The construction of the new zone was at its peak. The sound of hammering, sawing, and improvised cranes echoed throughout the city, resonating between the nearby hills. Concrete houses were beginning to rise, gradually displacing the old wooden structures that once defined the settlement's landscape.
After the spread of news about Astralis, although many reacted with skepticism, there were always those who decided to take a chance. Homeless people, displaced families, or simply those tired of the chaos of the outside world began to arrive, drawn by rumors of a city where security reigned.
During the past week, dozens of caravans and sporadic refugees crossed the city gates. Some stayed; others simply continued on to other destinations. But even the few who decided to stay caused a substantial change.
The population of the small town, which had previously not exceeded five hundred souls, had already surpassed two thousand. A growth of more than four times in such a short time was no small figure.
But with growth also came problems.
The infrastructure, still under development, was beginning to show signs of strain. The available housing was insufficient, and new refugees were beginning to set up improvised tents on the outskirts of the settlement. The communal kitchens, designed to feed a few hundred, operated without rest, and even so, they couldn't keep up. Food reserves were decreasing faster than expected, and although Astralis had cultivation methods underway, they had not yet reached their point of efficiency.
Officer Wei, in command, observed the growth with concern. He had received clear orders to maintain order, but he knew that stability could not be sustained by goodwill alone.
On the third consecutive day of crowding at the gates and tension at the distribution centers, he called an emergency meeting with his subordinates.
"Begin the immediate recruitment of men fit for service. I want double patrols on the streets before nightfall. This is no longer a town: it's a city in formation. And a city without law quickly becomes a battlefield."
He also ordered open areas to be enabled as training zones. Recruits would be trained in safety protocols, distribution, and civilian management.
In addition, Officer Wei arranged for the newcomers to be organized into rotating work groups: construction, cooking, farming, and logistics. In exchange for food and a place in the city, everyone had to contribute.
In the heart of the city, the old house of the village chief had been transformed into an improvised command center. The open windows let in the distant bustle of constant construction, while inside, a tense calm reigned. On a sturdy, worn wooden table lay a detailed map of the surroundings, flanked by documents, reports, and technical plans.
Standing by the table, Officer Wei reviewed the notes with a furrowed brow. Around him, the captains of Shadow Spark waited in silence. All kept their eyes fixed on the other side of the room.
There stood a young man in a white coat, with black hair tied in a low ponytail, slowly adjusting the glasses that framed his cold, calculating gaze. The lower half of his face remained hidden behind a black steel mask, designed not only as protection but also as a symbol.
Ethan.
On either side, like pillars of a fortress, stood the Hu brothers: Hu Zhan and Hu Jian. Tall, robust, dressed in black steel armor, their mere presence was enough to deter any threat. The tension in their bodies was minimal, but their eyes saw everything.
Officer Wei broke the silence, his voice firm but contained by respect.
"Sir, we're at the limit. The kitchens work day and night, but there's not enough grain. And with each arriving caravan... the pressure increases."
Ethan did not take his eyes off the map, his fingers moved with precision over the red ink marks that indicated construction sectors and supply routes.
"I anticipated it. Popularity has consequences. Astralis is becoming a magnet," he continued, without raising his voice. "One that does not yet have deep foundations."
"We'll increase local production. We'll establish cultivation fields to the east; the soil there is fertile. Also, I'll send emissaries to contact merchants—we need to acquire more grain as soon as possible. How long can current reserves sustain us?"
"Two weeks, at this rate," Officer Wei replied without hesitation. "Three if we cut rations."
Ethan nodded, then pointed to one of the zones on the map.
"Here we'll build the first storage silos. The ovens can already mass-process dry bread."
Ethan looked at Officer Wei for the first time during the entire conversation. His voice was lower, but sharp.
"As for housing, prioritize families. Singles will work for their bed. Have them start producing compressed earth blocks. Faster than concrete, sufficient for temporary housing."
