"Chairman George," whispered Secretary River, "Do you think Linkon might be plotting against us?"

Jack George pondered for a moment and lowered his voice, "It's a possibility we should be wary of, though I think the odds are low. The 910 Brigade is still rebuilding, and we need to take some risks. If we secure an advantage from the start, we can maneuver more smoothly later on!"

Jack George felt confident that he wouldn't be taken advantage of due to his powerful ability, which allowed him to unleash a burst of combat power.

While not as strong as the top three of the esper unit, he was formidable nonetheless!

When the purple fog descended, Jack George had been inspecting a hotel with his subordinates when they found themselves trapped, forced to survive among hotel staff and guests.

By sheer luck, he had gained an esper fruit, and using his powers, prestige, and cunning, he gradually rose to become the leader of this group of survivors.

In the end, he successfully led the majority to the 910 Outpost.

Once there, he leveraged his prior relationship with Bruce Scott to obtain a license, establishing himself as a stall vendor.

Meanwhile, the women enjoyed a delicious meal followed by refreshing hot showers, leaving them feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.

In the swimming pool, James Lone was savoring a traditional Chinese massage technique that Tailsa Evans had just learned, contemplating his future plans.

First, the issue of the green giant eye needed to be resolved.

If it weren't for that vile creature, he could easily transport the women and avoid all this hassle.

Furthermore, if the Tree of All Laws wanted to continue growing, he had to retreat to that cave for cultivation, but the green giant eye severely hindered his progress.

Second, he needed to keep a close watch on the tentacle monster.

While it was far from the riverbank and wouldn't pose an immediate threat, there was no telling what could happen.

Third, he had to investigate the situation with the 910 Brigade.

The two factions were too close to ignore.

He couldn't possibly spend all his time monitoring the 910 Brigade himself; they had their specialized esper unit, and frequent visits for surveillance might attract attention.

It'd be best to arrange for an informant.

Kstyle could work, but his status was too low, and he likely wouldn't be able to gather useful intel.

Having someone with a higher status would be perfect.

James Lone thought of Teresa Taylor.

She was a powerful esper and originally from an official background; if she could bring team members from the TV station to join him, her status would rise significantly.

Fourth, the 910 Brigade should be able to accumulate a considerable number of esper fruits, and it would be great if he could purchase them.

Ideally, he would take over the 910 Brigade to have them collect esper fruits on his behalf.

However, leading the 910 Brigade had become problematic given James Lone's knowledge of the alien on the far side of the moon.

Given the risk of an invasion, large organizations would be prime targets; it was wiser to remain in the shadows for his own safety.

Fifth, he aimed to find more beautiful women.

Sixth...

After mapping out these future plans, James Lone stood up.

"Tailsa Evans, you're coming with me to plant peach trees."

"Plant peach trees?" Tailsa Evans looked puzzled.

"Yeah, the kind of peaches you love to eat."

He led Tailsa Evans through a wall to the upper level of the villa and called for Wot Andrew to join.

In a corner outside the back door of the villa, James Lone selected a spot.

Earth and stone manipulation!

The ground shifted as dirt and stones surged upward.

Plants were uprooted and toppled.

James Lone manipulated the soil, turning it over a few times before leaving four small holes and one large pit.

He placed four peach pits in the small holes.

He also took the mutated peach tree and planted it in the large hole.

With his palm hovering over the four peach pits, he activated plant gestation!

Vitality coursed through him, causing the peach seeds to root and sprout, quickly growing green branches.

Half a minute later, James Lone stopped.

The four young peach trees had reached a height of one foot.

Even for someone with his impressive physique, producing four peach trees at once took a considerable toll.

Dale watched in awe.

"This ability is astonishing!"

James Lone gasped for breath and said, "Tailsa Evans, Wot Andrew, from now on, you two will be responsible for nurturing these peach trees and hastening their fruiting."

Even though he had ample food, James Lone wanted to see if these peach trees would continue to mutate and improve, possibly achieving near-perfection like that mutated peanut.

"Alright!" Wot Andrew eagerly responded, looking at the young peach plants. "Are we eating the same kind of peaches that come from these trees?"

"That's right!"

James Lone replied, "Alright, you both get to work. If you need anything, talk to Shirley, or you can come to me. I'll head over to the 910 Brigade."

"Be careful, Mr. Lone."

"Come back early, Master."

James Lone waved as he stepped out.

He hadn't gone far when he heard a soft meow.

Looking up, he saw the Persian cat perched on a branch, watching him intently.

James Lone frowned; this cat was about one and a half meters long—a non-threat to him but still a concern for others.

It always prowled around, making him cautious.

However, there was no red glow around the cat, just yellow and green, which eased his apprehension.

Meow~

The Persian cat called out again.

After considering, James Lone pulled a pack of roasted duck from his storage space, tearing open the packaging and waving it at the cat.

Without a hint of caution, the Persian cat leaped down, rubbing its massive tail against him, then picked up the duck in its mouth before scampering off.

It was likely accustomed to human interaction, having been raised by people.

James Lone finally relaxed, thinking, "As long as it accepts food, maybe I could keep this mutated cat."

With his Will-formed Armor!

Gravitational distortion!

James Lone leaped lightly onto the tree branch.

After a few jumps, he stood atop the crown of a tree, swaying gently in the breeze.

Crack!

Out of nowhere, a giant crow swooped down, launching an attack at James Lone.

James Lone didn't even blink.

With a swift flash of his knife, the crow was cleaved in half, falling into the purple fog below.

James Lone quickly assessed the direction and sped off toward the 910 Outpost.

An hour later, Jack George met with Linkon again.

Jack George had brought along fifteen young, brawny survivors, all fully armed and appearing stone-faced—his most trusted subordinates.

Linkon assembled everyone and set out.

Together, they had a total of over forty individuals, nearly all young men.

With this gathering, Linkon finally felt some confidence and rallied the group. "Brothers, once we reach the destination, everyone can take a shower and enjoy a hearty meal!"

Cheers erupted.

Linkon swung his arm abruptly. "Let's go!"

Dawson, swinging a large machete, led the way into the dense forest.

In the forest, James Lone stood atop a rooftop, curiously observing one of the espers among the group below.

"Does this person also have the ability for blood burst?"

He instinctively scrutinized the person's face.

"Hmm? I feel like I've seen him somewhere before... Oh! Isn't that Jack George?"

Lancy George's father, Jack George, was still alive?

What was he doing here?

James Lone was taken aback, turning his focus back to the conversation below.

"Governor Linkon, your shelter hasn't become inaccessible, has it?"

A stern-looking man walking nearby reassured, "Don't worry; the power in the shelter is sufficient."

Another man added, "What if other survivors take it over?"

The serious man answered with pride, "Half-meter thick alloy doors; besides me, no one else can get in!"

James Lone instantly became alert.

Were they aiming for the shelter at Dill Holiday?

The Governor Linkon?

This man was indeed Linkon!

James Lone narrowed his eyes, contemplating whether to take him out.

However...

The password that Linkon held was critically important.

Though James Lone could enter and exit the shelter without a password, obtaining the computer system's password would give him far better control over the entire facility.

Additionally, apart from his own women, James Lone would never grant the ability to manipulate shadows to any man.

With the shelter entrance's password, he could allow Wot Andrew to temporarily retreat there in dangerous times.

James Lone hadn't learned how to extract information through forcing confessions.

Even if he captured Linkon, he couldn't be sure he could pry the password from him.

If Linkon had a fiery temperament and chose to kill himself, what then?

It might be better to just follow behind and observe...

After weighing his options, James Lone decided to tail the group quietly.