RB Chapter 157 Lords And Legends

"We are already working to find a solution. Don't you worry." Cleo assured, confidence in her voice. The others felt it, so the matter was put to rest.

"I have a question...what about those who already have completed missions? Are the previous missions not going to be awarded with points, or are you going to work something out?" Someone else asked.

"A good question. As long as a mission has been completed, the party will be awarded the points. But if any dubiousness is found, then the points won't be awarded. In order to be completely fair, Quantum computers, coupled with AIs will evaluate the missions. That is to prevent the cities from meddling with their points."

"The rankings will also be split further into, city, regional and continental."

"Each ranking will have its rewards. If a party appears on two of the rankings, they will be awarded the prizes of the two."

"The rankings will also involve cities. It will be a tally of the total points earned by the people of the city...even the already spent ones. Though the deducted ones won't be included. The city with the highest number of points in a region and the entire continent will receive prizes, ranging from resources to blueprints for advanced technology." She spoke for a long time while the others listened.

After she finished, a clamor broke out.

"Really! Cities will also be awarded?" 

"What kind of technology are we talking about?" That question silenced the others, causing many gazes to once again fall on Cleo. The attention of such a large number of bigshots would have made a normal person pass out.

"Like the creation of the spectrum warrior solution, space satellites, advances SYMORS, and many others." Every thing that she mentioned caused heavy breathing among the people.

"Only cities which manage to take the top to third place among the regional and continental rankings will be rewarded. Remember that." Cleo emphasized that.

'Now, no one will want to slack off after this...hehehehe...' She had an urge to cackle out loudly, but held it in as she was still infront of a crowd.

-----

That same day, it was evening, the sun, still a bit further away from sinking into the western horizon. The time was 3:00pm. The heat peak had passed, but the sun was still furiously casting its rays down onto the earth, causing everything to be dry.

The blowing wind was dry, and if you stood in it for long, you would feel parched as if it was stripping the moisture from your body. Dust particles swirled in the air, having no say in the matter as the wind dragged them wherever it wanted.

A group of four, appeared far off in the distance. They looked like distorted mirages due to the heat from the ground. They were walking along the side of the western main road. It had already been widened to the point that four cars could pass each other side by side.

"Hey! I see the encampment! We have finally managed to make it!" The voice was sweet, but hoarse. It came from Leah, who was leaning against Elena as they dragged themselves along.

Drops of sweat cascaded down their faces, onto their symors, finally falling to the ground. 

Eric and Chloe appeared not to have the same problem. They were even laughing as they chatted with each other. If you looked closely, you would see that the area above their heads was shimmering and distorting. They had activated their spectrum domains and the heat was being directed upwards.

"How great it is to be a spectrum warrior." Elena commented as she looked at their backs. Envy was thick in her voice.

"Yeah." 'Why aren't I the one at his side?' Leah agreed, but for an entirely different reason.

A blush crept along her cheeks as she looked at his side profile while he laughed. He had turned his head towards Chloe, causing her to catch the sight those curled up lips. His dark blue eyes were bright. He was genuinely enjoying his time being around her.

Leah clutched at her chest, feeling something heavy settling there.

"Are you okay?" Elena's voice came from the side waking her from the daze.

"A...am okay." She answered.

"I think you have fallen for him. I see it in your eyes." Elena whispered, amusement in her voice.

"Hah!...nononono...you saw wrong!" She jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on and denied profusely. A blush had covered her face and her eyes were swimming around in their sockets.

Her shout attracted Chloe and Eric's gazes, causing her to lower her head. She felt as if she was burning up, but not from the temperature, something else.

She failed to notice that a faint blush had also appeared on Eric's cheeks. He han unintentionally listened to the whisper as he had been focussing his attention on Leah, while chatting with Chloe.

"Did you hear? A ranking has been released by the African Federation."

"Hmmm!? What kind of ranking?" Someone asked.

"Its called the Ranking of Lords and Legends."

As they passed by others, such conversations entered their ears. The word at the tip of most of their tongues being the Ranking.

"I wonder what they are talking about?" Leah asked in puzzlement.

"We will see once we enter." Eric answered. They had finally made their way all the way to the encampment.

"Legend and Lord Ranking!"

"Even the cities are going to be competing?"

"Spectrum solution! They are fast! Even Marcus hasn't manages to create it!"

"Fame! I can become famous!"

Various exclamations came out from their lips upon reading the information on a new holographic screen.

"The rankings have even been tallied. Let's check our ranking." Elena suggested. Her eyes were bright. She had seen a path to fame, the rankings.

They walked a bit and appeared in front of two screens. One had a golden background and a bold golden word stood atop, 'LEGEND'.

The legend ranking. Most of the names on it weren't recognisable, but Eric managed to find Michael's name on the continental partition. It was 7th.

They moved away and their eyes fell onto another screen. It was crimson and the names along it were coded in black.

"Why are there too many unknowns?" Leah asked. Most of the names weren't there, only the word unknown and the number of accumulated points.