024. The Curse of Gamma Tier
"So that's my story."
Li Aozi took a sip of his drink, speaking with frustration:
"I admire these people's courage and passion, but their strength and thinking are still lacking. Their blood was shed in vain, wasted on meaningless battles."
"Then why did you come looking for me?"
Barnam attempted to take back his bottle, but Li Aozi flicked his wrist, easily swatting his hand away. He then spoke seriously:
"Barnam, I'm planning to take a different approach to save this country. Tell me, do you want to return to your comfortable life?"
"Yes!"
Without a second thought, Barnam blurted out:
"I was living well, earning good money, working an easy job, surrounded by the kind and warm people of Grant. To be honest, I've already considered this place my home."
Excellent. Li Aozi nodded; Barnam's reaction was exactly what he had anticipated.
Once a man from Frost-Plated leaves, unless they're a die-hard patriot like Du Zexin or Daivilin, they rarely return, especially someone like Barnam, who has no ties back home.
The Grand Duchy of Grant would produce several remarkable figures in the future, and Barnam was one of them.
Barnam Ziegler's rise to prominence came late, not until version 2.5 when he ventured into space and encountered the [Craft] class's [Architect] legacy, starting his legendary life.
In the future, he would earn the title of "Empire Hero."
To achieve the highest honor of the 13th Narrative-Level Civilization, [Heroic Empire], starting from the native civilization of Azure Star, was a rarity even among narrative-level civilizations.
Li Aozi wasn't here just to complete tasks; he also needed to recruit the best talents.
As a self-made entrepreneur, Li Aozi had only secured sponsorship from Tianhuan and Triangle Town, but he still lacked capable subordinates.
Li Aozi wasn't skilled in management or technology, but everyone knows that CEOs don't need to understand technology.
A CEO needs to be able to bluff, sell dreams, draw up grand plans, attract investments, have vision, be decisive, and unite people. Everything else? Leave it to the professionals, just hand over the money and let them do their jobs.
Li Aozi's high [Charisma] attribute quickly swayed Barnam, who enthusiastically agreed to join his team, even impulsively committing to action alongside him.
However, as they were about to head out, Barnam suddenly regained his senses:
"But, the whole city is under lockdown. What are we going out to do?"
"Kidnapping."
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"Report on the attack."
"Six infantry fighting vehicles from the garrison's mechanized infantry battalion were destroyed. Seventeen soldiers were killed, eight seriously injured, and twelve civilians were hit by stray bullets and shelling... Such a big incident can only be suppressed with the help of Frost-Plated's Law IV."
Bam!
Gamos Luwenqi Grant, the Grand Duke, suddenly slammed his hand on the desk. His pale purple eyes immediately lost their cloudiness and confusion. His secretary, caught off guard, collapsed to the floor, suddenly realizing that the old man before him, who had ruled the duchy for two centuries, was still a Gamma-tier powerhouse.
Gamos' shoulders trembled violently. He grabbed the nearby oxygen mask, covering his face and taking deep breaths for a minute before calming down. The physiological monitoring system on his wrist beeped, indicating low blood oxygen levels.
"Phew..."
Calm down. Stay calm.
Any emotional fluctuation could trigger physiological abnormalities, and what he couldn't afford was a hormonal imbalance.
Gamos removed the oxygen mask, staring at his withered hands. After a long silence, he muttered to himself:
"So this is the price..."
From a mortal's perspective, a Gamma-tier powerhouse seemed like a god descended from ancient myths. When they entered the battlefield, they could easily sway the course of battle, advancing and retreating at will. Their ascended life forms enjoyed long lifespans.
It was hard not to wonder if the legendary heroes of ancient dynasties were actually Gamma-tier powerhouses.
They had clearly distanced themselves from ordinary people, so it seemed natural for them to lead a group of short-lived mortals.
However, Gamos knew better: this planet refuses to sustain a powerhouse like him.
Azure Star's resources were insufficient to keep him alive.
He could feel it—his heart had become a high-energy-consuming engine, his brain burning through an enormous amount of energy every second.
The thin oxygen content couldn't keep him in a healthy state. Azure Star was no different from a high-altitude plateau to him. Doctors diagnosed him with chronic altitude sickness. No matter how much fat or carbohydrates he consumed, energy couldn't accumulate in his body. Just maintaining his basic metabolism was impossible without importing specialized high-energy synthetic liquids from Frost-Plated, costing him 45,000 Derby daily.
His organs bore an immense burden. Most of the time, his overly powerful lungs remained sealed, but even the act of keeping his heavy lungs expanded caused his ribs to ache intermittently. He didn't dare sneeze, fearing that a sneeze could break his own ribs.
His digestive system was another source of agony. His body's energy consumption was terrifying, but his diet was restricted to single-nutrient paste and liquids, gradually causing his stomach to lose its function.
As a [Shaman], his resilient body and strong spirit, which should have been his pride, had become a prison.
How laughable!
He had spent nearly 120 years ascending to the Gamma-tier godhood, only to become a figure of dominance, even daring to stand up to Frost-Plated.
Yet Frost-Plated never saw him as anything significant.
Of course, they were familiar with this. Frost-Plated's history had seen its share of Gamma-tier powerhouses. They knew better than anyone what this cursed power really meant.
Gamos had seen Frost-Plated's Gamma-tier powerhouses. Supported by Frost-Plated's advanced technology, they maintained their health, charging into battlefields as terrifying war machines.
And he had become nothing more than a rotting mass of protein.
Even the spirits and natural forces that resided in his soul, which had grown stronger with his ascension, had turned into poison, constantly coveting his body with greedy eyes.
"The world rejects me. This planet loathes me. They don't want powerhouses to live, and they reject the emergence of extraordinary powerhouses!"
He spoke with sorrow.
The day's attack paled in comparison to his body's gradual decay. The only thing Gamos hated was himself.
At this point, the Grand Duke no longer cared about power. He just wanted to be free from this suffering.
And the key to his life and death was in the hands of Frost-Plated.
The secretary, trembling, sat silently on the floor, unable to control his body due to the biological pressure exerted by Gamos.
After a long silence, the Grand Duke shook his head and said:
"Call Marish in."