After Alex recounted how he and his four companions captured the priest, and how Zhang Ya wiped out all the demons in the city, the girls listened with interest to his story about the strange citadel where the priest had been hiding. Alex explained that the place served as a kind of energy transfer station to another world. He used the term “argent energy,” but the girls didn’t understand — why would demons send some kind of energy back to Hell?

So Alex explained: argent energy is extracted from souls subjected to inhuman torment. The more suffering, the more powerful the energy. Upon hearing this, the girls were truly horrified. Koko, as usual, spoke bluntly but to the point — she suggested that the citadel was not just an energy relay station to Jeckad, but also a kind of farm for producing that energy.

To calm the girls a little, Alex added that after the citadel’s destruction, all the souls imprisoned there had been set free. Perhaps they were already on their way to reincarnation. He couldn’t help but wonder: after the battle with Davoth and the Minister of Monoliths, if this universe’s limbo became filled with millions of souls, what would happen then?

Meanwhile, as the girls shared their thoughts and Alex dropped yet another “bomb” on them, Koko and Shigure’s hands continued gently massaging his back. He squinted in pleasure. The sound of voices in the background, the warm touch of their hands, and his growing exhaustion — it all lulled him like a soft lullaby. Closing his eyes, Alex almost instantly slipped into a sweet sleep.

The girls kept chatting, not even noticing when Alex dozed off. But no one tried to wake him. On the contrary, they quickly agreed among themselves: let Alex handle the big picture — they’d help however they could.

“Looks like he fell asleep,” Cammy said quietly, pointing to Alex lying there.

“He really did. We just woke up a couple of hours ago, and he’s already out again,” Koko said, leaning over to look at his face.

“Maybe he’s just tired?” Valmet whispered.

“Not physically. It’s emotional exhaustion,” Shigure said calmly.

The girls fell into thought. Yes, Shigure was right. While they were simply trying to survive, Alex was carrying a much heavier burden. He kept track of the big picture, made strategic decisions, and held everything in his head — from military operations to the future of their world. And he did it constantly.

Deciding to let him rest, Chun-Li and Cammy went to check on the captured priest. They were curious to see what Hell’s servants looked like. However, like Koko, Valmet, and Chiquita before them, they ended up disappointed. The priest looked like a dried-up mummy — a pathetic, unremarkable creature. Losing interest, they decided to train until their help was needed in the settlement.

Koko went to help Yuriko and Brunhilde with chores so she wouldn’t disturb Alex. Chiquita and Valmet didn’t remain idle — soon Rika showed up and informed them they were heading out on a scouting mission to the peninsula. After grabbing their gear, the girls silently left the house, not letting Rika wake Alex.

While Alex slept, he had no idea he was alone. Time passed unnoticed for him, while for everyone else it moved slowly. Work in the settlement was in full swing. Everyone who was free was busy. The girls took turns returning home — to grab something they needed — and when they saw Alex asleep, they’d quietly walk over, kiss him on the lips, and leave without disturbing his rest.

No one waited for him to wake up — all questions were handled through Brunhilde or the other girls. During this time, Alex was still lost in slumber… but soon he began to stir. A strange, soft sensation on his face slowly pulled him from his dreams. He opened his eyes slightly — and saw Nobuna’s face in front of him, her cheeks noticeably flushed. Her body was pleasantly pressed against his.

“And what do you think you’re doing?” he asked hoarsely, fully waking up.

“What else would I be doing?” Nobuna replied innocently with a smile. “Kissing my future husband while he sleeps.”

Alex squinted with a slight smile and tugged Nobuna gently by the cheek. As he got up, he carefully scooped her into his arms and sat her down on his lap, wrapping an arm gently around her waist. Feeling his movements and realizing she was now in his embrace, Nobuna beamed, leaned her back against his chest, and kicked her legs playfully.

With his free hand, Alex rubbed his eyes, still not fully awake, and suddenly noticed Nagahide sitting in a nearby chair, watching them with interest. He gave her a reproachful look for not stopping Nobuna when she kissed him in his sleep, as if he were some sleeping princess waiting for a prince’s kiss to wake him. Nagahide met his gaze with a mischievous smile, which she quickly hid behind her fan.

Alex rolled his eyes, fully aware that she had deliberately let Nobuna have her fun.

“So, what are you two doing here with nothing to do?” he asked, still holding Nobuna close.

“There’s no work at the moment, so we came back home,” she replied with a carefree wave.

“So basically, you got in the way and were sent back?” Alex raised an eyebrow.

