Lucien Mordred stood before the towering glass walls of his penthouse, looking out over the sprawling metropolis of London. The city was his now, and it had been so easy to take control. But as the System constantly reminded him, it was not enough to merely conquer. To rule, to truly control, he needed to break down the world into manageable pieces and methodically take each one.
"Step one," Lucien muttered to himself, the smirk on his face growing. "Divide and conquer."
He turned to Serena, who was seated at a sleek desk in the corner, her fingers dancing across the keys of her tablet. Her focus had never wavered since their arrival in London, and Lucien respected her for it. But it was time for the next phase, and he needed her full attention.
"Serena," Lucien called, his voice cutting through the hum of the city below.
She looked up from her screen, her gaze sharp and calculating. "What's the next step?"
Lucien's eyes gleamed with cold determination. "It's time to split the city into sectors, starting with the core of power—the government and the elite. The System can help us with the little details, but we need to make strategic alliances. We need the power brokers, the politicians, the ones who shape the laws and control the money."
Serena raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And how exactly do we go about that? You can't just snap your fingers and make people agree to work for you."
Lucien smiled darkly. "It's a lot easier than you think. Money, manipulation, and influence. They all play their part, but we have something they don't: the System. It can control more than just the streets. We can access their finances, track their movements, control the information they receive. Once we have them in our grasp, they'll do whatever we ask."
Serena leaned back in her chair, considering his words. "You're right. Money can buy almost anything in this city. But there's one thing I've learned—people don't like being controlled. Even with all the power you have, you need to make them think they still have a choice."
Lucien's smile widened. "That's the beauty of Absolute Influence. They'll never even realize they've been manipulated. They'll think they made the decision themselves. It's all part of the game."
Serena nodded slowly. "Okay. So, how do we start?"
Lucien moved to the large desk and pulled out a map of London. The map was dotted with markers indicating key locations: government buildings, corporate headquarters, and powerful neighborhoods. He placed the map in front of Serena and pointed to the first section.
"This is where we begin," Lucien said, his finger resting on the heart of the city—Westminster. "The government. The politicians who run this country. The most important piece in this puzzle."
Serena nodded, her fingers already tapping on her tablet. "The Prime Minister, the top ministers, and the key players in Parliament. We'll need leverage over them."
Lucien's eyes gleamed. "Exactly. And we'll get it through their hidden vices, their weaknesses. Everyone has one. The System can find it."
Serena's fingers flew over the tablet, and in moments, detailed dossiers of key politicians appeared on the screen. She began scrolling through the profiles, reading each one carefully. "This one's got a gambling problem. That one's been cheating on his wife for years. And this one? A little too friendly with corporate donors."
Lucien chuckled darkly. "Perfect. We'll play them against each other. One by one, they'll fall into line."
With the politicians in his sights, Lucien knew the next step was to move on to the business elite. Corporate giants who had their hands in everything. These were the people who controlled the city's wealth, and Lucien needed them on his side—or under his thumb.
"Next," Lucien said, pointing to another part of the map. "The corporations. These are the people who control the money. The CEOs, the investors, the tycoons."
Serena's eyes lit up with interest. "You want us to buy them out? Or make them work for us?"
Lucien's smile was chilling. "Why not both? We'll take their money, and then we'll make sure they know exactly who's in charge. There's nothing more satisfying than watching someone with all that power realize they have no control."
Serena hesitated for a moment, then spoke. "But Lucien, you can't just walk in and take over everything. The more powerful the person, the harder it is to get them to bend. We need to be more subtle."
Lucien's eyes narrowed. "You're right. Subtlety is key. But once we have their weakness, we strike fast and hard. There's no time for second chances. If we wait too long, someone else might snatch them up. And I'm not in the business of sharing power."
They spent the next several hours laying out their plan, mapping out every key location in London. Lucien's mind worked like a machine, every move calculated to perfection. His power, enhanced by the System, made everything seem effortless. He could bend the city's infrastructure to his will, track the movements of anyone, and manipulate events to his favor. But Serena's input was invaluable. She had a knack for strategy and understood how to make people think they were still in control while slowly manipulating them into submission.
By the time they had finished their plans, it was late in the evening. Lucien leaned back in his chair, satisfied with the groundwork they had laid.
"This is just the beginning," Lucien said, his voice low and filled with anticipation. "Once we've secured the key players, we'll move on to the people who truly matter. The influencers, the media moguls, the ones who control the narratives. Once we control their stories, we control everything."
Serena's eyes gleamed with determination. "And what about the rest of the city? The regular people?"
Lucien's smile was cold. "They'll fall in line eventually. The city will bend to my will. The System is already setting the stage. All we need is to maintain control."
As Lucien stared out at the city below, his plans unfolded before him like a chessboard, each piece moving exactly as he commanded. London was only the first stop. Once he had consolidated his power here, the rest of the world would follow. New York had been a stepping stone, and now, London would be his first true test of domination.
With the System at his disposal and Serena at his side, Lucien felt invincible. The world was at his feet, and nothing could stand in his way. The next few months would be crucial. He would need to move quickly and decisively. Every move would be calculated, every step in the game executed with precision.
But Lucien's hunger for power went beyond just the city. His eyes were set on global domination, and every corner of the world would feel the weight of his influence. With his powers, he would reshape the entire planet in his image.
And in the end, when the world was his, he would rule over it all—invincible, unstoppable, and eternal.