The silence that followed Adrian's invitation wasn't just heavy, it was oppressive.
Jeffery, Charles, and Eli stared at Adrian, the sheer, staggering audacity of his proposition rendering them momentarily speechless.
Owning the Corrupted Lands? Transforming it? Surpassing the Capital? It wasn't just ambitious; it sounded like the fever dream of a madman.
Yet, Adrian sat before them, utterly composed, his unwavering gaze holding a certainty that defied their ingrained skepticism.
Their initial disbelief wasn't merely about the feasibility of the project; it was about the fundamental claim itself. Could anyone truly own that forsaken place? And if they could, why would they? The idea seemed preposterous, a layer of impossibility beneath the already monumental task.
But as the seconds stretched, something shifted. Adrian's words, delivered with such bedrock conviction, didn't just hang in the air; they seemed to seep into their minds, carrying an intangible weight.