Officer Wei nodded. It wasn't a perfect solution, but it was a solution. And that was more than many could offer in these times.
"What if a new wave of refugees arrives?"
"Then we'll adapt again," said Ethan, adjusting his glasses. "But we won't retreat. Not now."
The conversation ended with a silent nod. The orders were clear, and the final adjustments began to take shape. Everything was proceeding according to plan… for now.
Ethan turned around and left the room, flanked by the imposing Hu brothers. The wooden door creaked as it closed behind them, shutting out the murmurs of the captains already starting to execute the new directives.
Outside, a distinctive figure was waiting.
A massive silver-furred wolf rested on its forelegs. Upon seeing Ethan, it immediately stood and trotted toward him with restrained energy, tail whipping like a lash. Its tongue hung from its half-open mouth as it let out a low, almost guttural bark.
Eclipse.
He was no longer the pup who once fit in Ethan's arms. In a matter of weeks, his body had grown at an abnormal rate. Now he stood nearly 1.2 meters at the shoulder—twice the size of a common wolf. His paws were thick, his musculature well-defined, and his eyes gleamed with an intelligence hard to ignore.
Ethan stroked his head with a gloved hand.
"Let's go, Eclipse," he said calmly.
He decided not to return to Omega Zero just yet.
Over the past few days, he had secluded himself almost entirely in the lower levels of the workshop, perfecting blueprints, formulas, and models to support Astralis's growing infrastructure. However, the advance of the new zone required more than instructions—it demanded his direct gaze, his personal evaluation. This wasn't just urban expansion… it was the material foundation of his future plans.
As he walked along the cobbled streets, he noticed how new concrete structures were beginning to rise above the old wooden houses. The city pulsed with activity: carts, workers, apprentices crossing in every direction. The sounds of hammers and metal formed a symphony of transformation.
As he reached the outskirts of the urban zone, his gaze fell on a group of Vesper soldiers.
They were digging a trench that extended from the forest, using picks and shovels that gleamed under the morning sun. Other Vespers guarded the perimeter with Mauser rifles slung over their shoulders.
Ethan stood silently, evaluating the scene as Eclipse sat beside him, alert to every movement.
The trench the Vesper soldiers were digging wasn't just displaced soil. Along the groove, wooden markers indicated the precise path that the copper wires would follow. One of them, with rolled-up plans under his arm, spotted Ethan and briefly saluted.
Ethan said nothing, only nodded, evaluating the work. He already knew the purpose.
The communication network.
That channel would house the cables connecting the new zone with Omega Zero, forming the skeleton of the telegraph system he had designed. It was simple, yet revolutionary for this world. The same had already been done in the black iron mine region, where the system was already operational, transmitting signals effectively.
Satisfied, Ethan continued on his way, leaving the Vespers behind and moving beyond the urban edge.
Eclipse trotted at his side, his silver coat contrasting with the dust of the unpaved road.
All around, the signs of development were impossible to ignore.
The fields, once barren land, were beginning to show straight, orderly furrows. Farmers worked under the sun. A rudimentary gravity-fed irrigation system extended from the nearby river: channels of damp earth wound between the plots, carrying water to the growing crops.
In one section, men with buckets poured a dark liquid onto the soil.
Fertilizer.
Ethan smiled slightly.
Farther ahead, three wells were in the process of being dug. One had already reached groundwater, and soldiers were building a brick structure with a lever pump. Beside it, children ran around, fascinated as water emerged with each pull of the lever.
Ethan paused for a moment on a small rise.
From there, he could see everything: the expanding city, the forming fields, the collective sweat of an idea made flesh and stone.
Eclipse sat beside him, watching as well.
The wind rustled his fur as he barked once, as if sharing the vision.
Ethan lowered his gaze to the horizon, where the forest was beginning to darken under the shadow of dusk.
"There's still a lot to do," he murmured.
But the hardest part… had already begun.