Building The Strongest Family-Chapter 156: Freedom Speech

"We didn't just penetrate the Noctis arms market," Ethan said with a smirk that hinted at mischief. "We own 10% of it."

The hologram zoomed in dramatically to reveal their operations:

Country: Varenya (Primary Client)

Purchases:5,000 XM-42 Plasma Rifles (Tier-3 Infantry), 200 T-90 Main Battle Tanks (Retrofit with Osborn Reactive Armor), 50 Nightshade Stealth Drones (Mark IV)

Total Revenue:4.2 Billion Unicreds

"Payment secured via 20% upfront; remainder in Varenya crude oil exports (5-year contract)"

Arthur nodded approvingly,"Dravik's putting those new toys to good use."

Ethan's grin sharpened further. "Oh, that's just scratching the surface."

Country: Kharzin (Black Market Pipeline).

Purchases:10,000 CR-77 Combat Rifles (Black Iron Mercenary Group), 25 Havoc-Class Mobile Artillery (Kharzin Revolutionary Front)

and 500 Shadowcloak Infiltration Kits (Unknown Buyer)

Total Revenue:6.8 Billion Unicreds (Untraceable Cryptocurrency)

"Brokered through shell corporations. No direct ties to Osborn Holdings."

Gunnar, who had been quietly absorbing the information, finally broke the silence with a low whistle. "Shadowcloaks? Those are prototypes!"

Ethan shrugged nonchalantly. "The buyer paid triple the market rate. It felt wasteful to turn it down."

Arthur's eyes sparkled with intrigue. "So, who's this mystery client?"

"Unconfirmed," Ethan replied, his tone cautious. "But rumors point to the Eastern Consortium."

A moment of silence hung in the air like tension before a storm.

Then Arthur burst into laughter. "Beautiful! We're selling our enemies the very tools they'll use to hang themselves!"

Country: Sylvaris (Government Contract).

Purchases:1 Aurora-Class Destroyer (Naval Fleet Upgrade),300 Skybreaker Anti-Air Systems (City Defense Grid) and 12,000 Tactical HUD Visors (Elite Forces)

Total Revenue: 15 Billion Unicreds (50% upfront, balance in mineral rights)

"Contract includes a 10-year maintenance agreement. Sylvaris is now functionally dependent on Osborn tech."

Vex, who had been glued to the data streams, finally chimed in. "That destroyer has a backdoor firmware patch. If Sylvaris steps out of line…"

Arthur waved dismissively. "Let's just hope they don't."

Country: The Iron Pact (Mercenary Coalition).Purchases: 200 Wraith-Class Exosuits (Special Operations),5,000 Inferno Thermite Grenades and 3 Obsidian Tactical Nukes (Discreet Delivery)

Total Revenue: 9.5 Billion Unicreds (Gold-backed)

"Highest markup at an astonishing 400%. The buyer didn't even haggle."

Gunnar's scarred face twisted into an approving grin. "They're gearing up for something big."

"A coup in Maldros," Ethan confirmed confidently. "We're already positioning ourselves to sell the losing side their own package."

Arthur's smile could have sliced through steel. "Ethan, remind me to give you a raise!"

Ethan swiped the hologram, expanding it into a macro-view,a mesmerizing, rotating globe of the Noctis Continent, with every transaction glowing in vibrant blue pulses.

"Total revenue last quarter: 35.5 billion Unicreds. Projected for next quarter? A staggering 50 billion Unicreds," he announced.

Arthur whistled, his eyebrows shooting up. "That's not just business; that's a war economy!"

"It gets even better," Ethan replied, excitement bubbling over as he pulled up another dataset. "We've secured exclusive contracts with three of the continent's largest mercenary factions. They're not merely buying our weapons,they're leasing our intel networks, logistics systems, and even our med-tech."

Vex leaned in closer, eyes wide with intrigue. "That's not just profit; that's serious leverage."

"Exactly!" Ethan's eyes sparkled with ambition. "We're no longer just their supplier,we're their lifeline."

Arthur stood up and began pacing around the hologlobe, deep in thought. "What's our bottleneck?"

"Production," Gunnar grunted from the corner. "Our Venusian factories are running at 90% capacity. If we take on more orders, we'll need to expand."

