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Chen Haiping stepped forward, "In the apocalypse, every minute and every second was precious. I'll keep it brief: no matter what choice you survivors make, the Sanctuary would always be a barrier protecting humanity from the invasion of the Demonized Beasts. In the time ahead, I hope everyone lines up in an orderly manner. Whether you become permanent residents or transient personnel, register some basic personal information here first."
"When registering information, those who wish to become permanent residents of the Sanctuary, according to personal wishes and professional abilities, may apply for various positions. Soon, the Sanctuary would conduct simple assessments for applicants..."
After Chen Haiping finished speaking, the scene was silent for a while, and then some survivors prepared to step forward and line up.
Suddenly.
A voice filled with resentment, as if having suffered a great grievance, burst from the crowd.
"The notice says that after becoming permanent residents, we must obey the work arrangements of the Sanctuary. How do we know if the Sanctuary will assign us to work that will send us to our deaths!"
The survivors who were about to line up suddenly halted.
Not everyone trusted the Sanctuary. Even some who survived because of the Sanctuary's rescue might not be very grateful.
This was human nature.
And this comment precisely voiced the concerns in their hearts.
Chen Haiping's face turned somewhat dark. His gaze swept over the crowd but did not find the speaker's trace.
Clearly.
They had come prepared, already hidden among the crowd, waiting for an opportunity.
Chen Haiping had thought today's events wouldn't go smoothly but never imagined some people would be so anxious, causing trouble even before the registration began.
What exactly did these people want!
His face became serious. "The Sanctuary wouldn't assign anyone to a mission meant for death or an impossible task. If you have doubts, don't believe, or cannot endure the institutional binding, you may stay as transient personnel."
"Heh, sounding nice, but if you don't become permanent residents, don't obey your orders, you cut our food supplies and expel us from the Sanctuary! Is this really giving us a choice!"
The sharp voice resounded again.
It stirred unrest in the crowd, causing survivors to whisper, and the scene slowly spiraled out of control.
Chen Haiping's gaze was fierce.
This time, he identified the owner of the voice.
An Awakener: precisely one of the few he paid particular attention to.
He was about to say something.
A faint voice drifted in.
"This is a Sanctuary."
"Here, you must abide by the rules. If you can't, then please leave smoothly."
"Now is registration time; the notice is clear about your power of choice, but here, I must add one thing..."
"You have no right to question."
Like a breeze sweeping across the face.
Yet carrying a bone-chilling coldness.
The survivors held their breath.
Following the voice, they saw three figures walking out from the villa area.
Leading was a young man in sportswear, followed by a burly big man and a girl in a cloak.
"It's Captain Iron-faced Luo!"
"And the Ice Goddess!"
Luo Zhe was the most commonly seen by survivors, and because he often wore a stern face, he gradually earned this nickname.
Eileen... Survivors had not seen Eileen in action, but her cold demeanor, along with a glimpse of her delicate features hidden beneath her hood, made them feel she was untouchable.
This was a nickname used in private discussions; no one dared to call it in person.
With Demonized Beasts around the Sanctuary becoming increasingly scarce, most newcomers had no chance to see the two in action.
Only those who initially arrived at the Sanctuary had witnessed that terrifying power and held Luo Zhe and Eileen in genuine admiration.
At the forefront was Tang Yu, whom many had not seen, but they could guess he was the Sanctuary Director.
Ding Qiang's gaze carried some seriousness.
It was his first time observing this mysterious Sanctuary Director up close.
He had never underestimated the Sanctuary. To accomplish today's task, he had already devised several plans.
Suddenly, he was stunned.
"Why is there no Awakener's aura? Director Tang was just an ordinary person?!"
He couldn't believe it. How did an ordinary person become a Sanctuary Director?
Then Ding Qiang smiled.
If Director Tang, one of the Sanctuary's three strong leaders, was just an ordinary person, then the probability of their success could rise from ninety percent to one hundred.
Steady!
On the other side, several people were observing.
"Third, why did you reject Ding Qiang so directly when he came to us yesterday?"
The bespectacled young man called Third adjusted his glasses. "What otherwise? Follow those fools and negotiate with the Sanctuary?"
The big man beside him sounded a bit regretful, "But you shouldn't have refused so decisively. What if they succeeded, wouldn't we lose out?"
The bespectacled young man shook his head, "If we wavered and the Sanctuary treated us as part of Ding Qiang's group and took care of us, then..."
He stopped speaking.
Being forced to become captives, the group surely felt dissatisfied. However, the bespectacled young man was more rational. The power the Sanctuary wielded was not as simple as it appeared. Merely the towering walls and those Puppets revealed the foundation of the Sanctuary.
Even if all this were the work of ability users, it only highlighted how terrifyingly strong these ability users were.
...
By this time, order gradually stabilized.
Survivors began to step forward to register, and a substantial line soon formed in front of the writing desk.
In secret, Ding Qiang frowned.
Originally, he thought that after that mess behind the scenes, it would stir up some emotions in the survivors. Yet, surprisingly, so many survivors still chose to trust the Sanctuary.
As an Awakener, he did not understand the hardships of ordinary survivors. Fortune had led them to the Sanctuary, and it was a well-provisioned Sanctuary; doubt or not, these people wouldn't hesitate.
For nothing else, just for the food that could fill their bellies.
Though slightly unexpected, he wasn't disheartened.
Getting survivors to lose trust in the Sanctuary was only a preliminary plan.
Success would undoubtedly save much trouble; even if not, he believed he could plant a seed of doubt in the hearts of many survivors.
Next, he had plans A, B, and C!
This was his years of planning experience: many preparations led to certainty!
Ding Qiang let out a subtle smile.
He slowly stepped out, followed by several other Awakeners.
He spoke loudly, "Wait, I have objections."
"I don't care what systems you have in the Sanctuary, but if you think a few simple words would make us Awakeners work for you, that's not enough sincerity."
"Our demands are not high. In reference to other Sanctuaries, as Awakeners, we should at least have positions similar to Guest Elder, be given the deserved courtesy... On normal days, our activities shouldn't be restricted; we need richer food and assigned quarters. Of course, we will contribute, such as managing survivors or resisting when Demonized Beasts attack."
Manage survivors? To them, it was not labor; instead, it was a chance to squeeze profit from the survivors.
As for resisting Demonized Beasts? Ding Qiang had plans for that too. Anyway, a token effort would suffice; if the Sanctuary couldn't hold, he wouldn't hesitate to be the first to flee.
Such things, he was very familiar with.
In the small Sanctuary where he once stayed, when Demonized Beasts slaughtered survivors, he had already fled with the Sanctuary's food supplies.
After saying this, the other Awakeners who had prepared themselves voiced their agreement.
"Yes! The benefits must be higher. The food you provide should be double or triple for it to be sufficient."
"And housing: As Awakeners, one villa per person isn't too much, is it? Without us Awakeners guarding, where would the Sanctuary find safety?"
Ding Qiang looked assured, waiting for the Sanctuary's response.
The survivors lining up also had their attention drawn.
Many discerned that Ding Qiang was undoubtedly linked to the earlier dissenting voice.
They also noticed it was an opportunity to present demands to the Sanctuary; calling it a threat was not an overstatement. Yet most survivors still hoped Director Tang would agree.
Although Ding Qiang's demands were a bit excessive, his words were not without reason.
If Director Tang didn't agree, lacking a sufficient number of Awakeners, how would the Sanctuary resist the Demonized Beasts?
The most critical element for a Sanctuary was to have a secure environment, and the root of safety was derived from the Awakeners, right?
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