Moments before seeking Lucien, Elio stopped in the main building's central courtyard.
The blue sphere weighed in his hand as he approached the exchange statue, his heart pounding with anticipation of what this discovery might reveal.
When the sphere merged with the statue, a message glowed on the crystal:
"Congratulations on conquering your first deposit, the population limit has been increased to 1.2 million. Way to go my beloved creations, bring the other 3 pls… 1/4."
"P.S.: Careful with the demons thought, better to kill those 1 by 1… Don't procrastinate in killing them!"
Elio stood motionless, the implications taking shape in his mind. The barrier, its recent stability... everything made sense now. The additional two hundred thousand inhabitants limit explained why the pressure had diminished.
But the relief was short-lived.
