"Mr. Void? Mr. Void? Are you still there?"
The sharp urgency in President Reed's voice cut through the silence like a blade, breaking the spell that held Brandon in the grip of a memory.
"Have you made your decision?"
Brandon's tone remained monotonous as he replied,
A heavy sigh whispered through the line before President Reed could muster his reply.
"Very well, we concede... The Core of the Ethereal Pyramid in Evermore City will be yours…"
The Core of the Ethereal Pyramid, also known as the Heart of Civilization, granted those who lay claim to it ownership of the territory the Ethereal Pyramid encompassed, the Kingdom and all its benefits.
"... As for your second condition..." President Reed's voice continued, trailing off as Brandon interrupted with a list of names.
The list of names, each one an accessory of the corruption scandal that had led to Beatrice's tragic death. From the police commissioner to the Head of the Tax department and the CEOs involved, their names echoed out of President Reed's phone one after another.
"Just what do you intend to do with them?"
President Reed's voice was thin, as if the weight of his position had suddenly become unbearably heavy.
An unreadable smile crept onto Brandon's face, his answer hanging in the air like a loaded die,
"Heh, Guess... Are you accepting these terms, or not?"
A heavy silence clung to the room as President Reed looked to Sir Adam and Warren, who returned his gaze with determined nods.
A bitter taste of defeat lingered on Reed's tongue as he responded,
"We accept... We will have them prepared in an hour. If you can meet us at the entrance of the Presidential Palace, we will have a contract prepared..."
Brandon's sigh echoed across the line, the sound of it laden with disappointment and mockery.
"You don't have much time to get accustomed to this Darwinian post-apocalyptic world. Contracts are for those who stand as equals... I'll see you in a few hours."
*CLICK*
Beep… Beep… Beep…
The sound of the disconnected call lingered in the room, followed by the incessant beeping of the abandoned phone.
Overwhelmed by a sudden storm of anger, President Reed hurled the offending device onto the table, a volcano of frustration bubbling within him.
"THE ARROGANCE OF THIS BRAT!"
===========
<< Void Fortress - Throne Room >>
With a flick of his wrist, Brandon tossed the satellite phone to Lili.
On the other hand, he cradled the cosmic energy core of the defeated colossal mutant rat.
The rat king Brandon had defeated was no ordinary mutation. By devouring countless of his own kind and the energy cores within them, he had amassed enough of the mystical forces that turned Earth into this cruel game of survival to evolve into a higher tier monster.
The pulsating heart of the creature bathed his hand in an aurora of shifting colors, a radiant light show trapped within its glassy structure.
From its depths, near-invisible tendrils of light rose like phantoms, snaking their way around Brandon's arm.
The otherworldly tendrils of energy glimmered ever so subtly, as if to hold the very essence of the universe within their delicate embrace, their luminous touch infusing Brandon's being with their primordial power.
As the surge of energy reached its peak, the crystal core lost its luster, succumbing to a network of fractures.
The tendrils of light that had infused Brandon's body dimmed, flickering like dying embers.
With one final gasp, the core shattered, dissolving into a fine dust that was quickly carried away on unseen currents, leaving behind the echo of its power.
Brandon rose from his throne, his movements purposeful as he strode toward the wall behind his throne.
As he placed his hand onto the cool surface, a whisper of a hum marked the activation of the concealed mechanism.
The wall responded with a barely audible hum, and a section of it slid upward, revealing a concealed passage leading to a hidden sanctum.
Bathed in the soft glow emanating from the center of the chamber, Brandon stood before a pulsing beacon —the Heart of Civilization.
Suspended in mid-air, it pulsed with an otherworldly energy that painted the room in spectral hues, casting dancing shadows that seemed to tell tales of a bygone era.
Its radiance beckoned him forward, inviting him to partake in its ancient wisdom and power.
Drawn toward the beacon, Brandon extended a hand to the glowing Heart. As soon as his skin brushed the surface, a connection as old as time itself was made.
A flood of information rushed into his consciousness, like the sudden rush of a dam breaking free.
His mind was swept in the current, basking in the newfound knowledge and the possibilities it held.
==========
[ City of Void ]
Heart of Civilization ( Tier 0 ) : 35%
National Fortune : 23,809.52 ( 1,000,000/42 )
[ Requirements for Next Tier: ]
— Citizen Loyalty Level: 100% (Target: 70%)
— Pledged Citizens: 603 / 10,000
— Average Affluence Score: 8 (Target: 20 )
— Infrastructure Index:3% (Target: 10%)
— Defense Mechanism Level: - (Target: Basic )
[ City Abilities : ]
— City Shield: Provides an energy dome protecting the city for a limited duration Price: 50,000 gold
— Strength Synergy: Average citizen strength +1%, Mental fortitude +1%
— Allegiance of Void: Unity among citizens +10%, Loyalty to their King +10%
(Potential citizens must give blood sacrifice within the King's Territory.)
Threat Level: 12% - The City's growth and prosperity could attract unwanted attention from other factions or hostile entities.
Stability Index: 78% - The influx of new citizens needs to be managed properly to prevent societal instability.
===========
As the City of Void grows and gains the devotion of its citizens, its prosperity and the overall well-being of its populace also increases. The unity and strength of its people attracts the enigmatic powers of national fortune scattered across New-Earth.
A surge of knowledge swelled within Brandon's mind, the complex matrix of the Heart of Civilization unfolding within the recesses of his consciousness.
His synapses fired wildly as a river of raw information streamed into him, threading through the fabric of his psyche.
New, profound understanding bloomed inside him like the first light of dawn.