Chapter 48: A new lifestyle

After the decision was made, the tension in the garage eased.

Outside, the world was still making noise. Ember finally remembered to ask the CE if the base was still standing.

According to the CE, nothing will be able to break or access the base. Even if the mountain splits open, the base will remain intact and floaton the spot.

This surprised Ember. She never thought the base would be so durable. It put to rest a lot of doubts in her mind.

The group stayed in the garage for hours. Night had already crept in. Or at least they think it did. The sky has been the same sickly purple and orange colour since they left the blockade.

The aftershocks were rolling endlessly. Aiden made the decision. They would stay for three days. It was long enough for the initial chaos to subside and their new allies to integrate.

The first order of business was food. Ivan asked Ember to take out some of the gourmet goodies he brought back. She took out some foie gras, a jar of caviar, and a bottle of champagne.

Accompanying that was wagyu beef that he ordered from his favourite restaurant and fried chicken, ordered from his favourite fast food place.

Marcus eyed the black pearls on the cracker Ivan offered him with suspicion. “What is it?”

“Fish eggs, my friend,” Ivan answered cheerfully. “It’s good. It’s the end of the world; you might as well have expensive indigestion.”

Sarah took a small bite, her face scrunched as if she expected it to taste bad. Her eyes widened when she started eating. A hum of appreciation came from her.

Even Marcus grunted his approval as he moved for another bite.

The next day, while others were resting, Aiden and Marcus went to work on the vehicle. The SUV had held up well.

Marcus admired the car and praised Aiden.

“I’m a cautious man,” Aidne replied to his praise.

“A cautious man buys a safe. You…you were planning to drive through hell.” Marcus checked the chassis with a sharp gaze.

That night, the atmosphere in the garage shifted. The initial shock has worn off. The tremors were happening less frequently.

Adrienne and Alex were curled together in a corner, lost in their own world.

Ivan was watching Sarah with a lazy, appreciative gaze. Sarah turned to look at Marcus. Marcus nodded.

It was a seamless transaction.

Ivan approached Sarah. He didn’t touch her; he waited. When she moved in to close the distance, it became a choice.

Aiden and Ember watched from a corner of their own. They saw Ivan’s hand trace the curves of Sarah’s body. They saw her head fall back in a sigh of release. This was different from the frantic fucking they had overheard.

After Ivan was done, he stepped back, giving a respectful nod to Marcus.

Marcus moved to take his place. He was rougher, more possessive. He didn’t ask, he took. But Sarah met him with the same intensity.

Ember felt Aiden’s arm wrap around her. He pulled her close. She could feel his body against hers. The same possessiveness she had been seeing recently. She felt it thrumming inside him. She leaned into him.

They watched as the activities unfolded. They whispered to each other. Not about love or sweet nothings. It was about acknowledging the new order of their world. A new dynamic was slowly unfolding.

On the morning of the third day, there were no more tremors. Since late into the second night, they had not felt any aftershocks. On the third day, they moved out. All seven are in the SUV. Not because they don’t have another car, but because they aren’t sure what they will encounter.

Everyone being in one vehicle works better logistically.

They packed up, ready to continue on their journey.

Marcus and Aiden rolled open the main garage door together. The sunlight streaming in was a strange orange colour. The sky was bruise like purple.

This has been the colour of the sky since the second day. From the mixed colours to settling on the sky being purple and the sun being orange.

The SUV crept through the city. It was a metallic graveyard. There were rusted cars and shattered glass everywhere.

“Dead end up ahead,” Ivan said. “Three-car pile-up.” Ivan put down his binoculars.

“I’ll deal with it,” Marcusreplied.

They parked at a safe distance. They passed a construction company. Marcus was able to hotwire a forklift. It was kept in Ember’s space for times like this.

In order to get to the base quickly, they tried their best to maintain their current trajectory. It was hard to do because some sections of the road had been destroyed. But so far, with Marcus’ help, they didn’t have to bypass many of the accidents they found.

Sarah stood by the door. Her eyes scanned the silent streets, a medical kit in her hand. She was looking for any sign of life in the ruins.

Ember pulled up the CE interface. [Crimson Lust: 172,500] [Azure Bond: 28,000] The numbers reminded her of how her life would be in the future. She wasn’t refusing it. She was looking forward to it.

“Clear!” Marcus yelled. His voice echoed in the empty street.

They were able to pass this section of cars in record time.

However, they would soon need to find a place to stay for the night. Although by the standards of the end world, they indeed moved quickly, it was nothing compared to a regular day.

Ember’s gaze followed Aiden. She saw that stubborn tilt of his head, the tightness in his jaw. She knew he was under pressure as the leader of the group. But he wore the badge of leader with pride.

She was looking forward to seeing how much more powerful he would become when they finally reached the base.

She looked around at the people who had become her allies. It was unexpected for her. She knew there was more to come. So she didn’t feel complacent.

Instead, she only hoped that things would be as smooth today as they always were. Even if she knew it was a false hope.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep