Chapter 16.3 - Trump Card
He was not lying. This amount of food was enough to last him for two to three days if he didn’t engage in any intense fighting. Of course, the larger portion might be a bit too much for Persephone. In front of this woman, Su didn’t even have confidence in his ability to absorb and use nutrients.
On top of the tray were two spoons. What was rather unexpected was that Persephone did not show any dissent. She directly lifted up a spoon and began to eat out from the plate in his hands.
Nutrient-filled food was just nutrient-filled food. No matter how it was prepared, its basic flavor would still remain. Even though this was a rare delicacy for Su, he firmly believed that Persephone with such culinary skills definitely did not care for this type of food. However, she quietly finished this plateful of nutrient-filled food.
When Su ate, he would always eat slowly, without uttering any complaint, wasting the slightest bit, or showing any unusual expressions. However, eating from the same plate of food as Persephone would for some reason cause his attention to drift from the food to her body. The mischievousness of the pencil that held her gray hair in place would let go of another thread of hair following her slightest movement and fall onto her face. There was even an instance when the two individuals’ heads bumped together.
This was a completely ordinary event, yet it held great significance because Su could completely avoid it, yet because his attention had drifted to other areas, his reaction speed slowed down.
After finishing breakfast, the atmosphere between the two individuals seemed to have changed somewhat.
Persephone collected the tray and utensils before heading upstairs to wash them there. Su collected the pillow and blankets on the ground and followed her upstairs. These originally belonged to the bedrooms upstairs, and they were of high quality. Even after so many years, they could still be used.
After cleaning up the living area upstairs, Persephone returned to the underground floor. Down here, the primary water circulatory machine had already been completely opened up with a few components scattered on the ground. Inside the machine, the electronic chip components was partially revealed. It seemed like before break she prepared breakfast, she had already worked for a while.
A new document was placed on the ground, and sandwiched on top were two sheets of white paper. On top of the paper was a sketch of a component.
“Come, help me a bit.” Persephone pulled up her shirt’s sleeves and pulled over the tools rack leaning against the wall.
Su took on the role of the assistant, handing over tools and carrying components. Also, he listened to her as she described where the problem of this water circulatory system laid.
The core of the central water purifying system was the computer chip. Fortunately, the computer chip was still perfectly intact. After being forgotten for so long, a few of the system’s gears and even the pipeline’s bent portion suffered serious corrosion, causing the entire system to fail. Before breakfast, Persephone already inspected the system and even found the required components and pipeline. She also started up the base’s factory, and it was currently smelting the component part into an alloy that she had assigned herself. The time it took to finish breakfast was enough time for it to finish smelting.
Right now in the base’s central computer, Persephone already possessed the same level of authority as Su. Meanwhile, that metal ring was already resting on her right hand’s middle finger.
Last night, after drinking, Persephone became like a little girl that had seen her beloved toy and constantly annoyed Su about the base’s authority. After thinking for a bit, he directly removed the ring from his finger and handed it over to Persephone. At that time, Su realized that her expression was a bit strange, but he continued to act the same. Su already couldn’t tell if what she was doing was on purpose or not, nor did he understand what the meaning behind her actions was. As such, he didn’t think too much about it at all.
Machinery was a field that could be extremely deep and extensive, especially when it involved electronics and artificial intelligence technology. Just from hearing Persephone’s explanation, it was naturally impossible for him to to become proficient in a field like this that required more than ten years of knowledge. However, her explanation simplified it down to the point where it was extremely easy to understand, even though it was still thorough and detail. Everything was also spoken with great patience.
Inadvertently, Persephone displayed her extremely knowledgeable side.
Repairing this enormous system with just two people was a rather difficult task. Even if Persephone was all-powerful, they still used up the entire day, and most of the time was spent on manufacturing components.
“Why won’t you return with me?” Behind the multifunctional lathe, Persephone, who was currently concentrating on processing parts, seemed to inadvertently ask.
Su was standing on the side, from time to time looking at the blueprint in his hand or the revolving parts on the lathe. It was as if he could tell if the errors exceeded the allowed deviation just from looking at the parts. Hearing Persephone ask like this, Su didn’t use the reply he used a thousand times and instead said with a sigh, “I killed your people, and I don’t want to become an experimental subject.”
Persephone dropped the pipeline that had been successfully processed onto the ground and then added another piece of raw material. Without raising her head, she said, “You killing someone is a bit troublesome, but it isn’t impossible to get rid of. If I can also promise you that you won’t become an experimental subject, would you return with me?”
After experiencing an entire day of high intensity work, small beads of sweat had appeared on Persephone’s temples as well. Hard-working men were attractive, and hard-working women were similarly attractive.
