Chapter 123 Trust isn’t given in this world its earned
Finished
“Aright, Joanna said reluctantly. “I’ll bring you in. But you are on probation, strictly based on your performance. If either of you steps out of line, doesn’t pull your weight, or if I catch even a hint of betrayal, the deal is dead. And so are you.”
Kailee’s eyes flared, and she scoffed loudly, the air in the room dropping a visible degree as she grew irritated. “Probation? You’re putting us on a trial run? We just offered to serve under you, kill your enemies, set up your stronghold, and a wiped-out enemy base on a silver platter, survivor.”
Before the tension could boil over, Caleb reached out and gently tapped Kailee’s shoulder, smoothing her ruffled feathers with a calm, reassuring look. “Patience, Kailee,” he murmured, his voice working like a soothing balm. “It’s a fair request. Trust isn’t given in this world; it’s earned. And we are more than happy to prove our worth.”
Caleb turned back to Joanna, his handsome face lighting up with a brilliant smile. “In fact, to seal the deal, I brought gifts.”
He gave Kailee a pointed nod. Still visibly angry, Kailee reached behind her back and pulled an object wrapped in dark cloth from her gear. She unrolled it forcefully, revealing a stunning, beautiful short sword It was shaped slightly like a sickle, but both curves of the crescent blade were ground down to razor-sharp edges, gleaming viciously under the vending machine lights.. Joanna stared at the two of them for a long moment, feeling a tug in her heart, as if the sword was meant for her, before finally letting out a slow, heavy
breath.
“For you,” Kailee muttered angrily, thrusting the hilt toward Joanna.
Joanna took the weapon, turning it over in her hands. The balance was immaculate, the grip perfectly molded for swift, fluid slashes. It fit so exceptionally well with her fast, close-quarters fighting style that Joanna couldn’t help but let a rare, genuine smile break through her hardened expression.
“Not bad,” Joanna murmured, testing the weight.
“There’s more,” Caleb said smoothly. He slid a heavy leather satchel off his shoulder, unbuckled the brass straps, and pulled it open to present the inside to Joanna.
Lying at the bottom of the bag was a massive cluster of raw, glittering green wealth. It was completely filled with uncut emeralds-easily fifty stones or more, each one the size of a walnut, catching the faint light of the break room. In a world where trading sectors like Evercrest required heavy collateral for entry and supplies, a stash like this was a fortune.
Joanna looked up from the satchel directly at Caleb, her skepticism finally melting away as she smiled, realizing this bizarre duo might actually be the greatest asset her team had ever found.
“These are for your storage space,” Caleb said, gesturing to the emeralds with a knowing nod. “Did you get it to level 3 yet?”
Joanna stopped, completely confused. She stared at him, her hand freezing over the satchel as a sudden wave of bewilderment washed over her. Her secret storage space wasn’t at level 3-it was level 13. Why in the world didn’t he know that? If his dream-weaving abilities were as powerful and all-knowing as he claimed, how could he be so drastically wrong?
“It’s… level 13.” Joanna said slowly, her eyes locking onto his.
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Chapter 123 Trust isn’t given in this world its earned
Both Caleb and Kailee’s eyes widened with absolute shock.
#Finighed
“Whoa,” Kailee breathed, dropping her crossed arms as her fierce composure completely cracked.
Caleb looked entirely incredulous, his calm, serene demeanor vanishing in an instant. “According to your capabilities, it was shown only level 3 in the threads I pulled,” he admitted, shaking his head in disbelief.
He took a breath, running a hand through his dark hair as be quickly sought to analyze the discrepancy. “You see, barely anyone understands your secret storage space, Joanna,” Caleb explained, his voice losing i cryptic edge as he spoke with raw honesty. “There was no existing memory or concrete data in the environment for me to decipher. My threads can only pick up what people know or perceive, and your power is completely off the radar.”
He gestured back to the heavy leather bag in his hands. “The only thing my ability actually registered with you was a profound, almost spiritual hunger when it comes to jade and emeralds. I brought these stones because I felt that pull, but I had no idea your power was already this advanced.”
“Does that mean it got bigger?” Kailee blurted out, her tough exterior completely melting away into pure excitement.
Joanna nodded with a confident smirk.
Kailee smiled big, a sharp contrast to her earlier irritation. “Looks like our survival just got a lot brighter.”
Joanna smiled too, feeling the heavy tension in the room finally dissipate into genuine camaraderie. Knowing she had a massive storage advantage changed the entire dynamic of their alliance.
Caleb closed his satchel, his incredulous expression shifting back into a clever, calculating grin. “I figured you would be here for some more supplies!” he said, tilting his head toward the door. “I already scoped out where the rice and other food items are.”
He looked at her with renewed respect, his mind already calculating the new possibilities. “With your upgraded space, we could probably squeeze in at least a few containers’ worth, right?”
Joanna laughed internally at Caleb’s estimate. A few containers? At level 13, her space could swallow an entire warehouse section, but she kept that to herself. She simply nodded and smiled. “Something like that.”
“Well, let’s get moving,” Caleb said, his expression turning serious as he glanced toward the door. “Those guards were keeping most of the zombies away, but Kailee drained most of her energy suffocating those men.” He gave Kailee a protective, slightly apologetic look. “She only awakened a few days ago, so she hasn’t mastered everything yet.”
Joanna nodded understandingly. Without a word, she reached into her jacket and pulled out a bottle of her
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