Finn sat in his room with only 12 hours remaining, feeling the weight of the impending changes pressing down on him. He sighed deeply. He had decided he would join his family after completing his dungeon. Surprisingly, he had been getting along with his siblings lately, which was a strange but welcome development. His father still ignored him, and his mother was a nervous wreck.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. He opened it to find his siblings standing there. Amelia walked in first, her eyes glued to the Wuxia novel she was reading. Alexander followed, a serious expression etched on his face.
Alexander sat down, his demeanor grave. "There has been a development," he began.
Finn looked at his brother expectantly.
"I've been helping Father," Alexander continued. "I shared my concerns with him, so we have been keeping a close watch. Grandfather is flying people in from all over the world to add to our chain, mostly at the expense of our servants."
Finn's eyes widened in surprise. The chain allowed a maximum of 100 people, and those linked together would reappear wherever the leader appeared after completing their dungeons. The system was permitting existing factions to show up together.
Finn recalled the flood of information from the news over the past 15 hours. The world leaders had emphasized that humanity needed every advantage possible. With the emergence of other races, the elite couldn't afford to be selfish. The news was sharing advice on how to reappear with loved ones.
"What do you mean?" Finn asked, trying to grasp the full implications.
"How many people?" he asked more directly.
"27 people with their families," Alexander replied. "Apparently, one familiy had seven kids."
"And?" Finn prompted, sensing there was more to the story.
"That's all we know for now," Alexander said. "Father thinks these new arrivals might be Grandfather's illegitimate children and their families."
"Really?" Finn said, a mix of surprise and resignation in his voice. Their grandfather had always been a ruthless figure.
Amelia finally looked up from her phone, her eyes sharp and calculating. "We can exclude emotional attachment as the reason," she said, her tone clinical and detached. "Grandfather operates strictly on a basis of net benefits. Emotional decisions do not align with his established behavioral patterns. Additionally, I have conducted a thorough review of the backgrounds on several of the new arrivals. They are, by all measurable criteria, utterly worthless. Their educational achievements are minimal, their career advancements negligible, and their societal contributions non-existent. Statistically speaking, their inclusion in our chain offers no strategic advantage based on their intrinsic value or potential for contribution."
She paused, frowning slightly. "However, Grandfather always has a reason for his actions, even if it's not immediately apparent. Given the lack of concrete data to fully confirm his motives, we must consider that there are factors at play beyond our current understanding. He could be leveraging these individuals for purposes that are not readily apparent, possibly related to the system's mechanics or unforeseen strategic advantages. But for some reason is gathering those genetically related to him."
Finn mulled over this information. His grandfather's actions were as ruthless and calculated as ever. Bringing in these people wasn't about family bonds but about securing an advantage, no matter how twisted the method.
As the siblings sat in silence, each lost in their thoughts, Finn couldn't help but wonder what other plans his grandfather had in motion. The merging of worlds was imminent, and the stakes were higher than ever. Finn knew he had to stay vigilant and ready for anything.
Eventually, Alexander broke the silence. "We could use another lesson if you're up to it, little brother."
A spark of determination flickered in Finn's eyes as he nodded. For the next two hours, the room was filled with the sounds of focused training—grunts of effort, the thud of impacts, and the occasional encouraging word. As they moved through the exercises, a sense of camaraderie began to build. For the first time, Finn felt a genuine connection with his siblings, a sense of belonging that had always eluded him.