Chapter 248 Reminding Earl
Steven made a call, and Earl showed up in no time.
Earl had a lot of respect for Steven now and pretty much did whatever he said.
Steven always made sure Earl was well-compensated for his help, a generous reward for every favor.
Could be pillows, figurines, or a mountain of snacks.
All Earl had to do was help clear some snow.
The best part? Steven was super careful about everything.
Earl never had to worry about safety.
To him, Steven was like a godsend.
Steven drove to the riverside, and Earl, out of breath, hopped into the passenger seat.
"Man, it's way warmer in here!" Earl said, unzipping his jacket and soaking in the AC.
"Captain Rogers, where are we headed this time?" Earl asked.
Steven glanced over. "To the chemical plant to pick up some stuff."
"Cool, just let me know what you need!" Earl said, losing interest when he heard "chemical plant."
Steven started the car, and they cruised through the heavy snow.
As they drove, Steven chatted about spotting some West Mountain organization members nearby.
"I've already caught the big organization's eye. You guys in Cox Town need to be more careful. Otherwise, you might all get wiped out!" Steven warned.
Earl scratched his head. "Big organization? I haven't noticed anything weird around Cox Town."
When Brittany and Zane came by days ago, Earl was at home, hugging a pillow and snoozing.
Gavin and the others had kept Earl in the dark, so he really had no clue.
"No news is good news," Steven said.
Earl chuckled. "Captain Rogers, you're too cautious! We're just farmers and fishermen in Cox Town. What's there to worry about?"
Steven looked at the carefree Earl and shook his head. "But you guys in Cox Town have a lot of stored grain, right? Are you really that naive? Don't you get how crucial food is in the apocalypse?"
Earl's goofy smile faded a bit. "Yeah, we do store a lot of grain in Cox Town. But with over a thousand people, it wouldn't be easy for anyone to take our food. Most folks would be scared off by our numbers, right?"
Steven kept driving and explained, "I've said it before, non-military groups aren't a big deal. For us Psychics, regular people aren't much of a threat. But what if it's a powerful armed group?"
Earl thought for a moment. "The Astralium Kingdom has strict weapon control. Only a few people have weapons now."
"And as for powerful armed forces, they must be official groups! I don't think they'd target regular folks like us in Cox Town," Earl added.
Steven lowered his eyes, trying to find the right words.
He had to change his approach to get through to Earl. "But the thing is, the major groups in Starlight City are all fragmented now. Earl, all these groups are fighting for their own survival."
Steven continued, "No one can represent the official stance anymore. You can think of them as private armed forces, not regular troops. Get it? Since everyone's trying to survive, at some point, they'll ditch all morals."
"If one day they run out of food, Cox Town would be a goldmine for them to raid—or, to put it nicely, requisition. What would you do then?" Steven asked.
Earl finally got the gravity of the situation after Steven's little speech.
He clasped his hands together, looking pretty conflicted. "Captain Rogers, if that really happens, what should I do?"
Earl was a timid guy, always scared of trouble.
Steven glanced at him.
Earl's power was controlling ice and snow.
Not super strong in a one-on-one fight, but in group battles, it was a game-changer, both offensively and defensively.
If things went south in Cox Town, Steven wanted Earl to make it out okay.
Steven offered, "If you're really scared, you can move to Emerald Estate. The house next to mine is empty; I can give it to you. I'll help with food and heating. You won't have to worry."
Earl was a valuable asset, and Steven wasn't about to let him go to waste.
But Earl hesitated. "If I leave, what about the people in the village?"
It was his hometown, and the villagers were like family.
It wasn't just that he couldn't bear to leave them; Earl didn't have the guts to go solo. Being in a group gave him a sense of security.
Steven smiled faintly, "It's up to you. I'm just suggesting an option. Things might not get that bad."
Steven wouldn't push him.
Having Earl was a bonus, but Steven could handle any threats on his own if needed.
They soon arrived at the largest chemical plant in Starlight City.
Steven and Earl teamed up, one clearing snow, the other collecting chemical materials.
They worked smoothly together and soon had looted the entire plant.
Anything useful was stuffed into Steven's Extradimensional Space.
This included small and medium-sized machinery and various lab equipment.
After gathering everything, Steven drove Earl back.
Before parting, he naturally gave Earl some food and his favorite figurines.
Steven gave Earl a meaningful reminder. "I might not contact you for a while. If you have any problems, call me, and be extra careful."
Steven knew that if the West Mountain organization came after him, Cox Town might get caught in the crossfire.
He had given Earl a chance, but Earl didn't take it, so the rest was up to him.
Earl, holding a pile of stuff, grinned. "Alright, Captain Rogers!"
Just as Earl was about to leave, Steven added, "Earl, if the West Mountain organization or any other group attacks me, you and the villagers of Cox Town can choose to stay neutral."
Steven continued, "But if I find out you helped them against me, what do you think I'd do?"
Steven smiled, but Earl shivered.
"Captain Rogers, I would never betray you!" Earl promised.
Steven smiled and patted his shoulder. "Just kidding, don't take it too seriously! I know you won't betray me."
With that, Steven got into his car and drove away.
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