CHAPTER 330: CHAPTER 330: ENTHUSIASM

Ember stepped fully into the hall, her expression cold as her gaze swept across the gathered survivors. Their heads were bowed, shoulders hunched, each of them hiding behind guilt and shame.

Keith, who had been sitting beside Pearl’s stretcher, immediately stood when he saw Ember. Gratitude softened his tired features.

"Thank you," he said sincerely. "I was... completely hopeless today. I really thought... I really thought I was going to lose her. If it wasn’t for you and your sister, I don’t think we would have made it."

Ember waved a hand dismissively, though her eyes were sharp. "Forget it. Just focus on her."

But as she glanced at the citizens, those same people who had almost torn Ivy apart minutes ago, her face darkened. She raised her voice deliberately.

"This base already has the means to help every one of you," Ember said, clearly enough for the entire hall to hear. "All you had to do was report what was wrong. All you had to do was open your mouth and say something, and my sister won’t ignore you."

Around the room, faces sank lower in shame.

Rain, who had been silently observing this entire scene, stepped forward. "I... I want to apologize to Ivy on behalf of all of us."

Ember turned toward her, studying her carefully.

This woman. Ember had noticed her from the moment she entered, quiet, sincere, and not a single trace of entitlement or selfishness in her eyes. Yet she hadn’t spoken up for Ivy earlier, even when she should have.

Ember opened her mouth to say something, but Keith quickly added, "Rain helped us on the journey. She’s... she’s a good person."

Only then did Ember soften. She faced Rain and asked gently, "Do you even know what Ivy has been doing these past few weeks? "

Rain blinked in surprise. "Doing... what? "

The citizens, hearing this, lifted their heads ever so slightly. Curiosity flickered in their gazes.

Ember turned to them as well.

"From the moment Ivy returned," she said, voice tinged with indifference, "she has been helping the base leader expand the residential sectors."

A murmur rippled across the room. Most lowered their heads again.

"She has been working on creating employment for all of you," Ember continued. "So that you won’t starve to death simply because you can’t hunt zombies in this heat."

A few eyes widened. Some grew thoughtful. Some turned rigid with embarrassment.

"She has spent days planning ways to return your lives to something normal. She wanted all of you to have time... Time to breathe, time to adjust, time to train... so you wouldn’t die the next time danger comes."

Ember took a step forward.

"But how many of you ever thought to thank her? "

A hesitant voice rose from the back. "W-We did thank her... verbally..."

Ember laughed, short and humorless. "Words? I’m not talking about empty words. Ivy doesn’t need lip service."

The room fell silent.

"She needed actions," Ember said firmly. "She needed you to improve yourselves. To train harder. To step up. To be an asset to the base, not a liability choking the base."

Her gaze swept across their faces.

"Did any of you try to fight more zombies? Did any of you push yourselves to get stronger? Did you even try to ignore the heat and train in the barracks so that the base’s total strength would increase? "

No one answered.

"Tell me," Ember said coldly, "if a zombie horde attacked today... would any of you survive? "

Silence stretched thickly until a few brave souls stood up abruptly.

"We will fight! " they shouted. "We won’t stay silent! "

Ember raised a brow. "Have you ever stepped out to see the level of zombies now?"

The bravado instantly evaporated. The hall grew still again.

"The average zombie outside the wall is level three," she said. "Can you fight those?"

Some shook their heads. Some clenched their fists. Others lowered their eyes in shame.

Ember continued relentlessly.

"I understand those who are sick. But what about the rest of you? Those who linger here every day, refusing to train, refusing to contribute, simply because your family members are injured? "

She pointed toward the long row of cots.

"Can’t you take turns caring for your family? Can’t you guard them for six hours and then go train for the next six? Don’t you think the base deserves that much from you? "

There were murmurs now, embarrassed, guilty, and reflective.

"That’s all Ivy, the base leader, and I ever wanted," Ember said. "For you to take responsibility. For you to get stronger. For you to stop acting like helpless children."

Her voice softened slightly.

"My sister didn’t pamper me so I could turn useless. She did it so that, even with the world ending, I could feel something like hope. A new normal. A reason to keep fighting."

The citizens looked shaken.

Ember exhaled heavily and added, "Please don’t waste her efforts. I swear, the one thing I cannot stand is watching someone make her cry. If you push her too far... I’ll sneak into your homes at night and beat you up myself."

Her threat, though half-joking, sent a shiver through the crowd.

Then she turned back to the citizens.

"Level three zombies are out there. Can you fight? "

A few hands rose slowly. More heads lowered in fear.

Ember nodded at those who bravely raised their hands. "Good. And the rest of you, train. Get stronger. Stop expecting Ivy to be your savior. Save yourselves."

One by one, people began standing. This time, their voices were sincere.

"We’ll repay the base! "

"We’ll train harder! We will not disappoint Miss Ivy going forward!"

"We’ll become stronger!"

Ember felt some of her tension leave her shoulders. She truly had no formal authority here, but she simply couldn’t watch Ivy break down again.

Turning back to Keith, she softened.

"I’ll arrange a residence for you to rent," she said gently.

Keith nodded. And this time, not a single citizen dared to object.