“I had an idea I wanted to run by you before the meeting,” Emily said as the silence grew heavy. “I’ve been talking to my subordinates, and more than a few wish we’d transition from our slow-paced and defensive tactics to more aggressive ones. They feel this war is their chance to rise and are willing to put their lives on the line for the sake of Earth or their cultivation.”

“What do you propose, then?” Zac asked.

“I want to separate our operations into defensive and offensive battalions. Those who wish to push into Kan’Tanu territory and accrue merit can sign up for the elite offensive squads. Of course, we’d only take the strongest ones. The others will remain in the regular armies, mostly focusing on defense. The System won’t allow you to stall for more than two weeks, but the defensive can progress through the worlds as slowly as they’re allowed, keeping casualties at a minimum.”

“What you propose is a complete reorganization of the army,” Zac commented.

“Our soldiers have all fought multiple engagements now. Our methods and equipment are mostly the same across battalions, and our cooperation has matured. If we’re careful, we should be able to rearrange our army without creating too much confusion. The safety will be higher in the defensive battalions, especially if we can upgrade our arrays and siege weapons. We can lower our standards a bit and accept some of the volunteers early to fill up our ranks.”

Zac felt the proposal was promising, but many questions remained unanswered. “Would we even be able to gather enough people to man those kinds of elite squads?”

“You’d be surprised,” Emily said. “If you manage to get your hands on the supplies we need, we’ll be able to open up at least two new battlefronts and convert two of our old ones into offensive armies.”

“That many?” Zac said with shock.

“Well, at least a third of them would be Zhix,” Emily said with a wry smile. “But people are finally waking up to the realities of our world. Wealth, status, longevity, freedom; you need strength if you want any of them. And with every battle, our warriors’ Dao Hearts grow stronger. Death no longer scares them, but living like a coward and giving up their path does.”

Zac sighed, suddenly remembering his talk with Catheya years ago, just before he entered the City of Ancients. He had hesitated about letting his subordinates start an Incursion, but Catheya had convinced him to agree. Cultivation was an individual journey where you searched for the truth of the cosmos, the meaning of life, and their purpose in this vast universe. No matter what drove people to ascend through the ranks, it wasn’t Zac’s place to say they couldn’t go after their dreams.

At least not until their pursuit clashed with Zac’s, at which point one would walk away stronger while the other would become fertilizer for another’s path.

Zac nodded, his heart steady, even though his decision likely meant over a million additional deaths over the coming years. “I’ll support your proposal. I want to see a proposal for the reorganization as soon as possible.”

By then, the meeting was just around the corner, and they made their way to the hall. Outside, many familiar faces were already waiting, ranging from the demons who first joined his factions to the inhabitants of the research base. There were also some Zac didn’t recognize, including an Ishiate tinkerer, rugged veterans who must have joined through the recruitment station in the Red Sector, and a slew of humans who likely represented the latest generation of elites.

People stood clumped together, discussing various matters with low voices, but the lobby quieted down when Zac approached. A few seemingly wanted to approach him but held themselves back as Zac entered the hall. The meeting hall had clearly taken a lot of inspiration from the House Chamber of the old United States, where the Speaker’s chair had been replaced by something more resembling a throne.

Behind his seat was an enormous insignia of the Atwood Empire, expertly crafted with high-grade materials. It even exuded a powerful aura, filling the room with a warlike atmosphere. It was slightly ostentatious, but Zac didn’t mind. It matched the times they lived in, and the setup was nothing compared to some of the throne rooms out there.

Half the seats were already occupied, and Zac estimated around two hundred representatives would be present. All the races under his rule were represented, even the werewolf tribe, and Zac spotted a few figures he hadn’t seen since the Integration. For example, there was Willow, the ishiate shaman he’d met during the New World Government’s auction. The Marshall clan also had two representatives present, Henry and Mark, a general who had advised Thea during her campaign against the undead empire.

The room rapidly filled after Zac’s arrival, and Zac began the meeting without any preamble.

“It’s good to see so many familiar faces,” Zac smiled as he looked around the room from his seat. “I know everyone is anxious to return to their duties, so I will make things as brief as possible.

“First thing’s first, the elephant in the room; the two new additions to the contribution ladder. Some here knew the truth, while others might have had some suspicions. Now that things have reached this point, there’s no point in keeping things under wraps. Until recently, Arcaz and I were the same person, and my ability to swap between forms was my hidden ace.”

Most of the founding members of his faction took the news in stride, having known about it for decades. Others had suspected as much, considering a trail of clues led to that conclusion. Only a few were shocked by the revelation, especially the natives of Ensolus. They hadn’t been there for Earth’s Integration, when Zac and “Mr. Black” took out one incursion after another, but never at the same time. So they hadn’t seen anything wrong with both names appearing on the ladder.

“However, my cover story has become the truth,” Zac continued. “I encountered a problem when breaking through to Hegemony. My Cosmic Core couldn’t hold both Life and Death. I always knew that might happen, so I prepared a few backup plans. I ended up splitting my body and soul in two. The result was two versions of me being born. Neither is the real me; both are. I guess you could consider us twins or brothers.

