The two bodies were taken to a clearing in the distance and doused with gasoline. They burned away quickly. As for the ashes, they were buried under a pine tree.
"They were all pitiful people," Quincy said, then looked at Mason Morgan. "Can you tell us about the situation at the base?"
Mason Morgan nodded. "I’ll tell you everything I know."
Everyone returned to the living room. It was Mason Morgan’s first time inside the wooden house. Though there was surprise in his eyes, he didn’t show it. Perhaps from his time with that rich wastrel, he had long since learned to be subservient and hide his emotions.
After everyone sat down, he remained standing to the side with his head bowed. Quincy had said his right shin was fractured, so standing for so long must have been uncomfortable, but Mason Morgan showed no reaction. He began to recount the situation at the Second Base and the surrounding towns and villages.
"The base is huge, said to cover an area of 4,000 square kilometers, about the size of a county-level city. The population is large, and aside from the base’s management, most residents are crammed together."
"The weather has been cold these past few years. Although the base has many greenhouses for growing vegetables, the yield isn’t high. Two years ago, the various bases stopped trading crops with each other."
"Can the base even support that many residents?"
Mason Morgan shook his head. "The Second Base has taken in many refugees from other places. Although they’re called slaves and wild dogs, the base still accepts them because the people in charge of the Second Base are a former military unit from Frelia."
’No wonder.’
"From what I know, two years ago, the bases in The Southward drove out a lot of refugees. Those refugees all fled to Frelia. The Second Base took in some of them. Even though they live in greenhouses, at least they have a place to shelter from the wind and rain. It’s just that people like Mr. Lowell love going to the refugee dens to find new slaves. The base isn’t very strict about these things, which is why they’re so brazen."
Everyone was a little surprised. "In that case, the Second Base doesn’t sound too bad. It really does take the military to get things done."
"With frequent natural disasters, doing this much is already quite conscientious. Those bases set up by unscrupulous merchants are just camps for bleeding people dry. What about the towns? Are there many people in the towns?"
Mason Morgan nodded. "The towns are basically like refugee camps. Most residents don’t have enough to eat or warm clothes to wear. The bark and leaves on the surrounding trees have all been stripped clean. Many people are surviving on porridge made from leaves."
"Does the government distribute food?"
"As long as you have an ID card, everyone can collect relief food each month, but it’s only three jin. The relief food is mostly cakes made from rice bran and wheat bran. Oh, and the base has several large greenhouses dedicated to raising insects. The insects are ground into powder, mixed with Famine Clay Soil, and made into mud cakes. One mud cake can keep you going for several days, so it’s a good deal. It’s just that after eating the mud cakes, a person’s stomach swells up. Mr. Lowell called those people big-bellied wild boars, but I heard a doctor say that eating too much Famine Clay Soil causes bloating."
Evelyn Ford’s brow furrowed. A wave of nausea washed over her. It wasn’t that she was being overly sensitive; she was just reminded of herself in her past life.
"The insects you mentioned, what kind are they?"
Mason Morgan pressed his lips together. "Some are woodworms, raised in rotting wood. They’re large and nutritious. These woodworms are for the people at the top to eat. The refugees and residents eat other insects, like cockroaches and moths. Those two types reproduce quickly and aren’t picky about their environment."
When Mason Morgan finished, everyone fell silent.
"When the cold front hit before, how did the base cope?" Evelyn Ford asked.
"A lot of people died that time. All the woodworms being raised in the greenhouses froze to death, which was a huge loss for the base. The weather was so cold during that period that most people hid in their homes. Many froze to death, especially those in the refugee dens living in the greenhouses. Not many survived."
Hearing this, Evelyn Ford didn’t press any further.
"Do you know about Plum Grove Falls?"
Mason Morgan nodded. "I’ve heard of it. Back when the weather was good, those people would drive around everywhere. I’ve heard of the place. I think they said there’s a grove of plum trees there."
Evelyn Ford nodded. "How are the bodies of those who die in the base dealt with?"
Mason Morgan thought for a few seconds. "There are two accounts. If they die from sickness, they’re thrown into a mass grave. If they freeze or starve to death, they’re thrown into a greenhouse. It’s rumored that the base has a greenhouse where they use the dead to feed some livestock. It’s all just hearsay. There’s no proof. I’m not entirely clear on the details."
Evelyn Ford smiled. "I understand. Sit down. Warm yourself by the fire. Don’t be so formal."
Mason Morgan seemed very afraid of Evelyn Ford. After sitting down, he kept his head bowed. He answered whatever anyone asked, holding nothing back.
Evelyn Ford couldn’t judge whether the Second Base was good or bad based on Mason Morgan’s few words. Admittedly, by providing shelter to refugees, the Second Base was already doing better than Tarr Base.
Quincy set up a wooden bed for Mason Morgan in the woodshed. The woodshed had no fireplace, only a small stove for warmth. Although he was awake, his shin was broken and his body was covered in bruises. Adhering to the principle of seeing a rescue through to the end, they let him stay in the woodshed to recover for the time being.
Everyone still had endless chores to do. From cleaning to laundry and cooking, Evelyn Ford had assigned a job to each person. The past two days had been quiet outside; the sound of racing cars from Source River Dam was gone.
Officer Graham and Quincy had gotten into the habit of patrolling the island every day. One couldn’t afford to get too comfortable, or you’d never know what hit you.
One day, while Evelyn Ford was still busy in the warehouse, she heard the THUMP THUMP THUMP of running footsteps. Then, the warehouse door was thrown open, and a panting Quincy stumbled in from outside.
"Evelyn, this is bad!"
Evelyn Ford glanced at him and continued with her work.
"Did the sky fall down?"
"Not that bad, but Mr. Graham and I pulled two more bodies from the water."
Evelyn Ford nodded. "More slaves washed down from Source River Dam? Burn them and bury the ashes."
Quincy waved his hands. "It’s different this time. These two bodies don’t look like slaves. You should come take a look."
Evelyn Ford called for Ronan Kendrick and went to the shore with Quincy. A few people were already standing there: Officer Graham, Ethan Dawson, and Mason Morgan. Mason’s leg was lame, and Officer Graham was giving him some tips on walking with a limp. The two seemed to be getting along harmoniously. It appeared no one was particularly ostracizing him.
"You pulled them from the weeds too?"
Officer Graham nodded. "This one’s limbs were tangled in the aquatic plants among the weeds. The other washed up on the bank, wedged between two pine trees. Judging by the bloating of the bodies, they’ve been dead for less than two days."
Evelyn Ford stroked her chin. "Mason Morgan, do you recognize these two?"
Mason Morgan stared blankly at the one whose limbs were entangled in the aquatic plants. The man’s face was swollen like a pig’s head, his clothes were in tatters, and around his neck hung a Famine Clay Jade Pendant. Ugh, his body was covered in wounds, some too gruesome to look at.
"I... I recognize them." Mason Morgan was trembling all over, and even his voice quivered. He pointed at the man wearing the jade pendant and stammered, "That’s... Mr. Lowell. My master."
"Former master," he quickly corrected himself.
Evelyn Ford blinked. "Who did you say he is?"
"The son of Saul Lowell, Director of Resident Management at the Second Base—Chad Lowell."