Chapter 191 The Original Female Lead Who Was Used as Cannon Fodder 41
Ruan Yunzhen waved her hand, "I know what you're worried about. As long as you stay at the Savior Base for the next month, don't worry, I won't treat you unfairly."
Zhao Chenxiao was still full of worries, but he nodded nonetheless.
No matter what, he will always stand by her side.
Hopefully, the base isn't too far from the Savior's base, so he can come here often in the future.
Zhao Chenxiao made up his mind to intensify his training of Zhao Linxiu after returning home.
Once he can stand on his own, he will have more free time.
Ruan Yunzhen shifted her posture, her expression languid: "Alright, now let's talk about the antidote."
Zhao Chenxiao's breath hitched, but he perked up and stared intently at Ruan Yunzhen, without asking any questions.
He knew there was a secret hidden within, and it was directly related to why she killed Zhou Shihhan, but he wouldn't actively investigate it.
But he desperately wanted the antidote, as it was far too important for humanity as it is today.
The various bases are now merely clinging to life.
Zombies evolve at a much faster rate than humans. They not only have a numerical advantage, but they also continuously strengthen themselves through mutation, making them far superior to humans.
Moreover, these monsters have developed a kind of collective consciousness, and they systematically pollute granaries and destroy farmland, driving humanity into an even deeper predicament.
Now, almost all arable land is contaminated, and the only remaining food supplies, apart from the reserves salvaged and transported back to the base at the beginning of the apocalypse, are the meager yields from the greenhouses at each base.
Every day, countless survivors succumb to hunger, while the zombie horde grows ever stronger in the ruins.
In this survival race, humanity is losing ground time and again.
If a completely effective antidote can be developed from this, humanity will be able to turn the tide and this catastrophe will come to an end.
"I can provide the original antidote, but in addition to the crystal core transaction, you must agree to two other conditions."
The spiritual spring water that Zhou Shihhan had previously brought out had been diluted, and Ruan Yunzhen did not intend to continue doing so.
Only undiluted spiritual spring water can enable research to make breakthrough progress and end the apocalypse more quickly.
But she won't give it away for nothing. If the world's consciousness can't give her more rewards, then she'll take them herself.
She wants the crystal core, and she also wants the survivors' affection.
Zhao Chenxiao's expression grew even more solemn: "Please tell me, what are your conditions?"
Ruan Yunzhen held up one finger: "First, it's what I asked you to do at Hope Base: vigorously promote my images, and no one is allowed to stop you."
"Second, each base must send a Level 7 ability user to the Savior Base for long-term deployment."
"Only if these two conditions are met will I agree to provide the original antidote solution. If either condition is not met, I will cancel the supply of antidote to the base."
If it weren't for the fact that level seven ability users are now extremely rare, and she was afraid that if too many ability users were taken away, some bases would be destroyed by zombies, she wouldn't have asked for just one.
"I'll discuss the promotional video with them, but a level seven ability user..."
Zhao Chenxiao paused, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping himself: "They might not be so well-behaved."
These high-level superhumans from outside may appear to be helpful, but they could very well harbor malicious intentions.
They are likely to unite to sideline Ruan Yunzhen and turn the Savior Base into a battlefield for various forces.
What's even more dangerous is that, in order to seize the original formula, these people are very likely to target Ruan Yunzhen, which makes Zhao Chenxiao completely uneasy.
"You don't need to worry about that."
Since awakening her superpowers, Ruan Yunzhen has been able to clearly feel her body undergoing a transformation.
As the strength of his muscles and bones continued to increase, he became more and more adept at using his mental power.
It's not just about disrupting their cognition or simple manipulation, but about infusing the power carried by their soul, imprinting it deep into their consciousness, making them submit to her from the depths of their soul, love her from the bottom of their hearts, and become her most loyal followers.
Those level seven ability users are not a threat, but rather an excellent asset.
Moreover, she can use the spiritual spring water to enhance their abilities. At that time, the Savior Base will have more than a dozen level-eight ability users, while many other bases probably won't be able to produce even one.
This world will be reshaped according to her will.
"If we're talking about the Hope Base, let Zhao Linxiu come."
Ruan Yunzhen's red lips curved slightly, and her eyes and brows were tinged with a beautiful glow.
