General Abdullah

“Emperor Michael,” I saluted the man as he arrived with his Imperial Guards at the staging ground to the level 4 zone. A road stretched out in front of us. Clarissa had been remarkably efficient in seeing that crystals to build a City Map, upgrade it, and then build a road had been delivered.

I didn’t disagree. It was important that we bring all hostile cities under our control. We couldn’t afford to let rebellious cities intent on attacking us go. Even if it was their leaders that had made the trouble. With religious zealots, one could never be too careful.

“General Abdullah,” Emperor Michael said with a head nod, and I dropped the salute. “Done any explorations into the level 4 road or test the Fox Clan?” Michael asked.

“We sent prisoners out, but they haven’t returned unfortunately. I made the decision to stop here, before attempting to move your army through the level 4 zone,” I explained. Michael looked thoughtful as he looked out at the jungle.

“The road goes all the way through?” he asked.

“Yes, to the level 3 zone. We plan to use the city on the other side to connect it. Expanding the range of a city is very expensive,” I explained, and he nodded. He looked up at the sun in the sky and then back at the jungle.

“Tomorrow, at dawn. I want as much as light as possible and there are only few hours left of daylight left. Come, let’s sit and eat. I would listen to any issues that have come up,” he said.

“Yes Emperor,” I replied. His Imperial Guard quickly set up a table and chair for him. I had one of my soldiers bring a chair over as well. He gestured to his right instead of across the table. I wasn’t sure why he did that. Maybe he wanted me close for some reason.

We both sat down and were served fruit flavored water while we waited. “Ah melon, my favorite. What is yours?” he asked me.

“Strawberry. I like the sugary taste,” I answered, letting him dictate the conversation.

“So, any issues so far general?” He asked.

“None. But the stat levels to face level 4 monsters are an issue. We have used the combat level system you devised. Most troops are high 2 to low 3,” I explained.

“Aren’t we pulling from the cities?” he asked.

“They are all Imperial Guards that supplement the governor’s forces, but act to protect Imperial interests in each city. We have half of them right now. Governors are not allowed to dispatch soldiers to other zones,” I explained, concerned that he had forgotten something that was part of the foundational relationship of how the government was set up. Whatever the Astrologer had done to him still had effects on his mind.

“Hmm, I am glad to hear that. Hopefully the road isn’t too dangerous. I am surprised you went through the jungle and not the mushrooms,” he said.

“People without stats can’t stand the sight of them. Many collapsing and bleeding from their eyes and mouths. The prisoners we forced in with some stats, didn’t last long,” I explained. It was a bit barbaric, but if I hadn’t, I knew someone else would replace me who was more malleable. Now that the war was over, I was not about to be cast off into the wilderness to grind with the idiots and dying.

Cooked burgers were served. I didn’t even get cooked burgers in the wilderness. Being the Emperor sure was nice, not that I dared think any thoughts about going up against Michael. He had killed the Divine Empress, and even when everything had been thrown against him, he had won out in the end with that trap of his.

Better to not be melted horribly and keep getting stronger slowly. I was as high up as one could get, I just had to make sure I didn’t fall down.

Master Fleshcrafter

“You clearly have a lot of stats, and are well versed in energy,” Director Katz said.

“I just appreciate you taking the time to interview me Director. I have been quite curious about energy since arriving and have studied it extensively, but testing on myself and monsters can only go so far,” I replied with a grin on my youthful face.

It had been a pain to get my body and stats back to where I had wanted, but my airship had quite a nest egg on it. I hadn’t brought my Sword of Annihilation in. That remained buried with my airship out in the wilderness past East Bastion.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

It had taken a while to make a cover story and make sure my accent was changed. Also, that my English was good. It had been a shock when I heard the Divine Empress had died, then the Astrologer. All my old enemies were dead.

All that was left was Emperor Michael, but unlike the Divine Empress, I knew when to let go. The key thing was a comfortable life and research. I missed my research and when I heard the formation of a Research Division under the new Imperial Government I just had to apply.

“Well your knowledge of the energy types is quite impressive, how did you work out so much by yourself?” I planned out my answer to these sorts of questions ahead of time.

“Careful observation of various monsters. Once you recognize their colors and actions, it isn’t hard to work out the types of energy out there,” I replied.

“Well, you certainly understand inter-energy reactions quite well. But you said you want to research biological adapations to energy?” I nodded at this.

