My 100th Rebirth a day before the Apocalypse novel Chapter 800

Chapter 800: Chapter 800 Going Back To HOPE Base

"Who are you, and what are you doing here?!" Aston barked, immediately shifting into a defensive stance the moment he saw Keith.

Still caught off guard, Keith stood frozen, blinking at Aston as his brain slowly processed the sudden confrontation.

"I said, who are you?!" Aston repeated, his tone sharper now. His eyes scanned Keith from head to toe, checking to see if the stranger was carrying anything from inside the villa. He couldn’t possibly remember every face from the base, so seeing someone unfamiliar here could only mean one thing—an intruder, possibly trying to steal resources, especially since the villa was mostly unoccupied at the moment.

Keith instinctively raised both hands in a show of surrender, confusion written all over his face.

Just then, Kisha stepped in, casually draping an arm over Keith’s shoulder. "Relax, Aston. He’s not a thief—this is my brother," she said with a smile.

Realization dawned on Aston, and his expression instantly softened. "Ah, got it! Sorry about that," he said, slipping his dagger back into its sheath, visibly relieved.

"City Lord! You’re finally back?!" Aston exclaimed with clear excitement.

Kisha and the others hadn’t been gone long, but for Aston—who had been working tirelessly—it felt like an eternity. He had been so overwhelmed that he often wished he could clone himself just to keep up. Aside from managing the workshop and overseeing the construction of the new marketplace, he was also supervising the completion of a school for the children, a cemetery, the ongoing warrior recruitment, and countless other tasks.

To make matters more challenging, the Winters and their team had been away as well, leaving Aston to juggle everything on his own. So, when he saw Kisha—and right behind her, Mr. and Mrs. Winters along with the Patriarch—relief washed over him. Finally, the responsibilities he had been shouldering could be handed back to their original teams, and he wouldn’t have to keep running the entire show alone.

Kisha led Aston, the Winters, and her family into the study, guiding them to take their seats so they could properly discuss all the ongoing projects.

"Aston, you’ve done an amazing job while we were away. I know how busy you’ve been—thank you," Kisha said warmly, handing him a glass of chamomile tea to soothe his throat.

She had been closely monitoring the progress of the HOPE Base and fully understood the immense effort Aston had poured into everything. A simple thank-you wasn’t enough—he needed rest soon, or the burden might wear him down.

"There’s no need to thank me, City Lord. I’m just doing what I can," Aston replied humbly, taking the tea with a small nod. Then, almost as an afterthought, he asked, "But are you the only ones returning? What about the others?"

The medical center had also played an active role in promoting hygiene awareness, consistently reminding residents to prioritize cleanliness to prevent illness from spreading. Thanks to these efforts, the overall health of the base remained stable and well-managed.

Seeing the number of people inside the base, Keith and his grandparents, visiting the HOPE Base for the first time, were genuinely amazed. They followed Kisha and Aston as they moved through the area, taking in the lively and well-organized environment. Meanwhile, Mr. and Mrs. Winters, along with the Patriarch, had returned to their respective offices to resume work, determined not to fall behind on paperwork and project reviews.

Fortunately, before their departure, Kisha had granted them access to the HOPE Base’s territory interface, allowing them to monitor ongoing tasks remotely. With the system in place, they had kept things running smoothly, ensuring that their staff fulfilled their responsibilities. Now, all that remained was to sign off on documents for official record-keeping.

"Sister, this base is pretty huge!" Keith exclaimed as he continued to look around in awe. When they reached the outer walls, he was particularly struck by the structure. The ten-meter-high walls weren’t the tallest he had seen, but they exuded a sense of strength and security. It was clear to him why the residents of HOPE Base could live in peace—those walls, along with the soldiers stationed atop them, offered solid protection.

As they continued down the streets, they passed by several city patrols. Each patrol respectfully saluted Kisha, who returned the gesture with equal respect, a clear sign of the trust and discipline within the base’s leadership and its people.

Compared to the hidden base—which was sparsely populated and mainly composed of combatants from Duke’s private army—the HOPE Base was far more diverse. People from all walks of life and various age groups lived and worked there, which brought a sense of liveliness and warmth to the atmosphere. It felt vibrant rather than gloomy, filled with the hum of daily activity. _{freёwebnovel.com}