Chapter 283 Would you like to join my Hope base?

What’s your name?"

The question finally left her lips.

"I’m Albert, Captain Ivy," the soldier introduced himself, letting out a heavy sigh as he settled comfortably beside her. "And since you’re sitting here, I believe I can sit here too."

He glanced toward the corridor before continuing.

"I just want to be away from the room where everybody is. I need some fresh air while I think about a few things."

"Yes!"

Ivy screamed inwardly, her heart practically jumping with excitement.

I said it! He’s Albert!

The same Albert who had once helped her during the apocalypse.

The realization made her feel strangely relieved.

"Oh, I see," Ivy finally replied, forcing herself to remain calm despite the excitement bubbling inside her. "And, of course, it’s nothing serious. You can sit here with me too."

She gave a small shrug.

"I actually told you to leave because I thought you had to go back to duty soon. But then again, it’s okay to take a rest sometimes, isn’t it?"

Albert nodded slightly.

Ivy studied him for a moment before raising an eyebrow.

"So, tell me. What made you join Diamond Base? There must be a story about how you came across the base, right?"

Curiosity was evident in her eyes.

Albert was silent for a moment.

"It’s just the same reason everyone always has before they join a base," he finally replied with a scoff. "This is the apocalypse, after all."

He lowered his gaze.

"Besides, I needed to be in a base, or I might have really ended up killing myself."

Ivy’s expression immediately changed.

Before she could say anything, Albert continued.

"No one sent me to you tonight. I came because I wanted to talk to you."

He turned his head toward her.

"The moment I learned that you’re Captain Ivy from Hope Base, I’ve wanted to talk to you."

"And why’s that?" Ivy asked, raising an eyebrow. She was still confused, but her curiosity only grew stronger.

Albert took a deep breath.

"I want to join a base that’s stronger than the one I’m in right now."

His voice was serious.

"I have a sister. I took care of her from the moment our parents died. It was hard."

He paused, his jaw tightening as painful memories surfaced.

"Imagine working three or four jobs or even more at the same time just to be able to cater for yourself and, of course, your sister."

Ivy remained silent, allowing him to speak.

"Mary would always come back from school every night. She told me she had to study at her friend’s house, so I never really questioned it."

Albert’s voice gradually became heavier.

"Once she got home, she’d move straight to the kitchen, grab her food, and then make her way into her room immediately."

He gave a bitter smile.

"I was her big brother, but I didn’t even have the time to sit down and chat with her. I still had work to do. Sometimes, I wouldn’t even come home for three days. Other times, I’d arrive late at night when she was already asleep."

He lowered his head.

"There was practically no communication between my sister and me."

His hands clenched together.

"I thought that as long as I was providing food, shelter, and, of course, taking care of her high school bills, there was no problem."

Albert’s voice cracked slightly.

"I thought I was doing everything I needed to do."

Ivy’s expression softened.

"Little did I know that the students at the school my sister attended were bullies who constantly bullied her."

His eyes slowly reddened.

"I didn’t know what was happening to her."

He swallowed hard.

"Those students kept tormenting her. They humiliated her. They made her feel like she wasn’t worth anything."

Albert’s breathing became uneven.

"And then one day..."

He stopped.

His lips trembled.

"They killed my sister."

Ivy’s eyes widened.

Albert’s tears finally began rolling down his cheeks.

"They forced her to jump off the roof of the school building."

His voice was barely above a whisper now.

"She didn’t think she could tell her elder brother anything."

He wiped his face with the back of his hand, but more tears immediately followed.

"She didn’t think I’d fight for her the moment I found out she was being bullied."

His shoulders trembled.

"She just decided to end it all."

For several seconds, silence settled between them.

The painful confession hung heavily in the air.

Ivy stared at Albert, sadness filling her eyes.

"I’m so sorry about that, Albert," she finally voiced, her tone filled with genuine sorrow.

She placed a hand gently on his shoulder.

Albert remained silent.

"I can’t even imagine how painful that must have been for you."

He lowered his head.

"This is the reason why I can’t stand bullies," Albert finally continued, tears still rolling down his cheeks. "It’s because of her."

His voice carried a mixture of pain and regret.

"Especially girls."

He took a shaky breath.

"I always want to protect them whenever I see them being bullied because I never got to protect my sister."

His eyes closed tightly.

"Since I failed her."

"Oh no..." Ivy immediately shook her head. "Please don’t say that."

Her voice was gentle but firm.

"I’m very sure your sister is proud of you."

Albert slowly opened his eyes.

"You didn’t give up after losing her. You’re still alive, you’re still helping people, and you’re still doing good deeds."

Ivy gave him a reassuring smile.

"You were trying to take care of her. You were working hard to provide everything she needed. You simply didn’t know what she was going through."

She sighed heavily.

"You can’t blame yourself forever for something you didn’t know."

Albert stared at her quietly.

After a few seconds, he nodded his head in understanding.

"Thank you, Captain."

Ivy smiled faintly.

Then an idea suddenly came to her mind.

"Would you like to join my Hope Base?"