NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 548: The Candidates
— Qing Empire - Zhuge Liang Office —
In a modest office within a traditional Han architectural building, the space was a blend of classic Han aesthetics and modern office equipment like PCs, notebooks, and various other stationery items.
Zhuge Liang, still dressed in his hanfu, worked diligently, devising a plan to counter the Qing Empire's greatest foe, Daniel Emberweave. He watched the news while examining the compiled information and strategies in his hand.
"It's still not enough. We know too little of Daniel Emberweave's true power. What we've seen is just the tip of the iceberg," Zhuge Liang muttered solemnly, glancing at one of the plans in his hand.
"Let's start by implementing this plan to put pressure on him," he decided.
— New Atlantis - Astral Corp HQ —
Although the war had not yet concluded, as the Seraphine Isles neither surrendered nor signed a truce, the people of New Atlantis felt a sense of safety as if the conflict had already ended. This confidence stemmed from the overwhelming technological advantage that Astral Corp displayed, making the citizens feel secure in their protection.
In the meeting room on the executive floor, Daniel sat at the head of the table, accompanied by top officials like Envy, Albert, Cao Cao, and Aryan Sharma, who assisted him with reports.
Daniel had considered adding Hermes and Atlanteus to the meeting, but Atlanteus preferred to spend his time researching new artifacts and inventions, while Hermes excused himself, citing that the presence of a god in the council would only complicate matters.
As for Odysseus, he had taken on the role of full-time admiral of Oceanos, only assisting Daniel occasionally. With Cao Cao and Guo Jia handling the workload related to strategy and military matters, Odysseus was content to focus on what he did best—being a seaman once again.
Daniel began reviewing the report in front of him. This report wasn't about corporate affairs; instead, the meeting was convened to discuss the founding of the Order of Ember.
The report outlined the regions that needed to be placed under specific management, such as Africa and South America. While these regions lacked renowned or powerful mage families like the Beaumont, Romanov, or Stenmark families, they still had several families that, despite not being internationally recognized like the Kim family, held significant local power.
To gain control over these areas as an organization, it was necessary to include these local lords in the ruling party.
The Ushauri family stood out the most. Known for their expertise in Shamanic magic and Voodoo curses, they had effectively managed the African region under Hightower's reign with minimal oversight. Hightower had simply handed over the region to the Ushauri family, allowing them to govern it.
As for South America, there were no prominent families that could be considered the local lords. Daniel anticipated that if he contacted someone in South America, those not chosen would become disgruntled and attempt to assert their dominance as the true local leaders. This could potentially lead to chaos and instability in the region as these factions vied for recognition.
"There are two regions we need to consider adding if we're going to formally announce the existence of the Order of Ember," Daniel began, placing the reports on the Ushauri family in Africa and the unresolved situation in South America on the table.
"First, the African region," Daniel continued, as the large screen in the meeting room automatically switched to display data on the Ushauri family and the African region.
"The Ushauri family seems like a good choice for us to include in our council. So, who should make contact?" Daniel asked, turning toward Envy, who usually knew a lot about the Curtained World.
"You could start with Viper and Gluttony," Envy suggested.
"Viper and Gluttony? Why them? Wait... Don't tell me," Daniel began to guess, but Envy revealed the truth with a smile.
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"You might find it hard to believe, but Viper's real name is Upepo Ushauri. He used to be an heir of the Ushauri family. And Gluttony's real name, before she became a Witch, is Farhia Ushauri—she's Viper's half-sister. Even though they don't get along much, they surprisingly work well together when the situation calls for it," Envy explained.
Hearing this, Daniel made a complicated face. He remembered Viper—the guy who duped him into buying a fake mandragora. It wasn't the money that bothered him, as the amount lost was just a drop in the ocean of his wealth. What irritated him was that he got duped in the first place.
As for Gluttony, Daniel didn't know where she was. Had she returned to Japan to reopen her sushi shop? He wasn't sure.
