Chapter 227 Is everything okay?

Erick’s truck, which Ivy was riding in, and Dawn Base’s truck, driven by Anya, traveled side by side as Anya deliberately signaled for Darren to slow down so the two vehicles could keep pace with each other.

Noticing the gesture, Darren gradually eased off the accelerator until both trucks were moving at a comfortable speed.

"What’s wrong?" Ivy asked, raising an eyebrow, confusion written all over her face as she leaned slightly toward the open window. "Is everything okay? Did something happen?"

Anya glanced ahead at the road before turning toward Ivy with a gentle smile.

"I just wanted to thank you, Captain Ivy," she began, genuine gratitude evident in her voice. She lowered her voice slightly, making sure only Ivy could hear her over the rumbling engines. "I know you’re the one who saved me. It may have looked like my brother was the one who rescued me, but you’re the real reason I’m still alive." She smiled knowingly. "There’s no need to deny it. I already know the truth."

Ivy couldn’t help but swallow hard. Her fingers tightened slightly around the edge of the window, yet she remained silent, unsure of what to say.

Seeing Ivy’s reaction, Anya simply smiled even more warmly.

"Thank you for saving my life," she said sincerely. "I truly appreciate it. If it weren’t for you, I probably wouldn’t be here right now."

A heavy sigh escaped Ivy’s lips before she finally responded. "You’re welcome, Anya."

After a brief pause, she continued.

"You told me earlier that you’re not the leader of Dawn Base, right? Even though you possess incredible abilities."

"Yes, Captain," Anya replied immediately, letting out a weary sigh. "I haven’t even been given the chance to fully display what I’m capable of. It’s frustrating because I know I can do so much more."

Ivy remained quiet for a moment before speaking again. "Then how about joining Hope Base?"

Anya’s eyes widened instantly. "What?" The unexpected invitation sent waves of shock and disbelief through her entire body. "You... you want me to join Hope Base?"

Ivy nodded calmly. "You can come with your brother as well." She looked directly into Anya’s eyes."If a base refuses to let you grow or give you opportunities to showcase your true strength, then perhaps it’s simply not the right place for you anymore."

For several seconds, Anya could only stare blankly at her.

"You really think that’s possible?" she finally asked, letting out a quiet scoff filled more with disbelief than mockery.

"There’s nothing impossible about it." Ivy’s tone remained steady and serious. "The choice is entirely yours. You can either stay at Dawn Base, where your talents continue to be overlooked, or come to Hope Base, where your abilities will actually be put to good use." She paused briefly before adding, "I don’t care how strong or weak someone is when they arrive. What matters to me is whether they’re willing to improve, protect others, and contribute to the team."

Before Anya could answer, Caleb, who was seated beside her in the passenger seat, finally spoke.

"My sister and I can’t just leave Dawn Base like that." His expression was calm but conflicted. "Even though Anya isn’t the base leader, she still holds an important position there."

He sighed quietly as he continued . "The truth is, besides the two of us, most of Dawn Base’s members are elderly people. Even the base leader himself is already old. He possesses an ability, yes, but because of his age, he can’t personally handle many dangerous missions anymore." Caleb shook his head helplessly. "And still he refuses to let my sister become the new leader since he knew once she takes over, he’ll no longer have any authority."

After saying that, he turned toward his sister.

"Actually..." He hesitated before continuing. "How about you join Hope Base instead?"

Anya immediately looked at him in surprise.

"You can continue improving your abilities there while helping even more survivors. I’ll remain in Dawn Base and continue protecting everyone here." He smiled reassuringly. "We don’t both have to leave. As long as one of us stays behind, Dawn Base won’t completely lose its strongest fighters."

Anya’s expression softened, but she quickly shook her head.

"No." Her answer came without even a second of hesitation. I can’t leave my brother behind." She tightened her grip on the steering wheel."If Caleb isn’t coming with me, then I’m not interested in joining Hope Base either."

She looked toward Ivy with complete seriousness. "We’ve always faced everything together. I won’t abandon him now."

A faint smile appeared on Ivy’s face. "Well... I suppose the two of you still need some time to think about it." Taking out a small sheet of paper, she quickly wrote several numbers on it. She then rolled the paper into a tiny ball before skillfully tossing it through the open window of Dawn Base’s truck and the paper landed neatly on Anya’s lap.

"That’s my contact number," Ivy explained. "If you call it, you’ll be connected directly to Hope Base so whenever the two of you finally make a decision, just let me know." She paused before adding another offer. "And one more thing...I can accept up to twenty people from Dawn Base."

Caleb and Anya exchanged surprised glances.

"I know Dawn Base isn’t made up entirely of elderly people," Ivy continued. "There are plenty of young survivors there as well. Some of them probably feel just like you....people with talent who simply haven’t been given the opportunity to grow." She folded her arms casually. "If any of them are interested in building a future somewhere they can truly develop their abilities, tell them they’re welcome at Hope Base.The invitation isn’t limited to just the two of you."

As she spoke, Ivy noticed the approaching roundabout. The road split into two different directions....one led back to Hope base, Fierce hunter base and the other led to Dawn base no doubt.

"I guess..." Ivy said softly, "...this is where we part ways." She gave them one last smile."Until we meet again or maybe we won’t."

Before either Anya or Caleb could respond, Darren stepped on the accelerator and smoothly steered the truck onto the road leading to Hope Base.

Anya remained silent, her hands still resting firmly on the steering wheel as she watched the truck disappear farther down the road.