"It's good to see you again… too, Mr. Will Merlin" David finally realizes that the handshake is stalling for too long after taking a bit of time to calm himself down. David swiftly replaces his surprised expression with his military bearing. With a last firm grip, the handshake breaks.
David couldn't help but resolve himself to cross out from his mind the fact that the founder of the explorer's organization was merely the exact small kid he briefly met three years ago, or else it might show on the surface and turn into a rude manner.
Will's professional greeting and initiation also helped David to switch to his professional mode. He then falls unintentionally on the high quality sofa as if he just gave up something in his life. It's probably his belief in the norms of the world.
"Do you mind if we talk casually? General David?" Will honestly thinks that addressing David with his title and name would be too tiring, although that's how it should be while talking to a military high official. This is, after all, will be their first formal meeting with their current positions. However, considering that they have acquainted before, and they're alone in a private space, maybe they could talk about this casually.
"O-of course Mr. Will Merlin…" This also causes David to feel relieved. David looks at Will once again and realizes that the kid successfully went through his puberty, rather too magnificently. His serious and strict bearing now suits him so much that David couldn't imagine how Will would be if he was otherwise.
"That's great. I wouldn't want to rudely take up too much of your time as I'm sure that you have other important things to do. If I'm not mistaken, you have personally come here yourself for the matter regarding the Labyrinth?" Will shifts straightforwardly to the main point and leads the conversation. If others his age does this, they would be considered rude.
"That's right. I'm here for just a really simple request, actually. We would like to ask you that the information regarding the location of the labyrinth needs to be securely sealed and prevented from being spread until the military thoroughly verifies its severity. Then, we ask to let the explorer's organization take custody regarding it thereafter…" David could only also get straight to the point.
"I understand. Please take it easy and consider this job done. I understand why this matter has to have you personally come over to show the importance of keeping the information safe within… I'm sorry, I could have called first to inform you that we already sealed the lips of the explorer who discovered it with appropriate measures. Please rest assured. Regarding the labyrinth after your exploration, we would gladly take it off your hands…" Will knows that in the last three years, David sealed and protected the outside world from the dark mountain and its dark creatures. David probably only came back recently for this task.
"That's great to hear. And, this was no troublesome at all. I accepted this task alongside my paid leave…"
After that, both of them have no idea how to keep the conversation alive. Dead silence permeates the spacious room.
Both of them thought for themselves if that was ever casual at all. They could only observe each other with awkwardness bathing their whole body.
Finally, the AI ball arrives bringing the tea Will asked for earlier to be prepared. Will gazes at it as if blaming why it took too long to arrive.
The truth is, no longer than five minutes passed when David entered that door to the end of their conversation. It was just their cognitive sensation that feels that way by having too much thinking for themselves.
"Oh. The timing is perfect. Would you like to have a cup of tea, General David?" Will stands up to receive the cup himself and give it to David. However, David also stands up when he sees him trying to do so.
David laughs and then takes the cup himself.
"I wouldn't want for you to trouble to come all your way here. I'm much closer to it too anyway. It wouldn't make sense for a grown man to have someone else take the cup of tea for them…" David then drinks the tea in one gulp. The hot tea couldn't even be felt because of his tough training in the dark mountain.
"You're right. I shouldn't have attempted something so offensive to a person who personally slays dark beasts as his job…" Will also shows a smile. He couldn't possibly laugh along with a military high official. Also, he knows how he would sound if he force himself to laugh. It would make him appear very rude. His laugh is so dry from his lack in understanding the concept of jokes.
"No, I take no offense at all. In fact, I couldn't have let a person of your importance in a big organization, such as the founder do something as trivial as handing me a cup of tea… By the way, you seem to have no secretary considering your position, it must be because of the matter regarding the high secrecy of your identity that must be strictly kept, is that right?" Says David and looks around the office.
"Indeed. Although I have him so my efficiency isn't in any sort of problem at all" Will introduces the AI cat on the table who David haven't even noticed.
"Good day to you Lieutenant General David Sampson. I couldn't introduce myself just now, I beg your pardon…" The cat nods at David.
