novelraw Chapter 131: Resolution and Departure
Chapter 131: Resolution and Departure
Two days later, the base announced the results of their investigation to the public.
The parasite incident was caused by a bite from the Holloway Family’s vicious dog. The Holloway Family, having allowed their dog to harm people, must bear seventy percent of the responsibility. The remaining thirty percent will be borne by the base.
The base’s management was inadequate. There was no purified water, nor were there strict controls on water quality, which allowed all the livestock in the farm to contract rabies. When the animals bit and killed people, the issue was not taken seriously. When they fell ill, it was ignored. This vicious cycle led to irreversible consequences.
The failure to properly handle the deceased was also the base’s responsibility. They promised to establish a cemetery on the west side of the base, complete with a monument, to commemorate the tens of thousands of residents who died in this disaster.
To compensate the residents, the Holloway Family agreed to donate two-thirds of their supplies for distribution.
All residents of the base will have their rent and utilities waived for two months.
The entire base will be disinfected and the water purified. In two days, the purified water supply will be made directly available.
The head of the Holloway Family, blaming himself for his failure to properly discipline his household, committed suicide out of guilt.
...
"What do you think of this resolution?"
"It’s so-so." What Evelyn Ford hadn’t expected was that the root of it all was a dog bite.
Thinking of the Mr. Holloway who had died on Broken Cloud Mountain, all of Evelyn Ford’s questions were answered.
There had been clues all along. Mr. Holloway had owned a black dog. After the earthquake, Evelyn Ford had seen a dog crushed beneath an SUV, and next to it were many bone fragments and scraps of meat.
A monster raising a monster, yet so many innocent people paid the price.
Evelyn Ford went to Minister Warren and used some of her supplies to help Officer Graham and his group move to a new apartment. She also renewed the rent for apartments 601 and 602 for another three months. Living together these past few days, everyone felt safer, like they could all look out for one another.
Evelyn Ford also resigned from her job at the medical department, citing poor health and the need for a period of rest.
Minister Warren looked at the things she brought and cheerfully took care of it for her.
After Officer Graham and the others moved to the seventh floor, Ronan Kendrick had no choice but to return to his own apartment, 602. Although he was reluctant, Evelyn Ford was firm and kicked him out without ceremony.
Evelyn Ford returned to the medical department to tell Dr. Miller she was leaving. Dr. Miller didn’t try to stop her, but he did suggest she could work at the plantation. It was more relaxed there, and working with plants could be good for the soul.
Evelyn Ford refused this as well. She now saw the base only as a shelter, not a company to work for.
The base’s water purification efforts were a clear success. The water flowing from the taps was clean and clear, and it no longer smelled of bleach.
When the Holloway Family distributed their supplies, everyone went, including Wendy. The supplies were handed out per person, with each individual receiving a share. It wasn’t much, but it was free for the taking.
Ronan Kendrick also quit his job with the Hunting Squad. Since Evelyn Ford was staying inside and not going out, he followed her example. Suddenly, the two unemployed residents had a lot more free time.
"I’m thinking of leaving the base for a few days. Do you want to come with me?"
Ronan Kendrick immediately packed his things and looked at her with an expectant expression.
The base’s lockdown had been lifted, and everyone was free to come and go. Evelyn Ford wanted to check on the situation outside. The temperature had returned to normal, holding steady at around thirty degrees Celsius.
But it hadn’t rained since the snow melted, which was making people uneasy.
Having decided to leave for a while, the two of them took Mina and Lola, told Officer Graham and the others, and then left the base.
Many roads had been repaired outside the base. The residents were beginning to embrace their new lives, working in the wheat fields.
Trucks loaded with wood entered the base one after another. Officer Graham said the base was worried about another period of extreme cold, so they were stocking up on wood in advance.
Over the past two days, the farm in the base’s Undercity was being renovated. It was said that it would be converted into a fishpond.
All the base’s livestock had been disposed of. Recently, new chicks had been bred and were already being raised.
It seemed everything was getting back on track.
Except for those who had died.
A plot of land on the west side of the base had been cleared for a cemetery. A large monument stood at the front, inscribed with the names of all the deceased residents.
It was a warning bell for all, and a bloody death knell.
"Where are we going?"
Ronan Kendrick followed behind Evelyn Ford, with Mina at his side. Lola stood on his shoulder, her eyes curiously scanning their surroundings.
"First, let’s find a place to get those three bodies out and dump them. Keeping them in my space is just creepy."
Ronan Kendrick rubbed his nose. After all, this was his handiwork, so he didn’t dare object.
"Over there. There’s a pit. We can just toss them in."
Having been in the Hunting Squad, Ronan Kendrick was always out and about. He knew the location of every pit and slope like the back of his hand.
"Alright. Once we reach a safe area, I’ll take out the car and we can drive."
Ronan Kendrick watched her quietly. "Okay, but I don’t know how."
"I do."
"Evelyn Ford, I know where to find prey. I’ll take you hunting."
That was exactly what Evelyn Ford had in mind. "Sounds good. But we have to be back within a month, at most. June is not a peaceful month."
When they reached the large pit Ronan Kendrick had mentioned, Evelyn Ford glanced down and released the three bodies from her space. Ronan Kendrick promptly kicked them in.
"Let’s go."
The trees in the mountain forest were sprouting green buds again, and many wild grasses and vegetables had appeared on the ground.
Following a small path to the side, they even found a spring-fed pond.
The two of them rested on the spot for half an hour, had lunch, and then continued on their way.
After walking for a full day, they reached a safe area. Ronan Kendrick was in charge of hunting, while Evelyn Ford’s task was to check the water quality of sources along the way, monitor temperature changes, and look for any plant mutations.
She hoped that by observing changes in the plants, she could predict upcoming natural disasters and prepare accordingly.
Her greatest fear was the insect plague from her past life. The air had been thick with swarms of flying insects the size of mosquitoes. They were loud, carried viruses, and a single bite was a fate worse than death.
In her past life, the insect plague had lasted for three years and hadn’t ended even by the time she died.
The flying insects didn’t just attack humans; they spared no animal or plant.
After checking several mountains, she found no sign of the flying insects. Ronan Kendrick, on the other hand, had been very successful, killing a great deal of prey along the way.
Heading toward the Southwest, they reached Fairy Mountain. Evelyn Ford planned to stay here for a while. She found a flat piece of land near a water source and took out Mr. Holloway’s RV.
"We’ll camp here for a week."
Ronan Kendrick, cleaning the Crossbow Arrows in his hands, nodded in agreement.
"I can use these next few days to cook more food to store in my space. What do you want to eat?"
Ronan Kendrick immediately came over to her, a serious expression on his face as he began to list his requests. "Salted Duck, Five-Spice Beef, Sliced Pork with Garlic Sauce, Steamed Carp, Sweet and Sour Fish, Fish with Spicy Bean Paste, Sautéed Fish Fillets..."
"Stop! Are you trying to work me to death?"
Ronan Kendrick shook his head. "I can help."
"No, thanks. You’d just be in the way."
"Then let’s make a little less. I can eat a little less, too."