Ciara sat on a chair across the newly made desk, she was receiving verbal reports from her subordinates, she missed her chair and desk from the previous base though she did not miss the paperwork that she had to do while sitting on it.
"Good work with this we have achieved self sustainability all because of Ryan's hard work, not to mention the walls have enough heavy machine guns planted on them with enough ammunitions that it could easily take on a horde thousand string easily, we have mortars as well as a couple of anti-air guns, is there anything that I have missed?"
The others shook their head as Zhan spoke with an amused look on her face, "If he were in an army I would have recommended him for promotion."
Ciara had a proud look in her eyes before her face darkened considerably seeing the look many of them were tensed specially those who had been on the receiving end of being chastised and berated badly a few days ago as Zhan could not help but speak out loud, "Major is something wrong you seemed a bit tensed."
CIara huffed at that as she spoke, "Nothing can get passed your eyes Zhan, can it?"
Zhan snorted at that as she spoke, "You are not being discreet everyone in this room can see that something is bothering you."
Zhan sighed as she rubbed her temples in frustration as she spoke, "Michalina and Ryan are both plotting something."
Zhan frowned as Ciara elaborated further, "The last time they plotted they had to spend time in the hospital with broken arms and legs I fear they would so something stupid again."
"How about we keep an eye on them and report to you if we find something suspicious.", a suggestion came from one of her soldiers who shrank a bit as her gaze fell on her.
Ciara nodded at that as she spoke, "You may though make sure not tell others as well as take heed not to be found out by them."
It was the time for lunch and many of them were present including Ciara, Ryan looked over towards others as they chatting and gossiping amongst themselves even with all those hardships and heartbreaks they still managed to smile, the civilians had managed to mix with them properly, the greenhouses and water supply system worked fine and not to mention the strange crystal that was brought in a few days ago, his mind went back to the moment when couple of members of the Black Wolves dragged in a red floating crystal that was 6 feet tall and 2 feet wide at the widest part.
Ciara was about to shout at them for bringing an unknown when the Fort absorbed it before anyone even Ryan could react and now in middle of the Reception/Emergency area otherwise known as the ground floor or Level 0 they had the crystal enshrined with circular guards placed around it, otherwise known as the 'Village Heart Crystal', it spread the area of influence of the base by at least three kilometer radius thus making the use of wire and what not redundant, 'At least the 'Salt Plant', no longer needs any electricity', his 'Salt Plant' another of his creation supplied salt to the base as such the food was no longer bland.
But the major changes that came with it was the ability to 'Level Up', as it was called by the them as such now there were plenty of Tier 1 and Tier 2 people including his mother who was unsurprisingly Tier 2, he had then managed to upgrade the arsenal and was surprised to see quite a few managed to hold a Tier 3 guns, he like the base even more as after a good few baths no one smelt like rotten dead rat.
"Mom", he called his mother who gave him her undivided attention from the corner of her eyes she noticed Michalina straighten up slightly making her frown inwardly, 'So whatever they were planning is about to take place, God please give me strength.', she nodded in acknowledgement giving Ryan permission to speak.
Ryan was nervous wreck inwardly as he began to speak, "Mom, I am leaving tomorrow."
An instant silence descended as those nearby stopped eating, their actions being noticed by others made them look at Ciara's direction whose face went frigid as she spoke slowly, "What do you mean by leaving?"
Ryan gulped as he spoke, "Well by leaving I meant I will be going out of the fort tomorrow and probably return back sometime around next month."
Ciara looked down toward her food as she played with it while speaking, "Why do you need to leave the base?"
"Well I need to upgrade myself and if I stay in base it is not only difficult but it is nigh impossible, there also the matter that I want to help others."
"Elaborate."
"As you have seen that many of you have since then evolved after getting into contact with the 'Village Heart Crystal', but the same is not for me I have to kill in order to evolve and more I evolve the more I have to kill preferably beings within the same or higher tier than mine."
Ciara looked at him as she spoke, "Your blood points?"
Ryan nodded at that as he spoke, "Yes because of blood points anything that is lower Tier than me gives me less and less like if I were to kill a Tier 0 Creature I would get only one blood point whereas the lion that died gave me over two hundred blood points, and the reason I need because every time I upgrade from one tier to next I need more and more blood points like currently I need over six hundred to move to the Tier 3.", he took a deep breath as he continued, "As for saving others well you know what kind of condition the world has plunged into so many people suffering from them and if I can help them even a little bit, not to mention we would need more people to survive, I do not believe we are the only ones who are evolving there might be people out there who have formed bigger numbers than us by many times what if they decide to attack us, as such we need more people."
