May Peace Grace Us

Chapter 79: To the capital

Aila’s days were filled with so many tasks until the end of the summer. She did not know how they managed to survive the almost everyday assaults from all directions, but it has made their population become adept in all sorts of situations while maintaining their base’s daily operations. With how things are going, Aila is convinced that even those without any supernatural ability like her are already a superman in the eyes of those on other bases. Because no normal human gets to shoot a flying annoyance in the air as they were tending their source of greens.

There was nothing else notable to specify about the period and everyone else agrees on this view of Aila. They are way too occupied, to otherwise note anything interesting in their much busier lives. Then time moved on as they did their best to make the best base they could ever have.

Travis and his department were able to generate so much diversity of the prior enhancers Aila had provided them. With the increase in variety and production of enhancers, their base has ushered in a new level of productivity. Though they are lacking in manpower, with the help of enhancers, they were able to at least cover a few more areas they could not do before.

Jerome, under a partnership with Harry and Travis’ team, once in a while was able to make a prototype of the barrier project, which unfortunately cannot be made on a large scale temporarily due to material problems, but it was a great success that helped the team who were sent out to camp for a safe night. Liza was able to catalog and successfully solve the pollination problem using an unexpected resource they had. Alexa managed to make a safe link for parties they had connections with outside their base without worries of being spied on as she worked on tighter security on their database. Eugene worked with the infrastructure and layout problems as he poured his energy on his patrol jobs and husbandry tasks. Albert was busy doing diplomacy with Stephen as a front, as well as extending dialogue with those small communities nearby. Felix and Bella spent the last drop of their energy leading and drilling the rest of the population on how to survive.

Aila, with the improvisation of their digital security, made sure that she was well-connected to Jemma and Honeylet. The two were pleasantly surprised at the frequency she contacted them, but they did not complain. They are so happy to be able to reach out to one another, it is a pleasant thing they welcome. They had pretty much made them well-informed enough of Alfred’s general actions and of the existing bases’ general situations.

Aila also made sure to contact her relatives as much as possible. Merlin especially, who had to manage a base by himself as his father was yet to wake up from his coma. An experienced manager he might be, he is very worn out every time they get to talk. The stress of the burden on his back was pressuring him and his own mother was not making things easy for him. He needed as much support as she could give the other, despite the distance they had to keep his sanity.

The zombie king issue successfully became a priority of concern through Merlin’s update in the country he was in. Through Aila’s instructions, he and his base managed to strengthen themselves the moment that swarm of zombies started moving. Though from the looks of it, it will take at least four more years before it will get moving.

Then two years passed by and Aila became 21. At this point of time, humanity has learned to be more resourceful and has done its best to take a united stance to survive until this day. This year was destined to break the peace between bases.

Aila, being the creator of this world's story, knew that this world did not lack greedy and vain people. For one, her own protagonist has these traits, though more subtle and tamer. And second, the lack of large authority is bound to cause conflicts between each base like countries fighting each other in the olden times.

“Do we have to get to that gathering?” Jerome whined as he wanted to plant himself in the labs to continue working with his projects. He did not expect that he would actually succumb to the call of his bloodline to prefer staying in a laboratory like his parents often did. But unlike those who are obsessed with science and whatnot, he simply wanted to stay for the comfort it provides. On their whole base, the labs are undoubtedly the safest place there is.

Aila only smiled at the other’s display as she dragged him by the cuff of his shirt. “My father will no longer cover for us, so we have no choice. Who told you to be bewitched by Alexa’s words and make that promise with her? Now we are the ones who will be sent to the tiger’s den.”

Jerome wilted at the reason as to why he had to leave this time around. They had previously agreed to draw lots as to who would represent them all in the base leaders gathering. It was Alexa and her group who got to get out there and be the representatives, but because of a certain debt incurred by Jerome to Alexa, the role fell to their heads instead.

“As much as I wanted to go with you guys, I cannot leave the base as much as I like.” Bella said as she placed a handful of supplies in the RV they were going to use.

“Just leave the heavy ones outside, Bella. I'll store them in my space later.” Judith said as she pulled her husband to one side to have small talk. After a few negotiations a few nights ago, the woman was able to squeeze herself into the team with the excuse of her ability being useful, much to the displeasure of her husband, who did not want her out of his sight and side.

