“Are you going to reveal the game?” Sarah asked.{Not until the new government is up and running. We need people to focus on that first, at least until a billion people have already gotten their IDs. Then we can release it, but require a government-issued ID to play it. If we release it now, people would likely be upset that they can’t immediately play it, so it needs a sufficient user base to create a self-perpetuating cycle,} Nova said. Books were still appearing on the bookshelves behind her, but the rate had slowed down a little bit. Most of the VR helmets and AR glasses had been delivered, but the pods would take a little while longer as the trucks had to reroute to avoid trouble hotspots more often than the drones did.“But what’s the difference?” Felix asked, scratching his head. “Is there something special about the imperial ID? From the way you’re treating it, it seems like there’s more to it.”Neither Felix nor Sarah had been briefed about the special features of the new imp

While Aron was busy shopping and discussing the new Research City plan with Nova, nyxians embedded in the various protest groups began plucking the instigators from the groups they were in and replacing them. After all, an unaimed herd of humanity was like a large firework launcher. Leaving either of them unattended was a very, very bad idea and could lead to incredibly destructive consequences.The nyxians still allowed the mobs to vandalize buildings and other assorted properties, landmarks, and monuments, but they limited the damage and guided it primarily to the (former) government buildings along the way. Still, a few unfortunate shops and warehouses were targeted, but once the protesters came to their senses the next day, they would likely be surprised to hear that some of their favorite stores had been destroyed while their least favorites were just fine.Nyx had instilled all of her nyxians with a rather wicked sense of sardony, after all.Not all of the groups were monolithic

Houston, Texas.Being citizens of the state that possessed the most good ol’ American yeehaw, the rioters that had been stopped by the LEAs only paused for a brief moment. People who had moments before been intent on punching, kicking, and biting each other into shallow graves looked at each other, nodded, then turned to face the new threat.Nobody knew, nor did it really matter, who fired the first shot, but soon, everyone in the crowd with guns had begun raining bullets on their perceived enemies. It didn’t matter if it was the police or the LEAs, anyone who stood in front of the rioters was deemed a mortal enemy and supporter of the megalomaniac who had taken away their freedom.Even the unarmed rioters were picking up stones and throwing them with all their might. Most of the thrown stones fell short, but it was the thought that counts.While receiving the bombardment, the LEAs remained still as sparks flashed on their exterior armor and the distinct whine of ricocheting bullets r

January 7, 2018.With a strict curfew maintained over the past week, people had found themselves with little to do. Thus, orders had been pouring in for AR glasses and VR gear nonstop and deliveries had proceeded apace. By the end of the week, the number of people connected to VR had reached two billion, twice Aron’s initial goal, and the number was still steadily increasing.The first batch of retrained individuals also returned home and began implementing their orders. As they got to work, the empire truly began taking shape as the imperial agencies came online. While the AIs were capable of managing the empire perfectly fine, and it could even run completely without human intervention, there was still some ephemeral difference between having real people at the helm and AIs running things.In the finance sector, the currency issue had also begun. All digital currencies were instantly converted to Earth New Dollars at a fair exchange rate and paper currency was available, albeit in a

A week later, enough people had been hired and trained, or retained and retrained, that the government could function relatively normally. The LEAs had been deactivated and stored away, ready to be deployed again at need in case of emergency, and the virtual intelligences staffing the VR government offices had human supervision at all hours of the day. The shifts were long, but the work was satisfying and the employees had no complaints.It would be another week yet, before they began a nine-hour shift rotation—eight hour workdays with an hour for lunch—and a week after that, they would finally be able to take days off and vacations. But they had all undergone the training program Gaia and the other AIs had set up for them, so they understood the need for the long hours and were okay with it. Plus, the overtime pay was excellent and greatly appreciated; previously, as government employees, they had been forced to work on salary waivers that limited, if not eliminated entirely, their o