X District. Granary Warehouse.
After waking up in the morning the two leaders of the groups noticed the changes around them. The snow melted faster than before and the temperature had increased tremendously. Since most zombies were frozen in ice during winter, except for the difficulty of walking within the snow, the danger from zombies was greatly lessened. But now that the snow is starting to melt faster, Su Liye and Shi Moye felt that their current situation is dangerous. Which is why when they've woken up in the morning they've ordered their people to make the transfer of grains and corn to the storage of those ability users with them.
Some were transported on the backs of the cars. They choose not to leave a single grain within that granary. Now the grains and corn they've gathered is enough for the people of Hope base to last for a whole year. They immediately left that district and returned back to the base. They no longer head to their second planned destination which is the W District. This is because the zombies were starting to wake up because the ice had started to melt.
On their way back to the base, the group changes from a small one to a large one. Su Liye's group had almost 50 people. Shi Moye's little group only had 6 members which included the leader and Yun Suisen. As soon as they returned to the base, they were besieged by ability users who served the elite families and clans in the base. The one in charge of those noble clans is none other than the Yun Clan which is led by Yun Lu, Yun Suisen's biological father.
Beside Yun Lu is his adopted son, Yun Ren. It was this man who informed the elite clans about the disappearance of their base current leader, Shi Moye. The old men of the noble faction had always wanted to overthrow Shi Moye from his position. At the beginning they pushed Shi Moye to that position as a puppet to control. After all, Shi Moye's standing in the military is low. He is only a Major and his age is still too young compared to theirs. But who would expect that the State Head's brother would arrive in the base cutting off all their hopes to take control of the authority in the whole base.
Old Sun is not only an old general in the military, he may be retired by the soldiers in the base choose to follow his command more than theirs. In that instant, they've lost more than half of authority in the base. Moreover Shi Moye also betrayed them and sided with the old general because of that they've totally lost their standing as co-leaders. Losing the right in resources and people. Thankfully the government side took a neutral standing in this conflict.
Yun Ren spoke while standing beside his father, "I'm right dad. Suisen and the leader really left the base!"
"I know. A'Ren did a good job telling dad." said Yun Lu with a smile.
"Dear leader you cannot just leave the base unattended."
"So irresponsible! Suddenly leaving without telling anyone!?"
"There are still lots of problems in the base. Limited food resources. Limited numbers of ability users to defend the base and the leader just leave without informing the rest. Do you think such unconcerned action is enough to remove you from your position."
After Yun Lu had spoken some other clan leaders had commented after him they were criticizing Shi Moye for suddenly leaving the base.
On the other hand Yun Lu, this old father might be cold towards his enemies but he is extremely warm towards his family. He is a family oriented person. Among the elite group only the Yun Family didn't pocketed resources.
Yun Lu is especially kind and spoiling towards his adopted son, Yun Ren. After his wife died from depression of losing her son and his biological son got kidnapped and lost. This old leader adopted Yun Ren as his heir at first but in the end he got closer to the child and ended up treating the latter as his real son instead.
Shi Moye watched the exchange between father and son with only coldness in his eyes. He recalled that in his past life Yun Ren had schemed to kill his lover, Yun Suisen, and this old man from the Yun Family never knew that his real son was killed by this white eyed wolf.
Su Liye saw the tense situation between his friend and these group of elite old men in front of them.
Then he whispered to Shi Moye, "A'Mo, what is wrong with these old men? Why are they blocking our way?"
"This... I might be the leader of this base but... There are still some who think that I am not worthy." replied Shi Moye.
Overhearing their conversation Yun Suisen chose to explain their situation to Su Liye.
"It is not dage's fault. This base is made by both the military and the government. The real leaders of this base are the State head, Prime minister and General Cao. Sadly the first two had died during the apocalypse and General Cao hasn't returned from his journey yet.
The base was left to dage to supervise until General Cao returns but his position in the military is only a Major and these greedy old clan leaders wanted more pieces of the cake than the rest. They wanted more power to control the base.
The Military took dage's side half heartedly, the government side took a neutral standing while the noble clans wanted more power. In the struggle of three powers in the base the last group is the greediest and the most disgusting one among the rest.
The reason why Dage personally left the base this time is to solve our problem with food. These noble families had pocketed too much food on their own leading to this kind of situation."
Su Liye replied, "This... seems to be quite a bad situation indeed."
The three were whispering on their own side as if ignoring the elite group not far from them. This made those old men angry.
"Shi Moye your standing as the leader shall be questioned! Leaving the base without informing others is irresponsible!!" said Yun Lu. His reasoning is quite correct but it is one sided.
"I didn't inform anyone because it's a mission. It was Old Sun who accepted my decision to leave the base for a while. The reason for this is simple. I wanted to hook few fishes." Shi Moye looked at the group before him with cold eyes. "And it seems I've hooked too many."
The faces of these old clan leaders turned red in embarrassment and anger. They first felt chill when this young leader had stared down on them. His eyes were chilling and powerful. It made them feel embarrassed thinking that a young man had frightened them even for a moment.
