Harlens gazed at the employment agreement in his hands, joy flooding his eyes. He carefully folded it, slipping it into the inner pocket of his coat. With the same tenderness, he retrieved a card-sized work badge, forged from pure gold, with a pale blue water elemental gem inlaid in its center.
It read:
[Gutman Enterprises Probationary Employee Badge]
[Strive hard and forge ahead]
[ID: 0058219]
[Name: Harlens Dika B. Jay]
Holding the golden card, his smile faded, replaced with an expression of deep sorrow. He stepped out of the trading hall, descended the steps, and cast a glance at the anxiously waiting-woman on the street. He heaved a deep sigh.
The woman, Joanna, seeing his crestfallen face, hurriedly embraced him, her hands caressing his hair, whispering words of solace, "It's alright. I know your worth. If we must, we'll eat just once a day. I've been meaning to lose weight anyway. See? I've gained some."
Harlens looked at the weary and undernourished face of the woman, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead. "My dear Joanna, you're too kind."
"You are too," Joanna murmured, resting her head against his chest.
The man she held had braved wild beasts for her sake, reinforcing her faith in him.
"Hey, I've something to show you. Close your eyes."
Harlens placed the gold card in her hand, "You can look now."
From a third-floor window, Ming opened for ventilation. he spotted the scene below: a woman, overjoyed, holding Harlens, their lips meeting in a deep, heartfelt kiss.
Witnessing this, Ming sighed deeply.
"Jealous?"
Alice leaned against the window sill, observing the couple wrapped in a tight embrace below. She glanced sidelong at the man beside her.
Ming quipped, "Are you referring to the act of sharing saliva?"
With a huff, Alice turned, taking Clos by the hand and descending the staircase.
Ming kept his gaze on the kissed couple below.
Beside him, Digennaro, cradling a large white rooster, stared at the same scene and inquired, "Does mixing their saliva make it taste especially good?"
Ming gently ruffled the girl's hair, replying, "Love, perhaps, creates a chemical reaction."
Nodding, Digennaro added, "So, the saliva is more."
"Yes, exactly," Ming agreed.
"Brother, when I come of age, shall we try it?"
"We're siblings, OK?"
"Fine, I'll have to find someone else then."
ραndαsΝοvεl.cοm Ming sighed silently, hoping her future beau would be sturdy enough to withstand a beating. He tousled her hair, asking, "Why do you hold Alan's rooster?"
"Well, I met Alan downstairs and took it. It seems to like me," Digennaro said while petting the rooster, which nestled comfortably in her arms.
Ming thought back to when he'd borrowed the rooster; Could Alan possibly fancy my sister?
Below, David, Alan, and Mike gathered around a map.
Joining them, Ming inquired, "Where's Hawkins?"
"He said he need to go back to the farm to tend to crops. But we all know the truth. The honeymoon phase, you know," Mike smirked, apparently feeling he had a deeper understanding of love than anyone present.
"Boss," David began, pointing at the map, "I've accomplished what you asked. I sought out people from different zones, asking them to mark their locations on this world map."
He indicated with a pencil, saying, "There are now 359 zones worldwide. Most are along coastlines, a few scattered inland, while the rest are shrouded in mist. It aligns closely with the map Christina provided. They've also marked some wilderness areas, being more adept in that regard. However, most wilderness zones can't be precisely located in the world, making a detailed division tough."
Ming nodded, "What about the information you were tasked to find earlier? Did you get it?"
After all, if Rule A in Janice's diary is related to a particular company, it might very well be located in that company's city.
"I've found it. The headquarters is in City S, specifically in Zone N," David reported. "However, we haven't located anyone who worked at this Company before the apocalypse. Given that City S falls under the fog-covered areas, but as long as there are survivors, we're bound to find them."
"Have you talked to any couriers from City S?" he further inquired.
"We located one. Initially, I wanted to bring him here for questioning. However, he was selected for an unknown task two days ago and hasn't returned since. It's feared he might have met his end. Nevertheless, I've assigned someone to keep an eye out in his zone. If he returns, he'll be brought to us immediately."
"Thank you," Ming expressed his gratitude, continuing to study the map. The reason for seeking out couriers from City S was the hope that they might recognize Janice and might lead them to his exact residence. If the person was well-acquainted with him, there was a possibility they might know Janice's previous address. The best-case scenario would be if they were a higher-up, as residency addresses are typically written in contracts. However, the possibility that he might have moved or not provided a detailed address was also there.
The room fell silent as those around were astonished by Ming's words of gratitude. They exchanged surprised glances, "Did you hear that? He just said thank you! Amazing!"
"Today, I'll treat everyone to a meal," Ming declared generously, waving his hand. "Bring out the best ingredients you've got. I'll find someone to cook."
[Your Napoleon rests atop an armored wild boar, with a flying leech to his left and a hydra to his right. They halt their strides, gazing intently at a towering zombie wielding a sapling, locked in combat with a colossal mantis.]
[With a spark of inspiration, your Napoleon bounds forward, speaking to the two combatants. 'Have you seen the allies behind me? Now, who among you wishes to follow me? In turn, I'll aid you in defeating your opponent. Tell me, who is willing?' Both the zombie and the mantis nod in agreement, declaring, 'I am willing.']
[Your Napoleon puppet gains +2.]
Ming chuckles as he rolls out dumpling wrappers, musing that neither zombies nor mutated creatures have the smart barin.
[Your Napoleon prompts the zombie and the mantis to embrace. 'You are now family,' he declares, 'Remember to help one another in the future.'"]
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