Apocalypse: I Have A Multiplier System - Chapter 212

Chapter 212: Chapter 212: Food

Jake approached the two recruits, using his daze skill to subtly manipulate their thoughts.

He planted the idea that they were being recruited for a secret mission.

The shapeshifters, eager to prove themselves, were easy to control.

With a few well-placed words, Jake convinced them that they were about to participate in a high-level operation—posing as none other than Dr. Mei and Dr. Pan.

Once they had shapeshifted into the two doctors, Jake took the next step.

He fabricated evidence that suggested the shapeshifters were behind the soldier’s earlier attack on the general.

It was a simple but effective ruse—planting a few false records and subtly altering the memories of the lower-ranking guards to support the story.

With the groundwork laid, Jake used his influence powers again to place the shapeshifters in a state of induced coma.

He made it clear to them that they would remain in this state for the next two months, under the guise of serving the institute’s grand plan.

Of course, the shapeshifters had no idea they were being manipulated.

The only flaw of their plan was…after every 3 days, those shapeshifters would run out of energy and need one day to revive their energy.

They should also not know that they weren’t on any mission.

However, 3 days were enough to deal with the general.

Maybe in three days, the system will become active too, otherwise, she will have to spend the next few months in the institute, considering that the only way to escape from the institute is by the general himself or by flying.

According to Jake, the institute was enclosed by an invisible energy, making it impossible to leave the institute without the general’s permission.

Su Jiyai, still in her blue cat form, padded silently alongside Jake as they made their way back to his room.

The night was quiet, save for the distant hum of machinery and the occasional murmur of guards on patrol.

Jake was deep in thought, replaying the events of the day, but Su Jiyai had something more pressing on her mind.

She hadn’t eaten in hours, and the rumbling in her stomach was becoming impossible to ignore.

As they entered Jake’s dimly lit quarters, Su Jiyai leaped onto the small table in the corner, fixing her blue eyes on Jake.

She patted her stomach with one paw, her silent but unmistakable signal that she was hungry.

Jake, ever perceptive, caught the gesture immediately. He chuckled.

“Alright, alright,” he said, rolling his eyes. “I get it. You’re hungry. I’ll go grab something from the kitchen.”

He left the room for a few minutes, returning with a tray of food.

But when he placed the bowl of porridge in front of her, Su Jiyai’s eyes narrowed in distaste.

It was a simple, watery concoction, barely flavored, the kind of meal that kept people alive but provided little satisfaction.

For a moment, Su Jiyai stared at the bowl, her tail twitching in mild irritation. Memories flooded her mind.

For the past six months, she had been feasting on full meals of rich, flavorful dishes every day.

Now, this bland porridge in front of her felt like a cruel joke.

Once upon a time, Su Jiyai would have been grateful for any food at all. She remembered the days when she had lived in relative poverty.

Back then, she often went without food, her stomach twisting in painful hunger as she scrounged for scraps.

In the military, she’d barely had enough to survive.

Dried bread for lunch was considered a luxury, and she had always been thankful for it.

But now… after growing accustomed to the rich feasts of her base, it was hard to look at the bowl of porridge without disdain.

She sighed inwardly. It was difficult to go from being rich to being poor again.

Jake, meanwhile, stood expectantly nearby, waiting for her reaction. In his eyes, he had just done something great.

After all, in this apocalyptic world, where food was scarce and survival was a daily struggle, a bowl of porridge was a big deal.

He expected at least a grateful nod or some sort of acknowledgment from Su Jiyai.

But as the seconds ticked by and Su Jiyai continued to frown at the food, his smile faltered.

“What’s wrong with you?” Jake muttered, his brow furrowing in frustration.

“You know how hard it is to get food around here, right? And you’re just going to sit there and make faces?”

Su Jiyai glanced up at him, her expression unchanged.

She wasn’t trying to be ungrateful, but after months of eating gourmet meals, it was hard to muster any enthusiasm for a bowl of plain porridge.

Jake crossed his arms, his irritation growing.

“You’re really acting spoiled, you know that? I go out of my way to get you food, and this is how you repay me?”

But before he could continue his scolding, a thought crossed his mind. He stopped short, his eyes widening slightly in realization.

Su Jiyai wasn’t just any ordinary survivor.

She had come from Boss Su’s base, a place where food wasn’t just abundant—it was practically overflowing.

She had been living in luxury compared to the rest of the world. Of course, she wouldn’t be impressed with a simple bowl of porridge.

Jake rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, his frustration giving way to understanding.

“Right… you’re used to better, huh? Boss Su’s base… they’ve got it good over there.”

He sighed and shook his head. “Guess I can’t blame you. You’ve been living the high life.”

Su Jiyai gave him a small, almost apologetic look.

With a soft sigh, she reluctantly dipped her head into the bowl, eating the porridge despite her lack of enthusiasm.

Jake watched her in silence, no longer expecting praise, but at least relieved she was eating.

After finishing her meal, Su Jiyai leaped onto the small bed in the corner of the room, curling into a tight ball.

Exhaustion crept over her as the weight of the day’s events pressed down on her.