Zone 2

The next day, Eliza held a secret meeting with Commander Alexander. She reported, "Commander, we successfully arrived in Zone 2."

Commander Alexander acknowledged her achievement, saying, "Congratulations, Eliza. The Silver Prism performed admirably."

Eliza then shared something important with the Commander, sending him footage of GENESIS and Hell Brothers battling the mechanical worm. After watching the footage, Commander Alexander expressed his admiration, "To think that the Silver Prism managed to exterminate the worm. I'm quite impressed, Eliza."

"Commander, I have something to share with you regarding Joseph," Eliza began. "He explained to me that before we managed to defeat the worm, it was trying to interact with him. After Joseph destroyed that worm, he entered an unconscious state of mind."

Commander Alexander was intrigued and asked for more information, "What do you mean, Eliza? Can you elaborate on this?"

Eliza went on to describe the events in more detail, including Joseph's encounter with the boy's consciousness trapped within the mechanical worm. She explained, "It seems that the worm was a part of an experiment conducted by the ARTIFICIAL, and the children used in these experiments are now trapped within these machines."

Commander Alexander listened intently, absorbing the situation. Commander Alexander nodded thoughtfully and replied, "I see. I will arrange a meeting to discuss this matter further. Thank you for sharing this information, Eliza." Eliza nodded and turned to leave the room.

Meanwhile, at The Silver Prism motherbase in the cafeteria, Joseph was enjoying a meal with Erina and Jennifer. During their conversation, Joseph turned to Jennifer and asked, "Jennifer, what's going on between you and William?"

Jennifer looked slightly surprised and asked, "How did you find out?"

Joseph grinned and replied, "Well, William asked me what kind of men you like, but I told him to ask you directly."

Jennifer chuckled, her eyes twinkling, and said, "I see... I don't know much about him yet, but he told me he's not giving up on me. I guess I'll just have to wait and see if he's really interested." Their conversation was filled with laughter and warmth

As Eliza returned to the cafeteria, Jennifer had already finished her meal and decided to strike up a conversation. She asked Eliza, "What would you like to eat?"

Eliza replied with a hint of weariness, "Just some fried rice."

While they waited for Eliza's meal, Joseph seized the opportunity to ask, "Boss, this is our first time in Zone 2. Are there any places like towns or cities here?"

Eliza explained, "In Zone 2, there's nothing like a town or city. This area is filled with outlaws because there are no laws in Zone 2. People can do whatever they want here."

Eliza continued, her voice carrying a sense of intrigue, "But there is a place in this area that has always interested me—the black market. When I used to work under Commander Alexander, we often had operations in Zone 2. Secretly, we would also visit the black market."

Joseph, intrigued by this revelation, asked, "What were you doing in a place like that?"

Eliza replied, her tone candid, "Well, as you've already seen in my garden space, the seeds and plants I cultivate there are illegal. They are only available for purchase in the black market."

Joseph, intrigued by the idea, asked, "Is there a chance we can visit the black market?"

"Sure, since we're already nearby," Eliza replied.

After finishing their meal, Eliza led Joseph and Erina to visit the black market. As they arrived, they were greeted by a bustling scene, with numerous bazaars and stalls lining the area.

Joseph was taken aback and exclaimed, "Whoa, it's surprising to see that the black market operates like a regular market, even openly selling these items."

Eliza nodded knowingly and replied, "Many of these vendors disguise their illegal activities as legitimate businesses. It's a facade they use to operate covertly and sell their illicit goods."

Eliza led Joseph and Erina away from the bustling black market to a quieter part of the Zone 2. Erina couldn't help but ask, "Where are you taking us, Eliza?"

With a mysterious smile, Eliza replied, "Just trust me, you'll see." When they arrived at their destination, Eliza knocked on the door of a modest-looking house. An elderly man opened the door and exclaimed, "Oh, Eliza, what brings you here? Please, come in," as he and his wife warmly welcomed them inside.

As they settled on the comfortable couch, the old man's wife graciously offered them a fragrant cup of tea. Eliza took a delicate sip, her curiosity piqued, and the old man inquired, "How does it taste, Eliza?"

Eliza's eyes lit up as she savored the unique flavor. "The tea, it's different and quite refreshing. What is this, may I ask?"

With a warm smile, the old man responded, "It's sunflower tea."

Joseph and Erina exchanged surprised glances. "Sunflower tea?" they exclaimed in unison, intrigued by the unexpected delight.

Eliza raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Sunflower? Where did you find them?"

The old man leaned in and shared the tale, "Not too far from here, we stumbled upon an abandoned house during one of our explorations. Inside an old box, we found these sunflower seeds."

Eliza nodded thoughtfully. "I see. And is there any sunflower seed left for us?"

The old man's eyes twinkled with kindness. "Of course, we've set aside some for you. It appears our sunflowers are flourishing, and with these seeds, you can cultivate them within your motherbase."

Eliza inquired about the price, to which the old man replied, "Well, let's see... for these precious seeds, it's around 2 million Utopian Dollars."

Joseph and Erina exchanged wide-eyed glances. "2 million Utopian Dollars?!"

Eliza, however, maintained her composure. "Indeed, 2 million is a suitable price. They've gone to great lengths to acquire these precious seeds, and such efforts deserve recognition."

