Chapter 156: The Desperate Winter

For the next month, people continued to test the boundaries. All of them who crossed the line, without exception, became particles. Slowly, things returned to a sense of normalcy. No one else tried to test the boundaries.

People were willing to work harder because they feared erasure. Ember simply shrugged. New recruits were coming in every day. Most of them are from the military base. The very same people who said they didn’t want to go had arrived.

The sun that had destroyed everything in its wake had also begun to weaken. More and more people were coming out. Ember had Ivan and Cassia collect materials from the survivors. It didn’t matter if it was torn, as long as it was useful.

Granted, some tried to take advantage of them by sending them rag, as per human nature. They wanted to receive something for having done nothing. They were promptly kicked out.

Ember also received a message from the CE. Valentina was on her way to the military base.

It was another week before she arrived. When she did, she came bearing gifts. Ember and Aiden would listen daily to how much she praised her base and asked these people to join.

There were quite a number who did join. It was understandable. They came with promises, and Valentina came with actual good.

It was at this time that Valentina learned their base was nearby. She wasn’t sure exactly where, but the moment she found out, a bloodthirsty grin appeared on her face. Ember couldn’t see her face, but she felt the hatred from listening.

“She still hasn’t forgiven us.” Ember sighed dramatically.

“Yes, because going to her base to gather information and ’humiliate’ her should have been the highlight of her life.”

Aiden was used to Ember’s comments and responded sarcastically.

“She should appreciate it. If it were someone else, they would give me a reward.”

“For breaking into their system? You sure it would be a reward and not a punishment?”

Ember side-eyed him. “A reward,” she said blankly.

“Then come,” he said, bending her over his knee, “let me give you a reward.”

That day, Ember was rewarded for a very long time.

Things with Valentina came and went. But the next crisis was upon them. After the brutal sun disappeared, they noticed the weather becoming cooler. At first, it wasn’t a problem, but then it didn’t stop.

The base that once had a cool spring breeze was now depressingly cold. People began dressing in layers. It wasn’t until the base itself got to 20 degrees Celsius that the CE began to shield the base from the cold. It gave Ember a mission.

[The base is currently experiencing excessive energy consumption. The Architect is tasked with preventing the base from depleting its energy reserves. Organize, The Weekend of Bacchus, to boost morale and conserve energy.]

[Objective: Generate 1,000,000 CL within two days.]

[Reward: Continued shielding.]

[Failure to complete the task will result in shield failure.]

When Ember saw this, her jaw dropped. They did have a number of people in the base, but getting one million CL from them in two days was nothing short of a miracle.

They were aware that some didn’t exactly follow the sex rule. The nuns, she meant the nuns. And a few others. But now, they needed all hands on deck. The nuns signed the contract, so they need to pay the piper.

But it did give her an idea. A weekend of food and festivities. She would, of course, need to explain to everyone what was happening. There are a few that might feel pressured, but they can either do or face the freezing tundra.

The next day, Ember called a meeting. She didn’t go to the square. Though it wasn’t cold anymore, she didn’t want to leave her room.

It is said that she called a meeting, but really, it was Aiden who did the talking. He was aware of the situation, so Ember let him talk to everyone. Currently, he was sitting in a chair facing a holo-screen, addressing the people of the base.

“As we all know, we are currently facing extreme cold. Just yesterday, the temperature dropped to 10 degrees Celsius. We were able to activate the shields, but the continuous use of these shields cannot happen without your help.”

“I am sure everyone is aware of what powers the base. We have never asked anyone to force themselves to do any sexual acts. However, the time has come for you all to contribute to the base. For those who think such things are beneath them, then I hope you will enjoy your last remaining days.”

“If we are unable to generate enough energy, the shielding function will cease to exist. We can only face the harsh winter with our bodies. To stop this from happening. We have come up with a way for everyone to enjoy themselves without the worry and pressure.”

“For the next two days, we will be holding a festival. This is a festival of fertility and wellness. Regardless of what merit you have, everyone will have access to various foods and drinks. They are not for hoarding. If we find anyone hoarding food, they will be sent to detention. You only take as much as you can eat for those two days.”

“We hope that everyone will utilize the Bliss Centers. Explore, do things you haven’t tried before. On the last night we encounrage person to go to the masquerade hall. Have fun with someone new if your heart desires. It’s all anonymous, so there is no need to be ashamed.”

When Aiden was finished with his announcement, he sighed. He never thought there would be a day he would end up being a spokesperson for a fertility god.

He briefly thought to himself that it was a good thing they weren’t actually encouraging pregnancy, otherwise they would have many babies on their hands.

He called out to Ember.

“Young lady, it’s time for you to give me my reward.”

Ember groaned. By the time she half hoisted herself out of the bed, Aiden was already naked.

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