Chapter 11: The Quantum Gambit and the Dividend Flood
Seraphina didn't waste a second. The moment Project: Genesis Seed was initiated, QL's formidable corporate machinery whirred into motion with terrifying efficiency. Memos flashed across secure networks, personnel were reassigned, and budgets materialized seemingly out of thin air, all under the impenetrable cloak of Omega-Prime security protocols.
"Ben," Seraphina's voice was crisp and cool over the secure comm line, reaching Ben Carter back in his analysis lab. "Project Genesis Seed is greenlit. You report directly to me now. Your first task: coordinate the initial Beta wave. I want one hundred QL personnel – security cleared, loyal, competent – inside Ascension Heaven within the hour. Use the Premium Access keys. Prioritize analysts, strategists, and anyone with latent Qi sensitivity, regardless of their current division."
"Yes, Ma'am," Ben replied, already typing furiously, routing the activation keys. "Consider it done."
"Second wave," Seraphina continued, pacing slowly before her window, "Another hundred users. Select trusted external assets. High-level partners, individuals whose discretion is absolute and whose power might be useful down the line. Filter them in over the next twelve hours. We need data, Ben, and we need boots on the ground to establish dominance before this leaks further."
"Understood. And the internal task force?"
"Quantum Core," Seraphina stated. "It's already being formed. They will be our spearhead within the simulation. Coordinate resource allocation with Commander Valerius once he's briefed. Their objective: explore, analyze, secure any strategic advantages, and find the damn creators."
"One more thing, Ma'am," Ben added, pulling up another file. "The reviewer who flagged this anomaly first, Jax from P-Hub? He was fired this morning for reporting 'Qi sensations'. He's currently unemployed and likely demoralized."
Seraphina allowed herself a tiny, cold smile. Perfect. "Find him, Ben. Offer him a position. Generous salary, full benefits, NDA thicker than a vault door. We need his perspective – the Ordinary user who stumbled onto the extraordinary. His early data, however anecdotal, is invaluable. Plus," she added pragmatically, "bringing him into the fold ensures his silence."
"Right away, Ma'am."
Jax was packing the last of his meager belongings – mostly old data slates and his resilient desk cactus – into a cardboard box when his personal communicator chimed. Unknown number, high-security encryption. He almost ignored it, figuring it was Grak calling back to gloat or demand payment for the spilled coffee. Curiosity won out.
"Hello?" he answered wearily.
"Mr. Jax?" a smooth, professional voice inquired. "My name is Ben Carter, from Quantum Leap Interstellar's Strategic Development division. I believe we have a mutual interest in a certain… game."
Jax froze, the cactus halfway into the box. Quantum Leap? Strategic Development? "Ascension Heaven?" he whispered, his heart suddenly pounding.
"Precisely," Ben confirmed. "We found your initial assessment... insightful. Despite your former employer's lack of vision. QL sees things differently. We believe your experience is valuable. Extremely valuable, in fact. How would you feel about continuing your research… with considerably more resources and significantly better compensation?"
Jax dropped the cactus. It landed with a soft thump in the box. Fired from P-Hub's dumpster fire, headhunted by QL's elite division, all in less than 24 hours? The universe had a truly warped sense of humor.
"I… I accept," Jax stammered, disbelief warring with burgeoning hope. "When do I start?"
Ran was practicing his Qi Circulation, enjoying the smooth flow facilitated by his Grade 3 Root, when his System interface suddenly lit up like a festival lantern.
[ALERT: Significant Player Influx Detected!]
[Current Concurrent Player Count: 37]
[Current Concurrent Player Count: 81]
[Current Concurrent Player Count: 155]
[Current Concurrent Player Count: 198]
The numbers climbed rapidly over the course of an hour. Ran watched, wide-eyed, as his Dividend meter began to tick upwards at a pace that made his previous 0.8 unit gain look like pocket change. Warmth flooded into him, wave after wave of refined Bio-Energy.
Yes! Finally! It's working! He felt a surge of pure, unadulterated glee. His power-farm was finally seeing some serious harvesting.
Another notification popped up, slightly different from the usual Dividend reports.
[System Notice: Multiple High-Resource Player Connections Detected.]
[Analysis: Connections originate from sophisticated, high-bandwidth network nodes consistent with major corporate or organizational infrastructure. Player bio-signatures exhibit higher than average baseline energy potential.]
[Implication: These players may generate Dividends at an accelerated rate. Yay!]
Ran blinked at the 'High-Resource' tag. Huh. Corporate players? Makes sense, QL must have noticed. He briefly wondered who they were and what they were doing, but the thought was quickly overshadowed by the sheer joy of the incoming energy. High-resource players meant better quality Dividends, faster cultivation for him. That was all that mattered.
He grinned, settling back into his meditation. Let the corporates play. Let everyone play. As long as they kept feeding the Dividend Loop, they were welcome in his little corner of reality. His path to power was finally accelerating.