“Why is your face so scary? Wait, are you still angry at him like Master is worried?” Sia asked as she walked beside Varian toward the military command center.

The highest order meeting in the human army was about to begin in a few minutes.  Even though a few big weights couldn’t attend due to their condition, most were able to squeeze in their time for this.

Varian was naturally invited. Even if his track record was ignored, the fact that he possessed strength comparable to a peak level 9 was enough reason.

There were only a few guards around the crystal-red building. What’s really attractive was a special garden behind the building.

The roses, lilies and all other types were crystals! Under the sunlight, they glittered. But the highlight would be during night when these flowers would start shining!

These flowers were too expensive and there’s only such garden in the entire federation.

Varian thought it’d be a nice thing to have a small walk with Sia here. She liked flowers after all.

The guards in the place looked at each other in confusion. A few wondered if they should tell Varian it’s an important meeting concerning the fate of human race and that he couldn’t just bring a girl and stroll around like it’s a date!

But his face…

His eyes were cold and indifferent while his expression made them wonder if he’s a devil.

“Is my face really scary?” Varian patted his cheek and wondered.

“…Where did you go after you met Kyle?” Sia asked.

“Julius.” Varian didn’t hide it from her. “He said he didn’t steal the artifacts. From my readings, he really wasn’t lying.”

Then he went onto explain the ‘reasoning’ Julius gave to his actions.

Sia didn’t say a word and walked forward silently. But the turbulent emotions in her eyes expressed more than any words could.

Varian patted the small of her back gently and said softly. “It doesn’t matter if he’s morally right or wrong. Maybe his intentions are right—a stronger human race at any cost. But it doesn’t alter what I will do.”

Sia raised her head and looked at her boyfriend in surprise. “Are you serious?”

“Huh? Why not?”

“You’re the type of person who blamed yourself for what happened to that girl Vin when we were on vacation.”

Varian’s expression froze for a moment before he shrugged. “I still feel bad for what happened to her. I still feel somewhat responsible for it. But…I’d still take the time off. Think about it, I can’t be working 365×24.”

pAn,Da-n0v e1,c,m “Then if you’re clear regarding what you’ll do to Julius, why are you still…” Sia gently pressed his shoulder. “Tense?”

Varian felt his body relax under her ministrations and sighed in contentment. It felt a weight hanging on his shoulders was taken off and his mind which seemed to be on the verge of war cooled down.

“You didn’t even notice you’re this tense? It’s like you’re about to fight!” Sia exclaimed. “I didn’t want to bring it up directly lest you might really attack someone here.”

“Fuck.” Varian cursed and closed his eyes to calm down. “I just can’t…”

“Can’t what?”

“I’m pissed off.”

“At?”

Varian dug into his subconscious and realized. “Julius. He seems happy for some reason. You know, he used to look at me like I’m his enemy or at least a potential enemy.”

Sia rubbed Varian’s back to help him cool down.

Varian’s clenched fists loosened and he said in a calmer tone. “But now, he stared at me like I didn’t matter. Like he’s beyond me. I don’t get it. Why is he like that? So I want to beat him down. That son of a—!”

Sia covered his mouth with hers and stopped him from swearing. Varian also let go of his tension and kissed her back passionately.

“…”

“…”please visit panda(-)N0ve1.co)m

“…”

The guards looked at each other and then at the couple. They couldn’t take it anymore and were about to step forward when the huge clock on the crystal red military building gave off a beep sound.

The two were gone!

— — —

The war room was filled with virtual figures from all over the federation. The Chief Generals of the planet armies, the best adjutants, and the best scientists.

Every person in the room had enough influence to shake a planet during ordinary times.

The goal of the meeting was to actually discuss the development of ‘save humanity: sending the seeds out of solar system’.

But with the arrival of Varian, the objective turned back into ‘How to win this war?’.

The people in the room that didn’t know about Varian, especially the scientists were dumbfounded at this ridiculous change.

How could one man, no matter how powerful, shift the entire objective of the federation?

But here they were, as the big weights gathered around a long table and waited for the man in white to start speaking.

“I will provide enough treasures to make potions that will push every level 9 one sub-level higher.” Varian’s words detonated the stable hearts of the big weights.

The silent and solemn room was filled with chatter in a blink and seemed no different from the noisy market.

Varian raised his hand and everyone fell quiet, much to their own surprise. “But I’ll need the best of the best to support the development of the potions. I have the recipe for the potions but my resources are limited. We cannot afford to waste them.”

The scientists in the room all stood up and nodded. “We’ll do our best.”

“Produce the potions in thirty-six hours.”

There was a heavy silence before a few old men and women nodded.

“Contact this guy and get started.”

The senior scientists caught Kyle’s contact and disappeared from the room.

Then he gave the level 8 recipe to the veteran scientists and the level 7 potions to the youngest scientists in the group.

Of course, even the youngest one was more than seventy years old and very influential.

Waving off the last group of scientists, Varian took a deep breath.

The recipes he gave to Kyle were the easiest but also splurged the most precious resources. The price/perfomance ratio was the worst for these potions.

For what the ingredients were worth, using them to just improve a sub-level of level 9s was an insult.

But if he wanted to push the human level 9s as fast as he could, this was the only way.

If he picked an efficient recipe, then the scientists, even if they all joined hands, would take a month at least to create the potions!

While Varian earlier admitted that he wasn’t losing sleep over the deaths, he did feel responsible.

Even though his actions would barren Hortus’ resources for the foreseeable future, as long as they could save more lives, he’s willing to do it.

Now, his second objective for the meeting.

“I have defensive treasures, not many. They can keep our planetoids which are under the danger of falling up for a few days. By then, the level 9s.”

His words were shocking enough, but when Varian alone took out defensive treasures equivalent to that of three planets’ collection, even the most solemn of generals couldn’t stop gawking.

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