“Can Albert come with us? He is the one with the most diplomatic skills among us.” Jerome said as he directed his gaze at the stoic face of the man his friend had become.

“That would be fine too if you wanted my family to storm us,” Albert said with a bright smile on his face. “Remember that my parents were rumored to be searching for me after they found a trace of evidence of me still living. Although each and everyone of us is in the same situation the moment they know we are still living, it is only my parents are the nearest who can strike on us. Can you bear being imposed by them?”

“I hate you for being too rational this time around.” Jerome slumped on the ground as he gave up trying to drag others into his mess.

“I know,” Albert simply said as he handed Aila a folder that held the records of what was previously discussed in the virtual meetings. “These are the summary and the important points that were already settled in the past meetings. There is some space for negotiation in those marked in red, but it would be better if they are just left as they are rather than be modified beyond recognition.”

“Are you referring to me making changes to them while in the meeting or do you expect me to at least make sure those notorious bases will not take too much advantage?” Aila raised a brow as she received the folder. She opened it and briefly skimmed at them and could only raise the other brow of hers in surprise. “Bold these highlighted text. Are you sure this was made in diplomacy and not a declaration of war?”

“Precisely I want you to take more care about those. Our base did not participate in the making of these treaties, we only came to know them after the core of them was already done and polished. For ordinary base leaders without knowledge of how tricky words can be, they could easily give their agreement on it.” Albert had a dark smile as he said that. “I don’t know what happened in the government, but it is the right time for it to dissolve with how rotten it is heading at the moment. The bases with intelligent leaders are pretty much in agreement with my view on the matter.”

“Right.” Aila only said, as she had no opinion about it. In her book, the government only persisted for a year or less before it was a thing in the past. Most officials had either died or turned into zombies so early on that all sectors had been headless departments while all later on fell into the hands of various forces. So for it to continue existing for more than two years, she was more surprised, it lasted longer than she thought it would be.

But thinking about it deeply, Aila just pushed the pot on Alfred for this thing to happen. She knew that the guy had returned to the past way earlier than her and had definitely made more changes than her. The fact that the military seemed to be more prepared and well-adjusted was more than proof to her. Or else Felix's great uncle would not be able to survive long enough to give her friend anxieties about him showing up one of these days.

Checking that they had not forgotten anything, Aila and her team rode in the RV as the whole population, who had free time currently, sent them off. Perhaps this was the biggest change in their base in the quiet period they stayed to themselves. Although they are more or less repulsive towards other people, they are no longer as resistant to making connections outside their own. Reaching out to the outside world lets them find relatives whom they did not think much about because they are scared to hear bad news of their ill fate.

Half a month ago, some of their residents were able to reunite with a loved one after a year of waiting for news with no hope. The world is large and is full of unexpected things. They were only trying their luck to see if their loved ones were still alive and well.

And to their surprise, there was some news that indeed came by. To their delight, a special team was made to fetch these people to be brought back to their base. But due to past experience with Bella’s cousin, they are not so keen on tempting them to come due to their good conditions. They first tested them by lying about the not-so-easy life they had. Next, they sell miserable stories to disgust them, and finally invite them to live together in order to live better in harsh times. As expected, only a few took the offer to get into their base, but they were already happy with the outcome they got. After all, it is already rare for relatives to be willing to suffer with one another at this time.

So imagine the shock of those taken in. It was like hitting a jackpot with one desperate bet on their last money. The special team who took them to the base did a good job making them believe that they were quite poor people but that they had enough ability to stand up in the dark. They definitely did not regret choosing to come here even if they were certain to suffer at first.

At the moment, there is an increase in their numbers due to these additional people. Although not a large leap wherein their manpower problems are solved, it did help relieve the strain on their already stretched hands. Thus, the base was a little more free than it was a year ago.

A small send-off ceremony was made to wish them a safe journey. It was just people making a salute as the team set off from the base. Some with supernatural abilities get to use their ability to make some sort of a blessing. It has no particular practical significance, but it has persisted and became a customary thing they do every time a team leaves the base.

It was unknown when this practice had started, but it did have a good psychological outcome for both those who stayed on the base and for those who left. That no matter how far they are from each other, they have a base to return to, full of people who wait for their safe return.