《Looking for The Apocalyptic Queen Theresa》


 Kept Woman 1

    <h1 ss="" data-v-4af5c797="">Chapter 1 Return To 15 Days Before The Apocalypse</h1><section ss="" data-v-4af5c797="">


    ¡®Flu outbreaks have been frequenttely. Everyone is urged to take precautions¡ªlimit visits to crowded areas, skip unnecessary gatherings, and dress warmly¡­¡¯ ¡°Theresa! Are you even paying attention?¡± Snapped out of her trance, Theresa flinched, her gaze darting around in disbelief at the scene before her as though it were something out of a dream. She was in a cramped living room, around 323 square feet with outdated decor. The space was filled with middle-aged men and women perched on an old couch. At the center of it all sat an elderly woman in her sixties or seventies, her gray hair disheveled and her round face heavy with years. She was ring daggers at Theresa, and her plump, sagging cheeks trembled with visible irritation. Theresa froze as she took in the chaotic scene unfolding before her eyes. <i>Wasn</i><i>¡®</i><i>t this the exact moment, two weeks before the apocalypse, when my so-called </i><i>¡°</i><i>loving grandmother,</i><i>¡°</i><i>¡°</i><i>caring father,</i><i>¡°</i><i> and </i><i>¡°</i><i>devoted stepmother</i><i>¡°</i><i> had cornered me, trying to strong-arm me into giving up my home? Yet I had just been battling a sea of zombies at the Eastern Camp. How could I be back here again?</i> ¡°Theresa! Ever since your mother passed, your stepmother has treated you like her own flesh and blood. Everyone praises her kindness! And now your brother¡¯s getting married and needs your house¡ªwhat¡¯s the big deal? Stop being so miserly! You¡¯re nothing but an ungrateful, thankless brat!¡± the elderly woman spat. ¡°Mom, Theresa isn¡¯t ungrateful,¡± chimed in the overweight woman beside her, putting on an exaggerated show of diplomacy. ¡°She¡¯ll understand and appreciate everything we¡¯ve done for her.¡± The elderly woman let out a sharp, dismissive snort. ¡°Enough! Clear out of the house already! Your brother says it¡¯s been rented out too long, and the furniture is falling apart. How can he get married in a ce like that? You¡¯ll cover the new furniture costs too¡ªhe¡¯s your elder brother, after all! Isn¡¯t it your duty as his sister to help with the wedding?¡± Standing amidst the crowd, Theresa suddenly burst intoughter, her voice sharp and bitter. <i>They wanted my house¡ªand on top of that, they expected me to pay for brand-new furniture?</i> The sheer absurdity of it all was almost too much to believe. What was even moreughable, though, was the memory that shed through her mind¡ªbecause, in her previous life, she had actually gone along with this insanity! Back then, her mother had passed away in a car ident when she was just fourteen. Not long after, her father remarried, bringing a stepson into the family. Her stepmother, L Warren, had perfected the art of putting on a show, treating her with a facade of care and attention that seemed almost wless. At that time, Theresa had been in the throes of teenage rebellion,shing out at everyone like a cornered animal. Yet, beneath that prickly exterior, she had craved thefort and connection of family, even if she refused to admit it. L had yed her role brilliantly. Her gentle demeanor and feigned understanding hadpletely disarmed Theresa. She had pretended to support Theresa unconditionally, never scolding her for her behavior, and it worked¡ªTheresa fell for the act. For a while, she genuinely believed L cared for her, and she even saw her as a maternal figure. She gave them everything they wanted without question, thinking it was her way of earning love. Even the house herte mother had left her¡ªthe only thing tying her to the past¡ªwas handed over with barely a second thought. However, when the apocalypse struck, their true colors wereid bare. Time and again, they cast her aside without hesitation. And when the opportunity to board the rescue vehicle came, they didn¡¯t hesitate to shove her out of the way, using her as a stepping stone for their own survival. That was when Theresa finally grasped the meaning of false affection. <i>So,</i><i> this was what they called family? </i>From the very beginning, she had only been a tool for them to use¡ªa piece of meat on their table, a source of sustenance to be drained dry. The moment she ceased to be useful, they discarded her without a second thought. <i>None of them had ever seen me as family. Not in any meaningful way! </i>She burned with regret, the urge to reach back through time and p the naive, foolish version of herself from that time¡ªher trust and love wasted on people who never cared! With a loud crash, she swept several bags of cheap fruit from the old coffee table into the trash can and nted herself firmly in front of them. ¡°What the hell are you doing, Theresa? Those apples were imported, specially picked out by my mom because she knows you love them. How could you throw them away like that?¡± The young man, who had been absorbed in his phone on the small couch, immediately put it down and shot her an angry look. She sneered. <i>I love apples? </i>It was news to her. Without a hint of warmth, she fixed her gaze on her so-called brother. ¡°And you think you have any right to talk to me about the house?¡± Her eyes, cold and filled with venom, locked onto his, and for some reason, Oliver felt a shiver run down his spine. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to meet her gaze. Those eyes weren¡¯t just cold¡ªthey were the eyes of someone who had fought tooth and nail for survival in the apocalypse, who had been betrayed and left to fight for survival for ten long years. They were eyes that carried the weight of a killer¡¯s resolve! Oliver immediately shrank back, his bravado crumbling. At that moment, L, her stepmother, quickly stepped in to smooth things over. ¡°Theresa, what¡¯s going on with you? Are you feeling unwell? We can visit another time. I know you¡¯re upset, but remember, Oliver is your brother, not some stranger! His wife¡¯s family is asking for a house in the city center, and nowadays, even with money, it¡¯s nearly impossible to buy one there¡ªyou have to draw lots!¡± With a dramatic sigh, she added, ¡°I¡¯m asking you as a mother. Please help your only brother. When you get married, we¡¯ll find a way to get you a house too! We¡¯ll take care of it for you¡­¡± ¡°Take care of it?!¡± Before Theresa could respond, her father, who had been silent up until now, spoke up with a thunderous voice. His re was filled with anger. ¡°Do you honestly believe this house is yours? What use does a young girl have for a house like this? It¡¯s meant for your brother! When you marry, your husband will be the one to buy you a ce. Why are you even arguing with your brother about it?¡± Upon hearing his words, Theresa felt no more anger, only a cold sense of indifference. In her past life, she had wondered why her father treated her so coldly while showering his stepson with affection. Now, the answer was painfully clear¡ªOliver was his biological son, his true heir! Prior to marrying her mother, he had been wed to L back in his hometown, where they had a son together. To him, she was nothing but an inconvenience. And after the apocalypse, his true nature only became even more repulsive! Theresa lifted two fingers with a chilling expression. ¡°Two million.¡± The room fell silent with everyone caught off guard and confused. ¡°Theresa, what are you talking about?¡± She coldly responded, ¡°This house was my mother¡¯s property before marriage, and it was legally transferred to me afterward. The deed is in my name. If you want it, you¡¯ll have to pay. I¡¯m even offering a discount¡ªtwo million.¡± They were shocked. ¡°You¡¯re selling the house to us? Are you serious? We don¡¯t have that kind of money!¡± Without missing a beat, she raised her wrist, showing her digital watch. ¡°You have five seconds to decide. If you refuse, I¡¯ll find another buyer. Five.¡± ¡°Theresa, we¡¯re your elders! How can you talk about money with us?¡± her grandmother snapped, furious. ¡°Four,¡± came Theresa¡¯s unyielding voice. ¡°You ungrateful brat! I¡¯ll give you a beating!¡± Theresa looked cold at the elderly woman, then continued her countdown. ¡°Three, two¡­¡± Her father jumped up, his fury boiling over as he attempted to strike her. ¡°How dare you!¡± With a swift motion, she delivered a swift kick, sending his chair flying and watching as he tumbled to the floor in a heap. Her gaze remained icy as she uttered a single word, ¡°One.¡± ¡°Theresa, you¡¯ve lost your mind! How dare youy a hand on your father!¡± Unmoved by their outrage, she reached into her pocket, pulled out her phone, and dialed without a second thought, ignoring the chaos. ¡°Mr. Angus, I¡¯m putting the house up for sale. Two million.¡± The property had been under the management of an agency for renting until she turned eighteen, at which point she could finally take possession of the keys. That was the only reason the house had remained in her name all this time. ¡°You want to take it off my hands?¡± She shed a sly smile as she nced in her family¡¯s direction. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°Enough, we agree!¡± L, seeing the situation slipping through her fingers, rushed to say. ¡°Theresa, just sell it to us!¡± <i>This </i><i>i</i><i>s no joke! The house was valued at three million in the market! Getting it for just two million? That </i><i>is</i><i> a steal! </i>With all the limitations on new homes in the city¡ªneeding proof of residency and drawing lots¡ªthis property was a hotmodity! Even though things weren¡¯t unfolding exactly as they had hoped, the key was ensuring no one else snatched up the deal! <i>At that price, we could easily flip it and pocket a tidy profit! We have to make the deal now! </i> Theresa¡¯s lips curled slightly as she watched L¡¯s panicked agreement. With a casual flick of her finger, she ended the call. <i>Perfect. I</i><i>¡®</i><i>d let them have it. </i>Sure, two million wasn¡¯t the ideal price¡ªshe¡¯d take a bit of a hit¡ªbut selling quickly mattered more than squeezing out every penny. Time was a luxury she couldn¡¯t afford to waste, and right now, she needed both time and cash. The real advantage, however, was what came next¡ªonce they bought the house, they¡¯d be t broke. The deal would leave thempletely drained. She had calcted everything. Their entire fortune amounted to two million, nothing more. And with the apocalypse drawing nearer¡ªand the government issuing warnings to stockpile supplies during the final three days before it hit¡ªshe wondered how they could possibly prepare for the storm when their pockets were empty. <i>Let them figure that out.</i> She¡¯d already made her move. ¡­ <i>Beep</i>! ¡®Your ount has been credited with two million.¡¯ Thirty minutester, Theresa stood at the bank counter, watching as her ount bnce reflected the freshly deposited two million. L and her crew, though visibly displeased, had no choice but to hand over the money. Their reluctance was palpable, but their hands were tied. Mr. Angus¡¯ incessant calls had been bombarding Theresa¡¯s phone the entire time. Though clearly frustrated, L dared not voice her annoyance, terrified that Theresa might turn around and finalize the deal with another buyer. ¡°The Housing Department is closed for the holidays. Once they reopen, I¡¯ll go with you to process the ownership transfer,¡± Theresa said nonchntly, her expression calm but unreadable. L¡¯s fox-like eyes immediately narrowed into a sugary smile, her tone dripping with false warmth. ¡°Oh, no need to rush, Theresa! We trust youpletely! Whenever it¡¯s convenient for you. We¡¯ll let you know once we¡¯re ready to finalize everything.¡± Her demeanor radiated an air of generosity, but Theresa could see right through the facade. This wasn¡¯t trust¡ªit was vignce. L wasn¡¯t worried about Theresa¡¯s integrity¡ªit aimed to keep her soon-to-be daughter-inw from getting her name on the deed! For now, with the property still under Theresa¡¯s name, L could use it as leverage, dying the transfer while pretending everything was under control! Theresa¡¯s smile grew sharper, a flicker of amusement dancing in her eyes. <i>Could this get any better?</i> Just then, Oliver, puffed up with self-importance, mmed his opportunity to assert dominance into the air. ¡°Theresa! Now that we¡¯ve paid for the house, pack your stuff and get out! I don¡¯t want to see a single piece of your worthless trash cluttering this ce. None of it is worth keeping! I¡¯m bringing my wife overter to redecorate and pick out proper furniture!¡± His tone had transformed, dripping with entitlement, as if handing over money had crowned him king. ¡°Oliver,¡± L interjected, feigning concern, ¡°don¡¯t be so cruel to your sister. She¡¯ll need some time to sort herself out. You know how thoughtful she is¡ªshe might even give you a little extra for storage and help rece the furniture. As her older brother, you should show some understanding.¡± He snapped, his face contorted with disdain. ¡°Mom, stop coddling her! That money-grubbing leech doesn¡¯t deserve an ounce of kindness! She needs to clear out immediately! And that filthy mutt she keeps in her room? Make sure she takes it with her. If it¡¯s still here when I get back, I¡¯ll turn it into stew myself!¡± <i>Filthy mutt¡­ </i>The insult struck Theresa like a thunderp, her mind freezing for a split second before a realization mmed into her. Her breath hitched. <i>Could it be true? Could my Summer still be alive? </i>Abandoning all pretense of dealing with those vile people, she turned on her heel and dashed toward her house, her pulse pounding in her ears. Throwing open her bedroom door, she froze. There, pacing silently in the confined space, was a sleek Generic shepherd. It leaped into her arms with unrestrained joy when it saw her. <i>Woof! Woof! </i> ¡°Summer!¡± Tears threatened to spill as she dropped to her knees and clutched the dog tightly, her voice breaking with emotion. Her Summer was alive! This wasn¡¯t just any dog¡ªit was her most preciouspanion. A retired military dog, Summer had been a birthday gift from her mother when she was ten years old. Intelligent, loyal, and deeply attuned to her emotions, the dog had been her anchor after her mother¡¯s untimely death, standing by her side through every storm. And now, against all odds, it was still here, her steadfast protector in a world gone mad. Her stepmother¡¯s family had always harbored a disdain for Summer. On more than one asion, they tried to abandon the dog, yet no matter how far they went, Summer always managed to return home. Eventually, they attempted to give it away entirely. Theresa, however, refused to back down. She fought fiercely to keep her loyalpanion, even at the cost of fracturing her already strained rtionships. In the end, L, concerned about maintaining her image as a stepmother, begrudgingly allowed Summer to stay. But the dog¡¯s life was confined to Theresa¡¯s room, a prisoner within its own home. It wasn¡¯t until she moved into the house her mother had left her that Summer finally experienced some freedom. However, that freedom was short-lived. Whenever Oliver and his family showed up, Summer was immediately locked away again, hidden from their cruel eyes. In her past life, the memory of what happened to Summer haunted her. Not long after the apocalypse began, as resources dwindled and Summer¡¯s age began to show, Oliver¡¯s family seized the chance tomit an unthinkable act. While Theresa was out scavenging for food, they ughtered and ate the dog! The guilt of failing to protect her most loyalpanion became a weight she carried every day. It was a wound that never healed, a reminder of a betrayal she could never forgive. ¡°Summer.¡± <i>Woof woof! </i>Summer gently nuzzled Theresa¡¯s hand, its tail wagging softly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Summer. I promise you, no one will ever hurt you again in this lifetime!¡± <i>Woof woof woof!</i> Summer barked as if understanding every word. Once she had made sure Summer wasfortable, she turned her attention to packing. The house had been rented out for years, and its condition had deteriorated over time. Yet, the furniture¡ªeach piece carefully chosen by her mother¡ªremained. Those items had been bought at a high price, and during her mother¡¯s life, this was their home. Though the things held little practical value now, they held a treasure trove of memories. As she stood there, preparing to leave, a deep sense of nostalgia washed over her. The thought of parting from this ce filled her with a quiet sorrow. At that moment, a voice echoed in her mind. ¡®<i>Ding!</i> Ultimate Leader System activated! For every item worth over a thousand you carry within the next hour, you¡¯ll receive a reward of 100 cubic feet of domain!¡¯ Theresa froze in disbelief. The moment had arrived¡ª<i>my ability!</i> ¡®Countdown¡ª59 minutes and 59 seconds remaining!¡¯ In awe, she watched as the words settled in her mind. On a whim, she grabbed the phone from the table and tested it. ¡®<i>Ding!</i> Phone detected, worth 4999! Reward! 400 cubic feet!¡¯ In an instant, she saw a vast, empty space materialize in her mind, exactly 400 cubic feet in size. The phone in her hand blinked out of existence, reappearing within that very space. <i>It</i><i>¡®</i><i>s happening. The domain¡­ is real!</i></section>

 Kept Woman 2

    <h1 ss="" data-v-4af5c797="">Chapter 2 Domain As A Reward</h1><section ss="" data-v-4af5c797="">


    With a single thought, Theresa summoned the phone, and in a sh, it materialized back in her hand from the mysterious domain, as if it had never left! Her heart leaped with exhration as joy lit up her face¡ªthis was exactly what she had imagined! Having devoured countless novels, she instantly recognized this as the fabled system she had dreamed of! She wasted no time marveling at her fortune. Instead, she threw herself into a frenzy of action, testing the system¡¯s limits. It wasn¡¯t long before she uncovered a crucial detail¡ªthe system calcted the value of items based on their original purchase price,pletely ignoring their current state! None of the scratches, dents, or disassembly mattered! Realizing the potential, she dove headlong into a whirlwind of activity¡ªpacking, dismantling, and hoarding with unmatched determination! ¡®<i>Ding!</i> Gold jewelry detected, worth 58,000! Reward! 5,800 cubic feet!¡¯ ¡®<i>Ding!</i> Water cup detected, worth 39!¡¯ ¡®<i>Ding!</i> Calendar detected, worth 10!¡¯ ¡®<i>Ding!</i> A small desk detected, worth 369!¡¯ ¡®<i>Ding!</i> A table and chair set detected, worth 25,000! Reward! 2,500 cubic feet!¡¯ ¡®<i>Ding!</i> Trash can detected, worth 15!¡¯ Within a matter of minutes, Theresa had ransacked her entire home like a relentless tornado. Nothing escaped her grasp. She collected every conceivable item¡ªshoes, hats, clothing, cookware, utensils, stationery, cups, trash bins, storage containers, photo albums, nail clippers, and more. From the smallest trinkets to thergest pieces of furniture, such as tables, chairs, beds, and cabs, she left no stone unturned. Even the rotten apples Oliver¡¯s family had brought earlier weren¡¯t overlooked. With a determined expression, she scooped them up and hurled them into the domain! ¡®<i>Ding!</i> 5 pounds of rotten apples detected, worth 2.5!¡¯ When she heard the value, she let out a sharp scoff. ¡°Ugh, what rotten luck!¡± <i>Rotten apples being passed off as imported delicacies for fifty cents </i><i>a pound? And then they have the gall to demand a house worth</i><i> three million? What kind of shameless parasites were these people?</i> Still, she wasn¡¯t about to let her disgust get in the way of practicality. ¡°Even crumbs add up to a meal,¡± she muttered under her breath, pocketing the apples without hesitation. Before long, the house was stripped bare of anything portable. Her gaze thennded on the fixtures¡ªthe so-called ¡°unmovables¡±¡ªand a sly grin spread across her face. ¡®<i>Ding!</i> Toilet detected, worth 1,999!¡¯ With a decisive grunt, she rolled up her sleeves, braced herself, and with a single mighty pull, yanked the toilet loose with sheer force! Strength had always been one of her assets, butpared to the hardened survivor she had be after five years in the apocalypse, her current body felt rmingly fragile and untested.<i> Looks like it</i><i>¡®</i><i>s time to rebuild my strength,</i> she mused, clenching her fists. <i>Weakness isn</i><i>¡®</i><i>t an option! </i>Once the toilet was out of the way, her mind lit up with new possibilities. ¡®<i>Ding!</i> Washbasin detected, worth 699!¡¯ ¡®<i>Ding!</i> Range hood detected, worth 2,599!¡¯ ¡®<i>Ding!</i> Stove detected, worth 489!¡¯ ¡®<i>Ding!</i> Security door detected, worth 1,589!¡¯ Her eyes gleamed with determination. <i>Hell no! Not a single screw is staying behind for those j*rks! </i> ¡®<i>Ding!</i> ss window detected, worth 400!¡¯ ¡®<i>Ding!</i> Flooring detected, worth 150!¡¯ Fueled by sheer spite and a touch of exhration, Theresa got to work. In just an hour, her home was stripped bare! Anything that wasn¡¯t bolted to the ground was dismantled. And even if it was, she made sure it wasn¡¯t spared! The floors were ripped up, windows and doors were methodically removed, and any tiles she couldn¡¯t carry off were smashed to pieces and packed away. By the time she was done, the house was a shell of what it once was, with only the walls standing as silent witnesses to her actions. ¡®<i>Ding! </i>Three seconds remaining!¡¯ As the seconds ticked away, she had a sudden sh of inspiration. She dashed toward the front door, climbed onto the railing, and yanked down a small light bulb from the hallway. ¡®<i>Ding! </i>10-watt light bulb detected, worth 5! Time¡¯s up! Total¡ª28,900 cubic feet acquired!¡¯ With a satisfied smile, she turned to Summer and said, ¡°Follow me, Summer!¡± Not long after their departure, Oliver¡¯s family arrived, bringing along their newly pregnant daughter-inw. ¡°Honey, here it is¡ªour new home! It¡¯s in the heart of the city, within over 1,000 square feet! We share the elevator with just one other household, and our neighbor hasn¡¯t moved in yet, so we have the whole hallway to ourselves! The lighting is perfect, and this is the bestyout in the entireplex! Plus, it¡¯s very close to your office! If you¡¯d like, you can move in right away¡ªeverything¡¯s already set up with furniture and appliances!¡± Therge group of people ascended to the third floor, their steps full of anticipation. But as they reached the east-facing unit, their excitement quickly turned to disbelief. <i>What was this¡­? </i>The entire ce was not just bare butpletely stripped¡ªno doors, no windows! To make matters worse, even the light bulbs in the hallway had been taken! Oliver¡¯s wife, seeing the state of the ce, spun around and huffed, her face contorted in frustration, ¡°So you expect my family to foot the bill for renovating this empty shell? Let me make this clear¡ªno renovation, no wedding! And I want my name on the deed!¡± Oliver¡¯s grandmother, furious beyond belief, was on the verge of calling Theresa to demand an exnation for what had happened! They didn¡¯t care much for the existing furnishings and nned to buy new pieces, but they never imagined the house would be left in such a state! A few new pieces of furniture would suffice, especially since the flooringid by Theresa¡¯s mother was still in good condition. <i>But how had it ended up like this? </i>The real problem, however, was that they couldn¡¯t get in touch with Theresa anymore! ¡­ Meanwhile, Theresa stood before a tunnel-turned-bunker on the outskirts of Ansford. The bunker was built within a tunnel originally intended for a mountain-crossing road. However, due to funding shortages and a shift in government ns, the project was halted, leaving the tunnel unused. The governmentter repurposed it as a bunker. ¡°Why rent a bunker?¡± the agent who had brought her there asked, following standard procedure. Theresa shrugged. ¡°Starting a business¡­ growing mushrooms.¡± In her past life, she discovered that bunkers could be divided into three distinct categories. The first type included the typical bunkers found in the heart of the city, beneath malls, parking garages, or residential buildings, as well as underground hospitals. These bunkers were well-located, equipped with necessary amenities, and designed for quick evacuation. However, in the event of a zombie apocalypse, they were utterly useless. The high concentration of people in these areas made them the first to fall! The second type consisted of tunnel-based bunkers and highly specialized national defense fortifications. These specialized facilities proved crucial in theter stages of the apocalypse, with manyrge, stable camps relying on them for survival. Unfortunately, these were not avable for rent to someone like Theresa! This tunnel-based bunker before her was exactly what she needed! It was tucked away in a quiet, isted spot, far from the hustle and bustle, offering plenty of space, and equipped with a reliable venttion system and arge iron door¡ªeverything she had hoped for! Not only was it ideal, but it was also incredibly affordable. The bunker she rented only cost two thousand a year, with a minimum lease term of twenty years. She paid for three years upfront, a total of six thousand, securing a space as vast as five basketball courts! The agent, upon hearing her ns to start a business, nearly burst outughing. He couldn¡¯t believe his luck¡ªanother naive soul who didn¡¯t understand the value of location. <i>The</i><i> price was cheap, sure, but this ce was so remote it would make transportation a nightmare in the future! </i>The reality was that nine and a half out of ten startups were doomed to fail, and this one seemed no different. However, he wasn¡¯t about to tell her that. Someone else taking the ce was good for business. He collected the money, signed the contract, pocketed his five hundred service fee, and quickly made his exit. Theresa silently watched the agent walk away, a grin still stered on his face, but she didn¡¯t utter a single word. Her gaze remained detached, knowing full well that sharing her true ns with him was out of the question. Surviving for ten years in the apocalypse had taught her one crucial lesson¡ªnever bother warning the ignorant about the dangers ahead, for they themselves are the real threat! Once the agent was out of sight, she led Summer into the bunker. She gave the ce a thorough inspection, and besides the fully operational venttion system, she was pleasantly surprised to discover a well and an electrical wire that had been left behind by the previous upant! She examined the water from the well and was pleased to find it was pure mountain spring water, untainted andpletely separated from the city¡¯s water supply! Back then, in thete stages of the apocalypse, the tap water had be undrinkable as the water treatment nts had been contaminated, but this well proved to be an untouched, viable source! As for the electrical wiring, although the power wasn¡¯t active, it was clear that the space had been set up with an electrical system! The fact that the wiring was already in ce meant she could easily install a generator and restore power to the entire space!</section>

 Kept Woman 3

    <h1 ss="" data-v-4af5c797="">Chapter 3 Hoarding Supplies</h1><section ss="" data-v-4af5c797="">


    As Theresa examined her surroundings, her attention shifted to the remnants of barbed wire fencing stretching along the tunnel¡¯s exterior. Though much of it had crumbled into ruin, a n formed in her mind. If she could restore the fencing and connect it to a power source, the security of her bunker would be elevated to an entirely new level! <i>This was a challenge worth tackling! </i>Just then, a familiar voice resonated in her consciousness. ¡°Ultimate Leader System activated! Reinforce your base. Rewards will be granted based on the extent of fortification! Countdown¡ª15 days!¡± She froze briefly, her mind racing as the words sank in. Just as she began to focus on the task ahead, another alert from the system interrupted her thoughts. ¡®<i>Ding! </i>One base war dog detected. Reward! Combat abilities and physical attributes of the war dog increased by 100 times!¡¯ She stood in awe as Summer¡¯s body underwent a dramatic transformation before her eyes. His frame expanded, muscles rippling with newfound strength. His ws and teeth elongated into deadly weapons, gleaming with a sharpness that could slice through steel. The frailty of old age melted away, reced by themanding presence of a fierce predator radiating raw power. <i>Woof! Woof! </i>Summer barked, his voice carrying an intensity that sent a shiver through the air. Theresa¡¯s jaw dropped, her astonishment spilling out in an involuntary gasp. ¡­ Thanks to herte mother¡¯spact car still in working condition, Theresa had a reliable means of transport, ensuring she could dive headfirst into fortifying her base. She wasted no time heading to a barbed wire manufacturer in the construction supplies market and ordered a long razor wire and a big coiled barbed fencing. These materials were perfect for oveying the existing, deteriorated fencing around her bunker. Minimalbor was required to install them, yet the results would be an impressive boost to security. The total price was fourteen thousand. Theresa didn¡¯t flinch as she paid the money. To her, every coin spent was a step closer to survival. The order was substantial, prompting the shop owner to dispatch a heavy-duty truck to apany her for the delivery. She guided the vehicle to a deste patch ofnd on the outskirts, far from prying eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for someone to pick it upter,¡± she said with practiced nonchnce. ¡°Understood,¡± the driver responded, not pressing for details. Determined to keep her base¡¯s location a secret, she waited until the goods were unloaded onto the empty lot. The cover of darkness provided the perfect opportunity. She instructed Summer to stand guard, then swiftly began transferring the materials into her domain, one item at a time. Her storage space had expanded to an impressive 28,900 cubic feet, and with only a fraction upied by her furniture, there was more than enough capacity to amodate the barbed wire. The process was efficient, and soon the lot was cleared without leaving a trace. Satisfied, she got back into her car with Summer and drove toward her hideout. As the car hummed along the quiet road, her mind churned with ns. A single warehouse wouldn¡¯t suffice for her growing needs¡ªsecuring additional storage space was now a priority. After thirty minutes, she made her way back to the bunker, her determination unwavering. Once back, she immediately focused on the task at hand¡ªrepairing a long stretch of rusted, sagging barbed wire. Step by meticulous step, she reinforced the fence, wrapping it securely with the new materials she had brought. Summer proved to be an invaluable helper, darting back and forth, delivering tools and supplies with his sharp instincts and unwavering loyalty. Through the quiet hours of the night, their teamwork never faltered. By the time the first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon, the two of them hadpleted the arduous task. Every inch of the two-kilometer stretch of barbed wire fencing was strengthened, restored to a formidable barrier. Eager to discover the fruits of herbor, Theresa paused, anticipation crackling in the air. As she secured the final segment, a resonant voice filled her mind. ¡°Reinforcement of barbed wire detected. Reward! Defensive capabilities enhanced by a factor of one hundred!¡± As the reward activated, Theresa watched in awe as the wire mesh she had painstakingly reinforced underwent a dramatic transformation before her eyes. The once modest strands thickened visibly, intertwining into an intricate, nearly imprable weave. The razor des she had installed now gleamed with a sinister, icy brilliance, each edge sharper and more menacing than before. Even the tiny steel spikes had elongated, their menacing points ready to deter any threat! The most striking change was the gate. The flimsy, makeshift wire-mesh door she had struggled to secure had vanished, reced by a massive steel lift gate that loomed with an air of indestructibility! Curious and eager to test the transformation, she pressed her hands against the mesh and gave it a powerful shove. Not even the faintest tremor responded to her effort¡ªit was as immovable as a mountain! Earlier, she had been painfully aware of the fence¡¯s limitations. While it could slow down intruders or a small group of zombies, it was no match for a determined vehicle or a relentless horde. Now, however, the story was entirely different. This was no longer just a fence¡ªit was an unyielding bulwark. Even an onught of thousands of zombies would be no match for her fortified defenses! Theresa was brimming with satisfaction, her thoughts racing with ns to gather more materials and further strengthen her defenses. The thrill of progress made her eager to dive back into action. Yet, before she could act, an undeniable reminder of her physical needs interrupted her. A loud rumble from her stomach broke the silence. <i>Woof! Woof! </i>Summer, her faithfulpanion, began pacing in circles, his behavior an unmistakable plea for food. ¡°You¡¯re starving too, aren¡¯t you?¡± she asked, raising an eyebrow at him. <i>Woof!</i> Summer responded with a low, pitiful whine, its expressive eyes locked on her. They had only managed to nibble on a few scraps the day before, and after an entire day of grueling work, their energy reserves werepletely depleted. With all the focus on reinforcing the base, they hadn¡¯t even started stockpiling essential provisions! A sudden thought lit up her mind¡ªher domain still held some provisions. Recalling the buns she had salvaged from the house yesterday, she focused her will. In an instant, a bag of piping-hot buns materialized in her grasp. ¡°They¡¯re still warm?¡± she eximed, incredulous. Driven by curiosity, she retrieved the refrigerator from her domain. As she opened it, her eyes widened in disbelief. Despite being disconnected from any power source, the interior was as cold as a winter¡¯s night! ¡°No power, yet everything remains exactly as it was!¡± It dawned on her¡ªthe system¡¯s domain was more than just a storage solution¡ªit was a sealed, timeless sanctuary. Items ced inside were preserved in their exact state, immune to decay or temperature changes! Her heart raced with exhration. This discovery meant she could amass an unlimited stockpile of supplies without a single worry about spoge! The possibilities felt boundless. When it came time to hoard food, she could do so boldly, knowing everything would remain as fresh as the day it was stored! ¡­ ¡°The rent is three hundred a month, with a deposit for the first month upfront!¡± In a quiet, abandoned farmhouse on the outskirts, Theresa stood alongside Summer, listening to the terms from a middle-aged man, likely in histe forties or early fifties. The suburban roads were lined with countless empty farmhouses, remnants of a bygone era when families lived off thend, but now left empty as most people had relocated to the city. Those in prime locations often bore signs advertising rental opportunities. Theresa had scouted this particr farmhouse for its size and essibility. Situated conveniently along the main road near her bunker, it was the perfect spot to serve as a makeshift transit station. Her n was simple¡ªstockpile supplies here and discreetly transfer them to her system space, ensuring smooth operations while avoiding unnecessary attention. Yesterday¡¯s roadside unloading had been far too conspicuous, and she was determined not to repeat that mistake. ¡°Four hundred, no deposit. Just for one month to use as a warehouse!¡± She pressed thendlord for a better deal. ¡°That¡¯s not going to work.¡± She huffed. ¡°Then I¡¯ll look elsewhere.¡± Thendlord quickly relented, ¡°Fine, fine, four hundred it is. But you better not mess up the ce, and make sure you leave when the time¡¯s up!¡± She handed over the four hundred and took the keys. ¡°Got it!¡± She had no intention of staying until the lease expired¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t even need to wait that long. Besides, if she had paid a deposit, it would have been a lost cause to get it back. Paying the extra hundred was a much smaller losspared to the two hundred she could have lost. Negotiating for the bunker had been a challenge, but she wasn¡¯t about to let that happen here! After securing the warehouse, she wasted no time in gathering supplies. Her first priority was food. She made her way to ten different stores, purchasing four hundred fifty-pound bags of rice from each. Her strategy was straightforward¡ªstart by stockpiling a hundred tons of rice! While a hundred tons may sound like arge amount, it was actually quite manageable¡ªmostrge-scale grain wholesalers can easily supply it. In fact, all of it would only upy a space of about 16 feet in length, width, and height! <i>My storage space could easily handle it! The transportation would be no issue either! </i>The total cost for all the rice was over 400,000, but that would be enough to sustain her for multiple lifetimes! On top of that, she also stocked up on a thousand boxes of instant noodles in a variety of vors. She made sure to get a sample of nearly every vor avable on the market! With the onset of the apocalypse, instant noodles had be a rare luxury! Not only were they easy to prepare, but they also tasted great and provided a solid bnce of oil and salt, making them an essential survival food. In the harsh conditions of the apocalypse, they were the perfect choice! The price for instant noodles varied, ranging from just over fifty to more than one hundred per box. A typical box of 24 packs of braised beef noodles went for around 54, while the more premium tonkatsu vor could go for up to 130 for thirty packs. On average, she spent about seventy per box, meaning her total expenditure for a thousand boxes came to roughly seventy thousand. Naturally, she couldn¡¯t leave out the sausages! She also bought two hundred boxes of her favorite spicy and crispy corn sausage, together with a hundred boxes of pickles. These two items set her back just under thirty thousand. After securing the essential food supplies, her focus turned to self-heating meals and pre-prepared meal kits. These offered unmatched convenience¡ªjust heat them up, and they were ready to enjoy. She visited a wide range of stores, picking up one box of every dish avable. She bought braised pork, tofu, barbecue, ribs, mushroom chicken, minced eggnt, spicy chicken, curry chicken, and many others. The average price for each meal kit was around seven to eight per pack. Theresa ended up purchasing over twenty thousand packs from multiple stores, with a total expenditure of about 150,000. This stockpile would easily provide her with one meal a day for the foreseeable future, ensuring she had enough tost for years toe! Once she had secured a lifetime¡¯s worth of food, a sense of security began to settle in. With her pantry well-stocked, she could now shift her focus to other preparations. However, by the end of the day, she had already spent nearly 700,000 without even realizing it! She had started with over 300,000 in savings, half of which hade from years of rental ie. After selling her house for two million, she was left with 1.7 million! <i>And I hadn</i><i>¡®</i><i>t even begun to purchase other necessities yet.</i> It was astonishing how quickly money could vanish, and once it started flowing, it was hard to stop. Theresa¡¯s expression hardened as she extended her hand, and in an instant, a property deed materialized before her. With a steady hand, she quickly found the contact details for a local private lending firm online and dialed the number. ¡°Hello, I¡¯d like to use my property as coteral for a loan,¡± she stated coolly. ¡°Of course,e to my office tomorrow at ten in the morning to discuss the details!¡± She ended the call, her mind already made up. The property would be mortgaged once again. A faint, almost sinister smile yed on her lips. This vendetta was personal, and she would make sure it was paid back with interest¡ªdouble the price!<i> Let the grand revenge unfold!</i></section>

 Kept Woman 4

    <h1 ss="" data-v-4af5c797="">Chapter 4 Drain Them Dry</h1><section ss="" data-v-4af5c797="">


    That afternoon, Theresa emerged from an aging office building in the heart of the city. As she walked out, her bank ount reflected an additional 1.5 million. These small lendingpanies were more bloodthirsty than any vampire. She had sold her property to Oliver¡¯s family for two million, but this loan shark of apany only handed her a mere 1.5 million. To make matters worse, the interest rate was astronomical. She had agreed to a loan with a seven-day deadline for repayment. Within a week, she was supposed to return two million, or they would seize the house. It was a scheme designed to bleed her dry and steal her property! But it didn¡¯t faze her, because she had no intention of paying them back! <i>And as for the house? It was already out of my hands! </i>The loan¡¯s twelve-day term was timed perfectly, falling just before the onset of the apocalypse. As the deadline approached, the lendingpany would inevitably turn its focus to Oliver¡¯s family. At that point, the two sides would be at each other¡¯s throats in a brutal showdown! It was uncertain who would prevail, but one thing was for sure¡ªthat house would crumble into nothing. Now, with an additional 1.5 million in her ount, Theresa gazed at the funds deposited by the loanpany. An idea sparked in her mind, and she proceeded to take advantage of every avable lending tform on the market! <i>I</i><i>¡®</i><i>m going to drain them dry! I</i><i>¡®</i><i>m taking it all with ruthless determination! </i>Afterpleting the transactions, her bnce had increased by an additional 500,000. Now, with a total of 3.7 million at her disposal, she was ready to make another round of purchases. With her funds topped up, her first stop was a construction materials factory to continue strengthening her safe haven. She purchased around forty to fifty surveince cameras and then sought out a supplier for generators. A reliable power source was essential. Generatorse in four types: wind, water, thermal, and diesel. The first three were impractical¡ªthey wereplicated to install, requiring significant time and effort, and mostly unavable off the shelf, requiring custom orders from specialized manufacturers. Diesel, however, was the most practical option. The seller asked, ¡°What size generator are you interested in?¡± Theresa inquired, ¡°What are the options?¡± The seller responded, ¡°We have models ranging from thirty and fifty kilowatts to two hundred and eight hundred kilowatts. Anything over a thousand is more expensive. The higher the capacity, the pricier they get.¡± She quickly gauged the price range for diesel generators. The smallest option, at thirty kilowatts, typically cost between ten to twenty thousand. Mid-range models, like the two hundred kilowatt ones, were priced between fifty thousand and a hundred thousand. For a three hundred kilowatt unit, prices started above one hundred thousand, and the cost increased exponentially as the wattage went up. Generators above a thousand kilowatts were priced from a million upwards, and imported models were even pricier, often 20 to 30% higher than their domestic equivalents. ¡°Just go for a domestic model,¡± the shopkeeper suggested. ¡°Our local ones are just as reliable, if not better than the imported ones. They¡¯re more robust, and practical, and don¡¯t have the dieselpatibility issues that the foreign models do. What are you nning to use it for? Running a restaurant?¡± Theresa confirmed, ¡°Exactly.¡± She needed a reliable power source to keep the bunker lit and to support restaurant-level usage. While a standard model would do, she opted for the most powerful and expensive model instead. <i>My system</i><i>¡®</i><i>s rewards will scale with my progress, so why settle for less? </i>¡°Give me the best one, no cutting corners! Money¡¯s no concern!¡± she boldly dered, looking every bit like the wealthy buyer as she purchased the highest-value, top-tier generator for 1.2 million from his shop. The shopkeeper was practically beaming at the sight of her confidence. She made a request for more items, asking the shopkeeper to throw in everything from soundproof padding to tool kits and small misceneous goods. She wasn¡¯t interested in leaving anything behind, no matter how trivial. The shopkeeper, without a second thought, even threw in thest ten liters of diesel in stock. When Theresa noticed the diesel, her expression brightened. ¡°Boss, do you happen to have any connections for buying fuel at a cheaper rate?¡± Fuel was notoriously difficult to acquire. Every time she went to a gas station, she had to register with her ID, and they only allowed small purchases¡ªusually just a few liters at a time. Many stations even refused to sell it in loose form, only offering it for vehicle refills. However, sellers of generators often had their ownwork. There was an underground market for fuel, where illicit operations secretly obtained it¡ªeither stolen fromrge fields or gathered from dubious offshore sources¡ªand sold it without any official oversight. This was the type of ¡°ck fuel¡± she was hoping to get her hands on. As soon as she finished speaking, the shopkeeper¡¯s face took on a knowing, secretive look. He gestured for her to step aside and handed her a card. ¡°If you need more fuel, give this number a call. Mention my name, and they¡¯ll give you a 20% discount. It¡¯s cheaper than what you¡¯d find anywhere else!¡± She epted the card. ¡°Appreciate it.¡± It was clear that people in rted industries often had their ownworks to rely on. As she made her way out, the shopkeeper muttered, ¡°With the flu spreading like wildfiretely, business is really slow these days.¡± She responded absentmindedly, quickening her pace to exit the shop, ¡°Yeah.¡± She didn¡¯t borate. The flu outbreak wasn¡¯t just an ordinary epidemic; it was the harbinger of the apocalypse. Just two weeks after the virus had begun to spread, those who caught it began to die off. But the real horror came when, before anyone could fully process the loss, they discovered that the dead had somehow returned. However, their return wasn¡¯t a miracle¡ªit was the dawn of something much darker¡ªzombies! In her previous life, Theresa had been entirely absorbed in the preparations for Oliver¡¯s wedding. During this period, his wife had discovered she was pregnant. Theresa had been running errands for them, buying new furniture, and overseeing renovations, all while helping her sister-inw with hospital visits. On the fateful day the apocalypse began, she was at the hospital with her sister-inw to pick up some reports when the first horrifying screams filled the air. What happened next was a nightmare she would never forget¡ªa patient, who had been dered dead, suddenly jerked to life. As he was being wheeled into emergency care, he sat up abruptly and began savagely attacking the family members around him. A desperate struggle ensued, but she watched in disbelief as the first person bitten began to convulse. When he finally stood, his body was pale and devoid of life. His eyes had turned an unnatural, ghastly gray, resembling the soulless stare of a zombie from a horror movie¡ªno pupils, no spark of life, only an eerie, bloodthirsty gleam! With a terrifying snarl, he lunged at the people who had tried to help him, sinking his teeth into their flesh. The entire hospital descended into chaos. And it wasn¡¯t an isted incident¡ªsimr horrors were unfolding in every corner of the building. Anyone who was bitten would undergo a grotesque transformation within five minutes, joining the growing horde in tearing others apart! At that moment, Theresa was gripped by fear, but her instincts kicked in. Her primary focus was on her pregnant sister-inw. With a calm andposed demeanor, she grabbed a weapon and fought off the oing zombies, shielding her sister-inw as they navigated the madness and escaped the hospital. Her actions that day left asting impression on the Hall family, who quickly began to view her as the dependable one! From that point forward, she was tasked with everything¡ªgathering supplies, safeguarding the group¡ªshe was the one always at the forefront! In her previous life, she found fulfillment in being their protector, in being the one they turned to in times of crisis. But now, she saw the truth. It wasn¡¯t about protecting family anymore¡ªit was about being used as a pawn by selfish, thoughtless individuals! <i>This time, I</i><i>¡®</i><i>ll not fall into that trap again. No more ying the fool! </i> Theresa arranged for the boss to have everything delivered to the warehouse and, while en route, made a call to inquire about the diesel situation. The supplier confirmed they could handle the delivery, and it would arrive by tomorrow. Without any hesitation, she ordered all the diesel they had in stock, and she made it clear that she wasn¡¯t interested in anything less. Thus, she ended up making a bulk purchase worth a million! With a generous 25% discount, she spent close to two million in just one outing today.</section>

 Kept Woman 5

    <h1 ss="" data-v-4af5c797="">Chapter 5 Upgrade Of Bunker</h1><section ss="" data-v-4af5c797="">


    After the supplies were unloaded at the warehouse, Theresa transferred therge generator into her domain. There was more than enough room for it! Soon after, she made her way back to her base. She carefully ced the generator in the furthest storage room within the bunker. ¡®<i>Ding!</i> 1,000-kilowatt generator detected. Reward! A generator with permanent durability and the lowest energy consumption!¡¯ Her eyes widened in disbelief! She marveled at how the generator now gleamed with a silvery sheen, its overall quality and strength now far superior to what it had been before! The best part was it was now indestructible! Normally, generators need regr upkeep, and Theresa had been nning to get as much use out of it as possible. But to her astonishment, the system had turned it into a machine that would never break! <i>This was unbelievable! Time to keep moving forward! </i>She quickly set about installing the cameras onto the barbed wire fence she had set up the day before. Her bunker was tucked away in an ideal location, encircled by a dense forest. The nearest main road was a kilometer away, and the side road veered into the forest after another half-kilometer, disappearing from sight. This spot was nearly invisible to anyone passing by, ensuring the tunnel remained undetected. With the cameras in ce, leaving no blind spots, she connected them to the power system, which was fueled by the generator. This setup ensured she could keep an eye on any unwee creatures that might wander into her territory! Once everything was connected, the cameras and electrified fence sprang to life. Herputer screen was filled with a grid of live surveince footage, covering every inch of her domain without missing a detail. Simultaneously, a system alert rang out. ¡®<i>Ding!</i> Surveince and electric grid systems detected. Reward! Surveince system enhanced! Expanded detection range by tenfold! Now capable of identifying all living and non-living entities! Electric grid upgraded! Maximum voltage now at 10,000 volts!¡¯ Theresa was stunned! She stared at the sharper, more detailed footage on herputer screen. With a simple click, the pixels were significantly sharper¡ªten times better than before! As she zoomed in, she realized the range of her surveince had gone from a hundred meters to an astonishing one thousand meters! She could now clearly spot the distant road through the trees, a view that was once impossible! At that moment, a bird attempted tond on the electrified wire fence she had set up. It circled above, eventually spotting a ce to rest. In the blink of an eye, there was a sharp <i>beep</i> followed by a sh of sparks. The bird plummeted straight to the ground. Theresa¡¯s eyes gleamed with approval as she noted that the defense of her bunker had been enhanced perfectly. <i>It was wless! </i>She couldn¡¯t wait to see who would dare challenge her base now. <i>Touch it, and you</i><i>¡®</i><i>re done for!</i> ¡°Summer, stay away from the wire fences from now on, understand?¡± <i>Woof! </i>Since the upgrade, Summer¡¯s physical and mental abilities had both improved, making him more perceptive and aware than ever before. After gently ruffling its head, she retrieved some food from the refrigerator in her space. She shared a meal with him, savoring the brief moment offort. Once they were finished, she got back to organizing her base. During this process, she discovered that even the smallest tasks around the bunker yielded rewards. For example, when she cleared the well and removed the overgrown weeds: ¡®<i>Ding!</i> Well upgrade detected! Reward! A pristine water source from the independent mountain range!¡¯ ¡®<i>Ding!</i> Weed area reduction detected! Reward! Superior soil! Crop yield increased by 100 times! Growth speed elerated by 10 times!¡¯ Seeing this, Theresa felt invigorated. A clean water source and fertile soil¡ªclear signs that her base was rapidly improving, bing stronger and more self-sufficient with each passing day. With these fundamental resources secured, she could soon cultivate fresh fruits and vegetables, paving the way for a fully self-sufficient lifestyle. Determined to take the next step, she resolved to stock up on a diverse assortment of seeds. In what felt like no time at all, ten days had slipped by. Over the past week, she began each morning with an intense ten-kilometer run around her base. This disciplined regimen not only pushed her physical endurance to new heights but also helped her memorize every detail of the surrounding terrain. Her bunker was ingeniously nestled within the heart of a mountain. Encircling it was a formidable barrier of electrified wire, stretching in a semi-circr formation across the mountain¡¯s mid-slopes. Where the wire met the mountain, sheer cliffs provided an additionalyer of natural defense, making it almost impossible for anyone to breach the perimeter. On the opposite side of the mountain, the challenge was even more daunting¡ªsteeper inclines coupled with dense shrubbery and thick trees created an almost impassable terrain! Even seasoned mountaineers, armed with professional equipment, would find the climb an arduous, if not impossible, task. Theresa¡¯s base was as secure as a citadel carved from the mountain itself. The most pressing threat looming over her base was fire. Forest fires were notoriously unpredictable and devastating. The only surefire way to mitigate the risk would be for her to raze an entire swath of trees to carve out a firebreak. But doing so came with its own peril. Stripping the area of its natural cover would make her base painfully conspicuous. In a world on the brink of copse, the greatest danger wasn¡¯t nature but humanity itself. Staying concealed was paramount. After some deep contemtion, she decided on a more subtle approach. She rolled up her sleeves and began clearing away the forest floor¡¯s dry, brittle remnants¡ªdead branches and fallen leaves that could act as kindling. Cutting down the trees was out of the question. Removing them would practically paint a target on her location, inviting trouble she couldn¡¯t afford. In this harsh new reality, keeping humans at bay was far more prudent than dealing with the chaos they might unleash. Moreover, the forest¡¯s inherent dampness maderge-scale fires a rarity. By removing the mmable debris around her base, she could significantly reduce the risk withoutpromising her position. Using her base¡¯s protective perimeter as the focal point, Theresa methodically carved out a clean, hazard-free zone that bnced safety and secrecy, ensuring her fortress remained secure without sacrificing its concealment. As she worked, an unexpected voice resonated in her mind. ¡®<i>Ding!</i> Fire hazards have been mitigated. Reward! Permanent immunity tobustion within the cleared zone!¡¯ She froze mid-motion, her jaw nearly dropping. <i>Unbelievable!</i> she thought, a spark of tion lighting up her face. This wasn¡¯t just a small perk¡ªthis was a game-changer, a miraculous upgrade to her stronghold¡¯s safety. Her ability came through just when she needed it most! The greatest vulnerability of her bunker, the threat of fire, the most precarious w in her defenses had been erased in one fell swoop. Relief washed over her, but she didn¡¯t let it slow her down. If anything, it pushed her to double down on her efforts. She quickly shifted her focus, diving into the next round of tasks with renewed vigor. Every square foot she tidied seemed to trigger another small improvement, pushing her base closer to bing an imprable fortress. Under her relentless efforts, her sanctuary was evolving rapidly¡ªstronger, safer, and more prepared for the chaos thaty ahead. Over the past few days, her orders had been steadily arriving, forming a steady stream of deliveries. By day, she threw herself into the meticulous work of fortifying her bunker. But when night fell, she slipped away to her warehouse to im the items she had been stockpiling. She had instructed the delivery drivers to unload everything directly into the warehouse. To ensure the safety of her goods, she had installed an oversized surveince camera at the entrance, while Summer, her fiercely protective canine, stood guard inside, adding anotheryer of security. In these peaceful times, most people wouldn¡¯t even think of stirring trouble¡ªespecially not with a formidable dog guarding the premises. The drivers, sensing the unspoken warning, worked swiftly, unloading truck after truck before departing without dy. Once the coast was clear, Theresa would arrive under the cover of darkness. With practiced efficiency, she used her domain to transport the supplies back to her base, piece by piece. Every trip brought her closer to fortifying her stronghold for the trials ahead. ¡®<i>Ding!</i> Warehouse capacity maxed out!¡¯ Her monumental haul had finally arrived¡ªa hundred tons of rice, a thousand boxes of instant noodles, two hundred crates of sausages, a hundred cases of pickles, and over twenty thousand ready-made meal packets. Everyst item had been systematically stacked in the deepest chamber of her bunker, forming an organized arsenal of supplies. ¡°Reward! Ultimate Storage Vault! Food preservation guaranteed indefinitely!¡± Before her eyes, the mundane chamber entrance morphed into a state-of-the-art bank vault door, just like the ones she¡¯d seen in spy movies. The thick, reinforced metal structure radiated imprability, impervious to even the most advanced explosive tools. Only her iris scan could grant ess to this fortified treasure trove! When she stepped inside, she was greeted by an impably organized interior. Supplies were sorted with surgical precision, each item in its rightful ce. But the real marvely in its new capability¡ªpermanent freshness! No decay, no spoge, no ticking expiration dates. Her provisions had be an eternal lifeline, immune to the ravages of time!</section>

 Kept Woman 6

    Chapter 6 Hoarding Fruit Trees And Fishes


    Chapter 6 Hoarding Fruit Trees And Fishes


    436%


    10 Free Coins


    Along with the food supplies, Theresa¡¯stest order of seeds had also arrived. She had ced an order for a variety ofmon crop seeds and saplings. Most vegetable seeds were straightforward to nt and cultivate, but for certain crops like sweet potatoes, she needed to purchase the actual seedlings. The seeds were remarkably inexpensive, and even the sweet potato seedlings were a bargain. After making a bulk purchase from a prominent seed store, she casually inquired about additional seedlings. To her surprise, the shop owner generously gifted her a few extras.


    As for fruit trees, it was far more practical to buy saplings that were already mature, rather than starting from seed. Growing fruit trees from scratch could be a slow andbor¨Cintensive process, <i>so </i>opting for ten- year¨Cold saplings was not only more convenient but also cost¨Ceffective. For instance, a top¨Ctier honey apple sapling, already ten years old, only costs around seventy to eighty. Theresa made a substantial investment in a variety of ten¨Cyear¨Cold tree saplings. She purchased an assortment of fruit trees, including apple, fig, jujube, pear, mulberry, cherry, orange, plum, walnut, chestnut, hazelnut, peach, pomegranate, and persimmon, ordering three of each species.


    Her n was to create a sustainable fruit supply year¨Cround, ensuring that different fruits would be avable with each season. In total, she secured over a hundred trees for a mere six thousand. The area needed to amodate them was modest¨Cless than half an acre, which was conveniently situated on the right side of her bunker. On the left side, she constructed high¨Cquality stic greenhouses and racks, where she sowed an array of vegetable seeds, including cabbages, cucumbers, eggnts, carrots, tomatoes, cabbages, scallions, kale, and green beans.


    While many vegetables can be easily grown from seedlings, Theresa opted to start from scratch from seeds. She recognized that buying seedlings only provided a one¨Ctime harvest, and the following year¡¯s crops might suffer without good¨Cquality seedlings. Therefore, she decided to take matters into her own. hands and grow her own seedlings from scratch. For potatoes, all she needed were the tubers to nt. Thankfully, hernd was of exceptional quality, ensuring that once the seeds were in the ground, they would thrive without requiring much attention from her.


    In a mere ten days, she had transformed her bunker entirely. Both the interior and exterior werepletely revamped, giving the entire ce a fresh new look. As the days ticked by, there were only three days left until the impending apocalypse, and she began to consider what else she might need. She envisioned a life of self¨Csufficiency in this secluded haven, perhaps raising chickens, ducks, and fishes to round out her setup! While her stash of meal packs would keep her fed, nothing couldpare to the satisfaction of fresh food. After days of relying on packaged meals, she realized something vital was missing from her diet. By raising her own livestock, she could ensure a steady supply of fresh meat whenever she wanted!


    With this thought in mind, she wasted no time and set out for the farmer¡¯s market. As usual, she left¡® Summer at the warehouse to oversee the iing supplies. It had been several days since shest ventured into the city, and today, as she entered, she immediately sensed that something was off. The atmosphere felt tense, and everyone around her wore masks, their faces marked with worry.


    ¡°Hey, youngdy, what can I get for you? I¡¯m about to pack up and head home once I sell these,¡± a vendor called out. Theresa had stopped at a stall that had a variety of live chickens and ducks. She took a quick look at the birds¨Cboth roosters and hens, as well as ducks¨Ceach one appeared to be in good condition. ¡°How about cutting me a deal? I¡¯ll take everything off your hands!¡± she said. The vendor¡¯s eyes widened with excitement. ¡°You want all of them?¡± Theresa nodded. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll sell them to you for ten per pound! Normally, I charge fifteen for the chickens and eleven for the ducks!¡± She agreed. ¡°Sounds good!¡±


    Theresa ended up purchasing a total of twenty¨Csix chickens and ducks, each weighing between six to seven


    III


    O


    ARA <b>Wed</b>, & Aug &


    Chapter 6 Hoarding Fruit Trees And Fishes


    +10 Free Coins


    pounds. The entire lot set her back just under two thousand. Once she arranged for the vendor to deliver the poultry to her warehouse, she proceeded with her shopping. As she wandered through the market, her attention was drawn to a stall brimming with fresh fishes. A spark of inspiration hit her. Since her bunker- had a water source, she could easily create a small pond for them. Without hesitation, she bought more than thirty fishes from the vendor, including carp, crucian carp, grass carp, and over forty pounds of fresh shrimp. She had a particr fondness for shrimp¨Cwhether stir¨Cfried, saut¨¦ed, or served with scrambled eggs, she enjoyed them all.


    To ensure everything was properly cared for, she spent a little more to have stic tanks and oxygenators to keep the fishes healthy. Everything was sent to her warehouse, and the total cost for the fishes and shrimp came to over three thousand. Her shopping didn¡¯t stop there! While it was impossible to find live pigs or cows, she was resourceful enough to make use of her refrigerated warehouse and domain to make up for the shortage! She made an immediate purchase of one thousand pounds of pork and five hundred pounds of beef from a local butcher stall. Recognizing the bulk of her purchase, she urged the vendor to process the order quickly, offering extra payment to ensure it would be delivered directly from the ughterhouse to her warehouse the same day.


    The cost was steep, totaling over forty thousand, but she still had more than 1.6 million remaining in her budget. After circling the market for a while, she had hoped to buy some additional fresh goods. However, she soon realized that many of the stalls had already closed for the day. Just as she was about to leave, her eyes caught a small stall tucked away in a corner that was also preparing to close. To her surprise, the vendor was selling live baby goats.


    Without a second thought, she immediately purchased thest two for 1,500! The vendor exined that the goats had originally been bred for milk production, but due to poor market conditions, most of the herd had been sold, leaving only these two young ones. She was fortunate to buy them before they were gone. ¡°Miss, it¡¯s best you finish up and head home quickly!¡± the vendor urged after taking her payment. ¡°The flu¡¯s been spreading, and it¡¯s best to avoid being out.¡± Theresa gave a small nod in acknowledgment.


    She was well aware of the situation, always making sure to wear a top¨Ctier medical mask for protection when she ventured out. However, the flu wasn¡¯t the root cause of the zombie virus. What had actually happened was that the flu, by spreading so widely, had lowered people¡¯s immune defenses. When the zombie virus made its appearance, it found easy targets in those with weakened systems, turning them. into zombies. This led to the misconception that the flu was the real threat!


    It had taken Theresa years of survival in the apocalypse to piece together these facts. However, the true source of the zombie virus remained an enigma. There were rumors that the virus was some sort of twisted game devised by the gods, as it had resulted in drastic changes within humanity! She made sure to have the vendor drop everything off at her warehouse before she left the farmer¡¯s market, determined not to linger any longer. With the impending virus outbreak just days away, she nned to stay inside for the remainder of the time. But before she retreated, she was resolute about spending thest of her funds. <i>There </i><i>was </i>no <i>way </i><i>I </i><i>was </i><i>going </i>to <i>leave </i><i>so </i><i>much </i><i>unspent</i><i>! </i>


    Seeking a secluded area away from prying eyes and cameras, she tucked the two baby goats into her domain and then drove off, with Summer in tow. Along the way, she stopped at a farm supply store, where she picked up a full set of essential/tools and added twenty iron shovels to her haul, ensuring she was fully prepared! Many are unaware that the iron shovel, among all farming tools, was a surprisingly formidable. weapon! In the days of warfare, when weapons were scarce, it wasmon for people to grab whatever they could find, and the iron shovel was often the go¨Cto choice, In rural skirmishes, brandishing an iron shovel meant things were about to get serious! In modern military equipment, the highly effective military spade is a direct upgrade from the humble shovel.


    In the post¨Capocalyptic world, cold weapons have proven far more reliable than firearms. Theresa wisely prepared by hoarding arge number of iron shovels, ensuring she had more than enough for whatever


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    came next. She also picked up a few baseball bats, knowing their solid impact could pack a punch when needed.


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 Kept Woman 7

    Chapter 7 Raiding The Mega Mall


    Chapter 7 Raiding The Mega Mall


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    Theresa strode into a sporting goods store, her eyes scanning the shelves with purpose. She picked out several baseball bats, prioritizing strength and durability, then shifted her focus to outdoor survival gear. shlights, helmets, body armor, protective pads, tents, hazmat suits, tactical clothing¨Cshe didn¡¯t hold back, ensuring every essential was ounted for. By the time she was done, her total spend had exceeded twenty thousand.


    While checking out, she noticed emergency tools like tweezers, pliers, adhesive strips, and thermometers on disy. This sparked a realization¨Cshe still needed medical supplies. Without dy, she headed to a nearby pharmacy. There, she loaded up on necessities¨Ccold remedies, hemostatic agents, fever reducers, vitamins, bandages, alcohol, iodine, and other first¨Caid necessities. She wasn¡¯t leaving anything to chance.


    In contrast, she barely spared a nce at the prescription drugs on disy. To her, they were irrelevant- useless in the grand scheme of survival. After ten brutal years navigating the apocalypse, she had learned a hard truth¨Cthose who relied on daily medication didn¡¯tst long. A small stash of emergency drugs was all she needed, and even then, they were more of a contingency than a necessity. In a world turned upside down, a frail body was practically a death sentence.


    When she emerged from the pharmacy, the evening sky had already surrendered to the glow of city lights. Neon signs bathed the streets in vibrant colors, painting a lively yet surreal scene. Surveying her haul, she allowed herself a moment of satisfaction. She had secured everything critical: food, water, shelter, and the bare necessities for survival. But survival wasn¡¯t just about the basics; it was also about being prepared for the unexpected. There was still room to upgrade her supplies, to ensure she had every possible advantage.


    ¾É


    With 1.57 million still burning a hole in her pocket, she decided there was no harm in indulging. <i>Why </i><i>not </i>splurge <i>a </i><i>little</i><i>? </i>She¡¯d grab whatever caught her eye, stocking up without restraint. If the end of the world was imminent, she might as well do it with style. Before the chaos of the apocalypse could descend, she resolved to indulge in a final, unapologetic celebration of the world¡¯s fleeting splendor. Her journey began at a Michelin¨Cstarred restaurant, a ce she had once deemed far too extravagant to enter. This time, she spared no expense, ordering avish banquet fit for royalty: velvety mushroom soup, fragrant garlic ribs, golden¨Cseared cod, crispy roasted chicken, and, sulent garlic shrimp. Dishes she had only ever dreamed of tasting were now her reality.


    The garlic shrimp and fillet steak were so divine that she didn¡¯t hesitate to have the kitchen prepare ten additional servings for her to take away. After all, Summer deserved to share in this fleeting decadence! Not content to stop there, Theresa booked a luxurious suite in the hotel and ventured to the bustling mall below. The sprawling disys of goods and the irresistible aromas of freshly prepared foods were impossible to resist. Her instincts, honed by years of hardship, led her straight to the gourmet section, where the sheer variety of delicacies was overwhelming. There, the offerings were as abundant as they were irresistible¨Cgolden egg waffles fresh off the iron, sizzling takoyaki, towering cakes, delicate floss buns, crispy fried skewers, golden chicken cutlets, savory pork chops, rich oden, creamy ice cream, silky milk tea, and fragrant desserts. It was a paradise of vors!


    Confronted with the overwhelming variety of goods, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of longing¨Cthere was just so much she wanted to grab. Yet, she knew deep down that time was a scarce resource, and her funds weren¡¯t limitless. These indulgences couldn¡¯t possibly make it onto her list of survival essentials. After all, they were luxuries of a peaceful era, frivolous and impractical in the harsh reality of the apocalypse. <i>But </i><i>for </i><i>now</i>? <i>None </i><i>of </i><i>that </i><i>mattered</i><i>! </i>Tonight, she had the freedom to splurge without restraint. To feast without hesitation, to buy without restraint, and to momentarily forget the grim future.


    She swept through the mall like a quiet storm, visiting shop after shop with an air of understated opulence.


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    At each store, she approached the staff with calm confidence, uttering a simple yet jaw¨Cdropping request. ¡°Pack up every snack you¡¯ve got.¡± Once the payment was made, she instructed them to deliver everything to her suite upstairs. Every time, the reaction was the same¨Cstunned silence, wide¨Ceyed disbelief, and then a flurry of activity as the staff scrambled to fulfill her extravagant demand.


    Take the first bakery as an example¨CTheresa swept through it with a singlemand, having everything packed up for delivery. Freshly baked bread, velvety cheesecakes, ice cream¨Cfilled puffs, delicate cream squares, chewy mochi, soft cream rolls, decadent mille¨Cfeuille, ky egg yolk pastries, golden waffles, and buttery cookies¨Call of it was bagged and sent straight to her hotel suite. Then she moved on to a Korean fried chicken joint. She didn¡¯t settle for just one vor¨Cshe went for them all. Sweet and spicy, amber ze, garlic soy, honey mustard¨Ceach sauce was paired with a variety of chicken cuts: boneless pieces, crispy wings, tender drumsticks, and even whole roasted chickens. 1


    Milk tea shops were no exception to her spree. She made sure to sample every vor from every shop- ssic milk teas, fruity infusions, ice cream teas, creamy milk cap blends, and even slushy concoctions! She moved through each store like a phantom of extravagance, paying her bill, leaving her address, and disappearing without a trace. By the time shepleted her whirlwind tour, she had spent over 200,000 on snacks alone, indulging in a feast worthy of her fleeting moment of luxury.


    Each store had an inventory worth over ten thousand, but for ces like the cold noodle and waffle shops, which Theresa didn¡¯t feel the need to stock up on, she simply grabbed one of every vor. These smaller shops only set her back a few hundred to a few thousand each. With her total exceeding 200,000, she had thoroughly explored all the snack stalls on the second and third floors of the mall. Afterward, she headed straight to the supermarket¨Ca ce she couldn¡¯t miss!


    She grabbed tworge shopping carts and made her way through the massive, warehouse¨Cstyle aisles, picking up everything she could think of. By the time she reached the checkout, her carts were filled with an assortment of single items, each one chosen carefully. She picked out a single packet of every vor of chips, a box of cookies and candy, and a bottle of each kind of drink, from juices to sodas. She also grabbed a selection of ready¨Cto¨Ceat meals: sausages, grilled chicken, fish, sushi, rice balls, and boxed lunches¨Cnothing was left out! For the semi¨Cprepared foods, she didn¡¯t hesitate to choose marinated chicken, pork chops, fish fillets, and ingredients for hot pot.


    Her daily necessities were just as well thought out¨Cshe stocked up on toiletries, face creams, and even remembered the essentials like sanitary pads, disposable towels, and wet wipes. Since this spree was all about upgrading her lifestyle, she didn¡¯t skip on the home appliances either. A washing machine, a robotic vacuum, and a refrigerator were all added to her list¨Cthings she never thought about before. <i>But </i>with <i>my </i><i>newfound </i><i>wealth</i><i>, </i>why <i>not</i><i>? </i>Afterpleting her purchases, she wheeled her two carts full of goods to the checkout. She then approached the manager and requested that, aside from the appliances, the entire stock of everything in her carts be packed up and delivered to her.


    However, she had clearly miscalcted both the quantity and the cost of the items she wanted. Before she could even finish buying everything she had nned, her funds werepletely depleted! Out of the 1.3 million she had, she was only able to purchase a fraction of what she had intended. <i>It </i><i>was </i><i>awkward</i><i>! </i>While the basic staples she had stocked up on earlier were rtively cheap, these processed foods were costing her several times more! Looking at her empty bank ount, Theresa finally resigned herself to what she had¨C<i>this </i><i>would </i><i>be </i><i>enough</i><i>. </i>


    She provided her address to the manager and inquired if it would be possible to have the goods delivered today. The manager assured her that it would be no problem at all! With a hint of regret, she nced around at the vast supermarket, still brimming with so many items she had hoped to take, feeling a touch of disappointment. After finishing her time at the supermarket, she decided to head upstairs and explore further.


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    Up until now, she¡¯d only explored the food courts on the B1 and B2 levels, plus the massive supermarket. The clothing sections on the upper floors were still out of reach due to her dwindling funds. She figured there were only about seventy left in her ount<i>. </i><i>But </i><i>sevenly </i>was still <i>enough </i><i>for </i><i>a </i>bit of <i>fun</i><i>! </i>Even <i>if </i><i>I </i>was nearly broke, I could still enjoy some window <i>shopping</i><i>! </i>She started by picking up an iced cocoa for 14 from the convenience store and then wandered from one clothing store to the next. <i>By </i>the time she had finished browsing the third floor¡¯s fashion outlets, her iced cocoa was all gone.


    While strolling through the stores, she did find a few pieces that piqued her interest. ¡°How much is this baseball jacket?¡± she inquired. ¡°Miss, it¡¯s on sale right now¨Chalf off, just two thousand!¡± She fell silent after hearing the price. Two thousand, even with <i>the </i><i>discount</i>. This was the most upscale mall in the area, known for its designer brands. It was simply beyond her budget. After she left the store without making a purchase, the manager, Ms. Lorne, gave a nudge to the salesperson who had just quoted Theresa. ¡°Why waste your time with her? It¡¯s clear she¡¯s broke¨Cjust a poor soul. Did you see her wandering around empty¨Chanded for several floors? She¡¯s not going to buy anything from us! Next time, be more discerning and learn to judge people¡­¡±


    The salesperson, who had been scolded, simply pursed her lips and remained silent. Theresa overheard their words but didn¡¯t let it faze her. She kept walking forward as if nothing had happened. Having survived the hardships of the apocalypse for so long, she wasn¡¯t the type to be easily provoked. She didn¡¯t feel the need to argue or act impulsively just to prove a point. In the end, the apocalypse had taught her one thing: it wasn¡¯t about pride¨Cit was about survival.

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    Chapter 8 Beating Oliver Up


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    As Theresa wandered further, her attention was drawn to two figures she recognized. Ahead of her, a young man walked alongside a pregnant woman. It was none other than Oliver and his wife, the very couple she had once tricked!


    ¡°Honey, please calm down. Whatever you want to buy today, it¡¯s all on me! Just forgive me¨Cdon¡¯t stress out and risk the baby!¡±


    The woman pouted. ¡°Oliver! I¡¯ve been trusting you blindly this whole time! That house isn¡¯t even yours! You¡¯ve been deliberately misleading me!¡±


    Oliver defended weakly. ¡°I swear, that house really belongs to my family.¡±


    His wife raged, ¡°Then, exin what happened today! Those people came to our door, iming the house was theirs! They even made your grandmother so upset that she had to be rushed to the hospital!¡±


    He growled viciously, ¡°Honey, I don¡¯t know what went wrong either. Theresa sold it to my mom for two million. Once we get in contact with her, we can finalize the transfer!¡±


    She shot back, ¡°Hold on a second! Didn¡¯t your mother im that the house still belonged to Theresa? She said it was a loan, which is why my name couldn¡¯t be added to the deed. Now, suddenly, you¡¯re telling me your family bought it and it¡¯s eligible for transfer? What¡¯s the truth here?¡±


    ¡°Honey, listen, it doesn¡¯t matter how it started. That house will eventually be ours! I¡¯m the sole heir of my family¨Ceverything they have will belong to me. And what¡¯s mine is yours! Just trust me on this, okay?¡± She became even angrier. ¡°Oliver, how am I supposed to trust you? First, you told me the house was fully renovated and ready to move into, but it turned out to be nothing but bare walls! Then, you swore it was in your family¡¯s name, yet debt collectors are now banging on the door! I¡¯ve had enough! Your family is nothing but a pack of liars. I refuse to bring this child into this mess¨CI¡¯m going to end it right now!¡±


    ¡°Honey! Please, don¡¯t! Let¡¯s talk this through!¡± Hidden around the corner, Theresa caught every word of their escting argument. A smirk crept onto her face, her eyes glinting with amusement. <i>Oh</i><i>, </i><i>what </i><i>a </i><i>show</i>! The drama unfolding in just ten days was more entertaining than she could¡¯ve imagined. Her grandmothernding in the hospital was just the cherry on top.


    But the chaos wasn¡¯t over yet¨Cit could still get juicier. She stood idly by, watching Oliver scramble toward the esctor, desperate to catch up with his furious wife. A wicked idea sparked in her mind, and she puckered her lips to let out a sharp, yful whistle.


    The sound sliced through the air, immediately catching his attention. He whipped his head around, his panicked expression morphing into one of shock as his eyesnded on the girl casually observing the spectacle, her expression oozing amusement. It took him a split second to recognize her. ¡°Theresa!¡± he bellowed, his voice a mix of anger and disbelief. For a moment, he froze, caught in an impossible dilemma. His wife was already descending to the next floor, her fury driving her further away. Meanwhile, here stood Theresa, the root of all his problems, standing smugly within reach.


    ¡°Wait! Honey, don¡¯t!¡± he shouted, his voice cracking with desperation. His mind spun wildly. On one hand, his wife was moments away from making good on her threat. On the other hand, Theresa stood within arm¡¯s reach, practically daring him to confront her. The weight of the situation pressed down on him, but anger quickly tipped the scales. He elenched his fists and made his decision. <i>To </i><i>hell </i>with it<i>! </i>If <i>I </i>could <i>drag </i><i>Theresa </i><i>to </i><i>my </i>wife <i>and </i><i>force </i><i>her </i><i>to </i><i>exin</i><i>, </i><i>maybe</i><i>¨C</i><i>just </i><i>maybe</i><i>¨C</i><i>I </i><i>could </i><i>salvage </i><i>this </i><i>disaster</i><i>! </i>


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    He spun around, determination etched on his face, and began wing his way up the downward¨Cmoving esctor. Each step was a struggle, but his anger drove him forward. Meanwhile, Theresa maintained a rxed pace, almost as if she were out for a casual stroll. Just as Oliver thought he had caught up with her, she slipped onto the descending esctor on the opposite side, effortlessly evading him. This little game of cat and mouse led him on a wild chase through the entire shopping mall. Eventually, the pursuit spilled. into the underground parking lot, where the dim lighting cast long shadows across the concrete floor.


    ¡°You b*tch!¡± he roared, his voice cracking from exertion. He finally managed to corner her against a cold, unyielding wall. His chest heaved as he pointed an using finger at her. ¡°You schemed against me behind my back! I swear, today¡¯s the day I end you!¡±


    Theresa tilted her head, an amused smirk dancing on her lips. ¡°Oh, is that a threat?¡± she teased, her tone dripping with mockery. Calmly, she reached out and mmed the trunk of a nearby car shut. ¡°Because I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment.¡± As she straightened, her hand emerged holding a baseball bat, the metal gleaming ominously under the dim fluorescent lights.


    The moment Oliver¡¯s eyesnded on the baseball bat in her grip, a wave of panic washed over him. ¡°Y¨CYou wouldn¡¯t darey a finger on me!¡± he blurted, his voice trembling despite the bravado he tried to muster. His words barely left his mouth before her bat connected with a resounding <i>thud</i><i>. </i>Without missing a beat, she overpowered him, twisting his jaw out of ce to ensure silence. Dragging him like a ragdoll into the farthest, dimmest corner of the parking garage, she began her merciless assault.


    Ten years of wing her way through the chaos of a brutal, apocalyptic wastnd had honed her into a lethal force, Dispatching a full¨Cgrown man in three swift moves was child¡¯s y for her. But Oliver? She decided to show restraint¨Cif one could call it that. For thirty minutes, she worked him over with surgical precision, shattering his arms and legs one by one. Her strikes were cruelly calcted, ensuring maximum agony without delivering a fatal blow. After half an hour, Olivery sprawled on the ground, barely clinging to consciousness.


    Theresa, rxed against the car, gave his lifeless body a slight nudge with her foot, as if testing whether he was still alive. She bent down, fished his phone out of his pocket, and, with her foot firmly nted on his head, dialed emergency services. ¡°Look at me being so considerate, calling the emergency services for you. You should be thanking me,¡± she taunted. His blood boiled, and if he weren¡¯t so battered, he might have screamed! <i>D</i><i>*</i><i>mn </i><i>it</i><i>! </i><i>If </i><i>only </i><i>she¡¯d </i><i>lift </i><i>her </i><i>foot </i><i>from </i><i>my </i><i>skull </i><i>for </i><i>just </i><i>a </i><i>second</i><i>, </i><i>I¡¯d </i><i>be </i><i>thankful </i><i>enough</i><i>! </i>


    ¡°Go to hell¡­¡± he managed to mutter weakly.


    ¡°Tsk, tsk, no gratitude at all. Just like your grandmother. Guess you¡¯ll be spending some quality time in the hospital too.¡± With a cruel twist of her foot, she pressed down hard enough to render him unconscious¨Ca deep sleep that wouldst a full seven days. After that, she meticulously handled the aftermath. She made sure to take all of Oliver¡¯s personal identification, ensuring that even if the hospital alerted the authorities, his identity couldn¡¯t be traced immediately.


    She also helped herself to his funds, transferring the entirety of his electronic wallets¡® bnces to her own phone. Since his phone was secured with a fingerprint lock, she simply used his finger to authorize the transactions. Once everything was sorted, she dragged him out to the bar district just outside the parking lot. It was also the same ce where she had called the emergency services. Before long, the emergency responders arrived, and Theresa stood there, blending in with the crowd, as they took him away, pretending to be just another passerby.


    With aposed expression, she stood under amppost, using Oliver¡¯s phone to send a message to his parents, informing them that he had been attacked and advising them to go to the hospital to find him. After wrapping everything up, she took his phone and sold it to a small roadside shop that dealt in used, electronics. She knew that even if the authorities got involved, it would take them at least three days to


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    trace anything back to her. By the time they pieced together Oliver¡¯s movements and realized her involvement, the situation would already have spiraled beyond their control.


    With thirty thousand freshly acquired, courtesy of Oliver, Theresa put the money to immediate use. She went on a spree, emptying several shelves in a convenience store near the mall. Every corner of her car was packed to the brim with essentials, leaving barely any space to breathe. Just as she settled into the driver¡¯s seat, a sudden crash jolted her. A man had copsed against her car door, his body limp and unsteady. Her expression darkened as she surveyed the scene. Momentster, a group of young men and women, dressed in trendy outfits, strolled over with casual indifference. ¡°Sorry about that, gorgeous! My buddy here had a little too much to drink!¡± one of them¨Ca burly man sporting tattoos¨Ccalled out with an apologetic wave.


    Without waiting for a response, they hauled the unconscious man upright. The group, stillughing and chatting among themselves, disappeared into the night as if nothing unusual had urred.


    ¡°Unbelievable! Two drinks, and Brandon¡¯s already down for the count? The guy used to brag about being a bottomless pit!¡±


    Another voice chimed in, ¡°I could¡¯ve sworn he used to hold his liquor like a champ!¡±


    One of the group membersughed. ¡°Must¡¯ve gone soft after tying the knot! Ha! Marriage really does ruin a man!¡±


    Theirughter erupted like fireworks, echoing through the quiet street. ¡°Stop it, I can¡¯t breathe¨Cthis is too good!¡±


    Theresa rested her arm casually against the car window, her sharp eyes following the group¡¯s retreating figures. Her attention lingered on the man slumped between them. His head drooped lifelessly, his body unnaturally rigid. The hand that swung limply at his side was deathly pale, starkly out of ce amidst the group¡¯s carefree revelry. Something about him didn¡¯t sit right.


    However, he began to stir, his eyelids fluttering open. ¡°What just happened to me?¡± he muttered groggily.


    ¡°You passed out, genius!¡± one of hispanions shot back with a smirk.


    ¡°Seriously? That little bit of alcohol knocked you out? Pathetic!¡± another chimed in with a mocking grin.


    ¡°Probably just work stress,¡± the man mumbled, rubbing his temples. ¡°I should call it a night and head home.¡±


    Someone eximed, ¡°Head back? Are you kidding? The night¡¯s still young! We¡¯re drinking till we drop tonight!¡± The group burst intoughter as they walked away, carefree and boisterous.


    Theresa, however, sat rooted in c¨¦, her gaze sharp and unyielding as she watched their retreating figures. Her fingers slipped into her pocket, retrieving her phone. A quick nce at the screen confirmed her unease¨Cit was 9 August, In her past life, the world had descended into chaos on the 11th. The clock was ticking¨Cthe countdown to the apocalypse on 11 August had begun.


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    Chapter 9 The Apocalypse Arrives

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    Chapter 9 The Apocalypse Arrives


    Chapter 9 The Apocalypse Arrives.


    Theresa returned to the hotel where she was staying.


    Her room was already overflowing with items.


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    She had earlier informed the front desk and arranged for her belongings to be sent up. The staff had ced everything inside her room.


    Now, the room waspletely packed. The table, floor, and the bed werepletely covered.


    Among the items was arge amount of fresh hot fried chicken.


    With a wave of her hand, Theresa put everything away into her domain.


    She decided to spend the night there and leave the next morning. After all, she did not want to waste the money she had already spent.


    Before going to bed, she trained for three hours. She pushed herself to the brink, breaking past her physical limits. Only then did she take a shower and check the surveince systems for her bunker and warehouse.


    Everything appeared secure. Through video call, she briefly spoke with Summer, telling it to keep watch. She assured it she would return early the next morning.


    Summer responded in a way that was almost human, then obediently stayed in its kennel in the warehouse to guard it.


    Theresa soundly slept in the hotel until 6 a.m.


    She woke up to the sound of police and ambnce sirens.


    Although the hotel was in the city center and had excellent soundproofing, she was very sensitive to noise. The faintest sound would wake her.


    The moment she heard the sirens, she rushed to the window. She pulled back the curtains and looked down to see numerous police cars and ambnces on the street below.


    Not far from the hotel was a busy area filled with bars and entertainment venues. The emergency vehicles were heading there.


    She watched as an ambnce stopped in front of the bar she had noticed the day before. Several people covered in blood were carried out.


    An ominous thought crossed her mind.


    Just then, she heard hurried footsteps and frantic knocking at her door.


    Theresa grabbed an iron shovel and cautiously approached the door. She first checked through the peephole.


    It was a hotel staff member,


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    The woman looked nervous but showed no signs of injury or blood. Her face appeared calm and normal.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Theresa asked.


    ¡°Miss, I am from housekeeping. Several guests have reported fainting in their rooms and are asking for help. Are you alright?¡±


    Theresa firmly replied, ¡°I am fine.¡±


    *Please remain in your room for now. The hotel will extend your stay at no cost. Thank you for understanding.¡±


    The staff member moved on to the next room.


    Theresa felt a wave of unease.


    The apocalypse might have arrived early.


    She had to leave right away.


    Theresa grabbed her car keys and prepared to go. Before leaving, she made sure to take all theplimentary water, drinks, and toiletries from the room.


    As she opened the door, she saw the staff member at the far end of the hallway. The woman was persistently knocking on another door.


    After several attempts, the staff member used a key card to enter the room.


    Theresa watched as the woman stepped inside.


    Shortly after, she heard a voice cry out in worry.


    ¡°Sir! Sir, are you alright? Guest in room 809 has fainted. Someone, send help!¡±


    The staff member called for assistance using her earpiece.


    Theresa quickly walked to the elevator.


    She entered an empty elevator heading down. As her doors closed, the doors to the nearby elevator opened.


    A group of staff stepped out of it and hurried toward the far end of the hallway.


    As the doors in front of Theresa closed, a piercing scream echoed down the hallway.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    The sound was chilling and unmistakable.


    The zombie virus had broken out early.


    Theresa swiftly pressed the button for the fifth floor. She avoided going to the reception area on the first floor.


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    Chapter 9 The Apocalypse Arrives


    +10 Free Colna


    This hotel was connected to a mall. The basement through to the fifth floor was entirely a shopping space.


    It was the same mall she had visited the day before.


    It was 6 a.m., and the mall was still closed.


    The earliest employees would not arrive until 8 a.m.


    For now, the mall waspletely empty.


    In a zombie apocalypse, the greatest danger was crowds.


    Theresa decisively strode out onto the fifth floor. As she had expected, the entire floor was dark.


    There were no lights on.


    As she stepped into the lobby, she could clearly hear screaming from outside. She nced out the window and saw chaos erupting in the streets.


    A blood¨Ccovered man stumbled out of a nearby bar. He lunged at a woman jogging past him.


    After tackling her, he went straight for her abdomen. After bringing her to the ground, he bit her in the stomach.


    The woman screamed in pain, but she could not stop him from tearing into her organs.


    The man¡¯s face became a bloody mess as he devoured her heart and lungs like a savage animal.


    ¡°Aah!¡±


    At 7 a.m., the city streets were unusually quiet. Only police cars and ambnces moved through the emptiness.


    One police car stopped the moment its officers noticed the disturbance. They rushed out to restrain the man causing the chaos.


    The woman they rescuedy motionless in a pool of blood. While no one was watching, her arms and legs began to twitch. The spasms grew stronger and more frantic, then suddenly stopped.


    ¡°Miss! Miss, can you hear me?¡±


    Roar.


    Her eyes snapped open, cloudy and devoid of life. Without hesitation, she lunged at the person trying to help her, viciously biting down.


    The scene turned into pure chaos.


    Theresa stood by the fifth¨Cfloor window, watching everything unfold.


    This was it¨Cthe apocalypse. The apocalypse she knew all too well.


    It hade earlier than she expected. In fact, an entire day ahead of schedule.


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    Chapter 9 The Apocalypse Arrives.


    Wee to the apocalypse.


    Theresa spun around and bolted further into the fifth floor.


    She had to use the esctors to reach the B2 parking lot. Elevators were not an option.


    <b>10 </b>Free <b>Colna </b>


    As she raced through the empty mall, the gleaming disys around her caught her eye¨Csupplies.


    How could she leave such a treasure trove behind?


    If she had to leave, she would not go without taking everything she could carry.


    At that moment, a voice echoed in her mind.


    ¡®Ding! Ultimate Leader System activated. You have two hours. For every 10,000 worth of supplies collected, you will receive 100 cubic feet of domain space!¡®


    Theresa tightened her grip on her baseball bat.


    ¡°Unbelievable!¡±


    It was as if fate had handed her the perfect opportunity.


    With a loud crash, a ss disy shattered right in front of her.


    Theresa rushed inside, stretching out her arms. Everything she touched vanished into thin air.


    It all went straight into her domain.


    She no longer cared about security cameras or who might be watching.


    None of it mattered now.


    This was the apocalypse. Who would bother reviewing surveince footage at a time like this?


    <i>¡®</i><i>Ding</i><i>! </i>279 pieces of trendy women¡¯s apparel worth 650,000 detected. You¡¯ve been awarded 6,500 cubic feet.


    <i>¡®</i><i>Ding</i><i>! </i>144 pieces of trendy men¡¯s apparel worth 580,000 detected. You¡¯ve been awarded 5,800 cubic feet.¡®


    <i>¡®</i><i>Ding</i><i>! </i>489 luxury wedding dresses worth 1.89 million detected. You¡¯ve been awarded 18,900 cubic feet.


    Theresa grabbed everything she could find, including but not limited to men¡¯s clothing, women¡¯s clothing, children¡¯s¨Cwear, shoes, socks, bags, wedding dresses and formal gowns.


    This haul was far more rewarding than the first time she had stocked up her domain.


    Even though she had emptied her house before, it had only been a small collection. Now, the rewards were astronomical.


    Every store she looted was worth hundreds of thousands or even millions.


    She swept through them one by one.


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    Chapter 9 The Apocalypse Arrives


    By the time she left, each area waspletely stripped bare.


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    Chapter 10 Free¨CFor¨CAll at the Mall


    Chapter 10 Free¨CFor¨CAll at the Mall


    In about an hour, Theresa looted every luxury store on the floors.


    She left nothing behind.


    +10 Fmg Colny


    Women¡¯s clothing, men¡¯s clothing, children¡¯s clothing, sportswear, shoes, socks, bags, watches, cosmetics¡­ All the top brands were cleaned out.


    She even emptied the jewelry and diamond stores on the lower level.


    Thetest Pineapple phones andputers? Taken without a second thought! The Pineapple phones in Corynthea were as luxurious and amazing as the Apple phones.


    Expensive skincare products from brands like SK¨CII, Miracle Light, and La Mer which she could never afford before? Taken.


    Luxury purses she had only admired from afar and required pre¨Cordering to even own? Taken.


    The dazzling disy cases with sparkling diamonds, gemstones, jade, and gold? Taken.


    Her domain¡¯s capacity grew to over 1,000,000 cubic feet in the blink of an eye.


    Luxury goods were outrageously expensive. A single purse cost tens of thousands, but the inventory in these stores was limited.


    Most luxury stores only filled oneyer of their shelves with goods to disy. Any additional purchases required special orders because the unit prices were so high that they rarely kept extra stock.


    The most elite luxury items, priced in the millions, were not even avable in this mall.


    If they had been, Theresa¡¯s domain would have,dramatically expanded.


    Luxury goods truly were worth their weight in gold.


    Theresa made her way to the underground food court.


    Yesterday, she had already cleared most of it out. Though she felt some regret for spending money then, it had saved her time, the most valuable resource now.


    Time was crucial.


    The zombie virus had just begun to spread, and most people were still too shocked to react.


    She needed to finish her looting within two hours, then escape before the transportationworks copsed.


    If she had not spent money yesterday, she would have had to skip the food court. The scattered, low¨Ccost items in each store would not have been worth her time now.


    Still, as she passed through the food court again, she grabbed an oven, an ice cream maker, and a coffee machine.


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    Chapter 10 Free¨CFor¨CAll at the Mall


    These were appliances she could use to prepare meals at hometer.


    She hurriedly left the food court and headed to the supermarket she had visited the day before.


    +10 Free Coins


    Yesterday, she spent over a million there and only managed to buy a fraction of what the store had to offer.


    The supplies in the supermarket were overwhelmingly abundant.


    Theresa vaulted over the barriers and into the massive supermarket. Her pace quickened as she looted.


    She swept through the shelves, grabbing everything she could find.


    One shelf full of chocte.


    One shelf full of biscuits.


    One shelf full of chips.


    One shelf full of cooked sausages.


    In both the fresh and prepared food sections, Theresa stormed into the back kitchens.


    One freezer full of frozen ham.


    One freezer full of ready¨Cto¨Cheat roast chicken.


    Everything she had skipped buying yesterday, she now took without hesitation.


    In less than thirty minutes, the enormous warehouse¨Cstyle supermarket was emptied.


    By the end, Theresa was gliding through the aisles on rollerdes, sliding and looting as she went.


    When she finally cleared the supermarket, there were still twenty minutes left on her timer.


    Theresa¡¯s focus shifted to the store¡¯s internal elevator.


    Supermarkets like this always had their own storage.


    Theresa entered the staff elevator.


    As the elevator doors slowly opened, the sight that greeted her was¡­.


    Rows upon rows of neatly stacked boxes of supplies.


    Hundreds of boxes of premium rice. Hundreds of boxes of imported snacks. Hundreds of boxes of wine, condiments, hygiene products, and essentials like sanitary pads.


    This was the supermarket¡¯s warehouse.


    Theresa finally realized that everything she had taken yesterday, worth over a million, had been from here.


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    Chapter 10 Free¨CFor¨CAll at the Mall


    +10 Free <b>Coins </b>


    There was still so much left.


    Theresa skated through the rows of stacked supplies on her rollerdes.


    Every ce she passed left an empty shelf behind her.


    By the time the system¡¯s two¨Chour countdown ended, Theresa, drenched in sweat, opened a bottle of ice- cold c and took a drink. The warehouse before her was now empty.


    This time, she had umted over 1,480,000 cubic feet of domain space.


    Thergest mall in the city had already been looted clean by her.


    All the goods were now stored in her domain.


    Theresa smiled with satisfaction.


    She changed into running shoes, tossed the empty c bottle into the vacant warehouse, and took the internal elevator back to the supermarket. She then used the staff stairs to head back.


    Work done! Time to go home.


    She did not take the elevator. Instead, she sent it to her floor and pressed the button for the underground B2 parking garage.


    She followed her pace as it descended.


    As the elevator made noise while moving up and down, the zombies would be attracted to the sound if there were any in the parking lot.


    This way was safer.


    Theresa moved with swift and light feet, skipping down the staff stairs.


    When she reached B2, the elevator she had sent earlier arrived just in time.


    <i>Ding</i><i>! </i>


    At the sound, Theresa saw a woman who had been rushing to enter the staff elevator turn and sprint toward it instead.


    She ran, shouting.


    ¡°Help. Help!¡±


    Two blood¨Csoaked figures, also wearing staff uniforms, followed her.


    ¡°Do note closer! There is someone else in there! Eat her!¡±


    The woman appeared to notice the elevator door opening and, desperate, rushed in to push the person inside out to face the monsters outside.


    However, when the elevator door opened, it was empty.


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    Stunned, she was knocked down by the monsters chasing her.


    +10 Free Coina.


    ¡°Do not bite me! Look at my face! I am Laura. Do not bite me!¡± Laura screamed. Just then, she noticed the open door to the staff stairs she had tried to leave through carlier.


    A young girl dressed in in sportswear stepped out.


    Laura froze when she saw her.


    The girl looked familiar¡­ Wasn¡¯t she the one Laura had called poor just yesterday?


    ¡°Help! Help me!¡± The woman eagerly waved at Theresa. ¡°Help me! I will give you a gold membership card from our store¡­ No! I will give you one piece of clothing. Ten pieces! A hundred pieces¡­ Help me!¡±


    Theresa, holding a baseball bat in one hand, turned to look at Laura. She knew only one thing to do in


    response.


    That was to walk away. The louder the woman screamed, the faster Theresa moved. <i>Thank </i><i>you </i><i>for </i><i>being </i>somewhat <i>useful </i><i>before </i><i>you </i><i>die</i><i>. </i>


    <i>Vroom</i>.


    With one press of the gas pedal, Theresa sped out of the garage.


    It was just past 8 a.m.


    The city was slowly starting to wake up.


    As the zombie virus had erupted in the early morning, the past two hours had left everyone confused and terrified.


    The first to be affected were the breakfast shops, sanitation workers, bus systems, and 24¨Chour ces.


    These open, densely popted areas became chaotic as soon as the mutation urred.


    This morning, the emergency hotlines were overwhelmed.


    Those trying to call for help could no longer get through.


    The city¡¯s administrative departments had copsed.


    Next were the office workers, like the ones in the mall where Theresa worked, which was during working hours.


    The lucky ones were those who needed public transportation, as most of them were stuck on the roads with no vehicles avable.


    Unfortunately, those who had already boarded the buses were the unlucky ones.


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    Chapter 11 Escape from the City Center


    Chapter 11 Escape from the City Center


    Once people got onto the public transport, chaos crupted.


    +10 Free Coins


    Arge number of elderly people copsed on the buses. As soon as they stood, there was nowhere for the other passengers to escape.


    A few fortunate ones reached their workces, just like Laura had.


    Some of them had their own cars or used electric bikes. They made it by sheer luck, only to find that the gates were closed for the day.


    As they gathered in small groups, confused, they saw someone stumbling toward them, covered in blood.


    This marked the start of the apocalypse.


    When everyone saw this, they immediately assumed it was a fight or that danger had arrived.


    Kind¨Chearted people tried to help, only to be bitten by zombies.


    This was happening everywhere in the city.


    The entire ce was crumbling to ruins.


    Theresa understood that this was just the beginning.


    There were still many people who had not yet left their homes.


    Now was the best time to leave, while everyone was still caught off guard.


    If they waited too long, a mass exodus would begin, and the entire transportation system would copse.


    ¡°Help¡­¡±


    At that moment, a young woman appeared in front of Theresa with her arms outstretched.


    On the side of the road, her boyfriend was supporting an elderly woman who had fallen.


    ¡°Stop the car! Someone has fainted. Please stop and take her to the hospital!¡±


    The woman stood in the middle of the road, trying to block the car.


    The new car was driven by Theresa. The woman found it odd that there were so few cars around today, and all the emergency numbers were unreachable.


    She had waited a long time before Theresa passed by.


    Without a choice except to try to stop the car herself, the woman stood in the middle of the road.


    Theresa looked at the woman with cold eyes and pressed the elerator to the floor.


    <i>Whoosh</i>.


    1/10


    The south by the end wet reuple of pud fe at Ford force of Theres cat, which dat ?ver


    In bily, the warm and to hump of the way just in time here, the world has been on


    What kind of pean mi pri Not only did you refute to help, but your af tried to fat me dea! Crazy! Gold blonded: Selfieh Heel Manic¡±


    Honey, are you abrigin?


    Thar Thave never seen anyone like that. Not only did she refuse to help, but she didn¡¯t even show down. She almost hit me


    You must be careful when trying to stop a car. There are so many selfish people in the world. How many are as kind as we are? You should take a picture of it and post it online. Shame her¡­ Aah!¡±


    The man, who had been speaking, suddenly screamed.


    His neck had been bitten deeply.


    The one who bit him was the elderly woman he had been helping, who had just regained consciousness.


    The woman¡¯s eyes opened, gray and cloudy, and she bit into his neck.


    Blood gushed out in bright red sprays.


    ¡°Honey!¡± ¡°The woman quickly stepped back, then ran forward to strike the elderly woman with her bag.


    ¡°Let go of my husband!¡±


    She kicked and hit the zombie woman, and as soon as the zombie let go of her husband, she quickly pulled him up.


    ¡°Honey, let¡¯s go to the hospital¡­ Are you alright?¡±


    The woman supported her dear with one hand while continuing to fend off the elderly zombie that was slowly rising from the ground.


    She realized that no matter how hard she hit, the elderly woman remained unaffected.


    What was even more terrifying was that the zombie¡¯s limbs were twisted in unnatural angles.


    Her face was pale and lifeless, and her gray eyes were empty. Her mouth hung open, showing missing teeth, filled with blood.


    She looked just like¡­ the zombies from TV shows.


    At that moment, the woman was ovee with terror.


    Was this really a zombie?


    At that moment¡­


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    Chapter 11 Escape from the City Center


    +10 <b>Free </b>Coins


    Someone beside her suddenly knocked her to the ground. Her husband, now a zombie, bit down on her


    neck.


    ¡°Aah! Dear¡­¡±


    ¡°Dear¡­ it¡¯s me¡­¡±


    The old zombie woman from carlier lunged at her, tearing open her abdomen. The zombies cagerly devoured her flesh.


    As her intestines were violently ripped out, thest thing she saw was the tailpipe of a speeding car.


    It was the car from earlier, the one that didn¡¯t stop.


    Theresa saw the woman being knocked down and torn apart in the rearview mirror, but she quickly turned her gaze away.


    Kindness? Enthusiasm?


    Sorry, those things could only be found in paradise.


    Here, it was hell.


    Theresa pressed the elerator.


    Vroom.


    Boom.


    <i>Bang</i><i>! </i><i>Bang</i><i>! </i><i>Bang</i><i>. </i>


    As she sped forward, Theresa noticed the road conditions getting worse.


    Arge number of vehicles and people were fleeing in the opposite direction.


    At an intersection ahead, several cars had overturned, blocking most of the road. As Theresa weaved through the wreckage, she saw groups of zombies hanging around the open car doors, attacking the drivers and passengers inside and greedily tearing into them.


    Screams filled the air as blood flowed.


    As Theresa passed, the zombies seemed to sense fresh prey and began chasing her car.


    Everything that moved would be their target.


    The entire intersection was in chaos.


    Theresa frowned.


    Something about this felt off.


    How could there be so many zombies?


    Suddenly, Theresa saw arge red cross ahead.


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    Darn, there was a hospital.


    She had been wondering how the situation had escted so quickly on this road.


    It turned out there was a hospital.


    Bang! Bang! Bang


    Theresa plowed through a dozen zombies charging at her and sped through the intersection.


    The hospital was a disaster zone, but once she passed it, she would be safe.


    <b>+10 </b>Free <b>Coins </b>


    On the left side of the intersection, zombies were pouring out of several entrances. Upon seeing Theresa¡¯s car approaching, they lunged at her vehicle inrge groups.


    The fastest was a blood¨Csoaked female zombie in a nurse¡¯s uniform. She crashed through the guardrail on the left and lunged at Theresa¡¯s car.


    <i>Bang</i>.


    A bloody hand mmed against the windshield.


    The female zombie opened her mouth wide and let out a howl before she began biting at the ss. At such a close distance, Theresa could clearly see her grotesque face.


    Her nose waspletely chewed off, leaving a gaping ck hole. Her right eyeball dangled precariously from its socket, on the verge of falling out. Her mouth was half torn open, exposing the bone beneath, while the other half still bore traces of the shiny lip gloss she had applied earlier that morning.


    Howl.


    Frustrated after failing to bite through the ss, the nurse zombie stretched her grotesque mouth even wider. With a fierce tug, she tore a massive gash across her already mutted face, resembling a cartoon character with a mouth unnaturally ripped open, and resumed her assault on the ss.


    <i>Screech</i>.


    Theresa mmed on the brakes.


    With a wless spin, she executed a 360¨Cdegree turn, hurling the zombie away and shaking off the swarm of others attempting to pounce on her.


    Zombies? There was nothing to fear.


    She had killed too many of them.


    Theresa pressed the elerator again, and with a roar, she sped forward, breaking free from the hospital


    area.


    Just as she passed another intersection, on the brink of escaping the hospital zone, there was a loud boom.


    A massive 22¨Cwheel truck had lost control and collided with a small car in front of her, blocking the road ahead.


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    There was no way to avoid it.


    Boom.


    Crash.


    The deafening sound of vehicles flipping over.


    Theresa¡¯s head violently snapped back.


    It was from the airbags.


    +10 Free Coins


    At that moment, the massive truck overturned in the middle of the intersection, crushing several small cars beneath it andpletely blocking the roadway.


    Theresa¡¯s car was just inches away from being trapped under one of the truck¡¯s giant tires.


    After she narrowly avoided the crash, Theresa¡¯s head throbbed from the airbag impact as she pped it in frustration and tried to restart the car.


    ¡°Darn it!¡±


    The car broke down.


    Theresa had not thought about fixing it. First, there was no time. Second, she had little money. Third, after spending so much time in the apocalypse, she knew she would not really need the car.


    She would have the car but no fuel.


    Fuel had be an incredibly scarce resource in theter stages. It was needed for so many things and using it for a car was a luxury,


    Theresa had be ustomed to walking short distances, using modified bicycles and other vehicles for medium distances, and avoiding long trips


    Who would want to go that far?


    In the apocalypse, traveling long distances was a death sentence.


    As a consumable, a fuel¨Cpowered car was not one of Theresa¡¯s essential investments.


    Darn it! She was in real trouble now that she did not have a car.


    Howl.


    The sound of rustling grew louder from outside.


    Theresa rubbed her head inside the car. Once her mind cleared, she calmly surveyed her surroundings, unbuckled her seatbelt, and opened the car door.


    As she got out, she pulled out a shovel.


    A knife was useless against zombies.


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    Its thin de and narrow surface made it difficult to pull out once lodged in flesh.


    However, a shovel¡­


    <i>Thud</i>.


    Theresa swung the shovel down, crushing the head of an approaching elderly zombie.


    Next, she kicked it.


    Swoosh<i>. </i>


    The shovel¡¯s head sank deep into the zombie¡¯s skull.


    It severed the brainstem.


    With that, the zombie was thoroughly dead..


    She spun the shovel in her hand, slightly disappointed, and pulled it out, moving on.


    This was only the early stage, so zombies did not yet have crystal cores in their brains.


    This allowed her to kill with greater brutality and efficiency.


    <i>Thud</i><i>! </i>Thud<i>! </i>Thud.


    <i>Thud</i><i>! </i>Thud<i>! </i><i>Thud</i><i>. </i>


    <i>Thud</i><i>. </i>


    <b>+10 </b>Free Coina


    Theresa found an area with fewer zombies. Swinging her shovel, she charged forward, clearing a path through the wreckage at the back of the crash site.


    By now, most of the zombies had clustered at the front of the crash, drawn to the thickest pools of blood. Theresa swiftly and silently moved through the area, taking advantage of the still¨Climited number of


    zombies.


    She smoothly made her way through, breaking free from the crash site.


    Just as she was about to escape the area, she heard screams from a nearby vehicle that had also been hit but the people inside were still alive.


    It was a very expensive sports car.


    ¡°Ah! She¡¯s murdering them!¡± the woman in the passenger seat screamed, trembling as she clutched her boyfriend¡¯s hand, terrified by the sight of Theresa killing other humans.


    Theresa coldly nced at their car.


    The car¡¯s airbags had deployed.


    She turned her gaze away.


    A useless car.


    6/10


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    Chapter 11 Escape from the City Center


    Just like the people inside.


    +10 Free Coins


    Theresa kept moving forward. She still needed to find another car to leave in or at least run on foot out of the city.


    At that moment, the door of the car behind her opened.


    ¡°Can you take us with you?¡±


    The young man in the driver¡¯s seat opened the door and hurriedly called out to Theresa for help.


    ¡°Take us to a safe ce, and I will pay you! My father is the chairman of Optima Group, and my family has plenty of money! Whatever you need, I will give it to you!¡±


    Theresa did not even bother ncing at him, continuing to move forward.


    ¡°Honey, what are you saying to her? She¡¯s a murderer! She¡¯s killed so many people! We need to call the police and have her arrested!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± the man snapped, seeing that Theresa did not even look back as she darted onto a small path. He quickly grabbed her hand and followed Theresa.


    <i>Thud</i><i>. </i>


    <i>Thud </i>


    <i>Thud</i><i>. </i>


    After getting rid of five zombies, Theresa finally left the hospital area.


    It was a small alley in a residential area.


    At that time, the residential area had not experienced arge¨Cscale zombie outbreak because most people were trapped in their homes.


    Theresa walked through green spaces and other uninhabited areas. asionally, she came across a few zombie sanitation workers or joggers, but they were easily dealt with using her shovel.


    As she walked, she kept searching for a vehicle.


    Unfortunately, she did not see a single car.


    Her two followers tailed behind her.


    ¡°Honey, this road is so difficult to walk on. I can¡¯t move in these high heels!¡±


    ¡°Then get lost!¡± The man was losing his patience.


    After being scolded, the woman¡¯s face quickly turned to one of sorrow. She tried to act cute in hopes her boyfriend would feel sorry for her. ¡°Honey!¡±


    However, instead of the usual response, she was met with an irritated shout.


    backo


    ¡°How did I end up with such a useless, brainless woman? You can¡¯t do anything and only hold me back!If,


    §à


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    Chapter 11 Escape from the City Center


    you want to die, don¡¯t drag me into it. Leavel


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    Upon hearing this, the woman¡¯s once charming face stiffened. She bit her lip, looking ahead at Theresa. who was quickly taking out zombies with each swing of her shovel, and her boyfriend, who had abandoned her to follow Theresa. She said nothing more, limping in her high heels to catch up.


    Theresa cut through the side greenbelt, clearing zombies as she went. Then, she finally spotted a delivery truck with an ajar door in front of a convenience store.


    A


    way out.


    If she still couldn¡¯t find a vehicle soon, she would have broken into a dealership and stolen one.


    Without a second thought, Theresa ran toward the truck, and the couple quickly followed behind her.


    When Theresa reached the truck, she was pleasantly surprised to find the keys still in the ignition. The driver was nowhere to be seen.


    She quickly nced at the convenience store behind her.


    It was now empty. There was no one inside, only blood sttered across the counter.


    It seemed the store hadn¡¯t been spared from the chaos. Someone must have turned, causing everyone else to flee.


    After grabbing the keys, Theresa followed her usual practice of never leaving empty¨Chanded and rushed into the store to grab what supplies she could.


    She knew that spending just an extra half minute clearing the store would save her hours of effortter, making it much easier to gather the same supplies.


    In the apocalypse, it wasn¡¯t just about the seconds you had now, it was about what you could secure for the future.


    Things would only get harder from here.


    No one could ever have too many supplies.


    Theresa made a quick decision, using the heel of her foot to steer her course, and began collecting items.


    By the time the two trailing behind her entered the store, it was nearly empty, with only the front counter still holding anything.


    Theresa did not bother with the shelves. The store was small, so she made two quick rounds and cleared out everything she could carry.


    There were all kinds of snacks, daily necessities, and even her favorite convenience store treats, like rice balls, sushi, boxed meals, bread, cakes, and ice cream.


    Most of the drinks were already gone.


    ¡°Is this a newly opened store?¡± the woman gasped, running in, and seeing the nearly empty shelves.


    Theresa knew she had been followed. As she prepared to leave, she openly grabbed two bottles of water,


    8/10


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    Chapter 11 Escape from the City Center


    before heading outside while the couple watched her.


    +10 Free Coins


    ¡°Hey! You didn¡¯t pay for that! You also took everything! What are we going <i>to </i>do now?¡± the woman yelled,¨C displeased.


    The man beside her shouted back at her, ¡°You¡¯re insane!¡±


    After cursing her out, the man tried to catch up with Theresa. ¡°Miss, can you take us with you? Take me to Monroc Manor in Westvale! If you do, I¡¯ll give you money! One million!¡±


    Theresa got into the truck and mmed the door shut. This time, she spared the time to ask, ¡°Do you still think money matters now?¡±


    The man¡¯s face darkened.


    Money was useless now. It meant nothing.


    He watched helplessly as Theresa drove the delivery truck away.


    ¡°Honey, look! She doesn¡¯t care about you. No matter what you say, she won¡¯t listen. We should call the police!¡±


    ¡°Idiot! Do you think the police or money still matter now?¡± the man angrily shouted.


    Forty minutester, Theresa sessfully made it out of the city and onto the suburban roads.


    As she ventured farther from the city, the streets grew noticeably clearer of zombies.


    The outskirts seemed untouched for now.


    <i>Screech</i>.


    Theresa stopped the truck in front of her warehouse.


    <i>Woof</i><i>! </i><i>Woof</i><i>! </i><i>Woof</i><i>! </i>


    Summer sensed her arrival and excitedly barked at her.


    Theresa approached and rubbed Summer¡¯s head. ¡°Good job.¡±


    She brought Summer along and loaded up the rest of the supplies from the warehouse into the truck.


    These were the items she had picked up the day before from the farmer¡¯s market and the supermarket.


    With a simple wave of her hand, she stored all the packed supplies in her domain.


    Her domain was capable of storing the chickens, ducks, andmbs she had acquired the day before.


    Thinking about this, she tried to add¨CSummer into the domain too.


    However¡­


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    Chapter 11 Escape from the City Center


    <i>Woof</i>! <i>Woof</i><i>! </i><i>Woof</i>!


    It didn¡¯t work.


    She quickly realized the system could only store low¨Cintelligence, food¨Cbearing creatures. A dog wouldn¡¯t qualify.


    That meant living humans definitely couldn¡¯t be stored in there either.


    Theresa wasn¡¯t too disappointed. It would have been nice if the feature worked, but it wasn¡¯t essential.


    After all, she believed her own strength was her true power.


    The system was a helpful tool, but she couldn¡¯t rely on it too much.


    She needed to use it to enhance her own abilities, making that power truly her own.


    If the system disappeared or malfunctioned, she would be finished.


    After clearing out the warehouse, Theresa closed the door and left with Summer.


    She headed straight for her bunker.


    Back to her apocalyptic sanctuary.


    One hourter.


    Theresa copsed onto the incredibly soft cloud couch she had taken from the mall. She opened a bottle of soda and heated up the steak, shrimp, and other delicacies she had brought from the Michelin restaurant. With Summer beside her, they sat in front of therge TV, watching thetest news.


    ¡°Breaking news.


    ¡°This morning, there have been reports of widespread injuries. Let¡¯s join our reporter at the scene for further details.¡±


    In the live broadcast, a reporter moved toward a section of the area blocked off by police tape.


    In the broadcast¡­


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    This was the same area near the hotel from which Theresa had escaped carlier that morning.


    The entire street lined with bars had been sealed off withrge warning tapes.


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    Inside the cordoned area, police were desperately using smoke grenades and other crowd control devices. to push back the surrounding people and suppress the riot, but they were making little headway.


    The thick smoke was filled with shifting crowds and asional screams.


    Vehicles were overturned, some smashed beyond recognition, while ambnces and emergency vehicles were trapped in the center. The medical personnel were nowhere to be found.


    It was clear that, after the incident, a group of people had tried to escape but had failed to make it out.


    ¡°Leave! Leave now!¡± shouted the officers at the edge of the cordoned area, urging those trying to approach


    to retreat.


    ¡°The scene is really gruesome,¡± the reporter emphatically said as he observed the chaos. ¡°At the moment, the cause remains unclear. Let¡¯s talk to someone who knows more.¡±


    The reporter then spotted an injured person stumbling out of the smoke and rushed toward them, camera in hand.


    ¡°Sir, hello. Do you know¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    A loud scream rang out, and the camera violently jerked, spinning around as if the cameraman had been attacked.


    When the camera crashed to the ground, everyone saw the reporter being knocked over by the person who had just emerged from the smoke. Blood sprayed across the camera lens.


    <i>§£§Ö§Ö§â</i><i>. </i>


    The screen went entirely ck, and the interview was abruptly cut off.


    At that moment, all the viewers watching the live broadcast at home were shocked into silence.


    Theresa, watching the broadcast on the city TV channel, raised an eyebrow.


    She had made her exit at just the right time.


    If she had been even a momentter, things would not have gone so smoothly.


    She grabbed the remote and switched to the next channel.


    County TV Channel.


    At that moment, County TV Channel was airing pre¨Crecorded news content.


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    Chapter 12 The Nationwide Copse


    Thetest local news was always dyed.


    £¤35%•þ


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    While City TV Channel was broadcasting live coverage, the provincial station had not caught up yet.


    After concluding a segment on the economy, the host proceeded with the flu warning.


    ¡°The flu has been spreading. We urge everyone to stay home and avoid cross¨Ccontamination¡­¡±


    Just then, a staff member covered in blood rushed onto the set.


    He lunged onto the host¡¯s desk.


    Once he copsed, hey motionless.


    The host, watching this unfold, couldn¡¯t hide the panic and confusion on his otherwiseposed face.


    He nced at the director, and in an ¡®instant, his eyes widened in terror as if he had witnessed something horrific.


    ¡°Director, cut¡­¡±


    Before he could finish speaking, the man who had fallen onto the desk lunged at him.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    A beep followed¡­


    The station switched to a ¡°no signal¡± screen.


    The same thing was happening everywhere across many TV studios.


    Some stations were hit earlier, otherster.


    The stations hit first lost their signal, reced only by static, while those affectedter broadcasted the horrific scenes live for viewers to witness.


    That day, every institution fell one after the other.


    <i>Beep</i><i>! </i>


    Theresa quickly changed channels, only to find a signal on a few stations that were set to air animations and TV shows. All other channels just showed ck screens.


    Soon, all the disrupted signals were redirected to the National TV Channel.


    A bold line of ck text appeared on the screen.


    ¡°Emergency notice.


    ¡°Nationwide attacks are urring. All citizens are urged to stay indoors. All schools are closed. All malls and businesses have shut down. Close all doors and windows. Await rescue! Await rescue! Await rescue!¡±


    The National TV Channel cut off all signals and continuously broadcasted the notice.


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    Chapter 12 The Nationwide Copse


    The phrase ¡°await rescue¡± appeared¡® three times at the end of the notice.


    Theresa was all too familiar with this message.


    +10 Free Coins


    When the apocalypse began in her previous life, TV stations had broadcasted the same announcement.


    At first, everyonepletely trusted the announcement, believing that the crisis would soon be resolved.


    However, they were unaware that this would be a devastating blow to their survival.


    The zombie virus had no cure.


    The only option was to immediately seal off everything, eliminate all infected individuals, including those with even the slightest injury, as there was no other solution.


    By the time the authorities responded, the zombie virus had already spread far and wide.


    In the end, the authorities gave up on the idea ofrge¨Cscale rescue efforts and shifted to local self¨Crescue.


    No further notices were issued after that.


    Everyone was left to survive on their own.


    The nation hadpletely copsed.


    By the time the people at the bottom realized what was happening, their food supplies had already run


    out.


    No one was going to bring them any supplies.


    It was at that point that everyone realized the true apocalypse had begun.


    They had to find ways to collect supplies on their own.


    Theresa had been quite fortunate in her past life. She had witnessed the mutation during the first outbreak at a field hospital.


    She understood how terrifying the zombie virus was, and after bringing her sister¨Cinw home, she immediately instructed the family to lock all doors and windows and not open them for any reason.


    This was how she managed to avoid the initial outbreak of zombies.


    At that time, the entire neighborhood had been filled with screams for three straight days and nights.


    Any household that opened their door waspletely wiped out.


    Eventually, everyone figured out the pattern. If they stayed silent and kept their doors and windows tightly shut, they could temporarily avoid the zombies. While everyone else was hiding, Theresa decisively went out to gather supplies.


    At that point, the zombies were still¨Cweak.


    Moreover, most people had yet to snap out of their fear.


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    They were all hiding in their homes, too scared to move..


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    Theresa was fully covered from head to toe and armed as she carefully made her way <i>to </i>the neighborhood supermarket to gather supplies.


    It was a close call, but she returned safe and sound.


    When she arrived back, the Halls were initially hesitant to open the door.


    They were concerned that Theresa might have been infected.


    What changed their minds was Summer¡¯s barking which attracted more and more zombies to their house. Fearing the zombies would surround them, they finally let Theresa in.


    Once they confirmed that Theresa had not been harmed and had returned with arge supply of goods, their attitudespletely changed. They surrounded her, trying to please her.


    At that moment, Theresa saw them as her real family. She let them pamper her for a while and, after distributing the supplies, gave them many tips on dealing with the zombies.


    Taking advantage of the fact that others were still too afraid to act, she went with Oliver and Howard several times to gather more supplies for their home.


    The other families had already run out of food, and seeing Theresa¡¯s actions, they began to follow her example. The apocalypse had entered its second phase.


    The fight for supplies.


    Soon, the supplies in the neighborhood store were all gone.


    During this time, many residents lost their lives.


    Theresa remained cautious throughout, even managing to fend off several groups of neighbors who tried. to take supplies from them. She continued to protect the Halls until the rescue vehicles arrived.


    Then, the third phase of the apocalypse began.


    Rescue was on the way.


    Theresa learned from the radio that the rescue vehicles wereing, so she immediately took her family to the rescue point.


    At that time, the Halls were reluctant to go.


    They believed that as long as Theresa was there, it would be safe enough to stay at home.


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    Chapter 13 Fortifying the Camp


    Chapter 13 Fortifying the Camp


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    The rescue vehicles announced on the radio did not simply drive to where people were located and rescue them.


    Instead, there was only one designated route for rescue.


    The broadcast listed a few rtively safe areas for residents to gather, and the rescue vehicles would pick them up as they passed by.


    This created an extremely dangerous situation.


    Especially when the Halls realized that the rescue point was still quite far from them, they became highly reluctant to leave.


    What if something went wrong on the journey? They were vulnerable with elderly and pregnant individuals among them. What would they do in that case?


    Theresa calmly exined to them that they should not chase temporaryfort. Only by reaching the rescue point would they truly be safe. There would be government¨Cissued food supplies there. Oliver¡¯s wife could safely give birth, and elderly individuals like Elizabeth Winter¨CTheresa¡¯s grandmother¨Cwould have a secure ce to live.


    Most importantly, Theresa suspected that this rescue operation would notst..


    They had to seize the opportunity now, or they would be left behind without anyone to help them.


    After much discussion, the Halls decided to follow Theresa¡¯s advice, taking all their supplies and leaving.


    In fact, every one of Theresa¡¯s predictions turned out to be correct.


    They caught thest wave of rescue, which turned out to be the only one.


    Later on, city¨Cwide rescue efforts werepletely abandoned.


    There were simply too many zombies, and the area could no longer be controlled. Only a small group of people could be rescued, and a safe zone was established as a camp.


    The camp became the central gathering ce for humans to fight off the zombies. This was the inevitable shift in theter stages of the apocalypse.


    This marked the fourth phase of the apocalypse, the age of camps.


    Joining a camp early was extremely fortunate. Not only did they receive free supplies in the beginning, but they also had free housing. Those who joinedter had to give up all their belongings and find their own ce to set up shelter.


    Theter they joined, the worse the situation became.


    It could be said that Theresa was always on the right path.


    However, the one mistake she made was treating the Halls as family.


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    She had worked tirelessly for them, only to be cast out and left to fend off zombies on her own.


    Theresa fully realized the harsh reality when they kicked her out.


    One had to truly love oneself and grow.


    One should never dream of having something that did not belong to them.


    The so¨Ccalled family had always been a figment of her imagination.


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    Later, Theresa narrowly escaped from a sea of corpses and blood, eventually finding herself in another camp. Her mindset hadpletely shifted then.


    She no longer needed love or to be loved. She had grown cold¨Chearted, with a rebellious streak deeply ingrained in her.


    Then came the fifth phase of the apocalypse, the age of awakening abilities,


    Theresa became the only Defense Corps captain without any abilities.


    Even though she was surrounded by ability users, she firmly established herself on the top with her team consistently ranked first.


    Everyone knew that if Theresa had any abilities, not only would the Defense Corps be hers, but the entire camp would likely belong to her.


    Her strength came from herself.


    However, as time passed, the conflict between humans and zombies grew increasingly difficult. The various camps were in chaos. In therger camps, conspiracies and schemes were rampant. Theresa ultimately sacrificed herself during a zombie siege at her camp.


    ¡°I do not care anymore. I will never go to someone else¡¯s camp.¡±


    Theresa rubbed her temples.


    She had recovered from the memories of her past life.


    The camps that emerged were not human sanctuaries. In the early stages, there were no rules, and everything was a mess. It was not a paradise for normal humans. It was a ce where only the strong survived.


    There were very few truly good camps where people could live in rtive peace.


    Theresa had be notorious in her camp for her ruthless nature, and it was this reputation that helped her rise to the top, where no one dared to challenge her.


    One could not survive there unless they were tough.


    ¡°This is my camp!¡°.


    She looked at the bunker she had built, and her eyes gleamed with determination.


    She was determined to make her camp stronger and stronger.


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    Chapter 13 Fortifying the Camp


    It would be her iron fortress.


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    After confirming that the signals from other channels were down and no useful information was avable, she stood up to reinforce her camp once more.


    She remembered that her camp fortification incentive period was still ongoing.


    After some food and drink, Theresa took Summer to her garden.


    She marked out an area and used some branches and deadwood she had recently collected to build a simple pen for the chickens and ducks.


    Once the pen was finished, she waved her hand.


    The twenty or so chickens and ducks she had purchased earlier all went inside.


    She also set up a separate pen for two young sheep.


    ¡®<i>Ding</i>! Chickens, ducks, and sheep were detected. Breeding and health potential of farm¨Canimals maximized. They will never fall ill.¡¯


    Theresa was dumbfounded.


    She had already watched as a hen clucked andid a warm egg right in front of her.


    What a valuable asset.


    She had to keep at it.


    Theresa found a patch of opennd near the orchard, mainly looking for a spot with a good water source. It was close to her well and in a lower area. She began digging a pond.


    It was strenuous work.


    She spent the entire day just digging and finally managed to create a pond that was just the right size and square in shape.


    Once the pond was dug, she carved a water channel from beneath her well. As soon as the channel was clear, water rushed in.


    When the pond was filled, she waved her hand and released fish and shrimp into the water.


    To keep the fish from eating the shrimp, she built a divider in the middle of the pond.


    The fish and shrimp were kept separate.


    <i>¡®</i><i>Ding</i><i>! </i>Fish and shrimp ponds were detected. Breeding and health potential of the fish and shrimp. maximized. They will never get sick.¡®


    At first, Theresa was quite worried. Keeping a fish and shrimp farm required skill.


    She was afraid she would fail at it, never expecting the system to handle everything for her.


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    Chapter 18 Fortifying the Camp


    Having such a reliable system was truly a blessing.


    She just had to keep moving forward, and the system took care of the rest.


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    After getting her chickens, sheep, fish, and shrimp settled in, Theresa quickly focused on fortifying the


    camp.


    In her past life, she had been a squad leader in the Defense Corps, with extensive knowledge of infrastructure and security.


    She had already set up basic defensive structures, such as high¨Cvoltage barbed wire, razor des,rge iron gates, and a basic bunker. Now, she needed some offensive features.


    Though she could not buildrge offensive structures, setting up simple traps was well within her ability.


    She asked Summer to keep an eye on the house while she went further into the mountain forest outside the wire fence to set the traps.


    If anyone came, they would get caught in the traps.


    The traps would be a clear warning for them to leave.


    Theresa spent the whole day digging ten trap pits.


    She considered all the major paths that outsiders might take to approach.


    She ced the traps along the most likely routes.


    Once the traps were ready, the system¡¯s voice rang in her mind.


    <i>¡®</i><i>Ding</i><i>! </i>Ten traps were detected. Trap attack power increased a hundred fold.


    Before Theresa could feel proud, another sound followed.


    <i>¡®</i><i>Ding</i><i>! </i>Basic camp defensepleted. Commence evaluation.¡®¡±


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    <b>4</b><b>::</b><b>35</b><b>% </b>


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    ¡®Basic securityplete.. Basic storageplete¡­ Basic energyplete¡­ Basic agricultural and livestock sustainabilityplete¡­ Basicbat configuration¡­ camp war dog, one. Completion rate 50%.


    You have been awarded one A¨CRank Reward!¡®


    ¡®Congrattions! Your camp¡¯s security has increased by 100%. You¡¯ve obtained one crossbow turret, 100 quivers of short arrows, an advanced armored car, and 1000 tons of fuel..


    The system¡¯s rewards caused Theresa¡¯s camp to undergo another transformation.


    The electrified barbed wire and gates were reinforced, now twice as high and thick.


    This created an overwhelming sense of security.


    Above her bunker, a tower with a crossbow turret rose.


    Her domain was now equipped with an additional 1000 tons of fuel and an impressive, armored car.


    Theresa immediately brought the armored car out.


    The oversized armored car, with its camouge pattern, gleamed with a cold, imposing steel presence in the sunlight.


    Theresa quickly climbed into the car to give it a try.


    She had driven military vehicles in her previous life, so she knew how to handle an armored car.


    However, she had never driven one this advanced.


    The vehicle featured excellent off¨Croad capabilities, enhanced protection, and firepower support. It was equipped with a small¨Ccaliber me cannon, powered by fuel.


    The tires, reinforced by the system, were tougher than steel tracks.


    They were also sensitive and fast.


    The car¡¯s body strength was a hundred times greater than that of a standard armored vehicle.


    The body was covered in hidden tes, and inside the cockpit, a one¨Cbutton system activated an armored. shield that surrounded the entire vehicle.


    Theresa could easily drive through a zombie horde in this vehicle.


    This was, without a doubt, the most advanced and powerful armored car.


    Nothing on the market couldpare.


    ¡°What a treasure!¡±


    Theresa took the car for a spin, familiarizing herself with all of its functions before reluctantly stepping out of the vehicle.


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    Chapter 14 The Need to Raise More Dogs


    After exiting, she headed straight for her tower.


    Inside her bunker, she had already built a two¨Cstory staircase.


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    Theresa walked up the stairs and entered the crossbow turret, which had been part of thetest system


    reward.


    Eight long, narrow windows provided perfect sniper spots, covering a radius of one thousand meters around her bunker.


    At the center of the tower was a 360¨Cdegree rotating crossbow, with ten quivers of short arrows neatly arranged beside it. Each quiver contained one hundred steel¨Ctipped, barbed wooden arrows.


    Theresa loaded an arrow onto the crossbow, aiming at a bird flying within her domain.


    <i>Whoosh</i>.


    The arrow flew through the air.


    <i>Thwack</i><i>. </i>


    The bird, perched at the edge of her bunker, immediately fell to the ground.


    Theresa hurried with Summer to the location where the bird had fallen.


    The birdy stiff and lifeless, its body pierced through by the short arrow.


    ¡°There was barely a sound, and the piercing power is incredible. This is the perfect weapon for the apocalypse.¡±


    Theresa strained to retrieve the barbed arrow.


    Since these were sustainable resources, she made sure to collect them carefully to conserve them.


    Feeling satisfied, Theresa walked back with Summer.


    As she looked at her camp growing stronger, she could not help but think about the system¡¯s reward. That was only the A¨Clevel reward.


    -If she achieved a higherpletion rate, would the rewards be even better?


    She then remembered the iplete part of the requirements.


    Her camp¡¯sbat power was only fifty.


    This was because she only had one dog, Summer.


    Did this mean she did not have enough dogs?


    It seemed that she would need to take the opportunity to rescue a few more dogster.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go! Summer, let¡¯s head back and for some food.¡±


    Woof! <i>Woof</i><i>! </i><i>Woof</i><i>! </i>


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    Chapter 14 The Need to Raise More Dogs


    Theresa returned to her fully upgraded bunker with Summer.


    After they had a hearty meal, Theresa began using the inte.


    It was now the third day of the apocalypse.


    The inte was still up and running.


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    After the zombie outbreak, the city¡¯s water supply was quicklypromised. Corpses <i>of </i>countless zombies floated in therge water filtration pool at the water nt, and the water supply was contaminated immediately.


    Electricitysted a little longer, though.


    In some smaller cities with underdeveloped power systems, the power cut out as soon as the zombie outbreak hit. In cities with more stable power systems, electricity couldst anywhere from one to six months.


    Theresa remembered that in her previous life, electricity in Ansfordsted for three months.


    Once the power was gone, the inte also disappeared.


    By that time, of course, no one was using the inte anymore.


    At first, survivors still had some supplies, like water and food. They stayed home, and the only thing they did was use the inte since there was nothing else to do.


    After a week, the water and food ran out at home, and no one had the energy to go online anymore.


    ¡®Help! I am trapped in my bedroom. My parents are desperately banging on my door. I have not eaten in three days! I have finished myst bottle of c. Who will save me?¡®


    ¡®Does anyone know the owner of unit A¨C101 in Radiant Gardens? My girlfriend has been missing for three days. I really want to know how she is doing!¡®


    ¡®Waaah! Thest bit of water in my house is gone! There are still some snacks left, but no more water! What am I supposed to do without water?¡®


    ¡®Didn¡¯t they say there would be a rescue? I have been waiting for three days and there is still no one here!¡®


    ¡®End of day three of the apocalypse. The hallways are filled with wailing. The food in the fridge is almost gone. My dad told me to go out and find food for my brother and sister. He said if I do not go, he will throw me out. I am old enough now and need to contribute to the family. My parents are old, and my siblings are young. Please wish me good luck. You can do it, Sunny!¡®


    Theresa, looking at the overwhelming number of posts flooding the inte, noticed one from a girl named ¡°Sunny Dreamer.¡±


    Theresa clicked on the blog posted by Sunny Dreamer.


    Before the apocalypse, Sunny Dreamer had been sharing life tips, and Theresa noticed that her mother had passed away early in Sunny¡¯s life. Her father remarried, and not long after, her stepmother gave birth to a younger brother and sister.


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    She quickly became an invisible member of the family.


    435<b>% </b>


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    Their family was lucky in the early days of the apocalypse and managed to stay safe at home. However. their food quickly ran out.


    At times like these, what else could they do?


    Of course, they pushed her out.


    It was no surprise that she remained optimistic even after being sold, foolishly going along with it.


    Theresa saw that thest post from this girl had been made just five minutes ago and decided toment on it.


    ¡®First, arm yourself. Wear the thickest and most durable clothes you can find at home. Tape your hands and feet with threeyers of tape. Wear a helmet and carry a backpack. Set a route with the nearest convenience store as your target. Do not go anywhere else.


    ¡®Find a shovel or a baseball bat. Use these as weapons. Do not take a nk or a kitchen knife. A kitchen knife cannot cut through zombies. If you try, it will get stuck in them. If you encounter zombies, aim for their heads. Their weakness is the head. Do not fear them. It¡¯s still early. If you ovee your fear, you will defeat them!¡®


    After typing the final sentence, Theresa posted thement.

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    Chapter 15 Enhancing Physical Fitness


    Chapter 15 Enhancing Physical Fitness


    Theresa saw a reflection of her former self in this young girl. Hence, she generously offered ¡°Sunny¡± some advice.


    Whether the girl listened or seized the opportunity would determine her fate.


    After sending the message, Theresa started her physical training. She was determined to push her body back to the peak of its former strength within a few days.


    As she began her training, a sound echoed in her mind.


    ¡®Ding! Ultimate Leader System activated. Raise yourbat power within the next ten days for a reward. The final reward will be determined by thepletion level.¡®


    Theresa¡¯s eyes widened with shock. Already in the middle of her workout, she felt a renewed sense of determination.


    This time, she was going to get the 100%pletion reward.


    ¡°Raargh!¡± Theresa started an intense, military¨Cstyle fitness routine inside her bunker.


    ¡°Three hundred fifty¨Cfour¡­ Three hundred fifty¨Cfive¡­ Three hundred fifty¨Csix!¡±


    ¡°Three hundred sixty!¡±


    Sweating profusely, Theresa finished her three hundred and sixty sets of exercises.


    By the time shepleted thest nk, she felt like her body was on the verge of copse.


    She had no strength left.


    She hadpletely drained herself, yet, at the same time, she could clearly sense that her limits were being broken over and over.


    She was improving and growing stronger.


    This routine had been taught to her by Kyle Vinson, one of her most loyal subordinates in the camp.


    Kyle had once been a soldier. After the outbreak, he came to assist with the Ansford rescue. However, during the mission, he was abandoned by his superiors. Hisrades either died or scattered, leaving him as the sole survivor. He fled to the camp where Theresa had been, and she was the one who saved him.


    Kyle was always quiet, not fond of talking, and followed orders without question. He became Theresa¡¯s most reliable asset.


    Many smaller squads tried to lure him over, but he refused. Soldiers, after all, were known for their loyalty.


    Once he pledged his allegiance to Theresa, there was no turning back.


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    Chapter 13 Enhancing Physical Fitness


    Later, during a zombie siege, Kyle died right before her eyes as he sacrificed himself.


    +10 Free Coins


    After finishing her workout, Theresa ruminated on the past. However, her path had already changed. The- people and events of her former life no longer had a ce in her future.


    One must learn to be content. In this life, she still had Summer, and that was enough.


    Before she dragged her exhausted body to the shower, she started the rice cooker and heated up ten packs of heating packs in the microwave.


    She also fried five delicious eggs.


    After showering. Theresa dumped everything into the rice cooker on top of her rice, opened a bottle of c, and sat at herputer as she ate with the rice cooker in her arms.


    When a lot of energy was expended, arge amount of food was needed.


    She had plenty of supplies, including eggs, duck eggs, chicken, and fish, which she could enjoy as she pleased.


    As she opened herputer to watch a movie, she saw several new messages in the reply section of her


    recentment.


    ¡®I followed your advice. I crossed through the back garden of our neighborhood with the fewest people. I didn¡¯t see any zombies.


    I¡¯ve made it to the convenience store. I scared off three people. I was terrified! However, fortunately, there was no danger. The store was empty.


    ¡®I¡¯ve filled a bag with supplies! Now I¡¯m heading back! Thanks, Mr. zing Sun!


    Theresa read the words ¡°Mr. zing Sun¡± and smirked with amusement.


    Her online name was zing Sun. Sunny Dreamer must have mistaken her for a man.


    After thinking for a moment, she replied to Sunny via a private message.


    ¡®Do not go home! Barricade the convenience store doors and stay in the employee¡¯s room or the storage


    room.¡®


    There was water and food there, and convenience stores were usually located in a good spot.


    The zombie outbreak had urred in the early morning, and although there appeared to be many zombies on the streets, there were actually not that many.


    In the apocalypse, it was the crowds one needed to avoid, not the zombies.


    By barricading the store¡¯s main door and hiding in the storage room, Sunny would have food and water as she waited. When the rescue teams arrived, she would be among the first to be evacuated.


    The real dangery in the residential areas.


    There were zombies lurking in every corner of the neighborhoods, and when people went out to search for supplies, the area would face a massive zombie crisis.


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    Chapter 15 Enhancing Physical Fitness


    The only way to stay safe was to escape and avoid the crowds.


    However, Theresa never received a response.


    Maybe Sunny had returned home, and if she was lucky, she made it back to safety. If not, she would have perished on the way.


    Theresa chose not to check again.


    She selected a rxing movie and ate as she watched.


    She also downloaded as many movies, TV shows, and novels as she could find.


    These would be her distraction forter.


    After finishing her meal, Theresa went for a walk with Summer to stretch her legs and check on her camp¡¯s surroundings. She also tended to the chickens, ducks, vegetables, and sheep.


    Upon returning, she continued her training.


    The training went on untilte at night, and exhausted, she finally went to rest.


    The next morning, when Theresa woke up and started her physical training, she noticed a distinct increase in both her strength and endurance.


    Her muscles ached all over, but she pressed on, finishing the workout before taking a shower and preparing her meal.


    She made anotherrge bowl of rice, but today, her dishes had changed to roasted chicken and hearty


    stew.


    These were all made using food she had gathered from arge supermarket.


    Kept in her domain, everything remained fresh.


    With the pot of water heating up, she added arge amount of ingredients to it for her stew.


    There were slices of beef, shrimps, meatballs made with beef, chicken and fish, mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and many types of vegetables. There was an abundance of variety and food.


    The stew was portioned for four people.


    Theresa ate it all herself. She also had a few delicious fried eggs on the side.


    These eggs were freshlyid by the chickens in her coop.


    She had checked on them this morning, and now her chickens wereying about 20 eggs per day.


    She could not eat all the eggs, so she left them in the coop to hatch into chicks. Once she had more supplies, she nned to store them in the warehouse.


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    Chapter 15 Enhancing Physical Fitness


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    After finishing her meal, she rxed with a cup of charcoal¨Cbrewed yogurt and took some time <i>to </i>digest.


    She would still need to do more trainingter to help with digestion.


    At this moment, who could be asfortable as Theresa?


    While others struggled to find enough food, she had to exercise just to burn off her meal.


    She turned off the movie she had been watching halfway through, feeling it no longer held her interest. Instead, she decided to browse the forum. She noticed that herment from yesterday had gone viral.


    In just one day, it had received over ten thousand likes, and a crowd of people were calling her a big shot, asking her to share more of her experience.


    Some even asked if she was an insider, given how much she seemed to know.


    Theresa ignored all of it.


    What caught her attention was that the original poster, the girl named Sunny, had replied to her message.


    ¡®Mr. zing Sun, I made it home safely. Thank you!¡®


    Theresa raised an eyebrow as she read this.


    It seemed that the person had indeed gone back home after all.


    Theresa did not respond. Instead, she noticed that Sunny had posted a new update.


    ¡°Today is the fourth day of the apocalypse¡­


    1


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 Kept Woman 16

    Chapter 16 Family Annihtion


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    At 6:55 am. Summy¡¯s post appeared on the forum. ¡°Thanks to Mr. zing Sun¡¯s guidance yesterday, I sessfully brought back food. I got 20 packs of instant noodles, a 4.51 bucket of water, 10 loaves of bread, five packs of sausages, and seven chocte bars. My dad and stepmom praised me for doing a great job, but my younger brother said if he went, he¡¯d bring back more and that I only got cheap stuff!


    At 7:30 a.m., her second post followed. ¡°This is bad. My brother insists on going out no matter what. My dad says I have to go with him. I don¡¯t know what to say. It¡¯s dangerous out there, I don¡¯t want to go again.


    And then at 7:42 a.m., T¡¯m heading out again. My dad says we need to grab more supplies while it¡¯s less crowded. He wants me to take my brother along ande back with as much as we can carry. I don¡¯t have a choice. Wish me luck.


    Theresa scrolled through the posts, skimming through the barrage ofments. Some praised the girl¡¯s bravery, others cursed her brother¡¯s arrogance, and a fair number asked for tips on scavenging. She noticed Sunny had even sent her several private messages, but she didn¡¯t bother replying. Instead, she bookmarked the post and moved on.


    Another <i>drama</i><i>. </i>


    After closing the forum, she got back to work.


    With only ten days in her enhancement phase, every minute was precious.


    She began with a long run around the camp perimeter to warm up and patrol her territory. She inspected. every trap, ensuring none had been damaged or tampered with. Satisfied that all was secure, she returned to the camp and began her strength training.


    Every movement was deliberate, pushing her body to its absolute limit.


    Five minutester, her entire body was drenched, her muscles screaming in protest, <i>Breakthrough</i><i>! </i>


    Theresa aimed to extend each set by just one more second.


    Her training wasn¡¯t reckless, though. She followed a rigorous and scientific regimen, incorporating carefully timed rest periods to prevent burnout.


    This intense but efficient approach maximized her physical growth, transforming her body into a weapon of survival.


    After five grueling hours, she finally stopped.


    She showered quickly, washing off the sweat and fatigue, then sat down with a rice cooker filled with ten pre¨Cpackaged meal pouches.


    Her energy expenditure was astronomical, and she needed to replenish every calorie burned.


    She ate more and digested faster, converting everything into energy to fuel her growing strength.


    Later, Theresa opened herputer and saw a new update from her bookmarked post.


    It had been posted just a minute ago.


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    Chapter 16 Family Annihtion


    Tm going me? 1 Wem through hell bringing me they back. There were everal clone calls where he kart pa t killed as thankfully, these weren¡¯t mane mies on that pred. We made it back for need I¡¯ve discuternd he has a wound! The didn¡¯t want to admit it at fire, fat any little dier noticed his r Band finger, and he finally schitted that he got scratched by a zombie w! What do I do now?


    The past included a picture.


    It showed her brother¡¯s finger with a small wound, and the skin had already turned a deep purple¨Cck


    Reton,menters ingerly advised her to kill him or kick him out.


    Theresa also left ament, typing. Kill him. Now!


    She quickly received a reply.


    ¡°Mr. zing Sun, you¡¯re finally here! I just showed my dad and stepmom the advice from thements. They cut off his finger, saying the wound was small and he¡¯d be fine.¡±


    Theresa nearly exploded in anger. Get out of there immediately! Now!¡±


    However, after sending her reply, she didn¡¯t receive another message.


    Theresa sat there with her spoon, staring at the screen for fifteen minutes. The rice on her spoon went cold, but no response came.


    It took one to ten minutes to trigger a mutation. Weak individuals might turn within a minute, while those with stronger physiques or willpower could hold out for up to ten minutes.


    There was no such thing as chopping off an infected part.


    The virus spread through the bloodstream almost instantly, ravaging the entire body and leaving no chance for survival.


    Theresa could already imagine the girl¡¯s tragic fate. <i>Her </i>brother <i>would </i><i>start </i>with <ibored </i>breathing<i>, </i><i>followed </i>by his skin turning ck and cold<i>, </i><i>and </i>then a brief <i>period </i><i>of </i>stiffness.


    <i>If </i>they kill him during that moment, <i>they </i>might survive. But <i>given </i><i>her </i><i>biased </i><i>father </i><i>and </i><i>doting </i><i>stepmother</i><i>, </i>they <i>would </i>never allow <i>her </i>to do it. <i>Their </i><i>hesitation </i><i>during </i><i>those </i><i>critical </i><i>seconds </i><i>would </i><i>ensure </i><i>their </i><i>doom</i><i>, </i><i>dragging </i><i>the </i><i>girl </i>into <i>hell </i><i>with </i>them.


    She shook her head and shut down the forum. Instead, she found a lighthearted family drama to watch while eating.


    She had tried to help the girl. If only she had listened¨Cstaying in the convenience store and cutting ties with her family, or killing her brother outright, none of this would have happened.


    But ny<i>¨C</i>nine percent <i>of </i><i>people </i><i>are </i>the <i>same</i>. <i>Even </i>if <i>they </i><i>feel </i><i>oppressed </i><i>and </i>unwilling, <i>they </i><i>still </i><i>throw </i><i>themselves </i>headlong into the fire <i>pit</i><i>. </i>


    Just like she did in her previous life.


    But in this life, there was no way she¡¯d make the same mistake.


    She would kill anyone who tried to oppress her.


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    She would live recklessly and do whatever she wanted. In the apocalypse, she would live as her true self.


    Theresa stopped checking the posts. After finishing her meal, she resumed her training.


    She started with some light exercises to aid digestion. Once her stomach felt less heavy, she dove back into high¨Cintensity training.


    Seven days passed in a sh.


    During this time, her routine consisted of training, showering, eating, and training again.


    Out of the 24 hours in a day, Theresa spent 18 hours training. Her regimen was scientifically designed to ensure efficiency and prevent exhaustion.


    Her physical fitness improved visibly. She once struggled to run 10,000 meters. Yet, she could now do it without breaking a sweat.


    Her strength doubled.


    She used to be able to lift a 100¨Cpound bag of rice with effort. Yet, she could now lift it effortlessly with one hand.


    Herbat skills returned to their peak. Unarmed, she could take down five grown men at once.


    With weapons, she could achieve instant kills.


    After today¡¯s training, Theresa sat down to feast on steak.


    She had prepared it using 500 pounds of fresh beef she stockpiled before the apocalypse. With the addition of various spices, it was pressure¨Ccooked to perfection. The rich, vorful steak was sliced cold and served with dipping sauce. It¡¯s an <i>absolute </i><i>treat</i><i>! </i>


    Her tastes had be more refinedtely. The pre¨Cpackaged meals and instant noodles she once relied on no longer appealed to her.


    With an abundance of supplies and fresh food, she saw no reason to settle.


    While Theresa enjoyed her feast, she also prepared arge pot of beef broth with bones with a pinch of salt for Summer.


    Whatever she ate, Summer ate too.


    Together, she and Summer indulged in their little paradise inside the camp.


    Meanwhile, the outside world had started to change.


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    Chapter 17 Dra s

 Kept Woman 17

    Chapter 17 Dramatic Changes


    It was the tenth day since the apocalypse began.


    And this was nothing like the first few days of the outbreak.


    <b>F10 </b>Fran Ca


    The emergency broadcasts had stopped. Government announcements were no longer being issued. The fragile morale of the people had reached its limits, and so was the dwindling supplies of food in their homes.


    Over the past few days, some residents had already begun venturing out in search of food.


    At this point, the choice was clear¨Ceither they starve to death or risk being bitten. For those on the brink, zombies didn¡¯t seem quite as terrifying anymore.


    However, this new wave of activity caused the number of zombies in the city to skyrocket.


    Very few who ventured out into the sea of the undead returned unscathed.


    In the early days, people¡¯s fear of zombies and theirck of experience left them utterly unprepared to confront the danger.


    Zombies lurked everywhere, emerging from the most unexpected ces. If one encountered a cluster of zombies while scavenging, they became a meal for the zombies.


    The city¡¯s zombie poption was growing explosively. People had gone hungry for days, but so had the zombies outside.


    In their state of starvation, zombies began invading human residences in search of prey.


    ¡°Sh*t! My door can¡¯t hold out any longer! The zombies outside keep banging on it louder and louder every day. I¡¯ve barricaded everything I can, locked myself in the innermost room, and yet they still somehow know I¡¯m here!


    ¡°I still have plenty of food. Is there anyone who cane and save me? I¡¯ll trade all my supplies in exchange for help!¡±


    Theresa was watching a livestream when she saw a young man calling for rescue.


    He¡¯s <i>a </i><i>food </i><i>blogger</i><i>. </i><i>No </i><i>wonder</i><i>. </i><i>His </i><i>home </i>is <i>stocked </i><i>with </i>an <i>impressive supply </i><i>of </i><i>food </i><i>by </i><i>sponsors </i><i>or </i><i>bought </i>for <i>product </i>reviews. His hoard <i>of </i><i>provisions </i><i>was </i><i>enviable</i>.


    Moreover, he <i>is </i><i>a </i><i>homebody </i><i>by </i><i>nature</i><i>, </i><i>rarely </i><i>going </i><i>out</i>. This turned <i>out </i><i>to </i><i>be </i>a <i>stroke </i><i>of </i>luck during the <i>early </i><i>stages </i><i>of </i>the apocalypse.


    But <i>unfortunately</i>, <i>he </i>lives in <i>a </i><i>youth </i><i>apartment </i><iplex</i>. Almost <i>everyone </i><i>in </i><i>his </i>building had <i>already </i>turned into


    zombies<i>. </i>


    For days, hordes of the undead had roamed the hallways outside his unit. At the suggestion of viewers, he had fortified his front door as much as possible and holed up in an inner room, trying to mask his scent.


    But now, he could only feel the relentless banging on the door.


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    Chapter 17 Dramath Change


    fehler the entire building¡¯s undead poption had gathered outside his apartment.


    After sending out his despite plea for help, he quickly received a response from a fitness trainer who Bed in the surve building


    ¡°I can save you, but you give me half of your food in return!


    No problem!¡±


    The food blogger responded without hesitation, ¡°How will you get to me?¡±


    I¡¯m right above you. I¡¯ll lower a rope from my window. Grab it, and I¡¯ll pull you up.¡±


    Okay


    1501


    The blogger quickly began packing his things. He strapped a camera to his head, live¨Cstreaming the entire ordeal for his audience.


    He spread out his supplies¨Cinstant noodles, jerky, self¨Cheating meal kits, and bottled water. The trainer instructed him to send the food up first, making it easier for him to climb up afterward.


    However, the blogger wasn¡¯t so easily fooled. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid. If I send all the food up first, what¡¯s stopping you from ditching me?¡±


    He tied all his supplies to himself, preparing to climb with them.


    That was when he heard the loud crack of his front door breaking open.


    Crash!


    ¡°Hurry up!¡±


    ¡°Coming!¡± The blogger nced back to see his doorpletely smashed open. Dozens of zombies surged into his apartment like a wave of death.


    Their bodies were a grotesque blend of ash¨Cgray and ckened flesh. Some had their abdomens ripped open, with ropes of rotting intestines spilling out like tangled cords. Their gaunt faces were either stripped of features or reduced to bloodied pulp, revealing exposed bone..


    Starving, ravenous, they wed and stumbled toward him.


    It was a scene that would make anyone¡¯s legs go weak.


    The blogger mmed the flimsy door to his bedroom shut and leaped onto the balcony. ¡°You must save me!¡± he cried, grabbing hold of the rope dangling from above.


    As soon as he did, he realized the weight of all his supplies was too much.


    ¡°You¡¯re too heavy!¡± The trainer¡¯s voice strained. The sudden pull nearly yanked him out of the window. ¡°You need to drop your supplies first! Send them up separately!¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯m taking them with me!¡± The blogger refused. <i>If </i><i>I </i><i>gave </i><i>the </i><i>food </i><i>to </i><i>him</i><i>, </i><i>I¡¯m </i><i>sure </i><i>he </i>wouldn¡¯t save <i>me</i><i>! </i>


    ¡°Then, throw some of the food out!¡±


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    Chapter 17 Dramatic Changes


    Withou hesitation, the blogger tossed his bottles of water.


    ¡°Not enough! I haven¡¯t eaten for days. I don¡¯t have enough strength! Throw more things out!¡±


    The blogger heard this and immediately threw out more things from his body.


    10 Frae Coins


    The blogger muttered curses under his breath, ¡°And you call yourself a fitness coach? What am I supposed to eat if I throw everything down?¡±


    He discarded a few more items. But by the time his weight became manageable, the zombies had already broken into his bedroom.


    ¡°Ah! Pull me up! Hurry!¡±


    He was stuck in mid¨Cair.


    ¡°Hook the supplies onto the frame! I¡¯ll pull you up first, then the food!¡±


    ¡°No! The food stays with me!¡± <i>Who </i><i>knows </i><i>if </i><i>he </i>will <i>let </i><i>go </i><i>of </i><i>me </i><i>after </i><i>I </i>put <i>the </i><i>food </i>in<i>? </i>


    In this world, food meant survival.


    ¡°You have to trust me! Otherwise, you¡¯re not getting up!¡±


    The blogger hesitated. But before he could decide, a cold, withered hand mped onto his ankle.


    He struggled violently as he kicked and pulled. The intense pain and fear made him climb up quickly.


    ¡°I can¡¯t hold you!¡± the trainer yelled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you the food! I¡¯ll give you everything!¡± the blogger cried, finally conceding.


    But it was toote.


    The stench of blood and desperation had drawn more zombies to the scene. They swarmed the balcony, wing madly toward their prey. Some fell to the ground, but otherstched onto the walls, climbing like predators closing in on their meal.


    One particrly agile zombie grabbed his leg, sinking its jagged teeth into his flesh. With a sickening rip, it tore his leg clean off.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Momentster, the other leg was ripped away, leaving only two bloodied bones dangling in the air.


    The scene below turned into chaos. The smell of fresh blood drove the horde into a frenzy. Zombies flooded the base of the building, wing and scrambling over one another to reach the source.


    ¡°Eat!¡± Their guttural growls filled the air.


    As the trainer watched the nightmare¨Cunfold, he no longer cared about the food.


    With a grimace, he let go of the rope.


    14:37 Wed Aug


    Chapter 17 Dramatic Changes


    10 Free <b>Coine </b>


    The blogger plunged to the ground, where the swarm eagerly awaited him. He hit the pavement with a sickening crunch as the zombies descended on him.


    Like a tidal wave of teeth and ws, they devoured him, tearing his body apart in seconds.

 Kept Woman 18

    Chapter 18 The Warehouse Was Raided


    Chapter 18 The Warehouse Was Raided


    <b>3480 </b>


    +10 Fres Coins


    After watching the live broadcast, Theresa¡¯sputer screen emitted a soft beep, signaling the loss of the stream¡¯s signal.


    This wasn¡¯t due to any censorship for excessive violence.


    The server had crashed.


    While the city¡¯s electricity and inte still limped along, the servers hosting various websites across the country weren¡¯t all equally resilient.


    Small servers, managed from homes or offices, had gone offline within the first few days of the apocalypse.


    Largerpanies, with more robust infrastructure, had held on longer, but now, even those were beginning to fall.


    The copse of the big video tform marked the end of the inte¡¯s fleeting role as a stage for venting emotions.


    Soon, they would be forced to confront the cold, hard truth.


    Theresa closed the now¨Cuseless website and opened her library of movies. Thankfully, she had anticipated this and downloaded every movie and TV series she could get her hands on.


    As she was halfway through a movie after dinner, her monitoring system started beeping.


    Her body reacted instantly, surging toward the surveince console.


    The desk was cluttered with screens¨Crows and rows of monitors disying feeds from the various cameras she¡¯d set up.


    A smaller, almost forgotten feed blinked red in one corner of the console.


    Theresa¡¯s eyes narrowed as she recognized the source.


    It was from the warehouse she had rented before the apocalypse began.


    When the world started falling apart, she had moved everything from that warehouse to her current camp. Yet, she had forgotten to dismantle the surveince cameras.


    The camera feed showed the warehouse gate being invaded.


    The built¨Cin microphone picked up their conversation with startling rity.


    ¡°That woman rented this ce from me about half a month ago. I saw delivery trucks in and out every day. She must have a ton of supplies stored in there!¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s illegal to break into someone else¡¯s rented space, right?¡±


    ¡°Illegal? This is the end of the world! Forgetws!¡±


    ¡°Exactly! It¡¯s only fair if she shares!¡±


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    Chapter 18 The Warehouse Was Raided


    The warehouse gate was broken open with a bang!


    Thendlord and his mob surged inside.


    For a moment, there was only silence.


    What the hell? Why is it empty?


    ¡°n, is this what you meant by supplies?¡±


    <b>+10 </b>Free Coins


    Thendlord looked just as shocked as the rest. ¡°No, this doesn¡¯t make sense! I¡¯ve seen trucksing here! She was here every day! How could she have moved everything so fast?¡±


    ¡°Maybe you were wrong! Just because trucks came here doesn¡¯t mean they left the stuff behind. It could just be a few packages!¡±


    One by one, they turned and left, grumbling and swearing under their breath.


    The oldndlord got even more furious. His gaze swept across the room until itnded on the surveince camera mounted in the corner. With a furious swing, he smashed the camera.


    <i>Beep</i>¡­


    One of Theresa¡¯s surveince cameras was gone.


    Then, she leaned back in her chair as a slow smile spread across her face.


    She had expected this to happen. People turned greedy when they were desperate. It was human nature. That was why she had rented the warehouse in the first ce¨Ca decoy to distract prying eyes from her


    true camp.


    It¡¯s <i>better </i>to <i>be </i>safe <i>than </i>sorry.


    Watching thendlord and his mob leave empty¨Chanded was deeply satisfying for her, but Theresa was not the forgiving type.


    Thendlord¡¯s face was burned into her memory.

 Kept Woman 19

    Chapter 19 Escape Wave.


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    The following day, Theresa propped her elbows on the mat, legs straight, feet bnced on their tips, her core taut and trembling. Sweat cascaded from her forehead, each drop falling audibly to the floor beneath her.


    She had held the nk position for nearly an hour.


    Her whole body was soaked with sweat.


    The intense training regimen of the past ten days had transformed her.


    Though her weight hadn¡¯t shifted much, her physique had undergone aplete metamorphosis.


    Her body, once soft and unrefined, was now a masterpiece of lean muscle and defined lines. Her abs rippled, her arms and legs were taut with strength, and every inch of her radiated raw power.


    Her mind, too, had sharpened.


    The grueling exercise gave her focus, an edge that set her apart from the desperate masses outside. Her sharp, predatory gaze alone could suppress an entire room.


    This was the difference between a prey and a predator.


    Gritting her teeth, Theresa made the final push. Her body felt immensely heavy. Pain flooded her senses as the sweat on her forehead dripped like rain.


    <i>Sh</i><i>*</i><i>t</i><i>! </i>


    Her muscles trembled violently.


    <i>But </i><i>no</i><i>! </i><i>I </i><i>can¡¯t </i><i>give </i><i>up</i>! <i>Just </i><i>a </i><i>little </i><i>more</i><i>! </i>


    Every second of persistence was a breakthrough in her physical fitness. Most importantly, the reward time. was about to end.


    Then, at the peak of her agony, the voice she¡¯de to rely on echoed in her mind.


    <i>¡®</i><i>Ding</i><i>! </i>Time¡¯s up. Physical enhancementpleted!¡±


    With an audible thud, Theresa copsed onto the mat, gasping for air. It¡¯s <i>over</i><i>, </i><i>for </i>now. <i>I </i><i>can </i><i>finally </i><i>rest</i>.


    At this moment, she could no longer move a finger.


    The pain was brutal, but the rewards were worth it.


    ¡®Progress evaluation. Host¡¯s stamina enhancement¨CCompleted!


    ¡®Speed enhancement¨CCompleted!


    ¡®Endurance enhancement¨CCompleted!


    ¡®Strength enhancement¨CCompleted!


    Chapter 19 Escape Wave


    Congrattions! You¡¯ve achieved an S¨Cgrade rating!


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    Congrattions on achieving doubled stamina enhancement! Doubled speed! Doubled endurance! Doubled healing speed! A bonus of Advanced Combat Techniques! A lifespan of a hundred years!¡®


    Theresa was shocked.


    As she processed the announcement, she felt her body undergoing a dramatic transformation.


    The exhaustion that had pinned her to the floor dissipated in an instant, reced by an electrifying surge of vitality.


    Strength coursed through her veins as Theresa sprang to her feet effortlessly. Her movements were precise and faster than ever. She walked outside the camp, her eyes locking onto her prized possession¨Can armored vehicle. She felt an urge to lift it.


    The wild idea took hold of her.


    Moving toward it, she gripped one corner of the vehicle¡¯s frame as she dug her feet into the ground.


    With a mighty heave, the vehicle¡¯s corner lifted off the ground by a full centimeter.


    The 8¡Á8 armored vehicle weighed over 20 tons.


    She tested her speed next, breaking into a full sprint. Her pace rivaled that of an Olympic sprinter.


    Physical fitness was a huge barrier that could only be improved with persistence.


    Yet, the reward system gave her a double of that.


    Her physical capabilities were now leagues beyond the average human.


    The rewards weren¡¯t limited to her body. During her current state, she could rival those ordinary speed and strength ability users.


    This is <i>amazing</i><i>! </i>


    Back in her domain, a pristine manual on martial arts awaited her.


    Theresa immediately flipped through the pages.


    After scheming through a few moves, her eyes lit up.


    The techniques detailed within were precise, ruthless, and devastatingly effective. Every move targeted critical points, designed for maximum lethality against humans and zombies alike.


    <i>No </i><i>wonder </i><i>it </i><i>is </i><i>said </i><i>to </i><i>be </i><i>far </i><i>superior </i>to <i>the </i><i>current </i><i>martial </i><i>arts</i>. <i>Each </i><i>move </i><i>is </i><i>a </i><i>summary </i><i>of </i><i>decades </i><i>of </i><i>martial </i>


    <i>artists</i><i>. </i>


    Theresa felt like she had found a treasure.


    For the next five days, she threw herself into training.


    Her mornings began with a run around the mountain. After her warm¨Cup, she began practicing her


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    Without electricity, survival had be exponentially harder


    Tires stood on the watchtower. Desperate screams and car hos wereing from the city feat.


    Boom


    Through has infrared camera, she saw vehicles speeding out of the city in frantic waves


    Behind them hordes ofilies followed


    Beyond the darkness, chaos was palpatile Desperate divers collided with one another, the souls of trashca eschoing through the air


    Half a month was all it had taken for people to finally cost to terms with the cold, unrelenting truth that TO TRACHE WILL COming The light going out wasn¡¯t just that cad of chestracing in ways the end of hope. Mine the one thing ich for them to do agus rin


    Throwinewood


    shodo Hooked cERSEN the ca


    soad leading out of the city


    The wandering cubes the main road began to ease


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    Some were hunched over the smashed vehicles, while others shuffled aimlessly among the wreckage.


    There were even some who wandered into her territory.


    Her hand instinctively reached for her crossbow and aimed for a reckless zombie. Yet, she halted her

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    Chapter 20 One¨Ctime Audience


    Chapter 20 One¨Ctime Audience


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    Why kill zombies? Zombies are <i>not </i>a <i>threat</i>! <i>In </i><i>fact</i>, <i>they </i><i>act </i>as guards <i>wandering </i><i>around</i>. Who <i>would </i><i>dare </i>to <ie </i>near me now?


    Theresa lowered her crossbow, abandoning the idea of taking out the lone zombie in her sight. Peering through her binocrs, she even felt a flicker of regret.


    <i>Why </i>aren¡¯t there more <i>zombies</i>? <i>If </i><i>only </i><i>there </i><i>are </i><i>more</i>. <i>It¡¯ll </i><i>be </i><i>perfect </i><i>if </i><i>they </i><i>block </i><i>the </i>road <i>entirely</i><i>. </i>


    With this thought, she quickly formted a n.


    Half an hourter, Theresa drove her armored car to the outskirts of her territory.


    Parking it in the woods, she stepped out with Summer and moved toward the highway.


    The further they walked, the stronger the stench of blood became.


    Reaching the edge of a cliff, she crouched and looked down at the road.


    It was far more thrilling witnessing the scene up close.


    The highway leading out of the city was a deathtrap.


    Vehicles fled in a frenzied stream, each car chased by a ck mass of zombies. These creatures never seemed to tire as they sprinted madly after the cars.


    Those with bad luck were instantly overwhelmed by the zombie hordes when they slowed down.


    The zombies clung to vehicles like leeches, furiously pounding and wing at the windows.


    The driver¡¯s view waspletely blocked, and metal screeched as one car crashed into another.


    Once a vehicle flipped, the zombies howled in triumph, swarming it entirely.


    For the luckier ones, there was still a chance. Swerving through wreckage¨Cstrewn roads, they sped forward with desperate screams.


    The stretch of road beneath Theresa¡¯s feet was far quieter.


    At a nce, there were only four ident sites and a handful of wandering zombies.


    They roamed on both sides of the road, following any passing vehicles.


    Once thest few speeding vehicles passed, drawing away most of the zombies, she and Summer climbed down the cliff.


    Summer leaped down with ease, while shended at one of the crash sites.


    <i>Roar</i><i>! </i>


    A middle¨Caged female zombie trapped inside an overturned car wed frantically at the window when she spotted Theresa.


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    Her disheveled hair was matted with dirt and dried blood. Her emaciated face still clung to scraps of skin. though her chest had been torn open. A skeletal hand, adorned with a diamond ring, jutted from a crack in the car, grasping desperately for Theresa.


    But the zombie wasn¡¯t going anywhere as the seatbelt was still fastened tightly across her chest.


    Scanning the car¡¯s interior, Theresa quickly pieced together what had happened. Judging by the empty seats, her husband had likely abandoned her in the chaos, leaving her to fend for herself. He hadn¡¯t even bothered to unbuckle her seatbelt.


    ¡°Be a zombie with dignity.¡± With a swing of her shovel, she brought her down. ¡°Go find him in heaven.¡±


    Afterward, she turned to the car¡¯s rear and grabbed a hold of the bumper.


    With a grunt, she heaved before the bumper gave way with a <i>click</i><i>. </i>


    She dragged the abandoned car toward the entrance of her camp.


    A few zombies noticed her movement and shambled over.


    Theresa took no action. Instead, Summer sprang into action and bit them to death.


    This apocalypse might have been humanity¡¯s nightmare, but it left animals untouched.


    As a Generic shepherd with extraordinarybat power and system enhancement, zombies were nothing more than oversized chew toys for Summer.


    ¡°Don¡¯t kill them, Summer. Just maim them.¡±


    The dog barked in acknowledgment, wing a zombie¡¯s torso with just enough force to rip it in half.


    Theresa stared at the disembodied torso crawling pitifully across the ground. <i>Great execution</i><i>, </i><i>Summer</i><i>! </i>


    With Summer handling the zombies, Theresa/worked quickly, dragging several wrecked vehicles to block the entrance to her road. <i>Perfect</i>. <i>Nobody </i><i>in </i><i>their </i><i>right </i>mind <i>would </i>try <i>to </i><i>get </i><i>through </i><i>here </i><i>now</i>.


    As a final touch, she had Summer herd the remaining zombies toward the barricade.


    Theresa had them act as guards to protect her.


    The whole process didn¡¯t go unnoticed. A few passing vehicles slowed as they spotted her, but not a single one stopped.


    This was the apocalypse, after all.


    Everyone was too busy running for their lives to concern themselves with others.


    Theresa didn¡¯t care about them either.


    They were just one¨Ctime spectators.


    For most of them, this road was a one¨Cway trip¨Can eternal path out of the city, with no hope of turning


    back.


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    Chapter 20 One¨Ctime Audience


    Even if they had questions, there was no time to ask. Their own survival came first.


    After securing her road and assigning her zombie guards, Theresa returned to her base


    She and Summer washed off the grime of the day. But just as they were settling in, the camp¡¯s rm system red.


    She immediately went to the tower upstairs, where her surveince monitors were set up.


    In dozens of surveince squares, one screen showed the activities on the highway.


    She erged the feed.


    A cargoden pickup truck barreled out of the city, screeching to a halt before her barricade.


    The people inside seemed unsure of what to do, pausing just long enough to draw the attention of her zombie guards.


    When the half¨Czombies began crawling toward the truck, the driver panicked and reversed slightly. After a brief hesitation, the truck revved its engine, preparing to ram through the barricade.


    Theresa¡¯s expression darkened. So<i>, </i>they areing <i>for </i><i>me</i><i>. </i>


    Without hesitation, she grabbed her crossbow. Aiming for the truck¡¯s tires, she waited until they were within range.


    Swoosh!


    A bolt flew, piercing the front tire.


    The truck screeched to a halt as the tire burst, its upants jolting forward,


    Momentster, the doors opened, and four or five burly men stepped out.


    Theresa recognized one of them. Isn¡¯t that <i>the </i>man <i>who </i>rented me the <i>bunkers</i>?


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s safe inside?¡±


    ¡°Of course! It¡¯s a bunker. There¡¯s nobody around! No one knows about it. I rented it to some girl a month ago to grow mushrooms. We might even find some mushrooms to eat!¡±


    ¡°Alright, boys! Let¡¯s clear out these zombies, fix the tire, and take what¡¯s ours.¡±

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    Chapter 21 A Threat


    Atik ati)


    In Theresa¡¯s scope, a group of burly men quickly split into two teams. One worked on clearing the nearby zombies, while the other lifted the car to change a tire.


    ¡°Mr. Tigre, it looks like someone already dealt with them!¡±


    Yeah! They¡¯re all cut in half?¡±


    Did Someone drag the cars here?¡±


    The man crouching down to change the tire shouted, ¡°Mr. Tigre, something¡¯s wrong! Our tire wasn¡¯t damaged by the road¡ªit was shot!¡±


    As his words fell, there was a sharp echo.


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    Their other tire exploded.


    This time, even the dullest among them realized something was off.


    Something¡¯s wrong<i>! </i><i>We¡¯re </i>in <i>someone </i><i>else¡¯s </i><i>territory</i><i>. </i>


    ¡°Mr. Tigre, there¡¯s someone nearby.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re in someone else¡¯s territory.¡±


    ¡°What should we do now?¡±


    The man they called Mr. Tigre was a burly figure with tattooed arms. He grabbed the trembling real estate agent by the cor. ¡°D*mn it, you said there wouldn¡¯t be anyone here!¡±


    ¡°I swear, I remember only renting it to one woman!¡±


    ¡°Bullsh*t! You think one woman could pull all this off?¡±


    ¡°I¨CI don¡¯t know, maybe someone else has taken over since then!¡± The agent stammered, his eyes darting nervously.


    ¡°Get lost!¡± Tigre shoved him forward.


    ¡°Swoosh!¡±


    Another arrow zipped through the air. The agent, already terrified, stumbled forward. But just as he took one step, an arrow embedded itself in the spot he¡¯d just vacated.


    He scrambled back toward Tigre, dodging as he went.


    Tigre watched the arrow strike with a chill running down their spines.


    It was fast, precise, and silent. And worst of all, they had no idea where it came from.


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    Charger 21 A Th


    #ty was on the wanted thing drand, they wildn¡¯t stand a chance.


    them


    Body


    But then, a realizadon dawned on one of them.


    The got it! Be tang it fruited


    15


    ¡°Right The furthest she can shoot is the from tires!


    The group quickly pieced it together. That was the reason she disabled the two front tires and only waited when the agent was pushed forward.


    That must be the edge of her effective range<i>! </i>


    ¡°Mr. Tigre, what do we do now?


    ¡°Should we leave?¡±


    Tigre White¡¯s fierce eyes gleamed with a bloodthirsty light.


    Leave? Not a chance. <i>Even </i><i>if </i>we want <i>to</i>, <i>our </i>car is unusable. There¡¯s nowhere <i>we </i><i>could </i>go<i>. </i><i>If </i>we <i>don¡¯t </i>take <i>over </i><i>this </i>ce and kill the people inside, we will have <i>no </i>ce to <i>stand</i><i>! </i>


    He opened the rear car door and dragged out two disheveled women.


    You two! Get moving! Go ahead!¡±


    Through her crossbow scope, Theresa saw the two women being shoved forward.


    Their bodies were covered in bruises and cuts. They moved like frightenedmbs, stumbling under the men¡¯s threats andmands.


    Theresa had seen too many scenes like this during her time surviving the apocalypse.


    Women were often the first to be reduced tomodities in this new world because of their physical and psychological disadvantages.


    The darkest sides of humanity surfaced with terrifying speed in the face of survival.


    There¡¯s nothing that can¡¯t be done.


    In just half a month, people were already crossing boundaries she couldn¡¯t even imagine.


    ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk.¡± Theresa couldn¡¯t stand watching this any longer.


    She thought she was the worst.


    Yet in her eyes, they weren¡¯t even human.


    She moved her fingers away from the crossbow.


    Instead, she pulled out a specialized arrow and added something to its tip. Time to <i>send </i>them a gift.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t move, I¡¯ll leave you both here to feed the zombies!¡±


    Chapter 21 A Threat


    *1 Free Conte


    ¡°Move it!¡±


    Tigre shoved the women forward. When they stepped into what they assumed was the shooter¡¯s range bun weren¡¯t attacked. Tigre¡¯s eyes lit up.


    ¡°Stop! Stay where you are!¡±


    He was now sure that Theresa still had some sense of morality.


    That meant he had leverage.


    ¡°Mr. Tigre, what now?¡±


    ¡°Pull the car out, change the tires, and let them lead the way!¡±


    His men quickly dragged the car into a safe zone, pulled out two spare tires from the trunk, and tied the two women to the front of the vehicle.


    The message was clear:


    If Theresa attacked, these two women would die first.


    If she didn¡¯t care about the women¡¯s lives, the group could use the car as cover to escape.


    And if their n seeded, the men were ready to storm in and kill whoever was inside.


    In this post¨Capocalyptic world, there was no ce for morality or conscience.

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    Chapter 22 Trapped in the Dead Zone


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    They patched up the tire, strapped the hostage to the truck¡¯s roof, and piled inside. Ahead, Theresa had blocked the road with a mess of vehicles. Without hesitation, they floored it. The truck crashed through with a deafening boom.


    It felt too easy. There was no resistance, no shots fired.


    For a moment, they almost let themselves believe they¡¯d gotten away with it.


    Then¨Cthank!


    An arrow whizzed past and embedded itself in the truck¡¯s door. The tip was coated in fresh chicken blood. dripping down the side. Worse, it had pierced the frame, locking the door shut.


    Everyone inside froze.


    Before they could react, more arrows struck.


    Bang!


    The tires blew out, and the truck spun violently before grinding to a halt.


    Blood now covered the entire vehicle, and a thick metallic stench hung in the air. The zombies didn¡¯t take long to catch on. They started closing in from every direction.


    Inside the truck, panic erupted.


    ¡°We¡¯re trapped!¡±


    ¡°She set us up! That girl sold us out!¡±


    ¡°Can we get out?!¡±


    ¡°The d*mn doors won¡¯t open!¡±


    Realizing the danger, Tigre didn¡¯t wait. He rolled down the window and squeezed out, yet not before grabbing a hostage to use as a shield.


    Once outside, a half¨Crotted zombie lunged at him from the ground, snagging his leg. Tigre shoved the hostage forward, used her as a distraction, and dodged the attack just in time.


    Then, whoosh!


    Another arrow zipped through the air, aimed at his back. Tigre barely ducked in time. His instincts kicked in¨Che couldn¡¯t let go of the hostage now. She was his only cover.


    Dragging her along, he sprinted/down a narrow path and weaved through the trees. After running for what felt like forever, he finally spotted a hidden bunker.


    The ce looked like a fortress, with tall wire fences, security cameras, and a thick iron gate. Inside was a small farm with rows of vegetables, clucking chickens, and even a few ducks waddling around.


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    419 Free ging


    7 know it? Someone bought this ce, fortified it, and got everything ready for the apocalypse<i>. </i>This isn¡¯t just some lucky coincidence. But¡­ did they actually <i>know </i>the zombie outbreak wasing<i>? </i>That doesn¡¯t even make sense¡­


    His thoughts were cut short when the hostage suddenly bit down on his hand.


    Theresa watched through her scope from a distance, trying not tough. She had noticed earlier that the zombie had bitten the woman, which was all part of her n.


    She let Tigre run straight to her bunker, knowing full well what would happen next.


    Now, she watched the woman transform, turning on him and sinking her teeth into his arm.


    Karma. She smirked as she watched Tigre¡¯s crew through the scope, ready to fire an arrow at anyone who dared try to escape, helping the zombies in their hunt.


    Theresa wasn¡¯t here to y hero. In this world, she believed in one thing¨Cpayback. Cross her, and they¡¯d regret it¨Ctenfold.


    Perched high in her watchtower, she surveyed the chaos below. Most intruders had already been wiped out, but one guy had managed to stay alive¨Cthe broker.


    He was still inside the truck, huddled in fear while the others had been torn apart.


    Theresa spotted him through her scope. She calmly loaded another arrow, took aim, and fired.


    <i>Crack</i><i>! </i>


    The arrow shattered the truck¡¯s windshield.


    The sound drew every nearby zombie, including the now¨Cturned Tigre. Blood¨Ccrazed, they swarmed the vehicle, wing and pounding against the ss!


    Inside, the broker panicked. He could barely breathe as the undead pressed against the truck, desperate to get in.


    Regret hit him like a truck. <i>Why </i><i>did </i><i>I </i><i>ever </i><i>bring </i><i>them </i><i>here</i><i>? </i>


    He¡¯d always been the weakest in the group, clinging to them for survival by providing whatever resources they needed.


    Yet now, he thought back to the bunker he¡¯d rented out a month ago.


    It had been a joke at the time¨Ca young girl had taken it, rambling about growing mushrooms in the middle of nowhere. He¡¯dughed at her naivety.


    He had even imagined that when they reached the bunker, it would be filled with a thriving crop of mushrooms¨Cand that naive young girl waiting there.


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    Chapter 23 Survival¡¯s Game


    Chapter 23 Survival¡¯s Game


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    Unfortunately for him, the girl he had been hoping to find was already long gone¨Cturned into one of the undead. In any other situation, a lone female zombie wouldn¡¯t have been much trouble for a group this


    size.


    It would¡¯ve been a whole other story if she hadn¡¯t turned, though. A new woman in their group? He could already picture the ¡°fun¡± he¡¯d have.


    She might¡¯ve been a little naive, but her look more than made up for it.


    Now, all those fantasies were meaningless. Their journey hade to an abrupt, bloody end.


    He hadn¡¯t even seen her face.


    Just as despair set in, his eyes caught a figure through the chaos¨Ca girl standing in the forest¡¯s shadows.


    She wasn¡¯t running. She wasn¡¯t afraid. Arms crossed, she stared directly at him, her expression ice¨Ccold.


    At that moment, the truth hit him like a freight train.


    I¡¯m the <i>fool</i>! The girl <i>I¡¯ve </i><i>been </i><i>mocking </i><i>isn¡¯t </i><i>some </i><i>hapless </i><i>idiot</i>. <i>She¡¯s </i><i>the </i><i>one </i>running <i>the </i><i>show</i>. She owns this <i>bunker</i><i>, </i><i>andshe¡¯s </i><i>watching </i>us <i>the </i><i>whole </i>time<i>! </i>


    However, it was toote for realizations. The zombies swarmed him, and his screams were cut short as ws ripped through his chest.


    ¡°Woof! Woof!¡± Summer barked loudly, scattering the remaining zombies.


    Theresa strolled toward the truck, calmly collecting the arrows she¡¯d fired earlier. With a practiced motion, she hauled the supplies out of the back.


    <i>Not </i><i>bad </i><i>for </i><i>a </i><i>day¡¯s </i><i>work</i>, she thought, dragging the truck off to the side to patch up her barricade. She wasn¡¯t about to let another group of idiots stumble in uninvited.


    Back inside her bunker, she unloaded the loot and started sorting it,


    The truck was packed with twentyrge boxes¨Cten boxes of instant noodles, five boxes of rice, two boxes of bottled water, one box filled with assorted meats and vegetables, and one final box¨Cpacked with gold bars with price tags.


    Theresa paused, hefting the gold. It was heavy¨Cthirty, maybe forty pounds. She smirked.


    <i>They </i><i>even </i><i>had </i><i>time </i><i>to </i><i>loot </i><i>a </i><i>jewelry </i><i>store</i><i>. </i><i>Talk </i><i>about </i><i>priorities</i><i>, </i>she mused, shaking her head.


    Still, she couldn¡¯t deny the practicality. Even in an apocalypse, gold might hold value.


    She neatly stored everything in her warehouse and quickly noticed a new addition¨Ca police¨Cissued handgun, no doubt stolen during one of their raids.


    It was clear these thugs had left destruction in their wake.


    Theresa didn¡¯t feel bad about taking their supplies. In her mind, she wasn¡¯t just protecting herself but


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    Most people would¡¯ve run away from a group like that, scared for their lives. Not her. She lured them in, let the zombies care for them, and cleaned up the mess afterward.


    <i>See</i>? A good citizen through and <i>through</i>, she joked to herself, smirking as she surveyed her spoils.


    Just as she finished organizing, a familiar ¡°ding¡± sounded in her mind.


    ¡®Defense Sessful: 6 Enemies Eliminated. Supplies Recovered: 20 Boxes. Points Earned: 26. System Store Unlocked.


    Theresa¡¯s eyebrows shot up in surprise.


    Suddenly, a new panel appeared in her mind¨Ca shop filled with everything she could imagine.


    Food, medicine, weapons, construction materials¨Cit was all there. Each item came with a description and price.


    ¡®Energy Bar: Restores energy and keeps hunger at bay for 10 hours. Price: 5 points.¡®


    ¡®Bread: Fills you up and keeps hunger away for 20 hours. Price: 8 points.


    ¡®Pain Relief Gel: Stops bleeding and numbs the pain. One application heals minor injuries. Price: 20 points.


    She flipped to the weapons section and nearly gasped. The selection was incredible¨Cfirearms with extra uracy, increased damage, and even special effects.


    <i>These </i><i>are </i><i>amazing</i><i>! </i><i>The </i><i>only </i><i>problem</i>? <i>Everything </i><i>is </i><i>expensive</i><i>, </i><i>and </i><i>I </i><i>only </i><i>have </i><i>26 </i><i>points </i><i>to </i><i>spend</i><i>, </i>she thought, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she secretly hoped for more intruders to show up.


    Before she could make a decision, her monitor lit up with an rm.


    Theresa walked over and checked the screen. Outside, the sky was getting darker, and the cameras showed severalrge vehicles pulling up just outside her bunker.


    The infrared feed revealed people stepping out of the cars, scanning the area, and clearing out nearby.


    zombies.


    Theresa leaned back in her chair, a grin slowly spreading across her face.


    <i>Already </i>sending <i>me </i><i>more </i><i>visitors</i>? she thought, cracking her knuckles.


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    Chapter 24 The Dogs Left Behind


    Chapter 24 The Dogs Left Behind


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    Theresa watched the group closely through her cameras, ready to act if they dared cross into her bunker. Yet, to her surprise, they weren¡¯t causing trouble.


    Instead, they were methodically clearing zombies from the road, drawing them in and taking them down one by one.


    Then something unexpected happened. They opened the back of their truck and let out a pack of dogs.


    Theresa leaned closer to the monitor, squinting at the infrared feed. She couldn¡¯t make out the people¡¯s faces or outfits, but the heat signatures didn¡¯t lie¨Ca whole group of dogs had just been released.


    After a brief argument, the people climbed back into the car and drove off, leaving the dogs behind.


    Theresa watched as the dogs chased after the trucks, running full speed toward the city. She frowned, her curiosity piqued. <i>What </i><i>are </i><i>they </i><i>up </i><i>to</i><i>? </i>


    The following day, Theresa woke carly, as usual, to keep up her workout routine. Even though the system no longer rewarded her for staying active, she knew the importance of staying sharp and fit.


    Just as she stepped outside to jog along the perimeter of her bunker, her rm went off.


    She pulled out her phone and connected it to the monitoring system. The sight on the screen made her


    pause.


    The dogs from the night before had returned.


    There were fourteen or fifteen of them standing right outside her bunker. Each one wore a uniform, though they were battered and torn from whatever they¡¯d been through.


    They had stopped at the same spot where they¡¯d been released, pacing in circles like they were waiting for


    someone.


    A notification popped up on her phone. ¡°The Ansford rescue operation is underway! Rescue vehicles have entered Ansford. Survivors, please gather at the designated assembly points.¡¯


    Theresa quickly figured out that the people from yesterday must have been part of the rescue team, and those dogs were theirs.


    She then drove to the edge of her bunker to check on them in person. The main road was eerily quiet, free of zombies for the first time in weeks,


    The dogs were still standing guard at the road¡¯s entrance, their eyes fixed on the city¡¯s direction.


    They looked rough¨Ccovered in scratches, bite marks, and other injuries. Some had torn ears or missing tails.


    One dog, in particr, caught her attention.


    Its hind legs were mangled entirely, with exposed bones glinting in the sunlight. It dragged itself forward on its front legs, its determination painfully clear.


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    Theresa felt a pang of sympathy as she stepped out of the car and looked over the weary, battered dogs. She reflected bitterly, 7hey must¡¯ve chased after the rescue team <i>all </i>night<i>, </i>fighting through endless waves of zombies And when they couldn¡¯t find their eteners, they came back here. Sigh¡­ they¡¯re still holding on, hoping their people <i>will </i>return for them.


    ¡°In this apocalypse, no one¡¯sing back. Looks like you¡¯re mine now, she muttered under her breath.


    Theresa knelt down and started patching up the dogs one by one. She worked quickly, wrapping wounds and applying makeshift bandages where she could.


    When she got to the severely injured dog, she hesitated. Its breathing was shallow, its body trembling from exhaustion and pain.


    With a heavy sigh, she pulled up her System Store and exchanged twenty points for pain relief gel.


    Applying the gel to its wounds, she spoke softly, ¡°Charlic, this is a big deal, okay? I spent twenty points on you. You¡¯d better stick with me now, understand? I don¡¯t abandon anyone, so don¡¯t you dare give up on


    me.¡±


    The dog seemed to understand. Its eyes locked onto hers, full of an eerie intelligence, as if it were trying to say thank you.


    Once the bandaging was done, Theresa brought out some of her best supplies¨Cfresh beef and bones.


    ¡°These are for you,¡± she stated, cing the food before the dogs.


    At first, they hesitated, ncing at her as if asking for permission.


    She encouraged, ¡°Go on. It¡¯s yours. Eat.¡±


    They finally gave in, devouring the food like they hadn¡¯t eaten in days. It was apparent how hungry they


    were.


    Just then, something strange happened.


    Once they¡¯d eaten their fill, some of the dogs picked up pieces of the leftover meat in their mouths and started heading for the gate.


    Theresa blinked in disbelief, thinking, <i>You¡¯ve </i><i>got </i><i>to </i><i>be kidding </i><i>me</i><i>. </i>


    Summer, her oversized system¨Cenhanced dog, sprang into action. Twice the size of the other dogs and far more powerful, Summer barked loudly and cut off their escape.


    The military dogs froze, their tails dropping as they grouped together nervously.


    Theresa walked over, cing a calming hand on Summer¡¯s back.


    ¡°Let them go,¡± she spoke gently, shaking her head.


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    Chapter 25 Loyalty Without Limits


    Chapter 25 Loyalty Without Limits


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    ¡°Wool, woof, woof!¡± Summer barked furiously, pacing back and forth as if saying, ¡°Those freeloaders ate your food!


    Theresa smirked, crouching down to ruffle his fur. ¡°Good dogs don¡¯t need to be tied down. Let them go.¡±


    She walked to the gate and opened it wide, motioning for the dogs to leave. They hesitated momentarily, ncing back at her with what seemed like gratitude, then dashed out.


    Even the injured dog she had saved limped after them, dragging its damaged legs but still holding onto a piece of beef. Before leaving, it hobbled in a small circle around her as though offering onest silent thank¨Cyou and catching up with the others.


    Curious, Theresa grabbed her e¨Cbike from the domain and trailed behind them, with Summer loyally trotting alongside.


    The dogs didn¡¯t go far. They returned to the spot where they¡¯d been abandoned days earlier. Once there, they dropped the beef on the ground, paced around, and began howling toward the city as though calling for their owners.


    Theresa stopped at a distance, watching quietly. <i>Even </i><i>after </i><i>everything</i><i>, </i><i>their </i><i>loyalty </i><i>hasn¡¯t </i><i>wavered</i>. <i>Their </i>first <i>thought </i><i>after </i><i>eating </i><i>isn¡¯t </i><i>themselves</i><i>¨C</i><i>the </i><i>humans </i><i>left </i><i>them </i><i>behind</i>.


    Her chest tightened. <i>In </i><i>a </i><i>world </i><i>where </i><i>trust </i><i>is </i><i>a </i><i>dangerous </i><i>gamble</i>, <i>these </i><i>dogs </i>still <i>hold </i><i>onto </i><i>hope</i>. <i>Military </i><i>dogs </i><i>never </i><i>abandon </i><i>their </i><i>owners </i><i>once </i><i>they </i><i>form </i><i>a </i><i>bond</i><i>. </i><i>Even now</i>, <i>they¡¯re </i><i>waiting </i><i>for </i><i>their </i><i>owners </i><i>to </i><i>return</i><i>, </i>she thought, her usually cold demeanor softening.


    She crouched and hugged Summer tightly, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything before, Summer. I hope I¡¯m better now.¡±


    Summer barked softly, nuzzling into her chest. He didn¡¯t understand why she was apologizing, but he stayed close, offeringfort in his own way.


    After spending some time observing the dogs, Theresa headed back to the bunker with Summer by her side. That evening, she returned to the dogs with fresh food and bandages. Summer sat nearby, ring at the group as she tended to their wounds.


    ¡°Woof, woof, woof!¡± he barked, his tone clearly usatory<i>. </i><i>How </i><i>dare </i><i>you </i><i>take </i><i>my </i>owner¡¯s <i>food</i><i>? </i>


    The military dogs shrank under Summer¡¯s fierce gaze, softly whining as they cowered. Yet when Theresa approached, they perked up, wagging their tails and pressing against her legs for attention.


    Over the next two days, the dogs stayed near her bunker, keeping watch. Every time a vehicle passed, they chased after it and barked excitedly. When they realized it wasn¡¯t their owners, they returned to their spot, visibly deted.


    In the meantime, they worked tirelessly to keep her bunker safe. Any zombie that wandered too close was immediately taken down, and not a single one got through.


    Moved by their dedication, Theresa made it a habit to visit them daily. She brought food, checked their injuries, and ensured they needed what they needed.


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    On the evening of the third day, Theresa noticed something different. From a distance, she saw the dogs running toward something with more energy than she¡¯d ever seen from them.


    She followed, stopping at a crumbling wall she often used to get a better view.


    In the distance, a convoy of green military vehicles was making its way down the road.


    Theresa¡¯s breath caught. It¡¯s them. <i>Their </i>owners <i>have </i><i>finally </i><ie </i><i>back</i>.


    The dogs raced toward the convoy, barking and wagging their tails. Their excitement was infectious, though the soldiers inside the vehicles seemed startled by the sudden appearance <i>of </i>a pack of dogs.


    One of the trucks slowed to a stop, and a young soldier climbed out.


    As soon as he stepped down, one of the dogs rushed to him, its tail wagging furiously. The soldier knelt and wrapped his arms around the dog in a tight hug.


    The others quickly surrounded him, barking joyfully.


    One dog ran back to its old spot and returned with a piece of beef. It proudly presented it to the soldier as if it were a gift.


    The young man hesitated; his expression conflicted between surprise and sorrow. He gently ced the meat back on the ground and stood, his eyes heavy with regret as he returned to the truck.


    They hadn¡¯t had a choice. The camp had ordered them to leave the dogs behind to make room for survivors. Orders were orders, and no matter how much it pained them, they had to follow through.


    The vehicles started moving again, engines roaring to life. The dogs barked frantically, chasing after them as if begging not to be left behind.


    The dog that had been hugged ran alongside the truck, still holding the piece of beef in its mouth. It leaped toward the vehicle, but instead of being weed back, it was met with the cold m of the door.


    <i>Vroom</i>. The convoy sped off, leaving the dogs in the dust.


    From her vantage point, Theresa could hear the survivors shouting inside the vehicles.


    ¡°Why are there dogs here?¡±


    ¡°Get them away from the vehicles!¡±


    ¡°They might be infected!¡±


    ¡°Keep them back!¡±


    The dogs didn¡¯t give up. Barking and howling, they chased the convoy with everything they had. No matter how hard they tried, the yehicles kept pulling farther and farther ahead.


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    The dogs slowed down, their energy drained, and their spirits shattered. They returned from the road¡¯s edge one by one, their earlier anticipation gone.


    They wandered aimlessly now, looking lost and defeated. The owners they¡¯d waited so desperately for were nevering back.


    This was the harsh truth of the apocalypse¨Cchoices were rarely kind. No one would have left them behind if there had been another way. Yet, people were chosen over dogs when it came down to survival.


    Theresa stepped out of the shadows, her voice steady but warm.


    ¡°Will you follow me this time? I promised I wouldn¡¯t abandon you. Give me the chance to prove it,¡± she spoke.


    She wasn¡¯t pretending to be some righteous savior. She didn¡¯t need people¨Cshe wanted dogs.


    The pack stood still, hesitant. For a moment, it seemed like they wouldn¡¯t respond. Just then, the injured dog, Charlie¨Cthe one she had spent so much effort to save¨Climped forward.


    It circled Theresa once, let out a soft whimper, andy down at her feet.


    That was all the reassurance the others needed. One by one, the rest of the dogs moved closer, surrounding her as if to say they were hers now.


    Theresa led her new pack back to the bunker. A familiar ¡°ding¡± echoed in her mind as they crossed the threshold.


    <i>¡®</i>Ding¨CDetected 15 Military Working Dogs at the bunker. Loyalty: 100%!


    ¡®Reward: All Military Working Dogs fully healed! The bunker defense doubled! Add 150 points!¡®


    Her eyes widened in surprise.


    Looking around, she realized her bunker had undergone a massive upgrade. The gates were now reinforced with heavy¨Cduty steel, and the barbed wire had doubled in height. Inside, the walls were thicker, the doors brand new, and the entire structure sturdier than ever.


    From the outside, it looked less like a bunker and more like a fortress.


    Still, the biggest win was the 150 points.


    Theresa grinned, thinking, <i>This </i><i>is </i><i>definitely </i>worth it.


    Wasting no time, she opened the System Store, eager to see what she could afford.


    The food section had expanded with ten options ranging from simple energy bars to a super energy drink worth 100 points, promising fullness for days. However, Theresa wasn¡¯t interested in food¨Cshe had enough tost her.


    Instead, the medicine section grabbed her attention. Alongside the familiar 20¨Cpoint pain relief gel, two new items immediately stood out: the 50¨Cpoint Super Band¨CAid and the 100¨Cpoint Emergency Pill.


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    Curious, Theresa clicked to check their details.


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    The Super Band¨CAid could instantly heal even the most severe injuries, including arterial cuts. She leaned back, impressed. These are total game¨Cchangers<i>!</i><i>It </i><i>could </i><i>even </i><i>save </i><i>someone </i><i>whose </i>neck is <i>practically </i><i>severed</i>!


    The Emergency Pill amazed her even more. It promised to bring someone back from the brink of death as long as they had a single breath left.


    Wow, these two are seriously powerful, she marveled, her eyes widening.


    She kept scrolling and then froze.


    ¡°Zombie Virus Inhibitor: 1,000,000,000 points.¡®


    Her jaw dropped. ¡°There¡¯s a cure for the zombie virus?¡±


    Her excitement was short¨Clived when she noticed the price tag¨C100 million points.


    <i>Yeah</i>, no. <i>Not </i>in <i>this </i><i>lifetime </i>with <i>my </i><i>measly </i><i>156 </i><i>points</i>. Theresa sighed, shaking her head.


    Still, the thought of earning enough points to unlock it stayed with her. If she could pull it off, this inhibitor would change everything. She made a silent vow to herself. <i>100 </i><i>million </i><i>points</i><i>, </i><i>huh</i>? <i>Fine</i><i>. </i><i>I¡¯ll </i><i>find </i><i>a </i><i>way </i><i>to </i><i>get </i><i>this</i>¨Cno <i>matter </i><i>what </i>it <i>takes</i><i>! </i>


    Next, she moved to the weapons section, where her excitement only grew.


    The options were impressive¨Ca Standard P5 Gun for 500 points, a Glock Pistol for 1,000, and Submachine Guns and Shotguns starting at 5,000 points.


    Meanwhile, the AK¨C47 that caught Theresa¡¯s eye came with a hefty 8,000¨Cpoint price tag. But it wasn¡¯t just any weapon¨Cthis high¨Cpowered gun boasted enhanced durability and unmatched firepower, making it far superior to anything avable in the outside world.


    Expensive as it was, Theresa couldn¡¯t resist. The AK¨C47 had her hooked. Without hesitation, she added it to her cart, determined to save up enough points to make it hers.


    Further down, she noticed a locked section.


    ¡®Unlockable at 5,000 points,¡® the interface read.


    Her curiosity burned. <i>What </i><i>treasures </i><i>are </i><i>hidden </i><i>behind </i><i>that </i><i>lock</i><i>? </i>


    As Theresa closed the System Store, a wave of frustration washed over her. <i>This </i><i>store </i><i>has </i><i>everything </i><i>I </i><i>could </i><i>ever </i><i>want</i><i>, </i><i>but </i><i>I </i><i>barely </i><i>have </i><i>enough </i><i>points </i><i>to </i><i>afford </i><i>anything</i>. <i>Ugh</i><i>! </i>she thought, letting out a sigh.


    Determined to fix that, she opened the ¡°Points Acquisition¡± tab.


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    A notification appeared before Theresa. To earn points, she couldplete system missions, expand her territorial area, and increase territory members.


    Theresa¡¯s thoughts clicked into ce. She remembered earning points after defending the camp from invaders¨Cthat had been a system task. And earlier, when she took in the fifteen dogs, it counted as increasing her camp¡¯s poption.


    As for the second option¨Cexpanding her territory¡­.


    <i>I </i>see¡­ Theresa mused. I¡¯ll start expanding <i>my </i><i>territory </i><i>tomorrow</i><i>! </i>


    The next morning, she skipped her usual routine of jogging around the camp¡¯s perimeter. Instead, she headed to the hills behind her base, rope in hand and her loyal dogs trailing behind her.


    This was modernnd iming at its finest. Forget horses¨CTheresa had dogs running ropes to mark boundaries.


    She split her canine crew into two teams. Summer led Lucky, Cash, Biscuit, Penny, Champ, Glory, Buddy, and Max along the left nk. Meanwhile, Theresa took East, South, West, North, Ace, Snowy, and Spot along the right.


    These were the names Theresa had given her new pack of dogs, and each one seemed to embrace their role as boundary markers, working tirelessly to encircle the hill with a rope.


    By afternoon, Theresa and Summer¡¯s team met in the middle of the back mountain. She tied the two rope ends together, securing the new perimeter. Bit by bit, they worked into the evening, circling the mountain and connecting the ropes to her barbed¨Cwire fence.


    When they finished, Theresa stood back, satisfied. She¡¯d sessfully imed an area with a two¨Cmile perimeter.


    <i>Ding</i><i>! </i>


    ¡°Territory area detected to have doubled! Reward: 1,000 points! First¨Ctime territory expansion reward: Territorial Link unlocked!¡®


    Theresa pumped her fist into the air. It worked! She could im uninhabited areas as her own, and the system would recognize them as part of her territory. Just this one hill had earned her 1,000 points. If she kept going and imed the surrounding hills, she could rake in even more.


    The real prize? If she ever managed to take over Ansford itself, that billion¨Cpoint Zombie Virus Inhibitor didn¡¯t seem like a distant dream anymore¨Cit was something she could truly reach!


    Then, Theresa focused on her second reward: Territorial Link, Closing her eyes, she felt a mental map unfold in her mind, showing the terrain of the hill she¡¯d just imed. The bunker and the surrounding areas now appeared like a detailed blueprint in her head.


    Even better, she could sense movement. Whenever an intruder stepped into her territory, her sixth sense would alert her instantly.,


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    ¡°Summer! Five hundred yards west she called.


    ¡°Woof! Summer barked and bolted toward the location.


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    Momentster, the sound of a scuffle broke the silence. By the time Theresa arrived, Summer had already torn apart a stray zombie that had wandered into the area.


    Theresa grinned. The ability worked like a charm.


    Just then, more faint gray dots appeared on her mental map, and she issuedmands to her dogs. ¡°Lucky, Cash, take Buddy and Max to the south! Champ and Glory, head west with Biscuit and Penny! East, South, West, North¨Ccover the cast! The rest of you, follow me!¡±


    Together, they systematically cleared the remaining zombies. The process was grueling but efficient, and by the end of it, Theresa was an expert in utilizing her new ability. Every gray dot indicated a zombie, no matter how remote the location. With Territorial Link, she no longer needed cameras or rms. The moment an intruder entered her domain, she would know.


    By midnight, Theresa and her dogs returned to the camp, thoroughly exhausted but triumphant.


    The next day, she¡¯d expand her territory even further.


    At dawn, Theresa set to work again. This time, she targeted the area in front of her bunker, clearing zombies all the way to the nearby highway. Once the area was secure, she nted a sign that read, ¡®Private Property: Beware of Dogs!¡®


    The sign served as her boundary marker.


    At this point in time, there weren¡¯t many people left alive, let alone anyone who¡¯d survive long enough toe and argue with her overnd ownership. She stuck the sign there with confidence¨Cthisnd was hers now. Certainly, anyone with a straight mind wouldn¡¯t dare challenge her.


    Ding<i>! </i>


    ¡°Territory expanded by 5 acres! Reward: 500 points!¡®


    Hearing the system¡¯s notification, Theresa grinned, ted.


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    Theresa¡¯s intuition proved spot on. She could im uninhabited areas¨Cor even previously upied ones


    under one condition: thend had to be cleared and surveyed either by her or her dogs.


    That day, she walked with her dogs from the camp to the spot where she¡¯d nted her marker, a modest five¨Cacre stretch. Following their exploration, she marked the paths they¡¯d traveled. It reminded her of a ssic adventure game, where the map only illuminated once the protagonist set foot on the terrain. Thankfully, her dogs were considered part of her team, greatly expanding her effective range.


    nting her sign firmly into the ground, she dusted off her hands, and her mental territory map updated to include the newly imed area. Standing still, Theresa considered her next move. The mountain her bunker sat on was now fully hers. To her left stretched a t highway leading to Ansford, while to her righty a sparsely popted mountain range, home to an abandoned quarry and a few scattered vis.


    Conquering the nds to the north seemed straightforward, but Theresa was pragmatic. The mountainous terrain might be tricky, but it offered stability. Why rush into iming the highway, where she¡¯d have to deal with zombies or wandering humans when she could first secure the more isted area?


    The system had clear rules: territory had to be safe. If zombies or other hostile creatures lingered for too long, the system would automatically revoke the im. That idea alone quashed Theresa¡¯s fleeting notion of keeping a few zombies around as guard dogs.


    Fortunately, her team of fifteen military dogs proved invaluable. Intelligent and agile, they made short work of clearing stray zombies, doubling as guards for her expanding territory. Still, Theresa knew she needed more dogs¨Cespecially as her territory continued to grow.


    With her priorities settled, Theresa marched into the mountains to the right.


    By evening, she had sessfully imed another hill. The system rewarded her with 1,000 points, bringing her total to a satisfying 2,656.


    ¡°Great work, everyone! Dinner time!¡± she called out, pulling fresh beef from her domain and setting it out for the dogs.


    Theresa never skimped on rewards for herpanions. If she ate well, her team did too.


    For herself, Theresa pulled out a steaming Keirin fried chickenbo she¡¯d previously stored in the System Store. Her domain preserved all food in its original, fresh state, making each meal a feast. That day, it was fried chicken; the next, it could be hearty stew, and the day after, crispy roast pork. On her outings, she snacked on portable options like breakfast burritos, soft tacos, or quesadis, all as warm and delicious as the day they were made.


    Even through her gloves, she could feel the crispiness of the fried chicken. Tearing into it, the golden crust shattered to reveal tender, juicy meat, oozing with vor. Paired with garlicky soy sauce and an icy cold soda, it was pure bliss.


    Her exhaustion melted away as she ate, devouring enough food for three people. Even her dogs couldn¡¯t resist the tantalizing aroma. Theresa tossed them her leftovers, and they eagerly gathered around, tails wagging as they feasted.


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    After dinner, with her stomach full, Theresa stretched and set out to check on her farm animals and crops.


    Her chicken coop was thriving, with eggs piling up and new chicks hatching every couple of days. The system¨Cenhanced poultry were strong and bred at an impressive rate.


    The duck coop wasn¡¯t far behind, though their incubation period was longer¨Cabout 40 dayspared to the chickens¡® 20. Several ducks were already nesting, and Theresa expected ducklings soon.


    Her two young goats were another pleasant surprise. They were growing quickly, their bodies developing robustly. Theresa recalled the farmer she¡¯d traded with mentioning that these goats were bred specifically for dairy farming.


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    Chapter 29 iming the Vis


    It wouldn¡¯t be long before she¡¯d have fresh goat milk to enjoy.


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    Her vegetable garden was another source of delight. Quick¨Cgrowing, high¨Cyield crops like boy choy and spring onion were already producing in abundance. Every day, Theresa made it a point to harvest a fresh batch.


    The cycle never stopped¨Cwhatever she picked grew back by the next day, but leaving them unharvested wasn¡¯t an option. She hated waste. No matter how busy or tired she was, she always carved out time to collect the vegetables and store them in her bunker¡¯s refrigerated warehouse.


    Other crops, like carrots, spinach, romaine lettuce, and broli stems, were nearing their harvest period. Soon, tomatoes and potatoes would be ready for a bountiful yield as well.


    Her fish pond was thriving, too. The fish poption had doubled, with countless new fry swimming energetically. Despite herck of expertise in managing the pond, the system¡¯s enhancements ensured that everything flourished without her intervention. The fish were plump and lively, growing by the day.


    Her camp was thriving in every way. The territory was expanding, her resources were growing, and the future looked bright.


    The next day, Theresa set out to im newnd. This time, she drove her armored car, leaving Summer and six dogs to patrol the camp and handle any wandering zombies. She brought the remaining eight dogs with her, heading toward a cluster of hillside vis.


    These vis had once been part of a luxurious development for the wealthy. Only ten vis made up the entire area, spaced far apart to ensure privacy and offering stunning views of Ansford from the mountainside. Few of them had ever sold, and even fewer had been inhabited.


    When Theresa arrived, she took in the sight of the elegant, staggered vis. Their strategic cement provided amanding view of the city below. The residents who once lived here must have been the elite of Ansford.


    She sent her dogs out to scout the area.


    ¡°East, South, check the left side. West, North, head south. Ace, Snowy, search uphill. Spot, Cash, stay here and guard. Let me know if anyone shows up!¡±


    ¡°Woof, woof!¡± The dogs split into groups, swiftly carrying out her instructions. Meanwhile, Theresa hammered a sign into the ground. ¡®Private Property: Trespassers Will Be Killed!¡®


    This area was meant to serve as an outer buffer zone for her territory, a ce she wouldn¡¯t frequent often. With her dogs stretched thin, she had to rely on this sign as a warning. If anyone ignored it, she¡¯d deal with


    themter.


    The dogs returned shortly, but the system remained silent. Theresa nced at the ten vis and realized she¡¯d need to sweep each one before the area would register as hers.


    Leaving four dogs outside to stand guard, she took East, South, West, and North with her to begin clearing


    the vis.


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    The first vi was clearly unsold, its original lock still in ce. Theresa pulled out a wire from her domain. and worked on the lock.


    In the apocalypse, she¡¯d picked up a variety of skills, and lock¨Cpicking was one of them.


    The door creaked open, revealing an unfinished interior. After a quick search, Theresa scratched the word ¡°Summer¡± on the mailbox. Instantly, her mental map was updated.


    ¡°Territory expanded by 500 square feet! Reward: 100 points!¡±


    Theresa smiled. Now that¡¯s more <i>like </i>it!


    She moved on to the next vis, methodically clearing each one. Out of the first eight, only two had any furnishings, but all were deserted. By the time she finished, she had sessfully imed eight vis, expanding her territory significantly without encountering a single person.


    But the ninth vi was different. A car was parked in the small garden out front, its windows covered in a thinyer of dust¨Cnot enough to suggest abandonment, but enough to show it hadn¡¯t been there long.


    Theresa observed the vi closely. The curtains were drawn tightly, and the house gave off an air of secrecy. She knocked on the door and rang the bell, the chime echoing eerily through the empty neighborhood. Inside, there was no response.


    Her brows furrowed. Pulling out her wire, she began to work on the lock. This time, she felt resistance. The door was bolted from the inside.


    Someone was definitely in there¨Ceither living, or the living dead.


    Just then, a sudden vibration ran through her wire. Someone on the other side was turning the lock.


    Her suspicion was confirmed¨Cthey were alive.


    At this point, she hesitated.


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    Chapter 30 Lines We Don¡¯t Cross


    Theresa had no qualms about iming abandoned or uninhabitednd. Even areas with absent owners didn¡¯t bother her conscience. But here, behind this door, there was a living person.


    Her hand, which had been resting on the door, fell to her side.


    In the apocalypse, wherews had copsed and human nature¡¯s worst tendencies ran rampant, strength was the only rule. Dominating the weak, seizing their resources¨Cit was allmonce. But there was a line Theresa drew. She didn¡¯t shy away from killing when her interests were threatened, but she wasn¡¯t some mindless tyrant, crushing others without cause.


    If someone dared encroach on her territory, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to eliminate them. But invading someone else¡¯s home, driving them out, or killing them just to take what they had? That crossed a line.


    She sighed, deciding to leave the survivor be for now.


    But just as she was about to leave, the door creaked open slightly. A middle¨Caged man peeked out, his face gaunt and unshaven. His wire¨Crimmed sses gave him a schrly air, but his hollow cheeks and wary expression betrayed how long he had gone without proper food. Behind him, a woman, equally worn, hovered protectively.


    A small child¨Cno more than five or six¨Cpeeked out from behind the man¡¯s legs, curiosity gleaming in her eyes. As soon as the parents noticed, they pulled the little girl back, shielding her from view.


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡± The dogs barked furiously, sensing the movement.


    ¡°Quiet,¡± Theresa ordered, silencing them immediately. She studied the man from head to toe before speaking coldly. ¡°Everywhere around here is my territory except this house. Stay out of mynd, or I¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    Without waiting for a response, she turned and strode toward thest vi at the far end of the area.


    ¡°Wait!¡± the man called out desperately. ¡°There are zombies in there! Don¡¯t go!¡±


    Theresa paused mid¨Cstep and turned to face him. ¡°You¡¯ve seen them?¡±


    The man nodded solemnly. ¡°The people in that vi were having a party. A bunch of young men and women stayed up all night. Then, early in the morning, we heard screams. A lot of them ran out, bleeding, but none of them got far before they were attacked and killed.¡±


    ¡°What were you doing during all this?¡±


    ¡°We were terrified. We locked our doors and stayed inside. It wasn¡¯t untilter that we realized they¡¯d turned into zombies.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s gaze swept over the man, the door, the house, and the faint bloodstains still visible on the street outside. ¡°You¡¯vested this long. Got supplies in there?¡±


    The man pressed his chapped lips together, refusing to answer. In this world, no one openly shared information about their resources. Theresa distrusted him, and he distrusted her.


    Seeing that the conversation was going nowhere, Theresa signaled to her dogs and headed toward the


    tenth vi. The man watched her go, conflicted. He opened his mouth to call out again but closed it, unsure of what to say.


    ¡°Who was she?¡± his wife whispered nervously.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he replied, his gaze lingering on Theresa¡¯s retreating figure. ¡°But she definitely has supplies.¡± He was certain¨Cher healthyplexion and the sleek coats of her dogs were clear indicators. In a world ravaged by starvation, no one could look like that without a steady supply of food and resources.


    ¡°Should we ask her for some?¡± his wife suggested hesitantly.


    ¡°Daddy, I¡¯m hungry,¡± their daughter whined, clutching his leg.


    The man¡¯s expression darkened. He raised a hand, summoning a faint green glow. The potted nt beside the door responded, its vines slithering toward his palm like living creatures. Gripping the tendrils tightly, he muttered, ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see. Don¡¯t rush.¡±


    Theresa arrived at the tenth vi. The ce was a mess¨Cblood sttered across the door, the ground, and the overgrown garden.


    Circling the building, she assessed the terrain and noted possible entry points. This wasn¡¯t her first time. facing danger, and preparation was second nature.


    The vi¡¯s reinforced metal door looked formidable, but Theresa¡¯s strength had grown far beyond the average human¡¯s at this point. With one swift kick, the door flew open, crashing loudly against the wall.


    The moment the door swung wide, Theresa and her four dogs darted to either side of the entryway. A guttural roar erupted from within as three zombies lunged out.


    Two were women, and one was a man.


    One of the female zombies had clearly been beautiful in life. Even in death, her decayed form retained an eerie allure. Her face was mostly intact, but one leg had been gnawed down to the bone, the stark white of her skeleton glinting through the gore.


    However, the second female zombie hadn¡¯t fared as well. Half her face had been chewed off, exposing the framework of a broken nose and a dangling imnt. Her left eye bulged grotesquely, crawling with yellow maggots wriggling through the torn flesh.


    Theresa¡¯s lips curled in disgust as she readied herself for the fight ahead.

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    Chapter 31 Faster Than Fear


    A male zombie lurched forward in a once-fancy suit, with a gaping wound through his chest. Both arms iled wildly, and as soon as he caught a hint of human scent, he lunged forward in a frenzy.


    Theresa swung her shovel without hesitation and knocked one of the three zombies back as they burst


    onto the scene.


    The remaining two didn¡¯t get far. Her four dogs sprang into action and quickly dispatched them.


    They were top-tier, and they had saved her considerable effort along the way.


    Thud! Thud! Thud!


    Three heavy thumps echoed-three zombies taken down in an instant.


    She was fast, efficient, and stylish, Eliminating zombies was a breeze.


    She approached the doorway and rapped sharply on the frame, attempting to lure out any more lurking hreats inside. Yet the house remained silent, and those were the only three.


    She signaled the dogs, then crossed the threshold, her movements sharp and deliberate-excessive for the stillness around her.


    The vi was three stories tall-two above ground and one below. Every aspect was high-end, exuding a sense of old money and luxury.


    But now, the interiors were in shambles-abandoned and eerily quiet.


    The floor was scattered with empty wine bottles and half-finished tes of food. Near the entrancey a arge pile of beautifully wrapped gifts.


    She randomly picked one up. The tag stated, ¡®Happy 20th Birthday, Luna Marie¡¯.


    Theresa thought, So this was a birthday celebration. Tough luck¡ªcelebrating a milestone just as the zombie


    pocalypse struck.


    She tore open the gift box with quick movements. Inside was a diamond bracelet from a luxury brand.


    She had a strict rule: never leave without taking something. She began gathering every single gift from the pile without a second thought, nning to unwrap themter, savoring each one in her own time.


    Theresa made her way to the kitchen after she had secured the gifts and hoped to find some food.


    However, Theresa had no luck-hardly anything edible was in sight.


    Clearly, the residents weren¡¯t the type to do much cooking.


    Nevertheless, the fridge was stocked with snacks. She didn¡¯t hesitate to stock up on everything-imported edible bird¡¯s nest, fancy drinks, gourmet boxed goodies. In the freezer below: frozen wagyu beef from Kaitan and imported lobster from Vastralia. She took all of it.


    In the upstairs bedrooms, Theresa discovered immacte silkforters and down quilts. She added them to her collection. Before long, she had emptied both floors above ground.


    At the front entrance, she stationed two of her dogs to keep watch while the other two apanied her to


    the basement.


    As soon as she entered the basement, she sensed that something was off.


    Grr¡­


    Grr. Grr¡­


    Ace and Snowy-her two dogs-produced low, uneasy growls, their gaze fixed ahead.


    It was a caution and trepidation, as if they had sensed something genuinely horrifying.


    Yet for Theresa, all she experienced was an overwhelming, bone-chilling quiet.


    She tapped the metal railing beside her, hoping the sound would luxe something out.


    Still, only an eerie silence lingered.


    She made her way down the stairs with deliberate caution, her hand gliding along the banister. The tension tightened with each step, and just as her foot touched thest step-


    ¡°Roar!¡± A rancid gust of air smacked against her.


    Whatever it was moved with incredible speed, quicker than any zombie she had ever faced, but it cracked!


    A shovel descended like a hammer from above, crashing into the creature with such force that it sent it flying several meters away.


    After ten years in the apocalypse, she didn¡¯t need to be taught through harsh lessons. Her fighting instincts were sharpened through experiences of violence and survival.


    After the zombie was hurled backward, Theresa maintained her focus on it. What she witnessed next was repulsive.


    Its entire form contorted into a grotesque, unnatural stance-joints twisting incorrectly. Its front limbs faced backward at a 180-degree angle, its back toward the ground, palms pressed t against the floor, while its legs remained syed out sideways.


    It crouched down and then propelled itself back up, resembling a massive, four-legged centipede. A veil of long hair cascaded over its face, but through the greasy tresses, a lifeless, pale-gray eye fixated on Theresa.


    The basement lights flickered, casting a nightmarish strobe over the malevolent being as it began to advance-its deformed body lunging toward her with awe-inspiring speed.


    So rapid that it left shadows behind.


    Her expression solidified, and a single thought erupted in her mind: Speed-type mutant zombie.


    In an instant, it was upon her. The female zombie surged, mouth gaping wide beneath the veil of hair-an abyssal maw, shredded and bloodied.


    That was when she noticed the absence of a tongue or lips. They had been bitten clean away.


    What remained were two uneven rows of jagged teeth, snapping down with primal hunger.


    Thud!


    The zombie mped down on cold steel.


    A shovel rammed directly into her mouth, its de prating through the back of her skull and pinning her head against the concrete wall. The zombie was immobilized, if only for a moment, but its limbs thrashed and writhed furiously.


    Theresa tightened her grip on the shovel and pushed with all her might.


    Crack. The noise reverberated in the basement, and the creature froze entirely.


    As quick as that zombie was, Theresa was even quicker!


    And not only quicker-she was also far stronger.


    B

 Kept Woman 32

    Chapter 32 The First Gleamstones


    The shovel prated the reinforced concrete wall by an inch, something most individuals would struggle


    to extract.


    Theresa wrenched the shovel loose, swirling it within the zombie¡¯s skull. When she withdrew it, a yellowish-white, transparent crystal materialized before her.


    She retrieved a bottle of water from her storage and cleaned the surface. Instantly, the crystal began to radiate light.


    It was a zombie gleamstone.


    These were found in higher-level zombies.


    By theter phases, many bases utilized gleamstones as a form of currency, andrger camps would purchase them at steep prices in a continuous flow.


    In her previous life, she had risen to the position of squad leader. However, since shecked any powers, she often stayed out of significant decisions. All she understood was that this familiar item was valuable.


    Suddenly, a well-known voice echoed in her mind. Ding-Zombie Gleamstones detected +1! New points xchange unlocked!One standard level 1 zombie gleamstone amounts to 100 points! Do you wish to exchange?


    Theresa was surprised. The gleamstones could be traded for points!


    A fresh exchange panel appeared in her consciousness. At the top was a notice, ¡®The first exchange rewards


    1 special gift pack! For every additional 100 gleamstones after that, receive another big gift pack!¡¯


    she opted to exchange without hesitation.


    The gleamstones in her grasp vanished, and another notification sounded in her mind.


    Ding-Reward: Pain relief gel +1, Emergency Pill +1!


    Ding-Reward: Combat Suit +1!¡¯


    Ding-Reward: Combat Gloves +1!


    Ding-Reward: Combat Boots +1!


    Ding-Reward: Revolver +1!


    Theresa was once again surprised. I¡¯ve hit the jackpot!


    The pain relief gel and the Emergency Pill alone were worth 120 points.


    I haven¡¯t seen the price for thebat suit, but that revolver I checked before¡­ It¡¯s over 5,000 points!


    I¡¯ve struck gold!


    Theresa secured the revolver at her waist, ced thebat suit in her domain forter inspection, and then proceeded to search the basement. She discovered a wealth of items-an entire cab stocked with expensive wine, gold bars, and jewels locked in a safe, and even a motorcycle along with two sports cars, their keys still in ce.


    She exited with her armsden.


    Before departing, she inscribed arge ¡°Tess¡¯ on the front gate.


    As soon as she finished, the area map in her mind updated to epass the property of the vi.


    Simultaneously, the entire viplex, with the exception of the 9th Vi, was nowpletely imed and integrated into her territory map. Only the 9th Vi remained, appearing as a dark, unlit void on the


    map.


    As she stepped outside, the residents of that vi immediately turned away.


    One man gazed at her in disbelief as she emerged unscathed and without a single injury, his mind swirling with thoughts.


    ¡°Honey, that woman just exited the 10th Vi. Didn¡¯t you mention it was incredibly perilous over there?¡± his wife asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s even tougher than we anticipated,¡± the man confirmed.


    In that instant, he felt a blend of fear and relief¡ªthankfully, they had shown some goodwill at the outset. Otherwise, with his abilities, he might not have effectively confronted this woman.


    Now, he needed to reevaluate his approach.


    As Theresa stepped onto the main road, she came face-to-face with a family of three-the ones from the 9th Vi.


    ¡®Miss, would you be interested in engaging in a trade?¡± the man asked, adjusting his ck-framed sses.


    I¡¯m a botanist and can grow new crops. We¡¯d like to swap some food with you.¡±


    He motioned for his daughter to bring over arge box filled with vegetables and mung bean sprouts.


    Raising an eyebrow as she examined the box, Theresa asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried that I¡¯ll swipe all these from you?¡±


    The man shook his head. ¡°Growing these isn¡¯t a challenge for me.¡±


    He lifted his hand, and the mung bean sprouts in the box began to thrive and grow rapidly.


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up. A nt-based ability user! No wonder he managed to keep his wife and child safe at home for over a month during the zombie crisis-he¡¯s definitely someone with real skills.


    At the same time, Theresa recognized his intentions.


    First, he was demonstrating his utility, showing he could provide her with resources.


    Second, he was attempting to intimidate her.


    He was signaling to her not to act rashly and to think twice before harming his family, as he possessed the means to defend himself.


    However, both of his points held no significance for her because she didn¡¯t require any of it.


    ¡°You should keep it for yourselves,¡± she replied, not even ncing at the box of vegetables again.


    Theresa had more food at home than she could possibly consume-there was no need for any exchanges!

 Kept Woman 33

    Chapter 33 A Fair Trade


    She strolled away nonchntly with her dog following closely at her side.


    The man felt a surge of panic as he observed her departure, confusion overtaking his expression.


    No way!


    He considered himself intelligent. Early in the apocalypse, he had already gathered from the news that things were moreplicated than they appeared. When the zombie outbreak struck his neighborhood, he acted swiftly-mmed his doors shut, kept his entire family secluded in silence, and managed to


    weather the turmoil.


    Later, his luck turned again-he unlocked a nt-based ability that allowed him to grow vegetables, securing his family¡¯s basic food supply. But vegetables alone weren¡¯t enough; while the adults could endure, the children were already showing signs of malnutrition.


    Still, he firmly believed that the fresh produce he was growing must hold value out there. In a world like this, who else had ess to fresh vegetables?


    B


    He was convinced-this could be traded! But he hadn¡¯t anticipated that Theresa didn¡¯t even flinch and simply didn¡¯t care.


    Just as she was about to walk away, the man called out to her, ¡°Miss! What do you need? Money? We have some! Whatever you want-if we have it, we¡¯re willing to trade!¡±


    That finally made her stop. For the first time, a hint of interest appeared on her face. She nced toward their house-the 9th Vi.


    ¡°I want your house,¡± she stated.


    He was shocked. What in the world?! It¡¯s the freakin¡¯ apocalypse, and she wants a house? That¡¯s not food or clothing!


    ¡°I¡¯ll offer you 500 pounds of rice, 50 pounds of meat, 100 eggs, and ten cases of milk in exchange for your house,¡± she dered.


    It was a great deal. Before the world copsed, all of that might not have even amounted to $700-it couldn¡¯t have purchased even a single square foot of the property.


    But now? In this world? That kind of bounty for a house was a bargain.


    Still, uncertainty flickered across the couple¡¯s faces. We could give up the house, sure¡­ but then, where the hell


    would we live?


    ¡°Miss, if we sell you the house, can we still live here?¡± The man adjusted his sses and appeared to have a notion. His gaze sharpened as he regarded Theresa. ¡°What if we stay on as workers? We¡¯ll give you half of everything we grow-every single day. In other words, we¡¯ll be your employees!¡± the man inquired.


    It was a clever strategy. It¡¯s basically like being tenant farmers from the old days¡­ but honestly, it¡¯s the smartest move we¡¯ve got. We don¡¯t have to move, we keep a roof over our heads, just give up half the harvest¡ªand best of all, she¡¯ll


    protect us.


    It¡¯s clear from the start-this girl is anything but ordinary.


    It¡¯s the smartest move we¡¯ve made by aligning with her and putting our trust in her.


    And honestly? It¡¯s not a bad deal for her either!


    Theresa had already set her sights on their residence-no intention of living there, but to incorporate it


    into her domain.


    I need support-and with my territory growing so quickly, a lot of it¡¯s still wide open and vulnerable. Having this family here to help guard it? Not a bad deal. They¡¯re offering half their food every single day, and he¡¯s a nt-based ability user on top of that? Yeah, that¡¯s definitely a fair trade.


    In that moment, a mechanical voice resonated in her mind. Beep-new territory residents¡¯ allegiance detected. epting them will yield +300 territory points and unveil special resident traits!


    She was startled. Special traits?!


    ¡°I ept!¡± she dered without hesitation.


    As soon as the words exited her lips, an unseen force surged forth, linking her to the three individuals before her. A transformation urred.


    David Weston and his wife were suddenly engulfed by a wave of reverence. Though unable to articte it, as they gazed at her, it felt like looking up at a divine figure-someone deserving of worship. Instinctively, hey feltpelled to bow their heads in submission.


    Meanwhile, Theresa sensed a peculiar, potent energy flowing through her. She extended her hand towards a box of vegetables cultivated by David, and instantly, the nts thrived, growing vigorously, even faster han when he utilized his own abilities.


    The couple finallyprehended why she had previously looked down on their crops after witnessing his. He thought, She¡¯s got nt-based ability too. And clearly, hers are way stronger than mine.


    A blend of emotions surged within them-thankfulness, wonder, and a hint of fear.


    She doesn¡¯t need our help¡­ but she still decides to include us. Her kindness is something else-deeper than any cruelty could ever be.


    Theresa officially acquired their home.


    At the entrance, she inscribed arge ¡®Tess¡¯ onto the mailbox, marking it as hers. Her territorial map was atstplete-each segment in its rightful ce.


    ¡°From this day forth,¡± she proimed, her voice firm, ¡°I am your leader.¡±


    She provided the couple with specific instructions¡ªthey were to remain and manage this section of the


    territory. No outsiders were permitted to intrude. They would cultivate crops, safeguard thend, and in return, she would offer them protection. And if they contributed effectively, she would even reward them.


    David and his wife were profoundly touched-they nodded eagerly, overwhelmed with emotion. T-This is exactly what we¡¯ve been longing for.


    Before the world copsed or after, it was irrelevant-ordinary people always desired one thing: a secure ce to call home, under the guardianship of someone powerful enough to fend off the encroaching


    darkness.

 Kept Woman 34

    Chapter 34 Rise Of The New Warden


    David thought, The government apparatus used to be their shield. Now that the system has copsed, Theresa emerges as our genuine protector-the undisputed leader.


    Theresa invited David¡¯s daughter, Yuki Weston, to apany her in gathering some provisions.


    Aware of the girl¡¯s youth-and assuming David¡¯s family had little storage space-she kept the initial offering modest: a sack of rice, a carton of milk, a tray of fresh eggs, and ten pounds of pork.


    She loaded everything onto a cart drawn by Ace and Snowy, who also helped escort Yuki back home.


    From that point onward, anything produced by her family would be sent to Theresa every day.


    Her method of sheltering others resembled establishing a camp in an apocalypse scenario-except her approach was entirely different. She had zero intention of granting anyone ess to her private fallout shelter.


    That space was her private domain.


    &


    The individuals under her guardianship were only permitted to reside within the boundaries of her territory¡¯s influence-yet here, she was more than a guardian; she was their unwavering authority.


    The following day, Yuki visited to deliver her family¡¯s daily offering: a box filled with vegetables, split equally between mung bean sprouts and cabbage.


    Beep!Resource delivery detected from one household. You¡¯ve earned 3 points.


    As Theresa epted the box of vegetables, a system notification emerged in her mind. Apparently, she gained points each time she received a delivery from residents within her territory!


    Beyond the initial settlement bonus, she would keep umting points based on their daily contributions, and it seemed that the point total was linked to poption size.


    David¡¯s family of three provided her with three points daily.


    Theresa couldn¡¯t hide her satisfaction. As she distributed the day¡¯s provisions-rice, milk, eggs, and pork- she added an unexpected gift: a small bag of seeds and a single lollipop tucked into the girl¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Tell your parents to consider nting something different,¡± she remarked casually.


    Yuki replied sweetly, her voice soft and obedient. ¡°Yes, Theresa!¡±


    Carrying the goods, she made her way home with Ace and Snowy apanying her.


    Once Theresa saw her off, she took out a map and began strategizing the next area she intended to im. If she pushed left, it would lead her straight to the vi district.


    However, past that districty another city that was hidden beyond the hills. Thendscape there was rough, and many vigers resided in that region, so managing it would present challenges. Moreover, if zombies upied the area, simply reaching it would take half a day.


    The alternative was to head east, toward the highway. She picked up her binocrs and surveyed the road


    outside.


    Since the rescue team had evacuated a group of survivors a few days prior, the highway had experienced a new surge of activity.


    Civilians seized the opportunity as the rescue convoy led the way, jumping into their vehicles to follow the team back to the rescue camp.


    If she recalled correctly, that was the same camp that Oliver¡¯s family had sessfully reached. It was situated on a t expanse ofnd at the junction between Ansford and the rear of Branford.


    That was the Kl Camp-one of the three main camps in the Eastern region.


    It possessed formidable military strength, but based on her knowledge from her previous life, Kl Camp always faced food shortages. They had to deploy teams to forage for supplies daily.


    If she extended her reach to the north, there was a strong possibility she¡¯d eventually encounter ndividuals from K1 Camp. After some contemtion, she resolved to journey south instead, toward Ansford.


    There was no reason to waver, as it was time to take action. Earlier today, she cleared approximately wenty acres of destend along the roadway, eliminating all the zombies wandering within her domain. She gathered a small collection of supplies during the process.


    Most of it was sourced from vehicles that had been involved in idents along the highway.


    Her findings included four and a half bags of rice, half a bag of flour, and five boxes of instant noodles. Any spoiled meat, produce, or bread that she found, she left behind. The supplies were somewhat minimal.


    However, the points more thanpensated for it. She achieved 2000 points. The system seemed to award roughly 1000 points for every ten acres ofnd reimed.


    Structures, particrly residential ones, were valued even higher. Just yesterday, while clearing an entire vi district, Theresa received over 3000 points-even though that area was smaller than the open ground she tackled today. D


    In just a few days, Theresa had broadened her territory four to five times and umted nearly 7000 points. She was very close to being able to exchange for that AK-47.


    Just as she was ready to exchange that, red dots suddenly emerged on her mental territory map.


    She thought, Red dots? Zombies appear gray.


    Her mind raced into action immediately.


    Living intruders!


    And they were right outside her bunker-heading straight for it.


    She grabbed her dogs and jumped into her vehicle, speeding away without hesitation.


    ¡°Hold on, sir. ording to the map, there should be a fallout shelter just ahead!¡± one of the guys said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ something feels off about this area,¡± the leader insisted.


    A group of seven or eight men, all dressed in base-issued tactical gear, moved carefully through the forest near the shelter. The further they ventured, the stranger it became.


    B


    ¡°Yeah. There are no zombies anywhere along the path. It¡¯s as if someone intentionally cleared the area,¡± another man dered.

 Kept Woman 35

    Chapter 35 The Intruders From Kl Camp


    ¡°Check this out-fresh tire tracks, both iing and outgoing. They¡¯re still recent. Someone must be inside!¡± one of the men insisted.


    ¡°If there¡¯s someone there, that¡¯s the best news we¡¯ve gotten¡­¡± another man said.


    A group of injured, rugged men pressed forward when sudden silence fell over them.


    They had encountered arge sign. ¡®Private Property. Beware of Dogs¡¯


    Everyone was speechless for a moment.


    ¡°Hey! Look over there!¡± the man shouted.


    A keen-eyed man glimpsed silver and charged ahead. He pushed through the brush, weaving between dense trees until he uncovered a hiddenpound.


    What he found left him-and the others-utterly speechless.


    A colossal wire fence, towering over 10 feet high, its coiled razor wire glinting sharply in the light. Hidden des waited like teeth in a trap between the metal bars.


    In the center was a towering steel gate, at least 12 feet high and solid enough to withstand a tank.


    Inside the enclosure, they could barely make out a flourishing farm-vibrant vegetable gardens, pens filled with chickens, ducks, and goats, orchards overflowing with fruit, and even a well-stocked fishpond.


    The man thought, Is this a paradise on earth? A stronghold with real security¡­ and more supplies than we can even imagine. It¡¯s like something straight out of a survivalist¡¯s fantasy-a modern-day Eden.


    ¡°There must be someone inside!¡± the earlier man yelled, sprinting toward the gate. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask for assistance!¡±


    Just then, their leader¡¯s voice echoed from the back. ¡°Watch out!¡± he cautioned, but it was toote.


    Thud!


    Right in front of them, the man from the special forces tumbled straight down. By the time the others reacted, he had already fallen into a deep pit trap.


    ¡°Dave!¡± the leader shouted.


    ¡°D*mn it, Dave!¡± the other man snapped.


    The rest of the special forces team rushed to the edge of the pit.


    At the bottom of the concealed pity a bed of solid steel spikes, along with several enormous bear traps.


    The sight of it sent a shiver down everyone¡¯s spine.


    The man thought, D*mn it! These aren¡¯t just ordinary hunting traps-this is military-grade equipment. One misstep for an average person means instant death.


    Fortunately, their teammate was a trained special forces operative. The moment Dave detected danger, he leaped into a protective stance. Nevertheless, the trap had mped down hard on his leg, and both of his hands had been impaled by the spikes.


    They carefully maneuvered around the lethal metal and managed to pull him out of the pit.


    Just as they lifted him up, a door in the massive gate of thepound creaked open, and out charged a pack of dogs, barking.


    A pack of nine ferocious dogs closed in, their monstrous ck shepherd leading the charge. Summer¡¯s lips peeled back in a razor-toothed snarl, ws flexing against the dirt-a wordless challenge.


    In that instant, the special forces fully grasped the significance of the sign: ¡®Beware of Dogs¡¯.


    They thought, Because these dogs? Yeah, they¡¯re genuine articles.


    Then, a woman¡¯s voice echoed from a concealed speaker embedded in the wall of thepound. ¡°This is your final warning. Depart within one minute or I won¡¯t take responsibility for what the dogs do to you,¡± she dered.


    Everyone at the scene gasped in shock.


    The group tensed as the woman¡¯s voice echoed through the loudspeaker. All gazes shifted to the injured man sprawled out in the middle.


    Camouge paint obscured his face, but the determination in his piercing eyes was unmistakable. He turned toward thepound, addressing, ¡°We¡¯re operatives from Kl Camp. We¡¯re in deep trouble. Can you help us?¡±


    ¡°Fifty-nine seconds,¡± came the woman¡¯s icy countdown.


    ¡°Hey! Seriously, cut us some ck! We¡¯re really in a tough situation here!¡± the other man shouted.


    ¡°Fifty-eight seconds,¡± she continued.


    ¡°You must be joking!¡± a younger operative yelled, his voice quivering with fury. ¡°We sacrifice our lives trying to assist people-your people! Is this how you treat us?!¡±


    ¡°Thirty seconds,¡± she maintained.


    The countdown felt like a guillotine. The young appeared on the verge of tears from his sheer anger.


    ¡°Sir, she¡­ she¡¯s not even responding!¡± the other soldier asked.


    ¡°Drop it,¡± the leader replied softly. His tone was nowposed. ¡°She owes us nothing. Seeking help is one thing. Demanding it? That¡¯s crossing a boundary. We¡¯re leaving.¡±


    ¡°B-But you¡¯re gravely injured, sir. We don¡¯t even know if help is on the way,¡± the soldier reasoned. ¡°We have no other options!¡±


    ¡°I said, let¡¯s leave,¡± the leadermanded.


    At that moment, the soldiers carrying the wounded captain copsed on their knees before the enormous


    gate.


    ¡°Please!¡± one of them cried out toward the inte. ¡°Miss, I¡¯m begging you-my name is Kyle Vinson. None of us will enter. J-Just assist our leader. I¡¯ll get you anything you wish. Anything! Just save him!¡±

 Kept Woman 36

    Chapter 36 A Surprising Reunion


    Theresa gripped the steering wheel tightly, hardly trusting what she was seeing on her phone¡¯s live surveince feed. There, clear as day, stood someone she knew far too well. Kyle!It is really him!


    Thud!


    Several heavy thumps echoed from the scene.


    The others had started pleading with Theresa. The injured soldier who was carried on Kyle¡¯s back saw his teammates kneeling and begging, causing his heart to clench painfully. It was as if it had been crushed by


    an invisible force.


    That pain dug deeper than any wound.


    He wanted to tell them not to kneel, but before he could say a word, he lost consciousness as he had lost too much blood.


    Then, there was a screech-it was a sharp, braking sound of fallen leaves being kicked up.


    Much to everyone¡¯s astonishment, an advanced super-armored car they had never seen before came to a sudden stop right in front of them.


    Leaves and dust fell as the car door was pushed open from the inside, revealing a girl inbat gear jumping down. Her long hair was tied in a high, cool ponytail, while her fair, rosy face was stunning, and he sleekbat uniform entuated her tall, stylish figure.


    She was beautiful and fierce, making her stunning to the max.


    Without hesitation, she strode into the group and dropped to one knee, lifting Kyle¡¯s chin to study his face dosely.


    Kyle froze, unable to react.


    As Theresa wiped her eyes, they grew brighter with disbelief and joy. She clutched his chin, her voice rembling slightly. ¡°Kyle!¡±


    The one and only Kyle couldn¡¯t meet her gaze, but he couldn¡¯t tell whether it was because of her radiant smile or the warmth of her touch.


    Their stunnedrades looked on. Is this actually happening?


    ¡°Come in!¡± Theresa ordered, swinging the door open behind her.


    At that moment, everyone felt like they were floating on clouds as they all looked at Kyle with amusement.


    Even their gazes were full of meaning.


    Having a handsome teammate really helps at critical moments!


    Kyle¡¯s usual stoic expression cracked. Hugging the unconscious leader, he barked, ¡°What are you staring at?


    Move!¡±


    Only then did everyone snap out of it and back to reality.


    They quickly gathered themselves and followed Theresa, supporting one another as they helped carry Ruben, who had been caught in a trap, into her base.


    What they found inside left them in awe.


    Outside, chaos reigned-corpses littered the streets, society had copsed, and food was nearly impossible to find, but here? Chickens and ducks were nesting and thriving. Just a nce was enough to tell that the chicken coop was packed with eggs.


    The vegetables in the garden were growing like crazy-it felt like if they didn¡¯t harvest soon, they¡¯d be overripe!


    Not to mention the pond they passed, where fish and shrimp were constantly sshing around.


    ¡°East! South! West! North! Ace! Snowy! Spot! Lucky! Cash! Biscuit! Penny! Champ! Glory! Buddy! Max! Time to eat!¡±


    Everyone was surprised. They were even more shocked to see Theresa bring out a huge basin of fresh, bone-in beef from the bomb bunker-to feed her dogs! What the hell? So extravagant?! Out here, we barely have enough to eat. And this woman is feeding her dogs so well!


    ¡°Kyle, have you eaten?¡± she asked casually, ncing over at him after the dogs had eaten.


    His face reddened as he replied, ¡°W-We still have some rations.¡±


    ¡°So, it¡¯s a no. I¡¯ll cook something instead.¡± Turning, she headed toward the bunker.


    Kyle suddenly called out, ¡°Ms. Hall! Do you have any medicine? Our captain¡¯s in bad shape!¡±


    Another voice chimed in, ¡°Yes! Could you help him, please?¡±


    Theresa lookedzily at the unconscious man on Kyle¡¯s back.


    With a smirk, she asked, ¡°And what do I get in return for saving him?¡±


    Kyle¡¯s expression turned solemn. ¡°Ms. Hall¡­ If you help him, I¡¯ll do whatever you ask-as long as I¡¯m capable.¡±


    Her smile deepened. Perfect. ¡°Easy. I want you.¡±


    Kyle flushed, too stunned to speak. His usually aloof face was in a shade of red all the way from his neck to behind his ears. He didn¡¯t even know how to respond to her question.


    Hisrades-around him¡ªexchanged nces that were difficult to interpret. W-What just happened?

 Kept Woman 37

    Chapter 37 A Deal with the Witch?


    So, it really is because Kyle was good-looking. That witch took one look at him and decided he¡¯s her perfect husband?


    No one knew whether to pity Kyle or be green with envy.


    Taking a deep breath, Kyle stared at Theresa as he mentioned, ¡°I¡¯m alone now. Do spill. What is it that you


    want from me?¡±


    ¡°I want your loyalty,¡± she replied coldly. ¡°From this moment on, your life belongs to me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible. I am responsible for my team-we need to return to camp.¡±


    Theresa stood and stretched as if she had all the time in the world. ¡°Think it over. If you want him to survive, you¡¯ll have to stay.¡±


    Kyle¡¯s fists tightened as he watched her walk away. ¡°Are you sure you can save him?¡±


    ¡°If he¡¯s still breathing, he won¡¯t die,¡± she answered with absolute certainty. ¡°That¡¯s a promise.¡±


    With the system¡¯s Emergency Pill, she had every reason to be confident!


    When Kyle heard that, he was silent for three seconds before answering solemnly, ¡°Alright! If you can save my captain, then my life is yours!¡±


    ¡°Kyle!¡±


    Hisrades shouted out in shock.


    ¡°Take me instead!¡± Sebastian shouted. ¡°Let him go-I¡¯ll take his ce!¡±


    ¡°Me too!¡± Malcolm added. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you want, just spare him!¡±


    ¡°I surrender! Pick me!¡± Graham insisted.


    Victor stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing left-no family, no future. Let me go instead.¡±


    Even Dave, the poor guy who¡¯d been caught in one of Theresa¡¯s traps, joined in from the ground. ¡°Take me, witch! I¡¯m a dead man standing-sounds like a great deal!¡±


    Theresa looked at this bunch of self-sacrificing men, stunned into silence. Why are they acting like I¡¯m about to eat Kyle alive, all scrambling to die in his ce? Someone even called me a witch¡­ I¡¯ve been so kind and gentle today, all to win over the precious Kyle. I¡¯ve used up all my patience!


    ¡°As if you guys are worthy?¡± she snapped. Then, she looked back at Kyle. ¡°Carry him inside. Follow me.¡±


    With that, she strode toward her bomb bunker.


    Kyle took a deep breath, secured the man on his back, and quickly followed.


    ¡°Kyle¡­¡±


    His teammates watched helplessly as he carried their captain inside. Their worry made them want to charge after him, but reason held them back. This was her territory, and the only reason they¡¯d been allowed this far was because she permitted it.


    And this wasn¡¯t about right or wrong in a world before the apocalypse-just those dogs she raised, the traps, and the mysterious defenses were enough to keep them in line.


    They didn¡¯t dare act recklessly. All they could do was watch him disappear inside.


    Once Kyle stepped through the heavy steel door behind Theresa and entered the bunker, he was even more stunned by what he saw. The space was brightly lit, and somewhere farther inside, he could hear the faint hum of a generator.


    He couldn¡¯t begin to guess how she had soundproofed the ce or what kind of crazy generator she had- it was so quiet it was almost unnoticeable!


    Anyone familiar with diesel generators would know just how loud they can get, especially in a partially enclosed environment like this.


    What Kyle didn¡¯t realize was that it wasn¡¯t just any generator-it was an advanced, upgraded model.


    The interior of the bunker was neat and organized. There were couches, wool rugs, arge bed, and even a bathroom. The back rooms werepletely sealed, with doors that looked like they belonged in a high- security bank vault.


    The second floor resembled a tower, and he could make out a row ofputers and even a mounted crossbow.


    That was, of cours¨¨, if a full-blown military unit was sent in-but really, who would bother attacking a small base hidden in the middle of the mountains?


    That was when it dawned on Kyle. The location of this base is unbelievably well-hidden. Deep in the wilderness, no one would ever guess that such a fully equipped and fortified private defense structure exists here. The odds of anyone identally finding it are almost nonexistent. She thinks of everything-every detail meticulously nned.


    As he ran through all the details of Theresa¡¯s base in his mind, his heart was shaken. Who is she? How does she manage to build such a fully functional doomsday fortress in a ce this isted-without anyone noticing? And even more shocking-where does she get all of this? From the animal traps guarding the entrance to the armored vehicle she drives, everything looks too advanced. Now that they get a closer look, it¡¯s obvious: the craftsmanship and technology are far beyond anything that should exist today.

 Kept Woman 38

    Chapter 38 A New Allegiance


    She made it herself?!


    ¡°Hey! What are you spacing out for?¡± Theresa¡¯s voice snapped him back to reality.


    Quickly recovering from his surprise, Kyle nced at the girl in front of him and hurried to ce the injured man on her bed.


    ¡°Wait-put him on the floor instead,¡± Theresa instructed.


    Kyle paused. Is it because she dislikes him? Does she even know who he is?


    After all, Lucas was officially recognized as the top heartthrob of the Eastern Military District before the apocalypse, with a prestigious background. His grandfather was the grand marshal of the Eastern Military District! This was the first time Kyle had ever seen someone treat his captain with such indifference.


    The bunker was long and narrow, with storage rooms and securedpartments at the back. Theresa had himy Lucas near the entrance.


    &


    ¡°My captain was shot in the abdomen. The bullet didn¡¯t remain inside, but he has multiple deep cuts from des. Are you sure you can treat him?¡± Kyle asked.


    She picked up a pair of scissors and quickly cut open Lucas¡¯ clothes. After ten years of crawling and surviving in the apocalypse, minor surgical aid was already second nature to her.


    Back in her previous life, she never had any miracle medicine. At best, she could only stop bleeding and reduce inmmation-after that, the rest depended on the wounded immune system. Whether they lived or died, it was up to fate.


    But now?


    She flipped her hand, pretending to take something from her pocket but actually retrieving a small bottle from her spatial dimension containing the Emergency Pills.


    With these magical meds from her space, not even the King of Hell could take someone away!


    O


    She nced at the big gift pack she had received from herst trade of gleamstones. One emergency pill costs 100 points! If not for wanting to win Kyle over, I wouldn¡¯t be willing to use it!


    Kyle saw the medicine that Theresa produced. He was about to ask something, but the words stopped at the tip of his tongue.


    He stared hard at Theresa, thinking, Right now, trusting her is my only option!


    Standing tensely at the side, he watched as she fed the white-colored pill to Lucas before cleaning the


    wounds.


    She removed the dirt and dead flesh from the injuries, quickly applied a bottle of medicine, which seemed to be a hemostatic medicine, and wrapped the wounds tightly with bandages.


    Once most of the wounds were treated, Kyle saw Lucas¡¯ eyshes tremble, and he gave a small cough-he was actually waking up!


    Kyle stood frozen. ¡°Sir!¡±


    ¡°Let him rest for now,¡± Theresa said, waving him off.


    He immediately stopped, nodding in acknowledgment.


    ¡°When he wakes up, he¡¯ll be fine,¡± she added, standing up.


    Kyle stared at her and dropped to his knees without any thought, expressing, ¡°I¡¯m now at your disposal,


    Ms. Hall.¡±


    ¡°Very good.¡± Theresa looked at the man before her with satisfaction.


    In her past life, Kyle had been her most loyal subordinate. Even though fate had changed and he wouldn¡¯t be exactly the same as before, she knew people well-at their core, they wouldn¡¯t change.


    She knew his personality. If he said something like this, it meant a lifetimemitment.


    ¡®My name is Theresa. Just call me that from now on.¡±


    Kyle hesitated for a second before calling her name. ¡°Yes, Theresa!¡±


    The moment his words fell, a prompt echoed in her mind. Beep-Base Guard +1 detected!Reward: 1,000 points! One set ofbat gear! Overall base security increased by 10%! Special attribute of the new guard copied to base defenses!


    Theresa felt a surge of excitement as the security of her base was reinforced. Though the changes were nvisible, she could feel the difference. She also sensed a fluctuation in the water element within her body.


    She realized that Kyle had a water-based ability, and she had gained a new power through him.


    Theresa was overjoyed. This confirmed her suspicion-by weing ability users into her territory, she could absorb their powers.


    She looked at Kyle in front of her-the more she looked, the more precious he became. He is a great guy! An absolute gem!


    Her eyes shone with determination as she stared at him. ¡°Take your clothes off.¡±


    Kyle, caughtpletely off guard, blushed. His usualposed demeanor faltered as he felt the heat spread across his face and down his neck. For a moment, he felt utterly helpless, like a bashful maiden under scrutiny.


    Slowly, he began unbuttoning his shirt, the shy macho man in action.


    ¡°Hurry up!¡± she urged, turning to retrieve more gauze, alcohol, and abat suit, along with a pack of


    pain relief gel. When she returned, Kyle was still struggling with the second button.

 Kept Woman 39

    Chapter 39 The Healing Touch


    Theresa moved with hesitation, almost as if she were unsure of herself, in a way that could have been seen


    as humorous.


    Kyle, noticing what she was holding, paused and said, ¡°Ms. Hall-No, Theresa-are you nning to¡ª¡±


    Her voice was sharp as she cut him off. ¡°I¡¯m here to apply your medicine. Hurry!¡±


    In that instant, Kyle realized his misunderstanding. His face turned a deep shade of red again, and he quickly began to remove his outer jacket, moving much faster now.


    Within moments, the jacket was off, but just as he was about to continue, she pushed him back down with a no-nonsense expression and immediately started tending to his wounds.


    Having just survived a brutal assault and narrowly escaping the zombie horde, all of them were injured in


    some way.


    B


    Throughout the process, Kyle said nothing. Even as Theresa removed the shirt that clung to his wounds, revealing the damage beneath, he remained silent.


    The pain was unbearable-the skin, muscle, and nerves were all torn-but he didn¡¯t utter a word, enduring it silently and clenching his teeth instead.


    However, as Theresa finished cleaning the wounds and applied a fineyer of pain relief gel, a surprising coolness spread through him before the pain began to fade away.


    He stared at the item, astonished. With just a small amount, the agony had vanished. Almost instantly, aforting warmth began to seep into the wounds, easing his nerves.


    By the time Theresa had finished bandaging him, it felt as if his injuries were already healing.


    Kyle looked at her, amazed by the effect.


    ¡°Stop staring at me,¡± she said, tossing him a freshbat uniform. ¡°Get a towel from the bathroom and clean up-just avoid the wounds. Then, change into these.¡±


    Kyle took the towel and new clothes, but he wasn¡¯t sure what to feel. After a moment, he looked up and said, ¡°Thank you, Theresa.¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡± She gestured for him to head to the bathroom.


    After a while, Kyle returned, now dressed in fresh clothes. He found Theresa already in the kitchen, preparing food. He also noticed the pain relief gel sitting half-used on the table.


    After a brief pause, he asked, ¡°Theresa, could I have the rest of that medicine?¡±


    Turning her head, she casually nodded. ¡°Take it.¡±


    Grateful, Kyle checked on his former team leader in one of the rooms. Seeing that his condition was stable, he picked up the bottle and made his way outside.


    As he stepped outside, he heard someone speak.


    ¡°Dave, hang in there.¡±


    Dave, leaning weakly against the bunker wall, replied, ¡°Don¡¯t waste any medicine on me. We don¡¯t have much left.¡±


    His teammates were trying to tend to the severe wound on his leg.


    Dave knew that with limited medicine and no way to replenish their stock, using it on him would be a


    waste.


    B


    ¡°Save it for yourselves. This wound can¡¯t be healed with that medicine!¡± he insisted.


    ¡°Stop being foolish! We won¡¯t let you die!¡± one of the team members retorted.


    ¡°We will save you, no matter what!¡± another added.


    Just then, Kyle approached them.


    ¡°Use this medicine,¡± he said, offering the bottle.


    The group looked up in surprise.


    ¡°Kyle! How¡¯s Lucas?¡± someone asked.


    ¡°Where is he?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s inside resting. He¡¯s no longer in critical condition,¡± Kyle assured them.


    The weight of the past few days seemed to lift slightly at the good news.


    Kyle stepped forward, holding out the bottle. ¡°Lucas and I both used this. It works great.¡±


    Dave eyed the bottle warily. ¡°That witch¡¯s medicine? I don¡¯t want it!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my boss, so don¡¯t badmouth her again,¡± Kyle snapped, kneeling down to examine Dave¡¯s leg, exposing the wound.


    Just as Dave was about to argue, a cool sensation swept through his body. He froze, amazed.


    The wound had been deep, and they had already applied hemostatic agents, but it had only made the pain worse with each application.


    However, as soon as Kyle applied a ne


    the pain.


    As Kyle finished bandaging the wound, a gentle warmth began to rece the coolness. It wasn¡¯t unpleasant but soothing, like soaking in a warm spring.


    Slowly, Dave¡¯s face regained some color, and his tense body began to rx.

 Kept Woman 40

    Chapter 40 Theresa¡¯s Standard


    ¡°What kind of medicine did that devil woman give us? It feels amazing.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still calling her a devil woman?¡± Kyle yanked the bandage tight around Dave¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Dave winced and immediately fell in line. ¡°Okay, okay, my bad! I meant-Theresa!¡±


    Kyle loosened the wrap slightly and finished dressing the wound. He nced at the bit of medicine left and called out to the others. ¡°There¡¯s still some left. You guys should use it too.¡±


    He carefully applied the remaining medicine to the most serious injuries on each of them.


    As soon as it touched their skin, their eyes lit up.


    Sebastian let out a whistle. ¡°D*mn, this feels amazing!¡±


    Malcolm¡¯s face lit up. ¡°The pain¡¯s practically gone!¡±


    Victor nodded, clearly impressed. ¡°I¡¯ve never tried anything that worked this well.¡±


    Graham nced back at the bunker and muttered, ¡°Theresa might be a pain, but she¡¯s got quality gear.¡±


    Graham!¡± Kyle¡¯s expression turned icy in an instant.


    It¡¯s true!¡± Graham protested. He was the young soldier, almost driven to tears by Theresa earlier. ¡°All of us egged her, and she still refused to help. If that¡¯s not cold-blooded, I don¡¯t know what is.¡±


    Theresa saved Lucas; she let it slide when I used her medicine on you all.¡±


    Hmph. That¡¯s because you traded yourself for it.¡±


    No. I volunteered to follow her,¡± Kyle said seriously, making sure they all heard it loud and clear.


    heresa stood by the bunker door, the corner of her mouth curling up-Kyle was still the same.


    Kyle! Don¡¯t say things like that!¡±


    I thought you said she¡¯s not that bad anymore? Once she recovers, we¡¯ll slip away together!¡±


    Yeah! If we sneak off, she won¡¯t even notice.¡±


    And even if she does¨Cso what? There are so many of us. We¡¯re not gonna be scared of some girl.¡±


    Exactly! We¡¯re not afraid of her!¡±


    Theresa walked out holding a massive pot of food. ¡°You¡¯re not afraid of who, now?¡±


    The


    group


    that had just been plotting with fiery enthusiasmi instantly scattered their gazes. Some stared at he sky, while some studied the dirt. Not a single one dared to look her in the eye.


    173


    Theresa swept a nce over the lot of them, these loudmouths who were all talking. ¡°Kyle, food¡¯s ready, help yourself.¡±


    As soon as she called out, Kyle rose and made his way over without question.


    The other four lunged to stop him, but none dared speak in front of Theresa, left only to sigh in unison as they watched Kyle walk up to her.


    Sigh¡­ Their dearrade. Their brave brother in arms¡­ had given up too much. Kyle, your sacrifice won¡¯t be forgotten.


    Just then, the savory aroma of pork ribs drifted over.


    Theresa removed the lid from her pot, revealing a heaping pile of braised ribs.


    The ribs were seared to lock in the vor, then slow-cooked until fall-off-the-bone tender, their caramelized ze glinting a rich golden-red. The scent alone could make a starving man weep. Each bite was melt-in-your-mouth tender, bursting with rich, savory vor that practically demanded a side of pasta to soak it all up.


    On top of the ribs, she¡¯d fried five eggs andid out a full serving of stir-fried greens. The crispy, fragrant eggs and the vibrant green veggies made the whole meal look like something straight out of a dream.


    And for these soldiers, who hadn¡¯t had a proper hot meal in days?


    Holy sh*t, that¡¯s what they¡¯re eating?


    Kyle froze when he saw the mountain of ribs-and the two full bowls of pasta with rich sauce still steaming n the pressure cookers beside them.


    He waspletely overwhelmed.


    Theresa¡­ you didn¡¯t have to go this far. I could¡¯ve just eaten whatever you normally eat.¡±


    He knew how scarce supplies these days were. Forget ribs-there were people out there who couldn¡¯t even get a full bowl of pasta with rich sauce.


    This meal? It was a wee feast and way too over the top.


    Theresa grabbed a pressure cooker and sat down under the grapevine canopy. ¡°This is what I normally


    eat.¡±


    Kyle was amazed. ¡°Wow!¡±


    The others behind himmented, ¡°Whoa!¡±


    She dered firmly, ¡°From now on, whatever I eat, you eat. As long as you¡¯re with me, this is the standard you¡¯ll live by.¡±


    The five men behind him stared wide-eyed.


    No way. This was the standard? This was the apocalypse! Back at the base, they¡¯d be lucky to get any meat


    at all.


    But Theresa was offering Kyle meals like this every day? This didn¡¯t fit the tragic, suffering, near-ve image they¡¯d imagined for him. Following Theresa¡­ maybe it wasn¡¯t such a bad deal after all.

 Kept Woman 41

    Chapter 41 Meat, Brothers, and Promises


    It was way better than their base!


    ¡°Eat up. It¡¯s all ours.¡±


    Graham snorted. ¡°We¡¯ve got our food! We¡¯ll eat our own!¡±


    He pulled out somepressed biscuits from his bag, added a ssh of water, and began chewing on them dryly.


    The rest of the group didn¡¯t say a word either. Looking pitiful, they reached into their packs and pulled out the remaining rations.


    As they ate the tasteless, throat-drying biscuits, the rich aroma of braised ribs kept wafting their way- again and again.


    The more they chewed, the more miserable they were.


    It smelled so good over there. Just one bite would be heavenly!


    You should eat more! Why are you eating so slowly?¡± Theresa was tearing into the ribs, barely bothering with the bones. Summer and the others crouched nearby, waiting.


    She left all the bones for them to gnaw on.


    Kyle, however, was eating at a slow, deliberate pace, carefully savoring each piece. The rich vors had seeped deep into the bones, and he even crunched through the marrow.


    ¡®Let the dogs gnaw on the bones! You focus on the meat. There¡¯s plenty to go around!¡±


    But Kyle shook his head and kept gnawing. He wasn¡¯t about to waste even a scrap of vor.


    Theresa saw what was happening but didn¡¯t say anything. She kept eating, and when she finished, she washed it down with a bottle of Coke. There were still plenty of ribs left in the bowl.


    She wiped her hands and stood up.


    Kyle asked, ¡°Theresa, are you done with the rest?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all yours,¡± she replied without calling him out. As she headed back into the shelter, she added, ¡°Wash all the dishes. And don¡¯t forget to pack up the leftovers.¡±


    Kyle¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±


    By the time she left, Dave and the others had already given up on the biscuits. There was no taste left in their mouths, but they couldn¡¯t afford to waste even crumbs-they licked their fingers clean.


    That was when a bowl of leftover braised ribs was ced in front of them.


    ¡°Eat. I saved some for you guys.¡± Kyle had practically pulled those ribs from between his teeth for them.


    ¡°You sure Your Majesty won¡¯t mind?¡± Graham teased, catching himself just in time.


    ¡°I asked Theresa. She said I could have them.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the man!¡±


    ¡°Kyle, you¡¯re the best!¡±


    ¡°What a buddy you are!¡±


    ¡°Let me say thank you to you, because of you, everything feels warmer-¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap and eat!¡±


    Graham, Dave, Malcolm, and the rest of the group dove in like starving wolves.


    Kyle even poured them each some water to help wash it down. He refilled every canteen.


    That was another thing they had discoveredtely-Kyle¡¯s body had mutated. He could produce water.


    They had all undergone some kind of change: Graham had be faster, Dave stronger, Malcolm could control fire, Sebastian could sense metal, and Victor could alter terrain.


    They didn¡¯t know how or why it was happening, and they were still figuring things out, but one thing was certain¡ªwithout these changes, they never would¡¯ve made it out of that zombie horde alive.


    While the others sat and devoured the ribs, Kyle got up to work, starting with harvesting vegetables.


    Graham watched him slice scallions while gnawing on a bone. ¡°Kyle! You seriously gonna keep working for her?¡±


    Kyle didn¡¯t look up. ¡°I gave her


    my word.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re noting back to the force with us?¡±


    ¡°I belong to Theresa now.¡±


    ¡°Think Lucas will let you go?¡±


    Kyle stayed silent and just kept cutting.


    Once he¡¯d gotten halfway through the scallions, the others had finished eating and came over to help.


    ¡°We share the meat, we share the work!¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t let you sacrifice yourself alone!¡±


    Some harvested vegetables, some weeded, and some did the dishes. When it was all said and done, they even swept the yard clean.


    Inside the house, Theresa nced through the window, watching them work. Her lips curved slightly.


    The moment Kyle saved those ribs, she already knew he meant to share them with his old teammates. She saw it but didn¡¯t call him out-because she knew exactly what brotherhood like that meant.


    If she didn¡¯t, she never would¡¯ve gone out of her way to take Kyle in during herst life.


    They¡¯d lived through life and death together, countless times. Bonds like that, built over years-maybe even a decade-don¡¯t fade away easily.


    But the timeline was different now.


    Last time she met Kyle, he was alone and never said a word about his past. Looking back, his team-and even Lucas-were probably already dead.


    He was the only one left, and she¡¯d picked him up like a stray. With nothing left to hold him back, he gave her hisplete loyalty.


    This time around, his brothers were still alive. And he looked¡­ brighter somehow. A little more alive.

 Kept Woman 42

    Chapter 42 Barbecue Feast


    Theresa hadn¡¯t intentionally undermined Kyle¡¯s rtionships with his teammates or encouraged him to sever those connections. On the contrary, she quietly tolerated much of his behavior-like taking the pain relief gel or leaving with the ribs.


    She let it slide, knowing that pressuring him would only backfire.


    People had feelings-she couldn¡¯t ignore that. His teammates were still out there, and that bond had always mattered to him.


    What if I could get them all on my side, working for me?


    Theresa observed the men at work, their speed and efficiency clear. With each passing moment, her interest visibly deepened.


    Having them all stay and work for her felt like a surprisingly good n.


    &


    When dusk settled, Theresa wandered out of the bunker, moving slowly as she took stock of her surroundings.


    Her territory had a fresh, renewed look. The vegetable plots had been carefully tended, fresh vegetables neatly piled in the shade, each variety sorted and arranged with care.


    All the weeds were gone. The pens were pristine. Even the minor repairs had been handled. There wasn¡¯t a


    peck of dirt out of ce.


    A quiet sense of satisfaction settled over her. These men can really get things done!


    Theresa, where should I store the vegetables?¡±


    No hurry-grab a few and rinse them off. We¡¯ll be having a barbecueter!¡±


    At the mention of barbecue, the guys who¡¯d been lounging around perked up instantly.


    In no time, Theresa had the grill set up in an open space, with every ingredient prepped and ready to go.


    Trays of skewered meat, fish, vegetables, and tofu were lined up. Dave and the others could barely contain their hunger.


    ¡°Wow, Theresa, that¡¯s a serious spread.¡±


    ¡°This? Please. If you¡¯re rolling with me, good food is the minimum. This is just a regr day-better get


    used to it.¡±


    A subtle flick of their ears gave them away. One by one, they turned to Kyle, envy written inly on their


    faces.


    A regr day?


    When they¡¯d left the army, they had nothing but a few dry biscuits and a couple of cans of beef to survive <ol><li></li></ol>


    At camp, food was scarce, and soldiers like them were the first to feel the sting of ration cuts. Their meals had dwindled down to a bowl of rice, a single dish, and a thin soup. The soup, if one could call it that, was little more than eggless water with only the faintest trace of vor.


    However, even that was a luxury beyond reach for many-some couldn¡¯t even get a piece of bread.


    Compared to that, Theresa¡¯s table was heaven after hell. She set down skewers of beef, pork, shrimp, and fish on the hot grill, the fire licking at the edges.


    The scent of sizzling meat filled the air, making everyone¡¯s mouths water.


    They were practically starving.


    ¡°Guess we should eat too,¡± someone muttered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel like eating,¡± Graham replied, turning away. Watching them eat made the dry biscuits in his hand taste like sandpaper.


    ¡®If you can¡¯t eat, just drink some water.¡± They all took a few gulps, hoping silently that Kyle would bring back some leftovers after Theresa was done.


    As soon as the meal ended and she wiped her mouth, she spoke before Kyle could.


    ¡®Kyle, let¡¯s put the leftovers away,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°Looks like you didn¡¯t eat much-guess I¡¯ll make ess next time.¡±


    Her words hit the group like a ton of bricks.


    He hadn¡¯t expected that. He¡¯d deliberately left a third of his meal, hoping to save it for the others. Now, he didn¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡®Theresa! I¡¯m not full yet!¡±


    ¡®Not full? Go ahead and eat some more. I¡¯m going inside to let my stomach catch up.¡±


    ¡®Alright, Theresa! I¡¯ll take care of the mess once I¡¯m finished,¡± Kyle promised, his eyes trailing after her as she walked away.


    The moment she disappeared inside, he spun around and waved the others over. ¡°Hurry up, guys! Come


    eat!¡±


    Graham, Dave, and the rest scrambled over, tossing whatever was left onto the grill in a frenzy. Rubbing their hands in eager anticipation, they stared at the sizzling food, their faces lit up with


    unrestrained excitement.


    Just then, a calm but firm female voice called out from behind them. ¡°Well, who gave you permission to cat my food?¡±


    Her voice sliced through the air, freezing them in ce. Not one of them dared to move.


    It was almost hrious-these hardened men frozen like mice spotting a cat. Had there been a hole nearby, they might have fought each other to dive into it.


    ¡°What? Are you hungry?¡± Theresa stepped toward the grill, eyes narrowing as she locked onto them, each face etched with guilt.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t eat anything!¡± Graham was the first to speak, his youthful face turning to meet her gaze.


    At just twenty, he was the youngest of the group.

 Kept Woman 43

    Chapter 43 You¡¯ve Got to Pay for It


    Having enlisted at the age of sixteen, he had spent a significant amount of time in the military. His outstanding performance eventually earned him a ce in Lucas¡¯ special forces team.


    Although he was personallypetent, he was too young and inexperienced-he had never dealt with a woman as merciless as Theresa. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t havee so close to breaking down in anger.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not eating, then what are you doing here?¡± she demanded.


    ¡°We¡¯re just enjoying the smell! Is that not okay?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± Theresa answeredzily. ¡°That smell is from my food. Who gave you the right to sniff it?¡±


    Her words rendered himpletely speechless.


    ¡°You know, when barbecue is grilling, it releases oil vapor, right? That vapor carries energy and is part of my food. If you¡¯re sniffing it, you¡¯re basically taking it from me! So, what¡¯s your excuse?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re leaving, alright?¡± he muttered.


    ¡°It¡¯s toote now! You¡¯ve got to pay for it!¡±


    B


    Graham stared at her in disbelief. She was more heartless than Scrooge-no, even Scrooge would¡¯ve been ashamed of her pettiness. He felt the tears threatening to spill once more.


    How are we going to pay her?


    Kyle rose to his feet. ¡°Theresa, I¡¯m the one at fault. If someone has to be punished, let it be me.¡±


    ¡°Sit down and be quiet!¡± Theresa snapped, turning back to the others. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not being unreasonable. You¡¯re all trained soldiers-more rational than me, aren¡¯t you? So, tell me, what¡¯s the solution here?¡±


    The group fell silent, each person unsure of what to say.


    ¡°Worst case, we¡¯ll give you trays of food to make it up to you,¡± Sebastian, the eldest of the group, suggested.


    ¡°Yeah! We¡¯ll make it up to you!¡±


    ¡°Really? How are you nning to pull that off?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll go out and get the exact same ingredients! I promise we¡¯ll rece everything you lost!¡±


    ¡°Ha! You really think you can find food that¡¯s exactly the same? Fine, I want it now-give it back to me!¡±


    ¡°This is totally unreasonable!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re just picking on us!¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re trying to act innocent, huh? A bunch of guys stealing my stuff and still arguing over it? You¡¯re bullying me, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    The men were silent, unable to find a response. After exchanging looks, Sebastian spoke up. ¡°Theresa, how about this-tell us how to make things right, and we¡¯ll do whatever you ask.¡±


    In full control of the moment, Theresa leaned back in front of her grill. ¡°It¡¯s simple. You stole from me, so now you¡¯ll work for me to make it right. I¡¯ll be generous and ept you all as my workers.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s your game-you want us to work for you!¡± Graham caught on quickly. ¡°Well, let me tell you right now-no way that¡¯s happening!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! We¡¯re going back to our unit!¡±


    ¡°Theresa, we really have to leave.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s up to you. If you won¡¯t agree to my terms, then find a way to make it right. If you can¡¯t, just sit here and wait for the end!¡±


    Without wasting another moment, she turned and walked away.


    As soon as she left, the group fell into a frenzy.


    ¡°Seriously? I¡¯ve never met anyone like her! We actually have to make up for this?¡±


    ¡°This is the apocalypse-food is precious. We¡¯re nobody to her. Why would she share any with us?¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t even eaten her barbecue!¡±


    ¡®Let¡¯s not forget, you ate her ribs and used her medicine,¡± Kyle reminded them softly.


    He turned his gaze back to where Theresa had left, his eyes filled with contemtion. It was obvious-she was aware of everything he did.


    But she never called him out or med him. That proved she wasn¡¯t truly petty. If she were, she wouldn¡¯t have tolerated him this many times.


    This was all kindness-kindness she gave to them through him, though they hadn¡¯t noticed it yet.


    ¡®Theresa¡¯s actually a good person. You¡¯vepletely misjudged her.¡±


    ¡°Kyle, stop defending her!¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t stay with her, no matter what. If you want to, that¡¯s up to you-but once Lucas wakes up, we¡¯re leaving.¡±


    ¡°My mom¡¯s at K1 Camp. I need to go back.¡±


    ¡°Same here. No matter what, I¡¯m heading back.¡±


    Inside the camp, Theresa stood before the monitor, watching what was happening outside. She brought the headset to her mouth and spoke into the speaker outside.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in what you want or think. If you¡¯re staying, you¡¯re working! All of you are on night


    watch tonight, got it? If you don¡¯t want to-leave!¡±


    Everyone outside went quiet at that instant.


    After issuing her orders, Theresa headed back to her bed. Take it slow¨Cno need to rush. But one thing¡¯s for sure: if you eat my food, you¡¯ll have to work for me.


    On her way to her bed downstairs, she saw Lucas still lying motionless on the floor. With the Emergency Pill and pain relief gel administered, she was reassured that his life was no longer in danger.

 Kept Woman 44

    Chapter 44 Get To Work


    There was steady progress in his condition, and a quick recovery was underway.


    Theresa cast a quick nce downward, stepped over his head, and made her way to her bed.


    By the time she woke up the next morning, life outside the bunker had returned to its usual rhythm.


    Though they hadn¡¯t submitted to her, that annoying bunch had still managed to get the work done.


    Her vegetables were harvested, and the chickens, ducks, and goats were fed. When she went outside that morning, she saw they had even extended her fish pond.


    Taking it all in, Theresa couldn¡¯t help but feel that she needed more hands on deck. This is how things should be-people doing all the work for me.


    ¡°Theresa, where should I store these vegetables?¡±


    ¡°Come with me.¡±


    Theresa guided Kyle into the bunker and instructed him to stack the vegetables by therge iron door. She intended to carry them inside on her ownter.


    Power and responsibility had to align. Since Kyle hadn¡¯t been given any significant duties, he hadn¡¯t earned full ess to her warehouse. It was for their mutual benefit.


    Managing others was a slow, meticulous process. Only when full control was achieved could power be distributed gradually.


    Theresa enrolled Kyle¡¯s fingerprint in the bunker ess system but instructed him to leave the vegetables by the warehouse door. She would manage the rest.


    Kyle had no objections, just unquestioning obedience.


    When she had finished with the produce for the day, Theresa heard a melodic voiceing from outside.


    ¡°I¡¯m delivering vegetables to Theresa!¡± As always, Yuki had arrived with supplies. However, today, she noticed a crowd of unfamiliar faces. She stood anxiously at the entrance.


    ¡°You¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Theresa!¡±


    Yuki had an instinctive closeness with Theresa. Anyone who became part of Theresa¡¯s territory couldn¡¯t help but feel that way about her.


    Kyle was no exception. Once hemitted to working for her, he gave her hisplete and unwavering


    trust.


    He viewed her almost through a lens of admiration. When his former teammates spoke ill of Theresa, he simply couldn¡¯tprehend it. To him, Theresa was an incredibly kind andpassionate soul.


    ¡°Theresa, I handed the seeds to my dad, just like you asked. He believes they¡¯ll sprout in a week! Please be patient.¡±


    ¡°Okay. You haven¡¯t run out of supplies yet, have you?¡±


    ¡°Not yet! My dad said there¡¯s no need for more right now. We don¡¯t have room for anything else. Can we trade againter?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Theresa nodded, about to call Summer, when her gazended on a few men standing around doing nothing.


    ¡°You two-escort her back to her home!¡±


    The two men said nothing, simply stepped forward, and escorted Yuki back to her home.


    Once they were gone, Theresa turned to the others.


    ¡°Enough of standing arounde work now.¡±


    B


    They followed without protest. One sniff of her barbecue, and they were already working like ves for her!


    Theresa passed Kyle a map and several signs. ¡°Take these and go expand the territory.¡±


    ¡°Expand the territory?¡± Graham gaped at her, clearly shocked. Why expand territory? It¡¯s the apocalypse- everything¡¯s deserted!


    Theresa rolled her eyes. ¡°Just do it! I expect at least ten acres to be imed by the end of the day! Mark every piece of opennd with my name!¡±


    The group stood inplete silence.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Kyle answered firmly, breaking the silence.


    Theresa¡¯s expression eased. ¡°Alright, go ahead. There¡¯ll be food when you¡¯re done.¡±


    Graham grumbled, ¡°Can we really afford to eat your food?¡±


    Theresa nudged him hard with her foot. ¡°Fine, don¡¯t eat. You¡¯re in my debt anyway.¡±


    Concluding that silence was the wisest course, they departed for work in weary steps.


    Wounded and recovering, Dave was left behind. Due to the severity of his leg injury, he was not meant to walk for several days.


    Yet, Theresa found it just as hard to watch him sit idly.


    ¡°Hey, you. Get to work.¡±


    So, this is what it¡¯se to, huh? One sniff of her food and suddenly we¡¯re all her ves. What¡¯s worse, even I¡ªsick and all-don¡¯t get a break.


    What he didn¡¯t understand was that if Lucas wasn¡¯t unconscious in the bunker, or if he could manage to move a finger, Theresa wouldn¡¯t let him lie around either. Everyone had to work for her!


    Dave was furious but didn¡¯t dare speak up. He rose without protest and headed to the kitchen to cook for


    her.

 Kept Woman 45

    Chapter 45 Smoldering Strength Behind the Walls


    Even Theresa had her more humane moments. Knowing Dave¡¯s legs didn¡¯t exactly work like they used to, she gave him the gentlest tasks she could-simple, physical work that wouldn¡¯t wear him down. So off he went to wash vegetables, chop them up, and keep themunal stew pot going.


    To her own surprise, Theresa felt oddly liberated. For once, she didn¡¯t have to lift a finger herself. She jogged a fewps around the outside of the bunker to warm up, and while she was at it, carefully reset the traps that had been damaged earlier. Her hands moved with practiced precision, restoring each mechanism to its intended deadliness.


    Partway through, the system chimed in her head with its familiar cold monotone. Ding-Territory expansion detected: 100 square meters! Awarding 100 points!


    The message echoed clearly, and she felt it-her territory had grown. That confirmed what she¡¯d suspected all along: sending others out to expand her borders worked just as well as doing it herself.


    Then, another thought crossed her mind. If the people under my domain started moving farther out and settling beyond the original boundary¡­ would thatnd count as mine too?


    It was worth testing. But for now, she only had one household living under her roof, and she remained highly selective about who she allowed in. People, in general, weren¡¯t really her thing.


    After her run, she returned to camp, suddenly aware of the silence pressing in around her. With nothing demanding her attention, she felt oddly out of ce, restless in the quiet.


    There was a reason she hadn¡¯t gone out to push the borders herself. Now that there were outsiders inside her bunker, there was no chance she¡¯d leave it unguarded.


    After a short stretch to cool down, she made her way to the open space nearby and began running through herbat drills. From the kitchen, Dave could hear it-the sharp rhythm of fists cutting through the air. He nced over, and what he saw made him freeze.


    Theresa¡¯s strikes were brutal and precise, each punchnding with bone-cracking force, every kick whipped out with lethal grace. Her movements were fluid and explosive, clean in their violence.


    Holy sh*t.


    She wasn¡¯t just strong.


    She was terrifying.


    Even as a seasoned soldier, Dave had to admit-her skills were on a whole other level. There was nothing ornamental about the way she moved. Every strike was designed to kill, every motion fine-tuned through necessity, not vanity. He couldn¡¯t look away.


    ¡°What are you staring at?¡± she called over, not even breaking rhythm. ¡°Trying to steal my moves?¡±


    Her voice snapped him back to himself. That old sh of fear washed through him again. He ducked his head at once and got back to his cooking, stirring with renewed focus.


    Still, he couldn¡¯t help sneaking a few more nces. She really was that good. If he had to bet, he¡¯d say she could take down Lucas without breaking a sweat.


    Byte afternoon, the group Theresa had sent out earlier returned. And true to her word, there was food


    waiting.


    Dave had been cooking nonstop. He¡¯d stir-fried a mountain of scrambled eggs with chives-Theresa had more than she knew what to do with-and brought yesterday¡¯s leftover hot pot back to life as a rich. chaotic stew.


    In a world where every resource mattered, nothing had gone to waste. Not a single skewer fromst night had been thrown out. She¡¯d made sure Dave reheated everything, and they were going to eat everyst drop.


    When the team saw the steaming dishesid out before them, some were nearly moved to tears. Each one grabbed a rice cooker and started inhaling food like it was thest meal on Earth.


    The greasy broth that once would¡¯ve made them cringe now tasted like salvation. Everyonedled it generously over their rice and ate in silence, too hungry-and too grateful-for words.


    In this broken world, where they hadn¡¯t seen real oil or meat in weeks, even the heaviest grease tasted like hope.


    Calories? Health? None of that mattered anymore. This broth was worth its weight in gold.


    Theresa and Kyle, of course, had a meal of their own. She¡¯d made them a private serving of tender, slow- cooked braised pork. The smell alone was enough to make mouths water.


    ¡®Nothing beats braised pork, right, Kyle?¡± she said, grinning as she took a bite.


    He nodded without hesitation. ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    ¡®I made too much,¡± she added. ¡°Might need a few more people to help us finish.¡±


    Across the room, the ones still spooning barbecue onto their tes froze, forks suspended mid-air. For one fleeting second, they nearly abandoned all their convictions. Could she quit doing this to them already?


    After dinner, Theresa handed out more assignments. She had them begin constructing a row of simple housing units just outside the bunker. She¡¯d already gathered the tools and materials ahead of time, thanks to an earlier sweep through a massive shopping center. A few furniture stores had been stripped clean- steel frames, metal beams, and plenty of usable parts.


    Once the skeletons of the shelters were up, she added beds and thick downforters.


    Luxurious by today¡¯s standards-and she had plenty.


    ¡°Kyle, you¡¯ll sleep here for now,¡± she told him. ¡°In the morning, head up into the mountains and start cutting timber. We¡¯ll need to reinforce the structures.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    The interior of the bunker remained off-limits. That was Theresa¡¯s private space. Not even Kyle got to sleep inside. The makeshift homes outside would serve him well enough-and also double as lookout posts, giving him a full view of the camp¡¯s perimeter.


    Once she¡¯d finished overseeing everything outside, Theresa headed back in to rest.


    It was then that Sebastian spoke up. ¡°Theresa, any update on Lucas?¡±


    ¡°Still out cold,¡± she said without hesitation.


    When she¡¯d left earlier, Lucas had still been unconscious. And honestly, it was beginning to concern her. What was taking him so long to wake up?


    Still, she had checked him over. His breathing was steady, and his wounds weren¡¯t worsening.


    For now, there was nothing more to do but wait.

 Kept Woman 46

    Chapter 46 The Fortress Reborn


    Lucas¡¯ external injuries had mostly healed, and his breathing had settled into a steady, even rhythm. At first nce, he looked no different from someone peacefully asleep.


    ¡°Then, can¡¯t you at least let him stay outside?¡± someone pleaded. ¡°We¡¯ll take care of him.¡±


    ¡°No way.¡± Theresa interrupted, sharp and firm, without the slightest pause. Lucas is her hostage.


    She had a whole group of outsiders under her roof-none of whom were her people. There was no way she could fully trust them on her turf.


    Just like they¡¯d said earlier-what if they took off in the middle of the night and dragged Kyle along with


    them? What then?


    Their loyalty to Lucas ran deep. She saw it in the way they spoke, the way they moved around him. Theresa had tried to poach Kyle while Lucas was unconscious, but the kid hadn¡¯t budged. And once Lucas woke up? There was a real risk he¡¯d take Kyle and vanish.


    She couldn¡¯t afford to take chances.


    In her eyes, this wasn¡¯t some noble test of character for Kyle.


    B


    A trial was something that hit a person in a desperate moment and left them changed. It wasn¡¯t something someone handed out because they were careless or soft.


    Human nature didn¡¯t need testing. What made someone smart was knowing how to steer a kid like Kyle away from making some utterly foolish choice in the first ce.


    So, no-there was absolutely no way she¡¯d let Lucas out just so they could babysit him.


    ¡°Then, how are we supposed to know how he¡¯s doing?¡± one of them argued.


    ¡°If you¡¯re that worried, ask Kyle,¡± she said coolly, not offering another word before turning on her heel and walking away.


    Everyone had long since gotten used to Theresa¡¯s firebrand attitude.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never met a woman like her in my entire life,¡± Graham muttered behind her back.


    ¡°How many women have you even met?¡± someone teased, grinning at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious! She¡¯s cold-blooded, mean as hell, and not even a little bit soft-not even a hint of a woman¡¯s touch! Just wait till Lucas wakes up. I swear, I¡¯m gonna-¡±


    ¡°Gonna what?¡± Kyle asked, giving him a side nce.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna run! I¡¯ll take off and never look back! I¡¯m not sticking around to see her face again!¡±


    That set off a chorus ofughter. Loud, unfiltered, and full of life.


    ¡°What¡¯re youughing at!¡± Graham huffed, clearly not ready to back down. His cheeks flushed with boyish frustration. ¡°Tell me I¡¯m wrong! When Lucas wakes up, you¡¯re all running too, right?¡±


    ¡°Run? Hell yeah, we¡¯re outta here!¡±


    ¡°You got that right!¡±


    When theughter finally quieted, everyone turned toward Kyle.


    ¡°Kyle, man, you¡¯ve gotta take good care of Lucas for us.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You can trust Theresa. Lucas is really doing better-I saw it with my own eyes. He just needs a few more days to rest.¡±


    ¡°Then keep a close eye on him, alright?¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Two days passed in the blink of an eye.


    Theresa, seeing she had a good number of strong, capable workers at her disposal, decided it was time to give her bunker a serious overhaul.


    She started with Kyle¡¯s new quarters, which were already fully built-a simple, sturdy structure made from corrugated steel and wooden beams.


    The location was perfect. From there, Kyle could watch over the chickens, ducks, fishpond, and vegetable beds. Even more importantly, the little house sat right by the entrance to the bunker, giving him a clear view of anyoneing or going.


    Next, Theresa focused on the chicken coop and duck pen. She ordered the freeloaders to get moving- sent them up the mountain to chop wood, and had them weave branches and vines into fencing by hand. They tore down the old, makeshift pens and rebuilt them from the ground up.


    Turned out, soldiers were surprisingly handy. They knew how to do just about everything and worked with real efficiency.


    She also reorganized her farnd. The vegetable plots and fruit patches were expanded, nearly doubling the area under cultivation.


    Before, she¡¯d scattered seeds with no rhyme or reason. Thend outside the bunker hadn¡¯t been used properly at all. But this time, she nned everything out. The newyout was cleaner, more efficient, and promised harvests two or three times greater than before.


    Even the fishpond and shrimp pond didn¡¯t escape her notice. She had them dug again and expanded. Next to the old ones, they carved out a massive pit, more than sixteen feet deep, and redirected water from the original ponds into it. That way, the aquatic creatures would have more room to thrive, and more space meant higher yield.


    Everyone worked hard and fast. Their rhythm was tight, their results immediate. Theresa couldn¡¯t have


    been more satisfied.


    Each day, she sent Kyle out with three others to scout the surroundingnd and expand their reach. The rest stayed behind and worked on construction. In exchange, she offered them two meals a day.


    Two. That was it.


    As far as Theresa was concerned, that was more than enough for short-term help that wasn¡¯t going to stick


    around.


    Three meals a day? Not a chance.


    Her long-term hire, though? That was a different story. Right in front of everyone, she served him a rich, hearty breakfast-full of meat, eggs, and fresh greens. Her favoritism was so tant it didn¡¯t even pretend


    to hide.


    Theresa had always protected her own with a near-feral loyalty. The line between ¡°her people¡± and ¡°not her people¡± couldn¡¯t have been clearer.


    Graham and the rest hade to ept it.


    &


    Theresa was blunt, wild, bossy, and cold as ice-and the worst part was, she didn¡¯t even try to hide how two-faced she was. She didn¡¯t bother to make excuses for it.


    But, truth be told, having someone like her in charge?


    It felt a lot like luck.


    That evening, Kyle and the scouting crew returned-each behind the wheel of a truck.


    Not just any trucks, either. These were massive long-haul delivery freighters, the kind made for ransporting goods cross-country.


    Earlier that day, while exploring a new stretch of territory, Kyle had reached a highway up ahead. There, stretched across the road, were several freight trucks-each one tangled in the aftermath of a chain- reaction crash.

 Kept Woman 47

    Chapter 47 A Feast Amid the Ruins


    They cleared out everyst zombie in the area. Once the coast was clear, they nted Theresa¡¯s g in the ground, officially iming the territory as hers. To their surprise, a number of vehicles nearby were still in decent shape-some of them even turned out to be heavy-duty delivery trucks.


    Without wasting a second, they patched up the engines and drove the trucks straight back to camp.


    ¡°Theresa! We¡¯ve got supplies!¡± someone yelled.


    The moment sheid eyes on the mountain of loot spilling out of the back, her face lit up. ¡°Nice work,¡± she said, praising Kyle without hesitation. She even threw a rare look of approval at the rest of the team. ¡°Everyone¡¯s getting an extra serving of meat tonight!¡±


    ¡°Hell yeah!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m actually about to cry. I never thought I¡¯d live to see the day Lady Scrooge grew a heart.¡±


    ¡°Shut your d*mn mouth,¡± Theresa snapped, kicking Graham square in the leg. ¡°You¡¯re not eating tonight.¡±


    ¡°No,e on! You¡¯re not Lady Scrooge-you¡¯re a queen, alright?¡±


    She gave a smug little snort. ¡°Say it. Call me queen.¡±


    He paused, torn between pride and hunger. After a moment of painful hesitation, he finally gave in. ¡°My queen.¡±


    ¡®Knew you¡¯d fold. Now, unload the trucks. No food till the job¡¯s done.¡±


    Graham muttered under his breath, ¡°Long live the queen¡­ May she step on a Lego.¡±


    Theresa waved Kyle over to help her fetch the meat and vegetables. She had already decided-they¡¯d be having braised pork belly with potatoes tonight. Once Kyle had everything in hand, he instinctively went o check on Lucas.


    By now, Lucas¡¯ wounds had fully healed. His skin looked healthy again, the color had returned to his cheeks, and his breathing was steady. Kyle tried calling his name, but no matter what he did, the man wouldn¡¯t wake.


    ¡®There¡¯s no head trauma, and no damage to his spine,¡± Theresa mentioned. ¡°So, it¡¯s probably not nerve- rted. But I won¡¯t lie to you-there¡¯s still a chance he may never wake up.¡±


    Kyle¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Understood, Theresa.¡±


    He knew she¡¯d already done everything in her power. She wasn¡¯t a trained doctor. When she promised to save Lucas, all she had offered was to keep him alive-nothing more. Whatever happened from here on out, they still owed her.


    Carrying twenty pounds of pork and ten pounds of potatoes, he quietly left the room. Theresa gave Lucas onest nce, then turned and followed.


    As she stepped out, Lucas¡¯ finger gave the slightest twitch.


    Outside, Graham and the others were buzzing like it was Christmas morning. They had all pitched in to unload the four massive delivery trucks.


    In total, there were over two thousand packages. Big ones, small ones-they sorted them all by size, spreading them across the open lot like some kind of apocalyptic yard sale.


    When Kyle came out with the ingredients, everyone rushed over to help. Some washed vegetables, some cleaned the pots, and others set up tables.


    Theresa, meanwhile, made a beeline for the mountain of boxes and started tearing them open. She called Kyle over to help her sort.


    By the time dinner was ready, they had nearly made it through the entire pile. They hadn¡¯t felt this much joy from ripping open blind boxes in years.


    They uncovered over six hundred food items. Most were snacks-chips, cookies, cakes, all kinds of sweets, and dozens of kinds of soft drinks. Just the soda alone filled more than a dozen crates. With a rare sh of generosity, Theresa handed out one bottle to everyone on site.


    Of course, plenty of short-shelf-life foods had already spoiled-cold cuts, microwave meals, vacuum- packed meat. She tossed the bad ones aside without a second thought.


    There were also toiletries, personal care items, bedding, and a handful of¡­ less appropriate goods. But Theresa didn¡¯t discriminate. If something was still good and useful, she kept it.


    They even came across a surprising amount of cat and dog food. She never fed that stuff to Summer and the others-whatever she ate, they ate-but it was still a nice find. She set it aside, just in case.


    The clothing haul wasn¡¯t bad either. Shoes, socks, jackets, and even several brand-new smartphones,ptops, and a fewrge appliances. These were real-deal blind boxes-and the thrill of opening them was unexpectedly addictive.


    Theresa was in an excellent mood by the time dinner rolled around. She sat down and joined the group for the meal.


    ¡°What are you staring at me for?¡± she said. ¡°My food, my rules.¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d sneak off again to cook something fancy with Kyle.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll eat however the hell I want. It¡¯s none of your d¡¯mn business.¡± She grabbed her personal mini crockpot.


    Actually, everyone had one. Thank God she¡¯d cleared out that appliance store at the mall¡ªthose little machines were a godsend. Around here, the cook made their own meals, then ate them.


    Theresa was the first to dig in. Shedled a generous helping of glossy pork belly and tender, braised


    potatoes over her steaming white rice. The savory sauce seeped into the grains, and the smell alone was enough to make mouths water all across the yard.

 Kept Woman 48

    Chapter 48 The Feast and the Offer


    The moment Theresa picked up her utensils, the rest of them swarmed in like a pack of starving wolves.


    They went straight for the meat.


    It was as if every single one of them had been reborn from famine, their eyes glinting with a wild, ravenous light as they locked onto the generous cuts of pork belly.


    The braised meat, marbled withyers of fat and lean, had been stewed until the savory aroma clung thick in the air. One bite in, and the tender flesh practically melted on their tongues, bursting with vor.


    They paired each mouthful with chunks of potato, soaked through with the rich, meaty broth. These potatoes had just been harvested from their own fields, and though no one could quite exin it-maybe it had just been too long since they¡¯d had a proper meal-everyone agreed they were unusually sweet and fragrant.


    What they didn¡¯t know was that the potatoes had grown in soil Theresa had secretly enhanced.


    To them, everything that came out of her kitchen tasted like a gift from the gods.


    A bite of meat, a spoonful of potato, a heap of rice drenched in gravy-the vorsyered together so beautifully that it made them feel like they could die happy.


    Pure satisfaction. Absolute bliss.


    ¡®Theresa, if you didn¡¯t get enough, you can have mine,¡± someone offered.


    She had already eaten half her portion and had lost all interest.


    Watching them scramble so wildly, she didn¡¯t even want to reach for her utensils again-too many mouths. Too much spit.


    From now on, she figured she¡¯d just cook separately.


    ust then, a full te of braised pork belly and potatoes was pushed in front of her.


    This half hasn¡¯t been touched,¡± Kyle said. He had always been particr about meals. Even when hungry, he ate with care, portioning things out, eating slowly, never in a rush.


    It was the first dish he¡¯d grabbed, and he¡¯d been savoring it the entire time.


    Theresa nced down at the te and waved it off. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. You should dig in. I¡¯m full.¡±


    As soon as she said that, everyone looked over.


    ¡°You¡¯re seriously full?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be polite!¡±


    ¡°This is just how we eat-whoever gets there first, gets fed! But if you¡¯re not eating, we¡¯ll give everything to


    you!¡±


    Sebastian even held out what little he had left-some meat, a few potatoes, and a bit of broth scraped from the bottom of the pan. He offered it like it were treasure.


    Theresa just looked at it and felt her appetite disappearpletely.


    ¡°Then¡­ if you¡¯re not eating.¡± Graham asked cautiously, eyes flicking to the half pot of rice she¡¯d set aside. ¡°can we have your rice?¡±


    He looked like a puppy begging for scraps.


    Theresa muttered, ¡°¡­Take it.¡±


    She handed over the pot.


    They dumped the rice into the bowl of vegetables, mixed it with the leftover broth and meat, and devoured everyst bite.


    Watching the scene unfold, Theresa cracked open a bottle of soda and said dryly, ¡°Are you guys really this desperate?¡±


    ¡°Of course we are!¡± Graham replied at once. ¡°We haven¡¯t had a meal this good in almost a month!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you all from the military? Doesn¡¯t the army feed you?¡±


    Dave gave a tired shake of his head. ¡°Not anymore. Our unit set up a new camp, and now all the supplies go there first. The rest of us are left with scraps. By the time we left, we were down to one dish, one soup, and a scoop of rice a day.¡±


    Theresa murmured, ¡°K1 Camp?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! You know about it?¡± Sebastian¡¯s eyes lit up.


    ¡°Heard it on the radio,¡± she replied casually. No need to exin who really ran those broadcasts or how they worked.


    ¡°Our camp is huge,¡± Malcolm chimed in. ¡°We¡¯ve been rescuing survivors from both Ansford and Branford. No one¡¯s done more for the Eastern region than us.¡±


    Even Victor, who rarely spoke, added, ¡°It¡¯s solid. Most of the Eastern forces are stationed there. It¡¯s about as secure as it gets.


    Then Graham looked at her, hopeful. ¡°Theresa, how abouting back with us? You should join our camp.¡±


    ¡°Pfft.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± he said. ¡°You might be a little aggressive. A little sharp. Maybe a bit intense. Possibly even borderline savage¡­ but your skills are unreal.¡± His eyes swept over her. ¡°Kl could really use someone like


    you.¡±


    Dave nodded quickly. ¡°Seriously, you¡¯re probably better than our captain. If you join, we all get to stick together-including Kyle.¡±


    They all turned to her, eyes filled with hope.


    Theresa stared back.


    She¡¯d been nning to poach them¡­ and now they were trying to recruit her?


    She waved them closer, and they all leaned in.


    ¡°If I join you,¡± she asked, ¡°will there be meat on the table every day?¡±


    They paused, gave it some real thought, and shook their heads.


    ¡°If I join, can I go wherever I want, whenever I want? Total freedom?¡±


    Another round of head-shaking.


    B


    ¡°If I join, and I run into someone-or something-that pisses me off, can I just take it out?¡±


    This time, they shook their heads so hard they looked like bobbleheads.


    Theresa smiled sweetly. ¡°Then, why, exactly, would I want to join you?¡±


    Not a single one of them had an answer.

 Kept Woman 49

    Chapter 49 The Price of Glory


    ¡°For honor!¡± Graham sprang to his feet, pride gleaming in his eyes.


    ¡°Honor, my *ss.¡± Theresa kicked him hard, sending him flying. ¡°You think honor means charging around like a bunch of brain-dead fools, throwing your lives away for nothing, and not even getting a rescue at the end?¡±


    She stepped forward, her voice rising with fury. ¡°You think honor means crawling back like strays, begging me to take you in? You think it means having nothing, getting nothing, and still being told to run headfirst into the fire like it¡¯s some kind of privilege?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you now-whatever you thought honor meant, it¡¯s already copsed. Once order breaks, it neveres back. From here on out, the camps will only grow more divided, more desperate, and more power-hungry. That camp you¡¯ve been so loyal to? It won¡¯t give you a d*mn thing. Not safety. Not supplies. Not even a promise you¡¯ll live to see tomorrow.¡±


    Her voice turned cold, cutting clean through the air as sheid bare the truth she had lived through once already.


    The apocalypse had marked the start of a new age.


    All the old systems had shattered. When the machinery of the state fell apart, a few powers scrambled to salvage what they could-but the tide of change was beyond anyone¡¯s control.


    Camps began rising across thend, and a new kind of civilization-one built on those camps-took hold. Anyone still trying to rebuild the old world was just spinning their wheels.


    There was no such thing as the end of the apocalypse. No such thing as order returning.


    Not until the zombie virus was gone for good. Until then, it was nothing more than a delusion.


    The future belonged to the camps. Their rise was the only glory that mattered.


    Theresa knew exactly what fate awaited these men if they went back. Nameless grunts at the bottom of Kl Camp¡¯s food chain-not even worth a rescue squad¡¯s time.


    Because in the eyes of Kl Camp, they weren¡¯t worth sacrificing for.


    ¡°But if you follow me,¡± she added, a fire burning in her eyes as a slow smile spread across her face, ¡°you¡¯ll eat real meat. You won¡¯t bow to anyone. You won¡¯t answer to anyone, either. If something pisses you off- or someone does-you kill them. Every inch ofnd I take will be a ce where you can live for free.¡±


    The men stared at her, wide-eyed, stunned into silence by her bold promise.


    Then, with a groan of heavy hinges, the bunker doors behind them creaked open. A low, steady voice rang out from the shelter.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, I appreciate the offer.¡±


    Theresa turned. A young man stepped out of the shadows, wrapped in bandages, his clothes tattered and


    worn from the road.


    The moment the others saw him, they leapt up and sprinted toward him like a wave breaking free.


    ¡°Lucas!¡±


    Only Kyle stayed where he was.


    His eyes lit up the moment he saw Lucas-alive, upright, healing. But even with the joy swelling in his chest, he didn¡¯t move. He stood his ground, silently remaining by Theresa¡¯s side.


    Lucas took a moment to reunite with his team, then made his way over with calm, measured steps. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Hall,¡± he said. ¡°You looked after my men while I was injured. For that, I owe you.¡±


    Theresa pushed herselfzily to her feet. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your breath with empty words. If you¡¯re grateful, give me something real. Your men stayed here four days and nights, eating and drinking under my roof. Time to pay up.¡±


    Everyone froze.


    ¡°Lucas, don¡¯t listen to her! We¡¯ve been working ourselves to the bone these past few days!¡±


    ¡°Everything we ate, we earned! We didn¡¯t take a d*mn thing for free!¡±


    Theresa cleared her throat loudly and gave them a look sharp enough to cut steel.


    ¡°You really wanna say that with a straight face? Look around. You think you¡¯d have eaten anything if I hadn¡¯t taken you in? You could¡¯ve worked yourselves to death out there and still starved.¡±


    Silence followed.


    Even the worstndlords of the old days weren¡¯t this ruthless, but not one of them dared to argue. Faced with Theresa¡¯s grip on their fate, they could only retreat behind Lucas like a bunch of schoolboys who¡¯d been caught stealing lunch.


    Lucas looked at them, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his gaze. Then he turned back to her. ¡°I¡¯ll give you some supplies. Consider itpensation for your help.¡±


    ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°When we get back.¡±


    ¡°Not good enough.¡± Theresa held out her hand. ¡°I don¡¯t do credit.¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯re low on supplies right now.¡±


    ¡°Not my problem. If you want to walk out of here, you¡¯re paying the toll.¡±


    The men stood there, stunned.


    So, this was what daylight robbery looked like in the apocalypse.


    Their fury burned just beneath the surface. If it had been anyone else, they would¡¯ve drawn their weapons by now. But this was Theresa-and with her, they could only swallow the rage.


    Lucas¡¯ face remained unreadable. He paused, then asked quietly, ¡°Where¡¯s my backpack?¡±


    ¡°Here!¡± Graham quickly handed it over.


    Lucas unzipped the pack and pulled out a sealed, transparent bag. Inside, under the bunker¡¯s harsh light, gleamed a collection of shimmering, clear crystals.


    ¡°Will this do?¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up instantly at the sight of the zombie gleamstones. Without hesitation, she snatched the bag from his hand. Just a quick nce told her there were thirty-maybe forty-inside.


    ¡°All right, I guess this¡¯ll do. Barely.¡± She waved them off with a flick of her wrist. ¡°You¡¯re free to go.¡±

 Kept Woman 50

    Chapter 50 A Trade For Your Safety


    The moment Theresa yanked the item straight from Lucas¡¯ grasp, a flicker of intrigue passed through his gaze. Her reflexes were sharp as lightning, and her power was far beyond the ordinary. Clearly, she¡¯s no mere bystander. She¡¯s something else entirely. Without another word, heposed himself, swept a sharp nce over his team, and gave the order. ¡°We¡¯re done here. Pack up-time to move out!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡± Without dy, Graham and the squad sprang into action, slinging their packs over their shoulders and readying for departure. Lucas¡¯ eyes finallynded on Kyle, who remained rooted to the spot, unmoving. ¡°Kyle?¡± he called, his voice edged withmand. ¡°Why are you still here?¡±


    Before Kyle could speak, Graham¡ªalready geared up-cut in quickly. ¡°He¡¯s noting, Lucas. He¡¯s off


    the roster!¡±


    Dave, newly recovered and brimming with energy, added, ¡°He¡¯s Her Majesty¡¯s property now!¡± Lucas¡¯ expression hardened, a shadow of confusion creasing his brow.


    Sebastian stepped in to exin. ¡°To pull you out alive, Kyle made a trade-himself, for your safety. Ms. Hall took the deal.¡±


    B


    ¡°If she hadn¡¯t taken a liking to him right then and there, none of us would¡¯ve walked out of there,¡± Malcolm remarked grimly.


    ¡°Can¡¯t argue with that,¡± Victor chimed in with a nod. With every word Lucas heard, his disbelief mounted. The lines on his brow carved deeper with each passing second.


    Then, without warning, Kyle reached into his pocket and produced his military badge. ¡°Lucas, I won¡¯t be rejoining the unit.¡± Lucas¡¯ desperate shout echoed through the air. ¡°Kyle, Special Forces, C1 Unit!¡±


    Kyle stood ramrod straight, raised his hand, and delivered a sharp salute, unwavering. Lucas¡¯ gaze sharpened, his tone heavy withmand. ¡°You¡¯re still under my g. I¡¯m ordering you back!¡±


    And just who do you think you¡¯remanding, huh? He answers to me these days,¡± Theresa shot back, stepping in with fire in her voice.


    Turning to face her, tone restrained but unyielding, he responded, ¡°Ms. Hall, I won¡¯t forget what I owe you That debt will be settled. But I¡¯m not leaving anyone behind. Not a single one!


    She crossed her arms, her stance just as firm. ¡°And I don¡¯t part with mine either-not for anyone!¡±


    ¡®Gleamstones! A hundred!¡± His voice cut through the air like a de, cold and unyielding. ¡°Not a chance,¡± came the firm reply. He tried again. ¡°One thousand!¡± She scoffed, ¡°No amount will make a difference!¡± The air crackled with the intensity of their standoff, but then Kyle stepped forward, his voice steady. ¡°Lucas, I¡¯m here by my own decision.¡± His eyes locked with Lucas, unflinching, full of determination. Lucas stared back, just as resolute.


    The bond between the members of their special forces team was beyond words. Before the world plunged into chaos, they had been the elite unit, tackling the most perilous assignments-defending borders, executing covert missions abroad, andunching surprise strikes. Lucas wasn¡¯t just their leader-he was the one who had led them through fire and blood, time and again¡ªshielding their homnd, charging into the jaws of death, and carrying the whole team to glory.


    To them, he was the unshakable foundation-someone they trusted without hesitation, followed without question. And in return, he had vowed never to leave a single soul behind, no matter how dire the situation. But here and now, that promise was being tested. After the silence stretched between them like a drawn wire, Lucas finally broke it. ¡°This is what you really want?¡±


    Kyle answered without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind, Lucas!¡± Without another word, Lucas reached out and epted the military badge from his outstretched hand. ¡°I¡¯ll hold on to this. If the road ever leads you back, you¡¯ll have a ce waiting.¡± Something shifted behind Kyle¡¯s eyes-an emotion unspoken, buried deep-but the fire in them didn¡¯t waver. ¡°Stay safe, Lucas!¡±


    Theresa stood off to the side, silently taking in the entire scene like a dispassionate observer. Her expression didn¡¯t shift much¡ªjust a faint twitch at the corner of her mouth. With azy flick of her wrist, she swung the heavy door open and stepped aside, wordlessly granting them passage.


    As the team filed out, each of them paused to sp Kyle in a rough, wordless embrace. Each hug carried the weight of finality, as if this was thest time they¡¯d every eyes on him. And maybe it was. The world had fallen into ruin. In a time when every sunrise could bring disaster, separation wasn¡¯t just temporary- it might be permanent. Graham lingered at the doorway, throwing a nce over his shoulder at Theresa. With a grin, he called out, ¡°Theresa, we¡¯re heading out. Go easy on Kyle, will you?¡±


    She raised a brow, smirking as she fired back, ¡°I¡¯m gonna drown him in rich food. If he can¡¯t finish it, straight to the bin it goes!¡± He stared at her for a beat, lips twitching, and wisely decided to drop it. Dave swaggered up with a smirk. ¡°Your Majesty, guess this is farewell for real.¡± She didn¡¯t even blink. ¡°Move it! One step too slow and I¡¯m drafting you into permanent farm duty!¡± He was rendered speechless.


    Sebastian, Malcolm, and Victor didn¡¯t waste breath on farewells. They simply gave her a polite nod-brief, restrained. Their real goodbyes were reserved for the furry crowd waiting nearby. Over the past few days, hey¡¯d been on kennel duty-bathing, feeding, and handling the less morous business of clean-up. What started as a chore had slowly morphed into an unexpected bond. ¡°Alright, time for us to go.¡±


    A flurry of barks erupted. Woof! Woof!


    Summer, the four-legged ringleader, trotted in frantic circles around them with his pack, tail wagging like ¨¤ question mark. Where are our newpanions going? Weren¡¯t they part of the pack now? Summer darted off irst, the rest of the dogs thundering behind him as they tried to follow the departing figures.


    Theresa¡¯s voice rang out, calm but firm. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Back here.¡± With practiced discipline, the dogs returned to her side without protest.


    Beneath the blood-orange sky, the team disappeared down the mountain path, their silhouettes fading into the falling dusk. She didn¡¯t linger, shutting the door behind her with a decisive click and heading straight to the dinner table. People walk their own roads-no use dragging them where they don¡¯t belong.


    The morning after, she opened her eyes to a quiet, unchanged world.

 Kept Woman 51

    Chapter 51 Resource Exchange System.


    Chapter 51 Resource Exchange System


    Once the special forces team departed. Theresa¡¯s routine quietly snapped back into ce, only now it moved smoothly than before. With an extra pair of hands, she no longer had to juggle everything alone. Each day before dawn, Kyle was already outside, clearing debris, checking the crops, and scrubbing the grounds before she even stirred from bed. For the first time in ages, she could afford to breathe and let someone else carry the load.


    Even more promising¨Cher goats had finally matured. After a few days of careful watching, she was certain the pair had taken to each other. If luck held, fresh milk wouldn¡¯t be far off. And every morning, right on schedule, Yuk


    would show up at her doorstep with baskets full of themunity¡¯s daily yield.


    Her stockpile had been expanding at an impressive pace. To keep up with the influx, she decided it was time to upgrade Kyle¡¯s authority. As a reward for his absolute reliability, she granted him ess to one of her warehouses. From then on, it became his job to sort and deposit the daily haul.


    By this point, she was sitting on three warehouses packed to capacity, not to mention a vast, nearly limitless inventory space embedded within her domain. The vast majority of the food reserves were secured inside it¨Cfar safer and more discreet¨Cwhile the bunker mainly held themunity¡¯s yield and a modest backup cache.


    ¡°Theresa! Look what my dad managed to grow¨Cfresh strawberries from the seeds you gave us!¡± Yuki called out as she presented a small box of vivid, ruby¨Cred fruit. Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight, her attention immediately drawn to the plump, glistening berries. Her expression brightened¨Cthose seeds she¡¯d casually handed over to David had actually taken root and flourished. A spark of satisfaction flickered in her eyes.


    Without hesitation, she grabbed a fresh packet of wheat seeds and tossed in a bonus: a full bag of sugar. ¡°Give this to your dad,¡± she instructed. ¡°Tell him there¡¯s more where that came from if he keeps producing results. This is just the beginning.¡± Yuki¡¯s face beamed with life. ¡°Yes, Theresa! Thank you so much!¡± ess to steady food¨Cmeat <b>and </b>milk¨C<b>had </b>done wonders. Lately, she <b>had </b>appeared noticeably healthier and more radiant.


    Just as she gathered the items and turned to leave, a thought struck her. She paused, then spun back around. ¡°Theresa, my dad wanted me to ask. Do you have any salt to spare? We¡¯re hoping to trade for a little.


    Theresa <b>raised </b><b>an </b>eyebrow before <b>she </b>disappeared briefly into the back. When she returned, she held out a small package of salt and a sheet of paper.


    The page was a neatly organized list¨Ca catalog of everyday essentials, each paired with a clear barter value. Cooking oil, condiments, hygiene items like soap and <b>shampoo</b>, and basic protein sources like eggs and poultry were all included. Next to each was a point value: 1 point for a 500g bag of salt, 10 points for a 5¨Cliter jug of oil, 10 points for a bottle of shampoo, 1 point per egg, and so on. A barter system, simple but effective¨Cher own miniature economy in <b>a </b>world where coinage no longer mattered.


    Theresa¡¯s resource exchange system was powered entirely by food contributions. To motivate David further, she implemented a clear rule: for every half¨Ckilo of harvested produce, one point would be awarded. But she didn¡¯t stop there¨C<b>an </b>extra use added a spark of ambition. Rare or hard¨Cto¨Cfind items would carn bonus points, <b>making </b>them even more valuable in trade. David, energized by the potential rewards,mitted himself entirely. With his wife at his side, he expanded his farnd and dedicated their <bbor </b>to growing crops exclusively for Theresa¡¯s tradework.


    12


    +229+Ft8 207


    Chapter 51 Resource Exchange System


    Morend meant more yield. More yield micant more goods!


    Once she had her sole resident household fully on track, Theresa turned her attention outward. She assigned Summer and a handful of dogs to safeguard the camp in her absence. Meanwhile, she herself ser out once more¨Cthis time with Kyle and several dogs at her side¨Cventuring into the wild to im new ground and scavenge for vital resources.


    ¡°Theresa, there¡¯s still a ton of supplies on that highway we passed yesterday! Looks like a huge pile¨Cup happened ahead, and all the vehicles arepletely blocked.¡± She replied, ¡°Perfect! Let¡¯s go there and clear out another section!¡± She <b>hopped </b>into her armored vehicle and had Kyle take the wheel, driving straight to the location they had surveyed the previous day.


    An hour and a halfter, they arrived at the highway. True to the report<b>, </b>arge stockpile of goods awaited them. Before her was a toll station on an eightne highway. A catastrophic crash had sealed off the entire stretch, with traffic tightly gridlocked in both directions. The situation was particrly dire at the overpass section after the toll station.


    On the endless stretch of road above, every vehicle was stuck in ce, filling the view from end to end¨Can overwhelming and striking sight.


    Theresa quickly scanned the scene and noticed a massive line of delivery trucks caught on the overpass.. up together! The trucks were a rainbow of colors¨Cred, green. There were easily forty to fifty trucks piled and white¨Cjammed together without any chance of moving, Refrigerated trucks, container trailers, open- bed haulers, and even semi¨Ctrailers packed with luxury cars¡­


    disaster It didn¡¯t take much to figure out¨Cthese vehicles had been heading straight for Ansford, loaded with goods meant for delivery the day the catastrophe hit. But before they could even exit the overpass, struck, trapping them in a steel maze of gridlocked traffic.


    The four delivery trucks Kyle and his crew managed to retrieve yesterday were barely a drop in the bucketpared to the vast haul lying here! An enormous stockpile still waited, untouched and overflowing with potential.


    ¡°Kyle, I need you to start clearing the wreckage here,¡± Theresa <b>in </b>firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll head up!


    He replied, ¡°Understood.¡±


    and


    Without another word, she sprang from the armored vehicle and handed off the task. If they nned to salvage the supplies trapped above, the path had to be unblocked first. Leaving him to deal with the tangled mess below, she made her way toward the outpass¨Cintent on sweeping through and transferring every usable resource <b>into </b>her domain.

 Kept Woman 52

    Chapter 52 A Race For Resources


    For the ride back, any functioning vehicle from this highway jan would do just fine! Theresa released the dogs, assigning two to remain with Kyle for support. The rest bounded after her, rearly to assist. The area surrounding the crash was eerily quiet, devoid of undead. Clearly, Kyle¡¯s team had already done a thorough sweep the day before.


    She picked her way through the mangled wreckage, boots crunching over shattered ss and twisted metal, until she reached the toll station. One of the manual booths still had a lone zombie trapped inside, wing aimlessly at the ss. It was still d in a toll station attendant¡¯s uniform, a crooked hai clinging uselessly to the matted strands of its hair. Her gaunt, lifeless face¡ªonce made up with perfect cosmetics¡ªwas now nothing but withered skin stretched tight over bone, spiderwebbed with pitch¨Cck veins writhing like parasites across her cheeks and arms,


    From the narrow slit in the fractured booth window, it strained forward, pale dead eyes locked with ravenous glee onto Theresa. What remained of its arm pushed forward¨Cjust a gnawed stump ending in a single bone¨Cfinger, twitching with desperation as it scraped at the <b>air </b>toward her. Raah!


    ng! In one fluid motion, Theresa slid a long¨Chandled shovel through the narrow opening and struck. With precise force, she dragged it sideways in a slicing arc. As she withdrew the de, a glint of light caught on the edge¨Ca crystal no bigger than a thumb had been dislodged, gleaming against the dull gray. The toll booth zombie copsed instantly, crumpling like a puppet with its strings severed.


    With a calm flick of her gloved fingers, she plucked the gleaming crystal from the fallen corpse and dropped it neatly into a stic <b>bag</b>. As she turned to leave, her eyes drifted to the skeletal arm still hanging from the toll booth window¨Ctwisted, lifeless, grotesque. She reached into her pocket, pulled out an old, scratched arcade token, and flipped it through the air, the


    in her palm. ¡°Consider <b>that </b>your passage fee,¡± she said den glinting in the light beforending neatly


    Down below, Kyle paused mid¨Cmotion, having caught the entire exchange. For a second, he just stared,pletely floored. That woman was pure steel. Every move she made screamed power and precision, and every kill was clean, brutal, and eerily graceful¨Clike <b>she¡¯d </b>danced this dance a thousand times before. maybe more. No wasted energy, no fumbling¨Cjust raw, deadly efficiency.


    <b>shame</b>. Her movements carried She moved with such lethal precision, it humbled even him¨Cwho¡¯d endured elite military training and was <b>a </b>hardened soldier, yet herbat style put him and his <b>team </b><b>all </b>to no hesitation, no wasted motion¨Cjust pure, brutal efficiency. But what truly unsettled him was that maddening contradiction she embodied. There was a ruthless charm to her a poised savagery that turned carnage into choreography.


    The more ruthless she became, the more <b>captivating </b><b>she </b>appeared. Like a lone beast,ered butposed, every strike of hers screamed of deadly beauty and terrifying control. And dmn it all¨Cshe¡¯s a woman! It wasn¡¯t just impressive. It was breathtaking! After watching her tear through that zombie without blinking, he feltpletely reassured leaving the overpass to her. Then, with a fire lit under him, he threw himself back into clearing the wreckage.


    With an iron shovel swingingzily at her side and several dogs darting around her heels, Theresa cut a lone figure of <b>menace </b>andmand. ¡°Lucky, Cash, eyes forward. Biscuit <b>and </b>Penny<b>, </b>cover my rear. Ace, Snowy, watch both wings.¡± Vehicle after vehicle, she scouted with a practiced eye¨Cchecking interiors, fuel gauges, ignition switches. Finally, she found a delivery truck, still alive with fuel, keys dangling, engine pristine. She tagged it in her mind as their ride back and shot a message to Kyle. With that handled, she didn¡¯t waste another second¨Cvaulting past the truck to plunder the next one, eyes sharp for anything worth iming


    <b>172 </b>


    12:50: FM8 AUG


    Chapter 52 A Race For Resources


    She sprang up <b>and </bnded squarely on the rear bumper of a container truck, gripping the metal bar with one hand. Without tools or hesitation, she wrenched the lock straight off¨Craw force made effortless by thR unnatural strength gifted to her through the system. The doors creaked open to reveal a cavern packed


    upon dozens of delivery boxes stacked tightly. with scaled parcels.


    Without a moment¡¯s pause, she drained the entire stockpile into her domain, not even sparing a nce to see what she¡¯d just <b>hauled </b>in. Surprises could wait. This was a race for resources, not curiosity. Once the trock was emptied, she wasted no timeunching herself toward the next delivery truck like a predator moving to its next kill. Every container¨Cstyle vehicle was pried open with brute force¨Clocks shattered beneath her enhanced strength. As for the open¨Cbed trucks, she barely broke stride vaulting onto their roofs, ripping through the rain tarps like they were paper, and dropping straight into the cargo holds <b>to </b>plunder..


    Each vehicle poured out roughly 350 cubic feet of goods into her storage. By the time she finished working through the forty to fifty trucks, her inventory had swollen by more than 14,000 cubic feet! To put it into perspective, that was enough to stuff a 2,000 square foot house to the rafters with supplies, <b>and </b>still be looking for shelf space!


    But not every haul was a win. Three of the trucks turned out to be refrigerated carriers. The moment <i>she </i>cracked one of those doors open, a foul wave of rot sted her in the face. Everything inside had decayed into a reeking sludge. After <b>all</b>, the apocalypse had been dragging on for over a month¨Cwithout power. those frozen goods didn¡¯t stand a chance. Wrinkling her nose, she backed off and left them behind.


    Just as she finished draining thest of the supplies, a message crackled through her earpiece¨CKyle had done his part. ¡°Theresa, the road¡¯s open. We¡¯re set.¡± At that moment, she stood atop a truck like a lone sentinel surveying a battlefield, ready to head back when something in the distance snagged her attention. Roughly a kilometer ahead, wedged tightly among a tangle of abandoned vehicles, were threerge tank trucks.


    Her gaze narrowed. Behind them¨Cjust barely visible¨Cstood the unmistakable structure of a gas station. Her pulse quickened. Fuel! ¡°Kyle, move the marked vehicle down first. Once it¡¯s clear, bring up the armored car to clear the overpass. We need ane open to take <b>those </b>tankers!¡± He responded instantly, ¡°Got it!¡± Without wasting a second, she sprinted toward the distant gas station, her loyal dogs thundering after her. As she approached, the lurking figures of zombies finally came into view.

 Kept Woman 53

    Chapter 53 Scavenging the Gas Station


    <b>The </b>small, run¨Cdown gas station stood quietly, its wide lot and shattered minimart crawling with scattered zombies. They wandered in twos and threes, aimless and twitchy, like broken puppets,


    The minimant inside the station was a total wreck¨Cshelves overturned, ss shattered, everything looted or ruined. It wasn¡¯t hard to piece together what had happened. Back when the highways were choked with Stranded cars, a desperate crowd had bolted from the traffic jam and made a mad dash for this gas station, hoping to find supplies or shelter.


    But the station turned out to be a dead end¨Cliterally. None of them made it out. The ones who fled here had all been turned, and since this spot had be the biggest congregation <b>point </b>for miles, a whole swarm of rombies had trailed the fleeing people right to this ce. Many had wandered off <b>again </b>after the chase ended, but plenty still lingered.


    Now, the moment Theresa came running in¨Calive, breathing, full of life¨Ctheir dull senses red back to


    life.


    The change was instant. They went from sluggish and clumsy to frenzied and rabid in a heartbeat.


    ¡°Graaaah-


    ¡°Graaaah-


    ¡°Woof Woof Woof!¡±


    ¡°Woof!¡±


    Ash bolted ahead,unching itself at the nearest zombie with a flying tackle.


    ¡°<b>Woo</b>/T


    Its paw came down like a hammer, smashing through the zombie¡¯s skull and sending the head flying.


    The next instant, the rest of Theresa¡¯s dogs stormed in


    Summer had stayed behind at the camp to hold the fort, but the pack she brought today was just as herce.


    mined to handle warzones. Now they These weren¡¯t ordinary dogs¨Cthey were elite military K9s, once handled zombies with terrifying precision.


    Theresa hadn¡¯t needed to teach them much. They had learned the drill fast. She had outfitted each dog with armor reinforced around their bellies¨Cthe most vulnerable spot. It wasn¡¯t just for show; the extra protection gave them the edge they needed to tear through the undead without hesitation.


    The moment the dogs made contact, chaos erupted. Barking, growling, snarling¨Cand the wet crunch of bone. In a matter of moments, the front line of zombies was reduced to mangled corpses.


    Theresa didn¡¯t slow down either/She sliced her way through the rest. Her strikes were ruthless, efficient- nothing fancy, just fast and fatal.


    Where she passed, only scattered body parts remained.


    Each zombie¡¯s skull <b>was </b><b>split </b>clean open¨Csome revealing gleamstones nestled inside, others hollow. Most


    Chapter 58 Scavenging the Gas Station


    were thetter, The good ones were few and far between.


