10 days later (Y1010年 05月 31日)
Julius’ Darkness Giant form was an experiment, resulting from reducing his strength's restrictions. That was only a fifteen percent release, according to his Skoltor System’s analysis. After the completion of Level Two, everyone who has the system received an update, and it provided a new feature. Since Julius loved numbers, he took this feature as an advantage. It was also helpful, as it can create graphs and images to better interpret any incoming data he might want to analyze.
The Darkness Giant form was only short term and not fully optimal. What Julius learned after the fight against Tang Yifei was that it can only be activated after he entered his darkness transformation, which he called Heian 1 (黑暗一). While the former he named it Heian- Juren 0 (黑暗巨人〇). He doesn’t know when he will reach the first legitimate Darkness Giant form, but it will take some time.
Tang Yifei’s fight shouldn’t have ever happened. Tang Cheng mentioned his mother’s wrath as an issue. Julius found a cure, but unexpectedly, it had to be this way. Tang Yifei didn't suffer hypoqi fatigue, but her powers and qi were disrupted like she was crippled. Hence, her duties are scrapped. Afterward, Julius didn't waste any time. He took her rules of authority away and brought on an invasion of The Tang State right from the village ruins. It was only a few hours before they surrendered, giving him full access to a region with a land area bigger than California. A lot of water resources and manpower. With a population beyond fifteen million people, such decision-making had to be made. And the answer wasn’t officially moved.
----------------------------------------
“How is she?” Julius asked the lady doctor while leaning upright outside the patient room. His arms were crossed, and he appeared dazed, possibly from exhaustion.
“Her vitals are stable, but she is still in a coma. We’ll give her a few more days until then,” the doctor said, also looking at Empress Cai, who was sitting on a bench next to Julius.
“So, she survived…after me. What a relief,” Empress Cai muttered. “Anything else we need to know?”
The doctor shook her head. “No, that’s all I have for now. You two take care of your health, okay?”
“Thank you, doctor.” Julius leaned off the wall as the doctor left. Empress Cai stood from the bench and the two departed in the opposite direction, heading for the hospital’s exit. I hate this disease.
As they walked through the hallways and stairs, Julius noticed Empress Cai had not tied up her windbreaker. In fact, this was the first time he saw her wearing something casual. He eyed her and indeed it was. Loose black pants, a black windbreaker, and a casual white T-shirt. Underneath her T-shirt was wrapped in tight bandages that covered her whole torso. He found out from the same doctor, who treated both her and Celeste, that the stabbing wound was less protruding into her body compared to the latter. However, the qi effects from Tang Yifei spread throughout her body, wounding her similar to a major bone-breaking accident. To no surprise, Empress Cai would rather take the pain than lay in a hospital bed again. Hence, she was given a special type of bandage that could heal various ailments. Julius could tell she was happy as they were about to reach the hospital’s exit a few steps away.
“Are you staring?” Empress Cai asked, catching him looking at her.
“Yes,” Julius bluntly said. “My eyes are tingling at these bandages wrapped around you. Do they really work?”
“Indeed, it did. I can move a lot more without having to cough every second. But my chest still hurts.”
As the two stepped outside, Julius mildly shrugged. “Is that why you exposed yourself? First time I see you wearing something so casual.”
“A period of relaxation would be great. You should get some too; I haven’t seen you ever getting rest since we overthrew the Tang State…Join me with Daiyu and a few others.”
Julius looked at her momentarily and turned away to view the big wide pavement. The infrastructure on the High Cai Plateau underwent a massive overhaul since the first budget was implemented. He breathed the newly fresh air before responding to Empress Cai’s suggestion. “Are you giving me a clue of what you’re inviting me to?”
“No, I’m not,” Empress Cai said, expressing a Duchenne smile.
She’s waiting for my answer. Julius perceived. He gave a second before answering. “I’ll take the risk,” he said in a mumbling voice. “…Sure.”
“I’ll tell you when the private event happens,” Empress Cai said.
Julius wondered what private event she meant, but he pushed back that thought and returned to focus on the upcoming situation. He looked at the newly widened street again before stepping out of the hospital awning’s reach, letting the sunlight envelop him. One more look at the new street left and right, and he departed the scene, with Empress Cai following behind. The two turned left, where straight ahead led into the t-intersection. Ahead was the stairway leading to the entrance of the Moon Palace’s new East Wing building because the entire palace was faced in the opposite direction geographically. The structural frame isn’t finished, as they have one more floor to add, bringing the total to four stories. However, that’s not the destination the two were heading to.
