readease Chapter 347: Who on Earth Is Helping Him?
Chapter 347: Who on Earth Is Helping Him?
Caius Carter looked troubled.
Master Ziegler had told him to maintain order, but Mordecai Quinn had just dismissed him from his post over the recent incident.
He felt a pang of regret. ’If I’d known this would happen, I should have waited longer before showing my face.’
"Director Carter, didn’t we already agree on this yesterday?"
Marcus Lewis didn’t understand why Caius Carter was still hesitating.
"I’ll give it a try."
Caius Carter stood up.
But before he could issue a command, Mordecai Quinn stood up and declared:
"All Defense Soldiers of Meridia Base, hear my command! Effective immediately, every survivor in Meridia Base may collect three days’ worth of supplies. Maintain order and follow procedure. Anyone who causes a disturbance will forfeit their right to receive supplies."
The entire crowd fell silent.
Many people thought they must have misheard.
Then, they saw Mordecai Quinn pull several large animal carcasses from his space.
When he had traded with Claire Warner earlier, he learned she also had some Mutated Animal carcasses in her space and immediately decided to take them off her hands.
He just hadn’t expected Claire Warner to have so many Mutated Animal carcasses.
’He guessed that a powerful merchant caravan must be backing Claire Warner. But since she didn’t say anything, he wouldn’t be the one to expose her.’
Gazing at the mountain of Mutated Animal carcasses, the entire crowd erupted.
"These are all edible supplies. They will be logged by the base cafeteria and processed into food and tools under the supervision of the Supervisory Department."
Meanwhile, several teams had already set up tables, chairs, and registration desks along the edge of the clearing.
All members of The Garrison and staff present were carrying out Mordecai Quinn’s orders in a disciplined and orderly fashion.
Even when Caius Carter shouted a few times, no one paid him any mind.
This made the Zieglers’ earlier pronouncements look like a complete joke.
"How is this possible? When did he do all this?!"
Zachary Ziegler said to Caspian Ziegler in disbelief.
"Mordecai Quinn was only at Mornfell for two or three days. How could he possibly have hundreds of Mutated Animal carcasses? Who in the world is helping him?!"
"Master Ziegler, I advise you all to give up. Meridia Base is more than you can handle."
Blaise Abbott approached in his wheelchair.
"How will you know we can’t if we don’t try?"
Caspian Ziegler snorted. ’If not this time, then the next.’
"You have no idea what we went through with the old Commander Quinn. As long as Mordecai Quinn is here, the Ziegler Family doesn’t stand a chance."
"Of course, you can buy off a few spineless opportunists, but..."
Blaise Abbott glanced at Caius Carter, Aaron Fletcher, and the others beside them, then let out a cold laugh.
His laughter was filled with both mockery and disdain.
"Relying on just a few animal carcasses? You think that’s enough to get by?"
With a wave of his hand, Zachary Ziegler gathered several hundred people before him.
Some of these people they had brought with them, but many were new recruits—all supporters of the Ziegler family.
"Don’t forget why we’re here today, everyone! Mordecai Quinn put his command on the line! If he can’t produce the supplies needed for this base to survive, he must give up his position as commander!"
With that said, he immediately called for a Space Superpower User, who began placing supplies in the clearing.
Sure enough, as soon as the supplies came out, a crowd immediately gathered.
"Who said I couldn’t produce the supplies?"
Mordecai Quinn walked over.
"I want to be clear. The three days’ worth of supplies per person I mentioned—that doesn’t mean these Mutated Animals. I’m talking about real supplies."
As Mordecai Quinn finished speaking, a line of cargo trucks began to drive down slowly from a high slope.
Each truck was loaded with crates of supplies, and to everyone’s astonishment, there were more than a dozen such trucks.
"These are the supplies for today’s distribution. After this, the base will construct an underground warehouse to store the rest,"
Mordecai Quinn said.
’There are even more supplies besides these?’
Everyone stared at the cargo trucks, their faces alight with joyous surprise.
"You’ve all endured so much. The old Commander built Meridia Base with his own two hands, pouring his heart and soul into it...
The base still has many shortcomings, but now that we have supplies, its development can finally get back on track. I ask you all to trust Mordecai Quinn, and to trust the man the old Commander chose before he died!"
Blaise Abbott’s words brought tears to the eyes of many who had grown numb and apathetic.
"The old Commander Quinn saved this worthless life of mine! I was the only person left alive in the entire building, and he was the one who didn’t give up on me."
"That’s right! Forget any ’blessings from dead relatives’ nonsense! The only reason we’re alive is because of the old Commander!"
"And Mr. Abbott, too! He lost his leg saving people."
"My child and I were about to die when Mr. Quinn extended his hand to me. If he hadn’t been working himself to the bone for all of us, a man that healthy would never have died from overwork in just a few short months..."
Orson Quinn hadn’t been old. Thanks to his lifelong commitment to fitness, he had maintained his sharp reflexes and impressive vigor.
It was only the endless toil that eventually turned his hair white.
"We support Commander Quinn! We support Meridia Base staying in the hands of the Quinns!"
"That’s right! All you treacherous, third-rate schemers, get out of Meridia Base!"
"Hey, old bastard! I don’t want your damn talisman! Give me back the supplies I paid for it!"
"..."
"Looks like we were worrying for nothing."
Ronan Rowan said.
They had gone to Mordecai Quinn’s courtyard early that morning, not only to pledge their support but also to see if he needed any help.
"Yes, it seems everyone still remembers."
Alice Gallagher’s eyes also welled with tears.
They didn’t really know Mordecai Quinn well, but Orson Quinn had saved all of them. How could they not support his son?
This base-wide drama lasted late into the night.
Nina Jacobs and Wayne Warner, however, had already returned to their residence.
"I’ve sent those two out of the base. Whether they live or die from here on out is up to them."
Mordecai Quinn said when he returned late that night.
As Nina Jacobs had requested, he’d had his men escort both Atticus and Cyril Vance out of the base.
’Normally, he would have killed them.’
But since Nina Jacobs had given them her word, and considering they had played a not-insignificant role today, he decided to spare them.
"Yes, whether they survive is up to them now."
Nina Jacobs said.
"Also, some good news: Daniel Lewis didn’t betray you."
’Mordecai knew Nina didn’t know Daniel Lewis personally, but he believed she had guessed from the start that Daniel hadn’t defected. That’s why she stopped me in time. If I had gone to confront Daniel then, today might not have gone so smoothly.’
Daniel Lewis hadn’t told anyone about the supplies he’d brought back, so that entire shipment was still untouched.
"Congratulations on weathering the storm."
Nina Jacobs said sincerely.
"This was all thanks to you. And please, thank Claire Warner for me."
"Don’t mention it."
’The trade volume this time was huge. Even without using up all the goods from the Aethelgard freight center, my System Experience shot up by over five million! The system’s upgrade progress bar shot up to three-quarters full. The Gold also added over thirty more slots to my Level Four System Storage Space. It was an incredible haul.’ This included the Mutated Animal carcasses; it was the first time Nina had discovered that trading them could also yield such a substantial reward.
"This is the investigation report on the Ziegler family I mentioned before."
Mordecai Quinn took out a file and placed it in front of Nina Jacobs.