New Eden: Live to Play, Play to Live

Chapter 1078: Assignments Given



Cramming all sixteen of them into a room like this wasn't the best, but they still had a little space to move and weren't packed like sardines.

Once the door was closed behind David, who had entered last, Kujaku scrutinized their faces, gauging how tired they were, and tried to measure the success rate of their operation based on what little information she had.

She and her men had no intention of joining in on a raid of an organization like the Zhong Kui, and their role stopped at bringing them there and back home. But she still worried about their success past that point.

"Alright. Although this is not quite what I had planned, your party gets to rest tonight while my men stand guard. I know we still have some road to cover, but that won't be much of a challenge for my people, right?" she asked, looking at her men with a critical gaze.

All of them nodded wordlessly, their eyes filled with determination, even though some were slightly disappointed they didn't get to rest as well.

But they knew their turn would come soon enough, given their task was almost complete.

"The reason I pulled everyone in here is so that we can assign tasks for tonight and tomorrow," she added, mainly looking at her people.

"Sakura, Arata, since you two got some shut-eye earlier, you two are on perimeter duty first and will cycle with Takagi and Haruto in the middle of the night. Make sure you tell them their task once they return with the phones. I don't want to repeat myself."

Both nodded in acceptance, the boy almost grinning in glee. It was his first time being assigned perimeter duty, and he was so happy that Lady Aoi trusted him enough for it tonight. As for Sakura, she had been on a few missions with Lady Aoi and was well acquainted with her decision-making criteria. Even if trust played a significant role in who had what task, their current mental and physical shape also altered her choices.

Being two of the youngest ones here, and with their earlier nap, Sakura assumed she would have been sent to perimeter duty, and Arata was one of the other two she thought would go with her. Although she had hoped it would be the other choice, Nagato, who she had a bit of a penchant for.

Being closer to her age, with a fine physique and a relatively good-looking face, even though he couldn't hold a candle to Mr. Ito, their senpai, who looked straight out of a model agency, Nagato had some qualities that made her little heart beat faster when she spent time with him.

But she would never dare go against Lady Aoi's orders, and accepted her fate in silence.

Kujaku could see the tinge of disappointment in her eyes and held back a chuckle welling up inside her at the reaction.

Being almost the same age as Sakura, younger by a year, she understood the attraction the young woman held for Nagato, but she couldn't hand out tasks based on that. Impartiality and practicality were vital if she wanted to assure everyone's safety.

'Sorry, Sakura. Maybe next mission,' she silently pitied.

"As for inside the rooms, as the first watch, I want Jun and Nagato. You two also had a chance to nap, so you should be fine with taking the first watch. Your replacement will be Yuto. He'll be fine taking second watch alone," she said, looking at the man in question.

His mature and composed nature exuded confidence, even though the bags under his eyes revealed the truth about his fatigue.

Even if he could hold many days without sleep, he had already been barely resting, having trouble relying on all these younglings to assure their safety. With one eye always open, even when he was supposed to sleep, Yuto hadn't recuperated in days.

Kujaku usually appreciated his diligence, but he was currently being unreasonable. She needed him fresh and in top shape if they were to get attacked in the middle of the night, so she forced him to sleep first watch.

In her glare alone, Yuto understood his rest was no longer a request, but an order. He nodded, understanding the silence after her words.

"Perfect!" Kujaku exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

But Alex looked at her with a frown.

"What about you? You get to rest while your men do all the work tonight?" he admonished, finding that unreasonable.

But the glares he received from Kujaku's men made him understand they were content with the assignments, while Kujaku giggled.

"Do you want to try to convince them otherwise? I believe these are the perks of being the boss," she said, pointing at her men.

"Does anyone disagree?" she asked.

"No, Lady Aoi!" they all chanted, still glaring at Alexander for having the audacity to ask their lady to share her load.

Alex frowned at them, finding this mentality a little old-fashioned. But he wasn't about to push them around if they were okay with it.

It wasn't his problem.

"Whatever. I don't care," he said with a shrug.

Kujaku smiled, happy with her assignments.

"In that case, let us assign the rooms. Since our host added this room so graciously, let's have Yuto and Jun here, as well as Arata, when he finishes his perimeter watch.

"Directly under this room, on ground level, we'll have Nagato and Sakura once she finishes her perimeter watch, and in the one next to it, it'll be Takagi and Haruto. Make sure you tell them to keep their arguing to a minimum. I don't want to be kept awake by their yelling," she specified, knowing those two were like oil and water.

But she needed them to start working together. Even if she had striped Takagi of his rank, he was still her best man. His experience would do a world of good to Haruto if she stopped being so hostile to him.

But that was a long-term goal. She'd be content with them no longer at each other's throats

for now.

"That settles my men. Now, on to your group," she said, looking at Alexander and Kary with a

smile.

"Don't we get a say in this?" Alex argued.

But Kujaku laughed him off.

"No. Not with my money, you don't," she said, pulling her tongue out at him playfully.

'This woman likes fucking with people,' Alex growled internally.

"Fine. Do whatever you want."