My 100th Rebirth a day before the Apocalypse - Chapter 938

Capítulo 938: Chapter 938 Helping Aston Awaken

“Um, Minister Aston! The machinery is missing, almost all the trucks and forklifts in the garage are gone!” one of the warriors on patrol shouted as he rushed into Aston’s office, panic clear in his voice.

“What?!” Aston shot up from his seat so abruptly that his chair toppled over. His heart pounded in his chest. Those machines were vital to their operations, and finding replacements outside was nearly impossible now. Ever since the apocalypse, most heavy equipment had been flooded or destroyed during the geostorms.

Worse, he knew how furious Kisha would be. Those machines weren’t just supplies; they were part of what she had personally gathered and transported with great effort. Only a handful of them had come from the former City B base she’d taken over, and now… they were gone.

“What happened? Tell me everything, don’t leave out a single detail!” Aston demanded, his expression dark and his tone sharp.

“I-I… Minister Aston, I’m not sure myself…” the warrior stammered, his voice trembling. “We received reports, and I saw it with my own eyes, the machines just vanished out of nowhere.”

“One moment they were there, and the next… gone. I suspect it might be the work of a space-type awakened ability user. Whether it’s an enemy or someone from another base trying to steal from us… I don’t know.”

He hesitated, carefully watching Aston’s expression. “It’s just speculation, sir, but that’s all we have for now. And… we still don’t know where City Lord Kisha and Vice City Lord Duke went so we can’t report this to them.”

“The only thing we’re sure of is that the heavy machinery disappeared. Thankfully, our supply stock is still intact, if that had vanished too…” He swallowed hard, lowering his gaze. “I don’t even know how I’d face you, Minister. Or how I’d survive reporting it.”

But what he couldn’t understand was, why target the heavy machinery instead of the supplies? Was it because whoever took them was planning to build their own base, knowing that such equipment was essential for construction and efficiency?

Or was it that they were bold, or foolish, enough to think they could steal from HOPE Base, use the machinery, and return it later to lessen their punishment?

It made no sense. No one in their right mind would risk becoming enemies with HOPE Base, not now, when the base could provide abundant resources without difficulty. To steal from them was to invite certain death and permanent isolation. Once cut off from HOPE Base, no one would dare offer them protection or support again.

And if they were lucky, very lucky, Kisha might overlook their crime and spare them. But if she felt vindictive… she could easily wipe them out. Everyone knew how efficiently HOPE Base operated; no one with a functioning brain would dare provoke it.

That’s why the warrior who reported this, no matter how hard he racked his brain, couldn’t come up with a possible suspect for the missing machinery.

As far as they knew, the only outsiders connected to the base were Adam, Jason, and their respective teams, but they were all out on missions for HOPE Base, earning points and rewards.

It was impossible for them to be involved. Beyond that, no one from HOPE Base would dare steal from Kisha. Faced with this dead end, the warrior reported the situation to Aston, hoping he could investigate further and find a solution before Kisha and Duke returned.

“Alright, just take me there for now…” Aston repeated, his expression grim, so grim that anyone who looked at him couldn’t help but feel a shiver run down their spine.

“Y-Yes, sir!” the warrior stammered, hurrying to lead Aston to the parking lot where the missing machinery had been kept.

“Sir, we’ve arrived. As you can see, the big trailer trucks are gone, along with the forklifts. We searched the base, but there’s no trace left,” the warrior repeated nervously, falling in step behind Aston.

Aston paced the area, inspecting the ground for tire marks or any clue, but there was nothing, just as the warrior had reported. Nearby, frantic warriors ran in every direction, searching desperately for the missing machinery.

These machines were vital, and no one knew how to replace them. Some had even been assigned to guard the parking lot to prevent theft when the base opened its doors to outsiders, yet somehow, everything had vanished into thin air.

While Aston was stressing over the missing machinery and the warriors running around like headless chickens, Kisha suddenly realized that the disappearance of so many large machines would surely have alarmed everyone back at the base.

They were probably anxious, wondering what had happened.

Sure enough, when she opened the HOPE Base map’s holographic interface and zoomed in on the area where the machinery had been stored, she saw the scene: Aston pacing, the warriors frantic and searching everywhere.

Guilt washed over her immediately. Without hesitation, she sent him a message through the system’s chat while making her way back to the Maple Leaf Town shelter, heading toward the leader’s office where Duke and the others were still waiting.

[Kisha: Aston, I went out and took the machinery with me. No need to keep searching.]

[Aston: City Lord… you went out? Where did you take it, and what happened to the machinery?]

[Aston: Thank goodness it was you. I nearly had a heart attack just now.]

[Aston: I’ll inform the warriors to stop searching immediately.]

[Kisha: Sorry for letting you know so late. The situation here was urgent, and I had to move the machinery quickly to finish everything. In the rush, I forgot to update you.]

[Aston: It’s alright, City Lord. As long as it was you who took it, we understand. We just hope you’re doing okay.]

[Aston: I assume the Vice City Lord was with you as well?]

[Kisha: Yes.]

[Aston: Understood. I’ll inform everyone here. Take care on your way back, City Lord.]

…

After realizing that it was Kisha who had taken the trucks and forklifts, Aston let out a relieved sigh as his wildly beating heart finally began to settle. He then turned to the warrior trailing behind him.

“Inform the rest that the City Lord went out on a mission and brought along the trucks and forklifts. Whatever she and the Vice City Lord were doing was their own discretion. Thank you for your hard work,” Aston said, before leisurely heading back to his office.

“T-Thank you for your hard work, Minister Aston!” the warrior stammered, responding out of habit. Confusion washed over him, quickly followed by understanding, and a swirl of emotions left him momentarily weak in the knees.

After a few deep breaths, he finally steadied himself, stood tall, and went back to inform the rest of the search team about what he had just uncovered.

When everyone learned that Kisha had simply taken the machinery herself, relief washed over the group. They laughed it off, reassured, and returned to their duties with lighter hearts.

Kisha, on the other hand, still felt sorry for the warriors since she had completely forgotten to inform them. To make amends, she decided to send each of them a small gift. Using the Base’s interface, she dispatched a bottle of Stamina Booster and a bottle of Scarlet Honey to every warrior who participated in the search.

As the warriors walked back to their posts, a sudden flash of light appeared before them, and then a bottle of Stamina Booster and a bottle of Scarlet Honey materialized out of nowhere.

Alongside it was a note that read: “Apologies from the City Lord.” Though they didn’t know exactly how Kisha had done it, they immediately recognized the gesture as coming from her. The unexpected gift lifted their spirits, and they walked back with a spring in their steps.

Aston, on the other hand, received something different.

Instead of a Stamina Booster or Scarlet Honey, Kisha sent him an Awakening Fruit. She knew he was destined to awaken his ability soon, but giving him the chance to do it earlier would only work to his advantage.

Even without him saying a word, Kisha could sense that, as Minister of Defense, Aston held a high rank and commanded the respect of countless soldiers. Yet with so many others already awakened, he might have begun to feel a subtle restlessness, or even a hint of inadequacy.

By helping him awaken now, she could not only strengthen his abilities but also reinforce his confidence and sense of authority.

Besides, Aston had already proven himself invaluable, consistently supporting her and showing exceptional loyalty. Rewards and recognition needed to be given at the right time.

Since Kisha had received five Awakening Fruits from the system, she could distribute them carefully to those who had demonstrated remarkable dedication and contributed to the Base’s progress.

In doing so, her people would clearly understand that supporting the Base’s growth came with tangible benefits.

With this, she could not only deepen her people’s loyalty but also strengthen the Base’s overall firepower.

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