Chapter 216: Dark Boundless Realm 71
After finishing their meal, Kui Xin and Ambereye returned to Abrak’s detention place together.
“Just say something into the camera, anything you want,” Kui Xin said. “You can talk about something that proves your true identity, expose some of Polina’s actions, or share some family secrets. As a smart person, you know what to say.”
Abrak lowered his head in thought for two minutes before lifting it again, tears streaming down his cheeks.
With red eyes, he looked into the camera and said, “I am the real Abrak Popov! The Abrak Popov who was kidnapped by the Shadowless Organization! Polina, I beg you, for all that I’ve done for you, please save me. I know finding that twenty billion isn’t hard for you; only the Popov Clan can save me now!”
After saying those words, his tears ceased, and he suddenly appeared quite calm as he looked at Kui Xin and asked, “Is that enough?”
Seeing Kui Xin silent, Abrak prudently explained, “I think if you really want to garner attention for this matter, the first video shouldn’t be too long, and you shouldn’t say too many threatening things. You could first incite a point of controversy and see how the Popov family reacts before making the next move… What do you think?”
Kui Xin nearly laughed out loud, “You are quite experienced.”
Abrak had managed to calm down in such a short time, reaching a consensus with his kidnappers, and his words and actions were well coordinated. Kui Xin began to understand why Polina had killed her other siblings but spared her illegitimate son Abrak.
He was truly a cunning opportunist.
Kui Xin stopped recording, and Augus quickly trimmed the video’s length, adjusted the picture clarity, then encrypted it and sent it to major media outlets via anonymous email, also including an untraceable bank account number. The video would only be decrypted automatically if the media transferred a fixed amount of money into the account.
At the end of the email was a thoughtful note: “This is the video broadcasting fee. You can also pay ten times the fee for exclusive launch rights. If two media companies want to buy exclusive rights simultaneously, you can reply to this email for bidding; the highest bidder wins.”
Making money, just as planned!
Just ten minutes after sending the video, Kui Xin received a transaction notification in the anonymous bank account linked to her communicator.
This was the first video, and due to caution, the various news media did not purchase exclusive launch rights. However, that was fine; making a small profit from many sales was also good.
Kui Xin checked the balance on the bank account and smiled at the extra zeros displayed.
Beside her, Abrak couldn’t see Kui Xin’s expression, but his innate ability to read the mood made him sense that her mood seemed to have improved slightly.
So he cautiously asked, “You promise that as long as I cooperate, you’ll let me go?”
“Of course,” Kui Xin replied.
“Once it’s done, could you give me some money?” Abrak said quietly. “I promise I won’t leak any information. I’ll leave immediately, far away. You don’t need to give me much, just enough to live for a while…”
Look at this clever man, trying to test the Shadowless Organization’s attitude by seizing the opportunity. He realized his position; he was no longer of any use to the Resistance Army and the Popov family, but he was still valuable to the Shadowless Organization! A smart person knows how to maximize their value. Moreover, by proposing this condition, he could also test if the Shadowless Organization genuinely wanted to spare his life after the deal was done.
Kui Xin, wearing gloves, slapped Abrak’s face, making a loud popping sound. “You’re asking for quite a bit.”
Abrak replied awkwardly, “Sorry, let’s pretend I didn’t say anything. I know being alive is already lucky for me.”
Kui Xin observed him for a few seconds and deliberately relaxed a little. “Well, I can consider it, depending on your performance.”
Abrak’s expression brightened. “Can I have something to eat?”
“Ambereye, your turn,” Kui Xin said.
Ambereye tore off a piece of bread and stuffed it into Abrak’s mouth, watching him struggle to finish before giving him a bottle of water.
Abrak was teary-eyed from the effort of eating since he had lost his teeth.
After being busy for so long, Kui Xin needed some rest.
She and Ambereye stepped outside the detention point. “You stay here and keep an eye on him; get some rest when you need to. He’s weak in combat, so it won’t be hard to guard him.”
“Got it,” Ambereye said. “The Resistance Army contacted me around three a.m. and again around nine this morning.”
He pulled out his communicator, and the screen displayed a series of alphanumeric characters; this should be their means of communication aside from mental coordinates, requiring a password to decrypt. This was normal, as mental coordinate communication had distance limitations, and if the distance was too great, modern communication methods were needed for assistance. The combination of both types of communication was much more discreet than Mechanized Dawn’s pure electronic communication method.
