A massive hall. A clear separation divided it into two halves despite having no physical barriers.
One half was filled with soft white sofas and an ornate table, constructed out of the ice that had been extracted from thousands of meters deep and then sculpted by master artisans. Plants with an otherworldly beauty, their fragrance creating a light and relaxing atmosphere. Just looking at them would soothe one's mind. Just sitting there would rejuvenate one's body. It was a stark contrast to the other half.
Bereft of any scent, filled with a light buzz and blinking lights, black pillars of varying sizes filled the space leaving little room to move. A single narrow path allowed access to another table that was filled with holograms.
A man was sitting there, going through reports detailing every single occurrence in the settlement.
It was an important time for the settlement. Its population had crossed the nine hundred thousand mark, just a hundred thousand more and it would gain the status of a town and with the new status would come new benefits as well as responsibilities.
"Hum…"
He read it once, but could not believe what he was reading. Twice, then thrice.
'Was there someone this capable, this young in this settlement? How was someone like this not in the report?'
[Request acknowledged. Inquiry sent to Watchtower # —------]
***
Knock knock
“Enter.”
"Captain of Watchtower # —------ reporting to the Lord Representative."
"This investigation, explain it from the start."
"It was a normal day, my Lord, but suddenly the data feed turned red and an alarm rang as an object with a dense Qi signature and high speed got captured by the sensors heading towards the Core Barrier."
"What was the Qi density?"
"At the start, the reading showed a density equaling 1st Shedding Core Formation but once it crashed to a stop it started experiencing a steep decline."
"Humm… continue."
"Accompanied by a team of harvesters, I along with my subordinate left the settlement and started the journey. After multiple fights, we finally reached the coordinates."
“There shouldn’t be a high density of monsters within the Core Barrier, how did you come across so many?”
“The aura, my Lord. I reckon that rampant aura had been responsible for the abnormal density. We had personally felt that chaotic aura from far away as we headed towards the target destination."
“Humm… continue.”
The Lord Representative said while going through the report.
“We found ourselves in one of the forests, and there was a clear path of torn pillars guiding us to the objective. One thing I would like to highlight is that by the time we got there, the Qi density had started to experience a decline and that chaotic aura had all but disappeared. This allowed us to escape without gaining attention from all the monsters and specters there."
"How many specters did you come across?"
"Thankfully only one, my Lord. The sensor had alerted me about its presence beforehand otherwise we would have been finished off by an ambush."
“Where is he?”
“In the Harvester Hospital, my Lord.”
“Tell me your opinion.”
“It was a terrible experience. The outside is expected to be terrible but I have never gotten into so many life-threatening encounters. What was even more shocking was seeing that harvester alive. It shouldn’t be something humanly possible, my Lord. Shattered limbs, half of the chest missing, not a single scrap of skin to be seen. It was possible to see the few remaining organs in the body, that is how thin the layer of meat was, my Lord. But that harvester was still living. That was most disturbing.”
“Thank you, you may go.”
“Thank you, Lord Representative.”
Salute.
The door automatically closed and only then did he speak as though he was addressing someone in the empty hall.
“Get the data of this harvester, covertly.”
***
“There was a survivor in that incident?"
Qi flowed, moving with extreme agility, allowing him to access the database. He quickly pulled out some reports. His eyes closed and after a brief pause, opened again. That was all it took to go through reports that were thousands of pages long.
“Not a single mention.”
“Conduct a private investigation of that incident. I need it in a week.”
Again there was no response.
The harvester's name was Inero-ie. He had been orphaned at quite a young age. His parents, according to the database, had a link to the incident.
'I wonder…'
Those given the authority to rule this were not that merciful according to the reports that had been provided to him before being dispatched to this settlement. The incident had been a black stain on their abilities, especially now the settlement was this close to gaining greater status.
He dug through the database. It was a massive repository and even if any changes had been made, there would be traces left behind.
***
'Aha!'
