Chapter 39: Ends at Once

"So what did Zheng say about the science experiments that were happening?" Emma asked, curiosity showing in her voice as she took a sip of the thin porridge in front of her in Xyla's house. The conditions in Aires were harsh, with even people as powerful as Xyla only getting this little to eat.

Xyla stirred the porridge in front of her with a metal spoon, letting out a heavy sigh. "We're not involved in it," she replied. She took a sip of the bland porridge, the lack of flavor making her long for the taste of something more favorable. Over the past month, she had grown used to the delicious meals Emma used to share with the group.

"Is this all you have to eat?" Amy asked, glancing down at the bowl in front of her with a look of disbelief. She thought she had seen better food when she was stuck on the ceiling, but she still took a hesitant sip. It tasted like flavored water. No wonder everyone from Aries is so skinny.

Xyla grimaced at the porridge in front of her. "It will be better tomorrow. All the supplies we bring back will be in use by then," she assured them. "Oh, yeah, Zheng wants to talk with you tomorrow, Emma."

Emma raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Me?"

"Yeah, you," Xyla confirmed. "Something about trading things with you. Mark brought it up to him." She took another sip of the soup-like porridge, her tiredness showing as she unconsciously revealed more about her leader's plans.

Emma nodded. "Okay, that's fine." She looked down at her bowl again and put the spoon down. "Let's eat some actual food now."

Xyla and Amy's eyes lit up at once.

As the next morning started, Emma left the house before Amy or Xyla woke up. She headed over to the poor side of the Aries Base. Most people were already up, preparing for their work. A few had already started the building process. Emma walked over to one of the construction sites and sat at a tree far from a distance.

"We don't need you here anymore," she heard someone say. Emma turned her head towards the voice. It was a younger stronger man talking to an older man.

"But I need this job," the older man said, trying to bypass the man and enter the site. Emma crossed her arms and continued watching. The man pushed the older man to the ground, and as soon as he did, two other men arrived behind the older man, helping him up.

"Hey, keep your hands off him!" one of them said as they helped the older man get up.

The strong man scowled, stepping back. "He's too old to work here. We need strong workers, not someone who will slow us down." "It's okay," The old man said as he slapped the dust off of his clothes, "I'll go somewhere else." 

"Ms. Emma?" A voice interrupted her. Emma turned around, surprised to see Mr. Zheng standing in front of her. He walked up to her. "This is our building site. We're building more houses, trying to get everyone into proper housing, you know?"

Emma nodded, turning back to watch the scene, but the old man was already walking away with the two young men at his side. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly. "That's nice of you guys," she replied perfunctorily.

Mr. Zheng followed her gaze, also noticing the three leaves. "Do you know them?" he asked.

Emma nodded. "One of them helped me a lot."

Surprised at her answer, Mr. Zheng looked at the three again. There was nothing particularly special about any of them just looking from the outside, but he kept his thoughts to himself. "Well, if you want, I could put them in better housing right now."

Emma stared at the old man wobbling away with the help of the two young men. "Can I ask for them instead?"

Mr. Zheng's eyes lit up. They had far more people at Aries Base than they could afford to help. "Of course! Do you want me to have a guard get them for you right now?"

Emma shook her head, her brows furrowing slightly. "No, I'll talk to him myself later. What do you need me for?" She turned to Mr. Zheng, her gaze sharp and interested. "Surely a commander like you isn't just walking around looking for people to talk to. What can I do for you?"

Mr. Zheng shifted his weight, glancing around at the tents and the buildings that were being built. "Well, you know things are getting tight at Aries," he began, his tone careful. "Mark and Cassidy mentioned that you have a lot of resources at your base."

Emma raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a cold smile. "I do. But what does that have to do with Aries?" Her eyes gleamed, making it clear she wasn't one to be taken advantage of.

Mr. Zheng met her gaze. "We would like to trade with you," he said, his voice steady.

Emma nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful but careful. "What do you have that I want?"

"Well, according to my understanding, you don't have that many people at your base," Mr. Zheng said carefully. "We can give you more people."

Emma nodded again but remained unconvinced. "I do need people, but I prefer to select them myself." She prefers to eliminate drama as much as possible.

Seeing Emma still not convinced, Mr. Zheng sighed. He knew it wouldn't be easy. "How about we always inform you about our missions, and you can choose to join or not?"