Seeing Persephone working non-stop, Su gave a serious reply as well. “I won’t go. In the eyes of the Black Dragonriders, those in the wilderness cannot be considered people. As for me, I belong to the wilderness.”
After completing the final part, Persephone straightened her body and fixed her slightly messy gray hair. “The one that died under you called Laiknar, do you think that he is the same as me?”
Su wanted to say ‘actually, I still can’t understand you’, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he carefully recalled everything that had happened after he met Persephone, and as a result, he said, “Not the same.”
“Then that’s that.” Persephone carried a pile of processed parts and placed it in Su’s hands. She herself carried the remaining parts and walked upstairs. While walking, she said, “The Black Dragonriders is actually an extremely loose organization. The direction this organization goes depends on the people that compose it. If you feel that the way we operate isn’t correct, you can just depend on your own strength to change it.”
Su became silent for a few seconds before saying, “Once a freight train begins moving, it’s extremely difficult to change its route. I am just one nobody and cannot stop a freight train that has already started moving.”
“Cannot stop a freight train?” Persephone paused and looked at Su. “However, why do I think it looks like you are facing that freight train head on?”
Su’s green eye revealed a calm expression. He laughed, not meeting her gaze or replying to her question. However, Persephone was not going to give up. She looked at him with an expression that said she wasn’t going to give up before obtaining an reply.
Left without a choice, Su could only say, “I want to live. However, when I’m left without a choice, I am not scared of death.”
“Are you truly left without a choice?” Persephone immediately replied with another question.
Su did not answer this question. It wasn’t something she had to know.
With the essential parts ready, a large portion of the work was already completed. From here on out, the parts just had to be installed. Half an hour later, Persephone replaced the cover of the central water circulatory system. The cover that was over a hundred kilograms in weight might as well have been air in her hands.
Persephone used her greasy and dirty finger to flick open the electric switch, and the sound of machines rumbling immediately filled this place. The water underground was continuously sucked into the central water circulation system. A few minutes later, Persephone twisted the water outlet valve. With a hua sound, a powerful column of clear water immediately gushed out!
Persephone released a cheer, and Su couldn’t help but smile as well as he received the water with his hands. The water was clean without impurities. Even though there was a bit of radiation that couldn’t be avoided, the water should still have reached grade four purity.
With water, there was also life.
The two were spellbound as they watched the running water. They didn’t say anything for a long time. Su felt that in the instant just now, she revealed a true happiness.
Even though she now had water, Persephone did not extravagantly ask for a shower and instead just washed her hands and face. She then pulled Su out of N958 and ran to the mountaintop.
It was already late into the night, yet the clouds full of radiation that showed no signs of scattering were continuously pushed into the distance under the winds. The dark of night made it hard to see anything. In the distance, outlines of several segments of broken roads could be seen, as if they were the skeletons of deceased enormous beasts.
Under Persephone’s shouting, Su sat side alongside her and gazed into the endless darkness.
She suddenly released a long sigh and asked, “In your opinion, what is the status of women in this era?”
Su thought for a moment, and then spoke truthfully. “Based on what I have seen, women are men’s accessories. If they don’t possess any other skills or depend on another man, then they have to use their own bodies to exchange for food and water. They could be considered property just like weapons and ammunition. If their man is killed, then they would switch owners. Apart from this, they are also a means of reproduction.”
“You really don’t mince your words!” She laughed in a slightly mocking manner. Then, she released a long sigh and said, “What you said is correct. That is the reality of this world, as well as what most people consider to be inevitably right, regardless of whether they are male or female. In fact, I am no different. My current power in the Black Dragonriders is reliant on my own power as well as my family’s strength. In the past few years, I’ve continuously fought again and again, moreover succeeding each time. However, this won’t change the fact that I am a woman, a woman without the protection of a guardian. If a woman doesn’t have protection, then the surrounding men would all turn into insatiable wolves, wolves that await the day she powerlessly falls so that they could tear her apart! From today forth, I will also endlessly go out to battle, and battle will always contain a chance of injury or even make me lose my strength forever. When that time comes, that will be my end.”
“In the history of the Black Dragonriders, there have been many outstanding women. Stephanie, Bloody Mary, and Gemini were all names that others respected. However, after suffering unfortunate injuries from their countless battles and losing their great fighting strength, these women with no guardian to protect them all became men’s toys sooner or later. As for their previous strength and backing, every man that had the ability to dip their fingers in wouldn’t let such an opportunity go. After all, playing with a woman who had an identity is much more stimulating. There might be a day in the future when I might fall to this state as well. It will be a bit different from them due to my family’s backing, so I won’t become a toy. However, because of my ties to my family, those that will try to get their hands on me will be the great figures within the family, as well as those that do business with the family.”