The six of them exchanged curious glances.

"This is strange. Aren't the tank crews part of the military? Why are they parked outside?"

"Maybe... there's some internal conflict within the military?"

"Why don't we go camp near the convoy? It's probably safer than here!"

Natasha, wrestling with her hunger, hesitated. "But they've killed so many people; they wouldn't kill us, right?"

She remembered all too well how James Lone had killed in their vicinity, and they hadn't dared venture close, avoiding disaster by a hair.

When the tank convoy departed, it left behind a trail of bodies.

Natasha and the others wasted no time rushing over, competing with other survivors to scavenge supplies from the dead.

Be it food, weapons, or clothing, they grabbed anything they could find.

In a mere thirty seconds, the bodies had been stripped bare.

A short while later, not even the corpses remained, likely dragged off by someone into the woods...

Just thinking about the fate of those bodies sent a shiver down Natasha's spine.

Edison whispered, "I've heard that the tank convoy has only killed the bad guys. They didn't just randomly slaughter people. I suspect those people must have offended the crew! I think we should be safe to go over; some survivors have already set up camp beside the convoy. If we don't hurry, there won't be any space left."

The group decided to move toward the convoy.

At least near the tanks, they would feel a semblance of safety.

With so many people around, if anything were to happen, a stampede could easily occur.

Together, Natasha and her five companions ventured into the purple mist.

No one cared about their departure; the space they left behind was quickly occupied by another group of survivors.

After a few minutes of trudging through the mist, they reached the tank convoy.

Luck was on their side; they found a relatively dry patch just a few meters from the RVs.

The six settled in quickly.

After the rain, a dry space was worth more than any commodity.

Before long, more people silently approached, seeking out patches of ground to rest upon.

...

Night fell, and James Lone gathered all twelve women into the two RVs to spend the night.

With a physique enhancement of only two stars, they weren't like James, who could go days without sleep.

James needed to ensure they got adequate rest to maintain their schedule for the following day.

As for Wot, he remained with the husky, bunking down on the Hummer.

The RVs were too small, and after a quick wash, the women climbed into their sleeping bags.

Shirley Inr Won approached James to chat for a while.

Peering through the window, she voiced her worry, "I can hear a lot of commotion outside."

James glanced outside.

He had seen numerous survivors gather nearby.

But he didn't care much.

Aside from the superhumans, ordinary people posed little threat.

In fact, if any mutated creatures drew near in the night, they would likely target those outside first.

Who wouldn't want free meat shields?

"It's fine; I've seen them. You should get some rest," James replied nonchalantly.

At that moment, an old woman's voice broke through the evening air: "Miss Tang! Miss Tang! It's me, Xiao Wang!"

...

Natasha gazed longingly at the RVs.

Warm, golden light glowed from within.

The light streaming through the clean windows illuminated a small patch of ground around it.

Standing on the damp earth, she fantasized about the warmth and dryness inside—one could only hope there would be food...

Suddenly, a pretty woman peered out the window, glancing outside.

Natasha immediately recognized her.

Wasn't that Shirley Inr Won, the daughter of Director Tang?

She felt a rush of excitement and hurried forward, calling out, "Miss Tang! Miss Tang! It's Natasha!"

Shirley looked down in surprise, spotting Natasha—a disheveled, gaunt woman who was only vaguely recognizable.

Shirley hesitated for a moment, then asked, "You are... Aunt Wang?"

James Lone stepped forward, bolstered by the system's notification: [Natasha] [Age: 41] [Quality: 5/10] (Unremarkable) [Virtue: 7/10] (Chaotic private life since her husband passed) [Overall Score: 6/10] [Ding! Does not meet the system's minimum requirements!]

James's interest quickly waned, and he frowned, "What's your relationship with her?"

Shirley swiftly explained, "Oh, this is Natasha; she's a department head at the personnel office in the Investment Bureau and, well, she's a close associate of my dad."

Natasha, savvy as ever, recognized James Lone as the one in charge. She quickly added, "Hello, sir. Director Tang was my superior."

James couldn't be bothered to respond, turning back to sit inside the booth.

Shirley felt conflicted, wondering how to treat Natasha.

Noticing James's indifference, Natasha felt a chill. "Miss Tang, could you spare me some food?"

Shirley sighed helplessly.

If this had been a few days earlier, she could've shared some food with Natasha without a second thought.

But today was different.

James had punished all the women by withholding dinner.

She herself was still hungry, so how could she give food to someone else?

That would only invite trouble!

Shirley hesitated, recalling James Lone's sharp reprimands as she gently replied, "I'm sorry, but our food supply is very limited."

She shut the window, protecting her own interests, retreating back to her bunk without a word.

Natasha stood frozen in place.

Frustration, rage, and disbelief surged through her!

How could Shirley be so heartless?

"I've been loyal to your father! Don't you see that? I brought gifts for your family every year! And now, when I just want a little food, you can't even share!"

"I've swallowed my pride and directly asked you for food, and you won't give me a bite!"

"Limited supplies? Bullcrap! You're about to grow a double chin! And you say there's not enough food?"

Natasha's eyes blazed with fury.

She clenched her fists, struggling to contain her resentment as she retreated back to her designated area with the others.

Edison, curious, asked, "Do you know the people in the RV?"

The rest looked to Natasha with hopeful anticipation.

If Natasha had connections, maybe they could benefit from it too.

Natasha's voice was hoarse and filled with bitterness. "Just an acquaintance, but she won't pay any attention to me! Not even a morsel to spare!"

Disappointment settled over the group.

That situation wasn't surprising at all.

Food was far too precious for anyone to share.

"If it were me, I wouldn't share either," Edison sighed, lying back.

Natasha kept her head down, replaying the earlier scene in her mind, and her jealousy burned within her.

The contrast was stark.

Shirley Inr Won was clean, healthy, and beautiful, just as she always had been.

Meanwhile, she looked like a complete mess, gaunt and unkempt!

Shirley was just a student; without her father, she was nothing!

She had strutted around like she owned the place, while I held my tongue out of respect for your father.

Now that he was gone, what reason did she have to put on airs?

Why did Shirley get to enjoy the supplies in the RV while she had to roll around in the mud?

Some stuck-up brat!

...

James Lone sat in the booth, silently practicing his breathing exercises while casting cold glances at Natasha, whose aura radiated with anger.