In a frigid apocalypse, I went on a shopping spree with the reborn.

Hope Base.

For the first time, Jiang Qingyue, in his capacity as the Human King, offered his condolences to the injured.

He then took out the plant extract and gave it to the seriously injured, and chatted kindly with several vice-captains.

"Are there any unsolvable difficulties? Who are the members of your family?"

"What are your dreams? Where did you go to school?"

"What a coincidence, that's also my alma mater."

"..."

When Chinese people chat, they always have food and drinks with them.

Jiang Qingyue paid tribute to each of them, acknowledging them as heroines for their contributions to protecting humanity.

Several deputy captains were deeply moved, tears streaming down their faces.

"King of Men, I toast you."

"I'll also raise a glass to you."

The little rabbit was dumbfounded. Was this its owner?

She was one of the first people to follow Jiang Qingyue and had never seen this side of her before, let alone the others.

Old Wang with pigtails jumped from his past self's head to Yan Bao's side: "Little rabbit."

Yan Bao turned her head and looked at him with a deep gaze.

Old Wang's breath hitched. What the hell? Why did those rabbit eyes have a hint of Jiang Shen's oppressive aura?

Little Grey, standing nearby, reminded him, "Senior Wang, you should call her Big Sister."

Yan Bao nodded, staring at Old Wang with a quiet gaze.

Old Wang rubbed his forelegs, his face flushed: "Sister Yan."

Yan Bao nodded in satisfaction: "What is it? Go ahead and ask."

"Pfft." Wang Defa from his previous life chuckled.

That damn cockroach always bullies me. Now look what's happened, the wicked always get their comeuppance.

"What are you laughing at? I'll deal with you later." Old Wang with pigtails glared at his past self, then asked Yan Bao with a grin, "Is Jiang Shen's alcohol tolerance that good?"

That shouldn't be the case.

They've lived together for over a decade, so while he wouldn't say he knows everything about Jiang Qingyue's past, he certainly knows about half of it.

A college graduate from a prestigious university, whose parents died shortly after joining the company, returned to Quanshui City to take over the seafood shop until the apocalypse.

This experience doesn't seem like something you could drink.

"Master is amazing at everything he does." The little rabbit said with admiration.

Seeing this, Old Wang with pigtails jumped away; he had asked for nothing.

In this rabbit's eyes, even Jiang Qingyue's farts smell sweet.

His eyes darted around, and he leaned closer to Zhang Meng: "Senior Knife King, are we just going to watch like this without doing anything? What if he really gets drunk later?"

"I won't get drunk." Zhang Meng looked at the potted plant at Jiang Qingyue's feet.

Old Wang with twin ponytails isn't stupid; he just didn't notice at first.

Following Zhang Meng's gaze, they indeed saw Jiang Qingyue secretly using her finger to force the wine she had drunk into the potted plant.

Upon closer inspection, wow, that little potted plant was almost full.

"She actually cheated." Old Wang said in disbelief.

Wang Defa was also a bit confused in his previous life. He never expected that Jiang Shen's strength was so much higher than that of these vice captains, and that he would actually resort to underhanded tactics.

That's so cunning... He really likes it.

If you had someone like that with you, your chances of survival would double.

He quickly instructed Old Wang with pigtails, "You'd better hold on tight to his coattails, and don't let him kick you away."

"Don't be so timid. You have to take the plunge when it's time. How can you achieve anything if you don't?"

Old Wang, with his pigtails, asked, "Why aren't you rinsing?"

I am weaker than you.

"Yes," said the girl with twin ponytails. "So if you dare not rush, I'll hit you."

Wang Defa: "..."

Jiang Qingyue pretended to be drunk and addressed the deputy captains as "sister" and "brother" in a very affectionate manner.

Upon seeing this, the group was astonished to find that the King was so kind and caring, even bringing out life-saving medicine.

In his drunken stupor, he spilled everything about his past relationships, including how many people he'd dated, when he'd had his first time, and even the color of his underwear.

He even took out everything from his spatial backpack on the spot, intending to give it to Jiang Qingyue.

