Seeing the stunned expressions of Provence and the others, Daniel Davis didn't pay much attention. It was only natural, after all. As he spoke, he walked toward the giant frozen lava Originium Slug, pulling it out of the magma. Such a massive mutated Originium Slug held significant research value.
He wasn't planning to study it himself but intended to hand it over to Mebius and others like Aizen for research. Although he would continue to study Oripathy using the power of the Op-Op Fruit, he had his own tasks to attend to and couldn't devote all his energy to Oripathy like Kal'tsit.
"Hey, snap out of it. The situation is under control for now, and the volcanic eruption has been suppressed for a while. It's rare for the music festival to be this lively. It would be a shame to end it prematurely."
After storing the giant lava Originium Slug and capturing a few more of the smaller ones, Daniel had Provence and Skyfire inspect the volcano. He didn't have much expertise in volcanic eruptions.
"Oh, right." Provence quickly regained her composure and began investigating the volcano's internal conditions, with Skyfire assisting her.
"No need to be so wary of me," Daniel said with a smile, noticing the cautious look from Noir.
"Noir," Ceylon gently tugged at Noir's arm and then turned to Daniel. "Thank you."
Delaying the volcanic eruption allowed the Obsidian Festival in Siesta to conclude normally, which was crucial for the city. If a catastrophe had struck during the festival, even without casualties, the number of tourists and vacationers willing to visit Siesta the following year would have significantly decreased.
In a normal world, a volcanic eruption might attract many spectators. But in this world, no one would risk contracting Oripathy just to witness a disaster.
"No need to thank me. I didn't come all this way for a vacation only to leave without enjoying anything."
"We can delay it for about a week, but we'll need further investigation to be sure."
After a brief inspection, Provence and Skyfire reached a preliminary conclusion. A more detailed investigation would require specialized equipment.
Neither Provence nor Skyfire were experts in volcanology, so their assessment was limited. If Eyja had been present, she would have provided a detailed analysis immediately.
"Let's head back and inform the Doctor to ease their concerns."
"That's the situation here. How's your progress?" After leaving the volcanic cavern, Daniel immediately contacted the Doctor to update her on the volcano's status.
"Everything's going smoothly here. Mayor Herman has returned. We'll discuss the details when we meet." The Doctor hung up shortly after.
"Mayor Herman, it's a pleasure."
"Mr. Davis, thank you. Without your help, the Obsidian Festival would have ended in disaster."
"You're too kind. It was just a coincidence. Even without us, I doubt that person could have caused much trouble."
After meeting up with the Doctor at the city hall, Daniel also met Siesta's mayor. From the Doctor, he learned that the mayor had likely been aware of Clooney's schemes all along. His earlier absence was probably a ploy to observe from the shadows.
As someone who had built a thriving mobile city from scratch in just a few decades, Herman was no ordinary man. To him, Clooney was nothing more than a clown.
"It's different. Although I knew Clooney was hiding things from me, I thought it was just about the obsidian mining. I never imagined he would conceal something as significant as a catastrophe. It nearly led to disaster."
Herman's words were sincere. He genuinely hadn't known about the impending volcanic eruption. After all, he wasn't a catastrophe messenger, and he never expected Clooney, as a catastrophe messenger, to be so reckless.
In Herman's view, Clooney's greed had driven him to secretly mine and sell obsidian. He never imagined Clooney would disregard nearly a million lives. Such behavior was unbecoming of a catastrophe messenger.
After capturing Clooney, Herman began to regret not acting sooner. If he had, the current situation could have been avoided. Without Daniel's intervention, the Obsidian Festival would have been ruined, and Siesta would have faced a period of decline.
"Sorry, I have some matters to attend to. Ceylon, Noir, please take care of our guests. All expenses will be covered by the city."
With that, Herman left with his team. While Clooney's actions were a minor issue, the catastrophe was a significant problem. Even with the confirmation from Rhodes Island's catastrophe messengers, Noir, and his daughter, Herman needed to verify the situation himself.
If things took a turn for the worse, he would immediately halt the Obsidian Festival and begin evacuating the city. Although this would damage Siesta's reputation, it was better than the city being completely destroyed.
As a tourist city, visitors were Siesta's primary source of income. An evacuation would harm its reputation, but without casualties, recovery was possible. However, a major catastrophe with significant loss of life would spell the end for Siesta.
"Well, the crisis is over. Everyone can enjoy their vacation now." After Herman left, the Doctor addressed the Rhodes Island operators she had summoned.
"Doctor, I'll take my leave now." As soon as the Doctor finished speaking, Vermeil hurried out. Among the Rhodes Island operators, Vermeil had been the most excited about the Obsidian Festival.
As a heavy metal music enthusiast, the festival featured world-class heavy metal bands. If not for the Doctor's call for assistance, Vermeil wouldn't have missed it.
Soon, operators like Spot also left. Without Noir's interference, dealing with Clooney's hired mercenaries had been a breeze for Vermeil.
"Mr. Davis, may I ask what brings Reunion to Siesta?" At a seaside café in Siesta, Herman sat across from Daniel.
Although Reunion's public leader was FrostNova, those well-informed knew Daniel was the true leader. Herman, likely after confirming the volcano's status, had sought him out directly.
