Chapter 603: Chapter 603: End of Su Rong

But Su Han ignored her. His proud eyes turned toward Su Jiyai.

“Even if you are a base leader now,” he said arrogantly, “once, you were our slave. And a slave will always be a slave. Don’t think power can change that fact.”

He jabbed his finger at her, his voice rising.

“You are being unfair! We gave you shelter during the apocalypse. But now, you’re turning against us? Throwing us away? Is this how you repay kindness?”

His eyes swept over the crowd.

“And you! All of you! Where is your sense of filial piety? Have you forgotten? If my family hadn’t sheltered her for eighteen years, she would have been dead long ago! You should all be thanking us instead of cheering against us!”

The base members froze for one heartbeat. Then fury exploded.

“You dare!”

“What kind of nonsense is this?”

“Shelter? Filial piety? Don’t twist the truth!”

A man shouted loudly, his face red. “Your family got money for raising her, brat! Money! Don’t make it sound like you gave her kindness for free!”

A woman next to him added,

“Not only that! You didn’t even treat her well. You starved her, mistreated her, and made her suffer for years! What right do you have to act proud of it?”

Others jumped in, their voices rising higher and higher.

“I can’t believe he’s this shameless!”

“He’s twisting cruelty into kindness!”

“He has no conscience at all!”

One man jabbed his finger toward Su Han’s face. “This boy needs to be kicked out of the base right now!”

“Yes!” another voice rang out. “Throw him out! Let him see how the outside world treats him!”

The chants grew louder.

“Kick him out!”

“Kick him out!”

“Kick him out!”

The sound shook the courtyard like thunder.

Su Jiyai stood still, her hands behind her back, watching quietly. When the noise reached its peak, she finally nodded once.

“Since everyone is protesting so strongly,” she said calmly, “then I will agree. He can be thrown out.”

Su Han’s eyes widened in shock. His whole face froze. “W-what?! What did you say?!”

“You cannot throw me out!” he shouted desperately. “I’m only a kid!”

But Su Jiyai didn’t even look at him. Her eyes were cold and distant, as if he no longer mattered.

The base members didn’t hesitate. Several strong men stepped forward, grabbed Su Han by the arms, and began to drag him toward the entrance.

“Let me go!” Su Han screamed. He thrashed and kicked, his face red. “I said let me go! You can’t do this to me! You’ll regret it!”

But no one listened.

The crowd followed, shouting.

“Throw him out!”

“He doesn’t deserve to stay here!”

Su Han’s voice cracked as panic hit him. “Wait! No! Please! I was wrong! I’ll stop! Don’t throw me out! I’m sorry!”

He kicked harder, tears starting to fall. “I don’t want to die outside! Please! I’m just a kid! Please!”

His screams grew weaker, turning into sobs. His voice shook. “Please… I’ll change… I swear I’ll change…”

At that moment, a small voice spoke up.

“Stop.”

The crowd turned their heads. A boy walked forward.

He was tiny, only eight years old, but his eyes were steady and his voice carried strength. It was Yuan Xin, the young receptionist of Hope Base.

The men dragging Su Han paused.

Yuan Xin looked up at Su Han, his tone calm.

“You say you are just a kid. But you are thirteen years old. And I am only eight. Even so, I work every day. I take care of tasks, I manage records, I help this whole base. I don’t cry, I don’t demand, and I don’t act spoiled. I earn my life with my own hands.”

The crowd went silent for a moment. Then nods spread through the people.

“He’s right.”

“Even at eight years old, Yuan Xin is already helping so much.”

“What a difference… upbringing makes everything.”

“Su Han was spoiled since birth, while Yuan Xin grew strong in hardship.”

People looked at the little boy with admiration and pride. Then their eyes turned back to Su Han, who was still sobbing like a child.

Su Han’s tears dripped down his face as he cried loudly. “Please! Don’t kick me out! I’ll change! I swear I’ll change! If I go outside, I’ll die! Please! I don’t want to die!”

His voice was pitiful, so pitiful that some people’s hearts softened. They exchanged glances with each other.

