The way of thinking of a madman

Up on the very edge of an extinct volcano. The edges were artificially flattened to fix a small platform on which eleven chairs were placed. Ten of the eleven seats were occupied. The Chen brothers sat in the middle and their generals occupied the rest. They silently observed the device, which was placed a few meters below. The eleventh general in charge of research was spinning around a machine that looked like a large telescope. One of his assistants was helping him with the setup, while another sat at a simple desk, clicking his fingers quickly on the keyboard while the computer screen softly illuminated his concentrated face.

Old World technology no longer worked as it should, although a few working generators could still be found, so no one really bothered to restore the electricity supply. Most of the energy was replaced by crystals or beasts that produced the energy. So was this computer, on top of which was set a medium-sized purple crystal that emitted faint pulsating rays.

Elder Chen looked up and peered along the edges of the crater. A total of five other platforms were located here had a small crew of researchers surrounded the deployed dark purple crystals the size of a baby elephant. The ruler of Shelter 31 was named Avro Chen, he was nearly two meters tall and carried a cold aura around him. He had black hair and dark eyes, his face slightly hinting at possibly Asian ancestry. Probably inherited from his father's side, as his younger brother Cimon Chen had the same features, but they both had different mothers.

No one could doubt that they were brothers, but anyone could doubt that one was younger and the other older. They were so similar that they thought they were twins.

"Preparations are complete, Your Highness." announced the Research General. He was a young man who was the only one who was as old as he looked. And around the age of twenty. He had light blue hair and a slightly stocky build. His cultivation was also not strong, but no one underestimated this man. What made him strong was his incredible intelligence.

Both brothers nodded.

"Start." Avro Chen gave the order.

The Research General nodded and put the goggles on his eyes. Of course, these were not ordinary glasses that someone needs because of bad eyesight.

"Experiment number 2,347. Initial energy set to 75% with 2% increments for two minutes." He reported to his assistant, who began pounding the keyboard even more wildly. The second assistant constantly checked the location and direction while the General started the machine. The lens began to glow with an inner violet light and you could hear energy beginning to flow through the standing room.

"Inform the platforms."

A humming sound began to be heard, slightly vibrating the middle ear of everyone present.

"100% energy in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... 100%" announced the assistant at the computer.

The research general pressed a button on the machine and stepped back as energy blasts began to flash through the machine.

A violet beam shot out from the lens of the machine and struck the crystal located at the other end of the crater. It gradually glowed more and more before releasing another beam that headed towards the next crystal. All five crystals, which were placed in a pentagon, gradually light up.

In the middle of the Pentagon, energies began to collide. A crack has formed in the space above the mouth of the volcano. All the hairs on their bodies became electrified as they watched the growing crack. And then, with a sound like someone slowly ripping a large piece of iron, a small gap appeared.

"HHHHHHHHHMMMMMMMMMMMM" came a sound that could be compared to a whale call.

The gap widened a little so that the generals could see what was inside from their position. It seemed like a storm of energy, gases, lightning, and chaos.

Suddenly, something shot through the gap. It was a giant tentacle with sharp spikes instead of suction cups. The tentacle was large enough to easily crush a two-story house.

The Chen brothers stood as one and watched the large twitching tentacle.

"I noticed a power fluctuation. The machine is starting to overheat." came the assistant's voice, disrupting the whole scene.

"Start cooling down!" announced the Research General.

"Starting with a cool down!"

The beam emanating from the machine began to fade until it flashed a few times and disappeared. As the rift lost energy it began to close again.

"HHHHHMMMMMMMM" the drawn-out call was heard again before the tentacle returned inside the rift. The crack healed again and then disappeared.

Everyone present exhaled.

"Test result 2.347. Failure." the Research General announced, then looked over at the Chen brothers.

Avro Chen watched the place for a moment before looking at Cimon. He just nodded briefly.

"Good job everyone. Research General. With this result, when do you think we can open the rift completely?"

The Research General walked over to the computer his assistant had vacated and watched the data on the screen for a moment.

"Two months. Within two months we can ensure a permanent and stable opening of the rift."

"And the Rift Beast?"

"We can control her." The Research General said confidently.

At the same moment, identical smiles appeared on both of the Chen brothers' faces.

"Then the world will finally experience True Peace." Avro Chen said.

"Thanks to absolute Dominance." Cimon Chen added.

"For Absolute Domination!" everyone's voices rang out.

*****

At the same time, Dai was calming down the other customers in her shop.

"Please, dear customers, you don't have to worry anymore. Those two have already been taken care of and you don't even have to worry about your safety. Their memories have been altered so they won't remember you. We have also created a safe exit for you. From now on your identity is hidden, and if you don't reveal yourself, no one will recognize you." she tried her best to calm the customers down so they wouldn't run away without buying anything!

