I gave a slow nod, impressed. "That's better. Good job. Everything gets logged and split after the vote. We can look at the store again to see if there is anything we need."
Then my gaze swept across the room again. "What about survivors? Each floor got swept. No one else brought anyone back but Mitch?"
There was a pause before Nicole answered. "Two dead in the third floor's back offices. No survivors. One had a message scratched into the wall, 'Don't follow her, ' which doesn't explain anything."
Mitch shook his head. "Just the one guy we found. Barely conscious. Didn't speak English. We left him with Eli."
Liam's jaw tightened. "No people, just blood and signs of drag marks. Might've been moved. Can't tell if it was recent."
My attention landed on Logan. "What about Wei Shen's group? They should still be at the furniture store."
He looked like he bit into something sour. "We didn't check it. Passed by the hallway, but didn't sweep inside."
I didn't bother hiding my frustration. "That group could be dead or still alive. You're checking it after this."
He gave a nod. "Got it."
"Any other loot besides coins and skill books?" I asked, tone leveling out.
Liam spoke again. "We found a glowing green crystal. Sol said it gave him a weird feeling. I didn't like the pulse it gave off, so we packed it carefully."
Nicole shrugged. "Basic armor scraps. Useless until we find a crafter. There was one bow with a blue glow, but my group doesn't have an archer, and I don't know if Sol can use a bow, so we left it in the stash."
Mitch grinned. "We actually found a cooking recipe. Torn page, but it triggered a system ping. It appeared to improve stamina regeneration after meals. No cook yet, though."
"Store everything. We'll assign who gets what later." I paused, then said, "Only floor left is the first. If Nadia has a base, it's likely there. Which means she either slipped past all of us or someone's lying. After the vote, I want the full truth."
"I'm level eight by the way," I added. "Solo scouting on the first floor got me there. The goblins are stronger down there. If we want to fight the boss, we'll need to be at least level ten. Minimum."
Nicole nodded. "Now we vote. Do we meet Nadia, and if so, will it be just Nicole and me going?"
The room went quiet again, the weight of the decision settling over everyone like a thick fog.
I raised my hand first. "I vote yes. We meet with Nadia and hear what she wants."
Nicole hesitated, then gave a sharp shake of her head. "No. I don't trust her, and I don't want us walking into a trap."
Logan stepped forward, arms crossed. "I vote yes. This doesn't mean we follow her; it just means we listen. If there's a chance we can weaken the food court defenses through her, it's worth considering."
Mitch nodded slowly. "Same. Information's power. Even if she's a snake, we need to know where her fangs are pointed."
Liam shrugged. "She was there when Eli's group got ambushed, but we don't know how deep she's involved. Could be more to the story. I vote yes, but only if Nicole goes armed to the teeth."
That drew a few dry chuckles.
I looked around. "Anyone object beyond Nicole?"
Karen raised a hand. "If it's you and Nicole going, I'm fine with it. But if we even think they're playing us—"
"They won't live long enough to regret it," Nicole finished.
The vote stood: Three yes. One no. The majority held.
I tapped the map again. "Then it's settled. Nicole and I will go. If it's an ambush, we run or fight. If it's a conversation, we listen. But no commitments until we return. Also, if she has some compulsion skill, then before we go, we should check the store for anything to block it."
I straightened. "Everyone else, stay sharp. Mitch, Liam, and Logan, your teams rotate floors again tomorrow. Make sure they're cleared. No more goblin nests, no more missing people. Report any survivors or movements. We need more people. Recruit who you can, and if they say no, move on."
I added, "Double-check supplies. Patch gear. Rest tonight. We leave at dawn to meet Nadia—assuming she shows up. Logan, you're in charge if we don't come back."
He didn't flinch, just gave a nod.
Karen asked, "And the women Marco was looking for?"
"They're alive," I said. "Some of them, anyway. Once the meeting's done, our next move is clearing the path to the food court. But not until we hit level eight or higher across the board."
That got more nods than words.
No cheers. No smiles. But no one walked away either.
We had a plan, and for now, that was enough.
The morning air inside the mall felt strange. It was still musty, still stale, but buzzing with a quiet kind of urgency. People moved with purpose now. Gear was checked. Supplies redistributed. We had direction, even if the path ahead still reeked of blood and distrust.
I gathered the leaders by the map table again, the marker still circling the food court.
"Logan," I said. "You're heading to the furniture store. Check on Wei Shen and his people. See if they're still holed up and if they're willing to join us. If not, leave them. But warn them that the goblins are smarter than we thought, and the food court's crawling with them. The only way to get out of here is to eliminate them, and we all need to work together to do it."
He nodded, rolling his shoulder once. "On it."
"Nicole," I said, turning. "You and I are checking out the Beginner's Store. Might be some upgrades or answers hiding in that interface. After that, we prep for Nadia."
She gave a tight nod but didn't speak. Tension coiled under her calm.
I looked to Sol, who was hunched over the scavenged bow from yesterday, his brows furrowed. When he noticed me, he held it up.
"I used Appraisal," he said. "It's rare. Reinforced drawstring, slightly enchanted for accuracy. Can I keep it?"
"Only if you clean it," I said, but my smirk gave me away. "Yeah, it's yours. You are the only person who can use it except me. What are you going to do with the other bow?" I said, gesturing to the bow on his back.
"You can sell it back to the store. I won't need it anymore, and it's just a beginner bow, so it's not that valuable." He said, handing it to me.
Before I could thank him, he immediately ran off to clean and practice with his new bow.
"Coins," I called out next. "All of them. Anyone who picked up goblin loot, now's the time."
People came forward, emptying their pockets and bags. Bronze and silver clinked into the supply box more than expected. Sure, when the leaders told me how much they looted, I knew it was a lot, but seeing it was a whole different experience. We've got more than enough to make the Beginner's Store worth our time. I made a mental note to record who contributed what.
"As for the floors," I said, raising my voice so everyone in earshot could hear, "Bravo, Charlie, and Delta, double-check everything. We don't know if new goblins went to those floors and decided to make it their home. If your floors aren't completely cleared, then your assignment is to clear them again. If you find humans, help them. If they won't join, let them go. Logan and Mitch try to find an opening for that sealed hallway. Once all the upper levels are secure, we'll move back to the first floor. We are avoiding the food court at all costs."
"And," I added, "no team goes alone. Minimum of two teams together at all times, if they are going to the first floor."
Everyone nodded in understanding, and I waited a moment to see if there were any questions, but there were none.
"Happy hunting," I said, smiling at them.