    By the time she reached the gas station, she had taken down nearly everyst one of them and pockered a dozen or so gleamstones.


    She didn¡¯t even bother checking out the ransacked minimart. Her priority was the fuel.


    ncing over at Kyle, who was busy driving a spare vehicle off the lot, Theresa made her move. While he was distracted, she quickly stored two fully loaded fuel trucks into her domain. She left behind a half¨Cfull one for Kyle to driveter<b>. </b>


    As for the fuel still in the station¡¯s pumps¡­


    Theresa paused, thinking fast. She didn¡¯t have proper containers¨Cjust a few empty drums she had scavenged nearby. So, she tried something new dividing her domain into sections, isting the fuel from everything else. It wasn¡¯t ideal, but it would do for now.


    She had only just thought of it¨Csplitting her domain into sections¨Cwhen it actually started happening. Her mind power took hold, and the space inside her domain began to <b>divide</b>, just like that.


    Her eyes lit up. Jackpot.


    She remembered clearly¨Cthe domain she had earned came in 35¨Ccubic¨Cfoot increments. If it came in chunks, it had to be splittable. And she had been right on the money.


    With just a thought, she


    ved it up into smaller cubes. Once the partitions were in ce. Theresa grabbed the fuel nozzle and went full throttle, draining the underground tanks like her life depended on


    it


    By the time Kyle arrived, crashing through the blocked roadway in an armored car, forcing abandoned vehicles aside with sheer force, Theresa had already sucked the gas station¡¯s fuel supply nearly dry.


    All told, she had collected nearly 1,500 gallons of fuel. That was enough to top off nearly 1,000 cars. In other words? She was set for the long <b>haul</b>.


    <i>¡°</i>Theresa! Let me help you out!¡± Kyle yelled as he jumped down from the vehicle.


    However, just as his boots hit the pavement, the ground <i>be </i>


    to tremble beneath them.


    Theresa nced down. The few decoy barrels by her feet shook violently, oil rippling inside like water in at


    storm


    The shaking wasn¡¯t random¨Cit was rhythmic. Heavy. Like something <b>massive </b>was stomping its way toward them, one earth¨Cshaking step at a time.


    Kyle frowned, ncing around. <i>Is </i>that¡­ an earthquake?


    ¡°Run!¡± Theresa¡¯s tone snapped to steel. ¡°Everyone in the car<b>, </b>


    now!¡±


    She grabbed two drums of fuel, sprinted for the armored car, and leapt <b>inside</b>. Her dogs, trained to respond instantly, dashed alongside her, falling into formation.


    Just as thest paw hit the truck bed, they peeled <b>away </b>from the station¡­.


    Chapter 53 Scavenging the Gas Station


    Boom!


    A thunderous crash split the air.


    The exact spot where Theresa had been standing moments ago exploded into rubble. Asphalt cracked like eggshells. Debris flew.


    From the ruined lot, a monster charged out of the shadows.


    It looked vaguely human¨Cif a human had been bloated to nearly 400 pounds of raw, mutated muscle and flesh. It dropped to all fours, snarling, jaws snapping at the empty air where Theresa had just been.


    It missed.


    Rage twisted its oversized body as it reared back, revealing a grotesquely small head perched awkwardly on <b>a </b>mountain of flesh. Unlike normal zombies, which were often stripped down to bone and rot, <b>this </b>one was all meat¨Ctoo much meat.


    Its face sagged with folds of skin that hung inyers like wetundry. One beady eye was barely visible under a curtain of flesh, while the other bulged grotesquely outward, like a giant chocte gumball wedged in a mound of fat. It looked like it could fall out any second.


    Triple chins rolled right into its thick, stubby neck. The whole creature resembled a pyramid of putrid blubber¨Ceachyer stacked on top of the next. But the worst part wasn¡¯t even the fat.


    It was what lived in it.


    Maggots writhed in the folds. Bulging, tumor¨Clike growths, some of them pulsing, clung to the seams between itsyers. It wasn¡¯t just disgusting¨Cit was unnatural.

 Kept Woman 54

    Chapter 54 The Mutant Zombie


    The mutant zombie let out a furious, high¨Cpitched shriek after missing its target¨Ca sound so sharp and piercing it felt like thousands of needles stabbing straight <b>into </b>the brain.


    A crushing wave of pressure pulsed from its grotesque body, thick and suffocating. Anyone within range could feel the fear creeping in, instinct screaming, ¡°Ron!¡±


    ¡°D¡¯mn it¨CLevel 2 mutant zombie! Fall <b>back</b>! Theresa shouted to Kyle over the roar.


    That snapped him out of his stunned daze. The sheer presence of the thing had frozen him for a moment<b>, </b>but her voice cut through the fog.


    Kyle spun on his heel and ran toward the tanker truck.


    ¡°Forget the tanker!¡± Theresa yelled again, her tone sharper now. ¡°We¡¯re pulling out!¡±


    She wasn¡¯t about to tangle with that monster. Not now. Not like this.


    Even in her previous life, Level 2 mutant zombies were serious threats. For regr survivors, that was the ceiling¨Canything stronger had to be handled by ability users. <b>And </b>even then, you would need someone with a Level 2 ability at minimum just to stand a chance.


    Theresa had her ability now, sure¨Cbut it was new. Barely broken in. Her control wasn¡¯t refined yet, and throwing herself into a head¨Con fight against a fully evolved mutant would be <b>suicide</b>.


    She gritted her teeth.


    Retreat. Live to fight another day,


    But Kyle wasn¡¯t stopping.


    ¡°I got it, Theresa! You drive¨CI¡¯ll hook up the trailer!¡± he yelled over his shoulder.


    He couldn¡¯t bear the thought of going back empty¨Chanded. After all, this was the fuel Theresa had wanted. <b>In </b>his mind, bringing back at least some of it <b>was </b>non¨Cnegotiable.


    Theresa clenched her jaw, resisting the urge to curse him out on the spot. Stubborn idiot. He has no idea I have already stored most of <i>the </i><i>fuel </i>safely in my domain.


    Still, there was no time to argue. She mmed her foot down on the clutch<b>, </b>her fingers flying over the controls like a pianist on <b>a </b>mission. The armored car roared to life.


    Boom!


    A cloud of dust exploded


    them as the mutant <b>zombie </b>barreled forward, kicking off the ground


    with bone¨Ccracking force. It lunged at Kyle like a deranged freight train.


    Kyle, ever the fighter, twisted his body in mid¨Cair and hit the ground in a clean roll. In one smooth motion, he yanked a gun from the sling on <i>his </i>back.


    Bang!


    13


    Chapter 51 The Mutant Zombie


    Bone!


    Bane?


    Ganshots echoed across the lot, each one dead¨Con, thest round drilling straight into the creature¡¯s forehead.


    But it didn¡¯t even flinch.


    This wasn¡¯t like the other zombies.


    ¡°Idiot! You gotta blow its <b>brain </b>to pieces or it won¡¯t stay down! Get in the car now! Theresa yelled, her voice almost swallowed by the engine¡¯s roar.


    Kyle didn¡¯t hesitate this time. He bolted for the armored car, legs pumping hard, boots hammering the pavement.


    But the mutant zombie¨Csmart in all the worst ways¨Cseemed to predict his move. Its bloated mass shifted, coiled like a spring, and thenunched forward at terrifying speed.


    It wasing for <b>him</b>.


    Fast.


    ¡°Dodge left!¡± Theresa shouted.


    Kyle didn¡¯t hesitate. The second hermand hit his ears, he dove hard <b>to </b>the left.


    Right then-


    ng!


    The right side of the armored car twisted with a metallic groan as a row of sharp spikes shot out like hidden fangs from a trap. They rammed straight into the mutant zombie¡¯s chest, impaling it clean through.


    While the monster reeled, Kyle used the opening to roll through the passenger door¨Calready open and waiting for <b>him</b><b>. </b>


    Theresa retracted the spikes in a <b>sh</b>, mmed the gas pedal, and the armored car roared forward. It took off with Kyle


    nd the dogs inside, dragging the fuel tanker behind it and speeding down the only path she had managed to clear.


    She <b>was </b>fast¨Cbut


    <b>Iso </b>was the mutant


    Enraged after being stabbed, the creature went wild, <b>charging </b>after them like a freight train gone off the rails. It mmed into the armored car again and again, but the reinforced frame held steady. This wasn¡¯t just <b>any </b>vehicle¨Cit was a system rewarded beast built for war. It would take more than brute force to


    break it.


    But when it couldn¡¯t reach Theresa, the mutant zombie turned its sights to the next best thing¨Cthe fuel tanker. With a thunderous leap, itnded on the trailer, its massive bulk making it sway violently side to side. The sudden weight yanked against the armored car, jerking the entire rig off bnce.


    <b>2/3 </b>


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    Chapter 54 The Mutant Zombie


    Bang!


    Crunch¨CCrash!


    Theresa¡¯s vehicle barreled through the median strip, mming through several cars in its path. Metal screamed. Sparks flew. A couple of sedans went flying off the overpass, tumbling like toys into the <b>abyss </b>below<b>. </b>


    The armored car skidded to a halt with its front tires hanging halfway over the edge. The nose of the vehicle was suspended in midair, pointing straight down into the gaping 30¨Cfoot drop below.


    Both Theresa and Kyle were now staring at the open sky, the highway below stretching out like the jaws of death.


    Only her driving skills had saved them from tipping overpletely.


    Roooaaar!


    The sound came again¨Ccloser, heavier, angrier. The armored car trembled beneath them, the weight of the monster shaking it like an earthquake. That Level 2 mutant zombie, all rotten meat and fury, wasing for them at full speed, its disgusting mass rippling with every step.


    Theresa¡¯s eyes darted to the interior disy screen. She spotted the creature closing in fast. Her expression turned ice¨Ccold.


    Without a word, she grabbed the secondary control wheel and flicked a series of switches on theplex instrument panel.


    ck!


    Boom!


    A roar of me exploded outward. A tongue of fire erupted from a hidden turret mounted on the armored car¡¯s roof.


    The st struck the mutant zombie dead center.


    The recoil alone knocked the beast back several yards. It staggered, and the high¨Cpressure inferno drilled into its bloated chest, punching a charred, smoking hole clean through its rotting flesh.

 Kept Woman 55

    Chapter <b>55 </b>She Actually Lifted in


    Chapter 55 She Actually Lifted It


    The scorched stench of burning flesh hung heavy in the air.


    Theresa¡¯s st had hit dead¨Con, but as she mmed the gear into reverse and tried to back the armored car off the edge, the front wheels just spun uselessly in ce¨Cstuck.


    ¡°Kyle! You know how to use the cannon?¡± she called out.


    Kyle, having watched her work the controls just moments earlier, gave a sharp nod. ¡°Yeah! I got it!¡±


    ¡°You <b>drive</b>. I¡¯ll go lift the carl¡±


    She unbuckled her seatbelt without hesitation.


    Kyle¡¯s eyes widened. Is she gonna lift the car? This thing weighs several tons!


    ¡°Theresa! Let me do it!¡±


    ¡°Outta my way! You can¡¯t lift it!¡±


    Kyle gawked, speechless. What the hell does that mean? If he couldn¡¯t lift it, how could she?


    Before he could argue, a low rumble trembled through the ground behind them. The monitors on the dash lit up again¨Cthere it was. That same Level 2 mutant zombie, charging through the smoke like a nightmare on legs.


    Kyle gritted his teeth and slid into the driver¡¯s seat. He didn¡¯t waste a second, mimicking every move he had seen Theresa make. The vehicle¡¯s tech was next¨Clevel, something he had never touched before¨Cbut as a special forces soldier, he had trained on more than his fair share of weapons and machines. One look <b>had </b>been enough


    Boom!


    A tongue of me erupted from the turret, hammering the mutant zombie <b>head</b>¨Con. Fire curled around its <b>grotesque </b>form, forcing it back a few steps.


    Working in perfect syne, Kyle kept the monster at bay while Theresa dropped down from the vehicle.


    But even as he fired, Kyle couldn¡¯t help but think. There¡¯s no way she¡¯s really going to <i>try </i><i>and </i><i>lift </i>it. She¡¯s one woman¨Chow could she <i>possibly- </i>


    Then it happened.


    The armored car rocked.


    Kyle¡¯s jaw dropped as he nced outside the window.


    arer of the vehicle. Muscles taut,


    Theresa, dressed in herbat suit, had braced herself under the jaw clenched, she nted her boots, let out a breath, and with a grunt that echoed like thunder-


    Thud!


    Chapter 55 She Actually Lifted It


    She hoisted one side of the multi¨Cton vehicle off the pavement.


    Kyle just stared, utterly gobsmacked. No freaking way¡­ She <i>actually </i><i>lifted </i><i>it</i><i>! </i>


    <b>Then- </b>


    Rooonarrr!


    ¨C in mes, the mutant zombie barreled through the smoke once again. Its flesh still sizzled, but now it moved without hesitation. The fire didn¡¯t scare it anymore. If anything, it only seemed to make the thing angrier.


    Theresa was already sprinting to the other side of the car, needing just a little more time.


    Kyle¡¯s fingers flew across the controls. He unleashed everything the cannon had, shooting a continuous stream of fire toward the charging beast..


    But this time, it barely flinched.


    The mes only slowed it for a heartbeat¨Cthen it roared back to full speed, charging straight at Theresa like a freight train with no brakes..


    It was almost on her in the blink of an eye.


    Theresa had just gripped the tire on the other side when she saw the Level 2 mutant zombie charging at her, mes licking up its mangled body like a demon from hell. Instead of dodging, she stood her ground right at the edge of the overpass. Arms wide open like a bullfighter, she dared the monster toe at her.


    Inside the armored car, Kyle froze in disbelief.


    He knew exactly what she was trying to do,


    She wanted to lure it over the edge¨Cget it to jump off the overpass.


    And maybe, just maybe, she would pull it off.


    But the cost? If she timed it wrong, if her footing slipped, if that thing hit even a fraction off¨Ctarget..


    She would go down with it.


    Kyle¡¯s scalp tingled. Panic exploded in his chest like a grenade. Why the hell is she risking her <i>life </i><i>like </i>this!!


    She could have left it to him. Hell, she could have just driven off and saved herself.


    en to stand in the most dangerous spot¡­ so the rest of them could <b>live</b>.


    But no. Theresa <b>had </b>chosen


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Kyle shouted, mming the window control.


    As it cracked open, a wave of blistering heat and thick ck smoke rolled in like a furnace had opened in


    his face.


    A massive fireball roared past the front of the car¨Cscorching the pavement, vaporizing the air. The temperature inside shot up to over 120 degrees Fahrenheit in seconds.


    Chapter 56 She Actually Lifted It


    The sound shook his bones.


    Then silence.


    There was nothing left in front of him. No sign of the creature¡­ and no sign of Theresa.


    His chest clenched<b>. </b>The bottom dropped out of his world. He couldn¡¯t breathe.


    They hadn¡¯t known each other for long.


    Everyone talked like she was cold, ruthless, heartless, even.


    But they didn¡¯t know what Kyle had just seen.


    She was the kind of person who would risk her own neck to protect others.


    Even him.


    Just as despair threatened to consume him<b>, </b>a slim, agile figure burst upward from below the overpass- Theresa, her silhouette catching the light like a streak of lightning.


    Kyle¡¯s heart kicked back to life.


    She


    was alive.


    Behind her, fire zed again¨Canother roar, louder this time.


    The mutant zombie had followed her up, still burning, still furious.


    Boom!


    Without thinking, without aiming, Kyle raised his hand. A deafening st of water surged from his palm, crashing into the creature¡¯s skull like a tidal hammer.


    It drilled straight through.


    The zombie¡¯s head exploded, water and me colliding in a hiss of steam as the monster toppled backwards.


    It didn¡¯t get back up.


    This time¡­ it stayed down.


    Theresanded in a crouch, ncing over her shoulder to confirm it was really gone.


    Steam still clung to the air like mist, then fell in fat droplets¨Crain, made from evaporated water and smoke.


    She turned toward Kyle, eyes widened in surprise.


    Not bad, she thought.


    12:00, 17:


    <b>Chapter </b>33 <b>She </b>Actually Lined it


    For someone who had only just awakened his ability, Kyle had already learned to weaponize it withi


    <b>power</b>.


    Theresa had nned to finish the thing off herself once she got back up¨Cbut as it turned out. Kyle had already taken care of it.

 Kept Woman 56

    Chapter 56 Kyle Awakens His Ability


    ¡°Nice work! Theresa strode up beside Kyle and pped him hard on the shoulder.


    The force behind her p made him stagger just a bit. He nced at her, taking in the fact that she had made it back in one piece, and the corners of his usually stole mouth twitched into a faint smile.


    He climbed out of the armored car and joined her in pushing the vehicle back into position. Though to be fair, most of the heavy lifting wasing from Theresi


    To his shock, he honestly couldn¡¯t outmuscle her.


    That battle had changed something between them. They had fought with their lives on the line, shoulder to shoulder. Trust¨Creal trust¨Cwas forged in fire like that.


    Theresa had always trusted Kyle, even if this was technically <b>a </b>second go at knowing him. Some things had to be earned again from scratch.


    And for Kyle? After this fight, he was clearly morefortable around her¨Ccloser, even


    ¡°Theresa,¡± he <b>said</b>, rubbing the back of his neck, ¡°I don¡¯t really know how it happened. I started sensing water about ten days ago. Not much¨Cjust enough to help the special forces purify a few canteens. But just now¡­ it was like something snapped loose.¡±


    He gave


    her a full breakdown of <b>what </b>had been going on with himtely, leaving out nothing


    ¡°That¡¯s an ability. Theresa said simply as she drove the armored car down from the overpass. tanker rattling behind them..


    the fuel


    ¡°An ability?¡± Kyle echoed, brow furrowing.


    She nodded, eyes on the road. ¡°There are three main types. The mostmon is enhancement¨Cthings like boosted speed or strength. Then, you¡¯ve got the elemental types¨Cwater, fire, earth, nt, and metal.


    with one.¡± And finally, the rare ones¨Cmutant abilities. That includes lightning, ice, healing, mental maniption, and a few others so umon you only know they exist when someone pops up


    She didn¡¯t hold anything back. Why should she? Kyle wasn¡¯t just anyone anymore.


    He was one of hers.


    And if she was going to lead him <b>into </b>a new <b>world</b>, better he knew what he was <b>walking </b>into. The more he understood, the faster he could level up.


    ¡°Abilities start off basic,¡± she continued. ¡°They grow stronger with training and experience, and they¡¯re ranked by power and control. But here¡¯s the catch¨Cthere¡¯s always a pecking order. Mutant abilities usually outss the basic elemental ones, and both of <b>those </b>tend to outmatch enhancement types over time.¡±


    In her previous life, Theresa had never awakened an ability. Just an ordinary human trying to survive in an increasingly superhuman world.


    At first, it didn¡¯t matter much Early on, abilities were weak, and she had built a reputation through sheer grit and ruthless tactics. People knew not to mess with her, ability or no <b>ability</b>.


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    Chapter 56 Kyle Awakens His Ability


    But as time went on, the gaps widened. Ability users grew str?riger, Faster, Deadlier


    And Theresa?


    She had been stuck as a <b>squad </b>leader in the camp, watching the world change without her.


    If she <b>had </b>had even one ability in her past life, Theresa could have wed her way up the ranks¨C<b>maybe </b><b>even </b>made it to the top of the camp hierarchy.


    But she hadn¡¯t. Not even a flicker of power. Because of that, there were huge chunks of ability knowledge she never had ess to


    Sure, she knew abilities could be strengthened, but the how of it remained a mystery. No training methods. no instructors, no system to guide her. The only clue she ever had was a vague connection to gleamstones


    In her previous life, gleamstones were currency in the camps. Everyone wanted them. Every group collected them. Theresa had tried messing with a few herself once¨Cfelt something pulsing inside, like energy¨Cbut she was just an ordinary <b>human</b>. No ability, no ess, no way to unlock their secrets.


    She never got far.


    Zest.


    The armored car rumbled to <b>a </b>stop beneath the overpass. Theresa cut the engine and hopped out.


    Not far ahead, the Level 2 mutant zombiey crumpled in a scorched heap. She knelt by the body, pried open its ruined skull, and dug around until her fingers closed around something smooth and solid.


    A crystal the size of a goose egg. Faintly glowing


    ¡°This is a gleamstone,¡± she said.


    ¡°I know,¡± Kyle replied. ¡°Back when I was in special forces, we were ordered to collect them.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Wait¨Cyou were sent out specifically for these?¡±


    Kyle nodded. Their mission hadn¡¯t just been about rescue. They had been deployed to the frontlines to hunt down zombies, head straight for the chaos, <b>and </b>collect gleamstones along the way. Supporting the rescue team <b>was </b><b>a </b>side gig.


    Even after the rescue team left, his unit kept fighting. Higher¨Cups never gave the order to retreat. It was like they wanted something more.


    Eventually, the mission went sideways. Kyle barely escaped with his life¨Cand ended up at Theresa¡¯s <b>camp</b>. banging on her door.


    Theresa frowned, thoughts turning fast.


    So<i>, </i><i>the </i>military knew about gleamstones that early?


    In her previous life, the KI Camp had always had a reputation. Food was tight, sure¨Cbut everything else about it was elite. Especially their ability users.


    They produced the strongest ability users in the entire Eastern Camp.


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    Chapter 56 Kyle Awakens His Ability


    Now she wondered if that strength came from early research into gleamstones. Maybe they had had a head start on everyone else.


    She shelved the thought <b>and </b>nced at Kyle. ¡°Ler¡¯s head back.¡±


    ¡°<b>On </b>it.¡±


    Kyle jumped into one of the big transport trucks they had gotten, and Theresa steered the armored car- tanker still in tow¨Cback toward their camp.


    It had been a good haul. Totally worth the trip.


    Once they made it back, she waved Kyle off toward the kitchen, telling him to butcher a fresh chicken <b>and </b>a fish for food.


    Kyle didn¡¯t say a word. He just gave a sharp nod and marched off to get it done, Fresh chicken and fish? He picked up the pace without even meaning t

 Kept Woman 57

    Chapter 57 Evoloid Extractor


    Theresa returned to the bunker to figure out <b>what </b>to do with the points and the gleamstones,


    She activated the System Store and converted the crystals she had collected today to gleamstones, except the one she retrieved from the Level 2 mutant zomble carlier. She made 16 gleamstones that <b>day</b><b>, </b>bringing her possession to 60 gleamstones, including the 44 gleamstones she had previously gotten from Lucas.


    She needed 40 more to unlock the advanced reward pack.


    She pondered momentarily and eventually decided not to exchange the Level 2 crystal she had gotten carlier for gleamstones.


    A Level 2 crystal promised higher points, but it still counted as one piece of crystal only.


    Therefore, she decided not to consume it for the time being.


    She checked on her points. By expanding her territory and converting crystal to gleamstones, her points had soared to 18,045.


    A few momentster, <b>she </b>spent the points to buy <b>the </b>AK¨C47 she had been drooling over for so long. She grinned from ear to ear when the weapon materialized before her. Finally, you¡¯re mine! Suddenly, she remembered the page that required 5,000 points to unlock and opened the interface.


    After unlocking it, she noticed every disyed item had a countdown timer.


    The first item that caught her


    reye was a rare <b>good</b>.


    Its banner stated, ¡®Get the Evoloid Extractor at only 10,000 points! The offer will disappear in 180 seconds.


    The offer captured her attention An Evoloid Extractor?


    She decided to read more and <b>found </b>the detailed description.


    ¡°The Evoloid Extractor can fully extract energy from the crystal without contaminating it. The extract, known as Evoloid, is used in improving one¡¯s ability.¡±


    It blew her mind. Ites at the right time! That¡¯s exactly what the ability users needed to evolve.


    Only ten seconds had passed. She hit the ¡®purchase¡® button even though it was pricey.


    She only had 45 points left after purchasing it..


    After the purchase, the slot showed that the item <b>was </b>sold out and would take time to restock.


    So, this store doesn¡¯t have unlimited/stock. Moreover, it <i>sells </i>random items, she observed.


    Aside from the Evoloid Extractor, there were no other golden items.


    The Evoloid Extractor was the only rare item on sale that day. The rest were building materials such as steel tes, concrete bs, floor tiles, rebars, cement<b>, </b><b>and </b>room doors.


    <b>172 </b>


    Chapter <b>57 </b>Evoloid Extractor


    These items <b>were </b>affordable as she could get them at one point. Although they <b>were </b>on sale for a limited period, she could make unlimited purchases. Remembering the poor state of her and <b>Kyle¡¯s </b>house, she bought some steel tes, floor tiles, and doors.


    She <b>was </b>surprised that the materials gave bonuses ranging from one to ten to the bunker¡¯s strength.


    She perked up at the idea. I reinforce the bunker with these materials, I¡¯m basically building a fortress.


    She was energized with motivation.


    She spent her remaining 45 points without hesitation.


    She


    ed wistfully at the other materials she wanted to bulk buy but couldn¡¯t afford. Wait for me. I¡¯ll <i>be </i>back for you soon.


    Theresa exited the System Store to study the Evoloid Extractor.


    A golden light shed as she summoned the domain to retrieve her newly bought extractor.


    She put the small device on the table. The user should remove the lid at the top to ce the crystals.


    Below was a liquid outlet.


    She put the Level 2 crystal inside the device and ced an empty ss under the outlet.


    When she turned on the device, a blue light blinked. In less than two seconds, <b>colorless </b>Evoloid filled the


    cup.


    She picked up the cup and cautiously sniffed its contents. Then, she divided it in half and drank one half. It didn¡¯t taste as strange as she imagined. It even carried a hint of subtle sweetness.


    After that, she tried to <b>activate </b>her ability.


    With a whoosh, a pot of roses decorating the bunker rapidly sprouted. The stems visibly thickened, and the prickles embedded in the stems sharpened. Lastly, a cluster of roses bloomed.


    In the blink of an eye, the pot of roses, whose flowering season had passed, grew again.


    Her eyes shone with excitement.


    Before this, she could only push a single branch¡¯s growth with her ability. She would feel drained for a long time after using her ability.


    She had been researching ways to improve <i>her </i>ability.


    She realized that usage or practice couldn¡¯t help her progress to a new level.


    Instead, breakthroughs only happened after consuming a lot of meat or experiencing an adrenaline rush like Kyle did earlier.


    272


    <b>Chap </b>

 Kept Woman 58

    <b>ter </b>58 Dinner


    Chapter 58 Dinner


    After Theresa drank the Evoloid, she could easily mature the roses with a flick of the wrist and manipte the vines to attack at her will. Moreover, using her ability didn¡¯t drain her energy.


    She faced the bathroom and tried her water¨Cbased ability.


    Now, she could manipte water and wood.


    Ssh


    A wall of water sprang up from the floor and hit the ceiling. The water she could control was more than double what Kyle could.


    The force even sted a dent in the wall.


    Had the bunker not been built in the woods but in a city, the force would¡¯ve pierced through the wall


    The explosive power of her ability amazed her.


    She looked down at her hands in delight.


    <i>If </i>I¡¯m not mistaken, only <i>the </i>ability users who have been through the harsh world for years are as strong as I am, and <i>I </i>have only drunk <i>half </i>a cup of the Evoloid extracted from a Level 2 crystal.


    Realization struck her. That¡¯s it! The ability users need the gleamstones to improve themselves!


    In her past life, the ability users didn¡¯t ovee <b>many </b>changes in the first few years of the apocalypse. After humanity established and systematized the survival camps, gleamstones were used as currency <b>daily</b>. Then, the ability users finally noticed the improvement in their abilities.


    At that time, the researchers in the camps discovered the use of gleamstones. They developed them into <b>the </b>Evoloid and sold them to the ability users to enhance their power.


    However, as far as she remembered, the ability users suffered from significant side effects.


    The faster the users improved their power, the more serious the side effects became.


    Some became irritable or mentally unstable, and some even lost control of their abilities. Those who were driven mad would kill people and eventually feed on the corpses like zombies.


    She suspected the Evoloid concocted by the camps wasn¡¯t free from contaminants.


    Undergoing the enhancement led to the umtion of toxins. It took its toll once arge amount <b>had </b>been umted.


    Theresa had gradually figured out the pros and <b>cons </b>of the abilities.


    Exiting the bathroom, she admired the extractor before storing it in her domain. It¡¯s my lucky day! It can fully extract energy from the crystal without contaminating it. The survivors will be shocked to learn such a device


    exists!


    She drank half of the remaining Evoloid and took the rest before leaving her room


    <b>172 </b>


    Chapter 38 Dinner


    Outside, Kyle had finished making dinner. He was bringing the sour pickler fish to the dining table


    The dish was aromatic. The smell alone made her mouth water.


    Have some water, Kyle. She handed him a ss of water.


    He finished the water in one gulp without even looking at the ss.


    A momentter, his eyes lit up with pleasant surprise. It tastes sweeter than usual.


    ¡°It¡¯s sweet, hemented.


    ¡°After all, it¡¯s from me. She brushed him off and slid onto the chair, waiting for dinner to be served.


    Shaking his head with a chuckle, he pushed the sour pickled fish toward her, joining the roasted chicken on the table.


    A meal consisting of protein was nutritious and delicious.


    They each took one side of the table and had their dinner.


    The dogs devoured food from their food bowls.


    Everyone ate with enthusiasm.


    At that moment, Kyle felt his life would be happier if his friends had chosen to stay with him. Theresa is <i>worthy </i><i>of </i>my trust. Staying with her is not a bad choice at all.


    back. The group finished everyst bite. He volunteered to do the dishes while she entertained the dogs. After that<b>, </b>she inventoried the supplies they had brought


    Other than what she stored in her domain, she needed to check a full delivery truck and the tank truck, which Kyle risked his life to bring back.


    She parked the tank truck as a backup vehicle on the bunker¡¯s side. Then, she unloaded the packages from the delivery truck. She had no idea what awaited her.


    The truck carried 500 packages scheduled for next¨Cday delivery from a famous online shopping tform. Their quality was surprisingly good.


    After unwrapping many packages from different trucks, she noticed some patterns.


    For example, she usually found useless, misceneous items or edible things like cheap snacks on trucks that deliver many packages. The other trucks delivered pricier items like brand¨Cnameptops, smartphones, cosmetics, and higher¨C<b>quality </b><i>food</i>.


    That day, she found imported choctes, canned fruits, a whole cured pork leg worth thousands before the apocalypse, loads of mixed nuts snack packs, instant noodles, and snacks from top brands,


    About <b>a </b>fifth of the food was expired, and she threw it away.

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    Chapter 59 Significant Improvement


    Chapter 59 Significant Improvement.


    The rest of the packages consisted of clothing from designer brands and houseware. Theresa gave Kyle menswear and had <b>him </b>store the rest.


    She even found a decorative katana with an unsharpened de among the pile of delivery <b>packages </b>


    She unsheathed the <b>katana</b>..


    The cold gleam of the de dazzled her.


    Gripping the katana with both <b>hands</b>, she swung it in the air. The swift motion created an intimidating whoosh.


    It was a magnificent weapon specialized in mid¨Crangebat that inflicted sh and thrust attacks


    After putting the supplies away in the bunker, Kyle returned to <b>find </b>Theresa testing the katana. He eximed. That¡¯s a fine de!¡±


    She nced at him. ¡°Can you sharpen it?¡±


    ¡°I can try!¡± He strode over to her and answered carnestly.


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± She handed it to him for sharpening.


    She had almost finished unboxing the deliveries. Since there was still time before sleep, she suggested that Kyle reinforce his ce.


    They reinforced his cabin with the building materials she redeemed from the System Store.


    They built a new room with the excess material.


    As a result, the <b>bunker¡¯s </b>overall defense significantly improved.


    Satisfied with the result, she nned to focus on redeeming building materials to upgrade the bunker. When she woke up the next morning, she exited her room to discover Kyle sharpening the de outside. The de swished against the grindstone.


    After he slid the katana over the grindstone, he quenched the de with water. He repeated the process <b>to </b>sharpen it.


    He generated the water from his ability. He didn¡¯t need to leave the bunker to search for water.


    Finally, he brushed the de against the grindstone for thest time and quenched it with water.


    The smooth surface of the de reflected a sinister re.


    His hard work yielded the ideal result.


    Gripping the katana¡¯s handle, he swung it with a whoosh.


    Chapter 50 Significant Improvement


    Next, the Impact chopped a log into several pleces, each cross¨Csertion perfectly smooth


    She imagined the katana to y zombies like a hot knife through butter.


    ¡°That was fast!¡± she reinarked.


    He sheathed the <b>katana </b>and handed it to her. ¡°Theresa, it¡¯s a good katana. It¡¯s resilient and durable


    Well done,¡± she praised him. ¡°I¡¯ll keep in mind to find a simr one for you¡±


    ¡°No need. I prefer what I have been using.¡± He declined her offer.


    He preferred the gear he had previously found, though he was out of ammo and his firearms were unusable, leaving him only with abat knife.


    However, he believed he could depend on his <b>water</b>¨Cbased ability.


    He raised his hand, and a water pir soared out of nowhere with a whoosh.


    It was more powerful than yesterday¡¯s attempt.


    ¡°Theresa, there¡¯s something I need to tell you. I noticed my ability had gotten stronger since this morning. he reported his discovery.


    She nodded in satisfaction after witnessing his disy of ability.


    I have no doubt about that. After all, you had drunk the Evoloid. From now on, I need to save some crystals to redeem points and some to develop the Evoloid. We¡¯ll make incredible progress with a daily dose.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hunt some zombies!¡± Motivated, she took Kyle out.


    Ten days flew by.


    Over the past ten days, they expanded their territory during the day and redeemed building materials with the reward they earned in the morning to reinforce the bunker at night.


    She also divided the crystals they collected in half. She fed one half to the system while the other half was used to develop the Evoloid <b>that </b>boosted their abilities.


    They hadn¡¯t encountered any mutant zombies.


    It was the least densely popted in the suburbs, resulting in a small number of zombies. Fewer of them produced crystals


    She had gone from the suburbs to the city outskirts to kill the zombies.


    Yet, she only collected a little over thirty crystals.


    The product created from the gleamstones significantly boosted their abilities despite their small number.


    Their strength skyrocketed.


    Meanwhile, she had strengthened the surroundings of her bunker with the construction materials she redeemed from the System Store.


    Chapter 39 nificant Improvement


    Hy now it had undergone a transformative change.


    Since its defense was tenfold, she wouldn¡¯t worry about losing ground to a tank gun


    She noticed a wide range of equipment was on sale.


    <b>She </b>was overjoyed to find the special store offering protective vests for dogs. Without hesitation, she bought a set of the specially made vests for each of her sixteen dogs, although each set cost a hundred <b>points</b>.


    <b>4 </b>

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    Chapter <b>60 </b>Food Processing Mant


    Chapter <b>60 </b>Food Processing nt


    Equipping the dogs is a no¨Cbrainer!


    The store also offered a defense system, a radar system, and a multifunctional unmanned aerial vehi?le


    The radar system functioned as its name suggested. The unmanned aerial vehicle was used for reconnaissance <b>and </b>attacking targets.


    The system operated multiple vehicles to patrol the bunker. Once an intrurler was detected, it would notify Theresa, who could decide whether to engage the target from afar.


    These drones patrolled for <b>eight </b>hours at a time. Multiple batches would be readily rotated to maintain 24¨Chour surveince of the base.


    It was essential in any camp.


    However, it cost 100,000 points, and she couldn¡¯t afford it.


    She only umted 30,000 points in the past ten days. Thus, she could <b>only </b>add it to her wishlist mentally. <i>I </i>have decided! My next goal is to get these drones!


    She had ten days to meet the target. After that, it would disappear.


    She did some quick calctions. Expanding the territory and killing the zombies earn me about 3,000 points daily. The territory expansion isn¡¯t as effective as killing zombies. The problem is, <i>I </i>have wiped out the zombies in the nearby area. I must travel to somewhere with a dense poption to kill zombies.


    She essed the digital map to <b>find </b>a popted area in the suburbs.


    Arge food processing nt in the city¡¯s outer part caught her attention.


    <i>A </i>factory! The words rang in her mind. It¡¯s thergest food processing nt in Ansford and has tens of thousands of employees. A zombie gleamstone can be exchanged for 100 points. It would <i>be </i>enough <i>if </i>I found 1000 zombie gleamstones among the employees who had turned into zombies.


    ¡°Kyle, let¡¯s head to the factory,¡± she informed Kyle as she emerged from the bunker.


    ¡°All right¡± He immediately left his work and headed out with her, showing her absolute obedience by bing a paragon of a hard worker.


    Summer <b>and </b>a few war dogs stayed behind to guard the bunker. Then, the pair and eight dogs hopped on the armored car toward the food processing <b>nt</b>.


    It was a long journey. Fortunately, Theresa had recovered the surrounding areas as her territory. They traveled smoothly and arrived at the processing nt in 90 minutes.


    Due to its location in a remote, sparsely popted part of the city, the factory was surrounded by farnd on all sides. It operated <b>as </b>a self¨Ccontained facility; its workers worked and lived on¨Csite. They only visited the city during their free time.


    When the group arrived, the factory was eerily quiet. Abandoned vehicles were scattered on the roads. A bus had plunged into the field. Its door was hung open, <b>revealing </b>its bloodstained interior, but no corpses¡±


    O


    Chapter 60 Food Processing nt


    remained inside


    It was easy to linagine the chaos when disaster struck. One of the passengers must have turned into zombie. The <b>situation </b>distracted the driver and caused the bus to plunge into the held. In the <b>parle </b>driver opened the door to drop off the passengers.


    <b>Then</b>, terrified people fled in different directions while the zombies chased after them. It was <b>utter </b>chaos


    However, the factory gates remained tightly shut.


    When Theresa¡¯s vehicle pulled up to the gates, there was still no movement in the factory.


    <b>Even </b>the security booth was empty.


    Was it an off day when the apocalypse struck? It doesn¡¯t make sense. Even if the workers were on break that <i>day</i>, the other workers would have stayed behind instead of going to the city. The processing nt provided dormitories to its workers. If some took turns to go on off days, there would still be many people inside. It should <i>be </i>hit the hardest. Zombies should run rampant in thepound.


    She asked Kyle to hit the elerator. The armored car knocked the gates down and entered the vast factory grounds.


    Soon, a massive hybrid building came into view.


    It was divided into dormitories, a cafeteria<b>, </b>workshops, <b>and </b>administrative offices.


    They parked the car outside the dormitory building<b>. </b>


    ¡°Let¡¯s hunt some zombies!¡°.


    ¡°Oh yes!¡±


    They exited <b>the </b>car.


    The team, <b>consisting </b>of two people and eight dogs, stood before the factory dormitory. <i>Let¡¯s </i>start from the


    easiest route.


    ¡°Lucky and <b>Cash</b>, guard the entrance. Bark to report any unusual activity. Ace, Snowy and Spot, you¡¯re with me. The rest goes with Kyle!¡±


    Barking in unison, the dogs quickly split into three teams.


    Two dogs stayed guard outside the dormitory while Theresa and Kyle each took three dogs.


    A row of turnstiles blocked the wide¨Copen dormitory entrance. Normally, one needed a digital card to enter or exit the dormitory, but now, no electric power was supplied to the automatic turnstiles. Besides, she didn¡¯t have the digital card to ess the dormitory if they were functioning.


    The pair had to climb over.


    They took positions <b>on </b>either side, carefully scanning their surroundings before climbing over the turnstiles.


    The corridor stretched ahead was deathly quiet. The doors in their sight were tightly shut.


    12:51 TAB Aug


    Chapter 60 Food Processing nt


    Theresa tossed an object ahead, whichnded on the ground with a thad


    Instantly, there was a stir behind every closed door, but the hallway remained cerity quier

 Kept Woman 61

    Chapter 61 Zomble porn Sween.


    Chapter 61 Zombie Dorm <b>Sweep </b>


    Cwod-


    ¡°<b>Awooo- </b>


    Theresa waited cautiously in ce for three minutes. Good¨Cevery zombie was locked inside a room)


    There were no stragglers roaming the halls.


    Once she confirmed the <b>area </b>was secure, she and Kyle busted open the first room.


    It was time to start the kill.


    This way, they wouldn¡¯t get ambushed from behind by any zombies wandering in from outside.


    Boom!


    Theresa kicked the door open.


    A wave of putrid, gag¨Cinducing stench burst out from the room.


    Four or five female zombies lunged toward the open door, drawn by the scent of fresh human flesh and freedom. They hadn¡¯t seen food in far too long.


    Their eyes gleamed with bloodthirsty madness, Cloudy, gray pupils gave them a terrifying look. Their rotting mouths, crawling with maggots, gnashed and hissed, ready to tear and devour anything alive.


    St!


    Swish! Swish! Swish!


    A sharp katana shed through the air¨C<b>what </b>greeted them wasn¡¯t salvation, but cold steel and high- pressure water jets.


    Three zombies were instantly decapitated. The remaining two were torn through by concentrated water sts.


    As the five bodies <b>hit </b>the ground, the dogs rushed in. Giant ws scooped through the zombies¡® skulls, retrieving two gleamstones the size of sunflower seeds for Theresa.


    ¡°Good job.


    Theresa patted the dogs heads encouragingly while surveying the dorm room.


    It <b>had </b>a private bathroom and four bunk beds, each neatly made with bedding.


    She quickly drew some conclusions¨Cthis building must¡¯ve been a standard employee dorm with eight people per room and a shared bathroom. Since there were only five <b>zombies</b>, likely half of the room¡¯s residents had been working a night shift.


    Chapter 11 Zomble Dorm Sweet


    Alb¡ª<b>this </b>was the <b>wonten </b>donn


    After clearing a second room with Kyle and confirming her suspicions. Theresa grew familiar with theyout of the building. They split up¨CTheresa took the left side, <b>Kyle </b>the right and began systernarily breaching doors and killing zombies.


    Boom!


    Roar!


    As soon as Theresa busted down a door, the katana¡¯s icy de gleamed.


    This katana, freshly sharpened by Kyle, cut through zombies like they were watermelons. Thanks to the system. Theresa¡¯s strength and speed were enhanced to the human limit. With a razor¨Csharp katana int hand, her attacks were swift and lethal.


    The zombies couldn¡¯t even get close to her¨Cthey lost their heads before touching her clothing.


    The three dogs provided backup, leaping in to finish off any survivors and dig out the gleamstones.


    They cleared one room every three minutes.


    In thirty minutes, she and Kyle had wiped out the entire first floor. They repeated the process, floor by floor, until they¡¯d cleared all five upper levels.


    By noon, they¡¯d finished the entire dorm building.


    Not a single human survivor¨Cjust zombies. Altogether, they had killed over 1,000 of them.


    They collected more than 300 gleamstones.


    Two more dorms remained.


    Theresa stuck with the same method. She and Kyle worked side by side, clearing a building, taking short breaks between each one. At one point, they rested in the armored car and had a quick lunch of heated rice balls to refuel.


    By dusk, they had sessfully cleared all three zombie¨Cfilled dormitories near the factory.


    They took down more <b>than </b>3,500 zombies and secured exactly 1,000 zombie gleamstones.


    As the sky darkened, Theresa¡¯s expression grew serious. In the apocalypse, nighttime was far more dangerous than daylight.


    Daylight suppressed zombie activity, slowing their movements. <b>But </b>at night, zombies grew exponentially stronger and faster.


    Even someone as experienced as Theresa never risked a night operation.


    Besides, she had enough gleamstones now¨Cshe could finally trade for the multifunctional unmanned aerial vehicle system.


    Chapter 61 Zombie Dorm Sweep


    ¡°We¡¯re heading back. We¡¯ll return tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Theresa, Kyle, and the dogs piled into the vehicle and started to leave.


    Just then, a voice crackled over a loudspeaker.


    ¡°Help! Please help us!¡±


    On the rooftop of the factory¡¯s main building, a group of twenty to thirty people waved desperately. calling out to them. A huge makeshift banner <b>made </b>of stitched¨Ctogether clothing was clearly visible.


    Kyle turned to Theresa, urgency <b>in </b>his voice. ¡°Theresa! Survivors! Do we help them?¡±


    Theresa nced over the rooftop crowd. Twenty to thirty young adults, male and fernale, all between their early twenties and forties. No elderly. No children.


    A solid group of able¨Cbodiedborers.


    Now that Theresa was nning to build up her own territory, she viewed poption through the eyes of a <b>leader</b>.


    From that perspective, people weren¡¯t measured by morality, but by productivity. Everyone was a potentialbor unit¨Cthe foundation of any functional society.

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    Chapter 62 No One Gets Out Alive


    Chapter 62 No One Gets Out Alive


    Every person added <b>value </b>in the camp.


    And right now, Theresa was looking at a group of prime working¨Cage survivors¨Cexactly the kind of able- bodiedbor the camp needed<b>. </b>


    But not tonight.


    ¡°We¡¯re not helping them. Theresa said tly<i>, </i>


    The sun was already setting. Even if they did want to take in these survivors, it would have to wait until tomorrow. For now, they needed to fall back.


    As soon as she spoke, Kyle hit the gas, driving them away without hesitation.


    He was like a machine. Whatever Theresa said, he executed without question. Total loyalty. Total obedience.


    But up on the rooftop, the people watching Theresa¡¯s vehicle panicked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t leave us!¡±


    Their screams echoed in the dying light¨Cand attracted the zombies trapped below.


    A low, heavy pounding came from behind the massive metal doors <b>of </b>the food processing nt.


    Those people had been trapped on the rooftop for weeks. Thankfully, being in a food nt meant they had plenty of supplies. When they first took shelter up there, they¡¯d hauled up whatever they could carry and had been barely hanging on since.


    But now, just on the other side of the warehouse doors, hundreds of ravenous zombies were wing and <b>banging </b>with feral intensity. A month of confinement had driven them to madness. The <b>chains </b>on the door were barely holding.


    Up until now, the rooftop survivors <b>had </b>kept quiet, hiding in corners and trying to minimize their presence.


    But once they spotted people in the factory¨Creal, living people¨Ctheir hope was reignited. And when they saw Theresa¡¯s vehicle preparing to leave, panic took over. They shouted. Pleaded. Screamed.


    And were rejected.


    ¡°They¡¯re noting to help us?¡± a woman cried out, turning to a heavyset man beside her. ¡°Mr. Easton<b>, </b>what do <b>we </b>do now?!¡±


    The man was Dane Easton. Before the apocalypse, he <b>had </b>been a <b>low</b>¨Clevel security supervisor at the factory. But after the outbreak when he and a group of survivors made it to the roof, his size and background let him take charge. Then he awakened to a special ability, and his control over the group became absolute.


    12:52 FAB Aug


    Chapter 62 No One Gets Out Alive


    Everyone answered to him.


    He hadn¡¯t nned on leaving. If they hadn¡¯t been running low on food, he wouldn¡¯t have even asked for help. <b>But </b>now? Now they were desperate. <b>And </b>these people had the audacity to refuse him!


    ¡°They won¡¯t save us?¡± Dane¡¯s face twisted in rage. ¡°Then they¡¯re not leaving either


    He pulled out a remote¨Ca small, crude device with a single button. His beady eyes gleamed with green light as he pressed his thumb down.


    ¡°Mr. Easton, don¡¯t!¡± A wiry man nearby lunged for him. ¡°If you open the gates, we¡¯re all dead


    Smack! Dane backhanded him like swatting a fly, grabbed him by the cor, and lifted him off the ground.


    ¡°If I die, we all <b>die</b>! Right?!¡±


    The rest of the group shouted in agreement.


    ¡°They refused to save us¨Cthey deserve to die!¡±


    ¡°Kill them!¡±


    ¡°If we die, they die too!¡±


    Satisfied, Dane hurled the man off the rooftop, hurling the only voice of dissent to his death.


    Then he pressed the button.


    The factory gates creaked open.


    And chaos erupted.


    ¡°Raaaghhhh-¡±


    ¡°Hsssshhkk-¡±


    The man <b>who </b>had been thrown off the rooftop crashed to the ground right in front of the factory¡¯s main


    entrance.


    And the moment the gates swung open, a torrent of zombies flooded out and swarmed him instantly. This time, they were far too hungry¨Cstarved beyond reason.


    To them, he wasn¡¯t a fellow human, or even a potential new zombie.


    He was just food.


    Before his body had a <b>chance </b>to mutate, the horde tore into him, devouring himplete! leaving nothing but a pile of gleaming bones.


    Hunger


    Hunger!


    <b>2/3 </b>


    Chapter 62 No One Gets Out Alive


    Still starving!


    Must rat!


    ¡°Aaaagh-


    The scream was cut short¨Csmothered beneath the weight of teeth, ws, and desperation.


    From the rooftop, the others watched with wide eyes. Horrified¨Cbut thrilled.


    Yes, their faces said. This is what they deserve,


    Dane crouched down, ring at the departing vehicle.


    His fingers scraped against the rooftop¡¯s edge as his eyes locked onto Theresa¡¯s car. When it reached the closest point to the building, he struck.


    You¡¯re not getting away.¡±


    Boom!


    Beneath Theresa¡¯s armored vehicle, the ground buckled violently. The whole car lurched as if it had been kicked from below.


    Beep Beep-


    The dashboard screamed alerts. The armored car¡¯s system detected a sudden obstruction¨Csomething had risen beneath the vehicle and lodged itself right into its undercarriage.


    An earth¨Cbased ability.


    The power was weak, but well¨C<b>timed</b>. A mound of dirt had surged up, perfectly wedging the vehicle in ce.


    And in Theresa¡¯s view, the situation worsened.


    Zombies.


    Everywhere.


    Pouring in from all directions¨Cfrom the cafeteria, from the various nt workshops, from the administration building. An unstoppable flood of death closing in.

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    Chapter 63 No Mercy


    Most of the zombies were still dressed in factory uniforms, frozen in the postures of their former jobs. They poured out from <b>all </b>directions, creating a chaotic swarm that oddly resembled a bustling pre- apocalypse factory <b>shift</b>.


    <b>That </b>was, if one could ignore their grotesque, rotting faces¨Cinfested with maggots, swarmed by flies, and barely human anymore.


    <b>This </b>factory had officially be a factory for the dead.


    ¡°Hahaha! You hillbillies probably didn¡¯t know I¡¯m an ability user, huh?¡± Dane cackled from the rooftop, watching as <b>a </b>wave of zombies surrounded the armored vehicle below.


    That¡¯s what you get for refusing to save us and running off alone! Die, all of you!


    That¡¯s right! They abandoned us¨Cthey deserve to die!¡± another voice chimed in, eyes burning with hatred.


    If they had no hope, then no one else deserved to survive either.


    Everyone on the rooftop eagerly watched as the two survivors were trapped by the zombie horde, waiting for their vehicle to be torn apart.


    Then, with a sudden boom, a loud explosion echoed across the factory grounds.


    A cannon barrel rose from


    from the top of the armored vehicle that had been engulfed in the swarm


    §£§à§à§Þ ¨C


    mes erupted from the cannon, instantly incinerating the zombies clinging to the vehicle¡¯s roof.


    As more zombies tried to climb aboard, sharp spikes shot out from the vehicle¡¯s exterior, <b>impaling </b><b>anything </b><b>that </b>got too <b>close</b>.


    With a deep rumble, the armored vehicle¡¯s engine roared to life again. The high¨Ctechbat vehicle, a reward from the system, began lifting itself higher off the ground, easily clearing the small mound that had blocked its path.


    <b>Theresa </b>floored the gas pedal, sting the vehicle out of the zombie pile¨Cand instead of fleeing the factory, she turned toward the main factory building.


    In <b>the </b>eyes of those in <b>power</b>, morality didn¡¯t exist. People weren¡¯t ¡°good¡± or ¡°bad.¡± People simply didn¡¯t


    maller.


    Theresa didn¡¯t <b>save </b>people to feel noble¨Cand she wouldn¡¯t feel guilty about killing them either.


    If they had waited quietly and epted her rescue, she would¡¯ve weed them into her carr survivors. But since they chose frickery <b>and </b>maniption?


    orderly


    They could die.


    Theresa mmed the elerator, driving the armored vehicle <b>straight </b>to the base of the factory building


    Chapter 63 No Mercy


    where the others were holed up.


    She retracted the cannon, allowing the zombies to swarmi onto the vehicle, then raised adder from the rool.


    The people on the rooftop, once gleeful at the sight of Theresa surrounded by zombies, were no longerughing.


    Earlier, when they saw the two being swarmed by zombies, all they felt was a rush of satisfaction.


    Serves them right for not helping us. If they die, so be it!


    Hurry up and die!


    <i>Die </i>before us¨Cdie right in front of our eyes!


    But now, the zombies they¡¯d unleashed were crawling up her vehicle <b>and </b>toward them.


    Terror gripped them like a vice.


    They had awoken a demon¨Cand Theresa always settled her scores immediately.


    Now, it was time to repay the debt.


    The zombies swarmed up thedder she had deployed, scaling the rooftop.


    The first one <b>to </b>reach the top lunged straight at them.


    They fought it off, but more wereing¨Cfast and in numbers.


    <b>Panicked</b>, they scrambled, slipping and crawling, but there was nowhere to go.


    Behind them, the factory doors teemed with the undead.


    In front of them, only a sheer drop into the darkness below.


    There was


    nowhere left to run.


    The rooftop was quickly overrun. Dane, seeing the horde closing in, grabbed a few others to use as human shields.


    He sprinted to the edge of the rooftop and activated his ability, forcing the ground below to rise. His power was weak, but in desperate moments, he could still squeeze out a burst. A small mound pushed up from the earth¨Cjust enough, Dane thought, to make the jump.


    In the surveince feed, Theresa coolly watched his every move. As he leapt, she called outzily. ¡°Kyle.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    A high¨Cpressure water jet¨C<b>dozens </b>of times more powerful than Dane¡¯s ability¨Csted the dirt mound to rubble.


    Dane, <b>midair</b><b>, </b>had no ce to <bnd</b>.


    <b>2/3 </b>


    Chapter 63 No Mercy


    Theresa gave her armored car a sharp shake and drove it out of the swarm. The <b>sun </b>was setting¨Czombies became more aggressive at dusk¨Cso she left the factory grounds.


    As she did, she spotted another group of survivors huddled on a nearby factory rooftop.


    They had been watching all along.


    Now, likembs before the ughter, they cowered in silence, trembling as they processed what had just happened.


    Theresa turned her gaze away and waved her hand.


    ¡°Kyle, we¡¯re done here. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Once they were gone, the rooftop survivors rushed to the edge, staring after the departing vehicle.


    ¡°They¡¯re gone.¡±


    ¡°They really left.¡±


    The group¡¯s leader, a middle¨Caged man, <b>finally </b>shook off his shock.


    ¡°They¡¯ve got abilities¨Cstrong ones. A hundred times stronger than Dane¡¯s¡­ They¡¯re monsters.¡±

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    Chapter 64 The Horde at Sundown


    Everyone fell silent at his words, a somber weight settling over them.


    This wasn¡¯t a rescue team bound by duty to risk their lives for others. Nor were they people to be provoked or taken lightly.


    They were powerful.


    Equipped with top¨Ctier gear, these elite ability users could sweep through zombie¨Cinfested factories with


    case.


    They were the kind of people the rest could only look up to from afar.


    Thankfully, none of them had called for help earlier¨Cmuch less resorted to sabotage like Dane¡¯s <b>group </b><b>had </b>after their own failed attempt.


    That group had all died here.


    But now¡­


    Their eyes turned to the swarm of zombies Dane had unleashed earlier, hoping to slow down Theresa.


    The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the factory grounds, where zombies now roamed everyer.


    As night deepened, the creatures became more active. Sensing the presence of the living in the building. they howled and surged toward it.


    They stretched out their arms, wing at the walls, desperately trying to climb up.


    Soon, the factory building waspletely surroundedyer uponyer of undead. Not a single inch of space remained.


    Leo Grant noticed several zombies moving much faster than the rest, their agility far beyond the norm. Climbing over their fellow corpses, they made a break for the rooftop.


    Luckily, <b>the </b>building stood over 30 feet tall, with smooth walls and no obvious footholds. Unlike Dane¡¯s group, they <b>hadn¡¯t </b>made the fatal mistake of drawing the horde straight to them.


    For now, the rooftop felt rtively safe.


    The zombies couldn¡¯t climb this high¨Cyet.


    Just then, Leo¡¯s wife, Wendy <b>Faye</b>, pudged him. ¡°Honey, look over there¡­¡±


    Her voice trembled.


    Leo followed her gaze. There, at the <b>spot </b>where Dane <b>had </b>jumped and fallen to his death.


    moved.


    A zombie, gutted and <b>with </b><b>half </b>its face missing, staggered to its feet..


    thing


    12:52 Fri <b>8 </b><b>AU </b>


    Chapter 64 The Horde at Sundown


    After plunging from the rooftop, Dane hadn¡¯t died immediately. He¡¯d been swarmed by starving zombies <b>and </b>torn apart.


    But thanks to his strong build, he turned into a zomble before beingpletely devoured


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    Dane let out a piercing shriek. He scanned the area, spotting the survivors on the rooftop across the way


    Without hesitation, he sprinted toward them.


    In a <b>sh</b><b>, </b>he reached the factory wall and shoved aside the struggling zombies still failing to climb. Then, with a roar, he summoned a massive dirt mound¨Cover 10 feet high¨Cbeneath his feet.


    The surrounding zombies swarmed toward <b>the </b>new foothold, climbing rapidly.


    Now they had a way up.


    On the rooftop, the survivors stood frozen in terror.


    ¡°Honey! What do we do?!¡±


    Meanwhile, Theresa and Kyle returned safely to their camp with their dogs.


    As they left the factory, a few zombies gave <b>chase</b>, but were left behind after a few hundred yards.


    Theresa never let


    up


    the gas. Even when they ran over a few zombies, she didn¡¯t stop to check for


    gleamstones.


    It was getting <bte</b>.


    The drive from the factory <b>to </b>their camp took about an hour and a half. By the time they pulled into the gates, it was already dark.


    She didn¡¯t allow herself to rx¨Cnot even a little¨Cuntil they were safely inside their perimeter.


    At 7:30 p.m., they arrived <b>back </b>at camp.


    As usual, the first order of business was a shower for both of them. Kyle started preparing dinner while Theresa headed to the bunker to tally up their loot.


    They had collected a total of 1,148 zombie gleamstones that day.


    All of them were Level 1.


    Zombie gleamstones <i>ca </i>


    in different tiers.


    <b>Level </b>Iglesiones were <i>the </i>


    e mostmon.


    On average, one


    in every three zombies wr


    produce <b>one </b>


    in its brain.


    Level 1 zombies weren¡¯t particrly powerful¨Cjust noticeably stronger than the most basic kind. For example, the first mutant zombie Theresa had killed in the vi had been a Level 1.


    Chapter 64 The Horde at Sundown


    These zombies were faster and more agile <b>than </b>regr ones, but still kible.


    An ordinary person with some <b>basic </bbat skills could usually take one down.


    But the gap between Level 1 and Level 2 was enormous. Level 2 zombies possessed strength and speed far beyond that of even a fit adult. It often took several average people working together to bring <b>one </b><b>down</b>.


    Level 2 gleamstones were about the size of a quail egg-


    Level 3 zombies, on the other hand, <b>were </bpletely out of reach for regr humans¨Cthey were opponents meant for ability users.


    Their gleamstones could grow to the size of a goose egg.


    The emergence of Level 2 and Level 3 zombies wasn¡¯t random. One of the key conditions for their evolution was cannibalism¨Cconsuming other zombies.


    The Level 2 zombie Theresa had defeated on the highway, for instance, had most likely gained its strength by devouring its own kind.

 Kept Woman 65

    Chapter 65 Skywatch


    Back then, the entire stretch of highway had been eerily quiet¨Caside from the gas station, there were hardly any zombies in sight.


    It was almost certain that the Level 3 zombie had lured the others there to feed on them.


    The second factor? Evolution through abilities.


    Zombies could develop abilities, too,


    And once they did, their power level would skyrocket.


    In her past life, Theresa <b>had </b>heard of the most powerful zombie king in the Eastern region¨Ca Level 8 zombie with multiple <b>abilities</b>.


    Rumor had it, he had at least three distinct powers.


    He ruled the bordends between Ansford, Branford, and Crestmont.


    Of course, she had only ever heard about him. She¡¯d never seen him.


    She hadn¡¯t earned the right,


    In herst life. Theresa had been just an ordinary person¨Cnowhere near qualified for high¨Clevelbat zones. She had always yed it safe, only taking on missions she could surelyplete.


    She refused to gamble with her life.


    That was why, despite how powerful <b>other </b>ability users were, few ever ousted her.


    Theresa was steady. Rock steady.


    Never reckless. Never foolish.


    Back to the matter at hand¨Cat <b>this </b>stage of the outbreak, most zombies were still Level 1


    Higher¨Clevel zombies were extremely rare. The Level 3 zombie Theresa had killedst time was already a one¨C<b>in</b><b>¨C</b><b>a</b>¨Cmillion <b>threat</b>.


    She nced over her haul: more than 1,100 zombie gleamstones. She exchanged 1,000 of them for points, setting the remaining 100 aside for extracting Evoloid.


    Each Level I gleamstone was worth 100 points, and she was eligible for a reward pack.


    Ding! Congrattions! You¡¯ve earned 100,400 points!


    Adding <b>that </b>to the 30,000 points she already had, she was now approaching a total of 140,000. Theresa rubbed her hands together, practically vibrating with excitement. She had enough!


    She rushed to the limited¨Ctime offer window and selected the multifunctional unmanned aerial vehicle system


    Chapter 65 Skywatch


    Then, she hit ¡°redeem.¡±


    Ding! Congrattions! You¡¯ve acquired the multifunctional unmanned aerial vehicle system!


    Moments <bter</b>, a sleek, high¨Ctech piece of military¨Cgrade equipment materialized in front of her.


    Her camp immediately began to shift.


    At that moment, the raised tower section on the second floor of Theresa¡¯s camp expandled again, pushing back into the hillside with <b>a </b>footprint nearly half the size of her bunker,


    A retractable skylight now sat above the room.


    At its center stood a massive control console, positioned right behind Theresa¡¯s crossbow setup.


    Twenty¨Cfourpact military unmanned aerial vehicles were neatly arrayed on the central tform.


    These UAVs werepact¨Conly slightlyrger than themercial ones sold on the market¨Cbut their power was nothing like the hobby¨Cgrade models.


    They were standard military¨Cgrade multifunctional UAVs, built for serious ground control¨Cpowerful enough to destroy a main battle tank.


    If deployed <b>in </b>an offensive strike, just a few waves of UAV air raids would be enough to give any enemy¡¯s air defense a massive headache.


    For one, these aircraft were incredibly small, making them hard to track and prohibitively expensive to take down. The only way to shoot them out of the sky would be with costly anti¨Cair missiles. Even the rtively cheaper shoulder<b>¨C</b><b>fired </b>systems wouldn¡¯t be <b>worth </b>the trade.


    Each missile could cost hundreds of thousands¨Cfiring one just to hit a single UAV was like setting money on fire.


    And that was assuming one <b>could </bnd the shop on the first try.


    Usingrge¨Ccaliber anti¨Caircraft cannons wasn¡¯t much better. If these UAVs flew in tight formation, ground fire wouldn¡¯t be able to intercept all of them. It¡¯d be overkill<b>, </b><b>and </b>stiff not <b>a </b>guaranteed sess.


    The most effective method would normally be electronic interference¨Cforcing the UAVs tond or veer off <b>their </b>intended course.


    But these were no ordinary aircraft.


    This was a reward from the system: a multifunctional unmanned aerial vehicle system. And current electronic jamming technology <b>had </b>no effect on Theresa¡¯s setup.


    Deployed across her territory, the unmanned aerial vehicle system would form an airtight, high¨Cpowered defensework.


    Twenty¨Cfour military¨Cgrade units, each <b>with </b>an eight¨Chour battery life, rotated in three shu¡­ Two aircraft monitored each cardinal direction¨Cnorth, south, east, and west¨Censuring 24¨C<b>hour </b>coverage, nonstop.


    There¡­


    gazed at her camp¡¯s insane new defense system, thrilled beyond words. A full day of zombie <b>hunting</b>? Absolutely worth it.


    Chapter 65 Skywatch


    Then she noticed a shing icon in the system¨C<b>she </b>had something left to <b>im</b>.


    She¡¯d taken down over a thousand zombies and redeemed more than a thousand gleamstones. That <b>also </b>meant she qualified for a reward pack.


    She remembered the system prompt: the next reward pack could be unlocked with just 100 gleamstones


    Calling <b>Cash </b>over, she gave the dog a firm <b>head </b>rubs, leaving him dazed while Summer barked jealously from the side.


    With both dogs in her arms, Theresa opened the reward pack.


    Ding! Congrattions! You¡¯ve received pain relief gel!


    Ding! Congrattions! You¡¯ve received an Emergency Pill!


    Ding! Congrattions! You¡¯ve received 1,000 pounds of fresh <i>beef</i>!


    Ding! Congrattions! You¡¯ve received 100 sr panels!


    Theresa¡¯s eyes went wide. What a haul!

 Kept Woman 66

    Chapter 66 The Reward That Changed Everything


    Chapter 66 The Reward That Changed Everything


    Nice. Very nice. Clean, practical¨Ca solid reward pack. Medicine, supplies, even sr panels.


    Theresa had been burning through her stockpile of fresh meat. Sure, the System Store sold it too, but it <b>was </b>outrageously overpriced. She remembered it clearly¨Cten points per pound of meat. Absolutely not worth i


    And now she¡¯d just been rewarded with 1,000 pounds of fresh beef. That alone made up for the gleamstones she¡¯d spent!


    Even better, there was more after she imed this reward pack.


    A new prompt popped up in the gleamstone redemption section: Unlock one reward pack for every 1,000


    Camstones exchanged.


    Today, Theresa had cashed in over 1,000 gleamstones in one go¨Cand just like <b>that</b>, the next reward pack was triggered.


    Without hesitation, <b>she </b>imed it.


    Ding! You¡¯ve received the mental maniption ability!


    Theresa was stunned when she heard what the reward was.


    The third reward <b>pack </b>in the gleamstone exchange contained just one item.


    But <b>that </b>one item¡­ was an <b>ability</b>,


    Even someone asposed and strategic as Theresa couldn¡¯t help but be floored by this jackpot.


    Mental maniption ability!


    She¡¯d heard of it in her past life. Users with this ability were powerhouses among ability users. Out of every 10,000 ability users, maybe¨Cmaybe¨Cone <b>would </b>have mental maniption ability. They could perceive other users¡® abilities just by looking at them. Their attacks were fueled by mind power. A powerful mental maniption ability user could kill an ordinary person with a nce.


    They were apex predators in the ability world.


    Ding! Ability detected. Would you like to use this ability


    ¡°Yes!¡± she said without a <b>second </b>thought.


    It wasn¡¯t like she was going to give it to someone else.


    As soon as <b>she </b>epted, it felt like her brain had been struck with a hammer.


    Unlike the abilities she had copied before¨Cnt¨Cbased and water¨Cbased¨Cthis one hurt. <b>Badly</b>.


    Her mind wentpletely nk. When the fog finally lifted, she opened her eyes to a whole new world.


    12:52 FM, & AUD


    Chapter 66 The Reward That Changed Everything.


    She looked at her dogs. Each of them was surrounded by a faint red glow. Summer glowed brightest<b>. </b>


    The deeper the red, the more dangerous.


    She could feel it. This glow represented theirbat power.


    Then she looked inward¨Cand saw shimmering light flowing over herself.


    Blue, Green, Abilities. So that¡¯s what abilities look like.


    Finally¨CTheresa had an ability of her own.


    trails of blue and green


    She turned to examine the mountain of rewards she¡¯d scored today.


    Multifunctional unmanned aerial vehicles. <b>Pain </b>relief gel. An Emergency Pill. A thousand pounds of beef. A hundred sr panels.


    Her camp wasing together. The future looked bright.


    Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s build. Let¡¯s win!


    Theresa stepped out of the bunker.


    Outside, Kyle had finished making dinner.


    ¡°Theresa,¡± he said. ¡°I made shredded pork in sweet bean sauce and fried eggs.¡±


    She nodded, motioning him over. ¡°Kyle,e inside a second.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time I showed you something. Something you deserve to know.¡±


    Kyle was confused.


    Theresa took out her <b>phone </b>and tapped a button. Behind her, the top of the bunker slid open, revealing a massive skylight. A fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles soared into the sky.


    ¡°Our camp¡¯s UAVS,¡± she said <b>casually</b>. <b>Just </b>something I whipped up.¡±


    Kyle was shocked.


    He stared at the military¨Cgrade UAVs, speechless.


    Wait¡­ no way. <i>Are </i>those multifunctional unmanned aerial vehicles? Holy. Did she just say she whipped them up? She


    made them?


    Kyle was floored¨Cbut he couldn¡¯t <b>deny </b>it.


    No one sold tech like that on the open market. And those models? He¡¯d never seen anything ke them before.


    If Theresa didn¡¯t make them herself, who did?


    <b>2/3 </b>


    Chapter 66 The Reward That Changed Everything.


    His mind started racing. He thought of the rest <b>of </b>the camp¡¯s high¨Cgrade defenses.


    Not <b>a </b>single one could be replicated by any outside manufacturer.


    Take her armored car, for example¨Ceasily the strongest he¡¯d everid eyes on. No contest.


    He turned to Theresa, utterly <b>in </b>awe.


    Who was this woman<b>? </b>


    There was nothing she couldn¡¯t do


    His respect for her had reached a whole new level.


    There were no words just awe


    The next day.


    A blood¨Cred sun climbed over the horizon


    +5 Free <b>Cons </b>


    Its warm light bathed what remained of a world that had once brimmed with human brilliance <b>and </b>invention


    But now, it was all wreckage¨Cno breakfast shops bustling open at dawn, no joggers, <b>and </b>no street cleaners. No one was rushing to beat the morning traffic in search of a living


    Just silence and survival


    33

 Kept Woman 67

    Chapter 67 No Way Out


    Chapter 67 No Way Out


    The city was nothing but a wastnd, overrun with hordes of zombies and the asional blood¨Ccurdling


    <b>scream </b>


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    On the outskirts, in a massive industrialplex just beyond the city.


    A <b>sharp</b>, piercing screams erupted from the rooftop of a four¨Cstory warehouse building.


    Boom!


    A heavy stainless steel pipe came crashing down on a zombie, sending it hurtling back down the way it


    Came<b>. </b>


    But it <b>was </b>already impossible to hold the line.


    Roar


    Gr¡­


    A <b>massive </b>wave of zombies climbed up a dirt mound piled high just outside the factory, their bodies heaving one over the next.


    After stacking themselves all night¨Cstepping on the corpses of their own¨Cthe undead finally reached the rooftop.


    The first zombie that crested the edge was immediately knocked back down with a swing of a pipe. But right <b>behind </b>it came countless more ws grasping for the ledge.


    Decayed, razor¨Csharp talons dug into the rooftop edge <b>as </b>mangled, gore¨Ccovered heads began to emerge- grotesque, feral, and horrifying.


    They¡¯d been starving too long. Their <b>pale</b>, clouded eyes were streaked with crimson madness from hunger.


    They needed to <b>cat</b>. They needed flesh. They were <b>ravenous</b>,


    Roar!


    Two <b>zombies </b>leaped onto the roof at <b>once</b>.


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Eight or nine men held the front line, swinging metal pipes with every ounce of strength they had, beating back the <b>onught</b>. Behind them, eleven or twelve women had picked up weapons of their ow


    at the ws that clutched the rooftop¡¯s edge.


    There was no <b>way </b>out <b>behind </b>them.


    -hing


    Chapter 67 No Way Out


    They were already on the top floor¨Con the roof.


    The stairwell had long been barricaded.


    Below that? Even more <b>zombies</b>, packed wall to wall.


    There was no retreat.


    But as the seconds ticked by, the defenders began to tire. Their malnourished bodies¨Cstarved and weak for far <b>too </b>long¨Ccouldn¡¯t keep up,


    The zombies didn¡¯t tire. They only multiplied..


    Roar!


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    A piercing scream from behind the front line.


    A male zombie had somehow gotten through and attacked from the rear.


    He wore a brand¨Cnew sneaker on one foot. The other was bare, half his foot gnawed off. The mangled limb dragged behind him, but his speed was terrifyingly fast.


    Heunched himself off the tform, lunging straight for the nearest woman. She was on the ground in a blink, his jaw¨Cmissing several teeth¨Calready descending toward her neck.


    Whack!


    A steel pipe came crashing down from the side, exploding the zombie¡¯s skull with brutal force.


    ¡°Wendy!¡± Leo shouted, dragging her back.


    ¡°Leo!¡± Wendy trembled, clinging to <b>him </b>in feat.


    But more <b>zombies </b>were swarming up behind them. The rooftop was overrun.


    ¡°It¡¯s overrun! Everyone, climb onto the generator!¡±


    Leo hoisted Wendy and scrambled toward the massive industrial generator¨Cthe highest point on the <b>roof</b>.


    Everyone followed, abandoning the fight and making a desperate climb.


    By the time they reached the top, the roof waspletely lost.


    Zombies poured in from all directions, swarming toward the <b>narrow </b>safe zone like a tide. More and more came surging through the breached lines.


    huddle


    The generator stood barely six and a <b>half </b>feet tall, with barely enough space on top for everyo together. They clung to it like a flock of helpless sheep, pressed close, trembling,pletely surrounded by zombies¨Cpacked in tight from every direction. There was nowhere left to run.


    The generator itself trembled under the weight of the surrounding horde.


    Chapter 67 No Way Out


    This was <b>it</b>. They were done for. Totally andpletely doomed.


    <b>And </b><b>then</b>, just when hope had vanished, a thunderous engine roar tore through the factory.


    A rugged armored car burst into view, roaring down the path..


    Everyone froze.


    The armored car crushed stray zombies in its path, then barreled straight for the factory building.


    Boom!


    It smashed into the zombie mound, scattering the entire makeshift ¡°staircase¡± and flinging bodies into the air.


    The undead that <b>had </b>been climbing were knocked flying¨Craining down from the sky like grotesque Then, a high¨Cpressure st of water shot out from the car¡¯s rooftop turret.


    hail


    A man stood at the turret¡¯s opening, channeling the torrent with focused intensity. The water beam tore through the undead in massive waves.


    Zombies clinging to the rooftop¡¯s edge were sted away instantly.


    Then-


    Boom! Boom<i>! </i>Boom!


    378

 Kept Woman 68

    Chapter 68 The Savior Arrives


    mes shot from the top of the armored car.


    A wall of fire. A wave of water. And the armored car itself ramming back and forth through the chaos. Within minutes, the massive horde of zombies <b>was </b>broken apart and ttened.


    Behind the wheel, Theresa grinned. Now that¡¯s home you kill zombies!


    Efficient. Brutal. Satisfying,


    Once the main zombie force was wiped out, the armored car pulled up alongside the warehouse. The door swung open¨Cand out came the dogs.


    Fierce and well¨Ctrained, the dogs wore custom tactical gear protecting their heads and bellies. They tore into the remaining <b>zombies </b>with unrelenting aggression¨Csnapping jaws, shing ws¨Cfinishing off anything still twitching.


    Then the car¡¯s roof fully opened, revealing a towering hydraulic lift that rose swiftly into the air.


    To the shock of Leo and Wendy, two figures¨Cone man, one woman¨Cleapt up from below andnded on the rooftop beside them.


    They were here to save them.


    The man wielded a high¨Cpressure water cannon. The woman carried a katana.


    They moved like a storm through the remaining zombies. Every time Theresa¡¯s de swung¨Cst¨Ca head flew. Zombies dropped like wheat before a scythe.


    Kyle¡¯s water cannon cleared her path with pinpoint precision, sweeping away enemies beyond her reach. The two operated in seamless coordination, cutting a clean path through the chaos toward the generator.


    In just ten minutes, the rooftop was clear.


    Leo <b>and </b>the others stared at Theresa and Kyle as if they were gods.


    Was this what divine intervention looked like?


    <b>And </b>they hadn¡¯te by chance¨Cthey¡¯de for them.


    <b>¡°</b>You want toe with me?¡± Theresa asked after thest zombie hit the ground.


    Everyone froze.


    ¡°I¡¯ve built a camp, she continued Anyone who chooses to follow me bes a resident. From now <b>on</b>. I¡¯ll protect you. Inside my territory, you¡¯ll be the safest people alive.¡±


    She looked each of them in the eye, steady <b>and </b>unwavering.


    Leo was the first to speak. ¡°What do you want from us in return?¡±


    ¡°Swear loyalty to me.¡±


    Chapter 68 The Savior Arrives


    Theresa stood tall, katana in hand, framed against the backdrop of fire and sky.


    ¡°I can¡¯t promise your life will go back to what it was before the apocalypse. But if you follow me. I can promise you¡¯ll be the luckiest survivors <b>alive</b>,¡±


    Kyle stood silently behind her¨Csolid, resolure. The aura of power radiating from Theresa drew everyone in.


    She didn¡¯t have to force them. Strength like hersmanded belief.


    ¡°You saved us. My wife and I are in, Leo said. He grabbed Wendy¡¯s hand and stepped forward.


    There was no reason to say no.


    Zombies were everywhere. There was nowhere left to go¨Cno homes to return to.


    No food. No jobs. And constant fear of being attacked at any moment, from any direction.


    Of course they needed to find somewhere safe to settle.


    <b>And </b>if Theresa hadn¡¯t shown up when she did, they wouldn¡¯t <b>have </b>survived.


    She was powerful¨Cincredibly powerful. Her strength alone was reason enough to follow her.


    Without her, how could they possibly go on living?


    After Leo and Wendy climbed <b>down</b>, the remaining dozen or so rushed to follow, one after another.


    ¡°We¡¯re in.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll follow you¨Cjust keep <b>us </b>safe!¡±


    ¡°I just want a meal and a roof over my head!¡±


    Nearly everyone agreed on the spot¨Conly one pair of <b>young </b>girls held back.


    ¡°We¡­ we want to go home; one said quietly.


    Theresa ncedzily at them. ¡°The world¡¯s crawling with zombies. You think your home is any different?¡±


    The girls hesitated. But then one of them shook her head. ¡°No¡­ we still want to go.¡±


    Theresa didn¡¯t argue. Her voice turned cold. ¡°Then go.¡±


    Relieved, the two girls nced at Theresa and Kyle, then quickly made their way to thedder.


    Some of the others seemed like they wanted to speak <b>up</b><b>, </b>but in the end, no one stopped them.


    Out of eighteen, sixteen chose to stay.


    <b>And </b>as soon as they made their choice, a notification sounded in Theresa¡¯s <b>mind</b>.


    Ding! Sirteen residents detected. <b>You </b>have been awarded 1,600 points!


    <b>2/3 </b>


    12:53 Fri. 8 Aud


    Chapter 68 The Savior Arrives


    <i>Ding</i>! Then strength¨Ctype ability users detected. You have been awarded a special attribute<i>! </i>

 Kept Woman 69

    Chapter 69 iming the Factory


    Ding! One speed¨Ctype ability user delected! You¡¯ve been awarded a special attribute!


    Out of the sixteen people Theresa had taken in, three were ability users!


    All she had to do was ept them, and their special attributes would be copied to her.


    Theresa immediately felt the change in her body.


    She could feel power surging through every inch of her being¨Cmore strength than she¡¯d ever imagined.


    What thrilled her even more was that the system stacked identical abilities. If someone brought in <b>a </b>duplicate power, it didn¡¯t just overwrite the old one¨Cit amplified it!


    Duplicates didn¡¯t cancel out; they made her stronger.


    From this group alone, Theresa earned 1,600 points and three new attributes


    She looked at her new residents with satisfaction.


    Once the system confirmed their official resident status, all of them began to gaze at Theresa with newfound admiration and devotion


    ¡°You can just call me Theresa from now on,¡® she said casually.


    ¡°Yes, Theresa!¡± they replied warmly, almost reverently.


    Theresa looked over the swarm of zombies andmanded, ¡°Everyone, listen up¨Ccrack open their skulls and see what you can find inside.¡±


    She casually split open a zombie¡¯s skull with her de and flicked out a gleamstone the size <b>of </b>a sunflower seed with the tip of her sword.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight.


    ¡°The more gleamstones you collect and turn in, the better your reward,¡± Theresa added, encouragingly.


    Immediately, the whole group sprang into action, racing to collect the most.


    With that task delegated. Theresa turned to Kyle. ¡°Clear out all the zombies inside the factory.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    She led Kyle to the ess tunnel on the rooftop.


    Even with thick iron chains wrapped tightly around the heavy door, the sheer mass of zoies inside made it look like a packed sardine can.


    They screeched wildly, faces crammed against the small gaps in the door, as if they could sense Theresa <b>and </b>Kyle¡¯s approach


    Theresa raised her katana and brought it down on the chain.


    12:53 FM, 8 <b>Aug </b>81¡ãC


    Chapter 69 iming the Factory


    ng! The chain split in two. The zombies poured <b>out </b>like a burst dam.


    But they <b>didn¡¯t </b>make it far.


    They were met with a massive st of high¨Cpressure water.


    The stream burst into dozens of high¨Cspeed water bullets upon contact, each one packing the force of a real bullet.


    Pop¨Cpop¨Cpop!


    The barrage hit every zombie that stepped through the door¨Cnone escaped.


    Any other ability user witnessing this would¡¯ve been left speechless.


    This <b>was </b>


    as power on a whole other level.


    Most ability users could only summon tiny water or fire balls, <b>or </b>minor earth mounds. Even Dane¨Cthe one who tried to block Theresa earlier¨Cwas considered elite.


    But Kyle? He wasunching high¨Cpressure water jets and shaping them effortlessly <b>on </b>the fly. This kind of control was already Level 3.


    And it was all thanks to the Evoloid Theresa had him drink every day.


    No side effects. Only power.


    By the time other camps caught on and started using Evoloid, Theresa¡¯s forces would be far ahead.


    And the others? Their Evoloid came with aundry list of side effects.


    There was <b>no </bparison.


    Kyle led the charge, taking out every zombie in the ess tunnel with brutal precision.


    Theresa followed behind, de in <b>hand</b>, casually finishing off any stragglers.


    Soon, the tunnel was cleared.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget the gleamstones,¡± she reminded Leo and the others before heading deeper into the tunnel with Kyle.


    She was going to clear everyst zombie out of this factory.


    And when she did, she¡¯d nt her g here. This would be her territory.


    A ready¨Cmade industrial site, packed with machinery¨Cperfect for processing foodter on.


    This factory was hers now,


    Just as they descended to the third floor, Theresa¡¯s mind pulsed with a sudden jolt of energy She felt it clearly in her mind: <b>a </b>presence ten tinies stronger than the average zombie.


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    Chapter 69 iming the Factory


    ¡°Stop,¡± she ordered.


    Kyle froze onmand.


    Boom!


    The security door in front of him exploded open, and a zombie staggered out¨Cits belly ripped open from a bite.


    This one was different.


    Its pale¨Cgray eyes had a flicker of intelligence.


    Another Level 3 zombie.


    After missing its initial attack, it snarled and locked eyes with Theresa and Kyle.


    Rooooar!


    It was fresh¨Cnewly turned.


    Thick, red pus oozed from its mouth. Half its face had been chewed off, the rest horribly crushed, like <i>it </i>had been mmed face¨Cfirst into the ground.


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    Thick globs of white brain matter mixed with ck¨Cand¨Cred fluids oozed down his face in heavy<b>, </b>wet drops.


    His month gaped like a bottomless pit. The zombie¡¯s entire skull looked ready toe apart at any second, blood and gore <b>straight </b>out of a horror movie. Worse still, his stomach had been gutted straight through.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen ugly.¡± Theresa muttered, stomach turning. ¡°But not this ugly


    It was pure savagery,


    Who knew what kind of torment he went through before <b>death </b>to end up like this?


    She squinted for a better look.


    Oh no, You¡¯ve got to be kidding.


    Wasn¡¯t this the same guy from yesterday? The one who attacked them and then got taken down himself- the earth¨Cbased ability user?


    ¡°Theresa, it¡¯s him,¡± Kyle said. ¡°That earth¨Cbased <b>ability </b>user from yesterday. He turned.¡±


    ¡°Rahhh!¡± Dane snarled at Theresa and Kyle. His lifeless gray eyes sparked with a flicker of hate.


    There was something in him¨Cjust a trace of memory from his former life. Enough to recognize his


    enemies<b>. </b>


    He lunged at them.


    Boom!


    A high¨Cpressure stream of water sted <b>toward </b>his head.


    Crash!


    To Kyle¡¯s shock, the wall beside him crumbled with a thunderous roar, copsing between them and Dane. The water jet mmed into the debris instead.


    A dark figure darted out of the wreckage, hurling <b>toward </b>Kyle.


    Instinct took over. Kyle sidestepped andshed out with a fierce kick. His boot struck the shadow <b>squarely</b>, sending it flying down the stairwell.


    Years of elite special forces training meant his reflexes kicked in faster than thought¨Czombie or not, nothing could sneak up on him.


    But just as he regained his footing, the stairs beneath Kyle gave way.


    Concrete cracked, rebar snapped. His foot slipped into thin air, and he began to fall.


    Theresa grabbed his shoulder <b>in a </b>sh, hauling him <b>back </b>up with one strong pull.


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    But it <b>wasn¡¯t </b>over.


    The staircase kept copsing. With no time to set Kyle down, Theresa slung him over her shoulders <b>and </b>sprinted <b>upward</b>.


    Step by step, the stairs crumbled behind them.


    Chunks of concrete crashed around them as the stairwell disintegrated floor by floor. Through the falling debris, Kyle spotted a figure down at the very bottom.


    ¡°Theresa!¡± he shouted. ¡°That zombie with an <b>earth</b>-based ability¨Che¡¯s still got his power! And it¡¯s stronger than before¡°¡±


    ¡°I know!¡± Theresa replied, charging toward the roof.


    The final set of stairs suddenly gave out beneath her. One foot missed its mark, but she didn¡¯t stop.


    Sheunched upward, skimming the wall with Kyle on her shoulders. Kyle reached <b>out </b>just in time, catching the third¨Cfloor stairwell door frame.


    Now it was his turn to hold on.


    With one hand mped on the sealed emergency exit and both legs locked around Theresa¡¯s waist, Kyle twisted his body and flung her toward the narrow ledge next to the door.


    Shended on the tiny strip of concrete,


    Kyle followed a split secondter, vaulting up beside her.


    Boom!


    The entire stairwell gave way. All that was left were snapped steel bars and crumbling walls.


    Kyle and Theresa clung to the edge of the doorway¨Cbncing <b>on </b>a ledge barely wide enough for half <b>a </b>


    fool


    A 30¨Cfoot drop yawned beneath them.


    One wrong move and it was a straight fall into darkness.


    And worse¨Cbehind them, the emergency exit was locked tight. But the zombies inside had caught their


    scent.


    Dozens of them smashed against the safety door.


    Blood¨Cslicked zombie faces pressed against the tiny ss window, just inches from Theresa¡¯s eyes.


    It was nightmare fucl.


    ¡°<b>Theresa</b>!¡± Kyle barked. That mutant zombie disappeared!¡±


    He¡¯d been trying to sense Dane¡¯s location, but with an earth¨Cbased ability, Dane had the perfect hiding


    spot.


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    Once he ducked into the rubble, he vanished from Kyle¡¯s sensespletely.


    Out here. Kyle¡¯s water¨Cbased power was useless.


    This was Dane¡¯s battlefield¨Cand they were losing.


    In front of them: a deadly fall.


    Behind them: a horde of undead.


    No way out.


    Then Theresa closed her eyes<b>. </b>


    In the darkness behind her lids, a vivid image bloomed¨Can intricate map of thend around her.


    Her powerful mind scanned outward like radar, reaching as far as she could push it.


    Within her psychic field, the person beside her glowed in deep blue.


    Behind her, seventeen or eighteen zombies pulsed in murky gray.

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    Kyle¡¯s blue glow contrasted sharply with the ashen gray of the zombies.


    Theresa continued to extend her mind power downward.


    45 Free Coins


    Suddenly, a muchrger image formed in her mind¡¯s eye. Directly below them on the next floor, there were still fifteen or sixteen zombies. On the lowest level, another seven or eight wandered aimlessly. Then, a distinct zombie¨Cdirt yellow in color, clearly different from the others¨Cappeared in her vision.


    ¡°Kyle, on your twelve o¡¯clock. Get ready,¡± she said calmly.


    He instantly reacted to Theresa¡¯s voice.


    Boom!


    Without hesitation, he hurled a powerful stream of water in the direction she indicated.


    <i>Boom</i>!


    The jet smashed through a column. The floor above copsed, and debris rained down, crushing the mutant zombie¨Cone that possessed an earth¨Cbased ability.


    ¡°Center,¡± Theresa ordered, her voice cold and precise. ¡°Again.¡±


    Kyle unleashed another st, this time directly at the center.


    The water jet tore through the rubble and struck the mutant zombie square in the head.


    Within Theresa¡¯s psychic field, the dirt¨Cyellow glow vanishedpletely¨Creced by a small, radiant crystal of the same color.


    A Level 3 crystal had appeared.


    ¡°All set,¡± Theresa said, opening her eyes.


    She looked at Dane¡¯s lifeless body, then climbed down from the third floor using exposed steel bars and chunks of concrete embedded in the wall.


    She moved with remarkable agility, scaling the vertical wall like a gecko.


    Once on the ground, she headed straight to Dane¡¯s body and pried the crystal loose.


    Kyle followed her down the stairless passage, mirroring her movements. Watching her in action only deepened his admiration.


    How did she do it? How could she pinpoint the zombie¡¯s location with such precision?


    Theresa was incredible¨Cfast, urate, andposed under pressure. She never missed a beat.


    How could someone this cool even exist?


    Teaming up with her made every mission feel smooth and safe.


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    It was another day and another point for Theresa on the admiration scale¨Cshe was just that good.


    After taking down the Level 3 mutant zombie, Theresa and Kyle cleared the rest of the factory of scattered zombies.


    Leo and the others collected the gleamstones left behind.


    Theresa wasn¡¯t worried about anyone pocketing them. First<b>, </b>the group didn¡¯t know what the gleamstones were for. Second¨Cand more importantly¨Cshe had a mental maniption ability.


    She could sense the color of gleamstones. With one sweep of her psychic field, she could instantly tell if anyone had hidden anything.


    ¡°Theresa, here¡¯s everything we collected!¡± Leo said, handing her a sack of zombie gleamstones.


    Theresa scanned the group¨Csixteen people total. None of them were hiding anything.


    She nodded in approval. This time, they had collected 1,208 gleamstones¨Cplus one Level 3 crystal.


    ¡°Log how many gleamstones each person collected and assign points ordingly,¡± she instructed.


    ¡°Points?<b>¡± </b>Leo asked.


    ¡°Yes. Follow me to my camp. I¡¯ll exin how to use them.¡±


    The group lit up with joy. They were being invited to leave with her!


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    In the factory, Theresa found several operable vehicles. Most of them were in good condition, just missing keys¨Cwhich posed no problem for her. After tinkering a bit, she got enough cars running for everyone.


    Before leaving, she looted the entire facility.


    Guided by Leo and his team, she located every workshop in the building.


    This was thergest food production nt in the Ansford area, manufacturing huge quantities of food.


    Premium white pasta, rice bran oil, all¨Cpurpose flour, spaghetti, granted white sugar, pappardelle¨Cthe list went on. It included all kinds of edible goods.


    Altogether, over 110,000 tons of food were stored on site.


    Theresa ordered Kyle and the others to repair the factory gates, erect a new sign with her name, and raise a g¨CTheresa¡¯s g. This ce was now her territory.


    She then swept through the factory¡¯s warehouses and absorbed every packed box of food into her domain.


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    By the time she finished, her domain was three¨Cquarters full.


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    Her domain now resembled a ten¨Cstory building filled from corner to corner with supplies¨Coverflowing


    With this stockpile, not just Theresa but seven or eight thousand people could livefortably for the rest of their lives.


    Theresa was extremely pleased. For now, she left the machinery and production lines untouched.


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    Once her camp¡¯s productivity improved, she nned to bring people back here to start processing food- this ce would be incredibly useful in the future.


    Today was a huge win: they secured a massive food factory, picked up 110,000 tons of food, sixteen new residents, and more than a thousand gleamstones.


    Theresa stepped out of the main warehouse just as the others finished repairing the front gate.


    With a singlemand from Theresa, everyone piled into the vehicles, and she led the convoy back toward their camp.


    On the way, a long¨Cforgotten sense of safety returned to everyone.


    It felt like¨Cfor once¨Cthey were being protected.


    As their convoy pulled off the factory road and onto the main highway, a sudden scream broke the quiet.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    A small pack of three or four zombies was swarming a woman on the roadside, tearing into her with savage bites.


    Another woman was sprinting down the road, screaming for help as she ran toward the convoy.


    ¡°Help me¨Cplease! Help!¡±


    But she didn¡¯t make it far before more zombies lunged from both sides of the road, dragging her down and tearing into her artery with a sickening bite.


    Wendy gasped, instantly recognizing the two women. ¡°That¡¯s Lena and Vivian!¡±


    Everyone in the vehicle rushed to the windows, watching in horror but unable to look away as the two women were devoured alive.


    They were the same ones Theresa had invited to leave with them¡ªthe ones who refused.


    Their houses weren¡¯t far from the factory. Even after Theresa warned them the entire area was crawling with zombies, they insisted on going back.


    It was obvious.now¨Cthey must¡¯ve tried to return home, ran into zombies, and were chased back this way.


    But there was no escaping when the undead were closing in from every direction.


    The starving horde spotted them the moment they emerged¨Cthere was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.


    Everyone watched in frozen silence as the two were not only eaten alive, but momentster, began to twitch and transform.


    Boom<i>! </i>


    The lead armored car surged forward, tires screeching as it plowed through the zombie crowd, clearing a


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    safe path for the rest of the convoy.


    All the vehicles followed closely behind, barreling down the cleared road Theresa had forged.


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    As soon as they left the infested area behind, a wave of relief and renewed gratitude swept through <i>the </i>


    group.


    They were so d they¡¯d made the decision to follow Theresa¨Cthankful they weren¡¯t like those two foolish women who thought they could just go home.


    The world outside was swarming with zombies.


    There wasn¡¯t a single safe ce left.


    This wasn¡¯t the time for wishful thinking.


    But Theresa had promised: if they stayed inside her territory, she would keep them safe.


    The convoy sped toward the outskirts of the city, eventually arriving at a cluster of suburban vis.


    As soon as they pulled in, the residents of the 9th Vi came running out.


    ¡°Theresa! You¡¯re here!¡±


    She nodded at David, his wife, and their kids.


    Waving to the rest of the group, she called out, ¡°Everybody off. This is where you¡¯ll be living from now on.¡±


    She turned to David. ¡°You¡¯ll be in charge of food production. Start nting crops and organizingbor.¡±


    Production was the foundation of everything.


    And grain production? The foundation of the foundation.


    A steady supply of food had toe first¨Conly then could they think about expanding into other areas.


    Progress came one step at a time.


    David gave a firm nod. ¡°Got it!¡±


    Theresa raised her voice. ¡°Everyone, gather around. I¡¯m going to exin the rules of the camp.


    ¡°All residents of my camp will follow a points¨Cbased system. You¡¯ll be able to exchange points with me for food, water, daily necessities, and tools.¡±


    She handed David the list she¡¯d previously shown him and instructed him to post it on themunity bulletin board.


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    The list detailed the exact exchange rates for food in the points system.


    One pound of rice cost one point. One pack of salt, one point. One egg, one point. One pound of pork, ten points. One live chicken, fifty points.


    Of course, there were also ways to earn points¨Cthe exchange rates worked the same in reverse.,


    All crops you harvest can be exchanged with me for points. And killing zombies or collecting gleamstones also earns rewards!¡± Theresa announced.


    She held up a handful of gleamstones for everyone to see.


    ¡°Leo, you recorded the gleamstones they just collected. At one point per gleamstone, that counts as your base points. Going forward, any gleamstones you find and bring back from hunting zombies will be worth ten points each!¡±


    Leo and the others were stunned.


    Everyone understood instantly.


    From now on, in Theresa¡¯s camp, points would be the currency. And judging from the number of gleamstones just collected¨Cranging from sixty to eighty per person¨Cthat meant their base bnce was already in the sixty to eighty point range.


    If they traded it all for food, that was easily 600 to 800 pounds of food per person!


    ¡°In addition,¡± Theresa continued, ¡°everyone will be required to pay ten points a day in resident tax. This tax covers the use of allnd and housing within my territory.


    ¡°Miss a payment by a day, and a 10 percentte fee will apply. If you¡¯re ten days overdue, you¡¯ll lose your residency rights, have all your property confiscated, and be expelled from the camp. Residents are encouraged to report tax evaders¨Csessful reports will be rewarded with half the confiscated property!¡±


    The crowd tensed up.


    ¡°But in return, every official resident of my territory will be under my protection. I¡¯ll provide the safest living environment possible. Inside my borders, you¡¯ll be able to live and work freely, just like before the apocalypse. Plus, I¡¯ll distribute welfare benefits on a regr basis.¡±


    Since ancient times, rulers had used five tactics to govern people: ignorance, weakness, fatigue, humiliation, and poverty.


    Ignorance meant unifying people¡¯s thoughts¨Censuring everyone aligned with a single authority.


    Theresa needed them to think as one. To survive under her leadership, they had to agree with her vision and build the camp together. That was ignorance.


    Weakness meant ensuring the camp had strength, but individuals didn¡¯t¨Cno groups could form strong enough to challenge her authority.


    Like Dane¡¯s gang from yesterday.


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    They stuck together like thorns, each with their own agenda. With Dane at the helm, they were a potential threat. Theresa would never allow them in¨Cwhy bring trouble into her camp?


    Weakness meant dismantling such power clusters, splitting up alliances so that every person was individually aligned under her leadership.


    The people she¡¯d epted so far were all loosely connected, not loyal to any one leader. Leo had some influence, but not enough to pose a threat. As soon as Theresa took them in, everyone was more willing to trust her. That made them safe to integrate.


    Weakening individual power ensured no one could disrupt the camp. That was weakness.


    Fatigue meant giving everyone daily tasks and goals to keep them busy.


    The points system did just that. With ten points due every day just to stay in the camp, they couldn¡¯t afford to be idle. Missing payments meant penalties¨Cand eventually expulsion.


    Everyone had to contribute. Chasing points gave them purpose. That was fatigue.


    Humiliation came from the internal reporting system. It ensured her rules were followed and punishments enforced. People would stay alert, work diligently, and follow the rules. That was humiliation.


    And finally, poverty.


    Poverty kept people too poor to save or think about rebellion. Like the ¡°paycheck¨Cto¨Cpaycheck¡± lives before the apocalypse, most people could barely cover their expenses, with little chance of umting wealth.


    This kept them too busy surviving to stir up trouble. That was poverty.


    But for Theresa¡¯s fledgling camp, everyone was already broke.


    There was no need to enforce poverty yet.


    What she needed now was growth.


    Rapid development and camp construction!


    Ten points a day were enough to keep everyone working. And for those who worked hard, saving up wealth was still possible.


    Of course, as the leader, Theresa would ensure everyone¡¯s safety and support them in any emergency, while also providing some benefits.


    As long as her people worked hard, she would make sure they enjoyed the best conditions of any camp around.


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    ¡°In the beginning. I¡¯ll provide seeds, tools¨Ceverything you need¨Cfor free! David and his family will lead the way with farming and livestock. Camp taxes are waived for the first month. After that, everyone must start paying me in points!¡±


    Theresa addressed the crowd with confidence.


    Everyone looked at her with a mixture of anxiety and gratitude.


    She had given them safety andnd. She was guiding them back to a stable, peaceful life, and even provided a one¨Cmonth grace period.


    Within a month, they could harvest early¨Cmaturing vegetables.


    That was enough time to get their production and daily lives back on track¨Cespecially since they each had a few dozen points to begin with, more than enough to live on for now.


    Plus, thanks to Theresa¡¯s strict incentives, everyone was motivated and eager to work.


    After all, if a dragon only brought good weather and bountiful harvests<b>, </b>humans wouldn¡¯t worship it- they¡¯d treat it like a beast of burden.


    But if that same dragon could summon thunder and raze everything to the ground, people would revere it as a god.


    The art of leadershipy in a bnce of kindness and authority.


    To these people, Theresa was a god.


    ¡°Oh, right¨CTheresa,¡± David spoke up, ¡°shouldn¡¯t we name the camp? What are we calling it?¡±


    Theresa thought for a moment, then dered to the group, ¡°zing Sun Camp. From now on, you¡¯re all residents of zing Sun Camp!¡±


    Everyone stood straighter at the name, their expressions turning devout as they looked at Theresa.


    Then, a mechanical voice echoed in her mind,


    <i>Ding</i><i>! </i><i>Ultimate </i><i>Leader </i><i>System </i><i>activated</i><i>! </i><i>Camp </i><i>sessfully </i><i>named</i><i>! </i>


    <i>Ding</i><i>! </i><i>Prosperity </i><i>level </i>unlocked<i>! </i><i>Current </i><i>prosperity </i><i>level</i><i>: </i><i>60</i><i>! </i>


    <i>Resident </i><i>loyalty </i><i>increased </i><i>by </i>10 <i>percent</i><i>! </i>


    <i>Camp </i><i>productivity </i><i>increased </i><i>by </i>10 <i>percent</i><i>! </i>


    Theresa was surprised.


    Two practical and powerful rewards in a row!


    This system was the real deal.


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    She checked the newly unlocked atribuite prosperity level now appeared below her point and gleamstone totals.


    Opening the prosperity level panel, she saw a detailed breakdown:


    Current residents: 19


    Camp guards: 1


    War dogs: 16


    Territory area: approx. 16 square miles


    Cultivatednd: 5 acres


    Current prosperity level: 60 (Rustic Vige)


    Theresa was speechless.


    ¡°Rustic Vige¡± felt like a bit of a p in the face.


    Prosperity <i>level </i>is <i>a </i><iposite </i><i>of </i>multiple <i>metrics</i>. <i>Upgrading </i><i>the </i><i>title </i>unlocks <i>reward </i><i>packs</i><i>! </i>


    She nced at the next tier.


    Once the <i>prosperity </i><i>level </i><i>hits </i><i>500</i><i>, </i><i>it </i>will <i>transition </i><i>into </i><i>the </i><i>Suburban </i><i>Fringe</i><i>. </i><i>Perfect</i><i>. </i>I <i>have </i><i>to </i>at least make it to ¡°Suburban Fringe<i>.</i>¡± <i>For </i><i>the </i><i>glory </i><i>of </i><i>zing </i><i>Sun </i><i>Camp</i><i>¨C</i><i>onward</i><i>! </i>


    Theresa left the residential area.


    She let the residents choose any vacant house within her territory to live in.


    Given the current technological limitations, she was temporarily registering everyone¡¯s point totals by hand, keeping two copies¨Cone for her, one for the resident. If they needed to exchange points for supplies, they just had to tell David¡¯s family. Yuki would deliver the items the next day.


    Resources were limited, and they were still figuring things out. Theresa was short on help, so this was the best she could do for now.


    She gave David¡¯s family a 100¨Cpoint subsidy, and from now on, their rent would be deducted at 10 points as well, with no need to deliver daily yields.


    After settling everyone and handing out seeds for David to lead the nting efforts, Theresa headed out.


    On the road, Kyle kept sneaking nces at her.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    Still driving, Kyle replied seriously, ¡°I think you¡¯re a great leader.¡±


    Theresa was startled.


    A <i>surprise </i><ipliment</i><i>. </i><i>Wait</i>¨Cis <i>he </i><i>about </i><i>to </i><i>ask </i><i>for </i><i>a </i><i>paycheck</i><i>? </i>


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    She looked at Kyle, thought for three seconds, then said, ¡°Fine. You¡¯ve been working the hardest. You deserve some pay. From now on, you¡¯ll get 100 points a month. If you need anything,e to me to exchange.¡±


    Kyle was speechless.


    He let out a soft snort ofughter.


    ¡°What, not enough? A hundred points is a lot! That¡¯s the same <b>as </b>100 pounds of food!¡± Theresa quickly counted on her fingers. ¡°Don¡¯t forget¨Cyou sold yourself to me. I cover your food, housing, and even bathroom breaks! Do I really need to say how good you¡¯ve got it? You should be grateful!


    ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s settled. Once the camp grows, I¡¯ll throw in some bonuses. I¡¯m tired. Gonna get some sleep.¡±


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    Theresa yawned and pretended to be asleep.


    Want a raise? Not a chance<i>. </i>


    She wasmitted to penny¨Cpinching to the bitter end.


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    Kyle nced over and saw her with her eyes closed, pretending to sleep. He kept his hands steady on the wheel as he drove.


    A soft smile tugged at the corners of his normally expressionless face.


    He didn¡¯t want a raise¨Che genuinely thought Theresa was amazing.


    The longer he spent time with her, the more he believed it.


    Sure, she came off as tough and ruthless on the outside. But¨Cdeep down, she was incredibly kind.


    Once she considered someone one of her own, she would do anything to protect them and ensure they lived well.


    Theresa¡¯s greatness didn¡¯te from her looks, but from the strength in her bones.


    Following someone like her? That was a ticket to a good life.


    Their camp was going to thrive.


    Kyle drove in silence, smoothly returning the vehicle to camp.


    Back in her bunker, Theresa eagerly counted the day¡¯s spoils.


    As usual, she exchanged 1,000 Level 1 gleamstones first.


    After the exchange and today¡¯s territory expansion¨Cshe had taken over a factory¨Cher points total soared to 150,000, along with a gleamstone reward pack.


    She held off opening the reward pack for now.


    Rubbing her hands together with excitement, she spent 100,000 points to redeem a full radar system.


    With a whoosh, a new section expanded behind her second¨Cfloor tower, and several radar stations popped up on the roof of her bunker.


    The entire radar system now operated from her second floor.


    This radar system¨Ccourtesy of the system¨Cwould automatically expand its detection range as Theresa¡¯s territory grew.


    It monitored and reported all anomalies in the area directly to her¨Cfar more urate than her Territorial Link.


    It was also linked with her multifunctional unmanned aerial vehicle system.


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    Now, whenever something unusual showed up, she could just send the coordinates to her UAVs for recon and strike missions. No more running around by herself.


    Theresa had just upgraded her camp¡¯s security to a whole new level.


    Then, while browsing the avable items, she found a surprise: an electronic ration system¨Csomething like a cafeteria swipe card to track food and water distribution.


    It was marked as a must¨Chave for any territory.


    And it only cost 100 points! The only catch? Each member card cost 1 point a piece<b>. </b>


    Without hesitation, Theresa ced the order.


    She bought 100 member cards for another 100 points.


    This was exactly what she needed.


    From now on, every member of her camp would have a personal ID and points card, making it easy to earn and spend points.


    No more manual logging¨Ceverything would be handled by the system.


    The Leader System really knew how to build a top¨Ctier leader¨Cit always gave Theresa exactly what she needed.


    Momentster, the system delivered the new gear.


    Each card was stamped with the words ¡°zing Sun.¡±


    Honestly, the tech wasn¡¯tplicated¨Cbefore the apocalypse, any programmer could write the code, hook up a sensor, and integrate a chip to build something like this.


    But now? In the middle of the apocalypse?


    Where was she going to find a programmer or the necessary hardware?


    The system¡¯s version was wless.


    Sleek cards, fast and bug¨Cfree software¨Cit was perfect.


    Once she had the points system set up, Theresa entered the information of all 19 current members. Each card also disyed the member¡¯s current score. Tomorrow, Yuki would distribute them.


    The foundation of zing Sun Camp was now truly in ce.


    After taking care of the resident points system, Theresa used the Evoloid Extractor to convert a Level 3 crystal into Evoloid.


    She drank the Level 3 Evoloid herself and saved the Level 1 Evoloid for Kyle.


    Looking at the vial, she thought, <i>Bosses </i>like <i>me </i><b><i>don¡¯t </i></b>grow <i>on </i><i>trees</i>. <i>Still </i><i>want </i><i>a </i><i>raise</i><i>? </i><i>Keep </i><i>dreaming</i><i>. </i>


    ¡°Here. For you.¡±


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    Chapter 75 zing Sun Camp Comes Alive


    Kyle had just finished cooking when Theresa handed him a cup of water and a card.


    Without hesitation, he epted both and took a sip.


    As always, the water she gave him tasted sweet¨Cdifferent from any other.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Kyle asked, ncing at the card.


    <b>45 </b>Free Coins


    ¡°Your ID card. From now on, you¡¯re an official resident of zing Sun Camp. It¡¯s loaded with 100 points.¡±


    Kyle stared at the card in his hand.


    His number was 002.


    The second citizen of zing Sun Camp.


    As Kyle held the card and stared at the number, a sudden warmth spread through his chest.


    002¨Chis ce in Theresa¡¯s heart, second only to 001: Theresa herself.


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    Chapter 76 zing Sun Camp Takes Root


    There was something subtle about this feeling.


    To Theresa, he was the closest person she had.


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    In this apocalyptic world, the two of them were truly relying on each other. They were each other¡¯s support system.


    If she ced him so high in her heart, then it only made sense that, moving forward, he¡¯d be the most important person to her as well.


    Just then, Theresa whistled at Summer, who was gnawing on a bone. ¡°Summer,e here! Time to issue ID tags!¡±


    ¡°Woof woof woof!¡± Summer dropped the bone and ran over.


    Theresa pulled out a pre¨Cstrung ID tag and slipped it into the slot on Summer¡¯s tactical vest, tying a small knot to secure it.


    The number on it was bold and clear: 001.


    Kyle blinked. ¡°Wait. Summer¡¯s 001?<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°What else would he be?¡±


    ¡°Then¨Cwhat number are you, Theresa?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m 000.¡±


    Kyle thought, <i>Seriously</i>? <i>There¡¯s </i><i>a </i><i>000</i><i>? </i>


    He had clearly underestimated her creativity./


    Theresa didn¡¯t stop there. She issued ID tags to all her dogs.


    From 003 through 017, each one got a custom dog tag with the zing Sun Camp insignia, tucked neatly into the slots of theirbat gear.


    To Theresa, her dogs were no different from people. They were herrades¨Cin¨Carms.


    In fact, they were even more trustworthy than most people.


    They had to be registered as part of zing Sun Camp.


    Two days flew by.


    Theresa had spent both days fully absorbed in the camp¡¯s development.


    Building and managing a camp was aplex, frustrating process¨Cespecially in the early stages.


    She had to provide residents with ess to clean water, reliable electricity, and basic supplies.


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    Before, it was just David¡¯s family. Their needs were minimal, they could make do and wait. But with more people moving in and forming a small vige, the basics of day¨Cto¨Cday life had to be addressed.


    Theresa installed 100 sr panels¨Crewards she had earned earlier in the residential zone.


    This gave the residents a stable and continuous power supply.


    Electricity for the whole area? Checked off the list.


    Now, if anything went wrong, they could just call the bunker instead of making Yuki run back and forth every time.


    As for water, the area was still connected to the local utilitypany, but David¡¯s family had previously relied on rain collection. With more residents, rainwater alone wasn¡¯t going to cut it.


    Theresa organized everyone to dig a well, tapping into the same underground water system her bunker used.


    Her water system had been enhanced through the system and waspletely safe.


    With power and water secured¨Ctwo majorponents of basic infrastructure¨Cresidents¡® <i>loyalty </i>to Theresa soared. Their sense of belonging increased as well.


    Life under Theresa was clearly headed in the right direction.


    Next came resource exchange.


    Theresa¡¯s manpower was stretched thin, and sending people out for trades was a waste ofbor. She set up a market system for the camp. Outside of basic essentials, on the 1st and 15th of each month, she would personallye to host a market day where everyone could freely buy and trade goods.


    For rare or specialty items, residents could contact Yuki to arrange a trade at her bunker.


    No one was allowed into her territory¨Cever.


    To help, Theresa even got the young girl a small bicycle.


    In this new world, everyone had to contribute to production, even kids. Children were a valuable part of thebor force now.


    She also exempted Yuki from taxes, treating it as her wage¨Cdefinitely not child exploitation.


    In a world starved of resources<b>, </b>everyone had to pull their weight.


    Back in Theresa¡¯s previous life, small camps treated kids like adults and adults like ves. No one cared about protecting children or the elderly. If someone couldn¡¯t work, the camp would kick them out without a second thought.


    There was no room for dead weight.


    Kids had to work too.


    But if outsiders could see how industrious the people in zing Sun Camp were, they¡¯d be banging down the gates to get in.


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    Other camps had already descended into chaos.


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    Flooded with refugees, running out of food and resources, most people couldn¡¯t even figure out how to earn a single meal.


    Meanwhile, in zing Sun Camp, the kids had jobs, earned points, and even got incentives. It was practically paradise¨Ca sanctuary in the apocalypse.


    Under Theresa¡¯s guidance, thend around the residential area had been cultivated. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, and other fast¨Cgrowing, high¨Cyield crops were already nted.


    Everyone had started working in earnest. The camp had officially moved into the next phase of development.


    zing Sun Camp¡¯s prosperity level jumped by 30.


    The Rustic Vige was starting to look like a real, functioningmunity.


    Once the crops started producing and people had more to trade, that prosperity level would only keep rising.


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    After two days of nonstop work organizing and constructing the camp. Theresa could finally catch her breath. But with that small relief came the growing realization that she was missing something important


    -manpower.


    She was seriously short¨Cstaffed.


    Kyle alone wasn¡¯t nearly enough. He was already swamped just helping her maintain the bunker.


    These days, he had to wake up an hour earlier to tidy the bunker inside and out. The vegetable garden was entering peak harvest season, and many fruit trees were starting to bear fruit. On top of that, Kyle cooked, cleaned, and maintained the entire bunker, and still got called over to the residential zone whenever Theresa needed him.


    He was more hardworking than a mule on a farm.


    And this was with help from the radar system and unmanned aerial vehicles. If any zombies wandered into their territory, the UAVs took care of them.


    Without that tech, Theresa and Kyle alone couldn¡¯t have kept up.


    That was when a voice suddenly echoed in Theresa¡¯s mind, telling her, <i>Ding</i>! <i>Ultimate </i><i>Leader </i>System activated<i>. </i><i>Capture </i><i>the </i><i>United </i><i>Pharma </i><i>Research </i><i>Center </i><i>in </i><i>western </i><i>Ansford </i><i>to </i><i>earn </i>a <i>smart </i><i>manager</i><i>! </i>


    She was surprised, thinking, <i>Talk </i><i>about </i><i>a </i>pillow <i>when </i><i>you¡¯re </i><i>dead </i><i>tired</i><i>¨C</i><i>perfect </i>timing<i>! </i>


    There was no better support than the system.


    It didn¡¯t issue missions often, but when it did, they were always game¨Cchangers.


    ¡°Kyle! We¡¯re heading out!¡±


    ¡°Yes!<b>¡± </b>


    Kyle, who was doing the dishes, immediately rinsed off his hands, jumped to his feet, and grabbed his gear without a second thought.¡±


    When Theresa gave an order, there was only one response: execute.


    Theresa loaded the map data into her armored car, brought her usual pack of eight dogs, and left Summer and Spot behind to guard the bunker.


    Their destination: a pharmaceutical research facility in western Ansford, near the border of Branford and Crestmont.


    It took them two and a half hours to get there.


    They arrived around noon.


    The facility was remote¨Cmiles of nothing but a single six¨Cstory white building. The exterior security setup


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    <b>was </b>surprisingly advanced, but like so many ces, it was abandoned.


    <b>54901 </b>


    s


    As they approached, something about the ce struck a chord in Theresa¡¯s memory. <i>United </i><i>Pharma </i>Research Center. Why <i>does </i>that name sound <i>familiar</i>?


    <b>¡°</b>Theresa, this is the ce?¡± Kyle asked, pulling up in front of the building¡¯s entrance. Oddly enough, the main gate was already open.


    It looked like someone had been here recently.


    Theresa frowned, her delicate brows pinching together. Where had she heard that name before?


    <i>United </i><i>Pharma </i><i>Research </i><i>Center</i>¡­ She was certain she¡¯d never been here<b>¨C</b>not in this life or herst.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she finally said..


    Time to go in.


    Kyle slowly drove through the open gate.


    Theresa stayed alert. As soon as they passed through, she instructed Kyle to circle the perimeter of the building in the car.


    She wanted to understand theyout¨Chow many entrances there were, what direction the exits faced, and what escape routes existed in case things went south.


    Charging in blindly, even with her strength, was never an option. That was how people got killed.


    After twops around the building, she had her intel.


    There was only one visible entrance¨Cthe main door.


    From the outside, the building appeared to have six stories above ground. But Theresa spotted a sign indicating an underground parking garage, which meant there was probably at least one basement level.


    As a seasoned survivor, Theresa had a strict rule: never go into underground parking garages without


    reason.


    First, they were confined and poorly lit¨Chigh risk.


    Second, exploration should always go from safe to dangerous, not the other way around.


    If she rushed straight into the basement and got into trouble, then discovered the ¡°safe<b>¡± </b>surface level had hidden threats too, she¡¯d be digging her own grave.


    Afterpleting the sweep, Theresa parked the armored vehicle at the main entrance.


    No zombies outside.


    Time to check the building¡¯s interior, floor by floor. Once she cleared it, she could nt her g and officially im the facility.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡±


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    ¡°Yes!¡±


    She and Kyle cautiously stepped inside. As usual, two dogs stayed at the car for guard duty, while the other six split up¨Cthree per person.


    They proceeded deeper into the building.


    To Theresa¡¯s surprise, all the interior doors were wide open.


    That was strange.


    This ce had heavy¨Cduty, high¨Csecurity doors¨Ceach one required a special ess card to open. Think bank vault level.


    ces like this were supposed to be a nightmare to break into.

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    Chapter 78 The Empty Floors


    Theresa was indeed the chosen one.


    Wide open. No resistance.


    Not just no resistance¨Csix floors, and not a single zombie in the entire building.


    Was she getting a freebie here?


    Another bonus from the system?


    Theresa and Kyle had taken the emergency stairs the whole way up, clearing every room on every floor from one to six.


    Confirmed¨Cno people, no zombies.


    Every hallway door was open. Each room was coated in a fineyer of dust. Equipment sat idle, untouched.


    ¡°Theresa, there are no signs of anyone or any zombies. Looks like this ce was evacuated ahead of time.


    Kyle, with his special forces background, ryed what he¡¯d observed.


    Theresa nodded slowly.


    Could it really be this easy?


    She walked into an office on the top floor. Judging by theyout, it was clearly an executive suite.


    The lower levels were allbs¨Cspecialized equipment everywhere.


    Up here, though, something caught her eye: an electric kettle still plugged in and heating water. This kind had a built¨Cin thermostat¨Cit would reheat automatically as the temperature dropped. The water in the clear ss kettle had been boiled over and over, evaporating down to the lowest safety mark to prevent dry boiling.


    She touched the ss. It was still warm.


    Beside the kettle sat a cup of instant noodles¨Calready opened and seasoned with spices, a braised egg, and


    a sausage.


    It looked like someone had been waiting for the water to boil.


    Only now, the noodles had gone bad. Even the heavily preserved egg and sausage were moldy. The whole bowl was rotting.


    Whoever had been about to eat it never got the chance<b>. </b>


    Theresa felt a chill¨Cit was as if everyone here had just¡­ vanished.


    She looked around the room. Aputer caught her attention. She tried to find any info on it, but unlike the unlocked doors, theseputers were secured with top¨Ctier encryption.


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    Chapter 78 The Empty Floors.


    No useful data there.


    Sull, she managed to find some supplies¨Cinstant noodles, sausages, and braised eggs.


    Theresa lived by one rule¨Cnever walk away empty¨Chanded.


    In ssic frugal, eco¨Cfriendly fashion, she packed everything edible into her bag. Technically, it was going straight into her domain¨Cbut she made a show of it for Kyle¡¯s sake.


    When Kyle tried to help, she told him to check the next room.


    Before long, they¡¯d cleared the executive floor of anything worth eating.


    Kyle had bags in both hands, a bulging backpack, and even had two <b>cases </b>of Coke slung over his shoulder. The guy wasn¡¯t messing around.


    Theresa looked at the big, obedient lug and said, ¡°Let¡¯s head down and stash the supplies first.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    This time, Theresa skipped the stairs.


    The building had its own power system, and the elevator was still operational. She called it from the top floor.


    When it arrived, she and Kyle shared a nce. They split to either side of the door¨Cjust like they¡¯d cleared the ground floors, they were going to clear this too.


    Ding.


    The elevator doors slid open.


    Empty.


    Now, Theresa was sure. There really wasn¡¯t a single living person¨Cor undead¨Cfor six whole floors of this pharmaceutical research facility.


    Once they confirmed it was safe, she, Kyle, and the dogs stepped inside.


    The elevator panel had seven buttons.


    Exactly what Theresa had expected: six floors above ground, and a basement¨Clikely a parking garage.


    She¡¯d seen it while scouting the area earlier.


    Her n was to head down to the first floor to unload supplies, then sweep the basement.


    Once they cleared that, the whole research center would be secure.


    Theresa reached to press the button for the first floor¨Cthen suddenly stopped.


    <i>Wait</i>.


    She just remembered something.


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    This United Pharma Research Center¨Cits location was in the western part of Ansford.


    The name wasn¡¯t remarkable.


    But its location was right at the junction of Ansford, Branford, and Crestmont.


    No way<b>¡­ </b>


    Wasn¡¯t this the site of that infamous zombie king in her past life?


    Right then, before they could press anything, the elevator suddenly started moving¨Cfast¨Cdownward.


    On the disy in front of Theresa, the number lit up: Bl.


    A chill crawled over her skin.


    Because they hadn¡¯t pressed the basement button.


    Someone or something¨Con the basement level had just called the elevator up.


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    Chapter 79 The Basement Encounter


    The elevator plummeted toward the basement level B1.


    Inside, Theresa had mmed every single floor button.


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    But the elevator didn¡¯t stop¨Cnot once. It was as if it had a built¨Cin priority system, zeroing in on <b>an </b>upward request from the very bottom.


    Everyone inside was being pulled straight down at top speed.


    Theresa¡¯s mind was racing as fast as the elevator.


    She stared intently at the bizarre behavior of the car, running through a dozen possibilities.


    First of all¨Cghosts? No way.


    Even in an apocalypse where zombies roamed the earth, there was no such thing as a ghost.


    And even if there had been ghosts, what kind of low¨Ctier spirit haunted people by pushing elevator buttons? If a ghost had really wanted to mess with someone, why not cause the whole elevator to crash or kill everyone in one go? Why bother with creepy little psychological games?


    Frankly, as long as it wasn¡¯t dealing her any physical damage, Theresa considered it small¨Ctime nonsense.


    Ghosts were never on her radar.


    She was the worst kind of bad. She feared fire, guns<b>, </b>explosives, and people¨Cbut not ghosts.


    Because,pared to her, ghosts weren¡¯t scary.


    So, ruling out supernatural causes and mechanical failure, the elevator had to have been activated by a physical entity.


    Which meant: Option one¨Chuman. Option two¨Czombie.


    A human¡­ or a zombie¡­


    Would a zombie press an elevator button?


    Unless it was an ident, probably not.


    But there was one wildcard: was this the ce she¡¯d heard about¨Cthe rumored stronghold of the zombie king?


    If it was that top¨Ctier zombie king/she¡¯d heard about in her past life, then maybe¨Cjust maybe¨Cit could operate an elevator.


    Still, she couldn¡¯t be sure. She¡¯d never been to a ce like this before, and she¡¯d certainly never crossed paths with the zombie king.


    Besides, this was still the early stage of the apocalypse. Even if a super zombie existed here, it probably wasn¡¯t that powerful yet. /


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    So <b>overall</b>, the odds leaned more toward human.


    She turned her head and looked at Kyle.


    The moment their eyes met, their thoughts aligned.


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    Whether it was a human or a zombie, it didn¡¯t matter¨Cwhoever was on the other side of that elevator door was already as good as dead.


    Ding.


    The elevator dropped floor by floor.


    Finally, it reached the bottom.


    The doors slid open.


    The only source of light shone from inside the elevator, casting a narrow beam into the pitch¨Cck basement.


    Whoever was outside clearly wasn¡¯t expecting that.


    Because-


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡±


    Six dogs burst out of the elevator.


    They lunged straight at the small group waiting outside.


    Only two people were standing there.


    Three dogs attacked each one¨Cfast and precise¨Ctaking thempletely off guard.


    No one expected dogs toe barreling out of an empty building.


    But those two weren¡¯t amateurs either. They responded instantly¨Cone drew a gun, the other engaged in hand¨Cto¨Chandbat.


    Still, it didn¡¯t matter.


    Two lightning¨Cquick figures shot out of the elevator, one nking left, the other right. Their movements were a blur¡ªcalcted, elite, coordinated. These were top¨Ctier special forces in action.


    Combined with the dogs, they quickly overwhelmed the two men.


    In under three seconds, both enemies were disarmed.


    Click<i>! </i>


    Theresa loaded her rifle and pressed the muzzle firmly against one man¡¯s forehead.


    With the outside threat neutralized, she finally had time to see who they were.


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    She looked down and saw the face of a young soldier.


    He froze when he saw her.


    Then, after a stunned second, he cried out excitedly.


    ¡°Theresa?!¡±


    Theresa was surprised.


    It was Graham¨Cthe same kid she used to bully until he cried.


    ¡°Kyle! Your Majesty!¡±


    The other man, Sebastian¨Cpinned under a dog¨Crecognized them both too.


    He and Graham stared in open shock at the sudden arrival of Theresa and Kyle.


    And then, from the dark hallway ahead came a voice, urgent and breathless.


    ¡°Is the elevator here yet?! We¡¯re barely holding the front line!¡±


    ¡°Dave! You gotta see who¡¯s here!¡± Graham shouted.


    A fully geared and grim¨Cfaced man¨CDave¨Ccame running over.


    When he saw Theresa, his eyes widened in disbelief.


    ¡°T¨CTheresa!¡±


    His stony expression melted into joy.


    ¡°What the hell are you all doing? The elevator still isn¡¯t here?!¡±


    Another sharp voice rang out¨Ca woman¡¯s this time, brisk andmanding.


    A woman in uniform ran up, urgency in every step.


    When she saw the unexpected crew of humans and dogs blocking the hallway, her eyes narrowed instantly.


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    Chapter 80 Over the Weight Limit


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    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Monica, they¡¯re our friends!¡± Dave jumped in quickly.


    ¡°Friends¡± The woman raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.


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    Freet


    Especially when she saw the dogs with Theresa had taken down her people, one of them even had a gun aimed at one of their special forces operatives.


    Did that look like friendship?


    But there was no time to question anyone right now.


    From the darkness behind them came a scream that sent chills down their spines.


    It sounded almost human¨Cyet beastly.


    Like someone had torn their throat open just to scream. It was impossible to imagine what kind of creature could make such a sound.


    Boom<i>! </i>


    The sound of a heavy weapon exploded through the corridor, the sh of the st momentarily tearing away the darkness in front of Theresa.


    And what she saw made her blood run cold,


    A flood of zombies was pouring down the hallway. Some wore white hazmat suits. Others were dressed in hospital gowns. They looked like demons straight out of hell¨Ctwisted, snarling, and charging the soldiers on the front line.


    Gunfire erupted¨Cbullets flying like money was no object¨Cbut it had almost no effect. The bullets barely slowed them down.


    Only a direct hit to the head could stop them.


    And these zombies were far more dangerous than the ones outside.


    One of them leapt onto a fully armored soldier. With a single swipe, it tore through his protective suit. Another pull¨Cand it ripped his heart out, still beating, and devoured it right then and there.


    There was no holding the line.


    These soldiers couldn¡¯t hold them off.


    ¡°Move it!¡± Theresa didn¡¯t hesitate. She bolted for the elevator with her dogs.


    ¡°Get in! Fall back!¡±


    At the same time, a familiar male voice echoed from ahead.


    Chapter 80 Over the Weight Limit


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    That voice shouted the samemand as Theresa, and within seconds, Graham and the others rushed. into the elevator,ying down suppressing fire behind them.


    A couple of secondster, familiar faces emerged through the smoke¨CMalcolm, Victor, and Lucas<b>. </b>


    Sure enough, it was Lucas¡® squad.


    There were also four or five soldiers Theresa didn¡¯t recognize.


    They were all shocked to see her already in the elevator, but there was no time for questions¨Ceveryone was scrambling to retreat.


    Behind them was a swarm of mutant zombies.


    They ran and fell back in a desperate scramble for safety.


    Everyone piled into the elevator, but before anyone could breathe a sigh of relief¡­


    <i>Beep</i>, <i>beep</i><i>, </i><i>beep</i><i>¨C</i><i>elevator </i><i>over </i><i>the </i><i>weight </i>limit.


    It was arge freight elevator, rated for up to 20 people or 3,500 pounds.


    Theresa had six dogs and two people on her side. Her dogs were well¨Cfed¨Ceach easily 80 to 100 pounds.


    On top of that, Lucas¡® team had twelve people.


    Right on the edge¨Cor just over.


    ¡°Over the weight limit!¡± Monica Waverly heard the rm and immediately snapped, ¡°Get those d*mn dogs out of here!¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes went ice cold. ¡°Over the weight limit, huh?<b>¡± </b>


    In the cramped elevator, she turned and kicked Monica square in the chest.


    ¡°You get the hell out!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Monica was booted out of the elevator, but luckily, the soldiers at the edge managed to catch her and pull her back in just before she fell.


    At that moment, Lucas¨Cstanding at the edge of the elevator, a shoulder¨Cfired missileuncher slung across his back¨Cspoke firmly and without hesitation:


    ¡°Drop your weapons!¡±


    The zombie horde was now less than 30 feet away.


    As soon as he said it, he lobbed the entireuncher down the hallway. It crashed to the floor,nding across the narrow corridor, blocking the zombies for a few precious seconds.


    The other soldiers hesitated¨Cbut then followed his lead, tossing their weapons out too.


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    The first zombies hit by the discarded guns stumbled with a screech, but the wave behind them barely paused.


    Like throwing a stick in a flood of rats¨Cjust enough to slow them down for a heartbeat before they swarmed right over it.


    Only these weren¡¯t rats.


    They were zombies.


    Still, Lucas had made the right call.


    With the weapons dumped, the elevator was no longer overloaded.


    The doors began to inch shut as Monica pounded the button.


    Just before they closed, a female zombie in a whiteb coat lunged from the floor in a grotesque, twisted leap.


    At the very back, Theresa¡¯s eyes went ice cold. Energy gathered in her palm as she prepared to strike¡ªbut before she could release it, a sh of lightning shot past her.


    <i>Crack</i>!


    Right behind the lightning, balls of fire, metal shards, wooden vines, and orbs of water all sted out toward the zombie.


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    Chapter 81 Tensions and Secrets in the Elevator


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    Almost everyone in the elevator used their abilities. The strength of these abilities was low, but nearly everyone had one!


    Immediately, the female zombie at the front was pummeled with a barrage of attacks, leaving it charred.


    What surprised Theresa the most wasn¡¯t that nearly everyone in the elevator had powers, but the person who was the first to use a lightning¨Cbased ability.


    It was Lucas¨Che had a lightning¨Cbased ability! And his power was clearly stronger than anyone else¡¯s.


    That was a rare power!


    Thunk!


    The elevator door finally closed.


    As the door shut, everyone inside visibly rxed. They had just survived a terrifying close call¨Cwho wouldn¡¯t feel a little relieved?


    Monica, too, calmed down. She turned to re at Theresa. ¡°What did you just do to me?!¡±


    Her voice sent a chill through everyone in the elevator, especially Graham and the others.


    They felt a sudden tension.


    <i>No</i>, <i>no</i><i>, </i><i>no</i><i>. </i><i>Don¡¯t </i><i>provoke </i><i>Theresa</i><i>!</i><i>She¡¯s </i><i>the </i><i>evil </i><i>queen</i><i>! </i>


    <i>She¡¯s </i><i>really </i><i>not </i><i>someone </i><i>to </i><i>mess </i>with<i>! </i><i>Wasn¡¯t </i><i>it </i><i>you </i><i>who </i><i>told </i><i>her </i><i>dogs </i><i>to </i><i>get </i><i>out </i><i>in </i><i>the </i><i>first </i><i>ce</i><i>? </i>


    They watched as Theresa heard Monica¡¯s question, her dark, beautiful eyes glimmering, and the corners of her mouth lifted into a slight smile.


    Graham and the others stiffened even more. <i>Uh</i><i>¨C</i><i>oh</i>. <i>Monica </i><i>really </i><i>messed </i><i>with </i><i>her </i>this <i>time</i>. <i>Please</i><i>, </i><i>don¡¯t </i><i>make </i><i>things </i><i>worse</i><i>! </i><i>We¡¯re </i><i>begging </i><i>you</i><i>! </i>


    At that moment, a deep, cold male voice spoke. ¡°Monica!¡±


    Lucas sensed the tense atmosphere in the cramped elevator. His face turned cold, and his tone dropped to an icy level. It was nothing like the way Theresa had ever heard him speak before.


    He was usually pretty polite, but now, his tone was clearlyced with impatience.


    ¡°Lucas!¡± Monica turned to him the moment he spoke, trying to justify herself. ¡°You saw what she just did! She tried to kick me out¡ªshe was/going to get me killed! She almost got all of us killed!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go up first. Swipe your card,¡± he demanded, tapping the elevator panel.


    They were still stuck on the basement floor, and in order to get the elevator moving, they needed to swipe a card.


    Theresa now understood why her attempt to exit earlier didn¡¯t work. After selecting the floor, she needed


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    to swipe a card.


    ¡°No! Go to the second basement!¡± Monica shouted.


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    Lucas furrowed his brows, clearly annoyed. ¡°Monica, we¡¯ve already lost too much today. We weren¡¯t prepared. Let¡¯s leave ande backter.¡±


    He looked tired. They had lost a fewrades today¨Cthough not from his team¨Cit still bothered him.


    This operation had been reckless<b>. </b>


    They weren¡¯t ready, and they had lost their weapons.


    He didn¡¯t want to risk any more.


    And besides, Theresa and her group were still here.


    He at least had to get them safely out first.


    ¡°No!¡± Monica pushed forward, swiping her card in front of the elevator panel. The buttons lit up. ¡°The second basement is definitely where the target is¨Cand it has to be safe! We just picked the wrong floor earlier,¡± she insisted firmly. ¡°And don¡¯t forget, on this mission, you¡¯re the ones supporting us<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>


    She nced at Theresa, then looked seriously at Lucas.


    ¡°We have to take the thing! If we don¡¯t do so now, who knows what danger we¡¯ll faceter! Lucas<b>, </b>swipe your card!¡±


    Lucas tightened his lips and stared coldly at the woman in front of him.


    Two secondster, he pulled another card from his pocket.


    Beep!


    Both cards were swiped.


    The elevator panel in front of Theresa lit up with a new button.


    It was the second basement.


    She raised an eyebrow.


    <i>Another </i>floor? <i>This </i><i>pharmaceutical </i><i>research </i><i>facility </i><i>really </i><b><i>has </i></b><i>secrets</i><i>! </i>


    It took two administrator cards just to unlock this hidden floor.


    Her gaze deepened. <i>This </i><i>ce </i><i>is </i><i>definitely </i><i>more </i>than it <i>seems</i><i>¨C</i>it <i>might </i><i>even </i><i>be</i><i>¡­ </i>


    At that moment, she met someone¡¯s gaze.


    Lucas, standing at the front near the elevator controls, looked back at her. ¡°We¡¯ll take you up after we finish what we need to do,¡± he said.


    Chapter 81 Tensions and Secrets in the Elevator


    Theresa locked eyes with him. ¡°But what if something happens to you? How will we get up?¡±


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    ¡°You¡¯ll follow us to the grave,¡± Monica answered with a mocking smile. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t havee in here in the first ce!¡±

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    Chapter 82 A Tense Standoff Underground


    Theresa had officially run out of patience.


    <b>+10 </b>Free <b>Coins </b>


    She was ready to send this woman straight to hell right then and there¨Cwhen a hand suddenly reached past the group and handed her a card.


    ¡°My ess card,¡± Lucas said. ¡°If we don¡¯t make it back, go on up yourselves.¡±


    Theresa took the card without a second¡¯s hesitation.


    Monica, witnessing this, immediately lost it. ¡°How could you¡ª¡±


    But Lucas cut her off coldly. ¡°Monica, just focus on your job.¡±


    Ding. The elevator arrived on the floor.


    Monica had no choice but to back down, though she looked¨Clike she¡¯d swallowed a fly. She turned to re daggers at Theresa.


    Theresa, unbothered, waved the ess card Lucas had just given her like a trophy. That alone was enough to nearly make Monica explode.


    Her dad was the head of the KI Camp, for crying out loud! No one had ever dared treat her like this. And that woman had just kicked her out of the elevator earlier!


    Once this mission was over, Monica swore she¡¯d make her pay.


    <i>Ding</i>.


    The elevator doors slowly opened.


    Everyone inside immediately went on high alert.


    Lucas and the others at the front line took defensive stances, abilities charging in their palms, ready to strike at the first sign of danger.


    <i>Ding</i>.


    The doors fully opened.


    Silence.


    Total silence.


    Even stranger¨Cthis floor still had power.


    Bright, sterile white lights illuminated the entire basement level.


    What they saw was a long, pristine corridor, gleaming with spotless white ceramic tiles. It stretched out far ahead, leading to a massive ss security door. Through the ss, awork of office rooms could be seen pletely empty.


    THE


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    Not a soul in sight.


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    ¡°This is it!¡± Monica eximed, her voice filled with surprise and relief as she looked out into the lobby<b>. </b>


    Lucas exchanged nces with his team. They cautiously stepped out of the clevator with military precision.


    They were pros¨Celite special forces. Every move was calcted.


    After confirming the area was clear, the rest of the group was allowed to exit the elevator.


    Theresa came out too, leaving her two dogs posted near the elevator like casual patrol guards. With Kyle and the dogs in tow, she sauntered after Lucas¡® squad like she was on a tour.


    Lucas, noticing they were tagging along, immediately turned. ¡°Why are you following us?<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Just taking a stroll. Thought we¡¯d look around.¡±


    Everyone else was speechless.


    Seriously?


    They were on a high¨Clevel, top¨Csecret mission¨Cand these two were tagging along like they were on vacation.


    Was that appropriate?


    Absolutely.


    Theresa hade here to scope out and eventually ta

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    Chapter 83 No Room for Mercy


    Chapter 83 No Room for Mercy


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    At that moment, Lucas finally spoke. He looked at Theresa<b>, </b>then let his eyes drift to Monica, who was <b>now </b>too weak to struggle.


    ¡°Let her go,¡± he said calmly. ¡°If you do, I¡¯ll let youe with us.¡±


    Theresa paused for a second to consider.


    Bang!


    Monica was thrown to the ground.


    ¡°Monica!¡±


    ¡°Monica!¡±


    Her people rushed to her side.


    Now able to breathe again, Monica started coughing violently. Her vision was still ck. Her heart felt like it was about to leap out of her throat, and it was as if she could hear the blood roaring through her veins. Despite it all, her entire body shook uncontrobly with cold sweat pouring down her back.


    There was a vivid five¨Cfingered bruise wrapped around her pale neck.


    It took a full 30 seconds before her senses returned and she began to regain control over her trembling


    limbs.


    She had really almost died just now.


    That woman had truly meant to kill her.


    ¡°You okay?¡± Lucas asked.


    Monica heard his voice and was instantly overwhelmed with rage. She wanted to order him to kill Theresa. But as soon as she saw the beautiful woman smiling calmly at her, she began to tremble like a leaf in the


    wind.


    The fear came from somewhere deep inside.


    Her voice was hoarse, and her words shook as she answered, ¡°I¨CI¡¯m fine.¡±


    Anyone who had nearly been strangled to death would fear their attacker. That wasn¡¯t something one could just turn off.


    She immediately quieted down.


    ¡°If you¡¯re fine, then we¡¯re moving out,¡± Lucas said coldly.


    There wasn¡¯t a trace of concern or any intention to stand up for her.


    Monica stayed on the ground for a while longer before slowly getting to her feet. This time, she quietly followed behind Lucas without a single order orint.


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    Graham and the others¨Cthose who knew Theresa¨Cexchanged a look and collectively sighed.


    Yep. Another one broken by the evil queen.


    Should¡¯ve known better than to mess with Theresa.


    She wasn¡¯t some soft target one could push around¨Cshe was a full¨Cblown,wless brute.


    Seeing Monica alive but humiliated, Theresa felt reasonably satisfied.


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    This would do for now. If Monica stepped out of line again, she¡¯d get another lesson. Theresa always bnced things just right and stayed in control of the situation.


    She needed these people as cannon fodder¨Ccouldn¡¯t afford to push things too far. Killing their leader in front of everyone would definitely cross a line, and she doubted that even Lucas would look the other way just because they had some shared history.


    Not to mention it could disrupt their mission¨Cand hers.


    Still, one thing was certain: Theresa wasn¡¯t about to let anything slide. If someone pissed her off<b>, </b>they <b>were </b>going to pay for it.


    She would keep punishing them until they learned.


    Theresa had never been known for patience.


    She met Lucas¡® eyes. He looked at her and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± she replied, in good spirits now.


    Theresa and her people¨Cdogs included¨Cfollowed behind the main group.


    <i>Beep</i><i>. </i>


    Monica swiped her card, and therge door in front of them clicked open.


    This was the first time Theresa had gotten a good look at the ce.


    And she was stunned.


    This second basement level was way bigger than she¡¯d expected.


    Directly ahead was a massive hall, nked on the left and right by office zones.


    Each side had rows and rows of ss¨Cwalled offices, perfectly aligned.


    There had to be at least a hundred rooms down here.


    It was wayrger than any single floor of the building above.


    It was obvious now-this was the true heart of the pharmaceutical research facility.


    Once again, Theresa felt confident that sticking with Lucas¡® group had been the right call.


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    Chapter 83 No Room for Mercy


    ¡°Left or right?¡± Lucas asked Monica.


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    Her face was still ghost¨Cpale from the encounter with Theresa. Her usual arrogance was gone, and her tone had softened. ¡°I don¡¯t know. The data only pointed to this floor. We¡¯ll have to check them one by one.¡±


    Lucas felt like he was working with a liability. <i>Who </ies in <i>this </i><i>unprepared </i>and thinks they¡¯re <i>ready </i>to lead<b>? </b>


    He cast a nce at Theresa, who was calmly scanning the surroundings.


    If it were Theresa leading, there was no way she would¡¯ve charged in blind like this.


    ¡°Pairs of two, spread out! Start on the left!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    The group instantly moved, dividing smoothly into <b>six </b>two¨Cperson teams.


    Lucas ended up paired with Monica.


    He waited to see if Theresa would join them, but she walked over to Graham and Dave¡¯s team instead.


    ¡°Lucas, let¡¯s go,¡± Monica said, noticeably more rxed now that Theresa hadn¡¯t joined them.


    Lucas looked away and led her to the first row to begin the search.


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    Chapter 84 A Dangerous Discovery Below


    <b>¡°</b>Theresal


    ¡°Kyle!¡±


    Graham and Dave lit up the moment they saw the two of them following behind.


    ¡°How are you guys doing?¡± Kyle asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re alright. What about you?¡±


    Kyle nced sideways at Theresa. ¡°Doing great.¡±


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    Graham and Dave didn¡¯t miss the tone¨Cor the look. If he was with Theresa, of course, he was doing great.


    The two of them couldn¡¯t help feeling just a little jealous.


    Yeah¡­ following Theresa wasn¡¯t a bad deal at all.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Theresa asked as she walked with them toward thest row of office spaces.


    On both sides were doors tightly shut, all leading to locked offices. Through the ss walls, one could see all kinds of precision instruments inside.


    ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s ssified,¡± Graham said.


    Theresa blinked. ¡°Alright then.¡±


    Well, at least they were being professional.


    Graham suddenly leaned in close and whispered, ¡°But Theresa, between you and me, when we pull out, stick close to us. Don¡¯t linger in here. This ce is dangerous. It¡¯ll trigger a self¨Cdestruct protocol!¡±


    Theresa was surprised.


    She turned to look at him, but by then Graham had already straightened up, back to his cold, by¨Cthe¨Cbook self.


    Theresa stared at his stiff posture and tight¨Clipped face, then burst outughing. She reached up and rubbed the helmet on his 6¨Cfoot¨C1 frame with a firm, yful hand.


    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll remember.¡±


    Graham was startled.


    She touched his head.


    Didn¡¯t she know she was not supposed to mess with a guy¡¯s head like that?


    He hesitated for a beat, then picked up his pace to catch up with the group.


    They continued the search for about an hour.


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    They swept the entire left side of the level¡ªno luck.


    The only good news was


    that there weren¡¯t any zombies on the second basement level.


    Lucas nced at his watch. ¡°Everyone, take a 30¨Cminute break here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


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    They¡¯d left the camp at 3:00 a.m. to carry out this mission, and the toll had been heavy. A rest was more than wee.


    Once Lucas gave the order, the team quickly broke off into two groups to rest.


    Theresa stayed with Graham¡¯s team. Malcolm, Victor, and Sebastian also gathered around.


    ¡°Theresa!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    All three greeted her warmly.


    ¡°So, how¡¯s it been since you left? Not as good as with me, huh?¡± Theresa teased with a grin.


    Everyone chuckled sheepishly.


    She wasn¡¯t wrong.


    When they barely made it back to camp alive, they weren¡¯t met with honors or praise¨Cbut a whole new order.


    The K1 Camp had undergone a major overhaul. The military division was dissolved and restructured. Everyone was reassigned as camp guards¨Cno longer military personnel. If it hadn¡¯t been for Lucas, their captain, they might¡¯ve been scattered to who knew where.


    Theresa had warned them: this was the age of camps. Their glory days were over.


    She¡¯d been right.


    If not for Lucas, they wouldn¡¯t even know who they were serving anymore.


    And life in the camp? It had gone downhill fast. Food alone didn¡¯tpare to the meals they used to get with Theresa.


    ¡°Come get your rations,¡± came Lucas¡® voice from nearby.


    Lucas stood next to Monica. She wasn¡¯t carrying anything at all. Then she held out her palm¨Cand just like that, supplies materialized in her hand.


    Theresa¡¯s eyebrows lifted slightly. So, Monica had a space¨Cbased ability.


    After unloading the supplies, Monica shot Theresa a smug look.


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    <b>+10 </b>Free <b>Coins </b>


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    Theresa met her <b>gaze</b>, lips curling in a faint smile. Monica instantly turned away<b>, </b>cowed, and didn¡¯t <b>try </b><b>to </b>provoke her again.


    A momentter, Graham and the others brought over their supplies.


    Five boxed meals, still steaming.


    It looked like the KI Camp had prepared them just before departure.


    ¡°Theresa, you always shared your food with us. Today, you eat ours. Let¡¯s all dig in together!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s share.¡±


    The five of them ced the boxed meals in the center and peeled back the lids.


    Inside was a hearty cabbage stew glistening with fat, and two pieces of soda bread.


    If one looked closely, one could spot two thin slices of pork floating in the stew.


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    Chapter 85 Who¡¯s Really Hungry Now?


    Chapter 85 Who¡¯s Really Hungry Now?


    They actuallyid all that food out for Theresa and Kyle to cat together.


    Just then<b>, </b>another voice came from above their heads.


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. You can have mine too.¡±


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    Lucas had shown up at some point, silently handing over his own portion, and his meal had an extra egg.


    In times like these, that was downright heartwarming.


    However, Lucas wasn¡¯t not hungry; he just didn¡¯t want his team to go without. There were seven people eating off food meant for five. It clearly wasn¡¯t enough.


    And he even gave up his egg!


    A whole egg!


    Who could get their hands on eggs these days?


    Everyone turned to stare, waiting to see Theresa scramble for the food, maybe even lose it over a single egg, devouring it like she hadn¡¯t eaten in days.


    But instead, she just yawnedzily and said to Kyle, ¡°Kyle, get our food out.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Kyle slung off his backpack.


    First, he pulled out a portable hotpot stove, alcohol¨Cfueled and ready to go.


    Then came the boxes. One. Two. Three. Three/big metal lunch boxes!


    The first box was stuffed with rich, tender slices of braised beef.


    The second was stacked with golden, crispy ribs¨Cfirst deep¨Cfried, then coated in gooey, melted cheese.


    And the third? The biggest box of all? It had to weigh over 10 pounds. When opened, it revealed a mountain of fresh raw meat and bones!


    Monica and her group were stunned into silence. <i>Holy </i><i>crap</i><i>. </i><i>Meat</i>. All <i>meat</i>.


    Beef, ribs¡­ and not just any meat. Top¨Cshelf, high¨Cquality stuff.


    Not even a garnish of vegetables. Just pure meat¨Clike they were too broke to buy veggies and could only afford meat!


    Suddenly, everyone felt their faces burning with embarrassment.


    What had they been saying just now? They thought Theresa would lose her mind over an egg, but look at her food. And look at theirs.


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    And before <b>they </b>could even fully process their shame, their jaws dropped for a whole different reason.


    Theresa took that third box of raw meat and pushed it forward. ¡°Buddy, Max¨Cdig in: When you¡¯re done, call the next shift.¡±


    ¡°Woof! Woof!¡±


    She¡¯d made it for the dogs.


    Under the raw meat was high¨Cquality kibble. On top? A generous helping of fresh bones and meat. It was perfectly bnced. More than enough for them..


    Monica and the others were floored. <i>She </i><i>is </i><i>feeding </i><i>dogs </i><i>this </i><i>stuff</i><i>?! </i><i>Is </i><i>this </i><i>for </i><i>real</i>?!


    Most people couldn¡¯t even eat right now, let alone eat meat. And Theresa was feeding prime cuts to her dogs?!


    Everyone on their side waspletely dumbfounded.


    Graham and the others looked at Theresa¡¯s over¨Cthe¨Ctop meal setup and just about wanted to fall to their knees in awe.


    That is <i>Theresa </i><i>for </i><i>you</i>. <i>Still </i><i>as </i><i>bad</i>*<b><i>ss </i></b><b><i>as </i></b><i>ever</i>.


    ¡°Kyle,¡± Theresa said casually, ¡°cook up more of those instant noodles we picked up upstairs¨Cshare a bowl with them too.¡±


    ¡°On it!¡±


    Kyle got to work immediately.


    They¡¯d scored some food while scavenging earlier: instant noodles, sausages, braised eggs¨Call perfect for hotpot.


    Kyle opened ten packets of noodles, dropped in ten braised eggs, and fired up the self¨Cheating hotpot. It started bubbling and steaming with a mouthwatering aroma.


    Graham and his team were practically drooling.


    ¡°Lucas<b>, </be sit and eat with us,¡± Theresa offered.


    ¡°Yeah! Lucas<b>, </b>c¡¯mon!¡±


    ¡°Sit over here!¡±


    Graham and the others had no shame. As soon as Theresa opened the invitation, they dragged their squad leader over to mooch a meal.


    It was Theresa¡¯s cooking. Not taking a bite would¡¯ve been insane.


    Lucas looked at the bubbling pot and his subordinates¡® eager faces<b>. </b>


    ¡°No, you all go ahead. I¡¯ll eat over there.¡±


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    He took back his in boxed meal. As a senior figure in K1 Camp, he had to maintain appearances and think of the others on the other side, so he let his people stay and cat, while he returned on his own.


    Theresa didn¡¯t bother insisting.


    <b>If </b>he didn¡¯t want to eat, fine by her.


    She nodded at Kyle, who lifted the lid off the pot. In seconds, the rich aroma of cheesy ribs and braised beef filled the air.


    The gooey cheese from the ribs melted onto the golden noodles. Add in tender beef slices, sausages<b>, </b>and braised eggs¨Cit was sensory overload.


    ¡°Wow! Smells amazing!¡±


    Everyone got a big steaming bowl¨Cbeef ribs noodle soup, loaded with meat.


    ¡°This is incredible!¡± Graham had tears in his eyes. Once again, following Theresa meant real food.


    Theresa was a legend.


    Meanwhile<i>, </i>the soldiers on Monica¡¯s side could smell everything. They could hear the slurping.


    Then, they looked back at their own meals¨Cgritty soda bread and cabbage stew with a scrap of meat¨Cand suddenly nothing tasted right anymore.


    They were overwhelmed with jealousy and bitterness, chewing in slow motion, heartbroken byparison.

 Kept Woman 86

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    <b>The </b>group on the other side was eating like kings. Jealousy simmered¨Cthey all wanted to go over and steal¡± <b>a </b>bite.


    Monica, meanwhile, looked visibly ufortable as she stared daggers at Theresa, her teeth clenched.


    This isn¡¯t fair! How <i>is </i><i>this </i>even <i>possible</i><i>?! </i>


    She hadn¡¯t eaten half as well herself, so why did that woman get to feast like this<b>? </b>


    She turned to Lucas, a thought suddenly striking her. ¡°Lucas<b>, </b>since your people aren¡¯t eating the camp¡¯s food, bring it back! We can¡¯t afford to waste supplies!¡±


    Lucas shot her a cold nce. ¡°Monica, supplies are distributed per person. Whether they eat it or not is their choice. Simrly, if your people skip a meal, the extra belongs to them.¡±


    Monica seethed.


    This <i>d</i>*mn <i>Lucas</i><i>¨C</i><i>always </i>siding with <i>others</i><b><i>! </i></b>


    If it weren¡¯t for his grandfather, the formermander of the Northern Military District and her father¡¯s rival, she¡¯d have put him in his ce long ago.


    She took a big bite of soda bread but quickly lost her appetite. Even the extra meat she¡¯d snuck into her own lunchbox didn¡¯t appeal anymore.


    Compared to Theresa¡¯s spread, was this even edible?


    <i>Forget </i><i>it</i><i>. </i>I¡¯m <i>not </i><i>eating </i><i>this</i><i>. </i>


    ¡°Who¡¯s that woman?¡± Theresa asked casually, still eating as she nced toward themotion.


    Graham and the others, halfway through their meal, gathered around her.


    ¡°Her name¡¯s Monica,¡± Graham said quietly. ¡°Her dad was a high¨Cranking official before the apocalypse. Now he runs Kl Camp.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a space¨Cbased ability user?¡± Theresa asked.


    Everyone nodded.


    That wasn¡¯t a secret anymore.


    Monica had always unted the fact that she was Kl Camp¡¯s only space¨Cbased ability user. Everyone at the camp knew it.


    Her father¡¯s leadership position was secured thanks to her rare ability.


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you have her carry the extra weight earlier?¡± Theresa asked.


    ¡°Her space is too small,¡± Dave said, ncing at her. ¡°She can only store about 35 cubic feet of supplies.¡±


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    Theresa nodded in understanding.


    Space¨Cbased ability users were rare¡ªand notoriously hard to level up.


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    Still, the ability was incredibly valuable. Like having a mobile warehouse, it was useful anywhere, anytime.


    So, that was why they brought Monica along. She might seem like deadweight, but in reality, she was their walking storage unit.


    ¡°Are you all here looking for something?¡± Theresa asked with a smile.


    ¡°How did you know?!¡± Graham blurted out¨Cthen immediately regretted it.


    <i>Too </i><i>green</i>. She <i>got </i><i>me</i><i>. </i>


    Theresa was sharp¨Cway too sharp.


    Grinning, she reached out and ruffled his hair. ¡°Good boy. Now tell me what you¡¯re looking for, and I¡¯ll give you more meat.¡±


    Graham just stared at her, stunned.


    Was this how kidnappers lured kids with candy?


    He shook his head hard.


    The others mmed up, too.


    They were soldiers¨Cthey had a code. Even if they were eating her food, there were lines they wouldn¡¯t


    cross<b>. </b>


    ¡°Fine,¡± Theresa said, letting it go. ¡°If you won¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll find out myself eventually.¡±


    Her respect for their silence actually grew. If they had spilled everything just for a bite to eat, they wouldn¡¯t be worth trusting¨Cand she wouldn¡¯t have believed them anyway.


    She really dropped the subject after that. And as they kept eating, Graham and the others felt even more grateful.


    She fed them, asked nothing in return, and didn¡¯t push when they stayed quiet.


    They owed her now.


    Big time.


    Theresa wasn¡¯t just generous¨Cshe was someone worth repaying.


    Their admiration for her surged¨Clike loyal knights indebted to a noble queen.


    In less than half an hour, they wiped out every bit of Theresa¡¯s hot pot, broth, and all.


    Then Lucas spoke up.


    ¡°Break¡¯s over. Everyone, gather up.¡±


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    Chapter 86 A Feast Beyond Compare


    Theresa¡¯s team packed up quickly.


    +10 Free Coins


    They also stored their untouched rations. Graham and the others thought about offering them to Theresa. but figured someone who dined like royalty every day wouldn¡¯t care for basic boxed meals¨Cso they kept


    them.


    They¡¯d save them for their captain instead. With food shortages back at camp, he definitely wouldn¡¯t mind.


    ¡°Everyone, pair up and start sweeping the right side!¡±


    Lucas checked his watch. It was already 1 p.m.


    If everything stayed on track, they could wrap up and head out by 5.


    With that, the group split up and got back to work.


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    Chapter 87 The Lab of Secrets


    Chapter 87 The Lab of Secrets


    Theresa, as usual, stayed close to Graham and Dave¡¯s team.


    She had a good idea of what Lucas and the others were here for.


    £¤:<b>53</b>%


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    There must be something valuable inside this pharmaceutical research facility¨Cvaluable enough to send Lucas and Monica, a space¨Cbased ability user, on the mission.


    Still, what kind of vital supplies could possibly be here?


    And could this ce somehow be connected to the zombie king from her previous life?


    <i>Thud</i>!


    Suddenly, a heavy crash sounded right next to Theresa.


    A zombie in a green hospital gown mmed into the ss wall of the nearby office, right where Theresa stood.


    A thick smear of blood instantly painted the pane in front of her.


    Its gaping mouth twisted grotesquely as it howled, gnawing at the ss like a demon trying to chew its way through. Its nose, mouth, and cheekbones ttened against the surface as it pressed in, desperate and


    ravenous.


    The once¨Cclear ss quickly became streaked with bloody smears.


    <i>Click</i><i>! </i>


    <i>Click</i><i>! </i>


    Everyone around Theresa tensed in an instant/


    Graham and Dave were the first to draw their pistols.


    They¡¯d lost all their heavy weapons and were left with only sidearms.


    The noise from her side of the hallway had caught the attention of nearby teams.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on over there?¡±


    ¡°Lucas! We¡¯ve got zombies!¡± Graham called out.


    Lucas and the others rushed over right away.


    Monica took one look at the line of offices filled with zombies and said confidently, ¡°This is it!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡±


    ¡°This is theb! It¡¯s definitely somewhere along this hallway. I can¡¯t tell which room exactly¨Cbut this is the row,¡± Monica replied firmly.


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    Chapter 87 The Lab of Secrets


    Lucas again felt that Monica was nothing but trouble.


    +10 <b>Free </b>Coins


    He waved his hand and signaled everyone to begin searching the rooms along the hallway.


    Theresa followed behind them, noting how this section waspletely different from the area on the left.


    Instead of precision instruments, each room now resembled a patient ward. Every room contained hospital beds.


    As she walked, she heard loud thuds from both sides as zombies threw themselves against the ss walls.


    Each room held at least one zombie¨Csome had four or five.


    They sensed the presence of the living, mming into the ss with crazed hunger, gnashing and howling.


    It was surreal¨Cjust thin sheets of ss separating them as they walked through a corridor surrounded on both sides by the undead.


    If even one pane shattered, things would get real interesting.


    Theresa, walking right behind the cannon fodder up front, kept her eyes and mind sharp.


    She noticed something: every zombie here was fully intact. Not a single one bore bite marks.


    That meant these weren¡¯t infected¨Cthey had mutated on their own.


    So why were there so many self¨Cmutated zombies locked up here? 1


    Could they have been studying this virus before the outbreak?


    Theresa didn¡¯t believe this small research facility was the virus¡® origin. She knew the zombie outbreak had happened everywhere, all at once.


    If it had started here, the spread would¡¯ve radiated outward¨Cstarting in Ansford, maybe, before reaching the rest of the world.


    But that wasn¡¯t the case. The outbreak had been global from day one.


    Still, it was possible that the government had discovered the virus earlier and begun studying it in secret.


    Before the outbreak, there had been a long period of flu¨Clike illness. Even ten yearster, no one had ever traced the true source of the zombie virus.


    One thing was clear, though: this pharmaceuticalb was no ordinary facility.


    Lucas hade from the powerful Kl Camp, which in her past life was known for its elite Evoloids.


    Now they were looking for something here.


    There had to be a connection.


    Theresa was still analyzing everything when a shout came from up ahead.


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    Chapter 87 The Lab of Secrets


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    ¡°Found it! It¡¯s this one!¡±


    Monica strode to the front of the group, stopping before a sealed metal door.


    It looked a lot like a radiology room from the old world¨Cpossibly shielding against nuclear radiation.


    Monica pulled out a card, and with a <i>beep</i><i>, </i>a keypad lit up in front of her.


    Under the protection of her teammates, she began punching in the code. But once she finished, a message shed on the screen: a second authorization was required.


    ¡°Beep¨CPlease scan the secondary administrator ID.¡±


    Everyone turned to look at Theresa.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, if you wouldn¡¯t mind bringing over my card?¡± Lucas said politely.


    Theresa strolled over at a leisurely pace. ¡°Is that your way of asking me for a favor?¡±


    Monica bristled with anger at the tone. <i>Favor</i>? That card belonged to them!

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    Chapter 88 Danger Beyond the ss


    Chapter 88 Danger Beyond the ss


    She was just about to snap back when she caught sight of Theresa¡¯s smile.


    On second thought, she held back.


    Her neck ached.


    She shot Lucas a re, dumping the whole mess on him.


    Lucas was even more exasperated. ¡°Ms. Hall, please cooperate.¡±


    <b>+10 </b>Free Coins


    ¡°You want my cooperation? Fine. On one condition.¡± Theresa strolled over slowly, holding a keycard between her fingers. ¡°I¡¯ll go in with you.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡±


    ¡°No?¡± she shot back, spinning on her heel. ¡°Then, I¡¯m heading out. Kyle, let¡¯s go!¡±


    She didn¡¯t wait.


    She had the street¨Cthug energy. There was not even the slightest hint of guilt about holding someone else¡¯s keycard. Not even a flicker of hesitation.


    She walked off, cool and clean.


    Lucas stared after her, oddly impressed, the words slipping out before he could stop them.


    ¡°Come back. I agree.¡±


    <i>Beep</i><i>! </i><i>Click</i>.


    Deal struck. Theresa returned. After swiping the card, the door slowly opened.


    She stood confidently behind Lucas with sharp eyes focused on the room ahead.


    It was pitch ck inside¨Cno lights.


    The hallway lighting spilled just a few feet into the room, revealing apact steel¨Cted waiting area.


    In the center of the room was a massive ss panel. The lighting didn¡¯t reach far, so everything behind the ss was shadowed, but it was clear the room beyond wasrge.


    Silent. Utterly silent.


    And yet, Theresa felt it¨Can invisible pressure in the air. Oppressive. Unsettling.


    Like something unknown was hiding in the dark.


    Theresa was a mental maniption ability user.


    It was rare. When fully focused, she could sense the presence of zombies or ability users nearby¨Cand more importantly, she had a sharp instinct for danger.


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    SD SAW AUT


    Chapter 88 Danger Beyond the ss:


    <b>+10 </b>Free Coins.


    She¡¯d made it all the way down to the second basement floor, even through zomble¨Cinfested corridors, without feeling a thing, but the moment that door opened, her heart started to race.


    A wave of pure pressure hit her


    She tried to probe the room with her mind power, but the radiation¨Cshielded chamber made it almost impossible.


    Her current level of mind power couldn¡¯t prate the walls.


    All she got was a single, overwhelming message¨CDanger, Danger, Danger.


    Theresa stopped at the threshold. She didn¡¯t go in.


    Monica noticed, ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one insisting on going in?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going in. Only a fool walks into a copsing building.¡±


    Monica immediately sneered. ¡°Pfft. Please¨Cspare me the wise¨Cman act. You¡¯re just scared! Fine by me. Laicas, let¡¯s go!¡±


    She strode confidently inside.


    Lucas, though, paused and turned to Theresa. ¡°You really sense danger in there?¡±


    Theresa gave him a sly smile and held out her hand. ¡°100 gleamstones, and I¡¯ll give you a crucial hint.¡±


    He stared into her eyes for a solid ten seconds¨Cthen sighed like he¡¯d lost his mind and pulled a pouch from his pocket. ¡°I¡¯ve only got 78.¡±


    She snatched it. ¡°Good enough. I¡¯ll give you a discount¨Cno use letting you die and waste them all.¡±


    Lucas was speechless. Gee, <i>thanks</i><i>. </i>


    ¡°So, what¡¯s inside?¡±


    ¡°No idea. Just know it¡¯s very dangerous.¡±


    He was stunned. <i>So</i>, <i>I </i>paid <i>78 </i><i>gleamstones </i><i>for </i><i>nothing</i><i>? </i>


    Monica¡¯s voice rang from inside. ¡°Lucas! What¡¯s the holdup? There¡¯s nothing dangerous in here! Get in here and assist me!¡±


    Lucas didn¡¯t answer. He raised his weapon and entered the room.


    1


    As he passed her, Theresa¨Cstill holding the gleamstones¨Clooked him straight in the eye and said seriously, ¡°Remember. It¡¯s extremely dangerous in there.¡±


    He gave her a long, hard look, then continued forward alone.


    This was a mission¨Ccritical zone. No one else was allowed in.


    The moment he stepped inside, Theresa pulled out the keycard again. ¡°Kyle, take the dogs and supplies up to the car. Park it by the entrance.¡±


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    Chapter 88 Danger Beyond the ss


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    ¡°Yes!<b>¡± </b>


    Kyle shot a worried nce toward the room, then led the dogs upstairs.


    As soon as he left, Graham and the others gathered around Theresa.


    ¡°Theresa, is something wrong in there?¡±


    ¡°What did you sense?¡±


    Right then, the lights in the istion room suddenly flicked on¨Cand they all saw what was behind the ss.


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    Chapter 89 The Nursery of the Dead


    For a moment, everyone stood frozen in shock.


    Behind the ss wally a grotesque scene¡ªbodies piled in a chaotic, tangled mess.


    None of the corpses were intact.


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    Some were reduced to bare leg bones, others had hollowed¨Cout stomachs, and some were missing half their heads.


    Dark, dried blood streaked every surface of the quarantine room. The ce looked like the aftermath of a massacre straight out of a horror film, but what stunned them most was the small child nestled inside.


    ¡°Look!¡± Graham shouted, pointing in disbelief at a corner of the room. A little girl was clinging to the lifeless body of a woman.


    She looked about five or six years old, nuzzling the corpse as if it were her mother¨Cwhimpering, seekingfort.


    Then, she turned her head toward them.


    Everyone stopped breathing.


    It wasn¡¯t the face of a sweet child.


    It was the face of a monster.


    Her skin was bruised and ckened, her eyes, once meant to be full of innocence, were now a soulless, horrifying gray. Her once¨Cwhite dress was drenched in blood, and she clutched a doll tightly in her hands. Feeling the presence of the living beyond the ss, the zombie child tilted her head eerily at them.


    She opened her mouth. Thick ck blood spilled out, along with a rotting piece of heart tissue slipping from her lips.


    She had been feeding on the dead.


    Before Graham and the others could even recover from the horror of seeing a child zombie, it got worse.


    One. Two. Three¡­ Twelve. Thirteen.


    From beneath.the scattered bodies, more small figures began to emerge.


    More zombie children.


    All of them stared directly at the group with chilling, unwavering eyes.


    Theresa¡¯s expression hardened immediately. She knew, contrary to what most people believed, child zombies were far more dangerous than adult ones.


    The mutation preserved their flexibility and agility.


    Zombie children were faster, stronger, and far more aggressive. Their mutation levels were off the charts


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    Chapter 89 The Nursery of the Dead


    far exceeding those of regr undead.


    Almost all of them had enhanced strength and speed.


    Thud!


    Thud!


    Thud! Thud!


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    The small zombies inside the quarantine room, sensing fresh prey, threw themselves at the reinforced ss.


    Each impact left a web¨Clike crack behind, despite the ss being stronger than in any other room.


    Then came a high¨Cpitched scream from inside.


    ¡°Aaahhh!¡±


    It was Monica.


    The small zombies, previously focused on Theresa and her group, turned and charged toward the scream.


    Gunfire followed.


    Graham and the others, seeing this, immediately rushed in without hesitation.


    Theresa¡¯s mind snapped into overdrive.


    Something clicked.


    In her past life, she had found Kyle around this time¨Cnear the outskirts of Ansford.


    Back then, he was a mess¨Ccopsed on the road, barely alive. He looked like a stray dog with no will to live. If she hadn¡¯t helped him, he wouldn¡¯t have survived the night.


    After bringing him back, Kyle refused to speak. It wasn¡¯t until they were nearly killed during a mission that he finally opened up and saved her life.


    He told her he had been a soldier from the military zone¨Cbut shared nothing more.


    He¡¯d mentioned teammates once, but never tried to find them, which meant¡­


    Could this have been hisst mission in his past life?


    Were these people the ones who died during that mission?


    Right then, Theresa saw the people who had rushed forward now fleeing back.¡±


    They fought their way back, wavingpact ability orbs and firing off thest of their ammo as they shielded Lucas and Monica, who had just broken through the chaos.


    III


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    Chapter 89 The Nursery of the Dead


    Through the crowd, Lucas locked eyes with Theresa.


    His gaze was full of gratitude.


    A silent thank¨Cyou.


    Thanks to her warning, they had all made it out alive.


    Lucas owed her his life.


    <b>+10 </b>Free Coins


    This time, he was on a top¨Ctier ssified mission from K1 Camp¨Csent to the pharmaceutical research facility to recover data reports and equipment that had been under study before the zombie virus outbreak.


    Data that might hold the key to extracting energy from zombie gleamstones.


    Before the outbreak, the government had discovered this new type of dormant virus in several regions.


    At first, they¡¯d mistaken it for a new strain of the flu, butb experiments with mice revealed the truth¨Cit was a virus unlike anything in human history.


    Chapter 90 Betrayal in the Lab

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    Chapter 90 Betrayal in the Lab


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    To their astonishment, they discovered that this virus had the potential to push human cells beyond their natural limits¨Ctoward something resembling immortality.


    If decoded, it could be one of the greatest scientific breakthroughs in human history.


    Unfortunately, before they could uncover anything meaningful, catastrophe struck.


    The so¨Ccalled immortality the virus offered came at a horrific price¨Cit turned people into zombies.


    Even with preemptive national protocols in ce, nothing could stop this virus from tearing through humanity like a higher¨Cdimensional attack.


    This was a force beyond human control.


    In a matter of moments, the world fell.


    Thankfully, some groundwork had already beenid. Theb Monica¡¯s father had designated as the virus research center held a vast amount of data.


    That data alone was enough to get him appointed as an administrator at the K1 Camp, which was under military control.


    This time, Lucas had been personally assigned to escort Monica there to retrieve critical files and equipment.


    But no one expected Monica to be such a liability.


    Every piece of information she had was wrong.


    She imed that theb had been fully cleared of both personnel and infected¨Cyet the first sublevel was crawling with infected staff.


    Then, on the second sublevel, Monica still insisted there were no zombies. That it was totally safe.


    She dragged the entire team into a death trap.


    Not even Lucas¨Cskilled as he was¨Ccould carry such a deadweight of a teammate.


    Thankfully, he had crossed paths with Theresa earlier. If not for the warning she gave him before entering, Monica¡¯s blunder would¡¯ve gotten him killed in the quarantine room.


    Lucas had been extremely cautious¨Cmethodical, even¨Cwhen retrieving the stuff with Monica. But the moment they entered, she flipped on the lights, screamed at the sight of the zombies, and nearly forgot to use her space¨Cbased ability.


    It was only because Lucas had Theresa¡¯s tip¨Coff¨Cand because of his elitebat skills¨Cthat he managed to quickly eliminate a few of the lesser zombies and buy M¨®nica enough time to grab the stuff and get out.


    The moment he stepped out of that quarantine room, he knew it¨CTheresa had saved his life.


    He had no idea how she knew there would be that many infected inside.


    Chapter 90 Betrayal in the Lab


    But without her, he wouldn¡¯t be standing.


    He looked at Theresa with newfound respect.


    ¡°Fall back!¡± Lucas ordered.


    Theresa finally exhaled, watching as the survivors emerged one by one.


    <i>Holy </i><i>hell</i>, she thought. <i>They </i><i>made </i><i>it</i><i>. </i>


    Bang! <i>Bang</i>! <i>Bang</i>!


    <i>Boom</i>! <i>Boom</i>! <i>Boom</i><i>! </i>


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    Gunfire erupted behind them as the othersid down suppressing fire against a horde of child zombies. Monica turned toward the quarantine room door.


    ¡°Seal it! Initiate the destruction protocol!¡±


    She sprinted to the control panel at the door and started mashing the button to shut <i>it</i>¨Cwithout even waiting for everyone to get out.


    Theresa had had enough of her nonsense.


    With a single well¨Cced kick, she sent Monica flying. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?! Dumb*ss!¡±


    ¡°Three seconds!¡± Theresa barked, positioning herself by the door controls and addressing the remaining team inside.


    ¡°Three!¡±


    Small zombies swarmed toward the doorway. Others mmed violently against the reinforced ss.


    ¡°Two!¡±


    <i>Crack</i><i>! </i>Web¨Clike fractures spread across the window. The infected kept mming their heads into the ss, ttening their skulls with every hit.


    Their faces were twisting into grotesque, monstrous expressions.


    ¡°One!¡±


    <i>Crash</i><i>! </i>The ss shattered.


    Just then, thest of the special forces team leapt out of the room.


    <i>Thud</i><i>! </i>The quarantine door mmed shut behind him.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lucas gasped, turning to the woman who¡¯d sealed the door for them.


    His cold, stoic face softened for the first time.


    The others stared at Theresa, overwhelmed with gratitude.


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    Chapter 90 Betrayal in the Lab


    ¡°Theresa! We couldn¡¯t have made it without you!¡±


    ¡°What exactly is this ¡®destruction protocol¡® you mentioned?¡± Theresa asked.


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    ¡°There¡¯s a failsafe mechanism in theb,¡± Lucas exined. ¡°Once we¡¯re out, the entire area will be purged.¡±


    No sooner had he finished speaking than the ss doors ahead of them began to creak open.


    The lights on the second basement level flickered¨Cand then wentpletely dark.


    Only the faint glow from the elevator shaft lit their path.


    A woman stood in the shadows, clutching her stomach and grinning at them with sick satisfaction.


    ¡°My dad said if he had the chance, he¡¯d make sure you all died down here. Perfect timing¨Clooks like you¡¯re going to join them in hell! You too, b*tch!¡± she sneered at Theresa.


    Maybe Monica wasn¡¯t just ipetent.


    Maybe she¡¯d been sabotaging them on purpose all along.


    How else could she have conveniently allowed Theresa to tag along again and again?


    <b>3/3 </b>


    14:36 Sat, 9 Aug


    Chapter 91 Countdown to Chaos

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    Chapter 91 Countdown to Chaos


    Chapter 91 Countdown to Chaos


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    Monica swiped the keycard hard across the reader in front of the door.


    An rm red through the entire second basement level.


    ¡°<i>Beep</i>¨Cself¨Cdestruct sequence will activate in 30 seconds!¡±


    All doors on the level burst open at once.


    Rooms that had been sealed tight¨Ccontaining zombies¨Cwere now unlocked.


    With a twisted grin, she nced back at them all, then mmed the outer door of the second basement shut and sprinted toward the elevator.


    As she turned for one final nce, she shot Theresa a wicked, taunting look¨Cand flipped her the middle finger. <i>That¡¯s </i><i>what </i><i>you </i><i>get </i><i>for </i><i>crossing </i><i>me</i><i>! </i><i>Rot </i><i>in </i><i>hell</i><i>! </i>


    Proud and smug, Monica raced for the elevator, leaving the others trapped behind zombie¨Cinfested doors. Just as she reached it, a figure appeared before her.


    ¡°Kyle! Kill her!¡±


    Theresa¡¯s voice was cold as ice.


    ¡°Raaargh!¡±


    Inside the basement, a pulsing red light shed overhead, and sirens counted down the seconds. Below the light: zombies¨Cnewly freed from their locked rooms¨Cgroaned and lunged.


    They thrashed, wed, and staggered like demons unleashed, swarming toward thest pocket of living


    prey.


    Zombies, uncaged.


    ¡°Countdown: 29 seconds!¡±


    ¡°Hrrrrghhh!¡±


    Under the strobing red lights, a zombie in a blue hospital gown opened its gaping maw and lunged forward.


    <i>Bang</i><i>! </i>


    Just as the zombie lunged forward, a bullet tore through the center of its forehead. A scorched, dime¨Csized hole marked the front¨Cbut the back of its skull blew open, leaving a gaping, bowl¨Csized cavity.


    ck¨Cred blood and pale brain matter sprayed out in a violent burst. The impact shattered the skull instantly, pulverizing tissue and bone into a flying mess of gore and fragments.


    In an instant, the back of its head was reduced to a mangled, bloody crater¨Cgray matter, veins, scalp, and bone smeared together in a single ruined mass.


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    One shot. One kill.


    The zombie dropped, lifeless.


    Lucas, who fired the shot, shouted, ¡°Break through¨Cnow!¡±


    With thatmand, every special ops soldier surged forward at full speed.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Bang! <i>Bang</i>! <i>Bang</i>! Bang<i>! </i>


    <i>Bang</i>! <i>Bang</i>! <i>Bang</i><i>! </i><i>Bang</i><i>! </i><i>Bang</i><i>! </i><i>Bang</i><i>! </i><i>Bang</i><i>! </i>


    Gunfire exploded like a thunderstorm. They weren¡¯t holding back¨Cnot now. With a desperate, all¨Cin assault, they sted through the swarming zombies<b>, </b>carving out a path in the chaos.


    Theresa was instinctively surrounded¨Cprotected in the center.


    Graham and Dave took positions at her sides. The others¨Cthose who had shared a meal with her¨Cformed a human shield around her, determined to repay that simple kindness. They fought, killed, and cleared <i>a </i>path for her.


    No one even thought about how powerful Theresa really was. In that moment, she wasn¡¯t a fighter, just the only civilian among them¨Cunarmed, untrained, and unfamiliar with military tactics. That made her their responsibility.


    Protecting civilians¨Cthat was the soldier¡¯s duty.


    Even in this hellish apocalypse, some instincts remained, especially for the woman who once fed them when they were starving.


    No hesitation. No orders needed. They shielded her, surrounding her with unbreakable resolve.


    Ironically, that left Theresa¨Cwho had been ready to grab her AK¨C47 and go full berserker¨Cstuck in the middle with no opening to charge ahead. All she could do was raise herpact Desert Eagle and fire.


    <i>Bang</i><i>! </i><i>Bang</i><i>! </i><i>Bang</i>!


    Graham and Dave held off the zombies closing in from either side, but the horde was overwhelming. Theresa stayed calm in the eye of the storm.


    From her central vantage point, she picked off every straggler that slipped past the others. Any zombie that crossed the line was taken out by her hand.


    Together, under pressure and fire, they pushed toward the exit.


    But then¡­


    ¡°Countdown: 21 seconds!¡±


    ¡°Countdown: 20 seconds!¡±


    Ten seconds. That was how long it took for them to burn through everyst bullet.


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    They had already lost most of their weapons back on the first basement level. Their remaining firepower just wasn¡¯t enough.


    And there were still over 300 feet to go.


    Only 20 seconds left.


    Zombies. Wall to wall.


    ¡°Aaaaah!¡±


    Just then, one of the special forces soldiers¨Cone of Monica¡¯s former allies¨Cwas tackled by two zombies at once. A fallen panel had struck his leg, slowing his escape. He barely had time to react before a zombietched onto his helmet and bit down hard.


    And in that critical moment, a sh of blinding lightning split the air.

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    Chapter 92 Final Stand


    Chapter 92 Final Stand


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    A sh of lightning struck the zombies right in front of the soldier. Shaken, he was forcefully rescued by Lucas<b>. </b>A clear tooth¨Cshaped dent was visible on his solid helmet.


    Lucas carried him on his back and pushed forward with renewed vigor.


    ¡°Lucas, I¡¯m not your soldier! Put me down, and you all go!¡± the soldier urged.


    ¡°Anyone who follows me is one of mine!¡± Lucas replied coldly.


    At that moment, Theresa understood why Graham and the others were so unwilling to <b>leave </b>Lucas behind.


    This man was cold and unfeeling on the surface, but he had a sense of loyalty.


    Zzzzt<i>! </i>


    Zzzzt<i>! </i>Zzzt<i>! </i>


    Lightning crackled in the air as the other team members threw down their weapons and started using their abilities.


    <i>Bang</i>! <i>Bang</i><i>! </i><i>Bang</i>!


    <i>Bang</i>!


    Egg¨Csized water balls, fireballs, and metal knives flew rapidly through the air.


    Their abilities were weak, but they used whatever they could.


    Those without element¨Ctype abilities were mainly speed¨Ctype or strength¨Ctype ability users, wielding military bays and relying on their enhanced physiques to fight hand¨Cto¨Chand.


    They fought through the bloodshed, charging forward!


    ¡°Countdown: 15 seconds.¡±


    The distance was still 230 feet!


    ¡°Countdown: 12 seconds!¡±


    Now, 164 feet..


    ¡°Countdown: 10 seconds!¡±


    Only 131 feet to go!


    They were nearly out of the zombie crowd, but the leading special forces soldiers faltered.


    Their abilities were starting to wane and shrink as they tried to use them, but no energy wasing out!


    Their abilities were drained!


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    Chapter 92 Final Stand


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    The entire team¡¯s speed slowed drastically, shifting from offensive to defensive as they leaned on each other for support.


    They were weak, and the zombies were strong.


    Because humans got tired, but zombies never did!


    ¡°Raaah<b>!</b><b>¡± </b>


    In front of Theresa, Graham¡¯s fireball dissipated in midair, and a zombie seized the opportunity, lunging toward him with a roar.


    There was no time to avoid it.


    <i>Bang</i>!


    Theresa yanked Graham aside and kicked the zombie flying.


    But before the pale¨Cfaced Graham could thank her, Dave was grabbed by three or four zombies by the legs. Malcolm tried to pull him away, but he, too, was swarmed.


    The group around Theresa was gradually losing their strength.


    One by one, they were taken down.


    ¡°Theresa! Run!¡± Graham shouted, shoving her away before turning back to charge into the zombies and save his teammates. ¡°This is as far as we can go! Go now!¡±


    They could only go so far, and from here on out, whoever could run, should.


    Graham stayed behind to cover her escape!


    At that moment, multiple lightning bolts struck, taking down all the zombies surrounding Graham and his


    team.


    A man stood still, his eyes now entirely silver.


    Lucas stared deeply at Theresa as electricity surged through his body. ¡°Theresa, if you can help anyone, take them with you. I¡¯ll hold them off.¡±


    To her astonishment, Theresa saw an intense glow erupt from Lucas.


    Not only did he unleash his lightning¨Cbased ability, but he also activated mutated ice¨Cbased and light- based abilities!


    Suddenly, it clicked in Theresa¡¯s mind.


    <i>Could </i>it <i>be</i>¡­


    ¡°Everyone, run!¡± Lucas shouted, drawing the attention of all the zombies toward him.


    ¡°Lucas<b>!</b>¡±


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    ¡°Lucas<b>!</b><b>¡± </b>


    Just as the zombies rushed toward Lucas, a massive water wall appeared in front of them, far stronger than anything they¡¯d seen before.


    ¡°Why are you still standing there? Run!¡± azy female voice rang out, almost like a p of thunder.


    Everyone stood frozen, staring at Theresa, who had unleashed an overwhelmingly powerful water¨Cbased ability from her palm.


    Theresa, too, was an ability user!


    And she was this strong?!


    Even Kyle, who had been left locked outside and anxiously waiting, was stunned.


    <i>No </i><i>way</i><i>¡­ </i><i>Theresa </i><i>is </i><i>also </i><i>an </i><i>ability </i><b><i>user</i></b><i>?! </i><i>How </i><i>many </i><i>secrets </i><i>does </i><i>she </i><i>have</i><i>? </i>


    <i>Bang</i>!


    Whoosh<i>! </i>


    In an instant, the water wall shattered, and a powerful stream of water sent all the surrounding zombies flying.


    ¡°Countdown: <b>7 </b>seconds!<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you running yet?¡±


    Graham and the others snapped out of their shock. There was no time for amazement now.


    They helped each other, running for their lives as the countdown ticked down.


    ¡°Countdown: 5 seconds!¡±


    ¡°Countdown: 4 seconds!¡±


    ¡°Countdown: 3 seconds!¡±


    Theresa, already faster than them, used her ability to block the zombies <b>as </b>she made her way toward the


    gate.


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    Chapter 93 Card Swipe


    To get through this door, they needed to swipe two cards. To leave, just one.


    <b>¡°</b>Countdown: 2 seconds!<b>¡± </b>


    Beep.


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    ¡°Countdown: 1 second!¡±


    The door in front of Theresa slid open at the final second, and everyone sprinted out, drained and gasping for air.


    ¡°<i>Beep</i>¨CCountdownplete! Self¨Cdestruct sequence initiated!¡±


    The heavy door behind Theresa mmed shut.


    This time, even with a card, there was no getting back through it.


    Thud, <i>thud</i><i>, </i><i>thud</i><i>! </i>


    Thud<i>, </i><i>thud</i><i>, </i><i>thud</i><i>! </i>


    The zombies that had caught up mmed into the ss door. Many were still soaked from the water wall, their bodies dripping as they pounded violently on the ss¨Cgrotesque and horrifying.


    Then, a st of thick white mist sprayed down from above their heads.


    ¡°We need <i>to </i>get out¨Cnow,¡± Lucas panted, barely holding it together. ¡°The first and second basement levels are going to self¨Cdestruct!¡±


    At his words, everyone pushed through their fatigue, their limbs shaky but determined to keep moving.


    That was when someone noticed a woman lying in the corner.


    Her neck was bent a full 180 degrees, her body sprawled stiffly on the floor.


    Scattered around her were supplies¨Clots of them.


    Lucas spotted Monica¡¯s body and his expression darkened.


    ¡°She¡¯s really dead?¡±


    ¡°I killed her,¡± Kyle said.


    Theresa¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You¡¯re not trying to settle that score now, are you?¡±


    Lucas turned to face her, his voice cold. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    But Theresa caught something in his eyes. This man had changed.


    Lucas looked over the supplies Monica had dropped. Along with two pieces <b>of </b>equipment, there wererge quantities of food¨Cand a glittering pile of gold bars.


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    Each gold bar weighed about 1.1 pounds, and there had to be at least 200 of them.


    The most noticeable items were sacks of pasta and flour.


    5318


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    There were over 100 bags of pasta alone¨Ccach one weighing about 100 pounds¨Calong with a mess of other items that clearly held value.


    Altogether, the pile easily filled 80 to 100 cubic feet.


    Monica had imed her storage space only held 35 cubic feet. She¡¯d lied¨Cclearly stuffing her cache with her family¡¯s most valuable goods and food, then underreporting the rest.


    The more Lucas looked, the more intense the rage behind his eyes became.


    The Waverly family¨Cthey deserved to be torn apart.


    ¡°Everyone, grab what you can. We¡¯re moving out,¡± he said, voice sharp.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Lucas ignored the pasta and had the machines lifted first.


    Everyone sprang into action, hauling the equipment into the elevator.


    As they filed in, Theresa stepped back with an unusual air of patience.


    ¡°I¡¯ll catch the next elevator,¡± she said, eyeing the maxed¨Cout load. ¡°Don¡¯t want to overload this one. Kyle, help them get everything up.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Lucas gave her a long look, silent and unreadable. Theresa smiled, swiped her card, and waved at them as the elevator doors closed.


    She looked perfectly polite¨Clike the kindest person in the world.


    Once the elevator began rising, her smile widened.


    <i>Today </i><i>is </i><i>a </i><i>profitable </i><i>day</i><i>. </i><i>Time </i><i>to </i><i>collect </i><i>the </i><i>loot</i><i>! </i>


    Everyone else might¡¯ve been out of space¨Cbut not Theresa.


    She looked at the pile of gold bars and food that had spilled from Monica¡¯s stash and, with a quick motion, stored it all away.


    Some people were useless when alive but unexpectedly helpful in death.


    Theresa nced at Monica¡¯s lifeless body, then calmly pulled out her AK¨C47 and fired two more rounds into her.


    Just to be sure.


    There. That felt better.


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    If one crossed Theresa, not even death would spare one her wrath.


    Forgiveness wasn¡¯t in her nature¨Cshe repaid every offense a hundredfold.


    Once Monica was thoroughly dealt with, Theresa walked to the elevator, pressed the down button, and waited as the doors slid open.


    To her surprise, Lucas was insideing back down.


    ¡°Why are you still here?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to leave you behind. These two lower levels are going to be destroyed. We need to move,¡± he said.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Theresa swiped her card and closed the elevator door behind them. ¡°When you say ¡®destroyed, do you mean the zombies will be wiped out too?¡±


    Lucas nodded. ¡°The whole area will copse and be sealed off once the destruction sequence finishes.¡±


    Theresa grew quiet, studying Lucas closely.


    Something about him felt¡­ different.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got three abilities, don¡¯t you?¡± she asked.

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    Chapter 94 iming the Future


    Chapter 94 iming the Future


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lucas admitted.


    +10 Free Coins


    Theresa stared at the man in front of her, stunned. <i>No </i><i>way</i><i>¡­ </i><i>did </i><i>I </i><i>just </i><i>save </i>the <i>zombie </i><i>king </i>from <i>my </i><i>past </i><b><i>life</i></b><i>? </i>


    The more she thought about it, the more usible it seemed.


    Back then, she¡¯d met Kyle around this exact time¨Calone, his entire team gone. If Lucas had been alive then, he would¡¯ve shown up. He knew where they were from.


    And Lucas was a triple¨Cability user¡­ just like the zombie king from her past life, who had alsoe from this same ce.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Lucas said. ¡°I owe you. Twice.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Make sure to pay me back¨Cespecially the gleamstones. You still owe me 22 of those.¡±


    Whether or not he was the zombie king, she was definitely collecting this debt, especially the gleamstones.


    ¡°Deal,¡± Lucas said. At the sight of her smile, something flickered in his cold eyes. He looked away just as the elevator doors began to close.


    Right before they shut, he caught a glimpse of Monica¡¯s body¨Cand the empty space around her.


    Where had all her supplies gone?


    <i>Ding</i>.


    The elevator stopped on the first floor.


    As soon as they stepped out, a loud crash echoed from below.


    At the same time, a notification chimed in Theresa¡¯s mind. <i>Ding</i><i>! </i><i>Congrattions</i><i>! </i><i>You¡¯ve </i><i>sessfully </i><i>conquered </i><i>United </i><i>Pharma </i><i>Research </i><i>Center</i><i>. You¡¯ve </i><i>been </i><i>rewarded </i>with <i>a </i><i>super </i><i>smart </i><i>manager</i><i>! </i>


    Theresa was surprised.


    Some people seemed lucky on the surface¨Cand behind the scenes, they were downright blessed.


    ¡°Theresa!¡±


    ¡°Theresa!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    The moment she walked out, Graham and the others rushed over.


    Their eyes shone with wild admiration¨Clike fans spotting a celebrity.


    Today, Theresa had revealed one of her trump cards: a powerful water¨Cbased ability. Everyone was floored.


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    No one had imagined she was an ability user¨Clet alone one this strong.


    53<b>%</b>)


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    While the rest of them were still summoning tiny fireballs or water orbs, Theresa had conjured a full wall- of water with a simple wave of her hand.


    How was that even possible?


    It was ridiculously powerful.


    After today, there was no doubt in anyone¡¯s mind that Theresa was in a league of her own.


    The rest of them? Mere supporting characters.


    ¡°You all good?¡± Theresa asked, casually.


    ¡°Doing great!¡±


    They looked like hell¨Ctorn gear, bruises, grime everywhere¨Cbut miraculously, not a single zombie bite.


    They¡¯d lost teammates on basement level one, but after the chaos of level two, they hadn¡¯t suffered a single death.


    They were riding the high of survival.


    And as they looked at Theresa, their awe only deepened.


    Even Monica¡¯s old crew stared at her differently now¨Ceyes full of respect.


    No wonder the special forces were so close to her, they thought. <i>She </i><i>really </i><i>is </i><i>something </i><i>else</i><i>. </i>


    She wasn¡¯t just a survivor.


    She was a force.


    ¡°Oh, right¨CTheresa, why¡¯d youe here?¡± Graham asked.


    ¡°Yeah, do you need backup?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± she replied, scanning the crowd. ¡°Kyle! Go ahead and put up the sign!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    Kyle pulled a sign from the car, removed the old one from the front gate, and reced it with theirs.


    Everyone watched, stunned by how smoothly he moved.


    Then-


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding me!¡±


    She really came all this way¨Crisked everything¨Cjust to expand her territory?!


    They stared in disbelief at the newly imednd.


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    Was she serious?


    She¡¯s serious. Unbelievable.


    Theresa clearly had some mysterious obsession with imingnd.


    No one could figure out why she wanted so many abandoned, seemingly worthless areas.


    Especially now¨Cwhen zombies were everywhere, cities were dead, and no one else even cared about territory. Most people didn¡¯t even think about owningnd.


    Not just their group¨Cnone of the other factions had this mindset either.


    But what they didn¡¯t realize was this<b>: </b>


    Thend Theresa imed today would be the economic powerhouse of tomorrow. The backbone of <i>a </i>kingdom.


    Because no matter the era,nd was always the key to growth.


    And in theter stages of camp expansion¨Cwhen internal resources dried up and everyone scrambled outward¨Cthey would discover toote:


    Theresa had already imed every piece that mattered.

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    ¡°Theresa, goodbye!¡±


    ¡°See you, Theresa!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, bye¨Cbye!¡±


    *10 Free Cos


    As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the newly secured research facility, Theresa and Lucas¡® teams parted ways, each returning to their own camps.


    Just before pulling away, Lucas paused his vehicle and called out, ¡°You got a satellite phone?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°What about a radio station?¡±


    ¡°Sure do.¡±


    The entire city had gone dark. Power was out, and allnd¨Cbased signal towers were down. The only remainingmunications came from satellites overhead.


    But even satellite links wouldn¡¯tst forever. Without maintenance, they¡¯d eventually fall from orbit or fail altogether.


    Theresa had never used a satellite phone in her previous life¨Cbut she had relied on something humbler and more dependable¨Cthe radio.


    Basic devices like radios and fax machines¨Canything that could transmit and receive low¨Cfrequency signals¨Cserved as rudimentary radio stations.


    By theter years of the age of camps, nearly every settlement had one.


    The moment Lucas mentioned it, she knew exactly what he meant.


    Of course<b>, </b>she had a radio station.


    Her home was full of electronics she could repurpose formunication.


    She just hadn¡¯t had anyone worth contacting¨Cuntil now.


    ¡°Give me your.radio frequency,¡± Lucas said.


    Night had just fallen when Theresa returned safely to her camp at 6:30 p.m. and headed straight into the


    bunker.


    Cooking, feeding the dogs and chickens¨Call that went back to Kyle¡¯s to¨Cdo list.


    Theresa had more pressing matters<b>. </b>


    Rubbing her hands in anticipation, she approached what she knew would be her biggest prize of the day.


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    Ding¨Ccamp headquarters detected. Unlock smart manager?


    ¡°Yes!<b>¡± </b>


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    Absolutely. As soon as the word left her mouth, a sleek holographic terminal materialized on the second floor of the bunker.


    She stepped forward and pressed the power button. Lights flickered on. A holographic screen lit up, revealing a miniature digital version of herself.


    The figure grew more defined until, after three seconds, it opened its eyes and looked straight at her.


    ¡°Greetings, my dear Theresa! Please give me a name.¡±


    Theresa smiled with satisfaction. ¡°Your name is Tessa.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my dear Theresa! I¡¯m ready to serve!¡±


    As Tessa¡¯s calm, synthetic voice echoed through the room, every device on the second floor beeped and lit up, their power indicators blinking as if suddenly synced to a single system.


    ¡°Theresa, I am now connected to all electronic systems within the camp. I will monitor and manage camp operations around the clock.¡±


    Theresa couldn¡¯t be happier.


    Tessa might not have a physical form, but she was no less powerful for it. In fact, she was now the brain of the entire camp.


    The surveince cameras became her eyes. The radar system¨Cher senses. The patrolling UAVs were her hands and weapons<b>. </b>


    Every system, every machine, was now an extension of her will.


    From now on, Theresa wouldn¡¯t need to micromanage every little thing. If the radar detected an intruder, Tessa would immediately dispatch UAVS. No need to report in or wait for instructions¨Cshe would <b>assess</b>, warn, and if necessary, engage.


    If things turned dangerous, the UAVS would retreat automatically. No more losses from waiting on Theresa¡¯s go¨Cahead.


    In short, Theresa¡¯s camp finally had a mind of its own.


    She could now step away without worry, knowing someone¨Cor something¨Cwas always watching.


    Tessa would be her eyes, her voice, her judgment.


    Even day¨Cto¨Cday administration¨Clike tracking resident points, handling trade requests, or managing production¨Ccould be delegated. All it took was one terminal installed in the residential zone.


    No more relying on Yuki to run errands and deliver messages all day.


    People needed rest. Machines didn¡¯t.


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    Even while Theresa slept, Tessa would be working, always alert, always in control.


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    She now had the ultimate camp manager¨Cone that never tired, never questioned orders, and would never betray her.


    ¡°Excellent. Tessa, from this moment on, you are responsible for all operations at zing Sun Camp. Monitor everything. At all times.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my dear Theresa!¡± Tessa twirled once in the holographic light before disappearing from the disy.


    Theresa was already thinking about how to expand Tessa¡¯s capabilities even further.


    The next morning, she loaded a truck full of supplies and set out for the residential zone, Kyle riding shotgun.


    III

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    Chapter 96 The Camp Store Opens


    Chapter 96 The Camp Store Opens


    The residents, hard at work, stopped and waved enthusiastically when they saw Theresa arrive.


    ¡°Theresa!<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Hey, Theresa! You¡¯re here!¡±


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    Theresa greeted her neen residents with a smile and parked in front of an unupied vi. Just then, Yuki came bounding over.


    ¡°Theresa! You¡¯re finally here! I was just about to go look for you!¡±


    ¡°Oh? What for?¡±


    ¡°To trade supplies with you, of course! Look how much I¡¯ve got!¡± Yuki chirped, pulling out a sheet of paper covered in a densely written list. She beamed at Theresa. ¡°By the way, when are you holding another market? Thest one was so fun! I can¡¯t wait to go again and buy all that delicious food!¡±


    Theresa chuckled and tugged gently on one of the girl¡¯s braids. ¡°From now on, if you want to shop, you can¨Canytime.¡±


    With a wave of her hand, Kyle stepped down from a delivery truck, the very one Theresa had seized on the highway¨Cformerly a courier van.


    Kyle immediately began unloading supplies, and nearby residents quickly came over to help.


    ¡°Theresa, what¡¯s all this?<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Yeah, what are these?¡±


    ¡°This,¡± Theresa answered proudly, ¡°is the zing Sun Camp¡¯s store!¡±


    Everyone was surprised.


    Thirty minutester, what looked like a fully stocked supermarket from before the apocalypse stood in front of them.


    The shelves were lined with goods of all kinds. It felt like a scene from another lifetime.


    They could shop, just like before the world fell apart.


    At the center of the store was a massive digital screen disying all item prices, and on it was a virtual version of Theresa.


    ¡°This is our zing Sun Camp¡¯s/supermarket. This is Tessa, our camp manager. From now on, if you want to shop, juste here. No need to swipe a card¨CTessa will use facial recognition to identify your ount. Whatever you take will be automatically deducted.


    ¡°If you want to trade items, just leave them on the shelves to the right. There¡¯s a digital scale¨CTessa will weigh everything and update your bnce in real time.


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    ¡°If you¡¯re worried, there¡¯s a card reader at the entrance. You can swipe your card there to check your bnce anytime.¡±


    <b>¡°</b>Wow! I want to try it!¡± Yuki said, practically vibrating with excitement.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Theresa said with a nod.


    Yuki sprinted to the snack aisle, grabbed a lollipop, peeled it open right there in the store, and happily popped it into her mouth.


    David and his wife, watching nearby, swiped Yuki¡¯s card at the entrance. With a soft beep, the disy lit up: 99.5 points.


    Yuki had started with 100 points¨Cearned as a bonus for helping lead group work and assisting David¡¯s family. The lollipop had automatically deducted 0.5 points. Now she had 99.5 remaining.


    The couple felt both delighted and a little pained.


    They were happy¨Chappy because their daughter could enjoy a snack that had once been so ordinary before the apocalypse.


    Now, in the middle of the end of the world, with zombies roaming outside, people starving, families fleeing famine and chaos, their camp had lollipops.


    Lollipops! In a time when most people couldn¡¯t even count on their next meal, their daughter could eat candy like it was nothing.


    That spoke volumes about the camp¡¯s strength¨Cits vast reserves of supplies, its ability to keep people safe. Only under truly exceptional conditions could something like this be possible.


    But at the same time, they couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of heartache.


    Points didn¡¯te easily. One single point could get one a whole pound of pasta¨Cand their daughter had just spent half a point¨Chalf a point!-on a single lollipop.


    That was steep.


    Clearly, they were going to have to keep a closer eye on how she spent her points. They couldn¡¯t let her blow through her bnce on sweets.


    ¡°Theresa, I¡¯d like to trade some supplies!¡± Leo called out. ¡°I just harvested a batch of mung bean sprouts- can I trade them?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Theresa nodded.


    Leo dashed off and returned with five pounds of sprouts<b>. </b>


    Once he ced them on the scale, the store announced, <i>¡°</i><i>Beep</i>¨Cfive pounds of mung bean sprouts detected. Value: 2.5 points. Confirm trade?¡±


    ¡°Confirm!¡±


    Fresh produce was worth half as much as staple foods, but still valuable.


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    After the trade, Leo checked his bnce¨Csure enough, he had gained 2.5 points!


    The crowd erupted in chatter and excitement.


    Some rushed in to shop, others to trade, and some just wandered the aisles, taking it all in.


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    The store was filled with essential items: pasta, flour, oil, salt, sugar, daily necessities like tissues and hygiene products, and a small but spirit¨Clifting selection of pre¨Capocalypse snacks: lollipops, soda, snack


    cakes.


    Everyone felt a deep sense of satisfaction¨Clike they had stepped back into the world they once knew.

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    Chapter 97 Building Toward Survival


    <b>There </b>was only one feeling in everyone¡¯s hearts: zing Sun Camp was getting better by the <b>day</b>.


    And not just better¨Cstronger. Visibly stronger.


    Theresa had promised them a good life¨Cand she was delivering.


    Their sense of belonging to zing Sun Camp had skyrocketed.


    Right then, Theresa heard a notification in her mind.


    <i>Ding</i><i>! </i><i>Detected</i><i>: </i><i>Camp </i><i>prosperity </i><i>level </i><i>increased </i><i>by </i><i>100. </i><i>Current </i><i>prosperity </i><i>level</i><i>: </i><i>180</i>.


    She was surprised that setting up a small store could boost the camp¡¯s prosperity by that much.


    But after thinking about it, she realized it made perfect sense.


    Trade was a basic need for anymunity. Even in the resource<b>¨C</b>scarce camp of her previous life, trading markets were always packed. People were constantly bartering for necessities.


    A store inside the camp was more than necessary¨Cit was essential.


    Seeing the bustling trade market, Theresa began to envision the future: once thend started producing steadily, she could introduce livestock farming, fish farming, and eventually build processing nts of all kinds.


    Her camp was growing¨Cstep by step¨Cinto something powerful.


    With the store up and running, Theresa returned to her bunker.


    She didn¡¯t need to worry about restocking; Tessa, her camp manager, handled everything automatically. Based on real¨Ctime inventory, Tessa dispatched UAVS to transport supplies.


    The UAVS would fly to Theresa¡¯s warehouse, retrieve the necessary items, and deliver them¨Cno human hands needed.


    When resources hit certain thresholds, Tessa would notify her to review or update the inventory list.


    Tessa was the perfect assistant, solving the problem


    limited manpower.


    With day¨Cto¨Cday camp management off her te, Theresa could finally focus on the bigger picture.


    ¡°Kyle,¡± she said, e with me. We¡¯ve got somewhere to be.¡±


    This world had been devastated by a zombie virus that wiped out 99.9 percent of the global poption, copsing all of human society.


    Regions with poor geography and dense poptions were the first to fallpletely overrun.


    Zombies had split the world into isted pockets. A few survivors banded together, forming <b>scattered </b>camps to stay alive.


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    <b>Chapter </b><b>97 </b>Building <b>Toward </b><b>Survival </b>


    <b>But </b><b>even </b>banding <b>together </b>wasn¡¯t enough. They faced constant threats: food <b>shortages</b>, <b>limited </b>resources <b>endless </b><b>waves </b>of zombies, and the asional hostile human group.


    <b>Theresa </b>had spent her previous life struggling for ten long years in one of those <b>small </b><b>camps</b>. In <b>that </b><b>time </b>she survived eight major zombie hordes.


    Several times, her camp came close to annihtion. The final wave¡ªa super hordepletely <b>wiped </b>them out.


    The worst part wasn¡¯t dying. It was realizing there was nowhere left to run.


    ww


    Her camp was gone. Other small camps had fallen, too. In the entire Eastern region, only the <b>powerful </b><b>Ki </b>Camp remained¨Cand even it was barely hanging on.


    The zombies had left humanity with only one question: How long could one survive?


    Not how long until things got better¨Cbut how long until one was next.


    This was extinction. The fall of civilization. And there was no escape.


    But after everything that happened yesterday, Theresa had a revtion: Fate could be changed.


    She had saved Lucas¡® team¨Cand removed a major future threat: a powerful zombie king.


    That meant she could act now¨Cearly in the apocalypse¨Cand do so much more.


    Especially now, when the threats were still rtively weak, and she was already strong.


    She had a n: eliminate risks early, quietly expand and strengthen the camp.


    With stable, growing food production, a strong offense¨Cdefense system, and a bnced poption, she could withstand whatever came in the future.


    Her goal was clear: zing Sun Camp had to survive the cataclysm ten years from now.


    The early days of the apocalypse offered a rare window of peace. Now was the time to grow strong. Build the camp. Prepare.


    Every bit of progress made now was one more step toward survival.


    Theresa grabbed her gear and left the camp with Kyle. Time to hunt zombies.


    Her first goal: clear every high¨Crisk zone near her territory.


    They drove to an old livestock facility on the Western outskirts.


    She remembered this ce well¨Csix months into the apocalypse, it became the epicenter <b>of </b>a massive animal gue.


    The zombie virus didn¡¯t infect animals, but without humans to care for them, chickens<b>, </b>ducks<b>, </b>and <b>sheep </b>died off from starvation and disease. Their decaying bodies triggered a secondary epidemic.


    In her previous life, she hade here with a group from her camp to <b>scavenge </b><b>supplies</b>.


    Chapter <b>97 </b>Building Toward Survival


    What they <b>saw </b>was horrifying¡ªpiles of rotting carcasses everywhere.


    <b>Swarms </b>of flies buzzed in clouds over the bloated remains of pigs, cows, and sheep, drawn <b>to </b>the stench of death.

 Kept Woman 98

    Chapter 98 The Rot Beneath


    White maggots writhed through the carcasses, and pus oozed from the rotting flesh, spreading a <b>sticky</b><b>, </b>foul slime across everything.


    The worst were the small animals still covered in fur. Their pelts dposed far more slowly <b>than </b>their bodies, leaving clumps of moldy, fur¨Ccovered remains that sprouted from the ground like fungal <b>moss</b>. <b>It </b>didn¡¯t even look like a ughter site anymore¨Cit looked like hell.


    One nce was enough to make one¡¯s skin crawl for a long time.


    Worse still, the rotting carcasses carried countless animal¨Cborne bacteria and viruses.


    After Theresa and her group returned from the farm, a wave of animal¨Cborne gue swept through the camp, making an already dire situation even more precarious.


    Later on, the outbreak spread to other camps as well, wiping out several of the smaller ones entirely.


    Theresa¡¯s first bold move was to use her knowledge from her previous life to beat everyone to the punch and secure the site.


    She¡¯d driven here based on memory.


    But to her surprise, no sooner had her vehicle arrived than the crack of gunfire split the air.


    <i>Bang</i>!


    A burst of bullets flew toward the livestock facility ahead. A team <b>of </b>seven or eight people was already engaged in a firefight at the front gate.


    Someone had beaten her to it.


    But this group looked like amateurs. They had only two handguns between them and couldn¡¯t hit the broad side of a barn. After several shots, they hadn¡¯tnded a single hit. Theresa focused, using her mind power to scan them.


    There were five men and two women. One was a fire¨Cbased ability user, and two were strength¨Ctype ability users. The two handguns were with the strength¨Ctype ability users. The rest were ordinary people, armed with sticks or machetes, following nervously behind the powered trio.


    But something stood out to Theresa¨Cthest man in the group, wearing a baseball cap. He didn¡¯t emit the usual energy of an ability user, nor did he feel like an ordinary human. There was something else there, something different.


    After a few missed shots, the group/seemed to realize this wasn¡¯t going to be easy¨Cand that Theresa¡¯s armored car had just rolled up.


    ¡°Logan, look over there!¡±


    ¡°A vehicle!¡±


    ¡°An armored one<b>¨C</b>someone <b>else </b>is here<b>!</b>¡±


    Chapter <b>98 </b>The Rot Beneath


    <b>The </b>man in charge narrowed his eyes at Theresa¡¯s car and waved his team back. ¡°You wait <b>here</b>. I¡¯ll go talk


    <b>to </b>them<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>


    He strode confidently toward the armored car. To show he meant no harm, he stopped about <b>30 </b><b>feet </b>away waved, and ejected the magazine from his gun right in front of Theresa.


    She nodded to Kyle, who shed the car¡¯s lights twice. The man took that as a sign toe closer.


    In the apocalypse, everyone yed by different rules.


    Trust was a liability. Every stranger was a potential threat. No one could afford to drop their guard.


    But Logan Peak took the first step, offering peace.


    Knock, knock.


    He tapped on the armored window.


    Theresa opened it just a quarter of the way. The vehicle was tall¨Cat this height, she had the advantage<b>. </b><b>If </b>he tried anything, she could react far faster than he could.


    Still, she could hear him clearly.


    ¡°Hey there, friend. You¡¯re here for supplies too, right?¡± Logan asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Well, perfect! Why don¡¯t we team up? We¡¯ve been staking this ce out for three days¨Cwe know theyout. After we take it, we split the supplies fifty¨Cfifty.¡± Logan pulled out a cigarette from a battered pack- clearly cherishing <i>it</i>¨Cand held it out as a gesture.


    Cigarettes were rare now. When food was scarce, tobo was practically gold.


    Theresa¡¯spanion took the smoke¨Cbut her voice followed:


    ¡°No thanks. You <i>go </i>in first. I¡¯ll go after you.¡±


    Logan¡¯s smile froze.


    <i>Then </i><i>why¡¯d </i><i>you </i><i>take </i><i>the </i><i>d</i><i>*</i><i>mn </i><i>cigarette</i><i>?! </i>


    ¡°Come on,¡± he said, trying to stay friendly. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous out here. One more person means one more pair of eyes.¡±


    ¡°Then may God be with you. We¡¯ll be with you in spirit.¡±


    Logan was speechless.


    He¡¯d seen a lot of people in the apocalypse. Normally, if someone didn¡¯t want to cooperate, <b>they </b><b>wouldn¡¯t </b>ept any stuff. But Theresa? She <i>took </i>the offering like it was nothing¨Cand then shut him down <b>without </b>hesitation.


    It was like watching a scalpel gut a fish. Cold<i>. </i>Efficient.


    14:39 Sat, <b>9 </b>Aug


    Chapter 98 The Rot Beneath


    He stared at her imposing armored vehicle, jaw tight.


    +10 Free Comis


    Then he made ast¨Cditch offer: ¡°Alright. You help us clear it out, and you get seventy percent of the supplies. We¡¯ll just take thirty. Deal?¡±

 Kept Woman 99

    Chapter 99 The Strong Take What They Want


    Chapter 99 The Strong Take What They Want


    A softugh echoed from inside the armored car in front of him.


    Thatugh made Logan¡¯s heart sink. ¡°Hey, friend, how about this¨Ceighty¨Ctwenty split! You take <b>eighty</b><b>, </b><i>we </i>take twenty!¡±


    Silence,


    ¡°How about ten percent for us? We¡¯ll help you out¨Cyou lead us in! You can¡¯t carry all the stuff inside anyway!¡±


    A puff of smoke drifted from the roof hatch. Inside, Theresa looked down at him from her high vantage point. ¡°I already told you¨Cyou go in first. We¡¯ll go after you¡¯re done looting.¡±


    Theresa wasn¡¯t sharing with anyone.


    Not even ten percent.


    Logan heard her domineering reply and knew he was out of options.


    He had no leverage to bargain with.


    The power gap was too wide.


    He stared at the car for a long time, then turned and walked back to his group, frustration written all over his face.


    As soon as he returned, his small team rushed up to him.


    ¡°Logan, how¡¯d it go?¡±


    ¡°Who are they?¡±


    ¡°Did you ask them to team up


    with us<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>


    Logan nced back at therge, armored vehicle and waved them off. ¡°They¡¯re not interested in working with us.¡±


    ¡°So, what now?¡±


    Logan looked at the massive hog farm ahead. ¡°Onest push!¡±


    Five minutester, Theresa watched from a distance as the group gave up and retreated from the farm, defeated.


    She waved her hand. ¡°Drive.¡±


    With a roar, her armored car shot forward like a missile, barreling into the hog farm.


    When her strength was absolute, she didn¡¯t negotiate¨Cshe bulldozed.


    Two hundred yards away, the retreating group turned to see her vehicle smash through the <b>gates </b><b>they </b><b>had </b>


    Chapter 99 The Strong Take What They Want


    <b>tried </b>to breach for so long. Their eyes filled with awe.


    The powerful were always admired.


    Logan¡¯s gut twisted. He realized now¨Cthey never needed him. They had the strength. He didn¡¯t


    Just then, the busted gates gave way, and a few stray zombies stumbled out.


    They smelled fresh meat and lunged toward Logan¡¯s group, snarling.


    ¡°Run!¡±


    ¡°Fall back!¡±


    They weren¡¯t like Theresa¨Cif they faced more than three zombies at once, escape was their only option.


    They had to retreat quickly.


    Inside the farm, Theresa let loose her dogs. They spread out, tearing through the remaining zombies with ruthless precision.


    She stepped down from the vehicle and immediately stepped on a book titled ¡°Postnatal Care for Breeding Sows.¡±


    Theresa squatted down and picked it up.


    <i>Good </i><i>book</i>. <i>Worth </i><i>keeping</i><i>. </i>


    This was a small¨Cto¨Cmid¨Csized ck pig breeding farm¨Cmore urately, a contract grow¨Cout facility for arger hog producer.


    Years ago, her city had overhauled its pig farming industry, banning backyard operations. All hogs now had to be raised in certified facilities and sent to designated ughterhouses for processing.


    This particr farm didn¡¯t even need to breed pigs¨Cjust raise them to full size.


    The farm signed contracts with the parentpany, which supplied piglets, technical support, and precise weight benchmarks. The farm was paid based on the final weight of the pigs upon delivery.


    Their job was simple: raise pigs.


    No private sales allowed. Every piglet was registered on arrival, and the final shipment had to match up. Even piglet deaths had to be reported and turned over to thepany. No pork could be sold under the table.


    It was a closed¨Cloop system¡ªtraceable and tightly regted.


    Theresa eyed the book, wondering if someone here had been nning <b>to </b>secretly breed their <b>own </b><b>pigs</b>.


    She tucked it away and headed into the pigpens with Kyle.


    There weren¡¯t many zombies left¨Cthey had all either been <b>crushed </b>during the <b>vehicle¡¯s </b><b>entry</b><b>, </b><b>fled</b><b>, </b><b>or </b>been killed by the dogs. The huge farm <b>was </b>practically clear <b>now</b>.


    <b>14:39 </b><b>Sat</b><b>, </b><b>9 </b><b>Aug </b>


    Chapter 99 The Strong Take What They Want


    <b>As </b>she stepped into the pen area, a wave of stench hit her like a brick wall.


    *<b>10 </b>Fice Came


    At least she¡¯d arrived in time¨Cmost of the pigs were skin and bones, but about seventy percent were still alive.


    ¡°Kyle, keep watch outside.¡±


    ¡°Yes<b>!</b><b>¡± </b>


    Kyle turned and left without hesitation.


    Theresa stood before the massive pen system and moved from stall to stall, pulling the still¨Cliving pigs <b>into </b>her domain.


    The stench was overwhelming.


    <i>God</i>, it <i>reeks</i>.


    Farming wasn¡¯t for the faint of heart.


    Just as she was finishing up the third pen, she felt a gaze sweep across her back.


    Her powerful mind instantly locked onto its direction¨Cand at the same moment, a high¨Cpressure water round fired straight toward the source.

 Kept Woman 100

    Chapter 100 The Half¨CZombie Turncoat


    Chapter 100 The Half¨CZombie Turncoat


    <i>Thud</i><i>! </i>


    410 Free Colos


    In the farthest corner of the pigsty, a man in a baseball cap twisted and dodged with remarkable agility, tumbling out in a clumsy mix of rolls and crawls.


    As soon as he emerged, he shed a grin at Theresa. ¡°So, you¡¯re a space¨Cbased ability user after <b>all</b><b>!</b>¡±


    Theresa frowned deeply as she stared at the man in front of her. She recognized him. He was the one who used to trail behind everyone else in Logan¡¯s squad.


    What had stood out to her most back then was that he didn¡¯t feel like an ordinary person¨Cor even an ability user.


    ¡°Who are you, really?¡± she asked coldly.


    The man in the cap raised both hands in a gesture of peace. ¡°I mean no harm. I¡¯m here to join you!¡±


    ¡°Join me?¡± Theresa¡¯s voice was wary.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! I think you¡¯re strong¨Cyour whole team is. Only someone like you is worthy of someone like me.¡±


    ¡°And what do you bring to the table?¡± she asked.


    Hearing that, the man whipped off his cap, revealing one eye covered with a ck patch.


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up as soon as she saw the familiar look.


    Then, he pulled off the eyepatch entirely¨Cbeneath it was a dull, gray¨Cwhite eye. A zombie¡¯s eye.


    ¡°Quentin Kerr!¡± Theresa gasped.


    Quentin raised an eyebrow. ¡°How do you know my name?¡±


    Theresa¡¯s mind reeled. She had survived ten years in the apocalypse. Of course, she knew the legends- the infamous survivors who¡¯d be myths in the Eastern region.


    Only ten major figures had risen to prominence in that first decade¨Ceach one a powerhouse who ruled over entire camps.


    And one of them was Quentin¨Cthe only known half¨Czombie.


    He <b>was </b>infected with the zombie virus but had never fully turned. A bizarre gic quirk made him immune to zombie attacks. He could walk among hordes unbothered, a ghost drifting through chaos, but it wasn¡¯t his ability that made him notorious¨Cit was the chaos he left behind.


    Cunning, greedy, and wildly unpredictable, Quentin was infamous for betrayal. He floated from <b>one </b><b>camp </b>to another, exploiting them all. Once he gathered enough intel, he¡¯d either sell it to a rival camp <b>or </b><b>lead </b><b>a </b>surprise assault himself.


    If the next camp was weak, he¡¯d tip off the previous one and start the <b>cycle </b>all <b>over </b><b>again</b>.


    Chapter 100 The Half¨CZombie Turncoat


    In the apocalypse, zombies weren¡¯t the only threat¨Chumans were often far worse.


    <b>+10 </b>Free Coins


    And Quentin had single¨Chandedly taken down several small settlements and even a mid¨Csized <b>camp</b>, walking away with half their supplies. He¡¯d gorge himself on the spoils before moving on to his <b>next </b><b>target</b>.


    Why didn¡¯t he just live off the zombic¨Cinfested cities, scavenging untouched supplies? Because Quentin wasn¡¯t that kind of man. He thrived on vice¨Cgambling, women, and debauchery. He was a con man <b>at </b>heart, driven by greed and lust, incapable of a solitary life.


    Wherever he went, someone paid the price.


    Theresa¡¯s own camp had once been in his sights. Luckily, it had been too remote to interest him much. At the time, she hadn¡¯t noticed him, but long after he¡¯d left, the camp¡¯s radio station broadcast the truth about the man they had unknowingly hosted.


    That was when everyone realized who they¡¯d let in.


    Since then, she¡¯d heard endless tales of his wild, wandering life, especially in the camp¡¯s little tavern.


    But his story didn¡¯t have a happy ending. In year eight of the apocalypse, he tried to stir conflict <b>between </b>the powerful Hope Camp and the equally fierce Kl Camp. Hope Camp caught him and locked him in ab.


    Rumor had it they dissected him for research¨Choping to find a cure for the virus hidden in his blood.


    Theresa had never heard from or about him again¨Cuntil now.


    She never expected to meet this legendary scourge of the apocalypse face¨Cto¨Cface.


    ¡°Beautifuldy,¡± Quentin said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ll let you in on a secret. I¡¯ve been infected, but I never mutated. I can walk through a sea of zombies untouched. Not one of them will bite me. So, what do you


    think someone like me is worth having on your team?¡± say<i>? </i>Don¡¯t you


    His mismatched eyes¨Cone human, one zombified¨Cgleamed with warmth and sincerity. It would have fooled anyone else, but not Theresa. Not someone who had lived through ten years


    of hell.


    What¨Ca-waste it would be not to recruit someone like him, but she knew exactly who he was.


    Theresa stared at Quentin, her expression torn.

 Kept Woman 101

    Chapter 101 New Recruit


    Should I kill him? As treacherous as he is, he will undoubtedly be a ticking time bomb. People like him aren¡¯t worth keeping around, but his special ability¡­


    Having copied the unique traits of every single person she recruited previously, Theresa knew it was crucial to obtain his half-zombie constitution. I must have it!


    ¡°Alright, you can join us.¡±


    ¡°Wait! I haven¡¯t finished speaking, prettydy,¡± Quentin interrupted suddenly. ¡°What will I get in return for joining you?¡±


    ¡°Naturally, you¡¯ll receive the best treatment we can offer,¡± she replied with a forced smile. ¡°Stick around with me, and you¡¯ll have meat at every meal.¡±


    ¡°Are there any women in your camp? Oh no, I meant¡­ how many people are at the camp?¡±


    His question left her speechless for a moment. Just as the rumors said, he really is something else.


    ¡°It¡¯s just Kyle and me. Kyle is the guy outside.¡±


    ¡°Just the two of you?¡± He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, a strange and unreadable light shing through his single dark eye. Then, he grinned and asked, ¡°He¡¯s not your boyfriend, is he?¡±


    She paused for a moment before she answered, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Great, then I¡¯ll join you!¡± He agreed without hesitation.


    Following his affirmation, a voice immediately rang in her mind. Ding!One Camp Guard (Pseudo) obtained! You have been awarded 100 points! Loyalty level of the new camp guard is below 60, unable to unlock special attributes!


    Theresa was shocked by the word ¡°Pseudo¡±. It was somethingpletely new to her.


    After staring at the notification for a moment, she quickly opened Quentin¡¯s profile panel in her mind. A string of numbers in white appeared before her-Loyalty Level: 59! (Initial loyalty level 19, system bonus +40!)


    She could barely process the numbers.


    D*mn! I can¡¯t believe his initial loyalty level is only 19 points! Even with the system adding a bonus of 40 points, it didn¡¯t reach the threshold of 60 points!


    F*ck! What a bummer! He should really learn from Kyle, who has a loyalty level of 100 points marked in purple!


    Kyle¡¯s initial loyalty level had started at 70 points. Thanks to the additional 40 points awarded by the system bonus, his loyalty level immediately shot past 100 as soon as he joined her.


    Once a person¡¯s loyalty level exceeded 100 points, they were further divided into three colors: red, purple. and gold. Red meant zingly intense loyalty; purple meant unwavering allegiance; and gold meant


    eternal and exclusive devotion!


    Compared to all that, Quentin only had a loyalty level of 59 points! It wasn¡¯t even enough to unlock his special attribute!


    Theresa was so exasperated by the situation that she was tempted to shoot the untrustworthy and


    unreliable traitor on the spot. He was already nning to betray her from the moment he joined her. Who would want a person like that on their side?


    But¡­ I¡¯m only one point away from the 60-point threshold of the loyalty level. I can¡¯t kill him yet¡­ I have to obtain his half-zombie constitution!


    ¡°What are your interests, Quentin?¡± Maybe a gift will raise his loyalty level! ¡°Since you¡¯ve joined us, as the leader, I should get you a wee gift.¡±


    With a cheeky grin at Theresa, Quentin yfully answered. ¡°I¡¯m not really into anything specific, but if you really want to give me something¡­ How about your heart, prettydy? I¡¯m serious-I fell in love with you at first sight!¡±


    Bang!


    At that moment, she lost her patience and sent him flying with a kick. ¡°Get to work! Herd the live pigs outside! If you¡¯re even the slightest bit slow, I¡¯ll dig your heart out and feed it to the pigs!¡±


    He crashed to the ground. Sprawled across the ground, he watched as she entered the next pen to collect the live pigs. A strange glint shed through his half-zombie, half-human eyes. Then, a faint smile slowly crept onto his lips.


    Half an hourter, the remaining live pigs in the pig pens were safely stored away into Theresa¡¯s domain. As for the dead pigs, she instructed Quentin to drag them into a pit.


    Quentin¡¯s half-zombie constitution seemed to have enhanced both his strength and speed, allowing him to work quickly.


    Once the dead pigs were piled together in the pit, they were doused with gasoline and burned. Having been dead for some time, their bodies were already dposing. Their meat was no longer safe to eat, and leaving them there would only breed bacteria and viruses. It was better to burn them now to prevent the outbreak of a future epidemic.


    Throughout the entire process, Quentin barely said anything. He simply watched Theresa with a yful


    smile on his face.


    The dogs waiting outside immediately started barking when they sensed the fire inside.


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡±


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡±


    Simrly, Kyle called out anxiously, ¡°Theresa! Are you alright in there?¡±


    ¡°What happened in there, Theresa?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much.¡±


    Kyle had been waiting anxiously outside, worry written all over his face. At that moment, his gazended on the man following behind Theresa. The man was wearing a baseball cap and an eye patch.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Kyle, this is my new recruit,¡± Theresa introduced. ¡°His name is Quentin Kerr.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± With a grin spreading across his face, Quentin reached out to shake Kyle¡¯s hand. ¡°Nice to meet you, buddy. I¡¯m Quentin Kerr.¡±

 Kept Woman 102

    Chapter 102 Temporary Quarters


    Kyle found the man with only one eye visible to be deeply unsettling. The other party¡¯s seemingly fervent gaze actually brimmed with cunning. It made him extremely ufortable. Thus, he frowned in displeasure upon learning that Theresa had recruited such a person.


    Ignoring the outstretched hand, he turned to Theresa. ¡°What about the pigs inside, Theresa? Do you need me to get them?¡±


    Quentin piped up before Theresa could answer. ¡°No need! I¡¯m a domain-type ability user! I¡¯ve already stored the pigs away.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a domain-type ability user?¡± The statement made Kyle stare at Quentin in surprise.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Quentin crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°With me on the team, you¡¯ll never have to worry about supplies again!¡±


    ncing at Theresa as he spoke, he shed a wide grin at her. He sidled closer to Theresa while Kyle was distracted and whispered with a sly chuckle, ¡®It¡¯ll be our little secret, Beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Looking at the incredibly clever man before her. Theresa gave him a foxlike smile in return. If she hadn¡¯t already known about what kind of person he was, she might have been swayed by his wit and seemingly thoughtful gestures.


    He was a very perceptive man indeed. Having noticed how she sent Kyle away carlier, he immediately inferred from such a small detail that she wanted to keep her domain-type ability a secret and stepped forward to cover for her.


    What a cunning fox. No wonder he caused so much chaos among the various camps in my previous life.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Sure, Beautiful.¡±


    Quentin followed behind Theresa with his arms still folded across his chest. His single visible eye gleamed brightly as he watched her back.


    Although Theresa managed to seize the pig farm, the nearby chicken farm was a lost cause. All the chicks were dead. Fortunately, she had already stockpiled many chickens and ducks in her bunker. She didn¡¯t need more at the moment.


    Afterwards, she instructed Quentin and Kyle to deal with the chicken farm. The entire structure was burned to the ground.


    With that, the hidden dangers lurking in the major livestock zone werepletely eliminated. The widespread animal gue that would ravage the camps in the future had been nipped in the bud.


    On the return trip, Quentin sat in the back of the armored vehicle. He was brimming with excitement and curiosity as he examined the sleek interior of the vehicle.


    ¡°Where did you get such a treasure, Beautiful?¡±


    ¡°Only ask what¡¯s necessary. Don¡¯t question anything else,¡± Theresa snapped coldly.


    For some reason, he became even more enthusiastic in response to her cold attitude. ¡°Hey, Beautiful. Is it true that it¡¯ll only be the three of us in the camp?¡±


    Surprised, Kyle nced at Theresa from the driver¡¯s seat.


    Theresa answered firmly, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°So, where is the camp?¡±


    ¡°At the food processing nt.¡±


    A momentter, shemanded, ¡°Kyle, drive us back to camp.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Kyle instantly replied. Though he was stunned by the situation, he did not dare to ask or say anything more. He simply quietly drove them to the massive factory they had previously seized from the zombies.


    The sight of the sprawling facility made Quentin¡¯s eyes light up instantly. Did they take over such arge factory? Now that¡¯s real strength!


    When they left the facility previously, they had made sure to collect the zombie gleamstones and dispose of the zombie corpses. Everything had been incinerated to ashes afterwards, so the area had been kept rtively clean.


    Theresa instructed Kyle to park by the dormitory building and turned to Quentin. ¡°Pick any room you want on any floor you like. If you run into zombies¡­ Well, you¡¯re not afraid of them anyway.¡±


    Quentin snorted in amusement. ¡°Alright, Beautiful. I¡¯m off to pick a room.


    Staring at the man walking away, Kyle frowned even more deeply. He could sense the wild and unpredictable air swirling around the man. The other party clearly reeked of insincerity from head to toe. ¡°Theresa, that guy definitely has ill intentions.¡±


    As a former soldier, he could spot the other party¡¯s shifty aura at a nce-Quentin was definitely not a good person.


    ¡°I know, that¡¯s why I brought him here, ¡°Theresa replied, climbing out of the vehicle.


    Quentin might not be a good person, but neither was she.


    She would never bring such a dangerous wildcard back to the actual camp. Anybody who approached her with a loyalty level of a measly 19 points was absolutely untrustworthy, let alone one who was nning to betray her from the beginning. Therefore, he would be kept outside until she could raise his loyalty level.


    Kyle nodded thoughtfully, thinking her reasoning was rtively sound.


    ¡°What will happen to the camp if we¡¯re not going back?¡±


    ¡°Tessa will be enough.¡±


    Tessa would be able to keep the camp running smoothly in Theresa¡¯s absence. She could even feed the dogs via the UAVs. Hence, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem for Theresa to stay away for a few days.


    Satisfied with the answers, Kyle had no more questions. He quickly followed Theresa into the dormitory.


    They each picked a clean room as their own personal territory, pretending as though they had been living here for some time. The six dogs stayed with Kyle in his room.


    Just as they were settling into their respective rooms, they suddenly heard Quentin¡¯s voiceing from


    outside.

 Kept Woman 103

    Chapter 103 Shameless Demand


    ¡°Hey, Beautiful.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Can we eat now?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Theresa turned to Kyle and instructed him to bring out some of the emergency rations stored in the vehicle.


    ¡°Is that all we¡¯ve got?¡± Quentin eyed the meager supplies.


    She raised an eyebrow at him. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as there¡¯s enough to eat.¡± He grinned cheerfully. ¡°By the way, I happen to know a ce nearby with plenty of supplies.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Where?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a three-story supermarket in the development zone, five miles east of here.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± She nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s head there tomorrow.¡±


    Resource collection was an ongoing task that never ended. Since they were already here, they might as well clear out the nearby area.


    The smile on Quentin¡¯s face grew wider when she epted his suggestion. He began to chat with Theresa and Kyle about anything and everything under the sky, trying to fish for more information by getting closer to them.


    ¡°Where are you from, buddy? Judging by the way you carry yourself, you must have been in the military. How did you meet Theresa?¡±


    Unfortunately for Quentin, Kyle was a man of few words. He only answered Theresa, remaining as cold and silent as a block of ice at other times.


    In the end, Quentin failed to obtain a single useful detail from either of them despite constant attempts to probe for more information throughout the meal. In fact, the dogs were the only ones that would respond to him by the end of the meal.


    The cold reaction did not deter him. Even when he was ignored, he maintained a constant stream of chatter and jokes as though he was telling tall tales around the campfire with old friends.


    When they finished eating, he suddenly turned to Theresa and asked, ¡°Beautiful, didn¡¯t you offer to give me a wee present today?¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Theresa finally acknowledged him. Be that as it may, she turned around and punched him in the face as soon as she locked eyes with his single, gleaming eye. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me when you talk.¡±


    He clutched at his eye, feeling slightly speechless.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you be a little nicer to me, Beautiful?¡± he grumbled. ¡°I was an orphan, raised by my grandmother, who was addicted to gambling. She would often hit or curse me for the slightest thing whenever she was


    upset.


    ¡°I never had a single friend growing up, and now the apocalypse¡­ I really want to stick with you guys and berades through life and death.


    ¡°Can you ept someone like me?¡±


    ¡°Speak inly!¡±


    ¡°I want some supplies. I don¡¯t feel safe without them.¡±


    Shocked by the audacity, Kyle stared at the shameless man in disbelief.


    Since Theresa already knew how Quentin operated, she simply smiled faintly. ¡°Alright. You can take the rest of the supplies in the vehicle. I will also give you a third of whatever we collect tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an angel, Beautiful! You¡¯re absolutely gorgeous, and kind-hearted too! I swear I¡¯ll work hard in the future!¡±


    If not for the fact that his loyalty level had not budged in the slightest, she might actually have been fooled by his impressive performance. This guy is really hard to handle. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible to entice him without offering actual benefits.


    Satisfied with the answer, Quentin happily went to retrieve the supplies from the vehicle.


    Kyle immediately opened his mouth as soon as Quentin was gone. ¡°Theresa-¡±


    ¡°Just give him whatever he wants,¡± Theresa interrupted with a dark look in her eyes.


    The next day, at the break of dawn-


    Theresa and the others finished their preparations early. The emergency supplies stored in the vehicle had been given to Quentin, so they had nothing left for breakfast.


    Nevertheless, Theresa secretly gave Kyle some food so that he and the dogs would have something to eat. Even if someone had to go hungry, it wouldn¡¯t be one of her people.


    ¡°Quentin, we gave you everything yesterday. I haven¡¯t even had breakfast. We need to go out and secure more supplies.¡± When Quentin finally came downstairs, she acted as though she hadn¡¯t eaten anything.


    Quentin immediately opened his backpack and pulled out a pack of bread. Then, he offered the bread to her. ¡°How can I let you go hungry, Beautiful? Here, take mine.¡±


    The bread originally belonged to her. She had stored it in the armored vehicle as emergency rations, but she had given everything to him yesterday. Naturally, she did not hesitate to take the food given to her. It was hers anyway.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll all be starving if we don¡¯t find something soon.¡±


    Chapter


    Her gaze lingered on his not-so-full backpack for a few additional seconds, then she smoothly slipped the bread into her own bag and climbed into the vehicle.


    Quentin and Kyle followed suit.


    Approximately ten minutester, they arrived at the supermarket located in the eastern development zone on the outskirts of Ansford.


    Ansford had developed rapidly in recent years. The outskirts, which once housed only a small number of vimunities, had expanded to include several new residentialplexes.


    However, most of these residentialplexes were essentially ghost towns. upancy rates were low due to the limited poption. Some of the development projects had even been abandoned midway. Those incidents had caused quite a stir of controversy at the time.


    In the wake of the apocalypse, the development zone grew increasingly eerie. Wails and howls echoed everywhere, causing the empty buildings to seem even more haunted. Moreover, zombies would asionally emerge from the desertedplexes.

 Kept Woman 104

    Chapter 104 To the Supermarket


    Sensing the presence of the living, the zombies within the empty skeletal frame of the reinforced concrete buildings began to howl and shriek. On the other hand, those wandering the streets immediately turned and lunged toward them in a frenzy.


    Bam! Bam! Bam!


    Bam! Bam! Bam!


    Bam!


    Theresa didn¡¯t even bother to slow down the vehicle, plowing right through the crowd without hesitation. Crushing the scattered, roaming zombies under the wheels of her vehicle, she drove them straight to their destination-therge supermarket in the development zone.


    There were many zombies loitering around the supermarket and crowding the entrance. Most of them wore civilian clothing, though some were fully armed in thick gear. They were clearly the local residents who had tried to seize the supermarket after the apocalypse broke out, only to meet a tragic end.


    If one out of ten had even managed to make it out of the supermarket alive, that person would be considered very lucky.


    The nearby zombies immediately swarmed toward them as the vehicle approached.


    Theresa gestured at Kyle, who quickly pressed one of the buttons inside the vehicle. A turret rose up from the top of the armored vehicle, unleashing a brutal and effective barrage at the horde below.


    Inside the vehicle, Quentin watched as the zombies outside were quickly reduced to burning heaps.


    ¡°Wow! This ride is awesome, Beautiful! Where did you get it?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask so many questions,¡± Theresa snapped. Once most of the zombies had been cleared out, she brusquely ordered him. ¡°Go and scout ahead.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± He raised an eyebrow at her. Nevertheless, he exited the vehicle unarmed and surveyed the area.


    The remaining zombies lingering nearby ignored his presencepletely, allowing him to walk straight to the entrance of the supermarket unhindered. He turned and waved back at her from the entrance, signaling that the coast was clear.


    Seeing that, Kyle couldn¡¯t help wondering. ¡°Theresa, who exactly is he?¡±


    ¡°He has a special constitution. Zombies don¡¯t bite him.¡±


    Those words made his eyes light up, and his perception of Quentin changed at that moment.


    No wonder Theresa wanted him around. His ability is rare indeed. Unfortunately, he doesn¡¯t look like he has the purest intentions. He definitely isn¡¯t a good person.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Grabbing his weapon, Kyle climbed out of the vehicle with the dogs. The dogs swiftly took down the remaining zombies around them, and he finished off the rest in the vicinity.


    Meanwhile, Theresa leisurely walked through the cleared path to the supermarket entrance as though the area waspletely cleared of obstacles. Standing by the door, she peered inside the building. It was pitch


    ck within.


    ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡±


    ¡°The doors are locked, but-¡± Quentin grinned and pulled out a nk white card. ¡°I¡¯ve got a way to open them.¡±


    Crouching down with the card in hand, he fiddled with the locked door. It didn¡¯t take long before the tightly shut doors opened with a loud click.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t I super useful?¡± He beamed at her, clearly fishing for praise.


    ¡°Well done.¡± She sent him into the building with a swift kick. ¡°Now, go scout the inside.¡±


    During this period, she had discovered something about him: Although his loyalty level was very hard to raise, the numbers never dropped either. No matter how roughly she treated him, his pitifully low loyalty level never budged.


    In fact, he seemed to enjoy her violent temper. He became cocky whenever she spoke to him kindly. On the other hand, he would treat her words like gospel and worship her whenever she talked to him with her fists.


    She couldn¡¯t begin to understand the thoughts going through his mind, but one thing was for sure-he was definitely not normal. Then again, he would never havemitted those monstrous and unforgivable acts in their past life if he were normal.


    Quentin eagerly darted deeper into the supermarket. ¡°On it!¡±


    Following Quentin¡¯s departure, Theresa left two dogs to stand guard at the door as usual. She then slowly entered the building with Kyle and the rest of the dogs to survey the first floor of the supermarket.


    The building had three floors, including the main supermarket alongside some clothing shops and snack stalls. Unfortunately, there was no electricity in the building. Even though it was bright and sunny outside, it was extremely dark inside. Only the green emergency lights glowed along the escape routes.


    The area stretching out before her was an open retail space for clothing. Rows of shelves stood in front of her, disying out-of-season winter coats on a clearance sale. Huge red promotional signs hung above the racks, bearing bold white letters that screamed: ¡°99 only!¡± Be that as it may, there would be no more customersing here, no matter how cheap the goods.


    A thickyer of dust nketed the floor and shelves. Several clothing racks to the right had toppled over. Human-shaped limbs, torsos, and eerily round heads were scattered across the ground between them.


    Kyle and the dogs moved closer, only to realize they were merely mannequins. Those are mannequins, Theresa. There are no bodies or blood.¡±


    ¡°Hm


    They did not have to wait long before Quentin came running back to them.


    ¡°Hey, Beautiful! I checked out the area! It¡¯s safe! There are no zombies on the first floor. Moreover, the entrance to the actual supermarket is just ahead. There are plenty of supplies inside.

 Kept Woman 105

    Chapter 105 The Supermarket


    ¡°Good work.¡± Staring directly into Quentin¡¯s single eye, Theresa gave a small nod in acknowledgement.


    ¡°Kyle,¡± Quentin instructed, ¡°Theresa and I will enter the supermarket to gather supplies together. Your job will be to gather and organize everything outside. Once we¡¯re done inside, we¡¯lle out and collect the


    rest.¡±


    He issued the orders confidently. After all, he had been iming that Theresa¡¯s domain-type ability belonged to him.


    Kyle nced at Theresa for confirmation.


    ¡°Kyle, you¡¯ll organize the supplies here.¡± Theresa nodded and added in a whisper, ¡°Don¡¯t forget to store a batch in the vehicle.¡±


    The vehicle could store about a ton worth of supplies.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± Since it was also Theresa¡¯s will, Kyle immediately began working.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Beautiful.¡± Quentin turned to Theresa. ¡°There are plenty of supplies in the supermarket.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Theresa did not trust Quentin to guard her back, so she decided to bring Spot, one of the dogs; with her.


    After all, the real danger when dealing with someone like Quentin was not being with him. It was more dangerous to leave him unsupervised. If he was going to stab anybody in the back, he would definitely act when nobody was watching him.


    The rest of the dogs followed Kyle. By leaving most of the dogs with Kyle, she could keep him in a rtively safe environment and minimize the risks if Quentin were to cause trouble. It was clear she was very guarded against Quentin.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to trust me much,¡± Quentin remarked as they walked through the central atrium of the shopping mall.


    Theresa shot back coldly, ¡°If you feel that way, then maybe you should ask yourself that question instead.¡±


    He chuckled at her words.


    During the short conversation, they arrived at the supermarket.


    The shutter door at the entrance was firmly pulled down. Without waiting for a prompt, he pulled something from his pocket and began fiddling with the lock. The door soon popped open with a tter.


    Seeing that, she became absolutely sure of one thing: He was very skilled at picking locks. ¡°You¡¯re good. Did you used to do this for a living?¡±


    ¡°No way! I¡¯m aw-abiding citizen!¡± Quentin gloatingly concealed the tool in his hand.


    ¡°You, on the other hand, don¡¯t seem ordinary at all. You¡¯re always so decisive and ruthless. Were you part of something shady before?¡±


    She snorted at his words and retorted, I¡¯m the most upright andw-abiding model citizen you¡¯ll ever


    meet!¡±


    Her response left him momentarily speechless.


    Thew-abiding¡¯ Quentin and the model citizen¡¯ Theresa. Yep, that sounds about right.


    Theresa followed Quentin into the supermarket. It was even darker inside than it was outside. Without the lights, it was nearly pitch-ck. Furthermore, it was eerily quiet and empty.


    She immediately spread her mind power over the surroundings. Her current range was about twenty meters, which was enough to cover about a quarter of the supermarket. Every checkout counter was covered in a thickyer of dust. More importantly, there were no signs of life or zombies.


    As they moved deeper inside, they cleared out the small items along the checkout counters.


    ¡°By the


    way, there¡¯s something I¡¯m curious about,¡± he suddenly said. ¡°I only see you with one subordinate. What about your family?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all dead,¡± she replied nonchntly.


    The Hall family had long ceased to be her family. Even if they somehow managed to escape from the hospital, they would not survive for long without her. There would never be another Theresa Hall for them to exploit for protection.


    She turned the question back at him. ¡°What about your family?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all dead too.¡± His softughter wasced with a hint of cold cruelty.


    When she finished gathering the candy and gum from the checkout counters, she noticed something odd: The boxes containing chocte and other high-calorie candy were empty.


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡± Spot abruptly began barking at the darkness stretching towards the back of the supermarket. ¡°Woof! Woof!¡±


    She immediately turned and swung her shlight toward the sound. At that moment, she caught a glimpse of a shadow flickering past. Although the range of her mind power could not reach that far, she could tell


    It was a person! Not a zombie! The reason was simple: That person was hiding from them. If it had been a zombie, it would have already charged at them with a howl.


    ¡°There¡¯s someone here,¡± Quentin observed.


    Theresa pulled out an AK-47 from her domain. Since he already knew about her ability, there was no reason for her to hide it. She raised the weapon and edged toward the back of the supermarket, Quentin and Spot following closely behind.


    As she proceeded, she noticed that most of the shelves containing food had been stripped bare. Someone had definitely been living here. In any case, the mystery did notst for long. With her mind power, she could clearly perceive the situation in the staff room ahead before she even reached the back half of the supermarket.


    ¡°Seven people,¡± she whispered. ¡°Men and women, both young and old. None of them have abilities.¡±


    A group of people burst out from the staff room as soon as the words left her mouth.

 Kept Woman 106

    Chapter 106 Quentin¡¯s Past


    ¡°Are you here to rescue us?!¡±


    Seven people stood there. Among them were two twin boys around thirteen or fourteen years old, three elderly folks with graying hair, a heavily pregnant youngdy, and a middle-aged man.


    The middle-aged man was the only one who seemed capable ofbor. However, he was not the leader of the group. He simply stood quietly behind the elderly, the young, and the pregnant, just like an obedient


    servant.


    Theresa found theposition of this particr group to be rather bizarre. In the current apocalyptic world, the old were too old and the young were too young. It was a miracle that they had even survived at


    all.


    ¡°What took you so long?! Hurry up and get us out of here!¡± The oldest woman in the group barked angrily Seeing that Theresa was holding a gun, she immediately assumed Theresa was part of the military and began issuing orders without restraint. Her tone was extremely grating on the nerves. It was as though she were talking to servants at her every beck and call.


    Before Theresa even had time to get annoyed, another voice cut into the fray.


    ¡°Grandma! Look at who¡¯s with her!¡± One of the young boys shouted loudly. ¡°It¡¯s that b*stard born of the homewrecker!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really him! Why isn¡¯t he dead yet?¡± The other boy chimed in. ¡°What¡¯s he doing here?¡±


    ¡°Get rid of him, Grandma! Just looking at him makes me sick! A b*?tard like that will just taint my vision!¡±


    In that instant, every gaze in the room shifted past Theresa andnded on Quentin, who was standing half-hidden in the shadows.


    Pulling the baseball cap low over his face, Quentin lowered his head with a small and wryugh. He seemed to recognize these people.


    ¡°Hey, Beautiful, why don¡¯t you go upstairs and gather the supplies? I know these people. And I would like to handle them myself.¡±


    Theresa met Quentin¡¯s single eye and nodded her agreement, respecting his decision. But as she turned to leave, the old woman who had spoken earlier stepped in front of her.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?! You¡¯re not allowed to leave!


    ¡°That man¡­ Is he your teammate? What kind of people have you been recruiting? How could you allow trash like him into your group? Get rid of him!


    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know, the biggest real estatepany in Ansford belongs to the Kerr family! Not to mention, my youngest son is the deputy governor of Branford. You¡¯ll be well rewarded if you rescue us from this ce and bring us to them!¡±


    ¡°Grandma, I want to leave this ce! I want to eat chicken cutlets! I don¡¯t want to stay here anymore!¡±


    ¡°Me too! I want to y my video games again! I haven¡¯t logged in for ages! Wait-tell her to charge my phone first!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± the old woman cooed, soothing her two precious grandsons. Then, she turned back to Theresa and continued, ¡°You heard them. Start making the arrangements! Don¡¯t make my grandsons suffer any longer! What¡¯s more, make sure you get rid of that filthy pest! The Kerr family does not tolerate such disgraceful scum.¡±


    Listening to the slew of insults, Quentin¡¯s head dipped even lower under the brim of his baseball cap. At the same time, the bitter smile on his face grew darker and sharper.


    Click! The chilling sound of a gun being loaded suddenly echoed throughout the room.


    He looked up in disbelief, only to see Theresa raising her gun and pressing the cold muzzle right against the old woman¡¯s mouth in the dim light. A cold andnguid voice immediately followed.


    ¡°Who are you calling scum, huh? Those under me are not for you to insult!¡±


    Theresa stood her ground, looking every bit the bandit she appeared to be. That was because, quite frankly, a bandit was exactly what she was! She had no regard for rules. It was in her nature to be rebellious, reckless, selfish, and fierce. However, she was also fiercely protective toward those she considered family. She would protect those she epted under her wing to the bitter end.


    Those rules applied, even for Quentin. It didn¡¯t matter that she didn¡¯t fully trust him or that she didn¡¯t truly consider him part of her family-no one was allowed to nder him. No one!


    She jammed the icy muzzle of her gun right against the old woman¡¯s mouth threateningly.


    Behind her, Quentin watched the scene unfold in astonishment. His single human eye peeking out from beneath the cap began to shine with a strange light at the sight.


    On the opposite side, the group stood frozen in terror. The pregnant woman cowered in the arms of the middle-aged man. They quickly pulled back from the group, inserting some distance between themselves. and the others.


    Meanwhile, the two teenage boys continued to yell obnoxiously.


    ¡°We¡¯re not wrong! His mother was a filthy mistress who seduced our dad!¡±


    ¡°Both mother and son were no different from beggars, constantly leeching off our family for money! He even went to prison! He was sent to juvenile detention at thirteen, having done every lowlife trick in the book! There is no such garbage in our family!¡±


    ¡°If you touch a single hair on our heads, our uncle will definitely teach you a lesson!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re no different from him! You¡¯re just a b*tch too!¡±


    Bam! One of the boys was sent flying by a kick from Quentin.


    After sending the boy sprawling to the ground, Quentin turned to Theresa with a mocking smile. ¡°Leave this ce to me, Beautiful. There¡¯s no need for you to dirty your own hands.¡±


    Upon hearing those words, Theresa retracted her gun with a click and turned to leave without a word. She had just reached the second floor and started gathering the supplies when she heard the sharp screams erupting from downstairs.


    ¡°Ahhh! Grandma! He¡¯s a zombie!¡±


    ¡°That b*stard is a zombie!¡±


    ¡°Kill him, quick!¡±


    ¡°Ahhh! N-No! D-Don¡¯t bite me! Go bite someone else!¡±


    ¡°Oh, no! Grandma, you¡¯ve been bitten!¡±


    ¡°Stay away from me, Grandma!¡±

 Kept Woman 107

    Chapter 107 Heart-To-Heart


    ¡°Grandma will soon turn into a zombie! We have to kill her now!¡±


    On the second floor, Theresa raised an eyebrow at the voices drifting through the floorboards.


    Quentin did not carry the zombie virus. As a half-zombie, he possessed the antibodies to the virus. Therefore, he was not contagious. He was simply scaring them on purpose. After all, there was nothing more terrifying than psychological torment. It was worse than killing them outright.


    Like a madman, Quentinughed maniacally as he watched the once-loving family turn around and tear each other apart. The entire world deserves to be destroyed. Let it all burn to the ground!


    Theresa quietly thought to herself, This man must haveughed in the exact same way when he caused chaos and threw the camps into turmoil in his past life. He is truly anti-human.


    It did not take long for her to finish collecting the supplies from the second and third floors. Those floors were stocked with various daily necessities and clothing.


    For those hiding on the first floor, these supplies werepletely useless. They seemed terrified of going anywhere, choosing instead to huddle together in the food section. Hence, the upper floors remained mostly untouched.


    Coincidentally, she happened to be in desperate need of such toiletries. Food wasn¡¯t as urgent anymore. After all, her camp was slowly starting to produce its own food. There would soon be more than enough food to provide for themselves.


    On the contrary, the residents had growing demands for daily necessities such as soap and shampoo, toile paper, sanitary pads, clothes, and shoes. Even children¡¯s clothing and picture books were in demand. These were items that most people would deem useless during these troubled times.


    With a wave of her hand, she quickly collected the things that everybody else scorned. These items that nobody wanted were exactly what she needed most! It was great that there was nopetition for these items.


    She happily cleared out the supplies on both floors.


    When she was done, she did not rush to go downstairs and simply waited quietly by a window on the second floor. From her vantage point, she watched as the heavily pregnant woman and the only able- bodied man among the group scrambled out of the building through the side door in a panic.


    ¡°They were my grandmother¡¯s maid and driver, respectively.¡± A voice abruptly sounded from behind.


    Theresa turned her head slightly and saw a man wearing a baseball cap slowly climbing the stairs toward her. He was bathed in the gentle sunlight streaming from the window, which revealed the blood staining


    his clothes.


    ¡°They were acquaintances of my mom.¡± Quentin came to stand by the window, watching the only two people who managed to escape with a bloodthirsty smile.


    She nced at the man beside her. His face was streaked with fresh blood, and his lips were twisted into a


    sinister grin. Then, she turned back to the window without saying a word.


    For a moment, they simply stood there in silence. Arge swath of cold daylight spilled through the ss windows, illuminating only the spot where they stood. Everywhere else was swallowed in endless darkness.


    Click. A small me flickered in the darkness, sparked from a lighter.


    Leaning against the ss wall, Quentin crouched on the supermarket floor and cupped the me in his hands to light a cigarette for Theresa.


    Theresa smoked, though she was not an addict. A single cigarette could often help to soothe frayed nerves in the high-pressure environment of the apocalypse.


    ¡°My mom was the other woman. What¡¯s more, she was not just any mistress-she was the type who would do anything to climb the socialdder and live in luxury.


    ¡°She used to be a gold-digger, always clinging to rich and wealthy men. It was by chance that she happened to meet my dad one day. When she learned he was wealthy, she quicklytched onto him like glue.


    ¡°I have to say, she was good at what she did. It only took a few tries before she became pregnant with me.


    ¡°She became even bolder once she had me, believing she could be his wife one day. Unfortunately, she was delusional. She never realized it was never going to happen. After all, my dad wasn¡¯t stupid; it was just a fling to him. The Kerr family would never have epted her anyway. They would have kicked her out even earlier if it weren¡¯t for me.¡±


    ¡°When she saw her dream of marrying into the Kerr family shattered, she focused on making money instead. But she was a gambling addict. Everything she made, she gambled away again. asionally, she would even bring random men back to the apartment my dad rented for her.


    ¡°I was only three at the time, yet I already had to make instant noodles for myself whenever I got hungry. Sometimes, I even had to make some for the men she brought home.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha-¡± Quentin suddenly burst intoughter. ¡°Have you ever done anything like that?¡±


    Theresa said nothing and simply looked at him in silence. After a pause, she nodded in agreement. ¡°You¡¯ve had it worse.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha-¡± Heughed until he started coughing. ¡°That wasn¡¯t even the worst of my experiences. At least there was food.


    ¡°Let me tell you a secret; I used to cry a lot as a kid, and it worked. Every time I cried, my dad would give my mom some money. But that didn¡¯tst long-he died after a few years. It was a car ident, and his


    death was instant.


    ¡°After his death, nobody would give my mom money anymore. So, she started dragging me to the Kerr family¡¯s residence, spending every single day crying and begging for money from them. Whenever they refused to give her any money, she would abandon me at their doorstep.


    ¡°It was around that time when my dad¡¯s real wife became pregnant with twins through IVF. She was


    carrying two sons. How could my idiotic mother still think I had value after that? She abandoned me as soon as she realized I was worthless.


    ¡°How old was I then? Oh, right. I was ten.¡± Taking a long drag on his cigarette, he exhaled a cloud of smoke and stared at the fleeing woman outside. ¡°I stood alone outside, on the doorstep of the Kerr family¡¯s residence, starving. I hadn¡¯t eaten in days.


    ¡°Those two gave me a bowl of dog food when I was crying from hunger.¡±

 Kept Woman 108

    Chapter 108 Tricked


    ¡°The Kerr family had a dog, and those two would give me its leftovers to eat. Hahaha-¡±


    Theresa said nothing, quietly watching the middle-aged man and the heavily pregnant young woman fleeing into the distance. They eventually turned a corner and vanished from viewpletely. She thought she heard screams and wailsing from that direction, but it was too far away to hear clearly.


    After a moment, she turned her gaze back to Quentin. He seemed to have finished recounting his past, but his head remained hanging low. Taking a deep breath, she attempted to console him. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past


    now. This is a new era.


    ¡°Hahaha-¡± Quentin continued tough bitterly as he slowly lifted his head. ¡°Yeah, I know. I was almost delirious with joy when the apocalypse struck! Wouldn¡¯t it be great if everyone were wiped outpletely?¡±


    At this moment, she finally understood why he had always been a constant menace in his past life. D*mn it, he really does want the entire world to burn.


    Although she thought for a long time, searching for something to say, she only managed toe up with some cheesy advice in the end. ¡°Hey, there¡¯s always a rainbow after the storm. You¡¯re young, and life is still full of hope. Look! You¡¯re with me now! I¡¯ll be your new family-your warm, loving family.¡±


    He did not respond, seemingly engrossed in thoughtful silence.


    I think I did a great job with that motivational speech. I nearly even moved myself to tears! Surely I¡¯ve managed to raise his loyalty level by now? Staring straight into his eyes, she waited expectantly for his reaction. To her surprise, he lowered his head again with a soft chuckle.


    ¡°Then, let me ask you something.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°If you really see me as family, why are you always on guard around me?¡±


    ¡°What? I¡¯m not on guard around you!¡±


    Just then, he abruptly leaned close into her face. It all happened in an instant. He moved so quickly that he was almost a blur of motion.


    Bam! He was immediately sent flying with a single kick andnded almost ten feet away. Clutching at his stomach, he raised an eyebrow at her incredulously. ¡°And you say you¡¯re not on guard?¡±


    Flustered, she didn¡¯t know how to answer the question. How can I not be on guard against him? I have to be!


    ¡°Uh¡­ Ahem.¡± She cleared her throat and tried to smooth things over. ¡°That doesn¡¯t count. You should¡¯ve just talked to me normally. I¡¯m like this with everyone.¡±


    ¡°No need to exin, Beautiful. I was touched by what you said today, really.¡± Holding his stomach, he slowly climbed to his feet. His eyes darkened for a moment, but he quickly stered a smile back onto his face. On the surface, his expression seemed unbothered by the exchange that had just taken ce. ¡°Let¡¯s


    head back.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Could you wait here for a bit? I need to go and clean the scene downstairs. After all, they were¡­


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    He headed downstairs. When he reached the second floor, he turned back. ¡°Don¡¯t leave that spot, okay? Promise me you¡¯ll wait right here?¡±


    ¡°I promise.¡±


    Upon receiving her agreement, he beamed and quickly disappeared down the stairs.


    She watched as he gradually faded into the darkness, a frown slowly forming on her face. I learned about the tragic past of that pesky troublemaker in my past life. We even had a heart-to-heart talk. So, why¡­ why hasn¡¯t his loyalty level gone up, even a little?! It¡¯s still stubbornly stuck at 59 points!


    This guy¡­


    ¡°Theresa!¡± At that moment, she heard Kyle¡¯s frantic voiceing from downstairs. ¡°Theresa!¡±


    ¡°Kyle, I¡¯m up here!¡±


    When she heard the noisymotion of him bursting into the building, something in her brain snapped. into ce.


    Crap! No way!


    She dashed downstairs like the wind, only to see Kyle anxiously running towards her on the first floor of the supermarket.


    ¡°Theresa! Thank goodness you¡¯re alright!¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Quentin?!¡±


    ¡°He said you were in danger and told me toe help you!¡±


    D*mn it! Those words seemed to solidify the ominous feeling in her heart.


    She immediately sprinted toward the entrance, chasing after Quentin. Just as she reached the front doors, a convertible sports car zoomed past with a deafening roar. The man inside the car waved enthusiastically


    at her.


    ¡°I¡¯m off, Beautiful! Thanks for the supplies! You¡¯re so adorable! Next time, I¡¯ll definitely sleep with you!¡±


    rmed, she looked around at the now-empty hall of the supermarket. Realization struck her again: Den it! He really was a domain-type ability user! He wasn¡¯t lying! I was tricked!


    ¡°D*mn it! I freaking swear, you b*stard! Just you wait!¡± She stomped her foot in fury. The rage that filled her body made her feel as though her organs were burning. ¡°Next time I see you, I¡¯ll break your d*mn legs!


    You¡¯re dead!¡±


    As the saying went, ¡°If you y with fire, you¡¯re bound to get burned eventually.¡± She had always been the one tricking others; it was her first time being on the other side of the situation instead.


    To think I had just listened to his tragic sob story! And I even believed him! D*mn it, that b*stard has been lying to me from the very start!


    !

 Kept Woman 109

    Chapter 109 Find Him and Be Rewarded


    He joined her just to get his hands on some supplies! B*stard!


    ¡°Kyle, remember that from now on, Quentin is zing Sun Camp¡¯s archenemy! Do not buy into a thing he says! Catch him right away and break his legs if you see him! I want him to suffer to death!¡±


    Kyle replied, ¡°I got it.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this!¡± Theresa snapped, ring at the near-empty shelves. ¡°He only took things from the first floor, thank god. Didn¡¯t even bother checking the second or third.¡±


    Tessa hovered nearby, unsure whether to speak.


    ¡°And he took the pile of clothes Kyle gathered, Theresa muttered bitterly, clenching her fists. ¡°That man¡­¡±


    Despite her fury, she let out a breath. ¡°At least the dogs did their job,¡± she added. ¡°Kept the car safe. I had Kyle load everything from the first floor into it beforehand, remember?¡±


    Tessa nodded, cautiously.


    ¡°They ate so much of the food. Some of it¡¯s spoiled now, too. Theresa went on, pacing. ¡°We¡¯ve got less than a quarter left. Less than a quarter! I¡¯m just going to tell myself I gave them a third and be done with it.¡±


    Tessa opened her mouth but thought better of it. Theresa¡¯s anger was snowballing, feeding on itself.


    When they got back to camp. Theresa wasted no time. She sat down at her desk, pulling out a sheet of


    paper.


    ¡°Tessa,¡± she said sharply, ¡°I want this ying on every screen in camp. All the time.¡±


    She held up the notice she had just written. A photo of Quentin stared out from it, next to a rough sketch she had drawn herself.


    That was the moment it became official-Quentin was no longer just a problem. He was zing Sun Camp¡¯s archenemy.


    Find him and you shall be rewarded a bounty of 100 points!


    Theresa wasn¡¯t about to let bygones be bygones-not when it came to Quentin. His deceit had pulled the rug out from under her, leaving her in a deep funk that lingered far too long. She had been so rattled that thoughts of expanding her territory hadpletely fallen by the wayside. Instead, she poured all her energy into running the camp, improving its systems, and finding sce in thepany of her loyal dogs -creatures she could count on through thick and thin.


    It had been three months since the world turned upside down. Slowly but surely, the camp was finding its footing. In the beginning, the residents had nted quick-growers like mung bean sprouts, cabbages, and baby bok choy-just enough to keep hunger at bay. Now, they were reaping the rewards of their hard work with heartier, more bountiful crops like potatoes and sweet potatoes.


    The reimednd was now bursting at the seams with life: fields of corn, wheat, and sorghum stretched out in rows, while tomatoes, cucumbers,rge cabbages, and spinach filled the garden beds. To top it all off, patches of strawberries and blueberries added a sweet note to their hard-earned sess¡ªa real feast for both the eyes and the table.


    Theresa had handed over nearly every seed in her stash to jumpstart the nting effort. David, whose abilities revolved around nt maniption, took the lead in getting the crops off the ground. Meanwhile, Leo-along with a few others gifted with enhanced strength and speed¡ªtook on the backbreaking task of expanding the farnd. The rest of the group rolled up their sleeves and pitched in, working side by side to sow the fields and care for the growing nts.


    To top it all off, a recent upgrade to Theresa¡¯s territory system gave their efforts a major boost: crops grew faster and yielded more than ever before.


    At longst, the territory was bearing real fruit. zing Sun Camp had weathered the worst of its early trials. The tide had turned-what once had been Theresa carrying the entire camp on her shoulders was now amunity that stood behind her, giving back what they could.


    The surplus harvest poured into the camp¡¯s warehouse, exchanged for points under Theresa¡¯s system. After settling their earnings, she opened up a selection of daily essentials for them to im. But the flood of goods was more than they could spend in one go, and unspent points quietly stacked up in their ounts, turning into personal reserves of wealth.


    With the apocalypse still loomingrge and resources in short supply, food was all they could reliably produce. Theresa, however, had a keen eye for economics. By leveraging the imbnce-known as the price scissors-between cheap farm goods and costly manufactured items, she was able to keep the camp¡¯s economy running smoothly.


    The price gap was no joke. Grain, for instance, was bought from residents at a point per pound. But if someone wanted a brand-new shirt? That would set them back a hundred points.


    In other words, a piece of clothing equaled a hundred pounds of grain. However, it was far from equal. Though a piece of clothing was nowhere near worth a hundred pounds of grain, it was how it was.


    By hiking up the cost of manufactured items and keeping staple food prices low, the price scissors served as a powerful tool to help residents gradually reim their umted wealth. It created a fair trade-off for the effort they put into farming.


    Since food production was the only thing within their reach, the residents had no choice but to rely on Theresa for everything else. Though non-essential items like clothing came with a steep price, many were willing to save up their hard-earned points to make the purchase.


    All things considered, the system turned out to be a win-win. For the people of zing Sun Camp, it was a setup that not only rewarded their hard work but gave them a pathway to stability and a better life amidst the chaos.

 Kept Woman 110

    Chapter 110 Prosperity Level: Small Town


    While everyone else at the other camps was cracking their heads on ways to put food on the table and keeping themselves safe, the residents of zing Sun Camp even had enough points to redeem goods like shampoo, snacks, and drinks.


    This was almost unfathomable.


    Granted, the residents kept creating and generating new wealth alongside the Camp¡¯s expansion. This inevitably led to intion. The task of managing intion was given to Tessa. She would constantly adjust prices based on the supply situation in Theresa¡¯s territory to maintain the residents¡¯ financial health and keep them in rtive abundance.


    In addition, the piglets of Theresa began to grow and reproduce. Once crops like sweet potatoes were harvested, Theresa released a batch of piglets for the people to raise.


    Given the currentck of manpower, Theresa felt that setting up a pig farm under direct management would be an inefficient use of bothbor and resources. Moreover, without a sense of ownership, the residents might not be genuinely invested in the animals¡¯ well-being, and she would also need to source specialized feed, adding to the burden.


    Instead, she adhered to a piglet distribution system based on the poption of zing Sun Camp, letting the residents adopt and raise the pigs themselves.


    Each piglet was weighed at adoption and again at the time of ughter. Residents were paid ording to the weight of pork produced-ten points per half a kilogram-and also received one-tenth of the pork as a bonus.


    The incentive system significantly enhanced the residents¡¯ enthusiasm for raising pigs. Their motivation grew steadily, resulting in higher output and more food being produced. They even began feeding the pigs with kitchen scraps. In addition, they monitored the animals¡¯ health closely, worried about the possibility of injury or loss.


    Through thick or thin, the residents share both the benefits and risks of the camp. In so doing, the morale and sense of belonging at the camp saw a surge. Here, where they had theirnd and livestock, would be called home by the residents.


    Now that the production reached a stable output, Theresa¡¯s camp soared high in prosperity level. Day by day, the prosperity level saw gradual improvement. In no time, it hit the 500 mark, garnering the title of Suburban Fringe.


    Once the prosperity level reached 100, the camp would earn the title of Small Town.


    Theresa had always regarded these titles as futile and had never been bothered by the ones the system awarded her. However, she was shocked to have discovered something on the day she had received the Suburban Fringe title ¡ª the points contributed by the residents had doubled!


    In addition to the initial contribution of 100 points upon joining, all the residents in Theresa¡¯s camp would contribute a point to the system each day. In other words, she would have 19 points given to her by neen residents each day.


    Without her doing anything, these points would steadily increase. With her prosperity level rising to Suburban Fringe, the residents¡¯ contributions would double. Hence, 19 residents would lead to 38 points a


    day.


    These points were a force to be reckoned with-if Theresa¡¯s level was high enough, or if she had even more residents, she could earn a huge amount of points every day.


    As the camp developed, the contributions from her residents would only grow! Her long-held goal of obtaining the Zombie Virus Inhibitor would no longer be just a dream.


    Having discovered that the points contributed by residents would increase proportionate to the camp¡¯s prosperity level, Theresa¡¯s level of confidence saw a surge.


    Let¡¯s continue to develop!


    Of course, Theresa was well aware that her camp, still a budding seedling, was unable to withstand any storm. She had to protect it carefully by keeping her camp hidden to focus on development for now until her camp grew strong enough to thrive on its own.


    Theresa made a trip to her camp and handed out meat to the camp residents as a reward for the rise in prosperity level, boosting everyone¡¯s morale. Amid cheers and support, she returned to her own bunker.


    ¡°Theresa is the best!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re so lucky to have joined zing Sun Camp!¡±


    ¡°We get to eat meat today! Long live Theresa!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s work hard! Do well for more rewards in the future!¡±


    Theresa returned to her bunker, feeling satisfied. A voice erupted from the second floor. ¡°My dear Theresa, here you are!¡±


    ¡°What is it, Tessa?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a new message for you. Do you want to check it?¡±


    ¡°Is someone trying to find me? How did they figure out where I am?¡± Theresa approached Tessa¡¯s monitor. The digital disy flickered, revealing a small holographic image of Theresa in front of her.


    ¡°It was broadcast through the radio station signal originating from K1 Camp.¡±

 Kept Woman 111

    Chapter 111 Tessa The Smart Manager


    Lucas instantly came to mind-Theresa remembered him asking for the camp¡¯s radio frequency not long ago. And now, here he was.


    A notification chimed.


    ¡°Theresa,¡± Tessa said, ¡°we¡¯ve established a connection. Would you like to hear the message?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± she replied.


    With a snap of her fingers, Tessa activated the loudspeaker. The recording began with Lucas¡¯s voice, followed by an unexpected exchange between him and Tessa¡¯s Al interface.


    Lucas had attempted to reach Theresa directly, introducing himself and requesting a conversation about an urgent issue. However, Tessa had intercepted the call, introducing herself in her usual quirky fashion and dering herself Theresa¡¯s smart manager.


    Amused and mildly exasperated, Theresa listened as Lucas informed Tessa that Kl Camp had detected a severe cold front expected by month¡¯s end. Concerned about possible shortages, he proposed a joint expedition to seize control of the central provision depot in the East. Before ending the call, Tessa insisted Lucas give her a proper farewell-something he eventually did after a long pause.


    When the recording ended, Tessa cheerfully asked how she¡¯d done.


    Theresa simply said, ¡°Thanks, Tessa.¡±


    The AI beamed on screen, spinning yfully. ¡°My pleasure! Shall I¡¯send a response?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Theresa said. ¡°Ask what supplies they can contribute, how we¡¯ll split the resources, and how risky the mission is.¡±


    Without dy, Tessa converted the reply into a signal and transmitted it back to K1 Camp.


    Lucas¡¯s voice crackled through the speaker. ¡°Theresa, the central supply depot in the East is holding over ten thousand tons of grain-rice, corn, wheat-and there¡¯s a major oil reserve on-site too. Security is minimal, with just a skeleton crew, and the surrounding area is wide open and mostly deserted. But here¡¯s the twist-it¡¯s not just a mission for the two of us. I¡¯m hoping our camps can work together, along with a few smaller groups. I¡¯d really like you to be part of this.¡±


    Theresa immediately grasped the situation. Lucas had spotted a golden opportunity and wanted to loop her in, partly as a way of repaying her past help.


    Of course, with multiple camps involved, her slice of the pie wouldn¡¯t be huge. But since she had nothing to lose-and no clue where the depot was anyway-there was no reason not to take the chance.


    ¡°Sweet Tessa, let Lucas know I¡¯m in,¡± she said with a smirk. Tessa gave a quick blink and transmitted the


    message.


    Not long after, the radio buzzed again with a male voice: ¡°Great. I¡¯ll send someone to pick up both Ms. Hall and the lovely Tessa shortly.¡±


    Theresa was left staring at the speaker, utterly speechless.


    ¡°How did you respond to Lucas?¡± Theresa asked.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have to,¡± Tessa replied, her digital eyes glinting with pride. ¡°This is live trantion-they¡¯re hearing everything you¡¯re saying right now!¡±


    Theresa fell silent, finding no words for that.


    Before long, Tessa chimed in again¡ªan alert shed on the screen. A military transport vehicle had just rolled into their territory. A quick nce at the UAV¡¯s live feed confirmed it: the license te was familiar. Lucas didn¡¯t waste time. Whoever he¡¯d sent clearly knew they of thend.


    The door of the vehicle swung open, and out stepped someone Theresa hadn¡¯t seen in a while-Graham.


    ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± he called out cheerfully.


    Woof! Woof! Woof!


    Five dogs came bounding out to greet him-Lucky, Cash, Ace, Snowy, and Summer. Grahamughed as he knelt down to pet them. ¡°Still the best weingmittee around!¡±


    Kyle, who had been sorting supplies nearby, heard the noise and headed over.


    ¡°Graham?¡± he said in surprise.


    ¡°Hey, Kyle! Guess what-I¡¯m here to pick you up!¡± Graham grinned. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re teaming up for another mission.¡±


    Kyle looked puzzled, unsure what was happening.


    Right then, Theresa stepped outside. ¡°Kyle, get your gear ready. We¡¯re heading out with them.¡±

 Kept Woman 112

    Chapter 112 KI Camp


    The preparations were wrapped up within thirty minutes. This time, Theresa¡¯s dogs stayed behind to watch over the house. Since the journey ahead was expected to be long and demanding, and involved otherpanions, Theresa realized she might not be able to properly look after them. Carrying too many provisions would also attract unwanted attention. Hence, she decided to leave the dogs at home under Tessa¡¯s supervision, confident they could manage the task of guarding the ce.


    Moreover, Theresa was merely apanying the group this time, so there was no need for her to take the lead. She could simply follow along and pick up some supplies along the way. Bringing the dogs wasn¡¯t necessary. She even caught a ride with Lucas.


    Naturally, she still needed to bring some food for herself. Theresa packed a box of instant noodles and another box of pre-prepared meal kits she had purchased earlier, along with some convenient snacks like braised eggs and bread. She ced everything in the trunk of Graham¡¯s car and headed off with him.


    ¡°Hey, we¡¯re heading out tomorrow. The captain asked me to pick you up early and take you to the K1 Camp. You¡¯ll spend the night with us,¡± Graham said.


    ¡°Sounds good.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a great chance for you to see what our camp is like!¡± Graham added, a hint of pride in his voice. ¡°Our camp might not be aspact and well-equipped as yours, but we have a lot of people-it¡¯s always lively! It must get lonely with just the two of you sometimes. People are meant to live in groups.¡±


    Theresa just smiled and said nothing. None of them knew that there were already neen people in her camp. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll see how lively K1 Camp is.¡±


    Graham drove them toward K1 Camp. The camp was a hub for survivors-a coalition where people trapped in areas surrounded by hordes of zombies banded together to survive, forming camps of all sizes.


    Based on Theresa¡¯s past life memory, there were close to thirty camps in the Eastern region.


    Granted, most of these camps were too weak to withstand any storm. Over the ten years of the apocalypse, they had been gradually swallowed up and disappeared.


    By the end of thest zombie apocalypse, there were down to three major camps in the Eastern region. These included K1 Camp, Hope Camp, and Ember Camp, the one that was further away and closer to the central region.


    Even in Theresa¡¯s previous life, Kl Camp was already a famous one. Having originated from a military base, Kl Camp was equipped with strong military power, which allowed it to take in arge number of survivors at the start. Conversely, that served as a problem, too. Kl Camp simply couldn¡¯t support so many people, especiallypared to the other two major camps nearby.


    Only capable survivors were epted at the Hope Camp. Initially, many scientific and technical talents had been recruited. With its focus on quality over quantity, Hope Camp managed to not only survive but thrive during the apocalypse.


    Ember Camp, on the other hand, was always running out of supplies. Nheless, their leader was an absolute hardliner-ranked number one on the list of the top ten ruthless leaders! On the outside, he


    killed zombies; internally, he killed his people. Whenever supplies ran to a new low, he would carry out ethnic cleansing to keep the poption sustainable. Though cruel, this brutal approach indeed made Ember Camp incredibly resilient. As a result, they never experienced internal revolts or upheaval.


    In the apocalypse, people could be even more dangerous than zombies, especially when resources were scarce. People could turn into the most primitive beasts. Kl Camp had suffered countless internal conflicts. Thanks to their military might, they would never have been able to suppress the riots.


    Moreover, Kl Camp¡¯s leadership had always been problematic. They never really addressed the issue of troublemakers, seemingly using them to bnce the military and keep the leadership stable.


    ¡°What happened to your captain afterward?¡± Theresa asked Graham as they sat in the car.


    ¡°Missionpleted perfectly!¡± Graham replied, a hint of joy on his face.


    ¡°But that Waverly woman died, didn¡¯t she? Wasn¡¯t her father one of the camp¡¯s administrators?¡± Theresa asked curiously.


    Just then, their vehicle merged onto a major roadway that led to a massive tunnel. At the tunnel¡¯s mouth, numerous barricades and security instations had been put in ce. A team of armed personnel was stationed there. Dozens of cars were parked along the mountainside near the tunnel, and groups of disced people were gathered in makeshift shelters, patiently queuing for entry.


    Theresa understood the situation clearly-they were conducting checks to identify anyone who might have been exposed to zombie bites. If someone turned while in the queue, they would be executed immediately. Every survivor was required to undergo a 24-hour istion period before being allowed entry into K1 Camp with their assigned registration number.


    They had reached K1 Camp.

 Kept Woman 113

    Chapter 113 The Power Shift


    Ding! Ding!


    As they approached the entrance, Graham gave a quick honk. The guards on duty, recognizing his car, wasted no time pulling the barricade aside. One of them approached with a respectful nod.


    ¡°Good evening, Mr. Graham,¡± he said, scanning each passenger from head to toe with an infrared device before giving a crisp wave for them to proceed.


    ¡°We¡¯re clear,¡± Graham said, easing the car forward.


    Theresa nced at the long line of people waiting outside in makeshift tents. ¡°They didn¡¯t even stop us,¡± she murmured, noticing the envious stares of those left behind.


    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± he replied with a grin as the car entered the tunnel. He looked over at her, eyes gleaming. ¡°Our boss? He¡¯s the camp¡¯s new deputy administrator.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s expression brightened instantly. ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you in on a secret, Theresa. Mr. Keaton¡¯s grandfather is a grand marshal in the military district. After we got backst time, the grand marshal and Mr. Keaton went to see Monica. Half an hourter, after their meeting, Monica handed over the deputy administrator position to Mr. Keaton. Now, Monica only manages the camp¡¯s daily production and life, and everything else is under Mr. Keaton¡¯s control.¡±


    Theresa blinked in surprise, then let out augh. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ incredible,¡± she said, shaking her head in disbelief. She never would have imagined that a simple, spur-of-the-moment decision to help someone would end up reshaping the entire power dynamic at K1 Camp.


    In her past life, it must have been Monica who orchestrated a scheme against Lucas and his team, effectively cutting off the military¡¯s authority. With the advanced equipment she had brought back, her father had taken full control of the camp¡¯s operations, reducing the military to a powerless bystander.


    But now?


    Theresa¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°This time, Monica¡¯s the one who died,¡± she muttered to herself. ¡°Lucas came back with the equipment instead, and with all those old scores to settle, her father never stood a chance.¡±


    She froze for a second before breaking intoughter. Now that was unexpected-and impressive.


    Who would have thought that a spontaneous decision to help someone in need would end up flipping the entire leadership dynamic of Kl Camp?


    In her former life, Monica had likely orchestrated a trap for Lucas and his team, effectively severing the military¡¯s influence. With the advanced tech she brought back, her father had seized full control of the camp¡¯s operations, leaving the military unable to interfere.


    But things had yed out differently this time.


    Monica was the one who didn¡¯t make it back. Lucas had returned with the equipment instead, and with past grievances still simmering, her father found himself powerless to fight back. The tide had turned


    ¡°Theresa, we have to go through another security check here. Let¡¯s get out.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Theresa and Kyle each grabbed a backpack and stepped out of the vehicle. Almost immediately, a team of guards approached to douse the car in disinfectant spray. At the same time, the two were directed into apletely dark chamber, where a full-body X-ray scan was conducted to verify that they were in good health before being allowed into the camp.


    They also had to part with a portion of their supplies.


    K1 Camp enforced a strict rule: anyone entering had to give up half of their provisions. All items had to be dered at the gate. If the guards discovered any undered goods during the inspection, the entire stash would be seized.


    The guards instructed them to open their backpacks and give up half of their supplies, warning that any attempt to conceal items would result in a total confiscation.


    Graham stepped forward and rified that Theresa and Kyle were guests of Lucas, not ordinary camp residents, as he passed the guards a letter of introduction.


    Upon seeing the letter, the staff immediately saluted Theresa and Kyle, allowing them to keep their bags and go straight into the X-ray room.


    After confirming neither of them had any suspicious injuries, Theresa officially entered the heart of Kl Camp.


    As she stepped inside, a bleak sight unfolded before her-rows upon rows of hastily assembled shanties crammed together with barely any space in between. Instead of doors, thin fabric or curtains marked each cramped living space.


    ¡°It¡¯s always this packed,¡± a nearby guard muttered as they passed. ¡°No privacy, no peace.¡±


    It was mealtime, and the camp¡¯s residents, resembling pioneers from a harsher era, sat in clusters on the ground-some with family, others with whoever they¡¯d clung to in desperation. They tore quietly at dry bread, eyes constantly shifting, guarded and suspicious of everyone around them.


    Off to the west, in a dusty clearing, several muscr workers hammered away at wooden frames and wire fencing. Their faces dripped with sweat under the midday sun.


    ¡°Those guys either ate early or skipped it altogether,¡± another bystander remarked. ¡°They¡¯re on construction duty-new shelters, more fencing.¡±


    The narrow pathways between shacks were swarming with people drifting aimlessly, some lost in thought, others looking for trouble. The air buzzed with loud chatter, asional shouting, and from time to time, a fight would break out.


    In one dark corner, two men suddenly began throwing punches. No one intervened. No one even flinched.


    Theresa noticed it all-the numb expressions, the deadened stares. It was as if the violence had be background noise. Like no one could hear it anymore.


    ¡°Theresa, let¡¯s head further in. It¡¯s chaotic here,¡± Graham said.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Theresa got back in the car. As they drove down the camp¡¯s main road, people made way for them, not daring to provoke the vehicle or its passengers, their eyes filled with envy and longing.


    Theresa was used to such looks.


    Their looks shouldn¡¯t be mistaken for kindness. Had she arrived in a regr neer¡¯s vehicle, those same gazes would have turned vicious-hungry, ready to strike without hesitation and tear her apart.


    Respect came only through power. The weak were destined to be hunted. In times like these, thew of the jungle was the onlyw that mattered.


    And in a sprawling camp of this size, that truth held even more weight.


    Graham, still focused on the road, offered a brief exnation. ¡°These folks are thetest arrivals. It¡¯s a bit messy around here, but things settle down as you go deeper into the camp.¡±

 Kept Woman 114

    Chapter 114 A Taste of Camp Life


    Theresa gave a slight nod as the scenery outside began to shift. The rundown shacks faded behind them. gradually giving way to proper homes. This part of the camp clearly had tighter security measures in ce. Early members who helped establish the ce now livedfortably, a stark contrast to those still stuck in tents on the outskirts.


    Graham took a turn off the main road, revealing a whole new side of the camp.


    Identical buildings stood neatly along spotless streets. The ce felt organized, almost too quiet. There weren¡¯t any loitering survivors-only patrol guards walking their routes like clockwork.


    Warm lights glowed from the windows, casting a soft ambiance that almost felt like life before the world went sideways.


    After a few more turns, the pickup pulled up in front of a cozy two-story house.


    A small garden sat out front,plete with trimmed hedges and flowers-rare sights these days.


    ¡°This is where Lucas lives,¡± Kyle mentioned, ncing over at Theresa as he killed the engine.


    She stepped out just as a man walked out to greet them. He wasn¡¯t in uniform today-just in clothes that made him look a little more approachable.


    ¡®Ms. Hall,¡± Lucas greeted with a nod.


    Theresa replied casually, ¡°Hey, Mr. Keaton.¡±


    Wee to K1 Camp,¡± Lucas offered with a polite smile.


    ¡®Thanks! I¡¯ve got to say, I¡¯m impressed. Your camp¡¯s buzzing with people and full of energy. You must be doing something right,¡± Theresa remarked, shing him a warm grin.


    Lucas looked slightly flustered but responded with a sincere tone. ¡°If you like it here, maybe think about joining us. There¡¯s a spot for you if you want it. We¡¯re always looking for capable people.¡±


    She chuckled. ¡°I was just being polite. Don¡¯t take it to heart.¡±


    He didn¡¯t reply. He just gave her a silent look that said, Alright then¡­ message received.


    Then, he reflected, Honestly, anyone who sees how she lives would get it. The ce runs like a machine-secure, stocked, and totally independent. She¡¯s got everything handled, no need for extra help, and definitely no interest in ying by someone else¡¯s rules.


    Moving into another camp? That¡¯s just not happening.


    ¡°Have you eaten?¡± Lucas asked, changing the subject.


    ¡°Not yet. We came with empty stomachs, so I hope you¡¯ve got something decent waiting,¡± she replied, half- joking.


    That was typical Theresa-straightforward and never shy.


    Lucas motioned for them to follow. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the canteen.¡±


    While walking, he gave her a quick overview of Kl Camp¡¯syout. The camp was built in a valley, surrounded by hills. The tunnel they passed earlier was the only real entrance. This made it secure. although it limited ess to farnd. As the poption continued to grow, managing food became increasingly difficult.


    To address the shortage, they established a rationing system. Everyone got two pieces of bread and a bowl of soup daily. If anyone wanted extra, they were wee to go scavenging. The camp only imed half of whatever they brought back.


    There were also jobs within the camp-people who helped with building or maintenance carned points, which they could trade for food. On average, a full day¡¯s work got you one point, just enough for a piece of bread.


    Life here wasn¡¯t easy. Every day was a hustle to earn your next meal.


    Lucas led them to Canteen No. 2, which was reserved for soldiers and staff, while Canteen No. 1 was for everyone else.


    Beep. Beep. Beep.


    He tapped his ID card three times against the payment scanner. The first meal didn¡¯t cost him anything, but the other two meals each deducted three points.


    A momentter, the staff handed over three trays. Each one held a chunk of coarse bread and a bowl of steaming soup-thin broth with a few meatballs and some wilted cabbage floating on top.


    It was a modest meal, but definitely better than the standard fare from Canteen No. 1.


    Lucas smiled apologetically. ¡°Ms. Hall, it¡¯s nothing fancy, but I hope it¡¯s okay.¡±


    She eyed the food, then nced at him. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just get promoted? You¡¯re still eating like this?¡±


    ¡°This is how we do things here,¡± he replied with a shrug, handing her the tray with the extra meatballs as a small gesture of hospitality.


    Theresa let out a sigh. ¡°You know, you and your team coulde to my camp instead. Conditions here are rough-my dog would probably refuse to stay.¡±


    Lucas didn¡¯t respond. He just stared at her, clearly unsure of what to say to that.


    Out of courtesy, Theresa tore off half the bread and nibbled at it. However, the nd soup and questionable meatballs didn¡¯t stand a chance-she barely nced at them. Her standards had gone up, and this just didn¡¯t make the cut. Without a word, she slid the bowl over to Kyle.


    For her, looking out for her own people always came first-even if someone else was picking up the tab.


    Kyle, grateful as ever, didn¡¯t waste a second. He polished off the tray as if it were a feast.

 Kept Woman 115

    Chapter 115 Rotten Bonds and Instant Noodles


    After they finished eating, Lucas noticed that Theresa had barely touched her food. He gave her a casual smile. ¡°I¡¯ll take you on a little tour of the market here in a bit.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± she replied, eager for the chance to learn more about the famous K1 Camp.


    As they left the mess hall, they walked leisurely down the path. Theresa asked, ¡°How many teams are there


    tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Should be seven in total.¡±


    ¡°And the mission¡­ It¡¯s really not dangerous?¡±


    ¡°The storage depot and the surrounding area are mostly deserted, but there are a lot of zombies on the main road we have to pass through. That part could get hairy. But as long as everyone sticks together, it shouldn¡¯t be too bad. You¡¯ll be with us, so just follow our lead.¡±


    Theresa nodded in understanding.


    They soon arrived at K1 Camp¡¯s marketce-a bustling street filled with makeshift stalls that residents had thrown together themselves. People sat cross-legged on old nkets and tarps, with piles of clothes, jewelry, trinkets, and even wads of paper money spread out in front of them like treasures.


    Bundles of cash, some still wrapped with faded bank straps,y uselessly in the dirt, a testament to how little currency meant now. Clearly, some desperate tycoon had tried to flee with his riches when the world fell apart-only to find out that money was now worth less than a can of beans.


    Theresa wandered through the market with wide-eyed curiosity. The street stretched long, noisy, and lively in its own rugged way. She was examining a set of mismatched earrings when a loud, familiar voice rang out from up ahead.


    ¡°Food! You think you can just leave without paying? This ain¡¯t a charity! Someone call the guards!¡±


    The unmistakable bellow of a middle-aged man echoed down thene.


    Theresa turned in time to see a burly man stumbling out of a shack, still hitching up his pants. He barely made it three steps before a limping man in his forties or fifties and an old, filthy woman tackled him from both sides.


    Right behind them, a gaunt woman in her forties with deep lines carved into her face ran out, shouting at the top of her lungs.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t pay! He took the service and ran!¡±


    ¡°Hey! Somebody stop him! We got a freeloader here!¡±


    ¡°Freeloader?! You call this a service? You told me your wife was young, fresh-faced-better than a girl half her age! You expect me to pay for that old hag?!¡± the man barked, furious.


    ¡°She was the best we had!¡±


    ¡°The best? Hell, why don¡¯t you throw in your old mama next time and see who bites?!¡±


    The limping man clung to the customer¡¯s leg like a leech. ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere till you pay up!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! You took, now you give!¡± the old crone shrieked, loud enough to draw the attention of the entire street.


    The burly man groaned when he spotted a few Kl Camp¡¯s soldiers approaching. Cursing under his breath. he pulled a squashed packet of instant noodles from his jacket. ¡°D*mn it! What an unlucky day!¡±


    He hurled the noodles to the ground, shoved past the clinging bodies, and stomped off, grinding the package beneath his boot.


    Immediately, the three remaining figures lunged like starving dogs, scrabbling over the crumpled noodles.


    ¡°Back off! I earned this!¡± shouted the worn-out woman, clutching the packet.


    ¡°Sweetheart,e on, you can still earn more,¡± pleaded the limping man. ¡°Give some to me and my mother. We haven¡¯t eaten all day.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, darling,¡± crooned the old woman. ¡°I haven¡¯t had a bite since morning.¡±


    ¡°Get lost!¡±


    Another man emerged from the shack-a thin, scruffy guy in histe twenties or early thirties. Despite the stubble and gaunt face, he looked far less haggard than the rest. Without hesitation, he yanked the noodle packet out of the woman¡¯s hands.


    ¡®Oliver, stop!¡± the limping man cried. ¡°You already ate today! You even took food from me and your grandma!¡±


    ¡®Yeah, Oliver, sweet boy, don¡¯t forget about me. I always spoiled you, remember?¡±


    ¡®Get lost, both of you!¡± Oliver shouted and kicked them aside like garbage. ¡°Mom, you shouldn¡¯t still be hanging around these two useless leeches. One¡¯s a cripple who can¡¯t even work a camp job, and the other¡¯s an old hag who should¡¯ve died ages ago. What¡¯re you still doing with them?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right!¡± the woman eximed, eyes sparkling as she clung to Oliver¡¯s arm. ¡°We¡¯re better off without them! You and me, that¡¯s all we need!¡±


    ¡°Exactly. From now on, it¡¯s just the two of us. Screw the rest.¡±


    She nodded eagerly. ¡°You¡¯ve grown strong, baby. Time to leave the trash behind.¡±


    The two of them turned and walked off together, noodle packet in hand.


    Behind them, the limping man lost what littleposure he had left. He hurled himself forward, grabbing at Oliver¡¯s leg.


    ¡°Son-Oliver, I¡¯m your dad! You can¡¯t leave me! I carried you through hell, nursed you back when you were half-dead! You can¡¯t just walk away now that you¡¯re fine!¡±


    ¡°Oliver, baby, don¡¯t forget about me! I raised you myself-don¡¯t leave me behind, please!¡±


    ¡°Go to hell, both of you! Worthless garbage!¡± Oliver snarled and kicked them to the ground with brutal


    force.


    !

 Kept Woman 116

    Chapter 116 Bloodlines and Betrayal


    The ragged group was none other than Oliver¡¯s family.


    Oliver¡¯s luck had always been absurdly good. Even after Theresa screwed him over-getting him hospitalized and confiscating his phone and ID-he was still unbelievably fortunate. The people who loved him most, his parents, Howard and L, managed to find him against all odds.


    They found Oliver just as the zombie virus broke out in full force. Howard immediately sensed that something was wrong. Without hesitation, he slung Oliver¡¯s unconscious body over his back, grabbed L, and helped the hospitalized Elizabeth to her feet. Their luck was downright uncanny-somehow, they managed to flee into the hospital¡¯s traditional medicine ward. They barricaded the heavy doors and refused to open them for anyone, no matter how desperately people screamed for help. Miraculously, they survived the brutal early days of the apocalypse, sealed inside that room.


    Strangely enough, their bizarre survival habits helped. Living off dried herbs and foraged roots like desperate squirrels, they nursed Oliver back from the brink of brain damage. His miraculous recovery was nothing short of absurd-herbs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and yet they worked.


    They missed the first wave of official rescues, but ended up running into a scavenger team out looking for supplies.


    Clinging to the group like leeches, the family managed to tag along and eventually made their way- through countless detours-to K1 Camp.


    Fortune seemed to have a sick fondness for them.


    But life without Theresa was a brutal education. With no guidance, no protection, and no real n, they starved for weeks. Meals consisted of crushed herbs. Drinking water came from a broken window where they caught rain in rusty pans. Since doomsday began, they hadn¡¯t had a single proper meal.


    They limped across the wastnd with no one to shield them. All bore scars. All wore filth. Howard¡¯s leg snapped and never healed right-he became a cripple. Once at the camp, without Theresa¡¯s connections, they were shoved into the slums. Howard and Elizabeth were useless. Olivery in the tent all day, eating more than anyone else, doing nothing butining. The only one earning rations was L.


    Now, Oliver¡¯s health had returned-and his attitude took a cruel turn. With icy rity, he announced he was done with his family. He would take his mother and leave, severing all ties with the ¡°useless baggage¡± that was Howard and Elizabeth.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do this to us, Oliver!¡± Howard cried, desperation raw in his voice. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see what we did for you?¡±


    ¡°I worked myself into the ground in the city just to give you a better life!¡± he shouted. ¡°I married another woman and took all the crap that came with it. Did you forget all that? We¡¯re your flesh and blood! You can¡¯t throw us away like this!¡±


    ¡°Flesh and blood? Screw that!¡± Oliver roared, kicking his father and grandmother. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you two screw-ups, I wouldn¡¯t be living like this! Before the apocalypse, you couldn¡¯t even get me a house! I lost my wife, she aborted our kid because I was too poor! All because of you two losers! You think you¡¯re family?


    You¡¯re trash!¡±


    His boots mmed into their bodies with ruthless precision. Elizabeth curled into a ball, her frail frame no match for his rage. Malnourished and riddled with disease, she coughed up a mouthful of blood.


    Howard lunged toward her, screaming, ¡°Mom! Mom! Oliver, you killed your grandmother!¡±


    But Oliver¡¯s eyes held no remorse-only twisted satisfaction. ¡°Then she deserved it! One less burden to carry. Worthless old hag.¡±


    Howard froze. Something inside him shattered. ¡°You¡­ you b*stard! I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    ¡°You? You pathetic old man?¡± Oliver sneered. He raised his boot and stomped on Howard¡¯s head again and again. Blood sshed across the dirt. Teeth scattered like broken ss.


    Just as Howardy gasping on the floor, a voice rang out, ¡°Mr. Keaton ising!¡±


    Oliver¡¯s face soured with irritation. He delivered one final kick, sending his father sprawling across the floor, then yanked his mother to her feet and stormed off.


    Behind them, Howard and Elizabethy in a crimson pool, barely alive, their cries weak but burning with rage.


    ¡°You b*stard! I¡¯m your father! I¡¯m your d*mn father!¡±


    Howard¡¯s heart broke beneath the weight of his regrets.


    How could he have raised such a monster?


    He had sacrificed everything for Oliver. Carried him through a city, of the dead. Given him everything.


    And now that monster had thrown him away like rotten meat.


    Oliver wasn¡¯t just ungrateful. He was something else.


    Something inhuman.


    And in that moment, Howard thought of Theresa.


    If only she had been there.


    Yes, she had been a wild one, rebellious to the bone, but she had a heart-one that was fierce and loyal.


    Howard hade from a remote vige-a poor boy with big dreams who had wed his way into city life. He had married Natalie Pierce, Theresa¡¯s mother, for stability. Before her, though, he¡¯d already been married once in the vige and had a son: Oliver.


    He¡¯d rarelye home after Theresa was born. Natalie neverined, but Theresa? Even as a child, she screamed at him like a storm. When Elizabeth finally joined them in the city and started bullying Natalie, five-year-old Theresa leapt to her mother¡¯s defense like a feral cub, biting Elizabeth so hard she drew blood and wouldn¡¯t let go.

 Kept Woman 117

    Chapter 117 The Girl They Left Behind


    Theresa had grown up without a father-so she became her own protector. More than that, she vowed to protect her home. To protect her mother.


    Howard knew her well. He knew Theresa¡¯s heart, knew the fire that lived inside her. Once she marked someone as her own, she would never let harm touch them. Not if she had to burn the world down to stop <ol><li></li></ol>


    If she had been here¡­ they wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this. She would have fought for them. Killed for them. Died for them.


    And now, Howard¡¯s regret hit him like a fist to the chest.


    As hey there barely clinging to life, bleeding and broken, he spotted a figure through the crowd gathering nearby.


    A group of camp guards parted respectfully around a young woman at their center. She wore a sharp tactical uniform,bat boots clicking against the pavement, a high ponytail swaying with every step. Walking beside her was Lucas, K1 Camp¡¯s newly appointed overseer.


    She moved like she belonged in power. Like she¡¯d never once lived in the mud with rats like him.


    Howard struggled to lift his head. Before he could make out her face, men lifted him roughly off the ground.


    ¡°Take him back to his quarters,¡± Lucas said coldly.


    Howard and Elizabeth were dragged away in the opposite direction, limp and bloodied. He twisted his head, desperately trying to catch a final glimpse of the girl. But all he saw was her back-straight, purposeful, untouchable.


    She was a moon far out of reach.


    The difference between them felt insurmountable. It hit Howard like a hammer-was that really Theresa?


    The same Theresa they had treated like a nobody? The daughter they fed on like parasites, ignored, dismissed, and used?


    Now she didn¡¯t even look at them. Not a flicker of recognition. Not a nce of pity.


    Just cool indifference as she walked on, surrounded by power, cloaked in strength.


    Howard snapped. He started sobbing, ugly and loud, calling out to her with what voice he had left.


    Lucas paused, nced at Theresa. ¡°Do you know them?¡±


    Theresa didn¡¯t break stride. ¡°Nope.¡±


    Lucas shrugged. ¡°Take them away.¡±


    And just like that, Howard-who once imed to rule his family-was taken away like trash.


    But he knew. Oh, he knew. That was her. That was Theresa. She had be something powerful. And she wanted nothing to do with him. God, he deserved this.


    He wanted to p himself senseless with regret. If only he had chosen differently. If only he had treated Theresa with even a shred of decency. If he had picked her, believed in her, and protected her instead of using her, he could¡¯ve had a gold mine.


    Instead, he¡¯d been thrown away by the very son he thought would carry his legacy. The son who beat him half to death and left him in the dirt.


    Theresa, meanwhile, stood beside Lucas, scanning the stalls of K1 Camp¡¯s marketce.


    ¡°Mr. Keaton, how does your camp usually handle this kind of thing?¡± she asked casually, as though she hadn¡¯t just walked past her dying father.


    ¡°I don¡¯t handle internal discipline,¡± Lucas replied. ¡°But if someone¡¯s killed, then the killer dies. in and simple.¡±


    Theresa smiled, lips curling with wicked amusement.


    In a world where medical supplies were more precious than gold, where antibiotics were rarer than rain, Howard and Elizabeth¡ªalready riddled with illness-had been beaten beyond saving. They were as good as dead.


    And the irony? They were dying because of the son they¡¯d cherished above all else.


    A perfect, brutal symmetry. Karma, delivered by apocalypse.


    Theresa, ever the righteous citizen, widened her eyes and let out a concerned breath. ¡°Mr. Keaton, shouldn¡¯t you lock that guy up now? Poor couple like that¡­ won¡¯tst long. If anything happens before you arrest him, you¡¯ll have no one to answer for their deaths. Can¡¯t have victims dying in vain, now can we?¡±


    Lucas nodded, appreciating her logic. ¡°Bring the attacker to the victims¡¯ quarters. If either one of them dies, he dies immediately.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± the guards responded.


    Theresa beamed. Look at her, standing up for justice. Such a good person.


    Other people would¡¯ve walked right by, maybe evenughed at their suffering. But not her. No, Theresa cared. She helped.


    Honestly, she was starting to impress even herself with how kindhearted she was.


    If anyone ever dared call her a bad person again, she¡¯d be the first to object.


    After touring the marketce and talking with key staff, Theresa had formed a clear picture of Kl Camp- and it wasn¡¯t a good one. In a word: disaster.


    The only thing keeping the ce from copsing was the military presence.


    They¡¯d been taking in refugees without limit, while the camp¡¯s resources were stretched paper-thin. Most people sat idle all day, unemployed and growing desperate. Job opportunities were scarce, and supplies


    even scarcer.


    If it weren¡¯t for those few soldiers risking their necks scavenging for goods, the entire ce would¡¯ve imploded by now.


    In the end, it came down to one brutal truth. They were running out of everything.


    No wonder Lucas was so obsessed with that far-off provision depot. It might be the only hope left.

 Kept Woman 118

    Chapter 118 The Convoy of Shadows


    ¡°Ms. Hall, we roll out at first light. Get some rest,¡± Lucas said, his voice steady but distant, like he was already mentally on the road.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Theresa nodded.


    Lucas had given her one of the spare rooms in his fortified mansion. Kyle was bunking down in the next room over. As he turned to shut the door, Lucas paused.


    ¡°By the way,¡± he added, ¡°I noticed you didn¡¯t eat much tonight. Check the drawer-there are some snacks and cookies in there if you get hungry.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she replied, then quietly closed the door.


    Just like he said, she found a tin of premium cookies in the nightstand drawer. Better hospitality than she usually offered. Maybe next time she could return the favor-if there was a next time.


    The next morning, Theresa was up early, the pale dawn light barely peeking over the tree line, when she headed downstairs. Outside, the convoy was already lined up.


    Beyond a few heavy-duty pickups, there were at least two dozen massive freight trucks, long-haul rigs built to crush through debris and the undead alike.


    Lucas approached her. ¡°Ms. Hall, you and Kyle stick with the car you arrived in. We¡¯ll load your supplies into it when we return.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± she replied, her tone clipped and alert.


    Theresa climbed into her vehicle with Kyle, falling in line behind the monstrous convoy as they began the long haul toward Branford-a ruined industrial city over 180 miles away. If everything went smoothly, they¡¯d be back in three days. But nothing went smoothly anymore.


    They nned to stop overnight near the highway just outside Branford, a temporary staging point for the different camps.


    They hit the road at 7:30 a.m., and by the time the sun started dipping toward the horizon-around 3:00 p.m.-they had only just reached the rendezvous point.


    The journey was brutal. They had to clear wreckage, scout for ambushes, and avoid the worst of the infected swarms. Highways were the most reliable, but the on-ramps and exits were death traps. Their progress was a stuttering crawl.


    Finally, they arrived at a stretch of highway cleared just enough to hold a small army of battered vehicles.


    These weren¡¯t Kl Camp¡¯s rugged, military-grade transports. Most were scavenged delivery trucks, rusted shipping containers on wheels. As KI Camp¡¯s convoy rumbled in, the camp leaders and survivors already gathered surged forward, eyes wide.


    ¡°Kl Camp¡¯s here!¡±


    ¡°No wonder they¡¯re the strongest-look at those trucks!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re connected to the military. That¡¯s why they¡¯re unstoppable!¡±


    Lucas stepped out of the lead vehicle, instantly surrounded by other camp leaders.


    ¡°Hey there! I¡¯m Daniel McAllister from Horizon Camp, we¡¯re based in an old chemical nt on Branford¡¯s west end. Got over 300 people!¡±


    ¡°Owen Chandler, Gxy Camp, southside industrial zone. We¡¯re pushing 400 survivors.¡±


    ¡°Alvin Kent, Victory Camp. We¡¯re holding the penins near the Crestmont border. Over 500 survivors under our banner.¡±


    ¡°Hello! I¡¯m Den Clove from Spark Camp! Our camp is in Hightalon Vige, north of Branford. We have 200 people.¡±


    Lucas nodded to each, calm andposed. ¡°Lucas Keaton, K1 Camp.¡±


    We¡¯ve heard of Kl Camp for months! If you weren¡¯t so far away, we¡¯d have joined you already!¡±


    They all smiled, eyes gleaming with a mix of envy and calction.


    Theresa approached from the rear. Lucas gestured to her.


    This is Theresa Hall, she leads zing Sun Camp.¡±


    ¡®zing Sun Camp?¡± someone repeated, their face scrunching with confusion. Nobody had heard of it.


    They prefer to stay low-profile,¡± Lucas exined casually.


    To the others, it was code for: tiny and weak.


    How many people in your camp, Ms. Hall?¡±


    Ten¡­ maybe a dozen,¡± she said bluntly.


    There was an awkward pause. A few smirks. A few looks were exchanged.


    A dozen? That¡¯s barely a patrol group, someone probably thought-but no one said it out loud. Not with Lucas standing there.


    Instead, they turned back to him.


    ¡°Mr. Keaton, do you have enough food for winter?¡±


    ¡°Got any extra meat to trade?¡±


    ¡°How about fresh greens? Anything to spare?¡±


    ¡°Any surplus weapons? Our patrols are getting shredded out there.¡±


    The real powerhouse stood unnoticed. Not one of them even nced back at Theresa.


    She didn¡¯t care. Let them beg Lucas. She wasn¡¯t here to make friends.


    Just then, a young woman sidled up beside her. Buzzed hair, sun-baked skin, boyish stance-looked more


    soldier than survivor.


    ¡°You really run a camp?¡± she asked bluntly.


    Theresa looked up. ¡°And you are?¡±


    ¡°Charlotte Clove. My brother Den runs Spark Camp. We¡¯re up north, Hightalon Vige.¡±


    ¡°Hightalon Vige¡­¡± Theresa repeated, turning to Kyle.


    ¡°That¡¯s not far from us,¡± Kyle said, eyes narrowing.

 Kept Woman 119

    Chapter 119 No ce for the Ordinary


    The far western edge of Theresa¡¯s territory ended at Hightalon Vige, just outside of Branford.


    When Charlotte heard that, her eyes widened in surprise. ¡°You really have your own camp?¡±


    Theresa just shrugged. ¡°Why not? Even if we¡¯re small, it¡¯s still a camp.¡±


    Charlotte furrowed her thick brows. ¡°No, I mean¡­ this is the first time I¡¯ve seen a woman start one.¡±


    She looked seriously at Theresa and reached out her hand. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Charlotte Clove, a fire- based ability user!¡±


    Theresa took her hand, heat radiating off it like an open me. ¡°Theresa Hall, water-based.¡±


    Just as their hands sped, a low rumble echoed from behind them.


    Another convoy was rolling in. It was Hope Camp.


    Their entire fleet was white-uniform, sterile, almost like something from a high-end tech expo. It gave off the unmistakable air of corporate professionalism.


    And it wasn¡¯t just for show.


    Hope Camp was one of the three major survival camps in the region, formed in the early days¡¯of the apocalypse. They¡¯d absorbed hundreds of scientists and engineers-all once part of a sprawling tech conglomerate: Dawn Industries.


    Dawn Industries wasn¡¯t just apany-it was a semi-governmental giant. Over twenty research facilities under its name, spanning fields like pharmaceuticals, medical tech, gic engineering, and even military defense. Before the outbreak, it was the biggest employer in Branford.


    Their main campus sat on the border between Branford and Crestmont, a vast self-sustainingplex that housed over 100,000 employees-most with at least a Master¡¯s degree.


    It was, by every definition, an elite hub of human capital.


    After the outbreak, while the world descended into chaos, Dawn Industries¡¯ survivors rallied fast. Using the vast internal resources of their campus, they cleared the infected, fortified their grounds, and rebranded themselves: Hope Camp.


    They¡¯d survived with over a thousand members. But entry wasn¡¯t open.


    Hope Camp didn¡¯t ept ¡°ordinary¡± people. They only recruited the best of the best.


    To them, bringing in average survivors was wasteful. In a world where every gallon of gas, every bullet, and every meal counted, why spend it on people who couldn¡¯t pull their weight?


    Theresa remembered Hope Camp¡¯s reputation in theter years-cold, clinical, and brutally efficient.


    Especially their infamous leader: Bennie Green.


    He earned a ce on the list of top ten ruthless survivors and was called a robot with a pulse.


    He had a saying that summed up his worldview: ¡°Every life has a price tag.¡±


    To Bennie, people were just walking spreadsheets. Age, health, ability, consumption, productivity-he could calcte the value of any human life like he was running a bnce sheet.


    And if a person¡¯s ¡°life value¡± didn¡¯t meet his standards? They were trash. Unfit. Discarded.


    To these top-tier clites, everything could be reduced to numbers. Every decision was about one thing- maximum gain.


    This alliance was no exception.


    The white convoy stopped in front of them. Five vehicles total. Seven figures in matching white uniforms stepped out-five men, two women. Leading them was a young man in his twenties. The others followed like a shadowed entourage.


    ¡°Hope Camp¡¯s here!¡±


    ¡°Bennie Green must be with them!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s him!¡±


    The four minor camp leaders who¡¯d just been cozying up to Lucas now scrambled to greet Bennie, wearing their best smiles.


    ¡°Den¡¯s such a tool,¡± Charlotte muttered near Theresa¡¯s ear.


    Theresa nced her way.


    Charlotte tossed her head, nose slightly up. ¡°All this energy kissing up to the big guys¡­ We could be out killing zombies and finding more supplies instead.¡±


    Theresa chuckled softly and motioned for her to sit beside her on the guardrail.


    Charlotte gave it a brief look, then joined her.


    ¡°How many people in your camp?¡± Theresa asked, pulling out a handful of sunflower seeds from her deep- pocketed coat.


    Charlotte eyed the sunflower seeds Theresa offered, hesitated for a second, then shook her head.


    ¡°No thanks, Our camp¡¯s got over two hundred people-just folks from our vige and the ones nearby.¡±


    Theresa popped a seed between her teeth. ¡°What¡¯s the age breakdown?¡±


    Charlotte frowned. ¡°Lots of elders. You know how it is in rural areas-most young people leave. Me and my brother¡­ There aren¡¯t even fifty of us under forty.¡±

 Kept Woman 120

    Chapter 120 Sunflower Seeds and Leadership


    Theresa wasughing so hard she nearly choked on her sunflower seeds.


    ¡°If I were your brother, I¡¯d be racing over to buddy up with those guys. Wait too long, and he¡¯ll be lucky to


    catch the dust off their boots!¡±


    Charlotte was speechless.


    She sulked for a couple of seconds, then shook her head firmly. ¡°No. In my eyes, we can¡¯t rely on anyone. Not in this apocalypse. It¡¯s just us. We have to survive on our own!¡±


    Theresa chuckled as she cracked another seed, then held her hand out with some caramel-coated ones. ¡°Here. Eat with me. I like hearing you talk.¡±


    Charlotte hesitated. ¡°I¡¯m not good at talking. No one in my family ever liked listening to me.¡±


    ¡°Well, I like it. So keep going. Consider this my way of paying you-with sunflower seeds.¡±


    Charlotte eyed the seeds, paused, then took them. ¡°Alright. I haven¡¯t really talked to anyone since the world ended¡­ I like you too! You really built your own camp?¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯d they let a woman run it? Did they actually listen to you?¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t have a choice. I saved all their lives. Of course, they listen.¡±


    Charlotte¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wait, seriously?¡±


    ¡°Ask Kyle.¡± Theresa jerked her chin toward the silent man standing beside her, still as a statue.


    Kyle, who¡¯d been looming in the background the whole time, gave Charlotte a curt nod.


    ¡°Everyone in our camp was saved by Theresa.¡±


    Charlotte inhaled sharply. Right then, she could only feel one thing: awe.


    She had saved everyone. All of them. By herself.


    Theresa looked strong-no doubt about it.


    But what really blew Charlotte¡¯s mind was that she was a woman. Since the world went to hell, the value of women had plummeted. Even though Charlotte had a fire-based ability and could fight just as well as her brother, no one listened to her when it came to camp decisions.


    Most people outright ignored her. Some even imed women should stay home, make babies, and that, power or not, they¡¯d neverpare to men. That men were heaven-sent and women should obey without question.


    Every time she heard stuff like that, Charlotte wanted to rip their face off.


    And this? This was her privileged experience. Her brother ran Spark Camp. She had powers. Women without either? They were treated like dirt.


    So, hearing that Theresa had saved everyone in her camp and was running the ce as its undisputed leader? Charlotte was floored.


    Camp size didn¡¯t even matter-Theresa was in charge. She held authority. Real authority.


    And that made Charlotte burn with envy.


    That envy only deepened when she saw the so-called ¡°small camp¡± Theresa had built at ater time, and her jaw nearly hit the pavement.


    Then came a voice-cool, t, and absolute-from the center of the gathered crowd. Everyone went silent. A young man dressed in a crisp white uniform locked eyes with the man across from him-Lucas- ignoring everyone else.


    ¡°Mr. Keaton, weren¡¯t there supposed to be seven squads today?¡±


    ¡°There are,¡± Lucas replied. ¡°One more-zing Sun Camp. They came with me.¡±


    He turned and nodded toward Theresa. ¡°She¡¯s the leader of zing Sun Camp, Theresa Hall.¡±


    Dozens of heads swiveled in unison.


    There sat Theresa, cross-legged on the roadside with Charlotte, happily munching on sunflower seeds like it was a pic.


    Everyone was stunned. It was¡­ a jarring contrast.


    While the rest of them had been tense and guarded for this multi-camp meetup, Theresa was just chilling by the curb, snacking and chatting.


    Lucas, who actually knew Theresa, smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s go say hi.¡±


    ¡®No need.¡± Bennie, the white-uniformed man, cast a nce in Theresa¡¯s direction. His icy starecked the faintest hint of warmth, and he looked away almost immediately. Then he turned to face the group.


    ¡°Everyone,e register. We need your group¡¯s details. You¡¯ll receive rations based on your contribution during the mission. Of course, Mr. Keaton, you¡¯ll get the allocation we previously agreed on.¡±


    Lucas nodded.


    As Bennie finished, his team stepped forward, handing out clipboards and forms to each camp. Lucas was handed one, too-but not for him. It was meant for the group he brought: zing Sun Camp.


    Only Hope Camp knew where the eastern provision depot was.


    But they weren¡¯t confident they could secure the supplies alone. Most of them were intellectuals, with barely anybat experience..


    That¡¯s why they brought in Lucas and his group to help.


    But Hope Camp didn¡¯t trust him either. What if, once they got to the depot, Lucas¡¯ armed group just turned on them and took everything?


    So they came up with a n-form a big, multi-camp expedition. Safety in numbers. Power in unity. A shaky alliance, held together by mutual suspicion.

 Kept Woman 121

    Chapter 121 Blood Moon Rising


    Even if it meant giving up a bit more supplies, they needed to buy themselves some insurance. The more camps they brought in, the more they could bnce out the power of Kl Camp.


    Once the forms were handed out, the smaller camps treated them like sacred scrolls, taking them back with quiet reverence.


    They were minnows in a sea of sharks-caution was survival.


    ¡°Charlotte! Charlotte!¡±


    Den¡¯s voice rang out as he waved the form in the air, calling out to his sister, who was still sitting on the roadside, munching on tidbits.


    Charlotte handed the rest of her snack back to Theresa. ¡®Gotta go.¡±


    ¡°Off you go,¡± Theresa said, flicking a shell away without looking up.


    She stayed seated, still rxed, until a shadow fell over her. A hand appeared in front of her, holding out another form.


    Theresa looked up-it was Lucas. Their eyes met for a beat before she silently split her tidbits in half and pushed some into his hand.


    Lucas stared at them for a second.


    ¡°You need to fill this out,¡± he said eventually, holding out the clipboard with the other hand.


    Theresa nced over the form. It was detailed-absurdly so. Name, age, hometown, pre-apocalypse upation. Abilities, camp size, leadership structure. Stuff people normally didn¡¯t like sharing.


    ¡°Who¡¯s asking?¡± she asked, spitting out another shell.


    ¡°Hope Camp.¡±


    Theresa raised an eyebrow, then smirked. ¡°Done.¡± She hadn¡¯t even moved.


    Lucas gave her a look.


    Stretching, she got up and brushed herself off. ¡°So, Hope Camp brings the map, and you guys bring the guns, right?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    She beckoned him in closer with a finger. When Lucas leaned in, she dropped her voice. ¡°Wanna pull something big?¡±


    Lucas sighed and shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t you start.


    ¡°Then, tell me-how are the supplies being split?¡±


    ¡°Hope Camp takes 40 percent, I take 40 percent, and the remaining 20 percent is divided among the other camps based on what they contribute.¡±


    Before she could interrupt, he added quickly, ¡°Theresa, I¡¯m serious. I don¡¯t want you starting anything. Juste with me, help collect the supplies, and that¡¯s it. No drama.¡±


    Theresa tilted her head back, gazing dramatically up at the sky like a tragic heroine. Lucas was too honest, but then again, without honest guys like him, she¡¯d never get in on sweet deals like this.


    No use pushing her luck.


    ¡°Fine. But you said it¡ªI¡¯m just here to collect, not to fight.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Theresa pped the nk form into his hands and sauntered back toward her vehicle, Kyle silently falling in behind.


    As the other squads finished submitting their forms, night began to fall.


    Each camp parked its convoy in tight clusters and started pitching tents for the night.


    Naturally, Hope Camp¡¯s tent was smack in the middle of everything-protected on all sides. While the other camps had to send people to patrol, Hope Camp¡¯s team got to kick back and rest.


    Theresa didn¡¯t bother with a tent. She reclined the backseat of her truck, curling up inside to sleep. Outside, Kyle was setting up a small tent of his own, standing guard like always.


    Just as she was drifting off, her ears caught something strange.


    Shhhk¡­ shhhk¡­


    Something was moving through the grass.


    Theresa¡¯s ability was mental maniption, but it came with heightened sensory perception. Her hearing was sharper than most.


    She sat upright instantly and peered through the car window into the darkness.


    There wasn¡¯t a single light outside-the sky was thick with cloud cover, no moon in sight. They¡¯d all agreed to keep the lights off to avoid attracting the undead.


    But the sound grew louder-shhhk, shhhk, shhhk-dragging, crawling, slithering.


    Theresa focused, expanding her awareness. The range of her mind power was about 65 feet, but in the middle of this wide-open road, that barely covered anything.


    Then, slowly, the clouds began to peel back. And out came the moon. Except it wasn¡¯t silver. It was red.


    A huge, blood-red moon bathed thendscape in an eerie crimson glow, like someone had ripped open the sky.


    And with that light, she saw them.


    Dozens-no, hundreds-of pale, glowing eyes flickered open across the field beyond the road. nk, milky, inhuman.


    They emerged from the tall grass in swarms, every one of them trained directly on Theresa¡¯s camp.


    Excitement. Hunger. Greed. Need.


    Her mental awareness lit up-like a radar pinging contacts.


    Dozens. Then more. Then hundreds.


    Gray pulses of undead minds rushing in from every direction. Like ants to sugar. Like wolves to blood.


