Chapter 188: Lying

Leo and the Freedom Convoy had been on the road for three days without facing any serious trouble. Compared to his grim expectations of the apocalypse, the journey felt almost peaceful. The worst obstacles they dealt with were ruined roads, fallen trees, and the occasional abandoned roadblock holding up their progress.

Now, the convoy sat parked at the edge of a dense forest. The rough terrain had taken a toll on tires and engines, leaving several vehicles in need of maintenance. But the real reason they stopped was water. Their 3,000-liter tanker was half empty. They had skipped filling up in Rendell City for fear of contamination, and finding a clean river or lake in this forest meant they could finally replenish their reserves, wash their dirt-caked clothes, and—if they were lucky—take a proper bath.

Inside his vehicle, Storm, Leo sat at a small table, staring at two glass vials. One held a strange green liquid, the other a bright red one. These were the fruits of his labor over the past three days, produced by the Mad Alchemist’s Working Table.

He picked up the green vial. It was brewed from alien flesh, Aromatic Spirit Grass, and a mix of other rare ingredients. Yet, the translation Storm provided for the final product was far from what he had anticipated.

Super Bug and Insect Killer: No bug or insect is safe after coming into contact with this liquid. 100% fatality rate against insects.

Leo stared at the description. "That’s it?"

A bug killer. He turned the glass in his hand, watching the green sludge shift against the sides. "At least it’s useful."

He set it down and picked up the red vial. The translation for this one was even worse.

Instant Hair Growth Potion: One drop causes hair to grow at an astonishing rate. Warning: The effect does not distinguish between the hair on your head and the hair on the rest of your body. Effect duration: Five minutes.

Leo’s expression froze. "...Why?"

He had an ancient, supernatural alchemy table at his fingertips, and all he had to show for it was pest control and a baldness cure. Rubbing his forehead, he tucked both vials away.

Despite the bizarre outcomes, the experiments taught him one crucial lesson: the table wasn’t churning out random garbage. The output relied entirely on the input. To craft something truly powerful, he needed better materials.

Leo leaned back in his chair, shifting his gaze to the dense treeline beyond his window. This pit stop offered a prime opportunity. An apocalyptic forest was bound to hold more than just ordinary weeds and wildlife.

Opening the System Store interface, he scrolled through the catalog. His gaze paused on a particular listing that seemed tailor-made for his plan. ℓ.

[Rare Card — Herb Gatherer’s Basket]

Description: A special basket designed for collecting and preserving plants and herbs.

Abilities:

Plant Preservation: Vegetation stored inside remains fresh and retains its vitality. Can be replanted after removal.

Expanded Space: Despite a small outward appearance, the internal storage can hold enormous amounts of vegetation, including large trees.

Price: 20,000 Zen Points / 1,200 Nucleus Crystals

Leo’s eyes lit up. "Perfect."

This basket solved the problem of damaging delicate, valuable plants during his search. Without a second thought, he confirmed the purchase.

Golden light pooled in Leo’s palm, forming a solid card between his fingers. He gave it a passing glance and let go. The card shattered back into light, leaving a dark wooden basket in its wake. Though simple in shape, strange patterns crawled along the wood beneath a sturdy handle. He lifted the basket. It weighed almost nothing.

Satisfied, he set it down and drew a second card.

The golden glow surged again, leaving behind his Tactical Armor. Leo strapped the gear into place. The plates molded to his frame from chest to shin, snug enough to protect him but leaving his joints free to move. He pulled the Robe of Shroud over the plating, then slung the new Herb Gatherer’s Basket over his shoulder.

Ready for the forest, Leo stepped out of his vehicle, Storm. He needed to tell Valentine and the rest of the group before wandering into the woods, just to save them the trouble of worrying. He made his way across the camp toward their cluster of tents.

Halfway there, he spotted the children of the Freedom Convoy.

Leo paused. Normally, the kids were a blur of noise and motion, playing tag between the parked vehicles or pestering the adults with questions. Their laughter had been a constant hum since the journey began. Today, however, the camp felt hollow. The kids sat huddled together near a tent flap, their shoulders slumped and faces drawn.

His brow furrowed. Changing course, he walked over to the group. A few of them looked up as his shadow fell over them, but no one ran to greet him.

Leo lowered himself to one knee to meet their tired eyes.

"What happened to you all?" he asked. "Is everything alright?"

The children traded hesitant looks. The heavy silence stretched on, unbroken.

Becca, normally the most active child in the convoy, forced a bright smile.

"Big Brother Leo, it’s nothing."

"We’re just sitting around."

Leo narrowed his eyes. He had been around enough people to recognize a lie. A low rumble cut through the quiet air.

Grrrrr...

Tracing the noise to Ruth, Leo raised his eyebrows. The shy girl dropped her gaze, a deep blush creeping up her face.

He scanned the rest of the group, a suspicion forming in his mind. To test his theory, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a protein bar. He peeled back the wrapper and took a loud, deliberate bite.

Crunch.

Every pair of eyes snapped to the food. A few kids swallowed hard, and a thin line of drool slipped from the corner of a younger boy’s mouth.

Grrrrr...

Grrrrr...

Grrrrr...

A chorus of empty stomachs echoed through the group, as if on cue. The children froze in place.

Leo let the silence stretch out before a faint smile broke on his face. He waved the half-eaten bar in the air.

"So you guys are hungry, huh?"

"No wonder you don’t have any energy to play."

The group stared at the dirt in embarrassment. Leo let his smile fade.

"Now tell me what’s going on." He turned his attention back to Becca. "I think Nina was in charge of providing food for you guys."

"I don’t think she’d neglect you all."

"So tell me."

"What happened?"