Chapter 1228: The Springriver Manor
The black crystals trembled violently at the statue’s base...
The dark and chilling glow started spreading across the chamber.
Hanes watched from the shadows as he could only guess what he was seeing right now.
He also didn’t want to use his Survivor Skill as he might get noticed.
Still, Cloud recorded everything that was happening.
’I need to get out of this place.’
He had seen enough.
He learned that Galatea was dangerous... But she was also just another survivor clinging to power in a world that wanted everyone dead.
Indeed, this was still an Apocalypse World.
Hanes exhaled slowly, forcing himself to step back.
’Not now. I’ve already obtained the Gate Stones, resources, and more than enough crystals. I don’t need to make her an enemy.’
Galatea’s voice echoed softly in the chamber. She seemed reverent and determined.
"With your strength, this shelter will prosper! We will move beyond the reach of all enemies."
Hanes narrowed his eyes.
He understood her intent after seeing the situation of this fortress.
She wasn’t trying to dominate the world... she was trying to protect her people, just as he wanted to protect his clan.
Zombies, vampires, the Dragon Army... they were all threats that demanded desperate measures. Galatea’s only flaw was her usage of the mind‑suggestion Skill.
She clouded Bae and Asad’s judgment, making them believe suicidal missions were reasonable. That was why Hanes had taken most of the crystals secretly.
But Hanes had been careful.
He had secretly hidden fifteen black crystals, each one still pulsing with the power or the will of the Realm Lord.
He wasn’t sure how to use them yet, but he knew they were far too valuable to hand over.
With that decision firm in his mind, Hanes slipped away from the chamber.
Later, in the quiet of his room, he finally removed the mask that had disguised his identity.
His true face as Shane, was revealed.
He then went to find Asad.
Of course, the Necromancer was awake, as if expecting him.
"We’re going to leave?" Asad asked calmly, not surprised to see Shane’s real face.
"Yep," Shane said. "This place is weird. That black crystal... I don’t feel good about it. I saw Galatea doing some ritual voodoo or something. Feeding those crystals to a statue that moves the shelter. It’s dangerous."
Asad’s eyes narrowed, but he nodded.
That was indeed a weird thinkg to see.
"I figured as much. Staying here means being under her thumb. Let’s go."
The two moved quietly through the corridors, slipping past servants and guards.
The guardians stationed at the walls noticed them, but strangely, they did not interfere.
Perhaps Galatea’s orders were absolute, or perhaps the guardians simply didn’t care if survivors left, so long as the shelter remained intact.
Outside, the wasteland stretched endlessly under the fractured night sky.
Asad then raised his hand, summoning one of his hidden assets... the Skeleton Scorpio.
The ground trembled as the massive creature emerged, its skeletal frame glistening under the moonlight.
Clack! Clack!
Its pincers clacked naturally while its tail arched high... Shane smiled as he saw its hollow eyes glowed faintly. Asad then motioned, and the beast lowered itself.
"Jump," Asad said.
Just like that, Shane and Asad leapt from the wall, landing on the Scorpio’s back.
The creature opened its ribcage.
It was a hollow cavity designed to carry passengers.
With a hiss, it sealed them inside, its bones shifting to form a protective shell.
Then, with a rumble, the Skeleton Scorpio burrowed into the earth. The wasteland swallowed them whole, the surface closing above as the creature tunneled deep underground.
Inside the Scorpio’s body, it was dark but secure. Shane leaned back against the bone wall, his mind racing.
"We’re out," Asad said quietly. "But what now?"
Shane held one of the hidden black crystals in his hand, its pulse faint but insistent.
"Now we figure out what these really are. Galatea used these crystals as fuel for her statue, but I’m not convinced that it’s all about that. They carry the will of the Realm Lord. That means they’re more than just power sources. They might be keys... or weapons."
[ Black Crystal of Life: A fragment said to contain mysteries of the Realm’s hidden will. Its purpose remains uncertain, but it resonates with dimensional structures and rituals, offering power that cannot be fully understood or controlled.]
There was no rating whether it was a Common or Mythic item. There was no information about its real usage at all.
This was definitely a weird item.
Asad studied him. "And you plan to use them?"
