Ena placed the island shard index beside Gu He’s copied Ashfall disposal record. The last digit was faint on one sheet and clear on the other. Under the lens, the island mark could be a one or a seven; Gu’s copy showed a seven.
“If the island mark is a seven,” Daro said, “the numbers match.”
“And if it is a one, they may refer to different samples,” Qinghe replied.
The paired mirror rang. Gu’s message arrived in two parts. The first confirmed that the Ashfall number resembled a batch sent to the medicine division. The second warned that the record was incomplete and needed a second match. Gu could not identify the item without the full transfer ledger.
Yan looked at the word “medicine.” The thought that the shard might have passed through a storehouse before reaching Ashfall seemed plausible. It still did not mean the shard was in Zhao’s draught.
Daro searched another index volume for the same number. He found a note that several sealed samples had been reclassified as inert additives after confiscation. The list gave the transfer date and the receiving department. It did not name the final mixture or the person who handled the material.