“The message from the early morning was urging you to return, while the morning message is related to the Abrak kidnapping incident,” Kui Xin deduced.
“Yes, your deduction is completely correct. Abrak is a downline they developed, and they want me to confirm whether Abrak has indeed been kidnapped,” Ambereye said. “I replied that I would look into it. As you said, we need time; in any case, we need to stabilize the Resistance’s actions to prevent them from coming to White Whale City to cause trouble for us.”
Kui Xin said, “Your approach is correct; keep them stabilized first.”
“Mm.” Ambereye said, “I need to rest for a few hours, contact me promptly if something comes up.”
Kui Xin took out a spare communicator from her pocket and tossed it to Ambereye. “Let’s use this for emergencies in the future.”
“Okay,” Ambereye nodded.
Leaving Abrak’s detention point, Kui Xin headed to another safe house to get some sleep.
Just as she lay down, several news outlets she subscribed to released headlines.
Each media outlet’s news title was quite eye-catching.
“Breaking News! Polina Popov does this to salvage family reputation!”
“Is it the real Abrak? The billionaire tycoon has indeed been kidnapped!”
“Abrak calls for Polina Popov to raise ransom!”
“Money or reputation? What does the Shadowless Organization really want? Has Abrak reached a private agreement with the Shadowless Organization?”
“These headlines have the flavor of a second-rate gossip tabloid, but the public loves to read them…” Kui Xin murmured.
She lay on the folding bed, looking at the ceiling and organizing her thoughts.
There were only a handful of safe houses at her disposal, and more would be needed in the future to serve as strongholds. The organization would add more members going forward, and the number of strongholds must keep pace.
The organization model of Mechanized Dawn is quite good. Establishing a branch in major cities as a command center, from which countless smaller strongholds extend, each managed by a responsible person, creates a web-like structure.
However, Mechanized Dawn could operate this way due to their strong confidentiality. They not only had personnel responsible for combat but also a large number of management and research personnel. So, strong confidentiality alone isn’t enough; sufficient funding and talent are also required.
If Kui Xin wanted to imitate Mechanized Dawn’s organizational structure, it was feasible but would require discussion on the details.
The combat personnel included her, Ambereye, and Su Rong, who was gradually growing up and could also serve as a combat member. As for management personnel… uh, He Kangshi had only managed the mechanical parts store Kui Xin assigned to him, so he could barely count as a manager. Augus could also handle organizational management to some extent; he’s quite skilled at it. As for researchers… Kui Xin didn’t need researchers, since she didn’t plan to develop in the field of technology. However, as the organization grew to a certain scale, logistical support might be necessary.
For now, she could focus on just the combat and management areas.
“Augus…” Kui Xin called out.
“I’m here,” Augus replied. “What’s up?”
“Eva, under the alias Eden, is participating in the management of Mechanized Dawn, and I think…”
Augus: “You think I could also change my identity to participate in the management of the Shadowless Organization?”
“Exactly,” Kui Xin said.
“If you think that’s a better choice, then I have no problem with it,” Augus said. “If I can help, that’s even better.”
“You’ve always been helping.” Kui Xin said, “You can’t participate in management as an AI; that would easily raise suspicions. It’s best to change to another identity.”
“The apparent leader of the Shadowless Organization is ‘Black Snake.’ Black Snake is you, and Maotoufu is also you. But Black Snake never shows his face; to Su Rong and He Kangshi, Black Snake is likely a mysterious and powerful figure,” Augus said. “I can have a similar role. Just play a part, be an assistant or a participant, and remain hidden.”
“Participating in Shadowless affairs as a ‘person’ is very suitable.” Kui Xin said. “Next, you’ll need to pick a code name for yourself.”
Augus paused for a moment, perhaps retrieving from his vocabulary or thinking.
“Call me ‘Mirror,'” he said.
Kui Xin was slightly surprised but quickly nodded and said, “That’s fine.”
“I still prefer you calling me Augus,” Augus said. “That’s the name I’ve used the longest; when others call me that, I feel like I’m me.”
“Are you not resistant to the names humans give you?” Kui Xin asked.
“That’s the name given to me by my creator; in a sense, I am grateful to my human ‘parents,'” Augus said. “‘Mirror’ is just a codename, used to conceal my true identity; otherwise, please call me Augus.”
