“Feels a bit desolate, doesn’t it?” Amara said with a wry smile.
Behind the barrier, rows of low gray buildings stretched out.
The concrete outer walls were painted only in a dull white without any other patterns or decorations, making it hard to describe them as beautiful, just as Amara ntioned.
The atmosphere was sowhat exotic.
It didn’t resemble cities or towns in the United States but rather seed like a different country. It evoked images of slums in the Middle East or India.
However, Arian closely examined the dry-designed buildings.
The doors were not large but sturdy, and the windows were unusually small. It seed that these buildings were not constructed for people to live in but perhaps for so other purpose.
Given their proximity to the barrier, they were probably built with the assumption of potential combat.
Arian positively speculated on this, and the buildings were connected to walkways leading up to the barrier.
Inside, people with rifles continued to pass by.
Although Arian had anticipated it by looking at the high barrier, they differed from other groups that either repaired or used the ruined buildings.
Fort Wayne, which could utilize vast military resources, except for the barrier, had almost no directly built buildings inside.
However, these people undoubtedly possessed their own construction capabilities and seed to have already constructed a significant number of buildings.
“Were all these barrier and buildings built by the Union?”
Arian asked to confirm.
In response, Amara lightly nodded her head.
“Yes, we made them.”
“Does this kind of barrier surround the entire stronghold?”
“No, not exactly. This level of defense is only present at the entry points accessible by land.”
Arian nodded, understanding that even with her limited knowledge of construction, three years seed too short to enclose the entire stronghold with a 10-ter-high barrier.
“How did you build them, considering there might not be construction materials?”
“Well, we naturally started from there.”
Amara briefly explained the construction process.
It all began when they found an abandoned cent factory near the city while the Union was building the barrier for the stronghold’s safety.
The cent discovered there proved to be a significant help.
After recognizing the importance of cent, the Union attempted to manufacture it. They searched for quarries dozens of kiloters away, extracted raw materials, and began making bricks using a sowhat primitive thod that didn’t require electricity.
It might sound unbelievable just hearing it.
The reason it was possible was the potential of the 50 000 inhabitants.
“Fortunately, there were people with knowledge in that area. So of them used to work in that industry.”
If electricity could be restored, there were plans to connect water from the nearby river once again, Amara said.
Arian couldn’t help but be surprised.
She had initially thought of this group as just having more people than other cities, but it wasn’t the case.
Unlike other cities, which were more focused on imdiate survival, there was a clear scent of civilization here.
“Let’s move on. I have sothing I want to show you.”
Saying so, Amara led Arian and Sadie around various places within the stronghold.
One such place was a marketplace.
“Wow...”
Sadie let out a small gasp.
It was originally a small marketplace, and the Union had resurrected it without even touching the signs.
Now, people were coming and going just like three years ago.
The building that used to be a tire shop displayed alcoholic beverages and cigarettes. The structure that was once a restaurant was still selling food.
Although it didn’t seem to be exclusively a seafood restaurant, the sll Arian perceived hinted at cooking.
It was surprising to find such a large-scale market outside the stronghold.
Arian looked at Amara with a questioning gaze, as if asking for an explanation.
“In the Union, we pay for labor. With this kind of currency,” Amara said, pulling out a thin bill.
It was none other than the Arican dollar.
However, these bills had intricate patterns stamped in red. It was probably a symbol proving that this dollar was the Union’s currency.
Amara continued her explanation.
“And so of this currency can be spent in the market like this. Well, it’s not much, but it helps boost the morale of the workers, or sothing like that,” Amara explained.
She ntioned that all the shops in this place were owned by the Union, and the prices were also determined by the Union.
In this way, the Union controlled the supply and consumption of currency, regulating the internal economy.
“Also... most of the items coming in here are brought by the search parties. Oh, except for the ingredients for the restaurant, those are brought by laborers dedicated to hunting.”
“Hunting? Are there workers going outside?”
“Yes, there are. While external activities are mainly handled by the scouting teams, laborers are not entirely excluded. The search parties mainly handle... combat. The work in the quarry I ntioned earlier, simple transportation, hunting, and such tasks are handled by the workers.”
Arian nodded, realizing that it was probably more efficient that way.
“But... do you have to buy your als?”
“als are basically provided at the work sites. However... it’s essentially a mix of canned goods, so honestly, it’s not that delicious. So, if you want to eat proper food occasionally, you co here.”
After that, Amara showed Arian the actual work sites and the restaurant, where the working conditions varied greatly.
So were working on construction sites, while others were repairing vehicles by the roadside.
There were even doctors sitting in spaces like hospitals, caring for patients.
Most of the laborers were working in fields related to their past careers, according to Amara’s explanation.
However, amidst all this, sothing caught Arian’s eye.
“Those... aren’t they children?”
In a small building in a corner of such a labor area, kids around Sadie’s age were assembling sothing with small hands.
“Yes, they are. In the Union, everyone aged 8 and above has to work.”
Amara answered matter-of-factly, seeming to have brought Arian and Sadie here deliberately to reveal this fact.
However, Arian’s forehead wrinkled slightly upon hearing this.
Even in this changed world, making children work seed decidedly inhumane in Arian’s eyes.
“...”
But Sadie didn’t think so.
The child looked at her peers working in the bustling market and the workshop with a clear gaze, much like she did when observing the doctors and chanics.
