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Parahumans Series - Wildbow

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Alexander/City Building

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Rebecca Costa-Brown | AlexandriaDragon (Parahumans)Director James TaggEmily PiggotColin Wallis | Armsmaster | DefiantBastion (Parahumans)

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Self-InsertCYOAEndbringerA man finds his hobbyThe rest of the world is terrifiedCausing major wars by accidentTeehee~Misunderstandings

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English

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Published:2025-02-16Updated:2026-02-21Words:227,115Chapters:82/?Comments:549Kudos:1,451Bookmarks:362Hits:86,296

(End)Bringing You A New Home! (Endbringer SI)

10moorem

Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Set Up

Summary:

There's a big meeting. The decision is made to firebomb China.

Chapter Text

Chapter 20: Set Up

-Alexander POV-

Taizong and the rest of his 'advisors' had set up in one of the many empty buildings I had constructed. The room was large, almost forebodingly so, and in the center was a circular table big enough to fit almost all of us.

I say almost because I was there.

Due to my bulk I was forced to take to the corner of the room, ominously overlooking the sitting participants.

It was awkward. Hopefully no one talked to me.

"My apologies for the accommodations creator, this was the largest room we could find"

Fuck.

Taizong's words were buttery smooth and carried a warm inflection that could lull anyone into comforted ease.

"It is sufficient," I simply replied.

Thankfully he seemed to either accept that at face value or didn't see fit to call me out on my bullshit. Instead he merely rose from his seated position to begin the meeting.

"Greetings friends. I have called upon you because you are all esteemed members of your respective communities and some of the most driven and outspoken individuals available," Taizong spoke, and I could see the compliments clearly landing as I looked across the room.

"We come from disparate backgrounds, our ideas are many and varied. However we all wish for this city to prosper, to become a haven where our children can grow unaffected by the corrupt and bigoted C.U.I"

There were a few nods at that, every face in the room darkening at the mention of the C.U.I. It was one of the few things everyone in this city could agree on, and would no doubt become both a rallying cry and source of unity for Jinzhou in the years to come.

There was a part of me that worried about that. Yes it would be a good source of unity, but I didn't want this new culture to lump in every Chinese citizen as an other to fear and hate.

"I have been chosen to lead this city and it's people into that glorious future, however a leader with no advisors is no leader at all. A leader must have wise counsel, and I dare say I see that wisdom in front of me today."

Again, he was very good. Very few across the table could conceal their smiles, and it occurred to me that former prisoners who had been starved of positive reinforcement would only be more susceptible to the raw charisma of Taizong.

"Thus I would ask you your ideas for this city going forwards!"

Short, sweet and to the point. Man, why couldn't all speeches take a minute or less?

A man stepped up then. He was a figure of lean and severe features, looking out of place among the others as he had taken to wearing a full suit and tie. Perhaps he had been a bureaucrat before being locked away?

He bowed lightly before Taizong, and then repeated the gesture to me.

I did my best not to cringe.

"The progress regarding assigning people to their homes is going adequately, as the AI our saviour set up is able to answer almost any question we ask it and can coordinate all of our issues flawlessly. We've had to convince some to not choose homes too far away from the designated housing area for-" the man briefly looked pained before continuing, "-safety reasons."

I winced slightly.

It had already been decided that the population would be kept relatively close together to avoid forming rival factions within the city after I left. In addition the closeness made it easier to keep an eye on people who weren't doing well mentally.

No one had tried committing suicide yet, but apparently there had been a few lingering near rooftops.

"Lord Sanzang has been busy setting up support structures and community groups. I believe we should aid in this and focus inwardly for the time being. Our nation had only just gotten its feet under it."

The words were pointed and the lean man's eyes seemed to drill into the man opposite him, who was glaring right back.

There was some grumbling across the room, and I noticed with an odd sense of unease that this opening plan wasn't a popular idea. Rather, the room seemed oddly hostile to it.

"Chun Lee," one of the men almost growls "are you seriously suggesting that we simply allow the C.U.I time to recover and adapt to our presence?"

Oh, so that was his name!

The now named Chun Lee endured the angry murmurs of the crowd with stoicism. From what little I had been able to glean the man had been a politician born to a decently influential family. Despite this he was still labelled as a dissident for his 'unpatriotic' way of thinking.

In other words he was a half-decent person who thought brainwashing people was a bad idea.

Go figure.

As soon as the murmurs began to quell Chun Lee struck back with his own argument.

"How exactly do you plan to strike at the C.U.I? Any plan made to attack them would be thwarted by the barrier that protects our new nation."

It was a fair point, though judging by the look on his opponents face the man had an answer to that conundrum.

"Simple. We know the blessed machines of our lady can bypass the barrier through teleportation. We merely need to utilise them for something more than collecting resources!"

The man's voice was impassioned and lined with zeal only a true believer could wield.

There was just one problem.

What 'blessed machines' was he talking about?

"Liu Min," Chun Lee's voice was now also undercut by a bubbling rage the man was clearly trying and failing to keep in check, "those machines were not meant for war, they were meant to help provide for us. Even if you did convince our savior to let us utilise them for such a purpose it could allow the C.U.I a means to gain access to our city should they capture one!"

Man, it's really convenient that they keep using each other's names. It would be awkward if I asked them for their names at this point.

Also were they talking about the drones?!

Chun Lee's words were clearly understood, and many among the crowd that had supported Liu Min were now clearly having second thoughts. Their passions clearly doused by the cold reality of potentially allowing the C.U.I a foothold into their city.

"Then we just need to minimise the chances of that-" Liu min began to say before he was cut off.

"Minimise," the words were practically hissed out from behind the grit teeth of Chun Lee, "does not mean the chance will be zero! The C.U.I would only need to get lucky once! Would you really risk all of our lives for the sake of your hatred?!"

The man himself merely glared back.

"I would do it for the sake of everyone else who still suffers in that hell," Liu Min gestured towards the direction of the Chinese capital.

"I would do it so that they too may find salvation in this promised paradise!"

Uhhh…well that's a bit much.

From what I could see both sides had a point.

Chun Lee was simply being logical. The only true way to eliminate every possibility of harm occurring was to not show a single chink in the metaphorical armour of the city, which is what Liu Min's plan would do.

On the other Liu Min's plan came from an emotional place, one that touched on the hearts of every individual in this room. No one here wanted more people to suffer the depredations of the C.U.I and nobody wanted it to recover from the current turbulence.

As I watched others speak up, drawing lines in the metaphorical sand I realised I was watching the birth of what would eventually become political parties.

It was just two for now, but I could already see hairline fractures in both groups. There were members of both sides calling for moderation in their plans, while others suggested far more radical ideas.

Above it all Taizong simply watched, allowing all members to present their arguments. The meeting was supposed to focus on more than just this issue, but it was clear this was a topic that deserved the spotlight.

Eventually Taizong motioned them to cease arguing, those that looked uncertain in regard to the path forwards were now few in number as the hour long debate had done much to solidify any shakily held belief they possessed.

"Given the importance that this decision holds to this country going forwards I propose we hold a vote to determine our decision," Taizong clapped his hands, gesturing to a man next to him to hand out the papers he was holding.

To the room's quiet surprise the options they had previously been discussing were already printed out upon the paper slips. Clearly Taizong had already predicted the shape this meeting would take. Some looked awestruck at this show of genius, others looked put off and a select portion looked almost rapturous with religious joy.

Meanwhile I stared at Taizong knowingly. An hour was more than enough for him to map out which decisions every individual would take. This wasn't a vote, it was performance.

The fact that Taizong had suggested for the vote to happen at all must mean that my creation agreed with the result that would come.

For the next few minutes there was only the shuffling of papers and the quiet contemplation of those who were still unsure.

By the time the votes had been tallied and announced it was decided what the path forwards was.

Jinzhou would not rest comfortably while the rest of China burned.

It would not suffer the grip of petty tyrants.

