Chapter 16 Fortifying the Base
The lucky ones were those who joined the base early. They got free supplies and housing, while newcomers had to surrender all their belongings and fend for themselves, building makeshi shelters wherever they could.
The later you arrived, the worse it got.
Iris had made all the right choices–except one: trusting the Hale family as her own.
She’d given them everything, risked her life to protect them, only to be thrown to the zombies as bait when the going got tough.
That betrayal had woken her up for good.
She’d learned that true self–love meant letting go of impossible cravings–like the dream of family.
It had always been a delusion, nothing more.
Against all odds, she’d survived the zombie horde, crawling her way to another base.
Her mindset had hardened into steel–no more longing for love or connection, only cold pragmatism and the rebellious fire that had always burned within her.
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When the apocalypse entered its fifth stage–the era of superpowers—Iris had become the only self–defense team captain without any superpowers.
Yet she’d held her own against superpowered peers, leading her team to the top rankings year after year.
Everyone knew: if she had any power at all, she wouldn’t just be a team leader–she could have run the entire base.
Her strength came from within, not some external gift.
As time wore on, though, the fight against the zombies grew more desperate. The scattered bases had devolved into chaos, rife with power struggles and betrayal. Iris had died defending her base during a massive zombie siege, her body never found.
“Never again. I’m never joining anyone else’s base,” she muttered, rubbing her temples to chase away the haunting memories.
Those so–called safe zones were never sanctuaries. In the early days, they were lawless wastelands, ruled by brute force. Far from a paradise for ordinary people, they were arenas where the weak were devoured by the strong.
Few bases had ever offered true peace.
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Iris had climbed to the top only by being harder, crueler than everyone else.
Kindness was a death sentence in those places.
“This is my base now,” she said, her gaze lingering on the bomb shelter, determination burning bright in her eyes.
She’d make it unbreakable—a fortress of steel, built for no one
but herself and Summer.
After checking a few more channels to confirm all signals were dead, no useful information left, Iris stood up, ready to get back to work.
The base reinforcement reward period wasn’t over yet–she wasn’t wasting any time.
Well–fed and rested, she grabbed Summer and headed to the edge of her vegetable plot.
She marked off a small area, building a simple coop from branches and dead wood she’d collected earlier.
Once finished, she waved her hand–two dozen chickens and ducks she’d bought before the apocalypse materialized inside, clucking softly.
3parate pen went up next, for her two young goats he lag 03
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them inside, watching as they nuzzled the hay she’d laid down.
“Ding–Livestock detected: chickens, ducks and goats.
“Reward: Livestock fertility and health maximized! Immunity to
all diseases!”
Iris‘ eyes widened.
Right in front of her, a hen clucked, dropping a warm egg onto the coop floor.
“Talk about a game–changer,” she muttered.
She didn’t stop to rest, moving on to a clearing near the orchard -chosen for its proximity to the well and lower elevation–and started digging a pond.
It was backbreaking work, her muscles screaming by the end of the day, but Iris persisted until she’d carved out a medium–sized square pond.
With the digging done, Iris chiseled a narrow channel from the well to the pond. Water gushed forth instantly, filling the basin
in minutes.
Once full, she waved her hand again, releasing fish and shrimp into the water.
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To keep the fish from preying on the shrimp, she’d built a divider down the middle of the pond, separating the two habitats.
“Ding—Fish pond and shrimp pond detected.
“Reward: Fish and shrimp fertility and health maximized! Immunity to all diseases!”
Iris had worried about raising fish and shrimp–she had no experience with aquaculture.
But the system had taken care of it all.
Having a reliable system was a game–changer.
She could focus on building and fighting, while the system handled the rest.
With her livestock and fish settled, Iris turned her attention
back to fortifications.
Her time as a self–defense team captain had given her expert knowledge of infrastructure and security–skills she intended to put to good use.
Basic defenses were already in place: high–voltage electric fences, razor wire, a heavy iron gate, and the bomb shelter’s Bural protections. Now, she needed offensive measus. 17:03
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Large weapons were out of the question, but traps were feasible -simple, effective, and deadly.
She left Summer to guard the base, venturing into the forest 1640 feet beyond the wire fence to set up her traps.
Any intruders would hit them first—a clear warning to turn back, or die.
Another full day passed before she finished, ten deep trap pits dug and strategically placed along every main path leading to
her base.
The moment she stepped back, a notification chimed in her
head.
“Ding–10 traps detected. Reward: Trap damage increased by 100x!”
Before she could celebrate, a second notification cut through her relief.
“Ding–Basic base defense completed. Initiating rating-”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