I can't refuse it.

"King, take this. If you don't, it means you look down on me and think my stuff is bad."

"Yes, yes, you must take it. There are more in the treasure vault. I'll take you to get them."

Wang Defa was terrified: "Do you really think these deputy captains won't be beaten to death when Captain Huang comes back?"

"Do you think they're stupid?" Zhang Meng didn't interfere from beginning to end; she understood Jiang Qingyue's plan.

In the past, when just a few friends got together, it didn't really matter who was the leader.

Jiang Qingyue is not someone who likes to show off or be special.

As you grow a larger team, it becomes crucial to clearly define who is in charge.

Hopefully, these people from the base will definitely follow them in the future. Although there aren't many left, they are still Huang Yali's core group.

As soon as Huang Yali returned, a new problem arose: Did these people listen to Captain Huang Yali or to King Jiang Qingyue?

Even if she was willing to listen, Jiang Qingyue still needed to understand these people thoroughly, otherwise she couldn't trust them to use them.

Now that Huang Yali hasn't returned, and these people are both moved and drunk, it's easiest to see a person's true nature.

This meal can both bring people closer and help you understand them better.

Zhang Meng was certain that if Jiang Qingyue found out any of the deputy captains to be disloyal tonight, that person would die in an accident before Huang Yali returned.

Fortunately, things seem to be going well now. You could say that those with ulterior motives were dealt with by Captain Huang Yali long ago, and those who remained are all doing well.

Now that the relationship has been strengthened, once Huang Yali returns, all that is needed is for Huang Yali to submit, and then Hope Base will naturally become the people of the Human King.

As for why this group of people are so obedient, it's naturally because they are smart.

Hopefully, there are only a few people left in the base, and they urgently need to find a powerful backer. Captain Huang Yali is certainly good, but if there is an even stronger person protecting them, that would be an extra layer of protection.

Besides, with the mighty Sword King standing here, even if Jiang Qingyue, the Human King, is slightly weaker, his status and position are enough to make everyone follow him.

As for voluntarily handing over treasures, that would be even smarter.

What kind of priceless treasures could they possibly possess now?

Those carried close to the body are usually ordinary, while those kept in the treasure vault are even more common items.

If they can hand over these things to show their loyalty while under the influence of alcohol, Huang Yali will have to praise them when she gets back.

A few hours later.

Jiang Qingyue stretched and said, "It's almost dawn, isn't it? Let's find a place to rest."

Zhao Mingyue sneered: "Originally, the vice captains would have arranged for us to rest, but you drank them all under the table. Now, we have to find a place to sleep ourselves."

Jiang Qingyue swayed slightly, realizing she had indeed drunk quite a lot. Although most of it had been expelled from her body, she still ended up filling the small flowerpot with the last bit of alcohol.

If she pretends any longer, it will overflow and spill all over the floor, which has made her a little tipsy now.

"Sister Xiaoyue." Long Jiuxing called out worriedly from the gemstone hair chain, and then said to his past self, "What are you standing there for? Come and help Sister Xiaoyue."

"No need, Longlong, I'm fine."

"You walk unsteadily, I'm worried about you."

In his previous life, Long Jiuxing didn't move. Jiang Qingyue was so strong that if he really fell, he would only smash the chair. What could possibly happen?

Zhao Mingyue didn't move either. Long Jiuxing didn't help her up, so she didn't either.

As for Yanbao and Xiaohuihui, the two little guys are already asleep.

In his past life, Wang Defa rubbed his hands together: "Um, Jiang Shen, if you don't mind, shall I help you up?"

Jiang Qingyue shook her head, making the several Wang Defas in front of her look like one: "Do you like women?"

After what happened with Zhao Mingyue, she admitted that she was a tiny bit scared, afraid that she might unintentionally give someone the wrong impression.

One Zhao Mingyue is already difficult enough, but if another one comes along, it'll be a nightmare.

"You like it... right?"

"Never mind then." Jiang Qingyue walked over to Zhang Meng with a serpentine gait. "Surely you don't like women, right?"