"I… Couldn't have known…" David don't know how to react to that. " Anyway, I heard the explorer's organization's founder also have achievements with his innovations. Rather, the technological advancement with the integration of both magic and machine were also credited under your name… your technologies, as a result, helps humanity in more ways than one. Your contribution to all couldn't be repaid with simple words, but I want to say I thank you sincerely. The organization's existence brings peace and jobs for the people to slowly stand back up to their feet" David says with sincerity. This was what David rehearsed earlier to say once he meet the mysterious founder of the explorer's organization. With this, David feels the relief of this not going to become a waste.
"I want to be humble… but I'd rather not discredit myself. Hearing that from a person who sacrificed his years for the sake of the people just gives me relief that all my efforts didn't lay waste. Thank you, General David Sampson. Those words means so much to me" Will replies with his sincerity too. Also, he says every word that makes his guilt-ridden heart crushed each time. It was his fault that David was stuck in that dark mountain for years.
The two says their pleasantries, full of tension that they both sounds like posh people of noble birth. No one knows who initiated it to turn out this way.
With nothing else to be discussed since both of them tries their best to avoid stepping on each other's land mine, Will escorts David right at the door when they mutually agreed that that's it for their meeting.
"I don't know if we'll meet again while we're both off duty, but I do sure hope that that day would be different from today's…" David says to make the air between them less awkward at the last moment.
Will thinks so too but he can't just openly agree too strongly. "I'm sure that day would come…" Will initiates a parting handshake this time.
David receives it and smiles at Will. Then, David is escorted back by the same ball AI out of the building and offered to be given a transportation to his way home as well.
David agree but requests to retrieve the coat he left in his toppled over car on the way.
David then recalls his first meeting with Will at the hospital three years ago. Back then, Will already displayed his intellect and genius, as well as his intuition that proved to be top-notched. David was very impressed by him back then, but he couldn't have known that what he showed back then was just the tip of the iceberg.
Will's brilliance surpassed all other geniuses, his peers or even his seniors. He shines too brightly that he could blind a person even while they're just taking a peek to see him and what he's capable of.
David smirks and couldn't help but think that out of all surprises, Will gave him the biggest impact. His demeanor and speech conduct wasn't at the very least rehearsed. David believes that it was natural for Will to stand at the top. He was born for it.
Such amazing person was actually someone David witnessed from when he was still a gleaming gem, and witnessed again now that he became the burning sun. David feels glad that he came here today, or else he would have missed something so interesting.
However, that was that. His priorities now are to spend his two months with his family to bond and redeem the time he missed during his days in the dark mountain.
Will back at his office slump his stiff back on his chair.
"What was that?" Will couldn't believe the awkwardness despite seeing a familiar person. He might have turned socially inept. His communication skills only improved while lying to his family or carrying a tough pretense to push through his way along with the adults. After all, he can't show any weakness or signs that his age matters regarding his work. He kept pushing himself to pile up one achievement after another so that his superiors and peers wouldn't look down on him.
Actually, for the last three years, Will haven't been exposed to a group of people that exceeds three in numbers at the same space due to the secrecy of his identity.
David pointed out his lack of secretary earlier, while that is true, that was also an understatement to his true situation. Will don't have any direct subordinates. The original composition of his staffs are the personnel assigned to him by the GEPCA who were strictly prohibited from questioning their direct superior's identity, or even form.
Will passes all his orders through AIs or through the communication terminals.
In short, Will is badly dry from human exposure. Excluding his time with his family and friends in the VR world. Because that was all done virtually and that's the fact.
Will is detached from the humans far worse than before. If this goes on, Will have know idea what will become of him. Perhaps he will turn into a working machine.
"Cat.5… please handle everything in the organization and factories for me. I want to get myself some break…" Will says while lazily looking up at the ceiling.
"I have a feeling you wouldn't immerse in the VR world this time…" The cat looks at him with suspicion. "You, taking a break is impossible…" The cat drops a crucial and solid fact at Will's tired face.
"I know that! But I want to feel like I can… Just mimic what I would do if something happens or decisions needs to be made. You already have enough data for that. Just compile everything for me to check when I get back…"
"Okay then… but that would just mean you'd drown in paperwork after your so called vacation. Also, you have to remember, I may have your data in my algorithm but I have no human emotion… just predictions with how that works. There's a subtle difference from artificial to a real human intellect" Cat.5 looks at Will as if confirming his decision.
"Well, in my case, if I keep living like this, I might as well turn myself into AI as well…" Will heaves an exhausted sigh. Why is his AI that's supposed to help him is bringing him down instead? "Don't you think my decisions so far have been too calculated regardless of everybody's emotions?... Wait, why am I discussing something regarding my humanity to an AI?..."
