Lu Nianxin: Grateful to the Commander for Sending Me a Warrior!

"Anyway, it's none of my business."

Chen Dapeng shrugged, striding confidently into the crowd. His commanding presence, honed from his days as the old leader, worked in perfect sync with Jiang Xiaoci as they began the swift task of incorporating the survivors into their fold.

With Chen Dapeng's cooperation, the process of signing the alliance agreement moved quickly.

Through Lin Yue's perspective, Mike was able to easily send alliance requests to all the survivors she could see. As announced by Chen Dapeng:

"Sign the alliance, and you'll get food, water, and guaranteed safety! Don't want to sign? Fine, get out of here! But next time we meet, whether we're friends or foes is up in the air!"

Chen Dapeng's strength was undeniable—everyone in the White Bear settlement had seen it firsthand. Becoming enemies with such a ruthless, bloodthirsty man was a death wish.

Moreover, if even Chen Dapeng accepted submission, what reason did ordinary people have to resist?

Unsurprisingly, everyone complied. No one chose to rebel or leave; every single survivor willingly signed the alliance agreement.

Fortunately, the alliance requests could be sent in bulk—otherwise, the sheer number of survivors would have exhausted Mike.

By 2 a.m., the signing process was complete, and a new notification appeared before Mike's eyes:

[Congratulations! Your "Subjugation Alliance" ability has currently established agreements with 15,766 shelters.]

[Your talent has met the requirements for advancement and has been upgraded to an SS-level ability.]

[Two new alliance effects have been unlocked:]

Leader's Privilege: The leader may temporarily nullify any single alliance clause for 24 hours, with no cooldown.Resource Feedback: When a subordinate shelter acquires food, water, or other survival resources, the leader has a 20% chance to receive an equal share of the resources.

"Whoa, this is awesome!" Mike's eyes lit up.

These two new abilities perfectly addressed Mike's current challenges.

First, the issue of dealing with insubordinate subordinates, such as Chen Dapeng, whose immense strength could allow him to exploit the non-aggression clause and defect.

Second, the lack of resources to support an army. With enough talent holders producing resources, Mike could replicate their gains and continually expand his stockpile.

"It seems this talent really has the potential to reach SSS-level someday. When that happens, I'll be a dual SSS-level talent holder!" Mike couldn't stop grinning.

Meanwhile, at the White Bear settlement, Chen Dapeng also received the updated notification about the two new alliance effects.

His expression darkened slightly. The Leader's Privilege clause unsettled him—it was a direct countermeasure to his overwhelming strength.

But when he glanced over and saw his younger sister, happily chatting with a smiling Jiang Xiaoci, Chen Dapeng sighed.

"Fine, a subordinate is a subordinate. As long as I'm strong enough, my sister will always be safe."

With the integration process complete, Mike glanced at the next requirement for upgrading his talent.

"Sign 100,000 people?"

"Hah, the demands just keep getting crazier!" Mike shook his head. "No rush. The SS-level ability is more than enough for now. I'll tackle that milestone when the time is right. After all, the larger the group, the harder it is to manage."

Even with Jiang Xiaoci's exceptional administrative skills, it was crucial to leave enough time for proper management and adaptation. Growth couldn't be rushed—it required space to breathe and time to solidify.

Back in the White Bear settlement, the survivors were mostly thrilled. The alliance terms were the main topic of discussion.

"This 'Full Stomach Alliance' clause is wild! Whatever the boss eats, we get to eat too. If he's feasting on gourmet meals every day, we'll get to taste it all!"

"Yeah, I've never been so invested in someone else's diet before. Honestly, I hope the boss eats lavishly every day!"

"Forget calling it the Subjugation Alliance; it should be renamed the Capitalist Dream Pact! For the first time in my life, I'm rooting for the higher-ups to eat well!"

"Capitalist? Nah, this is shared prosperity! Don't you dare slander my boss like that!"

"True that. People call him 'Commander.' Do you even realize the weight of that title? The old White Bear leader never dared call himself that. This guy's the real deal."

"With a talent like his, no one's starving under his rule. That's a promise."

The alliance's Full Stomach and Safety clauses were so powerful that most survivors willingly overlooked any drawbacks. Food, safety, and survival—these were the pillars of happiness for the average person, especially in a world as harsh as this.

As the alliance settled in, the survivors' creativity began to bloom.

"Hey, if I donate my talent's food output to the boss, does that mean we'll all get to taste it too?"

"Wait a second! Aren't you the guy with the Chocolate-Flavored Crap talent? Don't you dare try to ruin our boss's meals!"

"Yeah, no thanks! We had to eat your crap before he showed up—don't make us go through that again!"

"Hold on! Let me check the new rules. How long will I be in solitary confinement if I kill someone, or is it an eye-for-an-eye situation?"

Jiang Xiaoci had no intention of overhauling the White Bear settlement's management right away. She knew Chen Dapeng's personality and strength—such a person couldn't be restrained by force. Winning his loyalty would take time and patience.

Instead of displacing the Chen siblings, she allowed them to remain in charge while making gradual adjustments to the settlement's policies.

To aid the process, Jiang Xiaoci stationed over 2,000 troops near the settlement and brought in Lu Nianxin as an assistant manager.

Lu Nianxin's talent lay in quickly swaying survivors' loyalties, fostering cohesion and trust in Mike's leadership.

"Miss Jiang, you called for me?"

By 4 a.m., Lu Nianxin had arrived at the White Bear settlement.

"Yes," Jiang Xiaoci said, gesturing toward the Chen siblings. "This is Mr. Chen Dapeng and Miss Chen Xiaoling. Mr. Lu Nianxin is one of the Commander's trusted aides. He'll be assisting you with management tasks. Until new policies are implemented, the current management style will remain unchanged."

As Jiang Xiaoci spoke, Lu Nianxin's eyes lit up the moment he saw the towering, muscular Chen Dapeng.

"Wow!" Lu Nianxin gasped, stepping forward eagerly. "Nice to meet you both! This must be your sister—what a beauty! Truly stunning!"

Chen Dapeng frowned, stepping protectively in front of his sister. His gaze sharpened as he glared at Lu Nianxin.

"Who are you? And wipe that sleazy grin off your face. Don't you dare make a move on my sister!"

Unfazed, Lu Nianxin chuckled. "Oh, it's just a misunderstanding! I have no ill intentions—Miss Jiang can vouch for me!"

Jiang Xiaoci hesitated before nodding. "He's harmless. I can personally guarantee that Lu Nianxin won't hurt your sister."

Chen Dapeng raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "If you have business, come to me directly. Stay away from my sister."

"Directly to you? Perfect!" Lu Nianxin's eyes sparkled.

Who would've thought Chen Dapeng would skip the formalities and open the door himself? Lu Nianxin's grin widened.

"Looks like the Commander knew exactly what I needed—he sent me the perfect warrior!"

4o