"Big bro, are we really just going to recruit anyone into the family?" Brixton asked, his brow furrowing with concern.
Felix shook his head firmly. "No way. Bringing in just anyone is a colossal risk, we could end up inviting some wolves into our fold."
Nixie leaned in, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. "So, what's the plan then?"
With a knowing smile, Felix replied, "We'll start by recruiting the beggars and orphans living on the streets."
"Huh?" The group fell silent for a moment, surprise flickering across their faces.
"Beggars and orphans?" Zephyr echoed, clearly puzzled.
"Exactly," Felix affirmed, meeting their gazes. "This is the first stage of the Morningstar Project: The Foundation Building Stage."
He paused dramatically before continuing. "There's a method to my madness. First off, they're everywhere on the streets; secondly, nobody pays attention to them. If we take in a large number of these overlooked souls, it won't raise any eyebrows. Sure, some might think it's foolish, but we could also earn goodwill among commoners in the Royal Capital.
That kind of reputation will pay off down the line."
Having come from modern Earth himself, Felix understood all too well how crucial public opinion and reputation can be.
"But big bro," Nixie interjected thoughtfully, "how do you know these beggars and orphans will have talent? What if they're spies or have ulterior motives? The human heart is incredibly complex!"
"Nixie," Trinity chimed in gently but firmly, "have you forgotten where we started before achieving our current status?"
Nixie blinked in realization and nodded with a smile.
Felix continued confidently, "To uncover their potential talents, we'll provide them with a low-rank cultivation technique and see if they can sense Mana. If they can, great! If not, don't worry; we have plans for that too! We'll also use an awakening stone to identify any hidden mages among them."
Understanding dawned on their faces as they absorbed Felix's words.
"But are we really going to recruit them and just hand over cultivation resources like that?" Jarvis asked skeptically.
"Sort of," Felix replied with a grin. "Here's how it works: Everyone starts as Servants. As they progress from Tier 1 to Tier 3, they become Outer Family Members; Tier 4 to Tier 6 promotes them to Inner Family Members; and those who reach Tier 7 to Tier 9 will become Elite Family Members. Each rank has specific cultivation resources attached!
For instance: A Servant gets ten copper coins monthly along with three Mana Gathering Pills and a basic cultivation technique plus skill. An Outer Family Member receives one hundred silver coins monthly along with six Mana Gathering Pills, 2 Star Cultivation technique and 2 Star skill!"
"Wow, big bro! This is seriously impressive!" Nixie exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. The others nodded in agreement, clearly amazed by the system Felix had introduced.
Felix chuckled modestly and shook his head. He just borrowed the ideas from all those those novels he have read back on Earth.
"And that's not all! As you rank up, you'll unlock various benefits too. Plus, we're introducing Family Contribution Points (FCP)!" Felix added enthusiastically.
"Big bro, what exactly are Family Contribution Points?" Gwendolyn asked, her curiosity piqued.
Jarvis's expression turned serious as he looked at Felix expectantly.
"Okay, listen up: The Abyss Gate will split into three parts."
"Huh? Why?" Zephyr interrupted curiously.
Felix shot him a glance. "Don't interrupt."
"Sorry! " Zephyr grinned sheepishly and scratched his head in embarrassment.
Felix continued without missing a beat. "As I was saying, the Abyss Gate will divide into three entities: The Abyss Eye Intelligence Network, The Abyss Hall, and finally, The Abyss Gate itself, which will oversee both organizations."
He paused for effect before elaborating further. "The Abyss Eye Intelligence Network will be our eyes and ears throughout the Kingdom; we need to know everything, even if an ant dies! No information should escape its grasp.
The Abyss Hall will function as an assassination organization where we train ruthless assassins to carry out missions for our family, and even take on jobs from others when necessary. Lastly, The Abyss Gate will supervise these two organizations while continuing its operations from Brigdemoor City.
With these three working together, we'll gain complete control over the underground world of Avalonia!"
Zephyr and the others stared at Felix with expressions that screamed "You are a monster!"
Felix turned to Zephyr, his gaze intense. "Do you understand?"
His words jolted everyone out of their daze. Zephyr took a deep breath, nodding earnestly. "I understand, big bro."
"Understood," Jarvis added, his expression serious.
"Good," Felix replied, satisfaction evident in his tone. "Jarvis, you'll oversee the Abyss Hall. I want to train ruthless assassins, complete killing machines capable of executing any mission."
"Don't worry; I'll give you a proper Assassins," Jarvis grinned, though there was something a little unsettling about it.
Felix nodded knowingly; he was well aware of Jarvis's background as a trained killer. The man's assassination techniques were nothing short of extraordinary.
With a swift motion, Felix summoned a long scroll that unfurled across the expansive conference table, nearly covering its entire surface. The scroll revealed an intricately detailed map.
"This is the Royal Capital," Felix explained, gesturing at the sprawling layout. "It's divided into 108 districts, each one twice the size of Brigdemoor City! Some districts are even three times larger!. Especially the top twenty districts. They're ten times bigger than Brigdemoor and house the kingdom's elite, including the Royal Palace...
but we won't focus on that right now." He glanced around at his audience.
His finger landed on a small district circled in red. "This is where we are: Wulleamp District. It's two times bigger than Brigdemoor City, and this is where our plans will take root."
The group leaned in closer to examine Wulleamp District on the map, excitement gleaming in their eyes.
As they absorbed this information, Felix could see determination building among them, a fire igniting for what lay ahead.