After Teresa Taylor confirmed the effect of her new ability, she gained even greater trust from the base leadership.

First, she didn't hide her ability's effects, showing a high level of cooperation. Second, her ability was supportive in nature and posed no significant threat to the base.

Seeing how exhausted Teresa Taylor was, Clark Cooper instructed a female soldier to escort her to rest.

The base had only four Alpha-class ability users, making Teresa Taylor the fifth, which was critical.

However, Teresa Taylor asked anxiously: "Professor Cooper, when will I be assigned a mission? I'd like to take on external rescue tasks—there are countless survivors outside still facing death. Saving even one person would be worthwhile."

Rescue survivors? Clark Cooper sneered inwardly.

Erics Peterson had no intention of saving anyone.

Outwardly, however, Clark Cooper maintained his gentlemanly demeanor and said evasively: "I'm just a researcher; mission assignments are handled by other leaders. However, since you're an Alpha-class ability user, Director Peterson will personally discuss it with you. For now, rest assured, someone will notify you tomorrow."

Teresa Taylor had no choice but to comply.

Since she had just arrived at the base, she could only follow orders for now.

She followed the female soldier through a long tunnel to the living quarters.

Opening the door, she found a 30-square-meter single room with all the basic necessities provided.

The room featured brand-new green military bedding, a clean floor, a white ceiling lamp, and even a small bathroom equipped with a shower.

The room smelled strongly of disinfectant, but it gave her a reassuring sense of safety.

Everything here made Teresa Taylor feel like she had stepped into another world.

After days of trekking through dark, damp, and dangerous jungles, it finally felt like she had returned to civilization.

The female soldier respectfully said, "Brigadier General Taylor, as per regulations, Alpha-class ability users enjoy the treatment of a brigadier general..."

Teresa Taylor frowned. "I'm not a brigadier general. I'm just a police officer."

The female soldier, with a slight fawning tone, replied: "All Alpha-class ability users are granted the rank of brigadier general. You'll receive yours soon."

Teresa Taylor felt increasingly uneasy about this place.

The military typically held ranks in high regard—how could a small base randomly distribute military titles like this?

However, she was far too exhausted to object.

After trekking through the jungle, battling with Elen Hawkins during the test, and experimenting with her new ability, her energy was entirely depleted.

Teresa Taylor decided to raise her concerns tomorrow when she could meet the base's highest leader, Director Peterson, face to face.

She also had another question: why hadn't the base issued public notices to gather survivors here?

Even if public communication systems were down, weren't there still radio stations?

Many survivors probably had radios, after all.

Yet the base had done nothing!

Seeing Teresa Taylor remain silent, the female soldier continued: "Brigadier General Taylor, due to limited electricity at the base, dormitory power is cut off from 11 PM to 9 AM. Please manage your schedule accordingly."

Teresa Taylor nodded in understanding and casually asked: "What is the base's energy source?"

The soldier answered openly: "There's an underground river beneath the base with a small hydroelectric power station."

After the female soldier left, Teresa Taylor took a long shower, washing away the dirt, sweat, and exhaustion from her body.

The water, pumped from the underground river, was icy cold and not exactly pleasant. Still, it moved her deeply.

This was living!

Teresa Taylor lay on the bed, relishing the clean sheets, so overwhelmed with relief that she almost wanted to cry. "It must be because it's underground—the bedding feels slightly damp..."

Before long, she drifted off to sleep.

Meanwhile, in the lab, the results of the iron particle test were out.

Clark Cooper was ecstatic.

"This material is incredible! Its density is 27.87 g/cm³, heavier than gold!"

"Additionally, it's chemically extremely stable, resistant to reactions with most acids."

"Most importantly, its conductivity—it's a superconductor! Zero resistance! Whether heated or frozen, it maintains absolutely no resistance! This is amazing! Unbelievable!"

Clark Cooper stared at the tiny vial of iron particles, overwhelmed with excitement.