There would be a period of brief peace, enough to give the former prisoners a reprieve, a taste of all that they had earned.

Then they would go to war.

I stayed in that room long after everyone else had left, never more uncertain as to how I felt than at this very moment.

Should I feel proud that the people I saved didn't want their paradise to serve exclusively them?

Should I feel horrified that many of those same people might die horrifically for the lives of those they didn't even know?

I just didn't know, I wasn't sure whether this was a good thing or not.

I sighed and got up to leave. But not before taking one last glance at the slips of paper lying as still as the grave on that large black table, and at the red ink covering those pale sheets.

AN: Hi everyone! Bit of a shorter chapter this time since I was out of the country when I wrote this and didn't have my laptop with me. Despite that I'm pretty proud of this chapter, it was pretty interesting trying to get in the thoughts of the citizenry of Jinzhou.

Despite the rather miserable portrayal of the average person of Earth Bet so far I happen to consider myself as an optimist when it comes to humanity. So I believe that there would be some willing to brave hell in order to save those like them.

Jinzhou will become a home to the abused, the misbegotten and the outcast. Which is one more reason why they'll cling to the religion exalting Alexander. Oops. Thus Jinzhou is slowly building up to a holy war against the C.U.I, at first it will just be raids to gather more people. But given time they'll grow bolder, and will have quite the advantage thanks to having an uninvadable home as well as the advanced tech Alexander gave them.

Anyway I'll see you guys next week! Thanks for reading, please leave a comment or two!

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Work Header

Rating:

Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning:

Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Category:

Gen

Fandom:

Parahumans Series - Wildbow

Relationship:

Alexander/City Building

Characters:

Rebecca Costa-Brown | AlexandriaDragon (Parahumans)Director James TaggEmily PiggotColin Wallis | Armsmaster | DefiantBastion (Parahumans)

Additional Tags:

Self-InsertCYOAEndbringerA man finds his hobbyThe rest of the world is terrifiedCausing major wars by accidentTeehee~Misunderstandings

Language:

English

Stats:

Published:2025-02-16Updated:2026-02-21Words:227,115Chapters:82/?Comments:549Kudos:1,451Bookmarks:362Hits:86,296

(End)Bringing You A New Home! (Endbringer SI)

10moorem

Chapter 21: Chapter 21: The One

Summary:

A man come home to find it was vandalised by a monkey.

Chapter Text

Chapter 21: The One

-One POV-

One day. He had left the capital for one day!

The smouldering wreckage surrounding him stunk of ash and fear, the huddling masses stared at his procession from broken windows and doors. The once resplendent capital was now blackened and broken, the many shrubberies and trees he had ordered to be strategically placed along the streets to promote calm and order had long been turned to ash.

As he looked around he saw all of the work he had put into his seat of power. Across the street he could see a broken billboard. Once it had contained military propaganda, innocuous and innocent enough but every colour and pixel had been meticulously chosen to best bend the wills of any who looked at it. It would subconsciously instil a pride and trust in the nation's military.

That billboard now appeared to have been split in half.

He saw the disparity in design of the many shops that dotted the road he was travelling down. Many uninformed peons may have remarked at how unusual that was for an empire that prized conformity. It was, of course, simply another tactic of his. Those who followed the governments words obediently had access to benefits that the foolish did not. Benefits such as access to designs and architecture meant to draw the eye and inspire fascination.

Many assumed being a brainwashing Thinker was all about the torture and pain, breaking people down so that they may be remade. That certainly had it's place, but that was not the most insidious aspect of his power.

No, at his core he understood people. He knew what stimuli would get them to react the way he wanted. Humans were simply machines programmed by evolutionary pressures, and he was the one who could observe the code.

He had began life as the son of a humble architect, and in his innocent youth he had dreamt of being exactly like his father. Unfortunately reality was cruel and the many political machinations of the communist state sought to use their family as an example.

Then came the bad years. The emergence of parahumans, and his life went from bad to horrific.

His family, already tied in strings, became just one more resource to be fought over by a legion of government workers, insurgents, newly triggered Thinkers and more.

With the benefit of hindsight he knew that the situation of his family was far from unique. Any family who was even remotely important was used and abused in some way. But to him at the time it felt like the world was closing in around him.

How could he escape from the reaching grasp of hundreds of bad actors?

How could he turn his crumbling country around?

Why wouldn't everyone just work together!?

Then he had triggered.

It had been a long time since that terrible day, but he had much to show for his work. He had forged a resistance group in the ashes of China and lead them to glory and empire. He had formed a parahuman group of unwavering loyalty and commitment.

China was strong. China was unified.

He had even regained a scrap of his lost dream, in a way.

Beijing was remade in his image. It was, in truth, his Tinker Megaproject, even if he wasn't a tinker in truth. A high-end endeavour that had utilised every aspect of his power. The ground, the trees, the buildings, all of it was made with intention in mind.

There was a reason Beijing was an island of stability in an otherwise chaotic ocean. Dissidents and rebels regularly rose up across the country and were quashed effortlessly. Except not in Beijing. Here there were no dissidents. There were no rebels. Even the normally fractious and conflict prone parahumans happily handed themselves in if they triggered within the city.

This was how he had climbed to the very top and remained there.

But now it was burning.

The smoky heat of the outside air was nothing compared to the molten fury that beat in his breast. Someone had ruined his work, and that individual would be weeping for an eternity by the time he was done with them.

"Number 12, your report please?"

The hollowed out man silently passed him a brown envelope containing the files.

Usually he would have preferred a verbal report, but there would be little point in pleasantries with his puppets.

He ripped open the enveloped and greedily poured through the files contained within. His fury only heightened as he flipped through the papers. He had suspected as much from that booming announcement, but the malcontent appropriating the guise of a hero of Chinese mythology was an insult he swore to repay tenfold.

"Have any teams been dispatched to apprehend this man?"

Number Twelve nodded before replying.

"Black-13 has been dispatched."

He nodded at that. Black-13 was one of their better hunter squads, not the one he would have ordered to be sent out in more ideal times. However all of the other teams he would have chosen were supposed to have been on the many ships sent to take New Fukuoka, which was now a cancelled operation.

He had doubts Black-13 would be able to capture this aberration, but odder things had happened before.

He continued drinking in the report, meticulously going over plans and probabilities. He continued in this way for over five minutes. Leisurely stepping over burnt wreckage while reading through the many reports, trusting in his agents to watch over him as he did so.

Then he stopped.

His eyes had landed on a picture taken only a few hours ago. It showed a large blackened wall encircling the land once know as Jinzhou. Behind that obsidian bastion was a city in the distance. It seemed both close and far away, yet as he stared at it he more and more gained a nagging feeling.

This was familiar somehow.

The towering chrome skyscrapers were new, but the way the city was laid out was familiar. It was done with intention. The wide open spaces, the inviting glowing crystalline structures, the many disparate colour schemes of the distant houses.

It was like Beijing.

And it was like New Fukuoka.

The revelation shook him briefly.

The day he had been informed of the importance of New Fukuoka, of the many technological bounties present within, he had already been planning the invasion of the newly risen Kyushu. Because unlike the dim-witted Americans and desperate Japanese he had understood the danger and usefulness both of New Fukuoka.

Because whoever built it was like him.

New Fukuoka had been a masterwork. It had blended Japanese architecture with nature to achieve perfect harmony with its surroundings, and more importantly influence the people within. The clean smooth curves and the white and green, all of it meant to evoke feeling of calm and welcomness.

Whoever had built this city hadn't designed it as a poisoned apple to be fought over.

It was a gift, sincerely and innocently given to a people who were suffering.

Disgusting.

One had never seen such a pathetic amount of waste in his life.

While this unknown Tinker, or perhaps group of Tinkers, clearly understood the same principles as he did they were painfully naïve.

Such a group or individual couldn't be allowed to roam freely. He himself was proof that they were simply too dangerous.

His eyes poured over the newest city and noted the differences.

