Magic Space: Struggling to Survive in the Apocalypse-Chapter 107: Reunion with an Old Friend

"Hand them over?"

"That’s right. I can sponsor you to get into Wyrmrest Base."

Evelyn Ford narrowed her eyes. "Never mind, then. We’ll go on our own."

"Hah, on your own? Ever since the earthquake, you need ten kilograms of grain to enter Wyrmrest Base. You two look dirt poor, and you still think you can get in? Though, if you have a sponsor, you can get in by working for free for three months. You’ll start receiving rations in the fourth month."

Lilith Owens sized up Evelyn Ford and Ronan Kendrick mockingly. Based on her voice and the look in her eyes, Evelyn guessed she was around thirty years old.

Evelyn almost had to laugh at her bossy, condescending attitude.

"That’s right. The base has new rules," the man next to Lilith Owens explained. "Before, you just needed an ID to get in. Now, you have to hand over grain or other supplies. If you pay with grain, you only have to do one month of free labor. If you can’t, it’s three months. Without a sponsor, you’d have to work for half a year."

"In that case, we’ll just keep wandering. We’ll live as long as we can."

"You can stay out here, but you can’t stay by the Silver River."

Lilith Owens spoke again, her eyes glued to the little squirrel. ’If I can take this squirrel and that colorful little bird back to Miss Holloway, I won’t have to come out here and fish with these stinking men anymore,’ she thought.

The scheming glint in her eyes didn’t escape Evelyn’s notice. She squeezed Ronan Kendrick’s hand gently and continued to ask, "Why not?"

"Because the fishing rights to the Silver River belong to Wyrmrest Base. If you don’t leave, we have the right to deal with you."

After speaking, she looked at the silent Captain Collins, took a step forward, and said fawningly, "Captain Collins, these two are very suspicious. I suggest we execute them on the spot."

Evelyn was speechless.

"Let me see both of your IDs," Captain Collins finally spoke. He looked to be around thirty-five, was about six feet tall, and had a calm gaze. He was clearly not someone to be trifled with.

There was no way Evelyn was going to take out her ID. She shook her head in fear and unease.

"We lost everything after the earthquake. Our IDs are long gone."

"How old are you?"

"Twenty."

"And you?" he asked, looking at Ronan Kendrick.

"Twenty."

Captain Collins glanced at them. They really didn’t look like they were twenty. He would have guessed forty.

He then looked at their nearby tent. There were no dangerous items; in fact, it looked rather shabby. The couple’s clothes were in tatters, and they appeared timid, weak, and listless.

"The base has a rule: all compatriots are to be treated equally. If we encounter survivors out here, we are to bring them back and get them settled. I can take you back, as long as you’re willing to do half a year of compulsory labor."

"Captain Collins, I—" Lilith Owens tried to speak again but was cut off by a sharp glare from the captain.

"Anyone who tries to pull any tricks under my nose will be the first one I deal with on the spot."

His gaze swept over the crowd, finally landing back on Lilith Owens. Terrified, she shrank back into the group, bowing her head and not daring to speak another word.

"If you agree, you can join our fishing team right now." He glanced at the iron shovel, fishing net, and bucket in Ronan Kendrick’s hands, then continued, "If you’re not willing, then take your things and leave the Silver River."

’Isn’t this just robbery?’

Just as Evelyn was about to speak, someone squeezed through the crowd from behind. Their eyes met.

"Evelyn Ford?"

"Quincy?" Evelyn stared at him in disbelief. ’Good grief, he’s in a rough state,’ she thought. ’His clothes are even more tattered than mine.’

Quincy looked at Evelyn, his expression just as complicated. ’It’s only been a few months, and not only is Evelyn living miserably, but she’s also picked up some strange man,’ he thought. ’As her big brother from another mother, I can’t accept this.’

"She’s my cousin, Captain Collins. I can sponsor them."

"Dr. Quincy, is she really your cousin?" Captain Collins scrutinized Quincy but didn’t press the matter. After all, Quincy was the fishing team’s doctor.

"Yes. I’ve told you before, I’m from Corinth too."

"Evelyn, I finally found you! I missed you so much." He rushed forward to hug her, but before he could even touch her, Ronan Kendrick blocked his path.

"Cousin, I missed you too."

Quincy shot Ronan a glance, his eyes asking Evelyn who this was. Evelyn gave him a look that told him to be patient.

"Since she’s Dr. Quincy’s relative, they can come back to the base with us." Captain Collins made the final decision.

"Captain Collins, my cousin is a doctor too, and her medical skills are even better than mine."

Captain Collins looked pleasantly surprised. The base was in desperate need of skilled personnel, and doctors were especially high-level specialists.

"Quincy, take good care of your cousin and your... cousin-in-law."

Quincy nodded eagerly. "Don’t worry, Captain Collins. My cousin and her husband are honest people. They’ll keep to themselves and follow the rules."

Captain Collins glanced at Ronan Kendrick, then led his men away to fish.

Only Evelyn Ford, Ronan Kendrick, and Quincy were left on the shore.

"What’s going on? Evelyn, who is this guy?"

Evelyn motioned for him to lower his voice. "His name is Ronan Kendrick. We met after the earthquake and have been depending on each other to survive. By the way, what about the others? Are they all okay?"

Evelyn quickly changed the subject. Quincy glanced at Ronan but didn’t press the issue.

"They’re all at the base. Officer Graham has to take care of Wendy, so even though he could have joined the security department, he ended up in the plantation growing vegetables. Roy Henderson and Owen Chapman joined other hunting teams. I’m in the medical department, but I was assigned to the fishing team for their missions."

Evelyn basically understood. It seemed the base was developing reasonably well.

"We only got to the base about a month ago ourselves. We were hiding in the mountains before that. Then we ran into a hunting party and went to the base with them."

Quincy looked at Evelyn and asked again, "Is he really your boyfriend? Evelyn, you’re as beautiful as a flower, young and gorgeous. Don’t do something you’ll regret."

Evelyn almost laughed out loud. ’When it comes to looks, Ronan is probably even better-looking than me,’ she thought.

’Though, with the way he’s dressed now, he looks more like a beggar than an actual beggar.’

"Of course it’s true." Evelyn still wanted to protect Ronan’s identity. Subconsciously, she didn’t want him to be persecuted again. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"So, he’s one of us. Alright, hurry up and tell me about the base. What are the living arrangements like?"

"The base is crowded. Everyone has to work, and you’re assigned a job based on your abilities. The housing is different too, of course. There are large communal rooms where fifty or even a hundred people are crammed together. There are also private rooms, about four square meters, but you need to pay twenty-five kilograms of grain to get one."

"So what’s your living situation?"

Quincy raised an eyebrow. "A private room, of course. I handed over some good stuff."

Evelyn immediately thought of the two guns.

"Oh, right. There are a lot of criminals in the base. Just this week, three women were assaulted. You have to protect yourself once you get there."

"Does the base have electricity? Is there water? How do we eat?"

"There’s electricity, but it’s severely rationed. There are wells, but the water quality is terrible. For food, there’s a cafeteria. You get two meals a day, which is enough to fill you up, but the food is awful. We get an extra serving with meat every Monday."