Zhang Meng was speechless: "Don't act like you're some kind of hot commodity that everyone likes."

"It's fine if you don't like it." Jiang Qingyue said, using both hands and feet to barely climb onto her back, her hands wrapped around Zhang Meng's neck.

Fortunately, Zhang Meng was strong enough; otherwise, an ordinary person would have been terrified and rolled their eyes.

Inside the ruby, Long Jiuxing cautiously apologized, "Senior Dao Wang, Sister Xiao Yue has had too much to drink. She's not usually like this. I'm currently unwell, so please take care of her."

Zhang Meng hugged his legs, scooped him up onto her back, and carried him on her back.

Upon seeing this, a member of the team at the base quickly came over to help arrange a few rooms.

It's basically just tents. The entire Hope Base is currently hiding in various places and has no fixed residence at all.

That is to say, the captain and several vice-captains now have space backpacks that can hold tents, otherwise they would most likely have to sleep in the grass.

"Be gentle." Seeing Zhang Meng roughly throw Jiang Qingyue onto the bed, Long Jiuxing in the gemstone was anxious and paced around in circles.

Zhang Meng chuckled: "Her body is much harder than this bed board now. You should be worried about the board, not her."

"Besides, since you care about her so much, you should try your best to recover as soon as possible and take care of her yourself."

Long Jiuxing didn't say anything.

Zhang Meng added, "Don't rely on your past life for everything. A past life is a past life, and it's not even certain if you were the same person in it."

"They've just met Jiang Qingyue, and you've seen their attitude towards her. It's impossible for them to take care of you."

Long Jiuxing didn't say anything.

Zhang Meng knew the girl was upset, but these young people needed excitement. Without excitement, they lacked motivation, which wouldn't do. Whether the Eighth District could turn the tide depended on these young people.

"Alright, I'm going out for some fresh air."

The tent fell silent.

Chen Sanyang, Liu Yuyao, and the others, who had been holding back, finally stopped and began to discuss everything about the Hope Base in hushed tones.

What's truly disheartening is the sheer number of people.

Hope Base, as a large base established at the beginning of the apocalypse, has been on the list of new forces from the very beginning.

Team leader Huang Yali has never fallen out of the top ten.

Aside from the official forces, among the civilian forces in the Eighth District, Hope Base is definitely one of the most powerful, with over 10 members at its peak.

Now, in the 35th year of the apocalypse, apart from Captain Huang Yali who has not yet returned, there are only 233 people left in the entire Hope Base.

Swish swish~

A faint, serpentine sound entered the tent. Because Jiang Qingyue was lying face up, Long Jiuxing and the others couldn't see what was happening at the tent entrance.

After a while, a black clematis plant came closer to the bedside, allowing Long Jiuxing and the others to see it clearly.

"It's Nightfall." Chen Sanyang exclaimed in surprise, "When did this guy get out?"

Liu Yuyao said helplessly, "It didn't come back. Captain Jiang left it behind to monitor the Drywood Clan, but when we entered the Hope Base, Captain Jiang left it outside the base."

Chen Sanyang: "Boss, it's the same perspective from everyone, how did you discover that?"

Liu Yuyao remained silent for a long time.

Isn't that obvious?

Given Jiang Qingyue's wary nature, the fact that she left without waiting for the Kumu Clan's consent when she encountered them suggests that she must have left someone behind.

Everyone in the squad was there, so the only one left behind was this flower.

Once inside the base, it hasn't returned, so it must be guarding outside the base.

"But how did this guy get in here?" Liu Yuyao had just asked when she asked.

Then, Night Crown unfurled its black petals and released a person.

"It's her!" Chen Sanyang exclaimed in surprise.

No one knew this person's name, but they had seen him not long ago, because he was the one who brought Jiang Qingyue and the others to the room.

If Nightscanner, who is guarding outside the base, were to capture you at this point, there is only one possibility: the enemy has left the base.

What could a team member possibly do if he sneaked out of the base in the middle of the night while all the vice-captains and Jiang Qingyue were drunk?

The Night Crown couldn't speak; it rubbed its pistil against its master's forehead.

