Conqueror of the Time Apocalypse

Chapter 7. Silent Action: Establishing the Initial Network

“Viana, show me the map of the most geophysically stable areas beneath this sector,” Maxwell said, stepping into the middle of the ruined office complex. The ground was wet with drops of blood, but some sections looked more solid. Johan cleared shards of glass and steel behind them, creating a path.

Viana raised the tablet in her hand, the display changing to a colorful underground topography map. “Based on my data synchronization, there are several segments of the underground railway line in Block B-9 that are relatively safe. It’s one and a half kilometers from our current position. My father once planned to build a data center there. This means the infrastructure is strong, backup power sources are available, and there are minimal high-level monsters.”

“A good asset,” Maxwell murmured. “And how many illegal occupants are there now? The latest intelligence suggests small factions are hiding there.”

“My Absolute Knowledge detects three groups. One small faction called ‘Underground Dwellers,’ traumatized remnants of data center employees, very passive and defensive,” Viana explained. “The second group is a cluster of feral Awakened, five individuals. They are selfish, relying on brute force to take over routes and extort incoming logistics. And the third… wait. A group known as the ‘Rats.’ Their leader, Jael. A cunning dark information gatherer. Very dangerous for a local scale.”

“Jael the ‘Rats’?” Maxwell raised his thin eyebrows. “He’s not just anyone. In the future, he becomes one of the main traitors who sells the location of humanity's largest bunker to the Goblin Horde. A big rat with an extensive network of eyes and ears. If we manage to recruit him, that would be a key far more valuable than all the minor relics Johan gathered just now.”

Johan listened carefully. “Mr. Maxwell, Ms. Viana, are we going to eliminate everyone, or recruit?”

“We’ll take what’s useful. Eliminate those who cannot be educated,” Maxwell answered flatly. “Johan, find two spray paint cans in the hardware store ruins down the street. Choose dark colors. We’ll need signs for those traitors. Viana, prepare your negotiations.”

“Understood, Mr. Maxwell,” Johan nodded, then hurried away.

Viana paused for a moment, pressing her tablet again. “Why is Jael so important to you? He doesn't have outstanding physical strength. And his intelligence is limited to street tactics.”

“The power of information, Viana, is the greatest strength. Without it, a King would be blind among his own troops. Jael is cunning, but his loyalty can be bought. Even by a king,” Maxwell explained, his voice calm. “He knows the ins and outs of this city's underground, every dark corner, every escape route used by smugglers before the apocalypse. And most importantly, he knows who bribes and who gets paid. The main key to dominating trade in the underworld.”

“I understand. He could become our eyes and ears,” Viana closed her eyes, processing the newly given information. “So, our priority is to secure the data center, recruit Jael, eliminate the feral Awakened, and make the ‘Underground Dwellers’ technical operators.”

“Exactly,” Maxwell nodded. “Absolute Knowledge tells me their precise locations. The feral Awakened are near the underground logistics gate assembly area. The Underground Dwellers are near a mini-reactor that is still functioning. Jael, he’s in the main control room, surrounded by his illegal communication devices.”

“Are they armed, Mr. Maxwell? Those feral Awakened,” Viana asked.

“They have standard pistols and two people are holding low-energy daggers. Their total strength is equivalent to ten level-three Scavenger Dogs, but they are smarter. Dangerous enough for Johan, but it won't be a big problem if you don't act recklessly.” Maxwell smiled faintly.

“How do I approach Jael? He's known to be paranoid, Mr. Maxwell. Getting him to open the gate might be impossible,” Viana asked.

“Absolute Knowledge identified a ‘gift’ that will make him open the door for you,” Maxwell answered, pulling out a pair of simple black goggles from his jacket pocket. The goggles looked worn, but there was a faint golden gleam emanating from them. “Take these. These are infrared long-distance viewing goggles. Jael used goggles like these in the past to spy on his rivals, but they were destroyed by his enemies. These goggles can see up to two kilometers through concrete and counter simple optical manipulation. An item he will gladly accept.”

Viana took the goggles, surprised to feel a strange sensation from the simple object. “These aren't ordinary goggles.”

“Of course not. These are the ‘eyes’ to dominate the lower ranks,” Maxwell stared at Viana, his gaze piercing. “Remember. Don't talk about irrelevant things. Don't offer empty promises. Show him an unmatched strength, capable of protecting him from everyone who ever tried to step on him.”

“Understood, Mr. Maxwell.” Viana put the goggles in her pocket.

