143 - Cinderella’s Dream: Together Forever

The next morning, after finishing breakfast, Chen Wan and the others began assisting Wei Si Yu. The rain had been falling intermittently over the past few days, and the sun hadn't shown itself in a while. Fortunately, it wasn't raining yet that morning as they prepared the materials needed for the upcoming meeting. Wei Si Yu had been busy since early morning, ensuring the microphone was set up outside. Today, she intended to announce the new regulations for the base. Chen Wan gazed at the overcast sky and remarked to Wei Si Yu beside her, "Once the base has stabilized a bit, I think you should consider transporting some large ships from the dock to the base. They should be the kind that require minimal refurbishment. This rainy weather isn't likely to be a one-time occurrence. We can't predict what kind of natural disasters might occur in the future." "You're suggesting potential disasters like flash floods?" Wei Si Yu followed Chen Wan's gaze into the distance. "Perhaps something even more daunting than flash floods. In the apocalypse, anything is possible. Better to be safe than sorry," Chen Wan sighed. Even humans with superpowers were insignificant against the might of nature—a truth no one could change. As Chen Wan and Wei Si Yu spoke, people began gathering in front of the building. Within the crowd, discussions about the situation could be heard intermittently. "Hey, I heard that in the future, the base will operate on a work-for-reward system. Damn, we won't be living the high life anymore." "Yeah, I heard that too. Also, they're saying there won't be places like nightclubs anymore. All our privileges will be gone, and we'll have to work every day. It sucks." "But these people are ruthless. The Ming Family Brothers are recognized as having the strongest powers in our base, and they were completely taken down by these women. They're not ones to mess with." "Well, I'm not sticking around here then. There are plenty of bases with pretty Omegas. No need to sigh." Of course, the crowd also had voices of delight. Most people were poor and had been oppressed by the Ming Family Brothers. Now, with new leadership at the base, they were hopeful for a better future. "Maybe we can finally have a good life. The Ming Family Brothers were always bullying people. I've been fed up with them for a long time." "Let's hope the new base commander is at least somewhat fair and lets those of us who work have enough to eat." "No kidding. As long as I can eat, I don't mind working hard." As the gathering grew larger, Chen Wan rode a bicycle around the base with a loudspeaker, reminding everyone about the meeting before returning to Wei Si Yu and the others. Around eight o'clock, the crowd in front of the building swelled to over nine hundred people, with the entire base population totaling just under a thousand. Seeing that most of the people had arrived, Wei Si Yu asked for silence. She held a microphone in hand and began to announce the new rules, "From now on, the base will adopt a new order of management, where everyone is equal, and food must be earned through work. Bars and places like nightclubs will be eliminated. We have a lot to prepare for, and the base is not entirely safe. Everyone must contribute to its construction, otherwise, resources will not be distributed. From now on, the patrol team will roam the base in small groups, and any incidents of bullying will result in immediate expulsion from the base without any possessions. Lastly, I'm not forcing anyone to stay. If you wish to leave, register on the side, and your name will be removed from the base records. You may take your personal belongings but not anything from the base warehouse." Wei Si Yu’s words triggered a stir among the crowd. Those with nothing were the happiest, while those who frequented nightclubs felt they no longer wanted to stay, as their previous advantages were gone. Although unwilling, few dared to be the first to walk away for fear that this might be a tactic from Wei Si Yu to uproot unstable elements. In truth, Wei Si Yu indeed aimed to eliminate these unstable elements, not by force, but by encouraging them to leave the base and create a better atmosphere overall. Seeing the crowd engaged in heated discussion, she added fuel to the fire, "Today is the only chance to leave voluntarily. Once you accept the base's resources, you must work for the base, and leaving will not be this easy again." A burly man in the crowd clenched his teeth and shouted, "I'm leaving." Spurred on by his courage, several others expressed their desire to leave as well. "I'm leaving too—I want to go to the Beijing base." "Count me in." The noise from the crowd grew louder. Wei Si Yu frowned, looking coldly at the people below, "Quiet. Everyone who wants to leave, come to the left and register your name. Once processed, you may leave." Those unwilling to stay scrambled to the registration area. Chen Wan sat there, registering names, and with a quick glance, estimated about 200 people were planning to leave. Noting the significant number wishing to depart, Wei Si Yu didn't persuade them to stay, instead reassuring those remaining. She set a deadline that all those leaving must be gone by 5 PM the same day, as from tomorrow, the base would not allow any departures. Jiang Yanxin assisted Chen Wan by opening another line for registration, and in about an hour, they managed to sort through everyone. Those eager to leave rushed home to pack, fearing they'd miss the deadline. Meanwhile, Chen Wan copied the list of names and handed it to the captain of the base’s security team, instructing him to verify the names of those leaving, ensuring a clear record of those remaining. The entirety of the "tomorrow" base was in a state of chaos, as people rushed to leave by midday, concerned that leaving later would mean traveling in the dark. The situation at the gate was crowded, forcing Wei Si Yu to administer the exit herself. In the afternoon, Chen Wan and the others visited the place where Qiao Shi Rui and her companions stayed, checking on the children. The Monitor and Li Yue wore worried expressions, though