“You are having them kill their grinders to weaken them long term. With the difference in stats, there is no way to easily fight back. Both cities’ growth rates are slowed,” I worked out. Clarissa slowly nodded.

“Yes. They turn the monsters they encounter into crafting crystals and then rob and kill everyone else. They send back the crafting crystals and keep the rest,” Clarissa explained.

“Why didn’t you tell me before?” I asked.

“Because the less people who know the better. Even you Michael. If this leaked, then Gerold and Sam would panic. The other cities would unify against us. Right now, they just have abnormally high attrition rates, slowing their growth until we can take them over,” Clarissa said.

She was ruthless. I sometimes forgot she was a cutthroat businesswoman. The kind that didn’t mind burying a couple bodies if that is what it took. We stared at each other for a bit, while I tried to process this most recent revelation.

“You are ruthless, you know that, right?” I asked her, since I didn’t know exactly what I felt right now.

“Well as they say. If you play the game of thrones, you either win or you die. And you are sitting on the biggest throne at the moment, but Purgatory is still not unassailable,” Clarissa said. I wanted to counter and argue that political maneuvering shouldn’t involve death, but that was Earth thinking. Here, combat power, translated directly to political power.

That was one reason why I had trust in Clarissa. If I died, it would start off a succession crisis. Clarissa would be a huge target. The fact she wasn’t investing in military power was concerning, but also a sign that she had faith in me to tilt the scales in her favor going forward.

“Well, you have my full support. The fact that you are weakening other cities is a sign you know exactly what needs to be done,” I replied.

“That is good to hear. I know we don’t always agree but thank you for respecting the direction I am taking things,” Clarissa said. I nodded at that.

“I might want more investment into certain aspects and more targeted research, but as long as the city is secure and keeps developing, that is important. No more huge losses and setbacks like the Ritualist,” I said.

“I agree completely,” Clarissa added.

“One thing that wasn’t discussed, potions. Imbuement and resistance. Since mental enchanted equipment doesn’t work, that means potions,” I said.

“We are stockpiling level 1 white resistance potions. There have been tests with the Sleep skill and against the white slime in the dungeon nearby. From what has been observed, it adds about ten to the Mind stat in terms of resisting mental attacks,” Clarissa explained.

“Only ten, no wait. It was a level 1 potion. So, a level 2 would probably add 100, and a level 3 possibly 1,000. That is important,” I said.

“I am considering the imbuement white level 1 potion as a drug,” Clarissa said.

“That is fine, just price it heavily. We control production and distribution. Same with negative energy training, perhaps run both out of the same building. Just to check for long term effects. I know it comes directly from the Almighty System, but better to be careful,” I said.

“I will make the arrangements. It might cause people to fall into despair and bankruptcy. Like opium or meth,” Clarissa said.

“Then when they run out of crystals, they can be tossed out of the city. Perhaps distribute it out to the hunter camps. So, people work to get their next fix. The stupid will take the drug, while the smart ones avoid it,” I replied.

“I will need to give it some thought, if you are thinking of bliss potions as a long term method of control rather than an income stream,” Clarissa said.

“Make it both. In fact. We should consider exporting large amounts to Truth and Neo Brasilia,” I said.

“Ramping up production means we would need to control Heaven’s zone and the white deer monsters there for level 1 white crafting crystals,” Clarissa said. I smiled a bit. Now we were talking. Taking cities would bringing into types of crafting crystals under Purgatory’s umbrella and increase the city’s strength and eventually my strength.

“I leave the progression and take over of cities to you. If you want to dispatch an army and appoint a governor general, you have my permission to do so. With my border tour, I should suss out if there are many cities around and where the rats are hiding,” I said.

“Do you want me to prepare any enchanted gear or potions?” Clarissa asked.

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“Level 1 is pointless for me. Realistically I will want level 4 gear, possibly level 5. But then I would need to kill the level 4 monsters myself, and I getting crafting crystals from them isn’t simple,” I replied.

“It would help if you were present when we take the cities,” Clarissa said. I shook my head at that.

“Not worth my time. That isn’t right. Unless they have a Champion at my level, then there is no need for me to intervene. My time is better spent elsewhere. Like exploring or grinding,” I replied.

“Very well. It will just make things take a bit longer,” Clarissa said.

“Then they take longer. I can’t be around to hold everyone’s hand on low level combat. After what I saw of Gertrude, even people with 1,000 stats are probably disappointing,” I said.

“Disappointing how?” Clarissa asked.

“You might realize it. But there is a very high skill ceiling for super combat. While the Almighty System raises people up to a level they can function at, there are a lot of nuances involved with high level combat. That is why Gertrude died. Not due to her stats, but her lack of practical experience and training,” I replied.

