There was silence at my statement. “How much?” Laura finally asked.

“I need around 120,000 points.” Laura along with everyone else winced at that number. “I would guess that people with higher Body stats are more resistant to physical damage but require a lot more points to be restored.”

“Regardless, I will sort the issue out myself. For now, we need to stabilize the city and recover. We have two paths forward, the first is to turtle up as much as possible. The second is to deploy everyone we can to grind crystals. Thoughts?”

“Then my people will have to hold the city?” Tyrese asked.

“Yes,” I said without equivocation. He let out a long sigh.

“I might not be sitting here much longer. In fact, the guard itself might splinter.”

“Explain,” I said. If the guards under Tyrese splintered into factions the city would dissolve into another Truth. That could not be allowed to happen no matter what.

“The threat is far higher than many thought. Being a police force is one thing. But a coordinated military against all that, people won’t hold together. In addition, after all the deaths and theft, the captains are questioning my ability to lead.” That was not good.

“My people, well. They need time to process what has happened. Everyone lost close friends. People they trusted. It isn’t as simple as just putting people together in new teams and sending them out,” Laura said.

“The loss of services and businesses is also impacting things. We need to stabilize the social and business situation,” Louis said. Solutions, we need solutions, not problems.

I closed my eyes and thought the situation over. What a mess. What an absolute effing mess. At least no one was trying to make the situation worse. “The city of Purgatory has lost its first major battle, the First Battle of Purgatory.” I finally said. “A follow up attack will probably happen in ten days. Two to three days of travel, times two for both ways. Time to plan and assess what they did. We have at most ten days to become a functional city able to resist another such attack.”

There was utter silence at that statement. Time to start delegating my way out of this mess. “Tyrese, the guards signed up with the understanding this might happen. They do their jobs. Increase the tax to 50%. Use the extra funds for restorations of your people and Laura’s. If people complain, well we don’t need those people right now.” He nodded at that.

“The tax is for 5-point crystals. And will last until day 300. We will keep the 50-point crystal tax at 10% unless it is for restorations, then tax free. No exceptions. Absolutely none. No bribes either to get around them. Recruit more people for the guard, secure the gates, everyone that enters must have their identity checked. Work with Louis and get descriptions of Chase and Ruth to everyone.” Tyrese nodded at that.

“Laura, organize your teams. We must keep up the dungeon skill grab from other cities going. This is more important than ever. Even more important than crystal grinding.” We could not fall behind in skill users. That was our primary source of strength.

“I will make arrangements, but no one will be here in the city to protect it,” Laura said. Then people would die if there was an attack. That was a risk we had to take. I hated it, but there was no other alternative.

“It is a risk we must take. We need to get back on our feet as quickly as possible. Since there wasn’t an immediate follow-up attack, we have time, however limited it is. We need to make the most of it. Finally, Tyrese you need to conduct a sweep of the city for any remaining monsters.”

“It is already being done.” At least someone was thinking of solutions.

“Good. I will be departing tomorrow and grind up enough crystals with Naran’s help. I will then get a restoration. After that I will locate our enemies’ city they are operating out of to the East. I will then return, we will gather up every skill holder, everyone who can hold a weapon, and launch a massive assault to kill this Ritualist.”

“No surgical strike?” Tyrese asked.

“He can see or sense through his monsters. I would prefer that option, but I don’t see how it is possible.” The monsters on the rooftops confirmed this. Quantity was his advantage not ours.

“What about finding a way to summon our own monsters?” Louis asked.

“That brings me to my next point. You are taking over Ken’s position Louis, as President. Get someone capable and trustworthy of research and stabilize the city as much as possible.”

“Without crystals, it will be impossible,” he replied.

“Find a way and the increased tax should help. We will do the same percentage split. No changes, we need those city upgrades. Now, let me make it clear. If we fail, we will all die horribly. If that doesn’t motivate you, I don’t know what will. Clarissa, open my home to store owners that lost their business if they don’t have a place to stay and until they can get back on their feet.”

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“Also, we need to decentralize more. No one person will be holding so many properties again, not even me, without an heir. I will be naming Naran as mine after this meeting.” He looked at me in surprise from where he was sitting quietly. You saved my life twice and get me to safety. I am not questioning his motives. I didn’t have the time or energy to worry about him and was counting on him instead.

“Now is there anything else?” I asked.

“Should we have a funeral?” Tyrese asked. We couldn’t burn the bodies without wasting points. Burying outside the city was asking for a headache.

“Clean up the plaza and organize a memorial service right away, so people can grieve. Don’t wait for me, the sooner the better. What else, now is the time, don’t be shy?”

“We could organize a retreat to another city,” Louis said. I nodded at that. The idea was completely stupid and would backfire horribly, but it was good that it was brought up. That way I could crush it here and now.

“Yes, we could. The main issue is that the skill limit is tied into the store tier. But if everyone wants to flee, kill everyone in another city, and set up there, we can.” It was Naran who spoke up. He was probably thinking about Truth and that limitation.

