"Ah!" Lancy George screamed in fright. James Lone slapped her hard on the backside, "Shut up; you're too noisy!"

Quickly, she covered her mouth, feeling the rush of wind as James Lone leapt from the rooftop of a low building, jumping again, soaring high into the air. This time, he broke through the purple mist, landing atop a massive pine tree.

Lancy George gazed up at the sun shining in the sky, her eyes wide in wonder. "So it's a sunny day now." After being trapped in the mist for so long, she could finally see the sun again, and tears of joy streamed down her face.

At that moment, a spider came seemingly out of nowhere, lunging at James Lone. Without a glance, he whipped out his heavy sword, slicing the spider cleanly in two. Lancy George only then spotted the arachnid, hastily covering her mouth in horror.

"Hold on tight," James Lone remarked, his face impassive as he set his eyes back on the direction of Sunshine Garden Tower and leaped once more.

With the combined effects of distortion and his powerful physique, James Lone moved at incredible speeds; with each jump, he covered distances of over a hundred meters.

New York was filled with towering skyscrapers, and thanks to the tall trees poking out of the purple mist, he hardly found himself descending back into the fog. This method of travel was much faster than going underground, although it did pose its risks, as it was easier to be spotted.

Yet with his 200-meter sensory perception, James could usually steer clear of the most dangerous mutated plants and animals. After more than an hour of leaping, he returned to Sunshine Garden Tower with Lancy George in tow.

He gently set her down. Disregarding the danger, jumping with a woman on his back was surprisingly exhilarating.

The other women noticed Lancy George and smiled, "What's our new sister's name?"

As Lancy George looked around at the beautiful, clean, and vibrant women present, her view of James Lone's capabilities raised considerably. She no longer saw just a group of women; rather, she realized James was flaunting his strength entirely!

In this dangerous apocalypse, managing to protect such a group of women so securely spoke volumes about his power—far beyond what any ordinary person could imagine.

...

The next day, after breakfast, James Lone chatted casually with the women, each occupied with their own tasks. They were all a bit anxious about heading to an unfamiliar large settlement, uncertainty looming over whether it would be a blessing or a curse.

They all understood their allure to men, and the thought of attracting unwanted attention could spell trouble. Meanwhile, James Lone felt his own frustrations.

He wasn't particularly concerned about being watched; he valued his peace. Just like at the Pearl Tower in New York, while he had confidence in dealing with foes, the many eyes watching him at the tower was a bother.

In this perilous era, with countless abilities and lurking aliens, it was safest to be cautious and stay hidden. However, the existence of tentacle monsters kept him from straying too far from the crowds.

Lancy George curled up in a corner, listening to their chatter. After a long night and an astonishingly bountiful breakfast, her mindset had shifted dramatically.

A man like James Lone was the ultimate catch in this world. To cling to his leg for dear life, she needed to prove her worth.

Having grown up as a businessman's daughter, Lancy George understood this fundamental truth. Surveying the beauty of the other women, she realized her advantages were nearly nonexistent, with several of them boasting unique "characters."

Especially that one with a magnificent figure—just a glance left Lancy George's heart racing, let alone the men's reactions.

An idea struck her. "Master, I know a place that might suit us perfectly."

James Lone raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? Tell me more."

The other women turned to face Lancy George as well. Seeing the attention she commanded filled Lancy George with pride, though she kept her composure, not letting it show on her face: "The National Guard's base is in Saint Martin Town, and about 5 kilometers to the west lies East Mountain Scenic Area. Outside that area is a community called East Mountain Holiday—a pure villa neighborhood, where all the properties exceed ten acres of prime real estate. The real estate mogul, Chen Chengzhi, has spent billions modifying a shelter underground in one of those villas; it's spacious enough to accommodate dozens of people!"

James Lone's interest piqued. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. My dad has a villa there too, and is in business with Chen Chengzhi. After the shelter was completed, he invited my dad to tour it, and I got to tag along. The facilities inside are top-notch, with generators and walls made of alloy—very secure! Others wouldn't be able to get in, but since we all have wall-passing abilities, accessing that shelter should be a breeze for us!"

James Lone pondered the information. Five kilometers from Saint Martin Town was a reasonable distance. He intended to head there to gather intel and supplies, making travel simple.

However, for others to reach the shelter would be troublesome. Unless there were superhumans with special abilities involved, traversing five kilometers outdoors would be quite difficult. Additionally, East Mountain Holiday lay west of the National Guard base.

If tentacle monsters swarmed, the National Guard would be hit first—giving himself enough time to respond.

Glancing back at Lancy George, James noted that her aura had gone almost completely green—a sign of her quick change in mindset. It indicated she probably wouldn't deceive him.

"Very well! Our primary target will be that shelter. Well done, Lancy George."

Joy lit up Lancy's face at his praise; it thrilled her to earn commendation from James Lone.

However, she harbored a personal interest as well, eager to discover if her father stayed in that villa. If he was there...

Suddenly, James Lone interjected, "Are you hoping to check if your dad is there?"

Startled, Lancy George replied quickly, "Master, I'm not lying; there really is a shelter!"

James Lone gave her a knowing look, casually responding, "It's alright. If your dad is there, all the better. I also want to see you all reunited. If you want to search for family, you can give me their names and photos. When we visit the National Guard base, I'll help you look for them."

Cheers erupted from the women.

"Thank you, Master!"

"Master, I think my sister might still be alive; here's her picture."

"I have a cousin in New York..."

...

James Lone smiled, accepting all their requests.

More family members meant it would be easier to control things.

With their destination settled, James Lone had little else to do, only waiting for the military to unleash their bombardment.

He flew to the rooftop and retrieved a steel rebar.

Quenching!

In just ten seconds, the rebar corroded, resembling noodles. The essence of the rebar transformed into a quenching steel needle the size of a sewing needle.

James Lone took out his mental heavy sword, integrating the quenching needle into it. Ever since he had drawn the sword, he had been continually working on this task.

"What's the benefit of merging with other materials, anyway?"

James Lone observed his heavy sword closely. It didn't seem to have transformed significantly—it had just gotten heavier and felt subtly more comfortable to wield.

Unsure whether this was a psychological effect, he examined it further but couldn't grasp its full significance, deliberating to temporarily abandon it as he casually swung the sword.

Though the mental heavy sword lacked a physical edge, it was unbelievably sharp.

With minimal force, James left deep gouges in the earth. In a surge of sudden excitement, he explosively thrust the sword forward.

Something unexpected occurred!

James Lone distinctly felt energy surge forth from the sword.

Deep holes burst into the far wall, and to his amazement, they penetrated right through!

This power was significantly greater than that of a bullet!

James Lone was elated.

This... was sword qi?!!