Chapter 184

  “It feels like fate. To get to know his son like this, and learn what he is like, so I have to be clever about it more. Yep. Kaufman is also there... asshole. Luke... Fain too. What am I missing? Who? Maybe I am asking for more than I can chew, but who is here to detest that hunger?!” Mi-Yung mumbled as she perked up her legs and got up in a flash.

  Gulping down a cup of water to quench her thirst, droplets fell down her rose-like lips. They turned to mist, as her face underwent a massive change. Her eyes shimmered like a cat's, and her posture changed as if the engine rumbled. She was no longer wet.

  “Luuuukeeee...” An evil smirk spread across her face. She will savor her time tonight, or could it be another way around? She knew the answer to that.

  Mi-Yung walked straight to her room, where Luke was already waiting. For all eyes to see, cross-legged and fully nude, he sat on the bed. Showing his muscles and shimmering parts of his Emblem, it was lacking compared to hers, but not to him.

  The dark room will make up for his lacking ideas, as it won't be dark for long. Luke didn’t even care. He expected this incoming guest with a smile on his face. Mi-Yung made no sounds besides closing and locking the door. Then, with a less evil smile, anger, and rightful time, the towel dropped down without her doing anything, revealing her back.

  “I won't be polite with you today, Luke,” she said as she turned, giving him no small show. Smiling like a witch, she leaned her back against the door and stretched her arms upwards. “What will you do, I wonder?”

  This pair was very familiar with each other's needs. Perhaps a bit too much if one were too curious and mindful.

  “I won't lose to you, unlike before,” Luke declared in a relaxing tone and with similar stretching arms.

  “Tomorrow, we talk. Tonight, we act,” she giggled and pounced forth. Their night won't be so boring after being apart for many days. They had to vent. Both enjoyed it in their own ways.

  Sadly, for one of them, not for the entire night.

  ***

  A new day soon shone over the Federation. As usual, peaceful times arrived, and the explosions and battles from far away didn't reach the shoreline. A couple of battles here and there still remained, but the night-time was where most Darks battled much better, and it wasn't absolute and eternal.

  Rifts were almost not notable with the sun in the way, and thanks to various protective layers of Walkers working overnight, protecting the shores, nothing was breached.

  They protected their status quo, and many Rifts even closed overnight. Some stayed, and Walkers got injured, though Darks completely lost this fight. Not the war, however. That one was a difficult thing to reach, let alone finish.

  The Federation won a minor battle this time around, by any means, and by any appearances. It was excessive, yet who would blame the cause for being a little girl?

  Well, a couple of people might assume it for sure, as they were closer to the truth, but even more assumed the Crystal Water Sea as the main problem. It was more probable, so that was good enough for one sleepless fool.

  Peace was common for people walking to their jobs. Most streets were already busy, since the amount of work was endless, thanks to continuous expansions and difficulties that came with being in the middle of the ocean.

  People didn't hate it, or partially liked their jobs. It was like an action keeping their lives intact and giving the Federation back what they deserved. One was life, the second a gladness for this safety, and the third was a hopeful future.

  Historically, the beginning of the Federation was rough, with many instances of almost total wipeouts. If it weren't for the plethora of support, resources, and Walkers, it would never have worked out.

  Darks constantly troubled them, old or new, whipping, flying, or sniffing. Or knowing. Many had sharp instincts, and large tides of people were a rarity indeed. At least they were in much smaller numbers than over the continents.

  Everything here was like a continuous game between mice, excuses, and primal predators. Continuing this game became a single point of advantage and an incredibly long-term problem.

  Until the Federation became half-independent with its promises, lands, and people, no one trusted anyone too much. It was prudent, since with such troubles came a prospect of reputation. Walkers and leadership had to work with that.

  That started many decades ago when Mi-Yung wasn’t even alive.

  Work and needs have changed over time. Trials of errors and successes presented time and time again that people could agree with pretty much anything and learn from their mistakes. Give enough reason and excuses, maybe even morons wouldn't even know they got a great or terrible deal because of that.

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  Then, there was another strange motivation. Assembly Island and, surprisingly, the mysterious Emblem Academy that was, by now, relatively closer to it than ever before. Back then, it wasn’t even worth noting, but it grew faster than the Federation thanks to many Walkers within their ranks.

  Both were independent forces that didn't rule the other. Alan Fain was too lofty for that, and the Assembly Island was full of comparable Walkers like him to make the Academy into a true mastermind behind this hemisphere.

  Both of these places were expecting new and great recruits every year, and they weren't alone, so the status quo was as puzzling as the public believed it to be.

  In truth, the Academy and Assembly had a fine partnership that made this land very safe. There were many Rifts and potential problems, so Fain probably assumed it was a great fishing spot.

  Hence, some Darks knocking on their doors was less than an issue. People might even welcome it and hope for more because that was their truth. Everyone here was used to it. Hordes won't come, though Rifts could get pretty darn dangerous if one weren't careful. Then, Swarms were the last problem, albeit those were kind of rare to reach this far.