If it were peacetime, this small discovery alone would have won him a Nobel Prize!

Why could a superconductor be extracted from pure iron? What exactly was this material?

Clark Cooper immediately shared the exciting news with Erics Peterson.

Erics Peterson offered a few perfunctory words of congratulations, but inwardly, he was unimpressed.

"A superconductor? And it takes exhausting amounts of energy to produce just 1.2 grams? What good is that?"

Right now, survival was the ultimate goal. The priority was to study the ability fruits and produce more ability-user soldiers as quickly as possible!

As these thoughts ran through his mind, Erics Peterson grew colder.

Outside the city, Isaac Murphy's forces had been clamoring to launch rescue operations, but Erics Peterson had vehemently opposed them.

Despite Murphy's lofty words about saving lives, Erics Peterson knew better.

Murphy's true aim was to seize control of the base under the guise of a rescue mission!

Erics Peterson's gaze turned icy.

Isaac Murphy had long since secured a national strategic warehouse. Even though much of its inventory had rotted, there was still an abundance of preserved supplies like compressed biscuits.

When Erics Peterson had once requested aid from Murphy, he had been completely ignored.

Clearly, Murphy wasn't short on resources—he was just using them to consolidate his power and win people's loyalty.

He had no good intentions!

Moreover, Isaac Murphy commanded over 10,000 soldiers, equipped with both light and heavy weaponry, even fighter jets.

If Murphy were allowed into the New York TV Station Base, Erics Peterson would stand no chance of defending it. His authority would be stripped away without question!

The last time, Isaac Murphy had even attempted to spray defoliant over the area using a fleet of transport aircraft. Luckily, the planes were destroyed by the Red Birds; otherwise, Murphy would already have breached the city.

Erics Peterson remained highly vigilant.

The New York TV Station's underground base was originally a secret military research facility.

While it was well-equipped for scientific research, its stockpile of living supplies was severely limited.

Erics Peterson had originally been the base's third-in-command.

When the violet mist descended, the director had died in an accident, and the second-in-command, elderly and bedridden, had been away at the time.

Seizing the opportunity, Erics Peterson had taken over full control of the base.

Initially, his plan was simply to preserve the base's personnel and equipment until national rescue forces arrived, ensuring himself a solid political achievement.

But as the situation grew increasingly dire, Erics Peterson's ambitions began to change.

As more ability users emerged, as plants and animals mutated, as the violet mist showed no signs of dissipating, and as transportation routes were entirely cut off—

By then, Erics Peterson had abandoned all thoughts of handing the base back to the government.

A new era was coming!

And he held the key to several of the country's most advanced military research bases. This would be his greatest asset to ascend to power!

If he could uncover the secrets of the ability fruits and mass-produce ability users, Isaac Murphy would be nothing!

He wouldn't even need that many—just 1,000 ability users would be enough to reverse the balance of power.

At that point, Erics Peterson would crown himself the king of the Violet Mist Era!

Even if Isaac Murphy didn't want to merge forces, Erics Peterson would take the initiative to join him—on his own terms!

However, to achieve this goal, Professor Hector William was the key.

Clark Cooper specialized in chemistry, physics, and weaponry.

Hector William, on the other hand, was a leading figure in the field of biology—perfect for studying the secrets of ability users.

To rescue Hector William, Erics Peterson had even sent out three elite ability users on a risky mission:

Alpha-class Edgar Hughes, Beta-class Sofie Barnes, and Beta-class Henry.

Edgar Hughes and Henry were top-tier fighters, while Sofie Barnes's ability was ideal for long-distance travel in the wild.

With these three protecting him, Hector William should make it back safely.

What further solidified Erics Peterson's decision to declare independence was a critical video.

The video had been sent out by NASA New York to several classified research facilities just days after the violet mist descended.

Fewer than 100 people nationwide had seen this footage.

With trembling hands, Erics Peterson opened the video again and rewatched it.