LOSS System: Last Store Standing

The urgency in Cass’s voice made Jack and Megan think something had happened. They hurried downstairs without delay.

As soon as they stepped outside, they saw everyone gathered at the edge of the large pit, staring down at the water. Jack immediately tensed, and he and Megan quickened their pace.

“What happened?”

Cass spun around and excitedly pointed toward the pit.

“Plants! There are plants growing in the water!”

Jack paused in surprise before looking into the pit. A small patch of green had appeared on the previously bare water. Slender aquatic plants were growing from beneath the surface near the shore, some already reaching close to the top and swaying gently with the ripples.

The patch wasn’t large, but against the reddish-brown soil and clear water around it, the green stood out immediately.

“There really are plants growing in there.”

Jack stared at them with wide eyes.

“They must have sprouted a while ago without any of us noticing,” Elias said from beside him. “Otherwise, they wouldn’t have grown this much already.”

“Who found them?” Jack asked.

“I did.” Reed stepped forward. “I saw a whole group of Dustchucks running toward the water and thought something was strange, so I stayed to see what they were doing. When I followed the direction they were gathering in, I noticed the plants.”

Hal crouched at the edge of the pit and studied them for a moment.

“These seeds were probably buried in the soil before the disaster. With no water here for so long, they never had a chance to germinate. Now that the pit has filled with water again, the seeds have finally begun to grow.”

He examined the surrounding terrain before adding, “If aquatic plants used to grow here, this may have been a low-lying body of water before the disaster. It probably dried up completely afterward and was gradually buried beneath windblown sand.”

Jack found that hard to believe.

“Aquatic plant seeds can survive that long? They were buried for decades, and they can still sprout?”

“It’s possible,” Marg said. “Some plant seeds can remain viable in the soil for many years.”

She paused briefly before adding, “And aquatic plants aren’t the only example. Some fish eggs can survive in a similar way.”

That truly caught Jack by surprise.

“Fish eggs can do that too?”

Megan joined the conversation.

“Yes. Killifish are one of the most common examples. The bodies of water they inhabit dry up seasonally, so their eggs evolved a survival mechanism known as embryonic diapause. When the water disappears, the eggs remain dormant in the dry mud. Once the rainy season returns, embryonic development resumes and the eggs eventually hatch.”

“Under normal circumstances, however, they can only remain in that state for one or two years. If the dry period lasts too long, the eggs will eventually die.”

“That’s true of ordinary killifish,” Hal said. “But researchers in the old world once attempted to extend the length of time fish eggs could survive under completely dry conditions.”

Jack and Megan turned their attention to him.

Hal took a moment to recall the details.

“I once read a research report on the subject. The researchers applied genes associated with dehydration resistance from killifish, tardigrades, and certain polar microorganisms to developing fish eggs.”

“After the modification, the cells inside the eggs produced large quantities of trehalose during dehydration. The trehalose formed a glass-like protective structure that stabilized the proteins and DNA, while the embryos entered an almost completely inactive state.”

Jack managed to follow the explanation at first. Once Hal started talking about cells, proteins, and DNA, however, he gradually lost track. Megan continued listening intently.

“When the eggs came into contact with water again, the protective structure gradually dissolved, allowing embryonic development to resume,” Hal continued. “Provided the temperature and water quality were suitable, the eggs could begin hatching within a few days.”

A hint of excitement entered Hal’s voice.

“And this technology went beyond theory. The report clearly stated that researchers had successfully bred fish capable of producing eggs that could survive for extended periods in dry conditions. They were later introduced on a large scale in several drought-stricken regions.”

The name of the fish was the only part Jack still wanted to know.

“What were they called?”

“Drought-Dormant Silver Killifish,” Hal said. “They were a modified species developed from killifish. The adults were much larger than ordinary killifish, with grayish-blue backs and silvery-white coloring along their bellies and the edges of their fins. They got their name from their eggs, which could remain dormant for long periods in completely dry soil.”

But after hearing all that, Jack cared far more about something else.

“Can you eat them?”

“Of course.” Elias laughed. “The species survived after the disaster. I ate them a few times before. The meat was tender and slightly sweet, the bones weren’t too troublesome, and they didn’t have the muddy taste common in ordinary freshwater fish.”