    It was the stuff of nightmares.


    ¡°Kyle! Get up!¡± Theresa threw open the car door, her voice sharp and urgent as it cut through the night.


    33

 Kept Woman 122

    Chapter 122 Midnight Assault


    Kyle barely had time to react-he stepped out of the tent within three seconds of hearing Theresa¡¯s call, and in the next instant, she grabbed his arm and hauled him into the car without a word.


    No sooner had the car doors mmed shut than a blood-curdling scream pierced the night. ¡°Zombies! They¡¯re here!¡±


    The peaceful camp was shattered in an instant. People who¡¯d been resting shot up in rm, groggy hands fumbling for weapons as fear surged through the convoy. But it was already toote-the wave had


    arrived.


    Bang! A zombie flung itself at full force into the very tent Kyle had been in seconds ago. Realizing it had missed its mark, the creature let out a bone-chilling screech and hurled itself against the side of Theresa¡¯s car with a sickening thud. Its ghastly face, pale as death and shriveled like dry leather, was smeared up against the ss.


    The withered lips pulled back in a grotesque grin, revealing teeth snapping uselessly at the ss as if the barrier didn¡¯t exist.


    Rhhhhaaah! It was a squat, elderly zombie-its stature modest, but its presence grotesquely vivid. The tattered, blood-soaked garment it wore was barely clinging to its rotting frame, but it still vaguely resembled the ssic linen jacket often seen on old men strolling in city parks.


    Its skull gleamed under the faint light, while the surviving hair had been groomed with unsettling care- sculpted into a rounded fluff at the back like a manicured hedge in a courtyard garden.


    Despite the decay, traces of pride clung to this walking corpse. Its l?ne, oversized gold tooth caught the light like a trophy, shing with a garish gleam that only made its gaping maw more nightmarish. Screeech! The zombie¡¯s golden incisor scraped against the window with a shrill metallic screech-so sharp and high- pitched it drilled straight into the nerves.


    In the blink of an eye, the window was drenched in oily ck gore, thick as tar. The zombie, now fully consumed by its madness, threw itself against the vehicle like a rabid animal. Gnashing jaws snapped inches from the ss, while gnarled hands battered the surface with violent desperation. The whole car shook under its assault.


    On the third savage m-bang! A single gunshot pierced the chaos. The bullet punched clean through the right side of the zombie¡¯s skull. The impact jerked its head violently sideways, its neck snapping into a grotesque right angle before it crumpled to the ground like a puppet whose strings had been cut.


    The sound of boots thundered nearby-a squad of Lucas¡¯ soldiers charged into sight. With a quick scan of the vehicle¡¯s interior and a swift signal exchanged, they immediately scattered into formation, moving with practiced precision to deal with the remaining zombies. Kyle instinctively reached for the door, ready to leap into the fray.


    Just then, Theresa calmly pressed a hand to his shoulder, her voice as steady as ever. ¡°Hold it.¡± She reclined casually, picked a prime spot with a clear view of the action, then fished a packet of tidbits from her pocket. With a leisurely flick, she continued snacking with calm detachment. ¡°They¡¯re more than capable,¡± she added. He blinked, frozen by herplete confidence.


    The zombies poured in like a ck tide, unyielding and endless. Vehicles had closed ranks, forming a makeshift stronghold. Aside from Theresa and the personnel from Hope Camp, everyone else had leapt into action, rallying together to face the oing nightmare. Outside, the night ignited. mes red, blood sttered, and the battlefield turned into a grotesque painting of chaos and courage.


    Theresa¡¯s sharp eyes scanned the perimeter. Among the four smaller camps, only two had ess to firearms-and even then, their arsenals wereughably sparse. Gun regtion had always been irond, and the apocalypse hadn¡¯t changed that much. Even as civilization crumbled, firearms hadn¡¯t flooded the streets. Ammunition was a luxury. Firearms were gold.


    The real muscle came from K1 Camp, where every soldier Lucas had brought was packing heat-high- caliber, military-grade. With rifles braced and eyes steeled, they formed the front line, unleashing volleys of fire like a wall of thunder. The smaller camps couldn¡¯t match that firepower-but they didn¡¯t hold back. They threw in everything they had, fighting tooth and nail to hold the line.


    Elemental-type ability users let loose in every direction-mes roared, torrents of water spun through the air, and globes of metal sliced through the undead like scythes in a wheat field. Meanwhile, strength- type ability users charged in like rampaging beasts, brandishing anything from machetes to baseball bats. Cold steel met rotting flesh in a brutal dance of close-quarterbat. Even the ordinary, powerless survivors didn¡¯t stand idle. Tucked inside the safer inner lines, they clutched scavenged weapons and did their part-cover fire, distractions, whatever it took to keep the tide at bay. The sh raged, wild and furious.


    Through the chaos, Theresa¡¯s eyes picked out a familiar face-Charlotte, the quiet girl from earlier in the day. She was shadowing her brother, a strength-type ability user. In his hands, a massive iron rake moved like a scythe of death, each sweeping arcunching clusters of zombies into the air like ragdolls.


    No sooner had his rake cleared a path than twin fireballs streaked in from behind, engulfing the airborne bodies in me. The source? Charlotte. Gone was her shy demeanor. Her cropped hair red red at the ends, glowing faintly like the embers of a dying star. Her expression was dark, concentrated, and full of quiet fury. One by one, zing orbs erupted in her palms, each one hurled in perfect sync with her brother¡¯s brutal advance.


    However, as the battle wore on, the more her stamina buckled under the strain. Being only a Level 1 ability user, she could barely muster two fireballs at once-and each use left her more depleted than thest.


    Her skin, already darkened by smoke and grime, took on a ghostly pallor as her strength gave out, but the nightmare didn¡¯t pause. The horde surged forward¡ªunstoppable, unending.


    ¡°Den!¡± she shouted, her voice cracking with disbelief. ¡°Why are there so many of them?! There were barely any earlier today!¡±


    Den answered, panting between heavy swings of his rake, ¡°They must¡¯ve been lying low while the sun was up.¡± Nightfall always shifted the bnce-zombies were far more lethal after dark. Their senses sharpened, their movements quicker, their aggression magnified several times over.


    The stretch of road they were defending wasn¡¯t just any random path-it led straight to the central provision depots. It also happened to be one of Branford¡¯s major traffic veins! Even if they¡¯d swept the area earlier, it was impossible to flush out every zombie lurking in the cracks, sewers, and copsed buildings!

 Kept Woman 123

    Chapter 123 Was It Her Influence?


    Their numbers were a curse as much as a blessing-so many warm bodies crammed into one ce had be a beacon to the zombies. Zombies from miles in every direction were now converging on their position like moths to me. Lucas¡¯ expression shifted as he took stock of the situation. The scale of the horde was far worse than what he¡¯d calcted. Wasting no time, he barked out a sharpmand: ¡°Hold the line-just give me five minutes!¡±


    Without further exnation, he and the entire K1 Camp broke away from the group, disappearing through a breach in the perimeter. The reaction from the remaining four camps was immediate-tension crackled in the air like a live wire. Five minutes? Are we being ditched? Is K1 Camp leaving us to die?


    But even if doubt sank its ws into their minds, no one dared to break rank. Clenching their jaws and tightening their grip on whatever weapons they held, they braced themselves to defend their convoys. Five minutes. We have to survive those five minutes-no matter what it costs!


    The zombie horde didn¡¯t let up-it came in endless, crashing waves, each one more savage than thest. The four small camps fought like cornered beasts, locking into desperate defense-but not a single soul from Hope Camp moved. Their vehicles sat cold and quiet, untouched by the chaos unfolding around them. By the time the third minute bled into the fourth, the cracks began to show. The ability users were spent. Powers drained, strength sapped, they were forced to abandon their gifts and resort to brute force.


    ng! Thud! Crack! Shovels, hammers, bats, machetes-whatever could be lifted became a weapon. No one held back. Every swing, every strike, was a cry of desperation, a plea to survive one more second. But even with every ounce of strength thrown into the fight, it wasn¡¯t enough. The line kept buckling under the unending pressure, and their defensive ring began to copse inward, slowly but surely-like a noose tightening around their only hope of survival.


    Hang in there! Don¡¯t let them break through! By the time four and a half minutes crawled by, every camp¡¯s defense had been crushed back to the very noses of their vehicles. There was no ground left to surrender. One more step, and the only path left would be retreat-and chaos.


    At that critical moment, Charlotte was stumbling backward under the shelter of her brother¡¯s protection, inching toward their car. ¡°Charlotte! Get in the vehicle-now!¡± She replied hoarsely, ¡°No! I¡¯m staying!¡± Den bellowed, voice cracking as he shoved her toward safety, ¡°What good is a powerless girl on the field? D*mn it, get inside!¡±


    Charlotte was on the brink of copse, straining to conjure one final flicker of me in her hands¡ªbut her energy sputtered out like a dying me. And that was when it struck. From the shadows, a long-haired zombie burst out of nowhere,unching itself at her with horrifying speed. Before she could even react, it was already inches from her face. Its face was a horror show-oozing pustules split open to reveal raw, rotting flesh. The monster¡¯s jaws stretched wide, a gaping void of decay, and within it, a half-mangled tongue writhed with reeking maggots,


    Time stopped. Her breath caught in her throat. For a terrifying moment, she didn¡¯t even try to defend herself-only one thought echoed in her mind: It¡¯s over. But then, something impossible happened. The zombie had stoppedpletely still-its jaws hovering just before her neck, suspended in the air like time had fractured. Something unseen had locked it in ce, some invisible force holding it back with unyielding strength.


    Crack! A rusted rake tore through its skull like a spear, ripping it clean off its path and sending the zombie


    iling backward into the dirt. ¡°Charlotte!¡± Den¡¯s voice cracked with desperation as he rushed to her side, breath hitching in horror at what had almost happened. But she wasn¡¯t looking at him. Her eyes drifted past him-drawn instead to a pair of eyes watching her from a short distance away.


    Inside one of the parked vehicles sat a girl-elegant andposed, her posture serene as if untouched by the chaos around her. She was smiling. That smile was calin, almost otherworldly. But it was her eyes- those brilliant, luminous eyes-that held Charlotte frozen. They gleamed like starlight, radiant and deep, carrying a strange, soul-stirring force that seemed to reach straight into Charlotte¡¯s chest!


    Just then-boom! A searing ball of me tore through the night sky, brushing past Den¡¯s temple with a hiss that made his heart tremble. Charlotte, fists trembling, had summoned another fireball. Somehow, against all odds, her power had returned. Behind him, a zombie¡¯s skull exploded in a burst of fire and gore, dark blood sshing across his cheek like ink from a broken bottle.


    Then, without warning-whoosh! A line of fire ignited around the perimeter, a sudden ze that lit up the battlefield like the gates of hell had been flung open. Rat-tat-tat-tat! Gunfire roared back to life, rhythmic and relentless. K1 Camp had circled back, bringing the storm with them! They had turned the battlefield into a zing ring of death. Gasoline soaked the outer edges of the zone, and when fire met fuel, an inferno erupted-cutting off the undead like a ming moat.


    Through the rising smoke, the Kl team surged back toward the convoy, weapons lighting up the night like a storm of steel and thunder. Heavy gunfire tore through the inner swarm, mowing down the undead with ruthless precision. ¡°Den! We¡¯re not done yet!¡± Charlotte cried. He roared, ¡°Then let¡¯s finish this!¡± That fiery determination reignited both of their spirit. Their weariness vanished beneath a rush of adrenaline. Around them, everyst survivor mustered what strength remained and surged forward to drive the final nail into the zombie siege.


    Ten grueling minutester, silence returned. Every fighter was spent-drenched in sweat, hearts pounding ¡ªbut thest of the zombies had fallen. Every survivor sank onto the ground, worn out but relieved to have made it through. Charlotte nced up at Den with a hesitant question. ¡°Den, am I still of any use now?¡± He chuckled warmly, reaching out to vigorously tousle her closely cropped, prickly hair. ¡°You¡¯re definitely still useful! In fact, you¡¯re even stronger than me!¡± At his words, her pale, cracked lips curved upward, and a soft, genuineugh bubbled forth.


    Herughter slowly faded as her eyes fixed on the unmoving car. Inside, the upant was no longer seated upfront-the space was eerily still, as if they had slipped into slumber. Her expression deepened with thought. Was it all just a trick of my mind? Why did the zombie abruptly stop? Could it really have been that girl¡¯s influence?


    Meanwhile, Theresa inside the vehicle yawned, massaging her aching temples from overexerting her mind power before sinking into a deep sleep. Yet, this fierce night-long defense against the zombie tide was far from without losses.

 Kept Woman 124

    Chapter 124 Grind Salt Into The Wound


    Among the four camps, five lives were lost. One man fell due to a tragic ident-cut down by his ownrade¡¯s misfire. The other four weren¡¯t so lucky either. Bitten during the struggle, three chose a warrior¡¯s death. They made one final, fearless charge straight into the swarm, buying precious time for their people with their lives.


    Thest one, however, chose silence. He hid his wound. hoping to dy the inevitable. Yet when Lucas team returned after sealing off the perimeter, the truth could no longer be hidden. His body began to twist. The change had begun. Please don¡¯t do this,¡± he begged, his voice trembling. ¡°No, wait-please¡­ My wife¡­ she¡¯s still waiting at home. If I die, there¡¯s no one to protect her. She won¡¯t survive alone¡­ ugh- agh-ahh!


    The fighter from Victory Base dropped to his knees, pleading desperately for his life as his body began to contort grotesquely-bones warping in unnatural directions as the infection surged through his veins. His face lost all color in an instant, sickly veins spidering outward in a web of ck. Pain contorted his features as he crumpled to the ground, pressing his forehead to the dirt, whispering broken pleas between gasps of


    agony.


    Around him, the remaining members from Victory Base stood frozen, watching helplessly. Not one of them could lift their weapon. Because the man writhing in front of them wasn¡¯t just another infected-he had been one of their own. They had survived hell together. Bled, fought, and wed through the apocalypse side by side. In this ruined world, their bond ran deeper than blood-and now, that bond made this moment unbearable.


    He¡¯d only just begun his new life-married nor long ago after years of loving from a distance, the two had finally ovee time and space to be together, right before the world crumbled. This mission was supposed to be hisst run-for survival, for peace of mind. Before leaving, his wife had clutched him, her face soaked in tears, pleading with him to stay. But he had smiled through the goodbye, promising her that once he came back, they¡¯d have more than enough supplies. No more scavenging, no more separations. Just the two of them-together, every single day


    But now, that promise hung in the air like smoke. Please¡­ I beg you all¡­ Shannon¡­ Shannon¡­ I love you -so much- Bang! The sharp crack of a gunshot split the silence. The contorted, mutating man fell silent. His body hit the dirt with a lifeless thud. A wave of fury rippled through the ranks of Victory Camp, Every eye locked onto the man who had just fired the fatal shot


    Standing there in stark contrast to the blood and dust around him was Bennie-administrator of Hope Camp-d in pristine white, untouched by the chaos. His expression was devoid of emotion, eyes cold as stone. The gun in his hand still smoked, as if the heat of judgment hadn¡¯t yet cooled. The Hope Camp had remained untouched throughout the carnage, only now stepping out after thest threat had been neutralized.


    ¡°You heartless b*stard!¡± roared Alvin Kent, the captain of Victory Camp, storming forward in fury. ¡°He wasn¡¯t gone yet! He hadn¡¯t even turned!¡± He had barely taken two steps toward Bennie before the muzzles of several rifles snapped up and locked onto his forehead. Behind Bennie stood a wall of men, each one armed and unreadable, their gazes as icy and lethal as the weapons they carried. In that moment, the message was clear: take one more step, and Victory Camp would be wiped off the map.


    Breathing hard, fists trembling with helpless fury, Alvin stood frozen, his voice raw with grief. He wasn¡¯t gone yet! He was still-human! Why did you murder him like that?¡± Bennie didn¡¯t so much as flinch. His


    12


    expression remained carved in stone, untouched by sorrow, untouched by rage. ¡°Had we waited until the mutation took hold,¡± he said, voice t and cutting, ¡°we¡¯d be gambling with everyone¡¯s lives. I don¡¯t take senseless risks.¡±


    Alvin¡¯s fists clenched until his knuckles nched. His jaw locked tight, rage and sorrow swelling in his chest. Every word Bennie uttered seemed to grind salt into the wound. Bennie¡¯s voice sliced through the tension once more, calm and devoid of feeling. ¡°Units that suffered losses will receive additional supplies, in ordance with the number of casualties.¡± With that, he turned his back on them and simply left without further exnation. All eyes followed the Hope Camp delegation, watching in heavy silence as they withdrew from the scene.


    Once the dust settled, it was Lucas from Kl Camp who approached, his tone steady but sincere. ¡°Do you need a hand?¡± Alvin shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ll take care of it, Mr. Keaton. But I appreciate it. No missiones without risk. You¡¯ve fought hard, too.¡± Shovels met the earth as each team carved out shallow graves for their fallen. Lucas had his men deliver basic supplies-some wound dressings and sturdy tools for digging. No one said it aloud, but in those nces, there was unmistakable gratitude.


    The night¡¯s battle left only a handful of camps unscathed-K1, Hope, and zing Sun, who had kept low the entire time. With his tasks at other camps wrapped up, Lucas ordered patrols to secure the safe zone¡¯s outskirts, then made his way toward Theresa¡¯s parked vehicle. No sooner had he arrived than Kyle emerged from his tent, pulling back the p. ¡°Lucas!¡±


    Lucas acknowledged with a brief nod-this was a familiar face, once under hismand. ¡°Kyle, where¡¯s Theresa?¡± Kyle replied, ¡°She¡¯s asleep.¡± Lucas¡¯ expression froze briefly. No issues there. He¡¯d explicitly told her to stay out of the fight. This was purely a mission to gather supplies and repay old debts. ¡°Make sure you get plenty of rest, too. Tomorrow¡¯s going to be a long day on the road.¡± Kyle watched him depart, calling after him, ¡°Got it, Lucas!¡±


    With dawn breaking the next day, the area outside had quieted significantly. The massive wave of zombies that had swept through during the night was now entirely pushed back. After a long and exhausting night, Lucas¡¯ efforts finally bore fruit. Over a thousand gleamstones had been gathered-solid gains for each of the camps involved. Every team that had fought in the battle the previous day eagerly went out to im their share of the crystals. Meanwhile, Theresa, having finally surrendered to a deep sleep, awoke to an unexpected discovery: despitepletely draining her mind power the night before, her mind power seemed stronger than ever after resting.

 Kept Woman 125

    Chapter 125 A Mind Control Ability!


    She cleared her mindpletely, allowing her mind power to stretch outward, scanning every person and object around her. It felt as if her awareness had expanded by at least a meter. Not only that, but her ability to discern the abilities within the other ability users nearby had be remarkably sharper.


    Before, she could only perceive Lucas¡¯ lightning-based ability-the most dominant ability within him. But now, she discerned a subtle glimmer of ice-based ability beneath the surface, subtly woven into his aura. Multiple elemental-type abilities carried varying strengths-no one wielded all their powers equally. Lucas¡¯ lightning-based ability remained dominant, typically masking his other skills, but now, she was able to catch a delicate trace of that hidden ability.


    Her scanning swept across the members of every camp¡¯s teams, most disying the familiar,mon ability types she¡¯d encountered the day before. But when her focus reached the convoy from Hope Camp, everything shifted. Within their ranks of seven, four had space-based abilities, one was a fire-based ability user, another specialized in strength-type abilities, and then there was the final individual¡­


    As Theresa delved deeper into sensing this final presence, an abrupt, piercing barrier pricked her mind. That unmistakable feeling-a mind control ability! The mind control ability was a mutant of mental maniption abilities. Unlike her radar-like mental maniption ability, this ability revolves entirely around exerting unwavering dominance over everything within the user¡¯s personal sphere of influence. Anything caught inside their mind power moves in ordance with their thoughts-be it manipting objects remotely, inducing hypnotic states, or erecting imprable psychic shields.


    Within their domain, they hold unrivaled authority, bending all to their desires! Theresa¡¯s mental radar couldn¡¯t have been more different from this rare mutant of mental maniption ability! Mind control abilities weren¡¯t just umon-they were practically legendary. Sifting through a thousand ability users to find a single mental maniption ability user was already a daunting task. Multiply that rarity tenfold, and only then might onee across a single mind control ability user.


    That was how rare they are-genuine apex-ss powers!


    But their greatness came with boundaries-quite literally. Unlike Theresa, whose mind power could stretch outward like a, mapping her surroundings and evenunching strikes from afar, their power is confined strictly to the psychic field they control. They weren¡¯t built for reach-they were built for dominance within their tightly bound domain. Within that sphere, they were absolute. Outside it? They were just another face in the crowd.


    The nature of that psychic field was inherently restrictive-its size barely budged with growth. The only thing a mind control ability user could truly refine was their grip over it. Formidable? Absolutely. But their power came with built-in shackles. The moment that needle-like mind power sensed an intruder, it retaliated without hesitation,shing out in an attempt to pinpoint the intruder.


    Unfortunately for it, Theresa¡¯s mind power far outmatched its own. The instant she identified it as a mind control ability, she severed the connection cleanly. With her mind already outside its psychic field, the user could do nothing. Their reach ended at the border of their own psychic field-beyond that, they were blind and powerless!


    In the wake of that mental skirmish, she pressed her fingers to her temples, a faint throb pulsing there. But the effort had paid off-Hope Camp¡¯s secrets had beenid bare. So¡­ they were hiding a mind control ability user in their deck. Interesting!


    Just then, the vehicle door from Hope Camp swung open. Out stepped Bennie, dressed in a crisp white uniform that caught the light like a de. His expression was taut, and his eyes were sharp as des, sweeping across the area like a storm about to break. From her vantage point, Theresa took in the scene and smirked. Well, mystery solved-that¡¯s our mind control ability user.


    However, Bennie was anything but calm. He had felt it-an unmistakable ripple in the air, someone¡¯s mind power brushing against their convoy like a ghost¡¯s touch. Someone had dared to scan them, bold enough to reach in, yet no matter how hard he tried, the intruder had slipped through his grasp like smoke. Only one kind of person could do that: an exceptionally powerful mental maniption ability


    user!


    That person had infiltrated his psychic field with such stealth that he hadn¡¯t sensed a thing. It was only when she dared to dive deeper, skimming too close to the heart of his mental defenses, that a flicker of her presence was finally detected. And yet, the moment his awareness snapped to her intrusion, she had already pulled away-cleanly, silently. Even within the boundaries of his own psychic field, he couldn¡¯t pin her down.


    Who the hell was that? Such overwhelming mind power! Their camp had been stripped bare under her invisible gaze, every hidden detail exposed, and yet he stood there, blind to the identity of the one who had undressed their defenses. This is unforgivable! He was stillbing the area with his gaze, searching the faces in the crowd for any hint, when suddenly, a sharp voice cut through the air. ¡°Did your camp just sit back yesterday while the rest of us fought off the horde?!¡±


    The usation came from a member of Victory Camp, who marched toward Theresa, face full of indignation and barely concealed fury. His outburst was like a thrown stone in still water-ripples spread instantly. One by one, the other camps turned their attention toward her-realization dawning on them far toote. Right. Her team hadn¡¯t lifted a finger during the chaosst night!


    Theresa, unfazed, met the man¡¯s outrage with anguid shrug. ¡°We were asleep,¡± she said, voice rxed, as if this wasn¡¯t worth even half the fuss he was making.


    ¡®Asleep?¡± The man nearly exploded on the spot. ¡°While the rest of us were out there drenched in blood, losingrades, you were snoring away? How is that even possible?!¡±


    She tilted her head, calm as ever. ¡°What else was I supposed to be doing?¡±


    That response hit like a p. The man looked like his veins might burst. His hand shot up, finger trembling with fury as he pointed straight at her. ¡°You-How can you say that with a straight face? Don¡¯t you have even a trace of guilt?!¡±


    She let out a softugh. ¡°Is that all you have to say?¡±


    His whole body shook with barely contained anger. ¡°Don¡¯t you even think about leaving! Today, you owe us an exnation-and an apology to every single one of us!¡±


    She yawned widely, stretching her arms with deliberate ease. ¡°An apology, huh?¡± Casting a slow, amused nce at him, she gave a gentle pat on his chest. ¡°Fine. Point out exactly where I insulted you, and I¡¯ll dly repeat it word for word.¡±

 Kept Woman 126

    Chapter 126 Shielding zing Sun Camp


    The man was speechless-this was no longer mere fury, but a rage so overwhelming it almost broke him down into tears! How could such a person exist in this world? Was she some kind of ouw? Graham and hispanions, who had just arrived, couldn¡¯t help but recognize the scene: another unfortunate soul crushed under Ms. Hall¡¯s sharp tongue. He recalled a time when he himself had nearly been brought to tears by her biting words.


    The nearby camps erupted in a chorus of heated voices, their fury stoked to a boil. If anyone possessed the talent to ignite collective wrath with just a few biting remarks, it was undoubtedly the infamous troublemaker, Theresa. ¡°zing Sun Camp, your arrogance knows no bounds!¡± spat a voice from Victory Camp. ¡°Only two of you showed up, and neither stepped into the fight? That¡¯s downright shameful!¡± snapped someone from Horizon Camp. ¡°Give us a full ount today!¡± another voice from Gxy Camp barked out.


    Suddenly, a voice rang out from behind, ¡°What¡¯s all thismotion about?¡± Lucas arrived briskly, nked by his team. The crowd instantly turned to him, voices rising inint. ¡°Mr. Keaton, none of the zing Sun Camp stepped out yesterday! They¡¯re absolutely shameless-only two people total, and not a single one took part in the fight!¡± Another chimed in, ¡°We already cut them some ck by letting both of them tag along quietly, but listen to what she said-while we fought tooth and nail, she just slept through it!¡±


    Lucas shot a weary nce at Theresa, feeling a headache brewing, then forced out a defense for her. ¡°Ms. Hall probably just dozed off yesterday and didn¡¯t catch any of it.¡± The others heard this and felt their frustration spike-how painfully transparent was that excuse! Could Lucas¡¯ attempt at shielding her be any more obvious? It was practically written all over his face!


    Yet, while many might hold grudges against Theresa, challenging Lucas was a different story altogether. If not for him and K1 Camp¡¯s relentless defense, holding the frontline and delivering the main assault yesterday, everyone else would have been wiped out. On top of that, he personally assisted in tending to their injured and burying the dead afterward. There was no denying the respect hemanded. When he spoke, people were willing to grant him some leeway.


    With a steady gaze, he addressed the crowd, ¡°Let¡¯s call it settled. Since they came with me, all the efforts from yesterday-consider them as Kl Camp¡¯s contribution on behalf of zing Sun Camp.¡± This statement only deepened the others¡¯ resentment. The truth was obvious now: zing Sun Camp was nothing more than freeloaders,pletelycking their own strength and solely relying on Lucas¡¯ backing to survive!


    ¡°I have to agree with Mr. Keaton!¡± Charlotte suddenly spoke up, throwing her support behind Theresa. The moment her words left her mouth, Den grabbed her sleeve, shooting her a look full of silent protest. ncing at Theresa, Charlotte¡¯s eyes reflected the resolve she¡¯d noticed just the day before. With unwavering conviction, she said, ¡°Regardless of everything, if Mr. Keaton says theypleted the mission for zing Sun Camp, then that¡¯s good enough for me!¡±


    Her endorsement gave the others an excuse to back down as well. Since Lucas had already taken a stand to cover for Theresa, and Charlotte echoed that sentiment, anyone who kept pushing back would only make


    themselves look immature.


    Without warning, a sharp, icy voice cut through the murmurs from behind the crowd. ¡°This isn¡¯t something we can just sweep under the rug.¡± At once, all eyes pivoted to see who had spoken. There,


    Bennie appeared, his white uniform stark against the tension as he strode forward with purposeful steps.


    Today, he was not the man they usually knew-an aura of cold indifference and supreme authority emanated from him like an imprable wall. The smaller camp members standing before him felt as if countless needles had pierced their minds, an oppressive force thatpelled them to bow their heads in reluctant submission, unease clearly etched on their faces. Only two people remained untouched by the weight of his formidable aura: Lucas and Theresa.


    Theresa lounged with nonchnce, casually observing Bennie striding closer while detecting a dense field of probing mind power emanating from within a two-meter radius around him. It carried a sharp, investigative edge. Though mind control abilities wield immense authority within their psychic field, theyck the finesse to identify the exact nature of other abilities! Bennie could detect the mere presence of an ability but was blind to its specific kind¡ªa capability she possessed effortlessly.


    Furthermore, her mind power dwarfed his. As long as she kept it retracted, his senses remained utterly blind to her existence! Bennie unleashed his ability, attempting to pinpoint the source of that formidable mental maniption ability within the crowd. But despite his efforts, nothing surfaced.


    In contrast, Lucas¡¯ eyes narrowed with disapproval as he watched his futile search. ¡°Mr. Green, what exactly are you trying to aplish?¡± He wasn¡¯t oblivious due tock of power; quite the opposite-his strength was immense. He could clearly perceive Bennie¡¯s mental onught sweeping over everyone present. What was this man ying at? Upon hearing Lucas¡¯ challenge, Bennie paused, fixing him with a cold, scrutinizing gaze. Momentster, he retracted his psychic field, his voice cold and resolute. ¡°I¡¯m reflecting on what you just mentioned.¡±

 Kept Woman 127

    Chapter 127 Reaching The Central Provision Depots


    ¡°I don¡¯t ept that logic,¡± Bennie said tly, his gaze turning to Theresa with the chill of a winter storm. ¡°Covering for them doesn¡¯t erase the fact that they did nothing.¡± His tone was devoid of sympathy-cold and mechanical. ¡°Resources will be allocated strictly ording to contribution. If someone added nothing to the effort, they won¡¯t receive a single ration. It doesn¡¯t matter who vouched for them.¡±


    A heavy silence descended over the crowd like a nket of snow-still, tense, stifling. Then Lucas stepped forward, shielding her with quiet authority. ¡°No need to argue,¡± he said coolly. ¡°zing Sun Camp is now under the K1 Camp banner. Any supplies owed to her, we¡¯ll deduct from our own share.¡±


    His frame cut off Bennie¡¯s line of sight like drawing a curtain. Bennie¡¯s expression darkened further, his voice coated with frost. ¡°Since that¡¯s your stance, Mr. Keaton, I won¡¯t press the matter.¡± Without waiting for a response, he spun around and walked away, his team trailing silently behind him. The other teams, seeing the standoff dissolve, quickly took their cue. Thepromise seemed eptable enough, and they scattered in silence, relieved to avoid further conflict.


    Once the crowd thinned out, Lucas nced over at Theresa, clearly trying to smooth things over. ¡°Theresa, don¡¯t take what happened just now too seriously. They were just-¡± She cut in brightly, pping his shoulder in mock camaraderie, ¡°Oh, save it. You dragged me here to freeload, didn¡¯t you? Why would I take offense at that?¡±


    She wasn¡¯t some clueless girl convinced that Lucas was indebted to her. On the contrary, he had gone out of his way to expect nothing from her-letting her coast effortlessly beside him. That debt? As far as she was concerned, it had already been repaid in full. So why would I waste time getting upset at someone like him? That would¡¯ve been downright idiotic. No, her issue wasn¡¯t with Lucas. It was with the others. And at the very top of her list-Bennie. He¡¯d marked himself clearly as her next target. If I don¡¯t return this humiliation tenfold, I won¡¯t be worthy of my name!


    By midday, the earliermotion had dissipated, and the teams began reorganizing in preparation for the next phase of their journey. The bloody sh from the day before had taken its toll, but it came with a silver lining-the path was cleared, and the worst of the zombie horde had been annihted. With Kl Camp spearheading the effort, the group moved as a unified force, eliminating stray zombies and dragging away the wreckage from old traffic pileups. Bit by bit, the clogged highway was cleared, giving them a direct path forward.


    By the following afternoon, they sessfully crossed the most perilous stretch of their route and cruised with ease into the wide, deste territory that housed the central provision depots. These depots had been built deliberately in barren, out-of-reach regions. The surrounding area was practically lifeless-no people, no movement, no sounds beyond the hum of engines. Even the lone highway slicing through the region was untouched, without so much as a single vehicle in sight.


    Their journey down the broad, unbroken road was almost eerily smooth. Wheels hummed against pavement as thendscape stretched endlessly beneath the setting sun. As twilight bled into the horizon and shadows began to im thend once more, colossal silhouettes suddenly emerged from the distance -enormous cylindrical structures looming like silent giants.


    The central provision depots-monumental and unmistakable-stood before them. Ripples of exhration surged through the group, impossible to contain. ¡°We¡¯re here! The provision depots!¡± voices burst forth in unrestrained joy. Grain-real supplies¡ªfinally within our grasp! Under Kl Camp¡¯s lead, convoy after convoy thundered through the massive gates,ing to a halt before ten colossal provision depots.


    These depots operated on full automation, staffed by just ten workers-cach assigned to oversee a single depot. Beyond them, no other souls remained. ¡°We¡¯ve finally arrived!¡± someone eximed. ¡°These are our central provision depots! Imagine the mountain of food inside! Each depot holds a staggering 5,000 tons!¡± Another shouted, ¡°There are ten depots, meaning 50,000 tons in all! That¡¯s enough to sustain every campbined for a century! We¡¯ve hit the jackpot!¡±


    The wealth left behind by human civilization was incredibly abundant-so immense that uncovering even a single stash could carry survivors through a colossal ordeal. Granted, the vast majority of these treasures had sunk into oblivion after the apocalypse, much like shipwrecks lost beneath the ocean¡¯s depths, forever out of reach. Yet, even a tiny fraction left behind was sufficient to change everything!


    Under Bennie and Lucas¡¯mand, the entire group disembarked. Before doing anything else, they conducted a thorough sweep around the towering depots-ensuring no threats or unexpected presences lurked nearby. Once the perimeter was clear, they turned their attention to the adjacent staff building, only to find it hauntingly silent. All ten staff members had vanished. Whether they had escaped or fallen to the gue was anyone¡¯s guess. After a brief exchange, Bennie and Lucas decided to prioritize the real mission-examining the actual provision depots.


    shlights clicked on, beams slicing through the dim. The moment the group stepped into the first depot, they were met with a breathtaking sight: a towering mountain of grain, packed to the ceiling. Cheers of disbelief and joy broke out. We have food! Real food! However, just as the surge of joy had begun to swell, reality hit them like a cold p. The second depot they entered told a different story-mold. Thick. All- consuming. The grain was ruined!


    In the months since the fall of civilization, without anyone left to regte temperature, moisture, or air cirction, the depots had be breeding grounds for disaster. Without oversight, massive stockpiles left to fester in sealed, airless vaults had either caught fire from internal heat or sumbed to mildew and moisture. And when mold took hold, it didn¡¯t nibble at the corners-it consumed everything.


    They moved on to the third depot, only to find the same horror-a mass of spoiled, useless grain. By the end of their grim tour, reality was undeniable: more than half the depots werepletely overtaken by mold. One had ignited from the inside and burned itself hollow. Another was waterlogged beyond salvation. And one had transformed into a grotesque zoo-giant rats and swarming bugs ruling over mounds of ruined grain.

 Kept Woman 128

    Chapter 128 A Trap In Disguise


    Out of all ten massive depots, only two had survived unscathed¡ªthe very first they entered, and the veryst at the far end! That left them with just one-tenth of what they had expected. Which meant only 10,000 tons of grain remained! Not the windfall they had hoped for, but in a world wing for survival, even this was a godsend. Without dy, the teams moved with urgency. There was no time to mourn what had been lost-only time to seize what could still be saved.


    Bennie¡¯s voice cut through the air with authority. ¡°Here¡¯s how the supplies will be split. Kl Camp and I each take forty percent. We load up first. What¡¯s left gets divided among the rest of you, following the ratios I worked out. Clear?¡± The representatives from the four smaller camps exchanged nces, then all gave swift, silent nods.


    Their cut barely scraped past five percent each¡ªbut in this world, that was a fortune! Ten massive freight trucks per team, and even with two full trips, they¡¯d still struggle to clear their share. The haul might be small in share, butrge enough in weight to sustain their camps for years! ¡°No issues here!¡± All four camps answered in unison, not daring to hide their eagerness.


    Lucas turned to Theresa and quietly dered, ¡°I¡¯m setting aside 200 tons just for you.¡± That statement instantly drew every gaze in the vicinity to fixate on her. That was two hundred tons of food! Handed over just like that, without a price! The reaction was palpable. Disdain hung thick in the air. Silent but scathing, the looks thatnded on her were nothing short of contemptuous. No one needed to say it aloud. The truth was crystal clear to them all.


    In their minds, Theresa wasn¡¯t any leader-she was just Lucas¡¯ mistress, dragged along under his protection. She hadn¡¯t lifted a finger in the struggle-yet now, she was handed avish share as if she deserved it. Two hundred tons for doing nothing at all. Some women just had a way of drawing attention¡­


    ¡°Hey, Charlotte, did you catch that?¡± A gaunt, sharp-nosed member from the Spark Camp, trailing behind the others, couldn¡¯t help but toss out a barbed remark. His tone was a blend of mockery and jealousy. ¡°Guess it really pays to have a pretty face. You and her are both women, but look at the gap-she gets handed food like it¡¯s a love letter, and you? Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Jamison Guzman!¡± Charlotte¡¯s voice cut through the air like a whip, her face clouding over with fury. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± It wasn¡¯t the jab at her that hit a nerve-it was the veiled smear aimed at Theresa. Deep down, she knew, without a shred of doubt, that Theresa wasn¡¯t some shameless woman cozying up to power!


    ¡°Mr. Clove, seriously, you might wanna have a word with Charlotte. Maybe tell her to dress up a little. Who knows? If she looks half-decent, some bigwigs might take a liking to her. Then we at Spark Camp can finally kick back and enjoy the ride.¡± Den¡¯s face hardened instantly. ¡°You¡¯re out of line,¡± he snapped, his voice cutting like steel. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare drag her into your trash talk!¡±


    Unbothered, Jamison shrugged with a smirk. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t get all worked up. I¡¯m just pointing out the facts. End of the world or not, it still pays to be a woman-some things never change.¡± Charlotte growled, ¡°You¡¯ve got a death wish, Jamison!¡± Her fury ignited-literally. She flung her hand upward, a zing orb of fire materializing at her fingertips. For a split second, the me tore through the shadows¡ªand that¡¯s when


    she saw them.


    A line of grotesque, human-like shapes dangled from the depot rafters above them, clinging upside down like monstrous bats. Eight, maybe nine of them-silent, still, and deeply unnatural. Whoosh! A ze ignited


    and streaked through the air, slicing toward Jamison¡¯s head like aet of fire. He flinched hard, his instincts kicking in as he dove to the side. ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡±


    But the words died in his throat. Without warning, something dropped from above-fast, silent, and horrifying. A cadaverous figure, bones jutting under brittle flesh, dressed in a tattered staff¡¯s uniform. plummeted like a predator from the ceiling. Ittched onto him mid-sentence and, in a blur of motion, yanked him violently into the depths of the grain pile, vanishing with terrifying speed!


    The scene shifted in a heartbeat. A shrill, bloodcurdling scream split the silence. ¡°Ahhhh-!¡± The grain wasn¡¯t just supplies anymore-it was a trap in disguise. Dense and deep like bogs, they swallowed anything that fell in. The more one fought against it, the faster they sank, buried by the shifting weight. One second, Jamison was shouting; the next he was gone-dragged into the heart of the grain heap without a trace,


    Bennie and his group, marching up front, halted abruptly. shlights whipped around as urgent voices rang out. ¡°What¡¯s going on back there?!¡± Charlotte¡¯s voice rose in rm. ¡°Zombies! They¡¯re above us!¡± Every head jerked upward-just in time. Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Silhouettes scrambled across the rafters like monstrous cockroaches-quick, skittering, unnatural. Then, all at once, they leapt-one after another nding atop the beds of grain with sickening thuds.


    Their movements were unnatural-joints bending in all the wrong directions, as though their bodies had been mangled and stitched back together with insect anatomy in mind. They crept along the depot¡¯s interior like grotesque hybrids of cockroaches and centipedes, clinging to the walls with sickening ease. But unlike thosemon vermin, these things were monstrous in scale-bloated, menacing, and terrifying to behold.


    Each one bore a gaping maw, hissing as theynded, their distorted forms squirming across the mounds of grain. Without hesitation, they tunneled straight toward the spot where Jamison had disappeared, as if drawn by the scent of fresh prey-an unholy swarm returning to itsir. Then, from deep within the grain a raw, panic-stricken howl that spoke of sheer agony and hopelessness tore through the air. ¡°Ahhhh-!¡±


    Suddenly, pandemonium erupted. For a brief moment, everyone was caught off guard, but before they could fully process the danger, a rapid barrage of gunshots shattered the stillness. ¡°Attack!¡± Lucas¡¯ squad sprang into battle formation, opening fire on the grotesque creatures scrambling atop the grain piles. Yet, despite their fierce defense, the nightmare worsened: more screams pierced the air asrades were yanked into the cursed heap. Thud! Thud Thud!


    Under the frantic strobe of panicked shlight beams, the depot fell into chaos. All along the corridor, figures were being yanked down one by one into the heaving mounds of grain. In that instant, Lucas¡¯ squad leapt into action. Fzzzt-! A re burst into the air, igniting the scene with a searing white ze that tore the darkness apart.


    Only then did the full horror reveal itself-the corridor was alive, infested with grotesque, twitching zombies. Rotting limbs and twisted faces pressed upward through the mesh. Hraaagh-! The creatures howled and snapped their jaws, lunging upward. Sharp teeth mped down on the metal underfoot, biting straight through the grated iron walkway. Snap!

 Kept Woman 129

    Chapter 129 I¡¯m The One Handling All The Food Distribution!


    One savage bite was all it took-the iron mesh ripped open like paper! Bang! Bang! Bang! Gunfire exploded down the passageway again, a desperate barrage aimed at the swarming zombies. But something was wrong-terribly wrong. These creatures barely flinched. Their leathery, sun-dried flesh had hardened like forged metal. The rounds sparked on contact, skidding off with only faint scorch marks and pitted dents to


    show for it.


    These weren¡¯t just any infected-they were mutant zombies! Their flesh was like forged bronze, their bones unyielding as iron. Lucas and his squad had seen their fair share of mutant zombies, but these creatures were a nightmare they hadn¡¯t trained for. Never had they faced creatures with skin so dry and calcified that bullets merely ricocheted off, leaving only faint scorch marks behind. Pration was near impossible. And worst of all, they were blindingly fast!


    ¡°Fall back! Everyone, retreat to the entrance-now!¡± Lucas bellowed, his voice slicing through the chaos. The moment themand was given, the crowd surged toward him, fleeing in his direction while desperately scanning every angle-zombies were everywhere: scuttling along the ceiling, bursting from the walls, slithering underfoot. With each frantic step, the mesh beneath their feet was shredded bit by bit by the zombies wing from below, teeth gnashing and jaws snapping through the flooring like wire-


    cutters.


    ng! ng! ng! The corridor was copsing into a jagged mess of torn wire and gaping holes. From both nks, the zombies lunged like predators from tall grass, yanking people down into the grain with bone-cracking force. Screams rang out as bodies vanished mid-stride, sucked into the grain piles below- like quicksand, the grain devoured them whole. In the span of mere seconds, their numbers were shed in half-what had started as a group of sixty or seventy was now reduced to a desperate, scattered handful.


    Gunfire, once their go-to defense, quickly proved inadequate-bullets thudded uselessly against the hardened flesh of the mutant zombies. But then came a turning point: they discovered that abilities still had bite. Realizing this, Lucas¡¯ entire team ditched their rifles. No more wasted ammo-now it was raw abilities. zing fireballs, crashing waves, spinning des of metal, and arcs of lightning surged together in a violent storm, exploding outward in every direction.


    The sh of abilities carved out a much-needed reprieve, forcing the swarming monstrosities to falter just long enough for the survivors to regroup. ¡°Hurry! Don¡¯t stop!¡± Panic surged through the crowd as everyst spark of abilities was flung wildly in all directions to keep the surrounding horde at bay. They were nearly there-the exit was just mere steps away.


    Just then-ka-thud! A thunderous crash echoed down the corridor. At the far end, a colossal shadow dropped from above, mming into the ground with a tremor that stopped everyone cold. Boom! The hulking figure slowly turned to face them. Towering and misshapen, it was a bloated monstrosity¡ªits flesh blistered and rotting as if it had been cooked alive. What remained of the staff¡¯s uniform clung to its swollen, putrid body in shredded strips, some pieces melted into its dposing skin. Its face-if it could still be called that¡ªwas a melting mask of sagging flesh, half-slid from the skull beneath, as it let out a low, gurgling snarl.


    Rawhhh! With a bone-shaking roar, the monstrous zombie lunged forward, barreling toward Theresa and her group like a runaway freight train. The corridor quaked violently, the floor groaning under the beast¡¯s charge. Ahead loomed an enormous, rotting wall of flesh-the mutated behemoth blocking every inch of escape. Behind them, death surged upward from below; the grotesque swarm had nearly overtaken thest person in line, wing hungrily toward their heels.


    They were trapped. Hemmed in on both sides, surrounded by death. And the most devastating truth struck like a de to the gut-their abilities were spent. Not a spark left to fight with! A bloodcurdling scream rang out as a survivor from Horizon Camp at the rear was violently jerked off his feet-his leg wrenched downward by an unseen horror from below. Instinctively, a teammate lunged forward, grabbing his hand in a desperate attempt to pull him to safety. But in the next breath, a zombie slithered up the victim¡¯s back like a shadowing alive. With a single, brutal strike, it drove its ws straight into his chest, silencing him forever.


    Before the others could react, a seething mass of corpse-like zombies-twisting and skittering like monstrous centipedes-descended in waves. They pounced with merciless precision, as if cornering prey in a trap, zeroing in on thest cluster of living flesh. The survivors were jammed together in a panicked heap. Every route-front, rear, sides, even above and below-had been swallowed by the relentless advance of death!


    Just as despair settled in and death seemed certain, an immense wall of water suddenly surged up, encasing them in an imprable shield unlike anything they had ever encountered. The sheer power of this watery barrier was overwhelming-so intense that, for a fleeting moment, the air turned so arid it felt as if every drop of moisture inside their bodies was being wrenched away.


    Bang! All eyes widened in disbelief as countless tiny spheres of water mmed into the zombies¡¯ tough, bulletproof hides like pressurized projectiles, effortlessly piercing the very skin that regr ammunition failed to breach. ¡°From this moment forward, I¡¯m the one handling all the food distribution!¡± A surge of mist burst forth, violently pushing back every zombie that had been attacking.


    The Horizon Camp member, who was in the middle of rescuing hisrade, froze in shock as the ws of a zombie, aimed straight for his heart, grazed through his thick jacket-only to be stopped inches from his chest by an unyielding wall of solid water. In his vision, the water barrier shattered instantly into a multitude of razor-sharp droplets.


    These minuscule des, propelled at terrifying speeds, cut through the zombie¡¯s arm as if wielding water des. Every single droplet struck like a high-velocity bullet, effortlessly piercing through the creature¡¯s steel-like bones. This sheer destructive power was absolutely staggering! Even the massive zombie looming before them was violently thrown back several meters. Theresa¡¯s relentless barrage of water spheres battered its swollen, bloated flesh, leaving it riddled with crater-like wounds which resembled a pockmarked honeb.

 Kept Woman 130

    Chapter 130 She Was A Powerhouse


    The bloated monstrosity stumbled back several strides, its body drenched and leaking thick, brackish blood like a sponge wrung out after a flood. With a guttural roar, it spewed a spray of blood-tinged froth at the humans before it, fury radiating from its sunken eyes¡­


    Unshaken, Theresa called out evenly, ¡°Kyle, give me cover!¡±


    He replied without hesitation, ¡°On it!¡±


    Before anyone could blink, she unsheathed the katana strapped across her back-a glint of steel catching the dim light. In a single, fluid motion, she nted one foot on the corridor railing and vaulted skyward with effortless precision. From above, she came down like a falling star, de arcing toward the zombie¡¯s rotting bulk with lethal intent.


    The bloated zombie moved with terrifying speed and overwhelming force-an unstoppable wall of rotting muscle and rage. But Theresa? She was a force of nature. Where it was brute chaos, she was precision and velocity incarnate. The silver gleam of her de red beneath the crimson glow of the re, vanishing and reappearing like lightning through smoke. She blurred across the battlefield, her figure a phantom streak of motion. Each strike of her de left a shimmering echo in the air, slicing with such velocity that the wind itself shrieked.


    There was no room for showmanship. Every arc of her katana was designed to kill-efficient, brutal, unstoppable. She wasn¡¯t just skilled-she was trained beyond her time, wielding closebat mastery that outssed everything this crumbling world had ever seen.


    If one blow didn¡¯t do the job? She¡¯d carve a second. Then, a third! She was beautiful in motion and lethal in execution!


    A metallic shriek tore through the air-ng! Her final blow thundered home. The katana didn¡¯t merely strike; it punched into the corrugated steel wall, burying itself a quarter of the way deep, skewering the massive zombie like a grotesque specimen pinned to a board. Her chest rose and fell in shallow gasps. With a swift, ruthless motion, she yanked the sword free-shiiing-the sound slicing the air as cleanly as the weapon had carved through flesh.


    The bloated zombie, once a towering nightmare, now fell apart like soggy bread. What remained of its form peeled away from the wall, slumping to the ground in a formless, copsing heap. From the blood- wet edge of the katana¡¯s tip, a gleamstone the size of an egg tumbled loose.


    At that critical moment, like creatures birthed from a nightmare, two skeletal zombies-bony and twitching like cockroach-limbed centipedesunched themselves toward Theresa with terrifying speed. No one had time to react. Not even a warning cry could escape their lips. But in that frozen heartbeat before impact-whoosh! Twin torrents of water erupted with ferocious speed, each jet thick as a man¡¯s forearm, smashing through the air like battering rams.


    Every head snapped toward the source. And that¡¯s when realization hit them like a thunderp. The quiet figure-always at Theresa¡¯s back, never speaking, never boasting-wasn¡¯t just another tagalong from zing Sun Camp. He was one of us. An ability user. And a powerful one at that! While the rest of them strained to form feeble water or fireballs the size of a clenched fist, he had unleashed something akin to a flood


    from hell!


    Out of everyone, Graham¡¯s group was the most shaken! They had never seen Kyle wield his ability like this. Back when theyst traveled together, his abilities had been nothing remarkable. If anything, his water-based ability barely registered as useful, mostly just enough to provide the team with a few sips of clean water. In the early days, that was its biggest contribution!


    But now, he was hurling torrents like a living siege engine. It hadn¡¯t even been that long since their paths split, yet the difference was staggering. How had his ability evolved so violently in just a few months? His ability wasn¡¯t just stronger-it was explosively beyond reach, at least ten times more potent than any of them!


    Boom! Boom! The twin torrents of water roared to life on either side of Theresa, smashing into the oing zombies with explosive force. The creatures were thrown off course, just as her katana whipped sideways with surgical precision. Thanks to Kyle¡¯s wless timing, her strike was merciless-a single sh cleaved through both zombies¡¯ necks, their heads rolling like discarded helmets.


    But the moment was fleeting. From behind them, the snarls began again. Rooaarrr! The zombies that had been knocked down moments earlier were now wing their way back up-angrier, hungrier, and far from done. Theresa moved again-this time with the entire crowd watching, and none of them could believe their eyes. A torrent rose around her, water gathering from all directions until it became a tidal force swirling at hermand. In a sh, the entire group of survivors was encased in a gleaming, fluid shield that formed faster than anyone could blink.


    Moments ago, they had been stunned by Kyle¡¯s twin water sts. What Theresa summoned next was nothing short of godlike. Now they realized-his ability was only a whisper. Hers was the thunder that followed! And in that moment, faced with the raw scale of her strength, not one person could summon a word. Their voices caught in their throats.


    This-This wasn¡¯t some clingy liability that Mr. Keaton had foolishly decided to protect. She is a full-blown weapon of nass destruction! No wonder he pampered her, gave her the benefit of every doubt, and let her call the shots¡­ She is an pex predator in human form! A war machine!


    The members from the four smaller camps couldn¡¯t tear their eyes away from Theresa as she carved hrough the battlefield like a force of nature. Their jaws ckened in disbelief, and an unbearable heat crept up their faces-the sting of humiliation. These were the same people who, not long ago, had scoffed at her-mocked her as dead weight, a pointless extra tagging along!


    Now, they were choking on their own words. Watching hermand the battlefield with such ruthless power, they felt as if reality had turned and backhanded them across the face. The sting of their earlier arrogance burned hotter than fire. One twitch of her fingers, and we¡¯d be nothing but dust!


    In the crowd, Charlotte stood paralyzed, utterly dumbfounded as she witnessed Theresa carving a brutal path through the zombies. Her mind struggled to catch up with what she was witnessing. Then, her gaze sharpened with sudden intensity.


    Theresa¡­ She was a powerhouse beyond imagination! She had always felt in her gut that Theresa wasn¡¯t some helpless woman clinging to a man¡¯s protection! No, she had the presence of someone with hidden depths. But never-never in her wildest guesses-had she imagined this kind of strength!


    Even if she and Den gave it everything they had-even if their entire camp joined the fray-it would be aughable mismatch. Theresa would tear through them like a de through fog! And as that realization


    sank in, a vivid memory surfacedst night¡¯s brush with death, that breathless moment when a zombie nearly took her life¡­

 Kept Woman 131

    Chapter 131 She¡¯s Gotten Even Stronger¡­ Again


    Wait¡­ She really saved me? Charlotte stood frozen,pletely stunned.


    Everyone from Kl Camp who knew Theresa-Graham and the others-watched her in action, eyes shining like fanboys who just met their hero in real life.


    Damn! That was badass! Theresa is a total beast! She¡¯s the strongest! No one else evenes close!


    Even Kyle, who was merely tagging along with Theresa, looked formidable too.


    Is she even human anymore?


    You deserve our respect, Theresa!


    Lucas, standing a short distance away with a shoulder-fired missileuncher resting on his shoulder, couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the scene either. His bright gaze flickered with raw amazement.


    She¡¯s gotten even stronger¡­ again.


    Kl Camp had only just made a small breakthrough in their own ability research. Lucas hadn¡¯t even had the chance to share the new findings with Theresa. And here she was, doubling in power since thest time they met.


    How the hell does she do that?


    Meanwhile, everyone from Hope Camp had their jaws hitting the floor in unison. Even Bennie, who was infamous for never flinching no matter what hell broke loose, had theposure knocked right out of his icy stare. His eyes widened, the shock slicing clean through his usual calm.


    He stared at her power, dumbfounded.


    This¡­ This wasn¡¯t just strong. It was the strongest he had ever seen.


    No contest.


    And it wasn¡¯t like she had some rare or high-tier ability either-it was just a standard water-based one. Normally, nothing to write home about. But in Theresa¡¯s hands? She made it look like magic straight out of a myth.


    Everything Bennie thought he knew about her went right out the window.


    Then, came the real action.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Theresa and Kyle moved in perfect sync, abilities zing as they mowed down over half the zombies swarming the area.


    Lucas and the others finally snapped out of their trance once only several zombies were left standing. They rushed in to help, guns zing, abilities unleashed.


    In less than ten minutes, all ten infected guards had been wiped out.


    Some people had fallen into the pile of rice sacks during the chaos. The team didn¡¯t waste a second; they powered up the provision depot¡¯s rescue systems and dove in.


    By the time they finished, it was already past 9 p.m.


    Of the dozen or so people who fell, only four made it out alive. The rest¡­ they had been bitten before they


    could even scream. All turned.


    The worst of the bunch? Jamison.


    He had been the first to fall in. When they pulled him out, there was barely anything left but bones. The rest had been chewed clean by starving zombies.


    Den stood beside the body, face carved in stone. Grim, silent, barely holding it together.


    Jamison had been a friend. A hometown buddy. They had gone to school together-well, kind of. Jamison had dropped out before finishing middle school. He was never the studious type, always scraping with someone, always on some teacher¡¯s cklist. The day he walked out of school, he had dered he would make something of himself in the world, prove everyone wrong.


    But reality hadn¡¯t been kind.


    He had drifted around the city doing odd jobs for years. Nothing stuck. Eventually, he came back home with empty pockets and no future. No girlfriend, no wife, not even prospects: Last year, he had joked that if he still couldn¡¯t find someone by next spring, Den might as well marry off his tomboy sister to him.


    Den had punched him in the jaw for that one.


    However, even now, that moment stuck with him-Jamison, all fire and ambition, just a kid swearing he would shake the world someday.


    Charlotte quietly walked up beside her brother. ¡°Den¡­ it was my fault. If I¡¯d reacted faster, maybe¡­¡±


    She trailed off. She had fought back. Just not fast enough.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, Den responded, cing a firm hand on her shoulder. Together, they gave Jamison¡¯s body one final blow-making sure he wouldn¡¯t rise again-then buried what was left.


    This was the apocalypse,


    Not some fantasy with a reset button.


    Death could hit a person at any time, anywhere. One second you were standing, the next you were torn apart. No one had infinite lives. No one could promise they would be there to save you. Not even Theresa.


    She would fight, she would protect her own, but she couldn¡¯t save the world.


    She wasn¡¯t some savior from the heavens. She only saved those she could, when she could. If it aligned with her goals, if it meant protecting her people-her family-then yes, she would strike hard and fast. But she wasn¡¯t about to throw herself on every grenade just because someone screamed for help.


    There were too many. She couldn¡¯t save them all, and she wouldn¡¯t try to, either.


    She had to stay focused. Protect herself, her people, and her camp. That was the mission. That was the


    line.


    Theresa wasn¡¯t made for the big missions, the grand causes. But the small ones? The daily grind of keeping her people alive?


    That, she would die before she failed.


    With the cleanup finally winding down, Theresa cracked her knuckles, voice ringing out sharp and clear.


    ¡°Alright! Everyone, get over here!¡± she called out. ¡°We¡¯re re-dividing the supplies, and I¡¯m in charge now. Any objections?¡±

 Kept Woman 132

    Chapter 132 Fair Is Fair


    Theresa stood outside the provision depot and called everyone to gather.


    Six teams, four minor camps, and not a soul dared argue. They moved as one, lining up in front of her. KI Camp, of course, didn¡¯t hesitate. Even the white-uniformed crew from Hope Camp, who looked more like they were in a board meeting than a disaster zone, turned their heads. Bennie¡¯s eyes flickered toward Theresa. He gave a small nod, then led his people over without a word. They were thest to arrive.


    Once he reached the group, Bennie carried himself like a diplomat addressing a summit. ¡°Ms. Hall, you did most of the heavy lifting today. Everyone saw it. It¡¯s only fair you get arger share. So here¡¯s my proposal. You, us from Hope Camp, and K1 Camp each take 30 percent. The other four teams split thest 10 percent.¡±


    The second Bennie finished, the four smaller camps looked like they had just swallowed a mouthful of gravel. Faces scrunched, tempers red, but no one said a thing.


    Because they knew.


    Everyone saw how Theresa single-handedly turned the tide earlier. If she wasn¡¯t part of the majority split, the woman might have turned on them herself-and they didn¡¯t stand a chance against her.


    Getting the short end of the stick? That was the price of staying alive.


    ¡°Bennie, right?¡± Theresa asked suddenly.


    That¡¯s right, Ms. Hall. A pleasure to meet you.¡± Bennie¡¯s tone softened. Though his eyes were still cold and unreadable, he extended a hand, a gesture even Lucas hadn¡¯t gotten.


    Theresa raised an eyebrow and gave him a wide, yful smile.


    ¡®Oh Bennie, don¡¯t bother sucking up. I¡¯m probably the least fair person you¡¯ll ever meet. If people saw me shake your hand and give you extra rations for it, everyone would be lined up tomorrow with a handshake and a sob story.¡±


    Bennie blinked, taken aback by her response.


    And speaking of unfair, I actually liked your little suggestion,¡± she went on, casually turning toward the smaller camps. ¡°Did you all hear that? Bennie here, bless his heart, just proposed giving you a measly 10 percent to split. Sound good to you?¡±


    Bennie was instantly speechless.


    The four camp leaders stared at each other, grinding their teeth. But in the end, they nodded as one. ¡°It¡¯s


    fine.¡±


    They didn¡¯t have a choice,


    Ten percent was 1,000 tons. Divided evenly, that gave each camp 250 tons of food. It was only half of what they had originally estimated, but it was still a massive haul.


    Most of their camps had poptions of around 200 to 300. That much food couldst them nearly a decade if they rationed it carefully. Of course, nothing wouldst that long in storage, but still-those first few brutal years? They would make it through now.


    And really, who were they to argue? If Bennie wanted to curry favor with Theresa by throwing them under the bus, they would dly roll with it. They couldn¡¯t afford to cross either Bennie or Theresa. Best to take the deal and count their blessings.


    ¡°Alright then. We¡¯ll go with Bennie¡¯s idea,¡± Theresa said with a p of her hands. ¡°You four split 10 percent. Equal shares. That work?¡±


    The camp leaders exchanged nces. Their camps had suffered roughly the same casualties. No one wanted to count corpses at a time like this. They all nodded.


    ¡°Good. Kyle, go ahead and start distributing.¡±


    Kyle jumped into action. The provision depot still had electricity, and the distribution process was mostly automated. Once the system was set, the upper silos released grain through massive funnels, and the camps rolled up one by one in line with their transport trucks-oversized haulers built for bulk cargo.


    Each truck could carry 20 tons at the very least. A few massive ones held up to 55 tons.


    By the time each camp loaded their trucks to the brim, the 250-ton quota was met.


    As they watched truck after truck roll out, full to bursting with grain, the smaller camps finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    Their biggest crisis was solved.


    With that done. Theresa turned to Lucas.


    ¡°Mr. Keaton, Bennie offered you 30 percent. You good with that?¡±


    Lucas¡¯ eyes glinted for a moment, then he nodded. ¡°Works for me.¡±


    Sure, it was 10 percent less than he wanted, but if that difference was going to Theresa, he could live with


    it


    ¡°Great, Theresa grinned. ¡°Kyle, keep going. Give Mr. Keaton his 30 percent. And hey, leave 200 tons for me. Mr. Keaton said that part¡¯s for me.¡±


    Lucas let out a soft chuckle.


    Bennie, meanwhile, stepped forward. ¡°Ms. Hall. That leaves us.¡±


    Theresa gave him a sweet smile that didn¡¯t quite reach her eyes. ¡°Bennie, my friend, I already warned you. I¡¯m not big on fairness.¡±


    His smile dropped. ¡°What are you suggesting?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m suggesting,¡± she said brightly, ¡°that everything left is mine.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re joking, Ms. Hall,¡± Bennie said, his voice t and icy as a blizzard.


    Theresa¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Aw, Bennie¡­ you¡¯re still a bit green, huh? You really thought ttery would get you anywhere? Are you upset now?¡±


    Bennie felt the blood pounding behind his cars. ¡°Ms. Hall, you tell me.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Let me walk you through it,¡± Theresa said, stretching her neck like she was warming up for a lecture. ¡°You wanted to base the split on contribution, right? Fair¡¯s fair. So, Hope Camp¡­ what exactly did


    contribute?¡±


    Bennie¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    you


    ¡°Was it yesterday, when your crew stood around during the zombie siege? Or today, when you maybe killed one?¡±

 Kept Woman 133

    Chapter 133 You Don¡¯t Understand the Situation


    Bennie¡¯s face was thundercloud-dark. ¡°We gave you the map.¡±


    Theresa didn¡¯t budge. She rose slowly to her feet, locking eyes with him, her voice sharp and demanding. ¡°Answer the question. Did Hope Camp kill even one zombie? Just one. Any one. Can you name it?¡±


    Bennie pressed his lips into a thin line, unable to say a word.


    Of course not. They hadn¡¯t killed a single one. Why would they? Killing zombies was messy and dangerous, and Hope Camp didn¡¯t get their hands dirty.


    Theresa let out a cold, humorlessugh. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought. But hey, you remember what you told me yesterday, right? You said if someone else did the work for you, it didn¡¯t count. No contribution, no reward. But me? I¡¯m nicer than you. I¡¯ll give you another shot.¡±


    She turned to the crowd and raised her voice. ¡°Anyone here want to speak up and say they killed zombies on behalf of Hope Camp? Anyone want to vouch for their contribution? If someone says they stepped in for them, I¡¯ll count it.¡±


    It was like watching a public execution-but with words.


    Bennie knew it. Everyone watching knew it. She was paying him back, line for line, for what he had said yesterday.


    She really is ¡°generous,¡± isn¡¯t she?


    Still, he and the people from Hope Camp nced around, hoping, praying for some shred of support.


    But he wasn¡¯t Theresa. No one stepped forward. Not a hand. Not a nod. Nothing.


    Hope Camp had pissed off every camp here.


    Their smug superiority during the mission hadn¡¯t gone unnoticed. And it sure didn¡¯t help that Bennie¡¯s suggestion earlier had halved the smaller camps¡¯ share of food just to pad Theresa¡¯s.


    He was the one who had turned their already tiny 5 percent cut into an even smaller 2.5 percent.


    Now he wanted their sympathy?


    Please.


    No one in their right mind would stick their neck out for Hope Camp, let alone risk pissing off Theresa to do it. It wasn¡¯t like Bennie was from K1 Camp, with all their muscle and merit. Hope Camp didn¡¯t have that kind of pull.


    Theresa grinned. ¡°See that? Even if I wanted to give you credit, no one else does.¡±


    Bennie¡¯s fists clenched. ¡°But we brought you here.¡±


    ¡°Tsk, tsk. Let¡¯s get the facts straight,¡± Theresa said, wagging a finger. ¡°You brought them here. I wasn¡¯t part of


    your crew, remember? You booted me off your team, said I didn¡¯t qualify for the provision split, didn¡¯t even count me as one of your own. And now you want credit for bringing me here? Get real. You really


    think that makes sense?¡±


    Bennie¡¯s jaw worked, his fists trembling.


    He didn¡¯t say a word. Just started walking toward her. With each stride, a wave of invisible pressure rippled outward-his psychic field expanding fast, tense with hostile energy.


    He was activating his maniption ability. Trying to force her down.


    But before he could get within arm¡¯s reach-shing-a katana shed through the air andnded right at his


    chest.


    Theresa didn¡¯t flinch. She held the de steady, calm as ake in winter.


    Behind Bennie, the others from Hope Camp moved instantly. In one fluid motion, they all drew weapons and aimed at her.


    In a sh, Graham and the others raised their weapons too, cocking them in sync. They didn¡¯t even wait for Lucas to give the word.


    Their guns locked straight on Hope Camp.


    Theresa didn¡¯t even blink. ¡°Anyone who disarms Hope Camp gets 100 pounds of grain.¡±


    That was all it took.


    The other four camps surged forward like wolves closing in, weapons drawn, eager for the reward. It didn¡¯t take long. The Hope Camp crew was small, and most of them were just scientists or space-based ability users-not exactly a fighting force.


    Within seconds, their guns were stripped away.


    Bennie¡¯s face turned ashen. ¡°Stand down!¡± he shouted.


    Theresa chuckled, amused. ¡°Oh, Bennie. I keep telling you, you don¡¯t get it. You¡¯re not the one giving orders here. You can¡¯t tell anyone else to stop. You can only stop yourself.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re arrogant, Ms. Hall,¡± Bennie growled through gritted teeth, fists clenched so tight his knuckles were


    white.


    His psychic field snapped shut.


    And the next second-wham-Theresa kicked him square in the chest.


    He flew backward and hit the ground hard, groaning.


    Theresa stepped forward, towering over him. ¡°You say I¡¯m arrogant? No, Bennie. You are. A weak man pretending he has power. You strutted in here thinking Hope Camp¡¯s reputation would carry you. But guess what? A small country shouldn¡¯t act mighty. Weak hands shouldn¡¯t poke the lion. That¡¯s what


    arrogance looks like.¡±


    She pressed a foot against his chest, smiling down at him with calm ferocity.


    ¡°You listen to me, Bennie. I saved your lives. I did. The food? I¡¯m the one distributing it. You¡¯re not entitled to a d*mn thing. You don¡¯t get to bargain with me. If anything, Hope Camp owes me for saving your skins. You want to know what it means when I say you don¡¯t understand the situation? It means you don¡¯t even see the game you¡¯re trying to y.¡±


    Bennie looked up at her.


    For the first time in his life, his heart raced.


    He saw it. The raw, unstoppable strength. Not just in her power-but in her soul.


    It had nothing to do with being a man or a woman, young or old. Real strength didn¡¯t care about those things. It came from within.


    And she had it. In spades.


    He¡­ didn¡¯t.


    She was a force of nature. And he? He had no right to be negotiating anything with her.


    She was right. From the beginning, he hadn¡¯t understood the situation. He thought Hope Camp¡¯s reputation would be enough to keep everyone in line. But the smaller camps hated him, and Kl Camp was siding with Theresa.

 Kept Woman 134

    Chapter 134 Dinner¡¯s on Me


    Bennie had never belonged at the negotiation table with Theresa. Not from the start.


    She said he wouldn¡¯t get a single grain of food, and she had every right to say so. He had no moral standing, no logical argument, and definitely no power to back himself up.


    Morally? She had saved their lives.


    Logically? She wasn¡¯t even on his team. Hell, he was the one who kicked her off yesterday.


    And in terms of strength? Not even worth mentioning.


    For the first time in his charmed, smooth-sailing life, Bennie had run into a wall he couldn¡¯t climb over.


    Boy, was he crushed-absolutely, unapologetically crushed by Theresa Hall.


    ¡°I get it,¡± he muttered, eyes locked on hers, voice low and stiff.


    Theresa let out a quietugh. Well, look at that. Learning fast. Tucking his tail between his legs already. No wonder he is considered smart. He knows how to weigh risk and reward in a heartbeat.


    She stepped off his chest. ¡°You can go.¡±


    Bennie hauled himself up from the dirt, face tight with frustration. His people were released too. Their weapons, however, were confiscated-already carted off to Theresa¡¯s side as a reward for disarming them.


    Not one of them dared ask for their weapons back.


    He gave her onest, hard look, then turned and led his people back to their vehicle. They drove off without another word.


    The moment they were gone, the entire area seemed to breathe easier.


    Theresa was still busy directing Kyle to start handing out provisions to K1 Camp. The dust cloud rising from the supply dump was thick, but no one minded. The smaller teams all pulled their trucks into the nearby field, setting up camp for the night. It was alreadyte, and no one had the energy to drive farther.


    Lucas walked over, quiet at first, then asked Theresa, ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about ticking off Hope Camp like that?¡±


    Theresa nced up at him, thenughed. ¡°You¡¯ve got it backward. Shouldn¡¯t you be asking if Hope Camp¡¯s worried about pissing me off? He came at me. Now he¡¯s screwed.¡±


    He fell silent.


    In this new world-the age of camps-survival didn¡¯t follow the rules of old governments or democracies. It ran like a tribe. Power ruled. The strong called the shots.


    And Theresa? She was strong.


    That gave her every right to wipe the floor with Hope Camp. The stronger she showed herself to be, the more people would think twice before crossing her.


    If she were weak, Hope Camp would have rolled right over her. This wasn¡¯t some fairytale world where stepping back created peace. Give them an inch, and they would take ten miles.


    But today? She had made sure Hope Camp knew exactly where she stood-and how hard she could hit.


    Especially with a camp like Hope Camp, the type that put profit before everything else. They needed to walk away thinking Theresa was vtile, dangerous, and absolutely not to be messed with. No way would theye chasing trouble after that.


    Plus, geography was on her side. Thend was crawling with zombies, and Hope Camp was over 60 miles away. They would be idiots to drag themselves all that way just to settle a grudge, and lose more than they gained doing it.


    Still, Theresa had already decided: wherever Hope Camp showed up, she would be there too. First in, fists up.


    Yep. She was petty. A world-ss grudge-holder. She would log it, date it, ande back 100 yearster to collect.


    Lucas looked over and saw the gleam in her eyes-the kind one got afternding a perfect punch.


    He couldn¡¯t help but grin, too.


    He could never pull off what she just did. And yet¡­ he loved that about her.


    ¡®Come eat,¡± he said. ¡°Graham¡¯s heating up some food.¡±


    ¡®Nah, your food¡¯s depressing,¡± Theresa waved him off. ¡°I¡¯m in a great mood. Dinner¡¯s on me.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t just being generous. Graham and the others had backed her up instantly when things got tense -guns out, no hesitation.


    She never forgot a grudge, but she would never forget a favor either.


    She called Kyle back to cook spaghetti. Then she dug through her stash-instant noodles, pre-prepared meal kits, sausages. Everything hit the pot.


    Soon, the scent of bubbling noodles and salty broth filled the air, rolling out in clouds of steam.


    Theresa and everyone from the KI Camp sat around in a circle, each with a giant bowl of instant noodles. Thick wheat noodles topped with meat, sausages, and extra vor packets from the meal kits.


    Before the apocalypse, this kind of thing was just gas station food. Now?


    Now it was heaven.


    The smell alone-especially the noodles-was enough to make one¡¯s mouth water.


    It was close to 11 p.m. Everyone had been running on adrenaline all day. Fighting, driving, barely surviving. Now, with bowls in their hands, warm steam on their faces, and no threats nearby, it felt like luxury.


    A real feast, especially after weeks of nd, boiled pickled vegetables and watered-down soup back in their


    own camps.


    Here, the oily, rich broth clung to the noodles like liquid gold. That first slurp of salty, greasy, glorious spaghetti sent sparks flying. Most of K1 Camp looked ready to ascend to noodle nirvana.


    Graham and the others crowded close to Theresa, calling her ¡°Theresa¡± with affection thick as honey.


    The four smaller camps watched from a distance, chewing whatever dried rations or in noodles they had. Some had instant noodles too, but nowhere near as generous with the toppings, and definitely nowhere near as joyful.


    Everyst one of them swallowed hard.

 Kept Woman 135

    Chapter 135 Ultimate Leader System Activated


    Everyone had gathered around their respective smaller camps, sharing what they could while stealing nces at the others. It was dinner, but no one could really focus on the food.


    ¡°Hey, Den.¡± Charlotte had been quiet for a long while before finally turning to her brother. ¡°Do you remember what I told you about yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I remember.¡± Den scooped thest piece of cured meat from his bowl and dropped it into hers. ¡°Scared the hell out of me. I thought you were done for. Lucky break, huh? That thing almost bit you.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that,¡± Charlotte said, setting her bowl down. She grabbed Den¡¯s arm tightly, her eyes dead serious. ¡°That zombie was going for me. I saw it. It was about to bite me-and then it just stopped. Like someone hit pause on it. I think¡­ I think Ms. Hall saved me.¡±


    She pointed at Theresa, her gaze unwavering.


    Theresa had stunned everyone earlier today with her prowess. Right then, Charlotte had felt it-it had to be her. The more she thought about it, the more certain she became. She¡¯s so strong. Nothing else made sense. Why else would that zombie just freeze up like that?


    Den followed her gaze toward Theresa. His expression shifted, sharpening as he watched the woman from across the camp. After a few seconds, he gave Charlotte¡¯s head a gentle pat.


    ¡°All right,¡± he said. ¡°Eat first. I¡¯ll thank her tomorrow. Whatever happened, she saved our skins today.¡±


    Charlotte grinned. ¡°Okay!¡±


    Meanwhile, Theresa and her crew had just finished their meal. The folks from Kl Camp were already busy -packing up, organizing supplies, and loading provisions into massive freight trucks. They had even brought in every space-based ability user they had. With that kind of manpower and a fleet of trucks built for hauling, they had already cleared out almost everything.


    They weren¡¯t just taking enough tost a few months-this was years¡¯ worth of food. Enough to ease the strain back home in a big way.


    Once thest of the trucks were fully loaded, Theresa stepped into the first provision depot alone¡ªit was over 5,000 tons of grain and packed to the rafters.


    She ced her hand on the nearest stack, and in an instant, the grain began pouring into her domain like water through a broken dam. In a matter of minutes, the enormous depot had beenpletely drained.


    She moved on to the next one-and then the next. Depot after depot, until nothing was left but dust and


    shadows.


    By the time she was done, her domain was nearly bursting at the seams. No room left for anything else.


    And that was when she heard the voice in her head.


    Theresa¡¯s eyes widened.


    Finally, a new mission!


    And just in time, too. She had been worried about space, and the system came through again. It was like it knew exactly what she needed.


    Poption growth, huh?


    Perfect. She would head back first thing tomorrow and start recruitment.


    Satisfied, she left the now-empty depots behind and rejoined the others.


    The next morning, everyone packed up for the return trip.


    Before the departure, Lucas approached her. ¡°Want me to leave a crew behind? We can run a few more loads of grain back for you.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Theresa replied coolly. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    She had more important things to worry about now-recruiting people. No time to chit-chat. With Kyle riding shotgun and a truckload of grain behind her, she set off ahead of the convoy.


    Lucas watched her drive off, something clicking into ce in his mind. He thought back to what had happened with Monica the other day. The pieces were starting to form a picture.


    He turned to Graham. ¡°Put another lock on that gate when we¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Their trucks rolled outst, trailing the others by a few minutes, but not long after everyone had cleared out, another convoy rolled in.


    At the front of it all was Bennie. His sharp, cold stare swept across the now-deserted provision depots.


    ¡°Move in,¡± he snapped.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    After being thrown out yesterday, Hope Camp had circled nearby, waiting for the others to leave. As soon as the coast was clear, they came rushing back, ready to steal whatever was left.


    After all, with so much grain here, there was no way it could have all been taken in one trip¡­ right?


    With Bennie in the lead, they headed straight for the first depot. But when they got there, he noticed something new.


    ¡°A lock?¡± he scoffed, marching up to it.


    The moment he stepped within range, the lock began to rattle. Then-with a sharp crack-it split in two and fell to the ground.


    Maniption ability. Complete control within his psychic field.


    Bennie¡¯s cold eyes stared at the broken lock. Did they really think this would stop me?


    He might be wary of Theresa, sure. But a padlock?


    Please.


    With long, confident strides, he entered the depot-and came to a sudden halt.


    His jaw dropped.


    It was empty.


    Not just the first depot. All ten of them. 1


    Not even a single grain of rice left. The ce echoed like a cave.


    Bennie felt like he had been punched in the gut. His mind reeled. She took everything? All of it? But¡­ that couldn¡¯t be. They only had a few trucks!


    Even if every vehicle was maxed out, they couldn¡¯t have cleared more than one silo!

 Kept Woman 136

    Chapter 136 You Wanna Come With Me?


    Theresa had imed most of the provisions here. She had taken it all.


    Bennie¡¯s breath caught in his throat. A deeper, heavier shock crashed through him like a tidal wave.


    She wasn¡¯t just a water-based ability user. She was a space-based one, too. And her domain¡­ good lord, it was terrifyingly massive.


    The realization hit like a freight train. Bennie stood frozen in ce, the chill in his eyes shattering like ss. Pride? Shattered. Confidence? Crushed. Everything he had built himself up to be felt like dust under


    Theresa¡¯s feet.


    He had always been the golden child. A prodigy among prodigies.


    By three, he was solving advanced math puzzles. At five, he had already taught himself the entire high school curriculum. By seven, he had a guaranteed ce at the country¡¯s top university. And by 15, he had a PhD and more published research papers than most scientists see in a lifetime.


    But even that glittering resume was just the surface. His father was the biggest shareholder in Dawn Industries. His mother, a political heavyweight. Even in the middle of the apocalypse, he was the only one to awaken a mind control ability-so rare it might as well have been myth.


    Saying he was born with a silver spoon was an understatement. God might as well have been following him around with adle, force-feeding him privilege and power.


    So yeah, he was proud. Too proud. And to him, ordinary people were just ants-dim-witted and slow, not even worth stepping on.


    But now?


    Now he stood in the echoing silence of an emptied provision depot, every bit of grain gone, and all of it the work of one woman.


    Theresa.


    His mind spun, recalcting everything he thought he knew. The numbers didn¡¯t just change-they exploded into something entirely new.


    He needed a whole new form just to measure her.


    The highway ahead stretched out smooth and clear, sunlight pouring over the asphalt as Theresa¡¯s truck led the convoy. The return trip was a breeze. They had cleared out the zombies and wreckage on the way in, so all that was left now was the open road.


    As they neared the same intersection they had passed two days ago, a faint honk echoed behind her.


    Theresa checked the rearview mirror.


    A smaller cargo truck was trailing them, steadily catching up.


    She recognized it.


    Spark Camp.


    The girl-Charlotte, wasn¡¯t it?


    She nodded at Kyle. ¡°Slow it down a bit.¡±


    Kyle eased off the gas. The truck behind them pulled up until it was running side-by-side. The passenger window rolled down, and the first face that popped into view was dark and expressionless.


    Theresa lowered her own window, resting her elbow casually on the frame.


    To her mild surprise, it was Den behind the wheel.


    Then, just as she guessed, Charlotte leaned across the passenger seat, grinning as she waved.


    ¡°Ms. Hall!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    Charlotte nudged her brother, who looked about asfortable as a cat in water. Still, Den managed to nce her way and mutter, ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Theresa blinked. What?


    ¡°Ugh, Den,e on,¡± Charlotte huffed at her brother, then turned back to Theresa, moreposed. ¡°We just wanted to thank you, Ms. Hall. For saving us yesterday. And¡­ forst time, too.¡±


    A faint smile tugged at the corners of Theresa¡¯s mouth. ¡°Message received.¡±


    She had saved a lot of people recently, but only these two hade to say thanks.


    Not bad, she thought. They¡¯ve got manners.


    Charlotte let out a breath, like a weight had slid off her shoulders. But she and her brother weren¡¯t exactly chatty types, and after a pause, neither seemed to know what else to say.


    Then Theresa¡¯s voice drifted out from the other truck.


    ¡°Hey, kid. You wannae with me?¡±


    Charlotte blinked. ¡°Huh? You mean me?¡±


    Theresa smirked, leaning further out the window. ¡°How many young girls does your team have? I¡¯m talking to you. Come with me-I¡¯ll make sure you live good. Real good. Meat with every meal. Whatever you want, I¡¯ll do my best to get it. And best of all? No one at my camp¡¯s gonna look down on you.¡±


    Charlotte¡¯s eyes lit up, her heart already halfway in the truck.


    But she hesitated and looked at her brother.


    Theresa added, ¡°You can bring him if you want. But fair warning-my camp, my rules. You both listen to me. That said, I treat my people right.¡±


    Charlotte turned to Den, excitement bubbling up in her voice. ¡°C¡¯mon, Den, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Den thought it over in silence. Three full seconds ticked by. Then he said, ¡°You go. I¡¯ll stay.¡±


    Charlotte froze. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I gotta stay, Charlotte. Spark Camp still needs me. You¡¯ll be safe with Ms. Hall, and I¡¯ll feel better knowing you¡¯re taken care of. Just¡­ look out for yourself, okay? And drop me a message over the radio when you


    can.¡±


    Spark Camp was still holding on by a thread. Mostly seniors and stragglers. If he left, no one else would step up to lead. But Charlotte? She had a shot at something better.

 Kept Woman 137

    Chapter 137 You¡¯re Her Brother, Not Her Enemy


    Den had seen it with his own eyes yesterday-Theresa sharing her supplies with the folks from Kl Camp like it was nothing. If Charlotte stuck with her, she would never have to worry about food again.


    And Theresa wasn¡¯t just generous-she was powerful. Charlotte following her? That was nothing short of a


    stroke of luck.


    No matter how much it tore him up inside, Den knew he had to give her a real shot at something better.


    ¡°Ms. Hall,¡± he called out, his voice firm with resolve, ¡°I¡¯ve only got one sister. I¡¯m trusting her to you. Take care of her, and I swear, I¡¯ll owe you for life.¡±


    He stepped on the brakes and pulled the truck to the side of the road.


    Seeing this, Theresa motioned for Kyle to slow their vehicle too.


    But once the trucks stopped, Charlotte dug her heels in-hard.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going! Den, let¡¯s just go back!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t start with that nonsense. Don¡¯t waste Ms. Hall¡¯s time. Get out there!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re not going, I¡¯m not going!¡± Charlotte clung to her seat like her life depended on it.


    Den felt a headacheing on. A golden opportunity was right in front of her, and she was acting like a stubborn mule. What if Theresa changed her mind?


    ¡°You little brat! Do you think someone like her is gonna wait forever?¡± he snapped, yanking at her seatbelt.


    ¡°I finally found someone who will take you in, and you¡¯re gonna cling to me like a d*mn barnacle? I¡¯m your brother, not your dad! You¡¯ve been nothing but a burden!¡±


    ¡°Den!¡±


    ¡°Go on, get out! Quit dragging me down!¡±


    Charlotte¡¯s lip trembled, but she bit down hard, eyes zing. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving! I don¡¯t care what you say¡ª I¡¯m not going!¡±


    Den reached over and tried to pull her out by force. ¡°You think I¡¯m joking? Move it!¡±


    And then, a voice cut through the chaos from behind them. Calm. Sharp. Icy.


    ¡°Pathetic.¡±


    Den spun around-and met Theresa¡¯s eyes. Bright and piercing, they looked straight through him. No judgment. Just truth. The kind that burned.


    ¡°It¡¯s the apocalypse, man. Time to drop the act. You¡¯re her brother, not her enemy. If you love her, show it. There¡¯s no shame in caring.¡±


    As her wordsnded, a small paper fluttered down from her open window.


    ¡°This is my camp¡¯s radio frequency,¡± she said. ¡°If you change your mind, call me. I can take up to 30 from your camp. No more.¡±


    Theresa wasn¡¯t stupid-kind, maybe, but not reckless. She couldn¡¯t afford to take just anyone.


    Den caught the slip of paper before it hit the ground.


    And just like that, Theresa¡¯s truck rumbled back to life and pulled onto the road, disappearing fast into the


    horizon.


    Den sat there, gripping that scrap like it was made of gold. Beside him, Charlotte sat with her arms crossed, checks puffed in frustration as she stared out the window.


    Den slid the paper carefully into his jacket. Then, noticing her mood, he gave her arm a light nudge.


    ¡°Alright, alright. She¡¯s gone. You missed your shot.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stop yelling at you so much, okay?¡±


    She spun around and red at him. ¡°You could just say you were sorry. Is that really so hard?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your brother! You trying to start a revolution here?¡±


    Charlotte¡¯s eyes welled up. She looked ready to explode.


    This wasn¡¯t new. He never apologized.


    Not once.


    Ever.


    She was about ready to jump out and stomp off down the road on her own when-


    He sighed. ¡°Okay, okay. I was wrong. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    She blinked, caught off guard. Den was smiling-actually smiling-as he looked at her.


    ¡°You¡¯re smiling?!¡±


    With augh, he reached over and ruffled her hair roughly. ¡°Before Dad passed, he told me to take care of you. And the truth is, I have no idea what I¡¯m doing. If I had even half of Ms. Hall¡¯s strength, I¡¯d never send


    you away.¡±


    ¡°Den¡­¡±


    ¡°She was right, you know. I¡¯m your brother, not your enemy. I won¡¯t hurt you again. I¡¯ll fix what I got wrong. Mom and Dad are gone; it¡¯s just us now. We¡¯ve gotta stick together. Just the two of us,e what


    may.¡±


    ¡°Den¡­¡±


    ¡°And look at this-my ugly little sister¡¯s crying now. Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d never cry again?¡±


    ¡°Den!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright! My mistake again. You¡¯re not ugly. You¡¯re the prettiest girl in the world. The one and only Miss Charlotte, reigning queen of Spark Camp. Now dry those tears before you ruin your perfect face.¡±


    Charlotte sniffled, wiped her cheeks in a hurry, cheeks still red. ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m ugly?¡±


    ¡°Ugly? Please. You just don¡¯t dress up. Once I hit the strip in town, I¡¯ll grab-ahem, borrow-some nice clothes for you. You¡¯ll look like a goddess. Like Ms. Hall.¡±


    That finally got her tough. ¡°You said you were gonna thank Ms. Hall properly, remember? Is that how you thank someone? One word?¡±


    ¡°What are you getting at?¡±


    ¡°Come on, admit it. You froze up, didn¡¯t you? Got shy in front of Ms. Hall, huh? Wow, I didn¡¯t think you were that kind of guy!¡±


    ¡°Charlotte, I¡¯m warning you! Don¡¯t push it!¡± 1

 Kept Woman 138

    Chapter 138 The Real Purpose


    ¡°Den, just admit it already! You know I¡¯m right!¡±


    ¡°If even my own sister¡¯s mocking me, you¡¯d better believe I¡¯ming for payback when we get home!¡±


    Laughter erupted across the convoy. One car after another rolled down the dusty road, the mood light and


    full of celebration.


    It was a day worth smiling about. Everyone had risked their necks, and they hade out with more than they hoped for. A rare win in the apocalypse.


    Theresa returned to zing Sun Camp first. After unloading the truck, she did a quick inspection of the grounds. Everything looked in order, quiet and secure. Only then did she finally rx.


    She stood still for a moment, mulling over her next move. Where could she find new recruits?


    Simple. Go straight to another camp and poach them.


    Where are the people? K1 Camp has people.


    Decision made.


    ¡°Kyle, hold the fort,¡± she said as she tossed him the keys. ¡°I¡¯m heading out to return this truck.¡±


    Kyle looked up from his clipboard. ¡°And how are you nning to get back?¡±


    ¡°They can drive me.¡±


    Seriously? he thought, speechless. You could¡¯ve just sent a message and had Graham pick it up.


    However, Theresa was already behind the wheel, heading toward Kl Camp in Lucas¡¯ truck.


    By around 3 p.m., she reached the outer perimeter of Kl Camp without issue. The guard at the gate recognized the vehicle and immediately switched to autopilot, waving her forward.


    Theresa didn¡¯t rush in. Instead, she stepped out and addressed the guard.


    ¡°I¡¯m just returning the truck,¡± she said. ¡°Let Lucas know I¡¯m here.¡±


    The guard nodded and ran off to pass along the message. While she waited, Theresa leaned casually against the gate and scanned the scene around her.


    Two long lines stretched out from either side of the entrance-people desperate to get in.


    They had all heard the same 24/7 radio broadcast KI Camp had been sting to the outside world, promising shelter, food, and safety. That kind of word spread fast.


    Theresa¡¯s gaze settled on amotion happening near one side of the line.


    ¡°Calm down, everyone! We¡¯ll all get in eventually! We¡¯re through quarantine! There¡¯s a kid here! And a pregnant woman! Please don¡¯t push!¡±


    A man in a dirt-smudged white button-down-what had once been crisp and clean-stood at the front, sses askew, trying to reason with the crowd.


    No one listened.


    Instead, they shoved him from behind, elbowing for space.


    ¡°Then, move aside and we won¡¯t have to push!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s easy to be polite when you¡¯re already at the front!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s an old man back here! If you¡¯re so kind, why don¡¯t you let him


    go


    first?¡±


    And to Theresa¡¯s absolute disbelief, the man actually stepped aside.


    ¡°Sir,e over here. You can take my spot,¡± he said without hesitation.


    Theresa blinked. You¡¯ve got to be kidding.


    The old man shuffled up¡­ and so did everyone behind him. They all surged forward, eating up the space he had given up. Within seconds, the man in the gray-stained shirt was shoved all the way to the back.


    He stumbled, nearly falling, then wiped the sweat from his brow. Noints, no grumbling. He just quietly joined the end of the line again, like it didn¡¯t bother him at all.


    And as if that wasn¡¯t enough, another group of survivors approached him.


    ¡°Let us go ahead, would you? We just finished quarantine. We really need to get in.¡±


    He held up his clearance card, tired but polite. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    That was when Theresa heard a familiar voice behind her.


    ¡°Theresa! You¡¯re here!¡±


    It was Graham, grinning ear to ear as he jogged over.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she replied casually.


    ¡°You really didn¡¯t have toe in person! I could¡¯ve picked up the truckter,¡± he said, chuckling.


    ¡°Less hassle this way. I wasing out anyway.¡±


    ¡°Well,e on in then!¡± Graham led her through a side gate, skipping the line entirely. ¡°Lucas heard you were here. He asked if you¡¯d wait for him in his office-he¡¯s wrapping up a meeting.¡±


    ¡°No need. I¡¯ll wander around a bit. Once he¡¯s free, I¡¯ll say hi.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tag along then.¡±


    ¡°No thanks. Go do your thing.¡± Theresa waved him off with a dismissive smile. She had her own ns and


    didn¡¯t need a tail.


    Graham hesitated, then handed her a badge and a small pager. ¡°Here-management credentials. sh this if anyone stops you. Or use the pager. This button calls us. This one pings Lucas.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    She tucked both items away and gave him a smile as he jogged off.


    The moment he disappeared, Theresa turned on her heel and headed straight for the shantytown district. She wasn¡¯t here to return a truck.


    She was here to recruit.

 Kept Woman 139

    Chapter 139 Strength Makes the Rules


    People were everywhere-exactly what Theresa had hoped for.


    She had no intention of bringing in just anyone. Her loosely formed strategy prioritized individuals with technical skills or specialized knowledge. Researchers were at the top of her wish list.


    Up ahead, something was happening-and she noticed it immediately.


    ¡°Useless fools! You¡¯re too slow!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no point in continuing-leave now!¡±


    At the construction site ahead, eight skinny men were being pushed aside. Their ages clustered around the thirties, with the eldest-a gray-haired man-probably in his sixties.


    A sudden kick from a worker sent the old man flying. He hit the ground hard, stumbling as his face turned deathly pale.


    ¡°Professor!¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s old! How could you just kick him like that?¡±


    ¡°Heh, respect for the old? That died with the world. This is the apocalypse now-strength makes the rules. We¡¯ve had enough of you. What¡¯re you going to do about it?¡±


    ¡®You¡¯re mad! A bunch of heartless b*stards!¡± the youngest growled, rage thick in his voice.


    ¡°You called us b*stards? Well, we¡¯ll show you just how ruthless b*stards can be! Hit them!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s teach them a lesson!¡±


    The group of burly men advanced.


    They were all workers tasked with building the camp. Those targeted were physically weak and slow, failing to contribute effectively to the team.


    Whereas the more capable workers built three meters of protective wall each day, the weaker ones struggled to manage less than two. The disparity was significant.


    Still, contribution points were awarded equally-so long as no one cked off, ording to rules set by the higher-ups.


    How could they stand for it?


    They¡¯d reached their limit. Today, they were determined to give these freeloaders a brutal lesson¡ªand


    banish them from the team forever.


    ¡°Get rid of them!¡±


    ¡°Stop it!¡±


    On the verge of violence, a casual female voice echoed, halting the surge of aggression.


    All eyes shifted to a striking young woman approaching them. Dressed in a fullbat suit, her high ponytail swayed as she walked, a sword slung across her back.


    She stood out among the ragged crowd-her fair, unblemished skin untouched by hardship, and her sharp and clear, like twin daggers.


    She came forward, steady and alone, but her presence roared louder than an army-like a predator entering a pen of prey.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± asked the leader of the bulky men, watching her cautiously.


    eyes


    Theresa casually reached into her pocket and pulled out the ID Graham had given her. The workers froze the instant they saw it, tension humming between them.


    ¡°Officer! We weren¡¯t fighting!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we didn¡¯t do anything! They walked out on their own!¡±


    ¡°Exactly! They just decided to leave! We didn¡¯t force anything!¡±


    ¡°Liar!¡± the young man from the other group yelled. ¡°You¡¯re the ones trying to force us out!¡±


    ¡°Let it be,¡± the old man murmured, holding him back. ¡°We¡¯re leaving.¡±


    ¡°But Professor-¡±


    ¡°Let it be. There¡¯s no sense in causing problems for the officer,¡± the old man advised, eyes distant with understanding. He saw further than the rest.


    The rift between them ran too deep for words to mend. The officer had offered temporary protection, but once she was gone, those men would only be more dangerous.


    There was nowhere left for them here.


    Just as the workers said, this was a world ruled by strength. The apocalypse had stripped away their former lives as researchers; their knowledge no longer gave them any advantage.


    Pushed out from the safer construction teams, they faced the harshest work left-hunting zombies and scavenging for resources.


    Just then, a voice drifted in beside the old man.


    ¡°What was your profession before?¡±


    He raised his gaze to see the young woman who had just ended the fight.


    ¡°We were researchers at an institute,¡± a young man replied quickly. ¡°This is Professor Wagner. He¡¯s a


    respected name with numerous published works.¡±


    ¡°What was your area of expertise?¡± she inquired.


    ¡°Polymers.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes flickered with excitement. Polymers were integral to numerous industries such as


    agriculture, construction, transportation, electronics, and beyond.

 Kept Woman 140

    Chapter 140 Theresa¡¯s Offer


    Yet conducting this kind of research required high-tech equipment and a properboratory-an unrealistic expectation in K1 Camp, where even basic necessities were scarce.


    Upon entering Kl Camp, all neers were required to dere their previous upations. The camp prioritized medical personnel, agricultural experts, and physically capable individuals who could engage inbat with the zombies. Anyone with useful, hands-on skills was quickly put to work.


    As for those engaged in advanced scientific research, they were seen as having little to no practical value by the residents of Kl Camp. There was nowhere for them to fit in.


    While K1 Camp overlooked their worth, Theresa recognized their true potential. They were precisely the kind of people she¡¯d been looking for.


    With a light squeeze of his student¡¯s hand, Hugo Wagner turned to Theresa and offered a courteous smile. ¡°We appreciate your kindness, Miss. Rest assured, we will not be any trouble to your camp.¡±


    Aware that their knowledge was no longer prized in this brutal reality, he feared they¡¯d be dismissed as expendable. Rushing to protect them, he aimed to ease her worries.


    Much to his surprise, she addressed them firmly, ¡°Everyone, follow me. I¡¯ll make sure you keep working or your research-and I promise, there¡¯ll be meat with every meal!¡±


    Hugo blinked in disbelief. The others did, too. Everyone was caught off guard.


    ¡°Officer, are you establishing a research institute? Is Kl Camp finally going to put our skills to use?¡±


    Theresa smiled softly. ¡°I¡¯m Theresa Hall, head of zing Sun Camp. I need you, and I¡¯m taking you all with me.¡±


    Everyone stood in stunned silence as they realized Theresa was the administrator of another camp.


    Her promise was simple: threeplete meals a day, meat at every one. They¡¯d only need to dedicate themselves to research, and she¡¯d take care of getting the equipment for them.


    With uncertainty hanging in the air, they exchanged nces before finally looking to Hugo for guidance.


    After a long moment of thought, Hugo finally spoke. ¡°Ms. Hall, some of us have family with us.¡±


    ¡°How many, and who are they?¡±


    Hugo took Theresa to their living space, where six middle-aged women, three eight-year-old children, and an old woman in her sixties were gathered.


    They were all busy working-sewing torn clothes, fixing worn bags, and doing basic crafts to earn some


    money.


    Theresa looked around and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll take them too-but they must work once they¡¯re in my camp. I don¡¯t support those who don¡¯t contribute.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°I agree with you-but realistically, what can our families do to contribute?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s plenty they can do! We¡¯ve got farm work, livestock work, and a wide range of other tasks. As long as they¡¯re willing to work, there¡¯s a ce for everyone. I promise-pull your weight, and you¡¯ll get white rice and meat with every meal, plus snacks and clean clothes.¡±


    For a moment, the dullness in Hugo¡¯s eyes vanished, reced by a sudden spark of hope.


    Disbelief hung in the air as all eyes settled on Theresa.


    White rice and meat with every meal, plus snacks and clean clothes? Is she describing heaven or what?


    After a bit of conversation, only three members of the group of eighteen opted not to join.


    The couple remained skeptical. Theresa¡¯s ims seemed far too optimistic. In a world ravaged by scarcity -and with K1 Camp being the most established settlement they had encountered-it was hard to believe any camp could truly provide meat with every meal.


    They had finally found a sense of stability at Kl Camp. The man¡¯s strength secured his ce with the construction team, even if his friends weren¡¯t epted. After careful thought, the couple decided to stay. With an eight-year-old daughter to care for, they felt it was safer to avoid unnecessary risks.


    ¡°Professor, we¡¯re staying. You know my wife¡¯s condition isn¡¯t great. We¡¯ve found a steady life here, and we¡¯d rather not risk it,¡± the man exined.


    Hugo shook his head. ¡°Josiah, if your wife¡¯s condition is fragile, that¡¯s exactly why we need to go. I believe Ms. Hall¡¯s camp will take good care of us. Let¡¯s not miss out.¡±


    ¡°Professor, can you really guarantee everything she¡¯s promised? Jobs, food, and a ce to live? We just don¡¯t want to risk everything on empty words.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead without us,¡± Josiah Klein¡¯s wife snapped. ¡°Don¡¯t drag Josiah into this mess. He¡¯s suffered enough because of you all.¡±


    Irritation red among the others, but Hugo cut through the tension with calm authority. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Everyone has their own path to follow. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Get going! If it weren¡¯t for tagging my husband along with you, he wouldn¡¯t be struggling. We¡¯d be much better off without all of you!¡± she hissed.


    Theresa leaned against the doorway, casually looking in after overhearing the conversation.

 Kept Woman 141

    Chapter 141 A Sudden Decision


    Not a single word was spoken.


    After a short while, Hugo returned with the remaining fifteen people.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, we¡¯ve made our decision,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re going with you. One of my students, however, his family¡¯s deeply rooted here, so they¡¯ve chosen to stay behind.¡±


    Just then, two young couples appeared from a nearby alley, each holding a child by the hand. One of them called out anxiously, ¡°Professor Wagner! Where are you going? Can you take us with you?¡±


    Hugo turned to Theresa without hesitation. ¡°They¡¯re friends of ours. Used to work in the cafeteria at the institute. They know how to cook. Ms. Hall, could we bring them along?¡±


    Theresa looked at the couples over-both sets young, strong, and each with a child. After a brief pause, she nodded. ¡°All right. Let theme.¡±


    They were civilians, yes, but healthy and able-bodied-ideal workers. And with that, the number swelled to twenty-one. The entire group could go.


    From behind them came a sharp voice. ¡°You people better think this through!¡± Josiah¡¯s wife snapped. ¡°She¡¯s not one of us! You don¡¯t even know where she¡¯s nning to take you. How do you know it¡¯s not some scam? What kind of camp is she talking about?¡±


    At her outburst, the two couples stepped forward, their voices calm but firm. ¡°We trust Professor Wagner. He¡¯s never led us wrong.¡±


    Theresa offered a quiet smile. ¡°You¡¯ll see soon enough-you made the right choice.¡±


    Josiah¡¯s wife let out a derisiveugh. ¡°Ha! Pretending to y the good Samaritan, are we? Why should you be treated better than the rest of us? Who is she, anyway? Have any of you figured that out? What gives her the right to take you out of here like that? Did anyone even approve this? Is she authorized?¡±


    Her tone dripped with suspicion and bitterness, and her eyes narrowed into a hard re aimed at Theresa.


    Her words nted seeds of doubt. Though none of them truly believed Theresa would betray them, questions stirred. Where had she gotten the authority to take them? After all, they were residents of Kl Camp-property, in a sense, of the base itself.


    Just as murmurs began to ripple through the group, Theresa¡¯s pager buzzed.


    She picked it up and heard Lucas¡¯ voice on the other end. ¡°Ms. Hall, where are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in the residential area,¡± she answered. ¡°Where are you? I need to speak with you.¡±


    ¡°Stay put. I¡¯m on my way.¡± His voice cut out as the pager clicked off.


    Hugo¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°That was Mr. Keaton, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Theresa nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Then she turned to the group behind her. ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll go meet him. I¡¯lle


    back tomorrow and take you all with me.¡±


    ¡°Ha! Keep dreaming!¡± Josiah¡¯s wife scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re just showing off now. What¡¯s this about a new camp? About asking Mr. Keaton for people? That man¡¯s got no time for the likes of you! If you¡¯re going to lie, at least make it sound believable. If you really had that kind of power, you¡¯d have brought proof-something


    recorded.¡±


    ¡°Are you done?¡± one of Hugo¡¯s younger students snapped. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go, then stay out of it. No one¡¯s forcing you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to protect you all from being fooled!¡± she shouted. ¡°Do you even know who Mr. Keaton is? He wouldn¡¯t waste his time in a ce like this. People line up to find him, not the other way around. Can¡¯t you think for yourselves? Don¡¯t be so gullible!¡±


    However, just as her voice rang out, a tall figure emerged at the far edge of the slum.


    ¡°Ms. Hall!¡±


    The moment Lucas came into view, Hugo and the others lit up, their doubt dissolving in an instant. Josiah¡¯s wife went quiet, her mouth snapping shut like someone had stuffed an egg in it.


    Lucas strode toward them, tall andmanding.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he asked,ing to Theresa¡¯s side.


    ¡°I need some people,¡± she replied, motioning toward the group behind her. ¡°I¡¯d like to take these twenty- one with me to my camp. Name your price.¡±


    Back in the early days of the apocalypse, residents were considered assets to their camps-valuable resources to be protected, not given up easily.


    Lucas nced at the group behind her, most of them ordinary citizens. ¡°If they want to go with you, let them,¡± he said atst. ¡°But they leave empty-handed. No food, no supplies. Anyone leaving K1 leaves everything behind.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Theresa said without hesitation.


    It was a standard rule in this world-one of the few that still held.


    Camps provided shelter, food, and safety. In return, everything residents owned belonged to the camp. Leaving meant giving it all up, down to thest grain of rice.


    But even so, Kl was more lenient than most.


    At least here, people still had the freedom to leave. In other ces, no one was allowed out, no matter the


    reason.

 Kept Woman 142

    Chapter 142 The Price of Freedom


    To leave was to die.


    In her past life, Theresa had stayed at a small camp that lived by this rule. For ordinary people, trying to escape meant certain death. Everyone there was considered the personal property of the camp¡¯s administrators, and no one was allowed to leave.


    Of course, there were exceptions. Ability users often lived under a different set of rules. Campspeted for them, offering whatever they could to keep them, because their freedom couldn¡¯t be easily controlled. Most of them stayed where they were, content with the treatment and resources they received. But asionally, someone was poached.


    If the price was right and properpensation was offered to the original camp, then the transfer could be made.


    Theresa had seen it happen once before. There had been a man in her old camp who was taken by another. His name was Tyger, and he was the only one there with both fire and metal abilities.


    Before the world fell apart, he¡¯d been a fighter in underground boxing rings. His body was covered in tattoos, and his temper was legendary. Everyone knew him as the hothead who didn¡¯t think twice about hitting someone across the face.


    That was what Theresa remembered most-how quick he was to p someone, especially when he was angry. He did it without hesitation, and over time, people in the camp learned to hold their tongues when he was nearby.


    When Theresa had first arrived, plenty of men tried to approach her. Tyger had pped several of them right in front of her, sending them flying without so much as a word. Afterward, he simply walked away as if nothing had happened.


    Theresa had been stunned. That moment stuck with her. It was then she realized that in a ce like this, respect wasn¡¯t given¡ªit was earned. And if no one was going to stand up for her, she would learn to stand up for herself. From that day on, she decided to follow in Tyger¡¯s footsteps. If someone disrespected her, she would fight back. She wouldn¡¯t let anyone step on her.


    Not long after, Tyger was poached by another camp. They made him an offer he couldn¡¯t refuse, and just like that, he was gone. Theresa never got the chance to speak to him before he left. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to-but every time she saw him, he was either pping someone or about to.


    Later, she heard that a group of survivors from a small base in Ansford had offered two truckloads of rice to bring him over. After that, no one ever saw him again.


    Years passed. Around the sixth or seventh year into the apocalypse, Theresa was in a tavern when she overheard that Tyger¡¯s new camp had been wiped out by a massive zombie horde. No one had survived. By then, people had long forgotten his name¡ªeveryone except her.


    In the apocalypse, people were like fireworks. They lit up the sky for a moment, only to vanish in an


    instant.


    Back in the present, Theresa knew that anyone who tried to take people from another camp had to pay a


    price. Lucas hadn¡¯t asked her for anything, but that didn¡¯t mean she could walk away without owing him something.


    ¡°We should go now. There¡¯s something I need to discuss with you,¡± she said.


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Lucas replied.


    Theresa turned to Hugo and the others. ¡°You don¡¯t need to bring anything. Just follow me tomorrow. I¡¯ll get you out of here.¡±


    Lucas spoke then, his voice calm. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re going with Ms. Hall.¡±


    The group stared in shock.


    ¡°Did you hear that? Mr. Keaton just said it¡¯s a good thing to follow Ms. Hall.¡±


    ¡°I heard it too. Mr. Keaton never says things like that.¡±


    ¡°I knew it we made the right choice. Ms. Hall is the one to follow.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention her abilities. If anyone can lead us out of here, it¡¯s her.¡±


    Josiah¡¯s wife stood frozen, her face pale with embarrassment. She¡¯d seen how Lucas treated Theresa-not just with courtesy, but with genuine respect. Earlier, she had mocked Theresa for being all talk, but now she could only feel the sting of her own words. Lucas hade to Theresa¡¯s aid without hesitation, and the contrast was humiliating.


    She turned abruptly, snapping, ¡°Hmph, who knows what that ce,is really like! Everyone, go home! Josiah! Sarah!¡±


    Josiah lowered his head and sulked as he turned back. His daughter, Sarah, who had been ying nearby, looked up at Theresa with wide, sad eyes. ¡°Are you really leaving?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, Sarah. I¡¯ll send you a message from the outside-on the radio,¡± Theresa promised softly.


    The girl¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll wait for your message!¡±


    As the crowd slowly dispersed, some went to pack while others simply stood still, their eyes glinting with a quiet hope. No one knew what tomorrow would bring-but for the first time in a long time, it felt like change was within reach.


    Theresa followed Lucas back to his vi. Even before they stepped inside, they could hear the sound of something being smashed.


    ¡°Marshal, think carefully! Evoloid is the future of humanity-you must know that! Are you really going to ignore the camp¡¯s development?¡±


    ¡°Get lost!¡±


    A momentter, a well-dressed man in a suit came storming out of the vi. Even in the apocalypse, he had managed to keep up appearances. His jacket was neatly pressed, and his shoes still gleamed.


    The moment he saw Lucas, his expression shifted instantly. He forced a smile and said smoothly, ¡°Ah, Mr. Keaton, good to see you. You really ought to talk some sense into your grandfather. Look, I¡¯m not asking for much. You do your thing, I¡¯ll do mine-we just stay out of each other¡¯s way and work toward the camp¡¯s future. Sound fair?¡±


    3/

 Kept Woman 143

    Chapter 143 A Dangerous Bargain


    Lucas didn¡¯t respond to the man¡¯s words. His gaze remained icy, sharp as a de gliding across the frozen surface of ake.


    Unbothered by the cold reception, the man turned toward Theresa with a casual smile. ¡°And who might this youngdy be? I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve met.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my guest,¡± Lucas replied coolly, offering no further exnation. Without another nce, he led Theresa straight into the vi.


    As they brushed past him, the man, Larry, allowed the mild-mannered smile to slip from his face. In its ce, a flicker of malice surfaced, dark and unhidden.


    Now that Evoloid was in his hands, he was eager to see how long Lucas could keep up that calm, self- assured facade.


    Theresa had caught that change in his eyes. As she followed Lucas inside, she lowered her voice and asked, ¡°That guy¡­ is he Monica¡¯s father?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lucas answered.


    ¡°What¡¯s he doing here?¡±


    ¡°I was just about to tell you.¡± He came to an abrupt stop. ¡°Our camp has developed a new evolution serum -it enhances the abilities of powered individuals.¡±


    Before she could respond, a loud and indignant voice rang out from the living room ahead.


    ¡°Where are my cookies?!¡±


    ¡°Who stole my cookies?!¡±


    Lucas froze, a grim look shing across his face. ¡°Ms. Hall, maybe we should eat first.¡±


    No sooner had he spoken than a voice thundered from behind.


    ¡°Lucas! Did you steal my cookies?!¡±


    He stood there, motionless.


    Theresa turned her head to see an old man stomping out of the living room. His graying hair was neatlybed, but the fierce vitality in his eyes betrayed the lines etched deep across his face. Slippers pped against the tile as he advanced, clearly fuming.


    ¡°I knew it was you!¡±


    ¡°Grandpa,¡± Lucas said stiffly, ¡°I have a guest.¡±


    Only then did the old man seem to notice Theresa. The fury in his expression vanished at once, reced by a dignified calm.


    ¡°Lucas, and this is¡­?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s Theresa,¡± Lucas said.


    Recognition lit the old man¡¯s face. ¡°So you¡¯re the Theresa!¡± he eximed. ¡°Lucas¡¯ grandfather, at your service. I can¡¯t thank you enough for saving my grandson-not just once, but more than once.¡±


    Theresa nced at Lucas, who gave her a small, subtle nod.


    She smiled politely. ¡°It was nothing. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Old Mr. Keaton. I hope I¡¯m not intruding.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, not at all,¡± he said warmly, ncing around for a ce to sit. ¡°Come, have a seat. Lucas, go fetch that box of special cookies I set aside for guests. And-wait, where did my cookies go?¡±


    Lucas quickly shook his head at Theresa behind his grandfather¡¯s back, silently pleading with her not to say a word. She gave him a quick, amused smile.


    ¡°Old Mr. Keaton, don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t eat cookies,¡± she said gently.


    ¡°Well then, how about some tea? Lucas, bring out my finest blend and make a pot for our guest.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lucas answered without protest.


    Theresa followed the old man to the couch. As she settled in, her gaze drifted to the coffee table-and to the shattered ss vial lying atop it.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch it,¡± the old man warned. ¡°That thing¡¯s contaminated.¡± He raised his voice. ¡°Lucas! Lucas! Come wipe down the table!¡±


    Lucas sighed and reappeared with the tea, cing a delicate cup in front of Theresa before setting to work cleaning the cloudy liquid and shards of ss.


    ¡°That b*stard Larry ispletely unhinged,¡± the old man muttered. ¡°Substances this unstable should never be tested on people.¡±


    Just then, Lucas¡¯ earpiece crackled to life. He listened for a moment, and his expression darkened. ¡°Grandpa, Larry¡¯s been secretly recruiting powered individuals and handing out Evoloid for free. He¡¯s trying to start a war.¡±


    The old man¡¯s face turned a deep shade of red. ¡°That son of a b*tch! Does he have no regard for human life?!¡±


    Theresa looked up at him calmly. ¡°Old Mr. Keaton, why does he still have authority? Why do you all keep letting him get away with this?¡±


    He exchanged a nce with Lucas, then let out a long, heavy sigh. ¡°Looks like my grandson told you more than I thought.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, I didn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. She¡¯s saved your life more than once. She has the right to know,¡± he said, turning back to Theresa. ¡°You were involved in the research facility project, so I¡¯m sure you already know what Larry brought back with him.¡±


    She nodded.


    ¡°Lucas brought back the physical samples, but only Larry¡¯s team had the tools to decode the data. Recently, they seeded in extracting Evoloid from zombie gleamstones.¡±


    He gestured to the broken vial on the table. That¡¯s the serum. It strengthens those with abilities. We haven¡¯t been turning a blind eye to his actions-the truth is, this serum is simply too valuable.¡±


    Unlike Larry, Lucas¡¯ grandfather wasn¡¯t motivated by pride or ambition. What mattered to him was the future of mankind-preserving what was left of civilization, fortifying the camp, ensuring survival. If that meant allowing Larry to hold on to power, then so be it.


    Even after learning that Monica had once tried to hurt Lucas, he¡¯d chosen to let Larry keep his position. The man had resources, and they still needed to study the virus.

 Kept Woman 144

    Chapter 144 The Unexpected Turn


    After that incident, Larry had somehow managed to turn the tide in his favor, and all thanks to Evoloid.


    With ess to the potent serum, he could manipte other ability users at will, keeping the military on a tight leash. If it had functioned the way it was supposed to, Xavier might¡¯ve been willing to cede some control. But the side effects were far too severe. There was no way he could allow it.


    And so, he was left in an impossible bind. He couldn¡¯t retaliate against Larry, nor could he halt the serum¡¯s development. At the same time, letting it spread unchecked was equally unthinkable.


    Larry, armed with his version of Evoloid, had quietly begun recruiting more and more ability users, using the serum as both bait and threat.


    It was a deadlock.


    In the end, it all came down to a simple fact-they had Evoloid, and Xavier¡¯s side didn¡¯t.


    What could they possibly do? Without the technology behind it, they werepletely at the mercy of the situation.


    Just then, as Xavier sat stewing in frustration, a soft voice broke the silence.


    ¡°Evoloid? I¡¯ve been working on it too,¡± Theresa said, her tone light, almost yful. ¡°And mine¡¯s far better than yours.¡±


    Both Xavier and Lucas froze. They turned to stare at her, eyes wide in disbelief.


    Theresa simply smiled and, as if it were the most casual thing in the world; pulled a small ss vial from her bag¨Da vial she had actually drawn from her space. Her expression was serene as she offered it to them. ¡°If you¡¯re interested, I¡¯m open to selling.¡±


    Half an hourter, the two men were still reeling.


    The Evoloid Theresa had produced was nearly wless. It was clear and clean, free of impurities or any strange odors. Compared to the murky, vtile version Larry had offered, hers looked like something from an entirely different world.


    But what truly stunned them wasn¡¯t just its appearance-it was the effect.


    Lucas had tried Larry¡¯s version once. The aftermath had been brutal. His entire body had gone numb. leaving him sluggish and irritable for days. His temper had red out of control, and at one point, his behavior had even mirrored that of a zombie.


    Theresa¡¯s serum, on the other hand, was like a miracle.


    The moment it entered his system, warmth spread through his limbs. His powers responded immediately, sharpening with a rity he hadn¡¯t felt in years. And there were no side effects. None at all.


    Lucas sat there, dumbfounded.


    Suddenly, pieces started falling into ce-her fortress, her hidden abilities, the way she carried herself. It all made sense now. Theresa had been working on Evoloid for quite some time, and clearly, her version was miles ahead of everyone else¡¯s.


    The more he thought about it, the more his shock deepened.


    Who exactly was this woman?


    She had quietly built a sanctuary to weather the apocalypse, kept her power well out of sight, and now revealed a serum that left every other version in the dust.


    Lucas was floored.


    Xavier, after shaking off the initial shock, looked at her with newfound reverence. ¡°Theresa¡­ on behalf of humanity¡¯s future, thank you.¡±


    Theresa gave a small shrug. ¡°Just so you know, I¡¯m selling this at ten gleamstones per vial. That¡¯s the only form of payment I ept.¡±


    She was here to do business. Of course, if that helped humanity grow stronger in the process, she wasn¡¯t opposed.


    After all, the stronger humanity became, the less threatening the zombies would be.


    Besides, Evoloid wasn¡¯t some great secret. Every major camp had been scrambling to develop its own version. Hers just happened to be better.


    Upon hearing the price, Xavier¡¯s eyes filled with tears. ¡°Theresa, you¡¯re truly the savior of mankind! This is practically charity!¡±


    Charity?


    Theresa hadn¡¯t been an ability user in her past life, so she had no idea what the serum usually went for. All she knew was that it had always been expensive.


    Take the KI Camp, for instance. Their process required ten gleamstones just to produce a single vial.


    So when she casually tossed out her price, Lucas¡¯ entire opinion of her shifted.


    He realized he¡¯d misjudged herpletely.


    Theresa wasn¡¯t petty or small-minded at all. She was generous. Kind-hearted.


    The narrow one had been him.


    In truth, thanks to her system and the evolution serum extractor it came with, Theresa could produce a vial from just one gleamstone-and the one she¡¯d given them had even been diluted with water.


    But what could she do? People with cheat systems had it easy.


    From that day on, Theresa became an honored guest at the Keaton family estate.


    Xavier treated her like family-if not better. He even wanted to adopt her as his goddaughter.


    Watching all of this unfold, Lucas couldn¡¯t help but feel like his own position in the household had taken a


    serious hit.


    ¡°Lucas, go get some food for Theresa! And bring out my finest liquor-I¡¯m drinking with her tonight!¡± Xavier dered with unrestrained joy. ¡°Theresa, we¡¯re not stopping till we¡¯re drunk!¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, go easy,¡± Theresa replied with a softugh. ¡°You¡¯re not exactly young anymore-don¡¯t overdo it.¡±

 Kept Woman 145

    Chapter 145 A Night of Revtions


    ¡°Hahahaha! Meeting you today was worth it-worth everything! I could close my eyes right now and have no regrets! Drink! You have to drink! You¡¯re just like a little sister to me!¡±


    Lucas let out a long, helpless sigh.


    As any well-mannered junior would, he busied himself serving them, making sure both had what they needed and nothing was left unattended.


    Night crept in, and eventually, thest ss was emptied.


    In the end, Lucas couldn¡¯t keep up. The old saying held true-youth had the upper hand. He¡¯d underestimated Theresa and lost spectacrly at the table. Yet somehow, that only made him like her


    more.


    If only she were my granddaughter¡­


    Too drunk to stand on his own, he leaned heavily on Lucas, who helped him back to bed.


    Theresa remained at the table, leisurely shelling peanuts. She hadn¡¯t touched a single drop of alcohol.


    Every ounce had slipped quietly into her spatial storage.


    Ever since the world fell apart, she had sworn off drinking. It didn¡¯t matter where she was or who she was with-she would never risk letting her guard down again. Not with danger always waiting in the shadows.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Lucas¡¯ voice came from behind her. Then, He walked over and poured himself another drink, silently offering herpany.


    Without looking up, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. This is business. Ten gleamstones per dose. Not a stone less.¡±


    ¡°Still,¡± he said, raising his ss, ¡°thank you.¡±


    He downed the drink in one smooth motion.


    With Theresa¡¯s Evoloid, Larry was as good as finished. They had only tolerated him this long because of the value of his tech. But now, her form far outssed his. They were no longer bound by his influence. Kl no longer needed him in charge.


    She had done Lucas a tremendous favor.


    Theresa smiled faintly as she cracked open another peanut. ¡°You¡¯ll have a car ready to send me and my people back tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and one more thing,¡± she added, as the thought returned to her. ¡°Why does your grandfather love cookies so much?¡±


    Lucas chuckled. ¡°He used to be a heavy smoker. My grandma hated it. She tried everything to get him to quit-eventually started giving him candy and cookies instead. Over time, he got used to them. Now, whenever he¡¯s angry, he reaches for cookies instead of cigarettes.¡±


    ¡°You can really quit that way?¡±


    Lucas¡¯ expression shifted, his tone quiet. ¡°He did. But only after my grandmother passed.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s fingers paused for just a beat. ¡°Oh, that box you gave mest time¡­¡±


    He nodded. ¡°I stole it from him.¡±


    She let out a lightugh and gave him an exaggerated thumbs-up. ¡°You really are your grandpa¡¯s favorite grandson.¡±


    Lucas looked away, clearly trying not to smile.


    ¡°Come on,¡± she teased, pouring him another drink. ¡°Tell me, what else have you stolen from him?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon. I won¡¯t tell him.¡±


    He nced up and met her eyes-bright, yful, and far too curious. ¡°You really won¡¯t tell anyone?¡±


    ¡°I swear.¡± She held up four fingers like she was making the world¡¯s most sacred vow.


    He dropped his gaze and began listing items in a mutter. ¡°His rank insignia. A couple of his pens. His leather shoes. His uniform. The cane he used to discipline me¡­¡±


    Theresa blinked in surprise, then burst into a quietugh. So, the good, straightced Lucas hadn¡¯t always been so well-behaved after all.


    No wonder the old man had suspected him right away when the cookie tin went missing.


    The night passed in quiet stillness.


    At dawn, Theresa was up and ready.


    Outside, Lucas had already gathered her people and loaded them into the vehicle. Xavier himself came


    out to see them off.


    ¡°Come visit when you can!¡±


    ¡°I will!¡± She waved from the steps before climbing aboard.


    Lucas handed her a bag of gleamstones-1,021 in total.


    ¡°Here, take a hundred for me. Do you have that many on you?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Send them back with Graham.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Theresa took the bag and counted through the gleamstones, one by one. There are twenty-one extra,¡± she said eventually. ¡°I still owe you those.¡± D


    ¡°Okay,¡± Lucas said with a smile.


    She epted the payment without another word and left with her team, headed back to her own camp.


    As the vehicle rolled past the K1 gates, her eyes caught a familiar figure.


    A man in a gray shirt stood patiently in the quarantine line, waiting for his turn to enter.


    Theresa blinked. ¡°Wait a sec¡­ isn¡¯t that the guy from yesterday?¡±


    He was still there-still quietly waiting.


    ¡®Excuse me, could we go ahead? My child¡¯s not feeling well.¡±


    ¡®Of course. Go ahead.¡±


    The man stepped aside without hesitation and let them through. Then he returned to the back of the line, only to be pushed even farther back when more people arrived.


    ¡°Sorry, could you let us in first?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting, too.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve already let so many people ahead. What¡¯s one more?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Go ahead.¡±


    yet said


    Theresa watched through the rearview mirror as the man kept getting shuffled farther behind, nothing. He never raised his voice, never argued. He just stood his ground and kept letting others pass.


    She couldn¡¯t help but feel a strange blend of amusement and quiet respect.


    The car rumbled forward and rolled into zing Sun Camp.

 Kept Woman 146

    Chapter 146 A Taste of Paradise


    When Theresa finally pulled up outside her bunker, the first thing she did was grab a hundred doses of Evoloid for Graham.


    Evoloid didn¡¯t take long to manufacture-just a little water mixed in, and she had it done. Barely used 50 gleamstones for the whole batch.


    And just like that, she made 950 gleamstones-eyes brimming with tears of joy.


    Even so, the Evoloid she handed over was the finest of its kind in this entire era.


    She packed all one hundred vials into a big two-liter soda bottle and handed it to Graham before switching vehicles to shuttle her people to camp.


    The moment Hugo and the others reached the outskirts of zing Sun Camp, they were stunned.


    ¡°Professor Wagner, look up there! Are those UAVs?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Hugo nodded, eyes locked on the sky where drones circled overhead. If he wasn¡¯t mistaken, those were multifunctional unmanned aerial vehicles-the kind one only dreamed of seeing post-copse.


    Then they saw Theresa¡¯s fortress of a bunker-barbed wire fencing crackling with electricity, a massive iron gate, and just beyond it, neatly organized farnd, livestock pens, and arrow-tower-like watchposts where the UAVSunched andnded.


    But that was only the beginning.


    As Theresa led them toward the vi district, their jaws dropped.


    Terraced fields stretched out across the ins, acre upon acre, as far as the eye could see-wheat, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and cucumbers. Rows of ripened greens-romaine lettuce, onions, white radishes, cabbage, kale, eggnts¡­


    So many crops, thend was practically bursting.


    While major camps scrambled to build walls to keep the zombies out-and smaller camps scurried like headless chickens in search of shelter-zing Sun Camp had already restarted agriculture. And not just that¡ªthe output was enormous.


    How was this even possible?


    As their vehicle rolled deeper into the farnd, a pristine vimunity came into view. Dozens of homes, evenly spaced, with people moving calmly between them. Not a single one of them looked like the gaunt, filthy, half-starved survivors they were used to seeing. These people were radiant. Clean, well-fed, energized. Faces lit with joy.


    It felt like another world entirely.


    They had all survived the brutal end of the world. At Kl Camp, they lived on edge, scared of every shadow. But here? These people looked like they lived.


    ¡°Pigs! Professor, look! There are pigs!¡± a young researcher suddenly shouted, pointing at a vi yard.


    Three or four pigs trotted about, right there in the yard.


    ¡°And chickens-and ducks!¡± another gasped.


    Every house had livestock in its yard.


    Just then, a young woman stepped out of one of the vis, holding a stic tub. With a loud ssh, she dumped a mix of rice, noodles, and chopped veggies into a pig trough. Whatever was left, she scattered across the yard for the ducks and chickens.


    Everyone watching was stunned.


    They were feeding animals with real food.


    In K1 Camp, they couldn¡¯t even feed themselves. But here-leftovers? For livestock? Good food, too!


    Of course, they could.


    Theresa¡¯s camp had shortages-just not in basic food. Between her new grain stockpile and the overflow of produce from their super-fertile fields, she had more than enough.


    More food than they could even eat. And if they couldn¡¯t eat it all? Turn it into meat.


    Pigs and chickens had great feed conversion rates-about 3 pounds of feed for every pound of pork, and just 2 pounds of feed for every pound of chicken.


    Theresa adjusted prices, lowered the grain cost, and encouraged residents to raise more livestock. Every uneaten vegetable got turned into future protein.


    zing Sun Camp wasn¡¯t just surviving-it was thriving.


    And Theresa¡¯s goal was simple-everyone in zing Sun Camp should have meat on the table.


    The scene left Hugo and the others utterly speechless.


    Was this ce¡­ paradise?


    ¡°We¡¯re here. Everyone out.¡±


    Theresa stopped the car at the center of the viplex. Almost instantly, nearby residents came pouring out of their homes.


    ¡°Theresa!¡±


    ¡°Theresa!¡±


    ¡°Theresa, you¡¯re back!¡±


    ¡°I brought some new friends,¡± Theresa said as she got out. Kyle opened the door, and Hugo¡¯s group stepped


    out into the sunlight.


    Everyone gathered around them, grinning.


    ¡°Wee!¡±


    ¡°d to have you with us!¡±


    ¡°Sounds like tonight calls for a real celebration!¡±


    ¡°Absolutely-we¡¯re bringing out a feast to wee you properly!¡±

 Kept Woman 147

    Chapter 147 A Taste of the Old World


    ¡°Wow, we¡¯ve never had this many guests before-we¡¯ve got to roll out the red carpet!¡±


    The warmth and excitement of the residents caught Hugo and the otherspletely off guard. Since the world had gone to hell, none of them had experienced anything like this-smiles,ughter, genuine hospitality. It almost didn¡¯t feel real.


    It was true what they said, ¡°People only have the luxury of kindness when they¡¯re not fighting for survival.¡±


    And here? These people weren¡¯t just surviving-they were thriving.


    Hugo stood in awe. Just how wealthy was this ce for everyone to be so friendly?


    The answer came quickly.


    A giant, fully-automated, unmanned supermarket-right in the middle of camp.


    ¡°I¡¯m heading to the store to grab some steaks! Theresa, don¡¯t you dare leave-I have to make you my famous beef bourguignon!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna butcher a chicken! My husband¡¯s chili-zed skillet chicken is out of this world¡ªyou have to try it!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go grab drinks and sunflower seeds! Keep snacking, y¡¯all!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got fresh fruit at home¡ªI¡¯ll bring a basket over!¡±


    Hugo and the others could only gape as locals dashed in and out of their vis, arms full of supplies, chatting, smiling,ughing.


    ¡°That over there,¡± Theresa said, pointing to a sleek modern building, ¡°is our official camp-run supermarket. Whatever you need, you can buy it right there.¡±


    They followed her inside-and werepletely stunned into silence.


    Shelves upon shelves of goods.


    Bags of pasta. Piles of noodles. All kinds of fresh vegetables. Shampoo, soap, body wash, feminine hygiene products, clothes, shoes, socks-even the kind of junk food no one had seen since the world fell apart.


    Potato chips. Sausages. Cookies. Soda. Lollipops¡­


    And it was all for sale. Like the world before.


    ¡°Are we¡­ in heaven?¡± one kid whispered in awe.


    Truth be told, the adults were thinking the same thing.


    Ten minutester, Theresa gathered everyone and exined the rules of the camp.


    ¡°As long as you all put in an honest day¡¯s work,¡± she said, ¡°I promise every single one of you will live just like the residents you see here. Full bellies, meat at every meal. Everything they have-you¡¯ll have too.¡±


    Hugo¡¯s crew practically glowed with joy.


    Everything they have¡­ we can have?


    This wasn¡¯t just a good ce-it was a miracle.


    After all, these people weren¡¯t naive. They came from K1 Camp. They knew exactly what the other camps were like.


    Where others still struggled to stay warm and fed, Theresa¡¯s camp was grilling meat. Where others lived in makeshift shacks, her people lived in proper homes. Where others had to ration, she had livestock, endless supplies, even a full-blown supermarket.


    Hell, she even had snacks.


    Compared to the grinding misery of Kl Camp, zing Sun Camp was a paradise.


    No wonder Lucas had said they were lucky to be chosen toe here.


    Lucky? This wasn¡¯t just luck-this was the kind of jackpot people dreamed about.


    They¡¯d walked in with hearts pounding, sure they were gambling everything on a mystery. Instead, they¡¯d hit the ultimate jackpot: a super miracle.


    It was like Lady Luck herself had kicked them straight into a life offort and hope.


    Someone even thought about Josiah and his family-how smug they¡¯d been refusing Theresa¡¯s offer. If only they knew what they had walked away from, they¡¯d be crying their eyes out.


    That thought made Hugo and the rest feel even luckier.


    Thank God they had said yes. Thank God they hadn¡¯t been as foolish.


    That one decision? It had changed the entire course of their lives.


    Ding! New residents detected: 21 people. Awarding you 2,100 points. New resident loyalty increased by 10%. Current loyalty: 99%.


    Theresa heard the familiar system voice echo in her mind. She blinked in surprise-she hadn¡¯t expected


    that.


    When she¡¯d first weed David¡¯s family, their loyalty started at 60%. Leo¡¯s group hade in at 80%. They¡¯d all had to work their way up to 99%.


    But Hugo¡¯s group? They were all-in from the moment they stepped foot inside.


    She smiled knowingly. Of course. After tasting hell, who wouldn¡¯t worship the woman who built them a


    slice of heaven?

 Kept Woman 148

    Chapter 148 Winter¡¯s Warning


    How could anyone not fall head over heels for zing Sun Camp?


    In this world, where else could they find a second heaven on earth?


    Anywhere else would be a colossal loss. If they weren¡¯t living and working their tails off here until the day they dropped, they were seriously missing out.


    So, naturally, everyone in this new wave of arrivals maxed out their loyalty on day one.


    And just then, another big reward dropped from the system.


    Ding! Congrattions! Poption milestone reached-domain size doubled!


    Theresa¡¯s personal domain-her portable pocket dimension-had just expanded to twice its size.


    What was once the volume of a ten-story building was now two ten-story buildings. Twice the storage. Twice the freedom. Twice the hoarding!


    ¡°Oh, the joy of stockpiling¡­¡±


    Just as she was savoring the moment, a familiar voice called out.


    ¡°Ms. Hall,¡± said Hugo, stepping forward.


    Behind him, the newly registered residents had just finalized their documentation at the massive touchscreen terminal in the camp¡¯smunity store.


    zing Sun Camp had gained new citizens.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Professor Wagner?¡± Theresa asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re ready to start working immediately,¡± Hugo said, eyes clear and full of purpose. ¡°But we¡¯re short on equipment.¡±


    Theresa nodded, already reading between the lines.


    Just then, David hustled over, a little out of breath. ¡°Theresa, winter¡¯sing fast. I¡¯ve got a bad feeling this one¡¯s going to be brutal. Our crops won¡¯t make it unless we get greenhouse covers. But we¡¯re out of materials.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Hall!¡± Hugo perked up like a lightbulb. ¡°Our institute had just developed a brand-new polymer material before the world fell apart. It¡¯s perfect for high-efficiency greenhouse instion!¡±


    Bingo.


    Theresa suddenly remembered what Lucas had told her-there was a cold snap expected at the end of the


    month.


    She had a vague memory from the early apocalypse years: vicious snowstorms, relentless cold fronts. Her,


    old camp used to grow crops too, but everything froze to deathe winter. People starved. Every year.


    Years two through four were the worst-three solid years of deadly blizzards and droughts. No crops. Zero harvests. Everyone relied on scavenging just to survive.


    It was hell on earth.


    But not this time.


    Not at her zing Sun Camp.


    This time, Theresa would prepare. She would build. She would protect her people.


    First step? That polymer greenhouse was a must.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your research facility?¡± she asked Hugo. ¡°I¡¯ll bring back everything myself.¡±


    One hourter, Theresa returned from the residential area, belly full from dinner.


    Hugo and his team had eaten like they hadn¡¯t seen food in years. Every household had chipped in,ying out a neighborhood-wide feast like a buffet line at a block party. Tables spilled into the streets, and everyone brought their best dishes.


    Hugo¡¯s crew didn¡¯t waste a single thing. Not one crumb. They cleared every te, even after being reassured the leftovers would go to the pigs.


    That just made them eat harder.


    Theresa asked David and Leo to help get the neers settled-find them housing, assign them to their workstations.


    Because at zing Sun Camp, production was everything.


    Besides Hugo and the researchers, everyone else would eventually pay their way-ten points a day in taxes. They¡¯d get a one-month grace period, but after that, everyone needed to contribute.


    No freeloaders.


    Hugo and his researchers were offered a sry-400 points a month. But they still had to pay the daily ten-point tax, so their take-home ended up being just 100 points.


    Why not just give them a clean 100 and call it a day?


    Because Theresa understood people. If she gave something away for free, people stopped trying. But if they earned it¡ªeven through a system of give-and-take-they stayed driven.


    Giving them more and then taxing most of it kept the pressure on. They had to work hard. If they cked off, they wouldn¡¯tst a week here.


    Of course, everyone had the option to farm or raise livestock on the side for extra ie.


    grow.


    Work hard, and they¡¯d be rewarded.


    And that vitality? It was contagious.


    Theresa finished settling this batch of recruits, then headed back to her bunker with Kyle at her side.


    She checked the coordinates Hugo had given her.


    Tomorrow, they¡¯d head out.


    They needed to retrieve the research gear and get those polymer greenhouses up before the cold set in.


    There was only one hitch-Hugo¡¯s oldb was in Ansford.


    ¡°Kyle,¡± she said, ¡°rest up tonight. Tomorrow, we head to Ansford.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡± Kyle gave a crisp nod.


    Back in the bunker, he went about his chores-harvesting their little garden, feeding their dogs- everything in order.

 Kept Woman 149

    Chapter 149 Into the Heart of the Swarm


    After a flurry of chores inside and out, Kyle finally headed to his room for some rest.


    Theresa, on the other hand, returned to her bunker-she had ns to head into the city the next day.


    Since the world ended, she hadn¡¯t set foot in a city. The zombie hordes in the countryside were nothingpared to what was lurking in urban ruins. She knew she had to be ready.


    So, she opened up the system¡¯s store and went on a serious shopping spree.


    Two AK-47s. Check. Three thousand rounds of ammunition. Check. Then she scrolled a bit further and spotted it-a single RPG-7, a shoulder-fired rocketuncher.


    Price: 10,000 points.


    She didn¡¯t even hesitate. She snagged it.


    Lucas and his crew always had those rocketunchers, and their area-of-effect damage was insane. She needed that kind of firepower, too.


    She paired it with ten rockets-just enough to ensure superior fire support for tomorrow¡¯s mission.


    After gearing up with all the essentials, she checked the specialty shop. The limited-time gear section had been a disappointmenttely, but today there was something new: a zipline kit.


    Price: 100 points.


    Theresa¡¯s eyes


    ¡°Bought!¡±


    lit <ol><li></li></ol>


    With supplies secured, there was nothing left to do but head into the city.


    The next day, an armored car tore down a lonely stretch of highway, tires screeching against sun-baked asphalt.


    As they neared the city limits, thendscape shifted dramatically.


    To the right, outboundnes were packed tight with abandoned vehicles-wrecks crunched into one another, twisted metal blocking any hope of passage. Car after car after car, a frozen exodus stretching into


    the distance.


    The inboundnes on the left? Completely empty. Not a single vehicle in sight.


    D


    Everyone had tried to flee. No one wanted to go in.


    Theresa sat in the passenger seat, eyes cool and unreadable as she scanned the desertedne ahead.


    That was when she saw him.


    A man stood in the middle of the road, head lolling to one side, baseball cap still perched crookedly on his scalp. He wore a shredded white T-shirt, blotched with ck-red stains, and designer jeans that hung in tatters. Every breeze fluttered the ripped pant legs like streamers.


    He looked like a handsome, urban trendsetter-until he turned around.


    The flesh of his face was mangled, torn from his jaw up to his throat. She could clearly see the sharp line of his jawbone, and thework of tendons and veins exposed in his neck. It was obvious: someone hadtched onto his chin and ripped the meat clean off.


    His legs were gouged with deep w marks, even slicing through the tough denim like paper.


    This stylish zombie-whatever was left of the man he used to be-locked onto Theresa¡¯s vehicle with a predator¡¯s hunger. His cloudy eyes lit up with bloodlust as he opened his mangled mouth, pus-ck blood bubbling from his shredded windpipe.


    ¡°Raaaaghhh!¡±


    Wham!


    The armored car smashed straight into him,unching him into the air like a broken mannequin.


    By the time he hit the ground, the car had already thundered several yards ahead.


    Thump!


    Crunch!


    Thud!


    One after another, more zombies appeared-four, five, maybe more. Each one was sent flying under the relentless steel front of the armored vehicle.


    They didn¡¯t stop. Didn¡¯t slow down. Just kept going-straight into Ansford.


    Ever since the outbreak, Theresa had never returned to a city. She¡¯d fled Ansford on the very first day, vanishing into the countryside. Ever since, she¡¯d focused on clearing her territory-methodically picking off lone zombies and wandering clusters.


    But the city? That was another story entirely.


    The number of zombies in rural zones couldn¡¯t even bepared. Theresa had never encountered a true core swarm. She stuck to abandoned farnds, remote woods-ces where zombies were scattered, not


    concentrated.


    Her one brush with a serious horde had been at a food processing nt on the outskirts. That was


    suburbia.


    If the food nt had been a warm-up, Ansford was the final boss. That swarm? A thousand times worse. Maybe ten thousand.


    Urban density meant most people never got out. They either became zombies¡­ or became food.


    A city was more than just ground zero-it was a feeding ground.


    Luckily, Hugo¡¯s research institute wasn¡¯t right in the city center. It was on the outer edge, nestled in a tech park about two miles from where they entered.


    Still, the closer they got, the thicker the undead presence became.


    The moment their vehicle crossed into Ansford, they stirred the hive.


    Zombies wandered near the roadside at first-then turned. Then charged.


    Like a grotesque marathon, they streamed in from alleys, stairwells, rooftops, parking garages. wed hands, rotting teeth, shrieks echoing off ss and concrete.


    ¡°Raaaaghh!¡±


    ¡°Raaaaghh!¡±


    ¡°Raaaaghh!¡±


    Theresa¡¯s armored car didn¡¯t slow down. Didn¡¯t flinch.


    It plowed straight through the chaos, roaring down the highway as the city of the dead woke all around them.


    And atst, Theresa saw it. The aftermath.


    Once-tidy apartment buildings, now hollow husks. Towering condos with weeds sprouting from unfinished rooftops. Storefronts along the highway, mostly untouched-except for grocery stores and pharmacies, which had clearly been looted and smashed.


    Everything else? Sealed. Silent. Dead.

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    Chapter 150 Lightning Raid


    The streets were utterly deserted. Not a single soul walked the crumbling sidewalks, and every visible vehicle had either crashed or been abandoned. Dust nketed them like a burial shroud, their exteriors. corroded and decaying under months of wind and rain.


    Severalrge dumpsters had been overturned in the chaos-hit by vehicles or toppled by something worse. Their contents had festered into a reeking stew, alive with maggots and buzzing with flies.


    Death. Decay. Destruction. Chaos. And zombies-everywhere.


    The entire city was devoid of life. Nothing moved except the wandering dead.


    It had only been six months since the world ended, but the city looked like it had rotted for a century.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Theresa¡¯s armored car tore through the deste cityscape like a bolt of lightning. Sparks flew, steel screamed, and her wheels crushed everything in their path. Any zombies that couldn¡¯t keep up were left behind, scattering into the ruins. The ones who stayed too close got a taste of fire and reinforced steel.


    Bang! Bang!


    She didn¡¯t slow for a second.


    Full speed ahead-straight through hordes of undead-toward her destination: the tech park.


    Most of the buildings in the tech park were rtively clear. The apocalypse had broken out just before dawn, right before work hours, so officeplexes like this had been sparsely popted. A grim silver lining.


    But the surrounding area? Packed with residential neighborhoods.


    That meant trouble. Lots of it.


    If they were exposed out here, they¡¯d risk being swarmed from all directions.


    Theresa¡¯s n? A blitz.


    Get in. Get out. Fast.


    ¡°Kyle,¡± she barked over her shoulder, ¡°I¡¯ll open the gate. Park the truck inside the courtyard. Hold the line. Don¡¯t let anything through!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    They found Hugo¡¯s research building without much trouble. It stood alone, a blocky modern structure with its own yard, guard booth, and heavy iron gates. Perfect.


    Theresa mmed on the brakes just outside and leapt from the vehicle, wasting no time. The undead


    weren¡¯t far behind.


    ¡°Raaargh!¡± A zombified security guard, still wearing his uniform, lunged at her from inside the guard


    booth.


    Shing!


    One swift stab through the booth¡¯s grimy window. The zombie copsed in a twitching heap.


    She kicked the door open and rushed to the gate controls.


    The undead pack thundered closer as the iron gate groaned and rolled open.


    ¡°Get in!¡± she shouted.


    Kyle hit the gas and roared through the entrance. As soon as he cleared the opening, Theresa summoned a spinning sphere of water in her palm and hurled it at the closest pursuers, sttering them across the


    pavement.


    Not a single corpse made it through.


    She mmed the gate shut behind Kyle.


    ng!


    Two or three dozen zombies wed at the other side of the gate, their moans rising into a chorus of hunger and rage. Skeletal hands reached between the bars, their pale, cracked faces twisted in ravenous fury.


    ¡°Raaahh!¡±


    ¡°Grraaa!¡±


    The gate rattled on its hinges under the relentless assault.


    ¡°Kyle,¡± Theresa said, already moving toward the research building, ¡°we hit fast and get out faster!¡±


    There was no point wasting time killing the horde-they¡¯d never be able to clear them all, and more would


    They just needed to grab what they came for and get the hell out before the gate gave way.


    Theresa sprinted to the entrance. A card reader and keypad blocked their path. She punched in a string of numbers without hesitation.


    Beep. The door clicked open.


    She and Kyle rushed inside.


    Hugo had been true to his word. Every detail he¡¯d given her was urate.


    The building had six floors. The first four wereboratories filled with equipment; the fifth and sixth held offices and archives. She¡¯d been given the security codes for every room.


    ording to Hugo, besides a lone security guard, there had only been threete-shift researchers in the building when the outbreak hit. All three had been working in Room 103 on the first floor. He swore no one else would be inside.


    Sure enough, as they burst into the hallway, they saw three zombies wandering aimlessly in Room 103- and nowhere else.


    The rest of the building was a ghost town.


    This wasn¡¯t like the disaster with Monica, where every step had been a trap. No surprises. No lies. Just solid intel.


    This was how operations should be run-every step mapped out, every second ounted for.


    Theresa¡¯s n allowed for thirty minutes. That was the maximum time the front gate would hold.


    If everything went smoothly, they could finish in ten.


    ¡°Kyle, take out the ones in Room 103,¡± she ordered. ¡°Then start unlocking every door with the codes I gave you.¡±


    While he handled that, she raced from room to room, collecting the critical materials they¡¯de for.

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    Chapter 151 Trust, Loyalty, and a Zipline n


    Chapter 151 Trust, Loyalty, and a Zipline n


    Theresa took everything.


    64%


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    Everyst piece ofb equipment, desks, chairs, stools, even the trash cans from the research institute- she packed it all up and made it vanish.


    Kyle had fully expected their moving operation to take hours. He was mentally and physically prepared to spend the entire afternoon hauling boxes and navigating staircases. But as he opened the doors to the first- floor rooms one by one, ready to start, he realized something shocking: everything was already gone.


    Theresa stoodzily at the far end of the hallway, arms crossed, eyeing him like he was the slow one here.


    ¡°Just awakened this one recently,¡± she said casually. ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll handle moving the supplies myself.¡±


    No more hiding the domain system from Kyle.


    Last time, with that whole Quentin mess, her secrecy had backfired. Kyle had let his guard down, and she¡¯d lost a full batch of carefully sorted supplies thanks to it. Lesson learned.


    Theresa decided¨CKyle had earned her trust. He was no longer just a subordinate; he was hers. She would tell him the truth.


    She had a space¨Cbased ability.


    No more restrictions. Next time they went scavenging, she didn¡¯t want him hesitating or second¨Cguessing because he didn¡¯t know what she could do.


    When Kyle heard her say it, his heart nearly skipped a beat.


    A dual¨Cability user.


    Theresa had water¨Cbased and space¨Cbased powers?!


    That was¡­ insane. Theresa was beyond incredible.


    But what touched him the most wasn¡¯t her abilities¡ªit was that she told him. A space¨Cbased ability was one of the most private kinds, and she shared it like it was no big deal.


    That kind of trust? It meant everything.


    Warmth surged through Kyle¡¯s chest like a rising tide. He made a silent vow right then and there to protect that trust with his life.


    ¡°Theresa, I swear I won¡¯t tell a soul! he promised solemnly.


    Theresa snorted, brushing her hair back with the flick of a wrist. ¡°Why would I be worried about that? You¡¯re mine. Who exactly would you go bbing to? Now go upstairs and open the next set of doors.¡±


    Kyle blinked.


    Did she just? She did.


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    Chapter 151 Trust, Loyalty, and a Zipline n


    s


    You¡¯re mine.


    She said it so naturally, like it was just a fact. And for Kyle? That was all the confirmation he¡¯d ever need. Her trust in him was absolute, and now his loyalty surged to near¨Cunbreakable levels.


    ¡°I¡¯m on it!¡± he barked, already halfway up the stairs.


    He flung doors open one after another, lining up anything worth keeping in tidy clusters to make it easier for Theresa to collect.


    She hadn¡¯t expected that revealing her secret would boost Kyle¡¯s loyalty even more. People really were different. Some were born loyal, returning every ounce of kindness tenfold. Others¡­ well, others were like Quentin.


    A backstabbing mutt.


    And if that b*stard ever ended up in her hands? He wouldn¡¯t get


    off


    easy.


    Under ten minutes. That¡¯s how fast she and Kyle cleared the entire research building of supplies.


    ¡°All done,¡± Kyle reported, breathing hard but grinning. ¡°We¡¯ve got everything.¡±


    ¡°Good. Let¡¯s move.¡±


    They were just about to leave¨Cmission perfectly executed¨Cwhen Theresa heard it..


    ¡°Help us!¡±


    ¡°Please, someone help!¡±


    A shlight beam cut through the dusk from the building across the street. Standing on the sixth floor, Theresa turned toward the light and saw them¨Cdozens of people in white research coats crowded against a massive ss window, waving frantically.


    Painted in massive red letters behind them: ¡°SOS¡± and ¡°HELP.¡±


    They¡¯d opened the window and were yelling with every ounce of breath they had.


    And below? Zombies.


    Drawn by the sound, they were already beginning to swarm the building. Groaning, wing, surging forward from all directions.


    And then she saw him. Quentin.


    He stood in the back of the crowd in a sleek ck coat, arms crossed like he had no care in the world. When he spotted her in the opposite building, he waved and shed that same smug grin he always wore.


    Theresa¡¯s jaw clenched. She could practically feel her blood pressure spike through the ss.


    <i>Still </i><i>smiling</i><i>? </i><i>Still </i><i>smiling</i>?! <i>Wait </i><i>until </i><i>I </i><i>get </i><i>my </i><i>hands </i><i>on </i><i>you</i><i>, </i><i>you </i><i>smug </i><i>b</i><i>*</i><i>stard</i>.


    She cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled, ¡°You! Yeah, you people¨Cgrab him! Tie him up, and. I¡¯ll save the rest of you!¡±


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    Chapter 151 Trust, Loyalty, and a Zipline n


    It took seconds. All eyes turned on Quentin.


    <b>+5 </b>Free <b>Coins </b>


    Half a minuteter, he was pressed against the window, arms bound behind him. A stocky man from the- group stepped forward and shouted across the street, ¡°We got him! He¡¯s not going anywhere! But we¡¯re trapped in here¨Chow¡¯re you getting us out?!¡±


    He was right.


    Their building was crawling with zombies, top to bottom. Windows on every level below and above were dark with the silhouettes of the undead, groaning and wing at the ss. There was no way <i>to </i>get in from the ground and climb all the way to the sixth floor¨Cnot without being torn to pieces.


    There was only one option. Theresa¡¯s mind snapped into overdrive. The zipline kit.


    HI

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    Chapter 152 A Lifeline Across the Void


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    s


    Yesterday, Theresa had made a small purchase that turned out to be a big win.


    She pulled a zipline kit from the stash of her domain. One end, she handed to Kyle. <i>¡°</i>Secure it here,¡± she told him, then turned her eyes to the sixth¨Cfloor window of the building across the narrow street.


    ¡°Clear the area!¡± she shouted.


    ¡°Got it!¡± came the quick reply as the people inside the other building instinctively scrambled out of the


    way.


    Then-


    Crash!


    The zipline soared through the air and smashed cleanly through the window.


    Cheers erupted from the trapped upants on the other side. Hope, starved and brittle, red to life in their eyes.


    They were going to be saved.


    They were finally getting out of here.


    ¡°Get the other end tied off! And don¡¯t let that b*stard move¨CI¡¯m going in!¡± Theresa snapped.


    She clipped the harness to her waist, eyes locked on a figure in a long ck coat near the back of the room.


    These were scientists, a group trapped in their office tower for almost half a year.


    Luckily, the high¨Ctech building had vending machines, a break room, and even a small convenience store at the lobby level. They¡¯d had supplies¨Cat first. But even rationing couldn¡¯t stretch months into eternity.


    After the zombie virus outbreak, they¡¯d hoarded everyst item they could scavenge. But a week ago, thest gran bar was gone.


    If help hadn¡¯te soon, starvation would¡¯ve taken them before the undead did.


    Whoosh!


    A dark figure zipped through the sky, sleek as a shadow. Theresanded on the window ledge, one boot pressed to the frame, one hand gripping the line, the other reaching for the sill.


    Immediately, four or five hands shot out to grab her. They pulled her inside like she was a miracle made. flesh.


    She¡¯d barely touched the ground when-


    <i>Bang</i><i>! </i><i>Bang</i><i>! </i><i>Bang</i><i>! </i>


    ¡°Zombies outside!¡± A tall, broad¨Cshouldered man pointed toward the office door. They¡¯d barricaded it with couches and filing cabs, but the frosted ss above the handle showed twitching shadows behind it.


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    Chapter 152 A Lifeline Across the Void


    Dozens of zombies mmed themselves against the entrance in a mindless frenzy.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been stuck in this tiny room all this time?¡± Theresa asked.


    ¡°Not always. This floor was clear until we tried to rescue him,¡± the man said, nodding toward someone tied up in the corner.


    Theresa looked. Of course. Quentin.


    The man was slouched against the wall, wrists bound, wearing his usual smug expression like it was designer cologne.


    Everywhere he went, he stirred up disaster like it was a hobby.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that,¡± Quentin said with a grin. ¡°I brought you guys supplies, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± someone sneered, ¡°only ¡®cause you were trying to hook up with rissa.¡±


    rissa Linhurst. Maybe twenty¨Cthree, twenty¨Cfour. Pale from hunger, hair tangled and greasy from weeks without a proper wash, but still, under all that¨Cbeautiful.


    She stood in the crowd, head bowed. Her eyes flicked toward Quentin with a gaze full of conflicted emotion.


    Theresa shook her head. She¡¯d never misjudged Quentin. Not once.


    He had all the vices¨Cgluttony, lust, gambling, drinking. He collected bad decisions the way squirrels hoarded acorns.


    And no matter where he went, he always brought trouble with him.


    ¡°Start crossing now,¡± Theresa said firmly. ¡°Two at a time. Use the extra harnesses. I¡¯ll deal with him.¡±


    The group hesitated.


    Then they looked toward Quentin, just in time to see Theresa walking up with her sleeves rolled and a distinct light in her eyes..


    She didn¡¯t say a word.


    She just loosened her fists and delivered what could only be described as an enthusiastic chiropractic adjustment.


    One punch. Two. A knee to the thigh. A palm strike to the side. Pressure point after pressure point.


    It wasn¡¯t fatal. It wasn¡¯t even medically serious. But God, did it hurt.


    The scientists stared in wide¨Ceyed awe. A few of them, experts in human physiology, winced as they watched her work. They recognized every single pressure point she hit.


    ces designed to maximize pain without breaking bones.


    She was surgical in her violence¨Cevery blow a lesson in anatomy and vengeance.


    HI


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    <b>+5 </b>Free Coins


    They didn¡¯t know what Quentin had done to her in the past, but clearly, he¡¯d carned every single one of those hits.


    If he hadn¡¯t killed her father or stolen her man, it must¡¯ve been something pretty close.


    |||

 Kept Woman 153

    Chapter 153 One Hell of a Getaway


    Chapter 153 One Hell of a Getaway


    s


    <b>¡°</b>Move your ¡°sses!¡± Theresa barked as she mmed her fists into Quentin¡¯s side, barely sparing a nce over her shoulder.


    The group behind her didn¡¯t need telling twice. Her fury sent them scrambling for the zipline, each of them fumbling to clip on their harnesses like their lives depended on it¨Cbecause they did.


    They¡¯d been scared just moments ago, hesitating at the sixth¨Cfloor drop. But after witnessing Theresa lose her temper? Suddenly, dangling over a sixty¨Cfoot drop and sliding across a zipline into the unknown seemed like a great alternative.


    One by one, adrenaline¨Cfueled and panic¨Cpowered, they clipped in and hurled themselves into the open air, sliding and scrambling across to the building across the street.


    Back in the room, Theresa finished her hands¨Con motivational speech by grabbing Quentin by the cor. ¡°Run! Ain¡¯t you supposed to be good at running?¡±


    1


    Quentin chuckled, head bowed, his voice light despite the bruises blooming across his face. ¡°You hit like you mean it.¡±


    ¡°You think that¡¯s funny?¡± she snapped.


    Crash.


    The door exploded inward.


    <i>The </i>cab and couch braced against it barely budged an inch¨Cbut it was enough. Enough for a dozen pale, skeletal hands to reach through the gap, ws scraping against wood and fabric and air, desperate to grab something¨Canything¨Calive.


    Only two people were left in the room now.


    Theresa darted to the door, nting her boot hard against the cab to wedge it shut again. ¡°Go!¡± she yelled over her shoulder.


    Across the way, Kyle shoved the zipline harness back toward them, the pulley wheels squealing.


    The two remaining survivors didn¡¯t hesitate. Harnesses snapped on, fingers found purchase on the window ledge, and they wed their way out into the open air like panicked roons.


    Theresa braced the cab with her foot, her free hand still locked tight around Quentin¡¯s shirt.


    She yanked out a nylon rope from her gear pouch and wrapped Quentin up, binding his arms tight and tying the other end around her waist.


    Quentin watched the process with bemused delight. ¡°D*mn, Beautiful. You tying me up already? That eager?¡±


    <b><i>Crack</i></b>.


    Another fist, another ck eye. Now both were evenly matched¨Cleft and right, a pair of bruised badges,


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    Chapter 153 One Hell of a Getaway


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    ¡°You listen to me, your smug <b>b</b>*stard,¡± she growled, her voice low and fierce. ¡°From this moment on, you stay within three feet of me. You step one foot out of my sight¨CI break you.¡±


    Quentin chuckled, lips split and teeth bloodied. ¡°Three feet, huh? What about when I shower? Or take <b>a </b>piss<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>


    ¡°You do it in front of me.¡±


    He blinked. ¡°You serious?<b>¡± </b>


    Deadpan. ¡°Dead serious.¡±


    He stared at her for a beat¨Cthenughed even harder. ¡°Well, Beautiful, I guess that means you gotta do the same.¡±


    <i>Crack</i><i>. </i>


    Her knuckles met his face again, this time mming into the eye under the patch,pleting his full cked¨Cout look.


    ¡°You run again,¡± she said coldly, crouching low, grabbing his ankle. <i>Snap</i><i>. </i>


    He gasped, a hiss of pain ripping from his throat as both his ankles dislocated with a sickening pop. His legs gave outpletely, and he copsed against her, dead weight.


    Theresa caught him effortlessly, hauling him back up by his cor like a sack of flour.


    ¡°Next time, I won¡¯t stop at the ankles. I¡¯ll break your d*mn legs.¡±


    Quentin, pale and in obvious pain, managed a smile that burned with manic heat. ¡°So, it¡¯s true¡­ you can¡¯t live without me.¡±


    <i>Crash</i>!


    <i>Shatter</i><i>! </i>


    The circr ss window at the top of the oak door exploded inward, shards spraying like confetti.


    A rotting zombie head forced its way through the opening, skin peeling, forehead cracked and glistening with pus and blood, the shattered ss stuck deep in its face like glittering pins. It didn¡¯t feel a thing¨Conly pure, mindless hunger.


    Theresa threw Quentin over her back like a backpack, dodging sideways as razor¨Cedged shards whistled past her.


    But with her weight no longer pressing against the door, the full weight of the undead horde outside. forced it open another few inches. One small zombie wriggled through the gap, its emaciated torso squirming like a rat through a pipe.


    Theresa didn¡¯t hesitate.


    She drew her katana with a smooth, practiced motion and cleaved through the writhing mess of arms, heads, and gnashing teeth pushing through the crack.


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    St.


    The de sang through the air, parting limbs and skulls like butter.


    Thud.


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    A kick from her boot mmed the cab back into ce, forcing the door shut again¡ªif only for a


    moment.


    Behind her, the zombie that had smashed the window was now half¨Cin, its body scraping over the jagged ss that tore through its scalp, neck, and chest. ckened blood poured down the wooden frame like


    syrup.


    Its mouth gaped wide in ecstasy, its teeth rotting and yellowed, chattering with excitement. Dead, cloudy eyes locked onto her.


    Compared to this freakshow, even the creepiest ghost stories looked like children¡¯s bedtime tales.


    The creature lunged¨CTheresa met it with a clean, horizontal sh.

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    Just then, Theresa felt the tremors all around her¨Cwalls, floor, ceiling. Every direction vibrated with tension.


    ¡°Beautiful, you do know the office walls are basically drywall, right?¡±


    Quentin¡¯s voice rang in her car.


    And the moment he finished speaking-


    <i>Boom</i>.


    The drywall erupted in every direction. The walls nking the entrance burst apart with a deafening crash.


    And from those gaping holes, came the flood¨Czombies. Countless undead burst through the rubble, pouring in like a dam had broken.


    Theresa took one look at the swarming horde and gave up on the now¨Cpointless front doors. She whipped her head toward the window. The two people escaping out it were only two¨Cthirds of the way up.


    ¡°Go! Get across, now!¡±


    With Quentin strapped to her back, her katana spun in her hand like a helicopter de revving up for war.


    One of the two climbers, a woman, slipped. Her foot missed the narrow ledge, and she dropped.


    Only the safety harness saved her, jerking her to a sudden stop mid¨Cair. Dangling helplessly, she iled, arms swiping at nothing, panic in her eyes. Below her: a churning <b>sea </b>of the dead, teeth bared, ws outstretched.


    Malnutrition had left her weak. She hung in ce<b>, </b>suspended and stranded.


    Across the thirty¨Cfoot gap, Kyle saw the chaos unfold. He could just make out the breach, the undead tearing into the office, the girl stuck mid¨Cair.


    No time. He leapt. No helmet. No harness. No hesitation.


    Hended on the zipline, gripping it with bare hands. His body dropped hard, yanking the line into a sharp V. The girl and the other person, both clipped into harnesses, slid toward him immediately.


    <i>ng</i>!


    The metal sps mmed into Kyle¡¯s arms. His face didn¡¯t flinch. Only one emotion lived there: urgency.


    Theresa was still inside the other building.


    ¡°Unclip and climb up on me!¡± he shouted.


    One hand on the line, the other stretched to the window frame. The girl looked down at him, frozen in


    terror.


    ¡°Move!¡± Kyle barked.


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    That broke through.


    s


    She reached for him. Grabbed on. Unclipped. With Kyle crouching just enough to push her upward, she climbed over his shoulders and arms toward the open window. Hands reached out from inside and pulled her in.


    Second person followed the same way.


    Once both were safe, Kyle clung to the frame and used every ounce of strength to shove both safety sps back across the line.


    ¡°Theresa! You¡¯re clear! Come now!¡±


    Amid the chaos, Theresa heard him. She bolted for the window.


    Two sps. She only needed one. Because Quentin was still strapped to her.


    Katana sheathed, she grabbed the clip with one hand. In the other, she summoned a swirling mass of water


    Wham!


    She released it like a bomb.


    A tidal explosion of mist and force surged across the room, mming back the iing undead like they¡¯d hit an invisible wall.


    Quentin, strapped to her back, blinked wide¨Ceyed.


    ¡°Beautiful, you¡¯re¡­ you¡¯re a dual¨Cability user.¡±


    <i>Wham</i><i>! </i>


    Before he could say more, his head collided with a zombie lunging in from the side.


    Theresa twisted sharply, using Quentin like a battering ram to m the undead straight into the wall.


    ¡°Ughh¨Care you trying to use me as a weapon?¡± he groaned through clenched teeth.


    Of course she was<b>. </b>


    Her mental maniption ability had already mapped every zombie¡¯s location in the room. Nothing surprised her. Nothing got through.


    She gave a little smirk.


    By then, she¡¯d already clipped in again, Quentin still on her back.


    She climbed onto the windowsill.


    Behind her, the undead howled and wed. But Theresa didn¡¯t care anymore. Because she had something better than a weapon. She had Quentin¨Cthe human zombie repellent.


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    She tightened her grip, nted both feet against the frame, andunched.


    They shot across the line like a bullet.¡±


    Behind them, the undead surged toward the window, a tide of death in motion.


    s


    And one by one, they flew. They flung themselves after her like lemmings. But what awaited them wasn¡¯t another room. It <b>was </b>six stories of empty air.


    They spilled out in waves, tumbling and screeching, sttering on the ground below like grotesque rainfall.


    Zombie rain.


    A cinematic downpour of limbs, blood, and broken screams.


    Some had half their guts missing. Some only had one leg. Some crawled on stumps. Some dangled twisted heads from broken necks.


    But every single one had the same goal: Theresa. But they couldn¡¯t reach her.


    Theresa, with Quentin strapped behind her, had almost reached the midpoint when gravity finally slowed them down. Without a downward slope, the zipline began to sag.


    Now came the climb. Still hanging, upside down, arms and legs working like clockwork, Theresa dragged both of them toward the far window.


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    If Theresa could¡¯ve ignored the relentless chatter behind her, she probably could¡¯ve climbed a hell of a lot faster.


    ¡°Beautiful, be honest did you fall in love with me or what?¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    ¡°Then why risk your life dragging me.out of there?¡±


    ¡°For your mom, obviously!¡±


    Quentin blinked. ¡°Okay, Rude.¡±


    He tilted his face toward the wide blue sky, his one human eye sparkling with amusement. ¡°Come on, just tell me what is it about me that¡¯s got you so hooked?¡±


    ¡°I want you to shut the hell up.¡±


    ¡°Say the word, and maybe I¡¯ll say yes.¡±


    Mid¨Cclimb, Theresa almost burst into tears¨Cnot from emotion, but pure frustration. ¡°I want loyalty! Could you try being loyal for once?!¡±


    Quentin blinked, a bit taken aback. Then he leaned in, whispering against her ear with maddening calm.


    ¡°I know a five¨Cstar hotel nearby. The beds are amazing. We can go there and discuss<b>¡­ </b>loyalty.¡±


    Theresa was speechless.


    If she had one more free hand, she¡¯d beat the ever¨Cloving crap out of the idiot strapped to her back. At least three hundred sixty¨Cfive hits. She¡¯d pound him from the rooftop straight down to the Earth¡¯s mantle if she had the time.


    Why had she responded to him? Why?!


    Then, suddenly, the climbing rope gave a violent jolt downward.


    Theresa, clinging with all four limbs to the taut steel cable and lugging Quentin on her back, nced behind her.


    A zombie bridge had formed.


    From the building¡¯s sixth¨Cfloor window, wave after wave of undead poured out. Most of them slipped and tumbled six stories down, but a few managed to grip the rope.


    One scrawny, spider¨Clike female zombie scrambled up, using the mangled corpses of herrades as stepping stones. She was freakishly fast, crawling toward Theresa like a predator on silk.


    When the body¨Cpile ran out, the zombieunched forward, dangling midair, limbs wrapped around the wire. Behind her, the next wave didn¡¯t stop. They stomped right over her, driving her body downward with a wet, sickening crunch. /


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    <b>Her </b>neck, thin and brittle, snapped and got wedged hard against the taut cable. The steel wire, under immense tension, sliced into her like a butcher¡¯s de, sawing through flesh, cartge, and bone with a sickening sound.


    And still they came. One after another. Climbing, Grabbing. Stepping on the mangled remains <b>of </b>the ones ahead, shrieking and moaning in a grotesque rhythm. Like ants drawn to a lollipop, the scent of human flesh pulled them forward.


    Theresa saw the madness unfolding and immediately ditched the banter. She went full beast mode- hands and feet working in frantic harmony as she scaled toward the opposite building.


    Behind her, Quentin¡¯s voice drifted up, maddeningly casual.


    ¡°Beautiful, this rope seems pretty solid.¡±


    ¡°No sh*t! You better be praying it holds!¡±


    ¡°But¡­ is the anchor point solid?¡±


    The second he said it, the line shuddered.


    Theresa felt the force in her arms vanish as the rope went ck. And then¨Cgravity.


    She was falling.


    Like a paper scrap caught in the wind, she and Quentin plummeted from the sixth floor. The anchor point on the far building had given way¨Cnot the rope, but the wall it was screwed into. sterboard. Flimsy. Doomed the second a crowd of zombies had pressed their full weight against it.


    Theresa was speechless.


    She didn¡¯t scream. She just wanted to curse someone¡¯s entire family tree.


    Was Quentin cursed? Was he born under a falling star aimed directly at disaster?


    As she dropped, a storm of zombies tumbled after them like hell¡¯s worst pinata burst.


    Six floors up. That gave her maybe two seconds before impact.


    Falling faster. Faster.


    In a split¨Csecond reaction, Theresa whipped her arms and wrapped the rope around her wrists. One, two, three loops.


    The cable screamed.


    The friction lit her palms on fire. She could feel it through her gloves¨Cmolten pain, like someone branding her bones.


    But she held on. She had to hold on.


    Fifth floor. Fourth. Third. Second. Then-


    She jerked to a stop halfway between the second and first floors.


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    Chapter 155 The Rope, the Idiot, and the Fall


    Dangling like a spider on herst strand of silk, Theresa hung suspended in midair.


    s


    Both feet were off the ground. Quentin still clung to her back. Below them, a horde of zombies snarled up- at her¨Cno more than a foot away,


    Just one foot away from getting her ankles ripped to shreds.


    ¡°Graaah¡­¡±


    ¡°Raaaah¡­¡±


    ¡°Uuuhhh¡­¡±


    They snapped their jaws, hungry eyes locked on her swinging body.


    But the real danger wasn¡¯t down below. It wasing from above.


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    s


    The sixth¨Cfloor zombies were still throwing themselves out the windows like a never¨Cending waterfall of death.


    Theresa braced herself, just as one of them came hurtling down¨Cstraight for her.


    There was no way left, right, up, or down. Nowhere to run.


    At that moment, with her hands bound and her body suspended in midair, Theresa suddenly found herself wrapped tight, pressed against the concrete wall.


    The zombie lunged¨Cand missed her by inches.


    Instead, its gnarled ws shed open Quentin¡¯s forearm. A ribbon of blood arced through the air and sttered across Theresa¡¯s face.


    Quentin bent his head, resting his chin lightly on the crown¨Cof hers. He towered over her, shielding her entirely in the cocoon of his arms, using his own body as armor.


    Pinned against the cold concrete, Theresa felt the frantic pounding of a heart behind her. Not her own.


    ¡°Raaah!<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Raaah!¡±


    ¡°Raaah!¡±


    Below them, the horde wed and snapped, desperate to reach her.


    Just twelve inches separated her boots from the sea of writhing, snarling corpses. Some of them were already swiping at her soles.


    Then, she rose.


    Kyle had climbed out halfway from the sixth¨Cfloor window above, veins bulging across his forehead. He gripped the steel cable with both hands, straining with everything he had to haul Theresa upward¨Cfour inches.


    ¡°Theresa!¡±


    He was trying to pull her up!


    But then¨C<i>crash</i><i>! </i>


    The undead below surged.


    The ones still dangling from the bottom of the steel cable got pulled upward too, weighing the line down


    even more<b>. </b>


    The swarm beneath them only grew wilder, more frenzied.


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    They began using their dead brethren asdders, scrambling up the pile. Just sixteen inches more and they¡¯d reach her.


    ¡°Kyle! Stop pulling!¡± Theresa jerked her head out of Quentin¡¯s arms and yelled. Her voice was <b>sharp</b>, urgent. She had already sized up the situation. ¡°Go get the truck!¡±


    First, there <b>was </b>no way Kyle could pull both her and Quentin up six stories. Second, they simply didn¡¯t have that kind of time.


    They needed wheels. Now.


    Kyle hesitated, jaw clenched, then with a final grunt hoisted Theresa another two inches. Heshed the cable to a chunk of concrete with a makeshift anchor, and without another word, disappeared to fetch the vehicle.


    ¡°Theresa! Wait for me!¡±


    Now she hung there, stered against the wall, no more upward pull. Below her, the groaning mouths of the undead kept snapping. Every few seconds, another one fell from above like a grotesque meteor.


    Then, right by her ear, came a voice.


    ¡°Having fun?¡±


    Theresa gritted her teeth. ¡°Fun your *<b>ss</b><b>.</b><b>¡± </b>


    ¡°I¡¯m having a st,¡± Quentin saidzily, his voice like azy bubble drifting up from the dead zone. ¡°Don¡¯t you think this is all kind of exciting?<b>¡± </b>


    She stared ahead, stunned.


    ¡°Before the world ended, I couldn¡¯t find anything interesting. Now, finally, things are starting to get fun.¡±


    Theresa inhaled slowly, trying not to scream. She reached for the only weapon she had¨Csarcastic wisdom.


    ¡°Young man,¡± she muttered, ¡°when the world kisses you with pain, you should respond with a smile. Let go of hate. Embrace the beauty. There¡¯s still so much joy left.¡±


    A pause.


    ¡°Were you a kindergarten teacher or something?¡± Quentin asked.


    ¡°If the world hadn¡¯t ended, and my mom hadn¡¯t died, I probably would¡¯ve gone to college to be a teacher. That was her dream¨Cme bing a teacher, marrying a civil servant, and settling down in Ansford.¡±


    Quentin chuckled, a soft sound. ¡°Before my dad died, he told me to try and be a civil servant too.¡±


    ¡°D*mn,¡± Theresa whispered.


    Then, it came. The rumble. The one sound that drowned out even the undead.


    The roar of an armored engine.


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    Kyle was back.


    s


    The growl of the vehicle rolled in from the distance like thunder over a dry in. Theresa¡¯s heart<b>, </b>suspended so long in dread, finally cased.


    The zombies below didn¡¯t matter anymore. Ten seconds¨Cmaybe fifteen¨Cand she¡¯d be safe.


    Then came another voice, soft and smug. ¡°Beautiful¡­ I never slept with rissa.¡±


    <b>¡°</b>What?!¡±


    ¡°Wanna get a hotel room with me?¡±


    ¡°Elbow to hell, jack*<b>ss</b><b>!</b><b>¡± </b>


    She drove her elbow back hard¨Cright into his gut, but instead of hitting something solid, her strike met¡­ nothing.


    The rope ckened. The embrace on her back¨Cgone.


    She twisted her head around¨CQuentin was falling down into the ocean of wing, snapping monsters.


    ¡°Quentin!¡±


    He hit the horde like a hammer, crashing into the climbing dead. Instead of tearing him apart, they broke his fall¨Ccrushed beneath his weight like rotten fruit.


    He stood up among them, dusted off his knees, then gave his ankle a sharp twist. It popped back into ce with a sickening crunch.


    Then, he waved at her. ¡°Beautiful,¡± he shouted, ¡°next time you catch me, I¡¯ll go home with you!¡±


    Theresa could only stare.


    Then¡­


    Boom.


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    An armored car roared around the corner of the building, barreling through every zombie in its path until it screeched to a halt right in front of Theresa.


    ¡°Theresa!¡±


    Kyle expertly parked the car, raising thedder just high enough for her to climb aboard.


    Finally having solid ground beneath her feet, Theresa quickly untied the steel cable wrapped around her hands. There was no time to worry about anything else¨Cshe immediately scanned the sea of zombies for Quentin.


    But he had already vanished into the endless swarm.


    ¡°Theresa! We have to get out of here!¡±


    Kyle¡¯s voice came from inside the armored car as dozens of¨Czombies wed at its sides.


    ¡°Ughh!¡±


    ¡°Ughh!¡±


    ¡°Ughh!¡±


    Suddenly, zombies descended from above like bats, aiming straight for Theresa standing on the roof.


    <i>Bang</i>!


    She kicked one zombie away and drew her de, shing through the others trying to block the car¡¯s. engine.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    With Theresa¡¯s help, Kyle mmed the elerator and surged forward, breaking through waves of zombies pouring from both sides. But outside, the horde only grewrger.


    From nearby residential neighborhoods, more zombies heard themotion and converged on their position.


    From every direction¨Cfront, back, left, and right¨Ca massive tide of undead surged in.


    The armored car alone couldn¡¯t crush them all. There were simply too many.


    If they didn¡¯t clear a path, the zombies would overwhelm the car.


    On the roof, Theresa scanned the dense crowd ahead. Without hesitation, she stowed her de and raised


    an AK¨C47.


    She stood firm, spraying down anything that got too close.


    <i>Rat</i><i>¨C</i><i>a</i><i>¨C</i><i>tat</i>¨C<i>tat</i>! Rat<i>¨C</i>a<i>¨C</i>tat<i>¨C</i><i>tat</i><i>! </i>


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    Even at full firepower; it wasn¡¯t enough.


    Theresa then hoisted an RPG¨C7 onto lier shoulder.


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    +5 Free <b>Coins </b>


    The rocketuncher <b>was </b>ast resort¨Ctoo loud, too risky. One st and the entire city¡¯s zombies would <b>be </b>drawn to them.


    But now, this was that critical moment.


    <i>Boom</i>.


    Dust and debris exploded into the air as the rocket tore through the thick cluster of zombies<b>, </b>creating a wide, clear path.


    Kyle floored the gas pedal, racing forward at full speed.


    Theresa knelt on one knee atop the car, gripping the RPG¨C7 in one hand and the AK¨C47 in the other.


    Her mental maniption ability red, a powerful, sweeping force nketing the entire area.


    She split her focus¨Csting a path forward with the RPG¨C7, while watching the sides and rear, picking off any zombies who dared to enter her safety zone with precise AK¨C47 shots.


    Rat<b>¨C</b><b><i>a</i></b>¨C<i>tat</i><i>¨C</i>tat! <i>Rat</i><i>¨C</i><i>a</i>¨C<b><i>tat</i></b><i>¨C</i><i>tat</i><i>! </i>


    Boom.


    Theresa single¨Chandedly controlled the battlefield from the car¡¯s roof.


    Inside, the rescued survivors watched the relentless waves of zombies m against the car¡¯s armored walls but never breach the defenses.


    The deafening booms and gunfire sent chills down their spines.


    If anything went wrong¨Cany drop in firepower or a single mechanical failure¨Cthey would be consumed in seconds.


    The entire surrounding area had poured out its undead in pursuit.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes were drawn to the woman on the roof.


    She was just¡­ unstoppable.


    <i>Boom</i><i>. </i>


    Minutester, the armored car hit the highway leading back into the city, and finally, the zombies thinned


    out.


    Those left in the city chased them at a distance.


    Theresa stayed kneeling on the roof, eyes fixed on the mass of zombies behind.


    She fired onest rocket.


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    Chapter 157 The Armored Escape


    Kaboom.


    Smoke and dust billowed as the st wiped out at least a few hundred zombies.


    The <b>car </b>sped on.


    Those chasing gradually lost sight of their target and scattered.


    s


    When only a few dozen zombies remained around the car, Theresa lowered the RPG¨C7 and switched back to the AK¨C47 for cleanup.


    Then a lone figure appeared ahead¨Ca zombie wearing a baseball cap, a tattered T¨Cshirt, and ripped jeans.


    It caught a familiar scent, stubbornly standing in the middle of the road, waiting.


    Its body was twisted and crooked, one knee bent the wrong way, pelvis tilted¨Climping toward them relentlessly.


    Bang!


    The armored car rammed it again before finally leaving the city behind.


    The car drove straight into the residential area of the zing Sun Camp.


    The doors swung open, and rissa led the group out.


    They all stared in awe at the small survivor settlement before them.


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    Thend was covered in neat rows of vegetables, and fenced¨Cin livestock roamed nearby¨Cpigs, chickens, even a few goats. It looked like a small miracle in the middle of a ruined world.


    ¡°This is my camp,¡± Theresa said as she descended from the vehicle. ¡°Do you want to join us<b>?</b>¡±


    Now that there was a moment of calm, she finally got a good look at the neers¨Cfive men and three women. Only one of them had an ability, and it was strength¨Cbased. He was the one who¡¯d first dragged her inside and pleaded for help.


    But even at a nce, it was obvious he wasn¡¯t very strong. The guy looked half¨Cstarved, probably hadn¡¯t caten properly since the world went to hell. Whatever strength he had wasn¡¯t growing much under those conditions.


    The rest of them? Just regr folks.


    They nced at one another, uncertain, then all looked toward the strength¨Ctype ability guy.


    ¡°Is this Kl Camp?¡± Paul Chambers asked, his voice cautious as he addressed Theresa.


    ¡°We¡¯re not Kl Camp, silly! We¡¯re the one and only zing Sun Camp!¡± Yuki chimed in sweetly, sticking close to Theresa¡¯s side like a loyal kitten.


    Theresa gave the girl¡¯s cheek a yful squeeze. ¡°Good job.¡±


    ¡°But we heard about Kl Camp on the radio,¡± one of the younger women piped up. ¡°They said it¡¯s great.¡±


    ¡°Oh, honey, don¡¯t even think about going there!¡± said the cafeteria worker who¡¯d survived with Hugo¡¯s crew. She rushed over, eager to exin. ¡°That ce doesn¡¯t hold a candle to zing Sun Camp!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve got a military unit, though. Isn¡¯t that better?¡± the girl asked hesitantly.


    ¡°Sure, it¡¯s big,¡± the woman said with a grave shake of her head, ¡°but big doesn¡¯t mean safe. You kids are lucky to be here¨Cdon¡¯t go jumping into a pit just because it¡¯s got shiny signs!¡±


    Theresa waved her hand. ¡°Enough. It¡¯s your choice. But if you join us, you work. Everyone here


    contributes.<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°What kind of jobs? We used to be office workers,¡± the same girl asked.


    ¡°We farm, we raise pigs and chickens, catch bugs, build houses¨Ceverything.¡± Yuki beamed. ¡°I help water, the veggies and feed the piggies every day! If I don¡¯t, there¡¯s no food for me!¡±


    The young woman¡¯s face fell.


    <i>What</i>?! <i>Even </i><i>kids </i><i>have </i><i>to </i>work<i>? </i><i>No </i><i>work</i><i>, </i><i>no </i><i>food</i><i>?! </i>


    Theresa caught the look and couldn¡¯t be bothered to coddle another fragile flower clinging to pre- apocalypse dreams. ¡°You¡¯ve got ten seconds. Stay, or go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay,¡± the strength¨Ctype ability user said after just three seconds. His decision was firm.


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    It had been nearly <b>six </b>months since the end of the world. They¡¯d been holed up in an office building, <b>cut </b>off from reality¡ªbut he wasn¡¯t an idiot. Zombies were everywhere. If the world could¡¯ve gone back to normal, it would have by now. But all the radio broadcasts ever talked about were survivor camps.


    This wasn¡¯t just survival anymore. This was the new world.


    And this camp? It had food, structure, and leadership. Theresa had saved them, and she was strong. That was enough for him.


    He stayed¨Cand his choice gave the others courage.


    ¡°I¡¯m in too!¡± another one said.


    One by one, four guys and a girl, including a pretty one named rissa<b>, </b>agreed to stay. They seemed like they came from the same techpany¨Cprobably researchers or engineers.


    Three people were left. They¡¯d been with a differentpany.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay too,¡± said another girl in a soft but clear voice.


    ¡°Jenna? You¡¯re noting to Kl Camp?¡± one of her coworkers asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m staying,¡± Jenna said firmly. ¡°They saved my life. I want to follow them.¡±


    Theresa gave the girl a second nce. She remembered her¨Cthe one who¡¯d been stuck mid¨Cair during the rescue. She had grit.


    Out of eight neers, six chose to stay.


    The girl who¡¯d been pushing for KI Camp grabbed one of the guys and walked away without hesitation. Theresa didn¡¯t try to stop them.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to K1 Camp. It¡¯s way bigger than this dump. This camp¡¯s got nothing,¡± she said over her shoulder.


    ¡°Yeah, it makes sense.¡±


    ¡°And they want us to farm and raise pigs! What are we, peasants? I¡¯m an office worker! I type and make reports! Let¡¯s go to K1 Camp¨Cthey know how to use real talent like us!¡±


    Hugo watched them walk away and rubbed his temples.


    <i>Where </i><i>the </i><i>hell </i><i>did </i><i>these </i><i>airheads </i><i>even </i><ie </i><i>from</i><i>? </i>


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    Chapter 159 What Were They Thinking?


    Chapter 159 What Were They Thinking?


    45 Free Coins


    Honestly, they almost wanted to break those two naive kids¡® legs just to stop them from leaving.


    But of course, kind and weing Theresa wasn¡¯t going to stoop to Hugo and the others¡® level of ¡°viiny.¡± No, she warmly and generously handed them a hand¨Cdrawn map to K1 Camp¨Ccarefully marking the route with the fewest zombies¨Cand wished them a swift and safe journey to their so¨Ccalled paradise.


    And she meant every word. She genuinely couldn¡¯t wait for them to get the hell out.


    That single act of grace won her a wave of admiration.


    Everyone in zing Sun Camp thought the same thing: <i>Our </i><i>camp </i>leader is <i>incredible</i>.


    Shortly after the pair departed, a familiar chime echoed in Theresa¡¯s mind:


    Ding! Six new <i>residents </i><i>added</i><i>! Ding</i><i>! </i><i>Reward</i><i>: </i><i>600 </i><i>points</i><i>! </i><i>Ding</i><i>! </i><i>Bonus</i><i>: </i><i>Strength </i><i>attribute </i><b><i>increased</i></b><i>! </i><i>Ding</i>! Loyalty boost<i>: </i>+<i>10</i>%. Current <i>loyalty</i><i>: </i><i>70</i><i>%</i>.


    She could feel the difference immediately¨Cher strength settling in deeper, more grounded.


    And the neers brought more than just warm bodies. The strength¨Ctype ability user was a wee addition, but even better, rissa, Paul, and the others had worked at a pharmaceuticalpany. Three of them were trained in medicine, instantly solving the camp¡¯s biggest weakness: no medical personnel.


    Theresa was more than satisfied.


    She handed them off to David to help them adjust and learn the camp routines<b>. </b>


    Then she headed straight for Hugo.


    ¡°Come on,¡± she said. ¡°I brought all your stuff back.¡±


    Hugo blinked, stunned. ¡°You¡­ you actually did?¡±


    Thirty minutester, Theresa returned with everything from Hugo¡¯s old research facility.


    The moment Hugo and his teamid eyes on the crates and boxes, it felt like a dream. Instruments,puters, supplies¨Ceverything they thought they¡¯d lost forever was right there, dusty but intact.


    They had never imagined they¡¯d see their research again. Theresa hadn¡¯t just given them food and shelter -she had returned their life¡¯s work. Their identity. Their purpose.


    Tears glistened in more than a few eyes.


    And it wasn¡¯t just equipment¨Cshe had recovered barrels of raw materials they¡¯d once stockpiled. Just enough to jumpstart the polymer greenhouse project they¡¯d only dreamed about.


    ¡°Ms. Hall,¡± one of them said, voice trembling with emotion, ¡°we¡¯ll start on the greenhouses immediately.¡±


    Theresa nodded. ¡°Good. Make it quick.¡±


    The cold front was closing in fast.


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    Chapter 159 What Were They Thinking?


    <b>Three </b>days passed.


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    Far from zing Sun Camp<b>, </b>a young couple finally reached the gates of K1 Camp. After two grueling days of hiking and another full day stuck in quarantine and inspections, they had finally made it to the front of the line.


    ¡°We made it,¡± the girl whispered breathlessly. ¡°We¡¯re finally here.¡±


    ¡°KI Camp is huge! So official! Look¨Creal soldiers!¡± the young man added, eyes shining.


    ¡°This is way more organized than that zing Sun ce,¡± she said with conviction.


    Behind them in line, a man in a gray shirt and sses leaned in. He had let them cut the line earlier, and he was the only person who had spoken to them with any warmth.


    ¡°zing Sun Camp?¡± he asked, curious. ¡°Never heard of it. What was it like?¡±


    The girl turned to him. ¡°It¡¯s a small camp we stayed in first. They actually rescued us from the city. Some of our friends stayed there, but we wanted toe here instead. zing Sun Camp was too small. And they made us do way too much work.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± the man said. ¡°What kind of work?<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°They wanted us to farm! And raise pigs! So many pigs! And we had to feed them! Even the little kids had to work. If you didn¡¯t work, you didn¡¯t eat.¡±


    As her voice trailed off, the man stared at her in disbelief.


    ¡°You mean¡­ that ce was heaven?¡± he said, stunned.


    The girl blinked. ¡°What?¡±


    Before she could answer, the final checkpoint buzzed and the gate swung open. After a final X¨Cray scan, they stepped into K1 Camp atst.


    What they saw froze them in ce.


    It was a patchwork of chaos. Endless rows of makeshift shelters built from tarps, cloth, and scavenged metal, sagging under their own weight. Torn nkets and old shirts stitched the gaps. The smell of sweat and smoke lingered in the air.


    People sat slumped on the ground, hollow¨Ceyed and filthy. Somewhere nearby, the nging of metal echoed¨Cmen struggling to hoist rusted sheets and sandbags to repair a crumbling wall.


    The narrow streets were clogged with drifters, scavengers, and exhausted faces. Tension buzzed in the air, thick as smog. Every expression looked broken.


    It was nothing like they had imagined.


    <i>This</i><i>¡­ </i><i>this </i>is <i>K1 </i><i>Camp</i><i>? </i>


    They had believed it would be powerful, high¨Ctech. Not quite a futuristic bunker from <b>a </b><b>sci</b>¨Cfi movie, maybe¨Cbut at least something that resembled civilization.

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    At the very least, anywhere had to be better than that unheard¨Cof ce called zing Sun Camp, right<b>? </b>


    Everyone from zing Sun Camp apparently lived in the vi district¨Crows of homes surrounded by farnd, lush with vegetables and livestock. Every household had their own pigs.


    Wasn¡¯t that just the bare minimum?


    ¡°You¡¯re being assigned to the West Zone,¡± the staffer said curtly, tossing them a small metal tag. ¡°There¡¯s a shanty that opened up a few days ago. That¡¯s where you¡¯ll be staying.¡±


    The girl caught the tag and frowned. ¡°This<b>¡­ </b>this <b>is </b>it?¡±


    ¡°What else do you want?¡± The staffer looked up with visible irritation. ¡°You didn¡¯t bring <b>a </b>single supply with you. What are you expecting, a wee basket?¡±


    Every camp required neers to hand over at least half their resources. If someone contributed enough, Kl Camp would give them a better room¨Cand even credit points, which could be exchanged at the canteen for food or other essentials.


    Truth be told, K1 Camp had one of the lowest bars for entry of any camp out there.


    They took in anyone, no questions asked. Even if they had absolutely nothing, even if they couldn¡¯t lift a shovel, Kl Camp still gave them shelter, safety, and the bare minimum to survive.


    Try that at Hope Camp. They wouldn¡¯t touch the useless with a ten¨Cfoot pole.


    The staffer eyed the pair with a look of growing disdain. ¡°If you want something better, you work for it. We¡¯ve got two job categories: construction and scavenging. Both earn you points. Rack up enough, and you can apply for better housing.¡±


    The girl¡¯s face went pale. ¡°What?! You expect us to build things or go scavenge?!¡±


    ¡°What did you think this was?¡± he replied, ncing at her intake form. ¡°You¡¯ve got no specialized skills. If you were a nurse or doctor, maybe we¡¯d put you in the medical team.¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯re office workers! I know how to type! I do paperwork! I used to work for a major corporation- surely you need that kind of talent!¡±


    She barely finished speaking when a chorus ofughter broke out from the crowd.


    ¡°Oh, you worked for a bigpany?¡± chuckled a middle¨Caged man lugging a stack of bricks. ¡°I was a VP at one of the world¡¯srgest corporations!¡±


    ¡°I owned my own business<b>!</b><b>¡± </b>


    ¡°I had ten houses before the world ended! Look where it got me¨Cha!¡±


    These two young city¨Cdwellers had just gotten their first taste of post¨Capocalyptic reality. Hard.


    Truthfully, they couldn¡¯t be med entirely. They¡¯d been trapped in an office with decent rations and kind coworkers. They had no idea how brutal the outside world had be.


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    ¡°I told you that zing Sun Camp <b>was </b>paradise,¡± someone nearby muttered. ¡°No camp is producing food these days. If they¡¯ve got livestock, that means they¡¯ve got more food than they can eat! And you left that toe here?¡±


    The young couple said nothing,pletely shell¨Cshocked.


    It hit them all at once¨Cthey had walked away from a golden opportunity, from a miracle.


    Why had they left that heaven¨Con¨Cearth zing Sun Camp, crossed who¨Cknows¨Chow¨Cmany miles, andnded in this backwater hellhole?


    They had scoured every option, fought tooth and nail, and still managed to pick the worst possible ce.


    Bad enough that they both wanted to p themselves right then and there.


    They¡¯d had the chance of a lifetime. They¡¯d squandered it. And now, only regret remained.


    And they weren¡¯t the only ones feeling the sting.


    ¡°Mom, Damien texted me again. They had pork for dinner today¨Cagain! And guess what? Their camp leader got Professor Wagner¡¯s equipment back! Now his dad and the professor are doing research every day! And they still get fresh meat!


    ¡°Dad, I miss pork so much. I want to be with them. They even have a store that sells candy. I want a lollipop¡­¡±


    Josiah and his wife listened to their daughter¡¯s words with burning regret.


    Every update from Hugo¡¯s group was like another p to the face.


    They had gone with Theresa and were now living the kind of life no one dared to even dream of.


    Theresa had promised meat every day¨Cand she¡¯d delivered.


    She¡¯d even made it back into a zombie¨Cinfested city and returned with research equipment!


    Now they were continuing their work.


    Meanwhile, Josiah¡¯s family was still stuck in a leaky shanty, doing manualbor, dreaming about meat like it was a myth.


    They couldn¡¯t fathom how they¡¯d been so stupid.


    How had they passed up the chance to go to zing Sun Camp?


    Hugo had even persuaded them toe. And they¡¯d said no.

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    Chapter 161 The Price of Shortsightedness


    How could they have been so stupid? So blind?


    s


    Josiah¡¯s wife couldn¡¯t stop the shame from burning across her face whenever she remembered how she used to mock Theresa. The memory was like a p she gave herself over and over.


    Back then, they¡¯d had a chance. A real shot at something better. And they blew it.


    Now, night after sleepless night, regret gnawed at them.


    They¡¯d practically turned green with envy and blue with regret.


    While life in KI Camp was a daily grind of hardship, folks in zing Sun Camp were fighting just as hard, but with purpose.


    ¡°Time to set up the greenhouses!¡± someone hollered. ¡°Let¡¯s go, people¨Cwe¡¯ve got to get all of them done by the end of the week!¡±


    Theresa was already on site early that morning. Hugo had given her the news before sunrise¨Cthey¡¯d finished the first batch of high¨Cpolymer stic greenhouses.


    As soon as the materials rolled in, everyone pitched in.


    Even Yuki came out to help with the framework.


    As camp leader, Theresa made sure she was there to supervise¨Cand pitch in herself.


    By midday, a quarter of the farnd had been covered with greenhouse structures.


    ¡°Seven days left in the month. Can we really finish them all in time?¡± she asked, surveying the rows of crops now protected by the new structures.


    Hugo gave a firm nod. ¡°We¡¯ll get it done. I promise.¡±


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Theresa said with a pleased smile. ¡°Everyone, keep up the great work! We¡¯ll be handing out bonuses at the end of the year!¡±


    Cheers rang out.


    The boost in morale was immediate¨Cpeople worked faster, harder, with a fire in their bellies.


    zing Sun Camp now had 46 residents. Except for a few, like Hugo, working on research, everyone else had a role in production.


    Production came first. Always.


    In the apocalypse<b>, </b>camps failed not because of zombies, but because they couldn¡¯t sustain themselves.


    The earlier a camp could establish a working production line, the more stable and self¨Csufficient it became.


    But that was easier said than done.


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    Chapter 161 The Price of Shortsightedness


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    In the beginning<b>, </b><b>every </b>camp was just <b>a </b>patchwork setup thrown together in panic. Locations were chosen based on how far <b>they </b>were from zombic swarms and whether there was any sort of barrier¨Cnatural or manmade.


    That meant farnd was scarce. Survivors poured in, and there simply wasn¡¯t enough room¨Cor time<b>¨C</b>to <b>grow </b>anything.


    Everyone was too busy surviving to even think about nting crops.


    And then came the weather.


    Next year would mark the beginning of three brutal years of extreme climate.


    Theresa had lived through it all in her previous life¨Cten long years of apocalypse survival. And that kind of experience gave her a vision nobody else had.


    While the rest could barely n a week ahead, she could see ten years into the future.


    Those three years of hellish weather destroyed every hope the camps had of getting production off the ground. They all missed the early window of rtive peace¨Cthe one chance to build up supplies.


    By the time the climate finally eased up, it was already toote.


    The zombies had evolved.


    Hordes poured out of abandoned cities<b>, </b>each wave deadlier than thest. Camps were too busy fending them off to even think about nting or harvesting. And even if they could spare the manpower, farming required time¨Ctime they no longer had.


    That¡¯s why no one ever managed to get ahead. Every camp, from start to finish, was buried under a mountain of shortages.


    But Theresa was determined to break the cycle!


    She looked out over the camp she was building with her own hands.


    This time, while the world.was still in its early lull, she would turn zing Sun Camp into a fortress.


    A real stronghold¨Cwith a steady stream of food, meat, vegetables, and grain. A self¨Csufficient ecosystem with walls strong enough to hold back anything that came their way.


    Even evolved zombies.


    ¡°Long live Theresa<b>!</b>¡±


    ¡°Long live Theresa!¡±


    ¡°Long live Theresa<b>!</b>¡±


    After inspecting the greenhouses and helping finish a few herself, Theresa returned to her bunker.


    She¡¯d sent Kyle to help coordinate the builds for the next few days. As for her, she had other ns.


    She was going to expand the camp¡¯s borders.


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    Chapter 161 The Price of Shortsightedness


    Thend on the outskirts had few zombies. It was the perfect time to stake her im.


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    If a zombie horde ever came, her radar system would catch them long before they reached her gates.


    ¡°Summer! Lucky! Cash! Buddy! Max! Let¡¯s roll out!¡±


    With her loyal dogs and her armored car, Theresa hit the road.


    She drove fast, pushing the armored vehicle through abandoned stretches of highway.


    Just like before, she marked the camp¡¯s borders herself.


    The dogs sprinted through fields and side roads, helping her scout and secure thend.


    By the time she finished circling the wide swath ofnd near the old Ansford route, she turned her attention to the highway up ahead.

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    Chapter 162 The Roadside Diner Encounter


    THE <b>0530 </b>


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    Theresa spotted a roadside diner up ahead. These diners were usually old houses converted for business, built along the highway. Most had poor business and looked rundown. This one was no different¨Ctwo buildings beside it stood abandoned and empty.


    But Theresa never passed up a ce worth exploring. Even if it was just a restroom, she¡¯d go in and snag a couple of toilet paper packs.


    She walked across the street with Summer. Halfway across, she suddenly heard a loud bang.


    The diner¡¯s door mmed open.


    A man tumbled out, scrambling away on all fours.


    He wore a gray shirt and thick sses, and he was retreating desperately.


    Chasing after him was an elderly zombie¨Csomewhere in its¨Cseventies or eighties¨Cmissing half its body and snarling fiercely.


    The man kept backing up, never stopping.


    Inside, a voice shouted urgently, ¡°Just kill it! That zombie¡¯s easy to take down!¡±


    ¡°No way! I can¡¯t do it!¡± came the panicked reply.


    ¡°Are you useless or what?!¡± another voice yelled. Then, a man with arge backpack burst out of the diner.


    He red disdainfully at his fallenpanion. ¡°Why did I pick such a useless partner? You should just die!¡±


    He hoisted his pack and sprinted away.


    At that moment, another zombie lunged from the dark interior, heading straight for him.


    In a sh, Theresa saw a bright light streak through the air.


    The backpacked man was taken down.


    The man in the gray shirt seized the moment, slipping past the attacking zombie as if teleporting, and grabbed hispanion, saving him.


    They hit the ground hard,nding just ahead of the zombie.


    ¡°You okay?¡± the rescuer asked.


    The saved man, shaken from nearly being bitten to death, looked at the still¨Cmoving zombie with no gratitude. Without hesitation, he shoved his savior toward the creature and took off running.


    The gray¨Cshirted man was caught off guard and stumbled backward into the zombie.


    Just as the zombie was about to sink its teeth into him-


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    Chapter 162 The Roadside Diner Encounter


    ¡°Woof! Woof?¡±


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    Arge ck dog sprang onto the man¡¯s head, swiping a paw at the old zombie whose teeth were nearly


    gone.


    ck blood sttered across the man¡¯s face.


    With a heavy thud, the zombie¡¯s head hit the ground.


    ¡°Hey, are you alright?¡±


    Elias Churban, whose eyes were tightly shut, blinked open his lids at the calm,zy voice.


    Through his ultra¨Cthick sses, he saw a girl standing in the sunlight, arms crossed, looking down at him.


    He hadn¡¯t seen such a fresh, clean, and pretty girl in the apocalypse in a long time.


    ¡°Hey, you dead?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not!¡± Elias quickly came to his senses, looking behind him to see the two elderly zombiespletely dismembered.


    He nced back at Theresa with sincere gratitude. ¡°Thank you for saving me.¡±


    Theresa respondedzily with a hum. She recognized him¨Che was the guy who always waited in line outside Kl Camp. She never expected to run into this strange man here, of all ces.


    Elias silently got to his feet, nced around the yard, grabbed a shovel leaning against the wall, and walked toward the zombie corpses.


    Theresa wondered if he was going to finish them off or dig for gleamstones, but instead, Elias started diggingrge holes beside the bodies.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Rest in peace,¡± he said softly.


    He was burying the zombies.


    Theresa stood there silently, watching Elias sweat profusely as he carefully gathered every part of the two zombies, piecing them back together and burying them properly.


    ¡°Sorry, old folks. I¡¯lle visit when I have time,¡± Elias said, bowing sincerely.


    Theresa was speechless.


    The more she watched this young man, the more impressed she became.


    Suddenly, a name shed in her mind from the list of top ten toughest people¨Ccould it be¡­ Elias Churban?


    She fixed her gaze on the gray shirted man. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    Elias wiped the sweat from his brow, smiled weakly on his malnourished face, and replied, ¡°My name is Elias Churban.¡±


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    163 The Light in the Darkness


    Chapter 163 The Light in the Darkness


    What the heck? Theresa gasped.


    It really was that guy.


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    In the apocalypse, humanity had split at the scams¨Cevil in its worst forms, kindness in its purest. Elias was thetter.


    He was the only person on the list of the top ten toughest survivors who hadn¡¯t earned his spot through bloodshed or brutality.


    His ability? Teleportation¨Ca variant of space¨Cbased powers. At his best, he could teleport up to sixteen feet. It was one of the most powerful mutant abilities¨Cperfect for escape or assassination.


    But Elias had never killed a soul. Not a person. Not even a zombie.


    He had spent his life saving others.


    What made him a legend was a zombie siege¨Ctens of thousands of undead breaking through the outer defenses of the camp he lived in. Before reinforcements arrived, everyone fled toward the underground shelters in a desperate panic.


    Everyone¡­ except Elias.


    He ran above ground, back and forth through the sea of death, hauling those too weak to move¨Cone by one¨Conto his back and teleporting them to safety.


    By the time the support squad showed up with heavy firepower, Elias had already saved over a hundred people¨Cmen and women, young and old, soldiers and civilians alike.


    His clothes were soaked through. The ropes at the edge of the shelter had ripped his palms raw, skin torn and bloodied from climbing. Bloody welts wrapped around his shoulders where bodies had hung, one after the other. And when it was all over, he copsed, legspletely spent, as if they would never walk again.


    They fed him water, food, and nursed him for three days just to bring him back from death¡¯s edge.


    After that, his name spread like wildfire.


    He was written into the annals of apocalypse history¨Ca top ten toughest survivor not for cruelty, but for relentlesspassion.


    People called him the light of the end times.


    His unwavering kindness reminded humanity that, even in the deepest darkness, there could still be a spark of human decency.


    But good people rarely got happy endings.


    In the ninth year of the apocalypse, Elias died¨Cworn down by exhaustion, long¨Cterm hunger, and chronic. illness. He had always shared his rations, giving them away to anyone who looked hungrier. Even with Kl Camp offering him preferential treatment, he never ate his fill. If someone else needed it more, he gave it


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    away.


    His entire life, he gave and gave.


    When he died, KI Camp lowered its g to half¨Cstaff and mourned him for a full day.


    The next day, another zombie siege hit Kl Camp.


    But this time, there was no Elias to throw himself into the fray, no one to save the slow and the weak.


    Some said, if he had lived just one more day, he could have saved dozens more.


    But it didn¡¯t matter anymore.


    Soon after, the camps in the entire Eastern region copsed. Humanity fell deeper into its darkest hour.


    He had been like the final echo of a once¨Cgreat civilization.


    And when that echo faded, so too did thest of the light.


    His strength alone couldn¡¯t hold back the tide.


    But maybe it was a blessing that he died before the end. Because up until the moment he closed his eyes, he still believed¨Cbelieved that humanity would survive the apocalypse¡­ and reim the peace of the old world.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Elias asked.


    ¡°Theresa Hall,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Theresa Hall,¡± he repeated, nodding solemnly. ¡°Good. I¡¯ll remember that. I¡¯ll chant blessings for you every day. May you live a long, safe life. Thank you for saving me.¡±


    Theresa blinked. ¡°Oh really? That¡¯s it? You¡¯re just going to pay me back with your words?¡±


    This man with his heavy sses and goofy, wholesome smile¨Chad no idea what kind of trouble he¡¯d just stepped into. Theresa grinned, already scheming.


    Someone this incredible¡­ she had to recruit him.


    Elias paused, then nodded in all seriousness. ¡°You¡¯re right. A life¨Csaving debt can¡¯t be repaid with words alone. I should work like a horse for you¨Cwhatever you want.¡±


    ¡°In that case,¡± Theresa dered with a wicked grin, ¡°from this day forward, you¡¯re my horse.¡±


    ¡°What the heck?!¡± Elias¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    She couldn¡¯t be serious. She literally meant he¡¯d be her horse?!


    ¡°I¡¯m not totally unreasonable,¡± Theresa continued smoothly. ¡°Be my horse, and I¡¯ll give you three meals a day, a roof over your head, wedding gifts when you get married, a baby shower when your kid¡¯s born¡­ I¡¯ll even give you one hundred points a month in wages. You can use them to trade for anything¨Cfood, gear, you name it. My camp¡¯s got it all.¡±


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    Elias stared like he¡¯d just heard someone recite a foreignnguage.


    ¡°But¡­ but I already joined K1 Camp,¡± he said hesitantly.


    g


    ¡°That ce has no future. You need to throw in with a camp that actually has hope. Like ours¨Czing Sun Camp.¡±


    His eyes lit up like fireworks. ¡°zing Sun Camp?! You¡¯re from zing Sun?!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve heard of us?¡±


    He nodded so fast it looked like his head might fall off. ¡°I¡¯ve heard everything! You¡¯re the one they talk about¨Cthe kind¨Chearted leader who saved Felicity Quinn and her partner from the city and sent them away without asking for anything. You¡¯re a good person. I want to join you!¡±

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    Chapter 164 The Camp Mascot


    Theresa blinked. ¡°What in the world?¡±


    She had no idea that letting those two go¨Cand even handing them a map¨Chad set off a chain reaction she never could have imagined.


    One of the people she let go was named Felicity. After she and herpanion reached KI Camp, they went on and on about how amazing zing Sun Camp was. ording to them, everything there was better: the camp itself, the food, the vibes, and especially their leader, Theresa.


    Elias, who¡¯d heard all of this secondhand, had been intrigued. But the more he listened, the more convinced he became: zing Sun Camp was his promisednd. And the leader they kept praising? She must be some kind of saint! He had to meet her. More than that¨Che had to follow her.


    Theresa, entirely unaware of the storm she¡¯d stirred up, ended up recruiting a top¨Ctier asset thanks to her spur¨Cof¨Cthe¨Cmoment kindness.


    Ding<i>! </i><i>Camp </i><i>guard </i><i>detected</i><i>: </i><i>+1</i><i>! </i><i>Reward</i><i>: </i><i>full </i><ibat </i><i>uniform</i>, <i>1000 </i>points<i>! </i><i>Loyalty </i><i>increased</i><i>: </i><i>current </i><i>loyalty </i><i>99</i><i>%</i>! <i>Special </i><i>ability </i><i>unlocked</i><i>¨C</i><i>teleportation</i><i>! </i>


    The moment Elias agreed to join, a flood of notifications rang through Theresa¡¯s mind.


    An invisible energy surged beneath her feet. She nced at Elias¨Cwho stood just three feet away¨Cand lifted her foot. In the blink of an eye, she teleported straight to him.


    Instantaneous movement. No wind¨Cup. Nog. Just pure speed. This teleportation ability was no small prize¨Cit was a life¨Csaving trump card.


    Theresa was ecstatic. This mutant power was beyond useful.


    And Elias? He stood there wide¨Ceyed with joy. ¡°Whoa! You can teleport, too? I thought I was the only one! And you¡¯re even better at it¡ªyour range is twice mine!¡±


    Currently, Elias could only teleport about a foot and a half at most. Theresa had just jumped three feet like it was nothing.


    Theresa chuckled and pped him on the shoulder. ¡°Well, I am your leader. I have to lead by example, right? Stick with me, kid¨Cyou¡¯ll go far.¡±


    Elias nodded so hard he nearly gave himself whish. His eyes burned with loyalty and admiration.


    That day, Theresa expanded her territory by another five acres and picked up a hidden gem of a recruit.


    A good day indeed.


    Of course, Theresa had no intention of bringing someone like Elias onto the battlefield. He wasn¡¯t made for that.


    His talentsy elsewhere..


    She¡¯d already decided: Elias would be the zing Sun Camp mascot.


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    Chapter 164 The Camp Mascot


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    He¡¯d stay behind to guard the camp, help out residents, manage supplies, and keep morale high. His sunny personality and eagerness to help made him perfect for the role. He might not y zombies, but he could protect people in other ways.


    Smart leadership wasn¡¯t about using people recklessly. It was about precision¨Ccing people where they¡¯d shine brightest.


    Theresa had seen it too many times before: leaders dragging the wrong people into the wrong situations out of sentiment or blind faith. She wouldn¡¯t make that mistake.


    Yes, Elias was powerful. Yes, he was trustworthy. But taking him intobat would only create problems. He wasn¡¯t a killer¨Che was a helper. And that self¨Csacrificing, pure¨Chearted nature of his? That was a liability on the battlefield.


    Theresa prided herself on being a smart leader. She saw the big picture and made ns with purpose.


    So, she made Elias¡® role crystal clear.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be in charge of all logistics around camp,¡± she told him. ¡°Manage the bunker, support the residents, keep everything running smoothly.¡±


    The moment he heard ¡°help people,¡± Elias¡® eyes lit up. ¡°Absolutely! I can do that!¡±


    Theresa drove him back to the residential district.


    As they rolled in, Elias finally saw it¨Cthe real zing Sun Camp. The one Felicity had described.


    Rows of neat, tidy houses. Fields stretching for miles. Every home had its own chickens, ducks, and even pigs. It was dinner time, and the smell of home¨Ccooked food filled the air. Smoke driftedzily from chimneys. People strolled down the street, cheerful and rxed.


    And when they saw Theresa?


    ¡°Theresa, you¡¯re back!¡±


    ¡°Did you bring someone new again?¡±


    ¡°Hey! Theresa¡¯s back!¡±


    Smiles and greetings erupted all around them.


    Elias¡® heart thudded in his chest.


    This. This was the world he¡¯d always dreamed of.


    Peace. Warmth. Community. It was all real.


    Off in the fields, Kyle was building a greenhouse when he saw Theresa return. He wiped his hands and walked over.


    ¡°Theresa!¡±


    She waved him over. ¡°Come meet your new teammate. This is Elias.¡±


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    Chapter 164 The Camp Mascot


    +5 Free <b>Coins </b>


    Kyle looked the new guy up and down: gray shirt, heavy sses, a little shy, but with clear, honest eyes.


    Theresa had picked a good one.


    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± Kyle said, extending a hand. ¡°I¡¯m Kyle. I¡¯m Theresa¡¯s-¡±


    ¡°I know!¡± Elias grabbed his hand, beaming. ¡°You¡¯re her loyal workhorse! Me too! I¡¯m also Theresa¡¯s loyal workhorse!¡±


    Kyle: ¡°What?¡±


    Theresa: ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s¡­ one way to put it.¡±


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    The truth was exactly what Elias said.


    ¡°From now on, we¡¯ll work together for Theresa, Kyle said with his usual grace<i>. </i>


    Elias nodded eagerly. ¡°Theresa saved my life. I¡¯ll do everything I can!¡±


    Just like that, Theresa had brought back another helping hand to zing Sun Camp.


    Elias, now officially serving as her guard, moved in with Kyle. They both stayed just outside her underground bunker.


    * Free Going


    Theresa entrusted nearly all of the bunker¡¯s day¨Cto¨Cday responsibilities to Elias¨Ctending the garden, harvesting vegetables, feeding the chickens, pigs, and dogs. It was all his now.


    Kyle was finally freed from the grind.


    And once the chores around the bunker were finished, Elias would head over to the residential sector to help wherever he was needed.


    Theresa even handed him a small pickup truck so he could move supplies or assist with restocking goods in themunity store. Whenever Tessa needed a hand, Elias was the one she sent.


    He had seamlessly filled the role of the camp¡¯s much¨Cneeded logistics manager.


    No more busywork for Theresa. She could finally breathe.


    Before they knew it, the end of the month had arrived.


    Thanks to everyone¡¯s hard work, the new greenhouses at zing Sun Camp werepleted just in time.


    On thest day of the month, a cold front swept in. The temperature plummeted below 32¡ãF, and snow began to fall.


    All the vulnerable crops and fruit nts were quickly shielded with polymer greenhouse covers. Even the pigpens were wrapped with tarps.


    zing Sun Camp¡¯s livestock and crops were protected¨Cand of course, so were its people.


    Theresa pulled out a stockpile of winter down coats and distributed them to every single resident¨Cfor free.


    ¡°This is one of the benefits of living in zing Sun Camp. One coat per person!¡± she announced.


    The moment people saw the down jackets¨Csized for adults and kids alike¨Cthey were overwhelmed. Gratitude swept through the crowd like a tidal wave.


    ¡°Mom! Dad! Look, I got new clothes!¡± Yuki, glowing with joy, ran to her parents, twirling in her brand¨Cnew coat. ¡°Theresa let me pick it out myself! Isn¡¯t it pretty?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± her mother whispered, tears brimming in her eyes. She leaned against her husband. ¡°Honey¡­ we really met someone special. Theresa¡¯s a good person. A truly good person.¡±


    ¡±


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    Chapter 165 The First Snow


    David wrapped his arm around her shoulder and nodded solemnly. ¡°She is.¡±


    15 <b>Free </b>Oike


    If they hadn¡¯t met Theresa, they might not have starved¡ªbut they sure wouldn¡¯t be living like this.


    Back then, there had been zombies right outside their vi gates. David had tried to leave, only to find more undead waiting just beyond.


    They¡¯d been forced to grow bean sprouts in buckets and cultivate whatever little vegetables they could just


    to survive.


    But Theresa had changed everything. She made the zombies a non¨Cissue, gave them meat and full meals, and now even winter coats.


    Leo and his crew were just as emotional.


    Theresa had rescued them from a zombie¨Cinfested factory. At the time, she had looked like a divine figureing down from the heavens.


    Without her, they¡¯d be long dead.


    But she didn¡¯t just save them¨Cshe gave them a stable home, food, and now even warm clothes. To them, she was something more than just a leader¨Cshe was a savior.


    ¡°Hard to believe we¡¯re sitting here, watching snow fall, eating hot food, wearing new clothes,¡± Leo¡¯s wife murmured, snuggled under the nket beside him as they stared out the window.


    ¡°All thanks to Theresa,¡± he said.


    She nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Elsewhere, Hugo was expressing his gratitude as well.


    ¡°Professor Wagner, I¡¯ve got to thank you. If we hadn¡¯te back with you then¡­ I don¡¯t even want to imagine what life would be like in Kl Camp now.¡±


    ¡°Seriously,¡± someone chimed in. ¡°They don¡¯t even hand out winter coats in Kl! My son Damien managed to contact Josiah¡¯s daughter over the radio. He said they have nothing there. When he told her we got new coats, she was green with envy!¡±


    ¡°Let ¡®em be jealous,¡± someone else muttered. ¡°They turned their noses up at Theresa. Serves them right.¡±


    ¡°Exactly! They could¡¯ve joined us. They didn¡¯t. Now look at them. Theresa¡¯s the real deal. We made the right call.¡±


    Thest batch of neers¨CPaul and the others¨Cwere beaming as they received their coats.


    ¡°I knew staying here was the right choice,¡± Paul said, tugging on his new jacket. ¡°No way K1 Camp treats people this well.¡±


    ¡°I just heard Professor Wagner talking about it,¡± a man nearby added. ¡°He said they¡¯ve got nothing over there. Paul, you were spot on.


    ¡°Theresa¡¯s a good person. And zing Sun Camp? It¡¯s the best ce to be.¡±


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    Chapter 165 The First Snow


    Outside, the snow fell in thick white sheets, nketing the world in silence.


    s


    Inside the camp, everything was calm and secure as they weed the first snowstorm of the season.


    The snowkes floated like goose feathers from the sky.


    Inside the bunker, the air remained cozy and warm.


    The temperature in the underground shelter stayedfortable year¨Cround, cool in summer and warm in winter. The steel housing outside, crafted from materials supplied by the system, was just as well- insted.


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    From the second¨Cfloor tower, Theresa gazed out over her territory, her eyes scanning the snowy horizon. The ck greenhouses stood solid and peaceful in the storm¡¯s white veil. Atst, a rare smile of satisfaction softened her face.


    Her camp had weathered the cold snap like a fortress.


    After descending the narrow stairs, she pushed open the door and called out.


    ¡°Kyle, Goofy! Come here for your reward!¡±


    Elias paused in the middle of his task. ¡°Theresa, my name¡¯s Elias. You can call me Eli, if that¡¯s easier.¡±


    ¡°Eli sounds awful,¡± she shot back. ¡°Goofy¡¯s better. Goofy,e on over.¡±


    Elias let out a sigh.


    Goofy? Really?


    He didn¡¯t even think he was that silly.


    ¡°You¡¯re my people,¡± Theresa dered, hands on hips. ¡°And it¡¯s the end of the year. That means double bonuses. Two down jackets each, two sets of thermal wear, and one hundred points to spend on whatever you want. Find Tessa if you want to buy anything.¡±


    At that, Elias forgot about the nickname. ¡°Deal! Thanks, Theresa!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Theresa,¡± Kyle echoed beside him.


    Theresa beamed. These two were good stock. Not tools. Notborers. They were like her brothers. She riled them up with a few more words of encouragement, then added, ¡°Go cook. It¡¯s a snowy day¡ªwe¡¯re having pot stew. Get a fresh fish and some pork ribs while you¡¯re at it!¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±


    ¡°You got it!¡±


    With the boys off to work, Theresa turned to more important matters¨Cher sixteen dogs. One by one, she dressed each in thick, festive outfits, then opened the door.


    It was time to walk the dogs.


    Well, they were going for a walk. She had something else in mind¨Cteleportation practice.


    Out in the forest, the dogs bounded through the snow, eager to chase her. But each time they got close, whoosh¨Cshe vanished, reappearing six to ten feet away.


    They didn¡¯t know what to make of it.


    How could they chase someone who disappeared every time they caught up?


    For Theresa, teleporting while dodging stampeding dogs turned out to be an unexpectedly fun training


    HI


    O


    15:02 Mon, 11 <b>Aug </b>


    Chapter 166 Five Feet Further


    <b>+5 </b>Free <b>Coins </b>


    exercise. Over and over, she shifted through space, imprinting the motion in her muscle memory. And slowly, she started to understand the core of the ability.


    It burned mind power. Not stamina, not physical strength¨Cpure psychic energy.


    Each time she blinked through space, she felt the drain. The same level of exhaustion she¡¯d only felt before after running her omni¨Cdomain psychic radar for ten minutes straight.


    So, teleportation had a cost. And not a small one.


    She thought of Elias again¨Chow, in the past life, he¡¯d used this ability to rescue over a hundred people from a burning camp. That had to be willpower alone.


    Still, his range had been short. Just a few feet each time.


    She, on the other hand, had already pushed past ten feet.


    Theresa continued practicing until she hit a wall. Fourteen feet. That was her current limit. Every time she tried to go farther, something invisible pulled her back¨Ca tight, unmovable force pressing down on her from above.


    A mental ceiling.


    But if there was one thing Theresa hated, it was being held down.


    Rebellion was in her bones. She didn¡¯t care if the whole world said ¡°stop¡°-she would push forward


    anyway.


    She locked her eyes on a pine tree seventeen feet ahead and focused. Shepressed every ounce of her mind power to a single point. Her head throbbed, pressure building like a bomb about to burst.


    Don¡¯t <i>rx</i><i>. </i><i>Don¡¯t </i><i>give </i><i>up</i>. <i>That </i><i>tree </i><i>is </i><i>the </i><i>target</i>.


    A sh of light. A single, sharp sound, like a breath being sucked from the world.


    The dogs all stopped. Their noses twitched.


    Theresa was no longer where she¡¯d been.


    Instead, she stood beneath the pine tree, five feet farther than she¡¯d ever gone before.


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡±


    The dogs barked like they¡¯d seen a ghost.


    Theresa clutched her skull, the pain ringing through her head like a bell. That one push had left her brain hollowed out. It felt worse than the time she¡¯d used mind power to kill a group of zombies.


    ¡°My mind power¡¯s still too weak,¡± she muttered, rubbing her temples.


    If she wanted more range¨Cmore strength¨Cshe needed to grow. Fast.


    There were only two ways to strengthen mind power: constant use of abilities, and consuming Evoloid made from gleamstones of zombies with mental maniption abilities.


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    Chapter 166 Five Feet Further


    2007


    <b>+5 </b>Free Coins


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask Kl Camp if they¡¯ve got any gleamstones from zombies with mental maniption abilities. I¡¯ll buy them<b>.</b>¡±


    Theresa turned back, the dogs trotting loyally behind her. ¡°Only sixteen feet¡­ still too weak,¡± she muttered.


    What she didn¡¯t realize was that if Elias, Lucas, or even Bennic had seen her, their jaws would¡¯ve hit the frozen ground.


    Sixteen feet in one teleport? And it had only been six months since the apocalypse began?


    That was Elias¡® peak performance froin his entirest life.


    Theresa had already reached it.


    By all standards, her teleportation ability had reached Level <i>5</i>.


    Most people outside still hadn¡¯t passed Level 1 or 2.


    And that wasn¡¯t even the full list of her powers. She had water¨Cbased, nt¨Cbased, mental maniption, speed¨Ctype, and strength¨Ctype abilities¨Cthest two amplified multiple times over.


    She was a walking apocalypse. No one else even came close.


    When she returned with her canine army, Kyle and Elias had already finished cooking. The warmth of stew and sizzling pork filled the air, weing her home like a banner of smoke and spice.


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    Chapter 167 Fireside Deals and Frostbitten Bargains


    Chapter 167 Fireside Deals and Frostbitten Bargains


    +5 Free Colhd


    All the fresh vegetables, meatballs, sliced fish, chicken, and pork were neatly arranged around the pot stew bubbling at the center of the table. A huge tray of sweet zed pork ribs, still steaming, added an irresistible aroma to the room.


    ¡°You did great. Drinks are over there¨Cgrab whatever you like!¡±


    Theresa rewarded her people generously, a bright smile on her face.


    When it came to her own, Theresa had always been endlessly generous. If she had something, her people would never go without.


    Outside, thick snowkes the size of feathers drifted down in a silent storm. Inside, the heat from the bubbling stew and theughter around the table created a cozy haven from the apocalypse.


    Meanwhile, in other camps¡­


    A brutal cold front had swept across the entire Eastern region overnight.


    Blizzards descended suddenly, with no time to prepare.


    Camps that had only just begun to recover from the chaos of the apocalypse were hit hard. Supplies were already scarce¨Cwinter gear was practically nonexistent. The cold didn¡¯t just arrive; it invaded, unforgiving and relentless.


    It turned already difficult survival into a frozen nightmare.


    Even therger camps¨Cthose that had joined Kl Camp in raiding the old provision depot¨Cwere struggling under the weight of this cold snap.


    At that same moment, in Kl Camp¡­


    Lucas, who was reviewing the camp¡¯stest reports, received a satellite call.


    ¡°Mr. Keaton, hello. This is Bennie Green from Hope Camp,¡± said the voice on the line.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Lucas asked, voice cool and measured.


    ¡°I heard you got your hands on some data and equipment from the United Pharma Research Center, correct?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Bennie continued, ¡°United Pharma Research Center was a subsidiary of mypany¨CDawn Industries. Whatever data they had, I have too. In fact, I¡¯ve got even more research rted to gleamstones.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve probably already extracted Evoloid, right?¡± Bennie pressed on. ¡°And I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ve discovered the high levels of impurities in your version¨Cand the nasty side effects?¡±


    Lucas raised an eyebrow. ¡°Go on.¡±


    Bennie felt like the stage was set. His tone grew more confident. ¡°I would like to make a deal. Our version


    |||


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    Chapter 167 Fireside Deals and Frostbitten Bargains.


    of Evoloid has half the impurities and thirty percent fewer side effects.¡±


    45 Free Coins


    He paused for effect before making the offer: ¡°You give us one hundred tons of food and a thousand sets of winter gear, and we¡¯ll give you one hundred doses of our Evoloid.¡±


    He sounded certain. In his mind. Lucas had no reason to refuse.


    After all, their Evoloid was top¨Ctier¨Cworld¨Cleading, even. Twice the purity. Thirty percent fewer side effects. One ton of food per dose might seem steep, but he knew their product was worth it.


    He expected silence. Maybe awe.


    Instead, he heard a quiet chuckle from the other end of the line.


    ¡°Mr. Keaton, what¡¯s funny? Are you hesitating over the price?¡± Bennie asked, still riding high on his confidence. ¡°You have to understand¨CHope Camp¡¯s tech is cutting¨Cedge. Our Evoloid is worth every bit of that trade.¡±


    Lucas¡® chuckle deepened. ¡°Then you must not have heard about zing Sun Camp¡¯s Evoloid.¡±


    ¡°B¨Czing Sun Camp? They¡¯re working on Evoloid, too?¡± Bennie¡¯s certainty cracked.


    ¡°They are,¡± Lucas said. ¡°Ms. Hall supplied me with a version that has zero impurities, no side effects, and the price¨Cwell, it¡¯s far lower than yours.¡±


    Bennie¡¯s breath caught. What? No impurities? No side effects? And cheaper? He was speechless.


    Back in zing Sun Camp¡­


    Theresa had just finished her hot,forting stew when she was about to ask Tessa to send Lucas a message¨Cshe needed more gleamstones¨Cwhen a new message came in instead.


    ¡°My dear Theresa, you have a new message¨Cfrom your dear Lucas,¡± Tessa¡¯s cheerful voice announced.


    ¡°Answer it,¡± Theresa said, sipping her tea.


    ¡°Ms. Hall,¡± came Lucas¡® familiar voice. ¡°I¡¯d like to request another batch of Evoloid. Same price as before, if that¡¯s alright?¡±


    Theresa smiled. Now that¡¯s how it should be.


    ¡°Of course, Lucas. But I want something in return¨Cget me more gleamstones from mental maniption- type zombies. If you can get them, I¡¯ll give you ten doses of Evoloid for each one.¡±


    She needed arge amount of those gleamstones, especially the mental maniption ones. But her camp was <i>too </i>small¨Cevery member she sent out barely made a dent in the supply she needed.


    But the other camps had people. Lots of them.


    So, Theresa used trade to outsource the dirty work. K1 Camp became her unofficial zombie¨Chunting


    contractor.


    Her own camp? She would focus on production and expansion.


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    Chapter 167 Fireside Deals and Frostbitten Bargains


    Zombic harvesting? That was Kl Camp¡¯s new job.


    She was building her empire¨Cquietly, cleverly and she was going to win this apocalyptic game.


    Big time.


    HI


    Chapter 167 Fireside Deals and Frostbitten Bargains


    Chapter 167 Fireside Deals and Frostbitten Bargains


    +5 Free Colhd


    All the fresh vegetables, meatballs, sliced fish, chicken, and pork were neatly arranged around the pot stew bubbling at the center of the table. A huge tray of sweet zed pork ribs, still steaming, added an irresistible aroma to the room.


    ¡°You did great. Drinks are over there¨Cgrab whatever you like!¡±


    Theresa rewarded her people generously, a bright smile on her face.


    When it came to her own, Theresa had always been endlessly generous. If she had something, her people would never go without.


    Outside, thick snowkes the size of feathers drifted down in a silent storm. Inside, the heat from the bubbling stew and theughter around the table created a cozy haven from the apocalypse.


    Meanwhile, in other camps¡­


    A brutal cold front had swept across the entire Eastern region overnight.


    Blizzards descended suddenly, with no time to prepare.


    Camps that had only just begun to recover from the chaos of the apocalypse were hit hard. Supplies were already scarce¨Cwinter gear was practically nonexistent. The cold didn¡¯t just arrive; it invaded, unforgiving and relentless.


    It turned already difficult survival into a frozen nightmare.


    Even therger camps¨Cthose that had joined Kl Camp in raiding the old provision depot¨Cwere struggling under the weight of this cold snap.


    At that same moment, in Kl Camp¡­


    Lucas, who was reviewing the camp¡¯stest reports, received a satellite call.


    ¡°Mr. Keaton, hello. This is Bennie Green from Hope Camp,¡± said the voice on the line.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Lucas asked, voice cool and measured.


    ¡°I heard you got your hands on some data and equipment from the United Pharma Research Center, correct?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Bennie continued, ¡°United Pharma Research Center was a subsidiary of mypany¨CDawn Industries. Whatever data they had, I have too. In fact, I¡¯ve got even more research rted to gleamstones.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve probably already extracted Evoloid, right?¡± Bennie pressed on. ¡°And I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ve discovered the high levels of impurities in your version¨Cand the nasty side effects?¡±


    Lucas raised an eyebrow. ¡°Go on.¡±


    Bennie felt like the stage was set. His tone grew more confident. ¡°I would like to make a deal. Our version


    |||


    O


    Chapter 167 Fireside Deals and Frostbitten Bargains.


    of Evoloid has half the impurities and thirty percent fewer side effects.¡±


    45 Free Coins


    He paused for effect before making the offer: ¡°You give us one hundred tons of food and a thousand sets of winter gear, and we¡¯ll give you one hundred doses of our Evoloid.¡±


    He sounded certain. In his mind. Lucas had no reason to refuse.


    After all, their Evoloid was top¨Ctier¨Cworld¨Cleading, even. Twice the purity. Thirty percent fewer side effects. One ton of food per dose might seem steep, but he knew their product was worth it.


    He expected silence. Maybe awe.


    Instead, he heard a quiet chuckle from the other end of the line.


    ¡°Mr. Keaton, what¡¯s funny? Are you hesitating over the price?¡± Bennie asked, still riding high on his confidence. ¡°You have to understand¨CHope Camp¡¯s tech is cutting¨Cedge. Our Evoloid is worth every bit of that trade.¡±


    Lucas¡® chuckle deepened. ¡°Then you must not have heard about zing Sun Camp¡¯s Evoloid.¡±


    ¡°B¨Czing Sun Camp? They¡¯re working on Evoloid, too?¡± Bennie¡¯s certainty cracked.


    ¡°They are,¡± Lucas said. ¡°Ms. Hall supplied me with a version that has zero impurities, no side effects, and the price¨Cwell, it¡¯s far lower than yours.¡±


    Bennie¡¯s breath caught. What? No impurities? No side effects? And cheaper? He was speechless.


    Back in zing Sun Camp¡­


    Theresa had just finished her hot,forting stew when she was about to ask Tessa to send Lucas a message¨Cshe needed more gleamstones¨Cwhen a new message came in instead.


    ¡°My dear Theresa, you have a new message¨Cfrom your dear Lucas,¡± Tessa¡¯s cheerful voice announced.


    ¡°Answer it,¡± Theresa said, sipping her tea.


    ¡°Ms. Hall,¡± came Lucas¡® familiar voice. ¡°I¡¯d like to request another batch of Evoloid. Same price as before, if that¡¯s alright?¡±


    Theresa smiled. Now that¡¯s how it should be.


    ¡°Of course, Lucas. But I want something in return¨Cget me more gleamstones from mental maniption- type zombies. If you can get them, I¡¯ll give you ten doses of Evoloid for each one.¡±


    She needed arge amount of those gleamstones, especially the mental maniption ones. But her camp was <i>too </i>small¨Cevery member she sent out barely made a dent in the supply she needed.


    But the other camps had people. Lots of them.


    So, Theresa used trade to outsource the dirty work. K1 Camp became her unofficial zombie¨Chunting


    contractor.


    Her own camp? She would focus on production and expansion.


    O


    Chapter 167 Fireside Deals and Frostbitten Bargains


    Zombic harvesting? That was Kl Camp¡¯s new job.


    She was building her empire¨Cquietly, cleverly and she was going to win this apocalyptic game.


    Big time.


    HI


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    Chapter 168 The Price of Revenge


    Chapter 168 The Price of Revenge


    * Free Comme


    How great it was that K1 Camp didn¡¯t need Theresa to feed them while working for her.


    Lucas felt like he¡¯d struck gold, especially after hearing Hope Camp¡¯s outrageous offer. Compared to that, Theresa¡¯s prices were practically a public service.


    ¡°Oh, and one more thing,¡± Lucas added, leaning in slightly. ¡°Hope Camp wants to buy Evoloid from you.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up instantly. ¡°Bennie Green?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He came to me carlier trying to sell Evoloid. When he heard you had a better product, he wanted to buy a dose.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s he charging?¡±


    ¡°One dose for one ton of food and ten thermal jackets.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s jaw nearly hit the floor.


    ¡°What the hell!¡± she burst out. ¡°That b*stard¡¯s gonepletely crooked!¡±


    No, the real problem was that she had been undercharging all along.


    She wasn¡¯t just losing money¨Cshe was bleeding it.


    ¡°How dare he price it that high!¡±


    Lucas raised an eyebrow. ¡°So¡­ are you going to sell to him?¡±


    ¡°Sell? Of course I¡¯ll sell!¡± she snapped. ¡°One dose for one thousand gleamstones. And he must include a gleamstone from a zombie with a mental maniption ability. Otherwise, no deal!¡±


    Lucas was speechless.


    Theresa was seething.


    She could tolerate her ownck of profit, but watching someone she despised making a fortune? That was unbearable.


    ¡°You tell everyone¨Cevery camp can buy my Evoloid. Standard rate: twenty gleamstones per dose. But Hope Camp? They pay my price!¡±


    She wasn¡¯t just going to gouge Bennie¨Cshe was going to crush him in a price war.


    The thought of him profiting made her feel physically sick. Letting him off the hook was out of the question.


    No¨Che had to pay.


    Lucas tried to suppress a grin. Theresa¡¯s fury was kind of contagious. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get the word out. One more thing¨CI¡¯m nning another joint¨Ccamp raid. Target¡¯s a clothing depot. You in?¡±


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    ¡°Who else is going?¡± she asked.


    45 Free Coins


    ¡°I invited a bunch of camps,¡± Lucas admitted, ¡°but most turned me down. It¡¯s too cold now. Thest group that joined us for the grain run decided it wasn¡¯t worth the risk. They¡¯ve got enough food tost the winter.¡±


    Theresa nodded slowly. It made sense. With temperatures dropping and danger increasing, no one wanted to gamble their safety.


    ¡°This depot¡¯s way out in the suburbs. It¡¯s a massive wholesale center, but we don¡¯t know what kind of threats are out there.¡±


    ¡°So, who did say yes?¡±


    ¡°Only Haven Camp.¡±


    The moment Lucas said it, Theresa shot to her feet.


    ¡°Haven Camp?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. They¡¯re close to the target and agreed to team up. If you¡¯re noting, I¡¯ll just take them.¡±


    ¡°No¨CI¡¯m going with you.¡±


    Haven Camp.


    The name alone brought back a flood of memories.


    In herst life, fate had thrown her into Haven Camp. From the day she arrived, ability users had tried to take advantage of her. If it hadn¡¯t been for Tyger¨Cwho¡¯d stepped in a few times during those early days- she never would¡¯ve survived.


    Even when she gained strength of her own, those b*stards kepting for her. Always scheming. Always setting traps. And the camp leader? That phony, two¨Cfaced snake yed the nice guy while sabotaging her every chance he got. When the zombies besieged the camp, he even threw her to the front lines like cannon fodder.


    She had fought that entire camp for ten bitter years.


    And now, in this life¡­ fate had handed her a second chance.


    They¡¯d walked right into her sights¨Cand she intended to settle the score.


    ¡°When do we leave?¡±


    ¡°Three days. Once the cold snap lifts, we go.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Theresa said, about to hang up. Then she added sharply, ¡°Oh¨Cand you make sure my Evoloid never goes to Haven Camp.¡±


    Lucas blinked. ¡°Alright¡­¡±


    Something told him Theresa had history with Haven Camp. Bad history.


    HI


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    This trip wasn¡¯t going to be a friendly outing.


    * <b>Froe </b>Coins


    Over the next three days, Theresa buried herself in ability training within her camp.


    The gleamstones Lucas had promised arrived, along with the ones from Bennie.


    Bennie had spent the entire night thinking it over before finally agreeing to her deal. One thousand gleamstones, including the only mental maniption gleamstone his camp had managed to dig up.


    He wanted to see for himself if Theresa¡¯s Evoloid was really worth the hype.


    So, he personally went to K1 Camp.


    And when he saw the sample Lucas handed him¨Cwless, high¨Cpurity Evoloid without even the tiniest impurity¨Che stood frozen in ce.


    No impurities.


    Not even a speck.


    The purity level was so high it was almost unbelievable.


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    Chapter 169 The Miracle of Theresa¡¯s Evoloid


    +5 Free <b>Coins </b>


    When Bennie brought the Evoloid back for testing, he had no words¨Che waspletely stunned.


    Because there were absolutely no side effects whatsoever.


    Zombie gleamstones were harvested from the bodies of the undead. Even if a gleamstone didn¡¯t carry the zombie virus itself, it inevitably retained traces of zombic attributes.


    And that always meant side effects¨Caggression, biting, bloodlust, cannibalistic urges.


    They had done everything possible to purify them, reducing side effects to the lowest levels imaginable.


    But Theresa¡¯s Evoloid? Not a single side effect.


    How in the world had she pulled it off?


    Bennie was beyond shocked.


    When he saw theb results, it felt like he had been struck by lightning. He just stood there, paralyzed, not saying a word.


    All he could think about was the memory of Theresa stepping on him, eyes zing like a wild tiger.


    His heart started pounding all over again. Was Theresa a god?


    Meanwhile, back at zing Sun Camp, Theresa didn¡¯t hesitate once she got her hands on a gleamstone from a zombie with a mental maniption ability. She extracted it into Evoloid and downed it all herself.


    Mental maniption gleamstones were incredibly rare¨Czombies with special abilities didn¡¯t show up often. So far, Hope Camp had only supplied one, and K1 Camp had provided a gleamstone from a water- based zombie.


    Theresa had turned that one into Evoloid, too¨Csplit it in two. Half went to Kyle. The other half, she consumed herself.


    Her abilities needed to evolve. So did Kyle¡¯s.


    After taking the mental maniption gleamstone, Theresa immediately felt a surge in her mind power.


    Her radar scan radius had been just 69 feet. Now, it shot up to 98 feet!


    Even better, her teleportation distance extended past 20 feet!


    She could teleport 16 to 20 feet without even noticing a strain on her mental energy.


    That¡¯s what a mental maniption zombie gleamstone could do.


    Feeling the overwhelming effectiveness of this method, Theresa made a decision: She would collect gleamstones at scale..


    Especially those with attributes¨Cthey were the top priority.


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    Chapter 169 The Miracle of Theresa¡¯s Evoloid


    45 Free Coins


    Last time, she had rolled out Evoloid on arge scale andpletely undercut Hope Camp¡¯s business.


    Now, every camp that had caught wind of the news wanted to buy Evoloid¨Cfrom Theresa.


    She was quietly absorbing everyone¡¯s gleamstones into her hands.


    Once she wrapped up things around the camp, the day to head out finally arrived.


    As usual? She hitched a ride.


    If she could ride for free, she rode for free.


    Graham drove over early in the morning to pick them up.


    Theresa and Kyle geared up, hopped into his truck, and headed out.


    ¡°Goofy, take care of the camp while Kyle and I are gone,¡± she said.


    ¡°Be safe out there! I¡¯ll be chanting safety prayers for you both every moment! Come back soon!¡± Elias stood at the gate in a heavy down jacket, looking like a stuffed bear as he watched them leave with wide, hopeful eyes.


    ¡°Go on, get inside.¡± Theresa waved him off.


    ¡°God bless. I, a humble believer, vow to live a virtuous life, eat a bnced diet, and pray for the safe return of my dear Theresa and my other hardworking coworker,¡± Elias prayed earnestly.


    Theresa: ¡°What the hell¡­¡±


    Kyle: ¡°Seriously?¡±


    Graham overheard and raised a brow. ¡°Theresa, when¡¯d you pick up that guy?¡±


    ¡°Just recruited him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s solid. Looks warm too¨Ctwo brand¨Cnew jackets.¡±


    ¡°Should¡¯ve joined me when I asked you. Bet you regret it now!¡±


    Graham was speechless.


    He was too jealous to reply.


    Wrapping his coat tighter, Graham mmed on the gas and drove off.


    They reached a main road outside K1 Camp, where Lucas and his convoy were already waiting.


    Once Lucas saw them arrive, the convoy began moving¨Cstraight toward the clothing depot.


    Several days of heavy snowfall/had luckily slowed down the zombies. Many had gotten stuck in snowdrifts, making Lucas¡® journey surprisingly¨Csmooth.


    asional clusters of zombies were just plowed through. The snow on the road made it nearly impossible for the zombies to chase effectively.


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    The clothing depot was located on the southern outskirts of Ansford, near the intercity bus terminal..


    The local government had long supported that area, trying to develop it into amercial zone thanks to the terminal¡¯s strategic location. But in this new world, offline business was all but dead. No one took buses


    anymore.


    Heck, the train station saw more foot traffic than the bus terminal.


    Only the old clothing depot, which had always focused on wholesale, still saw decent activity. Most of the surrounding shopping malls? Ghost towns.


    About three to four miles out from the clothing depot, another convoy came into view ahead.


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    Chapter 170 Beneath the Smile


    From the middle vehicle, Theresa spotted the ce immediately.


    s


    A half¨Cabandoned factory sat halfway up the hill¨Ctwo stories of crumbling concrete at the center, nked by long, skeletal production halls on each side.


    She recognized it at once.


    She had spent ten years there in herst life.


    Haven Camp. <i>Hello </i>again.


    ¡°Theresa? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kyle, sitting beside her, had noticed her sudden change in expression.


    Theresa turned to him, eyes steady. She gestured out the window toward the factory. ¡°Remember that ce,¡± she said quietly. ¡°That¡¯s where our enemies are.¡±


    Kyle hesitated, then nodded. ¡°Got it.¡±


    Theresa needed Kyle to remember this, to feel it as deeply as she did.


    After all, in their past life, he¡¯d lived there too.


    And it hadn¡¯t been kind to him either.


    Their convoy merged with the one up ahead, closing the gap until only two vehicles remained in front of them. From the lead car, the door swung open, and a slim, neatly dressed man in his early thirties stepped out, gold¨Crimmed sses catching the light, his face lit with a bright, cager smile.


    ¡°Wee! Oh, what a delight! I¡¯m absolutely thrilled to see you all!¡± he called out with open arms.


    Lucas stepped out of his own vehicle, his gaze sharp. ¡°You must be Wolfe Ledger of Haven Camp?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Mr. Keaton of K1 Camp¨Cyou¡¯re as young and capable as they say!¡± Wolfe approached with enthusiastic energy, hand extended for a shake. ¡°Your reputation precedes you, Mr. Keaton. Kl Camp is the -backbone we all rely on. Us smaller camps¨Cwe look up to you!¡±


    He continued, ¡°I heard you recentlypleted a mission to locate a provision depot¨Cmust¡¯ve been a huge sess! I don¡¯t suppose you could spare some of those resources for us? Haven Camp¡¯s been going through a rough timetely.¡±


    Lucas¡¯s expression darkened. His brow furrowed, and he stared at the outstretched hand without making a move. ¡°Mr. Ledger,¡± he said coolly, ¡°if you can¡¯t afford to feed your people, I¡¯m more than happy to send someone over to collect them all.¡±


    Wolfe¡¯s smile faltered, just a little


    Lucas wasn¡¯t an idiot.


    The old world had copsed. The government was gone. Camps now ruled themselves, tiny kingdoms in awless world teeming with the undead.


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    This was the age of survival. The age of camps.


    No one owed anyone anything anymore.


    * Free Coins


    Even Lucas, who once served in the government, had shifted his priorities after founding KJ Camp.


    His primary goal was now to preserve K1 Camp.


    Preserve it above all else.


    He could offer shelter to survivors. He could lend strength in battles, support smaller camps when it made sense. But everything¨Cevery favor, every risk¨Chad to benefit K1 Camp first.


    He wasn¡¯t about to let his people go cold and hungry just so someone else could y politician.


    Absolutely not.


    ¡°My apologies,¡± Wolfe said quickly, readjusting his smile like a mask. ¡°That was out of line. I meant no offense. It¡¯s just¡­ without national oversight, we¡¯re all struggling. I thought maybe Kl Camp, being the strongest, could-¡±


    Lucas¡¯s expression grew colder. ¡°Mr. Ledger, are you still living in the past?¡±


    A crisp, clear voice rang out before Wolfe could answer.


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s not living in the past. He¡¯s trying to use the past to squeeze you.¡±


    A girl inbat gear jumped down from one of the center vehicles. She had a bright, mocking smile and the kind of healthy glow that looked almost out of ce in a world like this.


    Theresa.


    She strolled forward casually. ¡°Mr. Ledger is clever. See, first, he tters you, calls you the ¡®central authority. If you refuse to help, he gets to say you¡¯re selfish and disloyal. But if you do help, well, it was your duty all along, wasn¡¯t it? Either way, he wins.¡±


    Wolfe¡¯s face tightened, the forced smile cracking. He looked at Theresa like she didn¡¯t belong in this world -too radiant, too alive.


    ¡°Miss, that¡¯s not what I meant,¡± he said quickly.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not?¡± Theresa took another step toward him, her voice still sugar¨Csweet. ¡°That¡¯s good. Then let¡¯s make it simple.¡±


    She stopped, arms folded. ¡°If you really want centralized leadership¨Csomeone to protect you, manage your resources, hand out supplies¨Cthen hand over control of your camp. Turn over every ounce of your supplies for redistribution. Put every one of your people under Kl Campmand, including yourself.¡±


    She tilted her head. ¡°Sound fair? That way, we can send you supplies every day. Isn¡¯t that what you wanted?¡±


    Wolfe¡¯s expression twisted. ¡°Miss¡­ that¡¯s not¨CI mean, I didn¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t mean that either?¡± Theresa raised her brows. ¡°So, you don¡¯t want to give up control. You don¡¯t want


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    to turn over your resources. But you do want Lucas to give you everything for free?¡±


    45 Free Coins


    Sheughed once. ¡°Wow. You¡¯re not looking for a leader. You¡¯re trying to make Lucas your sugar daddy<i>. </i>


    The silence that followed was brutal.


    Wolfe¡¯s smile copsedpletely. His lips parted, but no words came out.


    Theresa hadnded her strike. And everyone knew it.

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    Chapter 171 The Sharp Tongue That Shattered the Silence


    Chapter 171 The Sharp Tongue That Shattered the Silence


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    Lucas listened as Theresa fired off a blunt rebuke. He looked at her, his eyes sparkling with armusement.


    In the entire world, only Theresa could be that straightforward and bold.


    She spoke every unspoken thought in his heart.


    Theresa truly lived up to her reputation.


    Thateback was brilliant.


    Watching her handle people was pure entertainment.


    It felt exhrating.


    ¡°Alright, Mr. Ledger is our partner in this mission. Let¡¯s drop it,¡± Lucas said with a smile in his eyes, genuinely tempted to ruffle her hair.


    But, of course, he held himself back.


    ¡°Mr. Keaton, this is¡­¡± Wolfe, suddenly given a graceful way out, straightened up and forced a smile.


    ¡°This is Ms. Hall from the zing Sun Camp.¡±


    ¡°Oh! So, you¡¯re Ms. Hall from the zing Sun Camp! I¡¯ve heard so much about you!¡± Wolfe said, pretending familiarity as he reached out his hand.


    Theresa looked at the extended hand, shoved both hands into her pockets, and said, ¡°Stop right there. Where exactly have you heard of me?¡±


    ¡°I¨CI think it was on a radio broadcast.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never sent out any messages. Which station did you hear me on?¡±


    Wolfe¡¯s face fell. He clearly hadn¡¯t heard of the low¨Cprofile zing Sun Camp. ¡°Mr. Keaton just introduced you.¡±


    ¡°Then why pretend you¡¯ve heard of me? That¡¯s so fake! No wonder you tried to scheme against Lucas the moment we met. Wolfie, you don¡¯te off well. Can you try being genuine next time?¡±


    Wolfe was speechless.


    He lowered his head, his fake smile slipping away, reced by a cold, heavy scowl.


    He couldn¡¯t utter another word.


    In the car behind them, the big man driving caught the whole scene and couldn¡¯t help but light up with excitement.


    That verbal takedown was just so satisfying.


    Far better than any direct/physical confrontation.


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    Even Laicas noticed Theresa¡¯s unusually fierce firepower directed at Wolfe.


    Knowing Theresa, she wasn¡¯t normally aggressive or hot¨Ctempered.


    She only fought back if provoked.


    s


    Bennie had been a perfect example. Theresa hadn¡¯t intended to confront him at first, even giving up a big job because of Lucas¡® insistence. But Bennie had gone out of his way to provoke her, making her unleash her full force.


    What was going on today?


    Was she just annoyed by Wolfe?


    Lucas himself found Wolfe irritating.


    But they didn¡¯t actually know each other, right?


    Maybe she was just defending Lucas? Standing up for him¡­


    <i>No </i>way¡­


    That thought warmed Lucas¡® heart unexpectedly.


    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s head to the clothing depot,¡± Lucas said, still smiling.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Wolfe replied, getting back in his car. Everyone gathered their things and set off.


    After about fifteen minutes, they arrived at a wide, sixne road running straight ahead.


    On both sides werendscaped parks and growing clusters of buildings.


    To the right was a fairlyrge bus station. To the left stood a huge five¨Cstory clothing depot.


    Next to the depot were several shopping centers¨Csome half¨Cbuilt and abandoned, others eerily empty and silent.


    The nearest residential area was about 3,000 feet behind the clothing depot, so zombies were scarce on this major road.


    Snow piled up to their thighs, covering everything. asionally, a zombie appeared, but the thick snow hindered their movement.


    Lucas led in arge snowplow, pushing snow aside and crushing a few zombies that lunged forward, heading straight for the clothing depot.


    The convoy stopped at the enormous depot¡¯s entrance.


    As soon as the vehicles halted, scattered zombies trudged toward them through the snow.


    ¡°No firearms,¡± Lucas ordered after stepping out.


    He struck the first charging zombie with a bolt of lightning.


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    The zombie wore a simmer T¨Cshirt and shorts, with a wallet hanging from its waist<b>¨C</b>a <b>local </b>shop owner turned undead on the way to open his store.


    With a sizzling crack, the lightning hit the zombie¡¯s head, ck smoke curling from its skull as it stiffened. then copsed forward, motionless in the snow.


    After Lucas¡® lightning attack, fireballs, water orbs, and metal knives crupted, swiftly clearing nearby zombies.


    In the zombie cra, using firearms had serious limitations.


    Just like Theresa during the Ansford mission¨Cshe wielded a katana and powers but never guns.


    Once a gunshot rang out, the entire city¡¯s zombies would be drawn to the noise.


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    Chapter <b>172 </b>The Mall Sweep


    + Free Come


    Firearms were only suitable for enclosed spaces, desperate charges, or zombie swarms.


    Once the entrance to the mall had been cleared of the undead, Lucas led his team swiftly toward the front doors. Theresa strolled behind him without a care in the world, watching as Lucas¡® squad worked with practiced precision. They pulled out a variety of tools and got to work on therge steel door.


    In just a few quiet moments, the door gave way.


    Theresa found herself once again grateful to be out on a mission with Lucas. Everything just¡­ worked when he was in charge.


    Wolfe, trailing behind with his own team, could feel the same professionalism radiating from Lucas¡® people. A shadow passed through his eyes¨Cdeep, thoughtful.


    The KI Camp really was strong.


    But his gaze soon drifted to Theresa.


    Who was this woman, exactly?


    And why didn¡¯t she seem to do anything? 2


    Once the main doors creaked open, Lucas¡® squad entered first, moving carefully into the pitch¨Cck mall. No power. No light. Just a silence so dense it pressed on the skin.


    Lucas tossed out a few shbangs.


    They burst with bursts of white¨Chot light, illuminating a stretch of the dark corridor¨Cand like moths to a me, the scattered zombies inside began to shuffle toward the noise<b>. </b>


    ¡°Raaah!¡±


    ¡°Raaah!¡±


    ¡°Raaah!¡±


    Whether they¡¯d arrived early for work or gotten trapped during the outbreak, the infected emerged from storefronts one after another¨Cyoung, stylish, eerily clean.


    Most wore uniforms or casual work attire. One female zombie in particr stood out. She was dressed to impress¨Cashy gray hair in trendy waves, a new¨Cseason summer dress clinging to her lithe frame, and spotless white sneakers on her feet.


    Not a trace of dirt or blood stained her.


    It was a stark contrast to the filthy, dposed walkers they usually encountered on the streets.


    This mall, sealed tight since the outbreak, had kept its contents remarkably pristine.


    Unfortunately, the girl¡¯s face had not fared as well. From the corner of her mouth up across half her face,


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    her flesh had been chewed away. Her right eyeball,cking an eyelid to hold it in ce, bulged grotesquely from its socket, rolling upward as she stumbled forward. Her knees bent the wrong way with every jerking step toward them.


    With each stomp, it felt like that bulging eye might pop right out.


    Froosh!


    A small fireball lit up the dark, striking the zombic girl square in the chest. mes roared from the impact, engulfing her quickly.


    ¡°From now on,¡± Lucas ordered, his voice low but sharp, ¡°no more fire¨Cbased abilities!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Suddenly, the area was alive with bursts of water, glints of metal spheres, and clods of earth¨Cno fire.


    This was a clothing depot. The racks and materials were dry, mmable. A single misstep could light the whole ce up.


    Lucas didn¡¯t hesitate.


    Within minutes, the entire first floor had been cleared of the undead.


    He gave the order: ¡°Start loading up the supplies. Now.¡±


    In the apocalypse, stability was everything.


    If they saw something worth taking, they took it. Right then. Don¡¯t wait to clear the entire building and risk everything on a final haul. That way led to disaster. People died. Missions failed.


    Lucas wasn¡¯t like Bennie, that idiot fromst time who¡¯d almost gotten his whole team wiped out.


    When the floor was quiet again, he gave the nextmand. ¡°One store at a time. Go!¡±


    Wolfe approached him. ¡°Mr. Keaton, we¡¯ll start hauling from the two rows in the back.¡±


    ¡°Wait a second!¡± Theresa suddenly stepped forward, eyes zing with something uncharacteristically righteous.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t done a thing this whole time. Mr. Keaton¡¯s been the one working nonstop, cleaning the ce out. And now, when it¡¯s time to grab the goods, you want to jump in first? I say let K1 Camp take everything. After it¡¯s all hauled out, we can split it fairly. I trust Mr. Keaton to be honorable. Don¡¯t you, Wolfe?¡±


    Wolfe¡¯s jaw clenched. He said nothing.


    Lucas, hearing all this, nearly lifted Theresa off the ground and spun her in circles. What had gotten into her today?


    She was¡­ backing him up. Hard.


    The happiness came so suddenly that it almost stunned him.


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    ¡°I¡¯ll start,¡± Theresa said firmly. ¡°Kyle, go help Mr. Keaton move supplies. Everything goes in his truck! Wolfe, what about you?¡±


    Wolfe ground his teeth. ¡°Move it. Mr. Keaton did the heavy lifting. We¡¯ll haul. You heard her¨Ceverything <b>goes </b>in his truck.¡±


    Two hourster, the teams had finished stripping the first floor clean, moving from shop to shop. It was slow work, but efficient.


    Because this was a clothing mall, theyout had been highly organized.


    The first and second floors had been packed with fast¨Cfashion shops targeting teens and young women, selling affordable, trendy outfits in massive quantities.


    And since the outbreak had hit in August, most stores had already begun rolling out their fall collections.


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    Chapter 173 The Return to Haven Camp


    The ersennal rostion in wholesale markers always moved faster than in regr stores.


    Some store¡¯s had already begun stocking winter apparel.


    That stroke of luck meant this massive haul of clothing would go a long way in helping many women stay warm through the winter months.


    The third floor held men¡¯s clothing. The fourth and fifth: upscale women¡¯s fashion and children¡¯s wear.


    There were also lingerie and pajama shops, clustered in a designated area.


    Transporting everything turned out to be easier than expected.


    Clothes still on racks were simply rolled out in whole units. As for the loose items, they were bundled up in bedsheets¡ªonce used as makeshift disys outside storefronts¨Cand hauled away inrge, bulging bundles.


    Short skirts and shorts, long skirts and pants, tees and long sleeves, dresses, trench coats, padded jackets, and full sets of autumn and winter gear¨Ceverything was moved out in massive batches.


    By the time the ground floor had been stripped clean, it was nearly five o¡¯clock.


    ¡°We¡¯ll stay overnight at Haven Camp ande back to finish tomorrow,¡± Lucas decided without hesitation.


    Nighttime was no time to be moving. It was far too dangerous. ording to their original n, Lucas had agreed to include Haven Camp in the operation on one condition: they would offer his team a ce to stay for the night.


    The clothing depot was far from Kl Camp. A round trip in one day wasn¡¯t an option¨Cthey¡¯d be stuck outside after dark for sure.


    ¡°Sounds great! I¡¯ve had everything set up at camp for a while now, just waiting for you guys to arrive!¡± Wolfe said with a grin that had finally returned to his face.


    Theresa arched an eyebrow when she heard they were heading back to Wolfe¡¯s camp. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    With the depot¡¯s entire first floor emptied, everyone returned to their vehicles and rolled out.


    They¡¯d be back the next morning to finish the job.


    After half an hour on the road, they returned to the ce where they¡¯d first met up.


    Wolfe¡¯s truck led the way. From her seat in the middle of the convoy, Theresa began to recognize andscape she¡¯d known all too well in her previous life.


    The convoy climbed toward a mountainside industrial zone surrounded by residential buildings.


    The perimeter of the settlement was lined with sharpened wooden stakes, each one wrapped tightly in thorn¨Ccovered vines. It formed a makeshift barrier meant to hold off zombies.


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    Guards patrolled the fence every thirty feet. When they saw the convoy approaching, they immediately moved to open arge iron gate across the road and waved them through.


    On the other side was an open lot in front of a factory building, now crowded with people.


    Everyone had gathered to wee Wolfe and his team back.


    This was the early phase of Haven Camp, which now housed just over two hundred people. Aside from the scavengers still out on runs, most of them were present.


    The camp had originally formed from a caravan of survivors flecing the city. Most had escaped in family units<b>. </b>


    The poption spanned every age¨Cnursing infants, elderly grandparents in their eighties¨Can incredibly diverse,plicated group.


    Nearly every household had its burdens: children, the elderly, or both.


    Wolfe, on the other hand, had been a top¨Ctier sales manager before the copse. He lived in apany- provided dormitory, along with several subordinates. At the start of the apocalypse, he¡¯d been dealt <i>a </i>winning hand.


    In a world where strength ruled, Wolfe had an undeniable edge.


    Most other families were weighed down by responsibility, taking care of children or elders. Even the men who might¡¯ve been stronger or more capable than Wolfe had no desire to step forward into danger when their loved ones depended on them.


    That¡¯s how Wolfe, with his slick charm and practiced friendliness, along with a capable, loyal crew, naturally rose to power in the camp.


    And to top it off, he was a water¨Cbased ability user.


    His grip on Haven Camp only tightened over time. His people grew more dominant, while the rest of the camp remained divided and scattered.


    Wolfe¡¯s men strutted around like kings, bullying orphaned girls and seizing others¡® supplies as if it were


    routine.


    Later on, they didn¡¯t even bother hiding the murders.


    Most kept their heads down and mouths shut for the sake of their families. Anger and fear lived side by side, but resistance was rare.


    The only saving grace was that Haven Camp¡¯splex makeup forced Wolfe to maintain some semnce of order. He had to rein his men in just enough to preserve the illusion of peace.


    So, to survive here, they either joined Wolfe¡¯s side¡­ or they fought back, hard¨Clike Tyger did.


    The only way to win was to be stronger, louder, and more ruthless.


    Otherwise<b>, </b>they were just prey.


    Theresa had clearly chos¨¦n Tyger¡¯s path: fierce, unyielding defiance.


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    Because no matter how bad she got, she still saw herself as human. She refused <i>to </i>cross the line that turned people into beasts like Wolfe and his crew.


    She would never, ever align herself with them.


    ¡°Mr. Keaton, wee to Haven Camp,¡± Wolfe said as he stepped out of the truck. ¡°Let¡¯s give them a warm wee, everyone!¡±


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    Chapter 174 Cold Hospitality


    ¡°Wee. Ki Camp!¡±


    Wee, wee!


    The shaky, half¨Chearted chorus echoed from the crowd, each voice more timid than thest.


    Lucas scanned the group standing outside the gates. His brow creased. These people looked worse off than his own camp.


    Their clothing was thinyers of summer and fall clothes hastily thrown on. Some wore three or four pieces, one over another. A few had nothing more than short¨Csleeved shirts, shivering in the freezing air.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t they inside?¡± Lucas asked, his tone sharp. ¡°It¡¯s freezing out here.¡±


    Wolfe, the leader of the smaller camp, smiled politely. ¡°Everyone was eager to wee you. When they heard K1 Camp was visiting, they insisted on waiting out here, cold or not. I didn¡¯t want them to, but they insisted.


    ¡°Hah. Eager, or trying to y the sympathy card?¡± Theresa¡¯s voice cut through the awkward air like a knife. She walked down the steps slowly, arms folded. ¡°Anyone with eyes can see they¡¯ve been standing out here for at least an hour or two. If you really cared, you could¡¯ve lit a fire or let them wait inside. This whole disy is just a ploy¨Cmake Lucas feel sorry for them, and maybe he¡¯ll hand over more supplies.¡±


    Wolfe¡¯sposed expression twitched. Theresa always had a way of pping him in the face with her words¨Cblunt, unapologetic, and impossible to ignore.


    Was she dense, or doing this on purpose?


    He tried to keep his smile in ce. ¡°Ms. Hall, these are just the conditions we¡¯re working with. <b>If </b>it looks like I¡¯m putting on a show¡­ well, I can¡¯t exactly argue with that, can I<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Lucas, did you catch that?¡± Theresa turned toward him without missing a beat. ¡°He¡¯s not even pretending anymore. Now he¡¯s just throwing the problem in yourp. ¡®You deal with it. You see how calcting this guy is?¡±


    Wolfe stood frozen. He was furious. Absolutely furious.


    This woman was going to drive him insane.


    He took a deep breath and forced a more formal tone. ¡°Mr. Keaton, I had no other intentions. We agreed to split supplies fairly¨CI just want what we¡¯re due. But if you¡¯re willing-¡±


    ¡°Willing to what?¡± Theresa cut in again. ¡°If you¡¯re just going to keep begging, maybe you¡¯re not cut out to lead a camp. Hand your people over to Lucas and be done with it.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Wolfe snapped. ¡°Everyone, get back inside!¡±


    He didn¡¯t even bother finishing his carefully nned performance. Just like that, the show was over.


    Of course, he wanted to y the pity card.


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    Chapter 174 Cold Hospitality


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    Lucas was from KI Camp¨Ca big, well¨Cresourced camp. If Wolfe could milk a little extra sympathy, <b>maybe </b>he¡¯d get a few more supplies out of this visit. Especially since he hadn¡¯t gotten any winter gear today, Wolfe had hoped to use this crowd to ask for more.


    But now<b>? </b>


    Theresa had ruined it. sted it to pieces before he could even speak.


    She saw right through him¨Chad been doing so for over a decade. Wolfe couldn¡¯t fool her if he tried. 2


    The moment he opened his mouth, she already knew what trick he was about to pull. Today, she wasn¡¯t going to let it slide. She wanted him humiliated.


    And once again, Theresa came out on top, sending Wolfe retreating with his tail between his legs.


    After dismissing the crowd, Wolfe turned back with a strained smile. ¡°Mr. Keaton, I¡¯ve prepared a little food for you. It¡¯s not much¨Cour camp is poor¨Cbut I hope you won¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Lucas replied. ¡°You¡¯re short on supplies. We¡¯ll eat our own rations.¡±


    Theresa wasn¡¯t having it. ¡°Oh,e on. They went through all that trouble¨Cnot eating it would be the real waste. If you¡¯re not gonna eat, I will. Where¡¯s the table? I¡¯ll go right now.¡±


    Lucas could only stare, at aplete loss for words.


    Wolfe stood frozen, utterly dumbfounded.


    She hadn¡¯t lifted a finger to help, but when it came to food, she was front and center.


    She really was going to drive Wolfe over the edge.


    But with Lucas watching, Wolfe didn¡¯t dare show anger. He clenched his jaw and led them upstairs.


    Two banquet tables were set with shocking extravagance: stir¨Cfried ham slices, even alcohol.


    Theresa wasted no time. ¡°Kyle, food!¡± she shouted.


    Good food always went to her own people first.


    She pulled Kyle over and sat down without ceremony.


    Lucas nced at his team. ¡°Let¡¯s eat a little then.¡±


    ¡°Please, please,¡± Wolfe said, his smile now painfully forced. ¡°It¡¯s all for you, Mr. Keaton.¡±


    Lucas nodded to his men. ¡°You all go too.¡±


    Graham and the others headed to the second table.


    By the time Lucas and one of his officers reached Theresa¡¯s table, most of the smoked ham and cured meat had already been imed¨CTheresa and Kyle had divided it up between themselves. All that remained was a pot of vegetable soup and some limp stir¨Cfried greens.


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    Theresa nced at them, then stood up and moved toward Graham¡¯s table. ¡°Don¡¯t mind us. We¡¯ll get plenty to eat.¡±


    Lucas remained silent, his expression unreadable.


    Wolfe felt hollow, as if all the fire had been drained from him.


    Theresa barely touched her own te. Most of the good food ended up in Kyle¡¯s bowl.

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    Chapter 175 No Room for Monsters


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    Of course, she wasn¡¯t afraid of poison. Theresa knew Wolfe well¨Cand she knew the old camp days even better. He wouldn¡¯t dare poison anyone. To poison someone from KI Camp wasn¡¯t just about whether it could be done it was about the consequences, and Wolfe¡¯s tiny camp couldn¡¯t shoulder those.


    Even if he seeded, what would he gain? A few articles of clothing? Hardly worth the risk.


    The return on investment just didn¡¯t make sense. Wolfe was a schemer, not a lunatic.


    And food was worth its weight in gold now. Poison? That was a luxury, too. Where would he even get sleeping pills, let alone lethal toxins?


    One nce at the food on the table and she could tell¨Che wouldn¡¯t risk it. She simply had no appetite for this kind of food after being used to better food.


    But even if she wasn¡¯t hungry, she wouldn¡¯t let it go to waste. She gave it all to Kyle.


    Across the table, Graham and the others watched as Kyle¡¯s bowl piled high with meat slices. Theresa kept snatching even more off their tes to give to him. The envy in their eyes was nearly palpable.


    Theresa¡¯s favoritism had never been subtle. She made no effort to hide it.


    Suddenly, Kyle seemed like the luckiest guy on earth.


    ¡°Mr. Keaton,¡± Wolfe murmured, eyes squinting at Theresa as she ate across the room, ¡°that Ms. Hall you brought with you¡­ she really manages the zing Sun Camp?¡±


    Lucas nced at him. ¡°You think I¡¯d lie to you?¡±


    ¡°No, no, of course not!¡± Wolfe quickly forced a grin. ¡°I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t. It¡¯s just¡­ Ms. Hall seems a bit, well, peculiar.¡±


    ¡°I think she¡¯s great.¡±


    Wolfe blinked, then fell silent. What else could he say after that?


    Out of the two tables of food, Theresa and Lucas¡® squad ate the majority. Lucas and Wolfe barely touched theirs. And once she was full, Theresa helped herself to the candy and liquor on the table, too. 1.


    Wolfe¡¯s temple throbbed as he watched her casually stuff thest of the goods into her bag. His head felt like it was about to explode.


    It was worse than getting pped across the face.


    Satisfied and tipsy, Theresa headed off to the room Wolfe had arranged.


    The factory¡¯s top floor had five rooms. Since Theresa was the only woman, Lucas gave her his private room and bunked with the others. She didn¡¯t hesitate to ept.


    Once the rooms were settled, she stepped outside. The familiar surroundings of the camp tugged at old. memories. She walked out through the back door of the factory to take a quiet stroll.


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    Chapter 175 No Room for Monsters


    Just as she stepped into the alley, a voice called out.


    ¡°Hey there, little girl. Where you headed?¡±


    9 Free <b>Colis </b>


    Two men were closing in on a young woman. Another man leaned against the wall nearby, whistling. amused.


    The girl looked barely twenty, her face smudged with dirt. She wore just two thin, torn shirts, her bare arms trembling in the cold wind.


    As she noticed the two men approaching with purpose, fear shed across her face. She turned to run.


    ¡°B*tch! You should feel honored we even looked at you! Think you can run from us? Run where, huh?!¡±


    One of the men pped her hard across the face. She staggered like a helplessmb, her eyes brimming with tears. She opened her mouth to scream¨Cbut a hand mped down before she could make a sound. The lead man shoved her into the corner and reached for her shirt.


    Then his wrist was caught.


    A massive hand grabbed him and, in one clean motion, lifted him like a rag doll and mmed him against the wall.


    All eyes turned.


    A towering man, over six feet three, stood in front of them like a demon out of hell. Tattoos ran from his neck down under his shirt. His presence alone was enough to freeze the air.


    ¡°Tyger!¡± one of the other men shouted his name in horror.


    Smack<i>! </i>Tyger backhanded him without a word.


    ¡°You outta your d*mn mind? You hit me?!¡±


    Smack<i>! </i>Tyger didn¡¯t answer. He didn¡¯t need to.


    ¡°You idiot! You¡¯re dead! You hear me?! You¡¯re-!¡±


    <i>Smack</i>. <i>Smack</i><i>. </i><i>Smack</i><i>! </i>


    No words. Just a flurry of ps.


    After several rounds, the man was begging, ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry, man!¡±


    Tyger let him fall, then grabbed the first man again, giving him a few more ps for good measure.


    <i>Whap</i><i>! </i><i>Whap</i><i>! </i><i>Whap</i><i>! </i>


    When he was done with them, Tyger turned slowly, eyesnding on the third man¨Cthe one who had been watching.


    <i>Crack</i><i>! </i>Another p.


    ¡°You crazy?! I didn¡¯t even do anything!¡±


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    45 Free Coins


    Phack!


    The man didn¡¯t dare say another word. He turned and ran.


    Theresa, still standing in the doorway, let out augh¨Cbright and clear, like a bell in the chaos.


    Tyger turned his head and looked toward her.


    Then he nced back at the girl he had just saved.


    But the girl stared at him in sheer panic. She backed away, terror in her eyes, then turned and ran¨Cas if the man who had just saved her was even worse than the ones who attacked.


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    Chapter 176 A Lesson in Silence and ps


    Tyger didn¡¯t say a word. He just turned and walked away.


    As he passed Theresa, she gave him a thumbs¨Cup.


    <b>3 </b>Free Coint


    Tyger momentarily froze, surprised. Then, almost awkwardly, he raised his own hand and returned the gesture<b>. </b>


    No words exchanged.


    There was no need to do so. Between the strong, respect didn¡¯t need to be spoken aloud.


    Tyger walked off.


    Theresa leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching the giant man disappear into the distance.


    Not bad. Not bad at all.


    Coming to Haven Camp had been well worth the trip.


    Another recruit for her cause.


    She turned to leave, only to find a man standing silently behind her.


    ¡°Ms. Hall.¡±


    Theresa raised an eyebrow. The man before her looked to be in his early thirties, the easy smile he usually wore reced with a face like thunderclouds.


    ¡°Well, hey there, Wolfie,¡± she said casually. ¡°Something on your mind?¡±


    Wolfe¡¯s scowl deepened into something uglier/His eyes were sharp, venomous, and fixed squarely on her.


    ¡°Theresa, I¡¯m warning you¨Cstay out of my business. Don¡¯t think you¡¯re untouchable just because you¡¯ve got Lucas wrapped around your finger. You¡¯re just a woman. Sooner orter, he¡¯ll get tired of you. You should start thinking about your future. More friends, fewer enemies¨Cisn¡¯t that the smarter y?¡±


    Theresa gave a knowing nod, waving him over. ¡°You make a good point. Come here for a sec.¡±


    A flicker of satisfaction passed through Wolfe¡¯s eyes. That had been easier than expected. Maybe she wasn¡¯t <b>as </b>clever <b>as </b>she acted. Just another woman¨Cone who knew how to talk big, sure, but still just a woman.


    A woman could never really measure up to a man. Couldn¡¯t make anything happen.


    That smug thought had barely taken root before he went flying with a <i>smack</i><i>. </i>


    Theresa¡¯s strength had been augmented many times over by the system. That p wasn¡¯t just a p¨Cit was a one¨Cway ticket across thirty feet of gravel and shame.


    When Wolfe finally hit the ground, he had just enough time to register the pain before it rained down again.


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    Smack! Smack! <i>Smack</i>!


    45 Free Coins


    Blow after blownded with thunderous precision, leaving him a bruised, swelling wreck. Under Theresa¡¯s ferocious strikes, he iled like a wildflower in a storm. Any trace of menace had been pped <b>clean </b>off his <b>face</b>.


    ???????????????


    His vision blurred, cars ringing, Wolfe barely managed to open eyes now swollen shut. What he saw froze his blood.


    Eyes like a tiger. Wild. Cold. Brutal.


    Theresa grabbed him by the cor and smiled sweetly, her voice soft as silk.


    ¡°Mr. Ledger,¡± she cooed. ¡°Let me tell you a little secret.¡±


    She leaned in closer, wiping her hands on his shirt as if he were a filthy rag.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m clinging to Lucas,¡± she whispered. ¡°Lucas is clinging to me. Got it?¡±


    Wolfe, his face a grotesque mask of pain and disbelief, could only gape.


    At that moment, three men came running.


    ¡°Wolfe! That lunatic Tyger attacked us!¡±


    ¡°Wolfe! You¡¯ve gotta do something about him!¡±


    ¡°Wolfe-¡±


    They stopped short.


    Their leader, Wolfe Ledger, was hanging limply in a woman¡¯s grip, his face swollen up like raw meat left out in the sun. The woman¡¯s handprint still glowed red¨Chot on his cheeks.


    They stared.


    Had they walked into the wrong scene?


    Was this really happening?


    Theresa turned her headzily, still holding Wolfe like a sack of garbage. She gave him a friendly pat on the cheek.


    ¡°Remember that, okay?¡±


    Wolfe nodded like a jackhammer.


    She dropped him without ceremony, turned to the three stunned men, and raised her hand.


    <i>Smack</i><i>! </i><i>Smack</i><i>! </i><i>Smack</i><i>! </i>


    Each one took a p to the face that lifted them clean off their feet.


    Theresa felt a pure<b>, </b>deep satisfaction. Her whole body buzzed with it.


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    No wonder Tyger liked this method so much. Nothing beat a good old¨Cfashioned p. So satisfying.


    Especially when none of these b*stards were innocent. They were all scum, top to bottom¨Ccach one worse than thest. Monsters. Enemies from her past life. Just because it was another lifetime didn¡¯t mean they were off the hook.


    She remembered. And as long as she remembered, she would make them pay. Even a single missed p would be an insult to herself. No mercy.


    She headed back upstairs. That night, she slept¨Cmore or less. Some people rested peacefully. Others couldn¡¯t sleep at all.


    By sunrise, Lucas found Wolfe sitting on the edge of a bench, his head wrapped up tight, face <i>so </i>swollen he barely looked human.


    ¡°Mr. Ledger, what the hell happened to you?¡±


    Wolfe nced up at him, then past him¨Chis bloodshot eyes locking briefly with Theresa¡¯s.


    ¡°Tripped and fell,¡± he muttered hoarsely.


    ¡°Tripped? And ended up like that?¡± the ever¨Cblunt Graham blurted. ¡°Mr. Ledger, no offense, but that looks like someone beat the hell out of you.¡±


    Dave chimed in, voice low and serious.


    ¡°He got wrecked. Whoever did it didn¡¯t just beat him¨Cthey broke him. I¡¯ve seen a lot of fights, but nothing like that. That kind of violence¡­ it didn¡¯t feel human.¡±

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    ¡°Who are you calling inhumane?!¡± Theresa snapped, her voice slicing through the tension like a de.


    Dave turned to her immediately. ¡°Theresa¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    Everyone turned to look at her, wide¨Ceyed. Did she just admit it?


    Could it really have been Theresa who threw that punch?


    As they thought about it a little more¡­


    Yeah. That was absolutely something Theresa would do.


    Everyone on the KI Camp team instantly shut up.


    Lucas watched the brewing storm of awkward silence and had no idea how to defuse it.


    He cleared his throat. ¡°Let¡¯s get moving. We¡¯ll try to haul everything back today.¡±


    Thanks to Lucas¡® smooth handling, the convoy rolled out.


    The weather had held steady for two days straight¨Csunny skies and cool air. The road was easier now, too, cleared by yesterday¡¯s trip. By the time half an hour had passed, they were once again in front of the same abandoned clothing depot.


    As before, the vehicles were parked right by the main gate before Lucas¡® squad led everyone inside.


    The first floor had beenpletely emptied. They moved cautiously upstairs, where the second floor was just as dark as yesterday.


    Every storefront was sealed shut. Neat rows of shuttered shops stretched in all directions¡ªa maze of abandoned boutiques and empty corridors. The only light came from dim, flickering red emergencymps, casting eerie shadows on the tiled floor. In that hellish glow, a few swaying silhouettes began to -lurch toward them.


    The second floor had even fewer zombies than the first.


    Yesterday, there had been around a dozen downstairs. Up here? Maybe four or five stragglers.


    Zzzzzzt.


    Lucas¡® team made quick work of the remaining undead, then got straight to work hauling supplies with practiced efficiency.


    This floor was filled with cheap women¡¯s clothing. Theresa signaled Kyle to keep loading up, then made a beeline for Lucas.


    ¡°How are we splitting this?¡± she asked.


    Lucas nced at her. ¡°If you want something, take it. Whatever you carry is yours.¡±


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    ¡°<b>I </b>can¡¯t carry that much by myself Aren¡¯t I just picking through your leftovers?¡±


    Theresa was speechless.


    (* Free Cof


    She red at Lucas, whose eyes practically screamed that he knew she had a space¨Cbased ability. She resisted the urge to curse him out.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± he said casually. ¡°Take as much as you want.¡±


    Theresa didn¡¯t reply, but she didn¡¯t have to. With Lucas¡® green light, she quietly moved toward a shadowy corner of the depot. For every ten bundles she moved, nine disappeared into her domain. She left a few behind to keep up appearances.


    At the same time, she kept an eye on Wolfe¡¯s team.


    Wolfe had brought thirteen people. Besides the three she¡¯d roughed up yesterday, eight had abilities.


    Tyger, the dual¨Cability user, needed no introduction. Three were strength¨Ctypes, two had speed¨Ctype abilities, one could control fire¨Cand then there was one space¨Cbased ability user.


    Flynt Lowell. The only space¨Cbased ability user in Wolfe¡¯s entire camp. Wolfe¡¯s prized pet.


    Flynt went wherever Wolfe did. He never lifted a finger during missions¨Cjust stood dead center in the group, protected by everyone else, waiting to scoop up the loot at the end.


    From what Theresa remembered, Flynt¡¯s domain was about 30 square feet.


    Before each mission, he emptied itpletely so he could haul back as much as possible.


    Now, Theresa had no problem secretly snatching supplies herself.


    But letting others do it?


    That was stealing her loot!


    Especially when she had Lucas¡® tacit permission. Wolfe? He didn¡¯t.


    Sure enough, while Theresa kept watch, she spotted a pile of clothes forming in one corner of the room. Wolfe¡¯s crew had quietly stacked them up, shielding the stash from view. Then, when the coast seemed clear, they motioned for Flynt to absorb it into his domain.


    ¡°Hey! Over here!¡± Theresa yelled from atop a sales counter, her voice sharp and leisurely. ¡°Wolfe¡¯s crew is stealing stuff!¡± ¡¤


    Every single head in the room turned.


    Wolfe¡¯s entire team became the center of attention, caught red¨Chanded like a bunch of kids with their hands in the cookie jar.


    ¡°Lucas, I saw it!¡± Theresa dered, righteously. ¡°That guy has a space¨Cbased ability. Haven Camp¡¯s hiding supplies in a pile so he can store them all in his domain!¡±


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    Wolfe¡¯s crew looked like they were about to burst a blood vessel. Flynt was the first to lose it. ¡°Wolfe, that Woman¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak,¡± Wolfe snapped, cutting him off. He turned toward Lucas, who was walking <b>over</b>.


    ¡°Mr. Keaton, it¡¯s not truc. Ms. Hall must¡¯ve been mistaken¨Call our supplies are right here. We didn¡¯t <b>steal </b>anything.¡±


    Theresa stepped forward, voice sharp and unrelenting.


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you tell us¨Cwhat ability does your teammate have?¡±


    Wolfe looked like he was about to pop a blood vessel. Theresa¡¯s barrage was enough to make his lungs ache from the pressure.


    Yesterday had been the first day, and Wolfe had clearly sensed that Theresa wasn¡¯t someone to mess with- so he¡¯d made sure Flynt kept his ability under wraps.


    But today, they were nning to clean the ce out. Take as much as they could before¨Cthe supplies were tallied up back at camp.


    He hadn¡¯t expected that the moment Flynt made a move, Theresa would lock onto them like a hawk.


    Now Wolfe stared at her¨Cequal parts furious and afraid. His face was still swollen like a bruised melon, but he forced a strained smile.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, he¡¯s really not a space¨Cbased ability user.¡±


    Theresa stepped in close.


    ¡°Swear on it.¡±


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    ¡°Alright! I swear, he¡¯s definitely not a space¨Cbased ability user! If he is, then may every single person on my squad die a horrible death!¡±


    ¡°Stop. No need to drag everyone down,¡± Theresa said with a gracious smile. ¡°Just you will do.¡±


    Wolfe¡¯s swollen, battered face twisted the moment he heard that. The confidence he had just now vanished, and he didn¡¯t dare speak.


    ¡°What, can¡¯t swear anymore?¡± Theresa tilted her head slightly. ¡°If you can¡¯t, just admit it. If youe clean now, I¡¯m sure Mr. Keaton won¡¯t take your life. At most, you¡¯ll just lose half your supplies. Sound fair?¡±


    Wolfe bit the bullet. ¡°Fine! I swear! If he turns out to be a space¨Cbased ability user, I¡¯ll die!¡±


    It¡¯s not like Theresa can <i>prove </i><i>anything </i><i>anyway</i><i>. </i><i>So </i><i>what </i><i>if </i><i>I </i><i>swear</i><i>? </i><i>She </i><i>won¡¯t </i><i>be </i><i>able </i><i>to </i><i>prove </i><i>a </i><i>d</i><i>*</i><i>mn </i>thing, <i>surely</i>.


    Shing!


    A cold sh of steel cut through the air. The katana on Theresa¡¯s back slid free in one smooth motion and came to rest directly against Flynt¡¯s neck.


    The moment that icy glint of the de caught the light, Flynt¡¯s expression changed instantly. ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    ¡°If he really is a space¨Cbased ability user, his supplies will spill out once he¡¯s dead. Easy enough to test.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t do this!¡± Flynt backed away in a panic. ¡°This is murder!¡±


    ¡°Theresa Hall!¡± Wolfe shouted. ¡°You can¡¯t just kill someone to prove a point! Who gave you that right¡ªjust your word alone?!¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes sharpened, her grin turning wicked. ¡°If he¡¯s not a space¨Cbased ability user, then I¡¯ll die. I¡¯m betting my life against yours.¡±


    She was going all in, showing her cards. But of course, she knew everything about every single one of them.


    As the katana began to rise again, Flynt¨Cweak and utterly gutless¨Ccopsed to his knees with a loud thud. ¡°I¡¯m a space¨Cbased ability user! Don¡¯t kill me! I¡¯ll bring everything out right now!¡±


    With a loud whoosh, Flynt dumped all the supplies he¡¯d been hiding in his domain onto the ground.


    Wolfe¡¯s temples throbbed as he watched it all spill out. <i>Goddammit</i><i>!</i><i>Really</i><i>?! </i><i>You¡¯re </i><i>gonna </i><i>p </i><i>me </i><i>in </i><i>the </i><i>face </i><i>this </i>fast?!


    He had just finished swearing, and now his own guy had turned around and proved him wrong. And the worst part was¨Che¡¯d sworn on his own life.


    With a heavy <i>thud</i>, Wolfe, too, dropped to his knees and looked up at Lucas. ¡°Mr. Keaton, I swear I had no idea! I didn¡¯t know he was a space¨Cbased ability user!¡±


    The others stared in silence. <i>Seriously</i>? <i>That¡¯s </i><i>the </i><i>best </i><i>excuse </i><i>you </i><i>could </i><ie </i><i>up </i><i>with</i><i>?! </i>


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    ¡°You lying b¡¯stard!¡± Wolle lunged at Flynt. ¡°You tricked me! You hid your ability and made me swear that crap¨C1 should kill you for this!¡±


    Just as Wolfe raised a hand to beat him, Lucas¡® cold voice rang out. ¡°He¡¯s admitted it. The supplies are out. Your team will forfeit half your haul this trip. We¡¯ll leave it at that. Agreed?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re letting them off that easy?¡± Theresa quirked a brow. She wasn¡¯t exactly the forgiving type.


    Lucas nced at the troublemaker beside him with a sigh. ¡°Half of their supplies go to you. Happy now<i>?</i>¡±


    ¡°Alright, then,¡± Theresa answered, like she was doing him a favor. ¡°But that guy¡¯s a space¨Cbased ability user. No way we can trust him to carry supplies again. He might steal more.¡±


    Lucas nodded. ¡°Agreed. From now on, your teammate¡¯s on guard duty. If you see any zombies, kill them. No more supply runs.¡±


    Flynt¡¯s face turned pale. <i>What</i>?! <i>They¡¯re </i><i>NOT </i>making me <i>kill </i><i>zombies</i>! He always stayed in the center of the formation¨Ceveryone else protected him.


    But Wolfe, desperate to protect his own neck, snapped, ¡°What are you waiting for? Go!¡±


    Flynt had no choice but to drag himself to the stairwell and take up a guard position. <i>So </i><i>much </i><i>for </i><i>being </i>a <i>space</i><i>¨C</i><i>based </i><i>ability </i><i>user</i><i>! </i><i>I </i><i>should </i><i>be </i><i>a </i><i>treasure </i><i>in </i><i>any </i><i>squad</i>, <i>yet </i>now, I¡¯m <i>f</i><i>*</i><i>cking </i><i>stuck </i><i>guarding </i><i>the </i><i>stairs </i><i>from </i>zombies<i>! </i>


    Once Wolfe¡¯s group was dealt with, Theresa went right back to gathering supplies.


    Now that they¡¯d lost their space¨Cbased ability user, Wolfe¡¯s squad posed no threat. No one would dare try to steal anything again.


    Even better, Wolfe¡¯s entire team was so terrified of Theresa that the moment she walked into a room, they scrambled to leave. The farther away from the demon queen they were, the better.


    Which worked out perfectly for Theresa¨Cshe took whatever she wanted with barely any resistance. Nine times out of ten, she got her pick, stuffing high¨Cquality clothing into her domain while leaving behind whatever scraps she couldn¡¯t be bothered with. True to Lucas¡® earlier words, she really did leave him the leftovers.


    They kept hauling for three or four hours straight. Midway through, they paused for half an hour to eat, then got right back to work. By the time the sun dipped intote afternoon, they had finally cleared out the entire five¨Cstory megamart.


    Theresa¡¯s biggest haul came from the high¨Cend women¡¯s clothing on the top floors. And when they returned, Lucas still owed her another share of the goods. Not to mention, she¡¯d also receive half the spoils from Haven Camp.


    This time, she barely needed to lift a finger to receive an overflowing reward.


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    Chapter 179 Snowed In and Spoiled Rotten


    Chapter 179 Snowed In and Spoiled Rotten


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    But just as they were about to head back with thest batch of supplies from the fifth floor, heavy snow began to fall outside. Thick, fluttering kes poured from the sky, nketing the world in a dense veil of gray and white. Within minutes, the snow had piled up as high as the car wheels.


    The heavy clouds above blocked out the afternoon light, and though it was only four or five in the evening, the sky had already turned as dark as nightfall.


    There was no way they could return..


    Lucas studied the blizzard for half a minute before making a decision. ¡°We¡¯ll stay here for the night. Head back once the snow stops tomorrow.¡±


    No one from Kl Camp objected. As soon as the order was given, they began securing the area. Theresa remained calm as ever, sending Kyle to inspect the surroundings and make sure the ce was safe. The team from Haven Camp did the same.


    They all decided to set up camp on the fifth floor. The elevation gave them a better vantage point; someone could keep watch by the windows. Since the building overlooked the main road, they¡¯d be able to spot danger right away and respond in time. Plus, the lower floors were bone¨Cchillingly cold. Without heating, a mall in the middle of winter could practically freeze a person to death.


    Lucas had some of the cotton clothes brought out andid across the floor, forming onerge sleeping area for everyone to huddle together. The onlyplication was that Theresa was the only woman among them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have someone set up a bed for you in one of the shops,¡± he offered. ¡°The rest of us will sleep out here.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Theresa replied. ¡°Better to squeeze together¨Cit¡¯s warmer that way.¡±


    Lucas paused. Somehow, her straightforwardness made him feel overly fussy.


    As night fell, the temperature plummeted. Everyone huddled together in a circle, wrapped in the thickest clothes they had. Each camp began preparing dinner.


    Theresa had Kyle pull out their pot stew setup. In the dead of winter, there was nothing better than a steaming pot of stew to warm everyone up.


    ¡°Guess it¡¯s free food time again,¡± someone joked.


    The bubbling pot stew was loaded with jerky, pork strips, fish chunks, meatballs, braised eggs, ham- nearly all of it meat. Meanwhile, Lucas¡® team wasn¡¯tpletely outdone; they brought out fresh rice and started steaming it right there.


    Ever since Lucas had seized that depot, Kl Camp had been livingrge. Everyone there could eat real grains now, and living standards had shot up across the board. Even their average weight was climbing. Still, they couldn¡¯tpare to Theresa¡¯s camp¨Cher team had never been short on supplies, and every meal came with meat.


    When the soldiers from Kl Campid eyes on the giant pot of meat in front of them, their eyes practically turned green. Once the lid came off and the savory aroma of the ingredients mingled with the rich tomato broth, people¡¯s mouths nearly watered straight into their boots.


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    ¡°Food¡¯s ready! Dave watched the freshly cooked rice finish cooking, then scooped out a heaping bowl for everyone.


    Each bowl started with a generousdle of oil¨Cslicked tomato broth poured over the fragrant rice. No need for side dishes¡ªthe tangy, sweet vor of the tomato alone brought every taste bud to life. The rice was soft and fluffy, pairing perfectly with the broth. It was so good that people could¡¯ve danced.


    Add a slice of beef soaked in that fresh tomato broth, and it was enough to make KJ Camp¡¯s guys feel like they could die happy.


    ¡°This is incredible!¡±


    ¡°So good!¡±


    Graham devoured his food in huge mouthfuls, chewing so fast his tongue practically tripped over itself. The others weren¡¯t much better, diving into the pot like starving wolves. Fortunately, Theresa and Lucas had already served themselvesrge bowls, so they didn¡¯t need to fight for them.


    Graham, seeing the pot almost empty and still not full himself, looked pitifully at the nearly scraped¨Cclean bottom. ¡°C¡¯mon, guys, cut the youngest here some ck!¡±


    Theresaughed. Reaching into her own portion, she fished out a big meatball and dropped it into his bowl. ¡°Here. A treat.¡±


    ¡°Theresa¡­.¡± Graham¡¯s eyes welled with tears. <i>Theresa¡¯s </i><i>the </i>best. <i>She¡¯s </i><i>the </i><i>one </i>and <i>only </i><i>treasure </i><i>in </i><i>this </i>whole <i>d</i><i>*</i><i>mn </i><i>apocalypse</i><i>. </i>


    He grabbed the meatball like it was sacred, turned smugly toward the others, and took a giant bite with pride.


    <i>Oh </i><i>yeah</i><i>, </i><i>that </i><i>hits </i><i>the </i><i>spot</i><i>. </i>


    The moment the others saw it, every single one of them shoved their bowls toward Theresa.


    ¡°Theresa, me too!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still hungry.¡±


    ¡°I like beef!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll eat anything!¡±


    ¡°Theresaaaa, hungyyy. I want food¡­¡±


    Theresa stared at the group of fully grown men inbat suits, each one muscled and imposing, acting like a bunch of clingy toddlers with bowls in hand.


    <i>Fine</i><i>, </i><i>fine</i><i>. </i><i>Take </i><i>it</i>.


    She gave everyone a little scoop of something from her bowl, spreading it out evenly. She still had to save a bit for Kyle, after all. He was her direct subordinate¨Cof course, he deserved better treatment.


    Even if Kyle was full, he still needed <i>to </i>eat more. But the greedy b*stards in front of her clearly weren¡¯t done. They were pushing their luck, eyes gleaming as they held their bowls out for seconds.

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    Chapter 180 Center of the Circle


    They wanted everyst bit.


    Just then, another set of cutlery dropped food onto the greedy men¡¯s tes.


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    ¡°I¡¯ve got some left,¡± Lucas said as he passed over the rest of his food to them like an adult handing out candy to children.


    Once everyone had been properly fed and sent back to their spots, Lucas instinctively nced over at Theresa. She met his eyes, and the two shared a brief smile.


    Theresa scooped what remained from her te and gave it all to Kyle as an extra portion. Everyone else also had their own hearty second servings,


    While things at K1 Camp were lively and full of warmth, it was a different story over at Haven Camp. Their supplies were running low, so each person simply boiled water and had a cup of instant noodles to get by. The smell wafting over from next door was sheer torture.


    If Lucas and Kl Camp had been there on their own, Wolfe would¡¯ve thickened his skin and gone over, suggesting the two camps eat together¨Cmaybe trade some noodles for a bit of soup and meat.


    But Theresa was there.


    And since she¡¯d already thoroughly put Wolfe in his ce, he didn¡¯t dare make a sound. He just sat and stared, eating his sad cup of instant noodles while the others feasted.


    After the meal, everyone began preparing to sleep.


    Kl Camp split into two shifts¨Chalf would stand guard for the first half of the night, while the others would rest and take overter.


    Theresa, naturally, didn¡¯t have to lift a finger¨Cespecially after treating everyone to such a rich dinner. She was like the group¡¯s collective treasure. They had her sleep in the center, surrounding her in a protective circle.


    Theresa had been through far worse than this. Beingpletely surrounded by men, front and back, wasn¡¯t enough to make her blink. She wrapped herself in her thick coat andy downfortably in the middle.


    The snowstorm continued through the night, and the temperature kept dropping.


    Malls without central heating in the dead of winter were bitterly cold, especially because the wide open spaces let heat dissipate almost instantly. The only light came from a single dim LED coldmp. Since the mall had been cleared of goods, it was more open now, and the orange¨Cred glow from the snow outside bled in through the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows.


    In the second half of the night, Theresa woke up from the cold


    Even nestled in the center of a bunch of human furnaces, she still felt the chill. Maybe it was a gender thing¨Cmen and women felt cold differently, and in such frigid conditions, even a crowded mall couldn¡¯t keep the cold out.


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    Chapter 180 Center of the Circle


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


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    She¡¯d just started to crawl out of her cocoon of coats when a voice came from the bundle of shadows beside her. Lucas had woken up too.


    ¡°Just going to the bathroom,¡± Theresa said, bundling up in three or four moreyers and stepping out to walk around a bit and warm herself up.


    ¡°Want me toe with you?¡±


    She gave Lucas a look like he¡¯d just suggested something ridiculous. ¡°What, you wanna hold my hand while I pee?¡±


    Lucas was at a loss for words. It wasmon knowledge that girls always went to the restroom in pairs..


    Theresa quickly stopped messing with him and declined the offer, quietly making her way out of the circle and heading toward the restrooms in the far corners of the mall.


    The public restrooms were located on the far left and right ends of the final row of stores. Their group was camped out right in the middle, which meant she had to walk all the way to one end.


    She chose the right side and headed down the corridor. The snow was still falling outside. The closer she got to the hallway, the brighter her path became¨Cilluminated by that strange, orange¨Cred glow. Along the sides of the corridor stood ory scattered human¨Cshaped figures: mannequins.


    Zombies had already been cleared out, but walking alone down a dark, silent hallway littered with human forms was eerie in a way nothing else quite was, especially when she passed a cross¨Csection and nced into one of the pitch¨Cck shops. The hallway inside was so dark and narrow that it felt like a beast might leap out at any moment.


    Theresa¡¯s gaze turned icy as she swept her eyes over every passage before finally reaching the restroom.


    <i>Click</i><i>. </i>


    She struck a small me, lit a cigarette, and leaned against the sink counter, the soft amber glow of the fire casting a warm light across her features.


    Halfway through her smoke, she heard footsteps approaching.


    ¡°Who the hell is that woman? Why does K1 Camp treat her like royalty? They all act like she walks on


    water,¡±


    ¡°No idea. Wolfe says she runs some little camp somewhere.¡±


    <i>¡°</i><i>Pfft</i><i>. </i>Some b*tch like that can¡¯t be much. She probably slept her way through every one of them.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t lie though, she does look hot. If I got a night with her, I¡¯d y nice too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d bang her too.¡±


    Then-


    <i>Smack</i><i>! </i><i>Smack</i><i>! </i><i>Smack</i>!


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    Chapter 180 Center of the Circle


    Three thunderous ps cracked through the hallway.


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    Chapter 181 The Reason They Respect Her


    Chapter 181 The Reason They Respect Her


    ¡°Jesus, Tyger, are you out of your d*mm mind?!¡±


    ¡°That chick¡¯s not even part of our camp! Why the hell are you hitting us for talking about her?!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re seriously messed up!¡±


    Smack! Smack<i>! </i>Smack!


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    Three more ps rang out, and outside suddenly fell silent. The group scattered, making a break for the restroom up ahead. But the second they pushed through the door, they were greeted by the sight of Theresa standing at the sink, a cigarette between her fingers.


    ¡°Holy sh*t!¡±


    Theresa looked up at the three who¡¯d just walked right into the lion¡¯s den. She tapped her ash and said coolly, ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been really curious about me.¡±


    ¡°We¡­ we didn¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. If you¡¯re that curious, I¡¯ll tell you. You¡¯re dying to know why they all treat me with so much respect, right?¡± She stepped toward them, her tone casual but cold.


    The three of them froze in ce. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I beat it into them.¡±


    In the next instant, Theresa was suddenly right in front of them. Then came the first punch.


    <i>Bang</i><i>! </i><i>Bang</i><i>! </i><i>Bang</i><i>! </i>


    With a single punch each, she sent all three guys from Haven Camp flying. They crashed into the wall with a loud thud, and before they could even hit the ground, she was already on them, fists raining down.


    She went for the eyes, not the temples; the philtrum, not the throat; under the cheekbone, not the jaw hinge; between the spine, not the ribs; the organs under the ribs, not the groin; the base of the pelvis, not the kidneys; the knees, not the tailbone; the pressure points, not the eardrums.


    That was the rule of eight hits¨Cand eight ces not to hit.


    Theresa hit <i>all </i>eight.


    Within minutes, the three were sprawled across the floor, twitching and groaning, beaten half to death- but still alive. It was a brutal, precise, and punishing disy. And Tyger, who had juste in behind. them, watched the whole thing with wide, shining eyes.


    <i>If </i><i>my </i><i>sister </i><i>had </i><i>been </i><i>like </i><i>her</i><i>, </i>he thought, <i>she </i><i>never </i><i>would¡¯ve </i><i>ended </i>up <i>the </i><i>way </i><i>she </i><i>did</i><i>. </i><i>Never </i>would¡¯ve <i>been </i><i>bullied </i>into <i>taking </i><i>her </i>own <i>life</i><i>. </i><i>Every </i><i>girl </i><i>should </i><i>be </i>like <i>her</i><i>¨C</i><i>fighting </i><i>back</i><i>, </i><i>without </i><i>fear</i><i>. </i>


    After getting in a solid round of ¡°physical persuasion,¡± Theresa finally felt warmed up. She looked down at the three barely conscious guys and smiled. ¡°Now you get why they¡¯re always so polite with me, don¡¯t you?¡±


    The three, faces swollen and barely breathing, nodded like their lives depended on it.


    We get it<i>! </i>Loud and clear! Who wouldn¡¯t?! She¡¯s not just <i>some </i><i>girl</i><i>¨C</i><i>she¡¯s </i>a <i>godd </i><i>mn </i>war <i>goddess</i><b><i>! </i></b>


    They were ability users, and yet not a single one of them had been able to activate their powers. Theresa had moved too fast¨Cso fast they couldn¡¯t even track her steps before she was already in their faces. One punch and all their defenses had crumbled. Her understanding of the human body was terrifying. Every move had been strategic, lethal in intent but not in execution. It was unrelenting, violent discipline<b>¨C</b><b>an </b>almost martial sense of justice.


    ¡°Now, f*ck off.¡± Theresa gave them one final kick, and the three of them scrambled away like their lives depended on it.


    Once they were gone, she turned back to Tyger, who was still standing nearby. She pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered him one. ¡°Want one?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t smoke,¡± Tyger replied, waving it off.


    That surprised her¨Cthis was the first time she¡¯d ever spoken to Tyger. From what the others in the camp had said, he¡¯d been in and out of juvie since he was a teenager, got into all kinds of trouble, andter became a regr in underground fight rings. Word was, he barely spoke, had a terrible temper, and was quick to throw a punch. The tattoos covering his body made him look dangerous¨Cdefinitely not the kind of guy one¡¯d expect to be clean.


    ¡°No worries,¡± Theresa said with a slight smile. ¡°You can still take one.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t smoke. My little sister hated it.¡± Tyger¡¯s voice was calm, but firm.


    ¡°You have a sister?¡± Theresa tucked away the cigarettes and pulled out two pieces of gum instead.


    This time, Tyger epted. He unwrapped one carefully, popped it into his mouth, and started chewing. He didn¡¯t throw the foil away, though¨Cinstead, he began folding it into a little paper boat in his hand.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve got a sister¡­ where is she now?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s dead,¡± Tyger said tly.


    ¡°Zombies<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>


    ¡°No.¡± Tyger¡¯s voice darkened. His hands clenched slightly around the foil boat. ¡°She jumped. If she were still alive, she¡¯d probably be about your age.¡±


    Theresa went quiet. She didn¡¯t ask anything else.


    But Tyger kept talking. Slowly, steadily. ¡°My dad was a construction worker. Died in an ident when I was seven. My mom went to ask the boss forpensation¡­ but he refused to pay. She killed herself¨Cran headfirst into a beam at the site entrance. After that, it was just me and my sister.¡±

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    ¡°I dropped out young, did whatever jobs I could to pay for her schooling. When she got to middle school, I enrolled her in a boarding school. Then one day in eighth grade¡­ she jumped from the building.


    ¡°Before that, she called me. Over and over. She said she didn¡¯t want to go to school anymore. I yelled at her, forced her to go back. I thought she was just being difficult. Later, I found out she¡¯d been bullied. Those animals¡­ they hounded her.¡±


    His voice had risen with fury, and now his eyes burned with a killing intent so thick it felt almost tangible. His fists tightened around the tiny paper boat in his hand, arms trembling uncontrobly. ¡°It was my fault. All my fault. If I hadn¡¯t pushed her to go back, she wouldn¡¯t have¡­ She was my only sister.¡±


    Just then, a hand settled gently on his shoulder.


    ¡°Tyger¡­ It¡¯s all in the past now.¡±


    He turned to see Theresa standing there, looking at him with calm sincerity.


    ¡°If I were your sister,¡± she said quietly, ¡°I¡¯d be proud of you. You avenged her, and you¡¯ve never stopped protecting girls like her. That¡¯s something to be proud of.¡±


    Tyger¡¯s massive frame began to tremble all over again. He kept his head low, his fingers crushing the little foil boat in his palm.


    Theresa didn¡¯t say anything else. She simply stayed there with him, silent and steady.


    After a long moment, Tyger lifted his head. ¡°Could you¡­ call me ¡®Tyger¡® again?¡±


    She smiled. ¡°How about joining me, Tyger?¡±


    His broad face broke into a grin. ¡°I¡¯ll follow you! I¡¯ll protect you, no matter what!¡±


    The two of them shared a smile, and just then, a system notification echoed in Theresa¡¯s mind.


    <i>¡°</i><i>Ding</i>¨CA <i>new </i><i>camp </i><i>guard </i><i>has </i><i>been </i><i>added</i>. <i>You¡¯ve </i><i>received </i><i>one </i><ibat </i><i>suit</i>, <i>one </i><i>thousand </i><i>points</i><i>, </i><i>and </i><i>an </i><i>increase </i>in <i>loyalty </i><i>level</i><i>. </i><i>Current </i><i>loyalty</i><i>: </i><i>100</i><i>¨C</i><i>ssified </i><i>as </i><i>PURPLE</i>: <i>Unwavering</i>.¡±


    Theresa blinked in surprise. <i>Purple</i><i>¨C</i><i>level </i><i>loyalty </i><i>right </i><i>off </i><i>the </i><i>bat</i>? <i>Holy sh</i><i>*</i>t!


    There were only three loyalty tiers, and this was the highest she¡¯d ever seen at recruitment. Even Kyle had taken time and effort to reach this stage.


    And then another notification followed. <i>¡°</i>Ding¨C<i>Special </i><i>Attribute </i><i>copied</i><i>!</i><i>¡± </i>


    <i>Fire</i><i>¨C</i><i>based </i><i>and metal</i><i>¨C</i><i>based </i><i>dual</i><i>¨C</i><i>ability</i><i>?! </i>


    Before Theresa could fully process the incredible stats, a thunderous <i>bang </i>erupted outside. The explosion. rocked the mall beneath their feet, shaking the floor.


    Theresa and Tyger instantly rushed to the nearest window. Out in the swirling orange¨Ctinted snow, a tight military convoy burst from the residential district. Submachine guns and rocketunchers jutted out from armored vehicles, firing wildly into the distance.


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    Behind them surged a massive horde of zombies¨Cthousands of them pouring out from between high- rises, screaming and snarling as they chased the convoy through the snow.


    ¡°Theresa!¡±


    ¡°Boss!¡±


    Lucas and Kyle¡¯s voices rang out from across the building.


    Theresa waved from the hallway. ¡°Here!¡±


    Lucas spotted her and immediately breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Stay put! We¡¯re heading down now.¡± Without another word, he and his team rushed toward the stairs.


    Kyle jogged over to her. ¡°Boss.¡±


    After regrouping, Theresa nodded toward the chaos outside. ¡°We¡¯re heading down too.¡±


    She, Kyle, and Tyger took the emergency stairs down from the restroom corridor. On the way, she quickly introduced them. There wasn¡¯t much time for pleasantries¨Cjust a nod of acknowledgment between the


    two men.


    Soon, they reached the stairwell between the first and second floors. Theresa stopped and walked over to the massive window looking out on the road.


    From this vantage point, she could clearly see the convoy¡¯s path. If anything went wrong, this spot offered options¨Cretreat or counterattack. And if it really came down to it, they could jump straight out the window. Across the street stood another unfinished mall¨Cstill under construction, wide open, and full of potential escape routes.


    As Theresa stood by the window, her mind automatically sketched out an escape map.


    <i>This </i><i>is </i><i>the </i><i>spot</i><i>. </i>


    Through the swirling snow, the convoy came into view¨Ccloser now, the markings on the vehicles growing clearer.


    ¡°Boss, that¡¯s the International Riot Suppression Corps,¡± Kyle said, his brow furrowing.


    ¡°They¡¯re what?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re a special ops unit. Independent of the old military districts. Only show up duringrge¨Cscale international conflicts.¡± Kyle looked at her and summarized, ¡°These guys don¡¯t mess around.¡±


    <i>Boom! </i>


    After a rocketunched from the front vehicle, the roof opened, revealing a man d in a ckbat suit, hoisting a rocketuncher over his shoulder. He turned and fired straight into the zombie swarm. chasing them.

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    Explosions lit up the snowy terrain, sending waves of white into the air. The zombies nearest the st were blown sky¨Chigh, flying through the air like ragdolls.


    The convoy took advantage of the brief opening, tires spinning as they elerated away from the approaching horde.


    But just then, thest vehicle in the line lost traction on the icy road. The tires skidded, and the car mmed into a utility pole. Within seconds, the zombie horde caught up.


    Theresa watched, wondering what they¡¯d do. But before she could think further, the wrecked vehicle detonated in a fiery explosion.


    From the inferno burst three men in ckbat suits, sprinting toward the rest of the convoy. None of the leading vehicles stopped. The only support they offered was a few ropes tossed from their windows once the men were within reach.


    The three caught the ropes, tied them around their waists, and let themselves be dragged through the snow. Even as they were being hauled forward, they spun around, shouldering their weapons and unleashing bursts of gunfire at the oing zombies. It was a daring retreat, one man firing while the others reeled him in.


    <i>Boom</i><i>! </i>


    Another rocketunched from the frontmost vehicle, tearing a path through the horde and clearing their way again.


    ¡°D*mn¡­ that¡¯s bad*ss,¡± Theresa muttered, eyes lighting up.


    Now <i>that </i>was what a real fight looked like¨Clike wild beasts wing their way through chaos. It was raw power, violent instinct, and absolute control.


    But the only problem was¡­ those beasts were headed straight for them.


    The lead vehicle gunned it toward the mall¡¯s rear entrance.


    <i>They¡¯re </i><i>not </i><i>seriously </i><i>thinking </i><i>of </iing <i>inside</i><i>, </i><i>are </i><i>they</i><i>? </i>Theresa thought. But sure enough, the first truck screeched to a halt right at the back door.


    <i>They </i><i>really </i><i>are </i><iing </i><i>in</i><i>! </i>


    ¡°We¡¯re heading down,¡± she said at once, racing toward the first floor.


    By the time she reached the ground level, Lucas and the rest were already positioned at the back entrance.


    ¡°Boss, looks like someone¡¯s out there,¡± one of the guards reported.


    As the convoy members stepped out of the first truck, one of them¨Ca man whose entire face was wrapped except for his eyes¨Cgave a cold, lethal nce toward the building. ¡°Anyone gets in our way¡­ we kill.¡±


    But before anyone could react, the mall¡¯s rear shutter rolled up with a loud <i>ng</i>.


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    Chapter 183 The Man From Ember Camp


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    A dozen armed men in matchingbat suits stood waiting, rifles raised. Lucas stepped forward from the center and waved them in. ¡°Get in¨Cnow!¡±


    The man with the covered face hesitated for a split second¨Clong enough for the gunfire to start again..


    Rat¨Ctat¨Ctat! Rat¨Ctat¨Ctal! Rat¨Ctat¨Ctal!


    Laicas and his team opened fire, covering the retreat as the new arrivals rushed inside. Once thest soldier was in, Lucas barked an order, and the shutter mmed down behind them.


    Bam!


    Bang, bang!


    Bang, <i>bang</i>, <i>bang</i><i>! </i>


    Zombies mmed into the shutter in quick session. Crates and nks were stacked against it in seconds, barricading the entrance tightly. Everyone inside finally exhaled.


    ¡°You just had to drag a whole horde over here! Now we¡¯re surrounded because of you!¡± a member of Haven Camp snapped.


    Among the new arrivals, the same masked man turned and shot him a chilling re before looking toward Lucas. ¡°One of yours?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lucas replied calmly. ¡°He¡¯s from a partner camp.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m responsible for him. Wolfe Ledger, administrator of Haven Camp. My man spoke out of turn¨Cplease don¡¯t hold it against him. And you are¡­¡±


    Wolfe had sharp instincts¨Che could tell at a nce these men weren¡¯t ordinary. Their gear alone screamed elite, and their aura was nothing like Lucas¡® upright squad. These new arrivals radiated something darker. Something bloodier.


    As Wolfe tried to recover the situation, the masked man responded with a voice like frozen steel. ¡°Only reason you¡¯re not dead is because of Lucas.¡±


    Wolfe fell silent.


    The killing intent that rolled off the man was bone¨Cdeep and ice¨Ccold. Even Theresa, who was standing a distance away, felt it crawl over her skin like a storm front.


    <i>Who </i><i>the </i><i>hell </i><i>is </i><i>this </i>guy? she wondered, more intrigued than afraid.


    That was when Lucas finally spoke./¡±Theron. It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s heart skipped a beat. <i>Theron</i><i>¡­ </i><i>Theron </i><i>Yorke</i><i>?! </i><i>The </i><i>administrator </i><i>of Ember </i><i>Camp</i><i>?! </i><i>The </i><i>one </i>who <i>topped </i><i>the </i><i>list </i><i>of </i><i>the </i><i>ten </i><i>most </i><i>ruthless </i><i>men </i><i>alive</i><i>? </i>


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    Chapter 184 The Quietest Threat in the Room


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    The one who nearly depopted <i>his </i><i>entire </i>camp <i>through </i><i>internal </i><i>culling </i>and <ibat </i>trials, <i>leaving </i>only the strongest alive? That Theron Yorke?!


    The man pulled off his ckbat mask upon hearing Lucas speak. Beneath it was a sharply contoured face, his skin a deep bronze tone. He looked like he had some foreign blood in him¨Chis features were chiseled, every angle hard and pronounced. Thick brows, a high nose bridge, and striking amber eyes made his expression seem perpetually intense. Even standing perfectly still, his buzz¨Ccut hair and strong jawline radiated an aura of raw aggression and dominance.


    ¡°Been a while.¡± Theron said, extending a hand toward Lucas, who sped it firmly.


    ¡°Lucas and Theron used to serve on the same missions,¡± Kyle quietly exined to Theresa. ¡°Theron grew up abroad¨Che¡¯s one of our country¡¯s expatriates in the Karifan continent. When our national riot division was deployed there, he joined up. He knew the terrain and the locals, helped win a bunch of decisive battles, and earned a ton of merit. Eventually, they made him the corpsmander. Just wrapped up an international campaign eight months ago and got reassigned back here.¡±


    He paused. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ not like us.¡±


    Of course, he wasn¡¯t. Theresa had heard stories in her past life about Theron¡¯s brutal methods and ruthlessmand, none of which Lucas¡® bunch coulde up with. He and Lucas might havee from the same military system, but they stood at opposite ends of the spectrum: one protection, the other annihtion.


    Feeling eyes on him, Theron nced past Lucas and spotted three figures standing in the shadows behind him¨Cone of them a woman.


    Unfazed, he pulled his gaze away and asked, ¡°You got food?¡±


    ¡°Not on me,¡± Lucas replied. ¡°But I can get you some.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    At that, Lucas turned and walked over to Theresa. ¡°Ms. Hall, you¡¯ve still got food, right?¡±


    ¡°What, you want to feed them?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Lend me some, will you? I¡¯ll pay you back.¡±


    Theresa quirked a brow but agreed readily. She pretended to rummage through her bag, but really she pulled several pre¨Cprepared meal kits and a pack of pasta from her domain. She didn¡¯t eat this processed stuff much anymore¨Cfresh produce from her own stash had long reced it¨Cbut she¡¯d stockpiled quite a bit back then, and now was the perfect time to trade it for something more valuable.


    ¡°This stuff¡¯s rare. I¡¯m charging you double.¡±


    ¡°Fair,¡± Lucas said as he took the food and brought it over to Theron¡¯s group.


    Ten minutester, everyone had gathered in the first¨Cfloor lobby. With the zombies still raging outside, it was far too risky to rest up on the fifth floor again. Luckily, dawn was only a few hours away. They¡¯d rest here for now and figure out a breakout n in the morning.


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    Chapter 184 The Quietest Threat in the Room


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    A fire crackled in a metal barrel, and arge pot bubbled over it. Steam rolled off the pasta, and Theresa¡¯s meal kits had all been tossed in and boiled together.


    Theron¡¯s squad sat along the right side of the room, silent, motionless, waiting to eat. Theresa and her team sat across from them alongside the K1 Camp people.


    The Haven Camp members, on the other hand, lingered around the outer edge, noticeably more isted. That was when someone from Haven noticed Tyger wasn¡¯t sitting with them.


    ¡°Tyger, what the hell? We¡¯re all sitting here!¡± Flynt snapped, clearly unhappy.


    ¡°Tyger¡¯s with me now,¡± she said, ncing up at them. ¡°He¡¯s mine.¡±


    Instantly, silence fell over the entire Haven group. For a full three minutes, no one dared say a word.


    Finally, someone who hadn¡¯t yet been on the receiving end of Theresa¡¯s fists muttered, ¡°Isn¡¯t it kind of shady to just poach people from our camp without even telling us?¡±


    Theresa didn¡¯t bother arguing. She simply waved them over with a smile. ¡°If you¡¯ve got a problem,e say it to my face.¡±


    The crowd went silent.


    The entire Haven Camp¨CWolfe included¨Chad seen firsthand what she was capable of. More than half of them had personally received her beating. The few who hadn¡¯t? They weren¡¯t about to volunteer. Between. her background, her ability, and her no¨Cnonsense brutality, only a fool would challenge her.


    Right then, a low chuckle came from across the fire.


    Theresa turned to look and found herself face¨Cto¨Cface with Theron¡¯s gaze¨Csharp and focused like a predator¡¯s. His lips curved ever so slightly, but the smile faded almost instantly. He didn¡¯t look at her again. Just focused back on the simmering pot in front of him.


    One of his men stood up and starteddling food into bowls. They¡¯d gone so long without a proper meal, the smell alone was enough to make them feel lightheaded. Even if it was just pre¨Capocalypse mass- produced rations, right now? It tasted like heaven.


    Inside that massive pot, Theresa¡¯s meal kits hadbined into a steaming feast: chicken and mushroom stew, braised pork, minced eggnt, pepper steak bites, smoked pork with sauerkraut, curry chicken, -sweet zed pork ribs¡­


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    It wasn¡¯t just dinner. It was a warzone banquet.


    s


    Everyone dug in together, wolfing down everyst bite until the bottom of the pot was scraped clean. And still¨Cthey weren¡¯t satisfied.


    It was absolutely, freaking incredible¨Cthe best thing they¡¯d eaten in a long time.


    ¡°Got any more?¡± Theron asked, ncing up.


    Lucas turned to Theresa.


    ¡°Double rate,¡± she said simply.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    With that, Theresa casually tossed out a few more pre¨Cprepared meal kits, along with two whole five¨Cpack instant noodles. They added some water to the same pot, dumped in the noodles, and stirred in the sauces and meats. Soon enough, steam billowed once again, and the second round of dinner was just as hearty. Atst, they were full.