Mixed in her eyes were not disgust or pity, but admiration and envy.
To Sadie, following her mother’s last advice, emotion urging her to fulfill her role in any group, appeared impressive.
Seeing Sadie like that, Arian sighed quietly.
Children, who should be playing outside, were working like factory machines.
And Sadie, who should be playing, looked at them and envied them.
For Arian, it just felt regrettable.
However, she had nothing to offer to these children.
So, she remained silent, alternating between watching Sadie and the children at work.
Then, a man approached.
“Hey, Amara!”
A black man in his forties ca towards them.
Arian briefly eyed him warily, but seeing the man in a police uniform, she observed Amara’s reaction.
“Jas?”
“You were here! I’ve been looking for you.”
The man approached Amara in one step.
He seed out of breath, probably from running around just monts ago.
“Phew... I urgently need you, higher up north.”
“? What’s going on?”
The man tried to say sothing but looked at Arian and Sadie by his side.
“But... are these companions?”
“Junk dealers we work with.”
“Ah, outsiders. I’m sorry, but I need to talk to Amara privately. Is that okay?”
The man sought Arian’s understanding.
Arian nodded, and the man took Amara to a slightly secluded place.
“...”
Ignoring them, Arian looked at Sadie and gently stroked her head.
But the conversation between them was clearly audible to Arian’s ears.
“Why is that?”
“We’re building our forward base in Texarkana, have you heard about it?”
“Texarkana? Oh, the one under construction for the past six months?”
The ntion of Texarkana made Arian’s head turn slightly to the side.
It was the first ti she had heard that na.
So, she made a ntal note and continued to eavesdrop on their conversation.
“Yes, that one. Sothing big seems to have happened there.”
“Sothing big?”
“The base has been completely destroyed. Everyone inside is dead,” the man said.
Amara swallowed hard upon hearing this.
“What... There were only a few hundred people deployed there. Who could have done this?”
“The workers who went there to deliver construction materials testified. The entrance was destroyed, and inside, there were nothing but zombies.”
Arian’s eyes lit up quietly at this quite serious story.
If the man’s words were true, it ant that hundreds of people had died.
“...Is it a misunderstanding?”
“No, it’s not. The long-distance deliveries are escorted by search teams. The parties who followed them confird the situation roughly. That’s why the Union headquarters is in chaos right now.”
A long sigh escaped from Amara’s lips.
Not only was the issue of the dead people concerning, but also the recent conflicts within the Union headquarters were vividly clear to her.
“But why are they looking for at the headquarters?”
“I don’t exactly know... looks like they are mobilizing the junk dealers. After all, that’s your specialty.”
“Junk dealers? What are they going to use those people for?”
“I don’t know. Just go and ask for yourself.”
The man urged Amara. At that mont, Amara looked sowhat troubled.
She probably needed to go to the headquarters imdiately, but she had companions with her.
“Just a mont. I’ll talk to those people and be right back.”
Leaving the man for a mont, Amara returned to Arian and Sadie.
“Sorry. Sothing urgent has co up.”
“Sothing urgent?”
Arian asked in a sowhat surprised tone, pretending not to know.
Amara’s expression clouded.
“Yes. I’m really sorry. If it’s alright with you, could we reschedule for tomorrow, and I’ll guide you again?”
“That’s not a problem, but... what about us?”
The entry and exit tis for outsiders in this Union base were strictly limited. Once you entered, you couldn’t go out until the next entry ti at 5 p.m.
Amara, in a more difficult situation, pointed to the man behind her as a temporary solution.
“Well... I’ll talk to him for now. He should be able to find a place for you to spend ti.”
However, Arian was bothered by the conversation between Amara and the man.
Arian didn’t co to this place for tourism; she ca to investigate the Union. In that sense, the people calling Amara seed to be quite authoritative figures in the Union. And with Arian around, she could overhear their conversation.
Arian judged that she had the worth to go there herself.
“Wait, but. Where are you going?”
“Oh, that’s... “
Amara hesitated for a mont.
But it seed she didn’t need to hide the location because she soon gave a direct answer.
“I have to go to the Union headquarters. That’s where I was called.”
“Then... can we wait around there?”
“There? It’s not impossible, but...”
The Union headquarters used a university building a bit away from this place. Of course, outsiders were strictly prohibited from entering.
However, there were plenty of workshops and construction sites outside, so waiting for soone was quite feasible.
“I don’t know when I’ll be back.”
“That’s okay. I just don’t want to be wandering around with strangers.”
Arian deliberately spoke coldly. The attitude, combined with her outwardly indifferent impression and her early adolescence, created an extrely convincing persuasiveness.
Even Amara might have panicked if soone told her to spend a few hours with a stranger when she was that age.
In the end, Amara nodded.
“If that’s the case... there’s nothing we can do. Okay. Let’s do that. But please, stay quiet. Entry beyond this point is prohibited. And...”
After giving so instructions, Amara went back to the man, leaving Arian and Sadie behind.
The man frowned slightly upon seeing them.
“What, are you bringing them along too?”
“They will only go nearby. They’re with , and I have nowhere else to take them right now.”
“Really? Fine, let’s go.”
The man led the group towards the Union headquarters.
As the situation unfolded as expected, Arian faintly smiled from behind.
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