My 100th Rebirth a day before the Apocalypse novel Chapter 896

Chapter 896 -896 The Boomers

“Oh!”Jason and his team exchanged excited glances as they clipped their badges onto the left side of their chests, right over their hearts. They couldn’t help but puff their chests out a little with pride.

“So, when can we get our supplies?” Jason asked eagerly.

“Hmm,” the woman mused, eyeing their fresh badges. “Since you just registered, you’re still considered newbies. That means you’ll have to wait until next month for your first supply allotment. And because you’re starting at the beginner level, Copper Rank, you’ll only receive a basic package: a box of biscuits and water.”

She didn’t sugarcoat it. This was the standard for the lowest-ranking teams. But as time passed and their rank increased, those provisions could eventually shift from dry rations to packed meals, and eventually to fresh food. After all, fresh food was something they didn’t lack.

Upon hearing the announcement, everyone cheered. It might have seemed like a small gesture to some, but to them, a box of biscuits and bottled water was more than enough to bolster their food supply. These were practical rations—perfect for missions or travel between the camp and the base.

Deep down, they all understood that the HOPE Base wasn’t obligated to provide for them. After all, it wasn’t a government-funded facility, even if it was run by capable soldiers. Just having a system like this in place, a fair reward for hard work, was already more than they could have asked for. It pushed them to do better, motivated them to keep growing stronger.

In the long run, it would benefit them the most. With the knowledge that zombies were evolving and getting stronger, they knew that stagnation meant death. Relying too heavily on others could lead to their downfall, robbing them of the chance to witness the future they were fighting for.

So this subtle push from Kisha, this incentive to improve, was both wise and generous. It was her way of showing kindness, and none of them had any right to resent her for it, let alone ask for more.

Perhaps it was also because Jason and his group hadn’t yet experienced the depths of deprivation that they were still able to maintain this level of awareness and goodwill. They could understand the deeper reasoning behind Kisha’s decisions.

But not everyone would be so understanding. There would inevitably come a time when other outsiders would question HOPE Base’s distribution, asking why the rations given were so minimal. After all, many people are like that: give them an inch, and they’ll try to take a mile.

Once they start receiving, their greed often takes root, and before long, they begin expecting more, demanding that others meet their growing, insatiable expectations.

This was Kisha’s way of distinguishing those who knew how to repay kindness with gratitude from those who would bite the hand that fed them. Through this method, she could easily identify and deal with people accordingly, rewarding those who deserved it, while putting the greedy and ungrateful in their place.

By showing kindness first, Kisha allowed others to see her as a just and fair leader. But when crossed, she wouldn’t hesitate to respond with cold ruthlessness, making it clear that her compassion had limits. In a world where order had crumbled, this strict carrot-and-stick approach was the most effective kind of leadership.

Kisha deliberately let her guard down, not out of weakness, but as a test. She wanted to see who would be lured by opportunity, who would let their decency tip into greed. And when they did, she would strike without hesitation.

Letting people underestimate her was part of the plan. Because when she finally showed her true power, the fear she instilled would linger. A single misstep could become a nightmare they’d never forget, and a lasting reminder of who they were dealing with.

After Jason and his team finished accepting their mission, Adam and his group had just completed posting one of their own—a critical request for help to eliminate the mutated zombies lurking dangerously close to their shelter.

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