Ery pushed aside the disturbing thoughts about Gwen and forced his attention back toward the matters that required imdiate action. .
He straightened in the main seat and turned his gaze toward Nyx.
"Any word from Annara?"
Nyx, who had maintained the closest contact with the woman in recent years, rose slightly before answering in her usual composed tone.
"Sister Annara returned to her ho planet six months ago. I already sent ssages and we should receive a reply within a week."
Ery nodded slowly.
"Good."
The reason he was asking about Annara was known only to a few in the room. If he intended to absorb what remained of the Midnight Brotherhood, then Varkul alone would not be enough. The man was capable, but also dangerous. He needed soone experienced in the criminal underworld, soone who could understand covert networks, soone he trust.
Annara was the ideal choice.
With the Brotherhood's top leadership dead, their hidden assets, surviving cells, and underground routes would soon beco targets for rival powers. If Ery moved quickly, he could seize them before others did.
On the other hand, Ery knew that Varkul, having lost his physical body, would need so ti to recover.
Before he could continue, Klea interrupted, seemingly eager to show him sothing.
She glanced toward the palace doors.
"Co in."
The doors opened.
A bald man stepped inside wearing simple dark robes, his expression calm, his movents asured.
Varkul.
The Phantom Blade.
Yet unlike the shattered soul Ery had captured days ago, this Varkul now possessed a fresh physical body. Though newly ford, the aura around him was already stable, and his cultivation had astonishingly returned to the One Cosmos realm.
Even Ery's brows rose slightly.
The man walked forward, stopped at a respectful distance, and lowered himself into a deep bow.
"Varkul stands ready to carry out my lord's will."
Ery studied him for a mont, then gave a faint smile.
So the man truly deserved his reputation.
As the hidden architect behind much of the Brotherhood's planning, Varkul had apparently prepared hidden clone vessels and a recovery technique capable of rebuilding his cultivation foundation at extraordinary speed.
By his own estimate, it would still take ten to twenty years to recover his forr Two Cosmos peak.
Despite needing ti to recover his forr peak strength, Varkul was fully prepared to begin his duties at once. His value had never rested solely in cultivation, but in the mind that had guided much of the Midnight Brotherhood's hidden machinery for centuries.
Ery saw no reason to delay action while waiting for Annara's return. The Brotherhood's shattered network could not remain leaderless for long. With that in mind, he temporarily assigned Nyx and Soltz to work alongside Varkul. Their role was clear: locate Brotherhood remnants worth absorbing, reclaim concealed assets, and crush any survivors or splinter groups unwilling to submit.
Varkul bowed again, understanding perfectly that the order carried two anings. He had been granted responsibility—
And assigned supervision.
Once that matter was settled, the eting shifted toward dostic affairs.
Camila rose next and activated a projected map above the central table. Lines of light spread across Neo Terra City and the surrounding territories, marking roads, walls, districts, mines, farms, and construction zones.
"Neo Terra-city developnt plan is progressing steadily," she reported. "Residential sectors and industrial districts are ahead of schedule. Water channels and transport roads are also nearing completion."
Her finger moved toward the outer wastelands.
"The western expansion remains slower. Supplies still rely heavily on Twilight Wolf escorts, with support from the Orc and Chizpurs"
Her tone beca firr.
"If expansion continues, we need permanent defensive formations. Patrols alone are no longer enough."
Before Ery answered, Klea had already nodded.
"I'll assign formation teams and begin selecting anchor sites."
Camila gave a grateful bow and went back to her seat.
Next ca finances.
Tessa stood carrying several records and crystal tablets.
"Our current inco is still strongest from the Apothecary," she began. "Trade co second, followed by taxation from newly stabilized districts. The Immortal Gladiator School has also contributed significant profits through tournant winnings and arena sponsorship."
Oeno crossed his arms proudly.
A few smiles appeared around the chamber.
Tessa continued.
"However, expenditures remain extrely high. Construction, refugee settlent, military expansion, public works, and outer security continue to consu large resources."
Ery listened quietly, then removed a storage ring and flicked it toward her.
Tessa caught it and dispatched her senses inside.
Her eyes widened instantly.
Inside lay the contents of Maldrin's treasury, accumulated Brotherhood wealth gathered over many years.
Among the recovered treasures were also three low-grade Tier 7 weapons—the concealed needles, the dark segnted whip, and Mada Butcher's blade. Their value alone was imnse. Combined with the spirit stones, materials, the total worth of the spoils would easily exceed seven billion spirit stones.
As Ery considered the sheer amount gained from a single battle, he was reminded once again that warfare remained the fastest path to sudden wealth. Years of trade, taxation, and steady developnt could be surpassed in one victorious campaign against the right enemy.
The thought naturally turned his attention toward the newly ford shadow force. If used properly, they could track criminal organizations, seize hidden resources, and hunt high-value targets carrying bounties. Whether through covert operations or sanctioned hunts, there were many ways such a force could generate both profit and influence.
Then Ery added, "Begin filing bounty claims as well. Especially for the Chira Sovereign."
At those words, he glanced toward Varkul.
The bald man imdiately understood.
"I can provide hidden records, and identify marks. It should be enough to support the claims."
Good.
If the dead could no longer serve, their price still could.
The eting continued for quite so ti after that. Border disputes, recruitnt quotas, rchant regulation, city defense schedules, training rotations, and several internal matters all necessitated Ery's final decision. One after another, he handled them with growing confidence.
Only when the last issue had been resolved did he dismiss the council.
The chamber gradually emptied until only Klea remained beside him.
Ery leaned back and released a slow breath.
He turned toward her.
"Is that thing ready?"
Klea's eyes brightened imdiately.
"Of course."
She motioned for him to follow.
Together they crossed into the western wing of the Terra Palace, eventually arriving at a heavily fortified stone citadel built directly into the palace structure. Formation lines glowed faintly across its walls, and elite guards stood watch at every checkpoint.
After passing several layers of security, they descended through a spiraling corridor into the depths below.
The deeper they went, the colder and denser the air beca, saturated with spiritual force.
At last, they entered a vast underground chamber.
Ery's gaze sharpened at once.
A grand formation array filled the room, maintained by two of Klea's trusted formation experts. Dozens of formation flags stood in perfect alignnt while embedded spirit stones pulsed rhythmically beneath the floor like living hearts.
Streams of power moved through engraved channels, gathering into multiple chains of light that converged upon a single floating object suspended at the center.
It pulsed with unstable brilliance.
The Chira Sovereign's aperture.
The formation had been created to weaken and slowly open a way inside, and Ery could hardly wait to see what it contained within.
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