  The Incursion was... well, it wasn't a problem. It would be catastrophic, yet one has never gotten here. It was difficult to predict, so most Walkers considered it a major potential threat to this place.

  If it happened, where would everyone escape?

  Surrounded by Rifts that could open any moment, it was like a fortress that could become an open prison, or quite a fancy graveyard.

  History had already described the truth. People would find this place rather limiting and dull, with the majority of people enduring the fragility of their lives, and hope and endure. They were good at it. Happy too. Even by contracts close to slave-like labor and work, and more work, it was acceptable.

  William had yet to experience everything, but he felt this truth more than well Outside, and he wasn’t new to this idea of freedom, hope, and despicable dread.

  Stretching himself in the morning sunlight, he slept well and couldn't hate this morning sun any less. He couldn't understand how people were fine with getting up early. He did it for so long that his head turned weird. After all, there were sleepless nights and even more terrible nights ahead of him.

  But then he glanced at the clock and discovered it was rather late already. He had a job to do, even if it was no job at all. It was more like a responsibility, and he didn’t want to disappoint Ellie.

  Then he recalled Mi-Yung and got a terrible headache.

  Sighting, he slapped his face with a pillow. “What happened yesterday? Was it a single day or a whole week? I feel like this place and people will drive me nuts. Kaufman, Ellie, and now... Mi-Yung. What am I doing wrong? Should I dare to call it home, or Mi-Yung someone... else? No. I spoke to her briefly, and she said so much already. I should listen and think about her points more. That's right. Let's go with patience and not go too far ahead of myself. The stuff about my parents will wait. What place in my life could even be called home?” He asked himself and sighed.

  “None in the past decade, so let’s go at it the usual way,” William let go of the pillow and extended his right hand into the air. Bearing the softest bed he had ever owned, the Emblem was still in his arm. Wonderful.

  The shimmering light within his forearm left much to his satisfaction, yet he was glad it was still there.

  If it weren’t, what sort of terrible thing would happen for sure? It was neither terrible nor something he would describe as nice. It was a bit complicated. It might crash his body, give his mind a middling voice, or it might growl and make him do things he shouldn't be proud of.

  But he was. Deep down, he had to be.

  Still, he was less than clear about the benefits provided by Rank 0. The Emblems were deep unknown forests. And his was disappearing, and keeping him thinking why that's the case, and why it was so odd and fine,

  After days of reading through the library, he hadn’t caught up on anything. Only death. He wasn’t a walking dead, right? He never died…right? Well, with a single day on the upper floors on his mind, he might discover news every day.

  At least he was sure Rank 0 wasn't about the System. It was about effectiveness and growth period, or… it could be marked by some System when he thought about it more. After all, what sort of rules were even there? Broken... Chaotic... This era was shittty, and he shouldn't think of rules at all.

  He wasn’t sure, though, but his uncertainty was quite often filled with holes made by his memories.

  Kaufman tested it in a gruesome way, giving his Emblem a wake-up call by using his blasted white and powerful Emblem to shatter boundaries of common sense.

  William didn't get it much. So far, most wake-up calls revolved around Darks, extremely dangerous conditions, or... emotions. He did the last with Luke because he was getting emotional, or, well, his Emblem did.

  It didn’t help out with anything. William thought it enjoyed and wanted to do it more and more, and what Kaufman did was even worse. What could he even do with this thing? He didn’t dare to ask Ellie for anything, let alone that half-naked lady who seemed way too obvious about her desires.

  Kaufman ended up understanding, or it was his presumption of compliance and satisfaction that prevented him not stealing him right away.

  Both he and Ellie wanted to see something, and both got what they asked for. Now, will Mi-Yung do it to him as well? If so, what?

  William's expectations rose exponentially when he thought about her words and reasoning. Help could be a lot of things. There should be nothing more to it than allowing him to live under her roof.

  Wrong.

  Clenching his fist, he got up and walked to the window like yesterday. Bare-chested, but this time with underwear, just to be safe. There was a lady in the house, after all.

  Not like she was the one... to talk.

  The last night had questionable intentions, so he stood there in silence. Then he started to massage his Emblem and feel his forearm. He did it subconsciously, like poking a little scar or scratching a bee sting.

  Mi-Yung was new. He hadn't thought of that mysterious person much after he met Ellie and spent days with her. It wasn't as if he expected someone extra, but she could be called extra.

  Shaking his hair, he put on his clothes and got out. In the kitchen, Mi-Yung was already there, although with clothes this time, so... NO! That was a completely normal thing to do. William disagreed with himself and greeted her pondering face.

  “Good morning, Mi-Yung.”

  “Oh, morning? Already up this soon?” she asked after noticing his presence. She seemed to be bothered by something and didn't care what time it was.

  “Is it that soon? The hell...” By all means, someone so busy like that shouldn’t speak like this. Well, at least she was wearing her clothes.