Carter finished reading through the Official Menu and slowly looked up.
“I think I figured it out.”
Everyone gathered around him.
“To appoint an official,” Carter explained, “I place my hand on someone’s shoulder, say their name, and then announce the position I’m giving them.”
Logan smiled.
“Then make me an official.”
Carter nodded and placed a hand on Logan’s shoulder.
“I appoint Logan as a Vanguard Official.”
A faint blue light flashed before quickly disappearing.
“It worked,” Carter said.
Logan stepped forward and handed the old woman his credit card.
She accepted the card before speaking calmly.
“Please provide your identification.”
The forest fell silent.
Every smile disappeared.
It felt as though a knife had pierced each of their hearts.
Another obstacle.
Another impossible requirement.
The Dryland was merciless.
Even when hope appeared…
It always demanded a price.
Only the wind whispered through the trees.
No one had the courage to speak.
Finally, Levi stepped forward.
“We don’t have identification.”
“We’re all orphans.”
The old woman looked at him with sympathy.
“I’m sorry.”
“I cannot sell land without legal identification.”
Carter lowered his head.
“So even after becoming an official…”
“It’s still not enough.”
His voice was barely above a whisper.
Logan refused to give up.
“There has to be another way.”
He looked at the old woman.
“Can you hold the land for us until we obtain identification?”
The old woman considered the request for a moment before nodding.
“I can.”
Hope returned to everyone’s faces.
“But only for one week.”
The smiles disappeared again.
“One week?” Carmen muttered.
“That’s impossible.”
“And after that?” Logan asked.
The old woman answered without emotion.
“I will have no choice but to sell it to someone else.”
Levi narrowed his eyes.
“Someone else…”
He stepped forward.
“You mean someone other than the owner of the Vanguard?”
The old woman remained silent.
Levi sighed.
Right…
She only answers the owner or an official.
He had almost forgotten.
He turned away, expecting no reply.
Then…
The old woman spoke.
“Correct.”
Everyone froze.
She was looking directly at Levi.
“We may sell the land to anyone willing to purchase it.”
Silence.
No one understood what had just happened.
Joshua slowly turned toward Levi.
Logan looked equally confused.
Even Carter’s eyes widened.
Until this moment…
The old woman had refused to answer Levi’s questions.
She had repeatedly stated that she would only speak to the Vanguard’s owner or one of its officials.
So…
Why had she answered him now?
The old woman simply smiled.
A knowing…
Almost amused smile.
Levi met her gaze.
For reasons he couldn’t explain…
It felt as though she knew him.
Or perhaps…
She knew someone connected to him.
The thought lingered in the back of his mind.
But there was no time to dwell on it.
They only had one week.
One week to accomplish what should have taken months.
As the group quietly left the clearing, no one noticed the old woman watching Levi walk away.
She leaned on her cane and smiled to herself.
“So…”
“You’ve finally arrived.”