|Hannah — Citizen of the Underhive|
I release a tired breath while clutching my brother tightly. We are running and hiding from the cult, the cult that comes to our sector and starts forcing the people to drink their so-called blessed water. I know what those waters do to the people; we don't want that.
Because of this, we decide to run away and go to this rumored faction just outside the hive.
As a worker within the Cartel, I know about this faction. I hear about this faction and how it accepts people as long as they follow the rule of the leader of this faction. We also hear of them having water and food for the people joining.
At first, we don't want to risk the cartel's wrath to join this faction, but we don't have any choice when the cult starts blatantly showing its heretical teachings to the public and forcing the people to drink the blight-filled water. I am not a religious person. The preacher might tell us of how the God Emperor is the only god, but he never helps them, and I will never worship someone who never once helped them.
So we decided to take the risk and run away from the sector.
Sadly, the cult noticed us, and now they are hunting us. Out of one hundred thirty, only fifty-seven are left. At least the others die honorably by taking the cult with them and only leave the people who are holding swords and maces behind.
If the people who are holding weapons were chasing after us, we would be dead by now.
We are now hiding in one of the empty rooms after running for what feels like hours.
"Hannah… Will we be okay?"
I pat the back of my brother and say.
"Of course, Miro. We will be okay. We will reach that place and they will give us the food we need."
Even though I say that, deep down, I fear that they will reject us. We are from the cartel that tries to take over their base. We are members, no matter that we are former members instead of members of the cartel that tries to take over their water, food, and their women.
However, we don't have any choices. We don't want to be turned into those things. The so-called blessed humans. A husk of humans filled with pus and disease that want nothing but eating human flesh.
I wince a little when I hear a banging sound coming from the outside, and I put my finger in front of my mouth. The others nod, and they stay silent. This sector is on blackout, and I hope the darkness is enough to hide us.
"Coming out, meat~ We know you are there~ Grandfather Nurgle gives us the ability to smell fear~ Why are you afraid of him?~ He only want to give you his blessing~ Coming now and embrace the rot~"
We hold our breath, praying to whatever Gods can hear my prayer. Please don't let them see us. Please.
"Oi! Who are you?!"
I widened my eyes when I thought they saw us, but it was not the case. I can hear gunfire happening outside the room, and I can hear the scream of the cult member. It does not last long before the scream disappears, and silence once again engulfes us.
We hold our breath, thinking it is something worse than the cult. However, I hear a voice.
"Hello. Are you guys okay?"
Instead, I hear a gentle and kind voice calling us.
"We are not a cult. We are here to rescue you. Can you guys come out? I can heal you."
I look at the others, and I can see their hesitation. However, after a few seconds, I took a deep breath and put down my brother. He looks at me, pleading for me not to leave, but I pat his head and leave our hiding spot.
As I leave the room, I can see a group of people. Clean people. There is no pus-filled skin or rotten flesh on their bodies. The one in the front looks at me with a gentle smile that takes my breath away and says.
"My name is Kael. What's yours?"
I hesitate for a second, but eventually, I open my mouth.
"H-Hannah."
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I hold back a groan at such a thick miasma coming from them. It is good that they enter the bubble that Rob creates each time I claim a territory. Without that bubble, they will be corrupted, and that will be ugly.
"There we go. How is it?"
I smile after healing the last person on the ground who needs to be healed. She looks at her arms and legs in wonder before bowing her head.
"Thank you, my lord! Thank you."
I put my hand on her shoulder and said,
"Think nothing of it. Here. Have some fruit."
With a wave of my hand, I summon two apples and give them to her. She widens her eyes and quickly nods her head, eating the apple like someone who has not eaten for days. I stand up and walk toward Kian.
"How is the area? Any cult members? Or infected PDF?"
"Nothing in sight, My Lord. However, we do notice something."
"What is it?"
"We notice the wall on the eastern side of the sector is being destroyed. It connects the tunnel from the hangar to the inner hallway that goes to the other sectors. It is like they are clearing the area to make a road."
I frown a little at that news. That is the area I've yet to explore, but I have already noted it for exploration. Can I claim the area if there is no infection in the area? Hmmm… It is something worth trying.
"Ah, I know about that, my lord."
I turn around and see Hannah, the leader of this group. She is a former cartel member, the cartel that is attacking us. Well, calling her a member is wrong. She works as one of the forced laborers of the cartel. They are people who are forced to work by the cartel just because they stay in cartel territory.
She was just like Rita and the others when they first arrived in my territory. Slightly malnourished and full of injuries from all the hard labor they perform.
"Really? What is this new road used for?"
"For their vehicle, my lord. I hear the higher-ups of the cartel are angry at the stone wall or something. They want to blast that stone wall using a heavy vehicle they own. I don't know the details, but by the sound of it, they want to use a big explosive and this vehicle to blast the stone wall and use that to attack your base at once."
"Really?"
"Yes."
It is good that we know this now. I can fill the destroyed wall with another one and make it thicker. Making it harder for them to reach us. Explosives are expensive, and wasting explosives will give us time.
I look at Kian and say.
"Kian, pick five Guardians. They will come with me to this location so I can seal this hole. The rest of you, guard them while they eat and drink."
Kian and the five others nod their heads. However, before we can leave, Hannah quickly runs in front of me.
"Wait! Please take me with you. I will show you all the holes they create!"
I look at her for a few seconds and nod my head.
"Very well. Let's go."
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For you guys who don't know, I took a loan to pay for all the funeral expenses, and I need to pay quite a bit for the first installment. I don't have enough money to pay for rent, the electric bill, and food, alongside that monthly payment. I need your help to pay for the first few payments so I have enough savings to pay the rest without risking my family and me going starving or not paying rent.
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