Chapter 192: Contribution Points
The girl was startled by his words, her face instantly turning pale. "But... if that’s the case, why did the group leader let them take Candice Tate?"
Isn’t that just putting his life in someone else’s hands?
How could that be okay?
Dylan Dunn smiled brilliantly. "Of course, that’s because I’m confident I won’t die. He’s my brother!"
Although Dylan Dunn spoke with great certainty, the girl didn’t relax. She remained incredibly tense.
She was nervous not just because she was worried about Dylan Dunn, but because this concerned her as well.
Her job was watching Candice Tate. If Candice Tate never came back, it wouldn’t end well for Dylan Dunn, and her own fate would be no better than his.
She might even end up worse off than Dylan Dunn.
Although she was deeply worried, the girl was already gone, and Dylan Dunn’s attitude was so resolute. For now, she could only push her anxieties down.
She’d known Dylan Dunn for a while and understood his character to some extent.
Dylan Dunn was not the kind of selfless person who would give up his own life for others.
If he chose to trust those people, maybe they really were worthy of that trust.
...
Sierra Sullivan and her group went straight back to Kevin Everett and Yvonne Shelby’s place.
Knowing Candice Tate was hungry, Sierra Sullivan closed the main door and immediately took a variety of dishes from her space, spreading them out until the table was full.
Kevin Everett and Yvonne Shelby were both surprised to see all the food.
A month ago, the food at their home had been pretty good, but it was nothing compared to this.
But the two of them didn’t dwell on it. They just assumed Sierra Sullivan’s heart ached for what Candice Tate had been through, which was why she’d brought out so much delicious food.
Candice Tate hadn’t eaten well over the past week. In fact, her meals had been terrible.
Forget eating well—it was a struggle just to get enough to eat.
Now, seeing all this food and smelling its fragrant aroma, Candice Tate’s big eyes were shining.
Seeing that Candice wasn’t picking up her chopsticks, Sierra Sullivan asked softly, "Candice, aren’t you hungry? Why aren’t you eating?"
"Sister, you’re so good to me!"
Candice Tate’s eyes were brimming with tears.
She had always known that her sister was good to her.
But after everything she had been through recently, she understood this on a much deeper level. Her sister was truly wonderful to her.
Besides her mom, no one was better to her than her sister.
Seeing Candice like this made Sierra Sullivan’s heart feel both warm and sore. "You’re my Candice, aren’t you? If I’m not good to you, who would I be good to? Now, stop thinking so much and eat!"
At Sierra Sullivan’s urging, Candice Tate hesitated no longer. She picked up her chopsticks and began to eat heartily.
Sierra Sullivan looked at Kevin Everett and Yvonne Shelby. "Mr. Everett, Aunt Shelby, let’s eat too! It won’t taste as good once it gets cold!"
’Food this good would be delicious even if it went cold. If we took this outside, countless people would be fighting over it. How could it not be good?’
That’s what Yvonne Shelby thought to herself, but she quickly agreed out loud.
For a moment, the room fell silent, with only the clinking of chopsticks against bowls and plates.
Half an hour later, everyone had eaten and drunk their fill.
Jayce washed the dishes clean, and Sierra Sullivan then put them back into her space.
’There’s nowhere to buy these utensils now. We have to be careful with them. Later, when I make cooked food, I can use these to hold it.’
Once everything was tidied up, Sierra Sullivan finally asked Yvonne Shelby, "Aunt Shelby, is there a restroom and a shower?"
This one-bedroom apartment didn’t look like it would have its own toilet and shower.
’Conditions are tough now. People can go without showering, but they can’t go without using the toilet!’
Yvonne Shelby nodded repeatedly. "There are! But they’re public. The toilets are free to use, but you have to use Contribution Points if you want to take a shower."
"Contribution Points?" Sierra Sullivan raised an eyebrow.
’Another new term.’
’I’ve never heard of it before.’
’Is it what I think it is?’
"Yes!" Yvonne Shelby nodded again. "Contribution Points work just like money used to. You can use them to buy things in the base—anything for your daily life. You get Contribution Points for completing your work assignments in the base. Mr. Everett gets one thousand Contribution Points a month now. Given the purchasing power in the base, it’s enough to support the two of us, and if we’re frugal, we can even save a little."
Listening to Yvonne Shelby’s explanation, Sierra Sullivan understood. "So that’s how it is. In that case, the base really is becoming more organized. In a way, that’s actually a good thing."
’If they aren’t going to exploit Candice, then staying in the base might not be a bad idea.’
’Life is always a bit easier when there are rules and order to follow.’
But...
Sierra Sullivan didn’t follow that train of thought.
"Aunt Shelby, I have a bathtub in my space. How about we have Jayce fill it with some water so Candice can take a bath in the bedroom?"
"That would be wonderful! In our own place, with our own water, it’s safer and much cleaner." Yvonne Shelby’s expression became complicated. "I went to that public bathhouse once. It costs ten Contribution Points, but the water was murky and rationed. I didn’t even dare to wash and just came right back."
With Jayce, a Water Ability User, around, Yvonne Shelby hadn’t once lacked for water since the apocalypse began.
She really couldn’t bring herself to bathe in water that was so obviously dirty.
Although Sierra Sullivan hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, she could imagine the conditions of the public baths.
"It’s okay." Sierra Sullivan smiled at Yvonne Shelby. "Jayce is back now, so we won’t be short on water anymore. After Candice is done bathing, have Jayce fill it up again so you can take a bath too, Aunt Shelby."
Yvonne Shelby didn’t refuse.
She was a person who loved to be clean by nature.
Her not having bathed for so long was only due to her circumstances.
Now that she had the opportunity, of course she wanted to have a good wash.
Candice Tate sat in the bathtub while Sierra Sullivan and Yvonne Shelby washed her. Soon, she was completely clean, her skin once again fair and soft, and she smelled fragrant.
Sierra Sullivan then took a clean set of clothes out of her space, dressed Candice in them, and led her out.
Out in the living room, Jayce dried Candice Tate’s hair with a simple wave of his hand.
Candice Tate’s hair had grown a little longer in the past month.
After asking for Candice Tate’s opinion, Sierra Sullivan carefully trimmed her hair a little shorter.
With her hair cut, Candice Tate once again looked like an exquisite doll.
Sierra Sullivan nodded with great satisfaction. "Our Candice is just beautiful!"
Candice was a little embarrassed by the praise, her cheeks flushing red, but she couldn’t stop smiling, clearly overjoyed.
’How could I not be happy!’
’Just looking at Sister makes me happy!’
That evening, Sierra Sullivan put away the living room coffee table and took a suitable bed from her space to put down.
Kevin Everett and Jayce slept in the living room, while Sierra Sullivan and Yvonne Shelby slept in the bedroom with Candice Tate.