Chapter 841: Blessing

Natalie couldn’t help but smile at their idea.

They had never considered this before, since they were just trying to survive. However, something had indeed changed after they had gotten a lot stronger and more Level 50 Survivors arrived.

"The system has forced our hand. If smaller shelters collapse, it’s better if they find refuge under strong banners than die in the wild." Natalie muttered as she couldn’t help but imagine how many people would die in this event.

Joy of Verdant Vanguard nodded, but she still wanted to earn something. "Let’s charge them depending on the privilege they’ll get in the shelter."

Sarah of Verdant Vanguard couldn’t help but laugh as she agreed with this matter. "Call it a ’refuge fee’ if you must."

Ilia of Crimson Wake also joined in... "At the end of the day, survivors will pay to survivor. Let’s just make sure that he wouldn’t be taking too much off of them."

"Then let’s set terms. Not too cheap, or we devalue ourselves. Not too high, or we drive them desperate. Shane has already set the standard 500 cores, or 50 crystals. If we mirror his rate, they would laugh at us since we can’t provide a Floating Fortress. However, we should be able to provide decent shelters with Natalie’s help... Probably 300 Zombie Cores or 25 Item Upgrade Crystals?" Donvar of the Black Iron Pact suggested.

Natalie considered his words carefully.

Shane’s fortress might be a skybound miracle, but their shelters were not to be underestimated.

Apparently, Natalie’s bishop could produce Barriers thanks to the mysterious Archbishop who had blessed them with power...

"I can send my Bishops to your shelters and set up more barriers. That way, it would be easier for you all to defend your shelter. As for the location where we can accept refugees, we can only select two locations, so we can have a solid defense."

Everyone was aware of New Haven’s holy barriers... There was also Verdant Vanguard’s living walls of vines and stone, Dawnspire’s flame towers, Crimson Wake’s catacombs for evacuation, and Black Iron’s armored golems.

However, only the New Haven’s holy barriers and Dawnspire’s flame towers might be suited in this situation.

"But we can probably accept in our shelters as well. As long as we limit the number of people. You will send some of your Bishops to our main shelters anyway." Ilia said...

Natalie thought for a moment before she nodded.

"Very well. Let’s prepare our shelters... If Shane turns a survival event into a business, so shall we. But remember that when the Red Night ends, we have to consider recruiting these people to join our side."

"Spoken like an Archbishop. Are you actually the secret Archbishop of your Clan?" Joy asked with a laugh.

Aside from the members of the New Haven Clan, no one knows about the identity of the Archbishop.

As a matter of fact, even the previous members of the poached members of the Clan weren’t aware of the Archbishop’s identity.

It was as if they had forgotten the person’s identity when they left the Clan. It was such a mysterious ability...

"No way..." Natalie chuckled as the identity of the Legendary Talent Holder was a secret. If the person who had the Archbishop Talent was revealed, Natalie would have trouble protecting that person from being kidnapped or taken away from her.

Soon, the Clan leaders decided to spread the news.

[ Natalie: Attention, Survivors of our Region. We’ve come to a decision. The first five members of Survivor Pact will open their shelters to refugees during the Red Night. I will also be sending my Bishops, who can create Holy Barriers in these shelters. ]

[ Natalie: Let this be clear... We are not a charity. Entry will require a refuge fee. ]

[ Brent: Wait, you’re serious? Like Shane’s Fortress thing? Well, people are talking about it in the World Chat. ]

[ Joy: Similar, but not the same. We don’t have a fortress in the sky, but we do have shelters that can withstand the Red Moon. Flame towers, barriers, living walls... you name it. ]

[ Sarah: We’ll provide safety, food rations, and water. But seats are limited. Don’t expect luxury. ]

The chat immediately flared alive.

[ Peter: That’s enough for me. Better to pay and live than gamble in the streets. What’s the cost? ]

[ Donvar: The rate is 300 Zombie Cores or 25 Item Upgrade Crystals per person. If you can’t pay, we might consider other items depending on what item it is.]