MIchalina sneered at Ryan as she spoke, "Ryan that is the something that Major should think about not you, not to mention th…."
"Michalina Enough!"
Ciara's voice cut her off as she spoke with a frown, "Michalina did you think that you are fooling me?", her words made Michalina look like dear caught in headlight as she continued, "I raised you two as such I can read you two with my eyes close, do you think you could make a fool out of me? You are thousands year early for this young woman."
Michalina looked towards her plate as she spoke, "I do not know what you are talking about."
Ciara sneered as even Ryan suddenly found the plate to be interesting as she spoke, "You think that by trying to play the bad and good cop you would manage to make agree with you."
A few hours later a sullen Ryan looked at Michalina as he spoke, "Told you it would not work but no I know what is best, I regret letting you figure out my plan."
Michalina growled in anger as she spoke, "Really so wise one what was your plan that I managed to derail."
Ryan puffed up his chest as he replied back with a smug look on her face, "Why I would simply leave a letter and slip out under the darkness of the night."
Michalina looked at him with her mouth open wide before she spoke with sadness in her voice, "Ruby was right the loss of blood has destabilized your thought process, going out in the dark."
Ryan pouted at that as he spoke with slight indignation, "Hey I have the night vision upgrade as such I can see no matter how dark it is.", as he spoke he pointed towards his eyes.
Seeing his eyes like that made Michalina's heart squeeze in sadness she missed her brother's eyes not mention she dreaded that one day her brother might completely lose humanity and become a robot she clamped down those nightmarish thoughts as she spoke, "Brother Night Vision does not work in the complete absence of light as such please do not say such impossible things."
Ryan frowned at that as he spoke, "I see I did not know that."
Michalina sighed as she spoke, "You have so many things to learn and by running off on your own you would simply get yourself killed, but most importantly why did I agree to help you I will never know."
Ryuu grinned at her as he spoke, "You decided because I am adorable."
Michalina rolled her eyes as her lips twitched into a small smile but before she could speak they were summoned into Ciara's office as they entered they found Zhan leaning against the wall with a serious look on her face as Ciara looked directly into their eyes.
No one spoke for a minute, then Ciara began with a deep sigh, "You made some rather compelling arguments Ryan, rather compelling indeed and since you have decided to leave along with Michalina I hope you have done some type of preparations."
Ryan nodded at that as he spoke, "Yes I have everything needed to survive in the wilderness."
"I see I need you to make another three sets by dinner or else I will not permit you to leave."
Ryan's eyes widen as he spoke, "You are kidding right."
Ciara shook her head as she spoke with a smile, "Of course not but remember by dinner or I will not permit."
Ryan nodded with enthusiasm as he ran out from the room only for Michalina to narrow her eyes as she spoke, "What are you planning mom?"
Ciara cocked her head as she spoke, "What do you mean I am planning?"
Michalina slammed on her desk as she spoke with a snarl, "I played along with him because I knew you would not permit him to leave so brazenly not to mention the danger out there we almost lost him if you do not remember yet here you are allowing him to leave like that out of the confines of the safety of the base, there soldiers who are more experienced for this stuff and as for his leveling up it can be done under controlled environment so why?"
Ciara's eyes narrowed as she spoke, "Lieutenant Michalina who gave you the permission to behave in such a manner, if you wish to accompany your brother you would help him prepare and obey orders without question is that understood soldier."
Michalina almost choked at that as Ciara's voice came to her ears once again, "Is that understood soldier?"
Michalina gritted her teeth as she spoke, "Yes ma'am! Am I dismissed?"
Ciara nodded as Michalina stormed towards the door as Ciara spoke once again, "He is an invaluable asset keep him safe, I do not want to hear about another of your failure."
Michalina slammed the door close so hard that the room seemed to shake as soon as she was sure that she was alone with Zhan she broke down as Zhan moved to console her, "You did well sister you did well by acting as such you made sure that Michalina would be more fired to keep him safe."
"But at what cost she would now hate me now and calling Ryan an 'asset'."
"You acted like any good commander would do in this situation sometimes you have to put aside your feelings you know it too well, a commander does not have the luxury of such feelings, I know it was harsh but by having Ryan upgraded he would not only be more useful but his chances of survival would increase greatly."