That already stunning face gained an even more captivating charm from that smile, like a sudden bloom of a wild rose in the darkness, breathtakingly beautiful.
Zhao Chenxiao was startled and dazed for a moment, but when he realized that she was talking about Zhao Linxiu, his heart felt like it was being squeezed tightly by an invisible hand, and a sour feeling spread through his chest.
His appearance caused Ruan Yunzhen to misunderstand, and her expression immediately changed. She said fiercely, "What? You don't want to?"
Zhao Chenxiao snapped out of his daze and quickly said, "How could that be? I'll have him come over as soon as I get back to the base."
As for this month, let him stay by her side.
Ruan Yunzhen nodded in satisfaction, not caring about his little trick.
After the matter was settled, Zhao Chenxiao took the initiative to liaise with other bases, while Ruan Yunzhen and Lin Wuque began to reorganize the Savior Base.
Although those tyrannical and corrupt elements have been eliminated, ordinary people who have long been oppressed still cower indoors, feeling both relieved and terrified.
Ruan Yunzhen swiftly promoted a group of relatively upright managers. These people, who were marginalized and excluded because they did not want to associate with the scum and oppress the survivors, have now benefited from the misfortune, survived, and been given important positions.
They were all very excited and immediately devoted themselves to rebuilding order at the base.
Ruan Yunzhen then naturally took over the legacy left by Zhou Shihhan and others.
The crystal cores Zhou Shih-han obtained from selling the spiritual spring were all stored in her spatial storage, but now they've all benefited from Ruan Yun-zhen, who has placed them into her own little world.
Furthermore, those scumbags that Zhao Chenxiao and Lin Wuque killed, who had amassed considerable wealth through exploitation, have all been ruthlessly taken into Ruan Yunzhen's possession.
All the crystal cores were put into the small world, while the mountain of food was directly distributed to the people in the base.
These survivors were exploited so ruthlessly that their emaciated bodies were wrapped in tattered clothes, and they walked like moving skeletons.
For Ruan Yunzhen, humans are also an important resource. There are already few people in this world, and a large number of them are dying every day. She doesn't want these people to die along with them.
After all, they are now her property.
We decided to give each person some food to keep them alive until they recovered some strength, and then assign them labor.
When the grain was being distributed, Ruan Yunzhen also went along to visit and distribute some of it.
The disaster victims who received the supplies were originally in a state of despair and fear. Even when they saw the food and water, they could not believe it was real until they looked up and saw Ruan Yunzhen's face clearly.
As dawn broke, her face appeared exceptionally beautiful in the soft light, her skin as smooth as porcelain, her features exquisite, as if a deity had taken pity on humanity and finally brought salvation.
In an instant, many people's eyes changed from numb to burning, like a dying person grabbing the last piece of driftwood.
Some people reached out with trembling hands, wanting to touch the hem of her clothes; some clasped their hands together and prayed devoutly; some kowtowed with tears streaming down their faces, regarding her as a miracle of salvation; and many more stood there, tears silently streaming down their dirty cheeks.
Despite all this, Ruan Yunzhen did not feign gentleness.
She simply lowered her eyes slightly, her long eyelashes casting a light shadow beneath them, her posture composed and aloof, like a goddess looking down upon all living beings from the clouds.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in her hair, casting a hazy glow around her and adding to her inviolable divinity.
It's not an intentional display of authority, nor does it require words or charity; simply standing there makes people want to bow down and worship.
It was as if she was born to be revered, worshipped, and regarded as an untouchable faith in the human world.
All of this was faithfully recorded by a video camera that followed the entire process, and the footage was played back on a loop on various screens in the base.
As the Savior Base was reborn, it also welcomed its own true god on earth, and gained a spiritual totem that unites people's hearts.
In this devastated world, Ruan Yunzhen is like a bright moon that cannot be desecrated, hanging high above all living beings.
People spontaneously knelt and prayed, regarding every word she said as divine pronouncements.
Ruan Yunzhen was pleased with this outcome, or rather, it was the result of her careful guidance.
When one spends too much time in darkness, wasting away the days, living in hardship, and constantly facing the threat to one's life, without seeing any hope, one will place one's hopes in the gods.
Ruan Yunzhen is the deity who best fits people's fantasies.
Ruan Yunzhen coldly observed all of this unfolding—or rather,
In this apocalyptic world, people have been consumed by despair for far too long.