Qiao Shi Rui's condition was slightly improved, her fever mostly gone. Her eyes brightened noticeably upon seeing Chen Wan and the others. "Big Sister, you're here! Please, sit," Qiao Shi Rui said, her eyes shining with gratitude towards Chen Wan, who had saved their lives twice. Chen Wan smiled warmly, "No need to sit; we're just here to check on all of you." She glanced at Li Yue and the Monitor, offering comfort, "Don't look so worried. The base will be under the governance of Wei Si Yu and her group. Those upsetting things from before won't happen again. You're still kids, and it's commendable that you've survived this far in the apocalypse. Don't put too much pressure on yourselves." "Thank you, Big Sister," Li Yue responded politely, albeit with a seriousness uncharacteristic of her age. "You should take good care of yourself. Surviving in this world is already an accomplishment," Chen Wan encouraged Qiao Shi Rui further. Qiao Shi Rui blushed and nodded. She knew Chen Wan had a wife and child, yet she couldn't help but admire her deeply, perhaps due to the selfless rescues she provided. Looking to Li Yue, Chen Wan asked, "How is Zhao Jing Jing doing?" Li Yue fixed her gaze on the floor, replying softly, "Her injuries have been treated, but she's still not in her right mind and often mistakes us for bad people." Chen Wan patted Li Yue's shoulder, "Take it slow. Once the base is fully operational and the environment improves, even Zhao Jing Jing's condition might benefit. We registered everyone's pre-apocalypse professions, and I remember several doctors. Maybe they can check on Zhao Jing Jing and offer some help." "Thank you, Big Sister," the children echoed in gratitude. Feeling bored, Yi Yi returned to Wei Si Yu to mention the need for medical assistance. Wei Si Yu promptly had the security team accompany Yi Yi to find a few doctors to visit the children. After examining Zhao Jing Jing, the consensus among the doctors was grim: her trauma was severe, and recovery in the post-apocalyptic world to her previous state was unlikely, though a stable environment might offer some improvement. The children's spirits dampened, and the Monitor's eyes reddened with guilt, "It's my fault. I should've charged into the nightclub and fought them." "And what then? Would you and Zhao Jing Jing be killed by those beasts? You tried to save her; this isn't your fault. It's theirs. The ones who betrayed you and the Ming Family Brothers are gone, and in a way, we've cleaned up the trash for you. You and Li Yue must take care of yourselves; Qiao Shi Rui’s health needs to improve, and Zhao Jing Jing needs your care. You need to stay strong to protect those around you." "I understand, Big Sister," the Monitor sniffled. Chen Wan took out a box and handed it to the Monitor. "Inside are 500 Level 1 zombie crystals. Each of you should consume ten crystals a day. These are beneficial for your body and can enhance your abilities. Be sure to use them, don't save them. There’s a chance you might even gain supernatural abilities. And remember, whenever you kill zombies, retrieve the crystals from their heads. These are sources of energy that can help you develop powers." Hearing this, the Monitor quickly waved his hands. "Sister, these are too precious. You’ve already saved us twice, and we don’t know how to repay you. With such valuable items, we can't possibly accept them." "Exactly, Sister. You should keep them for yourselves," Li Yue echoed, feeling even more indebted. The sisters had already saved them twice, and it felt wrong to take such valuable items from them. To them, acquiring 500 crystals meant killing 500 zombies, possibly a significant part of the sisters' resources. However, for Chen Wan, collecting Level 1 zombie crystals was as easy as driving an RV and running over zombies repeatedly. It hardly took any effort. Given the children's admirable character—they always kept their friends in mind despite their own hardships and refused to take advantage of others—Chen Wan truly hoped they could gain abilities someday to protect those they cared about. "Why can’t you accept them? You've already called me Sister, so there's no need to feel awkward. If you really consider me a sister, you must accept these. Although the base is safe now, no one can predict the future. Having powers would only be beneficial. You’re all good kids, and with abilities, you can protect those in need. Even if the crystals don’t grant you powers, they’ll still enhance your physical attributes. Trust me, just take them." Chen Wan insisted, firmly placing the box into the Monitor's hands. Jiang Yanxin also chimed in, "Take what Sister gives you. We have to leave, and who knows when we’ll meet again. By then, you might even surpass us in strength, and we might need you to protect us." The tall Monitor couldn’t hold back his tears, while Li Yue quietly wiped hers away. With their parents and loved ones gone, they genuinely saw Chen Wan and the others as sisters. At this moment, their emotions overwhelmed them, leading to tears. Chen Wan patted his back reassuringly, "If you need to cry, just let it out. These burdens are something children like you shouldn't bear, but it’s unavoidable in the apocalypse. Everyone needs to carry their own weight to survive better. I believe when we meet again, you'll be doing well. Right?" "I'll do my best, Sister, and when we meet again, we'll protect you," the Monitor promised, brushing away his tears and forcing a smile. "Great, I look forward to you all growing up. No more talking—we need to prepare as well. We leave tomorrow morning," Chen Wan said with a smile. "Where are you going, Sister?" Qiao Shi Rui asked, reluctant for them to leave. Having the sisters around gave her a deep sense of security. "We need to find Level 3 mutated animal crystals. In the apocalypse, the most important thing is to enhance our strength. Otherwise, we can't hold onto the people we cherish. Some things just have to be done." If there were any way, Chen Wan and the others would choose to settle down, but in the apocalypse, that was a luxury. No pop-up ads on our site. Permanent domain: xbanxia.com