Shadow Guardians

Amelia woke up and wrote on the notice board to recruit guards. The advertisement said to ask for those without attachments on other bases. Those whose family is in this base or orphans. With no potential to awaken supernatural power in the future. 

This notice puzzled the public. How can those without power be guards? Especially with so many dazzling benefits. Still, many people applied even though the post said the guards can not have children in the next 10 years. In truth, no one is thinking about having children when they can't even feed themselves.

The aliens will descend after a decade. Amelia wants to be a behemoth in the world by that time. She just doesn't want to be too high profile because of Shane and the assassin ninjas. She shudders thinking of the description in the book.

They wear black robes with red patterns depicting the ancient Japanese language for 'shadows' because they have the ability to manipulate shadows and have high attainment to the point where they can use shadows to travel (teleport) from location to location.

During and assassination missions, they come and go like the breeze in a winter night. Fast and ruthless, but silent nonetheless.

With Shane at the head, many foreign talents who were carrying humanity during this time of crisis on their shoulders lost their heads to the Yamamoto shadow association.

Amelia doesn't want to act when there is trouble at that time, the world goes to war. She wants to be proactive and have a league dedicated to keeping her base safe.

At 12 at noon she is standing I front of what seems to be hundreds of people. During these weeks, the nine kings have been rescuing people and bringing them into the base. The initial numbers of survivors have climbed up by a few more thousands.

"Hello everyone. Have you all been tested to be without a spirit root?" Amelia asked as soon as she came.

"Yes, that is why we didn't enlist in the army."

"You don't need to be an ability user to enlist. Those who still want to enlist can go to the relevant office. Don't worry about supernatural power everyone." Amelia said this but some didn't believe her.

"I don't have any combat experience, without an ability how can I enlist?"

"How can normal humans go against those monsters outside?"

"Everyone, I am the base leader what I say is the truth. Have faith and go to enlist." Amelia said and some people got up and left for real.

"Those left here are not interested in enlisting?" She saw agreement on their eyes and relaxed.

"Now are you sure you want to be guards?"

"Can we know what we will be guarding?" One person asked.

"I can not say. I can only say it is very important. Now this is the agreement, you can only sign it by dropping your blood." She gave them a contract each. She knows some won't sign.

When they saw the terms of the contract, some left directly. Amelia took back her contracts and waited.

"Does it matter that I am a woman? Will I receive less pay because of this?" A woman in her late twenties asked Amy who's smiled.

"You will be paid fairly and in accordance to the contract. It has nothing to do with being a woman." Amy told them. In this group of people, there are more than 115 women.

It would be a waste of resources if they are not being used as workers.

"I have a daughter, can she go to your orphanage? I am not able to provide for her as it is."

"Alright. Anything else? Then you can sign and come with me." She motioned for those at the door come and assist them in leading the way.

When it was just them she saw they number at 370. She eliminated the terminally Ill, those too old and those too young in the end only 300 people is remain.

She called her secretaries and informed them to take this group to the 34th through to 36th floor. Not long ago, old Mo got her a total of four secretaries who are all orphans and have no ties to other places.

She gave them the space spirit root fruits and gave them bananas, tomatoes and the cleansing potions. Not to mention two are females so she gave them the pills to stop periods.

She hasn't gotten to know them yet. She just gave them a lot of resources to keep for the base and the nine kings in case they want some resources when she is not around.

The wards are transformed into a six people dormitory with sufficient furniture and necessities. Gender is still separated accordingly.

They will wake up, go to train and purify at night. She has an idea of who will train them in the future but for now, they have to be using the medicine.

She looked at her 300 guards and smiled like a flower. "Your lives are about to be very hard. Eat this banana tonight before going to sleep and lay down inside a bathtub. As a hospital, there's plenty of bathtubs in this floor.

Take turns if the bathtubs are not enough. Others will go in when the others come out. The process might kill you so I will ask the general staff to assist you and guard you while you are passed out." Amelia saw panic on some of them.

She gave each person a banana and told them not to waste the peels at well. The following days were very hard for the guards. Unlike those before them, they ate an entire banana. As mortals it is already good that they are not dead.

