Hero of Darkness

Chapter 1129  Invading Privacy

After introducing Kassandra to Vildred and Omega, Kahn wasted no time. His plans unfolded rapidly, and he arrived at the capital branch of Seven Deadly Sins, the infamous underground organization he had meticulously built from the shadows. This was where the next crucial phase of his operation would begin... the systematic dismantling of the existing government structure, a move long in the making.

Inside the hidden main headquarters of Seven Deadly Sins, Kahn appeared before a figure known as Zeus. To the rest of the organization, Zeus was their enigmatic leader, a mastermind whose presence dictated the course of their operations.

In truth, however, Zeus was nothing more than one of Kahnʼs doppelgängers, a persona he had crafted in the early days to establish and maintain control over the organization while keeping his true identity hidden.

With a simple touch, Kahn merged with his doppelgänger, regaining every memory, every decision, and every bit of intelligence that had been accumulated in Zeusʼs absence. The integration was seamless, and in an instant, Kahn became privy to all recent developments within Seven Deadly Sins.

This was where his expertise as a Master Rank Saint Blacksmith, proficient in the art of artificing, played a critical role. Under the guise of Zeus, Kahn had spent years amassing a vast network of resources, acquiring materials essential for the large-scale production of magical projection artifacts.

These artifacts were designed to serve as a conduit for information dissemination... powerful tools that would allow him to manipulate public perception and expose the corruption embedded within the highest echelons of power.

At the heart of this endeavor lay the extensive intelligence Seven Deadly Sins had gathered over the past five years. Their spies had infiltrated noble clans, government institutions, and major business conglomerates, meticulously compiling evidence of scams, illicit dealings, brutality, and money laundering orchestrated by the ruling elites.

Every crime, every underhanded scheme, every atrocity committed by those in power had been documented and archived, waiting for the perfect moment to be unleashed.

However, Kahn knew from experience that simply revealing the truth was not enough. Five years ago, he had leveraged similar tactics to reshape the political landscape of Verlassen Fiefdom.

But this time, the stakes were higher, and he needed a more sophisticated approach. His goal was not merely to expose corruption but to orchestrate a complete upheaval... one that would leave no room for recovery for those he sought to dethrone.

As he worked tirelessly, creating thousands of projection artifacts within mere minutes, Kassandra and Vildred joined in to ensure that every piece of information was transcribed accurately. Given their own formidable ranks... Kassandra as a Summoner and Vildred as a Sage... they were able to keep up with Kahnʼs blistering pace, each of them lending their unique abilities to accelerate the production process.

By the end of the day, their combined efforts had yielded more than 100 million artifacts, each imbued with undeniable proof of the governmentʼs wrongdoings.

These artifacts would serve as the ultimate weapon... an unstoppable wave of truth that would shake the very foundation of the empire.

Kassandra furrowed her brows, clearly intrigued yet skeptical. ”Babe, how exactly do you plan to distribute these across the entire empire? The government is bound to crack down on an unverified product flooding the market, especially one capable of spreading uncontrolled information.” she asked, her voice laced with concern.

Kahn, however, simply smirked... a devilish, knowing grin forming on his face. He reached into his storage and pulled out a freshly crafted artifact, a sleek rectangular device with a glass screen and small buttons on its surface.

”In my world… we call this a mobile phone,” Kahn began, holding up the artifact for them to see. ”Itʼs a communication device that became a necessity for nearly every working-class person. Not only did it revolutionize the way people connected, but it was also used for entertainment, information sharing, and even marketing. Entire industries were built around it.”

Kassandra and Vildred leaned in, their curiosity piqued.

”Unlike the expensive communication artifacts currently used by nobles and the military... which have limited options and require direct mana input from those who can use it or have the resources to do so... this device can record voices, send messages, and even transmit broadcasts from officially recognized networks.” Kahn explained. ”My plan is to introduce it as a groundbreaking new invention and distribute it for free under the guise of sending out samples.”

”Giving it away? Are you insane? With a product like that, you could amass a fortune in no time, especially if it can be mass-produced at a fraction of the cost of traditional communication artifacts.” spoke Vildred as he raised a skeptical brow. ”True, but wealth is not my priority right now. The real value of this device lies in what it can do in the short term.”