    Lucas waited until the men had finished before he spoke. ¡°Where are you based now?¡±


    ¡°In the east,¡± Theron replied. ¡°We established Ember Camp.¡±


    ¡°I think I picked up your signal once,¡± Lucas said, narrowing his eyes in thought.


    ¡°We were broadcasting. Butter, we ran out of power. Not even a radio would turn on, so we stopped.¡±


    ¡°How many people in your camp?¡±


    ¡°A little over 3,000. You?¡±


    ¡°Kl Camp has over 5,000 now.¡±


    At that, Theron¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°You have enough food for that many?¡±


    Lucas didn¡¯t answer directly. ¡°We¡¯re managing¨Cfor now.¡±


    ¡°My camp¡¯s in a terrible spot. Supplies are almost nonexistent,¡± Theron said, frowning. ¡°Lucas, work with me.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your n?¡±


    ¡°Take the city.¡± Theron¡¯s amber eyes lit up with fire.


    ¡°I infiltrated Ansford today. There¡¯s a huge cache of supplies still sitting in the urban centers. If we can take just <i>one </i>city, we¡¯ll never have to worry about food again. And as for zombies? There¡¯s no such thing as


    defense. The only path forward is attack. Kill more, live longer. The more we clear, the better our chances!¡±


    He looked at Lucas, eyes fierce and unblinking.


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    In his past life. Theron had always been obsessed with retaking cities, but no one ever joined him. In all the eastern territories, he¡¯d been the only madman pushing forward. But his madness had a reason- Ember Camp had almost nothing. They couldn¡¯t afford to survive passively. Killing zombies was their only option.


    And besides, Theron wasn¡¯t just any soldier¨Che was a born fighter. However, most camps hunkered down and tried to survive. No one would dare gamble on something as insane as urban warfare.


    But this life was different. Lucas was still alive. And Theresa¡­ she wasn¡¯t who she used to be<i>, </i>either.


    Just then, a clear, crisp voice cut through the silence.


    ¡°Go on. I want to hear more about your n.¡± Theresa looked across the fire at Theron, curiosity lighting her face.


    Theron turned to her, those tiger¨Clike eyes narrowing slightly. Then, he leaned toward Lucas and asked quietly, ¡°She your woman?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lucas said quickly. ¡°Don¡¯t get the wrong idea. That¡¯s Theresa Hall, administrator of zing Sun Camp. She¡¯s¡­ strong.¡±


    Theron¡¯s eyes flickered with surprise. If Lucas said she was strong, she must be something else. He stood, tall and imposing, and walked over to Theresa. Extending a hand, he said, ¡°Theron Yorke, Ember Camp.¡±


    Theresa stood to meet him. ¡°Theresa Hall, zing Sun Camp.¡±


    Their palms met, and the moment their hands touched, Theresa thought she¡¯d grabbed a b of burning rock. The power surging through Theron¡¯s grip was unrelenting¨Cpure heat and strength wrapped in muscle and momentum. It radiated blood, sweat, and male aggression. In short, he was very much a man.


    Theron, too, was surprised. He hadn¡¯t expected that much force in such a small hand. When their grips locked, he felt it immediately¨Cthis wasn¡¯t just some title¨Cholder. She had real power. The strength in her palm shed with his in a silent collision. And she wasn¡¯t losing.


    ¡°Strong indeed,¡± Theron acknowledged.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear your n,¡± Theresa said as she released his hand and sat back down.


    ¡°When the apocalypse hit, most of humanity was wiped out. Survivors make up less than one percent. But the cities are still full of materials and supplies¨Cenough to sustain those of us left for hundreds of years. If we can take a city, food won¡¯t be humanity¡¯s greatest crisis anymore. The real threat is the zombies. We can¡¯t coexist. They have to die<i>¨C</i><i>all </i>of them. That¡¯s the only way we get peace.¡±


    Theresa nodded. She agreedpletely. Resources shouldn¡¯t be the biggest threat in the apocalypse.


    The wealth of the old world was enormous. Capture just one central depot, and it could feed survivors for years. And all the good stuff¨Cthe real bulk of it¨Cwas still inside the cities.


    ¡°But you realize,¡± she said, ¡°the cities are crawling with zombies. And there aren¡¯t enough of us.¡±


    Theron met her gaze without flinching. ¡°Have you noticed they¡¯re evolving?¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes narrowed.


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    Turning to Lucas, Theron observed, ¡°You¡¯ve noticed too, haven¡¯t you? Zombies. They¡¯re changing.¡±

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    Chapter 186 No Time Left


    Chapter 186 No Time Left


    Lucas let out a deep sigh, his expression grave. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


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    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken,¡± Theron said, ¡°in the next few years, zombies will only grow stronger, while we, without enough resources to sustain or develop, will only grow weaker. When those powerful city¨Cdwelling zombies finally break free, every camp will be wiped out. At best, we¡¯ve got ten years left to drag this out.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up at Theron¡¯s razor¨Csharp prediction. <i>This </i>man <i>doesn¡¯t </i><i>just </i><i>see </i><i>far</i><i>¨C</i><i>he¡¯s </i><i>dead </i><i>urate</i>.


    Ten more years, just barely surviving? His insight was so precise, she could almost believe he¡¯d been reborn too.


    In truth, there were always those few who could see far ahead. Predicting the future wasn¡¯t hard¨Canyone with enough cutting¨Cedge information could estimate what wasing. The real challenge was doing something about it. When trends were that overwhelming, personal power alone could never turn the tide.


    ¡°I know,¡± Lucas said quietly, lifting his eyes. ¡°But right now, we¡¯re still too weak. Charging back into the cities would be suicide.¡±


    He could see the direction things were headed too. But Lucas was nothing if not pragmatic. The K1 Camp had barely stabilized with just over 5,000 survivors. They had no real development yet¨Cno secure supply chains, no steady output. Even their logistics were shaky. His camp was still in its infancy;unching an offensive on a city was way beyond what they could handle. One mistake, and he¡¯d be dragging everyst soul in Kl Camp straight to hell.


    They simply couldn¡¯t afford it.


    ¡°Lucas, time isn¡¯t on our side,¡± Theron pressed. ¡°All this defensive posturing is just drinking poison to quench your thirst. This is a life¨Cor¨Cdeath war between humans and zombies. Either they go extinct, or we do. If we want the upper hand, we have to strike now while they¡¯re still weak. If we wait until they fully evolve, we¡¯ll have lost everything. Every second you hesitate, you¡¯re tightening your own noose.¡±


    Lucas stared at him with unnerving calm. ¡°Theron, maybe I am tightening a noose¨Cbut you? You¡¯re overdosing on adrenaline. You realize what happens if you fail, right? A battle with no retreat is just a faster road to death. And no one can promise there won¡¯t be a better opportunity down the line.¡±


    Just then, a crisp female voice cut in. ¡°Even a desperate gamble has a shot at turning the tide. And no- there really won¡¯t be another opportunity.¡±


    Theresa rose to her feet and looked squarely at Theron. ¡°You¡¯re right. If humanity wants to regain control, now¡¯s the only time. The zombies are limited in number, for now. The more we kill, the less threat they pose, and the stronger we be.¡±


    Right on cue, a clear voice echoed in her mind. ¡°Ding¨C<i>Ultimate </i><i>Leader </i><i>System </i><i>activated</i><i>! </i><i>City </i><i>Remation </i><i>Mission </i><i>initiated</i><i>! </i><i>You </i><i>must </i><i>reim </i><i>one </i><i>of </i><i>the </i><i>following </i><i>cities</i>: <i>Ansford</i><i>, </i><i>Branford</i><i>, </i><i>or </i><i>Crestmont</i>.


    <i>¡°</i><i>Eliminate </i><i>all </i><i>zombies </i>within<i>! </i><i>Completion </i><i>will </i><i>grant </i><i>a </i><i>massive </i><i>reward </i><i>bundle</i><i>! </i><i>During </i><i>the </i><i>mission</i><i>, </i><i>each </i><i>reimed </i><i>city </i><i>zone</i><i>, </i><i>at </i><i>least </i><i>one </i><i>full </i><i>district</i><i>, </i><i>will </i><i>earn </i><i>an </i><i>upgraded </i><i>reward </i><i>pack</i><i>!</i><i>¡± </i>


    Theresa, still riding high from her deration, lit up at this divine timing. She instantly extended her hand. ¡°Theron, let¡¯s do it. Let¡¯s take the cities back. Wipe out the zombie hordes!¡±


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    Chapter 186 No Time Left


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    Lucas watched the scene unfold, feeling a sharp throb in his temple. It was like watching two lunatics try to light the fuse on the end of the world.


    Have <i>they </i><i>both </i><i>lost </i><i>their </i>minds<i>!! </i><i>They¡¯re </i><i>talking </i><i>about </i><i>storming </i><i>cities</i><i>¨C</i><i>now</i>?! <i>Where¡¯s </i>their supply chain? <i>Where¡¯s </i><i>their </i>firepower? Theron has no resources, <i>fine</i><i>, </i><i>let </i>him <i>go </i><i>mad</i>. <i>But </i><i>why </i><i>is </i>Theresa jumping off the deep <i>end </i>with him<i>?! </i>


    ¡°Theresa!¡± Lucas shot to his feet as she moved to shake Theron¡¯s hand. He grabbed her arm and yanked her away from the group.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked, frowning.


    Lucas pulled her into the farthest corner of the space, his hands gripping her shoulders tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t throw your lot in with Theron¨Cthis n has almost zero chance of sess! If you go along with it, you¡¯ll die.¡±


    Theresa stared into his eyes, which looked like they were barely holding it together, and gave a small smile. ¡°Lucas, then let me tell you this¨CTheron¡¯s right. Once the zombies fully evolve, humans won¡¯t have a shot at taking anything back.¡±


    ¡°I want to fight back too,¡± Lucas said, almost pleading now. ¡°But we don¡¯t have the strength! Just give it a few more years. Let Kl Camp stabilize¨Cbuild up our output, our supplies, our people. Then we strike. Don¡¯t go crazy with him now.¡±


    But Theresa just shook her head and said tly, ¡°Lucas, I¡¯m telling you¨Cthree years from now, the world will be hit by a string of natural disasters. You won¡¯t even get a breather. Do you believe me?¡±


    Lucas froze.


    Theresa pushed past him and walked toward the ss window stered with old flyers. Beyond it, zombies pounded endlessly against the ss, their decaying hands smeared across the surface.


    ¡°After three years of disasters, the zombies in the cities will fully evolve. When that happens, forget fighting back¡ªjust defending ourselves will be a miracle.¡±

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    ¡°The world won¡¯t give you time to catch your breath. If you want the upper hand, you¡¯ve only got these three years. You grit your teeth and throw everything you¡¯ve got into pushing back¨Cor when the time is up, you¡¯ll be out of resources, facing evolved zombies, and you¡¯ll never get control again.¡±


    More importantly, Theresa had the system on her side. The more zombies she killed, the stronger her camp became. The fate of humanity could truly change¨Cright now.


    Lucas stood frozen, staring at her. She stood there with her arms crossed, calm andmanding, as if she had the whole world beneath her feet. Her words echoed in his mind. She¡¯d said the next three years would be pure disaster¨Cno breathing room, no reprieve. If they didn¡¯t fight back now, there would be no chanceter.


    If it had been anyone else, he would¡¯ve dismissed it without hesitation. But it was Theresa. And that made his heart pound.


    <i>¡°</i>But we¡¯re talking about the cities,¡± he said. ¡°Do you have the supplies for that? Theron doesn¡¯t have anything!¡±


    Theresa nodded without hesitation. Her camp had already achieved a stable output. The residents were continuing to produce, and it was more than enough to support her zombie¨Chunting missions.


    ¡°Lucas, join me. I¡¯ll support your whole squad.¡±


    After all, every city they took would be hers. The rewards would be massive. Covering a bit of food to feed his team while they helped her fight? That was a steal. Even hiring mercenaries wouldn¡¯t be this cost- effective.


    Lucas still frowned deeply, his brows knit in thought. After a long silence, he finally suggested, ¡°Can you just hold off for a bit? This is big. Fighting city zombies is something every survivor camp should be involved in. Let me send a message over the radio¨Csee what others think. Alright?¡±


    Theresa considered it, then nodded. ¡°Alright. Just tell them¨Cwhoever¡¯s willing to help me reim a city, I¡¯ll support them! And I¡¯m offering ten gleamstones per vial of Evoloid!¡±


    Lucas stared incredulously at her. ¡°You¡¯re really dead set on this.¡±


    Theresa stepped closer. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, just wait and see. This winter¡¯s going to drag on until mid¨CApril. And right after that, a drought¡¯sing.¡±


    With that, she turned and left, heading back toward the gathering point.


    Lucas stood there, staring at her back, unable to shake the words from his mind. <i>Winter </i><isting </i><i>until </i><i>mid- </i>April<i>, </i><i>followed </i><i>by </i><i>drought</i><i>. </i><i>It¡¯s </i><i>already </i><ite </i><i>January</i><i>¡­ </i>


    When Theresa returned, she went straight to Theron and began discussing their assault ns¨Chow to attack, when to begin, how they¡¯d divide resources afterward. They came to an agreement: Theresa would supply food and cover all of Theron¡¯s team¡¯s expenses during the attack. Any loot they gathered would be split fifty¨Cfifty<i>¨C</i><i>but </i>thend they reimed would belong to Theresa.


    ¡°Fifty¨Cfifty on supplies, sure. But the cities themselves? All yours? No way.¡±


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    Chapter 187 The zing Sun Alliance


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    ¡°How about this¨Cwe form an alliance. Independent, non¨Cinterfering. We fight together, share space in the cities, and I¡¯ll provide you with full ally privileges,¡± Theresa offered, pulling out a bag of pasta from her backpack. ¡°One gleamstone per pound. I¡¯ll sell it to your camp and keep you all fed.¡±


    Theron¡¯s eyes lit up. He fell into deep thought, clearly tempted¨Cbut not convinced. This setup made it sound like he¡¯d just be working for her. Outsourced muscle with no real gain. Sure, she¡¯d provide food, but she¡¯d walk away with the best rewards. That didn¡¯t sit right with him.


    Theresa pulled out one more item¨Ca vial of clear liquid.


    Theron took it, and this time his eyes went wide. ¡°What¡¯s this?<b>¡± </b>


    Theresa met his gaze and said calmly, ¡°Evoloid.¡±


    Thirty secondster, Theron was gripping the vial like it was a holy relic. He locked eyes with her. ¡°Lucas said you were the real deal. I can see that now. So, what do we call our alliance?¡±


    Theresa smiled. ¡°zing Sun Alliance.¡±


    A few hourster, daylight broke. With the sun came movement¨Cthe leading edge of the zombie horde began to scatter, with only around two hundred left circling the mall, still mming against the doors and wailing.


    Lucas ordered his people to the upper floors and had them throw grenade¨Crigged bait toward a nearby building.


    With a thunderous <i>boom</i>, half the remaining zombies were lured away by the st.


    Lucas moved fast. He had the main doors opened and gave a strict order: no guns. They used des and abilities to ughter the stragglers in silence. Within ten minutes, the area was clear.


    Everyone loaded into the vehicles and pulled out.


    Before leaving, Theron epted a battery¨Cpowered radio from Theresa, memorized the frequency, and returned to his camp.


    As for Lucas, his convoy headed back toward Kl Camp. On the way, they paused at a familiar fork in the road to deliver 1,000 sets of clothing to the people at Haven Camp.

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    Haven Camp hadn¡¯t contributed much to the mission¨Caside from offering a night of food and shelter, all they¡¯d done was tag along while Lucas¡® team moved the goods. The original agreement had been ten pieces of clothing per person, which should¡¯vee out to about 2,000 items. However, due to their shady behavior. Theresa had shed that in half. Still, even 1,000 pieces were enough to get them through the winter, and Lucas had made sure they picked out the thickest ones.


    Lucas was nothing if not fair. When they returned near K1 Camp, he had Graham drive Theresa and her group back to their camp, and even gifted them a whole truckload of clothing. It looked to be around 5.000 pieces. Combined with the batch Theresa had personally collected, she now had over 10,000 articles of clothing from this trip alone.


    Of course, most of that had been thanks to Lucas. After all, he and his people had done the heavy lifting. this round. They had hauled away over 100,000 items total. With that stockpile, K1 Camp could make it through the winter and still have plenty left to trade with other camps for resources.


    Back at her camp, Theresa wasted no time in spreading the wealth. In addition to the free round of winter coats she had handed outst time, she now instructed Tessa to put a portion of the new clothes into the supermarket at ultra¨Clow prices: fifty points for a heavy coat, ten points for thermal baseyers. She also stocked plenty of underwear, socks, and kids¡® clothes.


    Every time she gained a surplus, she gave a little more to her people, ensuring that life at zing Sun Camp stayed better than anywhere else. And that prosperity was reflected in the camp¡¯s growth.


    ¡°Whoa, look at all the new clothes in the supermarket!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s gotta be from our leader!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s amazing!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the best!¡±


    With praise piling up and prosperity steadily climbing, the camp was about to reach its next tier. Just as Theresa was wondering how to push it even further, a new message came in.


    <i>¡°</i><i>Dear </i><i>Theresa</i><i>, </i><i>you¡¯ve </i><i>received </i><i>a </i><i>new </i><i>message </i><i>from </i><i>Sweet </i><i>Charlotte</i><i>.</i><i>¡± </i>


    Theresa blinked, taking three seconds before finally recalling who Charlotte was.


    ¡°Charlotte Clove from Spark Camp?¡±


    <i>¡°</i><i>Yes</i>. <i>She¡¯s </i><i>from </i><i>Spark </i><i>Camp</i>. <i>Would </i><i>you </i><i>like </i><i>to </i><i>y </i><i>her </i><i>message</i><i>?</i><i>¡± </i>


    ¡°y it.¡±


    With that, Tessa broadcast the message aloud. ¡°Ms. Hall, this is Charlotte Clove. I heard you¡¯ve formed something called the zing Sun Alliance and are nning to reim the cities. Is it true that those who join will have their teams supported and ess to discounted Evoloid? Spark Camp would love to join your alliance and fight alongside you. Would that be alright?¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Tessa, get in touch with Sweet Charlotte and let her know Spark Camp is officially part of the zing Sun Alliance!¡±


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    The next second, a notification echoed in her mind. <i>¡°</i>Ding<i>¨C</i><i>You </i>now have two <i>allied </i>camps. The Alliance <i>trade </i>level has been unlocked. Camp <i>prosperity </i><i>has </i><i>increased</i><i>: </i><i>your </i><i>settlement </i><i>is </i><i>now </i>ssified as a <i>township</i><i>. </i>Resident bonuses activated: each resident will <i>receive </i><i>three </i><i>contribution </i><i>points </i><i>per </i><i>day</i>. Allied camps will now <i>earn </i>10 <i>points </i><i>for </i>every <i>10 </i>gleamstones traded.¡±


    Theresa blinked again, staring at the sudden jump in her camp¡¯s prosperity level just from gaining a single ally. And trade bonuses on top of that?


    This is a thing now?


    No sooner had Charlotte¡¯s message ended than another alert followed. ¡°Ding¨CDear Theresa, you have an unread message from Your Ever¨CPatient Lucas. Shall I y it?¡±


    ¡°y it.¡±


    Lucas¡® voice came through clearly. ¡°Theresa, I¡¯ve sent out word about your city¨Creiming alliance. Aside from Spark Camp, none of the other camps are responding. But Bennie Green from Hope Camp heard your n and ran some simtions. He wants to speak with you.¡±


    Theresa scoffed. ¡°What does <i>he </i>want?¡±


    ¡°Bennie says that with humanity¡¯s current strength, we¡¯re nowhere near ready to retake cities. ording to his models, the survivor¨Cto¨Czombie power ratio is 1 to 30. That means for every one of us, there are thirty of them. If we¡¯ve got 10,000 survivors left, we can only take on 300,000 zombies max.


    ¡°But Ansford alone had over a million residents before the outbreak. That means you¡¯d have to clear at least 700,000 zombies just to make city remation feasible. And that¡¯s assuming <i>everyone </i>joins¨Cwhich won¡¯t happen. Realistically, you might rally 1,000 fighters. Which means your odds of sess are 1,000th of what¡¯s needed.


    ¡°His advice: don¡¯t attack the cities. Focus on production. If you¡¯re open to it, he¡¯d like to invite you to join Hope Camp and co¨Cdevelop technology.¡±


    Theresa didn¡¯t even blink. She lifted her eyeszily. ¡°Don¡¯t bother rying anything that clown has to say from now on.¡±

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    Chapter 189 One More for the Alliance


    Chapter 189 One More for the Alliance


    Lucas <b>fell </b>silent.


    <b>+5 </b>Free Coins


    Theresa had always thought Bennie was a coward. Sharp¨Cminded, sure. A capable calctor of risk and reward. But that was precisely what made him so short¨Csighted. His vision never extended beyond what was absolutely safe.


    ording to his models, fighting to reim the cities wasn¡¯t worth it, so he simply hunkered down and focused on internal development. Even though he had ounted for evolving zombies and uing natural disasters in his simtions, he stillcked the courage to take action.


    Instead, he curled up in his camp, trimming down the poption, turning it into a closed¨Coff clique of so- called elites. His goal wasn¡¯t to defeat the zombies, but to outlive every other camp. As long as Hope Camp survived longer and remained stronger than the others, that was victory enough for him.


    To Bennie, this wasn¡¯t a war between humanity and the undead¨Cit was a race between camps. And as long as his camp ousted the rest, he¡¯d consider it a win. That mindset, no matter how capable his ability or how talented his team, made him <b>a </b>coward at heart.


    He shunned anything remotely risky like the gue. The soft underbelly of capital had taken root in him,pletely and utterly. So, Theresa had never once taken that cold, calcting administrator seriously. Taking him down would be easy. No need to show him respect. If she had more power, he¡¯d retreat out of instinct, too scared to even breathe loudly.


    People like him weren¡¯t worth listening to. Besides, Theresa knew better than anyone how hard it would be to reim a city. But just because something was hard didn¡¯t mean it shouldn¡¯t be done.


    <i>When </i>the ship sinks, no one stays dry.


    She stood up and walked to the telescope mounted on the top floor of her tower, peering toward the distant boundary of the city. From far, far away, she thought she could hear the low, demonic moans of the zombies lurking in the ruins.


    She¡¯d never been a saint, never been pure. But this time around, she wasn¡¯t here to be silent or safe. She was who she was¨CTheresa Hall. And if she got a second chance at life, then by God, she was going to flip the world upside down.


    Just then, her radio buzzed to life again with Lucas¡® voice. ¡°Theresa, I told my grandfather about what you¡¯re doing. He said you¡¯re the real deal. And if I don¡¯t join you, he would disown me and make you his granddaughter instead. So here it¨Cis¨CKl Camp is officially joining the zing Sun Alliance,¡±


    Theresa immediately turned away from the telescope, her eyes gleaming.


    Ding¨C<i>One </i>new allied camp added<i>.</i><i>¡± </i>


    Three dayster, under a cloudless blue sky¡­.


    ¡°Groooaaaar¡­¡±


    ¡°Graaaahhh¡­¡±


    Chapter 189 One More for the Alliance


    <b>45 </b><b>Free </b>Coins


    A single zombie staggered through the stairwell of a residential building, ravenous and aimless. It wore a pair of floral summer beach shorts and a filthy white tank top, stained with dark brown gore. Its chest was hollowed out¡ªliver and kidney¡¯s long gone, half its heart chewed away, with unmistakable bite marks at the edge. Its intestines dragged behind it, teeth marks still fresh where they¡¯d been ripped open.


    Thankfully, it was winter. The blizzards and subzero temperatures had finally driven away the clouds of flies, and even the maggots had dwindled. One foot wore a flip¨Cflop. The other was tangled in a second flip¨Cflop stuck around its ankle, making its movements jerky and uneven.


    Still, it trudged forward with dogged persistence¨Cbecause¡­


    Hungry. So hungry. I¡¯m starving<i>! </i>


    Finally, it caught a scent. The delicious aroma of fresh flesh¨Cno amount of thick winter clothing could hide it.


    The beach¨Cshorts zombie jerked its neck toward the source. Sure enough, a man in abat suit was standing just down the hall, his body radiating heat and life.


    ¡°Graaah!¡±


    Its dull, milky¨Cwhite eyes suddenly gleamed with bloodlust. With a wild screech, itunched forward, dragging the slipper behind it as it sprinted full tilt at the man.


    Behind it, dozens¨Cthen hundreds¨Cmore sensed the presence of living prey.


    The entire neighborhood erupted as a tidal wave of zombies flooded out from every corridor, stairwell, and crumbling room, stampeding in the same direction.


    As they surged closer¨Cbarely ten feet away¨Cthe man finally turned and bolted.


    He wasn¡¯t alone. From several other apartment blocks, more men came bursting into the street, each one leading a frenzied mob behind them.


    It was a coordinated draw.


    On top of a nearby vehicle, a woman stood with a pair of binocrs. She tracked the lead runner¨Conce he crossed a specific point, she lifted her hand. ¡°Pull!¡±


    -At hermand, a steel cable whipped up from the second floors of two abandoned buildings nking


    the street.


    In an instant, the beach¨Cshorts zombie at the front of the horde was decapitated. Its thin neck, strained from the sprint, was cleanly sliced in two by the steel cable stretched taut across the street.


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    Chapter 190 The First Victory


    Chapter 190 The First Victory


    Even as its head hit the ground, its body kept running for a few more steps.


    Shlick!


    <i>Shlick</i>!


    Shlick<i>! </i>


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    One after another, zombie heads rolled across the pavement. A few shorter ones slipped under the first wire, only to be caught by a second, lower cable.


    In front of them stood dozens of razor¨Cthin wires,yered like a deadly web. The steel cords tore through the charging zombie tide, and by the time the decoy team had sprinted back behind friendly lines, the street behind them was littered with corpses.


    But of course, it wasn¡¯t over. Countless zombies had avoided the traps entirely, circling in from the nks. What awaited them there was an onught of fireballs, ice spheres, flying metal des, earth spikes, and volleys of arrows and swords.


    Theresa stood at the center, nked by Kyle and Tyger. To her left, Lucas led his team from KI Camp; to her right, Theron¡¯s fighters held the line. Behind them, in the safest zone, were the survivors from Spark Camp¨CCharlotte and Den among them.


    After nearly an hour of relentless fighting, most people had depleted their abilities. When the powers ran dry, they switched to melee weapons and continued clearing the streets the old¨Cfashioned way.


    Atst, the street fell silent.


    Their first coordinated assault as an alliance wasplete,


    Theresa had chosen the outskirts of Ansford¡¯s High¨CTech District as their first target¨Cterritory close to her own and adjacent to the factory she¡¯d seizedst time.


    After confirming their team rosters, the alliance had spent an entire day in strategic meetings. They decided to start with this district and push deeper, street by street. Residential zones were the main objective, and that day¡¯s operation targeted two apartment blocks along one avenue.


    To avoid drawing in more zombies with gunfire, they¡¯d gone full trap and ability¨Cbasedbat for the first strike. And it had been a massive sess¨C300 survivors had gone up against over 30,000 zombies and wiped them outpletely.


    Their first battle had ended in total victory.


    ¡°Ms. Hall¡­ is it over?¡± Charlotte asked in awe, staring at the mountains of corpses piled high along the


    road.


    ¡°This? Theresa patted her head. ¡°This is just the beginning


    She raised her voice to the others. Clear the area. Be careful. Tomorrow, we start sweeping block by block!¡±


    <b>12:33 </b>Tue, 12 Aug


    Chapter 190 The First Victory


    Everyone moved at once, following her orders.


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    Clean¨Cup was simple enough¨Csoak the bodies in gasoline and set them aze. Any twitching corpses were finished off with cold steel. The process was fast but required constant vignce.


    Theresa sat atop one of the trucks, massaging her temples. Two water bottles were suddenly thrust in front of her¨Cone from each side.


    She looked up. Theron and Lucas were both standing there, each holding out water for her. But before she could choose, a third hand appeared. ¡°Ms. Hall, have some water,¡± Charlotte said cheerfully, holding out another bottle.


    Theresa looked at the three offerings and took them all without hesitation. This was her supply, after all. Why be polite?


    With all the poise of a seasonedmander, she took a long drink and encouraged the group. ¡°Great work, everyone. You all did well.¡±


    Lucas and Theron fell silent. Only Charlotte smiled brightly. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t mention it! I really like doing missions with you, Ms. Hall.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got promise.¡± Theresa gave her a firm pat on the shoulder.


    ¡°Oh, right! Ms. Hall, my brother wanted me to ask if we could buy a batch of Evoloid today?¡±


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll give it to you once we return. Ten gleamstones per vial.¡±


    Charlotte lit up, practically bouncing in ce. She looked like she wanted to hug Theresa.


    They¡¯d known about Evoloid for a while now, courtesy of Bennie¡¯s camp. After the grain depot incident where Bennie walked away empty¨Chanded, he¡¯d shifted tactics. He started trading Evoloid to other camps in exchange for food¨Cone vial for 1,000 pounds of grain. It was a sky¨Chigh price. But smaller camps like Spark Camp, desperate to try the fabled serum exclusive to Hope Camp, had no choice but toply.


    Spark Camp had once traded 10,000 pounds of grain for just ten vials. They used them sparingly¨Cthe effects were incredible, but the cost was impossible to maintain. When they tried to negotiate, Bennie didn¡¯t even bother replying. <i>Take </i><i>it </i>or <i>leave </i><i>it</i><i>. </i>He was the sole supplier, and he knew it.


    The smaller camps were crushed under the weight of that monopoly. Until suddenly, word spread: Theresa Hall was selling Evoloid too, and she took gleamstones¨C20 gleamstones per vial.


    With gleamstones bing the standard currency, the exchange rate was roughly one stone to ten pounds of grain. That meant Theresa¡¯s Evoloid was priced at one¨Cfifth of Bennie¡¯s.


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    Chapter 191 zing Profits, Burning Cities


    Chapter 191 zing Profits, Burning Cities


    She hadpletely undercut him.


    s


    More importantly, they had an abundance of gleamstones¨Cand nothing else to use them on. Paying in gleamstones for Evoloid was basically handing it to them for free.


    Den contacted Lucas immediately and purchased a vial to test. After using it, they were beyond stunned. Theresa was like a miracle worker¨Cher Evoloid was simply unbelievable.


    So, when Den and Charlotte heard Theresa was recruiting for an offensive against the cities, the two of them didn¡¯t hesitate. After a quick discussion, they decided to join her alliance.


    If their camp didn¡¯t have so many elderly residents, whom Theresa refused to ept, they would¡¯ve moved over entirely. But even now, as she started recruiting official allies, clinging to someone like her was clearly the smartest move. Following Theresa could only lead to good things.


    Off to the side, Theron and Lucas watched everything unfold with faint, knowing smiles but said nothing.


    Soon, fires raged along the street, while a convoy of vehicles headed toward the food processing nt. During the city siege, everyone would be temporarily housed here.


    Theresa traded Charlotte fifty vials of Evoloid in exchange for 500 gleamstones¨Cthe going rate. The raw cost for her was about 25 gleamstones total, but she also received 500 system points.


    <i>¡°</i>Ding¨C<i>Alliance </i><i>trade </i><i>sessful</i>. <i>Five </i><i>hundred </i><i>points </i><i>added</i><i>.</i><i>¡± </i>


    She hadn¡¯t lifted a finger, and yet Theresa had just pocketed 475 gleamstones and earned 500 points. It was basically free money. On top of that, the Evoloid would boost her allies¡® strength, reinforcing the alliance. She came out ahead in every way.


    Shortly after Charlotte¡¯s transaction, Theron arrived with a sack of gleamstones slung over his shoulder.


    ¡°Hall, gimme 100 vials of Evoloid, and 5,000 pounds of pasta.¡±


    He tossed her six thousand gleamstones.


    <i>¡°Ding</i>¨C<i>Alliance </i><i>trade </i><i>sessful</i><i>. </i><i>Six </i><i>thousand </i><i>points </i><i>added</i><i>.</i><i>¡± </i>


    Six <i>thousand </i><i>points</i>?! <i>That¡¯s </i><i>basically </i><i>an </i>AK¨C<i>47 </i><i>right </i><i>there</i><i>! </i>Theresa whooped inwardly, but on the surface, she eyed the gleamstones Theron had just gifted her and took the bag. ¡°You want the pasta delivered now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll have my people take it back to camp right away,¡± Theron replied. He still had to make sure his base had enough to eat.


    ¡°No need to send anyone. I¡¯ll arrange it myself¨Cfaster and safer.¡±


    Theron¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°Unmanned aerial vehicle,¡± she said.


    Theron stared at her for three full seconds before he swore. ¡°Sh*t, you¡¯ve got unmanned aerial vehicles?, Where the hell did Lucas, dig up someone like you?!¡±


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    Chapter 191 zing Profits, Burning Cities


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    Centered around the zing Sun Camp, Theresa¡¯s zing Sun Alliance had kicked off a full¨Cscale material cirction system. All gleamstones now funneled into her hands, and with them came an endless streamn of system points. In return, the allied camps received exactly what they needed to survive and grow.


    Once the alliance was established, Theresa¡¯s Evoloid became exclusive¨Cshe stopped selling to outsiders. altogether. That,bined with the cheap and reliable supply lines she offered, caused fier allies¡® strength to skyrocket. Camps that weren¡¯t part of the zing Sun Alliance were left far behind. The three bases that had joined her had all been carried to new heights.


    With the influx of points, Theresa bought another batch of unmanned aerial vehicles. The multifunctional system she had could only be one, but unmanned aerial vehicles? She could buy as many as she wanted. At 200 points apiece, she exchanged the points from Theron¡¯s deal alone for 30 new unmanned aerial vehicles. Her camp¡¯s power surged once again.


    That night, when Bennie learned that Theresa hadunched her first counterattack against the city, he fell into stunned silence.


    Today <i>is </i><i>February </i><i>27th</i><i>¨C</i><i>the </i><i>coldest </i><i>time </i><i>of </i><i>the </i><i>year</i><i>, </i><i>and </i><i>they </i><i>picked </i><i>now </i><i>to </i><i>attack </i><i>the </i><i>zombies</i>. Is <i>it </i><i>because </i><i>the </i><i>cold </i>slows them <i>down</i>, making <i>them </i><i>easier </i><i>to </i><i>fight</i>? <i>But </i><i>this </i><i>weather¡¯s </i><i>brutal </i><i>for </i><i>the </i><i>zombies</i>¡­ <i>and </i><i>just </i>as <i>brutal </i><i>for </i><i>the </i><i>people</i><i>! </i>


    Using their camp¡¯s top¨Ctier supeputer to simte the battle, Bennie could immediately tell just how impossible it would be.


    <i>They </i><i>can¡¯t </i><i>use </i><i>heavy </i><i>weapons</i><i>¨C</i><i>they¡¯d </i><i>risk </i><i>drawing </i><i>out </i><i>the </i><i>entire </i><i>city¡¯s </i><i>horde</i><i>. </i><i>That </i><i>means </i><i>they </i><i>have </i><i>to </i>go <i>the </i><i>old- </i><i>fashioned </i><i>way</i><i>¡­ </i><i>inch </i><i>by </i><i>inch</i><i>, </i><i>block </i><i>by </i><i>block</i><i>, </i><i>clearing </i><i>the </i><i>undead </i><i>like </i><i>monks </i><i>on </i><i>a </i><i>pilgrimage</i>. <i>No </i><i>shortcuts</i><i>, </i><i>no </i><i>fast </i><i>tracks</i><i>¨C</i><i>just </i><i>brutal</i><i>, </i><i>grinding </i><i>attrition</i>. <i>One </i><i>wrong </i><i>move </i><i>and </i><i>they </i><i>die</i><i>. </i>


    Bennie clenched his fists.


    ¡°You¡¯ve all lost your minds. I¡¯m not throwing mine away with you.¡±


    What others called ¡°strategic vision,¡± he saw as pure insanity.


    It had only been six months since the apocalypse began. Humanity had barely stabilized, and no one had even begun to properly rebuild¨Cyet Theresa dared to strike the cities! Sure, retaking the cities came with huge rewards, but it was far too soon, especially when the zombies in the cities were dangerous.


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    Chapter 192 One District Down, Ten Farms Up


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    Bennie had been glued to the radio every day, waiting to hear when Theresa would give up, when she would finally crack under pressure and abandon her suicidal ns. But all that waiting only brought him to March 30th¨Cand the news that the zing Sun Alliance hadpletely taken over the High¨CTech District.


    Theresa had done it.


    In the coldest month of the year, she led her people through a full¨Cscale offensive and chewed through the entire High¨CTech District. It had taken one month.


    Of course, casualties were inevitable. K1 Camp had lost 13 soldiers. Ember Camp had lost 20. Spark Camp had lost four. zing Sun Camp, which had only sent three personnel, suffered zero casualties. The worst injury came when Tyger sprained his ankle saving someone. Compared to the oue, that was nothing short of a miracle.


    All 150,000 zombies in the High¨CTech District¨Cwiped out.


    Over 100 survivors rescued.


    There were things that would never happen unless someone dared to start. And once someone took the first step, regardless of oue, miracles could follow.


    When Bennie heard Theresa had actually seeded in capturing an entire district, he waspletely shaken. <i>She </i><i>really </i><i>pulled </i><i>it </i><i>off</i>?! <i>Even </i><i>if </i><i>the </i><i>High</i><i>¨C</i><i>Tech </i><i>District </i><i>was </i><i>the </i><i>least </i><i>popted </i><i>and </i><i>most </i><i>open </i><i>of </i><i>the </i><i>five </i><i>major </i><i>zones </i>in <i>Ansford</i><i>¡­ </i><i>she </i>still did it<i>! </i>


    ¡°Ding<i>¨C</i><i>The </i><i>High</i>¨C<i>Tech </i><i>District </i><i>has </i><i>been </i><i>sessfully </i><i>reimed</i>. <i>As </i><i>a </i><i>reward</i><i>, </i><i>your </i><i>territory </i><i>has </i><i>been </i><i>upgraded</i>. <i>You¡¯ve </i><i>received </i><i>ten </i><i>automated </i><i>farming </i><i>rigs</i><i>¨C</i><i>capable </i><i>of </i><i>cultivating </i><i>up </i>to <i>100,000 </i><i>acres </i><i>along </i>with <i>10,000 </i><i>automated </i><i>irrigation </i><i>units</i><i>, </i><i>ten </i><i>instant </i><i>noodle </i><i>production </i><i>lines</i>, <i>and </i><i>ten </i><i>dehydrated </i><i>vegetable </i><i>processing </i><i>lines</i>. <i>From </i><i>now </i><i>on</i>, <i>all </i><i>farnd </i>within <i>your </i><i>territory </i><i>will </i><i>yield </i><i>twice </i><i>as </i><i>much</i><i>.</i>¡±


    ¡°Phase One isplete. Everyone-¡± Theresa had just started addressing the group when the reward screen popped up. ¡°Screw it¨Cdistribute the supplies! Take a few days off! Kyle, Tyger, you two stay here and inventory the loot. I¡¯m heading back!¡±


    Without another word, she left behind the entire squad, climbed into her armored car, and sped back to


    camp.


    The sound of the vehicle tearing away echoed in disbelief behind her.


    Vrooooom<i>! </i><i>Vroooooom</i><i>! </i><i>Vroom</i><i>! </i>


    The engines roared. Everyone stood there stunned, watching her vanish into the distance¨Cbut within seconds, joy over the loot drowned out any confusion.


    Supplies<i>! </i>


    Theresa shot straight back to her residential zone. It had been a full month since shest returned, and the farming area had already expanded a bit. Thanks to Hugo¡¯s greenhouse system, the crops had survived the winter. With the worst of the cold now behind them, it was time to scale up production.


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    Chapter 192 One District Down, Ten Farms Up


    ¡°Brought back something good for you all!¡±


    s


    Sheid out the automated farming <i>rigs </i>the system had granted her and began formally nning out her camp¡¯s farnd. She divided the cultivatable areas into ten distinct farms and assigned two residents to cach¨Cfully mechanized, fully automated.


    In an instant, productivity exploded.


    Her camp only had about 40 people, and before this, they could barely manage the area of a single farm. Now, with half the manpower, they were cultivating ten times thend. She reassigned the surplusbor to the production lines, where they began processing excess food, especially highly¨Cdemanded goods like instant noodles and dehydrated vegetables.


    Once Theresa gave the order, her people moved immediately. With full mechanization in ce, a single person could sit inside a vehicle and till 1,000 acres with ease.


    The entire zing Sun Camp mobilized. Within two days, they hadunched full¨Cscale mechanized production. All ten massive farms were now active, and the processing lines for instant noodles and dehydrated vegetables were up and running. Her camp might¡¯ve been small, but its output was worth more than a hundred othersbined.


    Meanwhile, at Kl Camp¡­


    ¡°Your camp¡¯s way better than mine,¡± Theron remarked, walking alongside Lucas as they toured his base.


    Ever since Lucas gained full control over Kl Camp, thanks to Theresa¡¯s Evoloid, things hadpletely transformed. Life for the residents improved, and overall order had tightened. Even the shantytown had undergone a dramatic cleanup, with better hygiene and living conditions.


    ¡°I¡¯ve still got a long way to go,¡± Lucas said grimly. ¡°We haven¡¯t even resumed production.¡±


    So far, not just Lucas¨Cbut every camp he knew of¨Chad failed to restore production. It was just too difficult.


    ¡°What about Hall then?¡± Theron asked, referring to Theresa. ¡°What¡¯s her zing Sun Camp like these days?¡±


    Lucas hesitated at the question, then turned to him with a look of sincerity. ¡°Would you believe me if I said¡­ I¡¯ve never actually seen her camp?¡±


    Theron stared,pletely confused.


    Half an hourter, Theron and Lucas arrived at Theresa¡¯s bunker, and the moment Theron saw it, he froze -the thing was built like a fortress.

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    Chapter 193 The Apocalypse Queen¡¯s Fortress


    Chapter 193 The Apocalypse Queen¡¯s Fortress


    +5 <b>Free Coins </b>


    Forty feet high and crackling with high¨Cvoltage electricity, the wire fence bristled with razor¨Csharp barbs. Behind it stretched a yard full of thriving crops¨Cand even poultry. A row of metal prefab homes stood near the back, and behind those loomed a massive bunker, its gates tightly sealed.


    ¡°This chick built herself a d*mn pillbox,¡± Theron muttered.


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡±


    ¡°Woof! Woof!¡±


    ¡°Woof!¡±


    A pack of dogs¨Cat least a dozen¨Ccame charging out of the side gate and circled them. Theron¡¯s grin widened. He was finding Theresa more interesting by the minute. ¡°Go tell your leader I¡¯m here to visit. The name¡¯s Theron Yorke.¡±


    A man with thick sses peeked out from the chicken coop, eyeing them warily. ¡°She ain¡¯t home. I¡¯ll have to ask for permission.¡±


    About ten minutester, Theron and Lucas were riding in a car driven by Elias, who personally took them toward the residential area.


    As the bunker faded in the rearview mirror, Theron nced back. ¡°What, wasn¡¯t that your camp there?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Elias scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s just our leader¡¯s house. The camp¡¯s further in.


    <i>That </i><i>was </i><i>just </i><i>her </i><i>house</i>?! Theron¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. What <i>kind </i><i>of </i><i>monster </i><i>is </i><i>her </i><i>camp</i><i>? </i>


    He didn¡¯t have to wait long to find out. Just ahead, the terrain opened into a sweeping in at the foot of the mountains. Thend had been neatly divided into ten massive farms¨Cevery inch cultivated. Altogether, it had to span tens of thousands of acres.


    Tens. Of. Thousands.


    Theron was stunned, and so was Lucas.


    But what left thempletely speechless was the fact that Theresa didn¡¯t have many people at her camp. Every inch of those tens of thousands of acres had been cultivated by machines.


    No <i>way</i><i>¡­ </i><i>Other </i><i>camps </i><i>haven¡¯t </i><i>even </i><i>restarted </i>basic farming, and <i>she¡¯s </i><i>running </i><i>full</i><i>¨C</i><i>scale </i><i>automated </i><i>agriculture</i>?!


    ck high¨Ctech greenhouses coveredrge sections of the farnd. Beneath them, a staggering variety of fresh vegetables, fruits, and grains were growingpletely untouched by the winter cold.


    When their car finally came to a stop, they were hit by the unmistakable sound of mechanized industry.


    A rich aroma drifted out of a nearby vi. Several female residents were hauling out tubs of dried vegetables, stacking them beside crates upon crates of instant noodles.


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    Chapter 193 The Apocalypse Queen¡¯s Fortress


    Theron and Lucas froze again. <i>What </i><i>the </i>hell?! Theresa¡¯s camp has <i>already </i><i>started </i>industrial <i>production</i><i>! </i>


    s


    While other bases couldn¡¯t even manage basic food cultivation, she had already jumped to the industrial- era. At this point, it wasn¡¯t just that the other campsbined couldn¡¯tpare¨Cit was that even multiplied by ten, they still didn¡¯te close.


    Lucas was the most shaken of the two.


    He¡¯d known Theresa for a long time, yet he¡¯d had no idea what her camp actually looked like. She¡¯d told him she had one, sure¨Cbut she¡¯d always been so absurdly low¨Ckey about it, never boasting, never broadcasting it over the radio. Everyone¨Cincluding Lucas himself¨Cassumed the zing Sun Camp was some small, struggling outpost.


    But now he was looking at a megabase. A monster of a stronghold.


    He¡¯d always thought Theresa was impressive on her own, but now he realized¨Cwhat stood behind her was a fortress. Her strength wasn¡¯t just personal¨Cit was structural.


    Theron let out a breath. ¡°Lucas, you once told me she was strong. You were wrong. She¡¯s not strong¨Cshe¡¯s insane. This chick¡¯s next level.¡±


    Lucas offered no argument in response.


    Just then, a clear voice called out from the fields. Theresa hopped up from between the rows, brushing dirt off her hands. ¡°Hey, you made it.¡±


    She looked them over with a teasing smile. ¡°Wee to my camp. Sorry if it¡¯s a little shabby¨Chope you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Both men were dead silent. <i>Shabby</i>? <i>Lady</i>, <i>are </i><i>you </i><i>serious</i><i>? </i><i>Wanna </i><i>cry </i><i>poverty </i><i>a </i><i>little </i><i>harder</i><i>? </i>


    Theresa casually led them on a brief tour. Overhead, unmanned aerial vehicles circledzily through the sky.


    Theron spotted them immediately. ¡°Multifunctional unmanned aerial vehicles?¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    He turned toward Lucas instinctively, and Lucas shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me. I can¡¯t get my hands on those either.¡±


    Theron fell silent. Just ncing at this one patch of sky, he counted at least a dozen unmanned aerial vehicles, and his thoughts spiraled.


    <i>This </i><i>girl </i>isn¡¯t <i>just </i><i>rich</i><i>¨C</i><i>she¡¯s </i><i>terrifying </i><i>If </i><i>anyone </i><i>dares </i>to <i>mess </i>with <i>her </i><i>camp</i><i>, </i><i>they </i><i>won¡¯t </i><i>even </i><i>get </i><i>close</i><i>. </i><i>The </i><i>drones </i><i>will </i>wipe <i>them </i><i>out </i><i>before </i><i>they </i><i>set </i><i>foot </i><i>here</i>. <i>And </i><i>then </i><i>there¡¯s </i><i>her </i><i>ridiculous </i><ibat </i><i>ability </i><i>and </i><i>that </i><i>wild</i><i>, </i><i>fierce </i><i>personality</i>¡­ <i>She¡¯s </i><i>the </i><i>d</i><i>*</i><i>mn </i><i>queenpin </i><i>of </i><i>the </i><i>apocalypse</i>. <i>Absolutely </i><i>unstoppable</i>.


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    Lucas was the first to notice something odd¨Cpeopleing and going from thest vi at the edge of the camp. Each time someone exited, they were carrying something in their hands.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on over there?¡±


    Theresa waved a hand dismissively. ¡°Don¡¯t bother. You¡¯ll just upset yourselves if you see it.¡±


    Just then, a sweet little girl came trotting over with a pound of meat in her hand. ¡°Theresa! My family bought more meat! Come have dinner at our ce tonight¨CMom¡¯s making braised meat!¡±


    Theresa pinched Yuki¡¯s cheek affectionately. ¡°Tell your mom to make a couple more dishes¨CI¡¯ve got guests today.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go buy more meat, then! I¡¯ll treat you to dinner!¡± Yuki chirped before scampering back toward the


    vi.


    Lucas stared, baffled. ¡°You have a market here? That sells <i>pork</i>?!¡±


    ¡°Yep. Which is exactly why I¡¯m not taking you in there¨Cno need to torture yourselves.¡±


    At that point, both Lucas and Theron fell into stunned, brooding silence. Theresa¡¯s camp had massive farms, an industrial¨Cscale food processing nt, livestock, a marketce selling pork, fortified defenses, and a mature trading system¡­ Compared to that, their camps felt like primitive settlements in Karifa.


    <i>Just </i><i>how </i><i>powerful </i><i>is </i><i>she</i><i>?! </i>


    Yuki¡¯s family warmly weed Theresa and her two tagalongs for dinner. Yuki¡¯s mother pulled out all the stops, preparing a steaming, mouthwatering spread. They even had drinks on the table.


    For Lucas and Theron¨Cwho¡¯d been scraping by since the start of the apocalypse¨Cthis was the first time in forever that they¡¯d seen food like this: shakshouka, braised meat, chicken and potato stew, stir¨Cfried garden greens, and sauteed zhini.


    Ordinary home cooking, sure, but made with the freshest possible ingredients. The zhini alone had to be greenhouse¨Cgrown. Where else could anyone get something like that right now?


    Even Lucas, who had asionally mooched a meal at Theresa¡¯s before, felt moved by how rare and precious this was.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to go all out,¡± he said, eyes on the table. ¡°Whatever you normally eat is fine.¡±


    Yuki tilted her head. ¡°But this <i>is </i>what we normally eat.¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡± Theresa gave a quick cough. ¡°Let¡¯s keep it lowkey. No need to shock our dear allies.¡±


    Lucas and Theron were rendered speechless.


    By the end of the meal, both men werepletely floored. Watching the residents return home in small groups after their shifts, calling out greetings to Theresa like it was the most natural thing in the world¡­. that kind of peace and prosperity didn¡¯t exist in their camps. In fact, it probably didn¡¯t exist anywhere else in the apocalypse¨Cexcept here.


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    Theresa waved off their stunned looks with a smirk. ¡°Don¡¯t be discouraged. Sure, you¡¯re nothingpared to me, but you¡¯re still doing better than most camps! As long as you don¡¯tpare yourselves to <i>me</i><i>. </i>people still think your bases are pretty solid.¡±


    Is that supposed to <i>be </iforting?


    The two men were too demoralized to even respond.


    Later that night, after returning to Theresa¡¯s bunker, Lucas finally broke the silence. ¡°Theresa, I¡¯d like to make a trade with you. I want tomission you to process a batch of food for me.¡±


    He¡¯d brought back arge haul from the provision depot, but due to poor storage conditions, he¡¯d been worried about spoge. Now that he¡¯d seen Theresa¡¯s setup for food processing, he knew exactly what he needed.


    ¡°We¡¯re friends,¡± she said easily. ¡°So, of course, I¡¯ll do it¨Clet¡¯s just talk price.¡±


    Lucas fell speechless for a moment before saying, ¡°I¡¯ll give you 0.2 pounds of goods per pound processed.¡±


    ¡°Make it 0.5,¡± she countered. ¡°And I¡¯ll allow you to trade for our dehydrated vegetable packs¨Cthree pounds of grain for one pack.¡±


    Lucas thought for half a minute. ¡°Deal.¡±


    Theresa made her profit through trade surpluses¨Cimporting raw materials, exporting refined goods, and pocketing the difference. She had no interest in conquering or managing other camps. Why bother with the hassle of governance when she could enjoy all the benefits without the burden?


    Conquering a camp meant taking on its people and their needs. But this way, her camp drew in their raw goods, returned just enough processed items, and hoarded all the real wealth. She carried none of the risk -only the reward.


    All she wanted was absolute camp hegemony.


    Her ambitions weren¡¯tplicated: stay on top. She wasn¡¯t trying to be a good person. She wanted a dominant camp. And she meant to rule it like one.


    After hammering out the deal, they spent some time discussing the next day¡¯s offensive direction. The conversationsted until midnight, at which point Theresa assigned them to stay in one of Kyle¡¯s guest -cabins.

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    Chapter 195 Blood in the Birthing Ward


    She, on the other hand, returned to her bunker to sleep, curled up with her dogs.


    45 Free <b>Coins </b>


    By the next morning, everything was running like clockwork.


    Several vehicles rolled into zing Sun Camp, delivering a massive shipment of supplies, then departed fully loaded with processed goods. At the same time, one vehicle was speeding toward the city<i>¨C</i>inside were ten people.


    ¡°We¡¯re just doing a preliminary recon run,¡± Theresa exined to the group. ¡°Get a sense of the area, gather intel, and then we¡¯ll n the full assault.¡±


    She sat in the center of the vehicle, nked by Kyle and Tyger. Lucas had brought two people, and Theron had brought two of his own. Charlotte, from Spark Camp, hade alone. This operation was only a scouting mission.


    The remaining four districts were all dense urban cores. After poring over the map for a long time, they decided to target the city¡¯s western side first. West City had fewer residential blocks and more abandoned malls and shopping streets, along with a well¨Cknown historical town at its fringe¨Can ideal spot to establish a foothold.


    Their vehicle entered the city roads.


    ¡°There really aren¡¯t many zombies around here,¡± Charlotte murmured, frowning as she looked out the window at the empty streets.


    ¡°Once we stop, pair up,¡± Theresa instructed. ¡°This sector will be our foothold for future expansion into the west. Keep it quiet, eliminate any zombies fast.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±


    Their vehicle stopped on a bridge at the center of the old town. The sound attracted a few scattered zombies nearby, who started shambling toward them.


    Theron was the first out of the vehicle. With abat knife in hand, he stepped forward and split open three zombie skulls in one clean motion¨Cbrutal and efficient.


    Theresa nodded, satisfied. This squad was nothing but elites. No dead weight. With a lineup like this, their odds were already halfway to sess.


    Soon, everyone split off in pairs. Theresa partnered with Charlotte, while the rest broke into teams and spread out across different routes.


    ¡°I used to work a summer job here,¡± Charlotte said as she followed behind Theresa.


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡±


    ¡°There are tons of inns and guesthouses around here. I worked at one of the homestays.¡±


    ¡°Where are those usually located?¡±


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    Chapter 195 Blood in the Birthing Ward


    ¡°Down the alleys near the scenic spots.¡°.


    ¡°How¡¯s the traffic usually?¡±


    ¡°Pretty busy on holidays. Summers, too.¡±


    Just then, they both froze at the sound of something up ahead.


    s


    In one of the narrow old¨Ctown alleys stood a woman, her back facing them. She looked pregnant¨Cleaning against a wall, her body trembling violently. Her thin sleep dress swung wildly with every motion, and she let out soft, guttural groans.


    ¡°Is she¡­ giving birth?¡± Charlotte¡¯s face paled.


    Then came a wet squelch, and the ¡°pregnant¡± woman dropped a zombie baby onto the ground.


    The moment it hit the cobblestones, it rolled toward Theresa and Charlotte, the umbilical cord still attached. The woman, now visibly twitching, turned her head¨Cand revealed a sickly green zombie face. Her jaw unhinged into a monstrous gape.


    ¡°Hhhhaaaa!¡±


    She grabbed the squirming newborn, still connected to her, and hurled it straight at them. One zombie baby rolled on the ground, the other flew through the air.


    Charlotte had never seen anything like this. She was still too shocked to summon her fire¨Cbased ability when a sh of silver streaked past her eyes. In one smooth motion, Theresa¡¯s de c¨²t through both umbilical cords. With another downward swing, she cleaved both zombie infants clean in half.


    The zombie mother, sensing the severed cords, let out a maddened screech and lunged.


    Theresa calmly flipped her katana and hurled it like a spear. It nailed the creature to the stone street like a pinned insect. But before she and Charlotte could catch their breath, dozens of female zombies began pouring out from behind the alley¨Ceach one holding a zombified child.


    ¡°What the hell is this ce?!¡±


    ¡°I remember now!¡± Charlotte cried out. ¡°This was a brand¨Cnew maternity resort center that opened earlier this year!¡±


    Theresa was speechless. <i>Who </i><i>the </i><i>hell </i><i>opens </i><i>a </i><i>postpartum </i><i>retreat </i><i>center </i><i>in </i><i>an </i><i>ancient </i><i>town</i>?!


    She was just about to unleash her ability when the sound of a small bell caught her attention.


    ¡°Over here!¡±


    Adder dropped down from a second¨Cstory window across the alley. A man, fully wrapped in protective gear, waved at them urgently from above.


    ¡°Up!¡±


    Theresa grabbed Charlotte and climbed fast. Just as they reached the upper floor, the horde of zombies surged beneath them, moaning and shrieking. Some of the child zombies were even being thrown upward, their tiny hands wing at the air.


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    Chapter 196 Foxes Among Foxes


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    Theresa led Charlotte in a swift climb up the building. As soon as they reached the upper floors, a horde of zombies swarmed to the base of the structure, screeching and howling. Some of the child zombies were even hurled upward, wing madly at the second¨Cfloor windows.


    Inside, four or five middle¨Caged men and women greeted them warmly as they entered the apartment.


    ¡°Wee, wee!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been so long since we¡¯ve seen new faces around here.¡±


    Theresa wanted to get a sense of the situation in this area, so she asked, ¡°How many people are at your camp? Do you know how many other survivor camps are nearby?¡±


    Before anyone could answer, a voice cut in.


    ¡°Are you¡­ Charlotte?¡± The only middle¨Caged woman among them turned to Charlotte with wide¨Ceyed surprise.


    Charlotte froze at the sound of the voice, staring carefully at the woman before her. ¡°Ms. Lisker?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± the woman eximed with delight.


    Charlotte quickly turned to Theresa. ¡°Theresa, that¡¯s my old manager from before all this, Ms. Lisker.¡±


    ¡°Oh, one of us¨Cthat¡¯s great. Susan, you entertain them for a bit, alright?¡± one of the middle¨Caged men said smoothly. He gave Susan Lisker a look and motioned for the others to follow him away. A sharp glint flickered in his otherwise shrewd, controlled gaze.


    Susan immediately stepped forward with a friendly smile, pulling them over to sit down. ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect to run into you here, Charlotte! You were such a great worker¨CI never wanted to let you go. I was actually worried about you after the apocalypse started. So, where are you staying now? What brought you here? What about your family?¡±


    Faced with her warm barrage of questions, Charlotte turned silently to Theresa, who spoke up instead. ¡°Ms. Lisker, is it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me. And you, sweetheart? I saw you on your way up¨Cyou were cutting through those zombies like they were made of butter. You¡¯re amazing! Where¡¯d you learn to fight like that?¡±


    Theresa didn¡¯t smile at thepliment. Instead, she zeroed in on one detail¨Cit meant Susan had been watching them for a while already.


    Without a hint of suspicion, she casually took in their surroundings. They were in a second¨Cfloor lounge area. A sliding door led to a narrow corridor packed with room doors. Beyond thaty a first¨Cfloor open¨Cair garden, though the snowstorm had long since wiped out anything that might¡¯ve been growing there. Supplies were clearly tight.


    She nced at the men stationed near the ss door¨Cnone of them had revealed a thing so far. Meanwhile, Susan had spent the entire time trying to gather information from them.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not that great. It¡¯s the de that¡¯s sharp.¡± Theresa smiled, taking the katana from her back and


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    setting it down. ¡°Anyone could do the same with it.¡±


    s


    Susan¡¯s eyes lit up the moment the weapon hit the table. ¡°Wow, this is a beautiful piece. Mind if I take a look?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Theresa pushed it toward her.


    Charlotte stared, utterly thrown. Since <i>when </i>was <i>Theresa </i><i>this </i><i>easygoing</i>? Letting <i>someone </i><i>touch </i>her <i>weapon</i><i>?! </i>Normally, if anyone got that <i>close </i><i>without </i><i>clearance</i><i>, </i><i>she¡¯d have </i><i>decked </i><i>them</i>. <i>That¡¯s just </i><i>basic </i>buffer <i>zone </i>protocol. <i>No </i><i>buffer </i>zone, no survival. <i>No </i>wait¨C<i>that¡¯s </i><i>not </i>it. <i>No </i><i>buffer </i><i>zone</i>, no survivors left <i>standing.Seriously</i>, <i>though</i><i>, </i><i>what </i><i>the </i>hell is she up to?


    Across from them, Susan practically vibrated with excitement as she grabbed the katana. ¡°I¡¯ve got to really take a look at this. By the way, do you two have anypanions?¡±


    ¡°No. Just the two of us. We ended up here by ident,¡± Theresa replied.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, we didn¡¯t mean anything by it,¡± Susan said quickly, all eager reassurance. ¡°We just figured if you had anyone else with you, we could <i>try </i>to bring them in too.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s smile deepened. <i>Oh</i>, <i>please</i><i>. </i><i>Trying </i><i>to </i><i>y </i><i>mind </i><i>games </i>with <i>me</i>? <i>We¡¯re </i><i>both </i><i>old </i><i>foxes </i><i>here</i>.


    That wasn¡¯t an offer of help¨Cit was fishing for how many teammates we¡¯ve got.


    ¡°Well, since Charlotte knows you and you seem like a trustworthy person, I¡¯ll just be honest.¡± Theresa suddenly wore a pained, heavy expression. ¡°We actually escaped.¡±


    Charlotte¡¯s eyes went wide in shock.


    ¡°We came from a small camp not far from here,¡± Theresa continued solemnly. ¡°The administrator there was a monster. He abused every girl he could get his hands on¨Cnone of us stood a chance. We worked to the bone every day and still had to put up with his gang of animals. Charlotte and I couldn¡¯t take it anymore, so we ran.¡±


    Charlotte stared at her, dumbfounded as Theresa spun an entire sob story out of thin air. <i>Um</i><i>¡­ </i><i>Theresa</i>? <i>Did </i><i>you </i><i>just </i><i>switch </i>to <i>a </i><i>Danielle </i><i>Steel </i><i>script</i><i>?! </i>

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    ¡°Charlotte, we finally made it out. And we¡¯ve been lucky enough to <i>be </i>taken in by a kind¨Chearted woman. Life¡¯s only going to get better from here!¡± Theresa wrapped an arm around Charlotte¡¯s shoulder and pulled her into a hug.


    Charlotte nodded nkly in her arms like a prop, saying nothing.


    Since she was always quiet, Susan didn¡¯t think much of it. Still, there was a trace of doubt in her tone. ¡°But your knife skills just now were incredible. Are you really saying you can¡¯t handle yourself?¡±


    ¡°No matter how good we are, we¡¯re still just normal people. They¡¯re ability users¨Chow could we possibly beat them?¡±


    The moment Theresa mentioned ¡°ability users,¡± Susan¡¯s wariness melted awaypletely. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the two girls. ¡°That¡¯s won¨CI mean, that¡¯s terrible! But don¡¯t you worry. You¡¯vee to the right ce. You haven¡¯t eaten, right? Lincoln, Gus, bring something over!¡±


    Two of the men stationed outside the door left right away, but the other two stayed behind. That alone told Theresa everything she needed to know. They were still being cautious. However, she didn¡¯t show a hint of suspicion as she asked, ¡°Ms. Lisker, who are those men outside?¡±


    ¡°Oh, they¡¯re folks who used to run guesthouses nearby with me. Charlotte, you should recognize the guy who helped you with thedder¨Che¡¯s our neighbor from Maple Spring Inn. And the other one¡¯s the manager of Azure Lodge. The younger two are his nephew and my own.¡±


    ¡°And the rest of the people from the inns?¡± Theresa asked.


    This entire time, they¡¯d only seen these five staff members. Not a single guest.


    Susan¡¯s smile froze for a beat before she recovered with a cheerful reply. ¡°When the zombie virus broke out, we were all just trying to survive. We couldn¡¯t worry about anyone else. The few of us who made it holed up in this building¨Cit was one of the rare ces with no infected.¡±


    ¡°So, what have you all been eating?¡±


    Just then, footsteps approached from outside. The youngest of the men entered, carrying two cups of tea. ¡°Have some tea first. Lincoln¡¯s in the kitchen making you something to eat.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, have a sip!¡± Susan beamed, pouring each of them a cup. ¡°You probably haven¡¯t had tea this good in ages! We only have it because the guesthouse stocked up on supplies. Out there, in this apocalypse? You wouldn¡¯t even smell tea!¡±


    She pushed the cups into their hands, eyes gleaming with insistence, as if not drinking it would be an unforgivable offense against the rare treasure she¡¯d just offered.


    ¡°I¡¯m not thirsty,¡± Charlotte said tly, not touching hers. She wasn¡¯t as sharp as Theresa, but she wasn¡¯t stupid either. In a world like this, no one with a sense took food or drink from strangers without a second thought.


    ¡°Are you worried I poisoned it?¡± Susan¡¯s smile stiffened, her voiceced with offense. ¡°After everything I¡¯ve done? I took you in, offered you food, treated you like my own!¡±


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    Before the situation could spiral, Theresa stepped in and took Charlotte¡¯s cup. While they¡¯d been talking, she¡¯d already ¡®downed¡® her cup. Now, she tilted Charlotte¡¯s cup to pour the contents into her mouth.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re too young. Would a woman like Ms. Lisker harm you? If she meant to hurt us, would she have saved us carlier? You¡¯ve got to learn to be grateful, sweetheart.¡±


    Charlotte braced herself, thinking she¡¯d be forced to drink, but to her surprise, not a single drop touched her tongue. Theresa held the cup high enough to cover her mouth and silently dumped the tea into her domain, the liquid vanishing without a trace. Then she showed the empty cup to Susan.


    ¡°She¡¯s just young and didn¡¯t know better. She gets it now.¡±


    Susan¡¯s face lit up again, and the tension in her eyes vanished. She had assumed Charlotte would be the easier one to manipte. The girl was beautiful, but clearly timid. Theresa, on the other hand, had seemed like trouble¨Csharp, dangerous.


    But lo and behold, this one was the dumbest of them all!


    <i>Seriously</i><i>, </i><i>unbelievably </i><i>stupid</i>! <i>First</i><i>, </i><i>she </i><i>gave </i><i>up </i><i>her </i><i>weapon</i><i>, </i><i>then </i><i>she </i><i>blurted </i><i>out </i><i>everything </i><i>without </i>hesitation<i>! </i><i>Not </i>to <i>mention</i><i>, </i><i>she </i><i>drank </i><i>the </i><i>tea </i><i>and </i><i>even </i><i>forced </i><i>Charlotte </i><i>to </i><i>drink </i>it too! This <i>is </i><i>going </i><i>better </i><i>than </i><i>I </i><i>could¡¯ve </i><i>dreamed</i><i>! </i>


    <i>This </i><i>girl </i><i>may </i><i>have </i><i>a </i><i>shy </i><i>way </i><i>with </i><i>a </i><i>de</i>, <i>but </i><i>that¡¯s all </i><i>she¡¯s </i><i>got</i><i>. </i><i>The moment </i><i>she </i><i>put </i><i>it </i><i>down</i>, <i>she </i><i>signed </i><i>her </i><i>death </i>


    <i>warrant</i>.


    ¡°So, Ms. Lisker,¡± Theresa asked, ¡°are these really the only people in your camp?¡±


    Now that she believed they¡¯d drunk the tea, Susan dropped the act and gave a more honest answer. ¡°Actually, we have a base downstairs too¨Cjust a few more people. Come on, I¡¯ll take you there. Dinner should be ready anyway.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good.¡± Theresa reached for her sword.


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    However, Susan snatched it away with a casual tug. ¡°I¡¯ll hold onto this for you, sweetheart. It¡¯s safe down here¨Cno need for weapons.¡±


    Theresa quirked a brow slightly but nodded with a docile smile. ¡°Sure, we¡¯ll do it your way.¡±


    Just wait. I¡¯m cleaning <i>house </i><i>soon</i>.


    With Theresa ying along so well, Susan led both her and Charlotte downstairs.


    The moment they stepped through the ss doors, Theresa noticed how tightly controlled the ce really was. Narrow corridors snaked between sealed¨Coff rooms, each locked up tight. A faint scent of blood lingered in the air.


    Instead of taking them down the regr staircase, Susan led them through one of the rooms. Inside, the floor tiles had been broken open to reveal a hidden stairwell. Clearly, if one didn¡¯t know where to look, one would never find it.


    Seeing this only confirmed Theresa¡¯s instincts¨Cshe¡¯d baited her hook well. There really was a big fish in these waters. If she¡¯d made her move earlier, the whole group might¡¯ve scattered¨Cor worse, triggered some kind of trap.


    She followed Susan down the concealed staircase to the second floor, where the first thing she saw was rack after rack of dried meat hanging in the corridor.


    ¡°You have a lot of meat down here.¡±


    Susan smiled sweetly. ¡°This is an old town. Preserved meats like this are a local tradition¨Cthose are just old hams from before.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Theresa replied, pulling her eyes away. But behind her, Charlotte suddenly flinched violently.


    ¡°Theresa,¡± she whispered, her voice shaking, ¡°I think I just saw-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look.¡± Theresa pulled Charlotte into her arms, shielding her eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°She said she¡¯s a little dizzy.¡±


    Susan didn¡¯t question it. In fact, she thought the drug had kicked in a little faster this time. So, she quickened her pace. ¡°We have one more level.¡±


    She opened a hatch in the floor of the second story, revealing yet another hidden stairway descending into. the ground.


    ¡°Come on down! Most of our people live underground.¡±


    They didn¡¯t dare sleep above ground, not with zombies¨Cespecially pregnant ones¨Clurking nearby. No one could be sure when zombie children might crawl through a window or worse. Their real stronghold was beneath the town.


    Chapter 198 Into the Wolf¡¯s Den


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    This ce had originally been built with an underground tunnel system¨Cwartime shelters left over from another era. They spanned across several points in the old town and had now be the perfect hideout.


    The moment Theresa¡¯s boots hit the basement floor, a group of over a dozen men loomed into view.


    The dim tunnel was lit by a single unknown bulb. In the shadows behind the men, women huddled in corners, trembling likembs waiting for ughter. As soon as the men saw Theresa and Charlotte, their eyes lit up with a predatory gleam.


    ¡°D*mn, these two are fine.¡±


    ¡°Look at that face! I just wanna pinch those cheeks!¡±


    ¡°Kurt, don¡¯t hog all the fun this time. Let the rest of us have a go!¡±


    Kurt¨Ctheir apparent leader¨Cwas arge, broad¨Cshouldered man in his thirties. A jagged scar stretched from his forehead to his jaw, and his beady little eyes locked onto Theresa with a leering hunger.


    ¡°You did good,¡± he said to Susan and the others. ¡°You can join us for dinner tonight.¡±


    Susan and her men beamed like they¡¯d just received a royal reward and immediately stepped forward. But before Susan could go far, a handnded firmly on her shoulder.


    ¡°Ms. Lisker, not so fast.¡±


    Susan turned, expecting fear. The look on her face was pure crocodile sympathy. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be scared. You¡¯re so pretty¨Cbe smart, and maybe Kurt won¡¯t be in such a rush to kill you. But your friend. Charlotte¡­ well, that¡¯s another story.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± Theresa said sweetly. ¡°I just wanted to ask¨Care these really all your people?¡±


    At her words, the men around them burst intoughter.


    ¡°What, are we not enough for you?¡±


    ¡°How many more are you hoping for?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got more!¡±


    Just then, a gaunt man came rushing in. ¡°Boss, we spotted a group up by the north gate! All ability users- really strong. And they saw us!¡±


    ¡°What the hell were you doing provoking them?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t! They found us first! They said they came to rescue us!¡±


    ¡°Tell the guys at the gate to brush them off. Say no one¡¯s here!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s toote, Kurt! They saw the racks of human jerky in the courtyard¨Cthey¡¯ve already breached Compound One!¡±


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    Chapter 199 mes and Reckoning


    ¡°Block the entrance! Let¡¯s see how they get in now!¡±


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    Their base was practically a bunker¨Cwithout someone leading the way, no one would ever find the


    entrance.


    Just then, a crisp female voice rang out.


    ¡°Toote. They¡¯re already in.¡±


    The words had barely left Theresa¡¯s mouth when Susan screamed. A piercing, inhuman shriek echoed through the chamber as Theresa dislocated her entire arm with a single strike, then drove a brutal kick straight into her lower spine. The force of itunched her several feet back, mming her into the ground like a ragdoll.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Lottie, showtime,¡± Theresa saidzily, calling over her shoulder to Charlotte, who finally snapped to attention like she¡¯d just woken from a dream, her eyes zing as she looked at Theresa.


    <i>Oh</i><i>, </i>Ms. <i>Hall </i><i>really </i><i>is </i><i>something</i><i>! </i><i>She </i><i>nned </i><i>to </i><i>take </i><i>them </i><i>all </i><i>down </i><i>from </i><i>the </i><i>start</i>. <i>No </i><i>wonder </i><i>she </i><i>told </i><i>me </i><i>to </i><i>learn </i><i>from </i><i>her</i>. <i>If </i><i>it </i><i>had </i><i>been </i><i>me</i>, <i>I </i><i>would¡¯ve </i><i>panicked </i><i>the </i><i>moment </i>I <i>sensed </i><i>something </i><i>off</i><i>¨C</i><i>blown </i><i>our </i><i>cover </i><i>and </i><i>made </i><i>things </i><i>worse</i>. <i>But </i><i>she </i><i>kept </i><i>calm</i><i>, </i><i>got </i><i>us </i><i>in</i><i>, </i><i>and </i><i>now </i>it¡¯s <i>checkmate</i>. <i>Even </i><i>if </i><i>there¡¯d </i><i>been </i>no <i>danger</i><i>, </i><i>her </i><i>cautious </i><i>approach </i><i>would¡¯ve </i><i>avoided </i><i>unnecessary </i><i>conflict.Ms</i>. <i>Hall </i><i>is </i><i>a </i><i>frigging </i><i>legend</i><i>. </i><i>She¡¯s </i><i>amazing</i>. I¡¯m <i>her </i><i>number </i><i>one </i><i>fan </i><i>for </i><i>life</i><i>! </i>


    Twin fireballs the size of volleyballs ignited in Charlotte¡¯s hands.


    Thanks to the Evoloid she¡¯d been drinking, her fire ability had evolved to Level 2. At that level, the strength and intensity of her mes had increased exponentially¨Cfar beyond anything she¡¯d been capable of before.


    The moment the men saw the ze roaring in her hands, they all froze. An <i>ability </i><i>user</i>?!


    ¡°I thought you said they didn¡¯t have powers!¡± Kurt, the scar¨Cfaced brute, paled in shock.


    He was a fire¨Cbased ability user himself, but nowhere near Charlotte¡¯s level. Watching her summon such overwhelming power left him stunned and speechless.


    ¡°<i>T</i><i>¨C</i><i>They </i>said they didn¡¯t have powers!¡± stammered Gus, Susan¡¯s nephew, now backing away in a panic. All his earlier smugness drained from his face.


    He¡¯d been fantasizing about having his turn after the others, especially with Charlotte. She wasn¡¯t exactly a beauty, butpared to the broken women they¡¯d kept here, she was a whole different league. He thought he¡¯d get lucky. Little did he know she¡¯d be an ability user.


    <i>Boom</i><i>! </i>


    mes surged around him in an instant.


    ¡°Aaaahhh!¡±


    Ability¨Cuser fire didn¡¯t go out easily. He dropped to the ground, screaming and rolling in agony as the others scattered, but the fire just kepting¨Cwave after relentless wave, engulfing them all.


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    Kurt didn¡¯t just have fire powers¡ªhe was speed¨Cbased, too. The second he realized how bad things were, he bolted for the nearest exit. He nearly made it to the escapedder when suddenly, a girl appeared beside him out of nowhere,


    ¡°Where you running off to?¡±


    Kurt recoiled in response like he¡¯d seen a ghost.


    ¡°I thought you were pretty into me carlier.¡± Theresa smiled sweetly and kicked him square in the chest. The blownded like a freight train. His chest caved with a sickening crunch, his heart seizing from the sheer force.


    This strength¡­ <i>This </i><i>isn¡¯t </i><i>just </i><i>some </i><i>low</i><i>¨C</i><i>level </i><i>strength </i><i>ability</i>. <i>She¡¯s </i><i>at </i><i>least </i><i>a </i><i>Level </i>10 <i>strength</i><i>¨C</i><i>type </i><i>ability </i><i>user</i><i>! </i><i>Who </i>the <i>hell </i>said <i>they </i>didn¡¯t <i>have </i><i>powers</i>?!


    But what shocked Kurt even more was what came next. He crashed to the ground and tried to crawl away, only for Theresa to reappear in a sh, right in front of him.


    <i>What </i><i>the </i><i>hell </i>is <i>she</i><i>? </i><i>How </i><i>many </i><i>abilities </i><i>does </i><i>this </i><i>woman </i><i>have</i><i>?! </i>


    ¡°Eat human flesh, hmm?¡± Theresa grabbed his cor and yanked him up like a stray dog. ¡°I always figured only zombies eat people. You want to be one of them that bad?¡±


    Kurt tried to speak, to say no, but white¨Chot pain exploded through his body. Every bone in his frame shattered like ss. He copsed into a twitching heap, his skeleton destroyed.


    Just then, from the opposite end of the tunnel, sounds echoed.


    A hatch opened overhead, and several figures descended.


    ¡°Theresa!¡±


    Lucas and Theron had arrived. As they came down and took in the scene, they saw Theresa standing in the middle of the tunnel, surrounded by the charred, lifeless bodies of the predators who¡¯d once ruled the underground.


    Minutester, everyone had been brought up to the surface. The seven or eight women they rescued were still in shock, unmoving and trembling, too broken to respond.


    ¡°Goddammit!¡± Theron¡¯s face darkened as he looked around. ¡°My camp¡¯s been starving this whole time, and even we didn¡¯t stoop to eating people. These b*stards¨Cthese sick b*stards¨Cthey don¡¯t deserve to be called human!¡±


    Theresa nced at him. ¡°You¡¯re not exactly known for your morals either, big guy.¡±


    Theron turned to her, dead serious. ¡°I kill people. I don¡¯t eat them. There¡¯s a difference. I¡¯ve got standards.¡±


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    Theresa fell silent, unsure of how to respond.


    s


    Including Susan, there had been 21 people in that underground bunker. Seven women had been kept alive as livestock, while the rest, across all three tunnel exits, had been killed and butchered. Countless human corpses, most of them women but not exclusively, had been cut apart and hung to dry, cach piece separated andbeled like inventory¨Carms, legs, torsos. No part was spared.


    Even someone as hardened as Theresa, no stranger to the horrors of the apocalypse, felt physically sick at the sight.


    She nced at the dazed women huddled in the corners, then yanked Kurt, the scarred brute still hanging limply in her grip, forward. ¡°Bring the girls over.¡±


    Theron approached, eyes dark. ¡°Just kill him. If you can¡¯t do it, I¡¯ll put him down myself.¡±


    ¡°Kill him? With one strike?¡± Theresa snorted. Still dragging Kurt, she hauled him upstairs to the second floor of the inn, kicked open a window, and instantly, a wave of zombies gathered below.


    Kurt, barely clinging to life, looked up and finally realized what was about to happen. Panic overtook his pain.


    <i>Shing</i><i>! </i>


    The de shed, and his limbs dropped to the ground like meat cleaved from a carcass¨Cjust like the ones they¡¯d seen hanging downstairs.


    The poor women, long numb to everything, suddenly blinked. In their empty eyes, a flicker of light returned.


    Lucas stood off to the side, his brows furrowed, but he didn¡¯t speak. None of them did. They were all killers in their own ways¨Cespecially Theron, who was actually grinning.


    Charlotte didn¡¯t say a word either, but the satisfaction on her face mirrored Theresa¡¯s. After all, she¡¯d followed Theresa into this hellhole. And she knew without a doubt: if they¡¯d hesitated, if they¡¯d fallen for the trap¨C<i>they </i>would¡¯ve ended up strung from those racks.


    These monsters deserved to die ten times over¨CTheresa feeding them to the zombies was the mildest justice they could¡¯ve received. Anything less, and she¡¯d have looked like a bleeding¨Cheart saint.


    She personally finished off everyst one of them, including Susan. The woman only realized her own stupidity at the very end, when she looked into Theresa¡¯s eyes and saw no innocence, no naivete. Just the fatal truth: the only fool in this story was her.


    ¡°Burn it all,¡± Theresa said tly, turning back to the others after thest body hit the floor.


    Everyone was still stunned from/what they¡¯d just witnessed. Theron was the first to snap out of it. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± He gave her a thumbs¨Cup, eyes gleaming. Wolves could always recognize their own.


    Half an hourter, the entire ughterhouse had been torched and purged. As they retreated from the


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    tunnels, Charlotte turned to Theresa with a puzzled expression. ¡°Theresa¡­ I don¡¯t get it. If someone¡¯s starving enough, <i>is </i>eating people really the only way to survive?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Theresa said coldly. ¡°Whether they eat people or not, none of them were going to survive.¡±


    Charlotte looked even more confused.


    It was Theron who answered this time. ¡°She¡¯s right. Whether you cat or don¡¯t cat human flesh doesn¡¯t change the oue. The ones who survive are the ones who don¡¯t <i>have </i>to.¡±


    The true horror wasn¡¯t that they ate people¨Cit was that they believed it was the only option left. That ce was already doomed.


    As their vehicle sped away from the western edge of the city, Theresa, Theron, and Lucas had a deep discussion.


    ¡°That tunnel is perfect. We can secure it, clean out the surrounding area¨Cit could be a major outpost.¡±


    ¡°I was thinking the same thing.¡±


    ¡°Definitely doable.¡±


    Charlotte listened to them strategizing and couldn¡¯t stop staring at Theresa with even more admiration. <i>She¡¯s </i><i>so </i>awesome<i>! </i>


    Back at their camp, women were rarely respected, let alone consulted. Most men didn¡¯t even bother to listen when a woman spoke, much less invite her to lead a mission. But Theresa was always at the center of the alliance, the one making final calls. Watching her take charge like that, Charlotte could hardly contain her awe.


    Just then, a figure stumbled into view in the distance¨Cdisheveled, desperate, waving frantically. ¡°Help me!¡± the woman screamed.


    Tyger, who was driving, called out, ¡°Boss, there¡¯s someone up ahead.¡±


    Theresa looked up from the map. A woman in her thirties stood in the road, wearing a thin dress with only a long¨Csleeved men¡¯s jacket over it. Her hair was a tangled mess, her face pale and drawn. She looked like -she could copse at any second, shivering violently from the lingering spring cold.


    There were no zombies in sight. The woman scanned her surroundings anxiously, then began waving frantically at the vehicle.


    The car rolled to a slow stop.


    She rushed up and banged on the window. ¡°Please! Help me, please!¡±


    Before anyone could react, two more vehicles pulled up from the other end of the road. The woman turned pale with terror, ncing between the cars. Her whole body trembled. ¡°Please, I¡¯m begging you! Don¡¯t let them take me!¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Charlotte rolled down the window slightly.


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    Chapter 200 The Cost of Survival


    The woman chung to the door. ¡°I escaped. If they catch me, they¡¯ll beat me to death!¡±

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    Chapter 201 I¡¯ll Protect You Now


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    The woman rolled up the oversized sleeves of her men¡¯s coat, revealing arms covered in bruises and scars. Her lips were cracked and purple from the cold, festering with sores. Panic shimmered in her eyes <b>as </b>she pleaded, desperate. ¡°Please help me. I swear, I¡¯ll repay you¨Cwhatever it takes!¡±


    Theresa stared at the woman¡¯s face and suddenly felt a flicker of recognition. <i>She </i>looks a <i>lot </i><i>like </i><i>Mom</i><i>¡­ </i>


    ¡°Are you¡­ Tania Owen¨CGray?¡±


    At the sound of that long¨Cforgotten name, the woman outside froze. She stared at Theresa in confusion. ¡°How do you know¡­¡±


    ¡°Pull her up!¡± Theresa ordered.


    Tania Owen¨CGray¨CTheresa¡¯s mother¡¯s maiden name was Owen¨CGray, making this woman here her aunt.


    Theresa¡¯s mother had a younger sister, ten years her junior, which made her just thirteen years older than


    Theresa.


    Back when Theresa was little, Tania had been the cool aunt who loved taking her out to y. She¡¯d sling her onto her hip, sneak her out to clubs, and bring her along to drink¨Cyes, clubs and booze. Tania had always been a wild child, a party girl with a hopeless weakness for romance, but no one could deny how fiercely protective she was.


    Once, when Oliver¡¯s father had suddenly returned and started screaming at three¨Cyear¨Cold Theresa for no reason, Tania stormed in with a kitchen knife and chased him out of the house, sending him stumbling and scrambling like a clown.


    Then came her rebellious years. At eighteen, Tania had fallen hard for a man twice her age and insisted on going abroad with him. Her parents had been so furious that they cut ties with herpletely. After that, Theresa never saw her again.


    Once Tania climbed into the vehicle, her eyesnded directly on the woman seated in the middle.


    ¡°Aunt Tania. It¡¯s me¨CTheresa,¡± she said softly.


    Instantly, Tania wentpletely still. ¡°T¨CTerry¡­¡±


    But just then, a harsh screech interrupted the moment. Two vehicles came to a sudden stop, boxing them in on either side. Tania, still stunned, suddenly shrank back like a startled animal, wrapping her arms over her head and curling inward.


    Theresa immediately pulled Tania into an embrace. Her eyes turned cold, sharp, a glint of violence shing through them. ¡°It¡¯s alright./You¡¯re okay. I¡¯m here.¡±


    <i>You </i><i>used </i><i>to </i><i>protect </i><i>me</i>. <i>Now </i>it¡¯s <i>my </i><i>turn </i>to <i>protect </i><i>you</i>.


    <i>Bang</i>, <i>bang</i>, <i>bang</i>!


    Fists pounded furiously on their windows.


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    A mob of hostile men surrounded the vehicle, hammering on the ss like maniacs. It was just like those viges where they sold women¨Cvicious,wless men chasing down escapees and pounding at their windows with wild, predatory glee.


    ¡°Come out! Hand her over!¡±


    ¡°That woman belongs to us!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t give her up, you¡¯re all dead!¡±


    The car window rolled down slowly, revealing the cold, ck mouths of several gun barrels aimed straight at the mob. The men outside instantly backed off.


    ¡°H¨CHey, hey, we¡¯re all friends here¡­¡±


    The car doors opened, and one by one, Theresa¡¯s crew stepped out.


    Even Charlotte alone, armed and unreadable, radiated enough threat to make men back off. However, when the others followed¨CLucas, Theron, Theresa herself the message was loud and clear: this was not a group to mess with.


    ¡°Wait, wait! It¡¯s a misunderstanding!¡± the lead man said quickly, raising both hands. ¡°We must¡¯ve mistaken her for someone else. Nothing to do with you folks. We¡¯ll just head back.¡±


    ¡°Did I say you could leave?¡± A cold, crisp female voice cut through the tension like a de.


    The man turned toward the source and froze. He hadn¡¯t noticed her before, but now that he saw her clearly, he was dumbstruck, unable to believe that someone was still able to look so good in this apocalyptic hellhole.


    The woman who¡¯d escaped from their camp earlier had already been the prettiest they had. Sure, she was a bit older, but even so, none of them had wanted to give her up. That was why they¡¯d chased her all the way out here.


    But this girl? She was in a different league.


    ¡°Can we help you?¡±


    ¡°We picked up a woman earlier. Was she from your camp?¡±


    Mike Carter froze. He turned her words over in his head, trying to decipher what she meant. <i>Is </i><i>she</i><i>¡­ </i><i>trying </i><i>to </i><i>give </i><i>her </i><i>back</i>?


    His mind kicked into gear, and he quickly offered an answer. ¡°She used to be. But if you want her now, she¡¯s all yours. I mean, we¡¯re all survivors here, right? Gotta help each other out. If you like her, she¡¯s


    yours.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s mine?¡±


    ¡°Of course! If you¡¯re feeling generous, maybe toss us some supplies? She¡¯s a woman, after all. Decent looking too. We barely even touched her.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s fist clenched tightly, bones cracking audibly. ¡°Touched her, huh? How many times?¡±


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    Chapter 201 I¡¯ll Protect You Now


    Mike blinked in confusion. ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°So, I can give you a price.¡±


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    Hearing that, he rxed, a broad smile spreading across his face. ¡°She used to be real stubborn. Oh, and she¡¯s got some kind of special ability, too¨Ccan hypnotize zombies. She used to fight alongside us. We didn¡¯t get many chances to y with her, though¡­¡±


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    Chapter 202 The Puppetmaster


    ¡°She only lost her ability recently. Mike said with a shrug,pletely oblivious to the danger ¡°After that. she was just something for us to y with. It¡¯s only been half a month. If you¡¯re feeling generous, fose Us something small¨Cwe¡¯ll call it even, make friends! I¡¯m from Summit Camp. You folks are from


    ¡°zing Sun Alliance, Theresa answered coldly, then a sh of silver streaked behind her.


    Mike suddenly doubled over, a shrick tearing from his throat as searing pain exploded between his legs.


    Theresa turned, voice devoid of mercy. ¡°Don¡¯t let a single one of them go. Kill them all. Then broadcast to every channel¨Cwe¡¯re putting a bounty on Summit Camp men. Anyone who brings me their heads gets food in return.¡±


    Soon after, their truck roared down the road, heading straight for an old factory on the outskirts.


    When it finally came to a stop, Tania still hadn¡¯t let go of Theresa¡¯s hand. Her fingers clung tightly. trembling, overwhelmed by the number of people waiting outside. Nearly all of them were men.


    ¡°Aunt Tania, this is my ce. It¡¯s safe.¡±


    Still, she didn¡¯t let go.


    Theresa motioned for the others to handle the women they¡¯d rescued, making sure they were settled in first before finally leading Tania out of the vehicle herself.


    ¡°No one will every a finger on you again.¡±


    Tania stood there for a long time, eyes still clouded with fear. Then she looked up at Theresa. ¡°T¨CTerry?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°I finally found you!¡± Tania pulled her into a fierce hug, her voice shaking with emotion. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you for so long!¡±


    Theresa let her calm down little by little, studying that face that looked so much like her mother¡¯s. ¡°You¡¯ve been looking for me all this time?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Back when I was overseas¨Cbefore the apocalypse¡ªI discovered traces of the zombie virus. I knew something big wasing. I rushed home to find all of you. Right, where¡¯s your mom? And your grandparents?¡±


    ¡°They passed a long time ago.¡±


    Tania¡¯s smile faltered. She froze where she stood.


    ¡°Grandpa died three years after you left. Grandma didn¡¯tst much longer after that. Mom died in a car ident when I was 14. But maybe it¡¯s a blessing¡­ they didn¡¯t have to live to see what the world¡¯s be.¡± Theresa¡¯s tone was calm, almost matter¨Cof¨Cfact.


    Tania, however, looked devastated. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. If I hadn¡¯t been so selfish back then, none of this would¡¯ve happened¡­¡±


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    Chapter 202 The Puppetmaster


    s


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡± Theresa gave her a firm pat on the shoulder. ¡°Even if it was, you can¡¯t change anything


    now.¡±


    Tania lifted a hand, gently smoothing her niece¡¯s hair. ¡°At the very least, I wouldn¡¯t have left you to grow up


    alone.¡±


    ¡°Oh¨Cright. You said you discovered the zombie virus overseas?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The virus didn¡¯t just appear overnight. It was already lurking beneath the surface long before the outbreak. My research team had been studying it. When I realized it was beyond containment, I immediately flew back to find you. But I was still toote. The virus fully broke out the moment my ne touched down.¡± Tania¡¯s expression darkened.


    ¡°Aunt Tania¡­ you were part of the research field?!¡±


    Tania lifted her chin, eyes gleaming with a quiet pride. ¡°I¡¯m not just anyone¨CI¡¯m a virologist. A famous one. Anita.¡±


    Theresa stared at her in shock. <i>Anita</i>? <i>The </i><i>Puppetmaster</i><i>¨C</i><i>the </i><i>only </i><i>woman </i><i>who </i><i>ever </i><i>made </i><i>it </i><i>onto </i><i>the </i><i>list </i><i>of </i><i>the </i><i>ten </i>deadliest survivors?!


    The name raced through her mind. In her past life, Anita had been a ghost¨Cher background unknown, her origins a mystery. All anyone knew was that she¡¯d wandered from camp to camp early on, eventually ending up in Hope Camp, where she became its most formidable virologist. Her special ability? Hypnotizing zombies. She could force them to freeze for up to three seconds¡ªjust long enough to lose their target.


    Word out there was that she had captured Quentin Kerr. But Anita had always kept a low profile. Her ability was her trump card, rarely used, rarely mentioned. If it hadn¡¯t been for Quentin¡¯s capture, no one would¡¯ve even known she had powers.


    She didn¡¯t need them, anyway. Her intellect alone made her invaluable.


    And now Theresa realized¨Cwith no small amount of awe¨Cthat the legendary virologist, the Puppetmaster herself¡­ was her aunt.


    ¡°Terry? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Tania looked at her, worried.


    ¡°Aunt Tania, you can hypnotize zombies, is that it? What kind of ability is that?¡±


    Tania shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not an ability, not really. It¡¯s something I created¨Ca viral spray. When I was studying the zombie virus, I discovered a weakness. It has a mild resistance to a specific ss ofpounds. I developed a form that, when sprayed in a zombie¡¯s eyes, temporarily disrupts their senses¨Cjust enough to stop them for one to three seconds. I ran outst month, which is how I ended up being preyed on by those b*stards.¡±


    Theresa blinked.


    ¡°Terry, if you get me thosepounds, I can make you your own self¨Cdefense spray!¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up immediately. <i>Aunt </i><i>Tania </i><i>is </i><i>a </i><i>d</i><i>*</i>mn <i>treasure</i><i>! </i><i>That </i><i>spray </i><i>could </i><i>be </i><i>a </i><i>game</i><i>¨C</i><i>changer </i><i>at </i><i>the </i><i>right </i><i>moment</i><i>¨C</i><i>and </i><i>the </i><i>best </i><i>part</i>? <i>Anyone </i><i>can </i><i>use </i><i>it</i><i>. </i><i>Even </i><i>ordinary </i><i>people</i><i>. </i><i>Everyone </i><i>can </i><i>carry </i><i>one</i><i>! </i>


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    At that moment, Theresa found herself thinking back to her past life, about how Hope Camp had grown so powerful in itster years. <i>They </i><i>didn¡¯t </i><i>even </i><i>have </i><i>much </i><i>military </i><i>strength</i>, and <i>yet </i><i>they </i>managed <i>to </i><i>survive </i>multiple waves <i>of </i>major <i>zombie </i><i>hordes</i><i>. </i><i>Now </i>it made <i>sense</i><i>. </i>It <i>was </i>all because <i>of </i><i>Tania</i>!


    <i>I </i>brought home a friggin¡® goldmine<i>! </i>


    ¡°Alright,¡± Theresa said. ¡°Write down the meds you need¨CI¡¯ll start looking for them right away.¡±


    Steam rolled off the hot water.


    Theresa had someone heat up a bath for Tania. While she helped her wash, she saw the full extent of Tania¡¯s injuries¨Cand her rage red all over again. If she could, she would¡¯ve dragged those b*stards out of their graves just to kill them a second time.


    Theresa didn¡¯t do what she did in the name of justice. She didn¡¯t care for the moral high ground¡ªshe was a textbook individualist. No one bothered her; she bothered nobody, but cross her, and she¡¯d make sure they paid¡ªhow much depended on who they touched. If they came at her, they might still live. If they touched someone she cared about, they¡¯d be dead. And if they dared hurt her family, there wouldn¡¯t be enough deaths in the world to make it right.


    ¡°D*mmit, I let them off way too easy today.¡±


    Tania heard her muttering and turned her head. She reached out, scarred hands pulling Theresa into a hug. ¡°Terry, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not one of those delicate women who can¡¯t take it. I¡¯m not gonna fall apart over this. As far as I¡¯m concerned, it was just a dog bite. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not!¡± Theresa snapped. ¡°I¡¯m not letting this go.¡±


    Tania chuckled. ¡°Then think of it this way¨Cyour aunt got a free ride. So many men fussing over me? Sounds like a win to me.¡±


    Theresa fell silent, unsure of how to respond.


    An hourter, Tania stepped out of the room in a full set of clean clothes, looking like a whole new person. Already bearing some resemnce to Theresa, now she looked even more like her. But where Theresa was sharper and moremanding, Tania radiated charm and sultry confidence. She had a natural femininity that couldn¡¯t be faked.


    Everyone waiting at the table turned to look¡ªand couldn¡¯t help but stare.


    ¡°Let me formally introduce her,¡± Theresa said. ¡°This is my aunt, Tania Owen¨CGray.¡±


    Theron was the first to speak. ¡°Nice to meet you, Aunt Tania!¡±


    ¡°Hello, Aunt Tania!¡± Charlotte followed with a smile.


    ¡°Hello, Aunt Tania,¡± Kyle echoed politely.


    Lucas gave a slight nod. ¡°Aunt Tania.¡±


    O


    6452%


    Chapter 203 Tania Meets the Crew


    Even Tyger, though he hesitated for a second, offered a gruff but respectful, ¡°Aunt Tania.¡±


    #5 Free Coins


    ¡°Aww, hello, kids¡­¡± Tania beamed, clearly enjoying the title¨Ceven if she wasn¡¯t all that much older than. some of them.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring anything for our first meeting,¡± she said cheerfully, ¡°but I¡¯ll give you all gifts soon after!¡±


    The group wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to that.


    ¡°Come eat, Aunt Tania.¡± Theresa pulled out a chair for her, adding an extra spot at the table.


    Tania sat beside her and stared wide¨Ceyed at the feastid out in front of them. She looked absolutely famished.


    ¡°Slow down, no one¡¯s going to fight you for them,¡± Theresa said, loading up Tania¡¯s te with generous portions of meat and vegetables. She didn¡¯t care if she starved¨CTania wasn¡¯t going hungry again.


    Tania, eyes gleaming, didn¡¯t turn anything down. Theresa kept reminding her to eat slowly and drink water so her stomach wouldn¡¯t get upset. After tearing through the meal like a starving wolf, Tania finally leaned back, satisfied. ¡°Sorry¡­ I was starving.¡±


    ¡°No need to apologize.¡±


    No one said a word ofint. This was Theresa¡¯s aunt; as far as they were concerned, that made her everyone¡¯s aunt.


    Theresa, on the other hand, had barely eaten a few bites before the dishes in front of her were gone. Instantly, several tes extended toward her.


    ¡°Boss, take mine¨CI¡¯ve still got food,¡± Kyle said, bringing his te closer to Theresa.


    Lucas offered his te as well. ¡°I haven¡¯t touched any of these. They¡¯re all yours.¡±


    ¡°I saved you a pork rib,¡± Theron added, cing one on her te.


    Even Charlotte spoke up, ¡°Theresa, I¡¯ve still got food. Take mine!¡±


    Theresa stared grimly at them like they¡¯d lost their minds. She looked less like a leader and more like someone being fattened up by an overzealous farm crew. But just then, beside her, Tania sniggered, unable to hold back herughter.


    ¡°Aunt Tania, what¡¯s so funny?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just happy for my Terry.¡± Tania grinned. ¡°Now, hurry and eat.¡±


    But theugh put Theresapletely off. ¡°I¡¯m full. Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    ¡°You barely touched your food. Eat a little more.¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯m full. We¡¯re leaving.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯lle with you.¡± Tania stood up, waved to the others, and said cheerfully, ¡°We¡¯re off


    now.¡±


    O


    <b>12:34 </b>nie, 12 <b>Aug </b>01


    Chapter 203 Tania Meets the Crew


    ¡°Goodbye, Aunt Tania!¡±


    ¡°See you, Aunt Tania!¡±


    ¡°Take care, Aunt Tanial¡±


    On the way back, Tania nudged Theresa. ¡°Terry, who were all those kids?¡±


    s


    ¡°KI Camp¡¯s administrator, Lucas Keaton; Ember Camp¡¯s administrator, Theron Yorke, the girl¡¯s from Spark Camp¨CCharlotte Clove. And the other two are my men: Kyle Vinson and Tyger Orwin.¡±


    III

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    Chapter 204 Who Do You Like?


    s


    When Tania heard Theresa list off the group, she gave a knowing smile. ¡°I see¡­. So which one do you like?¡±


    Theresa stared at her, utterly baffled. ¡°Why would I like any of them?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all great options,¡± Tania said without missing a beat. ¡°That Lucas guy¨Che¡¯s the best looking, and the mostposed. Definitely has that reliable, old¨Csoul vibe. If you dated him, it¡¯d be like dating a dad- type. He¡¯d take care of you, no matter what.


    ¡°Now that Kyle kid? Loyal puppy through and through. Good¨Clooking, easygoing, andpletely devoted to you. Being with him would have its own appeal.


    ¡°But the one I like most is that Theron guy. Trust me, with my years of experience? If you can handle that man, every single day of your life would be packed with excitement.¡±


    Theresa watched her aunt analyze the men in perfect seriousness¡ªafter just one dinner. <i>How </i><i>the </i><i>hell </i>did <i>she </i>get all <i>that </i><i>from </i><i>a </i><i>meal</i><i>?! </i>


    ¡°What about the other two?¡± she asked.


    Tania¡¯s eyes widened like a scandalized veteran. ¡°No way. You¡¯re not seriously interested in those two, are you?¡±


    Theresa fell silent.


    ¡°Tyger? He wanted to offer you food too, but after seeing the others already did, he gave you this older- brother smile. That man clearly sees you as a little sister¨Cforget it.


    ¡°And that girl, Charlotte¡­ tsk tsk, my little Terry, now <i>that </i>would be a twist. But if you like her, I support you! I¡¯m very open¨Cminded. You two would actually be cute together. She clearly looks up to you. If you made a move, I think she¡¯d say yes. Wishing you both happiness!¡±


    Theresa, slightly stumped, took a moment before saying, ¡°Go to bed, Aunt Tania.¡±


    ¡°But Terry, I <i>have </i>to sleep with you tonight! All these years overseas, I¡¯ve dreamed about you every night. I wanted toe back so many times, but never dared. Tonight, let me hold you properly.¡±


    Theresa, ruthless to outsiders but soft as putty to her own, eventually gave in after ten minutes of coaxing and let Tania sleep beside her.


    They both slept soundly that night.


    The next morning, Theresa called Elias over to escort Tania and the other rescued women back to her base.


    ¡°Aunt Tania, go live at my camp for now. I¡¯ll head back once I wrap things up here.¡±


    Tania wanted to stay with her, but she knew better. Without the strength to contribute, she¡¯d only be a burden. ¡°Terry, you have to be careful. And if youe across those meds, grab them! There¡¯s a ce I know on the north side of the city called Parkson Drugs. They¡¯ve definitely got everything I need. If you can, go straight there. You might be able to get it all in one trip!¡±


    Jue, 12 Aug


    Chapter 204 Who Do You Like?


    ¡°Got it.¡± Theresa said,mitting it to memory.


    s


    Parkson Drugs¡­ If she remembered correctly, it was just outside the old town. Once they cleared the zombies there, she could swing by and pick up the supplies. With the spray Tania could make, every single person in her group would gain an extrayer of defense.


    After sending Tania and the others off, a system notification rang out in her mind. <i>Ding</i>¨CA <i>new </i><i>camp </i><i>guard </i>has been registered. <i>You¡¯ve </i><i>been </i>awarded <i>one </i><ibat </i><i>suit </i>and <i>1,000 </i><i>points</i>. <i>Loyally </i><i>level </i><i>has </i><i>increased</i><i>. </i><i>Current </i>loyalty: <i>100</i><i>¨C</i>ssified as <i>Gold</i>: <i>Eternal </i>and <i>Unmatched</i>.¡±


    Theresa had just gained her first gold¨Ctier member¨CTania.


    Ding¨CEight new <i>residents </i><i>have </i><i>joined </i><i>the </i><i>camp</i>. <i>You¡¯ve </i><i>earned </i><i>800 </i><i>points</i><i>, </i><i>and </i><i>loyalty </i><i>has </i><i>increased</i>. <i>Current </i>loyalty <i>level</i>: <i>99</i><i>. </i>


    The eight women they rescuedst night¨Chigh loyalty from the start.


    With that settled, Theresa regrouped and returned to the old town. This time, it was a full¨Cscale assault. Everyone was ready. No more scouting, no more tests.


    <i>Charge</i><i>! </i>


    It had now been eight months since the zombie outbreak.


    One by one, human bases were wing their way out of the chaos. But for every camp that adapted and survived, others vanished¨Cswallowed whole by the apocalypse. Poor location? They neversted long. They were overrun before they could even stabilize. They appeared like blips on the global broadcastwork¨Cthen vanished without a trace.


    Some couldn¡¯t find enough resources and were forced to cannibalize their own, like the base she¡¯d wiped out just days ago. Even if they hadn¡¯t crossed Theresa, they would¡¯ve self¨Cdestructed eventually.


    Others fell to stranger fates: internal power struggles, infighting that tore them apart. Some simply disbanded, their people scattering in all directions. A few lost their minds entirely, massacring others inside the base and drawing zombies in like a ma. In short, the only survivors were those with true strength¡­ and absurd luck.


    Bennie nced at hisputer and ran a quick calction. Since he¡¯d started monitoring this region, nearly a third of the camps had already disappeared. Like bubbles popping in a storm¨Ceach one vanishing without warning, erased from the map.


    III

 Kept Woman 205

    Chapter 205 Listen Up, Dumb*sses


    Chapter 205 Listen Up, Dumb*sses


    And if the camps themselves were this fragile, then the fate of the individuals within them¡­ could only be


    worse.


    Bennie stared coldly at the modeling data on his screen. ¡°Theresa¡¯s still pushing the attack?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± said the woman standing beside him¨Ca stunning secretary, though clearly worn thin by the apocalypse. Herplexion was pale, and her hair hadn¡¯t seen shampoo in weeks. Still, due to theck of oil in her diet, it wasn¡¯t greasy¨Cjust dry and dull, almost a sickly yellow. However, unlike the ragged survivors from smaller camps, she kept her appearance tidy: clean clothes, neatlybed hair, and a posture that never slouched.


    ¡°They¡¯re advancing on the northern part of the city. Their target is the old town.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s strategy was direct, aggressive, and unapologetically public. No covert operations, no secrecy. Every move was broadcast across the entire radiowork. On one hand, she wanted to rally small camps to join them; on the other, it was a warning for clueless fools to stay the hell out of their way and not slow them down.


    ¡°y it,¡± Bennie ordered.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    The secretary hit y, and a recording filled the room¨Ca calm male voice delivering the message. ¡°Listen up, dumb*sses! We¡¯re heading straight for the old town in the northern district. If you¡¯ve got half a brain, clear the d*mn road. Anyone who gets in our way will be treated as a zombie and put down. That said, if you¡¯re smart and want to join a glorious alliance of both strength and intelligence, wee to the zing Sun Alliance. Come kill zombies with us. <i>Tovarishch</i>!¡±


    Bennie was rendered at a loss for words. <i>What</i><i>, </i><i>joining </i><i>you </i><i>makes </i><i>us </i><i>the </i><i>intelligent </i><i>ones</i>, <i>and </i><i>staying </i><i>out </i><i>makes </i><i>us </i>idiots<i>? </i><i>Could you </i><i>be </i><i>any </i><i>more </i><i>tant</i><i>?! </i>


    Not that it had always been this crass. In the beginning, the tone had been much more refined¨Calmost elegant. Back then, it was Elias doing the radio calls. A cultured guy, he would carefully rewrite Theresa¡¯s briefings into polite public notices.


    For example, their very first transmission had gone like this. ¡°Dear fellow survivors, greetings from the zing Sun Alliance. We¡¯ve joined forces with several other camps tounch a counteroffensive and reim our cities. It¡¯s a monumental cause, and we invite all of you to stand with us and lend your strength!¡±


    Elias had sent it out feeling quite proud of his literary finesse. However, Theresa had been furious.


    To her, what should have been a bold rallying cry had been turned into something that sounded like they were begging for help on their knees. She tore into Elias on the spot and demanded that from now on, he ry her messages word¨Cfor¨Cword. No more editing. No more polishing. Whatever she said, he repeated exactly. And so, ever since then, every radio message began the same way-¡°Listen up, dumb*sses.¡±


    Theresa had always believed that strength attracted strength. She weed those who came willingly, but she would never go door¨Cto¨Cdoor pleading for allegiance. Begging never earned respect¨Cit only invited vultures looking for safety without sacrifice. Anyone who came did so for the benefits she promised. But the moment things got hard, those same people would do the math, weigh the risks, and jump ship.


    Theresa didn¡¯t need a crowd for appearances. She needed a real army¨Ca unified force of steel and fire. And once she was strong enough, the right people woulde to her naturally. Slow and steady, but solid as a rock. Take it <i>or </i>leave it. <i>If </i><i>you </ie, <i>you </i><i>better </i><ie </i><i>on </i><i>your </i>own two <i>feet</i>.


    Bennic, still smarting from Theresa¡¯sst scolding, gave a cold snort. ¡°The old town has fewer zombies than the city center, but the terrain is a nightmare. Narrow streets, denseyout¨Cthere¡¯s no clear entry point. She¡¯s going to get wrecked.¡±


    Right as the words left his mouth, a fresh update came in through the secretary¡¯s radio. ¡°Listen up, dumb*sses! The zing Sun Alliance has seized control of the old town! Total victory!¡±


    Bennie was instantly rendered at a loss for words. <i>Are </i><i>you </i>kidding <i>me</i><i>?! </i><i>Every </i><i>d</i><i>*</i><i>mn </i><i>time</i><i>?! </i>


    Every time he predicted failure, Theresa showed up just to p him in the face with a win. His icy poker face nearly cracked right then and there.


    The secretary nced at him nervously. ¡°Mr. Green, are you feeling alright? Your face looks¡­ unstable.¡±


    ¡°Get out,¡± Bennie growled.


    News of Theresa¡¯s victory spread like wildfire across every base in the eastern region.


    ¡°The zing Sun Alliance has pushed into the northern district!¡±


    ¡°They secured their first foothold in the old town¨Cit won¡¯t be long before they control the whole area!¡±


    ¡°If they take one more district, that¡¯ll be two zones in Ansford under their belt!¡±


    ¡°Their strength is no joke.¡±


    ¡°To be able to strike back into the city¡­ the zing Sun Alliance is seriously on another level!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m actually considering joining them.¡±


    ¡°Our camp¡¯s thinking the same. They¡¯ve got ess to cheap Evoloid, trade routes with other bases¨Cthose benefits are unreal!¡±


    ¡°Still¡­ maybe wait and see. We¡¯re already struggling with scattered zombies out here. If we go into the city, won¡¯t we just be cannon fodder?¡± _

 Kept Woman 206

    Chapter 206 Clearing the Old Town.


    Chapter 206 Clearing the Old Town


    ¡°You have a point. They¡¯ve only just taken the easiest spots¡ªthe High¨CTech District and the old town. <b>The </b>real challenge is still ahead of them. Let¡¯s just wait and see.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s hope Hope Camp hasn¡¯t joined yet. We¡¯ll decide after they do. No rush.¡±


    ¡°And spring¡¯s almost here. We should really be focusing our strength on production.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right about that.¡±


    camps came to a consensus¨Cwait and see. After all<b>, </b>After rounds of discussion, the mid¨Csized and smaller the cold snap had finally passed, and it hadn¡¯t just been hard on them; it had also suppressed the zombies. The zing Sun Alliance¡¯s sess in clearing them out had a lot to <i>do </i>with the weather.


    But with spring around the corner and temperatures rising, the zombies would be more agile, harder to deal with. So, they decided to hold off. Focus on restarting production at their camps and getting some crops in the ground.


    On thend of Avalon, people had an almost obsessive connection to the soil. Unlike other countries where survivors might prioritize scavenging, here, once things stabilized even slightly<b>, </b>the first instinct was always to farm, to rebuild.


    Theresa and her team had fought underground for two days and two nights straight. They sessfully lured all the zombies within a 500¨Cyard radius of the old town into their ambush zones and wiped them out, wave after wave.


    Bennie had no idea they¡¯d discovered the old town¡¯s hidden tunnels. The entire team had hidden inside,unching ambushes from multiple exits. Whenever things got dicey, they¡¯d retreat and strike from another angle. That tactic made this urban assault surprisingly easy¨Cso easy, in fact, that not a single one of them got hurt. They didn¡¯t even need to return to base between attacks. With the tunnels as shelter, they could keep going through the night.


    Theresa had taken another major sector¨Cand a critical one at that. When the time came to push into the northern district, these old town tunnels would be a permanent foothold.


    Once the area was secure, she ordered the main force to sweep through and collect supplies. The old town had once been amercial district, and its inventory was staggering¨Cnothing like the half¨Cabandoned real estate blocks they¡¯d cleared in the High¨CTech District. Here, there were tea shops, specialty stores, porcin boutiques, jewelry stands, clothing shops, and of course, food vendors.


    Of course<b>, </b>it had already been more than eight months since the apocalypse began, so any short¨Cshelf¨Clife food had long since spoiled. But they could still salvage long¨Clife goods¨Cbottled water, instant noodle vacuum¨Cpacked snacks, chips, biscuits, jerky, dried goods of all kinds. Since it had been a tourist¨C<b>heavy </b>area, there wasn¡¯t much in the way of staple foods¨Cjust lots of specialty snacks.


    That actually worked in Theresa¡¯s favor. She didn¡¯tck for grain or staples. What she needed were <b>snacks </b>and preserved goods. This haul was a windfall.


    She left her people to secure the area and headed out toward Parkson Drugs.


    Chapter 206 Clearing the Old Town


    ¡°I¡¯ll <b>go </b>with you,¡± Kyle said immediately, seeing she was nning to <b>head </b>out alone,


    ¡°No need. I¡¯ll be quick¨Cjust in and out. If anything happens, I can get away,¡± Theresa <b>replied </b><b>inly </b>


    Parkson Drugs wasn¡¯t far, sitting right on the edge of their cleared zone. With her ability <b>to </b><b>teleport</b><b>, </b><b>even </b>if she ran into a zombie horde, she could escape easily. She wasn¡¯t going there to fight, just <b>to </b><b>grab </b>supplies. Taking someone else would only make more noise.


    Kyle¡¯s eyes held concern. ¡°Just be careful.¡±


    ¡°Get back to work. Make sure the inventory is sorted.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Theresa headed off alone, her katana slung across her back, making her way toward Parkson Drugs.


    Once she stepped out of the old town perimeter, she found herself at a crossroads of wide, empty <b>roads</b>. The snow had started to melt, though thickyers of ice still clung to the shaded corners. The <b>streets </b><b>were </b>cold and lifeless, abandoned cars scattered like forgotten memories, and everything was eerily quiet.


    A few stray zombies asionally darted out, but under Theresa¡¯s released mind power<b>, </b>they <b>were </b>all dispatched with a single swing of her de.


    Focused and precise, she made her way down a main avenue. Across the road and slightly to the left<b>, </b><b>she </b>spotted Parkson Drugs.


    But there was a problem¨Cthe ce was crawling with zombies.


    ¡°Aargh-¡±


    ¡°Aargh-¡±


    ¡°Aargh¡±


    A huge horde had gathered outside the pharmacy, pounding furiously against its ss storefront. Across the wide road, wrecked carsy in thenes, and stray zombies shuffled among the debris.


    Theresa thought she¡¯d stepped into a post¨Capocalyptic movie set¨Curban decay, death, and the scent of rot everywhere.


    ¡°Aargh-¡±


    From behind her, a female zombie lunged. Its head tilted unnaturally, hair curled in loose waves<b>, </b><b>a </b>long spaghetti¨Cstrap dress hanging crooked from its gaunt frame. A kitchen knife jutted from its shoulder, the wooden handle streaked with a trail of dark, congealed blood.

 Kept Woman 207

    Chapter 207 The Stranger in the Street


    Clearly, someone had tried to kill her once¨Cfailed¨Cand ran.


    Her mouth gaped wide, revealing crooked teeth caked with bits of unidentifiable tissue. Her <b>vocal </b><b>cords </b>trembled with excitement as she saw a living human, emitting raspy, broken moans of anticipation.


    With a sharp metallic ring, Theresa shed cleanly through her with a single stroke. The unevolved zombie crumpled instantly to the ground. But the sound had already drawn attention. Dozens of <b>nearby </b>zombies began shambling toward her. Even the horde across the street¨Croughly 300 yards <b>away</b><b>¨C</b><b>started </b>to stir.


    Theresa eyed the dense wave of corpses moving across the avenue. A heartbeatter, she blinked out <b>of </b>view and reappeared about 15 feet away, now standing across the street. She didn¡¯t head for Parkson <b>Drugs </b>front entrance¨Cinstead, she made her way to the rear of the building.


    Inside the second floor of that very pharmacy, a young girl cried out, ¡°Look! There¡¯s someone outside<b>! </b>She¡¯s fighting her way through the zombies!¡±


    Her voice caught the attention of the group huddled in the room. Everyone rushed to the window. But by the time they got there, the woman was already gone from view.


    ¡°There¡¯s no one out there!¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°She was just across the street!¡± the girl insisted, staring at the empty avenue in confusion. She had only looked away for a second, and the woman had vanished.


    ¡°You¡¯re seeing things.¡±


    ¡°Probably just a hallucination.¡±


    The girl began to doubt herself under their teasing. She scanned the streets<b>, </b>searching for any sign of the woman, but there was nothing. Nothing except¡­


    ¡°Wait, look over there! One of the zombies was just taken down! And the rest are all crowding around that spot! Someone <i>was </i>there!¡±


    The others followed her pointing finger, squinting through the window. ¡°Hasn¡¯t it always looked like that?¡±


    ¡°Guess we really did have a visitor,¡± said a low voice from the group. A young man in a baseball cap stood. by therge window, watching the confused, milling zombies. The undead shuffled in ce, howling as they lost track of their prey.


    ¡°What did she look like?¡± he asked stepping over to the girl who had first shouted.


    When she turned to see him approaching, her eyes lit up. Even in the apocalypse, she couldn¡¯t <b>stop </b><b>he </b>face from blushing, her heart racing. ¡°Quentin, she was a woman!¡±


    ¡°A woman?¡± Quentin shed her a crooked smile, ¡°Tell me everything.¡±


    That smile didn¡¯t go unnoticed. The others in the group¨C<b>especially </b>the young women in <b>matching </b><b>school </b>


    11:52 Wed 13 AUT ET DI


    Chapter <b>207 </b><b>The </b>Stranger in <b>the </b><b>Street</b><b>, </b>


    uniforms¨Cwatched with a mix of jealousy<b>, </b>resentment, and grudging <b>admiration</b><b>. </b><b>Their </b>expressions wer <b>a </b>vivid palette of frustration and envy<b>. </b>


    <b>They </b>were <b>all </b>students from the same school. When the zombie outbreak began <bst </b><b>year</b>, <b>they </b><b>had </b>been on a group trip to the old town and had been staying at a nearby hotel. After <b>several </b><b>failed </b><b>escape </b>attempts, they ended up sheltering in this massive pharmacy. It wasn¡¯t just any <b>drugstore </b><b>it </b>also <b>sold </b>health supplements, packaged food, and functioned like a department store that took <b>insurance </b><b>cards </b>Thanks to that, it was well¨Cstocked with supplics.


    They had been incredibly lucky to get trapped here. For months, they had survived in rtive <b>safety</b><b>. </b><b>But </b>about two weeks ago, their food began running low, and they finally faced a crisis. That was when <b>the </b><b>man </b>in the baseball cap appeared.


    There were eight of them in total¨Cfour young men, four young women. Four couples. The girls <b>had </b><b>all </b>been roommates. Their little group had maintained a fragile harmony, even if the usual <b>dramas </b><b>of </b><b>youth </b>-love, resentment, betrayal¨Cstill surfaced now and then. But in the face of the apocalypse<b>, </b><b>they </b><b>had </b><b>stuck </b>together.


    At least, until Quentin arrived.


    ¡°Jack, your girlfriend¡¯s running off with someone else again,¡± someone muttered.


    Jack Lynch red furiously at the pair across the room. ¡°Dawn Gand! Get over here!¡±


    Dawn, the girl who had spotted Theresa earlier, didn¡¯t even look at him. She kept walking alongside Quentin, her disdain showing in the set of her jaw. ¡°Ignore him, Quentin. Let¡¯s keep talking.¡±


    ¡°Dawn!¡± Jack shouted, storming forward. ¡°Have youpletely lost your mind?!¡±


    ¡°What did I do? You never believe a word I say. I¡¯m just talking to someone who actually listens<b>¨C</b>what¡¯s <b>so </b>wrong with that?!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what this is really about!¡± Jack shot Quentin a look of pure jealousy and hatred. ¡°Quentin brought us food,¡± someone cut in. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for him, we¡¯d be dead <i>by </i>now!¡±

 Kept Woman 208

    Chapter 208 One Step Closer to Death


    ¡°He also brought a horde of zombies to our front door!¡± Jack snapped.


    Dawn rolled her eyes. ¡°There were already tons of zombies out there! If you¡¯re so great, why <b>don¡¯t </b><b>you </b><b>go </b>kill them? You can¡¯t, so what difference does it make how many there are?!<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Dawn Gand!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just stating facts! You don¡¯t have Quentin¡¯s skills, yet <i>you </i>act like you own the ce. If you¡¯re <b>a </b><b>man</b><b>, </b>then go kill some d*mn zombies. Don¡¯t try to act tough in front of me!¡±


    Jack¡¯s fury red. ¡°So, you really don¡¯t want to be with me anymore, huh?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t wanted to for a while now! You¡¯re a pathetic loser¨Cget lost!¡± Dawn shot him a look <b>of </b>pure contempt, then turned to Quentin with a bright smile. ¡°Quentin, where were we? Right, the person <b>I </b><b>saw </b>it was definitely a woman¡­¡±


    Jack couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. With a snarl, he raised his fist and lunged toward Quentin.


    Just then, the sound of a rolling shutter being thrown open echoed from downstairs.


    Everyone froze. <b><i>Was </i></b><i>it</i><i>¡­ </i><i>a </i><i>person</i><i>, </i><i>or </i>a zombie?


    The sharp tter of the shutter was followed by an eerie silence in the dim pharmacy. Then came the unmistakable <i>clink </i>of something metal, followed by the soft roll of a round object across the floor.


    From their perch on the stairs of the second floor, they all saw it: a severed zombie head, its hair matted and stringy, rolling across the tiles.


    The girls screamed in unison.


    Out back, Theresa had just finished clearing thest stray zombie at the rear entrance when she heard the shrill cries. Her brow furrowed immediately.


    Things had officially gone off the rails.


    She had originally snuck into the old town pharmacy without using a gun, quietly taking out the undead one by one with clean de strikes. The n was to collect what she needed and leave the same way¡ª quick, quiet, efficient. But those four piercing screams? They might as well have fired a re into the sky.


    Now the zombies from both the back alley and the front street were being drawn toward the noise.


    With a curse, Theresa yanked the shutter door down with a <i>bang</i>.


    <i>Seriously</i>¨C<i>how </i><i>are </i><i>people </i><i>still </i><i>this </i><i>dumb</i><i>? </i>


    No sooner had the shutter mmed shut than the metal door shuddered under the weight of several zombies throwing themselves against it.


    <i>Bang</i>, <i>bang</i><i>! </i>


    The heavy steel panels rattled violently.


    ¡­


    <b>Chapter </b><b>208 </b><b>One </b><b>Step </b>Closer <b>to </b>Death


    Theresa quickly locked the <b>ss </b>doors too, jamming them shut for extra <b>security</b><b>. </b><b>But </b>as she <b>turned </b>around, she <b>was </b>greeted by the sight of four young meh¨Carmed with short knives <b>and </b>baseball barg standing about ten feet away<b>, </b>eyeing her warily. Behind them, on the stairs, four girls <b>gripped </b>fruit karyer equally on edge<b>. </b>


    Theresa nced over the ragtag group¨Cyoung, clean¨Cfaced, well¨Cfed. Still just kids, <b>really</b>. <b>And </b><b>judging </b>by their toy¨Clike weapons, it seemed that they thought they could intimidate her.


    ¡°Is it just you guys in here?<b>¡± </b>she asked, unimpressed.


    ¡°Who are you?!¡± Jack barked, puffing himself up in a pitiful attempt at authority. ¡°What <b>are </b>you <b>here </b><b>for</b><b>?!</b><b>¡± </b>


    Theresa couldn¡¯t even be bothered to reply. She scanned the looted shelves¨Cmost supplies were <b>gone</b><b>, </b>the first floor ransacked. But the pharmacy section was still mostly untouched.


    Without a word, she walked over, opened her bag, and began sweeping medicines inside, though of course, most of them were slipping into her domain.


    The others watched in disbelief as she ignored thempletely, methodically looting the shelves. The boys exchanged looks, uncertain.


    Then, Jack stepped forward again. ¡°Stop! This <b>is </b><b><i>our </i></b>ce! You¡¯re not allowed to take anything!<b>¡± </b>


    Theresa didn¡¯t even blink. She kept going, clearing one aisle after another.


    Jack elenched his jaw and took a step forward to confront her.


    <i>ng</i><i>! </i>


    A katana flew through the air andnded upright, its de embedded into the floor directly in front of his foot.


    ¡°Take one more step, and you die.¡± Her voice was calm, almostzy. But the threat was unmistakable.


    Everyone froze, especially Jack. He stared at the gently vibrating de, its steel glinting coldly in the light. The malice radiating off it was suffocating. And in that moment, he knew¨Cif he moved, he <i>would </i>die.


    She had blood on her hands. Real blood. The kind they had only seen from afar, the kind that came from actualbat. Unlike them¨Ctheir survival owed more to luck than anything else.


    No one dared make another sound as Theresa moved from shelf to shelf, cleaning the pharmacy out with terrifying efficiency.


    When she reached the locked ss cab that held prescription meds, she didn¡¯t even flinch¨Cjust shattered it with a punch. The ss/exploded outward.


    The others involuntarily swallowed hard.


    The pressureing off her was unbearable. None of them dared move as she continued pa thest of the medicine.


    <b>away </b>


    Finally, she looked up. ¡°Any more medicine?¡±


    ¡°U¨CUh¡­ there¡¯s still some on the second floor,¡± Dawn stammered, still stunned.

 Kept Woman 209

    Chapter <b>209 </b><b>Not </b>a Reunion, a Reckoning


    Chapter 209 Not a Reunion, a Reckoning


    Theresa chuckled, sling her pack over her shoulder, and walked straight through the <b>group </b><b>of </b>wide¨Ceyed students. As she passed Dawn, she gave her a light pat on the head. ¡°Good girl. By the <b>way</b><b>, </b>is there <b>anyone </b><b>else </b>here besides you guys?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just us<b>¨C</b>well, us and one more person,¡± Dawn replied.


    Before Theresa could ask further, her eyes lifted toward the second floor, where a familiar figure stood <b>in </b>in sight.


    ¡°Hi there, Beautiful. Fancy seeing you again,¡± Quentin called down from thending<b>, </b>arms <b>spread </b>wide <b>as </b>if weing an old friend into a warm embrace, a smug grin lighting up his face.


    The next second, Theresa grabbed the stair rail and bounded up the steps in a few smooth, fluid <b>leaps</b>.


    The high¨Cschool grads standing nearby stared in shock. <i>Wait</i><i>¡­ </i><i>they </i>know each other<i>? </i>And judging by <b><i>that </i></b><i>reaction</i>¡­ <i>they¡¯re </i><i>close</i>?!


    The young men, especially Jack, felt their guts twist with frustration. Quentin had already thrown <b>their </b>group dynamic into chaos the moment he arrived, charming their girlfriends and leaving the rest of them helpless topete. And now, it turned out he knew an even more capable woman¨Cand judging by <b>her </b>entrance, she was on another level altogether. Standing next to her, they looked even more useless.


    As for the girls, a fresh wave of jealousy surged through them. Quentin had been their dream man in this apocalyptic hell¨Chandsome, well¨Cequipped, strong, mysterious, and charming. Unlike their bumbling. clueless boyfriends, Quentin was the ideal. The one no one could truly understand. A man like the ocean -deep, dark, and unfathomable.


    But none of them had ever seen Quentin greet any woman with such enthusiasm¨Carms open inviting a hug. The gesture burned like acid.


    wide,


    Just when they expected some sort of fated reunion, a tender moment between apocalypse¨Cforged allies, they got a flying kick instead.


    <i>Wham</i><i>! </i>


    Theresa¡¯s footnded square in Quentin¡¯s chest,unching him backward across the second floor. He mmed into a shelf, knocking it over with a crash.


    The group stood frozen, stupefied by the unexpected turn of events.


    But what followed was even more shocking. Theresa straddled him and unleashed a brutal beatdown. Every punchnded with bone¨Crattling force, each blow a hammer of fury that made the onlookers flinch.


    <i>This</i><i>¡­ </i><i>T</i>¨C<i>This</i>¡­


    Five straight minutes of pummelingter, Theresa hauled Quentin up by the cor like a disobedient <b>cat</b>. ¡°You just <i>had </i>to run again, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Quentin tilted his head with azy grin. His one visible eye gleamed<i>. </i>¡°You <i>just </i><i>had </i>to miss me.¡±


    <i>Thud</i><b><i>! </i></b>


    Chapter <b>209 </b>Not a Reunion, a Reckoning


    <b>A </b><b>second </b>ck eye bloomed on his <b>face</b>.


    Theresa yanked his cor tighter. ¡°I¡¯m done being patient. Run one more time<b>, </b>and I will kill <b>you </b>


    Quentin blinked, then grinned wider, undeterred by his bruises. ¡°Aw¡­ Does that <b>mean </b>I <b>still </b><b>get </b><b>one </b>more chance. Beautiful<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>


    Bam!


    Without hesitation, Theresa flipped him over her shoulder and mmed him into the floor. <b>Still </b><b>not </b>satisfied, she went back in for round two.


    He could take it. Being half¨Czombie meant she couldn¡¯t actually kill him by beating him to death<b>. </b>And <b>the </b>more she hit him, the more delighted he looked. Because madmen didn¡¯t follow normal logic<b>¨C</b>and <b>no </b>one really knew what went on in that head of his.


    Eventually, even Theresa grew tired of wasting effort on him. She grabbed him by the cor <b>again </b><b>and </b>gave onest warning. ¡°I don¡¯t have time to keep ying games with you. You¡¯re not stupid. Cut it out. Got it?¡±


    Quentin, both eyes now ringed in ck, smiled through the bruises. That rakish, infuriating grin never faltered. ¡°I¡¯m not ying games. I¡¯ve been serious about you since the moment I saw you. Serious about wanting to sleep with you.¡±


    Theresa was rendered speechless. But just as she was about to explode all over again, a massive crash shook the building. The sound of the front shutter door being torn open roared up from below<b>. </b>


    <i>ng</i><i>! </i>


    The metal gate ripped open, a gaping breach now exposed to the street outside. Zombies poured in, surging toward the inner ss doors.


    The double¨Cpaned doors had been reinforced with a U¨Clock in the center, but that wasn¡¯t enough. A dozen zombies mmed into it, and the pressure cracked open thergest gap between the panels.


    Hands burst through the ss, ws raking, mouths howling, reaching for the living, breathing meals just out of reach.


    ¡°Aaaaah!¡± Screams erupted from the girls on the stairs.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Theresa barked. She didn¡¯t even have time to finish stomping Quentin. Spinning around, she assessed the room in a single sweep. ¡°Get the d*mn door barricaded¨Cnow!¡±


    Themand snapped the high¨Cschool grads out of their panic. Jack finally moved, rallying the boys to push the now¨Cempty shelves toward the entrance.

 Kept Woman 210

    Chapter 210 Lucky Fools


    The group <b>stood </b>frozen, watching as the rotting, fetid stench of the zombies wafted <b>through </b><b>the </b><b>cracks </b>in the <b>ss </b>doors. Those pale, corpse¨Clike bodies squeezed forward through the <b>gap</b><b>¨C</b><b>lifeless skin</b><b>, </b><b>ckened </b>fingertips<b>, </b>and grotesquely long nails that scraped the ss hard enough to leave white <b>shavings </b><b>behind</b>. Even the sound of it sent a shiver down their spines.


    They were, without a doubt, some of the apocalypse¡¯s luckiest survivors. Although they hadn¡¯t <b>made </b><b>it </b><b>to </b>the major evacuation camps, they¡¯d been trapped in this oversized pharmacy supermarket from the <b>very </b>


    start.


    The zombie virus had first broken out early one morning, just after they¡¯d spent the night partying <b>at </b><b>a </b><b>bar </b>in the old town. Drunk and groggy, they had stumbled into the only 24¨Chour pharmacy still open<b>, </b>intending to grab some medicine before heading back.


    When they stepped inside, the ce was eerily empty¨Cno staff, no customers, just a dark stain of <b>blood </b>by the checkout counter.


    They barely had time to register the scene when screams erupted from the street. A pharmacy worker <b>in </b><b>a </b>bloodied white coat was chasing down a middle¨Caged man. He caught the man at the corner, tackled him to the ground, and began ripping into him with his teeth.


    At first, they thought it was the alcohol messing with their minds. Staring out the ss windows, they watched in mute horror as the employee devoured the man alive, right there on the pavement.


    Just as they fumbled for their phones to call the police, the man who¡¯d been bitten began twitching. His limbs convulsed, then he slowly got back to his feet. When he looked up, his face had gone pale and bloated, and his eyes had turned cloudy white¨Cjust like something out of a zombie movie.


    They might not have known exactly what was happening, but they weren¡¯t stupid. They¡¯d seen enough films to understand what came next. The two zombies outside spotted them and began running straight for the window.


    The young adults mmed the door shut, pulled down the rolling shutter, and never opened it again.


    From inside, they had watched the world fall apart¨Czombie numbers exploding, society copsing. They saw government broadcasts on their phones for a while, but eventually, all messages stopped. The inte died, followed by the power. They were cut offpletely.


    Still,pared to what others had gone through, their experience had been rtively easy. No raiders, no chaos. They¡¯d been lucky. In some regions, people descended into a hell worse than death¨Cmisery piled on misery. A few hundred yards away, inside the old town, a cannibalistic cult had formed. People over there didn¡¯t just suffer¨Cthey suffered in ways too bitter to speak of.


    But these kids? They hadn¡¯t even seen a real zombie


    up


    close¨Cup


    until now.


    ¡°Aaaah!¡±


    One of the thinner boys slipped as he pushed a metal rack,nding hard right in front of the zombie immediately reached through the crack and grabbed his thigh.


    ¡°Michael!¡±


    doors<b>. </b><b>A </b>


    Chapter <b>210 </b>Lucky Fools


    <b>Several </b>of his ssmates rushed to yank him back. Ifis girlfriend ran over <b>as </b>well, eyes <b>wide </b><b>with </b>pranie. ¡°Are you okay?!¡±


    ¡°I¨CI¡¯m fine,¡± Michael Lane, the boy who had been grabbed, replied, sweating bullets,


    A cold, firm voice rang out from the second floor. ¡°Check for injuries.¡±


    Everyone turned to look up.


    ¡°Now. Anyone who¡¯s been touched by a zombie could turn. Don¡¯t you know that?¡±


    All eyes shifted back to Michael. His face went a few shades paler. ¡°I¨CI¡¯m not hurt!¡±


    He rolled up his pant leg to the knee, pointing with a trembling finger. ¡°See? Nothing! It just grabbed me here¨Cno scratches!<b>¡± </b>


    Theresa¡¯s voice cut through from the stairs. Her eyes were sharp as knives. ¡°Take it all off.¡±


    Grumbling rose at once.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that <i>a </i>bit much?¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°Who do you think you are?¡±


    ¡°Why the hell should we listen to you?¡±


    ¡°Michael¡¯s a guy! Why does <i>he </i>have <i>to </i>strip down?!¡±


    ¡°Who do you think you are, giving orders like that?¡±


    Theresa looked at the group of soft, sheltered kids¨Ceven more naive than the crew she¡¯d crushed back at the tech park. She snorted. ¡°Quentin, don¡¯t tell me this is your type. You really like going after clueless airheads?<b>¡± </b>


    Quentin, now tightly bound and slumped against the wall, let out a low chuckle without looking up.


    ¡°Check him or don¡¯t. If he turns into a zombieter, you all will die,¡± Theresa muttered. She was done arguing. She finished tying Quentin securely and walked away to resume collecting medicine from the shelves upstairs.


    Once she gathered what she needed, she¡¯d leave. Whether they lived or died wasn¡¯t her concern.


    Theresa didn¡¯t care whether someone was male, female, young, or old. In the apocalypse, she judged by one thing only¨Csurvivability.

 Kept Woman 211

    <b>Chapter </b>211 The Price of Survival


    Chapter 211 The Price of Survival


    Theresa had always respected everyone¡¯s right to survive. As long as they didn¡¯t bother her or get in her way, she never intervened in how others chose to live.


    In this apocalypse, survival was brutal for everyone. She wasn¡¯t some savior, running around <b>telling </b><b>people </b>how to live their lives. Everyone had to figure it out on their own. If someone came to her <b>with </b><b>a </b><b>request </b>and the right conditions, and she was satisfied, she might lend a hand. As for the rest, she respected <b>every </b>decision, even if it led to death. None of it had anything to do with her.


    So, when the group heard what Theresa said, they all behaved like they had just won the <b>argument</b><b>. </b><b>Still</b>, they asked Michael to prove himself.


    Michael quietly pulled up his shirt in the corner for Ginny Sunlow, his girlfriend. After a quick look<b>, </b><b>Ginny </b>turned to the others. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have any injuries.¡±


    At that, the rest of the group looked up toward the second floor, and Jack called out loudly, ¡°He¡¯s <b>clean</b><b>! </b><b>No </b>wounds!¡±


    Theresa, still busy packing up medicines, let out a cold chuckle. Behind her, Quentin spoke up, voiceced with mockery. ¡°Those kids are all idiots.¡±


    ¡°I know. It shows,¡± she replied without turning.


    Right then, a sudden burst of screaming erupted from below.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°Michael! What¡¯s happening to you?!¡±


    Theresa paused mid¨Cmotion. <i>Every </i><i>time </i><i>this </i>guy <i>opens </i><i>his </i><i>mouth </i><i>to </i><i>jinx</i>, <i>something </i><i>actually </i>happens. She looked over the railing¨Cand sure enough, Michael¡¯s body was beginning to change.


    He was convulsing in the corner. When he lifted his head, his neck had gone stiff, blue¨Cck veins crawling up from his throat to his face. As he turned, his eyes had already turned a sickly shade of gray- white.


    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t see,¡± Michael gasped, clutching his eyes. The other high¨Cschool grads backed away in panic.


    ¡°It hurts¡­ my body hurts so much. Ginny! Ginny, where are you?!¡±


    ¡°Stay away from me!¡± Ginny shrieked, stumbling backward. As she backed into a shelf, she lost her footing and fell hard onto the floor.


    At that moment, Michael¡¯s hands/dropped to his sides. Every trace of life had vanished from his face. His dead, gray eyes locked onto Ginny like a predator spotting prey<i>. </i>In the next second, he lunged toward her.


    Right at that critical instant, a gleaming katana sliced through the air from the second floo diagonally into Michael¡¯s body, pinning him to a shelf through the skull, the de piercing from head to spine. Whatever light remained in his zombie¨Clike eyes faded away.


    rove


    <b>11:59 </b><b>Wed</b>, 13 <b>Aug </b><b>1</b>) [


    Chapter 211 The Price of Survival


    The high¨Cschool grads all turned <b>as </b>pale as sheets. Their hearts thundered in their chests. The <b>young </b>women threw up on the spot, breaking into sobs while Ginny just sat frozen on the ground, eyes wide staring at the corpse in front of her,pletely paralyzed.


    Then came the pounding.


    From both the front and back doors of the first floor, the moans and mming grew louder and more frenzied. The flimsy wooden doors were clearly not going to hold much longer. The high¨Cschool grads <b>all </b>looked toward the second floor, then rushed toward Theresa.


    Theresa turned back to her task without a word. She had already packed nearly half of the second¨Cfloor medicine shelves. Just then, one of the young men approached, holding her katana carefully in both hands.


    ¡°Miss, your sword,¡± he said gently, handing it to her.


    Theresa barely raised her eyes. With a crisp <i>shing</i>, she sheathed the de.


    The boy¡¯s eyes lit up at how cool she looked. He stood there watching her gather medicine and finally blurted, ¡°Miss, are you collecting meds? I can help!¡±


    Theresa finally looked at him for the first time. Among all the high¨Cschool grads, he was the only one who had approached her. The young women were huddled together, checking each other¡¯s bodies andforting Ginny. The two other young men were whispering in the corner, stealing nces between her and the young women.


    Theresa tilted her head slightly. ¡°Grab a big sack. Start packing that side.¡±


    Ian Dreyer nodded enthusiastically. <i>¡°</i>Okay!¡±


    Theresa continued scanning the shelves. As she swept through the stock, the names of the medications shed automatically through her mind. She had nearly checked off everything on the list her aunt Tania had given her. Of course, she hadn¡¯t left anything extra behind either¨Cnothing was going to waste. If she were here, she might as well take everything useful.


    At the same time, she¡¯d taken note of the rest of the store. All the food was already gone. Most of the supplements, like ginseng and powdered antlers, had been opened and looted as well.


    There was just too much in a pharmacy that could be eaten. Besides modern medicine, plenty of other pills and tablets could serve as food now. Even multivitamins were a kind of sustenance.

 Kept Woman 212

    <b>2/2 </b>


    Chapter <b>212 </b><b>No </b>Savior, No Promises


    Chapter 212 No Savior, No Promises


    Theresa had finally finished gathering all the medicine, and fan came over with two bulging sacks <b>of </b>supplies, when two young men from across the room stepped forward.


    ¡°That stuff¡¯s ours. You can take it, but only if you agree to a condition!¡±


    Theresa lookedzily at the two young men now standing in front of her. Behind them, four young women had also followed, all staring at her like she was some exotic animal in a zoo.


    Theresa didn¡¯t bother replying. She could already tell these kids weren¡¯t going to say anything smart. Sure enough, Jack couldn¡¯t hold it in. ¡°If you¡¯re taking our stuff, then you have to protect us!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ve gotta stay here and keep us safe!¡± the girls echoed.


    ?an stayed quiet, holding the medicine while watching Theresa closely.


    Theresa took the bags from him and slung them over Quentin¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Last another ten days or so<b>, </b>and you might actually get rescued.¡±


    Quentin wasn¡¯t sure what to think of thatment, but Ian¡¯s eyes lit up at the mention of <b>rescue</b>. And the rest of the group were like curious toddlers, immediately pelting her with questions.


    ¡°Who¡¯sing to rescue us?¡±


    ¡°Why ten days or so?¡±


    ¡°What if no one shows up in ten days?¡±


    ¡°What if we can¡¯t make it that long?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no food left¨Cwhat if we starve to death?<b>¡± </b>


    Theresa had zero patience. ¡°Then die.¡±


    She hoisted Quentin up and started walking out with all the supplies.


    The high¨Cschool grads didn¡¯t want her to leave, but none of them dared to stop her either. They had just seen her kill someone¨Cwell, a zombie, but still¨Cwith one swift blow. That image was still seared into their minds. Their instincts told them not to get in her way.


    But they couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch her go either.¡°=


    ¡°You¡¯re just gonna leave like this?!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t abandon us!¡±


    ¡°Take me to my parents! They¡¯ve got money¨Cif you bring me to them, they¡¯ll definitely pay you!¡±


    ¡°Me too! Take me with you!¡±


    A few of the girls surged forward and tried to cling to Theresa.


    111


    <b>11:53 </b>Wed, 18 Aug XJ ?U


    Chapter <b>212 </b>No Savior, No Promises


    Theresa looked at this group of teens still living in the past, still clueless about what it <b>meant </b>to survive in an <b>apocalypse</b><b>. </b>They didn¡¯t even have the awareness that Yuki did. With an irritated <b>sigh</b><b>, </b>she <b>reached </b>for her de¨Cclearly ready to give them a crash course in reality.


    Just then<b>, </b>Jack suddenly called out, ¡°Wait! There¡¯s more medicine here!¡±


    He jogged over to her. ¡°There¡¯s a storage room underground. I know there¡¯s a big stash of modern meds <b>in </b>there!¡±


    Now that caught her interest<b>. </b>¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°Downstairs. I can take you¡­ But you have to promise to get us out of here.¡±


    ¡°No can do,¡± Theresa replied bluntly. ¡°There are too many of you, and you¡¯re all too d*mn clueless. Wait for rescue¡ªif you live that long.¡±


    Silence fell over the group.


    ¡°Could you at least help clear out some of the zombies for us?¡±


    Theresa shook her head. ¡°With what you¡¯ve got, the best I can offer is some advice on how to not die<b>. </b>That¡¯s it. I¡¯lle back and clear it out myself next time.¡±


    Jack hesitated only half a second before nodding. ¡°Deal.¡±


    ¡°Reinforce the main doors. Stack anything heavy in front of them. Don¡¯t grab short des<b>¨C</b>use the metal crutches from the med kits. They¡¯re better. Aim for the head. Zombies go down if you smash their skulls. If you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing, just bash their heads in until they stop moving. And for the love of God, stop screaming! If you see a zombie and can¡¯t fight, don¡¯t yell¨Cjust shut up and move! Got it, you little idiots?¡±


    Everyone nodded fervently.


    ¡°Lead the way. I¡¯ll give you some pointers as we go.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Jack immediately turned and led Theresa toward the stairs.


    This time, when they saw the zombies downstairs, no one screamed. Even when they passed Michael¡¯s body¨Cnow fully zombified and pinned to the wall¨Cthe girls didn¡¯t cry. They kept their heads down and tried to shrink their presence, sticking close to Theresa as if she were a walking fortress. Outside the ss doors, rows of snarling, hollow¨Ceyed zombies pressed their faces against the panes, mouths wide and twisted with hunger.


    Before this, the high¨Cschool grads had mostly stayed holed up on the second floor. They¡¯d tried to watch the zombies from afar, but they had always been too scared to really study them, especially the girls. With food and water still around, none of them had been forced to face danger head¨Con.


    But now, seeing the undead so close, close enough to w their way through if the <b>ss </b>gave way, they finally understood what kind of world they were in. The girls who had boyfriends clung to them tightly.


    Dawn and Jack¡¯s rtionship, which had been on the rocks, quietly patched itself back <i>tog </i>


    <b>2/3 </b>The only one left alone was Ginny. She walked stiffly at the rear of the group, gripping a metal crutch like a lifeline. When she passed Michael¡¯s corpse, she sped up¨Cbut just a few stepster<b>, </b>she couldn¡¯t help


    <b>11:53 </b><b>Wed</b><b>, </b><b>13 </b><b>Aug </b>to


    Chapter 212 No Savior, No Promises


    turning back to look again. Then she stopped, frozen in ce.


    45 Fise Coint

 Kept Woman 213

    Chapter 213 The Warchouse and the Horde


    Chapter 213 The Warehouse and the Horde


    Theresa made her way to the innermost row of medicine cabs. She had already cleared out all <b>the </b>supplies from these shelves earlier, but she hadn¡¯t noticed the narrow side door hidden behind <b>one </b><b>of </b>them. It looked just like the outer exits, but when Jack unlocked it with a key, it revealed a tight<b>, </b><b>narrow </b>stairwell.


    ¡°This leads to the underground storeroom. Most of the meds are down there,¡± Jack exined.


    ¡°Go first. Lead the way,¡± Theresa said, shooting him a look.


    No matter how stupid these kids seemed, she wasn¡¯t going to trust a single one of them to walk behind <b>her</b><b>. </b>The guide always went first¨Cnon¨Cnegotiable.


    Jack nodded without protest. He had no reason to argue. They¡¯d already checked this area when they <b>first </b>upied the pharmacy and found nothing edible downstairs¨Cjust crates and crates of modern medicine. They had taken anything that could be eaten and left the rest behind.


    Theresa descended the long corridor, Quentin still slung over her shoulder. There was no lighting, so <b>she </b>pulled out a shlight. As the beam swept across the basement, rows of tall metal shelves came into <b>view</b>, lined with stacked boxes of medicine. Just by reading thebels, she spotted several drugs she needed.


    <i>Perfect</i><i>! </i>


    ¡°Miss, do you want us to help you carry them out?¡± Jack offered. He had finally understood that trying to strong¨Carm Theresa was pointless. The only way to gain anything from her was to prove his usefulness.


    ¡°No need,¡± Theresa repliedzily. ¡°The guy¡¯s a space¨Cbased ability user. He can store the items. Don¡¯t tell me you guys didn¡¯t notice <i>it</i>.¡±


    While Quentin was rendered speechless, she grabbed his hand and extended it toward the shelves, pretending he was the one absorbing the crates. In truth, she was dumping everything into her domain. If Quentin had used her name to scam supplies from her before, she¡¯d just use his reputation to reim that debt now¨Cone box at a time.


    Within seconds, the entire stockpile was gone.


    Everyone stared in stunned silence. Their jaws nearly hit the floor. As they gawked at Quentin, it was like a thousand dots suddenly connected in their minds.


    Theresa had just emptied out a storeroom over <i>650 </i>square feet in size. It was only now that the others finally processed what was happening/


    They looked again at the man strapped to Theresa¡¯s back¨CQuentin, whose hands and feet were bound with pig¨Ctrotter¨Cstyle loops, just like livestock. He was slung diagonally across her shoulder like an oversized backpack, his head flopping against her as she asionally hung extra bags around his neck.


    <i>That </i><i>guy</i><i>¡­ </i><i>when </i><i>he </i><i>showed </i><i>up</i><i>, </i><i>he </i><i>had </i><i>only </i><i>one </i><i>bulging </i><i>backpack</i><i>, </i><i>and </i>it <i>always </i><i>seemed </i><i>like </i>supplies just kept <b><iing </i></b><i>out </i><i>of </i><i>it</i><i>. </i><i>So </i><i>that¡¯s </i>what it <i>is</i><i>¨C</i>space¨C<i>based </i><i>ability</i><i>! </i>


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we have one then?¡± one of the girls blurted out.


    Theresa nced toward the narrow stairwell. ¡°How old are you?¡±


    Chapter 213 The Warehouse and the Horde


    ¡°We <b>just </b>graduated from high schoolst year. We¡¯re about to start college.


    <i>Well</i>, <i>would </i><i>you </i><i>look </i>at <i>that</i><i>, </i>Theresa thought. They really <i>are </i>a bunch of ivory tower kids.


    Just then, <b>a </b>sudden crash of shattering ss came from upstairs, followed by a <b>girl¡¯s </b>sharp scream. Panic exploded immediately¨Cseveral students who had been standing on the stairwell tumbled down in a frantic rush.


    ¡°Help!¡±


    ¡°Zombies!<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°They¡¯reing!¡±


    Theresa turned her shlight toward the stairs and charged to the narrow entryway. As she reached <b>it</b><b>, </b><b>a </b>skeletal elderly zombie appeared at the threshold. It clung to the doorframe with w¨Clike hands, hair hanging in greasy tangles, its soulless eyes peering into the dim stairwell. Behind it, an unending wave of the undead surged forward.


    Theresaunched herself at the entrance and mmed the metal door shut.


    <i>Skreee</i><i>! </i>


    Long, needle¨Clike fingers scratched across the aluminum door, making a sound as sharp and grating as a violin string screeching off¨Ckey. Zombie hands wed furiously <i>at </i>the frame, leaving deep gouges in the metal.


    <i>Crunch</i>. <i>Crunch</i><i>. </i><i>Crunch</i><i>. </i>


    A zombie¡¯s head had jammed itself into the bottom edge of the doorway, its rotting ck teeth biting furiously at the doorframe, gnawing upward bit by bit.


    Theresa, wedged in the narrow stairwell, held the door closed with one arm, bracing against the mass of creatures outside. With her free hand, she drew her de. With a crisp <i>shing</i>, she hacked down<b>¨C</b>severing the outstretched zombie hands.


    For the one still chewing on the frame, she turned her long de v¨¦rtical and cleaved half its face off in a single strike. Her body rocked with the force as she shoved the door outward like a battering ram.


    -Thud<i>! </i><i>Thud</i><i>! </i><i>Thud</i><i>! </i>

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    Chapter <b>214 </b>No Exit, No Excuses


    Chapter 214 No Exit, No Excuses


    With a few brutal ms, Theresa crushed the zombie¡¯s head into a pulp.


    Then, with a swift pivot, she turned around and used Quentin, still strapped to her back, as a <b>human </b>cushion, driving him backward into the narrow gap of the stairwell door. The impact forced a <b>gasp from </b>him<b>. </b>


    ¡°Beautiful¡­ I¡¯m still alive, you know,¡± Quentin wheezed.


    ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡±


    ¡°Theresa said casually, and with a sharp <i>ck</i>, she slid thetch into ce, locking the door.


    As the crashing and screeching continued from the other side, the teens around her stood frozen, <b>their </b>faces pale, adrenaline still rushing.


    *Miss, are¡­ are we trapped down here now?¡± one of them asked in a shaky voice.


    Theresa rolled her eyes. ¡°You might be, but I¡¯m not nning to die in this basement.¡±


    She eyed the door behind her. It wasn¡¯t very thick. Outside, dozens¨Cmaybe a hundred¨Czombies were pounding against it with growing ferocity. Her mental sense swept the area and confirmed they were all ordinary zombies¨Cno mutants in the horde.


    That was one major benefit of attacking the city early. At this stage, mutant zombies <b>were </b>still rare. So far, she had only encountered a few. Like ability users, mutants were extremely scarce in the early days. As time passed, both would be moremon¨Cbut for now, her odds were good.


    She started sketching out a n. If she could lure them all into a trap, she could wipe out the whole group. The only unknown was how many more might be outside.


    That was when Ian spoke up. ¡°Miss! I believe there¡¯s another way out!¡±


    He knocked on a section of the wall beside him. The dull echo revealed it was hollow. ¡°This basement connects to the underground parking lot of the mall next door! My dad worked on the development¨CI¡¯ve been here before. There¡¯s a way through!¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up.


    She walked over to the wall Ian pointed at and knocked twice. Sure enough, it was hollow. Not a load- bearing concrete wall¨Cjust a partition.


    She activated her mental ability and scanned beyond the wall. Her range covered about 100 feet. Beyond it was empty. No people. No zombies.


    ¡°Step back,¡± she said, and everyone immediately scrambled away.


    With a single <i>boom</i><i>, </i>Theresa kicked through the wall, blowing a man¨Csized hole straight through the bricks.


    Everyone stared, speechless. <i>Even </i><i>if </i><i>that </i><i>wasn¡¯t </i><i>reinforced </i><i>concrete</i><i>¡­ </i><i>that </i><i>was </i><i>still </i><i>a </i>brick <i>wall</i><i>! </i><i>And </i>she just- <i>kicked </i>it <i>down</i><i>! </i><i>One </i>kick?!


    They had all been mentally preparing to take turns chiseling through it.


    <


    Chapter <b>214 </b>No Exit, No Excuses


    ¡°She¡¯s¡­ amazing.¡±


    ¡°<b>Is </b>she a mutant?<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°She¡¯s definitely a mutant! She already has someone with a space ability¨Cshe must be one of those superpower mutants<b>!</b><b>¡± </b>


    <b>¡°</b>She¡¯s so cool!¡±


    ¡°Follow her! If we stick with her, we¡¯ll definitely get out alive!¡±


    While they were still whispering in awe, Theresa had already strode through the hole, Quentin still strapped to her back like cargo.


    Everyone rushed after her, ducking through the gap one by one.


    The parking garage beyond was dark and cavernous. The beam from their shlights barely reached beyond the nearest row of massive support columns. A few abandoned cars <b>sat </b>under thick nkets of dust. Theresa paused beside one of the vehicles, sweeping her shlight inside. Dust covered <b>every </b>surface, including the little figurines on the dash. It was clear this car hadn¡¯t moved in ages<b>. </b>


    ¡°It¡¯s useless. This thing¡¯s dead,¡± came Quentin¡¯s voice from behind her.


    ¡°Shut it. If you¡¯re not going <i>to </i>say something helpful, don¡¯t speak at all,¡± Theresa snapped. She had no patience for his cursedmentary.


    With a hard tug, she forced the car door open. The vehicle might¡¯ve been junk, but whatever was left inside still had value. She snatched a pack of toilet paper, an unopened bottle of water, and left behind one half¨Cempty bottle¨Cclearly already used and left sitting for who knew how long.


    As she moved on, the others¨Cher little line of tagalongs¨Cpeeked into the car behind her. When they spotted the half¨Cbottle of water, their eyes lit up like they¡¯d found buried treasure.


    No one cared that it had been opened months ago. They were thirsty. That was all that mattered.


    ¡°I¡¯m drinking first!¡± Ginny snatched the bottle without hesitation and downed two¨Cthirds in a single go.


    ¡°What the hell, Ginny! We¡¯re all thirsty!¡± someone shouted.


    ¡°I¡¯m dying of thirst! Just let me finish it!¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Kieran Creed yanked the bottle from her. ¡°There¡¯s a whole group of us¨Cyou nearly finished it on your own! What about the rest of us?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thirsty too,¡± said his girlfriend, Phoebe Wain, tugging gently on his sleeve.

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    Chapter 215 Terms of Survival


    Kieran pondered for a moment, then handed over thest bit of water to Phoebe.


    After Phoebe took a sip, only a small amount was left at the bottom. She looked around at the others ¡°Here<b>¨C</b>someone else finish it.¡±


    Jack and Dawn weren¡¯t that thirsty and shook their heads. Ian was parched, but after ncing <b>at </b><b>his </b>girlfriend, he decided to give it up. ¡°M, you take it.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± M Lockwood said softly, then finished off thest sip.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move. Stick close to her,¡± someone urged.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she wants to take us with her.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she doesn¡¯t seem like she wants anyone tagging along.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got an idea!¡± Ian said suddenly and broke into a jog toward Theresa.


    ¡°Miss! Hey, Miss<b>!</b><b>¡± </b>


    Theresa didn¡¯t stop, just kept walking with Quentin slung over her shoulder. ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡°I know theyout of this ce! I can lead you out!¡± Ian called after her.


    Theresa looked around at the endless rows of columns stretching into the dark corners of the underground parking garage. ¡°What¡¯s your offer?¡±


    ¡°Take us with you!¡±


    She nced at the pack of teens huddled behind him. ¡°I¡¯ll allow you to follow me. That¡¯s it. Your lives are your own responsibility. And don¡¯t cause trouble.¡±


    Ian hesitated, then nodded. ¡°Deal! As long as we can follow you!¡±


    With her strength and skills, as long as they didn¡¯t fall behind, they¡¯d be safe. Ian figured that out quickly. He waved at the others. ¡°Come on! She said we can follow!¡±


    The group rushed up.


    Theresa eyed the bunch now crowding into her safety perimeter. ¡°I¡¯m saying this once. If you die, that¡¯s on you. I won¡¯t stop for anyone.¡±


    Everyone nodded, dazed butpliant.


    ¡°And one more thing. Check your bodies. Anyone hiding an injury dies on the spot.¡±


    This time, they all obeyed immediately. However, just as her words faded, Ginny flinched and stepped back.


    ¡°Ginny, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    <b>1/2 </b>


    54 Wed 1JAUD


    Chapter 215 Terms of Survival


    ¡°Why are you backing away?<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Ginny¨Cyour arm!¡± Phoebe cried out. She was standing closest and immediately <b>spotted </b>the slow trickl of blood sliding down Ginny¡¯s forearm.


    ¡°1¨CIt¡¯s <b>not </b>what you think! I got scratched moving Michael¡¯s body! I hit the corner of the <b>shelf </b><b>it </b>wasn¡¯t a zombie!¡± Ginny rushed to exin, but no one dared stay near her.


    ¡°Please<b>, </b>you have to believe me! Dawn, M, Phoebe¨Cwe¡¯ve been roommates for three <b>years</b><b>! </b><b>You </b><b>know </b>I¡¯m not lying!¡±


    The three girls looked torn, but the boys were decisive.


    ¡°No way. No one can prove that wasn¡¯t from a zombic,¡± one of them said firmly.


    ¡°You¡¯re just picking on me because Michael¡¯s gone!¡± Ginny shouted, backing away. ¡°He treated you like brothers, shared all his stuff with you, and now he¡¯s dead, none of you even helped! You¡¯re selfish! Heartless! All of you!¡±


    With that, she spun around and ran into the shadows.


    The others stood there, stunned by the outburst.


    ¡°Ginny! Come back!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not saying we don¡¯t believe you!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll just tie her up or something and watch her. If she¡¯s fine, she¡¯s fine. But if she runs off alone¨Chow <b>will </b>she survive?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s find herter and take her with us!¡±


    Theresa listened to their nonsense in silence, not even bothering <i>to </i>respond. She adjusted Quentin¡¯s weight and strode forward without a word. The group hesitated, then rushed to catch up.


    Ian took the lead, guiding them through the dark garage. The rest stuck close behind Theresa. She kept checking vehicles as they passed, but every single one was useless¨Ct tires, dead batteries, or submerged in the stagnant water pooling across the garage floor.


    Ian noticed what she was doing. ¡°Miss, are you looking for a working car?¡±


    Theresa gave him a sidelong nce and nodded.


    ¡°We should go to the ground floor. There¡¯s a dealership up there! Brand new cars!¡±


    She actually gave him an approving look. ¡°Not bad, kid. Lead the way.¡±


    Pleased with her praise, Ian turned sharply to the right and led them along the wall, covering more than 200 yards before stopping at a heavy safety door.


    Just then, a faint shape emerged from the darkness ahead¨Ctrembling, unsteady, and very much human.

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    Chapter 216 One of Us No More


    When they shed the shlight in that direction, they found Ginny slumped against the <b>emergency </b>exit


    door.


    ¡°Ginny?¡±


    ¡°Sunlow<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>


    She clutched the handle, her body trembling violently, looking like she was in serious pain. ¡°W¨C<b>We </b>made <b>a </b>promise, right? That we¡¯d be friends forever. Even when we applied for college¡­ we said we¡¯d <i>go </i><b>to </b>the same one. Dawn, M, Phoebe¡­ I¡­ I feel awful.¡±


    Just then, a new sound rose behind them.


    From the quiet underground garage¨Cspecifically from the direction of the pharmacy Theresa had <b>just </b><b>left </b>-came the thunderous stomping of countless zombies.


    ¡°Hrrhh-¡±


    ¡°Hrrhh-¡±


    ¡°Hrrhh-¡±


    The horde that had been blocking the door finally forced it open. Like a dam breaking, the wave of zombies surged toward them.


    ¡°Aaaugh!¡±


    The shriek came from the nearest creature, and in the next second, Ginny lunged forward like a ck shadow, aiming straight for the closest people¨CIan and M. Her face was pale and ghastly, her eyes sunken and dark, and beneath them, the cloudy, gray¨Cwhite irises of a full¨Cblown zombie.


    1


    Ian and M gasped in horror, but to their credit, no one screamed this time.


    Instinct took over¨CIan shoved M to the side and stepped forward to face the undead Ginny himself.


    <i>Shiiing</i><i>! </i>


    A sh of cold steel¨Cthe gleam of a katana.


    <i>Thump</i><i>! </i>


    The zombie¡¯s body copsed at Ian¡¯s feet, its severed head rolling right up to his shoes. At that moment, he felt his entire back go numb.


    ¡°Ian!¡± M threw herself into his arms.


    Still trembling, Ian held her tightly. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m okay. I¡¯m right here.¡±


    Moments like these revealed who people truly were.


    ¡°What are you standing around for? Move!¡± Theresa shouted, already stepping into the emergency


    <b>11:54 </b><b>Wed </b>13 <b>Aug </b>


    Chapter 216 One of Us No More


    stairwell.


    The other two couples had gone in right behind her. Ian quickly grabbed M¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s <b>go</b><b>! </b><b>Stick </b><b>with </b>her<b>¨C</b>we¡¯ll be fine!¡±


    Once everyone was inside, Theresa mmed the door shut behind them and locked it from within<b>. </b><b>As </b>they started up the stairwell, the sound of zombies mming against the door echoed up from below<b>. </b>


    These were the ones that had followed them all the way from the pharmacy, now howling and wing <b>at </b>the reinforced barrier. But this door was a hell of a lot stronger than the pharmacy¡¯s flimsy aluminum one<b>. </b>It was a proper fire¨Crated safety door.


    Even so, the constant <i>thud</i><i>¨C</i><i>thud</i><i>¨C</i><i>thud </i>of zombie bodies crashing into it made everyone¡¯s hearts race. No one dared fall behind as they pressed closer to Theresa¡¯s lead.


    By the time they reached the ground floor, light finally broke through the gloom. Sunlight poured through a window in the fire escape, lighting the way ahead.


    Theresa pushed open the first¨Cfloor exit and, just as expected, they found themselves inside a sprawling car dealership showroom. Rows of gleaming new vehicles lined the disy floor¨Cevery single one of them a luxury model.


    Since she was here now, she wouldn¡¯t be leaving empty¨Chanded.


    With Quentin slung over her shoulder, Theresa gripped his hand, pretending he was the one with the space¨Cbased ability. But, really, it was her¨Csedans, pickup trucks, minivans, SUVs, sports cars<b>; </b>she took them all.


    As she continued stashing the cars, she called out to the others, ¡°Go find me the keys!¡±


    No one dared defy her. They were counting on Theresa to lead them out of here. The group immediately scattered toward the sales desks and employee rooms in search of keys.


    By the time Theresa had finished stashing every vehicle but two SUVs, she looked around and frowned. ¡°Still haven¡¯t found the keys?¡±


    Right then, Jack and Dawn came running out of the employee lounge. ¡°Miss, Phoebe and M have stomachaches!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re using the restroom. Let¡¯s wait for them.¡±


    Theresa stared at them, deadpan, then strode toward them with a cold expression. ¡°Keys.¡±


    Jack and Dawn exchanged a nce. ¡°We found them. Phoebe and M have them. As soon as they¡¯re done, we¡¯ll bring them right over.¡±


    Behind her, Quentin chuckled. ¡°Call them dumb and they show a glimmer of sense. Say they¡¯ve got brains, and they turn right around and prove you wrong. Still, they don¡¯t abandon their own.¡±


    ¡°And what about you?¡± Theresa saw an opening for a <i>jab</i>. ¡°How about learning something from them¨Cfor once¨Ctry being loyal to your teammates.


    Quentin smirked. ¡°I¡¯m only loyal to my sexual partner.¡±


    n


    <b>2/3 </b>


    Chapter 216 One of Us No More.


    Theresa let out an exasperated groan, dropped him to the ground, <b>and </b>punched <b>him </b><b>again</b>.


    <b>3/3 </b>

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    Chapter 217 Loyalty, Lies, and the First to Turn


    Dawn and Jack stood frozen on the side, watching the scene unfold inplete silence. Neither <b>dared </b>to move a muscle.


    After the third round of blows. Theresa grabbed Quentin by the cor and snapped, ¡°Can you <b>think </b><b>about </b>anything besides that one d¡¯mn thing?! And do you even believe half the crap you say? You f*ck wherever yound, and you have the nerve to talk about loyalty? I¡¯d believe you if you used any other organ <b>to </b><b>talk </b>besides that one!¡±


    ¡°Miss!¡± Dawn suddenly piped up. ¡°Q¨CQuentin really <i>is </i>loyal. He told us before¡­ that there¡¯s someone he likes. Said he¡¯d never be with another woman for the rest of his life.¡±


    Theresa froze. Even Jack turned to stare at her in disbelief.


    Dawn nodded earnestly. ¡°It¡¯s true. He told all of us. He¡¯s super devoted!¡±


    ¡°But¡­ he¡¯s always hanging around you girls. Giving you food¡­¡± Jack muttered uncertainly.


    ¡°That¡¯s because he wanted us to tell him stories. He said he liked listening to them. He never forced us <i>to </i>do anything, never said anything gross¨Che was a total gentleman. Really.¡± Dawn hesitated, then added, ¡°And honestly, with his strength, he didn¡¯t <i>need </i>to offer us food. We were all kind of hoping he¡¯d pick us <b>to </b>be his girlfriend.¡±


    <i>Really</i><i>? </i><i>You¡¯re </i><i>admitting </i><i>that </i><i>in </i><i>my </i><i>face</i><i>? </i>Jack questioned, stumped.


    Quentin let out a low chuckle.


    Theresa stared down at the man no one seemed to fully understand, her brows furrowing. She didn¡¯t believe a word Quentin said¨Cand she certainly didn¡¯t think she was the one he imed to be in love with.


    She hadn¡¯t done anything kind for him, except maybe that one time she backed him up against his family. That was it. And if that had really meant something to him, would he have turned around and screwed her over? Lied to her? Set her up?


    What kind of person did that?


    Every time they ran into each other, it ended in a fight. She¡¯d hit him, he¡¯d run off. Like clockwork.


    Whatever Quentin was feeling, Theresa didn¡¯t consider it ¡°love.¡± Let alone loyalty. Please. She had cold, hard proof to back it up.


    She made up her mind: Quentin was going back with her in chains. She¡¯d watch him 24/7 and drag whatever scraps of loyalty he had left to the surface. She would have his half¨Czombie body one way or another¨Cthe more he resisted, the more she wanted him.


    Just then, a voice echoed from the employee lounge.


    ¡°Phoebe, what¡¯s wrong?! Phoebe!¡±


    Theresa¡¯s expression darkened immediately.


    Jack, suddenly remembered something. ¡°Miss¨Cwait! Phoebe and M both drank from the same bottle


    <b>Chapter </b><b>217 </b>Loyalty, Lies, and the First to Turn


    Ginny did!¡±


    Theresa didn¡¯t wait for another word. She slung Quentin over her shoulder and charged into the <b>lounge </b>


    The moment she burst through the door, two figures came sprinting from the restroom<b>. </b>


    Phoebe had thrown herself into Kieran¡¯s arms, her body trembling violently. Kieran looked down <b>at </b><b>her</b><b>, </b>rmed. ¡°Phocbe? Your face¡­ something¡¯s wrong! Why are you shaking like that? Phoebe¨Cyour face!¡±


    His eyes caught on her neck. ckened veins were creeping upward beneath her skin.


    Panicking, Kieran tried to push her away, but Phoebe clung to him with terrifying strength.


    ¡°It hurts¡­ Kieran, you promised¨Cyou said you¡¯d stay with me forever¡­ Aaargh!¡±


    Suddenly, she lifted her head, her face now pale and distorted, transformed into a zombie¡¯s. Her <b>jaw </b>opened impossibly wide as she lunged for his face.


    ¡°Ahh!¡± Kieran screamed and exploded with strength, shoving her back with everything he had.


    <i>Bam</i>!


    Phoebe mmed into the wall, then staggered back up, neck twisted grotesquely as she lunged again. That¡¯s when Kieran spotted a walking cane nearby¨Chis mind shed to what Theresa had told him: the zombie¡¯s weakness was the head.


    He snatched up the cane and brought it down with all his might.


    <i>Bam</i><i>! </i>


    Phoebe went flying from the blow. Kieran didn¡¯t stop. Heunched at her, fists hammering her head over and over again.


    ¡°Why?! Why would you turn me into a zombie?! Why couldn¡¯t you just die alone?! You <i>deserve </i>to die!¡±


    By the time Phoebe¡¯s bodyy mangled and motionless, Kieran stood over her, blood dripping from his hands, the cane ttering to the floor beside him.


    Slowly, he turned to face the others who had followed him in.


    The left side of his face was torn wide open, the skin shredded all the way down to exposed muscle and nasal bone. The edges of the wound looked like torn paper, with bloody tendons and vesselsid bare.


    He tilted his head at them and gave a broken, ragged smile.


    ¡°Oh, hey. You guys have arrived.¡±


    As he forced a grin, the muscle along his cheek split even further, and crimson blood gushed from his shattered cheekbone.

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    Chapter 218 What It Means to Stay


    Chapter 218 What It Means to Stay


    Blood flowed down his face, across his lips, over his teeth¨Cstaining everything in bright red.


    ¡°I killed her. She was a zombie! She turned into a zombie, so I killed her!¡± His voice broke as he began to sob. ¡°There was only a little water left, and I saved it for her. Every time we had something to eat, <b>I </b><b>always </b>gave her some. If I didn¡¯t, she¡¯d get mad. I loved her so much¡­ so why did she have to drag me down <b>with </b>her?! Why couldn¡¯t she just die on her own?! How could she be so selfish?! She deserved it! Not even <b>a </b>thousand deaths can absolve it!¡±


    ¡°Kieran, you¡¯re changing-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a zombie!¡± Kieran jerked his head up, but the blood was already draining from his face. ck veins had surfaced beneath his paling skin, and his eyes were gleaming with a feverish light. ¡°I¡¯m not<b>! </b><b>I </b>don¡¯t want to turn into a zombie! Please¨Cplease help me! I want to live!¡±


    Then he lunged at them.


    With every step, his expression contorted further, the ck pigment in his pupils retreating into a dull, milky gray. What had begun as desperation slowly twisted into the wild hunger <b>of </b>something no longer human.


    Dawn and Jack recoiled in terror. Dawn stumbled into a metal rack behind her, nearly falling¨CJack caught her and yanked her into his arms, mping his eyes shut and ducking behind Theresa.


    <i>Shhhhing</i><i>! </i>


    She unsheathed her katana, and blood sprayed the air.


    Kieran was sliced clean in half mid¨Ccharge, crashing to the floor with a heavy thud. His body skidded several feet from momentum before the de embedded in his skull slid free and ttered back.


    Theresa hadn¡¯t even moved a single step.


    She shifted Quentin higher on her back and coldly yanked the katana from the zombie¡¯s head.


    ¡°I love watching you kill zombies, Beautiful,¡± Quentin murmured, grinning. ¡°You look hot.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be next one day.¡±


    The half¨Czombie quickly shut up.


    The next moment, cries echoed from the bathroom.


    ¡°M! M, open the door! M, what¡¯s wrong?!¡±


    Theresa let out a sigh so deep it almost shook the walls. She gripped her katana and marched toward the source of the noise.


    Before she even reached the restroom, a scream of unbearable agony rang out from inside.


    ¡°Ahhh! Ian, my stomach hurts so bad, I don¡¯t know why¨Cit hurts so much¨CI¡¯m bleeding everywhere!¡±


    AC


    Chapter 218 What It Means to Stay


    ¡°M, <b>open </b>the door! Please, let me see you!¡±n banged on the door frantically.


    ¡°Open, your *ss!¡± Theresa snapped, beyond done. ¡°Get out of the way!¡±


    Jack and Dawn followed her in. Dawn clutched Jack¡¯s hand tightly and shouted, n! Phoebe has <b>already </b>turned into a zombie! Both she and M drank the same water as Ginny! M¡¯s infected for sure!¡±


    ¡°You have to move! M¡¯s going to turn! Kieran just got bitten by Phoebe! You can¡¯t be next!<b>¡± </b>


    Ian froze, stunned, eyes wide with horror as M¡¯s groans continued from behind the stall door.


    ¡°Ungh¨Caah!¡±


    Theresa gave him a hard look, then strode toward the door with purpose<b>. </b>Butn suddenly threw himself in front of her, arms out wide. ¡°Miss, please¨Cdon¡¯t kill her. I¡¯m begging you.¡± He stood firm, blocking the stall door with outstretched arms, eyes wide and painfully sincere.


    Theresa sighed again and looked up at the ceiling. ¡°Move.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t! If you want to kill her, you¡¯ll have to kill me first!¡±


    Theresa gazed silently at him, unsure whether to admire the purity of his love or curse the depths of his idiocy.


    ¡°Ian, M is really turning,¡± Dawn said gently. ¡°Let it go. We all care about her, but she¡¯s not human anymore. There¡¯s no saving her.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± Ian dropped to his knees with a loud <i>thud </i>and begged Theresa. ¡°Miss, just go, okay? Please don¡¯t kill her! I¡¯m begging you¨Cdon¡¯t kill her! I¡¯ll take responsibility¨CI won¡¯t let her hurt anyone. We¡¯ll stay behind. Just don¡¯t kill her¡­ please¡­¡±


    Theresa stared at the young man kneeling and begging her.


    ¡°Give me the keys.¡±


    At that, Ian lifted his head in a sh of hope. He turned and knocked on the stall door. ¡°M, give me the keys. She¡¯s not going to kill us, I promise. M, I¡¯m not leaving. I¡¯ll stay here with you. Don¡¯t be scared.¡±


    <


    <b>11:54 </b><b>Wed</b>, 13 Aun YIDD


    Chapter 219 Till Death Do Us Part

 Kept Woman 219

    Chapter 219 Till Death Do Us Part


    Chapter 219 Till Death Do Us Part


    ¡°Give me the keys.¡±n¡¯s voice echoed through the bathroom, but there was no reply from inside.


    Just as thest shred of sympathy flickered out in Theresa and she was ready to end things swiftly, <b>a </b><b>pale </b>hand slid out from beneath the stall divider, trembling, bone¨Cwhite,


    and seizedn¡¯s wrist.


    ¡°Watch out!¡± Dawn and Jack¡¯s hearts leapt into their throats as a ring of keys dropped to the floor <b>with </b><b>a </b>sharp jingle.


    ¡°Go-¡°A distorted female voice rasped from inside the stall, and fan was shoved away by a sudden, violent


    force.


    Momentster, the stall door behind him erupted with pounding thuds.


    *Rghhh!¡±


    ¡°Grahh!¡±


    ¡°Rrragh!¡±


    M¨Cnow a zombie¨Cwas hammering at the stall door, shaking it on its hinges. In just <b>a </b><b>few </b>blows, the simple lock cracked open, splintering the wood. Her pale, lifeless face pressed against the narrow opening, zombie eyes dull and gray, howling at the people on the other side.


    ¡°M!¡±


    ¡°Ian!¡± Dawn and Jack rushed forward and yanked Ian back just as he tried to hurl himself toward her. Ian shoved them off and threw the keys to Theresa. ¡°Take them and go!¡±


    ¡°Are you insane?! She¡¯s turned! What are you staying for?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m staying with her! Even if she¡¯s a zombie, I¡¯ll stay! Just go!¡± Ian stood between them and the flimsy door that could break at any second, eyes red and wild with emotion.


    Then, with a crash, the door burst open. M staggered out¨Cher face chalk¨Cwhite, hair in disarray, zombie eyes clouded and gray¨Cand lunged toward Ian.


    Just when it seemed like he was doomed, M¡¯s hands mmed into his chest¨Cbut instead of biting, she shoved him hard, sending him skidding across the floor to Dawn and Jack.


    Her body trembled violently, veins darkened beneath her skin, her face twitching between pain and rage. But even then, something in her still fought back. Something human. She opened her bloody mouth wide and forced out a strangled sound. ¡°Ghh¡­ Go-¡±


    ¡°Drag him out!¡± Theresa barked. With the keys now in hand and Quentin slung over her back, she sprinted toward the exit.


    Dawn and Jack each grabbed one of Ian¡¯s arms. Adrenaline kicked in. They pulled him up and ran after Theresa, hauling him through the corridor with desperate speed.


    Theresa reached the two SUVs she had left behind. While running, she fished through the keys. <ol start="54"><li><b></b>Wed 13 <b>AUG </b>MOL </li></ol>


    Chapter 219 Till Death Do Us Part


    <i>Beep </i>beep!


    <i>Beep </i><i>beep</i>!


    Both vehicles unlocked at once.


    She tossed a nce over her shoulder. ¡°Please tell me one of you can drive<i>.¡± </i>


    Jack panted, ¡°Kieran can!¡±


    Theresa fell silent, speechless. It¡¯s <i>a </i><i>no</i><i>, </i><i>then</i>.


    ¡°Get in!¡±


    She didn¡¯t waste time arguing. She stored one SUV back into her domain, shoved all three into the backseat of the remaining one, and climbed into the driver¡¯s seat. Quentin was tossed into the passenger side, still bound. Theresa slid her arms through the gaps between his tied limbs and gripped the wheel tightly.


    Trapped in that awkward position, Quentin couldn¡¯t even sit upright. Buckling in was out of the question -he was practically folded in half. ¡°Beautiful,¡± he drawled, ¡°just untie me. I won¡¯t run.¡±


    ¡°In your dreams.¡±


    ¡°You sure you can even drive like this?¡±


    ¡°I can.¡±


    <i>Vrooom</i><i>! </i>


    The engine roared to life. The queen of multitasking proved her point. Driving with a man tied to her wasn¡¯t even a challenge.


    She floored the gas and aimed straight for the front ss doors, and the ss shattered in a thunderous wave as the SUV plowed through, speeding out of the dealership.


    Behind them, M, fully turned, shrieked and bolted after the vehicle in her blood¨Cstained school uniform.


    Theresa mmed the pedal down, the tires screeching as they tore down the road. Quentin was jostled in his seat, arms and legs trussed like luggage, but she held him firm.


    From the back window, the others stared out at the rapidly fading figure of M. None of them said a word. Of the group that had entered the building, only three were left.


    Ian especially couldn¡¯t look away. He kept his eyes on the rear window until her figure disappearedpletely, and when it did, it was like someone had pulled the air from his lungs. His head dropped, and he didn¡¯t say another word.


    ¡°You really loved your girlfriend that much?¡± Quentin ncedzily over his shoulder at the silent trio.


    Ian stayed quiet. Dawn answered for him. ¡°M and Ian grew up together. Childhood <b>swe </b>were boyfriend and girlfriend since elementary school. They even promised they¡¯d <b>get </b>married after college.¡±


    <b>rts</b><b>. </b>They


    Chapter <b>219 </b>Till Death Do Us <b>Part </b>


    Quentin snorted. ¡°Elementary school? What the hell do kids that <b>age </b><b>even </b>know?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. Because <i>you¡¯re </i>the authority on love,¡± Theresa scoffed. ¡°His girlfriend turned into a zombie, and <b>he </b>still wouldn¡¯t leave her. Meanwhile, all you do is run your mouth.


    Queritin turned his head, his eye catching the light as he leaned toward Theresa. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t leave <b>you </b>either if you turned into a zombie. Hell, I¡¯d even bring you fresh humans to eat every <b>day </b>

 Kept Woman 220

    <b>Chapter </b><b>220 </b>The Queen <b>Returns </b>


    Chapter 220 The Queen Returns


    Theresa didn¡¯t even bother replying. She yanked the wheel sharply, throwing <b>off </b>a cluster <b>of </b>zombies surrounding the car, and in the same motion, flung Quentin against the ceiling.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Quentin grunted as his head smacked the roof of the car. He tried to speak again, but she immediately cut him off. ¡°Shut up.¡±


    Soon, the SUV barreled toward the old town district.


    The moment they crossed into the boundary, the zombies ahead vanished entirely. The streets were <b>eerily </b>quiet, deserted on both sides. But behind them, a mob of undead still chased relentlessly.


    Just as Dawn and the others were wondering where Theresa was headed, she began to slow down. Ahead of them, a group of heavily armed soldiers came into view, all of them brimming with cold, disciplined energy.


    <i>Thwack</i><i>! </i><i>Thwack</i><i>! </i>


    <i>Thunk</i>!


    <i>Thwack</i><i>! </i><i>Thwack</i>!


    Bolts from crossbows zipped past the SUV, striking down the zombies tailing them one by one. By the time Theresa brought the car to a stop, the undead had been efficiently cleared out.


    Then, to the shock of everyone inside, the armed group began to rush toward the SUV with excited shouts.


    ¡°Boss!¡±


    ¡°Boss!¡±


    ¡°Theresa, are you okay?!¡±


    Dawn, Jack, and Ian stared wide¨Ceyed at Theresa. <i>She¡¯s</i>¡­ <i>the </i><i>leader </i><i>of </i><i>all </i><i>these </i><i>people</i><i>? </i>


    Theresa pushed open the door. ¡°Never better.¡±


    As she stepped out, she hauled Quentin out with her. Kyle¡¯s eyes bulged the moment he saw who it was. ¡°Boss¨CHe¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m taking him back to my camp,¡± she said coolly. ¡°You all stay quiet for the next few days. Clear out the smaller zombie nests nearby. Once I¡¯m back, we¡¯llunch the full assault on the district.¡±


    Tossing Quentin over her shoulder, she strode toward her armored vehicle.


    Lucas and the others could only stand and gape. <i>What </i><i>the </i><i>hell </i>is <i>going </i><i>on</i><i>?! </i>


    Just then, Charlotte peeked into the SUV. ¡°Theresa, there are more people in the back.¡±


    ¡°Survivors I picked up. Let them be.¡±


    With that, Theresa tossed Quentin into her armored vehicle, got in, and sped away in a blur. She needed


    <b>1/3 </b>


    Chapter <b>220 </b><b>The </b>Queen <b>Returns </b>


    <b>to </b><b>deliver </b><b>the </b>medicine <b>to </b>Tania, <b>Once </b>Tania developed the spray form, <b>they </b><b>could </b><b>finally </bunch a <b>direct </b>assault on the city¡¯s core.


    ¡°Kyle, who was that guy?¡± Lucas asked.


    Kyle frowned. ¡°One of Theresa¡¯s men.¡±


    Theresa drove the armored car down the road and finally arrived safely at her bunker when <b>the </b><b>sun </b>dipped low into the evening sky.


    It had changed a lot in her absence.


    The old crop patches were still untouched, but a ton of new decorations had been added. A pebbled <b>path </b>now wound its way around the outer edge of the bunker, lined with flowers and ornamental stones<b>. </b><b>The </b>once bare outdoor dining area now featured a misty, elegant gazebo. The houses where Kyle and the others stayed had also been freshly painted in pastel pink.


    The entire ce looked like it had been plucked straight from a fairytale¨CAlice¡¯s Wondende <b>to </b>life.


    ¡°Is this the right spot, Aunt Tania?¡±


    ¡°A bit more to the left.¡±


    ¡°Now?¡±


    ¡°A little more.¡±


    ¡°Okay, perfect.¡±


    In the middle of the garden, a woman in a flowing dress was directing someone. Beside her, a man in a button¨Cdown shirt and thick sses was mbering up adder, struggling to install a swing set.


    He was the first to spot the returning vehicle.


    ¡°Boss! You¡¯re back!¡±


    Tania turned immediately at the call. ¡°Terry!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m back.¡±


    As Theresa parked and stepped out, a pack of dogs swarmed her in a flurry of tails and excited yips. Tania and Elias both ran toward her as well. Theresa took her time hugging all sixteen dogs before Tania pulled her into a tight embrace.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Never better.¡±


    ¡°Let me look at you properly.¡± Tania fussed over her, checking her head to toe.


    Though Tania¡¯s personality waspletely different from her mother¡¯s, the concern on hee in moments like this looked exactly the same. Seeing the concern in her eyes sent a quiet warmth <b>through </b>


    Theresa.


    <b>2/3 </b>


    Chapter 220 The Queen Returns


    No matter how


    h


    with like whenever she saw Tania, that instinctive doseness surfaced without fon berase Tania truly wholehcanedly cared about her. No need for words. Tha colry


    She suddenly remembered: in herst life, Tania hadn¡¯t joined Hope Camp until muchter. Had the spent years searching base <i>after </i>base for her, only to give up and join Hope Camp in disappointment. quietly focusing on research with no further word?


    ¡°Alright, Aunt Tania. I brought the medicine back. I need you to work hard on the spray these next few days¡±

 Kept Woman 221

    Chapter <b>221 </b>The Secret Weapon


    More than a week passed. At Hope Camp¡­.


    ¡°Listen up, dumb*<b>sses</b>! This is the zing Sun Alliance! We¡¯re about to enter the northern <b>district </b><b>and </b>expect to take full control within the month. The zing Sun Alliance wees wise minds <b>at </b><b>all </b><b>times </b>We treat smaller camps with kindness, our people are united and warmhearted, full of life, <b>energy</b><b>, </b><b>and </b>zing passion¡­¡±


    Bennie fell silent.


    If Theresa hadn¡¯t made that public announcement two weeks ago, dering all¨Cout war on Summitit <b>Camp </b>and swallowing them whole, he might¡¯ve actually believed all that flowery nonsense about warmth <b>and </b>unity.


    Give me <i>a </i>break¨C<i>zing </i>Sun <i>Alliance </i><i>is </i><i>just </i><i>a </i><i>den </i><i>of </i><i>bandits</i><i>! </i>


    Still, Bennie had nothing to say about her rough methods anymore. Because while her attitude was ruthless, her results were hard to argue with.


    They were alreadyunching their offensive on the city¡¯s northern district.


    And these people¨CTheresa¡¯s people¨Cwere doing something extraordinary. Step by step, they were clearing out the city¡¯s zombies, reiming territory, and gradually reducing the threat posed by over a million undead swarming the region.


    If no one cleaned them up, those zombies were a ticking time bomb. Every inch they advanced, every corpse they burned, meant fewer threats in the future. It was grueling work withsting impact.


    But Bennie had his doubts. First, the weather was heating up¨Cit was no longer the cold surge of February or March. The chill had slowed the zombies down before, making them easier to eliminate. But now, every day was hotter than thest. And the warmer it got, the faster and more aggressive the zombies became.


    And second¨Cthe northern district wasn¡¯t small. It had once been home to over 200,000 people. If Theresa really nned to push toward the city center, she¡¯d inevitably run into massive zombie hordes.


    She had a few camps fighting alongside her: K1 Camp with around 500 people, Ember Camp with roughly 400, plus her own zing Sun Camp and another smaller one. Altogether, just over a thousand fighters.


    One thousand against over 200,000? Either she was insane, or she had some kind of hidden ace up her sleeve.


    ¡°All of you, spray this before heading out! And keep two capsules in your mouth. If a zombie gets too close, bite down and crush <i>it</i><i>¨C</i><i>hard</i><i>!</i><i>¡± </i>


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±


    Theresa had handed out the newest invention from Tania¨Czombie¨Crepellent mist and pr capsules. Both were the result of countless iterations and tests, using none other than Quei<b>. </b>primary test subject.


    ive


    as <i>the </i>


    <b>Chapter </b><b>221 </b>The Secret <b>Weapon </b>


    Now<b>, </b><b>every </b>member of the zing Sun Alliance was armed with this cutting¨Cedge weaponry. As foon 40 <b>they </b>were geared up<b>, </b>the troopsunched their assault on the city¡¯s <b>core</b>.


    And it didn¡¯t take long for the effect to show.


    Everyone quickly realized that this new spray Theresa brought back was a game¨Cchanger<b>. </b>


    On the front line, Graham was luring a small group of zombies away from a residential area <b>when </b><b>he </b>identally triggered a massive horde. Zombies swarmed from every directioti..


    Dave sprinted toward their ambush point, yelling for backup as zombies pounced from both sides. <b>But </b>Graham noticed something strange¨Cthe moment the zombies closed in, they each froze for a second <b>or </b>


    two.


    It was just one or two seconds, but it was enough for him to break through.


    Just as he was nearing the ambush point, a strength¨Ctype mutant zombie suddenly leapt out and tackled<b>. </b>him hard, pinning him to the ground. Its foul breath hit his <b>face </b>as it lunged for his neck.


    Under the crushing force of the mutant, Graham could barely move. But in that sh of desperation, <b>he </b>remembered what was in his mouth.


    Theresa had given it to him¨Chisst resort.


    He bit down hard, and a st of thick medicinal vapor burst from his mouth, coating the air around <b>them</b><b>. </b>The moment it hit, the mutant zombie froze¨Cjust for a moment.


    <i>Thunk</i>!


    A trident spear drove straight through its skull.


    Graham, saved by a hair, managed ast¨Csecond kill.


    ¡°Graham! Move!¡±


    Dave reached him just in time, grabbed his arm, and dragged him back into the safety of their ambush


    zone.


    The horde chased them in, but it was toote. They were faced with a barrage of ability attacks.


    Boom<i>! </i>Boom<i>! </i><i>Boom</i><i>! </i>


    Boom<i>¨C</i>boom<i>¨C</i><i>boom</i><i>¨C</i>boom<i>! </i>


    Boom<i>! </i><i>Boom</i><i>! </i><i>Boom</i><i>! </i>


    The zombies were annihted in waves.


    Inside the safety zone, Graham¡¯s heart pounded wildly.


    ¡°Dude, that was insane! You took out a mutant zombie!¡±


    Graham shook his head hard and opened his mouth. More of that thick vapor rolled out <b>as </b><b>he </b>whooped, amped up, ¡°It was the capsule! Theresa¡¯s capsule saved me! I bit down on it, and the zombie froze for just

 Kept Woman 222

    second<b>¨C</b>that was <b>all </b>I needed!¡±


    11:55 Wed 13 Aug


    Chapter <b>222 </b>The City <b>Falls </b>


    Chapter <b>222 </b>The City Falls


    Dave¡¯s <b>eyes </b>lit up the moment he heard Graham¡¯s ount. I noticed it too! After I <b>sprayed </b>what Theresa <b>gave </b>me, every zombie that got close paused for a second before attacking!¡±


    Graham and Dave stared at each other in stunned silence. Then, in perfect sync, they blurted out. Theresa <b>is </b>incredible!¡±


    And it wasn¡¯t just the two of them. Everyone noticed it.


    The moment they used the spray Theresa had brought back, it was like an invisible shield had been ced over them¨Can extrayer of protection.


    During countless near¨Cdeath moments, zombies that lunged in ambush would suddenly falter for just <b>a </b>second or two. But that one or two seconds made all the difference¨Cturning the tide, allowing desperate counterattacks, and drastically increasing survival rates. Especially for those without powerful abilities, <b>it </b>was a miracle.


    And soon, the unspoken question buzzed in all their minds¨C<i>Is </i>Theresa some kind of god?!


    ¡°Theresa, what the hell is in that stuff?¡±


    After a brutal battle, Lucas and Theron tracked her down, both of them looking absolutely floored.


    They had expected horrific casualties that day¨Chad doubted they¡¯d even be able to breach the city line. However, Theresa, who had returned a week ago after dragging Quentin back to her base, <i>had </i>shocked them all. Not only had they broken through the city¡¯s defenses, but their casualties <b>were </b>barely one¨Ctenth of what they¡¯d projected.


    Theresa¡¯s invention had saved every single one of them¨Cmore than once. It was like she¡¯d handed them all a game¨Cbreaking buff.


    Theresa gazed over the cityscape. Then, she turned with a calm shrug. ¡°Just a little something from zing Sun Camp¡¯stest experiments.¡±


    Lucas and Theron were speechless. <i>Just </i><i>a </i><i>little </i><i>something</i><i>?! </i><i>That </i><i>little </i><i>something </i>is <i>practically </i><i>on </i><i>par </i>with <i>the </i>Evoloid<i>! </i>


    They stared at Theresa like she was a treasure cheste to life. She didn¡¯t just have tens of thousands of acres of fully automated farnd or industrial¨Cscale production lines. Now she had cutting¨Cedge research so potent it turned the tide of battle. And on top of all that, her own abilities were unmatched.


    She was a one¨Cwoman miracle.


    Bennie had been convinced that <i>they </i>couldn¡¯t possibly conquer the city, but in reality? Theresa had everything¨Cfood, equipment, logistics, strategy, strength¨Cthe man had no idea what she was capable of.


    Time flew, and a month passed.


    ¡°How can there be a drought?!¡±


    Chapter <b>222 </b>The City Falls


    Back at Hope Camp, Bennie stared at thetest meteorological report<b>, </b>bewildered.


    Spring had barely arrived, and already a massive drought had set in


    Human beings were a remarkably resilient species. Even after the zombie virus outbreak, as long as they had a breath left in them, they¡¯d w their way back into production, fight tooth and nail to take back the world.


    Zombies weren¡¯t humanity¡¯s greatest threat.


    Zombies <i>plus </i>natural disaster¨Cthat was the real extinction¨Clevel event.


    When Theresaunched her counterattack into the city, the smaller camps had gone all¨Cin trying <b>to </b><b>restart </b>food production, but they were faced with the brutal reality¨Ca drought.


    Since thest blizzard and cold snap, not a single drop of rain had fallen, and now it was May<b>. </b>Temperatures soared past 100 Fevery other day. Their hard¨Cfought farms were dying.


    And just when Bennie thought things couldn¡¯t get worse<b>, </b>the radio crackled <i>to </i>life.


    ¡°Listen up, dumb*sses! The zing Sun Alliance has officially taken the northern district!¡±


    Bennie¡¯s heart nearly stopped. He listened in disbelief as Elias¡® voice tranted the announcement word for word, and for the first time, the phrase ¡°dumb*sses¡± felt painfully, personally urate.


    <i>Theresa</i><i>¡­ </i>she <i>actually </i>did <i>it</i><i>! </i>


    In this heat, with limited manpower, under impossible pressure, she¡¯d taken the city. In just a few months, she¡¯d captured two districts. Theresa wasn¡¯t just powerful¨Cshe was unreal.


    He couldn¡¯t even keep his crops alive. And yet she had managed to keep her entire operation running at full strength while grinding down a city filled with zombies.


    His chest pounded with adrenaline and something close to awe.


    After a long moment of silence, he turned to his secretary. ¡°Send a message to the zing Sun Alliance. I want to propose an all¨Ccamp summit.¡±


    Meanwhile, Theresa¡¯s team had just finished clearing thest street and had begun looting the city.


    Urban supplies were on apletely different scalepared to the scattered vige outposts they¡¯d scrounged through before. Now, it was as if all the treasures guarded by the zombies had finally been unleashed¨Cmalls, pharmacies, tool shops, jewelry stores, furniture outlets, gold and gemstones, designer


    fashion, electronics<b>¡­ </b>

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    Chapter <b>223 </b>The Light That Never <b>Falls </b>


    Chapter 223 The Light That Never Fails<b>. </b>


    Supplies flowed in with endless abundance, dug up from every corner of the newly captured zone.


    And with that victory came another reward for Theresa. <i>Ding</i><i>! </i>Congrattions on conquering <b>a </b>new urban district! <i>Reward</i><i>: </i>5th <i>generation </i><i>fully</i><i>¨C</i><i>automated </i><i>nuclear </i><i>power </i>nt 1 (Operated by five personnel<b>)</b><b>. </b><b><i>Can </i></b>be ced anywhere <i>within </i>the territory!


    Theresa, who had been overseeing the hauling of resources, grabbed Quentin by the arm. ¡°Kyle<b>, </b><b>Tyger</b>, you two stay here and keep loading. I¡¯m heading back first.¡±


    Kyle and Tyger didn¡¯t find this unusual in the slightest.


    They were used to it¨CTheresa always operated like this.


    So, they watched her drag Quentin away, the two of them handcuffed together. She started up her vehicle and once again sped off in the direction of her bunker.


    Lately, she had been watching Quentin personally.


    Wherever she went, he went. She refused to leave him behind, not even in her own bunker<b>. </b>


    Not even with Tania there. Theresa didn¡¯t trust that anyone¨Cexcept herself¨Ccould truly keep Quentin in check.


    This man required her undivided attention, so she wouldn¡¯t let him out of her sight.


    As they drove, the mood was unusually light. Theresa wore a rare, satisfied smile.


    Quentin, with one wrist cuffed to hers and the other resting casually on the car door, watched her with amused interest. ¡°You look happy, Beautiful. What¡¯s got you in such a good mood?¡±


    She nced at him. ¡°Show me some loyalty, and maybe I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    Quentin chuckled and immediately raised his free hand, swearing with a dramatic flourish.


    ¡°I swear I¡¯ll be loyal to you from now on. I¡¯ll never betray you. I¡¯ll never run. I¡¯ll follow you through life and death. If I break this vow, may I die with no grave, no corpse, no bones left to bury, ground to ash, hurled into the pits of hell, devoured by demons for eternity with no hope of reincarnation!¡±


    Theresa stared at him, unimpressed.


    He delivered a curse so vicious it could¡¯ve withered the living¨Cyet not a single tick of increased loyalty registered on her interface.


    What kind of man could spew such eloquent lies without flinching?


    <i>Hell</i><i>, </i><i>if </i><i>anyone </i><i>took </i><i>him </i><i>at </i><i>his </i><i>word </i><i>they¡¯d probably </i>wake <i>up </i><i>one </i><i>morning </i><i>to </i><i>find </i><i>their </i><i>parents </i><i>sold </i><i>off </i><i>for </i><i>spare </i><b><i>parts</i></b>.


    ¡°Get bent, you b*stard!¡± she snapped and punched him square in the chest.


    With a screech of tires, her car raced toward her residential district, leaving a trail of dust in ¡­ wake.


    Chapter <b>223 </b>The Light That Never Fails


    <b>It </b>had been a while since Theresa hade here<b>, </b>and everything had changed.


    The first thing she saw was farnd stretching as far as the eye could see. Automatic <b>irrigation </b>machine worked nonstop<b>, </b>soaking the sun¨Cscorched crops.


    All of itnd and produce¨Chad been enhanced by system rewards. The harvest was thriving<b>. </b>


    In the vi district, people were bustling about,pletely absorbed in production.


    The piglets each household had been raising were now plump and ready for ughter. Fresh pork would soon be a regrmodity¨Cno more reliance on old frozen meat.


    And poultry¨Cchickens, ducks¨Chad exploded in poption. These days, every resident in the zing <b>Sun </b>Camp could count on at least one full chicken meal per week.


    With productivity booming, some had even started crafting higher¨Ctier foods, such as bread, cakes, spanakopita, and calzones.


    Just a few days ago, Theresa had received a homemade calzone and fresh sponge cake from one of the residents.


    Word of her return spread like wildfire.


    ¡°Theresa¡¯s back!¡±


    ¡°Theresa, you¡¯re amazing!¡±


    ¡°We heard you took another district!¡±


    ¡°Thanks for all your hard work, Theresa!¡±


    ¡°Theresa, we made calzonese byter and try one!¡±


    Theresa smiled gently at the crowd gathering around her.


    It waste afternoon, around four or five. The heat was still blistering¨Cclose to 100¡ãF. People wore short sleeves, fanning themselves with makeshift cardboard ps.


    Theresa suddenly remembered something: during the sweep of the city, she¡¯d recovered a whole stash of -household appliances¨Cincluding a ton of air conditioners.


    ¡°In a few days,¡± she announced, ¡°I¡¯ll have Tessa put air conditioners on the shelves for all of you.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes lit up¨Conly to dim a momentter.


    ¡°But Theresa¡­¡± One resident hesitated, exining, ¡°We don¡¯t have enough electricity¡­¡±


    Up until now, Theresa¡¯s residential power grid had relied solely on sr panels. It wasn¡¯t nearly enough. Nearly all the energy went toward driving industrial machinery¨Cresidents rarely had electricity for themselves, let alone for air conditioning.


    Theresa¡¯s smile turned confident.


    ¡°There¡¯s more than enough power now. From this day forward, everyone in zing Sun Camp <b>will </b>


    <b>hav</b>$13


    Chapter 223 The Light That Never Fails


    ess to limitless electricity;¡±


    Everyone fell silent, eyes wide with stunned disbelief.


    #5 Free Coins


    Theresa handpicked five residents¨Cthose with high education and the highest loyalty¨Cand led them to the back mountain behind her bunker, a ce no one had ever entered before.


    There, standing like a silent titan, was the newly constructed nuclear power nt.


    In an instant, the camp¡¯s energy crisis was obliterated. And with energy secured, she could finally ramp up production to the next level.


    As the facility powered up, a message from Tessa came through.


    <b>3 </b>

 Kept Woman 224

    Chapter 224 The Gathering at Spark Camp


    Chapter 224 The Gathering at Spark Camp


    ¡°My dear Theresa, Lucas just sent you a message.¡±


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°Theresa, Bennie has called a meeting of all camp leaders. He¡¯s invited the zing Sun Alliance <b>to </b>join<b>. </b>


    Theresa yawnedzily. ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°Bennie wants toe to your camp.¡±


    ¡°No way.¡± Theresa cut him off instantly.


    Her camp was off¨Climits.


    Lucas thought for a moment. ¡°My camp is pretty far out. Many smaller camps can¡¯t make the trip. How about we go to Bennie¡¯s camp instead?¡±


    ¡°Not a chance.¡±


    Theresa was steadfast¨Cno outsiders in her camp, and no visits to others.


    Lucas tried again, ¡°What about going to Den and his sister¡¯s Spark Camp?¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    In the post¨Capocalyptic world, holding a meeting was no simple feat.


    Not only did leaders and their people have to trek through treacherous terrain, dodging threats <i>at </i>every step just to reach the meeting point, but rallying enough camps to attend was nearly impossible.


    Theresa had never heard of such arge gathering before.


    Camps usually hunkered down, guarding their own little piece ofnd, struggling to survive. The most they¡¯d do was form small alliances with nearby camps.


    This massive meeting that Bennie organized was unprecedented.


    But it was clear the draw wasn¡¯t Bennie¡¯s influence¨Cit was that everyone wanted to see the legendary zing Sun Alliance for themselves.


    Three dayster.


    Spark Camp.


    One vehicle after another rolled into the camp¡¯s territory.


    Nestled behind Theresa¡¯s settlement, Spark Camp upied arge vige in Branford.


    ¡°Spark Camp is impressive! They can support so many elderly people!¡±


    ¡°Look! Not only do they have plenty of food, but every household even <b>has </b>cured meat!


    III


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    Chapter <b>224 </b>The Gathering <b>at </b>Spark Camp


    ¡°Dried vegetables too!¡±


    ¡°And their skin looks healthy. Life here is really good!¡±


    Visitors from other camps gawked at Spark Camp¡¯s residents.


    Seventy percent of their poption was seniors.¡±


    Though Spark Camp had grown from a rural vige, the sight of so many frail elders stunned <b>everyone</b>,


    In most camps, the young and healthy struggled to survive while the weak and sick were gradually lost.


    That a camp could sustain so many elderly people was almost unimaginable.


    ¡°Spark Camp used to be farnd, so they must have stockpiled food.¡±


    ¡°True, rural areas usually have more supplies. Plus, they¡¯re skilled farmers¨Ceven during droughts, <b>they </b>manage to grow crops.¡±


    ¡°I heard they also joined the raid on the provision depot, so they must have gotten a huge haul of food!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re all wrong,¡± said a sharp¨Ceyed young woman with short hair, stepping forward. ¡°Spark Camp joined the zing Sun Alliance.¡±


    Of course, it was because they¡¯d hitched their fate to Theresa¡¯s camp.


    Before joining the alliance, Spark Camp¡¯s food supply was barely enough to keep everyone alive<b>¨C</b><b>no </b>


    extras<b>. </b>


    But after joining, they exchanged gleamstones for Evoloids, and their ability users evolved.


    They traded grain within the alliance for Theresa¡¯s dried vegetables and even meat.


    Now everyone in Spark Camp could enjoy meat and veggies.


    Every city raid brought a share of spoils.


    Without Theresa, Spark Camp would still be a struggling mid¨Csized camp, barely surviving on noodles and burdened by an aging poption.


    Now, they were thergest camp after the top three¨Can undeniable powerhouse.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. We owe our sess to the zing Sun Alliance!¡± Den stood proudly beside his sister.


    Every time Den saw their camp grow stronger, he was grateful they¡¯d listened to his sister and joined the alliance.


    It had started as a risky gamble, and it had paid off beyond their wildest dreams.


    After Den finished speaking a crowd gathered around.


    ¡°Mr. Clove, I¡¯m Ethan Sky, leader of Harmony Camp.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Clove, Casey Sutton here, managing Everpeace Camp.¡°.


    Chapter 224 The Gathering at Spark Camp


    <b>¡°</b>Mr. Clove! We haven¡¯t met for ages! Owen from Gxy Camp. We worked together on a mission before Remember me?¡±


    ¡°I remember.¡± Den nodded.


    ¡°Could you tell us what exactly the zing Sun Alliance is? How strong are you? What are the joining conditions, and how dangerous are your operations?¡±


    Den, as the alliance¡¯s representative, smiled warmly.


    ¡°Come with me¨CI¡¯ll tell you everything about our alliance.¡±

 Kept Woman 225

    Chapter 225 The Arrival of Zenith Camp


    Chapter 225 The Arrival of Zenith Camp


    A group of managers from several small camps hurried along behind Den. Just <b>then</b><b>, </b><b>a </b>voice carrying a hint of arrogance broke the tense quiet.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re the leader of Spark Camp?¡°.


    Den, who had been about to leave, turned his head at the sound. Ahead, a distinctly different <b>group </b><b>was </b>approaching, nked by a cluster of guards.


    At the forefront was a young man in his mid¨Ctwenties, with two strikingly beautiful women <b>at </b>his <b>sides</b>.


    Beauty was a rare sight in the apocalypse, and these women looked vibrant and well¨Cnourished¨C<b>obviously </b>thriving in these harsh times.


    The entire group radiated an air of haughty nobility, looking down on the small, refugee<b>¨C</b><b>like camps </b>surrounding them with undisguised contempt.


    ¡°And you are?¡±


    One of the nearby camp leaders recognized them immediately. ¡°Zenith Camp, led by the Kerr family in Branford!¡±


    ¡°Zenith Camp¡¯s here too,¡± murmured another.


    Den wasn¡¯t familiar with the name. Nearby camp leaders exined.


    ¡°Zenith Camp was established by the Kerr family, the old powerhouse in Branford. They used to own <b>huge </b>real estate in Ansford.¡±


    ¡°They set up in Branford¡¯s wealthy district and have a private army of bodyguards and servants.¡±


    ¡°They have plenty of food and supplies. Strong, but they don¡¯t ept any outsiders¨Cjust guard their rich neighborhood.¡±


    Den nodded, finally understanding. These were the pre¨Capocalypse elite, holding onto their power and privilege.


    The young leader of Zenith Camp overheard the conversation, ncing around. ¡°Where are K1 Camp, Ember Camp, and zing Sun Camp?¡±


    Den¡¯s expression tightened slightly ¡°They haven¡¯t arrived yet. I¡¯m handling the reception


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll wait for them. You can get back to your work,¡± the young man said with a dismissive nce, barely sparing Den a second look, dripping with arrogance.


    Frowning, Den cast a sharp nce at the group before leading the small camp leaders inside.


    No sooner had he stepped through the door than a convoy of white vehicles rolled up.


    Hope Camp had arrived.


    Since arriving at Spark Camp, Bennie had been quietly observing.


    Chapter 225 The Arrival of Zenith Camp


    They <i>can¡¯t </i><i>farm </i><i>either</i><i>, </i>he thought. The drought wasn¡¯t unique to any camp<b>¨C</b><b>Spark </b><b>Camp¡¯s </b><b>crops </b><b>had </b>also withered.


    But when Bennic stepped inside the vige and saw the healthy residents, his <b>gaze </b>grew <b>serious</b><b>. </b>


    He wanted to visit Theresa¡¯s camp, curious about her strength.


    Unfortunately, Theresa denied him the chance.


    All he could see was the smallest camp in the zing Sun Alliance.


    He¡¯d assumed Spark Camp barely scraped by, but inside, elders were healthy, curing meats in the <b>sun</b><b>, </b>cooking dried vegetables.


    Bennie pondered deeply.


    How could this camp survive so well?


    His conclusion was clear.


    Theresa was investing heavily in the alliance.


    She was dedicating a tremendous amount of resources to strengthen it.


    She was definitely powerful¨Cher camp couldn¡¯t be much worse off than Spark Camp.


    He couldn¡¯t have guessed how far off that was.


    They were worlds apart.


    While Spark Camp ate dried vegetables and cured meats, Theresa¡¯s camp enjoyed fresh vegetables and meats..


    Theresa wasn¡¯t just contributing a lot¨Cher camp exported surplus food without any strain.


    Bennie quietly calcted Theresa¡¯s strength


    The convoy stopped.


    Bennie stepped down, his face cold as ice, intending to find Den, the Spark Camp leader.


    But before he could move, a group blocked his path.


    ¡°Mr. Green from Hope Camp, right?


    Bennie looked up sharply at the well¨Cdressed man.


    ¡°I¡¯m Jasper Kerr from Zenith Camp. My father is Ezekiel Kerr. You¡¯ve met him before; he approved many of your projects,¡± Jasper said confidently.


    Bennie gave him a frosty look and replied with two words: ¡°Forgotten that.¡±


    Jasper was speechless.


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    Chapter 225 The Arrival of Zenith Camp


    In terms of family background, Jasper didn¡¯t hold a candle to Bennie.


    If Jasper¡¯s family <b>was </b>just wealthy aristocrats, Bennie¡¯s was royalty.


    Bennie¡¯s father was the CEO of Dawn Industries, and his mother was a high¨Cranking politician.


    Before the apocalypse, the Kerr family begged Dawn Industries to move in, not the other way <b>around</b>.


    Bennie didn¡¯t even bother acknowledging him, scanning the area instead.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Den from Spark Camp?¡±


    Jasper answered quickly, ¡°He went inside with the others.¡±


    Without another word, Bennie strode into the camp.

 Kept Woman 226

    Chapter 226 A Cool Breeze in Hightalon <b>Vige </b>


    Chapter 226 A Cool Breeze in Hightalon Vige


    <b>Jasper </b>quickly called out, ¡°Mr. Green, why don¡¯t we wait for KI <b>Camp </b>and Ember <b>Camp </b><b>to </b><b>arrive </b>first We can all head in together.¡±


    But Bennie skipped right over those names and asked, ¡°Did anyone from zing Sun <b>Camp </b><b>show </b><b>up </b><b>yet</b>.


    Jasper¡¯s mind turned fast. ¡°I heard they¡¯re here already. Probably wandering around inside. <b>We </b><b>can </b><b>walk </b>around too¨Cmaybe we¡¯ll bump into them.¡±


    That finally swayed Bennie. He took a nce at the vige, then followed along for a casual loop <b>around</b>.


    Not long after they left, an armored vehicle rumbled slowly into Hightalon Vige.


    Charlotte stepped out just as the vehicle pulled into the open square. Her eyes lit up. ¡°Theresa! <b>You </b>finally made it!¡±


    Theresa parked and yanked a man out from the passenger seat. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m here:


    ¡°Kyle? Tyger? They¡¯re not with you?¡± Charlotte peered past her.


    ¡°I gave them a couple days off to rest at home.¡±


    ¡°Long as you¡¯re here, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± Charlotte barely gave a nce at the man Theresa dragged along¨Cher eyes never really saw anyone but Theresa.


    ¡°There¡¯s been a flood of camps arriving today. They¡¯re all inside. Should we go in?¡±


    ¡°Is everyone here yet?¡±


    ¡°Lucas and Theron are still missing.¡±


    Theresa raised an eyebrow. ¡°They¡¯re slower than me? We¡¯ll wait. Let them catch up.¡±


    ¡°Then let me give you a tour of our camp.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Theresa gave Quentin a tug and followed Charlotte in for a proper look.


    So far, she¡¯d seen K1 Camp, and Spark Camp¨Cwhich, while small, was far better nned. Charlotte¡¯s ce struck her as even more orderly.


    After all, Spark Camp was basically a carefully structured countryside vige.


    ¡°How many people lived here before?¡± Theresa asked.


    Charlotte replied, ¡°Originally over four hundred households. But most of the young folks worked out of town, so the poption was under a thousand. Still, that meant fewer people in each house, and most of them stayed home. That actually helped us. A lot of people survived.¡±


    Almost half of the elderly had turned into zombies when the virus first hit. They infected some <b>others</b><b>, </b><b>but </b>the vige¡¯syout¨Cseparate/homes with closed doors¨Cmeant most infected stayed <b>isted </b><b>inside</b><b>. </b>


    That made things easier when the younger survivors went through to clear the zombies. They managed <b>to </b>


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    Chapter 226 A Cool Breeze in Hightalon <b>Vige </b>


    <b>save </b>a good number of elders.


    Now, their numbers totaled two hundred and ten. Only about forty were young adults.


    Half of them followed Theresa to fight zombies. The other half stayed to protect and <b>maintain </b><b>the </b><b>camp </b>


    Compared to others, they¡¯d been lucky.


    As they walked through the vige, Charlotte led her to a freshly built, three¨Cstory house¨Ceasily the most beautiful home around.


    ¡°Theresa, this one¡¯s mine.¡±


    ¡°Not bad,¡± Theresa said with a low whistle. ¡°Easily the fanciest ce in town.¡±


    ¡°My parents just finished building it right before the end,¡± Charlotte said, her voice catching with emotion<b>. </b>


    Theresa didn¡¯t know how tofort her. But Charlotte shook it off herself, brightening suddenly


    ¡°Theresa,e with me I¡¯ll treat you to sunflower seeds!¡±


    That got a realugh out of Theresa, who followed her into the house<b>. </b>


    Charlotte came back out with a tin box full of sunflower seeds and some snacks. ¡°It¡¯s hot inside. Let¡¯s sit <b>at </b>the door and cool off.¡±


    ¡°Good idea.¡±


    Theresa handed a folding stool to Quentin and kept one for herself. Once seated, she turned to him. ¡°Don¡¯t just sit there¨Cdo something useful.¡±


    Without missing a beat, Quentin pulled out a palm fan and started fanning her diligently.


    ¡°How¡¯s the breeze?¡±


    ¡°Harder.¡±


    Theresa, the stingiest capitalist alive, who never wasted a single ounce ofbor, was not about to let him rx.


    Out in the field, he was her human shield. In camp, he carried her bags and doubled as a mobile fan. Honestly, Quentin was pretty useful. She found new ways to employ him all the time.


    Charlotte chuckled at the scene. ¡°Oh! I¡¯ve still got some apricots at home. Let me grab you some.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Theresa nodded.


    After she left, Quentin leaned oyer. ¡°Beautiful, not even one for me?¡±


    ¡°How about a knuckle sandwich instead?¡±


    Quentin paused. ¡°That¡¯s a no, huh?<b>¡± </b>


    15:48


    <b>nu </b>14


    Chapter 226 A Cool Breeze in Hightalon Vige


    Just then, voices echoed down the alley.


    <b>¡°</b>Jasper, that Bennie guy is cold as ice. Nothing gets through to him¨Cruder than us, <b>even</b>! So <b>stuck</b><b>¨C</b>up <i>1 </i>hate him!¡±


    ¡°Well, Bennie¡¯s got strength and leverage. Our supplies are running low<i>¨C</i>we¡¯ve gotta tie <b>ourselves </b><b>to </b><b>a </b>bigger camp. KI Camp and Ember Camp are part of the zing Sun Alliance. That alliance is <b>risky</b>. <i>We </i>should seriously consider Bennic instead.¡±

 Kept Woman 227

    Chapter 227 Flics and Filth


    ¡°No one ever wanted to join that d¡¯mn zing Sun Alliance in the first ce<b>. </b><b>All </b><b>they </b><b>want </b>is to throw s into the fire <b>as </b>zombie bait. Dream on!¡±


    ¡°You said you needed the bathroom, right? That farmer¡¯s house over there just opened the door, <i>Go </i>take care of it and get back fast¨Cdon¡¯t keep Bennic waiting.¡±


    That¡¯s when they saw two people lounging outside the front gate of a countryside home, cracking sunflower seeds like they had all the time in the world.


    Rose Kerr¡¯s eyesnded instantly on the pair seated on small folding stools.


    One of them¨Ca woman¨Chad her dark hair pulled up in a high ponytail. Even in the scorching heat, she wore a full, crispbat uniform. She was stunning. Her long hair swayed effortlessly, her pale <b>skin </b>looked so smooth and fresh it seemed to glisten. Not a trace of the apocalypse clung to her. In fact<b>, </b>she looked better cared for than Rose herself.


    And that was saying something¨CZenith Camp had deep reserves.


    Her father had seen the outbreaking long before the zombie virus actually hit. He¡¯d prepped <b>early</b><b>: </b>food, water, fuel, people¨Ceverything ounted for. Their whole family had been <b>secured </b>inside the camp, shielded from the world falling apart. Life there had been so safe it barely felt like <i>a </i>crisis <i>at </i>all<b>. </b>


    Even then, it wasn¡¯t like it used to be before everything went to hell. Supplies onlysted so long. And <b>as </b>the Kerr family¡¯s heiress, Rose had still been forced to ration. Now, not even a year into this mess, <b>their </b>resources were scraping the bottom. Standards of living had taken a nosedivetely.


    Jealousy flickered inly in her eyes. How the hell was this woman living better than her?


    Then Rose noticed the guy beside her, fanning herzily.


    Quentin.


    ¡°Quentin!¡± she shouted.


    Quentin barely turned his head, casting her azy nce before smirking. ¡°Well, look who it is.¡±


    Rose stormed forward, her face twisted in fury. ¡°Who the hell said a roach like you could talk to me?¡±


    The woman beside Quentin paused mid¨Cbite on her sunflower seeds. She nced at him and asked casually, ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know this filthy parasite!¡± Rose snapped before Quentin could say a word. Thest thing she wanted was for him to call her his cousin. That would be mortifying. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you dead yet? Where¡¯s my grandmother? Weren¡¯t you supposed to be in Ansford? You didn¡¯t bring back my grandma and my <b>two </b>cousins?!<b>¡± </b>


    Theresa¡¯s expression shifted subtly. She turned to Quentin. ¡°Your cousin?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not this worthless insect¡¯s cousin!¡± Rose spat the words like venom. She stared at Quentin as if the sight of him offended her entire existence. ¡°How the hell are you still alive in the apocalypse? You worthless trash!¡±


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    Chapter 227 Flies and Filth


    ¡°If you¡¯re alive, why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± Quentin replied, for once actually answering <b>her </b>


    ¡°You dare talk back to me?¡± Rose¡¯s brows shot up in rage. ¡°You disgusting bestard. You¡¯re <b>a </b>disgrace to <b>our </b>family, just like your slt of a mother¨Clow, nasty filth! Parasite! Leeching off the rich just to <b>survive</b>. You¡¯re nothing but a maggot! I get sick just thinking someone like yout shares our blood. You should¡¯ve <b>died </b><b>a </b>long time ago-¡±


    Wham!


    Rose went flying.


    The woman beside Quentin¨CTheresa¨Cstood up, her eyes cold and razor sharp.


    ¡°Can¡¯t say if Quentin¡¯s a maggot,¡± she said, cracking her knuckles, ¡°but your whole family sure smells like sh*t. Flies don¡¯t buzz around clean eggs. Maybe instead of harassing a kid, you should go deal with your men. Your family reeks worse than a public restroom.¡±


    Quentin looked up at her as she stepped in front of him once more.


    A wide, genuine smile slowly spread across his face.


    ¡°You hit me?!¡± Rose screamed from the ground. ¡°Do you have any idea who my brother is? <b>He¡¯ll </b>kill you for this!¡±


    ¡°Oh really? And who might that be?¡±


    ¡°My brother¡¯s the leader of Zenith Camp! We¡¯re from the Kerr family!¡±


    Just then, a young man came rushing in. The moment he saw Rose sprawled out on the ground, his voice sharpened.


    ¡°Rose! What happened?¡±


    ¡°Jasper! They hit me!¡±


    Jasper turned his eyes toward the two standing over her. ¡°Quentin?¡±


    ¡°Yes! That b*stard cursed me, and that filthy woman hit me! Do something!¡±


    Jasper¡¯s face clouded with anger. ¡°You actuallyid hands on my sister? Do you even know who I-¡±


    <i>Smack</i><i>! </i>


    A loud p cracked across his face<b>, </b>silencing him mid¨Csentence.


    Theresa didn¡¯t waste words. She never did. If it could be solved with fists, why bother talking?


    Jasper froze for a moment, stunned. Then the pain hit. ¡°You dared to hit me?!¡±


    <i>Smack</i><i>! </i>


    Another one. Harder.


    ¡°Do you know who I am? Hitting us means you¡¯re going against Zenith Camp!¡±


    <b>2/3 </b>


    u 14 Aug


    Chapter 227 Flies and Filth


    ¡°Oh no,¡± Theresa said with mock concern, ¡°Zenith Camp<b>? </b>I¡¯m treinbling. Guess <b>we¡¯ll </b>be <b>enemies </b>then


    <i>Smack</i>!


    This time, the blowunched Jasper through the air.


    He crashed with a loud thud against the courtyard wall of Charlotte¡¯s house.


    When he finally hit the ground, Theresa strolled over and nted her boot on his chest<b>. </b><b>She </b><b>leaned </b><b>over </b>himzily, her voice cool and calm.¡±


    ¡°So, what else did you want to say?¡±


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 Kept Woman 228

    Chapter 228 The Noble Farce


    Jasper stood frozen, his swollen check throbbing with pain. Rage flickered in his <b>eyes </b>as he <b>ground </b>his teeth. ¡°Mess with me, and you¡¯re messing with Hope Camp!¡±


    ¡°Hope Camp?¡± Theresa arched a brow, amusement ying at the corners of her mouth. ¡°<b>Really</b><b>? </b>


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Rose cried from where shey sprawled on the ground. ¡°You can bully <b>us </b>from <b>Zenith </b>Camp all you want, but you mess with Hope Camp¨Cyou¡¯re finished!¡±


    Before Theresa could respond, a voice called out from a distance.


    ¡°They¡¯re taking too long. I¡¯m heading back.¡±


    Recognizing the voice, Rose scrambled to her knees and screamed in desperation, ¡°Bennie! We¡¯re here<b>! </b>Please,e save us!¡±


    The group over there stirred at the call, rushing toward the sound.


    When Rose saw the reinforcements arrive¨Cespecially Bennie¨Cher eyes welled up. She wept theatrically, tears rolling down her cheeks like a scene from a melodrama. ¡°Bennie! Someone tried to kill me and <b>my </b>brother!¡±


    She sniffled and carried on without pause, ¡°I told them we¡¯re from Zenith Camp, and <i>that </i>we¡¯re <b>allied </b>with Hope Camp! We don¡¯t care if they look down on us, but how dare they disrespect Hope Camp? <b>That¡¯s </b>going <i>too </i>far!


    ¡°My brother and I tried to defend your name, and this <b>is </b>what we got¨Cbeaten half to death! They even threatened to kill us!¡±


    Theresa listened with growing amusement, then turned to Quentin. ¡°Your cousin goes to drama school?<b>¡± </b>


    Quentin let out a shortugh, a smirk tugging at his lips. ¡°I¡¯ve said it before¨Cthese people missed their calling. Should¡¯ve gone straight into acting.¡±


    ¡°Bennie, did you hear that?¡± Rose sobbed harder, her voice trembling with righteous indignation. ¡°They¡¯re still ndering us! You have to stand up for us!¡±


    She was sure Bennie would take her side. After all, Zenith Camp had just brokered a preliminary partnership with Hope Camp. She was even ted to be Bennie¡¯s secretary. He wouldn¡¯t let this go.


    But just as she awaited her moment of vindication, she watched in disbelief as Bennie walked directly toward Theresa.


    <i>Perfect</i>, she thought. Once Theresa fealized Bennie was about to put her in her ce, she¡¯d crumble. She didn¡¯t look like someone from Kl Camp or Ember Camp¨Cjust another no¨Cname camp. She wouldn¡¯t dare cross Hope Camp.


    Hope Camp was one of the top three camps in the country. Nobody crossed them and got <b>away </b>with it.


    She waited, breath held, for Bennie to speak. When he did, the words cut through the air like ice<b>. </b>


    ¡°They have nothing to do with me. I don¡¯t even know them.¡±


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    <b>Rose </b>felt like the ground dropped beneath her.


    ¡°What?<b>¡± </b>she croaked.


    The rest of the Keir family stood dumbfounded.


    Bennie¡¯s eagerness to distance himself left no room for misunderstanding. He wasn¡¯t just abandoning them¨Che was condemning them.


    Theresa chuckled, clearly impressed. ¡°Well, look at you. Learning fast. Smart move. Otherwise, <b>I¡¯d </b><b>have </b>had to beat you, too.¡±


    Everyone around them fell silent.


    Rose gaped at Bennie. ¡°But¡­ but didn¡¯t we just agree to form an alliance?¡±


    Bennie turned, his voice sharp and cold as steel. ¡°They wanted an alliance. I had a slight interest, but the more I saw, the less I cared. They¡¯re worthless. Just leeches hoping <i>to </i>suck a little power from me.¡±


    Zenith Camp had no resources, no value.


    The only thing they had going was their desperate attempt to leverage a flimsy ¡°ally¡±bel. The Kerr family knew they had no real assets to offer Hope Camp, so their entire n hinged on pushing Rose into Bennie¡¯s arms. Even as a mistress<b>, </b>if she secured Bennie¡¯s attention, it would mean Zenith Camp could cling to a much bigger force.


    They were after a meal ticket¨Cnothing more.


    Theresa, unable to hold back herughter, looked at Quentin. ¡°Oh, I get it now. They¡¯re trying to pull the same trick your mom did. No money, no power, nothing but a desperate need to cling to someone richer.


    Quentin said nothing, his smile stiffening.


    ¡°Tsk, tsk,¡± Theresa went on, ¡°so tell me, how do you all manage to scream ¡®sl*t¡® at someone¡¯s mother, mock her for going after a powerful man, stomp on her son like dirt¡­ and then turn around and crawl your <b>way </b>up the samedder she climbed? If that¡¯s not hypocrisy, then your family must be one giant cesspool.¡±


    Rose flushed scarlet, her face practically glowing with humiliation.


    She bit her lip hard. ¡°We did not!¡±


    ¡°Oh, no?¡± Theresa smirked. ¡°You¡¯re so pure, then tell me¨Cwhat exactly makes you think anyone should ally with you? What do you have to offer? A bunch of weaklings who can¡¯t fight, and a stockpile that¡¯s already been scraped clean?¡±


    Rose wished the earth would open/up and swallow her whole.


    Shame and fury boiled inside her.


    <i>How </i><i>dare </i><i>she </i>


    <i>say </i>


    <i>that</i><i>? </i>


    Even if they had nothing, even if they were down to crumbs, they were still better than average people. The Kerr family was like fallen nobility¨Cbroke, but superior by blood. In their eyes, even stripped of


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    power, they were still above everyone else.


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    Chapter 229 The Real Power Behind the <b>Alliance- </b>


    Chapter 229 The Real Power Behind the Alliance


    It had been an honor for the other party¨Cto even be considered for an alliance.


    Theresa stood her ground, her voice calm, mocking. ¡°Why so quiet now? I love when people try <b>to </b><b>unik </b>their way out of trouble. Go on, argue a little more. It¡¯ll be fun watching you embarrass yourself


    Rose¡¯s jaw clenched. Her voice was sharp with fury. ¡°You say we¡¯re clinging to Hope Camp? And <b>what </b><b>about </b>you? Youtched onto a worthless man like Quentin! You¡¯re even more pathetic than we are!¡±


    Theresa justughed. A light, carefree giggle. ¡°No wonder Bennie has no respect for you. Your people <b>can¡¯t </b>even manage to offer up a single useful woman. It¡¯s like none of you are capable of thinking at <b>all</b>.¡±


    Even Bennic, who had mostly stayed silent, finally had enough. ¡°Ms. Hall, throw them out. Don¡¯t waste time on idiots.¡±


    Rose froze. <i>Ms. </i><i>Hall</i><i>? </i>


    Her gaze snapped to Theresa, a flicker of realization in her eyes. ¡°Who¡­ Who are you, really?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the manager of zing Sun Camp,¡± said Charlotte, stepping out with a huge bowl of fresh fruit. ¡°The leader of the entire zing Sun Alliance. Our leader¨CTheresa Hall.¡±


    As Charlotte¡¯s words rang out, more voices echoed from a distance.


    ¡°Theresa, you¡¯re here¨Cwe¡¯ve been waiting for you to start the meeting.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t dare speak without you.¡±


    People from Kl Camp and Ember Camp began pouring in.


    The Kerr family turned in stunned silence as they saw the powerful figures of Kl Camp and Ember Camp approaching, easily identifiable by the distinct colors of their camp uniforms.


    But it wasn¡¯t just the sight of them¨Cit was what they said that made everyone¡¯s blood run cold.


    Theresa.


    The true power behind the zing Sun Alliance wasn¡¯t Lucas of Kl Camp. It wasn¡¯t Theron of Ember Camp.


    It was Theresa¨Cthe woman they had mocked, the woman they thought was insignificant.


    She was the one everyone hade to see.


    Jasper¡¯s mind reeled. No matter how he turned it over, he never would¡¯ve guessed that Theresa was the real powerhouse behind the alliance.


    No wonder Bennie¡¯s first words had been to ask about the zing Sun Alliance.


    And the person standing in front of them now¡­ was Theresa herself.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that someone from Zenith Camp?¡±


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    <b>¡°</b><b>Yeah</b>. <b>What¡¯s </b>their deal?


    Den walked in just then. ¡°Ms. Hall, people from Zenith Camp said they only wanted to <b>meet </b>with Ki Camp and Ember Camp.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± someone added. ¡°They said they¡¯d only ept being hosted by the top camps.


    Jasper¡¯s face paled as the whispers surrounded him. It was over. Completely over.


    Bennic had already made it clear¨Cthey were out. And now, they had thoroughly offended the leader <b>of </b>the entire zing Sun Alliance.


    And as for their business with Quentin¨Cwell, that bridge was already in mes.


    ¡°We¡¯re leaving,¡± Jasper snapped, signaling for his people to help him up and escort him out.


    But Theresa¡¯s voice rang outzily behind them. ¡°Wait a second.¡±


    <i>Let </i><i>them </i>walk <i>away </i><i>that </i><i>easily</i>? <i>Not </i><i>a </i><i>chance</i><i>. </i><i>Shouldn¡¯t </i><i>they </i><i>leave </i><i>a </i><i>little </i>something behind<b>? </b>


    ¡°What do you want now?¡± Jasper shot her a bitter, hostile re.


    ¡°I heard your camp¡¯s out of supplies,¡± she said, offering a warm smile.


    Jasper¡¯s stomach dropped. ¡°Ms. Hall, you¡¯re not suggesting¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, but I am.¡± Theresa smiled brightly, her tone practically glowing with benevolence. ¡°You¡¯re low on resources, aren¡¯t you? No way you can feed that many people. So how about this¨Cwhy not leave your bodyguards here? I¡¯ll feed them. That¡¯s more than you ever did.¡±


    Jasper¡¯s face twisted with rage. ¡°You!¡±


    Unbelievable.


    She humiliated them, stripped them of their dignity¡­ and now she was poaching their guards?


    Worse still, they¡¯d brought nearly 80% of their security force with them. Without those guards, they¡¯d lose any semnce of defense. They might not even make it back alive.


    <i>You </i><i>can¡¯t </i><i>be </i><i>serious</i><i>! </i>


    But the real gut¨Cpunch?


    His bodyguards were actually considering it.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me what kind of life you¡¯ve had under these people,¡± Theresa said, her voice quiet but firm. ¡°I¡¯ll promise you this¨Cstick with me, and you¡¯ll have meat on your tes.¡±


    That was all it took.


    Two guards stepped forward immediately. ¡°I¡¯ll stay.¡±


    ¡°Me too. Zenith Camp¡¯s not even a real camp. It¡¯s just the Kerr family¡¯s little empire. I¡¯ve wanted out for a long time.¡±


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    ¡°I¡¯m staying too!¡±


    Within a minute, nearly every bodyguard had defected¨Conly one still stood beside Jasper.


    45 From Cas


    This wasn¡¯t the old world. These people weren¡¯t indentured servants. They were hired muscle, and post- apocalypse life under the Kerrs had been brutal¨Cone meal a day, usually just starch and leftovers.


    Theresa was offering meat. Of course, they stayed.


    Theresa looked over the group¨Cnow whittled down to just Jasper, Rose, Jasper¡¯s wife, and a single loyal bodyguard. She smiled.


    ¡°There. I¡¯ve solved one of your biggest problems. Now you can <i>go</i>. No need to thank me for my generosity.¡±

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    Chapter 280 The Turn of the Wheel


    Chapter 230 The Turn of the Wheel


    Jasper stood in stunned silence. <i>Hell </i><i>no</i>¨C<i>gratitude</i>? <i>More </i>like I¡¯ll never forget your massive kindness the kind <i>that </i><i>nearly </i>ruined me<i>! </i>


    Thanks to Theresa¡¯s brutal, underhanded maneuver, Jasper was suddenly a man without allies. <b>All </b><b>that </b>remained were his sister, his wife, and one loyal bodyguard.


    He didn¡¯t daresh out at Theresa, so he turned his fury on the traitors who had abandoned him.


    ¡°You ungrateful, backstabbing cowards! Karma¡¯s real, and when ites back around, the Kerr family will rise again¨Cand when that dayes, don¡¯t you daree crawling back like dogs begging at my door! You won¡¯t even get to see the d*mn door!¡±


    Just then, his wife stammered, ¡°I¨CI want to stay too. Can I?<b>¡± </b>


    Jasper turned and looked at her. Then pped her. Hard.


    He grabbed her by the arm, took his sister and thest bodyguard, and slunk off in defeat.


    ¡°Wait up!¡± Theresa called after them.


    Jasper froze at the sound of her voice. His shoulders stiffened. ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck. You¡¯ve already stolen my entire security team¨Cwhat more do you want?!¡±


    ¡°I forgave you,¡± Theresa said coolly. ¡°But my guy hasn¡¯t.¡±


    She yanked Quentin out from behind her. ¡°Apologize to him. You¡¯re not going anywhere until he says <b>so</b>.


    At that moment, Quentin¡¯s whole face lit up. He looked at the girl in front of him¨C<i>at </i>least a head shorter than he was¨Cand smiled with a warmth that only grew brighter.


    Across from them, Jasper and the others looked like they¡¯d swallowed something rotten. The same boy they used to trample on, humiliate, call names without hesitation¡­ And now? They had to apologize to him?


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste time,¡± Theresa said. ¡°You only get one chance.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Rose blurted out first. ¡°Quentin, I was wrong! I shouldn¡¯t have called you trash or a worthless freak. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s garbage¨Cplease forgive me! Just let me go!¡±


    Jasper¡¯s wife hesitated, then followed suit. ¡°Quentin, I used to look down on you. I went along with Rose when she mocked you. I was wrong. I¡¯ll never do it again¨Cplease forgive me!¡±


    But the one who had to choke down the biggest piece of pride was Jasper himself.


    He was a true¨Cborn grandson of the Kerr family, and now he was forced to grovel before the illegitimate child of a mistress.


    Now this was karma..


    ¡°Quentin,¡± he said, jaw tight, ¡°I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have mocked you, or joined in when the others bullied you. My whole family was wrong. Please¡­ for your father¡¯s sake, just let us go.¡±


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    Chapter <b>230 </b>The Turn of the Wheel


    Quentin¡¯s expression finally softened. The cold fury on his face ebbed away.


    ¡°Go,¡± he said with a casual wave.


    Theresa raised a brow. ¡°That¡¯s it? You feel better now?¡±


    Quentin turned to her with a rare smile. ¡°Yeah¡±


    In truth, he hadn¡¯t heard a single word they said. From the very beginning, he¡¯d never taken thern seriously.


    He didn¡¯t care what they had to say. The only thing he cared about¡­ was what Theresa wanted. And how to y the role she wanted him to y.


    ¡°Thank you, Beautiful,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m really happy.¡±


    Theresa stared at him, unsure whether to believe it. ¡°You¡¯re really grateful?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I believe that.¡±


    Quentin¡¯s smile grew even wider. ¡°Gratitude¡¯s in the heart. I¡¯ve already ced it there. <b>If </b>you want proof, watch what I do next.¡±


    Theresa gave him a long look.


    Seriously? Like hell he ced anything ¡°in his heart.¡± She wasn¡¯t blind¨Cshe could see that little progress bar still hovering right where it was.


    If this was what gratitude looked like, then she might as well be imagining things.


    Quentin¨Che wasplicated. Cold. So cold it was bone¨Cdeep.


    Anyone else would have remembered her help. Anyone else would¡¯ve been moved after everything she¡¯d done.


    Aside from the handful of times she¡¯d beaten him, she¡¯d treated Quentin just like Kyle, Tyger, or Elias- giving him the same respect.


    But it was like he didn¡¯t even have a heart. No matter what she gave him, nothing ever seemed to make it inside.


    Charming and bright on the outside. But inside? A frozen void.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± she muttered. Everyone had their ws. There had to be some weakness in there somewhere.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat!¡± Den called out, breaking the tension as the Kerr family finally left. He waved the others over. to the makeshift dining area.


    Their camp, as the host of this round¡¯s assembly, had pulled together a generous spread.


    Each table had four dishes and a soup, served with steaming tes of pasta.


    Chapter 230 The Turn of the Wheel


    The dishes were: stir¨Cfried cured meat, stir¨Cfried ham, stir¨Cfried pickled vegetables, and stir¨Cfried instant noodles. The soup was made from a mix of dried vegetable packets.


    The instant noodles and dried veggie packs had been bartered from Theresa, while the cured meat, ham, and pickles had been part of the supplies looted from thest urban raid.


    All the fresh food in the city had spoiled, but the cured goods? Still perfectly edible.

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    Chapter <b>231 </b>A Feast and a Reckoning


    Chapter 231 A Feast and a Reckoning


    To Theresa and her team, the meal was just another daily dinner, made with modest <b>ingredients </b>and he ir. But to the visiting representatives from the surrounding camps, it might as well have <b>been </b>a presidential banquet.


    ¡°This <b>is </b>delicious!¡±


    ¡°This is incredible!¡±


    ¡°This is the best thing I¡¯ve eaten in months!¡±


    The praise echoed like a chorus around the dining area.


    Quentin hadn¡¯t shown any measurable increase in loyalty¨Cat least not by the metrics Theresa tracked- but she could tell he¡¯d changed. Something had shifted in him.


    While Theresa ate, Quentin quietly picked through the drinks Den had brought¨CCoke, Sprite, peach juice¨Cand selected a bottle of peach juice. He handed it to her with a half¨Csmile.


    ¡°Here, beautiful. Take a drink.¡±


    Just then, Lucas approached, offering her a bottle of Coke.


    Theresa nced at thebel of the bottle in Quentin¡¯s hand, then took it and twisted the cap off. ¡°<b>I </b><b>prefer </b>peach juice,¡± she said simply, taking a sip.


    Lucas hesitated. Then, slowly, he pulled his hand back. ¡°I see,¡± he said.


    He¡¯d always seen her with Coke. He¡¯d never once guessed she preferred fruit juice.


    Quentin watched the exchange and chuckled softly, lowering his gaze.


    Halfway through her drink, Theresa suddenly/paused.


    Even Lucas didn¡¯t know she liked fruit juice more, so how did Quentin know to pick the peach juice first?


    ¡°You knew?¡± she asked, narrowing her eyes.


    Quentin offered a subtle smile. ¡°I noticed you lean toward sweeter, fresher foods. I took a guess. Looks like I was right.¡±


    Theresa fell silent.


    Now she understood why so many women fell for him.


    He was too clever, too perceptive/ and unnervingly precise in reading people..


    After the meal, the other camp leaders¨Cwho had gathered for a meeting¨Cwere still marveling over the food.


    Even a simple meal spoke volumes about the power of the zing Sun Alliance.


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    <b>This </b>alliance wasn¡¯t just strong¨Cit inspired confidence. Trust.


    ¡°How many camps actually made it here this time?¡± Theresa asked, sitting at the head <b>of </b>the table.


    ¡°Twenty¨Cone in total¡­ well, twenty now,¡± Bennic answered.


    ¡°As far as I know, there are still twenty¨Cnine active camps in our region. Six have gone dark<b>. </b><b>Five </b><b>are </b>too far away to make it.¡±


    Theresa nodded. That lined up with her own expectations.


    There were other smaller human settlements too, but they were so tiny and isted, they barely <b>counted </b>as camps. Many hadn¡¯t even received word of this gathering.


    ¡°So,¡± she said, cutting straight to the point, ¡°what did youe to ask us for?¡±


    The ce fell silent. Faces turned toward one another, hesitant. Eventually<b>, </b><b>all </b>eyes settled on Bennie.


    ¡°Ms. Hall,¡± he said carefully, ¡°we need your help.¡±


    One by one, the others found their voices.


    ¡°Our camp¡¯s in serious trouble. Since spring started, we haven¡¯t had a single drop of rain. <b>We¡¯re </b>out of food!¡±


    ¡°Our farnd was already limited. Now, there¡¯s no hope at all!¡±


    ¡°Our supplies ran out days ago. We mightst one more week¡ªif that.¡±


    ¡°We heard you¡¯ve secured two full districts. You must have plenty of resources. Please¨Chelp us <b>get </b>through this!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all human. In times of crisis, we have to support each other!¡±


    Theresa¡¯s gaze locked onto thest speaker. ¡°And which


    are you camp


    from?¡±


    ¡°Prospera Camp. My name¡¯s Derek Stone.¡±


    ¡°I really liked what you said. We¡¯re all human, and we should help each other in a crisis. So, tell me how exactly has Prospera Camp been helping others<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>


    Derek¡¯s voice faltered. ¡°W¨CWe barely have anything ourselves. We haven¡¯t been able to offer help¡­¡±


    Theresa gave a dryugh. ¡°Then what you¡¯re asking for isn¡¯t mutual support. It¡¯s us helping you¨Cnothing in return.¡±


    Derek opened his mouth but hesitated. ¡°B¨CBut¡­ you have so much. What¡¯s the harm in sharing a little?¡±


    Charlotte¡¯s temper red. ¡°Are you even listening to yourself? We bled for those supplies! Do you know how many people died fighting for them? Have you ever fought beside us? Faced the freezing nights in March or the zing heat now? While we were risking everything out there, you were hiding behind your camp walls¨Cand now you just ask for a handout?¡±


    Charlotte¡¯s voice rose with each sentence. The ce fell tense with her fury.


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    45 fr Coins


    Theresa let her finish, then raised her hand calmly. ¡°Charlotte, don¡¯t waste your breath. Just toss him out¡±


    Several people at the table stirred in rm.


    ¡°Come on, is that really necessary?¡±


    ¡°We get it, you¡¯ve worked hard¨Cbut no need to throw people out!¡±


    ¡°He just said a few words¡­¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°Throw him out.¡±


    Charlotte didn¡¯t hesitate. She grabbed Derek by the arm, yanked him from his chair, and dragged him out through the main door, tossing him unceremoniously onto the sunbaked ground.


    The remaining camp leaders froze. Expressions darkened with realization.


    She wasn¡¯t bluffing.


    And when they remembered how she¡¯d crushed Zenith Camp not long ago, any trace of contempt they¡¯d brought with them vanishedpletely.

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    Chapter 232 The Currency of Power


    Though themander of the zing Sun Alliance was a woman, no one in their right mind would call


    her soft.


    When Theresa rose to speak, silence fell like a dropped curtain. Her voice, calm and cold, cut <b>straight </b>through the heavy air.


    ¡°We agreed to meet with you because we¡¯re all human. That¡¯s it.


    ¡°You need help. Fine. Helping means I give you a hand and <i>you </i>climb up on your own. That¡¯s help<b>. </b><b>But </b><b>if </b>you expect me to carry you for free like some charity case, you can forget it.


    ¡°If I wanted to run a charity, I¡¯d let evolution take its course and let the dead weight get eliminated. <b>What¡¯s </b>the point of keeping around a bunch of fools waiting to be spoon¨Cfed?¡±


    Everyone froze, stunned into silence.


    And then it hit them. That was the voice behind the zing Sun Alliance¡¯s signature opening statement.


    It had always been her. Theresa.


    ¡°Theresa,¡± Bennie spoke up, hesitant but firm. ¡°I¡¯m willing to consider joining the zing Sun Alliance- but I have a condition.¡±


    Theresa turned her head slowly to look at him, her expression nk.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a condition? Then get lost. No one here¡¯s interested in your conditions.¡±


    Bennie¡¯s mouth fell open, but no sound came.


    She wasn¡¯t done.


    ¡°Same goes for the rest of you. From now on, ¨¢nyone who wants to join the zing Sun Alliance stays. Everyone else, leave. I¡¯m not negotiating. I don¡¯t care what your terms are.¡±


    Again, silence.


    <i>So</i><i>, </i><i>this </i><i>is </i>what <i>real </i><i>authority </i><i>looks </i>like, they all thought. <i>This </i><i>is capital</i>. <i>This </i><i>is </i><i>dominance</i>.


    Their eyes drifted to the two men seated at Theresa¡¯s sides¨CLucas on her left, from KI Camp, calm as a mountain, and Theron on her right, leader of Ember Camp, with a rare look of approval on his face.


    Neither of them interrupted. That said everything.


    Theresa was Lucas¡® voice. He was too kind to say anything this ruthless himself. And Theron¨Cif he¡¯d been the one doing the talking, half the room would already be dead. Neither of them were right for this


    moment.


    But Theresa was perfect. Unflinching. Ruthless. Brutally clear.


    One by one, the leaders of the smaller camps began weighing their options. Silence stretched as long as the decision did.


    Chapter <b>282 </b>The Currency of Power


    ¡°I need to think it over,¡± said one leader, stepping out of the meeting.


    More followed behind him, unwilling tomit.


    In the end, only five camps remained.


    ¡°Providence Camp is in.¡±


    ¡°Lucky Camp¡¯s joining.¡±


    ¡°Victory Camp too.¡±


    ¡°Seaborne Camp is with you.¡±


    Then came Bennie, once again, representing Hope Camp.


    ¡°Hope Camp will join, but I still have one condition,¡± he said atst.


    Theresa red. ¡°Say it, then.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all scientists. We want to focus only on research and provide technical support for your operations. Nobat.¡±


    ¡°Get lost,¡± she replied without hesitation.


    ¡°I know where the weapons depot is.¡±


    She stopped. For the first time, she really looked at him.


    ¡°Let Hope Camp in. Let us stay out of the fighting. In exchange, I¡¯ll tell you where the depot is.¡±


    Theresa nced toward Lucas and Theron. The three huddled briefly in a whispered conference. When they broke, Theresa turned back.


    ¡°Fine. You can join. But if you don¡¯t contribute, your camp gets nothing.¡±


    Bennie raised an eyebrow. ¡°Define ¡®contribute.¡±


    ¡°One weapons depot earns you one thousand points. Any major research breakthroughs, once verified by us, can also earn points. No contribution, no supplies.¡±


    Theresa had him¨Chooked on a point¨Cbased economy, her own system of control.


    Bennie fell silent, thinking hard. Five minutester, he nodded.


    ¡°Hope Camp applies to join.¡±


    That day, the zing Sun Alliance absorbed five camps.


    In the aftermath, Theresa met with Lucas, Theron, and Den. Together, they formalized the alliance¡¯s


    structure.


    thos From that point on, all captured resources would be pooled and distributed through the alliance¡¯s central supply system, not handed out directly. Camps would earn points based on their contributions, <b>and </b>thq


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    Chapter 232 The Currency of Power


    points could be used to trade for supplies.


    Even more significantly, Theresa¡¯s camp¡¯s internal currency would be pegged directly <b>to </b>the <b>alliances </b>point system.


    Which meant one thing: Theresa¡¯s camp had gained mary dominance.


    Their currency could now be used anywhere within the alliance. But no one else¡¯s could be used in <b>return</b><b>. </b>Her points became the gold standard, the medium of exchange across every camp.


    Because her resources¨Cespecially the Evoloid she produced¨Cwere real. Solid. Unmatched.


    That alone was enough to secure the currency throne.

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    Chapter 233 <b>The </b>zing <b>Sun </b>Camp Took <b>Shape </b>


    Chapter <b>233 </b>The zing Sun Camp Took Shape


    After a full day of meetings, Theresa¡¯s zing Sun Camp had finally taken form<b>. </b>


    Their alliance now consisted of nine camps.


    zing Sun Camp, KI Camp, Ember Camp, Spark Camp, Hope Camp, Victory Camp<b>, </b>Providence Camp, Lucky Camp, and Seaborne Camp.


    The number of people willing to act alongside Theresa had more than doubled overnight.


    Although the neers couldn¡¯t match thebat strength of K1 Camp or Ember Camp, the sheer number of them was a force to be reckoned with.


    More people meant more power, and they were bound to clear the city much faster.


    zing Sun Camp had be a true alliance.


    Of course, Theresa earned five thousand alliance points.


    From now on, through trade and exchanges between camps, her points would only increase.


    Theresa hadn¡¯t checked her points for a long time.


    After the meeting wrapped up, she returned to the bunker, handed Quentin off to the <b>others </b>for watching<b>, </b>and logged in to check her points.


    Current camp points: 31,998,886


    Seeing the half¨Cyear growth of points brought a smile to Theresa¡¯s face.


    Thirty million points! The one hundred million target was no longer far away.


    Even if she did nothing¨Cno expanding territory, no production development¨Cjust relying on the current camp output and alliance trade, she would earn tens of thousands of points daily.


    The camp¡¯s residents contributed over two hundred base points every day, more than five thousand production exchange points, and the alliance trade brought in over twenty thousand points each day.


    As they developed further, points would only climb higher.


    Theresa opened the camp details pan¨¦l again.


    Current poption: 67


    Camp war dogs: 16


    Camp guards: 4.5


    Allies: 8


    Territory area; 809 square miles


    III


    O


    178


    Chapter 283 The zing Sun Camp<b>. </b>Took <b>Shape </b>


    Camp¡¯s prosperity level: Small Town


    Having captured two districts, her territory had doubled.


    Though the poption hadn¡¯t grown much, her fully automated camp didn¡¯t require many <b>people</b>.


    The current number was enough to operate smoothly.


    Besides, Theresa had umted over 100,000 gleamstones, all safely stored in the domain without exchanging them.


    She felt a surge of motivation.


    <i>Keep </i>it up, Theresa!


    The future looked bright.


    Two dayster.


    A vehicle headed toward the outskirts of Branford.


    ¡°Bennie¡¯s intel has always been reliable,¡± Lucas said inside the car.


    Lucas truly didn¡¯t know the exact location of the weapon¡¯s depot because Serathia¡¯s weapon control was extremely strict.


    The military and weapons were separated into manyyers of approval; even he had no clue where the depot was.


    Theresa nodded at the spot marked on Bennie¡¯s map, located in a remote forested area on Branford¡¯s outskirts.


    The location was isted and sparsely popted, making the mission manageable. They decided to secure this batch of weapons as soon as possible.


    After all, their ammunition was running low


    The guns and ammo in Theresa¡¯s system domain differed from those outside. She couldn¡¯t distribute <b>her </b>system¡¯s weapons to everyone, so they had to grab this batch.


    As they approached Branford, zombies began to appear more frequently along the roadside.


    Theresa hadn¡¯t seen this many wandering zombies on the highway in a long time, since the roads within Ansford had already been cleared.


    ¡°Howl¡­¡±


    A particrly disheveled zombie poked its head out from the passenger side of a car across the road. Its face was smeared with fresh blood¨Ca lucky feast for the day.


    Having eaten recently, it was thrilled to see another car approaching.


    Nature¡¯s gift was truly bountiful.


    <b>273 </b>


    Chapter 233 The zing Sun Camp Took <b>Shape </b>


    It stretched out both hands and lunged at the car, moving at a terrifying speed, <b>smashing </b>against Theresa vehicle window.


    Its hands wed the edges of the ss, its mouth wide open, emitting harsh howls.


    Fresh blood dripped from its ckened teeth, smearing bloody streaks across the ss.


    Screech<b><i>, </i></b>screech¡­ The zombie¡¯s long ws scraped the metal frame, sending shivers down the <b>spines </b><b>of </b>those inside.


    <i>Bang</i><i>! </i>


    A row of long spikes extended from the armored car, piercing through the zombie¡¯s body.


    However, the spikes missed its head.


    The zombie didn¡¯t seem to feel any pain. It howled even louder, eagerly pounding the car door like a <b>rabid </b>beast.


    At that moment, a turret rose from the vehicle¡¯s roof.


    mes roared out, engulfing the mutant zombie.


    Yet, the fire only singed its clothes¨Cthe hair remained untouched.


    <i>Bang</i><i>! </i>


    The window rolled down slightly. As the burning zombie pushed forward, abat knife stabbed straight into its forehead.


    Theresa twisted the knife as it pierced the zombie¡¯s skull, sensing strong resistance.

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    Chapter 234 The Zombie Horde


    Chapter 234 The Zombie Horde


    ¡°Pffi!¡±


    Theresa pulled back herbat knife and shoved the zombie away, quickly sizing it up. This <b>one¡¯s </b>a mutant zombie¨CLevel 2, with hardened skin.¡±


    Lucas and Theron exchanged grim looks.


    By now, they had a clear system for categorizing zombies.


    Regr zombies were the baseline. Level 1 mutant zombies showed noticeable boosts in speed and strength. Level 2 mutant zombies


    , though, often possessed some kind of special ability.


    Some were monstrously strong, others terrifyingly fast, some had nearly imprable skin, and a few even demonstrated odd powers.


    Level 3 and above mutant zombies were extremely rare.


    They¡¯d cleared two zones in Ansford without encountering many mutant zombies. Level <b>2 </b>mutant zombies were scarce there, but as soon as they crossed into Branford territory, the situation changed- whether by coincidence or not, they couldn¡¯t say.


    Whoosh<i>. </i>


    Their armored vehicle sped down the highway, leaving a trail of zombies in its wake. They passed under an overpass and looked down to see a horrifying scene in Branford.


    Along a long street, an endless tide of zombies swarmed.


    Groans filled the air.


    The street was packed shoulder to shoulder with the undead.


    Their bodies bore festering wounds that had rotted and oozed pus all winter. Rotten guts spilled yellowish pus. In the sweltering May heat nearing 104/F, swarms of buzzing mosquitoes circled the mass of decaying


    corpses.


    A car passed over the overpass ahead, and zombies instantly fixed their grotesque, disfigured faces on it.


    Their grayish, paper¨Cthin skin clung tightly to exposed bones. One had a massive scalp wound, torn from the hairline down to the nose, revealing raw, deep red muscle fibers. The skull protruded sharply from the brow and nose, making the creature¡¯s face a gruesome mask of flesh and bone.


    And it wasn¡¯t just one. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of zombies looked up as the car raced overhead.


    They stared like worshippers eyeing a feast.


    Whoosh.


    The armored vehicle surged forward through the sea of undead, triggering a frenzy.


    The zombies below burst into a wild chase, racing full speed under the overpass in pursuit of Theresa¡¯s


    <b>1/3 </b>


    <


    Chapter 234 The Zombie Horde


    vehicle.


    A dark cloud of flies rose and twisted like waves, following the zombies in hot pursuit<b>, </b><b>all </b>zeroing in on the single speeding car.


    Inside, Theresa watched the massive, writhing horde from above. Thankfully, the highway was straight ahead, but the road below didn¡¯t run parallel forever. As the zombies reached the end of the road <b>and </b><b>were </b>blocked by rows of apartment buildings, they started to scatter.


    The armored car kept pushing forward, quickly outpacing the relentless tide below.


    Yet Theresa¡¯s frown deepened.


    ¡°The situation in other cities is far worse than we thought,¡± Lucas said grimly.


    ¡°At this rate, Branford and Crestmont won¡¯t hold. The horde will expand outward, swallowing other. camps.¡±


    Theresa nodded. ¡°We have to take Ansford before it¡¯s toote.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    They¡¯d been driving all day. Near dusk, they finally approached the mountains.


    Here, the zombies thinned out a bit. But before they could wonder why, a massive swarm appeared ahead.


    For hundreds of yards around, zombies pressed in on a crossroads about 800 yards ahead.


    Dense, frenzied, and wild.


    ¡°What the hell¡¯s going on?¡±


    Right in the center of the horde, nine people were surrounded, forced back step by step.


    Six men and three women.


    They formed a tight circle, desperately holding off the surging zombies.


    A shriek was heard.


    An old, white¨Chaired zombie sprinted fastest, lunging with a gaping maw at the tallest, thinnest man.


    At thest moment, the man grabbed a girl beside him and shoved her forward, putting her between himself and the zombie.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    She screamed just as a fireball was hurled into the crowd, followed instantly by an invisible energy shield appearing before her.


    Madeline Grace was yanked back urgently.


    A burly man, steady as an ox, pulled her behind him, bracing against the relentless tide.


    Chapter 234 The Zombie Horde


    ¡°Landon, you can¡¯t hold much longer! You shoulde with me! Let them chase us and draw the zombies away!¡± the man who had just shoved the girl yelled.


    The group all red at him.


    But there was no time for arguing now.

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    Chapter 235 The Steel Reaper


    They were out of options. Every single one of them could feel it in their bones.


    Thest defense¡ªLandon Harris¡ªwas still holding his ground, shielding the group behind an invisibile barrier. But even that was cracking. The others, bruised and desperate, poured thest drops <b>of </b>their strength into a hopeless stand, unleashing every ability they had left.


    They knew it wouldn¡¯t be enough.


    What made it worse wasn¡¯t dying¨Cit was watching deathe slowly, powerlessly, while they still breathed. That was the real nightmare.


    Just as the invisible shield wavered, on the edge of shattering, something sharp pierced the silence.


    Thwip


    A steel crosshook whistled through the air and stabbed deep into the wrecked SUV behind them.


    Before anyone could make sense of what had just happened, a voice rang out. Loud. Commanding.


    ¡°Everyone, hit the ground!¡±


    For a heartbeat, they froze.


    Then instinct took over. Everyst one of them threw themselves t against the pavement¨Cbecause they saw it: a glint of metal stretched taut in the air.


    Whoosh.


    The steel wire swept through the horde of zombies like death¡¯s own de.


    Heads toppled. Cleanly. Entire rows of the undead were decapitated in an instant. For <i>the </i>taller ones, the wire sliced through their shoulders, carving off corbones and limbs. For the shorter ones, it split skulls open like ripe melons, brain matter spraying in grisly arcs.


    The wire circled them¨Conce, twice¨Ca whirlwind of mechanical precision and lethal force.


    None of the zombies survived. Not a single one.


    When the deadly loop came to a stop, it retracted into a heavily modified armored car that now loomed before them. Its ck armor gleamed, built like a beast bred for war.


    Every zombie was down.


    The carnage was absolute.


    Landon and the others stared, ck¨Cjawed. They had never seen power like this. Not from any government unit, not from any survivor camp. Nothing even came close.


    This wasn¡¯t survival.


    This was domination.


    Chapter 235 The Steel Reaper


    A voice echoed from the vehicle.


    ¡°Mind pulling out our hook?¡±


    Landon blinked, then snapped into motion. He turned to the steel crosshook still embedded in their overturned car, swallowed hard, and yanked it free with both hands.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Landon said as he walked up to the armored vehicle and handed the gear back himself, his voice full of sincerity.


    ¡°Our leader says no thanks is necessary. Let go,¡± Kyle replied, nodding for him to release it. He flipped a switch inside the vehicle, and with a sharp snap, the custom steel cable zipped back into its housing.


    At the mention of their leader, Landon couldn¡¯t help but nce toward the back of the vehicle, trying to catch a glimpse¨Cbut he saw nothing.


    Then, Kyle pressed down on the gas, and the armored car rumbled forward, continuing up the mountain road.


    Panic surged in Landon. He jogged forward, waving his arms.


    ¡°Wait¨Cwait! You¡¯re heading into the mountains? You can¡¯t go in there!¡±


    The vehicle halted.


    Landon caught up and spoke breathlessly. ¡°It¡¯s full of zombies. You¡¯ll never <i>make </i><i>it</i>!¡±


    From inside the car, the driver¨CKyle¨Cnced in the rearview mirror. ¡°Theresa?¡± he <i>called </i>softly.


    The rear window rolled down. A broad¨Cshouldered man leaned forward and shouted, ¡°What¡¯s the story, kid?¡±


    Landon turned toward him. At a nce, he thought this was their leader.


    ¡°There¡¯s a military camp in the mountain,¡± Landon said grimly. ¡°That¡¯s where our camp was. But it¡¯s gone. Everyone inside turned into zombies. And not the usual kind¨Cthese ones are stronger, faster¨Cthree, four times worse than normal. They¡¯re mutant zombies. We barely got out.¡±


    The man¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°How many?¡±


    ¡°At least a hundred. Maybe more,¡± he answered. ¡°That includes the soldiers and the residents.¡±


    The man gave him a nod and ducked back inside, clearly discussing something with the rest of the crew.


    A momentter, he looked back at Landon and gave him a short, firm nod.


    ¡°Appreciate it, kid.¡±


    They didn¡¯t drive forward.


    Instead, the armored car pulled off the road and stopped.


    The doors opened. A squad stepped out, armed and organized. Looked like they were setting up camp right there on the roadside.


    <b>2/3 </b>


    ?<b>??</b>?


    Chapter 235 The Steel Reaper


    Landon finally allowed himself a breath of relief.


    Then came the shouting behind him.


    ¡°Wyatt Storm! You b¡¯stard! What the hell did you do back there? You were gonna use me <b>as </b>zombie <b>bait </b>


    The tall, skinny man sneered, clearly annoyed. ¡°You¡¯re alive, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Barely! You almost got me killed! Again! Michelle died because of you too, you son of a b*tch!¡±


    ¡°Desperate times, sweetheart,¡± Wyatt said coolly. His eyes were sharp, calcting. ¡°And so what <b>if </b>I did? You¡¯re nothing but a used¨Cup sl*t. You think I don¡¯t know how many guys you¡¯ve screwed just to survive<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>


    ¡°You-¡± Madeline trembled with rage, pulled a knife from her belt, and lunged at him.


    Two women held her back just in time.


    ¡°Madeline, don¡¯t. He¡¯s not worth it,¡± one of them said urgently.


    ¡°Yeah, forget it. He¡¯s got the space¨Cbased ability. We still need him to move supplies<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Come on, you filthy whore,¡± Wyatt taunted. ¡°Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got. Go ahead. Try it.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±

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    Chapter 236 Shadows and Supper


    Landon walked over, his face dark and unreadable.


    Wyatt spotted him and immediately broke into a broad grin. ¡°Hey, Landon! Good to see you, <b>man</b><b>.</b><b>¡± </b>


    Landon stared at him with open disdain. He was the only one in the group with a space¨Cbased ability¨Ca power that, in this post¨Capocalyptic world, was absolutely essential. Wyatt¡¯s domain was around a hundred square feet, big enough to carry a significant stockpile of supplies on every mission.


    And now, all their resources were with him.


    As much as Landon loathed the man, there was nothing he could do about it.


    ¡°You owe Madeline an apology,¡± Landon said coldly.


    Wyatt scoffed. ¡°Come on, is that really necessary? It was just instinct, you know, given the situation. It¡¯s not like I did it on purpose. And seriously, Madeline? She¡¯s got no useful abilities. Even if she had been a <b>literal </b>meat shield, I¡¯m worth more than her anyway.¡±


    ¡°Apologize,¡± Landon demanded. The usual calm in his expression vanished, reced by a biting frost.


    Wyatt¡¯s grin finally faltered. His eyes narrowed with irritation. ¡°Fine, whatever. My bad,¡± he muttered, clearly insincere, and walked off without another word.


    Madeline stood there, seething, her hands trembling. Landon sighed and stepped closer.


    ¡°Let it go, Madeline,¡± he said softly. ¡°For me.¡±


    Her eyes reddened instantly. ¡°If my husband were still alive, he¡¯d have carved Wyatt into pieces<b>!</b>¡±


    She turned and ran off.


    The two other women in the group exchanged nces and, at Landon¡¯s nod, followed after her. Landon stayed behind, helping the others flip their overturned truck to see if it was still usable.


    The sun dipped low in the sky, washing thend in a red¨Corange glow.


    On the other side of the small clearing, Theresa¡¯s team had already set up camp. They¡¯d cleared out all the wandering zombies within a half¨Cmile radius and gathered in the center of their perimeter.


    ¡°We¡¯ll move at first light,¡± someone suggested. ¡°Keep your guard up tonight.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    They¡¯d gotten word that the mountains ahead were crawling with mutant zombies. After some quick discussion, they decided not to take the risk of entering the woods at night. Better to stay safe, wait until morning, and face the threat in daylight.


    Caution kept one alive.


    That night¡¯s dinner was nothing short of heavenly. They cooked a massive pot of pasta¨Cfresh noodles <b>on </b>


    Chapter 236 Shadows and Supper


    the bottom, piled high with chunks of chicken, thick¨Ccut harm, cured meats, <b>eggs</b><b>, </b><b>an </b>assortment of dried vegetables, and packets of rich sauces. The food simmered into a hearty, savory stew<b>, </b><b>and </b><b>each </b>person gut a generous helping in a metal bowl, packed with meat, veggies, and carbs. Every meal <b>was </b><b>paired </b>with in ice¨Ccold drink pulled from a sr¨Cpowered cooler.


    The smell alone was enough to make anyone drool.


    ¡°Ever since we teamed up with Theresa, we¡¯ve been eating like royalty, Graham said, shoveling food <b>into </b>his mouth with pure joy.


    Of all the people in the alliance, Graham and his crew were the most satisfied with this partnership<b>. </b>Food alone had made the risk worthwhile. The meals were so good now, none of them wanted to go back <b>to </b>their camp, even if it meant spending every night fighting off zombies in the wild.


    Sure, KI Camp had improved their rations recently, butpared to this? It wasn¡¯t even close.


    As Graham was enjoying his food, someone approached them.


    ¡°Wow, that smells amazing!¡± anky figure called out.


    Wyatt.


    He strutted confidently into their ce, his eyes immediately scanning the group¨Cuntil theynded on Theresa. His gaze lingered a few seconds too long, filled with unmistakable greed and excitement.


    A wave of disgust rolled through Theresa. She knew that look¨Ctoo well. In her previous life, she¡¯d seen enough of it tost a hundred years. But in this life, people like that rarely dared meet her <i>eyes </i>anymore.


    She had long since left the trash heap they all crawled out of.


    And now, somehow, one had wandered right back into her path.


    ¡°I¡¯m from the team next door,¡± Wyatt said smoothly. ¡°Just wanted to thank you for helping out earlier. Name¡¯s Wyatt.¡± He tried to plop down beside them as if he belonged.


    A deep, growling voice interrupted him. ¡°Did anyone invite you to sit?¡±


    The words came from Theron, who hadn¡¯t even moved¨Chis sharp, heavy¨Clidded gaze fellzily on Wyatt, like a tiger regarding a sickly prey animal.


    Wyatt paused mid¨Cmotion. Then his face split into an even bigger smile. ¡°You must be the leader here, right?


    ¡°Sir, you have the look of a true warrior¨Cmajestic, powerful, totallymanding. The moment Iid eyes on you, I knew you were someone extraordinary!¡±


    Theron raised an eyebrow, nced sideways at Theresa, and smiled. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Theresa didn¡¯t look up from her te. ¡°Get lost.¡±


    Wyatt blinked.


    Then Lucas spoke, his voice low and frigid. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡°


    A


    Chapter 236 Shadows and Supper


    Wyatt¡¯s sharp little <b>eyes </b>flicked toward him, gears turning. ¡°Oh, <b>I </b>get it. You¡¯re the second<b>¨C</b><b>in</b>mand aren¡¯t you? <b>Sir</b>, you have that quiet strength, that hidden fire. I could tell right away <b>your </b>team was elite Two great leaders like be surrounded by top¨Ctier soldiers!¡±


    you? You!


    Lucas stared at him. Silent. Stone¨Cfaced. And not impressed.


    <b>2/3 </b>

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    Chapter 237 The Price of Loyalty


    Chapter 237 The Price of Loyalty


    <b>¡°</b>What the hell are you even trying to say?¡± Theresa snapped. She¡¯d finally had enough of Wyatt¡¯s babbling


    But this time, instead of ttering her the way he had with Theron and Lucas, Wyatt just gave her a slow once¨Cover, top to bottom. Several times.


    And not a singlepliment left his lips. If anything, there was a flicker of disdain in his


    ¡°I¡¯m here to join your group! I¡¯m an ability user¨Csurely you need me!¡±


    Theresa raised an eyebrow. ¡°And what kind of ability makes you so cocky?¡±


    cyes<b>. </b>


    Wyatt squared his shoulders and delivered his answer like a showman unveiling his grand finale. ¡°Space- based ability. My domain is over a hundred square feet!¡±


    Theresa didn¡¯t say a word. Her silence spoke volumes.


    Theron and Lucas exchanged looks, barely suppressing the grins creeping onto their faces. Amusement glinted in their eyes as they turned toward Theresa.


    She fixed her gaze on the man in front of her, a slow, sly smile pulling at her lips. ¡°Honestly? We¡¯re less interested in you as a space¨Cbased ability user¨Cand more interested in what¡¯s inside your domain.¡±


    Wyatt¡¯s face turned ghost¨Cwhite. D*mn. He hadn¡¯t even considered that.


    Sure, he¡¯d worried about the risks of revealing his domain. But he¡¯d assumed people would value him, the user, far more than the supplies tucked away in his portable space.


    Wasn¡¯t the power itself more valuable than a few crates of food and medicine?


    He hade here expecting a warm wee, confident that they¡¯d beg him to join. Instead, they wanted his stuff. Just his stuff.


    That was like buying the box and tossing out the jewel. Like killing the chicken for a single egg.


    Then came a shout from behind him. ¡°Landon! Wyatt¡¯s trying to defect!¡±


    The voice rang out from a nearby spot. Wyatt turned just in time to see Landon and his crew rushing over.


    Relief washed over him like a wave. Reinforcements.


    ¡°I¡¯m not betraying anyone!¡± he cried and sprinted toward them.


    ¡°Landon! I¡¯ve always been a loyal member of Sris Camp! I¡¯d never betray you!¡±


    Theresa¡¯s voice rang out calmly from behind him. ¡°He just said he wanted to join us.¡±


    Wyatt spun around, nearly shaking with fury. ¡°I didn¡¯t! I would never leave you!¡±


    Landon gave Wyatt a long, unreadable look. His eyes moved slowly from Wyatt¡¯s sweating face to the rest of the group. After a moment of silence, he simply said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    Chapter 237 The Price of Loyalty


    Then he turned to Theresa¡¯s team, offering a polite nod. <b>¡°</b>Apologies. I¡¯ll make sure my people say th


    A voice floated across the air¨CTheresa¡¯s again, sharp and cool. ¡°Loyaltyes <b>first </b><b>when </b><b>managing </b>a team Don¡¯t waste time coddling useless powers.¡±


    Landon paused, her words striking something in him. His eyes lit up for a split second, then <b>settled </b>on Theresa, who had gone back to quietly ¡®cating her meal.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said. ¡°I understand now.¡±


    Without another word, Landon turned and walked back toward his camp.


    They hadn¡¯t been gone long when shouting broke out again from across the clearing, Theresa could hear themotion rising, heated voices arguing.


    Momentster, a furious male voice rang out.


    ¡°Fine! Take it! Take all of it! Ungrateful, short¨Csighted fools!¡±


    Theresa looked toward the source of the voice. A faint light revealed a heap of supplies appearing out of nowhere¨Cdumped unceremoniously into the dirt. Within seconds, Wyatt was being shoved out of <b>the </b>


    camp.


    ¡°Tsk, tsk. Is that all?¡± Theresa watched the scene unfold with a shake of her head.


    To expose all those supplies, and then just let the guy go? No consequences<b>? </b>


    ¡°That¡¯s soft¨Chearted nonsense,¡± Theron muttered. ¡°That kid¡¯s way too kind. He¡¯s gonna pay for it.¡±


    ¡°Wyatt¡¯s trouble,¡± Lucas added. ¡°He¡¯s not the type to take that quietly.¡±


    Theresa had never been one to watch drama unfold from afar, but now she noticed all of them were <b>glued </b>to the scene like it was free entertainment.


    Then, from across the way, Landon approached again. This time, he was carrying a box of instant noodles<b>. </b>


    ¡°Thank you¨Cfor saving our lives today,¡± he said earnestly. ¡°We don¡¯t have much to offer, but please ept this as a token of our gratitude.¡±


    Theresa hesitated for a moment, then gave a small nod and gestured for someone beside her to take it.


    It was then that Landon¡¯s expression shifted, like a puzzle piece had finally fallen into ce. He realized she was the one in charge.


    ¡°You¡¯re the leader, aren¡¯t you? Where are you all from?¡±


    ¡°zing Sun Alliance.¡±


    ¡°zing Sun Alliance?¡± He frowned slightly. ¡°Never heard of it.¡±


    That made sense. Their camp/didn¡¯t have a radio or any connection to the outside world.


    ¡°Never heard of it?¡± Theresa repeated.


    <b>2/3 </b>


    <b>( </b>


    Chapter 287 The Price of Loyalty


    ¡°We mostly <b>stay </b>around this area. It¡¯s rare <b>we </b>meet other survivors.¡±


    She nodded slowly. The terrain here was rough, and the zombie presence was intense<b>. </b><b>The </b><b>camp </b>was effectively surrounded, leaving them very little room to gather resources.


    ¡°Your camp¡¯s further in?¡±


    Landon nodded, his face clouded with emotion. ¡°It was.¡±


    He took a breath, then exined.


    ¡°We were just a group of friends¨Chikers. When the outbreak startedst year, we were staying at a lodge halfway up the mountain. There weren¡¯t many people there. Just a couple turned into zombies<b>, </b><b>and </b><b>we </b>were able to handle them. We secured the ce and made it home. We¡¯ve been surviving ever since, scavenging nearby.¡±

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    Chapter 238 The Lone Wolf


    Chapter 238 The Lone Wolf


    <b>+5 </b>Free Coins:


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it at all. There¡¯s a military camp up in the mountains. We were out gathering supplies carlier today, and when we got back, the whole camp was wiped out. If you hadn¡¯t saved us, we would¡¯ve been dead too.¡±


    Landon gave them the short version of what had happened.


    Theresa listened carefully, piecing together how this group had survived for nearly a year.


    They¡¯d been lucky, rtively speaking. They¡¯de out here on a rock¨Cclimbing trip and rented a remote cabin, far from most people. That istion had helped. They scavenged for supplies nearby and made do, hanging on through the chaos.


    But they¡¯d made one fatal mistake: they¡¯d never checked the mountain for hidden threats.


    In the end, it was the undead horde that overwhelmed them.


    That¡¯s how many small camps went down¨Cquietly andpletely.


    ¡°So, where are you guys headed?¡± Landon asked, his tone eager.


    Theresa didn¡¯t answer.


    Landon pressed on. ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t mean anything by it. It¡¯s just¨Cwe don¡¯t have a camp anymore. Wherever we go now, it¡¯s the same. We want to go with you. Be part of your group.¡±


    After a moment of thought, Theresa replied, ¡°<b>Alright</b>. If you¡¯re still here tomorrow, we¡¯ll take you with us.¡± No sooner had she spoken than a woman rushed up, breathless and <b>frantic</b><b>. </b>


    ¡°Landon, something¡¯s happened to Madeline!¡±


    ¡°<b>What </b>happened?¡±


    ¡°<b>Tanner </b>tried to sneak some supplies. Madeline caught him, yelled at him, and he lost it. They¡¯re fighting


    Dow


    Landon sighed heavily. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll handle it.


    The group had once been tight¨Cknit adventurers. Madeline was the widow of their former leader, Samuel Hunter, who died <b>saving </b>them all. On his deathbed, he¡¯d asked Landon to look after her¨Cand Landon had <b>taken </b>that responsibility seriously.


    Tanner Zane, on the other <b>hand</b>, was Landon¡¯s childhood friend. Hearing that the two were at <b>each </b>other¡¯s throats left him deeply frustrated<b>, </b>


    ¡°Sorry, I need to take care of this,¡± Landon said politely to Theresa


    ¡°What¡¯s <b>your </b>name?¡± she asked before he left.


    He <b>smiled </b>faintly, Landon Harris.


    12:25 Fri, 15 Aug


    Chapter 238 The Lone Wolf


    s


    Landon Harri¡­.


    Theresa¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    No way.


    Could it really be that Landon Harris¨Cthe <b>Lone </b>Wolf from the ¡°Top Ten Ruthless Survivors¡± list?


    The list had beenpiled after the apocalypse by those still kicking, a kind of legend board for people who had done the impossible. It wasn¡¯t static, more like the Forbes List¨Cpeople rose and fell, depending on <b>what </b>they pulled off and whether they were still breathing.


    Theresa could still remember the names from one of the more recent versions of the list: Theron Yorke. Bennie Green, Sage Arlen, Jules Frost, Quentin Kerr, Elias Churban, Tania Owen¨CGray. Avery Flint, Mason Leigh, and yes¨CLandon Harris.


    If Lucas had survived in her past life, he¡¯d probably have made the list too.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t just the people on the list who were impressive. Many had never gotten a shot¨Ckilled too early, overwhelmed by bad luck or bad <b>timing</b>. Some who had made it in one lifetime might <b>have </b>already died in <b>this </b>one.


    Fate yed no favorites.


    But the people who did make <b>that </b>list? They had pulled off jaw¨Cdropping feats of <b>survival</b>.


    Theresa remembered Landon¡¯s legend. The Lone Wolf. A man who never traveled in groups. He was known to kill anyone who got too close.


    He made his name three years into the apocalypse. A small camp sent a <b>squad </b>out on a mission and crossed paths with him. When they tried to approach, Landon warned them once¨Cthen ughtered the whole squad.


    Their camp sent another team to get revenge. He wiped them out, too.


    That second massacre made his reputation.


    The camp even posted a bounty: anyone who could bring back Landon¡¯s head would be offered leadership


    of the camp.


    Over a hundred people tried. All of them died.


    From that point on, the name Landon Harris was engraved in infamy. Nobody dared mess with him.


    Theresa didn¡¯t know what became of him. After the chaos he caused, he vanished. Lone wolves weren¡¯t <b>the </b>type to keep <b>making </b>waves. Maybe he died quietly somewhere.


    Some said they spotted him in the mountains. Others imed he¡¯d been torn apart by a horde.


    So, Theresa couldn¡¯t be sure. Was the man she just met <b>that </b>Landon Harris?


    Perhaps they just happened to share the <b>same </b>name.


    And the guy in front of her didn¡¯t <b>act </b>like a ruthless <b>loner </b>at all.


    12-25 Fri, 15 Aug


    Chapter 238 The Lone Wolf


    75%È«


    <b>*</b><b>5 </b>Free Cons


    She watched as he stepped into the crowd, calmly breaking up the fight, pulling people apart, soothing


    tempers.


    This was a man who carried his group like a father figure, not someone who¡¯d gut strangers for stepping


    too close.


    Could this really be him?


    * 5,75%)


    12:25 Fri, 15 Aug t


    Chapter 239 Into the Mountain


    Chapter 239 Into the Mountain


    Theresa immediately took an interest.¨C


    ¡°Beautiful, <b>what </b>are you looking at?


    ¡°<b>Looking </b><b>at </b>men, she replied coolly


    Quentin was left speechless.


    s


    The next day, after the sun had risen, Theresa¡¯s convoy packed up and headed into <b>the </b>mountains together.


    At that moment, Landon caught up with them. ¡°You¡¯re really going <b>into </b>the mountains?¡±


    Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I want toe with you. There was andslide here recently, and all the mountain paths have been rerouted. We know the way inside and can guide you. We just hope you¡¯ll give us a ride. We¡¯ll get out once we have a vehicle, and of course, we¡¯ll split half our supplies with you!¡±


    Landon spoke with sincere urgency,


    His group transport.


    was stranded without vehicles, waiting for Theresa to return¨Ctoo dangerous to stay put without


    After discussing with his people, Landon decided to offer half their supplies if Theresa agreed to take them along. They¡¯d have to <b>pass </b>by their own camp inside the mountains, where they could find more vehicles to continue.


    Theresa weighed the deal carefully, her eyes gleaming. Tell me one thing.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°<b>What¡¯s </b>your ability?¡±


    Landon hesitated for three seconds, then said, ¡°My ability is Acroshield.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes widened. That was him¨Cthe one she suspected.


    ¡°Bring <b>your </b>people, she said, eager to recruit such <b>a </b>powerful ally.


    Before long, Landon arrived with his crew <b>and </b>supplies.


    Theresa¡¯s armored vehicle was massive; there was more than enough room for everyone and all their gear.


    There were eight of them total: three <b>women </b>and <b>five </b>men, all physically strong.


    Theresa scanned them. Among the eight, four were ability users. Besides Landon, there was a young fire- based <b>ability </b><b>user</b>, a burly water¨Cbased ability user, and¡­ a <b>space</b>¨Cbased <b>ability </b><b>user</b>¨Ca quiet girl with long


    dark hair.


    <b>Space</b>¨Cbased ability?

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    <ul><li></li></ul>


    Chapter 239 Into the Mountain


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    The girl noticed Theresa staring, met her gaze with dark eyes for a moment, then quickly looked away and sat silently at the back,


    Theresa <b>immediately </b>understood: the girl <b>was </b>keeping her power a secret from the others, deliberately blending into the background.


    Smart¨Cmuch smarter <b>than </b>Wyatt, who had been unting his <b>ability </b>everywhere just the day before.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, I never caught your names,¡± <b>Landon </b>said as he climbed into the vehicle. I¡¯m Landon Harris. This is my childhood friend, Tanner Zane. These two brothers are Nathaniel Brooks and Julian Brooks. That¡¯s Isabelle Hart, my girlfriend. This is Madeline Grace, <b>and </b>finally, Rhett Knox and his girlfriend Amelia ke.¡±


    Theresa nodded, recognizing the quiet girl¡¯s name was Amelia.


    Tm Theresa Hall. Just call me Ms. Hall.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Ms. Hall!¡±


    The armored vehicle rumbled to life.


    With Landon leading the way, they soon entered the mountain.


    As expected, wandering zombies appeared.


    Bang, bang, bang!


    Theresa¡¯s vehicle barreled through the oing horde without hesitation, crushing zombies under its weight without slowing.


    <b>Not </b><b>a </b>single one could damage the armored car.


    They had crashed a smaller car into zombies before; it dented badly and was ruined quickly. This vehicle was something else entirely.


    Of course, everyone inside was exuding a fierce, predatory energy, stronger than any zombie.


    ¡°Wow, so strong! Nat, look, they¡¯re all really powerful!¡± a softer male voice said excitedly.


    His voice faded, only to be met with a mocking <b>retort</b>.


    Julian, do you want to act even more childish? Going on and on about Nat like that¨Cit¡¯s embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s my brother, so mind your own <b>business</b>!¡± the burly Nathaniel snapped, clearly annoyed.


    Tm just trying to help! Nathaniel, you always protect your brother. What happens when you¡¯re gone? Who will protect <b>him </b>then? With how useless he is, he won¡¯tst three <b>days</b>!¡±


    ¡°Screw you!¡± Nathaniel exploded.


    ¡°Enough! Stop fighting, you¡¯re in someone else¡¯s carl Landon quickly intervened, shooting an apologetic look at the others,


    ¡°We have to stick together. There are only a few of us left. We all need to <b>stay </b>alive. No more fighting.


    12:25 Fri, 15 Aug


    Chapter 239 Into the Mountain


    <b>Nathaniel </b>and Tanner fell silent.


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    Suddenly, Madeline screamed. ¡°Samuel!¡±


    In front of Theresa¡¯s vehicle, a huge zombie, nearly six feet five, with both arms badly bitten and mangled, charged out.


    Bang


    Theresa¡¯s vehicle didn¡¯t hesitate, smashing the creature aside. One of its arms caught on a tree branch as it flew back


    Madeline pressed her face to the window, screaming hysterically, ¡°Samuel! Samuel!¡±


    12:25 Fri, 15 Aug i


    75%Á¿


    s


    Chapter 240 The Last Stand at the Weapons Depot.


    Chapter 240 The Last Stand at the Weapons Depot.


    ¡°Madeline, don¡¯t be snd. Samuel¡¯s been gone for a long time. That wasn¡¯t really Samuel, a voice tried to console her gently.


    ¡°No.. my husband¡­ <b>Samuel</b>¡­ Madeline¡¯s voice cracked with heartbreak.


    Another man¡¯s voice cut through the tension. ¡°Landon, look! That¡¯s <b>Tobias </b>and the others! They¡¯ve all turned into zombies.


    Landon¡¯s heart clenched. Isabelle gripped his arm tightly, seekingfort as much as offering it. ¡°I¡¯m scared <b>too</b>, she whispered.


    Theresa suddenly understood why, in her past life, Landon had be a lone wolf. Was he really leading a child¡¯s troop?


    Soon enough, a rental vi appeared before them.


    Their armored vehicle stopped for a moment, drawing the nearby zombies in like moths to a me. One by one, the vehicle crushed and eliminated the creatures.


    <b>was </b>quiet.


    ¡°There¡¯s a car over there. You all get out here.¡± Theresa ordered once the area w


    She wasn¡¯t nning to take these helpless ones any further.


    Landon knew Theresa was already being more than kind¨Cthey were just tagging along, after all, and she had her own mission.


    ¡°Be careful getting out, Landon warned, staying behindst.


    ¡°<b>You </b>want to head to the military camp?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You know the <b>way</b><b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Go straight up this road, then turn right. <b>But </b>the right turn is blocked by andslide¨Cyou¡¯ll have to walk about 1,000 feet to reach the camp.


    Theresa nodded. ¡°Take care of yourselves.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Landon said, leading the group down the road. Zombies still asionally lunged from the shadows, but they had to deal with those on their own now.


    Theresa¡¯s vehicle headed further uphill.


    It wasn¡¯t long before they reached thendslide site Landon <b>had </b>warned about.


    After everyone got out, they walked to the buried entrance of the weapons depot.


    Dig here, Theresa instructed.


    <b>¡°</b>Got it.


    Once they settled on a spot, the military¨Cgrade shovels began tearing through the dirt with sharp


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    Chapter 240 The Last Stand at the Weapons Depot


    s


    elliciency.


    The group of men worked quickly, backs to the sky, unearthing the entrance in no time.


    They¡¯d been lucky¨Cexcept for a zombie encounter on the way in, none appeared as they made their way


    inside.


    The depot was guarded by numerous security gates, but Lucas, using information from Bennie and his military contacts, quickly cracked the codes.


    Finally. Theresa stepped into a cavern of war supplies; millions of bullets stacked in crates, rows of rifles, submachine guns, pistols, heavy machine guns, andrge¨Ccaliber firearms. There were warehouses full of grenades, shbangs, tear gas, bombs, andndmines¨Ceverything they could imagine.


    Theresa, take it all!¡±


    Theresa, take it all!¡± echoed the others.


    These were supplies belonging to the zing Sun Alliance!


    With this cache, every member of the alliance could be armed.


    Though they rarely used firearms, the weapons were far <b>from </b>useless.


    This haul significantly boosted the zing Sun Alliance¡¯s strength.


    Theresa had imed the stockpile under Quentin¡¯s name, even though the supplies ended up in her hands. It was clear to everyone why Theresa kept Quentin close at all times.


    As they loaded up for the return trip, thunder rumbled overhead.


    The ground beneath them shook violently.


    It felt like the earth itself might split apart.


    Kyle shouted from the <b>entrance</b><b>, </b>Theresa! It¡¯s raining outside!¡±


    The <b>word </b>¡°rain¡® sent <b>a </b>shock through Theresa¡¯s mind.


    No way¨Cthendslide <b>was </bing!


    ¡°Run!¡± she yelled,


    Grabbing Quentin with one hand <b>and </b>Tyger with the other, she sprinted toward Kyle by the entrance.


    The others could fend for themselves.


    In less than twenty seconds, Theresa <b>had </b>safely led her group outside.


    Just then, torrents of rain poured down.


    Mud began sliding from the freshly dug entrance, <b>and </b>with a thunderous crash, a huge chunk of earth buried half the doorway.


    12:25 Fri 15 Aug.


    Chapter 240 The Last Stand at the Weapons Depot


    Theresa pushed everyone aside and shouted. ¡°Kyle, get Tyger in the car and start it!¡±


    She turned back, digging away massive clumps of mud blocking the way.


    ¡°Hurry up¡± she called inside.


    Lucas and the others couldn¡¯t keep up¨Cthey were only halfway through.


    Theresa¡¯s hands moved fast, clearing the mud and rocks despite being soaked by the heavy rain.


    Ryde and Tyger watched her with unspoken awe


    s


    Especially Tyger¨Cwhen Theresa had grabbed him and Quentin first to run, he knew he had made the right choice.


    Theresa was s


    someone they could trust.


    Someone worth treating like family.


    Kyle didn¡¯t need instructions¨Che followed Theresa¡¯s orders instinctively.


    He sprinted toward the vehicle, clearing the way for Tyger to start the engine and find a path out.


    12:25 Fri, 15 Aug t


    Chapte

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    r 241 The Storm Breaks Loose


    Chapter 241 The Storm Breaks Loose


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    Quentin had a faint smile on his face as he dug alongside Theresa, the shovel in his hands moving fast and sure. Wet sand and mud kept sliding down from above, but he worked without pause, clearing it away with practiced ease.


    They kept digging, nonstop, always leaving a gap just wide enough for a person to crawl through¨Cand finally, people scrambled out from inside.


    ¡°Run¡± Now¡±


    Theresa exhaled in relief Covered head to toe in mud, she turned and led the group at a dead sprint toward the armored car. Kyle and Tyger were already in position, engines humming, ready for the pickup.


    Then¨Cboom


    The sky cracked open. The first rain in what felt like forever came down in an unrelenting torrent, drenching the earth without mercy.


    As she ran. Theresa heard a sound like an eggshell shattering.


    She looked back.


    High on the mountain behind them, a whole section of the slope gave way. The earth copsed, and a tide of mud and rocks surged down like an avnche from hell.


    Faster and fiercer the lower it went.


    It was a mudslide.


    D*mn it all!


    Cursing everything under the sun, Theresa didn¡¯t hesitate. She flung Quentin over her shoulder, grabbed Lucas by the arm without a second thought, and vanished.


    Teleportation.


    From the armored car, <i>Kyle </i>and Tyger watched in stunned silence as Theresa¨Cwho had been running full¨Cspeed just seconds ago¨Cblinked out of existence.


    Then, just <b>as </b>suddenly, she appeared several yards closer¨Cand again, <b>and </b><b>again</b>.


    Each time, cutting the distance in leaps that defied logic. She was closing in like a <b>ghost </b>in fast <b>forward</b>. Everyone stared in awe.


    ¡°How many abilities docs Theresa even have? Tyger¡¯s jaw <b>was </b>practically on the floor.


    Kyle was just as shaken. So far, he knew Theresa had water¨Cbased, space¨Cbased, strength¨Ctype, and speed- type abilities and now, apparently, teleportation


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    Chapter 241 The Storm Breaks <b>Loose </b>


    What even was she?


    s


    He watched her <b>draw </b>closer, eyes wide with admiration. She was like a treasure chest <b>that </b>never stopped surprising him¨Ceach moment more valuable than thest.


    She was unstoppable..


    In a sh, she was at the car. She threw Quentin and Lucas inside without breaking stride.


    Then, she tossed a rope behind her. ¡°Grab it!¡±


    Theron, still running full¨Cspeed, lunged for the rope and caught it. One by one, the rest of the team grabbed onto him, linking together in a desperate human chain.


    Theresa grabbed the other end of the rope and pulled with everything she had.


    ¡°Move it!¡± she shouted to the driver.


    Another boom¨Cthis one louder, angrier. The entire slope behind them copsed. Rain and gravitybined into a massive wall of mud that roared in pursuit.


    The rope cut into Theresa¡¯s palms like fire. She gritted her teeth, muscles straining, digging deep. Lucas and the others joined in, hauling hard.


    Together, they dragged everyst one of them into the vehicle.


    The moment they were in, the ce where they had just been seconds ago disappeared beneath a wave of


    mud.


    Everyone turned to look at Theresa. Their expressions were a mix of disbelief, awe, and something close to worship.


    Graham stared at her <b>with </b>wide eyes, looking like a kid meeting their hero for the first time,


    That was their leader.


    She was incredible.


    ¡°D¡°mn, Theresa, Theron breathed, pure admiration in his voice.


    Praise from someone like him hit differently.


    Kyle and Tyger didn¡¯t even need to speak. Their pride said it all, but Lucas¨CLucas felt like a storm <b>had </b>broken open inside <b>him</b>.


    He knew Theresa was powerful. He knew she was full of secrets, always more than she let on. The closer he got to her, the more impossible she seemed, but¡­ why had she taken <b>him</b><b>? </b>


    He understood her instinct to protect Quentin, or Kyle<b>, </b>or Tyger. Theresa was fiercely loyal, and when danger struck, she always protected her people first. Only once they were safe would she <b>think </b>about


    anyone else.


    But this time she¡¯d grabbed hin <b>and </b>chosen him.


    12:26 Fri, 15 Aug


    Fri, 15 Aug tr@@


    Chapter 241 The Storm Breaks Loose


    Did that mean¡­


    <b>Lucas</b>¡® heart thundered in his chest. Did she already see him as one of her <b>own</b>?


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    The armored car barreled down the broken road. Behind them, the mudslide kept chasing for a while, then veered off in another direction.


    They weren¡¯t out of danger, though. Up ahead, the road hadpletely copsed.


    Ms. Hall! Ms. Hall!¡±


    A man in a raincoat waved his arms wildly up ahead.


    It was Landon.


    The car rolled to a stop in front of a muddy pile of debris.


    ¡°You all okay?¡±


    ¡°Still breathing. Theresa said, soaked and streaked with grime.


    The others didn¡¯t look much better.


    Landon took one look at them and nodded. The road¡¯s gone. Come back to our old shelter. <b>You </b>can rest there tonight. We¡¯ll move again once <b>the </b><b>rain </b>stops.¡±


    16:20 FIG_15 <b>Aug </b>

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    Chapter 242 The Price of the Living


    Theresa nced at the others, and after a brief exchange, they all nodded.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    s


    They parked their vehicles on higher, <b>solid </b>ground, then followed Landon on foot to the group¡¯s hideout.


    As soon as they stepped into the rustic lodge, a woman with tear¨Creddened eyes came storming out, rage painted across her face.


    ¡°Landon!¡±


    Madeline, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t throw Nathaniel and Julian out today, then I¡¯m leaving!¡± Madeline snapped, fury in her voice.


    ¡°Madeline, wait! It was just a misunderstanding!¡± Isabelle rushed out after her. ¡°Nothing was stolen¨Cit¡¯s all


    still there.¡±


    I don¡¯t believe you! They must¡¯ve taken the supplies and snuck them back! Thieves, both of them!¡±


    ¡°Madeline, have you lost your mind?¡± Nathaniel shot back. ¡°Your husband¡¯s dead, and now you¡¯re always paranoid¨Cpicking fights with everyone, seeing thieves everywhere. Maybe it¡¯s time you got some rest before you drive the whole group nuts!¡±


    ¡°Nat, let it go. Not worth it,¡± someone murmured.


    ¡°Let it go? Hell no!¡± Nathaniel barked. ¡°Madeline, you think we owe you because your husband saved us once? Well, guess what¨Cenough is enough. Nobody owes you anything anymore, so quit acting like we


    do!¡±


    Madeline¡¯s face contorted with fury, and she lunged at him, striking him across the chest. ¡°You do owe me! If you¡¯ve got the guts, bring my husband back to life! Why didn¡¯t you die instead?!¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Landon¡¯s <b>voice </b>cut through the chaos like a whip.


    Madeline turned to him, her <b>eyes </b>wide with disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re yelling at me now? Have you forgotten what Samuel did for you? He treated you like his own brother¨Crisked his life for you over and over again¨C<b>and </b><b>now </b><b>that </b>he¡¯s gone, <b>this </b><b>is </b>how you repay him?!¡±


    ¡°Madeline¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother!¡± she shouted, then turned and bolted up the stairs, sobbing.


    The room fell into <b>an </b>ufortable silence. No one followed <b>her</b>. No one tried tofort her.


    Landon stood there, stunned. Then, he turned to Theresa and the others, clearly <b>embarrassed</b>. ¡°Sorry you had to see <b>that</b>. Let me show <b>you </b>to some empty rooms so you <b>can </b>get settled.¡±


    He led them upstairs.


    There were plenty of empty rooms. The ce even had water¨Cspring water <b>from </b>l


    <b>75</b><b>% </b>


    12:26 Fri, 15 Aug t


    Chapter 242 The Price of the Living


    after the recent heavy rains, it was cloudy and full of sediment.


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    Theresa quietly summoned clean water using her water¨Cbased ability<b>, </b>took a much¨Cneeded shower<b>, </b>and changed into fresh clothes<b>, </b>


    As she stepped out of her room, she heard voices whispering from around theer.


    ¡°Amelia, I caught you. You¡¯re the one who took the supplies!¡±


    Tanner, what are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb! I saw you sneaking the supplies back after Madeline ran off. You¡¯re one of those space- based ability users, aren¡¯t you!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re <b>talking </b>about.¡±


    ¡°Still ying innocent? Fine. I¡¯ll just tell everyone what you are.<b>¡± </b>


    Tanner, no! Please¨CI¡¯m begging you!¡±


    Tanner let out a sly chuckle. Then,e to my room tonight. Take care of me, and maybe I¡¯ll think about keeping quiet.¡±


    The voices stopped abruptly. Theresa heard footsteps moving away.


    Just then, the door across from her creaked open. Lucas stepped out, his brow furrowed. ¡°Theresa, what are you looking at?¡±


    ¡°A good show


    She didn¡¯t even notice that Lucas had started calling her by <b>name</b>.


    Later that evening, Landon invited Theresa¡¯s group to join them for dinner.


    <b>¡°</b>Good <b>thing </b>Madeline didn¡¯te down,<b>¡± </b>Nathaniel muttered. ¡°If that crazy woman saw us sharing food. with you, she¡¯d probably lose her mind.¡±


    Graham couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°So¡­ who <b>is </b>Ma to all of you?¡±


    ¡°Her husband was our former team leader¨CSamuel Hunter. He died a few days ago saving our lives. Ever since then, <b>she¡¯s </b>been losing it. Look, we know we owe Samuel, but there¡¯s only so much of her we can take, Nathaniel replied.


    <b>Landon </b>stood up. ¡°Go ahead <b>and </b>cat. I¡¯ll check <b>on </b>her.


    Theresa gave him a small nod. Once he <b>was </b>gone, Nathaniel leaned back in his chair.


    ¡°Let¡¯s be honest¨Cthis is the end of the world. People are just trying to <b>survive</b>. We can¡¯t keep living for the dead.


    He had barely finished the sentence when Tanner let out a mockingugh. ¡°That¡¯s real wise of you, Nathaniel. Just make sure you stay alive, then. ¡®Cause if you die, your little brother


    12:26 Fri, 15 Aug t


    Chapter 242 The Price of the Living


    75%


    s


    Madeline.¡±


    ¡°You son of a Nathaniel shot up, furious.


    ¡°Nat,e on. Let it go


    ¡°I let it go, alright. I¡¯ll just steer clear of him altogether, Tanner said, standing up. He nced meaningfully at Amelia, then headed for the stairs.


    Only when Tanner had disappeared did <b>Nathaniel </b>finally rx. He stared up the staircase, then turned to the pale¨Cfaced teenager beside him.


    Julian if I¡¯m ever not around anymore, you have to be strong, okay? Don¡¯t let yourself be a burden to anyone. Live.


    Julian, <b>his </b>fair skin flushed and eyes glistening with unshed tears, shook his head fiercely.


    ¡°No, Nat. You¡¯re not gonna die.¡±


    12:26 Fri, 15 Aug


    Chapter

 Kept Woman 243

    243 Shadows Behind Locked Doors


    Chapter 243 Shadows Behind Locked Doors


    ¡°Stop crying! You¡¯re a grow $


    <b>man</b>¨Cwho taught you to bawl like a kid?¡±


    No sooner had the scolding left his mouth than the lights overhead flicked off with a sharp click.


    Total darkness.


    s


    The house ran on its own sr¨Cpowered grid¨Cample energy stored during the day, enough to keep it lit through the night,


    <b>And </b>yet.. everything <b>had </b>gone <b>dark</b>.


    A bloodcurdling scream pierced the silence from upstairs.


    Theresa¡¯s head snapped upward. Within <b>seconds</b>, she and the others were rushing to the second¨Cfloornding.


    When they reached it, they saw the open door of the corner room at the end of the hall. Inside, in the dim shadows, a creature hunched over a man¡¯s body.


    A zombie, its limbs bending in all the wrong directions, straddled a man pinned to the floor. It had both hands locked around his head, tearing savagely at his <b>face </b>with gnashing teeth.


    One bite, and his lips were gone¨Cripped clean off, leaving his bare gums and bloodied teeth exposed.


    He screamed, mouth wide with agony, but even his ability was forgotten in the pain. As soon as his jaw dropped open, the creature lunged again, sinking its fangs into his tongue.


    It yanked its head back.


    Squelch


    The tongue came free in a long, wet, bloody strip¨Cmucous membranes <b>and </b>all.


    The creature chewed loudly, greedily, like it was enjoying a delicacy Within seconds, it had swallowed it down.


    Tanner could no longer scream.


    He was just a lump of torn flesh beneath the zombie¡¯s weight.


    ¡°It¡¯s Tanner! Nathaniel shouted. The usual bitterness <b>in </b>his voice was gone. He raised a hand andunched a rapid burst of water orbs at the creature.


    His aim wasn¡¯t perfect, but among the group, he was still <b>the </b>strongest.


    It took everything he had, but finally, the creature copsed¨Cdead.


    Tanner twitched once in the pool of his own blood. Then his legs spasmed, his body twisted grotesquely- feet turning backwards, torso arching forward.


    He stood up.


    12:26 Fri, 15 Aug


    Chapter 243 Shadows Behind Locked Doors.


    No tongue in his gaping mouth. Just a <b>red</b><b>, </b>gory pit.


    It looked like a cavern¨Cbottomless, hungry.


    ¡°Ugh


    Nathaniel summoned a powerful sphere of water <b>and </b>hurled it at the reanimated Tanner.


    But the moment it struck, a burst of <b>mes </b>exploded and dispersed the water instantly.


    Tanner had been a fire¨Cbased ability user.


    Now he was a fire¨Cbased zombie.


    Nathaniel didn¡¯t stand a chance.


    s


    Just as Tanner charged, a massive st of water¨Cjust as tall as he was¨Cerupted from behind Nathaniel.


    Crack


    The zombie was mmed straight <b>into </b>the wall..


    His head split cleanly in two from the <b>force </b>of the impact.


    A gleamstone rolled out of the remains of his skull.


    Theresa stepped forward and calmly picked it up.


    The others stood frozen, shocked.


    They stared at her.


    That powerful?


    At that moment, Landon came rushing down from the third floor. ¡°What happened?!¡±


    Landon¨CTanner turned into a zombie!¡±


    Half <b>an </b>hourter, Landon and the others had searched the entire guesthouse.


    They discovered Tanner¡¯s window wide open. From the scratch marks and blood trails, it was clear- something had crawled in from outside.


    ¡°This wasn¡¯t an ident, Nathaniel muttered. ¡°Someone did <b>this</b><b>. </b>


    ¡°But we were all at dinner, someone protested. ¡°Wait¨Conly Madeline wasn¡¯t


    The voice came from Rhen, who¡¯d barely spoken before.


    Madeline, who had juste down with Landon, paled instantly.


    Before she couldsh out, Landon stepped in. ¡°No proof, no usations.


    <b>That </b>stopped their <b>mouths</b>, but not their thoughts. The silence became heavy, the stares heavier.


    ÓÐ75%Ãæ


    12:26 Fri, 15 Aug .


    Chapter 243 Shadows Behind Locked Doors


    Madeline, suffocated by suspicion, turned and ran back upstairs.


    +5 Free <b>Coins </b>


    Theresa¡¯s gaze swept the group. Amelia¨Csmall, quiet¨Cclung to Rhett, her boyfriend. But her eyes kept drifting back to where Tanner¡¯s body had been


    Rhett wrapped an arm around her and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t be scared. No matter what, I protect


    you


    Amelia nodded faintly.


    Ouce the chaos had settled, Landon sent Nathaniel and Julian to the basement to inspect the power system. He took the others to check the <b>rest </b>of the house.


    ¡°Keep your guard up tonight, Lucas said once they¡¯d regrouped. ¡°This isn¡¯t just some random fluke.¡±


    They eyed the food Landon had prepared.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat our own stuff, someone suggested


    Yeah¡±


    Theresa silently agreed.


    They ate their own supplies. Afterward, Landon¡¯s group took turns having dinner.


    But Amelia never came dowIL


    Rhett said the sight of Tanner¡¯s death had killed her appetite.


    No one questioned it¨Cnot until everyone had finished eating when Isabelle suddenly burst from her room, her face pale.


    ¡°Something¡¯s <b>wrong</b>! Something¡¯s really wrong!¡±


    <b>¡°</b>What now?¡±


    Our supplies¨Cthey¡¯re all gone!¡±


    Even as they reeled from the news, they <b>heard </b>it,


    The unmistakable rumble of an engine outside<b>. </b>


    Someone had stolen their only working vehicle. And driven it away.


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    Chapter 244 The Traitor¡¯s Return


    s


    Landon¡¯s mind went nk as a hot rush of blood surged to his head. ¡°Who is it?¡± he shouted, already half rising from his seat.


    ¡°Nathaniel and Julian are still in the basement, and Madeline¡¯s in her room. Could it be Amelia?¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Rhett stood abruptly, denying it outright. But as soon as he was on his feet, a <b>wave </b>of dizziness washed over him, and with a heavy thud, he copsed back onto the chair.


    The others weren¡¯t faring any better. One by one, they slumped down, limbs like jelly, their heads spinning as if the air itself had betrayed them.


    Just then. Nathaniel burst in from the basement, his voice loud and panicked. ¡°Landon! Julian and I found Amelia¡¯s stuff in the electrical box downstairs. She cut the power!¡±


    As he took in the scene¨Ceveryone pale, dazed, barely able to sit upright¨Chis eyes finallynded on Theresa, who pointed toward the door and said casually. Don¡¯t look at us. Your little genius Amelia took your supplies and your vehicle and made a run for it


    Nathaniel froze, stunned. But before he could fully process what she¡¯d said, the sound of pounding echoed from the front door¨Cthud, thud, thud.


    He spun around and saw her¨CAmelia¨Csoaked to the bone, disheveled, and frantic, running back toward


    them.


    ¡°Help me! Please, help me!¡± she screamed.


    Landon and the others stared, too stunned to speak.


    But Rhett¨Cdizzy, barely steady on his feet¨Cmanaged to rise again. Somehow, he pushed through the fog in his head, stumbled to the door, and pulled Amelia inside.


    No sooner had he done so than the metal door behind her was mmed open with a loud crash.


    Seven or eight zombies¨Cgrotesque, snarling, packed tight¨Crammed their way through the narrow gap where Amelia had juste in.


    Luckily, their cabin had a second door. Behind the outer sheet¨Cmetal door, there was still a wooden sliding door. Rhett, fast as ever, mmed it shut.


    The creatures outside hit it with a bone¨Crattling thump, but for <b>now</b>, the barrier held.


    Inside, the group took a collective breath of relief¨Cbut it <bsted </b>only a moment.


    Then came the yelling


    What did you drug <b>us </b><b>with</b>?¡± Isabelle snapped, her voice sharp despite the haze in her head. She red at Amelia with pure fury.


    Amelia trembled, clinging to Rhett¡¯s sleeve like a child. ¡°Just a little sleeping pill. You¡¯ll be fine after a night¡¯s <b>rest</b>.


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    Chapter 244 The Traitor¡¯s Return


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    That was thest straw.


    Just a sleeping pillt night¡¯s rest?


    The <b>room </b>erupted with disbelief.


    This was the apocalypse. Sleeping <b>a </b>night through wasn¡¯t just risky¨Cit was a death sentence.


    ¡°You stole the supplies!¡± Isabelle shouted.


    Amelia blinked, genuinely confused. ¡°Supplies? What supplies?¡±


    ¡°Stop pretending! All our stuff is gone. Of course it was you!¡±


    I didn¡¯t take anything!¡± Amelia shook her head violently. ¡°I swear, I didn¡¯t take your supplies!¡±


    ¡°Then why did you steal the car in the middle of the night?¡±


    IL Amelia stammered, unable to exin. She clung tighter to Rhett. ¡°I didn¡¯t steal anything, Rhett, you believe me, right?¡±


    Though he had pulled her back in from the jaws of death<b>, </b>it was clear Rhett wasn¡¯t buying it this time. ¡°If you took something, give it back.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t. It wasn¡¯t me. Please, you have to believe me.¡±


    Theresa, who had silently watched the drama unfold, found herself surprisingly skeptical. She¡¯d thought it was Amelia, too¨Cafter all, Amelia had a domain, a motive, and no shortage of audacity. But now, watching her reaction¡­ this didn¡¯t look like guilt.


    Still, if it wasn¡¯t Amelia¨Cthen who?


    A new sound interrupted them. The unmistakable pounding of something¨Cor someone¨Ctrying to break through the <b>back </b>door.


    Thud Thud. Thud.


    ¡°Oh no, Isabelle gasped. ¡°That door¡¯s been unsafe since thest attack!¡±


    Crash.


    ss shattered somewhere behind them.


    ¡°We need to get to the <b>basement</b>¨Cnow!¡± Isabelle shouted. She grabbed Landon, who was barely standing, and Nathaniel <b>rushed </b>over to li


    Amelia clung to Rhett, too shaken to do <b>anything </b>on her own.


    But as they started moving. Landon suddenly stopped. ¡°Madeline¡¯s still upstairs.¡±


    ¡°We need to take care of ourselves first, Isabelle said, but there was resentment <b>in </b>her voice. A bitterness that ran deeper <b>than </b>fear.


    No Landon insisted. ¡°We¡¯re going up. All of us.¡±


    12:26 Fri, 15 Aug.


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    Chapter 244 The Traitor¡¯s Return


    Isabelle <b>scowled</b>, about to argue¨Cuntil another voice chimed in.


    ¡°We¡¯re going too, Theresa said, calm but firm. ¡°We¡¯ve still got things upstairs.¡±


    Isabelle turned toce her atst.:


    ¡°Ms. Hall, the upstairs isn¡¯t safe. The basement has a secure passage. We can escape through there.


    ¡°No need. Theresa said coolly. ¡°We¡¯re not <b>afraid </b>of danger. A few dozen zombies? That¡¯s nothing¡± <b>There </b>was a flicker in Isabelle¡¯s expression¨Can emotion she couldn¡¯t quite hide.


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    Chapter 245 Secrets in the Dark


    Just then, the long¨Cdead lights in their vacation vi began to flicker and glow to life.


    s


    Julian!¡± Nathaniel¡¯s eyes widened as he nced at the ceiling, the sudden light sparking <b>a </b>terrible realization. ¡°He¡¯s still in the basement! We have to go down there!¡±


    ¡°If you want to go, go by yourselves. We¡¯re noting.¡± Theresa said coldly, cutting off any protest.


    Nathaniel didn¡¯t waste time arguing. Without hesitation, he slung one of Landon¡¯s arms over his shoulder and motioned for Isabelle to do the same. Together, they started down the stairs.


    Rhett made a move to follow¨Cbut Amelia grabbed his arm and pulled him back, <b>hard</b>,


    He stayed.


    ¡°Rhett, let¡¯s go upstairs, she said.


    ¡°Stop pretending. Now that the others were gone, he finally dropped the act and let his irritation show.


    He tried to shake off Amelia¡¯s hand, but he was still <b>too </b>weak. Her grip held fast.


    ¡°Rhett Her wide, red¨Crimmed eyes¨Clike a frightened rabbit¡¯s¨Cwere locked <b>on </b>him. She stubbornly refused to let go.


    ¡°Kid¡± Theresa said, her voice sharp, ¡°if you can say one honest thing tonight¨Cwas it you who took the supplies?¡±


    Amelia tumed her head <b>slowly </b>toward Theresa, The W¡¯s sharp, prating gaze seemed <b>to </b>see straight through her, down to the secrets she kept hidden in the smallest corners of her heart.


    She clutched Rhett¡¯s arm tighter, dropped her head, <b>and </b>gave it a small, trembling shake. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me,¡± she said softly.


    <b>¡°</b>And who would believe you now?¡± Rhett muttered, pressing the heels of his hands against his temples, trying to stay focused.


    Amelia¡¯s red¨Crimmed eyes brimmed with tears, her head still bowed. She didn¡¯t answer.


    Of course, no one would believe her.


    It didn¡¯t matter what she did or said¨Cpeople like her weren¡¯t trusted. That was why she¡¯d made up her


    mind to leave alone


    ¡°I believe <b>you</b>. Theresa said suddenly.


    Amelia¡¯s head snapped up.


    Just tell us what <b>you </b>know, Theresa said, voice steady. ¡°Tell the truth, and I¡¯ll believe you.¡±


    Amelia¡¯s lip trembled. A faint light flickered in her eyes, the first since everything had gone to hell. She looked from Theresa to Rhett, then took a deep breath.


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    Chapter 245 Secrets in the Dark


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    ¡°I have a space¨Cbased ability. I did steal from the team¡¯s supplies once, but I got caught. After that, I didn¡¯t take anything else. Tanner found out about the ability and used it to ckmail me. He said if I didn¡¯t¡­ if I didn¡¯t spend the night with him, he¡¯d tell everyone my secret.¡±


    She swallowed hard, her voice shaking.


    I was scared. So, I lured a zombie into the house to kill him. After he died, I panicked. I thought you¡¯d find out eventually, and I didn¡¯t want to wait for that. I drugged you all, just a little. Just enough to buy myself time. I was going to sneak away.


    Rhett stared at her like he didn¡¯t <b>know </b>her at all. The story¨Cher whole confession¨Cwas more than he could process.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me any of this?¡± he asked, <b>voice </b>hollow.


    Tears welled again in <b>Amelia¡¯s </b>eyes. ¡°Because. Because¡­¡±


    ¡°Because she didn¡¯t trust you.¡± Theresa answered for her. ¡°She¡¯s not brave. She¡¯s not strong. She¡¯s scared and alone at the end of the world. What kind of person would trust a man with their life, in a ce like this<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>


    Amelia said nothing. Her head dropped again, her hands still locked tight around Rhett¡¯s arm.


    Amelia was sensitive. Ordinary. The kind of girl most people wouldn¡¯t notice.


    She¡¯d been a housekeeper in this very vill was poor. She had a little brother¨Ceverything in that household had always been for him, Even the room Graduated high school and went straight to work. Her family she¡¯d once called hers had been passed down to him the moment she left.


    People always said that when girls grew up, they didn¡¯t have a home anymore. Amelia never even made it that far¨Cshe¡¯d never had one to begin with. The staff bunk at <b>the </b>vi had felt more like home than anywhere she¡¯d ever known.


    Then the world ended.


    She awakened to a space¨Cbased ability. Her first instinct was <b>to </b>hide it. In a world like this, secrets meant protection. So, she kept it to herself.


    Later, she met Rhett. He talked about sticking together, surviving the apocalypse <b>as </b><b>a </b>team. She wasn¡¯t strong or clever or brave. But Rhett made <b>her </b>feel like she didn¡¯t have to be. She thought about it for one night¨Cand said yes<b>. </b>


    Two people always had better odds than one.


    But even <b>then</b>, she hadn¡¯t told him her secret.


    ¡°So why now?¡± Rhett asked. ¡°Why tell me today?¡±


    ¡°Because you risked your life to save her, Theresa <b>said</b><b>, </b>nodding toward Amelia, who was now speechless, head still bowed in guilt and shame.


    Amelia wasn¡¯t stupid. She was just easily hurt, She¡¯d drugged him and ran¨Cbut <b>when </b>she came back, he¡¯d still opened the door for her. That kind of loyalty shook something deep inside her.


    12:26 FM, 15 Aug


    Chapter 245 Secrets in the Dark


    Even a heart of stone would <b>have </b>cracked.


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    <b>And </b>Amelia¡­ Amelia wasn¡¯t stone. She only looked like a girl with a thousand schemes. Inside, she was simple. <b>And </b>lonely.


    ¡°I almost forgot,¡± she said suddenly, eyes darting to the door. ¡°When I was running out. I think¡ªI think I


    saw Wyatt.¡±


    Rhett went <b>pale</b>. ¡°Wyant?¡±


    At that moment, the overhead light above them¨Conly just repaired¨Cbegan to flicker again.


    12:26 Fri, 15 Aug to.


    Chapter 246 Blood Behind the Door

 Kept Woman 246

    Chapter 246 Blood Behind the Door


    Chapter 246 Blood Behind the Door


    The air <b>was </b>thick with uncase¨Csomething was wrong.


    ¡°There¡¯s something happening in the basement!¡± Rhett shouted,


    s


    Theresa didn¡¯t hesitate. She and several <b>others </b>rushed toward the source of the voice, but¨Ctrue to her nature¨Cshe left a few people posted outside <b>and </b>ordered Kyle to keep a close watch for anything unusual.


    They arrived at the basement entrance to find the door sealed shut with a massive iron padlock. No one else was around.


    From the <b>other </b>side of the door came a desperate, muffled pounding. Even pressing an ear close to the thick metal, they could barely hear it.


    ¡°Help us! Please, help! Somebody help us!¡±


    Theresa didn¡¯t think. She grabbed a nearby fire extinguisher and mmed it against the lock with everything she had.


    Bang Bang Crash.


    The lock fell to the floor.


    She stepped back, and the door creaked open.


    A wave of blood and rot hit her in the face.


    Only three people remained inside, but the basement was teeming with the undead. A writhing, endless mass of them.


    A fragile wall ofpressed air strained to hold the zombies <b>back</b>. Julian, the one nearest the door<b>, </b>pounded it with his fists and sobbed as the barrier weakened.


    Then, finally, the door opened all the way.