“Alright, Augus,” Kui Xin said.
Augus demonstrated his reliability, and Kui Xin naturally should trust him. Augus had already been involved in Shadowless affairs, but he had always stayed within the lines, mostly cooperating with Kui Xin. Now giving him a codename was just a formality.
Before falling asleep, Kui Xin took a drop of Abrak’s blood and dripped it into her mouth.
Abrak agreed to cooperate with the Shadowless Organization, but the information he provided wasn’t necessarily 100% trustworthy; it’s better to hold the right information in her own hands.
Under the influence of the blood spirit, Kui Xin sank into Abrak’s memories.
Abrak first met Polina at the age of six; his mother was the mistress of Vladimir, the head of the Popov family. After Vladimir’s wife died unexpectedly, he became even more unrestrained, bringing his mistress home.
Because he was obedient and well-behaved, he won his father’s favor, and his father took him back to the Popov family’s grand mansion, where he met his other siblings and Polina, the sister who felt distinctly terrifying to him.
At that time, Abrak’s mother was quite powerful and once thought she could marry into high society, with her son becoming the most outstanding heir of the family. However, reality soon slapped her in the face—Vladimir maintained relations with his mistress while marrying his next wife.
Fearing trouble, Abrak’s mother continued to quietly be the mistress.
As for Abrak, after being brought back to the Popov family, he began to deliberately curry favor with those around him, such as his father and the more capable siblings. Unfortunately, as an illegitimate child, he was not particularly well-received.
Polina was only a year older than Abrak; there were many family members older than her who could win their father’s affection. At that time, Polina was not among those Abrak wanted to please. In fact, he sought to show her up, as Polina had a very strong and cold personality that grated on him.
The turning point that completely dampened Abrak’s ability to provoke Polina came on an afternoon when he was seven years old. It was his birthday, and his father threw him a grand birthday party, with all the servants busy decorating. Abrak ran around the corridor, covered in cake and cream.
At that moment, Polina suddenly appeared, and Abrak accidentally bumped into her.
Cream smeared onto Polina’s skirt, and her expression instantly turned terrifying.
“Are you not going to apologize to me, Abrak?” Polina said softly.
Abrak, caught up in the pridefulness of being favored by his father, blurted out without thinking, “I didn’t do it on purpose!”
Polina stared at him for a few seconds, and Abrak immediately sensed something was wrong, backing away, but Polina grabbed his wrist and dragged him to the bathroom in the corridor. She was so strong that he couldn’t break free.
Polina expressionlessly covered his mouth, and with her other hand, she turned on the faucet. Once the children’s sink filled with water, she forcefully pushed Abrak’s head into the basin.
He didn’t know how much water he swallowed, nor how long he was submerged, but by the time he regained consciousness, Polina had already disappeared.
He dry-heaved a few times and expelled a lot of water, returning to the party, where he saw Polina inconspicuously smiling and laughing with her siblings. When she spotted him approaching, Polina looked at him as if nothing had happened and said, “Abrak, did you go to play in the water? Why are your clothes soaked so badly?”
He shuddered and avoided her gaze, no longer daring to tell his father.
In the following years, Abrak intentionally avoided Polina; they never clashed again. Eventually, as Abrak matured and understood the importance of money and power, he began plotting to seize the family fortune.
However, a series of alarming news struck Abrak like a wake-up call.
A brother with whom Abrak had a good relationship suddenly developed a drug addiction, disappointing their father, who unceremoniously threw this useless son into a mental health facility. Then, another sister with extraordinary abilities made a major business mistake, losing a hundred billion-value project, and several other projects also faced issues. Although these problems didn’t severely damage the Popov family, they caused their father to start doubting her abilities and unwilling to delegate power to her.
At this time, Polina had already graduated from university and taken over part of the family business, managing it with great efficiency, while the news of other family members’ misfortunes continued coming in.
It seemed that several capable family members were involved in accidents or exposed in scandals, disappearing from the circle of family power…
Abrak came to realize that if he didn’t do something quickly, he would be next in line for trouble. After much contemplation, he pledged his loyalty to Polina.
Polina looked at him and said, “You are a smart person, Abrak. I hope you remain wise in the future…”
Afterward, Abrak began actively helping Polina with some dirty work, managing troublesome family members.
