Chapter 402: 402
It took a good long while before I almost accepted the fact that I now have a 10-foot statue of me from where Kaley and I went to high school. The only saving grace was that they really~ went generous on the size of the leaf covering me. If we scale it to the right size, I could probably use it to press a doorbell.
“Benjamin… give me a good reason why you had this idea? If I’m not convinced, I’ll remove all the hairs on your body with flex tape and rip it all in one pull…” my words were wavering but the threat behind it was ever so present.
“That’s a lot of damage bro!” Jared chimed, chuckling.
“Umm… ah- you know… you being the head and all. When the president came in and told us we need to not only work hand-in-hand with you but also given more authority than sir Rico, I think someone that makes it all happen needs something simple like this… sir…” Benjamin said nervously.
“Then you’d tire yourself out.” I chuckled.
“Sir?” Benjamin was confused.
“If we’re talking about the people that make it all happen, you need to make statues for everyone, not just me.” I scratched my head, smiling.
“Oh~ I see how it is kid. Playing humble now, are we? Hah! Your acting sucks!” Oscar cackled.
“What?! If we’re talking about whose acting sucks, it’s you!” I retorted.
“WHAT?! ME?! THE F.U.C.K?!” Oscar was flabbergasted.
“You’re the one who wanted a f.u.c.k.i.n.g statue built for yourself! You said when you were drunk before years ago was that you wanted something similar to the faces in Mount Rushmore!” I turned the tables on him.
“KID?!” Oscar pointed at me, red in the face.
“What? Did I lie?” I chuckled.
“You didn’t…” Oscar immediately shrunk down, embarrassed.
“HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!” everyone started wheezing-laughing though I think I’ve made my point earlier that they didn’t need to make me one because everyone put in their effort to make everything work, no matter how much work they put in.
“Anyway, what’s the situation here?” I turned to Rico.
“Fortification of this place is still the main job for everyone. We’ve been cleaning out hardware stores for their metal parts and sacks of cement to either patch up or make new structures that could help us better defend this place.” Rico replied.
“How about food and water? Except for the rice we brought obviously.” I asked.
“Well, the garden at the back was restored and more seeds were planted. We also managed to secure a few egg-laying chickens so we have a steady supply of eggs. On the water, we tried to make the rain collectors and water filters from your modules so we could save a lot on fuel or firewood from boiling them before drinking.” Benjamin answered.
“Didn’t we shared a few solar panels and generators over here?” I replied.
“Yes but we mostly use them for the fans, lights, and the cameras. It’s not enough to go around simultaneously so we just store hot water on our canteens or on those thermoses so we could slowly make a stockpile of clean water.” Benjamin replied.
“If we managed to clear that commercial square right before the expressway, we’d have access to more of those stuff and other things.” Carlo chimed.
“Then that’s good. Try and slowly increase your territory as you go on and don’t miss taking each and every valuable on the way.” I nodded a few times.
We were one and the same group but we decided beforehand that we wouldn’t spoonfeed them too much. We gave them a good headstart when they moved in by providing an ample amount of resources to get them going but they need to be able to make this place run by themselves in the future. Well, we gave them another boost by delivering copious amounts of rice but we have a f.u.c.kton more coming to our own place.
“Do you still have people guarding the previous DDR Camp?” Oscar asked Rico.
“Not quite. After we hauled each and every valuable thing inside, instead of making a dozen guards watch that place, we decided to have 3-man groups in more scattered positions to act as lookouts aside from our people who slowly clears the dead roaming around every day. They still tangle with the dead but it’s up to them to decide to take it on themselves or call for more people.” Rico explained.
“Oh, that’s a good idea. Where are they stationed then?” Oscar scratched his beard.
“It changes every few days depending on the circ.u.mstances. We have four groups in total. Three of them were fairly close while the last group ventures or extends a bit farther. They relocate more frequently too and they go back here fewer times than the other three. They’re even outside as we speak and they scavenge their own food and other needs. They never missed a report though so that means they’re doing a good job.” Rico added.
