“Gooood morning Systemic Lands! This is your host and high priest, XLR8 coming to you with live celebration commentary, for those grinders still hard at work out there in the wilderness.

“It is day 5,003 on the calendar in our glorious empire, with our even more glorious Emperor. The weather, lovely as always. We have a slight chance of a breeze and pleasant weather across all cities. No change on the horizon.” I smiled at this. The joke hit the same every time I listened to it.

“The top secret code is as follows for those secret agents listening in. Five. Three. Four. Two. Spinach. Yesterday our Emperor toured the Heroes’ Plaza for the start of the Thousand Day Celebration. He has a fondness for stiff pillows, action figures, and tacos. Emperor Michael also met with the Unified Business Collective, or UBC, for breakfast. These are the people that get goods moved about, the multi-city companies that have formed up.” Ah, that was their name. I didn’t care enough to pay attention to that.

“After interviewing their main spokesman Sebastian, with a strong mustache, he had this to say.” XLR8 started using a voice. “Business outlook remains stable. With the development of grown food, we can expect private investment into this venture. Stability remains a concern for inter-city transport. The UBC stands fully behind Emperor Michael and Supreme Governor Clarissa. We will be working in partnership with the government to create adventurer combat kits that will be rated for level 4 combat.”

“Well, you heard it here first folks. Investment into combat applications has never been higher. Archery is still struggling with skills and summons, but some people have turned it into a productive niche. Archery competitions today.” I listened to XLR8 as he discussed the various events for the Thousand Day Celebration.

I left my room and was briefed by Samantha by which interest group I was having breakfast with today. I entered the private dining room after being announced, and the seven leaders of the top grinding teams were waiting for me. “Sit, sit,” I said as I took my seat. “Who wants mushrooms for breakfast?” I joked. There were groans at this and a couple chuckles.

It was a stupid joke, but it broke the ice. “Well, what do you all want to suggest to me, we can go clockwise, unless you all had another order planned?” I asked.

“I got this. Been asked to speak. Will keep it simple,” a gruff looking man with a beard picked up a slab of meat from a serving platter with his hand and ripped into it. He seemed more bear than man. “Tax immunity,” the man said and I chuckled at that.

“I am not laughing at you, I am laughing at the fact that is something I would have requested for myself. The simple answer is no. The complex answer, is that the tax is reasonable and not going to increase.”

“Then we want guaranteed zones. Long term deals. No threats. We kill the higher level monsters and get left alone,” the man said. I shook my head again at this.

“We need you people to be pipelines to send people up to you, to get used to level 4 combat. The exclusivity of level 4 zones and the mediation by the Imperial Government, and the waving of several long-term payments, is traded for bringing people up to combat level 4,” I replied.

“Level 6 enchantments. A line to government equipment,” he said. I considered that.

“The base level 5 crystals are being sold at auction. If you want them, buy them. Your subsidies have already been given. If you want more, contribute more,” I replied without hesitation. It was harsh, but these were harsh people. They would appreciate me beating around the bush if there was something more direct, I could say.

“We heard rumors of war. We don’t want to be conscripted,” the man said and there were nods all around at this. I nodded at this statement and sipped my freshly squeezed orange juice.

“I completely understand. You won’t be. The current plan, which may change as new information becomes available, would be to declare the territories completely open. No tax, no laws. But no Imperial Protection either,” I replied. There were several surprised looks at this.

“Really? Why?” the man asked. I knew these top level grinders thought I was sucking up all the points. They weren’t wrong but I had other considerations as an Emperor.

“The biggest issue is that there are too many people at the lower levels. While it hasn’t become a full blown crisis yet, it is quickly reaching that point. In another 5 to 10 years, it will be a complete disaster. Even with the various measures that are in place. That is why your knowledge and ability to grind level 4 zones can’t be lost. More people need to be trained up,” I challenged.

The bear of a man looked at the only woman who nodded and then he turned back to face me. “We want the ability to give out contracts then. We help a person get up to level 4 combat, pioneer new zones and new techniques for them to use. We want a return on our investment and not have to go through a governor,” he said.

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Now this demand was actually interesting. I suspected the earlier ones were just to soften me up first, by giving me easy demands to say no to. Then they push out something reasonable and hope I say yes. Technically only the Imperial Government could lend points, but an intermediary was set up in the various cities for the governors to lend points. I considered the situation.

“Your current contracts will hold. But I will request Supreme Governor Clarissa institute a contract house in the capital here for level 4 grinders. Samantha, pass that along,” I told her and she gave me an affirmative.

