Inside the car, Lucil was enthusiastically talking about her achievements and proudly fangirling over Klaus, who was subtly listening, but his mind was elsewhere. Using his heightened senses, he scanned the entire area, leaving no stone unturned in his examination of the surroundings.
Through his senses, he could see far and wide, effortlessly identifying everything that made the place secure, beautiful, and mesmerizing.
He spotted several buildings along the way and quickly realized they were living quarters for the workers. A few of them housed data centers and other essential machinery for the facility's operations.
The place even had its own power plant, and from his quick assessment, Klaus it was being powered by Humium—the same mineral that had transformed the Zombies that attacked Arcadian City into Voltox Zombies.
There were also market centers, bustling with activity, a clear sign that some of the workers lived there permanently. It wasn't just a workplace—it was a thriving community.
Klaus also noticed a few drones patrolling the area, and upon further examination with his senses, he discovered they were the primary security force.
Although there were human guards and a few robotic mechas, the drones equipped with thermal imaging systems were the real sentinels. Nothing could escape those thermal cameras, ensuring that any potential threat was immediately detected.
"We've got the whole place under constant surveillance with our state-of-the-art satellite, the Aegis-Eye," Joon said, noticing Klaus was zoning out.
"It uses color and thermal imagery to capture data in real-time, so nothing can escape its gaze. Those drones are synced to it, so even if a threat is moving 50 feet underground, we'll catch it."
Joon paused, "And even if, by some miracle, the Aegis-Eye misses something, our Terra Sentinel Ground Detection System can pick up anything moving underground—up to 10,000 feet deep. So, rest easy, Klaus, this is the safest place on Earth."
Klaus gave a slight nod, but his mind was still running in overdrive, analyzing every detail. Safe or not, he knew that even the most secure places had their weaknesses.
And Klaus knew that from the pictures people sneakily took of him at the landing pad, it wouldn't be long before word got out.
If it hadn't already, people would soon know he was in Stone Valley. The Dark Order would be among those first to know, and Klaus was sure they'd try something reckless.
But his thoughts might've been too ordinary. This place was the most secure on Earth, and no matter how foolish someone was, infiltrating here would be impossible. Then again, the Dark Order was desperate. Every second Klaus continued to breathe was another blow to their reputation.
"That right there is the main building, where all the magic happens," Joon said, breaking Klaus's thoughts as a new structure came into view after a 20-minute drive.
They didn't linger much on the other departments as they passed through. Most were responsible for the technical side—coding, testing, and other behind-the-scenes work. One section caught Klaus's eye, though. It was dedicated to designing gadgets, both inside Oracle and outside the world.
"These gadgets can be bought in and out of Oracle," Joon noted, as they passed by the workstations filled with prototype tech.
Klaus nodded, taking everything in. The place was impressive, no doubt, but something about it made him wonder how far Oracle's reach really extended.
From what he had seen so far, Klaus could tell that Oracle Inc, was an incredibly powerful organization, no doubt about it. However, something about it made him wonder just how far they could push their boundaries.
He hadn't gotten into the details yet, but he sensed that beyond creating a 100% immersive virtual world, they were aiming to achieve something much grander.
But he held back from prying too much. He figured he'd learn more as he spent time there.
"This is where we'll be working," Joon announced as they reached the top floor after passing through several departments across dozens of levels. The space was designed for both work and relaxation.
Klaus noticed a room with a gaming chair and helmet. Instantly, he knew that would be his spot. He would be spending a lot of time inside the game.
"So, what will my schedule look like?" Klaus asked, eager to understand how things would flow.
"You'll work for eight hours a day inside Oracle. Your job is to help us make it as realistic as possible," Joon explained. "You can take breaks between those eight hours to relax, but after the 8 hours, you're free to do whatever you want."
He continued, "There's a training center on the roof, so you can spend some time there if you'd like. Plus, there's a console in your room, giving you unrestricted access to everything we've developed."
Joon gestured around the space. "There's also a model table here and in your room, so any designs or suggestions you come up with, you can try to model them."
"And of course," Joon added with a smile, "if you find programming fascinating, we have a room full of books to help you out."
"Welcome to Oracle Inc., Klaus Hanson!" Joon finished a gleam of excitement in his eyes.
Klaus couldn't help but smile back. It felt like he was stepping into something much larger than himself, and he was ready to dive in.