Shortly after, Johan returned carrying two cans of black and red spray paint. “I’m back, Mr. Maxwell, Ms. Viana!”

“Good, Johan,” Maxwell took one of the cans. “Now, let's go down into the underground.”

***

“Who dares to enter ‘our’ area?!”

A hoarse voice echoed from the darkness of the long-abandoned underground railway passage. The smell of moss mixed with the sharp scent of fresh blood stung the air. Viana, Maxwell, and Johan walked slowly, guided by Absolute Knowledge which told them the enemy’s location. Viana's tactical flashlight illuminated a barricade of barbed wire stretched across the passage. Five rough Awakened figures emerged, their weapons ready in hand.

“This is a path leading to a new good,” Viana answered firmly, walking a few steps forward. Maxwell and Johan stood behind her, like solid shadows. “This route is now under new sovereignty.”

“New sovereignty? What kind of nonsense is that, Little Girl? You think you can rule with only three of you?” The leader of the Awakened group, a bald man with a dragon tattoo on his head, burst out laughing. In the future, this man would become the first cannibal in this area, Absolute Knowledge said.

“I give you the chance to submit or be exterminated. The choice is yours,” Viana continued, expressionless. “The data center ahead, the small reactor, and the small food storage—all of it will be taken over shortly.”

“Hahaha! She's threatening us, guys! This stupid woman thinks we're scared?” another Awakened shouted, swinging a dagger that glowed with low purple Mana.

“Fifteen seconds,” Maxwell whispered to Viana, the voice audible only to her because of their mind synchronization. “This person in front of you, his name is Rico, Awakened Class E: Rage Blocker. Weakness in his left knee. Currently distracted by my appearance. He will swing his dagger at your neck. Parry at a 28-degree angle to the right, and kick towards his left knee. This will cause one second of disorientation. That's enough to lure the bald guy to rush forward and launch a surprise attack.”

Viana felt the instructions sink into her brain, instinctively knowing how to perform each movement.

“Too much nonsense!” Rico, the purple-daggered Awakened, charged, swinging the dagger at Viana's neck exactly as Maxwell predicted. Viana tilted her body slightly, letting the dagger pass just millimeters away from her neck. Her hand skillfully seized Rico's wrist, twisting it until the man screamed in pain.

Viana's swift kick slammed into Rico's left knee.

Thud!

Crack!

“Aaarrghhh! My knee!” Rico fell to the ground, his purple dagger slipping from his grasp.

“What are you doing, you bastard?!” The bald leader of the Awakened group snapped. He drew a pistol from his waist, low-energy bullets swiftly chambering.

“The other two on the right side. They’re preparing a flanking maneuver, but don't let them execute it,” Maxwell whispered. “Leave the rest to me. You handle the bald man.”

“Get him out of my sight, Johan!” Viana yelled, pointing at the two Awakened trying to flank them.

Johan immediately lunged at both of them with his large axe. With a war cry, he knocked one off his feet and slammed the other Awakened against the wall. The fight escalated instantly.

The bald man fired. Bang! Bang!

Maxwell didn't move an inch from behind Viana. His cold eyes remained fixed on the gun's barrel. He flinched slightly as the first bullet struck his left shoulder and the second hit his chest. Yet, there was no impact. His Mana Armor, an item secretly assembled after the last heist, rendered the low-energy bullets nothing more than a firm tap. The armor effectively deflected ordinary projectiles and absorbed channeled energy.

The bald man's eyes widened, his face turning pale. “Impossible! Why are the bullets useless?!”

“You think a low-level Awakened like you can injure my master?” Viana sneered. His fear vanished, replaced by a dreadful pride. “You are weak, pathetic. You deserve annihilation.”

Viana stepped forward, snatching the bald man's pistol. With a swift movement reminiscent of Maxwell, he disassembled the weapon in a single fluid motion and tossed the parts down the hallway.

“That device is worthless in this new world,” Viana stated, his expression ice-cold.

The bald man swallowed hard. He looked at Maxwell, who stood behind Viana with an expressionless, seemingly impeccable demeanor. A sense of dread crept into his heart. The man looked like the God of Death himself.

“Alright, do you want to live, Mr. Baldy?” Viana asked.

“Yes! Yes! Please don't kill me! I’ll do anything!” the bald man scrambled backward.