    Julian!¡± Rhett, filled with an adrenaline¨Cfueled second wind, rushed to the basement entrance and grabbed <b>Julian </b>by the arm, yanking him upward,


    Just as Julian was about to reach safety, one of the zombies vaulted over the failing air <b>wall</b>. Itunched itself several yards in a single leap, jaws wide.


    At the <bst </b>moment, Nathaniel grabbed his younger brother and pulled him close.


    The creature sank its teeth deep into Nathaniel¡¯s back..


    ¡°No!¡± Julian screamed


    ¡°Go!¡± Nathaniel roared, his body twisting with raw strength. He hurled Julian up and out of the basement. Julian hit the ground above with a <b>sob</b>. ¡°<b>Nat</b>! Nat! What happened?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m finel¡± Nathaniel shouted back, though blood soaked his <b>shirt</b>. He turned to Landon, whose trembling


    12:27 Fri, 15 Augti.


    Chapter 246 Blood Behind the Door


    arms could no longer hold the copsing air wall.


    When it shattered, <b>Nathaniel </b>grabbed <b>Landon </b><b>and </b>hurled him upward, too.


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    Landon¨CJulian¡®


    the only <b>brother </b>I¡¯ve got, I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s shameful¨Cplease. I¡¯m begging you. Look


    after him.


    He didn¡¯t wait for an answer.


    Landon soared upward.


    Nathaniel stood alone in the breach, backlit by the wave of snarling, reaching corpses behind him.


    ¡°Shut the door!¡± he shouted.


    ¡°Nat! No!¡± Julian lunged forward in a blind panic.


    The thick stone door creaked shut, inch by inch.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, dumb¡¯ss, came Nathaniel¡¯s voice, clear and fierce through the narrowing crack. ¡°You remember what I taught you? I¡¯m gone, so you have to protect yourself now. Be a man. Don¡¯t be a burden to anyone. You¡¯ve always been my pride-


    His voice cut off with a strangled cry as <b>a </b>zombie mped onto his neck.


    He raised his head onest time.


    His eyes were pale gray, his smile bright.


    Slem


    The stone door shutpletely.


    Theresa and the others threw chairs, shelves, anything they could find against it, barricading the entrance.


    Julian copsed to his knees before the sealed <b>door</b>, sobbing until his voice <b>gave </b>out.


    Landony slumped nearby, barely conscious under the weight of the sleeping pill, but his bloodshot eyes remained wide open.


    He <b>couldn¡¯t </b>blink. He couldn¡¯t speak.


    Amelia returned to Rhett, her body trembling. He didn¡¯t say a <b>word</b>¨Cjust held her close<b>. </b>


    Then, a new voice pierced the silence.


    ¡°You had your chance at salvation¡­ and you spat on it. Now? There¡¯s no way out.¡±


    A car had parked just outside the window. The window rolled down to reveal a <b>man </b><b>and </b>a <b>woman </b>in the <b>from </b>seats


    ¡°It¡¯s Isabelle and <b>Wyatt</b>, <b>Amelia </b>gasped.


    That¡¯s right. It¡¯s me, Isabelle sneered. Her face twisted with hate.


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    Chapter 246 Blood Behind the Door


    ¡°It¡¯s because of you pathetic parasites clinging to Landon that we¡¯ve gotten this far gone! Madeline is <b>a </b>useless b*tch¨CI hate her. And you, Amelia, you make me sick, too. Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t know you¡¯re a space¨Cbased ability user, sneaking around, stealing supplies from camp!


    Her voice rose, venomous.


    ¡°Tanner was a joke. Nathaniel and Julian¨Cjust two worthless <b>losers</b>. And Landon? A spineless idiot! I¡¯m sick of all of you!¡±


    She mmed her hand on the dashboard.


    You all should¡¯ve died a long time <b>ago</b>! I¡¯ve been waiting for it!¡±


    Inside, Landon¨Cstill on the floor¨Cturned his head. His crimson eyes locked on Isabelle through the window<b>. </b>


    Wyatt, still behind the wheel, leered at Theresa and the others, his eyes greasy with lust.


    ¡°You little sl¡¯t,¡± he said to her. ¡°Last time, you ruined my chance to join your group. I¡¯m not joining your dumb*ss team now, either. Regret it yet? Well, it¡¯s too

 Kept Woman 247

    Chapter 247 A Feast for the Dead


    Chapter 247 A Feast for the Dead


    K 75%


    +5 <b>Free </b>Coins


    Wyatt grinned from ear to ear as he brought out a massive barrel of blood from his domain. He looked practically giddy, as if he couldn¡¯t <b>wait </b>to watch them all get devoured by the oing horde of zombies.


    Tonight, I¡¯ve prepared a feast for you all! Oh, <b>wait</b>¨Cno, <b>not </b>for <b>you</b>. For the zombies. Watch this-


    Suddenly, a gunshot cut through the air.


    A single bullet <b>tore </b>through Wyatt¡¯s forehead. Instant kill.


    Isabelle, sitting in the passenger seat, froze in shock. Kyle had fired the shot.


    Theresa always left people stationed in key positions¨Cready to strike at a moment¡¯s notice.


    That was professionalism.


    Wyatt¡¯s blood sprayed across Isabelle¡¯s face. In the next instant, she felt a gun aimed at her. Panic overtook her¨Cshe screamed, threw open the car door, and bolted. But the moment the door swung open, the scent of blood drew the zombies in. One pounced <b>on </b>her before she could even take a step.


    A guttural snarl filled the air.


    Isabelle hit the ground hard as seven or eight zombies descended on her, their snarls drowning out her screams. Within seconds, she was too torn apart to even cry for help. Four or five more zombies scrambled through the open door and into the car.


    They dug into Wyatt¡¯s still¨Cwarm corpse with a frenzy.


    As the undead <b>tore </b>at his flesh, supplies from his domain burst outward, scattering around the vehicle. In moments, the entire area was surrounded by crates and gear, all useless now.


    Wyatt, once full of life and smugness, was reduced to a blood¨Csoaked skeleton.


    They were starving.


    Desperately, agonizingly starving.


    The zombies devoured him like rabid dogs, gnawing him from head to toe. His hot, pulpy brain was slurped down with obscene delight¨Clike a rare delicacy.


    Of course, there were still parts even zombies didn¡¯t cat¨Clike therge intestine.


    So many of them wandered with lengths of intestine dragging behind them like grotesque tails.


    Zombies loved innards <b>and </b>blood the most. Second to that was brain matter. Then came muscle. Typically, once the innards were <b>gone </b>and the victim turned, the others would lose interest¨Cthe flesh of their own kind didn¡¯t appeal to them.


    But Wyatt had died clean¨Cno¨Cmutation, no fight, Which meant the zombies were able to enjoy a full- course, almost pristine human meal. Except, of course, for the intestines.


    ¶à:75%ͯ


    12:27 Fri, 15 Aug t


    Chapter 247 A Feast for the Dead


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    The sounds of frenzied chewing <b>echoed </b>around Wyatt¡¯s remains. More zombies were drawn to the feast, climbing into the car with wild eyes. Some were lucky, snagging a finger or a chunk of meat. Others, not so much. They had to make do with blood¨Csoaked socks.


    Just as the entire horde piled onto the vehicle, lost in gluttonous ecstasy¡­.


    Pop, pop. pop!


    Silenced shots ripped <b>through </b>the air.


    Headshots. Every bullet precise.


    Every single zombie near the front and rear of the car dropped where they stood.


    The gunfire wasn¡¯t isted. From the front and back of the lodge, more shots rang out.


    The zombies banging against the main entrance crumpled under sniper fire from above. A few had slipped in through the unlocked rear door Isabelle had opened¨Cbut they were dispatched with ease<b>. </b>


    The whole house became a clean¨Cup zone, centered <b>around </b>Theresa¡¯smand. Her team swept every direction.


    In under half an hour, the undead surrounding the first floor had beenpletely eradicated.


    The zombie horde Wyatt and Isabelle had deliberately lured¨Cintended as <b>a </b><b>trap </b>for Landon¨Chad be their own demise.


    To Theresa and her team, this wasn¡¯t even a real battle. It was barely a warm¨Cup.


    Soon, the area was secured. No real threat remained.


    Theresa, west side clear!¡±


    ¡°Theresa, east side¡¯s done!¡±


    ¡°Theresa, south is clean!¡±


    ¡°Theresa, north secure!¡±


    She <b>raised </b>a hand, signaling the team to grab their gear. No one was to leave anything behind. They would all sleep on the first floor <b>that </b>night¨Cmats on the ground<b>, </b>weapons within reach. At dawn, they would


    move out.


    Just because <b>the </b>zombies were gone didn¡¯t mean they could sleep soundly.


    There were still more lurking in the <b>basement</b>. Someone <b>had </b>to <b>stand </b>guard.


    Theresa spread out her group on the first floor. Landon was being carried by Julian, who had cried <b>his </b>eyes out Theresa, Landon, Julian, Amelia, Rhett, and the others took refuge downstairs. Madeline was <b>still </b>somewhere upstairs.


    Amelia stood silently at Rhett¡¯s side, supporting him


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    Chapter 247 A Feast for the Dead


    +5 Free Cons


    Julian¡¯s face had calmed. No more tears. He carried Landon on his back with steady determination.


    ¡°I need to speak with him.¡± Theresa said, eyes fixed on Julian.


    Julian didn¡¯t move. He kept Landon on his back, his gaze hard. His expression said it all: he took orders. from Landon, and no one else.


    Theresa narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°Put me down,¡± Landon muttered, his voice hoarse, eyes red. He gave Julian¡¯s back <b>a </b>weak pat.


    Only then did Julian gently lower him to the ground.

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    <b>Chapter </b>248 Bound by Loyalty.


    Chapter 248 Bound by Loyalty


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    ¡°Landon, would you be willing to join my squad? Serve <b>under </b>me?¡± Theresa asked.


    She had been observing him along the way. Landon was indecisive, not the kind of man cut out for leadership. But his character¨Csolid, dependable¨Cwas beyond question.


    Otherwise, so many people wouldn¡¯t have entrusted <b>their </b>loved ones to him with their dying breaths.


    The truth was, even among leaders, a lot of them were pretty ordinary.


    Some had decent values and solid skills, but they simply <b>weren¡¯t </b>fit to <b>lead </b>a team. All they could do was y the peacemaker, trying to keep the group from falling apart, smoothing over every conflict like wet y filling <b>cracks</b>. They wanted to protect everyone, but in doing so, they ended up protecting no one. And the team would inevitably copse.


    After Isabelle¡¯s betrayal, Theresa finally understood why Landon had be a lone wolf in his past life. He must have realized, painfully, that he was never meant to lead. That he¡¯d been betrayed by the one person he trusted most¨Chis partner. That betrayal had pushed him down a solitary <b>path</b><b>. </b>


    Theresa saw potential in him¨Cnot as a leader, but as a loyal, capable general.


    Landon heard her words and asked quietly, ¡°What about them?¡±


    Your people?¡± Theresa replied. ¡°Ill take them too, but they won¡¯t follow you. I¡¯ll ce them where they fit best in our alliance.¡±


    Each person had to be used wisely. A powerful team only thrived when every bolt and screw turned to its fullest.


    After her words settled, Landon turned to thest few people still standing by his side¨Cjust three now.


    Amelia was gripping Rhett¡¯s hand tightly. She met Landon¡¯s eyes, took a deep breath, and said, ¡°Landon, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m <b>a </b>space¨Cbased ability user. I never trusted anyone in the group, <b>so </b>I hid it all this time. Sometimes, when supplies went missing from the camp¡­ that was me. I stole them. I¡¯m sorry. And¡­ I was the one who killed Tanner. If you <b>want </b>revenge, I won¡¯t resist.¡±


    Rhett gave her a tug. ¡°Landon, <b>no</b>. That <b>was </b><b>me</b>. Tanner made a move on my girl, so I took care of it. If someone <b>has </b>to pay, it¡¯s me.¡±


    Landon looked at the young couple in front of him for a long time before saying. ¡°If you two cause trouble again, there¡¯ll be no one left to <b>protect </b><b>you</b>. No one left to forgive you. You better watch yourselves.¡±


    The two of them <b>nced </b>at each other. ¡°Landon! Are you really leaving us behind?¡± Amelia cried.


    ¡°It was my fault before,¡± she said, eyes wet. ¡°I was suspicious<b>. </b>I doubted everyone. Please¨Cjust this once, forgive me!


    Julian walked over then. ¡°Landon, my brother asked ine to stick with you.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t leave us,¡± he added. ¡°You¡¯re the only one we¡¯ve ever truly trusted.


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    Chapter 248 Bound by Loyalty


    ¡°You once said our squad would never break <ol><li>up. </li></ol>


    <b>+5 </b>Free Coins


    Landon stayed quiet for a long moment. When he finally turned to go, all three of them grabbed hold of


    his sleeve.


    Right then <b>and </b>there¨Cafter all the death, the suspicion, the trials¨Cthey were still together. Still¨Ca team.


    A sudden smile broke across Landon¡¯s face. The bitterness of Isabelle¡¯s betrayal melted away in an instant, warmed by something real.


    Ms. Hall,¡± he said, turning to Theresa. I¡¯d like to keep my squad together. I remember you said your group was part of an alliance. Would you allow us to join as a unit? There¡¯s only a few of us. We¡¯ll take care of ourselves in the field, never slow you down. As for supplies, just enough to eat and drink, that¡¯s all we


    ask


    It was the most modest offer <b>he </b>could make


    In essence, Landon was offering himself just to earn his team a ce at the table.


    Life and death¨Cthey¡¯d take full responsibility. All they asked was to be allowed to fight alongside Theresa¡¯s people and scrounge enough to survive.


    Theresa narrowed her eyes slightly at that. ¡°You really won¡¯t consider just joining me directly?¡±


    Landon shook his head. ¡°No. But thank you, Ms. Hall. You¡¯ve helped me more than once on this road. As long as I have even one teammate left, I won¡¯t leave them behind. But if one day, they¡¯re all gone and I¡¯m still standing¡­ then my life is yours.¡±


    He was trading himself in for their ce.


    Theresa saw the steel in him then¨Cthis quiet, unshakable resolve. She made a quick decision.


    ¡°All right, she said. ¡°You agree to serve under nte, and I¡¯ll let you lead your own squad. Operate independently. You¡¯ll be responsible for your own safety.¡±


    Landon nodded, ¡°I ept. I¡¯ll serve under you, Ms. Hall.¡±


    As his wordsnded, a soft chime echoed inside Theresa¡¯s <b>mind</b>.


    Ding Camp guard detected: +1!


    Reward: 1,000 points! Combat suit x1! Loyalty increased¨Ccurrent loyalty level: 90. Special ability replicated. Congrattions, you¡¯ve acquired: Aeroshield!


    Finally


    All that effort she¡¯d poured into Landon <b>had </b><b>not </b>gone to waste.

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    Chapter 249 The Power Within


    Chapter 249 The Power Within.


    The ability had arrived¨Csomething different, something new,


    s


    Theresa faced Landon squarely. ¡°From <b>now </b>on, you¡¯re one of us¨Cpart of the zing Sun Alliance. Your whole team will receive the same benefits as any other unit under our banner. And you, personally, will get


    additional perks under my directmand¡± She turned to her teammate. ¡°Kyle, get our new guy up to


    speed,¡±


    You got it!¡± Kyle said with enthusiasm. He already liked Landon, respected his loyalty and courage. He walked over <b>and </b>started exining <b>the </b>alliance¡¯s benefits <b>in </b>detail.


    As Kyle spoke, Landon and his teammates grew visibly stunned. Their mouths hung open as Kyle went on to exin the true strength of the zing Sun Alliance¨Cand how they were alreadyunching counterattacks to reim lost <b>cities</b><b>. </b>


    They were dumbfounded.


    Who were these people!


    They were retaking cities. Retaking them.


    The next morning, Theresa and the others woke early and prepared to depart.


    Landon had already bolted upstairs at dawn to knock on Madeline¡¯s door, afraid she might bete and dy Theresa¡¯s departure.


    By the time Theresa drove the armored car down from the ridge, everyone else was already aboard. Only Madeline remained, dragged along atst by Landon and his crew,


    ¡°Ms. Hall! We¡¯re here!¡± Landon called out, waving at Theresa.


    She nodded and opened the car door to let them in. Their only vehicle had been taken by Wyatt the previous day, and by now, it was likely swarmed with zombies,pletely unusable.


    Now that they were all on the same team, it only made sense to ride together.


    Since her secret had been revealed, Amelia¡¯s demeanor had grown much more cheerful. She even smiled at Theresa, who nodded back and directed her to take a seat in the back row. Rhett and Julian followed close behind,


    But when <b>it </b>came to Madeline, she froze.


    She stopped just before stepping in, turning slowly¨Cher eyes fixed westward, toward the tree line.


    ¡°Madeline, what are you looking at? Get in the car! Landon urged.


    Without <b>a </b>word, she jerked her band free and ran.


    Straight toward the woods in the west.


    Landon saw it then¨Chalf¨Csubmerged in the swamp left by the storm<b>, </b>a one armed zombie struggled in the muck. Its upper body was the only thing above <b>ground</b><b>, </b>so caked in mud and leaves <b>that </b><b>i</b>¨C1


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    Chapter 249 The Power Within


    looked like part of the broken forest.


    As Madeline ran, she shouted, ¡°Samuel Samuel! Don¡¯t leave me again! Samuel, I want to be with you!¡±


    ¡°Madeline Landon realized the truth in an instant and ran after her, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t catch her. Her hand was always just out of reach.


    That¡¯s a zombie¡± That¡¯s a zombie


    ¡°Let her go. Theresa said quietly. ¡°Even if he¡¯s a zombie now, she¡¯s made her choice.¡±


    Landon froze mid¨Cstep.


    He watched as Madeline scrambled over jagged rocks, splintered <b>logs</b>, and debris. She charged into the swamp without hesitation.


    The one¨Carmed zombie seemed to sense her presence. It iled and thrashed toward her, its body heaving as if it still remembered her, still longed for her.


    It looked like a response¨Cdesperate, savage, but unmistakably real.


    Then, with a hollow crack, a broken tree branch¨Cdislodged by the storm¨Ccame crashing down. It pierced through the zombie¡¯s chest. It stared down at the gaping wound, as if trying to make sense of what had just happened,


    And then


    Thad


    A woman¡¯s body collided with its chest.


    The same jagged branch pierced her too, impaling her clean through


    The sharp scent of blood filled the air, awakening the creature¡¯s senses beneathyers of mud and decay. Rasping Growling. Devouring


    Its mouth opened wide, kes of dried mud falling from its face in chunks. It clung to her like a lifeline, tearing into her with everything it had left.


    And she? She clung to him just as tightly.


    My love. They all bullied me. Only <b>you </b>were ever kind. We¡¯ll be together. Forever.¡±


    The armored car roared down the highway, leaving the scene behind in a blur of dust <b>and </b>smoke.


    Inside, Landon sat with his back to the window. He didn¡¯t look back at the lovers locked in their final embrace.


    His fists clenched Tighter. Tighter still.


    He had to change.


    He turned to look at the people around him¨Cdisciplined, sharp, battle¨C<b>harde </b>


    12:27 Fri, 15 Aug


    Chapter 249 The Power Within


    andmanding


    He would be like <b>her</b>. A leader worthy of this team.


    Once they left the area, the road home unfolded before them.


    But things had <b>changed</b>.


    45 Free Coins


    First, the weather. The rain had passed, but it had left behind an oppressive heat. The asphalt shimmered with waves of hot air, and the sun beat down harder than ever.


    Second, the zombies.


    They were faster now. More coordinated. More aggressive.


    Theresa, look¨Cthose zombies! someone shouted.


    From the elevated <b>highway</b><b>, </b>they could see them¨Can entire horde, the same one that had chased them days ago


    Only now, it had grown.


    There were more of them. <b>Many </b>more.


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    Chapter 250 The Bridge of Blood and Steel


    Chapter 250 The Bridge of Blood and Steel


    As their armored car rumbled across the cracked concrete of the overpass. Branford¡¯s undead swarmed like a flood bursting through every street and alley. The moment the zombies caught wind of Theresa¡¯s vehicle¡ªone giant can of living meat barreling through town¨Cthey came after <b>it </b>in droves


    But this time, they didn¡¯t just chase them on the ground.


    They climbed.


    The creatures, in a nightmarish swarm, scaled the massive concrete support pirs of the elevated highway like a colony of ants. Theresa watched in horrified awe as they crawled upward in tight clusters. their speed and coordination nothing like the sluggish beasts they¡¯d once been. These were faster. Smarter. More agile. Some even scaled the concrete like grotesque mutant mountain goats, scuttling up the smooth surfaces with frightening ease.


    ¡°They¡¯re evolving,¡± she muttered. ¡°On a massive scale.¡±


    One of them¡ªa tall, gaunt, bald zombie with a caved¨Cin forehead and two cavernous pits where its eyes had once been¨Creached the top first. It perched atop the guardrail, sniffing, listening, sensing the armored car¡¯s movements by sound and scent alone.


    Then it leapt, arms outstretched, shrieking toward the car.


    Kyle, hands tight on the wheel, yanked the steering hard.


    Thud<i>. </i>


    The creature mmed into the asphalt with a sickening crunch, creating a deep, man¨Csized crater. If it hadnded on the vehicle, it could¡¯ve thrown them all off bnce¡ªor worse.


    The car whipped around the crater at speed, tires squealing, barely missing the twitching remains of the fallen attacker.


    But more wereing. Dozens. Hundreds.


    Zombies rained from above like a storm of death, flinging themselves off the guardrails and toward the moving vehicle.


    Kyle drove like a man possessed, dodging each falling body with razor¨Csharp precision. Still, it was impossible to avoid them all. The bridge ahead and behind became choked with the relentless swarm. The undead clung to the armored car like flies on a corpse, pounding at the steel with frenzied desperation.


    <i>Thump</i><i>. </i><i>Thump</i>. <i>Thump</i><i>. </i>


    The system¨Cdesigned armored car held firm, but even it began to show signs of wear. A patch of paint scraped off under the assault, metal groaning under the pressure.


    One creature dangled upside down from the roof, chewing furiously on the side mirror. Its blood¨Cslick mouth left a ragged bite mark, deep and wet, across the ss.


    Then, the car responded.


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    Chapter 250 The Bridge of Blood and Steel


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    Its armor shifted. Steel needles burst outward from the surface, impaling the zombies that hadtched on. One creature was skewered and dragged along the guardrail, its body screeching as it scraped, leaving a dark, smeared trail of blood and shredded flesh behind.


    The vehicle swerved, mming into the left barricade. More zombies crunched and slid beneath the wheels. It kept pushing forward, plowing through the masses like a tank through a minefield.


    With a violent spin, the car whipped into a 360¨Cdegree drift, shedding the majority of the bodies on the hood and roof.


    Only a handful remained now.


    ¡°Let¡¯s light it up, boys! Theresa shouted.


    With a single smooth motion, she hoisted a shoulder¨Cmounted missileuncher and fired straight into the approaching horde. The explosion <b>lit </b>the sky, then she casually lobbed another grenade over the edge, down into the streets below, where it exploded in the middle of what looked like a writhing nest of the undead.


    They weren¡¯t trying to sneak away. Not anymore. They were retreating, and anything that chased them was fair game.


    Boom Boom Boom


    ¡°Move! Move! Move!¡± she barked, as the car pushed forward like a meat grinder on wheels.


    They burst through the swarm, breaking clear of the bridge in a screaming, zing charge. But just as they reached the exit¡­


    Crack Rumble.


    The middle span of the overpass copsed with a deafening roar. Tons of steel and concrete crashed into the street below, burying thest wave of zombies in a cloud of dust and rubble. Those few that had wed their way to the top were flung down like rag dolls, screaming into the void.


    Boom


    The ground shook as the undead were swallowed whole.


    Theresa¡¯s armored car roared off the bridge and back onto open roads, its blood¨Cslicked frame steaming in the cool air. A few of the faster zombies gave chase, but one by one, they fell behind and disappeared into the distance.


    They were safe For now.


    But the truth was undeniable.


    The zombies were evolving.


    Fes Theresa¡¯s elite crew, it was manageable¨Cfor now. But for the average survivor camp


    as a death sentence.


    Within just twenty¨Cfour hours, multiple camps across the Eastern region reported breaches,


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    12:38 FN, 15 Aug


    Chapter 250 The Bridge of Blood and Steel


    Everyst one of them had been near Branford or Crestmont.


    72%


    <b>+5 </b>Free Coins


    And now, the dead¨Cmillions strong¨Cwere pouring out of the cities, actively seeking out the scent of the living.


    At Zenith Camp, the infamous stronghold led by Jasper¨Cthe same man who¡¯d lost half his forces after a run¨Cin with Theresa at thest summit of different camps¨Cwas now facing its very first full¨Cscale undead siege.

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    Chapter 251 The Fall of Zenith Camp


    Chapter 251 The Fall of Zenith Camp.


    After braving countless dangers to bring his wife and sister back, Jasper spent two days cursing Theresa while telling himself it didn¡¯t matter if he had no bodyguards.


    Food at their camp <b>was </b>already running low. If she hadn¡¯t taken his men away out of spite, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to feed them anyway. <b>And </b>who <b>knew</b>¨Cmaybe when the bodyguards got too hungry, they¡¯d


    turn on him..


    Once he returned. Jasper started tallying up the food and supplies. They had enough tost his household about one or two months. He ordered his <b>staff </b>to speed up crop nting and sent people out to scavenge


    more resources.


    He made up his mind not to go back to Theresa¡¯s or Bennie¡¯s camp ever again. Those snobs will definitely regret it!


    Maybe when Theresa and her group attacked the city the next day, they¡¯d be wiped outpletely.


    All of them would be torn to shreds by zombies.


    Meanwhile, his own camp, hidden away, might survive to the end. Once those fools were dead, he woulde out and form a new alliance!


    Huh¨Cditching peace to fight zombies?


    They¡¯re dead meat.


    And those bodyguards who abandoned me? They¡¯re probably already dead by now!


    Jasper spent each day at home, cursing. hoping the zing Sun Alliance would copse soon. Eventually. the news he had been waiting for arrived¨Ca zombie horde had surrounded his camp was surrounded.


    ¡°Mr. Jasper, a huge group of zombies ising from the city. They¡¯re wandering everywhere, and some of them are heading straight for us!¡±


    Jasper froze at the report. He immediately snatched the binocrs from his subordinate. ¡°Where? Where are they?


    ¡°They¡¯ve reached the east entrance of our vi district!¡±


    Jasper looked through the binocrs, and he instantly paled.


    Through the lens, he saw a massive wave of zombies packed closely together. Their heads tilted at odd angles, their twisted movements forming a terrifying army advancing steadily toward the vi


    It looked like they were in the hundreds.


    The only bodyguard who had followed him back asked <b>in </b><b>panie</b><b>, </b>¡°Mr. Jasper, what should we do now?


    Snapping out of his shock, Jasper barked, ¡°Take sonic people and hold them off. I¡¯ll <b>pack </b>up and buy some time so I can escape!


    <b>The </b>bodyguard stared. ¡°Mr. Jasper, are you abandoning me<b>? </b>I¡¯m the only <b>bodyguard </b><b>whe </b>


    12:28 Fri, 15 Aug t


    15 Aug t


    Chapter 251 The Fall of Zenith Camp


    [you!¡±


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    ¡°You¡¯re incredibly <b>loyal</b>! Of course, I won¡¯t abandon you. Tell everyone to help hold the front, including- women, children, and everyone else. Once I finish packing, I will take you with me.


    Now!¡±


    Jasper shoved him hard and turned around, scrambling to open his safe and pack his supplies.


    He had to bring everything¨C<b>pasta</b>, instant noodles, cookies, and spaghetti!


    The bodyguard stood there watching as Jasper focused only on his own belongings and stuffed food into his bags. Something inside him went cold.


    Back at the Spark Camp meeting, everyone else <b>had </b>stayed behind. He was the only one who followed Jasper back¨Cand he did it out of pure loyalty.


    He thought Jasper would value him for that, but now¡­.


    This guy¡¯s not worth following¨Che¡¯s a <b>piece </b>of sh


    Ten minutester, the zombie horde arrived at Zenith Camp.


    Just as Jasper finished packing and was about to sneak out alone, he was caught by other people in the camp.


    While the others held Jasper down, that so¨Ccalled loyal bodyguard drove off from the other side, taking Jasper¡¯s wife and sister with him.


    Half an hourter, screams echoed through the vi district.


    Zenith Camp waspletely wiped <b>out</b><b>, </b>and it wasn¡¯t the only one. On that same day, several camps were overrun by zombie hordes pouring out from the city.


    <b>Most </b>of those camps were close to the central urban zone and built on the ground level. Once the roaming zombies found them, none of them stood a <b>chance</b>.


    Out of every ten camps, maybe one could hold out.


    But one thing stood out¨Cthere were no zombies spilling out of Ansford<b>. </b>


    Why?


    Because over the past six months, Theresa had led the entire zing Sun Alliance inunching early counterattacks. They had cleared out the two outermost districts ahead of time.


    Every other city saw zombie outbreaks.


    12-28 Fri, 15 Aug to


    Chapter 251 The Fall of Zenith Camp


    Only Ansford remained untouched.


    <b>+5 </b>Free Coins


    Theresa¡¯s hard work over the past six months <b>was </b>finally showing results. This tiny shift was about to create a massive gap between the camps.


    While other camps slipped deeper into <b>chaos</b>, things on Theresa¡¯s side were just beginning to turn around.


    Three dayster. Theresa finally received news that multiple camps had fallen. At <b>that </b>time, she was in the middle of an offensive in Westvale.


    The zing Sun Alliance had split into ten teams, all pushing into Westvale in a coordinated effort.


    They had reviewed five attack ns from Bennie¡¯s full¨Cscale camp modeling team and chose one before.unching their campaign.

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    Chapter 252 A Path for the Willing


    s


    Bennie¡¯s team didn¡¯t take part inbat directly. However, they excelled at providing behind¨Cthe-scenes-


    support.


    With strong technical support and a full <b>team </b>backed by heavy firepower, Theresa¡¯s groupunched a well- nned assault on Westvale. Their coordination was smooth from start to finish.


    After sessfully securing the University of Westvale stronghold, the zing Sun Alliance reverted to their usual tactic of minimizing casualties by luring in zombie hordes to wipe them out.


    Three days into the battle. Theresa received new intel from Bennie.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, a bunch of camps in Branford and Crestmont got hit by zombie waves over the past few days. Twelve camps are gone. No, make that thirteen now.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡±


    Theresa wasn¡¯t heartless. She had simply heard of camps falling one too many times.


    It was survival of the fittest. Those who weren¡¯t strong enough were bound to be eliminated.


    All she could do was <b>focus </b>on her own mission¨Cstrengthen the camp and the alliance, so they could face this cruel world with more power


    ¡°The remaining camps are all asking for help. They say that if we save them, they¡¯ll join us and stay loyal


    forever.¡±


    When Theresa heard that, she responded tly. ¡°If they can make it here, I¡¯ll take them in. If they can¡¯t, they must figure <b>it </b><b>out </b>on their own. I <b>won¡¯t </b>risk saving them.¡±


    She had never been some saint who tried to save the world. Even if she were, she wouldn¡¯t bother with a bunch of useless talkers.


    Not even a saint can save those <b>who </b>refuse to save themselves,


    She might be able to save them once, but not for a lifetime.


    During this period, Theresa had already started relocating poptions from alliance¨Caffiliated camps into


    the stabilized zones.


    All of them <b>had </b>always relied on themselves.


    The road had been dangerous¨Cwith casualties and entire vehicles being wiped out. One camp had only a third of its people left. Through thick <b>and </b>thin, they had no one to rely on but themselves.


    Theresa couldn¡¯t stand people who waited around for their ¡°leader¡± to solve everything, acting like giving a nod and cooperating was already a sign of being perfect followers.


    <b>This </b>was the apocalypse.


    12-28 PM, 15 Aug


    Chapter 252 A Path for the Willing


    s


    They could be weak,e empty¨Chanded, even lean on the strong¨Cbut that only mattered if they had the


    will to fight.


    The ones who made it this far might not have been the strongest, but they had the mindset of survivors.


    People with a loser¡¯s mentality were a burden no one could carry.


    Then¡­. are we really not going to help at <b>all</b>? Bennie asked.


    ¡°Send them my best wishes! There are <b>365 </b>days in a year¨CI¡¯ll be wishing them the best every day. Is <b>that </b>enough for you?¡±


    Bennie was silent.


    Theresa ended the call and went back to strategizing with her team about the next <b>phase </b>of the Westvale


    operation.


    After the call ended, Bennie adjusted the radio frequency. He paused for a moment and then spoke.


    Listen up, you idiots. If you want to join us, get here on your own. No one¡¯sing to save you. That said, our leader. Theresa, sends her best¨Chope you¡¯ll survive.


    At Camp No. 1,ints were flying.


    ¡°They¡¯re seriously out of line! We already said we¡¯d join them¨Cwould it kill them <b>to </be save us?¡±


    ¡°Come on, they¡¯ve got all that power and multiple big camps under their belt. Helping out a small camp like ours should be nothing for them!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve even secured a massive safe zone already. What¡¯s the big deal about rescuing us and letting us stay there?¡±


    ¡°They want <b>us </b>to go on our own? Are they blind? There are so many zombies out there! We¡¯d die before we Beven got


    close!¡±


    They clearly could save us, but they just won¡¯t. <b>And </b>they keep calling us idiots! Today, they <b>even </b>sent us blessings? Disgusting! Just a bunch of heartless monsters, I bet they <b>just </b>want to watch us all die. That garbage alliance should be the first to rot in hell!¡±


    At Camp No. 2, the mood was heavy as voices rose in frustration and defiance.


    ¡°Told you they won¡¯t help. We should never have raised our hopes.¡±


    ¡°So disappointing. I really dought they were strong <b>enough </b>to lend a hand to us.¡±


    I thought a strong alliance would naturally help out our smaller camps<b>, </b>especially if we agreed to join


    them.


    Nol We never should¡¯ve pinned our hopes on others in the first <b>ce </b>them?


    12:28 Fri, 15 Aug @ ?


    Chapter 252 A Path for the Willing


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re wrong at <b>all</b>. It¡¯s not like theypletely rejected us. They said if we could break through and make it to them, they¡¯d take us in. Let¡¯s do it¨Clet¡¯s <b>fight </b>our way out on our own.¡±


    TOR


    Almost every camp <b>that </b>got the message split into two sides¨Cone filled with anger, the other started making ns to break out.


    It was like what Theresa had <b>said</b>.

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    Chapter 253 The Core of the Storm


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    At that moment, someone in an extremely remote camp finally picked up the first broadcast since the beginning of the apocalypse.


    ¡°Listen up, you idiots. If you want to join us, get here on your own. No one¡¯sing to save <b>you</b>. That said, our leader, Theresa sends her best¨Chope you¡¯ll survive¡±


    Sage perked up immediately upon hearing the all¨Crange radio broadcast.


    ¡°zing Sun Alliance! Theresa Hall?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Arlen, what¡¯s going on out there?¡± A tall, tanned, and broad man stepped into the room.


    ¡°A camp alliance formed.¡± Sage stood up in surprise and looked out the window. She was on the top floor of a 22¨Cstory building.


    When she leaned forward, she <b>could </b>see the densely packed zombies swarming the streets below.


    ¡°An alliance? Looks like their situation¡¯s simr to ours. We formed by merging several camps, too. We¡¯re now thergest camp here.


    Dawnwatch Camp was located in the heart of Crestmont. There were a fair number of survivor camps within the city, but none matched their scale.


    The entire skyscraper they upied housed nearly 500 survivors. They had merged multiple small, scattered camps and formed a centralized camp.


    Though the location was extremely dangerous, it was also a goldmine with supplies being everywhere.


    As long as they were willing to kill zombies <b>and </b>take <b>over </b>new ground, they could gain ess to steady resources. That was a far better fate than being trapped in some barren valley, constantly harassed by zombies with nothing to show for it.


    There were only two kinds of people in Dawnwatch Camp¨C<b>those </b>who <b>could </b>kill zombies, and those who could kill loads of them.


    Under Sage¡¯s leadership, they implemented a zombie¨Ckilling KPL. Everyone had to turn in at least <b>one </b>zombie head per day.


    Their own heads could be on the line if they w


    were unable to deliver<b>. </b>


    With this pack mentality, Dawnwatch Camp <b>had </b>carved out a <b>foothold </b>in the city center¨Cand they were steadily growing stronger.


    Another subordinate scoffed, clearly unimpressed. <b>Those </b>trashy alliances out there? They¡¯ve got nothing


    ¡°Those alliances probably came together <b>¡®</b><b>cause </b>a bunch of tiny camps out in the quiet suburbs couldn¡¯t make it on their own. They teamed up just to stay alive.


    ¡°Once we step out of Crestmont, none of those weak camps can even keep up!¡±


    12:28 Fri, 15 Aug t


    Chapter 253 The Core of the Storm


    ¡°Exactly! Once we <b>leave </b>here, no other camp in the Eastern region will stand a chance?


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    Sage heard his <b>subordinates</b>¡® words and <b>gave </b>a slight smile as he stared out the window at the swarm of


    zombies.


    They had survived at the core of the zombie¨Cinfested city. No outpost or camp on the outskins couldpare to what they had <b>faced </b>here, day in <b>and </b>day out.


    Their camp <b>was </b><b>meant </b>to be the strongest of them all.


    What¡¯s the progress on zombie cleanup?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve already taken half the district!¡±


    ¡°Speed it <b>up</b>. I want the whole of Crestmont under our control.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Three monthster. Theresa had taken Westvale.


    By now, it was August. A full year had passed since the apocalypse began.


    Theresa had already reimed three districts in Ansford, wiping out nearly half of the city¡¯s zombies.


    In the process, five new camps had joined her alliance. The zing Sun Alliance now had fifteen member groups¨Cwith over 3,000 troops ready for deployment.


    That was the size of a reinforced battalion,


    The civilians back at their home camps were all participating in production, funneling supplies to the front lines and allied camps.


    Beep! Congrattions to the host for iming a new district! Reward: Subterranean Bunker (already ced in the Residential Zone).


    Theresa was munching <b>on </b><b>a </b>scallion pancake while going over the data reports when the system¡¯s voice <b>caught </b>her off guard.


    She froze for a moment, then quickly refocused on the task in front of her.


    ¡°Bennie, you¡¯re saying your team rmends we use explosives to <b>blow </b>open two districts <b>at </b>once?¡±


    She was at the most crucial stage of her city reconquest. She didn¡¯t even have time to <b>check </b>out the new reward from the systein.


    ¡°Yes, Bennie answered with a serious nod. ¡°You¡¯ve only got the Southvale and Eastvale regions left. Together, they take up half of Ausford¡¯s area and poption. No matter which one you attack, the other will <b>cause </b>problems.


    ¡°I¡¯ve run the numbers. You¡¯d be better off hitting both at once.


    suggest splitting into five small squads¨Cno more <b>than </b>ten people in each. Send them to Central


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    Chapter 253 The Core of the Storm.


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    Hospital. Primera School, Commercial Mart, the water nt, and themercial building.


    ¡°nt the explosives in all five spots, then blow everything at once. Clear them out chunk by chunk.¡±


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    Chapter 254 A Piece of <b>Cake </b>

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    Chapter 254 A Piece of Cake


    Bennie¡¯s data report had been sent to everyone.


    After carefully reviewing it. Theresa and the others gathered for a discussion.


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    Half an hourter, everyone had agreed to Bennie¡¯s proposal.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s split into groups,¡± Theresa said.


    She divided them into five teams. She led one herself, Lucas took another, Theron had his own, and Den teamed up with his sister Charlotte, taking six members from the <b>small </b>camp. Landon¨Cwho¡¯d proven himself as one of their most capable fighters¨Cwas assigned to lead a group of four, also from the small camp


    Once the teams were set, it was time to draw lots.


    ¡°We¡¯ll draw for locations together, Theresa announced.


    She wrote five addresses on slips of paper and let everyone pick. She took thest one for herself.


    ¡°I got the school. Theron said, holding up his slip.


    Tm at the department store,¡± said Lucas.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got themercial building. Den added.


    Tm at the water nt,¡± said Landon.


    That left only one.


    Theresa <b>didn¡¯t </b>even need to look as she <b>said</b>, ¡°Looks like I¡¯m going to the hospital.¡±


    Out of all the locations, the hospital was by <b>far </b>the most dangerous,


    The next day, each team prepared for their mission.


    Theresa¡¯s group included Kyle, Tyger, and Quentin, along with a few of the alliance¡¯s top fighters.


    One fumiliar fa


    face stood out.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, can Ie with you? I want to go <b>kill </b>some zombies!¡±n <b>asked </b>eagerly.


    Jan was one of the three students Theresa had rescued from the pharmacy. Since then, all three had joined the alliance.


    Dawn, who had no abilities and was the only girl among <b>them</b>, was boyfriend, Jark, stayed with her fan was the only one left to train.


    igned to help at the camp. Her


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    Chapter 254 A Piece of Cake


    He didn¡¯t have any abilities either, but when it came to fighting zombies, he was fearless¨Calways the first to charge in. In his spare time, he trained humbly with the special forces guys on the team, and now hisbat skills were nearly on par with the seasoned veterans.


    Theresa looked him over, remembering how lost and uncertain he¡¯d seemed just a few months ago.


    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous if youe with me.


    I¡¯m not <b>afraid</b>! I want to learn from you, Ms. Hall


    ¡°Good Theresa gave him an approving pat on the shoulder. He¡¯d been sharp ever since she first met him. Alright, you¡¯re with me.¡±


    With her ten¨Cperson team finalized, she was about to leave when Lucas approached, suggesting. ¡°Theresa, let¡¯s swap locations.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Lucas met her gaze, took a breath, and blurted out, ¡°I want to check out the hospital.


    Theresa narrowed her eyes. ¡°If you¡¯re sick, go to a real one. The zombie hospital¡¯s not taking patients.¡±


    A giant red cross <b>stood </b>atop the cone¨Cshaped roof.


    The hospitalplex in Southvale had five buildings, now eerily silent, but the streets outside were packed with zombies.


    Their vehicle rolled to a stop before reaching the infected zone.


    Theresa hadn¡¯t brought everyone <b>into </b>the danger zone¨Cmost were ordered to stay put and keep quiet.


    Because, truthfully, she didn¡¯t need them.


    Lucas had assumed the hospital would be packed with zombies and dangerously difficult to navigate. He¡¯d <b>hoped</b>¨CTheresa would bring as many people as possible. But <b>in </b>reality, she didn¡¯t need anyone else.


    If Quentin¡¯s loyalty score had been just a bit higher, she would¡¯ve sent him in alone.


    <b>Clearing </b><b>out </b>zombies <b>and </b>nting explosives would be a nightmare for <b>most</b>. However, for Quentin¨Cwho was hulf¨Czombie¨Cit <b>was </b>practically effortless.


    ¡°All of you stay here. Be ready to pick Quentin and me up when we¡¯re done. Stay low and don¡¯t attract attention.


    ¡°Yes!¡± came the unanimous reply.


    That was also why Theresa had no issue bringing along a newbie liken¨Cbecause this mission was honestly <b>a </b>piece of <b>cake</b>.


    She brought them along mainly to give them some held experience.


    Leaving Kyle and the <b>others </b>in the safe zone<b>, </b>Theresa took Quentin with her<b>, </b>staying extra cautious.


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    Chapter 254 A Piece of Cake


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    +5 Free <b>Coins </b>


    As soon as they got out of the car, Quentin offered, ¡°How about I go in alone? I¡¯ll nt the bombs ande right back.¡±


    Theresa gave him a look. ¡°And then you¡¯ll just disappear, huh?¡±


    Quentin was speechless. ¡°You really don¡¯t trust me, huh?¡±


    She smirked. ¡°Be honest¨Cif I let you go alone, would you run?¡±


    Quentin didn¡¯t even flinch. ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    Theresa stared at him in silence,


    Exactly. There was no <b>way </b>she¡¯d let him handle it on his <b>own</b>. If he bailed after nting the bombs, the job. would at least be done. However, if he ran off with the bombs, she¡¯d be left with nothing¨Cand no one to chase down.


    She could see the probleming a mile away, so there was no point in pretending it didn¡¯t exist. She wasn¡¯t about to dig her <b>own </b>grave.

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    Chapter 255 A Kid Zombie


    To Theresa, putting herself in danger was just in stupid.


    But the more she thought about it, the more she wanted Quentin¡¯s body.


    +5 Free Cons


    If she were half¨Czombie like him, she could walk straight through a horde without being attacked. The city could¡¯ve been dered <b>safe </b>ages ago.


    She wanted that more than the antidote serum.


    Raaaargh-


    The farther she went, the more zombies crowded the streets.


    Theresa slipped through a narrow alley. The moment she stepped onto the main road, a massive swarm of zombies caught her <b>scent</b>.


    They charged like rabid dogs


    Without hesitation. Theresa grabbed Quentin. slung him over her back like a human shield, and began moving at lightning speed, weaving through the zombie¨Cfilled streets.


    It didn¡¯t take long to reach the hospital.


    The bombs were on a timer¨Cshe just needed to nt them. Following Bennie¡¯s n, she dropped the first tenth of the explosives in the outpatient building


    The hospital was aplete disaster zone.


    She¡¯d passed by on the first day of the outbreak and had been stunned by the flood of zombies pouring in


    and out.


    Even with some having escaped, the inside was still packed¨Chorde after horde.


    After all, this was the biggest public hospital in the area.


    After nting the bomb on the first floor, the dense <b>crowd </b>of zombies outside picked up her scent and surged inward.


    With Quentin still on her back. Theresa ran deeper into the building.


    She didn¡¯t fight¨Cjust ran. <b>No </b>killing, only escape.


    It wasn¡¯t <b>unul </b>the third floor that the number of zombies finally dropped.


    Most were packed into the first and second floors.


    Bennie hard given her a detailedyout. <b>ording </b>to his data, unless something <b>went </b>wrong, the third floor should be the least crowded


    And he was right.


    12:28 HL 15 Aug


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    Chapter 255 A Kid Zombie


    Theresa finally set Quentin down and nced around as she nted more bombs at the marked locations.


    The third floor connected directly to the inpatient <b>wing</b>.


    She moved carefully, her <b>steps </b>mulled by the thickyer of dust on the floor. It was eerily quiet.


    There were no lights inside, only sunlight filtering in from the windows. She passed row after row of the tightly shut doctors offices<b>. </b>


    Endocrinology, gastroenterology, and in the center¨Carge blood collection room and ab.


    The blood collection room sat along a main hallway, with ten blood draw stations behind ss panels. During peak hours, every station would be open, rows of chairs filled with patients, and two silent disy screens above, used to call numbers.


    Now, the chairs were overturned, blood smeared across the floors and seats, trailing from the windows straight to her feet.


    She looked down at the blood, then turned toward the direction of the emergency exit just around the


    Suddenly, a pale zombie face appeared right in front of her.


    ¡°Raaaargh


    A zombie in a whiteb coat mmed itself against the emergency exit door.


    Its face was pressed into the narrow gap of the locked door.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    The pounding echoed nonstop through the hallway.


    This doctor zombie had probably been trapped in the stairwell for ages. The ss was covered in bloody handprints. Now that it sensed a living human, it went wild, pounding the door with renewed force.


    ¡°I was going to put this by the next door, but since you¡¯re so eager, Fll give it to you instead.¡±


    Theresa set a timer bomb right outside the zombie doctor¡¯s door.


    Quentin remained silent.


    He watched her cheerfully nt the bomb and couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed from the empty lobby ahead.


    Theresa looked up and caught a glimpse of a child darting down the hallway.


    ¡°Did you see <b>that</b>?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I did, Quentin replied,


    ¡°Human or zombie?¡±


    12:28, HI, 15 Aug <b>1 </b>


    Chapter 255 A Kid Zombie


    Quentin tilted his <b>head</b>. ¡°Could be a ghost.¡±


    ¡°Screw you.¡±


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    Theresa punched him in the arm, grabbed his hand, and took off in the direction the kid had run, nting bombs along the way and stretching her mind power to scan the situation of the entire floor.


    <b>But </b>she didn¡¯t pick up anything <b>strange</b>.


    Not even zombies¨Cthis ce was nearly deserted.


    She reached the spot <b>where </b>the kid had been, and as expected, there were small footprints in the thickyer of dust on the floor.

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    Chapter 256 An Unknown Woman


    If there were footprints..


    Theresa followed the kid¡¯s footprints <b>and </b>soon spotted a little face peeking around the corner.


    s


    The kid <b>looked </b>about five, clutching a doll. Long bangs <b>hid </b>his eyes, making it impossible to tell if he was a zombie just by appearance.


    He stared at Theresa and slowly smiled.


    A mouth full of razor¨Csharp fangs.


    ¡°Raaawr-


    The kid zombie suddenly leapt out from behind the corner.


    He was disturbingly fast, sprinting on all fours like a wild, agile panther.


    As he lunged at Theresa, his bangs flew back, revealing a pair of rare, pupil¨Cless white eyes.


    That innocent little face,bined with those dead¨Cwhite eyes and a mouth stretched wide to his ears. looked like something straight out of a horror film.


    His face waspletely bloodless, with gray¨Cwhite eyes fixed on Theresa and a childlike gaze full of wild


    excitement.


    Sking!


    A sh of silver gleamed <b>as </b>Theresa drew her <b>katana </b>in one fluid motion.


    Without hesitation, she shed down hard.


    But unlike the usual one¨Cswing¨Cone¨Ckill with the zombies, the de struck the kid zombie like it was cutting into a <b>thick </b>rubber mat. The resistance was intense, and the katana lodged in his neck.


    ¡°Raaawr! Ramawr! Raaawr!¡±


    The kid zombie twisted violently, jaws snapping onto the de.


    Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!


    In seconds, deep bite marks appeared along the katana¡¯s edge. He gnawed his way up the de, heading straight for Theresa¡¯s hand.


    Without flinching, she tightened her grip, twisted her wrist sharply, and flung the creature through the air like a ragdoll.


    Shing-


    With a powerful flick, the katana rang out, its vibrations echoing through the empty hospital like a lion¡¯s


    roar.


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    12:29 Fri, 15 Aug


    Chapter <b>256 </b><b>An </b>Unknown Woman


    The kid zombie crashed to the ground.


    But before he could get up, Theresa brought the de <b>down </b>hard¨Cstraight through his skull.


    A piercing, <b>childlike </b>wail echoed through the hospital


    He thrashed wildly, but after a few seconds, he went still..


    Theresa walked over and yanked the de out in one swift motion,


    Agleamstone rolled out onto the floor,


    She picked it up, <b>then </b>noticed the doll lying nearby and grabbed it too.


    Just then, a <b>voice </b>rang out.


    <b>¡°</b>Don¡¯t!¡±


    A young woman in a pink nurse¡¯s uniform appeared around the corner ahead.


    s


    She wore a spotless nurse¡¯s uniform¨Cstrangely clean, without a single drop of blood. Her hair was slightly


    messy, her face mostly hidden by arge surgical mask, and her eyes obscured behind long as slightly


    Theresa stared at the woman, surprised. ¡°You¡¯re a survivor?¡±


    ¡°Stay away!¡± the woman cried, bursting into tears as Theresa stepped forward. Her eyes were wide with


    Terror.


    Theresa froze in ce. Just then, Quentin stepped forward. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be scared. We¡¯re good people- we¡¯re here to help


    As he approached, the woman didn¡¯t resist. She even stopped crying. In a <b>trembling </b>voice, she asked, ¡°You¡¯re here to save us?¡±


    Theresa was speechless.


    What the hell? I ask one question and get nothing¨CQuentin says a word and she opens right up? Does hee with some kind of built¨Cindies¡® man charm or what?


    Quentin seemed to pick up on it, too, He shed Theresa a sly grin. ¡°Beautiful, let me go and talk to her.¡±


    ¡°In your dreams, <b>she </b>snapped, yanking on the handcuff¡¯s that linked them. She stayed back but <b>kept </b>questioning the woman. ¡°How many survivors are here? Where are you staying? Can everyone get our? <b>This </b>ce won¡¯t be safe much longer.


    But the woman didn¡¯t answer a single question. She just stared at them through her thick bangs.


    Quentin tried again. ¡°Hey, we¡¯re here to help. Do you <b>have </b>any friends <b>with </b>you? If you do, we can get everyone out together.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± <b>the </b>woman blurted out. I <b>have </b>lots of friends here with me!¡±


    Theresa was once again speechless.


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    Chapter 256 An Unknown Woman.


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    Okay, maybe I¡¯m not the warmest person¨Cbut seriously? Quentin? Why does she trust that b*stard and not me? What kind of messed¨Cup double standard is that? Am I really that much worse than him?


    Quentin turned to her with a faint, smug smile. ¡°Come on, unlock me. I¡¯ll go check things out<b>.</b>¡±

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    Chapter 257 She Is a Human


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    Theresa paused for a few seconds, thinking it over. Then she unlocked the handcuffs¨Cbut didn¡¯t take them offpletely. Instead, she swapped them out for a thirty¨Cfoot rope and tied it between her and Quentin


    Thirty feet. If he tried to run, she could teleport and catch him in two steps, tops.


    That was as much ck as she was willing to give.


    Once he was tied up, Quentin walked right over to the woman.


    She didn¡¯t back away. ¡°We <b>have </b>lots of people! I can take you to them!¡±


    Theresa followed close behind, listening carefully. Every time the woman finished a sentence, she gave the rope a little tug.


    Quentin seemed to get the message. He kept the conversation going. ¡°How many of you are there?¡±


    ¡°A lot, <b>so </b>many, the woman <b>said</b>, getting excited. ¡°We¡¯re all in the rooms¨Ctons of us!¡±


    ¡°How¡¯ve you been surviving this long?¡±


    ¡°We keep the doors shut tight. No noise. If we make a sound, they find us. So, we stay real quiet, hiding in our rooms.¡±


    ¡°What about food and water?¡±


    ¡°Oh, we¡¯ve got plenty! <b>More </b>than we can finish.¡±


    Theresa frowned.


    From the sound of it, these people really might¡¯ve survived.


    If they¡¯d stayed hidden deep in the building and had enough supplies, it was possible.


    But something about it felt¡­ off.


    A whole group surviving in a hospital crawling with zombies, with plenty of food and water.


    <b>And </b><b>this </b>woman just casually wandered out to meet them.


    nurse


    <b>She </b>tugged the rope <b>again</b>, <b>and </b>clever Quentin changed gears. ¡°So, what¡¯s your name, beautiful? Are you a


    ¡°My name¡¯s Sienna Larson. I¡¯m a doctor.


    ¡°A doctor? But you¡¯re in a nurse¡¯s outfit.¡±


    ¡°My doctor¡¯s coat gor dirty<b>, </b>so I put this on. Don¡¯t I look like a nurse?¡±


    ¡°You <b>do</b><b>, </b>beautiful Ms. Nightingale


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    Chapter 257 She Is a Human


    At that, the woman turned and looked at him seriously. You¡¯ve got the wrong person. My name¡¯s not Nightingale.¡±


    Quentin blinked, genuinely thrown for a moment¨Cbut quicklyughed it off. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m just kidding¡±


    The woman didn¡¯t seem to care. She started mumbling to herself. There are so many people¡­ They¡¯re all my children. I¡¯m so d you came to save us. The monsters outside want to eat us every second. But now we¡¯re finally saved¡­¡±


    ¡°You said there are a bunch of kids with you?¡± Theresa cut in


    The woman turned to her. ¡°Shh, don¡¯t talk


    Something about the way she turned her head sent a chill down Theresa¡¯s spine.


    Her whole face was hidden behind a mask, so Theresa couldn¡¯t see her expression¨Cbut she could swear there was a cold, creepy smile underneath.


    She stopped dead in her tracks.


    Quentin stopped too.


    But the woman got all worked up. ¡°We¡¯re almost there! The kids are just ahead! You have to take them with


    you!¡±


    She took off running toward the far end of the building.


    This hallway led to another inpatient wing in the back. They could reach it through the corridor just


    ahead.


    Theresa watched her sprint off, but she didn¡¯t move an inch.


    Quentin actually turned back and walked to her.


    ¡°There¡¯s something off about her,¡± he said. ¡°Even if she¡¯s a doctor, she should know who Nightingale is.¡±


    Nightingale was the world¡¯s first female nurse. People sometimes called dedicated, beautiful nurses ¡°Miss Nightingale.¡±


    Theresa gave a small nod.


    ¡°But she¡¯s definitely human.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she is, Quentin agreed.


    He <b>could </b>always tell the difference between zombies and the <b>living</b>.


    Just then, the woman came running back, eyes wide with panic. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong! The monsters are banging on my kids¡® door! Please, <b>you </b>have to help them!¡±


    Theresa and Quentin rushed forward


    As they turned the corner, they saw a few zombies staggering down the <b>hallway </b><b>in </b><b>it </b>


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    Chapter 257 She Is a Human


    The zombies were pounding on a door, dressed in blue¨Cand¨Cwhite striped hospital gowns. They were hitting it so hard the whole frame shook¨Clike it could give way at any second, and whoever was inside would be torn to pieces.


    Theresa could almost hear children crying from the other side.


    She picked up her pace.


    The zombies sensed hering and whipped around, fixing her with wild, feral stares.


    Then, all at once, they shrieked and charged at her, howling as they iled their arms and closed the


    distance.


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    Fri, 15 Aug


    Chapter 258 Five Silent Survivors

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    Chapter 258 Five Silent Survivors


    ¡°Awoool¡±


    ¡°Awooo-


    ¡°Awooo!¡±


    +5 Free Coms


    The hallway was pitch dark, and the charging zombies looked even more twisted and terrifying in the


    shadows.


    <b>Just </b>as they lunged at Theresa, a powerful st of water shot out with a loud thud, stopping them in their


    tracks.


    Right after, a katana sliced clean through the mist like it was silk. In one fluid motion, every adult zombie was decapitated.


    Secondster, the hallway was silent¨Cevery <b>single </b>adult zombie wiped out.


    Theresa sheathed her de. So far, the most dangerous thing she¡¯d seen in this hospital <b>was </b>still that kid zombie.


    The adults hadn¡¯t evolved much at all.


    As soon as the zombie hit the ground, the woman who¡¯d led them here ran over, eyes wide and thrilled. This time, <b>she </b>looked at Theresa like she <b>was </b>seeing her in a whole new light. Grinning from ear to <b>ear</b>, <b>she </b>said, ¡°You¡¯re amazing!¡±


    But before she could finish, a katana was suddenly pressed against her neck.


    ¡°Who the hell are <b>you</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b>


    Theresa¡¯s eyes were ice cold.


    She was always cautious and serious¨Cthere was <b>no </b>way she¡¯d let some <b>random </b>woman tag along without <b>knowing </b>who she really was. Especially one who could turn out to be a serious threat.


    The moment thest zombie dropped, she didn¡¯t hesitate. Her katana was already at the woman¡¯s throat.


    But the woman didn¡¯t flinch. This is fun! This is really fun! Let me y <b>too</b>!¡±


    She even reached out, like she was going to grab the de.


    Theresa spun and kicked her straight into the wall. ¡°Hold her down!¡±


    Quentin jumped in, pinning the woman to the floor.


    ¡°What are you doing?! You monster! Let <b>me </b>go! You¡¯re the monster! Get away from me! Ahhh! Help!¡±


    Shut up, Theresa snapped. ¡°Are you even a normal human?¡±


    Tam! Dr. Tarson, I¡¯m normal! I¡¯m back to normal! Let me go!


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    Chapter 258 Five Silent Survivors


    Theresa <b>blinked</b>. ¡°Didn¡¯t <b>you </b><b>say </b>your name was Sienna Larson?¡±


    Dr. Larson, I know I messed up! I won¡¯t pretend to be you anymore! Please, don¡¯t give me another shot! I promise I¡¯ll be good this time!


    Theresa <b>was </b>stunned.


    But now she understood¨Cthis <b>woman </b>wasn¡¯t a doctor or a nurse. She was a patient. A mental patient.


    Quentin caught the edge of a blue¨C<b>and</b>¨Cwhite hospital gown sticking out from under her fake nurse uniform


    ¡°Beautiful, she¡¯s a patient here. She¡¯s got mental issues.


    Theresa was at a <b>loss </b>for words<b>. </b>


    Just then, <b>the </b>sound of a child crying echoed down the hall.


    The <b>second </b>it started, the woman exploded with strength, throwing Quentin off like he weighed nothing. She bolted toward the sound so fast, <b>even </b>Theresa couldn¡¯t catch her right <b>away</b>.


    When they finally caught up, five kids of different ages were clinging to her like baby birds.


    And just like <b>that</b><b>, </b>the woman seemedpletely lucid. She crouched protectively <b>around </b>them like <b>a </b>mother hen, arms spread wide, shielding them all.


    She soothed each child gently, murmuring <b>words </b>offort.


    Theresa stared, stunned.


    There really were kids,


    Not one. Not two, Five.


    She had <b>no </b>idea how a mentally ill woman had managed to keep five kids alive for a year in a crawling with zombies.


    How is that even possible? And she¡¯s even a psych patient.


    ¡°How <b>did </b>she even <b>manage </b>that? Quentin blurted out, just <b>as </b>stunned.


    ¡°No idea, Theresa said, still staring at the <b>woman</b>. ¡°<b>But </b>we¡¯re taking her with us.¡±


    Whatever her methods, they couldn¡¯t leave her behind.


    The ce was about to go up in mes¨Cthey had to get the kids out.


    <b>hospital </b>


    Five minutester, Theresa had finished nting explosives at all the designated points around the <b>hospital</b>.


    The woman was pushing a medicine cart, all five kids piled on top.


    They were all really young¨Cthe oldest maybe five, the youngest barely a year old.


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    Chapter 258 Five Silent Survivors


    But they were unbelievably quiet.


    Not a single <b>sound</b>.


    It was like they¡¯d adapted to surviving here, knowing instinctively to stay silent.


    The woman stayed close behind Theresa, pushing the cart.


    4973%


    s


    Theresa stood at a third¨Cfloor window, trying to figure out how to get the kids <b>and </b>the woman safely out.


    After a moment of thinking, she turned to Quentin. ¡°Quentin, can I trust you just this once?¡±


    He raised an eyebrow. ¡°Do you want to <b>give </b>it a try?¡±


    Theresa exhaled slowly. In the end, she chose to trust him.


    She didn¡¯t have many options.


    There was no way she could get all <b>five </b>kids out alone.

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    Chapter 259 He Was Back


    Chapter 259 He Was Back


    Theresa grabbed a strip of cloth and tied the youngest child to Quentin¡¯s chest,


    ¡°You¡¯ll run back and forth¨Ccarry the kids to the car, thene back. I¡¯ll wait here.¡±


    Quentin nced down at the linle one strapped to him and gave a soft smile before heading out.


    <b>The </b>moment he left, the woman began to panic.


    ¡°Don¡¯t vell. He¡¯s taking your child <b>somewhere </b>safe,¡± Theresa <b>said </b>calmly.


    The woman seemed to understand. She watched anxiously as Quentin slipped down a quiet staircase, her child secured to his chest. She didn¡¯t try to stop <b>him</b>.


    Once he was out of sight, Theresa locked the door.


    But the longer Quentin was gone, the more restless the woman grew,


    She was worried¨Cand honestly, so was Theresa.


    What if Quentin bails? What if he just runs?


    Trust never came easy to her. Not even with Kyle.


    She was someone who kept strict boundaries.


    She never gave her full trust to anyone¨Cever.


    She gave Kyle food, water, <b>resources</b><b>, </b>even money <b>and </b>power if he asked. She never tested him without reason. Never used without proof.


    <b>But </b>trusting him one hundred percent was out of the question. That was never going to happen.


    <b>She </b>always made sure she could handle betrayal from anyone, at any time. She was always ready to strike back.


    Like now¨Cshe¡¯d handed the car to Kyle and the others, told them to wait. If they ditched her, she <b>could</b>. still get back on her own without a problem.


    If Lucas or Theron ever turned on her, tried to take over her camp or alliance, she <b>could </b>wipe out both Kl and Ember Camp in three days easily.


    That was because the core supplies were always in her hands. On top of the system, she had dozens of contingency ns.


    Every step she¡¯d taken so far, she made sure the core <b>resources </b>stayed in her own hands.


    Any strength she showed to others <b>was </b>always something she could control.


    The key to bncing power was ensuring that her strength matched her responsibilities.


    She would never take in residents or expand her camp unless she had the strength to protect them. She¡¯d


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    Chapter 259 He Was Back


    never form an alliance unless she could control the fate of every camp involved.


    Theresa always yed it safe, always positioned herself in the most secure, central spot<b>. </b>


    Every time she expanded, it was only because her strength had grown enough to support it.


    Theresa lived by a simple code. Trust and doubt could never coexist.


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    Trust, once given, shouldn¡¯t be clouded by suspicion. Doubt, once present, meant the person was never meant to be relied on.


    Keeping someone close required rity, not paranoia. Caution was necessary, but fear couldn¡¯t be allowed<b>. </b><b>to </b>poison <b>loyalty</b>.


    Anyone who triggered hesitation from the start had no ce in her circle. Uncertainty was a fuse¨Cjust waiting to blow.


    But Quentin was the exception.


    Theresa knew exactly what kind of man he was¨Ccunning, cold, impossible to read, and incapable of real


    trust;


    No one ever knew what he was thinking or what he truly wanted¨Cnot <b>even </b>her.


    A man like that, even if he stayed, loyalty was never part of the deal.


    And at the moment, he <b>was </b>free.


    He didn¡¯t owe anyone <b>anything</b>. Loyalty and morals meant nothing to him.


    Just then, through the sea of zombies outside the <b>hospital</b>, Theresa spotted a figure moving against the flowpletely out of ce among the undead.


    ¡°He¡¯s back! He really came back!¡± the woman next to Theresa shouted, <b>ovee </b>with excitement at the sight of <b>Quentin</b>.


    Theresa watched in silence, unsure how to feel.


    But there he was¨CQuentin had actually returned.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my baby?¡± the woman cried, rushing to open the door for him.


    ¡°She¡¯s safe, Quentin <b>said </b>calmly. ¡°She¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Where is she? I want to see her! The woman grabbed his arm, her voice shaking.


    ¡°Soon. Let me get all <b>your </b>kids out first, then I¡¯ll take you to her.¡±


    The woman seemed to get it. She turned around, grabbed the rest of the kids from the cart, and shoved them into his arms. ¡°Take them! Please¨C<b>just </b>get them all <b>out</b>!¡±


    Quentin approached Theresa. ¡°I¡¯m <b>back</b>.¡±


    A wide grin spread across her face. ¡°Atta boy.¡±


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    ¡°No reward for me?¡±


    ¡°Finish <b>the </b>job first. Then we¡¯ll talk about rewards.¡±


    Quentin chuckled and went back to tie the next child to <b>him</b>.


    ¡°<b>How </b>was it out there?¡± Theresa asked.


    ¡°Tons of zombies. A few caught my scent and started chasing me, so I had to run back, Quentin <b>said</b>.


    ¡°Keep it up. Pace yourself. A few more trips to go. I¡¯m counting on you, champ, Theresa said, giving him a quic nod of encouragement.


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    Quentin didn¡¯t <b>say </b><b>a </b>word.


    s


    He strapped the <b>second </b>child tightly to his chest, grabbed arge pot, and ced it over the kid to shield <b>him</b>. Then he turned and headed downstairs again.


    As soon as he left, the woman lookedpletely lost. She stared after him, then slowly turned to the cart and began counting her remaining children like she was counting baby chicks,


    ¡°One.


    Two.


    ¡°Three.


    ¡°Why are there only three left?¡±


    She paused, then counted again.


    ¡°Onc.


    ¡°Two,


    Three.


    Suddenly, she looked up in panic. Dr. Larson, there are only three left! What <b>should </b>I do? I¡¯m missing two of my kids! I have to go find <b>them</b>!¡±


    ¡°You miscounted, Theresa said calmly. ¡°Count again. You still have five.¡±


    The woman blinked, then quickly turned back to the cart.


    ¡®One, two, three¡­ four, five!¡±


    She finished counting and looked up, beaming. ¡°Dr. Larson, you¡¯re right! I didn¡¯t lose any of my kids! Not


    even one!


    Theresa <b>just </b>gave a long, silent look.


    Ten minutester, Quentin returned and took another child.


    Now only two were left. The woman kept counting them over and over.


    Theresa had already told her there were five. And with Theresa¡¯s calm certainty, the <b>woman </b>didn¡¯t question it at all. She <b>simply </b>assumed she was bad at <b>counting</b>, and every time she counted two, she saw


    <b>five</b><b>. </b>


    ¡°<b>One</b><b>, </b><b>two</b>, <b>three</b>, four¡­ five!¡±


    ¡°Dr. <b>Larson</b><b>, </b>I got it right this time!¡± she said proudly, <b>pushing </b>the cart over to sit beside Theresa. ¡°Can I discharge now?¡±


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    ¡°Yeah, Theresa said. ¡°Once he gets back here, you¡¯ll leave with us.¡±


    +5 Free <b>Coins </b>


    There were only two kids left now. No need for more runs. Theresa would have Quentin take one, she¡¯d carry the other, and then the woman could follow them. That would be theirst trip out.


    Time was running out.


    Theresa checked her watch.


    In just thirty minutes, all <b>five </b>explosives would go off at once.


    ¡°Dr. Larson! Is my dading to pick me up?¡± the woman suddenly asked, her voice full of hope.


    She clutched Theresa¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°He forgave me, right? Did my dad finally forgive me?¡±


    Theresa turned to look at her. The woman¡¯s long bangs hid most of her face, but beneath them, her eyes were bright <b>and </b>clear. For the first time. Theresa noticed¨Cshe was actually beautiful.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she said softly. ¡°He forgave <b>you</b>.¡±


    The excitement on the woman¡¯s face slowly shifted into nervousness and anxiety. She looked uneasy. ¡°Did he really forgive me? Even now that I <b>have </b>kids? Will he still forgive me?¡±


    Theresa looked at the two frail but obedient children in the cart¨Cno older than four or five. ¡°He¡¯ll ept them,¡± she said gently. ¡°He¡¯ll ept your kids


    The woman clutched the cart and suddenly burst into tears.


    ¡°No, he won¡¯t. That day, he hit me and dragged me by the hair to the hospital. He <b>said </b>I embarrassed him. and if I didn¡¯t get rid of the baby, he wouldn¡¯t acknowledge me as his daughter!


    ¡°He kicked my stomach. It hurt so bad, and he just kept hitting me. He¡¯ll never want my kids.¡±


    Hearing this, Theresa felt a sharp pain in her chest. ¡°Why did he hit you? What about the kids¡® dad?¡±


    ¡°The kids¡® dad ran off. My dad beat him up and chased him away. Then he dragged me to the guy¡¯s house<b>, </b>and his mom said they¡¯d just let their son marry me. But my dad wanted a dowry, and they wouldn¡¯t <b>give </b>it.


    They said I was already pregnant¨Cthere was nothing else they could do. My dad got <b>furious</b>, fought with them, and ended up chasing the kids¡¯ dad away.¡±


    Theresa frowned. Then what happened?¡±


    Then my dad got arrested. I begged the cops, crying, saying I didn¡¯t want the baby anymore¨CI just wanted my dad back<b>. </b>But the doctors took me away.


    Theresa looked at the mentally unstable girl in front of her and let out a quiet sigh.


    She could pretty much piece the story together now.


    A young girl, naive and clueless, got pregnant by an irresponsible guy. His family mistreated her because of the pregnancy. Her hot¨Ctempered father lost control and ended up getting arrested after a fight.


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    Chapter 260 Her Story


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    The whole thing must¡¯ve been devastating. She probably lost the baby too. That would exin why she broke down and started thinking all these kids were hers.


    ¡°My dad really forgave me the woman asked, gripping Theresa¡¯s hand with a mix of hope and fear.


    ¡°Yeah¡± Theresa nodded. ¡°He¡¯sing to get you soon.


    ¡°How about <b>my </b>kids? Will he like them too?¡±


    Yeah. He told me he likes all your kids.¡±


    The woman instantly lit up. She paced in circles, then turned back to Theresa, Dr. Larson, my dad¡¯s name is Greg Murphy. He builds tall buildings. He always wears jeans and a ck T¨Cshirt, and he¡¯s always dirty. He¡¯s really short¨Cshorter than me¨Cand super skinny. Don¡¯t mix him up with anyone else!¡±


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    Chapter 261 The Mutated Conjoined Zombie


    ¡°Alright, I got it, Theresa replied.


    ¡°My sweeties, your grandpa¡¯sing! <b>You </b>all better behave and not make him mad, okay?¡±


    Suddenly, the <b>woman </b>froze, as if she heard something.


    s


    Clutching the two <b>kids </b>tightly, panic shed across her face as she stared down the hallway. ¡°Oh no! Dr. Larson! It¡¯sing!¡±


    Without warning, she snapped. She shoved the kids into the cart and bolted forward.


    Theresa¡¯s expression <b>changed</b>. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯sing! It¡¯sing to us! It¡¯s going to eat my babies! the <b>woman </b>screamed,pletely hysterical as she pushed the cart and ducked into the nearest room


    Theresa frowned. Something felt off. She turned toward the hallway¨C<b>and </b>then saw it. Crawling around the corner was a mutated conjoined zombie, with two heads, four arms, two legs.


    It scuttled across the floor on all six limbs like a massive spider.


    Behind it, a swarm of kid zombies¨C<b>no </b>older than five or six¨Ccame rushing forward. In an instant, the nightmarish horde was barreling straight toward them.


    Theresa barely <b>had </b>time to react before someone grabbed her <b>hand </b><b>and </b>yanked her <b>into </b>Bang!


    The <b>door </b>mmed shut. The woman pulled Theresa and the two kids into the closet. Theresa <b>had </b>always hated hiding, especially in closets.


    If those things got in, they¡¯d be cornered and helpless, nothing but sitting ducks.


    a room.


    However, the woman had already squeezed herself <b>and </b>the kids into the back of the closet. With a soft click<b>, </b>she shut the <b>door</b><b>. </b>


    <b>Inside</b>, her face was twisted with fear. She looked at Theresa and whispered, barely audible, ¡°Don¡¯t talk. If you talk, they¡¯ll eat you.¡±


    She clutched the two kids tightly. Both wentpletely still¨Cnot even <b>a </b>sound.


    Theresa had no choice but to adjust her position in the cramped space, her AK¨C47 from her domain already in <b>hand</b>. If they got <b>discovered</b>, she¡¯d <b>have </b>to go in guns zing,


    At that <b>point</b><b>, </b>attracting more zombies was the least of her concerns.


    Every muscle in her body tensed as she <b>crouched </b>in the closet. Then, she heard the sound of shuffling


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    footsteps outside the door.


    She focused all her senses, pushing her psychic ability to the limit.


    Through her psychic perception, she could see a massive swarm of zombies gathering just outside the


    Toom


    Raaagh-


    And leading the pack was that aberrant zombie.


    Then, came the soft rattle of the doorknob.


    It was trying to open the door.


    It knows what a doorknob is? A zombie with actual intelligence?


    Click. The lock turned.


    And with a long creak, the door slowly opened from the outside.


    The moment it cracked open. a wave of putrid stench hit Theresa square in the face.


    A shriveled hand appeared first, wing at the ground¨Cthen two zombie heads poked through the doorway.


    It looked like an extremely rare conjoined patient who hade to the hospital for separation surgery- still wearing a <b>hospital </b>gown


    They were joined at the waist, each half with its own upper body, but sharing <b>two </b>legs.


    They crawled in on all fours, <b>heads </b>tilted, scanning the room.


    Suddenly, there was a loud crash.


    The cart they had just brought in was smashed t with a single swipe. The stainless steel frame crumpled in the aberrant zombie¡¯s hand like it was made of paper.


    One hit, and the cart was reduced to scraps.


    This thing had to be at least a Level 3 strength¨Ctype ability mutant zombie.


    After ttening the cart, the aberrant zombie¡¯s attention snapped toward the closet where Theresa and the others were hiding.


    It started creeping closer.


    Through the closet¡¯s vents. Theresa could see those two grotesque zombie heads drawing nearer and


    nearer.


    The aberrant zombie reached out, its freakishly long ws scraping against <b>the </b>metal door.


    Theresa stayed on full alert, sweat breaking out <b>across </b>her back, while the woman beside her clutched the kids even tighter.


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    She kept her head down


    Then, in the heightened sensitivity of her mind power. Theresa picked up a strange mental wave emanating from the woman¨Clike an invisible barrier had formed around them, severing all connection to the outside world.¡±


    The aberrant zombie, mere inches from wing open the closet, suddenly froze.


    Both heads leaned in, pressing against the metal door, sniffing furiously as the stench of decay thickened


    the air.


    To Theresa¡¯s astonishment, after a few tense moments, the zombie turned away and crawled toward the

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    Chapter 262 No Way Out


    Chapter 262 No Way Out


    No way!


    Tap¨Ctap¨Ctap.


    Tap¨Ctap¨Ctap


    The footsteps gradually faded into the distance. Inside the cab. Theresa remainedpletely still. The zombies were still moving through the building, checking each room one by <b>one</b><b>. </b>


    She kept her psychic perception fully extended and didn¡¯t rx until the horde moved beyond her mental range. Only then did she allow herself a small breath of relief.


    That was when she noticed the woman¡¯s mental waves hadpletely disappeared.


    Theresa finally understood how the woman had managed to survive with a few children in the hospital for a whole <b>year</b>.


    She was an ability user, too¨Cand had a special kind of mutated psychic power that had never been catalogued.


    This <b>ability </b>could somehow make zombies lose track of their targets.


    The woman who had survived the zombie horde opened her eyes and immediately began to count.


    ¡°One, <b>two</b><b>¡­</b>¡±


    Suddenly, she let <b>out </b>a piercing scream. ¡°My kid! One¡¯s missing! They took my <b>kid</b>!¡±


    ¡°Shhh! Theresa


    teven have time to calm her down.


    The moment that scream echoed through the hallway, the <b>zombies </b>that had just left turned back around. and rushed straight toward them.


    She burst out of the cab.


    The second she did, <b>a </b><b>kid </b>zombie was already racing toward her.


    It wore an oversized hospital gown for children. An IV needle was still stuck in its right arm. The now- empty IV bag contained a quarter bottle of thick ck blood that had resulted in a backflow.


    The tube, now in the color of ck and red, was tangled all <b>over </b>its body.


    Its other hand was stuffed in its mouth.


    As it chewed, it <b>was </b>gnawing on its own tiny fingers.


    Reach!


    The kid zombie opened its niouth wide with excitement. Its fingers dropped <b>to </b>the floor one <b>by </b>one until only bare bone remained on its left hand.


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    Chapter 262 No Way Out


    It lunged at Theresa.


    Free Cons


    She drove her katana sideways into its head. The resistance was so strong that even a de sharp enough to cut through iron struggled to push through.


    Fortunately. Theresa had plenty of strength


    She gripped the hilt with both hands and drove the de in with all her strength. The katana pierced clean through the kid zombie¡¯s skull. She gave it a sharp twist inside its brain, then yanked it out. A crystal core came free with the de.


    At the same time, she grabbed the woman from the cab and took off.


    ¡°Hold your kids tight. If <b>one </b>falls, I¡¯m noting back for them!¡±


    Theresa hoisted the mentally unstable woman over her shoulder. The woman clutched two children tightly in her arms.


    Theresa sprinted away.


    The moment they left the room, the massive zombie horde behind them gave chase.


    The leading aberrant zombie was just a meter behind Theresa. It caught the scent of the living and lunged forward, stretching out its long arms and shing its ws at her.


    In the next <b>second</b>, the person in front of it vanished into thin air.


    The aberrant zombie swiped at empty air and froze in brief confusion. Both its heads turned<b>, </b>opposite directions. A momentter, it picked up her scent again.


    However, by then, she was already seven or eight meters away.


    Raaaah!


    snilling in


    The aberrant zombie pushed off the ground andunched itself after her, moving like a giant mantis. Behind it, the swarm of kid zombies flooded forward in: waves.


    With one adult and two kids in tow. Theresa sprinted at full speed, using her teleportation ability again and again just to stay ahead. Her n was to escape through the small door Quentin had used earlier.


    But the moment she teleported to it, seven or eight zombies burst out from behind it with a ng-


    Theresa yanked her hand back just as it reached the handle..


    Thud!


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Zombies mmed into the einergency exit door one after another. They pounded on it with force.


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    Their shriveled hands smeared ck blood across the <b>metal </b>surface. Grotesque faces pushed up against the small ss window as they strained to break through.


    Theresa dropped the lock back into ce and turned toward the next exit.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Bang! Bang!


    She tried three emergency exits in a row, and every one of them was packed full of zombies.


    They had stayed in the hospital for too long. Every time Quentin came and went, he had drawn a horde in


    with him.


    Now, all the emergency exits on the third floor were surrounded by them.


    Theresa ran dozens of meters straight without finding a single usable exit. Even after reaching the inpatient ward, she had no way out.


    The aberrant zombie <b>stayed </b>hot on her heels.


    Just then, she heard a flood of footsteps echoing through the hallway.


    ¡°The bad doctor¡¯s here!¡±


    The <b>woman </b>on her shoulder let out a terrified cry.


    And this time, the terror in her voice was even worse than when she saw the aberrant zombie.


    Theresa¡¯s feet came to a sudden halt just before she reached the inpatient wing. In those one or <b>two </b>seconds, she finally understood what the woman meant by ¡®bad doctor.

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    Chapter 263 The Zombie Hospital Siege


    +5 Free Coms


    Theresa spotted <b>the </b>inpatient department up ahead, <b>and </b>a massive group of zombie doctors was heading


    her way.


    Some of the zombie doctors had stethoscopes hanging around their necks. Some clutched patient charts. others held surgical scalpels. Their faces were deathly pale, skin stretched tightly over bone.


    Some dragged their broken legs, others had missing arms or gaping wounds in their torsos. All wore hatteredb coats as they shuffled forward <b>in </b>a terrifying wave.


    Another horde followed close behind, made up of nurses in various uniforms. Their movements were <b>just </b>as lifeless and stiff.


    The hallway was packed wall to wall.


    It looked just like something out of a horror movie¨Ca hospital of nightmares.


    Behind them came the army of zombie patients. They were surrounded on both sides, Trapped between the doctors, nurses<b>, </b>and the undead.


    §£§Ñ§Þ!


    ? ? ?? ? ? ? ?? ?


    Thud!


    Theresa mmed a nearby door shut.


    At this point, she had to <b>admit</b>¨Cthe woman¡¯s hiding strategy might actually be useful.


    In desperate moments like <b>this</b>, hiding really was the best option.


    1


    Thud!


    Thud!


    ¡°Can you use your ability again to trick them?¡± Theresa asked calmly as she gently set the woman down. Her expression was rxed, not giving the woman even the slightest pressure. ¡°Just like carlier.¡±


    The woman held her two children tightly. She heard the pounding against the <b>door</b>, but shook her head. ¡°They found us. They <b>caught </b>us.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Don¡¯t panic. We won¡¯t say a word. Just try again,¡± Theresa urged.


    The woman kept shaking her head. ¡°It won¡¯t work. The doctors? They¡¯ll inject me. They found us already!¡± Theresa took a deep breath <b>as </b>she realized the woman¡¯s ability wasn¡¯t something she could control at will.


    Theresa dragged a cab over and braced it against the door, She scanned the consultation room from top to bottom.


    Her <b>eyes </b>suddenlynded <b>on </b><b>the </b>ceiling


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    Chapter 263 The Zombie Hospital Siege


    There was a venttion duct¨Ca <b>n </b>snapped into ce.


    They could climb up and get out of here.


    Crack!


    She stepped onto the table and yanked the <b>vent </b><b>cover </b>off.


    <b>¡°</b>Give me the kids!¡± Theresa called to the woman. ¡°We¡¯re escaping through here! Got it?¡±


    This time, the woman understood perfectly. She hugged her children and rushed forward. ¡°Okay!¡±


    Theresa grabbed one child in each hand and hoisted them into the duct. Then she wrapped her arms around the woman and lifted her up as well.


    Thud!


    Thud!


    Thud!


    Crash!


    The door shuddered violently under the relentless pounding. The lock was deformed within seconds. The cab blocking it had already been <b>knocked </b>askew.


    Just as Theresa finished getting the woman into the duct, the door burst open with a loud crash.


    A wave of zombie doctors, nurses, and patients surged into the room.


    The aberrant zombie at the center stretched its two heads out, instantly locking on to Theresa standing in


    the far corner.


    It let out a sharp screech as it shoved the surrounding zombies aside.


    It had two legs and four arms. Its limbs hit the floor at once as <b>it </b>sprang forward and targeted Theresa<b>. </b>


    Three <b>meters</b>.


    Two meters.


    One <b>meter</b>¡­


    Half a meter¡­


    Just as the aberrant zombie reached <b>out </b>to grab her, Theresaunched herself up into the venttion duct with perfect timing.


    The ceiling stood roughly three meters high. The zombies below howled as they stared upward and watched their live meal vanish from sight.


    Theresa crawled through the venttion duct.


    It hadn¡¯t been used in a year<b>, </b>and the inner walls were coated with <b>dust </b>


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    The space was incredibly narrow. If any of them had been grown men, there¡¯d have been no way they could squeeze through.


    Luckily, their


    group only included women and children.


    They were all small¨Cframed.


    The two children crawled ahead of them inplete silence, their faces serious as they moved quickly on hands and knees.


    As they passed the next vent, they pecked through the grate and saw a crowd of zombies packed below.


    The <b>woman¡¯s </b>gentle voice floated up behind them. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. Keep moving. If we run fast enough. they won¡¯t catch us.¡±


    The two little ones rushed forward against the wall without hesitation.


    When the woman passed the same spot, she nced down and quickly crawled ahead.


    Each time they passed over a vent, it caught the attention of more zombies below. When Theresa crossed <b>one </b>herself, she spotted <b>several </b>of them looking straight up and screaming


    Dull, gray eyes filled with nothing but hunger locked onto her from beneath the vent.


    As she appeared, <b>four </b>or five zombies began howling and jumped up in a frenzy to reach her.


    Theresa watched them fail to get anywhere near the duct. Her eyes were <b>cold </b>and sharp as she passed <b>over </b>them swiftly.


    The group kept crawling and eventually left that room behind. Up ahead, the ductwork split <b>into </b>several


    narrow passageways.


    Theresa carefully judged the direction.


    Their goal was to get out of the main hall.


    She turned toward the emergency exit path and continued crawling forward.


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    Chapter 264 Exit at the Edge


    Chapter 264 Exit at the Edge


    Just then, Theresa felt the pipe beneath her start to shake.


    Hither h


    Roar!


    s


    She turned her head and saw the aberrant zombie climbing up from the end of the pipe. It was using both hands and feet, and its two heads were squeezing up from below.


    It really was a smart zombie. This one had already developed intelligence.


    ¡°Run!¡± Theresa shouted, urging the people in front to move faster.


    As she spoke, therge zombie started forcing its <b>way </b>into the pipe like some shape¨Cshifting creature, squeezing its body in with all its strength. Its left head stretched forward while the second head s behind.


    stayed


    With a <b>sharp </b>swish, it crawled toward Theresa like a giant mutant spider, <b>moving </b>fast with all four limbs.


    She stayed close behind the woman in front


    ¡°Faster!


    ¡°Come on, move!¡±


    Just a little faster!¡±


    She kept calling out <b>to </b>the people ahead.


    The woman <b>and </b>kids had scraped their knees while crawling, but they didn¡¯t slow down. Still, they <b>weren¡¯t </b>fast <b>enough</b>.


    The awful stench behind them was getting stronger and closer.


    The aberrant zombie was scent of a living person, it would charge ahead at full speed.


    huge, but it could squeeze its body in


    Its gray-white eyes slowly turned red as it locked onto Theresa.


    any shape. As long as it picked up the


    Just then, a <b>split </b>in the pipe appeared in front of her. Her eyes lit up. She saw a few people <b>had </b>already crawled into the side tunnel and went in without hesitation.


    Bang


    The aberrant zombie chasing her suddenly got stuck at the fork. Its second head had locked onto the woman and kids who took <b>the </b>other path. Now the two heads were stuck in the middle¨Cone pulling left and the other right. Neither gave way, and they kept mming into each other, jamming the tunnel.


    Theresa raised her eyebrows at the <b>sight</b>, then sped up and kept crawling forward.


    The venttion ducts were like a <b>maze</b><b>, </b><b>running </b>through the entire third floor.


    12:30 Fri, 15 Aug t


    Chapter 264 Exit at the Edge


    After crawling for a bit, she spotted the woman and kids again just up ahead.


    Follow me!¡± <b>she </b>said.


    This time. Theresa took the lead.


    She crawled through the front tunnel and realized they¡¯d reached the edge¨Cthere was an exit.


    s


    She quickly climbed over to the cover at the end and looked out. It was t the street. It was a quiet corner of the hospital, and there were hardly any zombies outside.


    Her eyes lit up. This was it.


    She kicked the stainless steel cover <b>and </b>broke it open. Seeing the <b>30</b>¨Cfoot drop, she pulled a climbing rope from her space.


    She looked around for something to tie the rope to, but the duct walls were smooth with nothing to grab


    Without saying a word, she punched the wall a few times and smashed a hole in it.


    If there wasn¡¯t a good spot, she¡¯d make one.


    Sometimes, brute force worked best.


    She jammed the rope¡¯s metal <b>end </b>into the hole she¡¯d made.


    ¡°Listen up. If you want to get out, you¡¯ll have to rely on yourselves, Hold on to me. If I can take you, I will. If I can¡¯t, I¡¯m not stopping. Whether you live or die, that¡¯s on you.¡±


    Theresa turned to the woman and the kids as she spoke.


    She didn¡¯t care if the woman was mentally unstable or if the kids were too young to understand.


    That was <b>just </b>how things were.


    As long as they didn¡¯t threaten her safety, she¡¯d help if she could. Theresa wasn¡¯t totally cold¨Cblooded, but her own life always came first.


    The woman seemed to understand. She nodded quickly and handed both kids to her.


    Right then, they heard more noiseing from the pipe.


    This time, the shaking was much worse


    ¨C


    -it felt like <b>a </b>whole swarm of zombies wasing.


    Theresa looked at the kids. Without <b>hesitating</b>, she tied them onto herself and told the woman to hold tight to her back.


    She was going to slide down the rope. If they made it, great If not, there was nothing she could do.


    Once all three were strapped to her. Theresa grabbed the rope. That¡¯s when she saw a flood of zombies swarming through the pipe like a pack of rats.


    Leading the way <b>were </b>the kid zombies.


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    Chapter 264 Exit at the Edge.


    They moved fast in the narrow space.


    Theresa pushed off hard, and just as the zombies lunged at her, she slid down the rope.


    s


    As she dropped, the hospital¡¯s wall vent burst open like a broken dam, and a massive wave of zombies. poured out.

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    Theresa grabbed the rope and pushed off the wall, dropping down fast.


    As she passed the second floor, she saw that the big ss window was packed with zombies.


    <b>3</b>/3% 0


    s


    Some woreb coats, some had on nurse uniforms, some were in hospital gowns, and some looked like regr people visiting patients. Everywhere she looked, it was nothing but zombies.


    Above her, they were falling like rain.


    Theresa kept her speed under control, running sideways along the wall like a trained soldier. Just as she was about to reach the ground, the rope suddenly jerked downward. The venttion pipe above her made a loud ng, and most of it came loose from the wall.


    She dropped thest six feet and, right then, someone rushed forward.


    With people tied to both her front and back, Theresanded sideways and crashed straight into Quentin¡¯s


    arms.


    Crack-


    She heard the sound of bones breaking.


    Quentin dropped to his knees, catching everyone¡¯s weight.


    ¡°You came back!¡± a woman said, recognizing Quentin. She looked at him excitedly. ¡°Dr. Larson, he¡¯s here! He¡¯s really here!¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Theresa said, quickly rolling off him with the people she was carrying. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll live,¡± Quentin said through gritted teeth, sucking in a sharp breath. His broken arm hung limp, and he couldn¡¯t stand up.


    His arm was broken. So was his leg.


    <i>Thump- </i>


    <i>Thump- </i>


    <i>Thump- </i>


    The zombies that had fallen started twitching and crawling back up from the ground.


    The ones nearby began heading toward Theresa.


    ¡°Dr. Larson, there are so many of them¨Cwe have to hide!¡± the woman said, grabbing Theresa¡¯s hand, trying to pull her back into the hospital.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been discharged, Theresa said, shaking her off. She picked Quentin up from the ground and strapped him back onto herself.


    <b>The </b>woman couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Right, you said my dad came <b>to </b>get me. Where is <b>he</b>?<b>¡± </b>


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    Chapter 265 No Way Out


    ¡°He¡¯s outside. Follow me. If you fall behind, you won¡¯t see him again.¡±


    Once everything was ready, Theresa pulled out her knife. Her eyes sharpened.


    <b>+5 </b>Free Coins


    She raised the de with both hands and ran straight at the zombies, cutting through them as she moved forward.


    The woman saw her running and quickly followed close behind.


    Theresa shed at every zombie in her path, leaving bodies and blood all over the ce<i>. </i>


    The more she fought, the harder she went. Her eyes started turning red.


    Any zombie that got near her was instantly taken down.


    Just as she was about to make it out of the hospital, a loud crash came from above.


    She looked up and saw a huge hole torn in the third¨Cfloor outer wall.


    The same venttion pipe had fallen from inside the wall.


    With a heavy ng, it crashed down right in front of her, blocking the way. The rest of it still hung from the wall, barely holding on.


    Boom!


    The pipe split at one of the joints. An aberrant zombie let out a sharp cry as two heads popped out at the same time.


    Its red eyes locked onto Theresa. As soon as it appeared, it crawled along the stainless steel pipe like a spider.


    Its ws were sharp, and when they scraped the steel, they left jagged, curling scratches behind.


    <i>Roar- </i>


    It threw its head back and let out a loud howl.


    Within seconds, zombies from about six hundred feet away started moving toward them, like they¡¯d heard


    the <b>call</b>.


    Quentin¡¯s voice came from behind her. ¡°It¡¯s the zombie king around here. It¡¯s calling the others.¡±


    Right after he said that, the zombie king charged toward Theresa.


    ¡°Run!¡±


    Theresa ran at full speed.


    As she ran, the pipes above kept crashing down.


    <b>The </b>aberrant zombie chased after her from above, sprinting across the pipes.


    <b>Surprisingly</b><b>, </b><b>even </b>with <b>how </b>fast Theresa was running, the <b>woman </b><b>didn¡¯t </b>fall behind. She <b>stayed </b>right


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    Chapter 265 No Way Out


    ºÅ73%Á¿


    s


    behind her the whole time.


    Zombies wereing from every direction. More and more of them.


    Just when it looked like they were about to be surrounded, the woman behind Theresa suddenly shouted.


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    As Theresa kept cutting through the crowd, she saw a short, skinny older man in the swarm ahead. He was wearing jeans, a ck T¨Cshirt, and a hard hat.


    A name badge hung around his neck. It clearly said ¡°Greg Murphy.¡±


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    The moment she saw him, the woman ran even faster than Theresa.

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    The woman didn¡¯t notice the danger at all and kept running straight toward the zombies ahead.


    Just then, a shadow shed over Theresa¡¯s head.


    The zombie king leapt into the air and lunged straight at her.


    s


    Theresa was about to pull out her knife for a life¨Cor¨Cdeath fight when she suddenly dodged to the right and shouted at the woman, ¡°Get out of the way!¡±


    She had just seen a huge piece of pipe falling straight toward the woman¡¯s head.


    It was going tond right where they were standing.


    <i>Boom</i>!


    Theresa dove to the side, and the pipe came crashing down¨Con the zombie king in front of her.


    It pinned the zombie king to the ground.


    <i>Roar- </i>


    The zombie king¡¯s two heads let out a terrible scream as they were crushed.


    Theresa threw a knife, finishing off the aberrant zombie king in one clean strike.


    Right after, she turned to check on the woman.


    If nothing had gone wrong, the woman should¡¯ve been dead.


    But Theresa saw her kneeling on the ground. The pipe had only grazed her head¨Cit had been held up by


    a zombie.


    The pipe hadnded on that zombie¡¯s head. It was wearing a safety helmet, and a steel bar had gone straight through the top of its head, pinning it in ce. The helmet had cracked all over.


    For some reason, Theresa¡¯s chest tightened.


    She knew it had to be a coincidence.


    The zombie had just happened to be hit by the pipe. It had just happened to be standing in front of the


    woman<b>. </b>


    But¡­ it was her dad.


    <b>He </b>had taken the blow for her.


    <b>Theresa </b>remembered the woman telling her that when she was taken to the hospital, her dad had been taken away by the police.


    So, after the zombie virus outbreak, her dad must¡¯ve fought his way back here right away¡­ to find his <b>daughter</b><b>. </b>


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    No matter what, he never stopped thinking about her.


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    Roar


    s


    The woman, still kneeling andpletely unharmed, stared at the man in front of her and started crawling toward him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Theresa jumped over and grabbed her.


    ¡°Dr. Larson, that¡¯s my dad! That¡¯s my dad,¡± the woman said.


    ¡°Your dad wants you toe with me now.¡± Theresa dragged her away.


    Zombies were closing in from all sides.


    The woman¡¯s dad looked in Theresa¡¯s direction. With a loud crash, he fell to the ground while still holding up the pipe, blocking a group of zombies from reaching his daughter.


    ¡°Dad-¡±


    ¡°Dad-¡±


    ¡°Dad-¡±


    The woman, being pulled away by Theresa, looked back and saw her dad fall. She couldn¡¯t see his body


    anymore.


    Something clicked in her head. She stopped struggling and quietly followed Theresa without saying a word.


    They fought through the horde, cutting a bloody path out.


    Eventually, they made it past the crowd of zombies.


    A group of men stood waiting ahead, lined up and ready.


    Kyle and the others saw Theresa and her grouping back and rushed up to cover them, taking out the remaining zombies.


    Everyone made it back to the vehicle.


    As soon as they got in, a loud boom went off behind them.


    A massive st came from the direction of the hospital. Several buildings copsed in a row from a huge, controlled explosion.


    The sound of the st drew all the nearby zombies away. They all turned and started heading toward the hospital.


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    Chapter 266 The Last Shield


    Just like that, the pressure from the zombie crowd around them was gone.


    The woman stared at the hospital, saying nothing. Tears ran down her face.


    ¡°Mom!¡±


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    ¡°Mom!¡±


    ¡°Mom!¡±


    ¡°Mom!¡±


    ¡°Mom!¡±


    The little kids they had rescued all gathered around her. They saw her crying and tried tofort her.


    She looked down at them. ¡°My dad¡­ is gone.¡±


    The kids didn¡¯t really understand what that meant.


    They had grown up this past year without ever having a dad.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Quentin looked at Theresa, who seemed upset. ¡°Missing your dad?¡±


    Theresa rolled her eyes. ¡°Shut up. I don¡¯t have a dad.¡±


    Quentin¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Then how about I be your dad? Make up for the fatherly love you missed.¡±


    Theresa didn¡¯t answer.


    She grabbed his broken leg and twisted it.


    <i>Crack</i>!


    His injury got worse.


    ¡°Agh!¡±


    The armored car headed back to their


    Theresa was thest one to return.


    All the other squads were already back.


    camp.


    During this mission, Landon¡¯s and Den¡¯s teams had both suffered losses.


    They had all gone deep into the city.


    Even though their missions weren¡¯t as hard as Theresa¡¯s, for the weaker teams, it was still a big challenge.


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    as


    s


    One of their teams had lost two people, and the other had lost one.


    Everyone let out a sigh of relief when they saw Theresa return.


    ¡°Theresa, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Theresa, how¡¯s your team?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re fine. We even brought back a few more,¡± Theresa said, leading the woman and a few kids down.


    When the others saw that everyone on Theresa¡¯s team had made it back safely¨Cand that she¡¯d even brought along some weak survivors¨Cthey all gave her a thumbs¨Cup.


    Lucas and Landon had also rescued a group of survivors. They were all young and easier to manage, so the mission hadn¡¯t been as difficult.


    But the ones Theresa brought back looked so weak that everyone just stared.


    ¡°We¡¯ll go over the missionter. I¡¯m heading back to rest,¡± Theresa told the group.


    They¡¯d been fighting nonstop for days, and now that the mission was over, it was finally time to take a break.


    She also missed her only family, Tania.


    Even with everything going on, she still had to take care of the people at home.


    Everyone nodded. ¡°Yeah, take a couple of days off.¡±


    ¡°Bennie said he needs to redo the model.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s all rest up for a few days. We¡¯ll n the next mission after that.¡±


    They left most of the team behind to handle basic defense while the others rotated out to rest.


    Theresa took Kyle, Quentin, Tyger, the woman, and her kids back to her own camp.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± she asked the woman.


    ¡°I¡¯m Emma Murphy.¡±


    Theresa thought about her ability. ¡°Do you want to join my team?¡±


    Emma¡¯s power was pretty unique, but Theresa wasn¡¯t sure if someone with a mental illness could pass on that kind of ability.


    Emma looked up at her.


    <b>¡°</b><b>If </b><b>you </b><b>work </b>for me, I¡¯ll give <b>you </b>points every month. You can use them to take care of your kids.¡±


    <b>¡°Yes</b><b>! </b>I¡¯ll do it!¡® Emma nodded right away.


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    Chapter 267 An Unexpected Boost


    As soon as she said that, a voice popped up in Theresa¡¯s head.


    ¡®Beep¨Ccamp guard +1 detected!¡®


    ¡®Beep¨CReward: 1000 points! Combat suit x1! Special attribute: Copy!¡±


    ¡®Beep¨CSpecial condition: Subject attribute absorbed. Mind power tripled!¡®


    <i>Special </i>condition?


    Theresa suddenly felt her mental fatigue fade. Her mind felt clear and full of energy.


    Her mental scan range jumped to almost 160 feet.


    72%


    <b>+5 </b>Free Coins


    She hadn¡¯t tested her teleportation yet, but she figured she could probably jump at least 30 feet now.


    But what did ¡°subject attribute absorbed¡± mean?


    Maybe because Emma was mentally ill, Theresa couldn¡¯t copy the full ability. So instead, she only absorbed the core¨Cher mental strength.


    Theresa looked at Emma and felt like it made sense now.


    That had to be it.


    Emma had a mental illness, and her power was a kind of mental ability. Because of that, it had evolved in a unique way.


    But Theresa didn¡¯t have that kind of brain chemistry. She couldn¡¯t copy Emma¡¯s way of thinking, so she could only pull her raw mental power.


    For the first time, Theresa kind of wished she weren¡¯t mentally stable. Maybe then she could¡¯ve picked up that special power too.


    It was probably some kind of mental wave that could trick zombies.


    Oh well.


    Still, she was lucky. Ability users with mental powers were rare, and it wasn¡¯t easy to boost her own. Getting a triple boost from Emma was a big win.


    She just had to take it one step at a time.


    ¡®Beep¨Ccamp poption +5 detected!¡®


    500 points added!¡±


    ¡®Beep¨Ccamp now has over ten children. Camp prosperity level doubled! Production increased by 10%!¡® Theresa was still thinking about Emma¡¯s ability when she heard the system¡¯s rewards. Her eyes lit up.


    More bonuses.


    This mission had definitely been worth it.


    12.04


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    Chapter 267 An Unexpected Boost


    Theresa drove the armored car back to camp.


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    She dropped Emma and the kids off in the Residential Zone and gave her a job helping Tessa.


    Emma would help restock supplies and handle small tasks around the camp. That way, she could stay close to her kids too.


    At the same time, Theresa remembered a reward she got from the system after taking over another district earlier.


    It was an underground bunker, located right beneath the Residential Zone.


    She searched her memory and found the entrance¨Cit was in the basement under the store at their camp.


    The bunker wasrge and well¨Cequipped, with power, water, and venttion. It was about the same size as the vi area on the surface.


    Theresa told everyone about it so they¡¯d know. If anything happened, they¡¯d have a safe ce to hide.


    After spending a bit more time in the Residential Zone, Theresa headed back to her own bunker.


    £¤7

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    ¡°Terry!¡±


    The moment Theresanded, Tania came running over, excited to see her.


    Theresa had been resting in her bunker for two days.


    s


    During those two days, Tania treated her like a college kid home for break. Every day, she peeled fruit, sliced watermelon, shelled nuts, handed her snacks, made braised buffalo wings, steak, braised tofu, steamed cake, baked bread, and brewed fruit tea.


    From the moment Theresa opened her eyes, it was just eating nonstop.


    Tania spoiled her so much that it felt like she¡¯d gone back to the days when her mom used to take care of her.


    Theresa¡¯s mom had always been a gentle, traditional woman who doted on her. She never asked Theresa to do any chores and always made her favorite foods.


    Her husband wasn¡¯t around, and Theresa was her only child, so she treated her like a treasure.


    Tania¡¯s personality was totally different from her mom¡¯s, but when it came to loving her, they were exactly


    the same.


    After Theresa met Tania, she felt like her temper got a lot better.


    She¡¯d be much more easygoing.


    ¡°Have you noticed Theresa¡¯s changedtely?¡± Elias asked his buddies after seeing here out.


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t curse anymore.¡±


    Everyone went quiet.


    Theresa got tons of messages every day, and Elias usually replied for her. But he always checked with her


    first.


    Anytime she heard something ridiculous¨Clike someone asking her to donate food to their camp or out Evoloid for free <i>to </i>their powered people¨CTheresa would always start off by cursing.


    And Elias usually got caught in it too.


    give


    <b>¡°</b><b>I </b>just went over a bunch of messages with her, and she didn¡¯t curse once. She seriously replied to every single one.


    Everyone looked confused.


    ¡°For example, the Southern Camp said they want our whole alliance to move over there. Theresa said it <b>was </b>a <b>great </b><b>idea </b>and she agreed, but since we have a lot of people, it¡¯ll take a while. She told them to hang <b>in </b><b>there</b><b>¨C</b><b>five </b>hundred <b>years</b>, tops<b>, </b>and we¡¯ll definitely be there<b>. </b>


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    Everyone went silent.


    s


    ¡°Then, the Spring Camp said they were in a food crisis and asked us to send them thirty tons of food. Theresa said thirty tons was nothing. We already sent them a billion tons¨Cairmailed it straight to heaven. They can pick it up when they get there.¡±


    Still, no one said a word.


    ¡°Then a guy from Ocean Camp said they want our gene liquid form made public. He said it¡¯s a resource for all humanity and shouldn¡¯t be privately owned. Said if we don¡¯t release it, we¡¯re betraying mankind. Want to guess how Theresa replied?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d want to curse him out,¡± Kyle said.


    Tyger frowned. ¡°If he said that to my face, I¡¯d p him dead.¡±


    Quentin just smiled and stayed quiet.


    Elias said seriously, ¡°Theresa didn¡¯t even get mad. She smiled and told me she has a brain tumor and urgently needs a smarter brain to rece hers. Otherwise, she might forget the form. His brain seemed perfect¨Cshe said we could dig it out and swap it in for hers. With a brain like his, she¡¯d never forget the form and could share it with everyone. She said she hopes hees over soon. Sacrificing one guy to save humanity¨Che¡¯d better not let us down.¡±


    Everyone was stunned.


    Then the group burst outughing.


    At that moment, Theresa was in her bunker, surrounded by her dogs, chilling with the AC on, drinking a fresh fruit tea from Tania, and watching a drama on the couch.


    The fruit tea had watermelon, strawberries, lemon, and passionfruit.


    The watermelon came from their camp¡¯s farm. The strawberries were freeze¨Cdried, the lemon came from lemon slices, and the passionfruit was from a jar of jam they found while raiding a city.


    Tania mixed it with some tea leaves they¡¯d picked up earlier, added ice cubes from the freezer, and made a big, cold, sweet¨Cand¨Csour fruit tea that made Theresa feel amazing.


    Especially in the middle of the apocalypse.


    Even though the smaller camps in the zing Sun Alliance didn¡¯t have to worry about food or water anymore, no one else lived asfortably as Theresa.


    Most people were still trying to get enough to eat. At best, they had some meat and veggies and weren¡¯t starving anymore. But who else could kick back in the apocalypse with a ss of iced fruit tea?


    And those camps that hadn¡¯t joined the zing Sun Alliance yet were still struggling to survive.


    They were barely scraping by, constantly hunting for supplies and food.


    People really couldn¡¯tpare.


    Terry, <b>have </b><b>some </b>cake. I just <b>made </b>it for you,¡± Tania said, walking <b>over </b>with <b>a </b>te of ice cream cake that


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    had been in the freezer for a while.


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    The cake had a cookie crumb base, a thickyer of fruit in the middle, and a tempting scoop of ice cream


    on top.


    ¡°Aunt Tania, I¡¯m so full already.¡±


    ¡°Eat a little more. I also made sweet rolls, peach pie, peach cheesecake, savory tbreads, beef turnovers, and egg wraps. There¡¯s a bit of everything¨Csweet and savory. I remember you don¡¯t like apples, so I didn¡¯t make anything with apples.¡±


    Hearing how thoughtful Tania was, Theresa felt a wave of warmth in her chest.


    Other than her mom, Tania was probably the only person who remembered what she liked and didn¡¯t like.


    ¡°Aunt Tania,e sit for a bit,¡± Theresa said, pulling her down beside her.


    ¡°I still need to finish baking those tbreads. No time to rest.


    ¡°No need. There¡¯s already plenty.¡± Theresa scooted over, hugging Summer on one side and Tania on the other. With the dogs curled up around her feet, she feltpletely at ease.


    All the fighting she did outside was just so she could protect her family.


    But the peace didn¡¯tst long. Bennie came rushing in, looking worried.


    Lucas and Theron were right behind him.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, something important came up!¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Theresa told her people to open the door and let them in.


    As soon as Bennie stepped inside, he froze.


    The ce looked like something out of a dream. Pink everywhere, flower¨Clined paths, a little courtyard shaded with sheer fabric, a swing set, and a pale pink cottage. It looked like a scene from a fairytale.


    But when he looked closer, he saw vegetable gardens and fruit trees in every corner. There were chicken and duck pens, a sheep pen, and a fish pond.


    Along with all the food, the defenses were solid. Cameras were installed in every corner, a high¨Cvoltage electric fence surrounded the ce, drones flew overhead, and right in front of him was a reinforced underground shelter.


    He had imagined Theresa¡¯s camp a few times¡ªmaybe a fancy house or something like his own setup¨Cbut this was nothing like what he expected.


    It was obvious she had built the entire thing herself.


    She¡¯d created a fully stocked, secure ce to live.


    ¡°Have a seat,¡± Theresa said.


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    She led them into the pink gazebo that Tania had set up.


    Lucas and Theron had been here once before, but it hadn¡¯t looked like this back then.


    Seeing it now, they couldn¡¯t help butment.


    ¡°Looks amazing.¡±


    ¡°Way better than before.¡±


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s all thanks to my aunt¡¯s design,¡± Theresa said with a smile.


    ¡°Kids,e eat,¡± Tania called out, carrying over a big tray of snacks.


    There were cakes, bread, dried fruits, little treats, and a big pot of fruit tea in the middle.


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    That was when Lucas and Theron finally realized that calling her ¡°Aunt Tania¡± wasn¡¯t just something they said.


    ¡°Thanks, Aunt Tania.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for all the hard work, Aunt Tania.¡±


    It was Bennie¡¯s first time meeting Tania. Seeing how naturally everyone else called her ¡°Aunt Tania,¡± he looked a little unsure.


    <i>Aunt</i><i>? </i>


    ¡°What are you waiting for? Call her Aunt Tania,¡± Theron said.


    ¡°She¡¯s Theresa¡¯s aunt, and she¡¯s the one who made the zombie¨Csensing spray we all use,¡± Lucas added.


    Bennie¡¯s face lit up.


    He stared at Tania in shock.


    So, she <i>was </i><i>the </i><i>one </i>who <i>invented </i>it?


    His team had been studying the zombie virus for a long time and had only made a little progress.


    After joining the zing Sun Alliance, Bennie noticed everyone carried a few spray cans before going into battle.


    That discovery had shocked him.


    It was second only to the shock of Theresa¡¯s Evoloid.


    The spray was brilliant¨Cdefinitely something only a top¨Clevel expert could make.


    And now, he was standing in front of the person who made it.


    ¡°May I ask your name?¡± Bennie stood up and asked politely.


    Tanja saw how serious he looked and waved her hand with a smile. ¡°What, that curious about my name 3


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    <b>+5 </b>Free Coins


    ¡°I used to be an executive at Dawn Industries. If you invented the zombie¨Csensing spray, you must be an expert in the field. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of ourpany,¡± Bennie said, surprisingly respectful.


    Tania nodded. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re from Dawn? I remember. I¡¯ve reviewed some of your research projects before.¡±


    Bennie froze. If she had evaluated their projects, then she had to be a top expert.


    Looking at the young woman in front of him, a name suddenly came to mind.


    ¡°You¡¯re not¡­ Anita, are you?¡±

 Kept Woman 270

    Chapter 270 A Surprise Connection


    Chapter 270 A Surprise Connection


    Tania smiled and said, ¡°Just call me Aunt Tania. I don¡¯t use my old name anymore.¡±


    Bennie waspletely stunned.


    If one asked who Bennie wanted to recruit the most in the whole world, the virus expert Anita would definitely be one of them. He¡¯d always hoped the strict requirements for regr people joining the camp would be lowered for someone like her.


    And now, he was actually looking at the superstar he¡¯d been dreaming about.


    ¡°Why are you staring at my aunt like that?¡± Theresa pped the table.


    Bennie snapped out of it like waking from a dream.


    Even after the shock wore off, he couldn¡¯t stop staring at Tania. If she belonged to another camp, he would¡¯ve done whatever it took to recruit her. A top expert like that needed to be treated like royalty.


    But she turned out to be Theresa¡¯s aunt.


    Right then, he knew he didn¡¯t stand a chance. He was never going to get someone like her.


    After the disappointment passed, he couldn¡¯t help but think Theresa was seriously something else. She was already amazing on her own. Her camp was incredible. And now even her aunt was a big deal.


    Theresa was just too much.


    ¡°Thank you, Aunt Tania,¡± Bennie said as he took what Tania handed him. He sat down politely, but full of regret.


    Theresa saw it in his eyes right away¨Che was heartbroken.


    She had just stolen the top talent from hisst life¡¯s camp. With her aunt¡¯s background, Bennie would¡¯vepletely lost it the moment he realized who she was.


    But there was nothing he could do¨Cshe was her aunt, after all.


    All the best people ended up with Theresa.


    And it wasn¡¯t just her aunt. If she ever came across any of the others on the Top Ten Ruthless Survivors list, she¡¯d take them too.


    After he sat down, Bennie stayed quiet for a while before finally opening hisptop.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, have you heard of Sage Arlen from the Dawnwatch Camp?¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Sage Arlen?<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°<b>I </b>just found out too. In the eastern region, there¡¯s another camp called Dawnwatch.¡±


    Bennie turned on hisptop and showed her the screen. It disyed a model of the whole eastern region.


    Large red areas were scattered with small white dots. The red zones showed zombie territory¨Cthe darker the red, the more zombies there were.


    In the eastern region, Ansford, Branford, and Crestmont formed a triangle. Ansford was farthest east, near the coast, and had the least red left. That was thanks to Theresa, who had cleared most of it.


    Branford and Crestmont, on the other hand, were still deep red, almost purple. Just looking at the map gave off a heavy pressure.


    Right in the middle of Crestmont was a white dot.


    ¡°This is the Dawnwatch Camp. I got word they¡¯re also fighting to take the city back,¡± Bennie said as he zoomed in on the map.


    The white dot quickly expanded.


    A section of the city lit up on the screen.


    ¡°They¡¯re attacking from the inside out and have already taken back the central district.¡°..


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up even more.


    Sage was a big name, just like Theron and Bennie. He was a strong leader.


    In her past life, Theresa remembered that Sage had done the same thing¨Cpushing outward from the center of the city. Dawnwatch had grown quickly in the early years of the apocalypse, but sadly, it fell in its fifth year.


    And when it copsed, they hadn¡¯t even broken out of the city. It had just been too hard.


    Theresa had gone with a n to surround the city from the countryside. Her camp had solid support for every step forward. When things got tough, she could slow down or pull back.


    Sage had done the opposite. He started in the city center and pushed outward, In the early years, zombies hadn¡¯t fully evolved yet, so it was easier to fight. And since the city had plenty of supplies, anyone willing to kill could get what they needed.


    But by the third year, things changed.


    Zombies had fully evolved and couldn¡¯t be beaten. On top of that, food started going bad, and supply lines broke down. Unlike Theresa, they couldn¡¯t retreat or take breaks.


    The city zombies attacked them nonstop.


    With all that pressure, Dawnwatch barely held on for two more years before falling apart.


    Compared to that, it didn¡¯t evenst as long as Ember Camp.


    Theron¡¯s area might have been poor, and he didn¡¯t have much to work with at the start, but it was safer. He ended up doing way better than Sage.


    If one were to grade their efforts like how a test was graded, Theron and Bennie had finished the regr exam just fine. Sage¡¯s test looked like it had been ripped in half, but he still managed to write down a few


    answers<b>. </b>


    He had been at a disadvantage from the start.

 Kept Woman 271

    Chapter 271 The Cost of a Good Start


    Chapter 271 The Cost of a Good Start


    Surviving the apocalypse was like taking a test.


    From the moment a regr camp was set up and the location picked, the final score was already being decided


    <b>Camps </b>in bad spots with weak people didn¡¯tst long. Someone like Theresa, who had set up in the middle of nowhere from the start, had basically written a perfect test.


    That¡¯s why her camp had never dealt with a zombie wave or any major human attacks.


    Location really mattered. Camps like KI Camp and Ember Camp were also built in out¨Cof¨Cthe¨Cway ces.


    Almost all the camps that survived had picked good spots.


    The reason people said Sage¡¯s camp had a big problem <b>was </b>that it was built right in the middle of a city.


    It was like starting a test with half the answers already missing.


    Still, he had a bit of an edge¨C<b>his </b>location made it easy to get supplies, almost like cheating.


    He could stock up without much trouble, unlike everyone <b>else</b>.


    But all those resources Sage had now woulde back to bite himter, twice <b>as </b>hard.


    Back in her past life, Theresa had already looked into how things would end for Sage¡¯s Dawnwatch Camp.


    In the end, she could only say that the gifts of fate always came with a price tag from the start.


    It wasn¡¯t going tost.


    ¡°Sage actually did pretty well. Theron said as he looked at the model, sounding impressed.


    ¡°He broke out of the city center and turned things around. He¡¯s strong.¡± Lucas added.


    While they were both praising him, Theresa <b>said</b>, ¡°They won¡¯tst more than five years.¡±


    ¡°<b>They </b>did rise up with some skill and the right environment, but their luck won¡¯tst. Once the zombies fully evolve and they¡¯re still stuck in the city, they¡¯ll be trapped. At best, they might make it five years.¡±


    After she said that, Bennie looked at her differently.


    He was shocked all over again.


    What she said matched exactly what hisputer had calcted.


    Theresa was scary


    ary smart¨Cher brain worked almost like his machine.


    Is she a prophet?


    ¡°Ms. Hall, can Ie hang out at your ce more often?¡± Bennie asked, eyes lighting up.


    Chapter 271 The Cost of a Good Start


    Theresa turned to look at him. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I just really want to talk with you more. Every time I hear you speak, I learn something.¡±


    Bennie pretty much had the words ¡°worship¡± and ¡°prophet¡± written across his forehead,


    Theresa didn¡¯t even know what to say.


    ¡°Alright, alright, knock it off. Just get to the point.¡± Theron said, clearly a little creeped cut.


    ¡°Ms. Hall is right,¡± Bennie said. ¡°Our supeputer ran simtions all night and came to the same conclusion. At this rate, Sage¡¯s camp will grow fast for the first two <b>years</b>, but by year three, it start going <b>downhill</b>. They won¡¯tst more <b>than </b>five years.


    After that, Lucas and Theron looked over at <b>Theresa</b>.


    They both gave her a thumbs<b>¨C</b>up.


    Therria, you nailed it.


    ¡°But that¡¯s not the main reason I came,¡± <b>Bennie </b>went <b>on </b><b>as </b>he pulled up another screen. ¡°Sage got in touch with us. He¡¯s taken control of an entire district, but when he found out we¡¯ve taken three, he was shocked. After asking for the full story, he said he wants to <b>work </b>with us.¡±


    Theresa raised an eyebrow. ¡°What kind of partnership?¡±


    ¡°He wants us to help him. He¡¯ll break through from the inside, and we break through from the outside. Together, we take down Crestmont and split the supplies evenly.¡±


    Theresa thought for a second. ¡°Let¡¯s wait until we¡¯ve taken Ansford first.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no time,¡± Bennie said.


    ¡°My model shows this year is <b>our </b>best shot. The zombies are evolving <b>way </b>too fast. If we wait another year. Crestmont will be ten to twenty times harder to take. Pretty much impossible.¡±


    Theresa went quiet.


    Bennie had a point. There really wasn¡¯t enough time.


    They were already in year two of the apocalypse. At the pace they were going in Ansford, thosest two districts would take a full year to clear,


    If she waited until Ansford was done before moving on to Crestmont, it¡¯d be year three.


    By then, the zombies would be fully evolved, <b>and </b>fighting them <b>would </b>be next to impossible.


    But still¡­.


    ¡°There¡¯s one more thing. Bennie said, shrinking the model and showing the situation in Branford.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, Branford¡¯spletely fallen. Huge zombie swarms are hitting the smaller camps nearby, Just this past week, seven camps were wiped out¡±


    <b>2/3 </b>


    Chapter <b>271 </b>The Cost of a Good Stirt


    Only a few white dots were left around Branford.


    ¡°All those remaining


    through this time, hips have sent us SOS messages. ¡°They said they really tried their best to break


    through this time, but they just don¡¯t have the strength. They want us to help them


    378


    Chapter 272 Rise of Humanity

 Kept Woman 272

    Chapter 272 Rise of Humanity.


    Bennie yed a recording.


    <b>A </b>deep, carnest voice instantly filled the room through theputer speakers.


    ¡°Good day, Ms. <b>Hall</b>, esteemed leader of the zing Sun Alliance. I am Leon Barnes,mander of Neb Camp. We have 213 people from all across Branford, including children, the elderly, and even expectant mothers. This year, we were blessed with a new life. I know listing all this might sound pointless, but I need you to understand.


    ¡°All 213 of us have been fighting to survive. We followed your earlier orders to break out on our own<b>. </b><b>After </b>three attempts, 79 of our people are gone. Only 134 remain. We really are trying, but we¡¯re <b>just </b>too weak.


    ¡°We desperately need your help. Just this once¨Cget us out of this. If your alliance rescues us, everyone in our camp will serve the zing Sun Alliance in whatever way you need.¡±


    Some camps did nothing but curse their fate, while most others, despite their fight for survival, were <b>too </b>weak to defend themselves.


    It wasn¡¯t that they refused to join the alliance. They just couldn¡¯t.


    Strength wasn¡¯t a matter of will alone. In the end, it depended on what they had to back it up.


    When the recording ended, silence settled over the room.


    Bennie¡¯s expression remained indifferent. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t really care about the lives of these tiny camps. What interests me is their location.


    They¡¯re natural buffers, slowing the spread of the zombie hordes. In the Eastern region, even after we secure Ansford, we¡¯ll still need these camps to hold back the zombies from Branford and Crestmont.¡±


    He turned to Theresa. ¡°Ms. <b>Hall</b><b>, </b>please send them some support. It¡¯ll pay off in the long run.¡±


    Theresa sat quietly in her chair, a cup of fruit tea in hand, her gaze fixed on Bennie¡¯sputer screen.


    Her mind whirred with relentless calctions, weighing every possible option.


    For someone like her, everything came down to one thing¨Cprofit.


    She first weighed the cards in her hand. Over the past year since the apocalypse began, every step she¡¯d taken had been calcted. Step by step, she¡¯d built a fortified bunker.


    Inside were abundant supplies and rock¨Csolid defenses.


    She had five core team members and sixteen devoted supporters¨Cher most essential assets guarantee of her survival. No matter what happened, she could always protect herself and h


    ¡®u umate


    sources


    Beyond that, over eighty residents lived under hermand. They cultivated tens of thousands of acres, producing food and supplies and generating electricity. Their output was enough to sustain all the


    survivors.


    Above all, shemanded an alliance of nearly twenty camps.


    Chapter 272 Rise of Humanity


    Her alliance could rally more than three thousandbat¨Cready fighters, fully armed and well¨Cstocked with ammunition. That was enough to hold their ground against the zombie poption in a million- strong city.


    Her power had grown to the point that every camp in the Eastern region looked up to her<b>, </bing one after another to beg for help.


    Once, she had been just a <b>woman </b>with a dlog. Now, she led a super¨Calliance. With every step forward, her perspective had to change.


    As her power grew, so did the vantage point from which she viewed the world.


    Back when it was just her and her dog, the life or death of other camps meant nothing to her.


    But now¡­ On Bennie¡¯sputer screen, she saw a map awash in ominous crimson, marking the <b>spread </b>of zombies. Tiny white dots clung to the edges of the red zones¨Cfeeble, yet stubborn in their resistance.


    Together, they formedyers of defenses, an invisible barrier holding back the outward surge of the zombie tide.


    The threat before Theresa was no longer a few stray zombies. What loomed ahead was <b>a </b><b>storm</b>.


    In that storm, she had to ask herself: How long could she survive? And how much could she still change?


    She stared at the deep crimson zones, and suddenly she felt an invisible current of destiny surging <b>up </b>from the map.


    It was the fate of the entire Eastern region¨Ctheing showdown between humanity and the zombie hordes.


    She understood the future better than Bennie ever could. Hisputer simtions were bound by data, but she knew exactly how the zombies would evolve.


    There were only three major cities in the Eastern region. She could take Ansford within a year, and if she managed to bring Branford and Crestmont under control as well..


    <b>That </b>would mark the rise of humanity!


    Theresa¡¯s heart pounded violently as she stared at the glowing screen.


    Power was always a tug¨Cof¨Cwar.


    On <b>one </b>side stood human strength; on the other, the relentless tide of the <b>dead</b>. Every surge in human power <b>would </b>force the zombies to recede.


    If one day, humans grew strong enough to face the horde head<b>¨C</b>on, it would mark the dawn of humanity.


    Theresa¡¯s thoughts spun in rapid/calction, sketching out timelines and possibilities.


    If she could take Ansford within a year¡­


    If she joined forces with Sage to crush the zombie swarm in Crestmont¡­.


    If all those tiny white dots on the map could hold their ground¡­

 Kept Woman 273

    Chapter 273 Take a Gamble


    Chapter 273 Take a Gamble.


    Maybe¡­ This could really work!


    Human destiny could changel


    The next ten years of fate could he rewritten.


    Theresa sat in deep thought for what felt like an eternity. She didn¡¯t speak, and neither did anyone else.


    The final decision was hers alone. The others could offer suggestions and ns, but the real power had always rested in her hands.


    The supplies they relied on came from her<b>. </b>The resources were under hermand. She was the one in charge.


    ¡°How many camps are asking for help?¡± Theresa finally broke the silence.


    ¡°Sixty percent, Bennie said coldly.


    Theresa rested her chin on her hand, thinking for a long moment. ¡°Spread the word. Once ny¨Cfive percent of the camps ask me for help, I¡¯ll help all of them in one go. But they all have to follow mymand, <b>including </b>Dawnwatch Camp.¡±


    Theresa was taking a gamble, and she was aiming for the biggest win!


    She wanted every single camp to be part of her strength, standing with her against the zombie hordes.


    She wanted to seize thest two years of opportunity before the window closed.


    If she won, humanity would rise again. If she failed, she might be back to square one, clutching the scraps of her little camp, living small and tight


    But she <b>chose </b>to take the risk.


    It couldn¡¯t possibly get worse than herst life.


    Honestly, the lives of these camps had never really factored into her calctions.


    That old line about ¡°heavy is the head that wears the crown¡°? It had never applied to her.


    She even saw it the other way around: power came first, and whatever the strong did, the world bent to hand them responsibility.


    The lives of these people were incidental¨Cthin variables barely worth considering.


    As long as they didn¡¯t get in her way, she could pull them up with her, let them ride her coatrails, Saving them was nothing, as long as it was easy. But if they went against her interests, saving them wasn¡¯t even on the table. Theresa would wipe them out


    The strong were like gods,


    Chapter 273 Take a Gamble.


    Those who followed would thrive. Those who defied would perish.


    Only when the weak aligned themselves with the strong could they witness their mercy.


    <b>And </b>in her mercy. Theresa decided to save them all.


    After her message went out, every camp was ken.


    In the <b>current </b>situation, not every camp was desperate for help..


    After all, in her previous life, even <b>without </b>Theresa, these camps¨Cstrong or weak¨Chad managed to survive for ten years.


    Life had been harsh, but they endured.


    But sometimes, the tiniest spark was enough to ignite a whirlwind. Theresa¡¯s rise had already changed the fate of the entire region.


    Without an absolute powerhouse to lead them, everyone could only fend for themselves. But now, with someone strong willing to take charge and offer <b>aid</b>, how could they not waver?


    Humans were social creatures. Especially in Avalon, people instinctively gravitated toward the strongest. organization.


    Meanwhile, inside Dawnwatch Camp, Sage raised an eyebrow the moment he received the news.


    ¡°So, <b>she </b>wants every camp to follow the zing Sun Alliance? That¡¯s some ambition she¡¯s showing.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Arlen, what <b>should </b>we say?¡±


    ¡°Agree for now. We¡¯ll see if she¡¯s worth following after we meet this so¨Ccalled Theresa of the zing Sun Alliance.¡±


    At the moment, Theresa was still leading her team in the counterattack against the city.


    Bennie¡¯s earlier strategy had worked perfectly. Tworge sectors had been split into five smaller ones, and the once.dense zombie horde was gradually being divided. They were now advancing sector by sector.


    Before the first zone was fully secured, news from the entire eastern region arrived.


    ¡°Ny¨Cnine percent of the camps <b>have </b>agreed to join us,¡± Bennie reported to Theresa


    ¡°Thirteen in <b>Branford</b>, fifteen in Crestmont. <b>Almost </b>every camp we¡¯ve reached by radio has agreed. As for the few that <b>haven¡¯t </b>responded, I suspect they¡¯ve already been wiped out¡±


    After all, who wouldn¡¯t seize a lifeline?


    <b>Anyone </b>still breathing would say yes.


    Theresa listened and immediately set aside all other discussions to begin mapping <b>out </b>her grand n for humanity¡¯s rise.


    973


    <b>AUD </b>


    Chapter 273 Take a Gamble


    ¡°Bennie,pile the poption numbers and weapon stockpiles for these camps, she instructed, carefully piecing together a n in her mind.


    ¡°Based on their poption, supply cach camp with seven days¡® worth of food and fully arm them at once. Tell them to stay put and hold their ground against the zombies. I¡¯ll send resupplies every seven days:


    ¡°<b>Yes</b>!¡±


    These small, scattered camps <b>were </b>meant to serve as their outer ring, holding back the zombie tide.


    ¡°Our alliance <b>will </b>split into three forces. The first will support the weaker camps, keeping thern alive and maybe even helping them gain the upper <b>hand</b>. The second will head to Crestmont to coordinate with Dawnwatch Camp and bring <b>them </b>into the fold. The third will stay in Ansford to secure the citypletely!¡±

 Kept Woman 274

    Chapter 274 First Light of Salvation


    Theresa quickly <bid </b>out her future n.


    <b>Ansford</b>, <b>Branford</b>. Crestmont¨Cshe was going to tackle all three at once.


    Ansford would be their foundation Crestmont would be the breakthrough with Sage. Branford would hold the line.


    She nned to tackle three goals at once: strengthen humanity, contain the zombie outbreak, andunch a counterattack.


    Everyone listening could feel the weight of her strategy.


    Theresa never acted <b>on </b>impulse, but when she moved, she went all in.


    ¡°Theresa, are you really sure about this? Supporting three cities at the <b>same </b>time?¡± Lucas asked.


    ¡°You scared!<b>¡± </b>


    Upon hearing her words, Lucas¡® usually straight face slowly curved into a grin. ¡°No. I just knew I wasn¡¯t wrong about you. You¡¯ve always carried everyone in your heart.¡±


    Theresa epted the praise in silence.


    She saw farther <b>than </b>anyone else. To her, this was a calcted gamble; but to everyone else, it was a vision they couldn¡¯t even imagine<b>. </b>


    Her vision was on a whole different level.


    Anyone else in her position would never risk this much support.


    This kind of boldness was the <b>mark </b>of a true leader for humanity, but what they didn¡¯t know was that Theresa had seen the future.


    Anyone else in her position would be fumbling in the dark, not knowing what the future held. They wouldn¡¯t dare take risks, choosing to feel their way forward instead. But Theresa had been reborn. She <b>knew </b>exactly what wasing-


    Every move she made was a winning cardid face up.


    Even if it <b>was </b>risky, it would never faze her.


    Rebirth came with its own safety.


    ¡®T¡¯ll go back up the smaller camps Lucas said, his admiration for Theresa reaching a new peak. He didn¡¯t hesitate to step in and shield the weaker camps.


    If Theresa could give this much for everyone, how could he do any less?


    He would go where the fighting was fiercest¨Cprotecting the camp.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go meet this Sage,¡± Theron said with a grin, his eyes full of respect as he looked at Theresa.


    n


    15:06 Sat 10-YAUH


    Chapter <b>274 </b>First Light of Salvation


    ¡°You¡¯re the toughest woman I¡¯ve ever mett Everything you do is wless. You¡¯re more of a man than we


    arel


    Unsure how to respond, Theresa chose to take it <b>as </b>apliment.


    ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll stay in Ansford. Keeping yourselves alive is the top priority. If ites down to it you can sacrifice anything, but protect yourselves first.¡± She gave her final reminder


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    After working together for so long, this was the first time they had split up.


    Lucas took his camp<b>, </b>along with five others, toward Branford and Crestmont. On the way, they split again, each group of fifty men heading to support twenty¨Cseven camps. Theron led three hundred men to Dawnwatch Camp to help them break through the siege.


    Theresa stayed behind with over a thousand people, pushing the counteroffensive deeper into the city.


    Meanwhile, every drone from her camp was in the air.


    When the first wave of supplies, stamped with the emblem of the zing Sun Alliance,nded in those camp, they were like seeing the first light of salvation.


    At <b>that </b>very moment, in Neb Camp, their campmander, Leon, had sent a call for help a week ago. Since then<b>, </b>they had endured wave after wave of zombie attacks,


    ¡°Mr. Barnes, look! What is <b>that</b><b>?</b>¡±


    After two grueling days of defense, they had lost another third of their people.


    It wasn¡¯t just the people¨Cthey were out of supplies.


    No food, no weapons, and no way to break out.


    They were trapped in total despair, certain they would be the next specks of dust swallowed by the zombie tide.


    Then, Leon heard the distant hum of a drone overhead.


    Confused, he looked up to see a drone flying past, a banner fluttering beneath it with fourrge words zing Sun Alliance.


    At the same time, bags upon bags of supplies parachuted down.


    For a moment, Leon waspletely stunned.


    ¡°Instant noodles and pasta!¡±


    <b>¡°</b><b>And </b>dried vegetable packets! Mr. <b>Barnes</b>! Mr. Barnes! We¡¯ve <b>got </b>vegetables again!¡±


    Chapter 274 First Light of Salvation


    ¡°Mom, I <b>haven¡¯t </b>seen vegetables in so long!¡±


    ¡°Weapons! We¡¯ve got guns now!


    The wave of excited shouts from his campmates finally snapped Leon out of his stunned daze.


    He ran beneath the <b>hovering </b>drones, staring up at the bags of food raining from the sky.


    Support


    It was real.


    Theresa had actually sent them help.


    No one else could ever understand what these supplies meant to a small camp like theirs.


    Just a bit of leftover aid from Theresa was their entire hope of survival!


    No one could understand the tidal wave of emotions crashing through Leon¡¯s chest at that moment.


    This was a rescue!


    A lifeline thrown <b>to </b>them when they had hit rock bottom.


    No one could imagine the tidal wave of emotion crashing through him right now.


    He looked up at the bold letters of the zing Sun Alliance circling overhead<b>. </b>In that instant, burned into his heart, taking root as an unshakable belief.


    the name


    The zing Sun Alliance¨Cthis was the glory he would follow for the rest of his life.


    <b>3/3 </b>

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    Chapter 275 The Heart Of The zing Sun


    Chapter 275 The Heart Of The zing Sun


    The shockwave wasn¡¯t confined to just <b>one </b>camp.


    The people were overwhelmed with emotions when Theresa delivered <b>the </b><b>supplies</b>.


    For those struggling in desperate conditions, the support from a powerful figure felt like a gift from the


    heavens<b>. </b>


    Anyone who had lived through the despair of the apocalypse couldn¡¯t hold back their feelings when they saw the supplies falling from <b>the </b>sky.


    There¡¯s someone out there who still cares. There¡¯s someone out there who¡¯s trying to save us. We can get through this!


    Unmanned aerial vehicles flew back and forth.


    A moment of peace was not an option in Theresa¡¯s bunker.


    Her camp looked like the heart of the Eastern region when viewed from above. The unmanned <b>aerial </b>vehicles were like arteries, carrying life¨Csaving supplies to every corner.


    Thump. Thump. Thump


    Everything began toe alive wherever the zing Sun Alliance reached.


    Hope began to <b>take </b>over the chaos.


    Humanity was fighting back.


    It was September, and the second year of the apocalypse.


    Lucas of the zing Sun Alliance led his team to help with <b>the </b>growing zombie tides.


    Theron led three hundred elite fighters to help Dawnwatch Camp break through a siege.


    At the same time, Dawnwatch Camp <b>was </b>escaping the encirclement with the help of Theron and 300 fighters.


    The Alliance¡¯s force kept advancing as they fought off the zombies in Ansford.


    A cold wave arrived during November.


    Theresa <b>took </b>down the Central region.


    Despite the snow <b>and </b>freezing winds, the camp in Branford and Crestmont held their gro


    The cold persisted through February.


    Theresa secured the hospital district.


    Chapter 275 The Heart Of The zing Sun


    Warm clothing was delivered to every camp, keeping survivors alive through the bitter winter.


    For the first <b>time</b>, Theron¡¯s team met with the people from Dawnwatch Camp.


    A long drought began in April¨Cand no camp was able to harvest a single grain.


    While the drought raged on, Lacas was stationed at Gxy Camp.


    As he watched the packets of instant noodles, dried vegetables, and cured meat fall from the sky, he remembered Theresa¡¯s words.


    The next three years will bring drought. Nothing will groei.


    Seeing her ne to life, he couldn¡¯t help but feel deeply <b>shaken</b>. Theresa is always one step ahead<b>. </b>


    If he hadn¡¯t chosen to join her, he would still be stuck in K1 <b>Camp </b>as he struggled to keep his people alive.


    But thanks to her support, survival no longer felt impossible.


    Just then, Leon Barnes, the leader of Neb Camp, came running over.


    ¡°Mr. Keaton! Great news!¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Hall secured another district! Only the mall <b>area </b>in Ansford is left!¡±


    Lucas couldn¡¯t resist the urge to fly back to <b>Theresa</b>.


    It had only been six months since they parted, and she was already close to taking the entire city.


    She¡¯s amazing!


    ¡°Ms. Hall is unbelievable! She never gives up in this heavy snow! She¡¯s unstoppable! We¡¯re going to get through this!¡± Leon¡¯s eyes were full of admiration.


    Lucas smiled, unable to hide his pride. ¡°True!¡±


    At that moment, a shout rang through the camp.


    ¡°Mr. Keaton! Mr. Barnes! Bad news. The zombies are back!¡±


    Meanwhile, at the heart of Ansford, Theresa stood on the rooftop of a tall building. They had just taken control of this <b>camp</b>.


    ¡°Theresa, only the <b>mall </b>district is left,¡± Kyle reported.


    Theresa nodded as she looked down. <b>The </b>mall was surrounded by hordes of zombies. ¡°How¡¯s Lucas and Theron?¡±


    273


    Chapter 275 The Heart Of The zing Sun


    They¡¯re doing just fine.¡±


    She was so close to taking down Ansford.


    Once the city was secured, the bnce of power in the Eastern region would shift. The survivors under the Alliance could return to the city, restore its systems, and start a new civilization.


    Even when the zombies in Branford and Crestmont finished evolving, the humans would have evolved too. They¡¯d have a safe camp, strong supplies, and working cities. With that, scientific research could advance<b>. </b>


    And once humans had the advantage, the zombies would never be able to catch up.


    Victory was within their reach.


    Theresa elenched her fists. We¡¯re about to reach the turning point.


    Just as she mapped out the zombies¡® territory, Kyle¡¯s expression darkened. He always had an earpiece in. It was through that he received updates on the teams from Bennie.


    373

 Kept Woman 276

    Chapter 276 Amusement <b>Park </b>


    Chapter 276 Amusement Park


    ¡°Theresal Bad news!¡°¨C


    ¡°<b>What¡¯s </b>going on?¡±


    ¡°Something¡¯s wrong with Mr. Keaton!¡± Kyle said urgently.


    Half an hourter, Theresa maile her way back to their camp.


    On the screen in front of Bennie, a massive zombie tide was surging forward. He exined, ¡°We don¡¯t know <b>what </b>caused it, but there¡¯s been a huge outbreak near Branford. Half the horde is made up of mutt zombies.


    ¡°They¡¯re attacking Neb Camp¨Cthe one Mr. Keaton is guarding¡±


    ¡°What about Lucas?¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t reach him. Not just him¨Cthe entire Neb Camp has gone silent.¡±


    Without saying another word, Theresa stood up. ¡°I¡¯m heading to Neb Camp.¡±


    ¡°Ms. <b>Hall</b>, what about here? We¡¯re factoring a critical moment too. Those zombies could break through at any given moment. If they infiltrate the city, we¡¯ll have to start from zero!¡±


    She paused. ¡°Ten people will be following me, and the rest will stay here. <b>Any </b>alliance members near Neb Camp are to be reinforced immediately!¡±


    There were still 100,000 zombies trapped in an Ansford zone. As the range of the zone decreased, more. people would be needed to fight them off.


    <b>Back </b>in those days, they only had to defend what they¡¯d already secured. Now, they had to keep what was


    Jeft


    Theresa couldn¡¯t <b>spare </b><b>any </b>more people, but something had happened to Lucas.


    She had to head there.


    Meanwhile, the entire Neb Camp had been overrun by zombies.


    Only a small building in the center/still held out.


    ¡°How many people are still in there?¡±


    ¡°Thirty!¡±


    A <b>man </b>inbat gear stayed silent <b>in </b>the center of the room. ¡°Don¡¯t give up!¡±


    The door shook violently in <b>front </b>of him, <b>with the </b>zombies repeatedly <b>mming </b>into it.


    ???


    Chapter 276 Amusement Park


    The building was buried in a living wall of zombies. They climbed each other like vines, swarming the structure from all sides, stacking their rotting bodies to reach the upper floors.


    The skylight overhead shattered, allowing the zombies to pour in.


    ¡°Ahh!¡±


    ¡°Ahh!¡±


    Lucas¡® <b>voice </b>rang out. ¡°Fall back to the lower levell Now!¡±


    ¡°Send me all the data of Neb Camp.¡±


    <b>An </b>armored vehicle tore down the empty highway.


    Thanks to months of effort by Lucas and his team, twenty¨Cseven camps had been stabilized, and the roads between them had reopened.


    To thrive, one needed to build the road ahead.


    Theresa¡¯s vehicle surged forward without a single obstacle.


    A thick file was passed to her, after which she flipped it open and read quickly.


    Neb Camp had been built on the outskirts of Branford and was once a lively amusement park. Before the apocalypse, it <b>had </b>been a popr tourist destination.


    A dedicated subway line had even been extended to stop right at its gates.


    The outbreak had started in the middle of summer break, the park¡¯s busiest season. Therefore, it wasn¡¯t surprising to know that most survivors in Neb Camp were tourists.


    When chaos struck, most of the visitors <b>and </b>locals near the area had fled into the park.


    It was a smart move. The park had security fencing, wide open areas, hiding spots, food, and water. It had everything they needed to survive, but there was one fatal w¨Cits location


    Branford¡¯s main roads all led to <b>the </b>amusement park.


    When the zombies broke loose from the city, Neb Camp was the first ce they reached.


    That the camp hadsted this long was nothing short of a miracle, one made possible only by the support of the zing Sun Alliance.


    Without it, the park would¡¯ve been overrun long ago.


    By the time Theresa¡¯s armored vehicle arrived, dusk had fallen.


    Through the thick bulletproof ss, she saw the dark outline of the amusement park under the dying red sun. It looked busy, like a weekend evening before the world ended.


    But it wasn¡¯t families andughter that filled the park.


    that filled the park. It was a sea of corpses, packed shoulder to shoulder


    like <b>a </b>ck tide of death.


    It was <b>a </b>nightmare carnival,


    Fifteen minutester, a thunderous explosion erupted from the northwest of the park. Tens of thousands of zombies froze in ce, turning their heads all at once.


    Ahh!


    Ahh!


    Huff Huff


    The horde that had been surging toward the center went mad. They were stampeding toward the sound like a <b>wave </b>crashing over cliffs.


    More explosions followed soon after.


    Nearly seventy percent of the zombies were drawn away by the thunderous sounds. At the same time, <b>a </b>small team darted in through the southeast of the park.


    ¡°They dug a tunnel under the service center, didn¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The service center was their main base of operations. They even had a <b>basement </b>underneath.


    §à

 Kept Woman 277

    Chapter <b>277 </b>Basement


    Chapter 277 Basement


    <b>When </b><b>faced </b>with death, the only instinct was to hide in the basement.


    Theresa vaulted over the railings and dashed toward the central service area. The moment she stepped inside, a zombie in a staff uniform lurched at her. Its stomach was torn open.


    ¡°Ahh!¡±


    Clutching a blood¨Csoaked handful of its guts in its left hand, the zombie tried to shove them into its mouth as it stumbled toward her.


    The stench hit her like a wave¨Cthick, putrid, and sickening.


    It smelled like a rat left to <b>rot </b>in a damp basement for months, constantly oozing foul liquid as if death itself refused to finish the job. It was <b>the </b>kind of stench that could churn your stomach and make you vomit up yesterday¡¯s dinner.


    Her de shed through the air, slicing deep into the zombie¡¯s neck.


    Its skin split.


    Its tendons snapped.


    Its bone cracked.


    Its head¡­ severed.


    The creature hadn¡¯t even fully lunged before its <b>head </b>tumbled from its shoulders.


    A half¨Cchewed coil of intestine slipped from its throat with one end still hanging from its mouth, and the other jammed in its severed neck.


    Even when he was decapitated, his jaw was still twitching as he tried to chew and <b>swallow </b>what he considered a delicacy.


    Thunk!


    She drove her sword into the back of its skull.


    As the de was drawn free, a gleaming crystal popped out, ending the zombie¡¯s grotesque feast for <b>good</b>.


    ¡°Let the raine and wash you clean<b>.¡± </b>


    Theresa caught the crystal before charging forward without breaking stride.


    The whole sequence had taken less than two seconds.


    She didn¡¯t have the luxury to stop¨Cnot even for a heartbeat.


    She was too seasoned for <b>that</b>.


    Unless necessary, Theresa never relied on her abilities. Her de did the work. Abilities <b>were </b><b>a </b></divst resort


    Chapter 277 Basement


    and a hidden ace for when strength alone wasn¡¯t enough..


    In this world, survival meant mastering one¡¯s strengths before one¡¯s abilities. That was the unspoken <b>ride- </b>among the elite.


    Seven or eight more zombies shuffled out from the amusement park. They moaned and snarled as <b>they </b>charged at her, but Theresa focused on only the first one.


    The rest were not her problem.


    Behind her, her team had already fanned out in a sharp line as they wielded theirbat knives. Long des swept through the air with deadly unity.


    They moved as one, dispatching the horde with clean, efficient strikes.


    After demolishing the horde, Theresa noticed a building coated with zombies¨Ca two¨Cstory service center was covered top to bottom in writhing corpses.


    The ss rooftop had been smashed open, and now wave after wave of zombies climbed to the top and poured down like dirty water down a flushed toilet bowl.


    Her steps halted.


    Is there any hope left for them?


    Below the service center was a fully sealed underground shelter. If Lucas had made it inside, their only hope was to eliminate the horde before they breached the doors.


    <b>And </b>they had to do it fast¨Cfaster than the zombies could break through thest defense.


    This left them with only one option¨Cmassive firearms.


    They would have to wipe the upper level with brute force, then storm in and rescue whoever remained.


    Just then, Bennie¡¯s voice crackled through Theresa¡¯s <b>earpiece</b>.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, if you¡¯re going to save the Neb Camp, don¡¯t use the firearms unless it¡¯s necessary. Branford¡¯s zombie poption is extremely unstable. One wrong move and we could trigger a citywide outbreak!¡±


    -Theresa¡¯s brow furrowed as she turned toward the northwest instinctively. That was where they¡¯d nted a


    massive minefield during theirst mission to lure the zombies away.


    She had realized they¡¯d gotten lucky enough to clear the amusement park without setting off a <b>chain </b>


    reaction.


    However, luck wouldn¡¯t be on her side twice¨Cshe could only cheat death once.


    ¡°Theresa, I beg you. You have to save Mr. Keaton!¡± Kyle¡¯s voice cracked with a rare sight ofgency.


    Lucas wasn¡¯t just a formermander¨Che was family: Graham and the others wererades<b>, </b>so he had <b>to </b>save Lucas no matter what.


    Theresa said nothing. Her eyes scanned the map in front of her, locked on the structure above the underground chamber.


    ¡ª<b>| </b>


    SOL, TO AUD


    Chapter 277 Basement


    Then, she noticed something¨Ca curved tunnel brushing up right beside the scaled basement. Ita transit line. A subway tunnel!


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it!¡±


    Meanwhile, a group of exhausted survivors sat huddled together in the dark basement.


    Above them, the thunder of fists and ws mmed against the door again and again.


    They had everything <b>piled </b>up against the entrance, but no one knew how long that flimsy metal door would hold.


    Just minutes ago, the zombies had breached the building above. In a race against death, they¡¯d all retreated underground.

 Kept Woman 278

    Chapter 278 Buried Alive


    Chapter 278 Buried Alive


    The basement was packed<b>. </b>All 140 of them¨C95 from Neb Camp, and 45 from Lucas unit.


    Every single pair of eyes was fixed on him.


    Everyone was waiting for his call, but he pressed his lips tightly together.


    <b>So</b>, Graham handed him a bottle of water.


    Lucas¡® throat had been parched for what felt like forever. However, the first thing out of his mouth was, ¡°How much water do we have left?¡±


    <b>Graham</b>, face smeared with blood and dirt, licked his cracked lips. ¡°Mr. Keaton, it¡¯s just this one bottle


    Lucas paused, then set the bottle aside. He didn¡¯t take a sip.


    ¡°Mr. Keaton! We still have two more bottles and ten packets of instant noodles!¡± Leon shouted, standing up from the crowd. Heid out everyst bit of supplies the Neb Camp had managed to scrounge up.


    The zombie outbreak hade out of nowhere, leaving them with no time to prepare. The little they had was only because a resident happened to carry some with them.


    Lucas requested <b>that </b>Leon bring the items over. Now<b>, </b>all that¡¯s in front of them are three bottles of water and ten packets of instant noodles,


    One hundred and forty people¨Cit wasn¡¯t even enough for


    No new supplies wereing.


    Everyone <b>to </b>get a taste.


    And outside? The zombies could break through the steel doors at any moment.


    They were trapped.


    ¡°Mr. Keaton, what do we do now?¡± Leon looked up, eyes full of expectation and desperation. Lucas didn¡¯t answer right away. His <b>lips </b>were still pressed tight, his brain racing through the situation Then, Graham spoke up. ¡°Mr. Keaton, I believe in her. I¡¯m sure Theresa <b>will </be for us.¡±


    The tension in Lucas¡® shoulders loosened ever so slightly. A faint smile cracked through his grim expression.


    Even in the worst of situations, just the thought of Theresa brought warmth to his chest


    He believed it¨Cif Theresa knew he was in danger, she¡¯de. No question, but still¡­


    ¡°We never wait around for someone to save <b>us</b><b>, </b>Lucasmented, turning to face the others. Being the guy that he was, he wouldn¡¯t sit around, hoping for a miracle. He believed that rescite was a bonus, not a backup n<b>. </b>¡°You are in control of your life. No matter <b>what </b>you do, be your own rescue<b>,</b>¡±


    15.07 <b>Sat </b>16 ADO<b>. </b>


    Chapter 278 Buried Alive


    ¡°But there¡¯s no exit here, Leon murmured, still clinging to hope, eyes locked on Lars.


    Lucas scanned the room.


    He¡¯d been assigned here for over six months. Every corner of this ce was burned into his memory.


    His eyesnded on a solid section of wall.


    ¡°No exit?¡± His voice was steady. Then, we¡¯ll make one. We dig our way out if we have to


    Theresa and her team had just arrived at the abandoned subway station- Ironspire Station.


    It had been shut down for <b>over </b>a year and a half. The arched station entrance was overgrown with weeds taller than a man¡¯s waist.


    The floor was caked in dust. The ce looked like a ghost town¨Cdecaying, forgotten yet still carrying the remnants of the old world.


    Just a year and a half into the apocalypse<b>, </b>and everything before it already felt like another lifetime.


    Raaagh!


    A couple of stray zombies shuffled out from nearby buildings.


    Theresa didn¡¯t hesitate. Her de shed, slicing them down one by one¨Cclean, quick, merciless.


    But the moment they fell, it was like a signal <b>had </b>gone off. More zombies began creeping out from every direction, groaning as they turned toward the noise.


    ¡°Movel she barked.


    She wasn¡¯t here to y exterminator.


    If they stayed to clear the area, by the time they <b>reached </b>Lucas, she might as well start digging his grave.


    ¡°There¡¯s


    no


    time to waste!


    Her team of ten followed close behind as she led them down the station¡¯s stairwell.


    The elevators were long dead. Dust coated everything. Every step they took left deep footprints in the grime, but that was a good thing.


    Theresa could read the ground like a map. One look at the tracks would tell her if something had <b>passed </b>


    this way.


    Her heamp swayed as she descended, its beam sweeping the shadows below.


    And then¨Con the lowest level¨C<b>faint </b>footprints¨Cscattered, uneven.


    Raaagh!


    A zombie lunged from the <b>shadows</b>.


    Chapter 278 Burled Alive


    It was around 6 p.m. There was still some light outside, but deep underground, the station was pitch d


    The only thing piercing the darkness was the beams from the team¡¯s heamps.


    A figure suddenly shot into their path¨Ca zombie in a decayed sulnway uniform


    Its face was skeletal, with bluish¨Cck skin stretched tight over bare bone. Its mouth twisted wide into a grotesque ¡°O¡°-just like that painting. The Scream¨Cand it came at the full speed,


    Like a nightmare ripped straight from hell.


    Shing!


    Another clean strike.


    The others barely saw iting in the dark¨Cbut Theresa did¨Cshe saw everything.

 Kept Woman 279

    Chapter 279 The Zombie Express


    Chapter 279 The Zombie Express


    The moment Theresa stepped into the subway station, her mind power red out like radar.


    With a fifty¨Cmeter radius now under her mental surveince, she didn¡¯t even need to see the scuffed footprints on the ground¨Cshe already sensed the presence of zombies turking in the darkness below.


    Right after she chopped down the first one, the sound of rapid footsteps echoed through the pitch¨Cck


    tunnels


    The dead wereing.


    Dozens of zombies surged out of the shadows from every direction¨Call charging straight at her.


    Fishh!


    he tossed a sh grenade. It burst in midair, casting harsh white light over the station.


    ¡°Light it up!¡± she called.


    With the sudden glow cutting through the darkness, the rest of the team finally saw what was heading their way¨Chordes of sprinting zombies closing in fast.


    Men, women, even kids. Some still clutched their suitcases, death gripping them tighter <b>than </b>their own fear had.


    They had probably lived nearby. When the outbreak hit, they tried to flee. That¡¯s why they w dragging their bags¨Cpacked and ready to go, just never made it.


    were still


    Theresa couldn¡¯t help but sigh again at the timing of the outbreak. It had <b>hit </b>at five or six in the morning- right when subways had barely started running. Hardly anyone had been around. Otherwise, this ce would ve turned into a ughterhouse.


    With swift, clean blows, they cut down the zorfibies one by one.


    Once they gathered the gleamstones from the fallen, they hurried toward the boarding gates,


    A few straggling zombies had started trailing them from the surface. Thankfully, they were all low¨Clevel ones. When Theresa and the squad jumped the gates and headed deeper into the station, the zombies gor stuck behind the turnstiles¨Csnarling but helpless.


    As they entered the boarding area, they were met with a subway train¨Cdoors sealed tight


    Thud! Thud! Thud!


    The sound came from inside.


    Dozens of zombies were trapped in the train cars, their wed hands mming against the windows, furious and <b>ravenous </b>after being starved of human scent for so long.


    Now that they sensed living, breathing people nearby, they went berserk¨Cbeating against the metal with desperate frenzy.


    Chapter 279 The Zomble Express


    Theresa stared at the train without saying a word and led the group to the front car,


    She peered inside.¡±


    With a loud bang, a face mmed into the front windlow¨Cgray, bloodless, and wrapped in the shredded remains of a uniform.


    The conductor.


    Aaargh!


    Grhhh!


    The zombie conductor wed at the <b>ss</b><b>, </b>his dead eyes glowing in the beam of Theresa¡¯s heamp. His <b>face </b>was a hollowed¨Cout husk¨Cjust a stretch of gray skin clinging to bone. His neck had a giant gouge, likely where he¡¯d been <b>bitten</b>.


    The door beside <b>him </b>was streaked with dried ck blood and smeared handprints. From the look of it, he¡¯d been ambushed by zombies outside the train, dragged himself back into the cab in his final moments, only to turn and lock himself in.


    Now, he was a caged monster¨Cstarved and waiting.


    Thunk!


    Theresa pulled out a hammer and smashed it against the reinforced ss <b>at </b>all four corners.


    Even the toughest safety ss couldn¡¯t hold out under her raw strength. After just two heavy strikes, it cracked.


    And that was all it took<i>. </i>


    The zombie conductor let out a screech and lunged through the broken gap, jaws wide open.


    But Theresa was faster.


    ¡°Eat this,¡±


    She shoved the hammer straight into his mouth, jamming it between his top and bottom jaw. Then with a powerful thrust, she drove it deeper¨Cright through his skull. The steel tore out the back of his head.


    Clink!


    A gleamstone dropped.


    The conductor, <b>who </b>never got a taste of fresh <b>meat</b>, died again¨Cthis time for good.


    Wiping her hands, Theresa turned to the others. Set the traps.


    ¡°Yes, <b>ma¡¯am</b>!¡°


    There were way too many zombies in this train to leave it alone. And with Theresa¡¯s cautious nature, she wasn¡¯t about to let a potential threat sit around behind them, not while they <b>had </b>to dig through a tunnel nearby.


    <b>2/3 </b>


    Chapter 279 The Zombie Express


    Even if the train looked sealed tight, even if the zombies were locked up, anything could happen.


    Kyle <b>and </b>the rest jumped down into the tunnel, hauling razor¨Clined wires. They secured them across the walls and rails, crisscrossing them into a deadly web.


    Meanwhile, Theresa stepped into the conductor¡¯s cabin and opened the train doors


    The second they slid open, a wave of howls exploded from inside.


    The zombies charged blindly toward the scent of the living, straight into the wire traps.


    Ten minutester, the front of the train was piled high with twitching, twitch¨Cdead corpses. Once thest of them was cleared. Theresa gave a satisfied nod and continued into the tunnel.


    ording to the map, the tracks ran directly beneath the amusement park. The closest point to the underground shelter? Just a hundred meters away.


    Theresa reached <b>that </b>spot and came to a stop, <b>facing </b>a thick wall of concrete.


    Subway tunnels like this were built using tunnel boring machines¨Cgiant drills thatid cement and sealed the walls as they carved forward.


    Time to think.

 Kept Woman 280

    Chapter 280 Thirst<b>, </b>Sweat, and Steel,


    Chapter 280 Thirst, Sweat, and Steel


    The wall in front of them wasn¡¯t your average brick and mortar. It was solid¨Cpoured concrete reinforced like ad mu bunker.


    Normally, Theresa would¡¯ve just blown it to bits and been done with it. But Bennie¡¯s warning echoed in her head: No explosives. Not underground.


    One wrong move down here and they¡¯d be trapped in a death tunnel with a thousand zombies storming in. And <b>in </b>a ce like this, there¡¯s no running, no hiding. Just a one¨Cway ticker to hell.


    Theresa clenched her jaw and exhaled.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll do it the hard way, <b>she </b>muttered.


    She pulled out every <b>power </b>tool she had stashed in her space gear¨Celectric drills, concrete cutters¨Cyou name it. Everyone got one.


    ¡°Start drilling,¡± she ordered.


    Dust filled the <b>air </b>in seconds as metal bit into concrete.


    Meanwhile, on the other side of that wall, in the pitch¨Cck basement¡­.


    Lucas and his group were also digging like their lives depended on it¨Cbecause they did.


    <b>But </b>unlike Theresa¡¯s crew, they had no <b>fancy </b>gear, no drills¨Cjust rusty shovels, crowbars, and hammers. It was pure manpower. Sweat, blood, and grit.


    Still, no one backed down. They rotated in <b>teams</b>¨Cone group digging, the other watching the ceiling for zombies that might crash in any minute.


    Their motto<b>? </b>


    If we rest, the shovels don¡¯t<i>. </i>


    By dawn, they¡¯d wed through twenty meters of solid wall.


    But digging wasn¡¯t even the worst part.


    They only had three bottles of water,


    That¡¯s it.


    By the second day, thest drop was gone. Lucas tried to ration it, but let¡¯s be real¨Cover a hundred people? Everyone barely got a lick


    Thankfully, Lucas had one ace left¨Chis triple¨Cability, including an ice¨Cbased power. I massive icicles and began melting them for water.


    ¡°mmoned


    But ice¨Cbased powers weren¡¯t meant for hydration. His <b>skill </b>was more for <b>attack</b><b>, </b>not survival. Melting one


    Chapter 280 Thirst, Sweat, and Steel


    spike took ten hours¨Cand produced just half a basin of water.


    It kept them alive, barely. <b>But </b>for most people, sucking on a melting icicle was starting to look worse than well, other options.


    ¡°I wish Kyle was here,¡± Graham groaned after a full night of digging. His throat burned like fire<b>. </b>¡®<b>I¡¯m </b>seriously dying of thirst.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re out too?¡± Dave asked.


    ¡°Bone dry.¡±


    Dave handed him a small canteen. ¡°Take mine.¡±


    Graham stared at him, suspicious. ¡°You serious<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be shy. Drink it. I¡¯ve got more where that came from, Dave said with a grin.


    Graham took the bottle, opened it, and instantly regretted it


    He paused, then slowly <b>handed </b>it back. ¡°No thanks. I¡¯ll go chew on some ice.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not even that bad¡± Dave called after him. The next batch will smell worse!¡±


    Graham didn¡¯t look back. He just made his way to the corner where others were huddled, gnawing on ice like half¨Cfrozen rats.


    Lucas¡® ice wasn¡¯t just slow¨Cmelting¨Cit was bone¨Cchilling. One lick could numb your whole mouth. But when you¡¯re this dehydrated, logic doesn¡¯t matter. Survival does.


    By now, they were all so parched their throats felt like sandpaper. <b>Most </b>couldn¡¯t even pee anymore. Their lips were cracked, and their skin was king off. But still, not a single soulined. After a quick rest. they picked their tools back up and went straight back to digging


    They had to.


    Zombies could break through the ceiling at any moment. Stopping wasn¡¯t an option.


    They all wanted to live.


    Back on Theresa¡¯s side, things looked better.


    They had tools. They had water. They had Kyle¡¯s water abilities actively cooling the drill heads and walls as they bored forward.


    <b>There </b>were just eleven of them, but by morning, they¡¯d cut through thirty meters.


    That¡¯s when it happened.


    Theresa paused, her body going still. Her mind power flicked out like sonar, scanning the area beyond the


    wall.


    Chapter 280 Thirst, Sweat, and Steel.


    Something pinged.


    ¡°Wait,¡± she said sharply.


    Everyone stopped.


    Theresa pressed herself against the deepest part of the tunnel. Her mind power red out again


    Ten <b>meters</b>¡­.


    Twenty<b>.. </b>


    Thirty.


    Fifty!


    She whipped around, eyes bright.


    ¡°That direction!¡± she pointed slightly to the left. I sense people¨Creal people!¡±


    They weren¡¯t alone. Lucas and the others were digging too. They were close.


    Everyone¡¯s heart lifted. A new wave of energy surged through them.


    Without another word, they turned and started drilling toward the left.


    Time ticked by. Minute after minute, hour after hour,


    By now, <i>it </i>had been over twenty¨Cfour hours since the zombie tide had flooded the surface above Lucas and <b>his </b>team.


    And that tide?


    Still surging.


    Still pressing.


    Still waiting


    But just one wall away¡­


    Salvation wasing.


    93

 Kept Woman 281

    Chapter 281 On Their Last Legs


    Chapter 281 On Their Last Legs.


    Zombies kept pushing forward. They were <b>drawn </b>by the smell and kept floorling in without stopping


    The basement <b>door </b>groaned under the weight. It started to bend out of shape.


    One <b>after </b>another, the undead mmed against the metal. Each hit dented the iron door from the outside.


    Bang!


    The metal ripped with <b>a </b>sharp, tearing sound. A rotting hand reached through the crack.


    ¡°Lucas!¡±


    At the sight of it, the team guarding the door shouted his name.


    Lucas heard them and rushed out of the tunnel.


    He saw the zombie¡¯s arm pushing through the broken door, His expression was already cold, but it turned even grimmer.


    He raised his hand. A bolt of lightning shot from his palm and burned the arm to ash.


    The electricity ran through the door. The zombies packed up against it, giving off silent screams as the current jolted through their bodies.


    The high¨Cvoltage shock roasted the whole front line on the spot.


    Lucas had been using Theresa¡¯s Evoloid for a long time.


    His power had reached Level 5. The lightning he summoned was now strong enough to fry everything in


    range


    The door stopped shaking for a while.


    Lucas knew it wouldn¡¯tst.


    Only a few minutes passed. Then, the ceiling above started thudding again.


    Boom Boom Boom.


    The burnt zombies were buried as the next <b>wave </b>rushed in from above.


    They charged with full force.


    ¡°Graham! You and your team stay here. Everyone else, dig! Get the speed¨Ctypes moving as fast as they


    can!


    Lucas left ten people behind. The rest ran deeper into the tunnel and started digging with all their strength.


    Boom.


    1/31


    Chapter 281 On Their Last Legs


    §£§à§à§ä


    Boom.


    The metal door kept caving in. Every time the zombies hit the limit, Lucas sent out another st of lightning.


    Each strike gave them a little more time.


    However, that time kept <b>shrinking</b>.


    The metal <b>was </b>wearing out.


    The mix of electricity and brute force made it worse.


    By the tenth st, it finally gave in.


    Crash!


    The iron door <b>was </b>ripped apart like paper.


    Zombies burst through the gap in a living flood.


    Lucas shouted and ran forward with his team. They tried to block the opening.


    They grabbed anything they could. Tables, Chairs. Nothing worked.


    The zombies tore through everything like it was made of paper.


    ¡°Fall back!¡± Lucas shouted.


    Graham <b>and </b>the others dropped to the floor and rolled down the stairs behind them.


    Lucas <b>was </b>thest to fall back.


    As soon as he dropped, the wave of zombies crashed down from above like floodwater.


    However, they didn¡¯tnd on open ground.


    They hit steel wire.


    One by one, the zombies mmed into the wires. Their bodies were sliced apart like meat on a hook.


    Lucas <b>and </b>his team had set traps while they dug.


    They were ready to fight in every direction. Once they hit the ground, they opened fire.


    Bang Bang Bang.


    Wave after wave, they kept shooting.


    The zombies dropped like rain. Their bodies piled up against the barricade.


    A <b>small </b>hill of corpses began <b>to </b>grow,


    <b>9/3 </b>


    Chapter 281 On Their Last Legs


    The steel wires helped. They stopped a huge number of zombies from getting through


    The first few lines got <b>stuck </b><b>and </b>tangled. Lucas and his team emptied clip after clip.


    The heavy fire held them back, for now.


    However, they were running out of time.


    They <b>were </b>out of strength.


    The tunnel was not even halfway done.)


    No matter how hard they <b>fought</b>, it would not be enough.


    Then, they saw the nails holding the wire traps starting to shift.


    The whole began to shake.


    With a sharp snap, the first nail popped loose. A wire broke free.


    Then, another. Also, <b>another</b>.


    The horde mmed forward and tore thest barrier apart.


    ¡°Fall back!¡± Lucas shouted <b>again</b>.


    Everyone ran into the tunnel. It was narrow and only wide enough for one person at a time. It was already packed. Once they were inside, they turned and fired again.


    Another wave of zombies was downed.


    Machine guns roared until they ran dry. The barrels were glowing red like boiling kettles. They threw the empty guns aside. Now, they used their powers


    Abilities flew in every direction. When they unleashed everything, Graham knew¨Cthey had nothing left to hold back for.


    Time dragged on. Second by second. Their powers faded. Their bodies felt drained.


    That was when the mutant zombies appeared.


    Boom!


    The pile of corpses in front of them burst apart, Seventeen or eighteen mutant zombies crashed out, throwing the bodies aside. They charged straight in.


    Roar!


    One of them leaped. Graham didn¡¯t stop to think. He threw himself into its path.

 Kept Woman 282

    Chapter 282 Saved by Theresal


    Chapter 282 Saved by Theresa


    Graham threw himself in front of the mutant zombie without a second thought.


    Even in their final moments, no one med Lucas.


    If he hadn¡¯t been so set on saving everyone, they might have already broken through and escaped.


    Theresa had told them before that they didn¡¯t need to worry about the camp survivors. Their own lives <b>were </b>the top priority.


    However, deep <b>down</b><b>, </b>they still knew who they were. They had once been soldiers.


    The world had changed. The country was gone.


    However, they could not bring themselves to walk away from these people.


    They would be thest ones standing


    If <b>they </b>had to die, they would die before the rest.


    Just as <b>Graham </b>braced himself and shut his eyes, a wall appeared between him and the charging zombie. It


    hadn¡¯t been there a second ago.


    The zombie howled.


    Its shrick rang beside his ear, yet the zombie couldn¡¯t get any closer.


    Graham¡¯s <b>eyes </b>flew open. He stared in disbelief.


    A cool breeze rushed down the tunnel from behind.


    Wind?


    There could only be wind if there was airflow.


    That meant¡­


    Graham spun around.


    He saw the people behind him start to run. They were heading for the exit in a rush<b>. </b>


    Coming the other way, walking straight into danger, was someone he knew well.


    ¡°Theresa!¡±


    Graham recognized her right away.


    The moment he saw her, a <b>wave </b>of <b>emotion </b>hit him hard. His chest ached. His eyes


    Theresa was here.


    burned.


    Theresa hade <b>back</b>.


    O


    Chapter 282 Saved by Theresa


    She was there to save thein!


    Breaking through the other end of the tunnel, <b>she </b>saved them!.


    As she walked forward, she kept releasing Landon¡¯s power. Aeroshield.


    Right now, that ability was perfect.


    She moved through the chaos and stopped beside Lucas and Graham. Behind them, the others had. already started to retreat.


    ¡°Well? What are you waiting for?¡±


    Theresa raised her eyebrows. The faces in front of her <b>stared </b>like they had just seen a ghost. She <b>looked </b>amused.


    ¡°Get moving,¡± she said with a crooked smile <b>as </b>she stared at the zombie horde. ¡°I¡¯ve got this.¡±


    Lucas and the rest blinked. Then, their backs straightened like someone had flipped a switch.


    She was really here.


    Theresa lifted her hand. A st of water shot upward and mmed into the ceiling.


    Dirt and rocks rumbled and broke loose.


    Outside the <b>tunnel</b>, the zombies kept trying to charge in. However, the invisible wall held.


    They <b>could </b>only watch as the tunnel began to copse, blocking their view of the humans. They threw themselves at the barrier <b>in </b>a frenzy. None of them could break through Theresa¡¯s Aeroshield.


    Lucas stood frozen, stunned all over again.


    She <b>had </b>another new ability.


    She already had strength, speed, water, space, and teleportation. Now, she had this too. Somethingpletely different.


    <b>Even </b>more shocking, she was using two powers at once.


    When an insane level of control!


    Lucas himself was a triple¨Cability user. He knew how hard it was to control more than one


    One had to split their mind. Twice the focus was needed to control every ability


    Most people couldn¡¯t even manage one. However, Theresa? She made it look easy. It <b>was </b>smth. It was natural.


    She was strong.


    Too strong.


    <b>Lucas </b>was a Level 5 ability user. Theresa <b>had </b>to be at least Level 8.


    Chapter 282 Saved by Theresa


    Her ability level had always been higher than anyone else¡¯s.


    <b>She </b>was <b>a </b>monster, in the best way possible.


    Theresa watched the others retreat in order. She pulled back with practiced ease. The Acroshield she had ced at the entrance thinned as <b>she </b>moved. <b>Zombies </b>rushed through the gap, but by then, the tunnel <b>had </b>already been flooded by Theresa¡¯s water¨Cbased ability.


    Once a copse began, nothing could stop it.


    The narrow path they had dug started falling apart, one meter at a time. It didn¡¯t even need her to push anymore. <b>Chunks </b>of earth gave way on their own. Each piece brought more down with it.


    Theresa turned and <b>ran</b>. By the time she reached the end, most of the tunnel was gone. Ny percent had <b>copsed</b>.


    The entire zombie horde trapped in the basement was now sealed off for good.


    ¡°Theresa!¡±


    Just as she made it out, a tall man, easily over six feet, let out <b>a </b>choked sob and ran straight into her.


    Theresa was speechless.


    Before she could speak, more figures rushed forward. Dave and the others threw themselves at her like a <b>wave </b>of zombies.


    ¡°Theresa!¡±


    ¡°Theresa<b>!</b>¡±


    ¡°Theresa!¡±


    Silence was the only response.


    They hugged Theresa from all sides, stacked like a human pyramid, moved to the point of tears.

 Kept Woman 283

    Chapter 283 Neb Camp Recruited


    Chapter 283 Neb Camp Recruited.


    ¡°Theresa, I knew you¡¯de for us! Wanaah!¡±


    ¡°Theresa, I missed you so much!¡±


    ¡°Theresa, me too! I missed you like crazy!¡±


    ¡°Theresa, we <b>almost </b>didn¡¯t make it. One secondter and we¡¯d be gone!¡±


    ¡°Theresa¡­¡±


    Theresa was speechless.


    <b>The </b>moment they opened their mouths, a foul stench hit her nose.


    It smelled like an old outhouse that hadn¡¯t been <b>cleaned </b>in years.


    She could handle being smothered by hugs. However, the smell? She absolutely could not.


    She gagged.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk! Shut up! Get off me! Let go!¡±


    Theresa twisted <b>and </b>squirmed, trying to break free.


    <b>Just </b>then, someone stepped forward.


    He began pulling the guys off her, one at a time.


    The second <b>Graham </b>and the others saw Lucas, <b>they </b>all fell silent. They let go of Theresa <b>and </b>backed away with guilty faces.


    Theresa wrinkled her nose and gave them a look. ¡°Did you all crawl out of atrine pit or something?¡±


    Before she even finished speaking, another hug mmed into her.


    Lucas wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. His breath warmed her hair.


    His chest rose and fell with each breath.


    Lucas had always been the quiet type,


    Steady. Strict. The kind who looked like he lived by a rulebook..


    He never showed much emotion. Dury always came first.


    Feelings camest. However, <b>now</b>?


    Now, he couldn¡¯t stop himself/He hugged her just like the others did.


    He couldn¡¯t help it.


    Chapter 283 Neb Camp Recruited


    He just needed to do it..


    The-


    ¡°Don¡¯t you start either. Theresa cut him off and shoved him away with one band.


    Lucas fell silent.


    ¡°We¡¯re just really thirsty,¡± Graham jumped in fast, trying to cover for them.


    ¡°Water. Got any water?¡±


    Please, just a sip!¡±


    Half an hourter.


    Everyone who had made it out sat in the subway tunnel, gulping down water like they had just crossed <b>a </b>


    desert.


    They looked like survivors from a war. Dry lips. Wrinkled faces. Skin drawn tight fromck of water.


    Only after they had had enough to drink, provided by Theresa, did their faces start to look better.


    Theresa <b>had </b>Kyle and the others cook <b>something </b>hot. They boiledrge pots of instant noodles and handed them out one bowl at a time.


    She checked her watch. It was 7 p.m.


    ¡°We¡¯ll stay here tonight,¡± she <b>said</b>. ¡°We¡¯ll head out in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    ¡°No problem<b>!</b>¡±


    ¡°We do what Theresa says!¡±


    Graham and the others shouted like fans at a concert.


    Lucas didn¡¯t say anything. He looked up from his noodles and gave Theresa a quiet smile.


    Just then, a middle¨Caged man walked over.


    He stopped in front of Theresa and gave a deep bow from the waist.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked, frowning.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, thank you for saving everyone in our camp,¡± said Leon, the leader of Neb Camp. His voice trembled with emotion.


    ¡°Alright, <b>that¡¯s </b>enough. No need to bow,¡± she said, waving it off.


    However, Leon <b>didn¡¯t </b>straighten up. Still bent <b>forward</b>, he went on, ¡°You¡¯ve helped us so many times. You gave us food and supplies for <b>six </b>months. Now, you¡¯ve saved us again. You¡¯re the reason our camp is still here.¡±


    <b>2/3 </b>


    Chapter 283 Neb Camp Recruited


    As soon as he said that, all ny¨Cplus people from Neb Carp stood up Men, Women Keen Kew this They bowed deeply in unison.


    Theresa looked at them <b>and </b>let out a quiet sigh. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough Eat your food


    Leon finally stood upright. His eyes were wet.


    ¡°Ms. <b>Hall</b>,¡± he said, voice shaking. ¡°I don¡¯t think I should lead Neb Camp anymore. I want to hand the whole group over to you. Please take us in. We¡¯ll follow your lead from now on¡±


    Theresa did not know what to say.


    Ah, they were here to offer themselves.


    Willingly. No pressure. No demands.


    That almost never happened in the apocalypse<b>. </b><b>Even </b>the smallest camp was worth something


    The camp leader ruled hisnd. It was his people. His say


    Even if things were rough, it was still his tomand.


    It was rare for any camp to join another. What benefits did they gain from that? When one camp joined another, it usually <b>meant </b>getting swallowed whole. Their name and ce would be gone, while their people would drop to the bottom of the chain.


    However, the reason people threw themselves at Theresa without hesitation was because she was strong


    She <b>was </b>so strong that Leon felt even if he had to work under her forever, it would still be better than what he could give his people now.


    It was domination on a whole different level.


    Hence, he gave in to Theresa of his own ord.


    Theresa looked at the group still bowing in front of her and paused to think. ¡°How many of you are there?¡±


    ¡°Ny¨Cfive,¡± Leon said. ¡°Including me.

 Kept Woman 284

    Chapter 284 <b>All </b>Elements Assembled


    Chapter 284 All Elements Assembled


    ¡°Who do you have?¡± Theresa asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got forty¨Cfive women and children, seventeen elderly folks, and thirty¨Cthree adult men, Leon replied. ¡°Among them, seven have strength¨Ctype abilities, three are speed¨Ctypes, and one is earth¨Cbased


    That¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°We used to have over ten more ability users,¡± he added, lowering his voice. ¡°They gave their lives.¡±


    He lifted his head and looked her in the eye. ¡°Even so, we still have a lot of skilled people. All seventeen elders were university professors. We¡¯ve got over thirty engineers. I¡¯m a machinery specialist myself


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up.


    This was a nice batch of residents to recruit.


    She was about to head into the city and restart the infrastructure, What she needed most right now were skilled people like them.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll take everyone from your camp, she said,


    Theresa epted the offer right away.


    The moment she did, a system alert rang out in her mind.


    <i>¡®</i>Ding! 95 new residents detected.


    ¡®You¡¯ve received 9,500 points!¡®


    ¡°Loyalty level increased! Current loyalty: 100 (voluntary allegiance).


    ¡®Copying the residents¡® special attributes¡­¡±


    Ding! Congrattions! Earth¨Cbased ability acquired.¡¯


    Ding! Strength increased!¡±


    <i>¡®</i>Ding! Speed increased!


    ¡®Poption surge detected. Camp prosperity level increased!¡±


    ¡®Current prosperity level is 2,023¨CMid¨CSize City-


    ¡°The next milestone is Level 5,000¨CMajor Metropolis.¡±


    With the new wave of residents, rewards kepting in.


    She had just gained 9,500 points from <b>this </b>group alone, and their loyalty was maxed from t


    That was when she <b>saw </b><b>the </b>difference in loyalty level.


    Those who willingly joined her gave full loyalty from day one.


    O


    Chapter 284 All Elements Assembled


    This big jump in poption also raised her camp¡¯s level to that of a mid¨Csize city.


    From now on, the daily system rewards would double. Each resident would earn her eight <b>points </b><b>per </b><b>day</b>. This group alone would bring her over 1,200 points a day. Without her doing anything


    That was a huge win.


    She had also gained an earth¨Cbased ability. This meant she now had all five base elements of metal, <b>wood</b>, water, fire, and earth.


    Kyle had water. Tyger had metal and fire. David had wood. Leon had earth.


    The core set wasplete.


    She nned to send this group into the city. They <b>would </b>help restart systems, build new equipment, and support research.


    It was a strong push forward.


    Theresa looked at the tired <b>but </b>hopeful faces of her new residents. She had always been generous to her


    Own


    She <b>told </b>Kyle to cook something special. They added meat to the noodles and <b>gave </b>out one marinated egg per person


    Leon¡¯s eyes widened when <b>he </b>saw the food. Meat and eggs?


    In this world, <b>that </b><b>was </b>a grand feast.


    His respect for Theresa grew even more in that moment.


    She was amazing!


    He knew now that he had made the right choice.


    The other residents felt the same way. The moment they tasted meat, they began to believe <b>again</b>.


    Maybe life <b>could </b>be good again.


    That night, after everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, Theresa handed out warm clothing. People spread out in the tunnel andy down to sleep.


    ¡°You¡¯re really taking all of them?¡± Lucas asked.


    ¡°Yeah. Theresa said. ¡°Ansford is almost ours. Once we <b>have </b>it, I¡¯m moving them into the city. We¡¯ll get production and research going


    Lucas nodded. ¡°Once Ansford is secure, I¡¯ll move KI Camp into <b>the </b>city too.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Theresa already had a <b>n</b>. <b>Once </b>Ansford fell, the entire zing Sun Camp would settle in the city.


    With space <b>and </b>supplies, humanity could finally start rebuilding.


    <b>2/3 </b>


    Chapter 284 All Elements Assembled


    Weapons development and zombie virus research, these two key projects, could be started<b>. </b>


    Leon and Hugo would handle the gear and equipment. Tania and Bennie would lead the research on the virus..


    If they could <b>make </b>progress in those areas, it might finally shift the war in humanity¡¯s favor.


    In her past life, they had never gotten this far. Everyone had been scared and scattered. There was no n. No leadership. People just fought for scraps.


    This time. Theresa had solved the food problem early on. Now, she could move on to the next step. changing the future.


    It was a restless night.


    That night, people took turns keeping watch while others rested. When Theresa¡¯s rm went off, everyone began to wake and pack up.


    ¡°It¡¯s 6:30 a.m.¡±


    They were still <b>inside </b>the tunnel, and the signal was <b>weak</b>, but she guessed it was morning. She led the group toward the exit.


    As they marched through the tunnel, Theresa suddenly felt the tracks beneath her start to shake. The ground trembled in a steady rhythm. It felt like footsteps of a crowd running at full speed.


    She stopped cold and looked around.

 Kept Woman 285

    Chapter 285 Another Zombie Horde


    Something¡¯s not right.¡± Lucas said. He slowed down and stopped beside her


    ¡°I already cleareil one <b>wave </b>of zombies from the subway, Theresa said. Her brows were tight with concern.


    ¡°Theresa, Lucas grabbed her arm, his voice low and tense, during the siege, we saw a lot of mutant zombies. Most of them had sharp hearing and smell. No matter where we hid, they tracked us down like bloodhounds.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes shifted forward. She was staring at the pile of zombie corpses they had stacked days ago behind the steel wire barricade.


    <b>What </b>began as a single rumble erupted into a storm of crashing, rolling thunder.


    The deafening <b>roar </b>echoed deep in <b>the </b>tunnel.


    It sounded like a thousand beasts charging straight at them.


    Theresa¡¯s eyes turned <b>sharp </b>in an instant. ¡°Turn around! Run!¡±


    She spun and took off. Everyone behind her turned too<b>, </b>scrambling to follow her deeper into the <b>tunnel </b>


    Behind them, <b>the </b>subway station they had nned to exit was flooding with zombies.


    They came like a ck wave, pouring in from every stairway and tunnel in the amusement park station. They stormed into the underground hall, pushed through the railings, and rushed toward the only tform.


    This line <b>had </b>just one track. One tform.


    The zombies charged without stopping. Fast and wild.


    Theresa led the survivors in a full sprint into the dark tunnel <b>ahead</b>.


    The corridor stretched long and deep, with no end in sight.


    Three hundred meters behind, the first wave of zombies reached the entrance.


    Some dove into the open subway cars, cramming in with nk eyes as they chased the scent of the living.


    Others climbed on top of the train, racing over the cars like floodwater breaking loose.


    Up ahead, <b>a </b>wall of steel wire stretched across the track.


    The first wave died there, ripped apart. However, the horde didn¡¯t slow.


    More zombies pushed forward, climbing over the bodies. Some were only half¨Csliced, still alive. With their <b>torsos </b>intact, they wed at the ground, screaming, dragging themselves forward.


    More and more made it through. Their numbers were too great.


    Snap!


    173


    Chapter 285 Another Zombie Horde.


    One wire broke. Then, another. The steel gave way.


    The stampede roared forward like a wave from hell.


    Fresh meat waited just beyond.


    Dinner was served.


    ¡°Run¡±


    Theresa¡¯s voice cut through the noise like a whip. Everyone ran as fast as they could. While sprinting, she was already going over the tunnel <b>map </b>in her head.


    The next station wasn¡¯t far. <b>Two </b>miles <b>away</b>.


    Just <b>one </b>short marathon.


    They ran through the pitch¨Cck tunnel. Their feet pounded on the metal tracks.


    Behind them <b>came </b>the sound of death. Inhuman screeches echoed through the tunnel like sirens. The zombies <b>ran </b>on all fours, faster than dogs. Their ws scraped metal. Their jaws snapped. They howled with hunger. The horde was closing in.


    A thousand¨Cfeet.


    Six hundred fifty.


    Three hundred.


    One sixty.


    The unrelenting zombies were almost upon them when the earth heaved upward, forming <b>a </b>solid wall


    The wall of earth shot up from the ground. It mmed down like a curtain. It stretched from the tracks to the ceiling.


    The zombies crashed into it. They stopped, smashing against the new barrier.


    That hundred and sixty feet? It was Theresa¡¯s kill zone.


    The wall bought them a moment to breathe. The speed¨Ctype ability users surged forward, pushing hard. They gained a quarter mile before the wall behind them cracked and fell.


    The chase began again.


    Every time the zombies got within a hundred and sixty feet, Theresa raised another wall. It temporarily slowed them down,


    However, the physical disadvantage of being human was bing clear. People wore out le zombies kept going.


    Theresa had to throw up walls <b>more </b>often now.


    They weren¡¯t even <b>halfway </b>yet, and she had already raised over a dozen earth walls.


    Chapter 285 Another Zombie Horde


    They still <b>had </b>at least half the tunnel to go.


    At the rate the speed¨Ctype ability users were slowing down, there was no way Theresa¡¯s ability couldst the whole way.


    Each wall drained her. Her body was heavy. Her head ached.


    She clenched her teeth and kept going.


    If she were alone, this would be casy. However, she had people to protect now. These were her people. Her


    residents.


    Just then, her heamp caught something ahead. Arge shape gleaned faintly in the dark.


    That¡¯s¡­


    <b>Another </b>subway train<b>. </b>


    It had derailed or broken down before it reached the next station.


    It now sat sideways across the tunnel, blocking the way forward.


    Thud. Thud. Thud.


    Bang Bang Bang


    There were still plenty of zombies packed in that vehicle.


    Upon seeing the group approach, they went wild, shrieking, mming into the ss, pounding the doors, and wing at the windows with eyes burning in <b>hunger</b>.

 Kept Woman 286

    373


    Chapter 286 Pushing Past the Train


    Chapter 286 Pushing Past the Train


    I¡¯ve got an idea! Theresa dhouted. ¡°We¡¯ll use that train to block the tunnelt


    m


    She spun around and pointed. ¡°Women, kids, the elderly, run ahead! All the men stay and help me posh


    Theresa waved her arm to hurry the slower survivors forward.


    The group moved right away


    Laicas squad rushed to the train.


    The elderly and children kept going, while the men pulled up short and stayed behind. Some women stayed too. They ran to the front of the train and helped however they could


    With nearly a hundred people working together, the train jolted.


    After that bit of give, the train was truly back in motion.


    Lucas, Graham, and the rest gave it everything they had. Their veins bulged. They looked ready to tear up the ground by force alone.


    Theresa finished raising another earth wall behind them. Then, she sprinted to the train.


    She stopped in the middle of the subway car. As the others pushed it backward, she nted her feet and swung her arms hard.


    Her strength, boosted many times by the system, hit like a beast. The train lifted off the rails.


    Bloom!


    It tipped sideways and mmed into ce<b>, </b>jamming itself across the tunnel.


    A solid wall of steel.


    Theresa <b>climbed </b>up onto the roof of the train.


    As shended on top, she heard the earth wall behind her break apart. The horde had smashed through.


    However, now, they were stopped by more than just an earth wall. A subway train blocked the path like <b>a </b>giant cork.


    ¡°Run!¡± she shouted..


    This time, she didn¡¯t raise a full wall. She only lifted the ground under the train.


    Rumble.


    The train rose upward, pressing into the ceiling like a wedge.


    ¡°How many powers does Theresa <b>have</b>?¡± Graham asked. He sounded shocked.


    If he was counting right, <b>this </b>was the sixth.


    ?


    Chapter 286 Pushing Past the Train


    <b>There </b>was also not a single repeat so far!


    ¡°No clue, Dave said, eyes wide. ¡°All I know is she¡¯s the best.¡±


    ¡°Move it!¡± Lucas snapped from the side.


    ¡°Yes, sirl¡±


    The group began their final sprint.


    However, thest mile was hard. The kids and old folks could barely lift their feet. Luckily. Theresa¡¯s trai trap gave them more time. People helped each other. They dragged, pulled, and carried anyone <b>who </b>fell behind. Just as the zombies broke through and poured into the tunnel again, the survivors saw the next


    station.


    A subway tform. Empty and silent.


    No train. No zombies.


    ¡°What station is this?¡± someone asked between breaths.


    ¡°Ridgefall Mall,¡± Leon said. He caught up to Theresa. Two lines meet here. We¡¯re on Line Eleven. This is one of the quietest stops. The exit leads straight into the mall.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s another line?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Line Two. That one¡¯s much busier. It connects to a lot of housing areas. Tons of foot traffic. Dozens of


    exits<b>. </b>


    Theresa processed that fast.


    They had been running on Line Eleven. Here at Ridgefall Mall, the exits all led into the shopping center. When the outbreak hit, the mall hadn¡¯t even opened yet. It was most likely, no one made it to this tform.


    People from this area probably used Line Two instead.


    Which meant, <b>just </b><b>like </b>at Ironspire Station, Line Two <b>was </b>probably full of zombies.


    She ran onto the tform.


    The rest of the group stumbled behind her, dragging each other forward.


    Theresa scanned the tform. Dust covered the floor. The signs. The benches. Even the trash cans..


    Not <b>a </b>single footprint.


    No one had passed through here!


    It <b>really </b>was safe.


    However, they couldn¡¯t stay here.


    <b>Even </b>if the zombies from Line Two didn¡¯t find them, the horde behind them would.


    O


    <b>2/3 </b>


    Chapter 286 Pushing Past the Train


    ¡°Theresa Lucas said,ing up besitle her, ¡°the next stop is Central Hospital. That ce is packed with zombies. We can¡¯t head there.<b>¡± </b>


    While Theresa was nning, Lucas had been doing the same.


    He held out the subway map for her to see.


    They <b>were </b>at Ridgefall Mall. They couldn¡¯t go <b>back</b>. Going forward <b>was </b>worse. There was only one choice left. They had to enter the mall.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, Leon said. He was breathless but steady. ¡°I know this ce. Even though Line Eleven stops here, the transfer point is a thousand feet from this spot. We can use Exit 3. It goes straight into the mall.¡±


    Theresa looked at the station map


    It showed a long hallway that linked to the <b>mall</b>.


    She gave a firm nod. ¡°Alright. Into the mall we go.¡±


    All one hundred and fifty <b>survivors </b>climbed the stairs in silence.


    Leon led the way. They stepped off the Line Eleven tform. Every eye was alert for danger. No zombies crossed their path.


    Still, dried blood stained the walls <b>and </b>floor.


    Theresa guessed a few people had been in the mall when the outbreak started. However, Line Eleven didn¡¯t have many riders. Most of the infected likely ended up near Line Two<b>. </b>That meant they still had


    time.

 Kept Woman 287

    <b>15:08 </b>Sat, 16 Aug


    Chapter 287 Entering the Mall


    Chapter 287 Entering the Mall


    Theresa had guessed right. Not even a little bit off.


    By the time they reached the top of the stairs and stepped into the transfer hall, she could already see dark shapes moving in the <b>west </b>corridor.


    After so many battles, the survivors had learned a few key things about zombies.


    They hunted by scent and sound.


    Their cloudy eyes meant they didn¡¯t have clear vision.


    Tania had figured that out.


    She had even made a zombie repellent based on that.


    If zombies could actually see, there was no way they would just stand still while people ran past them.


    As for smell, anything more than six hundred feet away was too far for them to pick up.


    For sound, the <b>safe </b>limit was about forty decibels.


    That meant <b>no </b>yelling.


    Keep voices low and footsteps quiet, <b>and </b>there was a good chance of slipping past unnoticed..


    Right now, Theresa¡¯s <b>group </b>was still within that safe range.


    If they moved carefully, they might just get through without waking the horde.


    Theresa led the way, stepping softly and slowly.


    Everyone held their breath. No one spoke. Not even the kids. They moved in a quiet line, one behind the


    other.


    These were no longer the same people from the start of the outbreak. They had fought hard to survive for over a year and a half. Everyone here had learned how to move with care.


    Suddenly, one woman lost her bnce. She was holding a small child. Her foot slipped. She started to <b>fall</b>.


    Before <b>she </b>hit the ground, a hand caught her.


    Graham had moved fast.


    He reached out and mouthed the words, ¡°Give the kid to <b>me</b>.¡±


    The woman nodded and <b>passed </b>the child over. She gave him a look full of thanks and slipped back into line


    Coarse, broken wheezes came from the distance.


    Over in the corridor leading to Line Two, the zombies were pacing. They could smell something faint in


    ?


    <b>1/3 </b>


    Chapter 287 Entering the Mall!


    the air. It was sweet. However, the scent was too <b>weak</b>. Still far. They couldn¡¯t lock onto it yet.


    Their stiff necks twitched from side to side. Their cloudy eyes stared into nothing. Some of them froze heads tilted toward Line Eleven. Their feet shuffled in small, jerky steps, as if unsure which way to <b>gu</b><b>. </b>


    Then, one of <b>the </b>zombies, <b>closer </b><b>than </b>the others, turned. It tilted its head toward the hallway behind it. Toward <b>Line </b>Eleven. It had caught a trace of something.


    It started to limp in <b>that </b>direction. With each step, the scent grew stronger.


    To the zombie, it felt like finding treasure. Its jaw dropped wide. A growl rose in its throat. It began to <b>move </b><b>faster</b>.


    When it was around six hundred feet away, it caught a whiff of something unbearably tempting.


    Something deep inside it stirred.


    Food.


    Fresh. Warm. Still alive. The kind of scent that made its mouth water.


    Raargh!


    It let out a sharp screech <b>and </b>rushed forward.


    Just then¡­


    Thwip!


    <b>An </b>arrow zipped through the air and pierced its skull.


    Leon lowered his mini¨Ccrossbow with a calm hand. A perfect shot.


    Theresa nced his <b>way</b>. There was a flicker of respect in her eyes.


    For a small camp, the leader¡¯s pretty skilled. He¡¯s got something going.


    She looked to the others. No words were needed. They all picked up the pace.


    Soon, they saw Exit 3 ahead.


    It stood in the center of the mall. Arge metal shutter loomed before them.


    They had reached the B1 level of Ridgefall Mall.


    That shutter was the main entrance.


    Beyond it, the floor led into the food court. Theresa scanned the area with hermp.


    Everything <b>was </b>quiet. No sign of zombies.


    This was their <b>goal</b>.


    One by one, the group crossed over the railing, careful not to <b>make </b>a <b>sound</b>. Then, something shifted


    19/3


    Chapter 287 Entering the Mall


    the <b>right</b>. From the subway security checkpoint, a sound broke the silence.


    Theresa snapped her head toward it.


    tter!


    The curtain over a baggage scammer ripped open. A zombie in a security guard¡¯s uniform leapt out.


    Raargh!


    <b>It </b>charged at her like a bullet.


    It was a speed¨Ctype mutant.


    Theresa lifted her hand. A st of wind mmed into the <b>zombie </b>and stopped it mid¨Cair. She reached back and drew her sword. With one clean strike, she cut it down. The head rolled across the floor.


    Raargh!


    The attack had been quick and quiet, but the zombie was not.


    Its <b>final </b>cry rang through the mall like an rm.


    In that moment¡­


    Every zombie in the Line Two corridor heard it.


    ¡°Get inside!¡± Theresa shouted.


    There was no hiding now. The group ran. Feet pounded the floor as they rushed into the mall.

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    Chapter 288 Opening the Shutter


    Chapter 288 Opening the Shutter


    Leon was the first to reach the shutter gate. He pulled on it and frowned. ¡°It¡¯s locked, Me. Hall he shouted.


    ¡°Quentin! Open it!¡± Theresa called out before Leon had even finished speaking.


    Quentin let out a silent sigh upon hearing his name.


    He stepped forward, pulled a wire from his pocket, and crouched in front of the lock. For him, picking locks was as easy as breathing,


    A few twists. A few clicks. Then, a sharp snap. The lock popped open.


    However, as Quentin lifted the shutter a liule, several more parlocks ttered down with a loud ng.


    ¡°Beautiful¡± he said under his breath. ¡°Someone added a whole bunch of extra locks from the inside.¡±


    ¡°Keep going!¡± Theresa ordered.


    Quentin gave her a long look.


    ¡°Hold this up.¡± He nodded at the others. They raised the shutter just enough for him to slide his hand underneath. He reached in, blind, feeling around for the next locks.


    Clink. nk. One heavy chain after another came loose. He was almost done when the zombies finally reached them. Theresa held them off with her Aeroshield, pushing her ability to the limit. Then, without warning, a boot came <b>down </b>hard on Quentin¡¯s hand.


    ¡°You <b>filthy </b>rats think you belong here? This isn¡¯t a ce for trash like you. Go feed the zombies.¡± A man¡¯s voice rang out from behind the gate, full of scorn.


    Theresa turned her head fast. A group of people had shown up behind the gate.


    At the front stood a man with a <b>smug </b>grin. He¡¯pressed his foot harder on Quentin¡¯s hand, like he was crushing a bug. He looked at the desperate survivors with a sneer.


    Let them die. They were nothing. Watching them get torn apart would be fun, the neer thought to himself.


    Bang!


    A gunshot rang out. Theresa had moved fast. She aimed and fired without <b>blinking</b>. The bullet hit the <b>man </b>right between the eyes


    ¡°Quentin! Finish <b>opening </b>it!¡± she shouted.


    Click


    As the gunfire echoed through the air, Quentin undid thest chain.


    Crash!


    The shutter flew open. The people inside <b>didn¡¯t </b>even have time to react.


    Chapter 288 Opening the Shutter


    By the time they realized what had happened, they were already staring down the barrels of several The crowd surged through the gate,


    ng!


    The shutter dropped back down behind them.


    Everyone from Theresa¡¯s group had made it inside.


    Outside, her Aeroshield vanished. The zombies smashed into the metal door with sharp, howling screams


    The shutter rattled hard. It would notst long.


    Theresa shouted for everyone to block it with anything they could find.


    Right then, the people who came from within the mall <b>finally </b>started to move, yelling. That door won¡¯t hold! There¡¯s too many of them!¡±


    Then, stop talking and do something! Theresa snapped, her eyes sharp and clear.


    The man paused. His jaw tightened. Then, he turned and shouted, ¡°Move! All of you, move!¡±


    He pointed at a few others. They <b>ran </b>off fast, while he and another man rushed to the side wall. Together, they pulled down a hidden lever. A loud thud followed as a huge curtain dropped from above. It was made of thick, <b>old</b><b>, </b>quilted fabric. Yellow¨Cbrown. It looked stiff and heavy.


    The <b>runners </b>came <b>back</b>. Each one held arge bucket. They were filled to the top with a foul¨Clooking sludge.


    The <b>smell </b>hit the group <b>hard</b>.


    Theresa stared in shock as the group swiftly poured the buckets over the curtain covering the gate. The sludge was thick and clumpy. Bits floated on top. Ayer of paste <b>stuck </b>to the bottom. A greasy liquid oozed between<b>. </b>


    The stench spread fast.


    People gagged


    Some backed away, hands over their mouths.


    Darn, they all thought.


    It was poop.


    Even worse, it <b>was </b>a fermented, concentrated version.


    However, somehow, it worked. Outside, the zombies kept smashing into the gate. Then, the stink hit them. Their pace slowed.


    The gate still shook, but not as hard. The foul nket pped back and forth, spreading Brown goo started to leak through the cracks. It dripped onto the floor.


    smell further.


    As the air thickened with the stench, the <b>zombies </b>started to stop.


    09 581, 16 Aug


    Chapter 288 Opening the Shutter


    One by one, they froze. They swayed in ce. Their movements duled. It was like their mods to shum down. Some pressed their fares against the ss. Their dead eyes stared straight ahead. Homer they didn¡¯t move closer.


    Inside, the mall went still. Everyone stood frozen. Hearts pounding


    ¡°We¡¯re good. They won¡¯te in. Not for now, said the man who had pulled the lever He turned around slowly. His eyesnded on Theresa, cold and careful.


    Then, he nced down at the body of Mario Stark on the floor.


    One shot. Clean. Dead in an instant.


    These people are tough and dangerous, he thought.

 Kept Woman 289

    Chapter 289 The Camp in the Mall


    Mario had a bad name in the camp. He was a bully who never yed fair. His favorite thing was witching people get ripped apart by zombies. Sometimes, he even tricked people he didn¡¯t like into going outside just to see them die.


    However, still, he had still been one of the groups.


    Watching him get shot dead right in front of them left a chill in the air.


    ¡°What camp are you people from?¡± she asked, stepping forward.


    Before anyone could answer, a sharp voice called out from above. ¡°What about you? Who are you?¡±


    Theresa looked up. A group of men and women stood along the second¨Cfloor railing. Their weapons were raised. The woman in front had a gun.


    It <b>was </b>aimed <b>right </b>at Theresa.


    As soon as she lifted her <b>arm</b>, Graham and the others behind Theresa raised their guns too.


    In a sh, the air turned tense. No one moved. Everyone stood locked in <b>a </b>standoff.


    ¡°They¡¯re refugees,¡± <b>Ray </b>Hogan, the man who had been spoken to by Theresa, hastily replied. ¡°They escaped from the subway station.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Hunter! They killed <b>Mario</b><b>!</b>¡± someone shouted from the group on the ground.


    Eva Hunter¡¯s face tightened. Her brow creased in a deep frown. Her eyes moved from Theresa to the body on the floor.


    She stared for a few seconds. Her <b>thoughts </b>were hard to read. Then, she lowered her gun.


    ¡°Come on up,¡± she called out.


    Keeping that <b>many </b>people on the ground floor was a big risk. The zombie horde outside was still close. Any sound or movement could bring them back and break down the gate. If that happened, the people upstairs would die too.


    Besides, this new group wasrge. Also, they were armed. Eva had counted their weapons. The odds <b>didn¡¯t </b>look good.


    After weighing the pros and cons, she let Theresa and the otherse up straight to the second floor, far from the chaos below.


    Theresa gave a small nod. Her group climbed the stairs to the second floor. They kept their weapons <b>out </b>but pointed them down to show they meant no harm, despite still being on guard.


    Ray <b>and </b>two others dragged Mario¡¯s body up with them.


    Once they were all <b>upstairs</b>, the zombies outside began to drift away. With no more sound or motion <b>to </b>keep their interest, they lost focus and started to wander.


    Chapter 289 The Camp in the Mall


    <b>Eva </b>waited until everyone reached the second floor. Then, she stepped forward with her own group


    ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked. Her eyes stayed fixed on Theresa.


    ¡°zing Sun Alliance. I¡¯m Theresa.


    Eva raised an eyebrow. ¡°Never heard of it


    ¡°Never?¡± Theresa didn¡¯t look away. She took a moment to study Eva. She looked about twenty¨Ceight or twenty¨Cnine. Neat and clean. Not stunning, but sharp and striking. Her figure stood out. She moved with strength and control.


    The longer Theresa watched, the <b>more </b>she respected Eva. This was the first fernale leader she had seen since the world fell apart.


    Even in peacetime, women had to fight <b>to </b>be seen as equals. After the world ended, that fight got harder.


    Many women were born with weaker muscles, morepassionate hearts, and a deeper fear of killing. These were the things that made survival harder for women.


    Most had been pushed to the bottom.


    Eva was the only female leader Theresa had ever known.


    ¡°No,¡± Eva said again. Her voice was <b>calm</b>. Her eyes didn¡¯t leave Theresa. ¡°Where did youe from?¡±


    ¡°Ironspire Station, Theresa replied.


    ¡°<b>You </b><b>came </b>through the subway tunnels?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Eva¡¯s eyes sharpened.


    She had seen huge waves of zombies heading toward Ironspire Station just days ago, which meant the group before <b>her </b>had run over with the horde on their heels.


    If these people had survived that and made it here, they weren¡¯t lucky. They were exceptionally <b>strong</b>.


    Eva stood straighter.


    She scanned them up and down.


    ¡°This mall belongs to Ridgefall Camp. I¡¯m Eva Hunter. I lead Ridgefall Mall. That gives me full control over this ce,¡± she said after a pause. You can stay here for two days. After <b>that</b>, you leave. If not, I won¡¯t be so kind.¡±


    ¡°Sure. No problem, Theresa answered right away.


    Eva blinked. That answer came fast.


    She had expected resistance. In times <b>like </b>these, people held on to safety like treasure. Once someone found shelter, they didn¡¯t give it up. However, Theresa just agreed and moved on. No fight. Noints.


    Chapter 289 The Camp in the Mall


    Would they really leave? Or was this just a trick?


    Eva narrowed her eyes. She waved her people to fall back. The group from Ridgefall Camp moved up <b>to </b>the third floor.


    They kept <b>a </b>wide space between themselves and the new group.


    In the apocalypse, trust came slow. Or not at all.


    Letting them stay two days was already a stretch. <b>Any </b>more than that, and the two sides might sh for


    <b>real</b>.


    ¡°Ms. Hunter, are you sure you <b>want </b>to let them <b>stay</b>?¡± Ray asked in a low voice once they reached the third §±§à§à§Ô

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    Chapter 290 Malik Stark¡¯s Return


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell what they¡¯re nning. Eva said. ¡°Let them stay for now. However, only for two <b>days</b><b>. </b>Then, they¡¯re out,¡±


    ¡°They killed Mario, <b>though</b>, Ray said in a lower voice. ¡°What do we do when Malik returns and finds outr


    Eva¡¯s brow tightened. Her eyes dropped to Mario¡¯s body. For a moment, she didn¡¯t say anything. Then, a voice shouted from the third floor.


    ¡°Mr. Stark¡¯s back! They¡¯reing!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a swarm of zombies right behind them. Drop the ropes! Hurry!¡±


    Theresa, still on the second floor, heard the <b>shouts </b>and turned toward the windows. Thick ropes were hanging outside. A few people were being pulled up.


    She leaned closer to the ss and looked down. The street below was packed with zombies, shoulder to shoulder.


    They reached up, groaning and snarling, trying to grab the people climbing the ropes.


    Each climber had a huge <b>pack </b>on their back. They kicked and climbed while others above pulled them up.


    Then, out of nowhere, a zombie in a tracksuit let out a shriek andunched itself upward. It grabbed the wall and jumped onto one of the ropes.


    In a sh, it sank its teeth into the back of the man on the far¨Cleft rope. Its weight and speed <b>tore </b>right through the man¡¯s scalp.


    Blood sprayed like a fountain, soaking his face and clothes.


    ¡°Aah!!¡± the man screamed in pain.


    ¡°Bob!¡± someone on the third floor shouted.


    A fireball flew <b>down </b>and sted the zombie off the rope.


    Another man, climbing the second rope from the right, pushed off the wall and leapt toward Bob Woodard.


    Bob screamed even louder when he <b>saw </b>him, hope in his eyes.


    ¡°Malik! Help me! I¡¯m your best friend! I helped you win over Eva! I killed your rival for you! I even cleaned up your brother¡¯s messes! You owe me, man! You owe <b>me</b>!¡±


    However, even before he finished speaking, Malik¡¯s knife shed in the sunlight. In one quick motion, he cut the strap of Bob¡¯s pack. He yanked the supplies off Bob¡¯s back with one smooth pu¡±


    Bob blinked in shock. He didn¡¯t even have time to speak before Malik¡¯s knife


    The tension snapped. Bob dropped.


    slid across the rope,


    Chapter 290 Malik Stark¡¯s Return


    ¡°Malik! You backstabbing scoundrell¡±


    Covered in blood and iling, Bob fell like a piece of raw meat into a sea of starving monsters. Thes zombies forgot about the others. They swarmed toward him like sharks smelling blood.


    In less than <b>two </b>seconds, he was gone. The horde swallowed him whole.


    Malik and the rest of his group made it safely to the third floor.


    Theresa had watched it all. Her eyes stayed calm, but she kept her focus on the man who had stolen supplies and killed his own teammate just to escape.


    <b>That </b>was someone to o keep a close eye on¨Che was vicious.


    If it had been Kyle on that rope instead of Bob, she wasn¡¯t sure she could have done the same.


    She was ruthless, but only with enemies.


    Never with her own people.


    If Kyle got bitten, she would only make a move when he was truly gone. As long as he had even a trace of humanity left, she wouldn¡¯t let anyoney a hand <b>on </b>him.


    However, that man¡­ He was colder than her.


    ¡°Theresa, we reached Bennie,¡± Lucas said as he walked over..


    ¡°What did he say?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Theron is leading eight squads from other camps to back us up.¡±


    ¡°Where are they now?¡±


    They made it to what¡¯s left of Neb Camp. However, that ce is surrounded. Tens of thousands of zombies have blocked every path into the city. Bennie said he¡¯s <b>working </b>on a new route. He¡¯ll send word by tonight at thetest.¡±


    Theresa gave a small nod.


    Just then, a furious <b>voice </b>echoed through the mall.


    ¡°Who killed my brother?¡±


    Malik <b>stormed </b>down from the third floor. His eyes were wild. He scanned the crowd in front of him<b>. </b>


    Eva ran after him, shouting. ¡°Malik!¡±


    He turned to face the crowd. ¡°Speak up! If no one talks, all of you scum are going in the ground with my brother! I¡¯ll tear you all apart! Talk! Who did it?¡±


    <b>Malik </b>shoved Eva¡¯s hand off his arm. His re burned into the people on the second floor.


    Just then, a clear voice broke through the noise. ¡°I did.¡±


    Chapter 290 Malik Stark¡¯s Return


    Theresa stepped forward. Calin as always.


    She never ran from a light. If she did something, she admitted it.


    Malik¡¯s face twisted. Fire burst into the air above his head, hot and wild. He locked eyes with Theresa and raised his hand.


    However, a wave of water crashed down and put out the mes at once.


    ¡°Malik!¡± Eva stepped forward. Her palm still glowed with the use of her water¨Cbased ability. She marched right up to him.


    ¡°Enough! Your brother broke Ridgefall Camp¡¯s rules. He never reported anything to me, then blocked the gate and wouldn¡¯t let them in. That¡¯s why they killed him<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>


    <b>3/8 </b>

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    Chapter 291 What¡¯s Worth Saving


    ¡°If he¡¯d juste talk to me first, this could¡¯ve been avoided.


    Eva¡¯s voice cut through the tense air, sharp and exhausted.


    She wasn¡¯t shouting at anyone in particr¨Cjust venting. However, the message hit exactly where it needed to.


    ¡°Got a problem with how we run things?¡± She turned to Malik. ¡°Then, maybe Ridgefall Camp isn¡¯t the ce for you. We¡¯re not <b>some </b>fortress with unlimited resources. The door is right there if you don¡¯t like how we operate.¡±


    Malik stared at her like he¡¯d been pped. ¡°So that¡¯s it? You¡¯re protecting them now?¡±


    He didn¡¯t need to name names. They both knew who he meant¨CTheresa¡¯s crew,


    <b>Eva¡¯s </b>jaw tightened. Her eyes didn¡¯t flinch, but there was a storm behind them.


    Was she protecting Theresa¡¯s people? Not really.


    She was protecting Ridgefall Camp.


    Theresa¡¯s group was massive¨Ceasily over 150 people, armed to the teeth. Meanwhile, Ridgefall Camp had what? Maybe ny? A hundred on <b>a </b>good day. They only had three working guns. If things went sideways, they¡¯d be wiped out in hours. That wasn¡¯t paranoia. That was just math.


    The worst part? Eva had no idea how many of them were ability users¡­ or what else they were hiding. For all she knew, they could have a walking bomb in their ranks.


    Plus, Mario was never worth the trouble, constantly stirring the pot and pushing boundaries. He had real loyalty and value, just a headache wrapped in a uniform.


    Why should she <b>put </b>everything on the line for someone like <b>that</b>?


    ¡°Go back,¡± she stated firmly. ¡°That¡¯s an order. If you can¡¯t do that<b>, </b>you¡¯re done here. No exceptions.¡±


    She¡¯d already drawn the line. If Malik didn¡¯t fall in, that was it. Eva wasn¡¯t about to plead, argue, or sugarcoat <b>anything</b><b>. </b>


    There was no universe where she¡¯d throw her lot in with Malik <b>against </b>someone as dangerous as Theresa. That would be suicide. This wasn¡¯t about loyalty or emotion¨Cit was about survival


    She wasn¡¯t picking sides between the two of them.


    She was choosing what mattered most.


    Her people came first. Ridgefall Camp had to go first.


    Malik <b>heard </b>it¨Cthe finality. The wall that couldn¡¯t be climbed.


    He stared at her for what felt like forever. Then he clenched his jaw, spat the words through gritted teeth. ¡°You¡¯re <b>only </b>saying that because <b>you </b><b>know </b>I¡¯ve always had a thing for you.¡±


    1A


    Chapter 291 What¡¯s Worth Saving


    He didn¡¯t wait for a reply. Just turned and walked off, shoulders trint, pride cracked


    Eva didn¡¯t stop him. She just stood there


    Everyone else started to drift away, one by one No one said anything.


    When thest person left, Eva finally moved. Her feer shifted, but her thoulders wigged like the weight of everything had just caught up to her.


    Then, out of nowhere, came Theresa¡¯s voice. ¡°Grabor seat,¡±


    Eva turned, and there she was¨Cyoung, sharp, standing in her sleekbat gear like she belonged on a battlefield. High ponytail, steady eyes, posture like she owned the room without needing to say it.


    Yeah, Theresa was younger¨Cno doubt about it.


    Still, there was a sense of familiarity about her. The way she moved, the way she carried herself¨Ccalm grounded, like the world could fall apart and she¡¯d barely flinch.


    The realization hit Eva all <b>at </b>once, like staring into a cracked mirror: different paths, different scars, but the same weight carried on their shoulders.


    Funny how that happens. You meet someone for the first time, and somehow, you see a piece of yourself staring back.


    From the moment Eva saw Theresa, something just clicked. She couldn¡¯t quite exin why¨Cit was one of those gut feelings, seemingly illogical but persistently in her thoughts.


    Eva had never been <b>the </b>trusting type; getting close to people didn¡¯te easily. Yet with Theresa, there was this strange pull¨Cfamiliar, but unexpected. Though it defied exnation, it seemed as if she saw a part of herself in Theresa, which strangely made her feel as if she wasing home.


    Eva didn¡¯t say a word. She just walked over and joined them near the fire. Theresa¡¯s crew had already set up camp¨Cpol over mes, steam rising, dinner bubbling <b>away</b>. It smelled good and familiar.


    Theresa sat on the windowsill, legs casually crossed.


    She reached behind her and handed Eva a bottle. ¡°Peach <b>juice</b>?


    Eva raised an eyebrow but took it. Twisted the cap off, took a sip.


    ¡°You¡¯re brave,¡± Theresa chuckled. ¡°Not worried <b>that </b>I slipped something in there?¡±


    Eva took another drink before answering, ¡°If you really wanted me dead, you wouldn¡¯t need to get fancy. A bullet would¡¯ve done <b>the </b>job hours ago.¡±


    That made Theresa grin.


    Sharp Calm Calcted. I like that!


    Right from the start, both of them had been studying each <b>other</b>. Not just posture or tone¡ªeverything. Numbers, weapons, power levels.


    Theresa didn¡¯t need <b>to </b><b>ask</b><b>; </b>her mental ability had told her all the answers. Only thirteen of Eva¡¯s people


    Chapter 291 What¡¯s Worth Saving


    were ability users. The advantage was hers.


    If she¡¯d wanted to crush Ridgefall, she could¡¯ve done it in a heartbeat.


    Eva knew that, too.


    That was why she didn¡¯t retaliate over Mario. It wasn¡¯t fear; it was strategy.


    She understood when to hold the line and when to step back.


    That wasn¡¯t weakness. That was leadership.


    Most people choke on that kind of pride. Eva swallowed it¨Cfor her people, and that made her dangerous in a different way¨Cthe smart kind:


    ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to you,¡± Theresa offered, kicking a <b>small </b>rock off the sill. ¡°100 pounds of rice and 10 boxes of instant noodles.¡±


    That was more than <b>just </bpensation. It was a peace offering


    In times like these, everything¡¯s transactional¨Cfood, safety, even people. Survivors followed the strongest. Leaders called the shots. Theresa owed her, in a way<b>, </b>


    Eva paused, turning the bottle in her hands. ¡°Don¡¯t need it. Just pack up and leave in the morning. call it even.¡±


    Theresa raised a brow. ¡°Think Malik¡¯s going to let that slide?¡±


    Eva didn¡¯t answer right away. Her mouth drew into a thin line.


    ¡°What¡¯s the deal with him anyway?¡± Theresa leaned back. ¡°You can¡¯t control your own guy?¡±


    Eva looked away. ¡°It¡¯splicated.¡±


    We¡¯ll


    Theresa pushed, ¡°You sure it¡¯s not something else? Let¡¯s trade. You tell me something real about you, I¡¯ll do


    the same.¡±


    Eva caught the seriousness in Theresa¡¯s eyes, let out a dry chuckle, and finally eased up a little. ¡°Didn¡¯t I already say? I¡¯m the chairman of Ridgefall Mall.¡±


    ¡°Right. You <b>did</b>.¡± Theresa replied.


    ¡°Malik¡¯s family used to be our biggest partner, Eva added, the wordsing slower now. ¡°Our parents knew <b>each </b>other. Long history.


    ¡°Back before the apocalypse, my family got into a mess. Big one. Both my parents were in trouble, and I had to take over the business. Malik helped me keep it afloat.¡±


    She paused again, staring into the mes.


    ¡°Just when I thought I¡¯d pulled it off the world went to hell.¡±


    She let out a slow breath.


    C


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    Chapter 291 What¡¯s Worth Saving


    ¡°Fortunately, I lived at the office. Always workingte. That¡¯s the only <b>reason </b>I made in I was already indo when things started falling apart.¡±

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    Chapter 292 The Taste of Reality


    Eva clenched the peach juice bottle until the stic creaked in her hand.


    The first day of the outbreak still burned clearly in her memory. Malik didn¡¯t hesitate. He¡¯d thrown himself straight into the chaos outside, dodging infected just to reach Ridgefall Mall and find her. They found themselves sealed inside together while the world copsed around them.


    That <b>was </b>the day <b>she </b>stopped being the old Eva


    The


    apocalypse didn¡¯t give her a choice. She was lucky¨Cridiculously lucky¨Cto awaken a water¨Cbased ability. Malik got <b>fire</b>. Between her knack for pulling people together and his sheer force in a fight, they turned a crumbling mall into a camp. They fought side by side, patching leaks in the walls and holding back the dead. Somehow, they survived.


    No, scratch that. She survived because Malik was <b>there</b>..


    Sure, they shed all the time. He was stubborn. She was worse. Still, he backed off every time, even when it was his own brother.


    Mario caused enough problems to sink the whole camp, but Malik never took care of it himself. He kept sending Bob instead¨Ca quiet gesture that said he was on her side, even if he didn¡¯t want to be pushed into choosing.


    The truth was<b>, </b>every single time, he still chose her.


    Eva knew the truth. Without him, Ridgefall Camp wouldn¡¯t havested this long. Even with her powers. she¡¯d never have been able to <b>hold </b>it <b>all </b>together alone.


    ¡°Malik¡¯s been there from the start,¡± Eva admitted. ¡°He¡¯s second only to me.¡±


    Theresa gave a faint nod, like it all made sense now.


    With Malik backing her camp, it¡¯s no wonder Eva couldn¡¯t keep him on a leash.


    He isn¡¯t just some grunt¨Che¡¯s the kind of guy who could run a camp <i>by </i>himself if he wanted.


    Hell, most men wouldn¡¯t even try to rein in someone like that. No surprise <i>he </i>had the nerve to go toe¨Cto¨C<b>toe </b>with her earlier.


    <b>Eva </b>exhaled through her nose, then forced a thin smile. ¡°Alright. Your turn. Tell me what this zing Sun Alliance really is.¡±


    Theresa didn¡¯t even blink. ¡°Fifty¨Cseven camps from Ansford, Branford, and Crestmont. I lead the whole <b>thing</b>.¡±


    Eva nearly fumbled her drink, staring at Theresa with wide eyes.


    Fifty¨Cseven? Seriously? No way. Does she actually im that every camp in the Eastern region falls under <i>her </i>banner? That¡¯s insane,


    Theresa tilted her head, smirking. ¡°You don¡¯t have a radio station up there, do <b>you</b><b>?</b>¡±


    15:09 Sat 18 <b>Aug </b>


    Chapter 292 The Taste of Reality


    Eva gave a slight nad sideways. ¡°No power,¡±


    Theresa didn¡¯t miss a beat. ¡°We¡¯re clearing the infected out of all three cities. If you want in, Til fold your camp under the alliance.¡±


    Every new camp was another wall against the infected. Theresa already had her hands full, bun if she <b>could </b>pull them in <b>one </b>at a time, she would. Every piece mattered.


    Eva went <b>quict</b>.


    Before she could respond, a voice cut in. ¡°Theresal Dinner¡¯s ready! You corning or what?¡±


    Graham was standing over a massive pot, lifting the lid. Stearn rushed out in a cloud that smelled like heaven.


    <b>Eva </b>turned her head and froze.


    There it was: <b>white </b>rice, fresh vegetables, eggs<b>, </b><b>and </b>even meat.


    Her stomach gave a <b>small</b>, traitorous twist.


    Grahamdled out a bowl for Theresa, then another.


    As Eva stepped closer, the scent of white rice hit her like a wave. Then she <b>saw </b>it¨Cbright, fresh greens, not the wilted scraps she was used to.


    A year and a half, she thought. <i>I </i>haven¡¯t seen food this fresh in a year and a half. How in the world do they even have


    this?


    ¡°How the hell do you still have this stuff?¡± she blurted out.


    Theresa didn¡¯t even flinch. ¡°We grow it.¡±


    <b>Graham </b>grinned. ¡°Yeah! Theresa grows it all. Fresh every single day.¡±


    Theresa held the bowl out toward her. ¡°Go on. Have <b>some</b>.¡±


    Eva stared at it as if <b>it </b>were a mirage.


    Back at Ridgefall Camp, they¡¯d tried over and over to grow vegetables on the <b>mall¡¯s </b>rooftop, but nothing ever took root. The drought never let up, and there was no water to waste. Every bit of her ability went into keeping people <b>alive</b>, not growing food.


    Yet here Theresa was, casually holding <b>out </b>a bowl of rice, fresh greens, <b>and </b>meat.


    <b>She </b>reflected, Just how strong are these people!


    ¡°No,¡± Eva declined, her voice softer than she expected. ¡°I <b>should </b>go back upstairs


    She wasn¡¯t about to eat. Not <b>until </b>she figured out what the hell she was supposed to o next.


    Theresa didn¡¯t press. She just nodded once.


    Once Eva left, Theresa quietly told <b>Graham </b>and the others to bring 100 pounds of rice and 10 boxes of


    C


    Chapter 292 The Taste of Reality.


    instant noodles following dinner.


    <b>63</b>%


    <b>Upstairs</b>, Eva sat by the railing, lost in thought.


    Down below, Theresa¡¯s peopleughed and passed bowls around as if it were a feast.


    Her own camp <b>stayed </b>quiet.


    Supplies were so tight they¡¯d cut <b>down </b>to one proper meal a day, then scraps at night. Now the smell of white rice and cooked meat wafted through the mall, making it impossible to ignore.


    A group of Ridgefall survivors leaned over, eyes wide.


    One voice called out with barely contained excitement. ¡°They¡¯ve got white rice!¡±


    Another followed, ¡°I can smell meat!¡±


    Then, someone gasped, ¡°Wait¡­ are those vegetables? That¡¯s cabbage! Real cabbage!¡±

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    Chapter 293 A Feast for the Dead


    Chapter 293 A Feast for the Dead


    ¡°They¡¯ve even got <b>eggs </b>someone shouted from the hallway. ¡°I swear, every single person got a braised


    ¡°Mom, what¡¯s a braised egg?¡± a little boy asked, tugging on his mom¡¯s sleeve with wire eyes full of curiosity. He probably couldn¡¯t even recall its taste. Back before the apocalypse, it was the kind of thing parents kept <b>from </b>kids just to stop them from spoiling their dinner. Now, it was practically a legend.


    From her room, <b>Eva </b>listened to the chatter drifting in from the hallway.


    The zing Sun Alliance can we really trust them?


    If we follow Theresa.. weill our people finally get to eat like that?


    Her thoughts kept looping until heavy footsteps pounded up the stairs.


    Graham appeared with a few men, each one lugging crates. The Ridgefall Camp¡¯s survivors swarmed like bees to honey, whispers flying everywhere.


    ¡°Is that¡­¡­. rice?!¡±


    ¡°No way. Instant noodles too!¡±


    ¡°Mom. I want noodles!¡±


    Graham set the load <b>down </b>with a grin. ¡°Ms. Hunter, Theresa sent this up for you. Consider it her way of making things right.¡±


    Eva stepped out just in time to see them vanish back down the stairs, leaving nothing behind but a neat pile of food.


    So, this <b>was </b>how Theresa paid for Mario¡¯s death.


    Eva¡¯s chest tightened. Theresa didn¡¯t need to do <b>this</b>. Nobody would have med her if she hadn¡¯t. She was strong enough that no one dared challenge her. Yet here she was, tossing them a lifeline¨C100 pounds of rice and 10 boxes of instant noodles.


    A life for a feast. That¡¯s the trade, Eva thought.


    She didn¡¯t hesitate long. ¡°Take it,¡± she told her people. ¡°Cook it. Let¡¯s eat.¡±


    The entire Ridgefall Camp erupted.


    For the first time in months, their faces lit up. The smell of boiling rice and noodles was enough to make grown men look like kids on a holiday morning. One thought spread through the crowd like wildfire. Some prople are hell to deal with when they¡¯re alive, but even in death, they still manage to be useful. The people downstairs didn¡¯t just kill that b*stard¨Cshe threw us a feast on top of his grave.


    In minutes, boxes were torn open. Pots ttered, noodles hit the boiling water, rice smell flooded the halls. For once, Ridgefall Camp actually felt alive<b>. </b>


    Just as the first batch of noodles was ready, a voice cut through the noise.


    ed away, and the


    Chapter <b>293 </b>A Feast for the Dead


    ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡±


    It was Malik.


    He came stomping down from the rooftop, knife on his belt and fury in his eyes.


    ¡°Maliki Come eat with us!¡±


    someone called out, grimming


    He stopped dead. Fat teha?!


    ¡°They gave it to us, another voice piped up. ¡°You know¡­ for Mario.¡±


    Malik stared. For.. Mariol


    The <b>name </b>burned <b>in </b>his cars. Heat boiled in his chest and shot straight to his skull.


    No! Hell no!


    In one violent move, he shoved forward and flipped <b>the </b>entire table.


    Bowls ttered. Rice went flying. Hot noodles spilled like a flood.


    Malik was already charging toward the stairs with a knife in hand, like a man possessed, before anyone could even shout.


    ¡°Mr. Stark! Wait!¡°


    ¡°Stop him!¡±


    Someone bolted toward Eva¡¯s room. ¡°Ms. Hunter! Mr. Stark is about to start a fight!¡±


    In her office, Eva couldn¡¯t tear her eyes from the peeling paint <b>as </b>her mind kept racing.


    Can I really trust Theresa? What if joining her alliance is a mistake<b>? </b>


    Ridgefall Camp is running on fumes. Every bite we getes from Malik¡¯s scavenging runs. They¡¯ve already picked everything clean within a thousand feet. Beyond that is nothing but dead zones crawling with infected.


    We¡¯ve got nothing left. Nothing but <b>our </b><b>people</b>¡­


    Her jaw tightened<b>. </b>If there¡¯s even a chance to join her¡­


    ¡°Ms. Hunter!¡± The shout from outside ripped her from her thoughts. ¡°Malik¡¯s downstairs again!¡±


    Eva bolted <b>from </b>her office, heart <b>hammering</b>.


    When she reached <b>downstairs</b>, it was over.


    Malik was face¨Cdown<b>, </b>one arm pinned painfully behind his back. Theresa¡¯s boot pressed down between his shoulders like she owned the ground he was <b>lying </b>on.


    The high ponytail. The sharp grin. She looked down at him like a predator sizing up its next bite,


    <b>273 </b>


    Chapter 298 A Feast for the Dead


    mocking, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Malik? Thinking of asking for another feast in your name


    Eva froze.


    Theresa wasn¡¯t a savior.


    She followed her own rules¨Cno mercy, no apologies only keen instincts and formidable teeth.


    If it suited her, she¡¯d pull you up. As long as she stayed on top, everyone else got dragged along for the ride.


    Cross her, though, and you might as well start digging your own grave.


    Theresa wasn¡¯t amb. She was a tiger. One swipe, and you were gone.


    ¡°Ms. Hall!¡± Eva shoved herself between them. ¡°Let him go. I¡¯ll handle him.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s gaze slid over to Eva, her grin curling just a little softer. She drawled, ¡°Honestly, sis, for your camp¡¯s sake¡­ he¡¯s not the worst pick.¡±


    Eva¡¯s chest tightened. She drew in a slow breath. Tll think about it. Please. Just¡­ let him go.<b>¡± </b>


    Theresa tilted her head like she was toying with the idea, then finally stepped back with a sigh. ¡°Fine. Just this once<b>. </b>


    Malik growled from the ground. ¡°I swear, I¡¯ll


    ¡°Shut it!¡± Eva snapped before he could finish


    She waved her people over to grab him. They hauled him upstairs, muttering all the way.


    Once the room was cleared, Lucas let out a low whistle and nced at the others. ¡°We¡¯d better keep our eyes open tonight.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± one of the men muttered, eyes on the stairs.


    Sure. Theresa killed Malik¡¯s brother. Still, like it or not, she did it for everyone¡¯s sake.

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    Chapter 294 No One Left Behind


    Lucas had always been the decent type¨Ccalm, fair, and with a clear line of what should never be crossed.


    Today, Mario <b>had </b>trampled all over that line. Blocking the way wasn¡¯t just selfish. It was the kind of thing you only expected from <b>an </b>enemy.


    Lucas <b>didn¡¯t </b>waste sympathy on enemies.


    He wasn¡¯t bothered by what Theresa did either. <b>She </b>could be brutal when the situation called for it, yet she never spilled blood just for the thrill. If scaring someone was enough, that¡¯s where she stopped Losing control simply wasn¡¯t her <b>way</b>,


    That was <b>what </b>Lucas admired most.


    To him, strength only mattered if it had a leash. A strong person who stuck to their own rules was someone you could count on. One without limits? That was the kind of monster you prayed you¡¯d never


    meet.


    Thankfully, Theresa was the <b>former</b>.


    ¡°Hey. Theresa, Lucas called, snapping out of his thoughts. ¡°Bennie¡¯s back on the line.¡±


    Theresa turned to him, sharp¨Ceyed. ¡°About time. Let¡¯s hear it.


    The radio crackled, and Bennie¡¯s <b>voice </b><b>came </b>through, steady but <b>tight </b>with urgency. ¡°Ms. Hall, storming Branford isn¡¯t an option. Too many dead in the streets.


    ¡°We ran the numbers. Your best chance is tomorrow, in broad daylight. Theron will take a squad north and light the ce up with charges to drag the horde away. By 11:30 a.m., the streets should be at their


    thinnest.


    ¡°If you can get out before 12 p.m., Theron will be waiting at Ironspire Station to get you clear. Miss <b>that </b><b>window</b>¡­ Bennie¡¯s <b>voice </b>dipped<b>, </b>heavy with warning. ¡°You¡¯ll have the horde on your heels all the way back


    to camp.


    A pause, then the final punch. ¡°You¡¯ll need to move fast.¡±


    Silence followed


    Theresa didn¡¯t answer right away. She stood there, eyes fixed ahead, running through every piece of the n in her head. Five minutes passed before she finally keyed the radio, ¡°Understood.¡±


    Ridgefall <b>Mall </b>to Ironspire Station was about two miles.


    Normally, a healthy person could sprint it in fifteen minutes.


    I be closer


    Last time, they¡¯d done it in 18 minutes¨Cbut that was underground, a straight shot with no¨Chstacles. This time, they¡¯d be out in the open,/dodging debris and weaving through side streets. In reali to two and a half miles,


    Half an hour. That <b>was </b>all they had.


    $15:10 581, 16 Aug


    Chapter 294 No One Left Behind


    Theresa rallied the camp andid out the escape n. Every child was paired with a strong adult The elderly each got someone to lean on. The men would take the heavy lifting while the women kept one another moving.


    Come dawn, they would either all make it out or none of them would.


    Once all was calmed, she distributed extra rations so everyone could eat their fill for once, told them to rest while they could, and suggested settling any grudges before sunrise.


    As the noise died down, Theresa nced up toward the third floor.


    Eva stood her ground, arms folded tight. ¡°Mario is gone, Malik. Nothing¡¯s bringing him back. I took the food, so if you¡¯re mad, be mad at me. Just stop making this worse.¡±


    Malik¡¯s roar rattled the walls. ¡°Eva, don¡¯t tell me to let it go! He was my brother!


    His fists clenched until his knuckles went white, eyes burning red with grief and fury. You think this is about some d¡¯mn food? <b>That </b>was my blood!¡±


    Mario. That man.


    Even before the apocalypse, he¡¯d been nothing but trouble¨Crunning with the worst kind of people. picking fights, andughing while his parents bled money to cover his mess. They spent half their lives cleaning up after <b>him</b>. There <b>was </b>even that time his recklessnessnded them in a hospital bed. He never cared, not even once.


    Yet for Malik, Mario was still his big brother¨Cthe reckless fool he¡¯d defended since they were kids. He never fought him over the family <b>business</b>, never once demanded more than a simple, unspoken promise: look out for <b>him</b>, and he¡¯d be content.


    Now he was gone.


    Eva¡¯s gaze


    hardened. ¡°You want the truth, Malik? Your brother wasn¡¯t a hero. He blocked the road, ignored my orders, and yed games while people were dying out there. You know it. I know it. He wanted to watch those poor survivors get eaten.¡±


    Malik¡¯s jaw clenched so hard it looked painful.


    Eva didn¡¯t <b>back </b>down. ¡°Every d¡¯mn time someone came begging for help, he stalled on purpose. He wouldn¡¯t tell me a thing, just sat thereughing while people got torn apart. He got exactly what he hading.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Malik roared, mming the table with enough force to flip it.


    Eva squared her shoulders, chin lifted in defiance. ¡°I was the one <b>who </b>took the food. You want revenge? Take it out on me. <b>Leave </b>Ms. Hall out of it.¡±


    ¡°You think I won¡¯t?¡± Malik¡¯s voice cracked, raw with grief and rage.


    Eva¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t waver. ¡°Do it, <b>then</b>.¡±


    He snapped. His hand <b>shot </b>up, ready to strike her down.


    Chapter <b>294 </b>No One Left Behind


    For a split second, the air between them felt like it might tear <b>apart</b>.


    Then, <b>his </b><b>hand </b>stopped cold, hanging inches from her fare.


    378

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    Chapter 295 What¡¯s Left Behind


    Chapter 295 What¡¯s Left Behind


    Malik¡¯s hand trembled like it had a mind of its own. His breath hitched, chest wound tight


    Smack<b>! </b>


    The sound rang out; a red mark bloomed across his cheek.


    ¡°Pathetic, he spat under his breath. His palm struck again, harder this time. ¡°Stupid¡­ <i>for </i>even liking your


    ¡°Malik¡­¡± Eva didn¡¯t <b>move</b>. Watching him tear himself apart felt worse than if he¡¯d turned that rage on her


    He spun on with you, done with this


    her, eyes raw and zing. ¡°Save it I¡¯m done, Eva. I


    His shove nearly knocked her back, then he was gone¨Cfootsteps hammering down the hall like war drums until the door mmed shut.


    Eva stayed where she <b>was</b><b>, </b>rooted to the floor. No anger, no tears¨Cjust that hollow ache in her chest.


    ¡°Ms. Hunter¡­ Mr. Stark bolted. Should I- Ray¡¯s voice barely broke through<b>. </b>


    She shook her head, slow and certain. ¡°No.<b>¡± </b>


    She knew he wouldn¡¯te back, not tonight and perhaps never.


    Malik had given in.


    If this was what winning looked like, she wanted no part of it. It felt less like a victory and more like watching something snap clean in two.


    Eva exhaled, her thoughts quiet and sharp. Thatst fragile thread between us¡­ It¡¯s gone.


    <i>If </i><i>the </i>world hadn¡¯t burned to the ground¨Cno blood/no desperate choices¨Cwe¡¯d still be running thepany side by side. He¡¯d be there, steady as ever, building the future we used to dream about.


    By now, we¡¯d probably be arguing over wedding flowers instead of escape routes.


    What a cruel joke.


    She dragged in a breath and steadied herself. ¡°Anything else, Ray?¡±


    Ray scratched the back of his neck. ¡°The folks downstairs¡­ they said they¡¯re leaving at first light. They want to know if we¡¯re in.¡±


    Within half an hour, Eva had Theresa¡¯s escape nid out in front of her.


    Theresa didn¡¯t dress it up. She told Eva <b>this </b>was their one and only <b>shot</b>. Miss it, and Br their grave.


    Ford would be


    Eva sat in her office, staring at the wall until the clock¡¯s ticking felt louder than her own thoughts, Every second shaved away what little hesitation she had left.


    After nearly an hour, she made up her <b>mind</b>.


    <b>173 </b>


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    Chapter 295 What¡¯s Left Behind


    They were leaving.


    Her people didn¡¯t argue when she told them to pack. Most of them had been with her since Ridgefall Mall She¡¯d kept them alive this long¨Cthey¡¯d follow her anywhere.


    Even the drifters they¡¯d picked up along the way didn¡¯t question it. If Eva said move, they mover.


    When the noise died down<b>, </b>she walked its halls onest time, taking in every corner. Then she climbed to the rooftop.


    The sky looked almost unreal¨Cgold bleeding into crimson, fading to a deep blue where the first star through. If she ignored the horde below, it could almost feel like the world wasn¡¯t broken.


    At the door, she stopped.


    Malik was there.


    cut


    He knelt beside Mario¡¯s body, hands steady now. He dressed him in a clean shirt, set a pack of cigarettes by his side, doused him in liquor, and lit a me in his palm


    The fire took him fast. In minutes, nothing was left but <b>ck </b><b>ash </b>


    Malik scattered it into <b>the </b>wind.


    The horde howled like starving wolves.


    Awooowooo!


    They wed upward, leaping like starving dogs for scraps they¡¯d never reach. Smoke drifted down like an insult.


    Malik stared at them, face like stone, then lifted his crossbow and fired. Each boltnded with a vicious snap, a little piece of rage leaving him every time he pulled the trigger.


    He didn¡¯t stop until his quiver was empty.


    ¡°One day, I¡¯ll wipe everyst one of you out!¡± His voice tore through the night.


    Eva didn¡¯t move. She just sat there, watching <b>him </b>burn through thest of his fury,


    When he finally turned, his eyes met hers for only a second. Then he brushed past her, hollow and cold.


    She called out, ¡°Malik.¡±


    He kept walking.


    ¡°Malik.¡± Her voice was quieter this time. ¡°We need to talk.¡±


    He didn¡¯t <b>even </b>nce her way.


    By the time Eva <b>caught </b>up, Malik <b>was </b>already downstairs. He stood dead still when he saw everyone <b>packing </b>up.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± His voice <b>was </b>low and sharp.


    23


    Chapter 295 What¡¯s Left Behind


    The men exchanged uncasy nces, ¡°Mr. Stark¡­ Ms. Hunter said we¡¯re leaving with the camp downistick at dawn


    Malik¡¯s fists tightened.


    Downstairs. Always about them.


    Eva drew a breath. ¡°Malik¡­ I wanted to tell you first. Ms. Hall is leading an escape. It¡¯s real. I¡¯m going with them. You should, too.¡±


    Malikughed without a shred of humor. ¡°Tell me first? No, Eva. You¡¯re not telling me. You¡¯re just announcing it.¡±


    She stepped closer. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to fight. You know this can¡¯t go on. Every day we-


    ¡°Enough!¡± His voice snapped like a whip. ¡°You <b>want </b>to run with them, then go. I¡¯m not leaving!¡±

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    Chapter 296 Burn the Bridge


    Chapter 296 Burn the Bridge


    Malik¡¯s gaze swept across the room like a de. ¡°Anyone staying with me?¡±


    The ce went dead quiet. Nobody wanted to move first. They all just stared at each other, waiting for someone else to make the call.


    Then<b>, </b>a man pushed his way to the front. ¡°Malik, I¡¯m with you. Always was<b>.¡± </b>


    Another one snorted. ¡°Told you from the start¨Cwomen can¡¯t lead. About time


    you


    woke up.¡±


    A third one spat at the floor. ¡°Those people downstairs? They¡¯ll throw you in front of the horde and <b>call </b>it strategy. I¡¯m not following them to my death.¡±


    One by one, more of them joined him. Thirteen¡­ maybe fourteen in total.


    Eva didn¡¯t even need to count. They were Malik¡¯s men¡ªthe real muscle of Ridgefall Camp. They were never hers. Malik had kept them in line, not her.


    Now that he¡¯d turned on her, there was no chance in hell they¡¯d stay.


    Malik gave a sharp, humorlessugh. ¡°Good. Split the supplies. Most of it came from us anyway. You¡¯re not taking a d*mn thing that belongs to us.¡±


    Eva¡¯s hands curled into fists, but she didn¡¯t say a word.


    In the beginning, everything had been pulled from the Ridgefall Mall. It was hers, technically. That didn¡¯t matter anymore. Those days were gone. Her stash had been eaten through months ago. The only food left came from Malik¡¯s raids.


    After the split, her side was left with next to nothing.


    Malik didn¡¯t stop there. He grabbed the so¨Ccalled ¡°apology gift¡± Theresa sent for Mario¨C100 pounds of rice and ten boxes of instant noodles.


    Everyst pack of instant noodles¨Cfifty in total¨Cgot dumped into boiling pots. Over 100 people wed for scraps, slurping up noodles and licking the bowls clean. Even crumbs off the floor didn¡¯t stand a chance.


    The 100 pounds of rice? Malik hauled all of it away as if it were his brother¡¯s grave goods. Not a single grain was leaving with Eva¡¯s group.


    Eva almost stepped in.


    Her hand twitched¡­ then dropped<i>/</i>What¡¯s <i>the </i>point? <i>He </i>won¡¯t <i>listen</i>, <i>not </i><i>anymore</i>.


    Malik¡¯s voice cut through the air again. ¡°Since we¡¯re splitting, you¡¯re done here. This ce is ours now<b>. </b>Everyst inch of it.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Stark, that¡¯s insane!¡± Ray snapped, his face flushed with anger. ¡°This camp belongs to <b>Ms. </b>Hunter<b>!</b>¡±


    ¡°Insane?¡± Malik sneered, mes flickering in his palm. ¡°You want fair? I¡¯ll show


    you


    <b>fair</b><b>.</b><b>¡± </b>


    <b>1/3 </b>


    <b>15:11 </b>Sat, <b>16 </b><b>Aug </b>


    Chapter 296 Burn the Bridge


    Eva raised her hand. ¡°Enough. We¡¯re leaving.


    Her eyes stayed on Malik for a moment, sharp at first¡­ then they dulled, settling into that cold, <b>steady </b>kind of calm that onlyes when there¡¯s nothing left to fight for.


    She didn¡¯t spare him another nce. She turned and led her people out¨Cno hesitation, no protest¨C<b>just </b>quiet footsteps.


    Malik stayed rooted there, the mes in his palm ring like they shared his fury. As soon as Eva¡¯s shadow disappeared, he turned and mmed the fireball into the stash of food.


    ¡°Mr. Stark! Are you out of your d¡¯mn mind?!¡± one of his men shouted. ¡°You¡¯re burning what we¡¯ve got left<b>! </b>


    They rushed to stomp out the mes, but Malik didn¡¯t care. He marched into the office and wrecked everything in sight.


    ¡°D*mn it!¡± His roar rattled the walls. ¡°D*mn it! D*mn it!¡±


    He smashed a chair, breathing like he¡¯d run a mile.


    ¡°You never cared! Not once! You hear me, Eva? You never gave a d*mn!¡±


    The words echoed back at him, raw and jagged, like they were cutting his own throat.


    Downstairs, Theresa had just finished herte¨Cnight ration and finalized the storm team¡¯s formation when she saw movement by the stairwell.


    Arge group wasing down.


    Graham and his team tensed, ready to draw their weapons, until Theresa spotted Eva leading the group, waving.


    Theresa moved forward to meet her. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Five minutester, she got the full story.


    Malik had split off with thirteen men¨Cseven of them were ability users¨Cleaving Eva with the rest.


    Ny people, most of them weaker or untrained, now stood behind Eva.


    They had chosen her.


    Theresa crossed her arms. ¡°Fine. You stick close tomorrow. We don¡¯t babysit. If you get yourselves killed, that¡¯s on you. This is your one shot. Don¡¯t blow it.¡±


    Eva nodded. ¡°I got it.¡±


    Theresa studied her for a moment, weighing her up. Eva had backbone, and Theresa could <b>respect </b>that. Taking her and her people in wasn¡¯t charity¨Cit was a calcted move.


    Theresa never fooled herself into thinking she was some kind of hero. Survival wasn¡¯t about ying saint. As long as she was still standing, keeping others alive was just a good strategy.


    <b>2/3 </b>


    Chapter 296 <b>Burn </b>the Bridge


    Morning came fast<b>. </b>


    Theresa¡¯s crew was up early, dishing out a breakfast heavier than usual to boost everyone¡¯s <b>energy</b>. <b>The </b>smell alone was enough to make Eva¡¯s people stare.


    Their own stash was a joke after Malik stripped them bare. Eva ran the numbers, weighed the <b>risk</b><b>, and </b>made the call. They finished everyst bit. No sense in rationing scraps when tomorrow wasn¡¯t promised


    Theresa walked over, holding a canteen. ¡°If you¡¯re short, borrow from me. Pay it backter<b>. </b>


    Eva almost smiled for a second, imagining the zing Sun Alliance as Theresa had described it.


    <i>Maybe </i>there¡¯s <i>hope </i><i>after </i><i>all</i><i>. </i>A <i>ce </i><i>with </i><i>real </i><i>food</i>¨C<i>meat</i><b><i>, </i></b><i>vegetables</i><b><i>¨C</i></b><i>where </i><i>no </i><i>one </i>has to w over scraps. A ce <i>strong </i><i>enough </i><i>to </i><i>hold </i>it <i>all </i><i>together</i><i>. </i>


    ¡°No,¡± Eva rejected. ¡°We¡¯ll manage. Once we¡¯re out, we¡¯ll see it for ourselves.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t about to lean on anyone¨Cnot yet. Not until she saw that promised ce with her own eyes.


    For now, they¡¯d survive on their own, even if it meant crawling through hell to get there<b>. </b>

 Kept Woman 297

    Chapter <b>297 </b>Run or Die


    Chapter 297 Run or Die


    Eva had learned the hard way¨Ctake something now, and sooner orter, the cost wille due. Depending on anyone else? That was just asking to get yourself killed.


    Theresa couldn¡¯t help it when Eva said that; she felt a spark of respect. <i>This </i><i>woman </i><b><i>has </i></b><b>steel </b>in <i>her </i>bones<i>. </i>


    A sudden boom tore through the air, rattling the ss.


    Theresa¡¯s head whipped toward the sound. She moved to the window, leaning on the frame, and her <b>lips </b>slowly curved. <i>Perfect</i><i>. </i><i>Reinforcements </i><i>are </i><i>here</i>.


    Smoke curled up from the north. Down on the streets, the zombie horde went berserk, everyst one of them spinning toward the noise like someone had flipped a switch.


    st after st followed, rolling across the empty city, pulling every starving zombie out of the woodwork. From the malls to the hospitals, from the crumbling neighborhoods to the schools¨Cthey <b>all </b>stampeded toward the chaos.


    Eva stood frozen at the window. She could feel her pulse hammering in her throat.


    She muttered to herself, <i>Whoever¡¯s </i><i>pulling </i><i>this </i><i>off</i>¡­ <i>they¡¯re </i><i>not </i><b><i>just </i></b><i>strong</i>. <i>They¡¯ve </i><i>got </i><b><i>their </i></b><b><i>act </i></b><b><i>together</i></b>. <i>Theresa </i><i>isn¡¯t </i><i>just </i><i>tough</i><i>¨C</i><i>she¡¯s </i><i>ying </i><i>in </i><i>a </i><i>whole </i><i>different </i><i>league</i><i>, </i><i>way </i><i>out </i><i>of </i><i>my </i><i>reach</i>.


    Upon the third floor, Malik¡¯s crew was pressed against the ss<b>, </b>eyes wide.


    ¡°Mr. Stark! Look at this!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re luring the horde away!¡±


    ¡°That has to be the crew downstairs!¡±


    ¡°Eva wasn¡¯t bluffing about that breakout n. Someone¡¯s out there running a full¨Con zombie diversion!¡±


    Malik¡¯s jaw locked tight as he stared. Zombies poured north in a tide, the streets below slowly shifting from wall¨Cto¨Cwall death to scattered stragglers.


    He thought, <i>Those </i><i>people </i><i>downstairs</i>¡­ <i>they </i><i>aren¡¯t </i><i>just </i><i>some </i><i>run</i>¨Cof<i>¨C</i><i>the</i><i>¨C</i><i>mill </i><i>survivors</i>.


    <i>They¡¯re </i><i>the </i><i>real </i><i>deal</i>.


    <i>Each </i><i>st </i>hit <i>at </i><i>just </i><i>the </i><i>right </i><i>moment</i><i>, </i>pushing <i>the </i><i>horde </i><i>farther </i><i>and </i><i>farther </i><i>away</i><i>, </i><i>until </i><i>the </i><i>streets </i><i>are </i><i>nearly </i><i>bare</i><i>. </i><i>That¡¯s </i><i>not </i>luck. That¡¯s <i>a </i><i>team </i><i>that </i><i>knows </i><i>exactly </i><i>what </i><i>the </i><i>hell </i><i>they¡¯re </i><i>doing</i><i>. </i>


    By the time Malik snapped out of his daze, only a few stray zombies were left staggering aimlessly. The crushing tide that had choked the streets was gone.


    On the second floor, Theresa¡¯s people didn¡¯t hesitate.


    11:30 a.m.


    Go time.


    Sat To Aug


    Chapter 297 Run or Die-


    They tore out of the building like a single, sharpened de. Lucas led from the <b>front</b>, his fighters formin a tight perimeter around the old and the weak. Kids were strapped to their fathers chests<b>, </b>held eine file precious cargo. Theresa anchored the rear, eyes scanning, ready to drag anyone forward who stumbled


    <b>They </b>weren¡¯t just running. They moved like a single living machine, every piece working in syne


    Malik watched from above, almost in disbelief.


    Then he spotted Eva¡¯s group.


    They were chasing hard behind Theresa, but their formation was a mess. Months of hunger had <b>gutted </b>their strength, and Malik had walked off with nearly all of their strongest fighters.


    By 11:40 a.m., Theresa¡¯s team had chewed through nearly 1.1 miles without breaking stride.


    They¡¯d been through this drill before, and it showed. Every step was steady, every move sharp. Not a single person had fallen behind.


    The streets were nearly deserted now; the horde had thinned out to scraps.


    They¡¯d cut down maybe a couple hundred zombies along the way, clearing a path without slowing down.


    Eva¡¯s people¡­ not so much.


    They trailed behind Theresa¡¯s crew, safe enough with hardly any zombies crossing their <i>path</i>. Even so<b>, </b>their formation was a mess. Running on nothing but scraps for weeks had taken its toll, and after barely half <i>a </i>mile, some of them were already stumbling.


    Eva gritted her teeth, forcing herself to the back, barking orders and shoving the stronger ones to carry <i>the </i>weaker. No way in hell was she letting anyone fall behind.


    11:48 a.m.


    1.7 miles down.


    Barely 0.8 miles stood between them and the rescue point.


    Theresa nced back mid¨Crun.


    She was genuinely impressed. Eva¡¯s people were still hanging on, sweaty and staggering, but they were still there. Eva¡¯s sheer willpower was the only thing holding them together.


    Theresa smirked. <i>Not </i><i>bad</i><i>, </i><i>Eva</i><i>. </i><i>Not </i>bad at <i>all</i>.


    Then a screech ripped through the air.


    From the bushes ahead, a zombie in a shredded business suit lunged out. Its hair hung in filth jaw split wide, gums crawling with maggots that wriggled free and hit the ground with <b>soft</b>, w


    <b>des</b><b><i>, </i></b><i>its </i><ol><li><i>ps</i><b>. </b></li></ol>


    <i>Raaagh</i><i>! </i>

 Kept Woman 298

    Chapter 298 The Hunger in the Walls


    Chapter 298 The Hunger in the Walls


    The zombie in the torn business suit halted for a split second, its milky eyes locking onto the <b>swarm </b><b>of </b>survivors sprinting down the street.


    There were dozens of them¨Cfresh prey, packed together like a buffetid out just for it. It tilted its <b>head</b><b>, </b>almost curious, as if deciding which one to tear into first.


    Its milky eyes darted between the two groups. Theresa¡¯s crew was farther ahead now, too far to catch. Eva¡¯s team, though¨Cthey were close, close enough to taste.


    ¡°Raaaargh!¡±


    With a savage roar, it whipped around and bolted straight for them.


    Ray led the charge in Eva¡¯s team, his gaze locking on the zombie barreling toward them. His fingers clenched tighter around the machete, every muscle in his arms tensing. No way he was letting that thing get past him.


    Strength was baked into his very bones, a gift that turned every swing into pure force. Every ounce of it surged through his arms as he swung.


    The de struck home. It sank into the zombie¡¯s neck¡­ and stuck.


    Ray¡¯s heart sank. <i>D</i><i>*</i><i>mn </i><i>it</i><i>! </i>This <i>thing </i><i>doesn¡¯t </i><i>even </i><i>twitch</i><i>. </i><i>Must </i><i>be </i><i>one </i><i>of </i><i>those </i><i>tank</i><i>¨C</i><b><i>ss </i></b><i>freaks</i>.


    The zombie¡¯s dead, milky eyes rolled toward the de lodged in its neck. A low, rumbling growl crawled out of its throat as its ws wrapped around the steel like it was swatting at a twig.


    Metal shrieked as the machete shuddered in Ray¡¯s hands, with deep gouges marking its surface. The intense vibration shot through his arms, almost ripping the weapon out of his grip.


    Ray yanked with everything he had, but the monster¡¯s strength was unreal. The machete didn¡¯t budge. In one brutal jerk, he was yanked forward, stumbling straight into its reach.


    Then it plowed into their formation like a wrecking ball.


    Screams tore through the air.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    ¡°Move!¡±


    ¡°Get it off him!¡±


    Eva didn¡¯t hesitate. A sphere of water shot from her hand, smacking the zombie straight in the skull. It hit the ground with a wet, ugly crunch, finally still.


    Her chest heaved as she looked ahead. <i>Theresa¡¯s </i><i>team </i>is <i>slipping </i><i>further </i><i>out </i>of <i>our </i><i>reach</i>. <i>If </i><i>we </i><i>don¡¯t </i>pick up <i>the </i><i>pace</i><i>, </i><i>we </i><i>are </i><i>dead</i>.


    ¡°Ms. Hunter!¡± someone cried. ¡°I¡¯m out of gas!¡±


    173


    Chapter <b>298 </b>The <b>Hunger </b>in the Walls


    <b>¡°You </b>run even if your legs are screaming!¡± she snapped. ¡°Nobody quits! <b>Keep </b><b>moving</b><b>!</b>¡±


    <b>Her </b><b>own </b>lungs burned, her legs were leaden, but stopping wasn¡¯t an option. Every single one of <b>them </b>had to make it.


    By 11:53 a.m., Ironspire Station was 0.5 miles away.


    Then the copse hit.


    A woman from the center of the pack crumpled, pale as paper.


    ¡°Mom!¡± The boy strapped to her back shrieked.)


    A couple of others tried to help, but their hands shook like they were holding bricks. Nobody had anything left to give.


    Eva shoved through, teeth gritted, and hauled the woman up by sheer willpower.


    That¡¯s when the stench hit her.


    A hunched zombie came tearing out from behind an overturned trash bin, ws swinging. Eva raised a hand, ready to summon water¨Cbut nothing came. Her water¨Cbased ability sputtered out like <b>a </b>dying candle.


    No time to swear. She grabbed the boy and ran.


    Screams erupted ahead.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    ¡°Help!¡±


    ¡°God, no!¡±


    Eva saw a pack of zombies plow into her group, snapping jaws and wing hands ripping through what little order they had left. Exhausted residents went down hard, some never getting back up.


    The kid in Eva¡¯s arms thrashed, trying to get to his mother, but she couldn¡¯t let him go. The whole group was unraveling.


    Then came fire.


    Heat roared on her back.


    A rough hand tore the boy from her grip, and another mped down on her arm hard enough to nearly rip it out of the socket.


    She spun, heart mming against her ribs.


    Malik.


    His crew was right behind him, cutting through the chaos like a storm.


    He didn¡¯t say a word. He just hauled her down the street, fast and unrelenting.


    O


    <b>2/3 </b>


    Chapter 298 The Hunger <b>in </b>the Walls


    <b>The </b>wide asphalt road split two looming hotels, with Ironspire Station just one turn ahead<b>. </b>


    Once, they¡¯d been the crown jewel of the district¨Cssy towers built so tourists could <b>stay </b>close <b>to </b><b>the </b>theme park and see the rides from their rooms. A year and a half ago, <b>these </b>streets were full <b>of </b>kids dragging stuffed toys bigger than they were and parentsughing as they lined up for photos.


    That was before the virus.


    Now, the hotels were nothing but tombs.


    ck, dried blood smeared across tiles and walls. Furniture smashed to splinters. Elevators hung dead between floors. The air reeked of mold and rusted iron, like the whole ce had been marinating in death<b>. </b>for over a year.


    At the front desk, theputery in ruins, the phone line ripped apart, and the money nt had withered into nothing but dry stalks. The only thing left was the zombie receptionist¨Cits neck bent <b>at </b><b>an </b>unnatural angle, slumped behind the counter, staring into empty space<b>. </b>


    The zombies waited upstairs, down the halls, and in every room¡­ all hungry.


    The earlier explosions had whipped them into a frenzy. They wed and pounded against the walls and ss, but since they didn¡¯t know how to open the doors, all they could do was thrash and howl until the noise outside subsided.


    Then silence fell¨Cbrief, suffocating silence.


    Then came a sound that sent them into a frenzy all over again.

 Kept Woman 299

    Chapter 299 When the Dead Break Loose


    Chapter 299 When the Dead Break Loose


    ¡°Raaahhh!¡±


    The sound wasn¡¯t just noise. It was hunger given a voice.


    The smell of living flesh drove them mad.


    ¡°Raaahhh!¡±


    They mmed their rotting bodies against the walls like rabid animals. Doors rattled, ss trembled.


    <i>Bang</i>!


    <i>Thud</i><i>! </i>


    The hotel entrance finally gave out. Wood splintered, and ss rained down in a violent <b>crash</b>.


    Theresa¡¯s heart sank as she sprinted with her team. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught <i>it</i>¨Cthe hotel¡¯s. front doors, shattered into pieces.


    Then the zombie horde poured out.


    A tidal wave of gray flesh and empty eyes flooded the street.


    Across the road, another hotel joined the chorus, coughing up its own horde like a nightmare in stereo.


    Every single one of them ran with arms outstretched, jaws snapping, faces twisted in that wild, animal frenzy.


    ¡°Stay sharp! Move it!¡± Theresa bellowed, forcing her voice to cut through the chaos.


    Her team didn¡¯t hesitate. They bolted as one, boots pounding the asphalt, the air thick with panic and adrenaline.


    Then the first wave mmed into them.


    Graham and the fighters on the nk reacted in a heartbeat, swinging their weapons with deadly precision. des split rotting skulls, abilities lit the air, and the stench of gore mixed with the copper bite of blood.


    Theresa shoved her Aeroshield to its limit, forcing back the press of undead and wing out a narrow path through the zombie horde.


    Only onest corner¨Cabout six hundred feet¨Cseparated them from safety.


    The night before, Theresa and her team had hammered out their formation down to the <bst </b>detail. <b>Now</b><b>, </b>it was paying off. Every single person knew their role¨Csome fought, some guarded, others <b>just </b><b>ran</b>¨Cbut no one broke. Not yet.


    Theresa rounded the corner and almost sagged with relief.


    Reinforcements¨Cfinally.


    Chapter 299 When the Dead Break Loose


    ¡°Help them!¡± she yelled.


    Theron spotted her and didn¡¯t need to be told twice. He and his squad dove in, cutting down <b>the </b><b>closest </b>zombies with clean, practiced strikes.


    They avoided guns and anything that went boom. Loud noises would only whip the horde into <b>a </b><b>bigger </b>frenzy. Instead, they fought silently and viciously, carving a path for Theresa¡¯s team to break <b>through </b>


    Onest push, and they were in. The safe zone closed around them like a shield.


    The zombies didn¡¯t follow.


    Not when there was still fresh meat behind them.


    Theresa spun, breath ragged, eyes locked on the nightmare spilling down the street.


    Eva¡¯s group kept slipping further behind, swallowed inch by inch by the zombie horde.


    A bitter twist of guilt wed at Theresa¡¯s gut. She liked Eva. She really did. Yet sending her people back into that death trap? Impossible. If her team failed to get out in one piece, there¡¯d be no one left to save


    anyone.


    To her, survival always came first.


    The horde swallowed Eva¡¯s group whole.


    Then it split.


    Theresa blinked. Malik¡¯s men¨Cthose stubborn lunatics who¡¯d broken away yesterday¨Cwere leading the charge, hacking through the dead with raw, vicious strength.


    Eva¡¯s survivors trailed close behind, bloodied but still swinging, clinging to life with everything they had.


    That was how it always went.


    When it came down to it, the toughest always led the way.


    Just like in nature, where the first leap belongs to the bravest antelopes and the fiercest penguins take the front line to shield their chicks from the storm. Humans weren¡¯t any different.


    When instinct took over, strength wasn¡¯t just about power¨Cit was about stepping up. The strongest might look out for themselves, but they were always the first through the fire.


    The true enemy was never the people beside them.


    It was the dead.


    If no one fought, no one made it out.


    ¡°Raaahhh!¡±


    A zombie in a shredded hotel uniform lunged out of the swarm, ramming into the man <b>leading </b><b>the </b>charge. He staggered, too slow to guard his nk.


    98


    Chapter 299 When the Dead Break Loose


    Its rotting jaws mped down, and flesh ripped <i>away </i>with a sickening <i>tear</i>.


    ¡°Jake!¡± someone screamed.


    410 F CARS


    Jake Bradley remained unfazed, continuing to fire off his ability despite a zombie chewing on his shoulder.


    Blood ran down the side of his face, but his one good eye stayed fixed ahead. He drove himself forward on sheer grit until the haze dulled his focus and made him stumble.


    ¡°Jake!¡± his group shouted,


    Right then, a woman holding a child tripped near the edge of the formation. Two zombies sprang for her at the same time, jaws wide and wed hands reaching.

 Kept Woman 300

    Chapter 300 Through Fire and Blood


    Chapter 300 Through Fire and Blood


    Jake came out of nowhere, covered in w marks and half¨Cburied under a tide of zombies, yet <b>somehow </b>still moving.


    Before the two biters could pin down the woman with the child, he mmed into them like a wrecking ball. They went flying, and without a second of hesitation, he threw himself at the horde, arms <b>wide</b>, holding them back with nothing but his own body.


    ¡°Move! Get out of here!¡± His voice was hoarse and cracking, but loud enough to cut through the chaos like a whip.


    The survivors¨Cbarely ten of them¨Clooked back once. Their eyes were ssy, their faces tight with <b>grief</b>. Then, they ran.


    Jake never waited for thanks. He didn¡¯t expect it.


    He¡¯d always been just a regr guy, the kind of face one hardly noticed in camp¨Cquiet, forgettable.


    Funny thing about the apocalypse: it was always those holding the line.


    Even if they didn¡¯t live long enough to see how the story ended.


    Up ahead, the sh of steel and the roar of abilities cut through the moans of the dead. A squad of armed fighters plowed into the horde, weapons shing, tearing a bloody path through the sea of corpses.


    Theresa clenched her jaw and pushed her Aeroshield to the brink. The invisible barrier shoved the zombies back just far enough to open a sliver of space. Her team didn¡¯t waste a second¨Cthey surged through, fighting like demons.


    Step by brutal step, they hauled over three dozen of Eva¡¯s people out of that nightmare.


    Relief hit Theresa for half a second, then it died in her chest.


    No one else came out.


    Only the endless tide of dead kept pouring forward, swallowing everything in their path.


    She backed up slowly, jaw tight, her gaze locked on the swarm.


    <i>Where¡¯s </i>Eva<i>? </i>


    <i>I </i><i>remember</i><i>¨C</i><i>she¡¯s </i><i>at </i><i>the </i><i>back </i><i>with </i><i>her </i><i>crew</i><i>. </i><i>de </i><i>shing</i><i>, </i><i>cutting </i><i>down </i><i>every </i><ist </i>zombie <i>just </i><i>to </i><i>keep </i><i>her </i><i>people </i><i>alive</i><i>. </i>


    God¡­ don¡¯t tell <i>me</i>¡­


    By the time Theresa had hauled Eva¡¯s people roughly 300 feet from the horde, she stopped dead in her


    tracks.


    Through the wall of rotting bodies, a figure burst into view, burning like a living torch.


    Malik carried Eva in his arms, his entire body wreathed in fire.


    The mes burned so bright that it hurt to look at them. Zombies threw themselves at him <b>in </b><b>mindless </b>waves, only to ignite and crumble to ash.


    Every step he took seemed to rip him to shreds. His face was drained of all color, sweat boiling off <b>him </b><b>the </b>second it appeared. His fire wasn¡¯t just burning the zombies. It was eating him alive from the core,


    Yet, he didn¡¯t care.


    The only thing untouched by the mes was Eva.


    Theresa¡¯s breath caught.


    She noticed that Malik¡¯s fire was dimming, growing weaker and less vigorous with each step.


    Finally, he staggered out of the crowd and copsed, still holding Eva as if she were the only thing keeping him upright.


    The mes blinked out.


    Malik sprawled there, his chest heaving, too spent to lift a finger.


    Then, a zombie sprang at him, jaw snapping.


    He didn¡¯t even react.


    Eva did.


    She shoved him aside and took the hit herself.


    ¡°Eva!¡± Malik¡¯s voice cracked like ss.


    She smiled at him, soft and stubborn.


    ¡°I remember everything you¡¯ve done for me,¡± she whispered.


    Then, she shoved him with all her strength. ¡°Live well. Now, run!¡±


    Malik¡¯s whole body screamed in pain, but he forced himself to move. He wrapped his arms around her and rolled, teeth gritted so hard they might¡¯ve cracked.


    <i>D</i><i>*</i><i>mn </i><i>it</i><i>! </i><i>No </i><i>way </i><i>I¡¯m </i><i>leaving </i><i>you</i>.


    <i>I </i><i>love </i><i>you</i><i>, </i><i>Eva</i><i>! </i>


    <i>I </i><i>don¡¯t </i><i>care </i><i>if </i><i>most </i><i>of </i><i>your </i><i>heart </i><i>belongs </i><i>to </i><i>the </i><i>camp</i>, <i>the </i><i>job</i><i>, </i><i>and </i><i>everyone </i><i>else </i><i>but </i><i>me</i><i>. </i><i>Wh </i>


    <i>me</i><i>, </i><i>I¡¯ll </i><i>guard </i>it with <i>my </i><i>d</i><i>*</i><i>mn </i><i>life</i>.


    <i>If </i><i>this </i>is <i>where </i>it <i>ends</i><i>¡­ </i><i>then </i><i>we </i><i>burn </i><i>together</i><i>. </i>


    <i>little </i><i>piece </i>is <i>left </i><b><i>for </i></b>


    He squeezed his eyes shut and clutched her like he could shield her from the world. The roar <b>of </b><b>the </b>horde closed in, deafening.


    ¡°Seriously? That¡¯s it? You¡¯re just rolling over now? I thought you were dead set on getting <b>payback </b><b>for </b><b>me </b>


    The voice cut through the chaos, sharp and clear.


    Malik opened his eyes.


    Theresa stood before them, steady as a wall.


    ¡°Ms. Hall¡­¡± Eva breathed.


    ¡°Get him up!¡± Theresa snapped, thrusting out her hand.


    An Aeroshield mmed down between them and the zombies. Zombies hit it in a frenzy, ws screeching uselessly against empty air.


    Eva and Malik both gazed, their eyes wide with astonishment.


    ¡°Less talking, more running!¡± Theresa barked.


    Eva met her gaze, fierce and grateful, then hauled Malik up with every ounce of strength she had. The rest of Ridgefall Camp rushed to help, dragging both of them toward safety.


    Theresa didn¡¯t move until she was sure they were clear. Then she turned, raised her hand, and let a wall of fire roar down the street.


    The heat washed over her, scorching the air, and the dead went up like kindling.


    She didn¡¯t watch them burn.


    She spun and sprinted for the safe zone.


    By the time Malik and Eva stumbled in, half¨Ccarried by their people, Theresa was already there.

 Kept Woman 301

    Chapter 301 Sage Arlen


    This person¡­ <b>is </b><b>a </b>multi¨Cability user


    <b>Malik </b>waspletely stunned.


    An Aeroshield he had never seen before,bined with a speed¨Ctype ability and a fire¨Cbased ability that was tens of times stronger than his own!


    She¡¯s on a whole different level! She isn¡¯t someone I can ever hope to touch!


    Recalling the two times he had charged at Theresa for revenge, he realized that she had always been going easy on him!


    If she had truly wanted to kill him, she could have seeded with a single flick of her hand. He would never have stood a chance against her.


    Waves of shock flooded his heart as he stared at the young girl in disbelief.


    Meanwhile, Eva was equally shocked. She gaped at Theresa.


    Though she had always suspected Theresa was strong, she never imagined Theresa would be this strong.


    Then, she recalled what Theresa <b>had </b>told her that she was the leader of an alliance involving fifty¨Cseven


    camps.


    It had seemed too incredible to believe at the time, but now she was convinced.


    This girl is so much younger than I, but she is leagues beyond me in terms of strength. All that <i>stuff </i>she said about the alliance¨Cthey must be true, too.


    It seems¡­ I¡¯ve encountered someone really extraordinary!


    Her whole impression of Theresa had been flipped upside down.


    As for the others¡­


    ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t remember her having fire¨Cbased abilities before. When did she be a fire¨Cbased <b>ability </b>user, <b>too</b>?¡± Theron wondered.


    ¡°She¡¯s the only one who knows how many abilities she has under her belt,¡± Lucas replied ndly. He had long since gotten used to being shocked by Theresa.


    ¡°Theresa is awesome! I can¡¯t believe she unlocked another ability!¡± Graham cheered excitedly.


    Theresa is- Both Kyle and Tyger started.


    But they were interrupted by a grinning Quentin. ¡°No need to say it. Theresa¡¯s invincible.


    Froom!


    Chapter 301 Sage Arlen


    <b>+5 </b>Free Coin:


    Moom!


    <b>The </b>engines of numerous vehicles roared to life.


    There were buses and armored vehicles, carrying more than 180 survivors away from the scene.


    Not <b>a </b>single person from Theresa¡¯s camp had been left behind¨Ceveryone had made it out safely.


    However, only 35 individuals from Eva¡¯s camp had managed to escape.


    Those from <b>Eva¡¯s </b>camp were silent throughout the journey, drowning in the sorrow of losing theirpanions.


    After all, many had lost both family and friends.


    Theresa had just sat down to rest when s someone walked up to her.


    ¡°Theresa¡± Malik stood in front of her.


    Shezily raised her head. ¡°What do you want?


    ¡°About my brother<b>¡­ </b>I¡¯ve moved on.¡±


    Then, he quietly returned to stand beside Eva without waiting for an <b>answer</b>.


    He <b>had </be to realize that he had neither the strength nor the right to seek revenge against her.


    She simply shook <b>her </b>head with <b>a </b><b>small </b>smile.


    A flicker of hope lit up in Eva¡¯s eyes as Malik returned after his bold deration.


    ¡°You were right,¡± he said, reaching out to tousle her hair with a rough affection. ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll follow your lead.¡±


    The frost in her proud expression slowly thawed, giving way to a <b>tender</b>, tearful smile.


    We¡¯ve gone from relying on each other to falling out, from life to death, from being strangers to reconciling our past grudges¡­


    To still be together <i>is </i><i>truly </i>a miracle.


    Theresa made a face, feeling as though she had just been force¨Cfed a huge spoonful of PDA.


    This sucks!


    I can¡¯t believe <i>they </i>are unting their love right in front of mel


    Turning away, she suddenly noticed Theron and Lucas sitting beside her.


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    Chapter 301 Sage Arlen


    ¡°Hey, long time no see!¡± Theron grinned at her.


    ¡°Hey, buddy!¡±


    His smile grew wider at her greeting.


    ¡°Oh, right¨Chow are things on your end? Weren¡¯t you helping Sage?¡±


    During the conversation, she sensed a gazending on her.


    s


    She nced past Theron and noticed a man standing behind him. It was someone she had never seen


    before.


    He looked to be around twenty¨Csix or twenty¨Cseven years old, with sharp features and pale skin. He wore a pair of gold¨Crimmed sses.


    It was clear his hair, which had grown out past his shoulders, <b>had </b>not been trimmed since the apocalypse. With no other choice, he had simply decided to tie it back.


    Smiling at her, he seemed to give off a gentle and refined aura. His outward appearance made him seem kind and easy¨Cgoing.


    He did not possess Theron¡¯s wild energy, <b>Lucas</b>¡® strict and disciplined attitude, or Bennie¡¯s cold and ruthless presence¨Che just seemed like a genuinely nice guy.


    However, she instinctively felt otherwise. She couldn¡¯t <b>shake </b>the feeling that behind the nice¨Cguy smile, he was someone who could stab you in the back at <b>any </b>moment.


    ¡°Who¡¯s he?¡±


    ¡°Sage Arlen, Theron replied in a deep and rumbling voice.


    Her <b>eyes </b>instantly lit up at the name,


    <i>¡°</i>Ms. Hall, I¡¯ve heard so much about you.¡± A warm and charming smile spread across Sage¡¯s fair and handsome face.


    His beautiful eyes curved into narrow <b>slits </b>as he smiled.


    Reaching forward, he held out his hand to her<i>. </i>


    As she stared at the outstretched hand, shes of memory about Sage from her past life raced through her mind.

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    Chapter 302 Battle of Wits


    Sage Arlen, the leader of Dawnwatch Camp, stood at the helm of Dawnwatch Camp, surviving in the heart of Crestmont for five years before perishing in a city overrun by a zombie horde.


    Before his death, he had reportedly in over 300,000 zombies himself. He also enforced strict zombie- killing quotas on every single resident in his camp,


    Each person was required to present at least one zombie head per day. If they failed toplete the <b>task</b>. they had to offer up their <b>own </b>head instead.


    The scariest part was that the zombie¨Ckilling quota was not just an empty slogan. He would personally inspect the kills every day, never allowing a single failure to slide under his watch.


    It was said that the piles of zombie and human heads could fill an entire building in theter stages of the apocalypse.


    As for his abilities, he was a dual¨Cability user. One was confirmed to be a mental maniption ability, but the other remained a mystery to the end.


    Personality¨Cwise, he was an extremely calcting man. Though he appeared warm and friendly on the outside, he was actually cold and ruthless inside.


    In addition, he always wore a gentle smile on his face. He was often described as kind and gentle, but the extent of his brutality was actually right up there with Theron¡¯s.


    He was a regr in the Top Ten Ruthless Survivors, usually ranking third. If he hadn¡¯t died so early, allowing Bennie Green to take <b>his </b>spot instead, he could¡¯ve very wellpeted with Theron for the top


    spot.


    Both Theron and Sage were ruthless enough that they wouldn¡¯t hesitate to turn on their own.


    But there was a fundamental difference between them.


    Theron only ughtered his own people because food was desperately scarce. If he hadn¡¯t done such a cruel act, the camp would have been involved in a riot. Even more people would have died.


    Besides, he lived abroad for years. Thews overseas were vastly different, so he had a different <b>moral </bpass altogether. Under extreme conditions, he was willing to sacrifice part of the poption to save humanity


    Moreover, he actively sought out ways to secure food and supplies for the people in his camp¨Che never stopped trying.


    On the other hand, Sage was a whole different animal altogether.


    Holed up in a city with plenty of resources, he could¡¯ve secured more than enough food to keep his camp alive and thriving with just a little expansion.


    Instead, he chose to push his people to the limit. He had turned his camp <b>into </b>a well¨Coiled war machine with <b>an </b>almost borderline psychotic obsession, and <b>every </b>single resident in his camp was nothing more than fuel to keep the war machine <b>running</b>.


    O


    Chapter 302 Battle of Wits


    s


    Theresa had foreseen the inevitable fall of Dawnwatch Camp under Sage¡¯s rule. Even <b>so</b>, she had to admit that his ¡°war machine <b>had </b>been the most powerful force in the early stages of the apocalypse.


    The apocalypse demanded a highly centralized power to unite humanity¡¯s strength against extinction- someone who could lead the fight against the apocalypse.


    Sage was exactly that kind of madman¨Cone who could sacrifice everything for absolute control.


    As for what she thought of these extreme types, well¡­.


    ¡°Nice to meet you!¡±


    Theresa took Sage¡¯s hand with great enthusiasm, acting as though she had just found a kindred spirit


    Sage was noticeably thrown off by her unexpected warmth.


    He had pictured her as a prickly woman with a vtile temper: cold, ruthless, deeply calcting, and extremely cautious. She probably wouldn¡¯t be that good¨Clooking either.


    Moreover, he imagined their first meeting would be a long battle of wits as they tested each other and pried for intel, digging until they found each other¡¯s strengths and weaknesses before revealing their own hand.


    That was just how people at the top generally yed the game,


    He had even nned to deduce her temperament and limits as she probed him.


    Contrary to his expectations<b>, </b>she¡­ seemed just like a regr girl.


    There was no hidden <b>agenda</b>.


    <b>And </b>she was surprisingly good¨Clooking, too.


    Could she really be that simple?


    What Sage didn¡¯t know was that Theresa had already figured him out, inside and out.


    There was no need for her <b>to </b>interrogate him.


    Normally, she would carefully question a stranger during their initial meeting to know more about them.


    But for well¨Cknown figures like him, <b>she </b>was basically a walking cheat code.


    She already knew everything<b>. </b>


    Why would she give him the opportunity to reverse¨Canalyze her instead?


    Meanwhile, Theron <b>and </b>Lucas had both noticed Theresa¡¯s uncharacteristically warm greeting. Their <b>expressions </b>became subtly sour at the sight.


    They couldn¡¯t help feeling slightly jealous.


    After all, she sure hadn¡¯t been this friendly when she first encountered them!


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    Mon, 18 Aug 201


    Chapter 302 Battle of Wits


    That was especially true for Lucas.


    He had practically been bullied to death the first time he met her! 1


    How could she be so unfair!?


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Arlen.¡± Lucas reached out for a handshake <b>and </b>smoothly pulled Theresa¡¯s hand. back <b>at </b>the same <b>time</b>. Tm Lucas Keaton from Kl Camp¡±


    Sage smiled politely in return. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you, Mr. Keaton.¡±


    ¡°Why are you all being so formal?¡± Theron interrupted. ¡°Sage might look all refined, but he¡¯s anything but. Trust me. There¡¯s no need to hold back around him. Just act how you usually do.¡±


    Who exactly was thatment aimed at?


    Probably at Theresa


    ¡°Anyway, howe you¡¯re here alone? Where¡¯s the rest of your camp?¡± Theresa queried.


    ¡°They¡¯re still in Crestmont. With your help, we¡¯ve managed to advance into the outskirts of the city. If everything goes well, Dawnwatch Camp should be fully evacuated in about a <b>month</b><b>.</b><b>¡± </b>


    Sage adjusted his gold¨Crimmed sses and continued warmly, ¡°I must really thank you for your help, Ms. Hall


    ¡°Oh, it was nothing. We¡¯re all just trying to survive. If we can help each other, we should.¡±


    Chapter 303 A Major Breakthrough

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    Chapter 303 A Major Breakthrough


    A glint shed behind those attractive eyes beneath the gold¨Crimmed sses when Sage heard those


    words.


    Was this woman, the leader of the zing Sun Alliance and the most powerful figure among the outsiders, really just as soft¨Chearted and easy¨Cgoing as she seemed?


    His gaze swept toward the people sitting behind him.


    They were currently riding at the front of a bus. On the other hand, the survivors from Neb Camp and Ridgefall Camp rode at the rear.


    He had witnessed how Theresa <b>broke </b>through the siege and rescued those people earlier.


    Could it be that she was just a na?ve little saint who helped others without expecting anything in return?


    When the thought crossed his mind, the smile on his face grew even softer.


    On the surface, he looked genuinely grateful toward Theresa¨Che seemed to hold a good impression of her.


    But his smile told a whole different story to Theresa.


    Damn it! I knew he was a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing!


    She originally thought that being a little nicer to him would earn her some goodwill in return.


    It turned out he only got more calcting instead.


    Now it was clear: Sage Arlen <b>was </b>not someone she could treat with the same honesty she gave Theron and


    Lucas<b>. </b>


    Once Theresa confirmed <b>Sage¡¯s </b>nature, she stopped discussing anything regarding the alliance while they were on the bus.


    Though Sage attempted to join the conversation, she would brush him off with vague answers every time.


    Instead, she kept asking Theron and Lucas about how they had spent thest six months¨Ca topic that naturally invited long responses from the two men. As a result, Sage barely talked throughout the journey.


    The bus eventually arrived at the edge of Crestmont.


    ¡°I need to head back there for now. Once things are fully wrapped up on my side, I¡¯ll <be </b>find <b>you </b><b>again</b>.¡±


    Theron got ready to leave with Sage.


    ¡°I¡¯ll miss you both, but a short goodbye <b>makes </b>for a better reuni¨®n,¡± Therea replied diplomatically. Turning to Sage, she smiled. ¡°Mr. Arlen, I¡¯m <b>d </b>I got to meet you. It feels as though I¡¯ve met a kindred <b>spirit</b>. I¡¯ll be sure to treat you to a feast once Dawnwatch Camp is fully evacuated.¡±


    ¡°Likewise.¡± Sage visibly brightened at those words, his eyes glinting beneath his gold¨Crimmed <b>sses </b>


    111


    18


    12:10 Mon, 18 Aug


    Chapter 303 A Major Breakthrough


    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You should get going quickly.¡±


    Theresa personally escorted the two men off the bus and warmly ushered them to their respective vehicles. Sage came first, then Theron.


    As she turned to leave, she lowered her voice and whispered to Theron. ¡°From now on, you just have to make it look as <b>though </b>we¡¯re still helping. But in reality, let Sage handle things himself. Got it?<b>¡± </b>


    Theron¡¯s eyes gleamed with sudden understanding. Heughed cheerfully. ¡°For a second, I thought you¡¯d Jost your mind back on the bus!¡±


    She rolled her eyes at him.


    Having dealt with Sage in the past, he could tell just how dangerous that man could be.


    Her friendly demeanor earlier had him worried that she¡¯d been deceived.


    But clearly, she was still herself.


    They were only helping Sage as part of the alliance¡¯s long¨Cterm strategy. After all, indulging one¡¯s enemy was to invite trouble upon oneself.


    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯m off. Don¡¯t worry about me. I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± He gave her a light pat on the head, then turned around and entered the car.


    After Theron and Sage¡¯s departure, Theresa and the rest of her group resumed their journey.


    They arrived back in Ansford by early the next morning,


    Once inside Theresa¡¯s territory, Eva waspletely blown away by the scenery that entered her vision. Not a single zombie could be seen wandering along the entire road, not even after they entered the city.


    <b>no </b>zombies Moreover, the streets were spotless. Even the buildings were clean and silent. There were wailing from inside or around the buildings. In fact, signs of peaceful human life could be found everywhere once more.


    Theresa had carved out a safe area for the alliance members to live in, and those who moved here were actively participating in the ongoing city¨Ccleaning campaign.


    Not only had they cleared out the zombie corpses they exterminated, but they were also sanitizing and rebuilding the abandoned buildings.


    The sight left the neerspletely awestruck.


    Leon <b>and </b>the other members of Neb Camp were shocked <b>to </b>see such a peaceful city. They could hardly believe what they <b>were </b>seeing¨Ca scenery that resembled the world before the apocalypse again!


    In <b>particr</b>, Leon was so <b>overwhelmed </b>that he <b>could </b>not find the words to describe <b>his </b>feelings.


    At <b>that </b>moment, he knew he¡¯d make the right call¨Chanding his camp over to Theresa had been the best decision of his life!


    Meanwhile, Eva immediately pledged to join the zing Sun Alliance and became the fifty¨Ceighth


    12:10 Mon, 18 Aug


    Chapter 303 A Major Breakthrough


    member of the alliance.


    Theresa personally arranged for the housing and resettlement of these neers.


    45 Free Colu


    She had just finished the task when someone came running up to her before she could even catch her breath.


    Theresal


    She turned around at the familiar voice¨Cit was Hugo,


    ¡°What are you doing here. Professor <b>Wagner</b>?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you forever!¡± Hugo looked very excited. ¡°We¡¯ve made a major breakthrough in our research!¡±


    She immediately brought Hugo. Quentin, and the others back to her camp after hearing his deration.


    No more than half an hourter, Theresa <b>stood </b>in Hugo¡¯s researchb.


    Hugo pulled out arge piece of deep ck special fabric and presented it to her with excitement written across his face.

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    Chapter ova9 Taking back the City


    Chapter 304 Taking Back the City


    ¡°This <b>is </b>ourtest development, a high¨Cperformance polymer fabric. <b>It¡¯s </b>waterproof, heat¨Cresistant, sh- <b>resistant</b>, and even zombie¨C<b>w </b>resistant!¡±


    Theresa was <b>shocked </b>by the announcement.


    She watched in amazement as Hugo whipped out a small knife and performed a demonstration right in front of her.


    Not a single mark appeared on the fabric when the <b>de </b>sliced horizontally across the material. Even <b>when </b>he stabbed the tip of the <b>knife </b>into the center with great force, the fabric was rtively unharmed. It was like trying to pierce through an extremely tough stic tarp¨Conly a tiny dent formed at the point of impact.


    He pulled back the knife.


    <b>Only </b>a small, sunken mark remained on the surface.


    Tve tested it. The fabric can withstand the stabbing force from an ordinary woman or elderly person,¡± he exined. ¡°An adult man <b>using </b>full force can still pierce through the fabric, but the resistance is significant.


    After hearing his exnation, she took the knife from him and tested it herself.


    When she shed sideways, the de glided across the fabric as though it were skimming over liquid.


    When she forcefully stabbed downward, she could feel the resistance pushing back at her¨Cit was simr to the same resistance she encountered when fighting the zombies with hardened skin.


    Rrip!


    Though the fabric tore under the pressure, she was flooded with excitement at that <b>moment</b>.


    It was the best defensive material she had ever seen, second only to the hazmat suits she <b>had </b>gotten from the system <b>as </b>a reward!


    ¡°Try scratching it with your ws, Quentin!¡±


    Quentin rolled his eyes in exasperation.


    He was being called out again under such bizarre circumstances, but he stepped forward anyway.


    ¡°I don¡¯t keep my nails grown out


    Then try biting it.¡±


    Her answer left him feeling speechless..


    I¡¯m only half¨Czombie! Don¡¯t treat ine like a full zombie!


    He sighed inwardly..


    ???


    1741


    12:10 Mon, 18 Aug


    Chapter 304 Taking Back the City


    Whatever. Orders are orders. I just have to do what she asks.


    Grabbing the fabric, he started chewing on it. He gave up after a few tries.


    ¡°Nah, can¡¯t bite through it.¡±


    His answer thrilled her.


    He might not be a full zombie, but his physical strength was roughly equal to that of a regr zombie or a Level 1 zombie.


    In other words, clothing made from this fabric could withstand bites and scratches from zombies below Level !!


    Sure, the zombie horde was evolving quickly, but the low¨Clevel zombies still made up the majority.


    If everybatant wore clothes made from this material, their defensive capability would definitely increase sharply.


    She was overjoyed at the thought.


    She could clearly feel it¨Chuman technology was finally making aeback!


    Her investment in the research was starting to pay off: Humans were getting stronger.


    Now that they had proper protective gear, the bnce of power between humans and zombies was finally shifting in <b>favor </b>of humanity.


    She quickly gave the order. ¡°Start full¨Cscale production!¡±


    Half a monthter-


    The entire alliance had focused its efforts on manufacturing the new protective fabric.


    As <b>a </b>result, every single frontline <b>fighter </b>was now equipped with new hazmat suits <b>made </b>from the fabric. Theresa even <b>sent </b>a batch to Theron¨Cbut only for Theron, of course.


    Equipped with the newbat suits, the fighting power of the zing Sun Alliance shot up to a whole new level.


    At this moment, Theresa stood before the final unconquered section of Ansford.


    The areay right between Eastvale and Southvale. Once conquered, the entirety of Ansford would be secured from zombies.


    What¡¯s more, she would <b>also </b>receive tworge system rewards for clearing the city!


    ¡°Everyone, follow my lead!¡±


    12:11 Mon, 18 AUD OP


    Chapter 304 Taking Back the City


    Theresa led her troops in the assault against the final region in Ansford.


    ¡°Attack!¡±


    Suited up in the newly¨Cupgraded protective gear, they advanced along the nned routes <b>and </b>charged. toward the final region<b>! </b>


    Late May, Year 2 of the apocalypse,


    Temperatures soared as the zing Sun Allianceunched the final offensive in the heat of early summer.


    Surrounding the area from all directions, 3,000 fighters from 26 different camps advanced together.


    Theyunched a total of 52 assaults over the course of seven days.


    The highest number of <b>assaults </b>in one day was 13.


    They lost 159 fighters.


    June 1st, Year 2 of the apocalypse.


    The survivors of the zing Sun Alliance celebrated Children¡¯s Day in Ansford.


    ¡°We won!¡±


    ¡°We did it!¡±


    ¡°The city is ours!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve reimed the city!¡±


    Joyful cheers filled the <b>air</b>.


    Once thest building was cleared of zombies<b>, </b>the entire army erupted into a frenzy of joy.


    Almost two years had passed since the first zombie outbreak.


    Three months shy of the two¨Cyear mark, they finally reimed the city!


    For nearly two years, they had been hunted and devoured by zombies, driven from their <b>homes</b>, and tormented by the virus.


    Countless loved <b>ones </b>andrades had perished as they faced death again and again.


    But now-


    They had finally taken <b>back </b>their city!


    At that moment, their emotions reached a boiling point.


    Mon, 18 Aug


    Chapter 304 Taking Back the City


    They sprinted down the zombie¨Cfree streets, shouting andughing at <b>abandon</b>.


    They were back!


    And now that they were back, the countdown for the zombie apocalypse had begun!


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    Chapter 305 The Ultimate Weapon


    Never let humanity catch its breath. Because once it does, it will rise again and turn the tide!


    Theresa stood at themand, looking out over the city they had just taken back. A radiant smile <b>gradually </b>spread across her face.


    We really did it!


    And we did it just in time, too¨Cbefore the third year of the apocalypse, when the zombies be fully evolved!


    By taking the initiative during the most critical period¨Cthe early stages¨Cshe had managed to execute a brilliant reversal of humanity¡¯s fate.


    They had taken back Ansford!


    From this day on, their camp would no longer be a series of remote little shabby outposts with zero resources <b>that </b>were <b>constantly </b>under the threat of zombies.


    They were back to living in a city.


    With Ansford as <b>their </b>center, they would eventually build fortified walls around the city. Various industries -such <b>as </b>agriculture, manufacturing, production, science, and technology¨Cwould be revived once more.


    This ce would be the new foundation for humanity, where they could finally stand against the


    zombie hordes outside!


    Theresa was buzzing with triumph when a series of notifications entered her mind.


    <i>¡®</i>Ding! You have sessfully conquered two <b>regions</b>.


    ¡®You have been awarded a full upgrade for all bunker equipment<b>!</b>¡®


    <i>¡®</i>Ding! An upgrade to the warehouse had been detected!


    ¡°Storage capacity has increased tenfold!


    ¡°Ding<b>! </b>Crop growth has been detected!


    ¡°Crop yield and quality have increased tenfold!¡®


    ¡°Ding! Defense systems¨Celectric grid and pit¨Cfall traps¨Chave been detected! Attack power has increased


    tenfold!


    ¡®Ding! <b>An </b>upgrade to the UAV system <b>has </b>been detected!


    ¡°UAV endurance has been extended to 24 hours!


    Ding! An upgrade to the radar system has been detected! The detection range now covers the entire


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    Chapter 305 The Ultimate Weapon:


    territory (including allied <b>camps</b>)!


    You have been awarded 10 renewable¨Cenergy¨Cpowered helicopters! System domain capacity has expanded tenfold!


    <i>¡®</i>Ding! Congrattions on conquering Ansford!


    Prosperity level has increased! Current prosperity level: 1000 (Major <b>Metropolis</b><b>)</b>! <ul><li><b>C¨°ine</b>, </li></ul>


    The loyalty of all residents and allied members <b>has </b>increased by 100%. You have been awarded I nuclear


    bomb!


    She staggered slightly, overwhelmed by the avnche of rewards.


    The warehouse, the UAV system, the radar system, the basic defensive system, and the domain system¡­.. everything had leveled up.


    Plus, there were ten helicopters and <b>a </b>nuclear bomb!


    Theresa stared in disbelief at the ten massive helicopters neatly parked inside her domain, along with a


    v red button beside them.


    tiny


    She pulled out the red button. As soon as the red button left her domain, she sensed a massive weapon hidden deep under the sea¡­ ready tounch at hermand.


    Holy crap!


    That¡¯s my nuclear bomb!


    I¡¯ve hit the jackpot!


    <i>I </i>now own a nuclear bomb!


    The ultimate weapon!


    The destructive power of a nuclear bomb was honestly <b>not </b>quite as terrifying as people imagined. Although <b>a </b>nuclear bomb would annihte everything at ground zero, the st radius was actually quite limited.


    Those either hiding deep underground or far enough away would survive the impact.


    That was why nuclear wars between major nations were never resolved with just one missile.


    Any country nning tounch a nuclear strike had to choose its target city carefully, striving to either destroy or cripple the enemy¡¯s nuclear capacity in one strike so that the enemy could not retaliate.


    That strategy was known as the first¨Cstrike capability.


    If <b>the </b>first strike failed, the attacking nation would inevitably provoke an overwhelming counterstrike from the enemy. At this point, a nation¡¯s second¨Cstrike capability would be put to the test.


    <b>The </b><b>second</b>¨Cstrike capability was basically a nation¡¯s ability to survive a nuclear strike and subsequentlyunch a retaliatory strike.


    1201 Mon<b>, </b>18 Aug:


    Chapter 305 The Ultimate Weapon


    Therefore, a nuclear war was essentially a contest of nuclear strength and endurance.


    That was especially true for countries with vast territories. It was impossible to target the entire territory, so only key cities would be targeted in an attempt to paralyze the nation¡¯s infrastructure.


    But because muclear bombs were so expensive to maintain<b>, </b>many pre¨Capocalyptic nuclear nationscked the ability to stockpile multiple warheads or sustain their second¨Cstrike capability.


    That was why nuclear bombs were more often used for deterrence than actual offense.


    Most nations generally adhered to the minimum standard, such as the ¡°Red Square Standard¨Cwhereby just one nuclear bomb was considered sufficient deterrent <b>against </b>any major power with nuclear weapons, preventing their enemies from acting rashly.


    Now that Theresa had just gotten her hands on an epic¨Clevel strategic weapon, she suddenly felt more at


    <b>case</b>.


    It was the ultimate failsafe!


    One more hidden ace up my sleeve!


    She was reeling from the excitement when she heard a familiar voiceing from outside.


    ¡°Theresa!¡±


    It was Lucas.


    Brimming with uncontained exhration, <b>she </b>turned around and gave him a fierce hug. ¡°Lucas!¡±


    The sudden embrace caught himpletely by surprise, and he froze in ce,


    His heart instantly started pounding like crazy.


    12:11: Mon, 18 Aug D


    Chap

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    ter 306 A City Reborn


    Chapter 306 A City Reborn


    Lucas <b>hesitated</b>. No try¡­ Maybe I¡¯m just reading too much into it.


    He reminded hiinself¨Ctoday was important. Theresa was probably just in high spirits.


    A cheerful hug makes sense, he told himself. But¡­ why only me? She didn¡¯t hug anyone else. Does that mean I¡¯m¡­ special?


    The thought hit him like a bolt of lightning


    His eyes widened with realization. A flush crept up his <b>neck</b>, cars burning red.


    Feeling awkward, he finally lifted his arms and returned the hug¨Cright as Bennie burst into the room.


    ¡°Ms. Hall! The city¡¯s secure! I¡¯vee up with a whole new strategy, and I¡¯d love to get your input!¡±


    For once, Theresa didn¡¯t <b>find </b>Benniepletely unbearable.


    ¡°Rx, Bennie. Save it forter¨CI¡¯m heading home first!¡± she called, already halfway out the door.


    She all but danced back to her bunker, grinning like a kid with a secret.


    ¡°Mr. Keaton, since you¡¯re here, I¡¯ll just tell you now.¡± Bennie whipped out <b>his </b>proposal.


    Lucas watched Theresa disappear. His smile vanished. ¡°Not interested, he replied tly.


    He spun on his heel and walked off.


    <b>Back </b>at her bunker, Theresa inspected every upgrade, inside and out.


    On the outside, it looked the same¨Cbut underneath, everything was tougher.


    The original warehouse, once in the tunnel, now had a new door tucked away in its <b>far </b>corner.


    Opening it revealed a massive underground warehouse carved into the mountain which is almost ten times bigger than before.


    AN


    All the systems on the second floor were <b>still </b>there, just upgraded and far more powerful.


    Standing on that floor, Theresa looked down and felt right at home.


    No matter what <b>chaos </b>raged in the world outside, this bunker was her fortress, a ce that was undeniably hers.


    With its newly installed defenses, she felt <b>a </b>sense of security she hadn¡¯t known before.


    The upgraded walls and gates were so formidable that <b>even </b>a <b>massive </b>horde of a hundred thousand zombies wouldn¡¯t stand a chance of getting in.


    Everything was getting stronger every day.


    1211 Mon, 18 Aug


    1211 Mon, 18 Aug


    Chapter 306 A


    Don¡¯t Fall Behind 12 books dropped 25 new chapters. Read now>>>


    She spent two cozy, quiet days at home with Tania, just rxing.


    Then, on June 1st, she brought <b>Tania </b>and officially moved into the city.


    In those two days, the others had cleared all the bodies from the streets.


    Now, they were going house to house, hunting down any stray zombies. If they found one, they¡¯d dodge it and call in thebat team immediately.


    Atst, the city was clean.


    Theresa made a decision<b>. </b>Except for the small camps still holding off hordes on the front lines, everyone else would move into the city.


    She let the original camps stay autonomous. Each was still run by its own leader, but those leaders answered to her <b>now</b>.


    Everyone in the city had one thing inmon: they were all part of the zing Sun Alliance.


    First came the Alliance. Then came the camps under it


    Now, everyone was zing Sun.


    Theresa¡¯s points system had already been in cirction among the smaller camps, so when those groups relocated to the city, her system naturally reced the weaker ones.


    In fact, most had already adopted it even before the move.


    Her points carried real weight, straightforward, dependable, <b>and </b>widely trusted.


    Tessa, her ultra¨Cefficient butler, personally registered every alliance member and managed all the logistics. Theresa didn¡¯t have to lift a finger.


    Following Bennie¡¯s advice, they wasted no time after settling in and began restoring production. immediately.


    By mid¨CJune, electricity was back on in Ansford.


    Power returned. No more huddling in the dark, terrified every night.


    Light and warmth flowed back into people¡¯s lives.


    Byte June, the chemical nt, brick factory, steel mill, food processing facility, and medical centers were fully operational.


    Defensive walls started to rise along the city¡¯s perimeter.


    By the month¡¯s end, schools and researchboratories had been set up.


    All children under the age of fifteen returned to school, where they were taught by Hugo, a team of professors, and Lucas¡¯s military instructors.


    Chapter 306 A City Reborn


    It was a military academy now.


    The curriculum had beenpletely overhauled. No morenguage, math, history, geography, biology or politics.


    Now it was all engineering, agriculture, military science,bat training, zombie studies, and more. Literature <b>barely </b><b>got </b>a footnote.


    What they learned depended on what they needed at the moment,


    Everything was practical.


    Bennie formed a research team led by Tania to dive deep into studying the zombie virus.


    With that. Theresa¡¯s alliance finally had a solid foundation.


    Ansford was now their base. Agriculture was running. Industry was running, Schools, trade, hospitals, and research¨Call back online.


    And the zing Sun Alliance ran it all.


    The world¡¯s first true human stronghold in the middle of a zombie apocalypse had finally risen.


    Theresa worked nonstop until early July, but by then, she had fully locked in the alliance¡¯s direction.


    Chapter 306 A

 Kept Woman 307

    With internal affairs finally wrapped up. Theresa turned her <b>attention </b>to the two cities outside Ansford- Branford and Crestmont,


    On herputer screen, the deepening purple¨Cred haze around <b>those </b>tiny white dots signaled an ominous shift.


    The zombie hordes in Branford and Crestmont were on the verge of breaking loose.


    ¡°Hey, Theresa! Just got a message from Theron, Lucas called out as he walked up, urgent news in hand.


    ¡°Theresa, Sage¡¯s been out of contact for three days. There¡¯s a major outbreak in Crestmont. If we don¡¯t pull him out <b>now</b>, we¡¯ll lose the whole operation. So, are we helping or not<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>


    Theresa narrowed her eyes. ¡°<b>Where </b>was hisst <b>known </b>location?¡±


    ¡°Crestmont Wends Park¡±


    She pulled up the map. The park was massive, practically a no¨Cman¡¯snd. But the surrounding area was.pletely overrun with zombies.


    <b>A </b>dense ring of purple¨Cred closed in around the park like a vice.


    If Theron didn¡¯t <b>get </b>Sage out soon, he was finished.


    Theresa studied the screen, then smiled faintly. ¡°Let¡¯s pull back a bit¨Cbut not too far. We¡¯re allies, after <b>all </b>


    And honestly, Sage¡¯s position couldn¡¯t be better. He was perfectly ced to draw the horde away and wouldn¡¯t die too quickly.


    Just then, a calm, cold voice crackled through the radio.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, if you really see us <b>as </b>allies,e help. If you retreat now, you¡¯re basically abandoning us.¡±


    Theresa was stunned.


    She nced at Lucas.


    He casually turned off the radio <b>and </b>said, deadpan, I didn¡¯t realize they were listening,¡±


    Theresa was utterly speechless.


    Right then and there, she made a decision¨CAnsford needed its own secure localwork.


    There was absolutely no security <b>on </b>this open radio system.


    That b*stard Sage had clearly been eavesdropping this whole time¨Cprobably tuned into her frequency all day, listening whenever he felt like it.


    ¡°Send a signal to Sage. We¡¯ll go save him. I¡¯ll go myself.¡±


    Lucas froze mid¨Cmotion/They¡¯re stuck in the middle of a zombie horde, and you¡¯re going to Theron¡¯s


    O


    173


    Chapter <b>307 </b>We Are Allies


    location to rescue them?¡±


    Why make itplicated? I¡¯ve got a helicopter<b>.¡± </b>


    Lucas was stunned into silence.


    That afternoon, a helicopter lifted off from the clearing in front of the Ansford bunker, heading straight for Crestmont Wends Park.


    Only Theresa, Quentin, and Kyle were on board. No one else joined them.


    Lucas could only stare after them in <b>shock</b><b>. </b>


    She actually has a helicopter, I don¡¯t even have one! Where the hell did she get it?


    But Theresa had it all figured out. The helicopter would fly in and pull Sage out.


    Only problem¨Cit seated five. With three already on board, she could only evacuate two people per <b>trip</b>.


    And Sage had about eight hundred with him. If she tried to save them all like this, it¡¯d take forever.


    Truth was, she wanted Sage to stay where he <b>was </b>and bleed the zombies dry. But after overhearing her <b>earlier</b>, he definitely wouldn¡¯t y along unless she at least made an effort.


    So, she was ready <b>to </b>put on the best show of her life.


    The helicopter hovered above the park.


    When Sage heard Theresa wasing, he had people chop down trees to clear anding zone.


    He imagined a full rescue fleet descending from the sky¨Crotors spinning, doors flying open, salvation at


    And then¡­ a single five¨Cseater chopper showed up, fashionablyte.


    Theresa stepped out with her three¨Cperson crew.


    ¡°My friends! I¡¯m here to save you!¡± she said, with all sincerity.


    Sage looked at her for a long moment before asking. ¡°You only brought one helicopter?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Arlen, I know you must be deeply moved. Even with limited resources, I still managed to bring our camp¡¯s only helicopter to help you! If it were me, I¡¯d be in tears too.¡±


    Sage retorted, ¡°I mean¡­ Is one helicopter even enough?¡±


    ¡°Worst case, we just work a little harder, Theresa replied cheerfully. ¡°Fly back and forth until everyone¡¯s out. Don¡¯t worry¨Cas long as I¡¯m breathing. I¡¯ll get you all out. Survivors have to look out for each other!¡±


    Sage was utterly speechless.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, your rescue n seems a bit¡­cking,¡± a burly <b>man </b>behind Sage grumbled. ¡°This is a five¨Cseater We¡¯ve got over eight hundred people. How long do you think that¡¯s going to take?¡±


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    Chapter 307 We Are Allies


    Theresa gave him <b>a </bzy nce, didn¡¯t bother replying<b>, </b>and let out a light, <b>half</b>¨Chearted cough


    Quentin took the cue <b>and </b>stepped up. ¡°Hey, we¡¯re rescuing you for free, you know. What¡¯s your problem<b>? </b>Do we owe you something? That¡¯s your attitude when we¡¯re the ones flying in to save you?¡±


    ¡°Quentin, enough. Let the adults talk, Theresa cut in sternly, turning to him. ¡°We¡¯re allies, remember? Allies help each other¨Ceven from miles away. Maybe some people don¡¯t appreciate that, but Mr. Arlen certainly knows how much we¡¯re doing for <b>them</b><b>.</b><b>¡± </b>

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    Chapter 808 Thirty Thousand Gleamstones


    Chapter 308 Thirty Thousand Gleamstones


    ¡°Did Mr. Arlen ever <b>say </b>he wouldn¡¯tpensate us? Theresa said calmly. ¡°The way you¡¯re putting it makes it sound like he¡¯s trying to stiff us. How¡¯s he supposed to hold his head up in front of his people after that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, my bad. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Quentin ducked his head under her re, taking the scolding withoutint.


    Sage <b>remained </b>silent..


    He looked at Theresa, eyes glinting behind his gold¨Crimmed sses. His gentle expression curved into an <b>even </b>warmer smile. ¡°Ms. Hall, your people are right. Mine was out of line.¡±


    He turned to the burly man beside him, his voice going cold. ¡°Who gave you permission to speak? Take your punishment.¡±


    Drew Hewitt, well over six feet <b>tall </b>and built like a tank, froze. His face was drained of color. Then, without a word, he pulled <b>a </b>knife from his belt, turned it toward his own left <b>hand </b>


    Shhh!


    Blood sttered.


    Right in front of Theresa, he sliced off his own pinky finger.


    Theresa was stunned by what was unfolding.


    Quentin and Kyle flinched behind her, stunned into silence.


    They <b>stared </b>at Sage in disbelief.


    Holy crap!


    Sage didn¡¯t even blink. ¡°Wrap that up. Next time, it¡¯ll be worse.¡±


    Drew, now missing a finger, bowed his head. ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    He <b>said </b>nothing more and walked to the back of the group.


    The rest of Sage¡¯s crew didn¡¯t even flinch. They didn¡¯t spare Drew a single nce, like it was business as usual.


    Theresa¡¯s view of Sage¡¯s people shifted instantly. They weren¡¯t just ruthless. They were disciplined, brutal, and terrifying-


    If this was how they treated their own, what they¡¯d do to outsiders would be far worse.


    There was no way a group like this could be allowed to stick around.


    She needed to find a way to wear them down¨Chere and now.


    ¡°Alright. No time to waste. I¡¯ll start flying your people out. Theresa said evenly, sweeping her gaze across the group. ¡°Women and children go first.¡±


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    Chapter 308 Thirty Thousand Gleamstones


    That was when she noticed something strange¨Calmost no kids under 15. Not a single elderly person. Even


    women were scarce.


    Maybe 50 <b>total</b>, at most.


    Sage nodded, still smiling. If that¡¯s what you want, Ms. Hall, we¡¯ll do it your way. Women first. <b>But </b>your chopper only fits two per trip, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll fly as many trips as it takes,¡± Theresa replied firmly. ¡°It¡¯s my duty to get everyone out.¡±


    Sage¡¯s smile widened. ¡°I was thinking all that flying back and forth¡¯s a hassle. Why not stay here, Ms. Hall? <b>That </b>way, we <b>can </b>squeeze in one more person each time<b>,</b>¡±


    ¡°You <b>wish</b>.¡± Kyle snapped. ¡°Theresa isn¡¯t staying behind<b>.</b>¡±


    Sage didn¡¯t react. His tone stayed friendly, pleasant. ¡°About thepensation¨Cof course, we owe you, Ms. Hall


    He gestured, and a thin man stepped forward.


    ¡°Bring out the gleamstones.


    The man heaved <b>a </b>massive sack onto the ground and shed it open.


    Gleamstones spilled out in a glittering cascade¨Can entire mountain of them.


    There had to be at least ten thousand


    This is just a deposit. Once you get all of us out, we¡¯ll pay you two more bags. Save


    That would be 30 thousand gleamstones.


    ¡°Deal! I¡¯ll stay!¡± Theresa was instantly swayed by Sage¡¯s generosity.


    ¡°Theresa, this ce- Kyle began, clearly <b>uneasy</b>. It was dangerous, and he knew it


    ¡°Mr. Arlen¡¯s being so generous, Theresa cut in, turning to Sage with a grin. ¡°But just me staying isn¡¯t enough. I¡¯ll throw in one more <b>seat</b>¨Cif you toss in <b>half </b>a <b>bag </b>more gleamstones.


    Sage agreed, ¡°Fine.¡±


    Half an hourter.


    The helicopter lifted off.


    Kyle was at the controls, flying out with four women.


    He was the only one who could pilot the thing¨Cotherwise, Theresa would¡¯ve made <b>him </b>give up that seat, <ol start="100"><li>100. </li></ol>


    She was determined to squeeze everyst gleamstone <b>out </b>of Sage.


    She¡¯d always known the man was loaded, but seeing it with her own eyes, now all she wanted was to bleed, him dry before <b>this </b><b>was </b><b>over</b>.


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    Chapter 808 Thirty Thousand Gleamstones


    Theresa was seriously running low on gleamstones.


    As expected, she¡¯d taken <b>Ansford </b>and raked in millions. But they were burning through them like crazy.


    Half had already gone into Evoloid.


    She was pushing hard to raise the alliance¡¯s ability users across the board¨Cand fast.


    Now, every single ability user in the zing Sun Alliance was at least Level 3.


    <b>And </b>it was only the second <b>year </b>of the apocalypse. The third hadn¡¯t even started yet.


    With everyone starting <b>at </b>Level 3<b>, </b>even the evolved zombies were struggling to keep up.


    But the higher the level, the faster the burn rate¨Cand the gleamstones were disappearing faster than ever.

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    Chapter 309 They Were Maniacs.


    Of course, Evoloid had to be purchased. Every camp in the alliance had to trade their supplies or points to get it from Theresa¨Cand her wealth just kept climbing.


    On one hand, her ability users were growing stronger, making the entire alliance more powerful. On the other hand, her personal assets were skyrocketing.


    So<b>, </b>when it came to gleamstones, she never said no.


    They were basically hard currency, and she could never have <b>too </b><b>much </b>of it.


    Theresa showed up with Quentin to collect the gleamstones.


    ¡°Is he a space¨C<b>based </b><b>ability </b><b>user </b>too?¡± Sage asked, eyeing Quentin with a friendly smile.


    ¡°Yep. He¡¯s my MVP, Theresa replied. ¡°Why else would I <b>drag </b>him around every day?*


    Sage¡¯s smile warmed. ¡°Makes <b>sense</b>. If I were you, I¡¯d keep <b>him </b>close, too. Space¨Cbased ability users are rare, and leveling them up is a nightmarepared to everyone else?


    Theresa¡¯s <b>hand </b>paused midair. ¡°Wait¨Chow do you guys level up your abilities?¡±


    She was sure she¡¯d never sold Evoloid to Sage. <b>And </b>Bennie hadn¡¯t either.


    up had been holed up in the city center <b>this </b>whole time. They¡¯d never traded with the outside


    Sage¡¯s group world.


    Sage didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he gestured to the skinny man beside him. Instantly, a gleamstone appeared <b>in </b>the guy¡¯s <b>hand</b>.


    He <b>rinsed </b>it with bottled water, then¨Cright in front of Theresa¨Ccrushed it with his bare fingers.


    A few drops of clear liquid oozed out.


    Sage tilted his head back and drank it down.


    Behind him, the other ability users followed suit. Some crushed gleamstones and swallowed the liquid. Others just popped the whole stone into their mouths, crunching down like they were eating bones and spitting out the dry shells.


    Theresa¡¯s pulse spiked.


    Bennie¡¯s extracted gleamstones were full of impurities. Consuming too many could drive a person insane. But these people were eating <b>them</b>/raw.


    Now she realized, their downfall fast time might not have been just because the <b>zombies </b>evolved and wiped <b>them </b>out.


    It was also because they were <b>maniacs</b>, walking barefoot on the edge of a de.


    If the zombies didn¡¯t kill them, they¡¯d probably kill themselves.


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    Chapter 309 They Were Maniacs


    Someone was bound to die, one way or another.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, Sage said mildly, offering her a gleamstone. ¡°Do you want to try one? My <b>treat</b>.¡±


    Theresa just stared at him, thinking. This guy is a hundred times crazier than me. And he always wears that polite, gentle smile


    ¡°No thanks,¡± she said coolly. ¡°We don¡¯t eat them like <b>that</b><b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Sage tilted his head. ¡°How do you eat them?¡±


    Theresa didn¡¯t even blink. ¡°We cook them


    Sage didn¡¯t say a word.


    For a moment, <b>he </b>actually considered it. Maybe cooking really does help with absorption.


    As night fell, Sage¡¯s people set up camp on the spot.


    They hung


    pots over open mes,


    Fire¨Cbased ability users sparked the fires to life, while water¨Cbased ability users filled the pots. Soon, the cooking began.


    This was the most well¨Cstocked camp Theresa had ever seen. Sage had everything¨Cnoodles, vegetables, meat, even beverages.


    Usually, she was the one feeding everyone. Tonight, for once, she was the guest.


    Sage even arranged a private meal just for her. He asked what she liked, then had someone make a pot of braised ribs just for her<b>. </b>


    He sat down with her and Quentin,dling food into their bowls like a gracious host. They¡¯d barely taken a few bites when chaos suddenly erupted behind them.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°No!


    ¡°Ah!


    Theresa looked up to see a <b>man </b>in the crowd suddenly snap, lunging at hispanion and sinking his teeth deep into the man¡¯s ear.


    A bloodcurdling scream tore through the camp.


    Rip-


    Blood sprayed as the ear was ripped clean off.


    The crazed man kept chewing at the raw wound, gulping down the blood like a starving animal.


    He looked just like a zombie¨Ceyes wild, mouth stained red¨Cwhile <b>his </bpanion writhed and screamed in agony.


    <b>2/3 </b>


    O


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    Chapter 309 They Were Maniacs


    Someone finally kicked him off.


    A secondter, a de shed¨Chis hand hit the ground.


    The searing pain seemed to jolt him back to reality. He didn¡¯t even scream. Face smashed into the dirt, he tried to lift his head, only for someone to stomp it into the mud.


    Sage didn¡¯t say a word, Calm andposed, he stepped forward and <b>pressed </b>his foot down on the man¡¯s skull. The guy squirmed like a shrimp tossed on a hot pan, but all he could do was twitch.


    It was painful just to watch.


    Eventually, he stopped moving.


    Sage lifted his foot.


    The man looked like a drowned rat¨Cashen, soaked in sweat, barely able to stand. He staggered upright and stared at Sage¡¯s gentle smile, dazed and trembling.


    ¡°Mr. Arlen, L

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    Chapter 310 A Full Moon Night


    Chapter 310 A Full Moon Night


    Shing!


    A sh of steel¨Chis car was sliced clean off


    The man¡¯s nerves went numb. With only one arm remaining, he curled up and clutched his severed ear, gritting his teeth in silence.


    Sage stood over him, eyes cold, voicemanding.


    ¡°Pain drags you back from the brink. Remember that next time.¡±


    T¨CThank you, sir,¡± the man stammered, nodding in terror.


    <b>Without </b>another word, Sage turned to the <b>one </b>who¡¯d been bitten.


    That man clutched his own ear, his face contorted in pain, breath escaping through clenched teeth.


    A heartbeatter, with a metallic shing, his head dropped to the ground.


    Sage had killed him.


    ¡°Let this be a reminder to all of you,¡± Sage said calmly. ¡°No matter what happens, no matter when¨Cno screaming.


    He didn¡¯t even spare the severed head a look. Instead, his gaze swept the crowd


    Then came the order. ¡°Bury him.¡±


    And with that, he walked away.


    No one dared speak. But the fear was unmistakable.


    Everyone was <b>shaking</b>.


    Theresa watched in silence, then turned to Quentin beside her. ¡°Now do you see how lucky you are to have me as your leader?¡±


    ¡°Meeting you <b>has </b>already used up all my luck this lifetime.¡±


    She rolled her eyes at the corny line¨Cbut when she saw the sincerity in his eyes, she punched him in the


    gut.


    Be a little more honest, will you?