“I did not get in anyone’s way!” Nobuna huffed and grabbed his face, pulling his cheeks in opposite directions.

Alex let out a quiet chuckle and looked at Nagahide again, clearly expecting confirmation. She gave a slight nod, confirming his suspicion. He turned his attention back to the angry Nobuna, who continued tugging on his face with mock fury. Amused, he gently took her hands off his cheeks and kissed them.

Nobuna blushed slightly but grinned in return, wrapped her arms around his neck, and nuzzled her nose against his. Feeling the light tickle, Alex stroked her hair gently.

“So, what exactly did you do, if you weren’t ‘sent away’?” he asked with a smirk.

“I didn’t do anything! And I wasn’t sent away! I left on my own!” she snorted.

“The princess tried to help build the greenhouses… but in the end, nothing worked out,” Nagahide said, squinting and smiling playfully.

“Nagahide, you…!” Nobuna protested, glaring at her angrily.

Alex chuckled quietly. He hadn’t really expected Nobuna to handle such routine and tiring work. Patience clearly wasn’t her strong suit. Deciding to catch up on what had been going on while he was asleep, he turned his attention to Nagahide, hoping to hear more about the settlement’s current state.

Although it was only their second day in Alaska, it was important to him to know how things were going and whether people were satisfied with their new home. Cold as it was, it was still much safer than the cities constantly at risk of being overrun by demons and the undead.

Nagahide began to explain, and Alex listened attentively. For now, the main focus was cutting down trees and gathering building materials. No permanent housing was being built yet — the priority was greenhouses and basic shelters.

When she finished, Alex nodded and reached for a cigarette, but quickly remembered he was indoors and the girls didn’t like it when he smoked inside. Sighing, he pulled out a candy instead and popped it into his mouth. Catching Nobuna’s gaze, he offered her one too, and she happily accepted the treat.

After sitting a bit longer and fully waking up, Alex decided it was time to get to work. He still needed to finish the second floor of the house, begin construction on the settlement’s defensive wall, and — most importantly — extract information from the priest: the locations of the other two anchors keeping the portals open.

He gently lifted Nobuna off his lap and placed her on the couch. Stretching and letting out a slight yawn, Alex decided to start with the wall. After explaining his plans to the girls, he waved goodbye and stepped outside.

Sleepiness still tugged at him, but Alex stubbornly made his way toward the edge of the settlement to mark the boundaries. The wall wasn’t just a necessary defense against potential undead hordes—it was also a form of psychological safety for people who felt vulnerable in the open.

Upon reaching the designated spot, he snapped off a sturdy branch and began outlining the area.

“So lazy…” he muttered wistfully.

“Stop acting like a child. All you have to do is walk around the settlement,” came the voice of Hlökk, floating behind him in her spirit form.

Alex rolled his eyes and lazily dragged the branch behind him, pressing it lightly into the ground to leave a trail. He was intentionally marking the borders of future expansion, aware that sooner or later, more people would arrive, and they’d need more homes. Their group was already starting to grow.

Trudging along, barely suppressing a yawn from the dull and repetitive task, Alex continued marking the perimeter. He reached the road that connected the island to the peninsula, where Melnik’s group was stationed in case any survivors appeared. Waving briefly at the patrol, he didn’t stop, dragging the branch onward. Along the way, he passed some of the residents, nodding or offering short greetings, but he never lingered—any delay would only make the boring work take longer.

Nearly twenty minutes later, the circle was complete. Spotting his original marker, Alex tossed the branch aside with satisfaction. It was time to begin construction on the settlement’s outer wall. Lighting a cigarette, he allowed himself a brief rest before moving on to the next task: building the second floor of his house.

“I didn’t think you were that bored—you’re literally drawing circles with a stick,” came a familiar voice from behind.

Alex raised an eyebrow and turned around. Shino and Mari were walking toward him. He briefly wondered why they weren’t still asleep after their night shift in the cold.

“I thought you two would be out cold after pulling a night watch,” he said, genuinely surprised.

“We’ve rested enough. What about you? What are you up to?” Mari asked with a smile.

“Don’t tell me you ran out of things to do and decided to walk in circles around your domain, oh mighty leader,” Shino added mockingly.

“You got it, Shino,” Alex said dramatically, lifting his chin and gazing at the sky. “I got so bored I regressed into childhood. Imagined myself as a king in his kingdom, claiming the lands where my loyal subjects dwell.”

“Pfft. Some king you are,” Shino scoffed with a smirk.

“But aren’t you the one aiming for the position of one of my queens?” Alex said innocently, throwing her a sly look.

