Chapter 212: Chapter 212 And where’s the seventh base leader?
Antelope Base had originally been formed from the remnants of Scorpion Base. Everything had remained stable until one of its strongest members betrayed the former commander and seized the leadership position.
Many had expected the base to descend into chaos after such a shocking betrayal. Instead, the man proved his worth. Under his leadership, the base flourished, becoming stronger than it had ever been before. Eventually, even those who had opposed him acknowledged his capability. Since the overwhelming majority of the survivors supported him, the matter was laid to rest, though it had been an incredibly close and controversial decision.
From that day onward, the base was renamed after its new leader’s nickname....Antelope Base.
The base quickly became famous for housing numerous top-tier researchers and scientific talents, making it one of the strongest and most influential survivor bases in the region. It was equally notorious for its strict recruitment standards, accepting only personnel who possessed exceptional abilities, valuable skills, or remarkable combat strength.
Raymond, better known as Antelope, sat in the driver’s seat of the lead military truck with a stern expression etched across his rugged face. A long scar stretched from the side of his forehead down to his jaw, giving him an intimidating appearance. Unlike most people who would have hidden such a scar beneath a mask or allowed their hair to cover it, Raymond displayed it proudly, almost as if it were a badge of honor earned through countless battles.
Without wasting another second, he reached up and lightly tapped the wireless earpiece in his ear. It was connected directly to the highly advanced robot stationed back at Antelope Base, a machine specifically responsible for logistics, resource management, and calculating profits from every mission.
"Get ready, buddy," Antelope said quietly, his deep voice barely audible. "The profit calculations will begin soon, and I’ll need your full attention."
The robot acknowledged the command instantly.
Satisfied, Antelope disconnected the communication just as his truck, followed by several others carrying his elite personnel, rolled to a stop before Erick and the gathering of base leaders.
The truck doors swung open one after another.
Antelope stepped onto the ground first.
Seven subordinates dressed in immaculate white combat uniforms exited behind him in perfect synchronization.
Every single one of them were burly men with thick muscles which bulged beneath their uniforms, while cold, disciplined expressions remained fixed on their faces. No one needed to be told how terrifying they were.
Judging from their physiques alone, each of them looked capable of taking on twenty ordinary men without breaking a sweat.
Resting casually in their hands were modified AK-47 assault rifles, their fingers comfortably wrapped around the grips as they took their positions behind Antelope.
Without hesitation, Erick and the leaders of the smaller survivor bases hurried toward Antelope.
Their expressions immediately transformed into warm smiles.
"Commander Antelope," Erick greeted respectfully with a slight bow. "It’s truly an honor to have you here with us."
Another leader eagerly stepped forward before Erick had even finished speaking.
"I’ve wanted to meet you for a very long time, Commander. Thankfully, today I’ve finally gotten that chance. Not only do I get to meet the legendary Antelope in person, but I’ll also have the privilege of fighting alongside you."
Several others quickly echoed similar compliments, hoping to earn a favorable impression.
Meanwhile, Ivy and Anya remained standing quietly near the roadside, watching the crowd of leaders shamelessly trying to curry favor with Antelope.
A faint sigh escaped Anya’s lips.
"Dawn Base is very different," she said softly, her eyes never leaving the gathering ahead. "Most of our residents are elderly people. We only have a handful of younger survivors."
She lowered her head slightly before continuing.
"Even though I’m one of the strongest ability users in the base, I have very little say in anything." Her lips curved into a bitter smile.
"Unlike Antelope Base, which is filled with powerful men..." she said, glancing toward the towering soldiers standing behind Raymond. "Every single one of them is experienced in combat. They’re skilled with guns, blades, and practically every weapon you can think of."
She paused briefly before letting out another sigh.
"And the women there..." she added with a small shake of her head. "They’re just as formidable. Huge, well-trained, disciplined... every single one of them."
Turning toward Ivy, Anya smiled helplessly.
"I honestly envy you." She chuckled softly before continuing. "I’m not even going to pretend otherwise.You’re the leader of your own base. You decide who gets recruited. You choose the people you believe will strengthen your base."
Her smile gradually disappeared.
"But me..." she murmured. "All I can do is stand there and watch the leaders of Dawn Base recruit whoever they want, whether or not it’s beneficial in the long run." She folded her arms across her chest. "And that’s frustrating."
Anya quickly shook her head before Ivy could misunderstand her.
"I’m not saying the elderly shouldn’t be rescued," she clarified immediately. "Of course they should. Every survivor deserves protection." She looked toward the convoy again. "But once they’re safe, they should remain inside the base where they’ll be protected. What Dawn Base desperately needs is more younger men and women....people who can be trained into capable fighters, scouts, engineers, and workers but no...they refuse to change their recruitment priorities and honestly... it’s incredibly annoying."
Meanwhile, after politely acknowledging the endless stream of greetings from the surrounding base leaders, Antelope’s sharp gaze slowly shifted away from them.
His eyes landed directly on Erick as curiosity flickered within them.
"And where’s the seventh base leader?" Antelope asked, his sharp eyes sweeping across the assembled crowd. "I counted everyone, and there are only six of you standing here. Didn’t you say seven base leaders answered the call?"
"Oh, yes. Pardon me," Erick replied with a bright smile.
Turning around, he looked toward the roadside where Ivy was seated with Anya.
"Allow me to introduce Captain Ivy," Erick announced politely. "The leader of Hope Base."
At once, everyone’s attention shifted toward Ivy.
Completely oblivious to the eyes fixed upon her or perhaps simply not caring.....Ivy remained seated comfortably, leisurely eating a roasted ear of corn she bought along from Hope Base. Beside the corn sat a freshly cracked coconut, which she occasionally took bites from between mouthfuls.
She had even handed another roasted corn to Anya earlier.
Whether it was a genuine act of kindness or simply a clever way to keep the talkative woman occupied and quiet for a while, only Ivy herself knew.
Anya, of course, remained blissfully unaware of the possibility.
"Oh..." Antelope let out a faint scoff as a trace of disappointment flashed across his scarred face before he simply looked away. I... see."
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