POV : AMERICA UNITED
Jed Lawson slammed his fist down on the table, causing the pile of reports to scatter. His jaw clenched as he stared at the alliance announcement between the Celestial Empire and Fort Bone, knowing it spelled trouble for him and America United.
"So, they think they’re gonna gang up on me?" Jed muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing in cold fury. He had worked too hard, fought too many battles, to let two high-and-mighty empires take over his territory.
"Alright, boys," Jed said, calling his lieutenants into the room. "We're not sitting by and watching these fools dance around like they already won."
His lieutenants shuffled in, their hardened faces showing they were ready for whatever Jed had in mind. Lawson had built his reputation on ruthlessness, and they knew what that meant.
"First thing," Jed continued, lighting a cigarette and taking a long drag, "I’m sending out spies and adventurers. We’re gonna mess with them, make ‘em question their alliance." His lips curled into a smirk. "I’ve got a plan."
Jed's eyes glinted with malice as he leaned back in his chair. "We’re sending a group of adventurers dressed in fake bone armor into the Celestial Empire. Have them cause some chaos—attack everybody they can find."
The room buzzed with excitement at the idea. They knew this kind of sabotage was right up Jed's alley. Make the alliance shaky before it even had time to strengthen.
"They’ll think Fort Bone’s turnin' on ‘em," Jed continued, blowing out a cloud of smoke. "And when the Celestial Emperor gets pissed, we'll watch their little agreement start crackin'."
One of the lieutenants, a burly man with a scar across his cheek, chuckled. "That'll stir the pot real nice."
Jed nodded, pleased with his own brilliance. "Exactly. Then we’ll have ‘em at each other’s throats before they even think about marching against us."
‘‘‘
POV : FORT BONE
This war wouldn’t be a straight up battle. Atlas had experienced enough wars in his first lifetime to know that a fight like that risked the lives of his soldiers needlessly, it would be a multi pronged approach of steel, cash and emotion. He issued a war bond, something most people didn't fully understand. War didn’t just cost blood and sweat; it cost real money. If he could raise enough, America United would fall—not just from the strength of the Portal Crushers or the Celestial Empire’s armies, but through the cold, hard currency that funded war.
With a sly grin, Atlas issued a 50-coin war bond through the vending machines across his territories. Any citizen who deposited 25 coins now would receive 50 coins when the war was over. It was a win-win for them—or at least it would be, if Fort Bone and its allies won the war. The risk? Losing meant they'd lose their hard-earned coins too. But that’s war—high stakes and big payoffs.
This type of multipronged attack wasn’t necessarily fair, but all was wait in love and war.
Olivia, always Atlas’s most charismatic ally, rallied her diplomatic crew to draft patriotic speeches. She stir the hearts of citizens, telling them they could support the war effort without having to lift a weapon. “Buy a bond today, secure victory for tomorrow!”
Mohammed, always thinking on his feet, coordinated with merchants, creating a network of support. Together, they crafted a deal that was almost too good to pass up. Citizens could buy a war bond from them for just 20 coins, and the merchants would cover the remaining 5 coins. Why? Because the deal was sweet—those same citizens promised to pay back the merchants 10 coins for every bond they recovered after. This allowed people on the fence to hedge their bets. The merchants doubled their profits, and the citizens who didn’t have 25 coins or weren’t sure were striking a less risky deal. Mana coins were tough to get in the wasteland if you weren’t out fighting for your life daily, and this way, with the support of a secondary market every possible chance of earning was fully utilized.
Atlas grinned as he reviewed the numbers. His goal was simple: gather enough resources to fund the construction of several siege weapons—massive, Level 3 siege weapons that could crush America United’s walls like they were made of paper. And they weren’t cheap.
‘Siege weapons alone won’t win this war‘, Atlas thought. ‘I need to make my soldiers invincible.‘
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The Portal Crushers were already the finest fighters in the wasteland, trained for ruthless combat. But even the best needed better equipment. It felt like just yesterday he had upgraded them all to level 2 armor, and now it was time to boost their gear to level 3. The idea of his forces marching with shining, enhanced armor, ready to tear through enemy lines, made his pulse quicken.
Also, it was time for him to get gene boosters for all of the Portal Crusher leadership. Him and John were already enjoying the benefits of it, but Alexander, Isabella, Wang Bo, and the rest, were still ordinary unenhanced humans. Atlas quickly bought several bottles of gene booster and made sure to distribute them. They were pricey but they were worth it.
