95: Chapter 95 Welcome to the Cost-Benefit Analysis Meeting

Evelyn's voice echoed in the empty study, every word seemingly tainted with the chill of the abyss, causing the candle flames to shrink back in response.

Levi's gaze did not leave that throbbing heart.

He could clearly feel a sense of repulsion and loathing originating from the depths of his soul, as if an ordinary person were facing a rotting corpse; it was the instinctive resistance of life against entropy and destruction.

But rising simultaneously with this loathing was a strange emotion—a mix of irritation and excitement, like a project manager encountering a thorny problem.

Trouble. Massive trouble. But it could also be... a massive opportunity.

He didn't speak immediately, but instead walked a circle around the desk, observing the 'abyssal contract core' from different angles.

With every beat, it caused extremely subtle disturbances in the surrounding magical environment, like an invisible pebble dropped into a calm lake, sending out ripples of negative energy.

"Tell me in detail how it works," Levi's voice was calm, betraying no emotion.

He pulled over a chair and sat at the desk, his fingers lightly tapping a rhythmic 'thump-thump' on the smooth wooden armrest—a habit from his past life whenever he entered a state of deep thought.

Standing to the side, Caroline took a step forward and took over the explanation.

She clearly understood this dark knowledge better than Evelyn, who specialized in personnel management.

"My Lord, this kind of Contract Core is essentially a 'power peripheral' bestowed by an Abyssal Lord upon their most important mortal agent, as well as an absolutely loyal 'backdoor'."

Her phrasing was professional, carrying the precision and coldness characteristic of high-ranking members of an assassin organization.

"The Contract Core continuously draws the purest dark energy from the abyss for the host's use; this was the source of the 'Grey Hand' founder's power. However, it is also directly bound to that Lord's soul essence. Any attempt to forcibly destroy it will be viewed as a direct attack on the Lord himself. The contract will instantly trigger a backlash, projecting the Lord's will—and even a small portion of their power—directly to the site of destruction."

Levi's knuckles paused for a moment.

This sounded like a terminal connected to a corporate server; if you smash the terminal, the headquarters' IT department will immediately receive an alert and lock you out remotely.

"And if it's left alone?"

"It will continuously leak abyssal energy," Evelyn answered this time, her beautiful face full of disgust. "This energy will corrupt everything around it like a potent toxin. The land will become barren, incapable of growing grass; water sources will be contaminated, twisting the minds of those who drink it; people living near it for long periods will be gradually eroded, becoming irritable, suspicious, and aggressive. Eventually, this land will become a miniature abyssal outpost, a breeding ground for demonic creatures."

Levi nodded, understanding completely.

A slow-release time bomb with a regional pollution effect.

Dismantling it would trigger an immediate explosion, while leaving it would slowly corrode the entire foundation.

A classic dilemma, and the moment that most tests a decision-maker's wisdom.

"I suggest reporting it to the Holy Church of Light immediately," Evelyn proposed the safest plan, which also aligned with the conventional logic of this world. "They have specialized clergy and holy relics that can perform a purification ritual. Although the process would be troublesome and costly, it is the safest way."

"Alternatively," Caroline added another option, "according to ancient records I've seen, there are 'Void Sarcophagi' in some ancient ruins that can isolate all energy. If we can find one, we can seal it away permanently."

Levi listened quietly without offering a comment.

The Church?

That bunch of fanatics were greedier than imperial tax collectors. Inviting them to purify the land would be like inviting a wolf into the house; every inch of Blackstone Territory would be repeatedly ransacked under their 'holy' gaze.

Searching for ancient ruins?

That was even more of a pipe dream—time-consuming, labor-intensive, and full of uncertainty. It completely failed to meet the cost-benefit principle.

His brain worked at high speed, flashing back to countless project cases he had managed in his previous life.

Risk control, crisis public relations, resource conversion... when a problem cannot be eliminated, the best way is to incorporate it into the system and make it a part of the system.

How to convert negative externalities into positive assets?

How to turn a pollution source into an energy source?

