Chapter 227 - 227 – Love?

Kat and Eric are tasked with visiting the tribe that used to be Jia's nomads. When I arrived there, the women warmly welcomed the two colonists. And luckily, now they were all appropriately dressed.

"Now, who is in charge of this group?" Eric asked one of the women.

"She's Helda, in the big tent that Jia used to use." The woman smiled. "Come, let me escort you."

Inside the tent, which was still the same as before, we found various crafts and knick-knacks that made the decorations less bland. My two colonists were ushered into a room that used a torture chamber.

Eric looked around the ivory white cloth wall. "Well, I'd say I like the decor of this room better now. Everything seems lighter."

Helda, a woman of medium stature with light blond hair, greeted the two colonists with a smile. "Ah, I'm so glad to see you guys again. How are Alice and Yvonne at your place?"

"They are fine." Eric smiled back, and of course, Kat didn't make any meaningful expression.

"Please, sit." Helda then occupied the dark brown fur carpet. "Sorry, we don't have anything yet."

"No problem." Eric sat down with his female partner. "We're not going to linger here. We have something to show you."

Kat took the tablet computer out of her bag and started fiddling with it.

***

Several female members had just delivered drinks and snacks for Kat and Eric. Helda massaged her forehead after watching the videos about those mechs. She looked furious.

"And you say you don't know when they're coming?" Helda sighed.

"Therefore, we must immediately prepare," Eric said in a firm tone. "We must unite to fight a common enemy."

"Well, we've just planted a variety of food crops. We're also quite comfortable in this location. It must be hard to leave it all behind." Helda smiled faintly.

"I know your condition, but believe me, this must be done for the survival of all of us." Eric sounded even more serious.

"Oh, I believe in you." Helda widened her smile. "But, there are some complications."

As soon as Helda spoke like that, a light yellow guardian spirit in charge of this place appeared. I immediately pressed the pause button.

"Well, looks like you need your presence." The guardian spirit shrugged. "So, your people's talk about cooperating in the face of the same enemy is a bit..."

"Ah, you chose your people to be nomads again, huh?" I chuckled. "You think that by running continuously, your people will survive?"

I had been thinking about this strategy after failing to get Redtooth to join. In fact, all of this started when Eric, who had just arrived, asked for help that the owner of the psychic power in the group activates her ability.

"Well, I don't need to explain anymore. You already know." The yellow nodded.

I brought my face closer to the yellow spirit's. "Remind me again, how old are you here?"

The guardian spirit was silent for a moment. "A few months... Really, what does that have to do with all this?"

"You're inexperienced. Well, maybe your group used to be nomads, and you think you've seen it all." I continued my speech in a more serious tone. "But believe me, you haven't seen anything yet. Now I ask you. What are the most dangerous beasts your group has fought against?"

For the second time, he fell silent. "A bear...."

He was starting to sound unsure. I had to push him even more.

"A bear? A fucking bear!?" I laughed as hard as I could. "Oh my god. You've never even met a Biruhud!"

"I-I've heard stories about that bird from my people...."

"You've never come across a stump scorpion, which can easily cut through human limbs? What about drill centipedes and rapist centipedes?" I laughed harder. "No shit, dude. You and your guys won't be able to survive the trip!"

"Can you say it without giving the impression that I'm an idiot?" The yellow spirit snorted and put his hands on his hips.

"Sorry, sorry...." I made a wiping gesture as if I just laughed until I couldn't hold it in anymore. "But seriously, come on. You and your people can't stand being nomads again. The machine troop will find you sooner or later. Better to build a stronger group to drive them off this land. So join my colony. . We have mechs and are making more. If we unite, we have a chance."

The yellow spirit shook his head. "However, as Helda said. There are some complications that could lead to something bad."

"I'm sure we can work that out...."

"Oh really?" The yellow spirit's tone turned sharper. "How do I prevent my people from slaughtering Tom, who is already part of your group?"

