Silas leaned back in his chair, watching as Mr. Arnold bead at him a satisfied smile. The handshake had been firm, and the deal was sealed. Tritch was now the first official partner of Kurt Technologies, and while Arnold and his team left the room with broad smiles, Silas's expression was more contemplative. His mind was always calculating, always planning the next step.
"I look forward to working with you, Mr. Silas," Arnold had said as he stood up, his hand still extended for the handshake that signaled the close of their negotiations.
His satisfaction was evident, practically written in the lines of his face. For Tritch, this partnership was a golden opportunity, one they couldn't afford to lose.
Silas reciprocated the handshake, maintaining a professional but cool deanor. "Likewise, Mr. Arnold."
Once Arnold and his team exited the office, Silas exhaled deeply, sinking into his chair. The eting had been taxing, requiring delicate maneuvering and constant awareness of his position. He knew the representatives had been eager to lock in the deal. Still, they were careful to conceal their desperation behind practiced smiles.
Silas, however, was pleased with the results. Arnold had conceded to his terms, proving that Tritch wanted the partnership more than Kurt Technologies ever needed it.
{No matter what angle I try to look at it from, the partnership deal favors them more. I don't understand. Aren't you giving them too much benefit?} Luna's voice echoed in Silas's mind, calm but probing.
Silas smiled faintly at the question. He appreciated Luna's protectiveness—her dedication to ensuring that he always made the best decision. "I'm not giving them too much," he said as he leaned back in his chair, gazing up at the ceiling. "We're splitting the revenue 60:40 in our favor. We get 60 percent, and they get 40. Is that really too much?"
{Forty percent is significant for them. You could easily create your own streaming platform and offer better terms. So why didn't you?}
Silas leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. He'd anticipated Luna's question. "Luna, it's not about the imdiate profits. Tritch is the largest streaming platform in the world. If I were to create my own, it would take years to catch up to their user base, their infrastructure, their reach. Sure, I could do it.
But why waste ti when their brand is already global? They have the audience we need."
{But isn't that what you excel at? Creating things others can't?}
Silas chuckled softly. "It's not just about creating. It's about leverage. Tritch's brand na holds power, and we can use that. By making them the sole streaming platform for Terraris Online, we get instant access to millions of viewers. That's a built-in audience for the ga's streams, which ans increased engagent, and more importantly, a stronger in-ga economy.
The more people watching, the more valuable the ga becos."
He paused, letting his fingers drum softly on the desk. "And trust , they'll work to make this partnership thrive because their cut depends on it. Forty percent is fair when you consider the scale of what they're bringing to the table."
Luna was silent for a mont. {I understand now,} she finally said. {It's not just about revenue—it's about positioning.}
"Exactly." Silas stood up and stretched, rolling his neck to release the tension built up from hours of negotiations. "Now, let's move on to the next order of business. It's ti to start interviewing the new beta testers."
{Understood, master. I'll have them sent in, one by one.}
Silas walked over to the large window of his office, overlooking the city skyline. His mind wasn't just on the interviews ahead; it was on the future—on the ga, the company, the world he was slowly shaping with every calculated decision. He knew that the eyes of the world were on him, but he welcod it. He'd worked too hard to shy away from the spotlight now.
A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts.
"Co in," Silas called, turning from the window.
The door opened, and one of the new beta testing candidates walked in—a young man, no older than twenty-five. Silas watched him closely as he nervously took a seat, a folder with the candidate's information already in front of him.
He flipped through the pages, his eyes scanning the data Luna had prepared. Jeremy Wiles. College graduate, competitive gar, fluent in multiple programming languages. Not the most unusual profile, but interesting nonetheless.
"So, Jeremy," Silas said, closing the folder and fixing his gaze on the young man, "why do you want to beco a beta tester for Terraris Online?"
Jeremy fidgeted slightly but maintained eye contact. "Honestly, sir, I've been following the developnt of the ga since the ads ca out. I love the concept of a VR ga with a fully integrated economy. The in-ga world sounds like it's going to revolutionize the industry. I've always wanted to be part of sothing like this from the ground up."
