With the strength of the half Wendigo now under his command, Felix couldn't help but feel a little envious of the Eastern Legion.
According to Luna Bloodfallen, the Eastern Legion was under the control of her relatives, the Vampires. That legion held the highest concentration of combat power in all of Kazdel. There were more than two hundred Vampires alone. They weren't as strong as Luna herself, but they were already far beyond what players could challenge.
To fill Saviadel with Sarkaz of different subrace would clearly be a long road ahead.
He had already decided that the third legion would be led by players, with a headcount around one thousand. Those selected would naturally be the elite of the elite.
As for whether players might slack off once selected, that would never happen. Felix had already decided that every month, he would conduct assessments for the player legion. If someone failed to meet the standards, the weak would be removed and the capable would rise. After all, the strong must mercilessly shame the weak.
That alone would make players willingly throw themselves into endless competition. If they didn't hit the target, they'd be eliminated.
…He suddenly felt like he was becoming a bit of a capitalist. Was he going to end up hanging from a lamppost?
Felix rubbed his chin. Still, he provided good rewards, and players would push themselves on their own. It also helped that Tomorrow's Development was committed to open competition. Even if someone was a professional player, a casual player who was stronger would take the lead. Everything was fair and transparent.
He was still considering the fourth legion, though in his mind, it would be knights. He already had the Fate Knight Club in Kazimierz, Recruiting a thousand strong and capable knights for the fourth legion wouldn't be difficult at all.
He also remembered something else. The leader of the Scar Market mercenaries was a Cyclops, a race that had produced a Sarkaz King a thousand years ago. Their unique trait allowed them to foresee the future. They were scholarly and well-versed in mysticism and theology. While there was some overlap with the liches' domain, it wasn't enough to conflict.
From the information Ulšulah had provided, Felix knew that after the death of their Sarkaz King, the Cyclopes migrated toward Sami and the northern regions. But now that Kazdel was stabilizing, he could invite them back. Forming an army might be unrealistic, but they still represented one of the royal courts.
As for the banshees, he could drop by Logos or simply ask the Head of HR directly to see if more of the banshee clan were willing to work for Tomorrow's Development. Felix dearly coveted their unique oral arts.
With more royal courts supporting him, both he and Tomorrow's Development would hold greater legitimacy. Only then, a few years later, could he stand openly in the arena and face the General.
To him, Theresis wasn't an enemy, not even a political rival. But their ideals would inevitably clash.
Back in his office, Felix flipped through reports. Recently, many Sarkaz had chosen to return to Kazdel Mobile City. This was something he welcomed wholeheartedly. Many Sarkaz mercenaries had wandered foreign lands, living unstable lives. The fact that they were now willing to return was a sign that Tomorrow's Development was succeeding.
He noticed that many of the returning Sarkaz came from Victoria and nearby regions. Considering that Theresis was focused on quietly consolidating power in Londinium, these weren't likely to be spies.
He hadn't expected Victoria to have more than two hundred Sarkaz, though. After arriving in Kazdel, they enthusiastically joined the construction teams, building houses and foundations every day with great excitement.
Seeing that Loughshinny had assigned Mudrock as their leader didn't surprise him either. Mudrock had followed him for a long time. He naturally rewarded loyalty, and Mudrock's loyalty was unquestionable.
After settling matters in Kazdel, he still had business in Trimount, Columbia. But before that, Loughshinny had gently invited him to her bedroom for a massage.
Afterward, refreshed and energized, Felix piloted his plane toward Trimount.
———
"Forceps."
"Glasses."
"Clamps."
Inside the spotless operating room, the old goat Ahrens wore a microscope headset as he calmly called for each tool. Silence stood beside him. She wasn't a medical student, but as a member of the Structural Department and one of Ahrens's students, she had participated in many animal experiments and knew the names of all the instruments.
She handed them to Ahrens one by one, her eyes full of worry as she looked at Ifrit on the operating table.
Even with anesthesia, the faint trembling in Ifrit's body made her frown in her sleep.
"Clean the wound."
Muelsyse immediately controlled a stream of clear water to wash away the grime and blood.
Ahrens shook his head. "I've located where the fragment invaded, but unfortunately, it has been embedded in the host's body for far too long, and its compatibility appears to be excellent."
"What do you mean?"
Silence settled as Saria frowned.
Ahrens lifted his eyes. "It's like a skin graft. When burned skin is replaced with new skin from someone else, after a few months the graft becomes whole and smooth, as if newly born."
"This 'Diablo' fragment has fully fused with Ifrit's body. No, perhaps she will still feel pain, and her oripathy may worsen because of the contamination, but… the military's terran experiment was undoubtedly a success. They…"
At this point, Ahrens's mouth felt dry. "They have created a successful biological weapon."
"This also explains why the underground laboratory was destroyed so thoroughly."
Saria crossed her arms and analyzed calmly. "We can already estimate Ifrit's destructive potential. But the fact that she isn't lost to madness and isn't easily controlled is extremely rare."
Ahrens sighed. "Which is exactly why the military is furious. They are conducting a massive citywide search, yet they still can't find her."
Silence bit her lip. Muelsyse remained silent. Seeing this, Ahrens gave a small smile and continued his work as he spoke. "For now, the safest course is to avoid using that power any further. The deeper the fragment fuses with her body, the greater the burden on her health. How long Ifrit can live will depend heavily on her future treatment."
Silence asked anxiously, "Teacher, will Ifrit need more surgical procedures later?"
"No. She'll only need to take medication regularly. The problem is that the medicine won't be cheap."
