Claire couldn’t help but glare at Kai’s behavior.
"You’re unbelievable. First you terrify them, then you go straight to their food."
However, Jonas just chuckled while i shook her head. They seed more amused.
Nonetheless, the slaves, still trembling, watched as the Augnted Humans turned their attention to the fields.
Their shock slowly gave way to hope once again.
Whatever strange sense of humor they have, these humans had fought for them...
The slaves shifted uneasily, their chains clinking as they exchanged nervous glances.
Soon, one of them stepped forward.
His face was bony, his body was frail, but his eyes had a spark of determination.
"My na is Noli," he said. "We... we don’t know much. But I have guesses."
Kai tilted his head, impressed by the man’s courage.
He repeated the na slowly, as if committing it to mory.
"Noli. Good. Tell what you know. Anything helps."
Noli nodded. He swallowed hard as he was thirsty, but he continued.
"At first, we thought we were being kept here to be atshields."
Claire’s expression darkened.
Jonas and i also had a serious look. All of them understood imdiately.
They all knew the tactic.
The Sentinels had been seen before, strapping naked humans to their fras, chaining them as living shields.
It was a cruel design, one ant to force the Survivors to hesitate in battle. Every strike against the machines risked killing an innocent, and that hesitation was exactly what the A.I. wanted.
"atshields, huh..." Kai sighed.
Noli’s voice shook as he continued. "Yes... that’s what we feared. But then, we realized sothing else. We weren’t just atshields. We were bait. The machines wanted us alive so that other survivors would try to rescue us. And when they ca... they’d be slaughtered. It happened a few tis already. Those who tried rescuing us died from the plasma fires of the Spyders."
Claire nodded grimly. "That makes sense..."
Noli’s gaze drifted toward the fields, before he continued.
"As for the crops... both inside and outside the base... I believe they’re not food. They’re bioweapons."
This ti, the four Foreign Survivors suddenly went silent.
Jonas frowned. "Bioweapons? You an... the plants themselves?"
Noli nodded. "We don’t know the details. But so of us noticed strange things. The soil is treated with chemicals. The crops grow too fast, too uniform. And sotis, when they harvest, the machines take samples away. Not for us. For sothing else."
Kai’s eyes squinted as he realized what was going on and he gently nodded.
"So the A.I. keeps humans alive to tend these fields... not to feed them, but to cultivate sothing dangerous. They’re hitting three birds in one stone for keeping you all alive."
Claire’s voice was quiet, thoughtful. "It fits. The crops could be engineered to produce toxins, spores, or compounds. Maybe humans are forced to grow them because their biology stabilizes the process. Machines can’t replicate that."
"Naah... That’s too far-fetched." Kai said with a dismissive.
"Anything can happen now at this point." i added, reminding Kai that they were in a mystical world.
Claire clenched her fists. "Whatever the reason, it’s twisted. They’re using people as farrs for weapons ant to kill more people."
The other slaves, who had no idea about their crops, whispered among themselves. They didn’t expect that Noli had a guess about their situation.
Just like that, fear started mixing with relief. They had lived in ignorance, but now the truth was beginning to take shape.
Kai exhaled slowly and his gaze swept across the chained workers. "We’ll figure out the purpose of these crops. But first..."
Claire stepped forward, cutting him off sharply.
"Kai. Enough talk. Look at them. They’re still chained. We need to free them before anything else."
Her voice carried authority, and even Kai paused. She was right.
The slaves looked down at their wrists and ankles, iron shackles biting into their skin.
The chains rattled with every movent, a constant reminder of their captivity.
Kai nodded. "You’re right. We need the keys."
Jonas glanced around the compound. "The Sentinels must have carried them. Or maybe the Spyders kept them in storage."
i’s eyes turned as she scanned the wreckage. "I’ll search the bodies. If they’re not here, then I’ll search their base.
Claire turned back to the slaves, and her tone beca softer now.
"We’ll get you out. Just hold on a little longer."
Noli’s eyes glistened as he heard Claire’s angelic voice...
It was as if he was hearing a revelation from his god. "Ahhh... Thank you... thank you all. We thought we’d never see this day."
Kai crouched beside him and smiled.
"Noli, you’ve given us valuable information... Wait. You should all receive sothing first."
Kai rose to his feet, scanning the group. His Keen Sense had swiftly confird their number... forty slaves in total.
He exhaled, then activated his Talent.
[ Infinite Gift Pack: Activated ]
[ Basic Gift Pack Selection ]
[ Enhanced Gift Pack Selection ]
Without hesitation, he selected the Enhanced version before selecting the packs he needed.
Just like that, he selected five Food Gift Packs (Enhanced) and five Water Gift Packs (Enhanced).
Soon, Kai opened one of the packs, revealing vacuum‑sealed rations, canned goods, dried fruits, and even a portable stove with fuel canisters. Another pack spilled out, water bottles, purification tablets, and an insulated canteen.
The slaves gasped audibly.
Noli’s eyes widened, his lips trembling. "Food... real food..."
One of the won covered her mouth with tears streaming down her face as she saw the dried fruits.
Another man reached forward hesitantly, as if afraid it was an illusion.
Claire crossed her arms, still glaring at Kai but unable to hide a faint smile. "You’re unbelievable. First, you scare them, now you’re spoiling them."
Jonas chuckled. "Well, at least this ti it’s a good surprise."
The slaves crowded closer, their chains clinking as they knelt around the packs.
So even started praying.
As i was still looking for the keys, it didn’t take long before the sll of sealed soup packs and coffee sachets started spreading...
Glug... Glug... Glug...
The place was filled with amusing sounds as the sll from the food was enough to make their stomachs growl.
Kai didn’t point this out as he handed Noli a bottle of clean water.
"Here. Wash your hands, drink, and eat. You’ll all have your share."
As he said this, he suddenly heard i screaming inside the main building!
Kyaaahh!
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