Arthur nodded decisively. "Let's make it happen. And Ethan…"

"Yes?" Ethan replied eagerly, ready for more directives.

"Start funneling that black-market crypto into our Aurelian real estate ventures. It's time to legitimize this money."

Ethan flashed a toothy grin. "Already on it!"

As the meeting wrapped up, Arthur caught Ethan's arm with a serious expression.

"The Consortium," he murmured lowly, urgency creeping into his voice. "You're sure they're buying?"

Ethan's smirk faded slightly as he met Arthur's gaze with icy determination. "Absolutely positive,and here's the kicker,we're selling them defective Shadowcloaks."

Arthur blinked in disbelief before bursting into laughter, a rich, dark sound that echoed through the war room like thunder rolling across the sky.

Outside, dawn broke over the Noctis Continent, ushering in a new day and signaling the rise of a new empire.

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The air in Varenya's capital buzzed with an electric energy, a vibrant pulse that flowed through the throngs of people crammed into Unity Square.

Hundreds of thousands,no, millions,of eager faces looked up at the towering marble podium where one man stood, illuminated by the golden light of dawn.

General Dravik, now President Dravik, was a sight to behold in his crisp military uniform,a striking cobalt blue adorned with shimmering gold braiding and medals that sparkled like fallen stars on his chest.

His steel-gray eyes scanned the crowd, his square jaw set with determination as he prepared to address this momentous occasion.

Behind him, the Presidential Palace loomed large, its pristine white stone facade freshly scrubbed clean of the scars left by war.

The national flag,a dove rising from a field of crimson,fluttered proudly in the breeze.

As Dravik stepped forward, an explosion of sound erupted from the crowd,a deafening roar of cheers and chants filled with raw hope after decades of conflict.

He raised his hands high, and just like that, silence fell as if dropped by a guillotine.

"People of Varenya!"

His voice boomed through Unity Square, amplified by hidden speakers and echoing off buildings still marked by bullet holes.

"Today, we stand together,not as north or south, not as soldiers or civilians, but as one nation!"

Another wave of cheers surged through the crowd. Camera drones buzzed overhead like excited bees, capturing every angle and broadcasting this historic moment across the globe.

Dravik's tone shifted to something more intimate despite the sheer size of the audience.

"For thirty years, we bled. For thirty years, we buried our sons and daughters. No more."

A woman in the front row couldn't hold back her tears.

"My first act as your president?" He paused dramatically to let anticipation build. "Total disarmament of all warlord factions! Their weapons will be melted down and reforged into plowshares,into schools and hospitals!"

The crowd erupted once more; strangers embraced each other in joy while others wept openly in relief.

Dravik continued outlining his ambitious vision:

Economic Revival Zones (Tax-free industrial hubs funded by Osborn Group)

The Phoenix Fund (Reparations for war victims)

Universal Conscription not for war but for rebuilding!

Each promise met with thunderous applause echoed across Unity Square.

Meanwhile, high above it all in the presidential suite of the Grand Varenya Hotel sat Arthur Osborn on a plush velvet sofa with a glass of Solarian whiskey dangling from his fingers.

The wall-sized holoscreen displayed Dravik in stunning 8K resolution; every bead of sweat glistened on his brow.

Ethan stood near the window watching reality unfold through polarized glass. "He's good," he remarked casually.

Arthur smirked knowingly. "I know".

On screen, Dravik reached his peak moment, his voice booming with passion:

"And to those who dare question this peace? Who murmur that war is in our blood?"

He pounded a fist against his chest. "I say, look around you! This, this is who we truly are!"

The crowd erupted into a unified roar of approval, a living testament to his words.

Arthur took a slow sip of whiskey, savoring the moment. "So, how many of those 'disarmed' warlords are really on our payroll now?"

Ethan didn't even glance at his tablet. "Seventy percent. The other thirty? They're gone."

A low chuckle escaped Arthur's lips. "And what about the Phoenix Fund?"

"Just shell companies," Ethan replied matter-of-factly. "Every single credit flows right back to Osborn Holdings."

Arthur's grin was sly and satisfied. "Beautiful."

Outside, fireworks exploded in the night sky, gold and crimson bursts lighting up Varenya's new dawn like a promise of hope and renewal.