Wasteland: I Awakened A Plant System

A moment later, Brandon let out a disbelieving laugh.

"You’ve got quite the appetite." He took a step forward, his expression turning cold. "My people fought here for two days. We surrounded the Green Wind Shelter. We paid in blood. And now you show up at the last moment and declare that the territory and everything inside belongs to you? On what grounds?"

Vikram smiled calmly. "On the grounds that my people killed Snape." He looked directly into Brandon’s eyes.

"Who killed the strongest man in Green Wind Shelter? Who destroyed their backbone? Who caused all the branch shelters to rebel? If my people hadn’t eliminated Snape, would Blue Frost Shelter have even dared to attack?"

He continued, "You merely seized an opportunity I created. So why shouldn’t everything belong to me?"

Brandon’s face darkened. "I admit that killing Snape was your achievement. But don’t confuse that with today’s battle. My people surrounded this place. My people fought Green Wind Shelter. My people suffered casualties. And now you want to take the fruits of our victory?"

His voice grew colder. "I won’t agree."

Vikram shrugged indifferently. "I don’t need your agreement. I’ve already emptied the warehouse and dismantled the Shelter Core. I’m simply informing you that this territory is mine."

Brandon’s pupils contracted. "You... dismantled the Shelter Core?"

"That’s right." Vikram smiled faintly. "So tell me, what exactly are you planning to occupy now? The empty buildings?"

The Blue Frost members immediately grew furious.

"That’s too much!"

"Boss, stop talking to him! We fought for two days, and he wants to take everything!"

Brandon slowly raised his hand, silencing his subordinates. His eyes never left Vikram.

"So... this is your final decision?"

Vikram nodded. "It is."

Brandon slowly clenched his fists. "Then there’s nothing more to discuss. If you want Green Wind Shelter... you’ll have to defeat me and every member of Blue Frost Shelter standing behind me."

As soon as his words fell, every Blue Frost member raised their weapons.

The atmosphere froze. It felt as though a great battle would erupt at any second.

However, Vikram didn’t even glance at the dozens of weapons pointed at him. His expression remained calm and indifferent.

He simply turned his head slightly and looked at the Phantom Treekin standing quietly behind him.

In the next instant — Whoosh!

The Phantom Treekin vanished.

"What?!"

Brandon’s pupils contracted sharply.

Before anyone could react, a cold sensation crawled up his spine. The Phantom Treekin had appeared directly behind him. Its arm instantly wrapped around Brandon’s neck, while its other hand locked both of his arms behind his back.

"How—"

Brandon barely managed to utter a single word.

Whoosh!

Space seemed to distort for a brief moment. The Phantom Treekin disappeared again, taking Brandon with it.

The Blue Frost members froze in shock.

"...Boss? W-Where did he go?!"

Before they could process what had happened— Whoosh!

The Phantom Treekin reappeared directly in front of Vikram, still firmly restraining Brandon.

Bang!

Without mercy, the Phantom Treekin kicked the back of Brandon’s knees. The tremendous force caused both legs to buckle. His knees slammed heavily into the frozen ground.

Crack!

The icy surface shattered beneath the impact.

The once-proud leader of Blue Frost Shelter was now kneeling before Vikram.

A deathly silence fell over the battlefield.

Not only the Blue Frost members, but even the surrendered Green Wind survivors forgot to breathe.

Rocky stared in disbelief. "H-How... When did it..."

The six former Green Wind members trembled as they looked at the Phantom Treekin. Till now, they only saw that Phantom always stayed beside Vikram. This was the first time they had witnessed one in action.

No, calling it a fight would be an insult. From beginning to end, Brandon hadn’t even been given a chance to react. He had simply been captured.

The four tied-up Green Wind executives were even more horrified. Marcus’s face turned deathly pale.

"So... this is Boss Vikram’s plant..."

"No wonder... No wonder even Snape died..."

Cold sweat poured down their backs. At that moment, they finally understood, if Vikram had truly wanted them dead earlier, they wouldn’t have survived even a second.

The Blue Frost members finally snapped out of their shock.

"Boss!!"

Several people instinctively rushed forward.

But before they could take more than two steps, the Phantom Treekin slowly raised its emotionless eyes. A chilling killing intent spread across the battlefield. Its body blurred once more.

The Blue Frost members instantly froze in place. Not a single person dared move another step.

If it could capture their leader in the blink of an eye, killing any one of them would be even easier.

The battlefield fell into complete silence once again.

Only Vikram remained relaxed. Looking down at the kneeling Brandon, he smiled faintly. "Now... shall we continue our conversation?"

Brandon’s face had long since lost its previous composure. Feeling the Phantom Treekin’s iron-like grip on his shoulders and the terrifying killing intent behind him, cold sweat continuously dripped down his forehead.

He immediately lowered his head.

"Mr... Mr. Vikram. I was blind. I didn’t recognize someone of your stature. I was reckless just now, please forgive my offense."

He didn’t hesitate in the slightest. "I admit defeat. Green Wind Shelter is yours. This territory is yours. My Blue Frost Shelter will withdraw immediately. We’ll leave this area today. I guarantee that from now on, Blue Frost Shelter will never step into your territory again. If we ever meet in the future, we’ll immediately take a detour. As long as you spare my people today, we will never become your enemies."

His tone grew increasingly respectful. "Please... give us a chance to live."

The Blue Frost members exchanged glances. Although they felt humiliated seeing their leader beg for mercy, none of them dared object. The terrifying speed the Phantom Treekin had displayed had completely shattered their confidence. If Vikram truly wanted them dead, none of them would be able to escape.

