ALL NOVEL Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Dividing the Spoils
"Guess you could say that." Mo Chen thought back to Noise's appearance—she was definitely beautiful.
Anis looked stunned by his response.
"Huh? No way…" Her playful expression froze for a moment.
Mo Chen sighed. "Why so surprised? Can't I be attractive too?"
"Yeah, right." Anis scoffed and pulled a box out of her bag.
"Here, this is for you."
The box had a burger logo printed on it.
"Rapi was worried you'd be hungry, so she got this for you," Anis said.
Mo Chen glanced at Rapi, who added, "The supplies are ready. Is there anything else you need? Also, here are the receipts…"
"No need." Mo Chen waved her off, feeling a bit warmer inside. Despite her quiet demeanor, Rapi was thoughtful and took care of everything meticulously. She'd be an ideal wife.
Rapi nodded and sat nearby to eat. They hadn't eaten in a while, evident from how hungrily they unwrapped their food. The packaging even resembled the cheap fast-food chains from his world, right down to the portions.
"Why aren't you eating?" Anis asked, noticing Mo Chen hadn't taken a bite.
"Not really in the mood." Mo Chen declined politely. It wasn't that he wasn't hungry, but these burgers were made from something called Splendamin. No one knew what it was or how it was made—a mystery.
He imagined the protein bars from Snowpiercer made of insects, and couldn't shake the suspicion that this might be just as unappetizing. What if it was…? No, he didn't want to think about it.
"System Notification: You saved 0.3 persons, earning 0.3 points."
Mo Chen: "..."
Mystery solved. Turns out his suspicion wasn't far off! He felt grateful he hadn't taken a bite.
"Not hungry?" Anis asked, her curiosity piqued.
Mo Chen: "..."
You'd understand if you knew.
Anis studied him suspiciously.
"Did you already eat with that beauty?" she asked, suddenly understanding. "Oh, so that's it. No wonder you took so long."
Mo Chen: "…"
"What's it to you? Not like you're my girlfriend."
It's not like he could explain, "Hey, you're actually eating people." Although, to be fair, Ark's higher-ups were figuratively consuming their own all the time.
"Hmph, see? Caught red-handed. And so what if we're not dating? We're comrades! How heartless of you—leaving Rapi and me here while you wined and dined." Anis pouted, tucking her burger away. "Honestly, such a player… We were actually worried you'd be hungry."
"Alright, alright." Mo Chen cut her off before she spun more wild stories.
"Here, take this. Oh, and stop eating those burgers." He handed each of them a black card.
"What else would we eat? We can't afford anything fancy. And what's this…" Anis muttered, flipping the card back and forth. Looking up, she asked, "A card? Are you giving us money?"
"Exactly," Mo Chen replied, taking a sip of water.
She's quite quick-witted when she wants.
This was something he had exchanged through the system.
"Pfft, as if we'd believe that!"
Anis rolled her eyes, clearly skeptical.
"This really is a bank card," Rapi confirmed after a serious inspection. "And not just any card—it's a black card, only available to accounts with a balance of at least ten million credits."
"Ten million? Rapi, you must be mistaken," Anis replied in disbelief.
Rapi shook her head firmly. "No mistake. I've seen someone apply for one of these before."
Anis froze for a moment, then turned to Mo Chen, wide-eyed. "No way… You're serious?"
"Told you, but you didn't believe me," Mo Chen shrugged.
"It's from the mission payout. Everyone who participated gets a share," he explained casually.
Before he could react, Anis launched herself at him, tackling him to the ground with a flying hug and planting kisses all over.
"Commander, I love you to bits!"
"Argh!" Mo Chen grunted under her sudden weight. It felt like getting hit by a scooter: he could swear he heard his ribs crack.
"Attempted murder by affection!" he wheezed.
"Ahaha! How come I never realized before how handsome you are, Commander?"
Laughing, Anis lay sprawled on top of Mo Chen, cupping his face as if she was about to steal a few more kisses.
Mo Chen, quick to react, clamped a hand over her mouth.
"Keep your drool off my face!"
"Don't be stingy! You already gave us money—sacrificing a little more isn't too much to ask, is it?"
"Wait, by sacrifice, are you talking about me?"
"Duh!"
The two playfully bickered and scuffled, their antics filling the air with laughter.
At that moment, Rapi, who had been quiet all along, spoke up.
"We can't accept this card."
Both Anis and Mo Chen froze, turning to look at her. Rapi, her expression calm and resolute, repeated herself.
"This money is the Commander's compensation and essential for his living expenses. Nikkes have no right to it and shouldn't receive it."
With that, she handed the black card back to Mo Chen.
"Besides, Commander, there is a fundamental difference between humans and Nikkes. Allowing subordinates too much leeway might make them forget their place."
"It's not that serious," Mo Chen argued. "It's just a bit of money. Besides, I can't even spend all of it myself."
Rapi's demeanor grew sterner.
"This isn't just about money. If you open this door, it could lead Nikkes to develop a sense of entitlement, which might result in insubordination."
Mo Chen sighed, clearly exasperated.
"You're a Nikke too, Rapi. Saying this about yourself feels a bit harsh, doesn't it?"
"Precisely because I'm a Nikke, I understand the risks involved," Rapi replied earnestly. "This could harm not just the Nikkes but also the Commander."
Realizing that Rapi wasn't going to budge, Mo Chen reluctantly took back the card.
"Fine. But if you won't take it as money, I'll just buy supplies for you. That way, you can't refuse."
Before he could hand it to Anis instead, she surprised him by refusing as well.
"Commander, I don't want it either."