Part 1
After hearing Long Yi's explanation, silence settled over the meeting room—but it wasn't the silence of doubt. It was the silence of clarity.
The sharpest minds in the room began to stir. One strategist finally voiced what everyone was beginning to understand:"It's not about which faction benefits and which doesn't...""It's about control."
"He wants to control the timing, the quantity, and the recipients of the Awakening potions—to shape the power structure of the future world."
Secretary Wen leaned forward, eyes gleaming with understanding."By bartering the potions for strategic resources, advanced tech, and key alliances, we evolve beyond just a hidden base."
Shadow 1 raised his hand and spoke firmly."We're not building a force that can be manipulated. We're building an empire."
Shadow 2 nodded in agreement."Our goal isn't peace. It's dominance—strength so absolute that no one dares to threaten our way of life."
Dr. Hanzo, who rarely spoke during strategy meetings, added in his calm, clinical tone:"We don't lack food, weapons, or shelter. What we lack are the things he listed: cutting-edge technology, scientific collaboration, and access to the outer world's innovations. That's the real battlefield now."
Around the room, heads nodded. The realization spread like wildfire—Long Yi's intent wasn't just survival. It was supremacy. And everything he was doing was to protect them by elevating them.
Commander Long crossed his arms and muttered, half to himself,"So that's why he's testing them. He wants to observe how they react—who becomes greedy, who stays cautious, who tries to steal or replicate the potions..."
Secretary Xu added gravely,"Hidden Dragon Peak might be remote, but don't forget—we've already been noticed. The training site leak, the government inquiries about a military outpost, the records of someone buying this entire mountain..."
He swept his gaze across the room."The moment the potion goes public, the world will start connecting the dots."
Han Yue spoke last, her voice calm but direct."And when the torrent rainstorm hits in a few days, many survivors will flee to the highlands. Our mountain will no longer stay invisible. We can't patrol every trail. People will come, and soon. The timing is right."
She looked around the room."Selling the Awakening potion isn't just a business move. It's a signal—a power play. And it may be the only move that keeps us ahead."
Part 2.
Long Yi finally spoke after hearing all the discussion.
"This isn't about the government, the military, or some neutral party. This is for the Long Family—and for all of you." His voice was calm but carried weight. "Every faction is a risk. Every deal is a gamble." Then he pointed toward his uncle, Commander Long. "But with him, it's a promise."
The room quieted, the tone now shifting into something more resolved.
Now that the intent was clear, the next step was assigning roles—who would handle the negotiations, who would front the deals, who would hold the line when tensions rose.
Commander Long and Secretary Wen both raised their hands. Neither needed to justify themselves. Commander Long's military and government ties made him the strongest link to formal power structures, while Secretary Wen's sharp political acumen and calm demeanor gave him the edge in tactical negotiations. No one objected. These two would be the primary strategists for the rollout.
Then came the matter of presentation. How would they introduce the Awakening Potion to the world without exposing themselves too much, while still making a powerful impression?
After a long round of back-and-forth, the council anonymously agreed on several foundational points:
1. The Target
Commander Long began with a single name — a trusted contact in the government, someone seasoned enough to recognize the weight of what he was about to share.
"He's pragmatic," Commander Long said. "And smart enough not to ask questions we won't answer."
This wasn't a move made in haste. The target had to be influential but cautious, someone who wouldn't alert the public or competitors before the bait was set.
They would not mass-distribute the Awakening Potion. Instead, they would create desire before supply, need before access.
2. The Information
They wouldn't hand over the potion. Not directly. That would be foolish. Instead, they would deliver something even more compelling—proof.
"A controlled demonstration," Secretary Wen suggested."Either a scientific report or a field recording. Let them see it. Let them believe it. Let them want it."
A test subject, carefully selected, would consume one or two bottles of the lowest-grade potion and awaken after a delay. The test would be real, but deliberately underwhelming.
"We'll let them think this is the limit," Commander Long said, calm and precise. "Then we'll sell them the truth later—for the right price."
3. The Flaw (By Design)
The potion they'd demonstrate would only be 30% purity. Enough to show results, but not enough to create threats. They would control expectations by staging the flaw.
"If they think that's the ceiling," Wen added, "they'll pay anything for a ladder."
And when the time came to offer the 40% or 50% variants, only true allies—or useful pawns—would get access.
This would make the potion a strategic resource, one only Hidden Dragon Peak could provide.Commander Long would play the face of legitimacy. Secretary Wen would handle the dirty negotiations.
And those who once disrespected them?
"Let them choke on their pride first," Wen smirked. "Then feed them just enough to keep begging."
4. The Endgame
They would strictly limit the distribution. No large-scale rollout. No loss of control. The manufacturing process would remain confidential. Partnerships would be contractual, binding, and heavily monitored.
The real leverage? Dependence.
"They don't need to like us," Commander Long said. "They only need to need us."
The meeting ended with one last reminder—this wasn't about politics or profit. This was about preparation.
The storms were growing.The earth was changing.Beasts were awakening.And soon, so would humanity.
"If we want to survive what's coming," Commander Long said, "we need more than strength. We need control."
"The meeting continued deep into the night, and by the time it ended, they had set new goals — not just to protect their own, but to survive the apocalypse together, no matter the cost."