Chapter 204
Mark detailed every aspect of Eastwood Eden''s situation, assuring them that they could stake out a
plot near Building 5 for cultivation.
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Ste hauled a sack of potatoes from the car boot, weighing in at 20 pounds, which she used to pay
the rent.
The trio, along with the dog, drove to Building 5. The distance between the buildings was
substantial, and with Building 4 in between, they could enjoy their privacy. It did seem pretty good.
"Rosie, Cooper, we''re gonna have a new home. Excited?"
"Yeah."
"Woof!"
The entrance door to Building 5 was probably made of wood and had been stripped away for
firewood during the harsh winter.
Parking the car below the building, they made their way upstairs. Ste had her sights set on the
fourth floor. Unit 401 had arge terrace of over 1000 square feet, perfect for farming.
Unit 401 was thergest, with four bedrooms, two living rooms, two balconies, and two bathrooms.
It was estimated to be around 1500 square meters.
Its natural light and venttion were excellent, but it had been water-damaged, so renovations
would be a major project.
Units 402 and 403 were three-bedroomyouts, which could be cleaned up for rabbit farming.
Ste asked, "Should we stay on the fourth floor or move up further?"
Jasper thought the fourth floor was good. "We don''t know when the earthquake will hit. Living too
high up might be risky."
Actually the terrace wasn''t safe, but at least they didn''t have neighbors above them. They nned
to install a sliding iron gate for the balcony.
Having settled on the fourth floor, they walked through all the floors, closing the windows in the
hallways and securing the fire doors with collected steel wire.
The sixth floor was piled up with sand, cement, and lime used for construction. They could use the
sand, but the cement and lime had hardened. Luckily, they had collected plenty in Arcadia.
While they weren''t professionals in renovation, they could manage. The work might just not look as
polished.
Returning to the fourth floor, they discussed the renovations. The renovation was a huge
undertaking that was exhausting and time consuming. Ste suggested, "How about we rough it out
for a while until we''re in sync with the folks at Eastwood Eden before we start renovation?"
It would save them the effort of transforming the ce only to move out if things didn''t work out.
In contrast to the scattered and independent approach of Sunrise Sanctuary, Eastwood Eden was a
cooperativemunity, with residents following Mark''smand. If things didn''t work out, it
wouldn''t be a conflict with one or two people, but with over a hundred.
Jasper had no objections, "I''ll dismantle two fire doors and modify them to fit the entrance. Then,
the Hummer can be parked inside."
They nned to install electrified stainless steel doors at the stairs on the third and fifth floors for
added security.
Ste agreed, but insisted on doing things above board. They would make a trip at night, bringing in
the necessary items in a truck so they wouldn’t be too suspicious.
But first, they needed to clean up the bare unit.
The ce was filled with sand and cement chunks, which required a lot of effort. Entering the room,
they brought out the cleaning tools and furniture, and fetched two buckets of water. The sunlight
was blinding. Working together, they hung up the curtains to keep their privacy intact.
In the sweltering weather, even their thermal clothing was of no help. They were sweating buckets.
After hanging the curtains, they hurriedly brought out the air fan filled with ice cubes and recharged
themselves with icy watermelon juice.
Rosie was a hard worker. After finishing her juice, she wiped her mouth and continued.
They sprayed water with a shower head to minimize the dust.
It was only in the afternoon that they managed to tidy up. Ste then started bringing out the
furniture. After taking a bath in Arcadia, Stey down on the soft andfortable bed. It was pure
bliss.
After an hour''s nap, Ste awoke to find it was already evening. It was scorching outside, and the
bright sunlight could blind a person.
Ste didn’;t want to leave the Cooper and Rosie alone at home, and she brought them along. They
left Eastwood Eden and found a secluded spot where Ste left the Cooper and Rosie in the car.
Ste brought out arge truck they had collected from Silver Asylum and loaded it with stainless
steel doors, household furniture, kitchenware, etc. Jasper drove the truck back to Eastwood Eden,
while Ste followed behind with Cooper and Rosie in the Hummer.
The guards at the gate promptly opened it, watching as the truck drove in, further confirming the
capabilities of the duo.
Ordinary people couldn''t even get their hands on gasoline, but they could drive a massive truck,
which was a clear testament to their abilities and strong backing. The addition of the two to
Eastwood Eden would only enhance the security.
Word was that Jasper had promised to teach them self-defense. They needed to get their children
enrolled. If they weren''t around, their children would still be able to survive.
The thought brought a glimmer of hope to those Eastwood Eden residents.
Reversing the truck, they parked it so that the rear was directly facing the entrance of the building,
creating the atmosphere of moving furniture.
The patrol team happened to pass by. They enthusiastically offered, "Need a hand?"
Ste declined, "Thanks, but we''ve got it covered."
"Alright, just give a shout if you need anything."
As the patrol team went away, Rosie looked puzzled, "Ste, why are they different from the people
outside?"
They were cleaner, not as aggressive, and they even smiled at Rosie.
Ste thought for a moment before answering, "They''re different from those outside because firstly,
they have water sources here and can grow food, which barely keeps them from starving. Secondly,
they''re friendly towards us because they think we are capable of driving away bad people. They
need our help to safeguard their things, not just now but in the future too.
“Rosie, remember, even if they''re friendly, we can''t let our guard down. If their situation bes
like those outside, starving and thirsty, they will also slowly be like those outside.
“And if we''re not strong enough, and if they stop respecting us, their attitude will slowly change too.
“So, if we want to live well, we have to make ourselves stronger, to gain the respect and admiration
of others. That way, we can live better. Understand?"
Rosie thought for a moment, understanding and yet not quite.
Ste gave an example, "Think about Cooper. Why can he earn Bryce''s respect and chase those
bald guys away?"
"Cooper''s super strong." Rosie immediately got it. "Ste, I want to be stronger than Cooper."
"Okay, how about stronger than your brother?"
Rosie blushed as images of being dominated by her brother shed in her mind. "Ste, I..."
Her confidence waned in an instant.
"Don''t worry. When he was your age, he was nothingpared to you. As long as you stick with it,
you''ll surpass him one day."
Rosie was motivated, her hands tightly clenched into fists, "Ste, I''ll give it my all. When the time
comes, I''ll be the one protecting you and Jasper."
Jasper frowned a bit from the sidelines, "Why do I get the feeling like Rosie is your real sister?"
Ste shot back, "Isn''t your sister also my sister?"
Rosie hugged her tight, "That’s right, I love you the most."
Jasper rubbed his nose, a smile tugging at his lips, "Guess I was being narrow-minded."