The Systemic Lands
Chapter 157: Day 335 (2) – Viewpoints 14

Doctor Ben Katz

I carefully extracted blood from a person, so they wouldn’t bleed excessively. A long cut on their arm and then bleeding into a small wood barrel with an open top. “And done.” They raised their arm up and were escorted away by one of Clarissa’s guards to get a regeneration. I poked the blood, and the 10 level 1 crystals in the liquid broke apart.

I then opened up my notebook, recording who donated the sample, time, date, and their stats. I then double checked the piece of paper next to the small barrel and made sure the sample number matched up with my notes.

Letting out a sigh, I closed my notebook. “Rough day?” Sam, one of the researchers assigned to my team asked. She was sitting at a nearby table, carefully arranging blood powder into various formations while staring at intently.

“Yes,” I replied and took a seat at my research table and looked at how she was arranging the powder carefully with a metal scraper on top of a metal plate. “Any progress?” I asked while sensing the energy fluctuations from the powder. It was weird like a pressure on my body. Seeing wind that wasn’t there.

That and the cognitive decline was why I had been hesitant to train up my energy sensing through negative energy training. Sam had no such qualms. “I have ruled out all the polyhedrons, now I am considering more complex formations. Like this star, inside a circle.”

“Looks like 2 crystals worth of powder.”

“It is. I want to rule out everything before moving onto other aspects of summoning.” She was studying if a circle of powder was the most efficient and powerful method for summoning. It still annoyed me that Michael had just come in and worked out everything.

It had made me look like an idiot with all the time I had spent researching crystal powder. While he wasn’t threatening me, I knew I needed results. Sam was soon going to overtake me with a breakthrough of some sort.

“What about you Doctor?” Sam asked.

“My investigation into blood types yielded nothing as you know, but I am hoping people with stats will lead to a clear difference,” I replied.

“You know that wasn’t what I was asking.” She paused pushing powder around and looked at me. “I am talking about hybridization.” That was a sensitive subject. I hated that research, but I refused to let anyone else do it.

“There is nothing left of their minds once the process happens. Complete and total, with no chance of reversal.” It wasn’t a stretch to have someone ingest blood powder and a crystal. I was hesitant about sharing the lack of energy upkeep cost with Michael. But with how simple the process was, the genie was already out of the bottle unfortunately.

The man was unrelenting, and I questioned his sanity. Giving someone like that more power, could only lead to disaster. But the Ritualist was still a threat. He would eventually find out and kill me if he knew I withheld critical information, if Clarissa didn’t do it first.

“The mental testing was rough. But the effects propagate through a summons, but to a lesser degree than if the summoner themselves is targeted,” Tim, the third researcher said and came over to our little huddle. The man was too arrogant and willing to push boundaries far too easily. He was one of the reasons I kept doing this research, so a person like him wasn’t in charge. “Well, it is about time to call things for today, unless you plan to put in another 16 hour day?”

“I am going to keep working on this,” Sam said.

“Doctor, want to get a drink?” I let out a sigh and nodded. We left the research building. It didn’t escape my notice that two of Clarissa’s personal guards were following us. We made our way to the Gray Duck. They had set up a bar on the first floor. The guards took up a table a short distance away.

“One lime water,” I laid down 4 5-point crystals and a cup was set in front of me.

“One cherry explosion,” Tim said and laid down 8 5-point crystals. A vile mix of poorly bad alcohol and lots of cherries. We got our drinks and made our way to a corner table out of the way.

“You seem in a good mood?”

“Better this than having to grind out in the wilderness.” That was true. “I am thinking of pushing my negative energy training even more.”

“Even with the known cognitive impacts?” I asked.

“Temporary, or short term. You saw the data. Most of the issues clear up within twenty days and should be gone by fifty days.”

“Well, your choice. I don’t like messing with my mind,” I replied.

“Your loss.”

“Gentleman, wondering if I could join you?” I looked up at Carl, President Bob’s chief henchman. I looked at Tim who nodded slightly.

