A technomancer's journey in an apocalyptic world

Chapter 18: Danger lurking in the depths (Part-3)

Ryan felt his head pounding hard as he opened his eyes, the light around him was a bit dim as he tried to shit up he winced his body swore from his lovely encounter with the snake, 'At least the critter is dead and if only my pain would decrease a bit.'

"Easy there.", a rather unfamiliar voice came to his ears as he looked up to see an unfamiliar face making him a bit startled as he spoke in a hoarse voice, "Who are you?", his body tensed up as he glared at her.

The woman raised her hand in order to make herself look harmless as she spoke, "Easy there Ryan I am a civilian doctor and currently I am working with you all and my name is..."

"Nadia Murphy, her name is Nadia Murphy and you are currently in our care Ryan.", came the all too familiar voice of Ruby as he turned towards her he winced upon seeing the familiar glint in her eyes, if anyone would ask how a mad scientist should look like Ryan would describe her without missing a beat, but at the same time Ryan was extremely grateful to her after all she took a knife in order to save his life, but that was it no matter of gratitude would ever make him her guinea pig that was something he swore on his life inwardly.

"I think he should have some water his throat should be parched.", Nadia spoke as she was about to lift the glass of water but she was stopped by the arrival of Michalina, "You do not need to worry I have brought my canteen along with me I will help him drink from it.", her words made Ryan relax a bit the words of warning from Donna still fresh in his mind and he so did not wish to be mur no not murdered but assassinated yes the word seemed much more regal than murdered, he mentally gave a appreciative nod at that.

Nadia as she went and stood a good few meters away, as Ruby began her inspection while Michalina held her canteen against his lips the cool water entered his throat only for him to grimace as he drank a mouthful from it, "The water does not taste good at all."

Michalina sighed at that as she spoke, "I know bro, there was slight drizzle when you were sleeping and the latest batch of water from the purifier is like this."

Ryan frowned at that as he spoke, "I have to finish my latest project fast."

Ruby frowned at him as she spoke, "You are not finishing anything Ryan for the foreseeable future it would take at least near about two months for your collar bone to be healed properly until then your left hand will be in a sling, not to mention you have lost a good amount of blood as such you would temporary reside in my infirmary."

Ryan frowned at that as he spoke, "That is not non negotiable you should know better about the water borne diseases better than anyone else what kind of problem we might have later on if we continue to drink this polluted water."

Nadia who was standing a bit away from them spoke intervening Ruby from speaking, "Ryan, well may I call you Ryan.", Ryan send a small nod granting her permission to speak, "Ryan you are injured so instead of working on something strenuous why don't you try to fix the purifier it would work for some time until you get well."

Ryan rubbed the bridge of his nose as he spoke, "Doctor Murphy but I am sorry there is nothing for me to fix there, those purifier are at best a temporary solution, with the amount of water needed by the residents of Fort Genesis the water of the pond is decreasing at an alarming rate, at the same time the purifier purifies the water and then it would dump the pollutants back into the pond as such the toxicity would increase as such my current project is very important."

Nadia frowned for a moment before her eyes widen as she spoke, "What about the sea?"

Ryan shook his head dismissing the idea as he spoke, "The purifiers are not made to work with sea water so the only thing left is the river."

MIchalina sighed at that as she spoke, "The same river where you were attacked."

Ryan winced at that before he spoke again, "Well it was so fast that I could not react, I heard a shout of warning then gunfire and then the next thing was that I was in its coils as it tried to squeeze me to death so how big was it."

Michalina smiled upon seeing his eyes sparkling at least it was a good sign that he did not break down suffering yet another near death experience but unfortunately she will have to be the bearer of the bad news, "Sorry bro but after you were brought to the shore something decided to steal the carcass and whatever remained mom forbid anyone from going down so I guess it is still lying there."

"So what Tier was it?", a question that Ruby wanted to ask him from the beginning after all Ryan had the ability to accurately predict the strength of a beast and so far he had not been wrong.

Ryan raised one of his brows as he spoke, "It was Tier 2 why?"

Ruby simply smiled at him, which made him even more wary of her as she spoke, "Nothing I was just curious it managed to leave bruise marks on Captain Zhan and considering her strength...", she did not complete her sentence but it was enough for Ryan to understand her intent.

Ruby eyes were unfocused as she was in deep thought for a moment before she spoke as if remembering something with the familiar spark in her eyes, "Ah by the way Ryan what did you use to kill the beast, can I see it."

Ryan sighed as he spoke, "Well then may I bring it out.", as Ruby nodded like a kid in candy store waiting for the shopkeeper to hand his favorite candy which everyone except Ruby a bit uncomfortable.

Ryan stretched his right hand as it disappeared into thin air, to the viewers it looked as if he had placed his hand in water as the air rippled around his hand he pulled out the same sword that he had used to slay the giant snake.

The trio of lookers studied the sword which was a rapier, its blade glistened under the light like a jewel, although the rest of the sword looked a bit ordinary but what set it apart was the guard looked like it began from the pommel itself and ended at the crossbar of the sword.

"Nice sword.", Ruby complimented it as she gave a few practice swing before Michalina decided to try it on with a smile on her face as Ruby spoke again, "What tier is this sword for it to cut the creature like that it must be a higher tiered one."