    Just <b>then</b>, Sage returned. ¡®Sorry to interrupt your <b>meal</b>.¡±


    Theresa nced <b>past </b>him. The ce already looked untouched. The corpse was gone. Even the blood had been washed <b>away</b>.¡±


    She said nothing, just sat down and resumed eating.


    12:12: Mon B AUG


    Chapter 310 A Full Moon Night


    But the ribs no longer tasted right.


    She picked at the sides and quietly slid the ribs onto Quentin¡¯s <b>te</b>.


    Sage noticed, but smiled as if nothing had happened, continuing to make light conversation.


    Theresa yed along, offering only shallow responses, her guard fully up.


    Soon, dinner ended and the camp began settling in for the night.


    The fires died down. The park bathed in silver moonlight.


    It was a full moon.


    The moonlight was bright, and Theresa could see the beautiful park around her.


    They were probably deep inside the park¨Cthere were no signs of human development, and the forest remained lush and untouched.


    She and Quentin slept close to the center of the group, while guards kept watch along the perimeter. Most gathered in tight clusters, drawn together by the need for warmth and a <b>sense </b>of security.


    A handful of loners leaned against tree trunks, clutching their weapons as they slept alone. Sagey nearby¨Cjust two people over¨Cbut an invisible no¨Cman¡¯snd had formed around him. When the moon rose high, Theresa caught the sound of ragged, heavy breathing.


    ¡°Hiss-


    ¡°Hiss-


    She turned sharply toward the sound.


    It <b>was </b>Sage. Lying on his side. His back to <b>her</b><b>. </b>


    The breathing grew louder¨Cand then the scent <b>hit </b>her.


    The sharp, metallic tang of blood.


    It drifted toward her in <b>waves</b>.


    She frowned, just as Sage turned to face her. He was staring straight at her.


    <b>Blood </b>stained the corner of his mouth.


    Moonlight poured <b>across </b>the scarred earth.


    It lit up the writhing, howling zombies, the desperate humans locked in battle, and right in front of Theresa, a pair of eyes burning with barely restrained bloodlust.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    Chapter 310 A Full Moon Night


    Sage blinked, feeling the blood at his lips. He lowered his gaze and casually wiped it with his thumb- smearing it across his mouth.


    Then he smiled. It was twisted and wicked. He asked softly, ¡°Can you help me out?¡±


    Half a minuteter, they sat behind a tree with their backs to the camp¨Cnot too close, not too far. Just enough.


    Sage leaned against the trunk, a cigarette dangling from his lips.


    Theresa looked at the arm in front of her, the <b>bite </b>so deep the bone was visible, <b>and </b>silently wrapped it in bandages.


    The bandages and medicine had all been provided by Sage.


    Clearly, there was no painkiller.


    Sage could only smoke to dull the pain.


    Cigarette butts littered the dirt as the bloodlust slowly faded from his eyes.


    ¡°Do you deal with this every day?¡±


    Theresa finished tying off the bandage and looked up.


    Sage flicked another cigarette away and smiled, calm as ever. ¡°Of course not.¡±


    ¡°Tell the truth.¡±


    Just then, amotion rose behind them.


    A big guy shot up from the crowd, bolted out of the group, and mmed his head into a rock.


    12:12 Mon, 18 Aug: +) <b>? </b>


    Chapter 311 He Is a Liar


    Chapter 311 He Is a Liar


    With two heavy thuds, blood began streaming down the big guy¡¯s forehead. After that, he stopped smashing his head and simply clung to the rock, curling up tight.


    From time to time, he punched <b>himself </b>in the skull.


    But because Sage had warned everyone earlier, even in such unbearable pain, he didn¡¯t make a sound.


    ¡°I¡¯m not telling the truth,¡± Sage¡¯s voice came from behind.


    Theresa turned to see him snufling out his cigarette, the usual gentleness in his eyes <b>now </b>shadowed by a rare heaviness.


    ¡°Ever since we discovered that the liquid in gleamstones could boost our abilities, everyone started eating


    them


    ¡°But after that, while our abilities did improve a little, our bodies began to fall apart.¡±


    Theresa could feel it.


    Sage had over eight hundred people with him. More than a hundred <b>and </b>fifty were ability users.


    Most of them were only at Level 2.


    Swallowing zombie gleamstones raw didn¡¯te close to proper extraction. Most of the energy couldn¡¯t be absorbed.


    But nearly all the toxins were.


    It was like tossing fireworks into an already roaring bonfire¨Cready to blow at any second.


    ¡°At first, it¡¯s just <b>the </b>headaches¨Clike ants crawling across your scalp. Annoying, but bearable. You grit your teeth and push through it.


    But then it shifts. Turns into this sharp, electric pain¨Clike someone¡¯s yanking on your nerves and veins, strumming them like guitar strings. Faster and faster. That¡¯s when things start slipping.¡±


    ¡°You get so on edge, every noise feels like an attack. You want to <b>smash </b><b>anything </b>that makes a sound, destroy anything that moves. Just make it stop¨Cmake it shut up.


    You want everything to be still. Quiet. You want to tear the world apart just to find silence again<b>. </b>


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just stop?¡± Theresa asked. ¡°Stop eating them.¡±


    Sage¡¯s smile softened even more. Once the arrow¡¯s left the bow, can it really turn back?¡±


    Theresa didn¡¯t answer.


    Everyone¡¯s situation was different


    Sage¡¯s group had been cut off from the outside world <b>since </b>the <b>beginning</b>.

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    He Is a Liar


    They had no ess to Evoloid, so they could only rely on zombie gleamstones¨Craw, brutal, and primitive -to force their evolution.


    And once they started down that road, there was no turning back.


    They never had another option¨Conly forward, and no choice but to keep going


    Until everything breaks down.


    ¡°But we¡¯ve found <b>that </b><b>pain </b>helps ease the symptoms. Sage rolled up <b>his </b>other sleeve.


    The <b>skin </b>on that arm was a mess of scars¨C<b>knife </b><b>wounds</b>, bite marks, jagged lines where the flesh had torn and healed badly.


    There wasn¡¯t a single patch of unbroken skin.


    ¡°By the way.¡± Sage asked suddenly, ¡°when you cook them¡­ you really don¡¯t get any side effects?¡±


    Theresa met his eyes and thought for a second. ¡°It¡¯s definitely better than eating them raw.¡±


    Sage¡¯s bright eyes softened with gratitude. ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough. If we hadn¡¯t run into you, we¡¯d still be trapped in Crestmont. <b>And </b>if we couldn¡¯t get out.. we¡¯d all be dead by now<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say <b>that</b>. You guys are incredible.¡±


    Sage shook his head. ¡°Ms. Hall, you probably don¡¯t know what it was like in our camp. We were trapped in the city, and none of us got a full night¡¯s sleep. We were desperate to get out, to find other camps, rebuild some kind of order¨Csomething we could rely on together.¡±


    He looked up at her then, and for the first time, the gentle, harmless light in his eyes flickered with raw vulnerability. ¡°Can you help us <b>a </b>little more? Get us out of here.¡±


    That look hit Theresa right in the chest.


    It felt painfully familiar.


    She took a deep breath, pulled on her most sincere expression, and gave a firm nod.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As long as I¡¯m here, I¡¯ll help you.


    She didn¡¯t hesitate. Her voice rang with confidence. Sage¡¯s soft smile deepened, warm enough to drown in. ¡°I knew you were <b>a </b>good person, Ms. Hall.¡±


    ¡°I told you¨Cwe¡¯re allies. If I don¡¯t help you, who else would? Let¡¯s get some rest. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll figure out how to get more of your people our


    Sage nodded. ¡°You go ahead. I¡¯ll finish thesest few cigarettes.¡±


    Theresa didn¡¯t <b>linger</b>. She turned and walked back toward the camp.


    Behind her, she <b>heard </b>the quiet flick of a lighter. Sage sat there, cigarette between his lips, watching her go. His smile slowly widened.


    Theresa had justin down on her bedding when a shadow loomed over her.


    <b>2/3 </b>


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    Chapter 311 He Is a <b>Liar </b>


    ¡°You¡¯re still up<b>?</b>¡±


    Quentin dropped down beside her, voice low and smoky. ¡°How am I supposed to sleep without you?¡±


    ¡°Get lost,¡± she muttered, pping him away.


    But the moment her hand <b>touched </b>him, he grabbed it and held tight.


    ¡°Beautiful,¡± he said softly, ¡°don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re being dumb again.¡±


    She frowned. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°You actually believe that guy?¡±


    His usual yful tone was gone. Now, his gaze was deadly serious.


    Theresa narrowed her eyes. ¡°Do you have some brilliant insight you¡¯re dying to share?¡±


    Quentin nced at the flickering light behind the trees, then leaned in and whispered in her ear, low enough that only she could hear, ¡°He¡¯s a liar.


    ¡°Remember this, any guy who shows you his wounds and asks for help is ying you. He¡¯s got an angle. Don¡¯t trust him.¡±


    Chapter 312 He Was Sharp as Ever

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    Chapter 312 He Was Sharp as Ever


    Theresa looked at Quentin, who had just spoken. ¡°That sounds awfully familiar. Are you talking about yourself<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>


    Quentin narrowed his eyes. Tm being serious here. Don¡¯t believe a word he says. Every word out of his mouth is a lie.


    ¡°Oh? So, I¡¯m supposed to trust you instead?¡±


    That pushed him over the edge. ¡°Why are women so easy to fool? Where¡¯s your brain?¡± he snapped. ¡°If <b>a </b>guy treats <b>you </b>like <b>that</b><b>, </b>it¡¯s either because he wants to sleep with you or use you. Scam you for your stuff or your help¨Csame thing. A normal guy wouldn¡¯t show off <b>his </b>wounds to a woman. He¡¯d hide <b>them</b>. Because it¡¯s humiliating<b>.</b>¡±


    Theresa said nothing.


    She felt like she couldn¡¯t breathe. Quentin <b>was </b>basically <b>giving </b><b>her </b>a crash course in how not to get scammed.


    ¡°Did you get all that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, got it.¡±


    Quentin shot her a fierce look. ¡°Don¡¯t let men trick you again. Men are either bad or <b>worse</b>. There¡¯s not a single good one.¡±


    ¡°Then get lost, Theresa said tly¨Cand pped him so hard he flew.


    He had a point. She might as well start by getting rid of him first.


    After sending Quentin rolling away, <b>she </by back down in her sleeping bag and tried to rest..


    Of course she hadn¡¯t believed a word Sage said.


    He might be able to fool ordinary people, but not her.


    Not to mention¨Cshe¡¯d been reborn. She already knew all of Sage¡¯s secrets.


    There was no way he could keep up the act in front of her, no way he could fake some benevolent persona.


    And with the kind of ruthless, violent crew hemanded, there was no way she¡¯d risk letting them out into the world.


    She¡¯d seen <b>what </b>they were capable of¨Cwolves in human skin. If she couldn¡¯t keep them under control, then releasing them would only lead to disaster.


    And the truth was, she couldn¡¯t control them.


    <b>Sage </b>was a <b>man </b>with ambition The kind <b>that </b>didn¡¯t stop.


    more


    He¡¯d turned his camp into a war


    war machine and ruled it with an iron fist. Once outside, he¡¯d be after even more power, more control.


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    12:12 Mon, 18 Aug T


    Chapter 312 He Was Sharp as Ever


    Letting him loose was like releasing a tiger into a vige.


    No matter how sweetly Sage smiled, he and his crew weren¡¯t going anywhere.


    45 Fre Come


    Indeed, in the apocalypse, people needed to help one another¡ªbut only if the ones you helped didn¡¯t turn around and bite you.


    Theresa already had a whole new n for Sage and his people.


    The next day, the helicopter came back.


    ¡°Theresa!¡±


    As soon as Kylended, he sprinted toward her.


    ¡°You¡¯ve worked <b>hard</b>, Kyle,¡± <b>she </b>said, patting him on the shoulder.


    ¡°Theresa, are you okay?¡±


    I¡¯m great. Theresa leaned in and mouthed two words, ¡°No power.


    Kyle blinked, confused.


    She repeated, firmer this time, ¡°No power.¡±


    Right then, Sage walked up. ¡°Can you make a few more trips today?¡±


    ¡°Of course we¡¯re making more trips!¡± Theresa looked straight at him, her voice bright and confident. I said I¡¯d get all of you out¨Cand I will!¡±


    ¡°Kyle, you¡¯ll need to double down today.¡± Theresa said. ¡°Make as many trips as possible.¡±


    Kyle replied as soon as she finished, ¡°Theresa, we can¡¯t! The helicopter¡¯s out of power!¡±


    A satisfied smile spread across Theresa¡¯s face.


    That¡¯s my Kyle<i>! </i>Sharp as even My brilliant boy never misses a beat.


    But her satisfaction quickly gave way to irritation. ¡°How is it out of power? Isn¡¯t there electricity out <b>there</b>?


    Kyle was quick on the uptake. ¡°There¡¯s <b>no </b>power out here. Mr. Yorke barely got enough to run the radio. We¡¯ll have to fly back to Ansford to recharge.¡±


    Sage raised a brow. ¡°Your helicopter runs on electricity? Not fuel?¡±


    ¡°<b>Yeah</b><b>,¡± </b>Theresa replied with a shrug. ¡°It¡¯s a next¨Cgen model¨Cbattery¨Cpowered. We thought it¡¯d be more <b>efficient</b>, but honestly? The old gas choppers were more reliable.¡±


    Then she turned to Kyle. ¡°Go recharge. Try to squeeze in two trips a day if you can.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Kyle replied and got moving


    Sage didn¡¯t say another word. He simply gestured, and a group of women stepped forward to board.


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    Chapter 312 He Was Sharp as Ever


    Once Kyle took off, Sage remained quiet.


    Four days passed in a blur. Kyle returned twice daily, evacuating four women each time. The number of women left in Sage¡¯s camp was shrinking fast.


    Theresa was waiting for the right moment. Once all the women were gone, she¡¯d use that as her excuse to leave too.


    But today, just as Kyle was loading the next group, Sage stepped up.


    ¡°Let them go first today,¡± he said.


    Four men emerged from behind him.


    One of them was Drew¨Cthe same guy who¡¯d mouthed off Theresa on the first day and paid for it with a finger.


    His expression was stormy, and as he passed Theresa, he shot her a look.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Theresa said sharply. ¡°You¡¯re sending the men before all the women are out?¡±


    Sage gave a faint smile. ¡°The women who <b>remain </b>all have abilities. I <b>think </b>it¡¯s safe to start evacuating the civilians now.¡±


    Theresa found it hard to argue with that excuse.

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    Chapter 313 Take Him Out


    Scattered throughout the crowd, a handful of women had abilities¨Cdefinitely not the type Theresa would


    <b>want </b>to <b>croAS</b><b>, </b>


    Sage gave a sharpmand. ¡°When you get out, link up with our people. Keep those girls in line, make sure they follow the zing Sun Alliance¡¯s orders. If they don¡¯t¨Creport to me immediately.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Drew <b>and </b>the others responded in unison.


    Watching <b>from </b><b>nearby</b>, Theresa instantly saw through it.


    Sage was clearly <b>wary </b>of her. This was his test¨Cto see if they¡¯d reall


    intel from the outside straight to <b>him</b>.


    Men like him were always a pain to deal with<b>. </b>


    fly back to Ansford and pass along


    She stood by as the group began boarding the helicopter. When Drew <b>was </b>about to get onst. Theresa suddenly stopped him.


    There¡¯s a weight limit, she said tly. ¡°You guys <b>are </b><b>over</b>. One of you needs to get off.¡±


    Drew said nothing, ring at her.


    Without hesitation<b>, </b>Theresa reached out and yanked him down.


    Sage¡¯s expression darkened, but before he could speak, Kyle called out from the cockpit at just the right time. ¡°The three of them are <b>just </b>under. Any more and we can¡¯t lift off.


    Sage paused, then nodded slightly. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Drew turned to him. ¡°Mr. Arlen, I-


    ¡°Wait for the next trip, Sage interrupted gently.


    Sage was still smiling at Theresa, still looking calm and kind.


    Theresa didn¡¯t answer. She just returned the smile and walked <b>away</b>.


    Once she was out of earshot, Drew stepped up beside Sage. ¡°Mr. Arlen, she¡¯s messing with us. She¡¯s ying games. I bet she¡¯ll tell her people not to show up tomorrow.¡±


    Sage let out a quietugh. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. As long <b>as </b>she¡¯s still here, if she wants to stall¨Cshe stalls with <ol><li>me. </li></ol>


    ¡°What about that guy with her?¡±


    Sage¡¯s gaze shifted toward Quentin. His expression turned cold. ¡°If the helicopter <b>doesn¡¯t </be tomorrow, take him out.¡±


    Drew gave <b>a </b>nod. ¡°Got it.¡±


    Just then, a sudden shout broke out from the edge of camp.


    13


    <b>+5 </b>Frie Colme<b>! </b>


    Chapter 313 Take Him Out


    Zombies!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯reing!¡±


    Theresa, who was deep in the crowd still thinking about how to dy the next helicopter run, froze at the


    cries.


    She turned toward the noise¨Cand saw them.


    A massive honde burst out of the woods. Easily over a hundred¨Cmen, women, elderly, even children. Some had their necks twisted at impossible angles. Others limped, dragging broken limbs. A few scrambled on all fours like animals, It was a frenzied stampedeing in from the west.


    ¡°Amaargh<b>!</b>¡±


    ¡°Aaaargh!¡±


    ¡°Aaaargh!¡±


    Theresa guessed the constant helicopter flights these past few days had drawn the zombies in, bit by bit, until they finally tracked the group down


    Leading the horde was a young male zombie in a white tank top and running shorts, his buzz¨Ccut hair still intact. He looked like a former athlete¨Cmuscr, fast, lethal.


    His muscles still retained a <b>certain </b>fluidity, and he sprinted with powerful momentum. A chunk of flesh had been torn from <b>his </b>shoulder all the way down to his forearm, exposing bone¨Cyet it didn¡¯t affect his arm swing in the slightest.


    This was a pro athlete zombie. Within seconds, he broke from the rest of the pack and charged straight at the camp.


    ¡°Aaaargh


    His pale face twisted with hunger, the zombie lunged at the closest man, <b>jaws </b>open wide.


    The man yanked two des from his belt and shed at its head.


    Crack!


    He¡¯d expected to split the <b>skull</b>¨Cbut the zombie¡¯s skin was tough. <b>Too </b>tough. The de lodged deep in its head and stuck.


    Snarling, the <b>zombie </b>howled and lunged again¨Cde still embedded in <b>its </b>skull¨Cas it tackled the man to the ground.


    <b>¡°</b>Aaaargh!¡±


    The zombie, the de still lodged in its skull, crashed into the man¡¯s shoulder. Its mouth gaped open. strands of <b>thick</b>, foul¨Csmelling blood stretching between its jaws as it sank its teeth into him.


    <b>It </b>all happened man instant¨Cso fast no one had time to react.


    From the moment the <b>man </b>drew his des to the moment the athlete zombie tackled him, barely two


    |||


    Chapter 313 Take Him Out


    seconds had passed.


    He hadn¡¯t managed to kill it with the first strike, and that single mistake sealed his fate,


    <b>But </b><b>what </b>happened next caught Theresa off guard.


    Crunch!


    As the zombie bit down, a sharp screech rang out¨Cits teeth scraped against something solid, like metal.


    Zecel!


    Its teeth shattered.


    At the same time, the man drove both his des forward¨Cone still embedded in the zombie¡¯s skull, the other clenched tightly in his hand.


    Thud!


    With veins bulging and muscles tensed, he unleashed his full strength and hacked the zombie¡¯s head clean off.


    The athlete zombie dropped instantly, revealing a metal te strapped to the <b>man¡¯s </b>shoulder beneath his clothes


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s pretty clever


    Theresa and Quentin had been watching from the <b>back </b>of the crowd..


    That was when she noticed that almost every member of Sage¡¯s team had metal tes hidden beneath. their clothing,


    Waists, shoulders, thighs¨Call the critical areas were reinforced.


    Most of the armor looked like it had been fashioned from scavenged billboard panels¨Csome still bore <b>faded </b>advertisements from the city.


    373

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    Chapter 314 A Heartless Mad Dog


    Chapter 314 A Heartless Mad Dog


    <b>+5 </b><b>Free </b>Coins


    The metal ting was usually between one eighth to three sixteenths of an inch thick,


    It was definitely a signature of Sage¡¯s camp no other camp had anything like it.


    First, it was nearly impossible to gather that much scrap metal. Second, the armor was clunky as hell. Each set weighed dozens of pounds, making it hard to rum and even harder to wear for long.


    But somehow, it suited Sage¡¯s camp perfectly.


    So, when this squad of armored fighters charged head¨Con into the horde of zombies, not a single one of them hesitated. There was no retreat. Only battle.


    Under Sage¡¯s rule, everyone in Dawnwatch Camp fought. Those who couldn¡¯t kill zombies weren¡¯t allowed


    to <b>May</b>.


    When it came to zombies, there was only one rule¨C<b>kill </b>or be killed


    A chorus of howls ripped through the air.


    Roughly a hundred zombies barreled toward them, triggering chaos on impact.


    Fireballs, sts of water, <b>chunks </b>of earth, and shards of metal whirled wildly through the crowd. Strength- type and speed¨Ctype ability users led the charge, throwing themselves into the melee.


    Even the ordinary fighters grabbed whatever weapons they <b>had </b><b>and </b>followed close behind.


    Theresa observed closely, gauging theirbat prowess. Roughly one in seven possessed abilities, most of them limited to basic elements or physical boosts¨Cnothing particrly <b>special</b>.


    She noticed maybe seven or eight people standing off to the side, not fighting. They were being protected.


    Those were space¨Cbased ability <b>users</b>.


    And then there was Sage.


    He didn¡¯t lift a finger. Just stood there, calm <b>and </bposed, watching it all unfold


    In under ten minutes, the entire <b>zombie </b>wave was annihted.


    The casualty rate was surprisingly low¨Conly two were injured, and just one of them was bleeding


    ¡°Mr. Arlen, it¡¯s <b>just </b><b>a </b>cut from the de, one man said, clutching his arm, visibly <b>shaken</b>.


    Sage¡¯s voice was calm, almost gentle. ¡®Get in.¡±


    As soon as he spoke, one of the space¨Cbased ability users who hadn¡¯t joined the fight stepped forward and summoned a <b>half</b>¨Chuman¨Csized iron cage, its top lined with <b>sharp </b>spikes.


    The injured man saw it, lowered his gaze, and hesitated briefly. <b>Two </b><b>seconds </bter, he climbed in on his


    own.


    ???


    Chapter 11 A Heartless Mad Dog


    The moment he was inside, there was a loud click as the lock snapped dur


    Everyone che pretended not to notice, heads down, silently collecting gleamstones


    Just as thest few stones were being gathered, a suddenmotion erupted from the cage.


    The man inside gripped the bars, trembling uncontrobly. ¡°Ah!


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    He rantled the cage violently, veins hulging across his face, sweat pouring from the pain.


    The sound brought the entire camp to a halt. All eyes turned as Sage began walking toward him. unhurried, one deliberate step at a time.


    Seeing him approach, the man panicked. ¡°No¨Cno, Mr. Arlen. Im not turning into a zombie It¡¯s just the bacsh from the gleamstones!¡±


    But no matter how desperately he pleaded, Sage kept moving forward. He reached out with a steady. graceful hand and pulled the lever on top of the cage.


    The spikes dropped instantly.


    The man inside snapped.


    ¡°Let me out! Let me out!


    ¡°I¡¯m not a zombie!


    ¡°You don¡¯t get to decide my fate! Who the hell do you think <b>you </b><b>are</b>?


    ¡°I¡¯m done following a lunatic like you! Let me go!


    ¡°Let me go<b>!</b>¡±


    Thud!


    The spikes mmed down, driving straight through him.


    Theresa¡¯s eyes were suddenly covered by a hand.


    Quentin¡¯s <b>voice </b>murmured close to her ear. ¡°See that? That¡¯s a heartless mad dog. Feel sorry for him, and you¡¯ll end up nothing but bones.


    Theresa sighed inwardly. Like I need him to teach me that?


    She <b>brushed </b>his <b>hand </b>away, just in time to see <b>Sage </b>approaching.


    ¡°We should be <b>leaving </b>soon, don¡¯t you <b>think</b>, Ms. Hall?¡± he said.


    ¡°Absolutely. Theresa replied at once. This ce is far too dangerous¨Cwe need to go as soon <b>as </b>possible.¡± Sage gave a slow, almost mocking smile. ¡°<b>And </b>yet, I can¡¯t <b>shake </b>the feeling that you¡¯re simply going through the motions, I¡¯ve never quite felt any <b>real </b>sincerity from you. After all, actions speak louder tha


    112:12. MON,¡± TB Aug


    Chapter 314 A Heartless Mad Dog


    words, don¡¯t they?


    ¡°Mr. Arlen, don¡¯t try to gaslight Theresa,¡± Quentin shot back, stepping forward. ¡°That line of yours is just a <b>way </b>to undermine everything she¡¯s done and make her question herself. But let¡¯s be honest, if Theres hadn¡¯t shown up when she did, where would you all be now? Would any of you still be alive


    ¡°She came all this way to help, and you¡¯ve shown her zero appreciation. All you do is belinde her and <b>demand </b>more.


    ¡°If you im she isn¡¯t sincere, then tell me what does it say about your sincerity, when you¡¯ve never stopped taking her help!¡±


    Quentin stood firm behind her, his voice sharp and unflinching.


    He¡¯d seen through this maniptive game from the start.


    The best way to dismantle tactics like Sage¡¯s was toy out the truth and let it speak for itself.

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    Chapter 315 An Exchange


    +5 Free <b>Cons </b>


    It was clear now just how much Theresa had given, <b>and </b>how little they¡¯d given in return. No doubt who owed whom


    The moment Sage heard Quentin¡¯s words, the gentle expression on his face turned cold.


    ¡°This young man is right, Sage said quietly. ¡°I got ahead of myself. I¡¯ve overlooked something important. I should <b>show </b>some gratitude to Ms. Hall first.¡±


    He raised his hand. A space¨Cbased ability user stepped forward, hesitating slightly


    ¡°Hand it all over, Sage ordered.


    The space¨C<b>based </b>ability user froze, his eyes widening in disbelief.


    ¡°I said, hand it over,¡± Sage repeated, <b>his </b><b>voice </b>colder now.


    This time, the <b>space</b>¨Cbased ability user obeyed. With a wave of his <b>hand</b>, he produced ten massive packages.


    ¡°That¡¯s a hundred thousand gleamstones, Sage mentioned calmly. ¡°In return for all the support you¡¯ve given us.


    Theresa¡¯s eyes practically sparkled at the sight.


    He¡¯s really that desperate, huh? Quentin, you¡¯re a legend. Only a jerk can handle another jerk. That saying never


    misses!


    Sage kept his expression cool, but inside, his heart was pounding. ¡°Ms. Hall,¡± he said, ¡°could you send a bit more help tomorrow? Just enough to get us out of here. This time, I¡¯m beingpletely sincere.


    Theresa felt a genuine rush of satisfaction as she walked up with Quentin.


    With a <b>hundred </b>thousand gleamstones in hand, everything felt right. Completely and totally right.


    Beating Sage at his own game wasn¡¯t something just anyone could pull off.


    Serves him right, she thought<b>, </b>for always ying mind games and acting like he¡¯s ten steps ahead. Now look at him- handing over everything with a smile.


    She picked up the bags and, smiling, pretended to pass them to Quentin. The moment his fingers touched the surface, they vanished into her domain


    Sage didn¡¯t notice a thing.


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll send out the <b>message </b>now,¡± Theresa said casually.


    <b>¡°</b>Alright,¡± he replied with a faint/smile.


    Theresa and Quentin turned and walked off.


    Chapter 815 An Exchange


    But the second they disappeared, Sage¡¯s smile vanished<b>. </b>


    + Free <b>Cons </b>


    Drew stepped up behind him. ¡°Mr. Arlen, that was everything. You gave them all our gleamstones¡°)


    Sage stared at Quentin¡¯s <b>back </b>in the distance. His voice dropped. ¡°He won¡¯t <b>live </b>long enough to spend them. No matter what, take him out tomorrow.


    ¡°But won¡¯t that run things with <b>that </b>woman?¡±


    Sage turned to him slowly, his eyes filled with quiet menace. ¡°If we kill him, yes, she¡¯lle for us. But if zombies do it¡­ she¡¯ll have no reason to me us. Understand?¡±


    Drew paused, then nodded. ¡°Got it.¡±


    ¡°Make it look like an ident¨Cdraw the zombies in, leave no trace, and get my gleamstones back.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>


    Meanwhile, Theresa had already sent out a radio message, asking Kyle to pick them up at the usual spot the next day.


    After sending the message, a rustling sound caught her attention.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± she called out sharply.


    From behind the trees, a man in his thirties stepped out cautiously, ncing around to make sure no one else was <b>watching</b>.


    A teenage boy¨Cmaybe sixteen¨Cfollowed close behind.


    The man looked at her nervously, then spoke in a low voice, ¡°I¨CI know Sage is nning something against you.¡±


    Theresa blinked in confusion.


    ¡°You took his gleamstones, the man warned, his eyes sharp. ¡®He¡¯s <b>not </b>going to let you off that easily.¡±


    Beside him, the boy stood on alert, keeping watch.


    Theresa narrowed her eyes. ¡°What <b>do </b>you want?¡±


    ¡°An exchange,¡± the man replied, <b>his </b>gaze intense as itnded on her. Tll tell you Sage¡¯s n. In return, you get me and my son out of here.¡±


    Before she could respond, the boy hissed, ¡°Dad! Someone¡¯sing!¡±


    The man clenched his jaw, then quickly tossed a crumpled piece of paper <b>at </b>her feet. His hers, full of desperate hope.


    eyes


    locked with


    Without waiting, he grabbed his son and rushed off in the opposite direction.


    In seconds, they were gone¨Clike ghosts in the night.


    <b>978 </b>


    13: Mon, 18 Aug


    Chapter 315 An Exchange


    Theresa stared at the paper, then pointed. Pick it up¡±


    Quentin crossed the distance and retrieved it, handing it over.


    She unfolded the note, scanned the single line, and let out a dry chuckle.


    ¡°<b>What¡¯s </b>so funny?¡± he <b>asked</b>, eyeing her.


    ¡°Read it.¡±


    She <b>passed </b>him the paper.


    He read the line, stating. ¡°He¡¯s going to lure a zombie horde to kill your people.¡±


    Quentin¡¯s mouth mped shut.


    Theresa stretched her arms overhead. She was done ying nice.


    Teaming up to face the zombie horde had crossed her mind¨Ckeeping things civil, even professional


    But now, that was off the table.


    ¡°If that¡¯s what he wants,¡± she said, her voice cool, ¡°let¡¯s give it to him. Quentin, y along with him tonight.¡± She fired off a message to Kyle, telling him to pick them up early the next morning.


    Night crept in.


    After dinner, Sage strolled over, all smiles and sincerity.


    ¡°Ms. Hall,¡± he said smoothly, ¡°how do you manage so many alliances?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± she replied easily. ¡°<b>Lucas </b>handles all that.¡±


    Sage raised a brow, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I just hang around and eat. Lucas runs things inside. Theron handles everything outside. They Just prop me up as the face of it all. Honestly, I can¡¯t manage anything,¡± she lied without flinching.

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    Chapter 316 Stay


    +5 <b>FI </b>Com


    Sage¡¯s <b>eyes </b>lit up in surprise as he seemed to understand. Just as he was about to ask more. Theresa cut in.


    ¡°Mr. Arlen, I feel like we really get along, and I can tell that you are a good guy. Hence, let me be honest with you. Life in that d¡¯un alliance was hell. Theron and Lucas are both terrible people. They fight for power and bully me constantly. <b>I¡¯m </b>just a puppet to them.¡±¡°¡±


    Hearing her words, Sage paused momentarily before saying, ¡°Really? But you seem pretty capable too.¡±


    ¡°Theron¡¯s units are all top¨Ctier, and Lucas is the king of the Northern Military District. Me? I¡¯ve got nothing but a few supplies. They took all my supplies and left me with an empty title. I¡¯m basically working for them. When something goes wrong, they make me take the me. Otherwise, who would want toe to such a dangerous ce?¡±


    After hearing what Theresa said, Sage felt that it seemed true.


    Then<b>, </b>he stared at her with darkened eyes. ¡°That means Theron and Lucas are the ones who call the shots in the zing Sun Alliance.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m just a weak woman. Do you think they will listen to me?¡±


    Sage went silent.


    cking o


    Theresa kept tidbits as she keptining. ¡°It¡¯s <b>really </b>tough for women in the apocalypse. Not only do we have to deal with zombies, but also constant pressure from <b>men</b>.


    ¡°If only I were a man li


    like you


    you, Mr. Arlen, no one would dare to bully me.¡±


    After she said that, Sage suddenly suggested, ¡°Stay.¡±


    ¡°Huh?<b>¡°</b><b>. </b>


    Sage¡¯s eyes <b>were </b>gentle and serious. ¡°Come with me. I¡¯ll protect you, so no one will ever bully you again.¡±


    Ah-


    Just then, a scream rang out behind them.


    Drew came stumbling over and said, ¡°Bad news! A huge group of zombies snuck in!¡±


    Theresa stood up and saw that zombies were attacking the crowd outside.


    They were pouncing on people who were resting.


    Everyone was caught off guard. The earlier fighting spirit was gone. Even a civilian had already been<b>. </b>bitten.


    In the dark, more and more zombies surged forward.


    Dmn, Sage is going <b>to </b>take a big loss here, thought Theresa.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. Everything will be okay,¡± Sage said beside her with a calm look. ¡°Tell everyone to retreat!


    <b>12:18 </b>Mon, 18 <b>Aug </b>


    Chapter 316 Stay


    ¡°Retreat?¡±


    ¡°We have to. We¡¯ve been exposed. Zombies at night are extremely dangerous,¡± Sage mentioned seriously ¡°Let¡¯s <b>move</b>!¡±


    Following his order, all residents of the Dawnwatch Camp began to retreat.


    Then. Theresa suddenly remembered Quentin. ¡°Where¡¯s Quentin?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Just go!¡± Sage answered as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her along, ¡°Our men will save <b>him</b><b>!</b>¡±


    As they ran, growls echoed behind them.


    Roar!


    Roar!


    Under the moonlight, massive waves of zombies rushed toward them.


    Sage pulled <b>Theresa </b>as they ran at the front, while others fought and retreated behind them<b>. </b>


    In the forest at <b>night</b>, zombies came from every direction.


    Roar!


    Suddenly, a foul wind blew in Theresa¡¯s face. In that split second, a zombie lunged at her with its jaws wide open.


    Its mouth was torn and stretched to the limit, gaping like it could bite her whole head off.


    Roar!


    Theresa reached for the sword on her back.


    Before she could kill it, a sh of silver light appeared, and the zombie¡¯s head flew off.


    She hadn¡¯t made her move yet.


    Then, she looked toward the <b>source </b>of the de and met a pair of calm eyes.


    Sage still wore that soft expression, However, the gentler he looked, the deadlier he fought.


    Roar!


    More zombies appeared before them. Their rotting, terrifying faces looked even worse under the moonlight<b>. </b>


    Limbs missing, guts exposed, jays disfigured¨Cthey were like monsters crawling out from fresh graves as they attacked the living.


    Whoosh!


    Each strike of Sage¡¯s de was clean and deadly, cutting down every zombie before they could touch her.


    <


    Chapter 316 Stay


    Theresa didn¡¯t need to lift a finger as <b>Sage </b>took them all down alone.


    <b>3/3 </b>

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    Chapter 317 n Gone Wrong


    Chapter 317 n Gone Wrong


    However, something puzzled Sage.


    hy are there more zombies than expecte


    WHE


    After killing one wave of zombies, another massive wave came


    at them.


    Just then. Drew shouted from behind, ¡°Something¡¯s wrong, Mr. Arlen! The number of zombies is increasing!¡±


    When Sage heard this, his gentle expression almost cracked.


    Of course, he saw it. It was obvious that more and more zombies appeared, which was way beyond what he had nned.


    What is Drew doing? Sage thought. <i>All </i>I wanted him to do was to lure a small horde that is just enough to kill. Quentin. How did it be this mess?


    Seeing no way forward, Sage stopped the group.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we charging through? 17¡± so


    many zombies,¡± asked Theresa.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I told you before that I¡¯ll protect you.¡±


    Theresa smiled and gave him a thumbs<b>¨C</b><b>up</b>. ¡°Do your best. I believe in you.¡± With that, she happily hid behind him, waiting for him to kill the zombies.


    Looking at her actions, Sage was at a loss for words. As he turned back to look at the smile on her face, he smiled and said, ¡°Alright. Watch closely.¡±


    ¡°Roar


    ¡°Roar-


    Once they stopped, zombies charged from all directions.


    Sage drew his de with one hand and led everyone into battle.


    In the dark, abilities exploded, and zombies fell in waves. At the same time, so did their men.


    <b>Theresa </b>stood aside and watched coldly.


    She never owed Sage anything. When she sent Theron to help them, she was doing it as a favor. Even when she <b>sent </b>a helicopter to <b>save </b>them, Sage still owed her.


    She didn¡¯t have to help them, but she did. Yet, they kept scheming, calcting every favor, even trying to harm her people.


    Thus, tonight would be <b>the </b>time she took back her revenge, letting them know their ce.


    She watched the number of Sage¡¯s men dwindle and calmly counted the losses. In the meantime<b>, </b>she would root for him from the safe <b>zone</b>.


    Chapter 317 n Gone Wrong


    ¡°Go, Mr. Arlen!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Mr. Arlen!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Arlen<b>! </b>Look to your left!¡±


    ¡°The zombies areing! I¡¯m scared!¡±


    Sage, fighting at the front, heard her voice from behind and was speechless.


    Fueled by her encouragement, Sage moved faster, his attacks sharper and deadlier.


    From midnight till 3 in the morning, they fought for four hours straight. Finally, when a third of his people <b>had </b>fallen, the zombie horde began to fade.


    After killing thest one, Drew walked toward Sage wearily.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect there to be so many tonight, Drew said while lowering his head and trembling. The thrill of battle waspletely reced by fear now.


    Sage looked at him gently and said, ¡°You deserve to die.¡±


    However, he didn¡¯t kill Drew.


    ¡°Clean up the battlefield <b>and </b>check everyone¡¯s condition. Oversee this personally. If anything else goes wrong, you¡¯re dead.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Drew shivered but felt relieved like he had just been spared execution. He was so scared that sweat dripped from his forehead.


    Sage didn¡¯t look at him again as he left while covered in blood like a war¨Chardened wolf.


    At that moment, he came face¨Cto¨Cface with a bright, smiling face.


    ¡°Mr. Arlen, you¡¯re amazing. You killed so many zombies. You¡¯re the most impressive man I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±


    The cheerful<b>, </b>sweet voice stunned him.


    It was the first time he had ever heard a woman speak to <b>him </b>like that.


    Since he killed his first zombie and his first man, women only looked at him in fear. Men respected him, but feared him more.


    Some women had tried to get close to him, but none of them could keep up their act when they saw how he fought. After all, if he could kill others, he could kill them too.


    To him, men and women were just tools, and women were weaker tools¨Ceasy to discard.


    He had nothing but that thinyer of fake gentleness. Beneath it, he was cold, cruel, and ruthless.


    No woman ever gained his piry. That was why women in the camp avoided <b>him </b>like the gue. He had never heard a woman <b>admire </b>him nor seen anyone smile at him like that.


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    Chapter 317 n Gone Wrong


    s


    He was someone incapable of love, even though his family was once the kind everyone envied¨Cwealthy. loving, powerful.


    His parents were both rich, the only children of industry giants, brought together in a sessful, happy


    marriage<b>. </b>

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    Chapter 318 An Unlovable Man


    5 Free Cons


    However, behind the picture¨Cperfect image of his family, Sage¡¯s parents lived separate lives. His father had many mistresses, while his mother <b>had </b>a string of young lovers.


    Sage was born <b>via </b>IVF because his mother hated his father so much that she wouldn¡¯t even touch him. She didn¡¯t even look at <b>him </b>when he was born.


    At first, both of his grandfathers had high hopes for him as the heir of two powerful families. However, both sides only wanted to take over the other and fell out.


    Since there were many illegitimate children on each side, both families went to support them, leaving the true heir, Sage, to be the one everyone abandoned.


    He tried rebelling to gain attention, but that only made things worse. His father would say that <b>Sage¡¯s </b>stupidity was taken after his mother, while his mother would say that he was annoying and was a useless trash. Then, both of his grandfathers would shake their heads in disappointment.


    Eventually. Sage learned to y the game. He pretended to be a gentle and caring person. That way, people thought he was a good guy.


    That was a saying that went, ¡°When God closes one door. He opens <b>a </b>window.¡±


    Sage was extremely smart and had a lot of knowledge at a young age. Knowledge made his mind stronger.


    Since no one saw him as human, he stopped being one. Then, the apocalypse came, and he was in his element.


    After the outbreak, he wiped out both sides of his family and recruited their guards to build Dawnwatch Camp.


    He thrived in the apocalypse. Killing. Dominating, Ruling.


    He had no other goal until Theresa smiled at him like a bright sun.


    He didn¡¯t dislike women. He just hated women who feared him as that fear exposed his darkness like a mirror, and he found it repulsive.


    However, Theresa wasn¡¯t afraid of him. She wasn¡¯t faking it either.


    She truly wasn¡¯t scared of him<b>¡­ </b>


    Even if he knew she was lying¨Ccheering him on just to manipte him¨Cher smile still caught him off guard


    For once, someone didn¡¯t see him<b>, </b>as a monster. In her eyes, no matter how cruel he was, he was still a


    person


    ¡°I told you that I¡¯ll protect you.¡± Sage said softly as he looked at her smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re really a good <b>man</b>, Mr. Arlen, Theresa said, ncing at his weapon. ¡°Your de looks way better than mine. Can I <b>have </b>it?¡±


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    <b>69</b><b>% </b>


    Chapter 318 An Unlovable Man


    Hearing her words, Sage was at a loss for words.


    O


    s


    Initially, Theresa was just joking, but things took a turn when Sage handed her the sword and <b>said</b>, ¡°It¡¯s


    <b>¡°</b><b>Are </b>you seriously giving it to me?¡±


    ¡°If you <b>want </b>it, it¡¯s yours.¡±


    He gave it to her.


    This de was his grandfather¡¯s prized de, and he had been using it since the beginning of the apocalypse.


    ¡°This is a bit much.¡± Theresa said, but still took it without hesitation.


    Seeing her delighted expression. Sage smiled more <b>gently</b>.


    ¡°If you stay with me, I¡¯ll give you anything you want.


    ¡°I have to think about it then, she said cheerfully. Then, she looked around and asked, ¡°Wait, where¡¯s Quentin?


    Sage¡¯s smile faltered when he heard her words. I guess he didn¡¯t keep up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to find him!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Ms. Hall. You saw that zombie wave just now. It¡¯s still dangerous out there. Let¡¯s wait until morning, and I¡¯ll help you look for him.¡±


    Just then, screams broke out in the crowd.


    ¡°James is being bitten!¡±


    ¡°No, he is not! I scratched him! He wasn¡¯t bitten!¡±


    A middle¨Caged man was shielding a teenage boy.


    Hearing themotion, more and more people gathered.


    Theresa <b>and </b>Sage walked over, too, and Theresa immediately recognized that they were the father and son who had warned her earlier that day.


    The man knelt before Drew <b>and </b>begged, ¡°Please don¡¯t lock my son up. He wasn¡¯t bitten!¡±


    ¡°Dad¡­¡± James tugged his sleeve. ¡°Stop it. We¡¯ll just leave! We don¡¯t need this stupid camp!¡±


    ¡°Leave?¡± Drew scoffed. There are no traitors in Dawnwatch Camp. Once <b>you </b>join us, you¡¯ll <b>stay </b>until


    death.


    ¡°What right do you <b>have </b>to do that? We risked our lives too! Why do you get to decide what happens to us?¡± James stepped forward to shield his father.


    ¡°Hecause it¡¯s the apocalypse! Drew pulled out his de. ¡°You¡¯re alive because of Dawnwatch Camp. If yg


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    Chapter 318 An Unlovable Man


    defy us, you die.¡±


    s

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    Chapter 319 Change of ns


    Suddenly, a voice called out, ¡°Stop¡±


    Theresa stepped forward.


    Drew turned around with a dark expression. When he <b>saw </b>it was Theresa, he looked at Sage.


    Sage said nothing, <b>which </b>meant he allowed Theresa to do as she pleased.


    Theresa looked at the boy protecting his father.


    ¡°Mr. Arlen, since you lost Quentin, why not let this kid serve me instead? Once I find Quentin, I¡¯ll return him<b>. </b>


    ¡°Okay¡± Sage smiled.


    Noticing that he agreed without hesitation, Theresa felt uneasy.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. <b>Arlen</b>.¡± She smiled.


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re not mad that I lost Quentin.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. I¡¯ll look for him tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Then, Theresa took James away.


    Initially, James <b>didn¡¯t </b>want to go, but his father pushed him from behind and told him to obey her.


    Theresa took James to rest


    Meanwhile, Sage asked Drew, ¡°Are <b>you </b>sure he is dead?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I saw the zombies swallow him!¡±


    Hearing his words, Sage smiled.


    The next morning. Theresa woke up and heard someone arguing.


    ¡°Get lost!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Ms. Hall¡¯s assistant now. I can¡¯t leave,¡± said James.


    ¡°This is Mr. Arlen¡¯s order!¡±


    ¡°I only listen to Ms. Hall now.¡±


    ¡°You brat¡± Drew pped <b>James </b>hard in the face.


    In that split second, Drew was kicked away.


    O


    Chapter 319 Change of ns


    <b>James </b>was stunned to see Theresa<b>. </b>


    Theresa looked at James¡® swollen face and said, ¡®Are you just going to stand there and let someone hit you?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t believe her words.


    Theresa continued, ¡°Go and p him twice. One to return the favor, and the other as a reward.¡±


    James, encouraged, clenched his fists.


    ¡°Gol


    As he charged toward Drew, thetter shouted, ¡°How dare you hit me?¡±


    James remembered how Drew humiliated his dad yesterday and even tried to kill them.


    Smack!


    Everyone at the camp turned to look.


    Sage walked over when he heard themotion.


    Drew quickly ran to him and said, ¡°Mr. Arlen, they¡±


    ¡°Mr. Arlen!¡± Theresa greeted cheerfully. ¡°Good morning!¡±


    ¡°Good morning. Sage replied.


    ¡°You saw me being bullied, right<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>


    Hearing her words, Drew was dumbfounded. Seeing that Sage nced over. Drew stood up quickly and said, ¡°Sorry, Ms. Hall! I was wrong!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize to me. Apologize to him.¡±


    Then, Drew turned to James and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about just now.¡±


    Seeing <b>that </b>Drew, Sage¡¯s most feared man, was bowing to him, James was shocked.


    All of these were because he had someone backing him now.


    In that split second, his admiration for Theresa soared.


    Yesterday, he was forced to follow her, but today, he chose to follow her willingly.


    ¡°Do you feel better?¡± Theresa asked.


    ¡°Yes!¡± James¡® face lit up.


    ¡°Good. Next time, treat my people with respect.¡±


    Drew lowered his head respectfully, but his eyes <b>were </b>gloomy.


    278


    12:13 Mon, 18 Aug


    Chapter 819 Change of ns


    ¡°Ms. Hall, I need to talk to you,¡± Sage said.


    ¡°Go on<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>


    +46 Free <b>Comme </b>


    ¡°I want to change our evacuation <b>n</b>. The helicopter carries too few people. We lost a third of our groupst night in a zombie <b>wave</b>. You saw it too, the helicopter won¡¯t be efficient enough.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡± Theresa nodded.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try contacting the outside? Maybe you <b>can </b><b>ask </b>Theron to help us.¡±


    ¡°They probably won¡¯t. After all, they are quite busy. I¡¯m the lowest¨Cranking in the camp, so that helicopter will be the biggest help I can get.¡±


    ¡°If so, join us then.¡± Sage smiled softly. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of you. You don¡¯t have to go back.¡±


    Hearing his words, Theresa <b>was </b>at a loss for <b>words</b>. Then, she went back <b>and </b>pretended to send a radio<b>. </b>


    message.

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    Chapter 320 Made a Move


    After Theresa left, Drew stared at her back with hatred.


    He felt that Theresa was just showing off with her status. In truth, she had no strength. Sage was only being kind to her for now. Once she stayed, her value would be the only thing that mattered to Sage.


    At that <b>moment</b>, he swore to <b>make </b>her suffer. After all, he felt that she was weak and would only hide behind Sage. Since she was such a useless person, her good days were numbered,


    Drew red at her onest time and left.


    Five minutester, Theresa told everyone to head west, and that Theron would try to break through today.


    Hearing her words, everyone was shocked.


    Then, she told James, ¡°Tell your dad to be <b>smart </b>and keep up.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Everyone began evacuating westward.


    <b>About </b>a kilometer in, Sage suddenly stopped. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong.


    ¡°What is it?¡± <b>Theresa </b>asked.


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s west?¡± <b>Sage </b>looked at her suspiciously.


    She looked into his eyes and replied, ¡°Yes¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really.¡±


    ¡°If that is so, Theron wants you dead.¡±


    At <b>that </b>moment, Theresa¡¯s heart skipped a beat..


    Sage looked in her eyes and said, ¡°I <b>have </b>another ability, and that is danger sense. <b>There¡¯s </b><b>a </b>zombie waveing from the west.¡±


    Theresa was¨Cstunned.


    ¡°Everyone retreat!¡± Sage ordered.


    Just <b>then</b>, the roar of zombies sounded. There were huge <b>waves </b>of <b>them</b><b>, </b>even more thanst night.


    In that instant, they were surrounded.


    This was all Theresa¡¯s doing. Initially, she had Quentin lead the zombies to stall the camp, nning to escape during the chaos.


    After dealing with Sage, she realized this scheming man was too dangerous, and she wanted out.


    12


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    <b>45 </b><b>Free </b><b>Con </b>


    Her n was to let the zombies entangle the camp at Wends Park as she slipped away. A helicopter was waiting half a kilometer ahead. The timing was set so that while the others were fighting, she could escape.


    However, she didn¡¯t expect Sage to have such an ability, causing him to sense it early <b>and </b><b>retreat</b><b>! </b>


    Now, her nned route was getting farther away.


    Ihat now? she thought.


    ¡°Everyone must kill those zombies!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t fight, you¡¯ll die!¡±


    Just as Theresa was stilling up with a n, the zombies drove the entire camp into a desperate corner.


    There were too many zombies, and they had already lost a third of their people. People kept falling- some died, some got bitten and turned, then attacked their own.


    Human versus zombie was always a numbers game. Fewer humans meant zombies would win.


    Sage fought with a new de, but it obviously didn¡¯t suit him. After killing a few zombies, the de broke.


    As zombies surged forward, he released his power and wiped out arge group instantly. However, this kind of burst meant they were out of options.


    They would only


    e their powers when weapons |


    By now, most of them had been fighting until 3 in the morning, so their powers were nearly depleted. Some could barely summon a water ball.


    Suddenly, a giant wall of water rose before them, stretching 50 meters wide, covering everyone.


    Boom!


    The water wall exploded, and countless droplets shot out like bullets, sting the zombies half a meter


    away.


    Everyone was stunned and turned to see where the power came from.


    It was Theresa.


    With one casual


    al move, she unleashed a power none of them had ever seen<b>. </b>


    Rain fell like bullets. The misty air showed them what real power looked like.


    Their <b>strongest</b>, Sage, was only a Level 4 ability user. At full strength, he could only clear 10 or so zombies.


    Yet, with just one move, Theresa/wiped out everything within <b>half </b>a meter.


    Everyone was in pure shock.

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    Chapter 321 The Truth Revealed


    Chapter 321 The Truth Revealed.


    It was shocking!


    <b>45 </b>Five <b>Cone </b>


    The gap between them was like a chasm! Their powers looked like child¡¯s y in front of Theresa.


    Most of them were only Level 2 ability users, and they wondered what level Theresa was.


    Is she even human?! Everyone was stunned.


    Drew looked at Theresa, who casually released such a powerful ability. In total disbelief. His mind went nk, and his mouth agape in shock.


    Wasn¡¯t she just good for nothing? He wondered.


    After all. Theresa came to their camp by helicopter, did nothing but make demands, and always hid behind Sage during danger. Thus, he thought she had no strength and probably slept with men to gain her position in the alliance.


    Yet, with one move, she made his jaw drop.


    This woman was terrifying! His powers were a jokepared to hers.


    At that moment, Drew¡¯s face <b>was </b>filled with shock and embarrassment. Theresa¡¯s actions felt like a p to his face as he had been totally wrong about her.


    Next to Theresa, James also stared wide¨Ceyed, mouth open.


    He couldn¡¯t believe <b>she </b>was insanely strong!


    In that split second, <b>he </b>wondered who was the real monster¨Cher or the zombies?


    James went from reluctant follower to total awe. His eyes sparkled as he looked at her.


    At the same time, Sage was also stunned.


    In that moment, his mind was clear. Only now did he understand why the leader of the zing Sun Alliance was a woman. Theron and Lucas obeyed her not because they were forced, but because of her strength. Everything she said about being bullied or a puppet was a lie. With power like hers, she could easily defeat Theron or Lucas.


    In <b>that </b>split second, his expression turnedplicated.


    Suddenly, the <b>sound </b>of a helicopter echoed above.


    After clearing the first wave of zombies, Theresa heard it too. ¡°Kid! Grab your dad and run!¡± As she spoke, she dashed forward, <b>creating </b>an air wall to clear the zombies ahead.


    James <b>quickly </b>grabbed his dad and ran after her.


    Once they moved three meters, the others realized they were escaping!


    Sage¡¯s eyes widened, and <b>he </b>quickly rushed forward.


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    Chapter 321 The Truth Revealed


    He couldn¡¯t let Theresa escape!


    Just now, his entire perception of her had changed.


    He used to think <b>she </b>had some resources of secrets to hold over Theron and Lucas. Now he knew that Theresa was the true power behind the zing Sun Alliance.


    He had to catch her. As long as she was with him, Theron and Lucas woulde running.


    He needed her.


    Sage led his people in pursuit, fighting their way out of the zombie swarm. Half the zombies were cleared by Theresa, so they caught up quickly.


    Theresa saw the helicopter lowering <b>and </b>realized it was Kyleing to help.


    Just as she reached the pick¨Cup range, she sensed danger behind her.


    Then, she slowed down and shouted to James and his father, ¡°Duck!¡±


    Hearing her words, James grabbed his father and crouched. In that split second, a flying de whizzed


    <b>over</b><b>. </b>


    ng!


    Her long knife met Sage¡¯s thrown de.


    Her knife flew over James¡® head, slicing through the air and aiming straight at Sage.


    It was a full¨Cforce strike. If he dodged, they would escape. If not, it would hit him.


    There was no room to dodge!


    Just as Theresa turned to run again, she saw the knife stop mid¨Cair, frozen before hitting Sage.


    ng!


    Sage grabbed the knife he had once gifted her and used it to kill a zombie nearby,

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    Chapter 322 Failure


    The zombie was a new <b>kind</b>. When it was killed, blood sttered all over Sage. His gentle face was <b>now </b>stained <b>with </b>red. Blinking his eyes, Sage looked at Theresa with a gaze that was both soft and insane.


    He charged at her, de aimed directly at the two people in his <b>way</b>.


    Theresa instantly teleported in front of James and his father, grabbed them both, and tried to teleport again.


    However, it didn¡¯t work. It was like her feet were <b>weighed </b>down.


    Then, she looked at Sage and saw him approaching step by step. The zombies nearby all froze when they got close to <b>him</b><b>, </b>just like <b>that </b>knife earlier.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Sage shed through the zombies with ease.


    In that split second, Theresa realized that Sage had a third power he kept hidden all along, <b>and </b>that power was some kind of time freeze!


    ¡°Be good and stay here with me,¡± Sage said with a smile. Then, he pointed at the descending helicopter


    §Ô§à§â§Ö


    Hearing his words, Theresa stopped and smiled brightly.


    ¡°Mr. Arlen, <b>who </b>said I only had one?¡±


    In that split second, Sage was startled and wondered what she meant by that


    Just then, he heard a shout from behind.


    ¡°Mr. Arlen, that guy isn¡¯t dead yet! He even brought a whole horde of zombies!¡±


    -Sage turned around and saw <b>a </b>man running toward them, leading thousands of zombies from all


    directions. The horde ignored himpletely and charged straight toward their people.


    Not a single zombie bit <b>him</b><b>. </b>


    It was Quentin!


    Looking at the scene, Sage was shocked.


    What <i>the </i>hell is he? Why didn¡¯t the zombies attack him?


    Once <b>again</b>, Theresa shattered everything he thought he knew


    He felt that she and her men were <b>all </b>monsters. Although they looked ordinary on the outside, they were <b>not </b>as simple as they seemed


    In an instant, the entire camp was surrounded by the zombie horde.


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    Chapter 322 Failure


    ¡°Mr. Arlen, I¡¯ll be leaving now. You wouldn¡¯t want your whole camp wiped out, would <b>you</b>?¡± Theresa carried James <b>and </b>his father while smiling at Sage. Then, she rushed toward the helicopter without hesitation.


    wide.


    Sage¡¯s eyes went He wanted to chase her, <b>but </b>had to turn back to fight for his camp. He could only watch helplessly as Theresa climbed the ropedder with the two men. Then, the helicopter flew into the zombie horde and picked up Quentin before leaving.


    In the middle of the zombie battle, Sage¡¯s gentle expressionpletely copsed. He hacked down zombies furiously.


    is was the worst defeat he had ever sulfered!


    Theresa took <b>all </b>his gleamstones, escaped unharmed, and even stole two of his people, plus Quentin was unharmed! The worst part was that she used a zombie horde to trap his <b>entire </b>camp.


    <b>Thinking </b>about it, Sage killed more zombies in rage.


    Initially, he thought he had the upper hand and carefully nned every move, trying to use the zing Sun Alliance to get his camp out. Then, he was <b>going </b>to take over the alliance after knowing the whole picture.


    Because of this, he didn¡¯t show them any hostility and even gave Theresa all the gleamstones to show <b>trust</b>.


    Yet, he couldn¡¯t figure out when the n went downhill. Now, not only had Theresa crushed his ns and stolen his people, but she also even pushed his camp to the brink of copse.


    As Sage killed the zombie and watched as the helicopter faded away, he swore that he would get payback from Theresa.


    ¡°Is Dawnwatch Camp finished this time?¡± Kyle asked from the pilot seat.


    Theresa looked down at the chaos and replied, ¡°No, but they¡¯ll never be a threat again.¡±


    When she first saw them, they had 800 people Now, the camp only had fewer <b>than </b>200 people. After today, she bet that Sage might have less than 100 people left.

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    Chapter 323 The One¨CYear n


    Theresa had crippled the tiger before it could leap.


    She was never a kind person. If someone threatened her, she never showed merry, not to mention that Sage had repeatedly provoked her, targeted her people, and demanded excessive support. Most importantly, she was no longer just a lone survivor in a bunker or a small camp¨Cshe had a massive alliance behind her.


    Sage¡¯s 800 elite fighters were a threat. If they wouldn¡¯t stay in the Wends and fight zombies properly, she would make sure they had no choice but to fight.


    She had to climinate them.


    She was a predator at the top of the food chain¨Cmerciless to enemies. She aimed for the biggest benefits, the fattest share of meat. She would share her resources with her allies, but she would devour her enemies.


    Her kindness was always reserved for her own people..


    Theresa seized all of Dawnwatch Camp¡¯s gleamstones and dealt them a crushing defeat.


    After returning, she immediately began reorganizing.


    Theron remained stationed in that area, but his mission had changed.


    Now, his mission was not to support Sage, but to contain him and let them bepletely trapped in that


    arca.


    Eliminating enemies was the highest respect.


    After dealing with Sage, Theresa didn¡¯t stop. She faced even greater pressure now.


    The third year of the apocalypse was approaching. Zombies were evolving and breaking through defense lines, moving toward their safe zones.


    The good news was that humanity wasn¡¯t scattered like sand this time. They had achieved a massive breakthrough.


    Most camps in the eastern region had united into a powerful alliance against the waves of <b>zombies</b><b>. </b>


    Theresa¡¯s camp was well¨Cstocked with food¨Cher people produced it themselves. However, steel, industrial goods, weapons, equipment, and raw metals were in severe shortage. Manpower was also scarce.


    All the campsbined had fewer than 10,000 people. With nearly 4,000batants, that left under 6,000 forbor.


    In desperate times, unity was crucial. Thus, Theresaunched a one¨Cyear national production n across the zing Sun Alliance. In one <b>year</b>, it had to double the steel¨Coutput andplete the first outer and inner city defense lines.


    She nned year by year, using cach toy a stable foundation for humanity, just <b>like </b>she had learned from her past life in the ten¨Cyear apocalypse.


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    Chapter <b>323 </b>The One¨CYear n


    There was no time for long¨Cterm <b>ns</b>. Every day counted, and her first¨Cyear goal was to build both defense lines.


    Free Col


    ¡°Factories are online, I calcted the max transport capacity, and each nt will have 300-500 people. All facilities will operate 24/7, with seamless coordination through every stage, ending in wall construction.¡± As Bennie spoke, he showed Theresa the data<b>. </b>


    His team had calcted how to maximize output at every point of their one¨Cyear n.


    They consideredbor <b>and </b>coordination across the supply chain.


    Onceunched, the alliance would run like a precise, seamless machine¨Cefficient and urate.


    After hearing it, Theresa couldn¡¯t help but <b>think </b>that Bennie¡¯s team was truly built for this. They were <b>a </b>professional think tank and <b>data </b>team, able to perform best within a strong alliance.


    If they ran a camp alone, it would inevitably lead to failure, just like in their past life.


    They had strengths and weaknesses, and only by working together could they fully bring out their power.


    After hearing Bennie¡¯s detailed n, Theresa ran her own mental checks and gave the order.


    ¡°Do it.¡±


    ¡°One more thing, Bennie added. ¡°This n will onlyst a month<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re running out of raw materials. Bennie showed her another report. ¡°We only have <b>enough </b>iron ore for one month of production.¡±


    Hearing this, Theresa frowned.


    ¡°There¡¯s some good news, though. There¡¯s a massive iron mine in the eastern region. So, you¡¯ll need to take the mine.


    A helicopter soared over the clear, open wilderness.

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    Chapter 324 The Mine


    From the helicopter, the view shifted from city to suburbs, then to viges and farnd, gradually opening up.


    They moved from the safe zone into zombie territory.


    In vige after vige, zombies roamed the streets. When they heard the helicopter, they all looked up with their mouths open as they watched it pass overhead.


    As the helicopter left, the zombies felt disappointed that it didn¡¯t drop into their mouths.


    In the sky, Theresa looked down at the scattered zombie <b>zones</b>, her gaze finally falling on the <b>mining </b>area ahead.


    The helicopter kicked up a cloud of dust as itnded.


    As soon as it touched down, the nearby zombies were attracted by <b>the </b>noise. The fastest ones to <b>approach </b>were a few worker zombies dressed like miners with safety helmets.


    Their skin was dark and dry, and their bodies thin and aged. They opened their mouths wide, showing yellow teeth, and reached out with rough, bony fingers as they lunged forward.


    Bang!


    As the helicopter door opened, about four men jumped out first.


    sh! sh! sh!


    With a few swift strikes, the zombies were quickly taken down.


    Once the area was cleared, a girl inbat gear with a high ponytail stepped out calmly.


    It was Theresa and her team. She brought along Kyle. Tyger. Quentin, and <b>James</b>.


    They came to scout the mining area and assess the route. If everything looked good, she would <b>then </b>have Lucas clear the road and the surrounding zombies before officially taking over the mine.


    After the zombies were killed. James went around checking their heads and <b>soon </b>collected all their gleamstones.


    ¡°Well done.¡± Theresa said and patted his shoulder.


    She had rescued him not long ago and learned he wasn¡¯t even sixteen yet. ording to zing Sun Alliance rules, he <b>was </b>supposed to be sent <b>to </b>school.


    However, James firmly refused and insisted on following her instead. He said the moment he followed her that day, he had decided to work for her forever.


    Theresa thought for a moment and agreed to it. However, she didn¡¯t add him to her elite guard unit.


    Even <b>the </b>weakest member of her guards, Emma<b>, </b>had mental abilities. She wanted to keep the <b>guard </b>team¡¯s level high<b>. </b>Thus, James, who was just a human, would need to prove himself first.


    ???


    O


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    Chapter 324 The Mine


    +5 Free Cont


    It <b>was </b>also <b>a </b><b>way </b>to motivate him. If he wanted to be part of the team, even as <b>a </b>normal person, he had to be the best he could be and not hold anyone back.


    From then on. James would tag along on missions. Most of the time, the team looked after him and let him do the easier tasks, like collecting the gleamstones after the fight.


    James wiped the gleamstones clean and put them into a bag.


    Just then, he noticed a figure, which seemed like a young girl, darting past behind some crumbling ruins and pits.


    ¡°Ms. Hall,¡± he called out to Theresa<b>. </b>


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I <b>just </b><b>saw </b>something over there,¡± he <b>said </b>with certainty as he pointed over the ce.


    Theresa scanned the area and <b>saw </b>no other zombies. Then, she led the group in that direction.


    As they walked, she released her mental powers outward but sensed nothing.


    When they reached the spot, all they found was a torn piece of clothing caught on a tree branch.


    ¡°Rx, kid Tyger said while patting James¡® head.


    ¡°No, Tyger. I really saw someone. It was <b>a </b>little girl. She looked just <b>a </b>bit younger than me,¡± James said <b>seriously</b>.


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s <b>not </b>just your imagination?¡± Quentin teased.


    ¡°Not everyone¡¯s like you.¡± Theresa shot him a re. ¡°Alright, nothing here. Everyone spread <b>out </b>and checked the ground. Count how many mine pits there are. Don¡¯t wander too far and report back if you find anything unusual,¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Then, they all split up and began inspecting the mine entrances.


    Since James had just cried wolf, he now kept a straight face and took his task seriously.


    As he walked into a dark mine tunnel, he suddenly locked eyes with a pair of glowing eyes in the dark.


    I found something!¡± Just then, Tyger¡¯s voice called out.


    James looked over in Tyger¡¯s direction for a moment.


    O

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    Chapter 325 The Miners<b>. </b>


    Chapter 325 The Miners.


    When James looked back down, the glowing eyes he had seen earlier had vanished.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Theresa walked over to Tyger, who was standing at the edge of a near¨Cvertical cliff on the mountainside. Below them was a pit about fifty meters deep.


    Inside the pit was a horde of zombies.


    The pit was packed with zombies howling


    up at them, stretching their necks like animals waiting to be fed.


    Theresa stood at the edge, where a few loose rocks rolled down. The moment the stones dropped, the zombies below went wild, trampling over each other, surging upward.


    Dozens of zombies stared hungrily up at the <b>living </b>prey, going crazy as they tried to climb out of the pit. The ones closest to the walls began wing at the smooth rock, howling as they climbed. However, most of the zombies could only reach about twenty meters before slipping back down due to the slick walls.


    They simply couldn¡¯t get out.


    Theresa¡¯s eyes narrowed as she studied the pit wall.


    Iron mines were usually sted open with explosives and then dug out with excavators, making the slopes terraced and smooth.


    However, she noticed that this pit was too <b>smooth</b>.


    It looked like someone had intentionally built it this way to trap the zombies inside.


    ¡°Who are you people?!¡± Suddenly, a cold voice shouted from behind.


    Theresa turned to <b>see </b>that <b>a </b>group of people with weapons had silently surrounded them. The ones in front held old¨Cfashioned hunting rifles. Others had shovels or machetes.


    Their rugged appearance reminded her of wartime soldiers.


    Most of them were in their forties or fifties. They looked <b>thin </b>but had strong builds. Their rough hands <b>and </b>safety helmets told Theresa that they w


    the former mine workers.


    Only one man stood out¨Che was in histe twenties.


    Beside him stood a girl about fourteen years old. She hid behind the man and looked at them with wary


    eyes.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, that¡¯s the girl I saw earlier! James said quickly.


    As soon as he spoke, the young man aimed his gun at them. ¡°What do you want?¡± he asked sharply.


    Suddenly, a <b>loud </b>rumble came from behind.


    From the mountain above, a huge horde of zombies came <b>pouring </b>down toward them.


    <b>1/2 </b>


    12:14 Mon, 18 Aug


    Chapter 825 The Miners.


    Everyone¡¯s expressions changed.


    <b>¡°</b>D¡¯mn! The zombie <b>horde </b>from the mountaintop ising down <b>again</b>!¡±


    The young man looked at the approaching wave of zombies, hesitated a second, then turned to Theresa¡¯s group and said, ¡°Come with us!¡±


    Then, he led the way, <b>heading </b>toward the tunnel James <b>had </b>scouted earlier. The others motioned for Theresa¡¯s group to follow quickly.


    <b>that </b>moment. Theresa saw that there was arge door at the bottom of the tunnel.


    One by one, everyone jumped down <b>and </b>passed through the door deeper into the mine.


    As thest of them retreated, the zombie horde reached the area.


    One zombie worker, still wearing a safety helmet, lunged fast and high, aiming straight at the group.


    Theresa was thest one outside.


    However, she didn¡¯t panic as she scanned the area casually, looking as if she was just out for a <b>stroll</b>.


    Just then, a jet of water shot through the zombie flying at her.


    Right after, a huge <b>hand </b>grabbed her shoulder.


    ¡°Get inside!¡± Nathan shoved her in forcefully, with a bit of annoyance.


    Theresa was speechless at his actions.


    As she stepped inside, he mmed the <b>door </b>shut behind her.


    Bang!


    The sound of zombies pounding the door echoed inside.


    Bang! Thump!


    The entrance was nowpletely blocked by zombies. The banging and wing sounds were loud and relentless.


    With a cold expression, Nathan dropped the heavy metaltch. Others behind him quickly stuffed cotton <b>and </b>fabric into the doorframe to seal it better<b>. </b>


    They waited until the noise was muffled to just distant zombie howls. Only then did everyone let out a sigh of relief.


    However, someone <b>soon </b>spoke up.


    ¡°Nathan, the mountaintop zombies got drawn down again. We¡¯ve wasted all our effort!¡±


    The moment that was said, everyone turned to look at <b>Theresa </b>and her group.

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    Chapter 326 Emergency


    Chapter 326 Emergency


    Their eyes burned with hatred.


    It had taken days of careful effort to corral most of the nearby zombies into a deep pit¨Cwithout ever alerting the horde on the mountaintop.


    One moment was all it took¨CTheresa and her group had undone it all.


    ¡°Find something else to upy yourselves. We¡¯ll deal with the zombiester, Nathan said atst, fixing Theresa with a pointed stare before sweeping his gaze over the others.


    ¡°You expect us to carry on like nothing happened?¡± a <b>man </b>in his thirties snapped. ¡°People died clearing that exit. We were this close to escaping¨Cand now it¡¯s gone, because of them! Someone has to be held ountable.


    Just then, a voice rang out from deeper inside the cave.


    ¡°Mr. Chase! Emergency¨CSophie¡¯s inbor!¡±


    ¡°What? My wife¡¯s inbor?¡± The man froze mid¨Crant. Panic overtook his fury, and he bolted into the cave,


    A beatter, the others rushed in behind him.


    Nathan shot Theresa and her group one final, icy look. ¡°Stay put. Make a move, and <b>you </b><b>won¡¯t </b>live to regret it


    With that, he turned and charged into the depths of the cave.


    Now, only Theresa and her team remained.


    ¡°What now, Theresa?¡± Kyle asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re short on people and firepower¨Cjust five hunting rifles. I can take care of it,¡± Tyger <b>said</b>.


    ¡°Or,¡± Quentin added with a smirk, ¡°we just sit back and let the zombies eat them. Works for me.


    Before she could respond, a little girl stomped over, her face flushed with fury.


    ¡°My brother helped you¨Cand this is how you repay <b>us</b><b>?</b>¡±


    Busted mid¨Cscheme, the group froze as the girl stepped fully into view.


    Quentin gave a broad, toothy smile. ¡°Hey, kiddo. Don¡¯t get the wrong <b>idea</b><b>. </b>We¡¯re not bad people. Look, I¡¯ve got candy.¡±


    ¡°Get away from me! You¡¯re the worst!¡±


    He was floored.


    For the first time in his life, he felt the sting of broken trust¨Csharp and personal, aimed right at him.


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    Chapter 326 Emergency


    He crouched down to her level, trying to project sincerity and warmth.


    ¡°Hey, kiddo, I had a little sister once¨Cjust your age. She meant everything to me. But during the apocalypse, I lost her. You remind me of her.


    ¡°I swear. I¡¯m not a bad guy. You¡¯re smart¨CI think you can feel that.


    She held his gaze, steady and unblinking. ¡°Liar, she whispered.


    The word hit <b>him </b>like a p.


    Quentin had <b>no </b>words.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling my brother you¡¯re up to no <b>good</b>¨Cand <b>that </b>you tried to trick me!¡± she snapped before whipping around and storming off


    ¡°Wait!¡± a voice cracked out¨Cawkward and squeaky, ssic teenage¨Cboy¨Cin<b>¨C</b><b>transition </b>


    James stepped forward. Please believe us. We¡¯re not bad people.¡±


    The girl turned back. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°It was a mistake¨Cwe didn¡¯t even know anyone was here. Hurting people was never part of the n,¡± he said, his voice steady with conviction.


    She studied him for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Okay, I believe you. Just you, though.¡±


    Everyone was <b>at </b><b>a </b>loss for words¨Cbut for Quentin, the silence cut the deepest.


    Seriously? Just because they¡¯re the same age!


    With the weight of unexpected trust on his shoulders, James nced at Theresa. She nodded.


    For the first time, she acknowledged him¨Cand that single nod struck like thunder, reverberating through his chest.


    He turned toward the girl, keeping his tone light. ¡°I¡¯m James. That¡¯s my leader, and those are my


    teammates.


    She gave them a wary nce. ¡°I¡¯m <b>Liana</b>. That guy from before is my brother¨Che¡¯s in charge,¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been <b>here </b>this whole time?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± She nodded. ¡°We discovered the cave while doing work on the mountain. When the outbreak started, we took shelter here.¡±


    ¡°How many of you are left?¡±


    Her expression darkened. ¡°We¡¯ve already lost so many. There are thirty¨Cone of us left. No¨Cthirty¨Ctwo. One more¡¯s on the way<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Henry¡¯s <b>wife </b>is inbor¨Cright now.¡±


    23


    THE


    Chapter 326 Emergency


    Just then, a sharp scream echoed from deep within the cave.


    It pierced <b>through </b>the thick, barricaded door behind them¨Cloud enough to stir the zombies.


    Outside, the eerie silence shattered as the zombies went wild again, shrieking and hurling themselves against the barricade.


    Liana <b>went </b>pale.


    §ã


    ¡°You ruined everything! We had nearly cleared the area and were about to retrieve medical supplies from the residential apartments for Mr. Henry¡¯s wife.


    ¡°But your noisy helicopter showed up and dragged every zombie right back here. Now we¡¯re trapped again ¨Cbecause of you!¡±

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    Chapter 327 Save Her


    Chapter 327 Save Her


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Her scream echoed endlessly through the cave.


    Without a <b>word</b>, Liana turned and <b>ran </b>inside.


    Seeing this. Theresa darted in after her.


    With each step, the cave revealed more of itself. It was unmistakably natural- a narrow river trickled quietly through the center, tiny fish flickering in its current. Mushrooms and small crops lined the walls. carefully nted. The only illumination came from a faint LEDmp overhead, casting long, eerie shadows.


    Themp flickered, one breath away from going dark.


    Theresa understood instantly¨Cthe quiet ingenuity behind their survival.


    A steady supply of fish and fresh water. It could sustain them¨Cif there weren¡¯t too many mouths to feed.


    At the heart of the cave, a broad curtain hung like a barrier, dividing the space. Behind it, the women worked. Outside, the men waited, pacing. Henry¨Cthe one who¡¯d snapped at Theresa¨Ccouldn¡¯t stay still He stalked back and forth like something feral.


    ¡°Hold on, <b>honey</b><b>!</b>¡±


    ¡°Ah-¡°The scream cut off mid¨Cbreath,


    Panic overtook Henry. He tore through the curtain


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Please¨Cstop! We¡¯ll give up the baby, just don¡¯t do this!¡±


    A <b>tense </b>voice called from behind the curtain. ¡°Mr. <b>Chase</b>! We have a problem¨CSophie¡¯s in danger. The baby¡¯s noting through


    Nathan¡¯s expression hardened the moment he heard. Without a word, he moved swiftly past the curtain.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s bleeding out¨Cfast. I can¡¯t help her anymore!¡±


    Henry¡¯s voice broke. ¡°Forget the baby! Just save her! Please¨Cyou have to save he¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing left to decide. She¡¯s losing too much blood. I can¡¯t help. I can¡¯t save either of them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get the tools right <b>now</b>!¡±


    ¡°Henry, calm down. It¡¯s toote/Even with the right tools, she <b>won¡¯t </b>survive the wait.¡±


    ¡°So, I¡¯m just supposed to do nothing? Let her die right in front of me? I-¡±


    Henry fell into a deep, desperate bow. ¡°Please, I¡¯m begging you. She¡¯s everything to me. Don¡¯t let her diel


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    14:35 Tue, 19 Aug


    Chapter 327 Save Her


    He bowed again and again, as if repetition could change reality.


    The girl stood frozen, helpless. The will to help burned inside her, but nothing was within reach.


    Then, amidst the panic, a calm voice cut through.


    ¡°Let me see if I can help.¡±


    It was Theresa.


    One <b>by </b>one, they turned to her.


    Unfazed, she stepped forward and slipped behind the curtain.


    Sophiey motionless on a pile of cotton nkets<b>, </b>her frail body soaked in blood. The pain had knocked her unconscious.


    In this apocalypse, every breath was a fight. To bring new life into such a world¨Cnearly unthinkable.


    Years of no medical care¨C<b>how </b>could her body endure <b>this</b>?


    or nutrition and


    Theresa leaned in to check for breath.


    Suddenly, a hand shot out, stopping her.


    ¡°You¡¯re <b>sure </b>


    e you can handle this?¡± Nathan¡¯s eyes were sharp, weighing her every


    movement.


    ¡°As long as she¡¯s breathing, I can save her,¡± <b>Theresa </b>said evenly.


    She had an Emergency Pill from the System Store. As long as the patient had a pulse, it would keep them alive.


    Nathan held her gaze, measuring trust against risk. ¡°Think it through. Walk away now, and you¡¯re free. Step in, and you¡¯re tied to the oue.¡±


    He lifted his gaze, jaw tight, eyes locked on hers. He looked like he wanted to speak¨Cbut didn¡¯t. No pleading. No defiance. Just silence.


    Ignoring their stares, Theresa gently pushed Nathan¡¯s hand aside and leaned in again. Breath¨Cfaint, but there.


    To the others, it looked like she simply reached into her pocket. But the pill came from her domain.


    It had cost her 100 points.


    It was only her second time using one¨Cbut now, the price feltughable for what it could do.


    Especially when she earned tens of thousands of points a day <b>without </b>lifting a finger.


    She cased the pill into Sophie¡¯s <b>mouth </b>


    Silence pressed in as everyone watched. Henry and Nathan didn¡¯t blink.


    Is it working?


    Chapter 327 Save Her


    Can this really save hert


    The girl assisting with the delivery looked skeptical¨Cat first.


    But momentster, Sophie¡¯s breathing stabilized.


    The girl rushed to check her pulse.


    Her eyes widened, disbelief overtaking <b>doubt</b>.


    ¡°She¡¯s stable,¡± she whispered.


    Every head turned to Theresa, eyes wide in stunned silence.


    Henry was the first to move, rushing to his wife¡¯s side. The agony in Sophie¡¯s face had softened. A soft pink bloomed back into her cheeks.


    14:35 Tue, 19 Aug


    Chapte

 Kept Woman 328

    r 328 Blood and de


    Chapter 328 Blood and de


    Ovee with emotion. Henry turned to Theresa and dropped to his knees with a heavy <b>thud</b>.


    ¡°You saved my wife. I owe you my life!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not over yet,¡± said the girl who had helped deliver the baby. ¡°The


    ther¡¯s condition looks stable, but


    the baby isn¡¯t. I¡¯m guessing three hours, tops. If she can¡¯t deliver by then, the baby¡¯s going to die inside


    Henry shot up instantly. ¡°I¡¯ll go get the first¨Caid kit!¡±


    ¡°Henry!¡± Nathan shouted after him. There are zombies outside!


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what¡¯s out there. I¡¯m going!¡±


    Sophie was safe now. That meant it was time to fight for the baby.


    Fire or de, Henry went through it all.


    ¡°Calm down.¡± Nathan pulled him back hard. ¡°I mean you can¡¯t <b>go </b>alone. You won¡¯t make it. We¡¯re going together<b>! </b>


    That finally snapped Henry out of it.


    The anger in his eyes slowly faded as he looked at Nathan, wide¨Ceyed and anxious. ¡°Nathan¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough said. We¡¯re a team. Sophie¡¯s having a baby, so it¡¯s on all of us.¡± Nathan looked at the others. ¡°Everyone but the women, gear up ande with me. Liana, you¡¯re on watch.¡±


    Liana¡¯s face was tense, but she <b>nodded </b>firmly. ¡°Got it. I will.¡±


    After organizing his group, Nathan turned toward Theresa¡¯s team. That was when the hesitation kicked in.


    Theresa was an outsider. She¡¯d just saved Sopliie¡¯s life, but there <b>was </b>no way he could leave her group behind in a nearly defenseless camp. If they turned on them, he wouldn¡¯t be able to stop it


    ¡°You¡¯reing with us,¡± he told Theresa tly.


    ¡°Why?¡± Quentin askedzily.


    Nathan¡¯s face turned grim. ¡°Because this is our camp.


    Quentin blinked his one good eye. He looked like he was about to argue again, but Theresa stopped him with a nce.


    ¡°All right, we¡¯ll go with you,¡± she said easily.


    Theresa was easygoing by nature. She might not always act like everyone <b>else</b>, at deep down, she was as


    human as anyone.


    So long as <b>no </b>one crossed her bottom line, she was kind and tolerant. She understood how hard it was to survive. She never kicked others while they were down or took things by force, In fact, she often helped


    others out for free.


    Chapter 328 Blood and de


    But if someone did cross that line, she didn¡¯t hesitate.


    She wasn¡¯t inherently good or evil¨Cjust a seamless blend of angel and devil.


    She <b>was </b>also the kind of person who could rob and kill a man the roadside, then turn around and retete a drowning child the next moment.


    A walking contradiction. A clear¨Ccut mix of ck and white.


    That was why Lucas had always held her in such high regard. The more he got to <b>know </b>her, the more he


    liked her.


    He often said she was strong without being a bully¨Cfierce, but never cruel.


    Her ws always pointed upward. They never turned on those below her.


    She never picked on the weak.


    To Theresa, Nathan was just a puffed¨Cup tough guy.


    She didn¡¯t take him seriously, especially not when his camp still relied <b>on </b>machetes and shovels for weapons. These people were backward survivors. Not worth bullying


    Besides, she came to this mine to scout out the area. From the looks of it, these were the only survivors around.


    Bringing them in was far more useful than wiping them out.


    She needed manpower.


    Since Nathan was being cautious, she decided to show some good faith.


    When he saw Theresa agree without a fuss, the hostility in Nathan¡¯s eyes eased a little. And seeing that her group hadn¡¯t made any trouble for them yet, he said, ¡°You can stay. I¡¯ll just take the men.¡±


    ¡°No need. I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Theresa waved it off. James, you stay behind¡±


    Once again. Theresa showed she was willing to cooperate.


    Leaving James at the camp meant one of their own would be here while the rest followed Nathan out. That made it clear they weren¡¯t nning to stab them in the back or pull any tricks on the <b>way</b>.


    Nathan¡¯s suspicion dropped another notch.


    He met her eyes and gave a small nod. There was a hint of approval in his expression.


    ¡°All right. Everyone else, grab your weapons. Let¡¯s move.¡±


    Nathan turned and led the group toward a different exit.


    The cave had several tunnels branching out, and it was clear more than half of them had been dug by the survivors themselves.


    They always had an escape route.


    Chapter 328 Blood and de


    In a ce like this, anyone who wanted to survive had to carve out their own excape routes¨Cjust in be


    <b>safe</b>.


    Theresa and the others followed <b>behind</b>, silently mapping out the entireyout of the camp as they


    moved.

 Kept Woman 329

    Chapter 329 The Right Exit


    Nathan walked up to the exit and <b>was </b>about to move aside the pile of hay when a voice came from behind


    him


    ¡°Pick another exit. Too many zombies up there.¡±


    He paused with his hands still on the haystack and then motioned for the others to follow him in a different direction.


    ¡°Mr. Chase, this is the closest one,¡± Rex called out from the crowd.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯re switching.¡± Nathan changed course toward another exit.


    The moment they opened it, sunlight poured in. A shrill shrick followed immediately after.


    A gust of foul wind rushed at them as a middle¨Caged female zombie lunged forward. Her head hung at an odd angle, neck half¨Crotted and stiff, eyes staring wildly like a starving beast.


    Snarl!


    m!


    Her head snapped sideways as someone smacked it clean off with a shovel.


    Zombies weren¡¯tcking at this exit either.


    Nathan¡¯s team followed closely behind, eyes alert and ready. Without needing instructions, they fanned out in a line and began cutting down the scattered zombies with shovels and des.


    Henry burst out ahead of the others and wielded a massive iron rake. He plowed forward like a wild ox and drove the prongs through two zombies as he knocked them aside.


    Theresa followed behind with <b>the </b>others. She watched their rugged but effective assault and silently nodded to herself. The power of the people really is limitless.


    Some took the high¨Cend route like Sage, building armbred camps. Others, like Nathan, kept it simple and fought with the grit of farmers.


    It didn¡¯t matter what the method was<b>, </b>as long as it worked.


    Nathan¡¯s team quickly cleared the zombies around the tunnel.


    As they stepped outside, Nathan couldn¡¯t help but nce at the exit Theresa had warned him about.


    The moment he did, his eyelid twitched.


    There <b>were </b>plenty of zombies ay their exit. Still, that first one was absolutely swarming.


    Zombies crowded the tunnel mouth, howling nonstop like some twisted rally. If they had stuck with that one, there would¡¯ve been no way out.


    The thought made <b>Nathan </b>shudder


    14:35 Tue, 19 Aug


    Chapter 329 The Right Exit


    He turned to Theresa, his gaze shifting slightly.


    Who exactly is shel


    Confusion and shock flickered across his mind, but there was no time to dwell on it. After they dealt with thest few stragglers, he rallied the group before the rest of the horde caught up and led them charging down the mountain.


    They may have looked rough, but Nathan¡¯s crew worked well together.


    Henry stayed at the front with his fron rake and plowed a path. The others fanned out on both sides and sprinted as they shed at any zombies that got too close.


    After a short while. Theresa <b>saw </b>a boxy Khrushchyovka apartment buildinge into view at the foot of


    the hill.


    The building was old¨Cchunks of the outer spray¨Ccoating had peeled off and revealed patches of red brick beneath. Smoke stains darkened the western edge of the top floor, <b>as </b>if a fire had broken out and spread across to the second window on the east side.


    The whole thing looked like a giant coffin.


    Tattered sheets and clothes still hung from the balconies and fluttered weakly in the breeze. The ce looked like it hade straight out of a horror movie.


    ¡°Hana¡¯s toolbox is on the third floor. I¡¯ll go first. Stay close, everyone. Once we¡¯re in, stay sharp. Get in, get out, quick and <b>clean</b><b>, </b>Nathan <b>said</b>.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Their voices rang in unison. They picked up the pace and sprinted down the slope while zombies began to gather behind them.


    Theresa and her group were at the rear. As they got closer, the building gave off an eerie, deathly chill.


    Dark green moss climbed the lower walls. Clumps of spiky stinkweed ching to the camp and twisted alongside arge banyan tree nearby.


    Bones littered the ground. It was hard to tell whether they belonged to humans or animals.


    It had been nearly two years since the world copsed. Zombies didn¡¯t infect animals, but they did eat them. When they couldn¡¯t find people, starving zombies settled for wild prey.


    Stray cats and dogs had disappeared/ Even rats were gone. Zombies had eaten them all. As the infection. spread farther, <b>wildlife </b>became increasingly scarce.


    This area had clearly seen zombie activity. They¡¯d devoured the strays,


    Click¨Cck¡­


    Nathan twisted the key inside the rusted lock. The horde was catching up just as the lock gave way.


    ¡°Get inside!¡±


    14-35 Tue, 19 Aug


    Chapter 329 The Right Exit


    Everyone surged through the back door into the building


    ng!


    Nathan mmed the door shut and locked it again. An elderly zombie hit the metal gate a secondter with a dull thud, snapping at them with itsst remaining tooth.


    14:35 Tue, 19 Aug

 Kept Woman 330

    Chapter 330 Mold and Mayhem


    Its one and only tooth had been pitifully knocked out by the iron bars,


    Even so, it kept gnawing <b>at </b>the rusty gate with a series of Awn! Anoo! Awon! Itsst few teeth flew out with a pop All that remained were its <b>shriveled </b>gums, scraping uselessly against the rusted iron.


    ng!


    ng!


    ng


    Another <b>wave </b>of zombies mmed into the gate.


    Nathan saw what was happening. ¡°Noah, Alex, stay here and watch the door!¡±


    ¡°Yes¡±


    Two rtively younger middle¨Caged men stayed behind while the others quickly spread out inside the building.


    It was one of those boxy Khrushchyovka apartment buildings from thest century. Each floor had a long hallway connecting the entire building. Staircases <b>stood </b>at both ends, and bathrooms weremunal <b>one </b>on cach side of every floor.


    Residents usually brushed their teeth, washed clothes, and used the restroom in those public bathrooms.


    Theyout was strange, but fortunately, almost everyone here lived in the building. They knew theyout well and followed closely behind Nathan without missing a beat.


    Theresa trailed after them, the eerie old building covered in thick dust and falling debris making everything feel even darker and more terrifying.


    When they reached the narrow hallway, light only fell from the far ends of both sides or the asional ? open room.


    Items were scattered all over the hallway floor¨Cbooks, teacups, children¡¯s notebooks, pillows, stic bags¡­ a mess of daily objects mixed with stters of blood. It was clear that when the outbreak hit, people had fled in a panic.


    Theresa passed by the bathroom on the first floor.


    A heavy, nauseating stench wafted from within. She looked inside and caught sight of something round sitting in the long sink.


    The thing had bloated flesh dissolving in murky water, leaving behind only all¨Clike <b>head </b>with <b>dark</b>, hollow eye sockets staring straight at her.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Quentin¡¯s face twisted in disgust at the horrific sight.


    He bent down, grabbed a pen from the floor, and tossed it at the bloated zombie head.


    14:35 Tue<b>, </b>19 Aug


    Chapter 330 Mold and Mayhem


    The pen tip barely touched it before¨CPop!


    The zombie head exploded.


    Theresa quickly yanked her gr


    to the side,


    Unfortunately, the foul spray hit a poor young guy in his early twenties square in the chest.


    <b>Instantly</b><b>, </b><b>he </b>looked like he¡¯d been dragged out of a septic tank.


    Theresa was at a loss for <b>words</b>.


    Quentin stood frozen, stunned.


    The rest of the group stared in horrified silence.


    The poor guy blinked as he gagged and nearly threw up. ¡°Urgh-¡±


    The sinell was a hundred times worse than rotting tonsil stones.


    ¡°Look what you¡¯ve done. Why¡¯d you poke the dead head?¡± Theresa red at Quentin..


    ¡°My bad. I won¡¯t do it again.¡± Quentin quickly tried to make peace.


    He stepped forward and handed the unlucky guy a clean towel


    The young man quietly took the towel with both hands. Not a singleint left his lips.


    ¡°We need to hurry,¡± he said inly.


    Th


    brief incident had made them fall behind the others.


    Nathan and his team had already run into the stairwell


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s <b>move</b>.¡±


    Theresa was starting to get a decent impression of this group. Most of them were honest, hard¨Cworking types. Even their small¨Ctime leader, Nathan, didn¡¯t seem ambitious or power¨Chungry.


    They all leaned on one another to survive. None of them had outstanding abilities, but their personalities were steady and kind.


    Theresa led the <b>group </b>upstairs.


    As soon as she stepped into the stairwell, something felt off.


    The stairwell was bone¨Cchillingly cold.


    With every step, musty air filled with mold rushed up to meet them


    The staircase was crumbling. The green paint peeled away like shedding skin, exposing the bare brick beneath inrge kes.


    The cement floor beneath their feet was riddled with pits. Old bicycles and baby strollers were dumper,


    14:35 Tue, <b>19 </b>Aug


    Chapter 330 Mold and Mayhem


    haphazardly iners. When she looked up, the undersides of the staircases above were covered in patches of mold¨Cwhite or greenish ck fungal webs


    The narrow iron railings were chipped and pitted, covered with little craters the size of pimples


    It looked like a face covered with painful, swollen bumps.


    Rot and mildew clung to everything.


    Dust nketed the <b>stairs </b>ahead. <b>Faint</b>, mottled footprints marked the path <b>that </b>Nathan and the others had


    taken.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, the young man following Theresa urged.


    He took the lead and followed the footprints up the stairs.


    One floor, . two floors¡­


    The <b>higher </b>they went, the thicker the mold became


    By the time they reached the third floor, mold had nearly engulfed the entire underside of the staircase above them.

 Kept Woman 331

    Chapter 331 The Vanishing Trail


    The thick web of fungal threads stretched everywhere. It gave birth to countless ck spores.


    It was enough to make anyone with a fear of germs <b>pass </b>out on the spot.


    Fortunately, Theresa and the others had strong minds.


    They pushed through the difort, pretending not to notice the disgusting mess as they carefully stepped upward.


    But when they reached the third floor, the footprints in front of them suddenly stopped.


    ¡°Wait!¡± <b>Theresa </b>called out to the young man ttering <b>ahead</b>.


    The young man turned back with a puzzled look. ¡°What¡¯s wrong. Theresa?¡±


    ¡°Look at the footprints on the floor.¡±


    Theresa grabbed his arm, and everyone¡¯s eyes fell on the third floor ahead.


    The steps leading up were covered in thick dust.


    It was clear <b>this </b>ce had been abandoned for a year or two, with no one setting foot here in a long time.


    Yet Nathan¡¯s group hade up this way, as it was their only path.


    Theresa pulled the young man back and stood where he had been. She stared down the dark hallway of the third floor.


    The hallway was just as ruined and messy as the <b>first </b>floor.


    Trash <b>and </b>clutter filled every corner, and thick dusty undisturbed.


    Other than that, there was no sign <b>anyone </b>had passed through here.


    Only their own fading footprints remained behind them.


    It was as if that group had vanished into thin air.


    Suddenly, they were just gone.


    ¡°Kyle, what¡¯s going on?¡± Theresa asked, her brow furrowed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kyle replied, shaking his head.


    This strange situation was new to her, too.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think this hallway looks familiar? Tyger suddenly said


    He stood one step below Theresa and peered into the dim corridor.


    Books, teacups, kids¡® homework, pillows, trash bags, the arrangement was exactly the same as on the first


    O


    Chapter 331 The Vanishing Trail.


    <b>+5 </b><b>Frw </b>Com


    floor.


    Theresa¡¯s heart skipped a beat


    How can this be exactly the same?


    <b>She </b>fixed her gaze on the corridor and pulled Quentin up.


    ¡°<b>Go </b>take a look inside.


    Quentin hesitated.


    He was half¨Czombie and immune to zombies, but not <b>to </b>ghosts.


    Somehow, he always ended up <b>taking </b>the risks.


    There was no way around it.


    With a rope tied to him, he stepped inside slowly and carefully sensed for any nearby zombies.


    No sign of any zombies came <b>through </b>


    When he reached the bathroom door on that side, his usual joking face turned grave,


    ¡°Beautiful, <b>you </b>should probablye take a look at this.¡±


    Theresa told Tyger to stay at the stairs and led Kyle and the young man toward Quentin.


    Theresa walked across the dusty floor, her frown growing deeper with every step.


    The hallway was exactly like the one on the first floor¨Conly the direction they walked was different.


    Then she saw something that made her question everything


    In the bathroom sink on the third floor, a swollen human heady under the dripping water. Its hollow eyes stared nkly at them


    ¡°Ghost!¡± The young man¡¯s face went pale and he stumbled back


    Kyle grabbed his shoulder firmly. ¡°There are no ghosts in this world.¡±


    ¡°No¡± The young man shook violently as panic filled his voice. There are ghosts¡±


    ¡°This building has always been said to be haunted! The olddy on the first floor¨Cher son died in at mining ident. She waits for him every day. I heard stories before. My nehor¡¯s uncle came homete


    walked in circles on the <b>and </b>met her. She kept asking where her son was. He <b>said </b>he didn¡¯t know ang stairs all night.¡±


    ¡°Next day, he was found outside her door, still going around and around.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s <b>haunted</b>!¡±


    Suddenly, a scream came from behind them.


    Chapter 331 The Vanishing Trail


    ¡°Ah-


    It was Tyger¡¯s <b>voice</b>.


    #5 Free Cons


    F


    Theresa whipped around to see Tyger lying on the ground near the stairs. His head hit the steps hard. Then someone grabbed him by the feet and dragged him upstairs.


    Theresa¡¯s heart pounded as she dashed to the third floor stairs in three quick breaths.


    But when she reached the top, Tyger was gone.


    Only a scrape mark led upward and stopped at thending.


    He vanished like Nathan¡¯s group¨Cthere one moment, gone the next.

 Kept Woman 332

    Chapter 332 The Old Woman in the Corridor


    Chapter 332 The Old Woman in the Corridor


    Right then, a sudden rm red in Theresa¡¯s mind. Her instinen kirked in, and the respond to ke toward the third¨Cfloor corridor.


    The dim lighting overhead seemed to vanish all at once, plunging the hallway intoplete darkor. Ma that moment, the red rope ted around her wrist tightened violently¨Cso right in fed like it might snagi kame


    bones


    Without hesitation. Theresa grabbed the rope with both hands and pulled with all her strength.


    Finally, after one hard yank, the tension broke. A man burst out of the shadows, running straight toward


    her


    It was Quentin.


    ¡°Beautifull


    ¡°Where¡¯s Kyle and that kid?¡± Theresa looked behind <b>him </b>right away. The hallway behind him returned to its previous empty state. There was no one there. Not a single perion


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Quentin shook his head and looked back, his face scrunched in confusion. ¡°You kept pulling my rope. I thought something happened, so I ran back


    He lifted his <b>hand</b>, the red rope still wrapped tightly around his wrist.


    ¡°What about the others? Didn¡¯t they run with you when you left?*


    ¡°How would I know? I only focused <b>on </b><b>you</b>.¡±


    Theresa stared at him. She was speechless.


    She didn¡¯t even have time to praise him for being so obedient. She stared in shock at the floor ahead. where the corridor seemed to be looping endlessly like some kind of trap.


    ¡°Do you believe in ghosts?¡±


    I do. Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡±


    Quentin gave her a cheeky grin. ¡°But the real question is, are you scared? If you are,e here. I¡¯ll keep. <b>you </b>safe.


    Theresa swung her fist and punched him.


    ¡°Ow, fine. You don¡¯t need anyone to protect you. Even ghosts would be scared of you.¡±


    Just then, they heard a <b>sound</b>.


    Thump!


    Thump!


    Thump!


    Chapter 332 The Old Woman in the Corridor


    Theresa grabbed Quentin tightly and looked toward the noise,


    It wasing from the long corridor.


    Under the dull gray lights, an old woman leaned on a cane as she slowly emerged from the darkness:


    She <b>wore </b>a floral padded jacket. Her back was hunched, and she looked like a turtle carrying a giant shell. Her steps were so slow that she had to pause after every few steps,


    <b>In </b>a ce like this, a sudden appearance like that was beyond ceric.


    She shuffled forward one step at a time.


    Then she entered the range of Theresa¡¯s psychic ability.


    Her ability told her this <b>was </b>a living person.


    Not a zombie<b>. </b>


    She nced at Quentin. He frowned and gave a slight <b>nod</b>. ¡°Not a zombie.¡±


    The old woman came closET.


    She stopped about fifteen feet away from them.


    Slowly, she raised her head. Her wrinkled face sagged with age. Her droopy eyelids nearly covered her eyes, leaving only slits.


    Her teeth were <b>all gone</b><b>. </b>Her gums had shrunk back, and her mouth had copsed inward like a dried flower.


    Tightly pressed against her gums.


    She stared at them without blinking, then opened her mouth and asked in a trembling voice, ¡°Have you seen my son?¡±


    Theresa¡¯s heart thumped <b>hard</b>.


    Quentin grabbed her wrist and whispered in her ear, ¡°That kid was telling the truth. This ce really is


    haunted!¡±


    Theresa said nothing.


    Before Quentin even finished speaking, the old woman¡¯s body suddenly jolted.


    She stared <b>at </b>Quentin with wide, ssy eyes, ¡°Ryan!¡±


    Theresa blinked, ¡°What?¡±


    She watched in disbelief as the old woman rushed forward, swinging her cane wildly as she sprinted <b>toward </b>Quentin


    She moved so fast that in the blink of an eye, she reached them <b>and </b>shoved Theresa aside.


    C


    14.30


    Chapter 332 The Old Woman in the Corridor


    But Quentin reacted even faster. He pulled Theresa into his arms and threw the woman¡¯s hand of


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    The old woman stumbled, but her shining eyes stayed locked on Quentin. ¡°Ryan, Fm your mom. Don¡¯t you remember <b>me</b>?¡±


    ¡°Mom? Please. No way you had a son this good¨Clooking?¡±


    The old woman reached out to grab him. ¡°Ryan, you must still be mad at me. You didn¡¯t want to work at the mine, but I made you, I was wrong. Please forgive me.¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Quentin was ready to brush her off, but Theresa pinched his arm.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even recognize your own mom? You crazy?¡±


    Quentin kept his mouth shut.


    ¡°Ryan¡­.


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯m Ryan. Mom, I¡¯m home.¡±


    The moment she heard that, the old woman trembled with excitement. She grabbed Quentin¡¯s hand tightly.


    ¡°Ryan, you¡¯re back! Come home with me!¡±


    Her grip was frighteningly strong, like a steel mp. She seemed afraid that if she let go, her long¨Clost son would vanish again.


    Quentin looked at Theresa. Follow her and see what¡¯s going on.¡±

 Kept Woman 333

    Chapter 333 The Hidden Gift


    Quentin understood right away.


    Just then, the old woman turned, her bright eyes narrowing with suspicion as she looked at Theresa Hall ¡°Ryan, who¡¯s she?¡±


    Quentin gripped Theresa¡¯s wrist without hesitation. ¡°Your daughter¨Cinw.¡±


    Theresa said nothing, caughtpletely off guaril.


    The old woman grew even more excited. She grabbed Quentin and dragged him toward a room up ahead. As she walked, <b>she </b>rambled. ¡°I got some money saved up for you two. I¡¯ll sell the house to Mr. Elijah, get you enough for a <b>down </b>payment. Go grab yourselves a nice ce in the city.¡±


    Theresa and Quentin exchanged a nce but didn¡¯t say anything.


    They <b>hadn¡¯t </b>gone far when the old woman stopped at a locked room. Her hands trembled as she fumbled for a key and opened the <b>door</b><b>. </b>


    Inside was a surprisingly neat and spotless old room. Every surface sparkled and stood in sharp contrast to the dusty, chaotic hallway outside.


    ¡°Come on in. I¡¯ll grab you something to cat.¡±


    Theresa kicked Quentin.


    He kept his tone light. ¡°<b>Mom</b><b>, </b>have you seen anyone else?¡±


    ¡°Others¡­ The old woman paused. She didn¡¯t answer and instead yanked them both into the room with force.


    Quentin¡¯s instincts kicked in. ¡°Mom, if you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯m not going <b>in</b><b>.¡± </b>


    The old woman turned to him with a firm look. ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere till you eat!¡±


    Quentin mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m not a kid. I don¡¯t y anymore.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll always be a kid to me! Now eat first!¡±


    Her face turned serious. Her dried¨Cup hands were like iron mps as she pulled him inside.


    Once they were in, she shuffled toward the kitchen.


    Quentin nced back at Theresa. ¡°Beautiful, what do we do now?¡±


    Theresa stared at the old woman as her mind raced.


    This was the first person she¡¯d encountered here. Everything about her felt off.


    Something¡¯s wrong with her. I¡¯m sure she has something to do with Kyle and the others disappearing.


    She must have some kind of ability, maybe even a mutated one like Emma¡®


    Chapter 333 The Hidden Gift


    ¡°Just y along. Get her to talk. See if we can find where Kyle and the others are.¡±


    Quentin nodded. ¡°Got it,¡±


    At that moment, the old <b>woman </b>returned holding two <b>cans </b>of earned yellow peaches.


    ¡°Your favorite, canned peaches. Eat <b>up.</b>¡±


    Theresa <b>instantly </b>noticed mold on the cans. The peaches inside looked like they¡¯d been burned by cigarette butts and were covered in bluish¨Cgray fuzz


    Quentin grinned. I¡¯m not hungry right now.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re hungry, you¡¯re eating! You¡¯ve always loved these. I saved them just for you.¡± She fumbled with the lid and pulled a shiny spoon from her pocket.


    She shoved the spoon into the can <b>and </b>locked eyes on Quentin, like the whole day couldn¡¯t move forward if he didn¡¯t eat.


    Quentin took a deep breath, shut his eyes, and shoveled in a bite.


    Whatever. I¡¯m halfbie. I won¡¯t die from this


    He ate it.


    The old woman¡¯s cold aura melted instantly as she beamed with delight. She looked at Theresa and tried to hand her a can, too.


    ¡°You <b>have </b>some <b>too</b>.¡±


    Before she could speak, Quentin took it from her. ¡°Mom, she doesn¡¯t like them. I¡¯ll eat hers too.¡±


    Theresa stifled augh. The old woman chuckled <b>along</b>.


    As theyughed, the old woman turned to Theresa. ¡°Come with me.¡±


    ¡°<b>Mom</b>!¡± Quentin called out as he tried to stop her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill her!¡± she snapped, ring at him. ¡°What, you get a wife and suddenly I don¡¯t exist?¡±


    ¡°Come on, follow <b>me</b>.


    Without waiting, she turned and headed toward another room.


    Theresa stood up.


    ¡°Beautiful.¡± Quentin said quietly!


    ¡°Let


    me check it out.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Quentin stopped her. He carefully tied the red string around her <b>wrist </b>and knotted it tight. ¡°Be careful.¡±


    Chapter 333 The Hidden Gift


    ¡°I will.¡±


    Theresa walked step by step toward the old woman¡¯s room.


    As soon as she stepped inside, the door mmed shut behind her.


    She stayed on high alert as arge iron box appeared in front of her.


    The old woman held it like it was treasure and walked over with a big smile. <b>¡°</b>Come take a look¡±


    Theresa frowned. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°This is all for you. The old woman cheerfully opened the box. Inside was a thick stack of moldy money <b>and </b>a small red booklet.


    ¡°I saved this for Ryan¡¯s wife. There¡¯s thirty thousand in here, and that¡¯s the deed to the old house. It¡¯s <b>all </b>yours now.

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    Chapter 334 The Core of Her Reality


    Chapter 334 The Core of Her Reality


    Theresa said nothing


    After stuffing those things into Theresa¡¯s hands, the old woman trembled in the pulled or red dee pouch from her own clothes.


    She opened the pouch to reveal severalyers of folded cloth


    She peeled back theyers one by one. Atst, an old¨Cfashioned gold ringa rekace seda prie of earringsy before Theresa¡¯s eyes


    ¡°Take these to the mall and melt them down. Make whatever style you like the old women sed terve shaking <b>as </b>she shoved <b>all </b>the jewelry into There¡¯s hands


    Theresa didn¡¯t want to take them, but the old woman¡¯s grip was too tight to break free


    The hold was so firm that Theresa could feel the warmth radiating from the woman¡¯s paim


    She was really alive.


    She¡¯s still alive.


    ¡°How did you survive these two years?¡± Theresa asked.


    The same as any olddy. I just live, bask in the sun, and wait for you all toe back the old woman replied cheerfully.


    ¡°What do you eat?¡±


    The old woman pulled Theresa into her bedroom, where there was a box of cookies sent from the min


    ¡°I don¡¯t eat much. One cookie every three days, I still have a lot left. You don¡¯t need to buy me anything she said.


    Theresa frowned. She knew some elderly people ate very little each day.


    But this was too little¨Cso little that even after two years, the whole box of cookies was still untouched.


    She suddenly remembered the cans of food she had brought and asked, ¡°You don¡¯t even eat canned food=¡±


    ¡°Canned food is expensive. It¡¯s for Ryan. I don¡¯t eat it, the old woman shook her head repeatedly.


    Theresa felt a tightness grow in her chest as she listened.


    The canned food was so expensive that she wouldn¡¯t even eat it before it went bad.


    Her gaze then fell on a photo weighed down on the table. It showed a boy¡¯s growth from childhood to present.


    But from the age of five, one of his eyes was covered with a <b>cloth </b>patch.


    ¡°Ryan is a poor kid. When he was little, his dad and I were busy. We couldn¡¯t take care of him. One


    Chapter 334 The Core of Her Reality.


    ident damaged his eye. Since then, he¡¯s had only one eye, the old woman exined


    Theresa finally understood why she had mistaken Quentin for the old woman¡¯s child.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want him to work outside because I don¡¯t want him to beughed at, City folks won¡¯t hire a one- eyed man<b>. </b>It¡¯s better for him to work in the mine near home, the old wornan rambled on.


    <b>Just </b>as she was about to keep talking. Theresa suddenly heard a loud shout


    ¡°Let me go! I <b>want </b>to save my wife and child!¡±


    Henry¡¯s voice pierced through from somewhere.


    The old woman¡¯s cheerful face darkened instantly.


    She dropped Theresa¡¯s <b>hand </b>and strode outside.


    Theresa hurried after her.


    As she stepped outside, she saw Quentin standing there.


    ¡°Are you <b>okay</b>?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Theresa said<b>, </b>looking at the doorway where the old woman had just stepped out. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go after her!¡±


    She rushed to the door and found it locked.


    <b>¡°</b>Stay <b>inside</b>. I¡¯ll handle those annoying people. From now on, we stay together, the old woman called from


    outside.


    ¡°Mom, open the door!¡± Quentin pounded on it as he tried to call her back.


    But after that, the voice outside faded away.


    ¡°Step aside. I¡¯ll do it. Theresa stepped back two <b>paces</b>.


    Quentin immediately moved aside..


    Bam!


    Theresa kicked the lock.


    The old iron gate dented inward and exposed the lock core.


    Bam! Bam! Bam!


    Three more hard kicks followed


    Crack.


    The lock broke.


    Quentin gave Theresa a thumbs¨Cup.


    Chapter 334 The Core of Her Reality


    Beautiful is really awesome!


    She¡¯s not one to talk before acting.


    After the door burst open. Theresa pushed it wide and stepped outside.


    The next second, both she and Quentin froze.


    In front of them was the exact same room.


    It was clean and free of dust.


    On a square wooden table sat two open cans of canned yellow peaches. Both were moldy.


    Quentin stood behind Theresa<b>. </b>


    Seeing the scene, he turned around and found the room behind them was perfectly symmetrical, like a reflection in a mirror,


    ¡°How is <b>this </b>possible?¡± Quentin whispered.


    Theresa closed her eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s a mutant mental ability user. We¡¯re inside her core domain.¡±


    ording to themon ssification of abilities from her previous life, abilities originate from body


    constitution.


    They all connect somehow.


    For example, those who like running develop strong leg muscles and often gain speed abilities.


    Those with powerful upper limbs tend to develop strength abilities.


    A rarer type of elemental mutation is the body¡¯s sensitivity to the five elements¨Cmetal<b>, </b>wood, water, fire, and earth. In this mutated apocalypse, people are drawn to different elements.


    For example, the first resident Theresa epted was David. He was a botanist by profession, so he developed a nt¨Cbased ability.


    ¡­

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    Chapter 335 The Cage of the Mind


    Chapter 335 The Cage of the Mindi


    Kyle¡¯s ability leaned toward the gentle and bnced water¨Cbased type.


    On the other hand, multi¨Cability users were sensitive to many elements. For instance, Tyger had a hot temper and used to fight in illegal underground matches. He evolved in the direction of fire and metal- based abilities.


    Then there were mutations that branched from specific abilities


    <b>For </b>example, Lucas wielded lightning, ice, and light¨Cbased powers. Light was technically a variant of lightning. Strong bursts of electricity could produce intense shes, so his abilities were all interconnected.


    At the top tier stood someone like Sage. He possessed mental maniption, precognition, and control- type powers. These abilities felt like maniption of time or space.


    All of these stemmed from the most mysterious of origins, which was mental maniption. This type of ability could mutate endlessly depending on a person¡¯s physical condition and desires.


    Emma was a clear example. She was mentally unstable, and her mutated mental ability <b>was </b>unlike anything Theresa had ever encountered.


    Theresa looked at everything unfolding around them. She boldly suspected they were inside <b>a </b>mental mutation just like Emma¡¯s.


    They were currently trapped inside the domain of an extremely powerful mental maniption ability


    <b>user</b>.


    ¡°How do we get out?¡± Quentin asked.


    ¡°We need to find the <b>old </b><b>woman</b>. The only way to end <b>this </b>is to find her real body, Theresa said.


    Quentin leaned toward the busted door and yelled, ¡°Mom! Come back! I miss <b>you</b>!¡±


    Theresa blinked.


    ¡°Mom! I¡¯m hungry! It¡¯s dinner time!¡±


    Theresa pressed her fingers against her temple.


    No matter what Quentin yelled, everything outside stayed deathly silent.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough<b>. </b>Stop yelling, Theresa said tly.


    ¡°What¡¯s your brilliant idea, Beautiful?¡±


    ¡°We need to find what she cares about. Theresa frowned as she looked at the canned yellow peaches on the table and the old family portrait in the room.


    In that photo, her son <b>still </b>had both eyes <b>intact</b>.


    An idea suddenly struck her.


    Chapter 335 The Cage of the Mind


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it!¡±


    She handed the <b>metal </b>box to Quentin and opened it. Insitle was a deed to the property. She pulled it our and read the <b>names </b>listed on it.


    Evan Miles and <b>Lana </b>Condor,


    On the third¨Cfloornding, several peopley unconscious.


    They appeared to be caught in nightmares and unable to <b>move</b>.


    Among them, only one person <b>was </b>still struggling with all his strength.


    ¡°Let me out! I need to get out! My wife <b>and </b>kid <b>are </b>waiting for me!¡±


    An old woman in a floral cotton coat hobbled forward with a cane. Her face was shriveled like a dying tree and lookedpletely lifeless.


    She red at the man trying to wake up. Her eyes were full of hatred. ¡°You rotten thing. Trying to steal my <b>son </b><b>again</b>? No way!¡±


    She raised her cane and brought it down hard on his head.


    Just then, she heard a voice calling <b>out</b>.


    ¡°Ms. Condor! Ryan¡¯s in trouble. His eye¡¯s been hurt. Pleasee back!¡±


    Three seconds after Theresa shouted, they heard the tap<b>¨C</b>tap¨Ctap of a cane hitting the ground.


    In the blink of an eye, the <b>room </b>around them changed. It turned back into that gray and dim <b>hallway</b><b>. </b>


    A floral¨Ccoated old woman limped toward them fast with her <b>cane</b>.


    ¡°Ryan! <b>What </b>happened to <b>Ryan</b><b>?</b>¡±


    Right as she reached the door, someone stepped out and grabbed her by the back of the neck. In one swift motion, they mmed her against the wall.


    ¡°Ms. Condor, let us out.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s calm voice came from behind her.


    The old woman froze, then suddenly exploded <b>with </b>rage. ¡°So, you¡¯re rotten too! You want to tear me <b>away </b>from my son!¡±


    ¡°Be smart about it. Let everyone go, or I won¡¯t be so polite next time, Theres med


    ¡°<b>You </b><b>wish</b>! I¡¯ll never be separated from my son!¡± the old woman screamed.


    Then she heard a <b>familiar </b>voice.


    ¡°Mom, I want to go.¡±


    14:36 Tue, 19 Aug


    Chapter 335 The Cage of the Mind


    The fury in her eyes faded at once. She slowly turned her old hear toward Quentin


    Quentin gave Theresa a quick nce.


    He walked up to the old woman and smiled at her. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve grown up. I need to go out and make my


    OWEL <b>WIN</b><b>. </b>


    ¡°You don¡¯t want me working in some mine forever with no future, right?¡±


    The old woman stiffened. ¡°But people out there willugh at you¡±


    ¡°Even if they do, I still want to go. I want to do what I love. I want to see the world. I want new friends. I want to be a free cagle, flying wherever I want.¡±


    ¡°Mom, please let us go <b>Quentin¡¯s </b>voice was sincere.


    So sincere it could move anyone.


    The old woman stared at him. The joy and excitement on her face slowly faded.


    ¡°Are you actually Ryan?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I am.¡± Quentin squatted down with a goofy smile.


    Suddenly, the old woman reached out to pull off his blindfold. Just as it started to slip, a hand shot our and stopped her

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    Chapter 336 The Final Door


    s.


    Theresa stared at Lana, her eyes cold and filled with killing intent. There had been a time when she felt sympathy and hoped to avoid taking things too far. But now, that moment had passed. This was the end.


    If deception didn¡¯t work, then the only choice left was to kill.


    Just then. Lana turned around. She had her back to them as she limped toward the door.


    ¡°If you want to leave, then go ahead. Juste back sometime if you can<b>.¡± </b>


    Bang!


    Lana stepped inside, and the door mmed shut right in Theresa and Quentin¡¯s fa


    The hallway in front of them waspletely different. It stretched on long and unfamiliar. It looked nothing like the cluttered corridor on the first floor.


    That was when they saw the others. They were unconscious near the <b>staircase </b>on the third floor.


    Kyley at the top of the stairs, holding the young man in his arms. Both of them <b>had </b>copsed together. Tyger was sprawled on the steps with his head down and feet up.


    The rest of the group, Nathan¡¯s team, had copsed in a heap with their bodies piled across the stairwell.


    ¡°Kyle!¡±


    ¡°Tyger!¡±


    Theresa rushed forward with Quentin. She grabbed Kyle and Tyger and shook them hard.


    Momentster, both of them stirred awake.


    ¡°Theresa.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    From the tangled group, the man at the top suddenly jolted from a nightmare.


    He sat up and looked around wildly. ¡°What time is it?¡±


    ¡°Almost midnight.¡±


    When Henry heard that, it was like a switch flipped in his brain. He <b>sprang </b>to <b>his </b>feet <b>and </b><b>charged </b><b>toward </b>the third floor<b>. </b>


    ¡°Sophie! Please wait for me!¡±


    <b>They </b><b>had </b><b>been </b>inside for nearly three hours,


    His scream startled the others. Nathan <b>slowly </b><b>regained </b>consciousne


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    <b>Tue</b>, 19 20


    Chapter 336 The Final Door


    ¡°I swear, I <b>don¡¯t </b>know where your son is the young man shouted. He had just woken up and quickly scrambled over to Nathan.


    ¡°<b>Nathan</b>! I saw a ghost! I just saw Ms. away from her door!¡±


    Condor! She asked if I¡¯d seen her son. I said no, then I couldn¡¯t get


    *D*mn, same here!¡± another team member said. ¡°It¡¯s been two <b>years</b>. Ms. Condor must¡¯ve died and turned into a ghost stuck in that ce.


    ¡°Nathan, we should get moving.¡±


    The others spoke up quickly.


    Just then, Henry ran up holding a big medical kit in his arms.


    ¡°Nathan. I <b>got </b>it! Let¡¯s go back now!¡±


    ¡°You got it, Henry?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Henry bolted down the stairs with the kit.


    Everything in front of them looked just like before.


    Within <b>moments</b>, they were back on the first floor.


    Noah and Alex, who had been guarding the entrance, looked ready to snap from tens blocked the exit behind them.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally back! The zombies are breaking through!¡±


    <b>A </b>pile of junk


    Outside therge iron gate, they <b>saw </b>the swarm: Crowds of zombies crashed against the metal, their bodies hitting with a steady ng¨Cng<b>¨C</b>ng.


    The ss windows on the gate had long since shattered.


    Zombie heads jammed through the iron bars, each face twisted and rotting.


    Leading the pack was that elderly zombie with no teeth.


    Its wrinkled face pushed against the grid of iron bars. The gums had <b>worn </b>away over time, leaving nothing but <b>a </b>bare jawbone.


    It kept gnawing at the bars with grinding force as its jaw muscles twitched<b>. </b>A white maggot squirmed out of one nostril.


    The unlucky maggot got crunched up as the zombie¡¯s jaws closed again.


    Its soft. pale body was mashed into goo and smeared across the sharp metal fence along with the zombies decaying flesh.


    Rauagh! Ranagh! Razagh!


    Aug


    Chapter <b>336 </b>The <b>Final </b>Door


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out the front door, hurry!¡±


    Nathan didn¡¯t hesitate. He ordered everyone to run for the front entrance.


    On his signal, Noah and Alex <b>dropped </b>what they were using to block the door and followed him.


    The moment they let go, the back door exploded open with a bang. The bikes, cabs, and other junk blocking it flew apart as the <b>wave </b>of zombies burst through..


    That thin iron door crumpled like paper.


    Thud¨Cthud¨Cthud!


    Thud¨Cthud¨Cthud!


    Thud¨Cthud¨Cthud!


    ¡°Move!¡±


    ¡°Move!¡±


    <b>¡®</b><b>Go </b>


    It was only 30 meters from the back to the front.


    Just as they reached the front door, the rear gate shattered behind them with a crash.


    A flood of zombies poured in and swarmed the ce like a wave.


    They wed at bicycles and climbed over cabs. They kicked over stools, mmed to dusty old TVs, and knocked down baby walkers as they charged forward, howling


    Nathan¡¯s hand trembled as he tried to unlock the door. A long ring of keys jingled in his grip.


    But no matter how hard he tried, he still couldn¡¯t find the <b>right </b>one.


    Chapter 837 A Mother¡¯s Last Stand


    Chapter

 Kept Woman 337

    337 A Mother¡¯s Last Stand


    The stench of <b>rot </b>and the howls of the undead exploded inside his skull.


    The more nervous he got, the worse he performed.


    Just then, a calm and steady <b>voice </b>echoed in his e


    ¡°What¡¯s the panic?¡±


    That voice was soposed TEAM


    strength.


    ck.


    He aimed the key at the <b>lock</b>.


    Bang!


    car


    that it reached <b>into </b>his heart and flooded him with a surge of


    As the door swung open, a rush of fresh air poured in.


    Nathan led everyone charging out of the old building. The first thing he did once they were out was m the door shut.


    Bang!


    Raaagh!


    The horde in front of the building heard themotion and came surging over.


    Raaagh! Raaagh!


    Hurrh¨Church¨Church!


    Zombies came pouring from both sides of the building. They swarmed from every direction and surrounded thempletely


    <b>Nathan </b>and the others immediately pulled out their weapons to break through the encirclement.


    Henry clutched the medical kit in one arm. With the other, he swung his metal rake and charged headfirst, into the horde like a <b>man </b>with nothing to lose,


    They were only ten minutes and three hours away from <b>escape</b>.


    Hana, their only medical professional, had told him that Sophie couldn¡¯t hold on longer than three hours


    Charge!


    Boom! Just as thest of them made it down the stairs, the front doors behind them were smashed open by the wave of undead.


    The starving zombies had bloodshot eyes and came charging after them at full speed.


    <b>19 </b>Aug


    Chapter 337 A Mother¡¯s Last Stand


    Hungry!


    So hungry!


    That whole group of running prey was here now!


    Raaagh!


    Raaagh!


    The overwhelming zombie tide surrounded them from all sides and left no path of retreat.


    Even Henry had been leading the charge at the front. He was forced to a halt under the sheer weight of the horde..


    Beside <b>him</b>, hispanions swung their heavy shovels wildly at the zombies on either side. Nathan was the strongest among them and gave everything he had to stabilize the situation with his powers.


    As more and more zombies joined the fray, they ended up like food surrounded by ants and werepletely trapped.


    Theresa had been following at the rear <b>and </b>shook her head as she watched the scene unfold.


    Yeah¡­ I really can¡¯t expect much from a bunch of regr survors.


    Just average people all around.


    Average skills, average personalities. Nothing about them stands out.


    On this trip, Theresa had figured them outpletely.


    Mediocre <b>in </b>every way. But they had heart.


    They were a group she <b>could </b>take in and put to use.


    She looked at the approaching zombies with azy expression and was just about to raise her hand.


    Just then<b>, </b>an elderly voice called out from behind her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you darey a hand on my son!¡±


    The voice rang out. In the next moment, the zombies surrounding Theresa and the others suddenly <b>froze</b>.


    Inside one of the apartments on the first floor, an olddy in a floral cotton coat opened the balcony <b>door </b>and stood there leaning on <b>a </b>cane.


    The surrounding undead turned away from Theresa¡¯s group as if drawn to something far more tempting. They rushed toward the old woman instead.


    Theresa immediately understood what was happening


    Lucas had once done the same thing at the pharmaceutical research facility. He gave up his life to <b>boy </b>time for the others to <b>escape</b>.


    14


    <b>ue</b><b>, </b>19 Aug


    Chapter 337 A Mother¡¯s Last Stand


    Quentin, who was standing beside her, suddenly came to a stop.


    He turned to look toward the small garden near the first floor, where the old woman in the floral cont looked back at him through theyers of zombies. Her gaze was unwavering.


    ¡°Ryan, I won¡¯t stop you anymore. I won¡¯t let anyone else stop you either. Go forward. Go wherever you want. Don¡¯t look back.¡±


    Her mental energy surged outward in waves. To the zombies, it was like she had be the most mouthwatering piece of meat in the world.


    Raaagh!


    Radagh!


    Raaagh!


    In the blink of an eye, the old woman was swallowed by the surging wave of undead.


    ¡°We need to go now! Even the zombies from the pit areing!¡± Nathan shouted.


    He had spotted the deep pit nearby that they had dug before. Zombies trapped inside were now climbing out in droves,


    They couldn¡¯t reach the top of the pit, but they were able to crawl toward the spot where everyone now


    stood.


    One by one, the pitch¨Cck figures mbered out, like the dead rising from their graves. They howled as they surged toward the old woman, ready to give her life.


    As soon as Nathan shouted, Henry tapped into everyst bit of strength. He waited for the nearby zombies to thin out, then gritted his teeth <b>and </b>charged forward without hesitation.


    The others followed immediately and started running as fast as they could.


    Chapter 338 Born Beneath the Ashes.

 Kept Woman 338

    Chapter 338 Born Beneath the Ashes.


    Chapter 338 Born Beneath the Ashes.


    Quentin was the only one who stayed behind.


    He stared nkly toward the garden on the first floor, where countless zombies swarmed and ripped through <b>flesh</b>.


    A single cane flew out of the <b>sea </b>of corpses.


    Itnded off to the side, old and bloody


    ¡°You want to check it out?¡± Theresa asked.


    ¡°No. Quentin turned his head and took her hand


    He ran forward without looking back. Not once did he look back.


    Zombies were sted away as their heads split open in midair.


    ng!


    The underground gate mmed shut as Nathan led everyone back through countless dangers.


    On the way back, the zombies had likely been drawn away by Lana. Their return had been far luckier.


    After clearing out the <bst </b>few zombies at the cave entrance, everyone filed inside -by one.


    ¡°What took you guys so long?¡±


    ¡°Hana, how¡¯s Sophie!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s holding on, but the baby¡¯s not going to make it


    Waiting anxiously inside, Hana snatched the supplies without wasting a single word. She rushed straight to Sophie¡¯s side.


    Everyone inside waited for the birth of the child.


    After Theresa and her group came in, James led Liana over to them.


    In <b>just </b><b>a </b>few hours, their rtionship had clearly grown closer.


    ¡°Theresa, Liana told me a lot,¡± James began. ¡°Turns out, these folks used to work at the mine. Her dad used to be in charge of it.


    ¡°Their iron ore was mostly for export. Right before the apocalypse, they had arge shipinent ready at Westport for delivery.


    Her dad went to Westport to oversee the transport. But then the world ended, and they lost contact with


    <b>-?</b>!


    Chapter 338 Born Beneath the Ashes.


    him for good.¡±


    Theresa nodded. She gave James a look of approval for his intel work.


    Not bad. He got plenty of useful details in a short time.


    ¡°Oh, and Liana told me about Mr. Henry and Ms. Sophie too, James added after the praise. They really went through a lot. Mr. Henry was the second son. He always helped his older brother with the farm.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t marry until he <b>was </b>thirty, and Sophie was already divorced by then.


    ¡°Her ex was violent. He kept beating her and caused her to miscarry twice. He nearly killed her before she finally left him. After that, she <b>married </b>Mr. Henry.


    ¡°After they got married, Mr. Henry¡¯s older <b>brother </b>kicked them out. He wouldn¡¯t let them stay in the house. or give Henry anynd. They had to leave with <b>nothing </b>


    ¡°Luckily, they were in the right ce at the right time because the mine was hiring, Sophie <b>went </b>with him. and they worked hard. They took every overtime shift they could <b>and </b>saved all they could. They bought a secondhand ce near the mine and were nning to have a kid when the apocalypse hit.


    ¡°At first, Mr. Henry didn¡¯t want her to keep the baby, but there was nothing they could do. Fortunately, Liana¡¯s older brother talked with the others, and they agreed to help them raise the child. Everyone¡¯s been waiting for the birth.¡±


    After hearing <b>those </b>scattered tales of ordinary people, Theresa¡¯s gazended on the <b>man </b>crouching outside the curtained bed.


    He kept rubbing his hands and scratching at his ears. He was nervous and scaredfort him.


    ¡°others tried to


    For someone in his thirties and about to wee <b>his </b>first child in the middle of this hellish world, it was impossible for anyone to stay calm.


    At that moment, someone stepped in front of Theresa.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Nathan <b>said</b>¡­


    She <b>gave </b>a slight nod¨Cas they all deserved the thanks.


    Without them, they wouldn¡¯t have made it out alive. They couldn¡¯t have gotten past the horde or made it through Lana¡¯s ce.


    ¡°Who are you guys?¡±


    ¡°zing Sun Alliance. Theresa replied.


    <b>Nathan </b>had never heard of the name and asked, ¡°zing Sun Alliance?¡±


    She didn¡¯t bother exining. ¡°We¡¯re strong. If you join us, I can send people to clear out all the zombies for you. We¡¯ll provide supplies and protection.


    ¡°Your kids can go to school; and your sick will get medicine.¡±


    <b>14</b>:


    Tue, 1Y <b>AU </b>


    Chapter 338 Born Beneath the Ashes


    Nathan¡¯s eyes widened. He <b>stared </b>at Theresa in disbelief.


    While everyone else¡¯s attention was drawn to the <b>conversation</b>, a loud cry came from behind the curtain.


    ¡°The baby¡¯s born<b>!</b>¡±


    Hana rushed out holding a blood¨Ccovered infant. Everyone immediately swarmed around.


    ¡°Good thing you got the supplies here just in time,¡± Hana said excitedly. ¡°If you¡¯d been anyter, we¡¯d have lost the baby for sure!¡±


    The moment they heard that, everyone lit


    lit up


    with joy.


    They swarmed in, voices ovepping in a rush of excitement.


    ra


    ¡°Is it a boy or a girl?¡±


    ¡°Move over¨Clet me get a look!¡±


    ¡°Wait, why does the baby look like¡­ like a tiny old man?¡±


    14:37 Tue, 19 Augd.

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    Chapter 339 A New Dawn of Hope


    Chapter 339 A New Dawn of Hope


    ¡°All newborns look like that. Don¡¯t talk nonsense.


    While everyone was surrounding the baby, Henry dashed to his wife¡¯s hospital bed. ¡°Sophie.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s the <b>baby</b>?¡± Sophie asked.


    ¡°The baby¡¯s fine. We¡¯re all fine, Henry answered.


    ¡°Is it a boy or a <b>girl</b>?¡± she continued.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t look,¡± he replied.


    +3 Fra C


    ¡°How could you not look?¡± Sophie demanded, to which Henry replied, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a boy or a girl. It¡¯s our child all the same. I <b>swear </b>I¡¯ll protect both of you.


    Seeing the joyful atmosphere, Theresa quietly stepped back with her group.


    Once she was out of the crowd, Nathan approached her again. That alliance you mentioned¨Cwhat exactly <b>is </b>it?<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°It¡¯s the human alliance I established in the center of Ansford, leading fifty¨Ceight camps to form it together.¡±


    ¡°In the center of Ansford<b>?</b>¡± Nathan repeated.


    ¡°Yeah. We¡¯ve already taken control of Ansford, Theresa replied.


    Nathan gasped, staring at Theresa in astonishment. His mouth hung open, and he couldn¡¯t speak for a moment. Finally, he said, ¡°If we join you, what would you need us to do?¡±


    She questioned, ¡°You¡¯re <b>all </b>miners, right?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Yes¡±


    Join my camp, be my residents, and help me mine ore. From now on, I¡¯ll supply all your living materials,¡± Theresa invited him.


    Upon hearing this, Nathan felt waves of emotion crashing in his chest. He saw hope for humanity. They could resume production and return to their previous way of life.


    Three dayster, he saw the special forces team that entered their mining area.


    The terrifying zombie hordes that they had feared and couldn¡¯t fight off were wiped out with ease by these people.


    The zombie pit at the foot of the mountain was cleared out by heavy firepower. Even the zombies ar the top of the hill, <b>which </b>they <b>had </b>always avoided with utmost caution, were eradicated. The <b>old </b>apartment


    Chapter 339 A New Dawn of Hope


    the camp on the hill was cleared within half a day.


    That area, which they had sacrificed manyrades to secure as a rtively safe activity zone, <b>was </b></divpletely cleared by these people in less than a day.


    Only now did Nathan truly witness Theresa¡¯s power,


    While ordinary people were still struggling to survive, she was already leading survivors to fight back against the zombies.


    Theresa¡¯s power made him look up to her in awe.


    He couldn¡¯t help but recall everything that had happened since he and his group met her. She¡¯d always seemed so mysterious.


    From the moment she arrived, she had saved Sophie from heavy bleeding with a single action. When she went out with them, she casually warned him at the gate, and they narrowly avoided a major zombie


    threat.


    Back in the old apartments, her team had been the first to wake up. When zombies were chasing them, a single sentence from her would calm him down instantly.


    He <b>was </b>sure of one thing. Without Theresa, there was no way the camp¡¯s baby would have survived.


    Even if she hadn¡¯t <be </b>and drawn the zombies away from the mountaintop, making the outside rtively safer, they still wouldn¡¯t have been able to retrieve supplies from the old apartments and return safely.


    Without Theresa, they would all have been doomed.


    She even told them that if they joined her, their children would be able to attend school, they¡¯d have protection, and <b>ess </b>to abundant resources in exchange forbor.


    Everything she promised came true.


    Someone had reallye to clear out the zombies for them. His sister, Liana, could now go to school again inside Ansford. Their alliance had a rich list of resources, and as long as they mined ore, they could exchange freely for supplies.


    Seeing all this be reality, Nathan felt like he had encountered a divine savior.


    Without hesitation, he chose to lead all the survivors to join Theresa¡¯s camp.


    ¡®Ding! Detected 32 new camp residents


    ¡®Host rewarded with 3,200 points


    ¡®Resident special ability replication <b>reward </b>granted!¡±


    ¡®Ding! Water¨Cbased ability detected, enhancing water¨Cbased ability!¡±


    ¡®Ding! Detected the birth of a newborn in the camp. The host was rewarded with all the camp


    children¡¯s


    <b>273 </b>


    ?


    Chapter 339 A New Dawn of Hope.


    health doubled!


    ¡®Host health doubled as well!¡±


    <i>¡°</i>Ding! Territory expansion detected, host rewarded with 10 new drones!


    A string of rewards rolled in <b>like </b><b>a </b>festive firecracker.


    Theresa had just received another wave of wealth.


    She was short on manpower. Now, with this


    influx ofbor, the mining shortage waspletely filled.


    She no longer needed to reassign people for mining, as these people were highly skilled professionals.


    Furthermore, she had integrated this entire group directly into her own camp, not just as alliance partners.


    Though from a strategic standpoint, gaining alliance members would be more profitable for her because alliance partners sustain their own camps. She wouldn¡¯t have to support them herself.

 Kept Woman 340

    Chapter 340 The Foundation of Power


    Even though trading resources with alliance partners generated far more trade points than what her own camp residents produced, bringing the miners in as direct members of her camp was a necessary move because the mine was a critical source of energy and raw materials.


    It needed to be monopolized.


    Within the zing Sun Alliance, the food supply, power generation, <b>evolution </b>serums, scientific research, and now the mining operations were all monopolized by Theresa.


    These were the foundations of survival


    Theresa¡¯s people directly controlled every essential sector.


    Food production was fully mechanized and operated by longtime residents in the vi district. The nuclear power nt was under hermand, providing electricity for the entire city. The evolution serums were sold by her exclusively. There was no second supplier. In the field of research, Tania led the effort, with Bennie¡¯s people assisting.


    The rest of the camps in the alliance were engaged in manufacturing and industries built upon the fundamental systems she provided.


    In other words, all allied camps relied on Theresa for survival.


    So, when the need for the mine was confirmed, Theresa made the trip herself to secure it


    All foundational materials had to be personally overseen by her.


    Her people would always hold control over the zing Sun Alliance¡¯s structural backbone, ensuring <b>that </b>even if all other camps were cut off, the alliance could still function perfectly.


    Allied camps would always rely on her and never surpass her.


    Once the mining operation started yielding raw materials, Ansford¡¯s factories began producing steel continuously.


    With the supply chain up and running, group after group of high defense wa Ansford¡¯s borders.


    gan to rise along


    As each section of the border wall was built, Theresa could begin relocating the small camps stationed on the frontline defending against zombje tides, pulling them back inside the fortified borders.


    There, they could defend against the zombie tides from within.


    Not long after, the first ten¨Ckilometer segment of the border wall waspleted.


    The Flowers Camp was in the southernmost corner of Ansford


    ¡°Mr. Cloud, are we really allowed to retreat now?


    Ansford was located in the eastern region, nked by Branford and Crestmont. The Flowers Camp sat at the very edge, near the border between Ansford and Branford.


    14:38 TUG, 19209


    Chapter 340 The Foundation of Power


    They had received Theresa¡¯s radio messages early on.


    Even before the zing Sun Alliance was officially founded, they had heard of her namer


    But due to distance and danger, they <b>couldn¡¯t </b>attend the first multi¨Calliance conference in person.


    Commander Louis Cloud <b>had </b>regretted that decision for a long time because he was a hardcore fan of


    Theresa.


    The moment he heard about her n to retake the city and form an alliance of survivors, he was beyond


    excited.


    He wanted nothing more than to charge ahead and join with his people immediately.


    Since then, he had been glued to the radio, tuning in for every broadcast, eagerly listening even to her blunt insults calling non¨Cjoiners ¡°idiots.¡±


    He totally agreed. Theresa was right to curse them.


    Anyone who didn¡¯t join her was, indeed, an idiot..


    But their location was too remote, caught between two zombie¨Cinfested towns.


    They had hidden away in <b>a </b>stretch of farnd, always on high alert in case the towns suddenly unleashed zombie waves <b>that </b>would wipe them out.


    Eventually, the zing Sun Alliance was officially established, and Theresa would begin supporting any camp that joined


    Louis was the first to sign u <ol><li>up. </li></ol>


    After signing up, they indeed received supply drops via drone and were reinforced by abat squad.


    Louis was very excited at that moment. Everyone in the camp saw <b>hope </b>again. He knew his idol meant what she <b>said</b>. She <b>was </b>someone worth following and trusting.


    Their camp had been assigned to hold their ground and help resist the zombie waves outside the city.


    He <b>stood </b>firm with the reinforcements, and over nearly a year, they withstood multiple waves of zombie


    attacks.


    With Theresa¡¯s constant supply of materials and firepower, they endured wave after wave.


    At Flowers Camp, Louis held the line day after day.


    Under <b>his </b><b>leadership</b>, the zing Sun Alliance grew stronger each day.


    He saw Theresa take over Ansford, saw countless survivors return to the city, saw zombies being cleared out, <b>and </b>watched as building materials were delivered in droves. Starting from their southernmost <b>location</b>, the high wall began to rise.


    They waited a long time, and finally, Theresa announced that they could withdraw their camp and move inside the protective walls


    3273


    Chapter 340 The Foundation of Power


    ¡°Everyone, overjoyed.


    kup the supplies. Transport everything into the first segment of the wall! Louis shouted,


    With hismand, all members of Flowers Camp began their evacuation.


    One by one, bicycles and small carts carried supplies toward the newly built wall.


    But just as the entire camp <b>began </b>its withdrawal, a deafening roar erupted from the farnd behind them. A massive horde of zombies surged forward.


    Huge waves of zombies came flooding out of the nearby <b>towns</b>, swarming like locusts, forming a dark, endless tide as they charged through the rice fields.


    Among them were men and women, young and old.

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    Chapter 341 The Wall of Hope


    Chapter 341 The Wall of Hope


    s


    These people were all former residents of the small town. When the zombie virus broke out, disaster struck swiftly.


    Families fell one after another, entire streets were infected, and before long, the moderately popted <b>town </b>had be a zombie yground.


    As time passed, not a scrap of food remained in the town.


    Hunger drove the zombies to evolve. Their sense of smell grew sharper, and their ability to detect food from afar was greatly enhanced.


    Eventually, the zombie hordes began following faint scents in waves, and the zombies in the town fully discovered the presence of life nearby.


    With howls and roars, they twisted their decaying, putrid bodies and poured out from the town in a


    massive surge.


    The real zombie tide had arrived.


    Louis was in the middle of organizing the camp¡¯s evacuation when he heard the sounds behind him.


    He turned and saw the zombies charging straight at them<b>. </b>


    ¡°Run! Move it! Hurry!¡±


    Louis scooped up a small child who <b>had </b>fallen behind and drove the residents ahead.


    The reinforcement squad Theresa had sent had already entered the first line of the border <b>wall</b>. They had opened a gate, letting everyone rush through


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Behind him, the fastest of the lot <b>was </b>a fat zombie.


    When it ran, the ground shook. Its bby body wobbled wildly as it sprinted. It had wound across its gut, starting from the stomach and stretching down through its na and intestines were hollowed out.


    ping diagonal


    as internal organs


    But it was so obese that theyers of fat had copsed <b>inward</b>, plugging the wound. As it ran, the jiggling flesh flung side to side, briefly revealing its blood¨Ccaked belly.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Louis had no time to look back. He pushed himself to his limits, sprinting.


    When he saw someone fall, he immediately helped them up and kept running.


    Ahead of them stood the newly built steel wall.


    Fifty meters.


    13


    1400


    Chapter 341 The Wall of Hope


    Thirty meters.


    Twenty meters.


    Ten meters.


    Five meters.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The fat zombie flung its whole mass forward, leaping high off the ground, aiming straight at its running


    prey.


    The fat zombie hurled itself into the air, aiming right at the running crowd.


    §£§à§à§ä!


    A deafening crash. The fat zombie hit the iron gate.


    St!


    A thick, oozing smear of red and gore stuck to the steel gate.


    Thud<b>! </b>


    The zombies behind it began smashing into the wall one after another.


    Louis clutched <b>the </b>child and supported his fellow residents. He could feel the vibration of the iron wall <b>behind </b>him. His heart leaped into his throat.


    But he


    bulized, no matter <b>how </b>many zombies mmed <b>into </b>it, this ten¨Ckilometer¨Clong iron wall didn¡¯t


    inch.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Above the iron wall, soldiers from the zing Sun Camp¡¯s reinforcement squad raised their rifles and opened fire on the zombie horde below,


    Outside the wall, <b>an </b>endless stream of zombies surged forward, only to be stopped cold by the towering barricade.


    They howled <b>as </b>they trampled <b>over </b>the bodies of their fallenrades, trying to climb the wall.


    But every time they got close, bullets from above sent them flying.


    When they managed to scramble two meters high, stepping on piles of corpses-


    Shing!


    A seam silently opened in the steel <b>wall</b>. From within, a long de <b>shot </b>out. It swept across the tightly packed horde, slicing the zombles in half at the waist.


    An <b>hour </b>and a <b>half </b>of intense resistance, the ground outside the wall was covered in zombie corpses.


    Chapter 341 The Wall of Hope


    Thebat team opened the gate and stepped outside to collect gleamstones one by one..


    Upon seeing this, Louis felt an overwhelming sense of relief and gratitude..


    If not for the wall Theresa had built, the Flowers Camp would have been wiped out during the massive zombie siege just now.


    There was no way they could have held off a <b>horde </b>of that scale on their own.


    ¡°<b>Mr. </b>Cloud, does this mean we never have to worry about sudden zombie attacks again?¡± someone asked.


    Louis looked at everything before him, eyes gleaming. ¡°Yes¡±


    From now on, they would defend against the zombies from within the secure walls.


    No longer would they have to risk their lives guarding a poorly fortified farnd camp, struggling against the tide of death.


    No more sleepless nights wondering if zombies would break in mid¨Cdream and devour them whole.


    They had a barrier now. <b>And </b>it was all thanks to Theresa!


    Theresa is awesome!


    The zing Sun Alliance is amazing!


    Louis admiration for Theresa reached an all¨C<b>time </b>high.


    Mid¨CSeptember.


    The traditional Thanksgiving Festival


    Just before the <b>festival</b>, Theresa¡¯s first defensive line had beenpleted.


    Inside her office, she sat quietly, studying the map.

 Kept Woman 342

    19 Aug


    Chapter 342 Fortress of Prosperitys¡¯s


    Chapter 342 Fortress of Prosperitys¡¯s


    The first defensive line began simultaneously from the north and south.


    Each direction would construct ten kilometers.


    The wall for the defensive line had been painstakingly designedp¡¯s engineers, who worked


    through sleepless nights.


    by the


    They had optimized the design to save materials and time while ensuring both durability and offensive capability.


    Construction would proceed in both the southern and northern directions concurrently. As the walls rose, the smaller camps outside, <b>which </b>had been holding off zombies, would retreat into the safety of the new defense zone.


    Those isted camps would no longer fight alone.


    They had swayed like floating duckweed in the face of the zombie tides.


    Now, they would enter the interior of the defense line into a secure area to resist the zombie hordes pressing against the steel wall together.


    Only after the first defensive line was officiallypleted would a real and physical frontline against the zombiese into being


    By then, even if zombie tides surged in from both Branford and Crestmont, she wouldn¡¯t be afraid.


    Theresa had heard that just yesterday, the first section of the southern line waspleted, right before a zombie tide hit. And the defense had held up quite well.


    She smiled in satisfaction.


    Keep going. Theresa. Continue the construction!


    Turn the zing Sun Alliance into the strongest fortress for survivors


    After handling production matters and frontline affairs, she finally had a rare <b>moment </b>of free time.


    With nothing urgent to do, she stood by the window, stretchedzily, and watch he busy people below.


    At that moment, Lucas came looking for <b>her</b>. ¡°Theresa.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Theresa replied.


    Lucas gazed at Theresa as she stretched by the window, the sunlight illuminating her figure. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed slightly, and he looked a little nervous. ¡°Today is the Thanksgiving Festival. Do you have any <b>ns</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Thanksgiving already?¡± Theresa blinked. She had actually forgotten it was that time of year.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lucas nodded. ¡°My grandpa made some food at home. He¡¯d like to invite you over.¡±


    ?


    Chapter 342 Fortress of Prosperitys¡¯s


    ¡°Why are you inviting me? That¡¯s your grandpa. 7 should be going to see iny aunt,¡± Theress answered.


    ¡°He¡¯s your god¨Cgrandpa tool You guys did that whole godparent thing, remember<b>?</b>¡±


    Theresa was speechless.


    Wait. That actually happened?


    ¡°Well, I still have to check with my aunt, Theresa said.


    ¡°Ms. Tania is invited too. She said she¡¯lle,¡± Lucas quickly added.


    ¡°She said yes?¡± Theresa raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yeah. She¡¯sing, Lucas replied


    ¡°Alright then. I¡¯lle too.¡± Theresa nodded in agreement.


    Lucas lit up when she agreed and turned to leave immediately, unable to hide his happiness.


    ¡°Mr. Keaton, what¡¯s got you in <b>such </b><b>a </b>good mood <b>today</b>?¡± Bennie walked past and greeted <b>him</b><b>. </b>


    Lucas looked at him. He actually found him pleasant for once and replied, ¡°Happy Thanksgiving Festival.¡±


    Bennie answered, ¡°Happy Thanksgiving Festival<b>.¡± </b>


    After realizing it was the Thanksgiving <b>Festival</b>, Theresa arranged for arge batch of welfare gifts to be distributed to all the residents of her camp.


    Each resident received a set of new clothes, ten pounds of <b>pork</b>, a box of pumpkin pies, a tiny gold token, and 100 points to exchange for supplies freely.


    Whenever a camp had a surplus, they would issue some benefits to their people.


    Today, everyone in the zing Sun Alliance <b>was </b>filled with joy.


    ¡°Our camp gave out Thanksgiving gift packs. Everyone got a pound of rice!¡±


    ¡°Wow. Your camp must be rich. Ours only gave out a pack of cookies, and it wa


    k¨Cbought tool


    ¡°KI <b>Camp </b>is still the best. I heard they gave each person a pumpkin pie and a barbecue feast!¡±


    ¡°Whoa! K1 Camp is loaded!¡±


    ¡°Ember Camp isn¡¯t bad either. Everyone got two cans of meat!¡±


    ¡°Psh<b>. </b>That¡¯s nothing. Do you know what zing Sun Camp gave out?¡±


    ¡°What? Tell us


    ¡°Everyone at zing Sun Camp, no matter how old or young, got ten pounds of pork!¡±


    Chapter 342 Fortress of Prosperitys¡¯s


    Hiss!


    Everyone around gasped.


    ¡°And a full set of <b>new </b>clothes, plus a whole box of pumpkin pies!¡±


    Hiss!


    People were dumbfounded.


    ¡°Wait. That¡¯s <b>not </b>all. Each person got a tiny gold token and 100 points! That¡¯s enough to buy 100 pounds of rice!¡±


    At that moment, everyone was utterly stunned by zing Sun Camp¡¯s generosity. They had pork, clothes, pumpkin pies, and even gold tokens.


    Ughhh<i>! </i>


    Their jealousy was practically visible on their faces.


    People were so jealous, their faces twisted with envy.


    <i>Why </i>aren¡¯t we residents of zing Sun Camp? <i>Why </i>couldn¡¯t our camp leader be Theresa?


    They were so jealous.


    Everyone knew that among the 58 camps in the zing Sun Alliance, the wealthiest and most central <b>was </b>zing Sun Camp.


    Though they didn¡¯t have thergest poption, their wealth was dozens of times greater than that of the


    others.


    While the rest of the survivors entered the city dressed in rags like refugees, zing Sun Camp residents were neatly dressed in clean, tidy clothing.


    14:38 Tue, 19 Aug

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    Chapter 343 Envy and Regret


    45 Free Colte


    <b>When </b>people from other camps first saw the fresh pork for sale at the Alliance System Store, they were thrilled. Yet the residents of zing Sun Camp were already tired of it. They were switching things up with vegetables for variety.


    While everyone else worked hard to earn more alliance points to exchange for supplies, the residents of <b>zing </b>Sun Camp each had over 10,000 points on average.


    Beyond that, the camp enjoyed countless invisible benefits.


    For ordinary camps, shopping could only be done at Alliance System Stores, where many items were limited in quantity.


    However, zing Sun Camp residents had ess to those stores, and they also had their camp¨Cexclusive supermarket.


    The quality there was better, the prices were lower, and the variety was wider.


    It wasn¡¯t because they¡¯re using some special privilege. It was simply because their camp <b>was </b>that wealthy.


    With abundant resources, they could afford to sell top¨Cquality goods at discounted prices to their own people.


    Among the 57 other camps of the zing Sun Alliance, there wasn¡¯t a single one that didn¡¯t envy them.


    Upon hearing about the huge benefits of the Thanksgiving Festival distributed by zing Sun Camp today, everyone <b>was </b><b>even </b>more envious.


    Everyone wished they could be residents of zing Sun Camp and wanted to follow Theresa.


    Just then, a group of people clocked out from the research institute.


    Hugo and his colleagues emerged from the building, each carryingrge bags of the Thanksgiving Festival gifts, their faces brimming with joy.


    ¡°Professor Wagner, my family bought meat a few days ago, and now the leader sent even more pork. I can¡¯t finish it all. Here, take some home!¡±


    ¡°If you can¡¯t finish it, I definitely also cannot, Hugo chuckled. There are only tw think of ways to cook all this meat before it goes to waste.¡±


    s at home. I need to


    Their cheerful conversation drifted to the ears of others nearby, making them ache with jealousy. People could hardly resist the urge to step forward and help them with their so¨Ccalled problem of having too


    much to cat


    Jealousy was written all over their faces. Passersby openly stared, watching Hugo and his group leave with their heavy bags


    Among the crowd, a middle¨Caged <b>woman </b>lowered her head and tried to slip away quietly.


    Herpanion caught her arm. ¡°Mrs. Klein, wasn¡¯t your husband working with Professor Wagner before? He and the others all joined the zing Sun Camp. Why didn¡¯t you <b>join</b><b>?</b>¡±


    ???


    0


    173


    Chapter 343 Envy and Regret.


    The woman shushed her quickly. ¡°Keep your voice down!¡±


    Hugo and his group heard themotion and turned to see a ragged, dust¨Ccovered woman in the crowd Their eyes met, and the woman fled in shame.


    ¡°Professor Wagner, isn¡¯t that Mrs. Klein?¡±


    ¡°I think <b>so</b>.¡±


    ¡°She looks like she¡¯s having a hard time.¡±


    ¡°Even if she¡¯s in the zing Sun Alliance now, her life can¡¯tpare to ours.


    ¡°Don¡¯t pity her. Did you forget how she mocked us when we decided to leave? She thought she was so clever, convincing her husband to break ties with us. Now look¨Coutsmarted herself! She must regret it.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s regretted it for a long time. My son still keeps in touch with her daughter. Their whole family sighs andins every day. Honestly, if we hadn¡¯t followed Theresa back then, we¡¯d be just like her.


    Hugo shook his head as he watched the woman run away. ¡°A woman without fortune.<b>¡± </b>


    Back then, when Theresa came to KI Camp to recruit Hugo and his team, Josiah¡¯s wife refused to follow. She even mocked them, predicting they would suffer.


    Now, life for Hugo and his group was thriving under Theresa¡¯s leadership, and the gap between them and the Klein family only grew wider.


    Even after joining the zing Sun Alliance, the Klein family¡¯s life improved a little.


    But one nce at Hugo was enough to make them feel the sting ofparison.


    He enjoyed endless benefits, such as exclusive stores, special welfare, and the camp leader was the alliance leader.


    Regret burned in their hearts.


    How could they <b>have </b>been so short¨Csighted, failing to recognize a s¨²petive figure like Theresa when they had the <b>chance</b>?


    If they had followed her, they too could be living like Hugo now.


    When Hugo returned home with the gifts, he told his wife about the encounter with Josiah¡¯s wife.


    After a brief sigh, both of them were ovee with gratitude. Following Theresa was the greatest fortune of our lives.¡±


    ¡°We must keep working hard for her, his wife agreed.


    ¡°Yes. Ourb¡¯s new research should be delivered to Theresa as soon as it¡¯s ready.


    Meanwhile, at Ansford Secondary School


    A boy of about fifteen or sixteen waited by the school gate.


    14:38 Tue<b>, </b><b>19 </b>Aug


    Chapter 343 Envy and Regret


    Today was the Thanksgiving Festival. Normally, sses ran until 8 p.m., but they were released <b>at </b>a <b>pma </b>


    instead.


    Groups of children of all ages poured our of the <b>school</b>.


    Across the entire zing Sun Alliance, there were only about 300 children attending school.


    ¡°Yuki!¡±


    ¡°Mom! I¡¯m done with <b>school</b>!¡± David¡¯s wife greeted her daughter with both hands full of festival gifts.

 Kept Woman 344

    Chapter 344 The Thanksgiving Festival Blessings


    Chapter 344 The Thanksgiving Festival Blessings


    All the gifts they carried were welfare benefits from zing Sun Camp.


    Just by standing in the crowd, everyone could instantly recognize them as residents of the zing Sun <b>Camp </b>


    ¡°Wow, That¡¯s a lot of stuff¡±


    ¡°All from Theresa¡±


    ¡°Theresa is amazing! I really want to see her! I wish I could thank her in person!¡± Yuki said proudly,


    ¡°Theresa is very busy, but everything you want to say, she already knows,¡± Catherine replied warmly.


    ¡°Really?¡± Yuki asked <b>in </b>her soft, sweet voice.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Catherine¡¯s smile grew gentle and emotional.


    <b>She </b>loaded Yuki onto her bicycle and headed toward the residential district.


    Her husband, David, was responsible for agricultural production in the zing Sun Camp and usually lived in the suburban vi area.


    She worked in the factories, which allowed her to pick up and drop off their daughter for school.


    Today <b>was </b>the Thanksgiving Festival. David had ridden into the city<b>, </b>and the family could finally reunite.


    She had never imagined that, even in the apocalypse, their family could still enjoy such a simple, ordinary life reminiscent of the world before it ended.


    Their daughter could attend school at her proper age.


    Ever since they started following Theresa, their lives just kept getting better. And she firmly believed it would only get better from here.


    ¡°Mom, when we <b>get </b>home, can we <b>make </b>some pumpkin pie for Theresa? I want to give her a gift.


    ¡°Alright. I will make them as soon as we get


    home.


    After they left, a thirteen¨Cyear¨Cold girl stepped out.


    ¡°<b>Liana</b><b>!</b>¡±


    James!¡±


    The little girl¨CLiana was her name¨Cbounced <b>toward </b>him, her schoolbag in tow. ¡°What¡¯s all this?¡± she asked.


    ¡°These are the welfare gifts Theresa distributed to all residents,¡± James replied, handing her a pile of goods. Liana¡¯s eyes widened immediately. ¡°I get all this, too?¡±


    -1/3


    14:38 Tue, 19 Aug


    Chapter 344 The Thanksgiving Festival Blessings


    ¡°Of course. As long as you¡¯re a resident of zing Sun Camp, everyone gets orie, he exined.


    Upon hearing that<b>, </b>Liana gasped at the pile in her arms.


    This is too much!


    This giant b of pork had to be at least ten pounds!


    There is also a full outfit for girls!


    Is that big box the pumpkin piel


    And that is a gold token in the tiny ss bottler


    How could there be so much?


    Take it. Your brother already received his via drone delivery. This <b>one¡¯s </b>yours, James exined. ¡°You can take the pork to the school cafeteria and exchange it for meat tickets.


    ¡°That way, <b>you¡¯ll </b>have a meat dish <b>at </b>every meal. Oh, and you also got 100 points. You can use them to shop at our camp supermarket.¡±


    Liana¡¯s eyes sparkled as she nodded quickly. ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°No need to thank me. You should thank Theresa. Without her, I wouldn¡¯t be living like this either, James said, shing a bright grin.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t <b>you </b>always been with her?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I used to be with Dawnwatch Camp in Crestmont. Forget holiday benefits. There? If you weren¡¯t careful, you¡¯d lose your life.¡±


    Liana frowned. ¡°How could there be such a scary ce?¡±


    ¡°The reality was even worse than I¡¯m telling you.¡± He shivered at the memory of his time under Sage. Then, he looked at her and said, ¡°zing Sun Alliance is by far the best in the entire eastern region. I¡¯ve experienced it myself. You were really lucky to join us.¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡± She nodded vigorously.


    Good and bad weren¡¯t mere words. They were etched in every sight around them, Meeting Theresa was the greatest stroke of luck imaginable,


    ¡°By the way, where¡¯s yours?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Mine¡¯s separate. Theresa said the few of us who follow her personally will get our own packages.


    ¡°What did you get?¡±


    James rubbed the back of <b>his </b>head and grinned. ¡°I don¡¯t know yet. I¡¯ll tell you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    The two youngsters strolled leisurely, <b>walking </b>into the glow of the setting sun.


    <b>93 </b>


    Chapter 344 The Thanksgiving Festival Blessings


    ¡°What do you study at school?¡± he asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re learningbat, first aid, how to drive cars and fly nes, engineering, mechanics. There are a lot! The teachers said that by the midterm exams, we¡¯ll go to the first defensive line to kill zombies!


    ¡°How can it be that fast?¡± James asked <b>again</b>, a little surprised.


    ¡°We¡¯re not afraid of zombies. When the timees, we¡¯re going topete to see who can kill the must¡± she answered proudly.


    <b>James </b>chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re impressive,¡±


    The two of them walked slowly, and for once, the city felt peaceful and serene.


    When James finally escorted Liana back to the school, he returned to Theresa¡¯s office and found everyone already waiting there.


    Kyle, Tyger, Quentin, Elias, Emma, and Landon were waiting.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯mte.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. We all know you were off flirting.¡± Quentin said, lounging on the couch with crossed legs.


    James was speechless. Then, he quickly tried to exin himself. ¡®Liana and I are not-


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. No one¡¯sughing at you. So, how far did you get? Did you kiss her yet?¡±

 Kept Woman 345

    Chapter 345 Gold Loyalty


    James replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°<b>What</b>? You haven¡¯t even <b>kissed </b>her yet? You¡¯re moving way too slow. Want me to teach you a few tricks? Guarantee you¡¯ll win the beauty over tonight.¡±


    James was speechless..


    ¡°Enough out of you!¡±


    A book came flying andnded on Quentin¡¯s head.


    Quentin immediately caught the book, grinning cheekily at Theresa. ¡°Beautiful, your turn to speak.¡±


    Theresa shot him a re, then nced at her gathered guards, except her aunt. She cleared her throat, taking on her usual leader vibe. Today is the Thanksgiving Festival. Everyone has worked hard. I¡¯ve prepared some gifts for you all. <b>And </b>tonight, I¡¯m giving you the night off. Do whatever you want.¡±


    She stood and began handing out gifts one by one.


    In addition to the standard resident holiday package, each of them received an extra 1,000 points and a personal gift.


    ¡°This is for you. Go home and spend time with your kids, Theresa said, handing Emma five sets of children¡¯s clothes and five big snack packs.


    Emma blinked her clear, rational eyes.


    ¡°Thank you, Dr. <b>Larson</b>.¡±


    Theresa <b>was </b>speechless.


    Emma still treated her like Dr. Larson, whom she¡¯d never met. <b>Since </b>then, she¡¯d barely had any more episodes.


    When she wasn¡¯t in an episode, she was indistinguishable from a normal person, and her work ability was much stronger than average.


    She currently oversaw the care of all children under five in the city, ensuring that all adults could fully report to work without wastingbor on childcare.


    She was meticulous and gentle with the kids. Every child under her care was exceptionally well¨Cbehaved, almost as if she could read their thoughts. Even those too young to talk had their needs understood clearly.


    The residents adored her<b>. </b>


    Emma epted her package and left to see her children.


    Next was Landon


    ¡°Here are four vials of A¨Cgrade Evoloid. Take them and share with your team, Theresa said, handing him the Evoloids.


    173


    12-18 Wed, 20


    Chapter <b>345 </b>Gold Loyalty


    Landon was technically an off¨Cstaff member under Theresa. She granted his squad full autonomy. They managed themselves. But for any special inissions, she would call on them, not other camps.


    It was very convenient.


    Landon epted the Evoloids, eyes glinting. ¡°Thank you, Theresal


    ¡°Keep up the good work, Theresa encouraged.


    Landon¡¯s gaze burned with determination as he nodded.


    Theresa could feel his loyalty rising from 90 to a full 100.


    Next was Tyger.


    Tyger, happy festival,¡± Theresa said, handing him a pair of golden gloves. ¡°From now on, when you punch people, your hands won¡¯t get <b>hurt</b>.


    Tyger¡¯s face broke into a grin the moment he <b>saw </b>the gloves. ¡°Mm!¡±


    Theresa sensed his loyalty tick upward slightly. But since he was already at purple loyalty, rising further was difficult. It was more about deepening emotional attachment than numbers.


    Then, it was


    Kyle¡¯s turn.


    ¡°Kyle, here, Theresa said, retrieving a dagger from her cab


    ¡°I promised you a <b>good </b>knife before. Finally found one.¡±


    In truth, the knife she¡¯d first chosen for him had been Sage¡¯s, but she¡¯d ended up returning it. So, she had to settle for a top¨Cquality de from the city¡¯s supplies.


    Kyle froze the moment he saw the knife.


    Long ago, Theresa had told him she would find a de for him. She had never forgotten.


    In that instant, Kyle¡¯s heart felt like sunlight was pouring into it. No matter how many people Theresa recruited, no matter who stayed by her side, he had never been forgotten.


    He looked at her, took the knife in both hands. ¡°Yes, Theresa!¡±


    And instantly-


    Ding¨CLoyalty detected: 100. Current Loyalty: Gold Loyalty with ¡°Eternal and Unique.¡±


    Theresa blinked at the sudden voice in her head.


    Gold Loyalty!


    Eternal and Unique!


    Kyle <b>had </b>ascended to gold loyalty.


    Theresa¡¯s joy was immediate. She beamed and said warmly, ¡°Kyle, you¡¯ll always be my number one


    guar


    Chapter 345 Cold Loyalty


    <b>Kyle </b>was overwhelmed with emotion. ¡°Yeahl¡±


    I¡¯m Theresa¡¯s number one guard! No matter how many guards she had, I would always be <i>the </i>top favorite<i>! </i>C


    After receiving such overwhelmingly positive feedback from Kyle, Theresa now had two gold loyalty members. One was <b>Tania</b>, and the other was Kyle.


    Besides that, Tyger was at purple loyalty, and Elias, Landon, and Emma were all at red loyalty.


    Among all her guards, only Quentin had loyalty below 100.


    Theresa¡¯s gaze immediately turned to Quentin.

 Kept Woman 346

    Chapter 346 A yful Gift


    Chapter <b>346 </b>A yful Gift


    ¡°Quentin. Theresa siniled at him with squinting eyes. ¡°Tve prepared a gift for you, too


    Quentin stood up with a grin, full of anticipation. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°First, a set of men¡¯s skincare products. Look at that handsome face of yours. It¡¯s all dry and cracked. You need some care. Theresa handed him a box of men¡¯s cosmetics.


    Quentin was speechless.


    ¡°And, your energy hasn¡¯t been great recently. Once a man is past twenty¨C<b>five</b>, he needs to pay attention to his health. So, I¡¯m giving you this thermos, Brew some berries and drink more water. She handed him a shiny thermos.


    Quentin said nothing.


    <b>¡°</b><b>And </b>finally, a cute panda sleep mask. It¡¯ll double your charm. Walk <b>our </b>with this face, and girls will definitely fall for you.¡±


    Quentin remained silent.


    Theresa handed him the whole bundle, smiling as she looked at him.


    ¡°Do you like them?¡±


    ¡°Everything you give me, I like.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Did I win your heart with these? If not, <b>just </b>say so. I¡¯ll make sure to satisfy you.¡±


    Quentin kept smiling. ¡°Everything you give goes straight to my heart.¡±


    Theresa smiled back at him as he smiled at her.


    Then, she suddenly <b>raised </b>her fist and gave him a solid punch in the eye, resulting in a ck eye..


    Behind him, Elias and James were stunned.


    Dmn it. Not a flicker of loyalty increase. What a waste of my kindness!


    Theresa turned back, snatched the skincare set and thermos from Elias.


    ¡°<b>Drink </b>more water. Take care of yourself.¡±


    Quentin¡¯s hands, and shoved them at


    ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll do it every day!¡± Elias nodded frantically, afraid that even a hint of insincerity would earn hin


    ck eye.


    <b>Finally</b>, it was James¡® turn. Theresa gifted him a gaming console.


    <b>Chapter </b>346 A yful Gift


    James truly hadn¡¯t expected her to give him something like that.


    After a moment of stunned silence, he broke into a joyful smile. ¡°Thank you, Theresal


    ¡°Alright<b>, </b>off you go.¡±


    After


    giving out the gifts, Theresa dismissed the group.


    As for Quentin, she now gave him more freedoms. Within the zing Sun <b>Alliance</b>, she allowed him to move around freely because her radar and detection system could track him anywhere in her domain.


    If he


    approached the alliance¡¯s borders, the system would automatically trigger an alert and block him.


    Within her territory, she could grant him a little leash.


    After sending everyone off for the holiday, Theresa checked the time, picked up two boxes of cookies and a box of pumpkin pies<b>, </b>and got ready to <b>leave</b>.


    She wanted to visit Lucas,


    Just as she stood up, there was a knock at the door.


    Knock!


    ¡°Come in,¡± <b>she </b>said.


    Theresa nodded, then looked up, only to see Lucas walking in, wearing a suit for the first time.


    Normally, he <b>was </b>always in military uniform orbat gear, never in civilian clothes.


    This was the first time Theresa saw him in a suit.


    The ck <b>suit </b>fit <b>him </b>perfectly, tailored to his frame. His long legs looked even longer in the suit pants. A mechanical gear¨Cshaped pin was fastened neatly on the chest pocket of the high¨Cend twill zer.


    Gone was the sharp, aggressive aura of a soldier. In <b>this </b>suit, he exuded refined elegance, like a noble gentleman, calm and schrly,


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up. The new clothes look good,¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Lucas looked down at himself. A hint of boyish shyness crept onto his handsome face upon receiving thepliment.


    ¡°Very <b>good</b>.¡± Theresa stood, carrying the gifts to him. ¡°These are for your grandpa<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°So much?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say he loves snacks? Take them.


    Upon hearing that, Lucas¡® smile deepened. He epted the two boxes of cookies. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Theresa followed him downstairs.


    At the entrance<b>, </b>an electric scooter was parked.


    Chapter 346 A yful Gift


    zing Sun Camp mainly used electric energy, powered by the nuclear nt.


    Cars and armored vehicles that burned fuel were reserved for missions to conserve limited fuel.


    After all, they had no oil fields, and gasoline was a finite resource.


    So, in daily life, everyone either rode a bicycle or a scooter.


    Theresa did not allow anyone to drive cars casually within the city.


    So, Lucas had alsoe on an electric scooter.


    Just one scooter?¡± she asked, raising an eyebrow


    With the gifts in hand, Lucas already had the n ready. ¡°Mm. You sit in the back. I¡¯ll drive you.¡±


    ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll drive. Theresa swung her leg over the scooter, gripped the handlebars, and looked at him. ¡°Hop on.¡±


    Lucas was speechless.

 Kept Woman 347

    Chapter 347 The Surprise Family Upgrade


    Lucas carefully hung the two boxes of cookies and the box of pumpkin pies onto the scooter¡¯s handlebars. He then moved toward the tiny back seat, eyeing the narrow perch and contemting the proper way to


    sit-


    ¡°<b>Beep</b>! Hurry up, hop on!¡± Theresa urged.


    In the end, Lucas chose the gentleman¡¯s sitting <b>style</b>.


    He sat like he was on a little stool, both legs pressed together, back straight, side¨Csitting on the narrow seat.


    He would have preferred to sit astride, all manly and steady, but his suit pants didn¡¯t allow that much. stretch.


    Still. his years in the military kept his posture dignified enough.


    But soon, a new problem emerged.


    Where should I put my hands?


    Normally, shouldn¡¯t I hold the driver¡¯s waist or wrap his arms around her?


    After all, it¡¯s a scooter. I need to hold on to something.


    ¡°All set?¡± Theresa nced back at his slow and cautious <b>movements</b>. ¡°Come on!¡±


    After a long internal struggle, Lucas finally reached out and grabbed a tiny corner of her clothing.


    He just used two fingers, pinching the very edge of her hem, not an inch more.


    ¡°I¡¯m holding on,¡± he dered righteously, like a model soldier.


    Theresa lowered her eyes to look at the corner of her jacket and the <b>two </b>trembling fingers. ¡°Alright. If you¡¯re holding on, we¡¯re moving.


    She twisted the throttle, and the scooter glided forward.


    The cool evening breeze of the Thanksgiving Festival swept along the streets.


    People who had finished work <b>early </b>were strolling in small groups.


    And then they saw their alliance leader riding a scooter, carrying the KI Campmander on the back.


    Themander was only pinching her jacket hem, his face red like the sunset.


    Lucas¡® heart pounded wildly the entire ride.


    Before long, Theresa turned onto a southern street,


    Before long. Theresa turned onto a street on the south side of townL


    This area was where K1 Camp members lived.


    173


    Chapter 347 The Surprise Family Upgrade


    After joining the alliance, each camp <b>had </b>its own residential <b>block</b>, usually a whole street.


    With the city secured and resources abundant, and the poption so small, they no longer faced the crushing real estate pressure of the pre¨Capocalypse.


    Now, people could live in whatever size home they wanted.


    If someone wanted arge suite all to themselves, they could have it. No more being crushed by housing. prices.


    Of course, for management <b>and </b>work purposes, residents stayed in their own camp¡¯s zone.


    This particr street was Kl Camp¡¯s residential area.


    Theresa turned off the main street onto a quieterne.


    Soon, a cluster of small garden vis appeared.


    This was where Lucas and his grandfather lived.


    As soon as Theresa entered the area, she heard bright, tinklingughter from inside.


    There were elderly chuckles and a woman¡¯s voice.


    ¡°My aunt¡¯s already here?¡± Theresa said as she parked the scooter by the gate.


    ¡°Yes. I sent someone to bring


    your


    Aunt Tania over early, Lucas replied.


    <b>Just </b>as they spoke, the iron gate <b>swung </b>open, and a woman in her early thirties wearing a bodycon dress walked out with a beaming smile. ¡°Terry is here! Come, let me give you a kiss!¡°.


    ¡°Aunt, we¡¯re at someone else¡¯s house. Mind yourself, Theresa said, exasperated.


    ¡°What¡¯s someone else¡¯s house? This is going to be your grandpa¡¯s home and my home!¡±


    Theresa and Lucas looked full of doubts.


    ¡°Tessa! Lucas! You¡¯re finally back!¡± A cheerful, heartyugh came from <b>inside </b>as <b>Xavier </b>walked out, his face full of delight.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got big news for you!¡± he announced..


    ¡°I <b>had </b>such a great chat with Tania. I like her <b>so </b>much. I¡¯ve decided <b>to </b>recognize her as my daughter.¡± He turned to Theresa.


    ¡°Tessa, Tania and I already registered it with the city hall. From now on, our family hierarchy is reorganized. In public, you can still call me Grandpa, but in private, you can call me Old Mr. Keaton.¡±


    Theresa was speechless.


    Oh my god!


    What the heck is this?


    Chapter 847 The <b>Surprise </b>Family Upgrade


    But the real bombshell was for Lucas. He¡¯d only stepped out for a bit, and now he had a new biological


    aunt


    Lucas,e on and greet her.


    Lucas said, ¡°Hello, Aunt Tania,¡±


    ¡°Good boy!¡± Tania¡¯s eyes curved into happy crescents. ¡°I made delicious food for both of you. From now on, you¡¯re both my darlings,¡±


    <b>Lucas </b>remained silent.


    ¡°Lucas, from now on, Tessa is your real sister. You must protect her well, Xavier said, beaming <b>at </b>Theresa. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted a granddaughter like her, and now my wish hase true. Tessa,e drink with me?


    Lucas said nothing.


    Xavier happily led Tania and Theresa into the house<b>, </bpletely forgetting his grandson at the gate.


    373

 Kept Woman 348

    Chapter 348 Secrets of the Ark Project


    When Theresa walked inside, she was greeted by avish banquet spread across the table.


    This was nothing like the meals they <b>had </b>at K1 Camp.


    There was roast chicken, braised pork, ribs, steamed fish, and a variety of fresh vegetables.


    After everyone sat down and the meal reached its lively halfway point, Xavier, already flushed from wine, grasped Theresa¡¯s thumb tightly.


    ¡°Tessa, you are truly amazing! You¡¯ve surprised me over and over. Without you, I can¡¯t even imagine what things would be <b>li</b>


    <b>ke </b>now.¡±


    ¡°Old Mr. Keaton, you tter me. Theresa replied lightly.


    ¡°Not at all!¡± Xavier waved a <b>hand</b>, his voice full of conviction. ¡°Every step you¡¯ve taken has earned my admiration. First, you released Evoloid at an extremely low price, solving the critical problem of powering up ability users. Then, you led everyone to retake the city, clearing the suburbs all the way to the downtown <b>core</b>.


    The more he spoke, the more animated he became. ¡°Every single thing you¡¯ve done, I¡¯ve seen it all. I am not exaggerating when I say that without you, the entire eastern region would have faced total extinction!¡±


    Theresa smiled faintly <b>and </b>clinked her ss with his. ¡°Old Mr. Keaton, your grandson is also very capable. Even without me, he could¡¯ve held the line.¡±


    She was being modest, but she also believed this to some extent. In her previous life, Lucas had died early.


    end. and yet Kl Camp managed to survive until the very


    In this life, with him alive<b>, </b>perhaps they wouldst even longer.


    However, Xavier shook his head solemnly. ¡°That¡¯s <b>not </b>what I mean. Do you know the current situation in other regions?¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit


    Other regions?


    up


    with interest.


    She had always lived in the castern region. Due to the limited range of radio signals, the furthest broadcast they could receive was from the Ember Camp.


    Beyond that, there was no information at all.


    When she was reborn, <b>she </b>had considered leaving the eastern region to hide in a remote, sparsely popted area. But she had no idea what other regions were like. In her previous life<b>, </b>she had lived in the eastern region for ten years, umting <b>a </b>wealth of experience and information. She knew nothing about how other areas <b>had </b>fared after the apocalypse.


    She could only specte based on pre¨Capocalypse geography, <b>and </b>in this new life, she didn¡¯t dare ri single wrong bet.


    Hence, she had chosen to stay put, using her familiar knowledge to rebuild her foundation.


    Chapter <b>348 </b>Secrets of the Ark Project


    Now, hearing Xavier mention other regions, her curiosity surged,


    ¡°Where?¡± she asked.


    Xavier¡¯s drunken eyes suddenly sharpened with rity. He looked at Theresa and said, ¡°It¡¯s time you knew, Before the zombie virus outbreak, the authorities had already discovered the virus. At the earliest stage, the nation prepared a contingency <b>n</b>, implementing top¨Clevel infectious disease protocols for nationwide protection. Unfortunately, the virus was far deadlier than anything they¡¯d seen before. Before a full¨Cscale defense could even roll out, it erupted prematurely. And what¡¯s worse, this virus attacks indiscriminately. Even centralmand, with its strictest protections, was breached. If centralmand had held, the country would not have fallen.¡±


    Theresa and Tania both nodded.


    That was exactly how it was.


    This wasn¡¯t a matter any individual could control.


    Even if the nation detected the threat early and prepared, the copse was inevitable..


    Xavier continued, ¡°Aside from the national protection n, there was another initiative¨Cthe Ark Project<b>.</b>¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    He nodded gravely. ¡°In the western and northern regions, the state built three underground cities before the apocalypse. They are known as Ark Camp One, Ark Camp Two, and Ark Camp Three. Huge quantities of resources were transported there, such as energy, food, research equipment, weapons, aircraft, and battle mechs. All to ensure that, when the crisis came, humanity could weather the stor


    Theresa¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Then why have we never heard of them?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because centralmand fell, Xavier said, his expression ugly.


    Theresa instantly understood.


    At the beginning of the zombie outbreak, the nation broadcast calls for survivors to wait for rescue.


    That rescue was supposed toe from the three Ark Camps.


    But once centralmand was gone, those rescue missions never happened.


    The Ark Camps became isted fortresses.


    Xavier¡¯s face grew darker. ¡°Our eastern military district waited a long time. All three Ark Camps remained silent. None of them initiated rescue operations for <b>the </b>general popce. In the end, I couldn¡¯t wait any longer. That¡¯s why we built KI Camp in the eastern <b>region </b>and organized our survival and rescue.¡±


    He snorted coldly. ¡°They only sent helicopters to extract the specific personnel they wanted. As of now, across the entire country, aside from the three Ark Camps and our zing Sun Alliance, every other region is a red zone.¡±

 Kept Woman 349

    Chapter 349 Ambitions Beyond the East


    Chapter 349 Ambitions Beyond the East


    ¡°There¡¯s no ce like yours, Tessa. You¡¯ve led everyone to clear out a truly safe zone. You are remarkable: Xavier said with absolute sincerity,


    ¡°Of course! Terry has been amazing since she was a child,¡± ¡°Tania chirned in proudly from the side.


    ¡°Yes! <b>Tania </b>is right! <b>You </b>two are both extraordinary!¡±


    As the <b>two </b>happily praised her in turn, Theresa finally asked, ¡°Old Mr. Keaton, how are those three Ark Camps now? How many people do they have, and how big are they?¡±


    Xavier turned to her seriously. ¡°They¡¯re bigger <b>than </b>zing Sun Alliance, and they have more resources, more people, but their Evoloids are far inferior to ours.¡±


    ¡°You canmunicate with them?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°We have an exclusivemunication channel


    Then, have you told them about our zing Sun Alliance?


    ¡°No.¡± <b>Xavier¡¯s </b>voice was firm and decisive. ¡°I have never leaked a single word about you. To them, the eastern region is still a scattered mess. They only know that our KI Camp is thergest here. Ark Camp One even invited me once. They said they¡¯d allow me and Lucas to enter, and they were ready to send a helicopter to pick us up.¡±


    ¡°We will never <b>go</b><b>.</b>¡± Lucas, who had remained silent all this time, finally spoke. ¡°Not before, <b>and </b>not now!¡±


    Theresa¡¯s smile curved slightly.


    People were simply different.


    Even with the fall of the central government, Xavier and Lucas had continued to protect the people and <bnd </b>they once swore to defend. Meanwhile, those three Ark Camps, built with the blood and sweat of the old regime, had already changed allegiance.


    They would never abandon their people andnd they once protected.


    ¡°Old Mr. Keaton, keep maintaining contact with them. Monitor their movements carefully. But we must keep our side a secret. No one from those camps can know that the zing Sun Alliance has already been established.


    ¡°I understand.¡± Xavier¡¯s smile broadened, his gaze full of praise and satisfaction for Theresa.


    He felt like he¡¯d lucked out, getting this granddaughter in such a roundabout way.


    He absolutely adored Theresa. He liked her so much that he felt his grandson wasn¡¯t worthy. If Lucas couldn¡¯t <b>marry </b>her, then he himself would find a way to keep her in the family.


    So, when Tania arrived today, he had immediately sprang into action. He insisted on acknowledging his daughter, went <b>straight </b>to the city hall, and made it official.


    Now, Theresa was his granddaughter in name.


    Chapter 849 Ambitions Beyond the East,


    He even imagined passing his entire legacy to her, and someday entrustingt Lucas to her as well.


    With Theresa around, he could close his eyes in peace, even now.


    The Thanksgiving banquet finally ended.


    Tania and Xavier were ecstatic and tipsy, and she decided to stay overnight at the Keaton residence.


    Theresa couldn¡¯t refuse her, so she also stayed to rest at the Keaton residence¡­


    But after the feast, her mind remained restless, circling around the matter of the three Ark Camps.


    All three <b>Ark </b>Camps were stronger <b>than </b>her alliance.


    That won¡¯t do. I need to elerate construction. Before the Ark Camps take notice of me, my alliance has to be the strongest camp there they would have no choice but to look up to..


    ¡°What are you thinking? Lucas walked over to where Theresa was shelling <b>peanuts </b>alone.


    ¡°Thinking about what belongs to me.¡±


    ¡°What stuff?¡± he asked, slightly dumbfounded.


    Theresa lifted her head, giving him a yful grin and showing two cute tiger¨Clike canine teeth.. ¡°Those three Ark Camps are all mine.¡±


    Lucas was speechless.


    That night, Theresa slept soundly.


    The next morning, she woke brimming with energy. She charged into her office and began issuing orders left and right.


    She pushed the mining teams to elerate extraction. Then, she urged the upstream and downstream factories to increase their speed. After that, she went to the defensive wall herself to check the progress firsthand.


    Once the factories were checked, <b>she </b>moved on to the farms. After the farms, she stopped by the school to check if the kids were paying attention in ss.


    She gave motivational pep talks and strict reminders across every sector, and it worked. Theresa¡¯s presence alone fired everyone up.


    ¡°Work hard, everyone! Perform well, and there <b>will </b>be rewards!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The promise of welfare was a powerful motivator. They worked overtime, turning into industrious little bolts in a giant machine.


    Theresa <b>was </b>deeply satisfied. She immediately pulled Bennie aside and demanded he write ten more development reports. She wanted to elerate the zing Sun Alliance¡¯s expansion.


    ¡°What¡¯s the rush? Nobody¡¯s pressing us. The outer zombie threat is still under control,¡± Bennie muttered


    3


    Chapter 349 Ambitions Beyond the East


    ¡°Go write them now!¡± she snapped, kicking him straight into his office.


    Bennie was speechless,


    After setting everything into motion. Theresa still didn¡¯t rx becausepetition works both ways.

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    Chapter 350 One Spark of <b>Chinos </b>


    Chapter 350 One Spark of Chaos


    Theresa had now leamed of the three Ark Camps, <b>and </b>she knew it was only a matter of time before those three also learned that the eastern region had risen an alliance built entirely by its strength, without any early government <b>aid</b>.


    She didn¡¯t believe for a second <b>that </b>those three camps would be friendly or extend a hand for cooperation to fight the zombies together.


    If any one of them had ever <b>had </b>such an intention, the initial rescue operations would never have beenpletely <b>absent</b>.


    Those three were not sanctuaries left behind for the nation. They were more like three fierce tigers <b>fighting </b>over a piece of the pic in the chaos of the apocalypse.


    Now that she knew of their existence, Theresa had only one thought. Either <i>I </i>devour them, or they devour me.


    There would be no third option. And if one of the four showed any weakness, the other camps would tear it apart first.


    Thew of the wastnd was survival of the fittest. The winner took <b>all</b>, and the loser lost everything.


    That was why Theresa could not ept being weak. She had to be strong, and she had to do it before the three Ark Camps ever discovered her existence.


    She would surpass them all, and only strength would give her true safety.


    ¡°Theresa Lucas¡® <b>voice </b>cut through her thoughts.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°I just got thetest news from my grandfather. <b>Ark </b>Camp One is in trouble!¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up with interest. ¡°What kind of good news?¡±


    Lucas hesitated. ¡®An infected person slipped inside Ark Camp One yesterday. Ark Camp One has a poption of over 40,000. It¡¯s the most popted of the three <b>Ark </b>Camps.


    ¡°Last night, an infected person managed to sneak in, leading to more than 20,000 people turning into zombies, <b>over </b>8,000 injured, and more than 3,000 who fled.


    ¡°The rest are now trapped underground below the third level. They still haven¡¯t regained control.¡±


    Theresa stood up. ¡°How many infected people did it take to cause that much chaos?¡±


    <b>Lucas </b>frowned and answered, ¡°Just one.¡±


    Theresa raised a <b>thumb </b>in sheer/admiration. ¡°Legendary!¡±


    She was genuinely stunned. One infected person slipping into a crowd had been enough to push an entire Ark Camp <b>to </b>the brink.


    This wasn¡¯t even the early days of the apocalypse.


    Chapter 850 <b>One </b>Spark of Chaos


    <b>Theresa </b>had always considered the risk of a secondary zombie outbreak among survivors


    That was why she had constantly reinforced internal security. Besides having herbat teams pan borders and clear out zombies every day, her radar and drone systems were always runninginial scanning for threats inside her territory.


    If a zombie appeared, the systems would give carly warnings and initiate attacks immediately, but most importantly, her alliance was fundamentally different from those Ark Camps


    In her alliance, every single citizen had killed zombies before. Even a ten¨Cyear¨Cold child would instinctively raise a knife at the sight of one.


    Everyone in her alliance had wed their way through blood and disaster. They weren¡¯t useless people protected behind walls.


    They no longer feared zombies.


    Theresa thought, Even if my camp suffers a secondary outbreak, we may lose a few people at first, but within <b>an </b>hour<b>, </b>tee will <b>contain </b>and clear everyst infected


    They had been tempered by blood and fire.


    To them, zombies were no longer monsters to fear. They were just rotting meat to be cut down.


    So, when Theresa heard <b>that </b><b>a </b>single infected person had crippled Ark Camp One, she couldn¡¯t help but exim. ¡°Incredible!¡±


    Lucas sighed. ¡°I <b>can¡¯t </b>believe it either.


    ¡°How did that eve


    happen? Don¡¯t they check for infection at the gates?¡±


    ¡°My grandpa said they had let everyone out for the Thanksgiving Festival,¡±


    Theresa was speechless.


    Lucas exined, ¡°Yesterday was the Thanksgiving Festival. The camp allowed people to go outside to admire the moon. While they were out, a horde of zombies suddenly appeared. Everyone panicked and ran back.


    ¡°An infected person slipped in unnoticed because of therge crowd. They failed to screen everyone properly. Not long after that, the infected person returned to the camp, and the zombie virus broke out in full force inside the camp.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Theresa immediately responded, ¡°That¡¯s nuts!¡±


    They celebrated the Thanksgiving Festival and nearly wiped out their camp¨Cwhat a peak¨Clevel ipetence.


    Lucas just sighed <b>again</b>. He silently agreed.


    In such dire times, they actually let so many people out of the underground camp just to watch the moon<b>. </b>


    He really couldn¡¯t fathom what the people in charge of Ark Camp One were thinking, but he couldn¡¯t just blurt it out like that<b>. </b>


    Theresa


    978


    Chapter 850 One Spark of Chaos


    What about now? Theresa asked, still curious.


    Their camp needs external support, Lucas replied. All the survivors of Ark Camp One are trapped the third level of the underground city.


    ¡°They need people on the surface to activate a system that locks down the second levelpletely Only then can they safely escape¡±


    <b>3/3 </b>

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    Chapter <b>851 </b>The First to Move


    ¡°Who volunteered? Theresa asked with a bright, mischievous smile.


    Lucas shook his head. ¡°<b>Neither </b><b>Ark </b>Camp Two nor Ark Camp Three agreed. They¡¯re still observing from the sidelines.¡±


    Her grin widened,ced with mockery. ¡°Only an idiot would help those fools,¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re offering a hundred thousand gleamstones and a hundred thousand tons of food¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t just stand by while others suffer! She immediately sprang to her feet. ¡°Helping those in distress is my duty. I¡¯ll go!¡± (D


    Lucas fell silent.


    Meanwhile, in the satellitemunications station of the Keaton family base, a stream of urgent messages shed across therge screen in front of Theresa.


    <i>¡®</i>Help! Help! Ark Camp One is in urgent need of rescue!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re requesting immediate assistance!¡±


    ¡°Ark Camp One is willing to provide 100,000 gleamstones or 5,000 doses of Evoloid serum, plus 100,000 tons of food to anyone who helps!


    But the screen showed only messages from Ark Camp One. The other two camps remainedpletely. silent. <b>Not </b><b>a </b>single response.


    ¡°They¡¯re calcting <b>down </b>to thest grain, muttered Xavier with a look of contempt. They¡¯re waiting for the other side to make a move first, or for Ark Camp One to reach its breaking point and offer up the best possible deal.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t they just wait for Ark One to bepletely wiped out and swoop in to scavenge the corpses?¡± she said bluntly.


    He shook his head, gaze sharp <b>and </b>shrewd. ¡°If it gets to that point, Ark Camp One will likely self¨Cdestruct rather than let them take <b>a </b>single piece.


    ¡°Right now, both sides are just stalling, even testing each other¨Cwaiting to see who loses patience first. Whoever reveals their hand, and the other reaps the bigger reward.¡±


    She nodded thoughtfully. Then, all the more reason for us to help Ark One. Let¡¯s put an end to this game.¡± Xavier paused for a beat, then burst outughing. ¡°Go ahead. Do <b>it </b>in my name.¡±


    Thirty minutester, five helicopters took off.


    The gs of the zing Sun Camp were reced with the KI Camp banners.


    C


    Chapter 361 The First to Move


    Theresa led the mission, bringing along Kyle and Qochtin. The rest of the team were Lucan


    She entrusted James to Tyger, asking him to start managing alliance affairs and report directly to her, s was in charge of bunker security, and Theron and the others were to remain ort the frontlines.


    With the alliance running smoothly, Theresa, Lucas, and a team of about twenty boarded the helicopters, bound for the Ark Camp One.


    This was her first time leaving the eastern region.


    Once they exited her territory, the view below became deste and grim.


    To the northy a massive coastal megacity, once home to over ten million people. As the helicopters flew above, not a single trace of human life could be seen.


    The streets, rooftops, and building tops were swarming with zombies, densely packed like a dark tide.


    The once¨Cbustling city, ravaged by two years of apocalypse, had fallen into decay. Skyscrapers now stood broken and hollow. Exposed steel beams jutted from copsed walls, thick weeds sprouted from every crevice, <b>and </b>one building had clearly been gutted by fire.


    Charred marks stretched from its middle floors all the way to the top¨Clike a face marred by deep scars. Just one nce was haunting enough.


    There wasn¡¯t a single living soul in sight.


    ¡°Major cities copsed the fastest. Not a single one was spared¨Call of them were overrun, with barely any survivors left,¡± Lucas said solemnly beside her.


    ¡°Okay


    The survival rate was less than one percent, but that figure wasn¡¯t distributed evenly.


    Some areas werepletely barren, with no survivors at all. Others, due to low poption density and sheer luck, had higher numbers of survivors. The vast northern and midwestern regions were among them.


    That was where the three massive Ark Camps had been established.


    Theresa¡¯s view expanded as the cities faded into endless prairie. Human settlements became increasingly sparse.


    The endless sprawl of zombie¨Cinfested cities eventually gave way to open, sweeping ins. After flying for hours, Theresa finally spotted it- massive dome¨Clike structure rising from the horizon, stark and surreal against the empty wilderness, like/something out of a forgotten world.


    Only much, much bigger.


    The dome¡¯s top was a huge helipad, Jarge enough to fit ten helicopters. The structure itself was made from ultra¨Cdurable, specialized materials. Doors stood on all four sides¨Ceast, west, north, and so


    In emergencies, all could be opened at once, transforming the dome into a giant evacuation valve to


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    Chapter 361 The First to Move


    <b>rapidly </b>disperse the <b>crowd</b>.


    There it is, Lucas said, eyes fixed on the structure ahead, as the helicopters began to descend toward


    Meanwhile, across the vast expanse of grasnd, a small group of people were fleeing, chased by four <b>or </b><b>five </b>zombies.


    In <b>such </b>an open space, there was nowhere to hide. Zombies were highly visible¨Cbut so were humans


    o someone, there was nowhere to run. And once the undead locked onto

 Kept Woman 352

    Chapter 852 No Way Back


    I can¡¯t run anymore!¡±


    A young woman¡¯s legs gave out, <b>and </b>she copsed to the ground¨Cbehind her, the guttural grout of the zombies grew closer and closer.


    Without hesitation, she grabbed the girl rimming beside her and shoved her toward the undead.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    The leading zombie lunged forward, sinking its blood¨Csoaked teeth into the girl¡¯s pale neck.


    In an instant, <b>a </b>massive chunk of <b>her </b>throat was torn away. Muscles, arteries, and even part of her thyroid were ripped open, left raw and exposed.


    Splurt!


    Blood from the severed artery sprayed like a ruptured pipe, thick and scalding as it gushed uncontrobly.


    ¡°Lily!¡±


    A man among the fleeing group saw it and immediately turned back, eyes burning red with fury. With a roar, he charged the zombie and punched it with full force.


    He was clearly a strength¨Cbased ability user¨Chis blow sent the zombie flying six feet through the air.


    Meanwhile, Yuki Cooper¨Cthe one who had just sacrificed Lily¨Ctook the chance to bolt forward without a second <b>nce</b>.


    Harry But had no time to deal with her. He rushed toward the girl whose throat had been torn open, ¡°Lily! Lily!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ ugh Harry¡­ Lily clutched her cor, struggling to speak. But the moment she opened her mouth, air rushed into her broken windpipe. A torrent of blood surged out from her lips before she could say another word.


    He scooped her into his arms, one hand pressing hard against her neck as he sprinted. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid- we¡¯re almost there! The bunker is just ahead! We¡¯ll make it!¡±


    The group sped toward the bunker that had <b>finally </be into view.


    But they arrived only to find


    every single <b>door </b>locked.


    ¡°Ding! Sorry, system error¡± was repeated thrice.


    None of <b>their </b>keycards worked/The bunker wouldn¡¯t open.


    Behind them, the blood¨Chungry zombies were closing in fast,


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    <b>Chapter </b><b>859 </b>No Way Back


    They <b>were </b>cornered, with nowhere left to rum. Just as panic started to surge, the heavy mar af hjule filled the sky above them.


    Everyone looked up in shock.


    Five helicopters were descending toward the bunker.


    *Kaaagh!¡±


    The zombie that had <b>mauled </b>Lily lunged at them again, its gory mouth still stuffed with bits of muscle and a shredded piece of thyroid.


    Bang


    A suppressed gunshot rang out from above,


    Then-


    Bang


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Shot after shot. Each one <b>was </b>clean, precise. Within seconds, all four or five pursuing zombies were taken


    OUL


    Every single shot hadnded perfectly¨Csquare in the forehead. Blood oozed from thumb¨Csized holes. The zombies¡® cloudy gray eyes, once filled with hunger, now faded into the nk stillness of death. The group below stared in stunned silence at the helicopters above, breathless but relieved.


    A team of men jumped down from one of the choppers. A young woman with a high ponytail followed.nding lightly behind them.


    They stood atop the bunker, gazing down at the ragged survivors.


    ¡°Hey! Are you all from <b>Ark </b>One?¡± the girl called down.


    ¡°Yes! We are!¡± a man quickly responded.


    Just then, a piercing scream erupted from the group.


    ¡°<b>Ahhh</b>! Harry¨Cyour sister¡¯s turning into <b>a </b>zombie! Why did you bring her back here?¡± Yuki shrieked.


    Only now did everyone realize that Harry had been carrying his sister the whole time.


    His hands and chest were soaked in blood, his palm still pressed against her <b>neck </b>in a futile attempt to stop the bleeding.


    He looked up, eyes zing with fury as he red at Yuki.


    ¡°W¨Cwhy are you staring at me like that?! It was chaos¨CI acted on instinct! It wasn¡¯t on pu stammered, retreating behind two men, her expression tense. ¡°And your sister¨Cshe¡¯s going to tum!


    <b>Yuki </b>


    How/3


    Chapter 352 No Way Back


    <b>can </b>you keep her here? Are you trying to get us all killed? Her shrill voice echoed.


    <b>The </b>people who had felt sympathy for Harry seconds ago now instinctively stepped back


    <b>¡°</b>Harry, you need to let your sister gol


    ¡°No, kill her. She¡¯s already turning.¡±


    ¡°You know how dangerous zombies arel She¡¯ll infect everyone!¡±


    ¡°We barely escapedst night because someone hid their infection. Are you trying to put us all at risk again?¡±


    <b>3/3 </b>

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    Chapter 353 Blood and Boundaries


    ¡°Kill her!¡±


    ¡°Kill her already!¡±


    The <b>crowd </b>shouted, voices <b>thick </b>with panic and rage. In Harry¡¯s <b>arms</b>, Lily let out a strangled <b>groant </b><b>and </b>coughed up another mouthful of ckened blood. She barely opened her eyes¨Cher once¨Cdark pupils now clouding into a lifeless gray.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Harry¡­ it hurts¡­¡±


    ¡°Lily¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk, we¡¯ll find Dr. <b>Klein</b>. He¡¯ll help you. I promise.¡±


    ¡°Even if Dr. Klein could help, he wouldn¡¯t waste resources on a nobody like your sister,¡± Yuki¡¯s voice rang out coldly from behind.


    He turned and shot her a death <b>re</b>.


    But this <b>time</b>, she didn¡¯t flinch. She stood straighter, as if emboldened by some backup n.


    ¡°Harry, kill her already. Once I¡¯m back, I¡¯ll have my <b>dad </b>ask Dr. Klein to give you an Evoloid. Your sister dying for me? That¡¯s an honor for her!¡±


    ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± He roared, lifting Lily into his arms again. He walked past the group, and everyone instinctively backed away.


    ¡°Harry¡­


    ¡°Harry, it hurts¡­.


    ¡°It hurts so much¡­¡±


    His sister convulsed in <b>his </b>arms, <b>trembling </b>with agony, fingers digging into his hand.


    He carried her to the shelter door. He crouched down, speaking gently. ¡°We¡¯re here. Look¨Cwe made it. You¡¯re going to be okay. No more pain now¡­.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ ugh ugh¡­¡±


    Just as her eyes turnedpletely gray, he drove a knife straight into the back of her skull.


    Splurt!


    Warm blood sprayed across his face.


    His eyes clenched shut, his <b>hand </b>around the knife <b>shaking </b>violently.


    He said nothing, lips tightly pressed together.


    Up above, Theresa and the others watched in silence, each of them regarded him with quies respect.


    Chapter <b>358 </b>Blood and Boundaries


    Then a voice called from below.


    ¡°Hey, who <b>are </b>you guys?¡±


    It was Yuki, the same girl who had shoved Harry¡¯s sister to the zombies moments ago.


    She looked deceptively sweet: petite at five¨Cfoot¨C<b>three</b>, dressed in a pre¨Capocalypse designer dress. Over it, she wore a fitted leather jacket and knee¨Chigh leather boots, both expensive¨Clooking and clearly chosen for both style and protection.


    Her eyes scanned Theresa¡¯s group, but didn¡¯t settle on Theresa herself. Instead, she flitted from one face to another, trying to spot who the real leader was,


    Theresa gave a soft snort, nced at Lucas, <b>and </b>turned to walk off.


    ¡°And you are?¡± Lucas asked calmly.


    As soon as he spoke, Yuki¡¯s expression brightened. She thought that he had to be the one in charge. She fixed her gaze on Lucas¡® handsome face, her voice turning syrupy. ¡°My dad is Timothy Cooper. He manages the first floor of Ark One. I¡¯m Yuki Cooper. Who are you guys? I haven¡¯t seen you before.¡±


    Lucas didn¡¯t answer her question. ¡°How many administrators are there in Ark One? One per <b>floor</b><b>? </b>And who lives on which floors?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got five administrators, one on each floor. The first and second floors are for regr people, the third is for the elites, <b>and </b>the fourth and fifth are for the higher¨Cups and base leadership. After spilling the information, her tone grew impatient. ¡°So, who are you people, really?¡±


    Lucas stood <b>tall</b>. ¡°K1 Camp. Lucas Keaton.¡±


    Theresa followed Lucas down the metal <b>stairs </b>from the rooftop.


    She had already scoped out the top level: there was a direct¨Cess lift, but it waspletely locked down, with no way to go through.


    Their group descended on foot and came face¨Cto¨Cface with Harry, the boy who had just killed his sister.


    He nced at them, his eyes nk, unreadable. He turned silently back to his group. But when his gazended on Yuki, it burned with naked, lethal <b>intent</b>. The intensity made her flinch.


    ¡°What now? It¡¯s not like I killed your sister!¡± she snapped, her princess attitude ring. ¡°The zombie bit her, you finished her off on your own. What does that have to do with me?¡±


    His fists clenched, his knuckles white as he began walking toward her.


    But before he could get far, the same man who¡¯d answered Theresa earlier stepped in front of him.


    ¡°Harry, her father¡¯s an administrator. If you kill her, he won¡¯t let you off easy.


    ¡°Your sister.. she¡¯s gone. Don¡¯t throw your life away.¡± William Wayne gripped his arms tightly. ¡°Think this through


    With his firm hold and pleading words, Harry slowly cooled down.


    Chapter <b>358 </b>Blood and Boundaries


    Nearby<b>, </b>Yuk! was already spinning the situation to the others. I didn¡¯t mean by push already promised him an Evoloid. What more done he want? Some people are on imposeide


    Then she saw Lucas and his group approaching and quickly ran over


    ¡°You¡¯re from K1 Camp, right? You came to save us, didn¡¯t you?

 Kept Woman 354

    Chapter 354 The Cost of Survival


    ¡°Do you have a way to contact anyone inside? Lucas asked.


    ¡°Yes My dad told me they¡¯re just below the third floor. It¡¯s safe there, so we came back.¡±


    Yuki pulled a ck electronic device from her clothes and dialed a contact in front of Lucas.


    After a long pause, the screen <b>was </b>finally connected, but the video feed was shaky and unstable. Only half a figure appeared in the frame; the rest was just the ceiling and flickering fluorescent lights.


    Heavy breathing and frantic footsteps echoed through the speaker.


    ¡°Dad? Dad!¡± Yuki called out as her father¡¯s half¨C<b>visible </b>face came into view.


    ¡°Yuki, don¡¯te back! There¡¯s been another outbreak on the third floor!¡± He shouted, running mid¨Ccall.


    Just then, it looked like he tripped-


    The screen spun wildly, briefly illuminating the scene behind him.


    A mob of blood¨Cdrenched zombies was stampeding down the corridor<b>, </b>gnashing and snarling as they chased.


    These weren¡¯t the rotten, dried¨Cout undead they¡¯d grown used to. These were freshly turned.


    Their blood was bright and slick, some spurting from neck wounds mid¨Crun. Others had their intestines. dragging behind them, slick and glistening, pping wildly as they sprinted. The guts sttered across the floor, trampled and burst open by the horde behind them, oozing half¨Cdigested mush in every shade, red, yellow, white, ck¡­ sticky, watery, and thick all mashed together..


    There was a stark difference between these and the old zombies Theresa <b>was </b>used to seeing¨Cthose dried- up, foul¨Csmelling corpses that had been rotting for two years and were crawling with maggots.


    ¡°Ranagh!¡±


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    A fresh zombie dove straight at the fallen Timothy Cooper.


    Its face¨Chalf its nose gone, one gray eye bulging¨Cfilled the camera in <b>a </b>grotesque close¨Cup.


    In that split second, he grabbed the nearest person and shoved him forward.


    St!


    Blood sprayed across the camera


    The unlucky man was wed across the face. With a single swipe, half of it was gone.


    ¡°Ahhh


    A scream of pure agony rang out.


    173


    C


    Chapter <b>854 </b>The Cost of Survival


    ¡°Grrrhh!¡±


    ¡°Ranagh!¡±


    The zombies piled on, chomping down on <b>his </b>face and devouring him with sickening hunger.


    Blood spurted.


    The poor man thrashed violently but couldn¡¯t shake the monsters off. They clung to him like leeches.


    Seizing the moment. Timothy snatched up hismunicator and fled.


    ¡°Don¡¯te back, Yuki! Wait for the rescue team!¡± he shouted mid¨Crun.


    ¡°Dad! They¡¯re here! The rescue team¡¯s already here!¡± she shouted back.


    Hearing that, he staggered in <b>his </b>sprint. A zombie lunged from behind-


    He threw himself against the wall, just dodging it in time.


    A ring thud could be heard as the zombie mmed into the wall, smearing a massive, red streak across the once¨Cpristine surface.


    ¡°They¡¯re really here?¡±


    ¡°Yes! They say they¡¯re from the K1 Camp!¡±


    Ahead, Timothy <b>saw </b>a steel door beginning to close.


    He sprinted.


    ¡°I¡¯m not inside yet!


    ¡°Wait for me!


    ¡°I¡¯m Timothy Cooper, the administrator of the first floor!


    ¡°Don¡¯t shut the door!¡±


    But the steel door didn¡¯t care who he used to be. It kept closing.


    He shouted desperately. ¡°I¡¯ve made contact with the rescue team! They¡¯re right upstairs! From Kl Camp!¡±


    The moment he mentioned the camp, the door paused.


    A head poked out. ¡°Hurry!¡±


    fren He pushed himself to the limit, sprinting thest few meters, reaching the entrance just as the wave of zombies hit. With eerie howls and iling arms, they hurled themselves forward in a


    Bang!


    Bang!


    <b>2/3 </b>


    Chapter 854 The Cost of <b>Survival </b>


    <b>Bang</b><b>! </b>


    Zombies crashed into the door behind him in waves, but the door mmed shut in time.


    Timothy, who barely escaped, copsed behind it, panting heavily, face pale with shock <b>and </b>adrenaline


    A hand reached out to him. ¡°Hand it over.¡±


    From their side of the screen, Theresa and the others heard the voice.


    The next moment, a figure in a whiteb coat appeared on¨Cscreen


    I am Dr. Klein<b>, </b>administrator of the fourth floor of Ark One, came a calm, aged voice.


    Theresa stared at the man¨Che looked to be in his sixties, with white <b>hair </b>and beard.


    But despite his age, he radiated energy.


    His bright, piercing eyes were sharper than many people in their twenties.

 Kept Woman 355

    Chapter 365 Entry Comes with a Price.


    Chapter 355 Entry Comes with a Price.


    ¡°You¡¯re from KI Canip?¡± The man on the screen stared at them withmanding authority


    ¡°I¡¯m Lucas Keaton,¡± <b>Lucas </b>replied calmly.


    Dr. Klein¡¯s expression eased slightly. ¡°I knew your <b>grandfather</b>.¡±


    ¡°General Keaton,¡± he continued, ¡°we need your help. Please assist us in locking down all three basement <b>levels</b>. The <b>payment </b>we promised will be delivered in full


    Theresa frowned. ¡°Three floors? I thought there were only two?¡±


    ¡°There were,¡± Dr. Klein said grimly. ¡°We just lost the third.


    Theresa snorted. She couldn¡¯t help herself¨Csheughed out loud.


    ¡°And who are you?¡± He snapped, annoyed by her gloatingughter.


    ¡°Dr. Klein, she¡¯s¡­ my sister,¡± Lucas answered <b>quickly</b>.


    ¡°When did your grandfather get another granddaughter?¡± He asked, suspicious.


    ¡°She¡¯s his daughter,¡± Lucas said curtly. ¡°Let¡¯s not get into it. She¡¯s family.¡±


    Dr. Klein grunted, mildly appeased. ¡°Fine. Just get over here quickly.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute, Theresa said, smiling brightly. ¡°We haven¡¯t finalized the price.¡±


    Dr. Klein: ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°One price for the <b>second </b>floor, and a separate one for the third,¡± she said sweetly. ¡°Double the rate, since it¡¯s higher risk¨C200 thousand gleamstones and 200 thousand <b>tons </b>of food.¡±


    Dr. Klein: ¡­That¡¯s daylight robbery!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being generous for only charging double<b>,</b>¡± she said, still smiling. ¡°If you think that¡¯s too much, fine- we¡¯ll stick to your original deal. We¡¯ll clear the second floor, and you pay us what you promised. The <b>third </b><b>floor</b><b>? </b>You can handle that yourself,¡±


    He stood stunned, speechless.


    ¡°Better hurry,¡± she added. ¡°If you take any longer, your fourth floor will fall too¨Cand that¡¯ll be a whole new rate. Or hey, you can always wait for one of the other Ark Camps to rescue you. If you¡¯re rich enough to <b>stall</b>, go ahead.¡±


    He gritted his teeth, staring at the girl on the <b>screen</b>. ¡°Fine. 200 thousand it is. Get it started!¡±


    ¡°Deal!¡± Theresa replied cheerfully.


    Thanks to her ¡°friendly¡± negotiation, the two sides reached a ¡®mutually satisfying agreement. Dr. Klein sent over a set of high¨Clevel ess codes and detailed floor maps.


    Chapter 355 Entry Comes with a Price


    Their task was to enter thepound and manually activate the floor locks on each level


    As the team arrived at the entrance of the bunker, a massive, reinforced security door stood before them Lucas did not hesitate and input the lengthy password


    Ding


    ¡°S¨CLevel Authorization. ess Granted¡±


    The door¨Cpreviously inessible even to residents¨Cslid open.


    It was clear now, after the outbreak, Ark One had revoked all standard resident ess. No one without top clearance coulde or go.


    The Ark One residents, seeing the door open, lit up with hope. They watched Theresa and her team walk in and quickly moved to follow them without a second thought.


    They <b>had </b>no choice. They were on the open ins. There was nowhere else to hide. If a zombie wave hit now, what could they do? They¡¯d be ughtered. <b>Even </b>a <b>fool </b>would follow them inside.


    ¡°You guys nning to tag along?¡± Theresa asked tly.


    ¡°This is our home! What¡¯s wrong with going home?¡± Yuki shot back defensively.


    She didn¡¯t like that Theresa was the only woman in the group. It irritated her. She felt the need <b>to </b>start something.


    If Lucas had been the one asking, she wouldn¡¯t have said a word.


    Theresa didn¡¯t take offense. She simply smiled and stepped closer. ¡°You¡¯re going home, huh?¡±


    ¡°Yeah<b>,</b>¡± Yuki said, arms crossed. ¡°This is the road for our camp. It¡¯s my way home. It¡¯s none of your


    business.


    The next second, she went flying from Theresa¡¯s p, and with a crisp ding, the bunker door mmed shut behind her.


    ¡°There. Trying back in now,¡± Theresa said, dusting off her hands.


    Finally. That felt amazing!


    Outside the sealed door, Yuki stood in stunned silence.


    She held her cheek, blinking at the locked door.


    What the hell?


    Did she actually just lock me out?


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    She screamed, pounding her fists against the door.


    She didn¡¯t have a password.


    Chapter 855 Entry Comes with a Price


    Her ID card didn¡¯t even work.


    <b>How </b>was <b>she </b>supposed to get in?


    Inside, Theresa turned to the rest of the group, her tone casual,


    ¡°You¡¯re wee to follow us¨Cbut just so we¡¯re clear, this is the minimum of what happens if you piss us


    of


    No one uttered <b>a </b>single reply.


    That was just the minimum?

 Kept Woman 356

    Chapter 856 The Ones Who Walked Away


    Everyone nodded furiously, like bobbleheads,


    ¡°And just so we¡¯re clear¨Cyour lives aren¡¯t our responsibility. If your so¨Ccalled lealers haven¡¯t paid to save you, then whether you live or die is none of our business


    More frantic nodding followed,


    <b>They </b>were so obedient it was almostughable.


    Every pair of eyes stared at the Ki group, glittering with admiration¨Cand a good dose of fear.


    Who would <b>dare </b>mess with them now?


    Even Yuki had been pped and locked out without hesitation. Who had the guts to cross a woman like


    that?


    Everyone instantly fell in line.


    In the crowd, Harry¡¯s eyes widened slightly, barely able to contain his excitement.


    Theresa had only needed to assert herself once, and the entire


    group submitted.


    Without wasting another second, she turned to Lucas.


    ¡°We¡¯re moving¡±


    Lucas nodded, taking the lead as they headed into the bunker.


    Back outside, Yuki pounded on the sealed door with both fists.


    ¡°Open the dmn door!


    ¡°Hurry <b>up</b>! <b>There </b>are zombies out here!¡±


    The Ark One residents hesitated, exchanging uneasy looks.


    ¡°What should we do about her?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right¨Cthere are zombiesing!¡±


    ¡°Maybe we should let her in¡­¡±


    They debated among themselves until <b>a </b>few of the girls stepped forward to unlock the door.


    After all, her father was Timothy Cooper, the first¨Cfloor administrator.


    Theresa might not be afraid of him¨Cbut they <b>were</b>.


    Just as one girl turned to open the door manually, a voice like ice sliced through the air,


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±


    Chapter 856 The Ones Who Walked Away


    It was Harry,


    He stood among the crowd, eyes cold, posture rigid.


    ¡°But Harry-


    ¡°Stop wasting your time. Don¡¯t fall behind,¡± he said tly. ¡°No one¡¯s going to protect you if you do


    His words struck like a p.


    One person took the lead, pretending not to see Yuki or hear her screams. The rest followed, heads low, falling into step behind <b>him</b><b>. </b>


    Soon, everyone <b>had </b>gone¨Cexcept Harry


    <b>Outside</b>, Yuki watched them abandon her.


    ¡°You b*stards! You heartless, filthy b¡¯stards!


    ¡°Don¡¯t go! Come back! You¡¯re not allowed to leave me


    <b>here</b>!!


    But the zombies had already caught her scent. Zombies began pouring in, <b>drawn </b>by <b>her </b>screams. One by one, they charged at the lone girl outside the bunker.


    ¡°Raaagh<b>!</b>¡±


    Harry, now streaked with fresh blood, rejoined the group as thest to catch up.


    The others took one look at him and the new crimson <b>stains </b>on his clothes<b>, </b>and all fell silent


    William came up beside him, speaking low. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid? When this is over, her dad might <be </b>looking for you.¡±


    He nced sideways. His eyes were darker now, sharp, hard, filled with something far more dangerous. than anger. ¡°That b*stard? He can die right along with her.¡±


    William¡¯s heart stuttered in his chest.


    They were all just regr people once¨Csoft, harmless. They¡¯ve never even held a knife before.


    Ark One had housed over forty thousand people. Five thousand had been military from the start. Another ten thousand were flown in by helicopter. The rest were <b>scattered </b>civilians¨Clocals and tourists stranded on the ins.


    When the virus outbreak hit, it spread slowly here. The <bnd </b>was vast, the poption sparse. If you ran, you could possibly outrun <i>i </i>


    Eventually, word spread about a massive camp, and everyone fled toward it.


    Harry.


    William, and the <b>others</b><b>/</b>were among those lucky enough to arrive amidst the chaos.


    Before all this, they were just coders. Office workers. Nobody special.


    <b>Once </b>inside Ark One, they were: assigned to the bottom levels¨Cfirst and second floors.


    ¿Ú


    Chapter 356 The Ones Who Walked <b>Away </b>


    Manualbor Grunt <b>work</b>.


    They were the lowest of the low. Eating scraps. Sleeping in filth. Doing 99% of the work for <b>almost </b>no recognition


    Ark One wasn¡¯t a sanctuary. It <b>was </b>a pyramid¨Cwhere the higher your floor, the higher your states. Each level controlled the one below it. Each administrator existed to exploit, not protect.


    Disy any disobedience? You were thrown out. Left to die.


    This wasn¡¯t the future of humanity. It was paradise for the selected few.


    Even someone like Yuki Cooper, who had no real skill or merit, could trample over all of them simply because of her father¡¯s position.


    William and the others <b>had </b>long resented the


    system.


    But they had been beaten down too long. They didn¡¯t know how to resist. Didn¡¯t believe they could. They had epted it as fate.


    Now, seeing the blood in Harry¡¯s eyes, he felt a chill he couldn¡¯t exin.


    Harry wasn¡¯t the <b>same </b>anymore.


    Without another word, Harry quickened his pace, falling in behind Theresa¡¯s group.


    He followed closely, eyes forward.


    Theresa walked at the center of their formation.

 Kept Woman 357

    <b>Chapter </b><b>157 </b>Close Combat


    Chapter 357 Close Combat


    Laicas led the way, his team moving swiftly behind him. Dr. Klein had marked the fastest route on the


    map.


    But honestly, it <b>didn¡¯t </b>matter where they went¨Czombies were everywhere on the first floor.


    ¡°Urrghhh!¡±


    ¡°Graaah!¡±


    ¡°<b>Ranagh </b>


    A young female zombie <b>appeared</b>, dressed in a miniskirt, her long ck hair whipping behind her. Her <b>mouth </b>gaped open as she lunged at them.


    She was <b>freshly </b>turned¨Cstill warm. Red blood oozed thickly down her chin just as she let out her first moan, But before <b>she </b>could make another sound, a de shed through the air, piercing her temple and embedding deep into her skull.


    Shing!


    The sound of metal scraping crystal echoed<b>. </b>


    Graham twisted the de, and with it came a <b>gleamstone</b>. The zombie crumpled to the floor, silent and still.


    He yanked his weapon free and looked at Lucas.


    Lucas gave him a small nod.


    Graham carefullyid the zombie¡¯s body aside.


    Before them stretched a vast underground maze shaped like an octagon, each corridor lined with rooms, once used for housing


    The main horde of zombies clustered in the massive central <b>za </b>at the heart of the structure.


    Eight corridors branched out like spokes on a wheel. The team <b>was </b>currently at <b>the </b>southern point and needed to reach the west.


    Luckily, the outermost ring was still rtively clear. They just had to stick to it.


    They nned a fast, quiet approach. No noise. No hesitation.


    <b>Graham¡¯s </b>squad hugged the wall, sweeping forward in tight formation.


    The perimeter zombies were thinly spread.


    Two years of zombie hunting had turned them into lethal <b>machines</b>. They moved <b>with </b>surgical efficiency. cutting through with <b>speed </b>and silence. They reached the west quadrant with barely a <b>hitch</b>.


    Behind <b>them</b>, Harry, William, and the rest of the Ark civilians could only stare, wide¨Ceyed.


    |||


    Chapter 157 Close Combat


    -There guns and MOLN


    They¡¯d seen the Ark One guards go out before They were always anored up, bristling with kreatina waging loud, chaotic battles.


    But they never fought like this never uji close, and never this clean. It was mostly just to defend their bunkers, picking off zombie hordes with the help of theyout.


    But this group fought with melee weapons, face to face with the infected¨Cno shouting, no panie, just swift, merciless silence.


    These people were on another level!


    Just then, a stray zombie burst from a nearby room.


    It wore a ragged old suit, its body thin and brittle. An elderly janitor at the camp, now undead.


    It snapped its <b>jaws </b>and lunged for thest woman in the civilian group. A pair of rotten yellow teeth fell from its mouth <b>mid</b>¨Ccharge.


    #hack!


    Someone swung half a broken chair leg, smashing it across the zombie¡¯s <b>face</b>. Its nose broke. The leg jammed halfway down its throat, knocking out more teeth.


    Harry seized the moment, yanking the girl back as the others surged forward in a frantic rush.


    The zombie, gagging on the chair leg, chased them with wild snarls.


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    ¡°Urrghhh!¡±


    They rounded a corner¨Conly to find Theresa and her group standing still.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± <b>someone </b>shouted.


    Theresa turned <b>around</b><b>, </b>face grim.


    ¡°The path is blocked.¡±


    In front of Theresa <b>was </b>a horde of zombies, packed together like sardines behind a single <b>ss </b>sliding


    door.


    Just like the train zombies in Train to Busan, the deadheaded zombies just <b>didn¡¯t </b>know how to open it.


    They pped, wed, and pressed against the transparent barrier, their faces twisted with mindless. hunger.


    More zombies continued pushing from behind, cramming the front line tighter against the ss-


    One especially emaciated female <b>zombie </b>was fully stered against the door. Her skin stretched tight over bone like a corpse on disy. A long, jagged wound ran from her chest all the way down her abdomen.

 Kept Woman 358

    Chapter 858 The Door That Stayed Open


    The ss door was smeared with <b>blood</b>.


    Half a torn liver and a tangle of intestines were pressed up against it, grotesquely disyed like some living anatomical specimen.


    Crack!


    A sickening crunch echoed.


    The zombie¡¯s bones, crushed by the flood of <b>others </b>behind it, snapped with a loud pop¨Ca whole row <b>of </b>ribs exploded through its chest, tearing through skin and muscle.


    The jagged, pale bones, still dripping with flesh, jabbed straight into the ss, scraping with an awful and unbearable screech.


    And just behind that door was the west exit.


    But the path ahead was blocked.


    They had two choices now: take <b>a </b>long, <b>winding </b>detour, or head into the center of the maze- shorter path, but far more dangerous


    ¡°I have an idea<b>. </b>


    The voice came from behind Theresa.


    She turned, along with the others.


    A bloodied <b>young </b>man stepped forward.


    She recognized him. He was the one who¡¯d killed his own sister at the start.


    a much


    ¡°All these <b>dorms </b>are connected,¡± Harry <b>said </b><b>seriously</b><b>. </b>¡°You¡¯ve got <b>admin </b>clearance, right? We can cut through the rooms,¡±


    Five minutester, Theresa stood inside one of the rooms.


    Each dorm was built to hold four people¨Cclean white walls, barely twenty square meters. Two bunk beds, two lockers, one desk. That was it. No kitchen. No bathroom. Those were shared in the hall.


    Each room had <b>two </b>doors, front and <b>back</b>, connecting it to the next.


    They had just three rooms to cut through.


    ¡°These doors only open for admin ess,¡± Harry exined. ¡°Try your code.¡±


    Theresa nodded at Lucas.


    Lucas walked up and punched in the string of numbers Dr. Klein had given them.


    Ding!


    Chapter 358 The Door That Stayed Open


    ¡°<b>S</b><b>¨C</b>Level Authorization. ess Granted


    The door slid <b>open</b>.


    Inside, a <b>man </b>stood with his <b>back </b>to them, wandering aimlessly.


    As soon as he <b>heard </b>the door, he turned-


    His face <b>was </b>soaked in blood.


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    He lunged toward them.


    Shing!


    triangr dagger shot through the center of his skull, pinning him and a gleamstone to the door behind


    hum.


    The zombie dropped dead in an instant.


    Lucas didn¡¯t blink. He scanned the room, confirmed it was clear, then nodded.


    Everyone followed <b>him </b><b>in</b>.


    Click


    Once inside, Lucas¡® team shut the door, retrieved the gleamstone, and moved on to the next room.


    Harry and the others watched them move with crisp, silent efficiency. Awe lit up in their eyes.


    They followed closer than ever.


    Soon, Theresa¡¯s team reached the final room.


    Only two zombies inside. They were gone in seconds.


    raham quietly cracked thest door and peeked.


    They were in luck¨C<b>most </b>of the zombies were down the side corridors. The west exit stood right in front


    of them.


    The coast was clear.


    Perfect timing.


    <b>Graham </b>nodded, then dashed forward to the west exit, keying in the door¡¯s lock.


    The moment it clicked open, he motioned for everyone to move.


    Theresa and the others slipped through<b>, </b><b>quick </b>and quiet, like professionals.


    Then it was Harry <b>and </b>the civilians¡® turn. They bolted.


    Chapter 858 <b>The </b>Door <b>That </b>Stayed Open


    <b>¡°</b>Raaagh!<b>¡± </b>


    Raaagh!*


    *Rnaagh!¡±


    Zombies charged from both sides.


    Harry¡¯s heart pounded alongside the others.


    They knew if this had been Ark One¡¯s upper ranks, the door would already be shut. They wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to leave them for dead. They never did. Those people only cared about their own safety.


    He had seen it too many times.


    Panic shed in everyone¡¯s eyes.


    But to their surprise, the door stayed open..


    ¡°Move! Hurry!¡± Kyle shouted from the back.


    Like <b>a </b>surge of electricity, the group sprinted forward with everything they had.


    One, two¡­Seven, eight-


    Thest one dove through the entrance-


    ¡°Raaagh<b>!</b><b>¡± </b>


    A zombie lunged, just barely missing them by a breath.

 Kept Woman 359

    Chapter <b>359 </b>They¡¯re not Bad People


    Bang!


    A ten¨Ccentimeter¨Cthick steel barrier dropped from above like a guillotine.


    It sliced clean through the zombie¡¯s head¨Cskull, brain, and all¨Cbefore mming into the ground.


    <b>What </b>was once <b>a </b>face <b>was </b><b>now </b>red pulp sttered across cold metal.


    <b>And </b>it wasn¡¯t just the western door. Across the entire underground level, all eight entryways sealed shut simultaneously.


    The first floor was officially and entirely locked down.


    Harry and the others, still breathless from their sprint, turned to look at Theresa¡¯s team.


    They¡¯d done it. Swift, clean, no hesitation.


    Theresa and Lucas lowered their heads as they began rying the sess to Dr. Klein through their


    Behind <b>them</b>, Harry¡¯s group huddled together, the tension easing off just enough for them to breathe


    again.


    That group¡­ they¡¯re different from the Ark <b>leaders</b>, someone murmured..


    ¡°Way more humane.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, if that had been the camp admins, they would¡¯ve mmed the <b>door </b>in our faces without blinking.¡±


    ¡°We have to stick with them.¡±


    As the group spoke, a girl hesitantly tugged on Harry¡¯s sleeve.


    ¡°Harry¡­¡±


    He turned. ¡°What is it, Amy?¡±


    1¡­


    Um..


    Amy had entered the camp with Harry, both of them just tourists caught in the chaos. They barely knew each other, only worked together¨Cbut after he had saved her with a broken chair leg, she now saw him as someone she could trust.


    ¡°You¡¯re injured?¡± he asked, rmed.


    ¡°No!¡± She quickly covered his mouth, whispering, ¡°Not <b>that</b>! I mean¡­ my period.¡±


    His brows tightened. He had a younger sister¨Che got it immediately.


    He looked down. There was already a bloodstain on her pants.


    Chapter 359 They re not Bad Prophe


    Without <b>a </b>word, he pulled off his jacket and handed it to her.


    She <b>took </b>it, cheeks flustered. ¡°Thank you¡­


    ¡°No problem. Do you have anything you can use?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I asked around. None of the other girls in our group brought anything


    His gaze moved to the front of the team¨Cspecifically to


    ¡°Try <b>asking </b>her.¡±


    Theresa.


    She took a look at Theresa and bit her lip, fear flickered across her face as she recalled how hard she pped Yuki. ¡°But¡­ she¡¯s <b>um</b>¡­


    ¡°They¡¯re not bad people,¡± he said firmly.


    Encouraged, she took a deep breath and walked toward the Kl group.


    At that moment, Theresa <b>had </b>just finished updating Dr. Klein and was waiting for further instructions. They still had to wait for the other team before moving on.


    Annoyed <b>with </b>their inefficiency, she passed themunicator to Lucas and walked off to sit by herself<b>. </b>


    Amy approached gingerly.


    Theresa looked up, instantly guarded. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ <b>can </b>I borrow something?¡±


    ¡°What <b>kind </b>of something?¡±


    Amy looked like she wanted to disappear. ¡°The kind girls need¡­ every month. Her voice shrank <b>to </b><b>a </b>whisper. ¡°If you don¡¯t <b>have </b>any, that¡¯s <b>okay</b>.¡±


    ¡°You mean pads?¡± Theresa said casually.


    She didn¡¯t speak loudly, but nearby team members, Quentin especially, heard her loud and clear.


    Amy flushed scarlet.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be embarrassed about, Theresa added. ¡°You <b>want </b>a pad or a tampon<b>?¡± </b>


    ¡°Pad,¡± Amy squeaked.


    Theresa casually pulled a packet from her bag¨Cactually from her storage space¨Cand handed it over. ¡°Find a quiet corner. I¡¯ll wait.¡±


    Amy clutched the pads like a lifeline. Her eyes shimmered with gratitude.


    She turned and hurried toward the corridor¡¯s edge<b>. </b>


    As she left, Quentin strolled up with a smirk. ¡°So, boss¡­ what do you usually use?¡±


    Chapter 859 They¡¯re not Bad People


    Theresa stared at him, then casually threw <b>a </b>punch.


    Quentin dodged. You missed.


    §£§Ñ§Þ!


    A secondter, she kicked him square in the leg.


    Theresa smirked as Quentin crumpled with a grunt.


    But then, a scream echoed down the hall. It came from the corner where Amy had gone alone,


    Instantly, Harry, William and the others leapt into action.


    Harry reached her first, just as Amy came running out, panicked and breathless.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Someone touched me!¡± she cried, pointing behind her.


    Everyone looked toward the corridor¨Cbut <b>saw </b>nothing.


    Theresa and the KI team arrived secondster.


    ¡°Are you sure it wasn¡¯t <b>just </b>your imagination?¡± a man in the crowd asked.

 Kept Woman 360

    Chapter 860 One Door at a Time:


    ¡°Yeah<b>, </be on<b>. </b>There¡¯s no one here. No one touched you.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve all been right here. Nobody left.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    Amy¡¯s face was pale with fear. ¡°It was a hand. A human hand. I swear! He¡­ he pped me.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯d he p you? Why don¡¯t you take it off and prove it?¡± one guy jeered, a smirk ying on his lips.


    She fell silent. Shame burned <b>across </b>her face. She said nothing more, just lowered her head and walked back to Harry, pretending the whole thing had never happened.


    The others quickly dispersed.


    Theresa, however, didn¡¯t move. Her eyes shifted to the corner where Amy hade from. On the floor was a small puddle of water.


    Drip.


    Drip.


    A pipe above was leaking, the sound faint but rhythmic.


    Just then, Lucas¡® voice called from behind.


    ¡°We¡¯re <b>clear </b>to move to the next level.¡±


    Theresa looked one more time toward the corner, then turned away and followed the others down, setting her suspicions aside¨Cfor now.


    The stairwell was crawling with zombies.


    Fortunately, each floor had security doors. After clearing out the stairwell and locking it down, they entered the basement Level 2.


    More zombies<b>. </b>


    Theyout was the same: maze¨Clike corridors branching out in a giant octagonal design. The walls were <b>white</b>, but that was barely visible now, Blood smeared everything. Zombies wandered in and out of rooms.


    Theresa¡¯s team didn¡¯t waste time; they¡¯d learned from the first floor. Instead of charging down corridors, they cut through rooms again.


    They were now w on the west side and needed to reach the north. That meant cutting through ten rooms. Lucas led the way, his team following closely as they burst into the first room.


    The moment they entered, the nearby corridor erupted. The zombies started howling, alerted by movement. They surged forward. But this time, luck wasn¡¯t with everyone.


    Theresa¡¯s squad moved like shadows¨Cquick, surgical, untouched. That two of Harry¡¯s prople were fin A stumble, then a scream¨Cand then they were taken down by the zombies.


    Falling in a zombie chase was like falling into quicksand, impossible to recover: Dozens of zombies descended instantly, ripping and wing.


    ¡°Help me-


    One of them clung to the doorframe, desperately trying to pull himself through. William and the others froze, retreating in panic.


    In a split second, Harry rushed forward and shoved the door shut.


    As the door mmed, a dozen gnarled hands shot through the gap. Sharp ws scraped across the steel, drawing out a <b>high</b>¨Cpitched metallic shriek.


    Shing!


    A sh of silver.


    Theresa¡¯s de whipped through the air, slicing cleanly through every reaching hand.


    With a loud thud, Harry mmed the door the rest of the <b>way</b>.


    ¡°Harry! Are you okay?¡± Amy ran to his side,


    I¡¯m fine,¡± he said, gasping for breath.


    Two teammates gone. The fear hit everyone hard.


    Reality was settling in.


    When Theresa said she wouldn¡¯t protect them, she meant it.


    If you couldn¡¯t keep up, you died. No one wasing to <b>save </b>you.


    Theresa¡¯s team moved on.


    I¡¯m not going any further.¡± A voice called from the back. ¡°I¡¯m staying right here.¡±


    They had just seen people die in front of them. And they wanted out. Going out meant a certain death, maybe staying behind would be safer¨Cat <b>least </b>here, they might <b>have </b>a chance to wait things out.


    <b>But </b>no one up front even bothered to look back at <b>them</b>.


    Theresa didn¡¯t even try to persuade them. They were never part of her mission anyway.


    If they wanted to follow<b>, </b><b>fine</b>. If not, that was fine too. She wasn¡¯Labout to drag anyone toward survival. She¡¯d let them live, if they could keep up. But she <b>wasn¡¯t </b>going to stop for the ones who quit.


    Her team kept moving. Opening doors and moving forward.


    Harry stayed back for a moment, trying onest time to convince those who chose to stay.


    Come with us, Staying here doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re safes


    ¡°Maybe not, one replied. ¡°But going forward means certain danger. This is only the second Boor, there still a third. Maybe even more zombies are there,¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You guys can meet the administrators. Once the zombies are cleared, we¡¯ll be safe, another one chimed <b>in</b>.


    More murmurs resonated throughout the hall, thickening the doubt in everyone¡¯s heads.


    In the end, only seven of Harry¡¯s group kept going.


    Bang!


    The door shut behind the ones who stayed.


    Theresa and her squad didn¡¯t look back. They kept moving forward, opening the doors one by one. Like flipping tiles in <b>a </b>game of death, each room was a mystery. No one knew what was waiting on the other <b>side </b>of the door.


    Ding!


    The next door unlocked <b>and </b>swung open.


    And inside-


    The walls were covered in blood.

 Kept Woman 361

    Chapter 361 When the Door Opens


    Blood was everywhere¨Con the floor, the walls, the table, even the bed.


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    The sterile white of the room was drowned in crimson. But weirdly enough, there wasn¡¯t a single zombie in sight.


    Theresa¡¯s gaze settled on a cab in the corner.


    Shing<i>! </i>


    Without hesitation, she drew the de from her back and hurled it toward the cab.


    At that exact moment, the cab door burst open from the inside¨Ca blood¨Csoaked zombie lunged out, its body torn to shreds.


    Deep w marks covered it from head to toe, as if it had ripped itself apart. Its mouth gaped open, dripping with blood, as itunched straight at her.


    Thud!


    <i>The </i>dended squarely in its throat, jamming through its gaping jaws.


    It didn¡¯t even get to finish its roar before copsing in a heap.


    The others turned to Theresa.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move. It¡¯s clear.¡±


    At her word, the group, now with a renewed sense of ease, pressed on without hesitation.


    If she said it was clear, it was true¨Cshe had never let them down.


    They continued through the hall, opening doors one by one.


    The third room held two zombies.


    The fourth had five.


    The fifth was empty.


    The sixth had three.


    Then came the seventh.


    What greeted them were two people.


    <i>Ding</i><i>! </i>


    ¡°S¨CRank Authorization. ess Granted.¡±


    The door slid open.


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    Chapter 361 When the Door Opens


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    Inside, a man and a woman were tangled together on the bed¨Ccaught in the middle of something very private.


    Their eyes met with the group¡¯s.


    Startled silence filled the hallway.


    ¡°Ah!¡± the woman yelped and dove under the nket.


    The man snatched a corner of it, ring at the intruders.


    ¡°Who the hell are you?! I¡¯m Lional Yates, second¨Cfloor administrator! Who gave you clearance to enter? Get out! All of you!¡±


    Theresa stared at the man, utterly unfazed. ¡°Are you seriously out of your mind? Your entire camp is about to be overrun by zombies.¡±


    ¡°What on earth?¡± Lional blinked. His face was nk.


    He genuinely had no idea.


    While the entire camp gathered for the Thanksgiving Festival¡¯s event, he¡¯d stayed behind for a secret rendezvous.


    To ensure privacy, he¡¯d ordered his subordinates not to disturb him, so no one did so. ?


    He and hispanion spent the entire day in that room, eating, sleeping, and enjoying themselves¡ªpletely unaware of the chaos erupting outside. And just as he was about to continue enjoying himself, the door opened.


    That was why he was genuinely confused.


    ¡°You can keep going. We won¡¯t interrupt you.¡± Theresa shrugged, already turning away. She and her team moved on.


    Lional stared after them, speechless.


    How was he supposed to keep going after what she just said?


    He watched in disbelief as they approached the next sealed room and entered a code.


    Ding!


    ¡°S¨CRank Authorization. ess Granted.


    His eyes narrowed.


    What? S¨CRank Authorization? He only had A¨CRank Authorization.


    These people outranked him.


    So¡­ <i>the </i><i>camp </i><i>really </i><b><i>has </i></b><i>fallen</i><i>? </i>


    Chapter 361 When the Door Opens


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    The door ahead burst open¨Czombies poured out in a frenzy.


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    Theresa¡¯s team responded in perfect unison. des and spikes shed through the air, bodies moving in


    wless formation.


    Lying there on the bed, Lional realized with dawning horror that the outbreak was real.


    Zombies.


    Real zombies<i>. </i>


    The virus has breached <i>their </i>camp<i>! </i>


    Terror overtook him. He scrambled off the bed, grabbing his clothes. Half¨Cnaked, he stumbled behind the others, frantically pulling on his pants as he ducked behind the line of fighters.


    By the time he finished dressing, the entire room was littered with corpses that Thersa and her team had wiped out.


    Amidst the carnage, Lional trembled in fear.


    He rushed up to Theresa. ¡°Please¡ªyou have to protect me! I¡¯m an administrator! Get me to safety, and I¡¯ll make sure you all get promoted!¡±


    Theresa rolled her eyes, then casually turned and kicked him.


    He flew backward,nding on the ground with a pained grunt. ¡°How dare you kick me?¡± he shouted from the floor. ¡°Do you even want to keep living in this camp?!¡±


    Harry¡¯s group caught up just in time to witness the scene.


    ¡°They¡¯re not from our camp,¡± someone exined. ¡°They¡¯re from the K1 Camp. They¡¯re here to help us.¡±


    Lional¡¯s face froze.


    His eyes shifted rapidly, thoughts racing.


    He stared at the group moving confidently ahead and ran after them.


    ¡°Wait, wait! I¡¯m sorry¨CI didn¡¯t know! Let me introduce myself: Lional Yates, second¨Cfloor administrator. A pleasure to meet you! Once this is all over, drinks are on me!¡±


    Behind them, the main door of the room creaked open again,


    His bedmate, now dressed, peeked outside, apparently curious about the noise.


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    Chapter 362 No Room to Breathe


    Chapter 362 No Room to Breathe


    ¡°Shut the door. Now! Theresa¡¯s voice cracked like a whip.


    Still, it was toote.


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    Her fingers still pressed on the lock when something from the other side mmed with bone¨Cjarring.


    force.


    The impact nearly tore the door out of her hands.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    A zombie charged through the doorway, its decayed flesh and wild energy causing it to knock her over. It sank its teeth into her nose with a sickening crunch.


    ¡°Grrraaahhh!¡±


    Her scream pierced the air, blending with the guttural snarls of the horde.


    Then, the flood hit.


    <i>They </i>didn¡¯t walk in. They crashed through the opening like a wave, crawling over each other, eyes burning with that dead, hungry re.


    ¡°Run!¡± Theresa didn¡¯t think. She just bolted.


    One thought pounded in her head, over and over. <i>There¡¯s </i><i>only </i><i>one </i><i>room </i><i>left</i><i>. </i>No <i>stopping</i>. <i>No </i>looking <i>back</i>. Move<i>! </i>


    Harry¡¯s heart was pounding so loudly that he could hardly hear anything else. He grabbed Amy and Linda by the wrists and yanked them forward, his lungs on fire.


    The pounding of dead feet grew louder.


    A zombie in a torn T¨Cshirt broke free from the pack, its neck hanging at an awful angle. Its milky¨Cwhite eyes locked on them like they were the only thing in the world.


    It leapt high enough that, for a brief moment, its decaying face came into view. It then rushed toward the couple who were at the end.


    ¡°Grrraaahhh!¡±


    As the zombie charged, the boyfriend took an extraordinary action. He pushed his girlfriend out of the way and ran.


    ¡°Kevin!¡± Linda¡¯s voice cracked in disbelief.


    The zombie was already lunging at her.


    For a heartbeat, she was sure it was over.


    <i>Bam</i><i>! </i>


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    Chapter 362 No Room to Breathe


    A chair leg struck the zombie¡¯s skull, knocking its head sideways.


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    ¡°Harry!¡± Linda gasped, staring at him. He¡¯d grabbed the broken chair leg and hurled it with every ounce of strength he had.


    ¡°Run!¡± Harry yelled, grabbing Linda¡¯s hand before she could thank him. Amy was on his other side, and together they sprinted down the hallway.


    <i>Beep</i><i>! </i>


    ¡°ess granted! S¨CRank Authorization!¡±


    Up ahead, Theresa¡¯s group shoved the final door open.


    Miraculously, the room was empty¨Cno zombies in view.


    Graham immediately took point, pushing the entrance wider and scanning the hallway outside.


    Snarls echoed from beyond.


    Then, steel shed.


    Graham and his team moved like lightning, cutting down thest few zombies at the door as if they were nothing more than weeds in their way.


    As the middle room opened, all zombies in the vicinity surged toward it.


    That was their window.


    Theresa¡¯s group immediately dashed toward the north gate with full force.


    Behind them, the noise of the horde exploded.


    ¡°Grrraaahhh!¡±


    ¡°Grrraaahhh!¡±


    Each scream was louder, closer, and more relentless.


    No one even thought about closing the door. There wasn¡¯t a second to spare.


    The gap between the living and the dead was vanishing fast.


    Harry and his group brought up the rear, their lungs burning and legs numb. The smell of blood and decay clogged their throats, and every growl behind them seemed almost within reach.


    They shoved tables and chairs into the hallway, praying it would slow the horde down even for a second.


    As expected, it didn¡¯t.


    The zombies plowed through everything, trampling it underfoot like it wasn¡¯t even there.


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    Chapter 362 No Room to Breathe


    Harry¡¯s group could barely feel their legs anymore. They had no idea how they were still moving.


    All they could do was keep pushing themselves to run faster and harder.


    Before they knew it, they burst out of the room, and the next door finally came into view.


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    Theresa and her people held the entrance, hacking through thest few zombies trying to squeeze in.


    Harry swiftly dragged Amy and Linda with him, every muscle screaming in protest.


    Behind them, more and more zombies were drawn in. The horde poured into the final room, chasing them down like a nightmare that wouldn¡¯t end.


    William was first through.


    Lional was right after him.


    Kevin, third.


    Fourth.


    Fifth.


    Harry dove in sixth, dragging Amy and Linda with him like his life depended on it.


    Boom!


    The steel gate crashed shut.


    Crunch.


    Bones shattered, and rotten flesh sttered against the floor.


    <i>Thud</i><i>! </i>


    Linda hit the ground hard, gasping for air.


    Everyone¨Cexcept Theresa¡¯s groupy scattered across the floor, drenched in sweat, faces pale as chalk.


    For a moment, no one spoke.


    Only the sound of ragged breaths and pounding hearts filled the room, each beat echoing in their cars. Harry¡¯s grip on Linda and Amy¡¯s hands was still locked tight, his knuckles bone¨Cwhite.


    <b>This </b>was survival in its most raw form¨Cbrutal and relentless.


    Harry sucked in a shaky breath, his chest still burning: D¡¯on it! This is worse than the first floor. Back then, we didn¡¯t have to deal with traitors. At least everyone got each other¡¯s backs


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    Chapter 363 The Pulse in the Pipes


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    He nced at Theresa. We¡¯ve only gotten <i>this </i><i>far </i><i>because </i><i>of </i><i>her</i><i>. </i><i>None </i>of us <i>are </i>heroes, <i>but </i>at least we manage not to mess things up


    His jaw tightened as the memory of Kevin shoving Linda burned in his mind. <i>Then that </i>fool had <i>to </i>pull that stunt¡­ nearly got us all killed.


    The scene wouldn¡¯t leave him. It kept looping in his head, sharp and ugly. <i>If </i><i>it </i><i>weren¡¯t </i><i>for </i><i>Theresa¡¯s </i>crew, we¡¯d already be dead.


    He drew in a long breath, gripping his fists tighter. <i>From </i><i>now </i><i>on</i><i>, </i><i>I¡¯m </i><i>sticking </i><i>to </i><i>her </i>like <i>glue</i><i>. </i>No way <i>I¡¯m </i>letting <i>her </i>or her team out of my <i>sight</i>.


    Kevin finally staggered over, looking like a dog that knew it was about to get kicked.


    ¡°Lin¡­ I swear, I didn¡¯t mean to leave you,¡± he muttered.


    Linda didn¡¯t even bother to look at him. Her jaw tightened, her eyes like ice.


    ¡°Lin,e on,¡± Kevin stammered, trying again. ¡°It was instinct. People panic¡ª¡±


    ¡°Save it. Get lost!¡± Her voice cracked sharply enough to cut.


    Kevin stood there for a second, looking like he¡¯d just been pped. Then he dropped his gaze and slinked away, every step heavy with shame.


    Then Lional, the second¨Cfloor administrator, strolled over and leaned against the railing like he owned the ce. Tough luck, sweetheart,¡± he drawled with a smug grin. ¡°Moments like this really show you who¡¯s worth keeping around. That guy? Dead weight. You need someone solid like me.¡±


    Linda¡¯s stomach churned. She felt dirty just hearing his voice.


    Right then, Amy hooked her arm through Linda¡¯s. ¡°Come on, Linda. I need to change before I lose my mind in these clothes.¡±


    Linda didn¡¯t even argue. She bolted with Amy, anything to get away from the stench of Kevin¡¯s cowardice and Lional¡¯s smugness.


    Lional, though, didn¡¯t seem to notice or care. He strutted around like a rooster in an empty yard, tossing out smug little lectures and acting like the king of the floor.


    Meanwhile, Theresa¡¯s focus was elsewhere. She was still waiting for Horace¡¯s reply. They¡¯d locked down the second floor, but no one had a clue what came next.


    Everyone slumped against the walls, drained and panting Someone cracked open an energy drink, and


    soon the rest followed suit.


    The quiet didn¡¯tst long.


    ¡°Hey, pass me some water. I¡¯m dying here,¡± Lional called out, his voice already grating on everyone¡¯s nerves as he sauntered up to Theresa¡¯s group.


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    Chapter 363 The Pulse in the Pipes


    Theresa slowly lifted her head, her eyes half¨Clidded. ¡°Come again?¡±


    That was when it hit him.


    Whoa. How did I <i>miss </i><i>this </i>before? Guess <i>I </i><i>was </i><i>too </i><i>busy </i><i>not </i><i>getting </i><i>eaten </i><i>alive</i>.


    s


    She¡¯s not just pretty<i>¨C</i><i>she¡¯s </i>on a <i>whole </i><i>different </i><i>level</i>. Skin¡¯s wless, <i>that </i><i>healthy </i><i>kind </i><i>of </i><i>glow </i><i>you </i><i>don¡¯t </i>fake. Sharp eyes, steady <i>as </i>hell, like <i>nothing </i><i>rattles </i><i>her</i><i>. </i><i>Those </i><i>pampered </i><i>dolls </i><i>on </i><i>the </i>fifth <i>floor</i>? <i>Please</i>. <i>They </i>look like <i>bargain</i><i>¨C</i><i>bin </i>imitations next to <i>her</i><i>. </i>


    She¡¯s bright <i>enough </i><i>to </i>pin <i>someone </i>in <i>ce</i>.


    shing his cockiest grin, Lional leaned in. ¡°Hey there, gorgeous. Name¡¯s Lional Yates, administrator of the second floor. Absolute pleasure.¡±


    Theresa frowned. ¡°That¡¯s the third time you¡¯ve said that. What, you practicing for a campaign speech?¡±


    Lional¡¯s grin twitched. He covered it with augh. ¡°I¡¯m serious. You should ditch that backwater camp of yours¨CK¨Cwhatever? Sounds like a joke. Join Ark Camp One. I¡¯ll get you right onto the second floor. No


    waiting.¡±


    Theresa chuckled and nced sideways. ¡°Lucas, you hearing this?¡±


    Lucas looked up from his drink, calm as ever. ¡°What¡¯d you do before this? How did you end up in charge here?¡±


    Lional puffed up. ¡°I was a councilman, overseeing construction and managing supplies. None of us administrators are just random nobodies¨Cexcept for the clown on the first floor. The third floor houses a top military officer, the fourth has Dr. Klein, and the fifth floor-¡±


    He smirked, letting the words hang like bait. ¡°Let¡¯s just say, that¡¯s out of your league.


    Lucas blinked slowly,shes dipping like he was bored. ¡°I¡¯m Lucas Keaton.¡±


    The namended like a punch.


    Lional¡¯s face went nk. ¡°Lucas Keaton? As in the Eastern Military District, Lucas Keaton?¡±


    Lucas nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡±


    Lional¡¯s smirk evaporated. Back before the world ended, a guy like him wouldn¡¯t have even been allowed to breathe the same air as someone like Lucas.


    Before anyone could enjoy the awkward silence, a scream ripped through the air.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    It came from the hallway where Amy and Linda had gone.


    Harry dashed ahead before anyone else could move, with Kevin stumbling behind him. Theresa and her team trailed closely behind.


    Amy and Linda, trembling, clung to each other as the others approached the corner.


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    Chapter 363 The Pulse in the Pipes


    ¡°What happened?¡± Theresa demanded.


    ¡°S¨Csomeone¡­ someone touched us!¡± Amy stammered, eyes wide.


    Theresa scanned the hall. ¡°There¡¯s nobody here. We¡¯ve been standing guard this whole time.¡±


    Kevin frowned. ¡°Yeah. No one went in or out.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t the first time.


    Drip<i>, </i>drip.


    A pool of water had formed on the floor.


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    Theresa¡¯s eyes narrowed as she tilted her head back. Her mind power swept upward, sharp and precise.


    There it was¨Ca heartbeat. So faint it almost vanished beneath the hum of the pipes and the steady rush of water. It was weak and hidden.


    Yet it pulsed there, quiet and patiently waiting.

 Kept Woman 364

    Chapter 364 White Shadows


    ¡°Lucas! Overhead! Lightning!¡±


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    The second Theresa shouted, Lucas responded instinctively. His hand shot up, and a streak of lightning tore into the ceiling.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡± A sudden, panicked scream rang out.


    The lights flickered violently. Theresa didn¡¯t hesitate. She drew her de, vaulted upward, and sliced through the fixture.


    Thud!


    The ceiling gave way.


    A pipe burst, spraying water in


    every direction. Then, something small dropped down like a pale ghost.


    The thing hit the ground and bolted, moving much faster than a normal person.


    Theresa was still quicker. She lunged forward, her kick hitting it so forcefully that it dented the wall.


    Steel shed.


    Her de pressed against its throat in an instant.


    The creature went rigid, shaking like a leaf. Then, to everyone¡¯s surprise, it slowly raised its hands, almost like it was pleading for its life.


    That was the first time they really got a clear look at it.


    The creature stood about half the height of an average person. Its skin, hair, and eyes were entirely white. It was wearing only white pants with a printed number on them.


    Harry muttered, ¡°What is that? A mutant zombie?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like any zombie I¡¯ve seen,¡± Amy added, clutching her sleeve.


    ¡°Not human either,¡± Quentin growled. ¡°Let¡¯s just end it.¡±


    Lional cut in quickly<i>, </i>waving both hands. ¡°Wait, don¡¯t! That¡¯s one of Dr. Klein¡¯s experiments!¡±


    Theresa¡¯s gaze sharpened on him.


    ¡°See the number?¡± Lional pointed to the marking on the creature¡¯s pants. ¡°That¡¯s how Dr. Klein identifies his test subjects. This thing belongs to him.¡±


    Everyone turned back to the trembling little thing.


    It couldn¡¯t say a word¨Cits tongue seemed gone.


    Those eyes, though¡­ they were unmistakably human. Wide with fear, locked on Theresa¡¯s de, and so terrified they didn¡¯t even dare to blink.


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    Theresa tilted her head slightly, thoughtful. ¡°If it¡¯s Dr. Klein¡¯s, maybe we can trade it back to him for something useful.¡±


    Lucas stared at her like she¡¯d just suggested selling haunted furniture.


    In the end, they tied it up. Amy, finally, looked like she could breathe again. So did Harry¡¯s crew.


    Amy stuck so close to Harry afterward that he could feel her sleeve brush against his every step.


    Meanwhile, Kevin was busy trying to patch up the mess he¡¯d made. He edged toward Linda. ¡°Lin, you saw me. The second you screamed, I ran straight to you. I swear, I still love you.¡±


    Linda didn¡¯t even look at him. She yanked her hand away. ¡°Save it. We¡¯re done.¡±


    Kevin¡¯s voice cracked. ¡°Lin, please! I panicked, that¡¯s all. I didn¡¯t mean it! We¡¯ve been through too much to throw it all away over one mistake.¡±


    Linda stared at him like he was a stranger.


    Kevin and Linda had a long history together. Back when the world was still whole, he proposed to her on the road, and she said yes.


    They¡¯d made it to Ark Camp One and survived side by side for two brutal years, scraping by on the worst jobs imaginable. Through it all, she¡¯d believed in him.


    She used to think she struck gold¨Cuntil today, when Kevin showed he¡¯d drop her in a heartbeat just to save his own skin.


    She spoke coldly, ¡°Kevin, if panic made you ditch me, then that¡¯s who you really are. Don¡¯t bother exining. We¡¯re done.¡±


    Kevin stood there, hollow. Words jammed in his throat and wouldn¡¯te out.


    He wanted to tell her it wasn¡¯t like that. He wanted to tell her love and instinct weren¡¯t the same thing.


    Instead, he just watched her walk away.


    Shortly after the incident, Horace¡¯s order came in: move to the third floor.


    Theresa acted swiftly, rallying everyone to their feet, securing their packs, and leading the rush down the


    stairs.


    The hallway ahead was nearly silent.


    Zombies were on every floor, yes/but nothingpared to the threats outside.


    Horace¡¯s team likely sealed the gates immediately when the outbreak began, blocking any escape for those on the upper floors.


    When Theresa pushed open the stairwell door, Harry¡¯s stomach clenched.


    A dozen dull, gray eyes looked up from the bright white stairwell.


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    Chapter 364 White Shadows


    The instant those dead eyes connected with living eyes, everything shifted.


    ¡°Raaahhh!¡±


    The roar hit like a wave.


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    Zombies¨Cdecked out in tornb coats, grimy shirts, and rags of their past lives¨Cswarmed up the stairs like rabid beasts.


    They eagerly scrambled on all fours, hopping three steps at a time; some <i>so </i>wildly that their shoes came flying off and ttered down the stairs.


    Pure hunger drove them, wild and unthinking.


    To them, fresh meat had just served itself on a silver tter.


    ¡°Raaahhh!¡±


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    Blood¨Csmeared zombie faces were approaching rapidly, too close forfort. Fortunately, they were still ¡°fresh,¡± without any smell of decay or rotting flesh that might make you want to vomit.


    They just looked hungrier and meaner.


    Each one had its jaws stretched wide enough to tear the corners of their mouths raw, blood dribbling down as they howled like starving wolves.


    Graham didn¡¯t slow down for even a second. He swung that huge de of his like it weighed nothing, carving a path through skulls in the cramped stairwell.


    Then something dropped from above.


    A zombie, hanging upside down like a nightmare, lunged directly at Graham and shed its ws across his arm.


    Harry¡¯s stomach clenched; he believed that strike should¡¯ve torn Graham apart.


    However, Graham¡¯s sleeve remained intact with no tears or scratches.


    <i>ng</i><i>! </i>


    Just behind Graham, Dave jabbed his triangr de into the zombie and then flicked it aside dismissively. That was when Harry realized their clothes werepletely unscathed; not a single scratch was visible.


    Harry and his group tightened their jaws. <i>These </i><i>guys</i><i>¡­ </i><i>they¡¯re </i><i>walking </i><i>around </i><i>in </i><i>gear </i><i>that </i><i>might </i><i>as </i><i>well </i><i>be </i><i>cheat </i>codes.


    Graham¡¯s team quickly cleared the remaining zombies from the stairs.


    The floors above and below were locked tight behind reinforced ss. Dozens of zombies repeatedly mmed against the barriers, snarling and scratching, desperately trying to break through.


    Too bad for them.


    No one was opening those doors. Not today.


    The living walked past, and the dead could only watch.


    Basement Level 3 felt like stepping into a whole new world.


    The narrow, barricaded residential corridors were nowhere in sight. Instead, there were spacious, open hallways with neatly arranged rooms.


    The area consisted of living spaces, work areas, entertainment zones, and what seemed to be amercial zone, all divided by spotless ss doors.


    Right now, they stood in the north sector¨Cthe work area. Silent offices lined the hall, each one sealed shut,


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    Chapter 365 A Whole New Floor


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    as if time had frozen here.


    The hallway featured fully operational vending machines that were in good working order and well- stocked, offering soda, tea, sparkling water, dairy products, and rare items like chocte bars and instant


    noodles.


    Unbelievable¡­ This ce feels like <i>a </i><i>different </i><i </i><ipared </i><i>to </i><i>the </i><i>nightmare </i>upstairs<i>. </i>


    Theresa casually passed one, took Quentin¡¯s hand, and silently kept the entire machine in her domain.


    Everyone just stood there, staring.


    Theresa looked back at them. ¡°What? We¡¯re the ones out here killing zombies. We¡¯ve earned a snack.¡±


    The others blinked at her. A <i>snack</i><i>? </i><i>She </i><i>didn¡¯t </i><i>just </i><i>grab </i><i>a </i><i>snack</i><i>¨C</i><i>she </i>took <i>the </i><i>whole </i><i>d</i><i>*</i><i>mn </i><i>machine</i>.


    Lucas¡® team showed no reaction; it was obvious they had seen this show before.


    Harry and his group exchanged silent nces, none daring to argue.


    Theresa led the way toward the west gate, casually snatching up every vending machine they passed as if it were routine.


    Then they turned a corner.


    That was when the smell of blood hit them.


    The walls, floor, and office doors were stained and sttered with dark, dried crimson.


    Then, the sound arrived: wet, disturbing chewing echoing through the hallway.,


    Everyone froze.


    At the far end, a pack of zombies cowered over a torn body, tearing and gnawing like feral animals.


    One of them clutched a severed head, chomping down with sickening force. The moment it heard footsteps, it halted its bite and slowly turned, its dead eyes locking onto them as if it were prey caught in its sights.


    Raaagh!¡±


    Its jaw opened so wide that an eyeball it hadn¡¯t swallowed yet fell out and bounced on the floor.


    It abruptly lunged at Theresa and her crew, abandoning its half¨Ceaten prize as soon as it saw fresher prey.


    The rest of the pack followed, abandoning their ¡°meal¡± and scrambling over each other in a frenzy.


    Even the corpse they¡¯d been eating twitched, stiffened, and staggered to its feet to join the pack.


    Theresa didn¡¯t say a word; a single sharp nce was enough.


    Everyone quickly stepped back from the hallway.


    Graham and his crew moved fast, pulling out steel wires and stringing them up across the entrance until i


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    looked like a deadly spiderweb.


    The first wave mmed right into it.


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    ng<i>! </i>


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    Steel hissed as des sliced through flesh. Limbs and heads hit the floor in a grisly rain. The zombies behind didn¡¯t stop¨Cthey just kept shoving forward, mindlessly hurling themselves into the ughter.


    In less than a minute, the hallway was silent.


    The path was clear.


    They were just steps away from reaching the third floor.

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    Chapter 366 The Trap in the Dark


    s


    Somewhere deep in the control room, a group of people crowded around a bank of monitors, their faces hit by the bluish glow of the screens


    Theresa¡¯s team was a blur of motion on the feed, cutting through zombies like it was just another day at work


    ¡®D¡¯mn¡­ these K1 Camp folks are something else, one of them muttered.


    From the first floor all the way to the third like it was nothing, another added, shaking his head in disbelief.


    ¡°They¡¯ve been through worse than anything we¡¯ve seen down here,¡± someone else chimed in. ¡°Makes sense that they¡¯re still alive.¡±


    Horace leaned in, eyes narrow. ¡°Did none of them use any abilities?¡±


    The room went quiet.


    They reyed the footage in their heads.


    So far, only Lucas has shed his light¨Cbased <i>ability</i>, and <i>the </i>girl has warped an entire vending <i>machine </i><i>away </i><i>like </i><i>it¡¯s </i>pocket change.


    Besides that? Nothing


    They aren¡¯t just fighting without abilities¨Cthey are winning without abilities.


    Who are these monsters?


    In our camp, only ability users lead the charge; regr folks <i>stay </i>in the <i>rear</i><i>, </i><i>armed </i><i>with </i><i>guns </i><i>or </i><i>gadgets</i><i>, </i>hoping <i>not </i><i>to </i>be eaten. No one rushes in with a de into a swarm<i>. </i>


    Yet here they are, making a bloody path through the building as if it¡¯s normal.


    If they don¡¯t have abilities, that¡¯s insane. If they <i>have </i>them but <i>are </i>holding back, <i>it¡¯s </i><i>downright </i><i>scary</i>.


    Horace¡¯s eyes sharpened as he studied the screen.


    Just what are they really capable <i>of</i>?


    His eyes drified to the control panel, where a lone red button appeared to beckon him to press it. His hand instinctively extended, and although he didn¡¯t press it right away, his fingers stayed tense and eager.


    After clearing the zombie¨Cinfested street, Theresa moved forward with her team supporting her.


    Compared to the first two floors, this one felt almost too easy.


    There were fewer zombies, and most sections were locked down tight. The real swarms were stuck in the residential and entertainment zones, far from where they used to be. The workspace they just swept


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    through? Clean.


    They picked up the pace, heading directly for the east gate.


    200,000 crystal cores and 200,000 tons of grain¨Cso close they could almost taste it.


    Then the lights above them flickered and went out.


    The third floor fell into pitch¨Cck silence.


    Theresa thought, Great¨C<i>just </i>what we need¨Ca ckout.


    §£§Ö§Ö§â. §£§Ö§Ö§â. §£§ã§Ö§â.


    A sharp, mechanical chime sounded overhead.


    Momentster, the cold, mechanical sound of locks disengaging resonated from all around.


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    Zombies that had been sealed away in the other sections were suddenly unleashed.


    <b>+5 </b>Free Coins


    In the suffocating darkness, hundreds of them erupted into a frenzy, their guttural roars bouncing off the walls as they barreled toward the only living targets left.


    Theresa¡¯s pulse spiked. ¡°Run!¡± she barked, her voice slicing through the chaos.


    Everyone immediately switched to survival mode. No thinking, just running. Their feet hammered the ground, echoing through the pitch¨Cck halls.


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    A zombie lunged at Theresa from a side corridor.


    sh<i>! </i>


    Her de cut through its neck in one clean motion, the head tumbling into the dark.


    That was when she heard it¡ªan almost imperceptible whirring.


    Her gaze shot upward.


    Every camera lining the corridors had turned toward her. In the darkness, their red tracking lights glowed like a field of staring eyes.


    Beep Beep.


    As they moved, those dors followed¨Cone by one, every camera pivoting in unison, tracking their every


    step.


    Theresa¡¯s stomach dropped. This isn¡¯t a power outage. This is a setup, Someone is definitely hunting us.


    A wave of rage swept through her chest.


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    Chapter 366 The Trap in the Dark


    ng!


    She swung her de and shattered the nearest camera.


    ¡°Kill everyst one of them!¡± she roared. ¡°Tear those b¡¯stards apart!¡±


    ? 53% >


    <b>+5 </b>Free Coins


    Her mind power exploded outward, flooding the hallway like a crashing wave. One by one, every camera sparked and died, their feeds turning to static.


    Down in the control room, Horace froze as the screens went ck.


    He didn¡¯t need to guess what happened.


    She knows. All screens are dead, <i>and </i>all cameras are gone. <i>I </i>can¡¯t see <i>anything</i>. <i>I </i><i>pushed </i><i>her </i><i>too </i><i>far</i><i>. </i>


    A chill crawled down his spine. <i>I </i>might¡¯ve <i>just </i>signed <i>my </i>own death warrant.


    On the third floor, Theresa and her team didn¡¯t slow down.


    With the cameras gone, she unleashed her full ability, throwing up an Aeroshield around her people and driving them forward through the darkness.

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    Chapter 367 Blood in the Dark


    Chapter 367 Blood in the Dark


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    Harry and his group ran until their lungs felt like they were on fire. Every step turned their legs heavier, but there was no slowing down. Stopping wasn¡¯t an option. Stopping meant getting eaten alive.


    Theresa wasn¡¯t even looking back this time. No hand¨Cholding, no slowing down for the stragglers. Her group cut through the swarm like seasoned killers, des shing in the dark.


    Zombies poured in from every side, snarling and wing, their rotten breath choking the air. The others. were fleeing blindly, shoving past each other and dodging whatever came at them.


    Lional was among them, gasping for air. One look at the carnage, and it hit him. This wasn¡¯t just bad luck; someone downstairs had flipped the switch and unleashed the monsters.


    He knew how Ark Camp One worked. Power outage or not, those doors didn¡¯t just open on their own.


    They¡¯d been fed to the horde.


    He thought, D*mn <i>it</i><i>! </i><i>If </i><i>I </i><i>stay </i>with <i>this </i><i>crowd</i>, <i>I¡¯m </i><i>doomed</i><i>. </i><i>No </i><i>one </i><i>downstairs </i><i>is </i><iing </i><i>to </i><i>rescue </i><i>me</i>¨C<i>neither </i><i>the </i><i>other </i><i>administrator </i><i>nor </i><i>anyone </i><i>else</i><i>. </i>


    It was every man for himself.


    Without h¨¦sitation, he rammed his elbows into the two in front and shoved them aside. Their screams barely registered; survival left no room for guilt.


    He rushed into the center of the group, near Theresa¡¯s people. They were his only shot at living through this nightmare.


    Beep. Beep. Beep.


    Doors ahead unlocked one after another. Theresa¡¯s crew moved swiftly forward, slipping through the openings like they owned the ce.


    Lional saw his chance.


    ¡°Save me! I¡¯m the second¨Cfloor administrator!¡± he bellowed, his voice cracking with panic. ¡°You don¡¯t need those nobodies. You need me!¡±


    Behind him, chaos exploded.


    A zombie lunged out of the darkness, jaws snapping. Lional grabbed the nearest person and hurled them straight into its mouth.


    ¡°Ah! Linda¡¯s scream cut through the air. Amy¡¯s grip on her hand faltered as Linda was yanked sideways. but Harry managed to pull Amy back just in time.


    Linda wasn¡¯t so lucky.


    The zombies swarmed closer.


    Just before the first one bit down, a figure mmed into her from behind, knocking her clear.


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    Chapter 367 Blood in the Dark


    ¡°Kevin¡­¡± Her voice trembled. Her heart clenched.


    He didn¡¯t look back. He only shoved her forward, teeth gritted in pain.


    53%


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    ¡°Enough of this hero crap!¡± Lional snarled. He didn¡¯t hesitate, kicking Kevin and Linda aside and sprinting past them, using the chaos as his cover.


    The roars grew louder. Flesh was ripping. Screams were dying out one by one. Yet, Lional didn¡¯t spare them a thought.


    All that mattered was reaching that d*mn door before anyone else.


    Of course, he did.


    He shoved his way through Theresa¡¯s team, panting hard. ¡°Don¡¯t shut the door! I¡¯m the second¨Cfloor administrator! I¡¯m valuable! You need me!¡±


    Zombies were already inside the room. Theresa hacked them down one after another, fury burning in her chest the moment she heard Lional¡¯s panicked cries.


    Watching him shove people aside just to save his own skin was thest straw. Before he could react, her boot drove straight into his chest.


    ¡°Perfect,¡± she said tly. ¡°We¡¯ll sacrifice you first.¡±


    1


    Lional¡¯s scream echoed as he was sent flying back into the waiting jaws of the horde.


    Theresa then instructed her crew to shut the door.


    Harry, Amy, and William stumbled in just in time, their faces ghost¨Cpale and breath ragged.


    Theresa didn¡¯t even blink. She waved them in. ¡°Get in!¡±


    She might be ruthless, but she never directed her fury at the helpless. The oppressed didn¡¯t merit her wrath.


    The gate screeched downward and began to m shut.


    At thest possible second, a figure hurried by, carrying someone in his arms.


    Kevin.


    He crashed onto the floor, his body shielding Linda until they were both inside.


    ¡°Kevin!¡±


    ¡°Lin!¡±


    Harry and Amy yelled at once, but Linda didn¡¯t hear them. She only saw Kevin.


    His left shoulder was shredded, a chunk of flesh gone, blood soaking his entire shirt. His face was so pale it barely looked alive.


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    ¡°Kevin¡­¡± Linda¡¯s voice broke.


    ¡°Lin¡­ Kevin curled up against the pain, trembling as he reached for her hand. He managed a fragile smile. ¡°This time¡­ I didn¡¯t let go.¡±


    Her tears poured like rain, hot and relentless.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ cry,¡± he whispered.


    His skin looked pale, with dark veins clearly visible. He raised a trembling hand to wipe her cheek, but couldn¡¯t quite reach.


    His vision blurred. The world turned gray.


    Faces vanished.


    Voices faded.


    Even his own breath was slipping away, every inhale like knives cutting through his chest.


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    Chapter 368 A Crushing Wave of Mind Power

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    The pain was unbearable.


    It tore through his entire body, convulsions twisting his limbs.


    And yet¡­


    He still wanted to speak.


    ¡°L¨CLin¡­ Will you¡­ forgive me?¡±


    s


    Beside him. Linda let out a raw, animalistic scream. Her sobs ripped out of her chest as she clung to the man whose body was twisting into something grotesque.


    ¡°I forgive you! I forgive you! Come back to me! Pleasee back!¡± she wailed, her voice breaking.


    But Kevin could no longer hear her.


    He curled in on himself, trembling violently, as the ck in his eyes faded into the lifeless gray of a zombie.


    ¡°Linda!¡±


    ¡°Lin!¡±


    Harry and the others lunged forward to pull Linda away, but she clung to him with a desperate, unyielding


    <b>grip</b><b>. </b>


    ¡°Kevin¡¯s already turning into a zombie!¡±


    ¡°Move aside!¡±


    ¡°Let us finish this!¡±


    ¡°No! Linda choked on her sobs and screamed hoarsely, ¡°I won¡¯t let any of you kill him!¡±


    ¡°Get a hold of yourself! He¡¯s a zombie now!¡±


    ¡°Even if he¡¯s a zombie, you can¡¯t kill him!¡± she shrieked.


    Then, a voice cut through the chaos.


    ¡°We won¡¯t kill him¡±


    Theresa faced the four remaining/survivors, her voice cold. ¡®Step aside. We¡¯ll send your boyfriend off to take his revenge¨Cfor himself and for everyone who¡¯s fallen¡±


    Upon hearing her words, Linda¡¯s head snapped toward her, eyes wide with disbelief.


    Five minutester¡­


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    Chapter 368 A Crushing Wave of Mind Power


    A zombie outbreak erupted on the fourth floor of Ark Camp One


    Out of nowhere, one broke into their supposedly secure floor.


    Horace, who was in the central control room, froze at the sight.


    52%


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    Before he could shake off his shock, the zombies¡® sudden appearance sent the fourth floor¡¯s elite into a frenzy


    There weren¡¯t many ordinary people left here¨Cmostly the powerful and privileged, and now they were scrambling to hide in any room they could find.


    Meanwhile, a group was descending from the upper floors.


    From the control room, Horace spotted them approaching. He mmed the broadcast button and barked, ¡°Hey, you!¡±


    ¡°Hello, Dr. Klein.¡± Theresa said with a pleasant smile, staring straight into the camera. ¡°We¡¯ve cleared out your three floors, but it looks like the fourth has a zombie outbreak now. Want us to handle it for you? Consider it a buy¨Cthree, get¨Cone¨Cfree deal.¡±


    She lifted her hand, and everyone behind her raised their guns.


    Before Horace could respond, the air erupted with gunfire.


    Rat-tat<i>¨C</i>tat¨Ctal<i>! </i>


    Rat¨Ctat<i>¨C</i>tat<i>¨C</i><i>tat</i><i>! </i>


    Rat<i>¨C</i><i>tat</i><i>¨C</i>tat<i>¨C</i><i>tat</i><i>! </i>


    Bullets tore through theboratory in a vicious sweep, shredding everything in their path.


    The fourth floor was mostlybs.


    Everyone sull alive huddled under tables and chairs, hands over their heads, as Theresa¡¯s team stormed in and shredded Horace¡¯s workspace with a hail of gunfire.


    A little gif in <i>return</i><i>. </i>You¡¯re wee. Theresa smirked ()


    In the <b>control </b>room. Horace¡¯s eyes bulged


    ¡°No


    By the time nearly half hisb was reduced to smoking wres kage, he couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He boltest out of the control room


    ¡°All of you, stop right now!


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    Theresa acted as if she hadn¡¯t heard him, firing another merciless burst until Horacepletely lost it and stumbled straight into their line of fire.


    ¡°I said stop!¡±


    She met his eyes and raised her gun.


    Bang


    The bullet cut a straight line through the air.


    The spinning metal loomedrger in his widening pupils.


    At that very moment, his adrenaline spiked, and his heart clenched violently.


    For the first time in his life, he felt the Grim Reaper¡¯s cold hand reaching for him.


    Uncontroble terror nked out his mind.


    Just as the bullet was about to blow through his skull, a surge of mind power red behind him, nudging the shot an inch off course.


    Bang!


    The bullet grazed his scalp. Its searing heat instantly left a welt across the top of his head.


    As the bullet passed, an uncontroble stream ran down his legs, soaking his pants.


    ¡°Dr. Klein.¡±


    A cold voice rang out behind him.


    His nk mind snapped back. Stiffly, he turned and saw the young man approaching. He called out, ¡°Mr. Nellson


    Theresa, still holding her gun, watched the neer with her brow tightening.


    With every step he took, a crushing wave of mind power rolled through the room.


    Until now, the strongest ability user she¡¯d ever encountered outside the zing Sun Alliance was Sage.


    But <b>this </b>young man was no weaker than Sage.


    His mind power swept through the room, trying to probe every mind it brushed


    Theresa¡¯s eyes went cold, her gaze hardening as she pushed his mind power back with her own, overwhelming him with rase.


    ´¨

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    Chapter 369 Do the World a Favor


    Though these ability users were strong, they were nowhere near her level.


    <i>Boom</i>!


    An invisible shockwave burst through the air.


    Like a massive wave, it scattered everything in its path.


    The young man who had been striding forward froze mid¨Cstep.


    He lifted his head, staring at the young woman in front of him in disbelief.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked, stunned.


    ¡°She¡¯s my younger sister,¡± Lucas said as he walked up to stand beside Theresa. ¡°I¡¯m Lucas.¡±


    The young man¡¯s gaze flicked to Lucas, studied him for a moment, then returned to Theresa.


    ¡°You just tried to kill our camp¡¯s administrator?¡± His tone was icy.


    s


    ¡°Are you blind like that old fossil?!¡± Theresa shot back. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you see we were clearing out zombies? He ran into the crossfire, and now you¡¯re ming me?


    Morgan was at a loss for words.


    ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± Horace finally snapped out of his daze, his ghostly pale face contorting with rage. ¡°You call that crossfire?!¡±


    ¡°Cur the crap! You¡¯re not just blind, you¡¯re deaf too! What else could it be?¡± Theresa stepped forward and smacked him. ¡°With all that gunfire outside, you ran straight into it. Deaf and senile, are you? You¡¯re the one causing trouble, and now you¡¯re trying to pin it on me? Blind and deaf to this extent¡­ do the world a favor and crawl into a grave already!¡±


    Horace could only splutter in silence, and so did everyone else.


    <i>Fiffi</i><i>! </i>


    After barely surviving that life¨Cand¨Cdeath scare, Dr. Horace coughed up a mouthful of blood.


    The researchers around him immediately moved to help


    Theresa cut them off with another verbal strike ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch him! That old fool lives to me people Whoever helps him is the pest scapegoat Are you sure you can handle that?¡±


    Everyone froze, then shuffled back a few steps


    Horace spat out more blood and copsed to the floor, a trembling hand reaching toward the retreating


    crowd.


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    Finally, Morgan couldn¡¯t take it anymore He stepped forward and helped Horace to his feet, giving a coldman the others. ¡°Get your administrator back


    The group scrambled to obey, dragging the half¨Cdead Horace away


    Theresa,pletely unapologetic, called after them. ¡°Stay away from him! That old fossil spat so much blood. He¡¯s probably about


    P<i>! </i>


    Thatst barb made Horace cough up another mouthful of blood before he passed our cold.


    Even after making Horace pass out, Theresa still wasn¡¯t satisfied.


    Didn¡¯t even <i>finish </i>off that old fool. So dmn infuriating, she cursed to herself.


    Just then, she felt someone¡¯s gaze on her.


    Turning her head, she saw the young man who had helped Horace watching her with interest.


    ¡°What are you staring at, kid?¡± she snapped.


    Morgan was momentarily speechless.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one in charge here, aren¡¯t you?¡± Theresa took a deep breath and stepped toward him.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m the administrator of the fifth floor. Morgan Nellson¡±


    ¡°Alright, Morgan. Hand over the gleamstones and the food.¡± Theresa didn¡¯t bother mincing words. ¡°Short us even one, and nobody here walks away happy.¡±


    A rescue mission like this called for preparing for the worst.


    Either the rescue would fail and put her own people in danger, or it would seed, and these people would try to pull something.


    Theresa hade ready for either oue.


    Her team was still stationed at the main base. If they lost contact, reinforcements woulde charging in.


    On top of that, the five helicopters parked above their bunker were rigged with explosives. If they refused to pay, she¡¯d turn the entire bunker into a fireball.


    She had no intention of letting anyone extort her.


    Morgan hesitated for a moment, then said, Fine I¡¯ll pay


    He wasn¡¯t stupid. Unless things reached a true breaking point, no one in their right mind would risk stiffing


    her


    The risk was simply too high/Their bunker had resources and strength to rival KI Camp, but they couldn¡¯t afford to lose anything


    If he pushed them too far and they retaliated, the bunker couldn¡¯t go anywhere. It would end in mutual a


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    Chapter 369 Do the World a Favor


    destruction an oue no one wanted.


    s


    It was like nuclear warfare: no one dared to make the first strike without absolute confidence they could wipe out the other side.


    Petty skirmishes were one thing. Horace had tried to outsmart Theresa¡¯s team once, and she¡¯d almost killed him for it.


    Now they were even. Morgan had no choice but to hand over the supplies.


    He had resources to spare, so he wasn¡¯t about to risk everything over this.


    Before long. Morgan had his men bring up a massive load of goods.


    There were twenty bags of gleamstones, each containing ten thousand, and food supplies weighing 100 pounds per bag, totaling four million.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot here. Want my people to help you transport it?¡± Morgan asked.


    ¡°No need.¡±


    Theresa grabbed Quentin and swept all the supplies into her domain.


    Morgan¡¯s eyes lit up again as he watched.


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    Chapter 370 Purification


    What <i>a </i>massive <i>domain</i>.


    Just how strong are these people<i>? </i>


    Could the outside world produce ability users this powerful?


    s


    Morgan¡¯s mind swirled with questions as he watched Theresa and her team, a heavy sense of dread settling


    over him.


    Once Theresa finished keeping all the supplies, she said, ¡°We¡¯re leaving


    Hold on. The upper floors haven¡¯t been cleared yet,¡± Morgan said. ¡°Dr. Klein is activating the purification system on the top three levels.¡±


    ¡°Purification?¡± Theresa asked, puzzled.


    ¡°It wipes out everything that moves.¡± Morgan shed a smile.


    At that moment, Harry, who had been silent at the back the whole time, suddenly blurted out, ¡°You can¡¯t! There are still people up there!¡±


    But his protest carned him nothing more than a nce from Morgan.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I¨CI¡¯m a survivor from the first floor. I came down with them. We still have a fewpanions waiting on the second floor for rescue!¡±


    Morgan¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Then, starting today, you¡¯re the administrator of the second floor.¡±


    Harry froze, stunned by the words.


    ¡°Any other questions?¡± Morgan asked, his gaze locking on Harry.


    His smile radiated a warmth that felt godlike.


    But in that moment, Harry felt nothing but the icy chill of hell.


    They never bothered to solve problems and silenced anyone who dared point them out


    He asked them to save the survivors upstairs, but they just made him part of the management instead.


    He didn¡¯t dare speak again. He knew no amount of protest would change anything.


    They would never lift a finger for those at the bottom rung


    To them, ordinary lives were nothing more than trash to trample and discard at will


    Once Theresa and her team helped seal off the top three floors. Morgan personally activated the purification system


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    Chapter 370. Purification


    In an instant, the upper levels fell under negative pressure.


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    The negative pressure they¡¯d built into the system could rip a human body to shreds in minutes, including


    the humanoid zombick


    Upstairs, the zombies slowed to a halt, their bodies pulled toward the vacuum as their limbs were torn off under the crushing force.


    Meanwhile, the survivors who had stayed on the second floor suddenly felt their chests tighten.


    They clutched their throats, gasping for air, but nothing helped.


    The oxygen drained away, copsing their alveoli first.


    They couldn¡¯t even scream. They writhed on the floor, feeling the air ripped from their bodies.


    They had been waiting for rescue.


    But what they got was death¨Cdelivered by the very camp they had trusted.


    Downstairs, Harry watched the button being pressed and finally realized¨Conly the four of them had made it out alive. Everyone else was dead.


    Beside him, Amy hung her head, her body trembling uncontrobly.


    Linda, who had just lost her boyfriend, went from nk shock to sheer terror.


    Even William couldn¡¯t shake the cold ws of lingering fear.


    If they hadn¡¯t caught up to Theresa in time, they would have been finished.


    Even if the zombies hadn¡¯t gotten them, the camp¡¯s management would have.


    The people running this ce were terrifying


    Das entire camp was terrifying.


    Harry boked from the <b>room </b>and drew up violently


    The purification processsted three full hours


    When a finally ended, the camp¡¯s main doors flickered green and unlocked one by one.


    Ark Camp Chor¡¯s personnel wem up first so sweep the flours confirming no zombies remained. After that. Theress and her sean chord to linger any longer and left.


    During that ume. Murgan and Laai aanged p convers¨¦k


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    Chapter 370 Purification


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    Morgan treated them with warmth and enthusiasm, even showing keen curiosity about the growth of KI Camp.


    Though Lucas wasn¡¯t a scheming man, he knew how to read the situation. He shared just enough, painting Kl Camp as a small survival camp scraping by in the apocalypse, scavenging for supplies wherever they could.


    After listening, Morgan¡¯s attitude grew even warmer.


    ¡°Mr. Keaton, you¡¯ve really had it rough. With how bad things are out there,sting this long is no small feat.


    Lucas offered a polite smile. ¡°Without support, we can only do what we can.¡±


    Morgan didn¡¯t try to hide his ambition and suggested, ¡°In that case, why don¡¯t you consider joining Ark Camp One? I¡¯ve seen your team¡¯s capabilities. If you join us, I can give you a fourth¨Cfloor management position.¡±


    ¡°Oh? You want to kick that old man out before he keels over?¡± Theresa cut in.


    ¡°Dr. Klein is getting old. It¡¯s about time he stepped aside and let someone capable take charge.¡± Morgan turned to Theresa at her remark. ¡°Since you¡¯re Lucas¡® younger sister, mind if I call you Theresa?¡±

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    Chapter 371 I¡¯m Staying


    ¡°You should call me ¡®Dad¨CI kinda like hearing it¡±


    Morgan fell silent.


    Theresa packed up and led her team toward the surface.


    Morgan walked them all the way to the bunker¡¯s entrance but didn¡¯t go any further.


    45 Free Coins


    A


    He didn¡¯t seem to like the sunlight. ¡°It¡¯s been great meeting you all. Let¡¯s keep themunication lines open between Ark Camp One and your KI Camp.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing. I¡¯ll give you a discount when your camp falls apart again next time, Theresa said, waving him


    off


    Morgan fell silent again. <i>She </i><i>really </i><i>knows </i><i>how </i><i>to </i><i>kill </i><i>the </i><i>mood</i><i>. </i>


    But oddly enough, he liked the way she talked.


    He smiled and waved at her. ¡°Take care, friends.¡±


    This time, Theresa¡¯s team took the internal elevator to the top of the bunker.


    The evening sun poured down.


    The blood¨Cred orb dipped low on the far end of the prairie. The green fields were dyed a deep, violent red.


    None of them had expected to spend the whole day fighting.


    Time inside the bunker had no meaning.


    They braced themselves for the flight back. Just then, four figures burst out from the bunker¡¯s main gate and rushed up the stairs after them.


    ¡°Wait up!¡±


    ¡°Hold on!¡±


    Theresa recognized the voices and turned. It was Harry, Amy, William, and Linda¨Cthe four who had stuck with them, surviving all the chaos.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Theresa stopped.


    ¡°Can wee with you?¡± William asked.


    ¡°We want to leave with you, Linda added, her eyes full of resolve.


    After everything they¡¯d just been through, they¡¯d finally seen Ark Camp One¡¯s true face.


    Sure, they knew stepping/outside meant being surrounded by zombies. It was like heading straight into


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    hell


    Ark Camp One <b>had </b>hammered it into their heads the world beyond was a zombie yground¨Cnothing but score bed canh, no survivors.


    The few tiny camps out there were supposedly clinging to life by a thread, barely surviving. So, they¡¯d been told there was no choice but to stay.


    But now, they realized¨Ceven if the outside world was hell, it was still better <b>than </b>Ark Camp One. That ce was the real hell. A pit that stripped people of every ounce of humanity.


    Theresa looked them over¨Cjust four ordinary folks¨Cand raised her hand. ¡°Climb aboard.¡±


    William, Linda, and the others lit up and scrambled up the steps.


    Amy eagerly pulled Harry along.


    But Harry stopped.


    He turned to her and said, ¡°You go ahead. I¡¯m staying.¡±


    Amy froze. ¡°You¡¯re noting?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m staying.¡± Harry repeated. ¡°There¡¯s something I still need to do.¡±


    William, halfway up to the chopper, paused too. ¡°Why?¡±


    Tve got unfinished business. You guys go.¡± Harry waved.


    There was a spark in his eyes¨Clike the first light of a rising sun.


    Theresa, standing near the helicopter, caught that look and smiled slightly.


    She remembered the first time she saw him¨Chis sister had just turned into a zombie, and he had carried her to the entrance. When she fully turned, he was the one who ended it.


    Later in the bunker, he saved lives again and again, eventually rising through the ranks until Morgan appointed him as a second¨Clevel administrator.


    He¡¯d been growing the whole way. That fire in his eyes¨Cit had only gotten brighter.


    Clearly, there were things he still wanted to do.


    Ladies, I hope your journey goes smoothly. Wishing you all the best


    ¡°Same to you¡±


    She gave him a wave and turned back to the helicopter


    Just as everyone boarded and they were about to take off, Amy jumped down


    ¡°I¡¯m staying with you!¡± She threw herself into Harry¡¯s arms.


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    Chapter 371 I¡¯m Staying


    Harry was stunned. ¡°You¡¯ll be safer with them.¡±


    ¡°No. Whatever happens, I¡¯m staying with you,¡± she insisted, gripping his hand tightly.


    He looked at her for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do my best to protect you.¡±


    At the very least, no one would trample or abuse her the way they did his sister.


    The two of them stood on the rooftop of Ark Camp One, waving at Theresa¡¯s team.


    The helicopter lifted off fast and disappeared into the vast prairie.


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    Inside, William watched the shrinking figures of his old friends and sighed. ¡°He really shouldn¡¯t have stayed. Even if he¡¯s a level¨Ctwo manager, the moment the camp sees him as useless, they¡¯ll dump him, too. He¡¯d be better off escaping with us. No matter how bad it is out there, it¡¯s still better than in there.¡±


    Theresa scoffed. ¡°What exactly did you guys do in Ark Camp One?¡±


    ¡°We first¨Clevel folks handled all the hardbor¨Cpower generation, food production. Worked from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. No days off.¡±

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    Chapter 372 They¡¯re Completely Wiped


    ¡°The second level did food processing and material production. Same hours.


    s


    ¡°The third level gave orders, handled logistics, and security. We don¡¯t really know what hours they worked.


    The fourth level is Dr. Klein¡¯s research base¨Cscience and tech stuff.¡±


    ¡°And the fifth level?¡± Theresa asked.


    William shrugged. ¡°No idea. I don¡¯t think they had to do anything.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯d you eat?¡±


    Two meals a day. In the morning, we had watery corn soup, and at night, we ate one piece of bread along with cold side dishes. William paused, then added with conviction, ¡°Ms. Hall, don¡¯t worry. We will survive no matter what is out there. As long as we get a bite to eat, we¡¯ll do whatever it takes!¡±


    He¡¯d already braced himself for <i>a </i>life dodging zombies and dancing with death.


    Then, he looked up and saw it.


    A human city.


    Lit <b>up</b><b>. </b>


    Yes.


    Lights. Real lights.


    The helicopter had been flying for hours, from the fiery hues of sunset into the depths of the night.


    And even <b>in </b>the pitch¨Cdark sky, he could see something unmistakably human¨Clights.


    <b>Not </b>just a flicker or two.


    But <b>an </b>entire city!


    The surces stretched out in grids, glowing brightly.


    Tall residential buildings shimmered with light, windows aglow, thousands of homes lit up like stars


    The helicopter slowly descended into the central za of the city


    As itnded, residents out for a night stroll gathered around


    ¡°Our leader is bark


    ¡°Our leader has returned


    ¡°Theresa! Come grab a drink


    They waved drinks and snacks bought from the night market, beaming with excitement as they swarmed


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    forward.


    William, stepping off the chopper, waspletely stunned.


    Isn¡¯t the outside world supposed to be crawling with <i>zombies</i>? Aren¡¯t humans on <i>the </i><i>brink </i>of extinction, barely clinging to life in deste, remote outposts?


    What is this?!


    Did I just travel back in time¨Cbefore the apocalypse?


    Linda looked just as shell¨Cshocked. She stared at the bustling streets, at the well¨Cdressed people moving about with ease.


    This¡­ this can¡¯t be <i>real</i><i>. </i>


    Wee to our Alliance,¡± Theresa¡¯s voice came from behind them. ¡°This is the city we took back. All of us -together.


    William and Linda were left speechless.


    Oh my God!


    Humans had reimed the city<i>! </i>


    They gawked at the warm crowd around them, overwhelmed by the roaring wave of emotion inside.


    Linda looked at the city, covered her mouth, and burst into tears.


    And just like that, Theresa had two new residents.


    Poption -2


    Points¨C200


    They were ordinary people, so she didn¡¯t receive any extra attribute bonuses from them.


    Still, <b>both </b>had solid skills and experience.


    Before the apocalypse, Landa had worked in the food industry, and William was a skilled electrician.


    Theres assigned them to the most suitable roles for their talents


    The zing Sun Alliance was still young, with a long road ahead


    Every person matiered


    Even the most ordinary citizen was a valualde act


    Theresa had never believed there was a true divide between ordinary people and ability users.


    In her past life, she¡¯d been just a regr powerless person. But through sheer will ant gru, she made it just as far as those gifted with abilities, even thriving <b>in </b><b>a </b>small camp


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    Some things¨Clike your background or innate powers¨Cwere beyond your control, but hard work could close that gap.


    In her eyes, differences between people were never the problem.


    Sure, where you start might set your ceiling or floor.


    But how brightly you live¨Cthat¡¯s up to you.


    Theresa always lived life facing upward, seizing each day with all her might.


    After settling in her two wide¨Ceyed neers¨Cwho were clearly in their own ¡°Alice in Wondend¡± phase, gaping at everything like they¡¯d just stumbled into paradise¨CTheresa called it a night.


    She¡¯d been running all day. Now it was time for a hot meal, a long shower, and some d*mn good sleep.


    Nothing in the world felt better than that.


    And with their leader safely home, the entire zing Sun Alliance slept peacefully, wrapped in a sense of deep security.


    But while they drifted into restful dreams, chaos was unfolding elsewhere.


    ¡®Why hasn¡¯t Ark Camp One called for help yet?¡®


    Right now, inside Ark Camp¡¯sm system, Ark Camp Two was whispering privately to Ark Camp Three.


    ¡®I was just about to ask¨Cyou think they reached out to you for a private deal?¡®


    ¡®No. Just the usual chatter in the public channel. But it¡¯s been hours¨Cover a dozen now¨Csince Ark Camp One sent anything out. You think they¡¯re¡­pletely wiped?¡®


    ¡®I¡¯ve been thinking the same thing. They¡¯ve been out of touch for too long. It¡¯s very possible they¡¯re gone for good.


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    Chapter 373 Thanks For The Support


    Just then, a message finally popped up in the long¨Csilent public channel.


    ¡°Thanks for the support. Ark Camp One is now back to normal.¡¯


    Ark Camp Two and Ark Camp Three were shocked.


    You sneaky old b*stard! So, it was you guys at Ark Camp Three who went behind our backs!¡®


    52%


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    ¡®Screw you, Ark Camp Two! You¡¯re the one who broke our agreement first¨Chelping them and now trying to y the victim? Shameless!¡®


    Instead of asking who actually helped Ark Camp One, the first reaction from both camps was to start tearing into each other.


    Of course, they med each other¨Cwho else could it be? It had to be that sly old fox on the other side, sneaking in to im all the glory.


    They¡¯d agreed to y it smart together¨Cdrag things out, squeeze more supplies out of Ark Camp One. But now, one of them clearly snuck in to harvest the reward.


    <i>Betrayal</i><i>! </i>


    The two sides went at it, cursing each other out.


    But the more they argued, the more something felt off.


    Wait.


    <i>It </i>wasn¡¯t the other <i>side</i><i>? </i>


    Then who <i>the </i>hell <i>was </i>it?


    Who else even has the strength <i>to </i><i>help </i><i>Ark </i><i>Camp </i><i>One </i><i>right </i><i>now</i><i>?! </i>


    Eventually, both camps realized they had no idea what was going on and decided to just ask directly in the public channel.


    Ark Camp One, how did you solve it?¡®


    Who exactly are you thanking for the support?¡®


    Meanwhile, over at Ark Camp One, the folks watching these two idiots¨Cwho¡¯d been ignoring their pleas all day but suddenly crawled out over a single thank¨Cyou message¨Cwere absolutely thrilled.


    <i>Ha</i><i>! </i>


    Those two snakes have teamed up to scam us. Now look who¡¯s left out<i>! </i>


    Sure, Theresa had hiked the price at thest minute and bled them for double the resources¡ªbut even


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    Chapter 373 Thanks For The Support


    that was still a bargain.


    If they¡¯d gone to either Ark Camps Two or Three, they¡¯d have been skinned alive.


    Now? Not only had they saved money, but the other two camps didn¡¯t get to earn a single dime.


    Ark Camp One was living the dream.


    Serves them right¨Cfor being greedy, calcting b*stards.


    Bet they didn¡¯t see thising.


    45 Free Coins


    And now, basking in the schadenfreude, Ark Camp One replied enthusiastically, ¡®We¡¯re, of course, thanking our dear friends over at K1 Camp! Huge thanks to Mr. Keaton for the emergency support- 200.000 gleamstones and 200,000 tons of grain were just a token of our appreciation. We hope to coborate even more in the future.¡¯


    The message was dripping with sincerity and goodwill.


    A momentter, a new message from K1 Camp appeared. ¡°Helping one another is what we¡¯re supposed to do. In times like these, with zombies rampant, unity is more important than ever.¡±


    Ark Camp Two and Ark Camp Three boomed.


    K1 Camp? <i>What </i><i>the </i><i>hell </i>is K1 <i>Camp</i><i>?! </i>


    Where did this wildcard <i>suddenly </i><ie </i><i>from</i>?!


    And what was <i>that </i><i>about </i><i>200,000 </i><i>gleamstones </i>and <i>200,000 </i><i>tons </i>of food<i>?! </i>


    Panicked, both camps scoured every archive and file they could ess.


    Eventually, they found it.


    KI Camp was a tiny survival camp set up by the Eastern Military District.


    Back when the apocalypse first broke out, they had begged for help, but no one answered.


    So, they built their own rescue base on the spot.


    There were others like them, too¨Csurvivors like Lucas and his men¨Cwho posted endless pleas in the public channel.


    But as time passed, those camps either changed hands or went dark.


    Now, besides the three Ark Camps, no one else had spoken in the channel for ages.


    Because why bother?


    No one cared.


    They¡¯d beenpletely shut our


    And yet KI Camp had survived all this time.


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    Chapter 373 Thanks For The Support


    Not only had they survived, but they¡¯d also stolen the prize right out from under their noses.


    Arks Camp Two and Camp Three stared in disbelief at the sudden appearance of KI Camp.


    They never saw iting.


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    Here they were, ying political chess, fighting for scraps¨Cand some no¨Cname little side camp had just walked in and snatched the whole d¡¯mn roast chicken off the table.


    That was 200,000 gleamstones and 200,000 tons of grain!


    They could¡¯ve had that!


    Now both camps sat there, stewing in their frustration like they¡¯d swallowed a hot fart.


    The next morning, Theresa was called over to Lucas¡® ce bright and early.


    As always, he came to get her on his little electric scooter.


    She drove.


    She was still wondering what good news was worth dragging her out of bed for at dawn¨Cuntil she stepped into Old Mr. Keaton¡¯s house and saw the look on his face,


    That¡¯s when she burst outughing.


    ¡°They¡¯re speechless now, huh?¡±


    ¡°What can they say?¡± Old Mr. Keaton chortled. ¡°We snatched the whole roast chicken right out from under their noses¡ªthey¡¯re probably choking on regret!¡±


    ¡°200 thousand gleamstones and 200 thousand tons of food. That¡¯s a big enough reward for any of them to make the trip. And we snatched it for peanuts,¡± Lucas added.


    Theresa smiled so hard her eyes narrowed to slits.


    Oh, the satisfaction<i>! </i>


    Those two sneaky b*stards spent all their time scheming¡ªcalcting every angle¨Cand in the end, she was the one who walked off with the grand prize.


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    ¡°There¡¯s another piece of news from Ark Camp One that I just know you¡¯ll love,¡± Lucas said with a grin, his mood clearly lifted by Theresa¡¯sughter.


    ¡°Oh? What is it?¡±


    ¡°Dr. Klein had a stroke.¡±


    Theresa blinked. ¡°What?¡±


    Lucas added with a perfectly straight face, ¡°You pissed him off yesterday.¡±


    Pffi!


    Theresa burst outughing, pping her hands like a delighted viin.


    Oh, that¡¯s <i>rich</i><i>! </i>


    She didn¡¯t get to shoot that old b*stard, but she did manage to enrage him into a stroke. Totally worth it.


    Old Mr. Keaton, who had been watching herugh with unrestrained glee, gave her a big thumbs¨Cup. ¡°Theresa, when Lucas came homest night and told me what you did¨CI was stunned. In a good way! So d*mn proud of you!¡±


    ¡°That old freak had iting. I¡¯ve been itching to deal with him for years!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Theresa raised an eyebrow. ¡°Spill it¨Cwhat kind of dirt are we talking about?¡±


    Old Mr. Keaton¡¯s face darkened. He waved his hand dismissively, his voice full of disdain. ¡°You probably don¡¯t know the real story behind that guy. He used to be a scientific genius, backed heavily by the state. But then, one day, another country lured him away with big money, and he switched nationalities without hesitation. Started working over there.


    ¡°But it turns out, he was running a ton of human experimentation over there, too. Eventually got busted and had to flee back here.


    ¡°At the time, the country was desperate for talent, so they protected him, gave him research funding, and even gave him ab. But he never changed his citizenship back. The guy¡¯s been living here all this time with a foreign passport.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s pretty shady


    Old Mr. Kraton grinned. ¡°But what you did¨Cwrecking hisb¨Cthat¡¯s legendary. Thatb was everything to him. You pulled off something I¡¯ve always dreamed of doing.¡±


    Theresa beamed. ¡°Well then, if there¡¯s anything else you want done, you can pass it to me. I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    Hahaha!¡± Old Mr. Keaton let out a heartyugh, looking at her with sheer admiration. He¡¯d already made up his mind¨CTheresa wasn¡¯t just family anymore.


    She was his real granddaughter now.


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    Lucas would have to take the number two spot.


    ¡°By the way,¡± Lucas added, ¡°remember that experiment sample you brought back yesterday?¡±


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    Theresa had beenughing so hard she nearly forgot. Oh, right¨Cthey had brought back one of Dr. Klein¡¯s prized projects.


    They were originally going to use it to extort some money out of him, but then she¡¯d made him cough up blood and pass out, and there was no time to negotiate.


    ¡°That thing¡¯s his only surviving result,¡± Lucas said.


    ¡°The only one?¡± Theresa asked.


    ¡°Yeah. After we trashed theb, that¡¯s the only sample that made it out. What do you n to do with it?¡±


    Theresa thought for a moment. ¡°Let¡¯s keep it for now.¡±


    No way in hell she was giving it back. It could be usefulter¨Cworth holding on to.


    After finishing the gossip feast about Ark Camp One and the drama with the other two camps, Theresa scrolled through a flood of praise directed at her from Ark Camp One.


    Morgan had privately messaged Old Mr. Keaton, singing her praises as if she were heaven¨Csent.


    Compliment afterpliment.


    ¡®She¡¯s the most outstanding young woman I¡¯ve ever met. Her marksmanship is excellent¨Cit¡¯s clear your training was top¨Cnotch.


    ¡®She¡¯s got incredible initiative. I watched footage of her taking down zombies¨Cif only we had someone like her at our camp.


    And she¡¯s got such a great personality¨Ceasily the best I¡¯ve seen in any woman.


    A girl that amazing, with that much individuality, shouldn¡¯t be stuck in a small corner of the world. Have you considered allowing her to experience more of the world? We¡¯ve got an eventing up at our camp -I¡¯d love to bring her and show her the world.


    Theresa fell silent.


    She vaguely recalled giving Morgan the cold shoulder the entire time.


    How did that trante into great personality in his head?


    ¡®Don¡¯t bother with that fe,¡± she waved dismissively. She had zero interest in Morgan.


    Lucas caught that and smirked quietly to himself


    After lunch with Old Mr. Keatgh, Theresa returned to her office to check on the camp¡¯s development progress


    Bennie had really pulled through¨Che¡¯d churned out ten full development reports over the past two days.


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    Chapter 374 Totally Worth It


    Theresa went through them one by one.


    45 Free Coins


    One report in particr caught her eye¨Ca very promising exosuit production n.


    ¡°This was designed by your team of engineers,¡± Bennie said, handing her a stack of blueprints. ¡°I think it¡¯s solid. They¡¯ve even built a prototype already. You should take a look.¡±


    Theresa flipped through the designs. ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just stay here and have them drive it over?¡± Bennie grumbled like the spoiled heir he was. ¡°We don¡¯t even have a car.¡±


    Transport around here was a joke, and he hated going outside.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a car¨Cbut you have legs, don¡¯t you?!¡±


    With that, Theresa gave him a swift kick and sent him flying out the door.


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    Chapter 375 The Zombie Harvester


    Chapter 375 The Zombie Harvester


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    Theresa rode a little electric scooter through the clean, orderly streets of Ansford, a rope trailing behind her, with Bennie huffing and puffing as he ran to keep up.


    She zipped around for a good ten minutes before finally arriving at their destination¨Cjust as Bennie was about to pass out from exhaustion.


    In the middle of a za stood a vehicle that looked like a heavily modified industrial harvester.


    A team of engineers crowded around it, tweaking the systems and running diagnostics.


    The moment they saw Theresa, they all stopped and waved enthusiastically.


    ¡°Theresa!¡±


    ¡°Theresa, this is ourtest prototype!¡±


    These were the same engineers she had rescued during that mission with Lucas. Since joining the zing Sun Alliance, they¡¯d been working nonstop.


    And now, they had developed a zombie¨Charvesting vehicle.


    ¡°Theresa, we modeled it after an agricultural harvester. We erged the gears and des¨Conce it¡¯s running, it can shred zombie corpses with no problem, then spit the remains out the back.¡±


    ¡°This model is designed specifically for urbanbat. The chassis is raised to avoid getting jammed by dense zombie crowds. We paired it with a high¨Cspeed grinder, and all materials are reinforced¨Chigh durability, resistant to zombie damage.¡±


    ¡°Basically, you can drive this baby through any city street and clean house,¡± Leon exined.


    Theresa couldn¡¯t be more pleased.


    Human technology was finally starting to catch up with the apocalypse.


    All her investment in research and development was paying off.


    She climbed into the machine to test it herself.


    With a roar, the giant zombie harvester came to life. The front des spun fiercely, gears and metal shing with cold, deadly light.


    Leon tossed in a massive pig thigh bone.


    <i>Crunch</i><i>! </i>Crunch!


    The machine devoured it instantly. As Theresa drove forward, chunks of shredded bone were spat out behind her.


    After making a full test run, Theresa hopped down with a big grin.


    ¡°Well done. It¡¯s ready for rollout.¡±


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    Leon beamed under the praise. ¡°We¡¯ll keep improving it, Theresa!¡±


    ¡°Keep it up,¡± she said, patting his shoulder approvingly.


    ¡°Though we¡¯ve hit a snag with mass production.¡±


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    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The engine.¡±


    The heart of the whole machine was its engine.


    But in the apocalypse, precision parts like that weren¡¯t exactly being manufactured anymore.


    Everyone was still stuck in the early stages of rebuilding. No infrastructure yet to support higher¨Clevel


    tech.


    To push science forward, they needed foundational support.


    ¡°What kind of engine do you need?¡± Theresa asked.


    ¡°Racing¨Cgrade, if possible,¡± Leon replied. ¡°The better the engine, the more efficient the harvester.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t meet that demand,¡± Bennie chimed in coldly as he walked over. ¡°We might be able to restart engine production, but we don¡¯t have the materials or the technology to produce anything near that level.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Theresa cut in. ¡°We don¡¯t have to build them.¡±


    ¡°Then, where are you going to get them? There¡¯s no engine nt here. Are you nning to go raid one outside? Actually¡­ that could work.¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯m as dumb as you?¡± Theresa pointed at the parked cars along the street. ¡°We don¡¯t have a factory, sure¨Cbut don¡¯t tell me we don¡¯t have engines. Start stripping them.¡±


    He was speechless at her words.


    <i>Why </i>didn¡¯t I think <i>of </i><i>that</i>?!


    Theresa gave her orders with sharp authority. ¡°I want every sports car hauled over here. Salvage every usable engine from them!¡±


    Not just engines. Every missing link in their production chain¨Cmaterials, parts, anything theycked- Theresa ordered it all to be dismantled and repurposed.


    The legacy of the human world was a goldmine.


    With what civilization had left behind, survivors could thrive for a long time.


    At Theresa¡¯smand, the dismantling operation began.


    The city¡¯s abandoned assets were broken down and restructured into something usable now.


    Steel, wood, industrialponents, machine parts, construction pipes.. If it could be used, it was salvaged.


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    The zing Sun Alliance had officially entered another phase of resource reorganization.


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    Meanwhile, progress on the first defensive line was nearlyplete. More and more outer camps were relocating inside the new perimeter.


    Everyone was working together to face the looming zombie tides.


    Then, inte December, the long¨Cawaited news came¨Cthe first defensive line wasplete.


    The moment she received word, Theresa immediately took a helicopter to see it for herself.


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    Chapter 376 The First Defense Line


    Chapter 376 The First Defense Line


    The helicopter roared overhead, des slicing the cold winter air.


    Theresa flew from the southernmost point of the defense line, heading north.


    s


    Below her, clusters of zombies could be seen forming like storm clouds, gathered sporadically just outside the towering walls.


    ¡°Raaagh-


    ¡°Aaargh-¡±


    ¡°Grrraaaah-¡±


    Waves of the undead surged from the direction of Branford and Crestmont, mming again and again into the great wall.


    Along one major highway, hundreds¨Cno, thousands¨Cof zombies were hammering the iron barrier with relentless force.


    They climbed over each other¡¯s bodies, forming grotesque pyramids of rotting flesh, groaning as they reached for the top.


    But just as they neared the middle, massive des, sharp as scythes, sliced down through the writhing mounds.


    Shing!


    <i>ng</i>¨Cng¨C<i>ng</i><i>! </i>


    The zombies were chopped clean in half, the de cleaving through them like wheat. The charging horde crumbled and copsed under its own weight.


    Rat<i>¨C</i><i>a</i><i>¨C</i><i>tat</i><i>¨C</i><i>tat</i><i>! </i>


    From atop the wall, machine guns fired. Guards stood posted, shooting down any scattered zombies that managed to break free of therger groups.


    The undead surged endlessly, but the wall held.


    Theresa¡¯s chopper arced through the sky, following the line further north.


    Afterpleting her aerial sweep, the helicopternded at the central point of the defense line.


    There, atop the fortress wall, stood a unit of men in uniform, rifles slung over their shoulders, scanning the horizon.


    They were bigger, stronger, and far more imposing than the average guard unit.


    Their presence alone felt like a living wall¨Cflesh and steel fused into an unshakable line of defense.


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    At the center of the formation stood a towering man, nearly 1.9 meters tall, carrying a rocketuncher like it weighed nothing.


    His eyes were sharp, focused like twin des as he surveyed the oing zombie swarm.


    <i>Boom</i><i>! </i>


    Theuncher belched fire. The st mmed into the center of a zombie mound.


    <i>Kaboom</i><i>! </i>


    The entire cluster copsed like a demolished building.


    After the smoke cleared, the man looked up at the helicopter descending toward him. His chiseled features softened, and a grin tugged at his lips.


    ¡°Hey, Theresa. You made it. Theron pulled off his helmet and gave Theresa a wide, boyish smile.


    ¡°Nice job,¡± she replied, jumping down from the helicopter with case.


    ¡°Now that the wall¡¯s up, mowing down zombies is easier than picking fruit,¡± hemented with a shrug.


    Theresaughed.


    ¡°In a few days, I¡¯ll send you some zombie harvesters¨Cmake it even easier.¡±


    Theron shed a brilliant grin. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±


    Side by side, the two walked along the top of the wall, discussing the structure¡¯s performance and future upgrades.


    The line stretched from south to north, guarded by thirteen strategically ced camps.


    Not every section needed to be manned. If they tried that, even with the whole alliance, they wouldn¡¯t have enough people.


    Zombie migrations followed patterns.


    They poured out mostly along former highways or ces that had once housedrge human poptions.


    The spread was chaotic in the small picture¨Cbut in the big data, the movement always condensed into specific high¨Cdensity zones.


    The thirteen camps were positioned exactly in those zones, containing the bulk of the outbreaks.


    Other sections only needed a couple of patrols to keep an eye out.


    Each segment of the wall was also equipped with motion sensors. If any zombies crossed a set threshold, lights would sh¨Calerting the entire line.


    This first defense line had officially be the wall that held back the tide.


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    After inspecting everything. Theresa handed fullmand of the line to Theron.


    She even bumped up his benefits.


    <b>+5 </b>Free Coins


    All citizens from Ember Camp were now granted the same welfare packages as those in the zing Sun


    Alliance.


    On holidays and special asions, they¡¯d receive extra rations and bonuses¨Cjust like her own people.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about your camp,¡± she told him. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of everything. They¡¯ll be treated just like mine.¡±


    Theron chuckled. The hardened warrior actually cracked a bigger smile. ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll hold the front line¨Cyou hold down the rear.¡±


    ¡°Deal. Theresa said, and they pped hands.


    Theron couldn¡¯t help but think back to the very first time he¡¯d met her.


    That was exactly what she had said then¨Cshe would take care of him.


    In the blink of an eye, two years had passed.


    Back then, he and his squad had been running for their lives, chased by a massive zombie horde.


    They had stumbled into a clothing depot¨Conly to find Lucas and Theresa already inside.


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    His n clicked perfectly with Theresa¡¯s, and together they began their sweeping campaign to reim the city.


    From the outer edges, they pushed forward to the heart of the city, taking a full year to reim it for humanity. Then, they spent another year forging a steel wall of defense.


    Theron had watched it all happen, piece by piece¨Chow Theresa went from running for her life from zombies, scavenging for survival, to holding her ground in the middle of swarming hordes, building an alliance city to stand against the constant stream of evolved zombies outside.


    The more he thought about it, the more fired up he felt.


    They had seized the perfect moment, right before the zombies¡® full evolution, to turn the tide in humanity¡¯s favor. If not for Theresa¡¯s all¨Cor¨Cnothing gamble back then, he could easily imagine what things would look like now¨Cscattered little camps swallowed up by endless zombie waves.


    Without resources or production, these camps would teeter on the brink every time a new wave hit. As zombies evolved and resources grew scarcer, humans would be worn down again and again until extinction.


    Even Ember Camp might not havested long. They were dirt¨Cpoor, with too many mouths to feed. Stuck in a remote, barren area with no way to grow food, their residents had no means of transportation to hunt zombies going out was just a death sentence. Under those conditions, he had no idea what the future would hold.


    Luckily, he had met Theresa. She¡¯d helped him keep his people alive, solving his biggest problem, and gave him the freedom to fight alongside her in retaking the city, carving out a path to survival from what had seemed like a dead end.


    Watching Theresa leave in a helicopter, Theron¡¯s grin only widened. <i>That </i><i>girl¡¯s </i><i>the </i><i>real </i>deal.


    After finishing her inspection, Theresa didn¡¯t return to the city but headed straight back to her bunker.


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡±


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡±


    ¡°Woof! Woof!¡±


    The moment she walked in, the dogs came charging out, leaping up at her.


    I¡¯m back,¡± she said.


    Summer lunged into her arms with a heavy thud.


    Theresa rubbed the dog¡¯s head hard. ¡°Hey, buddy¡±


    With Summer in her arms and the rest of the pack crowding around her, she walked deeper into the bunker. She¡¯d been so busytely that she¡¯d neglected them.


    Now that her strength had grown, she didn¡¯t need her dogs on the from lines anymore. If any of them got


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    hurt, she¡¯d be heartbroken. These days, they mostly guarded the bunker and the residential area. With them around, her camp was perfectly safe.


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡±


    Even after she sat down, Summer kept barking at her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll spend more time with you from now on,¡± she promised.


    ¡°Woof! Woof!¡±


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡±


    ¡°And with the rest of you, too.¡±


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡±


    Theresa brought out a pile of fresh meat and fed each one of them before finally enjoying a moment of peace. Outside, heavy snow had begun to fall. It was a rare break for her.


    That was when she remembered she hadn¡¯t checked in on her system in a long while. With the alliance developing so quickly, her points should have already passed one hundred million.


    Time to see for herself.


    Flopping onto the couch with Summer in her arms, she opened the system interface, and a massive data panel appeared before her.


    Territory area: 379 sq. miles


    Camp poption: 266 people


    Camp guards: 6.5 people


    Camp level: Major Metropolis (Prosperity level: 22,889)


    Points: 148,999,767


    Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, <i>ten</i><i>¨C</i><i>thousands</i><i>¡­ </i><i>millions</i>¡­ <i>hundred</i><i>¨C</i><i>millions</i>¡­ 148 million <i>points</i>! Over a hundred


    million<i>! </i>


    She¡¯d finally broken the hundred¨Cmillion mark. The sight of all those digits made her leap to her feet in


    excitement.


    Summer tilted its head at her.


    <b>¡°</b>Summer, you¡¯re my treasure!¡± Sife hugged its neck, and the other dogs, having finished eating, came over


    too. ¡°You all are!¡±


    After ruffling every head, she pulled up the system¡¯s exchange panel and opened the medical tab.


    <i>My </i>little goal¨Cthe Zombie <i>Virus </i>Inhibitor¡­ One hundred million <i>points</i>¡­ Exchange!


    As a billion points vanished from her total, a small transparent syringe appeared in her palm.


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    <i>Beep</i><i>. </i>


    ¡®Congrattions, you have obtained: Zombie Virus Inhibitor!


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    Wow! Got it! Finally, the treasure I¡¯ve been dreaming <i>of</i><i>! </i>


    She immediately pulled up the data on it.


    ?? 50%


    +5 <b>Free </b>Coins


    [Zombie Virus Inhibitor: Inject within three minutes of being infected by the zombie virus to halt its spread.


    [Note: This drug is effective only once. It only works after entering the infected person¡¯s body and loses potency immediately upon leaving the syringe.]


    After reading through all the details, Theresa Hall frowned. So, it was a one¨Ctime¨Cuse item¨Cnot something that could create permanent antibodies and make her immune to infection.


    Worse, it only worked once inside a host¡¯s body, meaning the moment it left the syringe, it became useless. That meant she couldn¡¯t even have it studied.


    There went her n of giving it to Tania to analyze itsponents in hopes of cracking a cure for the zombie virus. It made sense, though. Something this overpowered, if mass¨Cproduced, could wipe out the zombie crisis worldwide. That was too game¨Cbreaking.


    This inhibitor would have to be kept for herself¡ªand that was fine. Theresa wasn¡¯t greedy. Just having one was enough to satisfy her. Now she had another trump card up her sleeve, one that would let her fight in zombie swarms with more peace of mind.


    Besides, with her camp and the alliance thriving, she was raking in 200 thousand points a day without even trying. She could always get more inhibitorster. No problem.


    After storing the precious syringe in her domain, she happily handed out benefits to her people- discounted supplies for everyone in the alliance.


    While the gifts made everyone grateful, they also boosted trade and production across the alliance, which in turn funneled more points right back to her. The goods were hers, the points were hers, the people were hers.


    Theresa was winning on every front. Some people looked lucky on the surface, but behind the scenes, their luck just kept rolling in.


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡± Summer and the rest of the dogs circled her eagerly.


    ¡°Alright, babies. I¡¯m spending the next few days with you.¡±


    True to her word, she took a few days off to rx. She was just about to load the dogs into her armored vehicle for a good, long outing when a message came from Xavier.


    ¡°Tessa, there¡¯s something you need to handle yourself


    ¡°What <b>is </b>it?¡±


    ¡°Morgan wants to invite you over to his ce?


    ¡°No time, Theresa shot back without hesitation.


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    ¡°I thought so too, but he said if you don¡¯te to him, he¡¯lle here to find you himself.


    Theresa paused. ¡°Where exactly is he inviting me to?¡±


    s


    ¡°Ark Camp Two. He said they¡¯re holding an auction there and want to show you what the world can offer.¡±


    Theresa fell silent.


