The base’s upgrade had come at a good time. Reports from scouts told John that monsters were growing stronger and for some reason, it seemed that they were growing in numbers despite their repeated attempts to exterminate them.
One of the engineers entered the courtyard, frantically looking for John.
"Boss!" He cried. "The repairs are finished, now we just need to find a way to route the power to our base."
"Any problems?" John asked, trying to remain calm.
"Yes, there’s a problem. The power lines have been damaged, and we can’t seem to fix them."
John frowned, "damaged by what?"
"By something, we’re not sure. Whatever it was, it was powerful."
John thought for a moment, "Echo, do you have any suggestions?"
"Yes, there are several materials that can be used to repair the power lines, but they are difficult to find."
"Any other solutions?"
"Yes, the power can be routed wirelessly. A transmitter and a receiver can be purchased from any of the shops, but you would have to spend your points."
"Alright, let’s do it."
"The transmission will be weak and might not work well in the long run. I recommend saving your points for a more stable solution."
"No, we need the power lines repaired now."
"Understood."
John rushed to the mall where the System Shop was located. There were more, allegedly, but he didn’t know their locations. John had amassed a total of 4000 points since, but the transmitter and receiver set him back 2000, leaving him with only half the points. It didn’t matter to him, comfort and security were his main concerns.
He returned to base and they spent the entire day setting up the system of wireless electricity. Echo was an expert in these matters and guided them through the process. By nightfall, they were ready to turn on the power source.
Eager to turn on the power, John sauntered towards the switch. As he turned it on, the lights flickered and the base came to life.
"Oh my god!" Dalia cried, her eyes wide with amazement. "Finally, we can have hot showers."
Stephanie nodded and hugged Dalia.
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freewebnσvel.cøm.
The entire camp buzzed with excitement. The prospect of hot showers and working lights had given them all a renewed sense of hope.
As the sun began to rise, the team was busy preparing for the day. Everyone had a role to play, and everyone was eager to contribute.
"Echo, is there any way to increase your range? It would be great if I could build outposts and fortify the power plant."
"Yes. There are many ways, but since there are no roads from here to the river, you could build a road connecting the power plant with the base. This would allow me to fortify the power plant, but my abilities are limited. You will not be able to use all the system’s features."
"That will be enough, for now."
John checked Echo’s interface to see the amount of concrete left and he figured it was enough to connect the two locations. With determined steps, he stepped out of the camp and began the slow process. Despite Echo’s otherworldly abilities for building, it would still take a long time until he could finish the road.
Hours passed and he had yet to reach 50% completion when he heard a woman’s cries. The voice came from the forest. He rushed to hide behind a tree and followed the source of the sound with his gaze. Eventually, his gaze landed on two women.
The first woman was battered and bruised, her body was naked and covered in cuts and bruises. The second woman was holding a dagger, her gaze darting around in fear.
John understood the women were in need of help. He thought about helping the two women for a second, but a group of men rushed to the scene before he could do anything.
"There she is! Get her!" One man shouted, and the rest followed suit.
John looked at the woman, her expression was fearful and pleading. He wanted to help, but there were too many of them and they didn’t seem like the typical pushovers.
As the men approached, the woman with the dagger held her ground, her body trembling with fear and adrenaline. She brandished her weapon, ready to fight.
One of the men stepped forward, his face hard and cold. He pulled a javelin from his back and threw it with deadly accuracy. The weapon pierced the woman’s throat, spraying blood everywhere.
Her eyes rolled back, and she fell to the ground, lifeless.
"Good shot, Sam." One of the men said.
"Thanks, Jake. Now, let’s get this bitch back to camp. She’s been a pain in the ass, and it’s time she pays."
They dragged the woman’s body back to the camp, her eyes vacant and hollow. Her lively orange hair contrasted sharply with the dull grey of the sky, her skin as pale as death.
John felt bad for the woman, but this was not his problem, however, he was intrigued by the scene. Curiosity got the better of him and he followed the men.
As they entered the camp, the men were greeted by a group of women, their eyes filled with rage and contempt.
"What the hell are you doing? Where’s Sarah?" One woman cried, her eyes glistening with tears.
"She’s dead. And if you don’t behave, you’ll be joining her soon," one of the men growled, his face twisted with hate.
Most of the hospitals’ windows and entrances were blocked. It seems that they were using the hospital as their base. John used his camouflage coat and Quiet Steps to sneak to the other side of the hospital. There were guards all around the building, and so John thought there might be another entrance somewhere.
After some eavesdropping, John put the pieces together. The leader of this place was entitled and he forcefully claimed women as his. According to rumours, he has a harem of 4 women. Just then, the system’s notification chimed and John’s lips curved upwards. It was time to do what he did best, fuck other men’s women.