Chapter 521: Routines (800+)

Inside the shelter of the underground air-raid bunker.

Aaron entered Meditation, sensing the fluctuations of the collective Subconscious Ocean.

Fine ripples came from everywhere, converging into a single brand.

It was the image of a kind master with a blurred face, spreading the seeds of the 'Hope Tree'!

"Relying on Enide and the others to be active, helping me deceive people everywhere, have I finally gathered enough 'Influence'?"

A hint of a smile appeared at the corner of Aaron's mouth.

"When a lie is told enough times, it becomes the truth! This actually has some similarities to the Taoism of faith..."

Aaron sighed, his eyes sweeping past the blurred figure, and he cast 'Thought Alchemy' toward the golden seed in the figure's hand.

Laide, the leader of the surface survivors who had previously made a deal with Enide, came to the air-raid bunker in person; recent rumors and information gathered in secret had filled him with deep suspicion and disappointment.

However, he had gone to great lengths to create the myth of the 'Hope Tree' not just to help the people in the shelter.

Inside a certain shelter.

The calmer he acted, the more worried Aifa and the others became, to the point that they waited right here.

Laide rubbed his eyes and even cast a Talisman to confirm he was not under an illusion.

And now, he had already felt enough 'Belief'.

By now, has even the largest shelter nearby been reduced to relying on lies to survive?

The core area had already been cleared to reveal a patch of black soil, and Aifa personally planted the pea-sized 'Hope Seed'.

"Please, come in."

However, upon seeing Aaron, a smile immediately appeared on Aifa's face: "Lord Aaron, could it be?"

"No, what is noble is the person who cultivated this crop."

She stared at the leaders with their varied expressions, her voice heavy: "You need to spread this crop to everyone who needs it! Given that morality no longer works, I will sign a sufficiently binding Contract with you; those who violate it will suffer the sanction of misfortune!"

"That lord is not in the shelter."

Could it even be that a Beyond Control event occurred here, causing everyone's perception to be tampered with?

And at the base of the 'Golden Apple Tree' stump, clumps of pale, Tai Sui-like objects had grown.

Aifa squatted on the ground, and seeing a tiny golden sprout break through the soil, she couldn't help but feel her eyes grow moist.

Soon, a dozen pea-sized seeds fell from the void; they were dark gold in color with complex patterns on their surfaces.

He stepped forward and broke off a Bread Fruit, confirming it was real and true.

"Leader Laide."

Then, he thought of his starved wife and children, and knelt before the 'Hope Tree', tears streaming down uncontrollably.

"Thank you! Thank you all..."

Somewhere an unknown distance away from the shelter.

In the blink of an eye, he had been in the Eighth Layer of History for over three months.

But in an instant, his upbringing as a leader allowed him to quickly suppress his anger, leaving him feeling only a profound sorrow.

Aifa replied: "He has already embarked on his journey alone... However, I intend to establish today as 'Harvest Day' to commemorate that great lord, whose name is... Aaron!"

In the darkness, a dozen trees resembling apple trees emitted a faint golden light.

He felt a sense of disillusionment, as if a beautiful dream had shattered, and he even wanted to risk everything to fight Enide to the death.

Laide rubbed his eyes; he saw that the branches of the apple trees were laden with a type of fruit similar to Bread Fruit, weighing the branches down until they bent.

"Ladies and gentlemen... this is the 'Hope Tree', which matures in one month and can produce hundreds of pounds of Bread Fruit per tree, as well as hundreds of pounds of meat..."

"Hmm?"

"That's great."

Aaron said nothing more, displaying the dark golden seeds in his hand: "The Hope Seed is right here!"

"After each 'Hope Tree' matures, it will bear dozens of seeds at the top."

Laide stroked the 'Hope Seed' as if he were touching a rare treasure: "I swear, I will definitely keep my promise; you truly are a great and noble person."

"The lie has already been spread; if it is eventually determined to be fake, the entire shelter's reputation will be ruined..."

Aifa announced proudly.

As a Non-human Existence, this was simply incredible.

Aifa replied with a sigh.

For this period of time, she had been deeply worried about this matter.

She led everyone to the Nursery, arriving at the deepest part.

Aifa stepped forward, picked the dark golden 'Hope Seeds' one by one, and handed them to Laide: "Now... I am giving the 'Hope Seed' to you; no other requirements are needed, I only need a promise!"

Around her, Enide and a group of the shelter's high-ranking officials had long since gathered.

"Is this just a fairy tale, a lie... a false hope?"

"And then... water it, that's all?"

Enide asked in disbelief.

"This... is this real?"

Aifa immediately stood up and took a 'Hope Seed': "Let's go... we are going to the Nursery immediately!"

In reality, helping these survivors of the apocalypse was just a convenient side plan; his true move was still in promoting to a 'Life Scientist'.

In the blink of an eye, a month passed.

During this time, apart from probing the Spirit World, the 'Mother of Night', and news of the apocalypse, Aaron took no other actions, merely accumulating 'Secret Source Power'.

At this moment, Aifa came over, looking at the various leaders from the outside with their differing expressions: "Regarding the news of the 'Hope Tree', we have also implemented a certain level of blockade within the Shelter... but I can guarantee that it truly exists; follow me."

"Where is that Druid master? I want to thank him in person; this cannot even express one ten-thousandth of the gratitude in my heart." Laide looked around and asked excitedly.

"That will do. Sprinkle a little water every day, and then... just wait... at the latest in one month, it should be ready for harvest."

Inside the room, Aifa was looking at the reports from the various hunting teams and caravans with a headache.

It was not until more than ten minutes later that Enide rubbed her eyes: "It's sprouting... it's sprouting."

"Mm."

"What 'Hope Tree', it's just a deceptive lie!"

This method of 'refining the false into the true' was also a novel experience for Aaron.

But as a survivor of the apocalypse, when hope arrived, she still lost her composure.

Aaron nodded.

In the Nursery, a restricted area of the Shelter.

Holding these 'Hope Tree' seeds, Aaron arrived at the deepest part of the Shelter and knocked on Aifa's door.

Aaron sent out another batch of 'Hope Seed's, a trace of a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth: "False propaganda will eventually be punctured... only by producing real items can one trigger a frenzy of emotions! If one also mixes in the routine of anticipation, doubt, disappointment, despair, and then the resurgence of hope, it becomes even easier to become deeply convinced!"

The reason for playing this game was that it also had benefits for those people of the apocalypse.

As long as they firmly believe the 'Hope Tree' in their hands is real, then it is real!

(End of this chapter)