“Nothing will change from this, except that the Atwood Empire now has two rulers. For convenience’s sake, my Draugr twin has chosen to adopt his cover name as his real one, and he’s now in the Kavriel Province negotiating a deal for resources. We’ve already gotten word the negotiations were a success, and we now have direct access to a smithy specialized in siege weaponry. He’ll return in a week or two.”

“Ah, Emperor Atwood, is he… Are we—” Carva, one of the Raun spectrals, spoke up, breaking the silence gripping the room.𝒩𝑜𝓥𝓵xt.𝗰𝒐𝔪

“No.” Zac said decisively. “Even if he’s Draugr, he still shares all my memories. He’s a native of this planet and has no plan to give up on it for the Undead Empire. We will continue down the path we’ve set down—a neutral force at the crossroads between Life and Death. Any questions on this?”

As expected, no one spoke up for half a minute. Zac was sure many were curious about the details, but who’d dare to dig into his secrets? Neither would anyone go against his decisions. Zac rarely got involved in managing his empire, but he was still its unilateral ruler. The room’s design might have given the meeting a veneer of democracy, but the Atwood Empire ultimately wasn’t one.

“Access to more weaponry is huge,” IIlvere eventually said. “Our stockpiles have been holding us back for long, and the recent attack proved our products aren’t infallible. I just worry whether we’ll be able to use them effectively. We don’t have many undead Siege Engineers.”

“The items are only usable with Miasma, so we’ll have to accelerate our training,” Zac said. “However, the idea is not to rely solely on this source. Hours ago, I sent Zakarith Azh’Rhodum to the Allbright Empire to renegotiate our agreements regarding my Cosmic Vessels. Part of my request is for the Allbright Dynasty to provide a similar connection. We’ll hopefully have an answer soon.”

The news was clearly welcome, and Zac felt the atmosphere shift in the room where many eyes had gained a calculative gleam. Better equipment meant fewer losses and more merit. Especially so when the resources were provided to the armies free of charge to a certain degree.

The Atwood Army had already set up a contribution-style model for the battalions. Most of the resources harvested after a victory would enter Zac’s coffers to fuel the war efforts and pay pensions to the families of the fallen, but 20% would stay within the battalion. Some would become individual bonuses, while the rest would enter the battalion’s private funds to purchase whatever they needed.

Zac saw that the atmosphere was just right, so he struck while the iron was hot.

“On that note, I have some other news. Emily.”

Emily nodded and began explaining her vision for the Atwood Army’s reorganization. It was clear she had already run the idea by some of the other battalion leaders, who joined the discussion that quickly sprouted.

“What you say makes sense. Elites aren’t born in the training fields,” Ra’Klid agreed. “However, this strategy carries the risk of hollowing out the strength of the regular armies. Without elites to shore up the ranks, any surprise might lead to a quick defeat and disastrous losses.”

“Part of that problem will be resolved through upgrading our defensive equipment,” Emily said. “With stronger fortifications, our common armies can hold on longer until backup arrives. Secondly, we will ensure each standard army has a core of elites. We will rotate these guardians if too few talents wish to take on these assignments on a permanent basis.

“The same is true for the leaders,” Joanna added. “Each of us will have to hold down the fort for some periods. We can use that time to consolidate any gains or inspirations we’ve had.”

“Forcing such a comprehensive overhaul in a short duration is bound to create disorder,” Henry Marshall offered, and the general to his side nodded in agreement.

“Disorder means death on the battlefield,” Mark said. “A shake-up of this magnitude would be implemented over years in the olden days. We’d plan and analyze for years, arrange war games and training to perfect our cooperation and refine the strategy.”

“I am aware this kind of reorganization will create chaos within the ranks,” Zac said. “However, it still needs to be done in the quickest timeframe possible. This first year is critical, whether it’s for the faction as a whole or for our elites hoping to seize opportunities in the Limited Exchange. The Kan’Tanu is pushing hard, and we need to hone ourselves into a force having what it takes to reach the other side of this struggle.”

“We have reason to believe the war will have multiple stages,” Vilari added. “It’s a reasonable assumption that the better we perform in the first stretch, the better we’ll be treated as the war heats up.”

Zac nodded in agreement. The reason for the war was the same as why Earth was integrated; to raise more warriors. Those who performed would be rewarded, while those who played it safe were discarded for lacking potential and drive.

“I want to see at least one elite army within ten days and for the whole army to be reorganized within the month. Start planning your campaigns accordingly.”

A few grimaced at the tight schedule, but no one offered rebuttals. However, one camp that had sat silently until now finally stirred.

“Warchief, when you say that you want one army ready in advance, does that mean you’re taking over a battalion?” Rhubat asked.