Only Yun Lu's side remained silent in this scene while the other clan leaders continued scolding Shi Moye with useless chatters. He narrowed his eyes observing the young leader in front of him.
Shi Moye ignores the useless reasoning of the clan leaders pouring mud on him.
"Enough with this farce! We are tired. The weather had abruptly changed. Winter has stopped and the sun is out all day. It would only take few days for those frozen zombies to free once again. When that time comes the first place those monsters would go are the bases which are full of humans. You guys still want to create conflict in this kind of situation!" spoke Su Liye with a scolding tone.
At this moment everyone in the area had turned silent. Everyone knew how ferocious those undead beings are. They fed on flesh and blood and no one could escape their means if you got bitten. The virus only needs a few hours to be incubated in the human body for it to break down the host's immune system turning them into zombies. At this moment there aren't any vaccinations or cures made yet. One bite and they would be turning on the other side instead.
Shi Moye spoke, "What my friend had said is true. Our expedition to look for resources had to be stopped as well. We were only able to gather grains and corn but didn't go to other districts where canned goods are. There are too many zombies lying in ambush right now. We had seen those zombies coming back to life as the ice that imprisoned them started to melt. It would take a few days and they would be all free."
"By the way I had something to announce that everyone is right here right now. The resources storage in the base will be checked through, recordings and hidden surveillance cameras would be investigated, those who were found pocketing resources would be punished." said Yun Suisen.
Everyone was shocked by What Yun Suisen had said.
The elite clan members were especially hostile after hearing from Yun Suisen that they were hidden cameras in the storage area of the base.
" Preposterous! Who are you to suddenly take authority over the base's storage!?"
"A commoner talking nonsense without checking on his standing!"
"Watch your mouth boy! It is not your turn to speak!"
Hearing these crude threats from the leaders of elite clans Yun Suisen just smile. Clearly some old clan leaders recognize Yun Suisen's former identity but all the top clans like Yun knew who he worked for before. Adding the fact that this base is made under the alliance of both the military and government, it is close to impossible to make such a huge base secretly without enough man power and money to waste.
But the military and government pockets were leaning more on resources. The food stocks for the base is something the old leaders had taken priority as first instead of the base. But how could a base this big be made with no money? Simple. They borrowed money from someone.
In this country there is only one person the military and government could borrow money from. The said wealthiest man in the country. Someone who would let the State Head and Prime Minister let a huge budget without question because they were family.
This is also the reason why Yun Suisen had been by Shi Moye's side even before the apocalypse had begun. Because Yun Suisen is that man's butler and person, the money from that person is handled by him personally. Ximen Xueya, a man that is feared not only by the people of the government and military, even those from the elite clan, no one dares to move him.
Because moving a Ximen could only mean one thing. Death. This is the reason why Yun Lu didn't react wildly like those lower rank greedy clans. It is because he recognized who Yun Suisen is.
Yun Suisen spoke, "You might not remember but this base is made few months before the apocalypse. But the old leaders prioritized the source of food instead which is why they would definitely lack money for the construction of this huge base.
This base was made under my supervision. I knew every corner of this place. It is a sanctuary the old leaders had tasked me to build and all the money used to make this place came from my master. The master had left all rights of supervision to every place his money is used. Which means this includes this base...
You can only follow my selfishness don't you? Unless you wish for Master Xueya to get angry knowing that too many greedy rats had stolen from his warehouse."
"Right? You didn't know. The reason why the military nor the government wish to lead the base except for Shi Moye is simple. Because the real leader of this base is pretty obvious to those upper barracks men. The one who held the real power in this base is none other than my master.
Z District base is named Hope because it would only become a real sanctuary when Ximen Xueya comes to this place. The locked facilities like those laboratories and hospitals cannot be opened unless the real owner of the place returned.
You've tried breaking it but failed right? Because only the biometrics of Master Xueya could open those including the other three sealed warehouses in this base.
This is a base made by the State Head and the Prime Minister for their beloved nephew while you guys are just leeches that were allowed to enter while the master is out. Questioning my actions is the same as questioning my Master. I watched and observed enough, you're the ones who clearly overstepped your boundaries and you will have to pay for it. The inspection would begin 3 day later. I gave you your buffer time. Repent before it's too late."
After Yun Suisen ended his speech, silence once again ascended in the place. This time not only the elite clans and its members were speechless even the civilians who heard the whole thing was dumbfounded. No one is stupid enough not to know what it mean for the Ximen family to be involve.
Su Liye whispered to Shi Moye, "Your wife is fierce, Old Shi."
"Shss~ stop talking nonsense!" responded Shi Moye but deep in his heart he knew that his friend's word is right.
Everyone also knew that the State Head and the Prime Minister had always wanted for Ximen Xueya to take their position as leaders of this country. No one from the peak positions would question that Ximen Xueya's standing in the whole country is sometimes even above the two old leaders. Because they knew that the real leaders of the country have always been that detached and aloof man instead of the two old leaders who are now dead.
Taking this silence as an opportunity, Shi Moye and his team had left these shameless old men to their own device.