Chapter 172: The Unexpected Companion
The next morning, the storm had finally passed.
The sky was still gray, but it was already calm. Still, the roads were filled with puddles left behind by the heavy rain.
At this time, Kai led the small group, with Aurora, Russel, and Amer, toward the newly claimed shelter.
Aurora walked beside him with her boots splashing lightly in the shallow water.
"Kai, what are we going to call this new shelter? You haven’t named it yet."
Kai slowed his pace, as he hadn’t considered it yet...
"Hmm... I haven’t decided. Names should be good since they’ll be on the maps. They’re also going to become our identity. What do you think?"
Russel chuckled. "If you ask me, we should call it Iron Haven. Sounds strong and dependable. I think people will feel safe hearing it... probably."
Amer shook his head. "Too boorish. It sounds like a Blacksmith City or something. I’d go with something simpler, like Clearwater. After all, it will attract other Survivors too. Water means life, and if they hear about this shelter, they’ll feel safe for sure..."
Aurora smiled faintly. "Both good suggestions. But I’d prefer something that inspires hope. Maybe Dawn Era. A name that reminds people of light after darkness."
Kai listened carefully... "Iron Haven, Clearwater... and Dawn Era. They all sound great, but I’ll think about it. We’ll decide once we get there."
The group continued along the muddy path until the terrain leveled out into a flat road.
Thankfully, they didn’t encounter enemies so far...
Soon, Kai stopped the group, then reached into his inventory. With a wave of his hand, a folding bicycle appeared in his hands.
Aurora did the same, pulling out another.
Russel’s eyes widened. "You’ve got bikes?"
Kai smirked. "Of course. I’ve got an extra. Here, Russel... take it." He handed over the bicycle, adjusting the handlebars.
Aurora turned to Amer. "And this one’s for you..."
At this time, Kai and Aurora only had limited Inventory Slots, but they deliberately stored bicycles for this situation.
Amer and Russel smiled and immediately accepted the familiar folding bicycles. They had already tried using them back in the shelter, so they weren’t new to this.
Russel couldn’t help but laugh as he mounted his bicycle. "So we’re going to use this to arrive early. Nice..."
Kai also swung onto his own, adjusting the seat. "That’s right... Let’s move. It’ll be faster this way."
The four of them pedaled down the road...
It was such a strange experience as the morning air felt cool against their faces.
However, Kai also noticed that someone was watching them...
’It’s not an A.I. Soldier... Must be a survivor.’ Kai thought as he decided to ignore the stalker for now.
He just continued pedaling like the others. It felt as if the wasteland didn’t feel oppressive. It didn’t feel like there was an A.I. Apocalypse as they passed along the road...
After some time, the outline of the new shelter came into view. Its walls were scarred but it had a thick metal gate protecting the base.
As they approached, something unexpected caught their attention.
Outside the shelter, Mei was crouched down, laughing softly.
Beside her, a golden retriever wagged its tail, bounding playfully in the mud.
Russel blinked. "Is that... a dog?"
Amer’s jaw dropped. "I thought they were all gone. I haven’t seen one except from the picture books..."
Aurora also slowed her bike, smiling in disbelief. "A golden retriever... here of all places."
Kai stopped, resting one foot on the ground.
Kai couldn’t help but smile wryly at the sight.
Yesterday, Mei had screamed with a resounding ’Kyaah’ while searching for the keys, and this was the cause. It hadn’t been a Sentinel or any enemy at all... it was this dog!
Mei looked up, with her face filled with excitement.
"Kai! Look! He’s friendly!"
She hugged the retriever, who licked her cheek enthusiastically.
It was definitely a rare sight...
Kai shook his head, amused. "In the middle of an A.I. apocalypse, and here we are... watching someone play with a dog."
Russel grinned. "Maybe that’s a good sign. If animals are still around, maybe the world isn’t completely lost."
Aurora dismounted before walking closer. She wanted to pet the dog but held herself back, clearing her throat instead.
"Ahem... so we have a pet now, huh? I wonder if we even have enough food to feed this one."
For survivors like them, even the locals who had consumed drops of Gene Enhancement Serums, hunger wasn’t a major issue. They could function on a single meal per day without much trouble. It only became a problem if they skipped food for several days.
Russel tilted his head, watching the retriever wag its tail.
"Wait... are we sure this isn’t some kind of cyborg? Machines have copied animals before."
Amer crouched beside Mei, inspecting the dog carefully. He pressed his hand against its fur, then checked its eyes and ears.
"No implants. No metal. It’s real. Just a dog."
Mei laughed after seeing this, since she had the same concern at first...
Then, she hugged the retriever tightly. "See? He drinks water like crazy and eats anything I give him. Leftovers, scraps... he doesn’t complain. As long as we share what we have, he’ll be fine."
Kai gently nodded as it wasn’t really a big concern. He wouldn’t mind opening Food Gift Packs for the dog every day.
"Then we’ll keep him. A shelter with a dog isn’t a bad idea. Besides, he might be useful. I heard that dogs can sense danger before we do."
Aurora finally allowed herself to reach out, stroking the retriever’s head.
"That’s right and they’re cute!"
Mei’s eyes sparkled. "Can we name him?"
Kai chuckled. "Another name to decide, huh? Just decided on it. You found him... or her, anyway."
"Him..." Mei corrected.
"Alright... I’ll think about it."
Just like that, the group entered the new shelter, and as soon as Aurora stepped inside, she immediately turned to look at the field.
Her Talent, Plant Enthusiast, immediately noticed the problem in the fields being tended by a group of people wearing Camouflage Suits, probably from Kai’s Gift Packs.
"Kai.... Wait, this field is..."
Kai nodded as soon as he noticed her reaction.
"That’s right. That’s the reason why I brought you here..."