CHAPTER 277: THE SILENT PIVOT [ 1 ]

A faint nod of approval escaped Arthur’s lips. "And what about Ethan?"

Evolon’s tone shifted subtly, blending cold statistics with quiet admiration. "Ethan is embedded deep within the western corridor, navigating the arms markets of Noctis.

In the past few months, he has seized control over ten percent of the continent’s arms industry,not through overt acquisition but by weaving supply lines through proxy companies, shell exporters, and black-market distributors. Many clients don’t even realize they’re purchasing Osborn-controlled goods."

Arthur couldn’t help but smile,a slow, predatory grin that hinted at satisfaction. "And what about those who do know?"

"They choose it anyway," Evolon replied matter-of-factly.

His pricing models and delivery reliability outclass every rival on the continent,even hostile factions have found themselves dependent on his shipments."

Leaning back against his desk with arms folded thoughtfully, Arthur mused aloud: "Dependency is indeed the most stable form of control."

"There’s more," Evolon continued eagerly. "Ethan has begun embedding conditional clauses into major contracts,requiring buyers to accept Osborn-facilitated ceasefire negotiations in certain territories. It’s subtle yet powerful; over time, this will allow us to regulate both pace and direction in regional conflicts."

"War at Our Tempo," Arthur Murmured.

"Exactly," came the calm reply.

For a moment, silence enveloped the room, punctuated only by the soft hum of the lamp and the distant thrum of the Sanctum’s automated systems.

Arthur’s gaze drifted back to the window, but this time it felt as if he could see the entire Noctis Continent laid out before him,every border, every capital, every faction,a strategic game board waiting for his next move.

"Keep tabs both of them," he finally instructed. "Not for failure,Gunner won’t fail, and Ethan knows better than to cross me. Instead, watch for opportunities,the kind that don’t come around twice."

Evolon inclined its head in acknowledgment, a gesture that conveyed both respect and calculation. "Understood."

A faint smile returned to Arthur’s lips, infused with quiet confidence. "When the moment arrives, their efforts will serve as our foundation to conquer the continent."

---

Arthur listened intently as Evolon delivered its report, the soft hum of the lamp filling the space between them like a comforting blanket.

Once Evolon finished speaking, he stepped away from his desk and moved toward the window again.

The Dominion Sanctum was bathed in golden light and shadow; beyond it lay a city alive with restless energy.

His voice dropped to a near whisper,a tone so measured it felt like an intimate thought shared only between them.

"Send a mission brief to Gunner."

Evolon’s projection shifted slightly, its outline sharpening as it prepared for instructions. "Objective?"

Arthur’s gaze fixed on something far beyond the skyline,his mind racing with thoughts of a name that had been surfacing in murky intelligence reports for months:

"VULTURE."

Instantly, Evolon responded with an edge of urgency in its tone. "The underground organization responsible for creating and weaponizing the GENEBANE virus?"

A cold smile curled at Arthur’s lips. "They’ve already outlived their usefulness. Gunner is to continue his current deployment; however, we’re changing mission priorities,he must locate their primary facility and erase it completely. No survivors."

Evolon’s form flickered as it processed this information. "Should this be framed as a deniable operation?"

"Absolutely," Arthur replied firmly. "I want no fingerprints leading back to Osborn. The world should believe VULTURE collapsed under its own corruption."

He turned slightly; his eyes caught light in such a way that they seemed sharper,colder than before. "But make sure Gunner understands,there will be no second chances. He gets one shot."

"Understood," Evolon confirmed.

Arthur took several steps back toward his desk; his tone shifted from decisive to deliberate.

"And send a secure message to Ethan: he needs to meet with Gunner in the southern corridor and provide whatever weapons or specialized arms Gunner requests,no limitations or delays."

Evolon’s eyes glinted faintly, reminiscent of a predator catching the scent of blood.

"Ethan’s current network in the western corridor has an active shipment of high-caliber precision arms headed to a neutral port. I can redirect it to Gunner’s staging area within seventy-two hours."

"Make it forty-eight," Arthur replied without a moment’s hesitation. "The longer VULTURE has room to breathe, the more pieces they can play. I don’t want them seeing this strike coming."

Evolon maintained its steady tone, but there was a hint of curiosity lurking beneath the surface. "This is more than just retaliation, isn’t it?"

Arthur shot a glance at the AI, his expression inscrutable. "Absolutely. VULTURE isn’t our only target. They’re merely a door,one that leads to those who thought creating GENEBANE was a brilliant idea. Gunner will kick it open, and Ethan will ensure that whatever lies behind it goes up in flames."

A weighty pause hung in the air, thick with unspoken thoughts. Evolon didn’t respond immediately; when it did, its words were sharp and deliberate.

"I’ll embed layered intelligence into both their briefs. Gunner will be familiar with the terrain before he even sets foot on it. Ethan will know who to bribe, who to bleed dry, and who to spare for questioning."

Arthur nodded once in approval. "Good work. And Evolon..."

"Yes?"

"Log this as a ’silent pivot’ in our operational records. When all is said and done, I want this pattern to appear accidental,no one outside our circle should grasp how these pieces connect."

"Already taken care of," Evolon confirmed.

Arthur allowed himself one last look toward the city sprawled out below him.

Somewhere out there, hidden within the shadowy veins of Noctis Continent, VULTURE was moving unseen,confident in its stealth and convinced of its invulnerability.

That illusion would soon shatter.

"Send the orders," he instructed quietly.

With a pulse of light through its eyes,a silent acknowledgment,Evolon’s form dissolved into countless streams of shimmering data, vanishing into the intricate lattice that spanned the Sanctum and beyond.

Left alone in his study, Arthur felt enveloped by the hum of distant systems filling the silence around him.

His reflection in the window appeared almost like two different men: one half bathed in warm gold from within the Sanctum while the other was consumed by darkness beyond.

In that momentary reflection, doubt had no place; VULTURE was already dead.