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Chapter 314 - Underwater Cities

"An underwater city? They exist?"

"Yes. The world is a very big place, Lynd. I only knew about it in my future. The problem is that these underwater cities are hard to attack or even find. They are constantly on the move. Right now, the richest people in the world are finding ways to go there. After all, the conflict up here is quite terrible." Seeker explained.

"How many underwater cities are there? How come I've never heard of it?"

"Because if you've heard of one, it would have been destroyed or attacked already. Every nation in the world has established mobile underwater cities ever since the establishment of the WGP. These never surface at all. They are always disconnected from the world."

"They're illegal? So how can they exist?"

"I don't know myself. Lennox has a few guesses, but nothing something so concrete. That's why we are doing this mission. We're trying to figure out just how big the secrets cities of Earth are."

"I'm assuming that these cities were wiped out in your future. Going by what you said, are these cities, the Underworld?"

"Very perceptive. You're not even copying Arthur."

"I stopped trying. My guesses were always way off the mark. The more I tried to, the more I realized his way of thinking isn't similar to humans anymore."

"Oh? You realized that too? His thinking is different now. He doesn't think in the now. He thinks in different points of time as his thoughts have broken the fabric of time and space itself. Although he can't see the future, he can make very accurate guesses and has been trying to reshape the future. It was him who realized that there are more underwater cities through his constant calculation."

"After I fled the Pangea's, I found two cities when I was moving through the waters. I hid there and was able to stay there for a few days. That's when I found out that they were all connected to the Underworld."

"Those are Pangean secret cities. We've already found all hiding around the Pangean regions. In my alternate future, I only learned about these cities because a few of them resurfaced. By then, they were all our enemies. Arthur believes that the Aragarians took control of the underwater cities since taking over these cities won't create a commotion. And while it's hidden from most of the world, Arthur saw that the Underworld couldn't function and even remain stable with the WGP."

"That's right. I also thought about that. Why haven't the WGP taken over the Underworld? I thought about it and argued that it isn't because they're some sort of 'necessary evil' that the WGP allows for existing. But it has to be more than that!" Lynd argued.

"Correct. The answer is that it can't find them and that the WGP didn't bother to exert effort in finding all of them. From what the Realm King said, some of these cities may have more of the Progenitors seed. And it makes sense for them to be there."

"Then how many of these underwater cities are there?"

"Arthur theorized that there should be more than a hundred underground bases. If the Lost Progenitor is involved, then there should be more than that. The Lost Progenitor could easily create a city buried under the lowest points of the sea! This is why Lennox is trying to rebuild Egypt's Dug Down tech from Joab Barak's schematics. But it wasn't enough, though. He could either study that tech for a year or visit Egypt to find the missing pieces to make that tech work."

"Is it possible for others to create these underground or underwater cities? What if an autonomous group headed by various groups of people creates them? Politicians, rich celebrities, organizations of some sort? There should be a few, right?"

"Yes. Rosa's family, Hermes, even Meng have one. So we could probably see a few more. That's our mission. We are to infiltrate one and try to merge within that city and see what information we can gather. If we can find the location of the other cities, we might be able to have an easier time rebuilding our armies."

"I see. In this scenario, the world isn't as small as we thought. But you haven't told me how we could find the other cities! If we find one, what's the assurance that we can find the others?"

"Because the one that we are going to infiltrate is actually a base of a Presider." Seeker smiled.

"A Presider?!"

"Yes. The Realm King sensed it. During our fight and when the others moved, the commotion we created gave the Presiders the perfect moment to descend here on Earth. And, of course, it was the perfect moment for us to locate them!"

"What a plan!" Lynd praised.

"Come on. We have me, Lennox, Arthur, and the Tyrant Empress directing the shots here. Do you think we would just mess with the world and not take full advantage of the chaos? We milked that battle for whatever advantage we can. We now know the current locations of several Presiders!"

"But how are we going to get there? Even if we manage to infiltrate that city, it would reveal our identities!"

"What if… we are invited to it?"

"Invited? You don't mean to use Zeraphine to bring us in?"

"No. Too suspicious. And we don't know if Zeraphine will join. After all, we don't know which Presiders is allied with who."

"Then how?"

"The few cities that in my timeline and took over the regions of South America that resisted the Aragarians. Coincidentally, when that Presider took advantage of our chaos to go to that underwater city, the Realm King was able to make out what that city looks like. Basically, we just have to force that city to resurface."

"You mean… we need to take over South America first…?" Lynd had a very suspicious stare at Seeker. He wouldn't be surprised if this was the next mission.

"Not necessarily. We take over one of the largest corporations in South America. My parents are in position. We offer a new product. Something that this world has not seen. Since this world's economy will soon crash with everything that has been going on, we might fall back to the ancient era where trade becomes the main way to transact. I'm sure money will resurface as this new era approaches. But either way, we create a product that everyone needs. And that tech is something related or based on the weaponized paths of the Overcomers."

"Isn't that dangerous? You're practically giving everyone the chance to control our techs! They will…- Oh. I get it. That's the plan."

