Linkon shook his head vehemently. "Absolutely not! Who knows what's going on over there? It's chaos right now—do you really trust those soldiers? They didn't even bother coming into the city to save us; instead, they want us to risk our lives and go to them. That leader of theirs? Definitely selfish and up to no good. No way I'm going. Better to rule here as a small king than be a nobody over there!"

Lancy George hesitated, torn between her options. She had been stuck here for what felt like an eternity, surviving on scraps of peaches. What kind of life was this? She had grown up with luxury, never knowing hardship, and now, this miserable existence was eating away at her.

And, more importantly, she wanted to find her parents. Her resourceful, ever-capable father had to still be alive.

Linkon, seeing her troubled expression, grew increasingly anxious. He didn't know what was out there, but he was sure of one thing: if they went to a larger settlement, he'd lose Lancy George for good.

Out there, others would have superpowers too. And Linkon? He didn't stand a chance against stronger men vying for her attention.

"Why leave?" he pressed, desperation creeping into his voice. "We're safe here! Do you have any idea how dangerous the road is? Even if you make it to the settlement, Lancy, think about it—you're a stunning woman. In times like these, what do you think people will do when they see you?"

Lancy George fell silent. That was a fear she hadn't voiced but couldn't deny. She crossed her arms, her face hardening in defiance. "Linkon, don't call me Lancy. You're not that close to me."

Linkon's face darkened as he watched her walk out.

Lancy stood in front of the factory's entrance, gazing out.

A group of four survivors toiled in the dirt, clearing weeds and overgrowth. She turned her attention to the factory's outer wall, a hulking barrier nearly a meter thick. Originally made of concrete, it was now reinforced with layers of compacted earth and stones.

This was her handiwork.

Her ability allowed her to manipulate soil and rock, shaping them into structures. After gaining her powers, she had spent days reinforcing the factory walls to keep out the mutated beasts that prowled at night.

Her eyes traced the deep claw marks on the walls. Some gouges cut clean through the earthen layer and into the concrete beneath.

Recently, the mutant beasts had grown more aggressive, and their attacks more frequent. Nearly every day, Lancy had to repair the walls.

Frowning, she paced the perimeter and discovered another set of scratches—different from the others. Judging by the size, the creature that made these marks must have claws nearly half a meter wide.

A chill ran down her spine.

Lancy stared into the thick, purple mist that enveloped the factory, her heart pounding as she imagined the horrors lurking within. Were it not for the protective barrier Linkon had set up, she wouldn't dare step outside.

A trench encircled the factory walls—a makeshift moat created when Lancy had dug out soil for her reinforcements. It was two meters wide and several meters deep, a crude but effective deterrent.

Taking a deep breath, she extended a hand toward the trench.

The earth and stones within began to rise, as though pulled by invisible strings. With a flick of her fingers, the materials flowed toward the wall, seamlessly filling the claw marks and solidifying into place.

Within moments, the repairs were complete.

Exhaling sharply, Lancy moved to another section of the wall and repeated the process before retreating back inside to rest.

Meanwhile, James Lone was on the move.

For over an hour, he sprinted through the underground tunnels, finally reaching the edge of the TV station's base. Without bothering to surface, he infiltrated the base from below.

It was clear the facility was struggling. The recent uprising had taken its toll—many areas were damaged, and large portions of the base were in disrepair.

He soon found Teresa Taylor.

She was seated in an office, discussing plans with several subordinates who stood around her. From the way they deferred to her, it was obvious Teresa had risen to a position of authority here.

James waited patiently until the others had left, leaving Teresa alone in the room.

Without warning, he phased through the wall, locking the door behind him as he entered.

Teresa jumped, startled. Upon recognizing him, she sighed in exasperation. "Can't you use the front door for once?"

"I prefer the back door," James replied with a mischievous grin.

Teresa's cheeks flushed slightly, and she glared at him. "Hey! Can't you just talk like a normal person?"

James smirked. "Why? Did you think of something inappropriate just now? Didn't expect you to know so much..."

Teresa froze, momentarily caught off guard, before snapping, "Get to the point! What are you doing here?"

James chuckled, enjoying her flustered state. "I brought you something. I like to be fair to all my women. Whatever I give the others, you get too."

Teresa's eye twitched at the phrase "all my women." Gritting her teeth, she clenched her fists. "Do you want me to punch you?"

Unfazed, James pulled out three glowing, black fruits and held them out to her. "Here. A gift from your benevolent boss."

Teresa blinked in surprise, eyeing the fruits suspiciously. "You're serious?"

"Of course."

Still skeptical, she picked one up and examined it. After a moment, she asked tentatively, "So... I can really eat these?"

"Go ahead."

Hesitant but intrigued, Teresa took a bite. As the fruit's power coursed through her, her eyes widened in astonishment. "I feel... stronger! My stamina—it's improved!"

James nodded. "One was for physical enhancement. The second boosts your sensory abilities—though since you already had that ability, it might upgrade it. And the third? Now you can phase through walls, just like me."

Teresa's jaw dropped. "You gave me that? Aren't you worried I'll use it against you?"

James grinned, his green aura glowing faintly. "I trust you."

Her heart skipped a beat at his words, and she quickly turned away, brushing her hair behind her ear to hide her flustered expression. "Stop being so corny!"

She cleared her throat and changed the subject. "You've seen the National Guard's flyers, right? I'm planning to lead the people here to their settlement. Are you coming?"

"Of course." He paused before adding, "By the way, avoid the Hudson River. There are monsters in the water—big ones. And there are a lot of them."

Teresa's expression turned serious. "Can I report this to the National Guard? Warn the other survivors?"

"Do what you want. They probably won't believe you anyway."

Satisfied, James stood and stretched. "Well, I'm off. Oh, by the way, since you're all leaving soon, I'm taking some of your stuff. Hope you don't mind."

Teresa frowned. "What stuff?"

James grinned mischievously. "You'll see."

Before she could press further, he sank into the floor and disappeared.

Moments later, a deafening explosion rocked the base.

Teresa bolted upright as chaos erupted around her. "What's happening?!"

"It's the heavy armory! Something exploded!"

Teresa rushed to the scene, only to find the storage area collapsed, its contents seemingly buried. Her fists clenched as realization dawned. "That bastard. What did you take this time? Don't tell me you stole a tank..."

James Lone smirked as he sprinted through the underground, heading toward Wild Winds Off-Road Club.

Not just one tank.

All of them.

Twenty tanks, twenty armored vehicles, and enough fuel to last for months.

By the time anyone realized, he'd be long gone.