“Who the hell wants to be your queen, you bastard?!” Shino snapped and lunged at him.

Alex burst into laughter, fending off her fists. To tease her further, he grabbed her nose after every punch, which only fueled her rage. Soon, she began channeling chakra into her hits, trying to actually land one, but Alex just kept laughing, expertly dodging and playfully poking at her nose and cheeks.

Mari watched the scene with an amused smile. She knew that only Alex could pull Shino out of her usual calm. With others, she’d either snap or just punch them without warning. But with Alex, she acted differently. Even his jab about being a “queen” made her cheeks light up—something she tried to hide by doubling down on her attack.

Alex continued to laugh, fending off her attacks, until, at one point, he caught her fist, sharply spun her around, and pulled her into an embrace, locking both of her arms. Before Shino could process what was happening, she found herself in his arms, pressed against his chest.

“Let go of me! I’m not done with you yet!” she yelled, her face flushed with both anger and embarrassment.

“Nope. You’ll just charge at me again. Let my embrace cool your fiery temper,” Alex said with a smirk, not releasing her.

Shino blushed even harder, feeling Alex’s grip tightening around her. The embarrassment reached its peak. She channeled chakra into her foot and delivered a sharp kick to his leg. Cracks ran through the ground.

“Alright, Shino, enough with the excuses,” Mari said with a smile. “You like it when Alex hugs you. You even said you wanted him to hold you.”

“Mari!” Shino growled, glaring at her. “I told you to keep that a secret!”

“Oh, so you wanted cuddles? Why didn’t you just say so? I’d have hugged you this morning, just like now,” Alex said with a satisfied grin, looking at her.

“Who needs your hugs, you idiot!” Shino snapped, stomping on Alex’s foot.

Alex burst into laughter and released her. Shino jerked free from his grip and glared at him as if preparing to strike again. Alex grinned, clearly hinting that he was ready for another hit. Shino kept growling but didn’t make another move—she knew she’d end up back in his embrace.

“And you, Mari, don’t you want a bit of warmth?” Alex asked, holding his arms out to her.

“Thanks, but I’ll pass for now,” she laughed. “Shino’s making noises that are ruining the whole vibe.”

“Player,” Shino muttered, narrowing her eyes.

“Ow, that hurts, right in the heart,” Alex exclaimed dramatically, clutching his chest.

“Stop acting like a fool. Just tell me why you walked around the whole settlement with a stick in your hand, drawing that silly circle,” Shino grumbled, rolling her eyes.

“For this,” Alex replied simply, stomping his foot.

The ground began to tremble, and a stone wall slowly rose from beneath the earth, encircling the entire settlement. The only exit from the stone circle was an archway.

Alex turned to the girls:

“Instead of wasting time and resources on building a wooden wall, I’ve made a stone one. Stronger, more reliable, and more durable. In case we have problems in the future.”

He slapped his palm against the stone, reinforcing its strength, then turned to Shino and Mari:

“Shall we walk along it? I want to make sure everything’s in order.”

Both girls agreed. Alex wrapped his arms around their waists and, with a single light jump, found himself on top of the wall with them. He set the girls down on their feet and surveyed the other side of the wall. For a moment, he thought about a moat, but quickly dismissed the idea, deeming it unnecessary.

They walked along the wall, observing the settlement. The people were working, paying little attention to the stone reinforcement. The group had already grown accustomed to Alex’s unusual actions, so the new wall didn’t cause much of a stir—it was just another “trick” from their leader.

As they passed by the command center, set up in a tent at the center of the camp, Alex noticed his girls. He waved at them, and in return, he received smiles and an air kiss. He smiled back, continuing on his way, but then Shino struck him in the side again.

“Are you jealous?” he asked with a smirk, rolling his eyes.

“Hey, don’t you need to form seals?” Mari asked, trying to mimic the familiar hand gestures. “You usually do that when you’re pulling off your ninja tricks.”

“I’ve already explained,” Alex began. “Hand seals are for those with weak chakra control. They help direct it properly and understand which technique you’re using. But if you have good control over your chakra, seals become unnecessary.”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re the coolest here…” Shino trailed off, blushing again and trying not to look at him directly.

Alex laughed, and they continued their walk along the wall, observing the life of the settlement as it went on as usual.

Mari nodded, accepting Alex’s explanation. The trio—Alex, Shino, and Mari—continued their patrol along the wall, engaging in a casual conversation about various topics. Alex was most interested in the current relationship between Itami and his ex-wife, Aoi. He wanted to pass the time with some fresh gossip, and Mari didn’t disappoint. Though she didn’t know much, she still shared that Itami and Aoi were living together, and Itami was taking care of her.

