Jack George was breathing heavily.

James Lone had so many ability fruits that he could give them away at will! How did he manage that? Did he find a tree that bore these fruits in abundance? Or was he skilled at planting them? Moreover, how did he know what effects this particular fruit would have?

Jack George pretended to decline modestly. "This... this is too precious! It's really not appropriate. I can't accept something for nothing!"

James Lone firmly pressed the body enhancement fruit into Jack George's hands. Inside, Jack's heart was filled with glee as he quickly added, "I'm willing to lower the profit share to 91%!"

James Lone chuckled and shook his head. "No, it's still 80% for you and 20% for me. If the profit margin gets any lower, you won't be able to support your subordinates. This ability fruit is a gift for my father-in-law. Once things stabilize, I intend to give Lancy George a perfect wedding. At that time, I'll also provide a formal marriage gift!"

Father-in-law?! A wedding?!

"Master!" Lancy George threw her arms around James Lone without holding back. She had always thought of herself merely as a plaything for him. Now, it seemed that despite his flirtatious nature, he was genuinely sincere about her!

James Lone smiled, gently caressing Lancy George's cheek. Having realized what Jack George was dreaming about, it was better to let him continue his fantasy. Gifting the old boy an ability fruit would not only strengthen his capabilities but also solidify their perception of him having ample resources. Finally, he would sketch a grand vision for Jack George, ensuring his unwavering cooperation.

A wedding for his daughter! A formal marriage gift!

Jack George was elated. "Don't worry, Mr. Lone! I know what to do now!" He wasn't a fool; James Lone referred to him as father-in-law out of respect. He couldn't let that go to his head and treat James like a mere son-in-law.

Once James Lone and Lancy George left, Jack George squinted at the dark night, silently tightening his fists, filled with fighting spirit, reminiscent of a young man rekindling his enthusiasm.

Chaos? I love chaos! With such a powerful son-in-law, my George family could very well become the top aristocrat in the apocalypse!

...

Sumi was bitten between the shoulders by a mutated snake. With a blank expression, she tightened her grip around a steel bar and drove it into her own abdomen.

With a sickening squelch, the steel bar pierced through her stomach, stabbing into the back of the mutated snake. The creature thrashed about violently, shaking its head with fervor, causing Sumi's body to crash into trees and the ground, resulting in multiple broken bones.

Ribs fractured. Her left palm twisted grotesquely at an angle of 180 degrees, pressed against her upper arm. Her right knee shattered, exposing raw bone through the torn skin.

Yet Sumi displayed no emotion, as if it were not her body at all. She gripped the steel bar with her dismembered hands, repeatedly stabbing it into her own abdomen.

Squelch! Squelch! Thud!

Eventually, the mutated snake fell limp to the ground, its head reduced to a gory mess. Sumi pried its jaws apart and stood, her body covered in rips and tatters, looking like a walking blood-soaked nightmare.

The next instant, her wounds rapidly sealed and healed, leaving no trace within a span of mere seconds. Then, a surging hunger hit her in the stomach. She understood then—every time her severe injuries healed, hunger followed.

Without hesitation, Sumi tore open the snake's head and began gnawing at it, her face soon smeared in blood.

The snake meat was toxic; it burned painfully as it entered her stomach, soon overwhelming her digestive tract. The agony that might have incapacitated others didn't even draw a flinch from Sumi as she devoured it mindlessly.

Survivors who witnessed the scene were terrified, shouting out, "Monster! Monster!" and "Run for your lives! She's a demon!"

Sumi ignored the commotion around her. After satisfying her hunger, she felt warmth spreading through her body, a sense of comfort enveloping her.

She lifted the heavy steel bar, feeling oddly lighter. Did my strength increase?

Confused, she looked around and mumbled, "Where is everyone? Where did they all go?"

Lost in thought, Sumi wandered aimlessly into the dense forest, not realizing she was walking further away from the 910 direction.

After half an hour, a swarm of mutated rats attacked her. Their blood-red teeth held lethal poison. When they bit her, it brought an indescribable itch and sting, causing patches of her skin to darken quickly.

But for Sumi, it was ineffective. She pounded the rats one by one, annihilating them as if playing whack-a-mole, then greedily consumed their flesh without a second thought.

Warmth flooded her body once more. Still brandishing the steel bar, Sumi marched on, mumbling, "Where could he be?"

As she shuffled through the thicket, she inexplicably found herself drifting further from her destination.

At night, she would lie on the ground to sleep. If an aggressive creature detected her, she'd slay it and feast. Gradually, she discovered that the more mutated animals she devoured, the stronger and faster her healing became.

Whenever she encountered other survivors, she would dumbly ask, "Where is he?"

Most thought her a madwoman.

Having captured Sumi as a X-slave, it was clear she was no ordinary woman, possessing decent looks. Some lust-driven male survivors attempted to assault her, only to become lifeless corpses themselves.

Nevertheless, the majority kept their distance, knowing a woman navigating the perilous forest like this wasn't normal.

Three days later, Sumi was just three kilometers from the Jinxi River.

Yet she persisted in her daze.

Suddenly, a tentacle shot out from the purple mist!

...

Three days later, James Lone donned a filthy outfit and mask, walking through the streets of Saint Martin Town.

The streets were crowded with people. Each wore a grim expression, many nursing wounds, thin and pale.

Some had naïvely believed arriving here would lead to a better life, only to become enraged upon learning they had to labor hard for food. Their outrage quickly drew the attention of soldiers who dragged them away.

Some sat numbly on the ground, staring blankly at the chaos around them after losing family members along the way. Others lay despondently waiting for death, without any hope of rescue.

Most were shrewd, repressing their anger while searching for news among the crowd to survive as best they could.

Rumors of surviving tales circulated among the survivors—some absurd, others credible. Even genuine accounts quickly morphed into distorted tales through word of mouth.

Amidst the chaos, the upper echelons of the 910 troop were preoccupied with production, construction, and the consolidation of survivors, leaving them little time to manage such trivial matters.

Jack George, who was accompanying James, spoke in a low voice. "Today is the last day of our escape route; over 30,000 people have arrived."

"Such numbers," James Lone observed the sea of heads. "What's the total number of survivors now?"

Jack George glanced cautiously around before leaning closer to James, whispering, "At least 200,000! This information was acquired at great cost. There are fewer than 4,000 elderly over the age of 50 among them—the rest are almost all young and middle-aged men, with a male-to-female ratio exceeding 13:1. Bruce Scott is bothered by this issue, as the severe gender imbalance could become a major hazard over time. Reports suggest that upper management is considering the option of selling X licenses to alleviate this problem, but a female ability user named Teresa Taylor vehemently opposed this measure, leading to a heated argument with everyone..."

"Teresa Taylor?" James Lone raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

She's already here?

Since his last visit to the 910 base, when he encountered that electric-based power user, he hadn't returned, unaware that Teresa Taylor had arrived.

If that's the case, should he consider putting Teresa Taylor in a position of power within 910?

He himself didn't wish to take the forefront to avoid becoming a prime target for the aliens.

Let Teresa Taylor take center stage; if she dies...

Well, then she dies.

James Lone felt no psychological conflict whatsoever, merely assessing the feasibility of the situation and weighing its risks and rewards.

Jack George sighed, "You're right! Teresa Taylor is a newly risen formidable ability user. It's said that on her very first day, she gave Electric King Junior a severe beating, and now some are calling her the Fourth King—the Martial King."

What a mess! James Lone rolled his eyes. "So, how many ability users are currently here?"