“Yes Director. Energy is present in stats, and my hope is to replicate that. Remove the need for point crystals. While it will take time, I am quite hopeful that I will succeed.”

“Then, let’s here your theory. What is energy at a molecular or atomic level?” I had to think fast, but it was all speculation anyways, so my best guess was fine for the most part. Just needed to tweak it a bit.

“I suspect that energy, is actually a new type of particle. Something that is psychoactive and acts outside the usual bounds of physics. I still believe energy can’t be created or destroyed, and if this holds true, the system in charge of this place is drawing energy from somewhere else and then taking it away. Which would explain the distinct energy differences between zones.”

“It is the Almighty System. One of the many commands from on high, best not to forget,” Director Katz said.

“Of course, may I ask why?”

“It will be the new religion. Founded by Emperor Michael himself. Best to focus on the practical side of things and less on the spiritual. So, what would you test exactly? We don’t run mad science around here.” Now this was an excellent question.

“Energy density, combined with thoughts. Feeding life type energy into extracted brain matter and along with energy to overwrite certain thoughts to create autonomous constructs. As for stats, well the goal would be isolating them and their effects. A bit more challenging, but I am sure I will come up with something in a few months once I get my feet under me.”

“Well consider yourself hired. Honestly, you are the best candidate I have seen in a long time. Well welcome aboard,” Director Katz said and shook my hand. I smiled back at him. Just like old times.

Fu Ge

I looked at my charge. He was upset and was asking about his mother once again. “English, you need to use English,” I told him.

He stamped his feet and screamed a bit. “If you keep screaming, you will be punished,” I told him and he quieted down. I was not going to put up with the complaining and after his mother was confirmed dead, I was to raise him sternly but fairly.

That meant when he had outbursts, he got a spanking and sent to the corner. He had learned to keep things bottled up much better. I was surprised he hadn’t been killed off, but I wasn’t about to complain. The generous stipend I was given for raising him was more than enough.

“I want mother,” he said with a pout.

“Your mother is dead. She is not coming back. I have explained this,” I told him. He ran off to his room and I let out a sigh. I could hear him sobbing. He refused to accept reality, but the Divine Empress wasn’t a mass murdering monster hell bent on torturing people. She was his loving mother.

Still, I would do as commanded, since he was to be evaluated yearly. Including his behavior. I was told that if he was a problem, I would be held accountable. I wasn’t worried. While he was acting out now, he would eventually wear himself out and learn.

I got up and began preparing dinner. There was only a daily check-in, which was surprising, no permanent guards now that the Divine Empress was dead. I wasn’t complaining, but I didn’t understand why they were just leaving the child with me to raise.

Again, I wasn’t going to dare complain. Emperor Michael scared me and the less I saw of him the better. I just had to make sure the child didn’t become rebellious, and everything would be fine. I considered killing the child myself, but I had been told that if he died, I would to.

At least there was meat now for dinner. Living out in the wilderness hadn’t been fun. With raw vegetables and water. Now I could make proper broth and stew. Even if the meat was mystery meat, I didn’t care. It was still meat.

That child was the luckiest child to ever be born. While there was a lot of trauma from his capture, he was slowly adjusting. The tantrums were becoming less and less, and he used English more and more. I gave it another two years, before his mother was a distant memory.

I had decided not to hide the truth about his mother, but not hit him with it until he was a few more years older and had settled down. That wouldn’t be a pleasant conversation, but hiding things from him wouldn’t be helpful. Whatever the leaders of this place had planned, they clearly wanted him well taken care of and any resentment to be purged over time.

Chopping up the vegetables, I smiled. A house, a stove, and an easy job. While it wasn’t translating work, it wasn’t that bad. The laws on kids were strict, but I might just be able to save up enough to have one of my own. With what I was being paid, and the blue I wore, I was already a member of the elite, just for taking care of a child.

Maybe he had inherited a secret technique from his mother? He insisted on practicing the Dragon’s Talon everyday. Honestly, I let him, since it tired him out and my bosses had no issues with him training. He was relentless, which was probably something he got from his parents. Or being chained up had inflicted deep-rooted trauma. Either way, it was good exercise, which made him more manageable.

Honestly, what use were martial arts when stats and skills were so powerful? Even the Divine Empress was killed in the end. And from what I had seen and heard, Emperor Michael was focused on his skills and not his stats.

Well, the kid could dream at least and exhaust himself. As I chopped up the slab of mystery meat, I was more than content with how things were. Even with the threats hanging over my head.