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‘‘‘
The system announcement of the war had spread quickly. Every corner of the wasteland, from the quietest settlements to the busiest markets, buzzed with the news: war had begun. With America United officially in the crosshairs, the countdown to a wasteland spanning war had started.
But Atlas wasn’t done yet.
“We need a public event. Something big to showcase the alliance,” Atlas said, his voice steady but laced with excitement. “It'll unite our followers and show potential enemies we mean business.”
The Celestial Emperor nodded in agreement, his gaze thoughtful. “A grand announcement will serve to strengthen our people’s resolve. Let them know what’s at stake.”
Atlas grinned, imagining the scene—banners flying, troops marching, the citizens rallying behind their leaders. ‘This war isn’t just fought on the battlefield‘, he thought. ‘It’s fought in the hearts of our people too.‘
He had one last thought. ‘War bonds... siege weapons... elite soldiers...‘ It was all falling into place, piece by piece.
America United didn’t fully realize it yet, but Atlas was coming for them hard. And he wouldn’t stop until they were broken.
‘‘‘
The scene was set. Banners fluttered in the breeze, and the citizens of Fort Bone gathered eagerly in the town square, their excitement bubbling over. The band Olivia had arranged stood on a hastily constructed stage, tuning instruments as the crowd buzzed with anticipation. The square was packed—merchants, workers, adventurers—all here for the big event.
Atlas stood backstage with Olivia, his arms crossed as he surveyed the crowd. "This is going to be bigger than I thought," he muttered, impressed by the turnout.
Olivia grinned, her energy infectious. “Told you, Atlas. You’re the hero of the hour after stopping the horde. They’re ready for this.”
The band began to play a rousing tune, a blend of military drums and cheerful strings. As the music kicked off, Olivia stepped forward, her voice booming over the crowd.
"Fort Bone! Are you ready to support your empire?"
The crowd erupted in cheers, fists pumping in the air.
A few citizens in the crowd started talking among themselves.
"I heard we could get a 50-coin return for just 25 coins. That’s better than anything the merchants offer!" one man said, his voice full of enthusiasm.
"Yeah, and all without having to pick up a sword ourselves!" another added, wiping sweat from his brow. "I love Fort Bone and all, but I'm not exactly eager to be in the front lines, you know?"
"Same here! I'd rather support Atlas and let the Portal Crushers do the dirty work. We can contribute with these bonds, right? Let’s leave the fighting to the pros."
Up on stage, Olivia continued, “And what’s better than supporting your people without spilling blood yourself? That’s right—war bonds! For just 25 coins, you get to invest in our future. And when we win, because we will win, you get 50 coins back in your pocket! Twice the value!”
The citizens were hooked. The music swelled, and the lead singer of the band took over, launching into the new war bond anthem, a catchy, fast-paced tune that echoed through the square. The chorus rang out:
‘‘War Bonds for the Brave‘‘
‘(Verse 1)‘
Gather ‘round, my friends, it’s time to stand,
For our homeland’s future, we’ll make a plan.
In this fight for freedom, together we’ll rise,
With war bonds in our pockets, we’ll claim the prize.
‘(Chorus)‘
War bonds for the brave, our strength will unite,
With courage in our hearts, we’ll win this fight.
For every coin you give, a promise we’ll make,
Together we’ll forge a future, for our children’s sake.
‘(Verse 2)‘
From the cities to the fields, our spirit will soar,
With every bond we buy, we’re ready for war.
Stand with Atlas, side by side,
In this noble cause, we’ve got nothing to hide.
‘(Chorus)‘
War bonds for the brave, our strength will unite,
With courage in our hearts, we’ll win this fight.
For every coin you give, a promise we’ll make,
Together we’ll forge a future, for our children’s sake.
‘(Bridge)‘
From the ashes we’ll rise, like a phoenix in the sky,
With every sacrifice, we’re not afraid to fly.
So rally all our people, let the banners wave high,
In the name of the fallen, we’ll lift our heads high.
‘(Chorus)‘
War bonds for the brave, our strength will unite,
With courage in our hearts, we’ll win this fight.
For every coin you give, a promise we’ll make,
Together we’ll forge a future, for our children’s sake.
‘(Outro)‘
So join the fight, lend your hand,
Together we’ll conquer, together we’ll stand.
With our war bonds shining bright, we’ll face the night,
For the sake of our freedom, we’ll win this fight!
‘‘‘
The crowd cheered louder as the chorus repeated, people clapping along with the beat. Even the skeptical ones couldn’t help but nod along to the rhythm. The song though wasn’t the end of the show though. What was coming up next was pivotal.
‘‘‘
