Chapter 232 Organization
Lily and her students had been busting their butts all day before they could finally catch a break.
By the end of it, they had a rough idea of what they were dealing with.
Every morning, they had to get up at six, with just half an hour to wash up, then jump into group activities before grabbing a bite.
Their job? Pedaling bikes to generate electricity.
Each bike had a meter to track how much juice they were making. If they didn't hit the target, their food rations got cut.
No one was forcing them to work, but the amount of food they got depended on how much they pedaled.
To hit the target, an adult had to pedal for 8 hours straight, not counting breaks and meals!
So, besides eating, sleeping, and group activities, they spent most of their day on those bikes.
The food? Always some kind of protein paste.
It was supposed to be a high-tech meal replacement that met their energy needs with the least amount.
They worked six days and got one day off, but the days off were staggered, like shift work.
On their first day, Lily and the students, especially the pampered ones, struggled with the intense work and harsh environment.
So, they got at most half the food of a normal person.
At night, they crashed in dorms with bunk beds, a dozen people per room.
Electricity was scarce, the lighting was dim, and there were no entertainment facilities like TVs.
Even phone charging was limited to avoid waste.
After a day's grind, everyone gathered in one dorm.
They surrounded Lily and started crying.
"Mrs. Evans, why do we still have to work? Why is life in the shelter so hard?"
"This is nothing like we imagined!"
"I pedaled all day, my butt is chafed, and my thighs hurt!"
"If we have to live like this every day, I'd rather die!"
Just one day, and they felt like they were in hell.
Seeing the students in such pain, Lily felt a bit of compassion.
But what could she do?
"These are tough times, and it's a blessing we can survive."
"Did you see those people pedaling today? None of them were any lower than you before the Apocalypse."
"I even saw a few directors from Starlight City pedaling."
Lily took a deep breath and sighed, "A world where everyone is happy and enjoying life never exists!"
She hoped to wake up the students and make them understand their situation.
"But look on the bright side, at least we're alive and don't have to worry about survival, right?"
Lily, being an adult, could accept the current living conditions.
Actually, she didn't mind this life; she felt more at ease.
At Innovation Academy, she was always on edge, responsible for all the students and constantly on guard against the Mutant Cat.
Now, in the shelter, they could earn their keep through their own efforts.
As someone who worked out regularly, this level of labor was no big deal for her.
And most importantly, Lily no longer had to worry about protecting the students.
But the students didn't see it that way.
In their world, it was natural to get something for nothing. They were born privileged and above others.
Work, labor, hardship... these words had nothing to do with them.
One student immediately cried out, "But we are the elite! The world will rely on us to rebuild in the future."
"We're so young, why do we have to suffer like this?"
"Mrs. Evans, can you think of a way?"
Lily felt a bit helpless. "I... I'm just a teacher! Here, I'm insignificant. My status is no different from you."
Even a random person from the power generation workshop would have been her superior in the past. What right did she have to speak?
At that moment, the door suddenly opened.
Everyone immediately fell silent and cautiously looked outside.
Warren walked in, looking dejected.
He was wrapped tightly in his clothes, with his collar up, covering his neck.
Seeing Warren, the students' eyes lit up with hope, and they left Lily to surround him.
"Warren, you're finally back!"
"Is your dad a leader in the base now? Can he take care of us so we don't have to work here?"
"It will be okay with me if I can work in the office, being a clerk is great!"
Warren glanced at his classmates and said coldly, "Stop dreaming. Everyone has a role here. Based on your status, you can only pedal the generators."
Warren walked past the crowd and came to Lily. "Mrs. Evans."
Lily nodded. "Warren, where have you been?"
A look of pain flashed in Warren's eyes. "I went around the base with my dad. I have a rough understanding of the situation at West Mountain Base now."
Someone nearby eagerly brought a chair, "Warren, have a seat!"
Warren quickly waved his hand, "No, no, I won't sit."
"Don't be polite! Everyone is counting on you now!"
