Chapter 55: The Agreement

After returning to the military base, Mike first went to the supply depot and exchanged for the highest level supply crates, as well as a full ten divination chips of the lightning attribute.

That left him with 2,100 merit points.

That was the deposit he planned to use to exchange for Praxis chips.

Tonight, he would continue preparing for the high-intensity electrotherapy.

The supply depot attendant was extremely polite and respectful towards this new sergeant, as they could tell from his abundant merits that he was a capable individual who was likely to achieve great success in the future.

"Report, officer, you no longer need to come here in person to exchange supplies. There are dedicated priests in the officer's dormitory who can serve you, so you can have them run these errands for you." The attendant's smile was as bright as a sunflower as if he was greeting his father.

This was completely different from the last time he had come.

"You mean like a delivery service?"

Mike understood but still felt uneasy, so he declined.

What if the priests switched out his memory chips?

At this point, the attendant leaned in secretly and whispered, "If you'd like to replace your family members, you can let us know. What kind would you like? If you need a wife, we have some excellent candidates we can introduce you to, guaranteed to satisfy you."

Mike was taken aback. "Why are you so eager for me to replace my family?"

His instincts told him there was something suspicious about this.

"Ah, you see..."

The attendant didn't hide anything, and frankly explained, "Apparently there were some quality issues with the previous batch of supplies, and several officers have been complaining. The higher-ups have already been punished for this, and now they plan to recall that batch and repatriate them back to the welfare homes for retraining."

Mike frowned. That meant David's daughter would also be repatriated.

Unacceptable, he had to figure out a way to stop this.

This situation required vigilance, as the Necro Cult had already infiltrated the city, and who knows if there might be some bigwig trying to defect due to reaching their lifespan limit or inability to advance further.

And the person behind Ron was also a potential threat.

He felt uneasy and needed to hurry home to check on things.

"Oh, right."

Mike suddenly paused and turned back to ask, "Do you have any snacks, candies, or girls' clothes and hair clips here? Like household items for family members?"

The attendant blinked. "You mean supplies for your family members? Yes, we have those, and since you hold this rank, they're all free - take as much as you'd like!"

He was extremely eager. "Let me go get those ready for you right away."

In the dead of night, the campfire on the frontlines crackled and popped.

The stone house's door was left open, and a young girl in a white dress was asleep on a small stool outside. A group of priests and ten red-robed mechanics stood watch over her.

It was a rather eerie scene.

When Mike returned, he heaved a sigh of relief to see that everything was fine.

These were the people Eric had left behind, as that guy had already been taken by Noah's Organization to work as a mechanic, and before leaving, he hadn't forgotten to have them look after the young girl.

It seemed Noah's Organization was quite good to Eric.

Seeing Mike's return, the priests and mechanics knew they had completed their task. They reverently bowed and quietly withdrew, making no sound.

In contrast, Mike was not as gentle, directly shaking the girl awake and calling out, "Isabelle! Isabelle! Wake up, why are you sleeping out here? You'll catch a cold."

Isabelle slowly stirred, her eyes still hazy and a touch dopey.

It took her a moment to realize her brother had returned.

She obediently replied, "I'm used to it."

"Used to what?"

Mike asked.

"Waiting for Mom and Dad like this when I was little."

Isabelle spoke softly, "The elders at home said that every journey has life and death hanging in the balance, but if you have your family's gaze and blessings, you will return safely."

That was probably the nonsense preached by the Afterlife Department, those outdated old fools.

They had sold her off as a witch, yet she still remembered their useless drivel.

Of course, Mike also discerned the deeper meaning behind this statement.

"Do you hope I return safely?"

He asked curiously, "Do you consider me family?"

This was the first time since losing his parents that he had experienced the feeling of someone waiting for him at home.

Isabelle nodded seriously. "Brother is family, assigned by Divine Intelligence."

Mike raised an eyebrow. "What about your previous family?"

"They were also family."

"So will you wait by the door for them to return as well?"

"No... I won't."

"Why not?"

"Because they didn't like me."

"Do you think I like you?"

"At least Brother is kind to me."

"You're pretty easily satisfied, aren't you?"

Mike looked at this doll-like girl and sighed inwardly.

