Then we disagree Evan leaned back in his chair Abruptly he wished that he had thought to obtain some cigars before now It would paint a much clearer picture to those second guessing him And guess what IÆm currently in charge because IÆm funding this project And ultimately
EvanÆs hands spread out and felt the thick weight of the wooden desk at which he sat money makes the world go round Now get to work
Chapter 958
When Randidly and Helen arrived Erickson Steel was bustling with activity like a beehive in springtime
The small tract of land that had originally been the safe space for the many escorts that Tatiana helped ferry out of their prior lives was still there but it was a tiny blip on the densely packed landscape Thick pillars of smoke wafted up out of the deep valleys that had dug into the ground Randidly had previously cleared quite a bit of space for the metalworking to expand but it seemed that his vision hadnÆt been ambitious enough
With the expanded foundry forges furnaces and the additional small housing complex to service Erickson SteelÆs employees the area was almost five times larger than Randidly remembered It sprawled South moving out of the forested area and toward the small river that meandered down to Lake Apollo
In addition to the main buildings there were also countless warehouses and testing facilities that acted as a halo around Erickson SteelÆs businesses Beyond that central area to the South there was also a small park and a series of inns to handle the flow of people buying and selling Erickson Steel product
There was even a small pair of steel rails with several hand carts sitting next to the small waystation
So you own all of this Helen asked with a frown and your business is in trouble
Randidly carefully looked around the bustling area Apparently so We wonÆt know for sure until we can talk to someone important
The two of them were standing on the lip of the vast dug out space looking down at the complex network of interlocking industrial buildings From this distance Randidly saw almost a hundred people carrying materials toward various places but he didnÆt see anyone that he recognized
Well itÆs not like IÆm without methods even if I donÆt send a message heading toward the space where the old headquarters was built would be a good start
Closing his eyes Randidly let his Aether sweep outward away from his position Even more clearly than before Randidly developed a very intimate understanding of the state of Erickson Steel as he touched all the individual workers and felt the different Skills that they possessed Their Levels and basic Skills appeared in his mind Although he was dealing with a sea of information his Intelligence gave him enough processing power to work through it all
What he found left him confused When he had informed Tatiana that he was heading over her immediate relief was obvious It seemed that the difficulties that Erickson Steel had faced over the last several months had not been small Yet as Randidly scanned the surrounding area the people he sensed were a high Level and were clearly using Skills that they had trained with for a long time
Although everyone was busily working everyone appeared satisfied no one seemed to display any sort of fear for their own life from being openly persecuted or oppressed
So the Skilled workers of Erickson Steel werenÆt getting poached and the other party wasnÆt using force to intimidate the people here at all Those were positive signs but also signs that resolving the issue would be more troublesome Violence was simple to address Tatiana had mentioned the other party was restricting Erickson SteelÆs access to raw materials but could that really have such a non visible effect And could this other force do it without relying on rough instruments
Very quickly Randidly located Tatiana working within one of the central facilities It seemed that the same headquarters was still in place although it had expanded upward five floors He turned and looked at Helen On second thought can you go gather some high Level monster bones for me IÆm running a bit low and it seems like the situation here isnÆt simple IÆll need to devote some time If you head West you should find some high Level areas Aim for monsters above Level 60
Got it HelenÆs eyes were bright with the promise of violence as she hurried away
Chuckling Randidly crouched down After gathering sufficient bodily capability with Yyrwood Body of Yggdrasil and MonstrosityÆs Appalling Physicality Randidly was able to explode into the air collapsing the edge of the slope on which he had been standing The air travel was quick but also dangerous In order to obtain a clean landing Randidly guided several roots upward to serve as a landing spot above the Erickson Steel Headquarters It was almost silently that he finally alighted on the roof without destroying anything
Afterward Randidly figured it would be for the best to simply walk in the front door to get a good look at this renovated headquarters As with many of the locations in Zone 1 the Erickson Steel headquarters was equipped with old Earth automatic doors that slid easily open as he approached Air conditioned air immediately blasted outward cooling RandidlyÆs face Blinking Randidly proceeded forward
As he walked into the building RandidlyÆs smile was slightly twisted Honestly it’s felt like IÆve been in a different world for the past several years This sort of building it really brings me back
Within the building was a lazy looking guard at a security desk a young woman typing in the reception area and several plastic chairs in which people could sit while they waited in the atrium area When the security guard didnÆt look up at all to RandidlyÆs presence Randidly wandered over to the reception desk
Can you let Tatiana know that Baloo Erickson is here to see her Randidly said even as he internally winced at speaking aloud the horrendous name that he had made up on the spot during his first arrival in Zone 1
The young looking receptionist looked up when Randidly approached and smiled politely But at the name both the receptionist and the security guard perked up It was clear that they recognized it
You youÆre the founder of this company The receptionist asked Her fingers ceased typing and her whole attention seemed to focus toward him Although Randidly hadnÆt noticed initially the eyes that waited for his answer were yellow like a catÆs As he considered her he noticed her glossy chestnut hair and expensive looking coat It was clear that she was well compensated for her position at Erickson Steel
Yes Randidly said simply If you could tell Tatiana as quickly as possible IÆd appreciate it
Behind him Randidly felt the security guard giving him a rapid once over Very quickly the manÆs gaze landed on RandidlyÆs bare and dirty feet Over RandidlyÆs shoulder the security guard gave the receptionist an aggrieved look that probably translated to something like why is it our job to deal with crazies like this
Without bothering to assist the receptionist at all the security guard slouched back down at his station and began to ignore Randidly But the young woman continued to stare at him with her warm amber eyes
Do you have any proof She asked in a quiet voice
Randidly thought about it Perhaps he could produce a bar of Blood Steel in order to convince her but would that really carry enough weight to go against his rather disheveled appearance Would she even recognize a bar of Erickson Steel Aside from the belt he acquired from Sam Randidly wasnÆt wearing any of his other new armors In his mind walking around in such obvious battle equipment looked a little silly
So he had the ash grey Sulfur a leather vest and a clean pair of worn jeans that he had obtained from Donnyton before the challenge He looked like someone who just came from a long shift at work If he wanted to walk in through the front door like this he really needed to spend a bit more time on his appearance