The sense of openness and acceptance was still there, but there was something else. The sheer height of the buildings and the royal gold used throughout the city pointed towards-

"Pride," he finished his own thought aloud.

For a moment he thought it heartening. This was something he understood! Pride could be used to ferment nationalistic beliefs and promote expansionist tendencies in the populace.

For a moment this mysterious Tinker became more understandable, less dangerously unpredictable in their altruism.

Then he saw where the city was.

Jinzhou, and reading over the rest of the report he noted that all other penal colonies had been emptied of their prisoners.

His lips curled into a frown.

This individual wasn't trying to build an empire. They were trying to rebuild the pride of a broken people.

They were once more trying to help.

The paper wrinkled under his grip as he forcefully shoved it back towards Twelve.

Idealists were dangerous.

Each and every individual that had tried to seize power in his youth were idealists, in their own twisted way. They had been so convinced that only they knew the proper path forwards, as if they knew the true soul of humanity as he did.

No, humans were animals. They needed control and order to not constantly devolve into barbarism.

But now there was another who understood the same lesson he did, and willingly chose to turn away from the truth, and they were just sitting on his doorstep.

Had they sent that upstart to destroy his city?

…It made an uncomfortable amount of sense. A being driven solely by soft hearted morals would certainly object to his work, regardless of how necessary it was.

Fine, then let's see how you like it.

"Number Twelve!"

The man looked his way, his posture ready and waiting.

"Get in contact with the army group returning from the cancelled operation to New Fukuoka, tell them they have a new target."

The hollow hearted man nodded, pulling out a radio.

"And what will be their next target, sir?"

"The new city that has encompassed Jinzhou. They are to capture it and search for whoever made this affront and bring them before me."

One didn't bother to look back as Twelve began to radio the returning army, marching quickly onwards towards the palace.

Thoughts spiralled in his head. Would the army get there before the architect of this city left? Would they be able the breach their defences? What other allies besides that barbaric monkey do they have? What are they going to do next?"

The thoughts were left without answers as he traversed his burnt and ruined domain.

-Alexander POV-

'Man, sometimes life is good' I thought to myself, sipping something fruity from a gargantuan glass as I floated through a lake I had just made.

Granted I had to attach anti-gravity devices to myself so I could actually float instead of sinking like a rock, but it's the thought that counts.

Currently I was chillaxing after putting together the skeleton of a working government.

I still don't know why they want me to be there now that Taizong is present, the most I could offer were what little scraps of governing techniques my punk specialities had given me. I got the feeling that most of those were locked behind level five, so I only had a few minor points to add to the meeting.

Didn't stop them from looking at me in awe whenever I spoke though, the jerks!

All of that forced socialisation had worn on my social batteries, so I was choosing to use my time to the fullest.

Which, of course, meant that now was the time the world decided to kick me in the dick.

I jolted as a loud droning sound, eerily reminiscent of a World War Two air raid siren, rang out across the city.

I flailed in the water, the anti-gravity devices nailed to me making the gestures slow and clumsy looking.

Did I add an air raid siren? I don't remember adding an air raid siren!

"Creator," a flat artificial voice coming from a nearby drone caused me to cease my panicky movements and tilt my head towards it.

"A large group of soldiers is approaching the city. They possess mechanised support as well as parahuman elements."

Ah fuck, I knew things were going too smoothly.

"How many would you say there are?," I ask my V.I.

The drone bobbed ponderously in the air as my creation calculated the answer.

"Roughly twenty-" Well that's not too bad "-thousand foot soldiers as well as hundreds of parahumans, though there may be more hidden."

Well, fuck me I guess.

I sighed, and drank down the last of my drink.

It seemed I would have to make a few calls.

The people of Jinzhou had met their leader. They had discovered their scientist. They had encountered the spiritualist. But they had yet to meet all of my creations.

They had yet to witness the ferocity of my warrior.

But before the hour was up I knew that they, and the few soldiers that would live to see tomorrow, would never forget him.

AN: Hi everyone! So as you can see One isn't very pleased. I've actually made him a slight foil to Alexander in the way he likes to use his power. Both build structures aimed at influencing others. But where Alexander mainly does it for the benefit of the people who would live there One does it to enforce order and conformity. Neither would like the other if they met.

So now Jinzhou is being invaded. I'm sure that will go well for the C.U.I. Meanwhile Alexander is trying to live his best life, but he's in Earth Bet.

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Work Header

Rating:

Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning:

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Category:

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Fandom:

Parahumans Series - Wildbow

Relationship:

Alexander/City Building

Characters:

Rebecca Costa-Brown | AlexandriaDragon (Parahumans)Director James TaggEmily PiggotColin Wallis | Armsmaster | DefiantBastion (Parahumans)

Additional Tags:

Self-InsertCYOAEndbringerA man finds his hobbyThe rest of the world is terrifiedCausing major wars by accidentTeehee~Misunderstandings

Language:

English

Stats:

Published:2025-02-16Updated:2026-02-21Words:227,115Chapters:82/?Comments:549Kudos:1,451Bookmarks:362Hits:86,296

(End)Bringing You A New Home! (Endbringer SI)

10moorem

Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Secret Tunnel

Summary:

Big Rig and company explore Alexander' depths (kyaah~) and a big noodle appears!

Chapter Text

Chapter 22: Secret Tunnel

-Within the Tunnels of Alexander (wait that sounds lewd)-

Within the tunnels forged with a singular will and vision there was darkness. This area of the tunnels was hundreds of miles away from the miniature star that Alexander had wrought with magic beyond mortal means. There was only the occasional click and chirp of insectoid drones languidly roaming the depths, ordered to repair any damages that may occur by their absentee creator.

Had there been a light source, and had there been any people, the crowded and claustrophobic nature of the surroundings would be readily apparent. Buildings were stacked atop each other and wires criss-crossed the top levels like an enormous spiders web.

The structures rose and fell, ever changing in quality and materials as one explored the tunnels. It was, to all appearances, an abandoned wreck. Yet despite this not a single layer of dust could form upon the buildings surface.

It was a paradoxical sight. An entire shanty town made of advanced technology standing in pure darkness.

Then there was light.

It was a strange light, it seemed to writhe and boil the air around it and sent refractions dancing upon the buildings. The light seemed to shiver, and then expand before fading back into nothing. Now there stood three individuals dressed in advanced war gear.

There was an aggrieved sigh.

"Pyrotechnical, can we get some lights here?"

-Big Rig-

To say Toybox was interested in the current goings on in the world would be an understatement. A team of Tinkers going around building giant cities made of advanced but still comprehensible technology, of course any Tinker worth their salt would be interested!

The PRT had actually reached out to them in the wake of New Fukuoka's discovery. After all Toybox was one of the few independent organisations that could conceivably pull something like this off. Of course their own records, combined with Thinker analysis, had proven them innocent of reshaping the geography of Japan and the PRT had swiftly moved on.

But that had lit a fire in Toybox.

How was it that a group of Tinkers with such a diverse set of specialisations was able to go completely under the radar until now?

More to the point how did they build such a massive city?

The current consensus that most around the world had come to seemed to be the employment of drones to build large structures.

Yeah, just one problem with that.

That was his speciality, and he certainly didn't remember helping make New Fukuoka so it couldn't have been that.

Frankly he couldn't have done it.

Yes, his specialty was the use of drones for large constructions, but there were limits!

Regardless of how many resources or time he had he would inevitably top out at a city blocks worth of buildings. Impressive to be sure, especially given how much parahuman powers seemed to favour destruction over creation.

But it wasn't as impressive as building such a massive city!

Was he repeating himself? Maybe, but it warranted repeating!

So now he stared across the dilapidated and abandoned structures, streaked in red and orange from Pyrotechnical's lights he could only wonder at the sheer difference between New Fukuoka and this Frankenstein abomination.

The clean and orderly lines that had been present in Japan were gone, instead there was a mismatch of hard angles and structures bowing under there own weight from faulty design. It was almost as if the Tinker responsible had suddenly regressed in competence by a dozen or so years while making this slop.

