"I’m thinking about ... Red Star Alliance." Lucian turned his head toward deia. "What do you think?"
His eyes sparkled with enthusiasm, hoping deia would like the na.
deia tilted her head. She thought Lucian would have bad taste when it ca to naming things since his father had even nad a wolf Bear.
"Do you have a particular reason for naming it Red Star?" asked deia.
Lucian turned his gaze back to the road ahead and explained, "Red for the canyon where we’re building our base. And the star ... Well, I just thought it represented hope."
A hope that represented guidance, a hint of light in the darkness.
Many people had lost hope after a large amount of radiation struck their planet. They counted the dead every day, watching the population dwindle from billions to only twenty million, maybe less.
The dead were scattered around the streets, but births were hard to co by.
Even when there were newborns, they usually didn’t live long because the world was not a good place for children.
deia didn’t experience the sa horrors as them because she was reborn fifteen years after the world was destroyed. Besides, she was an expert at living in a place filled with the dead and sorrow, so the apocalypse didn’t affect her ntal as much.
However, a person like Lucian, who once had a happy family and a good life, carried the weight of unimaginable loss every day.
The apocalypse hadn’t just stolen his loved ones, it had also ripped away his sense of purpose for years, leaving him to wander alone through the ruins of the world.
He seed fine now, but deia wondered what he was like fifteen years ago.
He was so young then, but he had witnessed the grueso death of his family.
Was he scared? Did he ever think about ending his life?
The more deia thought about it, the more her heart was filled with an endless pain.
If only she had been reborn sooner, maybe Lucian wouldn’t have to endure all these things alone.
"Red Star ...." deia softened her voice. "That’s a good na. Let’s use it from now on."
If Lucian liked it, deia had no reason to object.
○ ○
Before the sun rose in the east, deia had seen Lucian preparing two water wagons for Warstock and Coalhaven. He seed so serious when it ca to work, so he had never made a mistake.
However, deia wasn’t sure if he had slept last night.
"Lucian, have you been waking up all night?" deia asked him.
Lucian was surprised by her sudden presence. "I went to bed."
deia narrowed her eyes, suspicious of his answer. "Lying in bed or sleeping?"
Lucian lowered his head and muttered, "Lying in bed."
"Lucian," she called him. "You can’t do this every night. Your body needs rest to function well."
Couldn’t humans die because of sleep deprivation?
Even demons liked to sleep even though they didn’t need it.
"I’m fine, really." Before deia could reply to him, he continued, "And I’ll sleep as soon as we get back."
deia sighed. "It better be a long, nice, deep sleep."
After their conversation, deia helped him get everything ready before they left for Warstock and Coalhaven’s base. Today, Harry and Ren would also join them and drive the second water truck.
Last night, after Tian had given Ren his soda, he begged his twin brother to let him go with them. It was because he thought it would be fun to explore other places and get things like soda in return.
Tian obviously didn’t want his dumb brother to join their horde at first. But after listening to Ren’s whining all night long, Tian finally allowed him to co along as long as he stayed next to Harry.
"Ren, I’m warning you not to do anything stupid and just follow Harry wherever he goes," Tian said to his brother.
"Tian, how many tis do I have to tell you to stop acting like I’m your baby brother? You’re only five minutes older than ," Ren protested.
Tian let out a heavy sigh. "Just ... please, just do what I say."
"Fine." Ren clicked his tongue, but he didn’t dare to contradict Tian’s words anymore. "I’ll let Harry babysit ."
Harry shook his head helplessly. "I would be happy if we could go ho safely," he continued, "There are only six of us ... if they decide to kill us, then we are dood."
"Don’t be dramatic." deia rolled her eyes. "Nobody will die as long as we have our ace."
If they brought more people, Warstock and Coalhaven would think their purpose in coming there was to fight, not to negotiate.
Simon clapped his hands once and said, "Mr. Lucian, we’re counting on you, sir!"
