The Systemic Lands
Chapter 644: Day 5,203 – Viewpoints 57

Jacob Copper

“No!” I yelled and tossed the documents away. So much effort and such pitiful results. What were these assistants even being paid for. I rubbed my temples as people in the research lab looked at me nervously. There was a massive amount of tension in the air. If this place was the Dragon Empire, I would have used them in one of my experiments.

“You’re fired. Get out,” I said to the man in front of me.

“What did I do? I completed the work like you said,” he responded, and I rolled my eyes. I could tell other people were listening in.

“Are you a soldier just following orders, or are you a researcher? I wanted a life support system, and yes it was developed, but no testing, nothing on the length of time. You presented a product thinking you could just get a pat on the back. If I wanted useless people working for me, then I would just hire random people who have just arrived,” I yelled at the man in front of me.

“Then you needed to be clearer,” the former researcher argued.

“What do you think a life support mask is for? A fashion statement? You can keep your job, if you volunteer to test the mask for the next ten days, otherwise get out,” I ordered. He glared at me but then left. If he hadn’t I would have killed him. My patience was at the breaking point.

“You, you’re promoted. Work on the mask development properly this time. If you have questions, ask. Don’t give me garbage,” I pointed at a woman who looked around in shock, but she had done good work on the portal project. Nothing amazing, but she was solid in terms of technical ability. Most of the questions remaining were engineering questions and testing which she could handle.

“And the rest of you, you have deadlines. If you don’t like it, then take it up with the boss,” I ordered and everyone stopped their complaints. The boss above me while technically being Doctor Katz was actually Clarissa.

The last time someone complained, she had them executed as a traitor at the research lab. That solidified my control over these people. Getting them to complete their jobs was a headache and a half. But now wasn’t the time for half measures. If that sphere had done something or was still out there, we needed to deal with it as quickly as possible.

I was behind schedule and rubbed my neck. Clarissa had sent a message this morning that Emperor Michael was not pleased with my slow progress. And that I was to hurry up with how much investment was being thrown my way. If I didn’t get results and quickly, I would be the one on the chopping block.

There were just too many issues to be sorted out and the mask was the perfect example. It needed to be tested in the lower layer. But no one wanted to go. So, we sent prisoners with one tied to a rope. But the testing was measured in minutes. There was no long-term testing done, which was a huge oversight.

The man thought he could just call it a day and present his findings as is without looking at the use cases. These people knew what was at stake, so being lazy or incompetent was not acceptable. Doctor Katz had been too lenient in the past. Now I was going to squeeze these people, or they would be out begging on the streets or dead.

Samantha

“Come in,” Clarissa said after I knocked on her door. “What is it?”

“The tax revenue. I am here to straighten it out,” I replied while remaining firm.

“Tax revenue? It is stabilized,” Clarissa looked at me with a frown. It had stabilized which was where the problem came from.

“Emperor Michael’s portion is still being diverted,” I replied as Clarissa stared at me from across her desk.

“And?” she asked me.

“When is it going to be adjusted back to the way it was?” I asked. Clarissa leaned back in her chair while I swallowed nervously.

“A power play, by you?” Clarissa calmly asked me.

“No-“ I was about to continue but I was cut off.

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“No, you say. But I see it all over your face. You want the leverage that came from all that revenue flowing under your control. Do you think I don’t know about the little bribery scheme you implemented to try and subvert people in the Imperial Guard and the palace here?”

I blushed, that had been to help people through tough times. “I was just helping people,” I replied firmly. Clarissa shook her head.

“I brought you up, I can take you down. Michael and I understand each other. The tax revenue is something he is keenly aware of, and we have discussed it. It is being used to stabilize the government at the moment and rebuild the capital,” Clarissa said.

“I just think there should be a time frame,” I countered.

“You seem to have developed a misunderstanding about your position. And while I would like for you to take over day-to-day operations, you think your way is best. That Emperor Michael doesn’t know. Fine, then tell him.”

“I will,” I replied nervously.

