Infinite Wealth System: Crazy Tasks, Insane Rewards!

The sun was dipping behind the walls of Nestonia by the time Harper and Camilia reached the gates.

After being forced to land their choppers out of the walls, they'd had to go by foot, just like Jayden had, and Harper's gut had told her he had come here.

She was never wrong about him, not when it came to sensing where he went.

The border guards recognized them instantly. The rifles came up again, the same way they had when Jayden had first stepped into this land.

"State your names and purpose!" A soldier shouted.

Harper's casually stared, and her tone was firm, her chin lifted. "I am Lady Harper. This is Lady Camilia. We're here for President Jayden Cole of Nortasia. He came this way."

The soldiers exchanged uneasy looks. The name carried weight, even here. After a moment of hushed words, they let them pass, though under heavy watch.

Camilia stayed close to Harper, her eyes darting around the foreign streets.

Somehow, she had fought her way into following Harper here, and it was one of the toughest try this time.

Harper just couldn't stop her.

Nestonia's capital was nothing like Nortasia, its stone towers and steel guard posts felt heavier, less welcoming, as if the whole place was built to push outsiders back.

They were escorted straight to the palace. Harper's eyes swept every corner, every corridor, looking for some trace of Jayden.

But she found nothing.

Of course that was too be expected, right?

Inside the throne hall, President Nolan sat again, the same stern face, the same sharp eyes. His ministers stood at his side, a wall of hardened men, watching with suspicion.

"So," Nolan said slowly, his voice heavy with disdain. "First your president comes uninvited. Now his women follow after him. Do you Nortasians think Nestonia is a playground?"

Harper stepped forward, unshaken. "Where is he?"

Nolan leaned back in his seat. "Gone."

Her eyes narrowed. "Gone?"

"Yes," Nolan said plainly. "He left. Just as suddenly as he came. And let me be clear, we don't want your kind here again. Nortasians bring nothing but lies."

Camilia glanced at Harper, uneasy.

But Harper's voice didn't waver.

"No. You're lying. You did something to him. Maybe you're keeping him here, maybe you—" She cut herself off, her brows pulling together, her voice tightening.

And then, after a breath, she shook her head.

"No. That's impossible. You can't keep Jayden captive. You wouldn't be able to."

For the first time, Nolan's face shifted slightly, a flicker in his eyes.

The ministers stirred, some whispering among themselves. Harper's conviction wasn't just a guess. It carried a kind of weight, as if even they knew the truth of her words.

Camilia stepped forward now, her voice softer but cutting through the hall.

"You call us liars, but you refuse to see the truth standing in front of you. The world is breaking, whether you admit it or not. Jayden didn't come here for himself, and neither did we. He came for all of us. For you too."

Nolan's jaw tightened. "You dare lecture me in my own hall?"

The air went hot at that very instant, causing a whole lot of unspoken tension... But Camilia didn't stop.

"You've built your nation on strength and pride. I can see that. But strength alone won't stop what's coming. The Sovereign Protocols don't care about borders or alliances. They won't stop to ask if you're Independent or Alliance. They'll destroy everything."

Her words rang through the chamber, and this time the silence that followed was longer.

Harper noticed it. She noticed the way Nolan's ministers shifted uncomfortably, the way some of them lowered their eyes as if her words struck deeper than they wanted to admit.

And at that instant, Camilia's tone sharpened even more.

"You think standing alone makes you untouchable? It doesn't. When the storm comes, walls will fall. Pride will burn. And what will remain? Nothing but the ashes of those who refused to listen."

Harper added quietly, but firmly, "Jayden came here to warn you. You didn't listen. Now you'll either regret it… or change before it's too late."

Nolan's stare lingered on them both. For a moment, Harper almost thought he would give in.

He had to.

It was clear that a force like him was crucially need.

But then he leaned back on his throne, his face hardening again.

"Enough," he said. "Your president came. He spoke. And now you've come to repeat his words. Nestonia will not bend. We do not bow to fear. And we do not join hands with those who once marched with the Alliance."