They turned right, going back to the main entrance. The view was also changed. Julius remembered the spot where he met Empress Cai for the first time, experiencing her aura. This part of the High Cai Plateau has undergone more changes than in the area around the hospital. The wide main street, where he recalled landing his F-150 pickup truck, was cleaned up. The Raid of Longyue decimated many of the spots at the High Cai Plateau. One review concluded that most of the barred region should be revived with residential properties. Specifically, for the government employees and many workers that operated around the plateau, like the hospital. Anything else not included, and that was damaged, was all for commercial purposes.
Julius and Empress Cai departed by going separate ways after entering back inside of the Moon Palace. He went to the left while she took the right.
“I’ll see you for dinner,” Empress Cai said.
“Yeah, you get some rest.”
She heartedly waved back, prompting Julius’ mouthplate to open and smile. He waved back at her and departed.
The interior of the Moon Palace underwent many cosmetic modifications. He remembered the building that held the Department of Staff Photo Ops collapsed after saving a startled worker. The East Wing building’s second floor will serve as its new headquarters.
Julius continued walking and turned to the right, leading to a new intersection where ahead were the new gardens. The intersection received a corridor that covers most pavements within the Moon Palace’s complex limits. He leaned right on the railing to view the new fresh running lake with all the koi fishes joyfully swimming around. They seemed to be happy. The fresh herb smell from the natural greenery is very soothing.
After taking a minute, he resumed by going to the left, which leads closer to the East Wing building. There was a sign that displayed three locations. He turned right and ahead was a wide one-story building painted matte black, next and joined to the left of his residence. It was structurally modeled after a neoclassical style reminiscent of the United States’ White House, specifically the West Wing. The entrance mimicked the north side of the White House’s west wing, where it had double doors and an awning. The only difference was the painting, size, and no driveway.
Julius entered to find multiple people who were already waiting for him inside. After going through a maze-like hallway, there was one individual dressed in a suit who greeted him. Immediately, he opened the two doors, revealing the black-walled hall. Exactly like the gothic room. The same lengthy table was available for fifteen seats; one was vacant, waiting for him.
All fourteen that sat, stood and greeted him. Julius gestured his hand for them to sit down and save their energy. He went to his seat and got a view of the same vibe as the last time. Except the space was much bigger and to his left and right, each gained new rows of tables, compensating for the last meeting where many had to either stand or borrow spare chairs. Once he sat down and everyone was settled, the dual doors closed up, and the meeting began.
To his left were President Yang, Solomon, Tang Chang, Father Kang, and three senators. To his right were Daiyu, Prime Minister Míngyuè, Journalist Rui, Minister Tang Li-Mei, and two staff members who handled the records and evaluations.
“Well, this is our second time being together. Already a lot of things have changed. I’m glad we all can sit comfortably in this room without having to deal with standing and spare wooden chairs to sit on…And y’all don’t have to worry about my outbursts like the first time. I’ll try my best, so it won't happen again.” Julius initiated, prompting others to talk.
Rui had one paper in his grip and took the first queue. “Did you really decimate your paternal side of the family? Because it says here that every uncle, aunt, or relative in that household was dead, leaving their bodies or evidence at the site.” He would look at Prime Minister Míngyuè and Julius simultaneously.
The former shook her head. “Tang Yifei is the sole survivor. She is currently being placed on house arrest while under medical supervision because of the injuries she sustained from the battle.”
“Any updates?” Julius asked.
“Nearly at hypoqi fatigue levels.”
Damn. Julius’ eyes widened. Not because his aunt was still alive, but the fact she was almost in the state of getting hypoqi fatigue. He still feared it to this day, hoping to never get it. Empress Cai was the first, and Celeste, being a powerful support cultivator, was inflicted by this sickness. Out of all two recent cases with his aunt, almost the third, the historical statistics indicated that there hasn’t been one before the two recent for half a decade. When this gets recorded, that would bring concern to the public that no matter how powerful a cultivator could be, the risks still remain. “Have any in the past years started an initiative to start researching for a cure?”
Silence throughout the entire room.
“Seriously? Not even one bit?”
Solomon sighed, leaning up from his seat to the table. “No records of it at all. No trace of writing or any of that either. The treasury department has no finances report on it either.”
“In that case, I feel it wouldn’t make sense if there were zero cases in the past five years. Do any of you assume that the information possibly was censored or scrapped? According to the population before the Longyue Raid, there were many cultivators who lived in the capital. Especially the other sects and family clans who perished during it, leaving the Kang Family as the sole surviving latter,” Julius said, making a point. “Even only an estimate…I think there should be at least one case for each of them monthly data, only to be not recorded.”