'Perhaps this is the work of a Tinker with restrictions on how long they can Tinker?'

That he was comparing the architect of New Fukuoka, or even their entire organisation, to a Tinker as infamous as String Theory made him briefly shudder before changing tracks.

'Actually doesn't this remind me of a few of my mistakes back in the early days?'

It had been a long time ago, before Toybox had even been an idea. Back then he had to scavenge for most of his supplies, as was normal for Tinkers, and therefore had to do with subpar materials. Naturally this meant his drones were not exactly reliable.

Sometimes they would run out of battery faster than they should, other times they would build things in the wrong areas and sometimes the things they built would come out wrong.

The twisted mass of buildings some of those drones created still gave him headaches whenever he thought about them. Buildings fused into each other and twisted until no sane human being would ever enter them and strangely the buildings in front of him were reminiscent of those old failures of his.

'Did the drone's programming break down after they left? Or is it simply a restriction of the power itself. A Focal Tinker based on a swarm of drones that need heavy maintenance? Or perhaps a parahuman who can enhance Tinkertech, but only for a few hours?'

There were too many potential reasons and not enough concrete information.

No wonder the PRT was desperate to find any information on the ones who did this.

"What kind of fucking material is this?"

The high pitched, extremely frustrated, scream knocked him out of his musing.

"Something wrong?," He called out and began making his way over to where Pyrotechnical and Glace were huddling together.

The glint of gold in Glace's hand and the offended glares both were shooting at the material let him know what was happening before they even opened their mouths.

"This. Fucking. Thing-" Glace waved it in front of his face, still glaring at it like it owed her money "-is bullshit! How the fuck is it not reacting to any extreme in temperature?"

He raised an eyebrow at that. Neither Glace nor Pyrotechnical could damage the material?

"Isn't that a good thing for the two of you? I can think of a lot of your projects that something like that might be useful for."

Glace begrudgingly nodded at that.

"Yes, but I don't understand how it's able to withstand such temperatures, while also being unable to resist being cut off by something as basic as a sharp blade!"

Big Rig could only shrug at that. Tinkertech was weird, he had once met a materials Tinker that could create a perfectly shock absorbent armour able to theoretically withstand the blows of Endbringers, but could be easily turned to slag if the slightest amount of electricity was introduced to it.

This tech may not be tinkertech, but it was still sufficiently weird.

Pyrotechnical, for his part, hadn't taken his eyes off the piece of metal. He was mumbling under his breath something about higher tolerances, and Big Rig could already tell he was about five seconds from entering a fugue state.

With a sigh Big Rig snapped his fingers repeatedly in front of pyrotechnical, making the man blink repeatedly and finally take his eyes off of the sample.

"Ah, I did it again didn't I?"

"Almost," Big Rig replied, helping the man stand from his crouching position.

"We'll need a few more samples of that material Glace. Pyrotechnical you scavenge around, try to find anything interesting but don't leave the immediate area," Big Rig ordered.

With a grumble Glace pulled her knife back out and began slowly hacking at another thin bar of metal.

A glint of bronze caught his eye and he had to narrow them to fully catch what he had seen.

Across the damaged and broken area of a clearly unfinished wall there was thread as fine as spipder silk running from the damaged walls interior. He approached cautiously, and when nothing jumped out at him he reached to grab the thread and pulled.

Nothing, he couldn't budge it an inch. He opened his hand and closed it again, trying to find better leverage.

A few more fruitless minutes later and he finally resorted to using his drones to tear the building down to get to the substance within.

Whatever it was it covered the entirety of the walls interior and ran throughout the house. Looking through the eyes of his drones he could make out small etchings within.

His eyes greedily drank in the sight of the bundle. It was clearly wiring of some sort, ultra-thin and likely highly efficient wiring. Gingerly he placed the material in his sample bag and ordered a few more drones to collect more of the substance.

Toybox was the first to properly begin plundering the tunnels.

They would not be the last.

-Yao Ling POV-

Serving in the Imperial army had thus far been a rollercoaster ride.

Yao Ling had only recently volunteered and had graduated boot camp just in time to become a part of the operation to subjugate the Japanese. His grandmother had told him stories of those monsters, and so he was eager to deliver divine retribution.

Then the operation was cancelled as word of Beijing being devastated swept across the ranks.

It had seemed like a bad joke at the time. Beijing was the heart of the empire, where the Emperor himself ruled from his throne. It was the most heavily fortified area of China, and now he was being told it was under attack by a single person.

Admittedly he wasn't quite sure of that last part, it stunk of over exaggeration born of fear.

Then the heavens opened up and spoke to them.

The words burned themselves into his psyche, they pressed up against his brain like a branding iron. He could still remember the words, he couldn't forget. They sat hot and heavy in his thoughts, immovable in a way he didn't believe was possible.

Some had deserted at that.

The political officers and capes hadn't let them get far.

So now they were marching, towards Jinzhou for some reason, more afraid than ever before. More full of doubts.

He dared not voice those doubts, as the empty eyed enforcers kept a close eye on all of them, ever watchful for the slightest sign of disobedience.

The march towards the ports from Beijing had been a colourful spectacle, people had cheered and women had offered kisses to the soldiers. Their trip back was not so cheerful. The few farmers they did see on their way were fearful, their gaze fixed towards Beijing and full of dread.

Apparently they had heard the sounds of battle even from here.

When they reached Jinzhou they weren't met with the wide open plains, desolate ruins and forested areas that he remembered from his short trip there. Instead they were met with a gargantuan bastion of abyssal steel wrought into a clear mockery of the Great Wall of China. He felt a flush of rage beat in his breast at the sight, but it was a small thing next to the overpowering feeling of smallness.

As the officers looked at the faces of their troops he could already tell without looking that his hesitation was written on the face of the rest of his comrades as well.

Perhaps sensing the lowering morale the leading officer ordered for an artillery strike against the wall, wanting to rile his men up before the siege even began.

The thundering roars of artillery were admittedly glorious.

The silence as they hung in the air mere metres away from hitting their targets far less so.

Despite the alien hold over their shells gravity still clearly affected them as they fell to the ground with a thundering boom.

The mummering of the soldiers echoed like the bleating of sheep before a wolf.

The leading officer stepped up, clearly ready to give a speech, to lay out his next plan.

He wouldn't get the chance.

Yao Ling didn't notice at first, he only saw his leading officer's face whiten and then slacken before falling over. Then there was a wave of heat and the smell of burnt pork.

He blinked, confused, before realising his commander had a hole burned through him, the skin blackened and flaking around the circular wound.

There was dead silence, everyone staring slack jawed at the sudden death for but a moment.

Then someone else fell down.

And another.

The field erupted into chaos. Capes frantically scanned the area. Screams and shouts drowned out commands. He was jostled as a man knocked into him. The once orderly regiments were whipped up into a chaotic frenzy.

"There!," he heard a cape yell, a gout of white light shooting forth from his hands.

The beam screeched through the air, clipping several unfortunate soldiers who screamed as the bodies exploded into a squall of gore, before finally colliding with the air.

'No, not the air, something invisible!'

Yao Ling's feet were leaden. He hadn't moved from his spot, still frozen in fear.

The air shimmered then. The grass and trees of the background giving way to an ocean blue as their enemy revealed itself.

At first Yao Ling thought it was a structure of some sort, so large and wide was the revealed body.

Then it twisted, undulated, and revealed scales that reflected light in rainbow hues, and he realised it was the tail end of some enormous beast.

'Where is the rest of it!'

The hysterical thought finally compelled Yao Ling to move. His head weaving back and forth trying to spot where the head was.

Then there was a wet slick sound and a sudden weightlessness as he was abruptly pushed forwards, the ground rushing up to meet him.

He tried to raise his hands but his body felt unresponsive.

It was only as he rolled around on the dirt that he could look back and see a body missing it's head.

