Teresa Taylor reacted in a flash.

It was as if an invisible force yanked her backward. Her body defied physics, sliding rapidly across the ground, leaving two black streaks from her shoes.

Whoosh!

The tongue missed her by inches, slamming into the ground where she had just been standing. Unfortunately, it didn't miss the young man beside her. The sticky appendage latched onto him and began dragging him back.

"Hmph!" Teresa Taylor snorted coldly. While still sliding, she abruptly stopped herself mid-motion, planting her feet firmly on the ground in a textbook martial arts stance. She exhaled sharply, releasing a breath like an arrow.

"Hah!"

Every hair on her body stood on end, like a cat bristling in alarm. Her muscles coiled with power as she launched herself forward like a cannonball, her fist hurtling toward the tongue.

Boom!

Her punch struck the thick tongue with incredible force, sending it flying sideways. The tongue loosened its grip on the boy, flinging him backward. He slammed into a nearby wall and slumped to the ground, motionless.

The mutated frog descended from the sky like a boulder, landing heavily on the ground with a thunderous crash.

Boom!

The beast was the size of a city bus. In the purple mist, where visibility was barely five meters, the survivors could only see its massive head. The rest of its enormous body remained hidden in the haze, making it even more terrifying.

"Ribbit! Ribbit!"

Its croaks echoed like thunderclaps, shaking the survivors to their core.

"Holy shit, what is that thing?!" "A goddamn frog?!" "Frogs can get that big now?!"

Panic erupted as the survivors scrambled toward the Sunshine Garden Complex, desperate to flee.

Teresa Taylor felt her scalp tingle with fear, but she didn't retreat. She couldn't—not yet. Someone had to cover the escape, or none of them would survive.

The mutant frog crouched low, its body nearly three meters tall even in this position. Its glistening green skin shimmered faintly, reflecting the dim light. Its blood-red, bulbous eyes glared coldly at Teresa, the horizontal pupils filled with icy malice.

It let out another thunderous croak.

This is the creature that's been killing my tadpoles, it seemed to say. This two-legged beast is the one responsible!

Its tongue shot out again like a whip, aiming directly at her.

"Hmph! Filthy animal!" Teresa's warrior spirit surged, and she charged head-on, meeting the attack without hesitation.

James Lone stood quietly by the window on the fifth floor of Building C, watching the sudden battle unfold through his enhanced perception.

The glow surrounding Teresa Taylor's body was nearly as bright as his own. Every time she threw a punch or kick, the glow dimmed, transferring to her limbs in an intense burst. Her strikes shone like miniature suns, leaving streaks of radiant light in their wake.

To James, who was viewing the fight through his perception, her movements were a stunning display of violent beauty—her body flickered between light and shadow, painting the battlefield in dazzling arcs of energy.

She was holding her own against the much stronger mutant frog, relying on explosive bursts of power from her ability to match its ferocity.

James couldn't help but feel a pang of envy. If I had an ability like that, combined with my physical enhancements, I could kick that frog around like a soccer ball.

At the same time, his mind swirled with questions.

"Isn't she the ability user from the police station? What's she doing all the way out here?"

Her presence made no sense. With her power, she could have easily secured a supermarket or other supply-rich location and stayed safe. Why wander around in the mist, taking unnecessary risks?

Unless...

James's eyes narrowed. She has a specific destination in mind.

If she was still aligned with the government, she might know something about the location of official forces.

Watching her and the mutant frog locked in a fierce battle, James quickly realized this was his chance.

"Now's the perfect time to grab that Enlightenment Fruit!"

Without hesitation, James sank through the floor, his body phasing as he moved underground toward the swimming pool.

Originally, he had planned to kill the frog with explosives and then retrieve the fruit. But he'd hesitated, worried the blast might damage the fruit. Now, with the frog distracted, there was no need for such a risky plan. Someone else had unwittingly played the role of decoy.

Within seconds, James reached the poolside bench where the Enlightenment Fruit was growing.

The fruit sat quietly beneath the bench, its glossy surface gleaming faintly.

James's face lit up with joy. Wasting no time, he yanked the plant out by the roots and tossed it into his storage space. Then, he phased back into the ground and left without a trace.

Minutes later, James returned home. The women immediately surrounded him, their faces filled with worry. Shirley Inr Won had already told them about the gunshots she'd heard, and they were all anxious.

Seeing James return with a broad smile, the tension in the room eased.

"Master, who was shooting?" "Master, is everything alright?"

"It's fine," James said with a chuckle. He pulled out the Enlightenment Fruit and held it up for them to see. "The real question is—who should get this?"

At the sight of the fruit, the women forgot all about the gunshots. Their gazes turned eager and flattering. They all knew the value of an Enlightenment Fruit.

Only Lydia Johnson, the newest addition to the group, was confused. She'd never seen the fruit before.

"Wait, isn't that the black Nephelium I told you about? You already had one?" she asked curiously.

James chuckled lightly. "It's called an Enlightenment Fruit. Eating it grants you an ability. They've all eaten one before."

"What?!" Lydia's eyes widened in shock. "So that's how abilities work?"

A pang of regret hit her. If I'd had an ability, maybe my brother and mom wouldn't have died... But the thought of her family quickly soured. No, those selfish people sold me for a pack of instant noodles. Maybe it's better they're gone.

Her eyes reddened slightly at the memory.

James, meanwhile, was considering his options carefully. To date, Shirley Inr Won had consumed the most fruits, granting her three abilities:

Perception (1 star)Phase Shift (2 stars)Enhanced Constitution (1 star)

Monroe Anne came next with two abilities:

Perception (1 star)Phase Shift (2 stars)

Then there were Lily Green and Elsa Thomas, who each had only one:

Perception (1 star).

April Jones was the exception with her extraordinary Teleportation (7 stars).

Lydia Johnson, however, had no abilities at all.

James smiled faintly. No rush. With time, every one of my women will be a powerhouse. One of them could wipe out a whole group of enemies with a flick of their finger.

He finally made his decision. "Monroe Anne, this one's for you. You've performed well lately."

Monroe Anne gasped, stunned. She had been sure she'd lost favor after a recent punishment. Fear of being abandoned had gnawed at her constantly. Now, hearing James's words, tears of relief streamed down her face.

"Thank you, Master! Thank you so much!"

James handed her the fruit. "Eat it."

The choice wasn't random. Monroe Anne's aura was the most vibrant green among the group, even more so than Shirley Inr Won's. Clearly, whatever she was doing to earn his trust was working exceptionally well.

Shirley already had three abilities, and James didn't want to risk making her arrogant by showing her too much favoritism. Lily Green, Elsa Thomas, and April Jones still had room to grow, but their auras weren't "green" enough yet.

Besides, James didn't know what ability this new fruit would grant. If it was something too powerful, it might cause unnecessary problems.

For now, Monroe Anne was the safest choice.

Under the envious gazes of the other women, Monroe Anne ate the Enlightenment Fruit.

A notification immediately sounded in James's mind:

[Ding! Monroe Anne has consumed 1 Enlightenment Fruit – Will Link. 700 fruits have been refunded and stored in your inventory.]

[Enlightenment Fruit (Will Link): 1 star. Grants the ability "Will Link." Repeated consumption of the same fruit may increase its star level.]

Will Link? James frowned. What kind of ability is that?

Curious, he pulled out one of the refunded fruits and ate it himself.