“You’re saying we’ve been misled?” Rui asked.
Julius nodded, opening his executive folder on his desk. He then requested the papers that were to be printed before he arrived. The two staff, who were on his right and sat at the end of the table, stood up with a suitcase and walked right next to him, handing over the two suitcases. He stood from his seat and thanked them as they headed back to their seats while Rui continued.
“That is pure insanity. How much are we going to tell them?”
“Everything,” Julius said, pulling out a box from the first suitcase. It has an opener concealed by a mechanical hook and loop fasteners. He opened the box, revealing a large stack of printed papers, and his hands went in and lifted it out of the box for everyone in the room to see. “Everything significant.”
President Yang and Tang Cheng stood from their seats after he revealed the stack of papers.
“Are there some of my requests in there?” The former asked.
“Mhm, this stack and another one in the second suitcase contained executive orders from many comments throughout the capital, the fishing village, and citizens of the Tang State. It took us at least a week to compile all the relevant concerns.”
“You actually reviewed the whole thing…” Tang Li-Mei muttered, expressing a shocked face.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Julius pulled out a box of pens from the first suitcase. “Yeah, I don’t sleep, and that gave me plenty of time to process all of this.”
“You are an insane piece of work,” she reacted astoundingly.
“What can I say? I’m a workaholic…I can’t help it. Now, tell me any updates as I get ready to sign these.” Julius sat down and pulled the first pen out of the ten. He flipped through the bottom edges of the paper, counting from the bottom up. “I have eighty thick papers, so we have plenty of time.” The signing of the executive orders began as his ears perked up, listening to every incoming input.
Rui had another paper, reading his next question. “There were talks about the Book of Inventions. Any updates on that?”
Solomon, with his finger, twirled at the question. “You missed one word; it’s called The Book of Future Inventions. I was supposed to hold off from saying information, but I knew this would happen,” he grunted and pointed his thumb at Julius. “The reason there was nothing public about it yet was because the drafts are under the final review process. A couple of us within the government offered innovative ideas about what could benefit us as a whole. Julius gave a few.”
Rui and others turned to Julius as he finished signing the fifteenth paper. He looked up when the room was silent. He signed the subsequent paper before answering. “I told Rui and Tang Cheng about an idea of a highway, pretty much a wider pavement, and you can travel at faster speeds by foot. That was a while ago, right before the first budget senate session. The idea was put on the first page.”
“And they accept it?” Tang Chang asked.
“For what I heard, yes. About half of the suggestions that went through the ending process had been accepted. Come back the next day or so, and it should be done by then.”
“Not even a tease or other works?” Míngyuè asked suggestively, causing Julius to look at her momentarily.
The table at the far right shared her reaction as he turned. I’m going with two. “Another one is the vehicle.”
A couple were confused, especially Míngyuè and the few senators. “What’s a vehicle?”
“You two didn’t see the thing outside while walking here? The one big metal platform with wheels that was wrecked, and people are surrounding it like it was some holy item.”
“Wheels?”
Oh, my god. They really didn’t even see it. Julius almost chuckled because it was placed in open proximity to the area where visitors could cross. “Well, I can’t say further than that without you two getting lost…To put it simply, imagine a carriage but metal and mechanical.”
‘Mechanical’ caused the entire room to put everything down, anticipating further deliberation. “What’s up with y’all? An excitement or something punched you up?”
“Why the hell not? All of us have never heard of mechanical and metal combined into a carriage,” Míngyuè said, gesturing to the entire room.
Solomon immediately raised his hand. “I did. I mean everyone at this table except you, the senators, and the staff. It’s freaking fast that I’ll tell you.”
“How fast was it?” Rui asked.
Míngyuè followed with a second question. “Can it get tired?”
Julius signed the twentieth paper. “Horses can’t keep up with it. A loaded vehicle can go at an average speed that is ten times faster than multiple horses pulling a carriage—”
“I can't get tired. It will only stop if there’s no more fuel and nobody is willing to drive it.” Solomon leaped into the conversation and then turned to Julius. “Sorry, I recently liked alien technology, almost an obsession.”
Nobody better ask a question. Julius felt a little uncertain and uncomfortable because, other than a few, he never told anybody else he was technically an alien. However, the time will come when people around him either found out or told him about it.
“Alien?” Li-Mei asked; her ears perked up.
Ah, there it is.
“Damn it, Li-Mei…Sorry.”
