Chapter 296 I want to make a deal with you.

Erick also couldn’t help the faint smile that appeared on his face.

Ivy continued walking with them, completely unaffected by their disbelief.

"Anyway, don’t be too shocked. Hope Base isn’t as impressive as you think."

Justin shook his head and scoffed, folding his arms across his chest and just continue walking.

After showing them around for a while, Ivy eventually led the two men toward one of the dining halls.

The moment they entered, the rich aroma of freshly prepared food immediately filled the air.

Justin stopped walking.

His eyes widened as he gazed around the dining hall.

Mountains of rice were neatly arranged on the tables, accompanied by fresh vegetables, different kinds of meat, and several dishes that looked nothing like the miserable meals most people had grown accustomed to eating after the apocalypse.

Survivors sat together, eating happily and chatting among themselves. Some people were even busy preparing more food, while others carried trays between the tables.

For a moment, Justin simply stood there.

It felt almost unreal.

"Alright, you two should sit down and eat," Ivy said, gesturing toward two empty chairs. "There’s enough food for everybody, so don’t worry about holding back."

Justin stared at the food in front of him.

He didn’t even realize when his legs moved.

One moment, he was standing beside Ivy, and the next, he had already pulled out a chair and sat down.

Erick wasn’t much different.

He silently took the seat beside him while Ivy sat across from them.

Not long after, food was served on their table.

Justin didn’t waste any time.

The moment the dishes were placed before him, his attention immediately settled on the peppered meat.

The rich aroma had been calling to him ever since he entered the dining hall.

He picked up his cutlery and took a bite.

His eyes widened instantly.

"Oh my goodness!"

The words escaped his mouth before he could stop himself.

The moment the meat touched his tongue, the delicious flavor spread through his mouth, and he practically felt his taste buds come alive.

"This is..."

He didn’t even finish his sentence before taking another bite.

Then another.

He quickly reached for the vegetables as well, chewing with an expression of pure satisfaction as his eyes rolled slightly in excitement.

"This tastes so good," Justin muttered between bites.

Across from him, Erick had already picked up a piece of peppered meat.

He placed it into his mouth and froze.

For several seconds, he couldn’t say a word.

His expression changed completely as he slowly chewed, clearly stunned by the flavor.

He then picked up a spoonful of vegetable sauce and tasted it.

His eyes widened.

He looked down at the food as if he couldn’t understand how something so simple could taste so good.

Ivy watched the two men with amusement.

Neither of them seemed capable of maintaining their usual composure in front of a proper meal.

Justin had already known that Ivy was powerful, but at that moment, he realized he had severely underestimated her.

Her strength wasn’t limited to combat.

Her true strength was her ability to turn a wasteland into something that resembled a functioning civilization.

She wasn’t merely protecting survivors from monsters, she was giving them a life.

Erick seemed to arrive at the same conclusion.

After eating for a while, he finally put down his cutlery and looked directly at Ivy.

"I want to make a deal with you."

Ivy looked at him curiously.

"Huh? What kind of deal?"

"I have a large amount of grain stored in my territory at the moment."

Her eyes immediately lit up with interest.

"How much?"

"Quite a lot."

Erick paused, seemingly considering how to explain the situation.

"I don’t want to simply sell it."

Ivy leaned back slightly, studying him.

"Then what do you want?"

"I want you to process it," Erick declared, his tone serious.

Ivy narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Process your grain?"

"Yes." Erick nodded. "I have the grain, but processing and preservation aren’t my strongest areas. Your base has the machinery, manpower, and facilities necessary to handle it properly."

He looked directly at her.

"I’ll provide the raw grain. You process it into finished food products. We can negotiate the distribution afterward."

Ivy’s fingers lightly tapped against the table as she considered his proposal.

This was exactly the kind of trade Hope Base needed.

Raw materials could be converted into higher-value products while both sides benefited from the arrangement.

Instead of simply exchanging finished goods, Hope Base could use its advanced facilities to process resources supplied by other bases. That would allow them to expand their production capacity without exhausting their own reserves.

Justin nodded in agreement.

"I think it’s worth discussing."

Erick glanced at him before looking back at Ivy.

"We can make the terms fair for both sides."

Ivy’s lips curved into a small smile.

"Then let’s discuss it properly."

She glanced toward the fields visible through the window, where the automated machinery continued harvesting crops with remarkable efficiency.

"If you really have as much grain as you claim, then this could be a very beneficial partnership for both our bases."

Erick smiled faintly.

"I was hoping you’d say that."

Ivy picked up her cup and took a small sip before looking back at him.

"After we finish eating, you can tell me exactly how much grain you have and what kind of processing you need. Then we’ll work out the details."

"Deal," Erick replied immediately.