"It’s getting colder..." Ar muttered as he woke up before dawn...
His eyes opened to the dim glow of the ergency lamps that lined the shelter’s corridors.
As he looked around, he confird that the others were still asleep.
Apparently, the quarters he shared with three other n were a bit cramped.
Even the air had the scent of oil and rust that never truly faded from the walls.
Their beds were nothing more than wooden fras, but each had a sleeping bag laid across it. It was a gift from Kai.
Without those, the hard planks would have been unbearable. There were no cushions, no mattresses, no softness at all. Comfort was a luxury they couldn’t afford right now.
When Kai had first conquered this shelter, Ar rembered how lifeless it had been. The halls were filled with unmoving Sentinels, with their tallic bodies frozen in place like statues.
Spare parts littered the floors like blades, gears, batteries, coils of wire, and containers of grease stacked in corners. It hadn’t been built for humans at all.
This place was basically once a base of the A.I. Army, a depot for machines...
"Another day of work..." Ar muttered as he slowly sat up to stretch his body.
Ar still recalled the eerie silence of those first days in this shelter.
The place had felt more like a graveyard than a ho. But sohow, within just a few days, Kai had transford it. He didn’t know how Kai did it... where the food ca from, how weapons appeared, or why supplies seed endless.
Kai had powers that defied explanation, pulling resources out of nowhere.
Even simple items like flashlights, firestarters, water buckets, books, bandages, painkillers, a compass, a whistle, and many more, Kai has them!
Ar sotis joked to himself that Kai was selling his soul to so unseen force, but deep down, he knew it was sothing far more mysterious.
Whatever the truth, Kai’s abilities had kept them alive. Guns, food, smoke grenades, sleeping bags, and even a small camping tent, all of it had co from him.
Ar then rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
As he slowly moved.
His companions were still asleep, so he quietly rolled up his sleeping bag, careful not to wake them, and slipped out of the quarters.
The shelter was quiet at this hour, and their lights were only relying on the battery-powered ergency lights. Of course, there were also so flashlights scattered everywhere that anyone could use.
Firstly, Ar made his way to the washroom, where a crude system of pipes carried water from the tanks... Well, there was already so water supply here since even the A.I. Army needed a water supply.
Then, he bathed quickly, shivering as the cold water ran over his skin, but grateful nonetheless. Cleanliness was rare in this world, and Kai had insisted they maintain it.
After drying off, Ar headed to the kitchen.
His daily task was simple but important... preparing food for the others.
The shelves were stacked with canned goods, instant noodles, and other items like mayonnaise and granola bars. all scavenged or supplied by Kai.
But canned food or instant noodles alone were bland and heavy.
To make it better, Ar and the others had started cultivating a small garden outside the shelter led by Aurora...
They were now growing leafy greens and hardy vegetables.
It wasn’t much, but it added flavor and nutrition to their als.
This morning, Ar opened a can of chicken broth and poured it into the pot.
He chopped a handful of leafy greens from yesterday’s harvest, adding them to the simring liquid.
The aroma filled the kitchen, warm and comforting. He stirred slowly as he wanted the flavor to spread evenly...
Cooking wasn’t glamorous, but it was his way of contributing.
As he worked, Ar’s mind drifted back to last night. He rembered the glowing crystal, the Status Crystal Kai had revealed.
He rembered the shock on everyone’s faces when his stats appeared.
Eighty-five Spirit Points at Level 4.
It didn’t make sense.
He had only consud four drops of the gold liquid, gifted to him once by Sir Damon, one of Haven‑45’s forr leaders.
He wasn’t a fighter, wasn’t trained, wasn’t special.
And yet, the crystal had shown him sothing extraordinary.
Ar stirred the soup harder as his mind drifted.
Even Russel, a seasoned scout, had only 32 Spirit at Level 7. Ar’s number was more than double that.
He didn’t know what it ant, but he knew Kai was already planning to give him Enhancent Serums.
Could he really beco soone important? Could he fight alongside the others, instead of just cooking soup and cleaning dishes?
This thought made him really excited about his future...
Clug... Clug...
The pot bubbled as steam started rising into the air. Ar tasted the broth, adjusted the taste by adding a little bit more water, and then he smiled faintly. It wasn’t much, but it was good enough.
Soon, the others would wake, and this simple al would give them strength for another day.
Creak~
Suddenly, the kitchen doors opened.
"Ohh... You’re done with your duty, Ar?" Mila said as she saw Ar removing his apron.
"That’s quick... I guess we’re just going to clean the place now." Rudy, another kitchen helper, added.
"Ahh... I have so plans this morning, so I ca in early." Ar replied as he scratched his head.
Apparently, Ar was the one tasked to cook for their morning al, so he didn’t wait for the others.
As for their dinner, that would be for others to work on.
Later this evening, he would also be free to do anything...
Ar then slipped out of the kitchen as he planned to watch Victor dismantle another Sentinel in his workshop.
He knew that Victor would do this every morning, so he was already moving...
But then, he noticed the two full squads of Assault Team 1 and Team 2.
Apparently, they were being briefed by Kai, who was also up this early in the morning.
"I believe that the Gene Trader is nearby..." Kai declared as his eyes swept across the assembled fighters.
"That must be the reason why this shelter was attacked by mutants before. We’re not stopping until we find this person... no matter how long it takes!"
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