“Something you are not telling us?”
Julius looked at the left and right tables. He gestured to the press to stop writing and guests to listen. “As you know, my familial history with the Tang Clan, specifically my paternal side, I was never born there. Never touched my feet there until this month.”
“Where were you born?” Father Kang asked.
“A different world…I’m still trying to discover the truth, but what I know is that my parents eloped and escaped through some portal that took them to a different world called Earth. No powers, no cultivation, none of that. Only humans with nature. Since then, no progress.”
Father Kang wiped his forehead. “That sounds boring. In that case, how’d you even get here?”
“The third cloaked individual at the Siege of South Cai Fishing Village. Alyssa Scarlett. She and her dad brought me to this world in Kriegshan. The story goes from there, and I won't go further right now. I hate recalling the journey it took to first step foot here. If you want me to talk further, one day in private.”
Julius sat back down and gestured to the two tables that they were permitted.
----------------------------------------
For the rest of the meeting, the issues were discussed fairly quickly because everyone was more interested in the vehicle and the documentation of The Book of Future Inventions. Hence, it dragged on for two more hours. Julius rapidly signed all the papers from both stacks in fifteen minutes before it became distracting. From what resulted, they voiced their desire to have one vehicle. Despite all warnings and how dangerous it could be, that didn’t faze them one bit or deter them from wanting one. Coincidentally, at the end of the meeting, a representative from the Technology and Innovation department entered the room with a folded letter. She handed Julius it and stood until he finished reading it.
“Ok, I underestimated the workers’ efficiency. The Book of Future Inventions’ ending process has been completed,” he announced, turning to the representative. “If you can prepare it for the public and hand a copy to the press afterward, that would be great.”
“Anything from Secretary Solomon?” the representative asked.
Hence, Julius turned to him. “Anything from you?”
Solomon stood from his seat, tying up his overcoat. “How’s the status of the printers and the database?”
“It’s all green.”
“I have nothing else to say then, thank you.”
“Thank you, sir.” The representative half bowed and turned to Julius. “Now, if you excuse me, emperor, may I depart?”
“You may.”
The representative left the room first and the press and guests followed out. Julius waited until they left. Afterward, everyone at the main table stood, and the staff and the senators immediately went out.
“All of you should get a break.”
Daiyu tapped his hand. “We should be telling you that. You haven’t laid your back on a mattress for the past ten days. Maybe go back to the residence. Only a couple more hours left until dinner, so I think it’s best to use those hours for comfort.”
“Y’all are really pushing me for it, huh? You guys are right. I probably should, but I’m serious. I literally don’t feel any fatigue on my shoulders. My sleep has been less dependent after days work. The more powerful I get…I don’t.”
Daiyu took a moment to bring out an answer. “How about going on about reading stories or sitting on the couch?”
Julius partially nodded, but his attention turned towards Father Kang, who was pulling out what looked like an underground metal pipe, but long and wide as a pen. “What are you doing?”
“Smoking? Is that against the rules here?”
“No… But I’m curious why you smoke?”
“It helps me. I don’t know what you noticed, but many here smoke daily. They never do it in the palace’s proximity because they don’t know what your opinions on it are.”
Them? Damn, that’s wild to think about. What does he mean by my opinion? “Is this a traditional precedent or something where I had to give a thought to it?”
Father Kang nodded. “You might not know about this. Sixty percent of the West Cai Dynasty…sorry Moon Empire smoked once in their life. Why?” He put the pen-sized pipe halfway into his mouth with his frontal teeth gripping it, triggering the pipe’s surface coloring. It flashed blue momentarily and turned orange. He took one inhale and exhaled orange smoke through his mouth and nose. “It makes you more resistant to negative ailments and a stress reliever.”
Julius pointed at it. “Is this made by this kind of planet?” He asked with a concerned tone, emphasizing further afterward.
“What’s that?” Father Kang questions, showing his confusion. He asked others. “Do you guys know what that plant is?”
Nobody even acknowledged what it was. Julius assumed it might be a different name in Planet Raal. Hence, he asked them, while describing its characteristics, and what Father Kang smoked.
“Yinhai…humans from Earth had no cultivation, but can create something that is antagonistic. No, we don’t do that here. I would rather not touch any of those.”
“All news to me. I would never see the day that it doesn't kill you.”
“I could get you one. It can make your healing factor improve,” Father Kang suggested and gestured to his jawline, meaning Julius' problem.
Julius thought for a moment, even telepathically asking Licht for an opinion. The latter responded with a humming affirmation. Hence, he accepted the offer. “How do you get it delivered?”
