Chapter 356: A Natural-Born Talent for Catching Cheaters
After parting ways with Patriot, Steven returned to the Infected encampment. There, in the makeshift classroom Alina had set up, he immediately spotted the gentle, lovely girl tidying things up.
The evening sun poured in behind her, its glow draping her figure in a quiet, tranquil light.
The sight carried an inexplicable sense of warmth—like a husband coming home after a long day of work, watching his wife fuss over household chores.
Steven subconsciously straightened his clothes before walking over, sneaking up behind her.
Alina was focused on putting away the children's books and exercise sheets. Thanks to Steven, the kids at least had pens and paper now—small things, but precious when it came to their education. To her, the extra time it took to organize these things wasn't a burden at all.
She only noticed him when their hands brushed together while reaching for the same stack of notebooks. Startled, she looked up, but upon seeing who it was, her lips curved into that familiar, soft smile.
"Done with what you had to do?" she asked in her ever-gentle tone, pausing her work and allowing him to help with the rest.
Just as Steven liked being near her, Alina too cherished the sense of safety his presence brought.
Though he often did outrageous things, when he was around, it always felt like there were no problems in the world.
Sometimes, his unpredictability even led to amusing changes—something new, something fresh—which she couldn't help but enjoy.
"Yeah," Steven replied with a grin. "Helped the guerrillas deal with some problems. But, of course, it stirred up new ones too. Like this migration here—guess I'm partly responsible."
He rarely bothered explaining himself to anyone. But with Alina, he found himself talking more.
"I think the trouble from before… it was bound to lead to heavier consequences," Alina said with a soft smile, stepping to his side.
Her hands reached up, carefully straightening his collar and smoothing down the strands of hair messed up from battle. "But this migration—it's not a bad thing, is it?"
She didn't know what Steven might do next, but she trusted that he wouldn't act out of malice.
If the present situation came from his choices, then surely there was a reason for it.
"You…" Steven sighed helplessly, watching her fuss over his appearance. "Do you really think everyone's that kind at heart?"
Though he'd tidied himself earlier, her touch was more delicate, more precise.
"Not everyone," Alina answered with a playful smile. "But I trust you. I know you. If anyone sees the world that way, it's Talulah more than me."
Her fingers lingered, brushing lightly over his cheek—the very spot where Talulah's lips had pressed not long ago.
Alina's eyes narrowed.
Talulah hadn't left any obvious mark. But Alina seemed to sense the trace anyway.
Steven could only groan helplessly under Alina's gaze.
"Seriously, is this some kind of natural-born talent you girls have? How in the world did you even notice that? Guess I really should've washed my face before coming here."
Seriously—was this some kind of passive skill unique to women?
"It doesn't matter," Alina replied softly, looping her arm through his. Her look melted back into a gentle smile. "As long as I can stay by your side, I'm happy. Talulah being close to you… I can accept that."
"…Ugh, you know, the gentler you are, the guiltier I feel." Steven sighed, waving his hands as if to push the weight away. "Come on, let's go find Talulah. She's knee-deep in trouble right now."
Packing away the last of Alina's things into his inventory, Steven led her toward Talulah's direction.
After all, even with food and supplies, moving such a massive group of Infected was no simple task. Especially since Talulah had only just become the so-called leader of Reunion. Her very first decision was to abandon the only stable shelter they had. Of course people would be unhappy.
And sure enough, when they found Talulah, she was in the middle of a heated dispute, her expression tight with frustration.
"All this… just because of a prediction that might not even happen? You'd drag these old and weak through such harsh weather? Do you even know what you're doing?"
The voice came from a man in the crowd—his presence marked by the strange white mask on his face.
Steven squinted at him, memory stirring.
He'd seen him back in that mobile city… what was his name again?
One glance at the health bar above the man's head jogged his memory. Ah—Brull.
"And besides," Brull continued sharply, "this so-called 'warning' came from the guerrillas. How do we know they aren't just using this chance to get rid of us—those who refused to join them? Our situation is already dire enough. We aren't on the same side to begin with!"
His doubts spilled out like poison, his distrust of the guerrillas plain as day.
"The guerrillas wouldn't do something like that," Talulah shot back, her voice firm but weary. "This intelligence came directly from the Patriot himself. If we stay, the losses will be far greater. And as for food along the way… leave that to me. All you need to do is rally the others."
As the freshly appointed leader, Talulah clearly wasn't used to the role yet. At a time like this—when a firm decision was needed—her first instinct was still to explain herself.
Fortunately, the mention of a steady food supply softened the crowd's mood.
If she could handle provisions, then even a migration wasn't impossible. After all, they were already starving here. If moving meant there'd be something to eat, then why not?
"Where exactly are you getting this food from?" Brull's voice cut through the murmurs, still heavy with suspicion. "The guerrillas can barely feed themselves most of the time. We tried to get food from them before and were flatly refused. And now suddenly there's enough to feed all of us?"
The doubt in his tone was sharp. If food had really been available, then why hadn't it been offered earlier?
"I have a merchant friend willing to help," Talulah answered with a frown, irritation flickering across her face. "He heard about our situation and agreed to provide supplies. Is that explanation enough for you?"
She could understand Brull's doubts, but being openly distrusted still left a sour taste.
Brull's mouth opened to press further, but one of the men at his side tugged at his sleeve and shook his head.
Leader or not, Talulah had been chosen by them. Even if it had only been a single day since her appointment, her word was still law. Whether her claim about food was true or not would become obvious soon enough. If supplies didn't show up, they could confront her then. But if he kept pushing like this now, anyone would think Brull was just bitter about losing the leadership vote.
"If there are no objections, then start organizing the migration," Talulah said firmly. "The guerrillas have agreed to let us move behind them. At the very least, our safety will be guaranteed."
Her eyes flicked toward Brull—who was still visibly unconvinced—but she offered no further explanations. Instead, she issued her first order as leader of Reunion.
One by one, the people dispersed to carry out preparations. Only then did Talulah notice Steven and Alina, hand in hand, standing not far away.
The moment her eyes met theirs, the stern front she'd been holding up crumbled. Talulah strode over and buried her head against Steven's chest with a dull thump, the air around her heavy with frustration.
Thankfully, the others had already left. If they'd seen her like this, they'd probably be wondering whether they'd made a huge mistake choosing her as leader.
"Looks like your authority isn't quite there yet," Steven remarked with half-lidded eyes, glancing toward the direction the crowd had gone. "From the way they talked, it's obvious… not everyone in Reunion shares your ideals or beliefs."
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Note: Character Illustration is in this Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iuyfwNVFHzIi9H4rWNT_lAm7jTSiah_M
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