"Exactly… I have no human emotion. That is why, I don't have any idea to both questions as well…"
Will wants to take a bit of sleep before he moves from his chair. His three years felt like an eternity.
Will recalls his childhood in his past life. The boy inside the carriage filled with daily items and magical artifacts. He forced himself to learn calculations probably because he have nothing else to do.
He could only watch the world outside the small cracks between the planks while they're in their journey. He have to stick with the adults and couldn't afford to play around or else when magical beast attacks them, he would become the first and easy target.
The most peaceful times were in the inns inside the safety of the enclosure of the villages. He drags his small body to be as helpful as he can, because children in this world isn't as valuable unless they're nobles or royalties. Human rights wasn't even a thing. Adults find it hard enough to survive for themselves so children would be like carrying tons of weight when the traverse the world outside.
In a sense, the little boy wasn't taken care of. He lives with his parents but he have to prove his worth unless he want to be thrown out as bait when unexpected strong beasts attacks their carriage. The only beauty in his childhood is that every single day is filled with distinct events. He also get to meet different kinds of people and part ways without any attachment.
That boy have many dreams and he vows to himself that he will accomplish them all one day.
"I'm one of the most powerful people in the world. But I still feel like I'm inside the travelling carriage, desperately proving my worth so I could survive…" Will murmurs.
This time, the world itself would be at stake if will don't prove his worth.
Will stretch his body on the chair. Then walks towards the glass wall and door to the balcony. The breeze of the warm wind graze Will's skin.
A hovering car automatically starts powering on the side and opens its door to let him in. Without any sound and vibration, the hover car floats higher and leaves the balcony. When it pass through the barrier, the balcony disappears as if it wasn't there to begin with. What's left is the solid auspicious wall that looks natural for the structure of the building. The hover car also turns invisible and heads towards the Ardent city, only leaving a trail of faint distortion according to its original shape as it passes by the building, people, and road. If looked up from the ground, nothing seems to look odd.
Busy pedestrians walks by the sidewalk. People taking breaks from their work looks out of the window to check the blue skies and white clouds that are as pleasant today as always.
Will sleeps inside the car while its fully automated and driven by an AI. It pass by the old road leading to the Ardent city. Large trees took over the ground below transforming it into a dense forest. Many beasts are nesting in there, fighting each other to compete who dominates which area.
"Master Will, the car containing Lieutenant General David Sampson is up ahead, hovering unmanned… How do we proceed? General David seems to be fighting magical beasts to retrieve his coat…" The car's AI informs Will of the situation outside.
Will, with his closed eyes thinks. He really don't want to do something so troublesome. David's paid leave probably already has automatically taken effect. Since they're both off duty now, there's no need for any formalities.
"Just proceed without doing anything. General David would be fine…" Will replies.
"General David is having a match with an Alpha electric wolf pack leader… Soon, his old diesel vehicle could explode and cause a forest fire. It could spread to an estimated sixty-eight-thousand kilometer squared and the fleeing magical beasts inside the forest might reach the nearby enclosed farms and settlements…"
Will could only curse internally. What and unfortunate day.
"General David…" Will wants to cry and plead to David to make his day lighter.
Will heaves a long sigh of exhaustion with a hint of irritation.
"I should move my body once in a while…" Will stands up and then stretch his body. He removes his suit and put it on the seat.
"Should I rather feel lucky since I followed earlier and don't need to deal with forest fire and the fleeing magical beast?..." Will laughs dryly.
The invisible hover car's door opens and then Will leaps outside. Will's whole outfit gleams with the lines of complex pattern and he flies to the direction of the ongoing match.
The large Dire wolf evades the smaller pack of wolves while a bigger one that seems to be the alpha leader block him from making any bigger moves. The alpha's whole body is crackling with electricity that focuses in its mouth when it initiates an attack. It howls along with the electric charge it gathered towards the dire wolf.
David could feel tingly from the attack of the smaller wolves, however, the alpha's attacks makes his joints feels jelly, slowing him down from evading and rendering his counter-attack merely like a light pat.
David sees the situation to his disadvantage. He should slay that alpha first and then the smaller ones would be nothing. He promptly change his tactics and abandoned his evasion to clash with them head-on. The smaller wolves stick themselves on David's fur and release their electricity in his body. David ignores the tingling and sparkling sensation and pounce directly at the alpha.