“In boxes. There's small, medium, and large.”
“How much is in each?”
“The small has three—”
Julius interrupted. “I'll take that one. Thanks…It better be worth it.”
Father Kang pulled a spare paper from the center of the table and wrote what had to be Julius’ suggestion. He then whistled, summoning a Kang Family cultivator. “Send this to the vendor…Thank you.” One grunt afterward before leaving his spot. “I’ll see you at dinner. One tease…it’s held at my place again.” He waved goodbye and departed. Others have no ending comments, so they exited, leaving Julius alone with President Yang and Daiyu.
“I haven’t got the chance to ask. How’s it going as the president of this country?”
“For more than two weeks, I adapted. I thought I would have trouble talking to people. However, I stand corrected. It felt comfortable but busy,” President Yang said. “If I can keep this job till my term ends, I would be satisfied.”
Julius’ mouthplate opened, and he smiled. “That’s good to hear. I remembered your reaction when you got the votes. It was heartwarming for you to graduate from loneliness.”
“The day I will cherish forever,” President Yang said and shook Julius’ hands. “Thank you. I might not have much work right now and before it wasn't as bad, but I bet it’s going to be massive in the upcoming days.”
Daiyu, who was eyeing her, turned and responded. “Oh, you bet. Everyone is going to be busy again soon…Darn, more than fifteen million people under our hands.”
“One day, a celebration has to happen once everything is over and the world is back in peace,” Julius said, believing it has to come one day. President Yang let go of his hands and departed from the room, leaving him and Daiyu. The two would close up the room and leave not too long after. Because these were executive orders, usually, he would have someone to handle the deliveries. Fortunately, he was nearby because the Office of Moon Registry was not too distant from the Black room. When Julius left with Daiyu behind, he turned immediately right after a couple of steps straight. There was a sign hanging from the ceiling acting as a directory. He followed the directions and reached the spot where there was a room. The door was open, so Julius went right in and was greeted by a few employees. A familiar face walked out from a section of the space, surprising him.
“Lin?!” Julius yelled.
“Oh, my goodness! What a surprise!” Lin expressed, putting her cup down on the table.
“Wow! So, you have two positions now?”
“Ah, no. I resigned from the Photo Ops department after the collapse. I took a break and was hired by the President.”
Good for you. And good job Yang. “I have these two suitcases filled with the signed executive orders. Since you’re here, I assume you must be the one handling this to be recorded and such?”
Lin nodded. “Correct…But I shared my duties with everyone else here.” She grabbed the suitcases and brought them to her large table. For all the papers already stationed, it was actually neat and did not appear to be a hoarder. Ah, there it is. Julius saw the same computer, not expecting to see it again.
“I remember that computer screen when I saw you slammed the keyboard to take my ID picture,” Julius noted.
“A piece of technology. They only did this a couple of years ago. You’re lucky you didn’t see me going abruptly because doing it all by hand. That shit was rough.” Lin partially ranted, sitting down in her chair. Afterward, she pulled out the two thick stacks of his executive orders.
“Learn something new every day.”
“What’s that?”
Julius chuckled. “You cussed. I’ve never heard you ever do that before.”
“That’s rubbish. I never have.”
“Oh really? I missed the opportunity then. I finally got it today,” Julius aimlessly said. “Anyway, back to the point…How long do you think this is going to take?”
Lin rolled her chair to the printer adjacent to her desk. She pushed the switch and the sounds of gear-like sounds clanked and ground behind the panel. “At most, the entire process of printing copies, submissions, and finalizations should be one hour.”
“Good, thank you.” Julius took a step away from her table and began heading out of the Moon Registry.
“Oh! One more thing.”
Julius stopped and turned. “Yes?”
“You need to get some rest. I heard you hadn’t slept since coming back from the village.”
“Everyone has been telling me that. I wouldn’t expect people to care about my health that much, despite I’m certain to be one hundred percent…But I’ll try,” Julius said with a slight smile and nodded. Daiyu nudged him, signaling to leave.
“Now, go before she gets pushy,” Lin said and dismissed the two.
“Are you joining us for dinner?”
“Of course. I heard it’ll be a big one.”
“See you then,” Julius said and waved.
Daiyu sighed as the two headed out to the entrance. “Let’s get you back to your residence.”
Julius grinned. “You’re becoming like if you were my sister recently. Was that intentional?”
“No, it came naturally, and I sensed you needed one,” Daiyu said. “And I need a brother.”
“That makes the two of us.”