“Fine, pull up a seat,” I said. He sat down.

“Was wondering about the negative energy training that is being opened up to the public. I heard it is dangerous?”

Tim shrugged and I let out a sigh and chose to answer. It was the same information we warned people with. Not that it made much of a difference. “Cognitive impacts. Hard to measure the full scope, but people have a harder time remembering things. The effects are temporary, lasting only twenty days and most likely disappearing after fifty, but you can’t just regain memories. Long term impacts are harder to quantify.”

“I see. That is concerning. It doesn’t make people stupider?”

“You forget things, you have less knowledge to draw on. But, nothing major in regards to processing information or thinking in the moment, that is why the training is strictly monitored,” I replied.

“I see. I appreciate the heads up. Also heard summoning might be released to the public?” This time I gestured at Tim who answered.

“That is confidential for now until testing is finished. Then there will be intense screening approving people. You should speak to Clarissa.” That and the powder process were classified. If any of that leaked, it would mean a lot of trouble.

“Oh, I have spoken to her. She was less than helpful,” Carl said.

I snorted at that. Carl looked at me and I spoke up. “She is Michael’s whip. Don’t let her good looks and intelligent demeanor fool you. She snaps the whip and people jump,” I said.

“Michael’s whip, I like that,” Carl said.

“What about you? Surprised you are sticking around the city and not grinding it up?” I asked.

“I handle quite a bit for the President. My absence would be felt,” he replied. More like he wanted to mooch off the taxes. Not like I was any better. I sipped my flavored water.

Clarissa

I walked through the first floor of the crystal storage of the city protected by the RMPF. My two personal guards were right behind me. “Code of the day?” A Captain stopped me when I came to the open staircase leading up to the second floor and the treasury itself.

“Three, three, eight, elephant,” I replied. The code of the day based on the day but offset, plus an animal starting with the same letter as the last number. He took a moment to think it over.

“Secure the entrance,” he called out. The entrance to the plaza was barricaded. “Follow me.” I followed him up the stairs. He knocked on the door at the top. Sᴇaʀch* Thᴇ NøvᴇlFirᴇ(.)nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

“Inspection,” he said.

“Inspection challenge,” the person behind the door replied. The Captain looked at me.

“Inspection code, three, three, two, elephant,” I said. Numbers offset in the other direction but the same animal. The hope was that any mind control wouldn’t be able to jump through such complex reasoning on the spot. It could be pointless, but I didn’t want Michael to have reason to complain about the security for the treasury with how frustrated he was about having it stolen twice and used up a third time. He had gone on about master-stranger protocols, but it had been up to me to come up with them.

I heard movement behind the fortified door, and it was opened up. I entered the small room with just my two guards. The Captain returned to the floor below along with my two guards. The single soldier in the room closed the door behind me.

“Are you under control of any skill, power, or other ability?” He asked me.

“No.”

“State your name and title for the record.”

“Clarissa Heinsen, personal assistant to Champion Michael,” I replied. He carefully record the information down in a book he had with him.

“Purpose of visit?”

“Inspection.” He checked his watch.

“Time of inspection is 3:58 in the afternoon. Inspection time matches up with planned schedule.” He made more notations. This was painfully slow, but I had implemented these procedures after the previous losses. It was also important to show people that if I had to go through them, and that everyone had to go through them. No exceptions no matter what.

“Clear for entry. Gamma, seven, apple.” That code was only known by the subset of guards and General Gerold had set it up. That way no one person knew all the code procedures. The second door was opened, and I entered.

Five men were standing at attention. I quickly went through and inspected all the chests. Checking the stacks of crystals were aligned perfectly, to fill each chest up with exactly 10,000 5-point crystals. I checked the newest chests brought in from the tax and the recorded deposits. Tax revenue for the RMPF and the Executive Branch was removed before being placed in the storage room.

There would be no withdrawing for casual expenses. The city crystal storage was not a bank. Some other idiots could take that risk. I checked the counts and the accounting book twice. Everything was in order. I randomized my inspections to a certain extent to make sure all procedures were being followed.