Seeing this, the alpha lights up even more brightly and prepare to launch his all-out attack. The ground beneath its paws crackles and breaks, the grasses starts emitting burning scents, and a lot of smaller magical beasts that couldn't leave the area fast dies as they burn internally. They fall on the ground with foams of saliva overflowing from their mouths.
David's right paw raises when he's finally about to reach the alpha, his claws contracts revealing its hidden razor-sharp and steel-hard lethality. It swipes down with unbelievable power in an instant and cut the alpha's body into three separate parts.
The all-out electric charge that the alpha wolf didn't get the chance to release while it was alive burst from the three body parts. With a loud thunder that reverberates throughout the forest, the body parts explodes at the same time knocking David a few meters in the air. It release heat and force waves while the electric energy gets attracted to the surrounding ground and trees, as well as the toppled over car from afar.
The dire wolf backflips in the air and dash towards his car to throw it far from the reach of the electric surge but unexpectedly meets a boy at the scene.
"It's me again, General David. That was an amazing match…" Will stands right above the toppled over car as if he was overlooking the match just now. When the electricity surge arrives to them, Will throws a metal ball on the ground and it absorbs all the electric energy from the perimeter in one go. It only left some lingering buzzing waves from the trees and grass but it couldn't start a fire.
David snorts in relief.
Later inside Will's invisible hover car.
"It looks like I lack experience in fighting magical beasts except the dark creatures. I can't believe that retrieving my coat could lead to that situation. I was afraid the car would have exploded and burn everything in the forest…" David couldn't believe he almost caused a blunder this time.
"That just means you specializes in dealing with the dark beasts. But considering the fact that you eliminated a high threat of a magical beast, you actually made great contribution for my explorers… there where a lot of variable this time that lead to that situation but they could be disregarded since the outcome turned out fine" Will sits right across David. The one person seats in this car could turn in every direction and have relative spaces between them.
"But I could have caused an irreversible outcome if that developed to the worst case scenario. I couldn't even have avoided that without your help to begin with…" David massage his temple because of the headache. Dealing with the beast was the easiest part. The consequence to the nature was very hard to control, if Will didn't happen to pass by chance, that could have turned into a massive fire.
"Let's just say, we now share each other's secret. You saw me red-handed while I'm on my way to slack off anyway…" Will replies nonchalantly.
"If that's how you want to think about it, then, thank you for tolerating my blunder…" David could only smile and feels relief once again.
"We have the same hometown so we should help each other right? We also lent each other's hands at that time in the hospital… although it's presumptuous of me to say this but we've been through the same experience to some extent so this much is a given. Don't you agree?" Will tries his best appeasing David who's in the middle of self-blame.
David smiles at Will and could only resign to his wise words.
"You started your career at the age of twelve… I can't imagine it from others but for you, that possibility and feats fits together very well. I can't really explain it in words…" David says cordially.
"I'll take that as a compliment…" Will don't know how to respond and causes the air to turn awkward once again.
The invisible hover car soundlessly traverse the expanse of magical beast's grounds and soon arrives near the Ardent city. However, it didn't land inside but enters a secret facility detached from the world within the forest.
Will and David comes out again with a normal and commercially popular hover car to enter the city.
The hover car lowers on the ground when they arrive on the gate and then finally enters the Ardent city. Their hometown.
Will escorted David home first before heading to his own.
Will arrived too late. The graduation already ended long ago. Sean and the others probably already went home.
Will parked the hover car nearby and then comes out to look at the house he lived for twelve whole years. He mutters for himself, "I'm home…"
Will walks the path while checking if there are people in the courtyard or could be seen through the open windows. However, there don't seem to be any movements around.
Will could feel the presence of people inside. They seem to be doing nothing. There are six of them. They should be Will's friends and family. But what are they doing? They are gathering in one place and seems to be still in time. Maybe something happened. Perhaps someone couldn't graduate.
Will opens the door and immediately detects the gloom in the air.
"Sean… What do you think?" Will overhears Jess asking with choked voice. It sound so pained as if she's holding back a cry.
"I'm actually very curious. I want to see how they are. I want to understand how they think. Why they have done that to me all my life. I tried understanding them before, but I can't. Then I realized, I haven't spoken to them once. Maybe that's why I don't understand them… but there's also a possibility that I won't even if I try. I don't really know what I want… I don't want to leave you guys…" Sean replies solemnly. He seems to have finally calmed down and say what he feels.