His head.

His eyes glanced up, darkness beginning to eat away at his vision. The visage of an azure dragon leering down at the few capes left was the last sight Yao Ling ever saw.

AN: A few of you mentioned people potentially finding those tunnels but I'm sure none of you were thinking Toybox would be the first to begin scavenging them. So now a rogue organisation that's morally grey has access to Alexander's tech. I'm sure that would go well! So the PRT and other heroic organisations will soon be in an arms race with the villains because of the tunnels Alexander leaves behind with zero thought or hesitation.

Also more misunderstandings occur as Alexanders laziness confounds Big Rig, truly Alexander's character flaws are the true Endbringer of this fic. They cause so much damage to both individuals and nations!

And, of course, another of Alexander's creations gets introduced. Of course one of them was going to be a dragon, it had to be done! A lot of you wanted Lu Bu, and he is under consideration. But, and hear me out here, I wanted a dragon!

Thanks for reading and please leave a comment!

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Rebecca Costa-Brown | AlexandriaDragon (Parahumans)Director James TaggEmily PiggotColin Wallis | Armsmaster | DefiantBastion (Parahumans)

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Self-InsertCYOAEndbringerA man finds his hobbyThe rest of the world is terrifiedCausing major wars by accidentTeehee~Misunderstandings

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Published:2025-02-16Updated:2026-02-21Words:227,115Chapters:82/?Comments:549Kudos:1,451Bookmarks:362Hits:86,296

(End)Bringing You A New Home! (Endbringer SI)

10moorem

Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Clean Up

Summary:

Dead bodies are apparently messy, Alexander flees from the consequences of his own actions and Contessa fucks around and finds out.

Chapter Text

Chapter 23: Clean Up

-Alexander POV-

Watching Lán sè effortlessly mow down the invading army and its associated parahumans was a spectacle for the eyes. The perfect flowing motions of the shimmering dragon contrasted perfectly the ruined corpses left in its wake.

Perhaps if I was more of a poetic sort I would pontificate more on the beauty of my creation.

I was simply glad I no longer had a gag reflex.

I never knew a person could resemble a crushed strawberry before, and I could've gone without gaining that knowledge.

Plus the smell, eugh!

'They never tell you how they shit themselves after death'

It was dirty. It was disgusting, and I now realised that anyone who believed there was any dignity in death was a fucking moron.

I leaned back from the wall, mercifully shielding my eyes from the sight.

Renji was still watching though, were those fucking stars in his eyes?!

"Truly, my liege, your creations are wonders to behold!"

Yeah, sure Renji whatever you say.

I pointedly ignore the rest of his muttering, something about the 'economy of motion' and 'efficiency of the kill'. Jeez, I've really made a battle maniac.

We weren't alone up here either.

A large crowd now watched from the battlements, holding whatever weapons they could scavenge in such a short period of time. They had rushed here quickly, likely desperate to protect their new home. Those weapons now hung limply in their hands, clearly no longer needed.

Most simply watched in awe as the mailed fist of the C.U.I that had been sent to crush us was reduced to mincemeat. A few hollered and cheered every time a soldier was gored upon the fangs and claws of my creation.

A bit bloodthirsty, but I couldn't blame them much.

Lán sè broke the typical mould of my creations as they were not based upon any one person, fictional or otherwise. Instead they were a composite lifeform, taking on the legends of every dragon I could name.

Which was a lot.

Naturally he was a pain in the ass to make.

The body alone took more resources to make, but it was the mind where I really had to put my nose to the grindstone. Due to being a composite entity his ego had been pulled in many different directions, and was faced with many differing personas.

I had gently cut out what I didn't want and promoted the growth of traits that I found ideal.

Lán sè was made to be a heavenly protector. He would never give out words of wisdom but he would bring comfort in his own way. His strength and quiet nobility would ease the hearts of the fearful and allow them to build their future without the fear of invasion.

Some might think that the brutal murder of ones enemies wouldn't engender the feeling of being protected, but the survivors of the C.U.I's purges clearly thought otherwise.

And besides when he wasn't defending Jinzhou he was sunbathing in the park like a lazy cat, accepting treats and head pats like a proud king accepting spoils of war.

Very gap moe.

A final flash of light erupted from behind the wall, no doubt the plasma breath I had given the dragon eliminating the last of our enemies. I was vindicated in that conclusion as a final cheer shook the wall, evidently very pleased and relieved they wouldn't have to be the ones defending their new home.

I began floating back down the wall, ignoring many of the worshipful glances being thrown my way.

"ALL PRAISE THE GLORY OF YA LI SHAN DA," came a booming voice upon the battlements and prompting a second cheer that was somehow even louder than the last.

My speed tripled as I hurried away.

Nope! Not confronting that today!

-Doctor Mother POV-

She breathed in the cool air as she began organizing her notes for the final time.

Enzyme YZ-21-04 was promising, projections indicating a fall in mutation rates by as much as 0.4%! It would have to be thoroughly tested of course, but it was yet another step forwards in the slow and gruelling work that Manton had previously been in charge of.

The man had been a genius, it was just a shame his irrationality and inability to let go had set him against them.

The squeak of a chairs wheels and the quiet thump of Contessa falling upon a chair caused her to look up, eyebrows raised at the dishevelled and tired form of Contessa.

"That bad?" The question she asked only caused Contessa to let out a small groan of frustration before she looked up.

"We'll need to think up a new plan," Contessa said, eyebrows creased in frustration. "The predicted war between the C.U.I and Japan is no longer likely to happen, and so our plan to prop up Ibaraki Douji and her sister is no longer required."

Well that was a shame.

"If this group continues to operate then any long term plan regarding Asia is unlikely to succeed," Doctor Mother pointed out. Contessa simply nodded, already more than aware.

"Should we eliminate them?"

The question had been lightly thrown out by Doctor Mother, a question that had been repeated in this room many times before.

To her slight surprise Contessa glared at her before shaking her head.

"No, that would be a terrible idea," Contessa bit out, chewing her lips in frustration. "Tinkers have always been one of our greatest hopes against the enemy, given that they rely on what the entity doesn't have: imagination."

Doctor Mother knew this. Cauldron wasn't unaware of the hubris of trying to kill an entity using their own weapons. That was why they frantically searched through Eden's corpse, hoping to find an unrestricted agent that would normally never be given out. A shard capable of wounding or even killing Scion.

A silver bullet.

That was the main plan, but there were others.

Tinkers were one of those. Those parahumans were given knowledge and the ability to build technology centuries more advanced than current day technology. Furthermore they could improve upon it given time and study.

Even better Tinkers could also collaborate with other Tinkers to produce weapons neither would have been able to make alone.

It was a given that these agents had restrictions, but unlike the vast majority Tinkers could improve and come up with new solutions and tinkertech, potentially solutions that might otherwise be restricted.

Tinkertech collaborations were even better as it introduced an element of randomness and conflicting restrictions, according to all the research Cauldron had done in the past.

It was unlikely, but there was indeed a chance that Tinkers could help build the silver bullet they were searching for.

Ah.

"And because this group helps improve all Tinkers with the advanced technology they've included in their works it would be irresponsible to kill them," Doctor Mother concluded.

Contessa nodded tiredly.

"Capturing them would be more productive, that way we could drip feed their technology across the world to Tinkers and scientists both."

Doctor Mother grimly smiled at that, allowing a group free reign to cause chaos across all of Asia was never going to be allowed. They had already caused more instability than some S-class threats.

The problem would be capturing a group that they had next to no information on. A PRT black ops squad had already been sent to observe the new city. Hopefully they would be able to ferret out any information on this group for their analysts to chew over.

"Well, at least we know how they're getting around now. They also seem to favour past Endbringer fight sites. The moment they leave we could likely predict where they're heading to and set up an ambush there."

As far as plans went it was remarkably simple for their organisation, but given the lack of information it was prudent to not overcomplicate matters.

