Chapter 682: The New Brew

With Cloud’s database, which was also connected to the Manor’s system, Shane swiftly learned some information about the two people he had never seen before.

Based on the compiled records, one of them was Jessa Lind. She was a young engineer who was recruited by Shane’s Territory Lord Talent. She was barely twenty-five, with blonde hair and a cybernetic monocle over her left eye.

Her hands were nimble as she rewired a damaged ankle trap unit with salvaged material... Well, using new materials wasn’t

’Interesting...’ Shane mused as he watched her easily remade the ankle trap that came from the system’s store. This ankle trap wasn’t as simple as it also had an electric charge to stun the captured target. It could work really well against the Zombies.

"This one’s going to blow if you overcharge the loop..." Jessa muttered.

"Then I won’t overcharge it," replied her partner, Wesley. He was a broad-shouldered man with a rust-colored beard...

"Be careful..." Jessa reminded.

Shane watched them for a few seconds before nodding quietly. "Jessa, Wesley, Report to Eliot once you’ve fixed all the traps you’re working on..."

The two immediately looked up and realized that the shelter leader was actually here! They knew his appearance despite not seeing him in person before.

It was all due to the dozens of small and large monuments or statues that the sculptors created for Shane.

Because of that, everyone knew his face...

Jessa straightened immediately. "Y-Yes, Commander! And thanks for the Dragon’s Veil Elixirs. They really saved us and helped us fight against the Zombies..."

***

After seeing the two recruits, Shane moved to the main gate area...

He soon passed a crew working under the guidance of a tall middle-aged man with brown skin and braided black hair...

With Cloud’s assistance, Shane confirmed that he was Daevin, the shelter’s newly recruited Architect from the Iron Coast Neutral Shelter. Though he only had basic abilities, he still had Architect-related skills that were about Level 3 to 5. He was helping the workers with their work by guiding them...

"No, no, no! The beam’s alignment is wrong—tilt it even by three degrees and it won’t withstand impact from a Runner Zombie!"

Suddenly, he noticed that the workers glanced behind him.

He swiftly noticed that something was off, so he turned, spotting Shane, who was just behind him. Daevin gave a respectful nod.

"We’ll have the main gate restructured by tomorrow, Commander Shane." Daevin said. "I’m using a hybrid framework this time—timber with Spirit Stones and upgraded by Miss Aya’s Talisman of Strength... It’ll bounce weak corrosion off like water."

"Good work," Shane replied simply. "You’ll have the full support of the manor’s storage. Just submit the requisition through Eliot."

Shane didn’t spend much time here as he could tell that the workers might get too uncomfortable being observed.

As he continued walking, he caught sight of several children huddled near a temporary dining area... They were clutching bowls of stew while watching the older Survivors haul beams and bricks.

’So we recruited a lot of children already...’ Shane mused. Most of these children came from the Neutral Shelters or were recruited from among scavengers. Shane didn’t think too much of them before, but it was actually quite good to see that their population already had a mix of children.

They were the future of these shelters after all.

He could only hope that someday, there would no longer be a need for Survivor Shelters as the Zombie Virus would be stopped soon.

’Ohh... So there’s more physicians here?’ Shane mused as he saw a woman with dark hair and a healer’s armband.

Apparently, she was Camille, one of Loreen’s assistants, and she was tending to a boy’s scraped knee.

The boy winced, then grinned as Camille handed him a candied root wrapped in wax paper.

"You’re all safe now," she whispered...

Shane paused at the main gate and turned to look at all of them—bricklayers, smiths, mechanics, healers, scavengers, children, and warriors.

He couldn’t help but appreciate each and every one of them as he promised himself to make this place safer and better than before.

***

Soon, Shane finally recalled that Bart was requesting to speak with him... With all the damage and the nonstop inspections, the request had slipped his mind.

It was well past sunset when Shane finally made his way toward the lower quadrant of Springriver Manor, where a small slope led to a new storage cellar carved partially into the hillside...

Indeed, the location of the cellar had been changed after the development of the shelter.

Shane paused outside the oak doors.