Ahrens continued the operation with a steady voice. To be honest, talking during surgery was perfectly normal. In a proper hospital, surgeons often chatted about anything under the sun, even crude jokes. What he said now was simply to relieve tension and to explain Ifrit's future.
She absolutely couldn't remain in Columbia. If she did, the military would use her until she died.
The water clone Muelsyse kept her gaze lowered. Suddenly she looked up. "Felix has arrived. His plane just landed."
Silence froze for a moment. She had heard of Director Felix, but had rarely interacted with him. Saria sighed inwardly. She knew she had done the right thing, yet the consequences made her feel as if she could no longer face old friends. What she had done had caused both Rhine Lab's efforts and Felix's efforts to fall apart.
Ahrens narrowed his eyes and spoke after lifting his head. "After Director Felix returns, everything he does will be under military surveillance. Director Muelsyse, wait until the surgery is finished before making contact."
Muelsyse gave a gesture of understanding and had another water clone monitor the military's movements.
"Mm…"
Ifrit let out a low, pained moan on the operating table. Ahrens's lips curved faintly. "Forceps."
He breathed out. "Now comes the hardest part. I hope you can endure it."
———
After getting off the plane, Felix met with Tin Man at one of the Maylander Foundation's safehouses. Tin Man briefed him on the current situation and reminded him that the military's patience might already be at its limit. Unless Rhine Lab made a significant concession soon, it would be nearly impossible to regain their trust.
Tin Man could no longer track Ifrit's location either. A few days earlier, he had completely lost control of the underground waterways. That meant the military had likely begun clearing them one by one.
He couldn't reach Saria, and neither could Felix. Felix knew that ever since he returned to Trimount, the military had been watching him. Muelsyse's silence indicated that they hadn't run into trouble. Judging by the timing, they were most likely performing surgery on Ifrit.
Ironically, collaborating with the military would have spared them this treatment. Felix remembered that in his previous life, Rhine Lab had participated in the Diablo Project. Though Saria took Ifrit away in the end, the military provided them with ample support afterward, including significant funding for rocket development.
In that life, Kristen fooled everyone.
In this one, Kristen was negotiating with the military.
"You don't look the least bit anxious, Mr. Pioneer."
Tin Man blinked in surprise when he saw Felix leaning back on the sofa, sipping the drink Tin Man had mixed, casually watching television. "Has the situation in Kazdel already been resolved?"
"The Western Legion has been defeated. I've taken in the half-blood Wendigo forces and established the Second Legion, Saviadel."
His tone held no pride, no intention of showing off. It was simply a calm statement of fact. "As for the Eastern Legion, I plan to rest for a while before dealing with them."
"…Saviadel, huh. You studied the Teekaz language?"
Tin Man asked slowly.
"Her Highness taught me. 'Del' in Teekaz means home and homeland."
Tin Man gave Felix a long, quiet look. "The main strength of the Vampire Court is concentrated in Londinium. The Eastern Legion has not only Vampires but also a number of Nachzehrers. They are all formidable warriors. With the current strength of Tomorrow's Development, they're an enemy you're still not ready to face."
Felix kept his eyes on the laboratory equipment commercial playing on the television. Then a thought occurred to him, and he glanced sideways. "I visited Kazdel's Central Furnace once."
"Ah… that place."
Tin Man suddenly laughed, as if recalling something amusing. The metallic timbre of his voice accompanied the chuckle. "Did they curse at you?"
"You know them well. Those trench-dwellers really have filthy mouths."
Felix recalled it and felt both annoyed and amused. "Are all Revenants like that? You're the rare exception."
"You're wrong."
Tin Man's tone cooled. He stared deeply at Felix. "We Revenants are also one of the Ten Courts of Sarkaz. We carry the memories of the Sarkaz people, and in the previous era our entire kind was seized and forced into the soul furnaces to provide power for Kazdel."
"Forced… well, no wonder their attitudes stink."
Felix rested his chin on his hand. "So how many Revenants remain in the soul furnaces?"
"One hundred? Two hundred?"
Tin Man exhaled a plume of smoke. "It has been too long. I don't remember."
"Have you ever thought about freedom?"
The moment the words fell, the bar grew silent. Tin Man slowly set down his pipe. "Mr. Pioneer, you should know that without the soul furnaces, the entire Kazdel mobile city would collapse into a dead ruin."
"I have the schematics for a mobile city core. Kazdel has already changed. And this practice of enslaving Revenants, forcing them to provide energy without compensation, is something that should disappear from history."
Felix offered a quiet smile. "I'm not joking, Tin Man. And I trust you know I'm not lying."
"Besides, you're aware that my Second Legion is still short on manpower."
Tin Man stared at him in disbelief. "You… want the Revenants to join your legion, to join Tomorrow's Development?"
"Why not?"
Felix shrugged. "It's not like I wouldn't pay them. Plenty of people cry and beg just to join the Lightbearers. I invest heavily in them. The food is nutritious and delicious, the teachers and instructors are the best, and their daily life comes with almost no pressure. All they need to do is train."
Tin Man opened his mouth but couldn't speak. He glanced at the golden halo floating above Felix's head, then at his eyes.
This man was not joking.
Even a Revenant felt a sharp sting of pain deep in his soul. "With the temperament of Revenants, are you sure you can handle them?"
Felix grinned at him, and Tin Man felt a sudden chill run down his metal spine.
"As the leader of Kazdel's Tomorrow's Development, Mr. Tin Man, I am formally inviting you to join us. Or you may collaborate with Tomorrow's Development as a Maylander Foundation operative and become a leader of the Revenants. What do you think?"
"Whatever the Maylander Foundation pays you, I'll give you triple."