Chapter 264: The Grand Auction

Time passed quickly, and Shin’s return would happen in just one month. It was time to deliver the final blow.

During this period, more than just taking over the eighth floor, Eva and Kaho had been doing a lot of work all over the tower.

Kaho had already sold everything they had, getting as much money as possible from everyone. They had also gathered a mountain of resources. Not only that, but Eva made sure to help the most loyal people level up quickly and grow stronger.

After all, being a guild master was an extremely fast way to get stronger and richer thanks to the guild’s tax. Eva herself had leveled up quickly thanks to that.

Of course, certain groups broke off on their own, but they still managed to accomplish incredible things. First, with Joshua as its guild master, Eva built a giant guild that took the entire Empty Forest on the eighth floor.

A territory big enough that both Joshua and Eva gained a huge amount of experience, and they even disrupted the Matra clan’s logistics, since some of their routes to the mines passed straight through the forest.

But their truly biggest money-making project was the territorial auction. It was a plan that had come from Kaho, something Shin hadn’t even thought of.

Basically, they began selling the territory of some of the guilds they had created, earning even more money.

In some cases, they sold the territories back to the clan they had stolen them from. In others, to rival clans, who saw it as a golden opportunity to harm their opponents.

Of course, the best part was that once one clan took territory to mess with its rivals, the rivals would want to repay it in the same coin. This led more and more clans into self-destructive disputes.

Soon, it became a massive auction that would change the power dynamics inside the tower forever, mainly among the clans that were not part of the Eight Greats. The chaos caused by the queen would leave its mark for decades to come.

Still, Eva’s biggest project was not the eighth floor, nor all the chaos. The heart of Shin’s plan, perfected by Kaho, was the eleventh floor.

So, as things were coming to an end, Eva visited that place, where she had left her most trusted ally, aside from Kaho, dealing with the task of controlling the region. It was also where most of her most loyal personnel were working.

In a way, the eleventh floor was the heart of her revolution.

"My queen, it’s an honor to meet you," a tall blonde woman said, curtsying as soon as she saw Eva.

Sasha was a vision of beauty that could stop a battlefield cold. Her long, voluminous golden-yellow hair cascaded past her shoulders in soft waves, loose wispy bangs framing a fair face with a soft yet determined expression.

Her eyes had a vibrant red tone, like embers beneath thin, arched brows, gleaming with both devotion and determination.

But it was her figure that truly commanded attention: Sasha was tall and curvaceous, with an exaggerated hourglass silhouette that her armor did little to conceal. Her tits were so full and prominent that no clothes or armor in the world could hide them.

Behind her, the grand hall stretched wide, its tall arched windows flooding the stone with light, pillars standing like silent witnesses to the loyalty she commanded.

"Forgive my eagerness, my queen," Sasha continued, straightening with a warm smile. "I’ve been waiting to give you the good news in person. We’ve consolidated a huge guild on the eleventh floor using the guild merging method."

Eva’s lips twitched into a smile even though she already knew about it. "Go on."

"We also made sure the area around us was taken over by many smaller guilds." Sasha’s smile turned sly. "Most of them are led by people we don’t trust enough for guild merging... but they’ll serve their purpose. They’ll literally work as a shield for us."

Eva nodded slowly. Her plan had always been to create chaos, to gain a fortune, to undermine the power of the big clans. But she had never intended to stop there.

When the dust settled, she wanted to stand powerful enough to dominate a floor of her own, and the eleventh floor might just be the place for that.

Past Sasha, Eva’s gaze swept over the mercenaries they had hired, standing alongside some of the most powerful newcomers they had trained and the other people who had joined the cause. Even when guild wars came back, retaking this territory would be extremely difficult.

Eva nodded again, a satisfied smile tugging at her lips. From the eleventh floor, she would make her last big announcement.

She recorded a passionate speech for the people who believed in her:

"People of the tower, I speak to those who have faith in me, to the ones who look for a fair chance to hunt, grow and live in this hell!"

"I have carved a place for us on the eleventh floor, a territory we will hold against anyone who dares take it. Come work under me, and we will stand stronger here than anywhere else in this tower. And I have heard... the expansion system will return soon. When it does, I intend to be ready."

"And if you want to fight for your future and stand proud, not as a slave to some big clan, then you must stand at my side!"

The message would spread like wildfire, and it would also put a massive target on Eva’s head, but it also gave her the power to inspire people and recruit even more allies.

Anyway, once the last of her deals was struck and Eva and her group had sold everything, there was still one thing they had held on to: the big guild on the eighth floor. This would be her biggest and hardest sell.

"One more thing, my queen," Sasha said once the recordings were done. "I’ve made contact with the person you were looking for."

Eva’s heart quickened. "You did?"

"She’s agreed to meet."

The queen smiled, a slow, dangerous curve of her lips. "Excellent." She turned, her gaze settling on the towering figure of Richard, the powerful mercenary who had fought for her cause.

"Sasha. Richard. Follow me. We’re going to meet with the witch, Lilith."