Plans in Motion (Part 1)

Old man Ivan then told the guards to call everyone to the announcement platform area where Ivan announces important things happening in the settlement as he doesn't usually do such a thing often unless it's an announcement that could be life-changing so everyone in the settlement knew that something important was happening.

This is a good thing for the spies that were laid in the settlement as knowing this will bring them a greater benefit when they escape back to their master so among the many people in the settlement some of them had weird smiles and eyes filled with happiness for getting more information.

Old man Ivan knew that they would be excited in getting the information and will be even more when they can finally leave the underground when announced which will make them ecstatic but those who knew the plan was that he was going to give the rats some nice delicious bait to dull their senses.

While thinking of this Old man Ivan had a scary smile on his face as if he was playing a game and for those that saw him right now which were the guards that were left and Karisa and the rest of the group were very sorry for those who pissed off this wild man as they could only hope that he finishes them quickly.

It took a while for them to o set up the people necessary in the plan before they could be calm a well as they had to keep their calm and not reveal any irregularities to not alert them that something is wrong as they may do unnecessary actions such as using an innocent person as a meat shield to escape which since they didn't know how many were their Old man Ivan couldn't risk it.

That is why he told them before they began to make sure that they blended in to look natural so as long as they didn't expose their actions to the enemy it would be ok. So with that said everyone went to work and the plan was in motion as well as finally everyone was gathered back and the entire community of settlers was at the area where old man Ivan would make his announcement.

As everyone was murmuring old man Ivan steadily got up the stage everyone seeing his almost skeleton-like appearance with his gray hair and long scraggly beard were smiling happily because this was their chief and leader who led them through many scary experiences and even fought many times for their safety as they would have no other chief than him.

While he was walking up the stage he could hear many murmurs such as: "I wonder why Chief Ivan called this announcement, Maybe something good has happened, I just hope it's not a decline in food again. Last time was difficult, That's because you always eat more than the rations provided." He walked up with a smile thinking about the difficult times they faced and was happy with the change his news was about to bring, yes he was sure it would bring many.

Old man Ivan finally reached the stage after a minute of walking up the step and took center stage position. You could see two of the guards surrounding him and welcoming him with reprieve and serious but happy looks on their faces. One of the guards then took a cone-shaped object and gave it to old man Ivan to speak with as to project his voice.

The old man Ivan finally spoke saying " Everyone I'm here to talk about something important and that something will change the future of how we live because we were offered an opportunity that may be the one chance we will ever have from now and in the future to live our lives in true peace"

" I'm not talking about this false peace as over the years that I have been in charge we have experienced many things that have dampened our spirits and because of our frugal nature that we have adapted to we have become satisfied by things that would even make a grown man upset and cry "

" But what do we do we just hold it in and that is not good just because you don't want to be the one that seems to be greedy but I know that you are trying your best as many are and It saddens me day by day seeing the light in you eyes get drowned out due to us hiding in the darkness down here"

Everyone hearing this couldn't help but clench their fist and grit their teeth and some started shedding tears from their eye because they knew their leader had tried their best to look at his appearance as this is caused by him giving up his rations as many know that the leader even sometimes will drink water from the pool to satiate himself and couldn't help but be grateful even when he was fighting monsters he still had done so.

" I am sorry to cause your tears but I know how rough it has been for every man, every, woman, every child, and every family member that has passed away due to my decisions up until now I apologize with great regret in my heart that I couldn't help them to be here right now with us"

The old man saying this bowed his head causing many people to Say.

" Leader we understand"

" You don't have to bow we know your efforts"

"It's okay we should have also played our part for these things to have never happened"

Hearing this old man Ivan was happy that he was forgiven and stood up straight again he continued " That is why I want us to take the opportunity presented to us by the people who had come to the settlement a few hours ago as I'm sure you've seen them yourselves they came to us as they need our help in their settlement which they need more people to complete the work being done over there"

" So that is why I'm asking if any of you want to leave to go under the banner of the New leader of the settlement over there as the chances of survival will be better than here as they have food, water, proper housing and even protection that can deter beasts from attacking them"

They began to murmur again and you could hear things like.

" New leader of a settlement"

" Ladder said that they have food which means they have lots"

" We won't have to sleep on the hard floor again if we go there"

"But I wonder who's the new leader that can do that over there"

" Maybe it is a large settlement that's recruiting"

Ivan was happy seeing that the light in their eyes had reignited somewhat and then he finally decided to tell them the big truth.

" You see the settlement we're going to isn't a large or medium one if you are asking it's a small one but before you say that it wouldn't fit you at first but now the place is in its development period meaning that it will start to expand which is why they needed more people"

" And that's not the only thing that can assure our safety as you know that we are despised by the gods because we are considered defects and waste on these lands but fortune has favored us as the person in charge of the settlement over there is A GOD"

The people were shocked and stupid as they couldn't believe a god would help them but if it's true wouldn't that mean they finally had a chance to live normally their minds were going haywire at the endless possibilities and for the rats when they heard this they were also stunned as they didn't know how a god would tolerate people like them.

But if it's true this could be something that could change everything as no one would believe if a god settle with these people and since they haven't heard any news on the matter this could affect their master plans as if the god gives them power they could fight back but not lying they were indeed tempted but they shook their heads as wondering what can one little god do vs all the rest of them you could imagine that the god would die at the hands of their masters gods.

So hearing this they knew they needed to escape the recruitment process and get the info to their master as the longer it takes the worse it becomes.

Old man Ivan then continued by saying " So that's why I'm deciding for my long thirty years as your leader to join under his banner and serve him and for those who want to come all they needed to do is line up near the passageway and go through some checkouts and stay in the ruined village before we head out and by the time we're finished it will take at most two days to complete then we'll be heading off"