CHAPTER 28: MAKING MOVES.

The morning passed quickly.

Elias, Kael, and Veran spent the first half of the day finalizing their building plans. After some discussion and a few rough sketches from Elias, they agreed to construct three large buildings—each one big enough to hold several people. Together, the three buildings would be able to house the entire group of survivors and still leave plenty of room for more.

Elias also suggested building a storage structure—a place where they could keep food, tools, and other supplies safe from spoilage or damage. Kael and Veran agreed. It was a smart and necessary idea.

After the meeting, breakfast was served. Then, the entire group got to work.

Elias provided the blueprints and handed out tools. Among the survivors, twenty-five people had recovered enough to help with the labor. They were split into teams based on their skills. Some headed into the Embergrove Forest with axes, while others stayed behind to help prepare and process the materials.

The few women in the group handled smaller tasks.

The trees in Embergrove weren’t as strong as the timberwood used in the two-story house, but they would work well enough for now.

Elias could have made everything much easier. His Legendary Extractor Talent could break down entire trees into perfect wooden materials in seconds—but he didn’t dare use it.

That talent was too valuable. If anyone found out he could extract cores, essences, or rare drops, he would be in danger. Even his inventory system was a secret he kept from the others.

He was fine with Vael and Alia knowing. They were loyal. He trusted them completely. But these survivors? He couldn’t take that risk.

So, he let them work on their own.

---

By the time the sun began to set, the frame of the first building was already standing tall.

That night, Elias quietly bought meat, vegetables, and drinks from the system store and gave them to the cook. She used them to prepare a simple but satisfying feast.

Laughter echoed around the clearing.

Elias stood at the upstairs window, silently watching the camp below.

As always, Kael and Veran sat a little apart from the rest of the group, speaking in low voices as they whispered to each other.

They’re planning something, Elias thought. It’s only a matter of time before they make their move.

---

Two days went by.

During that time, the other two buildings were completed. With Kael and Veran leading the workers, progress was fast. Elias didn’t need to do much. He spent most of his time sparring with Vael, pushing himself harder each day.

"Haa!" Elias shouted, throwing a punch.

Vael stepped aside quickly.

But Elias didn’t stop. He faked a second punch at the same angle, tricking Vael into lifting his guard.

In that brief moment, Elias dropped low and twisted his body, sending a punch right into Vael’s open side—hitting him square in the chest.

Thud!

Vael staggered back slightly.

Elias laughed, breathing hard. "I actually hit you this time!"

Vael nodded. "Congratulations, Master. At this rate, you’ll defeat me soon."

Elias laughed again. "Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I can see you’re improving too."

"I have to," Vael replied. "If I want to protect you, Master, I must become stronger."

Elias nodded in approval. "That’s good. That’s exactly what I want. The only way to grow is by fighting stronger opponents."

He then turned his gaze—and saw them.

Kael and Veran, standing at the corner of one of the houses, their eyes locked onto him.

When Elias met their gaze, they both smiled politely.

He gave a faint smile in return before turning away.

The moment Elias looked away, Veran’s smile vanished. His voice turned low and sharp.

"That punk. Acting like he’s some kind of warlord—when he’s just a weakling."

Kael shrugged calmly. "Don’t let it bother you. We’ll deal with him soon enough."

"We sure will," Veran muttered, a cold light flashing in his eyes as he imagined the kind of wealth Elias must have for his undead slave to have such high quality gears. All that wealth would be theirs once they dealt with him.

---

As Elias turned back, his expression shifted—his eyes serious.

"They’re going to make a move soon," he said quietly.

Vael nodded. "Most likely. I’ve been watching. Their behavior’s been changing day by day."

"I don’t fear them," Elias said. "It’s the others I’m worried about."

"If they manage to turn the others into cannon fodder," Vael replied, "everything could fall into chaos."

"Exactly." Elias frowned. "But they still need the dome’s protection. They’re not ready to burn the bridge just yet."

"They probably don’t even fear you," Vael muttered. "They fear me more."

Elias nodded. "Which means, when the time comes, they’ll try to separate us."

He smirked slightly.

They’ll be in for a huge surprise.

---

With training finished, Elias and Vael turned and began walking back toward the house.

Most of the group had already moved into the three completed buildings nearby, so the wide space in front of the two-story building was now mostly clear—except for Kael and Veran, who approached just as Elias and Vael returned.

Both men bowed politely.

"Lord Elias," Kael said with a smile, "forgive us for stopping you. There’s something we’d like to discuss."

Elias gave a faint smile. "Oh? You stopped me, so I assume it’s important."

Kael nodded. "Yes. It’s about the spot where our caravan was attacked. Now that we’ve recovered a bit, we’re thinking of heading back to check if anything can be salvaged—especially the carriage."

He glanced briefly at Veran.

"Lord Veran is still injured and can’t fight yet. And I can’t go alone—there may still be dangers."

Kael bowed again. "So... I was wondering if you could lend me a hand."

He smiled softly.

"Oh? I see," Elias muttered.

"Well... we don’t want to take advantage of your kindness. If we recover the carriage, we’ll be able to leave once we’re fully healed."

Elias tapped his chin thoughtfully.

"Of course," he said smoothly. "I’ll think about it."

With that, he turned and started heading upstairs—clearly, they couldn’t wait much longer.