Chapter 252: Maybe I Should Just Climb Through the Window

After registering her name and detailed address, Moira Lynch left.

The staff member took the samples she had provided and headed into the back room.

Fish had all but vanished since the extreme heat; only those living deep in the ocean managed to survive.

This was the first time anyone had brought fish back from outside the base, let alone so much Water Stain Grass.

Everyone had seen what Moira Lynch did inside, so she was immediately surrounded by a crowd the moment she stepped out.

A group of older women crowded around Moira Lynch, asking where on earth she had found the fish.

Moira Lynch didn’t hide anything and openly told them the location. It was so far away that almost no one ever went there.

Just as she expected, when they heard Moira Lynch had caught fish so far away, many of them immediately lost interest.

A place that far was no trip for their old bones.

Some people, however, weren’t ready to give up. "You’re not deliberately hiding the exact location because you’re afraid we’ll take it over, are you?"

The speaker was a skinny old woman with permed hair, her eyes glinting with a shrewd light.

The old woman’s eyes darted around. "You’re just a young girl. How could you possibly have gone to a place that far all by yourself? I won’t believe a word of it unless you take us there tomorrow."

As she spoke, the old woman grabbed Moira Lynch’s clothes, her face a mask of righteous indignation. To an uninformed observer, it would look as if Moira Lynch were a snake oil salesman and the old woman was a champion of justice.

The others heard her and knew exactly what the old woman was plotting, but no one objected. Instead, they all turned to look at Moira Lynch.

’Young people this age are so hot-headed. All it takes is a little prodding, and they’ll agree to anything.’

’If she agrees to the old woman’s demand, they could all demand to tag along.’

When Moira Lynch didn’t answer right away, the old woman grew bolder, as if she’d found some leverage. "Your refusal just proves you were lying!"

Moira Lynch emotionlessly pulled her clothes from the old woman’s grasp. "Whether you believe me is your business," she said flatly. "It has nothing to do with me."

Moira Lynch turned to leave, but the old woman looked ready to keep harassing her.

"What do you think you’re doing?"

A thunderous voice roared from nearby.

The crowd around Moira Lynch instantly looked guilty, as if caught red-handed. They scattered in a flash. Even the old woman who had been harassing Moira Lynch scurried away without a backward glance.

Moira Lynch looked in the direction of the voice and saw Everrise leading a team toward her.

When Everrise saw it was Moira Lynch, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes. It was a rare sight to see her inside the base.

"Miss Lynn, long time no see."

Moira Lynch smiled and returned the greeting. "Long time no see, Captain Ford."

Everrise’s real name was Aaron Ford. He had just recently been promoted to captain.

"I just got word that a new food source was discovered." At this, Aaron Ford’s eyes suddenly widened as he looked at Moira Lynch. "Don’t tell me you’re the one who brought it in."

Moira Lynch nodded. "That was me."

"Is the stuff really edible?" Aaron Ford asked excitedly.

Right now, food was without a doubt the most important thing.

During the last period of extreme heat, they had done their best to save what they could, but a significant amount of their stored grain was still destroyed, a devastating loss.

Although they now had Veridia, development there had only just begun. Reclaiming the land took time, and crops certainly couldn’t grow overnight.

Moira Lynch repeated what she had told the staff member. "The Water Stain Grass is edible, but not very nutritious. The fish seem to be mutated. They aren’t poisonous, but I don’t know if they’re safe to eat or how they taste."

After hearing her out, Aaron Ford had a good grasp of the situation.

’But Moira Lynch is still young and a bit too timid. What does she mean, not poisonous but doesn’t know if it’s edible?’

’If it’s not poisonous, of course it’s edible! As for the taste, that’s a minor detail they could work around.’

So, after a quick word with Moira Lynch, he hurried off toward the testing center.

Meanwhile, Moira Lynch headed home.

When she reached her front door, she used her spiritual power to scan the inside. She breathed a sigh of relief, sensing only Shane Rhodes and the other two.

’If anyone else had been there, she really wouldn’t have known what to do.’

’Not going in would be ridiculous—it was her own home, after all. But going in would feel like a stranger crashing a private family party. So awkward.’

The moment she stepped inside, she noticed the living room seemed even more cluttered than before. Shane Rhodes, Hugh Finch, and Kai York were sitting on the sofa, staring at each other with sparks flying between them.

Moira stood in the doorway, unsure if she should proceed. ’What was wrong with them? It looked like they were about to come to blows any second now.’

’Could it be...’

A ridiculously melodramatic plot immediately unfolded in Moira Lynch’s mind—some kind of convoluted love triangle.

’To be honest, she’d always felt there was something off about the three of them. Had it finally reached a boiling point?’

’Maybe she should just leave and climb in through a window.’

Just as Moira Lynch decided not to disturb their standoff and was about to head back outside to use a window, the three of them suddenly whipped their heads around in unison.

"Stop!!!"

the three of them shouted in unison.

Moira Lynch froze. As the three of them approached, she held up a hand. "Let’s get one thing straight. I have no interest in whatever love-hate drama is going on between you three."

"What are you talking about?" Kai York asked, looking confused.

"Aren’t you guys..." ’locked in a tragic, unrequited love triangle?’

’She had guessed wrong.’

"What about us?" Hugh Finch narrowed his eyes. "You’re not thinking something completely outrageous, are you?"

Moira Lynch quickly shook her head. "Of course not."

’So she really had guessed wrong. For some reason, while breathing a sigh of relief, she also felt a tiny bit disappointed.’

"So, what were you three actually doing just now?" Moira’s gaze flickered between them.

Shane Rhodes coughed lightly. "Well, Moira," he began, "I have something for you."

"Something? For me?"

Moira Lynch followed Shane Rhodes and sat down on the sofa by the table.

Shane Rhodes then pulled a quaint, antique-looking box from under the table.

When he opened it, she saw two rows of ten jade bracelets each, all in different colors.

Lately, Moira Lynch had collected a great deal of jade and jadeite—old and new, good and bad, finished pieces and raw stones, in all sorts of colors and qualities.

Her knowledge of jade had grown from a vague understanding to a deep familiarity.

Even among her extensive collection, these bracelets would be considered top-tier.

"These are... for me?" Moira Lynch asked, pointing to herself.