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POV: Chris – The Unyielding Ruler
The news hit like a hammer. I had expected resistance, but I had never anticipated a full-scale assault on the core of my empire. The rebellion had taken the auction house by storm, exposing everything I had worked to build, everything that was supposed to maintain the empire's structure.
I didn't feel fear.
What I felt was something far colder—disdain.
They thought they could disrupt the system, expose the truth, and bring the empire to its knees. But they didn't understand what they were up against. They didn't understand me.
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I sat in my chamber, the darkness surrounding me like an unyielding cloak. My fingers grazed over the map of the empire sprawled out before me, my eyes scanning every piece of land, every city, every last trace of the power I had cultivated.
This rebellion? It was just an inconvenience.
The law had always been my greatest weapon. The Blackwood Law.
And now, it would be expanded—made even stronger, even more unbreakable.
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First, I'll shut them down.
The rebellion might have taken the auction house, but they hadn't touched the heart of the empire—the Blackwood Foundation. The B.A.M. were already mobilizing, ensuring no corner of the empire was left vulnerable. The moment the attack was confirmed, I had ordered the highest-ranking officials to put my silent tanks on standby. They would cleanse the streets of any dissenters.
But that wasn't enough.
This wasn't just about the rebellion. This was about control.
It was time to tighten my grip.
I activated the shutdown protocol for all auction houses, both the legal and illegal networks. With a single command, I shut down their funding, their revenue streams. Every account linked to the auctions, every single asset used by the rich to play their numbers game—gone.
The silence that followed was deafening. The system was frozen. They had no power now. No access.
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Second, I'll increase the law.
The truth had been exposed, but the law was absolute. No one could defy it.
I leaned forward, tapping into the encrypted console that connected me to the empire's central authority. I made adjustments to Blackwood Law that would set the stage for an even more rigid society.
From now on, anyone found breaking the hierarchy would be punished swiftly and without mercy.
> New Decree: The Blackwood Identity Law Expansion
1. Mandatory Identification by Numbers: As previously established, all citizens will now be forced to adopt their Blackwood numbers as their primary identity. No one shall answer by name; only numbers will be acknowledged. Those caught using any names other than their designated number shall face immediate exile.
2. Auction Control: Every auction will be fully controlled by the Blackwood Empire. Any unauthorized attempts at setting up auctions will result in complete annihilation of the perpetrators' assets. Those who attempt to evade the system will have their numbers revoked, forcing them to join the ranks of the Surviving Citizens—the lowest of the low.
3. Re-enforcement of the Numbered Society: The highest-ranking numbers, Blackwood 1 through Blackwood 5, are to be recognized as true sovereigns of the empire. Those ranked between 6 to 66 are deemed First-Class Citizens. Everyone ranked below will be treated as subjects, with their numbers determining their place in society. All will pay homage to the Blackwood name, and those who defy will be sent to the Redemption Zones.
4. Yearly Re-Auctioning of Numbers: As the Blackwood Empire's economy fluctuates, so will the prices of numbers. Every year, there will be a re-auction to refresh the ranks. New citizens must bid for their numbers, starting from the lowest tiers. The number 1 spot will never be up for auction—it remains the eternal mark of the ruler of Blackwood.
5. Enforcement of the Law: Any rebellion, any attack on the system—will be punished with immediate and overwhelming force. Those who challenge the law will face annihilation, with their assets and entire family's numbers stripped away.
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As I finalized the changes, I felt the power surge through me.
This was no longer just a fight for survival. This was about domination.
The world would bow to the law. The law would make the Blackwood Empire eternal.
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I will not tolerate another rebellion.
The empire was already in the midst of a significant shift. Those who thought they could challenge me would learn soon enough that I could wipe them out with a flick of my fingers.
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The public would receive the news soon. And when they did, they would know the consequences of defying the Blackwood Empire.
There would be no mercy. No escape. The rebellion would be crushed under the weight of my power.
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POV: 30014i – The Rebellion
We had fought hard. We had come close to breaking the system, exposing its rotten core.
But now, in the wake of Chris' response, I felt the weight of the law pressing down on us like never before.
It wasn't over yet. But this… this would be a long, hard fight. And now, we were up against the full force of Chris Blackwood's control.
He had tightened the leash.
The auction was over, but the battle was just beginning.
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