"Really, I don't need to!" Warren shouted, gritting his teeth, while his buttocks clenched involuntarily.
Just thinking about what that old woman did to him made his heart ache.
The classmates were taken aback by Warren's attitude.
"I... I just wanted you to sit down and rest for a bit."
Warren gingerly lowered himself, placing just half of his butt on the mattress.
"Mrs. Evans, we can only rely on you from now on!" He stared at Lily as he spoke.
Lily thought for a moment and got what Warren meant.
If their old status and positions were gone, then in this post-apocalyptic world, power would determine status!
Lily was a warrior herself and had awakened a supernatural ability, which would surely make her valuable in the base in the future.
She asked Warren calmly, "Do you know what the current situation at West Mountain Base is?"
Warren nodded and shared the info he got from Gilbert with everyone.
The West Mountain organization was now in control, and the top authority, referred to as the leader, was Peter Martin, a high-ranking official who once controlled the armed forces of Starlight City.
There were no ordinary people within the West Mountain organization. Even Warren's father, Gilbert, was considered middle to lower class in terms of status here.
Besides these high-ranking individuals, there were many technical talents, like top doctors and experts in various scientific fields.
There was also a large group responsible for the armed defense of the West Mountain organization.
To balance the entire organization, Peter divided the base into four areas, also called four life chambers.
The First Life Chamber was where the leader Peter and his family lived, enjoying the highest level of material supplies. It could be said that the living conditions there were no worse than when they were outside. Materials that the other three life chambers couldn't even dream of were readily available to them.
The Second Life Chamber housed Peter's subordinates, including his trusted aides and top scientists and doctors. Although their living conditions weren't as good as those in the first life chamber, they still enjoyed a comfortable living environment and good food.
The Third Life Chamber was for the armed forces protecting West Mountain Base. There were over a thousand elite soldiers in the entire West Mountain Base. Their personal combat skills and equipment were the best in Starlight City.
The living conditions of these soldiers were second only to those in the second life chamber, meaning they had no worries about food and daily supplies.
The Fourth Life Chamber was where Lily and the others currently resided. These people couldn't provide much value to the base and could only do manual labor, generating electricity or doing other menial tasks.
The characteristic of this life chamber was its extremely low living standards, just enough to survive. Supplies, energy, and entertainment were all scarce.
"And the residents of the fourth life chamber make up the majority of the West Mountain organization," Warren said.
"But don't even think about rebelling. The third chamber's guards stand between us and the first and second chambers."
"With just us, there's no way we can fight those well-equipped soldiers!"
Warren deliberately reminded his classmates of this. He knew these pampered classmates would never be content with being laborers and might try to plan a rebellion.
When Lancaster was pressing down on him, he had also thought about resisting.
But the huge gap in strength forced him to compromise.
When the classmates learned that over a thousand elite soldiers were stationed just outside their living area, they were utterly desperate.
"So, does this mean we have to toil here for the rest of our lives?"
"I don't want that; I'd rather die!"
Several girls broke down in tears.
They had never done physical labor and had no idea what it was like.
After a busy day, their soft, tender buttocks were chafed.
And this situation would be their daily routine from now on.
Others were also on the verge of tears, their faces filled with sadness and despair.
Warren closed his eyes and said coldly, "Do you think they agreed to let so many of us come to West Mountain Base for no reason?"
"It was to replenish the labor force they had previously consumed. Many people, like you, couldn't accept this reality and chose to commit suicide."
"They don't care about our lives. If necessary, they can go out and capture other survivors to fill the labor force."
Suddenly, a boy grabbed Warren and shouted at him with a contorted face, "It's all your fault! It's your fault we came here. If you hadn't exposed our location, we wouldn't be in this hellhole!"
Warren just looked at him coldly. "Would you have survived if you stayed at Innovation Academy?"
The boy was momentarily speechless.
Freedom and life, it was a tough choice.
Warren pushed the boy away and then looked at Lily, who had been silent.
He said, "Mrs. Evans, you're our only chance. You're a Psychic, and that gives you power here. You can help us!"
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