“He really is still just a child…”

“He doesn’t know what he’s saying half the time.”

“It’s true, he would die out there in a day.”

The anger slowly cooled, replaced by reluctant pity.

Su Jiyai saw the change in their faces. She lifted her hand, and the men dragging Su Han stopped.

Her calm voice cut through the silence. “Since there is pity for him, then I will give him one chance to reform.”

Su Han’s head snapped up. His eyes, red and swollen from crying, glowed with hope. “R-really? You’ll give me a chance?”

He nodded quickly, his voice shaking. “I promise! I’ll be good! I’ll do anything you say!”

But inside his heart, confusion and disbelief twisted together.

Since birth, he had been spoiled.

Every demand was answered, every whim was met. And Su Jiyai… the girl he once mocked, bullied, and called a slave… was now deciding his life with just a few calm words.

The thought made his chest tighten with fear. He dared not speak out again.

Su Jiyai’s cold eyes rested on him. “Then listen well. From today, you will help your sister Su Rong clean the base. You will share her punishment.”

The words froze Su Han in place. His jaw dropped. “What…? Me? Clean… the base?”

He was about to argue, but the icy glares of the crowd stopped him. His mouth closed, and he nodded quickly, his head bowing low. “Yes… I’ll do it…”

Su Rong turned to look at him, rolling her eyes. Her lips pressed into a thin line, full of silent anger.

Su Han caught her stare, but he didn’t dare speak. He only nodded again, keeping his head down.

For the first time in his life, he had no choice but to submit.

The crowd, seeing this, nodded in approval.

“Good. Let him suffer a little.”

“Maybe then he’ll learn.”

“Yes. This is justice.”

……………………………….

Su Han and Su Rong soon started to clean the base. At first, they had energy. Su Rong mumbled under her breath, “This is ridiculous… Su Jiyai thinks she is some queen now.”

Su Han snorted as he swept the floor half-heartedly. “Just wait, sister. One day we will rise again. She cannot keep us down forever.”

They cursed quietly whenever no one was near, whispering insults about Su Jiyai. But as the days dragged on, their bodies grew tired.

The base was huge, full of warehouses, long halls, food stores, gardens, and training grounds.

By the tenth day, Su Rong sat on the ground with a mop in her hand, sweat dripping down her face. “I cannot even feel my arms anymore.”

Su Han dropped the broom and panted, “Why… why does it feel like I am dying just cleaning?”

Su Rong glared at him. “Shut up and move. If we slow down, the people will report us.”

Time passed. They no longer had energy to complain about Su Jiyai. Instead, they were busy day and night, scrubbing, wiping, and carrying water. They hardly ate enough, since they had no crystals to buy better food.

After a month, their rent was due. Su Rong sat on the edge of her bed, her hands trembling. “Han… do you have any crystals left?”

Su Han shook his head slowly. “Not even one.”

Her voice cracked. “We cannot pay rent. What do we do?”

They went to the base members and asked nervously. “Can we get payment for cleaning?” Su Han asked, his voice hopeful.

But the man they asked laughed coldly. “Payment? You should be glad Boss Su gave you a chance to stay here. If you want crystals, find another method. Work like the rest of us.”

Another woman folded her arms.

“If you were so brave bullying a child before, then you should have the guts to clean the base now without asking for crystals. Don’t even think about bothering Boss Su.”

The words struck both Su Rong and Su Han like a slap. They walked back quietly, their faces pale.

Su Han whispered, “Our life is finished.”

Su Rong bit her lip hard. For the first time, fear entered her eyes.

At first, Su Rong’s husband supported her, telling her to stay strong. But slowly, as he watched her become more disturbed, as the work grew heavier and their situation grew worse, he lost his patience.

One night, after a long argument, he said coldly, “I cannot do this anymore. I want a divorce.”

Su Rong stared at him blankly. “You… what did you say?”

He looked away, shame in his eyes. “There is no future with you. You drag me down. I am leaving.”

This time, Su Rong did not scream or cry. She just lowered her head and whispered, “I see.”