Dale had chin-length hair, fair skin, and a mature, alluring figure. Even amid the chaos of escape, she did her best to keep her appearance neat, wearing two gold earrings that gleamed despite the circumstances. However, having narrowly escaped death, her features were marked with anxiety, adding a unique charm to her demeanor.

James Lone commanded, "Stop!"

The convoy gradually came to a halt.

James Lone opened the door and jumped out, striding directly toward Dale.

The women in the vehicle watched with curiosity, sensing that this interaction wouldn't take long.

"Looks like the master has taken a liking to her; she's lucky!"

"We're adding another sister to the group."

"Sigh, the competition is getting fiercer. The master hasn't visited my room in days!"

"Let's team up tonight; we'll definitely attract the master's attention. Hehe."

...

As Dale focused on James Lone approaching, she struggled to stand up and cautiously said, "Sir, my name is Dale. I'm incredibly grateful for your help!"

James Lone nodded blandly, then boldly assessed her from head to toe, his gaze invasive and unabashed, which made Dale feel uneasy.

But she quickly deduced that the man in front of her was undoubtedly a powerful ability user. His clothes were clean, body healthy, and his complexion flush, standing in stark contrast to the grimy, haggard appearance of other survivors.

Dale quickly glanced at the RV behind him where several women in military uniforms curiously peered out the windows.

These women looked equally pristine and healthy, adorned with exquisite makeup and perfectly styled hair!

All of them were top-notch beauties!

It reminded her of the companions of wealthy tycoons in peacetime.

Dale was astonished.

To maintain such a standard of living amid the purple mist era was nearly unimaginable.

How were they managing this?

Was it some form of ability?

Connecting the dots to the tank earlier, she wondered: "Could he be a big shot from the military?"

James Lone caught the direction of Dale's gaze and noted the flux of red, yellow, and green hues emanating from her. He smirked and gestured toward the RV, saying, "Would you like to live this kind of life? Let's make a deal: come with me, and I'll ensure you never have to worry about food or shelter again."

Without any hesitation, he offered material comforts to tempt Dale.

James Lone had no interest in dilly-dallying with romantic overtures; in a world where death loomed around every corner, straightforward deals were preferable.

Uncle Wong was left dumbfounded by the directness of the proposition.

Dale's expression shifted; she suppressed her anger and replied, "I'm sorry, but I'm not the kind of woman you think I am."

James Lone showed no sign of embarrassment, merely calm as he looked at Dale again.

This woman possessed abilities of her own and seemed to be doing well; there was no need for her to be anyone's golden canary.

James Lone didn't press further: "Alright then, just spend one night with me, and we'll call it even for saving your life."

Dale's expression darkened as she processed his words, but she couldn't quite gauge James Lone's capabilities. She cautiously replied, "Sir, this doesn't seem appropriate..."

Since the apocalypse, she had encountered numerous men who eyed her body with intent.

James Lone was not the first.

Uncle Wong, now furious, shouted, "Young man, what nonsense are you spouting! Do you even know who Miss Dale is? Her family has senior officials in the Washington, D.C.'s military! I suggest you don't overstep your bounds!"

"The Washington, D.C.?" James Lone scoffed. "That place has been completely cut off for a long time. You can't be unaware of that, can you? It might even have been wiped out."

The Washington, D.C. is completely cut off?

Is that true?

Dale felt a jolt of surprise.

James Lone abandoned the topic of the capital and instead pulled out a piece of awakening fruit.

"I'll also throw in an ability fruit for your overnight fee."

Dale felt a mix of shock and humiliation at the mention of the ability fruit.

It was truly an ability fruit!

Having consumed one before, she was fully aware of its effects.

More importantly, the ease with which this man produced an ability fruit indicated his unfathomable strength!

Dale felt compelled to avoid provoking James Lone and responded delicately, "I'm sorry; I really don't think this is appropriate."

James Lone's expression hardened: "You don't think saving lives is free, do you?"

Both of them paused.

Dale's heart raced, tension mounting.

Uncle Wong was about to speak when James Lone emotionlessly produced a handgun from his pocket.

Wong promptly fell silent.

Dale panicked, her mind racing. "I have a set of gold jewelry in my bag! I'll use it to buy my life."

"What good is gold now?" James Lone replied dismissively, methodically chambering a round.

Wong shuddered in fear.

Dale's heart went cold; such situations were all too common in the apocalypse.

She could only plead desperately, "Can we wait until tonight? I... I have some other matters to attend to right now."

James Lone narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing her. "You want to run?"

Dale quickly shook her head. "No! My companions got separated. I want to find them first."

Uncle Wong felt a wave of despair wash over him.

Such an idiotic stalling tactic was unlikely to be taken seriously.

However, to their surprise, James Lone considered for a moment and nodded. "Alright. Come back at seven."

Did he really just agree? Dale felt a rush of relief.

She couldn't quite understand what he was thinking, but hurriedly left with Uncle Wong.

Once they had made it a dozen meters, with the purple mist obscuring their paths, Dale released a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

Uncle Wong, still baffled, asked, "Why did he agree to that?"

Dale frowned. "Maybe he has some tracking ability and wants to play cat and mouse with us."

Wong replied fearfully, "What do we do then?"

Dale hesitated before saying, "You all go ahead. I'll hide in the woods for the night. He's definitely heading toward the 910th unit; he won't waste time on me."

At this point, she had no choice but to take a gamble.

She couldn't decipher the extent of James Lone's abilities, so she could only hope he wouldn't want to waste too much time on her.

Just then, they stumbled across a group of lost companions.

After explaining the situation, Uncle Wong and several other survivors decided to stay with her.

The roads were too dangerous, and lacking an ability user made survival to the 910th unit a daunting prospect.

Many were exhausted and wanted to rest for a night, while others feared retribution from the tank convoy and quietly abandoned Dale.

...

Meanwhile, James Lone returned to the vehicle, where the women looked at him curiously.

"Master, why did you just let her go?"

James Lone remained calm as he replied, "She's a bit mischievous and needs some discipline."

Monroe and a few others chuckled, reveling in Dale's misfortune.

"She's in for a rough time!"

However, James Lone was pondering deeper implications.

Dale's resistance was strong.

Even if he forcibly took her, she might harbor resentment.

In that case, he would be compelled to eliminate her afterward.

James Lone wasn't sure of her relationships with her companions; if there were close ties, she could very well seek revenge in the future.

The safest approach would be to eliminate her completely.

How could he draw her companions out without letting her go?

James Lone calmly watched as Dale and her companions retreated into the forest.

Trying to hide from me?

Is that effective?

As he saw her moving deeper into the forest, about 150 meters away from the convoy, he said, "Let's set up camp here for the night. I'll be away for a bit."

The women nodded in understanding.

Shirley Inr Won gently remarked, "Master, the situation outside isn't safe. Bring her back; don't spend the night out there."

James Lone chuckled, "Don't worry."

With that, he walked through the vehicle and into the purple mist.