As soon as I returned, I started the construction.
First, I drew a blueprint for a mansion with 20 bedrooms, each with its own bathroom; four guest rooms; a large workshop complete with blacksmithing and crafting equipment; a laboratory; inventory rooms; entertainment rooms; a spacious living and dining room; and a kitchen.
The mansion would be equipped with modern technology—bordering on black tech. Especially the workshop and lab; those places would be brimming with black tech that would make even super-advanced civilizations look like cavemen. I also added advanced security measures.
The lab, workshop, and storage room would be the largest sections of the mansion. They were equipped with spatial expansion technology—expanding the space inside enclosed areas. A good example would be the interior of a house or building.
After finishing the blueprint, I immediately got to work, bringing the drawing into reality.
Taking out a shovel from my inventory, I began digging the foundation.
Next, I mixed cement and poured it to form the base.
Then came the pillars, beams, walls, floors, and roof—step by step following the blueprint, implementing the plans exactly as drawn.
In just four hours, I successfully built the mansion. Without delay, I rushed to the workshop and began crafting equipment and forging furniture.
Later, I decorated the interior, placing all the furniture in their proper locations.
By the time the sun was setting on the horizon, my house was complete.
I sat on the sofa resting, pulled out the laptop I had created earlier, and began searching for a network.
Instantly, I picked up countless signals—all of them coming from the Saverignty. How did I know? Easy. I recognized the technology—they used familiar signatures in their networks, and I could spot it at a glance.
I ran a scan, searching for the weakest and most accessible network to hack.
After a while, I found one. It was weak, though its security was at ??? Level.
Figures. In that nation, even ??? Level is considered weak—extremely weak.
I began hacking the network and soon succeeded.
"Oh, it belongs to a news channel." I got engrossed in the show, sitting there watching quietly, completely focused, memorizing all the important information.
Nighttime, in a secluded area of the city.
Two sides of the same coin met.
One side consisted of five people, all cloaked. The other—just two individuals wearing masks.
From the robed group, a man in a uniquely styled robe, matching in color with his companions, sat at a table. Opposite him, among the masked pair, sat a man with long blond hair who exuded a divine presence.
"I am Axe Hand," the robed man said.
"I am Zagreus. Nice to meet you, child."
In the world of shady business, most people used aliases—to protect their identities and avoid retaliation if a deal went sour.
"What do you want, Zagreus?"
"I heard from a bird that you're planning something on the 18th and 28th floors."
Axe Hand's eyes narrowed. A heavy aura began to leak from his body.
"Calm down, calm down, Axe Hand. I mean nothing by it. I'm just kindly reminding you, in case you'd forgotten."
"Good, good, good. I like your guts." Axe Hand's aura began to fade. "State your business."
"Some of my Familia members are planning a dive to the 18th floor on that day," Zagreus said.
"Oh? You're really as kind as they say. Trying to save them? Begging for mercy?"
"No. You misunderstand. Do whatever you like to them—just don't kill the elf girl."
"Gihehe… Gihehe… I take back what I said. You're even more twisted than our god. At least he embraces his nature. But you—you hide in sheep's clothing while stabbing allies in the back."
Zagreus didn't react.
Seeing that, Axe Hand stopped laughing and asked in a low tone, "What's in it for us?"
Zagreus pulled a seed from his pocket. "This is my latest cultivation." He paused.
Axe Hand gestured impatiently. "Go on. I don't have time for your BS."
"This is the seed of a plant known as the Puppeteer's Plant. It's a parasitic species that grows in a creature's brain and controls them through its roots. It obeys the commands of whoever planted it. A useful addition to your endeavors?"
Axe Hand motioned to a subordinate to step forward.
"Are there more?" he asked.
"I can get five," Zagreus replied, his tone hinting at intrigue.
"That's good," Axe Hand said calmly.
In one swift motion, he drew a knife and stabbed the subordinate in the head. Without pause, he pulled the knife out and pressed the seed into the wound using his index finger. Once it was buried deep, he withdrew his hand and wiped the blood off before calmly sitting back down.
None of the other subordinates flinched at the gruesome act.
As Axe Hand settled back, the stabbed subordinate began to change. Green veins crawled across his body. But if one used Magic Sense, they'd see green roots growing throughout his body. The seed sprouted—first a sapling, then growing until it reached a foot in height.
Axe Hand smiled and gave a command.
"Kneel."
The subordinate, now controlled by the plant, knelt on the spot.
Satisfied, Axe Hand grinned. "I accept your terms."
He would be a fool not to—this was a deal that benefited only him. But unknown to him, he had just helped the masked god craft the ultimate tool—one that would carry out his will and destroy the city.
Zagreus and Axe Hand stood and shook hands, sealing their future cooperation.
High above, near the ceiling, a mantis in a suit watched them. It was tiny—only the size of a thumb—and it concealed its presence using a skill.
The mantis observed carefully, memorizing every detail. It even pulled out a small notebook and a custom camera made to fit its size, recording everything.