Chapter 150 Today The Luxe, Tomorrow The Coup

"You weren't joking about the cake, were you?" Evalyn chuckled breathlessly, looking at Crux, stuffing her face with chocolate cake with pupils the size of pins. She was cracked out.

"It's a waste of time to ask her questions, rhetorical or otherwise." Kaze smiled mysteriously, "The manic euphoria she's experiencing is historically reserved for emperors and first-time drug users."

Every cabinet member except Daniel and Veronica had just left the food court, where Crux got a triple-chocolate turtle cake.

Now the cat woman weaved through massive crowds of rowdy shoppers with half still on its original plate, eating it with a fork.

Evalyn chuckled ominously, and her eyes deadened, looking at the divine beast whose smile was seven layers deep in the depths of lunacy. "This is giving me anxiety.

Everyone's bumping into everyone right now, and if someone knocks over that cake, we'll have a significant problem."

The cabinet members shivered because they knew she wasn't joking. They were all worried one [foolish mortal] would bump into her, and the divine beast would go on a massacre.

"That's a rational mindset." Kaze chuckled breathlessly, "However, you needn't worry about it.

Crux will guard this dessert with her life and admit her incompetence if someone ruins it.

There's no risk of a massacre because she'll be busy flogging herself for seven hours."

Evalyn turned to him in surprise. "That answer is oddly specific."

"That's because it's the truth." He smiled mysteriously, reminding her that he had a lasting relationship with Crux, the same as he once had with her.

"I see…." She replied, "Why are we here? I doubt you brought the entire cabinet to this zoo to shop."

"Of course not." Kaze laughed breathlessly, "We're touring the Underground Bizzare. We must align on the area and its purpose."

The cabinet members looked at each other hesitantly. None were at the public announcement, so they only knew what it was without specifics. Now they would find out firsthand.

Everyone followed the emperor down a grand flight of stairs and past a barricade barring entrance to the area. Once inside, he turned around to face them.

"Welcome to the Underground Bizarre." Kaze announced with faux grandeur.

"It looks so… normal." Kylie giggled, "I was expecting something… super depraved. Maybe some neon lights, or some wall chains… or something."

The area had pure white walls and tan carpet throughout it. Multiple hallways led to rows of bedrooms stacked side-to-side and ended with two living room areas on both ends.

No pools, hot tubs, gyms, or anything else were present. It was just rooms and two living areas.

"Ah yes, it looks normal." The emperor smiled, "That's because it is. This space is a common living area with twenty bedrooms and individual baths.

However, give it two weeks after the rapture; this place will be a zoo. The depravity of humankind needs no decorations."

Jake and Kylie shivered, Sage didn't process it, and Evalyn just scoff-laughed under her breath.

"So how are we organizing the space?" The regent asked, eyeing the area.

"There are thirty rooms for individual business spaces." Sage replied, "Individuals can bid RP to rent a space for two weeks.

Once a person rents a space, they can do whatever they like with it.

The only major rules are that services must be consensual and contracted employment cannot extend past one week."

"Wait, do you mean that people can—"

"Yes." Evalyn interjected, cutting off Jake, "While it's disturbing, people can do anything they wish so long as it meets those conditions.

[Anything] is grotesquely literal. Kaze already implemented the law, and there's not much time, so let's move on. What are the minor rules?"

"Gambling RP is against the law." Sage smiled, happy to move past the point, "Reputation points promote hard work and talent.

We don't want someone to strike it rich and do whatever they want for a month. It can destabilize the economy."

"I understand." Evalyn nodded, "Are there any other protections?"

"There are heavy anti-racketeering laws." The redhead nodded, "Criminal actions are only permissible within the Underground Bizarre.

So any organized operation that engages in extended criminal activity is naturally against the law."

"I'm glad to hear that." The blonde chuckled bitterly, amazed she was grateful for something so basic, "And the anti-exploitation laws?"

"Profiting from sex work requires minimal food and board expenses." Sage smiled, "So if a person sells their body, they must pay 100 Skye to live well before earning a surplus.

It's a law and transfers directly, so debt collectors cannot interfere with a person's right to food and board."

Evalyn's eyes widened, and she turned to the emperor in surprise. "Was that your law?"

"Of course." Kaze smiled, "The purpose of the Underground Bizarre isn't to promote foolish notions of [freedom] or encourage debauchery.

It serves a positive purpose, and it's regulated to ensure that it stays positive.

That's what we're here to discuss."

Everyone stopped touring the area and turned to him. His tone shifted, becoming somber mid-way through. It was time to get down to business.