    ¡°Morgan¡¯s invited you a few times these past months, and I¡¯ve always turned him down. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he¡¯s dead set oning over if you refuse this time, I¡¯d have rejected him outright. I just don¡¯t think it¡¯s the right moment to show them the alliance yet.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Theresa replied, ¡°Tell him I¡¯ll go, but I¡¯m bringing a lot ofpanions. He¡¯s covering all our food, lodging, and expenses. And if he cks off, even a little, I¡¯m turning around and leaving.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Half an hourter, Xavier reported back: Morgan had agreed to every demand, promising the best treatment for her and herpanions and guaranteeing she¡¯d have a good time.


    Looking down at the dogs gathered around her feet, Theresa grinned. ¡°Alright, babies, someone¡¯s taking us on a trip. Let¡¯s go!¡±


    The pack barked in excitement as she boarded a helicopter with them and Quentin. Everyone else stayed behind to guard the alliance.


    Once again, the helicopter banked toward Ark Camp One. Hourster, the familiar bunker came into view -but this time, it was lit up, standing out like a beacon on the dark prairie.


    On the helipad atop the bunker, a man stood waiting with several others. Morgan watched the iing helicopter, a slow smile spreading across his face.

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    Morgan had rarely taken such an interest in a woman From the day Theresa left, he¡¯d kept her in mind. The more he thought about her, the clearer she became in his head and the more she refused him, the


    more hooked he got


    He¡¯d already decided that if she didn¡¯te to him, he would go to KI Camp himself to find her. Fortunately, she hade.


    He was eager to have her all to himself. She had said she was bringing a lot ofpanions, but that didn¡¯t bother him. With a little nning, he could send them all off somewhere, leaving the two of them alone for days.


    Just the thought made his expression soften with anticipation.


    The belicopter rumbled down onto the pad.


    ¡°You came,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yeah¡± Theresa swung the cabin door open and hopped down with practiced ease.


    Morgan stepped forward like a gentleman¨Conly to freeze when a pack of war dogs came leaping out of the helicopter behind her.


    ¡°Woof Woof! Wool!¡±


    ¡°Woof Woof!


    ¡°Woof Woof! Woof!


    Summer reached him first, ws scraping against the ground, baring its teeth. The other fifteen <b>military </b>dogs fanned out, growling and snarling, surrounding Morgan¡¯s group in an instant with open houility


    Morgan¡¯s face darkened


    ¡°Summer stop Theresa ordered


    ¡°What The Gruene shejderd yed inediately the rest halting right after, though they kept their ryes face in Morgan¡¯s jedle like they did in them see be


    ¡°What¡¯s that Morgan asked frowning at the canonska


    Trailing behind wash Quranin. Theiras atlied sy sex ng pansions, Who le here a


    Ten Murgan sand quickly arguing forward to reformly sides o


    +


    <i>Deget </i><i>That¡¯s </i>per hour than her draping tomb of pt in maings keitt


    With that thinglu au wasted further real es


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    Chapter 379 A Pack of Trouble


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Every single one.¡±


    50


    45 Free Coins


    ¡°What are their names?¡± he asked, trying to be friendly.


    That caught her interest. Standing among the dogs, she introduced them one by one. ¡°This one¡¯s Summer. I¡¯ve had him since he was a pup. Generic shepherd. Handsome, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, handsome.¡±


    ¡°The rest I picked up along the way. These are Lucky, Cash, Biscuit, Penny, Champ, Glory, Buddy, and Max.


    Morgan blinked. ¡°Pretty optimistic names.¡±


    ¡°And these are East, South, West, North, Ace, Snowy, and Spot. I was going to call him Dot, but when I found him, both his legs were half¨Cchewed by zombies, covered in blotches of blood, so Spot seemed more fitting.¡±


    Morgan stared for a beat. <i>Only </i><i>she </i><i>would </i><i>name </i><i>them </i><i>like </i><i>this</i>. <i>But </i>it¡¯s<i>¡­ </i><i>charming</i><i>. </i>


    The more he looked at her, the fresher and more intriguing she seemed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll remember them all,¡± he said with a wide grin. ¡°I like them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± she replied instantly. ¡°Then they¡¯re all yours for the next few days. Get along well with them.¡±


    Morgan froze.


    Behind her, Quentin snorted into his hand, quietlyughing.


    Inside Ark Camp One¡¯s bunker, Theresa followed Morgan in again, nked by her dogs and Quentin in a small procession.


    ¡°Stay here tonight,¡± Morgan told her. ¡°Tomorrow I¡¯ll take you to Ark Camp Two to see what the world can offer


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°What, is it so grand it might get overwhelmed and pass out?¡±


    His <b>grin </b>widened. ¡®Stick with me tomorrow¨Cyou¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Inwardly, she rolled her eyes again.


    Standing amid her dogs, she took in the ce.


    Last time they¡¯de, the bunke) had been littered with blood and zombie corpses. Now everything had been scrubbed clean, bright, and spacious, with no trace of the hellscape it once was.


    Still, Ark Camp One had suffered heavy losses¨Cnearly 30 thousand dead, leaving just over 10 thousand


    survivors.


    Even so, Theresa noticed the camp didn¡¯t seem to be badly affected.


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    It made sense¨Cthe vast majority of their casualties had been from the upper three floors. The elites at the bottom levels hade out unscathed.


    For a privately run camp like this, as long as the powerholders remained untouched, everything else was secondary. Ordinary people were simply resources to be exploited. Lose one crop of them, and a new batch would grow.


    Theresa said nothing as she watched the bustlingmoners on the first and second floors. The third floor looked almost unchanged. The fourth, however, surprised her¨Ctheboratory she had destroyedst time hadn¡¯t been rebuilt. The entire section was now cordoned off as a restricted zone.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t restarted work here?¡± she asked bluntly.


    ¡°Mmh. Dr. Klein is still recovering. All his experiments have been suspended,¡± Morgan replied.


    Her eyes lit up. ¡°How¡¯s he doing?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been resting for a long time. He should be close to fully healed.¡±


    ¡°I need to see him,¡± she said immediately.


    Morgan hesitated. ¡°He might not be eager to see you.¡±


    ¡°Are you taking me or not? If not, I¡¯ll turn around and go home.¡± She made as if to leave.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you,¡± he said quickly.


    In the fourth¨Cfloor luxury recovery wing, Horace had just finished thest sip of his medicine, hisplexion looking visibly brighter.


    ¡°Dr. Klein, rest for a few more days. Don¡¯t think about your research yet. Start some light rehab exercises, and I believe you¡¯ll be fully recovered soon,¡± the camp¡¯s doctor advised.


    With the help of the medical staff, Horace carefully swung his legs over the side of the bed, lowering his feet to the floor. They slowly let go, allowing him to stand on his own.


    It had been so long since he¡¯d gotten out of bed that the solid weight of his body pressing into the ground felt almost foreign. The joy on his face was unmistakable¨Che was healing. He was finally going to be whole again<b>. </b>


    Then a voice he knew all too well rang out.


    ¡°Hey, old man, I¡¯m back!¡±


    Horace froze.


    <i>Bam</i><i>! </i>


    The door to his recovery room was kicked open. Theresa stormed in, leading a whole pack of dogs.


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    ¡°Woof Woof!¡±


    ¡°Woof Woof Woof


    ¡°Woof Woof Woof¡±


    4Æø50%


    *5 Free Coins


    The massive military dogs filled the space with an oppressive presence. But the real pressure came from the person holding their leashes¨Cthe one face he never wanted to see again.


    ¡°Happy to see me, old man?¡± she asked.


    Horace promptly coughed up a mouthful of blood, his legs buckled beneath him, and he copsed to the floor.


    ¡°Dr. Klein!¡±


    ¡°Dr. Klein!¡±


    The barking continued, echoing through the room.


    Ten minutester. Theresa walked out with her dogs, looking disappointed. ¡°Honestly, why¡¯d he get so excited to see me? At his age, he should know better than to let his emotions get the better of him. How disappointing.¡±


    Everyone stared at her in silence.


    Looks like I¡¯ll have to visit more often, make sure he gets better faster,¡± she added.


    A male voice came from behind her. ¡°If you want to visit Dr. Klein, you¡¯re wee anytime. I¡¯d be happy to have you.¡±


    Turning, she found Morgan smiling at her, clearly pleased with himself, and she fell silent.


    After visiting Horace, Theresa finally stepped onto the fifth floor of the bunker for the first time. It wasn¡¯t at all what she had imagined. Nearly 80% of the level was sealed off, leaving only a small portion for living


    and leisure


    What remained wasvish¨Can artificialke and swimming pool, a gym, ballroom, entertainment halls, a gourmet food court, and five¨Cstar suites. Overhead, a massive digital screen projected a live view of the sky outside, <b>making </b>it feel anything but confined.


    The opulence here shed so sharply with the upper floors that it felt like stepping back into the bustling world before the apocalypse


    Her boots <b>sank </b>into the thick wood carpet lining the street as she followed Morgan to a grand dining hall. Avish feast had already beenid out.


    ¡°You must be hungry. Let¡¯s eat first,¡¯ he said with a smile.


    The table was piled high with dishes¨Ccreamy chicken, butter garlic fish, barbecue ribs, kebabs¡­


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    Morgan eyed the spread of dishes, already imagining the look on Theresa¡¯s face when she saw them.


    Coming from outside, there was no way she¡¯d have eaten food of this quality. He would start by showing her the difference through the meal alone¨Csurely then she¡¯d want to stay.


    And Theresa¡¯s eyes did light up when she saw the ingredients. ¡°Huh, you¡¯re all eating pretty well.¡±


    Almost on par with her camp¡¯s average standard.


    That was actually impressive.


    Hearing that, Morgan couldn¡¯t help looking a little proud. He nodded. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have gotten food like this at your brother¡¯s ce. Here, we have plenty. Eat as much as you want.¡±


    Theresa only gave him a t look.


    Morgan pped his hands, and attendants came in carrying severalrge tubs of dog food. ¡°I saw you brought quite a few dogs. I had someone check the stores¨Cturns out we¡¯ve been holding onto a batch of dog food. Perfect for them.¡± He wore the expression of someone both attentive and generous.


    The moment he¡¯d seen her arrive with dogs, he¡¯d made sure to prepare it. Supplies were plentiful here: finding dog food had been easy.


    She probably doesn¡¯t have <i>dog </i><i>food </i><i>back </i>at <i>her </i><i>ce</i><i>, </i>he thought smugly. <i>Maybe </i><i>scraps </i>at best. She¡¯s going to be thrilled when she sees this<i>. </i>


    Instead, all he got from Theresa was, ¡°Oh, sure, whatever. They¡¯ll make do.¡±


    Morgan¡¯s smile froze. Make do? <i>With </i><i>dog </i><i>food</i><i>? </i><i>What¡¯s </i><i>there </i><i>to </i><i>make </i><i>do </i><i>about</i>?


    Theresa, Quentin, and the dogs ate a simple, rough meal. She¡¯d known the outside world¡¯s conditions were worse, <b>but </b>this? Garbage. And this man still had the nerve to invite her over and over again. Please.


    Still, she had to admit¨Cmore than two and a half years into the apocalypse, aside from her alliance, only the Ark Camps could still put out this much meat and produce. They¡¯d managed to start production again -hydroponic crops, a few farm animals¨Creserved solely for the elites. No one else could dream of eating like this. In that sense, it was decent.


    But for her, expecting a grand, luxurious getaway and getting this instead felt disappointing. The world outside her camp just didn¡¯t measure up.


    Morgan, oblivious to her thoughts, was certain this was the most extravagant meal she¡¯d had since the world fell apart.


    After dinner, Theresa went to the room he¡¯d arranged for her


    If the food hadn¡¯t impressed her, the amodations did A luxury suite on par with a five¨Cstar hotel- top¨Cquality bedding, an oversized soaking tub with round¨Cthe¨Cclock hot water, a refrigerator stocked with drinks, sodas, cakes, and snacks, plus a microwave


    Compared to the shared dormitories with no bathrooms or kitchens on the upper floors, it was a world

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    Morgan eyed the spread of dishes, already imagining the look on Theresa¡¯s face when she saw them.


    Coming from outside, there was no way she¡¯d have eaten food of this quality. He would start by showing her the difference through the meal alone¨Csurely then she¡¯d want to stay.


    And Theresa¡¯s eyes did light up when she saw the ingredients. ¡°Huh, you¡¯re all eating pretty well.¡±


    Almost on par with her camp¡¯s average standard.


    That was actually impressive.


    Hearing that, Morgan couldn¡¯t help looking a little proud. He nodded. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have gotten food like. this at your brother¡¯s ce. Here, we have plenty. Eat as much as you want.¡±


    Theresa only gave him a t look.


    Morgan pped his hands, and attendants came in carrying severalrge tubs of dog food. ¡°I saw you brought quite a few dogs. I had someone check the stores¨Cturns out we¡¯ve been holding onto a batch of dog food. Perfect for them.¡± He wore the expression of someone both attentive and generous.


    The moment he¡¯d seen her arrive with dogs, he¡¯d made sure to prepare it. Supplies were plentiful here; finding dog food had been easy.


    She probably doesn¡¯t have <i>dog </i><i>food </i>back at her ce, he thought smugly. <i>Maybe </i>scraps <i>at </i>best. <i>She¡¯s </i><i>going </i><i>to </i><i>be </i>thrilled when <i>she </i>sees this<i>. </i>


    Instead, all he got from Theresa was, ¡°Oh, sure, whatever. They¡¯ll make do.¡±


    Morgan¡¯s smile froze. Make <i>do</i><i>? </i>With <i>dog </i><i>food</i>? What¡¯s there <i>to </i><i>make </i><i>do </i><i>about</i><i>? </i>


    Theresa, Quentin, and the dogs ate a simple, rough meal. She¡¯d known the outside world¡¯s conditions were worse, but this? Garbage. And this man still had the nerve to invite her over and over again. Please.


    Still, she had to admit¨Cmore than two and a half years into the apocalypse, aside from her alliance, only the Ark Camps could still put out this much meat and produce. They¡¯d managed to start production again -hydroponic crops, a few farm animals¨Creserved solely for the elites. No one else could dream of eating like this. In that sense, it was decent.


    But for her, expecting a grand, luxurious getaway and getting this instead felt disappointing. The world outside her camp just didn¡¯t measure up.


    Morgan, oblivious to her thoughts, was certain this was the most extravagant meal she¡¯d had since the world fell apart.


    After dinner, Theresa went to the room he¡¯d arranged for her.


    If the food hadn¡¯t impressed her, the amodations did. A luxury suite on par with a five¨Cstar hotel- top¨Cquality bedding, an oversized soaking tub with round¨Cthe¨Cclock hot water, a refrigerator stocked with drinks, sodas, cakes, and snacks, plus a microwave.


    Compared to the shared dormitories with no bathrooms or kitchens on the upper floors, it was a world


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    apart.


    Naturally, she emptied the entire fridge into her domain without hesitation¨Cthen called Quentin over to do the same with his. Even with plenty of supplies, nothing should go to waste.


    The next morning, Morgan came to get her, leading them onto his helicopter for the trip west.


    ¡°Ark Camp Two is in the northwest desert,¡± he exined. ¡°Poption¡¯s only about 20 thousand. The camp is built in a ring, divided into the outer, middle, and inner rings¨Ccach with its own administrator.¡±


    After several hours in the air, they finally spotted it: a deste little town the same dusty yellow as the surrounding desert. Three concentric walls encircled it likeyers of a fortress. For almost a hundred miles in every direction, there was nothing but barren earth and sand.


    Theynded in the second ring¨Cthe Inner Ring.


    ¡°Here we are, Ark Camp Two,¡± Morgan said, handing her two masks. ¡°This is Ark Camp One¡¯s emblem. Everyone at the auction wears their own camp¡¯s mask.¡±


    The ones he gave her were green. Theresa handed one to Quentin, and they both put them on.


    Morgan stepped off the helicopter first. Behind him, Theresa descended with her dogs and Quentin in a crowd that poured out like a tide,


    Only then did she get a clear look at the buildings ahead¨Cevery one of them the same dull yellow, their sand¨Csted walls worn and weathered by years of wind, radiating nothing but destion.

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    The road was paved with asphalt, bur years of wind and sand had turned it a dull, dusty yellow. A few trees stood along the way, stripped bare in the winter cold.


    Theresa exhaled into her scarf Winter in the desert was bitter enough to cut through bone.


    ¡°Guests from Ark Camp One, please follow me.¡± A voice sounded in her car, and a man in a yellow mask stepped forward with a respectful bow.


    Morgan nodded to him, and their group headed toward arge, old opera house.


    ¡°The yellow masks are from Ark Camp Two,¡± Morgan exined.


    ¡°And Ark Camp Three?¡± she asked.


    ¡°White.¡±


    Just then, the heavy thrum of a helicopter came from behind. A group of people in white masks. disembarked.


    Theresa stopped, dogs at her side, and watched as they approached. Most of them were men, only a few women among them. The masks hid their faces and ages entirely. The group walked straight toward them.


    ¡°Ark Camp One, greetings,¡± the man in the lead addressed Morgan.


    Morgan inclined his head. ¡°Ark Camp Three, greetings.¡±


    ¡°We heard you ran into trouble some time ago. You¡¯ve been on our minds.¡±


    Morgan gave a thin, insincere smile. ¡°We¡¯re fine. Thanks for your concern.¡±


    The two sides exchanged polite, empty smiles before the white¨Cmasked man said, ¡°Let¡¯s head in. I hear Ark Camp Two has something special this time.¡±


    I¡¯m looking forward to it,¡± Morgan replied, and they walked side by side toward the entrance.


    At the door, the attendant stopped Theresa¡¯s group. ¡°Apologies, honored guests from Ark Camp One. Pets are not allowed in the auction hall. Please leave your dogs in our care.¡±


    All eyes turned to Theresa, standing with her pack,


    Morgan paused and addressed her gently. ¡°Would you mind leaving them here for a while? When it¡¯s over, I¡¯ll take you to show them around.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Theresa said. By now, she was curious about both the auction and the people here.


    She handed the leashes to Quentin and warned, ¡°Keep an eye on them. And don¡¯t even think about running¨Cyou won¡¯t get far here.¡±


    ¡°I know, Beautiful,¡± Quentin repliedzily.


    She patted Summer¡¯s head. ¡°Watch him. Don¡¯t let him run off¡±


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    ¡°Woof! Woof!¡±


    Quentin didn¡¯t know how to feel about this exchange.


    With everything arranged. Theresa followed Morgan inside.


    As she turned, a few from Ark Camp Three gave her lingering looks. She met each gaze directly, and they all turned away.


    On the way in, someone from Ark Camp Three said, ¡°We heard you were supported by K1 Camp during that incident. How are they?¡±


    ¡°Very strong.¡± Morgan said, ncing at Theresa.


    ¡°Did you really give them 200 thousand tons of food? And 200 thousand gleamstones?¡±


    Yes.


    The white¨Cmasked man snorted. ¡°Then I guess they must be struggling badly out there..


    Theresa frowned, stumped.


    Traveling all that way for such a small amount¡­ was it worth it?¡± another said.


    They must¡¯ve been starving, desperate enough to risk their lives for supplies,¡± <i>a </i>third added.


    ¡°How pitiful.¡± a fourth chimed in.


    Theresa¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    Morgan leaned toward her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t look down on you for it.¡±


    Her mouth twitched. ¡°I do, my boy.¡±


    Morgan¡¯s smile faltered.


    Just then, a pretty maid carrying drinks approached from the opposite direction. She kept her head down, clearly trying to avoid the group. But one of the white¨Cmasked men walked straight into her shoulder.


    Crash<i>! </i>


    Wine sshed to the floor, and deep red liquid spread across the man¡¯s clothing.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± The maid dropped to her knees, trembling as she tried to wipe him off. ¡®I was careless¨Cplease forgive me. Please!¡°.


    Her hands shook so badly she could barely touch the fabric. Before she could finish, the white¨Cmasked man seized her by the throat and lifted her effortlessly into the air.


    ¡°A wretched life like yours isn¡¯t worth the price of this suit. Tell me, how could I possibly forgive you?¡±


    Her face went chalk white, her thin body trembling harder as the air was squeezed from her lungs.


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    Chapter 383 The Auction Hall


    Chapter 383 The Auction Hall


    Theresa frowned. No one around her seemed to think anything of what was happening. It wasn¡¯t. indifference or a deliberate choice to look away¨Cit was genuine,plete disregard.


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    They watched the handling of a servant girl as if she were nothing more than an ant being crushed underfoot. Who would care about the death of an ant? Even someone as cold¨Cblooded as Theresa felt an intense wave of difort among these people.


    Just then, a cheerful voice of a middle¨Caged man rang out. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    A man in a yellow mask strode over with several others.


    The servant girl, still struggling desperately against the grip at her throat, turned to him as if begging for rescue. ¡°Man¡­ Manager¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡±


    The man in the white mask loosened his grip slightly. ¡°Ark Camp Two. One of your people got my clothes dirty.¡±


    The yellow¨Cmasked manager stepped closer. ¡°My apologies. This idiot deserves to die. But killing her outright is too much of a buzzkill. As it happens, we have a little event at today¡¯s auction. Let me send her in¨Cyou¡¯ll definitely feel better after that.¡±


    That caught the white¨Cmasked man¡¯s interest right away. He shoved the servant girl aside in disgust. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll hold you to that.¡±


    ¡°Today¡¯s auction will be worth your while,¡± the manager said with a bright grin.


    The atmosphere lifted instantly. Ark Camp Two¡¯s manager led them all eagerly toward the interior while other staff dragged the servant girl away.


    Theresa stayed where she was for a moment, watching the girl being taken off, until Morgan¡¯s voice sounded beside her. ¡°Just a worthless lowlife.¡±


    She turned to look at the man¡¯s cold mask.


    Morgan walked on, speaking casually over his shoulder. ¡°That scene could¡¯ve happened in any camp, and it would¡¯ve been handled the same way. If someone from one camp takes a liking to someone in another, it¡¯s just a matter of saying the word. Nobody would ruin the peace over something so trivial.¡±


    His tone was light, almost bored.


    Theresa studied the so¨Ccalled elite who ruled over the three camps. This was the kind of people in control


    here.


    ¡°But, Morgan said, stopping just before they reached the main hall and looking at her, ¡°I would never treat you like that. To me, you¡¯re special


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to your word, my boy,¡± she said dryly.


    Morgan was left speechless.


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    She didn¡¯t bother with him after that, striding into the legendary auction hall. Morgan lingered for a moment, watching her back, a smile curling beneath his mask.


    <i>Why </i><i>do </i>I like it so much <i>when </i><i>she </i><i>refuses </i>to give me the time of <i>day</i>? <i>Oh</i>, I like the way she talks<i>! </i>


    The sight inside took her breath away.


    A red carpet covered the entire auction floor, and an enormous crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling- each natural crystal carved into facets that threw off brilliant light. Rows of gem¨Ciid redwood armchairs with plush upholstery filled the space, divided into three sections marked with numbers¨Cone for each


    camp.


    At the moment, Ark Camp Two and Ark Camp Three had already taken their seats. Following Morgan, Theresa walked to Ark Camp One¡¯s section, where their group of green¨Cmasked members sat down together.


    Almost immediately, pretty attendants in bodycons arrived with trays of desserts and wine. The desserts were exquisite¨Cpuff pastries, scones, and tiramisu¨Cwhile the drinks were top¨Cshelf red wine.


    Theresa had to admit, she was impressed. It was hard to imagine that more than two and a half years into the apocalypse, when people outside were dying in waves, these elites lived as if nothing had changed.


    ¡°Well?¡± Morgan asked. ¡°Getting a taste of the high life?¡±


    ¡°Are these unlimited?¡± she asked.


    ¡°They are.¡±


    ¡°Then bring me a hundred tes of pastries and a hundred bottles of red wine.¡±


    Morgan stared at her.


    <i>If </i><i>I </i>can milk them for <i>all </i><i>they¡¯re </i>worth<i>, </i>why <i>shouldn¡¯t </i><i>I</i>? She believed.


    Soon, a small mountain of pastries and wine bottles began piling up at Ark Camp One¡¯s section, drawing curious nces from the people in Ark Camp Two and Ark Camp Three.


    Just then, a figure stepped onto the massive auction stage.


    A stunningly beautiful female auctioneer smiled sweetly. ¡°Wee, distinguished guests, to Ark Camp Two. I¡¯m your old friend, Lucy. We¡¯ve prepared plenty of surprises for you this time, so I hope you¡¯ll show us your support.¡±


    Her pleasant, cultured voice was followed by a round of apuse.


    ¡°She¡¯s Lucy Morgan murmured to Theresa, ¡°the Middle Ring manager of Ark Camp Two. She¡¯s the one in charge of entertaining guests like us.¡±


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    Chapter 384 Strawberries and Schemes


    Chapter 384 Strawberries and Schemes


    Theresa nodded slightly.


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    On the auction stage, the alluring Lucy lifted her gavel. ¡°Next, our very first item¨Ca box of Sweet Cream


    Strawberries!¡±


    Theresa blinked.


    At her words, an attendant stepped forward carrying an ornate, solid gold gift box. Insidey a pile of plump, bright red strawberries, each one glistening under the lights. For a moment, Theresa thought she¡¯d misheard. But no¨Cthese really were actual strawberries meant to be eaten.


    Wait¡­ these are just the same ordinary <i>strawberries </i><i>I </i><i>grow </i>in <i>my </i><i>own </i><i>greenhouse</i><i>, </i><i>as </i><i>many </i><i>as </i><i>I </i><i>want</i><i>, </i><i>one </i>crop <i>after </i>another! And looking at the quality, mine <i>are </i><i>better </i><i>than </i><i>these</i><i>! </i>


    Yet the crowd reacted with excitement, especially the women from Ark Camp Three. Their eyes lit up at the sight of the fresh fruit.


    ¡°How much? Hurry, bid!¡±


    ¡°There are three portions in total. Starting bid¨C5,000 gleamstones each!¡±


    Theresa sp¨¢t out her wine. <i>Two </i><i>pounds </i><i>at </i><i>most</i><i>, </i><i>and </i><i>they¡¯re </i><i>starting </i><i>at </i><i>5,000 </i><i>gleamstones</i>? <i>What </i><i>the </i><i>hell</i><i>?! </i>


    ¡°Do you want some?¡± Morgan murmured near her ear. ¡°If you do, I¡¯ll bid for you.¡±


    She didn¡¯t answer.


    In the end, Ark Camp Three won two portions for a total of 13 thousand gleamstones, while Morgan spent 7,000 to take thest portion and ce it in front of her.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t tasted these since the apocalypse started. I told you I¡¯d show you the world¨Cwell, now you¡¯ve seen it.¡±


    Theresa just stared at him. The suffocating feeling was real¨Cshe¡¯d seen it, alright. Seven thousand gleamstones for a handful of strawberries. If she brought her own produce here, she¡¯d make a killing.


    And just as she suspected, the auction continued with item after item¨Cmelons, plums, oranges, even tomatoes she¡¯d grown so sick of eating. Every single one went for a sky¨Chigh price.


    By the time she finished watching, it felt like her perspective hadpletely shifted. She¡¯d almost forgotten that in the apocalypse, fresh fruit and vegetables were among the hardest things toe by.


    Meanwhile, some rare Level 2 and Level 3 gleamstones¨Citems she thought were precious¨Cwere barely noticed, going for just a few hundred Level 1 gleamstones each.


    She leaned toward Morgan. ¡°Bid on those for me.¡±


    He nced at her. ¡°You¡¯re not interested in the fruit? Fresh fruit is rare.¡±


    Theresa eyed the three Level 3 and four Level 2 gleamstones he¡¯d just won for her, then tilted her head. ¡°Tell you what¨CI¡¯ll trade you a pound of tomatoes for these.¡±


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    His eyes lit up. ¡°You have tomatoes?¡±


    s 4


    ¡°They¡¯re rare for us too,¡± she lied smoothly. ¡°We¡¯ve been saving them. So¨Cdeal or no deal?¡±


    ¡°Deal, a pound of tomatoes.¡±


    With that, he handed her all seven gleamstones on the spot, agreeing to wait for her delivery.


    And that was when Theresa felt as if a door had opened in her mind. She could trade themon fruit she had in abundance forrge quantities of gleamstones here.


    ¡°Morgan, you just said fresh fruit is rare and everyone wants it, right?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Our camp can hardly grow any at all. Whenever one of the camps produces fresh fruit, they hold an auction like this.¡±


    ¡°Then how about this¨Cyou let me supply the fruit, you sell it for me, and I¡¯ll give you a 10%mission.¡±


    ¡°That works. However much you have, bring it. They¡¯ll take it.¡±


    ¡°I knew you weren¡¯t just anybody.¡± She pped him on the shoulder with mock solemnity. ¡°I¡¯ve got high hopes for you, kid. It¡¯s a deal.¡±


    He looked at her hand resting on his shoulder, a grin curling under his mask.


    When Ark Camp Two¡¯s fruit stock finally sold out, thest item of the auction was rolled onto the stage inside a massive ss disy case.


    At first, Theresa thought it might be livestock¨Cmaybe a pig or a goat. She wasn¡¯t interested¡­ until the curtain was yanked away, and a bloody hand mmed against the ss with a loud <i>bang</i><i>. </i>


    ¡°Graaaagh!¡±


    Inside was a zombie, drenched in blood, its body a patchwork of wounds. Half its face had been chewed away, leaving routing flesh that oozed pus. An iron chain was fastened tightly around its neck as it lunged at the ss, gnashing its teeth.


    Several women in the crowd recoiled in disgust, their expressions souring.


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    Someone from Ark Camp Three spoke up. ¡°You¡¯re not actually going to auction off that <b>zombie</b>, are you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. Lucy stepped forward with a dazzling smile. ¡°We¡¯re auctioning off¡­ the Zombie Virus Inhibitor


    The entire hall froze. Every pair of eyes widened at her words, and half of Ark Camp Three¡¯s people shot to their feet with a loud tter.


    Morgan stared at her in disbelief. ¡°What did you just say?!¡±


    ¡°The Zombie Virus Inhibitor,¡± Lucy repeated, smiling serenely. ¡°Ark Camp Two has sessfully developed an inhibitor with an 80% sess rate.¡±


    Shock rippled through the crowd. All eyes locked on Ark Camp Two¡¯s delegation, while Theresa¡¯s gaze grew darker and moreplicated.


    Impossible. Not even after a decade into the apocalypse had humanity managed <i>to </i><i>develop </i>a <i>zombie </i><i>virus </i><i>inhibitor </i>before I died and returned. So, these guys couldn¡¯t <i>have </i><i>figured </i><i>it </i><i>out</i>.


    Even if they don¡¯t care about saving anyone, <i>a </i>miracle <i>drug </i>like that <i>would </i>make <i>them </i><i>kings</i><i>¨C</i><i>saviors </i><i>of </i>the <i>world</i><i>. </i>They¡¯d never hide <i>it </i><i>away </i>out here in the middle <i>of </i>nowhere, still <i>worried </i><i>about </i>the <i>zombie </i><i>threat</i><i>. </i><i>No. </i><i>This </i><i>can¡¯t </i><i>be </i>real.


    This is thetest result of long¨Cterm research by our Inner Ring management,¡± Lucy said. She gestured, and a camp worker pushed a young woman forward.


    Theresa recognized her instantly¨Cit was the servant girl who had angered the man in the white mask earlier.


    Bound hand and foot, gagged, she was pushed to the ss enclosure.


    Lucy gave a slight nod, and the next second, a¡¯small hatch opened in the ss. The girl¡¯s head was shoved through, her muffled cries turning into raw terror.


    The starving zombie lunged at once, sinking its teeth into her cheek.


    ¡°Mmphhh!¡±


    A handler yanked the chain hard, dragging the zombie back. A chunk of bloody flesh tore free, leaving a gruesome wound for all to see.


    The zombie, whipped into a frenzy by the smell of fresh blood, snarled and mmed against the ss.


    The hatch mmed shut. The zombie was caged again and wheeled offstage, while the servant girl copsed to the floor, half her face tom open.


    Lucy held up a syringe. ¡°This is the Zombie Virus Inhibitor¡±


    At her signal, several attendants pinned the girl down. Lucy crouched gracefully beside her, slid the needle into her arm, and pushed the entire dose into her bloodstream.


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    The girl convulsed almost immediately.


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    ¡°Our tests show that if the inhibitor is administered within one minute of infection, there is an 80% chance- the subject will not turn.¡±


    ¡°And the other 20?¡± someone from Ark Camp Three demanded.


    ¡°They die on the spot,¡± Lucy replied with the same pleasant smile.


    Silence fell.


    Eighty percent immunity, twenty percent death. To many, it sounded like salvation¨Cat least there would be no transformation into a zombie.


    All eyes turned toward the girl on the floor.


    The seconds crawled by. Her spasms finally stilled. Shey face down in a pool of her own blood, the crimson soaking through her clothes.


    After a long, tense pause, she suddenly lifted her head.


    A startled cry rose from the women of Ark Camp Three, who recoiled instinctively. The rest of the hall watched her like hawks.


    Her eyes¡­ were normal. No cloudy whiteness, no feral gleam. Her pupils stayed ck, her chest rose and fell as she breathed, and she showed no signs of aggression or mutation.


    The hall went silent.


    ¡°You¡¯ve all seen it for yourselves. This is our Zombie Virus Inhibitor.¡±


    Apuse broke out from Ark Camp Two¡¯s section, spreading quickly to the other two camps. Morgan pped just as enthusiastically, the room buzzing with awe at Ark Camp Two¡¯s technology.


    Only Theresa remained still, her eyes fixed on the vacant stare of the girl onstage. She extended her mind power to sense the girl¡¯s presence.


    Something was wrong.


    Normal humans appeared red to her senses. Zombies were white.

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    That girl¡­ she glowed neither red nor white in Theresa¡¯s mental perception. She was somewhere in between, and as time passed, the red grew fainter and fainter.


    ¡°Our camp has only one remaining dose of the Zombie Virus Inhibitor,¡± Lucy announced. ¡°The starting bid is 10 million gleamstones or two million tons of food! Increments of 100 thousand tons per bid.¡±


    Her voice cut through the hall, and the apuse died instantly. The room fell back into silence.


    Two million tons of food¨Cnearly half of what each of the three Ark Camps had stockpiled at the start, five million tons apiece. For a single dose of inhibitor, it was no small matter.


    Lucy went on, ¡°The materials for the Zombie Virus Inhibitor are extremely difficult to obtain. This is the only one for sale. Developing the next dose will take at least a year.¡±


    At that, Ark Camp Three¡¯s representative raised a hand. ¡°We¡¯ll take it.¡±


    Morgan hesitated for a moment, then also lifted his hand. ¡°Ark Camp One will bid¨Cadd 100 thousand


    tons,¡±


    Theresa rolled her eyes so hard it was almost audible. ¡°I¡¯m heading back.¡±


    What an idiot. I can¡¯t <i>even </i>watch this<i>. </i>


    Morgan frowned when he saw her walk away.


    Onstage, Ark Camp Three raised their offer again. ¡°Increase by 200 thousand tons!¡±


    Morgan listened to their bid, nced after Theresa¡¯s retreating figure, and wavered.


    Theresa left the auction hall and went looking for her dogs, only to find neither Quentin nor the dogs anywhere.


    ¡°Where are my dogs?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Esteemed guest, they¡¯ve gone to relieve themselves,¡± a servant from Ark Camp Two replied, then pointed her toward the restrooms.


    The opera house was vast, the carpet underfoot so thick it felt like walking on clouds. As she made her way along, raised voices drifted from ahead.


    Quickening her pace, she reached the backstage area of the auction.


    A group of staff were struggling to restrain a woman bound from head to toe, her face smeared with blood. She fought with surprising strength, flinging off the man pressing down on her shoulders.


    As she made a break for it, a servant lunged to tackle her¨Conly for her to sink her teeth into his arm.


    Blood streamed from the wound on her face, dripping down to stain his sleeve crimson.


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    He gasped in pain and yanked his arm back, uncertain if she had broken the skin. The others recovered and rushed in; several men needed to force her down.


    Theresa recognized her instantly¨Cthe unlucky servant girl from earlier. But now, her eyes were still ck, not vacant and hollow like on the auction stage. Her body radiated strength, and it took multiple grown men to pin her down.


    Once she was subdued, they shoved her into a cage, mmed the lock, and wheeled her away.


    ¡°Where are you taking her?¡± Theresa asked.


    Seeing the green mask on her face, they immediately bowed their heads. ¡°Esteemed guest, we¡¯ve been ordered to deliver her to the Inner Ring manager¡¯s researchb.¡±


    ¡°Really? I thought she was cured. Why send her to theb?¡±


    The staff member lowered his head even further, his tone submissive and fearful. ¡°Forgive us, we only follow orders. We know nothing more.¡±


    ¡°Can I have a look <i>at </i>her first?¡± Theresa asked.


    A man in a yellow mask stepped forward. ¡°My honored guest from Ark Camp One¨Cdo you wish to im this test subject?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯d like to see her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to give her to you directly, but she¡¯s dangerous at the moment. Let me send her to you once she¡¯s stable¨Cwould that be eptable?¡± His tone was warm and amodating.


    It was hard to argue when someone spoke so politely. ¡°Alright,¡± she agreed.


    ¡°By the way,¡± he added, ¡°why are you here instead of in the auction hall?¡±


    ¡°The auction¡¯s boring. I came to find my dogs.¡±


    Heughed lightly. ¡°Ah, my apologies for the poor hospitality. Shall I give you a tour of our camp instead?¡±


    ¡°No need. I¡¯m going to get my dogs.¡± Theresa brushed him off and strode away.


    As soon as she was gone, the man¡¯s smile vanished. His eyes swept coldly over his subordinates. ¡°Well? Get her out of here!¡±


    They scrambled to obey, wheeling the cage away at once.


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    ¡°Woof! Woof! Wool?¡±


    ¡°Still here, doggo!¡± a voice answered from inside the restroom.


    Sixteen dogs sat in a perfect row on the floor, all staring at one closed stall.


    Ten secondster-


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woot!¡±


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    ¡°I didn¡¯t run off!¡±


    Another ten seconds-


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡±


    ¡°Can you all calm down for a minute?¡±


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡±


    Quentin was rendered speechless.


    Then he suddenly heard the pack outside erupt in a frenzy.


    ¡°Woof! Woof!¡±


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡±


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡±


    They bolted toward the door.


    T


    Feeling them surge away, Quentin shouted, ¡°Where are you guys going? Get back here!¡±


    He yanked up his pants and ran after them. Orders were orders¨CTheresa had told him to keep an eye on the dogs, and he wasn¡¯t about to mess that up.


    Surrounded by the dogs, Theresa looked up just in time to see Quentin burst out of the restroom, tugging <b>his </b>pants into ce, urgency written all over his face.


    The moment he saw it was her, his worry melted into a grin. ¡°Beautiful, you¡¯re back.¡±


    ¡°You go on, I¡¯ll keep watch, Theresa said, clipping the leashes onto each dog one by one.


    ¡°No need, I¡¯m done, Quentin said cheerfully, heading to the sink to wash his hands.


    At that moment, a man in Ark Camp Two staff uniform rushed to another sink, scrubbing frantically at his


    sleeves.


    The sound of running water filled the space as he tried to wash away the bloodstains.


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    Quentin caught the metallic tang of blood and turned to look. The man¡¯s face was ashen as he shoved his sleeve up¨Crevealing a deep, ragged bite mark, the teeth having gone nearly to the bone.


    Water only made the blood gush faster, the scent growing stronger. Dark veins began to creep up his arm.


    Quentin¡¯s brows drew together. <i>This</i><i>¡­ </i>


    He lifted his gaze¨Cand found himself staring straight into the man¡¯s pale, contorted face. His once¨Cck eyes were turning white and cloudy, the pain twisting his features.


    ¡°Holy sh¡¯t! You¡¯re turning into a zombie!¡± Quentin shouted as the transformation happened right before him.


    The man jerked, as if the words had jolted him into a sh of rity. Desperation filled his dimming eyes. Clutching his wounded arm, he bolted for the door.


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡±


    ¡°Woof! Woof!¡±


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡±


    The dogs outside exploded in barks as he burst through.,


    ¡°Beautiful! He¡¯s infected!¡± Quentin yelled, sprinting out at top speed. He reached her in seconds, shoving her back against the wall to shield her.


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡±


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡±


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡±


    Summer and the rest of the packunched themselves at the man, bringing him down hard.


    ¡°You okay?¡± Quentin asked urgently.


    ¡°Of course I am.¡± Theresa pushed him aside and looked at the man pinned to the floor, Summer¡¯s massive paw nted firmly on his chest.


    She recognized him instantly¨Cit was the same staffer who had been bitten by the servant girl earlier. Now he was curled in on himself, clutching his arm, writhing in agony as the ck veins spread further and his skin turned ghostly pale. He was changing.


    In that moment, Theresa knew without a doubt¨Cthe so¨Ccalled Zombie Virus Inhibitor was a sham. She


    even suspected it didn¡¯t stop infection at all, merely dyed the inevitable¨Cfrom turning within five minutes to hours, maybe days. But the virus still filled their bodies, and a bite from them still meant infection.


    ¡°Summer.¡± Theresa tightened her grip on the leash, pulling the big dog off. The rest of the pack fell back


    with her.


    The moment the weight was gone, the man scrambled to his feet, half crawling, half running toward the


    exit.


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    ¡°Beautiful, why didn¡¯t you kill him?¡± Quentin asked, puzzled, watching him vanish around the corner.


    Theresa¡¯s lips curled into a sly smile. ¡°Why would I?¡±


    She was no saint, and she had no reason to help Ark Camp Two clean up their mess. In fact, she would love nothing more than to see their camp in chaos.


    If a zombie outbreak tore through the ce that night, even better. If it wiped them out entirely, she¡¯d beughing about it for days.


    Go <i>on</i><i>, </i><i>little </i><i>zombie</i><i>. </i><i>Run </i><i>fast</i><i>! </i>


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    Just then, a voice came from behind her.


    ¡°There you are.¡±


    Morgan hade out of the auction hall and found Theresa.


    ¡°You¡¯re done already?¡±


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    He didn¡¯t look good. Nodding, his tone was grim. ¡°It¡¯s over. Ark Camp Three bought the inhibitor.¡±


    ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°Two and a half million tons of food.¡±


    Theresa let out a snort ofughter. ¡°Huh, idiots.¡±


    Morgan stared at her, expression sinking.


    Seeing him sulking, she actually offered him a rare word offort. ¡°Morgan, anyone who buys that thing is an idiot. Be d it wasn¡¯t you.¡±


    Morgan had noeback.


    Before they could say more, a scream tore through the air outside.


    They were still in the corridor when a man mmed against the window beside them, pounding on the ss in sheer panic.


    ¡°Help! Help me!¡±


    A guttural roar came from behind him as another man, drenched in blood,unched himself forward like a rabid dog. He mped onto the man¡¯s shoulder, shaking his head savagely as his teeth sank into the soft flesh of his neck.


    The victim screamed, but the attacker¡¯s sharp teeth ripped through skin and muscle with ease, tearing open the artery and lymph nodes in a single bite. Blood sprayed in a crimson arc.


    The zombie only grew more frenzied, burying its head into the wound, jaw muscles working with brutal force. In just a few crunches, it had chewed straight through the man¡¯s neck.


    The victim¡¯s hands wed at the ss<b>, </b>his eyes wide with horror, his head lolling further and further to the side until it hung at an impossible angle.


    ¡°Arrrrghh¡­¡±


    The zombie finally looked up, revealing dead, cloudy eyes and a mouth gaping wide, blood streaming down in thick, dark rivulets.


    <i>ng</i><i>! </i>


    It hurled itself against the ss, bloody palms mming against it again and again. The beast gnawed ai


    14:59 Thu, 21 Aug


    Chapter 388 Outbreak


    the barrier, eyes locked with feral rage on everyone inside.


    Morgan instinctively stepped back.


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    From behind came the pounding of footsteps. ¡°Honored guests, evacuate! A zombie has infiltrated the camp!


    Another roar<b>¨C</b>and a male zombie in a staff uniform lunged from behind, tackling a servant to the ground.


    Its ws tore into the man¡¯s abdomen, splitting him open. The victim curled in on himself, thrashing in agony, but the zombie clung to him like a barnacle, burying its head deep and tearing mouthfuls from his stomach.


    Morgan¡¯s frown deepened. His men moved to clear a path, and he reached for Theresa¨Conly to see her already sprinting off on her own.


    You dumb, son? What are you standing there for? Run!¡± she yelled, but Morgan remained still.


    Theresa bolted forward, sixteen dogs and Quentin in tow.


    <b>Any </b>zombie that came at them didn¡¯tst long¨Cher dogs were on them in an instant, ws and teeth shredding through undead flesh. Summer was the deadliest of them all, a warhound enhanced to monstrous size by the system. One swipe of her paw could shatter a zombie¡¯s skull like an overripe melon.


    ¡°Woof Woof! Woof!¡±


    The pack thundered out of the opera house, straight into chaos.


    The streets outside were a mess of screaming civilians and the snarls of the undead. Bloodied zombies were scattered among the crowd, chasing down the living. Anyone who fell beneath their teeth copsed in seconds¨Conly to twitch, shudder, and rise again as one of them minutester.


    A newly turned zombie closest to Theresa jerked upright, letting out a piercing roar. Its murky eyes red with bloodlust as it sprinted toward her, moving with the blistering speed of a champion sprinter, closing the distance <b>in </b>seconds.

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    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡±


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    The zombie hadn¡¯t even reached Theresa when Summer leapt forward and smacked it into pieces.


    ¡°Aaaargh!¡±


    ¡°Aaaargh!¡±


    Zombies lunged at her from both sides.


    But Lucky, Cash, Champ, and Glory charged in all at once.


    They surrounded Theresa, forming a tight circle around her. Any zombie that got close was dealt with in a single strike.


    All around them, people were screaming and fleeing as zombies surged through the crowd¨Cbut not a single one got close to Theresa.


    Morgan, who had caught up from behind, saw the scene unfold and felt a familiar spark in his eyes.


    Theresa¡¯s dogs were no ordinary dogs.


    Their camp had tried training animals to fight zombies before. The results weren¡¯t nothing, but the sess rate was low. The losses were massive.


    It was nearly impossible to raise even one dog that could reliably fight zombies.


    But Theresa? Every single one of her dogs was elite.


    Morgan¡¯s eyes gleamed with renewed interest.


    Just then, some people from Ark Camp Three rushed up beside him, breathless.


    Those dogs are incredible.¡±


    They¡¯re tearing through zombies like it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t we train dogs like that?¡±


    ¡°How did they manage this?¡±


    The man in the white mask turned to Morgan and added, ¡°Your camp has really surprised us


    Morgan nodded casually, but his eyes still sparkled.


    That was when Lucy, dressed in a tight¨Cfitting dress and nked by a crowd of people, came running up. ¡°Everyone, follow me!¡±


    Her people quickly moved to surround the group and started leading the masked folks toward the Inner Ring.


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    Zombies howled behind them, chasing after the group. The ability users guarding the rear unleashed a flurry of powers to push them back.


    Theresa took a quick measure of their levels.


    Most of them were around Level 3¨Csolid strength.


    Clearly, these three camps had refined their Evoloid extraction process far better than the other regions.


    Still, none of thempared to Theresa¡¯s crew.


    Her ability users were all at Level 4 or higher.


    And Theresa herself? She was already at L4


    evel 9.


    Lucy led them swiftly into the Inner Ring of Ark Camp Two.


    Once everyone was safely inside, wave after wave of Ark Camp Two¡¯s fighters stormed out to wipe out the remaining zombies.


    Morgan and the others stood atop the Inner Ring¡¯s walls, watching.


    Unlike Ark Camp One, which was a five¨Clevel bunker built underground, Ark Camp Two was a series of above¨Cground fortresses, built in concentric rings.


    When the zombie outbreak hit the Middle Ring, both the Outer and Inner Ring gates had mmed shut. Then, every single guard in the camp had been deployed to handle the situation.


    Within thirty minutes, the crisis had beenpletely resolved.


    ¡°Ark Camp Two really is something,¡± the man in the white mask muttered sarcastically. ¡°Not only did they invent the Zombie Virus Inhibitor, but they also handled a camp¨Cwide outbreak like it was nothing. If it were any other camp, who knows what would¡¯ve happened?¡±


    Morgan¡¯s expression darkened,


    What the hell is that supposed to <i>mean</i>? Master of backhandedpliments, this <i>guy</i><i>! </i>


    Right then, a voice called out from behind.


    ¡°Maybe other camps wouldn¡¯t have been able to handle a zombie outbreak, Theresa said loudly, ¡°but at least they had the brains to call for help. Not like a certain camp, acting likeplete idiots¨Cspending a fortune just to bring zombies right into their own backyard.¡±


    Morgan blinked. That hit a nerve¨Cbut in the best way possible


    He turned, and Theresa gave him a wink and silently mouthed, Watch this, dummy


    Morgan couldn¡¯t help it. He broke into a grin


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± someone from Ark Camp Three snapped, clearly catching her drift.


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    Lucy tensed immediately and stepped in to defuse the situation. ¡°The zombie outbreak today was just an ident. Let¡¯s not argue. We¡¯re all safe now. Why don¡¯t we go get something to eat?¡±


    But Theresa wasn¡¯t about to let that fire go out.


    ¡°Ms. Lucy,¡± she said coolly, ¡°Are you sure your camp¡¯s outbreak was really an ident? It¡¯s kind of odd, isn¡¯t it? You guys sold the Zombie Virus Inhibitor, and then right after that, your camp had a zombie outbreak. Seems a little suspicious, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Theresa never missed a chance to stir the pot.


    And this was a golden opportunity.


    Ark Camp Three had paid a lot of money for what turned out to be a fake inhibitor. If this started a fight between the camps, even better.


    The moment she said it, everyone froze. It was like a lightbulb went off in every head. Slowly, they all turned toward Lucy.


    ¡°Lucy, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I swear, the outbreak was aplete ident!¡± Lucy said, panic in her voice. ¡°I guarantee you, there¡¯s nothing wrong with our inhibitor!¡±


    Their deal had just gone through. The supplies were already on their way. Thest thing they needed now was a scandal.


    ¡°No,¡± someone from Ark Camp Three said coldly. ¡°I¡¯m seriously starting to doubt your inhibitor is safe. Where¡¯s that test subject¨Cthe girl? Hand her over!¡±

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    Chapter 390 No More Excuses


    Lucy¡¯s face twisted with hesitation as she listened.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t produce the test subject, this deal is off!¡±


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    ¡°That¡¯s not happening. Hold on, I¡¯ll contact someone from the Inner Ring and get the person for you.¡± Lucy turned to the people behind her and spoke quietly.


    No need. We¡¯re going with you,¡± someone interrupted firmly.


    Just then, one of Lucy¡¯s subordinates ran over and whispered something into her ear.


    Her expression changed immediately. She turned back to the group. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the subject¡­ was killed in the chaos during the zombie outbreak.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The delegation from Ark Camp Three erupted.


    What the hell was that supposed to mean?


    The moment they asked for the test subject, the subject just conveniently died?


    Who were they trying to fool?


    Theresa couldn¡¯t help butugh as she watched the two sides arguing. It wasn¡¯t polite, but thankfully, no one noticed under her mask.


    Next to her, Morgan chuckled as well.


    Then, he turned away. ¡°We¡¯ve <i>got </i>other matters to attend to.¡±


    Morgan had been very tempted when he first saw the inhibitor.


    He was even willing to pay that absurd price.


    Because buying something like that wasn¡¯t just about spending money.


    Falling behind wasn¡¯t an option.


    All three camps had started from the same ce. But once Ark Camp Two developed the inhibitor, they immediately pulled far ahead.


    Now that Ark Camp Three had bought it, they could go back and start their own research. If they made progress, no amount of resources/could close the gap.


    That¡¯s why the moment Ark Camp Three ced a bid, Morgan followed.


    Of course, he and everyone else knew¨Cthere was always a gamble involved with something like this.


    No one could say for sure if the inhibitor actually worked, or if it was worth the money.


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    The only choice was to bet high, take it back, and hope for a breakthrough. If the gamble paid off, they¡¯d


    be set.


    But now? Morgan was sixty percent sure Ark Camp Three had just been scammed¨Cbig time.


    Thank God Theresa had walked out at that time. That threw him off just enough to back down-


    If he¡¯d kept bidding, it would¡¯ve been his camp taking the hit right now.


    As he walked off. Theresa called out behind him, ¡°What¡¯s the rush? Aren¡¯t you gonna help Ark Camp Three demand some justice?¡±


    Her voice rang out at just the right moment.


    The people from Ark Camp Three quickly chimed in, ¡°Yeah, stay and see this through.¡±


    ¡°We spent a ton of money on this. If Ark Camp Two¡¯s trying to screw us over, don¡¯t me us for hitting back!


    ¡°In front of Ark Camp One and everyone else, bring the body out¨Cnow!¡±


    Morgan paused, suddenly interested again. Watching how this yed out might be fun after all.


    He turned to look at Lucy.


    All eyes were on her now.


    The pressure on Lucy became overwhelming.


    She tried to call the Inner Ring again for confirmation, but the people from Ark Camp Three cut her off.


    ¡°Now. Take us there right now. Or, we¡¯ll treat this as a fraud, and Ark Camp Three will dere war on you!¡±


    Theresa, having fanned the mes this far, was ready to p in satisfaction.


    <b>She </b>added onest <b>jab</b>, ¡°We all saw what happened. If you don¡¯t give us an answer today, you¡¯ll deserve whatever Ark Camp Three does next


    That was the final straw


    Lucy couldn¡¯t hold on any longer.


    Fine¡® she said through gritted teeth, and led them all toward thebs


    Theb was underground. Lacy scanned her card at the entrance, then led them down the stairs, revealing a long stark white hallway<i>. </i>


    ¡°No one¡¯s usually allowed in here,¡± she said, walking ahead as she opened the second security door.


    At the third door, she stopped ¡°This one can only be openest by the Inner Ring administrator. I need to


    call him first.¡±


    ¡°Hurry up¨Cand don¡¯t tell him we¡¯re with you, someone from Ark Camp Three warned her, voice low and threatening.


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    Lucy¡¯s face went pale. She reached out with trembling hands and called through the terminal.


    But the request sat unanswered for far too long.


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    ¡°If you dy any longer, we¡¯ll assume you¡¯re destroying evidence,¡± one of them said coldly. ¡°You¡¯re out of chances


    Hearing that, Lucy bit her lip hard, then pulled out a special card and swiped it.


    The door opened¨Cand the space beyond opened wide.


    In front of them, a main corridor stretched out, nked by countless branching hallways.


    Labs lined both sides.


    Lucy led them down the third hallway on the right.


    Only after they disappeared inside did the terminal at the door finally chime with a reply.

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    Chapter 391 Trapped Underground


    ¡°Stay out of theb! Get away from theb!¡±


    The warning came too soft, toote.


    Most of the group had already gone inside.


    Only Theresa¡¯s ears twitched.


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    Holding onto her dogs, she nced back toward a nearby corner¨Cjust in time to catch a flicker of movement at the end of the hallway.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Morgan asked, noticing she¡¯d fallen behind.


    ¡°This ce is bigger than I thought,¡± Theresa said.


    ¡°Yeah, first time for me too. It¡¯s huge in here,¡± Morgan replied.


    As soon as the words left his mouth, they both heard it.


    Footsteps. Wet, fast, and relentless.


    St. St. St.


    Dozens of footsteps echoed through the vast, silent underground researchb, like a tidal wave of sound growing louder by the second.


    Everyone stopped.


    ¡°Raaahhh!¡±


    A scream burst through the air¨Cfollowed by the image of a man in a whiteb coat sprinting past them in full panic.


    Something was chasing him.


    Then more figures followed, all of them running like hell.


    While everyone was running forward, one of them tripped.


    He hit the floor hard.


    A blood¨Csoaked zombie lunged from behind andnded right on top of him.


    ¡°Aaargh!¡±


    It sank its teeth deep into his ear and ripped it clean off¨Cflesh, cartge, and the dangling ear canal still


    attached.


    Blood sprayed.


    The scream tore through the hallway.


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    It only attracted more.


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    Within seconds, half a dozen more zombies piled on top of him, their jaws tearing into anything they could grab.


    More came, necks twisted, limbs dragging, drenched in gore.


    They charged after the fleeing crowd relentlessly.


    Anyone who couldn¡¯t keep up got dragged down.


    Anyone who fell disappeared beneath the swarm.


    Some even shoved their teammates into the path of the undead to buy themselves a second longer.


    In front of them, the hallway had be a flood of zombies.


    And it had all happened in seconds.


    ¡°Raaahhh!¡±


    ¡°Graaaahh!¡±


    ¡°Aaaaaah!¡°.


    The main corridor behind them was overrun.


    Some zombies were still feeding. Others were already on the hunt again.


    Another pack spotted fresh prey down a side path.


    They turned, howling, mouths gaping, racing forward like demons loosed from hell.


    In theb, Lucy¡¯s face turned pale as she saw the horde.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be happening¡­¡±


    She spun around and led the group in a desperate sprint.


    But before they could reach the next intersection, another wave of zombies came barreling straight at them.


    ¡®Raaahhh!


    One blood¨Csoaked man was knocked down, scrambling. He spotted Lucy and screamed, ¡°Ms. Lucy! Help


    me!


    But Lucy didn¡¯t stop.


    She turned, bolting down a side passage with her guards shielding her.


    Everyone else followed


    The underground facility had be chaos.


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    Every hallway, every corner¨Cpacked with both survivors and zombies.


    And it didn¡¯t take long for them to realize that they werepletely surrounded.


    Every corridor was crawling with the undead.


    ¡°<b>Haaah</b>¡­ Haaaah¡­¡±


    ¡°Raaahhh!¡±


    The zombies looked up like starving animals who¡¯d just spotted a buffet.


    One, closest to the group, lunged at the white¨Cmasked man and the others.


    <i>Boom</i>!


    A fireball exploded in the air.


    Guards from Ark Camp Three immediately moved to shield their leaders.


    ¡°Lucy! What the hell are you doing?¡± the white¨Cmasked man shouted.


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    ¡°I didn¡¯t know there was going to be an outbreak here!¡± Lucy yelled back, her eyes scanning the closing walls of flesh and teeth.


    ¡°We¡¯re all in your camp. You¡¯re responsible for our safety! Get us to a secure zone now!¡± the white¨Cmasked man scolded her.


    Lucy clenched her jaw, trying to stay calm. ¡°We¡¯ll go to the administrator¡¯s office. There¡¯s a hidden passage


    there.¡±


    ¡°Then move!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all the way in the back.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s on the moon. Get us out¨Cnow!¡±


    Lucy didn¡¯t hesitate anymore.


    She signaled her people, and they charged straight into the zombie¨Cfilled hallway.


    Everyone followed close behind.


    Theresa, seasoned andposed, stayed right in the middle of the group, her dogs forming a tight perimeter around her


    Zombies came close¨Cbut not one managed to breach her circle of protection

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    Chapter 392 Dog Days and Dead Ends


    Morgan, running at the front of the group, found himself feeling a bit jealous of Theresa.


    With that pack of dogs around her, she was practically untouchable.


    +10 Free Coins


    Up ahead. Lucy¡¯s people were clearing the path, throwing out abilities left and right like their lives. depended on it.


    But after a short burst of effort, they were already starting to wear out.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Theresa to notice something was off¨Cmost of their powers were for show.


    Sure, the fireballs and water sts they threw around were Level 3 attacks, but they barelysted a few seconds.


    They were nothingpared to the ability users from the zing Sun Alliance.


    Theresa figured it had to be because these people hadn¡¯t killed many zombies.


    They had no realbat experience.


    It was like people who trained in a gym¨Cthe muscles might look good, but when it came to actual strength, they couldn¡¯t keep up with someone who worked as aborer.


    These three camps were full of ability users who looked impressive, but when it came to a real fight? Useless.


    That gave Theresa a clearer picture of what she was dealing with.


    The more she learned, the better she could n for the future¨Cespecially when she needed to take them down..


    So, she didn¡¯t lift a finger. Neither did her dogs.


    She just stood there and watched as they fought.


    It didn¡¯t take long before Lucy realized her people were falling apart.


    ¡°Are you going to help or not?¡± she shouted.


    Right then, a zombie broke through and lunged at one of her guards.


    The man, drained of energy and barely able to stand, didn¡¯t even have the strength to shake the thing off.


    He could only lie there, crushed under a hundred¨Cplus pounds of rotting flesh


    He felt the zombie¡¯s ws dig into the back of his head.


    Its sharp nails sliced through his scalp and burrowed in¨Cscraping at nerves, scraping at bone.


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    The ws dragged along his skull, leaving behind a wet, bloody gash.


    A chill ran through the back of his head, followed by a searing, bone¨Cdeep pain.


    The zombie took a huge bite and ripped his nose clean off.


    He let out a scream of pure agony.


    No one helped him.


    Instead, someone kicked him back into the horde¨Csacrificing him to buy a few more seconds.


    Lucy kept running, barely holding her group together.


    Her guards were dropping fast¨Cseven had be two.


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    ¡°If you don¡¯t help, none of us are getting out of here!¡± she yelled again when she saw that they weren¡¯t taking action.


    But the others behind her still didn¡¯t move.


    Instead, they turned to Theresa.


    ¡°Ark Camp One! You¡¯ve got all those dogs¨Cuse them!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! What the hell are they for if not to clear the way? Are you trying to sacrifice our people?¡±


    ¡°Animals should be paving the road, not our people!¡±


    Theresa¡¯s temper snapped.


    She stopped dead in her tracks, still holding the leash.


    ¡°Hey! What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    ¡°Send the dogs already!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re in such a rush, go ahead without us,¡± Theresa said calmly, walking her dogs like it was a quiet day in the park.


    A zombie leapt at her¨Cand one of her dogs pped it to the ground in a single swipe.


    All sixteen of them closed in around her like a furry, growling shield.


    Not a single zombie could get through.


    The people up front, watching from their chaotic scramble, were furious.


    ¡®Ark Camp One, what¡¯s your game!


    ¡°She¡¯s not part of our camp Morgan finally spoke up ¡®She¡¯s a guest. I invited her


    Theresa gave a little shrug. ¡°You¡¯d better hurry If Ms Lucy dies, who¡¯s gonna lead you out of here?¡±


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    That did it.


    The group finally pulled together.


    Ark Camp Three¡¯s guards stepped up and took the lead.


    Morgan gave a quick nod, and his people rushed in too.


    The whole mess of them pushed forward, guarded by their own bodyguards, every step a brutal struggle.


    Meanwhile, Theresa strolled along behind them, dogs in tow, looking like she was out for a Sunday walk.


    The people up front were grinding their teeth in frustration.


    Their guards were dropping one by one, worn out and outmatched.


    Theresa¡¯s dogs, on the other hand, were still full of energy, killing zombies left and right without breaking


    a sweat.


    While the others fought for every inch, Theresa moved forward like it was nothing.


    It was maddening.


    Absolutely infuriating.


    Finally¨Cafter nearly losing every single one of their guards¨Cthey made it to the administrator¡¯s office. Lucy¡¯sst remaining escort cleared a path just long enough for her to dash ahead and swipe the keycard.


    A group of once¨Cpowerful elites now huddled at the door, tense and desperate, ready to push through the moment it opened.


    Behind them, the hallway filled with the growing sound of groans and shuffling feet.


    More zombies wereing. A whole wave of them.


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    Chapter 393 The Last Code


    ¡°Graaah!¡±


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


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    The deafening howls of zombies echoed through the undergroundb, tearing through the silence like a de.


    There was no one left alive down here. Just them¨Cand the dead.


    Zombies from every corner of the facility were converging, drawn by the noise.


    ncing down the corridor, the group could see wave after wave of the undead flooding in like a tidal


    surge.


    Ny¨Ceight percent of them wore whiteb coats. The rest were in matching hospital gowns.


    But either way, it was all white.


    White¨Cnow soaked in red.


    Blood smeared their chests, their arms, and their faces. Some had their guts ripped open, organs spilling out. Others were missing limbs, dragging what remained of their bodies. A few charged forward in twisted, grotesque positions¨Climbs bending in ways the human body never should.


    Lucy stood frozen in front of the steel door, trying to swipe her card and punch in the code.


    This door required a six¨Cdigit password, but her mind was nk by the second number. It was too difficult for her to concentrate.


    Her pale fingers trembled as she tapped the cold metal keypad. Sweat pooled in her palm, slick and mmy.


    Beep¨CIncorrect password¡±


    First try¨Cwrong.


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna get us all killed, you idiot!¡± the man in the white mask roared, losing it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush me!¡± Lucy shouted back, frantic.


    And then¡­


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    A zombie lunged straight for the group of elites.


    The man in the white mask didn¡¯t hesitate. He shoved thest remaining guard in their group forward.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    The man¡¯s scream had barely escaped his throat before the zombie horde swallowed him whole.


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    That sacrifice bought them a few precious seconds.


    But that was it.


    Everyst guard was gone.


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    From the three camps¨CArk Camp Three had only five people left: three men and two women. Ark Camp Two had just Lucy. Ark Camp One¨Conly Morgan.


    Theresa and Quentin strolled up casually behind them, trailed by their sixteen dogs. Not one of them had so much as a scratch.


    Lucy had already gotten the password wrong twice.


    <i>¡°</i>Beep¨CIncorrect password.¡±


    You did this on purpose, didn¡¯t you? Are you trying to get me killed?¡± The man in the white mask exploded, grabbing Lucy by the throat. ¡°I¡¯m the camp leader of Ark Camp Three, you knew that! You¡¯re trying to take me out!¡±


    The three camps had an unspoken agreement: anyone entering another camp had to wear a mask.


    No one was allowed to ask about anyone¡¯s real identity.


    The only exception was if one was on home turf¨Cthen it was up to the host to reveal themselves.


    It was all about protecting the top leadership.


    No one wanted the other side to know their highest¨Cranking officer was present.


    This wasn¡¯t peacetime¨Cit was the end of the world.


    The more anonymous they were, the safer they stayed.


    But clearly, Ark Camp Three had lost its patience.


    Their camp leader had just blown his own cover.


    He hade in person.


    And it was him¨Cthe same man who, carlier today, acted <b>like </b>he <b>owned </b>the world, ran <b>over </b>a young woman, and then had her tossed to thebies


    I didn¡¯t know! Just let me try one more time! Lucy shouted desperate.


    Of course she didn¡¯t kno


    Even if she <b>had </b>what about her own life!


    Her shaking hand reached for the kryped again


    The Ark Cange Threr leader watched her like hawk His grip on her neck didn¡¯t losen, but now his heart was jerunding


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    He activated hisst resort¨Can ice¨Cbased ability.


    ¡°Hold them off!¡± he yelled.


    The two men behind him flung waterballs and fireballs down the hallway. The wave of zombies slowed, groaning and snarling as they crashed into the barrage of abilities.


    They were stilling¨Cbut slower now.


    Everyone¡¯s faces were pale. Their abilities were almost drained.


    And then¡­


    <i>¡°</i>Beep¨Cess granted.¡±


    The door slid open with a chime.


    The Ark Camp Three leader yanked Lucy and rushed inside first.


    But¡­


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    A female zombie was waiting just beyond the threshold, her face half¨Ceaten, mouth gaping wide.


    Her cloudy gray eyes locked onto the leader¡¯s mask¨Cand she lunged.


    He flinched, but it was toote. In a sh, he shoved Lucy forward to shield himself.


    Still, the zombie managed to sink her ws into his arm.


    The rest of Ark Camp Three¡¯s survivors barreled in behind him.


    Thest two men summoned what strength they had left and unleashed their final sts of power to kill the zombie.


    ´¨


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    Chapter 394 The Last Request


    Chapter 394 The Last Request


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    The moment those ability users stopped releasing their powers, the zombies swarmed.


    Morgan and Theresa¨Cwho arrived right on time with her pack of dogs¨Cused the chaos to slip inside. As soon as they crossed the threshold, the heavy door mmed shut behind them with a <i>thud</i><i>. </i>


    ¡°Aaaargh!¡±


    The soundproof door rattled violently as the undead outside pounded on it.


    Theresa stood still, watching the chaos unfold with cold amusement. Right in front of her, the leader of Ark Camp Three had just been dragged down by a zombie.


    ¡°Mr. de!¡±


    ¡°Mr. de!¡±


    The people from Ark Camp Three rushed to his side in panic.


    In front of Theresa, two had been infected.


    The man in a white masky on the ground. He tore open his sleeve, revealing a deep w mark on his arm. Face twisting with rage, he ripped off the mask.


    Underneath was a man in histe thirties or early forties¨Cbroad, thick¨Cnecked, face full of anger and bloat.


    His lips had already started turning pale. Thick beads of sweat dripped from his forehead.


    The zombie virus had entered his bloodstream the moment his skin broke. It was spreading fast¡ª devouring his insides, scratching at his bones.


    He didn¡¯t have much time left.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°Mr. de!¡±


    ¡°Mr. de¡­¡±


    As his people gathered around him, the camp leader fumbled into his coat and pulled out the Zombie Virus Inhibitor he¡¯d just paid a fortune for at the auction.


    Without hesitation, he used it on himself.


    If anyone was going to use it, it sure as hell was going to be him.


    All eyes were on him as he injected the costly inhibitor. Once it entered his system, he doubled over, groaning as pain seized his body.


    Theresa watched the scene unfold with quiet satisfaction.


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    Good.


    She turned to the side, where Lucyy in a pool of her own blood, struggling to breathe.


    Her neck had been bitten clean through. Blood soaked her hands as she pressed against the wound, but it just kept pouring out¨Cdark and fast.


    Feeling Theresa¡¯s gaze, Lucy dragged her eyes toward her, locking on with desperation. Inch by inch, she crawled in her direction.


    ¡°C¨CCan you do me¡­ a favor?¡± she choked out.


    ¡°I can¡¯t save you.¡± Theresa replied calmly, walking her dogs over.


    ¡°No¡­ Lucy rasped, and with great effort, summoned a small wallet from thin air¨Cit popped into her hand like magic.


    She was a space¨Cbased ability user.


    Gripping the wallet tightly, she forced the words out: ¡°After I¡¯m gone¡­ I have a lot of things¡­ they¡¯re all


    yours.


    ¡°Please¡­ just give this to my sister, Lura. She¡­ lives in the Outer Ring.¡±


    Her voice was getting rougher, each breath more shallow than thest. Air bubbled through the wound in her throat, sending tiny streams of blood squirting with every word.


    Her skin drained of color, and dark veins began to rise beneath the surface like ck vines.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Her body jerked. Legs went stiff. Fingers wed at her neck as she writhed on the floor.


    Her eyes, once dark and alive, were fading to a lifeless gray.


    I¡¯m begging you¡­¡± she wheezed. I¡¯ll give you everything. Just pass it to her.¡±


    Theresa took the wallet. ¡°Alright.¡±


    At that, something in Lucy seemed to let go. A trace of warmth returned to her fading gaze.


    ¡°Thank you, she whispered. Please¡­ tell my sister¡­ I can¡¯t protect her anymore. She has to keep living¡­ no matter what?


    With shaking hands, she pulled a pistol from her domain.


    She gave Theresa a faint, bloodless smile<i>. </i>


    ¡°Ugh¡­ ugh¡­ I¡¯m not going <b>out </b>as one of them.¡±


    Pop¡®


    The shot <b>rang </b>out clean and final. Just as thest of her mind slipped away, Lucy pulled the trigger<b>. </b>


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    The bullet tore through her temple. Her cloudy gray eyes lost thest hint of light.


    Even in death, she refused to be a zombie.


    As her body slumped to the ground, supplies began bursting out of her space around her¨Cboxes, gear, weapons, food¨Cspilling into the room.


    Theresa looked down at the girl lying in the middle of it all, her heart unexpectedly heavy.


    So far, she had met five of these camp administrators.


    Lucy was the only woman among them.


    Timothy and Lional, the administrators from the levels one and two of Ark Camp One, wereplete sc*mbags¨Cwilling to sacrifice others just to survive.


    Horace? That old jerk was even worse.


    And Morgan? He was nothing but a heartless, power¨Chungry piece of trash.


    Only Lucy¡­ she was different.


    She was just a worker.


    She took orders. Had no say in anything.


    Lucy was the Middle Ring administrator of Ark Camp Two. Her job was to serve the guests, keep them safe, and handle their problems.


    Even at the auction, when she ordered that girl to be thrown to the zombies¨Cshe wasn¡¯t acting out of cruelty.


    She was just doing her job.


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    Lucy was nothing like those jerks at the top.


    If she slipped up, she¡¯d be devoured by those people¨Cin and simple.


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    In this world, only a rare few had the luxury of choice. Most people were just doing whatever they had to in order to survive.


    Theresa pulled a nket from the stash released from Lucy carlier and gently covered her body, then turned and grabbed Quentin, who¡¯d just been standing there watching the show.


    She made him help pack up all of Lucy¡¯s supplies.


    No one stopped her. No one even looked her way.


    Everyone else was too busy trying to keep someone alive.


    The leader of Ark Camp Three had copsed after injecting the inhibitor. His legs jerked a few times, then he went limp.


    Panic broke out as people crowded around him.


    Morgan, meanwhile, was inside the room using the internal phone system to contact someone outside. A few momentster, the elevator at the corner of the room began descending from above.


    Reinforcements were on their way.


    By the time Theresa finished collecting everything, the elevator had arrived.


    The first group to go up was the team from Ark Camp Three. They carried their unconscious leader with them.


    The elevator could only take so much weight. With all her dogs, Theresa waited for the next trip.


    When she finally surfaced with her pack, Ark Camp Three was already gone¨Cflown out by helicopter.


    Morgan was in the middle of a conversation with officials from Ark Camp Two.


    Their Outer Ring administrator, Inner Ring administrator, and camp leader had alle out to meet him.


    They surrounded Morgan, talking nonstop.


    After all, he was their guest. Something serious had happened while he was on their turf¨Can incident involving zombies, and worse, Ark Camp Three¡¯s leader had been injured. They had to apologize, calm him down, and do damage control.


    Seeing Morgan tied up with them. Theresa said, ¡®I¡¯ll look around a bit.¡±


    Morgan nced her way. ¡®Don¡¯t take off your mask. Go ahead¡±


    ¡®Got it¡®


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    Chapter 395 The Outer Ring


    Thirty minutester.


    Ark Camp Two¡¯s Outer Ring.


    Ark Camp Two was built on a strict hierarchy.


    Ordinary people with no abilities were confined to the Outer Ring.


    Ability users and security forces lived in the Middle Ring.


    The management and elite stayed safe inside the Inner Ring.


    In one of the more spacious and tidy mud houses in the Outer Ring, a chorus of female voices echoed from within.


    ¡°Rara. I can¡¯t do this anymore.¡±


    ¡°Lura, can we take a break?¡±


    ¡°Lura, maybe just call it for the day¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut it!¡± snapped a strong,manding voice. ¡°If you¡¯d rather be some man¡¯s ve¨Cbeaten, used, humiliated like dogs by those Inner Ring sc*mbags¨Cgo ahead. Walk out that door. Don¡¯te back.¡±


    ¡°But no matter how hard we train, we¡¯ll never be like the ability users¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why we need to push harder. The world doesn¡¯t care if we¡¯re weaker¨Cwe push or we fall. One day, Steelbloom will be a force no one in Ark Camp Two dares to mess with, not even those ability


    users.¡±


    Her voice rang out with unshakable conviction.


    It was enough to lift the spirits of the exhausted girls, who clenched their jaws and threw themselves back into training.


    That was when someone knocked at the door.


    With a green mask on, Theresa walked through the Outer Ring of Ark Camp Two like a deity among


    mortals<b>. </b>


    No matter which ring the people belonged to, they all treated her with the same stunned reverence- silent, wide¨Ceyed, and fearful.


    She asked around casually and quickly got the address of Lucy¡¯s sister.


    Ar the door, she knocked


    A moment passed before a narrow gap opened.


    Pecking <b>out </b>was a girl with tightly wound hair and a thin, wiry frame, wearing loose, oversized clothes.


    The moment she saw the green mask, her expression shifted to guarded and grim. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Theresa studied the girl, who was quiet and cautious, then pulled ou a wallet and checked the photo


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    inside. ¡°Lura?¡±


    ¡°How do you have my sister¡¯s wallet?¡± Lura¡¯s eyes widened. She yanked the door fully open.


    ¡°Your sister asked me to give this to you,¡± Theresa said. She tossed the wallet to her.


    Lura caught it quickly. Just touching it sent a shiver of dread through her. Her voice trembled. ¡°Where¡¯s my sister?¡±


    ¡°Rara!¡±


    ¡°Lura!¡±


    ¡°Lura¡­¡±


    Several young girls appeared behind Lura.


    None of them looked older than twenty. Some were just kids¨Celeven, maybe twelve. They were all thin, tanned, and wearing oversized, ragged clothes. It was obvious they were trying to look uglier on purpose.


    They gathered behind Lura, staring at Theresa¡¯s green mask with wary eyes.


    That mask meant she was one of them¨Ca person of power. An honored guest of Ark Camp Two. Almost divine in their world.


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    Chapter 396 Steelbloom


    Chapter 396 Steelbloom


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    The woman standing before them, masked and silent, took them all by surprise.


    They hadn¡¯t expected someone so important to show up in the Outer Ring.


    ¡°What happened to my sister?¡± Lura gripped the wallet tightly, her clear, bright eyes locked onto Theresa.


    ¡°Your sister asked me to tell you¡­ to stay alive.¡±


    As soon as she heard that, Lura lunged forward and grabbed Theresa. ¡°What do you mean by that?


    ¡°Is my sister dead?¡±


    ¡°Lura!¡±


    ¡°Rara!¡±


    The other girls rushed forward to pull her back.


    This woman was someone important to their camp. She wasn¡¯t someone they could afford to offend.


    ¡°Lucy¡¯s an administrator in the Middle Ring. She¡¯s going to be fine.¡±


    ¡°Lucy¡¯s got great people skills. She¡¯ll be okay.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to train harder. Once Steelbloom gets stronger, we¡¯ll bring Lucy back ourselves¨Cshe won¡¯t have to serve others to trade supplies for us ever again.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll get strong fast. Then we¡¯ll take care of Lucy!¡±


    Theresa nced around at the group of young girls and asked, ¡°Steelbloom? That¡¯s what you call yourselves?¡±


    Yeah. The others nodded eagerly.


    Lura¡¯s our leader! We¡¯re Steelbloom!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re just as good as the guys!¡±


    ¡°We can fight zombies too!¡±


    Theresa let out a shortugh. ¡°Impressive. I¡¯ll remember you


    Lura, who¡¯d been quier this whole fime, finally looked up. Her voice was calm but unsteady. ¡°Is my sister really¡­ gone<i>?? </i>


    Theresa stared at the girl¨Csixteen, maybe seventeen¨Cstubbornness written all over her face.


    She repeated softly, ¡°Your sister said she can¡¯t protect you anymore. So, you have to stay alive.¡±


    As the words fell, something shifted. The girls all turned to look at Lura


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    Chapter 396 Steelbloom


    They understood now. Something had really happened.


    Then, Theresa asked, ¡°Do you want toe with me?¡±


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    She remembered what Morgan had told her¨Camong these camps, if they found someone they wanted, all it took was a word.


    But Lura lowered her head, arms wrapped around her wallet, and said quietly, ¡°No. My sister¡¯s still here. I¡¯m staying to be with her.


    ¡°We¡¯ve only ever had ourselves to rely on.¡±


    With that, she turned around and walked into the house.


    As she shut the door behind her, Theresa heard a voice through the crack¨Ctight with tears, but loud and clear.


    ¡°Team up! Time for training!¡±


    Standing outside, Theresa felt her chest tighten sharply.


    People could only rely on themselves.


    Now that their pir was gone, these girls would have to grow stronger, faster, and tougher¨Cif they wanted to survive in this world.


    No matter how hard it got, they¡¯d keep fighting.


    ¡°Hey, Beautiful. Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Woof! Woof!¡±


    ¡°Woof!¡±


    Quentin walked up with the dogs in tow. Summer circled around Theresa, rubbing up against her legs


    Theresa gave up on knocking again. She bent down and scratched Summer¡¯s head. ¡®Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t going to forget those girls in Ark Camp Two.


    Before leaving, she found the Outer Ring administrator and dropped Morgan¡¯s name. Said she had her <i>eye </i>on Laura¡¯s group.


    The administrator, sharp as ever, immediately nodded and promised to look after them¨Cdidn¡¯t even <b>need </b>


    her to say morr


    With that done, Theresa returned to the Inner King


    Morgan had wrapped up his side, too


    Theresa didn¡¯t know what deal he¡¯d made with Ark Camp Two, but when they left, the camp leader came out to personally see them off.


    Their helicopter lifted off from Ark Camp Two and flew for several hours across the open grasnds


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    before finally touching down at Ark Camp One.


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    ¡°I¡¯m done for the day,¡± Theresa said, hopping off Morgan¡¯s chopper and heading toward her own. ¡°I¡¯m


    beat.¡±


    Morgan didn¡¯t stop her. ¡°This trip didn¡¯t go as nned. I didn¡¯t get to show you a good time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all good. Hit me up next time you¡¯re heading out.¡±


    Morgan raised an eyebrow, grinning. ¡°I will. I¡¯lle get you.¡±


    Theresa shot him an OK sign and started loading her dogs onto her helicopter. Just before boarding, she remembered something.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you some stuff from our camp¨Clocal specialties. You help me sell them.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Morgan replied without hesitation.


    He stood there and watched her chopper rise into the sky. Only when it had vanished into the distance did he turn and leave.


    This trip with Morgan had taken Theresa through all three camps.


    She hadn¡¯t stepped foot into Ark Camp Three, but she¡¯d met the people in charge.


    Each camp was worse than thest.


    And the ones at the top?


    Not a single one of them was any good.


    If she wiped out everyst one of those leaders¨Cnone of them would be dying unjustly.


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    r 397 Divide and Conquer


    Chapter 397 Divide and Conquer


    But how exactly was Theresa supposed to make her move?


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    Her alliance was no pushover¨Cthey were strong enough to wipe out an entire camp in one go. But if she did that, the other two camps would definitely catch on. And once they realized what happened, there was no doubt they¡¯d team up against her.


    Building a camp took blood, sweat, and time. But destroying one? That was the easy part.


    They all had helicopters. If they decided to fly in and drop a few bombs in a suicide attack, her losses would be devastating.


    But if she sat back and yed it safe, growing quietly in the shadows, it was only a matter of time before all three camps discovered her existence. And when they did, they¡¯d stille for her.


    After seeing how these three camps really operated¨Ctheir arrogance, their cruelty¨CTheresa was even more convinced of one thing: they were all the same.


    She wasn¡¯t about to sit around and wait to be discovered, then scramble to retaliate.


    Once she got back, Theresa started thinking hard about the problem.


    She thought it over from every angle, but couldn¡¯te up with a clean starting point¨Cuntil one name popped into her head: Xavier.


    She headed straight to his ce and told him everything she¡¯d seen.


    Xavier listened, then gave her that sly smile of his.


    ¡°The best generals win without fighting. Nextes diplomacy. Thenes open battle. The worst strategy is toy siege to a city.¡±


    He recited the four golden rules of war.


    The moment Theresa heard them, her eyes lit up.


    Of <i>course </i>


    Charging in with brute force was the dumbest move she could make.


    There were better <i>ways </i>to bring them down


    ¡°Their camps are already riddled with internal tension. Stirring up division from the inside is the perfect y Xavier said, freely passing on his lifetime of strategy


    <b>¡°</b>Support an opposition force within each camp. Let them challenge their leaders. Best case, we help them overthrow the top brass and install someone we control


    Theresa felt like a fog bad been lifted Just in Ark Camp One, there was Harry¡ªthe man whose sister was


    killed.


    And in Ark Camp Two, there was Steelbloom.


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    Chapter 397 Divide and Conquer


    Both of them could be useful.


    ¡°Go on, Old Mr. Keaton,¡± she urged.


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    ¡°We deepen the conflicts between the three camps. Turn them into each other¡¯s enemies. Stir the pot until war breaks out among them. We stay out of it¨Cunless one side is on the verge of getting wiped out. Then we step in and support the weaker side.


    ¡°But we don¡¯t let anyone get wiped outpletely,¡± Xavier added. ¡°Let them bleed each other dry.


    ¡°And in the end¡­ we take them all down in one sweep.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s mind clicked into gear. She looked at Xavier with admiration. ¡°No one ys the long game like you do.¡±


    He chuckled and waved his hand. ¡°I¡¯m old. You young ones are the future.


    ¡°But Theresa, remember this: no matter how smart your strategy is, it won¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t have the strength to back it up. If we want to dominate, we need real power.¡±


    Theresa nodded firmly.


    She needed to move on both fronts¨Cbuild up her own power, and wear the others down.


    She wasn¡¯t going to be someone people could push around. She was going to be the predator, not the prey.


    After leaving Xavier¡¯s, her first stop was to check the progress on camp construction.


    With the first defensive perimeterpleted, work had already begun on the second line of defense¨Cthe city wall.


    Most of their poption lived within the city. A strong urban defense was absolutely essential.


    Construction crews were working around the clock to get it done.


    Meanwhile, the Zombie Reaper, invented by Leon, had already been deployed.


    Every day, Lucas and his squad took people out to clear nearby zombie clusters.


    One drive¨Cthrough could tten dozens. In a single day, they were clearing over a thousand zombies,


    On the production side, both industry and agriculture were surging


    All manufacturing bars had resumed. Whenever theycked equipment, they just cannibalized okt gear and patched it together.


    Building materials, tools, and gear were pouring out in a steady stream


    Farms were producing more than ever. The quality of life across the alliance had skyrocketed


    Gone were the days of just getting enough to cat¨Cnow, everyone was eating well


    Having meat in every meal was no longer just a dream


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    Chapter 397 Divide and Conquer


    Not long after returning. Theresa arranged for a few fruit baskets to be put together.


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    They gathered up all the leftover or imperfect fruit from their alliance and packed it into crates. She sold the lot to Morgan.


    At thest auction, a single pack of strawberries had gone for 7,000 gleamstones.


    Now, she was offering an entire crate of mixed fruit for 700 gleamstones.


    When Morgan received the shipment, he was stunned.


    He hadn¡¯t expected Theresa to have this much top¨Cquality fruit lying around.


    And at that price?


    He figured maybe it was because her camp was based on the East Coast, wherend was rich and fertile. They must¡¯ve gone through hell to collect that much.


    He didn¡¯t hesitate¨Che took all fifty crates on the spot.


    Then, he passed some along to the other two camps.

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    The other two camps were stunned when they saw the abundance and low prices of the fruit Theresa was offering.


    Growing fruit on their own was a real struggle. All three camps were located in remote, barren regions- ces where even weeds barely grew, let alone crops. Producing a single harvest of fruit took tremendous effort, time, and resources. But Theresa? She could supply them with crates of assorted fruit in one go.


    Why bother wasting resources growing their own?


    They could just buy from her.


    Theresa¡¯s fruit sold out in no time.


    Morgan told her to send over as much as she had.


    Theresa was thrilled. She had the camp workers pack up all the bruised, ugly, and overripe fruit¨Cthe stuff nobody at home wanted¨Cand sent it off to trade for foreign supplies.


    Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.


    Theresa was just getting ready to head over to Morgan¡¯s camp to nt a few spies when a bombshell of a message came through.


    A vast mountain range stretched endlessly, its rugged peaks twisting like a giant spine across thend.


    Tucked deep in the mountains, halfway up a steep cliff, stood a massive building clinging to the rock face. The structure was partially embedded in the slope, surrounded by sharp drop¨Coffs and snow¨Ccovered peaks looming overhead.


    Arge open spacey in front of the building, enclosed by tall, reinforced fencing. Beyond the fence, a vertical drop plunged straight into a bottomless ravine.


    Out through the main gate came a group of people, so small against the backdrop that they looked like ants, pushing a battered garbage cart.


    The freezing air outside the camp immediately made them flinch and take a few steps back.


    Thick snowkes rode in on the wind, stinging as they struck their faces and bodies.


    Shivering violently, the group clutched at their threadbare clothes¨Cnothing about what they wore was built for cold. Just then, a frigid mechanical voice rang out: ¡®Return to camp within one minute.¡±


    The camp¡¯s alert snapped them into action. They began moving again


    Crack!


    One of them¨Ca scrawny figure, the smallest in the group¨Cslipped and fell


    The cart nearly tipped over.


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    Chapter 398 The Depths of Ark Camp Three


    But at thest second, a strong hand grabbed hold of him.


    ¡°Hang in there.¡±


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    The boy looked up at the man beside him. Hisrge, bright eyes¨Csunken from hunger¨Clocked onto the man¡¯s face as he nodded with quiet determination. ¡°Okay, Dad.¡±


    Thud!


    One after another, the heavy carts dumped loads of garbage into the endless chasm below.


    Once they¡¯d unloaded everything, the group turned and pushed the empty carts back toward the camp. moving fast to beat the countdown.


    By the 59¨Csecond mark, they were back inside, snow¨Ccovered and breathless.


    Immediately, everyone began stamping their feet, rubbing their hands, trying to chase the cold from their bones.


    It was bitter.


    Unbearably bitter.


    ¡°Achoo!¡±


    Someone sneezed.


    But he quickly covered his mouth and nose, then pped his own cheeks, trying to look alert and healthy.


    Because in Ark Camp Three, getting sick meant being disposable.


    If they weren¡¯t dragged upstairs to be ab rat, they¡¯d be tossed straight into the ravine.


    This camp had no use for the weak or unwell./


    After finishing the garbage run, the group returned the carts to their designated spot and started scrubbing down the trash site.


    In front of them loomed a deep shaft.


    It ran straight up through the floors of the camp¨Ca chute connecting every level from top to bottom.


    This was Ark Camp Three¡¯s dump


    Tons of waste rained down from aljove each day.


    Their job was to clear the garbage, haul it out, and clean the area.


    Neen hours a day. No days off Ever


    They endured the stench and the exhaustion without pause.


    Because if they stopped, the trash would pile up fast¨Cand that meant punishment.


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    Even in a ce like Ark Camp Three, these people were at the very bottom.


    Still, sometimes¡­ they got lucky.


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    Sometimes, something halfway decent would fall down with the garbage¨Clike scraps of leftover food from the top¨Cfloor clites.


    Of course, the elites¡® servants usually picked the leftovers clean before tossing them.


    But once in a while, something edible made it through.


    If they were lucky, maybe half a chicken drumstick. If not, maybe a bone with a little meat stuck to it. Either way, they¡¯d take it home, wash it off, and eat it.


    There was no shame in that.


    Not when they lived on two meals a day¨Ca thin bowl of oatmeal in the morning, a in bread roll at night, with not a drop of oil in between.


    To them, those scraps were a gift from heaven.


    And today, luck was on their side.


    Just as they finished cleaning the dump, arge white stic bag came tumbling down from the top chute.


    It hit the floor with a heavy thud<i>. </i>


    The little boy was the first to reach it and rip it open.


    What he saw inside made him freeze.


    ¡°Dad! Look! Hurry!¡±


    The boy shouted with excitement, waving his arms.


    The <b>man </b>who had been scrubbing the wall turned at the sound, along with the others.


    They rushed over and peered inside the <b>bag</b>¨Cand what they saw left them all stunned.

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    Inside the bag was an entire roast pig, a whole rotisserie chicken, braised pork belly, ribs, shrimp¡­ Almost untouched.


    Only a chicken leg and a b of pork had bite marks on them¨Cjust a few teeth marks, nothing more:


    Everyone stared at the massive bag of food, stunned.


    Was this real?


    Perfectly good food, just thrown away like garbage?


    It had barely been touched before being tossed out!


    For a while, the group just stood there in disbelief. Then, one by one, they looked up into the pitch¨Cck space above them and quickly divided up the food.


    ¡°Everyone take a little.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat when we get back.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, good idea.¡±


    At that very moment, on the top floor of Ark Camp Three, a crowd had gathered in an extravagantly furnished room.


    t on the bed, a man was retching uncontrobly.


    Barely a few bites into his meal, and now his body was spewing out stomach acid, clotted blood, and whatever else was left inside.


    He threw up so violently it seemed like he was trying to cough up his organs.


    Then, as blood surged past his nose, his eyes rolled back and his legs stiffened.


    Finally, he stopped vomiting.


    ¡°Mr. de?¡±


    ¡°Mr. de?¡±


    ¡°Oh, my God¨CMr. de¡¯s dead!¡±


    By the time Theresa heard the news, it was already midday.


    The leader of Ark Camp Three¨Cthe same man who¡¯d spent a fortune at Ark Camp Two¡¯s auction to buy that inhibitor and used it on himself¨Chad died.


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    He¡¯s dead?


    She¡¯d been trying to get updates on him for a while now.


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    Just as she was starting to wonder why Ark Camp Three hadn¡¯t had any major zombie outbreakstely, the bad news dropped.


    ¡°He died just like that? Didn¡¯t turn into a zombie?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Straight up dead,¡± Lucas said honestly. ¡°Didn¡¯t he use the inhibitor? I thought that was supposed to prevent zombification.¡±


    Ever since Theresa came back, everyone had heard about what she went through.


    None of them had expected her trip to the supposedly ultra¨Csafe Ark Camp Two auction to turn into such a nightmare.


    Looking back, everyone still felt shaken.


    Thankfully, it had been Theresa who went¨Cand with her pack of amazing dogs.


    If it had been anyone else, it would¡¯ve ended badly.


    Even the leader of Ark Camp Three got caught in the mess. Morgan was the only survivor from their


    group.


    Theresa had made it through without a scratch.


    Lucas knew she was tough, but he couldn¡¯t help worrying. If something had happened to her, what would they¨Cno, what would the entire alliance¨Chave done?


    Now, hearing Theresa¡¯s question, he brought it up again.


    He remembered that the Ark Camp Three leader had injected himself with that outrageously expensive inhibitor.


    ¡°That worthless inhibitor?¡± Theresa snapped, pping Lucas on the shoulder. ¡°You really think those idiots managed toe up with a cure for the zombie virus? Please. Give me a break.¡±


    Lucas blinked. ¡°Then who could?¡±


    ¡°Obviously, only brilliant, brave, peerless geniuses like us!¡± Theresa dered with full confidence.


    Lucas was speechless.


    As ridiculous as it sounded, her conviction was oddly convincing.


    For a second, he almost believed she had developed a cure.


    Theresa really was something else.


    ¡°That thing was <b>just </b>a half¨Cbaked form that slows down mutation. Useless. And now that guy just died.¡± She started pacing in circles. ¡°Would¡¯ve been better if he turned into a zombie.¡±


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    Chapter 399 Bad News and Missed Opportunities


    Lucas couldn¡¯t help chuckling. ¡°You wanted him to turn into a zombie that badly?¡±


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    ¡°Of course! If he¡¯d turned, it would¡¯ve proven that Ark Camp Two¡¯s inhibitor is fake. That would¡¯ve forced- the two camps into a fight. I¡¯ve been waiting for the perfect moment to light that fire.¡±


    Theresa kept pacing in circles.


    After taking Xavier¡¯s advice, she¡¯d been patiently waiting for the right spark to set things off.


    She¡¯d already tried to fan the mes by questioning the effectiveness of Ark Camp Two¡¯s inhibitor.


    But after the zombie outbreak, Ark Camp Two had managed to slip through without much trouble.


    If that idiot camp leader had gone home and turned into a zombie, no one would¡¯ve been able to cover it up.


    It would¡¯ve been clear the inhibitor didn¡¯t work.


    That would¡¯ve guaranteed a war.


    Instead, he just died.


    So clean. So anticlimactic.


    Ark Camp Two had imed a 20% death rate. How did he manage to be part of that unlucky 20%?


    Theresa kept circling, clearly frustrated.


    Seeing her like that, Lucas reached out to stop her.


    ¡°Not turning into a zombie might be a blessing,¡± he said calmly. ¡°If a virus breaks out in one of those sealed¨Cup camps, it¡¯s always the people at the very bottom who suffer the most.¡±


    Theresa stopped. She thought of the helpless masses in Ark Camp One, of Steelbloom struggling to survive in Ark Camp Two<i>. </i>


    She let out a long sigh.


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 Kept Woman 400

    Chapter 400 A Funeral and a Firestarter


    ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll find another way to stir the pot.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s mindset had shifted.


    Back when she had nothing, everyone was her enemy.


    +10 Free Coins


    But now that she was gaining power, her real threats were no longer individuals¨Cthey were zombies and rival camps with the strength to challenge her.


    Ark Camps One, Two, and Three¨Cthose were her enemies.


    But the ordinary people scraping by in those camps?


    They weren¡¯t.


    Her goal was to be the strongest ruler in this apocalypse.


    To let no one¨Czombie or human¨Cthreaten her again.


    But that didn¡¯t mean she had to be the kind of monster who crushed the weak just to make a point.


    While she was mulling this over, a message from Morgan came through.


    Theresa, you heard the news about the Ark Camp Three leader¡¯s death, right? I was thinking of heading over there to pay respects. Want toe?¡®


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up.


    A funeral.


    That meant the three major camps would all be gathering again¨Cat Ark Camp Three.


    What better chance to cause a little chaos?


    I¡¯m <b>in </b>she replied without hesitation.


    <b>But </b>then came Lucas¡® voice behind her.


    ¡°No way. I¡¯m going. It¡¯s dangerous out there,¡± he argued. ¡°You should stay here at camp. Leave the diplomacy to me


    Theresa quickly waved him off. ¡®Not happening. Stirring the pot¡¯s kinda my specialty


    Lucas was speechless.


    Lucas, hold down the fort while I go shake things up?


    She headed off to assemble her team No dogs this time.


    Instead, she brought Kyle, Tyger, and the always necessary Quentin


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    Chapter 400 A Funeral and a Firestarter


    The three of them nked her like bodyguards as they headed out.


    Right before boarding the chopper, she casually grabbed a fruit basket and a funeral wreath.


    It was a condolence visit, after all¨Ccouldn¡¯t show up empty¨Chanded.


    <b>+10 </b>Free Coins


    Once everyone was set. Theresa boarded the helicopter and flew straight toward Ark Camp One. They didn¡¯t know the exact location of Ark Camp Three, so they had to travel with Morgan to get there.


    Morgan hadn¡¯t seen Theresa in over two weeks. When she stepped off the chopper, he gave her a warm smile.


    ¡°You made it.¡±


    ¡°Mm¨Chmm.¡±


    ¡°No dogs this time?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be very respectful to bring a whole pack to a funeral,¡± she exined, gesturing to the men behind her. ¡°So, I brought the best¨Clooking guys in our camp. That¡¯s called respect.¡±


    Morgan: ¡°Right¡­¡±


    He could tell she was full of it, but for some reason, he didn¡¯t mind.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll bring one of our camp¡¯s handsome administrators, too,¡± he said, turning to nce over at the group behind him. His eyesnded on the youngest recently promoted member¨CHarry.


    ¡°You¡¯reing with me.¡±


    Harry froze for a second, surprised, then quickly nodded. ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Morgan brought just Harry and five ability¨Cuser guards.


    Altogether, the group was eleven people, but they didn¡¯t head to Ark Camp Three right away.


    Instead, they flew to Ark Camp Two to meet up with the crew there


    Only once they met up did they make the final flight together.


    Everyone put on masks aboard the helicopter.


    Theresa once again borrowed a green one¨CArk Camp One¡¯s color.


    The Ark Camp Two team all wore yellow masks.


    No one could tell if their leader had joined them


    These people were chatting animatedly with Morgan.


    Theresa sat quietly, listening from the side.


    ¡°It¡¯s such a shame what happened to Ark Camp Three¡¯s leader, one of them said. ¡°But I bet they¡¯re going to me us for the inhibitor not working after thest auction¡±


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    Chapter 400 A Funeral and a Firestarter


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    ¡°We made it clear there was a twenty percent mortality rate, another added. ¡°And he didn¡¯t turn into a zombie. That means the inhibitor worked¡±


    ¡°If theye at us, you¡¯ll back us up, right?¡±


    Morgan listened to them, a faint smile forming beneath his mask.


    ¡°No problem. We go by the facts. As long as he didn¡¯t turn into a zombie, they¡¯ve got no grounds to make a


    fuss.¡±


    ¡°Exactly! Ark Camp One¡¯s always been fair. The supplies we promised your camp are on the way. Let¡¯s keep this partnership going strong.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Theresa was starting to piece things together.


    Clearly, these two camps had cut some sort of deal behind closed doors.


    They were giving Morgan supplies.


    In return, he¡¯d take their side.


    This little exchange was just reaffirming the arrangement.


    While everyone was still smiling and chatting, the helicopter entered a vast mountain range.


    It was the dead of winter.


    Thick snow nketed the peaks.


    Their chopper circled above for quite a while before finally descending.


    They touched down just outside a massive camp built right into the mountainside.


    Theresa stepped out of the helicopter. She had finally arrived at the legendary Ark Camp Three.


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 Kept Woman 401

    Chapter 401 Ark Camp Three


    Ark Camp One was built on the grasnds, Ark Camp Two stood in a small town in the Gobi, and Ark Camp Threey hidden deep among the mountains.


    Tilting her head back, Theresa studied the towering camp built into the mountainside before turning to take in the outer perimeter. Beyond the security fencey a bottomless abyss.


    Whoever had chosen these sites knew what they were doing¨Cremote, hard to reach, and easy to defend.


    With enough supplies stockpiled in advance, one could theoretically survive here for a long time. Maybe even fulfill the original purpose behind building these camps¨Cousting the zombie apocalypse.


    Too bad they had betrayed everyone from the very beginning.


    Once she had taken in the surroundings, a group emerged from the gates of the camp. The people in white masks spotted them.


    ¡°You¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    ¡°My condolences.¡± Morgan stepped forward, handing over the gift he had prepared along with the fruit basket and funeral wreath Theresa had brought.


    The people in white masks froze for a moment when they saw the wreath in particr. <i>Where </i><i>on </i><i>earth </i>did they get <i>this</i><i>? </i><i>No </i><i>one </i><i>would </i><i>have </i><i>thought </i><i>to </i><i>stockpile </i><i>funeral </i><i>wreaths </i><i>when </i><i>they </i><i>were </i><i>preparing </i><i>supplies</i>.


    It was, unexpectedly, a touching gesture.


    They epted the wreath and smiled politely at the visitors in green masks. ¡°Please,e in.¡±


    Behind them, the delegation from Ark Camp Two had also brought gifts, though it was obvious the reception was different.


    ¡°So, you¡¯vee too,¡± one of the white masks said coldly.


    ¡°We¡¯re here to pay our respects to Mr. de,¡± a member of Ark Camp Two replied politely.


    ¡°Go in. The white¨Cmasked man took their offerings without another word and let them pass.


    It was good they hade¨Cif they hadn¡¯t, the others would have sought them out.


    Theresa followed the group inside Ark Camp Three.


    It resembled Ark Camp One in its cutting¨Cedge, high¨Ctech design, but theyout here was inverted. The bottom three levels housed the ordinary residents, while the upper two floors were reserved for the elite.


    ess was tightly controlled. The only way up was by elevator, and every elevator required a keycard both in and out. A card only worked for one¡¯s designated floor.


    One could sometimes sneak to a higher floor by following someone with higher clearance, but if one couldn¡¯t scan one¡¯s way out, rms would sound and security would drag one away.


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    Chapter 401 Ark Camp Three


    Every single person here was monitored with strict precision.


    <b>+5 </b>Free Coins


    Led by the white¨Cmasked guides, theirrge group split across several elevators. The higher they went, the¨C more luxurious the decor¨Cand the fewer the people.


    Atst, they reached the fourth floor.


    ¡°Please stay here tonight,¡± one of the white masks said. ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll take you to attend Mr. de¡¯s memorial.¡±


    Everyone nodded.


    Temporary ess cards were distributed¨Cone per household. These allowed movement anywhere from the fourth floor down, though the core work areas were off¨Climits. Still, they were free to wander.


    Theresa entered her assigned room. Quentin, Tyger, and Kyle were sharing another.


    She had barely settled in when there was a knock at the door.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    Peering through the peephole, she saw Morgan in a green mask.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I told you before I¡¯d show you around, but we never had the chance. Tonight, I¡¯ll take you on a tour of Ark Camp Three.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Theresa agreed easily. ¡°Let me go find my people¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already made arrangements for them. Just the two of us will go.¡± He held up a temporary ess card.


    He was the only one with it. One card per household¨Cand finally, he had a chance to spend time with her alone.


    Theresa eyed the card dangling in his hand and grinned. ¡°Fine. Just the two of us, then.¡±


    Soon, the elevator descended toward the first floor.


    KI Camp must not have elevators, huh?¡± Morgan remarked inside the lift.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Theresa said. ¡°We¡¯re dirt¨Cpoor out there. We get around on our own two feet, and all ourmunication¡¯s done by shouting.¡±


    Morgan chuckled. ¡°Conditions outside are really rough. You¡¯ve had it hard.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the hardship¨Cit¡¯s bad luck. And no matter what, you don¡¯t me the government.¡±


    He turned his head toward her. You¡¯re something else, you know that?¡±


    Theresa said nothing.


    Through the mask, his tone took on an almost godlike condescension. ¡°No matter how hard your life¡¯s been before, meeting me is the moment your fate changes.¡±


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    Chapter 401 Ark Camp Three


    This time, she fell silent, nearly choked on the sheer arrogance.


    Just then, the elevator doors slid open on the first floor.


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 Kept Woman 402

    Chapter 402 The Bottom Floor


    Chapter 402 The Bottom Floor


    Ding<i>! </i>


    With a soft chime, the elevator doors slid open. They had arrived on the first floor.


    <b>+5 </b>Free Coins


    The lowest level of Ark Camp Three was where the ordinary residents lived. It was divided into two main sections: the residential zone and the production zone. Roughly 15 thousand people lived here.


    It was the most densely popted area with the smallest living spaces. Residents also bore the heaviest and most basicbor¨Cgrowing crops through hydroponics, raising small livestock, producing fabric, repairing equipment, hauling waste¨Cnothing but the most menial work.


    On the second floor, the work was lighter¨Csecondary processing, energy supply, and the like. Above that came technological development and virus research.


    The top two floors required no work at all. On the fourth floor, residents¡® only job was to serve those on the fifth, providing them with music, dance, and entertainment.


    ¡°The first floor¡¯s the very bottom of their camp,¡± Morgan said as they stepped out of the elevator. ¡°Not much worth seeing.¡±


    It was dinnertime, and the residents were lining up at the canteen. That night¡¯s meal was considered good -each person got a bread roll and a bowl of vegetable soup.


    The soup had been boiled with the same water countless times. It held no trace of oil, only unidentifiable scraps sinking to the bottom. Still, people carried it off happily.


    ¡°Do the ordinary folks in Kl Camp get meals like this?¡± Morgan nced at a passing resident¡¯s bowl with lofty disdain.


    ¡°No,¡± Theresa admitted, taking a slow breath. ¡°Not even close.¡±


    Morgan gave her <i>a </i>look as if he had expected nothing less. ¡°Say what you will about the Ark Camps, but for these lowborns, this is paradise.¡±


    Theresa said nothing.


    A sudden tter broke through their conversation. Ahead of them, someone¡¯s soup bowl hit the ground.


    ¡°Where¡¯d you steal that meat from?!¡±


    Up in the corridor of a nearby housing block, a burly man in a manager¡¯s uniform had caught the scent of something. He seized a scrawny boy by the cor and knocked the bowl from his hands.


    He reached into the boy¡¯s thin clothes and pulled out a bundle from his waist. With a loud thud, the bundle hit the floor¨Cspilling out golden¨Cbrown chicken legs, plump shrimp, and ribs glistening with cold, congealed fat.


    The sight of those ribs, their frosty white fat shining in the dim light, made onlookers¡® eyes turn hungry green. They looked ready to dive in, toss the meat into their thin soup for a quick boil, and lick everyst drop from the bowl. This was treasure.


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    Chapter 402 The Bottom Floor


    The queue for food stilled. Every gaze locked on the scene.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t steal it! I found it!¡± the boy protested.


    ¡°Lies! You think meat like this just turns up?¡± The manager struck him across the face.


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    Before the next blow could fall, a gaunt middle¨Caged man lunged forward, shielding the boy. The pnded squarely on his own bony back.


    <i>Smack</i>!


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    The man crumpled to the ground under the force. The manager was a strength¨Ctype ability user, and the blow had rattled his lungs and heart. His face contorted in pain as he hit the floor.


    Still, he forced himself up, wincing, and addressed the man holding his struggling son. ¡°Sir, we really found it. We work at the dump¨Cthis came from the garbage heap. We don¡¯t go anywhere else, and we couldn¡¯t steal food like this even if we tried. Please, let us go.¡±


    The manager¡¯s fury cooled just slightly. ¡°You hiding anything else?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all. We¡¯ve got nothing else.¡± To prove it, the man stripped off his shirt and trousers until he stood there in just his underwear, holding his clothes up for inspection.


    The manager gave him a once¨Cover. ¡°There better not be a next time. Anything you find goes straight to me, or you won¡¯t get off so easily, you little brat!¡±


    He shoved the boy aside, gathered the food from the ground, and walked off with it.


    ¡°Dad! Dad!¡± The boy scrambled <i>to </i>his father¡¯s side.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. The man pulled his clothes back on, forcing a faint smile onto his pale face.


    Tears welled in the boy¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I wasn¡¯t careful¨Cthey caught me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± the man said gently. ¡°The manager¡¯s nose is too sharp.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± The boy¡¯s gaze shifted to where the food had fallen moments ago. A crowd had already descended, some licking the floor, others using their bread to scrape up every trace of fat.

 Kept Woman 403

    Chapter 403 The Deal


    ¡°Our food¡¯s gone,¡± the boy murmured.


    ¡°I still have some.¡± A quiet voice answered in his car.


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    He looked up to see his father, pale and frowning, pull a chicken leg from his sleeve and press it into his hand.


    ¡°We¡¯ll eat it back home,¡± the man said, patting his son¡¯s head before bending to pick up his half¨Cempty soup bowl. Using his bread, he soaked up thest of the broth from the ground and started back with him.


    They found a secluded spot just outside the dump. The air reeked, but the ce was safe. The man took the chicken leg from its stic bag and handed it to the boy.


    ¡°Dad, you eat too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of it long ago. You eat,¡± the man said.


    ¡°That was before. Things are different now,¡± the boy replied stubbornly. ¡°We¡¯ll share it.¡±


    He was 13, maybe 14, but before the apocalypse, he¡¯d still been an elementary school kid. Two and a half years of surviving this world had stripped away every trace of innocence.


    His father met his determined gaze and finally smiled. Taking the chicken leg, he tore off the part that had already been bitten¨Ckeeping the stic bag between his fingers¡ªand dropped the rest into the soup bowl.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough for me. The rest is yours.¡±


    ¡°But, Dad-¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t eat, I¡¯ll tan your hide,¡± the man said firmly.


    The boy didn¡¯t hesitate anymore. He took the broth¨Csoaked chicken leg his father had given back to him, tore off a <i>piece </i>of bread, and ate with relish.


    ¡°Good?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s delicious!¡±


    His father smiled, poured the remaining soup into the stic bag to wash down every trace of oil, then bit into the bread that had been soaking in broth for too long.


    Just as he was about to chew, there was a sharp crack in his chest, and the taste of blood flooded his mouth. He coughed hard, spattering the stic bag with bright red.


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    The man¡¯s coughing grew harsher, each fit wracking his lungs until he couldn¡¯t stop.


    ¡°Dad!¡±


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    Chapter 403 The Deal


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    The boy dropped his food and rushed to rub his father¡¯s back, only to feel the swollen patch where the blow hadnded earlier.


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± the man rasped, forcing down the cough.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not!¡± The boy stood up. ¡°I¡¯m going to find him!¡±


    ¡°What for?¡± The man grabbed him tightly. ¡°Have you forgotten? This camp doesn¡¯t allow unhealthy people to live.¡±


    The boy froze, fists clenching, lips pressed tight. As his father¡¯s face grew paler by the second, the tears finally spilled over. ¡°But Dad, I can¡¯t just let you-¡±


    ¡°Hey, you want to save your dad?¡±


    The boy turned toward the clear, young voice. Through his tears, he saw a striking young woman in a sleek, immactebat suit¨Cthe kind of woman no one in their slums ever saw.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I have medicine that can help your dad. But it won¡¯t be free.¡± Theresa stood before them, arms crossed.


    ¡°If you can save my dad, I¡¯ll do anything you ask¨Cbe your servant, yourborer¨Canything!¡±


    That was exactly what she wanted to hear. Studying the boy¡¯s tear¨Cstreaked but unyielding face, she tossed him a small system¨Cissued emergency pill.


    ¡°From now on, you follow my orders. Whatever I tell you to do,


    you


    do it.¡±


    The boy caught the pill, pressed his lips together, and slipped it into his father¡¯s mouth. The man was still coughing violently, clutching his mouth, nose, and chest as his lungs seized. His pale face flushed crimson with the effort.


    But after swallowing, his coughing gradually subsided. The flushed, oxygen¨Cstarved color faded, and¡ª more astonishing still¨Cthe boy could see his father¡¯splexion improving.


    ¡°Cough¡­ cough¡­ Darian¡­¡±


    ¡°Dad!¡± Darian te¡¯s eyes lit up as he saw his father upright and breathing easier. ¡°How do you feel now?¡±


    I feel fine. My back doesn¡¯t even hurt.¡±


    Darian stared at the young woman in shock.


    She¡¯s incredible! One tiny pill, and she healed Dadpletely<i>! </i>


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    Chapter 404 The First Recruits


    ¡°I, Darian te, will follow only your orders from now on! Whatever you say, I¡¯ll do it!¡±


    Theresa studied the quick¨Cwitted boy. ¡°Your name is Darian te.¡±


    ¡°Yeah! And this is my dad, Chadric te.¡±


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    Theresa¡¯s gaze shifted to the middle¨Caged man beside him, whose color had returned. She gave him a small nod.


    Chadric, however, regarded her with wary eyes. ¡°Miss, what exactly do you want us to do?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much.¡± Theresa crouched down so they were eye level. ¡°I want you to be a leader of the resistance here in this camp.¡±


    ¡°Resistance?¡± Chadric¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want that?¡±


    ¡°I want it more than anything!¡± Darian shot to his feet.


    ¡°Darian¡­¡±


    ¡°Dad, this camp has already pushed us to the edge of death. What could be worse than that?¡± Darian¡¯s voice was steady. ¡°Do you really want to go on living like this?¡±


    Chadric fell silent.


    Darian pressed on. ¡°You were coughing so badly just now. Without thisdy, the camp would¡¯ve thrown us out or sent us to the researchb. We¡¯ve already been to the brink once. I¡¯m not afraid of dying!¡±


    Theresa couldn¡¯t help her satisfaction at the boy¡¯s resolve.


    Atst, his father spoke<i>. </i>After holding her gaze for a long moment, Chadric said, ¡°We¡¯ll do as you say, miss.¡±


    ¡°Good. I¡¯ll give you whatever help I can,¡± Theresa replied. ¡°All you need to do is grow your strength.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    With two more recruits secured, Theresa stood. Her eyes dropped to the food in their hands, and she pulled rice balls, braised eggs, and instant noodles from her domain. ¡°Stop eating that. Eat these instead.¡±


    The boy¡¯s eyes lit up instantly.


    So much good food¨Cand she¡¯s giving it to us!


    ¡°Do you have somewhere to store supplies?¡± Theresa asked.


    The father and son exchanged a look. ¡°The camp¡¯s security is tight. We can¡¯t take much out. We can only hide things in the dump


    Theresa thought for a moment, then brought out a pile of instant noodle seasoning packets.


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    10:33 Fri, 22 Aug


    3.28%


    Chapter 404 The First Recruits


    ¡°Keep these. You can use them to recruit followers.¡±


    s


    Before the apocalypse, these oily, salty packets were considered junk food. After it, they were priceless.


    Packed with fat and salt, they could turn a nd meal into a feast and provide much¨Cneeded energy. If people were willing to scrape grease off the floor, that said everything about how deprived they were.


    If Darian could hand out seasoning packets to others, he¡¯d easily draw a following. What was more, they were small, easy to hide, and worth a fortune.


    After weighing it, Theresa handed over a generous supply.


    The father and son stared at the pile in shock.


    These¡­ these <i>are </i>like <i>gold </i>now! And <i>she </i><i>just </i><i>gave </i><i>them </i><i>to </i><i>us</i><i>! </i><i>How </i><i>rich </i><i>and </i><i>generous </i><i>must </i><i>she </i><i>be</i><i>?! </i>


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, we¡¯ll recruit for you, but you don¡¯t need to give us so much,¡± Darian said, still stunned.


    ¡°This is too valuable,¡± Chadric added, hesitant to touch them.


    Things like this were for people on the third floor and above¨Cno one else ever got them.


    Theresa smiled faintly. ¡°Do your job well. I¡¯ll be back. And if you seed, what I give you next time will be a thousand times better than this.¡±


    Both the father and son gasped.


    A <i>thousand </i>times <i>better</i>? <i>What </i><i>kind </i>of <i>power </i><i>does </i><i>she </i><i>have </i><i>to </i><i>promise </i><i>that</i><i>? </i>


    Still reeling, they watched her walk away.


    Only when she had disappeared did Chadric exhale. ¡°Son, I think we¡¯ve met a benefactor.¡±


    ¡°I know! She saved you¨Cshe¡¯s my benefactor!¡±


    Chadric smiled, ncing at the blood¨Cstained stic bag in his hand, tempted to finish what was inside. But Darian snatched it away and tossed it into the dump. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m never letting you eat that kind of thing again.¡±


    ¨C¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d better gobble these before that manager finds out and we¡¯re in trouble again.¡±


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Chadric took the braised egg and rice ball Theresa had given them.


    They were ready to eat right out of the packet. Soft, fragrant rice wrapped around filling¨Cone bite was enough to bring tears to their cyck.


    This <i>is </i>incredible<i>! </i>


    In more than two years of the apocalypse, they hadn¡¯t tasted anything like it.


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 Kept Woman 405

    Chapter 405 Blood in the Air


    ¡°Dad, let¡¯s eat more. You should have some too.¡±


    ¡°Mm. When we¡¯re done, we¡¯ll go find your work buddies and get them together first.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


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    When Theresa walked out of the dump, she spotted Morgan waiting for her in the spotless lobby.


    At the moment, he was surrounded by a group of people¨Csmall¨Ctime managers from the first floor- chatting with him obsequiously. In their eyes, Morgan was practically untouchable, almost like some god. they had to revere.


    When he saw Theresaing back, he waved the others away. ¡°Back from the restroom?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. The one here¡¯s not great. Let¡¯s go up to the second floor instead.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± he agreed with hesitation and led her upstairs.


    Theresa had been hoping to recruit a few people on the second floor as well, but the difference between the first and second floors was huge. The people here lived far morefortably. After wandering around for a bit and finding no suitable candidates, she decided to head up again.


    However, there was no need to bother with the third floor¨Cthe residents here were already among the camp¡¯s beneficiaries. Their lives weren¡¯tvish, but they werefortable enough.


    She toured every corner of Ark Camp Three. By the time she was done, Morgan said, ¡°We can head up now. They¡¯ve got the dishes ready.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good.¡±


    Having finished her inspection of the camp, Theresa followed him upstairs.


    Meanwhile, on the first floor, Bayard Coronel¨Cthe first floor manager¨Cwas finishing off a hearty meal after that night¡¯s unexpected haul of supplies.


    Ribs, shrimp, chicken.., delicacies he wouldn¡¯t normally get to taste more than once or twice a year. And that day, he had eaten his fill.


    Some of the meat had small red specks on it¨Che had no idea what they were, but that wasn¡¯t going to stop him. Food was food.


    Stuffed and satisfied, Bayard let out a loud burp, only for an announcement to re from above.


    ¡°All managers, report to the fifth floor for a meeting!¡±


    He got to his feet immediately, sucking on his fingers until the grease was gone, then gave them a quick


    rinse.


    But just as he started for the stairs, a cramp twisted his gut. ¡°D*mn¡­ what the hell? Maybe it¡¯s not sitting


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    Chapter 405 Blood in the Air


    well¨CI haven¡¯t had a meal like that in ages.¡±


    <i>Ding</i>!


    The elevator doors opened on the top floor.


    s


    Managers from all the different levels began gathering. Bayard, his stomach cramping with sharp jolts of pain, gritted his teeth and kept walking toward the meeting room.


    Just before he reached the doors, he couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He grabbed the arm of a stylish second- floor manager in high heels.


    ¡°What the hell?!¡± The woman jerked free, ring.


    His face twisted in agony, Bayard reached again, clutching her arm. ¡°Emily, do me a favor¨Ctell them I can¡¯t make it. My stomach¡¯s killing me.¡±


    ¡°Then get out of here, you pig!¡± Emily Winchester kicked him away in disgust.


    Bayard half ran, half stumbled toward the restrooms.


    It was only then that Emily noticed the scratch mark on her wrist where he¡¯d grabbed her, a thin line of blood welling up.


    ¡°Disgusting.¡±


    She wiped her hand, turned, and strode into the meeting room.


    Inside, the camp¡¯s second¨Cinmand¨Chis face hidden behind a white mask¨Caddressed the group coldly. ¡°Is everyone here? I have something important to announce.¡±


    ¡°The first¨Cfloor manager isn¡¯t here,¡± Emily said irritably, rubbing her wrist.


    The second¨Cinmand nced at the empty seat, his displeasure clear. ¡°Pull him from the roster. Let¡¯s start the meeting. I called you here to tell you¡­¡±


    On the fifth floor, in the restroom¡­


    ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve cleaned this ce several times already. Why are we cleaning it again?¡±


    ¡°Orders from above aren¡¯t for you to question. Keep working unless you want to get sent back.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The younger man followed his supervisor inside with a toolbox.


    The moment he stepped in, something felt wrong. A faint, metallic tang hung in the air.


    ¡°Sir¡­ do you smell that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bathroom. What else would it smell like?¡± The older man turned on the mop sink faucet, the rushing water echoing in the tiled space.


    The young man obediendly took one side while his supervisor took the other, opening stall doors one by, 3


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    Chapter 405 Blood in the Air


    one.


    ¡°Sir, did you hear about the big news in the camp?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t run your mouth about camp business. Just get to work.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± The young man opened the next stall door and fell silent.


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    Chapter 406 The First to Turn


    The young worker yanked open the stall door¨Cand froze, frowning at the sight before him.


    s


    These so¨Ccalled high¨Cand¨Cmighty <i>managers</i><i>¡­ </i><i>What </i>a bunch of animals! <i>Who </i><i>takes </i><i>a </i>dump and doesn¡¯t flush? Absolutely shameless!


    And stter<i>¨C</i>seriously? Ever heard of ¡°one small step forward, one big step for public <i>hygiene</i>¡°? Or, <i>I </i>don¡¯t <i>know</i>,


    maybe <i>squatting </i><i>far </i>enough back so you don¡¯t ssh your own heels<i>? </i>


    <i>How </i><i>can </i><i>anyone </i><i>leave </i>a mess like this and walk away? People like this shouldn¡¯t even exist<i>! </i>


    ¡°Sir, these fifth¨Cfloor managers are just filthy animals,¡± he muttered angrily to his supervisor.


    Before the words were even cold, the stall behind them opened. A tall figure filled the doorway, but what caught the young man¡¯s eyes first was the gleam of a silver manager¡¯s badge on the man¡¯s chest.


    His mind went nk.


    <i>Oh </i><i>sh</i><i>*</i><i>t</i><i>¡­ </i><i>I¡¯m </i><i>dead</i>! <i>He </i><i>heard </i><i>me</i><i>. </i><i>I </i>just insulted a <i>manager</i>. I¡¯m <i>done </i><i>for</i><i>! </i>


    The supervisor clearly sensed the danger, too. ¡°Sir, we¡­ we weren¡¯t saying¨Cah!¡±


    Before he could finish, Bayard¡¯s massive frame mmed into him, knocking him to the floor. The man roared like a wild beast, teeth snapping. The supervisor threw up a hand to block, but Bayard mped down hard, biting clean through his index, middle, and ring fingers in one crunch.


    ¡°Ahhhhh!¡±


    The supervisor yanked his hand free, but his ring and middle fingers were gone entirely. Only the finger bone of his index remained, the flesh scraped away, leaving it slick with blood and bare white bone.


    ¡°Ahhhhh!¡±


    The agony was blinding, but before he could cry out again, Bayard tore into his throat, ripping out his vocal cords.


    Then the big man began tearing into him, mouthful after mouthful, blood spraying across the stall. Within seconds, the supervisor was nothing but a mangled, twitching heap on the floor¨Chis body moving only from involuntary spasms.


    The young worker copsed in horror,nding hard in the very filth he¡¯d just beenining about. He could only stare, shaking violently, as Bayard finally lifted his head. A pair of milky¨Cgray, lifeless eyes


    stared back at him.


    ¡°Rrragh!¡±


    He lunged for him.


    The young man shoved the stall door shut.


    <i>Bang</i>!


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    Chapter 406 The First to Turn


    One of Bayard¡¯s hands mmed against it, holding it fast.


    <i>Bang</i><i>! </i><i>Bang</i><i>! </i><i>Bang</i><i>! </i>


    The whole stall shook with each impact.


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    Trembling uncontrobly, the young man grabbed the only weapon at hand¨Ca mop¨Cwedging one end against the wall and the other against the door. When it held for a split second, he scrambled up onto the toilet tank, wing at the divider above.


    He had just managed to get a grip when the door exploded inward with a crash.


    Bayard, now fully a zombie, stared up at him, snapping his hardened, w¨Clike fingers toward the young man¡¯s dangling leg. In a panic, he kicked off like a rabbit, hauling himself onto the top of the partition.


    And that¡¯s when he saw his supervisor lying in the blood outside the stall. The man¡¯s body jerked¡ªonce, twice, three times¨Ceach tremor stronger than thest.


    Finally¡­


    ¡°Urrgh¨Cah-¡±


    He stiffened on the floor, eyes snapping open to reveal the same cloudy, white zombie stare.


    ¡°Sir!¡± the young man screamed.


    Meanwhile, on the first floor of Ark Camp Three, Darian and Chadric had just finished their first real meal since the apocalypse, courtesy of Theresa, and returned to their dorm room.


    The dorms were eight¨Cman rooms, separated by gender. Husbands and wives were split up, as were most families.


    For Darian and Chadric, it wasn¡¯t too bad¨Cat least father and son could stay together. Many of their coworkers were separated from their wives, daughters, or mothers.


    Still, even among the poorest, people found ways to look out for each other. During mealtimes, many would cross into other sections just to share a meal with their loved ones.


    At the moment, only one other man in their room had brought his wife over to eat.


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    Chapter 407 Outbreak in the Women¡¯s Quarters


    The rest of the workers had carried their portions over to their wives and daughters.


    <b>+5 </b>Free <b>Coins </b>


    When one of them saw Darian and Chadric return, he called out, ¡°You¡¯re back. You guys didn¡¯t get to eat, did you? I saw one of the managers take your share.¡±


    He nced toward the door, then motioned them over in a low voice. ¡°Come here. I¡¯ve still got a little left -let your boy have it.¡±


    The food Darian had found earlier had been divided evenly, so everyone got a share.


    Chadric noticed the man had kept back a small rib and shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ve eaten.¡±


    ¡°Oh,e on. That b*stard Bayard took your food. What could you have eaten? Go on, have some.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Duke, really, we¡¯re full,¡± Darian said with a small wave, ncing at his father.


    They exchanged a quick look¨Cboth of them thinking the same thing. Norman Duke seemed like someone worth recruiting.


    They were just about to go over and chat when a voice groaned from the opposite bunk.


    ¡°Hon¡­ my stomach¡­ it hurts.¡±


    ¡°Howe?¡± Norman looked over at his wife in rm. ¡°Did you eat too fast?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± She curled in on herself, grimacing. ¡°It really hurts.¡±


    ¡°Just lie down for a bit. You¡¯ve been working too hardtely.¡± Norman cleared away the small table from the bed, hid what food was left, and made space for her to rest.


    Darian and Chadric shared another look, both reading the situation the same way. They stepped back toward the door. ¡°We¡¯ll give you two some space¨Cgo ahead and rest. We¡¯ll take a walk.¡±


    Norman gave them a grateful nod.


    With that, the father and son headed toward the women¡¯s quarters. They had five more coworkers there¡ª two brothers whose mother was still alive, and three others whose wives or daughters were housed inside.


    They had barely reached the area when a piercing scream split the air.


    ¡°Mom! It¡¯s me, Jeb, your eldest! Why are you biting me?!¡±


    In the middle of a growing crowd, an old woman had her jaws locked on a young man¡¯s shoulder, tearing at the flesh until blood poured down his arm.


    A younger man¨Cbarely in his twenties¨Ctried to pull her off his brother, but no matter how hard he yanked, he couldn¡¯t budge the frail¨Clooking elder.


    People ringed the scene in stunned silence.


    Most of them were locals from the nearby mountains. When the apocalypse began, Ark Camp Three had


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    10:34 Fri, 22 Aug


    Chapter 407 Outbreak in the Women¡¯s Quarters


    rounded them up forbor. They had never truly witnessed what a zombie outbreak looked like.


    ¡°She¡­ she¡¯s turning into a zombie!¡± someone finally shouted.


    That was all it took. A wave of screams erupted as the crowd stumbled backward.


    From behind them came more screams¨Cmultiple voices from multiple rooms.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    ¡°Ahhh¨Choney!¡±


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    A man, drenched in blood, staggered out of a doorway. Behind him, one¡­ two¡­ three¡­ five, six zombies spilled out in pursuit.


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    The nearest zombie lunged at a living person, mping its jaws down on their neck with a wet, crunching bite.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    The entire section erupted in chaos. People bolted in every direction, shoving, tripping, screaming.


    And still, from room after room, more blood¨Csoaked zombies emerged. They crashed into the scattering residents, biting and tearing at anything alive¨Cman or woman, fat or thin, it didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    ¡°Run, Darian!¡± Chadric grabbed his son¡¯s hand and dragged him into a sprint.


    All around them, panicked residents scattered like headless flies.


    The outbreak was concentrated in the women¡¯s quarters¨Cthe men¡¯s side was still rtively untouched. They reached their own section just as-


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    A scream erupted from their dorm. Men nearby rushed toward the noise, curious.


    ¡°Stay back!¡± Chadric barked, pushing forward, but it was toote.


    Norman and his wife, whom they had left resting minutes ago, crawled off their bed, their bodies drenched in blood, their eyes clouded over in the dead gray of the infected.


    ¡°Raaagh!<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Raaagh<b>!</b><b>¡± </b>


    <i>Bang</i>!


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    Chapter 407 Outbreak in the Women¡¯s Quarters


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    s


    In the split second before they could reach the hall, Darian mmed their dorm door shut, barring the


    way.


    10:34 Fri, 22

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    Chapter 408 Chaos at the Banquet


    Bang<i>! </i>Bang<i>! </i><i>Bang</i><i>! </i>


    ? ?27%2


    s


    The moment the dorm door mmed shut, Norman and his wife¨Cnow fully turned¨Chowled and wed at the wood, hammering at it with inhuman force.


    Behind them, the screams didn¡¯t stop.


    What had started as a massive outbreak in the women¡¯s quarters was now spilling into the men¡¯s side. Dozens of zombies pushed through the crowd, biting anything that moved.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the bitten to turn, staggering back to their feet as new members of the horde. Within minutes, the entire first floor had be a living hell. People surged toward the only escape route¨Cthe elevators¨Cdesperate for a way out.


    Up on the fifth floor, in the fine dining hall, Theresa and her group had been seated for dinner. Their guards were eating in the next room.


    Sitting beside Morgan, Theresa looked over the tes of borate dishes Ark Camp Three had prepared. The vegetables weren¡¯t particrly fresh¨Clikely the result of poor hydroponicspared to the vast ins outside¨Cand the meat wasn¡¯t much better.


    There were some seafood items and rarer ingredients, clearly stockpiled from before the apocalypse. It was far from the standard of her own camp¨Cshe¡¯d have to make do.


    Just then, the group of Ark Camp Three managers who had been in the meeting entered. They had just received the devastating news that their camp leader was dead, and a heavy mood hung over them as they took their seats.


    Theresa¡¯s gazended on thest person to sit opposite her¡ªa young woman clutching her wrist, looking pale and restless, as if she could barely sit still


    Theresa caught the scent immediately¨Czombie scent.


    Extending her mind power, she confirmed it¨Cthe woman¡¯s aura was shifting. She was infected¡­ and about


    to turn.


    At that moment, a guard burst into the room, face pale with panic.


    ¡°Sir, there¡¯s trouble outside!¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Zombies! There are zombies in the camp!¡±


    ¡°How could there be zombies?!The masked second¨Cinmand shot to his feet.


    Before anyone could answer, a scream rang out inside the banquet hall itself.


    Emily Winchester, a second¨Cfloor manager, suddenly lunged at the third¨Cfloor manager beside her,


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    Chapter 408 Chaos at the Banquet


    sinking her teeth into his jaw.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    Blood sprayed in an arc, sttering across the pristine white tablecloth and the expensive food.


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    The bitten man shoved her away, a chunk of flesh torn from his face, blood pouring freely. Emily¡¯s head snapped up, and everyone saw the milky, clouded eyes of the infected. The people nearest her recoiled in


    terror.


    The injured man didn¡¯t hesitate¨Che hurled a massive fireball straight into Emily, engulfing her in mes. Then, with a chair raised high, he mmed it down with a furious blow, finishing her off.


    But as her corpse burned, all eyes shifted to him. His breathing grew ragged. The bleeding from his jaw wouldn¡¯t stop, the thick, dark blood running in heavy streams.


    ¡°1¡­ I don¡¯t want to turn! Save me! You have medicine, don¡¯t you? Save me! I want to live!¡±


    He stumbled toward the second¨Cinmand and the other managers, but they backed.away, avoiding him like the gue.


    His skin was darkening, blue¨Cck veins rising beneath the surface. With every step, his eyes clouded further to gray.


    ¡°Help me! Please-¡±


    Bang<i>! </i>


    The second¨Cinmand put a bullet through his skull.


    Everyone was still reeling from the shock when the sound of pounding footsteps and guttural roars came from the hall outside.


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    ¡°Rrrhhh!¡±


    A hulking, blood¨Ccovered zombie burst into the dining room. Its massive frame and unnatural speed marked it as both a strength¨Ctype and speed¨Ctype mutation¨Ca killing machine in the flesh.


    In one bound, it was on the nearest guard, jaws closing with a sickening crunch on his neck. The fangs punched clean through the cartge, locking in for the kill.


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    Chapter 409 No Way Out


    Chapter 409 No Way Out


    The sound of crunching was loud and sharp, like biting through cartge.


    Someone recognized him.


    ¡°That¡¯s Bayard Coronel from the first floor! How the hell did he turn too?!¡±


    Bang!


    ?,27%


    s


    Before anyone could react, the camp¡¯s second¨Cinmand shot Bayard clean through the head, dropping him where he stood.


    But more zombies were already pouring in.


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    ¡°Rrrhh!¡±


    At the front of the pack came an elder janitor in a cleaner¡¯s uniform, sprinting alongside a younger one. The younger man¡¯s torso had been ripped open, his intestines spilling out¨Cone section dangling from the older janitor¡¯s mouth as he chewed it mid¨Crun, sttering blood with every bite.


    The horde charged into thevish dining room, bringing with it a wave of newly turned zombies.


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    They flooded in, pressing shoulder to shoulder.


    Only then did the second¨Cinmand think to close the doors. With a sharp kick, he shoved one guard into the oing zombies as a makeshift barrier. While the guard screamed, he kicked another man forward. ¡°Shut the door!¡±


    The second guard fumbled with thetch, almost too slow¨Cbut managed to m it shut at thest second.


    By then, the guard who had earlier brought the warning¨Cthe one Bayard had bitten¨Cwas already convulsing on the floor, his body jerking violently as his neck stiffened, ready to rise.


    Bang!


    The second¨Cinmand put him down without hesitation.


    With that, every zombie in the room was down. Sweating heavily, he scanned each person, making sure no one else had been bitten.


    Outside, the thunderous pounding of zombies against the door continued Speaking into hisms, he barked, ¡®All third¨Cfloor guards, get to the fifth floor and stop this horde!¡±


    Half an hourter, with help from Kyle and the guards from two other camps, the fifth¨Cfloor horde was finally suppressed.


    Only then did the second¨Cinmand allow himself to breathe He stood there, face grim, reying the outbreak in his head. Where the hell did these zombiese from<i>? </i>


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    Chapter 409 No Way Out


    26%


    <b>+5 </b>Free Coins


    He called the researchers on the third floor¨Cnothing. Total calm. The same report came from the second and fourth floors.


    <i>Why </i>did <i>they </i>appear only <i>on </i><i>the </i>fifth<i>? </i>


    He was still considering an investigation when a fresh rm came in¨Cthere was an outbreak on the first floor.


    <i>What</i>¡­ what <i>the </i><i>hell</i><i>? </i>


    Downstairs, survivors were begging to be let up, pounding on the elevator doors.


    ¡°Sir, should we open it? If we don¡¯t, the entire first floor could be wiped out.¡±


    ¡°If we open it, we¡¯ll bring the zombies up!¡± the second¨Cinmand snapped. ¡°If even one infected gets in, the whole upper floor is done for. Those worthless bottom¨Cfeeders¨Cif they die, they die! Seal every entrance. No one from the first floores up!¡±


    With that order, all elevators between the first floor and above were shut down. No upward movement allowed.


    The fifth¨Cfloor monitors showed every corner of the first floor in real time. It was hell on earth¨Cpeople were being dragged down by zombies in the hallways, torn apart in their rooms, or crushed together in the elevator lobby, the only upward ess point.


    Behind them, the horde kepting. People on the outer edge tried to fight with whatever they could grab; those pressed into the center screamed into the security cameras, pounding on the elevator doors for help.


    But as the minutes ticked by, they realized no one upstairs was going to save them. Some broke away, sprinting for the main gate¨Canything to get out.


    The second¨Cinmand¡¯s eyes went colder. ¡°Don¡¯t let them out. Lock the gate¨Cset clearance to my level only.¡±


    And just like that, he cut off theirst escape route.


    Let them out and give them a chance to spread the infection<i>? </i><i>Over </i><i>my </i>dead body.


    As far as he was concerned, the zombics were contained on the first floor. Once they understood the situation, they could wipe them out in one go. Releasing anyone now would only unleash the infection outside, nting the seeds for another outbreak.


    No one wasing up. No one was getting out.


    The second¨Cinmand watched the desperate runners on the screen with eyes like ice.


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    10:35 Fri, 22 Aug


    Chapter 410 Abandoned Below


    Chapter 410 Abandoned Below


    26%


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    When the survivors reached the main gate and found it locked tight, panic set in. With nowhere to go, they were caught in ce as the pursuing zombies crashed into them from behind, dragging them down and tearing into them with ravenous bites.


    The second¨Cinmand put on a mask of sympathy. ¡°Everyone, return to your posts. When this is over, I¡¯ll deal with the first floor.¡±


    With that, he led the others out of the monitoring room.


    As they left, Theresa¡¯s gaze lingered on the live feed. In the chaos of the fleeing crowd, surrounded on all sides by zombies, she spotted two familiar figures.


    ¡°Dad! We can¡¯t get out!¡±


    ¡°It has to be the upper management. They locked the gates to keep us from escaping,¡± Chadric said grimly, looking at the people around them being dragged down, ripped apart, and trampled in the blind rush.


    Despair filled his eyes. ¡°Darian, I¡¯ll get you to the dump. There are fewer zombies there. You must survive.¡±


    <i>The </i>dump<i>¡­ </i>Darian¡¯s mind raced.


    A sudden shove in the panicked crowd nearly knocked a little girl to the ground. Darian caught her, pulling her close before she was crushed.


    Up ahead, more zombies poured in like an avnche.


    Everyone knew it¨Cthis was the end. They had been abandoned by the cold, untouchable elite above. No one wasing to save them.


    Then, cutting through the despair, came the voice of a boy barely in his teens. ¡°Follow me to the dump! We can escape through the dump!¡±


    With the girl in his arms, Darian grabbed his father¡¯s hand. Like a young lion finding his first roar, he charged forward, leading the way.


    Survive! That was all anyone wanted now. And if anyone stood in the way of survival, then they had to be cut down. No matter who it was.


    Charge!


    Theresa, walking at the rear, caught sight of the boy on the monitor, leading the charge. Her eyes lit with interest. Not bad<i>¡­ </i>a promising seed.


    ¡°Ark Camp One, hurry up¡± The second¨Cinmand, already at the door, called back to Theresa. ¡°We need to lock up.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± She turned away from the screen and stepped outside.


    On the big disy, the second¨Cinmand barely noticed where the survivors were running. To him, it didn¡¯t matter¨Cevery direction was just another form of dying struggle. He locked the monitoring room behind them with a heavy thud.


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    Chapter 410 Abandoned Below


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    To him, the outbreak downstairs was less important than finding the source of the zombie virus. To prevent more breaches, he ordered every floor¡¯s elevator doors sealed. Only the fifth floor could go down; no one from below could go up.


    The report arrived quickly. Apart from the first and fifth floors, there had been no outbreaks anywhere else in the camp.


    ¡°Where did the zombies get in from?¡±


    ¡°We still haven¡¯t found the source on the first floor, but the ones on the fifth started with Bayard Coronel,¡± one of the managers reported.


    ¡°Bayard? He¡¯s from the first floor,¡± the second¨Cinmand said, frowning.


    ¡°Yes. Which means the virus had to havee from below. But no one from the first floor has been outside. Even the ones who take out the trash have to return within a minute, and there haven¡¯t been any zombies near us for some time. They couldn¡¯t have been exposed.¡±


    That only deepened his suspicion.


    <i>If </i>it <i>didn¡¯t </i><ie </i><i>from </i><i>outside</i><i>¡­ </i><i>could </i><i>it </i><i>be </i><i>internal</i><i>? </i><i>Or </i><i>maybe </i><i>someone </i><i>nted </i>it? <i>Smuggled </i><i>the </i>virus in? His eyes narrowed.


    <i>Motherf</i><i>*</i><i>cker</i><i>! </i>That <i>has </i><i>to </i><i>be </i><i>it</i><i>! Camp </i><i>One </i><i>and </i><i>Two </i><i>show </i><i>up </i><i>to </i><i>pay </i><i>their </i><i>respects</i><i>, </i><i>and </i><i>the </i><i>same </i><i>day</i><i>, </i><i>we </i><i>have </i><i>a </i>zombie <i>outbreak</i>! <i>Not </i><i>even </i><i>an </i>idiot will <i>believe </i>it¡¯s <i>a </i><i>coincidence</i><i>. </i>


    With that, he shot to his feet. ¡°Bring in everyone from those two camps!¡±


    <i>If </i>I don¡¯t find out which <i>gutless </i><i>b</i><i>*</i><i>stard </i><i>did </i><i>this </i><i>today</i>, <i>it </i>won¡¯t <i>end </i><i>here</i><i>. </i><i>They </i><i>want </i><i>to </i><i>sabotage </i><i>our </i><i>camp</i>? <i>Then </i><i>their </i>camps will pay for <i>it</i><i>, </i><i>even </i><i>if </i><i>they </i><i>all </i><i>have </i><i>to </i><i>die</i>.


    The second¨Cinmand summoned the visitors¨Cand had their guards sent away.


    ¡°My honored guests,¡± he said with false warmth, ¡°you came a long way, and yet our camp suffered this¡­ unfortunate incident. I apologize for the disturbance. I¡¯ve had new dishes prepared¨Cplease, enjoy them.¡±


    The masked visitors looked down at the foodid out before them.

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    Chapter 411 Shifting the me


    Chapter 411 Shifting the me


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    ¡°Your camp¡¯s in chaos¨Cno one¡¯s in the mood to eat. Why don¡¯t we head back and let you focus on restoring order?¡± someone from Ark Camp Two suggested.


    The second¨Cinmand smiled coldly. ¡°Why so eager to leave? Worried it¡¯s not safe here<i>¡­ </i>or afraid that if you stay too long, we might find something out?¡±


    The faces of the Ark Camp Two delegates hardened. ¡°What are you implying?¡±


    He didn¡¯t bother hiding it anymore. ¡°There haven¡¯t been any zombies near our camp. Security here is airtight, the third¨Cfloorb is secure, yet the moment you arrive, the zombie virus breaks out. Don¡¯t you think you owe us an exnation?¡±


    <i>The </i>usation stunned the room.


    <i>What </i><i>the </i><i>is </i><i>he </i><i>saying </i><i>we </i><i>nted </i><i>the </i><i>virus</i><i>? </i>


    ¡°Second¨Cinmand, be careful with your words,¡± one of them warned. ¡°You could damage the rtionship between our three camps.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re capable of something like this, but you¡¯re worried about me damaging rtions?¡± The second¨Cin-mand pped down a thick stack of reports and evidence.


    <i>They </i>showed images and logs proving the Ark Camp Three researchb was clean, the gates were secure, and no one had entered or exited except the visiting delegations. Every bit of data pointed straight at the outsiders. Even the visitors themselves could see how bad it looked.


    ¡°We had neither the motive nor the opportunity!¡± a man from Ark Camp Two insisted. ¡°We stepped off the helicopter and went straight to the rooms you assigned us. We stayed there the whole time under your supervision. All our movements are ounted for. We couldn¡¯t have nted anything. You can¡¯t pin this on us.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± Morgan¡¯s head lifted sharply. ¡°That if your camp had no chance, then Ark Camp One must have done it?¡±


    Realizing toote how it sounded, the Ark Camp Two delegate¡¯s eyes flickered. In a moment like this, Morgan was still technically their ally. using him directly would be reckless.


    Then his gaze shifted to the woman at Morgan¡¯s side. ¡°Wait¡­ isn¡¯t she the same youngdy who came to our campst time? The one with the dog?¡±


    Morgan nced at Theresa. ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡°I remember you saying she wasn¡¯t/from Ark Camp One¨Cjust a friend you brought along?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. She¡¯s from KI Camp¡±


    The namended heavily. Everyone in the room knew it.


    <b><i>So</i></b><i>, </i><i>she¡¯s </i><i>from </i>K1 <i>Camp</i><i>¡­ </i>


    The Ark Camp Two man¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I believe Ark Camp One wouldn¡¯t do something like this, but this


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    youngdy from K1 Camp is far too suspicious. After you were settled in, you even took her to tour Ark Camp Three.¡±


    ¡°Ark Camp Two¡­¡± Morgan¡¯s voice was edged with warning.


    ¡°Think about it¨Cour three camps are supposed to stand together. She arrives, and suddenly the zombie virus breaks out. If not her, then who? I trust you, but I¡¯ll never trust her. Kl Camp is definitely hiding something.¡±


    Morgan¡¯s brows drew together beneath his mask, but he stayed silent.


    Just then¡­


    ¡°Your mother¡¯s the one with a problem!¡± Theresa kicked a foot up onto the table and let loose. ¡°You think you¡¯re clever, trying to change the subject? You say the outbreak started when I arrived¨Cweren¡¯t you here too? Or do you not count as a person?


    ¡°You¡¯ve been acting brain¨Cdead since I met you, but now I see it¡¯s because that lump on your neck isn¡¯t <i>a </i>head, it¡¯s a tumor! Even a tumor would make more sense than that garbage logic. Me, nting the virus? Sure¨Conly if I had the same polio¨Cbrain¨Cparalysis¨Cidiotbo you¡¯ve got!¡±


    ¡°You!¡± The Ark Camp Two delegate went pale with rage, nearly choking on his own breath.


    How <i>can </i><i>someone </i>talk <i>like </i><i>this</i>? <i>Everyone </i><i>at </i><i>this </i><i>table </i><i>is </i><i>supposed </i><i>to </i><i>be </i><i>dignified</i><i>¡­ </i>


    When he finally caught his breath, his voice was sharp. ¡°I was only suspicious before, but now I¡¯m certain- it was Kl Camp! You couldn¡¯t stand to see us prosper, so you sabotaged us!¡±


    Theresa lifted her eyes, smilingzily. ¡°Tell me, little idiot¡­ did you forget about the time your camp sold a fake inhibitor for a fortune?¡±


    The man froze mid¨Cretort.


    She went on. ¡°If I wanted to nt a virus, I¡¯d have to bring it with me. But your camp? You¡¯ve already had the perfect delivery system¨Cand it worked.¡±,


    The room fell silent, so still one could hear a pin drop.


    She¡¯s right<i>¨C</i>the <i>zombie </i><i>virus </i><i>inhibitor</i><i>¡­ </i>


    There had been debate over whether it worked at all, but after an ident in Ark Camp Two, their camp leader had used one and still died. That had left them with no way to confirm whether the inhibitor was effective¡­ or whether it was something else entirely.

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    Chapter 412 The Dump Breach


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    <i>Could </i>their <i>inhib¨ªtor </i><i>have </i><i>been </i><i>poisoned</i>? <i>And </i><i>that </i><i>was </i><i>how </i><i>Mr. </i>de got infected <i>with </i>the Zombie virus, and then¡­


    ¡°You¨Cyou don¡¯t¡­¡± The Ark Camp Two delegate¡¯s tone carried a trace of guilt.


    He was just about to defend himself when the second¨Cinmand cut in. ¡°Our camp leader died on the fifth floor, but the outbreak still points to the first floor. How do you exin that?<i>¡± </i>


    Theresa leaned backzily, meeting his eyes.


    Xavier had told her that the camps needed to be divided. This was as good a time as any.


    ¡°That¡¯s easy enough to check,¡± she said. ¡°See who in your camp could move freely between the first and fifth floors and had contact with your camp leader. Once you find them, you¡¯ll know if I¡¯m telling the truth.¡±


    Her words sent the second¨Cinmand into deep thought.


    No<i>¡­ </i><i>there¡¯s </i>no <i>such </i><i>person</i><i>. </i><i>The </i><i>only </i><i>ones </i>who <i>could </i><i>get </i><i>near </i><i>our </i><i>leader </i><i>were </i><i>from </i><i>the </i><i>fourth </i>and fifth floors¡ªand <i>they¡¯d </i><i>never </i>go to <i>the </i>first floor. <i>And </i>no <i>one </i><i>from </i><i>the </i>first floor <i>could </i><i>have </i><i>direct </i>contact with him.


    He was still puzzling it over when an urgent rm red. The overhead lights in the room began to sh between white and red.


    Red¨Cwhite alternating¨Cthe signal that zombies had appeared on <i>every </i>floor.


    Every floor? That¡¯s impossible!


    The second¨Cinmand¡¯s face drained of color as frantic calls came through his earpiece.


    ¡°Sir! We have a massive zombie outbreak on the second floor!¡±


    ¡°Sir! There are a ton on the third floor!¡±


    ¡°Sir! The fourth floor is overrun!¡±


    ¡°Sir! We¡¯ve got a huge outbreak on the fifth floor again!¡±


    ¡°Where the hell are theying from on the fifth floor?!¡±


    Through the static came the reply: ¡°The dump! They¡¯re climbing up the garbage chute from the first floor!¡±


    The realization hit him like a hammer.


    The dump¡­


    He hadpletely forgotten that the garbage system connected the entire building. If the zombies could climb up from below, then someone could just as easily drop the virus down from above.


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    And then he thought about the food the camp leader had eaten¨Cbarely two bites before vomiting blood.


    Could it be¡­


    ¡°Sir! What do we do?!¡±


    The second¨Cinmand shook himself back to the present. Right now, the priority wasn¡¯t finding the source¨Cit was surviving the crisis.


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    The threat was far worse than when Bayard¡¯s infection had turned a few people.


    A flood of zombies erupted from the garbage chute, pouring out of the opening where trash was normally dumped. They scrambled over each other in droves, snarling, seeking fresh prey.


    The main doors shattered under the pounding of the horde.


    ¡°Everyone to the fifth floor to assist!¡±


    ¡°Raaah!¡±


    But even as he shouted, the zombies at the entrance tore through the nearest guards, dragging them under.


    With their defenders gone¨Cmost having been sent away earlier to ¡°investigate¡± the other camps¨Cthe second¨Cinmand found himself nearly alone. Gunshots cracked through the air as he fired and


    dodged.


    Bang<i>! </i><i>Bang</i><i>! </i>Bang<i>! </i>


    Bang<i>! </i>Bang!


    The shots only drew more zombies. With that, he shoved a fourth¨Cfloor manager into their path and retreated fast.


    The survivors¨Cseven from Ark Camp Three, five from Ark Camp Two, and only Morgan and Theresa from Ark Camp One¨Cshoved the long banquet tables and cabs together to form a small barricade.


    Only Morgan and Theresa stayed still; the others unleashed their abilities to keep the zombies at bay.


    ¡°Where the hell are theseing from now?! What do we do?!¡± someone shouted.


    ¡°We hold out! I¡¯ve already called for backup!¡± the second¨Cinmand barked, rushing in to join them. His metal¨Cbased ability red, and with a sharp motion, a dozen steel knives and forks flew from the table, spinning through the air to cut down zombies.


    ¡°You idiot! You expect us to hold out against a horde like this?!¡± someone from Ark Camp Two yelled.


    ¡°You¡¯re one to talk! It¡¯s because of you we¡¯re in this mess!¡± The second¨Cinmandshed out, his ws


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    tearing into the man¡¯s shoulder before flinging him into the cluster of zombies leaping over the table. ¡°Go


    to hell!¡±


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    Chapter 413 From Despair to Storm


    The man from Ark Camp Two was caught off guard and kicked straight into the sea of zombies, about to be swallowed whole.


    A vine shot from his hand,shing tightly around the second¨Cinmand.


    It snapped taut in an instant, binding them together.


    The zombies grabbed him.


    And with the pull of the horde, they dragged the second¨Cinmand in as well.


    With a deafening crash, the dining table split apart.


    The two of them were wedged across the broken table¨Cone on each side¡ªheld fast by several thick vines.


    Like waves breaking on a shore, zombies surged onto the table, tearing into them in great, hungry bites.


    ¡°Mr. Thornton!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Faulkner!¡±


    Two different voices shouted their names at the same time.


    It was Ark Camp Three that moved first. Their people rushed forward, shoving the second¨Cinmand into the horde, then pushed the split table halves back together, wedging a chair leg between them to create a narrow angle¨Cjust enough to block the zombies for another moment.


    ¡°For now, we drop every grudge we¡¯ve got and throw in everything we¡¯ve got! If we don¡¯t, we¡¯re done for!¡±


    The new administrator shouted as he unleashed his dual abilities¨Cwater¨Cbased and metal¨Cbased.


    Water orbs burst outward in a steady stream.


    Knives and sharp tools spun through the air, each one sinking cleanly into a zombie¡¯s skull.


    Wave after wave of zombies fell back.


    The others joined in without a word, using their abilities at full force.


    Even Morgan began channeling his mental maniption ability.


    Every side in this fight had wanted the others dead


    However, they were now all in the same boat, forced to work together.


    Minute by minute, the rescue they were waiting for never came¨Conly more and more zombies.


    ¡°What if your rescue team isn¡¯ting at all?¡± someone shouted.


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    It hit them then that the second¨Cinmand who¡¯d just been killed had locked the doors on several floors below.


    No one could get up here.


    So, where would help evene from?


    The realization drained what little strength some still had. A few stumbled, knees giving out, their abilities sputtering dry. When the truth sank in, they simply copsed.


    Bang!


    A zombie roared and smashed through the thick tabletop, hooked its ws into a fallen man¡¯s hair, and yanked him backward, driving his head through the splintered wood.


    The creatures snarled and gnashed through the gap, ripping into his skull.


    His body jerked violently on the other side of the table.


    <i>The </i>sight jolted the others. Those who had given up scrambled to pull back with whatever energy they could find.


    Meanwhile, the horde¨Cuncontrolled and endless¨Ckept pouring in, climbing over their own dead to breach the thin defense.


    Their snarls filled the air.


    Seventeen or eighteen zombies scrambled in at once, lunging at the people in the very back.


    It was over.


    They were all doomed.


    Even Morgan had gone pale, his mind empty of any n. Was this really the end?


    Then, inside Theresa¡¯s mind, a voice rang out.


    ¡®Ding! Leader System activated! Eliminate one thousand zombies within thirty minutes¨Creward: a random prize!


    Theresa blinked<i>. </i>A random <i>prize</i>?


    While everyone else drowned in despair, an invisible Aeroshield shimmered into existence before them.


    And then, the power that followed hook the room like a mountain splitting open.


    The iing horde mmed info the barrier, only to be sted back by a roaring wall of mist.


    In that instant, it was as if every drop of moisture in the air had been sucked away. Faces and palms went dry.


    The next second, the mist exploded outward.


    It filled every inch of the room, sparing only the living.


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    Each droplet hit like a bullet at high velocity.


    In less than a second, the hundred or so zombies inside were wiped out..


    The snarling chorus went silent. Zombies littered the wet floor.


    Everyone stood frozen.


    They turned toward the impossible source of such overwhelming power¨Cit was Theresa.


    But there was no time to take it in.


    The ss windows shattered with a roar.


    Zombies packed into the hallway smashed through pane after pane.


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    Like a flood bursting through a dam, they tumbled inside, ws shing, arms iling, trampling their own dead to get at the survivors.


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    Chapter 414 The War Machine

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    Chapter 414 The War Machine


    Several mutant zombies lurked inside.


    45 Free Coins


    This floor had been guarded by many ability users, and once they were infected, they became mutant zombies¨Ccreatures that retained the habits of their former abilities.


    One of them was a speed¨Ctype and strength¨Ctype mutant zombie. It moved faster than all the rest. Not only had it inherited both abilities, but its skin had also hardened like armor.


    It barreled through the ordinary zombies in its way, smashing them into the wall with a thunderous crash and leaving behind a human¨Cshaped dent.


    Within seconds, the mutant zombie charged at them, its blood¨Cslick jaws wide


    At that moment, Theresa leapt out from behind the others.


    A sh of cold light shimmered at her back as she drew a katana.


    ¡°That¡¯s a strength¨Ctype mutant zombie! Its skin¡¯s hardened¨Cyou can¡¯t beat it with strength alone!¡± Morgan shouted when he saw her going in for closebat.


    But the very next second, he froze.


    Her de sank straight into the mutant zombie¡¯s skull.


    Like slicing through a melon, the razor¨Csharp tip pierced right through the creature¡¯s hardened hide and skull.


    The zombie had been a strength¨Ctype ability user.


    Theresa was one, too.


    Only, her strength was many times greater.


    With a sharp hiss, she pulled the katana free, along with the crystal, and kicked the body straight into the horde surging toward them.


    Morgan just stared, dumbstruck.


    In the sea of zombies, Theresa fought like a whirlwind, her long de shing, every strike clean and lethal. Beneath his <b>mask</b>, his sharp, handsome features might as well have been cracking from sheer


    shock.


    She was even more formidable than he had imagined.


    He had seen her lead a rescue operation before and knew she was no ordinary fighter. But he had never guessed her solobat ability would be this outrageous.


    If his memory was right, Theresa possessed a mental maniption ability, the invisible shield she had just used like a barrier, a water¨Cbased ability, and a strength¨Ctype ability¨Cfour abilities in total.


    And each one, in his eyes, was already at the very top tier.


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    Multi¨Cability users usually advanced far more slowly than single¨Cability ones. Improving all of them at once was nearly impossible.


    Yet Theresa had mastered each to a terrifying degree.


    This was insane.


    ¡°What kind of person did you bring here?¡±


    ¡°Is she some kind of human war machine?¡± the two surviving administrators from other camps gasped, their eyes wide.


    They stared at Theresa as she cut down zombies like wheat.


    Worse still, aside from her opening move with an ability, the rest was pure weapon work.


    Did she really have to be this brutal?


    The Ark Camp Two administrator she had argued with earlier stood frozen, his jaw hanging.


    He had nned to dump Ark Camp Three¡¯s zombie crisis on Theresa¡¯s shoulders.


    She was from some small, backwater camp¨CKI Camp. As far as he was concerned, whatever Ark Camp Two said wasw. If she dared to object, they could crush her camp overnight.


    He had been certain she¡¯d never walk out alive after mouthing off to him.


    But now, seeing her fight, he couldn¡¯t stop his eyelid from twitching.


    The Ark Camp Three administrator beside him just kept gaping.


    They remembered thest time they¡¯d seen her¨Cat an auction, leading a pack of formidable dogs. Everyone had been impressed by her canine ariny.


    Butpared to her, the dogs were just a side act.


    Her power was unreal.


    While the others stood stunned, Theresa was counting. <ol start="531"><li>531. </li><li><i>532</i>. </li><li><i>535</i><i>. </i></li><li><i>556</i><i>. </i></li></ol>


    Holding the center position, she struck down every zombie that came within reach. The flow of zombies began to thin, unable to match the pace of her ughter.


    Fewer and fewer zombies came charging in.


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    Theresa frowned. This wouldn¡¯t do.


    Her target was a thousand zombies in half an hour.


    If they wouldn¡¯te to her, she would go to them.


    She stepped onto the heads and backs of the dwindling horde, sprinting through the scattered ranks. toward the door.


    The moment the others saw her bolt, panic surged.


    They scrambled after her, following in her wake to escape the building.


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    Chapter 415 The Zombie Flood

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    Chapter 415 The Zombie Flood


    The hallway outside was crawling with zombies.


    Some were chasing fleeing humans, while others were already feasting on fresh kills.


    They moved like ants swarming over food, scattered in clusters across the fifth floor.


    The ones closest to Theresa saw her.


    ¡°Grrraaah!¡±


    The zombies stretched out their arms and charged.


    Theresa raised her katana at the four that came toward her.


    Then, the number of zombies she¡¯d killed increased by four.


    ¡°Uuurgh¡­ Uuurgh¡­¡±


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    From the floor, a recently bitten person struggled violently, muscles twitching as their body, torn and gutted, forced itself upright. Their cloudy, gray¨Cwhite eyes opened¨Cnow a fresh zombie.


    ¡°Raaah!¡±


    The new zombie roared and lunged at Theresa.


    Slice<i>! </i>


    601


    Another zombie added to the count.


    There weren¡¯t many people on the fifth floor. Including all the attendants serving the elite, the total barely reached 1,300 to 1,400.


    After clearing the main cluster, Theresa had only taken down about six hundred zombies. To reach a thousand, she¡¯d have to hunt the rest herself.


    She scanned the area for more concentrations of the undead, then heard a familiar, anxious voice.


    A man burst out from the zombie horde,


    ¡°Beautiful!¡±


    Quentin had dropped Kyle and Tyger and sprinted out of the zombie¨Cfilled main hall to reach Theresa.


    ¡°You okay here? We¡¯repletely surrounded over there, Quentin called.


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Take me to the zombies- let¡¯s go!


    Grabbing Quentin, she ran back toward the main hall they had been in. Sure enough, it was swarming


    with zombies.


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    No holding back now. Theresa unleashed her abilities, cutting through massive swaths of the undead.


    Deep inside, Kyle and Tyger watched in shock.


    They had been nning to clear the zombies here and rescue Theresa¨Cbut she came to save them first.


    The thought warmed their hearts. Their leader was always the best leader in the world,


    No matter what, she put them first.


    Earlier, when they had encountered a wave of zombies here alongside guards from two other camps, they had received direct orders to rush to their people¡¯s aid.


    But Theresa never gave them orders like that.


    She always told them: their lives came first. Even though she was their leader, demanding loyalty and action, she always put their safety above all else.


    People couldn¡¯t bepared to each other¨Cand neither could leaders.


    Seeing Theresa return to rescue them, Kyle and Tyger fought with even more determination, cutting down zombies with renewed energy.


    Then they heard her shout: ¡°Don¡¯t kill any zombies! Leave them for me!¡±


    Kyle and Tyger froze.


    1


    Theresa only wanted them to hide and stay safe¨Cshe would handle the rest. Swinging her katana and using her abilities, she tore through the undead relentlessly. <ol start="908"><li>908. </li></ol>


    The count reached 908. Ten minutes remained.


    As Theresa cleared therger zombie clusters upstairs, the armed guards on this floor engaged the undead themselves.


    ¡°Mr. Wentworth!¡±


    They secured most of the fifth floor and rushed to the surviving administrator of Ark Camp Three.


    Before the administrator could speak, Theresa asked, ¡°Where else are thererge groups of zombies?¡±


    The guards exchanged nces, stunned.


    ¡°Speak up!¡± she demanded.


    ¡°Tell this friend from KI Camp now!¡± the fifth¨Cfloor administrator of Ark Camp Three shouted.


    ¡°The dump!¡± the guards immediately said.


    Theresa pivoted and charged toward the dump. Only ten minutes left, and a hundred zombies remained.


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    She had to move fast.


    Watching Theresa charge headlong into the horde, the leaders of the other three camps weren¡¯t sure what to make of it.


    But the way each of them looked at her was anything but usual.


    ¡°Looks like KI Camp isn¡¯t as weak as we thought.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m genuinely interested in Kl Camp now.¡±


    ¡°I always have been,¡± Morgan said.


    Meanwhile, in the dump, the trash pit teemed with zombies.


    Those escaping from the first floor had climbed up the pit, dragging the horde with them.


    Still, quite a few people managed to escape.

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    Chapter 416 The Final Floor


    Chapter 416 The Final Floor


    Second floor. Third floor. Fourth floor. Fifth floor.


    s


    People were climbing on every level, but the zombies kepting, piling up on each other like a grim staircase,yer byyer, chasing upward.


    The n had been simple: escape to the second floor, gain a little height, then climb toward the higher rooftops.


    The second floor held the most survivors, the third slightly fewer, and each subsequent floor saw the numbers drop exponentially.


    At the very top, the fifth floor, only about ten people had made it that far.


    But tragically, even among these ten, the constant attacks had whittled them down. Only five remained.


    Now, the five huddled inside the trash bins of the fifth¨Cfloor dump.


    They dared not breathe loudly, covering their scent with piles of filthy garbage, hiding from the wandering zombies around them.


    Darian cradled a little girl in the innermost bin. His father hid just outside.


    <i>The </i>girl was about ten, small and frail, clutching Darian like a frightened kitten, her wide, tear¨Cbright eyes scanning for danger.


    Suddenly, amotion erupted.


    A nearby trash bin was flipped.


    Someone had been discovered.


    The surrounding zombies lunged like predators drawn to fresh meat.


    A chorus of guttural growls and screams filled the air.


    The man who had been exposed struggled violently. Panicked beyond reason, he kicked over every nearby bin, sending the others toppling.


    ng<i>! </i>Bang!


    The other two trash bins werepletely toppled.


    The people hiding inside were thrown out.


    Even Darian¡¯s and his father¡¯s bin shook violently, the tremor rattling all the way from the innermost corner to the outside,


    Growls filled the space around them.


    Green¨Cglowing eyes locked on the three revealed people.


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    The zombies tore through them mercilessly, ripping flesh, crunching bone.


    The screams rang right beside the three of them.


    The zombies lunged, chewing and tearing, the sounds magnified into a horrifying roar.


    One ripped open a man¡¯s skull.


    Another devoured his brains.


    Another tore into his abdomen, biting down on the soft organs inside.


    The sharp teeth shredded his liver with sickening crunches.


    +5 <b>Free </b>Coins


    The grinding of bone and the spasming screams of agony filled the air, sending every survivor into sheer


    terror.


    Darian pressed a hand over the little girl¡¯s mouth, holding her tight as she trembled, gripping his arm like a lifeline.


    The stench of blood and decay seeped through theyers of garbage.


    Then they heard it: the unmistakable sound of something moving above them.


    A drop of blood fell on their faces.


    When they looked up, they saw a gaunt, skin¨Cand¨Cbone face, blood and flesh mangled, one eye gouged out, the remaining gray¨Cwhite eye lifeless yet fixated on them.


    A living human scent wafted through the stench of trash.


    The one¨Ceyed zombie¡¯s remaining <i>eye </i>glowed green with excitement. Its mouth opened wide, dripping with blood, a piece of brain sliding from its jaw after its recent feast.


    ¡°Argh¡­¡±


    Just as the zombie lunged toward them, a figure shot out from another trash bin nearby.


    With a powerful shove, the person knocked the zombie aside, then grabbed the two children from the bin and surged forward with an incredible burst of strength.


    Darian, held by his father, widened his eyes as zombies lunged at them one by one.


    His father moved like a resurrected superhero, smashing through the horde with unstoppable force,


    They were almost through the crowd when his father stumbled, sending them tumbling out.


    The zombies behind surged forward and leaped.


    ward


    In that desperate moment, Chadric hurled both children clear.


    ¡°Dad! Dad!¡±


    Darian, flying through the air, watched his father growing farther away, the horde closing in behind him 3


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    Chapter 416 The Final Floor


    Tears welled in his eyes as he let out a sharp, panicked scream.


    Then, a blur streaked past him.


    Darian¡¯s eyes widened as he saw a tall, unwavering figure appear before him.


    Theresa swung her katana at full speed.


    The de hummed with raw power, vibrating through the air.


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    Even before it reached them, the razor¨Csharp edge cut through the circle of zombies surrounding Chadric.


    Whoosh!


    A sh of steel struck.


    Theresa¡¯s de sent every zombie attacking Chadric flying, clearing the way.


    Chapter 417 Last Stand in the Pit


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    Chapter 417 Last Stand in the Pit


    Darian¡¯s eyes widened.


    25%


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    The little girl beside him mirrored his shock as she stared at Theresa, who was cutting through zombies like they were nothing.


    <i>This </i><i>is </i><i>incredible</i><i>! </i><ol start="920"><li><i>920</i><i>. </i></li><li><i>930</i><i>. </i></li><li>940<i>. </i></li><li><i>990</i><i>. </i></li></ol>


    Theresa worked her way through the horde, shing every zombie back to the source. She pressed on until she reached the bottom of the garbage pit.


    Her swings were brutal. There weren¡¯t many zombies left at the top, and one forceful blow sent several flying off the edges while shaking loose the ones below. <ol start="999"><li>999<i>. </i></li></ol>


    She had taken out every zombie she could see¨Cbut one remained.


    Five minutes left.


    Theresa red into the dark, stinking pit. Within the reach of her mind power, there wasn¡¯t a single zombie in sight.


    Frustrated, she turned to look for another one behind her¨Cand then she noticed Darian and his father.


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    Darian lunged to his father¡¯s side.


    His father had been scratched by a zombie¨Csomewhere on his leg¨Cbut there was no telling which one or


    when.


    Regret was the default for most people in situations like this.


    At that moment, a man wearing a yellow mask appeared.


    ¡°Ms. Hall,¡± the man said with a cheerful smile, looking at Theresa.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Theresa snapped, still in the thick of battle, showing no patience.


    ¡°I¡¯m the second¨Cinmand of Ark Camp Two,¡± the man said. ¡°Nice to meet you. There was a small misunderstanding with your K1 Camp carlier¨Cplease, don¡¯t take it personally.¡±


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    Theresa recognized the voice. The masked man was the same idiot who had tried to me her earlier.


    ¡°Misunderstanding? Oh? So, you¡¯re saying you ept that I didn¡¯t poison Ark Camp Three, and it was actually your side?¡±


    The second¨Cinmand¡¯s expression shifted instantly. ¡°Of course not! I believe your K1 Camp would never stoop to that, and neither would Ark Camp Two.¡±


    ¡°And now you suddenly believe me? What about Morgan and the others? Do you trust them? You can¡¯t just trust everyone.¡±


    His face darkened. ¡°Why are you so aggressive? I came here because I respect you. Your little K Camp is nothing. If I wanted to crush you, I could do so easily. If you continue to disrespect me, your camp will face total annihtion.¡±


    At his arrogant attitude, Theresa lowered her head, smiling faintly, then looked up at him. ¡°Do you know what I enjoy most? Killing camp leaders.¡±


    The second¨Cinmand¡¯s eyes widened.


    The next second, Theresa kicked him squarely against the wall.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see who gets wiped out first¨Cyour camp or mine!¡±


    At that moment, Chadric began mutating.


    Perfect timing.


    She still had one zombie left to finish her mission. She decided to make use of the idiot in front of her.


    With a swift kick, she sent the Ark Camp Two¡¯s second¨Cinmand stumbling toward the newly mutated Chadric.


    The transformed Chadric sniffed the fresh, living scent, opened its cloudy gray eyes, and let out a guttural wail before sinking its teeth in.


    The second¨Cinmand struggled, trying to pry Chadric off, but His ability had been drained during the carlier fight against the zombies. Now, he was helpless as the zombie tore into him.


    Theresa watched impassively.


    it was <b>karma </b>


    Ark Camp Thune¡¯s zombie outbreak had originated from the fake inhibitor sold by Ark Camp Two


    Now, the consequences had boomeranged back onto them


    They had held an auction selling unstate indestve kubisory at outrageous prices. They had wested the product on a human at the¨Cand their own camp was then overrun by assombies


    Even Ark Camp Three had ended up bringing to the vous


    Everything had been caused by their own greed


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    The second¨Cinmand, being mauled by Chadric, soon became drenched in blood. Without his ability, his strength was no match for a zombie.


    A zombie¡¯s strength far exceeded a normal human¡¯s.


    Zombies had no pain limitations or other human physiological constraints. Their jaws could open to maximum angles, and their muscles could exert full power when wing.


    Therefore, a zombie¡¯s overall strength far surpassed that of a human.


    When its ws sank into a person¡¯s shoulders, it was like being gripped by unyielding iron¨Cno amount of struggling could break free from the locked, five¨Cfinger hold.


    Each joint dug in like a curved hook, embedding deep into flesh. The only way to escape was to tear away the entire chunk of flesh.


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    With how brutal and relentless the zombies¡® bites were, every inch of exposed skin was a feast for them.


    Every chomp made their jaw muscles strain to the limit. Bones and joints cracked under their teeth as they chewed and tore, swallowing whatever they could rip off.


    Mr. Wentworth, driven half¨Cmad by pain, smashed his mask aside and sank his teeth into the zombie in front of him.


    The man and zombie bit and tore at each other. In that frenzy, the administrator fully mutated.


    When it finished chewing Chadric to death, it let out a shriek. All fear of pain was gone. It flung him aside. and tried to lunge at the living nearby.


    There was a sharp hiss.


    A katana sliced through the air and cut down thest zombie.


    Zombie number 1.000.¡®


    Ding<i>! </i>Congrattions, you havepleted the zombie mission.¡®


    You have been awarded a random gift pack.¡®


    Now, opening the random gift pack.¡¯


    In Theresa¡¯s mind, a ck cloth pouch appeared from nowhere.


    Her awareness locked onto the pouch.


    Words appeared across its surface.


    Ability Pack. 99.99% chance to get amon ¡®reward with 0.01% chance to get a rare reward.


    Once she read it, the ck pouch opened. A storm of glowing orbs shot out like cards spilling from a deck.


    When they scattered, one orb stayed floating in front of her.


    Ding! Congrattions, you have received onemon reward, a fire¨Cbased ability seed


    Theresa blinked.


    An ability seed? she thought.


    Everything in her domain cleared out. A small red pill appeared inside.


    She stared at the pill with growing curiosity


    Words shimmered over it.


    Fire¨Cbased ability seed. Consume to gain this ability. If you already have this ability, you cannot obtain it again


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    When she finished reading the description, she was both shocked and thrilled.


    It gave an actual ability.


    s


    Thus far, aside from Theresa with her overpowered system cheat, everyone else could only rely on whatever they were born with. Even getting a basic strength¨Ctype or speed¨Ctype ability was considered lucky.


    Now, she had an extra one to spare,


    She already had all the basic elements and types, Metal, wood, water, fire, earth, speed, and strength. Now, she had another fire¨Cbased ability.


    Unlike recruiting residents, where duplicates stacked up levels, this ability pill took up a whole extra slot.


    She had an extra fire¨Cbased ability to give away,


    It might be extra, but Theresa was not going toin.


    This pill did not have to be for her. She could use it to power up one of her people,


    Even duplicates would be useful.


    This thing could be worth as much as an inhibitor.


    She also noticed the probability written on the pouch. If themon reward was this good, then the rare reward might be one of those legendary abilities.


    Excitement rushed through her.


    She was on her way to the top.


    While she was still enjoying her new prize, the sound of muffled sobbing reached her.


    ¡°D¨CDad¡­¡±


    Darian knelt over his father¡¯s body, face buried in his hands.


    The little girl he had saved stood beside him. Tears slipped down her cheeks as she stared at Chadric¡¯s blood¨Csoaked and lifeless body.


    Both of them were so young.


    Now, neither had parents left.


    Footsteps echoed behind them


    The new leader of Ark Camp Three arrived with a group


    Ark Camp Two was there as well, along with Morgan


    As soon as Ark Camp Two¡¯s people arrived, they spotted Me Faulkner lying nearby. His body was covered in bite marks. He was already gone


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    ¡°Mr. Faulkner!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Faulkner, what happened to you?¡±


    What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    Theresa nced at the neers and said without a flicker of guilt, ¡°He got bitten by a zombie. I put him out of his misery.¡±


    Everyone turned to look at her at once.


    ¡°Oh, and that one over there helped me a lot,¡± she added, nodding toward Chadric. ¡°He was the one who took down the poor guy who turned into a zombie. If it weren¡¯t for him, we¡¯d be in another outbreak right now. Shame he got bitten too.¡±


    Darian froze.


    He blinked at her through tear¨Cfilled eyes, too stunned to speak.


    Theresa raised her brows. She looked smug and unrepentant.


    She lied, so what?


    The surveince here had already been broken when she arrived. What could they prove?


    The others eyed Chadric¡¯s body, covered in bite marks like Faulkner¡¯s. For now, none of them could be sure what had really happened.


    Truth be told, what she said did sound possible.


    Even if she hadpletely twisted the truth.


    The new leader of Ark Camp Three pointed at Darian. ¡°That¡¯s your father?¡±


    Darian nodded.


    ¡°Your father did good work. Once this crisis is over, we¡¯ll see him buried with honor As for you, take over as first¨Clevel administrator¡±


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    Chapter 419 Offer To Be Fifth¨CLevel Administrator


    The new leader of Ark Camp Three was clearly trying to win Theresa over.


    She had just saved their camp from a huge amount of trouble.


    Whatever she said he was willing to go along with it.


    The few survivors from Ark Camp Two traded nces.


    In the end, they all stayed silent and let the matter slide.


    There was no point <b>in </b>pressing it.


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    Their own leaders, Mr. Thornton and Mr. Faulkner, were both dead. With no one to take the lead, there was no one to push the issue.


    As they were also in someone else¡¯s camp, they worried Ark Camp Three might not even let them leave.


    Looking around, they decided to gather their people and slip away without making more trouble.


    By now, the zombie outbreak in Ark Camp Three was under control.


    Every floor of the building was locked down. This stopped people from moving around and also trapped the zombies on each level.


    From the third floor up, armed guards stood watch. These trained men had blocked off the source of the infection. Many of them had died doing it, but they finished the job.


    The second level had been hit the hardest. By the time it was cleared, more than half theborers were dead or injured.


    Ark Camp Three had suffered a heavy loss this time.


    A helicopter hovered outside the fifth level¡¯s windows.


    A ropedder hung down to an open balcony. Ark Camp Two¡¯s people clumsily carried their wounded toward it


    Once they were gone, Morgan and Theresa¡¯s group walked out at their own pace.


    At the farewell, Ark Camp Three¡¯s new leader handed Theresa a smallmunicator


    He added her to theirwork so she could contact them at any time.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t know much about Ki Camp before the man said with an easy smile. ¡®Now, we see the other camps aren¡¯t weak at all. Here¡¯s ourmunicator Stay in touch


    Theresa took the device. ¡°Alright


    ¡°I¡¯ll make a trip to KI Camp one day, he warmly said.


    ¡°No rush. Take care of your own mess first, Theresa replied.


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    The new camp leader grinned and nodded. He watched her walk away with her people.


    s


    In the past, none of the three big camps had taken Kl Camp seriously. After Theresa¡¯s disy today, they finally had to take notice.


    For the first time, they saw there was a rising force outside worth paying attention to.


    All three were curious about this dark horse that had appeared out of nowhere.


    They still did not see K1 Camp as a real threat.


    No matter how big an outside base grew, it could not be bigger than them.


    What they did not know was that Theresa would surpass them.


    She was not running a single base. She was building a massive alliance.


    Theresa sat in the helicopter, thinking over the situation.


    She had not even started making big moves yet. Luck had already handed her a golden chance.


    All three major camps had just taken a beating.


    Ark Camp One had lost nearly half its people during their moon¨Cviewing event.


    Ark Camp Two¡¯s inhibitor experiment had failed. The camp leader, deputy leader, and research team were dead. The rest had lighter casualties.


    Ark Camp Three had been tricked by the fake inhibitor. Their leader and deputy were dead. Most of theirbor force was gone. They had wasted half their supplies on that junk.


    It was as if the heavens were lending her a hand.


    Rtions between the three camps were now frozen, especially between Two and Three. At this point, a fight between them seemed certain.


    She needed to move fast and hit them again before they named her as an enemy.


    By the time they realized what was happening, she had to be stronger than all of them.


    While she was thinking, she felt a pair of eyes on her.


    She looked up. ¡°What are you staring at me for?¡±


    Morgan smiled. ¡°What, no more calling yourself ¡®Dad¡°?¡±


    Theresa stayed silent for a moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m a civilized person.¡±


    ¡°I like it. You can still call yourself that if you want.¡±


    Theresa said nothing.


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    Chapter 419 Offer To Be Fifth¨CLevel Administrator


    She was pretty sure Morgan was out of his mind.


    Under her gaze, Morgan¡¯s smile grew brighter.


    The more he looked at her, the more delighted he seemed.


    The more he learned about her, the more she felt like a mystery.


    Her strength kept growing. Her personality was impossible to dislike.


    She was far too easy to like.


    Just when Theresa was ready to smack him, Morgan spoke again.


    ¡°Theresa, I¡¯m officially inviting you to join Ark Camp One,¡± he said.


    ¡°I can make you administrator of the fifth level.¡±


    Theresa raised a brow. ¡°The fifth level? What about you?¡±


    Morgan¡¯s handsome face lit up with a broad smile. ¡°I¡¯ll stay as the deputy camp leader.¡±


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    Theresa stared at him. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re the camp leader too.¡±


    <b>45 </b>Free Coins


    ¡°I¡¯m not. Our camp leader¡¯s identity is top secret.¡± Morgan¡¯s smile turned sly. ¡°However, if you marry me, I¡¯ll tell you who Ark Camp One¡¯s leader really is.¡±


    Theresa stayed silent for a beat.


    ¡°Thanks for the offer, but I¡¯m not that curious,¡± she tly said.


    She shut him down without hesitation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so quick to refuse. The betrothal gift I¡¯ll give you is generous. Just wait and see.¡±


    The helicopter returned to its station. Morgan hopped off once theynded.


    Theresa stood there, speechless.


    Her gaze moved over the people around him until itnded on Harry. She paused. ¡°You with that girl who borrowed a pad from me?¡±


    Harry froze for a second. It took him a moment to realize she meant Amy, the girl who had escaped Ark Camp One with him during the rescue. He smiled. ¡°Yeah. We got married.¡±


    ¡°Congrattions.¡± Theresa pped him on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll send you a wedding gift. I wish you all the


    best.¡±


    Harry was so ttered that he hardly knew what to say.


    He watched her board the helicopter with her people. His eyes carried a trace of tears.


    Two dayster, he received the gift Theresa had promised.


    It was a fruit basket. Onebel had his name on it and marked it as a wedding present.


    Warmth and gratitude rose in Harry¡¯s chest.


    Back at her base, Theresa began receiving invitations from every direction.


    The new leader of Ark Camp Three invited her over and over to bring the whole KI Camp under their g. He promised her the position of fifth¨Cfloor administrator and housing rights above the second floor for all her people.


    Ark Camp Two also reached out. They tried to lure her with a high price, though not as sincerely as Ark Camp Three.


    The most persistent one was still Morgan.


    Morgan was not trying to recruit her. Instead, he wanted to marry her.


    ¡°Old Mr. Keaton, I¡¯ve decided to give Theresa the position of fifth¨Clevel administrator in our camp. On top of that, I¡¯ll add a hundred thousand tons of food as a betrothal gift and take her as my wife.¡±


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    ¡°Old Mr. Keaton, think about it. If I marry her, I¡¯ll take care of every single person in your base.¡±


    s


    ¡°Old Mr. Keaton, I can even ept your entire base into mine. From then on, you¡¯ll all be under mymand.¡±


    ¡°Old Mr. Keaton, in this whole world, no one but me is worthy of her.¡±


    ¡°Old Mr. Keaton, why is Theresa still ignoring me?¡±


    ¡°Theresa, I knew you had that kind of charm.¡± Xavierughed out loud as he read Morgan¡¯s daily messages.


    Theresa said nothing.


    Lucas, standing nearby, saw the messages. He shut themunicator down with a cold look.


    ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to get married,¡± he firmly dered.


    Xavier¡¯s eyes were bright with amusement. ¡°Theresa is a fine youngdy. A gentleman would naturally want to pursue her. If you don¡¯t allow it, what¡¯s your reason?¡±


    ¡°Grandpa!¡± Lucas almost flipped the table at his grandfather¡¯s words.


    He was Lucas¡® family, yet his grandfather was siding with outsiders.


    ¡°Then, tell me why she can¡¯t marry him,¡± Xavier demanded.


    Lucas¡® ears turned red. He stumbled over his words before blurting out, ¡°Theresa belongs to the whole alliance. She can take a husband, but she can¡¯t marry out.¡±


    Xavier said dryly, ¡°By that logic, I could have Morgan marry into our family instead.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Lucas almost exploded. Why did it feel like his grandfather kept pushing her toward other people?


    ¡°Anyone who marries Theresa needs my approval.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°B¨CBecause I¡¯m¡­¡± Lucas stammered for a long moment, then dered with full confidence, ¡°I¡¯m Theresa¡¯s brother.¡±


    Theresa burst intoughter. ¡°You know what? I think you¡¯re right.¡±


    She got to her feet and waved at them. ¡°I¡¯ve got things to do. You two can keep arguing.¡±


    With the poise of a true boss, she walked out of Xavier¡¯s vi.


    Once she was gone, Xavier gave his grandson a look full of disappointment. ¡°Honestly. How did I end up with such a dense grandson?¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, I need to ask you something,¡± Lucas said, his face serious. ¡°Why were you siding with him just now<i>? </i>How could you push Theresa toward someone else?¡±


    Xavier snorted. ¡°Also, what was that nonsense you were spouting? Her brother? Needs your approval? is


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    Chapter 420 Morgan¡¯s Proposals


    that any way to put it?¡±


    Lucas thought for a moment, then looked up. ¡°Why not? Theresa agreed with me.¡±


    Xavier was speechless.


    Lucas went on. Grandpa, stay out of Theresa¡¯s personal matters from now on. She¡¯s not just a person


    She¡¯s the heart of the zing Sun Alliance. None of <b>us </b>can afford to lose her


    Xavier rubbed his temples with a sigh. ¡°Go on, get out of here. I knew you¡¯d be useless


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    Lucas didn¡¯t bother replying¨Chis silence said enough.


    s


    Xavier leaned back in his chair, watching his one and only grandson walk away. A deep sigh slipped out, then another, then another. The more he thought about it, the more certain he became.


    Hah¡­ who am <i>I </i>kidding? <i>If </i>I keep waiting for Lucas <i>to </i>bring a girl home and settle down, I¡¯ll <i>be </i>waiting till my <ist </i>breath. The boy¡¯s got everything¨Cbrains<i>, </i><i>looks</i>, ability<i>¨C</i><i>but </i>when ites <i>to </i><i>romance</i>? Ilopeless, <i>and </i>absolutely clueless


    Tessa, of all people¡­ She¡¯s bright, dazzling, the kind <i>of </i>woman most men <i>would </i><i>be </i>tripping over themselves for. What does my grandson do? Stands there <i>like </i>a tree, probably expecting <i>her </i><i>to </i><i>be </i><i>the </i><i>one </i><i>to </i><i>chase </i>him. <i>Honestly</i><i>¡­ </i><i>his </i><i>ambition </i>in love is about as alive as a <i>stone</i>.


    Xavier shook his head in quiet frustration. <i>Well</i>¡­ <i>at </i>least I <i>pulled </i>Theresa <i>into </i><i>the </i><i>Keaton </i><i>family </i><i>myself</i><i>. </i><i>Small </i>win, but I¡¯ll take it.


    Thinking of her made him think of Tania.


    He picked up his phone and dialed. ¡°Hey, Tania, been busy?¡±


    ¡°Not too bad,¡± she replied, her voice light and cheerful. ¡°Just hit a breakthrough in my research. I¡¯m about to head over to see Terry.¡±


    He replied. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t keep you. Go on, go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯lle by when things settle down,¡± she promised..


    A smile crept across Xavier¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±


    The line clicked off, leaving a gentle warmth in his chest.


    Tessa and her <i>aunt</i><i>¡­ </i><i>Now </i><i>those </i><i>two </i><i>are </i><i>the </i><i>real </i><i>deal</i><i>¨C</i><i>smart</i>, <i>capable</i><i>, </i><i>grounded</i>. <i>If </i><i>only </i><i>my </i>own <i>family </i><i>could </i>be more like them.


    Just as Tania hung up, a familiar voice called out.


    ¡°Aunt Tania!¡±


    ¡°Terry!¡±


    They closed the distance in seconds. Tania¡¯s face lit up like antern as she pulled her niece into a tight, smothering hug. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so much! Let me see¡­ have you lost weight? No, no, stand still. I need to check properly.¡±


    Theresa stood still and let her pinch her cheeks. ¡°Have you looked enough yet?¡±


    Tania¡¯s grin widened. ¡°Yup. Now for the best parte here, my gorgeous, slim Terry. I¡¯m going to smother you with kisses!¡±


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    She made good on the threat, nting one kiss after another until Theresa finally squirmed free,ughing and slightly out of breath. Her aunt¡¯s affection seemed to be hitting record highstely.


    ¡°Alright, alright, Aunt Tania, mercy! I need to talk to you,¡± Theresa said, fixing her hair.


    ¡°Perfect timing,¡± Tania replied with a teasing glint in her eyes. ¡°I need to talk to you, too.¡±


    ¡°You first,¡± Theresa offered, raising an eyebrow.


    Tania shook her head. ¡°No, you first. What¡¯s up?¡±


    Three minutester, they were seated in Tania¡¯s office.


    Theresa reached into her pocket and handed over a fire¨Cbased ability seed. She didn¡¯t exin what it was -just said it was good for her.


    Tania didn¡¯t even blink. She popped it straight into her mouth without asking a single question.


    Theresa kept her eyes locked on her, ready to react if something went wrong. Nothing did¨Cno odd reactions, no sign of difort.


    Then, a voice rang in her mind.


    <i>¡®</i><i>Ding</i><i>! </i>Camp guard Tania Owen¨CGray has awakened her fire¨Cbased ability.


    <i>¡®</i><i>Ding</i><i>! </i>Congrattions! You have obtained the guard¡¯s fire¨Ctype ability. Duplicate detected¨Cconverting to proficiency.¡¯


    <i>¡®</i><i>Ding</i><i>! </i>Warning: This camp guard¡¯s granted ability can be revoked at any time.¡®


    Theresa¡¯s heart skipped a beat. I <i>knew </i><i>it</i><i>¡­ </i><i>I </i><i>was </i><i>right</i>.


    <i>The </i><i>system </i>won¡¯t <i>let </i><i>me </i><i>grab </i><i>the </i><i>same </i><i>ability </i><i>twice</i><i>¨C</i><i>but </i><i>if </i><i>I </i><i>give </i><i>the </i><i>seed </i><i>to </i><i>one </i><i>of </i><i>my </i><i>own </i><i>people</i>, their <i>awakened </i>power <i>bounces </i><i>right </i><i>back </i>to <i>me</i><i>. </i><i>Perfect</i>.


    <i>That </i><i>means </i><i>every </i><i>time </i><i>I </i><i>strengthen </i><i>my </i><i>team</i><i>, </i>I¡¯m <i>strengthening </i><i>myself </i><i>too</i><i>. </i><i>The </i><i>whole </i>camp <i>benefits </i><i>more </i><i>than </i>if I kept <i>everything </i><i>for </i><i>myself</i><i>. </i><i>This </i><i>changes </i><i>everything</i>.


    <i>Wait</i><i>¡­ </i><i>hold </i><i>on</i>. <i>That </i><ist </i><i>prompt</i><i>¡­ </i><i>¡°</i><i>ability </i><i>can </i><i>be revoked</i><i>.</i><i>¡± </i>


    So, <i>because </i><i>I¡¯m </i><i>the </i>one who <i>gave </i><i>it</i><i>, </i><i>I </i><i>can </i><i>take </i><i>it </i><i>back </i><i>whenever </i><i>I </i>want<i>?</i><i>Whata </i>dangerous kind <i>of </i>control¡­


    Her eyes practically gleamed.


    Meanwhile, Tania still hadn¡¯t noticed what she¡¯d just gained. She smiled and said, ¡°Terry, our research team finally made a major breakthrough. Remember the zombie¨Csensing spray I made before? We¡¯ve got an upgraded version now¨Cit works on high¨Clevel zombies.¡±


    Theresa felt like she¡¯d just stepped from one pleasant surprise straight into another.


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    Chapter 421 Loopholes and Breakthroughs


    The system¡¯s abilities were incredible, but human innovation was the real foundation of survival.


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    Tania¡¯s original zombie¨Csensing spray had been a lifesaver in the early days, but as zombies evolved, its effectiveness dropped. Now, with this upgrade, they were back in the game.


    Theresa never saw the system as the sole answer. She treated it as a tool <i>to </i>store and channel power, which she then invested into strengthening humanity¨Cfarming, industry, research, equipment, medicine¡­ everything.


    What belonged to the system stayed with the system. What she built with her own hands belonged to her.


    True human strength would alwayse from themselves.


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 Kept Woman 422

    Chapter 422 mes, Quotas, and an Unexpected Roadblock


    Chapter 422 mes, Quotas, and an Unexpected Roadblock


    ¡°How high are we talking?¡± Theresa asked without hesitation.


    ¡°Level 3, Tania answered, then shrugged. ¡°Can¡¯t say where the ceiling is.¡±


    Theresa pressed, ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±


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    ¡°We haven¡¯t tested on anything stronger,¡± Tania said, her tone a little helpless. ¡°Every zombie we¡¯ve gotten so far is under Level 3. Not a single one past that mark.¡±


    Her brows drew together. ¡°The improved zombie¨Csensing spray got stuck at a bottleneck. Without higher- level zombies to work with, I can¡¯t push it further. If I had a few, there might be another breakthrough.¡±


    Theresa opened her mouth to respond when the system¡¯s crisp chime cut straight into her thoughts.


    Ding<i>! </i>Ultimate <i>Leader </i>System <i>activated</i><i>. </i>


    <i>Complete </i><i>the </i><i>challenge </i><i>of </i><i>killing </i>10,000 <i>zombies </i>within 24 <i>hours </i><i>to </i><i>earn </i><i>ten </i><i>random </i><i>rewards</i><i>! </i>


    Her lips twitched into a grin. <i>Well</i><i>, </i><i>if </i><i>that </i><i>isn¡¯t </i>perfect timing<i>. </i>


    ¡°Aunt Tania, stay home. I¡¯ll bring you all the high¨Clevel zombies you need,¡± she called over her shoulder.


    Before Tania could process the words, Theresa was already halfway out the door.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Tania rushed after her, meaning to tell her to bring more people and watch herself. Mid¨Cstride, something red warm in her palm. She froze, staring as a me danced to life on her skin.


    <i>What </i>on earth¡­? She tried again, and another burst of fire leapt from her hand. <i>It¡¯s </i><i>real</i><i>. </i>Am I <i>having </i><i>an </i><i>ability </i>now?


    ¡°Terry!¡± she shouted toward the shrinking figure. ¡°I¡¯ve got an ability now!¡±


    Theresa waved without slowing down. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Aunt Tania!¡±


    Tania¡¯s face broke into a smile. I¡¯m <i>not </i><i>just </i>an <i>ordinary </i><i>human </i><i>anymore</i><i>. </i><i>I </i><i>can </i><i>finally </i><i>stand </i><i>alongside </i>Terry <i>in </i><i>a </i><i>fight</i><i>. </i>That thought alone made her heart feel lighter.


    It was the third year, the second month of the apocalypse.


    The Eastern climate had started to warm up this year¨Cno more endless blizzards or the bone¨Cdeep cold of thest two winters. Theresa knew that once the year ended, things would only get milder while the zombies got nastier.


    Full evolution was right around the corner. By spring, every zombie would begin at Level 1 with skin tough as armor. Many would have speed or strength mutant abilities, and elemental¨Ctype abilities would be almostmonce.


    In herst life, that was when the real nightmare began. With production crippled after three harsh years, survival was already a struggle. Then the evolved hordes came, overwhelming camp after camp.


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    Chapter 422 mes, Quotas, and an Unexpected Roadblock


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    This time was different.


    Ansford was theirs. The city¡¯s massive walls kept back the endless stream of zombies from the Branford and Crestmont. Inside, humans were getting stronger, and the zombies¡® advantage was slipping away.


    High¨Clevel zombies, though, those would only be found beyond reimed zones. If she wanted high¨Clevel zombies, she¡¯d have to head farther out.


    Amassive zombie crusher rumbled out through the city gates. The iron scoop chewed through the crowd like a giant¡¯s jaw, grinding bodies to pulp and painting a straight crimson trail. Gleamstones ttered into the modified catch¨Cbin with every push forward.


    Theresa lounged in the driver¡¯s seat, one foot on the elerator, humming under her breath as her mental counter ticked up in satisfying little +1, +1, +1 increments.


    Halfway to her quota already.


    ¡°Beautiful, this is way too much fun,¡± Quentin said with a grin.


    ¡°Of course it is,¡± Theresa replied, ncing at the onlypanion she¡¯d brought along.


    His eyebrow lifted. ¡°So, besides mowing down zombies, what else puts that look on your


    face?¡±


    Theresa didn¡¯t even need to think. ¡°Plenty of things. Eating something amazing makes me happy. A good drink makes me happy. ying with dogs, hitting the shops with my aunt, watching the grain in my fields. turn golden¨Cthat¡¯s happiness right there. Seeing my alliance grow stronger day by day, or smacking around some idiot who¡¯s asking for it¨Cpure joy. Honestly, I can find something to smile about in almost anything. I¡¯m basically a walking ball of sunshine.¡±


    Then <b>a </b>slow smirk spread across his face. ¡°Want to know what makes you happy?¡±


    She didn¡¯t even look at him. ¡°Save the cheesy lines for someone else.¡±


    Quentin¡¯s mouth snapped shut. When did <i>we </i>reach the <i>point </i>where she can guess exactly what I¡¯m about to say?


    Just then, the bulldozer jolted hard and came to a stop.


    Theresa¡¯s gaze dropped to the front scoop. A dirt man had copsed right in its path. The safety system had triggered¨Cno movement allowed when a living human was detected inside its clearing range.


    From her seat high above, she studied the figure.


    Bundled in three thickyers from head to toe, his age was impossible to read Judging from the build, he


    looked like a man.


    10:39 Fri, 22 Aug


    Chapter 423 A School of Zombies

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    Chapter 423 A School of Zombies


    Chapter 423 A School of Zombies


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    The bulldozer rolled down a section of road that wasn¡¯t heavily popted by zombies. A man, dressed exactly like them, blended in so well that no one could tell he was actually alive.


    But when he suddenly copsed, it drew the attention of the scattered zombies on either side of the road.


    One by one, the decaying zombies¨Csome rotting for years¨Copened their dark brown mouths, unable to produce any fluids.


    Their faces were covered in infected wounds and hollow craters.


    These disfigurements were caused by long¨Cterm parasitic infections that had been eating away at them from the inside.


    During the winter months, the parasites had died, leaving only ck eggs buried deep within their decaying flesh.


    The zombies charged forward, looking like corpses that had just wed their way out of graves.


    Realizing they were closing in on him, the fallen man screamed at the two people inside Theresa¡¯s vehicle.


    ¡°What are you waiting for? Are you just going to leave me here after hitting me?


    ¡°Come on¨Chelp me out!¡±


    Theresa nced at the man, who looked like a homeless drifter, and waved him off casually as she pressed down on the elerator.


    With a loud metallic ng, the bulldozer surged ahead, and the grinding mechanism on the truck kicked back into gear.


    The machine rumbled forward with confidence.


    The injured man scrambled to escape, rolling and crawling just fast enough to avoid being crushed beneath Theresa¡¯s vehicle.


    A calm female voice echoed down from the truck.


    ¡°Who are you trying to trick? It¡¯s the end of the world¨Cnobody¡¯s falling for your act.¡±


    At that, the man exploded with rage. ¡°Trick? I¡¯m not tricking anyone! You almost ran me over, then used me of faking it? Don¡¯t run! Stop, you jerks!¡±


    If she had the time, Theresa might have gotten down just to punch him a few times herself, but her mission was urgent¨Cshe had to eliminate ten thousand zombies within 24 hours.


    She couldn¡¯t waste a second on someone so insignificant.


    As she drove forward, the bulldozer¡¯s de flung crushed zombie remains in his direction.


    Seeing this, the man¡¯s expression shifted, and he shouted insults at Theresa before running away.


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    As she watched him sprint off in panic, something caught Theresa¡¯s attention. He was incredibly fast¨Cand his running form was unusually perfect, moving in a straight, unwavering line.


    Maybe it was just the angle, but it looked too precise to be normal.


    Theresa turned her eyes toward a row of buildings up ahead.


    As they got closer, even more zombies started to appear.


    They came rushing out from both sides of the road.


    Most of them were wearing identical uniforms.


    Male zombies wore white shirts with shorts, while the females had on white blouses paired with id skirts.


    They were all strikingly young.


    This had once been a prestigious private middle school.


    Now, the campus held no trace of life¨Conly an oppressive stillness broken by the shuffle of undead feet.


    The entire ce had be a school of zombies.


    Theresa recalled that in the third year after the apocalypse, a formidable Level 4 zombie had emerged from here¨Crumored to have been a terrifying zombie teacher.


    Riverdale Middle School was a renowned private institution in the Eastern district, housing both junior and senior high divisions on the same grounds.


    Its architecture was impressive, resembling something out of a campus romance drama.


    Tiered corridors linked the various ssroom wings, and beyond them stood sportsplexes, music halls, and even a domed observatory.


    Students here once had the chance to explore countless hobbies and talents.


    Now, their only interest was devouring human flesh.


    Roar


    A horde of zombie students burst from the school doors.


    Beneath the washed¨Cout daylight, they charged forward with a speed and energy befitting their youthful bodies, arms swinging wildly, gray eyes gleaming with hunger.


    One of the fastest among them stood out¨Conce an athlete, wearing a ck headband with lettering, dressed in light sportswear and high socks.


    In life, it had met a gruesome end¨Cits face mauled beyond recognition. The entire left side, from eye socker to cheekbone, had been torn away by other zombies, leaving a gaping, blood¨Csoaked cavity.


    Years into the apocalypse, the wound had festered into a swollen, ckened mass of pus and decay.


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    Chapter 423 A School of Zombies


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    The remaining skin, stretched taut by the corpse¡¯s transformation, clung tightly to the grotesque swelling, as though it might split open at any moment.


    Yet its injuries did nothing to slow its pace.


    It surged ahead of the others, charging straight for Theresa.


    About 16 feet away, it stopped abruptly, raised its arms, bent its legs, and sprang off the ground in a powerful leap.


    10:39 Fri, 22 Aug


    Chapter 424 Her Homeroom Teacher

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    Chapter 424 Her Homeroom Teacher


    Chapter 424 Her Homeroom Teacher


    Bang!


    The ss in front of Theresa shuddered as the zombie studentnded squarely before her.


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    It pressed its face against the windshield, its gaping, withered mouth opening wide like a bottomless pit.


    A rasping wheeze escaped as it gnawed at the ss, its jagged teeth scraping and squealing in a way that made her skin crawl.


    ¡°Hehehehe!


    Hehehe!¡±


    Bang!


    Just as it bit down with renewed force, the windshield wiper snapped up from below, its steel edge dragging across the ss before catapulting the zombie backward.


    Beneath, the bulldozer¡¯s spinning des whirred viciously.


    In the next heartbeat, the creature was caught and shredded into pieces.


    <i>Boom- </i>


    Theresa floored the elerator, and the Zombie Reaper roared to life, thundering toward the zombie- infested middle school.


    ¡°Aooo-


    ¡°Aooo!¡±


    From the school grounds, the zombies poured out in a frenzy.


    Theresa plowed through them without slowing, the Zombie Reaper¡¯s des cutting down everything in its path.


    Her mind filled with the crisp chime of kill counts.


    Six thousand three hundred and ten.


    Six thousand four hundred and eighty.


    Six thousand five hundred and ny


    Six thousand eight hundred and eighty


    Seven thousand and three.


    Eight thousand <i>nine </i>hundred <i>and </i>fifty<i>. </i>


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    By the time she had nearly cleared the area outside the ssroom wing, the tally was just shy of nine


    thousand.


    She figured that sweeping through the building¡¯s interior¨Cand making one more pass on her way out- would push the number past ten thousand.


    Now, she had only one priority¨Ctracking down the high¨Clevel zombie rumored to be here.


    At that moment, on the rooftop of a nearby ssroom wing, a group of survivors spotted her.


    ¡°Look! Someone¡¯se to our school!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s killing zombies! She¡¯s wiping out all the zombies!¡±


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯s here to rescue us?¡±


    ¡°Rescue? Don¡¯t be stupid. No one rescues anyone anymore. They¡¯re definitely from another camp!¡± a boy of about 16 or 17 said coldly.


    ¡°Yeah. Look at their gear¨Clook at that vehicle. It¡¯s heavily modified. They¡¯re from another camp, hunting for supplies.¡±


    ¡°If they find us, they¡¯ll take our food!¡±


    ¡°And probably kill us!¡±


    ¡°What now? Mr. Collier hasn¡¯te back yet!¡±


    ¡°Keep your eyes on them and make sure they don¡¯t notice us. We¡¯ll go warn Mr. Collier.¡±


    The teens¨Cboys and girls alike¨Churriedly conferred on the rooftop.


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    After a brief discussion, three of them hurried off, leaving four behind to keep watch from the rooftop.


    From above, they saw Theresa step out of her vehicle and head toward the office building.


    Their expressions instantly shifted.


    Theresa entered the building.


    She remembered this middle school vividly¨Cmainly because multiple missions had once been broadcast over the radio, calling for raids on this very ce.


    Back then, it was described as a private institution that operated year¨Cround, with no summer or winter breaks, and maintained strict lockdown management. That meant the campus was packed with supplies.


    The grounds reportedly housed three separate supermarkets, and the cafeteria rivaled those ofrge universities<b>. </b>


    Each food stall stocked staples like rice and flour in bulk.


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    When that mission went out, several teams had attempted to breach the school, but none had seeded.


    Eventually, a warning spread. A Level 4¨Cor possibly higher¨Czombie king roamed the campus. A monster- beyond terrifying.


    With that thought in mind, Theresa moved directly toward the office building.


    If the creature had once been a teacher, this was the most likely ce to find it.


    She pushed open the ss doors, their surface dulled beneath a thick coat of dust, and stepped into a vast hall.


    Inside stood two rows of withered green nts, long dead. The walls were lined with framed profiles of the school¡¯s most distinguished teachers.


    On the far wall, bold characters proimed: ¡®Educating and teaching is a pleasure.


    Her gaze swept the disys, absorbing every detail.


    Two gold¨Cframed portraits, one on either side, caught her attention.


    One read Marzia Dalton; the other, Barrett Collier.


    Both biographies were lengthy. Barrett appeared to be a teacher in his thirties or forties. Marzia, over seventy, had been retired but brought back to teach again.


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lingered on Marzia¡¯s face, and she froze.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Quentin asked.


    ¡°She used to be my homeroom teacher,¡± Theresa said quietly.


    Quentin blinked in surprise.


    He had rarely heard Theresa speak about her past.


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    ¡°You went to school here?¡±


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    ¡°No, my teacher retired after my ss, but then got rehired here,¡± Theresa said. ¡°He was incredible. Remembered every student like we were his own kids.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Quentin nodded, confused. ¡°I never went to school. I don¡¯t really know.¡±


    Theresa blinked in surprise. ¡°You didn¡¯t go to school at all? Not even mandatory education?¡±


    ¡°My mom lied to my dad, said public schools were bad, and promised to send me to a private school. Then, she dropped me off at the cheapest daycare she could find. My old man¡¯s money was the only thing she wanted.


    ¡°The daycare didn¡¯t want me after a while. I stayed home until I ended up in juvie.¡±


    Theresa listened quietly. ¡°It¡¯s a wonder you can even read.¡±


    Quentin stayed silent.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be down on yourself,¡± she said kindly. ¡°Being a homebody counts. You¡¯re already ahead of a lot of people.¡±


    ¡°Seriously? There are people with less schooling than me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Like unborn babies.¡±


    He almost jumped to bite her.


    Suddenly, sharp footsteps echoed from the right stairwell.


    Theresa looked toward the sound.


    In the silent hallway, a ck stiletto appeared first.


    The heel hit the floor, revealing a long leg wrapped in sheer stockings. Next came a short ck skirt, a tight zer, and a crisp white blouse.


    The woman stumbled down the stairs.


    She clearly wasn¡¯t used to those heels,


    Momentum pushed her forward for several unsteady steps.


    Finally steady, the woman lowered her head right in front of them.


    ¡°Grrr-¡±


    The zombie teacher raised her pale, twisted face in a feral grin. Starving, she ignored the painful heels and charged forward with pounding footsteps.


    At the same time, shuffling came from the left stairwell.


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    Chapter 425 Survivors


    Four or five zombies poured down, missing arms, legs, half¨Ceaten faces, hollowed bellies.


    These old zombies had been starving for years. Fresh prey sent them rushing forward.


    ¡°Hungry.¡±


    ¡°So hungry.¡±


    The monsters were being driven by their hunger.


    Something slithered out of its scabbard.


    Theresa drew her de fast. She shed clean across the nearest zombie¡¯s skull.


    Blood sttered as the creature dropped instantly.


    She grabbed Quentin, pulled him behind her, and tore through the oing horde.


    One sh, one kill.


    Her moves were sharp and precise.


    There was no wasted motion and no theatrics.


    Within thirty seconds, all charging zombiesy dead.


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    Theresa told Quentin to pick up the gleamstones scattered around. She made deliberate noise on the first floor, trying to lure any upstairs zombies down.


    When done, she moved upstairs.


    The office building had five floors.


    Theresa killed eleven zombies in total.


    Still, something felt off.


    Too few zombies for a ce this big.


    Puzzled, she finished the first floor and moved up.


    The second floor was eerily quiet.


    Dust trails were the only signs of the earlier fight.


    She checked each room quickly.


    No zombies.


    The third floor was just as silent


    Dead quiet.


    From the third floor up, the office connected to the school building next door.


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    Chapter 425 Survivors


    Theresa swept each floor carefully.


    After killing three stragglers, she was sure no high¨Clevel zombies hid inside.


    As she prepared to check the school building, she spotted several shadows on the rooftop.


    They moved quickly, trying to hide, but Theresa¡¯s sharp eyes caught them. <i>People</i>? she thought.


    Without hesitation, Theresa grabbed Quentin and sprinted toward the school building.


    She ran down a long corridor to the stairs.


    Three quick stepster, she reached the rooftop and faced a locked door.


    She kicked the door open with brutal force.


    Nothing could stop Theresa¨Cnot locked doors, not zombies.

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    Chapter 426 On the Rooftop


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    Theresa kicked the door open with a fierce, sharp crack and stepped onto the rooftop where she had spotted movement moments ago.


    But the space was deserted.


    There was not a soul in sight.


    Her eyes scanned every corner, sharp and restless.


    Suddenly, the low rumble of her Zombie Reaper echoed from below.


    She rushed to the edge and spotted a few teenagers gathered near her vehicle. Two boys swung stools wildly, smashing metal and ss with savage energy.


    ¡°Hey! Cut it out!¡± Theresa yelled, voice sharp andmanding.


    The teens nced up briefly, then dove right back into destruction.


    A girl raised a ragged cloth with words scrawled boldly across it: ¡°Get lost now or we¡¯ll turn your ride into junk!¡±


    Theresa¡¯s blood boiled, heat ring through her veins.


    Perfect.


    They were looking for a fight.


    Grabbing Quentin¡¯s arm, she spun around, ready to hunt down these troublemakers.


    Then, the school bell rang sharply, slicing through the tense air like a de.


    The kids froze, their faces paling like they¡¯d heard a ghost.


    Stools dropped with a tter.


    They bolted toward the school building behind them, feet pounding the pavement


    Theresa¡¯s eyes darted around, watching as zombies stirred in every nearby building, drawn like ants to spilled honey.


    They converged relentlessly on the school


    The swarm poured in from every side, a tidal wave of decay and hunger


    A powerful tremor rippled through the horde.


    ¡°There¡¯s a zombie king close, Beautiful! Quentin said yes narrow and alert


    Level 4 or above


    Theresa stared down at the massive throng swirling below like birds circling prey, her gaze snapping


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    Chapter 426 On the Rooftop


    upward toward the invisible presence controlling them.


    She¡¯d never sensed anything like this before.


    Level 4 zombie¡­


    So, this was what that meant.


    Her heart hammered with fierce excitement.


    She reached out with her mind, searching for the zombie king¡¯s position ¨C


    Then the pulse vanished, like a candle snuffed out.


    Gone? she thought.


    She blinked, confused, and looked down again.


    The low¨Clevel zombies still clung to the school¡¯s perimeter, unmoving and waiting.


    Her brow furrowed in suspicion.


    ¡°We need to check it out.¡±


    Theresa grabbed Quentin¡¯s hand and headed down the stairwell without hesitation.


    Taking Quentin along was a smart move.


    In moments like these, with danger thick in the air, Theresa often thought about pulling back.


    But with Quentin beside her, she felt no fear at all.


    Neither one of them flinched at the undead.


    They just had to stay sharp and focused.


    Theresa unleashed her senses as they moved down the fifth¨Cfloor corridor.


    Her mind swept through the ssrooms, each filled with lingering presence.


    Every room held zombies.


    Her frown deepened, and she squeezed Quentin¡¯s hand tighter.


    At the window of the first ssroom, the sight hit her like a punch


    The room <b>was </b>parked to the brin


    Rows of students sat rigidly in their neal uniforms


    Every single head turned in yidson toward Theresa revealing hollow, roited faces


    It was a whole ssroom ofbac kids


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    At her gaze, they erupted in a chaotic frenzy.


    They surged toward the back door, pounding on it with savage, desperate force.


    The old wooden door shuddered violently, as if it might shatter at any moment.


    Dust cascaded down like dead leaves in a dry autumn storm.


    Faded yellow paint cracked and ked, shedding years of neglect.


    Theresa caught every detail, every small sign.


    Something was definitely wrong.


    That door had to be locked tight.


    It swung outward, so it couldn¡¯t be locked from the inside.


    Her eyes fixed on the lock.


    Under Quentin¡¯s watchful gaze, she pressed down hard on the handle.


    ¡°Beautiful, I¡¯ll¡ª¡±


    Before Quentin could finish, a solid click echoed.


    Theresa¡¯s test was over.


    She met firm resistance.


    The door was locked.


    She had been right all along.


    Locked tight.


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    Looking at the desperate zombie students trapped behind the wooden barrier, Theresa turned sharply and strode purposefully toward the front entrance.

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    Chapter 427 The ssroom


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    Theresa moved down the dim hallway, and the zombie students inside the ssrooms shifted as one, their empty eyes locked onto her with chilling focus.


    She reached the front door and pressed the handle down.


    Firm resistance stopped her cold.


    She tested every ssroom along the corridor.


    Each room was packed with undead students, and every single door was locked tight from the outside.


    After checking several ssrooms on the fifth floor, Theresa said, ¡°Someone¡¯s locking these doors from the outside.


    How do you know?¡±


    ¡°Because none of the ssrooms¡® doors can be locked from the inside.


    Some schools might have that kind of mechanism, but most did not.


    The fact that these doors were locked could only mean one thing: these zombie kids were locked up. There was someone doing this.


    They were never released.


    ¡°So why are there still so many zombie kids out there if they¡¯re supposed to be locked in?¡± Quentin asked, brows furrowed.


    Theresa raised her head to check the ssrooms¡® signs.


    Senior year.


    Theresa pointed at the ss signs above the doors.


    ¡°They¡¯re all seniors. Senior sses start early.


    The other gradeseter. Only these kids are locked in.¡±


    Quentin nodded, impressed by her sharp observation and clear reasoning.


    ¡°So, they locked them up because they turned into zombies?¡±


    Theresa shook her head slowly, lost in thought. I¡¯m not sure yet.¡±


    There was not enough info to be certain of the guess.


    Before she could gather more, a sharp, piercing scream tore through the air from the fourth floor.


    The scream cracked the silence like a whip, sparking chaos inside and out.


    The zombie students pounding on the locked doors went berserk, mming with brutal force.


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    Chapter 427 The ssroom


    Outside, the surrounding zombies snapped out of their trance and exploded into a frenzy.


    They tore through the streets like a tidal wave of decay, limbs iling wildly as they charged toward the school.


    Suddenly, a window in the earliest ssroom behind Theresa shattered with a deafening crash.-


    A flood of zombies burst through, crashing onto jagged shards of broken ss.


    Several zombie boys fell first, sprawling and struggling to rise amid the cruel, sharp floor.


    Behind them, a wave of zombies trampled their fallenrades, grinding torn flesh against razor¨Csharp ss.


    The air was thick with the sickening sounds of cracking bones and guttural groans, a brutal symphony of


    carnage.


    The zombie students surged forward with savage hunger.


    ssroom after ssroom, windows exploded open as waves of the undead poured out in thick, relentless


    swarms


    Their faces were pale and cracked with ck veins, bodies scarred with deep bite marks and rotting flesh.


    Few remained even remotely whole.


    Leading the pack, a zombie girl sprinted with half her skull missing, thick, brain¨Clike goo oozing and dripping from the raw wound like melting wax.


    A chorus of chilling howls echoed through the halls, a haunting symphony of death and decay.


    Theresa clenched Quentin¡¯s hand tightly and bolted down the stairs.


    By the time they reached the fourth floor, zombies flooded up the stairwell from below like a dark river.


    A bloated zombie chef blocked their path, staggering forward.


    Despite years of decay, his bulky frame was unmistakable.


    He wore a filthy white apron stained dark with dried blood and tattered sleeve guards.


    His gray, lifeless eyes locked on Theresa with relentless hunger.


    A gaping hole on one side of his neck dripped dried blood like a morbid faucet, leaking life.


    He looked like a nightmare chef ripped from the darkest horror film.


    He swung his sleeve¨Ccovered arms wildly, charging with terrifying excitement.


    Zombies poured in from every direction, a relentless tide rising toward the fourth floor.


    Theresa scanned the surroundings fast, plotting to trap them in a deadly choke point on the stairs.


    Suddenly, a ssroom door mmed open behind her.


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    Chapter 427 The ssroom


    Two teenagers burst into view, shouting urgently, their faces etched with panic.


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    ¡°Get over here!¡±


    ¡°Come on!¡±


    ¡°Hurry up!¡±


    Theresa stared at them. These were the same kids who smashed her car just moments ago.


    Reece Turner and Heidi Johnston stood nervously by the open door, shouting for Theresa to hurry.


    After calling her three times, they finally spotted Theresa running over with the man beside her.


    ¡°Hurry!


    ¡°The zombies are already here!¡±


    They saw zombie senior girls storming down the stairs and the bloated zombie chef charging up from below, all colliding in the hallway like a violent storm.


    Their eyes widened with panic. They shouted even louder, ¡°Move! The zombies areing!¡±


    Without hesitation, Theresa pulled a razor¨Csharp weapon from behind her back, the cold de aimed directly at the two teens.


    Reece and Heidi¡¯s eyes went wide with fear.


    Before they could react, a zombie senior guy lunged out from the door behind them, mouth wide and dripping with blood.


    It bit down hard on Reece¡¯s hand, gripping the doorknob.


    Theresa¡¯s silver de shed like lightning, slicing clean through the air.


    A zombie head hit the floor with a heavy thud right in front of them.


    Reece and Heidi froze, shock rooted deep in their eyes.


    Theresa darted into the ssroom with them.


    ¡°Close the door now!¡± she ordered sharply.


    Outside, hungry snarls and heavy stomping filled the air


    Reece snapped out of it. yanking the door shut and pulling Heidi with hun,


    The wooden door shook violently as the pounding zombies skummet against it again and again.


    The door couldy¡¯s fork from inside


    Luckily, it swung outward


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    The zombies outside hammered on it, but the door wouldn¡¯t budge.


    Theresa watched as Reece wedged a stick under the handle, holding it tight.


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    Seeing the door stand firm despite the furious assault, he rxed and backed away toward his group by the


    window.


    Four teenagers stood there, all about sixteen or seventeen years old.


    They watched Theresa with guarded eyes, muscles tense and ready for anything.


    ¡°You guys the ones who smashed my car?¡± Theresa asked.


    The four exchanged nervous looks.


    Heidi spoke up. ¡°We just saved your life back there.¡±


    ¡°So what? You still smashed my car,¡± Theresa snapped back.


    The boy¡¯s muttered among themselves uneasily.


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have helped them,¡± one said quietly.


    ¡°They¡¯re trouble.¡±


    ¡°What if theye after us now?¡±


    Theresa smirked, amused by their worries.


    When they called her in, she already knew these kids weren¡¯t bad.


    Almost three years of surviving the apocalypse hadn¡¯t erased their innocent hope.


    Just you four? Theresa asked again.


    Reece stepped forward, voice defensive. ¡°We¡¯ve got more with us. You can¡¯t just kill us.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Mr. Collier is tough.


    We¡¯ve got powers¡±


    ¡°We outnumber you


    ¡°<i>You¡¯d </i>bruce chave?


    ¡°Now get out


    ¡°Don¡¯t hang around here!


    They irical to wund condidro


    Thereas amilind candly


    Real tough puque du wear words¡±


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    She drew her knife with a sharp snick and mmed the de into a nearby chair with a harsh ng


    The four teens paled instantly, stepping back in terror.


    Especially Reece and Heidi.


    They still remembered how Theresa sliced through a zombie just minutes ago.


    Their minds went nk.


    They stared at her like frightened deer caught in headlights.


    ¡°Answer my questions.


    ¡°No lies,¡± Theresa said, brandishing the knife.


    All four nodded quickly.


    ¡°How many people are in your group?¡±


    ¡°Eight.¡±


    ¡°Just eight?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.


    Seven students and Mr. Collier.¡±


    ¡°What about your teacher?¡±


    ¡°Out scavenging for supplies.¡±


    ¡°So where are the other students?¡±


    Our with Mr. Collier¡®


    Theresa narrowed her eyes. ¡°Where do you all live?


    In this building¡±


    This oper


    Yeah The school building¡¯s the safest ce!


    Theresa frowned unsure what to sake of thet


    Suddenly, the school bar rang agam garply the de


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    The school bell rang sharply, and the four students scrambled to their seats like they were racing against


    time.


    ¡°Sit down, now!¡±


    ¡°Come on, hurry!¡±


    Reece shouted at Theresa with urgency.


    Theresa didn¡¯t understand why, but nodded and followed his lead.


    She pulled Quentin down beside her without hesitation.


    Outside, the relentless pounding of zombies on the door suddenly stopped, falling into an eerie silence.


    She nced out the window and saw the crowd of zombies scattering like leaves in a sudden gust of wind.


    Without warning, a booknded softly on her desk.


    ¡°Focus on your studies!¡±


    Theresa stared at the book, speechless.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look anywhere else. Just study!¡±


    Reece gave themand before sitting up straight in front of the ssroom, his voice steady and serious as he began reciting.


    ¡°Abandon, abandon¡­¡±


    Theresa studied the textbook that had been toysed to her, her eyes tracing the words carefully.


    Suddenly, she felt a heavy, solid gaze sweep over her like an invisible weight pressing down,


    It was the kind of stare that felt like a teacher¡¯s strict warning before calling you out in ss<b>. </b>


    Then, the stick wedged under the door handle dropped with a tter.


    The door creaked open slowly.


    ¡®Abandon


    The four students inside the ssroom shouted the word loudly and in unison, their voices echoing.


    Theresa beard footsteps approach from behind


    But strangely, her mind power detected no life form¨Cneither human nor zombie.


    Her mind unmediately shed to Lana


    She was a powerful mental maniption ability user, able to conceal her presencepletely.


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    Chapter 429 Signal


    The footsteps stopped right behind Theresa.


    Suddenly, a wooden pointer mmed down hard onto her desk.


    She tensed instantly, muscles coiling like a spring.


    Quentin broke the tense silence.


    ¡°How do you say this word?¡±


    Theresa looked down at the first word in the book.


    She said slowly, ¡°Abandon.¡±


    ¡°Ab¨Can¨Cdon?¡±


    ¡°Abandon,¡± Theresa repeated, clenching her fists tightly.


    Quentin repeated carefully, ¡°A¡­ ban¡­ don.¡±


    The shadow behind Theresa turned away slowly.


    Soft footsteps¨C<i>tap</i>¨C<i>tap</i><i>!</i>-faded.


    The figure exited the ssroom.


    The door closed quietly behind them.


    Outside, the low, guttural growls of zombies still whispered through the halls.


    The eerie noises seemed to retreat, as if respecting the quiet in the ssroom.


    The four students waited patiently until the footsteps faded into the distance.


    They looked worn out, as if they had just fought a brutal battle.


    Swear had soaked through their shirts.


    ¡°It¡¯s safe now<i>.</i>¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s going to happen for the rest of the day


    Theresa asked quietly. ¡°Why?¡±


    Suddenly, a sharp, piercing scream sliced through the air outside, echoing across the yground.


    ¡°That¡¯s Raque!


    Reece and the others rushed to the window, their faces tightening with concern.


    Outside, a girl was trapped, surrounded by a small group of snarling zombies on the yground.


    Her desperate screams drew even more zombies pouring out from the school building.


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    Chapter 429 Signal


    She was like a zing beacon, an irresistible feast luring every monster near.


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    Just as the lead zombie lunged at her, a bulky figure in ck tore through the crowd with deadly speed.


    He scooped the girl up and charged forward with unstoppable force. Two other students, faster than normal, darted right behind him.


    The boys upstairs caught sight of the scene.


    ¡°Mr. Collier is back!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get upstairs and back them up!¡±


    Reece and the others didn¡¯t hesitate and burst out of the ssroom.


    By then, the zombies outside had vanished without a trace.


    The hallways were empty, calm but tense.


    They sprinted up the stairs in a breathless rush to the rooftop where they had been before.


    Once on the roof, they raced straight to the ropes hidden behind the water tank.


    They threw the rope over the edge, lobbing it high to catch the group climbing up from below.


    Theresa stood steady on the rooftop, watching intently as the four people below grabbed the rope and secured it tightly around their waists.


    There were four of them¨Cthree guys and one girl.


    Once the ropes were tied off, the group above climbed up to the water tank.


    They lifted the heavy lid to reveal an old¨Cfashioned pump handle, like something from a rural well.


    One of the boys pressed down hard on the pump, pushing the air out of the tank with powerful strokes.


    Theresa heard a sharp hiss as a valve opened. The vacuum spun the gears fast, pulling the rope taut and hoisting the people below swiftly up to the rooftop.


    Theresa¡¯s eyes brightened with admiration for the clever, homemade pulley system.

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    Chapter 430 More People


    Chapter 430 More People


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    <i>Talent </i><i>really </i><i>shows </i>up everywhere<i>, </i>she thought. <i>Especially </i>in ces like <i>schools</i><i>, </i>where <i>you </i><i>least </i><i>expect </i><i>it</i>.


    Heidi, who had stopped pumping when she noticed Theresa¡¯s eyes light up, said, ¡°Mr. Collier taught us how to build this.¡±


    The two others quickly warned, ¡°Heidi, don¡¯t talk to her.¡±


    Don¡¯t let her find out our travel secrets.¡±


    Theresa blinked, surprised. ¡°Wait¡­ the teacher you keep mentioning¨Cis Barrett Collier his name?¡±


    The four students exchanged surprised nces.


    ¡°How do you know?¡±


    Right after they said that, regret washed over their faces.


    ¡°Why did you tell her again?¡±


    ¡°Great, did we just blow the teacher¡¯s cover?¡±


    ¡°How does she know?<b>¡± </b>


    Theresa stayed silent. It had been ages since she¡¯d met anyone this innocent.


    Dealing with the sly old foxes back at Ark Camp stretched time to infinity.


    She had no idea what to say to these people who were so young and innocent.


    At that moment, the four who had been pulled up from below finally reached the rooftop.


    Reece quickly shut off their makeshift pulley system, and the others rushed over to pull the ropes and secure them safely.


    As soon as thest one climbed up, a middle¨Caged man, wrapped inyers from head to toe, grabbed his aching waist and groaned loudly.


    ¡°Ow<i>, </i>my back¡¯s killing me.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Collier, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Where does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°Did we hurt you?¡± The students crowded around him, clearly worried.


    ¡°No, I ran into a real jerk on my way here. She didn¡¯t y fairs ran me over with her car, didn¡¯t apologize,


    and then threw zombies at me.¡±


    Theresa stayed quiet.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that rude person?¡±


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    Chapter 430 More People


    ¡°Mr. Collier, we¡¯ll roast her for you! That jerk¡¯s gonna end up in hell!¡±


    ¡°Should¡¯ve been hit by a car today!¡±


    ¡°Or bitten by zombies!¡±


    ¡°Hit first, then bitten! Turned into a zombie, then run over again!¡±


    Theresa ignored their wild threats.


    ¡°All right, all right. Let¡¯s keep it civil. We don¡¯t stoop to their level.¡±


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    Barrett tried to calm them, but then his eyes caught two figures standing behind the group. They looked strangely familiar, like faces from a faded memory.


    When his gaze met Theresa¡¯s, she smiled, casually holding her knife. ¡°Well, well. Look who¡¯s here again.¡±


    He stiffened as if struck by lightning. Shock and disbelief covered his face as he stared at Theresa and Quentin. ¡°Why does it have to be you two?¡±


    ¡°Who are they, sir?¡±


    ¡°Who are those people?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the one who ran me over with the car!¡±


    A heavy silence fell over the group.


    ¡°I told you to watch them. Why did you let them up h¨¨re?¡± A boy standing beside Barrett snapped coldly.


    ¡°Jorge, we ran into a zombie swarm on the fourth floor. When we heard you were back, we didn¡¯t have time to deal with them and just came up together,¡± Reece said quickly.


    ¡°How did you run into them?¡± Jorge¡¯s face darkened even more.


    Heidi looked down and answered honestly, ¡°We were all on the fourth floor, so we just saved them.¡±


    That reason only stoked the mes of anger,


    I told you not to expose anything!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so dumb it¡¯s painful. You saved the people who ran over Mr. Collier. What do your heads function on¡® Air?¡± The girl in the middle spat, full of disdain.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that about your ssmates, Margaret Barrett cut in firmly, ¡°They didn¡¯t mean to.¡±


    ¡°Sir! You always let them off easy, and that¡¯s why they keep dragging us into trouble. This isn¡¯t the first time. Last time bad guys broke in, they went to save them and almost got all of us killed!¡±


    ¡°Margaret! Stop bringing up the past. We had no experience with a post¨Capocalypse world and thought they were good people back then.¡±


    ¡°And today¡¯s no different! You fall for the same trap twice? You¡¯re just hopeless idiots!¡±


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    ¡°I do not like your behavior right now, Margaret.¡±


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    Margaret¡¯s pretty eyes filled with tears. She snorted sharply, ring venomously at the group before turning on her heel and storming off.


    ¡°Margaret!¡±


    ¡°Margaret!¡±


    Jorge and the boy beside him called after her, but only the boy chased after her.


    Reece and the others looked like kids caught doing something wrong. They hung their heads as Margaret Benson left in a huff, clearly feeling guilty.


    ¡°We messed up, sir.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t do it again.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Barrett cut them off firmly. ¡°You didn¡¯t mess up. The world¡¯s already broken. If people can¡¯t stick together, humanity¡¯s finished. As long as you can protect yourself and aren¡¯t a threat, you have to help when you can.¡±

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    ¡°You are humanity¡¯sst glimmer of hope¨Cthe future that everyone depends on. I refuse to witness a world ruled by cold¨Chearted, self¨Cserving beasts,¡± the teacher dered firmly, his tone carrying undeniable authority.


    The students responded with solemn nods, clearly taking the words to heart.


    ¡°And what about them?¡± Heidi spoke up.


    Barrett¡¯s eyes moved toward Theresa. cing the students behind him, he regarded the pair cautiously. ¡°What exactly are you here for?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re looking for zombies,¡± Theresa replied bluntly.


    ¡°Zombies?¡± Barrett¡¯s attention sharpened. Only then did he realize that the number of zombies around the school had dropped noticeably.


    ¡°Where is your zombie king?¡± Theresa asked directly. ¡°What abilities does it possess? Have you fought it before? How much do you actually know about it?¡±


    Her objective was to eliminate high¨Clevel zombies.


    Meeting the locals was simply a fortunate coincidence.


    Any intelligence she could gather beforehand would improve her odds of sess. She didn¡¯t bother to hide her intentions.


    At her words, Barrett¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°You¡¯re targeting high¨Clevel zombies?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡±


    Barrett nced at the sky¨Cit was already mid¨Cafternoon, around two or three. ¡°It won¡¯t appear again until evening. Around six, it¡¯lle out.¡±


    ¡°Is it one of your teachers? Theresa asked.


    ¡°Yes. And it¡¯s extremely dangerous. It has multiple abilities¨Cstrength, speed, fire, and water. Its water¨Cbased ability isn¡¯t ordinary either; it¡¯s toxic and carries the


    zombie virus.


    Chapter 431 The Temptation


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    ¡°Its poisonous water is corrosive. If it touches skin and isn¡¯t rinsed off immediately, the flesh will rot fast, and the virus will infect the person. With an open wound, it gets into the blood, and within a minute, they¡¯ll turn into a zombie.


    ¡°On top of that, its body is as tough as steel¨Cknives can¡¯t even scratch it.¡±


    Barrett¡¯s gaze drifted to the de in Theresa¡¯s hand, silently hinting that it wouldn¡¯t be enough.


    ¡°That¡¯s everything?¡± she pressed.


    ¡°Yes. Every night, it patrols the teaching building, checking each floor.¡±


    ¡°Does it have any mental maniption ability?¡± Theresa questioned.


    Mental <i>maniption </i><i>ability</i><i>? </i>


    A puzzled look crossed Barrett¡¯s face.


    She couldn¡¯t tell whether he genuinely didn¡¯t know or if he simply didn¡¯t understand what mental maniption ability meant.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s all I need to know,¡± she said.


    She¡¯d gotten all the information she came for.


    With time to spare, she and Quentin headed for the rooftop to rest.


    Barrett watched them closely at first, but when it became clear they were only taking a break, his guard eased.


    ¡°Everyone, rest up,¡± he told his students.


    Still, the two groups stayed apart, an invisible line between them.


    Barrett¡¯s side kept to their safe zone, ready to bolt at the first hint of trouble.


    With outsiders around¨Cand clearly not the kind to provoke¨Cstaying alert was nonnegotiable.


    ¡°Stay sharp. Don¡¯t wander,¡± he warned.


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    ¡°Understood.¡±


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    Then, it hit them¡ªa mouthwatering wave of aroma that made heads turn. It was chicken and mushroom stew, braised ribs, scared steak, and the rich, sizzling scent of fried eggs with crisp edges.


    Instinctively, all eyes swung toward the source.


    It was Theresa and Quentin.


    They were having lunch¨Cfresh, steaming lunch boxes, as if they¡¯d juste off the stove.


    Each held a massive portion, perfectly bnced with meat and vegetables.


    Sauce¨Czed ribs so tender they nearly fell off the bone. Juicy steak with just the right chew. Rice soaked in savory juices until it turned sticky and springy. Chicken- and¨Cmushroom stew topped with bright green vegetables and a fried egg, edges golden and yolk molten.


    Barrett¡¯s group stared, eyes wide.


    Holy crap. <i>They¡¯ve </i><i>got </i><i>meat</i>, <i>veggies</i><i>, </i><i>eggs</i><i>¡­ </i><i>and </i><i>Coke straight </i><i>from </i><i>the </i><i>ice</i>?


    Quentin cracked a can of Coke open and passed it to Theresa.


    The students¡® eyes nearly bulged out.


    They have Coke<i>? </i>


    Just the thought of that fizzy bite on their tongues had them practically losing their


    minds.


    They were starving for a taste.


    The temptation was unbearable,


    ¡°Mr. Collier, I want some/too.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Collier, I wish I could have a bite.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Collier, I¡¯m starving.¡±

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    Chapter 432 An Extravagant Meal


    A cluster of students lifted their gaze toward Barrett.


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    Shaking off his daze, Barrett told the ones nearby, ¡°We¡¯ll be eating soon as well.¡±


    ¡°What are we having today?¡± they asked, eyes bright with anticipation.


    After a brief pause, Barrett replied, ¡°Instant noodles.¡±


    ¡°Instant noodles again?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have the braised beef vor today! It¡¯s still good!¡±


    With a wave of his hand, Barrett went to retrieve their provisions.


    The school¡¯s storerooms still held a fair amount of supplies, enough to keep them alive through the long years since the apocalypse began. But only items with a long shelf life remained.


    Perishables from the cafeteria¨Cbread, vegetables, meat, pasta¨Chad all spoiled long ago.


    Now their meals consisted of instant noodles, pickled vegetables, and the asional braised egg.


    The sausages hadn¡¯tsted either.


    Teachers had once encouraged the students to grow crops, but two years of harsh weather had ruined every attempt.


    And at the moment, just across the way, another group was dining on ribs, steak, and eggs¨Cluxuries they hadn¡¯t tasted in years.


    That was unbelievable.


    The world was in ruins, yet some people were still enjoying hot, extravagant meals.


    Wide¨Ceyed, their gazes locked on Theresa¡¯s group, their yearning so in it was almost pitiful. If they couldn¡¯t taste it, at least they could feast with their eyes.


    10:53 Sat, <b>23 </b>Aug


    Chapter 432 An Extravagant Meal


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    Drawn by the irresistible aroma, Margaret appeared from the back. ¡°What smells so good?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re having lunch over there,¡± Reece said.


    Margaret¡¯s gaze instantly fixed on the food in Theresa¡¯s hands, her expression lighting up.


    Why aren¡¯t they sharing?¡± she asked with a scowl.


    Heidi and the others just stared at her, as if to say, ¡°And why exactly should they share their food with us?<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t you save them once?¡± Margaret pressed, turning to Heidi. ¡°Go ask for some! They owe you for saving their lives.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°No buts! You got us into this mess, so go get something to make up for it. This is your chance to redeem yourselves. Move!¡± she ordered, arms crossed.


    With obvious reluctance, Heidi and Reece rose to their feet and started toward


    Theresa.


    ¡°Uh¡­ miss, could you-¡±


    ¡°Ask for more! They owe us!¡± Margaret¡¯s voice cut in from behind, sharp andmanding.


    At the sound, Theresa nced up at the two teenagers approaching. ¡°You want some of my food?¡±


    Heidi and Reece exchanged a/quick look, then nodded.


    ¡°Sit down if you want <i>to </i>eat


    She set a lunch box¨Ceasily enough for two or three people¨Cin front of them.


    Their eyes widened.


    They immediately reached for it, but Theresa¡¯s voice stopped them. ¡°Sit down and eat here. You¡¯re not taking it away.¡±


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    Chapter 432 An Extravagant Meal


    The pair froze, uncertainty flickering across their faces.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t cat now, the offer¡¯s gone. And none of you will get anything.¡±


    That settled it¨Cthey sat without another word and dug in.


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    Behind them, Margaret stormed forward, her tone dripping with outrage. ¡°You¡¯re shameless!¡±


    ¡°Oh? And how about you?¡± The cold retort sliced through the air.


    Theresa raised her gaze to the pretty girl standing there. ¡°You send others to ask on your behalf, then dress it up in self¨Crighteousness. What trouble have they ever caused you? The trouble of watching someone else eat what you can¡¯t?¡±


    ¨C


    Her words were merciless. ¡°Tell me why should you get a share? Because you have a big face? You¡¯re shameless? Or both?¡±


    Theresa¡¯s barrage was relentless. From a ny¨Cnine¨Cyear¨Cold elder to a kindergartener, anyone who provoked her got the same treatment.


    Everyone was human. She had no reason to make exceptions.


    No way was she indulging that spoiled attitude.


    Margaret was struck speechless by Theresa¡¯s biting retort. Rage flushed her cheeks, her bright eyes narrowing into a venomous re that left her malice in for all to see. Then, with a muffled sob, she spun around, covered her mouth, and ran back the way she¡¯de..


    ¡°Margaret!¡± Reece and Heidi called after her.


    ¡°If you¡¯re leaving, don¡¯t eat my <i>food</i>,¡± Theresa said coolly.


    At that, the two¨Cwho had half¨Crisen to follow¨Cimmediately sat back down.


    Heidi watched Margaret flee, others hurrying to console her, then nced down at the lunch box in her hands. Finally, she looked up and gave Theresa an admiring thumbs¨Cup.


    ¡°Miss, you¡¯re amazing.¡±


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    Chapter 432 An Extravagant Meal


    ¡°That was nothing,¡± Theresa replied lightly.


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    Heidi¡¯s eyes glimmered. Thinking back on Theresa¡¯s poise and sharp tongue since they¡¯d met, her admiration only grew.


    ¡°Miss, that girl¡¯s name is Margaret Benson. She used to be the belle of our ss. Her mom¡¯s a school director, and her dad¡¯s a big¨Cname businessman. Around here, she acts like a princess¨Ceveryone has to pamper her and obey.¡±


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    Heidi went on, ¡°When she set her sights on a senior at our school, she went straight for him¨Cnever mind that he already had a girlfriend¨Cand demanded that the girl leave her boyfriend. When the girl refused, she had her mom get the girl expelled. The scandal nearly made the news, but her dad bought everyone¡¯s silence in the end.¡±


    Theresa listened quietly, confirming in her mind that she was dealing with a textbook spoiled princess.


    ¡°And that¡¯s just the beginning,¡± Heidi continued. ¡°Margaret¡¯s infamous for her arrogance. Our dorm is for four people, but she demanded a room for herself. The school forbade outside food, yet her mom brought her meals every day. Everyone wore uniforms¨Cexcept her. She skipped PE entirely and only showed up on thest day of military training.


    ¡°She lorded her privileges over everyone, barking orders and snapping at people. Nobody could stand her.


    ¡°Even after the apocalypse, she kept ying the princess, refusing to lift a finger. If Mr. Collier hadn¡¯t kept reminding us we had to stick together to survive, no one would¡¯ve stayed near her.¡±


    A grin tugged at Heidi¡¯s lips. ¡°Miss, you really put her in her ce today!¡±


    Theresa smirked, her gaze drifting to where others were now consoling Margaret.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Heidi and Reece split the boxed lunches, one using the lid as a te, the other the


    tray.


    They dove in with their forks, starting with a piece of ribs¨Ca delicacy they hadn¡¯t tasted in years.


    The first bite made their eyes widen,


    The sulent textur¨¦ and rich, savory aroma of the ribs burst across their taste


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    Chapter 433 A Daily Thing


    buds, intoxicating their senses.


    s


    It had been so long since they¡¯d tasted such decadence that their cheeks tingled with delight, saliva flooding their mouths in an almost primal reaction.


    It was delicious¨Cutterly, impossibly delicious.


    Next came spoonfuls of sweet, sauce¨Csoaked rice with chicken and mushrooms, each morsel of boneless meat soft and vorful.


    They almost wept as they ate.


    In the bleak years since the apocalypse, they had never dreamed of tasting food like this again.


    Even at the very start of the apocalypse¨Cwhen the cafeteria still served rice and a variety of dishes¡ªthey¡¯d never tasted anything like this.


    Back then, no one knew how to cook. Everyone was in a frenzy during the zombie outbreak, holed up with Barrett and surviving on nothing more than bread and


    sausages.


    Hot, freshly prepared meals had been unthinkable.


    As time went on, it became utterly impossible. The vors of the old world faded into memory¡ªuntil today.


    Now, for the first time in what felt like forever, they were tasting them again.


    Heidi and Reece tore into their food, shoveling in rice and vegetables while saving the most precious bites¨Cthe ribs and beef¨Cforst, savoring them like treasure.


    By the end, they¡¯d licked their lunch boxes clean.


    It was, without a doubt, the most satisfying meal they had eaten in years.


    ¡°Full?¡±


    Heidi and <i>Reece </i>exchanged a nce. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Miss, we were wrong to smash your car earlier. We¡¯ll help fix it tomorrow.¡±


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    After tasting Theresa¡¯s meal, their whole perspective shifted.


    They realized Theresa hadn¡¯t done them any harm.


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    Theresa hade to the school to fight zombies¨Cnot to hurt them. And she¡¯d even saved them once at the ssroom door.


    -an absolute


    More than that, she¡¯d shared with them rare, high¨Cquality food- treasure in this apocalypse.


    And yet, they¡¯d destroyed her car.


    With this realization, Theresa seemed to be a good person.


    Heidi and Reece looked at her with awe, their eyes shining with newfound respect.


    Theresa regarded the two naive youths, their clear, trusting eyes marking them as perfect candidates forbor in her group.


    ¡°Do you want toe with me?¡± she asked.


    ¡°To where?¡±


    ¡°To my camp outside,¡± Theresa said with a slight smile. ¡°The world out there has changed a lot. I¡¯ve joined forces with several camps to build arge alliance to fight the zombies.


    ¡°That food you just ate? It¡¯s a daily thing in our alliance.¡±


    Heidi and Reece¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.


    Wait, what? <i>That </i><i>amazing </i><i>feast </i><i>we </i><i>just </i><i>had </i><i>is </i><i>just </i><i>everyday </i><i>food </i><i>for </i><i>her</i><i>? </i>


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you time to think. Come with me, and you won¡¯t have to worry about zombie attacks. I¡¯ll find you work, and you¡¯ll get food in exchange for yourbor.¡±


    They were even more stunned.


    No zombie threats? <i>What </i><i>kind </i><i>of </i><i>life </i><i>is </i><i>that</i>? <i>And </i><i>we </i><i>can </i><i>work </i><i>for </i><i>food</i><i>? </i><i>Isn¡¯t </i><i>the </i><i>apocalypse </i>supposed to be <i>about </i><i>risking </i><i>everything </i><i>just </i><i>to </i><i>scavenge </i><i>a </i><i>meal</i>?


    Just then, a voice called out from behind them.


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    Chapter 434 His Judgment


    ¡°Kids, it¡¯s time to eat!¡± Barrett¡¯s voice called out from behind the water tank.


    Heidi and Reece heard and quickly stood. ¡°Miss, we¡¯re heading back now.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Theresa replied without looking up, bowing her head to eat with Quentin.


    s


    Back in their gang, Heidi and Reece were immediately met with hostility.


    ¡°What are you two traitors doing here?¡± Nixon¨CHatfield, Margaret¡¯s loyalckey, snapped.


    Barrett raised a hand. ¡°Nixon, that¡¯s enough. You can¡¯t talk to your ssmates that way.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Collier, ask them what they did! You told us not to wander, but they ran off to eat with those bad people!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not bad people!¡± Heidi and Reece said in unison.


    ¡°Look at them¨Cafter just one meal from those people, they¡¯ve forgotten their principles and everything that cruel woman did across the way. Ungrateful and disgusting!¡± Nixon sneered.


    ¡°Nixon!¡± Barrett¡¯s warning cut through the tension. ¡°Enough! It¡¯s mealtime. No arguments.¡±


    Nixon scoffed, turning to therge pot of noodles. Scooping a hefty spoonful, hemented sarcastically, ¡°Some dogs, having already eaten well, should stoppeting with us for food.¡±


    Reece clenched his fists, ready to snap, but Barrett ced a calming hand on his shoulder.


    Heidi and Reece gazed at Barrett, their expressions heavy with hurt and


    resentment.


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    Chapter 434 His Judgment


    Barrett sighed. ¡°Come with me for a moment.¡±


    <b>+5 </b>Free Coins


    Left behind, Nixon and Margaret exchanged smug nces.


    ¡°Margaret, have some,¡± theckey said, offering a bowl to Margaret, eager to soothe her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat.¡±


    ¡°Forget about those two idiots. Mr. Collier is already on their case. Just let it go and eat.¡±


    Margaret fumed, still smarting from Theresa¡¯s public confrontation. ¡°How can I let it go? They and that cheap old woman bullied me! I can¡¯t swallow this!¡±


    She was so infuriated, especially knowing Heidi and Reece had just eaten that amazing meal at Theresa¡¯s while she herself was stuck with nd instant noodles.


    How dare <i>those </i>two <i>b</i><i>*</i><i>tches </i><i>eat </i><i>everything </i><i>and </i><i>leave </i><i>me </i><i>nothing</i><i>! </i>


    She seethed with fury.


    ¡°Margaret, don¡¯t be angry. I¡¯ll get justice for youter. Just eat a little now,¡± Nixon said, trying once more to calm her.


    Margaret¡¯s scowl softened slightly as she took the noodles. ¡°Hmph.¡±


    Meanwhile, in the deserted northern corner of the rooftop.


    ¡°Did she really say all that?¡± Barrett asked, puzzled after hearing Heidi and Reece¡¯s story, ¡°Are there already many camps forming alliances out there?¡±


    Heidi and Reece nodded eagerly in agreement, their movements quick and repetitive like pecking chickens.


    ¡°Mr. Collier, thatdy isn¡¯t really a bad person,¡± she exined. ¡°When we were rescuing them on the fourth floor, zombies suddenly jumped out and scratched me and Reece. It was thatdy who pulled out her knife and saved us.¡± (!)


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    Chapter 434 His Judgment


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    ¡°And even though we damaged her car, she didn¡¯t do anything <i>to </i>us,¡± Reece added.


    Barrett¡¯s expression grew serious.


    He¡¯d crossed paths with those two before.


    While fleeing down the road, he¡¯d been hit because he couldn¡¯t dodge in time- and Theresa showed no mercy. He had scolded them several times, only for her to send zombies after him.


    Her violent, ruthless nature made him question the truth in what Theresa imed.


    <i>Is </i><i>she </i><i>trying </i><i>to </i><i>deceive </i><i>these </i><i>innocent</i><i>, </i><i>trusting </i><i>students</i><i>? </i>


    ¡°Alright, go ahead and eat. I¡¯ll think it over.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Collier, we already ate. The food at thatdy¡¯s ce was incredible,¡± Heidi said, letting out a loud burp.


    Reece joined in with one too.


    Barrett was at a loss for words.


    ¡°We wanted to save some for you, but she insisted we eat it on the spot. We thought it would be a waste to leave it, so we finished it all. You won¡¯t me us, right?¡±


    Barrett replied, ¡°You did the right thing. No problem.¡±


    Atst, Heidi and Reece smiled. They knew Barrett was fair and just¡ªnot only knowledgeable but also patient and kind.


    That was why they always followed him and trusted his judgment.


    Meanwhile, Theresa finished her meal, burping softly after a sip of soda.


    Just then, someone approached her.


    ¡°Y¨CYou¡¯ve gone <i>too </i>far!¡±


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    Theresa barely bothered to lift her head at the voice. Anky teen, probably around sixteen or seventeen and standing about five¨Cten, faced her with shoulders. squared, as if he were ready to deliver justice.


    ¡°You are?¡± she asked, voice t.


    Nixon answered, ¡°I¡¯m Margaret¡¯s best friend. You owe her an apology.¡±


    Theresa stared for a beat. ¡°Right.¡±


    Beside her, Quentin let out a low chuckle, eyes narrowing like a cat about to toy with a mouse. ¡°Kid, do you realize who you¡¯re talking to?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are! If you did something wrong, you apologize!¡± Nixon¡¯s voice rang with the confidence of someone who thought the world worked like a school rulebook.


    Quentin¡¯s smirk deepened. ¡°What are you, her guard dog or something?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Nixon blinked, caught off guard. ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°Easy. You¡¯ve got ¡®bootlicker¡® written all over you.¡± Quentin¡¯sugh was shameless.


    Nixon¡¯s cheeks flushed red. ¡°You¡¯re insulting me!¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t an insult, kid. That was a life tip.¡± Quentin leaned back casually. ¡°Never be a bootlicker. Women don¡¯t fall for guys who grovel; they go for charm. Stick your neck out too much, they won¡¯t thank you¨Cthey¡¯ll just think you¡¯re a sucker.¡±


    He even threw in a wink.


    Nixon¡¯s fists clenched tightly. ¡°You¡¯re full of crap! Margaret¡¯s nothing like that! You owe her an apology!¡±


    Theresa cut in, her tone turning sharp. ¡°Apology? You got the muscle to make me, or the brains to talk me into it?¡±


    She tilted her head, eyes narrowing. ¡°If you¡¯ve got neither, you¡¯re just standing here wasting oxygen. Or maybe you¡¯re like Margaret, thinking a nice face makes people


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    s


    give way. Here¡¯s a reality check¨Coutside your little clique, it¡¯s about strength.


    ¡°y big boss in your own yground. Out here, no strength means no say. So, either bring something to the table or get lost.¡±


    The words hit harder than Nixon expected.


    His chest burned. Powerless? Just a pretty <i>face</i><i>? </i>She <i>really </i><i>said </i><i>that </i>in <i>front </i><i>of </i><i>everyone</i>? <i>Unbelievable</i><i>. </i>Who does she think she is?


    ¡°I¡¯ll fight you!¡± he blurted, fury boiling over.


    ¡°Stop!¡± A stocky middle¨Caged man darted in from behind, grabbing him by the


    arms.


    ¡°Let me go! I¡¯ll kill her!¡± Nixon thrashed like a fish on a line.


    Hot¨Cheaded teenagers¨Calways ready to die for their pride.


    ¡°Heh, what¡¯s wrong? Can¡¯t even get past your teacher?¡± Theresa¡¯s smirk was gasoline on a fire.


    Barrett tightened his grip, silently begging, Please, <i>for </i><i>once</i><i>, </i><i>shut </i><i>your </i><i>mouth</i><i>. </i>Out loud, he barked, ¡°What are you all standing there for? Get him out of here!¡±


    Reece and the others rushed in, hauling the kid away while he kept kicking and swearing.


    Sure enough, Margaret didn¡¯t move an inch. She stayed behind the crowd, arms folded, eyes cold. ¡°Useless.¡±


    Barrett finally managed to calm Nixon down enough to drag him off. As they left, he threw Theresa a long, measured look. <i>I </i>know it. She¡¯s <i>trouble</i>.


    By the time the sky started to burn orange, it was past 5 p.m.. Barrett¡¯s group had


    eaten.


    Nixon, still sulking, had been calmed by Barrett¡¯s endless patience, though his face still showed the storm.


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    Theresa had picked her way clean through the other side. No one managed to get the upper hand. She didn¡¯t take losses or insults; anyone dumb enough to push her twice got knocked t.


    A sound pierced the air¨Ca deep, metallic chime. It was not just a buzzer, but an actual bell.


    Barrett shot to his feet. ¡°It¡¯sing.¡±


    Theresa was already ready.


    From the rooftop, she spotted them¨Czombies beginning to shuffle into view below as the bell¡¯s echo faded.


    She tightened the straps on her gear, gave her de a final check, and headed for the rooftop door with Quentin right behind her.


    Halfway down, Barrett¡¯s voice caught her. ¡°Uh¡­ we¡¯d like toe with you.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a throwaway line. He¡¯d been chewing on that decision all day.


    Their supplies were dwindling quickly, and remaining at the school any longer would be disastrous.


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    Chapter 436 The Road¡¯s Not Hers

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    Chapter 436 The Road¡¯s Not Hers


    Heidi and Reece¡¯s words wouldn¡¯t leave Barrett¡¯s head.


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    <i>If </i><i>she¡¯s </i><i>telling </i><i>the </i><i>truth </i>and <i>there¡¯s </i><i>really </i><i>some </i><i>big </i><i>alliance </i><i>out </i><i>there</i><i>, </i><i>that¡¯s </i><i>where </i><i>we </i><i>need </i><i>to </i><i>head</i>. <i>If </i><i>she¡¯s </i><i>bluffing</i><i>¡­ </i><i>doesn¡¯t </i><i>matter</i><i>. </i><i>People </i><i>like </i><i>her </i><i>don¡¯t </i><ie </i><i>from </i><i>dumps </i><i>like </i><i>ours</i>.


    <i>That </i><i>look </i><i>in her </i><i>eyes</i><i>¨C</i><i>sharp</i>, <i>steady</i><i>¨C</i><i>you </i><i>can¡¯t </i><i>fake </i><i>that </i><i>kind </i><i>of </i><i>presence</i>. <i>She¡¯s </i><i>got </i><i>color </i><i>in </i><i>her </i><i>cheeks</i>, <i>walks </i><i>like </i><i>someone </i><i>who </i><i>hasn¡¯t </i><i>gone </i><i>hungry </i><i>in </i><i>years</i>. <i>Her </i><i>gear¡¯s </i><i>top</i><i>¨C</i><i>tier</i><i>, </i><i>not </i><i>scavenged </i><i>junk</i><i>, </i><i>and </i><i>the </i><i>food </i><i>she </i><i>gave </i><i>those </i><i>kids</i><i>? </i><i>Miles </i><i>better </i><i>than </i><i>the </i><i>watered</i><i>¨C</i>down slop we¡¯ve <i>been </i><i>choking </i><i>down</i>.


    Even <i>if </i><i>this </i><i>¡°</i><i>big </i><i>alliance</i><i>¡± </i><i>is </i><i>just </i><i>smoke </i><i>and </i><i>mirrors</i><i>, </i><i>her </i><i>camp¡¯s </i><i>doing </i><i>something </i><i>right</i><i>. </i><i>Tha </i><i>worth </i><i>the </i><i>gamble</i>.


    He¡¯d told himself a dozen times already¨Cfollow her. Then her voice cut in, low andzy. ¡°Why should I take you?¡±


    Barrett reflected, <i>Right</i>. <i>Like </i><i>I </i><i>get </i><i>to </i><i>decide </i><i>that</i>. <i>She </i><i>still </i><i>has </i><i>to </i><i>say </i><i>yes</i>.


    ¡°Miss!¡± Heidi and Reece jumped in together.


    ¡°You said you¡¯d take us,¡± Reece reminded her.


    ¡°Taking two¡¯s the same as taking all of us, right?¡± Heidi tried, forcing a smile.


    Theresa shut her down cold. ¡°I only take my people. If you want toe, walk over here, swear you¡¯re mine, and I¡¯ll keep you alive. The rest? Not my problem.¡±


    The two traded a nce. Heidi stepped forward, all wide eyes and sweetness. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re the nicest person I know. Please take us.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s smirk was sharp enough to cut ss. ¡°If you¡¯re not joining, get lost.¡±


    That was her way. No sugarcoating, no favors. If you wanted her protection, you earned it. Being on her good side was a once¨Cin¨Ca¨Clifetime stroke of luck. If you didn¡¯t hold onto it, you didn¡¯t get a second chance,


    Heidi¡¯s hopeful expression froze in ce.


    Barrett stepped in. ¡°Miss, what if we just¡­ follow behind? You don¡¯t have to watch


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    Chapter 436 The Road¡¯s Not Hers


    out for us. We just want to head out the same way as you.¡±


    s


    She looked at him like the answer should have been obvious. ¡°The road¡¯s not


    mine.¡±


    That was all she said before hooking Quentin by the arm and heading for the stairs.


    Heidi and Reece stood there disappointingly, while Barrett quickly directed the others. ¡°You heard her. We can follow. Move<i>.</i><i>¡± </i>


    The kids blinked. ¡°She didn¡¯t actually-¡±


    Barrett rified, ¡°She said the road¡¯s not hers. Means anyone can walk it. Now keep up. Stay behind me, hold hands, and watch where you step.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± They immediately scrambled after him.


    By the time they caught up, Theresa was already in the ssroom wing, sweeping the corridor and checking ssrooms. The senior block, once crawling with infected students, was almost empty¨Cjust a few stragglers.


    A sharp snarl echoed from a half¨Cclosed door.


    A schoolgirl zombie lunged out, mouth stretched wide. Braces hooked onto tangled dark brown hair with a patch of dried scalp. Only God knew which poor kid had let her get that close.


    She swiped at Theresa with long, yellowed ws.


    Ching!


    The de came down in one clean arc, sinking an inch into her Level 1 hardness skull. Flesh and bone gave way like overripe fruit.


    Theresa pulled the knife <i>free</i>. A gleamstone ttered to the floor as the body crumpled.


    Quentin bent, scooped it up, and slipped back into step beside her. She killed, he gathered, Smooth as clockwork.


    Barrett¡¯s group followed, watching the easy rhythm between the two,


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    Chapter 436 The Road¡¯s Not Hers


    ¡°Miss is incredible!¡± someone whispered.


    ¡°She¡¯s unreal,¡± another breathed.


    ?371%


    s


    Barrett didn¡¯t say a word. He just kept his eyes locked on Theresa. If there¡¯d been any doubt before, it was gone now. He was betting everything on this.


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    Chapter 437 The Dean¡¯s Rounds


    The pounding footsteps came first.


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    Barrett turned just in time to see a male zombie tearing down the corridor in a shredded basketball jersey.


    Half his chest was gone, a jagged hole where ribs stuck out like broken pickets. The skin had healed over in a hard, dark scab, but every stride yanked it open again. Bone scraped against what was left of his chest muscle, grinding the flesh raw.


    Thick ck veins crawled over his skin like dead ivy. His run was all wrong¨Cwild, jerky, but somehow fast enough to close the distance in seconds.


    ¡°Rraghhh!¡±


    <i>Wham</i><i>! </i>


    A baseball bat cracked against the side of his skull, dropping him to the floor. Before he could twitch, three more bats came down in a frenzy of swings.


    Heidi and two other girls clung to their bats, peeking from behind the boys.


    Barrett stepped in with the boys, swinging until their arms felt like lead.


    <i>This </i>is <i>ridiculous</i>. His teeth clenched with every blow. <i>Theresa </i><i>takes </i><i>them </i><i>out </i>with <i>one </i><i>hit</i><i>, </i>like it¡¯s <i>nothing</i>. <i>Why </i><i>the </i><i>hell </i><i>is </i><i>this </i><i>zombie¡¯s </i><i>skull </i><i>made </i><i>of </i><i>concrete</i>?


    <i>The </i><i>bone </i><i>refuses </i><i>to </i><i>break</i>. <i>The </i><i>skin </i><i>is </i><i>tougher </i><i>than </i><i>leather</i>.


    Are <i>we </i><i>fighting </i><i>the </i><i>same </i><i>kind </i><i>she </i><i>is</i><i>? </i><i>Or </i><i>are </i><i>ours </i><i>just </i><i>the </i><i>reject </i><i>batch </i><i>that </i>won¡¯t <i>die</i>?


    After what felt like forever, the male zombie finally stopped moving. Blood and brain matter painted the floor. Barrett crouched down, prying a gleamstone from the wreck of its head.


    When he looked up, Theresa had already cleared the whole floor and was halfway to the stairs.


    ¡°Hustle! Stay on her!¡± he snapped, and the group scrambled to keep up.


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    On the fourth floor, Theresa slowed.


    This was the sophomore level, and every ssroom they passed was crammed wall¨Cto¨Cwall with zombie students.


    Her brow furrowed. Last time she was here, this floor had been empty¨Conly the senior¨Cyear students upstairs were infected.


    She tried one door.


    <i>Click</i><i>. </i>


    Locked.


    Another one. Locked again.


    Someone had sealed them in.


    Her


    gaze slid to Barrett. ¡°This is your handiwork?¡±


    ¡°Me? Hell no,¡± he panted. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t even know where to start.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes stayed on the lock. <i>Zombies </i><i>that </i><i>open </i><i>doors </i><i>are </i><i>rare</i><i>. </i><i>Zombies </i><i>that </i><i>lock </i><i>them</i>? Never <i>seen </i><i>it</i>.


    <i>If </i><i>high</i><i>¨C</i><i>level </i><i>zombies </i><i>can </i><i>do </i><i>this</i><i>¡­ </i><i>that¡¯s </i><i>going </i><i>to </i><i>be </i><i>a </i><i>problem</i><i>. </i>


    She was still turning it over in her head when the bell rang again.


    ¡°It¡¯sing,¡± Barrett warned, voice low.


    Theresa followed his eyes to the third floor below.


    The setting sun poured in from the left, bathing the open corridor in gold, and there he was.


    A hulking male zombie in a gray Polo Shirt limped away from the office building. One step was almost effortless, while the next was forceful. His bald head glistened in the light, surrounded by a ragged ring of wiry curls. Behind his thick, broken sses, his swollen eyes bulged like those of a toad.


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    His body was mostly intact, except for the right leg. From the knee down, there was nothing but bone, gnawed jagged and ckened like dried ham.


    Barrett¡¯s mouth tightened. ¡°That was our dean of discipline before he turned. Every afternoon, he ¡®checks¡® the teaching block.¡±


    The zombie dean¡¯s milky eyes lifted. He had sensed them.


    A low, rasping chuckle scraped out of his throat, almost like metal dragging on


    stone.


    That dead grin stretched wider, excitement twisting his face. He lunged forward, bone leg shing like a weapon with every step.


    ¡°He¡¯s dangerous, we-¡± Barrett started.


    Theresa didn¡¯t wait for the rest. She was already hauling her crew down the stairs, straight toward him.


    Barrett stared after her for half a beat.


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    Chapter 438 No Turning Back


    Chapter 438 No Turning Back


    <b>+5 </b><b>Free </b><b>Coins </b>


    ¡°Mr. Collier¡­ what do¡­ we do now?¡± The voice was small but shaky enough to ripple through the group. It came from a girl who¡¯d barely made a sound since this nightmare started.


    The tension was suffocating.


    High¨Clevel zombie was closing in. Behind the ssroom doors, the senior¨Cyear zombies locked inside were hammering away¨Css rattling, metal frames shuddering. Their rotting faces kept smashing against the windows like they were desperate to get a bite. Outside the ssroom wing, the rest of the zombie horde was pouring in like a tide.


    One look around was enough to know¨Cthis ce was about to be a blender.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just go back!¡± the girl blurted, voice cracking.


    ¡°No chance,¡± Barrett cut in, steady but firm. ¡°Our only shot is to stick with them.¡±


    There was no other way out. The school was a trap, and staying here meant ending up in pieces.


    Barrett waved everyone forward, keeping them tight as they hustled toward the stairs<b>. </b>


    By the time they hit the ground floor, something felt wrong. The third floor above was dead quiet.


    No sign of the zombie dean. No trace of Theresa or Quentin.


    The corridor stretched out empty like a bad omen.


    ¡°Mr. Collier, they¡¯re gone,¡± Heidi murmured, her voice tight.


    ¡°Hold on. Let me take a look first.¡± Barrett crouched down low, scanning the dusty floor for any hint of a trail leading to Theresa.


    Unfortunately, the prints were a messyer uponyer, all stomped into the dirt until nothing made sense. The morning¡¯s zombie chaos had wiped out any hope of reading a trail.


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    Chapter 438 No Turning Back


    He moved to the railing instead.


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    Down below, a knot of zombies stood craning their necks up at him. Their pale eyes gleamed in the fading light, jaws hanging open as they loosed deep, guttural


    moans.


    They didn¡¯t step into the building¡¯s shadow¨Clikely too afraid of the zombie dean inside¨Cyet their intense gaze made his skin crawl. It was the kind of stare that suggested they were already imagining how he¡¯d taste.


    He looked away, a cold shiver running through him.


    Just then, a scream ripped through the air.


    A schoolgirl zombie in a bloodstained uniform burst out of an empty ssroom, aiming straight for the back of the girls.


    Heidi reacted instantly, yanking two girls out of the way. Margaret¡¯s hand slipped free just as she turned and froze at the sight of the thing charging her.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Her scream was all panic.


    Nixon didn¡¯t think¨Che dove at her, knocking her down before the schoolgirl zombie could take her head off. The ws still raked across his back, tearing through his shirt like tissue.


    <i>Bam</i><i>! </i>Barrett was already in motion. His swing cracked loudly as the bat connected, sending the schoolgirl zombie flying into the stairwell.


    The bat snapped in half.


    <i>Bang</i><i>! </i><i>Bang</i><i>! </i><i>Bang</i><i>! </i>


    The schoolgirl zombie bounced down the steps,nding in a heap against the wall below. Its limbs were all twisted the wrong way¨Clegs hooked over shoulders, one arm caught behind a knee, the other dangling over its own head.


    Even like that, it lifted its head with a sickening snap and started scrambling back up the stairs like some nightmare insect.


    ¡°Move! Hide!¡± Barrett barked.


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    Chapter 438 No Turning Back


    A shadow fell across the hall ahead of them.


    s


    The hulking, bald zombie dean stepped forward, cloudy eyes locking on the students. His huge hands shot out, aiming straight for their throats.


    ¡°No!¡± Barrett¡¯s shout came toote.


    A metallic cry split the air, and a streak of silver shed past.


    Theresa¡¯s katana came down like lightning on the zombie dean¡¯s neck. The hit rang like steel on steel, sparks bursting from the impact. The skin was tough, with a Level 2 hardness. Most people wouldn¡¯t have even left a mark.


    Still, Theresa wasn¡¯t like most people. Her system¨Cboosted strength surged through her as she pushed down harder, determined to finish the cut.


    The katana bit halfway through before the zombie dean stiffened, an ugly, rattling noise escaping its throat.


    For the first time since turning, it sounded almost¡­ afraid.


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    The zombie exploded into a burst of ck water.


    s


    Fortunately, Quentin managed to shield Theresa¡¯s face from the st the second it happened.


    Meanwhile, Barrett recklessly lunged forward, using his body to cover the two students from the high¨Clevel zombies.


    Oddly, the high¨Clevel zombie didn¡¯t attack anyone after the explosion.


    Instead, it ran away.


    Their entire standoff onlysted for two seconds before it soon vanished without a


    trace.


    ¡°D*mn it! It got away again!¡±


    Theresa stepped back and carefully scrutinized the empty corridors, her hands empty of her katana.


    As she stared at the pool of ck water staining the floor, she finally came to a conclusion¨Chigh¨Clevel zombies were truly a different breed.


    They possessed a certain level of intelligence. They could sense danger and even make the decision to flee!


    To make matters worse, finding them would be akin to finding a needle in a haystack once they sessfully escape.


    The contorted¨Clooking female zombie on the stairs groaned as it struggled to climb up.


    Theresa didn¡¯t even bother to look at it. She waspletely focused on getting her hands on that high¨Clevel zombie.


    Where could it have gone?


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    However, Barrett and the others promptly gave the female zombie a wide berth when they saw it.


    Barrett himself was fine. After he checked on his two students, he couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief upon seeing that they were unharmed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hide for now!¡±


    He immediately chose to corral his students to an empty ssroom when he saw that the zombies were all making their way up the stairs.


    Just as he feared, the female zombie wasted no time chasing after their group the minute it made it past the stairs. In fact, it went straight for their group, ignoring Theresapletely.


    ¡°Follow them. They¡¯ll lead us to the high¨Clevel zombie,¡± said Quentin to Theresa, his voice sounding right by her ear.


    Theresa turned to look at him.


    ¡°They¡¯re the full main course.¡± Quentin winked at her meaningfully.


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up with understanding. She had an idea on how to get her hands on that high¨Clevel zombie now!


    That was because it didn¡¯t matter how intelligent zombies were; they were still, in the end, zombies!


    They could never escape their bloodthirsty and cannibalistic nature.


    Otherwise, the high¨Clevel zombie wouldn¡¯t have shown up to hunt for human meat after getting its ass whooped by Theresa.


    Gorging itself on food was a desire it could never escape!


    Still, the high¨Clevel zombies didn¡¯t care about Quentin any longer now that Theresa was sticking by him. Plus, it had marked Theresa down as a dangerous being and wouldn¡¯t dare show its face around her.


    Thus, Theresa¡¯s only choice was to use those ordinary humans as bait to lure it out.


    With this in mind, Theresa immediately grabbed Quentin and followed the group


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    inside the empty ssroom.


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    As they passed the threshold, she didn¡¯t hesitate to take out the zombie with just a flick of her knife.


    ¡°Theresa, you¡¯re here!¡± Heidi and Reece instantly removed the wooden stick they had used to bar the door the minute they saw Theresa and Quentining, letting them through.


    It seemed that Heidi and Reece both viewed them as guardian angels after that earlier disy.


    Theresa nodded slightly at them in greeting.


    As soon as she and Quentin entered, they promptly heard Barrett¡¯s barking out orders inside the ssroom.


    ¡°Everyone, quickly clean the ck water off yourselves! It¡¯s okay if it¡¯s on your clothes, but you must clean it immediately if it¡¯s gotten on your skin. Let me know if anyone got sshed!¡±


    Barrett was wearing thick clothes. Yet, the ck water had corroded through his thick jacket. He quickly took it off, grateful that it hadn¡¯t gotten on his skin.


    Nixon had a few ck spots on him, mainly from protecting Margaret.


    At the moment, Margaret was still in a state of shock. Her face was stark white with fright.


    A zombie had almost gotten her between its jaws!


    She would have died if it had seeded!


    ¡°Margaret, don¡¯t be scared. I will always protect you!¡± he vowed solemnly. He figured that Margaret must¡¯ve been deeply moved by his self¨Csacrificial actions


    earlier.


    He had protected her at the risk of his own life, rescuing her from the ws of the


    zombie.


    Luckily, he was also wearing thick clothes, so there wasn¡¯t a single scratch on him.


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    ¡°Please tell me if any of you have gotten hurt earlier! It¡¯s very dangerous!¡± Barrett warned them all insistently.


    ¡°Margaret.¡± Nixon smiled at Margaret, expecting her to be moved to tears by his actions.


    s, she pped his hand away the very next second, hastily staggering away from him as she shrieked, ¡°Mr. Collier! Nixon was scratched by the zombie!¡±


    Nixon, who had extended his hand tofort her, stiffened mid¨Caction. He looked incredulously at Margaret in front of him.


    However, Margaret continued to retreat about 10 feet away from him, pointing at him and screaming all the way.


    The delicate and pretty face he had always secretly admired was filled with disgust. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± she spat in revulsion.


    ¡°Nixon, what happened?¡± Barrett hurried over.


    ¡°Mr. Collier, the zombie got him! Be careful!¡± Margaret continued to yell, ¡°He¡¯s dangerous! Get him!¡±


    Nixon¡¯s heart suddenly turned cold. The look on his face froze as his smile fell from his lips.


    Suddenly, the words Theresa and the others had said that afternoon shed through his mind.


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    They had called him a simp.


    They¡¯d even said that Margaret didn¡¯t like him at all. In fact, she wouldn¡¯t


    s


    remember any of the things he had done for her. Instead, she would only call him a fool behind his back.


    Now, he believed them.


    He felt like aplete idiot.


    ¡°Nixon, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t touch you, okay? Just let me take a look at you,¡± Barrett said gently, looking at the torn clothes on Nixon¡¯s back.


    They were all dressed heavily as a means of prevention. Thus, they all hadyers of long and short¨Csleeved uniforms piled on themselves.


    Due to their attire, it was impossible to tell if someone had actually been scratched.


    ¡°You¡¯re basically a walking ball of clothes. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be fine,¡± Barrett added calmly, trying his best to reassure Nixon.


    Nixon shook off his hand and muttered, ¡°Mr. Collier, I¡¯m not scratched.¡±


    Then, he started to take off his clothes one by one.


    His eyes were fixed on Margaret in front of him the entire time.


    Soon, his upper body was bare for all to see, revealing his unblemished back.


    There were no scratches.


    Everyone breathed a sigh of relief at the sight. Then, they wasted no time saying, ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re alright.¡±


    ¡°God, my heart¡¯s still pounding. Thank God everything¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Nixon, hurry up and put your clothes back on.¡±


    Nixon red at Margaret, putting his clothes back on one by one.


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    Once he was dressed, Margaret, who had been raising a racket, finally realized she had misspoken.


    She looked at her faithful simp. When she noticed that he was upset, she said, ¡°Nixon, I was just too frightened. Please don¡¯t take it to heart.¡±


    Nixon merely scoffed at her coldly before turning on his heel to a corner far away from her.


    When Margaret noticed his reaction, her already ugly mood turned even uglier. So, she hissed, ¡°Nixon, what¡¯s with you? Everyone was checking for wounds earlier. I had to say something if you were injured. Our survival was at stake here!¡±


    ¡°Margaret, please. Nixon got hurt trying to save you,¡± Heidi cut in.


    ¡°And who are you to butt in, huh? I wouldn¡¯t have been in danger if it weren¡¯t for you! Nixon wouldn¡¯t have had to save me! The audacity of you to speak when it was all your fault in the first ce!¡± Margaret screeched.


    Heidi couldn¡¯t only stare at Margaret, utterly speechless by her amazing logic.


    Margaret¡¯s words also made everyone else ufortable. So, they turned away from her, distancing themselves from her.


    When Margaret noticed their actions, she got even angrier and kicked the table before her in a fit of fury.


    ¡°Hmph!¡± she harrumphed.


    Then, she thought to herself, <i>They¡¯re </i><i>all </i><i>a </i><i>bunch </i><i>of </i><i>b</i><i>*</i><i>tches</i>. <i>These </i><i>b</i><i>*</i><i>tches </i><i>should </i><i>just </i>die <i>already</i>! <i>And </i><i>that </i><i>d</i><i>*</i><i>mned </i><i>Nixon</i><i>¡­ </i><i>I¡¯ll </i><i>never </i><i>give </i><i>him </i><i>the </i><i>time </i><i>of </i><i>day </i><i>ever </i><i>again</i><i>! </i>


    Theresa quietly watched this unfold before her, her gaze eventually falling on every single person in the ssroom.


    Suddenly, a particrly taciturn girl raised her hand and said, ¡°Mr. Collier, I need to use the restroom.¡±


    When Barrett heard her, he only replied, ¡°Just do it in the ssroom. Get something to cover you for privacy.¡±


    ¡°I need to do a number two,¡± she answered with a wince.


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    ¡°Just make do,¡± he said firmly.


    s


    Margaret interjected, ¡°I need to use the restroom too, and I refuse to do it here! The restroom is right next door. I¡¯m going to the bathroom.¡±


    ¡°There are zombies outside¡­¡± someone murmured hesitantly, trying to persuade her otherwise.


    ¡°Then, you¡¯ll apany me to thedies¡® room,¡± Margaret dered as if it were her right.


    Everyone only stared at her, wholly dumbfounded by her shamelessness.


    Just then, a clear voice rang out, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    Theresa was the one who had spoken.


    Barrett turned to look at Theresa.


    ¡°Hurry up.¡± Theresa smiled as she sauntered to the door.


    Margaret faced Theresa, her pretty face immediately scowling with displeasure. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to apany me.¡±


    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll go together,¡± Barrett said with a tone of finality.


    He had considered all his options.


    One of them was that they had to leave the ssroom if they wanted to leave the school building under Theresa¡¯s protection.


    So, there was no reason to reject Theresa¡¯s kind offer. If anything, this bathroom trip would be a lot safer now that she was there to protect them.


    Besides, the restroom was right next door, so they could all go together.


    After making up his mind, he nodded to Theresa in acquiescence.


    Everyone else rose to their feet, regaining their spirits.


    Then, their anxious eyes turned to Theresa as she opened the ssroom door. The door slowly swung open with a barely there creak.


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    The hallway was silent and empty.


    It was dead quiet.


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    Theresa stood in the middle of the hallway, carefully surveying the area. Once she was sure that they were safe, she nodded to the people inside the ssroom, giving them the green light.


    Therge group immediately huddled together, stepping out of the ssroom with wobbly knees.


    The second they did, Theresa instantly felt the zombies in the hallway turning restless.


    She was certain of it now¨Cthese people were amazing zombie bait..


    Still, she said nothing and continued to lead the people to the restroom step by careful step.


    Suddenly, a zombie girl in a miniskirt and bangs sprang out from the restroom with a roar.


    Her body was an absolute mess. Her uniform, especially the butterfly bow around her neck, was torn and bitten beyond recognition. Her bloodied and gruesome wound of meat and sinew was fused to her uniform, making it impossible for anyone to distinguish the difference between fiber and flesh.


    Her face was even worse.


    There were dense bite marks on her face, leaving bloody pits oozing with gore. Her nose<i>, </i><i>eyes</i>, and mouth had all been bitten through. They could even see distinct bite marks around the edges.

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    Chapter 441 The Zombie Dean Returns


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    The female zombie student roared, opening her bloodthirsty maw wide. Then, it lunged at the person rushing to her, biting down hard.


    Theresa didn¡¯t even bat an eye as she delivered a swift sh with her knife.


    A gleamstone even fell out of the zombie as she pulled out the de.


    It barely even took her a second.


    Those following behind her watched Theresa¡¯s impressive disy, their eyes shining with hope.


    Then, they all followed her like a gaggle of baby ducklings.


    Theresa headed straight for thedies¡® room.


    The females¡® restrooms in this school were all individual stalls. It was simr to the ones avable in shopping malls that prioritize privacy.


    However, there was a foul stench inside the restroom.


    Theresa stood quietly, not bothered by the bad smell. She used her special mind power to look around carefully. Once she sensed there were no zombies in the vicinity, she looked at the others and silently said, ¡°Go, go on without me.¡±


    Barrett and others stood guard at the door, letting Margaret and another girl use the restroom.


    The restroom was absolutely filthy.


    It wasn¡¯t due to excrements of any sort. Rather, it was just very dusty. Unfortunately, the dust,bined with the sttered bloodstains, made it a hotbed for mold and mushrooms.


    The taciturn girl didn¡¯t fuss and entered the first stall she could open.


    Margaret, however, was picky and looked disdainfully at each stall, searching for the cleanest one until she pushed open thest door.


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    ¡°Ah!¡± Margaret screamed.


    Barrett and the others guarding the door rushed over right away.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Barrett asked.


    Margaret just kept screaming and backing away, clearly terrified.


    s


    Then everyone saw it ¨C a corpse that looked like it had been dead for years.


    The corpse sat on the toilet, staring up at the ceiling with nk eyes. There was arge hole in its stomach, and its sclerae were an odd mix of ck and white.


    It seemed that whoever it was had been feasted upon before it could turn into a zombie.


    And that¡¯s where the terrible smell in the bathroom wasing from.


    Barrett silently closed the door.


    ¡°Just use another stall,¡± Barrett said calmly.


    ¡°No way!¡± Margaret was terrified. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the ssroom. There¡¯s a dead body here, and I¡¯m scared!¡±


    Everyone could only stare at her, exasperated.


    Just then, Barrett suddenly realized something.


    He rushed to the first stall, banging on the door as he yelled, ¡°Sandy, are you okay?¡±


    The only response was silence and blood steadily flowing out from under the stall.


    ¡°Mr. Collier¡­¡± one of the students started.


    ¡°Sandy!¡± Barrett continued to yell.


    A boy fell to the ground, peering through the small gap under the stall partition.


    His eyes immediately witnessed a horrifying scene that made the hair on his back stand up.


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    A pair of ghastly pale zombie hands had reached out from behind Sandy¡¯s water tank. One hand was violently clutching her face while the other was restraining her from behind.


    The zombie¡¯s head was buried in her stomach, gnawing through her back to her


    chest.


    A bald head was stuck in her abdomen.


    Blood gushed out of Sandy¡¯s stomach as it voraciously devoured her organs.


    He could faintly see her violently contracting liver and her half¨Ceaten intestines.


    It seemed that the zombie dean possessed some degree of intelligence as it sensed his gaze. So, it jerkily lifted its bloody bald head and stared right at him with its gray¨Cwhite zombie eyes.


    The next second, it burst out of the female student¡¯s twitching body, heading straight for more delicious food outside the bathroom stall¨Cthem.


    ¡°Run!¡± he screamed in terror. Adrenaline flowed through his veins, giving him a burst of energy that allowed him to shove Barrett and the others, who were still banging on the door, aside.


    On the men¡¯s side, Theresa, who was lying in ambush, heard themotion from the women¡¯s restroom. So, she wasted no time rushing over like a cheetah hunting its prey.


    Her mind whirred as she thought with frustration, <i>F</i><i>*</i><i>ck</i><i>, </i>why <i>is </i><i>it </i>in <i>the </i><i>women¡¯s </i>restroom<i>? </i><i>Isn¡¯t </i><i>there </i><i>just </i><i>one </i><i>door</i><i>? </i>


    Still, it barely took her a second to charge into the chaotic women¡¯s restroom.


    It was indeed that high¨Clevel zombie!


    The zombie dean was here!


    The zombie dean had gone berserk after having its fill of fresh meat and blood.


    The only thing on its mind was food.


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    It had forgotten all about the fear it had felt after getting its neck chopped by Theresa that afternoon.


    Instead, it greedily lunged at them with its half¨Csevered head, blood splurting as its head swayed dangerously on its spinal cord.


    As it opened its mouth, they could all see sticky threads of blood and saliva dripping down its thick lips.


    It only had its eyes on the prize¡ªthe students.


    At this crucial moment, Barrett stepped up to protect his students once again. Like


    a cassowary fiercely guarding its eggs, he used his body to shield them all.


    The zombie¡¯s roar echoed loudly in everyone¡¯s ears.


    As the zombie dean pounced, another sh of silver light moved to attack.


    The cold de fiercely struck at the other half of the zombie¡¯s neck.


    Theresa wanted <i>to </i>capture it to experiment on it.


    Therefore, she couldn¡¯t aim for its weak spot in the middle of its head where its gleamstones were.


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    Theresa had to keep the zombie dean¡¯s head intact, no matter the cost!


    There was a loud squelch, and an arm flew into the air.


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    The zombie dean, sensing the familiar danger, actually reached to defend itself. Unfortunately, its raised arm was no match for Theresa¡¯s swift and brutal strike.


    The zombie dean let out a human¨Clike wail, acting as if it had been hurt.


    The next second, its body erupted with ck liquid yet again.


    Theresa saw this happening, and a wave of frustration washed over her. <i>Not </i><i>this </i>again. <i>Fool </i><i>me </i>once<i>, shame </i><i>on </i><i>you</i><i>; </i><i>fool </i>me twice<i>, </i><i>shame </i><i>on </i><i>me</i><i>! </i>


    So, she swiftly reacted the second the ck liquid erupted. Sure enough, an invisible Aeroshield appeared in front of everyone.


    It hadpletely encapsted the ck liquid that the zombie dean was about to release.


    It was so thorough that not even a drop was given a chance to stter against anything.


    Barrett was stunned.


    Heidi and Reece were utterly shocked.


    Nixon and the other ssmates werepletely blown away.


    Margaret felt as though she had been hit by a ton of bricks as she stared at therge blob of ck liquid suspended mid¨Cair.


    What was that?


    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there. Hide!¡± Theresa barked with her arm raised in the air, controlling her ability.


    Barrett was the first to snap out of it. His eyes were wide as he stared at Theresa in awe. ¡®Theresa could actually stop a zombie king with just one hand! She wasn¡¯t


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    bluffing. She was truly a powerhouse! <i>Holy </i><i>sh</i>*t, <i>she¡¯s </i><i>amazing</i><i>! </i>


    Still, he wasted no time herding his students to the innermost restroom cubicle.


    As soon as they were out of the way, they heard a loud bang as the ck liquid erupted behind them.


    Unfortunately for the zombie dean, a sharp silver de cleaved through the center of the ck liquid when it exploded.


    They heard another wail and saw yet another zombie arm flying across the


    restroom.


    However, they weren¡¯t greeted by a sky full of ck liquid this time around. Instead, ck mes burst forth from the zombie dean.


    Barrett¡¯s heart leaped to his throat.


    His eyes were glued to the mass of ck mes that seemed to burn through everything as he yelled urgently, ¡°Be careful! That fire can¡¯t be extinguished once it touches you!¡±


    Following his warning, a torrential flood of water burst from Theresa¡¯s palm.


    She had doused the zombie dean from head to tail.


    She was showing everyone here that it didn¡¯t matter how fierce the zombie dean¡¯s mes were because they could never withstand the relentless wave of water in her arsenal.


    Barrett¡¯s eyes widened like saucers.


    Holy crap!


    She was also a water ability user!


    It was also obvious that her water ability level was higher than the zombie dean¡¯s!


    Just as Theresa¡¯s water extinguished the zombie dean¡¯s ck mes, it suddenly leaped to its feet and made a break for it.


    Barrett warned, ¡°It¡¯s also a speed-¡±


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    Chapter 442 Stampede


    What answered him was a swish of the de across the air.


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    He hadn¡¯t even gotten the rest of his words out when Theresa cleaved through the zombie dean¡¯s legs with just a single strike.


    Barrett swallowed as he thought to himself, The zombie dean is also a speed¨Ctype mutant zombie, but it seems that <i>so </i><i>is </i><i>Theresa</i>. <i>In </i>fact, <i>she¡¯s </i><i>even </i>faster.


    Meanwhile, Theresa did all she could to subdue the zombie dean, reducing its danger level to the lowest it could go before raising the knife in her hand.


    Then, she brutally chopped its swaying head off its spine.


    She was showcasing a strength that went far beyond a zombie¡¯s as she did so.


    Barrett couldn¡¯t help but gulp nervously when he saw what was happening.


    He was certain of it now.


    The zombie king that was something out of their nightmares was nothing more than a pig waiting for ughter to someone like Theresa.


    It couldn¡¯t even leave a single scratch on her.


    Heck, she even looked as though she were merely butchering poultry instead of lopping off the head of a zombie.


    They might think that the zombie dean was a boss in hell mode, but to her, it was merely a boss in easy mode.


    Suddenly, he recalled her saying that she hade here to look for high¨Clevel zombies. It seemed that she wasn¡¯t kidding at all because she had the strength to hunt the thing down.


    Barrett¡¯s eyes bulged at that realization.


    She was a monster of her own right.


    The other students were equally shocked as they stared at her like deer in headlights,


    Theresa¡¯s show of might hadpletely bowled them over


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    The zombie dean was a Level 4 zombie king!


    In fact, it was also the most powerful zombie king in the entire school!


    There was only one thought left in their minds¨C<i>She¡¯s </i><i>so </i><i>powerful</i><i>! </i>


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    Just as Theresa was about topletely sever the Level 4 zombie king¡¯s neck, it let out an extremely sharp howl.


    Theresa had heard this sound once before.


    ¡°Beautiful, it¡¯s calling other zombies,¡± Quentin drawled, standing at the door.


    As soon as his voice fell, the previously silent corridor behind him was now filled with the sound of running footsteps.


    It didn¡¯t end there.


    On the fourth floor, the zombies that had been locked in the ssrooms had be agitated. Sure enough, they heard sounds of ss shattering against the floor as the zombies swarmed out in a mindless horde.


    The zombies outside seemed to un¨Cpause upon hearing the zombie dean¡¯s cries.


    Soon, the zombies in the school were running toward the third¨Cfloor restroom.


    Theresa, sensing the stampedeing their way, violently chopped her katana into the zombie¡¯s neck,


    There wasn¡¯t even the slightest hint of fear in her movements.

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    When the sharp katana struck the spine of the Level 4 zombie king, Theresa felt the impact reverberating down her arm. It felt as though she was hitting solid rock.


    Sparks flew as she forced the de downward with immense force.


    <i>Shatter</i><i>! </i>


    The moment she broke through the spine of the zombie king, the katana that she had been wielding for nearly three years snapped in half with a sharp crack.


    Her de had shattered.


    Now that the zombie king had been reduced to nothing more than a head, it could no longer make a sound. All that came out of its mouth were iprehensible grunts.


    It struggled and floundered, trying to escape by rolling away, but there was no way she would allow the zombie king to escape.


    Pulling out a pressure cooker from her domain, she mmed the pot down over the zombie king¡¯s head and grabbed the lid from below with her other hand.


    <i>Click</i>!


    She snapped the lid in ce and sealed the pot shut with a click. Then, she tossed the entire pressure cooker to Quentin.


    ¡°Take it with you!¡±


    Quentin wordlessly stared at her for a moment.


    Live zombies could not be stored in the domain, so they had to be carried by hand.


    In the end, he obediently held onto the pressure cooker containing the zombie king withoutint.


    After dealing with the rest of the zombie king in several swift moves, Theresa nced regretfully at the broken sword in her hand.


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    She had been wielding the sword for three years.


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    It was only natural for her to feel somewhat reluctant to part with her trusty sword.


    Protected by the high¨Cpolymer gloves covering her hands, she picked up the other half of her broken sword and gripped the tip of the de tightly.


    Then, she turned around to address the people behind her.


    ¡°Stick close if you want to live!¡±


    <i>Roar</i><i>! </i>


    <i>Roar</i><i>! </i>


    <i>Roar</i><i>! </i>


    Outside the bathroom, the flood of zombies surged toward them like a crashing


    wave.


    Two zombies, one male and one female, were the first to arrive. They gripped the bathroom door frame and lunged forward.


    Both had been zombies for many years. Their bodies emitted the stale stench of decay.


    Their faces were horribly disfigured from being gnawed on: One had the upper half of their face bitten off, from the eye to the forehead. The other had the lower half of their face chewed away, from the nose down to the mouth.


    These horrifying wounds were grotesquely magnified to the extreme under the serene light of the setting sun.


    They charged through the bathroom doors, bloody mouths gaping wide like a bottomless abyss. Their murky zombie eyes ring intently at their prey.


    Swish!


    <i>sh</i><i>! </i>


    Theresa simultaneously plunged both ends of her broken des into the heads of these attacking zombies.


    Chapter 443 Leaving the Bathroom


    After dealing with the two zombies in one swift motion, she dashed outside.


    Zombies were hurtling forward from both sides of the corridor.


    The zombie feast had begun!


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    ¡°Go!¡±


    Inside the bathroom, Barrett anxiously instructed the others to follow closely.


    Two students in the group had injured their legs. He supported one with each hand, using himself as a human crutch to drag them along.


    As they passed the doorway of the first bathroom stall¡­


    Sandy, who had been sitting on the toilet with her stomach hollowed out, let out a grunt and stiffened her neck.


    Her body jerked upright on the toilet seat.


    She waspletely drenched in the blood gushing out of her stomach.


    Moreover, her face bore deep scratches where the fingers of the zombie king had dug into her skin. The wounds revealed the bloody flesh beneath her face.


    Her intestines dangled over the outermost fur¨Clined coat that she wore. Her half- gnawed liver and lungs were exposed through the hole in her stomach.


    Roar!


    Sandy spat out a mouthful of blood, her neatly aligned teeth stained red by the blood. From the abyss¨Clike depths of her throat came that mistakeable, inhuman sound unique to zombies.


    Her lifeless zombie eyes flew open as she twisted her limbs and lunged toward her former ssmates.


    ¡°Run!¡±


    Barrett shoved the injured students he was supporting away from him, then


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    turned to grab at thosegging behind him.


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    As he desperately pushed them toward safety, the zombified Sandy leaped out at him. He seized the baseball bat that Sandy had used when she was still alive. Jamming the baseball bat into her mouth, he knocked her back into the bathroom with a fierce swing.


    In those tense seconds, the rest of the students ran past him.


    It wasn¡¯t until thest one had left the bathroom that he finally turned and sprinted to catch up.


    When he finally made it outside, he found himself facing a sea of corpses.


    A massive horde of zombies came flooding toward them from the corridors behind them.


    The faces of countless zombies were illuminated by the golden glow of the setting sun, each one twisted into a grotesque and ferocious snarl.


    They swarmed forward, rushing toward the students.


    The students bravely raised their baseball bats, fighting desperately against the endless horde of zombies.


    Meanwhile, Theresa zed a trail through the side where the zombies were less crowded and carved out a bloody path ahead with her two des.


    Even with someone clearing a path for them, the students remained vulnerable and helpless against the zombie horde.


    The male students, including Nixon and Reece, held the outermost line of defense. Pressing against the wall, they swung their baseball bats fiercely and smashed down on the zombies charging at the front lines.


    Heidi and Margaret huddled further inside.


    Heidi wielded her weapon, repeatedly swinging at the zombies lunging at her.


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    On the other hand, Margaret did nothing but scream helplessly from behind them. ¡°Ahh! Zombies! On the right! On the right!¡±


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    Chapter 444 Just Keep Running!


    Chapter <i>444 </i>Just Keep Running!

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    Chapter <i>444 </i>Just Keep Running!


    ¡°Ahhh!!!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Heidi shouted irritably. ¡°Stop yelling!¡±


    Margaret was immediately infuriated by the reprimand from Heidi.


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    Looking at the zombie lunging toward them, she abruptly shoved Heidi in that direction.


    Die, b*tch!


    ¡°Ah-¡±


    Heidi was about to be devoured by the zombie when a swift shadow darted forward and scooped her up.


    ¡°We¡¯ll all get out together!¡±


    Barrett grabbed Heidi from behind. Spreading his arms out like a mother hen protecting her chicks, he shielded the students with his back facing the swarm of zombies.


    ¡°Everyone, hold on tight!¡±


    His ability began to activate beneath his feet.


    Then, he pushed the students forward with all his might.


    The entire group was thrust ahead in a straight line, advancing at high speed.


    This was his ability¨Cmoving forward at an incredible speed.


    But his ability only allowed him to move in a straight line.


    Despite the shorings, the speed of his movement became extremely fast when his ability was activated.


    He propelled the group of students forward with his back facing the oing horde of zombies and hurriedly chased after Theresa.


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    Theresa was clearing the path in front when she sensed movement behind her.


    ncing back, she saw a scene that made her tremble with amusement.


    Barrett was driving the students forward like an ox pushing a cart.


    Nevertheless, her gaze sharpened at the sight.


    Go! Go<i>! </i>Go!


    Go!


    Swinging the de in her hand even faster, she began to increase her speed.


    Nine <i>thousand </i><i>nine </i><i>hundred </i><i>and </i><i>fifty</i><i>¨C</i><i>one</i><i>! </i>


    Nine <i>thousand </i><i>nine </i><i>hundred </i><i>and </i><i>seventy</i><i>! </i>


    <i>Nine </i><i>thousand </i><i>nine </i><i>hundred </i><i>and </i><i>ny</i><i>! </i>


    <i>Ten </i>thousand!


    She repeatedly shed at the zombies as she ran, ruthlessly ying them until she finallypleted her task of killing ten thousand zombies.


    Once she sensed that the zombie¨Ckilling mission had beenpleted, she wasted no time and charged forward without pause.


    She ran fast, but Barrett followed just as quickly from behind.


    And further back was a massive horde of zombies chasing after them.


    As the sun set, the night grew darker.


    The zombies began to move faster.


    Chased by the zombies, everyone ran forward with their lives on the line!


    Everyone was chased by the zombies, running for their lives!


    Finally-


    They reached the stairs.


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    They went down the third floor¡­


    Then the second floor¡­


    And the first floor¡­


    Theresa dashed down the stairs to the first floor.


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    But when she got there, she realized that the people following behind her were only just reaching the second floor.


    They were falling behind.


    Barrett had exhausted his ability.


    When Reece abruptly noticed that Barrett could barely move his legs anymore, he shouted anxiously, ¡°Mr. Collier!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Barrett struggled to speak. ¡°Just run!¡±


    At this moment, the horde of zombies had reached the stairwell just above them.


    There was no time to linger.


    ¡°No! If we leave, we leave together!¡±


    Reece hurriedly hoisted his teacher onto his back.


    Meanwhile, Nixon helped to support the two other students who were struggling


    to move<i>. </i>


    Heidi and Margaret remained in the middle of the group.


    Then, they sprinted forward at full speed.


    <i>¡°</i>Roar-¡±


    Just as they were dashing down the stairs from the second floor to the first, a zombie suddenly sprang out from behind a door. It lunged straight for Margaret and Heidi, who were positioned in the middle of the group.


    When Margaret saw the zombie reaching for her, she once again shoved Heidi in


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    front of her.


    But this time, Heidi was prepared.


    She ducked swiftly to the side.


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    In the middle of pushing Heidi into danger, Margaret lost her bnce and fell right before the zombie.


    She desperately turned to Nixon just as she was about to die at the hands of the zombie.


    ¡°Nixon-¡±


    Crying out his name, she reached her hand toward him.


    In that critical moment, Nixon reached out and gantly grabbed her hand to pull her back to safety.


    But she pushed him toward the zombie instead when he grabbed her hand.


    ¡°Nixon-¡±


    Fortunately, he was prepared.


    As soon as he felt her hands pushing him forward, he bent his back to dodge the zombie and simultaneouslyunched a flying kick that sent the zombie flying backward.


    Margaret had already disappeared around the corner by then.


    ¡°Nixon-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine! Just keep running!¡±


    Nixon gave Margaret a deep look, then he continued to support the two injured students as they ran from the zombies.


    <i>Thud</i><i>. </i><i>Thud</i>. <i>Thud</i><i>. </i><i>Thud</i>.


    The sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the air, apanied by the rasping growls of countless zombies.


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    At this point, everyone was numb with fear and exhaustion.


    Their strength was depleted.


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    The intense running made them feel as though their chests were about to explode.


    Every gasp of cold air caused their chests to burn with a sharp pain that resembled a hot knife scraping their lungs from the inside.


    They were starting to fall behind.


    It was impossible to escape at this rate.


    ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t stop running. Keep moving forward.¡±


    A slightly trembling voice came from Reece¡¯s back.


    Trying hard to remain calm and collected, Barrett forcefully pushed away from Reece, who had been carrying him.


    He nned to stay behind and sacrifice himself so that the rest of the students could escape.


    He nced at Theresa, who was more than 160 feet ahead.


    The distance between them was steadily increasing.


    Then, he shouted at her.

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    ¡°Miss!¡± Barrett yelled.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to recruit Reece and Heidi? I¡¯m leaving them to you from now on!


    ¡°The other students are good kids, too! They are very obedient and well¨Cbehaved!¡±


    The fleeing students gradually stopped in their tracks when they heard those words.


    ¡°Mr. Collier!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Collier!¡±


    They turned to look at their teacher, tears immediately streaming down their faces.


    ¡°I¡¯ll cover the rear! Run, now!¡± Barrett shouted at them with everyst bit of strength he had left.


    ¡°No, ¡°Mr. Collier!¡±


    Just as the students were overwhelmed by their emotions, a loud curse suddenly interrupted their tearful pleas.


    ¡°Run, my ass! Get in here now, you dumbf*cks!¡±


    Theresa opened the door to a nearby ssroom ahead and stood at the doorway, ring at them in exasperation.


    Reece and Heidi were the first to react.


    They quickly turned around and lifted Barrett by the arms. Hoisting him onto their shoulders, they sprinted forward with all their strength.


    One by one, the students rushed inside the ssroom.


    The zombies were nearly upon them by the time Reece and Heidi finally reached the door.


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    Bam<i>! </i>


    Theresa hurriedly mmed the door shut.


    <i>Thud</i><i>! </i><i>Thud</i><i>! </i><i>Thud</i><i>! </i>


    The thin wooden door of the first¨Cfloor ssroom shuddered violently under the weight of the zombies pounding against the frame.


    There were no locks on the door. Since the door could not be locked, it felt like the door could burst open at any moment.


    Nevertheless, everyone sank to the floor in exhaustion.


    They werepletely drained, lying on the ground and gasping for breath.


    Theresa looked at them and announced, ¡°I¡¯m heading to the administration office to get my car.¡±


    As soon as the words left her mouth, they turned to look at her.


    ¡°You can¡¯t leave!¡± Margaret shouted from where she sat on the ground. ¡°We¡¯re exhausted right now! Who will protect us if you leave?¡±


    p-


    Theresa pped Margaret across the face.


    ¡°Why should I protect you, you f*cking idiot?¡±


    Margaret¡¯s cheek instantly turned red and swollen from the p. Her eyes welled up with tears from the pain and indignation. She red at Theresa, furious and resentful,


    ¡°How dare you hit me?! No one has ever dared to raise their hand against me¨Cnot since I was born! Who the hell do you think you are to p me?!¡±


    <i>p- </i>


    Another resounding p echoed throughout the room.


    It wasn¡¯t from Theresa, but Heidi.


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    Heidi had pushed herself up from the ground, legs trembling and weak from running. She stepped forward and pped Margaret hard.


    ¡°That¡¯s from me!¡±


    <i>p- </i>


    She pped Margaret a second time.


    Margaret had pushed her in front of the zombies twice today.


    Both times, her life had hung by a thread.


    These ps were retribution for the malicious acts she had suffered at Margaret¡¯s hands today!


    ¡°How dare you hit me!? You hit me-¡± Margaret burst into tears, shocked that she had been pped thrice in a row. ncing around at the others, she silently pleaded for help.


    Then, she caught sight of Nixon.


    Nixon had stood up.


    And he was walking toward her.


    Her eyes immediately lit up at the sight.


    ¡°Nixon-¡±


    p!


    Nixon pped Margaret hard across the face.


    Margaret was stunned.


    Staring at him in disbelief, she suddenly realized something when she saw the cold and emotionless look in his eyes¨Cthe loyal fool who once loved her was not trying to tter and please her anymore.


    ¡°Mr. Collier!¡± A loud, wailing cry abruptly burst out of her throat,


    ¡°Barrett Collier! Aren¡¯t you going to do something?! They¡¯re ganging up on me!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Barrett shot her an irritated re.


    It was the first time the ever¨Ckind and patient teacher, who treated his students as though they were his everything, had snapped at someone.


    His sharp tone caused her to freeze mid¨Csob. She nced around at the people around her.


    Barrett <i>Collier</i><i>, </i><i>Nixon </i><i>Hatfield</i><i>, </i><i>Heidi </i><i>Johnston</i><i>¡­ </i><i>and </i><i>Theresa Hall</i><i>¡­ </i>


    These <i>people</i>¡­ <i>They¡¯re </i><i>bullying </i><i>me</i><i>! </i>


    She did not make another sound. Instead, she lowered her head and clutched at the corner of her shirt tightly. A deep and growing resentment took root in the depths of her eyes.


    Barrett suddenly questioned wearily, ¡°What do we do now?¡±


    <i>Bam</i>! <i>Bam</i><i>! </i><i>Bam</i><i>! </i>


    The zombies outside were pounding hard against the doors and windows. It sounded as though they could break into the ssroom at any moment.


    ¡°Quentin, go and get the car.¡±


    Cracking her neck, Theresa nced out the window. Her gaze was focused on the zombies roaming outside, and somewhere far away.


    They were currently hiding inside a ssroom on the first floor.


    ¡°Sure, Beautiful!¡±


    Quentin opened the window and nimbly climbed out. Leaving the pressure cooker behind, he took off running in the direction of their car.


    He had gone to get the car.


    ¡°He might take a few minutes. You¡¯ll have to hold out until he returns.


    ¡°If the zombies break in, I¡¯ll run immediately. I won¡¯t be sticking around to protect


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    any of you,¡± Theresa stated bluntly.


    5 Free <b>Coms </b>


    To be fair, she was giving them a chance of survival by sending Quentin to bring the car around.


    She could have just left with him and saved herself the trouble of staying here.


    But she would have to bring these people with her if she went outside with Quentin, and the students couldn¡¯t run anymore.


    Heading outside in their condition would mean certain death for them.


    On the condition that she could ensure her own safety, she had no reason to be cold¨Cblooded or upassionate toward others.

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    As long as she stayed alive, everyone else would also have a fighting chance to survive.


    Theresa¡¯s words seemed to give Barrett and the students some of their strength back.


    They immediately pulled themselves together, forcing their exhausted bodies to


    move.


    Stacking the tables and chairs together, they hastily formed a barricade with everything they could find to block the doors and windows as much as possible.


    They were determined to live¨Cand survive as long as possible¡ªno matter what.


    <i>We </i><i>have </i>to <i>survive</i><i>! </i>


    By the time they finished barricading the front door, Quentin was already halfway to the car.


    And he had sessfully gotten into the car as they finished sealing the windows.


    The engine roared to life.


    As he started driving toward them, they became even more invigorated.


    They quickly moved to block the back door.


    That was when they noticed Margaret, who was slowly walking toward the back door.


    At this moment, countless zombies were crammed outside the tightly closed door. of the ssroom on the first floor.


    Even the long corridor leading to the ssroom was packed with innumerable


    zombies.


    There were both male and female among these zombies. Some of them were tall, and some of them were short. There were students, teachers, janitors, cafeteriadies, and even security guards.


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    They pushed and shoved against each other, forcefully pressing their ghastly faces against the thin wooden door that threatened to copse at any moment.


    Heidi and Reece were perched on the tables, facing a window that was around waist¨Chigh.


    The aluminum window frame was starting to bend and deform under the relentless pounding of the zombies outside. The zombie palms pping against the window left endless smears and streaks of their bloody handprints on the ss.


    The nearest row of zombies in the front opened their abyss¨Clike mouths wide, gnawing and howling at the dusty ss with beastly wails.


    Both Heidi and Reece could see rows of yellowing teeth lining the mouths of these zombies, as uneven and jagged as a saw. Their pus¨Cfilled, rotting tongues stretched out of their mouths.


    Furthermore, their vocal cords were visible within their deep throats, beyond the dry and sunken upper jaws that resembled the bloody maws of a crocodile.


    A thick and disgusting red¨Cck pus oozed out every time they opened their mouths, sticking to the ss.


    ¡°<i>Roar</i><i>!</i><i>¡± </i>


    ¡°<i>Roar</i><i>!</i><i>¡± </i>


    ¡°<i>Roar</i><i>!</i><i>¡± </i>


    The zombies seemed desperate to gnaw their way into the ssroom through the window.


    Whoosh-


    A curtain was pulled shut with a swish.


    Reece had just finished building a barricade against the window. Drawing the curtains, he temporarily blocked out the terrifying scenery beyond the window so that they could have some respite.


    Meanwhile, Heidi clutched at the edge of the table. She was just about to climb down and head to the final door at the back.


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    When she raised her head, she saw Margaret standing at the back door. Margaret¡¯s hand was stretched out to grab the baseball bat wedged through the door handle.


    The door opened outward. Since there were no locks on the doors, they had jammed the door handle with a baseball bat to prevent the door from being opened by ident.


    Margaret yanked the baseball bat out of the door handle in a swift move,


    ¡°Margaret!¡± Heidi screamed in rm, her voice sharp and panicked. ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    Everyone else immediately snapped their heads toward Margaret.


    Their expressions changed instantly at the sight.


    ¡°Margaret! Put the baseball bat back¨Cnow!¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± ncing at the door shaking violently behind her without the reinforcement of the baseball bat, sheughed mockingly. She continued with a smug sneer, ¡°Are you scared now? Why weren¡¯t you afraid when you were ganging up on me earlier, huh?¡±


    ¡°Margaret, you¡¯re incorrigible!¡± Barrett shouted, angrily striding toward her.


    ¡°Don¡¯te any closer¨Cor I¡¯ll open the door!¡± She immediately grabbed the door handle at his approach


    He immediately froze in his tracks. ¡°What are you doing!?¡±


    Seeing that she had sessfully subdued the others, she finally breathed a sigh of satisfaction. It made her feel better to stand in a position of power again.


    She looked around the room smugly. ¡°I want every one of you to kneel before me and p yourselves until I¡¯m satisfied! Especially you, Heidi! Nixon¡­ and Barrett, too! If you don¡¯t beat yourselves to a pulp, then die!¡±


    Heidi immediately nced at Barret and Nixon,


    Meanwhile, Reece and several other students stood frozen in ce. They were frowning deeply, their brows furrowed tightly in frustration.


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    Barrett fixed his gaze on Margaret, lips tightly pursed in displeasure. His eyes were filled with immense disappointment¨Che had always held the highest expectations for his students.


    Nixon, however, was not disappointed.


    I <i>can¡¯t </i>believe I <i>loved </i><i>her </i><i>once</i><i>! </i>I <i>must </i><i>have </i><i>been </i><i>blind</i><i>! </i>


    He simply stared at the hysterical girl in front of him with a mixture of mockery and disgust in his eyes.


    Margaret yelled, ¡°Hurry up!¡±


    ¡°Margaret, I¡¯ll give you onest chance.¡± Barrett stared at Margaret coldly. ¡°Come back quietly, and I¡¯ll pretend nothing happened.¡±


    ¡°Hah, in your dreams!¡± Her answer was instantaneous. ¡°Do you really think I can pretend nothing happened after you assaulted me!? You¡¯ll pay the price for your folly today or die!¡±


    ¡°I knew you were a brain¨Cdead idiot with a screw loose somewhere.¡±


    At that moment, a calm but pointed voice interrupted them.


    ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re threatening?¡±


    Theresa stood by the window with the pressure cooker in her hand, indifferently watching themotion caused by Margaret. ¡°Go ahead and open the door! Go on! Do it if you dare! Otherwise, you¡¯ll just be a cowardly retard!¡±


    ¡°You-¡± Margaret gripped the door handle tightly, infuriated by Theresa¡¯s provocative words.


    But she did not dare to open the door.


    ¡°<i>Go </i>on! What are you waiting for? You¡¯re standing right there. You¡¯ll be the first to be caught by the zombies as soon as you open that door¨Cand they will devour your brains immediately!¡±

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    ¡°But the zombies will probably be disgusted by your brains¨Csince it¡¯s full of sh*t!¡±


    Everyone else in the ssroom was speechless at Theresa¡¯s cutting remarks.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to die? Well then, hurry up! Mypanion will be back if you wait any longer, then you won¡¯t even have the chance to pull anyone down with you.¡±


    Several expressions shed across Margaret¡¯s pretty face when she heard those words.


    Frustration, anger, resentment, reluctance¡­ A myriad of emotions appeared on her face in quick session.


    But regardless of what she felt, she did not dare to open the door.


    At that moment, a loud rumble came from the Zombie Reaper.


    The engine sputtered and stalled¨Cthe wheels had stopped turning!


    ¡°Theresa! The car¡¯s broken down!¡±


    Theresa nced outside the window,


    ¡°Oh no!¡± Reece and Heidi gasped in unison and hurriedly confessed, ¡°We stuffed cotton and wooden sticks in the wheels!¡±


    Theresa sighed in frustration,


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry, Miss¡­¡± Reece and Heidi apologized to Theresa with guilty expressions.


    ¡°Forget it. You¡¯ve only sabotaged yourselves.¡± Losing interest in them, Theresa turned and shouted at Quentin through the window. ¡°Quentin, there¡¯s something stuck in the wheels!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    Quentin climbed down from the vehicle to fix the wheels.


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    The sound of the engine attracted quite a few zombies.


    Fortunately, they did not bite him.


    He quickly crawled under the wheels and started the repairs.


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    Knowing that they had made a huge mistake, Reece and Heidi hung their heads low. They were ovee by guilt.


    They had certainly sabotaged themselves.


    With the zombies threatening to break into the ssroom at any moment, it was their fault that everyone had to hold out for even longer now.


    And it was because they had damaged Theresa¡¯s vehicle.


    There was no denying that they had shot themselves in the foot with their previous actions.


    They were now bitterly regretting their foolish actions.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Collier¡­ We didn¡¯t know things would turn out like this¡­¡± Heidi apologized, her voice trembling slightly. Tears spilled out of her eyes. ¡°We were so scared back then¡­ thinking she was a bad person who wanted to hurt us.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s done is done, let¡¯s think of a solution instead.¡± Barrett looked at her and sighed heavily. ¡°No matter what happens next, I won¡¯t me you.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Margaret exploded, growing even more infuriated by the emotional exchange<i>. </i>¡°Heidi <i>caused </i>such a huge mess, yet you¡¯re speaking to her so gently and saying you won¡¯t me her. But when it¡¯s me, you scold and yell at me instead! You won¡¯t even stand up for me!


    ¡°You¡¯re such a hypocrite! You don¡¯t deserve to be a teacher!¡±


    ¡°Margaret Benson!¡± Barrett yelled, his temper reaching its peak.


    He angrily strode toward her withrge, heavy steps.


    At that moment-


    <i>Crash</i>!


    Chapter 447 Barricade Breached


    One of the windows near the back door shattered, smashed halfway open by the zombies.


    ss shards flew out from behind the curtains.


    Then, a zombie squeezed through the gap.


    Luckily, they had built a sturdy barricade of tables and chairs in front of the window.


    The zombie was caught between the legs of the stacked tables and chairs, growling and snarling as it struggled to push its way further inside.


    Margaret dropped the baseball bat and backed away in fright.


    Meanwhile, Barrett hurriedly changed directions to block the zombie that was trying to break through the barricade.


    Forgetting that he was about to confront Margaret, he threw himself toward the teetering pile of tables and chairs.


    ¡°Mr. Collier!¡±


    Reece, Heidi, Nixon, and the other students rushed forward as well.


    Throwing themselves at the precarious stack of furniture, they desperately supported the barricade against the swarm of zombies that were on the verge of breaking through.


    <i>¡°</i>Roar<i>!</i><i>¡± </i>


    The zombies excitedly tried to push themselves through the breach in the barricade,


    <i>¡°</i><i>Roar-</i>¡±


    One, two, three¡­


    Soon, there were countless zombie hands stretching through the gaps between the


    tables and chairs.


    The knuckles of these zombie hands were bent sharply at a weird angle. Their


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    hardened nails resembled the ws of a monstrous bird, shing at the metal legs of the furniture.


    Paint and metal shavings flew everywhere as long scratches were gouged into the metal. The sound of their nails scraping and wing at the metal made a shrill, grating noise that rang painfully in the ears of the living.


    ¡°<i>Roar-</i>¡±


    A zombie pushed its head through the gap between the legs of the tables and chairs.


    ¡°Graaah!¡±


    Seeing the fresh meating within reach of its ws, it howled with even greater force.


    <i>Snap</i><i>! </i><i>Crack</i><i>! </i>


    It thrusted its head forward with such force that it broke its rib against one of the chair legs.


    Food!


    So <i>hungry</i><i>¡­ </i>


    Food¡­


    The zombie finally broke through thest line of defense,


    <i>¡°</i>Roar-¡±


    Opening its bloody mouth wide, it let out a roar and pounced at Barrett, who was supporting the teetering stack of tables and chairs.


    <i>Wham</i><i>! </i>


    A baseball bat suddenly came smashing down on its head.


    Heidi gripped the baseball bat with both hands, gasping for breath as she stared at the zombie that had lunged forward to bite her teacher on the shoulder.


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    <i>Bam</i><i>! </i><i>Whack</i><i>! </i><i>Bam</i><i>! </i>


    She repeatedly smashed the baseball bat down on the zombie¡¯s head.


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    It wasn¡¯t until the zombie¡¯s skull was ttened against the bench before her that her frantic movements gradually slowed down.


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    Chapter 448 Thirty Seconds

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    Barrett quietly praised Heidi for her bravery. ¡°Well done.¡±


    ¡°Come quick¨Cover here!¡±


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    Meanwhile, the other students called for help from the other side of the ssroom.


    ¡°The zombies are breaking through!¡±


    Heidi immediately ran over to help the others. Seeing the zombies gradually crawling through the barricade, she swung her baseball bat and struck several heavy blows in quick session.


    <i>Whack</i><i>! </i><i>Whack</i><i>! </i><i>Whack</i><i>! </i>


    She eventually managed to repel the zombies.


    In that way, they held their ground against the horde of zombies.


    Barrett directed the group of male students, supporting the barricade of tables and chairs in various directions. Meanwhile, Heidi ran around, wielding her baseball bat and smashing the heads of any zombie that tried to wriggle through the barricade.


    Margaret sat copsed on the ground, frantically scooting backward in horror. Her eyes were wide with fear as she watched the situation unravelling before her.


    Time ticked by, <i>second </i>by second¡­


    Zombies continuously swarmed through the broken windows.


    The students gritted their teeth, barely managing to hold their ground.


    Heidi¡¯s arms had gone numb from swinging the baseball bat without rest.


    Barrett and the other students¨Ctheir shoulders, backs, and other body parts braced against the barricade¨Cwere bruised and sore from being pounded countless times by the zombies outside.


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    It was particrly true for Barrett, who was desperately gripping a corner of a table with one hand to keep the barricade in ce.


    His hand was so sore and numb that even his nerves were tingling.


    He clenched his teeth and endured the pain.


    Vroom!


    The sound of a car engine roaring to life came from outside.


    Theresa was keeping watch over the Level 4 zombie king¡¯s head while


    simultaneously monitoring Quentin¡¯s movements through the window. Hearing the roar of the engine, she shouted, ¡°Just hold on for another thirty seconds!¡±


    Her words reignited the hope of survival in the hearts of the students.


    <i>Thirty </i><i>seconds</i><i>! </i>


    No matter how much pain they endured, they had to hold on!


    Twenty<i>¨C</i><i>five </i><i>seconds</i><i>! </i>


    They were almost at the finishing line!


    Twenty seconds<i>! </i>


    Each second seemed to pass at an excruciatingly slow speed.


    In fact, time moved so sluggishly that every second stretched into an eternity.


    They began to sweat profusely, cold sweat dripping down their backs as more and more zombies shoved against the barricade with immense force.


    The barricade was on the verge of copse at this point.


    As the barricade teetered precariously, they gritted their already sore jaws.


    <i>Hold </i><i>on</i><i>! </i><i>Please </i>hold on!


    <i>Fifteen </i><i>seconds</i>!


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    Just then, a muffled voice caught their attention.


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    ¡°T¨CThere¡­ Look over there¡­¡± Margaret pointed toward the back door in terror.


