The charade of the wizened old man finally crumbled. Elías, standing amidst his young rural subordinates and a visibly startled Rosita, peeled away the layers of the disguise. The heavy garments fell to reveal a boy of eight, his eyes, however, held a chilling intensity that belied his tender years. "Continue your training," he commanded, his voice cold and clear, cutting through the stunned silence. **_Good response from the body. Brief surprise, then immediate compliance. Efficiency._** The sudden revelation, a jarring shift in perception, briefly unsettled his nascent cadre, but Elías offered no explanation, no comfort. There was only the relentless push forward.
With the unburdened speed of his mind, Elías quickly fashioned specialized suits from the toughest bamboo fibers for himself and his growing team. These weren't mere clothing; they were flexible, durable second skins designed for stealth and protection, a physical manifestation of his commitment to the intelligence gathered. The information from the capital was no longer a theoretical concept; it was a tangible imperative. **_Data inflow is crucial. Physical vulnerability reduces data acquisition. These suits are a necessary step._** The young warriors, now clad in their new, rustling uniforms, quickly assimilated their new directive: infiltrate the capital, steal what was discarded, buy only when absolutely necessary. Their missions became more focused, their movements more precise, fueled by Elías's intensified drive.
A deep impatience gnawed at Elías. The inherent slowness of his current computer systems was a frustrating bottleneck to his rapid-fire thoughts. He needed more, faster. With a calculated risk, he pushed his quantum brain, accelerating its processing power for brief, intense bursts. The cost was immediate: a profound drain on his mental energy, a sensation akin to a sudden, chilling emptiness. **_Energy depletion. A calculated risk. The mind, a circuit. Overclocking has consequences, but the output is invaluable._** Yet, in those fleeting moments of amplified thought, complex patterns and revolutionary ideas surged into his mind, previously unreachable. It was as if invisible hands massaged his still-developing intellect, whispering insights into existence. **_Instinct, not emotion. My core function is optimization. This 'voice' is the system calculating faster, seeing connections others miss. Gold. Pure, unadulterated processing power._** His immature thoughts, once linear, now curved into intricate designs for advanced networks of cables, a sprawling ecosystem of interconnected computers, and an array of new devices. He molded them from robust natural fibers, applying mathematical precision to shape screens of varying dimensions and forms.
The secret base, once a collection of hidden nooks, began a radical transformation. Elías, pushing himself and his followers to their limits, redesigned and re-engineered the subterranean sanctuary. His training methods, initially effective, now updated to "2.0," displayed new metrics and complex routines on the screens. They honed agility, endurance, and strategic thinking. Through sheer force of will and the tireless efforts of his disciplined subordinates, the base became a marvel of hidden engineering, a subterranean fortress humming with purpose. Food, prepared with an almost alarming efficiency by Elías himself, ensured his followers were well-nourished, their energy levels optimized for the grueling regimen. **_Sustenance is fuel. Optimal performance requires optimal input. Basic biological truth, applied._**
A new, deeper secret took root beneath the village: a hidden bunker. With intricate electro-voltage mechanisms and pastoral disguises, Elías constructed a specialized elevator, powered by external electricity. It was a descent into a new realm, a secure, impenetrable core for his burgeoning empire. As his subordinates began to learn the complex operations of the new base, Elías sat at the central computer, a silent conductor of their growth. He rapidly created an internal communication system, a direct neural pathway, it seemed, that allowed seamless exchange of information within his network. **_Communication latency is a weakness. This system reduces it to near zero. A collective mind, extended._**
Under the cloak of night, the young warriors embarked on their most crucial missions yet. They systematically targeted public libraries, replacing entire collections of influential and common books with mundane duplicates, their originals now cataloged and absorbed into Elías's vast digital library. Simultaneously, their training intensified. They practiced stealth with the grace of shadows, honed defensive techniques to an almost superhuman level, and mastered nerve strikes, targeting pressure points with precision. Their sense of danger became unnervingly acute, a primal instinct refined by Elías's teachings. They moved like super-machines, their bodies responding with frightening efficiency. **_Each successful mission, each perfected skill, is a data point. A positive reinforcement. They learn, they adapt. Their value increases._** Elías, still unable to break the biological order of the human body, nevertheless pushed its limits, using the harsh beauty of nature as their ultimate training ground, a forge for their minds and bodies.
This semi-artificial life, born from Elías's singular need for an internal tool, was now fully in motion. His empire was not just nascent; it was an organism, breathing and expanding. The focus was clear: **information was gold, and the capital was its mine.** His agents were now explicitly tasked with gathering the mundane, the overlooked, the discarded – from common customs and social norms, to the latest inventions whispered on the streets, to the very trash people threw away. A broken toy, a discarded instruction manual, a forgotten newspaper – each was a potential piece of the puzzle, a fragment of the world outside that Elías needed to understand, dissect, and ultimately, control. The seemingly worthless detritus of human civilization, once considered garbage, was now the vital currency of his silent, growing dominion.
As a reward for their unwavering loyalty and their demonstrated capacity for rapid assimilation of complex data and skills, Elías did not offer praise or material comforts. Instead, he granted them something far more valuable in his eyes: **enhanced learning modules.** Each loyal follower, those who showed exceptional aptitude in their stealth, combat, or data retrieval missions, found their personal computer interfaces — the ones Elías had built from scavenged parts — upgraded. These modules contained compressed, highly efficient data packets on advanced pattern recognition, rudimentary psychological profiling based on their "chismis" from the markets, and even simplified schematics for basic mechanical repairs. **_Knowledge is the ultimate currency. To a valuable specimen, the best reward is better tools for growth. They are not mere soldiers; they are extensions of my system. Their improved understanding feeds my own._** It was a silent acknowledgement of their increasing value, a subtle investment in their intellectual and operational capabilities. The more they understood, the more effective they became, and the more efficiently his network could grow.
This chapter delves deeper into Elías's calculating mind and shows how his definition of "reward" aligns with his overall goal of optimization and control. What kind of specific information do you imagine his followers bringing back from the capital now that they are more attuned to his needs?