Apocalypse Villainess? Nah, I'm Nice

Charles Lee scowled.

’Too lazy to grind them, what else could it be...’

But before he could speak, he saw Franklin Forrest glaring at him, and his head immediately started shaking like a rattle.

Franklin Forrest watched him for a moment, then his gaze swept discreetly over the others. He sighed, finally deciding it wasn’t worth the effort to explain.

Paige Summers hadn’t said it outright, but by giving them whole wheat grains—and perfectly preserved ones at that—the message was unmistakable. She wanted him to try planting them.

Of course, there was no guarantee they would actually grow anything, but he couldn’t refuse her kind gesture.

Besides, even if they couldn’t be planted, he could at least have his people study and analyze the grains to get a better understanding of them.

Not everyone around him understood the full implications, but they had at least guessed part of it.

Except for Charles Lee...

He had originally brought Charles to his side out of respect for his late wife, as he was her only brother. He’d genuinely intended to help him up the ranks. ’But alas, you can’t prop up a wall with mud. Stupidity isn’t a fatal flaw, but when combined with insatiable greed, there’s only one possible outcome!’

Franklin Forrest slowly made up his mind. He couldn’t keep this man by his side any longer. Future dealings with Bloodfall Base were inevitable. If Charles Lee, blinded by greed, did something foolish, his own death would be a minor issue. But if he implicated his own base, the consequences would be dire and impossible to explain away.

For the sake of their food and weapons, he absolutely could not afford to offend Bloodfall Base!

While he was mulling over Bloodfall, back at their own base, Paige Summers and Sean Raines were also discussing the food situation.

”You actually sold it?”

Paige Summers looked at Sean Raines and smiled. ”Don’t worry. I’ll make sure we have enough for ourselves first. We’ll only sell the surplus.”

”Are things so bad we have to sell our food!?” Sean Raines almost blurted out, but he thought better of it and held his tongue.

’I guess I was taking things for granted.’

He had witnessed the bloody battle here. The Crystal Cores Paige had distributed to her team members alone must have been a massive expense. ’She’s probably desperately short on Crystal Cores.’

He could ignore her own needs, but her team members were either busy with construction or farming, which left little time for hunting. If they didn’t follow the system Claire Chapman and the others had established—rewarding outstanding work with Crystal Cores—how would anyone Promote? Without improving their strength, the base would be the one to suffer if a battle broke out. And the total cost of all those rewards was no small sum!

”But...” He hesitated for a moment before asking, ”Even so, shouldn’t you have waited? The crops in the fields won’t be ready for harvest for a few more months. Isn’t it too risky to start selling from the warehouse now?”

Many people had just joined the base, seeking little more than a steady meal.

If the food ran out, morale would inevitably plummet.

But Paige Summers was unconcerned. ”I told you not to worry. It’s not a problem.”

Sean Raines frowned. After a long moment, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind.

’Her seeds all come from her space.’

’I saw it myself—the quality is second to none.’

’And most importantly, there are so many of them.’

’Rhonda Rhodes once gave her some seeds, and Marcus Monroe helped collect some, I know all that. But there’s no way they gave her as many as she’s produced!’

’Could it be... her space is different?’

’I seem to recall an ancient text mentioning that powerful masters of The Taoist Order, upon reaching a certain realm of Cultivation, could refine a type of Pocket Realm. Those realms were vastly different from the spaces of modern Superpower Users. They could sustain life. The more High-level ones were even said to be like miniature worlds...’

Paige Summers comfortably finished the fragrant corn porridge the kitchen had specially made for her. She set down the bowl, looked up, and said, ”If you have a question, just ask. Don’t stare at me like that, it’s creepy.”

Sean Raines didn’t hesitate for long before asking decisively, ”Is your space different from everyone else’s?”

Paige Summers smiled.

’I’m not surprised he figured it out.’

Claire Chapman might not have guessed, but Sean Raines... well, in Rhonda Rhodes’s words, he was practically half a Cultivator himself. As he continued his Cultivation, he was bound to figure it out sooner or later.

So she nodded freely. ”It is a little different.”

Sean Raines’s eyes lit up instantly.

”Can it evolve seeds?”

Paige Summers said with a grin, ”Not just that. It can also accelerate their growth.”

Sean Raines froze for a second, then clapped his hands and burst out laughing. As soon as he stopped, he started pulling one small bag after another from his person. ”Why didn’t you say so sooner! I’ve wasted so much time! Quick, take these! They’re my treasures. Accelerate their growth as much as you can. If you can’t, just evolving them would be great!”

Paige’s gaze swept over the bags that now nearly covered the table. She casually picked one up and opened it. ”What are all these?”

”They’re all rare medicinal herb seeds! The good stuff!” Sean Raines paused, then added a little sheepishly, ”Well, they *were*. Some of them might be contaminated. They definitely won’t grow in regular soil, and hydroponics don’t work either. I don’t know if your... place... can handle them.”

”I’ll give it a try.”

Paige was quite happy too. She hadn’t expected Sean to have such a large private stash.

She had asked Marcus Monroe to search for medicinal herb seeds before, but they were even harder to find than grain or vegetable seeds!

With the wild varieties becoming increasingly scarce, their extinction would be a devastating loss for all of Astoria.

This was perfect. The rarer, the better!

Paige was now truly glad that Franklin Forrest had come for a visit.

But she soon discovered that Franklin Forrest’s visit brought even more benefits.

A few days later, not only did a large shipment of ore arrive from Stoneridge Base, but representatives from several other nearby bases began to arrive as well. Most were led by their Base Chiefs, or at the very least, their second-in-command. Without exception, they all expressed interest in buying weapons and food.

Paige didn’t play hard to get. The price list was clear and transparent for all items, with discounts offered for payments made with Sixth Rank or higher Crystal Cores.

The goods were laid out for all to see, and potential buyers were free to inspect them and ask any questions they had.

The rule was simple: anyone who came to do business would be treated with the utmost hospitality, with the primary goal of emptying their pockets of Crystal Cores! But if anyone tried to cause trouble, she wouldn’t be polite.

Her stance was open and impartial.

The Base Chiefs were already astounded after seeing the actual goods. Her straightforward attitude further put them at ease, and they began placing orders one after another.

Most of them were still primarily focused on purchasing weapons, though they would buy some food as well.

Even so, Paige was raking in so many Crystal Cores that her hands grew tired from counting them.

The lowest of these Crystal Cores were Fourth Rank, with some as high as Eighth Rank.

Paige looked at the glittering pile of treasures covering the table and smiled with excitement. She wasn’t just seeing Crystal Cores; she was seeing the future of a more powerful Bloodfall Base.