Even Rocky and the others were stunned. Just moments ago, Brandon had spoken with unwavering confidence. Yet after being captured in a single move, his attitude had flipped completely.

Vikram looked down at Brandon and smiled. "So adaptable? I was wondering how you managed to establish Blue Frost Shelter so quickly. It seems you know when to be arrogant... and when to bow your head."

Brandon forced an awkward smile. "A wise man doesn’t fight a battle he cannot win. If I know we’re no match for you, why should I drag my brothers to their deaths? As long as we’re alive, we can always start over somewhere else."

Hearing this, Vikram’s smile widened. Originally, he had planned to completely swallow Blue Frost Shelter as well. However, Brandon’s words suddenly gave him a different idea.

His eyes narrowed slightly. "No. I’ve changed my mind."

Brandon’s heart skipped a beat. "...Mr. Vikram?"

Vikram slowly walked around him, hands clasped behind his back. "I no longer want Blue Frost Shelter to leave."

Brandon froze. "...What?"

Vikram stopped and looked at him calmly. "From today onward, you will continue leading Blue Frost Shelter. You will also take over Green Wind Shelter. Not only that, I want every small shelter in this region to come under your control as well."

The entire battlefield fell silent.

Brandon looked at Vikram as if he had misheard. "You... you want me to rule this area?"

"That’s right." Vikram nodded calmly. "I want you to continue expanding. Gather people. Recruit survivors. Unify every shelter in this region. The larger your influence becomes... the happier I’ll be."

Brandon’s face was filled with confusion. He couldn’t understand Vikram’s intentions at all. If Vikram was powerful enough to suppress him completely, why would he hand all this authority back to him?

Looking up at Vikram with a puzzled expression, Brandon couldn’t help but ask, "Mr. Vikram... if everything belongs to you... then why are you letting me manage it?"

Vikram smiled faintly. "Because I don’t have the time. My goal isn’t just one Green Wind Shelter."

He slowly swept his gaze across the surrounding snow-covered wilderness. "Today, Green Wind Shelter. Tomorrow, Blue Frost Shelter. And the day after that, every shelter within hundreds of kilometers. I intend to bring them all under my rule."

He looked back at Brandon. "If I have to personally manage every shelter, I’ll spend all my time dealing with trivial matters. But you’re different. You’ve already proven you have the ability to organize people. You know how to recruit survivors, expand influence, and maintain a shelter. So I’ll leave those matters to you."

Vikram’s tone remained calm but firm. "You will continue leading Blue Frost Shelter. You will also take over Green Wind Shelter. Later, every small shelter you conquer will remain under your management. You’ll be responsible for maintaining order in this region, recruiting survivors, gathering supplies, and expanding our influence. I won’t interfere with your daily decisions."

His expression gradually turned serious. "But remember one thing, you are only managing this region for me. The authority I give you... can also be taken back by me. If I ask for manpower, you send manpower. If I ask for supplies, you send supplies. If I tell you to attack a shelter, you attack. If I tell you to stop, you stop. You may command everyone beneath you... but you will always answer to me."

Vikram’s voice carried absolute authority. "There will only be one ruler in this region. And that ruler... is me."

Brandon’s breathing grew heavier. Only now did he fully understand Vikram’s ambition. This man wasn’t interested in becoming the leader of a single shelter. He wanted to build an entire regional power, while letting capable people manage it in his place.

After remaining silent for a long moment, Brandon slowly lowered his head.

"My Lord... I understand. From this day onward, I’ll become your representative in this region. I’ll expand your territory. I’ll recruit more survivors. I’ll gather resources. I’ll make every shelter around here acknowledge your rule. Whatever order you give, I’ll carry it out without hesitation. As long as you trust me, I won’t disappoint you."

His attitude was so respectful that he almost appeared to be a loyal servant kneeling before his master.

However... Hidden beneath his lowered head, a cold smile quietly appeared.

So that’s what you want... You want to sit behind the scenes while I do all the hard work. Fine... I’ll help you unite this region. I’ll gather people, resources, and influence in your name. But one day, when my strength surpasses yours... everything under my control will become mine. At that time... I’ll be the true ruler, and you’ll only be a stepping stone beneath my feet.

With those thoughts buried deep in his heart, Brandon raised his head once more. The coldness in his eyes had completely disappeared, replaced by nothing but respect and obedience.

While Brandon was secretly plotting in his heart, Vikram paid no attention to what he was thinking.

From the very beginning, he had never intended to rely on verbal loyalty. In the wasteland, trust was the most unreliable thing of all. Actions were far more convincing than words.

A faint smile appeared on Vikram’s face as he reached into his backpack and took out a silver bracelet engraved with strange runes.

The moment Brandon saw it, he looked confused. "My Lord... what is this?"

Vikram casually tossed the bracelet in his hand. "A certificate. A certificate proving that you’ve officially become one of my people."

Brandon hesitated. Although he felt something was off, he didn’t dare refuse.

Vikram stepped forward, grabbed Brandon’s wrist, and clicked the bracelet into place.

Click.

Almost immediately— "AAHHH!!"

Brandon let out a miserable scream. Blue-white electric currents erupted from the bracelet, instantly spreading throughout his entire body. His muscles convulsed violently as he collapsed onto the ground, twitching uncontrollably.

The sudden scene startled everyone present. The Blue Frost members instinctively stepped back, their faces filled with fear. Even Rocky and the others stared blankly at the bracelet.

Fortunately, the punishment only lasted a few seconds before the electricity vanished.

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