The air was cool here with a gentle breeze carrying the scent of wood, dried herbs, and fermented fruit.

Bart, the Manor’s eccentric but brilliant Brewmaster, probably had a new brew with him that he couldn’t wait to talk about...

He soon pushed the door open.

A wave of aroma enveloped him immediately. There was a hint of barley, spiced mead, distilled spirits, and something else—earthy and ancient...

’Ahh... This is familiar...’ Shane mused.

The interior of the cellar was much bigger than its entrance suggested. Wooden racks lined the walls from floor to ceiling, stacked with dozens—no, hundreds—of carefully labeled bottles and flasks.

Each had names written in barely readable texts:

Dragon’s Breath Rum

Spirit Apricot Wine

Fungal Elixir No. 6 – NOT FOR COMBAT USE

Wraith Whisper Absinthe ( Batch #12 – Handle With Gloves )

Spiked Cocoa No. 7 – For Cold Patrols Only

"Ahh..." Shane couldn’t help but feel curious about these names written on various bottles.

Between the rows, Shane confirmed that he was seeing Spirit Stones of various sizes... It was something that he didn’t expect to see. It seemed that it was giving some sort of effect to the bottles, but Shane wasn’t really sure if it was that effective.

Anyway, glass beakers and upgraded fermenters could also be seen near the back, bubbling with unfinished brews.

At the far end, beside an open fermentation pit surrounded by pipes and tubes, Bart stood with his back turned, muttering to himself and scribbling notes into a ledger.

He wore his usual attire, a brown sleeveless brewer’s tunic with thick leather gloves, and an apron of his Tavern.

"Bart," Shane called.

The older man turned immediately... He also looked quite excited after seeing the person in front of him.

"Well, well! You came!" Bart broke into a wide grin, wiping his hands on a cloth that was somehow dirtier than the rest of his outfit.

"I was beginning to think I’d have to bribe your butler to drag you down here!"

"I was planning to come," Shane said with a faint smile. "Just had to make sure the walls didn’t fall on us first."

"Hah! If they do, at least we’ll die with a drink in hand."

Bart strode over and pulled a lever next to a wooden crate.

A section of the floor rotated with a mechanical

click

, revealing a hidden cooler vault with glowing Spirit Stones and even some High-Purity Mana Crystals around the edges.

It seemed that Shane still underestimated Bart, as he actually acquired a lot of these items. He wasn’t sure if it all came from Mr. Wadsworth or Diana...

’Ahh... Right, he controls that cellar... He might be receiving some bribes...’ Shane mused as he shook his head.

Well, he didn’t really mind it as long as Bart didn’t go too far.

"I wanted to show you this—my latest creation." Bart reached inside and pulled out a flask with an ice-like bottle...

The liquid inside glowed faintly gold, and it definitely contained a strong energy. It doesn’t look like an alcohol or wine, but a high-tier potion instead!

"What? Did you learn Alchemy?" Shane asked.

"Hahaha! Of course not... But it’s probably considered alchemy at this point." Bart laughed. It would certainly be great if he obtained some kind of alchemy skill as well.

"I call it..." Bart held the bottle up dramatically, "World Skybrew."

Shane’s brow arched. "What’s in it?"

He could use Cloud or the system to appraise it, but seeing how excited Bart was, Shane decided to ask the man instead.

Bart’s grin widened as he heard this...

"It’s brewed using one of the World Tree’s leaves you gave me last time. Just one. I followed the elves’ instructions... Dried gently under moonlight, crushed into powder, then slowly seeped in a blend of fermented dew berries, nectar, and many more..."

"And what does it do?" Shane asked. He also felt a bit excited.

"Well," Bart said, handing Shane a small crystal shot glass already filled, "you tell me."

Shane examined the liquid.

The aroma was... unreal.

"Hmmm..."

It was floral, ancient, and invigorating.

"Let’s try it then..."

He took the shot in a swift motion.

For a split second, he felt a warm energy passing through his throat to his stomach...

Then, his muscles relaxed and his heartbeat steadied. Then, there was a surge of clean energy passing through every cell in his body. It felt so relaxing as if he had just exhaled after holding his breath for a week.