Ryan nodded at that as he spoke, "Yes it is of Tier three."

Ruby frowned at that as she spoke, "So you can already make weapons of higher tier?"

Ryan nodded at that before he spoke with a tired sigh, "Yes I can though my chances of success is greatly diminished with the increase in tier like Tier 3 weapons have sixty-six percent chance of being made by me whereas for Tier 5 it has only 8% chance not to mention I have blueprint of only baseball bat of that level."

Ruby frowned at that as she messaged her temples before she spoke, "So currently you can supply us with Tier 2 easily right?"

Ryuu nodded at that before he spoke with a frown, "Well I can but each Tier of weapons has some form of requirement like strength agility and what not until and unless you meet the minimum requirement you may be able to use it but it would be under great risk to your own health for example let say gun its recoil might be so high that it might tear your arms off."

Ruby nodded at that as she abruptly stood up only to stop at the inquisitive look on Nadia's as she spoke, "There is something I wish to ask you.", under the encouraging nod of the brother and sister duo she began again, "What is this tier thing? Is this some form of military term? Sorry if I am asking about something extremely confidential."

MIchalina decided to reply on behalf of Ryan, "No Doctor Murphy it is not any secret military code or something it is what our world has become now, every creature is evolving and tier only shows the strength level of the creature the more higher the tier the more dangerous the creatures are, some of them are so strong that weapons that were known to the most lethal and the most hi-tech does not even put a scratch on some of them and I believe you have already seen one."

Nadia's eyes widen at that as she spoke in disbelief, "So if you mean all creatures does that include humans."

Ryan smirked at her as he spoke, "We humans are not only the most adaptable but the one on top of the food chain no matter what happens we will always be at the top, the more each creature evolves the higher will its tier be.", Nadia was astounded upon hearing that from them she had been hearing many things this past few days specially since the lion incident and as such and this tier thing she heard made her more confused she wanted answers and finally she managed to get some.

Ruby clapped her hand as she spoke, "Well enough of that it is 2:00 a.m. currently and I want my patient to have something to eat before he takes some much needed sleep, and I will be back soon from the kitchen.", with that she left leaving Nadia along with them, as an uncomfortable silence descended a few minutes later she left the in order to visit another of their patient Amelia who was sound asleep.

"So how are you feeling brother.", the simple question of Michalina made Ryan wince with pain as he spoke, "What do you expect I am sore and my collar bone hurts like crazy."

MIchalina nodded before she took a from her pockets a small bag and from which she produced a strip of couple of pills as she spoke in a whisper, "Brother I have some pills stored for rainy day you can have one now it would help you subside the pain.", Ryan was about to speak something only to stop when Michalina placed her hand over his mouth as she whispered again, "Listen brother no one knows about them and I want to keep this in between us and do not protest I know how much in pain are you and this pills are pain killers, rather powerful ones as such please do not hesitate and take it before anyone sees it and remember sometimes it is okay to be a bit selfish you are in pain so you need it and I know Ruby is a sadistic cheapskate who will not give anyone a single pill even if they die this is the only way for you to receive some form of relief from pain."

Ryan nodded at that as a pill was promptly shoved in his mouth and the canteen touched his lips, as he finished drinking from it he gave a small thanks to her as he began to speak, "So mom prevented anyone from going down there."

Michalina nodded at that before she spoke with a frown, "Yes and I agree with her who knows what is down there so for the time being staying away from it is the best thing we should do for now."

Ryan frowned at that as he spoke, "Yes she is right the current me is handicapped enough that it would be difficult for me to work down there, though I would prefer to complete the rest of the things above th shore so that the only thing left would be putting the filters down and skedaddle out of that place."

As Michalina nodded Ryan continued with a frown, "I think I should also put a cage around the pier itself."

Michalina frowned for a moment before it widen in understatement, "Ah I understand you wish to make sure that the filters would stay protected as well as maintenance will be safer, am I right?"

Ryan smiled at her as he spoke, "Absolutely big sister you are right, though I think I should also focus on the green house as well."

"For food supply.", to which Ryan nodded with a frown, "Well I can hook them all up but for it to work the water system should work as well, and time is what I do not have, if only I"

Only to be stopped by Michalina with a stern look on her face, "Bro what have I told you about lamenting."

Ryan looked directly into her eyes as he recited it back to her word for word, "Lamenting is for losers."

Michalina nodded at that as she continued, "That is right and what happened to you could have happened to anyone."

The sat there quietly for a moment waiting for a moment waiting for Ruby's arrival when Michalina suddenly spoke with a frown, "Brother is there something you are hiding from me."

Ryan was taken aback by the question as he spoke, "What do you mean by that sis? What would I hide from you?"

"I know how important those projects are and how much we lack the time but you are being too pushy about it why?"

Ryan sighed at that no matter what he does he cannot get past either his sister's or his mother's watchful eyes as he spoke with a tired sigh, "I am planning on leaving the base soon."

MIchalian was dumbfounded upon hearing that before she let out a scream, "WHAT!!!!!", a scream that made Nadia to arrive running towards them as the other patient was startled awake, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT???", she literally screamed in his ears as he prayed whatever deity of any religion that people followed around the world to give him strength enough to survive the eruption of Mount Michalina.