"Eventually," Shane said. "But not yet. Right now, we need to get some distance. Galatea’s shelter moved us too far from Sector 20... I’ll have Anna, no... maybe my grandpa, to study this item."
"Ahh... Sir Merlin? I’m sure he’ll have an idea." Asad muttered to himself.
The Scorpio tunneled deeper, the vibrations of the wasteland fading above them.
Shane closed his eyes, recalling the sight of Galatea speaking to the statue.
Thanks to Cloud, he was able to easily recall what he had seen.
Her reverence, her obsession... it was clear she believed it was the salvation of her people. But Shane knew better. Power like that always came with a price.
"She’s not evil," Shane murmured. "She’s just desperate. Same as us. But desperation makes people reckless. And reckless leaders can destroy everything around them."
Asad nodded slowly as he heard Shane’s words.
He guessed that he was referring to Galatea...
"So we leave her to her fate..."
"Yes... She’s old enough." Shane said with a laugh.
He then tucked the crystal away...
Just like that, the Skeleton Scorpio surged forward, its tail cutting through the soil as it burrowed faster. They were now heading back to Springriver Manor. The closest shelter of their Clan.
***
Bartholomew, or Bart, as everyone called him, was still in Springriver Manor. The master brewer, ale connoisseur, and drunken master had already turned his craft into an empire. His brewing operation had expanded beyond barrels of ale and wine... even coffee beans had become part of his trade.
The Gold Star Café was everywhere now.
Three shops in Eclipse Domain, two in New Genesis Shelter, and one in every shelter under their influence.
Even the Neutral Shelters and some allied shelters had branches.
As a matter of fact, he could build more, but he decided to give a chance to other shops...
Survivors who once fought over scraps now lined up for Bart’s brews, his coffee... and his wine.
Well, with his supplies coming from the plants cared for by a fairy, and even some ingredients tinged with the World Tree, it was more than a drink... it was luxury, perhaps a taste of regularity in a world that had forgotten such things.
This evening, Bart walked through the brewery, his steps remained steady despite being drunk for most of the time...
He inhaled deeply, expecting the familiar scent of roasted beans and fermenting hops. But then his nose wrinkled.
"Mhmm?"
The smell of necromancer aura was close.
Bart frowned. He knew that scent well... the chill of death magic, the faint metallic scent that clung to the air.
But this wasn’t an enemy necromancer. It was a fellow member of their clan.
He moved toward the gates as he realized who the visitor was.
His flask clinked at his belt.
As soon as he reached the entrance, he saw them... Asad, the Necromancer, and beside him, Shane... their clan leader.
Bart expected Shane to simply greet him with a nod, as he always did.
Shane was a man of few words and he was always busy...
But to Bart’s surprise, Shane’s eyes lit with something else.
"I want to visit your café," Shane said.
Bart blinked, then burst into laughter. "Hahah! Then let me serve you!"
Soon, the three of them were seated inside the Gold Star Café, the warm glow of lanterns reflecting off polished wood.
Bart himself carried the tray...
He set down cups filled with a steaming, dark liquid.
"World Root coffee extract," Bart announced proudly. "There shouldn’t be a problem right, Sir Asad?"
Asad smirked faintly and nodded. The world tree wouldn’t do anything to him anyway.
As for Shane, he just lifted the cup, inhaling the aroma before taking a sip.
The bitterness was there, but there was also the earthy strength.
Shane finally relaxed.
"Tell me, Bart... have you had problems running the shop?"
The question caught Bart off guard. His hand froze halfway to his flask.
For a moment, the jovial brewer’s grin faltered. He nodded slowly.
"Yes," Bart admitted. "Expansion is good, but it draws attention. Neutral Shelters welcome the café, but not all clans are happy. Some think we’re spreading influence too far. Well, I’m not really handling the supplies, but I remember how they said that the marketplace for Foreign Survivors was not reliable anymore."
Shane gently nodded after hearing this.
He set his cup down carefully.
"That’s true. You might need to consider removing some items from your menu. Let’s focus on what we can obtain for now."
Bart nodded.
Still, the main reason why Shane asked about this was actually quite important.
"Ahem... So, I guess you can build another shop like this in Eden Island now."
"Huh? Eden Island?"
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