Amelia knew it will be a gamble but she also knew no one will die since they are already not normal humans. They have the 10% zombie virus in their system. It has already transformed their system. She doesn't have time to cuddle them like she did with the nine kings.

The people woke up, after cleaning themselves it became apparent their bodies are completely reborn.

The previous sloppy physic has transformed into strong men and women. Each can lift up a small car worth of weight. The running speed is comparable to that of a speeding vehicle. Their bodies are full of energy to an astonishing level.

These are all fine but Amelia called them into a meeting after a day. She gave them each a shadow spirit root fruits after they signed the nondisclosure agreement. She then told them to go back and wait.

A day ago, Qin Ai came back with 300 old people, 158 orphans and 1003 young and able people. The base had already prepared a building where old people will stay. As soon as these news came out, old people who were previously staying with their families were pushed to stay in the old peoples home.

Some were angry some were thankful for the kindness of the base. The children were put in the orphanage. Some children have awakened supernatural abilities but Amelia ignored this information. They are younger than 14, in the future they can join training if they want but it isn't necessary for now.

When Qin Ai saw the fully functioning old peoples home, him and his group were stunned. There are also young people that came back with him from the base. The number of people healthy enough to work is around 1000.

Qin Ai told them the rules of the base. Work or leave. When they saw the comfortable life of the old and the young, they wondered how nice they will live knowing they can pay. All in all not much encouragement was needed to make them look for suitable employment.

Now, Qin Ai is sitting in front of the young base leader. "Did you find our arrangement for your people satisfactory?" She asked him with a smile that is not a smile. Qin Ai always had a feeling this is not a young girl but a cunning old fox digging a pit for him to jump in. 

Her eyes are bright and clear. There is a matured aura on her body but her face is very cute and youthful even as she is tall and has a women's body. Somehow these contradicting things blends together perfectly on her.

"Very satisfied." He answered lightly. If one looked closely they would see the tip of his ears had turned red even as his face remains stoic.

"Considering all that I am providing for them and that I will be providing in the future, do you think I am satisfied with what you gave me?" She asked him but he didn't answer.

He knows this question is a trap. She probably wants something from him. "Like I said before, I will be part of your base from now on." Who is Qin Ai? Able to infiltrate the enemy camp and complete his mission in record time as a special forces lieutenant. How can he fall for such an obvious trap? 

Amelia knows he just wants to monitor her base and the treatment of the people he has brought to stay. Knowing this man had previously managed a base, she knows he may have some idea on her base but killing one powerful man and his 12 goons shouldn't be a problem for her.

"I see, it so happens that I need your help, desperately. I have a group of civilians I need to be turned I to powerful soldiers. I want you to train them. Are you willing?" Amelia knows this person may not stay in her base for too long considering his noble aura. He is probably someone very important in the army before the apocalypse.

Qin Ai is surprised. Most people will just want him to be a loyal soldier under their command but this young girl wants him to train others. Ultimately there's only one Qin Ai but if he trains others...the possibilities are endless.

"How many people?" He asked with interest. 

"A little over 300. Don't worry the females wont have the 'day of the month' it will be easier for you to train them into powerful shadow guards without any disturbances."

Qin Ai frowned. Many people would encourage females to remove their wombs in order to not be disturbed by periods during training but this is very in humane. It seems he had misjudged this little girl. She can be so ruthless to her own people.

"I see your expression is distorted. Are you having wild theories? I know this is a hospital but I only gave them this pill. It will stop any menstrual cycle for six months. It will not be painful because the level of the alchemist who made this medicine is not low." She defended herself.

The young man didn't say anything but his expression became better. "Now, do we have a deal?" She asked him.

"My men?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. He wanted to know if she will take this opportunity to separate him from his men.

"Like you said, they are your men. Just whip my people into shape and I won't treat you badly." Her tone suggest she is not interested in his men. Instead she wants her own people trained. She is smart, rather than holding on to people whose loyalty belongs someone else it is better to raise her own people's level strength.

"We will see about that won't we?" He stood up and shook her outstretched hand. The soft hand gave a firm hand shake and released his hand soon after. This little girl is interesting. Most women would have held his hand for a while longer. Qin Ai knows how good looking he is but she hasn't treated him inappropriately the entire time they were conversing. 

