Chapter 689 - Preparations - Then I'll Come With You.
A few more days passed in the blink of an eye but there was a slight change of plans in regards to which base they should be placed in. Instead of splitting them into three groups, we just split them into two with Morales’ recommendation.
The first half would be mine while the other would land in Iskoh’s hand.
It was because before we put things in motion, Morales planned to establish another outpost in between the southern edges of Caloocan and the northern edges of Malabon.
He already cleared and boarded a university that would be a blank slate and he also had a list of people he would bring with him.
But since the outcome we wanted changed by a whole lot, we needed to improvise.
With that said, instead of just getting half of the names and be done with it, this split was done with a little more consideration. It wasn’t an actual split in the end but more of a split that would provide a little more ‘Quality of Life’ in gaming terms.
Firstly, we took into account who among Morales’ soldiers were usually stationed and if they would be closer to my base or Iskoh, it would be put into consideration. A lot of things would be saved if this arrangement would be acknowledged but this was just the first of few.
Secondly, the people who had conditions that needed a lot more attention would be more inclined to be put on my roster because even if both of our places had doctors and other medical practitioners, I had more. However, there were a few specialists in Iskoh’s place so we also needed to take that into account.
Thirdly, we took into account what they could offer us and different kinds of people had different kinds of skillsets. We try to have every facility available to cater to their old jobs, but some places were focused on different kinds of jobs as well.
My place could be said to be a little bit all-rounded but Iskoh and Morales’ places were inclined on water resources.
And lastly, the people themselves got a say as to where they should be placed. Granted they were new and should be watching the sidelines at first, their opinions should matter even by a bit. Not all of them were tied to their relatives like the others and they could choose between the two places.
In the end, I got a few dozen more compared to Iskoh but there were a few that wanted to be placed in Morales’ place in Navotas.
With that in mind, each group was assigned one or two representatives to be their voice. Not everyone could attend our daily meetings in my compound, and we only gather everyone in the DDR Camp if the meeting was a little bit more important than usual.
Time continued to pass but at the same time this was happening, I made a crew of engineers perform maintenance checks on the ship we’d be using.
I can only do so much on my own and I needed to delegate work to everyone.
However, I still checked up on them the moment my current work was done.
I drove there with Zeus riding shotgun and he just stuck his tongue out the window the moment we built up speed. He never looked so much like an idiot as he was enjoying the breeze, and he’d just bark and wink at the people we’d see on patrol.
With that said, we arrived at Morales’ harbor and I was welcomed by the soldiers present.
‘Looked better the last time I saw this…’
The ship Iskoh handed over to me after the bet with Artem and Morales was a ‘RORO’, a Roll-on/Roll-off ship that was meant to carry wheeled cargo, but the type he handed me was a ROPAX or a RORO vehicle that was also designed to carry passengers.
Specifically, this ship could carry around 200+ people and around 12 cars or 6 trucks.
The group and vehicles I’d be bringing with me wouldn’t be up to capacity but there would be a few things that would take up that place.
With that said, the maintenance checks were already over but some of them were currently kitting it out like what we’d do with our land vehicles.
‘I guess this is more my speed…’
They were about halfway done with reinforcing the handrails at the side with metal plates but they will soon start doing the same thing all around for general protection and cover. Furthermore, after they were done with that, another group would install surveillance cameras on different parts of the ship and they will also update its existing mode of communication.
I was busy looking at it from afar but a familiar voice called out to me from behind.
As I turned around, I discovered that it was Jose who Zeus was trying to climb onto. 𝐧𝗈𝓥𝓮𝑙𝗇𝑒xt.𝑐𝑶𝕞
“Hey, kid. Are you liking what you see?”
I smiled faintly, “Kinda, needs a few cannons and a few machineguns and it’ll be decent.”
“Decent? Hah! Are you sure you know what you’re doing? Going back to that place? I dunno what you’re planning but I bet it’ll be easier if we bomb the place while they’re all there.”
“I am. I’ve been setting it up with someone pretty high up inside that wanted to get out. Also, not all of them deserve a bullet in the head. We can’t just rebuild with the people we have here. If everything goes well, we’d have more sources of food and probably even entertainment that you wouldn’t think would be possible.”
“Really? Then I’ll come with you.”
“Wait, what?”
“You heard me. I need a change of scenery too, if you don’t mind.”
“I thought you’re supposed to take care of this place–”
“Heh, we got other officers for that and we wouldn’t want you to be in any danger, right?”
I looked at Jose’s expression first before I opened my mouth, “This is about your sister, right?”
“Shit~~~ How did you know?”
“How did I know? Your dad is now living at my place while she transferred over to Iskoh’s place? Kinda weird if you ask me. Probably had to do something with someone putting a bullet in someone’s head, you think?”
Jose shook his head before he scratched his head and looked at me, “Something like that, yes. So, are you taking me or not? Oh, and I don’t wanna be a guard on that ship if that’s what you’re thinking right now. I wanna drink my fill, smash some teeth in, and partake in some pussy while we’re there, got me?”
I nodded approvingly with a cheeky smile, “Okay, I got you. I’ll bring you with me. However…”
“However what?”
“You got the name and the attitude down but you’re missing one thing.”
“What?”
“The look.”
“The look?”
I shook my head, “You’re always standing on attention, you got that crew cut, and you got this air around you.”
“W-Wait, air? What air?”
“You’re screaming military officer. They’ll sniff you out the moment you step foot in that place. I know you aren’t like the others once you start talking but I doubt you’d even pass as a turncoat. Some soldiers in this country had gone AWOL but you don’t look the type.”
“…”
“Don’t believe me? Want me to pull out a mirror?”
“N-No… What do you think I should do?”
“There’s one easy thing among others. Do you know Daisy?”
“Yeah? The girl covered with– W-Wait–”
“Great. Are you a Dwayne Johnson guy, a Mike Tyson Guy, or a Jason Brody guy?”
“W-What? N-No… Wait, who’s Jason–”
“*imitates a certain character in a certain franchises’ voice* Did I ever tell you what the definition of insanity is?”
“What?”
“See?! That’s why they’ll sniff you out!”
“I don’t get it–”
“Enough about that. We gotta get you fuckin inked. Come with me!” I said as I started walking back to my truck.
“W-W-Wait! Are we really doing this now?!”
I turned around as I waved him over multiple times, “Yeah! We’ll set off soon and that thing should be healed the moment we get there! If you don’t like those three choices, think of one before we get to Daisy’s place!”
“Fuck! Let’s do it then!”
“That’s the spirit! Have you thought of something else?”
“Shit, can I have a dragon like yours?”
“What?”
“Not a sleeve like that but something similar.”
“You fucking weeb. Why’d you have to choose a dragon of all things?!”
“YOU HAVE A DRAGON ON YOUR FUCKING ARM! WHY CAN’T I HAVE THE SAME THING?!”
“‘CAUSE I’M A FUCKING WEEB AND I’M NOT FORBIDDING YOU TO HAVE ONE! I’M JUST QUESTIONING YOUR LIFE’S DECISIONS! IT’S ONE THING TO BE A WEEB AND IT’S ANOTHER TO BE A FAKE WEEB!”
“WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING?! AND WHAT’S A WEEB?!”
“JESUS FUCKING CHRIST, JOSE! YOU’LL BE SHOT DOWN THE MOMENT YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH OVER THERE! YOU NEED SOME EDUCATION!”
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