He held the device up, rolling it between his fingers. ”These ʼphonesʼ I created have a crucial flaw: their battery life is limited to just one week, and they canʼt be recharged using mana stones or any other conventional means.

They will stop working after seven days.” he explained casually.

”But thatʼs all the time we need.” iterated Kahn with a smug smile.

Kassandra frowned slightly, deep in thought. ”Then just 100 million units wonʼt be enough,” she remarked.

Kahn, however, shook his head with a knowing smirk.

”No, they will be. Weʼre not trying to set up a business here,” he clarified. ”We wonʼt be applying for any patents or opening a production line for this... at least not now. The goal isnʼt profit, itʼs influence.” clarified Kahn.

Kassandra and Vildred exchanged glances as Kahn continued. ”What we want is for people to get their hands on these devices. Once they do, word of mouth will spread like wildfire. Since itʼs a brand-new product, those who get it first will naturally show it off... demonstrating what it can do to their families, friends, and colleagues. The urge to flaunt something innovative is universal.”

Vildred nodded in understanding, a smirk forming on his lips. ”And once enough people start using it, curiosity will drive demand.”

”Exactly,” Kahn affirmed. ”But more importantly, our primary target audience is the people in the capital... the very heart of the empire where all major government institutions, including parliament, are located. If we want to shake the foundation of the ruling structure, thatʼs where we must start.”

Kassandra leaned forward. ”So the first six days… what happens then?”

”For the first six days, people will go nuts over these devices,” Kahn explained. ”Theyʼll quickly realize how they transform their daily lives... providing instant communication, easy access to information, and a level of convenience theyʼve never had before. Theyʼll also start investigating where these devices come from.

Thatʼs where we misdirect them.” he iterated with an insidious tone.

Vildred arched a brow again. ”Misdirect?”

”Yes. Weʼll label the devices under existing companies... not our own. This way, even if the authorities start digging, theyʼll be chasing ghosts. The entire business world will be in chaos, trying to figure out who is behind this groundbreaking technology. Nobles, merchants, and scholars alike will be scrambling to get a piece of it, all while we stay in the shadows.” he explained with a cordial smile.

Kassandraʼs eyes gleamed with realization. ”This will cause a ripple effect beyond just the common folk. Once the nobles and merchants see the potential of these devices, theyʼll start fighting over control of the technology, further dividing the ruling factions.

And on the seventh day… we strike.” she spoke with surprise.

”Exactly,” Kahn confirmed. ”On the final day... before the batteries run out... we unleash our trump card. Every single device will begin broadcasting the truth... the corruption, the crimes, and the conspiracies weʼve gathered over the years.

With 100 million people watching at once, no noble, no ruler, no military force will be able to suppress it in time. The empire itself will be paralyzed with shock before they even figure out how to respond.” he elaborated.

Vildred let out a low whistle, crossing his arms. ”This… it will work! Thatʼs so smart!” he admitted, utterly baffled by Kahnʼs sheer cunning.

Kassandra smirked, shaking her head. ”You really do love playing the long game, donʼt you?”

”Why fight a war with swords and blood… when I can burn an empire down with whispers and light?” said Kahn as he chuckled.

”A clever gambit. Instead of hoarding power, youʼre using it as a Trojan horse to destabilize the very system youʼre targeting.” spoke the former lightning dragon emperor.

Using peopleʼs basic needs as a means to infiltrate the entire populationʼs minds...

Kassandra nodded, a glint of admiration in her eyes. ”And that, my dear, is how you collapse an empire from within... without ever lifting a blade.” he iterated with a grin.

”Thatʼs expected of my darling. Such a genius.” said Kassandra as she hugged Kahn.

”Aww, youʼre embarrassing me, honey.” spoke Kahn as he hugged back and kissed Kassandra on the forehead.

Both of them started being lovey-dovey all of a sudden.

Vildredʼs face turned ashen as he grabbed his scepter with both hands, his eyes filled with wrath.

Woosh!

Omega quickly grabbed him from behind, pulling the sage away.

”Let me go! Iʼm going to kill these bastards!”