"Don't be cynical Mr. Qin Life will be good here. I try to keep my word." She smiled like a flower dazzling the group of men.

"If I am to train people, I need a large piece of land to design the training grounds as I wish." He said lightly but she can hear this is a non negotiable request from him.

"There is an open field behind the main building. Do as you wish. There is also a building expert in the base, you will find him in the parking lot where a market is being built."

"I will tell old Mo to have him focus on your project for now. If you need materials contact the dean he will know where building materials are being kept." She offers generously. She is aware this type of high quality trainer is rare to come by. She doesn't want to lose him. Because she is really desperate for those guards.

"I see. Thank you then." Qin Ai is surprised by the level of cooperation from this leader. It seems she values this project which will suggest she knows the important resource even during these times is still human resource.

"No, thank you. I need my guards in shape as soon as possible but don't rush yourself. Also you must first check them out before you design a training program. Be careful their bodies have been enhanced by me I just need them to be able to use their gifts with efficiency." She spoke seriously.

Qin Ai heard this and looked at her. "When you say enhanced what exactly do you mean?" He doesn't want to be training experiments from the lab.

"A week ago they were normal humans now they are very strong, fast and have shadow supernatural abilities." Amy said nonchalantly.

"I'm going to need more information.." Qin Ai said with a slightly shocked expression. 

"Think of me as an alchemist with many tricks up my sleeve." Amelia enjoyed his surprised expression and continued speaking.

"Think of them as babies carrying dangerous weapons with no knowledge of how to use them. While you build the training ground I will work on something that will take away their powers for training. I just need one item and you can train them as normal humans." She explained.

It will be dangerous for a normal man to train the group of supernatural power beings. They might get annoyed with him and hurt him. Especially since they are not soldiers in the army but survivors of the apocalypse.

"That would be best, thank you for your hard work. May I ask something of you base leader?" Qin Ai heart started beating fast when he thinks about what he wants to ask of her.

"Go ahead." Her calm expression as she said this somehow reassured him.

"If you are an alchemist, then can you heal someone who is not well? My sister, she has been sick for a long time and no one knows what is wrong." He asked. Even if his tone didn't change, Amy can hear the hope in his tone.

"Have you tried healing supernatural powers?" 

"I have, it was no use, in fact it seems to make it worse." Qin Ai said. 

"I can try. I am not in possession of godly powers so don't have too much hope." Amelia said humbly.

"That is all I ask. As long as there is a possibility i will be very grateful." He said. Amelia can hear a slight tremor in his voice.

"You can bring your sister to me in the afternoon. Ask for Zhu Meng in the front desk." She stood up and left.

This meeting has been going on for a while now. The group followed after her going out to looking for food. They found a restaurant on the outside buildings.

This place is clean and spacious. Looking around he can see a lot of thought was put into this place. Moreover, the food on the tables seems very delicious. As the youngest chief commander of an elite group he has been able to eat out in places with high standard when it comes to the chefs and the ingredients. 

In the last days, this kind of food is nonexistent not to mention that, even normal food is usually filled insects and soil.

"This place doesn't seem too bad. At least the hygiene standard is up to par." One of the men said looking around.

"I am impressed with this base to tell the truth, but I don't know how long can they be so generous. Looking around this place, it's as if the resources we lacked so much in the past can be found everywhere." Qin Ai said.

Amelia is leading a group of people to a location behind one of the buildings inside the wall. The distance between the hospital buildings and the wall is not small. Amelia had taken full advantage of Agatha at that time. The giant snake had really done a good job even created six watch towers instead of the agreed four. 

"This green moss will purify the soil so that we can grow food we can eat." Amelia said while handing over the large glass jar with green moss inside. The people heard her and became stunned then they broke out in brilliant smiles. 

"Is what the leader said true?" A woman in her late thirties gasped in shock. If this is true, then they wont starve to death outside. 

Amy had taken a group of people who claimed to be knowledgeable on agriculture and crops management. They looked at her with bathed breathe. She didn't have to spend a lot of time motivating them, soon they had planted the green moss on the land and waited for it to multiply naturally which wont take long. 

Amelia gave all the seeds she didn't need and some crops from space to the base so they will begin planting food naturally. She left the proceedings to old Mo and the general workers.