After Surviving the Apocalypse, I Built a City in Another World

A/N: Have you guys seen the new versions of the song ’City of Two Moons’ by Air_Ace? They’re all really good. Come listen with us~

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The refugees immediately gathered around the campfire with beating hearts, still a bit in disbelief.

More and more bottles were passed around. ”Please share with others,” they’d say, though there’d be dozens of big earthenware bottles going around, letting all of them drink at least a few sips.

It was tempting to just gulp down as much as they could, but they had seen these people’s strengths and did not dare to hog the water.

What if they’d get kicked out of the group for causing trouble?

Cringe.

Anyway, they were all well behaved while the barbeque was cooked, letting them get a whiff of its goodness. It was also the main reason why people behaved. They knew annoying these people would make them lose their chance to eat that.

While waiting, many got lucky when the bottles made another round, letting them have another sip or two. It was just as tasty as the first gulp.

Objectively, each person didn’t get much water, but each sip literally felt like it injected life into their souls.

Then they were given the freshly cooked meat and swore they had died of happiness.

Their hearts went on a wild ride that night for sure.

”What… this is too delicious!” Grandma mumbled as she ate her meat. Bumi nodded as he took another bite, sniffling a bit. This was the sight all over.

They hadn’t quite absorbed that they were actually being

fed by strangers

when their minds were numbed by the utter deliciousness that touched their tongues.

Anyway, based on their looks, if they weren’t dehydrated and had tears, it was estimated they’d be sobbing right now.

Barbara and the others were amused. They did worry about feeding them savory meat when they obviously hadn’t eaten decent food in a while, but they just hoped the aborigines’ bodies had adjusted well enough to the conditions here.

It was quite a peaceful couple of minutes then. Even when a few small mobs appeared, the team just stood up and worked once again. Fortunately, it was small and only a dozen people had to be mobilized to deal with them.

Shinho saw they had no chance to help out again and felt guilty for being treated so well.

He approached Mauru. ”I… I’m sorry for my rudeness earlier,” he said. ”It’s just… hard to imagine people being kind.”

Mauru looked at him in understanding. As an aborigine, he naturally understood where he was coming from. Earlier, he was focused on getting them back and simply forgot about the natural distrust of their kind amongst each other.

He stood up and patted the man’s shoulder.

”That’s because our backing is strong,” he said. ”So we can afford to be kind.”

…

When the new mob had been cleared, everyone had already finished eating and were prepared to make a move.

”Follow me,” Mauru said, and everyone obediently followed behind him.

It had to be said: the kind provision of water and food made them no longer question their next phase of action.

Bumi immediately crouched down with his back in front of his grandmother, who was now sitting on one of the rocks.

To his surprise, she shook her head. ”I want to walk.”

”Grandma?” Bumi asked, concerned, but his grandmother looked at him. ”I rested enough,” she said, smiling mysteriously. ”And I have a new source of strength.”

Bumi was very confused and he could only watch as his grandmother walked in a direction with a smile.

She went to that pretty short haired lady who gave water. ”Thank you for the water,” she said. ”It must not have been easy to give out something so important.”

”I’ll survive,” she said. ”You may not.”

It was blunt but, in contrast to how many others would’ve reacted, it made the old woman chuckle instead.

She raised her late daughter and grandson on her own, after all, all without a man. She never had the predisposition to look down on women.

”Young lady, what is your name?”

”Cassie.”

”Are you married?”

Inexplicably, Bumi—who was right behind her—flushed.

Cassie was taken aback by the question and tilted her head. However, she had a natural respect for the older generation and answered politely anyway. ”No, grandma.”

”Oh, good good good.”

”?”

Grandma didn’t answer her and just continued to walk along, with Cassie kindly matching pace with her. Grandma fell in love even more, and Bumi could only walk behind them looking flustered.

Just like this, the three were in the last row of the line.

They were silent for a while, and they took it as a chance to observe the woman more.

She was a valiant-looking young woman—and a rare elementalist, too. Despite all these, she walked alongside them, the poor dirty refugees, as if she didn’t see a difference.

It was very… curious.

They also wanted to ask more, but they feared it would be rude. Could they ask where they came from? What if it had fallen like their own home?

So instead, grandma asked: ”Can you tell me more… about where we are going?”

”Our village,” she said and they were relieved to hear it was still standing.

”So your village is fine! That’s great to hear.”

In their minds though, they did wonder if they heard it correctly. Village? Perhaps they misheard…

They also wanted to ask why there were so many elementalists, and how could women be so strong, but that felt like an overtly intimate question so they shut their mouths and pushed down their curiosity.

In the end, Grandma simply smiled at her reassuringly. ”Well, it’s good you guys are strong. Foraging outside is much safer. Unlike us…” she sighed, looking at her grandson behind them.

”We work hard though,” she said. ”Although our territory is gone, we held on long enough, a good part of it is because many of our young men are brave. My grandson over there is not as strong as you are, but he is a good provider…”

Bumi was aghast. ”Grandma…”

Cassie didn’t seem to mind the comment though. She was fixed with the territory comment. ”So your home…”

”It’s gone.”

”I’m sorry.”

They shook their heads. ”It’s just how life is… we can only hope for a better future.”

Cassie smiled. ”Oh you don’t have to worry about that in Alterra,” she said, looking forward.

Her eyebrows rose. Time seemed to have passed while they chattered. ”Ah, we’re almost there.”

The young woman pointed in front of her and the grandmother-son duo turned their heads to follow her line of sight. Their eyes widened at the sight of a tall wall a few hundred meters away.

They weren’t so close, but they could see it clearly.

Although they hadn’t been to a town yet, that should be a wall of one… right?

And are those sentries? So dense?

And… it was so bright!

It was like it was a guiding light that broke the darkness in the horizon.

At this point, they just couldn’t speak clearly anymore.

”This…”

Cassie looked at their reaction with a smile. ”Welcome to Alterra Village.”