Chapter Fifty-Four: The User You Are Trying to Reach...

Mario certainly valued his life. Although he had passed the age of thirty, that did not mean he was ready to seek out his God in heaven just yet.

“I almost met my Maker!”

When Mario appeared before Ferrin once more, he seemed as though he had aged ten years overnight. Ferrin even noticed a few more strands of gray in his hair—poor Mario must not have slept well these past days.

“You have no idea what we went through! We got lost! Bandits! Mutants... At one point, we even stumbled into a Deathclaw’s nest! God, I truly thought I was done for! I simply don’t understand why there are people in this world who drive without watching the road! Doesn’t she have eyes?!”

Standing before Ferrin, Mario raged like a lion, his spit nearly splattering onto Ferrin. Not far behind him, Eluca stood stiffly, her face filled with embarrassment, peeking at Ferrin from behind.

“All right, calm down, Mr. Mario.”

Even though Mario nearly sprayed him, Ferrin remained unfazed. He knew well how painful it could be to be haunted by the nightmare of a female driver, especially when she was neither your girlfriend nor your wife—the agony multiplied tenfold. Yet, despite all his complaints, Mario had still let Eluca drive the vehicle back safely. It was proof that he was indeed a diligent and responsible instructor.

If Mario could read Ferrin’s thoughts at that moment, he would surely have spat in his face. He had considered simply dragging that reckless girl out of the driver’s seat or tossing her to the dogs. Unfortunately, Mario was just a plumber and had no hope of overpowering Eluca, a gifted individual. Perhaps among the Seven Giants, Eluca was weak, but to an ordinary person like Mario, she was far from someone he could handle easily. Ultimately, Mario had to abandon force, guiding Eluca tearfully through managing the giant machine. It cost countless ruins, several bandit camps, and hundreds of mutants, but success was finally achieved.

Mario vowed never to endure such an ordeal again.

“God, I’m losing my mind! I swear, I’ll never let a woman drive again! Not even my wife!”

“That’s gender discrimination, Mr. Mario...”

“To hell with gender discrimination—I’ve had enough! God, I can’t believe I made it back alive, but now that I have, none of that matters anymore! I’ve fulfilled my duty, now I’m going home for a feast and a good dream! Don’t bother me again, unless it’s urgent!”

With that, Mario slammed the door and stormed out in a huff.

“Getting old and still so temperamental—he’d better watch his blood pressure...”

Smiling as he watched the plumber uncle leave, Ferrin finally turned to Eluca standing nearby.

“It seems your training has paid off.”

“Of course, Commander!”

Though she had been trembling under Mario’s furious tirade moments ago, Eluca now grew excited at Ferrin’s praise.

“I never imagined driving could be so thrilling! I always thought vehicles were just a means of transportation, but I was wrong! Now I understand—if you have the will, anything can become a weapon! Pre-cataclysm female drivers must have been extraordinary. Compared to them, I have a long way to go, but I’ll keep working hard! I’ll become a legendary female driver!”

“Keep at it—I have high hopes for you.”

After all, in this world without traffic police or laws, Eluca could do as she pleased. On these wastelands, the key to victory was effectively using everything at your disposal to eliminate the enemy, wasn’t it?

“It’s been quite an unsettled time lately.”

At that moment, Delin emerged from the kitchen with a smile, placing a cup of coffee before Ferrin. With long-distance trade impossible now, even a cup of instant coffee was a luxury; as for authentic cocoa, that was a treat best enjoyed in dreams.

“Whenever the old man gets busy, it’s always like this.”

Ferrin gazed idly at the cup before him, shrugged with a smile, and reached for the steaming coffee.

“The Ninth District’s journey to this point has been hard-won. I remember when I first came here, it was just one of many small settlements—there was no hint it would grow into what it is today...”

“Reminiscing is a privilege for the elderly, Master. You’re still young... ah.”

“What is it?”

“There’s a message for you at the front desk. It’s being transmitted now...”

As she spoke, Delin extended her hand. A virtual progress bar appeared, quickly filling to one hundred percent before condensing into a small green cube that rested quietly in the cat-eared maid’s palm.

“Where is it from?”

Ferrin raised an eyebrow as he looked at the green cube in Delin’s hand. Delin squinted at the information and soon replied.

“Apricot Blossom Village.”

“Oh? Let me see.”

Hearing Delin’s answer, Ferrin paused, then reached out to take the green cube, tapping it with his finger. The information module unfolded swiftly, and after verifying the recipient’s ID, the message appeared before Ferrin.

The letter was not long, rather brief; Ferrin finished reading it in a few minutes. Beside him, Eluca watched curiously, clearly eager to know what her eccentric commander had learned.

“What does the letter say, Master?”

“Nothing much, just some nonsense.”

With a snap of his fingers, the green cube disintegrated, vanishing into the air.

“But since there’s nothing pressing, it’s about time to begin the ‘clinic rounds’.”

Clinic rounds?

Eluca was intrigued by the unfamiliar term, wanting to ask more, but before she could, Ferrin looked up at her.

“You’ve returned just in time, Eluca. Go call Chris and Corona, tell them to prepare—we leave immediately.”

“Yes, Commander!”

Eluca straightened, saluted Ferrin, and turned to leave. Yet as she reached the door and pulled it open, her curiosity got the better of her and she turned back to ask,

“Um... Commander, what exactly are we going to do this time?”

Instead of Ferrin, it was Delin, standing quietly behind him, who answered with a smile.

“We’re going on clinic rounds.”

“Clinic rounds?”