Chapter 216: Chapter 216: Trades
So the only option left to her was to carry some clay pots and give the rest to the citizens of the base.
After that, Ivy went to another meeting. This time, it was with a woman who had kept stacks of woven hand fans. The woman was greedy, asking for sugar.
"Sugar is rare," Ivy said, narrowing her eyes.
The woman crossed her arms. "Then no fans."
Ivy thought for a moment. Then she pulled out a packet of sugar.
The woman’s eyes widened, and she quickly snatched it, tossing the hand fans to Ivy.
Ivy laughed softly to herself as she carried them back.
She couldn’t carry any electronic items that could cool her father and mother, so the only thing she could do was give them hand fans.
She didn’t stop there. Her third meeting was with a group of teenagers.
They had found a pile of big straw hats in a warehouse and were trying to trade them for soda.
Ivy’s lips curled. "Soda? That’s useless."
The boys shrugged. "Then no trade."
Ivy pulled out packets of instant noodles. The teens’ eyes lit up.
They quickly handed over the hats, and Ivy walked away with another load.
’Thanks to Silas... otherwise... I would truly be helpless.’
After collecting and hoarding that night, Ivy built more houses and even a few dormitories.
The dormitory wasn’t some kind of new building she had unlocked; instead, it was just a 1-floor building that didn’t have any rooms. Customizing it took a long time, but the results were worth it.
More and more travelers who couldn’t afford to rent or were simply seeking cheaper options switched to the dormitory.
To preserve the beauty of the base, Ivy made sure to impose strict rules about cleanliness and even built 10 bathrooms for each female and male citizen.
Still worried that it might become chaotic, she even asked Martha to hire a diligent dormitory manager and a bathroom cleaner.
After settling all the minute details, she received the clothes she had given the tailors to make.
Though she didn’t know about her eldest brother’s body measurements, she guessed that his body type might be similar to that of her second brother.
There was also a set for Silas.
2 days had passed since she got the news about her parents. Silas remained busy with the military matters, and she knew that his father must be making things difficult for Silas.
On the 3rd day, Silas returned to the apartment with faint dark circles; however, he had a bright smile on his face. "We can leave now."
Ivy’s heart ached, and yet a part of her, which was eager for her parents, wanted to stop her from asking the question she was going to.
’No! Ivy, you can’t be selfish.’
"You haven’t slept for the past 2 days?"
"Hm." Silas didn’t hide the truth; instead, he said with a serious expression, "I worked on a hard mission to get a long leave. I also fought for a helicopter to make things simpler for you. Are you touched?"
’I am.’ Ivy whispered, yet she showed an amused expression, "Oh? It doesn’t matter. Even if I am touched... I will not take back the punishment I have imposed."
"Sigh... Is there anyone unluckier than me? I have married and tasted fresh meat. But I am forced to live like a monk." Silas muttered under his breath and pretended to lose his strength.
Just as he was about to fall, Ivy caught him and let out an exasperated sigh. "You... sigh! Let’s go into the helicopter first. You will sleep for the next day, and I will manage everything. And then, we will talk."
With that, she walked away, prompting Silas to instinctively chase after Ivy.
"Heartless wifey..."
Soon, Silas boarded the helicopter with a huge bag, while Ivy followed with almost nothing in her hand.
Around them, zombies roamed aimlessly, their heads turning at the faint noise, yet none of them dared to come close.
Silas stayed tense, his hand never leaving the handle of his axe, his eyes sweeping the ground.
Usually, he preferred to use a dagger; however, now that Ivy was traveling with him, he didn’t dare to take any risk.
But to his surprise, no zombie moved. It was as if they couldn’t even sense Ivy’s presence. Meanwhile, Ivy walked calmly.
Her calm confidence seeped from the fact that her safe zone power was passively activated, hiding her and Silas’s presence.
Inside the helicopter, the pilot, Mike, a man in his late forties with graying hair and sharp eyes, nodded respectfully at Silas.
His eyes lingered on Ivy for a moment, curious, but he didn’t ask questions.
The moment they sat down, Ivy crossed her arms and looked at Silas. "Sleep."
Silas frowned. "What if strange birds appear? If you are left alone..."
Ivy chuckled softly, her voice calm but firm. "You don’t need to worry. Just go to sleep."
Silas opened his mouth to argue again, but Ivy’s expression turned grim.
"If you don’t listen to me, your punishment will be extended to an entire month."
Silas froze. His eyes widened in disbelief, then narrowed. He gritted his teeth but gave up. "...Fine."
Dragging his feet dramatically, he walked toward the seat, muttering under his breath. "Heartless woman... I fight for you, and you punish me..."
Still, before closing his eyes, he threw a quick look at Mike.
The pilot nodded at him with understanding, like a soldier giving silent support to another.
The helicopter blades whirred louder, and soon they were in the air.
Ivy sat near the window, her sharp eyes scanning the skies. She knew what was coming.
’Mutated birds will only show up after two years. For now, it’s just zombie birds. Ugly, rotten things. Weak, but disgusting. Still, if too many gather, they’ll tear through the windows. Better to kill them early.’
She opened a black case by her side and inspected the weapons inside. Rifles, pistols, and spare magazines.
Her fingers brushed over them until she found a gun she liked, a light rifle perfect for quick shots.
She loaded it smoothly and checked the sights.