Building a Safe Zone with My Harem In The Post-Apocalyptic World

The men selected for the operation needed only a day to prepare. By then, they had enough supplies, ammunition, and weapons to enter the mine.

Most of the weapons had been chosen specifically for fighting in confined spaces.

They were powerful enough to kill aberrants but not powerful enough to collapse the canyon above them.

The only exception was the C4, which had been prepared as a last resort.

If they ever had to use it underground, the operation would effectively become a suicide mission.

Fortunately, Gideon’s presence made that possibility far less likely.

He didn’t need to carry supplies himself with the Infinite Store at his disposal. If the men discovered that their ammunition, food, or equipment wasn’t enough, he could simply provide whatever they needed.

For now, however, he left them to their preparations.

They had their own plan, and Gideon wanted them to take pride in protecting their settlement. He would step in when necessary, which he knew he eventually would.

He wasn’t naive enough to believe their enemy was anything ordinary.

This was probably the closest thing they had to a boss enemy.

If they killed it, there was a good chance the strange activity surrounding Climber Rift would finally stop, allowing them to move on to the next problem waiting beneath the increasingly dangerous winter.

Unfortunately, the aberrants around Cinders of Dusk weren’t making things any easier.

The system’s information regarding the hired personnel had begun reporting increasingly unnatural movements among the creatures surrounding the territory.

They had become restless, trying to get close to the Grave Flowers from every direction.

Some even tried climbing the canyon walls, while flying aberrants repeatedly approached from above as if trying to destroy the flowers or warn something beyond the perimeter.

Gideon eventually asked Patrick about it.

"I asked one of my colleagues about the behavior," Patrick explained. "The dove finally arrived today."

He held up the letter in his hand.

"They believe it’s a pheromone released by the Pyrovour Borealis to attract predators, especially when the Eternal Snow comes closer."

"The effect becomes worse inside the White Death. Unlike the King, which eliminates almost every aberrant within its territory except for a few of its own kind, the Queen doesn’t seem to possess the same territorial instinct."

Patrick tapped the map with one finger.

"Cinders of Dusk is roughly fifty kilometers from the Queen’s territory. She won’t move against every aberrant wandering outside her territory, which is why so many of them have gathered around your Safe Zone in winter."

He sighed before continuing.

"My advice is to expand the perimeter, especially against flying aberrants. But for now, you only need to focus on this operation, Chief. I’ll make sure Johan and the defense tower staff know what’s happening. Leaving for a few hours won’t make your territory fall apart."

As he spoke, Patrick placed a wrinkled hand on Gideon’s shoulder.

The professor’s eyes remained sharp.

Gideon knew that.

What he hadn’t expected was for Patrick to notice the anxiety hiding behind his own eyes.

Gideon rarely showed concern openly. He was usually the person who solved the problem, controlled the situation, and made sure everyone else knew what to do.

But this time, he had to leave his territory behind and trust other people to protect what belonged to him.

He wasn’t used to that.

"Thank you, Professor." Gideon finally took a deep breath, feeling some of the tension leave his shoulders. "I won’t take long. I’ll deal with the hive mind and come back."

A grin appeared on his face. "But if possible, I’ll try to bring you some tissue samples or anything else you can keep yourself busy with."

Patrick laughed.

The shadows beneath his eyes were still obvious, and exhaustion had settled deeply into his face, but the excitement in his eyes remained as bright as ever.

A true scientist.

***

After that, they gathered for the operation’s plan and strategy.

There were only ten men in total, including Gideon. He already recognized all of their faces, although some of their names were still a little blurry in his memory.

Aaron stood at the front of the group.

He was no longer the Aaron Gideon was used to seeing, the man who was always messing around, drinking whenever he had the chance, and acting far too relaxed for his own good.

The man standing before them now looked every bit like a leader. His expression was serious, his posture firm, and his men followed every word with obvious respect.

Jade and Kilian stood across from them while a detailed map of the old mine covered the table between them.

Aaron placed one finger against the map.

"The mine branches into two major paths shortly after the entrance. We’ll split into Alpha and Beta teams. Alpha will follow me."

He pointed toward the men who would accompany him before shifting his finger toward the other group.

"Beta will follow Gideon."

Gideon blinked. He certainly wasn’t going to decline the responsibility or pretend someone else was more qualified. He knew his own value.

Still, considering that these men had worked together for a long time, Aaron—or any other men there—probably had better coordination with them than Gideon did.

Gideon simply preferred working alone.

Aaron looked directly at him. "Remember to listen to him and follow every order he gives. And I believe you’ll be wise and strong enough to guide my men."

Gideon gave a firm nod. "I am, and I will."

His gaze moved toward the four men who had been assigned to him: Petter, Addam, Jasper, and Nick. All four were older than him, but none looked particularly bothered by the arrangement.

"Gentlemen," Gideon said, resting one hand against the edge of the table, "I believe all of you are smart enough not to challenge my authority if something goes wrong."

The four men exchanged glances before Petter smiled.

"Of course not, Chief. We’ve known you long enough to know what kind of man you are."

A few of the others nodded in agreement.

Jade was the one who brought the meeting back to business.

"Thirty minutes." Her finger tapped against the map. "That’s all the time you have before we begin the evacuation. I believe thirty minutes is more than enough for a fight to start if there’s actually something hiding down there. If you find nothing, return as quickly as possible."

She looked around the group, making sure every man was paying attention.

"This is an important operation. If the hive mind is down there, every one of you will play a role in either saving this settlement or allowing it to fall apart."

Her expression hardened. "But more importantly, try not to die."

The men became quiet.

"Be smart. Be careful. Be strong and determined, but don’t be stupid. Good luck for all of you and good luck for us."

Jade didn’t soften the words at all. She meant every one of them.

Yet strangely, the blunt warning seemed to relax the men rather than frighten them. A few exchanged grins, while Petter even chuckled under his breath.

Gideon couldn’t help smiling.

Apparently, being told directly that someone wanted them to survive was enough to make these men feel better about walking into a potentially deadly mine.

Then again, he couldn’t blame them. In a world like this, having someone care whether you came back alive was probably a luxury.

Jade reached beneath the table and pulled out two compact walkie-talkies, placing one in Aaron’s hand before giving the other to Gideon.

"Keep these on the same channel. Kilian and I have one as well, so we’ll be able to hear anything you report. If something happens, don’t hesitate to call."

Gideon clipped the device to his belt and checked it briefly before nodding.

"Understood."

The group left the temporary command post and followed Jade through the older section of Climber Rift.

The buildings here were packed tightly against the canyon, their foundations supported by thick pillars and reinforced structures that disappeared into the rock.

Eventually, Jade stopped beside one of them.

"Here."

Behind the supporting structure was a narrow opening barely wide enough for one person to squeeze through. It looked more like a crack between the foundation and the canyon wall than an actual entrance.

One by one, they slipped inside.

The narrow passage quickly widened.

Within several dozen meters, the cramped entrance opened into an enormous underground chamber.

The ceiling disappeared into darkness, while multiple tunnels stretched deeper into the mine.

Gideon switched on his flashlight while Aaron looked toward the two larger passages.

"We split here. Remember what Jade said and contact me if you find something. Don’t move if it is not necessary before we arrive. I will do the same."

Aaron looks at Gideon and the Beta team for the last time and grabs his shoulder hard as if to give him the trust to not only lead but protect his men, his friends.

Gideon tightened his grip on the Unbreakable Sword and nodded, understanding the meaning of those gaze.

The darkness ahead seemed to swallow the light.

And somewhere deep beneath Climber Rift...

Something moved.

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