Cheering for a New Start - 3
"What is this place, trees everywhere..."
I strolled between the trees, breathing in the fresh natural air. It felt different from those old parks with their neat rows of pretty trees perfect for a leisurely walk. Someone who valued the wildness of nature and trees might find this pretty cool, I supposed.
Unfortunately, I wasn't here to admire the scenery. "Living in harmony with nature" was just another luxury, and it wasn't one that suited my tastes.
I picked up the axe.
"Chopping from here should do the trick."
I stood in front of a tree, bent at the waist, and gave it a light tap. The tree came crashing down. I caught it carefully to minimize the impact, confirmed it had fallen properly, and turned my head.
"Watch out for the dust..."
The dead branches on the ground collided with the freshly fallen leaves, kicking up an enormous cloud of dust.
"No one hurt?"
"Nooooooo!!!"
The survivors behind me shouted in unison. I gave an awkward smile.
"Just like I said, tidy up the stray branches. Take it slow so you don't get pricked... the dust okay?"
"We're fine!!!"
Their voices were so loud and enthusiastic it was almost overwhelming.
"Alright, then let's call it for today. Tomorrow I'll check the mart and convenience store for masks, so hang in there just a bit longer!"
"Got iiiit!!!"
I appreciated it. These people, who hadn't eaten or moved well, were shouting at the top of their lungs just to ease my worries.
"Okay, let's keep going!"
I chopped down trees without a break. Naturally, the work itself wasn't hard. No massive monster or metal-clad golem could dodge my sword. A tree that was just a bit thicker than usual was like slicing through straw.
If not for the condition that I needed to cut at the base for intact logs, I could've just dashed around the forest hacking them down.
Can't get stones right now, so I need to chop as much wood as possible.
Processing stone wasn't easy, but with my strength, it was doable. But to get uncracked stones, I'd have to dig them up. I didn't have a quarry handy, nor any way to transport them.
Even if wood was less reliable, nothing beat it among the materials I could get right now. Concrete or cement would've been ideal, but I had no way to process them yet.
Still, once the wooden houses are up, it'll look like a proper base—
Lost in thought, I'd already felled a ton of trees.
"This should be enough for now."
Looking back, fallen trees littered the ground here and there. The spot that had been dark under the canopy when I arrived was now bathed in bright sunlight.
I trimmed the branches off the logs I'd cut, hefted a bunch under each arm, and headed back.
"Just a moment, please! We'll be done soon!"
The women sorting branches jumped up when they saw me.
"No one's hurt? Rest if you're too tired."
"We're good!"
"Alright... finish up the branches, then we'll head back and take a break."
I had plenty of energy left, but these folks were sweating buckets, focused on the task. It was for their future homes, but their diligence was impressive.
With a faint smile, I carried the trimmed logs away.
Time passed. The women were all panting, drenched in sweat.
Oh...
Bathed in warm sunlight after hard labor, the women looked far more alluring than before. Maybe because their sweat-soaked shirts clung to them, outlining those perky nipples.
"Good work, everyone. Let's rest a bit, then move to the next task. Got the cooler ready?"
"Yup!"
Sua winked cutely. In her hands was a cooler packed with ice-cold water and ice.
My house, my room, and my apartment were frozen in time, untouched by the passage of years since the apocalypse. This cooler was from one of the new houses I'd unlocked to house these women.
"Here, have a drink first!"
The coolant wouldn't last forever, but as a well-insulated box, it'd be plenty useful.
I chugged a canned coffee from inside. The other women eyed me cautiously.
"Relax, relax."
Most of the hard work was on me, but trimming branches wasn't easy either. Once I gave the okay, they lined up calmly at the cooler.
Each grabbed a drink and, without needing orders, started prepping lunch. Cup ramen and wooden chopsticks spilled out in heaps. They poured hot water from thermoses into the cups one by one. Picnic mats spread everywhere. The familiar combo of triangle kimbap and cup ramen was complete.
"Thank you! We'll eat well!"
We'd been together a few days, but there was still a wall between us. I'd told them to loosen up several times, but they remained politely deferential.
"Phew..."
Waiting for my ramen to cook, I gazed at the piles of logs we'd gathered. It was just one step forward, but we were steadily building this base.
...
These new people were good folks too. Nothing extraordinary, but I knew how many "rescued" people turned ungrateful or wicked. This was more than enough.
It felt wrong for people like them to wander the streets like abandoned dogs. Building a space for them, facilities to feed them—it didn't feel wasteful at all. They were good women.
Being able to pick people like this was pure luck.
/////
"So good..."
The spicy ramen broth mingled with cool triangle kimbap in the women's mouths. Happy smiles played on their lips.
The labor they'd braced for was tougher than expected, but far more merciful and warm than they'd imagined. They felt they could live happily forever like this.
Even if rations halved, workloads doubled, or they got kicked from the cozy apartment to camp here, that happiness wouldn't fade.
Their new boss didn't exploit them viciously. He didn't leer at their bodies with malice. With his power and privileges, he could've demanded anything, yet he treated them with love.
"So happy..."
One woman, having slurped down every drop of broth, murmured unconsciously.
They knew what fullness felt like. But this fullness here brought a stability unlike any they'd known.
"Hng..."
Before coming here, meals were war. If they lucked into a supply point, they'd stuff themselves mercilessly. Even if it made them puke, they had to eat more. They couldn't stay forever—too weak to fight off rival groups.
They ate like thieves, fled like rats. Fullness meant pain.
But now? Just days in the apartment, yet they were certain. The leader, that man—he'd never abandon them. As long as they stayed, no more hunger.
Their stomachs still grumbled after ramen and kimbap, but they didn't care. They believed they wouldn't starve at dinner or breakfast tomorrow.
The sated women packed up the mats without prompting and prepped for the next task.
"You okay? We can go slower..."
He chuckled awkwardly. The women shouted back.
"We've rested enough!"
He beamed at them. It was a smile they'd seen many times, yet their faces flushed, unaccustomed.
No matter how hard they tried, it was trivial repayment for his gifts. What he'd given outweighed any gain from saving them.
"Alright, let's start. Next up... we need to carve grooves in these logs—"
Humans can't help but enjoy work if they see it as a gain. To every woman he'd saved, every moment with him was an immense boon. A once-in-a-lifetime chance.
The women smiled, brimming with happiness.