Inside the Central Administrative Headquarters of Stella, a meeting was underway. In the second-floor conference room, all the high-ranking present in the city were gathered.
Ethan occupied the main seat, followed by Officer Wei. Around him were several Vesper captains, the captain in charge of construction and infrastructure, the head of logistics, the person responsible for civil control, the captain of the medical squad, and two urban security captains. They were few, but sufficient for Stella's current size.
Ethan remained focused, reviewing a city map laid out on the table. With a metal pointer, he marked sectors as he spoke.
"We will establish the layout of Stella by functional zones. The main ones will be: common residential areas, the central government area, barracks, medical zones, the refugee district, a future academic zone, and distribution and access routes."
He turned to the captain of the medical squad. Unlike the rest, he was not a combat soldier.
"Your team will be responsible for medical care in Stella."
All Vespers were trained in first aid, but his unit was created for a different purpose.
Ethan had personally formed that squad. They had sufficient knowledge of field medicine, wound disinfection with alcohol or boiled water, stitching with thread, projectile extraction, limb immobilization, emergency amputations, use of tourniquets, burn treatment, and controlled administration of natural painkillers. They knew what was necessary to keep someone alive.
After all, in most wars, casualties weren't caused by instant deaths but by poorly treated wounds, uncontrolled infections, and hemorrhages that weren't stopped in time.
"You and your squad will remain in the medical zone. Treat the injured and sick. Use gloves, masks, and protection. If you encounter a situation beyond your capacity, report it immediately. Do not underestimate diseases. They're no joke," Ethan said with a serious look.
"Understood. We will execute the orders," the medical captain responded with a slight military nod.
Ethan continued the meeting, now facing the head of logistics. His role was to maintain the flow of materials, controlling entries and exits precisely. For now, almost everything—iron, copper, tin, lead—was directed to Omega Zero. However, there was no clear source of income from Stella. Expenses far outweighed the benefits.
Astralis needed capital. And fast.
Ethan had thought about it for days. He needed something this world consumed massively. Something universal.
Weapons.
Not firearms. Melee weapons.
In this world, almost everyone carried one. Merchants, guards, soldiers, mercenaries, cultivators, villagers... No one walked unarmed if they could avoid it. A sword, a spear, an axe, or even a knife was more than a weapon, it was security, peace of mind. An indispensable object for survival.
Ethan planned to use the machinery of Omega Zero to mass-produce standard weapons: swords, spears, knives made of common steel.
He would not use black steel. Only common steel.
Pure iron is soft, loses its edge quickly, and can bend or break with a single misdirected blow. Steel, on the other hand, being an alloy of iron and carbon, offers hardness, flexibility, and a superior ability to retain sharpness.
With the right market, Ethan knew that even low-level cultivators—those who couldn't afford spiritual weapons—would be willing to pay for weapons of higher-than-standard quality.
He didn't fear a world full of swords.
In fact, he preferred it that way.
Because as long as his enemies continued to wield melee weapons, Astralis would keep advancing on the path of gunpowder and steel, developing more firearms. In the long run, it could even become a covert attrition strategy, saturate the market with conventional weapons while he reserved the true power.
"Arm the world to keep it backward," Ethan muttered.
When he finished speaking, Ethan turned without wasting time and addressed the head of construction and the head of civil control.
"I've reviewed your progress on the works. I'm satisfied. Maintain the pace. Remember, we will continue to absorb waves of refugees," Ethan said, looking at the head of construction. "Keep recruiting labor. Those who join the construction team will gain access to better benefits. They will have priority in housing allocation."
Astralis' model was work in exchange for stability. Workers were hired, paid a salary, and in return were offered housing priority. Single workers without families were placed in functional buildings, rent-free while they remained active.
In the case of families, they were reorganized and relocated according to an evaluation scheme. Astralis was not a charity organization. If someone wanted a roof over their head, they had to work. Family housing required a monthly rent payment.
The advantage was privacy. Spaces weren't shared with strangers. But it was also more expensive. That's why most solitary refugees preferred the work-housing system. They slept in small rooms, while kitchens, bathrooms, and common areas were shared within the building.