It had taken him a few days but he had found something. It had required him to cross-check everything, even things as insignificant as the traffic details and energy usage. But once those things were united, it painted a distorted picture.
There had been intense manipulation.
'Was the previous representative also involved in this?'
‘Humm… I will deal with them later, for now, the order from the family is a top priority.’
Inero-ie had quickly climbed the ranks among the harvesters, bringing back larger bounties with higher quality all while he soloed the hell that was the freezing outside. Two things piqued his interest, the first was how Inero-ie had survived. Even though the condition described by the captain’s report was shock-inducing, he had survived in similar conditions before, though not as intense.
Another thing was the length of his expeditions. It had grown steadily. The first few had been a few days long at most but as time passed days became weeks, then months, then years. This time the jump had been exceptional, he had returned after almost seven years.
"Why has someone like this not come up in any conversation? Reply."
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“My Lord, you have spent most of the time understanding the working of this settlement since you were appointed here. And because of this harvester's long expeditions and short stays when he does return, very few know of him. Additionally, this time he was considered dead by the few that did know of him.”
Once again he goes through the report he had been given by the city representatives.
“Make the report from scratch."
‘Once I am done with this place I will straighten them up. It seems they don’t know their places.”
***
Knock Knock
"Enter."
“Lord Knrama! How good to see you. I was just passing by and thought of visiting you. I hope I have not interrupted you.”
Knrama had to manipulate his frown into a natural smile, it was something that occurred almost automatically but he was nearing his limits now.
“Your visit is much appreciated Lord Vissbl Pobis Noyb. Unfortunately due to the amount of work I have been unable to visit you or other lords since taking this position. I hope you would not be offended.”
“Despite being a scion of the Mus-Draik family to think the Lord would be so humble. I am truly in an awe of you.”
“Please don’t shame me Lord Noyb. Who might that young man alongside you be?”
Knrama asked while cups filled with tea flew in front of each person along with foods of all kinds.
“My son, a fine young man I assure you. He is incomparable to any of the current generation.”
“As you say. It truly is incredible to have reached Core Formation at his age.”
“I am truly happy that even you think the same. Actually, I heard a rumor that the Capital was looking for promising candidates, does my child have any chance.”
“Truthfully I cannot fully say. Invitations have been sent to all of the settlements but considering how talented your son is I will make sure he at least gets a chance.”
“No no Lord Knrama. I did not come here to make a request of you.”
“I insist. Reaching Core Formation at such a young age truly is amazing. How old is he?”
“He will be completing his 62nd cycle in a few months.”
“He is talented. It would be a waste not to give him an opportunity.”
“I will not deny your help Lord Knrama but please take this gift at least. This way I will feel less guilty about forcing something on you despite your Lordship being so busy.”
"Much appreciated."
"Then I will take my leave."
"Thank you for visiting, Lord Noyb."
The door finally closes, isolating the room from the outside world.
‘Parasitic vermin.’
The air around him suddenly grew heavier but he quickly calmed down.
One visit after another. It irritated him to no end. They kept coming even though he had not yet disclosed the nature of the request. Though irritating it was nonetheless not surprising. If these families were unable to even do this much despite a few centuries of ruling then he would have finished them off with brute force and saved himself from much of the hassle.
As it currently was, if he was not careful they would cause needless problems. It would not change the result but it would waste time that would be better spent elsewhere.
A hologram filled with names opened in front of him. He added another to the list of names. Each and every one of them was useless. The family had requested true talents, not these greenhouse plants that could not bear the slightest change in environment. They were only good to look at, nothing else.
Just thinking of sending this list to the Capital sickened him even though none in the list would pass.
Every name represented a young talent from the top families in this settlement. They were all powerful but it was not something that they had achieved on their own. Was being born into powerful families a talent? Was being fed elixirs since childhood a talent?
'If I pick a kid from an orphanage, even they would show some results after being fed so many elixirs.'
It sickened him but he had to endure it for now.
‘For the family.’