Jack’s eyes immediately lit up.

“They’re not only edible. They reproduce quickly too,” Hal added excitedly. “An adult can lay at least ten thousand eggs at a time. Even if only a small percentage hatch successfully, they could establish a stable population within a relatively short time.”

His attention returned to the aquatic plants swaying gently near the surface.

“If any Drought-Dormant Silver Killifish eggs were left behind in this area, they may have resumed developing after the pit filled with water. If that really happened, we might eventually have another reliable source of food.”

The possibility was enough to excite Jack. He watched the aquatic plants sway with the ripples and silently prayed.

Please let there be some.

Please let there be Drought-Dormant Silver Killifish eggs here.

Elias interrupted his thoughts.

“Jack, there’s something you need to watch out for.”

“What is it?”

Elias indicated the Dustchucks gathered near the water.

“Try to keep them away from those aquatic plants. Dustchucks are omnivorous mutant beasts. If there really are Drought-Dormant Silver Killifish eggs here and they find them, they might eat them.”

Jack studied the lively Dustchucks near the water and gave a bitter smile.

You’re giving me far too much credit.

His Animal Affinity made the Dustchucks more willing to approach him, but that didn’t mean they could understand human speech.

Still, he agreed.

“All right. I’ll do my best to keep them away.”

Everyone stayed by the pit for a while longer. When nothing else turned up, they gradually dispersed and returned to their work.

Jack remained by the water. The pit was nearly full, and water had begun flowing slowly into the almost completed moat. Once the final section was dug through, the excess water from the pit would be able to circulate along the entire defensive line.

That reminded Jack of the arrangements for the next day.

“Starting tomorrow, finish the current trading post as quickly as possible,” he told Elias. “Have Nolan and the others help.”

Jack also explained the plans he had discussed with Megan.

“That works,” Elias said. “Once they learn how to drive, supply runs and exploration won’t have to depend entirely on you and Megan anymore.”

They discussed the arrangements briefly before Elias left to check how many fully dried brick blanks were available for completing the trading post.

With nothing else requiring her attention, Megan went to help Marg prepare dinner.

Before long, almost everyone had left, leaving Jack alone beside the pit. A gentle breeze sent small ripples across the water, and the newly emerged aquatic plants swayed with them. Several Dustchucks continued wandering along the shore, occasionally leaning toward the water to peer beneath the surface.

After watching them for a while, Jack asked in his mind, “LOSS, can you detect whether there are any fish eggs in the water?”

The system answered almost immediately.

“Human, this system is unable to detect them.”

Jack couldn’t hide his disappointment.

“However, if everything Hal said is accurate, Drought-Dormant Silver Killifish may indeed hatch here,” the system continued. “There is no need to worry before anything has even happened.”

“I’m not worried. I just don’t want to get my hopes up for nothing.”

Jack looked back at the aquatic plants.

“I really hope there are fish here. If a Red Rift Hawk does show up, at least it’ll have another kind of prey to choose from. Maybe it’ll be too busy catching fish to bother with us.”

The system gave no response.

Jack hadn’t expected it to comment on such a baseless hope, so he continued.

“LOSS, do you know that mission of yours feels like a sword hanging over my head?”

The system remained silent.

“If I were still the only person here, it wouldn’t be so bad. If something dangerous happened, I could just hide inside the convenience store. There’s enough food and water in there for me to stay as long as I needed.”

Jack glanced around the settlement.

The area around the convenience store was no longer as empty as it had been when he first arrived in this world. Elias, Gordon, Harvey, Marg, Susan, Ray, and Vane had all settled here. Mort, Hal, and Thomas had joined them later. Now Warren and Oscar’s families, along with Nolan and the others, were preparing to make their homes nearby as well.

More and more people were depending on this place.

“But things are different now,” Jack said quietly. “If something happens, I can’t hide inside the convenience store and stand by while everyone else is in danger.”

He let out a sigh.

The system remained silent. Jack couldn’t tell whether it had nothing to say or simply didn’t want to answer.

He stopped asking and quietly watched the water. The patch of green was small, but it had changed the entire appearance of the once-empty surface.

