Slime Evolution

Chapter 384 - Meeting II

The meeting went on for another hour, with the leaders settling on communication protocols and how their patrol and investigation for this mission would work.

Surprisingly, when it came to the investigation within Elysium, the groups realized they could join forces, gaining a much bigger advantage than acting separately.

Instead of doing everything alone, splitting off into different approach styles, they realized that having sharper people like the Silver Lotus group, already used to problematic situations and chaotic environments, alongside people with more level headed minds like the Upper Zone Player group to serve as mediators could make the investigation even better.

Dylan thought about how he’d use Vex and Richard to infiltrate the bars in Thalendor the Broken Suns frequented, while Alice planned out sync schedules with her technical support team in the real world. Skye, for her part, made sure there would always be members on constant standby, ready to act as invisible bodyguards for any Astralis member operating in the city, at least to make sure the investigating groups didn’t suffer anything serious.

"Alright, everyone. The objectives are clear," Lohan said, resuming his leadership voice. "Alice and Dylan, focus on the information network. Skye, keep your people alert and focused on the experience grind so you don’t fall behind if the situation escalates, we need you all as strong as everyone else, and for that I can even spare a few more clones for you all so we can speed up your group’s leveling pace even more. Lisa and I will head back to Thalendor soon to use our own channels for the investigation. Remember, the ultimate goal is the trust of the natives. Don’t do anything that tarnishes Astralis Requiem’s name in front of the elves or any other citizen race of Thalendor."

"Leave it to me, Halon," Dylan replied, standing up from the table with the elegance of an officer. "I’ll go brief my group on their tasks right now."

Alice hopped up from her seat, her energy seeming inexhaustible even after hours of meeting and planning. "I’ll do the same! Dee and Tunder are dying of boredom at the reception. I think giving them an infiltration mission is going to make their day, not to mention my girls in the real world, they’re dying to have something to do. See you all in the guild chat!"

Skye simply nodded, a short, professional gesture, before turning toward the ramps leading to Silver Lotus’s quarters. "Don’t worry, Halon, over the next few days we’ll be online pretty much all day constantly hunting, by next week we’ll all be Level 13!"

The three leaders left the hall, each heading toward their respective groups to divide up the tasks.

Meanwhile, Lohan and Lisa stayed at the table for a few more moments, watching the coordinated movement of the members. It was gratifying to see how Astralis’s hierarchy worked without needing oppression, with respect coming mainly from the competence and results Lohan and Lisa delivered every day.

"This weekend is going to be crazy... having to deal with recruiting new members and now a full investigation into a rival guild..." Lisa remarked, her ears tilting with curiosity. "If the Broken Suns really are what I suspect, an arm of some smaller company trying their luck, they have no idea the size of the storm we’re sending their way."

"Hehe... I doubt they don’t know about Astralis’s subtle influence in Thalendor, and yet they still chose to keep expanding this much without worrying about the consequences... even worse, doing it with such a shoddy job." Lohan replied, starting to get ready to disconnect. "Meh, I almost feel bad for them. Almost."

Lohan felt the satisfaction of progress pulse through his core.

His experience bar for level 17 was still a hungry monster, but with the guild operating this way, the "snowball" was now a controlled avalanche. Unfortunately outside the game he couldn’t be of much use, at least not for tasks that didn’t require combat.

In the real world, Isabella Vance’s influence would be the main weapon to break down the Broken Suns’ financial pillars, while he, Lohan, should just stay safe and not expose himself too much out there.

What did that mean? More Elysium time for him then.

Thankfully there was plenty to do in the game over the next few days.

"Alright, Lisa, I think I need a bed." Lohan said, as his slime mass began pulsing in a soft light blue tone, relaxing and going limper. "I’m going to disconnect now to rest, if anything comes up get in touch with me, or just show up at the apartment... even if it’s not to talk about work."

Lisa froze at his last comment, staring at him a little shocked, but with a small smile at the corner of her mouth and cheeks slightly flushed.

She waved her tail, getting ready to do the same. "Don’t worry, if I need to recharge, or just relax, I’ll show up there, I hope I’ll be well received." She replied, winking her right eye. "Now I’m going to talk to my intelligence department at the Vance Group. I want the name of every one of the Suns’ investors on my desk by tomorrow. If they want to play guild, let’s check whether they actually have the structure for it."

At the same moment, the blue Slime and the white Fox were wrapped in a pearly, ethereal light.

In a second, their virtual bodies turned into particles of light that scattered into the air of the hall, returning to the energy currents of the tree headquarters.

In Eden-3, Lohan Hayes and Isabella Vance opened their eyes in their respective realities, ready to wield Astralis’s power in the real world for the first time.

Lohan got up from the mattress in his Sector 4 apartment, feeling the vitality of his level 16 integration run through his veins in the real world for the first time, satisfied.

Even though it wasn’t a huge change, it was still invigorating to feel his body in the real world evolving so much too, even with small steps like this one.

’Well... though 1.6 million experience points isn’t that small of a step haha.’ He thought, laughing to himself.