someone who had just won a bet they weren’t supposed to win.