“Everything appears to be in order. Keep up the good work.” The soldiers saluted me as I left. I was carefully searched as I left. The soldier was professional but through in patting me down. Everyone who left was searched, no exceptions. There would no corruption or stealing crystals, no exceptions.

The count matched up with the tax numbers at the pillars and the revenue was at the expected level for the projected tax income and the number of people grinding. Still there was some concern about the tax income from Laura’s teams. I would need to dig into that more. I left the building and looked at the people moving across the plaza.

So much loss. I shook my head at much had been wrecked by the Ritualist. I began to make my way back to my office. “Clarissa.” I paused and turned to look at who had called me. Laura, this was a pleasant surprise. We had a decent relationship and she had been helping me out quite a bit so far.

“Laura, out for a walk?” I asked.

“Enjoying the fresh air. Sitting inside all day makes me restless. I wanted to talk about your request.”

“Not here, let’s talk in my office,” I replied. We made our way back to my office quietly. The guards closed the door and waited outside.

“What is the problem?” I asked as I took my seat and Laura stayed standing.

“I don’t have people capable of spying the way you want. My teams are made of people focused on grinding level 2 monsters and improving their skills.”

“Sit.” She sat and I stared at her. She stared right back at me. “Your reorganization is taking too long. There are capable people.”

“Capable people, sure. Not a single one willing to spy. Especially not on the Ritualist,” her voice hard and she had a frown, which was surprising.

“Even with what was offered?” I asked.

“Even then. You will have to find people yourself.”

“The only people who can travel to other cities are your teams.”

“They aren’t your personal force to order,” Laura countered.

“They live in this city. They are under the jurisdiction of Champion Michael.”

“They aren’t slaves. The risk is too high.”

“Is that them or you saying that?”

“All my teams. I asked them all, you can check.” Everyone had come back shortly after the battle when the alerts were sent out. Still, it was interesting she was pushing back on something like this.

“Keep asking. There has to be one crazy person out there.”

“Crazy, sure. But you want people to come back, alive,” Laura said. We glared at each other. I needed people to spy on the other cities. “Clarissa, I just don’t have anyone capable. If I did, I would say so.” I knew she was right, but I wasn’t going to let my safety fall to random chance. She ran the Union, it was her responsibility to get capable people that I could deploy on assignment outside the city.

If she was thinking about not doing this, then I would need to rethink our entire relationship. Perhaps even force Michael to pressure her. The tax angle would be a good angle to go from, since Michael would care enough about that to force things.

“Keep your eye out and keep asking around. I am going to do the same,” I replied.

“Of course. Was there anything else?” She asked. It would so much easier to get mad if she were being completely unreasonable, but this was politics. She wanted more control and say, well there is only one opinion that matters in this city, and I was the one that held it.

This was why I had taken the risk to join Michael and even cut my eye. This was the power I could wield, office politics and corporate maneuvering. I would lead the butchery to Michael, while I ruled the city from the very large shadow he cast.

“No issues with the new arrivals?” I asked.

“That has been handled. Garret is doing a wonderful job managing things with Vice General Smith. The bunkhouses near the gates and food distribution out to them are helping quite a bit. But it does make for slow business in the plaza.”

I nodded at that. “I know, but as thing progress it should get better. You have a team on the meerkats at least?”

“Yes, watching the East for any movement that the Ritualist might engage in.” I nodded at that. “But pushing beyond the summoning monsters isn’t going to happen for a while.”

“That is fine. As long as there are eyes in that direction,” I said. It wasn’t fine, but until I could replace Laura or sideline her, I didn’t have direct control over the Union teams. That still remained the greatest power block that could counter Michael.

Laura got up to leave and then paused. “Get some rest. You look tired, I worry about you.” What she really meant was that I should shut up and stay in my line. Don’t worry Laura, your message was received loud and clear. You best be ready for my response.

“Thank you, I will.” She looked at me for a few seconds before leaving my office. I could rest when I was dead, I had a city to manage and a dictator to keep on track.

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