Before long, James Lone discovered six groups of survivors scattered across various buildings at the New York Film Academy.

The groups varied in size, with the largest having around a dozen people and the smallest only seven or eight. Most of them were male, with relatively few women among the survivors.

What caught James's attention was that three of these groups included one or two ability users.

Adding to this the four ability users from Building 16, the New York Film Academy housed nearly ten ability users in total.

James furrowed his brow. "Why does the Academy have such a high concentration of ability users?"

Then, it hit him.

No, it wasn't that the Academy had a higher proportion of ability users—it was that survivor groups without ability users were gradually being wiped out. Naturally, only groups with ability users remained.

This pattern was likely happening everywhere.

In the brutal fight for survival, ability users had a unique advantage and were destined to rise to the top of the survivor hierarchies.

Human society was undergoing an unstoppable transformation.

At this moment, Lulia Smith regained consciousness.

She looked around in fear, her vision obscured by the dense purple mist surrounding her.

Trembling, she asked in a tearful voice, "Wh-where are you taking me?"

James grinned. "To enjoy the good life."

Lulia, of course, didn't believe him. Where in the world could anyone still "enjoy the good life"?

Terrified, she pleaded, "Can I... not go?"

James's smile turned mischievous. "What do you think?"

Lulia looked like she was about to cry. "Why are you taking me? I'm useless—I just eat and waste food. Please, let me go. I'm begging you, sir~"

This professor is surprisingly adorable. James set her down and casually produced a bag of beef jerky with a flick of his hand.

"Hungry? It's five-spice flavored. A bit spicy, but pretty good."

Magic? Lulia was dumbfounded but couldn't stop herself from swallowing hard. She asked hesitantly, "C-could I... get satay flavor instead?"

James nearly burst out laughing. "Sure."

The five-spice jerky disappeared, replaced by a bag of satay-flavored jerky.

Lulia stared at it timidly, her throat moving as she gulped again.

Gurgle!

James opened the bag and handed it to her. "Here. Eat."

The satay aroma wafted out.

Unable to resist, Lulia began eating voraciously.

She loved beef jerky, but as a lifelong dancer, she had always been strict about maintaining her figure. Even though she loved the snack, she had limited herself to eating only one small piece a day.

After the arrival of the purple mist, when even basic meals were a luxury, she had long since stopped thinking about beef jerky.

Now, faced with the long-forgotten treat, she completely lost control.

Besides, there was no point in maintaining her figure anymore. In this world, where hunger was a constant, why bother worrying about appearances?

It's so good!

Tears welled up in Lulia's eyes as she savored the jerky.

James watched her reaction with a satisfied grin.

[Lulia Smith]

Age: 29Appearance: 9/10 (Graceful and elegant)Virtue: 10/10 (Virgin, from a single-parent household, disillusioned with love and marriage)Overall Rating: 9/10

[Ding! Requirements met.]

James was very pleased.

Good. She's kept herself in excellent condition.

Lulia finished the jerky quickly, licking her slender fingers clean before stopping reluctantly.

James pulled out another bag of satay-flavored jerky. "Want more?"

Lulia's eyes lit up. "Are you sure?"

Despite her words, she had already snatched the bag and hugged it tightly to her chest.

A foodie is easy to handle. James then brought out an assortment of snacks: chocolate, chips, nuts, and dried plums.

Lulia's eyes widened, fixating on the pile of treats.

"Come back with me," James coaxed, shaking the snacks like a mischievous uncle luring a child.

"...Alright." Lulia finally made her decision, her cheeks flushed.

At the school, she couldn't even get enough to eat.

Following this man, at least she'd have food to enjoy.

As for what might happen tonight, she already had a good idea. She buried her head like an ostrich, pretending not to know.

Why else would a man save a woman in this world?

Lulia knew her fate but didn't want to dwell on it.

I've already been captured. I can't run, and I can't fight. What other choice do I have?

At least James didn't seem like a bad person.

In times like these, just live one day at a time.

James smiled. "Great. Stick with me while I look around the campus. You can tell me how many survivors are left."

But Lulia quickly shook her head, panic in her eyes. "Let's go back! There's a monster on campus—it eats people without a trace!"

James frowned. "A monster? What does it look like?"

"I don't know. Nobody's seen it," Lulia said fearfully, pointing in a specific direction. "But near the sports field, almost every time we send people over, one or two go missing."

The sports field?

James turned his gaze toward the area she indicated.

His Perception only covered 100 meters, and the field was farther away—several dozen meters from their current location. He could barely see its edge.

At first, he noticed nothing unusual.

But then he did.

The animal density in the direction of the field was significantly lower!

And the closer to the field, the fewer animals there were.

By the time his gaze reached the field itself, though the plants were dense, there wasn't a single animal in sight!

James's hair stood on end.

Something is definitely off.

The situation reminded him of the eerie events at the Third People's Hospital of New York.

The strange emptiness of the sports field was strikingly similar to the hospital's inpatient ward.

But why? The two locations were far apart. What was the connection?

Then it hit him.

Both places are near the river!

The Hudson River cut through New York City. Both the Third People's Hospital and the Film Academy were located along its banks.

At the hospital, the inpatient ward was right next to the Hudson.

James quickly asked, "Is the sports field near the Hudson River?"

Lulia blinked, then nodded. "Yes. The field is next to the school's iron fence, and beyond that is a riverside path. Across the path is the Hudson River."

"No wonder..."

James was now certain that this strangeness had something to do with the Hudson River.

It was likely that some creature from the water had come ashore!

Considering how rapidly land animals and plants had evolved, aquatic life wouldn't be an exception.

Earth is 70% covered in water. Somewhere in those vast oceans, something terrifying must have been born.

James made a decisive call. "Let's go!"

With a wave of his hand, he tore open a thin blue membrane.

Lulia stared in shock. "W-what is that?!"

James didn't explain. He pulled her into the portal.

Lulia stumbled forward, dazed.

James didn't let her linger in the subspace. He quickly opened a portal to his home's anchor point and brought her through.

When Lulia emerged, she was stunned to find herself in a luxurious, beautifully furnished room.

The table was laden with delicious food, the floor was spotless, and the furniture gleamed.

Several women, all stunningly beautiful, stood in the room. They wore high-end clothing, had meticulously applied makeup, and each exuded a unique charm.

Lulia froze.

For a moment, she felt like she'd woken up from a nightmare.

Is the apocalypse over? Am I back in the civilized world?

The women turned their curious gazes toward her.

Suddenly, one of them, Lily Green, exclaimed in surprise, "Professor Smith? What are you doing here?!"