?The dream fragments ended, and Renji, with Nova in his arms, also finished watching their first contract ceremony.
In fact, regardless of Nova’s presence, the Gulase base was already Renji’s target to conquer. It was only during a reconnaissance mission that he accidentally discovered Nova, a character with great potential and a five-star rating.
But from Nova’s perspective at the time, it seemed as if the cloaked man had conquered the entire Gulase base for her.
Even for Nova, who had become desolate, this definitely could cause great emotional turmoil in her heart.
Although now, looking back through Zero’s records at her encounter with her master, Nova realizes she thought too much initially; she was indeed just an accidental gain for her master.
But.
Does it matter?
Thinking this, Nova wrapped her arms around the young man’s neck, once again becoming the clingy spirit she was, but this time the object of her affection changed from her mother to the young man.
Nova moved closer to Renji and whispered softly, “Thank you, Master”
“It was you who gave me a new life.”
“Nova had sworn at that time to repay this new life to you. For the rest of my life, I belong only to you.”
The words of Nova in his arms were not just sweet nonsense. Renji remembered that after forming a contract with “them,” Nova’s ‘initial’ loyalty was the highest among “them”.
Even Suthia couldn’t compare to her at the start.
Even the young nun had her reservations about him initially, of course, in terms of the fastest growth in affection and having the special effect of never decreasing, Suthia was the only one.
The very high initial loyalty from Nova meant that Renji could confidently start using this character right away, without needing her to adapt to the settlement or work on improving her affection.
Just at that time, he had just reached a major turning point in a game, moving from a nomadic, unsettled gathering place and shelter to truly having a base of his own.
Apart from the rapid development of power, the series of problems that came with it also gave Renji a headache at that time.
It was from here that the characters’ “Infrastructure (Infra)” capabilities began to become very important.
Suthia’s enhancement of public morale and increasing the public’s trust in oneself started to seem insufficient here.
Whereas Nova’s “Infra traits” played a significant role.
Renji remembered it should be
[Cold Authority – Appointing Nova as “Deputy Leader” gives the base +15% action power, production efficiency +20%]
Just like the initial Suthia.
In the game, it’s just a set of numbers, but in the real world…
Renji looked towards the next memory fragment. .
“Hahaha! We won! We’ve succeeded! We did it!”
“My goodness! Am I dreaming, or did we really succeed?”
“Long live Lord Ashen! I knew our leader could do it!”
After Ashen’s stronghold took over the Gulase base, the many followers of Ashen, whether they were survivors, troops, or high-ranking officials, were all immersed in a sea of joy.
On many faces, there was a visible longing for the future.
After all, everyone knows the principle that a rising tide lifts all boats.
Now that Ashen’s Gathering place has become Ashen’s base, their positions are surely going to rise along with it, with various benefits and rights expanding rapidly.
Just like many of the high-ranking officials from the previous strongholds, who might have lived in ordinary, dilapidated houses together with other survivors, there was no helping it at that time due to the limited resources of the stronghold. Although there were ranks and positions, everyone was in it together, enduring hardships.
But now it’s different. Inside the Gulase base, there are many mansions left behind by the previous high-ranking officials, though many of them were destroyed during their night raid, a few remain. The exquisite and luxurious level of these few left everyone from Ashen’s stronghold first in surprise and then in delight.
Most of those who followed Ashen came from humble and lower-class backgrounds, some even were refugees and scavengers, who had never seen such a setup before.
For the first time, they realized that a house could have so much exquisite furniture, a room specifically for bathing, the ability to hire servants, plant potted plants, enjoy music and dance, and more.
The same goes for the soldiers from the lower ranks.
In the past, they had to be highly vigilant every day, constantly on the lookout to prevent attacks from roaming Miasma monsters in the wilderness.
But now it’s different.
With the tall walls of the base, as long as they stay inside, unless there is some major disaster, no monster can breach it.
Moreover, compared to the gathering place, the base has abundant resources. As victors, not to mention the rewards from their leader Ashen, the indigenous people inside the base must treat them with respect, knowing well that the base has a new master, and no one dares to provoke them.
So, even the lower-ranking Ashen’s soldiers could live prosperously within the base, far better than they ever did in the wilderness.
Naturally, a thought simultaneously emerged in the minds of many who had been following Ashen, especially those loyal to him.
That is…
Is this not enough?
For them, as long as they stay within the walls, they can continue to enjoy a stable life, the kind of life they once dreamed of in this apocalyptic world.
If so, Why do they still need to fight?
Why still…
Go out?
Once such thoughts take root in the heart, they spread like an unstoppable plague.
Many soldiers began to resist leaving the city, secretly having the original soldiers of the Gulase base replace them to carry out Ashen’s patrols and missions, while they stayed behind, wanting to enjoy the fruits of victory.
Many of Ashen’s high-ranking officials began to be seduced by the former high-ranking officials of Gulase, becoming assimilated with them.
They started to have their own agendas, no longer thinking about how to further develop and strengthen Ashen’s base, but instead thinking about fighting over benefits, thinking about how to divide the big cake of the base they had fought for, because if they were slow to divide, it would belong to someone else.
Although a part of them felt this was wrong, most of those engaged in power struggles or lazily enjoying themselves saw nothing amiss.
After all, in their view, their leader Ashen should probably feel the same, right?
In this world destined for destruction, what’s the point of expanding one’s power further? It would only make them a primary target for the Miasma monsters.
This is why, in the world’s hierarchy of powers, from strongholds to Gathering place, and finally to bases, there’s no next “alliance” let alone an “empire.”
Because a “base” already satisfies the needs of the vast majority.
Thus, wars between bases are rare, and it’s seldom seen that one annexes another. Everyone stakes their own territory and then stops.
Ultimately, what’s the purpose of developing strength?
As if… they could counterattack Tainted Miasma?
That was merely an unattainable fantasy.
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