“No. I am opening a new battlefield. I haven’t decided whether Arcaz or I will lead it yet, but it will become our first spear stabbing into the depths of the Zurbor Sector. It will aim to conquer one neutral world a day, and at most, five for the outer worlds in the other sector,” Zac said as an aura of blood and conquest leaked from his body.

“I’m aware opening new battlefields will increase casualties and stretch our remaining battalions. But this is war, and the kid gloves must come off. To counter the price of our offense, I want to accelerate recruitment by at least 50%. No faction or region will be allowed to sit on the sidelines while the rest of us bleed. Those who shirk their duty will be conscripted. Deserters will be punished.”

“Good!” Rhubat rumbled, slapping their massive hand onto the table as a bloodthirsty aura to match Zac’s radiated from its hulking body. “This is the way! These unclean ones are the instigators of this conflict, and backing down or hiding will not solve anything. There is no war without sacrifice, no important cause without a price. Yet we must fight. The Zhix Hives stands behind this proposal. We shall embark on our second crusade!”

A storm of dense killing intent immediately exploded from the Zhix sitting around Rhubat, and Zac’s brows rose slightly as he felt fate shift around the insectoids. Be it the Anointed or the normal-sized citizens, they seemed incredibly excited about Rhubat’s declaration. In their first crusade, they had fought for millennia to rid themselves of the Dominators, but their victory had left them without purpose.

Not everyone shared the Zhix’s enthusiasm, but quite a few welcomed the change. The Emperor had made his will clear, so the discussion soon shifted to implementation. Zac didn’t participate much, instead opting to listen in to get a deeper understanding of the Atwood Army’s operations and the general state of things.

Normally, the meetings only lasted an hour before people rushed back to their respective battlefronts, but people only emerged after four hours this time. A few lingered, wanting to catch up with Zac or propose various ideas. They saw the meeting as a rare opportunity, considering Zac was almost always either in seclusion or off-world.

Zac was anxious to get back to his cultivation, but he knew he couldn’t just dump all responsibilities on his subordinates. Besides, his Draugr body was still fast at work, redrawing pathways and preparing to upgrade the next skill.

One of those approaching Zac was Little Bolt, one of the first mercenaries who enlisted with the help of Emily. The Recruitment Station he helped run had expanded a lot since Zac left, and the number of applicants was increasing every day. There were over a hundred people over there, responsible for investigating and testing. Little Bolt himself had later moved on to a leadership role and liaison between Wandering Cultivators and the Atwood Empire back on Earth.

“You want to become an official citizen?” Zac said thoughtfully.

“Many of us do,” Little Bolt said. “It’s not just about the safety and wealth the Atwood Empire provides while the rest of Zecia is burning. You’d have to be blind not to see the potential of Lord’s faction. Our futures would be far brighter staying on permanently rather than as temporary mercenaries.”

“We understand nothing comes for free, but we are hoping a route to citizenship could be implemented,” the unfamiliar woman next to him added. “To give us something to work toward.”

Practically, nothing was stopping Zac from setting something up. As a Baron of a D-grade force, he had multiple ways to deal with that matter. For one, he could simply award ten people citizenship every year without any prerequisites, and he could hire a few external elders using the System’s contracts. He could also give out Decree quests or appoint someone else to do so.

However, awarding citizenship came with certain risks. For one, most Wandering Cultivators no longer wore the prison bracers that prevented them from teleporting off-world. Anyone cleared for duty had the bracer taken off since they’d have exploded the moment they stepped onto the battlefronts otherwise.

There had been a few deserters already, people who teleported home instead of to Ensolus when they used the Nexus Hub. Of course, it was a very rare thing, and not just because the fee was more than the accumulated wealth of most of these people. Little Bolt wasn’t exaggerating; the conditions in the Atwood Empire were far better than most places, especially the dangerous Red Zone.

That wasn’t a big problem since his undead forces weren’t a big secret anymore, but it could become one if the deserters were citizens. They’d be able to go back and forth from Earth, and quite a few forces would be eager to enlist someone with that kind of access. They wouldn’t be able to bring anyone with them to Earth, but they could become spies or wreak havoc in other ways.

Then again, it might be fine with proper safeguards on resources and checkpoints at the Nexus Hubs.

“You should know I’m not much of a hands-on leader,” Zac said. “I will discuss the matter with the others. It’s not impossible to tie citizenship to wartime merit, though it remains to be seen what levels are suitable.”

“Of course,” Little Bolt quickly nodded. “I know I’m not the most objective speaker in these matters, but I believe the people we’ve recruited over the past year are reliable. Many dreamt of a place to call home long before the war, but such opportunities aren’t easily come by within the ancient empires—every inch is already claimed by one clan or another. If we get the opportunity, we and our descendants will work hard for the Atwood Empire.”

Zac nodded, and the two left with a bow. They were soon replaced by the Raun Spectrals, who discretely revisited the topic of the Undead Empire and Arcaz Umbri’Zi. Eventually, everyone had gotten their chance to speak, at which point Zac moved to a smaller meeting room.

There were a few people he needed to speak with in private, and the first was Rhubat.