Emma thought about it quickly. "And how will we split the resources?"

"Fifty-fifty."

"Deal," Emma said, holding out her hand. As Mr. Zheng shook it happily, she gripped his hand tightly and looked into his eyes. "But, if I ever find out this base has something to do with the experiment, our deal ends at once." Her eyes stared deeply into his.

Mr. Zheng froze for a quick second, taken aback by the strong aura coming from someone as young as Emma. He nodded his head quickly. "I swear, we're not involved with them at all."

Emma released his hand, her gaze softening slightly but still serious. "Good. I'll hold you to that. Now, let's talk about the payment method."

As they walked away from the construction site, the world around them began to awaken. The first light of dawn cast a soft glow, and the sounds of people stirring filled the air. The distant sound of hammers and saws begins to echo through the camp.

"Payment? I don't think money is worth anything anymore, Ms. Emma," Mr. Zheng said, glancing at her with a puzzled expression as they walked.

"Of course, it isn't," Emma replied, her tone sharp and to the point. "But I don't need money. I need crystals."

Mr. Zheng's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, his pace slowing slightly. "Crystals?"

"Yes, crystals. Not just any crystals, but zombie crystals. Crystals that come out of the zombies' heads," Emma said, turning to look at Mr. Zheng, her eyes piercing. "I need them."

Mr. Zheng stopped walking, "What do they look like?"

Emma smiled slightly, the corners of her mouth barely lifting. "You'll know when you see them. They're concealed in the brains of the zombies."

Mr. Zheng nodded slowly, trying to process this new information. "I will try to have people find them. What do you need them for?"

Emma turned away, her expression guarded, the early morning light casting a shadow over her face. "That is a secret, Mr. Zheng." She can't tell him it was for upgrading powers, or else they might take the crystals for themselves. Not yet at least.

Mr. Zheng studied her for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly as if trying to read her thoughts. Then he nodded, a look of acceptance on his face. "Understood. We'll do our best to collect them for you."

They continued walking, the conversation turning to more logistical matters as the base fully came to life. The air was filled with the smell of cooking fires and the sound of early morning chatter. The rough-built buildings and tents of the base stood against the brightening sky.

The main building was already bustling with activity by the time they arrived. Workers moved efficiently through the halls, carrying supplies and exchanging quick greetings. The air was filled with the sounds of conversation, footsteps, and the occasional clatter of equipment.

Emma and Mr. Zheng walked into his office. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a warm glow on the furniture.

"Let's finalize the details," Mr. Zheng said, sitting down and motioning for Emma to join him.

They reviewed the terms one last time, both of them signing the agreement with determined expressions. Emma pointed to a specific location on the large map pinned to Mr. Zheng's board. "If you want zombie crystals, go to this area," she said, her finger tracing the marked spot. "But make sure to bring a lot of people. It's dangerous."

Mr. Zheng nodded, his face serious. "Understood." He opened a drawer and handed her a small, complex-designed pass. "This will allow you to take people with you. Use it wisely."

Emma smiled as she took the pass, its weight reassuring in her hand. She has seen this pass on Mark before. She knows the power it gave her. "Got it," she said, slipping it into her pocket. "Thank you."

Mr. Zheng leaned back in his chair, watching her with a thoughtful expression. "You're an interesting young woman, Emma. I hope this partnership benefits us both."

"It will," Emma replied confidently. "We're stronger together."

With their agreement sealed, Emma left the office, the sound of the busy base growing louder as she stepped back into the hallway. Her mind already planning the next steps.

The base was fully awake now, with people moving around, preparing for the day's work. The smell of breakfast wafted through the air. Emma could hear people's exclamations of shock and happiness as they discovered their bowls of porridge were thicker and more flavorful than yesterday.

Drawing on her past life's memories, she walked back into the poverty area until she found the old man again. Their tent was small but clean compared to the others around them. One of the young men, the same one who had helped the old man up before, was rubbing his back with some type of herbal ointment.

"How can you just let him do that to you?" the young man, Max, complained, his voice filled with frustration and concern.

The old man let out a weary sigh. "I'm fine, Max. It's not worth the trouble."

Emma approached them quietly, not wanting to startle them. "Good morning," she greeted, her voice gentle.