Chapter 164 Near Miss

Chapter 164 Near Miss

Five minutes earlier, outside Richard's office, Lisa was walking down the corridor with a food tray in her hands. On the tray, she carried a steaming hot bowl of ginataang bilo-bilo, a dish both she and her brother loved. It was usually an afternoon treat, but today, she decided to bring it to him for breakfast.

She knew Richard had already eaten, but she hoped the gesture of bringing him their favorite food would help bridge the distance that had grown between them since the incident. Lisa was determined to heal their relationship and return things to how they used to be. n((0veLb1n

As she was about to turn the corner leading to Richard's office, Lisa paused and leaned back against the wall. She slowly peeked around the corner and saw her brother entering his office. His strides were purposeful, his expression focused, yet there was a hint of excitement in his eyes that only someone who knew him well could discern.

Lisa hesitated, the warmth from the bowl of ginataang bilo-bilo kissing her face. She wondered what her brother was going to do. Would he be busy enough to the point no one could see him in the meantime? Oh yeah...she was told by him yesterday that he is going to visit a survivor's camp in New Clark City. Sad that she couldn't come because she slept late and would probably hinder their operations. He must be excited to enter his office and take a rest.

But she couldn't let her uncertainty hold her back. Gathering her courage, Lisa stepped around the corner and walked towards Richard's office covertly. And then before knocking on the door, Lisa paused, hearing his brother's voice.

"Super soldiers?"

It was the words she heard from his brother. But why though? What is a super soldier? And is there someone inside his office that he is talking to? Lisa pressed her ear against the door, trying to hear more. The voices inside were muffled, but it was clear Richard was alone, talking to himself or perhaps to something in his office. Her curiosity piqued, Lisa debated whether to knock or to quietly enter, trying to uncover the mystery behind Richard's strange words.

But she decided to hear more...until, moments later, there was a bright blue hue shimmering underneath the door's gap. Lisa's curiosity turned into concern. What was going on in there? The light was unusual, and she knew something out of the ordinary was happening inside.

She pressed her ear closer to the door, trying to pick up any more words or sounds that could give her a clue. There was this sound akin to whirring and a faint humming, like machinery at work, but then abruptly, it all stopped. The blue light vanished as suddenly as it had appeared, and the corridor fell into a deeper silence. Lisa stood there, frozen for a moment.

What had just happened? Was Richard okay? These questions raced through her mind as she debated her next move. Finally, she resolved to check on her brother. She knocked on the door.

"Who's there?" Richard asked from inside.

"It's me, Lisa," she replied. "I brought something for you."

She heard footsteps approaching the door before it swung open. Richard stood there, looking perfectly normal. His eyes looked down at her and saw the food tray with the food she brought. Lisa peered into his room and saw a tall burly in a tactical suit standing in the corner of the office. She blinked in surprise, her attention shifting from Richard to the imposing figure.

"Who's that?" Lisa asked. She didn't see it entering her brother's office.

"Oh, that—" Richard chuckled nervously. "That is one of the men working for me."

"I didn't see him entering your office," Sara said, getting suspicious.

"Ah that is because he was already in my office and waiting for me," Richard explained, lying through his teeth. He wasn't ready to explain the true nature of the 'system'' to Lisa yet. "Wait...how long have you been here?"

"Five minutes..." Lisa answered.

"Five minutes..." Richard's eyes widened a bit. "What else did you see?"

"There's this blue light that glows through the gap under your door, and some weird sounds. What was that all about?" Lisa asked.

Richard hesitated for a moment, trying to come up with a plausible explanation. "Ah, the blue light and sounds? That was just in that man's armor. He flexed it to me. Anyways, why what's that food you have here? Is it for me?" Richard tried steering the conversation away from the topic.

"Yeah, I brought ginataang bilo-bilo. I know you've already had breakfast, but I thought you might like a little extra treat," Lisa replied, playing along with his attempt to change the subject.

Richard gratefully accepted the change in conversation. "That's really kind of you. I'll have it. But before that..."

He glanced over his shoulder and ordered. "You, report back to your duty. We'll talk later."

A deep gruff voice responded from the figure in the tactical suit. "Understood, sir."

The figure moved with a surprising fluidity for its size, turning and exiting the office without another word. Lisa watched, her curiosity piqued, but she said nothing.

Once the figure had left, Richard turned back to Lisa. "Now, let's enjoy this ginataang bilo-bilo, shall we?"

They sat down and began eating, Richard seeming more relaxed now that they were alone.

"Hmm...this is really the best food," Richard moaned in delight. "It's a good thing our chefs could still cook it."

"I know right," Lisa chuckled. "Oh, brother, what happened in New Clark City? Did the survivors agree with the idea of us moving there?"

Richard nodded as he took another bite of the ginataang bilo-bilo. "Yes, they did. The talks went well. We're making plans for moving.?It's going to be a big project, but it's a step in the right direction."

"So uhm...we are going to leave this place entirely?" Lisa asked with a wistful tone. She seemed to have developed an attachment to the camp.

Richard shook his head. "Not entirely as this camp will be an outpost for us. The main operations will move to New Clark City, but we'll still maintain a presence here. It's important to have multiple bases for our operations."

Lisa nodded, understanding the strategic importance of maintaining multiple locations. "That makes sense."

"The relocation would be swift, so I need you prepared. So pack your belongings, anything that is important to you. The sooner I can get a first batch to the New Clark City is within three days."

"Understood brother," Lisa said.

'That was close' Richard said to himself.