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"The material allocation will depend on how much we have on hand. We’ll prioritize the artisans who agree to work with us directly, ensuring they have a steady supply.

Those who choose to go solo will receive a more limited amount, and for any materials we’re lacking or have in short supply, we’ll have to restrict distribution to the bare minimum.

It’s important to make it clear to everyone that scarcity will dictate the priorities. "

Aston jotted down everything Tristan said, nodding thoughtfully as he did.

He agreed completely with the plan—ensuring fairness in distribution seemed like the only logical approach, especially given the limited resources. There was no room for disagreement.

After finalizing their plan, Aston accompanied Tristan back to the temporary City Lord’s office.

Once their tasks were completed, Aston headed off to gather the artisan-type awakened ability users for an announcement.

He explained the decisions that had been made and set up two registration desks for them to choose their path.

As expected, 100 artisans opted to take their chances as independent business owners, while the remaining 229 chose to work directly for the base.

While both paths meant contributing to the base’s assets, those who worked directly for the base would receive full support, and their crafts would be exclusively utilized for the base’s needs—especially for equipping the warriors who fought to protect them.

The decision to go solo wasn’t taken lightly by the 100 artisans.

After much consideration, they recognized the importance of diversifying their efforts.

Some artisans needed to pioneer the marketplace, ensuring the base could develop a thriving economy.

Many of those who chose independence had prior business experience, while those less confident in managing a business leaned toward working under the base’s direct leadership to ensure their skills were put to good use.

Understanding the reasoning behind their choices, Aston nodded with a proud smile.

It dawned on him how deeply connected the people within the base had become to their community, especially to their City Lord.

They were actively thinking of ways to contribute meaningfully on their own.

Kisha’s words about their awakened abilities had clearly struck a chord, inspiring them to improve their crafts and live up to her expectations.

In a way, her encouragement had become a driving force, igniting their determination to push forward and make themselves indispensable to the base’s future.

With the groups now divided, those who opted to go solo were guided to a different area to arrange rental contracts and select their locations in the marketplace.

The marketplace fell under Mr. Winters’ management, so Aston had already sent someone ahead to inform him about the artisans and their agreements.

This allowed Mr. Winters’ team to prepare everything so that once Aston arrived with the artisans, the contracts could be signed smoothly.

Meanwhile, the artisans who chose to work for the base were sent home for the time being and should wait for further instruction.

Aston decided that he and Tristan needed to prioritize cleaning and organizing the closed-door marketplace that would now be their workshop.

Their goal was to clearly establish departments within the building so that when the artisans arrived, they could immediately begin their work without delays.

By organizing the workshops within a single building, Aston and Tristan ensured that the artisans would be able to work efficiently once operations began.

To prepare for this, they needed to sort and allocate the required materials in advance, creating a smooth workflow for the artisans to focus solely on their crafts.

This centralized system was a significant advantage for those who chose to work directly for the base, as they benefited from full support and resources.

However, the artisans who chose to go solo and start their own businesses didn’t feel envious of these arrangements.

They had a different vision. With the establishment of a marketplace, the base was laying the foundation for rebuilding an economy.

This meant residents would soon have the freedom to choose between working for the base or running their own enterprises.

The currency would transition from work points to crystal cores—a system already introduced and widely understood as part of Kisha’s broader plan to develop their community.

This shift promised substantial benefits for everyone.

As solo artisans launched their businesses, it was expected that people from other shelters and bases would visit the marketplace to trade and purchase goods.

This influx of visitors and commerce would enable the base to accumulate more crystal cores, which could then be used to help their superhumans level up more easily without constantly risking their lives in dangerous expeditions to collect cores.

In this way, the marketplace was not only an economic revival but also a strategic move to strengthen the base as a whole.

This arrangement was particularly advantageous for non-combatant awakened ability users and other support types.

It allowed them to avoid venturing into dangerous areas and risking their lives to gather the crystal cores needed for leveling up.

Moreover, starting their own business wouldn’t limit them to just selling their crafts.

These artisans could also gather valuable information from travelers visiting the marketplace and relay any critical insights to the City Lord’s office.

However, this role required bold individuals with strong business acumen, which is why only those confident in their abilities and resourcefulness chose to go solo.

Although they were labeled as "going solo," these artisans were not entirely alone—they often had family or friends to support them in managing their businesses.

While their products might have shifted to align with the new reality, their goals remained steadfast: to earn more and, in turn, collect crystal cores.

These cores would allow them to level up faster and even assist their family members in doing the same, should they awaken abilities in the future.

With this in mind, the 100 artisans enthusiastically selected prime locations within the marketplace, which Mr. Winters had strategically designated.

The marketplace itself was set to be established on a large, empty lot that once served as a parking area for government officials.

Though the space was currently barren, the vision for its transformation into a bustling hub of commerce was clear.

The vehicles that once occupied the lot had long since been cleared out, making room for a dynamic, large-scale marketplace that would soon breathe new life into the area.

The marketplace was spacious enough to accommodate the hundred artisans while still leaving room for future stall owners to set up shop.

With the plan firmly in place, Aston and Tristan found themselves busier than ever in the days that followed.

They worked tirelessly to organize the workshop and ensure that the solo artisans were comfortably settling into their new stalls.

Fortunately, Mr. Winters took charge of assisting the solo artisans, as the marketplace fell under his jurisdiction, lightening the load on Aston and Tristan while ensuring the marketplace was smoothly operational.

After a long and eventful day, everyone retired to their respective places to rest. Meanwhile, Kisha and Duke remained outside, vigilantly overseeing the final stages of the wall’s construction.

With such a crucial phase underway, they couldn’t afford to let anything go wrong.

Both Vulture and Sparrow had been doing an excellent job, ensuring the schedule was met and progress continued without delay.

Kisha and Duke kept a watchful eye, knowing how critical this moment was for the success of their plans.