“This is my home. Our home now. If we run, how far will we keep running. We will have issues in the new city, and it isn’t like travel time is that much,” Clarissa said.

“Fleeing isn’t an option, it will just leave us more vulnerable,” Laura said.

“I still have businesses here, leaving, well there would be a mutiny against me if I did that,” Tyrese said.

“Very well then. We stay, recover, and then fight. Naran, I will need help getting home.” He pulled out my chair and then carefully lifted me up. Clarissa stayed behind to keep sorting things out. It was a long trip across the plaza as people stared at me.

I didn’t look away. The corpses were littered about. What pointless slaughter. Well maybe not pointless, since it was designed to destabilize the city and make us waste time and points. Apparently one of the clouds had decided to let it rain a bit.

We went over to the pillars. There were three tiers for managing properties, owner, heir, and administrator. I designated Naran my heir for my house. That was done. Time to rest and deal with my feet.

A middle-aged man in a white doctor’s coat came over from another pillar he had been touching. “Sir, you should have your feet washed and seen to. There is a triage area set up.”

“Thank you, but I will see to myself in my home,” I replied. The man looked at Naran.

“I urge you to reconsider. I know people say a restoration will take care of things, but until then such an injury should be treated. I can see the black flesh that has died and needs to be removed. You are at risk of sepsis. Honestly, I am surprised you are still alive from such an injury.”

A new arrival. I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry. “Fine, you can treat me in my home. Just be warned, if you try anything, I will melt you.”

“Sir, I am a doctor, specifically a pediatrician. I will do no harm to you beyond what is required to save your life. That I swear on my title as Doctor.” He stared directly at me without flinching. Brave, but he probably hadn’t heard of me, or knew for sure who I was.

“Well, if you are going to do this, might as well do it right. Store, please Naran.” He moved me closer to the pillar. I purchased two fine shirts to be used as bandages for 400 points and a copper knife for 300 points. “Use those for bandages, let’s go.” The doctor quickly grabbed everything where it was floating in the air and followed us to my home.

Naran carried me into my home and put me on my table in my room as the Doctor quickly cleared it of items. “Need any help?” He asked the doctor.

“If you can hold him down, so he doesn’t move.”

“That won’t be possible doctor with my Body stat. Naran you could put my armor by my bed. Wait, armor will be pointless and just weigh extra. I can use my spare set of clothes for tomorrow. The armor can stay behind. It still needs repairs.”

“I will grab them after he is done.”

“I need water, we need to wash off any of the remaining acid,” the doctor said. Naran left and came back with a flask of water. The stubs that used to be my feet were hanging off the edge of the table the bloody water dripped down onto the floor.

“Wait, what if-no, that wouldn’t work,” I let out a sigh of frustration.

“What?” Naran asked.

“Cutting the bottom of my legs off, but I need to salvage what I can to keep the points low.” That was the only reason I had let this stranger put a knife to me. I had been planning to try and do the best job I could myself. I knew it would end poorly. This man, this doctor, came at the perfect moment.

I gripped the sides of the table. “You cannot move. Do you understand. The pain will be immense. There was someone with a Sleep skill. We could try and find them.” I wanted to cry at that. My stats were too high.

“It won’t work on me doctor. As for the pain I understand. Just be aware it may be harder to cut into me that normal. So, if you need to use more force or have Naran use the knife, don’t hesitate. Just get it over as quickly as possible.”

“Very well. I am going to begin.” The knife began to cut into my stumps.

“AHHHHH!” The wood of the table broke under my hands, but I kept my legs still and screamed.

“AHHHHH!” I screamed more as he kept working. Endure. I must endure.

“AHHHHH!” I screamed and couldn’t even focus any more.

“Done. Water.” I lay there gasping for air. Tears streaming down my face. “Shirt.” I barely heard a ripping sound. “That should be good for a couple of days. I can’t promise anything. I will need to see about replacing the bandages.”

“That won’t be possible doctor, we depart first thing in the morning to grind up crystals for a restoration.”

“Doesn’t he have points, after he purchased those items?”

“A restoration for him is over 100,000 points.”

“What!? But other people are nowhere near that high.”

“It is due to his high stats,” Naran said.

“That is troubling. Hopefully they will keep you together long enough. I wouldn’t recommend doing anything, but I know you are the type to go against medical advice. I would like to speak to you, in private if possible.”

“I am that type of person,” I said. “Naran, go get my clothes.”

“Are you sure Michael?”

“Yes, even if the doctor here wanted to kill me, well I don’t think he would get very far as a new arrival. Put me on the bed before you go.”

“Very well, I will be sorting out our supplies after. Call if there is a problem,” Naran said. He carried me over to my bed and then left. The doctor spoke up first.

“I would like to ask for these crystals and points in order to help the people who were injured?” The doctor asked me. I just smiled sadly. I had no more tears left to shed right now.

“Unfortunately, doctor, that goes against the Constitution of this city. Charity is now illegal,” I told him.