A cold wind blows on the coast of Donggala.
The stars shine clearly in the dark sky as no more light pollution exists.
There was almost no sign of humans since the world-shaking announcent in early 2025. But there are still so animals roaming around. So stray cats and dogs were seen roaming around.
In this apocalypse world, when civilization collapses, normally people would hunt anything to eat, but for this ti, there is still another option....
That was to beco a fisherman.
"Alright, you can go fishing," said Galih, who was only wearing a t-shirt and long pants.
The sentence was intended for Nabil and Zaskia.
Nabil had resigned himself to the decision but Zaskia still did not accept the order.
"Why should I co too? Nabil can operate the ship alone with his clones." Zaskia said with a grumble.
"Look, listen to , this is an order from Johan. You know yourself, that boy has no fighting ability nor the stats for combat capability. If there are monsters attacking, no matter how many clones he has, in the end he will only be a buffet," Galih replied swiftly.
"Why don’t you?"
Galih sighed heavily. "Should I explain again? First, Johan’s orders were specifically for you to go with him. Second, even if there were no specific orders, we all know that your system is more versatile in terms of both offense and defense."
Zaskia was still pouting. She understood very well why she had to accompany Nabil, but the woman still did not accept the fact that she had to go.
"Alright, since everything is clear, I’ll head back to the base then. I’ll see you in the morning," said Galih, who stepped away, leaving behind Zaskia, who was still pouting, and Nabil, who was starting to create so new clones.
Zaskia stomped her feet in the sand as she walked toward a 10 GT fishing boat that commonly used by local fishern.
Multi-purpose line hauler type vessel designed for loading and transporting fish. With a length of 12 ters and a width of 3 ters, it can carry up to 7 fishern at a ti.
Nabil painstakingly created 4 clones and gave them clothes before finally preparing to push the fishing boat from the coast into the sea.
The 5 people seed to be struggling to push the fishing boat and could only shift it slowly.
Zaskia rolled her eyes and rushed over to Nabil and his clones.
The woman took out a small bottle the size of an index finger. The sealed bottle was filled with blood.
She unscrewed the cap. "System Activated!"
All the blood that ca out of the bottle imdiately ford a glove on Zaskia’s right hand.
The woman dressed in a plain T-shirt held the back of the ship and the pool of blood she was controlling instantly transford into a spring form.
*BHAM!
A loud crash pushed the fishing boat into the sea. Nabil and his clones could only stay silent while gaping at the spot.
Zaskia crossed her arms and rolled her eyes once more. "I’m starting to think that if Johan really only asked you to be the mascot to make you look useful, I can even do this all by myself if I want to."
Nabil and his clones shared the sa emotion. Very upset but trying to contain themselves and could only smile awkwardly and chuckle slightly.
They all boarded the ship and started operating the ship. Or rather, Nabil and his clones were running the ship, as Zaskia was just sitting at the front side of the boat, staring into the distance with a heavy sigh.
The engine had been started, the electric generator had also been turned on. The ship’s lights ca on and the fishing boat began to move towards the open sea.
All the clones had their respective tasks while Nabil beca the skipper behind the steering wheel.
Nets were set up, large styrofoam boxes were set up at the back and so were several large plastic basins at the front of the boat.
The ship was moving quite fast and Zaskia was cold from the wind.
She stood up and walked to the platform of the ship where the side and front walls were only waist-high and the back had no walls at all. The hight of the pillar were 2 ters tall and the roof was just wood covered with peeling paint.
Seeing the way Nabil and his clones moved, Zaskia beca a little interested in the young man.
"Are you actually a fisherman?" asked Zaskia who crossed her arms.
"Yep, I often accompany my father and his friends to catch fish," replied Nabil who was still focused on steering the ship.
"Hmn.... So, this is the first ti since early 2025 that you’ve set foot on a ship again?"
Nabil chuckled awkwardly. "Hehe... Yeap."
"Anyway, ever since Johan declared himself the ruler of Donggala, we’ve hardly done any physical work like this anymore."
"Maybe it can be said as progress."
"So, how is your father or the rest of your family, did they manage to flee sowhere else?"
The question left Nabil silent. No answer, no sound, not even movent.
Zaskia finally realized she had just opened a very sensitive topic and imdiately changed the subject.
The woman spun back while stretching out both hands. "Wow it’s so cold here... I should have brought a ja -"
Zaskia’s sentence was cut short when she saw an old jacket hanging on one of the pillars.
She imdiately took the jacket and slled its aroma.
The fishy sll was quite pungent and disgusted Zaskia.
She wanted to throw the jacket into the sea but the cold wind pierced her spine and made her change her mind instantly.
Despite the unpleasant sll, she had no choice but to wear the jacket.
"Wow, how can you stand that kind of cold? I guess it must be because you’re used to it," Zaskia said trying to open a new conversation but it seed Nabil was still thinking about the woman’s sentence before.
Zaskia could only stay silent and sit behind Nabil and feel guilty, but at the sa ti her pride seed to prohibit her from apologizing.
She didn’t want to apologize, but she also didn’t want to feel guilty.
Zaskia kept thinking about it and eventually got stressed out by her own thoughts.
"My parents are dead," Nabil said, not even turning to look at Zaskia.
After hearing that short sentence, Zaskia could only remain silent and now the situation beca very awkward.
Zaskia began to panic. "Anu... That’s... I an..."
"It’s okay, I don’t feel sad at all. Rather... it’s more like a feeling of relief," continued Nabil, which did not make things better at all.
Nabil’s words only made the atmosphere heavier and Zaskia was now faced with a dilemma between guilt for making Nabil talk about such a serious matter, and curiosity about Nabil’s serious matter.
"When people united to oppose Johan, my parents joined in, and we already know what happened next."
Nabil’s words made Zaskia imdiately fell silent in contemplation.
The incident Nabil was referring to was the incident of the forced overthrow of the Donggala governnt followed by a new governnt where the users of the system beca the upper caste and ruled the people who did not have the system.
A very brutal and controversial incident.
So system users submitted to Johan voluntarily but the majority submitted by force and so even openly opposed Johan.
But we all know what happened afterward.
Zaskia is not from Donggala, she is from Palu city.
She did not experience the incident first hand, but she understood what happened.
A sea of corpses of people who opposed the 3-day process of overthrowing the Donggala governnt.
Zaskia looked at Nabil’s back and wanted to say sothing. The woman in the jacket opened her mouth...
"We’ve gone far enough, it’s ti to spread the net," said Nabil who turned back to look at Zaskia.
The woman turned around and turned her back to Nabil. "Is that so? Then it’s ti to work."
Zaskia could not look at Nabil. Her pride would be hurt when he saw her caring face.
Nabil did not understand why Zaskia was standing tall and looking far back.
It was possible that she was wary of the back area because everything was busy at the front. And that’s how Nabil thought.
Nabil’s clones began to cast their nets as Nabil began to reduce the speed of their boat.
Nabil refocused on his task and once again Zaskia was faced with a dilemma because she was very curious about the continuation of Nabil’s problem, but was afraid to ask.
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