"Evelyn, go and bring Thorin Steelbeard, the chief engineer of the Dwarven Workshop," Levi stood up, his tone brook no argument. "Caroline, you stay. I need all materials from the 'Grey Hand' related to Abyssal Lords, including sacrificial rituals, communication frequencies, energy fluctuation characteristics... do not miss a single clue."

Evelyn didn't understand why the Lord would seek out a grease-covered dwarven engineer when facing such a supernatural evil item.

Only Levi and Caroline remained in the study.

Levi walked to the window and pushed open the heavy casement. The biting night wind poured in, dispersing the cold atmosphere in the room and making his chaotic thoughts clearer.

He needed data.

All data regarding this 'Abyssal Lord'.

He was going to conduct a thorough risk assessment on this potential 'business partner' from another plane.

At the castle gate, Sorenson's carriage was ready.

Two magnificent warhorses clad in imperial heraldic barding snorted uneasily, their white breath quickly dissipating in the cold morning wind.

Levi personally saw him to the door, a perfectly measured farewell smile on his face.

"Mr. Sorenson, have a safe journey."

"I appreciate the kind words, Lord Byron." Sorenson's expression was complex. He took a parchment document sealed with official imperial wax from his breast pocket and solemnly handed it to Levi.

"This is the highest-level official document I can issue for you within my authority. It proves your outstanding contribution to maintaining the security of the Empire's Western Border. The detailed report and merit evaluation will still require final approval from the Imperial Capital."

Levi accepted it calmly; it felt heavier than he expected.

He knew that this document was Sorenson's formal pledge of allegiance.

From now on, they were in the same boat.

Sorenson lowered his voice and stepped closer, speaking in a volume only the two of them could hear: "Lord Byron, your methods this time were too drastic. Although they have been covered up, the power vacuum left by the Byron Family branches and those few lords has already attracted the attention of those sharks in the Imperial Capital like the scent of blood. Several Great Families have begun scouting the situation in Blackstone Territory through various channels. The real trouble may have only just begun."

"Thank you for the warning," Levi's smile remained unchanged. "However, while sharks follow the blood, they might also retreat for fear of an even larger predator. This little pond of Blackstone Territory might not be enough to satisfy their appetites."

Sorenson gave him a deep look. In the young man's eyes, he saw not a shred of worry, only a bottomless calm.

He said no more, nodded, and turned to board the carriage.

With a crisp crack of the driver's whip, the carriage slowly started and disappeared at the end of the mountain path under the morning light.

Levi did not return immediately. He stood in the cold wind for a while, his gaze shifting toward the training grounds behind the castle.

From there came suppressed, rhythmic chants.

Dust flew over the training grounds.

Dozens of former nobles, who used to be well-dressed and pampered, were now all clad in uniform, coarse hemp prisoner uniforms.

They stood in crooked lines, undergoing basic drill training under the supervision of several guards holding long whips.

Most of these people were unaccustomed to physical labor; after a few rounds, they were already gasping for breath, looking utterly wretched.

Evelyn stood on a temporary high platform in front of the training ground. Her fiery figure was outlined perfectly by her black martial attire, but the expression on her face was colder than winter frost.

"Listen up! From today on, you are no longer lords, no longer knights. You are Employee Number 001 of the Blackstone Territory United Mining Company! Your lives and your dignity will be tied to the results of your labor!"

She held a thick ledger, her voice clearly reaching everyone's ears through a miniature amplification array.

"We are implementing 'Credit-Based Work Regulations'! A daily basic food ration requires 10 credits to redeem. A bunk in a collective dormitory that shields you from wind and rain costs 200 credits per month. Want a hot bath? That's 5 credits. Even the toilet paper you use requires 1 credit to exchange!"

As soon as these words were spoken, an uproar broke out in the ranks. This was harsher than the treatment of the lowliest slaves.

"Silence!" The guard beside Evelyn cracked his whip loudly in the air, instantly suppressing all the commotion.