Jack had no idea how long he had been standing there when Megan called from behind him.

“Jack, dinner’s ready.”

Her voice pulled him from his thoughts. He answered and followed her away from the pit.

After dinner, they returned to the second floor. Megan quickly noticed that something was bothering him again.

“Shouldn’t you be happy that the aquatic plants sprouted? Why do you look so troubled?”

Jack sank onto the sofa with a sigh and told her about his conversation with the system.

Megan sat beside him, unsure how to comfort him at first.

“Try to be optimistic,” she eventually said. “Things might not be as bad as we imagine.”

Jack remained silent.

“And we aren’t completely unprepared,” Megan continued. “As long as we stick to the plan, even if something unexpected happens, it might not be more than we can handle.”

Jack knew she had a point, but he still couldn’t put his worries aside.

“I hope so.”

Silence settled between them for a moment before Jack leaned back against the sofa.

“Forget it. There’s no point worrying about it now. We’ll deal with whatever comes when it happens.”

Megan let the subject drop.

They chatted for a while longer before returning to their rooms for the night.

Early the next morning, Jack and Megan were up and preparing for the day.

Megan would be heading to the electronics mall, while Jack needed to begin teaching Cass and the others how to drive the CUEV. After breakfast, they split up. Megan went to check the Tesla’s battery level and condition, while Jack headed to where the CUEV was parked and called Gordon, Cass, Reed, and Harvey over.

The four reacted differently when they learned that their driving lessons were starting that day.

Cass was clearly the most excited. The moment he climbed into the driver’s seat, he began eagerly examining everything around him and nearly missed part of Jack’s explanation. Gordon and Harvey were much calmer, carefully memorizing each step. Even Reed, who rarely spoke, watched Jack’s demonstration closely.

Jack showed them how to start, accelerate, steer, and stop the CUEV. He also warned them not to turn too sharply or let their guard down just because the vehicle wasn’t very fast.

Before they could begin practicing, Megan finished checking the Tesla. Jack asked the four men to wait, then handed the handgun to Vane.

“Take this with you. Keep Megan and the others safe.”

Vane checked the handgun carefully.

“Don’t worry.”

A short while later, Megan drove the Tesla out from inside the moat and brought it to a slow stop in front of Warren and the others. Nolan and the rest stopped working to watch it pass.

Warren and Grant could hardly believe their eyes. They had assumed they would be taking the CUEV to the electronics mall. Instead, a perfectly preserved car unlike anything they had seen before had pulled up in front of them, and it could still run.

Megan lowered the window and reminded them to get in, finally snapping the father and son out of their daze.

Once inside, Warren’s attention shifted constantly between the dashboard and the touchscreen. Grant was equally fascinated. After closing the door, he even touched the seat beside him, as though making sure everything around him was real.

Megan waved to Jack and drove away. Jack watched until the Tesla disappeared from view, then returned to the CUEV and began the driving lesson.

The four men took turns behind the wheel while Jack stood nearby and corrected their mistakes. Their movements were stiff at first. Some turned too early, while others used too much force. Cass kept getting carried away and trying to accelerate, so after several warnings, Jack made him get out and gave someone else a turn.

As the lesson continued, they gradually became more comfortable with the controls. Gordon was soon able to follow the designated route at a steady pace. Reed learned quickly as well. He kept his speed low but handled every turn and stop smoothly.

Harvey took a little longer, though he never did anything dangerous. Cass was actually learning well too. His only problem was that every time he got behind the wheel, he wanted to go faster. Jack spent most of the lesson shouting reminders at him.

“Slow down!”

“Turn up ahead!”

“Don’t accelerate so quickly!”

By noon, Gordon and Reed could steadily drive several laps around the open area. Harvey had also mastered the basic controls and only needed more practice. Cass might have been scolded the most, but he had still learned how to start, steer, and stop the CUEV.

Jack was about to call for a break when the sound of an approaching vehicle reached them.

They all turned toward it and soon spotted the Tesla heading back.

The car slowed as it approached the convenience store and stopped nearby. The driver’s door had barely opened before Megan climbed out and hurried over to Jack, unable to hide her excitement.

“Jack, we found something good at the electronics mall!”

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