Lucian smiled. "Let’s get going."
Their first destination was the base of the Warstock. It was located in a massive abandoned military depot near the edge of a dry desert region.
The depot had once been a central hub for storing weapons, ammunition, and vehicles, making it the perfect place for survivalists and forr soldiers to set up a stronghold in the apocalypse.
It took them at least 7 to 8 hours to reach Warstock’s base from the Red Canyon. However, the journey took longer than expected due to the rough terrain and early morning haze.
"Have you ever been to the Warstock base?" asked deia to break the ice.
Lucian, "I’ve only passed by, but never been inside the base. Actually, most of the people there are not the right people to talk to".
According to Matilda, Warstock was one of the alliances that routinely took baby boys from Stormclad. They needed more manpower, so they often kidnapped the n they encountered or forced them to work in their base.
"I dislike them before I even see them." deia said, "What should we do if they dislike us and refuse to negotiate with us?"
Lucian simply replied, "If words are not enough, then we will have to use other ways."
Lucian did not really like to show off his abilities to others, but if it was necessary, he would show them who he was.
When they arrived, the sight of the Warstock base was so grim and dark. The base was surrounded by towering walls of scrap tal, with rusted turrets that no longer worked.
The n, who were standing guard outside the base had burly bodies and rough faces. As soon as Lucian’s car approached, they imdiately raised their weapons and sward around the car like ants.
Earlier, Lucian had asked Harry and Simon to park the water trucks away from the Warstock base. It was because he wanted to prevent them from hijacking their trucks before Lucian and deia made a deal with their leader.
"Who are you?" A man with a large scar on his face shouted at them. "If you’re here to sleep over, then you’re in the wrong place!"
"Get out of the car before we shoot you!"
deia looked at Lucian out of the corner of her eye and whispered, "What do you want to do? Fight or obey?"
Perhaps killing was the right choice. deia couldn’t wait to devour another human soul again after a long ti.
But Lucian’s answer disappointed her. "Just obey them for now." He asked her, "You can stay in the car and let handle them."
Lucian raised his hands and slowly got out of the car in front of deia. "We are here to negotiate with your leader."
"Negotiate?" A man scoffed at him, "You don’t look like soone who is able to negotiate with us."
"Hey, isn’t that the car from Stormclad?" one of the n recognized the car Lucian was driving. "Are you from Stormclad? But where are our water supplies?"
He shoved his rifle into Lucian’s back. "You’re a day late! Didn’t we say you couldn’t be late even for half a day?!"
"And why haven’t you brought us any new babies, huh? Are your hunters has beco impotent or what?"
Lucian smiled. "The Stormclad is gone," he continued, "so if you want to keep getting water supplies, then we need to renew our deal."
"What the hell are you talking about?" The man with the large scar strangled his neck, but Lucian remained unfazed. "Don’t joke with us. How can a great alliance like Stormclad be wiped out in a few days? If you keep talking nonsense like that, I’ll fucking drill a hole in your head."
"Hey, Doug! There’s another one in the car!" One of the barbarians opened the door and pulled deia’s arm roughly. "Damn! She is beautiful! Doug, we can use her to make babies for us!"
deia kicked his leg. "Don’t fucking touch , you moron!"
[Foul language detected! Penalty -20 C-points]
[Mild foul language detected! Penalty -10 C-points]
’Hey, can’t you sympathize a little?! He is harassing !’
[There is no excuse for saying bad language, Host].
deia clicked her tongue as the system gave the sa answer every ti.
"You bitch!" The man yanked her hair as deia tried to run away, nearly knocking her to the ground. "Didn’t he bring you here to sell you?"
deia spat at him, making the man even angrier and ready to punch her in the face.
But before he could land his hand on her face, another hand caught his wrist in mid-swing.
"My wife is not for sale." Lucian’s grip was firm, making the man screeched in pain. "Touch her again and I’ll make sure to destroy every cell on your body."
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