"How many civilians are currently in the city?" Ethan asked, without lifting his gaze from the map.
The head of civil control stood up, gave a formal salute with his arm across his chest, and responded in a firm tone.
"Commander, 13,675 civilians have been registered so far, including refugees still residing in tents."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. Not long ago, the population barely exceeded 5,000.
"Less than a week ago, a caravan of over 8,000 refugees passed near Stella. More than half decided to stay. In the following days, smaller groups continued to arrive. The migratory movement in the region has intensified. We estimate that the flow will not decrease in the short term." explained the head of civil contro.
"Keep accepting refugees. Do not stop," Ethan ordered with a nod.
The current development phase of Stella would cover an area of 10 km², enough to house approximately 100,000 people if used efficiently. But Ethan had no intention of limiting himself. If demand required it, he would expand the perimeter without hesitation.
After giving some additional instructions to the head of construction and the civil control officer, Ethan turned toward the security captains.
Until recently, Stella had been under the direct supervision of the Vesper Special Forces, but with the rapid population growth, a single squad would not be enough in the future. As a solution, personnel from the regular army were reassigned to form a new unit:
Astralis Security Guard (ASG).
Their function was to act as an urban security force, equivalent to a modern police. They were in charge of patrols, riot control, arresting criminals, and civil protection. Their current armament was limited to C96 pistols, more than enough for public control tasks.
Their uniform resembled that of modern police: dark pants and jacket, high boots, tactical belt. The only notable difference was the military helmet, similar in design to those used by regular army soldiers and Vespers. They did not wear heavy armor—just a black steel plate vest, designed to stop light impacts or melee attacks. Their role was not to fight, but to maintain civil order. In case of major threats, the army would intervene. And if the situation turned critical, the Vespers.
At that point, Astralis had already established the base of its three main forces:
Vesper Special Forces – covert operations, high-risk missions.
Astralis Army – conventional military force.
Astralis Security Guard – urban security and public order.
These were the foundations of Astralis' future Armed Forces. There was no need yet for a navy or air force, but in Ethan's vision, that was only a matter of time.
After concluding with the security captains, Ethan listened to the report on the soldiers currently in training. The number caught him by surprise. At the same time, AION projected an image in his vision, displaying the current data.
[Current Personnel Status — Astralis]
[Civilians in Stella City: 13,675, Vesper Special Forces: 532 active members, Astralis Army: 1,083 soldiers, Astralis Security Guard: 45 agents]
Just considering the soldiers in training, they represented over 6% of the total civilian population—a very high proportion by any modern standard.
Based on the explanation from Officer Wei, responsible for recruitment and basic training, Ethan understood the reason: in this world, strength was idolized. In an environment full of conflict, demonic beasts, and immortal cultivators, power was the only constant. And now that the Vespers—mere mortals—had proven they could eliminate cultivators, the image of the Astralis army had soared.
Recruitment centers were full. If not for the age limit of 30 years, the number would have been even higher.
Ethan nodded, pleased. He hadn't planned it that way, but the phenomenon could be leveraged. A large, disciplined, and motivated army could accelerate multiple phases of his plans.
Currently, training remained under Vesper supervision. A rigorous program, designed not only to physically harden recruits but also to instill loyalty, obedience to the chain of command, tactical discipline, and hierarchical structure.
The organization of the army was beginning to take shape, with divisions into squads, platoons, and companies.
[Astralis Army]
[Squads: 108], [Platoons: 36], [Companies: 6]
After giving further instructions on troop organization, Ethan concluded the meeting. The next step would be to boost the sale of weapons.
They needed buyers: local rulers, clans, merchant caravans, regional officials, and trade chambers. If they managed to position their weapons as the standard among the general population and the lower class of cultivators, they could generate a steady income without compromising their real technological advantage.
With everything settled for the moment, Ethan stood and left the meeting hall.
Note: I will use a common standard for army division sizes: Squad: 8–13 soldiers, Platoon: 25–50 soldiers, Company: 85–250 soldiers. Other divisions like battalion or regiment will be added as troop numbers increase.
Note 2: Image of the Astralis Security Guard (ASG) (GSA in Spanish)