“We want to go outside the all governors, including Supreme Governor Clarissa,” the man said. Ah, Clarissa was already doing this and they wanted to make more money elsewhere.

“You can lend money out to people, but it is not enforceable. Also, all level 4 grinders are registered with the government.” I had swung by their grinding spots once or twice over the years to remind them there was always a bigger fist ready to come crashing down out there. “You can’t expect to benefit from the Imperial Government without paying taxes? Even more so when they are only thirty percent,” I countered.

“It is still unreasonable,” the man said. I had to throw these people a bone. Even if they weren’t the highest earners they were literally paving the way for future people into level 4 zones. If I was an explorer, charting the land. They were the road building company, actually laying down a path into the wilderness.

Their support was incredibly important and not something I could afford to take for granted. I suspected that one or more of them might have a meta-point as well. If they did they were keeping it secret, which was smart of them. The problem was smart people didn’t brag about meta-points and actually picked good options. Crazy people wanted to give birth to eldritch anti-Christ abominations.

“A paid fee for opening up new zones. And the allowance to contract out people grinding there for a thousand days at ten percent,” I offered. I dug into my breakfast as they discussed the offer. After a few minutes as I was finishing up my mystery meats and toast, the burly man spoke up again.

“A billion points per new level 4 zone.” The man said. I frowned at that. They brought in around 5 million per day. Taxes would take 1.5 million of that. If it came out of the city’s share that Clarissa took in, which was half a million. It would take 2,000 days to repay off. And even then, there was no guarantee.

“A quarter of a billion, and the new zone has to operate smoothly for at least 100 days, pulling in at least 1 million per day in taxes, for the payout to occur.” I said back. It was a bit complicated, but the idea behind this deal was to encourage the level 4 grinders to spread out more people without breaking the bank.

“Half a billion,” the man insisted. I considered that. It was a bit much, but if necessary, I could subsidize things.

“Then you need to open at least ten new level 4 zones in the next thousand days,” I added in that requirement. The sooner more people were working level 4 zones, the more revenue would be generated. The grinders looked between each other and nodded.

“Deal,” the man said.

“Deal,” I replied. “Samantha make sure you pass all this along to Clarissa or whomever is handling this situation.”

“Yes, Emperor Michael,” she replied.

A messenger entered the dining room, and Captain Francis waved them through after confirming their identity. They then handed me a folded slip of paper. My eyes went slightly wide at this.

“This come in just now?” I asked the man.

“It was listed as priority for you. Eyes only,” he said. I nodded at this and channeled some energy, turning it into fire. Similar to the speaking technique. The piece of paper burst into flames. My hand was unharmed, due to my high stats. A casual display of power to impress on these uppity grinders that I carried the biggest stick around these parts and they better stay in line.

It wasn’t useful for combat. Actual skills packed more of a punch and energy density. They had a lot of things going on with them, that made them very hard to replicate using direct energy manipulation. I had tried learning such things over the year but hadn’t made much progress. It would have been nice to have been able to use any skill with just a thought.

“Excuse me gentleman and lady. An urgent affair of government calls me away,” I said and got up. They said their goodbyes as I quickly left the dining room. I quickly made my way through the Imperial Palace to one of the rooms Clarissa used for high profile meetings.

Entering the room, Clarissa was already there with a nervous looking young man, sitting across from her. “Emperor Michael,” she greeted me and stood up. The man quickly copied her and stood up as well.

“Sit, sit. I am told that you have credible information. And wish to sell it? Start at the beginning with the proof you gave Clarissa,” I told him.

“Name’s Charles. Well, I was grinding about ten days ago, you see. A level 3 zone. One of the mistlands. A cloaked figure with a sword comes right out of the mist. I was on my own. We have a camp, but work individually to really get crystals. Anyways, the death figure was standing there.”

“I challenged it, and then decided it was a monster or someone seeking to steal my crystals when I didn’t respond. I attacked. It was a close fight, but I managed to kill it. Next thing I know there is a golden cube appearing. I had never seen anything like it. I gave it a poke and was offered to request three things and pick one.”

“Well, I asked a bunch of questions, and decided on picking an answer,” he replied.

“What was the question?” I asked.

“Well, I really wanted to know if my sister is okay and where she is,” he said. Answers, we were going to get answers. “I am willing to sell this information.”

“How much?” I asked. He looked nervous at this question and gulped.

“Ten billion,” he finally said.

“Done and a deal. The answer?” I asked with unrestrained curiosity. I wasn’t going to haggle with such a small number of points.