"If this is what a witch is, then it's not really that scary. The only thing that stands out as a flaw is that she can dream and paint, but it hasn't brought her any misfortune.

It's helped her escape from a life-threatening situation.

"Listen, from now on you'll be my sister, the only family I have in this world. I'll come to protect you, but you can only pray for me and no one else." Mike ruffled her dark hair forcefully, still not telling her about the Remnants of the Afterlife Department.

Though he didn't know how the little girl had escaped from the Necro Cult.

Nor did he know what kind of abuse she had endured in her past family.

But the past no longer mattered.

This child's life was already full of scars, no need to know those sorrowful things.

"You can be sad, you can be upset, you can get angry, but it can only be for me, not for any other unrelated people. Your mom and dad are watching over you from heaven, and as for the others, they have nothing to do with you now - you're my family."

Mike said seriously, "Do you understand?"

Isabelle was silent for a moment, then nodded blankly.

"Okay."

Mike took a bag of candies from his pocket, "This is your gift."

Isabelle was surprised, as the concept of gifts had almost escaped her in her life.

The only ones who used to bring her little surprises were her mom and dad.

Even Mike had never been so good to her before, only treating her as an ordinary family member, giving her the basic respect as a person.

But this time, she seemed to be experiencing a feeling of being cherished.

Mike's attitude towards her had changed noticeably.

"I also bought you a lot of dresses, it's going to be winter soon, what if you catch a cold wearing that broken nightgown all day? I don't have the time to take care of you. Listen up, I don't know how long I'll live, but as long as I'm alive, you'll live a good life with me."

Mike placed the boxes of clothes in front of her, then raised his pinky finger, speaking word by word, "Whoever bullies you, I'll beat them to death."

Isabelle was stunned for a long time, then gently raised her pinky and hooked it with his.

Very cute.

Mike then smiled and unwrapped a piece of candy, putting it in her mouth.

Isabelle blinked her eyes dumbly, the lychee-flavored candy melting in her mouth.

She had never eaten lychee and didn't know what it was.

But it was very sweet.

Very, very sweet.

"Change clothes, we're moving."

Since there was nothing valuable in this stone house, they didn't need to bring anything, just went straight to the officer's dormitory on the military base.

Isabelle wore a fluffy white mink hat, wrapped in a thick, snow-white cashmere coat, with thick-lined tights and heavy snow boots.

Mike also put a brown scarf around her and gave her gloves.

The jade-carved girl suddenly became very refined.

"Now you look good."

Mike smiled contentedly.

Isabelle saw her renewed self in his dark eyes, and for a moment felt a bit unfamiliar, as if she couldn't recognize herself.

The candy in her mouth had melted, but the sweetness still lingered.

"Let's go."

Mike took her hand and led her to the officer's dormitory.

Isabelle gently twitched her delicate nose, as if she could smell the scent of the wilderness.

It was a smell she would never forget her whole life.

The smell of the place she had grown up in.

She looked up at the young man's profile as if she had understood something.

"Brother, did you see anyone out there this time?"

"No, just a bunch of living beasts."

"Living beasts?"

"It has nothing to do with you."

"Oh."

"Brother."

Isabelle averted her gaze, calling out softly like a well-behaved kitten, "I'll be a lot of trouble, there are a lot of people in this world who don't like me."

"I know, but I don't like those people either, I think they're idiots."

Mike shrugged, "I like to go against idiots the most."

Isabelle had known very early on that she had been abandoned, so wherever she went, she would cherish it as her home, but the endings were never good.

That distant stone house had once been her last hope.

Now she had to leave that too.

But this time she was not afraid, but filled with joy.

Because someone had promised her the meaning of home.

As long as she followed him, anywhere would be home.

Isabelle raised her pale eyes as if a storm was gathering in the depths of her eyes, the image of the young man reflected in her eyes was gloomy as if shrouded in a vague mist, gradually tinged with a deep black.

The color was even darker than when Mike had prepared to carry out his mission before.

That was... the color of death.

"I'll protect Brother well."

Isabelle suddenly said.

"What nonsense are you talking about? I don't need you to protect me."

Mike slapped her on the head, "You're not big, but your mouth is."

Isabelle pursed her colorless lips.

Her soft voice was drowned out by the howling winds.

"You protect me, and I'll protect you too."