Chapter 233: Chapter 233: Search
Then she turned to Ronak. "What were you going to say?"
Ronak smiled, too quickly, and spoke in a light tone.
"I was only saying that Silas always carries your photo. He never goes anywhere without it."
Ivy fell into deep thought.
His words didn’t sound right.
Something about the way he said it made her feel like he was hiding something.
But she didn’t press him further. She only nodded and said, "I believe you."
Still, in her heart, she thought, ’He’s lying. I’ll ask him in private later.’
Ronak, on the other hand, knew he had almost walked into dangerous ground.
He cleared his throat and quickly changed the subject.
"So, Silas. Why did you come to my base? Is it because your work is done, or did Austin asked you to reside here till he finds the people?"
Silas’s expression hardened. He sat back and answered calmly,
"Austin has become greedy. He wanted me to do something against my principles. I refused."
Ronak’s smile disappeared. He let out a low sigh and muttered,
"If that’s the case, then I’ll call off the deal between Twilight Base and mine."
The atmosphere in the room suddenly turned cold.
Silas gave a single nod. His sapphire blue eyes flickered toward Ronak.
"Then I’ll have to ask for your help instead."
Ronak thumped his chest with confidence.
"Don’t worry. I’ll try my very best to find the people Ivy is looking for. But..." His voice lowered, almost apologetic.
"My network isn’t as wide as Austin’s. He has connections because of his old political ties. He hoarded resources long before all this started. I don’t have that. I was just a soldier. I only built this base because of the land I inherited and because I could defend it."
This was the precise reason why Ronak redirected Silas to Austin’s base.
He had thought that Austin would give him face and help out Silas.
But now... it seems that Austin was too greedy for his own good.
Silas listened silently. Ronak continued,
"Other bases don’t know me well. I don’t have strong relationships with leaders. My network is weak. That’s why I suggested you go to Austin, but he clearly doesn’t want any ties with me. Now he’s making things harder for you."
Silas gave a small nod.
"I understand. But as long as you try your best, it will be fine. Ivy and I can continue looking on our own; if we do that, our chances of finding them will increase."
Ronak nodded back, then turned to Ivy.
"Do you have any photos or any clear features of the people you’re looking for? It will help me a lot."
In an instant Ivy froze.
Her voice was soft, almost embarrassed. "I... I only know their names. Nothing else."
Ronak frowned, looking a bit troubled, his sharp eyes flashing with a contemplative look. "Only their names?"
Ivy lowered her eyes.
’Should I tell him the truth? In my past life, I was blind when I met them. I never saw their faces. But I remember their voices. That’s all I have.’
Yet on the surface, her eyes betrayed none of her inner thoughts. "Yes. I don’t know their faces. Only their names."
Ronak let out a deep sigh but gave her a gentle smile. "It’s alright. I’ll still try to find them."
Ivy’s heart thumped with gratitude. Her lips curved into a soft smile. "Thank you."
After a moment of silence, she asked, "How are the food resources in your base?"
Ronak gave a wry smile. He scratched the back of his neck.
"Not good. Soon I may have to change the entry fee. Instead of food and crystals, it may become only food. Supplies are running low."
Ivy raised her eyebrows. She thought about her own base.
’My safe zone is limited to ten thousand square meters, but my temporal storage is different. No matter the distance, I can still connect it to my store. If I can build another store here and stock it daily, maybe I can help Ronak’s base.’
But she quickly shook the thought away.
’No. Not yet. We don’t know him well enough. Even though Silas trusts him, in the apocalypse, betrayal is the most common thing. I’ll keep this in mind for later. Maybe as a parting gift.’
Out loud, she only said, "If you need help, you can tell me or Silas."
Ronak waved his hand, his sharp eyes flashing with a soft light.
"No need to worry. Things aren’t that bad. I was only complaining because I don’t have anyone else to complain to."
Silas raised an eyebrow, not convinced that Ronak truly lacks people to complain to. "What about Drake?"
At the name, Ronak’s smile vanished. He let out a long sigh.
"I didn’t want to say this, but since you are Drake’s friend too, you have the right to know. Drake’s condition is getting worse."
Silas’s expression turned grim, while his heartbeat spiked a little, while worry clouded his mind.
Ivy sensed Silas’s worry and became curious.
’Who is this Drake? What kind of illness does he have that makes both Silas and Ronak look so helpless?’
The air grew heavier after that. Ronak didn’t explain more.
Instead, he arranged a room for Silas and Ivy to rest.
That night, Silas and Ivy sat together in their room, planning their path for the next day.
They decided they would keep asking around using the names Ivy remembered. But in their hearts, they both knew the truth.
’With only names and no faces, our chances are very slim.’
Ivy, lying on the bed, was lost in thought when she felt a warm hand slowly slipping into her nightsuit. The heat of the hand scalded Ivy’s heart, igniting the hidden desire.
"Did you forget about your punishment? Hm?"
After repeated sneak attacks, even Ivy became smart enough not to fall for old tricks.
Silas’s deep magnetic voice echoed near Ivy’s ears, "Hm? What punishment...."