Chapter 427: Meeting With The Board (Part 1)

"No, there was no problem. Please lead the way," I said with a smile as I walked behind them.

The guards bowed their heads and we all walked on without anyone talking.

The noise of our shoes on the hard ground was the only sound around.

In a different world than this, I might have been given a tour of the place but the Apocalypse had since eroded whatever niceties and customs people held.

Now people were straightforward about so many things.

I found it refreshing actually.

So many customs that people took to heart were just shackles set by their forbears and didn’t depict what they truly felt.

There was much less bullshit nowadays.

In the overwhelming problems of the Apocalypse, progress like this one was taken for granted.

Realization and appreciation for the changes in society would come from the strong ones that survived all this.

In the future, posterity would thank us.

"Please go on, you’ll meet her in there," The guards said coming to a halt at where I took to be the general building.

I realized that it was the furthest they could go so I thanked them for their help then made my way in.

As I entered the place, I noticed that what I took to be the main building was actually a gateway into a city.

The city was a complex network of buildings, almost like a miniature city within the larger one.

The central building I had seen from outside stood tall, its imposing structure hinting at its importance.

They had added many touches to the place since I last saw it.

Impressive.

Lyra was waiting for me outside the building, her stance relaxed but alert.

She smiled warmly, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and a hint of challenge.

She was looking more at home here than when I had first seen her, she no doubt considered this place as her home.

Her clothing was different and better looking too.

She wore a fitting black spandex like suit that amply showed her curves.

The thought of taking her right by he wall flashed across my mind and I fought the picture that was taking shape in my mind.

I felt a twitch below and willed myself back to composure.

Damn, I almost grew hard just thinking about it.

Focusing on her face instead, I could see that she was impressed that I had tracked down the place.

I smiled despite myself. Not like I was going to give her any details on how I did it.

Standing behind her were four other individuals, all exuding a similar air of authority and competence.

They stood some distance away from her. From what I could see, there was no other reason for them to so except to watch over Lyra.

These guys were wary of me.

I found the precautions flattering but suspicious.

I had lost to her earlier on so why the extra measures. I had a feeling that she suspected my real identity.

"Welcome to our community," Lyra greeted, her voice smooth and confident. "I see you made it here without any trouble."

I knew that the official formal tone she adopted was for the benefit of the guards who were within earshot.

"None at all, it was actually quite easy to trace," I replied, matching her smile. "I’m glad to finally see this place in person."

"Come on so I’ll introduce you to the team." She gestured for me to follow her into the building.

I threw a glance at the guards as we walked past them.

They were all peering at my mask, perhaps they were curious to see the face behind it.

I wasn’t giving any of them here that pleasure, Lyra included. It was a staple for my duration here.

As we walked through the corridors, I couldn’t help but notice the efficient layout and the numerous security measures discreetly integrated into the architecture.

It was clear that they took their safety seriously and the engineers knew what they were doing.

"So this is my office."

"Eh?..." I said thrown off by her words then noticed that we had indeed entered an office.

I had been too occupied with my thoughts to notice that we had already reached the place.

It was a very spacious room with a large table at the center.

Around it sat her vice and several other directors, each representing a different aspect of their operations.

They were all of varying ages which was a bit surprising since I expected a bunch of old sourpusses.

The first thing I had noticed on entering the room was that their aura were all on a higher level than Lyra’s.

It made me want to find out exactly how strong they were compared to her since I had gauged Lyra to be around Level 300.

They all stood as we entered, acknowledging my presence with respectful nods.

"This is my vice, Aric," Lyra introduced, indicating a tall man with a stern expression and sharp eyes.

His grip was firm and his gaze piercing but there was no reply from me other than a nod even though I could see that he wanted more.

"And these are our directors: Elena, in charge of logistics; Harun, overseeing defense; and Mira, handling communications."

Lyra went over them quickly as though she couldn’t wait to get done with the one sided introductions.

"Smart girl," I mused within me.

Each of them offered a polite greeting, their eyes assessing me with a mixture of curiosity and wariness.

"I’m pleased to meet all of you," I said, taking a seat as Lyra motioned for me to do so.

"We’re glad to have you here as an ally," Aric said, his tone measured. "Lyra speaks highly of your capabilities and we trust her judgment."

"I appreciate the trust," I replied, my mind already working through the potential dynamics at play.

Lyra took her seat at beside me, her expression suddenly turning serious.

"Now that you’re here, we can discuss the next steps. Your arrival couldn’t have been more timely."

"I’m ready to assist in any way I can," I assured her. "So what’s the agenda?"