Apocalypse Queen: My Space, My Rules Chapter 137: Question After Question

"If you lose your money, are you still rich? You'll end up at the bottom, working just to earn three meals a day. In the end, all you want is a safe place, right?

"As long as we hold Celestine Ridge, this place is our shelter. Living in your own home means you don't have to answer to anyone, and no one can exploit you. Isn't that better?"

Kieran was stunned again. "How do you know so much about the official base?"

Wallace had already thought through the pros and cons many times. It wasn't that he didn't worry, it was that he had no other choice.

To him, spending money didn't matter. As long as his family stayed alive, that was enough.

He believed that once the disaster ended, the Hancocks could always make their fortune back.

"I know more than you think," Mariella said coldly. "If you trust me, don't rush to the official base. I promise you—within two years, all your wealth and supplies will be taken by the factions there." She spoke harshly on purpose, to crush his last bit of hope.

In her past life, she followed Harvey to the official base a year later. They stayed there for almost a year and lost more than half their supplies.

Worse, the so-called official base couldn't even guarantee safety. Money alone solved nothing.

As disasters kept coming one after another, society broke down further. Governments collapsed.

Different bases fought each other for resources, strong workers, and control. Wars happened all the time.

The people in power at those bases pushed survivors to fight for them. If you earned merit, you got tax breaks, supplies, and gear.

That was when Mariella became a fighter.

To earn rewards and improve her team's standing, she fought again and again, risking her life. In the end, her body was covered in injuries.

When she was no longer useful, Harvey killed her. Her organs were even taken and given to Roxanna.

After being reborn, she finally understood why Harvey abandoned her—even though she had a storage ability. Because disasters kept triggering human evolution. More and more people gained abilities, including storage powers.

Harvey found someone else with the same ability. Mariella became replaceable. On top of that, she was badly injured and couldn't fight anymore.

He didn't want to keep her around, so he used an excuse—that Roxanna needed a kidney—and killed her.

After surviving four years in that broken world, Mariella understood the rules better than anyone. She knew what choices led to the best outcome.

"I'll tell you something else," she continued. "The official bases won't last more than two years. They can't compete with the military bases. In the end, they'll all be taken over and swallowed.

"Do you really think your family can last that long there? And even if you do, can you guarantee the Hancocks will survive those brutal wars?"

She threw out question after question.

After a long silence, Kieran's voice finally came back, trembling. "Why do you know all this? Who told you?"

Mariella stayed calm. "I ran the scenarios myself. Believe it or not."

Kieran fell silent again. After a while, he said quietly, "I'll talk to Grandpa first."

"Will he believe you? Or believe me?" Mariella said, finally revealing her real goal. "I want you to stay with part of the people and let Mr. Wallace take the others to the official base."

That was the only way to solve the conflict inside the Hancocks.

Wallace was old and cautious. He only wanted stability.

Mariella knew she couldn't convince him. So, she needed Kieran to stay—as the voice of the Hancocks here. Only then would the other homeowners follow.

As long as Kieran stayed, the rich families of Celestine Ridge wouldn't all run away.

She continued, "The Hancocks can't all leave. Without a leader, Celestine Ridge will fall apart. Trust me—the official base isn't the best choice. It's a place that eats up wealth. You're a businessman. Can you really stand watching your money and supplies get taken by others?"

After a long pause, Kieran spoke again. "Grandpa will believe you. When the disaster first started, it was because of your warning that we stocked up early. Back then, online payments still worked. We bought huge amounts of fuel, food, medicine, vehicles, and weapons."