Apocalypse: I Have A Multiplier System

The crowd gasped. The members of Hope Base were shocked by how boldly he lied.

But the ex–Luna Moon members weren't scared at all. One of them even laughed. "Oh? Is that so? Then maybe you'd like to explain something for us."

Leader Zhang narrowed his eyes. "Explain what?"

"Why is Zhao still alive?" the man said, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Leader Zhang froze.

So did his nephew.

They exchanged a quick glance, panic starting to creep into their expressions.

Then, from the crowd behind the cage, someone stepped forward. A young man.

He looked thin and tired, but his features were clear. A familiar scar on his chin. High cheekbones. The same nose.

The real Zhao.

Gasps rang out across the gate.

"That's him! That's really Zhao!"

"He looks just like the photo!"

"The zombie… that was a fake?"

Leader Zhang stood frozen, staring at the real Zhao like he was seeing a ghost.

Zhao smiled with an innocent expression and said, "Leader Zhang? You're here? I'm so glad. I thought something happened to you since you didn't come to our rescue when we needed you. Thank goodness you're alive."

His words were innocent. Kind, even. But to everyone else, it was like a knife through Leader Zhang's lies.

The Hope Base members stared at the scene, putting the pieces together. The zombie had been fake. Or a setup. Zhao was alive. Leader Zhang had lied.

Leader Zhang saw his plan falling apart. His lie was now a joke.

But instead of panicking, he quickly put on a new face. He looked at Zhao with wide, emotional eyes and said, "Zhao… I...I can't believe you're alive. I thought you were gone forever. I was so scared. Thank goodness. Thank goodness."

His voice shook a little, like he was truly touched. He even wiped at his eyes, pretending to be overwhelmed.

But the ex–Luna Moon members weren't buying it.

They crossed their arms, glaring.

"Just now you said you didn't know us," one of them said coldly.

"Now you're thankful we're alive?" another added. "A few seconds ago, you were ready to throw us away like garbage. And now you're acting like our long-lost friend?"

"Don't you think your lies are a little too obvious?"

Leader Zhang tried to say something, but the words got stuck in his throat.

Finally, he sighed and said in a weak voice, "I… I've been sick. My mind hasn't been right lately. Too many hard times… I think I've developed some kind of memory problem. That must be why I forgot who you were."

The crowd went quiet.

And then someone in the back laughed.

It spread, little by little, until chuckles and snorts filled the area.

The laughter in the crowd grew louder. Everyone began mocking Leader Zhang without holding back.

"Wow, so now you're sick?" someone laughed.

"Guess being caught lying makes your memory disappear, huh?" another said.

"This guy will say anything when he's losing!"

Leader Zhang clenched his teeth hard. His face was stiff, but he forced himself to keep calm.

"I'm telling the truth," he said slowly, trying to keep his voice steady. "I really haven't been feeling well. My mind has..."

Before he could finish, Su Jiyai's voice suddenly echoed from the speaker above the gate.

"Leader Zhang," she said coolly, "since you dared to bring fake claims to my doorstep, you can't leave so easily. I will personally present you to the Alliance. Let this be a warning to all other base leaders who are secretly plotting against me."

Her voice was calm, but it held a sharp power that made the whole base freeze.

Then... cheers erupted.

The Hope Base members shouted and clapped.

"Boss Su is amazing!"

"That's how you deal with liars!"

"Teach them a lesson!"

Leader Zhang's face turned pale. The people with him from Luna Moon Base turned even paler.

Then, without saying a word, they turned to run away.

But they didn't get far.

Just a few steps in, green vines shot out from the ground and wrapped around their legs, arms, and waists. The plant-user from Hope Base had moved quickly, using his powers to grab every one of them.

With a thud, the fake guests fell to the ground, unable to move.

They struggled hard, but it was no use. The vines only tightened.

The truth was, Hope Base's members were not ordinary anymore. Because of Boss Su, they had received lots of useful items. She sold powerful supplies at low prices.

