Even though Alice does not need it since she has her own foods, it still means a lot to her. Just showing that I care is enough to strengthen our relationship, transforming it into something more.
While I have told her about the future, it is not set in stone.
Things have changed greatly, and with those changes, come a lot of new challenges. Nevertheless, my knowledge and experiences are still of help. Not to mention my complete understanding of magic and everything related to magic. This kind of wisdom will give me an edge.
Give the human race an edge against the coming onslaughts.
"Shouldn't we ration the foods? Since we are going to be here a while," Alex questions.
I nod in agreement. That is reasonable enough even though there are plenty of foods to be found and scavenged. The problem is getting up there and hauling it back. Not really a huge problem like the first time around when the dead roams the city. When I had lost people on daily basis.
"Yes and no, Alex. It is good to ration foods and waters, but if we are too weakened due to hunger or illness, we will not be able to do anything," I tell him and eye the girls to tell them something unspoken.
They seem to understand, as they avoid my eyes. I do not like freeloaders, especially not while we are in a Zone. I also do not like to give free stuffs away, regardless of what it is. This is just me due to years of being a bloodthirsty Merchant. It is hard to change even though I do want to, for I am not alone.
"Excuse me," I add and check the pot with the green glowing liquids. It has cooled significant, and now the hard part. Purification. It is too impure to be of any significant use, and to purify it, I have to actually simmer it very slowly.
Before that, however, I sell it to the Shop System, causing everyone to stare at me.
"Why did you do that?" Jessica calls out, hinting something else. She has seen me making a lot of cars and other vehicles disappears, and she has overhead my conversation with her brother. Like the rest, she does not know what really happen to it, but it still alarms her that it is gone.
"Calm down, Jessica. I only need to keep a record," I tell her and buy it back from the Shop System for a significant price hike. Not that much compare to my current wealth thanks to Alice. She has helped me greatly even though she does not know it.
I decide to show everyone another trick up my sleeve by buying back the same item, thus duplicating it. This is only possible for non-unique items, and it is one of the best cheats I have my disposal. I didn't unlock during the Death Zone. If I did, I would not have lost all of my friends.
"How the…? Why do I even ask anymore?" Alex sighs and checks the content of the two pots before I pour them bother together. I sell the pots afterwards for some reimbursement before buying several more pots with impure Life Essence.
I need more since the purification process will concentrate the liquids, making it a lot less than before, and it might not be enough to save Thomas. Speaking of him, he will not last any longer.
"Now. Please don't bother me as this part is very easy to screw up, and we will back to square one just with less money," I warn everyone and start to set up a stable flame to simmer the glowing greenish liquids, basically evaporating away the water content.