Chapter 123: Upgrade the office

“Tell me what you need, and I’ll make it happen,” Ember said proudly.

Ivan squinted. He wondered if Ember was serious.

“Why are you looking at me like that? You don’t want to?” Ember asked.

Seeing that she appeared serious. Ivan dropped his apprehension. If she were serious, he would be able to get a nice place to stay when he was in this fog-infested place. He sighed to himself, thinking that he should have chosen a job that kept him at the base.

“CE, project screen, let Ivan see so he can choose for himself.”

Ember knew she was being lax when it came ot the system. But, just like they, as members, have the merit hologram that they can see, why shouldn’t she, as the owner of the base, have something better?

She didn’t directly say she has the CE. But they could have guessed with everything they had seen. She wouldn’t say it out loud, but those who understood, understood.

The holographic interface appeared in front of them. Ember turned to Ivan, “Choose what you want.”

“Little rich lady,” Ivan said, rubbing his hands. “I hope you don’t regret it.”

Ember rolled her eyes and leaned against Aiden. “Choose, or you won’t get another chance.”

Running through his options, the first thing Ivan chose was a chair that screamed relaxation. The seats could cool and heat, with a built-in massager. It was a sleek black colour. It could recline.

This was not a chair that could be easily found these days.

Aiden punched his shoulder, “Choose something else. You’re here to work, not enjoy yourself.”

“I’m making a statement. I’m letting everybody who sets foot in this place know that we have lots to offer.” He stretches his arms wide and says, “Why slum it? We’ll give you endless comfort. Conditions apply.”

“He isn’t wrong,” Cassia chimed in. “We need to set ourselves apart from every other base out there. Especially with the military so close.”

“Agreed,” Sarah echoed. “Though…maybe not that chair. I still think it’s too much. Oh! We need something for the people coming in to sit in. If we’re going to have them unconscious, don’t let them lie on the ground.”

Ivan searched and found some basic recliners and tables. “They should be fine with these. But I’m still getting that chair. It’s my reward to myself. I’m going to be here most of the time, I think I deserve it.”

A playful grin played on his lips. Ember watched his eyes gleaming as he searched for other things to put in the office. She watched him put a liquor cabinet with the other things that needed to be bought.

She didn’t stop, because he wasn’t wrong. He was the one who would stay with these people day after day. Thinking about it, she felt a little sorry for him. She added an air filtration system to the mix.

“See, little sister, I knew you approved.” Ivan chuckled when he saw Ember putting the purifier onto the pile.

“We need lights and flooring, Aiden commented.

Ivan chose a Persian rug. Aiden punched him. He changed it to simple hardwood floors.

“I just want the place to look good,” Ivan muttered.

“Looking good and overindulging are different. It’s the apocalypse. The place is already eye-catching. Do you think we need to make it a target?” said Aiden

Ivan’s shoulders slumped. Ember laughed.

“Anything else?” Ember asked.

“Art,” Ivan said. Then proceeded to buy paintings of naked men and women in compromising positions. “I’m selling our brand.”

When everyone could agree on the multitude of things they wanted to buy, Ember made the purchase. She felt as if her heart was pierced when she saw the price. More than 50,000 CL just to decorate an office.

A part of her wanted to take back the purchase. But she knew it would help in the long run. So, she could only pretend to be fine.

“There’s one more thing we need to do before we put the stuff in the office,” Ember stated. “We need security. Like Aiden said, we don’t want to be a target.”

She pointed to the options they had. They needed something that could keep intruders out. But they didn’t want to be obvious. Whatever it was had to make the place look like it hadn’t changed much.

The only difference they should notice is that the inside has changed.

One option turned the building into a fortress. It reinforced the doors, windows, and any other entry point someone might think of. It has tripwires, sensors, and pressure plates.

Another option creates illusions. It doesn’t stop people from coming in, but it makes them want to leave. It manipulates what the person sees. So even when they think they are doing the right thing, it can cause disasters.

The final option is simply to neutralize the target. As soon as someone steps inside, a gas is released to make them fall asleep. Then someone can come in and throw them out. Safe and harmless.

Ivan scoffed at the last option. “No way in hell. Why should I-,”

“We don’t need to kill people,” Sarah interrupted. “I don’t mind throwing them out. What if someone enters with a child?”

“That’s why we get the first option. No mess, no fuss. They can’t get in at all,” Ivan said, ready to pick the first option.

“I agree with both of you,” Aiden said. “There’s no reason for us to allow people to come in. It’s best if they can’t enter at all. But we also don’t want to go around killing innocent kids.”

“Then we choose two options,” Ember suggested. “If they can get through the reinforced doors and stuff, then we use the hallucinogen.”

“If they’re that determined after both, then we can only say it’s our loss.”

She didn’t wait for them to decide. She quickly bought both. Now, along with all the Cl she spent before, she also spent 750 AB.

[Crimson Lust (CL): 131,558]

[Azure Bond (AB): 11,674]

The amount of CL and AB was stable for now. It would continue to go up after more people arrived at the base.

“Let’s go back,” Ember said, heading to the teleportation circle.

“Are we not fixing the furniture?” Sarah called out, watching Ember walk away.

“Don’t worry about it,” Ember said, opening the door to the back room.

Before stepping into the circle, Ember bought one more thing. It was a lock designed only for people who had the fellowship contract. This way, the only people who could open the door to the back room were members of the base.

[Crimson Lust (CL): 131,058]

[Azure Bond (AB): 11,674]

As she stepped into the circle with the others, she wondered whether she should give Ivan and the others a different sigil. They were in charge of the core parts of the base.

She decided to speak to Aiden about it later.

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