Chapter 497 (2/2)

Hank seemed disappointed but accepted this. After Karlito and his wife Bruya had brought out wood, they had a campfire going, and the talk started in earnest. In a show of good faith, Hank went first, talking about Zone 1, the Tiers, the regulations, the rankings. Ptolemy listened slowly, reserving judgment.

All systems have benefits, just like all systems have detriments.

“So you are the old capital of America?” Dinesh asked, curious. His sister had been in Washington D.C. before the System arrived.

Hank Howard seemed torn. “...well… more yes than no, but a lot of bits were missing, especially the suburbs. Most of the food the government had stored in preparation for the coming of the System was lost, but we got lucky with the technological bureaus. They were the real core of the Zone.”

“Intriguing,” Nathan said, stroking his chin. Most of Hank’s party hid a smile.

Dinesh chuckled softly, but not because of Nathan’s comment. Rather, it was because Nathan was playing a fool on purpose to get the opposing group to loosen up. It was an excellent emotional manipulation and one that would cause no trouble if it were discovered. Ptolemy wondered where he had learned that from. It couldn’t have been the Ghosthound or Neveah, they were both too blunt. Tykes was similarly out. Perhaps the sweet talking Hispanic chef, Karlito?

“So, what about y’all?” Hank asked, looking at Ptolemy.

“Well,” Dinesh paused, considering where to begin. “We are much more decentralized. As stated, we don’t have the rigid Tiers for groups, although we have ranks in the various towns. Our population is much smaller than yours too, possibly only a third, so everyone has generally heard of most people of note.

“There are two main political blocks… the Northwest, which consists of the Refuge, Star Crossing, and East End, and the Southeast, which is made up of Franksburg and Donnyton. I, myself, received my Class at Donnyton.

“Of the two, I would say that the Southeast is superior, in both numbers and quality. Donnyton was the first Village in our Zone, and the most powerful. Most warriors worth their salt will travel there to train, at least for a while. Franksburg is the second founded village and the largest city. About half of the people in our Zone live in Franksburg.”

“You even call them warriors!” The other woman, Laurel, said, shaking her head with a smile. “That’s crazy… but I guess that’s what being isolated from the outside world for two and a half years will get you.”

Tykes, who was standing next to the first with his arms folded, nodded and spoke. “And it feels even longer… probably another year spent inside of Dungeons, in one form or another.”

Hank blinked, and it was ultimately the Asian girl Affina that spoke.

“You have been in a Dungeon?” She asked, rank curiosity clear in her tone.

Again, it was Dinesh’s turn to be shocked. “You haven’t?”

Affina shook her head. “Entrance to the Dungeons we have access to are strictly regulated. Only the top quality government talents are sent there, to spend as much time as possible training. The only reason that there is any space at all is due to the body’s eventual rejection of the dungeon.”

An interesting prospect and Dinesh could understand the reasons for doing so. It seemed like every month there was a story of a group going into a Dungeon without proper preparation, and coming back one member smaller. It was a sad thing when all of humanity was struggling against the System, but such things were inevitable.

But the flip side of that was no one emerged stronger from Dungeons, that cruel lesson carved into their hearts.

The talk flowed, going back and forth on various aspects until Hank finally spoke in a very different tone. It wasn’t cold, and it wasn’t angry, and it wasn’t commanding, but it was very clear from his tone and in retrospect his behavior the entire night, that the had been building to this for quite a long time.

“So then, I’m left wonderin’ why you guys could clear your Raid Dungeon so fast,” Hank said simply, scratching his chin. “No offense, but our Zone was forewarned and prepared. It’s pretty shockin’ to me that we were only three days faster than a random grouping of people. There must be something special there, right?”