“Kneel. And swear before my King,” Viana commanded. “Repeat after me. ‘I swear…’”

***

The thick gate to the main control room in Block B-9 opened. Jael, a gaunt man with sharp eyes and dark circles beneath them, stared at Maxwell, Viana, and Johan with a mixture of fear, suspicion, and curiosity. Dozens of flickering monitors surrounded him, displaying maps, logistics, and reconnaissance data.

“Maxwell Sullivan… your name isn't on the major faction lists. Who are you, sir? And what do you want from me?” Jael asked, his voice slightly hoarse with tension. He held a pair of worn night-vision goggles in his hands.

“We've given you the offer, Jael. Become our eyes and ears. Your entire information network will be integrated. All secrets of the underground city—who the traitors are and who the allies are—will be in our hands,” Viana explained, tossing the infrared goggles Maxwell had provided.

The goggles landed at Jael's feet. The man picked them up, examining them. “Long-range infrared? Impossible! This… this is more advanced than Colonel Dharma’s!” His eyes widened, his hands shaking as he held the object. He knew its value.

“That's my first gift. A gesture of trust,” Maxwell said, his voice simmering quietly, without needing to raise it to assert his authority.

“You want me… to recruit me?” Jael glanced between Maxwell and Viana. “Why me? There are dozens of other operators who are more capable.”

“Because they don't see what we see, Jael. You understand the inner workings of the sewer rats and their labyrinths, just as we see the hungry wolves above ground,” Maxwell explained, his voice full of mystery. “You are a vital piece of this network. Don't worry about the Biggest Threat outside. Your only task is this: provide us information about anything and everything.”

Jael sighed. He had seen what Maxwell and Viana did to the rogue Awakened outside. Rico and the bald Awakened were tied up with cables and spray-painted bright red—a ‘warning’ sign for any approaching faction. The other two were dead, crushed by Maxwell's own trap mechanisms.

“This is a hard offer to refuse, Mr. Maxwell. Especially with this item,” Jael showed off his new goggles. “I understand that if I refuse, I'll end up just like them.”

“Worse,” Viana interrupted, his voice icy. “A quick death is a costly privilege in this era, Jael.”

Jael shivered. “Alright. Alright. I agree. I swear to be your eyes. But I have a condition. My men… the Underground Dwellers. They are passive, with no fighting capabilities. Will they be safe here?”

“They are our technical assets, Jael. Their job is to operate the reactor, maintain data center stability, and, most importantly, filter all the information you provide me,” Viana explained. “As long as they are useful, they are safe. If they dare attempt betrayal or theft, you will discover the consequences yourself.”

“Viana, prepare three cans of black spray paint for the vital points, show Jael that all strategic corridors now ‘belong to us.’ Give instructions to that bald Awakened and his forces to work on repairing the damaged electrical network. Paint their bodies with the words 'Pardoned Dissident.' Don't let them escape. Johan will ensure that.” Maxwell gave the final command in a low voice.

“Ready, Mr. Maxwell,” Viana nodded, then turned back to Jael and the 'Underground Dwellers' now under his control. “Mr. Jael, you and your team will receive the best logistics pay. But every small betrayal will receive a cruel response. Make this data center our new headquarters.”

Jael stared at the ground, then back at the new infrared goggles in his hand. He nodded. “Good. Good, I understand. For these goggles and the survival of my men.”

“Viana,” Maxwell called.

Viana turned around.

“Sector Gamma is a two-hour journey from here. A hidden goods exchange center run by pre-apocalypse war veterans. There are three important informants there who have the best illegal supply network,” Maxwell said, his tone now purely business. “You will handle it. And ensure one of the Awakened who betrayed you earlier is burned alive by them, to let them know you have no mercy.”

Viana nodded slowly. “Ready, Mr. Maxwell. I'll make sure they don't dare turn their backs on our sovereignty. This is only the beginning.”

Maxwell offered a faint grin, his gaze sweeping across the spacious data center room, imagining how this underground network would become the pulse of his invisible kingdom. “Johan, help them evacuate all the debris. Make sure no secret passages are overlooked during securing.”

“Ready, Mr. Maxwell! I'll destroy everything bothersome here!” Johan roared enthusiastically.

“Good, then,” Viana started to step outside. “It's time to transition from pest control to planting roots, isn't that right, Mr. Maxwell?”

Maxwell Sullivan only offered a faint grin. There was no mercy. Only calculations of precision as sharp as a god's sword. The shadow of his kingdom began to form, and every movement, every word, every life taken or saved, was a pillar for his absolute throne in this new world.