Eliza nodded and took out her tablet. She quickly initiated the transfer of 2 million Utopian Dollars to the old man's account.

"Alright, the payment has been made," Eliza confirmed.

The old man and his wife smiled appreciatively. "Thank you, Eliza. We hope these sunflower seeds bring a touch of beauty to your motherbase."

The exchange was completed, and Joseph, Erina, and Eliza left the warm and welcoming home, As they made their way back to the Silver Prism motherbase, Joseph couldn't help but comment, "You sure have a passion for gardening, boss."

Eliza smiled as she walked, her thoughts turning to the plants waiting for her back at the base. "Yes, I do. After learning the truth about the ARTIFICIAL and how they manipulate our food, I found solace in gardening. It's a way to connect with something real.

When they arrived back at their motherbase, Eliza called for the Hell Brothers urgently and made an announcement, "Asher and Felix, please come to my office."

Asher and Felix arrived promptly, their faces showing their readiness for action. They greeted her, "Yes, boss. What do you need? You know we Hell Brothers are professional mercenaries. We'll exterminate anyone who goes against you!"

Eliza smiled and said, "Excellent. But for now, follow me to the garden room."

Once they reached the garden room, she handed them a small sunflower seed. "Asher, Felix, I need your help planting this seed."

Asher and Felix, a bit surprised by the request, nodded in agreement. "Yes, boss," they replied, ready to assist in any way they could.

As Felix examined the small seed, he couldn't hide his curiosity. "Whoa, brother, what is this?"

Asher, holding the seed gently, replied, "This, Felix, is a sunflower seed."

As Asher and Felix attempted to plant the delicate sunflower seed, they found it surprisingly challenging. Asher muttered, "Gosh, this is hard. Controlling those mechs is a lot easier!"

Erina and Joseph, who were observing, couldn't help but chuckle at the Hell Brothers' struggle. They decided to step in and offer some assistance.

They started by preparing the soil in a large pot. The soil was carefully mixed with organic compost to create a nutrient-rich environment for the sunflower to thrive. After that Joseph and Erina took turns using a small trowel to dig a small hole in the center of the pot. They made sure the hole was deep enough to accommodate the sunflower seed.

With gentle hands, Erina placed the sunflower seed into the hole while Joseph observed. They positioned it vertically with the pointed end facing downward. This would allow the seedling to sprout upward as it germinated. Using the trowel again, Joseph and Erina carefully covered the seed with soil, making sure it was well-packed but not too compacted. The soil was tamped down gently to secure the seed in place.

Eliza handed them a watering can filled with a fine mist, and they watered the newly planted sunflower seed. They ensured the soil was evenly moist, which was essential for germination. Eliza then explained that sunflowers require plenty of sunlight to grow. They chose a sunny spot in the garden room where the pot would receive ample natural light.

Finally, Eliza reminded them that growing sunflowers required patience. It would take time for the seed to germinate and grow into a tall, vibrant sunflower.

Asher expressed his gratitude, saying, "Joseph, I want to thank you for lending a hand. It seems I owe you once more."

Joseph replied with a smile, "No need to mention it, Asher."

Eliza interjected, "Well done, it seems the request has been successfully fulfilled."

"You're free to rest or attend to your other tasks now," Eliza said.

At night while Joseph was repairing GENESIS, Max approached him and struck up a conversation. "Hey, Joseph, I've been wondering, how long have you and Erina known each other?"

Joseph paused his work for a moment and replied, "We've known each other since childhood. Why do you ask?"

Max continued, "I see... Well, that's probably why you two seem so close."

Kotu chimed in, "It's like the boss got a new challenger."

Joseph, a bit puzzled, asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Kotu replied with a smirk, "Come on, didn't you notice? Our boss seems different when she's around you. She looks... happy."

Joseph chuckled, "Really? Eliza? She always seems so stoic."

Max shook his head, "You're dense, my friend. Trust me, everyone else has noticed it."

Sally chimed in with a playful tone, "Guys, no need to be so nosy."

Kotu couldn't resist and replied, "Oh, Sally, don't you just love a bit of gossip? It's hard not to get curious."

Max added, "Yeah, Kotu's got a point. I thought women were naturally inclined to enjoy this kind of stuff"

Sally replied to Kotu and Max, "Yeah, I know many women enjoy this kind of stuff, but I've never been much into gossip. I prefer to mind my own business."

Max replied, "Yeah, we'll try not to be too nosy."

Kotu added, "Just a tad bit nosy."

Joseph couldn't help but chuckle and asked, "So, Sally, how old are you?"

Sally replied, "I'm 22 years old. Kotu and Max are both 19."

"I see... It seems like you're like an older sister to them," Joseph remarked.

Sally chuckled. "Yeah, something like that."

As suddenly Eliza make annoucement "Joseph, Asher and Felix came to my office right now". "Looks like i got to go" said Joseph to Sally, Kotu and Max

As Joseph, Asher, and Felix arrived at Eliza's office, they saluted and waited for her instructions.

Eliza began, "We've arrived at the location. It appears to be not too far from the prison where Luther is located. We've decided to land here, and the Silver Prism motherbase will camouflage itself within the forest to avoid detection."

Joseph inquired, "What's the name of the prison?"

Eliza responded, "It's Stillwater Regional Prison. Our next operation will be to rescue Luther."