Chapter 20 - Blackwell

Inside my space I walk around the field, seeing different colors of food. The rice, wheat and corn that seems ready for harvest again. I already have a lot of stock that could possibly feed the base for six months if we are frugal. 

The process of processing the meat stared as soon as the factory became operational. Humans secured jobs in this factory the place is separate a part where my superior quality meat from the cattle in my space is processed and the meat from the mutated meat outside.

I have absolute control over all the large supermarkets in the base. All four of them have superior quality food that is fresh from my space. There are now tens of thousands of people living in my base after these slow months of recruitment.

Many have secured well paying jobs and can afford good food while others have fortune able to open restaurants and small to medium sized shops. My golems are everywhere in the base keeping people safe and arresting criminalswith the help of scanning function from April the AI.

The storm finally started. But the wave of survivors flocking into the city actually increased by several fold compared to before. I decided to turn one building into a temporary shelter building.

There are three cafeterias operated at different times of the day. They still need to pay but one meal a day is free. This is humane enough.

I will be opening many places like a rice processing place, corn factory for making corn flour and cereal. Not to mention many positions for mini products production still exist.

We need items like furniture for the upcoming boarding school and the existing hospital. Essentials suck as sheets, beds and curtains for these public facilities are a must. As a result, many of these temporary residents will infact find employment in the base sooner rather than later.

I came back out of my space but one of the assistants is standing there with a worried expression. "What is it?" I ask.

"There is a man claiming to be an old friend of yours. We tried to tell him you are busy but he said there is an emergency." 

"April." I call out to the AI and a picture of Sam holding Mr. Mo supporting him came to view. It seems the old man is injured or something. 

"Let them come. Take good care of them on the way." The reason they may have known I own the Toy base is the introduction playing on a loop in big screens around the city and the broadcast in the radio message. 

When they entered the office I stood up and welcome them. "Mr. Mo, Sam and Mrs. Mo where is sister Mo?" I asked them fearing she may be in trouble. The room became silent for a while before Mr. Mo started grimacing as if he will cry any moment. My heart sank.

The old couple started crying. "I'm sorry, my big mouth!" I hurriedly make the tea on the food cart giving it to the two couple. 

"Mikel.." Sam seems very emotional so I gave him a big hug. "Hey it's okay, you are here now." I pat him on the back and took my seat next to him, he is still holding my hands with tears in his eyes. 

A while later the old man Mo who looks to have suffered since the outbreak started explaining what happened to them. 

In downtown the gangs are rampant acting unscrupulous and taking weak people with supernatural ability from whoever they perceive to be weak. This family was targeted because the girl had awakened a healing ability. 

Hearing 'healing ability' made me gasp in shock. A healer? My heart beat lodly in my chest. A healer! This is great!

I decided to listen to what happened. The old couple looks to have suffered these few months. The previously strong looking old Mo seems to have slimmed down by a lot. His wife who used to look dignified even at 47 looks to have aged by at least 5 years.

"She helped us escape but was caught and taken back. I hate being so weak, I couldn't do anything but watch as they dragged her back into the abys." Mr. Mo's shoulders shook. I stood up and called the assistant. 

"Mikel, those people are not good people. They terrorize the normal humans in the name of their super powers." Mrs. Mo said clasping my hands. The woman seems terrified.  

"Is this the reason you requested to see me?" I asked still with a gentle tone. The people kept silent for a while then the woman knelt in front of me with a harsh sound. My expression didn't flinch at her actions.

"You have power in this base now, can...can you do something about these people?" She begged, tears striming down her cheeks making her look miserable.

"You say they are ruthless people yet you want me to walk in there and demand your precious daughter with a casual flick of my sleeve?" 

"We are asking for too much we understand but we can work for you our entire lives if you can save her." The eyes of the old man are sad looking like his soul is missing. 

Hearing his words I nod. "I will go and take a look at this place." Sam's hand on mine tightened. 

"I saw them kidnap young boys too, you need to be careful. Do you have a gun?" He asked with a shaky voice. It seems he is more afraid of me getting hurt than the grieving parents. 

"I'll be okay, I'm going over for a civil conversation with them. A single girl can not be worth all the supplies I am willing to trade for her." I assure him but he doesn't seem convinced. 

"I want to come with you." Sam said with a determined look. 

"Aren't you a chemistry genius?" I asked him with some amusement in my tone. 

"I... how did you find out?" His ears turned red. He had hid this fact from everyone but the professor who teaches him in school. 