“They’re just two otaku coexisting,” Shino commented carelessly.

“Well, for starters, they were married. That means there was once love between them. I’d describe their story as a real romance set against a zombie apocalypse. He’s a soldier, she’s a regular homebody. They got divorced, but in the end of the world, they found each other again. Rekindled feelings, shared hardships, dangers—it all brought them back together,” Alex said with a philosophical tone, nodding affirmatively.

“You should make movies. Romantic ones. With your imagination,” Mari smirked.

“Ha-ha, maybe. But if they’re back together, I’m happy for them. If you disregard Itami’s weird personality, he’s a pretty pleasant guy. I understand why Aoi agreed to marry him,” Alex said, leaning against the stone railing.

“Isn’t there already a movie like that? Where the guy is a zombie, and the girl is a survivor?” Mari raised an eyebrow, looking at Alex with interest.

“Didn’t expect you to watch stuff like that, Mari,” Alex smirked.

“Well, I’m a girl. And I like romance too,” Mari said, spreading her hands with exaggerated seriousness.

They exchanged glances and laughed. Shino joined in, not expecting such confessions from Mari. After chatting a bit more, Alex decided to get back to work—it was time to start building the second floor of the house. He was tired of them all cramming into the workshop. He wanted a proper home with rooms for everyone.

Jumping off the wall with Shino and Mari, Alex waved warmly at the girls and headed toward his house. When he got there, he glanced at the temporary roof and frowned—there was still a lot of work ahead. He’d probably need to use magic to expand some rooms. There were many girls, and they weren’t in a hurry to part with their clothes and belongings, even in the midst of the apocalypse.

After estimating the number of rooms needed, Alex counted four: one for himself and the girls, one for Alcina, a third for Alice, MIMI, and Anya, and a fourth for GIR, Stitch, and Nobukatsu. With the calculations complete, he went inside the house to call his little helpers.

Inside, he saw Alcina calmly sitting in an armchair with a book. Ever since his return after capturing the priest, she had been nowhere to be seen. And now, here she was, reading as if nothing had happened.

Hearing the door creak, Alcina looked up and met Alex’s gaze.

“What’ve you been up to?” he asked as he stepped inside.

“Nothing special. Just helping Yuriko and Brunhilde,” she replied, placing the book on the table.

“That’s good. Fresh air is healthy,” Alex nodded.

“Perhaps. But tell me, what’s with the mummy in your workshop?” she asked, nodding toward the door leading to it.

“Oh, that’s the priest. After we said goodbye this morning, I went out hunting and caught one. He’s in there now—waiting for our chat,” Alex said with a light smile.

Alcina nodded, taking in the information without much surprise. In turn, Alex asked if she had seen GIR, MIMI, or Stitch.

Alcina shook her head.

“Since I returned, there’s been no one here except your ‘mummy.'”

Thanking her, Alex went off to look for the trio. He assumed they might be helping Koko, Yuriko, or Brunhilde and headed toward the center of the settlement, where the command tent was located. Once there, he asked the women if they’d seen the three little troublemakers. Everyone shook their heads.

“Try checking near the cows. Maybe they wandered off there,” Brunhilde suggested, pointing in the direction.

Alex nodded and made his way toward the construction site where the greenhouses were being built. As he walked through the settlement, he nodded in greeting to people busy with their work. From afar, he already caught sounds of cheerful laughter and some shouting. Looking closer, he saw Stitch running with something in his paws, being chased by an enraged Saya.

“Stop running! Give me back my glasses!” she shouted, almost catching the little rascal.

“My glasses!” Stitch screamed back, weaving between crates.

“You little thief!” Saya shouted angrily, nearly grabbing his tail.

“You’re the thief!” Stitch shot back and deftly dodged her.

Alex stopped and watched the scene with interest. While Saya tried to catch the elusive hooligan, the workers nearby chuckled, enjoying the improvised chase. Noticing Alex, Stitch abruptly changed direction, sprinted up to him, and nimbly climbed onto his shoulder, where he began taunting Saya by waving her glasses in front of her face.

“Alex…” Saya said with mock pleading, giving him puppy eyes.

Alex’s heart softened. He took Stitch off his shoulder, snatched the glasses from him, and returned them to the girl. As for the guilty party, he handed him a different pair—specially made for his face. Stitch pouted but put them on anyway.