"Oh? You caught up quite fast. Do tell me what we intend?" Seeker laughed.

"You plan to release the cultivated cells of the Overcomers. And you make them weaponize it with whatever techs. And since they are the cells of the Overcomers that we have found a way to contain or keep alive, they will make more of it and try to create various alterations of it. So basically, you're making the nations make more of our weapons without them knowing it."

"Exactly. Ingenious, right? They will make our weapons. If they try to use it against us, we'll just force these cells to become dormant."

"That's through the Realm King's tech, right? I sensed that power when I copied him. Remote controlling of cells through Somatotopy. This plan has Lowengren written all over it." Lynd shook his head. He pitied the world. They would be manipulated and controlled by Lowengren.

"Actually, it was me. But I thought of that using Lowengren's Path. But all these missions about finding the other underwater cities come second. The first objective is to find who this Presider controlling the Underwater City is. If we find him or her, we can gain a whole lot of info about the Underwater world in this region,."

"I get it. We acquire more techs and find all the hidden cities!"

"Right. So this is a Spy mission. We will be spending most of the next eight months there. So it might be more boring than your last." Seeker smiled.

"If boring means not getting my hand chopped off, I'm game. I'll think of this as some sort of a vacation."

"Yup. And now, our original gang will lead this mission.

"So us three, Cliff and his girlfriend, huh?"

"Well, Danny is joining."

"Danny? Not Arthur? Are you allowing Meryl to get with him instead of Arthur? What's the big deal here?"

"Honestly, I'm still a little uncertain of this. I mean, on the one hand, I know that Arthur will love Meryl. But in this life, the hope of finding his sister has changed things. Not to mention, Meryl had always had a huge crush on Danny. Isn't Danny like, Meryl's dream guy? So what do you think I should do? Do I follow my future and try to get Meryl to be with Arthur?"

"I would go for the one love team in your future timeline. I mean, that relationship is tested and tried! It survived an alien invasion. Besides, Arthur is stronger than Danny."

"Keep in mind that I gave you your long-time dream of getting Alean. She was dead in my future. Do I ready you for your actual girlfriend? Alean was scheduled to join us when she's done with her mission in the Caliphates. Should I call that order off and make Alean marry someone else? I recall Force, and One likes her. I guess it's time to end your fantasies, Lynd." Seeker asked with a raised brow.

Lynd vigorously shook his head.

"Give Meryl, Danny. It's her dream! We're already saving the world! The most we should have is to be with the person of our fantasies! Besides, the future has changed, Zeek! Sheesh! Don't be so rigid. Let Meryl have fun!"

Seeker laughed as he knew Lynd would react this way.

"Man, your dreams of getting together with a teacher will always be something that I can never understand."

"Blame anime for that! I mean, Alean really looks like those strict teachers with glasses!"

"I get that… but still. It's easy to fantasize that in anime, but not in real life." Seeker laughed.

"So, will Kristine join us?" Lynd wondered.

Seeker had a complicated expression and shook his head.

"No. But someone else will join us."

"Who?

"Zeraphine of the Presiders."

"Zeraphine?!" Lynd frowned.

"Zeek. I've meant to ask this. But the first time you saw Zeraphine… you said she was yours. I do sense that you do like her… But it feels... shallow. Are you trying to get Zeraphine in this timeline?" Lynd asked.

Seeker shook his head.

"No. At most, I have to repay her for all the future sins she creates."

"Are you sure about that? You seemed conflicted."

"My adult self is. As for me, I'm living my best life now. You've heard what Irvana said. Arthur is keeping Kristine safe. So-"

"No use lying, Zeek. I mean, yeah. You've been playing the playboy recently. But I know you're just doing that in an attempt to drown your emotions for Zeraphine. You've got to admit you're affected by your future self's memories. The first time you saw Kristine, I could tell. You were secretly excited. At least, it seems true that you liked her. It was like the way I'd look at Alean. But when you're other self awoke, that looked changed. I haven't seen you look at Zeraphine. But just by talking about her, I know your emotions became all conflicted."

Seeker was surprised.

"Really?" 

"You didn't know?"

"It's not that I can't… I mean, there is another Seeker in me, after all. So I don't really know if its' me or him. If it's me, I will go for Kristine. She's like the one that got away, you know?" Seeker sighed and began to walk towards the exit.

"For now, we have to get Zeraphine to go with us. As they say, keep your friends close, your alien enemies, right where you want them to be. Anyway, get ready. Oh, and we need more samples from your harnessed power. And enjoy this time free time while you still can." Seeker walked out of the door.

"Zeek. Who did Kristine end up with within your future?"

"She didn't end up with someone, but there was someone who was close to her heart. And it wasn't me." Seeker laughed.

"Who got her heart?"

"You did."

The door closed.

Lynd was stunned. He remained silent for a time.

"You hid well, Zeek. You really hid it well." Lynd couldn't believe it.. But now, a lot of Seeker's complicated feelings that Lynd had long observed finally made sense.