Chapter 198: Meeting the Governor

Seated inside the room, a middle-aged woman sat across from Thoren, a faint, controlled smile playing on her lips.

Her posture was composed, her presence commanding without being overbearing.

Behind her stood five councilors, each wearing a different expression, shock, caution, and restrained curiosity.

None of them dared to speak.

Their eyes remained fixed on Thoren, as though they were observing something both dangerous and extraordinary.

They had all witnessed what had happened earlier.

They had seen Thoren’s overwhelming strength when he confronted Silas.

They had watched, stunned, as he subdued the young master of the Steelwind family without lifting a finger.

They had encountered many Awakeners who returned from the Abyss before.

Some were arrogant, some unstable, others overly proud of their survival.

But none, none had ever exuded the kind of oppressive presence Thoren carried so effortlessly.

He was different.

He stood in a league entirely of his own.

“Young Hero,” the middle-aged woman began, inclining her head slightly in a respectful bow, “on behalf of the entire Human Federation, I thank you.”

Her voice was calm, dignified, and measured, carrying the authority of someone accustomed to command.

“It’s nothing,” Thoren replied indifferently. “I’m just doing my part.”

His tone was neither humble nor arrogant. It was simply a matter-of-fact.

From what he could tell, the woman before him was no ordinary figure. The subtle deference shown by the councilors behind her spoke volumes.

She held power. Real power.

As Thoren observed her, the woman, in turn, studied him closely.

’Calm… and confident,’ she thought.

She had expected arrogance, a young man intoxicated by newfound power, eager to flaunt his strength. That was usually the case with newly returned Awakeners.

But Thoren was different.

What she saw instead was a young man who understood himself.

Ruthless when necessary.

Calm when required.

There was no unnecessary display, no wasted emotion.

’My plans will need adjustment,’ she mused inwardly, a sharp glint flickering briefly in her eyes.

“You must be curious about who I am,” she said.

Thoren did not respond. He simply looked at her, his gaze steady, waiting.

“I am the Governor of this city, representing the Human Federation,” she continued calmly.

For the briefest moment, Thoren was surprised.

He had not expected the Governor herself to come personally to meet him.

Still, his expression remained unchanged as he replied, “It’s nice meeting you.”

His casual response stunned the councilors behind her. Their eyes widened slightly, disbelief evident on their faces.

To speak so plainly to the Governor…

Yet the Governor herself merely raised an eyebrow, quickly recovering.

Her evaluation of Thoren rose yet again.

“For every successful Awakener who returns from the Abyss,” she continued, “the Federation has prepared rewards.”

She spoke clearly, ensuring every word carried weight.

“One of these is a villa in Brightspire Quarters, along with two of the latest model vehicles and fifty million dollars.”

“Additionally, you and your family will enjoy a twenty percent discount on all purchases within the Federation.”

“And lastly…” she paused slightly, “…you and your family will be granted Tier-1 Citizenship.”

Thoren listened quietly, his expression unchanged throughout.

“What is Tier-1 Citizenship?” he asked.

Of everything she had mentioned, this was the only thing that caught his attention.

Material wealth meant little to him now. If he wanted, he could acquire such things himself.

But this… this sounded different.

The Governor nodded, as though she had expected the question.

“With the emergence of the Abyss,” she explained, “humanity had to restructure itself for survival.”

“Citizens are categorized into tiers based on their contributions to the Federation.”

“There are unranked citizens, then Tier-0, the lowest recognized level, followed by Tier-1 and above.”

“This information is restricted to a select few,” she added. “Now that you are a Tier-1 citizen, you are permitted access.”

She retrieved a sleek, specialized communicator and slid it across the table toward him.

“With this device, you can access networks unavailable to the general public.”

Thoren picked it up briefly, examining it. It was clearly more advanced than the standard communicators used by ordinary citizens.

He set it down calmly.

“How long will this Tier-1 status last?” he asked.

He was no fool.

He understood very well that everything being offered to him was based on his current value his identity as a returned Awakener.

If that value disappeared… so would the benefits.

His question stunned both the Governor and the councilors once more.

It was the first time any Awakener had asked such a question.

Most were blinded by the rewards, wealth, status, privilege.

Few ever stopped to consider the conditions attached.

After all, nothing in this world was truly free.

“As long as you continue to return from the Abyss,” the Governor replied calmly, “your Tier will remain and may even increase, granting greater privileges.”

“But if you fail to return within ten years, your Tier-1 status will be downgraded to Tier-0.”

“And after twenty years, you will revert to an unranked citizen.”

“I see,” Thoren nodded, understanding immediately.

Everything depended on continued survival… and continued usefulness.

“I believe my work here is done,” the Governor said, rising to her feet gracefully.

“When we meet again, I hope we can have a more… in-depth discussion.”

She turned toward the door, then paused briefly.

“Oh, before I forget,” she added, glancing over her shoulder with a knowing smile, “Silas’s wealth now belongs to your family.”

“This is one of the privileges of a Tier-1 citizen.”

A soft chuckle escaped her lips before she exited the room.

Behind her, the councilors followed, though not without casting envious glances at Thoren.

They all knew just how vast Silas’s wealth had been.

And now… it had all fallen into Thoren’s hands.

Yet Thoren remained indifferent.

To him, it meant little.

He only had less than twenty-four hours on the surface before he would return to the Abyss.

All this wealth, every bit of it was for his parents.

Outside, rows of Hunters were stationed throughout the area, their presence imposing and unwavering.

They stood like silent sentinels, ensuring that no disturbance would arise.

The atmosphere was tense, yet controlled.

Reaching her car, the Governor paused and turned back one last time, her gaze settling briefly on Thoren.

A faint smile touched her lips, one filled with calculation rather than warmth.

She entered the car, and the door shut with a soft click.

Inside, her calm expression vanished instantly, replaced by deep contemplation.

Without wasting a moment, she took out her communicator and began typing a rapid message to someone.

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