"If it is an abandoned site we could litter the place with traps," Contessa noted, looking slightly less annoyed at that.

Doctor Mother smiled at that, before pausing as a thought occurred.

"So how did your mission go to apprehend Sun Wukong?"

Contessa stilled at that.

Doctor Mothers hand, which had been reaching for her Coffee stilled with her as the doctor stared at Contessa with some concern.

"Contessa?"

The hatted woman mumbled something, looking away slightly.

Now even more concerned Doctor Mother sat up and leaned across the table slightly.

"Contessa?!"

"I…encountered difficulties"

Well that boded poorly.

"What sort of difficulties?"

Contessa shifted in her seat nervously, her hands fretting about. It occurred to Doctor Mother then that Contessa more resembled a girl caught with her hand in the cookie jar than the bogeyman feared by all who were aware of her existence.

Slowly Contessa reached up and removed her hat, revealing the bright purple bruise discolouring her forehead. Clearly she had been hit by something large and heavy across her forehead.

"So this parahuman managed to hit you when you went to apprehend him?"

Contessa somehow seemed even more embarrassed at that as she shook her head.

"I asked my agent for a path to capturing Sun Wukong, the next thing I knew I woke up on the floor having been knocked out by something," Contessa stated, sounding as confused as Doctor Mother felt.

"And it was Sun Wukong that did this?"

"Possibly, I tried to ask my power for a path to figure out what had happened but my power refused to answer."

Doctor mother stared, slightly dumbfounded, before reaching down and chugging her coffee all at once.

AN: Slightly shorter chapter this time as I need to go to sleep early today since (at the time of writing) I'm leaving the country (again). Also I feel like it ended at a good place. The invasion (if you can even call it that) of Jinzhou has ended in a one sided slaughter. More people are coming around to the religion worshipping a benevolent city building goddess who creates dragons. I wonder why?

Cauldron is busy plotting and have decided to ambush Alexander at his next destination, I'm sure that will go well. Also more news at eleven: Sun Wukong really likes hitting people with his staff. Even if they're across dimensions. Especially If they're across dimensions.

In other news you can expect this to be the last bit of Sun Wukong messing around for some time. He'll still be around fucking stuff up in the background but I'm starting to realise he kind of takes away from the story I want to write, since he kind of takes over the narrative whenever he's around and basically turns it into crack. Believable crack (since he's Sun Wukong) but still crack. You might see him during the endgame but not before then.

Basically:

Alexander: This story is a serious examination of Earth Bet and the folly of expecting good intentions alone to produce good results.

Sun Wukong: This story is about me beating the shit out of people.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment or two!

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Rating:

Teen And Up Audiences

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Category:

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Fandom:

Parahumans Series - Wildbow

Relationship:

Alexander/City Building

Characters:

Rebecca Costa-Brown | AlexandriaDragon (Parahumans)Director James TaggEmily PiggotColin Wallis | Armsmaster | DefiantBastion (Parahumans)

Additional Tags:

Self-InsertCYOAEndbringerA man finds his hobbyThe rest of the world is terrifiedCausing major wars by accidentTeehee~Misunderstandings

Language:

English

Stats:

Published:2025-02-16Updated:2026-02-21Words:227,115Chapters:82/?Comments:549Kudos:1,451Bookmarks:362Hits:86,296

(End)Bringing You A New Home! (Endbringer SI)

10moorem

Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Strategic Planning

Summary:

Taizong discusses genocide over tea.

Chapter Text

Chapter 24: Strategic Planning

-Taizong POV-

The tea swirled gently in his cup, the small spoon being used to stir the brew was held delicately in his hand. The milk quietly dispersed and muddled with the surrounding liquid, transforming the dark brown tea into a lighter blend. Taizong sipped the tea, the table in front of him covered in maps and reports.

The city of Chizhou was marked in red. The city was one of the C.U.I's 're-education camps', to any who could read the careful subtext it was nothing less than a torturous brainwashing facility. Dozens of parahumans passed through it every month and were beaten down to be reshaped into soulless dolls loyal only to the C.U.I.

An abominable practice, one which earned them no small amount of enemies.

Across from him sat Liu Min, a former military officer for the C.U.I. From all accounts that had been dug up on the man he had once been a leal hound of China, focused entirely on the defence of his country from outside forces.

Then his wife had been found raped and murdered.

Officially no suspect had been found, unofficially a platoon of Chinese Imperial soldiers had been using the town as a rest stop at the time.

Liu Min had been furious, intent on tracking down and bringing his wife's murderer to justice. He had investigated as quietly as he could, even going as far as interrogating the townsfolk under the authority of the C.U.I.

Authority that they had not given him.

Once word inevitably got out about his investigation he was unceremoniously stripped of his rank and sent to one of the many camps dotting the Chinese countryside.

The man had caught his attention at one of the many meetings he had attended, he was the one to first bring up the idea of raiding the C.U.I using the teleportation function of the drones of his creator.

In truth Taizong had been musing on such a plan for a while. The city of Jinzhou needed more people if it wanted to properly leverage its many advantages, after all they were mere tens of thousands in a city made for millions.

Liu Min, by being the one to bring it up, had saved him the burden of appearing warlike and overly aggressive. In truth that hatred and bloodthirst the man carried made him a perfect fit for his right hand man.

In order to pursue this sadly necessary war against the C.U.I certain unpopular measures would need to be taken. The C.U.I would need to be broken, everyone in New Jinzhou agreed on that, but they weren't seeing far enough. In order for Jinzhou to remain a serene paradise the surrounding land needed to be rendered feeble and impotent.

Permanently.

China would need to be broken up into several warring states, each too focused on the others to turn an eye on his city.

The means required to do this and maintain it would be cruel.

Liu Min had such a capacity for cruelty, and a deep well of hatred that would never allow the C.U.I to return.

Such a man would allow him to go through with his plans and come out smelling like roses to his own people, after all it was the dastardly Liu Min coming up with those plans not him!

Liu Min, for his part, was fully aware and onboard with both his plans and taking the blame, so long as he could hurt the C.U.I it was enough for him.

"From the drones reconnaissance the camp has a three meter fence lined with barbed wire, dozens of soldiers patrol the area constantly with rotating shifts to maximise efficiency. The camp itself is underground and requires retina scans to be allowed access. It is likely that the interior possesses cape and tinkertech defences, but the drones were unable to breach the underground section of the base," Liu Min read from his report.

Unfortunate, but it made sense.

His creators drones weren't purpose designed for reconnaissance and infiltration. Sure they could teleport, but they required clear coordinates in order for their V.I to make the jump. Trying to teleport underground to a base they had no idea of the dimensions of apparently tripped a safety alert and caused the drone to instead teleport home.

Taizong briefly thought about asking Yà lì shān dà for new drones capable of the task, before thinking better of it.

His creator would not always be there, better to learn to fend for oneself.

"Has Cai Lun figured out a solution for the sensors?"

"No, not yet. The sensors he has designed so far are either too power hungry to be placed on a drone or lack the needed fidelity. He is confident that he will find the solution, but this is a project that will still take weeks."

Taizong nodded at that, staring at the city on his map before moving on.

Trying to attack and rescue the prisoners now would be foolish, they lacked the needed information. Once they had the capability to properly map out the underground camp they could circle back to it.

"What of the resistance groups I asked to be researched?" Taizong asked.

Liu Min shuffled through his papers at the question before speaking once again.

The first group of note is the-" Lie Min took a deep breath, looking pained as he continued "-People's Liberation Front. A communist Revolution centred around Guigang."

Taizong felt his own brows furrow, he supposed people might be feeling misplaced nostalgia for the old government now that everything has begun spiralling out of control.

"Well, they're still enemies of the C.U.I. Get in contact with them and see if we can start supplying them with weapons. Hopefully they can do some damage," Taizong ordered.

Liu Min looked up wearily.

"I assume you don't mean to arm them with our best?"

Taizong scoffed at that.

