90 minutes later, Nick was done with strangling the life out of the last criminal.
He turned to the watching people for one last time.
"Aegis above everything else," Nick stated before walking away.
Silence.
"Aegis above everything else."
Nick glanced back at someone in the audience, who had just echoed his words.
As soon as Nick looked at him, the man became scared.
However, Nick just nodded and continued walking.
"Aegis above everything else," another person echoed.
"Yes, Aegis above everything else," a third person said.
One by one, more and more people shouted that.
After ten people had shouted it, everyone else joined in.
A very small number of the present people actually believed Nick.
However, they were probably only in the single digits.
The others only joined in out of fear.
They wanted to seem supportive of the government because they feared they would be next if they didn't echo the sentiment.
Nick had not planned for this to happen, but he also wasn't against it.
By the end, everyone had spoken that phrase at least once.
Nick just nodded with respect at the present people before leaving.
One of the guards stepped forward. "Everyone is allowed to leave!" he shouted.
Slowly, one by one, the people left.
It was done.
The upper layer had been completely broken down.
Even if Kugelblitz asked for support, the vast majority wouldn't even dare to talk to them.
Nick had thoroughly intimidated them.
These were not young and idealistic people with the aim of changing the world.
These were old and realistic people.
They would never risk their lives for an idealistic goal.
As long as they could keep living in the upper layer, they could deal with things.
It was not as good for them as in the past, but they hadn't truly lost anything too important, except for the few who had their spouses arrested or executed.
As long as they didn't go against the government, they could continue living in their little paradise while having a happy little family.
A couple of weeks passed.
Nick received a report that the Dreamer had killed the gate guardian.
The corpse was fed to one of the city's Specters.
This corpse would give a lot of Zephyx.
And then, it was time for the yearly meeting between the Manufacturers.
The meeting was held within the new city headquarters.
The meeting was no longer held in one of the Manufacturers' buildings.
Everyone gathered in the meeting room.
"Are you prepared?" Aria asked Nick inside his office.
"Yes," Nick said after he stood up.
"This won't be easy," she said. "With today's announcement, you will make Kugelblitz your enemy."
"I know," Nick said.
Aria watched as Nick walked by her.
"Why are you doing this?" Aria suddenly asked.
"Do what?" Nick asked evenly.
"Go so far. You will make an enemy of 18 Specialists and two Heroes. Any single one of them can kill you," Aria answered.
"I have no other way," Nick said.
"Yes, you do," Aria said. "You can change the policies more gradually. You don't need to do all of this at once. You are putting yourself in unnecessary danger."
"I am already doing it gradually," Nick answered.
Aria's eyebrows shot up in skepticism.
"Aria, have you ever been in the Dregs?" Nick asked.
"A couple of times, but not very often or long," Aria answered.
"Every day, there are people that unwillingly sell their bodies for money. Either for themselves or for their children."
"Every day, there is a robbery."
"Every week, there is a murder."
"Every week I wait is one more murder and many more crimes," Nick said.
"Then, just increase the guard presence there," Aria suggested.
"That would cause even more death," Nick said. "The people in the Dregs do these things to survive. If I suddenly send guards there to stop the crime, many people will die, even though they are only trying to survive."
"The Dregs are not like the upper layer where everyone has so much to spare."
"The Dregs are filled with poor people that have a hefty tax of 120 credits to pay every month. It is almost impossible to get such a large sum legally."
"Forcing them to get such a sum legally means telling them to die."
"If I'm not going to stand up for them, nobody will."
"When I still lived in the Dregs, I hated all the rich and powerful people in the city."
"I had to suffer in this poverty and had to do unspeakable acts to survive."
"Yet, all the powerful people didn't do anything."
"Why do parents protect their children? It's because they love their children and because their children are weak."
"If their children were powerful, the parents wouldn't need to protect them anymore."
"People can be self-sacrificing for their loved ones, but they can't do that for everyone else."
"However, if everyone is self-sacrificing, everyone would have it much easier."
"But that's impossible," Nick added. "Everyone will always only look out for themselves and their loved ones."
"Leaving it up to them will only end in the selfish ones taking advantage of the selfless ones, destroying all the selfless ones, while the selfish ones thrive."
"Because of that, I have to force everyone into this mindset."
"I can't change the intent behind their actions, but I can change their actions, which will result in the same thing."
"I am now one of the powerful ones, and I have the power to change things."
Nick's eyes narrowed.
"I have to do it."
"If I don't do this, I will become what I have always despised."
Then, Nick walked out of the door.
Aria looked after him.
'Becoming what you always despised,' Aria repeated in her mind.
Memories shot through Aria's mind of when she had been young and idealistic.
She also wanted to help the people.
But then, she became too busy with work, and eventually, she had forgotten all about that.
She had just become like everyone else.
Just living her life.
'If he doesn't do it, nobody will.'
'If he doesn't change things, there will be no change.'
Aria took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes.
'What am I doing? I'm the most powerful person inside the city and the Governor!'
'What Nick is doing should be my job!'
'I should be the one that's supposed to change Crimson City for the better!'
Deep inside, Aria felt inadequate.
She was so much more powerful than Nick, but she hadn't dared to risk her own life while he, an Initial Expert, did so.
'I will help him!' Aria thought. 'He has done so much for the city, but now, he's going against Kugelblitz!'
'Without my help, he will die, and the city will return to its old self!'
Aria looked at the open door with determination.
'It's time to put my life on the line as well!'
Then, Aria left the office.
She quickly caught up with Nick, and the two of them entered the big meeting room.
When Nick entered, he saw twelve people.
Six CEOs and six CZEs.
The representation from the weaker places was no longer here.
Their presence had been a farce anyway.
Everyone respectfully greeted Nick.
The people from the three new Manufacturers with Experts.
Hera and Ramona.
Mindy and Cindy Wunder.
Vanessa and Jornis from Kugelblitz.
Nick greeted them back and sat down at the head of the big table.
Aria sat down beside him.
Vanessa glanced at Aria with interest.
'She seems different,' she thought.
Vanessa wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing.
Nick looked around the table.
"The yearly meeting between Manufacturers is now in session," he said.
Everyone paid attention and listened to Nick.
"There will be one major change and a couple of very minor changes."
When the present people heard that, they became nervous.
By now, they had learned that Nick was not afraid of completely changing the way the city operated.
Just by changing the taxes, he had changed the way all Manufacturers operated drastically.
Even more, he had completely tamed the Specter cave that was the upper layer.
None of the Manufacturers believed that they had a chance against the government if even the entire upper layer had failed.
Except Kugelblitz, of course.
Everyone, except Kugelblitz, didn't even dare to think about resisting Nick.
"Since the major change will require the greatest amount of consideration, we will start with the minor changes first," Nick said.
Over the next 30 minutes, Nick talked about some minor matters.
A couple of small amendments to the taxes that only required minor adjustments.
Some small laws that protected the common people from the power of the Manufacturers.
"And now, for the big matter," Nick said.
Everyone listened to Nick.
"The blood tax will be eradicated and will be replaced by a different system," Nick said.
When Vanessa and Jornis heard that, their heart rates spiked with anxiety and anger.
This new system better increase their profits!
It wouldn't.
Instead, it would reduce their profits drastically.