Chapter 156
The Tienhai Mountains. Night. Yakon.
Not only was the city bustling with life at such a late hour, but unprecedented activity was also unfolding within the mountains. Vast and lengthy tunnels had become the new home for an organization not yet ready to reveal itself to the world.
"Tunnel number twenty-two has collapsed—no casualties," another report was added to the growing stack of reviewed documents. "There's no escaping paperwork..." Yakon shook his head, flexing his joints and muscles using his life energy. It's worth noting that even now, he wore his mask, though it didn't seem to hinder him in the slightest.
The latest document detailed expenses. Building an entire base inside a mountain had cost a fortune, especially since everything had to be done in strict secrecy. The number of earthbenders in their organization could be counted on one hand. Of course, there were more, but excluding the riffraff and bandits who might run to the police, only a handful of trusted individuals remained. They had to rely on Xuin Su's connections, who managed to purchase drills and other materials through proxies. As a result, the stashes of many criminal groups, as well as the businesswoman's own substantial accounts, had been significantly depleted. Fortunately, there were still enough funds for provisions.
Hearing a sharp knock on the iron door, he paused his thoughts:
"Come in, Lieutenant," a man entered, his back straight, clad in a form-fitting protective suit. His eyes, hidden behind green goggles, regarded the world sternly. The only notable feature was his long, drooping mustache.
Yakon's visitor was the first trusted individual from whom he didn't sense a familial bond. With Xuin Su, for some reason, he was one hundred percent certain she was "one of his own." Gaining entry into his inner circle was incredibly difficult, but this man had earned his trust. The body's reactions rarely lie, and thanks to blood magic, Yakon knew the Lieutenant genuinely shared his ideals. When he joined the Equalists, the Lieutenant had left his past behind, even abandoning his own name.
"I think it won't be long before I can appoint him as my right-hand man..." Yakon thought, glancing at the desk piled high with reports. And there would be even more allies and tasks demanding his attention.
"Here's a list of entrepreneurs and inventors we're extremely interested in," the Lieutenant handed him another paper.
"Some of them are definitely out—they're too close to heads of state," Yakon quickly scanned the list, immediately crossing off half the names.
"The rest are unlikely to be eager to work with us either," the Lieutenant reasoned calmly.