Seeing that no one was awake, the large flower tilted its head and thought for a moment, then slithered away like a snake.

Before long, they brought in Zhang Meng, the Sword King.

"Knife King Senior," Nangong Zhao said from within the Gemstone, "what should we do?"

Chen Sanyang said angrily, "There are still traitors at this critical moment, it's too much! I think we should just chop them up and feed them to the dogs."

"They must be killed; they can't be let off easily."

Inside the gemstone, Jiang Qingtian, Yan Kexin, Meng Zixuan, Yang Qingqing... each of them was more furious than the last.

They had all experienced the All-Heavens Arena Tournament, and there wasn't a single traitor on the top 100 list. This gave them the illusion that everyone in the Eighth District was united and of one mind.

Not only in District 8, but also in other experimental districts, despite their different stances, they were all fighting for their own race.

They had been asleep since the All-Heavens Arena Tournament and had not seen much of humanity; traitors were too distant to them.

Zhang Meng remained expressionless. The person had to be killed, but there were rules and procedures to follow. This person belonged to Huang Yali, and she needed to preserve evidence to explain herself to Huang Yali. She took out her phone and turned on the recording function.

Only then did he squat down and pat the person awake.

The moment the woman opened her eyes, she saw Zhang Meng's face, and she knew she had been exposed.

Without panic, he calmly said, "As expected, this day has come. I was just a little short of succeeding."

Zhang Meng straightened up and looked down at her: "The reason?"

Woman: "I want to become stronger. There's no hope for the Eighth District. As the Sword King, you should know better than me that humanity's fate is sealed."

"The arrival of the King of Men is not salvation, but prolonging the time of death."

"If I stay here, sooner or later I will die quietly like my former teammates, becoming a speck of dust in history."

"I don't want this to happen."

Among the gems, Chen Sanyang and his group were furious.

Zhang Meng remained expressionless: "Who did you find?"

"I sent a message to the leader of a civilian base in District 93 when you arrived at the base." The woman's tone was excited. "I never expected that the Blade King and the Human King would be so valuable."

"Their AI assistant had to make two trips to deliver the stuff to me, you know? I took these things and left Hope Base, found a place to hide, and once I've digested them, I'll become very powerful."

"By impersonating another race, a new race will be added to all the worlds."

"Even if District 8 is gone, I can still lead the new race to live a good life."

"I am hope, the spark of District 8. You shouldn't have brought me back. Wouldn't it have been better to turn a blind eye?"

"Don't think I don't know, you started your seed preservation program many years ago."

"You've sent so many people out, allowing them to live in different places as other races, isn't that all for the sake of perpetuating your race?"

"They expect you to spend resources to arrange things, but I can arrange it myself without you having to put in any effort. Is that not allowed?"

Zhang Meng looked at her and said in a light tone, "You know about the seed preservation plan, which means you were also a participant in the plan back then."

"Back then, each base allocated a certain number of places. You were young and intelligent at the time, so it was impossible for you not to be selected."

Upon hearing this, the woman's gaze shifted slightly.

Zhang Meng continued, "Unless you hope that your name won't be on the final list submitted by the base."

"Being selected as a reserve officer means your captain recommended you. The fact that you didn't submit an application means you voluntarily crossed your name off the list."

"The reason I didn't want to participate in the preservation program was that I felt there was still hope for the Eighth District to win. It was too risky and too difficult for someone to live alone as another race."

"You backed down."

"Now that District 8 is becoming increasingly hopeless, you want to become a member of the seed preservation program."

Zhang Meng scoffed, "If you're not willing to take any risks or give up any benefits, what right do you have to complain?"

"They even dare to use information about the King of Men as a bargaining chip to gain the capital to defect."

Damn it.

The woman's face contorted for a moment: "I just want to live. When the preservation plan was launched, I felt that there was a better chance of survival within the base."

"Now I feel that leaving offers a better chance, and I want to make the right choice. Is that wrong?"

Lying on the bed, Jiang Qingyue didn't open her eyes, and irritably shouted, "Ye Mian, kill him."