Read Novel Full Chapter 479: Compensation
Chapter 479: Chapter 479: Compensation
In the dream, she saw a zombie king.
A woman with skin so pale it looked drained of all life, as though blood had long abandoned her veins.
Her long black hair hung loosely down her back, dull and lifeless, swaying slightly as she walked.
Everything about her screamed death.
She moved slowly, dragging her feet across the ruined ground, step by step, heading straight toward Ivy’s base.
The closer she got, the heavier the air became.
The moment she crossed the range of the base, she began killing people standing in line, one person after another.
There was no hesitation, no mercy. Screams echoed through the base as panic spread like wildfire.
Soon, soldiers arrived, their boots pounding against the ground, weapons raised.
Yet even against them, the young woman moved effortlessly.
Bullets barely slowed her, blades shattered on contact, and bodies fell one after another until fear overtook everyone.
When she finally reached the entrance, a slow, twisted smile crept across her lips. Her voice was low, filled with unsettling satisfaction.
"So... I’ve finally arrived."
There was a smugness in her expression, something disturbingly pleased, and with that she charged inside.
What followed was something no one had ever witnessed.
The moment she reached Ivy’s building, she burst in without resistance.
In the next second, her cold hand wrapped tightly around Ivy’s throat inside the living room.
Ivy gasped, her body instinctively trying to retreat, fingers clawing at the wrist choking her.
The woman smiled, her eyes glinting with cruel delight.
"Don’t struggle," she whispered. "It’s time for you to die."
Ivy’s strength slowly drained away. Her movements weakened, her vision blurred, and eventually, her body went limp.
The instant Nora witnessed that scene, she screamed.
She jolted upright in bed, her breath coming in sharp, uneven gasps.
Sweat soaked through her clothes, her heart pounding so violently it hurt.
She wiped her face with trembling hands and pressed a palm against her chest, whispering to herself,
’It’s alright... it’s just a dream.’
But fear refused to leave her.
During the apocalypse, she had lost everything, her husband was taken away, and her parents were long gone.
The only reason she was living peacefully now was because Ivy had arranged everything for her.
Somewhere along the way, she had started seeing Ivy as her own child.
Seeing such a dream shattered her composure.
After sitting there for a long while, she grabbed her phone and decided to check on Ivy.
..................
Meanwhile, Ivy, after learning about the situation with the families, showed no particular reaction.
Her expression remained calm as she immersed herself in the affairs of the day.
As she continued expanding her city and managing various matters, Martha called for her.
When Ivy arrived, Martha gestured for her to sit. The moment Ivy settled down, Martha spoke, her tone serious.
"We’ve received some very important information from Arnold."
Ivy motioned for her to continue.
"Arnold has confessed," Martha said. "He’s a Black Vulture spy."
Ivy nodded slightly, unfazed.
"And that’s not all," Martha continued.
"Arnold revealed that the Black Vultures and General Frank secretly planned to kidnap you. They intended to force you to work for them. They believe the protection around our base exists solely because of your power, and they want that power for themselves."
Martha paused before adding,
"They’ve already completed most of their preparations. If not for your earlier move, you might have already been taken by the Black Vultures’ people."
Ivy frowned slightly.
"So they were that anxious to act... it seems I may need to be more ruthless."
She then shifted her gaze to Martha.
"How are things on your end?"
Martha nodded, a proud smile forming on her face.
"So far, five people have contacted me."
Ivy nodded, though her eyes held a hint of dissatisfaction.
’Out of forty names, only five responded,’ she thought. ’That means thirty-five managed to resist temptation... that’s impressive.’
Martha continued,
"General Frank has also requested a superpower-enhancing serum from the Black Vultures. There’s a strong chance he’ll try to bring it here."
Ivy’s expression hardened immediately.
"Make sure no such serum enters the base. Increase inspections and tighten security."
Martha nodded without hesitation.
"And there’s something else," Ivy added. "Conduct a thorough check on everyone associated with General Frank. I don’t want any unnecessary drama inside the base."
Martha understood instantly.
"We’ll also monitor military movements and ammunition near our territory."
She paused, then frowned slightly. "There’s also Grace."
Ivy looked up. "What about her?"
Martha sighed.
"She found out that we’re close. Lately, she’s been bringing food for me repeatedly. She keeps saying she’s genuinely remorseful for what she did to you and wants just one chance to explain everything."
The room fell silent as Ivy absorbed those words.
Ivy’s anger finally surfaced, the irritation in her voice impossible to hide.
"She harassed me far too much. That alone is reason enough. Ask her to pay some crystals as compensation."
Martha, instead of arguing, calmly pushed a small cake toward her across the table.
"I didn’t fine her," she added casually. "I directly raised her buying price."
Hearing that, Ivy paused before letting out a short breath. "That’s fine."
This was a special form of punishment Ivy herself had written into the base rules.
As long as someone repeatedly harassed officials within her base, the price margin for anything they purchased, especially necessities and luxury goods, would automatically increase by fifty percent.
It was a quiet but effective lesson.
Only when inflation hit their own pockets would they realize they were wasting their time, and in doing so, burning someone else’s money as well.
Thinking of it that way, Ivy gave Martha a small thumbs-up.
Martha’s lips curled into a dangerous smile, her expression suddenly turning sharp.
"I just want one thing," she said lightly. "Send me to kick Grace out."
Ivy shook her head. "Not yet. I’m still investigating something. Until I get a clear result, I won’t throw anyone out."
Her gaze drifted, thoughts sinking deeper. There was something she needed to confirm first.
In her previous life, during that chaotic fight, she had been suddenly teleported away from the battlefield.