"How do you earn credits? It's simple," Evelyn sneered as she flipped through the ledger. "Completing the basic daily mining quota earns 15 credits. Participating in the construction of defensive fortifications is calculated by earthwork volume—1 credit per cubic meter. Even cleaning toilets or clearing the camp can be exchanged for corresponding credits. The more you work, the more you get—there is no cap! Of course, those who fail to complete tasks, slack off, or attempt to challenge the rules will not only receive no credits but will also enjoy the 'privilege' of whipping and solitary confinement!"

The crowd fell into a deathly silence, their faces filled with despair and humiliation.

They had fallen from the clouds into the mire, and were now worth even less than the maggots in that mire.

Levi's grand-uncle, Graham, the former acting patriarch of the Byron Family, stood in the front row of the formation.

His gray hair was covered in dust, but his back remained ramrod straight.

He lowered his eyelids to hide the malice in his eyes.

His hands, once soft from years of luxury, were now reddened from the friction of the drill training.

He ignored Evelyn's shouting and instead used the corner of his eye to quietly observe the movements of the surrounding guards.

He noticed that the guard rotations on the watchtowers surrounding the training ground were very regular, occurring every hourglass-hour.

And during the shift changes, the southern watchtower near the abandoned stables had a blind spot lasting about thirty breaths.

His lips moved imperceptibly, emitting a series of short syllables in a code that only veterans who had served in the Empire's Seventh Border Legion could understand.

"Wind... Dry... Stone... Hard..."

In the ranks, several other former noble knights who also shared a military background shivered slightly, then nonchalantly adjusted their stances, responding in the same manner.

The prototype of an escape plan was quietly forming under the high pressure of this 'onboarding training'.

At that moment, Levi's figure appeared on the high platform.

He walked slowly to Evelyn's side, looking down from above at the group of haggard, numb-eyed 'new employees'.

"Everyone," he began, his voice gentle—a sharp contrast to Evelyn's coldness. "I know that your hearts are currently filled with resentment and grievance. But the old era has passed, and new rules are being established. In Blackstone Territory, we do not support idlers, but we also never overlook anyone of value."

He paused, giving the crowd below time to process his words.

"To motivate you, I have decided to launch a 'Monthly Outstanding Employee Selection' plan on top of the 'Credit System'."

This new term left everyone stunned.

"Starting today, at the end of each month, we will conduct a credit ranking. The person ranked first will receive the title of 'Star of the Month' and a special reward—he will receive one opportunity to make a request to me personally, the Lord of Blackstone Territory."

A slight commotion rippled through the crowd.

"The scope of this request is very broad," Levi's lips curled into a meaningful arc. "You can request to improve your meals for a week with roasted meat and ale; you can request a lounge with a private fireplace and a soft bed; you can even... request to take back a personal item that belonged to you but is currently confiscated by us."

As he finished, his gaze seemed to sweep casually over the crowd, landing precisely on his grand-uncle Graham, lingering for a moment on his empty left ring finger, which bore a deep indentation from years of wearing the family head's ring.

Graham's heart skipped a beat.

The family head's ring that symbolized the power of the Byron Family!

He instinctively clenched his fist, hiding that humiliating mark.

He snapped his head up, meeting Levi's calm and deep eyes on the platform.

In that instant, he suddenly understood Levi's true intention.

This devil!

He wasn't just going to squeeze their labor; he was going to toy with their hearts!

He had thrown out a bait that seemed unreachable yet was filled with fatal temptation.

He wanted these desperate prisoners to start 'involution'—to compete frantically from within—just to reclaim a sliver of former glory or satisfy a tiny, pathetic desire.

They would push themselves to the limit for a single extra credit; they would monitor and betray each other to prevent anyone else from overtaking them.

The fragile escape alliance that had just sprouted in his heart was, at this moment, seemingly crushed by an invisible hand, showing its first crack.

Graham could even feel that the breathing of the knights beside him, who were just exchanging codes with him, had become heavy.

Their gazes were no longer those of comrades-in-arms united against a common enemy, but had turned into the cold stares of potential competitors.

A satisfied smile appeared on Levi's face.

Welcome to Blackstone Territory. This is a paradise for strivers, and a hell of involution.