The night sky stretched endlessly above the villa, dark and beautiful, filled with countless stars. A bright full moon hung high overhead, bathing the entire compound in a gentle silver glow.

Cool evening breezes drifted through the area, carrying away the heat of the day and providing much-needed relief after hours of hard work.

Everyone had gathered in front of the newly completed Hope Base Supermarket.

The building looked completely different from the abandoned structure it had once been.

The survivors couldn’t stop staring at it.

Many of them still found it hard to believe that they now had an actual supermarket within the safety of the villa.

"Fuck... that was tough, not going to lie."

One of the survivors wiped sweat from his forehead as he spoke.

The man had been working since morning without taking much of a break, and the exhaustion was clearly written across his face.

"My arms feel like they’re about to fall off."

Several nearby survivors laughed.

"You’re not the only one."

"My back is killing me."

"I don’t even think I can lift my hands anymore."

Despite their complaints, smiles could be seen on nearly every face.

The supermarket represented progress.

It represented hope.

And everyone knew it.

Standing near the entrance, Darren clapped his hands together loudly to get everyone’s attention.

"Alright then," he announced excitedly. "Who’s ready to shop at the supermarket?"

"Me!"

"Me too!"

"Finally!"

The survivors immediately erupted with excitement.

Several people even raised their hands enthusiastically.

Mr. Smith couldn’t wait any longer.

Without wasting any time, he stepped forward carrying a single maize cob.

With a grin on his face, he carefully placed it on the designated counter.

The scanner immediately activated.

A soft light passed over the maize.

A moment later, Melody’s mechanical voice echoed throughout the supermarket.

{Item recognized.}

{Maize detected.}

{Calculating value.}

A brief pause followed.

Then....

{Congratulations. You have earned five points.}

Mr. Smith’s eyes widened slightly.

The voice continued.

{What would you like to purchase? Please enter the supermarket and collect items worth up to five points.}

The crowd immediately became excited.

"That’s amazing!"

Mr. Smith couldn’t stop smiling.

Without hesitation, he walked inside and browsed the shelves.

After a few moments, he selected a packet of biscuits and a juice packs for the children.

As he approached the exit, Melody’s voice sounded again.

{Transaction approved. Remaining balance: Zero points.}

Another survivor stepped forward eagerly.

He placed a bag of bean sprouts onto the counter.

The scanner activated once more.

{Item recognized.}

{Bean sprouts detected.}

{Calculating value.}

Several seconds passed.

Then....

{Congratulations. You have earned a total of twenty points and may now purchase goods worth twenty points.}

The survivor’s face immediately lit up.

People immediately began discussing what they could gather, farm, or collect in exchange for points.

The atmosphere was filled with enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, a familiar notification echoed inside Ivy’s mind.

Ding!

Ivy blinked.

What is it now, System? she asked inwardly.

The response came immediately.

{Congratulations, Host. Hope Base prosperity has increased by one hundred points.}

Ivy’s eyes widened slightly.

Really?

{Affirmative.}

A smile slowly spread across her face.

That’s awesome.

The prosperity increase was far more valuable than most people would realize.

It meant the base itself was continuing to grow stronger and more successful.

Satisfied, Ivy walked toward a nearby chair and sat down.

Darren and Mr. Smith soon joined her.

For a few moments, the three simply watched the excited survivors enjoying the supermarket.

The sight was surprisingly peaceful.

Eventually, Mr. Smith turned toward Ivy.

His expression became serious.

Then he stood and gave her a deep bow.

"Thank you so much, Captain Ivy."

Ivy immediately raised an eyebrow.

"Mr. Smith..."

"No," he interrupted gently.

"I mean it."

His voice carried genuine sincerity.

"You’ve made life so much easier for everyone here."

He gestured toward the brightly lit supermarket.

"A few months ago, most of us were struggling just to survive another day."

His gaze swept across the crowd.

"But now?"

A smile appeared on his face.

"We have homes."

"We have food."

"We have security."

"We have electricity."

"And now we even have a functioning supermarket."

He shook his head in disbelief.

"Sometimes it doesn’t even feel like we’re living through an apocalypse anymore."

Ivy felt slightly embarrassed by all the praise.

"It’s okay," she replied with a warm smile.

She leaned forward slightly.

"You don’t need to thank me so much."

Then her expression became more serious.

"What I need from you is to keep monitoring the residents."

Mr. Smith nodded immediately.

"Of course."

"And keep a close eye on the supermarket as well."

"I will."

"When supplies begin running low, send word to Darren and me immediately."

She pointed toward the shelves.

"We’ll arrange for more goods to be delivered."

Mr. Smith smiled.

"You have my word."

Satisfied, Ivy leaned back in her chair.

A comfortable silence settled over the group.

Just then, Ivy turned toward Darren.

"So..."

She tilted her head slightly.

"What do you think?"

Darren immediately understood what she meant.

A smile appeared on his face.

"I think it’s time to head home."