[Order]
The night before felt like endless work, but it had been fruitful. All the restraint they had exercised over the past weeks had finally come to fruition as they managed to clear the Order. Everyone who had been under suspicion remained in custody, and the interrogations were still ongoing.
Still, one of the thorns had finally been removed from their throats.
In the meeting room, Atlas leaned back in his chair, one hand holding a mug of coffee. The same went for everyone seated around the table: Lola to his right, Hugo to his left. Then Slater, Florida, Izu, Pika, and Tyga.
Allen, on the other hand, stood at the far end of the table.
It was still early morning, when most people would be preparing breakfast or already eating. But for them? A few hours of sleep and a cup of morning fuel were all they needed before getting back to work.
"The number of people suspected of leaking information outside the territory has consistently stayed around the same," Allen continued his report from the night before. "Although a few were uncooperative, those who did talk gave us enough to piece things together."
He moved toward the board behind him, flipping it over and pointing at the psychological analysis prepared by professionals within the Order.
"To summarize, we noticed a pattern in how people were recruited for their agenda. It all started with five individuals from Batch 68," he explained. "These five were born and raised within the Secret Society. What they all have in common is that their families were religious and involved in outside missions for the church."
"Their families have already been taken in for questioning. Some were unwilling to talk, but a few did," Allen continued. "According to them, they believed the Secret Society should cease to exist, but the founding families stood in the way."
"And from those five who successfully entered the Order," he went on, "they began by identifying their targets. They observed who was under pressure, who would be easier to manipulate and recruit to their cause."
"Their modus operandi was simple at first: forming friendships, building trust and rapport," he added. "They focused mostly on the Outer Circle and managed to convince several to join them. Years later, they succeeded in recruiting members from the Middle Circle. However, they never penetrated the Inner Circle, likely because those individuals were frequently on missions or didn’t seek validation from those below them."
The Circle hierarchy had its flaws—but in this case, it had also protected the Order from allowing this cult-like influence to spread unchecked. The group had expanded within the Order and among citizens of the main town, but not to the extent one might have expected after so many years.
This wasn’t entirely new information—at least not for Atlas and Lola. Still, it was important to lay everything out, especially since it further solidified the church’s involvement.
"So we can conclude that the Church wants to abolish the Secret Society?" Slater asked, brows furrowed. "But why target the Order specifically?"
"The Order is in the way," Hugo said with a shrug. "While there are other founding families, the Order has the best balance—military strength, resources, and influence. Taking down the biggest dog probably seemed like the easiest move."
"Or they’ve already made moves against the other founding families, and they just haven’t caught on yet," Lola added thoughtfully, earning nods from around the table.
"That aligns with my theory as well," Allen said. "If the Church is truly behind this, it’s possible they’ve planted people within the other founding families too. Just like how they laid traps for Henrik Bellemonte in Ravah, which was already an area of interest before he came to us for help."
Whether they admitted it or not, Henrik’s actions had triggered everything. Yuri’s disappearance might have been the real beginning, but things would have unfolded differently if that were the case.
"After last night, we’re at a ninety percent success rate in regaining control over secrecy within the Order," Allen announced.
A collective sigh of relief followed.
This operation had dragged on due to limited manpower and the painstaking process of determining who could be trusted. Last night had finally lifted that burden.
"Now that we can cross that off," Allen cleared his throat, "we can refocus on Yuri’s disappearance."


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