The Systemic Lands

Chapter XLV – Day 540 – A Brewing Situation

Chapter XLV – Day 540 – A Brewing Situation

I had just returned from my trip to level 4 zones and fighting level 5 roaming bosses. I killed them one after another. It was difficult but possible. My Kung-fu had been refined perfectly. My skills had been brought into sync.

As power coursed through my body, I felt myself getting rid of the impurities left behind. While I would never deny how much I liked my Dragon Empire, I enjoyed the feeling of crushing my enemies beneath far more. Be it monster or human, it did not matter, only my Kung-fu.

I had lost sight of that. I even briefly considered giving it all up. But then scoffed at that idea. I would allow no one to take what I had built with my hard work.

After a short rest and freshening up, I stepped into my throne room and took a seat. The screaming of the Throne of Tortured Souls grew quieter. I smiled at this invention from my Master Fleshcrafter.

My subordinates entered and they all kow-towed before me. My smile disappeared as I looked upon each one, more useless than the last. Even my Envoy who had been with me since the beginning had not located the Astrologer.

That Homunculus he had made had incredible sensing abilities. But there were also no disturbances to the East. Even with all of that my Chief Diviner still lacked the motivation to succeed. Perhaps the time for a new Chief Diviner was in order.

I frowned more as I thought about how his subordinates all committed suicide one after the other, the weak dogs that they were. No matter, there were always others to take their place.

My Lord General was in ascendence. He maintained the boarder and my troops had been fully replenished after the last couple of conflicts. A well-trained dog, but he lacked that extra special something that would make him seize the initiative.

The Master Fleshcrafter grinned with his plump face and jowls. He had done amazing things with the Divine Children. Each of them imbued with my energy, my knowledge, but different. I could force a resonance connection to them, but it was impossible the other way.

Even now he was investigating the possibility of a second body after hearing what the Astrologer did. His research was slow, and he still had not been able to work out a weakness or how it carried over all the skills and stats of the original. But he would figure it out like everything else over time.

My gaze turned towards my Inquisitor. Lacking, but she was loyal beyond question. Recent events had taken her away from her duties. But it was no matter. There were far more important things than my Empire to consider.

“So, what failures have you brought me today?” I asked and my Envoy spoke.

“Divine Empress, the Chief Diviner detected energy spikes a few days ago to the East. I altered the direction of my investigation and was confronted by the Homunculus. It said there was a minor incident and it quickly ended. I deployed the Divine Children to distract him. An entire squad was lost but I managed to gain some key information and capture a prisoner. Bring her forth.”

I watched as a middle aged yankee was brought forward by guards and her head slammed into the ground before me. I noted her eyes had been removed. My Envoy spoke up. “You kneel before the Divine Empress. Speak what you have told me.” He pulled out his whip and stuck her on the back.

She let out a pitiful cry as her flesh melted. The insolence! But I would wait to see what she had to say first.

I listened as she detailed the situation of the East. Not once was the Astrologer mentioned. Only this Champion Michael. I pondered the new information. The fact she had stats and was not a new arrival leant credence to her words. Even if they were in English. While I despised the language, I could speak it quite well.

My Envoy had captured people from the East before, but all of them were of no use. Their information was lacking.

“Interesting. What do you make of this development Master Fleshcrafter?” I asked for his opinion while I gathered my thoughts and to show that he was currently in my favor and not my Envoy.

“I would suggest that we begin full scale mobilizations and observe the Astrologer’s response, your Divine Majesty.” I turned my head slightly to my Lord General.

“Lord General your thoughts?” I asked.

“I agree with the Master Fleshcrafter Divine Empress. I would also ask that you support any mobilization.” A dog without a thought in his head. Just repeating what he heard from others.

“Begin mobilization and lay out invasion plans with the information we have gathered. I will lead my army myself and crush any before me. My Envoy, double your efforts to locate the Astrologer, or do you require motivation?” I commanded.

“Yes Divine. No motivation required Divine Empress,” he added. I stared at him. I did not sense any fear and there was no tremble in his body.

“There will be no tolerance for mistakes. Any failures will be punished.” My gaze turned to the cowering Yankee woman on the floor. “Envoy, does she still posses value?” I asked.

“Yes, Divine Empress. I believe that with proper instruction there is the possibility of long term mental manipulation to create a spy.” He had tried such things before, but the Homunculus had intercepted anyone my Envoy had tried to smuggle through.

“What makes this woman different?” I asked.

“Her stats. Unless you wish to invest a sum into another person and even then, we haven’t succeeded.” Well, I would not disagree with saving points.

“Make sure she receives the proper motivation. I suspect she will need it with her Yankee nature.” I saw my Chief Diviner tremble at the word. What abhorrent weakness. I considered motivating him as well, but with things progressing it would not do to have him distracted right now. But I would not forget.

“All of you are dismissed. Inquisitor with me,” I said. My dogs scampered away. I descended my throne and my Inquisitor fell into step beside me.

I made my way past two doors and the elite soldiers who were stationed here. They barely even breathed in my presence. I entered my personal apartments, and my Inquisitor followed me. I went into the single most secure room in the entire building. The floor above and below were solid to prevent assassination and tunneling.

Not even my vault was this heavily guarded. For there was no treasure more precious. I had long thought it would never be possible after my daughter. But the Heavens had blessed me and the Astrologer had bypassed everything with his cursed skill.

“Mama!” my little three year old boy said. I smiled and carefully picked him up.

“Who is a good boy? Did you listen to your nanny?” I asked.

“Yes. We even went outside to play. It was nice.” I nodded and smiled at Qi Ji Long, my little miracle dragon. “I was a good boy.”

“Of course you were. Well since you were so good, let’s practice Kung-fu.” I said.

“Yeah!” I smiled at his excitement. The birth had been near impossible. I trusted no one, not even my Master Fleshcrafter to assist in the process. Without my ability to precisely control my energy it would not have been possible to create a void inside of me and allow the child to grow and develop their own energy.

I did not want another divine child. I wanted a miracle child. My child. It would never replace the one I had lost, but he was mine and so brilliant. I didn’t care how he was conceived. I would not let anything happen to him. Ever.

My Inquisitor had been tasked for caring for his every need and instilling discipline. She knew what she was allowed to do. I would have no arrogant young master as my child. Even better, I would instill in him the art of Kung-fu to kill his enemies as my apprentice.

I had talked with my Master Fleshcrafter and tests had been carried out. It had been decided to not allow him any stats until he reached puberty. There was a risk of him harming himself by accident before that.

“Mama, why does you city scream? It is scary?” he asked.

“They were my enemies. Your mama has lots and lots of enemies. You will help me kill them all one day, won’t you?” I asked.

“Yeah! Don’t worry mama. I will get the bad people. Hah!” He threw out a cute little punch.

“Well then it is time to train our Kung-fu. Can you set into the stance, I showed you.” He quickly got into his stance. I nudged his right foot forward slightly and turned his arms.

“There much better. Make sure to breathe.”

“Yes mama.” He was so cute and focused. My smile was never ending.