Bruce Scott quickly distributed the benefits, ensuring everyone received their share, which in turn solidified their loyalty to him.

Feeling the atmosphere was just right, Bruce Scott stood up with a sweeping gesture and declared, "Now, I personally will command the mission to rescue New York City!"

Everyone looked at Bruce Scott. This was a tricky task, and they were keen to see what ideas he had.

The initial plan relied on Isaac Murphy's powers due to his highly suitable abilities.

But now that Isaac Murphy was dead, what would they do?

Surely, they couldn't just send all their men in?

There might be objections as it could result in heavy casualties.

Bruce Scott confidently said, "New York City is too large; sending our men in would be like a drop in the ocean. So, we'll make sure the survivors come out by themselves!"

The officers breathed a sigh of relief.

But they were curious—how would the survivors get out?

Daniel Wright expressed his concern, "We're 35 kilometers from the city center. It's hard for ordinary survivors to traverse such a dense forest, even for most ability users."

Bruce Scott smiled confidently, "Bomb New York City!"

Everyone was taken aback.

That sounded insane!

Bake Allen anxiously remarked, "Bombing New York City to force survivors out? That would ruin our reputation. Even if survivors get here, they'll despise us!"

Bruce Scott laughed heartily, "Of course, it's not aimless bombing. I checked the National Guard's underground arsenal—ammunition aplenty. So, we'll use artillery to blast a path for the survivors through the forest! We'll choose some main roads and extend them with firepower, clearing all the forest along these routes. As for specifics—like how wide the paths need to be or which routes to clear to save the most survivors—that's where you experts come in. I'm just a rough tactician; military specifics aren't my forte."

At first, everyone thought the idea too wild.

But upon reflection, it seemed plausible.

"Hmm... It could work." "Mutated animals are still animals; artillery will scare them off, giving survivors a window to escape." "Exactly! Take the 155mm artillery shell, for example—each round creates a 50-meter blast radius. Even in dense forest, we could clear at least a 20-meter radius. If we open a path 100 meters wide and 40 kilometers long, it's just 4,000 shells!" "Only 4,000? That's not much!" "Not just 4,000; New York is huge. I think we need to clear 5 to 10 routes, consuming 20,000 to 40,000 shells. Still not a lot. Our armory holds 500,000!" "Many shells are outdated models, right?" "Doesn't matter—blasting trees, not tanks; even old models suffice." "We lack professional artillerymen. Can we hit the mark?" "Hell, if we can't hit fixed targets, what kind of soldiers are we! If you're worried, leave it to me! Firing tens of thousands of shells—how satisfying! Hahaha!" "To avoid harming survivors, target main roads, and distribute leaflets and radio broadcasts, alerting survivors beforehand." "Yeah, impossible to completely avoid casualties. In the old days, locals would evacuate. These times... well, it can't be helped."

...

After much discussion, they quickly determined that, although crude, this plan was highly feasible.

Minimal military loss—few tens of thousands of shells.

Such a strategy needed someone like Bruce Scott, not an academic like Isaac Murphy, who parroted orders and tolerated endlessly—what sheer nonsense!

Bruce Scott's arrival offered a perfect solution, earning everyone's trust as his authority grew.

The final plan formed swiftly during discussions:

Inform survivors of the bombing zones, instructing them to prepare to escape.Bomb continuously for 24 hours, clearing escape routes.Afterward, deploy helicopters and elite teams to set up guidance and supply points.Survivors have a 7-day escape window; any longer, and returning mutated animals could cause mass casualties.After 7 days, all teams withdraw from guidance and supply points, ending the mission.

With Bruce Scott's command, the long-silent military camp buzzed with activity.

As he watched the officers lead their troops to carry out orders, a sarcastic smile curled his lips.

Surrounded by Aron Scott and a few trusted aides, Aron complained, "Big Brother, why give so many troops to outsiders?"

Bruce Scott sneered, "I've just seized command; can't rush this. Don't worry, let them enjoy themselves—the National Guard will stick with me eventually!"

The Scott family group shared a knowing, malicious grin.

Omar Scott exclaimed eagerly, "Hahaha! Only Uncle's got such foresight!"

Bruce Scott rolled his eyes.

You idiot, you uneducated moron!

Someone scolded, "Fool, if you can't speak properly, keep quiet. It's called strategic planning!"

"Yes! Yes! Strategic planning! Hahaha!"

Bruce Scott looked up at the purple mist, feeling a surge of passion.

For others, chaos was disaster.

For me, it's thriving water.

This apocalyptic world was my grand stage!

From here, I'll ascend step by step to the pinnacle!

The Scott family watched Bruce Scott's rising ambition, seeing the emergence of a dynasty.

With Bruce Scott, our family is blessed!

...

James Lone held Sita King as they returned home.

The women had grown accustomed, adding another sister.

Taking a glance at Sita King—pretty, with distinctive little tiger teeth, quite adorable.

Even the women found her charming.

They all admired James Lone, wondering where, amidst chaos, he found so many beauties.

"Does he have an ability to find beautiful women?" mused April Jones, her mind wandering.

The white fox, seeing so many ability users, bristled with fur standing on end.

Immediately, the massive Byakugan approached, sniffing the fox curiously.

With a defensive snarl and bared teeth, the fox warned it off.

"Woof! Woof! Wanna play?" Byakugan backed away, tilting its head at the fox.

The fox ignored it, settling comfortably in Sita King's arms.

Sita King marveled, "Why so many beautiful sisters?"

James Lone casually answered, "Oh, you're all sisters now."

"Everyone is your..." Sita King exclaimed, astonished.

"Yes." James Lone replied offhandedly, quickly adding, "We can't stay here; it's swarming with monsters. We need to leave immediately."

There wasn't time for chit-chat.

The women tensed, "What kind of monsters?"

James Lone didn't hide, saying, "Some octopus-like tentacle creatures—probably thousands of them."

"So many!" "Thousands!"

Having encountered tentacle monsters, Winnie Morgan trembled, recalling the gym incident.

All the women, hearing Winnie Morgan's description before, turned pale with fright.

However, knowing in advance allowed them to plan an escape easily.

With James Lone's portal, they could evade swiftly.

Gradually, the women calmed down.

Shirley Inr Won worriedly asked, "Master, where are we going?"