In the blink of an eye, two months had passed. The temperature had dropped, and they could no longer grow plants outside.
Thankfully, Medeia had asked Richard to build an indoor garden after Naomi came up with the idea of using hydroponics to grow vegetables and fruits during the winter months.
Lucian made sure the room had the right temperature and humidity so they wouldn’t face any crop failures.
"This is the first winter I’m actually sure no one will die," Naomi said, adjusting her arrow and lining it up with her sight.
Medeia stepped in to help with Naomi’s posture. "You should be thankful you’ve got me and Lucian around this year."
Naomi released the arrow with a laugh. "You’ve been here for years." She paused for a moment, then added, "But yeah, you’ve definitely changed since that whole ’almost becoming the Lost’ thing."
Medeia clicked her tongue. "Oh, come on. Please, spare my brain that was ruined because of that failed transformation."
Naomi laughed. "Well, I guess everyone sees you as a new person at this point." She continued, "Anyway, I didn’t expect the bow and arrow to be so hard to use."
Naomi had always used swords or other close-range weapons to fight. Not only because it felt more convenient for her, but also because she didn’t have to worry about keeping her distance, as she could heal so quickly.
"Why didn’t you ever ask Tian to teach you?" Medeia asked.
"That grumpy man?" Naomi rolled her eyes. "The only thing he’ll do is mansplain everything, and I hate his tone. Good thing his brother is nothing like him, so practicing swordsmanship with Ren is actually fun."
With Naomi, Medeia had finally completed her goal of teaching weapon use to 20 people.
[Congratulations! You have completed a mission: Teach Weapon Skills to More Than 20 Members of Red Star Alliance.]
[Reward Item: Avalanche Boots (Grade-A) — Effect: Boots that allow the wearer to run swiftly over snow and ice without leaving any trace, even on treacherous terrain.]
Oh, not bad. With those boots, Medeia didn’t have to worry about walking on thick snow.
"Are you and Ren dating? You two seem pretty close," Medeia asked casually.
Naomi gasped. "What?! Ew, dating him? No way, he’s too childish, not my type. We’re close because... well, it’s hard to find other friends at the end of the world, right?"
The population had decreased every year, so of course, meeting new people was difficult without the fear of being robbed.
Medeia smirked. "Maybe you’ll marry him one day because, let’s face it, your options are limited."
"No way! You could still meet someone new! And he’s handsome as hell!"
"You mean Lucian?" Medeia laughed. "Oh, don’t get your hopes up, girl. You’re not the main character in this show. The chances of you landing someone like him are ... zero."
Before Naomi could lash out, Medeia quickly ran away. "I have to go now! My hubby is waiting for me!"
She and Lucian had promised to tidy up their new bedroom after class was over.
A week ago, the construction of the base from the first to the third floor had finally been completed. The upper floors were still under construction, but since the walls and roof were already sturdy, Richard told them they could start moving in.
The walls were lined with heat-insulating materials, so they didn’t have to worry about freezing when winter arrived.
The third floor housed the sleeping quarters for the residents. The second floor served as a communal area, containing the kitchen, a training arena, meeting rooms, and even a lounge for relaxation.
Meanwhile, the first floor was primarily for the entrance and security checkpoints. Aside from that, it also included Lucian and Medeia’s private chamber.
Not only did they have easy access to enter and leave the base, but their bedroom also had a hidden passage leading to a secret underground space.
"Lucian, are you sure you need my help to clean this room? This bedroom is already spotless!" Medeia protested as she stepped inside.
Lucian could have cleaned the room in seconds with his ability, sparing Medeia from ever touching any cleaning equipment.
"I still need your help choosing the sheet color," he said, holding up two options—gray or white. "Which one do you like?"
Medeia picked the gray one and then watched as Lucian neatly made the bed by himself.
She was doing nothing—except gracing him with her presence.
Just as she was lost in thought, the system notification suddenly chimed.
[Host, a new mission has been assigned!]
[New Mission: Rescue Homeless Survivors from Winter]
Medeia hadn’t even seen any strangers on the streets—let alone rescued them.
[Host, the world’s population has dropped to only 20 million. It’s no surprise you don’t meet many people.]
[However, the system has detected homeless people scattered near Red Canyon.]
[Your base is secure, so adding new people won’t be an issue.]
Medeia clicked her tongue in irritation. Lucian glanced at her but, seeing that she wasn’t talking to him, he easily guessed she was communicating with the system again.
’Yeah, but our stockpile will decrease! The food! Winter clothes! Have you ever considered that?’ Medeia argued in her mind.
They had been growing crops using hydroponics, but who could guarantee it would work perfectly throughout the winter?
That was why they had been hunting non-stop, storing meat in a giant freezer—a room with permafrost soil to keep it preserved.
Medeia had carefully calculated all their winter supplies, so if more people suddenly joined, she would have to recalculate everything from the beginning.
"You should’ve told me about this mission earlier!" she snapped out loud.
[That’s your own fault for taking too long to finish the last mission, Host!]
Before Medeia could curse the system, Lucian interrupted. "What’s wrong?"
She groaned. "The system wants me to rescue the homeless from winter. How ridiculous. Now I have to recalculate our entire stockpile!"
Lucian pulled her into his arms, pressing soft kisses to her forehead. "Oh, don’t worry. I’ll help you with that."