[ Yara: That’s actually cheaper than Shane’s Fortress. Why? ]

[ Ilia: Because we’re offering earthbound shelters, not sky palaces. Still, our defenses are strong. Strong enough to hold. ]

[ Santiago: 300 cores is still brutal... but fair. Count me in. Where do we go? ]

[ Natalie: Location details will

not

be shared here. Send us a message. You don’t want to easily share your place of shelter in the Chat. Only those we select will receive private messages. If you’re not contacted, you’re not chosen. Don’t spam. Don’t beg. ]

The announcement sent ripples of both relief and desperation through the survivors.

[ Travis: Hah! Nice move, Natalie! Good luck to you all! I’m sure your shelters can hold it. If you can’t, my Clone will be lurking around somewhere in your shelters. If you need help, the fee is 5,000 Zombie Cores. ]

[ Natalie: You’re just everywhere, aren’t you? Just how many close do you have? ]

[ Stephanie: You’re all saints... I hope more Large Clans will do this. But I only trust those within Top 20 at the very least. If not, they should be protected by the Top 10 Clans like Natalie’s New Haven Clan. ]

[ Graham: Saints? They’re businessmen, and I respect that. Cores aren’t worth anything if you’re dead. ]

[ Lawrence: My clan will gather 900 cores right away. Three seats. Please, Natalie, consider us. ]

Inside their shelters, the Pact leaders exchanged quick glances. The plan was working exactly as they’d hoped.

"Well, the Red Moon will surely be dangerous with that kind of announcement," Natalie muttered as she read how the others continued to their sales talk in the Regional Chat.

[ Sarah: Don’t think of this as buying safety. Think of it as buying

time

. Survive the Red Night, and you get another day to fight. ]

[ Joy: Well said. Survivors, prepare your cores and crystals. We’ll announce selections soon. ]

[ Donvar: And don’t try to follow our scouts or sneak into our bases. You’ll be cut down on sight. ]

[ Ilia: If you’re chosen, you’ll know. If you’re not, pray you have a plan. ]

The regional chat was soon filled with messages, cheers, and frantic negotiations as survivors scrambled to pool resources, and barter whatever they had to secure seats.

Just like that, hope increased in their region, not because salvation was guaranteed, but because at least there was a chance.

Natalie watched the flood of messages pour in. If Shane had set the standard, the Survivor Pact had carved its own path.

And when the Red Night finally arrived, those who paid the fee would be protected...

At least, that was the promise.

***

In the meantime, within Natalie’s hidden shelter, Raizen, a 12-year-old boy, sat cross-legged on his bed...

There were numerous Zombie Cores around him, and it was as if he were absorbing all their energy.

This was an underground facility previously owned by the military, based on the traces they had found before.

For the last five months, this bunker had been their third base... They carefully kept off any information about this place.

To outsiders, it didn’t exist. To those who belonged to New Haven, it was their most precious shelter, their ace in the hole.

Soon, Raizen’s eyes opened as he opened his Chat and confirmed a message from his older sister.

[ Natalie: Lil brother... Can you help me bless those Scavengers we rescued and make them Bishops? If you can’t, just make them Priests for now... ]

Raizen smiled after seeing this. She always called him little brother, and he already accepted her as his older sister after coming to this world.

The boy who looked barely twelve years old... was in fact the Legendary Title Holder, Archbishop.

"Yes, I can do it," he whispered to himself as he replied to Natalie.

The rescued Scavengers, weary men and women who had stumbled into New Haven’s protection weeks ago, had become farmers, tailors, or even guards depending on their skills...

Natalie had promised them a chance at something greater, so they thought that after getting those jobs, they had already received it.

However, it wasn’t just that...

They would soon become a Holy Arts user with Raizen’s Legendary Talent!

Soon, Raizen ordered one of his escorts to gather 10 of the old Scavngers they had previously taken in. He also made this guard explain what would happen to them since he didn’t want to explain too much...

After a few minutes, the scavengers gathered...

Their eyes widened at the sight of a child who was actually the Archbishop!

With the guard’s stern gaze, however, none of them dared to speak.

"Be still..." Raizen said as he wanted to immediately start the blessing process...