“Thanks. And you, you little rascal, you’re gonna get it! I’m telling Mom—no snacks for you!” Saya narrowed her eyes, wagging a finger at him.

“My snacks. Not your snacks!” Stitch grumbled, crossing his arms and sticking out his tongue.

Before Saya could fully explode, Alex placed a hand on her head and gently patted it. The girl took a deep breath, trying to calm her irritation. At the same time, Alex glanced toward the greenhouses, where Anya, Zero Two, and Lucy were working diligently.

“So, why did you come here anyway?” Saya asked, a bit calmer now.

“To collect GIR, MIMI, and Stitch. It’s time to finish the second floor. We can’t sleep in my workshop forever,” Alex replied with a light smile.

“Take all three of them. They’re just getting in the way!” Saya huffed.

“You’re the one in the way!” Stitch muttered, jabbing a claw in her direction.

“Why you—” Saya hissed, but Alex stepped in.

“Alright, you two, that’s enough.”

Saya shot Stitch a murderous glare and, flipping her braid, turned to walk away. But Stitch kept pulling faces at her from behind. Alex sighed and gave him a pat on the head, then walked over to the others.

He praised Anya and Alice for their hard work, thanked them, and—scooping up GIR and MIMI in his arms—said his goodbyes and headed back toward the house. From a distance, he spotted Red and White standing at the entrance.

“What’s wrong, girls?” Alex asked as he approached the androids.

“We came to help with the house construction,” White replied calmly.

“To increase efficiency, more resources should be allocated,” Red added with a serious nod.

Alex smiled warmly at the two android girls—he didn’t mind their help at all. Showing them the blueprint for the second floor, he and the rest of the team got to work gathering the necessary materials.

Upon entering the house, Alex briefly informed Alcina that the construction would soon begin and then went back outside. After setting up the ladder, he began dismantling the temporary roof and hauling materials up to the top. Once everything was in place, he and White started installing the columns and support beams, while GIR, MIMI, and Stitch quickly secured them so nothing would collapse.

Once the framework was complete, they began building the walls. All the materials had been prepared in advance, so the work progressed quickly and smoothly. Alex and his team worked tirelessly, erecting the walls for each room. GIR, MIMI, and Stitch were especially enthusiastic—the promise of having their own rooms gave them an extra burst of energy.

Once the walls were finished, it was time to install the ceiling and roof. It took only a few hours to fully construct the second floor. After removing the boards covering the future staircase, Alex and his helpers headed downstairs. He lazily flopped onto the couch, resting his head on Red’s lap, while GIR, MIMI, and Stitch, like real tired workers, sat down in the armchairs, holding mugs in their paws.

“You finished the second floor rather quickly,” Alcina remarked, glancing at Alex over the top of her book.

“Maybe. Though if I weren’t so lazy, I’d have just used more magic — we would’ve finished even faster. Also, I expanded a few rooms from the inside. So don’t be surprised if yours turns out bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside,” he replied with a faint smile, cracking one eye open.

Alcina just hummed under her breath and returned to her reading.

After lying there for a couple more minutes, Alex got up from the couch. It was time to check on the prisoner — the Priest of the Underworld. He might have the answers Alex had been seeking for a long time. Rising to his feet, he headed toward the workshop, with Red and White following close behind.

When they reached the storage room where the captured priest had been left, Alex paused for a moment, debating whether to interrogate him using torture or just rip everything out of his mind at once and dispose of him afterward.

“Question. Who or what is that?” Red asked calmly, pointing at the prisoner.

“That’s a Priest of the Underworld. He’s got answers I need. And I intend to get them,” Alex said, not wanting to waste any more time.

Placing his hand on the priest’s head, he began extracting his memories. The priest’s body trembled, blood poured from his eye sockets, and Alex, with cold focus, sifted through the memories, discarding the useless ones and keeping only what mattered.

He was already well-practiced in this technique — filtering through a mind wasn’t difficult. What interested him most was the location of Davoth and the two remaining priests. Unfortunately, there was no information about Davoth. However, Alex did learn that one of the priests was currently in Europe, and the other in America. Based on the memories, both operated much like the late Deag Nilox.

There was very little information about Davoth’s “Chosen,” except that each priest had their own bodyguard. Nilox’s had been Yujiro Hanma, while the others had their own.

Having extracted everything he could, Alex didn’t bother keeping the prisoner alive — with a single motion, he reduced him to ash.

He knew: now that Nilox was dead and his citadel destroyed, the remaining priests might grow wary. Alex decided not to act just yet. The time would come.

To be continued…

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep