Chapter 197: 197
The two of us were silent for a moment but I laid the journal down on one of the desks. We just looked at each other and we decided to check what we could inside. Kaley found what I was initially looking for and she handed it to me.
“You’re looking for this, right?” she said.
“Yeah, thanks.” I replied and I flipped the logbook to the last page.
It contained the last shipment which was a few days before it hit. Most of the shipments are food and a lot of those are ones that has a long shelf life. I aimed my flashlight below and saw the mess that has happened here. The supplies below are abundant though a few boxes and shelves have fallen down and got trampled by the figures below.
The single metal staircase that leads to the 2nd floor has been barricaded sloppily but it does the job of keeping them away. The normal ones below act as if they’re like roombas that on the case they hit something, they turn around and move the other way.
“Kid, it’s gone quiet over there, what happened?” Oscar said from the earpiece.
“It’s done. He…” I told him the rest of the story.
He told me that he’ll keep a few people down to watch outside while he would send a few more on our location for help on clearing the ones below. Marvin’s spear was utilized more because of its length in dealing with the ones below. The dead noticing us on the staircase made them gather towards us like moths drawn into the flame.
I held my katana downwards and I started on sinking the blade to their heads one by one. I made sure to wipe the blade each time it gets too sticky since the blood from the bodies I stabbed into has gotten more viscous than normal blood.
Aside from killing them I saw one of the drones we brought and it would seem to need a few repairs to get it to working condition again since it fell down below and is covered in muck. The other one safely landed to the second floor and is fine.
The warehouse is finally cleared of everything and we did our standard procedure of dragging the bodies outside and burning each one of them including the guy we met earlier. The trucks were called over and they started on hauling everything they could fit in the trucks.
“The supplies we got today could last for a few months.” Oscar said to me while we’re standing guard.
“Well yeah, this is the Public Market after all. The only gun we found in here is this 88 though.” I replied.
“Oh yeah, shotguns are mine, right?” he said.
“What? Where did we ever made that rule? I believe first come first serve is our policy on guns?” I said as I looked at him.
“Heh. I saw that Tatiana would sometimes attempt that Hexa-loading thing that you invented. She’d still Quad-load a few times but she’s getting there. If I’m still in my prime, I bet I could do it.” he said.
“If you started on using the AR-12 I gave you before as a present, you’d be killing more of them and reloading would be much easier. The mags coul-” I was cut off.
“There you two go again on that gun talk! Can you please talk about something else? You both share the guns you have and yet you still argue to who owns who!” Kaley snapped and we two backed away in a safe distance.
Oscar leaned over to me slightly and whispered as quietly as he could, “Is she on…? …? Hmm?”
“What?” I asked.
“You know?” he said while raising his eyebrows up and down.
“I still think so?” I replied.
“What do you mean you think so? You two are together, right?” he retorted.
“The f.u.c.k are you talking about? I don’t check and ask her every chance I get if that’s what you mean. You have no idea what happened this past week. Kris and Juan even moved out due to what happened and I’m the only guy left alone in my house.” I said.
“Huh? What are you talking about?” he asked.
“Well the McClintock effect is not really proven 100% real but it happened at my house. Each and every one of them ‘synced’ up and I had to almost walk on eggshells just to see the other day safely. It even happened with the women Tatiana trained every day and it was really a tense atmosphere. I know for sure that it’s a coincidence but it couldn’t have been more uncanny.” I explained.
“Oh~ that also happened with my wife and her friends before. That shit was crazy.” Oscar said but I glanced at him and he has a melancholic expression.
“You made contact yet, old man?” I asked after a short moment of silence.
“…” he was silent.
“I see… my plan still stands if you’re up for it…” I trailed.
“Plan? What plan?” he asked.
“You know, Project Turn Oscar Into A Living Doll By Taxidermy So On The- Ack!” Oscar kicked me in the shin.
His mood seemed to have lightened and then the trucks were finally loaded. We dropped a couple of boxes to Dave which is still guarding his employer’s gate. Judging from his physique, he still seems to be well fed but I saw a new person with him guarding the entrance. We said our goodbyes and we headed back to our place.
They also fortified their place since their gate’s size has been augmented by adding more barbed wires and sheets of metal are padded in front. Aside from the new guy, I could hear that the place is more lively and I surmise that they could be more relatives, friends, or a few people that wandered and took in.
From the past week, we still didn’t increase the area of which we occupy but we made sure that every house there is livable and has been fortified. It’s like those cultivation novels where you fill everything to the brim before you start a breakthrough. So far, Cyrill was the only one who wandered on our compound. The reason to that could be is that the DDR Camp is quite near us and they wouldn’t think to search for another place around.
Besides, the houses we have are more than enough for our numbers and trying to increase our territory recklessly without the proper manpower is dangerous. There’re emergency rations and equipment hidden in each house. Also, bug out bags are placed on the houses with people on them just in case anything happens and the number of it is equal to the number of people living inside. We even placed extra cameras outside on a few corners to increase the area that can could survey without driving his drone outside every single time. I even trusted each household with a gun but it is only given if they pass the basic training for handling them. It’s a single pistol with an extra magazine but it’s enough in my opinion. We’re a bit past my desired number of 150 people but everyone is still maintaining a good relationship with everyone.
“I believe that your run is over for the morning dude? You came back with everyone now, so that’s what I’m guessing. I thought you would be hauling until darkness came! My hands are kinda sore since I also helped with unloading them with haste!” Allan said as he saw us.
“Yeah. We just cleared everything available on the Public Market here. What’s for lunch?” I asked.’
“Oh it’s ‘Sinigang na Baka’ I think your aunt and the rest are still preparing them.” Allan replied.
It’s a dish made by boiling the beef shanks and bones to make a simple stock and adding several vegetables after the meat is tender enough that you could slice it with a fork. Tamarinds are also placed in the stock to get that salty and sour flavor that is good for restoring energy after working hard.
“I could barely use this gun you gave me now since Jay’s group keeps on piling bodies one after the other when they go outside…” Allan trailed.
“Well it’s better that way don’t you think?” I said.
“Well I’m thinking of joining them sometimes to clear a few outside. I’m afraid I’ll get rusty just keeping guard here. Right Jude?” he said but Jude didn’t even respond.
“See? He gets me.” he added while Jenny was shaking her head.
“Get rusty? You’re already rusty to begin with! What you need is to get either melted down or an extensive restoration!” I said, jokingly.
“Bah! You’ll never see the greatest which is I if you don’t open thine eyes fully!” He exclaimed.
“Thine? Which is I? Are you hanging out with Ken that much now? He’s starting to rub off on you.” I said, laughing.
“What?! I have Jenny here I’m not that kind!” he was shocked.
“Allan… that’s not what he meant… It’s…” Jenny tried to explain the misunderstanding he said.
“Nevermind dude, see you later.” I said while I saw Kaley waving me over.
Since the food is still being cooked, Kaley and I went to our room first.