But even as he said it, Harper and Camilia both caught it, the flickers of unease, the shifting looks, the way his subordinates avoided his gaze.

His words were firm, but the cracks were showing.

Nolan rose at once and glared right at them, his eyes dark.

"This is my last warning. Leave Nestonia. Do not return. If you step foot here again, Nortasia will lose more than just pride."

The soldiers moved in, ready to escort them out.

Harper's fists clenched, but she held back. She leaned slightly to Camilia as they were led away.

"They don't believe him," Harper whispered.

Camilia's lips curved in a small, knowing smile.

"No. They don't."

And as they stepped out of the hall, their heads high, the looks in the eyes of Nolan's men told them everything. Seeds had been planted.

Whether Nolan liked it or not, doubt had entered his territory, and it might just be a matter of time before he makes the right decision, or gets a striking punch in the face.

******

Today was another day to meet up with the Grandmaster and render reports on how the training test was progressing, as usual.

Royce stood near the corner, silent, while Kael stood tall beside the Grandmaster's seat, as he was actually the one who had much reports to give, as always.

A knock came, and a man in black suit stepped through the doors. His badge marked him as Commander Glenn.

"You summoned me, Grandmaster," Glenn said, lowering his head with respect.

"Yes," the Grandmaster answered, his voice calm but edged with weight. "Commander Cross failed his mission on Earth. Dead, wasted. But Earth is still important. Before we make our move, I want it watched again. Studied. I trust you can handle this, Glenn."

Glenn nodded without hesitation. "I will not fail."

Royce's eyes narrowed, his mind racing. Earth. Another mission. Another chance. He said nothing yet, but inside he knew this was the opening he had been waiting for.

Only Commanders could move through the Transporter with the shield still holding the skies. If Glenn went, Royce could slip through. He glanced at Kael, but the First Command Leader gave nothing away, his face unreadable.

Kael had been lost long ago anyway.

The Earthly humanity in him had been completely washed away by fame, order, and sure stupidity.

Royce wouldn't feel a thing if he ends up at doom, like every other person in Nexus, except Esta, he hoped.

The meeting ended, and Commander Glenn saluted and left to prepare.

Royce followed quietly after, heart beating steady but hard. Commander Glenn was to leave in the next thirty minutes, and he needs to be in line.

He quickly rushed to the Test Base to give Esta the good, tough news.

"He's going," Royce whispered quickly. "Commader Glenn. The Grandmaster's sending him to Earth. This is my chance. Our chance."

Esta's eyes widened. "Royce, if you're caught..."

"I won't be. I can't be. The Absolute Guide… it's there, and time is running out. If I don't take this step, everything ends the same way. You know it."

Esta stared at him for a long moment, her face filled with concern, one that was too strong to be regarded as friendly.

It was more than that.

Suddenly, she pushed herself then him and pressed her lips on his, leaving a soft, deep kiss.

Then finally, she gave a slow nod. "Then do it."

...

The Transporter chamber pulsed with light, a massive ring humming as Commander Glenn stood at its center. The air inside the ring began to twist, glowing like liquid fire.

Just as the transporter flared, Royce had been watching. A shadow through the chamber, swift and silent. He timed it perfectly, leaping into the spiral of light the very second Glenn began to vanish.

The guards didn't see him. Or if they did, it was too late. Both he and Glenn were gone.

Vanished into Earth.

******

Meanwhile, in Nortasia, Jayden sat alone in his study. The night pressed against the glass windows, but his mind was elsewhere.

A soft chime broke the silence, as the system screen flickered to life before him, numbers appearing in cold, steady light.

[The Shield Breaks In: 11 Days, 2 hours, 23 minutes.]

Jayden leaned back, exhaling slowly. Eleven days. That was all the time left before the barrier that had held for long collapsed.

His fists clenched. Eleven days wasn't enough. Not for a divided world. Not for unprepared armies.

And yet… it was all the time they had.