Will hides on the corner and listens to them.
"I can't just forget about them this time. They suddenly wants me back… I don't know what they are thinking but I can't just ignore this. After all, no matter what, they're still… my blood relatives…" Sean seems to be talking about his parents wanting him back.
Will can't let this happen. He pushed through with his superiors to have one last person to know his identity because that person is crucial for his plan. But Will's superiors created unreasonable terms. Such as that person needs to turn fifteen years old first before he could work together with Will to build 'that' ultimate weapon to slay 'that' thing lurking inside the dark mountain.
Three years ago, Will discovered that the potential of his and Sean's abilities if combined, could reach exponential heights. Their abilities have very high compatibility with each other. Will already included Sean's presence in his plans three years ago, that's why, Will can't let Sean slip away. Not now that he could finally get Sean's cooperation.
Will realizes ones again how unfortunate this day is. Sean just graduated and Will could finally start his plan rolling onto the next step. Why does Sean's family have to want him back now?
Will thinks for himself briefly and then finds the solution. He close the door and it reverberates. Everybody in the living room hears this and looks at Will's direction.
"I'm back…" Will says.
Everybody else promptly stands up. They all have sad faces just now, but then turns surprised.
"I'm sorry I couldn't come earlier…" Will walks to them and hugs his mom first. As expected, the VR world don't have touch sensory function in it so the real hug is a hundred times better.
Rick then runs into him and hug him. Will could only let him do what he wants.
"Big bro!" Tom cries and flies into him next. Tom hug him so tightly and then sobs, making Will's shoulder wet with tears.
"I'm sorry I couldn't come to your graduation…" Will looks apologetically at Jess.
Jess just released her tears but she smiles and says that its fine.
"I know, I missed the graduation, but did I also miss the celebration? Why do all look so down? Are you that upset that I couldn't come as promised?" Will acts as if he don't know what's going on.
"I'm sorry. It's probably because of me…" Sean smiles weakly at Will.
"Actually…" Claire then starts explaining what happened today.
"What do you think Sean? If you come back with your family right now, you know what's waiting for you… don't you?" Will sits beside Sean and asks him with a serious tone.
"I have some vague idea… I don't really know what a want to do…" Sean still couldn't decide how to respond to the fact that his family wants him back all of a sudden.
"Well, how about disregarding your family? What do you want for your own future? Your job? What do you want to achieve in your life?..."
Will usually finds Sean to talk with these past years. After all, Sean is the more passive and could answer right away without attaching intent in them unlike Jess and Rick who constantly complains about school and life.
Will's parents also now have jobs and couldn't play in the VR world as much as before. This makes Sean always together with Tom. Will also want to know how is his brother doing.
Most importantly, Will really like how Sean knows what to say in any given situation. They could both enjoy important talks and give each other advice. It's like, they are both in the same wavelength and just somehow click. Their chemistry now far more blend nicely than before. After all, their first meeting wasn't exactly something agreeable. Will was acting kind of immature at that time.
However, after talking to Sean, Will realizes that he's very pure yet wise. Will don't know how to put it but Sean seems to be a good person that knows what he should do to mend problems right at that moment with the best possible outcome. Hugely different from Will that calculates everything and makes pitfalls up ahead so that the situation would always work his way.
Sean becomes Will's idol in that matter. Now, Will and Sean could talk in even terms without offending each other.
"Of course, there's a lot of things that I want to do in the future… but I don't know. I feel like I would regret it if I don't at least try to know them somehow…"
Will couldn't understand. Sean has been abandoned by his family. Why would he regret not being able to know them? Sean must have realized that his own family doesn't have an inkling desire to know him, so why would he want to try and understand them? What does he want to know more?
Will don't have another choice. He needs to lure Sean to go to him while also make him want to be lured. He needs to play his cards now but he can't say something that shouldn't be known to his family.
Will looks at Sean with a serious gaze that easily catches the other.
"How about… instead of going to meet them now and try to understand them as their son, why don't you do it later when you're on even ground so you could understand what they see at the height of where they're standing…" Will says philosophically. The others who heard this couldn't understand. But unlike them, Sean could.
Will and Sean often talks like this and understand each other quite easily. It seems like they have affinity with how they think to some extent. Or perhaps both of them have polar opposite of their perception so that they naturally attracts.
