James Lone looted the supplies from the thugs, but there wasn't much worth taking.

The food was scarce, and most of it wasn't to his liking, so he left it behind.

As he was about to leave, he suddenly sensed that two women were tied up in the adjacent room.

It seemed these two were being reserved by the thugs' leader for himself, as the others hadn't touched them yet.

James Lone pushed open the door and entered.

The two women screamed simultaneously when they saw a strange man enter the room: "Ahh!" "Don't kill us! We'll do anything!"

They had heard the gunshots but didn't dare leave. Now, seeing James Lone walk in, they were terrified.

"James Lone?" one of the women suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

James Lone was stunned. He recognized this woman—it was Snown, his cold and aloof ex-roommate!

[Snown]

[Age: 25][Appearance: 7/10] (A moderately attractive young woman)[Virtue: 5/10] (Thinks too highly of herself)[Overall Rating: 5/10][System Notification: Does not meet the minimum requirements!]

Snown immediately understood the situation: "James, you came here specifically to save me, didn't you?!"

Snown's looks were average at best, incomparable to Anna Karenina Wont, let alone Shirley Inr Won or the other women.

James Lone had no interest in her whatsoever. He casually replied with a faint smile: "No, it's just a coincidence."

Hah, men! Snown thought, full of disdain. Such liars!

If James Lone hadn't come to save her, why would he show up here? After all, this place was so far from the rental apartment they used to share!

Snown began sizing up James Lone.

From his appearance, it was clear he was doing very well—his muscles were strong, his skin healthy, and he didn't look like he had gone hungry at all.

Snown's heart wavered.

She had previously dismissed James Lone, even though his girlfriend, Anna Karenina Wont, was more beautiful than she was.

However, Anna Karenina Wont was dull, spending all her time studying and preparing for exams.

As a self-proclaimed "city girl," Snown prided herself on her diverse hobbies, including traveling, horseback riding, and skiing.

Although her income was low, it didn't stop her from using several months' worth of wages every year to go skiing in the north.

She had always envisioned finding a boyfriend who was not only fun but also rich enough to fund her expensive hobbies.

James Lone had never been on her radar—until now.

This was the apocalypse!

In times like these, a strong man was the ultimate prize!

From the sounds earlier, James Lone clearly had a gun, which was a massive advantage.

In peacetime, a man's "weapons" were his luxury car and emotional availability.

In the era of the violet mist, a man's "advantages" were his abilities and weapons.

With this in mind, Snown decided to give James Lone a chance to prove himself.

James Lone walked forward and, with a small amount of effort, snapped the ropes binding her.

Since they had once lived under the same roof, it didn't feel right to leave her behind now that he had come across her.

Snown's eyes lit up slightly.

Impressive, so he has abilities now!

To Snown, James Lone's act of snapping the ropes seemed like a calculated display of strength, similar to how men in the past would flaunt their luxury cars.

No wonder he managed to win over Anna Karenina Wont!

James Lone, in a relatively good mood after gaining a new ability and with two more Enlightenment Fruits waiting to be collected, decided to cut the ropes of the other woman as well.

The long-haired woman, timid and hesitant, said softly: "Thank you."

She wasn't sure of James Lone's character or what her fate might be, but since Snown knew him, at least she wouldn't be killed—probably.

The long-haired woman cast a hopeful glance at Snown, who immediately assumed an air of superiority.

"James Lone, help me up," Snown said, "My legs are numb from being tied up."

James Lone frowned. "Get up yourself."

He had no interest in pampering someone with princess syndrome.

Back when they lived together, Snown had always pretended to be sophisticated and high-class, while their other roommate, Linda, was wild and unrestrained.

The two women had clashed frequently, often fighting bitterly.

James Lone had always enjoyed watching the drama between them.

Snown, annoyed, said indignantly, "You're a grown man—what's wrong with helping a woman?! Don't think that just because you saved me, I owe you anything. If you're trying to pursue me, I still need to observe you for a while. I'm not an easy woman!"

When did I ever say I was pursuing you?!

James Lone felt utterly baffled.

Are you seriously misunderstanding something here? You're not even as attractive as Anna Karenina Wont, and you think you're all that?

You're not an easy woman? You want to "observe" me?

You were just tied up and left here for free abuse, and now you're acting high and mighty with me?!

James Lone used his perception to scan the other rooms.

After confirming there were no threats, he decided to tease Snown: "Alright, Snown, don't be angry. How do you plan to 'observe' me?"

Snown, who had been feeling nervous, suddenly perked up with renewed hope.

I knew it! This guy has been interested in me all along!

Hmph, I knew it. That shallow Anna Karenina Wont might have the looks, but she's no match for me in every other aspect!

Snown, full of confidence, tilted her chin up and said, "First, you'll let me manage your supplies. You're not allowed to eat or drink as you please. This is for your own good—it's the apocalypse, and we need to conserve every bit of food!"

"Second, you're not allowed to touch me without my consent. That's a matter of principle. I'm not an easy woman. If you want to be with me, you'll have to follow my lead."

"Also, I'm an only child, so I don't know how to do housework or laundry. If we're together, you'll need to handle all the chores. You'll also be responsible for scavenging food. I'm not an ability user, so it's too dangerous for me to go out!"

James Lone almost burst out laughing.

"Snown, you're hilarious. Are you living in a dream world?"

Snown's heart sank for a moment but quickly rallied. She forced herself to remain firm: "James Lone! I'm being serious—don't make light of this!"

He's just testing me!

If I establish dominance now, I can control him in the future!

However, as Snown was busy psyching herself up, James Lone casually slapped her across the face.

SMACK!

CRACK!

Snown's neck snapped, and she died instantly.

The long-haired woman stood frozen, utterly shocked.

Weren't they just talking? How did it suddenly escalate to murder?!

James Lone coldly remarked, "What gives you the right to talk to me like that?"

With that, he turned and left.

The long-haired woman trembled, not daring to make a sound.

Meanwhile, Teresa Taylor, with the help of Olivia Brooks and under the guidance of Clark Cooper, finally discovered how to use her new ability.

After exhausting herself and spending several minutes, she managed to extract a small piece of material from a chunk of iron.

Teresa Taylor stared at the tiny piece of refined metal in exhaustion. "What is this?"

Clark Cooper picked up a magnet and tested it, only to find that the metal wasn't magnetic at all. Intrigued, he said, "This might be some kind of new material. Let me take it to the lab for further testing!"