The Systemic Lands (Dark Progressive LITRPG)

Clarissa

I looked down at the report in front of me. Why had things spiraled so quickly out of control? And these terrorists? It wasn't just one or two disgruntled people, there were several incidents. If anything, the people should be more docile, polling indicated that should be the case.

I had left the capital in order to give the idiots a chance to breathe and make mistakes. Also, I needed to go around the remaining cities and ensure there weren't problems. I couldn't just sit in my office all day and expect people to report the truth. I had to show the flag to remind people that the central government was watching.

Even with all the controls, auditors, and the threat of Michael hanging over people's heads, corruption still found a way. It would be impressive if it were anything else. I suppose the loss of several cities made people scared, which in turn made them choose the stupid decisions.

I looked at the newly appointed governor to my side who was watching his predecessor get information tortured out of him about his corruption. Nothing needed to be said as the former governor pleaded and begged. My interrogator kept asking questions about how he was hiding his tax income. Probing every little detail.

The information was not as important as making a clear point to the new governor not to be such an idiot. I was sitting here with him since this was a great time to take a break from looking over the documents.

One of my auditors entered the room and came over to me. He leaned down to speak quietly to me. It had to be something important if he broke protocol. "There has been an event in Purgatory. A VIP arrived."

"Who?" I asked back.

"That information was not passed along due to security concerns. But they were moved immediately to the Imperial Palace. Samantha has been trying to get a hold of this person," the auditor informed me. Samantha's time was coming. She had overstepped and now was overstepping again. There were very few people on the VIP arrival list.

It seemed like the situation would require my personal touch. "End it." I said and the former governor had his head twisted with a sharp crack, ending his life. "I hope the message is conveyed. Don't cheat your taxes. Don't ferment insurrection. Don't make me come back here."

"Yes, Supreme Governor," the new governor said and bowed deeply. I got up from my chair and quickly left, making my way to my airship with my entourage.

"Destination?" my flight captain asked as I reached my airship.

"Purgatory," I instantly replied as I continued to make my way onboard. If this VIP was from Michael's list I couldn't let them get hurt. I was in charge of administration. He would forgive many things, but not me failing to protect a loved one while I sorted out the mess that was the government.

That was the problem with promoting ambitious soldiers. They got too ambitious sometimes, thinking they knew how to fudge the numbers or do some accounting gimmick. Taxation was the sole authority and power of my government. Once that was lost, there would be no more government. I couldn't just print money unfortunately. I could only spend what was collected. While I could float a bit with salaries, that was a big risk I didn't want to take and one thing I made sure almost never happened.

The airship detached from the tower and began to set off. I felt an immense amount of danger and spun towards the source of danger, before cursing myself and not getting off when I realized it came from the rear of the airship. I quickly formed an energy shield as two of my soldiers moved to protect me with their bodies.

They were turned into burnt chunks when the engine exploded. I took a heavy blast as well and went hurtling down into the city. The entire world was spinning and everything hurt.

I impacted the ground with a bone shattering impact. I wasn't able to adjust to where my Body stat was being applied in time. I had landed on my side and my left arm was crushed under me from the impact. I tried to breathe and coughed out blood.

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Who had done this!? How?! As blood poured out of my mouth, I could appreciate the skill this assassination took. A bomb with no warning like that was not made by an amateur. It was a professional. The list of people who could do that was very small.

The first on my list was the Master Fleshcrafter, that snake. He had betrayed us all. I had trusted him. The level of rage I felt right now was beyond any words I could describe. After everything I had done, and the chance he was given. He does this? It didn't even make sense, unless he knew something I didn't.

There were others, but I would sooner believe Michael betrayed me before Doctor Katz. Could it have been the Avatar in some scheme. Regardless, I was going to round up everyone who it could be and start killing them one by one. The pain was not helping my mood as I coughed out more blood.

I needed to get healed as quickly as possible. I forced myself to get up. Using my right arm as leverage as blood dripped down the exposed bone poking out of my left arm. At least there was no curse damage and I had enough health insurance saved up and then some. Michael was right about that, even if it was common sense. Some lessons you only truly understood when you were hurt.

I had landed in an empty part of the city, but was able to make out the wall. I kicked off the ground and made my way in the opposite direction towards the plaza. I wanted to scream, but just coughed out more blood. My vision was slightly blurry and my face felt numb. There was some burn damage.

The entire way to the plaza, I was half expecting someone to try and finish off the job, but no one showed up. It was disappointing in a way. Did they think that I was that weak? I was no Michael, but I had more than enough stats to survive. Reaching the plaza, the soldiers didn't stop me as I made my way to the pillars and purchased a restoration.

I then purchased a large cup and water. I rinsed out my mouth and spat to the side. I then purchased new clothes as the new governor and soldiers rushed over. "Supreme Governor-" I stopped him from bothering me as I was changing by raising a hand. Once I had on clothes that weren't destroyed I looked around at the people near me.

My entire staff had been killed on the airship. I was the only one to survive. That was a much greater blow than killing me. How had the bomb gotten on board, I would never know. Probably someone was subverted.

"Fifty of the best soldiers to escort me. Arrange it within an hour," I ordered him. He didn't object and began talking to other people to sort the issue out. My return to Purgatory would have to be delayed. I had a visit to pay to the research facility. While I was no Emperor Michael, I wasn't about to let the Master Fleshcrafter get away.

I turned back to the store and purchased a paper and a pen. I began writing out orders. "You," I pointed at one my auditors who had remained in the city. "Take this and deliver it to Purgatory to broadcast. Also you are to issue a recall order for Emperor Michael. There is a second letter for his eyes only. When he reaches Purgatory, you are to deliver it into his hand alone," I said.

"Yes, Supreme Governor," my auditor said and took the two letters I had written out. He then departed. I looked at the soldiers being assembled. They were complete trash. The main portion of the army was in New Kochi, Purgatory, and restabilizing the cities that had been lost. Right now the government was at its weakest point.

With my mobility lost, and the time it would take to get back from New Dhaka to the research area, things could quickly spiral into complete chaos. Now that I wasn't in mind bending pain, I would confront the Master Fleshcrafter before killing him.

He had been delaying too long with his research projects. And if he wasn't the root of this terrorism, someone else was. It wasn't just some disgruntled people or some kind of minor cell. This was a full on insurgency. I had been targeted, me! And I had actually been wounded. Even now my heart was pounding from how close to death I came.

Emperor Michael, Divine Empress, the sphere, and now this. The list was very short of things that had truly made me feel threatened and afraid for my life. My personal security was triple checked. How had a bomb gotten on board? That was annoying me much more than it should have. Since if it happened once it could happen again.

I mentally hesitated as the soldiers were assembled. My thoughts went to the VIP. If I could be targeted they could be targeted as well. My heart went cold at that. I was glad I had issued the recall order for Michael if it hadn't already gone out. I could head towards the VIP, or I could sort out this attack. Both were incredibly important and there was no one else I could send.

The Master Fleshcrafter was more important. He was going to have a reckoning. I looked at the soldiers who were gathered in front of me. At least they were all combat level 3 with a combat level 4 in charge. They would be fodder, but useful fodder if a fight broke out.

While I might not be the strongest fighter, I had enough tricks up my sleeve, that I wasn't going to be useless if he tried something. I knew his stats and skills, so while he might try something unexpected, that was what all these people were more, to use up any surprises he had managed to build up.