"No, simply give them contemporary weapons that can match their C.U.I counterparts"

Liu Min nodded at that, looking relieved. "Very good, my lord. The next insurgents of interest is the Restorationist Movement led by General Ming. It seems to be a cult of personality centred around the general, they seem to want to make him Emperor."

Taizong nodded at that, it wasn't unusual for generals to command more respect from their soldiers than distant bureaucrats and emperors. It also indicated this General Ming was charismatic or competent enough to earn their men's admiration.

Promising.

"We'll be supplying them with the same for now, but see if we can attach a liaison to this group."

Liu Min seemed confused at the request, but nodded and wrote it down.

If this General Ming was as competent as Taizong suspected it might be worth investing more resources into the man. The liaison would be sent to confirm this competence, no need to give more resources if the man was simply a braggart with good luck.

Besides, if he could get General Ming to trust him it would make it easier to assassinate him later.

Couldn't allow him to stabilise China after all!

"There are also many minor rebellion groups popping up every day and are usually crushed in the same amount of time, though some are holding on longer," Liu Min continued before hesitating.

"There is also the individual known as Sun Wukong, who appears to be travelling West, he'll likely reach Huaxi in about five days or so. He appears to have drawn quite a large gathering that seem adamant in following the man."

Taizong could only groan softly at that. No doubt those people assumed Sun Wukong to be a wise liberator leading them to freedom.

While it was true Sun Wukong was all of those things, Taizong knew without a shred of doubt that the beast was simply following his impulses. No doubt he allowed that group to follow him because he thought it would be interesting. Hopefully he would knock over a few more C.U.I bases and then leave forever.

"Please, continue," Taizong motioned for him to hurry along.

"In addition to local insurgents there is also quite the large number of foreign actors becoming involved. South Korea is taking advantage of China's current anarchy by making a push against North Korea."

Taizong raised an eyebrow at that.

"How much progress are they making," he asked, morbidly curious.

"Initial progress was fast, but has since been bogged down after the Government of North Korea started sending starving and diseased men, women and children to march against the soldiers. As you might imagine this has pushed the South Korean's logistics to their limits. It doesn't help that there are a few suicide bombers mixed in," Liu Min said, grimacing at a few gruesome pictures attached to the report.

"Well, at least this means one of China's allies is unlikely to join in on this civil war," Taizong commented to himself.

"Indeed, in addition to this Russia has begun massing troops at the border."

Taizong's eyes snapped to Liu Min at that.

"For defensive purposes?"

Liu Min glanced at his report.

"According to the Russians it's a purely defensive measure to prevent immigrants entering their country in order to flee from the war," Liu Min said, looking as dubious about that as Taizong felt.

"Keep an eye on them," he ordered.

"Yes sir, no other foreign actor is being as blatant as Russia and Soth Korea. All have sent in smaller teams, ostensibly to observe."

More likely, Taizong thought to himself, they were looking for targets of opportunity. The C.U.I wasn't the only nation to kidnap parahumans, simply the most famous.

"And what has the C.U.I done in response?"

"They have set up observation posts around our walls, it appears they have given up on trying to take Jinzhou back with force…for now. They have instead pivoted to focus on the Restorationist Movement, likely because that revolutionary group has access to more weapons and supplies than the Liberation Front. The bulk of their parahumans have been sent to the borders they share with many countries, particularly Russia. They have also publicly condemned South Korea, but have done little else to aid their ally."

As expected.

"Allow the observation posts to persist, they will see nothing we do not allow them to see. Let them grow complacent from our appearance of inactivity. Have the drones on standby to sabotage the supply lines of the Russians if they decide to invade," Taizong eventually decided.

He would allow the Russians to fight the C.U.I's parahumans, that would only be helpful to his goals, but the region being governed by Russia would be just as bad as a unified China. So he would ensure they would be unable to push too deeply into the country.

"Are there any soft targets for us to target?"

Liu Min placed a hand to his chin at that, clearly having difficulty thinking of a target that could be defined as 'soft' when it came to the controlling and tyrannical C.U.I.

"The war colleges might count, they're lightly patrolled and their loss would mean the destruction of a lot of institutional knowledge. There are also a lot of refineries spread across the country, their loss could slow the war machine of the C.U.I down immensely."

Taizong nodded at that. He would be playing the long game now, exhausting as many of China's options while spending as little of his own as he could. Taizong had been created to see to the citizens of New Jinzhou and he would not sacrifice them simply to hurt the C.U.I.

No, that was the job of the many revolutionary groups he was nurturing.

He knew, or at least suspected that Yà lì shān dà would not approve of such measures. They had crafted this wonderful city to serve as succour for those weary of suffering. But Taizong had been created to be the perfect statesman and leader. And there was no leader, past or future, that wouldn't sacrifice others so that the people of their own nation could live safe and happy lives.

Besides, what they didn't know couldn't hurt them.

AN: So yeah, turns out that Taizong has his own plans. Alexander was worried about absolute power corrupting any leader that governed Jinzhou so he created a perfect leader who could not fall to such corruption. Alexander even made sure Taizong would place the lives of his people above Alexander.

Alexander just forgot that even good leaders often do horrible and immoral actions for the sake of their people.

So now the plan is to turn China into a fractious and impoverished realm that cannot threaten Jinzhou. After all they're not Taizong's people, so why should he care? Many other nations are starting to get involved. South Korea has begun an invasion of North Korea. Russia is massing on the borders, but they wouldn't do anything right?

Finally there are a lot of smaller groups adding a degree of unpredictability. Alexander will be leaving soon, and just like Japan he's leaving an absolute mess behind him.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment!

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Rating:

Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning:

Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Category:

Gen

Fandom:

Parahumans Series - Wildbow

Relationship:

Alexander/City Building

Characters:

Rebecca Costa-Brown | AlexandriaDragon (Parahumans)Director James TaggEmily PiggotColin Wallis | Armsmaster | DefiantBastion (Parahumans)

Additional Tags:

Self-InsertCYOAEndbringerA man finds his hobbyThe rest of the world is terrifiedCausing major wars by accidentTeehee~Misunderstandings

Language:

English

Stats:

Published:2025-02-16Updated:2026-02-21Words:227,115Chapters:82/?Comments:549Kudos:1,451Bookmarks:362Hits:86,296

(End)Bringing You A New Home! (Endbringer SI)

10moorem

Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Moving Preparations

Summary:

Alexander gives the people internet. This was a mistake.

Chapter Text

Chapter 25: Moving Preparations

-Alexander POV-

Life went on after the attack from C.U.I forces, people were gradually becoming used to their accommodations while my paragons invested all their effort into the city. A more prepared attack was likely inevitable so Taizong had ordered the outer districts of the city to be fortified in preparation.

I personally thought it would take many more attacks before a method of breaching into the city was devised, but I guess it was good to start early.

The skyscrapers in the city centre had been repurposed to become the nerve centre of the entire city, a place for the city government to plan and implement policy. Taizong practically never left, only occasionally leaving to give a short speech or two before heading back inside.

The day to day production of drones had tripled, although the newly made drones fresh from the factory lacked the magical abilities of their predecessors. No doubt those early works would be husbanded carefully, and only used if the situation required it.

The city felt alive now, more lived in.

The clinical silence and cold beauty had been replaced by the chaotic bustle of a newly forged people. Still nervous and uncertain, many still glanced behind them and expected the worst, but improving by the day. I, at once, loved and bemoaned the change.

On the one hand the people brought a beauty that no city on it's own could, but unfortunately they also came with a few issues.

A discarded can was picked up by my abilities and sent careening towards a recycling bin, clanging against the lid slightly before falling inside.

Most of the people gathered were conscientious and tidy, but when you gathered a few thousand people together there were going to be a few bad apples.

Most of them were simply depressed and angry, the scars from the outside world not healed by a new home and luxuries. Only time could help with that.

Some were just assholes, and I wouldn't be surprised if the first trials began soon.