"Ah!" the woman exclaimed in surprise, pointing a finger at the face of the man to her left.

"Your face!"

"What? Huh?! Mine? What about your face!?" he replied as he looked at her. Everyone looked at each other in amazement and Dai tried her best to stay calm. What's with their faces?! She saw them completely normally!

"Your face looks blurry... and a black rectangle over your eyes!"

"You too!"

Dai twitched the corner of his lips. "Please customers, don't worry. You look completely normal. This is how your identity will be protected from other customers." Dai explained, mentally shaking her head at the strange privacy protection the System provided.

Customers were impressed and played around with the new identity protection for a while. There were more than a few swear words about someone sticking a finger in someone's eye or nostril. But it ended with laughter. Although it was more of a laugh of relief.

When Dai saw that they weren't about to run away, she moved away from them and moved back behind the counter where she stood with a welcoming smile, but in reality, she wished she could lie down and rest. Why can't things go smoothly? Can't she enjoy at least one day at the store without some drama? It is exhausting!

Eventually, the customers left. Not before they bought a few things. She sold a few lasagnas, and she had to buy more compotes because three of them wanted them, but she didn't have enough now. She sold everyone the pills and they even bought Blue Orc bone extract.

When they left, behind the door was a strange vortex again and not the former perfume shop.

As they hesitantly left, Dai collapsed onto the counter.

"Haha… it's hard to be a shop owner." she sighed. She turned her head and lazily opened the system window to look at the Star Coin count.

The sight of the quantity infused new energy into her body and she straightened up.

"98 Star Coins!" that's what she was left with after the system took its share. It only took a bit and she'd be a neat hundred! She liked rounded numbers.

However, she had to replenish the store. She wasn't going to fill everything in, just the way she had before. So her balance dropped again but still remained at a nice 67 Star Coins.

Dai then returned to Leonid, whom she praised for his work. She almost regretted it, though, when he stuck out his chest and was like a peacock.

"I think that's enough for today, Leonid. Come in." she cut his swagger.

Leonid became normal again, locked the main door, and entered the Dragon Door with her.

"What is?" he asked.

Dai handed him a cultivation pill. "You have to train. Start cultivating." Leonid picked it up stunned.

"Um. What?"

Dai put her hands on her hips. "Do you think you can just sit around and do nothing? You are a cultivator now. You have to cultivate and build up your strength. Or do you think this will be enough for the future?" she was lecturing him.

"Do you want to be left behind?" she stared at him with fire in her eyes.

Of course, it had nothing to do with the fact that her training annoyed her and so she wanted a fellow sufferer.

Leonid's gaze grew serious. Of course, he didn't want that. He didn't even want to remember the time a few days ago when he was old, weak, and helpless.

"I understand." he nodded before swallowing the pill and sitting in a lotus position to begin his cultivation.

Dai nodded in satisfaction and made her way to her hated hill.

*****

"Uhhh..."

"Ahhh..."

There was a double groan from the training room.

Zila wiped her bloodied knuckles with a piece of damp cloth that Sid very docile handed her. Pearl and Karl lay on the ground, both beaten black and purple. The skin was torn in a few places and the faint smell of blood wafted through the air. However, Zila had enough control not to break their bones or destroy their organs.

"Do you know what happens if you fail again?" she asked them coldly, throwing a cloth at them from the traces of blood from her hands.

"Y-yes, m-my lady," Karl replied and Pearl just moaned as her lips were so swollen she couldn't speak properly.

"Excellent. Now scram." She waved them off and headed out of the training room. Sid followed her and looked back at the hapless pile of his underlings.

Zila sat down on the sofa in the next room and took a piece of elegant candy from the tray and put it in her mouth.

Light green eyes closed with pleasure. Sid watched his elegant lady enjoying the sweets after butchering two people.

"What are we going to do with the store?" he asked when he couldn't take it anymore.

Zila opened her eyes and looked at Sid.

"What do you think? I'll have to go over there and apologize," she replied without changing her expression.

For a moment, Sid believed he had misheard. She? Apologize?!

Zila reached for another candy before straightening up and popping it into Sid's open mouth.

"Shut your mouth. It's unsightly."

She sat back down while Sid continued to suck the candy in shock.

"Don't be surprised. Her goods are unique. You can't get them anywhere else. You see the results yourself. There's nothing I can do, I have to appease her. Besides, I've already reported to my father. So I can only suppress my pride and do what is necessary." she said.

Sid rolls the candy in his mouth for a moment before asking again. "When do you want to go?"

Zila began to twist a strand of brown hair around her finger.

"Tomorrow. I'll have to… practice a sincere apology."

Sid nodded his head in understanding. That looked more like his mistress.