Free Web NovelChapter 112: Food Dispute
After that night, things between Nightfall and Horixon Barge took on a stable relationship. The barge would go around collecting information and saving people. Sometimes Nightfall would step in; other times, they wouldn’t.
The waters were fairly calm. The aquatic creatures they saw generally avoided the barge.
With the food Kain and his people have given to the barge, the refugees could eat. They may not be full, but it was still enough for them to have a meal a day.
But, since food was not an infinite resource, there would, of course, be a day when eating every day would become a luxury.
It had been almost two months by this time. Kain and the others from Nightfall had gotten to know some of the refugees. They couldn’t be said to be friends, but they were close enough to talk about a thing or two.
As instructed by Kain, they mainly made friends with people who could be useful to Nightfall. Whether they were timid, arrogant, or otherwise, it didn’t matter. As long as they were useful.
They were lucky enough to find a few medical professionals and a teacher.
In exchange for meals, the teacher taught the children various subjects. Not long after their lessons began, Kain received a reward from the system, claiming that Kain was facilitating the children’s growth by learning pre-collapse material.
The reward he received was a library. It held thousands of books. Not only elementary school books, but also physics, humanities, finance, and even books on cultivating Source Energy.
When Kain saw this, he ran to Avery’s training room to vent. The only saving grace is that the books didn’t refer to the circulation of Source Energy, but rather, the most effective ways to use the powers given by the Three Paths.
Yet another thing Kain has realized doesn’t match his memories.
He could only chalk it up to the misinformation and propaganda that was spread.
Now, he didn’t need to think about it. Bit by bit, he was gaining new information. He was glad. At least, in this life, it would be easy for him to know false from true.
Today, like any other, it was a normal day, and the children had just finished their lessons with the teacher. Avery, Ashton, and Dominic were sitting outside, enjoying the rare cool wind. freewebnovel.cσ๓
They were eating popsicles and swinging their feet.
Kain looked over at them, seeing their childish enjoyment of the things he made, and he couldn’t help smiling.
Amelia was inside, enjoying her midday nap, and other Nightfall members were milling around. Since the moment they arrived, the cordon around their area has not been removed.
Just when it felt as if it would be another pleasant day, the shuffling sounds of multiple footsteps came their way. Following the footsteps were voices that grew louder as they came closer.
Annoyed by the constant buzzing voice, Kain slowly sat up. Others also stopped what they were doing. The three children turned, looking towards the direction of the angry voices.
Not more than a minute later, they saw a crowd of people standing outside their cordon. Their voices overlapped, but one word was common: food.
Kain sat, relaxed, elbow on his thigh, and closed hand under his chin. His relaxed expression had disappeared, replaced with annoyance and disgust.
The leader, a pot-bellied middle-aged man, silenced the group with a wave of his hand.
"Hand over your food!" He shouted aggressively.
Kain didn’t answer; he wasn’t the only one here. The person who stepped up was Julian. A month after arriving on the barge, Kain allowed their family of three to learn to use Source Energy.
"Hand over what? Since when does our food belong to you? If you want to eat, go find the captain."
"Bullshit. We know you’re getting special treatment. While we’re starving, you’re over here relaxing, not doing anything all day." He pointed at the three children. "Those kids even have ice lollies."
Julian didn’t look at the kids; he knew where it came from. He had seen Kain make them with his own eyes.
Folding his arms, Julian continued, "So you plan to steal food from children. Also, with a belly like that, I don’t think you’re starving. It’s been almost six months, and you’re the only person I’ve seen who can maintain their appearance from before the collapse."
Flustered for only a moment, the man shouted, "This is a medical condition. Don’t try to change the subject. We’re here for food. The barge gave it to you. We’re all refugees. Why should you have better treatment than we do?"
As if listening to a closing statement, the chatter grew. It completely agreed with the pot-bellied man.
"Shut up!" Came a voice from the back. The other Nightfall members and the refugees they befriended had just returned. The crowd turned. Jaylin and the others pushed them aside and came to stand on the other side of the cordon.
"Who told you to come here?" Marcus’ voice was devoid of emotion. frёewebηovel.cѳm
Usually, he patrolled the barge once a day. It wasn’t his first time seeing this man. Naturally, he had seen the man and some others huddling together. He hadn’t paid much attention to them, but now it seems he had become too relaxed.
They planned a rebellion, and he wasn’t aware of it.
Marcus’ harsh voice and cold presence caused the pot-bellied man to pause briefly before regaining his bearing.
"No one told me to come. I’ve seen your group. Always eating good food. Eating two or three times per day while the rest of us only have one meal."
Marcus’ eyes flashed to the man’s belly.
The man saw it and touched his belly. "It’s a medical condition."
Marcus nodded slowly as if he believed him.
"Since no one told you to come, I’m telling you to leave. Whatever problem you have with food, take it up with the captain and his crew. We’re not refugees. If not for us giving you food, you would have starved much more quickly."
Marcus’ dismissal of them didn’t go over well.
The pot-bellied man didn’t give them a chance to turn away before he yelled, "Charge!"
The crowd surged forward, angry and ready to take food that didn’t belong to them.
Kain sighed. He hadn’t expected things to become like this.
The three children looked back at Kain. Kain gave them the go-ahead.
Small bodies flew towards the adults, ready to fight. Avery jumped from her chair, launching herself like a superhero. Her fist hit someone’s stomach. The person let out a sound that could easily be defined as his body deflating.
Ashton jumped down, grinning like a madman. He didn’t use his fists. He used a scalpel. Wrists and Achilles tendons, that’s what he went for.
Dominic walked, hands behind his back, looking like a little adult. He didn’t raise his hands. Unlike his two siblings, he chose to use spiritual power. He had been training before and wanted to see his results.
People stopped moving for Ashton to use his scalpel. Some had blank faces while Avery punched them.
Kain watched it all in his same relaxed position. There was a smile in his eyes.