“It makes that big of a difference? Can you teach people?” Clarissa asked.

“I could, but it is one of my key advantages, if I have to fight in PvP. Also, it isn’t something that is quickly learned or upgraded. It takes practice, day after day, pushing yourself and knowing the exact limits of the Body stat,” I replied.

“So, you can win against people with higher stats?” Clarissa asked.

“Fighting isn’t a numbers game. No matter how much easier it would make things. Each high fight is like an MMA or boxing match, not a fight between armies. Practicing my movement helps, and gives me an edge, but it isn’t an instant win button,” I answered.

“With consumption being a hindered by the long term issues surrounding it, getting high level combatants is costly and takes time.” She shook her head slightly and let out a very small sigh. “Roads, yes or no?” Clarissa asked me.

“No for now. Enchanting and potions come first. After the store upgrade. I understand spending points to organize the city interior, but roads aren’t needed yet. Keeping people locked in their cities helps us, since we have a near monopoly on travel. Anything else?” I asked.

“That is it. The festival will be for three days, and you will speak on the evening of the third day to close it out. Other than that, there is nothing that requires your attention. But there are petitioners if you are interested in listening to them?” Clarissa asked me.

“Petitioning about what?” I asked.

“How the city spends crystals. The rights of people. How things are organized. How there is a huge wealth gap. The executions for people who complain too much,” Clarissa said.

“Is there anything that isn’t complaining about the situation?” I asked.

“No. That is why they are all non-critical issues,” Clarissa said.

“What about the children born here? Whatever happened to them?” I asked.

“There are twelve children that have been grandfathered in. Two women were executed recently for getting pregnant. Everyone is warned about the laws during their rotation. Finally one woman, put up 100,000 points as a guarantee for having a child,” Clarissa said.

“I thought it was half a million?” I asked.

“It was, but she didn’t have that much. Hence the initial guarantee. She didn’t think she would get pregnant since she had her tubes tied, but the regeneration corrected that and she grinds quite heavily. Arrivals are now being warned,” Clarissa said.

“What about people with pacemakers or mechanical stuff in their bodies. I haven’t heard anything about that?” I asked.

“From what we can tell, those items are replaced with flesh and blood during a regeneration. We aren’t exactly cutting people open to check. But crowns have been replaced with actual teeth, teeth are returned, and kind of straightened,” Clarissa explained.

I poked my teeth with my tongue. I was lucky enough to have braces growing up. So, my teeth were reasonably straight. I hadn’t noticed. No cavities either, despite not brushing or flossing. “Any extreme cases for regeneration?” I asked.

“One missing leg returned. The regeneration can fix any physical or genetic ailment, but it has struggled with mental illnesses. Hence the suicide rate and people with mental illnesses,” Clarissa said.

“Counseling is helping? And the meditation center?” I asked. I knew counseling and mental health were important, but I was skeptical how much could be done in a place like this. The only thing that could be changed was a person’s mindset, not their circumstances.

“Some. People are basically told to get tough or die. I know that is poor advice, but we don’t have the resources to do any more. It does help to give people a shoulder to cry on and get their thoughts straightened out,” Clarissa answered, and I nodded at that. It was harsh, but it was the only way forward.

“Good, things aren’t being taken to an extreme. Any plans to expand the inner part of the city?” I asked.

“Not for a while. We can go another 500 days without issue. The public housing will be packed to the gills, but that is the point. In time the public housing will be moved outside the inner part of the city, with the buildings being converted to stores,” Clarissa explained here ideas for the future development of the city.

“In addition, we will develop the areas by the gates. Into small towns. They are already moving in that direction. The big clear roads from each gate to the plaza is the start of this.”

“You aren’t treating the city like a city, but terrain. Forming outlying towns with Purgatory at the center,” I worked out.

“Exactly. We are already shipping out supplies to the gates and carting in crystals. In time there will be a second inner ring, with housing taking up the second loop with shops by the main roads,” Clarissa explained.

“What about the ring itself, that is made from buildings?” I asked.

“Debating between just having solid buildings to act as a wall, or using them as apartment housing, or housing for the RMPF. Another idea are cheap homes, compared to the other buildings. Since no windows facing outwards and they will be limited to two stories for now,” Clarissa explained.

“I like the organization and the grid layout,” I said.

“It is necessary. Since the biggest challenge is going to be using the store pillars. That is why the RMPF has streamlined access, with varied line cutting system based on priority. The Immortal Council, then the various organizations which includes the city and the RMPF, Union teams, then businesses making bulk purchases, and then the regular people,” Clarissa explained. I nodded at that. Things were well in hand and it appeared she was covering all her angles.