Chapter 193 Departing From The Desert
"There are more humans in the desert headquarters than we anticipated," Nika reported with a slight frown on his face.
"But don't forget the enormous resources we find. We are still excavating some right now. If only for the long distance, we could have completed everything." Merab said.
"The resources aren't the problem but how to solve the increased number of prisoners. How to get them food and treat them. Most of them have psychological trauma from their torment by the hordes. If care is not taken, these people may hamper other people." Kira said with a solemn expression.
"Do we have any free cars for more people?" Justin asked.
"None. The prisoners are currently using the last car." Nasir reported.
Hearing this, Justin creased his brow for a couple of seconds and tapped his feet gently. The room was quiet, looking at him.
"When the last batch of people from the desert comes back, we are departing." He said slowly.
"Those among the prisoners that can work, give them work. And those that could be treated should be treated but if they are beyond treatment. Send them out of the ark immediately."
Hearing Justin's solemn tone, the expression of the people didn't change at all. Previously, they may have some misgivings about giving up fellow humans but now. They realized things are more complicated than just showing unnecessary mercy.
"The situation in the commoner and unmarked regions is getting more complicated and getting nasty every day. Various gangs had started sprouting and going against the unmarked." Nasir reported.
"I know," Justin said. "I allow it since the unmarked group is more powerful than the commoners, this is bound to happen."
"Nasir, you set up some kind of police team previously but what happened to them?"
"Since we migrate into the ark. I don't have time to coordinate them. "
"Why do you think I exempt you from going to battle every time? I won't accept an excuse from you again."
Nasir swallows the lumps in his throat and averts his gaze.
"We are more than a thousand now. Now, do you understand what that means?" Justin said his gaze moving from one person to another.
"Nika, take 50 people from the defense team as the ark police. You set it up like a proper organization, with ranks and everything. You use the defense car as your office."
"Alright."
"How's the contribution system?" He looked at Susan.
"Everything is going smoothly but with more people, the contribution point is not effective any longer. We need a form of currency." Susan said seriously.
"Chloe…"
Chloe adjusted her glasses and took out a small rectangular steel from her pocket. On the small was written 10 GN.
"This will be our new currency." She said as she took more currencies out of her pocket. There are 5, 10, 50, and 100 GN.
Seeing the money, the expression of everyone inside the room changed. They stared at Chloe before staring at Justin. When did they do all this?
The money didn't have any complicated design. Apart from the denomination, there were only a few strange markings on the small metal steel.
"You can feel it if you want." Chloe throws the new money at them.
At once, the group picks the money and examines it with a fascinating expression.
"Is it not too simple and can it not be forged by other people?" Merab asked, staring at Chloe before she looked at Justin.
Chloe adjusted her glasses and a bright smile appeared on her face. She opened her mouth to speak but was beaten to it by Justin.
"Let them try."
Listening to this, the people looked at each other, and smiles appeared on their faces. Who would dare forge the money unless they were tired of living.
"Chloe is the only one who has the mechanism of forging the money. Thus, the secret is safe with her and me."
"The conversion of points to money would be done by you. We will continue to use the point system together with the money."
"With this, the situation inside the ark would be stable and the people would sense of belonging and reason to work harder"
"How is the restaurant and everything?" Justin asked.
"Almost complete. We need only a few more days and some resources" Nasir responded.
"Grandpa Philip had returned. We are departing." Justin said in a low voice.
Buzz!
The ark shook slowly and departed the desert that was covered in rain. When the people noticed they were departing from the desert region. A scream of excitement came out from the commoner region.
After the executive concluded their meeting, Justin sat on a couch inside his room, reading his research on formation.
Knock!
"Come in." He sent a stream of golden thread into a small formation disk beside him and the formation inside the room disappeared as the door opened.
"Uncle Justin." Lola's cute voice announces her arrival as she rushes inside the room, jumping into Justin's arms. "It's been a long time since I last saw you."
Justin caught her and wondered how reckless she was. If she didn't catch her she should have hit the ground.
"Why are you so reckless? Don't you know you could have fallen to the ground If I hadn't caught you?" A bitter smile appeared on his face.
She laughs with a bright smile, showing her teeth. "Because I know you won't let me fall."
"Really?" He chuckled.
She nodded, wrapping her hand around his neck, and resting her head on his chest. Seeing this, Justin shook his head and sat on the couch.
"What brought you here? I know you won't come to meet me for no reason."
She bit her lips and looked directly into Justin as a bright smile crept to her face. "I've… become a second circle existence…"
"Really!" he prepared to be shocked and widened his eyes.
Hahaha.
"Yes. I'm awesome right?"
"Yes. Yes. That's my girl." She threw her up into the air and caught her effortlessly. She laughs happily at Justin's antic.
"What would you eat? Let's celebrate it."
"I will eat anything you eat." She said coyly.
In a couple of seconds, a middle-aged woman dressed in black and white appeared in Justin's room with rows of trays of food. A series of other maids surrounded the trolley. The middle-aged woman with the maids was trembling slightly as they entered the room.
"Your majesty." The head maid said.
"Set the table."
With trembling hands, the maid set the table quickly as possible before they scurry out of the room. Lola watched their reaction and giggled.
"Why is everyone scared of you," Lola said in a low voice, staring at his face.
"Because I'm stronger than them."
Hmm!
She knitted her brow and thought about it for a couple of seconds before nodding her head. Although Justin didn't know what was going on in her mind. He had an idea but kept eating.
After playing with Justin for a couple of minutes, Lola left reluctantly.
In another section of the ark, Susan sat behind a big table, working on rows of papers when she heard a knock. She raised her furrow.
"Come in."
Creak!
The door opened slowly and three people entered. Seeing the three people, a slight frown appeared on Susan's face.
"Why are you here?"
"We came to see you," Robert replied with a light smile on his face.
"For what" she resumes work without looking at the trio.
Seeing this, the three didn't have any change in their expression as they took their seats. They knew each other's behavior and wouldn't care about such measly things.
The trio waited for Susan to raise her head to look at them but was stunned to see her so focused on her work that she didn't raise her head once. Seeing this, they looked at each other and Mack cleared his throat.
"We need your help?"
"No"
What!
Williams, the calmest of the three, raised his brow and looked at Susan with wide eyes. He knew Susan's cold attitude but she never gave them the cold shoulder.
"Susan, did we do something that warranted you to behave like this to us?" William asks calmly.
Pa!
She dropped her pen and looked at the three before she averted her gaze and fixed it on Mack.
"What do you think is the most important thing in this world?"
Hearing the absurd question, the three creased their brow for a moment before William replied. "Strength."
"Do you have it?"
The room descended into an abrupt silence and the trio couldn't look her straight in the eyes.
"Don't get me wrong. I don't look down on you because of your strength or anything. But you see, the world has changed and everyone is trying to survive and adapt to it. But you see…." She paused to take a deep breath.
"Mack and maybe you two will never grow up. There is no family to support you again, you are all alone. If anyone decided to kill you three, nothing would happen. Thus, instead of you setting your priorities straight. You live in the past."
"Hence, until you realize what is important and move forward from the past. I don't think we have anything to talk about."