“We should do that kind of shit back home kid. Let’s have a few soldiers extend towards either to Caloocan City or Marikina City. Either way, we’d get more live information if they’re in the vicinity. Well, we better equip them as a start first and find the right people for it.” Oscar gave an approving look.
It took a while before they managed to haul everything off from the 8-wheeler so we started to talk with some of the people we sent over here. It was obvious that some of them were upset initially and it took them time to realize my point in sending them here. However, there were still people we wouldn’t be able to see eye to eye and they either talked with a different tone or were one of the people that took off and decided to find their own place.
Before we left the place, we gave them the rest of the ammo we have from the ammo cans while they handed us brass casings and other materials for reloading them.
They already know that I could manufacture bullets so part of what they handed me was a mix of primers, projectiles, smokeless gunpowder, and surprisingly, even black powder. They stumbled upon a looted gun store but the people who looted it didn’t know one flying f.u.c.k about how to use them so a good amount of them was left behind.
We shook hands and we drove back.
While we were driving back, I suddenly had the realization that I might’ve made the most stupid mistake I could possibly make. The people with me were oblivious but they grew worried when I stepped on the gas and drove even faster. My face was desperate and I almost left the 8-wheeler behind.
“Kid? The f.u.c.k is wrong with you?!” Oscar strapped his seatbelt, the same with everybody.
I never answered and it made everyone but Kaley confused.
“Oh no…” Kaley finally realized what I was getting at.
We reached our home base without issue but I was already too late to witness everything. My only saving grace was Olivia holding up her camera which Ken lent to her before. However, when I saw the lens cap still on, I lost all hope seeing Zeus’ initial reaction when he saw them.
“We’re too late…” I muttered as Kaley and I fell on one knee.
“…” the other people with us.
The scene was still immaculate but how I wish I could turn back time. I almost went to a certain place where I could borrow the stone that could allow it.
“Look at Zeus!”
“HAHAHAHAHA!!!”
“Peanut’s excited as well!”
“Rio’s gone.”
“I wish Dozer is here too! I think Jay brought him home already.”
“Mister Jomarro, can I really have her?! CAN I REALLY HAVE HER?! HUH?! CAN I?!”
“Yes… calm down…”
“I want one too!”
“You see, having a puppy is a serious endeavor. You really~ need to take care of it. Like really~ take care of it.”
“I will! I will!”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes!”
“If you don’t, they will get sick and be sad, are you really sure?”
“Um… will they be really sad?”
“That’s why I said to take really good care of them, right?”
“Oh, I guess I want to learn how to take care of them first, right?!”
“Yes, that’s the way to go.”
“Do I need to get really fat like you so I could take good care of them?”
“…”
“Do I?”
“…”
“Listen here you little-”
“Okay, calm down you big guy, he’s just a kid… he’s just a kid…”
Zeus was happily running around Kronos and Rhea while the little puppies were trying to chase after him. They were too slow and sometimes they would stumble but Zeus would pick them up and slow down to play with his little siblings. The other puppies were either getting picked up by the kids or trying to climb over Olivia, who was now about to die from happiness.
Not only that, Cynthia started to cry when a little brown puppy slowly made his way towards her then decided to sleep on her foot. Cynthia couldn’t move a muscle and she was looking at Kaley and me for help. Rin managed to help her but she decided to take several pictures first with Cynthia’s embarrassed expression.
It didn’t take long before Zeus managed to sniff me out but he slowly approached me while waiting for the little ones to catch up to him.
“Woof!” Zeus was happily circling around them before he asked me to carry him.
This was one of the moments I was genuinely happy. He started to lick my face and he stole a kiss from Kaley as well.
“You’re getting a little sneaky, aren’t ya?” I chuckled as I received a few more kisses from him.
“Woof!” Zeus responded.
“What do you mean by that? I thought you’re being sneaky?” I chuckled.
“Woof…” Zeus lowered his bark but his tail was still wagging. I could feel it with my legs but I hugged him even tighter.
“That’s better, you’re learning quick eh?” I said as I laid him down and booped his little nose.
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