What’s happiness?
Happiness is when those survivors outside fight like mad dogs just to get a sip of water or a bite to eat - so to the point of drinking their teammate’s blood to stay alive...
anwhile, the won of the Ice Regint are lying comfortably in their beds, listening to music, munching on jerky and chips, flipping through novels, or snuggling up with their bunkmate, chatting about the only man in the group.
That’s happiness - a kind carved straight out of comparison.
In the past few days, Springvale City’s north and east had been sward with all-female Ice Regint squads. When dealing with regular survivor teams, they traded food and water. When facing won, they offered words of hope and tried to reel in fresh recruits.
But if it was ard rabble, they took everything by force. Best case, they captured and exiled them - worst case, slaughtered entire crews. The convoys that survived spread their fear, warning others: don’t ss with the Ice Regint.
By the 25th night of the apocalypse, deep in a fallout shelter, Magnus, Sophia, Emily and a few others agreed it was ti to wrap up the looting.
Starting tomorrow, they’d focus on letting the veterans rest and training the new folks.
They’d gained a lot. The Ice Regint had swept through the north and east of Springvale, seizing an arsenal. After final inventory by Liana, the numbers were clear: 1,228 assault rifles, 3,261 magazines, 1,722 pistols with 4,227 mags, 1,116 hand grenades, and 1,911 military knives.
Heavy weapons? They had 22 shoulder-fired rocket launchers with 52 rockets, 33 fla-throwers with 77 spare canisters.
Also, nine infantry vehicles in working condition, and they’d captured eleven of the enemy drivers.
As for manpower, they’d added another 219 fighters in the past days, 188 of them were Awakened. Female soldiers aged 18 to 35 now totaled 172.
Overall, the Ice Regint had grown to 726 strong - 524 of them Awakened. 331 knew how to drive. Female fighters aged 18 to 35 numbered 521.
Their strength had reached a new peak.
That evening, after dinner, Magnus gathered with over a dozen middle-level officers for a quick eting.
Liana handed out the latest inventory list, then spoke up, concern written all over her face. "We’ve got food stores to last us about a month, tops. ats - we’ve got a decent amount. But we can’t eat at every day. I suggest we head to the countryside, trade for grain."
Sophia let out a heavy sigh. "The team’s been more chaotic lately. So are breaking down, shouting and crying about going ho. Others are constantly bickering, nitpicking, making everyone tense. It’s exhausting."
"Then tomorrow, we clean house - make an example," said Magnus after a mont, his brow furrowed. "We can’t keep people we can’t trust. At dawn, exile the rotten ones - give them three days of food and water each. However many are acting up, kick them all out."
Silence fell.
That order was no different than sentencing soone to death. In these tis, emotional breakdowns weren’t shocking - especially among won. So compassion might’ve been expected.
But Magnus didn’t flinch.
He read the room and added, "We can’t afford rcy. We’ve all heard what happens when things fall apart - negativity spreads like a virus. We let that fester, and the Ice Regint’s finished."
No one spoke after that.
Magnus then continued. "What’s the word from Cliff’s side? Managed to catch any of his people these days?"
"We did catch a few," Emily nodded. "After we blew up ten of their buildings last ti, Cliff’s barely keeping control. I heard he’s down to just over 9,000 people. Also, seems like sothing’s happening in Coldre Town - rumor has it they’re planning to rge forces with his Sovereign Vanguard."
"Why not just hand out the remaining tal Crystals and storm into the city? Wipe Baxter out for good!" Sophia suggested bluntly.
"Won’t work," Magnus shook his head. "We’ve only got rockets to deal with their infantry vehicles, and they’ve got too many. Even if we took the city, what then? It’s not worth it. Springvale City can’t compare to Grain Depot Town in value."
"So when do we go after Grain Depot?" Liana asked.
"Give it another month," Magnus said after a pause. "Let the crew in the bunker settle down. I’ll take a squad with Sophia and hit that place first. You’ll link up with us once we’ve secured it."
"Why again? You drag everywhere these days, what’s your deal?"
Magnus glanced at her. "Once we take Grain Depot Town, I’ll be coming back to regroup with Emily and the others. So the one staying behind there has to be soone I fully trust."
"Why not take Emily, then? Why’s it always ? You only trust or sothing?" Sophia grumbled.
Liana grinned and cut in, "Isn’t it obvious? He likes you."
Word had gotten out about Magnus and Sophia - specifically, him kissing her. Now that Liana just said it out loud with no filter, Sophia got flustered, tripping over her words trying to deny it. Emily quietly looked away...
*****
The next morning, Emily, Sophia, Charlotte, and a dozen squad leaders held private talks with team mbers to assess issues. After cross-checking info, they flagged 32 people as unstable or problematic.
After breakfast, Charlotte gathered all 726 mbers. Magnus stood before the group and announced the nas of the 32 - cut from the Ice Regint. Each would get three days’ worth of food and water, a military knife, and a ride out - five to a vehicle. Ten minutes to leave the bunker.
The mont he finished, the entire place went dead silent. Everyone stared, stunned.
Cutting out one-twentieth of the whole regint, with no warning, no discussions - it shocked them to the core.
Still, so caught on - the ones kicked out were mostly troublemakers, crybabies, or the ones constantly stirring the pot.
So of the expelled couldn’t believe it. A few seconds later, the shouting started.
"What the hell, Magnus?! You think you can just toss us out like garbage? Screw you! Is this your house now? You think you get to decide who stays or goes?! I ain’t leaving! Let’s see what the hell you’re gonna do about it!"
"Yeah! This team doesn’t belong to you alone, Magnus! It’s all of ours!"
"Sisters! Today it’s us - tomorrow, he could throw any of you out too! You want to spend the rest of your lives under so guy’s boot? If not, it’s ti we take control! He’s just one man! We take our weapons, take him down now, and from this day on, the Ice Regint belongs to us - belong to all won - - "
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