"I want you to figure out the ins and out of this virus. I can get you a lab and everything. Are you game? Those working in the research lab get to stay in one of the eight luxurious flats in Toy city." I say but he seems confused. 

"The bottom line is that you are a scientist not a negotiator, I will handle it." I pat him on the back soothing his worries. I had them moved into the visitor's floor and took a car going out.

The rain is strong but so far it only rains thick water droplets and there is no strong winds yet. If I can make it back sooner I will be happier. The cominh storm is not something that can be endured outside.

When I was driving to clean the city of furniture and other supplies I had fixed the road going from Toy city to central city.

It is very open and made from concrete. There are bumps and humps in places where people can cross and cars have to slow down.

I soon arrived and entered central base using a downtown entrance. As soon as I said my name, the receptionist showed surprise which in turn surprised me.

"Do we know each other?" I smile a charming smile. The boy stuttered

"N..no." He then pointed as the bus that Toy city uses to recruit people back. It is just taking the road back after taking a few more people. As it passed me, I saw the large picture on the side. It is undoubtedly my face. It is even a recent photo. Must be the work of April.

I feel embarrassed, that picture is also recent with my features sharper and more masculine. I put my sun glasses back on to hide the embarrassment. The person asked why I am entering central city.

"Temporary visit." I say smiling. The people tested me and then let me through the gates. Its amazing how fast the work of building a wall is going.

Clearly these people are the real masters who can turn the sky in such critical situations. They managed to make humans work tirelessly to quickly complete the wall even though they are hungry, homeless or suffering in the rain. Leaders are indeed leaders.

I sighed looking at the normal people hard at work under the urgings of the capitalists and the government.

In my musings I made it to the location. A single decent flat stood in front of me. I smile and took a single step forward but a bullet is shot right in front of me. Landing squarely in the ground kicking up dust in my face.

I couldn't see who it is or where they are so I decided to surround myself with my mental power. The magic about mana is that awakened skills will start to dazzle you in level two.

The feeling of power is intoxicating. Why walk into the front door of a notorious gang's territory in broad daylight without any protection? It's simple. I am the toy maker and I have reached level two.

When they saw me walk forward even after warning me they didn't hold back. This group is really just as ruthless as advertised. Bullets flew at me from different directions but as soon as they reached the area covered in my mental power they all turned into plastic toy bullets incapable of harming anyone before losing the momentum and falling on the ground.

I bend down picking up one funny looking bullet. Seemingly from a powerful long range snipers rifle. What are they hiding in here to be so decisive?

I walked in casually. As soon as I entered, I am surrounded by several armed gang members since I am at the ground floor they stood on several floors pointing their guns at me.

"Ladies, I have come to meet with your leader. It is a matter of utmost importance." I smile charmingly. But a minute later no one had answered me.

"I must say your attitude is a little hurtful. Tell you what, since you are on the same side and there's so many of you, How about I even the odds?"

As soon as my words fell, hundreds of armed men in combat uniform appeared and started disappearing from sight only to later appear behind each of them.

Even their masks are intimidating. Everyone felt a chill witnessing this scene. "Now there more friends to play with the lonely toy maker. How wonderful...hahahaha..."

My aura changes completely from the smiling person a while ago to one that resembles a ghost.

"I will ask one more time. If I don't get an answer, someone will die. I don't know who but someone will receive a bullet between the eyes." I say making sure everyone heard me.

"Where is he?" I ask but to my surprise a shadow materialize behind me and extended its shadowy tentacles towards me but my power that can miniaturize objects, can solidify even human flesh turning it into crystal. As remembered, the process is excruciating.

I released my power outside my body guided by the mental power to crystallize the shadows. If the show is not a human turned shadow, it wouldn't be affected but this one is someone's mana essence at work.

"Aaaaaaaaaahh!"

"Aaaaaaaaahh!"

A woman's shrill screams sounded from behind me. Of course I could feel her creep up to me but I decided to be mean and not turn around.

"So loud. I guess the first to die will be you." I extended my power and a dainty arm with black lace gloves materialized and a voice sounded "Wait. I can help you talk to whomever you are looking for." She said with a pained voice.

"I think I'll draw him out by killing you." I said with a chilling tone.

"That will be hard to do. I am the gang leader." She managed to get away from my power and her arm reversed back to normal. I stood there stunned. Am I really that weak?

After composing herself she did a curtsey "I am Rina Blackwell." Shit.

.....