My 100th Rebirth a day before the Apocalypse novel Chapter 707

Then, after exploring the Underground Level 2, Duke led Kisha down to Level 3, continuing until they reached the final underground level. As Duke guided her through each area, Kisha's hoarding instincts kicked in before her brain could process it.

Absentmindedly, she stored away everything she saw into her inventory, barely realizing what she was doing.

By the time Duke finished the tour, the bunker had been completely cleared out, yet he remained blissful as he shared his treasure with the one he loved, grinning as he proudly led her around. When they finally emerged from the bunker, not a single item was left behind.

Afterward, Duke registered Kisha's retina, fingerprints, and voice into the system, ensuring that she, too, would have full access to the bunker—no longer just his domain but hers as well.

Although the bunker no longer held Duke's stored supplies, its true value remained in its structure. Built to withstand a nuclear bomb, it was an impenetrable safe haven. Now that Kisha had full access, she could use it whenever needed in the future, without any restrictions standing in her way.

"Wifey, now that you've taken all my assets and left me completely broke, I have nothing to my name anymore," Duke said, playing with Kisha's hand, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "That means I can only stay with you—no take-backs! I belong to you now, and you're not allowed to leave me."

It was then that Kisha realized—this had been Duke's plan all along. This was why he had been so eager to hand everything over to her from the very start.

Kisha wasn't about to turn down all these valuable assets, especially since Duke was offering them so freely. Besides, she wasn't losing anything in the deal. With a small smile, she nodded.

"Alright, now that we've got everything settled, let's talk about who will be heading to the farm to meet Sparrow's new recruit."

Hearing Kisha refer to the newcomer as a "new recruit," Sparrow couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment, as if he had achieved something significant. A small smirk tugged at his lips, but his satisfaction only served to aggravate the other three, who were still plotting ways to get back at him.

Despite their lingering grudge, they were eager to tag along. They saw this as an opportunity to gain more combat experience—after all they felt like, wherever Kisha and Duke went, action was sure to follow.

Sparrow, on the other hand, also seemed to attract chaos, but for entirely different reasons. Unlike Kisha and Duke, whose encounters always felt like missions sent their way, Sparrow's experiences were purely a result of his terrible luck.

And that was exactly why they hesitated. It wasn't that they doubted his abilities, but there was always the nagging fear that his misfortune might rub off on them. Or perhaps… it was just their own prejudice.

Either way, Sparrow had to come along since he was the one Dracon was familiar with. However, Duke was adamant about Kisha staying behind—he didn't want her exhausting herself any further.

His plan was simple: bring back the man and the supplies she needed while she took the time to rest.

Duke knew just how much Kisha had been pushing herself these past few days. The weight of countless responsibilities had fallen squarely on her shoulders, and though he had once given her the position of City Lord as a playful gesture—to prove that she could, quite literally, rule over him—he now regretted it. What was meant to be a symbolic title had instead become a heavy burden.

Now, all he wanted was to lighten that load. If there was anything he could do to ease her burdens, to handle the work in her place, he would do it without hesitation.

What Duke didn't realize was that even if he took on the title of City Lord of HOPE Base, the system would still assign Kisha missions that would ultimately push her to reclaim control.

The system had always intended for her to lead—it was why she was forced to stay at the base in a certain timeframe in the first place, tasked with overthrowing the Coltons and dismantling their tyranny.

No matter how many detours they took, the outcome remained the same: Kisha needed to be the City Lord. In the end, Duke handing her that position had only streamlined the process.

Instead of having to navigate political maneuvering or manipulate the system to claim her rightful authority, she was able to step into the role effortlessly, exactly as the system had intended all along.

Kisha could sense Duke's genuine intentions—he really wanted to lighten her burden and make things easier for her. The issue was that the system had no such intentions to give her the easy route.

In her experience, the system seemed determined to throw the most grueling and demanding missions at her, ensuring that nothing ever came easily.

Ding!