Spring water that boosted superpowers. Healing potions. Strength pills. And most importantly, crystals.

Lots and lots of crystals.

With time, the members had grown stronger.... much stronger than the average survivors from other bases.

So, with just five well-trained Hope Base members, they quickly captured over twenty Luna Moon Base people.

They dragged them across the ground, pulling them toward the gate and into the base. None of them could fight back.

Leader Zhang screamed, "You can't do this! The Alliance will punish Boss Su for treating guests like this!"

His nephew also yelled, "You're crossing a line! This will bring trouble to your base!"

Hearing that, some Hope Base members paused. They didn't want their boss to get in trouble.

But just then, Su Jiyai's voice came again from the speaker.

"Don't worry about me," she said calmly. "Nothing will happen. You may do as you please."

Her voice gave them confidence.

In the next second, the Hope Base members were filled with energy, like they had just been injected with chicken blood.

Their eyes burned with anger.

"How dare you try to lie about our boss?"

"Painting her in a bad light? Not on our watch!"

"If Boss Su didn't save us, we'd be dead right now!"

With that, fists started flying.

Punches, kicks, slaps... they didn't hold back. One by one, the members beat the Luna Moon group.

They weren't afraid anymore. These people had crossed the line. They had lied, made fake claims, and even tried to turn people against Boss Su.

Unforgivable.

Hope Base wasn't like other places. Its members were loyal. Fiercely loyal.

Anyone who dared to speak badly about Boss Su would be dealt with immediately.

Today, they would teach these liars a lesson they wouldn't forget.

"Please! Stop!" Leader Zhang cried out, his face red and swollen. "It was all me! I was the one who planned it! Let the others go!"

But before anyone could react, his nephew suddenly spoke up, pushing through the vines a little.

"No! It wasn't him! It was me! I planned it all! My uncle had nothing to do with it!"

The crowd froze.

Even the Hope Base members paused, fists still mid-air.

Leader Zhang turned his head sharply and shouted, "You fool! Why are you taking the blame for me? Stay out of this!"

His nephew's face twisted. "No! You're old now. If anyone should take the punishment, it's me. You raised me. Let me take responsibility!"

Seeing this strange interaction, the Hope Base members all looked at each other.

They were speechless for a second.

Inside the monitoring room, Su Jiyai narrowed her eyes.

This was strange.

Leader Zhang didn't look like someone who would give up benefits for anyone. But now, he was trying to protect someone. Not everyone... just his nephew.

And the nephew seemed to truly care for Leader Zhang too.

"System," Su Jiyai said calmly, "do a DNA check on those two."

The system paused, surprised. "Boss, are you saying… they might not be uncle and nephew?"

"That's right. Check it."

[Understood. I will need a hair strand from each.]

Su Jiyai teleported out wearing a veil and turned on the invisibility function. She calmly walked behind Leader Zhang and his nephew and plucked a hair strand from their heads.

"Ouch!" Both of them simultaneously shouted in pain, clenching their head and scrunching their nose in pain. Seeing this, the Hope base members were furious and shouted,

"What? For whom are you pretending? We haven't even started to beat you again."

"Indeed! Such a pair of green teas. Are they now going to lie on the ground and pretend that they are beaten to their death?"

"Who knows? They might even demand compensation."

Leader Zhang: "..." No! I seriously felt someone plucking my hair.

His nephew: "..." Brothers, you are judging too hastily.

However, they could only shut their mouth knowing that arguing further would be of no use.

Su Jiyai, on the other hand, chuckled seeing their constipated expression and waited for the system to reply.

Soon, the reply came out, and Su Jiyai was stunned.

[DNA test complete. They are not uncle and nephew.]

Su Jiyai leaned closer.

[They are father and son.]

Her eyes glinted with understanding.

"No wonder," she whispered. "Now it all makes sense."

Suddenly, an idea appeared in her mind, and she was reminded of the conversation she had with Luna Moon Base before.

If executed well, she would be welcoming more people to her base!