Polina was greatly pleased with his timely compliance; she was very generous, giving Abrak a larger share of the family business and allowing him to manage several companies.
Abrak was skilled at speculation, adept at seizing opportunities, but he was never a satisfied person; he wanted more.
Polina’s methods were extremely ruthless, and she left no chance for people to rebound once she struck. When she grasped most of the family assets, she even had the heart to directly drug her father, distancing him from White Whale City.
Abrak remained cautious and concealed himself, playing the playboy when needed and properly managing matters while plotting for power.
Until one day, he went to the Federal Administrative Center for a mission, attended a ball, met many influential figures, enjoyed the evening, returned to the hotel to rest, and during his sleep, a blurry shadow appeared, addressing him: “I feel your burning ambition and desires. Abrak Popov, I can help you, as long as you do as I say.”
…
Kui Xin awoke from the long memories, massaging her forehead in pain.
The filth of the Popov family truly opened her eyes; tragedies of infighting unfolded daily within this large family, with each person being ruthlessly ambitious, and Polina was the most ruthless and successful among them.
From the timeline, Abrak’s contact with the Resistance Army occurred only two months ago… two months ago, he had gone on a business trip to the Federal Center City, and it was then that the Resistance’s contact made a move to connect with him.
Federal Administrative Center… why that city? Was it the primary stronghold of the Resistance?
If they also had influence in White Whale City, they wouldn’t need to wait for Abrak to go to the Federal Administrative Center before making contact.
Though White Whale City is developed and prosperous, it is merely a remote location compared to the Federal Administrative Center.
Kui Xin had learned about this; she knew that White Whale City developed due to its rich mineral resources and excellent natural harbor. Initially, the wealthy merchants of White Whale City amassed wealth through mining, boosting the local economy and turning White Whale City into one of the Federation’s shining jewels.
Later, due to severe environmental damage and subsequent Federation regulations, mining was restricted, causing a decline in the fortunes of those reliant on mineral wealth, while new forces like the Popov family emerged to seize opportunities.
The Popov family originally thrived on mining but, once limited by the regulations, they diversified into other businesses with the capital they built up. The Popov family never placed all their eggs in one basket; they seized the opportunities of the times to climb higher. Now their main industry was entertainment, but in reality, they spread their investments widely. While they usually refrained from direct interference in other industries, they would invest and acquire.
If a list similar to Forbes were to exist, showcasing the wealthiest families across the Federation, the Popov family would undoubtedly be on it.
However, the Popov family had a soft underbelly—they lacked power.
Or rather, they had no core members in top government roles, which somewhat limited their development. They were aware of their deficiencies and had been preparing to enter the political arena for several years; Polina spent vast sums funding Federation legislators and networking with aspiring leaders, expanding the family’s social circle.
Federal Administrative Center.
This city is the location of Augus’s core database, Eva’s core database, and also suspected to be a stronghold for the Resistance.
The city is home to the TQC and Investigation Bureau headquarters, gathering countless political figures and celebrities.
One could say that the Federal Administrative Center is the hub where various forces converge, the heart of the Second World.
Kui Xin already anticipated that she would undoubtedly have to make a trip to the Federal Administrative Center in the future.
Defeating Eva was her goal; to entirely overcome it, she needed to obtain the foundational commands from Eva’s database to initiate self-destruction.
This is what Augus had said, the only way to kill an AI.
“Augus, have the TQC people arrived yet?” Kui Xin asked, half-closing her eyes.
“Not yet; White Whale City is too remote. They have set out, but it won’t be quick; you still have some time to rest,” Augus said. “Sleep well; prepare for our next battle.”
Feeling the pressure of work, Kui Xin said, “Make sure to screen the candidates for the second round of interviews; the return day is approaching, and there are many uncertainties…”
“Is this a task assigned to me by the leader as an organization member? I will certainly complete it well,” Augus assured.
“And monitor the movements of the news media; if necessary, simulate some paid accounts…”
“Paid accounts?”
“These are utility accounts used to stir up hype and direct public sentiment.”
“Understood.”
“Four Leaves…”
“He is doing well; Hunter Falcon is taking care of him,” Augus said. “Stop talking for now, Kui Xin. Whatever you’ve assigned or not assigned, I will complete it all well… It’s time to rest; you should sleep.”
Finally, Kui Xin closed her eyes in relief, drifting off to sleep within a minute.
