Chapter 93 - 81: Transaction

"Trouble? What kind of trouble could my army have? I think you worry too much."

Milton Adler’s expression didn’t change, but the faint flicker in his eyes did not escape Flora Bloom’s observation.

"Oh? Is that so? Does your base have plenty of food? Is everyone well-fed? In that case, it seems I’ve misjudged the situation." The military had already let ordinary survivors into this vital stronghold, and those people were so hungry they had started fighting over food.

Flora Bloom shrugged. "I have my reasons for borrowing a boat. If I can’t, I’ll just have to spend more time taking the land route. I’ll get there eventually."

Hearing this, Milton Adler raised an eyebrow, and a look of realization dawned on him. "You’re going to Morhaven?"

Flora Bloom nodded, not denying it.

At that moment, Caleb Bloom and his wife were standing with their son, Caleb, by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the sea. The ocean was vast and boundless, the surrounding waters calm and still. The surface of the sea shimmered in the night, dotted with the beautiful, twinkling lights of marine creatures.

Neal Wallace and Ethan Monroe sat silently nearby. However, all their senses were fixed on Flora Bloom, ready to jump into battle at the first sign of trouble.

"Sigh, the military base is indeed short on food right now. We need to ensure our soldiers have enough to eat, but there are so many civilians outside waiting to take refuge in the base. Our food supplies are stretched very thin."

Flora Bloom looked up at him. ’If you ignored the cunning and ruthlessness in Milton Adler’s eyes, a general willing to fight for the livelihood of his soldiers and people was, at least, a competent one.’

"Two days ago, we sent a team of soldiers to a flour mill on the outskirts of the city to transport grain. But that team... has yet to return." The look Milton Adler gave Flora Bloom was now more complex, tinged with a plea.

"If you can lead a team to help me bring back two truckloads of flour and grain and resolve my army’s crisis, then I could lend you the boat."

How could Flora Bloom miss the flash of calculation in Milton Adler’s eyes? ’But the boat is in his hands; whether he lends it or not is his decision. Now that he’s made his terms clear, I have no choice but to react.’

"You’ll keep your word?"

Flora Bloom stared directly into Milton Adler’s eyes, hoping to read something in them.

"You don’t need to doubt my word. You yourself said you could resolve my army’s crisis if I lent you the boat. So, it’s up to you whether you agree or not."

"Furthermore, as a reward, I can allow you to privately collect any food or resources you want during this mission. What do you think? How does that sound?"

Flora Bloom was silent for a long moment, then looked at Neal Wallace and Ethan Monroe. As they met her gaze, Neal Wallace said, "It’s your call."

Ethan Monroe also gave a carefree, nonchalant smile. "If you agree, then let’s go. I’m just here to follow your lead. As long as I get a full meal and don’t go hungry, I’m good."

Flora Bloom nodded and looked at Milton Adler. "Alright, I’ll take this mission. But I have three conditions. If you agree to them, I can guarantee I’ll bring back two truckloads of grain. I hope you won’t forget your promise when the time comes."

Milton Adler nodded as if a great weight had been lifted, a slight smile forming on his lips.

"Fine. Name them."

"First, I must personally select the team for this grain run. My standards are high, so don’t bring me any rejects. Second, this mission is under my command. I have the authority to execute anyone who disobeys. Don’t come looking for me if a few people end up dead. And if I don’t get that boat after the mission is complete, don’t blame me for what happens next." As she spoke, a flash of killing intent appeared in Flora Bloom’s eyes as she looked at Milton Adler.

Milton Adler was startled by the killing intent in Flora Bloom’s eyes and dared not underestimate her.

"No problem. And the third?"

"Third, during the mission, you must protect my parents and my brother and guarantee their safety. Agree to these three points, and have your men gather tomorrow for me to select from. Then we’ll set off as soon as possible."

From a short distance away, Caleb Bloom overheard his daughter’s third condition and immediately interjected.

"No, I have to go with you on this mission."

Flora Bloom looked at her father, her expression softening for a moment before she quickly concealed it.

Milton Adler nodded. "I agree to your conditions. I’ll have men gather in the open area downstairs first thing tomorrow morning. However, I must warn you, none of them are superpower users. But each one possesses the qualities and strength of a soldier. They aren’t people who can be swayed by my orders alone. If you want them to respect you and follow your commands, you’ll have to earn it yourself."

"Understood."

"I’ll have someone show you to your rooms to rest."

Flora Bloom nodded, then suddenly turned to Milton Adler and asked, "Is Old General Lynch being held captive?"

Milton Adler was taken aback, not expecting her to ask that. He sighed, his expression complex as he gazed out the floor-to-ceiling window.

"I may have seized power, but I only had him placed under guard. It wasn’t imprisonment. But he has indeed disappeared. I don’t know where he went either."

After speaking, Milton Adler glanced at Hugh Warren, left a soldier behind to guide them, and then departed with Hugh Warren.

The place they were given to rest in was apparently a storage warehouse. There was nothing inside but a few mattresses and blankets.

The sea breeze blew across the top of the lighthouse terminal. The damp air from the sea made it extremely cold, especially at night. Those who had awakened superpowers were fine, but Jade and Caleb were ordinary people and had long since huddled together under a blanket. Still, it wasn’t warm at all.

Flora Bloom took a thick quilt from her dimensional space for her mother and Caleb, then brought out a metal basin full of milk. She had Neal Wallace heat it with his superpower, and then everyone drank a cup.

Everyone found a mattress and lay down to rest.

In the dim light, Caleb Bloom tossed and turned, unable to sleep. He finally asked, "Flora, why won’t you let me go with you? I have a superpower now, too. With me along, I could help if you run into danger."

Flora Bloom understood her father’s desire to contribute. ’But in her heart, she just wanted her parents to be able to wait for her in a safe place, without having to go out and fight zombies and all sorts of creatures.’

"Dad, Mom and Caleb don’t have superpowers. If you come with us, who will protect them?"

"It should be safe inside the base, right? There won’t be any danger?"

Flora Bloom shook her head. "Dad, in the apocalypse, people can be far more dangerous than zombies."

"Then why not take us all with you?" Jade, having listened to the father and daughter talk for a while, couldn’t help but ask. She didn’t want to be a burden on her daughter either.

"Dad, Mom, Azuregard City isn’t a small, second- or third-tier city like Sinia City or Janton. This was a major coastal metropolis with a huge population. Right now, almost everyone still alive and breathing has flocked to the gates of the Naval Base, lining up to get in and be protected by the army. It’s possible there aren’t any living people left in Azuregard City itself. With a population of over ten million, if they all became zombies, it would be too dangerous. I don’t want you to take that risk."

"What? Over ten million zombies? That..."

Everyone knew the population of Azuregard City. But no one dared to imagine what it would be like if that many people had all turned into zombies.

"That Milton Adler is a very calculating man. You have to be careful while I’m gone. Cynthia, unless it’s absolutely necessary, I hope you can stay behind too and look after my parents."

Cynthia Grant didn’t say a word. She had fallen silent ever since Milton Adler said that Sherman Lynch wasn’t imprisoned by him.