Chapter 283: Win-Win Situation
For Steven, logistics was the kind of thing he could handle without even trying. Food, supplies—those were child's play. If he wanted to get them, it was as simple as snapping his fingers.
But what was easy for him… was near impossible for most others.
After all, who else could casually walk around with what basically amounted to an entire world's worth of resources stuffed into their pocket?
Sona hadn't expected it either. The problem that had troubled her for so long—solved in the blink of an eye by the boy standing in front of her.
Was it really like he said?
That asking for his help more often was actually the simplest solution?
Right now, Sona didn't have many options. So she nodded, gathered the remaining funds they had, and handed them directly to Steven.
"Just help us with the trade. As long as we can secure enough supplies to last a while, we'll figure out the rest from there."
Her trust in Steven was absolute.
If he'd really meant her harm, he would've acted long ago.
Why go through the trouble of helping her again and again otherwise?
With logistics no longer a concern, Sona could finally turn her attention to what really mattered: the future of the Pinus Sylvestris.
"We need to evacuate the infected who can't fight—get them to somewhere safe, somewhere they can settle down. As for the rest…"
Her voice faltered, her expression caught between hesitation and sorrow.
"I'll handle it alone. This all started because of me… so it's only right that I'm the one to end it. I'll go retrieve the data myself."
She clenched her jaw and made her choice to carry the burden alone.
Everyone knew how dangerous it would be to retrieve that file, but the more perilous it was, the less she wanted to let anyone else get involved.
If only she had never gotten involved in the first place… maybe the Pinus Sylvestris wouldn't be in such a desperate state now.
"You think we'll just let you handle everything on your own? We're your comrades, aren't we? At the very least, you've gotta count me in too."
A voice cut in—Ashley, the gray-haired girl among the group, grabbed Sona's hand tightly. There was no blame in her eyes, only quiet determination and the deep bond of friendship.
"Iwona and Justyna can handle covering the rest of the squad. As for me, well, I can at least watch your back, can't I?"
She pointed at the other two girls, clearly unwilling to accept Sona's solo plan.
"Didn't we agree? Whatever happens—we face it together. We're a team, right?"
The other two girls didn't say anything, but their stance was clear. None of them were planning to leave. If they had to die, they'd rather do it alongside Sona than abandon her to face the danger alone.
"You guys…"
Sona looked at the three of them, and the heavy weight pressing on her heart lifted just a little.
With companions like these by her side… what more could she possibly ask for?
"Hmm… if you're talking about going into the K.G.C.C's skyscraper to get that classified Area 0 project document…"
A voice interrupted, cool and casual.
It was Steven, who had until now simply been watching them from the sidelines with detached interest.
Now he stepped forward, effectively putting a halt to the emotional moment between the girls.
"…Then I hate to rain on your parade, but I'm gonna have to stop you right there."
He tapped the table with his finger, smiling in a way that looked harmless—maybe even friendly.
"That file? I'm taking it. So from the very start… you can just give up on it."
That one sentence was enough to make Sona's heart sink.
As someone who had once been saved by Steven from the tip of a deadly arrow, Sona knew all too well how terrifying the strength of this boy truly was.
If he said he was going to take that classified document… then the four of them had no chance of stopping him.
And what's more, the information about the file—he had been the one to tell her about it in the first place.
He just hadn't mentioned that he also wanted it.
"B-but… if that's the case, you could've just kept it from me, right?"
She looked at him, confused, her voice hesitant and full of uncertainty.
If he'd planned to take the file from the start, then why bother telling her anything at all? Was it just so she wouldn't fall into despair? But now, hearing his true intentions… it just made her feel even more hopeless.
"Huh? Oh no, you're misunderstanding me."
Steven scratched the back of his head and finally revealed the real reason for all this.
"Yeah, I am taking the original. That much is non-negotiable. But if you girls are willing to offer something in return—money, favors, whatever—I don't mind making a copy for you. It's not like the thing is one of a kind."
To him, this was the optimal solution.
Better than watching these girls march off like a tragic scene in a melodrama, thinking they were off to die for a noble cause.
Why let them risk everything for something he could get more safely and efficiently on his own?
They could take the copy and deliver it to the Adeptus Sprawiedliwi or whoever they wanted, and he'd keep the original for whatever plans he had.
It's a win-win situation
"Wha…?"
Sona blinked, stunned. Her companions were equally confused, frozen for a moment as if their brains had short-circuited trying to process what he just said.
He wants to take the risk for them?
All he's asking in return is… payment?
For a moment, Sona thought he might be joking. But when she looked into his eyes, all she saw was quiet sincerity—and it was that honesty that made tears well up in her eyes as she pressed a hand to her mouth.
"But… you didn't have to do all this. You really didn't…"
From the beginning, neither he nor Specter had any reason to get involved with them.
They weren't even infected. They had nothing to gain.
And yet… here they were. Offering help. Again and again. Never asking for anything in return.
How could that not move her?
"Come on now," Steven waved her off, "I'm just saying, you four didn't look like you were going to pull this off. So I figured I'd do it myself. Besides, do you even know where the file is? Judging by your situation, you're already running out of time, right?"
His words were blunt—maybe even a little harsh—but not wrong.
Sure, the girls were clearly close, bound by deep camaraderie. But that wasn't going to make a difference when the ones guarding the file were ruthless K.G.C.C enforcers, not some sappy drama audience rooting for a heartfelt sisterhood.
If they failed and triggered an alert, the data could be moved, erased, or worse—locked down permanently. That would only cause him more trouble.
"…Ugh."
Sona visibly deflated at Steven's pragmatic assessment. Even her adorable little ears drooped a bit. But she quickly recovered.
He was right. With the power he'd already demonstrated, he was clearly more reliable than the four of them put together. And if Specter joined him? The two of them could probably raze the entire K.G.C.C's HQ if they wanted to.
If they were really willing to retrieve the file… then there was no one more suited for the job.
As for compensation? What could an infected like them possibly offer? They already had nothing to lose—and nothing left to give.
"So it's settled then," Steven said, brushing it off as if it were the simplest thing in the world. "I'll take care of the file. You girls focus on getting your infected comrades evacuated first."
"And as for payment… we'll talk after I've got it."
He said it casually—but in his mind, he had already come to a decision on what to really do with these four girls.
If he was going to start a business empire of his own, he'd need a solid team, right?
And weren't these four the perfect candidates?
Ready-made employees—loyal, capable, and already grateful as hell.
What more could he ask for?
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Note: Character Illustration is in this Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iuyfwNVFHzIi9H4rWNT_lAm7jTSiah_M
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