Just when Shane thought the caravan had revealed its last surprise, he noticed another stall nearby the one selling fabrics and tools...
Unlike the cages of livestock, this one was smaller, but the crowd around it was just as thick.
He stepped closer, and his eyes widened.
Rows of jars lined the shelves. Salt jars, soy sauce jars, chili paste, peppercorns, and other seasonings, all neatly sealed...
’This rchant Caravan... They’ve beco a lot more generous than before.’ Shane thought as he realized that there seed to be an ’update’ about these caravans lurking around the continent.
It seed that after the Red Night Event, the system had decided to reward them. Not only the long year without any Zombie Wave Event, but also these rchants being generous!
Perhaps, there were even more that he wasn’t exactly aware of...
’Aweso...’
In the System Marketplace, seasonings were among the most expensive commodities. Survivors across the continent rarely parted with them, and when they did, the prices skyrocketed.
Salt alone could cost more than a Spirit Stone, and soy sauce was practically priceless for shelters that wanted to keep morale high.
Without hesitation, Shane turned to one of the nearby guards. "Get Alexa. Tell her to co here imdiately."
The guard nodded and sprinted off.
In the anti, Shane began purchasing jars directly. He didn’t hesitate...
Salt, soy sauce, chili, pepper, vinegar. He bought in bulk, knowing how precious these would be. Every transaction drained cores and stones from his inventory, but he didn’t mind it.
These weren’t frivolous purchases. They were investnts in morale, in taste, in the daily lives of his soldiers and workers.
Soon, Alexa arrived. The chief chef of the Eclipse Domain was a tall woman with her hair tied back, her apron still dusted with flour from the day’s work.
She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the stall.
"Commander... are those... seasonings?" Her voice trembled with disbelief.
Shane nodded. "We’re securing them now. Salt, soy sauce, chili, pepper. You’ll have what you need."
Alexa’s eyes lit up, and for a mont, the hardened chef looked almost childlike in her gratitude. "This... this changes everything. You don’t know how many tis we’ve had to improvise, boiling broth with scraps, stretching flavor with herbs that barely grow. Feeding four hundred to five hundred people a day with no proper seasoning most of the ti... it’s been torture."
Shane gave a faint smile.
"Then consider this your relief. But I won’t buy everything. You and your team are responsible for feeding soldiers and workers. That’s your priority. We’ll stock enough to last, but not so much that we waste resources."
Alexa nodded firmly, already calculating in her head how far the supplies would stretch. "Even a few jars of soy sauce will make the als taste alive again. Salt alone will let us preserve at properly. Commander... thank you."
Shane turned back to the rchant, finalizing the purchases. The jars were packed carefully into crates, each one sealed and marked for transport...
With that done, Shane finally stepped away from the stall...
He felt really satisfied.
"Fabrics, livestock, and seasonings... this caravan saved us." He muttered to himself.
And with that, Shane left the plaza, as he planned to visit the Fairy Realm this ti.
***
The next day, within the Eclipse Domain, Kimberly woke up early after hearing noise outside.
Her small studio apartnt was barely ten square ters, a single bed pressed against the wall, a foldable table, and a shelf stacked with mismatched utensils. It wasn’t much, but for 5 Zombie Cores a week, it was safe, warm, and hers.
Unfortunately, her apartnt was close to the bakery. They open early in the morning, and it would always be filled with custors.
The noise from that would then wake her up...
Still, it was a natural alarm for her, so she wouldn’t be late for work.
"Hmm... I want so hot soup..." Kimberly muttered as she rubbed her eyes before pulling on her patched uniform.
It was another day as a kitchen helper. Most mornings were the sa... washing pots, chopping vegetables, and carrying trays.
She didn’t mind this at all. Work ant rations, and rations ant survival. She even befriended a few elves in the process. Furthermore, she would sotis talk to Raze, the Dragon Knight. She even gets the chance to pet Roan whenever she serves them so food.
Still, her circle of friends was small. A few fellow helpers in the kitchen, and two baristas she still kept in touch with from her short stint at Zeustify Coffee Shop. She had worked there for a few months before transferring to the shelter kitchens, where the demand was steadier.
As she tied her hair back and prepared to leave for her shift, a knock ca at her door.
"Kimberly," a guard said, "you’re requested at the admin office..."
She paused, confused by the sudden call. "Now? I’m supposed to be on prep duty."
"Orders from Mr. Wadsworth," the guard replied simply.
Kimberly’s stomach tightened. The butler rarely summoned kitchen staff. She grabbed her jacket and followed... She was worried that she had done sothing wrong...
’Is it because of the Zombie Pigs I killed and looted? Uhmmm... Maybe I looted more than what I killed?’ Kimberly thought.
After all, she only killed six Zombie Pigs before but she looted over 30 of them. She gained a lot of experience points, at, and other stuff thanks to that.
That was the only issue she could think of!
’Urgh... I hope they just deduct my salary...’ Kimberly thought as she arrived at the admin office...
It was quite busy... Several people were working on papers, with several officers moved in and out.
At the center was Mr. Wadsworth...
She was then gestured to enter another room, and soon, she realized that there were seven other survivors already waiting.
Kimberly didn’t recognize any of them. They looked just as uncertain as she felt. They seed to be farmhands, cleaners, or maybe laborers.
Mr. Wadsworth’s gaze swept over them...
"You eight have been selected for reassignnt," he said. "Your talents are no longer wasted in kitchens or maintenance. From today, you will form the Animal Husbandry Unit."
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