Chapter 31: Catching Fish
The lead rescue worker tried to comfort the surviving betas. He blamed himself for their breach of duty and called the incident a terrible accident. He also mentioned how his quick and effective rescue mission had kept most of the betas on the blimp safe, with the majority avoiding serious physical injuries.
He asked the betas what they planned to do next.
He explained that vehicles were ready to take them to different outposts, but he understood if anyone wanted to go home after such a scary experience. He figured the frightened betas would not want to go to the outposts. They would probably want to go home, shaking and crying. This would make his job easy because he could take everyone back to the Tower and finish his job. Then he wouldn’t have to worry about taking them to all those dangerous and poor places.
Whether the soldiers at the outposts needed the betas, or were waiting for their help, was not his problem as a high-ranking official in the Tower. After all, everyone knew that sending betas to help the alphas was just for show.
"I... I want to go to the outpost. The alphas there are still waiting for us." A young boy, pale and weak, spoke up. Even though he looked like he could barely stand, he sat on the ground, raising his pale hand. It was Serge, the top student in his grade. The rescue worker recognized him. "The top students are always so simple-minded when facing real-life issues," he thought to himself. Even so, he smiled and praised Serge for being brave and selfless.
"Me too. I want to go too." The next one to speak was a girl with messy hair like a bird’s nest, her face covered in tears and snot.
"Oh, the spoiled daughter of the Baron," thought the rescue worker. "Young girls are always so innocent."
"I’m going too," another voice said.
"Yeah, me too."
"I’m a little scared... but I’ll go anyway."
"Count me in."
One by one, more betas raised their hands. Not everyone, but enough to surprise the rescue worker.
These betas, who had lived luxurious lives in the Tower, were now dirty and ragged, sitting around looking weak. But their raised hands were steady, and their eyes held a spark that the high-ranking worker couldn’t understand.
Grumbling to himself, the rescue worker had no choice but to take out his notebook. He wrote down each beta’s intended destination and started to arrange for vehicles and people to escort them.
Some were going to Ronland, some to Purple Farm, and a strange beta in sports clothes said she was from the Special Research Division and wanted to go to the East Shore outpost.
Ren, who had already walked quite a ways with the group, suddenly stopped dead in the middle of the wilds.
"The East Shore," he mumbled as if he had heard something strange, softly saying the name of a place.
"What’s up, Ren?" Hanson, who was walking next to him, asked. "Did you get mixed up? We’re not going to the East Shore outpost. We’re heading to Purple Farm, even though the two outposts are pretty close."
...
At dawn, the first light of day was just starting to peek over the ocean. Fishermen who had been out since the early morning were slowly walking up the sea wall with their fresh catches.
The crowd at the dock came together to make a small fish market. A fish seller’s knife quickly cut through a big fish head, and the blood mixed with fish scales to make a small stream on the ground. It flowed down both sides of the road, and people walking by had to step over it.
The market was full of voices haggling over prices and the strong smell of fish. It was chaotic and messy. Commander Parfit stood in the middle of all this, awkwardly fixing his silk scarf. Wearing his Imperial Nexus uniform here felt weird, as he hadn’t worn it for many years.
Behind him, a few alphas, standing or leaning on a jeep, made fun of how he was dressed. "Commander, look at what you’re wearing. You look like a peacock. Hahaha, it’s so funny, didn’t you notice everyone walking by is staring at you?"
"Commander, your clothes might be fine for a fancy party at the Tower, but they’re pretty ridiculous here in the market."
"Shut up," Parfit shot back. "People from the Imperial Nexus dress like this; it’s formal wear, showing we respect her."
Parfit, who was born into a rich family in the Imperial Nexus, was more used to the Tower’s manners than the alphas who were born locally.
He saw himself as a well-mannered gentleman, but after spending so much time at the East Shore outpost with these rowdy soldiers, he had picked up their rough language. He had almost completely forgotten his once polished manners.
"Stop teasing the commander," a female alpha with a shaved head, who was sitting on top of the jeep, said. "This is the commander’s last suit. His wife found it, washed it, and ironed it all night before we left."
The alphas instantly stopped laughing.
Most of them remembered that when the commander first got here, he had a lot of flashy suits like this one. Over the years, he had to sell most of them, and only this one was left, brought out for special events. They really shouldn’t have laughed.
"Boss, do you think the beta will show up? We’ve been waiting since yesterday and haven’t seen a single beta. Could she have decided not to come?" A big alpha with bushy eyebrows and a thick beard, who was over six feet tall, was getting impatient.
"No, Tegnell. The beta who’s coming is from the Special Research Division. She’s coming for the Polluted Zone Five," Parfit shook his head. "She needs to do research on the Polluted Zone. She wouldn’t just not show up."
As he said this, he couldn’t help but look off into the distance, worried. "Weird, she should’ve been here by now. Betas usually wear those white silk dresses, you can’t miss them. Everybody, keep an eye out."
There were two outposts in this area, and the outpost closest to the Polluted Zone Five was actually next door. The beta wouldn’t normally come to places like this. Parfit had asked a distant cousin of his, who had some pull in the Special Research Division, to make it happen. After promising Roy that they would take good care of their beta, Roy agreed to have the beta stay at their East Shore outpost during her research.
If the beta arrived and stayed with them, maybe there would still be a glimmer of hope.
Tegnell, the alpha, snorted. "So what if she comes? Over the years, the Tower has sent betas to us. They either complain about the poor conditions or don’t like the food, always wanting to leave as soon as they get here. Has any one of them really helped us?"
Another one added, "Yeah, the one who came two years ago, as soon as she arrived at the outpost and accidentally saw Tegnell’s half-beast form, she passed out. After she woke up, she insisted on not staying. Her bags were still packed, and she ran back the way she came. Hahaha."
"So this time you guys better behave," Parfit warned grumpily, "No swearing. Do not show your half-beast forms, keep your psychic incarnations under control. No running around."
"Why?"
"Won’t that choke us?"
"Right, are betas so special? Who cares."
"I don’t want to serve them tea and salute them, and still not be appreciated. It’s like trying to please someone who doesn’t care."
"Those people from the Tower have never treated us like humans."
The soldiers started to argue loudly.
"So what do you want?" Parfit turned around and yelled, "Don’t you care about Raymond’s life?"
At these words, the alphas went quiet.
Parfit’s angry eyes scanned each alpha, and each one looked down when they met his gaze.
"Do you guys know what state Raymond is in or not?" Parfit’s gaze finally landed on the troublemaker, Tegnell, his voice cold, "Tegnell, you tell me. If you say you don’t care if Ray’s alive or dead, I’ll leave right now."
"Commander, I didn’t mean it like that," Tegnell backed down and said sorry, "I’m sorry."
"Everybody, listen to me. When the beta gets here, you guys better shape up." Parfit pointed at each one, "I’m telling you, bow your heads, bend at the waist, serve tea, do what you have to do. If anyone messes this up, they’ll have to deal with me."
"You don’t need to say anymore," Tegnell banged on the jeep as if making a serious promise, "If she can really save Raymond, not only will I serve tea for her, but I’m also willing to get down on my knees and lick her shoes."
"What shoes?" A young girl’s voice cut in at that moment.