"You mean…" Sean mutters.
"exactly…" Will confirms it.
"What… are you guys talking about?... Does one of you have telepathy?" Rick glares at the two of them who seems to be communicating with their eyes.
"Actually, aside from coming here to congratulate you guys for graduating… I'm also here to recruit. I was suddenly called back despite my leave request in advance because I was promoted all of a sudden. It seems like the founder of the explorer's organization really values my researches and the Point Link terminals that I supply his organization. That's why he decided to hire me as his direct subordinate. A lot of powers covets me actually…" Will says to them proudly.
Everybody in the room exclaims in surprise. They don't know something like this happened.
"You mean to say… you met that founder? The mysterious great founder!" Rick feels like his brain is going to explode. The founder of the explorers organization have so many mysteries around him, but this doesn't mean his feats and achievements aren't solid and significant. People even already stopped prying about his identity because the mysterious founder shut them up with one achievement after another.
"I know it was just a matter of time before the founder notices my son! Didn't you contribute so much to their organization with your Point Link terminal? A lot more people now wants to join them just because of the terminal alone!" Liam pats his son proudly. They are already almost at the same height. His son has now grown so handsome that he bet that he stole a lot of hearts back at work.
When Will's organization finally reached a certain number of mid-ranked explorers, Will then launched his long term plan that he thought up and slowly worked on right after signing those contracts years ago. One of the purpose of the plan is to keep the big headed explorers to keep getting motivated to work their way up their ranks. Because, Will calculated beforehand that these people would inevitably appear. Will's release of the Point Link terminal was just one of the methods.
It isn't an overstatement to say that Will's plan hit all the fat birds with one stone.
Before he could get to all that, the first step was for Will to tell his friends and family some believable lies by utilizing the facts in reality and integrate them as basis for his lies.
Will's supposed 'job' in the GEPCA works like this:
The GEPCA's recruitment and research's function is like an agency to train talents to be released to the world. They are basically mass producing ability users for the improvement of the society, while also filling up data regarding how the mysterious abilities works.
Their research centers develops new ways to utilize abilities and make something significant out of them. First, they recruit ability users who have abilities with high potential. Then, for example, they have recruited imperium ability users who can somehow influence plants. They would gather them in a facility and research the differences of their abilities and stimulates them to become able to do equal feats or to raise new heights. Thereafter, these ability users can now have jobs in an enclosed farms where the pays are significantly higher or start their own source of living with their newfound skills.
Will's ability centers in creating new technology. His enchant ability basically works like that. That's why, after his training, the researchers and trainers 'supposedly' found that his ability have no better compatibility than in the GEPCA's recruitment and research division itself. That means, after he was worked on, he now has to work together along with the researchers and trainers.
Will was 'supposedly' the first in his research element target, namely, the integration of magic and technology. Since Will already created his greatest feat, namely, his Point Link, as a 'researcher' Will have to show his worth in producing new ability users who could make them so they could be mass produced for the public to use.
Will reassured his family that he won't disclose the existence of the VR world since its still too early for the world. That's why even now, only them can have the leisure to have access to such an amazing thing.
Since Will is the first, he's naturally the new head researcher. Then, the founder of the explorer's organization 'supposedly' monopolize Will's research products exclusively for his organization.
That leads to the current 'situation' where now Will is recognized for his feats and promoted to become the direct subordinate of the mysterious founder.
This plan took a lot of deliberate actions and time for it to become extremely believable. With this, it wouldn't be weird for Will to become somehow related to the mysterious founder and others wont suspect.
The few results is the increase of the people who want to join his organization as well as the motivation of the members to work their way up the ranks. While this also helped his organization have low rate of mission failures due to the functions of his Point Link technology.
Just like its original purpose, the Point Link bracelet could monitor the ability user's physics and energy so that they could know their own strength and weaknesses. Then, they could use it for map, time, and temperature for when they are out in the world doing their missions. They could also use it to request rescue if they somehow fail their missions and happens to be trapped in some dangerous place and situation. Will's AIs could then detect and locate them immediately and provide appropriate assistance.
With this, Will's organization still holds the record of zero casualty despite the dangerous missions it often gives to the explorers.
Will looks at Sean, Jess, and Rick. "Now that I'm the direct subordinate of the organization's founder, I could introduce you guys with some work…"
End of chapter.