For now, he had to play this game and keep them happy. Patience now would afford him much relief later.
‘Compared to them, he really is a talent.’
Reaching Dao Sensing all on his own in less than 35 cycles could be considered a talent even when compared with all the settlements under the family, maybe even among all of the Great Families.
Tap tap tap
His fingers struck the table, repeatedly as he sat there, thinking.
'He is fit for the request though there is a problem with his status.'
Tap tap tap
'I will decide after meeting him face to face.'
Talent was one aspect but the ability to survive such long expeditions to the outside was very rare. Just surviving inside the safety of the Core Barrier where the Grand Formation tightly regulated any entry was no easy thing.
The Core Barrier was the testing ground to train the newer generation of harvesters but even here they had to be accompanied by senior members to have any chance of survival.
The settlement made those living inside forget the reality of this world.
It was not suitable for humans. The freezing temperatures, the poisonous atmosphere, and the hostile lifeforms among countless other things reduced the chances of survival to the slimmest. It was like the world was trying to rid itself of humans.
Surviving in such a place was not easy, especially when one was all alone.
Snap
A ball of light. Bumps appeared on its surface and then ripples spread. It quickly changed color and a clone appeared.
"Make sure none notice my absence."
"As commanded."
Again a voice echoed while the clone took his place.
***
“Fria-al, this brat has done it this time. If not for those guys picking him up he would have died.”
“How is he now?”
“Not good. Honestly, when I saw how he was the only thing I could think was, finally the day had come when this cockroach-like man would die. But like always he did not, thoughhh I do want to know… this time even his masochistic Dao should not have allowed him to survive. The damage was just too severe. You know something?”
“Sigh… no. Honestly, I had given up hope a few years back when he did not return.”
“That's why I always tell you to do something about this boy, you are his guardian.”
“Inero-ie is like hardened ice. He does not change no matter what I do.”
“How about hiring someone to forcefully keep him here?”
“Don’t make those kinds of jokes, please.”
“That is true.”
A few moments of quiet when the doctor speaks again.
“It will take a considerable time for him to recover. How about doing something during that?”
“Really? How long?”
“Considering how much he abused his body and the core, even after leaving the healing chamber, he would require more than a year to recover so use it well.”
“When will he be released from the healing chamber?”
“More than a month.”
“That long!”
“I did tell you. I considered him dead this time. His core had been cracked, completely. What I still don’t understand is how it remained in one piece. It should have disintegrated but somehow it did not.”
“... If only uncle and aunt were alive…”
“Young lady, don’t talk like that. You did a good job, it's just that this kid too went through a lot.”
“But if I had found him earlier…”
“Don’t ruminate on useless things. This time he can’t leave after a week nor can he wander around. I will make sure of that, so do something.”
“Yes.”
“Good!”
***
Frail-al was shocked as she looked at the recording of when they brought him to the hospital.
Inero-ie was stubborn and reckless. She had experienced both as she had been trying to stop him from going outside but forget about stopping, it had been impossible to make him forgo the solo expeditions.
Harvesters usually operated in teams but since the start, he had been alone, which had been the case even after she had found him.
Never had he returned in one piece. It was a norm for his arms and legs to be broken or outright torn off.
Looking at his closed eyes, head completely bald, no eyebrows nor any eyelashes, not a single strand of hair was on his body. His skin was pink, mostly like it had just regenerated. Still, most of his body was destroyed and it seemed as though a corpse was suspended in the fluid instead of a living human.
“It's enough now. I will make sure you can’t be so reckless no matter how.”
***
Knock Knock
“Yes?”
“Boss, someone is asking for you.”
“Who?”
“Dono but he is radiating danger so I am keeping my distance from him.”
“Invite him in.”
“As you order, boss.”
Fria-al exited her room and entered the premises of the shop, heading towards the counter. The wall was filled with holograms that kept cycling through each piece of equipment that was available. Then the customer could place the order using the special booths.
“Nice to meet you, Seeker Fria-al Delass Brhant.”