Silas nodded, impressed with the honesty in the response. He could tell Jeremy wasn't just another player looking for early access perks—he was genuinely interested in what the ga represented.
"Good," Silas said, leaning back. "You'll be notified of your acceptance within the next twenty-four hours. Keep an eye on your inbox."
Jeremy's face brightened with a smile. "Thank you, Mr. Silas. I appreciate the opportunity."
As Jeremy left the office, Silas allowed himself a brief mont of satisfaction. The beta test was expanding, and with it, the future of Terraris Online was beginning to take shape.
****
Across the country, in the Pentagon, Elizabeth stood at the foot of the aircraft's air stairs, addressing the team of Phenonals preparing for their mission.
"Everyone, start boarding the plane. We have a mission to complete," Elizabeth commanded, her voice firm and resolute as she began ascending the steps.
Pablo, a tall Phenonal with a grumpy deanor, grumbled under his breath as he climbed up behind her. "Hey, Empress, are we really doing this? You know we're walking into our deaths, right? Why do we have to help so forr rich, spoiled brat with his revenge plan? This whole thing feels like suicide."
Elizabeth paused halfway up the stairs and glared at him over her shoulder. "If you don't want to go, fine by . But are you ready to face the consequences of defying orders?" Her voice was ice cold, daring him to push back.
Pablo snorted and continued up the steps. He didn't have a choice, not really. As much as he resented the mission, the last thing he wanted was to face the wrath of the Bureau for insubordination. The truth was, he was terrified. The mory of the last encounter with Silas had never left him. It haunted his nightmares, the sheer powerlessness he'd felt.
Traumatized was the right word for it, and the thought of facing Silas again sent chills down his spine.
He cast a venomous glance at Daniel, the cause of their current predicant. Every fiber of his being wanted to throttle the man for dragging them all into this. But there was nothing he could do. Not now.
Daniel, oblivious to the tension simring around him, was lost in his own thoughts. His mind was consud with plans—plans of revenge. He fantasized about the look on Silas's face when everything was taken from him. When he was finally left broken, begging for rcy.
But there was one problem: he didn't know where Silas's family was. Despite all his contacts, all his resources, the information had eluded him. But that would change. It had to.
"Hey, Daniel!" Elizabeth snapped as she reached the top of the stairs. "Are you seriously going through with this?"
Daniel's eyes snapped up to et hers, and for a mont, sothing dark flickered behind his gaze. "Yes, I am. And if you're all too scared to deal with Silas, then I'll do it myself."
Elizabeth crossed her arms, her face hardened. "You refuse to believe he's changed? That he's not the weakling you used to know? Daniel, you were hospitalized for months after your last encounter with him, and yet here you are, acting like you've got a shot. Are you delusional or just suicidal?"
Daniel's expression darkened further. He smiled, but there was no warmth in it. It was a smile filled with venom. "Who said I plan to fight him head-on? That's not how this is going to go down."
Elizabeth frowned, feeling a chill run down her spine. "What are you talking about?"
Daniel's voice lowered, dripping with malice. "I'm not going to challenge him to so noble fight. No, I'm going to break him. His family will be my first target. I'll make him suffer. I'll tear them apart one by one.
And by the ti I'm done, he'll be crawling to , begging for rcy. But I won't give it. I'll destroy everything he holds dear."
Elizabeth felt a wave of nausea as his words sank in. She had never heard anything so vile co from him before. Sure, Daniel was arrogant and petty, but this… this was monstrous.
"And after I'm done," Daniel continued, his voice barely above a whisper, "I'll play with his stepmother before I kill her, just to make sure he feels it."
Elizabeth snorted when she heard this. This was why Daniel said before, why was he saying it again. She wanted to believe that he was alright but she knew he wasn't.
For the ti in a long while, Elizabeth was speechless. She stared at Daniel, searching for so sign that he was joking, that this was all part of so dark bravado. But no. The malice in his eyes, the cruel twist of his smile—it was real. This wasn't a bluff. Still, she knew that he wasn't alright.
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