Once inside the shelter, Ivy went ahead to check up on Erick, who was fast asleep, and of course, she couldn’t blame him. The drug she had given him would definitely make him feel sleepy, especially the moment his back touched the bed. He was bound to doze off almost immediately.

Alright... today has been a very long day. Time for me to get some rest too, Ivy thought to herself before finally making her way to her room.

She didn’t need the team members to guard her base because the system was already doing that perfectly well, which was why she didn’t even bother forcing them to stay. She had only given the order, and now it depended entirely on whether the group wanted to obey her or not.

---

Very early the next morning, Hope’s loud cries were what woke Ivy up.

Immediately, she picked the baby up and began breastfeeding her gently. Once Hope was done feeding, Ivy carefully carried her against her shoulder and burped her softly before placing the baby back down to sleep peacefully.

After that, she headed toward the kitchen to prepare breakfast for Lila and Aria.

It wasn’t necessary for the children to eat the same breakfast as the soldiers. Besides, Ivy usually finished cooking for the group quite late, so it was better to prepare something simpler for the girls first.

By the time she was done cooking, it was already 8:00 AM, yet her children were still asleep since they had gone to bed late the previous night.

With nothing else to do, Ivy decided to step outside.

The moment she walked out, however, her eyes widened in shock.

Although the team had not fully submitted to her yet, they had cleaned and improved the base tremendously. The small pond Ivy had dug for the fish had been expanded into something much larger. The plants had all been watered properly, weeds had been removed, and the entire compound was sparkling clean.

The once dull shelter now looked lively and organized.

Just then....

“Mrs. Ivy!!!”

Pearl shouted excitedly from outside the gate, her voice filled with energy as she held a bag containing several fresh vegetables.

“Hi, sweetheart,” Ivy replied warmly as she walked toward the gate and opened it, allowing the girl to step inside. “How are you doing?”

“I’m good, ma’am, but I have to head back home soon,” Pearl replied with a small smile. “My parents asked me to deliver these vegetables to you. Mother isn’t feeling too well, so I want to stay home with Father and help take care of her.”

As she spoke, Pearl’s gaze slowly shifted toward the team members, who were all shirtless after working since morning. Their hard expressions and muscular builds immediately made the little girl swallow nervously.

Noticing this, Ivy chuckled softly.

“Good morning everyone. Can two of you escort her home for me?” Ivy asked as she turned toward the men. “And please put your shirts back on. Your muscles are scaring the little girl.”

A few of the men instantly looked awkward while some others coughed lightly in embarrassment.

Then Ivy crouched slightly and looked back at Pearl with a gentle smile.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. Those muscles aren’t for hurting people. They’re for fighting monsters... and of course, protecting people like you.”

Pearl immediately nodded her head, a bright smile spreading across her lips. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

“Good morning Mrs Ivy and Sure! These two will escort her,” Darren replied immediately before pointing at two of his teammates.

The two men stepped forward without hesitation.

“Don’t worry, little girl,” one of them said with a playful grin. “You’re safe with us.”

Pearl giggled softly before waving at Ivy.

“Bye, Mrs. Ivy!”

“Be careful on your way back,” Ivy replied.

Soon, Pearl left together with the two team members.

The moment they disappeared beyond the gate, Ivy slowly turned her attention back toward the remaining men.

“Since you’re already staying here, let me make something clear,” she said calmly, folding her arms across her chest. “You and I both know this base is far safer and more comfortable than the one you came from.”

The team members exchanged glances but remained silent.

“I believe doing small tasks in exchange for food and shelter isn’t too much to ask, right?” Ivy continued, raising an eyebrow slightly. “As long as you stay here, everyone contributes.”

No one argued with her words because deep down, they all knew she was right.

Then Ivy’s gaze landed directly on Darren.

“And you...” she said, her tone softer but more serious. “I’ll need you to handle something personally. Consider it your own special task since you agreed to serve me from the very first day we met.”

Darren straightened almost immediately.

“What do you need me to do?” he asked without hesitation.