Those words left me speechless.

"If you already have an answer to that question, call me again." The yellow spirit sighed. "It's not that I'm one hundred percent going to join you. I still have to think about it carefully."

***

With the help of a torch, Tom packed his things that night. Not long after, Gwen came over to him.

Why won't you obey my orders to stay away from this place, Gwen?

"Well, looks like I've been caught." Tom chuckled softly. "I hope you don't tell the others about this."

"Where are you going?" The blonde woman asked. "You want to leave your wife?"

"If, for example, Kat and Eric managed to get my former group to join the tribe, then I would become a target for those women." Tom shrugged, making the final knot in his sack. "So, I better get out of here. Well, I'm not really going away. I'm just going to make the house a bit far from here."

"But why didn't you tell your wife?"

Tom chuckled again. "She will definitely insist on coming with me, even though her presence is needed here. Meanwhile, my greatest skill is building. That job can be done by Eric and Miro."

I'm sorry, Tom. I really want to keep as many people as possible. Therefore, I must separate you from Yvonne.

"That must be sad for Yvonne." Gwen took a deep breath.

"Please, stay out of this business, Gwen," I whispered to the blonde-haired woman.

"But if that's your decision, I can't help it." Gwen shrugged. "I promise I won't tell anyone else."

***

Kat sat outside the tent she was sheltering in, gazing up at the stars in the dark sky. Not long after, Helda came and sat beside her.

"can't sleep?" The group leader asked.

"Not yet."

Helda was silent as she looked at Kat, probably waiting for the amber-eyed woman to continue. However, of course, that will never happen.

"Well, I forgot your character." Helda laughed. "It just so happens that you're still awake. We've decided to join your colony, though I'm not sure how to handle the situation with Tom."

"Nice."

Helda shrugged. "How does it feel to be back here?"

"Terrible..." Kat was silent for a moment. "Sorry, the people here are friendly. It's just..."

The amber-eyed woman couldn't continue her words.

"I can understand how you feel." Helda sighed. "You saw things that were cruel under the Jia regime."

"I wasn't really tortured like you girls. I wasn't raped either." Kat spoke again, still staring at the sky with a blank expression. "I don't understand why I'm being treated differently."

"Ah, that makes you think about it, doesn't it? Why are the others being tortured while you're treated like a queen... Well, a queen who is naked all day like us."

"I don't feel like a queen here."

Helda tapped Kat on the shoulder. "But, to Jia, you are the queen."

Kat turned her head to the short-haired woman. "That sounds bad."

The group leader laughed again. "Well, that's love."

"It's just a madman's imagination. It's not love."

"Well, you don't know what's in Jia's heart, do you? The proof is that he didn't torture you and didn't even have sex with you because he wanted you to accept him." Helda sneered a little. "If it wasn't for love, what would it be?"

I have to admit, this conversation about love is not romantic at all. All of this sounds twisted.

Kat continued to stare at Helda. "Do you love Jia?"

What? Why do you have such twisted thoughts, Kat?

Now, the laughter that came out of Helda's mouth grew louder. "Great, it turns out you can be joking too, Kat! I salute you! Yes, I love Jia! I want to be personally tortured by him! His appearance that continues to wear the mask makes my heart flutter."

"Are you teasing me?"

"Of course, I was just kidding." Helda laughed for the umpteenth time. "How could I fall in love with that bastard!"

Honestly, I'm worried about this woman named Helda.

"Well, I have to sleep now. I still have a lot of work to do tomorrow. This place hasn't been around for long, so we'll have to build this and that." Helda tapped Kat on the shoulder again and got up. "You should sleep too. You're coming home tomorrow, right? Well, if you and Eric still want to be here, we don't mind. You guys are heroes to us!"

"Soon," Kat answered.

Helda looked closely at Kat's face. "Well, it's like those men under Jia said, you're like an angel, Kat."

Before Kat could respond, Helda rushed off.