"No particular reason. We're mainly here for a vacation. After all, Siesta is one of the few cities that isn't harsh on the Infected." One of Clooney's grievances against Herman was the mayor's generosity, even allocating funds specifically for medical services for the Infected.
This was a substantial amount of money. In Clooney's eyes, it would have been better spent on himself rather than aiding the Infected.
Herman was a decent man who believed in repaying kindness. The funds for treating Siesta's Infected were allocated because most of them had contracted Oripathy while building the city and continued to work hard for Siesta.
Others might have abandoned them, but Herman wasn't that kind of person. Thanks to their assistance, these funds were now being used to purchase Oripathy medication from Rhodes Island.
"We're also interested in some collaboration with Siesta," Daniel continued.
"Oh? What kind of collaboration does Reunion have in mind?" Herman asked after a moment of silence.
"Siesta is a tourist city that imports many goods. Chernobog can provide some of these at competitive prices, with guaranteed quality."
"Siesta has its own suppliers," Herman replied.
"I understand. Don't worry, I'm not here to take their share. What I can offer are things Siesta currently doesn't have." It would be unreasonable to expect Herman to abandon existing partners for Chernobog, and Daniel had no such intention.
"Such as?" Herman inquired.
"For example, food, vegetables, snacks, beverages, cosmetics, fine wine, medical supplies, Originium protective gear, vehicles, drones—Chernobog can provide all of these."
Daniel listed several items, and this was just the beginning. After understanding the world's situation, Daniel had a clear vision for Chernobog's future: to build a mobile city surpassing Lungmen, aiming to become the world's number one.
This wasn't just a nominal title but a genuine claim to superiority. Chernobog would surpass Raythean Industries in industry, Rhine Lab in medical technology, and Blacksteel International in mercenary services. In short, it would combine the strengths of all three.
Beyond corporations, Chernobog would also host the world's top university. This was Daniel's vision.
From his research, Columbia was the most technologically advanced nation, housing the headquarters of Rhine Lab, Raythean Industries, and Blacksteel International.
Victoria, despite its current turmoil due to the vacant throne, remained a powerful nation with deep roots. Its numerous universities played a crucial role, especially the renowned Victoria Royal Guards Academy, which had produced notable figures like Ch'en, SilverAsh, Swire, and Bagpipe.
Aside from the Royal Guards Academy, Victoria's other institutions were also prestigious, offering specialized programs in Originium studies, commerce, and medicine.
For those seeking advanced studies in the arts, the best choice was undoubtedly the Heavenly Master's Office in Yan. Its detailed classifications were beyond the imagination of most with Originium Arts.
Although Leithania also had deep research into Originium Arts and its Wizard Towers were world-famous, the country was notoriously insular. In contrast, the Heavenly Master's Office was more inclusive.
Daniel's ambitions weren't impulsive. With resources and technology from multiple worlds, he could achieve what Raythean Industries couldn't.
As for Blacksteel International, it was simple. He could hire Sarkaz through W, and Liskarm had expressed interest in forming her own mercenary group, which he could sponsor.
Liskarm was a Vouivre, a race known for their physical prowess, as seen with Bagpipe. This reminded Daniel of Carol and her mother, Lewis.
Through Liskarm, he could recruit more Vouivre.
Rhine Lab was even simpler. His medical skills were unmatched, and he could poach talent from Rhine Lab. With the conditions he offered, he might even lure a department head from Rhine Lab. As for whether this would offend Rhine Lab, he wasn't concerned.
"Take a look. This is a list of products Chernobog can provide, all of which are unique on the market." Daniel handed Herman a tablet, displaying images of various products. While some were still conceptual, Herman wouldn't know that.
Moreover, these concepts weren't entirely baseless. They were products from Daniel's companies in other worlds, such as snacks and beverages from his business in the Harry Potter world, where he purchased most of the wizards' agricultural produce.
"I'll consider it."
"Take your time."
"Lady Wen Yue has asked you to go to Bolívar."
After three days in Siesta, Ch'en received a message from Lady Wen Yue of Lungmen. Ch'en initially wanted to refuse, but upon learning of it, Daniel encouraged her to accept, mentioning that Talulah would also be going.
"She wants you to see how other mobile cities operate. Besides, Dosores is another potential partner for Chernobog. They don't discriminate against the Infected."
Dosores only discriminated against one group: the poor. Its mayor wouldn't hesitate to collaborate with Chernobog.
Initially reluctant, Talulah agreed after considering Daniel's words.
"You're going to Dosores? Why? I thought you disliked that city."
In Lungmen, Wei Yenwu looked at Lady Wen Yue in surprise. Although Dosores and Lungmen had good relations as mobile cities, Lady Wen Yue personally disliked Dosores.
"Little Tal is going. I want to see her," Lady Wen Yue explained.
"Little Tal?" Wei Yenwu was momentarily confused but quickly realized who she meant and fell silent.
"Mr. Herman, Chernobog welcomes you anytime." Before leaving, Daniel and Herman discussed further collaborations. While deeper cooperation would require Herman's visit to Chernobog, the partnership between Siesta and Rhodes Island progressed smoothly, especially since Ceylon and Noir were joining Rhodes Island.
To be precise, Ceylon was going to Rhodes Island to study, and Noir was accompanying her.
"Let's go, Amiya, Doctor."
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