Daniel nodded and then switched the display to South America. "As for South America," he paused, thinking.
"I still don't know who to contact. According to the information we have, the mage families in South America are of similar strength. There's no clear leader—they're all trying to carve out their own territories from each other.
So if we contact one, the others will likely cause problems, leading to the loss of innocent lives," Daniel said, looking around the table, hoping someone might have a solution.
"I'll personally deal with South America. I have... a very old friend there. It's time to cash in on a favor he owes me," Envy volunteered.
"Envy... Do you need anything for this trip?" Daniel asked, concerned for her.
Envy, think about it for a moment. Then said.
"Give me a convenient way to contact Nexus Prime and the authority to command him for this trip. I might need his drones and robots there," Envy said.
"You heard her, Prime. Please follow Envy's instructions for this trip," Daniel said to the camera, knowing that Nexus Prime was watching.
"Affirmative, Master. I will send my personal avatar with Lady Envy. My personal avatar is the SD 2000-I model. I am confident that my avatar will be of great use to her," Nexus Prime responded.
"What are the specifications of this model?" Daniel inquired.
"The SD 2000-I model features adamantine armor plating and an endoskeleton, providing near-indestructibility. It uses self-regenerating bio carbon-based nano metal for skin and field repair in case the endoskeleton is damaged.
The nano metal can also transform into various types of cold weapons and can be fired at targets at Mach 1 velocity. Additionally, the metal is undetectable by current metal detectors and does not react to magnetic fields due to the shielding of the nano metal.
However, the adamantine endoskeleton itself reacts to magnetic forces and can be detected by magical metal detectors. I am currently working on a solution for this flaw, using 30% of my processing power," Nexus Prime detailed.
"Huh? Adamantine endoskeleton and nano metal? Isn't that the same specification as Will's new body that you made for him?" Daniel asked.
"That is correct, Master. It is the same specification as Will's new body, but since his A.I. core is still an old model, he will never be as strong as I am," Nexus Prime boasted.
Daniel nodded in satisfaction and then turned to Envy. "Just in case, I'll also send an Atlantean carryall with backup drones and SD series units to assist you if Prime needs additional support."
"Are you sure that's not an invasion force? I'm just going to visit an old friend in South America, you know?" Envy asked with a hint of teasing.
"You can accept this as backup, or I'll send Vlad instead. Your choice," Daniel insisted.
Hearing this, Envy pouted. "You over-paranoid prick," she muttered under her breath, though she smiled warmly, appreciating that Daniel valued her importance.
"Aryan," Daniel called out to Aryan Sharma.
"Yes, Mr. Emberweave?" Aryan replied.
"Are you sure you don't want a seat on the council? After the formal announcement, no changes will be made to the council seats," Daniel said, seeking confirmation.
Previously, Daniel had offered Aryan a seat on the council in the Order of Ember, but Aryan had declined, citing his busy schedule with both magical studies and his work as a CEO as reasons he couldn't take on more responsibilities.
"Yes, Mr. Emberweave. As I mentioned, I have a lot on my plate. I'm concerned that taking on additional responsibilities might lead to disappointment," Aryan said apologetically.
"Alright… but don't come crying to me later asking for a council seat," Daniel teased, to which Aryan responded with a wry smile.
The real reason Aryan didn't want a council position wasn't due to reluctance or fear of added responsibility. Rather, it was his distrust of his father. Aryan is afraid that his abusive father might use his position to benefit himself or, worse, make mistakes that Aryan would be held accountable for.
After that, Daniel talks with Cao Cao and Gua Jia about the war effort and gives Cao Cao and Gua Jia free rein on how they will end the war or take compensation from the Seraphine Isles, much to the appreciation of both men.
"Mr. Worseley, Please stay after the meeting, I have a job that may require your expertise" Daniel called out to Albert, who had not been mentioned in this meeting.