CHAPTER 591: CHAPTER 591: JOINING THE HOPE BASE

Even though those were the words Su Jiyai spoke out loud, in her heart, she was thinking calmly.

Four times the price was already huge. Cedar Base had way more people than Hope Base. That meant the demand would always be high, and the coins would flow in without end.

She could easily gain more money than what her own population could ever provide. It was simple math. More people meant more mouths to feed, and four times the price meant profit without loss.

Her mind ticked like an abacus.

’If I had agreed to ten times the price like they offered, I would be squeezing them dry too fast. But four times is perfect. They will think I am being kind, while in truth, the profits will never stop. And besides...’

Her gaze lowered for a moment. She remembered the system’s betrayals, the times it had almost cornered her into traps with rules and points. She no longer trusted it fully. She trusted herself.

’This apocalypse will end. I will end it. When that happens, Federal Coins might start becoming real currency again. At that time, food will not hold the same power. It is better that I invest in land, in buildings, into my own foundation, rather than just stacking points for the system. My own hands will build my future.’

While these thoughts moved inside her mind, Leader Shi misunderstood her silence. He leaned forward and praised sincerely.

"Boss Su, this is a favor we will never forget. Hope Base is giving us food at such a low price when you could have taken much more. You are thinking of our people, not just profit. For this, I, Shi Liang, promise you something. From now on, the soldiers of Cedar Base will all follow your command if you wish it. Your word will be their law."

The room went still. The Cedar Base officers looked at their leader in shock. To hand over military power was not a small matter. It was everything.

Even Su Jiyai’s fingers froze. Her pupils shrank. She had not expected him to offer something this big. Soldiers were the backbone of a base.

They were loyal, they were trained, and they were the reason a base could even survive against hordes.

Normally, soldiers only obeyed the leader of the base where they were born and raised. For Shi Liang to hand this over was... like handing his heart out willingly.

"Leader Shi... do you understand what you are saying?" Su Jiyai asked softly, her tone serious.

Shi Liang nodded firmly. "Yes. I have thought it through. The soldiers of Cedar Base will follow you if you ever give an order. I will see to it myself."

Gasps spread among the officers. One even whispered, "Leader... are you sure...?" but Shi Liang raised his hand, silencing them.

Su Jiyai’s eyes narrowed slightly. Her mind raced.

’If this is true, then I just gained an entire army without lifting a finger. Soldiers who might never have followed me even if I had conquered their base. This... is too big of a gift.’

But she was not the type to hesitate when a pie fell into her lap. She lifted her chin.

"Then since Leader Shi shows this kind of trust, I will not hold back. From now on, if Cedar Base is ever attacked by a zombie horde, I will send my soldiers without hesitation to defend your walls."

Leader Shi’s expression softened. His old eyes shone with relief.

"Boss Su... your words ease my heart greatly. You are different from other leaders. You do not only think of power, you think of people. For this, Cedar Base will walk with Hope Base from today."

Han Zhu, standing at the back, felt like his legs might give out.

His daughter’s best friend had just pulled Cedar Base into a promise that changed everything. Weilin, sitting beside Su Jiyai, looked at her with sparkling eyes.

Su Jiyai turned her gaze across the table.

"As for the rest of you. You have traveled far to my base. You are free to explore Hope Base. Look around, see what we have built. There are places you might find interesting, and proposals that may surprise you."

Her words made the atmosphere shift. The Cedar Base subordinates blinked in confusion. One asked carefully, "Boss Su... proposals?"

"Yes," Su Jiyai said calmly. She leaned back, her voice even. "If you want, in the future, your Cedar Base can join my Hope Base."

The words hit the room like thunder. For a moment, silence swallowed everything.

Join Hope Base? That was what they had feared the most from the very start. Everyone had whispered about it before coming, wondering if Boss Su would force a merger. Now she had said it plainly.

Their faces turned pale. Some shifted uncomfortably. The officers glanced at Shi Liang nervously.

But Su Jiyai raised her hand lightly, her voice calm.

"Do not misunderstand. If you join, you will still be called Cedar Base. You will still act independently. Your own rules can stay, but you will follow certain laws of Hope Base as well. You will contribute some resources, but you will also receive all benefits. It is not a loss for you. In fact, it is protection."

Leader Shi’s brows furrowed, but he stayed quiet, listening.

Su Jiyai continued, her words steady.

"If you join, I will build in Cedar Base the same things you have seen here in Hope Base. Stores, training facilities, everything. You will not just survive.. you will grow stronger."

At the mention of stores, the Cedar Base delegation’s eyes flickered.

They had been walking around Hope Base these past days. They had seen things they thought impossible.

One of the officers whispered, "The cultivation rooms..."

Another muttered, "The awakening potions..."

Someone else’s face lit up. "Even the nanobots! I saw them with my own eyes."

The whispers grew louder. They remembered the food stores, where even ordinary survivors could buy meals like the world had not ended.

They remembered the weapon shop, filled with equipment stronger than anything Cedar Base had.

They remembered the spa, where tired soldiers came out like new men.

And most of all, they remembered the temporary boost foods, cookies, and soups that could make an ordinary person fight like a superhuman for a short while.

It was like magic. And Boss Su was offering to bring all of that into Cedar Base if they joined.

One of the Cedar officers finally spoke up, his voice trembling with excitement. "Boss Su... do you truly mean you will build all those things... in our base too?"

Su Jiyai nodded once.

"Yes. As long as you agree to join. Cedar Base will not lose its name. Your people will still be called Cedar Base citizens. But you will be part of my Hope Base network. Together, we will build something greater."

The delegation exchanged shocked glances. Their fear was melting, replaced by greed and hope.

Leader Shi tapped his fingers slowly against the table. He could feel his subordinates’ gazes pressing on him. They wanted it. They wanted it so badly that he could see the hunger in their eyes.

Weilin, beside Su Jiyai, leaned closer and whispered softly, "Jiyai... you are really planning far ahead, aren’t you?"

Su Jiyai smiled faintly but did not answer. She kept her gaze steady on Leader Shi.

He finally sighed, shaking his head slightly.

"Boss Su... you truly are a terrifying woman. You see everything, you think of everything. If Cedar Base joins you, then perhaps... humanity really will see the end of this apocalypse."

Su Jiyai’s voice was calm, but her eyes glowed like steel.

"That is the goal. To end this world of zombies and give humans a chance to rise again. Alone, each base struggles. But together, under one vision, we can end it."

"Alright then." Leader Shi took a deep breath and answered.

Leader Shi sat in silence for a long time after Su Jiyai’s final words. The hall was so quiet that even the sound of people breathing could be heard. Finally, he let out a long sigh and nodded firmly.

"Alright then," he said, his voice steady. "Cedar Base is ready. From today, we will walk with Hope Base."

His subordinates looked at each other, some with relief, some with disbelief. It felt like history was being written in front of their eyes.

Su Jiyai’s lips curved slightly. She lowered her chin in respect and said, "Then let us seal it properly. Leader Shi, I will draft a contract. This is not just words, it will be something all can trust."

Leader Shi’s eyes warmed. He gave her a small smile.

"You are wise, Boss Su. I see you not only think of strength but also of fairness. A contract will make everything clear for both sides."

And so, the contract was signed. Su Jiyai’s strokes were elegant as she signed her name, and Shi Liang followed with his own, his hand steady.

When the papers were exchanged, the whole room seemed lighter, as if a heavy stone had been lifted.