The daily struggle for survival, the endless suffering, makes every survivor yearn to grasp at a straw.
And she appeared in the most perfect form.
With a radiant, moon-like appearance and an innate air of nobility in every gesture, she also possesses a heart full of love...
All of this fulfills people's fantasies about gods.
Even the most stubborn atheists might have a fleeting feeling that this might be salvation sent by God.
——
Just as Ruan Yunzhen had managed to get the Savior Base to a semblance of normalcy, Zhao Chenxiao finally completed negotiations with the other bases.
They agreed to Ruan Yunzhen's request and quickly sent people to conduct the transaction.
The transaction itself was real, but the desire to probe her background was even more genuine.
Most importantly, they wanted to find out where she got the original antidote.
They had studied this essence for a long time but had not been able to determine its specific components. Therefore, they believed that Zhou Shihhan had some extraordinary encounter that defied scientific explanation, and now, Ruan Yunzhen had obtained this extraordinary encounter.
This realization has stirred up many people's minds, and dark thoughts are quietly growing in their hearts.
Ruan Yunzhen was clearly not unaware of all of this.
When the representatives from various bases arrived one after another, Ruan Yunzhen did not immediately appear.
She simply instructed people to make proper arrangements for these "distinguished guests," while she herself dressed discreetly and went out.
On the bustling street, she "bumped into" and brushed past several leaders.
In this fleeting encounter, a spiritual imprint is silently planted.
These leaders, who act as strategists, generally have low levels of supernatural abilities and are completely unaware of anything amiss.
As for the accompanying personnel, it is sufficient to exert some superficial influence to make them more obedient to the leader.
She planned to deal with the level seven ability users who were acquired in exchange for those conditions in batches.
Her mental strength was not inexhaustible, and she had to use it sparingly in the face of large numbers of people sent by various bases.
Because the branding was done at different times, the arrival times of the base personnel also varied.
Because the mental imprints were implanted in batches, and the arrival times of personnel at different bases varied, a strange scene unfolded within the bases:
The team that was secretly plotting and maneuvering to force the Savior Base to hand over the original solution yesterday suddenly changed its tune today and began to praise Ruan Yunzhen's effective leadership.
Those messengers who had not yet been marked found it strange and wanted to find out what was going on, but they inexplicably changed their minds the next day.
He felt that his previous idea of plundering by force was utterly heinous and a desecration of that godlike and holy being.
When Ruan Yunzhen finally convened the trade conference and brought together representatives from all the bases, no one raised any objections when she proposed the quantity and price of the spiritual spring water. In fact, several bases even offered to make concessions.
However, Ruan Yunzhen did not take the opportunity to raise the price. She did not intend to go too far, after all, it was not a one-off deal.
These branded leaders naturally obeyed without question, but the rulers in various bases were far from oblivious.
She also hopes that humanity will soon make research and solve this apocalyptic problem.
With Ruan Yunzhen's intervention, these people came and went quickly, leaving only one level-seven ability user at each base.
Some of these people were ostracized outcasts, while others were highly anticipated elites. However, once they were in Ruan Yunzhen's hands, they would all become her most loyal followers.
No matter what their original plans were, all their defenses crumbled the moment they saw Ruan Yunzhen.
Her stunningly beautiful face captivated many, and those who were confident in their own superior qualities openly expressed their admiration, causing Lin Wuque's face to darken to the point of being dripping with gloom.
Lin Wuque knew in his heart that Ruan Yunzhen looked down on these people at all and only used them as pawns.
He secretly sized up these people from head to toe, and found that none of them could compare to him in terms of appearance or strength.
But even so, he found it hard to bear.
But knowing that Ruan Yunzhen had her own plans, he didn't dare to act rashly and just stayed by Ruan Yunzhen's side with a sullen face.
Ruan Yunzhen began to systematically imprint spiritual marks on the minds of these people, layering them again and again until their loyalty was unbreakable.
The entire branding process went exceptionally smoothly, and no one noticed anything amiss until the final mental suggestion was completed.
They believed that their love arose from admiration, and that loyalty grew from that love; the transformation of their emotions was natural and pure.
All her preparations to keep Zhao Chenxiao around as a precaution were unnecessary and a waste of her time.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