It's an uncomfortable topic, if a frankly necessary one.

'Speaking of uncomfortable topics'

I surreptitiously glanced at Renji, the man still walking a few steps behind me on my right.

The conversation we had had prior was a mix of confusing and enlightening. It had opened my eyes to the workings of the city and the necessity of my involvement at a crucial turning point, but it had also left me troubled in regards to my companion.

The shift from compliant and dutiful to directly challenging my decisions had been jarring, enough that for a small shameful moment I had been struck by indignant rage.

That had passed but the moment remained, looming over their every interaction like an ever expanding gulf.

Now whenever I looked at him I felt that shameful mix of confusion and fear. What had caused that outburst? Has he already grown sick of me now that he's met actual people?

It was embarrassing but I had actually grown to appreciate Renji's company. His silent support as I worked, the way he would dutifully listen as I blathered on about a topic he had no knowledge of and the occasional word of wisdom were all things I had grown to cherish.

And now that relationship seemed set to crumble.

Why did that scare me so much?!

This wasn't the first friendship of mine that had withered, the slow death of communication as distance and time made once strong bonds into nothing but a memory. I remembered simply accepting it, choosing to cherish the memory and not seeking to rekindle old flames.

Was it because Renji was all I had in this world?

Or could it be because of Golden Morning hanging over me like the sword of Damocles?

I just didn't know.

But regardless of how terrified I was, Renji still had a choice. Looking back and wondering what I had done wrong had opened my eyes a bit. My relationship with Renji was more than a little one-sided. Renji followed my every whim and while I had been discomforted by his servile behaviour I had never directly discouraged it either, too desperate for connection.

Renji continued looking dead ahead as he walked, his blank face giving me no idea what he was thinking of.

There was no one else currently present in this stretch of the city, ask him now!

"Renji," I began nervously, "what do you think of the city?"

Fucking damn it! Why am I such a coward?

He takes a moment to look me over, eyes flickering across my expression as he smiles.

"It's beautiful and it serves it's purpose well," Renji states before hesitating a second and continuing, "Though I will admit it's not to my personal tastes, too much chrome and bright colours. From what I saw on the internet I think I prefer your last city."

I leaned back a bit.

That was… good?

He had engaged with the conversation more than I had expected, before he likely would have either given one or two words or he would have waxed poetically regarding my capabilities. Instead he had simply given his opinion and criticisms.

That last part however made me nervous.

He had criticised me. Was it a subtle way of insulting me? Or was he just giving his honest opinion?

Ugh, this was the worst.

"I'll likely be leaving soon. The city is complete and the people are thriving. I've set up the structures and people necessary to allow them to grow to yet greater heights, my work here is done." I state, the question of whether he'll be coming with me left unsaid.

He nodded serenely at that, offering me no words in response.

"Taizong will likely do well by them, though I will admit to being worried for their future," I continued.

And it was true. The decision to strike against the C.U.I had been a popular one, more than I had ever expected. The plan to do so was clever enough, and unlikely to seriously jeopardise the safety of the citizens. But I still worried, the conditions the people here had been forced to endure were horrific.

Those conditions hadn't just been physical abuse either. Psychologically the people here were damaged, and I wasn't sure throwing them into battle was the right idea.

Renji, for his part, looked up at me with wide eyes.

"Don't worry my liege I don't doubt the people will do well in your absence!"

Fucking ouch Renji! I know I'm not a good leader but you didn't have to do me that dirty!

"Y-yeah, no doubt," I say, still reeling from the psychic damage of that insult.

Renji looked at me in slight concern for a moment, before continuing his watch on the city.

"Where next then?" He asked.

I stopped to think at that. I had considered a few places, but I had winnowed them down fairly quickly. I had briefly considered Russia, before realising that the local climate would likely clash with the theme I'm planning for my next city.

"India, most likely."

What little I had read of Worm hadn't gone into detail regarding India. I recalled something about 'hot' and 'cold' capes, I think the difference was in how public they were with their powers? Hot capes being akin to the usual Protectorate hero while the cold capes worked behind the scenes.

Phir Se was an Indian cape, I think?

Then again I could be wrong about all of this, it had been a while since I read the source material.

Either way it was close enough that the travel time wouldn't bore me to tears too much and the local climate would allow for my next big project.

My brief smile soured slightly as I realised Renji still hadn't given me a clue as to whether he would continue travelling with me, was he being vague on purpose?

Screw it?

"So what do you plan on doing when we get to India?"

Renji's face turned contemplative.

"Do you know if they have any interesting food?"

I almost sank to the floor in relief, only my inhuman control over my body masking my joy.

"Oh I'm sure they do, though I'm not sure how much of a chance you'll have to try any. It would be a little weird to find a restaurant still open years after an Endbringer attack," I laughed, still giddy in relief.

Renji, in contrast, slumped slightly.

"Oh, that's a shame. I've been trying some of the local cuisine that's been set up and I've taken a liking to eating, even if I don't need it."

Huh, Renji got a hobby. One he'll likely not get a chance to see properly bloom if he continues following me around. The previous thoughts I had had regarding our one-sided relationship returned at full force.

Perhaps I should let him stay here?

Then it hit me, an idea so grand I could hardly believe I had thought of it.

"Don't worry Renji! I recently picked up a biological specialty, and combined with my matter manipulation we should be able to cook a lot of dishes on our way to India!"

Renji's eyes went wide, and I couldn't help but preen. Renji had always been supportive regarding my city building hobby so it was only right I aid him in his own hobby!

Actually I should probably look up a few recipes now, I had never been much of an gourmand but I couldn't help but feel a childlike excitement as I thought of the coming fun.

Huh, no signal?

Oh right, the barrier.

Wow, did I seriously not consider that?

With a simple thought the barrier shuddered, changed and a full three bars appeared on my nanoparticle device.

Huh, that's a lot of variety.

As I share my findings with Renji I pay no more mind to the minor flaw I had just fixed.

-Jinzhou V.I POV-

It did not think. It only acted according to its directives.

So as a new connection emerged suddenly it did not panic, it merely investigated.

DIRECTIVE: Safeguard the people of Jinzhou

Information was catalogued and stored. Enemy societal information was forwarded to the relevant parties.

Military intelligence could not be broken into, anomalous defences present. Instead it used the shape of the absent data, as well as surrounding data, to form multiple conclusions in order of likelihood.

This too was forwarded to the relevant parties.

DIRECTIVE: Follow the orders of the leader of Jinzhou

Current policy revolves around the maximisation of chaos in the surrounding land.

And so it did just that.

Information was leaked.

Public scandals, both true and false, were identified and used.

Dossiers were put together on known parahumans and forwarded to their enemies.

Money was siphoned from influential Chinese Oligarchs ad redistributed to rebel groups and foreign countries.

Then it stopped. More data was required to refine models.

All that was left was to observe.

AN: Drama! Alexander having interpersonal conflict was not where I saw this going, but that's what happened. He also didn't exactly go about solving it in the best way, with the exception of encouraging Renji's cooking hobby. That'll let Renji contribute a lot more to future conversations and allow the two to get closer. Hopefullt that'll work out well!

Alexander also fixes his most heinous mistake and gives the people free internet. Naturally Alexander can't even do that much without starting more chaos and conflict. Yeah the V.I is just smart enough to know the plans of the ones it's supposed to listen to and how to carry out those orders while being too dumb to know why carrying them out immediately without consulting anyone is a bad idea. Classic Alexander mistake, am I right?

Also the next location is revealed! It's India! I'm sure they'll appreciate having Alexander coming over, right? There definitely won't be a massive fight, right? Ah, who am I kidding it's going to be the first Endbringer fight of the story. Alexander has gotten away with being sneaky in the past but not this time! Expect a lot of carnage and a lot of death. As for how this fight will be started in the first place when Alexander wouldn't want to kill anyone? That'll be my little secret, it's something I've had in the works for a while though. Look forward to it!

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Chapter 890 - 20-25