"Tomorrow, we're hosting the Malta police force alongside the military." Kaze announced, surprising everyone since they hadn't discussed it, "We will try to steal officers if we can.

Either way, we are staging a coup-like operation and give both parties an ultimatum to join us or peacefully leave, permanently cutting ties."

A wave of anxiety washed over the group. Even Sage was stunned beyond belief, shocked to the core by his casual declaration.

"Wait, to clarify…." Kylie laughed breathlessly, releasing anxiety, "Are you saying we will force them into submission by force tomorrow before negotiations?"

"It seems you understand correctly." The emperor replied, sending sharp pangs of fear pulsing through their bodies.

Kaze scoffed, rolling his eyes after seeing their fearful expressions. "It's only been a few hours since we broke the Maltian military's spirits and proved they lack the power to fight us.

Yet you're afraid to face their power?"

The cabinet members gave him wry smiles. They all understood his message, but it didn't change that he asked peaceful college students to stage a coup!

"I assume you have countermeasures in the event of an organized counterstrike where the soldiers take hostages, right?" Evalyn asked with narrowed eyes.

"Of course I do." He scoffed arrogantly, vexed everyone was wasting time on small details as they discussed an irreparable operation, "Does anyone want to speak of the coup without parroting their fears and emotions?"

The blonde turned away in annoyance. She already knew the answer to the question but felt the personal need to voice her priorities. While it was redundant, he didn't need to be a dick about it!

However, she couldn't stay bothered because one glance at the cabinet members vindicated his behavior. No one spoke, unable to think of anything useful past their fears and emotions.

When the topic was grave and time-sensitive, it was understandable to ask people to stay focused.

He was still a dick, though.

"I think you've gotten your answer." Sage remarked after an awkward silence, "What does your coup have to do with the Underground Bizarre?"

"Tomorrow, everyone will go into lockdown, and stress levels will skyrocket." Kaze warned, "We have seventy people qualified to keep order in the mansions.

However, the stress will build, and we must give people an outlet so they don't attack or assault others. Such is the benefit of legal sex work during the apocalypse."

Everyone felt icy chills crawl down their spines.

"We cannot stop human nature." He continued, "However, we can promise virgins that they can experience sex if they work hard and survive. The same is true of stressed athletes.

It's a disturbing topic, but not addressing it bluntly is tantamount to inviting tragedy."

Evalyn's perspective on the topic shifted drastically. "I see. That's why we're opening the mall at the witching hour, right?

We're giving women—especially—an incentive to sell their bodies for rewards?"

"Exactly." He confirmed bluntly. When he saw the cabinet members wince slightly, uncomfortable, he scoff-laughed. "You act as though we have a government-sponsored sex work program.

We are not promoting sex work or asking women and men to do anything.

We're only letting humans rent out space; if they use it to sell their bodies for clothing, that's their choice. It doesn't involve us."

Everyone looked at one another with wry smiles. The thought that they'd let people rent out rooms and men and women would instantly strip was horrifying.

However, they knew it would happen; the only question was how long it would take.

"Does everyone understand the value of the Underground Bizarre and agree on its value?" Kaze asked bluntly, "If you have objections or suggestions, speak now."

After an hour-long discussion on specifics, they agreed upon the laws of the Underground Bizarre and gave their full support.

…

The following day, the emperor woke up early to greet a very special guest.

"Hello Carmen." Kaze said charmingly, looking at a beautiful black woman with her hair in a tight bun, "It seems we meet again."

Malta's current police chief looked up from the document in her hand with a cringing expression. She couldn't believe that [he] was her emissary!

"Hello, Kaze." Carmen said in a low tone, trying to stay civil, "It's wonderful to see you greeting us, considering that you had our entrance revoked."

She referred to giving her and three officers the Illuminescent Breathing technique and then cutting off communication, barring their entrance to Immortal Skye.

"Revoked?" Kaze asked with a broad smile, "You are qualified for Immortal Skye and can join anytime you wish."

Hearing him say that she was at Immortal Skye, thus reinstating contact, and had an open invitation, left a strange taste in her mouth.

If it were true that she had an opportunity to join Immortal Skye, then he was claiming he'd boldly steal Malta's forces before their military!

Either way, she didn't like the person making such damning claims.

"I see." Carmen said tersely, eyeing him like a hawk, "Are you the person that will be leading me to the Emperor?"

"There's no need for that." Kaze smiled mysteriously. "I assure you that I'm the only person you need to talk to."

"I don't doubt your talent or qualifications." The police chief prefaced in annoyance, "But I'm here to attend the Emperor's retreat, not speak to a college student."