Chapter 313: Which one of them do you like?

The next day arrived swiftly, with the golden sun casting its warm rays over the apocalypse stricken world.

The strong aroma of different kinds of food filled the air, all thanks to Mrs. Smith and the other survivors, especially those Ivy had rescued the previous day. They had all insisted on helping with the preparations, eager to contribute in whatever way they could and show their gratitude to the woman who had given them another chance at life.

Several survivors continued to move in and out of the supermarket, gathering the ingredients they needed while others remained outside, preparing the food. Amid all the activity, little children could be seen running around excitedly, their cheerful laughter filling the air.

Aria, Lila, and Pearl were not left out of the fun. Little Hope had also joined them, gradually learning to walk on her own as she happily toddled around with her sisters.

“Be careful, girls! Don’t fall!” Ivy called out, her eyes following the children’s movements as they ran around.

However, the little ones were so caught up in their own world that none of them bothered to answer her. Instead, they continued playing, occasionally bursting into laughter as little Hope tried her best to keep up with them.

Ivy could only shake her head helplessly, a fond smile spreading across her face as she watched them.

Seated with Ivy under the canopy we’re Darren, Erick, Elliot, and Aunt Clara, their gazes fixed on little Hope as she toddled around while Aria, Lila, and Pearl chased after her.

“Oh my goodness!” Aunt Clara exclaimed with a light chuckle, her eyes widening as she watched Hope take several unsteady steps. “I remember when she was still in your belly. That was when I left the country, and now look at her! She’s already running around with her sisters. How time flies!”

She shook her head in disbelief, unable to hide the happiness on her face. Ivy couldn’t help laughing along with her aunt.

After a moment, Aunt Clara turned her attention back to Ivy. Her expression softened as she reached over and gently took Ivy’s hand in hers.

“And yes, I’ve heard about everything that happened between you and your husband. I found out about it,” she said quietly, her tone carrying a hint of concern.

Ivy glanced at her aunt before offering her a warm smile.

“Let’s not talk about that, Aunt. It’s all in the past now,” Ivy replied gently, giving her aunt’s hand a reassuring squeeze.

Aunt Clara studied her face for a moment before nodding in agreement.

Just then, several survivors approached their table, carrying trays laden with freshly prepared food. There were plates of well-cooked rice, steaming bowls of goat meat pepper soup, chicken soup, freshly made salad, and several other dishes that filled the table with an irresistible assortment of colours and aromas.

One after another, they carefully placed the trays on the table before offering the group polite smiles and taking their leave to attend to the other preparations.

Aunt Clara’s eyes immediately lit up at the sight of the food. She leaned forward, taking in the delicious aroma of the goat meat pepper soup before letting out a small, astonished gasp.

“Oh my goodness! When was the last time I ate anything like goat meat or chicken?” she murmured, almost as though she were afraid the food might disappear if she took too long to appreciate it.

Ivy chuckled at her reaction as she reached for a bowl. She carefully dished out a generous portion of the goat meat pepper soup and placed it directly in front of her aunt.

“Here, Aunt. Have some before it gets cold,” she encouraged with a smile.

Aunt Clara needed no further invitation. She picked up her spoon, scooped up a mouthful, and took a bite. The moment the rich, spicy flavour hit her tongue, her eyes widened in delight.

“Oh my goodness! This is so good!” she exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine excitement. “I could eat this every day!”

Her enthusiastic reaction made Ivy laugh, while the others couldn’t help smiling at her obvious enjoyment.

“We can all enjoy meals like this today, and it’s all thanks to Captain Ivy,” Erick chimed in as he began serving himself some food. “She’s made life so much easier for us, despite the fact that we’re living through the apocalypse. I honestly don’t know how many of us would still be alive if she hadn’t stepped forward to do what she did.”

He paused briefly, glancing at Ivy with a warm expression of gratitude.

“Without Captain Ivy, many of the survivors wouldn’t have lived to see today. I wouldn’t have survived either if she hadn’t saved my life,” Erick added sincerely. “I’m grateful to her for that, and I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.”

Ivy offered him a small smile, seemingly accustomed to hearing such words from the people she had helped. Nevertheless, she was pleased to know that her efforts had made a difference in their lives.

“Exactly!” Darren agreed, nodding as he picked up his spoon. “This base is thriving because of her, too. She’s not just someone who can fight monsters; she’s also a good leader who knows how to take care of the people under her protection.”

He then turned to Aunt Clara, who was still enjoying her food, and chuckled.

“I’m sure you were shocked when you woke up this morning and saw the supermarket looking like this. After all, you couldn’t see much last night, so I can only imagine how surprised you must have been when you stepped outside and discovered everything that had been prepared.”

“Yes, I was certainly surprised!” Aunt Clara replied with a light chuckle, her mouth still full of goat meat. She nodded several times, clearly agreeing with his assessment, before swallowing her food and taking another spoonful of soup.

“Everything looks so different from what I saw yesterday. Honestly, if someone had told me that people could live this comfortably in the middle of the apocalypse, I probably wouldn’t have believed them!”

She laughed softly before suddenly seeming to remember something. Her gaze moved from Darren to Erick and then to Elliot, who had been quietly enjoying his meal.

“Uhmm… I’m sorry, but what are your names again?” she asked, looking at the three men apologetically. “I’ve seen all of you around, but I don’t think we’ve had the chance to properly introduce ourselves.”

Ivy immediately took the opportunity to make the introductions.

“Alright, let me introduce everyone properly,” she began, pointing toward Erick first. “This is Erick. He’s the leader of Fiercehunter Base.”

She then turned toward Darren, who was sitting beside her.

“And that’s Darren. He’s my trusted man. We do almost everything together, whether it’s carrying out missions, defeating monsters, or rescuing survivors. He’s been with me through a lot, and I trust him with important tasks.”

Darren merely smiled at the introduction, offering Aunt Clara a polite nod.

“Finally, this is Elliot,” Ivy continued, gesturing toward the man sitting on her other side. “He’s also one of my trusted men. He joined us recently, but things have been going really well since then. He’s been a great help to the base.”

She finished speaking with a light chuckle, seemingly pleased to have everyone properly acquainted.

“Oh, I see!” Aunt Clara exclaimed, nodding as she looked at each man in turn. “It’s nice to meet all of you. I saw you yesterday, but that certainly wasn’t the most pleasant of meetings, was it?” she added with a knowing smile, recalling the circumstances surrounding her arrival. “I’m glad we finally get to sit down and get to know each other properly.”

She paused before gesturing toward herself with a playful smile.

“And, of course, you already know who I am. I’m Ivy’s aunt!”

“Yes, ma’am. It’s nice to meet you, too,” Darren, Erick, and Elliot chorused almost simultaneously.

Aunt Clara smiled in satisfaction before returning her attention to the food. For a few moments, everyone concentrated on their meals, enjoying the rare opportunity to sit together without having to worry about an immediate threat.

However, the peaceful atmosphere didn’t last for long.

Aunt Clara suddenly leaned closer to Ivy, a mischievous glint appearing in her eyes. She glanced discreetly at the three men before bringing her mouth close to Ivy’s ear.

“So, tell me, which one of them do you like?” she whispered.