“And when he just waves you away and says he trusts me, what then? This nation is held togeather by this administration and the threat of Michael’s power. That’s all that stands between us and complete anarchy. You are upset your little kingdom of power has been intruded upon, when there are larger issues. I expected better of you Samantha, get out of my office,” I quickly ran out. That wasn’t why I was there in the first place. Michael was funding several projects and the funding had been cut off. But Clarissa knew that but overruled him anyways.

I felt powerless and vowed to change that going forward. Even my acts of charity had been looked at unkindly.

Young Michael

I thrust out my spear and skewered the scorpion in the head. It died and turned to dust. A crystal dropped. I went over, picked it up and put it in my pack. “Good job,” Hendricks said. He was my appointed trainer.

“Thanks. A level 2 isn’t easy,” I replied and he nodded.

“Enchanted gear helps quite a bit punching through.” He looked up at the sky. “And we are done with our route for today. A bit slow but hopefully you will get better in time,” he said as we made our way back to the hunting camp.

“Well, I have trained a lot as well,” I added.

“Different from the real thing. The challenge is in the unknown. Well not that it matters anymore after Michael went through and checked all the low-level zones,” Hendricks said. He didn’t call him Emperor, claiming he had been around before Michael had become Emperor, before the Dragon Empire. He had the most amazing stories.

How he had fought in the war against the Ritualist and had even been there at the final battle. A lot of people just rolled their eyes at his stories, but he was the real deal. He normally took on level 3 monsters but had volunteered to train me. Passing on his life lessons.

His one issue was that the new people were weak. They didn’t know how to handle the unexpected. Sure, that wasn’t a problem for lower-level monsters, but with level 4 monsters you needed to be able to adapt and quickly.

“Well, I am just getting started,” I replied.

“That you are. Hopefully, once your apprenticeship is over, we can get you some skills and go right to a level 3 zone. Get you trained up there and get some stat points, then we can look at level 4 zones. That’s where the real points are,” he replied.

“And danger,” I added and he shook his head.

“The danger is from swarming, but that makes it easier. Right now everyone and their friend is scrambling to fill up the zones that were lost from that super monster Michael defeated. But it will all get filled up again and quickly. Those Chinese, they work hard, but no imagination. They will just fill up the low levels, not leaving anyone else room to breathe,” he said.

“But the big thing is level 4 zones. That is what separates the greats from the pretenders. Also with swarming, we can draw in a lot of monsters at once. No need to go running around. But I need a team I can trust,” he said.

“Which is why you signed up for the program?” I asked Hendricks curiously.

“Yes. Trust is valuable. I need to know the people I work with aren’t going to run off. That they are in it for the long term. That is why I asked for the most serious individual to work with and your name came up,” he replied.

“Your last team?” I asked.

“Retired and dead now. They were living in Heaven to the East. Bah, foolishness. Thinking you can retire. I will retire when I get strong enough that I don’t have to worry about crazy super monsters,” he said.

“Well, you have been around for a while, but not a lot of stats?” I asked.

“I can clear level 4 monsters, but that is just the start. To really face higher level monsters, a team is critical. And front-line combatants are the most important. Having someone to cover for me and work with is key. So rather than trying to train some idiot in how I like to do things, I got you,” he replied.

“Well, I don’t object, I really do want to get stronger,” I replied, and he nodded with a grin.

“Exactly. A summoner, well those are everywhere. Everyone wants to be one, but front liners? No one dares. They want summons to fight, but at level 4 it gets hard, very hard to fight and kill monsters with summons. You need skills and stats. Well, you are doing well enough now. Once you turn fourteen, you should be able to afford a lot of stats,” he said. That was the plan. I hadn’t been thinking further than that, but I wouldn’t object.

I was really happy I had been paired up with someone capable as Hendricks. If I could kill level 4 monsters, then I could ask Emperor Michael to take me on as an apprentice and then my life would be perfect.

“What about level 3 monsters?” I asked.

“You need stat points for those. Otherwise, it just isn’t worth the hassle with the terrain. But there are larger level 2 zones like swamps we can take a look at. No one wants those, so more chance to grind up crystals if you can handle the smell,” he said.

“I won’t complain. I am tough,” I replied, and he laughed.

“Well let’s keep at the scorpions for a while more, before changing spots,” he said.