Chapter 125
30 nting pots, made of stic that was not resistant to low temperatures and could be
brittle when frozen. However, they were thick, so as long as handled carefully, there shouldn''t be a
problem.
Four packs ofpound fertilizer, each weighing about 50 pounds.
Satisfied with the goods, Ste pulled out a sk of liquor from her bag.
Monkey, initially upset about not making a profit, was pleasantly surprised. The liquor alone made
the deal worthwhile.
Having secured his goods, Monkey departed.
Jasper, to make Ste''s job easier, had stayed out of the transaction, waiting outside with Rosie.
Once sure the coast was clear, Ste stowed the items away in the Arcadia.
As she was about to leave, she noticed Jasper talking to Monkey at a distance, apparently
negotiating a deal.
Only after Monkey had left did Stee out.
Back in their neighborhood, Ste didn’t rush home. She let Cooper out of her bag for a walk
around the block. This guy was well-behaved and knew better than to whine while tucked inside the
backpack.
While Ste walked the dog, Jasper watched over Rosie. They stood sheltered from the wind,
quietly watching the two frolic in the cold.
The items exchanged were paid for by Ste, to which Jasper asked, “What do you want for today’s
deal?”
They usually split the goods, but as Jasper was the one primarily looking after the potatoes, Ste
didn’t want to take advantage of him. So, she included the cotton shoes in the deal, “Any chocte
left?” It was delicious, a bit addictive.
“Yes,” he replied.
Back on the 18th floor, the nters and fertilizer were temporarily stored in the Arcadia, and the
cotton shoes were given to Jasper.
Jasper brought out two boxes of chocte. Ste, being fair, only took one.
Once inside, Rosie looked up, “Jasper, I want some chocte.”
“It has alcohol, kiddo. You can have some toffee instead.”
Two dayster, Jasper dropped Rosie off at 1802, “I need to step out for a bit, can you look after
Rosie?”
Ste agreed willingly; they’d been taking turns watching over the kid and the dog.
Just as she was about to make some instant soup for lunch at noon, Jasper returned, his backpack
bulging.
Rosie, smelling the noodles, looked at him with longing, “Jasper, I want some.”
Since his dog had been fed by him, Ste felt obliged to offer, “Would you like some as well?”
To her surprise, Jasper agreed, “Alright.”
She added two more packs of soup to the pot, threw in some hams and fried an egg for each of
them.
Ste’s apartment wasn’t big, and Jasper’s arrival made it even more cramped. But the presence of
a dog and a child somehow added a strange sense of peace.
A monthter, the residents of 1803 returned safely from their day shifts. This time they looked
much better thanst time, not as haggard and weary.
Despite the weather, they only suffered minor frostbites, thanks to the frostbite ointment they had.
In addition to their wages, they also brought back several valuable items, including a piece of gold
weighing almost half a pound. All of these were handed over to Ste for safekeeping and to trade
for more useful items in the future.
Work was different from school, but in just two months, Ang and Lukas had changed
dramatically. Especially Lukas, who used to be reliant on women, now stood tall and strong, he had
be a real man. Of course, he was still good to Ang, constantly praising his wife.
Cody was envious, while Ste could only shake her head.
In the past two months, they had faced many dangers but made it through each time, gaining
valuable experience and resources in the process.
"Ste, you''re not going to believe this. I feel like I''ve opened my third eye," said Lukas with a grin,
hugging a pillow on the sofa. "No matter who it is, as long as I look closely at them in a crowd, I can
tell from their gaze, bodynguage, and the way they walk if they''re a good or bad person, or even if
they''re a petty thief or the worst sort of felon..."
"Isn''t that expected of you?" Ste said, digging in her ear. "You''re a security patrol officer, so the
police station should provide professional training for you."
Lukas was speechless for a moment, before managing to stutter out, "Ste, are we still friends?"
Well, he had a bad stomach since he was little, and doctors said he should eat digestible foods.
Now he had finally cured his stomach ailment, he was getting stronger and more powerful, and she
was going to beat him down like this?
"Sorry, my bad." Ste reflected deeply on herself.
Angughed loudly, "Don''t mind him, Ste. He''s been pretty sensitivetely."
Okay, as long as he was okay, it wouldn''t affect unit 1803''s shenanigans or rest.
Now they were well off with their food stocks, hence they were not feeling anxious.
In thesest two months, they encountered many dangers but also luckily escaped each time. At
the same time, they made a good fortune, which boosted unit 1803''s confidence. They invited two
neighboring families to a meal. There was meat, canned food, a bit of wine, and plenty of rice.
As theirbat experience with thugs grew, they unanimously decided to continue working to earn
food.
Jasper, not wanting to freeload off 1803’s generosity, taught them several closebat techniques
and life-saving skills. The police had also provided training, but their techniques were no match for
those of a SWAT officer. Their jobs were different, and their techniques were different. The police
taught arrest techniques which focused on reforming criminals, while Jasper’s were about
neutralizing threats.
They took the training seriously, practicing over and over.
In other news, Ang, thanks to her impressivebat skills, had caught the eye of the chief of
security and was promoted to squad leader, resulting in a pay rise from 8 to 12 pounds of grain.
Cody and Lukas were envious and vowed to toughen up. They couldn’t be outdone by a woman;
they, too, wanted to be squad leaders.
They practiced not just in the hallway, but also in their beds at night, discussing how they could be
as efficient as Jasper at taking down enemies.
And so,te at night, they practiced choking each other.
“Ouch, take it easy.”
“Ah, you too.”
Property ? N?velDrama.Org.
Ang, hearing themotion, banged on the door, “What are you two doing?”
Startled, Lukas quickly got out of bed, hurriedly putting on a jacket, “Honey, we were practicing the
combat techniques Jasper taught us.” In case she didn''t believe him, he invited her into their room
for inspection.
Not long after, Cody, who had been desperately blocking his ears from the sound next door, sighed
deeply.
Over the next few days, Jasper went out a couple of times, bringing back various items. Once, he
brought back a pair of rabbit fur gloves. Ste, already having a pair of heated gloves, instinctively
declined, “No need, give them to Rosie.”
“I got Rosie a pair. These won’t fit her.”
If she didn’t ept them, he’d likely have to give them away. Ste had no choice but to ept,
“What do you want in return?”
Jasper thought for a moment, “Your instant soup are delicious.”
Ste was nning to give him her special spicy vor, along with a couple of sausages.
Rosie, salivating at the side, chimed in, "Oh yes, Ste makes the best soup ever."
Flustered, Ste had no choice but to oblige, her lips twitching in a slight smile. "Alright, I''ll make
soup today."
She added mushrooms and cabbages, sausages, and a fried egg.
Unable to resist, Ste pulled out a jar of spicy pickled asparagus from Arcadia, adding a hefty
amount to her own bowl. Just as she was about to ask if they wanted some, Jasper and Rosie
simultaneously covered their noses, retreating in horror.
"Ugh."
The dog kept opening its mouth wide, as if trying to vomit but couldn''t. Its eyes, filled with disdain,
looked at Ste: ‘You, are you eating poop?!’