Chapter 765: Chapter 765: Tyrant

The man’s eyes widened. Whether it was real or a trap, he didn’t care. He just wanted to seize this opportunity.

"We’re willing to plant the trees."

Evelyn Ford’s expression turned serious. "Someone will be watching you, so don’t even think about slacking off. Others will be checking the survival rate of the saplings. Oh, and for these first five days, you won’t get any food. Consider it unpaid labor. After five days, I’ll come to inspect your work. Only if you pass the inspection will you earn the right to stay."

The man glanced back at his family. They were still hesitant, but he agreed anyway.

"We’re willing."

’They not only have tents, food, and water, but they can also produce two thousand saplings. They’re clearly not ordinary people.’

Besides, what Evelyn Ford had just said—that Azure had become a wasteland and humanity would soon perish if they didn’t save themselves by planting trees—had shaken him deeply. He had actually recognized Rhys Chase in the distance. Two months ago, when Rhys Chase was distributing food, he had been there.

Everyone had said the base commander ran off with all the food. He never expected they’d be here, dozens of kilometers from Eldoria, planting trees.

"Alright. Go get some water. Someone will drive you to a campsite twenty kilometers from here shortly. You’ll start planting tomorrow. I’ll inspect your work in five days."

Evelyn Ford pulled Liam Sterling and Ryan Rowe aside and gave them a few instructions. Liam Sterling went to start the truck, while Ryan Rowe followed Ronan Kendrick back to the tent to retrieve two rifles.

Evelyn Ford asked the man his name and learned he was Seth Sullivan, forty-two years old. His wife had been killed in the explosion, and he had a daughter and a son. The others with him weren’t his relatives; they were people he had met while living downstream. They had banded together to escape and survive. The assorted bottles and jars they carried weren’t enough, so Evelyn Ford had Quincy give them two buckets. After they filled the buckets with water, Liam Sterling told them to get on the truck. As the vehicle drove out of the camp, everyone looked at Evelyn Ford in confusion.

"You don’t understand why I let them stay? Why I gave them food and water? Do you think I’m some kind of saint?"

Evelyn Ford smiled. "With just us, how many trees could we possibly plant, even if we worked day and night? This way, they get food and a chance to live, and we expand our workforce and speed up the planting process. Why wouldn’t we do it?"

’Besides, I don’t care about that little bit of food anymore. If Azure is gone, what’s the point of me hoarding all this endless food in my space? The black soil in the space is still there, and I can always plant more grain. But there’s only one Azure. We can’t fly into outer space, nor can we burrow deep into the earth. We have The Undercity, sure, but it consumes tons of fuel every day. That fuel will eventually run out, and The Undercity will become a useless pile of scrap metal. Only Azure holds the hope of being brought back to life.’

"There’s strength in numbers! One more person means one more tree planted. We all trust Evelyn’s judgment." At critical moments, Quincy still had absolute faith in Evelyn Ford.

"Seth Sullivan said it’s become a hell downstream. How are the people left there supposed to survive?"

Evelyn Ford had already made a decision. "We’ll know once we take a trip there."

"Evelyn, you’re going back to the downstream area of Eldoria?"

Evelyn Ford nodded. "Yes. Ronan and I will make a trip there later."

Seeing Seth Sullivan and his group had given Evelyn Ford a new idea. Quincy was right—there was strength in numbers. A large group might be difficult to manage, but every extra person meant another tree planted. Rebuilding the ecosystem was a race against time.

Rhys Chase coughed. "I’ll go with you."

Seeing that Rhys Chase was going, the others grew restless, eager to join.

"Don’t even think about it. You all stay put. Mr. Chase is coming with us."

After dinner, the three of them drove toward Eldoria.

Just as the car neared the downstream area, Evelyn Ford heard heart-wrenching screams and cries. She and Ronan Kendrick exchanged a look. They stopped the car and walked toward the source of the sound.

Someone was standing guard by the lake with a cleaver. Even the area where people dug for Famine Clay Soil had been roped off. Agonized screams echoed from the downstream survivor settlement. When the three of them arrived, they saw several men kicking and punching a man and a woman on the ground.

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