"A migration? We don't migrate."
Lulu huffed as she walked with Denver. She had to hold his hand as they went to avoid suspicion from others. The teenagers manned the cart and rounded up the items on their list. Denver was merely there to watch over them and protect them if ever. That left them free to talk in hushed voices while trailing behind the group.
She looked up at the tall man, almost straining her neck. "I think they mistook a troop's movement for a migration. Not all places have megacities or shelters left. I think some troops decide to cross territories to find more food."
Denver's brows lifted. A strained laugh didn't make it out of his mouth. He then asked, "That's how we define migration. What do you call it?"
"It's not migration. It's not seasonal." Lulu huffed louder and turned her head away.
"I doubt they will find another place without other mimics living in it. How far do you think they will move?" Denver glanced at the three teenagers discussing beside their cart. "How fast will they get here? I doubt the supermarket will open before that migration hits us."
Lulu dropped her sulking. "It depends on their hunger. Troops without leaders won't make it far. If they are properly managed, they can travel for a year. Since humans detected this troop, they might not have a central leader. It could just be one big pack of ravagers. Good leaders know that stealth guarantees them more food along the way."
Denver glanced at the girl. He tapped on his chin. "Is it good for us if this troop passes by? Can you keep them from straying away from me?"
"Where are you getting this kind of dauntlessness? Killing a venator out of pure luck won't mean you can kill thousands of eaters." Lulu grunted in annoyance.
"Thousands?" Denver flinched and looked at the girl. "One troop can be that big?"
Lulu looked up at him and nodded. "That's just a small one. The biggest troop I've seen on this planet numbered in the millions. Humans won't find them easily without exploring the oceans and the underground, though. They're also very far from here. There's no need to think about that troop. Focus on that one you wanted to meddle with."
The man hummed and kept to himself. Whether he was planning or hoping to rescind his words, Lulu cared too little. She spotted the three teenagers continuing to bicker over two boxes one of them was holding. The one holding them didn't even dare to make an input.
Denver reached their spot and meditated between them. He let go of Lulu's hand and collected the box. "What are you guys arguing about?"
"Anthony wants to buy cereal," the oldest among the teens answered with a few words. He didn't even follow up as if Denver could understand the whole discussion with a few words. Then again, he was correct. Denver figured out the problem in an instant.
"Sorry… but the kids keep asking about it." Anthony stared at the other box in his hands. "They heard I was going tonight, so they begged me. The other adults already said no. I can't say 'no' to them again."
The oldest one sighed. "We're not here to make a fun trip. Every item we buy is important. Cereals aren't even healthy. If we get them cereal, are we going to grab milk and ice cream next?"
The one on Anthony's side faced Denver. "Mr Turning, it's been two years. To a kid, that's like a lifetime. The building has been safe for a few days. They just want a little more normalcy. If it helps, I'll just buy them with my own money. No one in the building ever smiled again. If the kids feel happy, I think even the adults will feel lighter."
Denver held the box a little tighter. If he were asked, he wouldn't buy cereal, either. However, the two teens seemingly made sense. Money wasn't also an issue.
[Your Homestead's Comfort Level is… depressing! The tenants are unhappy and have little will. It may also cause some tenants to leave the Homestead! Upgrade your Leisure Components to elevate your Homestead's Comfort Level.]
[Your Leisure Component rating is… 0!]
A small smile curled Denver's lips, and he looked at the oldest teen in the group. He juggled the box in his hand once. "What about you, Marshall? Do you like cereal?"
Marshall looked at the adult before shaking his head. "No."
The other teen slightly pointed at Marshall. "He'd rather have some fruit, Mr Turning. There's no fresh fruit sold here, but I saw canned peaches and mangoes."
"We don't need those." Marshall glared at the teen pointing at him. However, he still glanced at Denver. "But… yeah, I'd rather have fruit. It's more nutritious and less artificial sweetener. My mom always says that… because it's true."
"Okay, let's finish the list first. Then, you'd have to carry the miscellaneous. Our bikes could only carry so much." Denver smiled at the teens. He then lessened his smile. "I'll allow you to buy what you like, but you'd also need to know how much is convenient. If you can't run with your baggage, you'll have to leave it behind."
"Yes, sir!" The teens nodded and quickly discussed what to get for everyone else. Anthony politely asked for the cereal box and put both in the cart. The three walked around again to collect more items.
Denver loosely covered his face with a hand. He accessed the Symbiosis System's interface and stared at his stats. He was currently Level 6 with a high INT and DEX. His Knife Mastery was currently Level 1 while his weapon was a mere small knife. Even if his gun had extra bullets tonight, he didn't know if it was enough to protect the whole group.
Lulu looked up at him and huffed. "Don't be too scared. I will tell you if an eater is nearby. As long as we don't walk close to a pack's territory, we won't meet them. A migrating troop is coming. Everyone is stocking up on food. The scouts will focus on easy picking."
"All right. If we run into some, can you guide them back to the building? Just come back for me." Denver chuckled, seeing how Lulu's eyes glittered.
"Are you going to eradicate the whole pack if ever?" Lulu cleared her throat after noticing how her eyes betrayed her. "You might not be strong enough."
"I'll get stronger if I fight them one by one."
…
Lulu dropped the plan of 'accidentally' running into a territory. She just mapped out the places where she could sense other eaters. Denver marked them in his notebook, planning a safe route for the group. As for them, he would hit those places one by one. His tenants would pass by this route from time to time. It would pay to make the path safer.
The group reached the apartment building without a hitch. Denver briefly spoke to Leonard about the pamphlet. He used it as an excuse to leave and gather more materials outside the teens' presence.