    The other students, doing their best to maintain the barricade, turned to look¡­


    The back door!


    They were horrified by the sight¨Cthe back door waspletely undefended!


    The door opened outward.


    And Margaret had removed the only thing jamming the door handle¡ªthe baseball bat that had been acting as a makeshift lock.


    Due to the heavy pounding from the zombies outside, the door sprang open from the recoil.


    Several zombies eventually noticed the gap that formed when the door swung


    open.


    What started <i>as </i>a slight crack gradually widened until a hand could fit through the gap!


    A grayish zombie hand reached through the crack, its fingers bent and twisted into ws.


    Crack<i>! </i>


    A zombie hand had grabbed hold of the door!


    ¡°Mr. Collier!¡± Heidi went pale at the sight, Gripping her baseball bat, she hesitated for half a second before she dashed toward the door and attempted to knock the zombie¡¯s hand away.


    Unfortunately, it was as the saying went¨Cwhen it <i>rained</i>, it poured.


    <i>Crash</i><i>! </i>


    The windows they were defending shattered at the same time.


    An evenrger wave of zombies surged forward, pushing against the already


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    teetering barricade of tables and chairs.


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    Barrett and the students, who were holding the line with all their strength, were forced backward.


    Their feet slid backward several inches as the powerful zombies shoved the barricade forward by several inches.


    <i>Bam</i><i>! </i><i>Bam</i><i>! </i><i>Bam</i>!


    More zombie hands¨Cand even zombie heads¨Csqueezed into the ssroom.


    <i>Bam</i><i>! </i><i>Bam</i><i>! </i><i>Bam</i><i>! </i>


    The zombie hand clutching at the back door was slowly widening the gap.


    Fortunately, the door kept mming shut again every time the gap widened, because the other zombies were mindlessly ramming into the entrance.


    Still¡­ zombies were relentless and fearless creatures.


    The zombie persistently wed its way inward. First the elbow, then the arm¡­ and then its head squeezed through the gap in the door.


    At that moment, a thunderous rumble shook the entire ssroom.


    The car had finally arrived!


    The moment the vehicle stopped outside the window, Theresa pushed open the window and climbed out with the pressure cooker held carefully in her hand.


    She quickly dealt with the zombies swarming around the car.


    Once the nearby zombies were in, she shouted to the students inside the ssroom.


    ¡°Get ready toe out!¡±


    Barrett heard her voice, his heart surging with a sliver of hope,


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


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    The students immediately released their grip and turned to run.


    s


    The barricade of tables and chairs they had been supporting instantly copsed behind them.


    As the barricade came crashing down, it buried arge number of zombies under the rubble, effectively buying them several precious seconds.


    But now, the real danger¡­ was the back door!


    Roar!


    The zombie that had managed to stick its head through the door was twisting and jerking around, trying to force its mangled body into the ssroom.


    At the same time, more and more zombies began to spot the widening gap. They hungrily grabbed at the door, zombie hands wing at the opening to push their way inside.


    <i>Roar- </i>


    The students broke into a sprint.


    Heidi was the first to reach the window, but she had no strength left to pull herself


    out.


    Just as she was struggling to climb over the window, a hand suddenly grabbed her by the cor and tossed her into the car.


    ¡°Miss-¡±


    Theresa flung Heidi into the car, then quickly flipped over the window and back into the ssroom.


    ¡°From now on, anyone I save owes me!¡±


    Without missing a beat, she grabbed the next two boys running toward her and smoothly hurled them out of the window¨Cone in each hand.


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    ¡°Go back and work like mules for me!¡±


    s


    Margaret was next, dragging herself forward and gasping. ¡°Help me up, too!<i>¡± </i>


    ¡°Not even if my life depended on it, you useless leech! Go die wherever you want!¡± Theresa smacked her so hard she went flying.


    Margaret hit the ground, stunned, watching Reece, Nixon, and Barrett getting ready to leave.


    Panic surged.


    <i>They </i><i>are </i><i>really </i><i>going </i><i>to </i><i>abandon </i><i>me</i><i>! </i>


    <i>How </i><i>could </i><i>they</i><i>? </i>


    And <i>that </i><i>shameless </i>witch <i>Theresa</i><i>! </i>


    Margaret sprang to her feet, bolting for the sliding window. Seizing the moment before anyone noticed, she mmed it shut with a snap and threw the lock.


    Her fingers mped down on thetch like a vice.


    ¡°If I¡¯m going to die, we¡¯re all going to die!¡±


    A guttural roar sounded.


    The zombies at the back door had finally broken through.


    The breach was far more dangerous than the side with the window¨Cthere was nothing to slow them down, nothing to stop them from tearing everyone apart.


    In that instant, Nixon didn¡¯t hesitate. He lunged at Margaret, prying her hands from the lock and wrenching the window back open. ¡°Mr. Collier, get them out of


    here¨Cnow!¡±


    Then, he wrapped his arms around her and rolled straight toward the iing horde.


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    ¡°Nixon! No!¡± Barrett started to dive after him.


    s


    The zombies, now presented with fresh prey, let out an eager snarl and swiped with hooked ws.


    Theresa watched the raw loyalty between teacher and student and sighed. Fine. She¡¯d step in.


    Just as she was about to unleash her ability, a sudden wave of overwhelming mental ability swept in from outside.


    The moment it hit, every zombie charging Nixon froze mid¨Cmotion.


    Theresa¡¯s head snapped toward the ssroom door.


    The ce was a wreck.


    Most of the windows facing the hall had been shattered. The desks and chairs stacked against them were toppled, and zombies were crawling over and through the gaps.


    The back door was worst of all¨Chalf open, with a wall of snarling, mindless faces pouring in unchecked.


    The fastest of them had already reached the middle of the room, ws raised, ready to strike Nixon and Margaret.


    <i>Bang</i><i>! </i>


    The half¨Copen door mmed shut from the outside.


    The surge of zombies was abruptly cut off.


    A momentter came the rattle of keys.


    Theresa stared, stunned¨Csomeone was locking it from the outside.


    ¡°Mr. Dalton¡¯s here!¡± a voice cried out, brimming with relief,


    Barrett saw the door locking, saw the zombies held still by sheer mental ability, and rushed to Nixon and Margaret.


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    Chapter 449 Closing the Door


    ¡°Hurry! Mr. Dalton¡¯s here to save us!¡±


    He reached out to grab them.


    s


    Nixon gave him a faint, almost resigned smile. ¡°Mr. Collier, I can¡¯t. One of them got me. Go.¡±


    Only then did Barrett notice the deep w marks raked across Nixon¡¯s back¨Cno jacket this time to block the blow.


    ¡°Mr. Collier, no! Take me with you!¡± Margaret screamed, thrashing in Nixon¡¯s iron grip.


    Another roar split the air.


    The zombie behind Nixon twitched back to life. Not even a high¨Clevel zombie¡¯s mental suppression could hold it when fresh, living meat was this close.


    Its teeth sank into Nixon¡¯s neck.


    Hot blood sprayed across both their faces.


    Margaret shrieked even louder. ¡°Help me! Please!¡±


    ¡°Go,¡± Nixon told them, locking his arms tighter around her.


    More roars erupted as other zombies broke through the mental suppression.


    Nixon shielded Margaret with his own body, forcing the undead back with nothing but flesh and bone.


    Barrett¡¯s eyes burned red. He wanted to charge in, drag his students out¨Cbut Reece seized him and hauled him toward the window.


    When they reached Theresa, Reece shouted over the chaos, ¡°Miss, move! Mr. Dalton can¡¯t hold them forever!¡±


    That name¨CMr. Dalton+made Theresa¡¯s stomach clench.


    Reece shoved Barrett toward the open window, straining to push him through.


    They were all running on empty.


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    Theresa didn¡¯t hesitate anymore. She grabbed them one by one and tossed them outside, then vaulted over herself in a clean flip.


    The moment shended, the window mmed shut behind her.


    Nixon had closed it.


    He stood there, Margaret clutched tight, their backs pressed to the ss.


    Behind them, zombies wed their way toward the window from every side.


    Through that sea of zombies, Theresa caught sight of a hunched zombie slipping away toward the back door.


    Sat

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    It pushed its way through the sea of zombies, heading straight for the front door that was moments away from being breached¨Cand locked it.


    Theresa¡¯s chest tightened as if a giant hand had squeezed her heart.


    Now she understood.


    She finally knew why every ssroom on the fifth and fourth floors had been locked.


    When the outbreak began, a teacher had thought of every student still inside.


    He had fought his way back, risking everything, and locked the students in their ssrooms¨Cto protect them.


    Even after bing a zombie, that instinct remained.


    Its hands still turned the key to keep other zombies from breaking in.


    Theresa stared at the familiar figure and parted her lips. ¡°Mr. Dalton.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Collier, goodbye!¡±


    At that moment, a voice came from the ssroom.


    Nixon was clutching Margaret tightly. His neck had been bitten again and again, blood soaking most of his shirt and half his face,


    Through the ss, that blood¨Cstreaked face broke into a wide smile.


    <i>¡°</i>Goodbye, everyone.¡±


    Margaret, trapped in his arms, pped frantically at the window. Her fingers wed at thetch Nixon gripped in a death hold.


    It wouldn¡¯t budge.


    He wouldn¡¯t let her open it.


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    Chapter 450 Farewell at the School Gates


    ¡°Help me! Please, help me!¡±


    Her screams rang with terror¨Cuntil they didn¡¯t.


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    With a guttural snarl, Nixon¡¯s cloudy gray eyes glinted, and he sank his teeth into her neck.


    More and more zombies swarmed to the window.


    Growling and snapping, they piled on, fighting over the only fresh meat in sight.


    ¡°Nixon! Margaret!¡±


    Inside the vehicle, Barrett let out a broken sob. He covered his face, tears spilling freely.


    Every student was his life. Even Margaret. Even her.


    In the end, he still wanted to save her.


    Now, they were gone.


    ¡°Mr. Collier.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Mr. Collier.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Collier¡­¡±


    Heidi and the others crowded close, trying tofort him. Their own tears sttered to the floor.


    The engine roared as Quentin mmed the gas pedal to the floor.


    The Reaper came alive again, gears whirring in the plow as the sharp des spun.


    The noise drew swarms of zombie students, but the Reaper tore through them, crushing bodies under its weight.


    Blue¨Cand¨Cwhite school uniforms flew through the air like leaves in a storm.


    It carved a bloody path through the sea of the undead, forcing its way out.


    Chapter 450 Farewell at the School Gates


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    Theresa <b>turned </b>to look back <b>at </b>the school building, the sunset bleeding behind it.


    Endless waves of zombie <b>students </b>still poured from the halls.


    If not for the apocalypse, it would have looked like students heading to dinner after ss.


    Among the tide. Theresa spotted a hunched figure that didn¡¯t <b>quite </b>belong.


    An old zombie, maybe seventy or eighty, shuffled along with the horde <b>until </b>it reached the doorway.


    Its cloudy eyes¡ªwhether carrying a spark of <b>humanity </b>or merely drawn by the sound¡ªstayed fixed on the departing vehicle.


    That vehicle carried students it had once <b>taught</b>.


    Now they were leaving.


    ¡°Goodbye. Mr. Dalton.¡± Theresa whispered.


    The night fell with the rumble of engines and the re of sparks.


    By the time darkness fully swallowed thend. Theresa had returned to the zing Sun Alliance¡¯s territory.


    A wall of zombies stretched across the road ahead, shoulder to shoulder.


    In the backseat, where three people should have fit, six were crammed together.


    Barrett and the others were slowly emerging from the grief of leaving their school and losing their friends¡ªuntil they saw the vast horde in front of them.


    ¡°Miss, there are a lot of zombies up ahead,¡± someone warned.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of?¡± Theresa replied.


    As soon as she spoke, Heidi saw lights re in the darkness ahead.


    High¨Cpowered floodlights from towers seventy to a hundred feet tall bathed the


    road in white.


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    Stretching out to the horizon stood a colossal steel wall, an unbroken fortress.


    Every zombie was trapped outside it.


    As their vehicle advanced, every zombie within five hundred yards ahead was wiped out.


    <i>Shunk</i><i>! </i><i>Shunk</i><i>! </i><i>Shunk</i><i>! </i>


    <i>Thud</i><i>¨C</i><i>thud</i><i>¨C</i><i>thud</i><i>! </i>


    The sound of massive guillotine des mixed with muffled gunfire.


    The zombies blocking their way fell like cut grass.


    Their armored car didn¡¯t slow for a second, driving straight through the corpse- littered ground toward the towering wall that loomed ahead¨Cmajestic, unyielding, and bristling with power.


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    Chapter 451 The City of Light


    Spotlights mounted along the steel fortress wall lit their way forward.


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    When they reached the main gate, the massive doors groaned as they lifted.


    Theresa¡¯s car rolled to a stop. A tall, powerfully built man inbat gear stood outside the passenger door, rifle in hand.


    ¡°Theresa, you¡¯re back.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Well, now, looks like you brought in quite a haul.¡± Theron leaned to peer into her vehicle. Five or six people sat in the backseat, staring at him with a mix of confusion and wariness¨Clike a cluster of timid rabbits confronted by a lion.


    How could a man look this intimidating?


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the haul. The real prize is right here.¡± Theresa lifted the pressure cooker in her arms.


    At the sight of it, Theron caught the sharp, unmistakable scent of a zombie. ¡°Zombie head?¡±


    ¡°Yep. Level 4 zombie.¡±


    The moment he heard that, his eyes lit up like a predator¡¯s. He looked back at her and raised a thumb in approval.


    ¡°Impressive.¡±


    His own ability had reached Level <i>5</i>, but even he couldn¡¯t say for certain how a one¨Con¨Cone fight with a Level 4 zombie would turn out. Seeing Theresa return so casually, carrying its head in a pressure cooker, he could only keep giving her silent praise.


    She was a force of nature¨Calways had been.


    ¡°I¡¯m heading back. Got something to take care of.¡±


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    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Theron smiled and stepped aside. The others nearby parted instantly, saluting as she passed.


    Once they cleared the first defensive line, the passengers in the backseat were still in shock. They stared after Theresa, struggling to reconcile the image before them. She didn¡¯t seem like just anyone.


    She seemed extraordinary.


    The Reaper kept rolling forward. In the darkness ahead, they began to <i>see </i>vast golden fields.


    ¡°Mr. Collier, is that wheat?¡±


    Barrett pushed up what remained of his broken sses and studied the farnd nking the road.


    ¡°Yes¨Cwheat! And corn too, plus greenhouse vegetables!¡± His voice was full of disbelief.


    How had they managed to restore farming on such a scale? Where were the zombies? How could they nt so much, right in the middle of zombie territory, without being overrun?


    Soon after, lights began to appear in the distance.


    ¡°Mr. Collier, look! There are lights ahead!¡± Heidi¡¯s voice trembled with excitement.


    In the darkness, onemp turned into two, then into a row, then into rows upon rows¨Can entire sea of lights, proof of human civilization.


    ¡°It¡¯s a city.¡± Barrett was stunned.


    A city. Humans were living in a city again.


    The group felt as though they¡¯d stepped into another world, like characters from a bygone age suddenly dropped into modern times. Riding in Theresa¡¯s car, they entered Ansford.


    The deeper they went, the wider their eyes grew, until they werepletely overwhelmed.


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    The streets were spotless, the people well¨Cdressed and strolling after work, children ying safely outdoors. There were even night markets¨Cbustlingnes lined with calzones, watery corn soup, stir¨Cfried dishes, grilled sausages, huge pots of stew, skewers sizzling over open mes, and so on.


    They were stunned into silence.


    Had they somehow traveled through time?


    The Reaper pulled to a stop in a central square.


    ¡°Wee to the zing Sun Alliance,¡± Theresa said, ncing at the speechless faces behind her.


    Barrett¡¯s voice was unsteady. ¡°M¨CMiss¡­ this is the multi¨Ccamp alliance you told us about?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I told you I wasn¡¯t lying.¡±


    Not lying?


    They were floored. She had undersold it beyond belief.


    They never could have imagined that the multi¨Ccamp alliance Theresa mentioned would turn out to be such a bustling, magnificent city.


    Barrett had pictured, at most, a remote settlement maybe twice the size of their school¨Ca gathering of small camps huddling together for safety, banding against the zombie hordes.


    Inside the alliance, he expected chaos, poor sanitation, cramped living conditions, scarce food and water, and constant conflicts between people and camps.


    But he could never have imagined a ce like this¨Cshining like a beacon of humanity.


    He thought back <i>to </i>the first wall they¡¯d passed through: a steel barrier holding back countless zombies. Beyond it stretched vast, fully mechanized farnd, abundant supplies, and now, a clean, orderly city.


    This was the kind of ce every survivor in the apocalypse dreamt of reaching.


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    Chapter 451 The City of Light


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    ¡°From now on, you¡¯re officially part of my camp. Do you ept?¡± Theresa asked.


    ¡°Yes! We do!¡±


    This time, before Heidi could speak, Barrett was the first to answer. Refusing wasn¡¯t even an option¨Cthey hadnded in a goldmine.


    As soon as they agreed, Theresa¡¯s poption count increased by six. Her points shot up by 600, and she gained three new abilities¨Ctwo speed¨Ctype boosts.


    At this point, extra speed and strength didn¡¯t give her much advantage. Once a certain level was reached, improving further became brutally difficult. Theresa¡¯s speed and strength were already unmatched among all humans.


    The speed¨Ctype abilities might not do much, but she had unlocked another new skill.


    ¡®Ding! Congrattions! You¡¯ve acquired Linear eleration!¡®


    ¨C


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up at the notification in her mind.


    Linear eleration could double her speed while she ran in a straight line, but she couldn¡¯t turn.


    Theresa remembered how, when she first met Barrett, he ran in a perfectly straight line.


    So, that was his ability.


    She understood immediately and epted it quietly¨Cstrange or not, every new ability was another card in her hand.


    She also remembered the gift package her system had given her¨Cten abilities in


    total this time.


    Turning her attention back to the group, she said, ¡°Go find someone named Elias. He¡¯s the steward of zing Sun Camp. He¡¯ll get you settled, and if you ever have questions, he¡¯ll help you.¡±


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    11:01 Sat, 23 Aug


    Chapter 452 New Blood in zing Sun


    Barrett, Heidi, and the others nodded eagerly. ¡°Understood, Camp Leader!¡±


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    After sending them off, Theresa grabbed the pressure cooker and went to find Tania.


    Thanks to friendly directions from locals, Barrett¡¯s group quickly located Elias, still busy at work.


    ¡°Hello, are you Elias?¡± Barrett asked, looking at the man with thick sses and a kindly, almost saintly face.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me. How can I help?¡± Elias replied warmly.


    ¡°We¡¯re new members of zing Sun Camp. The camp leader sent us to see you.¡±


    Elias¡® eyes twinkled with understanding. ¡°Ah, so I have six more workhorses under me now.¡±


    The group exchanged nk stares.


    After registering with Elias, they were assigned housing and personally guided to adapt to life in the zing Sun Alliance.


    ¡°There are plenty of empty houses. You can choose whichever you like, and I¡¯ll reserve it for you. Housing here is free,¡± Elias exined.


    Seeing the wide selection of avable homes, Barrett and the others were stunned.


    In zing Sun Alliance, residents didn¡¯t pay for housing¨Cthey only paid a small daily tax of ten points. New arrivals were exempt for the first month. Free housing in a post¨Capocalyptic world? Unreal.


    ¡°But daily life runs on points,¡± Elias continued. ¡°You can use points in our shops to buy everything¨Cfood, drinks, supplies, clothing. Starting tomorrow, you¡¯ll have jobs, and your workce will provide meals, so don¡¯t worry about starving at first.¡±


    The group inhaled sharply. Free meals too? What kind of paradise was this?


    At that moment, their stomachs growled in unison.


    ¡°You must be hungry,¡± Elias said. ¡°Let me treat you to a meal first.¡±


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    Barrett hesitated. ¡°We still have some supplies with us.¡±


    He had already gotten a rough idea of how zing Sun Alliance worked- everything in daily life had to be paid for with points.


    ? ??? 68%


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    Points were clearly hard toe by, so just having enough to cover their basic needs and maybe a little extra was already lucky. Being treated to a meal by someone else would cost a lot, and he felt too embarrassed to ept.


    ¡°You have supplies?¡± Elias raised his sses, curious.


    ¡°Yes, instant noodles,¡± Barrett admitted, pulling out several packs hidden in his clothing. ¡°Do we need to turn these in?¡±


    As an experienced teacher, he understood that in a structured camp like this, all personal belongings ultimately belonged to the camp.


    Since the camp provided them with protection, it was only natural to contribute their resources.


    Especially in a ce as generous as zing Sun Alliance, handing over all their supplies wouldn¡¯t be an issue.


    Elias examined their shabby, crumbled instant noodles and shook his head. ¡°We no longer force residents to give up personal supplies. If your items are in good condition, you could trade them to Tessa for points. But these¡­ Maybe just save them for the pigs.¡±


    The group froze.


    What? The instant noodles they prized so highly in the apocalypse were for pig feed here?


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    ¡°I¡¯m treating you all to dinner, so don¡¯t hold back,¡± Elias said, leading them to a roadside barbecue stand.


    He rattled off an order for six or seven dishes in quick session¨Cslow¨Ccooked pork roast, pulled pork with peppers and onions, fluffy scrambled eggs, crispy fried chicken bites, and buttered mixed vegetables¨Ceach name making Barrett and the others widen their eyes in disbelief.


    This was the apocalypse.


    ¡°Elias, that¡¯s enough,¡± Barrett blurted, rmed. ¡°That¡¯s going to cost a fortune!¡±


    Even here at the night market, plenty of people were eating, but none were ordering this much food¨Cexcept Elias. And from the looks of it, this would be expensive.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. zing Sun Camp is well¨Coff,¡± Elias said with a smile. ¡°Even in zing Sun Alliance, we¡¯re the richest of them all.¡±


    The group nced at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky to have ended up in our leader¡¯s camp. zing Sun Camp has the best pay and benefits in the entire Alliance. Our leader is the richest person here, which makes us the richest camp too. Out of all fifty¨Ceight camps in the Alliance, even if youbined the other fifty¨Cseven, they still wouldn¡¯te close to us.¡±


    The group just stared at him, stunned.


    Someone finally asked, ¡°<i>So</i><i>, </i>our camp leader is also¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s also the Alliance leader,¡± Elias replied, his face lighting with pure admiration. ¡°She¡¯s the most remarkable person I¡¯ve ever met.¡±


    The peace and prosperity he had dreamed of from before the apocalypse had been brought back to life by Theresa, who had carved out a pure, safe haven for everyone in a world of chaos and danger.


    To him, Theresa was nothing short of a deity.


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    The others felt a wave of awe. The one who had saved them was no ordinary person. She wasn¡¯t just part of the Alliance¡ªshe was its leader. And the most powerful, most resourceful leader of them all.


    Fresh, sizzling dishes began arriving, steaming and fragrant.


    Heidi and Reece looked at the spread and thought of the meal Theresa had given them earlier that day. She¡¯d said it was a typical dinner for her camp¡¯s residents.


    Everything she¡¯d said was true.


    ¡°Mr. Collier,¡± Heidi murmured, ¡°did we just step into paradise?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Barrett said, his eyes shining. ¡°This is the ce we¡¯ve been searching for.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, eat,¡± Elias told them warmly.


    They picked up their forks with trembling hands. The first bite of rich, savory food felt like something out of a dream.


    Barrett was floored. He had made the right choice¨Cabsolutely the right choice.


    Heidi and Reece, though they¡¯d already tasted Theresa¡¯s meal once before, still found themselves moved and astonished. They only wished their other ssmates could be here too. If Nixon saw what Theresa could do, he¡¯d bepletely won


    over.


    They ate like refugees who hadn¡¯t seen a proper meal in ages, devouring the food as if it might vanish any moment.


    Theresa handed the Level¨C4 zombie¡¯s head to Tania.


    The virus researchb had been fitted with an extremely secure containment chamber for zombies.


    All the materials had been acquired through the system¡¯s exchanges.


    There was no need to worry about a Level¨C4 zombie causing any damage to the


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    Once Tania had the high¨Clevel zombie, she became apletely different person -utterly absorbed in her research, no longer clinging to Theresa for hugs and kisses.


    That left Theresa with some free time. She returned to her bunker and decided to open some reward packs.


    ¡®You have ten Ability Packs. There¡¯s a 99.99% chance of amon ability, and a 0.01% chance of a rare one.¡¯


    ¡°Cash! Cash!¡±


    With a happy bark, Cash came bounding out from among the dogs.


    Theresa ruffled its head and began opening the first pack.


    Multicolored lights shed through her mind.


    <i>¡®</i><i>Ding</i><i>! </i>Congrattions! You¡¯ve obtained a rare ability: precognition ability.¡®


    Theresa froze, stunned. ¡°Cash!¡±


    ¡°Woof, woof!¡± Cash wagged its tail furiously, certain it had somehow contributed. The other dogs, instantly jealous, crowded around Theresa and barked for attention.


    Laughing, she hugged the whole pack and opened the next one.


    ¡®<i>Ding</i><i>! </i>Congrattions! You¡¯ve obtained a rare ability: mental ability.¡¯


    ¡°This is incredible!¡± she eximed, grinning at her precious dogs,


    ¡®<i>Ding</i><i>! </i>Congrattions! You¡¯ve obtained amon ability: strength¨Ctype ability.¡®


    <i>¡®</i><i>Ding</i><i>! </i>Congrattions! You¡¯ve obtained amon ability: speed¨Ctype ability.¡¯


    <i>¡®</i>Ding! Congrattions! You¡¯ve obtained amon ability: fire¨Cbased ability.¡±


    ¡®Ding! Congrattions! You¡¯ve obtained amon ability: strength¨Ctype ability.¡¯


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    ¡®Ding<i>! </i>Congrattions! You¡¯ve obtained amon ability: strength¨Ctype ability!¡®


    ¡®<i>Ding</i><i>! </i>Congrattions! You¡¯ve obtained amon ability: speed¨Ctype ability!¡®


    ¡®Ding<i>! </i>Congrattions! You¡¯ve obtained amon ability: speed¨Ctype ability!¡®


    After drawing two rare abilities in a row and sevenmon ones, Summer let out a jealous howl, scattering the other dogs, and leapt straight into Theresa¡¯s arms.


    Cradling her little treasure, Theresa prepared for her final draw.


    <i>¡®</i><i>Ding</i><i>! </i>Congrattions! You¡¯ve obtained a rare ability: Power Pulse!¡®


    Theresa grinned. Three rare abilities in ten draws!


    Another extremely rare mental maniption ability had appeared.


    The precognition ability left Theresa overjoyed.


    ¡®Precognition ability: Detect major dangers or opportunities within a 1,640¨Cfoot radius in the next three seconds.¡®


    She had seen someone use it before¨CSage. Sage had wielded precognition and nearly ruined their n. And now Theresa had the same skill!


    Within roughly 1,640 feet, she could sense immediate, critical threats. It was practically a supercharged sixth sense¨Canyone trying to ambush her would be spotted in advance.


    Of course, it had its limits¨Cit only worked within about 1,640 feet.


    But that was more than enough.


    That distance was plenty for a quick escape.


    Theresa had just added another ace to her hand.


    After checking out the precognition ability, she turned her attention to thest


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    draw¨CPower Pulse, brought to her luck by Summer¡¯s enthusiastic leap.


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    ¡®Power Pulse: It nullifies the abilities of all ability users and mutant zombies within 164 feet. Duration depends on mind power.


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement.


    She stared at the final draw¨Can absolute game¨Cchanger.


    Power Pulse!


    When activated, it could nullify the abilities of any ability user or mutant zombie.


    This was a true powerhouse.


    If she used it, any zombies or ability users trying to get close would be stripped of their powers¨Csuddenly, the battlefield would bepletely hers, and she could fight on her own terms.


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡±


    The lucky dogs circled Theresa, barking happily.


    She looked down at her beloved pups. With odds this low, she had just drawn three rare abilities in a single day¡ªtwo devastating powers and a fundamental, highly useful mental maniption ability.


    Today had been a huge win.


    She was on a serious roll.


    ¡°You guys did amazing!¡± Theresa said, hugging and kissing each of her pups in turn. She pulled a pile of fresh, raw meat from her domain as extra treats for them.


    Then, she turned her attention to the ten abilities.


    She set aside the sevenmon abilities for now and absorbed all three rare ones


    herself.


    While she could give these abilities to her subordinates¨Conce they acquired these abilities, she could copy them for herself too¨Cthis only applied tomon abilities she already owned.


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    These rare abilities were another story. She would never give them to anyone else.


    Even if she could copy them over andter reim what she gave, she simply wouldn¡¯t. She only shared abilities she didn¡¯t need¨Cextras that were essentially useless to her.


    These rare abilities were hard¨Cwon treasures. There was no way she would hand them over to someone else. Like supplies and food, she would only share once she was rich enough to spare them, bringing other camps along for the benefit.


    Theresa¡¯s rule was simple: she got first. Others could only follow. Until she had it, no one could take anything from her.


    After absorbing the mental ability, precognition ability, and Power Pulse, sevenmon abilities remained: three strength¨Ctype ones, three speed¨Ctype ones, and a fire¨Cbased one.


    Even amongmon abilities, speed- and strength¨Ctype ones were clearly the most likely to appear.


    Elemental¨Ctype ones were much rarer.


    She¡¯d been lucky to draw a fire¨Cbased abilityst time.


    Thankfully, all of these were quite useful.


    Theresa called Kyle and Tyger in. Each received a set: a speed¨Ctype ability and a strength¨Ctype one.


    She didn¡¯t say anything¨Cjust let them take the abilities. Both Kyle and Tyger,pletely loyal, obeyed without question. After they took them, she instructed them to train over the next couple of days. They nodded and left the bunker.


    Three abilities remained: a speed¨Ctype one, a strength¨Ctype one, and a fire¨Cbased one. Theresa thought for a moment, then stored them away.


    As for Quentin? Nope.


    She wasn¡¯t giving him anything.


    His abilities were already overpowered¨Che didn¡¯t fear zombie bites, always ran first in dangerous situations, and protected himself better than anyone. He didn¡¯t


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    need her gifts.


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    After careful consideration, she decided to hold onto these three abilities for now, saving them until she found the right people to give them to.


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    Theresa slept soundly through the night.


    Early the next morning, Tania brought her exciting news.


    s


    After a sleepless night of experiments, she had finally cracked the zombie repellent form.


    The spray could now effectively block a Level 4 zombie for three seconds.


    Against regr zombies, itsted three minutes. Level 1 and Level 2 zombies were blocked for thirty seconds, and Level 3 zombies for ten seconds. Level 4¨Cjust three seconds.


    Even so, that was revolutionary on the battlefield.


    Theresa immediately instructed Tania to lead the research team in mass- producing the spray, expanding its use along the front lines. She could feel the bnce tipping once again in humanity¡¯s favor.


    They were still in defense mode, but a human counterattack wasn¡¯t far off.


    With her breakthrough in research, Theresa became even more invested in developing the camp. Every new building, every additional resident felt thrilling to


    her.


    As she ran to Bennie to have him draft ten more development reports, confirming new discoveries, Lucas found her.


    ¡°Theresa, Morgan¡¯s asking for you again.¡±


    Theresa frowned at the mention of Morgan¡¯s name. Last time, she had stirred up the three Ark Camps, keeping them busy with their own problems. She hadn¡¯te up with the next move, and frankly, she couldn¡¯t be bothered with those weak camps.


    Xavier was right: to dominate them, whether through schemes or open moves, the foundation had to be a strong camp of their own.


    Theresa preferred to focus on strengthening her own camp first. While the other


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    camps were exhausted, she could grow rapidly. She could stir up troubleter.


    But now, Morgan¡¯s name came up again.


    She groaned, ¡°What¡¯s that idiot up to this time?¡±


    ¡°He¡­ he wants to propose,¡± Lucas said.


    Theresa froze.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you handle that yourself? Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d treat me like your own sister? Is this how you act as a brother?¡± she snapped.


    Lucas shifted uneasily. ¡°I¡¯ve turned him down a few times, but he insists oning here in person. He said he¡¯ll be here in three days.¡±


    Theresa rolled her eyes. ¡°Just tell him I¡¯m already married¨Cseveral husbands, a dozen kids. He¡¯s toote.¡± 1


    Lucas was speechless.


    ¡°Go!¡± Theresa kicked him out, then turned to find Bennie staring at her, wearing a faint smile.


    ¡°Smile all you want¨Cwrite the reports!¡± she barked.


    After leaving Bennie¡¯s ce, Theresa inspected the camp and then visited the school. Everything was thriving.


    As the climate warmed, the worst three years of the apocalypse were behind them. Land productivity was improving, and agricultural output steadily increased.


    In her past life, the harsh climate had destroyed any chance for human development in the eastern region, leaving thempletely on the defensive against zombies. This time, that problem was solved.


    On the industrial front, all residents contributed to production, transport, and assembly.


    The first line of defense was established, and construction of the second was underway.


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    Industry progressed smoothly without Theresa needing to push.


    <b>+5 </b>Free Coins


    Research had just made a new breakthrough. Within Theresa¡¯s alliance, only the school quietly absorbed her resources without yet producing any tangible returns.


    But Theresa knew the school represented the future. There was no need to rush¡ª some things couldn¡¯t be hurried.


    Given time, the school¡¯s rewards would be truly limitless.


    ¡°Ms. Hall!¡±


    ¡°Ms. Hall!¡±


    When Theresa arrived at the school, the students in the main square excitedly waved and greeted her.


    Yes. Theresa was the principal.


    As the leader of zing Sun Alliance, she wasn¡¯t just the head of her own camp¡ª she ran the farms, managed all the factories, oversaw the research institute, and now, the school. In short, she was everyone¡¯s leader.


    ¡°Hello, students,¡± she said warmly.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, what brings you here?¡± Hugo, now responsible for the school¡¯s education, asked.


    ¡°Just checking in,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Perfect timing¨Ctomorrow we will head to the front lines for their final exams. Ms. Hall, if you have time, would you like toe and watch?¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Sure, I¡¯lle.¡±


    At her answer, the students erupted in cheers.


    Theresa looked at them and said, ¡°Keep up the hard work, everyone! The top student in each grade will receive a schrship from me¨Cgenerous rewards!¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡±


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    ¡°Thank you, Ms. Hall!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Ms. Hall!¡±


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    Cheers rose up from the students again and again. Theresa waved to them and continued her inspection of the rest of her territory.

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    Ark Camp One.


    The fifth¨Cfloor administrator lounge.


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    A handsome man stared at the reply on the screen in front of him, his expression dark and brooding.


    Horace and the third¨Cfloor administrator, standing nearby, felt the tension radiating from him and nced at the monitor.


    One look and they saw a reply: ¡®Theresa has already married and is expecting. She¡¯s carrying multiples. Mr. Nellson, you should move on and stop pursuing her.¡®


    ¡°The evil queen is pregnant¡­ and with multiples?¡± Horace eximed, staring at the words in shock. 1


    Hearing that, Morgan grabbed the armrest of his chair and mmed it with a roar of anger. His mind power erupted uncontrobly, shattering the screen into fragments.


    ss shards flew everywhere, and unlucky Horace¨Cstill recovering from previous injuries¨Cwas cut across his body. He quickly fell silent.


    The third¨Cfloor administrator hurriedly said, ¡°Mr. Nellson, don¡¯t waste your anger on a wild woman from some tiny camp. She doesn¡¯t know her ce. If you want someone who knows your worth, Ark Camp One has beauties to choose from- anything you want is yours.¡±


    Boom<i>! </i>


    As he spoke, all the surrounding ss panels exploded, showering shards in every direction. Horace and the third¨Cfloor administrator crouched, trying to shield themselves from Morgan¡¯s storm of rage.


    Good grief!


    They had never seen Morgan this furious.


    Even when the camp had faced a zombie outbreak that killed countless people, he


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    had barely flinched. But being outright rejected by the woman from K1 Camp? This was enough to send him into a rage.


    The violent surge of emotion drew someone else over.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    A cold, detached voice cut through the chaos. Horace and the administrator turned toward it like they¡¯d seen a savior.


    ¡°Camp Leader!¡±


    Amid the shattered ss, a young man covered in thick clothing stared coldly at them. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Morgan stayed silent, his face dark.


    Horace spoke cautiously, ¡°Mr. Nellson was rejected.¡±


    ¡°By whom?¡±


    ¡°The woman at Kl Camp¡­ the one who rescued us before but also destroyed a lot of our stuff,¡± Horace said through gritted teeth.


    The Camp Leader frowned. ¡°Her?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the one Mr. Nellson pursued,¡± the third¨Cfloor administrator added. ¡°He invited her <i>to </i>several camp gatherings, but she kept refusing him. This time, she made it clear¨Cno exceptions.¡±


    ¡°And why?¡±


    ¡°She said¡­ she¡¯s married now and expecting multiple children. She told Mr. Nellson not to bother her,¡± the third¨Cfloor administrator replied.


    Bang!


    Morgan kicked the third floor administrator across the room.


    Mind power surged from him like a crushing weight, pressing down on the man until he writhed in agony. If it continued, Morgan¡¯s power could have easily killed him.


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    A cold voice interrupted. Magnus Nellson stood there, feeling Morgan¡¯s violent emotions. ¡°You want her that badly?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Magnus! I want her!¡± Morgan shouted, turning to re at him.


    Their


    eyes met. Magnus¡® voice was ice¨Ccold. ¡°You want her? Then take her. Married with kids? Fine. Kill the husband. Terminate the children. Anyone who resists- wipe their entire camp out.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a tiny camp. Don¡¯t let such small things upset you and draw my attention again.¡±


    With that, Magnus turned and walked away.


    Morgan, long frustrated, suddenly brightened.


    Exactly this was nothing.


    It was the apocalypse. Just because she married and had children didn¡¯t mean he had to be pushed aside.


    Married? Kill the husband. Pregnant? Terminate the children. Defy them? That¡¯s asking for death.


    He had been polite before, making them think he had a soft side.


    Kl Camp, a minor settlement in the zombie¨Cinfested world, was like an ant under their hand¨Cthey could crush it effortlessly.


    The woman was unappreciative, indeed.


    The two administrators standing nearby nodded in agreement,


    ¡°Mr. Nellson, tomorrow we will go with you. It¡¯s her luck to catch your eye. If she keeps refusing, her camp is doomed!¡±


    10)


    ¡°Exactly! We¡¯ve been too patient. Tomorrow, if they resist, we will wipe them out!¡± Horace said, barely containing his excitement.


    Finally, an opportunity to get back at Theresa hade.


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    The next morning, Theresa drove to the first defensive line bright and early.


    By the time she arrived, more than four hundred students from the zing Sun Alliance¡¯s school were already there.


    Every student wore the high¨Cpolybat suits issued by the Alliance, fully covering them from head to toe.


    Today¡¯s exam had only one objective: kill zombies.


    Students could use any weapon¨Cguns, knives, whatever they had. Every zombie they killed counted toward their score.


    To protect the youngest students, Theron had prepared the exam grounds in advance. Each testing zone held only about a hundred zombies.


    When the students saw Theresa, their young faces lit up with excitement.


    ¡°Everyone, give it your best,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Hall!¡±


    The reply was crisp and uniform. Students arranged themselves by age into four zones. The youngest was eight years old.


    Within the Alliance, there was a clear age gap. Very few children were under eight, and only a small number were between eight and ten. Most students were twelve to fourteen.


    In the apocalypse, children and the elderly had the highest mortality rates. From the early days toter on, the weak were always targeted.


    But the children who survived weren¡¯t helpless.


    Each of these kids had endured the harshest trials of the apocalypse before joining Theresa¡¯s Alliance. In their eyes shone the fierce spark like that of young tigers.


    Theresa respected that spirit.


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    In her previous life, she remembered that by theter stages of the apocalypse, children and adults were no different mentally. The only real difference was that children were small andcked ess to resources. No matter how fierce or cunning they were, they rarely stood a chance against adults for survival.


    They were constantly bullied by stronger adults.


    To survive, they had to be smarter and more cunning than the adults.


    Now, Theresa was giving these small, vulnerable kids a chance to grow. She them training and resources.


    No matter how small, they would no longer be bullied.


    No matter how weak, they would be able to fight back.


    The exam began.


    gave


    Each group of one hundred students moved into their assigned zone. Each carried a gun and two bullets.


    Killing one zombie was a passing grade; two was excellent. If they ran out of bullets without killing a zombie, they could finish the job with a knife.


    Bang<i>! </i><i>Bang</i><i>! </i><i>Bang</i><i>! </i>


    Gunfire cracked across the walls.


    The first group finished their shooting round. Out of one hundred children, their hit rate was ny¨Cthree percent. Seventy percent had hit with both shots.


    Most importantly, none of the children hesitated to face the zombies¨Cthey fired without fear.


    ¡°Well taught,¡± Theron said, standing beside Theresa, clearly pleased.


    Theresa nodded, equally impressed.


    Soon, the remaining groups began. Their average hit rates stayed above ny percent, with sixty percent achieving perfect shots.


    The passing rate for this first test was already ny percent, and seventy percent


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    scored excellent.


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    When the hands¨Con melee portion cameter, their passing and excellence rates would only climb higher.


    The children¡¯s training was remarkable.


    All students twelve and older could drive. The younger ones hadn¡¯t been taught yet due to physical limitations, but their performance with weapons was just as strong.


    Theresa was extremely pleased with the school¡¯s results. In just two years, this group would be ready to fight on any battlefield, bing the new backbone of the Alliance.


    Meanwhile, as the exams raged below, a helicopter headed toward the eastern region. On board, Horace studied a satellite map.


    ¡°Kl Camp should be near the border between Ansford and Branford,¡± he said. ¡°Based on what I know of theirmander, they¡¯d pick a location that¡¯s easy to defend and hard to attack¡ªa canyon, away from zombie swarms, to set up a small camp.¡±


    The helicopter drew closer to the area as he spoke.


    Building a camp in the middle of endless zombies would be nearly impossible. A camp like Kl would need to be far from zombie territory, in a remote and harsh environment.


    Horace pictured it already: a dpidated, overcrowded camp, people and livestock crammed together, living conditions miserable.


    Flying over fields of zombies only confirmed his expectations.


    And yet, a woman from such a wretched camp had dared to refuse Morgan.


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    ¡°Those from KI Camp really don¡¯t know their ce,¡± the third¨Cfloor administrator growled. ¡°Out there, the world¡¯s falling apart, and Mr. Nellson even offered them a chance to join us, and they refused! It¡¯s ridiculous!¡±


    ¡°Hardship breeds the most stubborn people,¡± Horace said with a sneer. ¡°The poorer and harsher the ce, the ruder the people. They¡¯d better hand over that woman, or we¡¯ll tten their camp!¡±


    He hadn¡¯t forgotten how Theresa had destroyed hisbst time.


    Today, he was determined to make Kl Camp pay double for that offense.


    ¡°Dr. Klein, you¡¯re worrying too much. There¡¯s no way they won¡¯t give her to us. That tiny, rundown camp can¡¯t possibly challenge Ark Camp One,¡± the third¨Cfloor administrator said.


    As soon as he finished, their helicopter passed over the area Horace had marked.


    To their surprise, there was no sign of any camp.


    ¡°Kl Camp isn¡¯t here?¡± Morgan asked coldly, opening his eyes.


    ¡°Keep looking nearby. They have to be around here,¡± Horace said.


    The helicopter circled the site where Kl Camp had supposedly been. But there wasn¡¯t a single person, no camp, nothing.


    The team on board frowned, staring at the canyon below in disbelief.


    KJ Camp wasn¡¯t here. But if it wasn¡¯t here, where could it be?


    ¡°Could that little camp have been overrun by zombies?¡± the third¨Cfloor administrator asked.


    Before anyone could answer, they saw it: a steel wall stretching for hundreds of


    miles


    Outside the wall, tens of thousands of zombies swarmed, blocked entirely by the towering barrier. Not a singlebie could break through


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    Everyone froze in shock.


    ¡°What¡­ is that?¡±


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    Horace stood, pressing his face against the window, eyes wide. He couldn¡¯t believe the sight before him¡ªa massive, imposing steel wall, stretching as far as the eye could see.


    ¡°Look! Are there people up there?¡± the third¨Cfloor administrator said.


    On top of the wall, machine guns rattled, mowing down the zombies below. In moments, the mass of advancing undead was wiped out.


    Before they could even catch their breath, doors in the wall opened. Giant vehicles, unlike anything they¡¯d ever seen, rolled out, crushing scattered zombies under enormous treads.


    Behind the steel wall, they glimpsed vast fields and a proud city skyline rising in the distance.


    Every one of them was stunned.


    The helicopter moved closer, and soon the details of the steel wall came into view.


    It was real¨Ca true steel bastion. From north to south, it stretched for hundreds of miles, fully isting the city from the zombie hordes outside. Not a single zombie had breached the interior.


    This was a fortification built specifically to withstand the zombie apocalypse.


    ¡°Could this steel city have been built before the outbreak?¡± Horace asked in disbelief.


    ¡°No way,¡± the third¨Cfloor administrator replied, equally shocked. ¡°Before the apocalypse, there were only three Ark Camps, all low¨Ckey, No one could hide a project like this. A wall this massive would have been impossible to conceal.¡±


    ¡°So, this wall¡­ was built in thest three years?¡± Horace whispered, stunned.


    How could anyone organize enough manpower and resources to build such a breathtaking fortress during a zombie apocalypse¨Cand survive while doing it?


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    At that moment, they saw movement ahead. A gate in the wall opened, and a group of people rushed out, engaging zombies in hand¨Cto¨Chandbat.


    Hand¨Cto¨Chand!


    Normally, killing zombies requiredyers of protection, heavy firearms, and ability users clearing the way. And yet, these fighters were unusual.


    ¡°They¡¯re all so small,¡± someone muttered.


    ¡°Those are¡­ children!¡± the third¨Cfloor administrator shouted.


    Horace was speechless. The children before him were stronger than their trained operatives.


    ¡°Mr. Nellson, I think we¡¯ve been deceived,¡± he said, turning to Morgan.


    Theresa¡¯s Kl Camp was no small, weak camp. It was a supercamp that rivaled their underground fortress¨Cpossibly even stronger.


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    Here was a fortress stretching for hundreds of miles, a steel wall encircling vast


    safe zones,


    and a city cleared of zombies, with fields ready for cultivation and soldiers fierce in battle.


    They¡¯d been deceived the entire time.


    A massive super¨Ccamp had been hiding in in sight, ying harmless while packing unstoppable power. They had never noticed a thing.


    ¡°Quiet,¡± Morgan said, silent as he stared at everything before him.


    His mind was full of Theresa¡¯s image, his gaze unreadable.


    <i>So</i><i>, </i><i>this </i><i>is </i><i>her </i><i>strength</i><i>¡­ </i>so <i>formidable</i>.


    It seemed her camp was in no way inferior to Ark Camp One.


    ¡°Mr. Nellson, what do we do now? Should we stillnd?¡± the third¨Cfloor


    administrator asked, recovering from his shock.


    Meanwhile, above the steel wall, Theresa was focused entirely on the battlefield below.


    Several youths caught her attention/


    Theirbat skills were fully on par with most adults.


    As she observed a few promising fighters, a sh of insight ran through her mind.


    She lifted her head sharply, looking northwest.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Someone¡¯sing.¡±


    <i>¡°</i>Coming?¡± Theron frowned, raising his head to look. In the next second, he saw a tiny ck dot approaching.


    The dot grewrger, apanied by the roar of helicopter des.


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    A helicopter.


    ¡°Portable anti¨Cair missiles, now!¡± Theresa ordered Theron.


    Theron quickly handed her a shoulder¨Cmounteduncher.


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    Theresa anticipated the helicopter¡¯s maneuver: it would sweep over them and then quickly turn back.


    Turn <i>back</i><i>? </i><i>Not </i>a chance¨C<i>nobody¡¯s </i><i>escaping </i><i>me</i><i>! </i>


    She raised theuncher and fired toward the approaching helicopter, aiming at where it would reverse course.


    Apparently, someone inside noticed her move.


    The helicopter, in the middle of its turn, suddenly adjusted its trajectory.


    But as soon as it turned, Theresa shifted theuncher with it.


    ¡°Mr. Nellson, they¡¯ve spotted us,¡± the third¨Cfloor administrator said tensely.


    The person below had an incredibly sharpbat instinct¨Ctheuncher always tracked their next move.


    ¡°Land immediately!¡±


    After Theresa¡¯s two precise adjustments, the helicopter hovering above stopped moving forward and began descending straight toward the steel wall¡¯s interior.


    Descending? <i>Not </i><i>a </i><i>chance</i>. <i>Who </i><i>says </i><i>they </i><i>can </ind <i>in </i><i>my </i><i>territory</i>? Head toward the zombies!


    Boom<i>! </i>


    Theresa fired a shot at the helicopter¡¯s rear,


    Everyone inside froze.


    The rear was pierced, and the chopper shook violently.


    II veered off course, heading toward the other side of the wall, into the zombie


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    horde.


    In the emergency, a dozen or so people parachuted from the helicopter.


    With a thunderous crash, the helicopter plummeted into the zombies.


    Most of the parachutistsnded atop the steel wall.


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    One unlucky personnded unstable and fell into the zombie horde, instantly surrounded.


    Everyone above tensed, eyes narrowing.


    Dozens of guns were immediately trained on them.


    ¡°We¡¯re from Ark Camp One! Don¡¯t shoot!¡± Horace called out loudly.


    The soldiers inbat gear surged forward, shielding a man in a white uniform behind them.


    ¡°Ark Camp One?¡± A clear voice rang out as Theresa, nked by Theron and others, slowly approached.


    The crowd parted, and Theresa¡¯s gaze immediately found Morgan at the center.


    Morgan looked back at her, his expressionplex, deep eyes reflecting every flicker of emotion.


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t it Morgan?¡± Theresa asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Morgan replied when he heard her voice.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Morgan swallowed the rest of his words.


    Why was he here?


    To take Theresa away.


    He had even brought a dozen of the most powerful guards from his camp.


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    At first, he figured a dozen would be more than enough. Theresa¡¯s people were fierce, but his team could still take her away. If she refused, they could destroy her camp in an instant.


    But now?


    ¡°I came to see you.¡±


    Morgan had changed his purpose.


    ¡°Look at you, showing up without warning, making it seem like you were attacking me. I could¡¯ve blown up your helicopter. Whose fault would that have been?¡±


    ¡°Mine,¡± Morgan said.


    ¡°So, what are you doing now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call in another helicopter from my camp. Next time, I¡¯lle see you again.¡±


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    Theresa stared at him and smiled faintly. ¡°Since you¡¯re already here, why wait for next time? Stay here with me. I¡¯ll make sure you have a good time. What are you all just standing around for? Go on, wee my friends properly. Take off their weapons and gear¨Cdon¡¯t tire them out.¡±


    Morgan and the others froze.


    <i>Take off </i><i>our </i><i>weapons</i>? <i>Don¡¯t </i><i>tire </i><i>us </i><i>out</i><i>? </i><i>Could </i><i>she </i><i>possibly </i><i>be </i><i>any more </i><i>hospitable</i><i>? </i>


    The group all looked to Morgan, who simply stared back at Theresa.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Morgan, you don¡¯t want to? You came here to see me, didn¡¯t you? You didn¡¯te armed to visit me, right?¡±


    Morgan paused for a moment, then slowly raised his hand. One by one, they handed over their weapons.


    And theirmunicators.


    ¡°You can¡¯t take themunicators!¡± Horace protested.


    Theresazily turned to him. ¡°You¡¯re Horace?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡± Horace had spent the past period resting well, taking plenty of supplements, and was now in peak health.


    She smiled slightly. ¡°You¡¯re still alive? I thought you were dead.¡±


    He was speechless.


    ¡°You¡¯re guests here. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t treat you badly. I just asked for themunicators so you wouldn¡¯t be burdened. If you want to contact your camp,e to me. Makes no difference, right, Morgan?¡±


    Morgan met her gaze and finally said, ¡°Hand them over.¡±


    Once again, everyone reluctantly handed over theirmunicators.


    Now, aside from the clothes they were wearing, they had nothing.


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    Of course, they were all ability users¨Cbut abilities meant little to Theresa


    anymore.


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    Theresa looked at the group in front of her, nowpletely disarmed, and smiled. ¡°Guests are wee. You¡¯ll stay here for now, and I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re well taken care of.¡±


    Morgan nodded immediately. ¡°Understood.¡±


    Theresa handed the assessment site over to Theron and led Morgan and his group back to her camp.


    Along the way, she thought seriously about what to do with them.


    Morgan had suddenly shown up at her camp and exposed the hidden massive alliance she¡¯d been keeping under wraps. She couldn¡¯t just let him go.


    But killing him outright would alert Ark Camp One, and when they mobilized in force, it would lead to war.


    Theresa knew the exposure of her alliance was inevitable. It was a huge city above the ground. Even if just one of the three camps came to take a look, her alliance would bepletely visible to them.


    She hadn¡¯t expected it to happen now, though¨Cbefore any internal struggles among the three camps had even resolved.


    Now, she had to consider how she would deal with this


    group.


    While Theresa pondered her strategy, Morgan and his team were growing more and more astonished as they went deeper.


    They saw vast fields under cultivation. Purely mechanical farming machines worked the soil. Not a single person was involved.


    They passed massive greenhouses, growing out¨Cof¨Cseason fruits and vegetables.


    The sheer output¨Cthey could tell at a nce¨Cfar exceeded thebined production of their three camps.


    Theresa had more than enough food. Not a shortage in sight.


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    As they went further into the city, they were even more shocked to realize that Theresa had truly taken over the city.


    Not a single zombie in sight.


    In that moment, Horace and the others felt waves of astonishment crash through them. The outside world had changed so drastically, and they hadn¡¯t noticed at all.


    ¡°This is your camp?¡± Morgan finally asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Theresa replied casually.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard you mention it,¡± he said, his tone carrying a strange edge.


    ¡°You never asked,¡± she answered lightly.


    Morgan fell silent.


    <i>No </i><i>asking</i><i>, </i><i>no </i><i>telling</i><i>, </i><i>huh</i><i>? </i>They¡¯d been treated like fools all this time.


    Morgan then noticed the greenhouses nearby, overflowing with freshly harvested fruit. The quality was even better than what he¡¯d seen at the auction.


    ¡°You have all this high¨Cquality fruit?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°Then, why did you always send us second¨Crate stuff?¡± Morgan looked at Theresa.


    During this period, Theresa had been trading fruits for gleamstones with him. Her produce was abundant and cheap, and the three camps loved it,


    Now<i>, </i>Morgan realized¨CTheresa had been sending them the lower¨Cquality batches all along. Her best fruit was kept here, in incredible abundance and perfect condition.


    Meanwhile, the fruit sent to them often had ws: imperfect appearance, pests. They had assumed wild fruit was just like that¨Cbut clearly, Theresa had been deliberately holding back the best.


    ¡°You mean that?¡± Theresa asked casually, unfazed. ¡°We only ship export¨Cgrade quality.¡±


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    Of course, Theresa¡¯s idea of an export standard was simple¨Cif it wasn¡¯t good enough for the people in the Alliance to eat, it could be sent out for others.


    Everyone else was left speechless.


    The car rolled into the city and stopped in a neighborhood of vis.


    When the vehicle came to a halt, Lucas was already there.


    Theresa spotted him and gave a small nod. ¡°You¡¯ll be staying here for the next few days. If you need anything, let me know. Guests should be treated as guests.¡±


    Horace and the others exchanged nces. At Morgan¡¯s nod, they headed toward one of the vis.


    As they reached the doorway, he turned back to Theresa. ¡°Are you really pregnant?¡±


    Theresa hesitated for the briefest moment, then replied casually, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s the father?¡±


    ¡°None of your business,¡± Lucas cut in coldly before she could answer. ¡°Morgan, showing up unannounced at our camp is already crossing the line. In times like these<i>, </i>entering someone¡¯s territory and airspace without permission is no different from an invasion.¡±


    ¡°I just heard about Theresa¡¯s pregnancy and came to see for myself,¡± Morgan borated, his eyes narrowing. ¡°I don¡¯t want to find out you lied to me again.¡±


    ¡°We have no reason to lie to you.¡±


    Morgan gave a stiff, humorless smile, his gaze drifting from Lucas to Theresa before he finally turned away and stepped inside.


    Horace and the others hurried after him.


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    Once they were gone, Lucas looked back at Theresa. ¡°What do you want to do with them?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve confiscated their weapons andmunicators,¡± she said, thoughtful. ¡°Haven¡¯t decided on the next step yet. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Ark Camp One isn¡¯t the type to let things slide. If we kill their administrators outright, they¡¯ll send people to investigate.¡±


    ¡°I know. But we can¡¯t just let them walk free either.¡±


    ¡°My grandpa thinks we should talk to them first,¡± Lucas suggested. ¡°See what they have to say.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Theresa was deep in thought.


    Alright. <i>Wait </i>first. <i>Watch </i><i>what </i><i>they </i><i>do </i><i>before </i><i>deciding </i><i>the </i><i>next </i><i>move</i>¨C<i>whether </i><i>to </i><i>let </i><i>them </i>stay or to kill <i>them</i>.


    By dinnertime, Theresa had a full table prepared and sent for Morgan¡¯s group.


    After an afternoon of shock, they seemed to have adjusted to the reality of this camp. They followed Theresa¡¯s people to the dining hall.


    But when they saw the food, theirposure cracked.


    tters of roasted meat, golden¨Cbrown roast chicken, stir¨Cfried greens fresh and crisp, and¨Cmost stunning of all¨Ca whole steamed fish, still glistening from the


    steam.


    Their camp could grow almost anything, but fish? That was impossible.


    It had been so long since they¡¯d tasted it. Thest time was at an auction, when Ark Camp Two had stumbled across a few in an oasis and sold them for an astronomical price. And here, in Theresa¡¯s camp, a fish this size was just another dish on the table.


    Their standard of living wasn¡¯t just higher¨Cit was leagues beyond theirs.


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    Morgan¡¯s mind shed back to the banquet he had once hosted for Theresa.


    No wonder she had reacted the way she did back then.


    Compared to this, the meal he¡¯d been so proud of was pitiful. Why would she have ever been impressed?


    The thought left a sour taste in his mouth.


    Theresa¡¯s voice broke through their thoughts. ¡°Have a seat, everyone.¡±


    They obeyed.


    The moment they were seated, Brian Lewis, the third¨Cfloor administrator, spoke up. ¡°We¡¯ll stay here tonight. Tomorrow, you¡¯ll arrange for someone to send us back immediately.¡±


    Theresa looked at him evenly. ¡°Why the rush?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t expect to keep us here, do you?¡±


    ¡°Keep you? How is this keeping you? Am I not treating you well?¡±


    ¡°Theresa, drop the act. You¡¯ve taken our weapons and ourmunicators, and you won¡¯t let us leave. What else would you call that besides captivity?¡±


    Theresa smiled faintly and rose from her seat.


    Seeing this, Brian puffed himself up even further. ¡°We can overlook your behavior this time, but you will apologize. And you will personally escort us home. If not, we¡¯ll make sure you regret it.¡±


    Theresa stepped up to him. The next moment, her hand cracked across his face, sending him reeling.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t even settled my own score with you, and you think you can settle one with me?¡± she said, her voice sharp as a de.


    ¡°Let¡¯s be clear¨Cwhy did you bring so many people here without warning? We never gave you our coordinates. In the middle of the apocalypse, don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t realize that¡¯s an act of provocation, if not an outright sneak attack.


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    ¡°You should be grateful I didn¡¯t blow you out of the sky the second you showed up. If I had, you¡¯d have no one to me but yourselves.¡±


    She struck him again. And again.


    Each p punctuated her words, leaving Brian¡¯s head ringing so hard he couldn¡¯t even form a response.

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    ¡°Theresa.¡± Horace finally spoke up. ¡°That¡¯s enough. We¡¯re all here, and you¡¯re hitting our third¨Cfloor administrator right in front of us. I¡¯d advise you not to get too full of yourself.¡±


    A sharp crack split the air as Theresa pped him hard enough to send him stumbling.


    ¡°Full of myself? I couldn¡¯t be fuller of myself than you. I hauled people across half the world to rescue you, and you turned around and fed us to the zombies. Then, you dropped in unannounced like some big shot king of the world. You think I¡¯m arrogant? You¡¯ve got me beat by a mile.¡±


    She red at him, voice hard as steel. ¡°You¡¯re old enough to know better, but you spend your days stirring up trouble, throwing your weight around, and acting like everyone has to put up with you. Newssh: they don¡¯t.¡±


    Her palmnded on Horace¡¯s face again, then again, quick and sharp, each p ringing out in the room.


    Theresa had always believed in treating everyone as equals¨Cwhether they were ny¨Cnine or barely walking. She never hesitated to hit someone who deserved it, and she never yed favorites based on looks or status.


    After finishing with Horace, her gaze slid to the strikingly handsome Morgan.


    He met her eyes without flinching. His thin lips curved into a faint smile, and he said two simple words. ¡°Well done.¡±


    The other two men looked as if they¡¯d swallowed lemons.


    Theresa, still riding the adrenaline, lowered her hand. If Morgan had said anything else, he wouldn¡¯t have gotten off so easily.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she said, dropping into her seat again. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve cleared the air, let¡¯s talk. You¡¯re guests here. Tell me what you want.¡±


    Silence hung over the room.


    Morgan thought for a moment before answering. ¡°We want to head back


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    tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    They stared at her.


    ¡°Then, when can we go back?¡±


    ¡°Whenever you want.¡±


    ¡°Then, we want to leave tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    The silence grew heavier.


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    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll stay here for a few days,¡± Morgan said atst. ¡°I like it here, and you can give us a proper tour.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    With Theresa¡¯s not¨Cso¨Csubtle insistence, Morgan¡¯s group agreed to remain for the time being. She handed him amunicator so he could leave a message for his people, letting them know he¡¯d be staying at her camp a little longer.


    Once that minor detail was settled, they all sat down to a civil dinner.


    Morgan kept the conversation on light topics¨Cfood, local dishes¨Cwhile Theresa answered in kind. The rest of the table sat with their heads down, unwilling to risk a word.


    When the meal ended, Morgan smiled at her. ¡°By the way, I haven¡¯t seen your camp leader yet. Who is it?¡±


    Theresa didn¡¯t miss a beat. ¡°She¡¯s busy. I¡¯ll introduce you when she has time.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± He let it drop.


    After dinner, Theresa had them escorted back to their vi, posting guards inside and out with strict orders not to let them leave. She herself stayed next door at Lucas¡® ce.


    Chapter 462 Terms on the Table


    ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± Lucas asked.


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    ¡°They¡¯re quiet for now. I¡¯ll let them go once they¡¯ve decided what they¡¯re willing to


    offer.¡±


    Lucas nodded.


    Just then, Xavier showed up. ¡°Theresa.¡±


    ¡°Old Mr. Keaton.¡±


    ¡°Morgan and the others were here?¡±


    ¡°They were.¡± She gave him a short rundown of the so¨Ccalled talks.


    In truth, nothing had been negotiated. Morgan¡¯s group wanted to leave without offering anything in return¨Can impossible demand.


    Theresa wasn¡¯t about to make the first move either.


    She¡¯d put on a show of force, and sooner orter they¡¯d realize that if they wanted out, they¡¯d have to make her an offer.


    The first matter would be Ark Camp One¡¯s stance toward the Alliance¨Cwould they seek alliance, or choose hostility?


    If they wanted to be enemies, she¡¯d kill them where they stood. If they wanted to ally, the details would have to be hammered out carefully.


    Either way, Morgan¡¯s side would have to start the conversation. She wasn¡¯t going to ask.


    They were in her hands now, and she intended to keep it that way. If they wouldn¡¯t deal, they could sit tight here indefinitely.


    That night, Morgan asked if he could take a walk with her.


    Theresa agreed and met them at the door. He brought only Horace and Brian, both with swollen faces. No guards were allowed.


    Morgan didn¡¯t object. He simply followed her out.


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    Once they left the vi district, the group stepped into a bustling night market.


    Morgan and the others froze in their tracks, eyes wide.


    A night market.


    There was actually a night market here.


    The street teemed with residents strolling past and vendors selling their stuff, everyone smiling and chatting as if the outside world¡¯s dangers were nothing more than a bad dream.


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    Chapter 463 A World Apart


    Compared to the weary, resentfulborers back in their own camp, here were like a different species entirely.


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    the people


    It felt as if this ce was on the verge of returning to how life had been before the apocalypse.


    The prosperity of Theresa¡¯s camp stunned them all over again.


    A sudden buzzing overhead made them nce up.


    Small UAVS circled above them several times before finally drifting away at Theresa¡¯s casual wave.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Morgan asked.


    ¡°Our UAVs,¡± she replied.


    Only then did they notice¨CTheresa¡¯s camp was full of them.


    ¡°Those are not ordinary UAVs,¡± Brian said with recognition and awe in his voice. ¡°They¡¯re multifunctional unmanned aerial vehicles.¡±


    ¡°Multifunctional unmanned aerial vehicles?¡± Horace echoed.


    ¡°Yeah. Theybine reconnaissance and strike capabilities. No operator needed¡ª they can lock onto and hit a target on their own.¡±


    That made everyone¡¯s eyes sharpen.


    Even something that looked so ordinary turned out to be exceptional here.


    Multifunctional unmanned aerial vehicles flew all over the camp, quietly monitoring the territory.


    Security here wasn¡¯t just about the towering wall. They had a constant aerial watch that could engage threats instantly.


    It was stronger than the defenses of their own camp.


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    Morgan kept studying Theresa.


    ¡°What is it?¡± she asked.


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    ¡°I saw the fighting outside your wall today¡­ Were those carefully trained teenage soldiers?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. Those were students from our school. Today was their final exam.¡±


    That answer drew another wave of disbelief from the group.


    ¡°You¡¯ve restored a school here?¡± Horace asked in shock.


    Theresa noddedzily. ¡°Mm¨Chm.¡±


    By now, they werepletely convinced¨Candpletely outssed.


    In food production, her camp had brought a thousand acres back under cultivation, with fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, and meat in steady supply. Ark Camp One couldn¡¯te close.


    In security, she had towering steel walls and an endless patrol of multifunctional unmanned aerial vehicles, while they hid underground.


    Inbat, they had always known Kl Camp¡¯s soldiers were strong.


    In civilian life, her camp had revived the night market, where ordinary people could buy food that only their own upper¨Css elite could afford.


    And now a school, with real sses for real students. That was something they had never even dared to imagine.


    They were being crushed in every possible way.


    They had thought Theresa¡¯s camp was small, ragged, short on supplies, always one step away from being overrun by zombies.


    The stark contrast left Horace and Brian flushed with embarrassment after the initial shock.


    They remembered boasting in the helicopter that they could wipe Theresa¡¯s camp


    out with ease.


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    Now, they were her prisoners, and Ark Camp One didn¡¯t have a single advantage.


    left.


    Their faces alternated red and pale, the humiliation twisting deeper with every thought.


    Morgan, however, never looked away from Theresa. His eyes gleamed with a quiet light.


    At first, he had simply thought she was capable and confident. But the more he saw, the more he realized¨Cthere was an even greater power behind her.


    How could a man not be drawn to a woman like that?


    Day¡¯s passed.


    After taking Morgan and the others out twice, Theresa ignored them, leaving them in the vi to figure out their own next move.


    That afternoon, she was going over a development report Bennie had delivered.


    ¡°The second defensive line should be finished in about a month,¡± Bennie reported. ¡°I rmend keeping the crews on after that and having them build a fleet.¡±


    ¡°A fleet?¡± she repeated.


    He nodded. ¡°Right now, all our resources arend¨Cbased. We¡¯re well¨Cprepared for groundbat, and your UAVs cover us in the air. But we have nothing at sea. Building a fleet would let us reach several isted inds overseas. And if the maind suffers another massive zombie surge, we could evacuate by sea.


    ¡°And there¡¯s another thing. In our eastern waters, there¡¯s an offshore oil field. Once we have a fleet, we can secure it.¡±


    ¡°Oil is critical for us,¡± he added.


    Theresa thought over his proposal. ¡°All right. Make it happen.¡±


    It was a necessary move¨Cone that could bring in resources and give her another card to y if things turned bad.


    It had to be done.


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    Bennie went on to outline several other industrial upgrades.


    But with them came one major problem.


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    zing Sun Alliance was facing an awkward problem¨Cproduction was soaring, but there were too few people to consume what they made.


    Their farnd could feed a million, yet only about ten thousand residents were using the resources.


    Basic supplies were piling up in warehouses, but moving to the next stage of industrial growth would still require manpower.


    A lot of manpower.


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about the poption issue,¡± Theresa said, her mind already working.


    Where could she get more people?


    A knock at the office door broke her train of thought.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, the man from the vi wants to see you.¡±


    ¡°Let him wait.¡±


    ¡°He says he¡¯s made up his mind and wants to talk seriously about going back.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up.


    Going back¡­ She suddenly knew exactly where she could find people,


    Momentster, she stepped into Morgan¡¯s vi.


    He was seated at the table, waiting. ¡°Theresa, we¡¯ve been here for quite a while now. We n to return. When we get back, I¡¯ll tell our camp leader about yours.


    ¡°Ark Camp One and K1 Camp can form a formal alliance, sign a pact, and face the apocalypse together¡±


    Morgan was now treating Theresa¡¯s camp as an equal to his own.


    And it went without saying¨Cif the other two Ark Camps ever saw what her camp was like, they would be just as stunned.


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    If this wasn¡¯t a camp on equal footing with theirs, then what was?


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    ¡°And to show our sincerity, we¡¯ll send your camp fifty thousand tons of grain and a hundred thousand gleamstones.¡±


    Theresa smiled. ¡°That¡¯s generous. We¡¯re already allies in spirit, so talking about money and supplies just gets in the way of friendship.¡±


    Morgan grinned. ¡°You¡¯re right. So, what do you want to discuss?¡±


    ¡°People. Send me two thousand adults, and you can all


    go


    home.¡±


    Morgan froze.


    Theresa had set the price inly¨Ctwo thousand in exchange for their group. Not one less.


    After only a moment¡¯s thought, Morgan agreed. ¡°Done. In fact, I¡¯ll give you double.¡±


    ¡°Morgan, I knew you were a true partner. I like your style.¡±


    ¡°I want you toe back with me,¡± he said immediately.


    Theresa stared at him.


    Looking straight at her, Morgan continued, ¡°Theresa, for the sake of both camps, I want to marry you. A political union. It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re pregnant¨Cwhen the child is born, I¡¯ll raise it as my own. I¡¯ll be its father.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s expression went t.


    The two men nearby were speechless.


    They stared wide¨Ceyed at their second¨Cinmand, watching him all but hand himself a bright, ring figurative p in the face.


    It was almost too much to look at.


    Morgan truly wanted to marry Theresa.


    The more he learned about her, the more he wanted it.


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    At first, he had been drawn to the way she always seemed to have another card up her sleeve, surprising people again and again.


    Now, he was equally captivated by her camp.


    Kl Camp was formidable. They had to secure that alliance.


    He didn¡¯t know who the camp leader was, but he was certain the Keaton family was involved, and Theresa was clearly high¨Cranking here.


    Marrying her would mean manpower, resources, and the strength of her camp. It was a deal with nothing but upside in his mind.


    The only catch was that Theresa had said she was pregnant.


    With her current strength, there was no way he could harm the child.


    If that meant bing a stepfather, so be it.


    A little dent to his pride was nothingpared to the benefits he stood to gain.


    Theresa drew in a deep breath at Morgan¡¯s proposal and shot back, loud and clear, ¡°Get lost!¡±


    She rejected him without a shred of hesitation.


    Just in case his slow mind couldn¡¯t grasp it, she spelled it out¨Cshe didn¡¯t like him, would never marry him in this lifetime, and wanted him to stay as far away as possible.


    She even turned down the offer of two thousandborers to make her point.


    Theresa did want the manpower, but she had firm boundaries. Some fools didn¡¯t deserve any chance at all.


    A rejection had to <i>be </i>unmistakable and loud¨Cpreferably delivered from a safe distance.


    Morgan, stung by the blunt refusal, didn¡¯t say a word.


    He simply watched her sweep out, a slow smile creeping onto his face.


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    Chapter 464 A Price Too High


    ¡°Mr. Nellson, after what she just said, maybe we should-¡±


    ¡°No. Next time, I¡¯ll win her over.¡±


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    Chapter 465 Unyielding Resolve


    Chapter 465 Unyielding Resolve


    The other two stood in silence.


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    Morgan thought to himself that Theresa was exactly this kind of person¨Cself- protective. Her loud, clear refusal today only revealed her own insecurity.


    He felt he was one step closer to victory.


    Persistence would win her over eventually.


    The next day, countless helicopters shuttled to and from Theresa¡¯s camp.


    This time, they had her permission to fly.


    Each aircraft belonged to Ark Camp One.


    Ark Camp One¡¯s lower¨Css residents were transported over, one group another.


    For three straight days, two thousandborers were brought in.


    Only then did Theresa release Morgan and his group.


    after


    ¡°Time to go,¡± she said after counting theborers, waving her hand to dismiss them.


    Morgan smiled at her. ¡°Then, we¡¯ll be on our way.¡±


    ¡°Get out of here.¡± Theresa snapped.


    ¡°Theresa, we can still be friends, right?¡±


    Theresa didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°There¡¯s a joint meeting of our three campsing up. I¡¯d like to invite Kl Camp to attend. You qualify,¡± Morgan continued.


    I¡¯m not going?


    ¡°<b>I </b>suggest youe, We¡¯ll finalize a lot of material purchases at the meeting. Your


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    Chapter 465 Unyielding Resolve


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    camp produces so much,¡± Morgan said, ncing around Theresa¡¯s remarkably prosperous camp, you could sell it at a good price there.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t bother you. From now on, I¡¯ll just consider you a friend.¡±


    Theresa waved dismissively. ¡°Sure, sure. We¡¯ll talkter. Go back now.¡±


    ¡°You really should attend.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± she said, letting Morgan leave.


    Releasing them wasn¡¯t without risk. Even with a signed agreement, this was the apocalypse¨Cagreements meant little.


    The best they could do was keep each other in check. Morgan wouldn¡¯t dare provoke Theresa without justification and enough strength.


    Living and exchanging resources was far better than fighting.


    Theresa couldn¡¯t keep Morgan and his subordinates indefinitely. He was the second¨Cinmand of Ark Camp One, and the other two were administrators. Holding onto them could be seen as a provocation.


    So, she let them go once they had received enoughborers.


    But once she released them, she had to speed up construction on her own camp


    even more.


    This time, two thousand newborers were added, and they were quickly assigned to their posts.


    Theresa was quite pleased¨Cthanks to the surge in manpower, the construction of their second line of defense, which would have taken a month, waspleted in just two weeks.


    Now, everyone focused entirely on building warships,


    Theresa watched her camp grow stronger by the day, her anxiety casing.


    She had to grow even stronger and faster.


    Strong enough that her single camp could stand against the three Ark camps at


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    Chapter 465 Unyielding Resolve


    once¨Cand strike fear into them.


    ? ???,67%¨C


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    Then came Morgan¡¯s invitation¨Che wanted her to attend the meeting at Ark Camp Two.


    ¡°Are you going?¡± Lucas asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Theresa replied, scrolling through the long list of items Morgan wanted finalized.


    Of course she was going. And she¡¯d bring enough people.


    At that moment, in a small desert town, Ark Camp Two was preparing to wee its distinguished guests tomorrow.


    The Inner Ring, Middle Ring, and Outer Ring of the camp were all bustling with activity.


    Presently, the Outer Ring¨Cthe slums¨Cwas especially chaotic.


    ¡°Stop right there!


    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡±


    <i>Crack</i><i>! </i>


    A long whip mmed into a running girl.


    Barbed and cruel, it tore through her thin clothes, leaving raw, bleeding welts.


    Bright red lines marked her body, seared into the eyes of those watching.


    <i>Crack</i><i>! </i><i>Crack</i>! <i>Crack</i>!


    The man wielding the whip sneered. ¡°Sending you to serve the distinguished guestsing tomorrow in the Middle Ring is generosity! How dare you try to run? Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±


    The onlookers were numb. Detached.


    This was nothing new.


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    Chapter 465 Unyielding Resolve


    They even thought the girl deserved it.


    In the camp, this was a girl¡¯s fate.


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    The pretty ones were sent to the Middle and Inner Rings, used and exploited by higher¨Clevel administrators and residents. The less attractive remained in the Outer Ring, abused by its overseers and gangs.


    There was no order, now¨Ceveryone had to submit to the camp as if it were divine.


    Disobey, and they could be thrown out to feed the zombies.


    The crowd watched the girl being whipped. Why resist? Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to ept her fate?

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    Chapter 466 Lura¡¯s Choice


    <i>Oh</i>, <i>she </i>is <i>from </i><i>Steelbloom</i>. <i>Steelbloom</i>. <i>Ridiculous</i>.


    A group of girls with no resources trying to survive in a brutal post¨Capocalyptic camp all on their own¨Cit wasughable.


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    At that moment, a slender figure stepped in front of the girl being whipped.


    She clutched the falling whip tightly.


    ¡°No more hitting!¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, Lura,¡± the administrator said, clearly recognizing her. His greedy eyes roamed over Lura¡¯s tightly covered body.


    Lura had dressed like a boy, but to a man who had seen countless women, it was obvious she had developed into a young woman.


    Still, he didn¡¯t dare make a move.


    Not because of her sister who was already dead, but because someone had warned him beforehand.


    ¡°Lura, step aside. I¡¯m not after you.¡±


    ¡°Lura!¡±


    The little girl Lura had saved scrambled behind her. She was only thirteen¨Ctiny, fragile.


    Lura looked at her team member and said firmly, ¡°Don¡¯t touch her.¡±


    The administrator sneered. ¡°Heh. Our orders are to capture fifty young girls to serve tomorrow¡¯s distinguished guests. Lura, I¡¯m not going after you out of courtesy for the VIP. Step aside, or nobody¡¯s name will matter!¡±


    Lura¡¯s expression darkened as the administrator advanced. ¡°Don¡¯t touch her. I¡¯ll go with you myself.¡±


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    Chapter 466 Lura¡¯s Choice


    <b>+10 </b><b>Free </b>Co.


    Hearing this, the administrator paused. He looked at Lura, who had volunteered, and forced a smile. ¡°Fine. You want to go? You¡¯re volunteering. I¡¯ve never mistreated you. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Wait. I still have something to say.¡±


    The administrator¡¯s patience thinned, but seeing it was Lura, he agreed. ¡°Alright. Make it quick.¡±


    Lura helped her teammate to her feet and spoke earnestly. ¡°Molly, when you get back, tell everyone to keep training. Don¡¯t stop. I¡¯ll send supplies to you.¡±


    ¡°Lura¡­¡±


    ¡°We Steelbloom stick together. Only by staying united can we survive.¡±


    The girl¡¯s eyes welled up instantly. ¡°Lura, we can run and leave. I don¡¯t want you to go in there¨Cyou¡¯ll die like Lucy did.¡±


    At the mention of her sister¡¯s name, Lura¡¯s bright eyes dimmed. She wiped away her tears forcefully. ¡°No crying. No matter what happens, a Steelbloom member never sheds a tear. We can¡¯t show weakness. Stay strong. Never bring shame to Steelbloom!¡±


    With that, she turned and followed the administrator.


    Molly watched as Lura strode toward the Middle Ring gate. ¡°Lura, we will never bring shame to you!¡±


    Lura paused briefly at the threshold, then squared her shoulders and stepped forward with purpose.


    The next day, Theresa followed Morgan to Ark Camp Two.


    Unlikest time, she wore a brand¨Cnew mask.


    A blue mask.


    It marked her identity¨Crepresenting KI Camp. She was no longer just tagging along with Morgan to leech off another camp¡¯s reputation,


    Now, Kl Camp carried its own weight.


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    Not that Morgan had announced it; after their famous victory at Ark Camp Three, Kl Camp had already earned recognition from the three major camps.


    At first, the camps had dismissed K1 Camp as beggars. But after that battle, they took Theresa seriously.


    This time, both camps specifically allowed K1 Camp to attend the meeting.


    If they knew the true strength of Theresa¡¯s camp, it wouldn¡¯t just be Theresa invited¨Cthey would all have to make formal gestures to wee her.


    ¡°So, this neer is from Kl Camp, huh?¡± one of Ark Camp Two¡¯s members said coldly after theynded.


    Theresa gave the new administrator azy nce.


    Of the three camps, Ark Camp Two had the worst rtionship with her. If she weren¡¯t strong, who knew what they might have done to her.


    She didn¡¯t bother with pleasantries, looking away instead.


    The person from Ark Camp Two immediately frowned. ¡°Do we really need a nobody like this at our summit?¡±


    Morgan stayed silent. If he hadn¡¯t seen Theresa¡¯s camp before, he might have agreed.


    But now?


    ¡°KI Camp is strong. They have a right to attend our summit.¡±

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    Chapter 467 A Gathering of Four Camps


    <b>+10 </b>Free Coins


    ¡°Tch.¡± The person from Ark Camp Two sneered. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your sake, Kl Camp would¡¯ve been wiped out more times than I can count.¡±


    Morgan stayed silent.


    Theresa, wandering nearby, noticed a familiar figure approaching.


    ¡°Are you a friend from Kl Camp?¡± another voice called. This time, it was from Ark Camp Three¡¯s group.


    Of all the camps, Theresa was on slightly better terms with Ark Camp Three- though only a little.


    Thest time she had helped them, she¡¯d taken down zombies and put an end to a riot. The newly appointed administrator had even given her amunicator and treated her with rtive friendliness¨Cthough she knew it was mostly an attempt to recruit her.


    ¡°Long time no see,¡± the person greeted.


    ¡°Finally, I¡¯ve got a chance to meet you. I¡¯ve tried contacting you on themunicator a few times, but you never replied. How about we catch upter?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Theresa answeredzily.


    That was when she noticed a small figure in their group¨Ca boy wearing a white mask.


    The moment their eyes met, excitement lit up his clear gaze.


    She remembered him.


    He was the boy she¡¯d saved at Ark Camp Three, the one she¡¯d taken under her wing. If she recalled correctly, his name was Darian.


    Theresa gave him a casual nod, and his eyes brightened even more, as if he were fighting the urge to rip off his mask and run to her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡± The voice of an Ark Camp Two member came from behind.


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    Chapter 467 A Gathering of Four Camps


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    With everyone gathered, Ark Camp Two¡¯s administrator led them to the opera house.


    The familiar auction hall had been scrubbed spotless of the bloodstains left from thest zombie outbreak. Even the attendants had been reced with younger, prettier women.


    They had been trained to be even more deferential. The moment they saw the visitors, they dropped to their knees, terrified of repeating any offense likest time.


    Watching this, Theresa felt a wave of unease crawl over her skin.


    Some ces simply shed with her at the core. No matter which of these three major camps she stepped into, she felt suffocated.


    She had always thought herself a strict, iron¨Chanded ruler, but these camps¡­ they didn¡¯t even see people as human.


    The level of oppression here was worse¨Cmore suffocating¨Cthan fighting to survive outside among zombie hordes.


    Soon, she followed the others into a brand¨Cnew conference room.


    Four camps sat facing one another in a neat row. The meeting began.


    ¡°It¡¯s time again for our annual three¨Ccamp¨Coh, make that four¨Ccamp¨Csummit,¡± Ark Camp Two¡¯s representative announced. ¡°We have a new friend this year. Kl Camp has joined us. Let¡¯s hear a few words from our guest.¡±


    All eyes turned to Theresa.


    She nced over the people seated before her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have much to say. From here on, let¡¯s keep things civil and make our profits.¡±


    However distasteful she found them, she would still take their money to strengthen her own camp.


    When her power was great enough, she¡¯d deal with these parasites herself.


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    For now, she needed more time to grow.


    Sensing that her tonecked its usual bite, Ark Camp Two¡¯s representative immediately grew bolder.


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    ¡°You came here to make money, but aside from a bit of fighting power, do you have anything worth our attention?¡±


    Theresa looked at the fool in front of her, gestured to Lucas, and <i>rose </i>to her feet.


    She¡¯d brought enough people this time. Lucas could handle them.


    She¡¯d always been satisfied with Lucas¡® work, and whatever he said carried the same weight as if she¡¯d said it herself.


    Besides, these fools seemed to show him a bit more respect. Even if they looked down on everyone from Kl Camp, they were at least willing to give a little credit to Lucas for being a man.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving this to you,¡± she told him. ¡°Say whatever needs to be said.¡±


    Without another word, she turned and walked out.


    Quentin, Kyle, and Tyger followed close behind.


    Watching them go, Lucas frowned behind his mask, then smoothed his expression.


    ¡°Your camp¡¯s youngdy has quite the temper. She needs some discipline,¡± Ark Camp Two¡¯s representative remarked with a smirk.


    ¡°No need to trouble yourself,¡± Lucas replied evenly. ¡°She¡¯s known for having an excellent temperament¨Cby anyone¡¯s ount. She treats people exactly as they treat her. If someone thinks she¡¯s difficult, perhaps they should first take a hard look at their own attitude.¡±


    Ark Camp Two¡¯s representative fell silent.


    The room grew charged as the others watched the exchange like spectators at a duel.


    Morgan broke the tension with a timely interruption. ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±


    III

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    Chapter 468 A


    Chapter 468 A Refusal to Kneel


    Theresa stepped out of the reception hall and walked once more along the opera house corridor.


    As she moved forward, a group of young maids appeared at the corner, their heads bowed.


    The moment they saw the masked figures, they dropped to their knees one after another, copsing like dominoes.


    Even those further inside the hallway, who had no idea what was happening, knelt without hesitation.


    At the end of the line, however, one girl hesitated as she watched everyone else fall to the ground.


    An administrator following behind her kicked the back of her knees. ¡°Get down already!¡±


    That particr spot, when struck, made it impossible to keep bnce. Most people would copse instantly.


    But Lura, hardened by years of training, had a body far stronger than most. The blow only made her stagger a step before steadying herself against the wall.


    She turned her head and looked back at the administrator.


    ¡°What are you staring at? Kneel! If you anger the honored guests, you¡¯ll be dead before nightfall!¡± he snarled and red at her.


    Lura blinked, clenched her fists, and slowly sank down under his re.


    With a dull thud, her hands hit the ground. But she kept her spine straight, refusing to let her knees touch the floor.


    She clung to thest shred of dignity she could hold on to.


    The administrator¡¯s expression twisted with disdain as he looked at her. ¡°You call that kneeling? Do it properly!¡±


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    His size¨C11 boot came down hard on her back, pressing her as though she were nothing more than an insect underfoot.


    Bit by bit, he forced her lower.


    To his surprise, the girl resisted, holding on stubbornly, refusing to let her knees touch the ground.


    She¡¯s <i>a </i><i>feisty </i><i>troublemaker</i>. <i>But </i><i>no </i><i>matter </i><i>how </i><i>stubborn </i><i>she </i><i>is</i><i>, </i><i>she¡¯ll </i><i>have </i><i>to </i><i>bend</i><i>! </i>


    He drew on his strength¨Ctype ability and ground his heel harder into her back.


    Agony shot through Lura¡¯s body. Her spine felt as if it might copse, her chest crushed until she struggled to breathe. Her fingers, pressed into the floor, trembled and turned pale from the strain. Every bone in her body shuddered.


    The pain was unbearable, as though her skeleton would snap in two.


    Still, she would not kneel.


    Drenched in sweat, her body shook violently, yet she clung to thest inch of space between her knees and the ground.


    The administrator hadn¡¯t expected such stubbornness. Rage darkened his eyes. ¡°Stupid girl, you¡¯re asking for it!¡±


    He raised his foot, intending to break her spine with one savage kick.


    At that moment, a rough,manding voice cut through the hall. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    Before Lura even looked up, she sensed a figure rushing to her side.


    A single kick sent the administrator flying.


    ¡°You alright?¡±


    The voice was deep and steady.


    Lura lifted her head and saw a man in a blue mask standing beside her, his gaze filled with genuine concern. His eyes held none of the greed or lechery she hade to expect from men in this camp. Instead, they burned with warmth, like fire


    Chapter 468 A Refusal to Kneel


    in the cold.


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    ¡°I¡¯m fine-¡± She coughed hard, a trace of blood rising from her lungs that had been crushed underfoot.


    Tyger saw the blood and fury surged hot through his veins. He red at the man struggling to get up.


    A sharp crack rang out as Tyger, wearing golden gloves and fueled by his strength- type ability,nded a heavy p that sent the administrator crashing ten yards


    away.


    Bruised and battered, the man dragged himself to his feet, his face contorted with rage. ¡°I¡¯m an administrator of Ark Camp Two! How dare you strike me!¡±


    Tyger froze, realizing his mistake. This wasn¡¯t his camp. Acting on impulse could bring trouble to Theresa.


    Just then, a clear voice sounded behind him. ¡°Go tell your leader this: 1. Theresa Hall of Kl Camp, am the one who hit you. If there¡¯s an issue, they can take it up with me.¡±


    Theresa strolled forward, unhurried.


    ¡°Theresa¡­¡± Tyger¡¯s face tightened in worry.


    ¡°Good hit.¡± She didn¡¯t scold him. She approved.


    Theresa always protected her own. If Tyger struck someone, then it was as good as her doing it.


    She winked at him, and his anxious expression melted into a wide grin.


    ¡°Now, get lost,¡± she told the administrator.


    Face burning red, the man scrambled to his feet and bolted.


    Once he was gone, Theresa turned to the girl still propped on her hands. ¡°Lura?¡±


    Five minutester, Theresa brought Lura into a quiet lounge.


    The girl eyed the group of masked figures warily.


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    Chapter 468 A Refusal to Kneel


    She had never seen anyone wearing blue masks before.


    |||

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    Chapter 469 A Light in the Darkness


    ¡°How¡¯s your Steelbloom doing?¡±


    The woman lounging on the middle couch spoke withzy ease.


    At the sound of that name, Lura¡¯s eyes flew wide as she stared at her. ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°Already forgotten me? I once brought you your sister¡¯s keepsake.¡±


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    The moment she heard this, Lura¡¯s expression sharpened. Shock rippled through her as she watched the woman remove her mask. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡±


    Of course Lura had never forgotten Theresa.


    More than that¨Cshe knew Theresa had helped her in secret.


    The administrator in the Outer Ring had once hinted that, out of respect for someone influential, they treated her more kindly than others.


    Even if she had been slow, Lura would have realized that the one shielding her couldn¡¯t have been her dead sister.


    Her sister hadn¡¯tmanded much respect while alive, let alone after her death.


    Only Theresa would have stepped in for her.


    ¡°You¡¯ve always been in the Outer Ring. How did you end up here?¡±


    When she recognized Theresa, Lura slowly lowered her defenses, sharp and bristling like a hedgehog. Her voice was steady but quiet. ¡°The camp started drafting girls to serve the honored guests. That¡¯s how I got in.¡±


    ¡°And your Steelbloom?¡±


    ¡°I left it in my people¡¯s hands,¡± Lura said, lowering her head. ¡°Though, it might notst much longer.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give up. You¡¯ve got this.¡±


    Lura heard the words spoken with a gentle smile.


    Chapter 469 A Light in the Darkness


    She lifted her gaze to Theresa, who met her eyes with calm strength, her radiating quiet confidence.


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    presence


    As soon as Theresa¡¯s voice faded, the ones standing behind her chimed in.


    ¡°Kid, you¡¯ll make it,¡± Quentin said, arms folded. ¡°I came here with Theresast time. This girl¡¯s impressive. She pulled off starting Steelbloom out there.¡±


    ¡°Pretty awesome. Keep it up.¡± Kyle gave her a big thumbs¨Cup.


    Tyger¡¯s eyes softened with warmth. ¡°Well done. I admire girls like you.¡±


    One by one, the encouragement washed over her, and Lura didn¡¯t even know what stirred inside her chest.


    It was like struggling in endless darkness and suddenly seeing a glimmer of light.


    These people carried light with them¨Cbright, energetic, full of hope.


    So different from the numb, bloodthirsty faces she had grown used to in the apocalypse.


    In that moment, they lit up her entire world.


    ¡°Yes! I won¡¯t give up!¡± Lura clenched her fists tight.


    Theresa looked at the stubborn young girl before her and felt her heart soften.


    ¡°Let me introduce myself properly. I¡¯m Theresa Hall, from Kl Camp. I can give you another chance. Nod, and I¡¯ll take you back with me. Life is good in my camp.¡±


    Hearing the offer again, Lura paused to think. After three seconds of silence, she shook her head once more.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re worried about the rest of Steelbloom? I can bring them all with us.¡±


    Theresa didn¡¯t mind. She was short on workers anyway, and taking a group of capable women back would only help.


    Ark Camp Two could be pacified with some supplies. Everyone had a seat at the


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    table now¨Cshowing goodwill didn¡¯t cost much.


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    But Lura shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. I don¡¯t want to save just my Steelbloom sisters. I want to protect every girl in Ark Camp Two. If I leave, no one will keep Steelbloom alive. I want it to be a safe haven for all the girls here.¡±


    Her voice grew firm. ¡°A ce where they won¡¯t be bullied by men, crushed by the upper ranks, or forced to grovel just to survive.¡±


    Theresa froze.


    Even the three behind her stared wide¨Ceyed at the girl¡¯s unwavering resolve.


    Then, almost in unison, they raised their thumbs in respect.


    She was the real deal.


    Theresa studied the girl, as unyielding as tempered steel, then waved her hand. ¡°Out, all of you.¡±


    Quentin and the others obeyed, slipping outside and guarding the door.


    Once they were gone, Theresa turned back. ¡°Do you want to grow stronger?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°I can make you stronger. But there¡¯s one condition. When the timees, you¡¯ll have to give me everything you¡¯ve got.¡±


    Lura blinked at her in confusion.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll never force you to betray yourself or do anything against your will. Do you agree?¡±


    Lura lifted her chin. ¡°I¡¯ll help you! Even if you don¡¯t make me stronger, I¡¯ll still help you.¡±


    Theresa had already stepped in for her more than once. Even without conditions, Lura would dly return the favor.


    Why wouldn¡¯t she?


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    Chapter 469 A Light in the Darkness


    566%


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    Theresa smiled, knowing she had judged her correctly. With a flip of her palm, a crimson pill appeared in her hand.


    Sat,


    Chapter 470 Gifts of Power

 Kept Woman 470

    Chapter 470 Gifts of Power


    ¡°Swallow it.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s steady voice carried across the room.


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    Lura stared at the small pill. After half a breath of hesitation, she took it without a second thought and swallowed it whole.


    She trusted Theresapletely. If Theresa wanted her dead, poison wasn¡¯t necessary. Back when that administrator bullied her, Theresa could have simply stood by and done nothing. That would¡¯ve been enough.


    The red pill dissolved instantly on her tongue, leaving no taste at all.


    A warm current spread from her mouth, flowing through every corner of her body.


    Just as she wondered what exactly it was, her palm began to itch for no reason. She clenched her fist¨Cthen a ball of fire suddenly bloomed in her hand.


    Lura froze in shock.


    A fire¨Cbased ability.


    She actually had an ability now.


    No way¡­


    Her head snapped up toward Theresa.


    Theresa pressed a finger to her lips and winked, indicating for her to remain silent.


    Lura stood there,pletely stunned, staring at her as if she were divine.


    Theresa had given her an ability.


    The weight of that gift felt overwhelming.


    Theresa raised her hand again. A small vial of highly concentrated Evoloid and a miniaturemunicator appeared in her palm.


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    Chapter 470 Gifts of Power


    <b>+10 </b>Free Coins


    ¡°Take a sip of the Evoloid every day. Train quietly and keep it hidden as your trump card. If anything happens, contact me in secret. Understand?¡±


    Lura epted the items stiffly, her eyes shining with unshakable devotion. ¡°Yes,


    Theresa!¡±


    At that moment, she decided from the depths of her heart: Theresa was her sister


    now.


    A knock sounded on the door.


    ¡°Theresa, someone from Ark Camp Three is here to see you.¡±


    Theresa nced at Lura. ¡°Send him in.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Lura quickly tucked away themunicator and Evoloid as the door opened.


    A familiar figure stepped inside.


    ¡°Theresa!¡± Darian strode in, excitement written all over his face.


    ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± Theresa smiled at him. ¡°How have you been doing?¡±


    Darian¡¯s eyes flicked briefly to Lura. For someone so young, he carried himself with remarkable caution.


    Theresa waved her hand. ¡°You can go now. Tyger, take Lura back and let her supervisor know¨Cshe¡¯s under my protection.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Tyger escorted Lura out.


    Only after they left did Darian finally rx. ¡°Theresa, I didn¡¯t let you down. I¡¯ve already recruited five hundred people. They¡¯re all willing to follow my lead!¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit with genuine surprise. She had assumed that with his father gone, Darian¡¯s potential would be limited. Instead, he had given her an unexpected gift of his own.


    This seedling she had nted in Ark Camp Three was proving far more capable than she imagined.


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    ¡°Well done.¡± She nodded, studying him carefully and calcting his overall strength.


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    His personal skills were impressive, but he was still an ordinary human. If he became an ability user, his potential would rise to another level¨Cand her influence in Ark Camp Three would grow with it.


    ¡°I have a reward for you.¡±


    ¡°What kind of reward?¡±


    As Darian asked, Theresa opened her palm, revealing a small ck pill. ¡°Swallow it.¡±


    Among the few she still had, there was one speed¨Ctype ability pill and one strength¨Ctype ability pill. She chose to give Darian the strength¨Ctype.


    These pills were rare and powerful. Normally, she only shared them with her own people. But even giving one to an outsider didn¡¯t trouble her¨Cshe could reim the ability at any time if necessary.


    Darian looked at the pill in her hand.


    Unlike Lura, he didn¡¯t hesitate at all. He took it and swallowed it in one gulp.


    Lura might not have known Theresa well, but Darian owed her his life. She had saved both him and his father.


    Now that his father was gone, Darian still remembered Theresa¡¯s kindness. She had given him his first full meal in the apocalypse, along with rich supplies and seasonings no one else could spare. She had even helped him secure the position of a first¨Cfloor administrator, allowing him to gain a foothold in Ark Camp Three.


    Since his father¡¯s death, there was only one person in this world Darian truly trusted: Theresa.


    He swallowed the strength¨Ctype ability pill in a single motion.


    At first, nothing seemed different. Curious, he asked, ¡°Theresa, what is this?¡±


    Theresa tilted her headzily toward him. ¡°Try lifting that potted tree.¡±


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    Darian turned to look. The potted tree stood more than six feet tall, nted in a heavy ceramic pot. His stomach sank.


    That thing was far too heavy. He knew he couldn¡¯t possibly lift it.


    Still, he obediently walked over, gripped the base, and tried to heave it up.

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    The next moment, something happened that left Darian stunned.


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    The massive potted tree in his hands¨Ceasily six to seven hundred pounds¨C suddenly lifted off the ground as if it weighed nothing.


    For a second, he could hardly believe it. He quickly set the nt back down and blurted, ¡°Is this made of stic? Why does it feel so light?¡±


    He tapped the pot with his knuckles, trying to test if it was fake.


    A sharp <i>crack </i>rang out.


    The thick ceramic pot split open with a gaping hole.


    Darian froze, staring at his fist. After a stunned pause, he turned his head toward Theresa.


    She was sitting calmly on the couch, not the least bit surprised. The look in her eyes said she already knew exactly what had changed.


    Darian¡¯s thoughts jumped immediately to the pill. He lifted his hands. ¡°Theresa, is this what you gave me?¡±


    Theresa nodded. ¡°Keep it low¨Ckey. When you get back, work on upgrading slowly.¡±


    She handed him a vial of concentrated Evoloid and a miniaturemunicator.


    Darian epted both, his chest heavy with the weight of her trust. ¡°I¡¯ll keep following your instructions.¡±


    Theresa gave him a satisfied nod.


    She had already nted seeds in both Ark Camp Two and Ark Camp Three. Someday, they would sprout.


    ¡°By the way, Theresa, I almost forgot. The meeting¡¯s over, and our camp leader invited you for a private talk.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Theresa said as she rose to her feet. ¡°Your camp leader came in person?¡±


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    ¡°Yes. The new camp leader, along with the second¨Cinmand. All the administrators from the first to the fifth levels have been reced. I¡¯m in charge of the first floor now, though I share the position with two others¨CI¡¯m not the only


    one.¡±


    Darian revealed the internal situation of their camp without hesitation.


    ¡°What abilities does your leader have?¡± Theresa asked.


    ¡°Fire¨Cbased and earth¨Cbased.¡±


    ¡°You know what level?¡±


    Darian shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s above my level. But don¡¯t worry¨CI¡¯ll find out for you once I¡¯m back.¡±


    Theresa was pleased with her loyal subordinate. She even gave him a bundle of seasoning packets to take home and use as a way to win people over.


    As they neared the destination, Darian¡¯s warmth faded. His face hardened as he walked ahead, keeping a respectful distance while leading her forward.


    ¡°Sir, we¡¯re here.¡±


    Theresa stepped into the room.


    Inside the lounge sat Lucas, along with the masked members of Ark Camp Three.


    The new administrator of Ark Camp Three rose the moment he saw Theresa, greeting her with open enthusiasm, ¡°Your Kl Camp truly amazes me. Not only does it have talents like you, but your supplies are abundant as well. No wonder you¡¯ve managed to survive <i>so </i>long out there.¡±


    Theresa listened without expression and turned her gaze toward Lucas.


    ¡°We just wrapped up negotiations,¡± Lucas said. ¡°From now on, our camp¡¯s fruits and vegetables will be supplied in bulk to the three Ark Camps. Prices range from twenty to a hundred gleamstones per pound.¡±


    In the apocalypse, fresh produce was rare beyond measure.


    The three Ark Camps had no good soil for farming¨CArk Camp One was


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    underground, Ark Camp Two in a desert town, and Ark Camp Three deep in the mountains.


    They could only grow a few staple crops inside their facilities, and rare produce was nearly impossible to cultivate.


    Theresa¡¯s harvests, brought here for sale, were practically monopolizing the market.


    And the prices weren¡¯t even high.


    It was so cost¨Ceffective that the administrator didn¡¯t need to bother growing his own crops anymore¨Che could simply buy from Theresa in bulk. Growing his own would waste time, money, and energy. Buying was much easier.


    ¡°Also, your camp¡¯s fruit quality is excellent,¡± the Ark Camp Three administrator added with a smile. ¡°No matter how much we buy in the future, keep that standard. As long as you do, Ark Camp Three will always wee your goods.¡±


    Theresa inclined her head. ¡°Fine.¡±


    Of course she intended to keep the quality up, though it wouldn¡¯t be without its challenges.


    After finishing the formalities, the administrator chatted with her casually, asking about life back at her camp. He had no hidden agenda beyond one¨Csubtly probing to lure her over.


    ¡°Surviving outside must be very difficult. By now, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve realized the strength of the three Ark Camps. Compared to us, your kind of independent camp can¡¯tpete. Talents like <i>you </i>shouldn¡¯t be wasted in a small ce. You belong somewhererger.¡±


    Theresa gave a shortugh. ¡°Thanks, but no thanks. A golden cage is still a cage. We live well enough in our own camp.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± the administrator replied smoothly. ¡°No need to answer right away. Take your time. When you change your mind, reach out to me. Ark Camp Three will always be ready to wee you.¡± He spoke with confidence, his grin broad


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    Chapter 472 A Wager of Blood


    ¡°Fine,¡± Theresa said quietly.


    A knock sounded at the door.


    <b>+5 </b>Free Coins


    ¡°Our second¨Cinmand has arranged a special performance on the viewing tform. The honored guests are invited to attend.¡±


    At once, the administrator from Ark Camp Three lit up with excitement. ¡°Excellent. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    He led Theresa and the others out. Their group moved deeper into the opera house, the corridors narrowing as they went.


    On the way, the administrator spoke with barely contained enthusiasm. ¡°We finally get to watch the beast fight again. Our camp has lost for years, but this time we¡¯re bound to win.¡±


    Theresa frowned. ¡°Beast fight?¡±


    ¡°You neers from Kl Camp wouldn¡¯t know,¡± he exined. ¡°Ark Camp Two is famous for this. They hold it once a year. A hundred contestants are thrown into the pit with ten zombies. Whoever survives to the end is the champion.¡±


    He added with a grin, ¡°And the rest of us get to bet on dark horses. Pick the right one, and you take home the prize pool.¡±


    As he spoke, a massive arena came into view, its stone tiers rising high on every side.


    Theresa froze. Her eyes locked on the lines of people shackled at the neck and ankles, standing in neat rows. Their clothes were thin, their bodies trembling in the cold center of the pit.


    From cages set into the walls, the howls of zombies echoed from all directions.


    A thunderous crash erupted as a zombie hurled itself against the inner wall, thrashing madly at the darkened wire mesh. Its mangled head forced through the bars, straining <i>to </i>reach.


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    It snapped and gnashed at the sight of living flesh beyond the barrier, tearing at the steel with relentless hunger.


    The barbed mesh caught its mouth, but it felt no pain. It only bit harder, gnawing and grinding, as thick streams of ck¨Cred slime dripped down the rusted wires, deepening their stain.


    The captives nearest the cage recoiled in terror, shrinking toward the center of the


    arena.


    ¡°Over here, friends!¡±


    Voices rang out. Ark Camp Two¡¯s people waved eagerly, weing Theresa¡¯s


    group.


    ¡°This year I picked a whole batch of dark horses,¡± one of them boasted. ¡°It¡¯ll be better than ever. We¡¯ll all have a good time.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s face hardened to ice. Lucas, standing at her side, spoke before she could. ¡°Tell me something. What crimes did these peoplemit?¡±


    The cheer around them faltered.


    A man from Ark Camp Two looked at Lucas, his smile visible even beneath the yellow mask. ¡°New friend, you don¡¯t need to worry. These folks all signed up willingly. No one forced them.¡±


    ¡°Willingly?¡±


    Morgan stepped forward, filling in the gaps. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know since you just arrived. Everyone who enters gets fifty pounds of food. The one who survives takes a tenth of the prize pool. They all volunteered. Ark Camp Two didn¡¯t coerce


    them.¡±


    The people from Ark Camp Two sneered at Theresa¡¯s group as though they were naive outsiders. ¡°What¡¯s the fun in forcing anyone? The thrilles from them fighting by choice. If you feel sorry for them, then ce a bigger bet. The more you put in, the more thest survivor walks away with¡±


    ¡°Theresa, let¡¯s go!¡± Lucas tugged her arm, already turning away.


    He couldn¡¯t save these people, but at least he could refuse to y along. Let the


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    camps indulge in their own cruelty.


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    But Theresa didn¡¯t move. She stood her ground, her voice cutting across the arena. ¡°Ordinary people fighting zombies¨Cwhat¡¯s the point of that?¡±


    Every head turned toward her.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we raise the stakes?¡± she continued coldly. ¡°Send in your strongest ability users. We¡¯ll send in ours. Whoever saves the most people wins.¡±


    A hush swept over the arena. Then, one of Ark Camp Two¡¯s members chuckled darkly. ¡°Saving people? Where¡¯s the fun in that? Killing is more exciting. Whoever racks up the most kills wins. That includes your ability users and ours, until only one side is left standing.¡±


    Theresa narrowed her eyes, thinking for three long seconds. Then, she nodded. ¡°Fine. I ept. Kl Camp wagers ten thousand tons of food that our side will win.¡±


    ¡°Now we¡¯re talking,¡± said the administrator from Ark Camp One. ¡°We¡¯ll match it- ten thousand tons, betting on our camp.¡±


    Someone from Ark Camp Three chimed in eagerly. ¡°We¡¯ll match as well. Ten thousand tons, on our camp.¡±


    Then, someone from Ark Camp Two raised the stakes with a grin. ¡°We¡¯ll put in a hundred thousand tons of food and bet on ourselves. But I have one condition. Ten zombies are far too few. Let¡¯s make it a hundred. And I want you, Ms. Hall, to be the one who fights.¡±


    Every gaze in the arena swung toward Theresa. Eyes glittered with anticipation.

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    Chapter 473 High Stakes in the Arena


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    The people from Ark Camp Three, who had been on friendly terms with Theresa just moments ago, only smiled faintly and kept quiet.


    Morgan¡¯s brow creased, but he quickly smoothed it over without saying a word. In truth, he was a little eager to see how Theresa would perform in the match.


    Theresa was strong. If she won, it would be no surprise. But if she lost, that would give him the perfect chance to swoop in and y the hero.


    ¡°Theresa won¡¯t be joining,¡± Lucas spoke up. ¡°If you want a fight, I¡¯ll take her ce.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no.¡± The administrator from Ark Camp Two waved a finger back and forth. ¡°We only agreed to change the rules because of Ms. Hall¡¯s request. What we want is to see Ms. Hall in action. If Kl Camp is worried about her safety, then how about this?¡±


    He leaned forward with a sly grin. ¡°If Ms. Hall¡¯s life is in real danger, we¡¯ll stop the fight immediately. But that means you lose, and you have to pay double. The life or death of our people remains the same.¡±


    His words dripped with mockery.


    Theresa met his eyes without flinching, then stepped forward. ¡°No need. We¡¯ll stick to the original rules. But you have to match my wager. I¡¯m putting up five million tons of food on my victory.¡±


    The people from Ark Camp Two froze.


    Five million tons!


    Thest time, the Zombie Virus Inhibitor had sold for a sky¨Chigh price at auction -just 2.5 million tons of food.


    They had once swindled Ark Camp Three, and even after that haul, their total reserves barely reached six million tons.


    And now Theresa dared to stake five million tons?


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked coolly. ¡°Don¡¯t have the guts to y?¡±


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    The administrator of Ark Camp Two drew in a sharp breath. ¡°It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t have the guts. We do have that much food. But does your camp? You can shout five million all you like, but if you lose, how are you going to pay?¡±


    Theresa smiled. ¡°Morgan, he says I can¡¯t cover my bet. Will you be my guarantor?¡±


    Morgan thought of Theresa¡¯s vast farnd. Others might not know the scale of her resources, but he did. He didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Fine. If Kl Camp can¡¯t pay, I will.¡±


    That left the Ark Camp Two administrator with no more excuses. His eyes flickered, his thoughts racing before he finally ground out, ¡°All right. But with the stakes this high, we¡¯ll send out ten ability users. You go in alone.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not fair!¡± Quentin and his twopanions snapped at once, their anger boiling over.


    ¡°Otherwise, the bet goes back to just a hundred thousand tons,¡± the person from Ark Camp Two said evenly.


    He didn¡¯t dare gamble that much food outright. If he could stack the odds against Theresa, he was sure she¡¯d never ept.


    But before his words even settled, Theresa answered firmly, ¡°Done. Anyone who backs out is a coward, and the bet still stands. Everyone here is a witness.¡±


    Without the slightest hesitation, she pulled the de from Kyle¡¯s back, gave a quick wave to the crowd, and strode toward the arena.


    The administrator from Ark Camp Two scowled beneath his mask.


    This was absolutely disastrous. He had been forced into a perilous position¨Cand there was no turning back.


    If they failed, five million tons of food would vanish in an instant.


    That wasn¡¯t just a heavy blow¨Cthat was half the lifeblood of their camp, cut away in one stroke.


    They couldn¡¯t afford to lose.


    They must not lose.


    Chapter 473 High Stakes in the Arena


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    He spun toward his men. ¡°Send in our ten strongest. The best of the best. Do whatever it takes¨Cwe cannot lose.¡±


    The other two camps, watching events spiral to this scale, were more entertained than anything else.


    They hadn¡¯t matched Theresa¡¯s wager. Each had tossed in just ten thousand tons. Losing it meant nothing, but watching the storm unfold between Ark Camp Two and Kl Camp promised a show worth every grain.


    The oue would shift the bnce of power for all of them.


    Especially for Morgan. His eyes followed Theresa as she stepped into the arena. If she lost, her camp would suffer a devastating loss. And then he could step in, y the gant rescuer, and im his moment.


    Soon, the fighters took their ces.


    Ark Camps One and Three casually sent in a single ability user each. It wasn¡¯t their stage tonight, and they had no need to risk more.


    Ark Camp Two, however, unleashed their top ten ability users.


    Theresa now stood alone in the center of the arena.


    Before her huddled a hundred trembling ordinary people, faces pale with terror.


    Rarely anyone carried the bloodthirsty gleam of true killers.


    Volunteers, they called them. But there was no such thing.


    Most were elderly<i>, </i>or women and children too frail, sick, or weak to fight.


    Many had been sold here by their own families.


    They weren¡¯t strong enough to work, no longer able to produce any value. Better, their families thought, to hand them over as fodder for the arena¨Cand take home fifty pounds of food in exchange.


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    Voluntary submission was far more terrifying than forced oppression.


    ¡°Anyone who wants to survive, stay behind me,¡± Theresa said.


    s


    The participants in the beast fight looked up at her, panic and confusion written across their faces.


    At that moment, a line of heavily armored figures stepped down.


    Each carried imposing weapons¨Csome rare tridents, rakes, and des among them.


    They all exuded lethal intent as they sized up the young woman holding a de.


    Their eyes, predator¨Csharp, barely contained scorn. <i>Just </i><i>a </i><i>girl</i>? They thought. <i>This </i>will <i>be </i><i>easy</i><i>. </i>


    On the other side, the participants from Ark Camps One and Three arrived as well.


    They spread out, maintaining distance from Theresa and the Ark Camp Two¡¯s people.


    ¡°Raaaah!¡±


    ¡°Raaaah!¡±


    ¡°Raaaah!¡±


    Zombies screamed from the cages around them.


    Five hundred of them filled every enclosure, all waiting for themand to rush out and tear the living apart!


    On the observation tform, spectators from all four camps watched.


    Everyone on Lucas¡® side/stared nervously at Theresa.


    Kyle and Tyger clutched the railing, eyes fixed on the pit nearly sixteen feet deep below, ready to leap at a moment¡¯s notice.


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    Quentin had already crept to a locked exit, a small wire inserted into the keyhole.


    ¡°I hereby dere the beast fight¡­ begins now,¡± the Ark Camp Two administrator announced, his gaze shadowed as it fell on Theresa.


    With that, chains binding the cages and people alike nged open.


    The stench of freedom hit as zombies surged forth, charging madly at the living in the center.


    The ordinary participants curled up in fear, scrambling to avoid the onught.


    But the ten Ark Camp Two fighters had a single target: Theresa.


    The first to charge was a massive man nearly six and a half feet tall, weighing 220 pounds, wielding twin hammers.


    A dual¨Cability user of speed¨Ctype and strength¨Ctype, he ranked ninth among Ark Camp Two¡¯s top ten.


    Every muscle on him screamed explosive power, capable of crushing a skull.


    His iron arms swung like falling meteors, aiming to pulverize Theresa in a single blow.


    Determined, his face seemed to picture the next instant¨CTheresa reduced to a pulp under his hammers.


    Theresa looked at the approaching giant, lifted her wrist, and made a single fist with one hand.


    ¡°Let me show you what real strength looks like.¡±


    On the observation deck.


    ¡°That¡¯s Adrian Hawk from your camp, right? Level 3 dual¨Cability user of strength- type and speed¨Ctype. I rememberst year, during your zombie siege, he punched through three Level 2 zombies at once and ripped apart a Level 3 one with sheer strength,¡± someone from Ark Camp Three said.


    ¡°Exactly. Adrian has the greatest strength in our camp,¡± someone from Ark Camp Two replied, his eyes darkening.


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    Adrian ranked ninth among their fighters.


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    Basic abilities such as strength¨Ctype and speed¨Ctype usually fell behind other abilities over time, but Adrian was different.


    His speed¨Ctype ability barely reached Level 1, yet his strength was the best in the


    camp.


    He was a renowned boxer before the apocalypse. After he awakened his strength- type ability, his strength multiplied several times over a normal strength¨Ctype ability user.


    Although he was only a Level 3 ability user, his strength alone was on par with Level 4¡ªand he could even contend with some Level <i>5 </i>strength¨Ctype ability users.


    They knew Theresa was formidable, a multi¨Cability user¨Cbut in a raw strength showdown, she might not surpass Adrian.


    All eyes waited for the scene: the tiny girl crushed under Adrian¡¯s fists, crying on the ground.


    ¡°Your camp really went all out this time,¡± someone from Ark Camp Three remarked.


    Before he finished speaking¡­


    <i>Bang</i><i>! </i>


    The sound of a heavy fist striking flesh echoed.


    Everyone saw Adrian, leaping forward like a massive tank, suddenly freeze mid- stride.


    His twin hammers were still in hand, but both were dented¨CTheresa had punched¡­ through the gaps andnded squarely in front of him.


    A single, no¨Cnonsense punch¨Cstraight to the point.


    Her fist mmed into his rock¨Chard muscles as if they were made from paper, leaving a clear imprint,


    Adrian felt every organ shift violently, his chest pumping, bones reverberating


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    under the impact.


    A raw strength duel.


    He stared, stunned, at the girl only a third his size.


    ¡°This,¡± Theresa said, lifting her head, ¡°is what true strength looks like.¡±


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    The impact was crushing.


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    With a single blow, Adrian¡¯s head snapped sideways at a grotesque angle. Blood sprayed from his mouth before his body shot backward like a kite with its string cut.


    When he hit the ground, he copsed in a limp heap, as if every bone had vanished. A wet, gurgling cry escaped his throat as he vomited up what looked like shredded pieces of his own organs.


    Everyone who witnessed it shot to their feet in shock.


    Theresa had just taken down the strongest fighter from Ark Camp Two with a single punch.


    It wasn¡¯t a contest.


    It was domination.


    Theresa never fought for an even match. Every strike she delivered crushed her enemies outright.


    In the blink of an eye, the onlookers saw her cutting through opponents like a force of nature.


    One of Ark Camp Two¡¯s elite ability users darted in from behind, aiming for a sneak attack.


    But it was as if Theresa had eyes in the back of her head. Without even turning, she lifted Kyle¡¯s long de and drove it straight into the man¡¯s skull.


    A momentter, she kicked his lifeless body ten yards away¨Cstraight into a swarm of zombies.


    The creatures swarmed him at once, tearing him apart.


    Next came a fire¨Cbased ability user.


    Then a pair¨Ca water¨Cbased ability user and a metal¨Cbased ability user¨Crushed her together.


    After them, half a dozen zombies charged straight at her.


    None of themsted a single exchange. Not one even forced her to use her own ability. Each fell beneath the brutal precision of her raw strength and the cold steel in her hands.


    The ordinary survivors, overwhelmed by the sight, instinctively pressed closer behind her. They realized it too: nothing and no one¨Chuman or zombie¨Ccould get within reach of Theresa.


    On the tform above, Lucas and the others finally began to rx. Their tense brows eased, and their eyes grew brighter with every passing second.


    This was Theresa.


    The one who had always stunned them with sheer, unshakable power.


    Even if theybined their strength, none of them could stand against her. How could those others possibly hope to?


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    Quentin, stationed near the exit, watched her cut down opponent after opponent. A smile tugged at his lips.


    She¡¯s unstoppable!


    But Ark Camp Two¡¯s faces had gone pale with shock and unease.


    This is bad. Terribly bad. How can <i>she </i><i>be </i><i>this </i>strong?


    Barely a minute had passed, and already half of their ten strongest ability users were dead.


    The administrator suddenly realized what he had risked. He hadn¡¯t only wagered five million tons of food against Theresa¨Che was on the verge of losing the backbone of his camp, the ten most powerful ability users they had.


    That was uneptable.


    His fear deepened as Theresa struck down yet another of his fighters.


    ughter.


    She was ughtering them all.


    ¡°Stop attacking Theresa!¡± he shouted desperately. ¡°Kill the civilians instead!¡±


    He remembered the rules.


    The match wasn¡¯t just about killing the other camp¡¯s fighters. The body count of ordinary people counted toward victory too.


    He had to win.


    He had no choice.


    At once, the remaining four ability users from Ark Camp Two shifted their focus, turning toward the huddled civilians behind Theresa.


    But in the split second they hesitated, Theresa¡¯s de fell again. Another ability user dropped to the ground.


    Only three remained, along with the fighters from Ark Camp One and Ark Camp Three.


    Meanwhile, from every direction, the zombies surged closer.


    Five hundred of them.


    The corpses of the fallen ability users had already been tossed to the horde.


    Drawn by the feast, the zombies had swarmed in, feeding hungrily.


    But Theresa had made sure to strike a finishing blow first¨Cthose fighters would never rise again as part of


    the undead.


    Now the horde, slick with gore, came thundering toward the living.


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    Their mouths and hands dripped with blood. Their bodies were torn and broken, some long¨Crotted, others still fresh, their deaths only months old.


    But all had the same ravenous stare¨Cgray eyes burning with a blood¨Cred gleam as they charged, howling and wing, jaws gaping wide.


    Their shrieks filled the air.


    One after another, they lunged forward.


    The ordinary survivors, faced with the rushing wall of undead, copsed into panic.


    At the start, they had only been told to face ten zombies.


    Now, five hundred poured onto the field.


    There weren¡¯t even enough people to go around to feed them all.


    Terrified, the civilians shrank inward, pressing close in a desperate knot.


    In the crush, a boy no older than seven or eight and his sick mother were shoved to the outer edge.


    The boy had been sold into this fight by his own father.


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    His father was a strength¨Ctype ability user, chosen to serve as a camp guard in the Middle Ring. He wasn¡¯t as powerful as the ability users here in the arena, but he still stood far above ordinary people.


    At first, he promised his wife and son that once he settled in the Middle Ring, he¡¯d find a way to bring them inside too.


    Later, he admitted he couldn¡¯t get them in. But he said he would at least send them food.


    In Ark Camp Two, children under the age of ten weren¡¯t given daily rations. The camp decided they were useless, not worth feeding, and that their survival was solely their parents¡® responsibility.


    If his father didn¡¯t send food, the boy wouldn¡¯t have anything to eat. His mother barely had enough for herself.


    But not long after, even that stopped.


    The boy asked around and eventually discovered the truth¨Chis father had found another woman. She was also an ability user. They had started a new family in the Middle Ring.


    That woman had a child of her own, and the boy¡¯s father spent his food and effort raising that child instead.


    The boy grew up overnight. He realized all he had left was his mother.


    He began hustling on the streets, scamming and begging to survive, swearing that no matter what happened, he would never turn to his father again.


    But then his mother fell ill.


    For days, he struggled with himself before finally deciding to beg his father for help.


    It took everything he had¨Cpleading with people, pulling strings¨Cuntil atst he managed to see his father outside the city walls.


    He couldn¡¯t even describe how he felt in that moment. He just threw himself at the man¡¯s legs and cried.


    His father listened to his story in silence, then brought him home for a full meal. He gave the boy more food to take back to his mother and told him to wait. He promised to find a doctor and bring them into the Middle Ring once everything was arranged.


    For a little while, the boy believed. He thought, maybe, his father was still his father.


    He waited, and eventually his father dide. He took both mother and son into the Middle Ring for the very first time.


    He even brought them to the bark entrance of a grand opera house.


    The boy was confused. Was this really where they were supposed to see a doctor?


    Before he could ask, his father collected two huge sacks of grain at the check¨Cin counter. Then, without warning, mother and son were shoved forward, rough hands pushing them inside as though they were


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    Chapter 476 A Father¡¯s Betrayal


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    livestock.


    The boy tried to call out, but his father only turned once to look at him. In that nce, the boy saw calction, relief at shedding a burden, and the quiet glee of a man who had just secured a fortune in supplies.


    Onlyter did the boy understand what that look meant.


    His father had sold them.


    For a hundred pounds of grain, both mother and son had been traded into the arena as cannon fodder.


    The boy was stunned for a long, long time. His mother broke down, holding him and weeping uncontrobly.


    But he couldn¡¯t shed a single tear.


    He knew crying would change nothing. It was useless.


    Now, he and his mother were pressed to the edge of the group. A zombie dressed in a shredded suit. limping on one leg, bared its blood¨Cred mouth and lunged at them. Its face looked disturbingly like his father¡¯s.


    The boy stepped in front of his sick mother and pulled a stick from his coat.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll protect you.¡±


    ¡°Shawn!¡±


    His mother cried out in panic, forcing her weak body forward to shield him with her back.


    Just as the zombie¡¯s ws reached for her, an invisible barrier spread wide across their front.


    The zombie smashed into the Aeroshield with a guttural roar.


    Its grotesque face stopped barely an inch away, bloody saliva dripping from yellowed teeth. But instead of falling, the blood slid sideways along a curved, unseen surface.


    The creature snarled and gnashed at empty air, its jaw muscles straining, but it couldn¡¯t bite down on the people just inches away.


    The boy stood frozen, astonished. Everyone around him stared in disbelief.


    His gaze swept the crowd and finally stopped on the young woman standing before them.


    Theresa stood calm and steady, the Acroshield radiating outward from her. Behind her, every ordinary person was wrapped in its protection


    What a waste it would have been to throw away such strong, willingbor to the zombies.


    If those fools didn¡¯t want them, then she did.


    She would take everyst one of them with her.


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    As the Aeroshield enveloped Theresa and the civilians, the entire arena fell silent. Spectators on the stands were left in shock.


    They could all clearly see it now: a massive, glowing hemisphere of Aeroshield, five yards across.


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    ter 477 The Unbreakable Shield


    Chapter 477 The Unbreakable Shield


    Every zombie and ability user was blocked outside Theresa¡¯s Acroshield.


    Not a single one could get through.


    ¡°What kind of ability is that?¡± someone asked.


    ¡°A shield¨Ctype ability fueled by mind power,¡± Morgan exined.


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    It wasn¡¯t just him. Every mental maniption ability user on the scene could feel the oppressive weight of her mind power radiating outward.


    It all came from Theresa.


    ¡°Can you even guess her ability level?¡±


    Morgan took a deep breath. ¡°She¡¯s the ceiling. The absolute ceiling I¡¯ve ever seen. Conservatively, a Level 6 ability.¡±


    His older brother Magnus had poured the full strength of their camp into leveling up his abilities for three years, and he had only just broken through to Level 6 a few days ago.


    Morgan wasn¡¯t even sure his brother could take Theresa on.


    Theresa had to be Level 6 at minimum.


    ¡°Our camp¡¯s top ability user is only Level 5,¡± the leader of Ark Camp Three said, mouth agape.


    The administrator of Ark Camp Two stared downward, his gaze darker and colder.


    Only three ability users remained, all Level 4. One of them was on the verge of breaking into Level 5.


    But with the zombies blocked by Theresa¡¯s Aeroshield, they all turned their attacks on these remaining ability users.


    emal by camp


    Meanwhile, the participant from Ark Camp Three was being swarmed by fifty to sixty zombies, already killed outright.


    Dozens of zombiestched onto him, tearing and gnawing with savage intensity.


    He looked toward his own camp¡¯s side of the arena.


    The administrator of Ark Camp Three simply turned away, leaving him to be devoured by the zombie


    horde.


    Morgan¡¯s subordinate was in danger too.


    He was being chased by a group of zombies across the arena, running desperately toward Theresa¡¯s protective zone¡ªthe only safe ce left.


    Just as he neared her, reaching out in a plea for help as an Ark Camp One member, an ability user from Ark Camp Two rushed to, his side, trying to break into her shield with him.


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    If he made it inside, he could ughter all the ordinary people within.


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    Theresa, with her precognition ability, had already seen through the intention of the one from Ark Camp


    Two.


    She deliberately left a small gap, and the moment they rushed forward, she struck.


    Both were wiped out instantly.


    Now, only two from Ark Camp Two remained.


    Theresa watched the two struggling in the midst of zombies. One was a lightning¨Cbased ability user; the other was a dual¨Cability user of fire¨Cbased and metal¨Cbased.


    Their abilities had been sustained for a long time.


    Theresa didn¡¯t rush. Calmly holding her massive Aeroshield in ce, she let their abilities drain themselves slowly.


    The two fighting outside sensed her strategy¨Cbut the key was, they had been waiting for her powers to


    run out too.


    How could she maintain such a huge Aeroshield forever?


    Thest two ability users saw her walking deliberately toward them. Worse, their earpieces were filled with franticmands:


    ¡°Don¡¯t lose!


    ¡°If you fail, your families die with you!


    ¡°Take her down at all costs!¡±


    They were doomed. No way to survive.


    Their powers nearly spent, they steeled themselves. With nothing left to lose, they charged at Theresa, eyes zing with the determination to die alongside her.


    They might fail, but maybe their final act of self¨Cdestruction could take her with them. Then, they wouldn¡¯t really lose.


    ¡°Self¨Cdestruct?¡± Theresa asked, looking at the two desperate figures barreling toward her. She lifted her head and smiled lightly.


    ¡°Did I give permission?¡±


    The would¨Cbe suicide ability user froze, staring at her serene smile.


    Then¡­ Power Pulse!


    In an instant, both discovered their abilities were gone.


    Gone!


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    Just as shock registered, a few of the nearest zombies lunged forward, sinking their teeth into the two¡¯s


    necks.


    Blood sprayed bright red.


    Even the strongest ability users from their camp were now no different from ordinary people.


    Struggling helplessly in the zombie horde, they were devoured within moments. Not a single ability re emerged.


    Above, everyone stood in stunned silence.


    The event had happened too suddenly. From their perspective, the two who had rushed toward Theresa, intent on dying with her, were suddenly overwhelmed and killed by zombies before they could even reach her.

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    Chapter 478 Triumph in the Arena


    It was as if their abilities hadpletely burned out.


    Nothing unusual could be detected¨Cnothing at all.


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    Only Quentin, standing close to the field, sensed it. He stared at her and felt his own powers faltering, as if they were failing him.


    He took two steps back before the feeling finally faded.


    Watching Theresa, Quentin couldn¡¯t hide his growing smile. He couldn¡¯t help but think his leader had so many trump cards.


    After she took down the fighters from three camps, only about a hundred zombies remained on the battlefield.


    All of them had been killed by those ability users.


    Theresa unleashed her water¨Cbased ability, the one these people knew of. Powerful jets of mist swept over the arena in sessive waves, clearing out the remaining zombies with ease.


    Half a minuteter, her Aeroshield retracted.


    The arena was a grisly scene. Except for Theresa and the patch of ground behind her, it was nothing but


    carnage.


    Five hundred zombies and twelve ability users from three camps¨Call dead.


    ¡°I win,¡± Theresa said calmly.


    She raised her head to look at the administrator of Ark Camp Two, who copsed backward into his seat with a thud.


    This was a disaster!


    Not only had they lost five million tons of food, but they¡¯d also sacrificed the top ten ability users in their


    camp.


    The administrator of Ark Camp Three, by contrast, watched Theresa with sharp, calcting eyes.


    She was far stronger than he had anticipated. Too strong.


    A talent like this¨Cif she could be recruited for Ark Camp Three, it would be beyond incredible. But if she couldn¡¯t, she absolutely could not fall into the hands of another camp.


    Morgan looked at Theresa, eyes wide with admiration.


    She seemed impossible to figure out. Every disy of strength left him in awe.


    Someone this remarkable¨Cle had to have her on his side.


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    Meanwhile, Lucas¡® side erupted in excitement.


    s


    Kyle and Tyger led their people straight toward Theresa, ready to join her. This was a massive victory.


    Lucas, however, smiled quietly, studying Theresa with a new intensity.


    Were the two people who had been devoured by zombies just unlucky? Or something else?


    He watched as Theresa was lifted and tossed into the air, a grin spreading across his face. Her brilliance was always dazzling, always full of surprises.


    The most thrilling part?


    Theresa belonged to their camp.


    Having her was an honor beyond measure. To outsiders, she was a force of nature, a predator. But to them, she was the sun¨Cthe radiant source of hope and strength.


    Theresa had won a total of 10.02 million tons of food. Of course, five million tons belonged to her own


    camp.


    Ark Camp Two had lost both their people and their resources¨Cand badly.


    The administrator wanted to argue, but with Ark Camp One and Ark Camp Three watching, there was no


    way out.


    As the righteous allied camps, both Ark Camp One and Three stood firmly with Theresa.


    They had to. Theresa¡¯s victory was fair and clear. Ark Camp Two had suffered massive losses, which meant the other two camps benefited.


    It was especially so for Ark Camp Three. They had been cheated out of 2.5 million tons of food in a previous deal for Evoloid, and now Theresa had won double the amount. They would support her unconditionally, demanding Ark Camp Two deliver the food.


    Morgan of Ark Camp One needed no convincing. He, too, backed Theresa wholeheartedly. Ark Camp Two had no choice but to fulfill the wager.


    No one would leave if they refused to deliver the food.


    The leader of Ark Camp Two wanted to scream in frustration, but after weighing the strength of the three camps and Theresa herself, he had no choice but toply.


    The same applied to the hundred people on the battlefield. The wager had counted them as stakes¨Ckilled, they were forfeit, alive, they belonged to Theresa. And she took them all. (D)


    In total, Ark Camp Two lost five million tons of food, their ten strongest fighters, and a hundredborers.


    Previously, Ark Camp One had suffered the earliest disaster and taken heavy losses, Ark Camp Three had lost half their assets, and Ark Camp Two had been the wealthiest.


    Now, the tides had turned.


    Ark Camp One had about four million tons of food left, Ark Camp Three had just over two million, and


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    Ark Camp Two was down to barely one million.


    The strength of all three camps had taken a serious hit, but ording to the principle of energy conservation, when some grew poorer, some grew richer.


    And the richest of all was, of course, Theresa.


    Quiet and unassuming, she had amassed a fortune.


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    Helicopters shuttled back and forth for three straight days and nights. Theresa¡¯s space¨Cbased ability users. -including herself¨Chandled the operation, finally transporting all five million tons of food safely away.


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    Chapter 479 A Dangerous Invitation


    Ark Camp Two had be Theresa¡¯s sworn enemy.


    s


    It wasn¡¯t that they were left destitute. They still had over a million tons of food stored away. With barely twenty thousand people in the camp, that amount could feed generations. Their defeat hadn¡¯t doomed them to starvation. But the grudge was set in stone. A blood feud.


    The administrator of Ark Camp Two shut himself away, refusing to look at Theresa.


    By contrast, the administrator of Ark Camp Three greeted her with a beaming smile and overflowing warmth.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, we still owe you ten thousand tons of supplies. Send me your camp¡¯s coordinates and I¡¯ll have people deliver it right to you.¡±


    Theresa waved him off. ¡°No need. I¡¯ll send my own people to pick it up. Don¡¯t trouble yourself.¡±


    ¡°How could it be trouble? Honestly, I¡¯d like to visit your camp myself. Things must be tense out there, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Tense doesn¡¯t even begin to cover it. We face sieges every single day,¡± Theresa said earnestly. ¡°You know how many big cities there are in the eastern region. There are three with poptions over a million just around us. The zombies¡® full evolution is practicallyplete. Every day our camp is surrounded by tens of thousands of evolved zombies. Smaller camps nearby have already been wiped out.


    ¡°If you really want to help, give us more supplies or trade more often. But don¡¯te to our camp¨Cit¡¯s far too dangerous.¡±


    Her sincerity rang true, and the Ark Camp Three administrator¡¯s expression grew grave. The situation outside was worse than even he had imagined.


    He had known the zombies were evolving, but he hadn¡¯t expected the threat to be so overwhelming. It seemed the Ark Camps had no choice but to hunker down, safeguard humanity¡¯sst sparks of life, and wait for the day when the zombies finally burned out.


    Standing off to the side, Morgan thought to himself: <i>If </i><i>I </i><i>hadn¡¯t </i>seen <i>the </i><i>truth </i>with <i>my </i>own eyes, I would have believed every word <i>she </i>just <i>said</i><i>. </i>


    Theresa sent a team to collect the supplies from Ark Camp Three, and once the loading was done, they prepared to leave.


    ¡°Since you¡¯d rather not have visitors in your camp, then let me give you our share as well,¡± Morgan said. ¡°We owe you ten thousand tons of supplies. Take it back with you.¡±


    ¡°That works. I¡¯ll send people to pick it up.¡±


    ¡°Sending others feels distant. You shoulde with me yourself, personally take it back,¡± Morgan said with an easy smile.


    Theresa studied him. No matter how she looked, he seemed to be up to no good.


    Morgan¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Our two camps signed a treaty of friendship. Don¡¯t you trust me? If I had any


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    Chapter 479 A Dangerous Invitation


    hidden agenda, I would¡¯ve exposed your camp¡¯s situation long ago.¡±


    Theresa raised a brow. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    She turned to Lucas. ¡°Come pick me up tonight.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Lucas replied with a nod.


    45 Free Coins


    The words weren¡¯t for Lucas so much as for Morgan. She would only stay in his camp for a few hours, and she made sure he knew it. If he tried to keep her by force, Lucas would intervene.


    The treaty might have been signed, but trust was thin. Theresa watched Morgan closely, and he did the same with her. Neither side dared to set foot freely in the other¡¯s camp.


    In this ruined world, keeping a careful distance was the wisest thing to do.


    To Theresa, Morgan¡¯s insistence that she visit his camp smelled of nothing but mischief.


    She boarded the ne with her threepanions. To her surprise, once they were in the air, Morgan didn¡¯t press her further.


    Even when the nended at Ark Camp One, he kept up a polished, aloofposure.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had a meal prepared for you. Care to join us?¡± he offered.


    ¡°Food can wait. Supplies first.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    With the same cool courtesy, Morgan pressed the elevator button and escorted them down to the lowest level.


    As before, he led Theresa into avish reception hall. At his signal, workers filed in, pushing cartsden with supplies.


    Ten thousand tons.


    Theresa counted the shipment carefully, confirmed it was all there, then called Quentin forward. She took his hand and absorbed the supplies into the domain.


    ¡°His domain is impressive,¡± Morgan remarked.


    ¡°Of course. You saw it yourselfst time,¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡± Morgan smiled faintly. He nced at his watch. ¡°It¡¯s still early. I¡¯ll have food sent up. You shouldn¡¯t leave here hungry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass. I¡¯d rather go upstairs and pay him a visit¨Cit¡¯s been too long since I¡¯ve seen him.¡±


    Theresa refused without hesitation. It was already four o¡¯clock. Lucas would arrive by six. There was no point in sitting down for a gal


    Rejected again, Morgan showed no sign of offense. He simply rose to his feet. ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll take you


    there.¡±


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    hapter 480 A Fool¡¯s Heroics


    What was going on with Morgan?


    Had she been overthinking it?


    Was Morgan finally done with his nonsense?


    After taking the supplies, Theresa went to the fourth floor.


    The sealed¨Coff research wing she had seenst time was open again.


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    The damaged areas had been repaired, the lights burned brightly, and everyb along the corridor was covered with heavy curtains.


    It looked as though research had resumed, though she didn¡¯t see anyone moving inside.


    Following Morgan down the hallway, Theresa was just about to step into an office when an image shed through her mind.


    Three seconds from now, a researcher drenched in blood would stumble out. Her stomach hollowed out, her golden curls half ripped from her scalp, raw skin exposed and savaged with bite marks.


    The woman would copse to the floor, hair matted and clotted, legs kicking wildly as she convulsed- then, right before them, her neck would twist, and she would turn into a zombie.


    She would lunge at them, wing and thrashing like a wild animal.


    At thest second, Morgan would charge forward to shield her.


    Theresa froze.


    Morgan, two steps ahead, stopped and looked back. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Run!¡±


    Without another word, she spun around and bolted, her people following.


    He just stood there.


    A guttural howl ripped through the air.


    Sure enough, a zombie stumbled out from behind him.


    The female zombie pitched face¨Cfirst onto the ground, and this time, the only one in her path was Morgan.


    Theresa was already gone.


    ¡°You idiot, what are you standing there for? It¡¯s a zombie!¡±


    Morgan clenched his jaw.


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    Of course he knew it was a zombie, but how was he supposed to y the hero if she ran away?


    This was supposed to be his big moment¨Crescuing Theresa. And she¡¯d ruined it.


    s


    He nced at the zombie thrashing on the floor, moaning as it wed toward him, then turned and sprinted after Theresa.


    ¡°Theresa, don¡¯t be afraid! I¡¯m right here!¡±


    She shot back while running, her voice sharp with frustration. ¡°And what good is that supposed to do? Why does your lousy camp keep letting zombies loose? Can¡¯t you tighten security for once?¡±


    Just as she was about to escape the area, the lights above flickered, then cut outpletely. With a heavy <i>ng</i>, the ss doors ahead mmed shut.


    A chorus of howls followed.


    From thebs behind them, zombies poured out like a flood, wing and snarling.


    Even a fool could see now¨Cshe had been set up.


    Theresa stopped short, her pulse pounding, when a voice rang out like some savior descending.


    ¡°Theresa,e with me. I¡¯ll get you out of here.¡±


    Morgan ran toward her, hand outstretched, ready to drag her to safety.


    Another sh of foresight struck her.


    Three seconds from now, another zombie would lunge from the shadows, and Morgan would throw himself over her, holding her close as they rolled clear together.


    Theresa ground her teeth.


    Morgan reached her, gripping her wrist to pull her along, but she didn¡¯t budge.


    In the pitch¨Cck hall, Morgan looked into her eyes¨Cand flinched. Cold, merciless, unyielding.


    Theresa yanked her arm free. ¡°Are you out of your mind? What stunt are you trying to pull this time?¡±


    Morgan faltered.


    ¡°Turn the lights back on. Unlock the doors. And don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on.¡±


    Her re stripped away thest of his pretense.


    He dropped the act, snapped his fingers, and the ceiling lights red back to life.


    From the rooms ahead, squads of armed men stormed out and cut down the zombies. Behind her, the sealed door unlocked with a hiss.


    Theresa shot Morgan onest icy look. Without a word, she turned on her heel and strode out.


    She had known it all along. Morgan was a fool.


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    Chapter 480 A Fool¡¯s Heroics


    What kind of brain came up with such a ridiculous ¡°hero saves the damsel¡± scheme?


    Did he think she was as brainless as he was?


    ¡°Theresa.¡±


    His voice followed her again, steady, determined.


    Morgan came toward her, cradling arge bouquet of flowers..


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    ¡°I really do care about you. I want to marry you. I don¡¯t even care if you¡¯re carrying someone else¡¯s child. My feelings for you are genuine. You shouldn¡¯t treat me this way.¡±


    Theresa stopped, turned, and drew in a slow breath. Her voice cut like steel.


    ¡°Morgan, have I not made myself clear enough? Every time I¡¯ve refused you, you¡¯ve brushed it aside.¡±


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    Chapter 481 A Twisted Obsession


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    ¡°I don¡¯t care, Theresa! No matter what you say, no matter how many times you push me away, I love you! I can¡¯t change that!¡±


    The sharp crack of a p echoed. Theresa struck him so hard that Morgan staggered back.


    Without hesitation, she picked up the bouquet he had brought and walked straight toward him. ¡°Morgan, don¡¯t fool yourself. That isn¡¯t love.


    ¡°Even children know that when someone says no, you stop. How many times have I turned you down? Maybe not a hundred, but at least ten. Have you ever once listened to what I actually said?


    ¡°You¡¯re selfish. What you love isn¡¯t me¨Cit¡¯s yourself. You never care what anyone else thinks or feels. You wrap it up in some show of devotion, but the truth is you¡¯re only serving your own ego. You¡¯re not chasing love, you¡¯re chasing your own desire. Don¡¯t pretend otherwise.¡±


    The world had far too many men like Morgan¨Cmen who mistook rejection for shyness, who convinced themselves that if they just tried again, confessed again, pressed harder, then surely the woman would say


    yes.


    They had no concept of what no really meant. Whether the refusal was blunt or gentle, they twisted it into something else, erasing the woman¡¯s words until only their own fantasy remained.


    At the core, it was ack of respect.


    They didn¡¯t see the woman as an equal human being with feelings of her own.


    They loved only themselves, clinging to their imagined sincerity while marching forward again and again -not noble, but selfish and cruel, hiding behind the mask of passion.


    Theresa crushed the flowers in her hand, pped the broken petals across Morgan¡¯s face, and grabbed him by the cor. She looked him straight in the eye.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say this onest time. I do not love you. Stop harassing me. If you don¡¯t, then you¡¯re a dead man.¡±


    She flung him aside, turned on her heel, and strode toward the elevator with her three silent spectators trailing behind.


    Tyger felt satisfied.


    Kyle felt even more satisfied.


    Quentin thought it was downright exhrating.


    <i>Well </i><i>said</i>!


    2


    After Theresa left, Morgan sank into silence.


    There was an old saying, ¡°if a man doesn¡¯t break in his fury, he warps in his silence.¡±


    Morgan warped.


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    ¡°Mr. Nellson, the second¨Cinmand has locked himself away for days. He¡¯s dragged in woman after woman, hasn¡¯te out, won¡¯t eat or drink.¡±


    ¡°Over a few women, you bother me with this nonsense?¡± Magnus had been meditating to strengthen his ability and was in no mood for interruptions.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t that simple, Mr. Nellson. His mind power is unstable. We¡¯re worried about his health.¡±


    Magnus¡® expression darkened further, and he strode toward Morgan¡¯s quarters.


    Inside, a group of young women huddled together in the corner, trembling. All eyes were fixed on the man standing in the center, silent and menacing.


    ¡°You. Start.¡±


    Morgan stepped toward the nearest woman. A chilling smile spread across his face.


    ¡°Do you love me?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Nellson, I¨CI love you.¡±


    ¡°Louder.¡±


    ¡°I love you!¡± Her face had gone pale with fear.


    ¡°Then why doesn¡¯t she love me?¡±


    ¡°S¨CShe must be blind. You¡¯re so¡­ so wonderful. Every woman in the world should love you.¡±


    Morgan helped her to her feet, smiling. ¡°You believe that too, don¡¯t you?¡±


    The girl swallowed hard, then nodded quickly. ¡°Yes, of course. You¡¯re handsome, powerful. No woman in her right mind could turn you down.¡±


    ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°She must be crazy. She¡¯s pretending. She isn¡¯t even human¨Cshe¡¯s-¡±


    The woman hadn¡¯t even finished speaking before Morgan¡¯s hand mped hard around her throat.


    ¡°Who gave you permission to insult her?¡±


    The grin on his face twisted into something dark and menacing. With a sharp crack, he snapped her neck and flung her body aside.


    The other women shrieked and pressed tighter into the corner, watching terror freeze in theirpanion¡¯s eyes before life left herpletely,


    ¡°Say it! Do you love me?


    ¡°Answer me!


    ¡°Do you love me?¡±


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    Chapter 481 A Twisted Obsession


    A chorus of sobs filled the room.


    Morgan looked at them, and with his bare hands he began snapping necks one by one.


    ¡°Have I wronged you?


    ¡°I¡¯m perfect! I¡¯m everything you could want! I love you!


    ¡°And you dare cry? Then you must not love me either!¡±


    <i>Crack</i>. <i>Crack</i><i>. </i><i>Crack</i>.


    s


    His mind powershed out, shattering the bodies of girl after girl until only one remained, curled on the floor, hands mped over her ears, staring at him in mute horror.


    Morgan saw her still breathing. He strode toward her.


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    Chapter 482 The Breaking Point

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    Chapter 482 The Breaking Point


    Chapter 482 The Breaking Point


    s


    The girl shrank back in terror, retreating all the way into the corner. Even pressed against the wall, she kept inching backward<i>, </i>her eyes locked on Morgan as he approached with the menace of a demon.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t love you.¡±


    At those words, Morgan froze. His dark, twisted expression softened into something wounded and pitiful, as though she had struck him with unbearable cruelty. He lunged forward, seizing her with desperate strength.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you love me? Please, I¡¯m begging you. Love me. Just tell me you love me, and whatever you want, I¡¯ll give it to you. Say it¨Cjust say it!¡±


    His face grew more and more distorted, as if he were a man on the brink of death.


    ¡°Say you love me. Please, I¡¯m begging you. Say it, now!¡±


    Under the madness in his eyes, the girl¡¯s voice trembled out, ¡°I¡­ I love you¨CAh-¡±


    The next instant, Morgan sank his teeth into her throat. Blood burst forth as he mped down, tearing <i>at </i>her flesh and devouring it in great, frenzied gulps.


    He wanted to eat Theresa¡¯s flesh, drink Theresa¡¯s blood, swallow her whole until nothing remained. How dare she refuse him?


    The door to his room suddenly burst open.


    ¡°Morgan!¡±


    A cold, cutting voice rang out behind him.


    ¡°Morgan!¡±


    Still in his frenzy<i>, </i>Morgan was wrenched away from the lifeless body. His blood¨Csmeared face twisted into a grotesque smile when he saw who had arrived.


    ¡°Magnus, you¡¯re here. Listen¨Cshe said it. She said she loved me!¡±


    Magnus¡® face darkened with fury, ¡°What on earth happened here?¡±


    ¡°That woman rejected Mr. Nellson again,¡± Horace exined. ¡°And this time, in public.¡±


    ¡°Magnus, she didn¡¯t reject me. You heard her¨Cthey all said they love me.¡± Morgan¡¯s red¨Crimmed eyes turned toward the corpses littering/the room.


    Magnus¡® patience snapped. ¡°Morgan!¡±


    ¡°Magnus!¡± Morgan shoved him back, his face twisting once more with a pathetic, almost childlike grief. ¡°She doesn¡¯t love me. She said she¡¯d never marry me, not in this lifetime. How could she hurt me like


    that?<b>¡± </b>


    Magnus red at him with disgust. ¡°Pathetic. You let one woman break you down like this?¡±


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    Chapter 482 The Breaking Point


    ¡°Magnus! She said she doesn¡¯t love me! How would you take it? She said she doesn¡¯t love me!¡±


    ¡°Fool! What use is her love? If you want her, take her. If she won¡¯t ept you, then kill her.¡±


    Magnus¡® words sank in. Slowly, Morgan¡¯s wild gaze grew cold.


    s


    Yes. Theresa had told him he only acted to satisfy himself. But wasn¡¯t that enough? Why should her feelings matter at all? If he wanted her, he would take her. If she resisted, then she would die.


    Magnus pressed on. ¡°I¡¯ll bring her to you. What¡¯s one little camp, acting <i>so </i>arrogant? Even if they¡¯re strong, do they think they can stand against thebined power of the three Ark Camps? They think too highly of themselves, hiding behind scraps of borrowed strength. This time, we¡¯ll teach that KI Camp a lesson they won¡¯t forget.


    ¡°Spread the word. I, Magnus Nellson, will crush Kl Camp!¡±


    Theresa had already boarded the helicopter.


    Her face was dark with anger the entire way. Morgan¡¯s obsession sickened her.


    She had despised him from the very first moment she met him, back when she rescued people from his camp. Theresa wasn¡¯t some saint, but Morgan¡¯s callous disregard for human life had always been. intolerable to her.


    She never once offered him kindness, yet he kept hounding her.


    Time and again, she had Xavier turn him down. Morgan refused to ept it, insisting on inviting her out, even using his camp as leverage¨Cif she refused, he would show up at hers.


    Theresa had gone along at times, hoping to avoid unnecessary conflict while her camp focused on survival and growth. But no matter the circumstance, her opinion of him never improved.


    Everything about him reeked of arrogance¨Can entitled heir who had never been denied anything, a man who acted solely ording to his whims.


    If she had to describe him, he was like the old¨Cworld nobles who preyed openly on the weak, exploiting their privilege without restraint.


    Theresa had no doubt: if she had been weaker, Morgan would have already ughtered her entire camp and dragged her away by force.


    Her power was the only reason he exercised caution.


    Still<i>¡­ </i>


    ¡°Theresa, are you all right?¡± Lucas asked gently.


    ¡°We need to elerate our growth,¡± she replied, her expression grave.


    She felt the looming threat. They needed to expand, grow stronger, and do it quickly¨Cfast enough to stand against the three Ark Camps before it was toote.


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    Chapter 482 The Breaking Point


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    When she struck Morgan today, she had already considered the consequences. War was likely inevitable.


    now<b>. </b>


    But if, after surviving this long in the apocalypse, she still couldn¡¯t protect herself¨Cthen everything she had built, everything she had fought for, would be nothing but a cruel joke.


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    Chapter 483 Toward the Stars and the Sea


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    Theresa wasn¡¯t someone others could just push around. Three camps might think they could box her in. but she wasn¡¯t about to roll over for anyone.


    She still had plenty of trump cards, one of them powerful enough to end everything in one strike. Even so, she had never been reckless. Every move had to count. If she couldn¡¯t guarantee victory, she would rather stay quiet and let others underestimate her.


    Everything in her camp had been built through sweat and sacrifice. The people, the fields, the factories, the walls¨Cit was all hers, carved out piece by piece. She refused to see any of it burned down in a pointless gamble. That was why she¡¯d held back fromshing out. She wanted her enemies to look at Kl Camp and feel that invisible weight pressing on their shoulders until they didn¡¯t even dare to act.


    Now, her mind circled around one thing only. Grow stronger, keep building, and keep developing.


    Since shended, her drive had only sharpened. The second line of defense stood tall. Workers had moved on to building docks andunching ships.


    Spring had arrived in full. The air was warmer, the frost long gone. Out in the fields, crops showed the biggest change. By the closing months of the third year of the apocalypse, the weather had finally started to heal, and harvests were explodingpared to the harsh years before.


    Food was no longer a desperate struggle. Supplies were stacked higher every month. With abundance came new upgrades¨Cgrain turning into meat, empty tes turning into meals people once thought were impossible.


    Livestock farms multiplied. Herds and flocks grew ten timesrger. Now, every family could eat meat and eggs every single day. That wasn¡¯t some rumor¨Cit was real life. People¡¯s faces filled out, their bodies strengthened. No one in her camp looked like a starving shadow anymore.


    New arrivals often broke down when they saw the difference. To them, stepping into Theresa¡¯s camp was like wing out of hell and finding paradise. Compared to the Ark Camps, this ce was heaven on earth.


    Theresa¡¯s advantage wasn¡¯t just food. Her Evoloid soldiers had advanced far beyond what others could manage. Once you reached Level <i>5</i>, ordinary gleamstones were practically useless. High¨Clevel gleamstones were the only way forward, but those were rare. Most zombies outside barely scraped past Level 2. High- level zombies were like rare treasures.


    Luckily, Theresa¡¯s Evoloids carried a level of purity no one else could match. Graham and others had broken through to Level 4. Lucas and Theron had already hit Level 6. Theresa herself had been sitting at Level 9 for some time, though even draining several bottles of Evoloids each day only pushed her power up in tiny steps. Even so, her team stood far ahead of any other camp.


    While she poured herself into construction, the other camps reeled in disbelief.


    ¡°KI Camp¡­ Is it really that strong?¡± someone blurted out, struggling to believe the reports.


    News from Magnus painted the full picture, leaving Ark Camps Two and Three dumbstruck.


    Morgan leaned back, a sly smile on his face as he pulled out the photos he¡¯d secretly taken. ¡°I¡¯ve been there myself. These are the shots I got.¡±


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    Chapter 483 Toward the Stars and the Sea


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    He spread the pictures across the table¨Cexpansive aerial views, close angles of walls and defenses, the sheer scale of it all. The room went dead quiet. Every leader present stared, mouths dry, unable to process what they were seeing.


    Right under their noses, a powerhouse had risen. Her camp now rivaled theirs, maybe even surpassed it.


    Ark Camp Three reyed the memory of Theresa¡¯s earlier words, her act of weakness, her ims of being hounded by zombies. Now it all sounded like a cruel joke.


    Ark Camp Two was shaken even worse. <i>No </i><i>wonder she </i><i>dared </i><i>to </i><i>wager </i><i>5 </i><i>million </i><i>tons </i>of food. <i>That </i>confidencees from aplex reality, <i>not </i>an <i>empty </i><i>bluff</i>.


    Their shock turned into cold resolve.


    Magnus¡® voice cut like ice. ¡°We can¡¯t leave K1 Camp standing. Either they bow their heads to us, or they¡¯re crushed.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. We can¡¯t let them grow another inch,¡± Ark Camp Two snarled.


    Ark Camp Three¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Better to kill it now.¡±


    Morgan listened quietly at the meeting table, the corner of his mouth curling into a slow smile.


    That same day, Theresa stood before the dockyard crowd.


    The battleship towered behind her, its steel hull gleaming under the spring sun. Nearly sixty percent of the zing Sun Alliance¡¯s residents had gathered to witness itsunch. She had given almost everyone the day off, leaving only soldiers at the defense lines and a handful of staff on duty. Today was a day for celebration.


    Theresa walked to the bow of the massive vessel, her voice carrying clearly across the dock. ¡°Today marks theunch of the zing Sun. From this day on, our alliance won¡¯t just look to survive¨Cwe¡¯ll set our sights higher. Our future lies in the stars and the sea!¡±


    The crowd erupted before she even finished. Cheers and apuse thundered through the air, echoing against the ship, rolling over the water, until it felt like the entire camp itself was roaring with pride.


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    Theresa stood on the bow of the ship, her smile still fixed as the crowd cheered. Deep inside, a warning bell sounded in her head.


    Her psychic field illuminated like a radar screen, with dozens of signals crashing in¨Cfifty, sixty fighter jets streaking across her airspace¡¯s border.


    She lifted her eyes to the west.


    Through the haze of apuse, she spotted them¨Ctiny ck dots against the sky. At the exact moment, her mind filled with a flood of red warnings. The UAV system responded, but those nes were flying way too high. Drones couldn¡¯t touch them.


    Their target was obvious.


    Bombing run.


    Theron¡¯s voice came hard through her earpiece. ¡°Theresa! Iing! Over fifty jets¨Cfull¨Cscale air raid!¡±


    The first explosion cut him off.


    Boom!


    Fire and smoke ripped through the first defense line. The barricades copsed, and through the dust came the sight she dreaded¨Czombies pouring in like a flood.


    Another scream overhead.


    More bombs hit square on the farnd. A wave of fire swallowed the fields that had just started thriving.


    ¡°Everyone, get down! Take cover!¡± Theresa bellowed, her voice tearing through the chaos.


    Not everyone caught her words initially. The pping hadn¡¯t even died down yet. Then the jets roared in, low and heavy, like thunder rolling straight into the city. People froze, staring as shadows spread over


    them.


    The first line of bombsnded from the west to the east.


    Boom<i>! </i>


    The ground shook under the shockwaves¡ªbuildings folded like paper. Screams cut through the air as dust and debris swallowed the center of


    camp.


    People bolted. They scrambled toward the warships, diving aboard to hide as the jets screamed overhead.


    Boom! Another st smashed into the dockyard. nks split, the ground shook, and smoke boiled upward as the jets climbed back to altitude, their ck silhouettes fading into the sky.


    It was over as fast as it started.


    Theresa jumped from the battleship and sprinted toward the city, her chest tight, fury burning through


    her veins.


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    Chapter 484 Relentless


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    By nightfall, the report came in.


    A total of thirty bombs were dropped: fifteen destroyed the initial line of defense, ten obliterated farnd, and five struck the city.


    It could have been worse. The only reason the death toll wasn¡¯t catastrophic was that most of the residents had gathered at the docks for the battleshipunch. Even so, two hundred and three lives were lost.


    The worst blow wasn¡¯t the casualties¨Cit was the breach. A gaping wound in the first defense line, now crawling with zombies.


    Theron retreated with survivors behind the second line of defense, making sure that at least part of the city remained under control.


    Then came the deration. Cold, arrogant, written in blood.


    ¡°KI Camp must surrender its sovereignty. From this day on, the three Ark Camps will take control. Theresa will personallye to Ark Camp One to atone. Refuse, and a deep bombardment will begin in three days.


    Theresa stared at the words. Her face showed nothing, yet inside she was drowning in rage.


    <i>D*</i><i>mn </i>them<i>! </i>


    1fI don¡¯t tear Ark <i>Camp </i><i>One</i><i>, </i>Two, <i>and </i><i>Three </i>off <i>the </i><i>map</i>, <i>then </i><i>I </i><i>don¡¯t </i>deserve <i>my </i>name<i>. </i>


    Morgan, Magnus¡­ those <i>smug </i><i>b</i>*<i>stards </i><i>who </i><i>think </i><i>they </i>can <i>crush </i><i>me</i><i>. </i>


    I see their faces already¨Cripped <i>apart</i>, piece <i>by </i><i>piece</i>. <i>That¡¯s </i><i>how </i><i>they¡¯ll </i><i>end</i>.


    Her voice was calm when she spoke, ¡°Tell them I¡¯ll go to Ark Camp One tomorrow. Tell them to be there. Everyst one of them. Not a single person is missing.¡±


    She was done building and done pretending. Even the zombie tide could wait. From this moment, her <b>war </b>was <b>against </b>the Ark Camps. Nothing else mattered.


    Her words rang like steel across the zing Sun Alliance. ¡°From today, we enter fullbat readiness. Nopromise and retreat. We fight until the three Ark Camps are nothing but ash¡±


    She swore to herself. If I don¡¯t wipe them out in one strike, I don¡¯t deserve to call myself human


    Theron and Lucas rose to her side instantly. Then, one by one, fifty leaders of the alliance stood tall, their voices rolling together.


    ¡°Nopromise and retreat!¡±


    That night, a lone helicopter sliced through the sky toward Ark Camp One.


    Inside, Theresa sat with her eyes shut. Her mind dove into the System Store.


    III


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    Points drained fast as she stocked up¨CAK¨C47s, Thompsons, M12s. She didn¡¯t waste time on just bullets; grabbing theplete sets was quicker. Guns, ammo, meds, gear¨Ceverything piled into her inventory.


    Her points fell hard, but she didn¡¯t blink.


    Then she opened the gleamstone exchange. Millions sat waiting, and with them, countless lottery draws.


    Each draw meant a chance for abilities. She¡¯d pulled a few before¨Cspeed¨Ctype, strength¨Ctype, nothing special¨Cand left it there.


    11:04 Mon, <b>25 </b>Aug @


    Chapter 485 Chains and Masks

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    Chapter 485 Chains and Masks


    Theresa burned through all thirteen gleamstone lottery draws in one sweep.


    <i>Ding</i><i>! </i>Speed¨Ctype ability acquired.


    <i>Ding</i>! Strength¨C<i>type </i>ability acquired.


    <i>Ding</i><i>! </i>Speed<i>¨C</i><i>type </i>ability acquired¡­


    <i>Ding</i>! New <i>ability </i>unlocked: maism control ability.


    s


    Her eyes snapped open at thest one. Finally, something new after ten pulls of the same boring speed- type and strength¨Ctype abilities.


    <i>Maism </i><i>control </i>ability: Amplify or block maic signals.


    She zeroed in on the feed running through her earpiece. One thoughtter, the signal went dead. Silence wrapped around her.


    A grin tugged at her mouth. Now that¡¯s more <i>like </i><i>it</i><i>. </i>


    After reviewing the System Store¡¯s limited¨Ctime shop¨Cnothing noteworthy this time, just dull building supplies¨Cshe prepared herself and fired messages to Lura from Ark Camp Two and Darian from Ark Camp Three. Once everything was set, she closed her eyes and kept her breathing steady.


    When she opened them, she was ready for war.


    Her chopper dropped just as the sun bled red across the prairie. Thend glowed under a fading sky, grasnds stretching empty for miles. Only a few stray zombies shuffled around. The location was clever- hundreds of miles from the nearest city. Even a massive zombie horde would struggle to reach this ce. Beneath the ins, the undergroundplex waited. Sealed tight, impossible to crack unless you knew the way in.


    The bunker was packed by the time she arrived.


    Morgan stood at the center, smiling as if the whole stage had been set for him. ¡°You came,¡± he said.


    ¡°I came,¡± she answered tly.


    He stepped closer, voice soft, almost intimate. ¡°I¡¯ve spoken with my brother. I won¡¯t kill you. In fact¡­ I¡¯ll marry you. I¡¯m serious about us, Theresa.¡±


    Horace stepped up behind him, holding a ss of water. His voice was icy and precise. ¡°This is an abortion pill. Swallow it. End the child. You already refused mercy once. Now you¡¯ll live by our-¡±


    A gag drowned the rest of his sentence.


    Theresa shoved the water and pill into his mouth, her voice cutting like shattered ss. ¡°If anyone¡¯s getting aborted today, it¡¯s you.¡±


    Horace choked violently, coughing as liquid spilled down his chin. ¡°Theresa! You¡¯re finished! You hear me?


    Finished!¡±


    ?


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    Chapter 485 Chains and Masks


    Morgan¡¯s shout cut through. ¡°Enough!¡±


    * 57%8


    +5 Free Come


    His gaze softened again when it turned back to her. ¡°If you won¡¯t end the pregnancy, then don¡¯t. I¡¯ll raise the child.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes slid toward him, cold as steel. ¡°Is everyone here?¡±


    ¡°They are, Morgan replied.


    Theresa ordered, ¡°Then take me to them.¡±


    Morgan hesitated, then pulled out a set of electronic shackles¨Ccors rigged with mini¨Cbombs and shock circuits. He twirled the remote between his fingers, smiling. ¡°Put these on. Behave, confess your sins, and nothing will happen.¡±


    Her lips twitched, almost a smile. Right <i>on </i>cue. Maism control ability¡­ block the signal<i>, </i><i>and </i><i>your </i>little toy dies.


    Without a word, she sped the shackles onto herself. Morgan¡¯s face lit with smug delight at her ¡°obedience.¡±


    The elevator sank them deep¨Cfive levels down. Unlikest time, Morgan didn¡¯t lead Theresa to an open hall but to a chamber sealed tight.


    When the door opened, the air felt suffocating.


    A vast white hall spread before her. It looked less like a meeting room and more like some grotesque temple. Rows of masked figures lined both sides. Yellow masks on the left¨CArk Camp Two. White masks. on the right¨CArk Camp Three. At the head sat a man in a green mask, one she had never seen before.


    Every eye was on her.


    Judgment, hatred, and scorn. A few even looked like they wanted to leap across the room and slit her throat on the spot. Walking between them in shackles, Theresa felt like she was marching into a courtroom of self¨Cproimed gods.


    The man in the green mask finally spoke, ¡°You are Theresa Hall.¡±


    She tilted her chin, voice steady. ¡°Then you must be the camp leader of Ark Camp One.¡±


    Magnus¡® eyes narrowed as he studied her. Even shackled and surrounded, she carried herself like no one could touch her. <i>No </i><i>wonder </i><i>Morgan </i>can¡¯t get <i>her </i><i>out </i><i>of </i><i>his </i><i>head</i><i>, </i>he thought. <i>She¡¯s </i>got <i>fire </i>in her <i>veins</i>.


    ¡°Theresa, this is not a ce where you can act unruly,¡± a voice from Ark Camp Two warned.


    ¡°You came here to repent,¡± someone from Ark Camp Three added coldly.


    Theresa¡¯s gaze swept the hall. She let their words hang in the air before she finally spoke, her voice slicing through the silence. ¡°Repent? To who? You think you sit above me? Then state your names. Let me know which mongrels believe they have the right to judge me.¡±


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    Chapter 486 The So¨CCalled Trial


    ¡°Theresa, you¡¯re really asking for it!¡±


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    Brian, the Level 3 administrator she¡¯d crossed paths with before, stepped out with his chest puffed, trying to look important.


    Theresa didn¡¯t even blink. Her boot drove straight into his chest with a crack. He hit the floor hard, gasping, before she crushed his ribcage beneath her heel. The sound of his heart bursting echoed in the hall, blood flooding out beneath her.


    She stood tall on his corpse, eyes sweeping the room. ¡°Anyone who thinks they¡¯ve got the right to judge me¨Cstep up and say your name.¡±


    <i>Mob</i>. <i>That¡¯s </i><i>all </i><i>she </i><i>is</i>. <i>Even </i>standing here in chains, she can¡¯t hide what she is. The silence was thick enough to choke on. Even through their masks, she could feel the shift¨Ctheir bravado faltering.


    Magnus was the first to speak, his voice deep and steady. ¡°Magnus Nellson. Camp leader of Ark Camp One.¡±


    The others followed his lead.


    ¡°Zahair Rucker. Camp leader of Ark Camp Two.¡±


    ¡°Teion Smith. Camp leader of Ark Camp Three.¡±


    Theresa scanned the hall slowly. Everyst one of them shows up. <i>Not </i>a <i>single </i>coward <i>dares </i><i>to </i><i>hide</i>. She tapped her fingers against her thigh, holding back the storm for the right moment.


    Magnus spoke again, like some priest about to deliver judgment. ¡°Theresa, the trial begins. You¡¯ll admit your crimes and repent.¡±


    Her lips curled. ¡°Crimes? What exactly are you using me of?¡±


    ¡°You dare y dumb Zahair shot back. ¡°You sowed discord between our camps, you endangered all of us, and you hurt our people. Those crimes alone are enough to put you to death!¡±


    Theresaughed, sharp and bitter. ¡°Discord? When Ark Camp One was in danger, I marched my people miles to help. If you¡¯re such tight allies, why didn¡¯t any of you lift a finger?¡±


    She took a step forward, voice cutting like ss. ¡°Endangered you? Please. You¡¯ve never taken K1 Camp seriously. To you, we¡¯ve always been that little backwater camp you could sneer at. We still traded with you at dirt¨Ccheap prices. Tell me again¨Chow did we endanger you?


    ¡°And hurting your people? Show me one time we¡¯veid a hand on yours. Meanwhile, yesterday, you killed two hundred and three of mine. Exin that.¡±


    Faces shifted. Silence cracked through the room.


    ¡°You refuse to repent!¡± one voice suddenly shouted.


    ¡°You¡¯re too stubborn. Beyond saving!¡± another chimed in.


    |||


    <


    11:04 Mon, 25 Aug S


    Chapter 486 The So¨CCalled Trial


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    Theresa¡¯s stare hardened. ¡°Stop dressing it up. The truth is simple. You see K1 Camp as a threat, and you¡¯re scared. That¡¯s why you want me gone. Survival of the fittest, right? Dog eat dog. Don¡¯t call it justice¨Cit¡¯s fear.¡±


    She leaned forward, her words hitting like daggers. ¡°You want to talk about sins? Let¡¯s talk about you. You gorge yourselves on blood sports. You gamble with lives. You abandon the poor when the zombie hordese knocking.


    ¡°You treat ordinary people like trash. Don¡¯t dare tell me about redemption¨Cyou¡¯re the ones rotting from the inside.¡±


    ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± Zahair roared. His voice shook with fury. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you say. The strong rule. The winner takes everything.¡±


    He pointed straight at her. ¡°You lost. You¡¯ll die for it. From today, Kl Camp belongs to us. If you know what¡¯s good for you, repent now, and have your people kneel too. Maybe we¡¯ll spare them. If you don¡¯t¡­¡±


    His voice dropped into a growl. ¡°Everyst one of them dies.¡±


    The people of Ark Camp Two red at Theresa, their eyes burning with hunger.


    <i>Her </i><i>camp¡¯s </i><i>too </i><i>prosperous </i><i>to </i>waste. K1 Camp¡¯s foundation is strong, its resources overflowing¨C<i>destroying </i><i>it </i><i>outright </i><i>would </i><i>be </i><i>foolish</i>.


    <i>That¡¯s </i><i>why </i><i>the </i><i>first </i>strike <i>only </i>shattered her defenses and scorched her fields. A city <i>without </i><i>zombies</i><i>? </i><i>Who </i><i>wouldn¡¯t </i>want <i>to </i>im it<i>? </i>


    <i>Today</i><i>, </i>we¡¯ll put <i>her </i><i>on </i>trial and take her camp in the open. No matter how <i>strong </i><i>she </i>is, <i>one </i><i>person </i><i>can¡¯t </i><i>stand </i><i>against </i><i>the </i><ibined </i><i>power </i><i>of </i>the three camps.


    Teion from Ark Camp Three spoke next, his tone mocking. ¡°You came here to protect your camp, didn¡¯t you? Do the smart thing. y along. We might even let you live.¡±


    Her eyes narrowed. ¡°Let me live? In what condition?¡±


    The hall fell into a low murmur as eyes turned toward Magnus. Suggestions flew¨Ckill her outright, cripple her forever, or break her and keep her breathing.


    Morgan pushed back, insisting she stay alive. His obsession clung to her like a shadow.


    Atst, they reached their verdict.


    She would live, but paralyzed from the neck down, a prisoner for life.


    Theresa stood silent, her mind cold and sharp as they started carving up her world in front of her- splitting Kl Camp¡¯s resources and people like livestock. ns rolled out on how to butcher her fighters, how to crush her camp¡¯s spirit.


    The final decree: tomorrow, Theresa would be paraded back to K1 Camp, forced to confess before her people. If anyone resisted, her severed hands would be delivered to them before the next bombing run.


    Kl Camp was no longer a neighbor to them. It was prey and a prize they couldn¡¯t wait to sink their teeth


    into.


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    r 487 What Else Did You Expect?


    Chapter 487 What Else Did You Expect?


    The trial wasing to a close.


    57%8


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    Theresa stood silently among the crowd, saying nothing. That was when she caught a pair of eyes that felt strikingly different from the rest.


    She turned toward the corner and found a familiar figure staring at her with quiet worry.


    When their gazes met, Harry¡¯s concern deepened. Yet, bound by his lowly status, he dared not utter a single word to her¨Ceven now, in the middle of such a senseless trial.


    Then came the call.


    ¡°Theresa, ept the charges. Surrender now. This recording will be sent to your base, dered the officer from Ark Camp Two.


    Theresa lifted her head, her voice calm as she spoke a single number. ¡°Three.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Theresa?¡±


    ¡°Two,¡± she replied evenly, unhurried.


    At that moment, the crowd¡¯s expressions shifted sharply. ¡°You¡¯re still nning to resist?¡±


    ¡°One.¡±


    The final word left her lips, and a frantic voice immediately burst through Ark Camp Two¡¯s earpiece.


    ¡°Mr. Rucker! Something¡¯s gone terribly wrong¨Cthere¡¯s an uprising inside the camp!¡±


    Across from Ark Camp Three, the camp leader, Teion, shot to his feet, his headset crackling with panic.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Smith! The residents on the first level revolted! They released a squad of Military Garrison and brought the enemy straight into our camp!¡±


    In an instant, both camps were thrown into chaos.


    Ark Camp Two took the first hit¨Can unexpected airstrike.


    Five helicopters swooped low across thepound, each one carrying a swarm of zombies that rained down into the middle and inner circles of the camp. Worse yet, no sooner had the zombies hit the ground than a team of heavily armed men dropped right behind them.


    It was a coordinated strike¨Czombies and enemy troops attacking at once.


    When the administrators left behind to hold the camp tried to rally a counterattack, betrayal erupted from within.


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    Chapter 487 What Else Did You Expect?


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    ¡°Girls! We¡¯re done being their ves! This is the day we fight back!¡± Lura roared, charging in with her Steelbloom squad to cut down the managers.


    Meanwhile, things yed out far simpler at Ark Camp Three.


    Darian quietly unsealed the gate that loomed like an iron fortress. He didn¡¯t bother with anything else¡ª his task was letting Theron in.


    They carved open a hidden passage at the waste shaft, allowing Theron¡¯s men to storm upward from the bottom levels in a brutal sweep.


    Theresa¡­ it was you!¡±


    Theresa shed a smile. ¡°What else did you expect?¡±


    You¡¯re courting death!¡± Zahair shot toward Theresa like an arrow loosed from the string, his body instantly engulfed in raging mes¨Cthe mark of a fire¨Cbased ability user.


    Theresa raised her shackled hands, unfazed by the inferno closing in. A heartbeatter, a ze hotter and brighter than the sun burst from her palm.


    Zahair¡¯s mes didn¡¯t even stand a chance¨Cher fire swallowed his whole, mming him into the wall with a deafening crack. His body was charred ck, barely clinging to life.


    He survived by sheer luck¨Cthanks only to his level five fire¨Cbased ability user. Against her, though, even that wasn¡¯t nearly enough.


    ¡°You. You¡¯ve got fire¨Cbased ability, too?¡± Teion¡¯s voice cracked in disbelief.


    Theresa gave him a cool nce. ¡°Doesn¡¯t everyone?¡± With a flick of her wrist, water surged like a tidal wave, crashing down on the soldiers of Ark Camp Two.


    By then, Morgan could no longer sit still. He hammered the button on Theresa¡¯s shackles again and again, but nothing happened.


    Theresa¡¯s eyes cut toward him. Then, with one sharp motion, she tore the restraints from her wrists and neck. The metal warped like paper, and the built¨Cin explosives were left untouched.


    She dangled the twisted cuffs in her hand like a toy, her voice dripping with disdain. ¡°You really thought this junk could hold me?¡±


    Morgan could only stare at her, shaken to his core.


    No way. No freaking way. Unless¡­ she has the maism <i>control </i><i>ability</i><i>! </i>


    Theresa¡¯s gaze locked on him, and in the very next heartbeat, a crushing wave of psychic force mmed straight into his mind. Morgan¡¯s vision went white with a deafening buzz, like his brain had just short- circuited.


    Before he could recover, she had him by the throat, lifting him clean off the ground as if he weighed nothing.


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    ¡°You¡¯re the kind of scum who doesn¡¯t deserve to die just once¨Cbut ten thousand times over!¡± Her grip tightened, ready to snap the life out of him, when a blur shot across the field.


    ¡°Theresa! Let go of Morgan!¡± Magnus¡® voice cracked like thunder. Lightning sparked across his skin, and in his palm a crackling orb¨Cbig as a ser ball¨Cred to life. Step by step, he advanced, every inch of him wrapped in arcs of electric fury.


    That was when the others finally snapped out of it.


    The guards and supervisors from Ark Camps Two and Three, as well as Ark Camp One¡¯s own raised their abilities in unison, energy ring as they prepared to strike.


    All except Harry. He stood wide¨Ceyed in the corner, staring at Theresa, encircled by glowing powers.


    ¡°Put him down, Theresa. Do that, and I¡¯ll spare your life,¡± Magnus growled.


    ¡°Magnus, are you out of your mind? She can¡¯t be allowed to walk out of here alive!¡±


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    Chapter 488 Every Life Taken Paid for in Kind


    ¡°She has to die!¡± Voices crupted as everyone surged forward, powers ring.


    Theresa was strong, sure¨Cbut they were all level five and above ability users.


    s


    The weakest among them was still level three. Even a god would fall here with this many people, and Theresa was no exception.


    After ignoring Magnus¡® warning, the crowd rushed at her.


    In the very next second, they realized their abilities had vanished.


    The speed¨Ctype ability user who had been sprinting suddenly slowed to the pace of an ordinary human. A guard hefting a massive war hammer found his own weapon dragging his arms down. Elemental¨Ctype ability, rare ability¡ªeverything was gone in an instant. One of the space¨Cbased abilities even had his storage burst open, scattering supplies all over the ground.


    ¡°Negotiate with you? Don¡¯t kid yourselves. Did I ever say I¡¯d let any of you walk away alive?¡± Theresa sneered from the center of it all, Morgan dangling in her grip as she swept her gaze over the stunned crowd.


    By now, even the dullest among them had figured it out.


    <i>It¡¯s </i>Theresa. She can shut down every ability user¡¯s ability<i>¨C</i>just like that<i>! </i>So that double self<i>¨C</i>detonation <i>by </i><i>the </i>two ability users in the arena? That was no ident<i>¨C</i>Theresa had it shut down <i>from </i><i>the </i>very <i>beginning</i><i>! </i>


    At that thought, the look in everyone¡¯s gazes shifted.


    She doesn¡¯t just have speed¨Ctype <i>ability</i><i>, </i><i>strength</i><i>¨C</i>type <i>ability</i>, water¨Cbased ability, <i>fire</i>¨C<i>based </i>ability, <i>an </i>Aeroshield, and even mental maniption <i>ability</i><i>¨C</i>she¡¯s got forbidden <i>ability </i>too! How the <i>hell </i><i>can </i><i>one </i>person have so <i>many </i>abilities?


    Morgan stared at Theresa in sheer disbelief. All this time, he thought he knew her best, thought he¡¯d already seen through her more than anyone else. Turns out, he hadn¡¯t even scratched the surface.


    He used to believe her strength came from the camp she led, that she was powerful because her camp was.


    Now he realized¨CTheresa herself was the force of an entire camp. She didn¡¯t need anyone to back her. She was stronger than all of thembined.


    ¡°Rx, Theresa said coolly, an AK¨C47 materializing in her grip. ¡°You won¡¯t be alone on the road to hell. I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯ve gotpany.


    The space¨Cbased ability!


    ¡°The b¡¯stard who killed Lily¨Chere¡¯s your one shot. Get out there, open your camp gates, and make every civilian on the upper two floors lie t on the ground and surrender. Do that, and I¡¯ll let you live.¡±


    From the corner, Harry stiffened at Theresa¡¯s words. The next second, he gave a hard nod. ¡°Yes, Ms. Hall!¡± Without hesitation, he switched sides and bolted toward Theresa¡¯s camp.


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    Chapter 488 Every Life Taken Paid for in Kind


    Some others tried to follow, but Theresa gunned them down one by one, no mercy.


    After standing tall in the judgment hall, she pressed a hand to her earpiece and barked her order,


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    ¡°Pass this down. Every single manager of the three camps¨Cno exceptions. Kill them. Every big shot inside Ark Camp Two¡¯s inner ring¨Ckill them. Ark Camp One and Three, anyone above the third floor¨Ckill them. Whoever dares to resist¨Ckill them. But anyone who joins us will be under my protection. Make sure none of those filthy rats crawl out alive!¡±


    Her words were still echoing when the gates of all three camps¡® upper management were blown open.


    The long¨Coppressed residents finally snapped. Those furious shouts echoing through the camps in the chaos lit a fire in their hearts. One by one, more people snatched up weapons and threw themselves into the uprising.


    ¡°Lucy¨CI¡¯ll avenge you!¡± At Ark Camp Two, Lura charged forward with Steelbloom at her side, mes roaring in her palms. The wardens froze in disbelief as she cut straight through their lines.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s finally standing up for us! We won¡¯t be bullied ever again!¡± Darian rallied his people at Ark Camp Three, his voice carrying over the sh of steel.


    ¡°Blood for our families! Justice for ourselves!¡± The cry spread like wildfire.


    From three camps, the rebellion surged¨Cone spark, one trigger, one fearless charge. And with every step forward, more and more joined the fight.


    ¡°The high streets will be paved with the bones of lords, and the empire¡¯s riches burned down to nothing but ash. One day, when I rise above the clouds, I¡¯llugh and say¨Ceven Victor Crowe was no true manpared to me.¡±


    Tonight, Theresa led them all, sworn to butcher everyst one of those corrupt aristocrats.


    At Ark Camp One, Harry swung the gates wide open. Behind him poured Quentin, Kyle, and a flood of others ready to tear the old order down.


    When the sun rose the next morning, the camps were soaked in blood, every corner reeking of the night¡¯s


    carnage.


    Theresa and her people had fought until dawn, cutting down everything in their path. By the time it was over, the leaders and higher¨Cups of all three campsy dead where they fell.


    The three camps woke to new masters, their rule written in blood.


    Harry had tracked down Timothy, one of the first¨Ctier overseers, and gutted him in the chaos. Timothy wasn¡¯t just any man¨Che was the father of the b¡¯stard who ruined Lily. That made the kill personal.


    Wielding her Steelbloom, Lura Carved her way through the overseers and bullies from Ark Camp Two who had once tormented and scarred them. One by one, she cut them down, dragging their bodies into the arena and leaving them there like trash.


    Darian was no less merciless. What started as supporting Theron soon turned into himmanding over five hundred rebels, stormingyer afteryer, driving their way up through the pyramid of oppression.


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    Every lofty tyrant who once enved them ended up strung up in the waste shaft, dangling like broken


    idols of a rotten order.


    Those parasites had crushed them cruelly, and now they reaped cruelty in return. It all came down to payback¨Cevery drop of blood answered with another, every life taken paid for in kind.


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    Chapter 489 Victory


    Even so, Theresa hadn¡¯t walked away unscathed.


    Her reckless counterattack had cost her three hundred and five fighters in one sweep.


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    After all, those three camps weren¡¯t exactly hollow shells¨Cthey still had plenty of strength tucked away.


    Luckily, Theresa had been smart enough to nt allies in two camps ahead of time. With Theron and Lucas leading their men to strike from the inside, and with the camp leaders off at Ark Camp One, the timing couldn¡¯t have been better. The enemy was at their weakest, and she hit them like a thunderp. That¡¯s the only reason they pulled off a clean win.


    Otherwise, the death toll would¡¯ve been far uglier. They might not even have taken the camps in a single blow.


    Yes, she¡¯d lost a lot. But the other side had bled far more.


    This wasn¡¯t the kind of fight to be waged lightly¨Cit was the sort of battle that demanded an ending, one side standing and the other broken.


    Theresa¡¯s camp had been pushed to the edge¨Cno room left to retreat. This time, she was determined to crush the three rival camps, even if it meant bleeding the zing Sun Alliance dry and losing half her people.


    It hade down to the core¨Ca fight to the death, no matter the cost.


    ¡°The heroes who survive will be rewarded beyond measure. Those who fall will be honored with the grandest burial rites. And their families, their children¨Cthey¡¯ll all be registered as citizens of the zing Sun Camp, entitled to dual benefits for life!¡± Theresa dered after bringing the three camps under her heel the following day.


    In Ark Camp Two and Ark Camp Three, Lucas and Theron listened closely to every word of her decree.


    ¡°All three Ark Camps are officially joining the zing Sun Alliance¨Cmaking you our sixtieth, sixty¨Cfirst, and sixty¨Csecond allied camps. From today on, no one will bully you, hit you, kill you, or toss you into the arena for their amusement.


    I¡¯ll make sure you get full meals, pasta, pork¨Ceverything to reim what¡¯s rightfully yours, without anyone snatching it away. Whenever zombies or any other danger shows up, the other fifty¨Cnine camps in the zing Sun Alliance will have your back, no questions asked. Together, we¡¯ll take on this apocalypse!¡± Theresa¡¯s voice crackled through thems, broadcasting to all three camps.


    Everyone in all three camps turned toward the source of that sound.


    The long¨Coppressed and weary masses let out a collective cry with tears streaming down their faces as if they were glimpsing a beam of salvation.


    Three years of apocalypse had finally led them to a moment of true deliverance and hope.


    If there was any light at the end of the apocalypse¡¯s endless carnage, ity with the zing Sun Alliance.


    Theresa gathered all the surviving researchers from the three camps and offered guidance to the ordinary


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    people about their options.


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    Those who wanted to follow her to live at the zing Sun Alliance headquarters could sign up and leave with her. Those who preferred to stay behind were free to remain where they were.


    This was all part of Theresa¡¯s careful nning.


    The great nations established each of the three Ark Camps before the apocalypse as beacons of hope. Their facilities were top¨Cnotch, capable of housing tens of thousands of people each.


    There was no reason to abandon such well¨Cestablished bases. The farms and livestock areas within the camps were already fully operational, so anyone who stayed could produce their food and even have surplus supplies.


    Moreover, the camps could serve as a refuge for other survivors in the central¨Cwestern region. Those struggling to survive nearby could seek shelter there.


    If something went wrong again, Theresa had several fallback locations ready for retreat.


    After weighing the options among the three camps, Theresa finally decided.


    She appointed temporary leaders for each camp, with Harry taking charge of Ark Camp One, Lura overseeing Ark Camp Two, and Darian leading Ark Camp Three.


    All three Ark Camps were linked to Theresa¡¯s Tessa. Starting today, everyone would operate under a point- based system.


    Camp members could move freely between the camps. The residents of any Ark Camp could join the main base whenever they wanted, or return to their original camp at will.


    Everyone had to abide by the charter and rules of the zing Sun Alliance.


    As for the supplies in the three camps, all of them were absorbed into the zing Sun Alliance.


    Theresa kept only a small portion and whatever hadn¡¯t been harvested from their farms¨Cthe rest was hers.


    All the gleamstone, research materials, and weaponry belonged to her as spoils of victory.


    After organizing the three camps, Theresa led her group away.


    Meanwhile, nearly half of each camp¡¯s residents decided to follow her. One by one, helicopters headed toward the eastern region.


    At first, the people who tagged along didn¡¯t have high expectations¨Cthey were just going where Theresa


    went.


    But when they arrived at the zing Sun Alliance headquarters, every single one of them was stunned.


    Despite having seen fire and destruction, every resident looked healthy and vibrant here.


    It was the kind of robust appearance that only the elite could afford back at their old camps.


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    Chapter 489 Victory


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    They also noticed the abundance of supplies Theresa had brought, the fully stocked supermarkets, and


    even the schools.


    Every resident here threw themselves into rebuilding the camp as if it were their home, brimming with energy andmitment.


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    <i>Oh </i><i>my </i><i>gosh</i><i>! </i><i>I </i>can¡¯t <i>believe </i>a ce <i>like </i><i>this </i><i>exists</i><i>! </i><i>Even </i><i>with </i><i>all </i>the flesh<i>¨C</i><i>eating </i><i>zombies </i>lurking <i>around</i><i>, </i><i>it¡¯s </i><i>a </i><i>million </i><i>times </i><i>better </i>than <i>our </ist camp<i>! </i>That ce<i>¨C</i><i>that¡¯s </i><i>the </i><i>absolute </i><i>nightmare</i><i>! </i>


    The new workforce started moving into their respective posts, diving headfirst into getting operations back on track.


    Meanwhile, the three new camps fired up their loudspeakers, putting into action the mission they had been built for.


    ¡°Attention, survivors! This is Ark Camp One of the zing Sun Alliance, located at N, 42¡ã10¡ä, E, 105 98. You¡¯re wee to join us!¡±


    ¡°Ark Camp Two of the zing Sun Alliance here. Our coordinates are¡­¡±


    ¡°And this is Ark Camp Three of the zing Sun Alliance¡­¡±


    Two months had flown by, and suddenly it was June.


    Theresa¡¯s main camp was finally back on its feet.


    <i>The </i>first line of defence had been rebuilt, and any zombies that tried to break through were wiped out.


    The ruined city was slowly being restored, and the destroyed farnd¡­ well, they were finding new plots to cultivate.


    She was lucky¨Cthere was enough food tost her, so she didn¡¯t have to worry about a supply crisis. Otherwise, she¡¯d still dig up Morgan and Magnus to deal with them again.


    At the same time, she couldn¡¯t ignore the ring weaknesses in her camp¡¯s defenses¨Cher anti¨Cair capabilities were seriouslycking.


    Her radar and UAV systems could detect anything unusual within her territory, but her defenses weren¡¯t up to snuff when it came to those quick, hit¨Cand¨Crun attacks.


    Her drones could easily handle regr zombies or ground¨Cbased invaders, but those fast, precise raids were a whole different story¨Cshe had no way to counter them. D


    It was a constant headache.


    On top of that, the zombie waves from Branford and Crestmont kept rolling in, relentless as ever.


    After everything that had happenedst time, she was more determined than ever to take control of all three cities in the cast.


    The zombies in Branford and Crestmont had to be wiped out. Those two cities would serve as her natural buffer zone, keeping the outer/hordes at bay.


    She couldn¡¯t risk another surprise attack, letting zombies sneak in again.


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    ¡°Theresa.¡± Lucas approached. ¡°Crestmont¡¯s barracks have this top¨Cof¨Cthe¨Cline air defense system¨Cboth offense and defense in one. I think we could really use it.¡±


    Theresa, lost in thought, looked up immediately. ¡°Crestmont has an air defense system? Why didn¡¯t you


    tell me sooner?¡±


    ¡°Just remembered it in thest couple of days,¡± Lucas replied.


    She narrowed her eyes. ¡°Then, what are you waiting for? Send people to get it, now!¡±


    ¡°But I have no idea where the barracks are,¡± he said.


    Theresa was speechless. She suspected Lucas hade over just to test her patience¨Cher mood had been rough these past few days, and he probably wanted to blow off steam at her expense.


    ¡°You know how it is¨Cmilitary info is all ssified. I only caught wind of it in a meeting at Branford¡¯s Military Garrison before the apocalypse,¡± Lucas exined. ¡°Still, if I head back there, I should be able to dig up the air defense system¡¯s files.¡±


    After hearing that, Theresa unclenched her fists and jumped to her feet. ¡°Then, stop wasting time. Let¡¯s go -take me there!¡±


    Thud, thud<i>, </i><i>thud</i><i>. </i>


    A helicopter cut through the sky, heading straight for downtown Branford.


    The zombie hordes in Branford and Crestmont were still thick as ever. Once home to millions, the city¡¯s core teemed with creatures, their numbers staggering.


    The thrum of the helicopter¡¯s rotors drew their attention immediately.


    From every street, swarms of zombies surged toward the tallest building in the center.


    Many had undergone massive mutations¨Csome moved with lightning speed, others were monstrously strong, and a few had awakened bizarre powers. Once they reached the skyscraper¡¯s base, they began scaling it, mbering up the sides like an army of insects.


    -The all¨Css exterior of the building soon resembled a giant frosted cookie stick, crawling with ants.


    Raaaar<i>! </i>


    Raaaar<i>! </i>


    <i>Raaaar</i><i>! </i>


    The zombies bared their teeth, their guttural cries aimed at the source of the noise above, ready to strike.


    The helicopter settled steadily on the rooftop helipad.


    Once it came to aplete stop, a squad of fully armed soldiers was the first to disembark.


    They moved with precise, professional efficiency, scanning the helipad and its surroundings. They


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    Chapter 490 Air Defense System


    signaled to the people behind them after confirming there wasn¡¯t a single zombie or any threat.


    The doors opened again, and a man with panda¨Clike eye shades stepped out first.


    He braced one hand against the top of the helicopter door and fanned the air with a folding fan, thoughtfully cooling the people behind him. ¡°Beautiful. How¡¯s the wind up here?¡±


    ¡°Manageable,¡± Theresa replied, jumping down from the helicopter.


    It was midsummer, and the heat pressed down relentlessly even atop the 27th¨Cfloor rooftop.


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    Theresa scanned her surroundings, then walked over to the far¨Cleft railing and leaned over to look down. What met her eyes was a dense horde of zombies, all wing and snapping as if starving.


    Each one had its mouth stretched as wide as it could go, eyes full of desperate hunger¨Clike they were ming the heavens for not feeding them sooner.


    Hungry¡­


    So hungry¡­


    I¡¯ve been <i>starving </i><i>for </i><i>years</i>¡­


    Her gaze drifted from the sea of zombies to a nearby building shrouded by a thick ring of tall trees. Beneath the cover of those trees stood several long barracks¨Clike structures, with bold letters on the roof reading, ¡®Exemry Conduct, Victorious in Battle.¡®


    That was the Military Garrison.


    Unlike the streets outside, there were hardly any zombies inside the garrison.


    ¡°There¡¯s no stationed unit in there¨Cmaybe a dozen guards at most,¡± Lucas said.


    Theresa nodded.


    That was their target. But since the garrison had no ce tond a helicopter, they quickly formed a n -touch down on the roof of the nearestmercial building instead.


    From there, they wouldn¡¯t need to hit the ground and fight their way in; they could just set up a zipline from the fifth or sixth floor across the single street separating them from the garrison.


    She took in the terrain in all directions, mentally marking every spot that could serve as cover or an escape route. Once she had a clear map in her head, she turned back to Lucas and nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    At her word, Graham broke open the rooftop door and headed down.


    The building was a mixed¨Cuse tower: the bottom five floors were a shopping mall, and the remaining twenty¨Ctwo were offices.


    Countlesspanies worked out of here, but since the zombie virus had broken out in the early morning, there had been very few people in the offices.


    Once Graham and the others entered, they began sweeping the building floor by floor.


    ¡°Arrrgh¡­¡±


    A sudden <i>thump </i>and muffled growl drew their attention. Behind the ss doors of a locked office, a female zombie in a white blouse and ck skirt mmed against the ss in a frenzy.


    She had no wounds and her clothes were spotless, but her face was gray¨Cwhite, skin stretched over bone.


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    From the look of it, she had turned in the middle of workingte¨Calone in the office, without anyone even noticing.


    ¡°Arrrggh¡­¡±


    ¡°Hharrrrrgh¡­¡±


    Her growls grew more frenzied as she caught their scent. She gaped her mouth wide, revealing teeth shrunken back into the gums. Maggots squirmed in the gaps, boring into the gums and rotting flesh, feasting as they went. Her tongue had been chewed down into something that looked like a tattered mulberry leaf, full of holes and decay.


    ¡°Arrrgh¡­¡±


    ¡°Theresa, boss¨Cthis is the only one on this floor!¡± Graham reported after a quick sweep.


    ¡°Just one? Take it out.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    At his signal, the others smashed through the ss door. The stench of rot poured out as the zombie lunged, but a three¨Cedged spike punched into its forehead before it could reach them. ck, pus¨Clike fluid seeped from the wound as it copsed in a heap.


    After three years of fighting, killing a zombie was as routine for them as drinking water.


    With that one down, they continued their descent.


    The lower they went, the darker it became. Even in daylight, a powerlessmercial building was dim and oppressive. The sunlight filtering through the ss curtain wall only lit the outer edges; the central core¨Cwhere the elevators and stairwells were¨Cremained in shadow.


    The elevators had long since stopped working, so they advanced down the stairwell with shlights, cutting through the dark. Theresa¡¯s team moved steadily, clearing each floor in turn.


    Luck was on their side¨Cafter that lone zombie on the top floor, they didn¡¯t run into another all the way down to the tenth.


    Then, they reached the 15th.


    With a loud bang, the emergency door at the stairwell shuddered under a heavy blow. A zombie in a security guard¡¯s uniform and cap smashed into the door, its face mangled beyond recognition.


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    Its face looked as if it had been smashed t by a blunt weapon. The nose was caved deep into the bone, and the left eyeball was shattered, streaking the entire socket in bloody red so that even the usual zombie- gray iris was gone. The right eye, still intact, stared unblinkingly at the people outside.


    The moment it lunged, seven or eight more zombies rushed forward. Through the crack of the locked fire door, wed hands reached and scraped madly, their sharp nails screeching over the painted metal, sending a teeth¨Con¨Cedge sound that made scalp prickle.


    The zombies¡® frenzy only grew as they stared at the fresh meating down toward them.


    ¡°Theresa, boss¨Cthis one¡¯s locked,¡± Graham called over his shoulder, eyeing the secured door.


    From the rooftop down to this floor, every door they¡¯d passed had been open. This was the first that


    wasn¡¯t.


    Theresa stepped forward, her eyes scanning the blood sttered on both sides of the door. Through the snarling zombies, she could just make out the messy corridor beyond, streaked with long drag marks and littered with debris.


    The smelling from inside was foul and heavy. It looked like this floor had been crowded when the outbreak hit, and some survivors had managed to grab the guard¡¯s keys, lock the ce behind them, and


    run.


    She drove her boot into the already¨Cloosened door. The heavy b crashed down, pinning all seven or eight zombies beneath it. She put her weight on top, and the sound of skulls cracking filled the hall. With that, gleamstones popped free from their heads and rolled onto the floor.


    One straggler twitched; she silenced it with another stomp.


    No one batted an <i>eye</i>¨CTheresa¡¯s blunt, direct style was nothing new to her crew. Following her, they stepped into the corridor over the heap of bodies.


    The next second, they froze at the sight before them.


    A man¡¯s corpse was kneeling with both hands braced against the elevator doors. Inside the shaft, the floor was covered in a tangle of bodies, rotted beyond recognition. Flesh, limbs, skulls¨Call fused together into one foul mass.


    Summer heat had brought the temperature up, and the air inside buzzed. A ck cloud of flies at least a meter thick hovered over the corpses, the sound a constant, sickening drone.


    Their steps disturbed the swarm. With a collective hum, the flies poured out of the shaft like a moving shadow.


    Theresa lifted her hand, raising an invisible wall of air that held the swarm back. The others watched the dark, seething cloud skim past them, the sight enough to raise goosebumps from head to toe.


    When the flies finally moved on, the maggot¨Ccovered remains beneath were enough to turn stomachs.


    Theresa¡¯s gaze returned to the man holding the elevator doors. He was the most intact corpse in sight, though his head was dusted with eggs and his dried brain matter was cracked and brittle.


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    Beside himy a work badge.


    ¡°Quentin. Pick it up.


    ¡°On it!¡± Quentin stepped forward, wiped it clean with a scrap of paper, and handed it to her.


    The tag read, ¡®Project Manager ¨C Ronald Lorik.¡®


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    Theresa studied the name, one brow lifting, then swept her eyes across the floor. Aside from the flies, it was dead silent. She led the group onward.


    The next floor¨Clocked.


    The one after¨Clocked.


    And empty. No zombies anywhere, yet every door secured tight.


    By the time they reached the eighth floor, the same pattern repeated itself.


    It didn¡¯t add up. People escaping a building had no reason to lock every floor behind them. In a real panic, most wouldn¡¯t even remember to shut a door, let alone secure it. Locking floor after floor with no zombies inside could only mean one thing: someone had locked them afterward.


    ¡°Theresa, someone¡¯s been living here,¡± Lucas said.


    She nodded.


    Exactly.


    Only people actively upying the ce would have the time to clear each floor and lock it up. The fact that nothing above the 15th was secured suggested they¡¯d been too afraid of the zombies she¡¯d killed earlier to go higher.


    That suspicion was confirmed almost immediately.


    ¡°Who are you?!¡± shouted a voice from below.


    On the seventh floor, the stairwell had been smashed out midway, and a group of people stood there, eyes sharp and full of suspicion as they stared up at the strangers descending toward them.

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    The group ahead was a mix of men and women. Through the ss stairwell door, more people could be seen inside¨Cseventeen or eighteen in total.


    All of them looked pale and gaunt. Aside from the three men in front, who were still somewhat broad- shouldered, the rest were rail¨Cthin, clothes grimy, hair unwashed. It was summer, so most wore very little. A few of the men were bare¨Cchested, wearing only shorts.


    Every single one of them watched the neers with sharp, guarded eyes.


    ¡°Where did youe from?¡±


    ¡°Are you survivors here?¡± Lucas asked.


    ¡°I ask the questions here! Answer me¨Cwhere did youe from?¡±


    Lucas kept his tone even. ¡°We¡¯re from the zing Sun Alliance. Do you have a radio? If you do, you should¡¯ve heard of us.¡±


    The leader¡¯s face hardened. ¡°Never heard of any zing Sun Alliance. The outside¡¯s crawling with zombies -how could you possibly get in here?¡±


    ¡°We came by helicopter,¡± Graham said.


    At that, several sets of eyes lit up. The leader¡¯s gaze sharpened, flicking back to Lucas. ¡°And what are you here for?¡±


    ¡°Just passing through. We need to get to the Military Garrison next door.¡±


    The man frowned. ¡°With that many zombies outside, how do you expect to cross?¡±


    ¡°We n to get across from your fifth or sixth floor.¡±


    ¡°You want to go down?¡± The leader¡¯s eyes shifted, calction written all over his face.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Don¡¯t worry¨Cwe won¡¯t harm you. Just let us through,¡± Lucas said.


    ¡°No way. If you want us to let you pass, it¡¯s gonna cost you.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your price<i>?</i>¡±


    ¡°Two hundred pounds of food, and five weapons for toll.¡± His eyes swept over their gear. Armed to the teeth, well¨Cequipped¨Cobvious fat sheep ripe for ughter. If he didn¡¯t squeeze them now, when would he?


    Lucas nced at Theresa. ¡°Should we give them some food?¡±


    Her gaze flicked up. ¡°You decide But we¡¯re not giving them weapons.¡±


    Lucas nodded and turned back. ¡°We can give you food, but no weapons.¡±


    ¡°Not good enough. No weapons, no deal!¡±


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    Click.


    Every gun on the uppernding came up at once. Giving them supplies was an act of courtesy, not weakness¨Cbut if these people mistook it for fear, they¡¯d be corrected fast.


    In the apocalypse, the rule was simple: survival of the fittest.


    The men below shrank back a step at the sight of so many barrels. The leader swallowed hard. ¡°Forget it, you can pass¨Cbut the food¡¯s four hundred pounds!¡±


    ¡°Four hundred?¡± Theresa gave a sharpugh. ¡°You¡¯ll get a hundred. Take it or leave it.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it two hundred?¡±


    ¡°One more word,¡± she said coldly, ¡°and you won¡¯t get a pound.¡±


    He shut up fast. Inside, he cursed himself for being greedy. If he¡¯d agreed to two hundred at the start, they might¡¯ve gotten it. Now¡­


    ¡°How about a hundred and fifty?¡±


    ¡°Fifty.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going lower?!¡±


    ¡°Thirty,¡± Theresa said tly.


    ¡°All right, fifty it is!¡± he blurted before she could speak again, not daring to push his luck further.


    She smiled faintly at the surrender. With a nce at her team, they began jumping down to the nextnding, filing through the path the others had opened.


    When Theresa passed the leader, she tossed him a sack of grains¨Cfifty pounds. He caught it quickly, and the people behind him lit up at the sight.


    Grains! Real grains!


    They hadn¡¯t tasted it in a long time, and fifty pounds would feed them for a good while.


    By the time Theresa¡¯s group reached the sixth floor, the leader had followed with a few men. The door ahead was still locked. He produced a key and opened it for them.


    ¡°You¡¯d better hurry. And if you n to stay the night, there¡¯ll be a lodging fee,¡± he said shrewdly.


    ¡°Get lost,¡± Theresa told him with a nce.


    He swept <b>his </b>eyes over their group, then stepped back without another word.


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    They didn¡¯t go back right away but stayed on the sixth floor, keeping a close eye on Theresa¡¯s group.


    After surveying the area, Theresa¡¯s team decided this floor was perfect for setting up a zipline to the Military Garrison across the way. And wasting no time, Graham hurled the hooked head of the zipline toward one of the garrison¡¯s windows.


    With a sharp <i>ng</i><i>, </i>ittched on. He tested the hook, tightened the line, and anchored it on their end. Then he clipped in and was the first to slide across.


    With a low whiz<i>, </i>his lighter build carried him smoothly over the swarming mass of zombies below. Hended in the garrison, checked the room for danger, reinforced the hook on that side, and waved for the others to follow.


    Only eight of them hade out on this run. When it was Lucas¡® turn, Theresa said, ¡°I¡¯m staying. I¡¯ll hold this side.¡±


    Her gaze shifted toward the strangers watching from the doorway. With outsiders this shrewd, someone had to stand guard, and she wasn¡¯t about to leave it to anyone else.


    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll be quick,¡± Lucas said.


    ¡°Make it fast.¡±


    He clipped onto the zipline and glided across the 30¨Cplus feet to the other side. Even though this was the shortest crossing they could find, it was still a good distance. Beneath them, 60 feet down, was a sea of churning ck¨Czombies crowding in at the sound, their guttural cries wing at the nerves. No one dared to look down.


    A single fall would mean no body left to recover, not even bone dust¡ªjust clean¨Cpicked nothing. The creatures, starving for years, snapped their jaws open as the ¡°food¡± sailed overhead, eyes locked hungrily on each passing body.


    Theresa stood watch at her end, her eyes finally rxing a little once Lucasnded safely.


    Then she heard footsteps. Turning, she saw a woman in an oversized men¡¯s shirt carrying two cups of water toward them.


    The woman was painfully thin, skin stretched over bone. Malnutrition had aged her prematurely¨Cthough likely in her twenties, she looked like a worn woman in herte thirties or forties. Her skin was dry and wrinkled, but her features were fine, enough to tell she¡¯d once been a beautiful city woman before the apocalypse.


    ¡°Here, Water,¡± the woman said softly, eyes down the entire time.


    ¡°Where¡¯d you get it? Rainwater?¡± Theresa asked.


    The woman kept her head down, lips pressed tight, saying nothing.


    ¡°Answer a few questions and I¡¯ll give you something to eat,¡± Theresa offered.


    The woman¡¯s throat bobbed at the word ¡°eat,¡± her stomach clearly empty, but still, she didn¡¯t speak. She


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    only looked up briefly, meeting Theresa¡¯s eyes. They were dull, lifeless, like she had no interest in anything


    at all.


    Theresa nced at Quentin, giving him a signal.


    He stepped forward, grinning. ¡°Beautiful, I¡¯m Quentin. Can I get to know you?¡±


    The moment he drew closer, the woman bolted like a frightened rabbit. Quentin scratched his jaw. <i>Has </i><i>my </i><i>charm </i><i>really </i>dropped <i>that </i><i>much</i><i>? </i><i>She </i><i>just </i>ran.


    Another female voice called out, ¡°Don¡¯t bother with her. Zuberi¡¯s like that with everyone. You said you¡¯d give food for answers, right?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± Theresa reached into her pack and pulled out a chocte bar.


    The woman¡¯s eyes lit up instantly, fixed on the treat.


    Chocte¨Csweet, rich, high in energy. She hadn¡¯t seen one in years. She looked ready to snatch it and tuck it away in her shirt right then.


    ¡°Ask,¡± she said quickly. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you anything you want to know.¡±


    ¡°How many of you are there?¡±


    ¡°Fifteen.¡±


    That man speaking earlier¨Cyour leader?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. His name¡¯s Desmond Trask. He used to be the general manager of Grand Homes Realty on the seventh floor.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been living here the whole time?¡±


    Her gaze never left the chocte bar. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Three years. What do you eat and drink?¡±


    At that, she finally lifted her head, eyeing Theresa with sudden caution.

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    She wanted the food, but she wasn¡¯t stupid.


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    This was about their camp¡¯s core supplies¨Cshe couldn¡¯t just blurt it out. If these outsiders knew what they had, they might take it all.


    Theresa quietly added another chocte bar.


    ¡°We grow some of our own,¡± the woman said quickly. ¡°There¡¯s a convenience store and two fast¨Cfood ces downstairs. We gathered everything we could¨Cthere were potatoes and bean sprouts, so we saved some and nted them. Been eating from that ever since.¡±


    ¡°How do you grow anything? Where¡¯d you get soil?¡±


    ¡°Every office had a few potted nts. We took all of them and used the soil for nting.¡±


    ¡°And the water?¡±


    The woman lifted her head. ¡°Add one more.¡±


    Theresa gave her two.


    The woman¡¯s face lit up, and the words tumbled out. ¡°We¡¯ve got a water¨Cbased ability user¨Cshe¡¯s the one who just brought you water, that deadpan¨Cfaced one. She awakened right at the start, but she¡¯s weak. She can only make enough for us to drink and cook, not even enough for a bath.¡±


    Theresa had most of what she needed. She handed over all four bars.


    The group, it turned out, had been staff in this building before the apocalypse¨Cfifteen survivors in all. Trapped in the mall when it began, they¡¯d managed to scrape by thanks to the small number of people and the supplies they¡¯d hoarded.


    Looking at them now<i>, </i>food and water weren¡¯t their main problem.


    The woman took the chocte with a bigger smile, leaning closer. ¡°There¡¯s more I can tell you. Give me another one?¡±


    Theresa raised a brow. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it first.¡±


    The woman sat cross¨Clegged in front of her like she was ready to spill everything. ¡°Let¡¯s start with the deadpan one¨CJuno Zuberi. She used to be the art director at apany on the 15th floor. Samepany as our leader, Desmond Trask.


    ¡°Back then, they were a couple. Buy when the apocalypse hit and we all holed up here, Zuberi refused to let <b>him </b>touch her. Broke up with him, t¨Cout. I think she¡¯s crazy¨Cend of the world, and she¡¯s still being picky with her boyfriend. If she weren¡¯t a water ability user, Desmond would¡¯ve kicked her out long ago.


    ¡°And she¡¯s a sly little tramp, Pretends to be cold and quiet, but she¡¯s great at stringing men along. Keeps Desmond hanging while also teasing other guys here. The Wilde brothers even fought over her once.


    ¡°Matthew Steele and Oakley Crown have both snuck her gifts at night. The next day, their girlfriends came to beat her up. If Desmond hadn¡¯t stepped in, she¡¯d have been tossed out.


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    ¡°She just relies on her looks. Those men are blind. Me? I wouldn¡¯t touch her. But them? They all chase after that deadpan¨Cfaced b*tch.¡±


    Cecilia Leir¡¯s expression twisted with jealousy. ¡°If I had that face¡­¡±


    ¡°Cecilia! What the hell are you doing?¡± A gruff voice barked from outside.


    Cecilia froze mid¨Csentence and looked at Theresa. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the restter. Give me one first.¡±


    Theresa tossed her another chocte bar. Cecilia clutched her prize and headed out¨Conly to be stopped at the door by a man.


    Theresa heard the raised voices. Then, Cecilia was dragged back by the leg, the five bars she¡¯d stashed spilling onto the floor.


    ¡°Matthew! Oakley! That¡¯s mine! You can¡¯t take it!¡± she shouted, scrambling to shield the chocte.


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as <i>yours </i>here,¡± Matthew sneered, scooping the bars off the ground.


    Cecilia lunged at his leg. ¡°Give it back! I¡¯ll do anythinge to my room tonight, just give it back¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not Juno. Dream on.¡± Matthew kicked her away, leaving with Oakley and their loot. On their way up, they called to two others. ¡°Wesley! Eli! Keep watch here. Don¡¯t let her back in.¡±


    Empty¨Chanded, Cecilia sat in the stairwell clutching her stomach. People passed by without a nce- until one woman stopped beside her.


    ¡°Can you walk?¡±


    Cecilia looked up into Juno¡¯s face. Hatred flickered in her eyes. She took the offered hand¨Cand shoved Juno down the stairs.


    ¡°Juno!¡±


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    ¡°What are you doing, Cecilia?!¡±


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    Wesley and Eli, who were standing by the doorway, immediately ran down the stairs to help Juno.


    ¡°She lost her bnce. How¡¯s that my fault?¡±


    Cecilia dusted herself off. A small smile of satisfaction shed across her face as she nced down at Juno, who had taken quite a nasty fall. She shot a quick nce upstairs before she turned <i>to </i>look at Theresa, who was standing by the window.


    Taking advantage of the fact that Wesley and Eli had gone to help Juno¡­ Cecilia quickly ran back inside.


    She greedily extended her hand toward Theresa. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you more if you¡¯ll give me another.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m not interested anymore.¡± Theresa turned herzy gaze to Cecilia, who immediately scowled in dissatisfaction. ¡°Why are you being so difficult?!¡±


    ¡°What? Do I owe you something?¡± She paused for a moment. ¡°I ran out of chocte bars, anyway.¡±


    ¡°So? What¡¯s that got to do with me?¡±


    She red at Theresa, fuming quietly. Sensing the imminent approach of Wesley and Eli from behind, she finally turned away in frustration.


    ¡°That woman¡¯s trouble. She¡¯s the type who thinks the entire world owes her something,¡± Quentinmented darkly, watching Cecilia walking away from them.


    ¡°There¡¯s that old saying, ¡®Small favors are appreciated, big favors breed resentment.¡®


    ¡°But even that doesn¡¯t fit her¨Cshe doesn¡¯t have a lick of gratitude in her. Just giving her the tiniest bit of favor will make her feel owed.¡±


    Theresa simply smiled quietly and said nothing.


    People like Cecilia were a dime a dozen, especially in the apocalypse.


    If someone showed her the slightest kindness, she would cling to them desperately¨Clike a drowning man grabbing at a lifeline. The moment they stopped extending their kindness, they became her mortal enemies.


    To her, it was only natural¨Cthe entire world itself owed her something.


    Theresa turned toward the stairwell where the Wilde siblings were helping a frail woman to her feet.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have bothered with that nutcase, Juno! Cecilia is crazy, she¡¯s always jealous of somebody or something!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you shouldn¡¯t even have saved her in the first ce. Nothing good came from it. In fact, she¡¯s been bad¨Cmouthing you ever since!


    Juno did not respond to theirments as they steadied her. She simply waved them off and started


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    walking upstairs alone.


    At that moment, Cecilia¡¯s voice came from above.


    ¡°Juno! It¡¯s your turn to water the nts downstairs!¡±


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    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you, Cecilia?!¡± Eli yelled back. ¡°You just pushed Juno down the stairs! How can you make her go and water the nts downstairs in her condition?¡±


    ¡°If she doesn¡¯t go, who will? What will we eat if the potato nts wilt away!?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± Juno quickly answered. Gripping the handrail to steady herself, she slowly began to descend the stairs again.


    ¡°Juno, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Wesley offered his assistance, unable to stand around and watch any longer.


    ¡°Wesley, Matthew instructed you to keep an eye on the situation here. What if someone sneaks inside and meets with those outsiders while you¡¯re gone? Can you shoulder the responsibility if something happens to the camp?¡± Cecilia snapped.


    The sharp rebuke left Wesley speechless.


    Then, Cecilia came downstairs with two other girls. ¡°We¡¯ll go with Juno!¡±


    The three women walked over to Juno and went downstairs together.


    After their departure, there was no more drama to watch.


    Theresa quickly lost interest. Turning her gaze toward the zipline, she switched on her earpiece.


    ¡°How¡¯s it going on your end?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve sessfully entered the Military Garrison. We should be able to locate the documents within half an hour.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Theresa nodded.


    Across from her, the Military Garrison seemedpletely empty. Lucas and his team had long vanished out of sight.


    Meanwhile, the zombie horde downstairs began to calm down. The prolonged silence had gradually settled them. Without any sounds to agitate them, they were no longer crowding around or thrashing


    about like before.


    At that moment, a window five floors directly beneath Theresa was thrown open¨Cand a potted nt tumbled out.


    A shrill scream followed.


    ¡°Juno!¡±


    A woman was shoved against the window ledge, her head hanging dangerously over the edge.


    The zombie horde below, which had just begun to settle, immediately erupted into a frenzy.


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    One by one, the zombies surged frantically toward the spot where the potted nt had fallen.


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    Clusters of zombies violently scrambled upwards, climbing over each other until they formed a grotesquedder with their bodies.


    Among them, one speed¨Ctype mutant zombie was particrly agile. It stepped on the heads of the other zombies¨Chooking its sharp ws into the crevices of the ss facade and clinging tightly to the edges of the aluminum window frames¨Cand swiftly propelled itself upward.


    In the blink of an eye, it had already reached the fourth floor of the building. Targeting the woman¡¯s head sticking out from the window above, it suddenly released its grip on the wall and leapt upward with terrifying force. Its jaws snapped ferociously at the air.


    Just as its grotesque and foul¨Csmelling face rushed rmingly close to the woman¡¯s head-


    The woman yanked her head back inside just in time.


    <i>Bang</i><i>! </i>


    The zombie mmed into the ss window frame and plummeted to the ground.


    Wesley and Eli ran downstairs immediately.


    Even those on the upper floors had noticed themotion. They hurriedly rushed down the stairs to check on the situation.


    A group of women returned from below.


    As they climbed the stairs, Cecilia grabbed Juno by the cor and shouted at the crowd upstairs.


    ¡°Desmond, Juno identally dropped a pot of potatoes out the window! She even screamed, which nearly drew all the zombies to us!¡±


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    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Juno?¡± Desmond approached Juno with concern.


    Juno coldly avoided him and walked away alone. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


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    ¡°Did you see that, Desmond?¡± Cecilia yelled. ¡°She almost got us killed, yet she¡¯s just walking away like nothing happened! How can anyone be that shameless?!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Desmond snapped.


    ¡°I almost got killed because of her! And you¡¯re telling me to shut up?! How can you side with her?! That¡¯s so unfair!¡±


    Desmond ignored Cecilia. It was obvious that Juno was injured¨Cshe was clutching at her stomach and limping painfully as she climbed the stairs, so he hurried after her to check on her condition.


    Meanwhile, Cecilia started throwing a tantrum, yelling and iling on the ground. ¡°You can¡¯t just treat people differently! Juno lost our supplies, and you¡¯re not punishing her. But when my stuff got stolen, you didn¡¯t even speak up for me!¡±


    In the midst of the quarrel, Theresa suddenly heard an extremely faint sound¨Clike the cracking of an eggshell.


    At this moment, on the first floor of the building-


    Countless zombies crowded around the ss doors. Their pale and ghastly faces pressed against the ss, magnified to the extreme. Their grayish pupils stared fixedly into the building as they opened their bloody


    mouths in a howl.


    Pushing themselves forward, they scratched at the smooth ss with their sharp ws.


    They pushed¡­ and pushed¡­


    The zombies in the front row were pressed so tightly against the ss that they resembled skeletal sardines packed together in a tin can. Their shriveled bodies ttened against the surface, leaving not a single gap.


    Under the crushing pressure, the locks on the ss doors began to bend and deform. The bulletproof ss that had held strong over the years was finally reaching its limit!


    CRASH<i>¨C</i>1


    The ss shattered into a thousand pieces.


    It was as though a floodgate had burst open.


    Zombies poured into the building in endless waves. Howling and shrieking, they charged into the spacious interior of the building at full speed.


    The group arguing on the middle floors of the building was startled by the sudden noise. Desmond nced down the stairwell¨Ca zombie in a security guard uniform appeared in his line of sight.


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    The zombie security guard was wearing its uniform from three years ago. Its belly was hollowed, gouged out from both the front and the back. Its face was ripped apart, starting from the mouth all the way to the back of its head.


    Even the ces where its ears should have been were nothing more than bloody, scabbed holes. One ear had been chewed off; the other ear was barely hanging on by a strip of earlobe, dangling loosely beside its


    face.


    With a guttural howl, it opened its grotesque mouth ferociously. Its horribly disfigured face was revealed in the light, its dangling ear swinging wildly as it charged upward at full speed.


    ¡°<i>Roar- </i>


    ¡°<i>Roar-</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Roar</i><i>!</i><i>¡± </i>


    The zombie security guard sprinted along the stairs.


    Meanwhile, Theresa ran to the stairwell and looked down at the same time as the others.


    She was greeted by the sight of the bloody zombie security guard with the dangling ear reaching the third floor.


    Just as the zombie security guard reached the third floor, it suddenly leapt high into the air¡ª


    Only to plummet rapidly.


    Its bodynded on the second floor with a sickening smack.


    That was because the entire stairway leading from the third floor to the fifth floor had been demolished.


    Desmond and the rest of the group had been living on the middle floors of the building, between the fifth and seventh floors.


    They had demolished the stairs leading two floors down to prevent zombies from ascending the building. Worried that zombies mighte from above, they had done the same to the stairs leading upward and destroyed the stairway leading from the seventh to the eighth floor.


    When the zombie security guard tumbled and crashed on the second¨Cfloornding, a flood of other zombies rushed forward and trampled over its fallen body as they charged forward.


    The zombie security guard struggled to lift its head, but another zombie kicked it in the head. A zombie¡¯s foot stomped down and tore its dangling car right off its face, opening a new wound on the already ghastly face. The decrepit muscles under its jaw were exposed by the fresh, new gash on its face.


    <i>¡°</i><i>Roar-</i><i>¡± </i>


    <i>¡°</i><i>Roar-</i>¡±


    <i>¡°</i><i>Roar</i><i>!</i><i>¡± </i>


    The zombies charged forward in an unending wave.


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    The flood of zombies soon reached the third floor. Like antelopes jumping off a cliff, they hurled themselves toward the fourth floor only to crash into the ground below.


    As theynded, they mmed into the sea of zombies below, the stair railings, the walls¡­


    Not a single zombie managed to reach the fifth floor.


    The tall stairwell shaft was soon packed tight with a dark, writhing mass of zombies.


    s


    The zombies thrashed about violently, as though they were trapped inside a deep pit. Howling and snarling, they turned their lifeless eyes upward to stare fixedly at the living people above them.


    Seeing the overwhelming sea of corpses below, Desmond and the rest of the group instinctively retreated


    backward.


    Theresa leaned against the stair railing. Peering at the surging horde of zombies through the gaps, she frowned deeply.


    ¡°Lucas, how much longer do


    you need?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve found the archive room. We¡¯re searching for the documents from back then. It won¡¯t take more than another twenty minutes.¡±


    ¡°Make it fast.¡±


    She did not say anything else afterward. Watching the swelling mass of zombies below, she furrowed her brows in tension.


    ¡°What do we do now?!¡± Cecilia asked in a panic. ¡°The zombies are here!¡±


    Desmond stared grimly at the chaos below.


    ¡°Move all the potatoes on the fifth floor to the upper floors! And demolish the stairs to the fifth floor!


    ¡°Go, quickly!¡±


    Following hismand, the members of their small camp cautiously began to make their way downstairs.


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    The zombies had already reached the third floor¡­ Who knew how much longer they could hold out before the zombies breached the middle floors?<b>¡® </b>


    They had to move their supplies upstairs¨Cfast!


    Desmond took the lead, walking ahead of the group.


    The further down they went, the closer they got to the zombie horde¡­


    The zombies writhed and surged below¨Clike a bunch of starving goldfish feeding greedily in a pond, seemingly ready to burst out of the water and attack the humans at any moment.


    Leaping and iling wildly, they howled and shrieked non¨Cstop¨Ceager to bite off the fragile heads, rip open the vulnerable bellies, and scoop out the warm, pulsating innards of their prey.


    ¡°Roar-¡±


    <i>¡°</i><i>Heh</i><i>! </i>Heh! Heh<i>!</i><i>¡± </i>


    <i>¡°</i><i>Roar</i><i>!</i><i>¡± </i>


    Desmond descended the stairs with his heart in his throat.


    Surrounded by the stench of decay and the screeches of the zombies, he was the first to reach thending. He stuck close to the wall, skirting around the broken section of the staircase as he quickly ran into the fifth floor.


    There was an open¨Cair terrace on the fifth floor. As the area was blessed with good sunlight, they had piled their meager supplies together and turned the ce into a farming area.


    Three rows of potted nts were arranged neatly on the terrace.


    Desmond grabbed the nearest and healthiest¨Clooking pot of potatoes, then he turned to run back upstairs.


    The rest of his team members followed closely behind him, dodging the zombies as they rushed to move the crops.


    It didn¡¯t matter if they were men or women; they frantically grabbed as many pots as they could carry.


    The zombies were swarming the floors below. There was no saying when the zombies would break through their defenses and reach the fifth floor.


    They had to move fast¨Cand take what they could.


    Every single pot counted!


    Cecilia hung at the back of the group.


    When she reached the stairnding on the fifth floor, she immediately noticed a female zombie below¡­ Its entire face had rotted away. Only a small patch of scalp and a tuft of hair remained on the back of its head.


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    The female zombie struggled free from the sea of corpses and lifted its head. Its lifeless, gray eyes stared directly at Cecilia, unblinking¡­


    ¡°<i>Roar</i><i>!</i><i>¡± </i>


    Then, it leaped out of the zombie pile.


    Its putrid mouth, recking strongly of rotting flesh, was split wide open to the back of its ears. Its face waspletely unrecognizable at this point. With the grotesque patchwork of flesh in varying degrees of decay covering its face, only the faintest outline of its original facial features could be discerned through


    the rot.


    <i>sh</i>!


    Its thin and skeletal hand glinted with a metallic sheen as it viciously swiped upward with great force.


    <i>Screech- </i>


    The grating sound of ws scraping against ster pierced the air¡­


    The female zombie¡¯s ws shed hard at the floor beneath Cecilia¡¯s feet, making a sound that made one¡¯s skin crawl, A deep five¨Cfinger w mark appeared at the edge of the step.


    Chunks of white ster crumbled and fell from the spot.


    Cecilia hurriedly stumbled backward and crashed into Juno, who was carrying a pot of potatoes behind her.


    ¡°Cecilia!¡± Desmond snapped. Having reached the next floor, he red down at Cecilia.


    ¡°It was Juno who dropped the pot!¡± Cecilia retorted sharply. ¡°What does that have to do with me?!¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap! You clearly bumped into her!¡± Wesley pped back.


    ¡°I saw it too! Juno could barely carry anything to begin with, then you went and bumped into her!¡± Eli added. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone as useless as you!¡±


    Cecilia clenched her fists in anger at those words.


    Juno, Juno, Juno¡­ It¡¯s always <i>Juno</i><i>! </i>


    Everyone sides with her<i>¨C</i>not a single <i>person </i><i>is </i><i>on </i><i>my </i>side!


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Cecilia¡± Juno hurriedly interrupted. ¡°I¡¯ll just go and get more.¡±


    Hearing that, Cecilia shook off Juno¡¯s hand and strode off to the fifth floor in a huff.


    Theresa stood upstairs, quietly watching the drama unfolding below.


    <i>There </i><i>aren¡¯t </i><i>many </i>people here, but there sure are many wicked schemes.


    Ten minutester, most of the crops on the fifth floor had been moved upstairs.


    At the same time, the number of zombies umting on the staircase was increasing rapidly¡­


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    There was a gap of approximately twenty feet between the third floor and the fifth floor. It was too high for the zombies to reach by jumping, but as the number of zombies increased¡­ The tower of bodies gradually grew higher and higher, steadily closing the distance between the floors.


    After the first female zombie managed to scratch at the stairs, more and more zombies followed suit. They began leaping into the air to reach the fifth floor.


    Loud scraping sounds echoed throughout the stairwell as the zombies wed at the steps of the fifth¨Cfloor stairway. Each scratch stripped awayyers of white ster, exposing the dark gray concrete hidden underneath.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Just as one of the men was carrying thest pot of potatoes upstairs, a zombie finally seeded after countless failed attempts.


    The zombie grabbed hold of the broken edge of the stairway and lunged upwards with its ws outstretched.


    One of its wstched onto the man¡¯s ankle as he shuffled along the edge. Its sharp ws instantly pierced through his tendon.


    The zombie tightened its grip, its fingers sinking into the man¡¯s flesh and ripping through muscle like a rubber band snapping against one¡¯s nerve¨Csharp, precise, and sickeningly painful.


    ¡°Ah-


    The man gave a blood¨Ccurdling scream of agony.


    His cry had barely left his mouth when his leg was violently yanked downward with brutal force. The pot of potatoes in his hand smashed to the ground, and his body plunged toward the depths below.


    As he slid down the stairs, he desperately grabbed hold of the stair railing and clung for his life.


    ¡°Ron!¡±


    ¡°Ron!¡±


    Desmond and the others froze in their tracks when they saw the man being dragged downward by the zombies. They watched in horror as more and more zombies pounced and swarmed around the man dangling in the air.


    Everything happened in the blink of an eye.


    The first zombie that had grabbed the man¡¯s leg gave a low growl and sank its teeth deep into the man¡¯s calf. As blood spilled from the wound, the scent of fresh blood instantly sent the entire horde of zombies below into a crazed frenzy.


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    Chapter 499 Fiance and Ex¨CHusband


    A second zombie leaped up and sank its teeth into the man¡¯s left thigh.


    Another zombie mped down on his right thigh.


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    Yet another zombie executed the perfect jump. Its wstched onto the man¡¯s ribcage, fingers stabbing directly into his chest. Using his bones to support itself, it voraciously devoured his entrails.


    Within three or four seconds, he waspletely covered in zombies.


    ¡°Save me-¡±


    Help-


    ¡°Ah-


    The man clung tightly to the railing, desperately crying for help.


    Juno was the first to rush forward, trying to pull him back to safety.


    However, Desmond roughly shoved her aside.


    ¡°What are you doing? There¡¯s no point trying to save him anymore!¡±


    He pulled out a small knife from his pocket and shed at the man¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Let go!


    Blood sprayed wildly in every direction.


    ¡°Let go, d¡¯mn it!¡±


    But no matter how Desmond chopped at the man¡¯s hand, the man refused to let go.


    Despite being covered in zombies, the man continued to cling desperately to the railing. His desperate gaze peered through the mass of zombies surrounding him, staring intently at the people standing above


    him.


    ¡°No¨CJuno screamed. ¡°Don¡¯t kill him! Don¡¯t kill him!¡±


    Desmond cursed, ¡°F*ck! He¡¯s already dead!¡±


    Those words seemed to trigger her.


    ¡°You murderer!¡± She went crazy and started hitting him with her fists. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault! You murderer! You killed everyone!¡±


    A fierce light shed through his eyes at those words.


    He shoved her aside again and red down at the hand gripping the railing tightly. Raising his foot, he stomped down hard without hesitation.


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    Chapter 499 Fiance and Ex¨CHusband


    He was a strength¨Ctype ability user.


    After three consecutive kicks, the man¡¯s hand became a bloody mess.


    s


    Meanwhile, the zombies below were beginning to use the man¡¯s body as adder. Just as they were climbing up his torso to reach the fifth floor, his grip finally wavered and loosened.


    He plummeted to the lower floors, dragging arge number of zombies with him.


    ¡°Ronald!¡± Juno screamed. She copsed to her knees, helplessly reaching out her hand toward the falling figure.


    Theresa raised an eyebrow at the name.


    Ronald? Ronald Lorik? Wasn¡¯t that the name on the work badge we found <i>on </i>the fifteenth <i>floor </i>earlier<i>? </i>


    On the other hand, Desmond seemed to change into a different person when he heard the name. He grabbed Juno roughly and yelled at the others. ¡°Destroy the stairs, now!¡±


    Then, he dragged Juno upstairs.


    The others hurriedly raised various fire axes and makeshift weapons, hammering wildly at the staircase.


    There were three strength¨Ctype ability users among them. Thanks to their efforts, the reinforced concrete stairs began to crack and chip under their furious blows.


    ¡°Let go, you murderer!¡± Juno struggled violently in Desmond¡¯s grip. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me! I said, don¡¯t touch me!¡±


    She angrily bit down hard on his arm.


    Her actions made him snap, and his temper reached its peak.


    ¡°I can¡¯t touch you! But Ronald can!¡± As soon as he reached the sixth floor, he ignored Theresa and roughly threw Juno into the room. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare forget¨CI¡¯m your legitimate fiance! Ronald is nothing more than <b>a </b>meddling sc*mbag!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the sc¡¯mbag! The nastiest sc*mbag in the world!¡±


    p!


    Desmond pped Juno hard across the face. ¡°If you want him so badly, then go and join him!¡±


    He then turned and ran back downstairs to help the others, leaving her gasping and sobbing painfully on the ground.


    ¡°Serves her right! I hope she dies! Cecilia, who had been watching the drama unfold from the side, looked absolutely delighted.


    Theresa nced at Cecilia


    Sensing Theresa¡¯s gaze, Cecilia turned and gave Theresa a sly look. ¡°Do you want to know about Ronald?¡±


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    Chapter 499 Fiance and Ex¨CHusband


    ¡°Nope.¡±


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    ¡°Oh, well¡­ I¡¯ll tell you for free. Ronald Lorik was Juno¡¯s ex¨Chusband.¡± She watched the weeping woman on- the ground with a gloating expression. ¡°She¡¯s really something, isn¡¯t she? To have so many men fawning over her¡­ but her lucky days are over!¡±


    Theresa wondered casually, ¡°Did she steal your boyfriend or something?¡±


    Cecilia turned toward Theresa in astonishment. ¡°Can you read minds?¡±


    Do I really need to read minds <i>to </i>know that<i>? </i>Theresa rolled her eyes at those words.


    Just look at how she constantly <i>badmouths </i>and <i>sabotages </i><i>the </i><i>other </i><i>woman</i><i>! </i><i>More </i><i>often </i><i>than </i>not, <i>that </i><i>kind </i>of grudge only stems from a stolen <i>husband </i><i>or </i>a <i>murdered </i><i>parent</i>.


    ¡°Those men were supposed to be mine!¡± Cecilia red hatefully at Juno.


    ¡°Ronald, Desmond¡­ I was the one who had my eye on them first! She stole them from me!¡±


    Theresa rolled her eyes again.


    <i>If </i>we were living <i>in </i><i>peaceful </i><i>times</i><i>, </i><i>I </i><i>would </i><i>have </i><i>brought </i><i>this </i><i>woman directly </i><i>to </i><i>a </i><i>psychiatrist</i>.


    Meanwhile, chaos ensued downstairs.


    Desmond and the rest of his group were furiously hammering away at the stairway on the fifth floor.


    With theirbined efforts, an entire section of the floor began to copse. When the floor crashed downward, the thick b of concrete spanning more than three inches crushed arge group of zombies underneath.


    But there was no time for rejoicing. The fallen concrete b soon disappeared under the zombies that swarmed forward once more.


    The zombies ascend resumed. Using the b of concrete as a tform, they climbed upward and jumped, trying to reach the stairway hanging above.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    A zombie managed to grab onto the stairway on the fifth floor and began climbing rapidly.


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    Desmond, who was hacking away at the stairway, immediately turned and swung his fire axe at the zombie


    instead.


    He had just chopped off the first zombie¡¯s hand when another scrambled onto the stairway. He hurriedly shed at the next zombie. Fighting defensively, he struggled desperately to hold the line.


    Just when it seemed as though he was going to lose the battle, Wesley¡¯s voice came from behind.


    ¡°Get up here, now!¡±


    He hastily turned and ran, sprinting across the crumbling tform between the fifth and sixth floors. As soon as he safely made his way across, the Wilde siblings quickly destroyed thest remaining section of the stairway.


    The few zombies that had managed to climb onto the fifth floor were just about to charge forward¨Conly to lose their footing and plummet to the ground again.


    Desmond stood there, gasping for breath as he watched the zombies falling backward.


    Though he was relieved to have survived the ordeal, he knew it¨Cthey were running out of options.


    Once the zombies reached the stairway on the fifth floor, it would only be a matter of time before they jumped to the sixth floor.


    Their previous strategy of destroying the stairway was no longer working¡­


    What now?


    Do we hide further upstairs? <i>But </i><i>there </i><i>are </i><i>zombies </i><i>on </i><i>the </i><i>upper </i><i>floors </i><i>too</i><i>¡­ </i>


    We don¡¯t know what¡¯s <i>the </i>situation <i>there</i><i>¡­ </i>Desmond pondered. <i>Besides</i><i>, </i><i>it¡¯s </i><i>only </i><i>a </i>matter <i>of </i>time <i>before </i>we <i>die</i><i>. </i>


    Everything was over <i>the </i><i>moment </i><i>the </i><i>zombie </i><i>horde </i><i>entered </i><i>the </i><i>building</i>.


    He suddenly turned to look at Theresa, who had been watching the chaos from the stairway on the sixth floor.


    ¡°You have to help us!¡± Scrambling up the stairs, he practically crawled to her feet. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a helicopter? Take us with you!¡±


    ¡°Why should I?¡± She looked at himzily.


    ¡°I¡¯ll share half of our supplies with you!¡± He gritted his teeth and promised. ¡°Just get us out of here!¡±


    She raised an eyebrow at his words. ¡°Do you think I care about those measly pots of potatoes?¡±


    Her retort left him speechless. He didn¡¯t even know where to begin responding.


    It was the apocalypse, for crying out loud!


    There was no way potatoes weren¡¯t considered valuable resources!


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    ¡°Then, tell me what would it take for you to get us out of here?¡±


    Theresa briefly considered the request.


    Taking a few people with her wasn¡¯t out of the question.


    s


    The zing Sun Alliance was always short on manpower, so having more people would be beneficial. It wasn¡¯t as though these people would be a burden.


    The biggest problem was¨Cthese people had not left a great impression on her.


    Furthermore, none of them stood out to her in any way. They were neither particrly special nor useful.


    The people she had rescued in the past either had special abilities or redeeming qualities. Take Eva Hunter, for example; she was a capable and courageous woman with real leadership skills.


    But these people? They were nothing more than fodder to make up numbers.


    Not to mention, there was Cecilia and Juno. One was weird and troublesome, and the other was too kind for her own good.


    Theresa nced at the time. Lucas would be done in about five minutes.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she agreed. ¡°If you can hold off the zombie horde until my men return, then I¡¯ll take you with me. Also, you¡¯ll have to hand over the bag of pasta I gave you¨Calong with the potatoes.¡±


    The potatoes did not impress her, but there was no point in wasting resources. She might as well take whatever she could.


    Desmond hesitated.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you now,¡± she added casually, ¡°if you manage to survive and leave with me, you¡¯ll look back and realize¨Cgiving me those meager supplies was a steal.¡±


    Everyone stared at her.


    Those words¡­ What <i>did </i><i>they </i><i>mean</i><i>? </i>


    There was no time to think¨Canother wave of zombies was surging toward them.


    Roar<i>! </i>


    ¡°Alright!¡± Desmond gritted his teeth and made his decision. ¡°I¡¯ll agree to your conditions, but you must save us! You have to take us with you!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this right,¡± Theresa calmly rified. ¡°You only get to leave with me if you manage to survive. I won¡¯t guarantee your safety, you¡¯re not part of my camp. I¡¯m only offering seats on the helicopter to those


    who survive.


    ¡°Whether you live or die, that¡¯s on you.¡±


    ¡°Deal!¡± He nodded grimly.


    When he nodded his agr¨¦ement, Cecilia suddenly interrupted.


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    ¡°I disagree!¡±


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    Theresa turned her gaze toward Cecilia.


    Cecilia¡¯s eyes widened in outrage. ¡°There¡¯s no way we¡¯re handing over our supplies to you! We grew those with our own blood and sweat! You want our stuff, yet you won¡¯t guarantee our safety!? That¡¯s not happening!¡±


    Theresa couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue. She simply turned to Desmond and said, ¡°You have thirty seconds to give me an answer.¡±


    ¡°Cecilia, this isn¡¯t your call,¡± Desmond snapped.


    ¡°Are you out of your mind, Desmond?! That woman is going to take our supplies and then leave us to die! How will we survive if we have nothing?!¡±


    Various thoughts spun around his mind like a tightly wound spring. Surrounded by the howling of the zombies below them and Cecilia¡¯s words echoing endlessly in his ears, his head throbbed from the


    pressure.


    ¡°Screw it, it doesn¡¯t matter. We must leave with them!¡±


    Giving their supplies to Theresa mightpromise their future survival. They could die, but there was also a chance for them to survive.


    Staying here, on the other hand, meant guaranteed death.


    ¡°Who cares if you agree? I disagree!¡± Cecilia yelled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t agree either!¡± Matthew, the man who had previously stolen from Cecilia, suddenly joined the conversation.


    ¡°We disagree too!¡± Another couple added. ¡°We don¡¯t trust her! Give us back our share of the supplies¨Cwe¡¯ll split up from here!¡±


    Desmond¡¯s expression darkened. He looked around at the remaining people in the room.


    The rest of the group remained silent, saying nothing at all.

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    Chapter 501 Running Out of Time


    ¡°Alright, enough stalling!¡±


    Theresa¡¯s voice cut through the air like a whip, sharp and bossy.


    +10 Free Coins


    ¡°Clock¡¯s ticking. Either cough up your share and stay with me, or take your stuff and run. Up to you!¡±


    Desmond¡¯s jaw clenched as he scanned the faces in front of him, most already showing cracks of doubt and fear. The team was disintegrating.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he snapped, tossing a bundle of supplies toward Cecilia¡¯s group. ¡°If you¡¯re splitting, then split.¡±


    Half of the loot was given to her people, while the rest was thrust into Theresa¡¯s hands. Desmond was left with only ten exhausted, jittery survivors behind him.


    A low, bone¨Cchilling howl rolled up from below.


    <i>Rarghh</i><i>! </i>


    Zombies came flying up, mming onto the fifth floor like rabid beasts. Their ws scraped against the concrete, screeching as they scrambled and tore their way toward the sixth.


    Desmond shouted themand loudly, his voice steady despite the chaos below. He ripped a piece of the tabletop, using it as a shield, and moved to block the stairwell.


    His crew quickly followed, armed with pipes, knives, and makeshift weapons from nearby, their feet set firmly as they prepared for the approaching wave of monsters.


    Cecilia remained on the stairs above, her group burdened with supplies. They gazed down at the scene below, torn between guilt and relief.


    ¡°You¡¯ll regret it!¡± she yelled down, her voice cracking more than she intended.


    She swung her bag higher on her back and took off, Matthew and the others at her heels.


    By the time they hit the seventh floor, their luck ran dry. A ten¨Cfoot gap loomed above them, like a cruel joke.


    Cecilia¡¯s heart sank. ¡°How the hell are we supposed to climb that?¡±


    Theresa¡¯s crew had vaulted down earlier with ease, but this was no jump down. This was a climb up. None of them had that kind of spring.


    The group fidgeted in panic, each second wasted tightening the knot in their stomachs. Then Cecilia had a sudden idea.


    ¡°The elevator shaft! There¡¯s adder in there. If we get to it, we¡¯re golden.¡±


    No one argued. They bolted for the elevator.


    Matthew, blessed with a strength¨Ctype ability, wedged a crowbar between the doors. Metal groaned and screeched until the gap split open.


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    A ck void stretched before them. The shaft felt endless, like a throat waiting to swallow them whole.


    Matthew peered into the dark shaft, scanning up and down until his eyes found thedder attached to the right wall. It wasn¡¯t very close¨Cjust far enough to make reaching it challenging from the doorway.


    He adjusted his backpack straps, grasped the frame with one hand, and lunged forward. His thick fingers wrapped around the cold metal rung, gripping it tightly as he pulled himself up.


    Seeing him climb, Cecilia hurried to catch up. She wasn¡¯t tall enough, so she stretched, fingertips grazing the air. With a desperate push, she lunged and barely grasped thedder.


    Her heart pounded in her chest as her heavy backpack slipped from her shoulder. Potatoes pressed against the fabric, nearly falling out with each step. She gritted her teeth and kept climbing, too frightened to stop and fix it.


    Behind her, a married couple took their turn. The husband went first, steadying himself against the wall to offer his hand.


    His wife moved closer, gripping the doorframe with white knuckles before leaning in. She extended her hand, fingertips touching his. A look of relief crossed her face as their hands finally connected.


    That was when it happened.


    A shower of potatoes tumbled loose from above, bouncing and ttering against the steel walls.


    The sudden weight shift threw the husband off bnce. He slipped, his grip dragging her with him. ¡°No!¡± ¡°My potatoes!¡± Cecilia eximed.


    The cries ovepped, twisted with panic.


    The wife plunged into the abyss.


    The sound that followed was sickening.


    Thud<i>. </i>


    Her body hit bottom, bones snapping like twigs. Blood sprayed against the shaft walls. Her skull burst on impact, mashed against a stray potato. Red and yellow smeared together, dripping into her eyes, her mouth, stuffing her face with a grotesque mix of flesh and pulp.


    For a moment, silence. Then came the crash.


    Boom<i>! </i>


    The first¨Cfloor elevator door buckled.


    Zombies spilled in like a flood, snarling as they threw themselves onto the fresh corpse.


    <i>Rarghh</i>.


    They swarmed her body, jaws snapping, bones cracking under their bite as they tore off flesh like starving. wolves fighting over a kill.


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    The Level 2 zombies, more agile and swift, suddenly tilted their heads upward. Their yellow eyes caught the flicker of movement.


    They scrambled up thedder, hand over hand and foot over foot, like predators tracking prey.


    ¡°Climb! Don¡¯t look back!¡± Cecilia shricked, her voice raw with terror. Her hands flew over the rungs. knuckles white as she dragged herself higher.


    Meanwhile, down on the sixth floor, the stairwell shook with every impact.


    Zombies repeatedly crashed into the barricade, piling up as they attacked. Desmond and his team pushed back using tabletops, their effort visible in their strained muscles and sweat¨Cdrenched brows. Each sessive wave pushed them further into retreat.


    Below, the zombie horde continued to thicken. The third floor was already a writhing mass of bodies, with the pressure pushing them upward.


    By the fourth floor, the swarm resembled a wall of flesh stacked


    upon


    itself.


    The fifth floor became aunch pad, with waves of zombies rushing toward the barricade like cannon <i>fire</i><i>. </i>


    It wouldn¡¯t hold much longer.


    Theresa nced at her watch, her eyes narrowing. <i>Half </i><i>an </i><i>hour gone</i>. <i>Where </i><i>the </i><i>hell </i>is <i>Lucas</i><i>? </i>


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    <i>Boom</i>!


    The barricade blew apart in the middle with a deafening crack. Wesley, unlucky enough to be stationed there, was flung like a rag doll. The opening gaped wide, a perfect doorway for death to pour through.


    A female zombie in a shredded office suit lunged forward. Her face was bloodless, lips peeled back as her jaw unhinged unnaturally, drool dangling in sticky ropes between rotting teeth. She shrieked as she snapped down on the gap.


    Just when it looked like she¡¯d tear straight through, a jet of water smashed her across the skull with a wet crack. Juno shoved her way to the front, her hands dripping from the burst of her water¨Cbased ability. She yanked Wesley out of harm¡¯s way without even pausing to breathe.


    Desmond didn¡¯t hesitate either. He swung a jagged nk like a bat, smashing it into the zombie woman¡¯s chest and knocking her back into the horde.


    Their victorysted seconds.


    ¡°Raaaghhh! Raaaghhh!¡±


    More bodies poured in. They weren¡¯t holding much longer. Desmond¡¯s gut twisted. <i>We¡¯re </i>finished <i>if </i><i>this </i><i>keeps </i><i>up</i>.


    Then a shout cut through the chaos.


    ¡°They¡¯re back!¡±


    Theresa¡¯s voice echoed from the back, as she stood pressed against the window with one foot hooked on a steel cable. Meanwhile, Lucas and his team hurried back from the Military Garrison, firing their rifles.


    Rat<i>¨C</i><i>tat</i><i>¨C</i><i>tat! </i>Rat¨C<i>tat</i>¨C<i>tat</i><i>! </i>


    The stairwell lit up with gunfire. Zombies jerked and dropped as bullets carved through the mob, giving Desmond¡¯s half¨Cdead crew the first breath of relief they¡¯d felt in half an hour.


    ¡°Fall back!¡± Theresa barked, already charging upstairs with her people in tow.


    As they climbed, she shot a nce at Lucas. ¡°Tell me you got it.¡±


    His reply was clipped, his gun never stopping its bursts<b>. </b>¡°It¡¯s here. You seriously dragging that dead weight with us?¡±


    Theresa¡¯s tone stayed cool. ¡°I said I¡¯d bring them if they could keep up. Promise is a promise. Why? You think they¡¯re not worth the effort?¡±


    Lucas gave a humorlessugh. ¡°I¡¯d ditch them in a heartbeat.¡±


    Theresa cut him a sharp look. Then when we get back, they¡¯re your problem.¡±


    ¡°No arguments here,¡± he agreed.


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    Chapter 502 Shattered Trust


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    By the time the banter ended, they¡¯d reached the eighth floor. The same jagged gap split the stairwell.


    Lucas didn¡¯t even think twice. He sprinted, boots mming into the corner of the wall. His body twisted mid¨Cair, one hand catching the ledge across. He swung himself over with the grace of a gymnast andnded clean.


    He knelt, looped a ropedder over the edge, and tossed it down.


    Theresa¡¯s crew scrambled up quickly. After reaching safety, they didn¡¯t look back. Their rule was simple: help only if you could do so without strain. They left thedder, though, dangling like a lifeline.


    Momentster, Desmond¡¯s survivors arrived.


    Eyes lit up as they spotted it. For the first time in ages, hope sparked. <i>She </i><i>really </i><i>did </i><i>leave </i>us <i>a </i><i>chance</i>. <i>Following </i><i>them </i><i>is </i>the right <i>choice</i>!


    They rushed it. One, two, three¨Cby the ninth climber, panic hit. A zombie barreled onto the eighth floor, snarling as it lunged.


    Two people were still dangling on the rope.


    Desmond¡¯s stomach knotted. He raised his de without a word and swung at thedder.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing!¡±


    Juno spun halfway up before dropping back down, her hands burning as she clutched the rope. The fibers gouged into her palms, tearing the skin as she clung desperately.


    ¡°Juno!¡± Desmond¡¯s voice cracked. He lunged forward, yanking at her arm. ¡°Let go! The zombie ising!¡±


    ¡°I know!¡± she screamed, her voice raw with rage. ¡°Desmond, you cold¨Cblooded b*stard! You¡¯ve thrown away enough people already. I won¡¯t let you sacrifice more! They¡¯re still breathing! They¡¯re still alive!¡±


    ¡°Alive? They¡¯re dead the second you waste time on them!¡± His eyes burned with fury as he forcefully hauled Juno up, regardless of her wishes.


    Juno refused to let go. The coarse fibers ground against her skin until they tore away from her palm.


    Tears blurred her eyes as she cried out, ¡°Ronald! Don¡¯t you dare let go of that rope!¡±


    The name hit Desmond like a knife. His anger exploded. He ripped harder, nails digging into her wrist until angry red marks scorched her skin.


    ¡°Ronald, Ronald¨Cwake up, Juno!¡± Desmond¡¯s voice cracked into a snarl. ¡°That split wasn¡¯t on him¨Cit was me! He never touched another woman. I nted the lies, faked the photos, and made him believe we were together!¡± 1

 Kept Woman 503

    Chapter 503 The Rotting Truth


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    ¡°Say that again.¡± Juno¡¯s eyes widened, her voice shaking as if the world was tilting beneath her.


    Desmond red back at her, lips curling into something between a snarl and a confession. ¡°Ronald never betrayed you. That whole divorce? That was my handiwork.¡±


    His voice sounded rough, almost teasing. ¡°Do you know hisst words to me? He begged me to protect you, saying he would fight to the death so I could live¡­ as long as I promised to take. care of you.¡±


    The bitterness on his face hardened. ¡°You¡¯re still clinging to him? Then go ahead. Follow him to the grave.¡±


    He forced her up the staircase, rough and relentless.


    Behind them, the eighth¨Cfloornding trembled with the cries of the trapped zombie horde. The noise echoed through the walls, but Juno¡¯s heartbeat was even louder. For a brief moment, her panic subsided, reced by a cold, steady calm. She allowed Desmond to move ahead, his figure a shadow in the dark stairwell. Then, with quiet determination, she followed him.


    Theresa and her group broke onto the fourteenth floor.


    The first thing she saw stopped her in her tracks. Cecilia sat slumped against the wall, her face


    her chalk¨Cwhite. The instant she saw Theresa, panic and desperation lit up eyes.


    ¡°You came back!¡± she cried, stumbling to her feet. ¡°Please, take me with you! I¡¯ll hand over all the potatoes, just don¡¯t leave me behind!¡±


    Theresa arched an eyebrow, finding Cecilia¡¯s new pleading tone somewhat amusing. ¡°Where¡¯s the rest of your team?¡±


    Cecilia stammered, ¡°They¡­ they¡­¡±


    <i>Bam</i><i>! </i>


    A bloodied hand mmed against the emergency exit behind her.


    Matthew staggered forward, covered in blood. Half his cheek was gone, bone jutting from the open wound. Blood poured down his neck like a faucet left running.


    He tried to speak, tilting his head back. That¡¯s when they saw it. A zombie head was stilltched


    <b>14:48 </b><b>Thu</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>18 </b>


    Chapter 503 The Rotting Truth


    onto his throat, chewing into his veins and ripping his tendons apart.


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    Matthew¡¯s mouth opened wide. Blood gushed out, but you could still read his lips<i>, </i><i>¡®</i><i>Help </i><i>me</i><i>.</i>¡±


    Thud, thud<i>, </i>thud<i>¡­ </i>


    Another figure stumbled into view from above.


    This one was worse. His legs were gone, gnawed to nothing but two bloody femurs sticking out under his tattered boxers. Half of his backside was eaten away, but from the waist up, he was mostly intact.


    His eyes were cloudy gray.


    Theresa recalled him¨Cone of the fools who¡¯d split off earlier.


    The man opened his mouth with a wet groan and threw himself forward, cking down the stairs on bare bones like they were stilts.


    <i>Bang</i><i>! </i>


    Lucas didn¡¯t even hesitate. One clean headshot ended it.


    His frown grew deeper. ¡°We cleared the upper floors. Why are more still crawling out?¡±


    Before anyone could answer, the emergency door rattled violently.


    <i>Bam</i><i>, </i><i>bam</i><i>, </i><i>bam</i><i>¡­ </i>


    Zombies crashed against it in relentless waves. At the center was Matthew, with what remained of his face a tangled mess of flesh, his eyes wide and gray. He pounded the metal with fists like a sledgehammer.


    He had been a strength¨Ctype ability user when alive. Now, as a strength¨Ctype ability zombie, his blows shook the entire frame.


    The stairwell erupted with footsteps from below. The zombie horde was climbing.


    ¡°Move!¡± Theresa barked. She didn¡¯t waste another breath. She seized Quentin¡¯s arm, shot Cecilia a piercing re, and sprinted upward. Questions could wait¡ªthe mess was obvious- Cecilia had brought trouble right to their doorstep.


    The only goal now was survival.


    <b>14:48 </b>Thu, <b>Sep </b>18


    Chapter 508 The Rotting Truth


    The group thundered toward the fifteenth floor.


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    Theresa had just stepped onto thending when the door exploded open. A zombie lurched through, gripping a severed head in its ws. Its mouth dripped with brown, slimy muck, strands of half¨Crotted flesh hanging loose, alive with wriggling maggots.


    The zombie dropped the head like trash the second it caught the scent of the living. Its jaw cracked wide, sticky strands of rot dangling from its teeth.


    The stench hit like a wall¨Cit had been feeding on corpses long past decay. Theresa recognized it instantly. It was the same male body she¡¯d seen before, kneeling on the ground with fly eggs crawling across his scalp.


    ¡°Raaagh!¡± It lunged.


    Theresa had no de anymore. She acted on instinct. She swung Quentin by the legs like a sack of bricks, punting the zombie square in the chest and sending it flying.


    His stunned silence said it all.


    There was no time forints. She quickly lifted him back into her arms and ran through the door on the fifteenth floor.


    That¡¯s when she heard it.


    A deep, vibrating buzz filled the air.


    A dark, smoky ck cloud emerged from the darkness beyond.


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 Kept Woman 504

    Chapter 504 The Swarm


    Chapter 504 The Swarm


    Buzz.


    The sound hit again.


    <i>Buzz</i>.


    Then the nightmare revealed itself.


    :.


    (7)¡£


    s


    A swarm of flies burst out¨Cnot the usual kind you can swat, butrge green¨Cheaded creatures, each as thick as a finger joint. They whirred like a thousand tiny engines, rushing directly toward the exit in a ck wave.


    Theresa¡¯s instincts kicked in. She snapped up an Aeroshield, the shimmering barrier spreading wide enough to shield Lucas and the people behind her.


    The people further back weren¡¯t as fortunate.


    The swarm split, diving at Desmond¡¯s group like living bullets.


    Flies infiltrated cors and waistbands, wriggling into noses and ears. A couple of them panicked and screamed, opening their mouths to the buzzing swarm. In seconds, they were choking on insects, with wings pping against their cheeks and fuzzy legs scraping their tongues and teeth. Someid eggs as they crawled inside, while others burrowed deeper, disappearing down throats.


    They heaved and wed wildly at their faces, but the swarm gave them no way out. Every hole in their bodies was jammed full of buzzing flesh.


    Cec¨ªlia was among them. She started to cry out, but she swallowed the swarm. Wesley and Eli panicked, swatting at the air like children frightened of bees, while the others did what they could¨Ccovering their mouths with their hands and hiding their faces.


    At the very back, Desmond turned sharply. He wrapped his arm around Juno, using his body <b>as </b><b>a </b>shield while the swarm roared above.


    The flies zipped by with a loud hum and then suddenly disappeared.


    For a split second, silence fell over.


    Then, the emergency exit behind them exploded with a loud boom.


    ¡°Aaaargh!¡±


    Chapter 504 The Swarm


    The first figure through was Matthew. He was no longer human.


    <b>87 </b>


    s


    Desmond¡¯s stomach lurched, but he had no time to think. His eyelid twitched briefly before he grabbed Juno and ran.


    Fifteenth floor.


    Sixteenth.


    Seventeenth.


    Each step set their lungs on fire; their legs howled in protest. One thought drove them on- make it to the twenty¨Cseventh floor or drop dead on the way.


    Desmond easily outpaced the others. This wasn¡¯t due to luck; he consistently ate the most at camp, reserving the best for himself. Consequently, he was healthier, stronger, and faster than everyone else because he made sure of it.


    It began with fifteen people¨Ccoworkers who were all trapped inside the building when everything copsed. They knew each other well¨CJuno was the art director, Wesley and Eli worked for her, Cecilia managed the front desk, and Desmond was the overall manager.


    That night was meant for overtime. Thirty people filled the office, working diligently to meet a deadline. Desmond and Cecilia weren¡¯t required to stay, but both decided to do so. He stayed to supervise Ronald, keeping him away from Juno. Cecilia was focused on someone else entirely.


    Then the outbreak hit.


    Desmond recalled going to the convenience store with her to buy snacks and coffee for the team. There, they encountered the injured security guard, who was pale with fear. He seemed harmless, so they decided to bring him back.


    That choice had been a mistake.


    Desmond only grasped how bad things really were when the security guard attacked him inside the elevator. The cramped space became a brawl, and after a frantic struggle, he finally overpowered the man and left him trapped. Heart racing, he hurried to find Juno.


    Instead, he encountered Ronald, holding onto her and demanding exnations. The scene made Desmond¡¯s blood boil. Before he could respond, a coworker suddenly copsed.


    Desmond understood immediately what that signified. He forced a calm face, told Juno to leave, and directed Ronald to take the injured worker to the hospital.


    Chapter 504 The Swarm


    The elevator doors opened, revealing a nightmare: zombies waiting inside, hungry.


    s


    Amid the chaos, Desmond fabricated a story for Ronald, iming that zombies were invading and someone had to fend them off. Desperate and trusting, Ronald believed him. He steadied himself at the elevator doors, fighting the zombie horde with only his resolve.


    Desmond quickly seized Juno¡¯s arm and hurried away, clutching the dead guard¡¯s keycard. Cecilia, Wesley, and Eli trailed closely behind.


    He ignored everyone behind him. Whether they overheard his talk with Ronald or not, he preferred to y it safe. It was better to stay close to those he trusted to avoid any trouble.


    Heter attempted to escape the building, but the street beneath was even more overwhelmed pletely overrun.


    So, he made his choice. Inside was better than outside.


    Walls, supplies, shelter. The building was as good as anywhere.


    Desmond¡¯s first move was raiding the convenience store. He cleared it out, then locked the doors tight so no one else from outside could get in.


    Soon, more survivors from the building. By that time, Desmond already had the supplies and, thanks to his strength¨Ctyped ability, it was natural for others to see him as their leader.

 Kept Woman 505

    Chapter 505 No Escape


    Chapter 505 No Escape


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    Their camp had never been solid; it was more like a shaky truce than a true team. With only a handful of people left and just enough supplies to get by, tension stayed low. No one had the strength to fight each other when every ounce of energy was devoted to survival.


    They were cut off inside the office building, forgotten in the middle of the city. No scavengers ever came near this dead building, so they endured like castaways on a sinking raft.


    If zombies hadn¡¯t evolved and the walls had held, maybe they could¡¯vested like that.


    Yet there was always a hierarchy. Desmond ruled at the top, hoarding supplies. Because of it, he ate better, looked stronger, and ran faster than the rest.


    Now, holding Juno in his arms, he powered up the stairs past exhausted survivors.


    By the twenty¨Cthird floor, Oakley copsed.


    ¡°Mr. Trask!¡± he gasped, reaching out. ¡°Please! Help me!¡±


    Desmond¡¯s eyes


    flicked to the horde below. His decision was instant. He drove his boot into Oakley¡¯s chest, sending him crashing back down the stairs.


    ¡°No!¡± Juno screamed.


    Oakley hit thending hard. The first zombie was on him before he could move, ws ripping <i>at </i>his face and teeth biting into his neck. Blood sttered across the ceiling like paint.


    The frenzy began.


    Even Matthew¨Conce Oakley¡¯s friend- sank his dead, gray¨Ceyed face into the mess. His jaws mped onto Oakley¡¯s leg and ripped the limb free with one savage wrench.


    Oakley¡¯s scream echoed loudly through the stairwell, raw and almost too much to bear.


    ¡°You monster!¡± Juno hammered her fists against Desmond, her voice breaking. ¡°You f*cking monster!¡±


    Desmond snapped, his voice cutting sharply. ¡°I¡¯m finished with your nonsense! Keep it up you¡¯ll be the next!¡±


    and


    Her fury froze into ice. She red at him, then forced her eyes back to Oakley. In the middle of the feeding frenzy, his body stiffened. His eyes rolled open¨Cgray and empty.


    <b>1/3 </b>


    <b>¦Í¦Á¦É</b><b>, </b><b>¦Ò¦Å¦Ñ </b>20


    <b>63 </b>


    Chapter 505 No Escape


    ¡°Raagh!¡±


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    By that point, Desmond and the others had reached the twenty¨Cfourth floor. Only eight of their group remained, including Juno and himself, each fleeing for their life..


    Twenty¨Cfifth floor.


    Each step grew harder, their lungs burning and muscles aching with exertion.


    The zombie horde behind them kept growing even more rapidly. Zombies never tire. If the survivors hesitated, the horde pressed on even harder. They were just one floor below now.


    Twenty¨Csixth floor.


    Only half a flight stood between them and the snapping jaws below. Those at the back swore they felt ws raking at their clothes.


    Not <i>here</i><i>. </i>Not <i>like </i><i>this</i>. <i>Keep </i><i>running</i>.


    They pushed their bodies past the breaking point, hearts pounding like drums in their ears.


    Twenty¨Cseventh floor.


    Light struck them like salvation.


    The rooftop door had swung open, flooding the stairwell with sunlight and fresh air.


    Wesley and Eli rush out first, then freeze as they look up. A helicopter hovered overhead, its des chopping the air, with a ropedder dangling toward them.


    ¡°Climb, if you want <i>to </i>live!¡± Theresa¡¯s voice cut through the chaos.


    The brothers lunged for the rope and scrambled upward. Cecilia wed her way after them, panting.


    Behind her came Desmond, dragging Juno. Two more stragglers stumbled desperately at the


    rear.


    When the ropedder came into view, Desmond¡¯s eyes lit up. He dropped Juno to her feet, spun around, and mmed the rooftop door shut.


    Thest two froze in horror.


    The zombie horde was just seconds from reaching them. If they got through, the zombies would follow. Desmond wasn¡¯t willing to take that risk. He was ready to sacrifice them


    <b>13:19 </b><b>Sat</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>20 </b><b>d </b>


    Chapter 505 No Escape


    immediately.


    Then a hard shove rocked him forward.


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    Juno¡¯s eyes glittered with fury, her slim body trembling as she shouted, ¡°You¡¯ll pay for every one you abandoned!¡± She lunged at him with all her might, trying to hold him down.


    Thest two survivors saw her choice.


    ¡°Juno!¡±


    ¡°Juno!¡±


    She had always been quiet and reserved, but she had been their heart all along.


    2


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 Kept Woman 506

    Chapter 506 Falling Into Silence


    Chapter 506 Falling Into Silence


    Juno had once been the kind of woman everyone admired.


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    Born into privilege and raised by affluent, cultured parents, she was the golden child¨Ctop of her ss, graceful on stage as a dancer, elegant at the piano, and stunning enough to turn heads wherever she went. On top of that, she had the brains to match her beauty and a future that looked unstoppable.


    She secured a job immediately after graduation and quickly rose to be an art director. Her career was flourishing, her marriage was ideal, and her life appeared invincible.


    People didn¡¯t just respect her¨Cthey loved her.


    She never unted her status, never rubbed her sess in anyone¡¯s face. She was soft¨Cspoken, kind, and graceful in ways that made her seem untouchable.


    Now that same woman clung to Desmond like a drowning soul, desperate not to sink.


    This man had shattered her whole life.


    If not for him, she would still be with Ronald. Even if she ended up a zombie, she could¡¯ve epted it¨Canything but this.


    Desmond had taken everything and smashed it to pieces.


    She despised him for it.


    She wanted him to leave, even if it meant falling with him.


    Juno wrapped her arms around him, her fury granting her unexpected strength.


    The rooftop door banged open behind them.


    ¡°Raaargh!¡±


    The first wave of zombies spilled out, jaws snapping.


    Desmond reacted fast. He seized Juno and rolled across the rooftop, both of them crashing hard against the edge.


    He looked at the zombie horde charging ahead, then shifted his gaze to her. She appeared void, like someone who had already surrendered.


    <b>10:12 </b><b>Sun</b><b>, </b>Sep


    Chapter 506 Falling Into Silence


    ¡°You really hate me that much?¡± His voice held a bitterugh.


    s


    ¡°You deserve it!¡± Juno¡¯s voice cracked with rage. ¡°You ruined my life! You should¡¯ve been dead long ago! Why drag me into your misery?!¡±


    Desmond¡¯s face momentarily tensed before unexpectedly breaking intoughter. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m the rat from the gutter. I¡¯m filthy, worthless, and should¡¯ve died long ago.¡±


    His


    gaze lifted to the helicopter hovering overhead, its ropedder swinging in the wind.


    In a swift movement, he hauled Juno off her feet and threw her upward with everything he had.


    ¡°But you don¡¯t deserve to die.


    ¡°Grab her!¡± he roared.


    Wesley and Eli were already clinging to thedder. They reached down, snatched her wrists, and pulled hard until she was secure.


    Juno¡¯s head snapped back, her mind nk.


    Through her blurred eyes, she saw him stand.


    Desmond faced the zombie horde pouring out of the stairwell.


    His chin tilted upward, his eyes locking on her onest time.


    She questioned why he wrecked her life. The truth was simple¨Cpeople like her, glowing with light, had no idea how much that light mattered to someone who had spent their entire life in darkness and dirt.


    ¡°Let me pay for it all. Don¡¯t carry that hate anymore.¡± He plunged into the mass of undead, redirecting their frenzy onto himself rather than the helicopter.


    ¡°Raaaargh!¡±


    The zombies relentlessly chased after him like a flood, wave upon wave, diving off the roof


    into the darkness below.


    Juno¡¯s body went rigid. Her lips moved, but no sound came out.


    Then another voice cut through.


    ¡°Desmond!¡±


    10:12 <b>Sun</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b>21


    Chapter 506 Falling Into Silence


    478


    Cecilia had just made it to the top when she caught sight of Desmond plunging off the building. Her eyes widened with bloodshot intensity, and in the next heartbeat, she let thedder and dove after him.


    s


    go


    of


    She¡¯d once said she liked both Desmond and Ronald. Nobody had believed her¡ªit sounded childish, even absurd.


    Yet she had meant every word. Those two men had been her first real loves. Foolish or not, her heart had never lied.


    She warned Desmond once, <i>¡®</i><i>You¡¯ll </i><i>regret </i><i>it</i>.¡® What she didn¡¯t say aloud was the rest, <i>¡®</i><i>When </i><i>you </i><i>do</i>, I¡¯ll <i>still </i><i>be </i><i>here </i><i>with </i><i>potatoes</i>.¡®


    ¨C


    Her figure disappeared into the same abyss, swallowed by the swarm.


    The helicopter banked east, des roaring in the sky.


    Inside, every survivor stared down at the rooftop below. The building seethed with movement -zombies swarming, wave after wave hurling themselves off the edge like an endless army.


    The first figure that had leapt was already gone from sight.


    Clinging to the ropedder, Juno gazed down in a dazed state. Her pale, trembling lips formed a single silent word: ¡°Desmond.¡±


    One by one, they mbered into the helicopter.


    Theresa sat quietly at the front. She had fought tooth and nail to take this bird from three different camps. It could hold thirty, but now only a handful of seats were filled.


    No one said anything; they simply looked out the windows in silence. Below, the cityy spread out like a graveyard, with the office tower where they had spent three long years fading into the distance.


    The quiet didn¡¯tst¨CJuno copsed into the corner, her sobs harsh and uncontroble, shaking her entire body.


    ¡°Juno¡­¡±


    ¡°Juno¡­¡±


    The others turned toward her.


    Wesley and Eli rushed to her side.


    Chapter 506 Falling Into Silence


    ¡°We made it out,¡± Wesley whispered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry,¡± Eli added gently. ¡°We¡¯re safe now.¡±

 Kept Woman 507

    Chapter 507 Beyond the Walls


    Chapter 507 Beyond the Walls


    Juno curled up in the corner of the helicopter, batting away anyone who dared to reach for her. Her body shook as she sobbed, raw and loud, like a child who had lost the world.


    The sound wed through the cabin. Every tear, every ragged breath cut deep into the others, leaving a pain they couldn¡¯t shake.


    ¡°Juno was once our boss,¡± Wesley muttered, staring at the floor. ¡°She was with Ronald, our project manager. Desmond was constantly interested in her and jumped right in after they split.¡±


    ¡°We never truly understood what caused their split,¡± Wesley went on, his voice heavy. ¡°Their rtionship never appeared to be right from the start.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because she never truly liked Desmond,¡± Eli added quietly.


    The words hit like ss shattering.


    Juno¡¯s cries rose even more. She held her chest, her grief contorting inside until it erupted into


    a scream.


    <i>I </i><i>said </i><i>it </i><i>myself</i><i>¨C</i><i>I </i><i>never </i><i>liked </i><i>him</i>. <i>I </i><i>despised </i><i>him</i>. <i>I </i><i>swore </i><i>I¡¯d </i><i>carry </i><i>that </i><i>hate </i><i>to </i><i>the </i><i>grave</i><i>, </i><i>and </i><i>I¡¯d </i><i>take </i><i>him </i><i>with </i><i>me </i><i>if </i><i>I </i><i>went </i><i>down</i>. <i>That </i><i>was </i><i>the </i><i>deal</i>.


    <i>He </i><i>was </i><i>selfish </i><i>and </i><i>heartless</i><i>, </i><i>constantly </i><i>abandoning </i><i>others </i><i>to </i><i>protect </i><i>himself</i><i>. </i><i>He </i><i>earned </i><i>every </i><i>bit </i><i>of </i><i>it</i><i>. </i>


    <i>So</i><i>, </i><i>why </i><i>does </i><i>this </i><i>feel </i><i>worse </i><i>than </i><i>watching </i><i>Ronald </i><i>stay </i><i>behind </i><i>and </i><i>be </i><i>torn </i><i>apart</i>?


    <i>Perhaps </i><i>that¡¯s </i><i>the </i><i>hardest </i><i>part</i><i>¨C</i><i>hate </i><i>isn¡¯t </i><i>as </i><i>clean </i><i>as </i><i>I </i><i>thought</i>. <i>The </i><i>boundary </i><i>between </i><i>love </i><i>and </i><i>hate </i><i>blurs </i>until <i>I </i><i>can </i><i>no </i><i>longer </i><i>distinguish </i><i>where </i><i>one </i><i>ends </i><i>and </i><i>the </i><i>other </i><i>starts</i>.


    <i>Why </i><i>did </i><i>he </i><i>behave </i><i>like </i><i>a </i><i>monster </i><i>but </i><i>still </i><i>treat </i><i>me </i><i>better </i><i>than </i><i>anyone </i><i>else</i><i>? </i>


    Juno cried intensely, feeling as if her chest might burst.


    ¡°Juno¡­¡±


    The others whispered her name, helpless to stop her grief.


    The helicopter tilted, des chopping the air as it began its descent.


    When they touched down, Juno was entirely exhausted from crying. She slumped in the corner, her eyes swollen, while the others sat lost in their own thoughts.


    They remained confined inside that office tower for three years, with no one aware of what was beyond its walls.


    Zombies still roamed the world, and supplies grew more scarce than ever. When pushed to the limit, people could be even more terrifying than monsters.


    Some braced themselves for the worst, afraid that the outside world was more brutal than anything they¡¯d known.


    Others dared to hope.


    To them, Theresa¡¯s team appeared strong and disciplined, seemingly confident in their actions. Perhaps the world outside was like the survivor camps whispered about in stories- structured, organized, built on rules.


    The rules were undoubtedly strict, allowing no exceptions for stragglers. Still, even the most stringent order was preferable toplete chaos.


    Then, they saw it.


    Voices echoed throughout the square as people waved at Theresa, with bright and clean faces full of energy.


    ¡°Theresa, you¡¯re back!¡±


    Someone asked, ¡°Picked up some new faces?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. They¡¯re going to K1 Camp,¡± Theresa answered casually, tossing Lucas a look that spelled it out¨Cthese people were his to handle.


    Her stance was obvious. They weren¡¯t wee under her roof.


    She didn¡¯tck workforce. Every role was covered. Anyone new had to bring something worth fighting for¨Cstrong abilities, sharp skills, or a will that could survive fire.


    Just like the students and their teacher pulled from that school teeming with zombies¨Cclever, durable, and valuable. Those were the ones Theresa bothered keeping.


    Juno¡¯s group wasn¡¯t like that.


    She was the only one possessing an ability¨Ca water¨Cbased ability that, in theory, could be useful. If she ever became more assertive and took the initiative, Theresa might change her


    mind. The problem was that Juno remained overly reserved and introverted.


    She wasn¡¯t a bad person¨Cactually, she appeared quite decent. Still, Theresa saw no need <i>to </i><i>go </i>out of her way to bring in someone ¡°nice.¡±


    Besides, she never begged anyone to join her; if people wanted in, they had toe to her.


    So, she tossed the group to Lucas, who promptly sent them to Graham to be logged as residents of Kl Camp.


    ¡°Got it, Theresa!¡± Graham said, then motioned for Juno and the others to follow him. He guided them toward the housing area of the K1 Camp, chatting as he went.


    ¡°We run on points here,¡± he exined. ¡°Once I register you, your info goes to our camp manager, Tessa. Your ount will be up and running by tomorrow.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s people usually got set up instantly since Tessa worked under her. Other camps had to wait a little longer.


    ¡°How do points work? What can we do with them?¡± one of them asked.


    ¡°Points are money,¡± Graham replied, gesturing across the square. ¡°See that building? That¡¯s the supermarket. You can buy whatever you want there. Or swing by the night market if you want more variety.¡±


    ¡°Do pointse easily?¡± another asked.


    Graham assured them, ¡°Easy enough if you¡¯re willing to work. The average pay here is about 100 points per month. Rice is dirt cheap¨Cjust one point a pound. Pork runs fifteen a pound. Do your share, and you won¡¯t go hungry.¡±

 Kept Woman 508

    <b>Chapter </b><b>508 </b>The Missed Chance


    Chapter 508 The Missed Chance


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    <b>¡°</b><b>Also</b>, since you¡¯re now residents of our K1 Camp, you¡¯ll receive the camp¡¯s benefits<b>. </b>During holidays, you¡¯ll get a few extra supplies. You guys don¡¯t have points yet, but if you work hard, the workce will cover your three meals a day.¡±


    The Wilde brothers and the others were stunned by Graham¡¯s words. <b><i>This </i></b><b>is </b>way too <i>good </i><i>to </i><b><i>be </i></b>


    true<i>! </i>


    After a moment of dazed silence, Wesley couldn¡¯t help but sigh in admiration. ¡°How could your camp have such amazing benefits?¡±


    Eli chimed in. ¡°Your camp is practically heaven!¡±


    Graham quickly waved his hands at that. ¡°Kl Camp isn¡¯t heaven. zing Sun Camp¨Cthat¡¯s the real paradise! Take their grocery store, for example.


    ¡°Outside, one pound of rice costs a point. At zing Sun Camp, it¡¯s 0.8. Outside, a pound of pork costs 15 points. At zing Sun, it¡¯s only eight!


    ¡°And not only is it cheaper, but the quality¡¯s even better. Their holiday benefits are the best in the entire alliance! Do you know what they handed outst year?¡±


    ¡°What did they give?¡±


    ¡°Last Thanksgiving, our camp gave out two slices of pumpkin pie and a barbecue dinner. But them? They handed out pork, pumpkin pie, new clothes, and even little gold nuggets!


    ¡°For New Year¡¯s, our camp gave out rice and pork. They gave out winter coats, hot water bottles<b>, </b>a feast with chicken, duck, fish, and meat, plus presents. The smallest prize was a hundred points, the biggest was a thousand points, and an electric scooter!¡±


    Everyone waspletely dumbfounded. <i>Holy </i><i>sh</i><i>*</i><i>t</i>! <i>They </i><i>gave </i><i>out </i><i>all </i><i>that</i>?! <i>What </i><i>kind </i><i>of </i><i>paradise </i>is that? That¡¯s <b><i>insane</i></b><b><i>! </i></b>


    ¡°Wait<b>, </b>where exactly is this zing Sun Camp?¡±


    ¡°Theresa¡¯s camp,¡± Graham replied proudly. ¡°That most gorgeous, mostmanding woman <b>you </b>saw earlier that¡¯s her. She¡¯s the camp leader of zing Sun Camp, and also the leader of the entire zing Sun Alliance!


    ¡°She¡¯s the most powerful figure we¡¯ve got. Everyone¡¯s boss<b>.¡± </b>


    The group¡¯s <b>eyes </b>went wide in shock. <i>Holy </i><i>sh</i>*t! It¡¯s her?!


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    <b>They </b>suddenly recalled what Theresa had said when she asked them for supplies. <b>At </b>the time, Desmond had begged her to take them in. She¡¯d asked for all their supplies upfront and told <b>them </b>once they reached her camp, they¡¯d realize that even the potatoes they handed <b>over were </b>a profit.


    Now they realized she hadn¡¯t been bluffing. To her, those potatoes were nothing¨Cjust an entry fee. She really was the big shot.


    That thought left them both shaken and afraid. Thank God they hadn¡¯t been as short¨Csighted as Cecilia¡¯s group, who had chosen to split off and flee. Otherwise, they would¡¯ve thrown <b>away </b>a fortune. But now<b>¡­ </b>


    ¡°Can we still join zing Sun Camp?¡± someone asked.


    ¡°You wish.¡± Graham almost rolled his eyes. ¡°Her camp isn¡¯t the kind of ce just anyone can join. Everyone in the alliance wants to transfer their registration there. If you¡¯d seized the chance when you first met her, maybe she would¡¯ve taken you in. But now? No chance.¡±


    Even Graham himself didn¡¯t have a shot at joining Theresa¡¯s camp. Once, he had an opportunity, but he hadn¡¯t cherished it.


    He¡¯d never betray Lucas, his leader, but still, the thought crossed his mind. Theresa was incredible. Compared to Lucas, she was no less of a leader. If he could follow both Theresa and Lucas at the same time, that would be perfect.


    Everyone else felt the same pang of regret. The thrill of joining Kl Camp no longer felt so sweet. All they could think was that they had missed their chance¨Cmissed the chance to cling to a true powerhouse and rise to the top overnight. If they could turn back time, they would¡¯ve run straight to Theresa without hesitation.


    Meanwhile, Theresa had returned to her office. As soon as she stepped inside, Lucas followed with a stack of documents. ¡°I found the address.¡±


    She nced at the documents he spread open and matched them against the map on the wall. ¡°Crestmont, north side?<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He nodded. ¡°<b>It¡¯s </b>on the outskirts, barely any people around. Leave it to me¡ªI¡¯ll bring everything back.¡±


    Theresa studied the map. The military depot there wasn¡¯t far from their location. It would work. ¡°Alright, this one¡¯s yours. Tell me what you need.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


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    Three dayster, Lucas sessfully transported back a full load of anti¨Cair defenses.


    With Bennie¡¯s precise calctions, and after discussing with Theron, they positioned the weapons along the first defensive line and around the docks.

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    Chapter 509 Expanding the Territory


    Chapter 509 Expanding the Territory


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    After the incident with the three camps, they hade to understand one thing clearly- humans in the apocalypse were a hundred times more dangerous than zombies.


    Zombies were a natural disaster; if fate dealt that blow, one could still find a way to live. But when people became the disaster, that called for total eradication. That was why they built up defenses and held the first line at all costs.


    But because Ansford¡¯s defensive line stretched too far, all they could manage was a basic level of protection. If someoneunched a suicidal attack on their camp, they would still suffer losses, though never as severe as before.


    Theresa knew the limits of their development. Still, as the saying went, Rome wasn¡¯t built in a day. They had only so many people, their productivity had only just returned to an industrial level, and bringing back the kind of military power a nation once had would take a long time. But with even a basic anti¨Cair defense system in ce, her sense of security rose. Later, she would find ways to add more.


    Just then, a familiar and explosive voice echoed in her mind.


    ¡°Beep¨CUltimate Leader System activated! Please expand your territory by double, reward: a full¨Cscale anti¨Cair defense system!¡±


    Theresa, who had just been trying tofort herself, froze. She could always count on her cheat.


    Looking at everyone still brooding over the camp¡¯s development, she stood up and said, ¡°Stop worrying. From today, expand the territory. Kill zombies! Clearing ground is the real priority!¡±


    Lucas, Theron, Bennie, and the others all turned toward her. They couldn¡¯t help but give silent praise. She was right. The answer was clearing zombies.


    Theresa¡¯s current territory covered all of Ansford. Doubling that meant either swallowing an entire new city or advancing in two directions at once. Either way, it meant pushing all the way into the city center.


    ¡°Advance on Branford first!¡± Theresa drew a line across the map<b>, </b>setting their attack route.


    By August, the apocalypse had entered its fourth year. In the east, human settlements that had once been scattered fragments had merged into a single mass, now spreading outward from


    that core.


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    During this time, Theresa¡¯s alliance had made another major leap in equipment. Their zombie¨Cclearing vehicles had been upgraded to resemble tanks, capable of carrying cannons and explosives.


    Human counterattacks against zombie¨Cheld regions began in full. First came the broadcasts, then the bombings, then the all¨Cout sweeps.


    In just two months, Theresa¡¯s forces pushed their lines across two¨Cthirds of Branford. The cleared streets became true dead zones,pletely emptied.


    Just as she prepared to take Branford in one strike, one of her war vehicles went missing at the border between Branford and Crestmont.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on with Vehicle Seven? Why hasn¡¯t there been any word?¡± Theresa asked from her office, eyes locked on the front¨Cline reports.


    ¡°Graham¡¯s driving Vehicle Seven. He shouldn¡¯t be in trouble,¡± Lucas replied, frowning as he saw the vehicle had been out of contact for a full day.


    ¡°Send reinforcements to check it out,¡± Theresa said, but then shook her head. ¡°No¨CI¡¯ll go myself.¡±


    She stood, marking the spot on the map. ¡°Bennie, send me all the intel on that area.¡±


    Soon, an armored vehicle roared down the highway at the Branford¨CCrestmont border. On both sides stretched emptiness¨Cdeserted zones cleared of life. No people, no zombies, only the destion of a wastnd city.


    The wrecks on the road were either stripped bare or removed, while small ck¨Cgray mounds stood by the roadside, 10 to 18 feet high. They weren¡¯t hills. They were piles of zombie corpses.


    The cleared bodies from the city had been burned in ce. With the frantic pace of their operations, there was no time to dig pits and bury them. The result was row upon row of ash- colored mounds spaced every dozen feet.


    Of course, whenever survivors were found, they had always tried their best to save them.


    In the past few months of sieges, the strike teams had rescued hundreds. By now, survivors hiding in the cities were mostly scattered, living in holes in the ground or perched on rooftops. Fewrge survivor camps existed¨Cthe cities were simply too hard to endure.


    Like Juno and her group Theresa had rescued in that office building¨C15 people at most. Anyrger, and they would¡¯ve drawn a swarm of zombies.


    Sitting in the passenger seat, Theresa gazed at the decayed forest of concrete and steel outside.


    Chapter 509 Expanding the Territory


    Bright daylight zed overhead, and a red stic bag floated across the roadside.


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    Chapter 510 The Girl Called Vinny


    <i>Bang</i><i>! </i>


    The armored vehicle crushed the stic bag under its wheels and sped forward.


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    Theresa kept mulling over the intel Bennie had given her. Between Branford and Crestmonty a tourist zone of farm¨Cstyle resorts, about an hour or two¡¯s drive from either city. The area had once thrived, which meant there were likely plenty of zombies still around.


    Just as she was thinking this, a little girl of seven or eight suddenly darted onto the road ahead.


    <i>Screeeech! </i>


    The armored vehicle braked hard. Kyle reacted quickly, but the girl had appeared too close- there was no way to stop in time.


    <i>Bam</i><i>! </i>


    The vehicle clipped the girl, sending her sprawling onto the pavement. Malnourished and pale, her face went even paler as she grimaced in pain, struggling to crawl back up.


    At that moment, arge crowd came rushing from the other side of the street.


    ¡°Where¡¯s that brat?!¡±


    ¡°Vinny Walsh!¡±


    ¡°Get out of here!¡±


    The girl, hearing her name, ignored the pain and scrambled to her feet, bolting in the opposite direction.


    ¡°There she is!¡±


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?!¡±


    The mob surged after her like they were chasing livestock. They caught her quickly, pinning her down as she thrashed wildly, screaming, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be meatfolk! I don¡¯t want to be meatfolk!¡±


    A sharp p cracked across her face. The man leading the group red down with eyes like des, cruel and bloodthirsty. ¡°Take her back.¡±


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    Chapter 510 The Girl Called Vinny


    ¡°Stop.¡±


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    A cold voice rang out behind them. Only then did the group notice the armored vehicle nearby. Instantly, they dragged the girl back, ring warily as figures climbed out.


    Theresa stepped forward with Tyger and Quentin at her side. Kyle stayed behind the wheel. She looked at the mob¨Chard eyes, coiled tension, murderous energy. This was the look of people who had truly been forged in the apocalypse.


    Most survivors she¡¯d encountered before had either been rescued early or had enough resources to avoid the worst. They were sheep tormented by disaster. But these people¨Clike wolves and tigers¨Cwere predators who had wed their way to the top. Just like the ruthless Sage Arlen she¡¯d once crossed paths with.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the girl.¡± Theresa didn¡¯t waste words. She dropped two fifty¨Cpound sacks of rice onto the ground.


    The mob¡¯s eyes gleamed green at the sight of food. A secondter, Tyger raised his rifle, the ck muzzle aimed squarely at them. The predatory glow in their eyes dimmed.


    The leader stared at Theresa, his wolfish gaze flickering before he finally rasped, ¡°Fine. But two pounds of food for one pound of her weight.¡±


    It was a crude barter¨Clife traded by the pound.


    Theresa remained expressionless as she tossed down two more sacks of rice.


    The men shoved the girl forward as they snatched up the grain. Blood smeared at the corner of her lips, her face deathly pale as she stumbled toward the sacks. The moment she was free, she didn¡¯t run to Theresa. Instead, she spun and bolted for the far side of the road.


    ¡°Vinny, you little b*tch¨Chow dare you run?!¡± one of the mob shouted, lunging to chase.


    <i>Bang</i>!


    A bullet struck the ground at their feet.


    ¡°You dare chase after her? She¡¯s mine.¡± Theresa¡¯s voice cut through the air, cold and sharp.


    The men froze. The leader gave a crooked smile. ¡°You¡¯re right. The girl¡¯s yours. If she runs, that¡¯s none of our business. But the grain¨Cthat¡¯s ours.¡±


    With their prize in hand, two men withdrew first. The rest edged back slowly, eyes locked on Theresa¡¯s group. They moved like a pack of jackals, ready to swarm if anything went wrong.


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    Theresa and her people never lowered their guns. Only after the mob disappeared into the nearby buildings did they back toward the vehicle, retreating inside one by one. Tyger was thest to climb in, finally lowering his weapon.

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    Chapter 511 The Camp That Ate People


    ¡°Boss, those people¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t pick a fight if you don¡¯t have to,¡± Theresa said.


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    Even if she had the strength to wipe them out, there was no need to provoke that kind of crowd.


    In the apocalypse, everyone found their own way to survive. As long as no one crossed her interests, how others lived¨Cor what kind of people they were¨Cwas their own business.


    Even if they were vicious, bloodthirsty types, it had nothing to do with her. She would simply keep her distance, never think of bringing them into her alliance, and certainly not stir up trouble with them.


    ¡°What about that little girl?¡±


    Theresa scanned the empty countryside, but there was no sign of the child. ¡°Let her run.¡±


    She had never thought of herself as much of a good person, but sometimes she would lend <i>a </i>hand if it was convenient, without expecting anything in return. If the girl had bolted, so be it.


    Once that small interlude passed, the armored vehicle rolled forward again. But not long after, Theresa saw a wide farmyard fenced in with barbed wire, wooden posts, and barricades. Inside, she spotted people.


    ¡°Boss, look!¡± Tyger pointed toward the parking lot outside one of the farmhouses.


    It was their Zombie Reaper¨CGraham¡¯s Vehicle Seven.


    ¡°Over there!¡±


    Within minutes, their armored truck pulled up behind arge tree 300 meters from the fence. From this closer vantage point, they could clearly see the crowd inside.


    All of them were people¨Cnot zombies.


    Theresa frowned. She had no idea why Graham¡¯s vehicle was here, or why there was suddenly a mid¨Csized camp tucked away in this ce. Judging by the numbers, there had to be at least five or six hundred survivors inside.


    How had a camp this size never made contact with them? Her camp¡¯s broadcast tower ran day and night across the eastern region, sending signals out to anyone within range. As long as


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    Chapter 511 The Camp That Ate People


    they could pick it up, they should have answered.


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    After four years of apocalypse, maybe some small, poor, remote survivor groups could be forgiven for not knowing. But this mid¨Csized camp right in front of her? There was no way they hadn¡¯t heard.


    As she thought about what kind of ce this was, Theresa also weighed the risks to Graham and his team. She stepped forward, leaving Kyle in the armored truck, and brought Quentin and Tyger with her toward the gate.


    Just then, a girl¡¯s voice called from behind. ¡°Don¡¯t go in.¡±


    Theresa turned and saw the little girl she had saved earlier.


    Vinny stood behind another tree, her thin face dominated by wide eyes locked firmly on Theresa.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s you, little one,¡± Tyger said, his usually stern expression softening.


    ¡°You mustn¡¯t go in,¡± Vinny said again. ¡°Inside¡­ they eat people.¡±


    Quentin let out a shortugh. ¡°It¡¯s a dog¨Ceat¨Cdog world, kid. That¡¯s the reality now.¡±


    Vinny nced at him but kept her gaze fixed on Theresa. ¡°Don¡¯t go in. They really eat people.¡±


    ¡°But I have to. My friends are in there,¡± Theresa replied. ¡°Have you seen a group of people wearing camouge uniforms?¡±


    Vinny thought for a moment, then shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°What about that vehicle? Do you remember it?¡± Theresa pointed toward the edge of Vehicle


    Seven.


    Vinny¡¯s eyesnded on the vehicle, her face growing graver as she shook her head again. ¡°That belongs to our camp leader. I¡¯m not allowed inside.¡±


    <i>Camp </i>leader<i>?! </i>Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up. <i>That </i><i>means </i><i>Graham </i><i>and </i><i>the </i><i>others </i>must <i>have </i><i>been </i><i>taken </i><i>by </i><i>him</i>.


    ¡°Who is your camp


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?<b>¡± </b>


    leader?<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Our leader wasn¡¯t him before. He came about six months ago. Killed many of us and then


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    took over.¡± 2


    That took Theresa by surprise. A hostile takeover.


    Camp wars were nothing rare in the apocalypse. In fact, Quentin in her past life had made a career out of stirring up civil strife between camps. But it was still unusual for outsiders to seize power so directly.


    The thought only sharpened her interest in this ce. She lifted her foot and moved forward.


    ¡°You really mustn¡¯t go in!¡± Vinny, seeing she was determined, rushed forward and clutched her sleeve.


    ¡°Are you that afraid of what¡¯s inside?¡±


    Vinny nodded quickly.


    ¡°In that case, kiddo, you can wait in my truck. The guy in there is Kyle. He¡¯s a good man. He¡¯ll protect you, and he won¡¯t let anyone inside hurt you again.¡±


    Vinny shook her head and gripped Theresa¡¯s hand even tighter.


    ¡°Are you just after food? Then talk to Kyle. Once you¡¯ve eaten, you can leave.¡±

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    Chapter 512 The Meatfolk Market


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    Vinny clung to Theresa¡¯s sleeve, her wide eyes locked on her. ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll go in with you.¡±


    Theresa blinked in surprise. <i>What¡¯s </i><i>this</i>? <i>Why </i><i>does </i><i>it </i><i>feel </i><i>like </i><i>I¡¯m </i><i>the </i><i>one </i>who <i>needs </i><i>protecting</i><i>? </i>


    She told Kyle to stay outside and keep watch, ready to act at a moment¡¯s notice. Then she led the newly acquainted girl, along with Tyger and Quentin, toward the camp.


    Vinny brought them to a hidden side entrance. The front gate was guarded, but here, people seemed free toe and go. Inside, Theresa saw rows of farmhouse¨Cstyle vis.


    Before the apocalypse, this ce had thrived on agritourism, so the vige roads had been paved and the houses were neat, each with its own spacious yard and vegetable garden. The fields were still growing plenty of food.


    But it wasn¡¯t the food or the houses that stood out. It was the people. Not one of them looked honest or simple. The moment they noticed Theresa¡¯s group, they froze, staring like jackals spotting prey.


    The ones lounging in the shade sat up to watch. The ones working bent over their tasks but kept their eyes fixed. Even the ones walking past slowed down, their gazes following like surveince cameras.


    Under that collective stare, Vinny¡¯s grip on Theresa¡¯s sleeve tightened, her small frame pressing closer.


    Fortunately, Theresa¡¯s group had two men. Tyger was broad¨Cshouldered, built like a tank, and wore a face that promised trouble to anyone who dared provoke him. Without him, Theresa figured these people might have pounced already, tearing her and Vinny apart on the spot. Quentin, well¡­ he would have been eaten too.


    Theresa slipped an arm around the girl¡¯s shoulders. Vinny looked up at her, and for the first time since the world had ended, she felt the tiniest spark of safety.


    Just then, a scream split the air.


    ¡°Ahhhh!<b>¡± </b>


    It wasn¡¯t the scream of fear¨Cit was raw, primal pain.


    Vinny froze, her entire body rigid. ¡°That¡¯s the meatfolk market!¡±


    Theresa and the others followed the sound¨Cand what they saw shattered their understanding


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    of cruelty.


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    A woman¡¯s hands were tied to a post. She waspletely naked, bent over a butcher¡¯s block like livestock. Behind her, a man in a bloodstained apron hefted a cleaver high.


    The de came down with a sickening crack.


    Theresa quickly covered Vinny¡¯s eyes, and Quentin pped a hand over hers. The metallic stench of blood filled the air, mixing with screams sharp enough to peel skin.


    ¡°Stop! What the hell are you doing?!¡± Tyger roared, his whole body trembling as he charged forward.


    The butcher raised his glowing red eyes and sneered at him. ¡°Buying meat? One pound for one pound.¡±


    Only then did Theresa understand what Vinny meant earlier about the meatfolk market and eating people. They treated people as food¨Cliterally butchered them, sold them, and ate them.


    ¡°That¡¯s a human being! How can you just kill her?!¡±


    The butcher looked at him like he was insane. ¡°You buying or not? If not, get lost.¡±


    As soon as the words left his mouth, others stepped up eagerly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy!¡±


    ¡°Give me two pounds.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s


    my


    wife! Pay me. All of you pay me!¡± a man in the corner shouted.


    Another man sat beside him, collecting payment¨Cgrain, gleamstones, whatever they had.


    ¡°I want two pounds of ribs.¡±


    ¡°Give me a pound of rump!¡±


    ¡°All the thigh meat for me!¡±


    On the butcher¡¯s block, the woman bled as her limbs were hacked apart. Her wide eyes stared, helpless, until the light drained from them, leaving only the emptiness of death.


    Tyger shook with fury. He could barely contain himself. ¡°You¡¯re her husband?¡± he shouted.


    Chapter 512 The Meatfolk Market


    ¡°Yeah! She¡¯s my woman! If you want meat, pay up!¡±


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    ¡°Are you even human?!¡± Tyger grabbed him by the cor, causing the coins and food to spill out of his arms.


    The man was wiry, smaller than the rest, but his eyes were just as feral. He bared his teeth like a cornered wolf. ¡°Don¡¯t y righteous with me. This is the apocalypse. She¡¯s my wife, I can do whatever I want with her. If you don¡¯t like it, buy her whole d*mn body!¡±


    Tyger snapped. With a roar, he kicked the man off his feet, sending him crashing into the butcher¡¯s stall and knocking the entire table over with a bang.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡± someone shouted.

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    Chapter 513 Jackals in Human Skin


    ¡°You trying to wreck the ce?¡±


    ¡°Get them!¡±


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    The crowd erupted the moment Tyger smashed the butcher¡¯s stall, bodies surging forward all


    at once.


    From the edge, Theresa caught every word, every breath of what was happening. She shoved Quentin¡¯s hand off her eyes, pushed Vinny into his arms, and raised her fist as she charged forward.


    <i>D</i>*<i>mn </i><i>it</i><i>. </i><i>These </i><b><i>sc</i></b><i>*</i><i>m</i><i>¨C</i><i>demons</i>.


    If she didn¡¯t fight, she¡¯d be no better than them..


    She had lived through two lifetimes in the apocalypse and had seen humanity¡¯s darkest sides, morality trampled again and again. But cannibalism¨Copen, shameless cannibalism¡ªwas still the line most people refused to cross.


    Even back in Haven Camp, that cesspool of corruption where the strong bullied the weak and schemes never stopped, people hadn¡¯t dared eat each other in broad daylight. If they did, it was in secret, hidden away in shadows.


    Eating children, selling people as meat¨Cthose had always been fringe horrors, never the mainstream. Even when she had cleared Ansford, she had only found a small nest of cannibals buried underground in the old town. The environment had been brutal there, but even those monsters had known enough to hide.


    Here, though, human flesh was being butchered and sold in the open market. The sheer brazenness of it sent a chill down her spine and a rush of fury to her head.


    So, she fought.


    With her fists.


    She didn¡¯t even bother using her abilities. Just her bare knuckles, hammering into those beasts.


    Tyger fought inside, Theresa fought on the outside, and together they tore through the mob. Every blownded heavy, every strike breaking bone.


    Tyger, juiced up on strength and speed enhancers, crushed men with one punch each. Theresa¡¯s fists shattered ribs, fractured arms¨Cevery move fast and precise, leaving her


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    opponents scrambling.


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    Within minutes, the whole group around the stally groaning on the ground. The man who had been taking money was barely clinging to life. Tyger hurled him onto the butcher¡¯s block and grabbed the cleaver.


    The man¡¯s eyes went wide in terror, his screams shrill. ¡°Help! Somebody help me!¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you fear too?¡± Tyger snarled, ncing at the shredded corpse of the woman lying at his feet.


    ¡°You¡¯re outsiders!¡± a voice shouted from the crowd.


    It was the group that had tried to capture Vinny earlier. They pointed at Theresa, yelling, ¡°They¡¯vee to stir up trouble in our camp!¡±


    At once, the entire camp boiled over. Men and women from the streets, from the fields, from the shade¨Call of them picked up des, cleavers, shovels, whatever weapons they had, and surged toward them.


    They bared their teeth like jackals, eyes gleaming green in the dim light.


    A pack of predators, encircling them. Murder radiated off of them in waves.


    This camp wasn¡¯t just full of jackals¨Cit was a camp built entirely of jackals. Cruel to their own, merciless to outsiders, and united only when it came to tearing apart prey.


    Weapons raised, they pressed forward inch by inch, until-


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    The word was soft, almost gentle. But it cut through the frenzy like a whip.


    The mob halted as thoughmanded by a king. Savage wolves turned into obedient hounds in an instant. Not one dared move. All eyes turned to the man walking toward them.


    The sound struck Theresa like a bell in her skull. <i>Why </i><i>does </i><i>that </i><i>voice </i><i>sound </i><i>so </i><i>familiar</i><i>? </i><i>Could </i><i>it </i>


    <i>be</i>¡­


    The crowd parted, revealing a tall man with medium¨Clength hair tied back neatly, sses perched on his nose. His features were handsome, fair, and refined, and the ponytail only added to his schrly grace rather than making him look weak.


    <i>Holy </i><i>sh</i><i>*</i><i>t</i><i>! </i><i>Sage </i><i>Arlen</i><i>! </i>2


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    Chapter 513 Jackals in Human Skin


    He was the very Sage Arlen she had once set up and nearly ruined.


    449


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    Sage¡¯s expression hardly changed when he saw her. His handsome face remainedposed, and his lips curved into a gentle smile. ¡°So, it¡¯s you, Ms. Hall. Long time no see.¡±


    ¡°It has,¡± Theresa replied hesitantly.


    ¡°It really has. A full year now.¡± Sage walked toward her with graceful steps.


    Theresa watched him approach, her brows furrowing. ¡°A year already? Time really does fly.¡±


    2

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    ¡°Does it? But it feels like a turtle crawling to me.¡± Sage stopped in front of Theresa and smiled, the curve of his red lips teasing. ¡°Every single day this past year has felt like forever, because I spent all of it thinking about you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks¡­¡±


    How could he not think about her?! If she were in his shoes, Theresa bet that she wouldn¡¯t be able to forget herself either and couldn¡¯t fall asleep until she recited her name a million times.


    As Theresa weighed whether to call for reinforcements or cut her way out, Sage spoke again. ¡°You came here looking for someone, didn¡¯t you?¡± His smile faded, reced with a hint of seriousness.


    At that, Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up. After all the shocks of the day, she had nearly forgotten about Graham. ¡°You have my people?¡±


    ¡°You mean the ones in that car?¡± Sage asked.


    ¡°Yeah. Hand them over and I¡¯ll trade you supplies.¡±


    Sage held her gaze, his handsome face breaking into a bigger smile. ¡°I¡¯d love to help you, but they¡¯re not with me.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Sage, I can make up for what happened before. But you must return my men!¡±


    She wouldn¡¯t leave one of Graham¡¯s crew behind.


    Sage watched her take the matter so seriously. ¡°You don¡¯t trust me. And to think, when I first saw your alliance vehicle, I wanted to rescue your men. But really, I only found your car. Your guys aren¡¯t with me.¡±


    ¡°Do


    you expect me to believe you?¡± Theresa asked.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, if I¡¯m not mistaken, you came to my camp asking for my help?¡±


    ¡°What do you want, Sage?<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d say something nice and beg me to help,¡± he said. Theresa fell silent.


    ¡°Supplies,¡± Tyger¡¯s voice interjected from behind. ¡°Trade with supplies.¡±


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    Sage nced at the interrupter, and Drew, standing behind Sage, scoffed. ¡°Ha! Dawnwatch Camp nevercked supplies.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Hall,¡± Sage went on, ¡°I¡¯m the only one who knows the trail to your people. If you want my help, go look on your own. I won¡¯t meddle either.¡±


    don¡¯t


    ¡°Mr. Sage, I¡¯ve always thought you were the most capable, most handsome man I¡¯ve ever met. A man like you must¡¯ve found my people, right? Please give them back to me.¡±


    Theresa had never been afraid to bend when needed. A real woman did what the moment called for¨Cfirst eat the humble pie, call the shotster. No shame in that.


    Sage let out a shortugh, his smile widening, his striking eyes locking onto hers, a spark of madness flickering deep inside. ¡°What did you just call me?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Sage,¡± Theresa said, voice sugary.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you then,¡± Sage murmured, lowering his head. ¡°They really aren¡¯t with me.¡±


    Theresa tightened her fist, ready to strike, knowing she had to resort to physical violence ultimately.


    ¡°But I know where they are.¡± Sage¡¯s voice dropped to something low and dangerous the next second.


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°<b>I </b>can take you


    ¡ª


    but what¡¯s in it for me?¡±


    Theresa locked onto his gaze. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Pay me back what you owe.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s face grew grimmer by the second.


    Was he talking about the gleamstones she¡¯d duped him out of, or the people he¡¯d lost? How could she ever repay that? She didn¡¯t think she had done anything wrong; given the chance, she would do it all again.


    At first, she had honestly wanted to help Sage¨Cto pull him out of Crestmont¡¯s wends park and unite the camps against the apocalypse. But Sage was impossible to control¨Chis ambition too great.


    She had meant to leave him trapped in the wends and be done with it. Once she¡¯d been pulled in, she¡¯d seen clearly that he was impossible to cooperate with, and he had evene


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    Chapter 514 Unpayable Debt


    after her people. Those were her red lines.


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    She didn¡¯t regret tricking him. Not then, not now. She¡¯d do it <i>a </i>thousand times over. Running into him again was just bad luck.


    If he insisted on collecting debts, she couldn¡¯t pay. If he wanted a reckoning, then they¡¯d just have to go to war.


    Seeing her reaction, Sage¡¯s smile shifted into something more tender. ¡°I¡¯m kidding. The past is the past. No need to settle anything.¡±


    Theresa wanted to roll her eyes in exasperation. ¡°What do you really want?¡±


    ¡°I want to join your alliance,¡± Sage said softly. ¡°Wipe the te clean. I want to be part of your group again¡ªlive together, pool resources.¡±

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    Sage swept his eyes over the stalls surrounding Theresa. ¡°Drag every trader out and kill them. From today on, Dawnwatch Camp will no longer allow a meatfolk market. No eating people. Anyone who vites this can be killed on the spot, and they cane to me for supplies afterward.¡±


    Theresa looked at Sage and felt no trace of mercy or liberation in his words. Sage was still Sage.


    ¡°You think saying that will wipe your camp clean?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Hall, you know better than I do¨Cpeople only behave when their bellies are full. If everyone here could afford to eat, they wouldn¡¯t have done this. Shouldn¡¯t you be helping us instead?¡±


    ¡°You just said you weren¡¯t short on supplies,¡± Tyger cut in, tearing through Sage¡¯s excuse.


    Sage lifted his head to nce at him a second time, and this time his eyes were heavy with impatience.


    ¡°I can agree to your terms,¡± Theresa spoke up. ¡°But you¡¯d better not be lying, and my people had better be unharmed. Otherwise, I¡¯ll make you pay¨Cworse thanst time.¡±


    She


    gave her word. Graham and the others came first. Once she had them back, she would deal with Sage and his camp. Not one of her people could be left behind.


    ¡°Rx, I¡¯m not lying,¡± Sage said. ¡°But I don¡¯t know what state they¡¯re in. It¡¯ste. Why don¡¯t you stay here tonight?¡±


    ¡°No. Take me to where Graham and the others went missing. Now.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± Sage agreed immediately and led her outside.


    Meanwhile, the traders who had run the meatfolk market were dragged forward by Sage¡¯s men. Like chickens being plucked up, each was executed in public, knives shing as one by one they fell.


    ¡°Look closely! This <b>is </b>your fate if you try to open another meatfolk market!¡± His cold,manding voice carried through the crowd. The residents shrank back, fear etched across their faces. Not a single one spoke.


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    Theresa felt no sense of vindication, only the cold weight of truth. This was a camp ruled by the strongest jackal, and all the other jackals bowed beneath his iron grip. That was Sage¡¯s


    camp.


    Behind her, Tyger and Quentin stayed silent, following without a word. Vinny hurried to keep up and clutched Theresa¡¯s hand tightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m here,¡± Theresa told her.


    The girl dropped her head, hiding whatever thoughts she kept to herself.


    ¡°And who¡¯s this?¡± Sage noticed Vinny.


    ¡°My new tagalong,¡± Theresa said casually.


    ¡°Is she from my camp?¡±


    ¡°I paid for her with food.¡±


    Sage didn¡¯t press further. He turned back and led them to Vehicle Seven.


    Theresa inspected it inside and out, finding no signs of a struggle. Sage exined he had found the car in a canyon. There were traces of people nearby, but no people themselves, so he had driven the car back first.


    Theresa had Tyger start it up, and the group climbed aboard. They picked up Kyle outside and headed toward the canyon Sage had described.


    On her side, Theresa had five people. Sage brought only Drew.


    She knew Drew well enough¨Cthe first time she met him, he had cut off his own finger. Now he was quieter than ever, his attitude toward her tangled and unreadable.


    ¡°This time I¡¯m helping you,¡± Sage said. ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t bring anyone else. If troublees on the road, you and your people will have to protect the two of us.¡±


    ¡°No problem,¡± Theresa answered without hesitation.


    At her words, Sage lowered his gaze. His pale face carried a warm, gentle smile. Theresa returned it with one of her own, as if they really had always been friends who helped each other, and the past had never happened.


    Just then, the girl at her side broke into a violent cough. ¡°<i>Cough</i><i>, </i><i>cough</i><i>¡­ </i><i>Cough</i>, <i>cough</i><i>¡­</i>¡± Her small body shuddered with each rasp, blood seeping at the corner of her mouth.


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    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Theresa turned to her.


    :


    Vinny, pale and scared, pressed her hand to her lips, desperate to hide it. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


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    In the apocalypse, injury or illness was a death sentence¨Cit meant being abandoned or eaten. The little girl kept quiet, enduring like a small, stubborn kitten, pretending to be healthy.


    ¡°Beautiful, she¡¯s got internal injuries,¡± Quentin said. ¡°Most likely from being hit by a car. Internal bleeding.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just split my lip,¡± Vinny said quickly, bowing her head and covering her mouth tighter.


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    Chapter 516 A Stray Kitten


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    Chapter 516 A Stray Kitten


    Theresa¡¯s mind instantly switched into the System Store and opened the medicine section. She had been about to buy an Emergency Pill when something else caught her eye¨CDetox Pill.


    Under the description, it said, ¡°Clears out the toxins caused by impurities in zombie gleamstones.¡± And it cost only one point.


    <i>What </i><i>a </i><i>find</i><i>! </i>Theresa bought a thousand without a second thought. They were cheap and too useful to pass up. Later, she nned to hand them out to every ability user in her camp.


    Her Evoloid form contained the least amount of impurities and carried almost no side effects, but over time, it could still put strain on the body. These pills would help keep everyone safe.


    2


    After finishing her purchase, she nced at Vinny, who was still holding back coughs. Theresa reached into her pocket and pulled out an Emergency Pill. ¡°Take this.¡±


    Vinny¡¯s eyes flicked to her face, then down to the pill she was holding out.


    ¡°It¡¯s not poisoned,¡± Theresa said.


    Like a cautious kitten, Vinny hesitated, finally loosening her grip just enough to take the pill. She studied it for a good half minute. Clearly, this was a child who trusted nothing easily.


    Atst, Vinny swallowed it. The pill dissolved instantly on her tongue, filling her with dread as she waited for the result.


    She no longer had parents¨Conly an uncle. And that uncle had tried to hand her over earlier in exchange for food.


    A child like her, with no one to rely on, was no different from a stray kitten in this apocalypse. If she got hit by a car or bullied by others, she wouldn¡¯t dare make a sound. If she died, she would probably just crawl into some thicket alone and lie down quietly, hoping zombies¨Cor worse, people¨Cwouldn¡¯t eat her.


    Clutching her aching stomach, Vinny soon felt warmth spreading through her body. The pain in her belly faded, the bruised bones no longer ached, and strength flowed back into her limbs.


    Sage¡¯s eyes


    lit up as he watched her recovery with his own eyes. The glow of life returned to her body, and his fox¨Clike gaze shimmered with surprise. His heartbeat quickened with a sharp, heavy thump.


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    Vinny looked at Theresa in wonder, no longer in pain. But Theresa didn¡¯t bother to exin. ¡°Hungry?¡±


    ¡°I ate a cake yesterday afternoon. I¡¯m not hungry yet,¡± Vinny replied.


    <i>Yesterday </i><i>afternoon</i>, <i>just </i><i>a </i><i>cake</i><i>, </i><i>and </i><i>she </i><i>says </i><i>she¡¯s </i><i>not </i><i>hungry</i><i>? </i>Theresa almost cursed aloud. ¡°Quentin, give her some food.¡±


    ¡°You got it, Beautiful,¡± Quentin said, unzipping his backpack and pulling out a few boxed meals -though in truth, he had drawn them from his domain. Each box held rice with five dishes- three meats and two vegetables, still steaming hot. 2


    ¡°Come on, little one, eat.¡±


    Vinny¡¯s eyes went wide at the sight. She stared at Theresa in disbelief<i>. </i><i>Is </i><i>this </i><i>really </i><i>for </i><i>me</i><i>? </i>


    ¡°Quit staring. From now on, you won¡¯t have to tiptoe around anyone else. No one here will bully you,¡± Theresa said evenly.


    Her words filled Vinny with a warmth she had never felt before.


    ¡°Eat up. Stick with us long enough, and you¡¯ll see. Beautiful is the best in the world¨Cfierce to outsiders, but never to her own,¡± Quentin murmured while unwrapping the cutlery for her. ¡°She protects what¡¯s hers. She¡¯s the real deal.¡±


    Vinny¡¯s throat tightened. She took the cutlery and nodded hard, then lowered her head and shoveled food into her mouth like she hadn¡¯t eaten in days.


    From the side, Sage watched quietly. A <i>good </i><i>person</i><i>? </i><i>Hm</i><i>? </i>His lips curved upward, and that suppressed madness in his eyes began to stir.


    An hourter, the vehicle finally stopped. They had reached a gorge between two mountains.


    As soon as they arrived, they spotted another reaper truck stuck at the edge of a cliff.


    ¡°Boss, that¡¯s one of Team Seven¡¯s vehicles,¡± Kyle said quickly.


    He was the first to jump out, running to the vehicle where half its wheel hung over the drop. Peering inside, he grew tense. ¡°Boss, it¡¯s Graham¡¯s vehicle!¡±


    He circled it<b>, </b>searching every corner, but there wasn¡¯t a single person inside. Team Seven had two trucks in total, with five people altogether. Now this one dangled over a fifty¨Cyard drop. Belowy a field of tall, wild grass stretching as far as the eye could see. Thick and tangled, it hid all trace of human presence.


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    ¡°Sage, when did you notice this ce?¡± Theresa asked.


    ¡é<b>? </b>


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    Chapter 517 Lost or Alive

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    Chapter 517 Lost or Alive


    ¡°Yesterday afternoon.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t see anyone?¡±


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    ¡°No.¡± Sage strolled up beside her, calm as ever. ¡°When I got here yesterday, it looked just like this. No one in sight.¡±


    Just then, Kyle¡¯s sharp eyes caught the glint of a backpack down in the grass below. Without hesitation, he scrambled down the rocky slope into the thick brush and snatched it up. ¡°Boss! It¡¯s Graham¡¯s pack!¡±


    Hearing him, Theresa climbed down as well. One by one, the others followed. In the tall grass below, they found discarded backpacks,m devices, and even¨Cguns.


    ¡°How could they have left their guns behind?¡± Kyle muttered, frowning hard, confusion and dread weighing on him.


    As soldiers, they would never leave weapons behind. Unless¡­ the situation had been desperate.


    Theresa stood among the scattered belongings, tracing the line from where the truck had been abandoned down to this spot. ¡°Something happened. They were on the run,¡± she said, brows furrowing.


    Following the trail, she spotted faint footprints in the dirt, leading deeper into the wild grass. She pressed forward step by step until a figure rose unsteadily from the thicket ahead.


    By now it waste afternoon, the sun dipping westward behind the ridge. From where they stood, the figure appeared only as a dark outline against the fading light. He wore abat uniform, his cap tipped askew until it tumbled from his head as he staggered upright.


    Kyle¡¯s lips parted¨Crecognition striking him¡ªbut Theresa pped a hand over his mouth before he could speak. The next instant, the man¡¯s head twisted at a grotesque angle, and his gray¨Cwhite zombie eyes red straight at them through the backlight.


    ¡°Arrgh¡­¡±


    The soldier¡¯s mouth opened wide in a hoarse snarl as his body contorted unnaturally and charged at them with inhuman speed.


    ¡°Ghrrhh¡­¡±


    Kyle froze. For the first time, he hesitated instead of drawing his de. Because he knew this


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    man. Once, he had been part of their unit. Not Graham, but another teammate he remembered well¨Ca young soldier who used to address Theresa in that bright, boyish voice.


    Now he was gone.


    Theresa drew the knife from Kyle¡¯s back scabbard herself. In one swift motion, she swung.


    The charging zombie¡¯s head flew from its body, which kept running a few more paces before copsing in front of Kyle with a heavy thud. Kyle dropped to his knees<b>, </b>cradling the corpse as his eyes turned red.


    ¡°Boss, they¡­¡± His voice cracked.


    ¡°Alive, we find them. Dead, we bring them back,¡± Theresa said firmly. She signaled to Quentin, who stepped up and stored the body inside his domain. Her people had to be brought home. And the others¨Cthey had to be found. Whether alive or dead.


    A heavy weight pressed down on her chest. Just then, a small voice broke through.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re still alive.¡±


    Theresa turned in surprise. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re alive,¡± Vinny said with quiet certainty, her gaze locked on Theresa¡¯s. ¡°There are eight of them. All alive.¡±


    ¡°Eight?¡±


    <i>Graham¡¯s </i><i>squad </i><i>only </i><i>has </i><i>five</i><i>. </i><i>One </i><i>just </i><i>dead</i><i>. </i><i>How </i><i>could </i><i>there </i><i>be </i><i>eight</i>?


    Vinny nodded firmly and pointed toward the horizon. ¡°It¡¯s eight. Over there.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up.


    She nced down at Vinny¡¯s earnest little face and didn¡¯t bother questioning what ability she might have. She simply scooped her up and sprinted in the direction Vinny had indicated.


    The others fell in right behind her. Before long, the gorge opened up to reveal a massive, abandoned estate.


    And there, surrounding it, was a sea of the dead.


    ¡°Arrgh¡­¡±


    ¡°Arrgh¡­¡±


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    ¡°Grraaah¡­¡±


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    Hundreds of zombies turned their heads as one, their hungry eyes fixing on the living who had dared to approach. At least six to seven hundred of them filled the courtyard and grounds, most old and decayed, but many freshly turned, their movements disturbingly quick.


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    Chapter 518 The Tear in the Lifeline

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    Chapter 518 The Tear in the Lifeline


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    On the outer edge of the horde, one of the newly turned zombies was little more than a skeleton with scraps of flesh clinging to the bone. Half its skull had been chewed away, and crimson gore dripped from its gaping mouth.


    It stretched out a hand with only a pinky finger left intact, dangling strips of raw flesh trembling as it staggered toward Theresa with a guttural snarl.


    Theresa had no de in hand. She braced herself to unleash her ability when a loud voice rang out from one corner of the castle.


    ¡°Theresa!¡±


    At once, the mass of zombies charging her shifted direction, turning toward the sound.


    On the third¨Cfloor window, she caught sight of Graham.


    ¡°Graham!¡±


    He pointed urgently to the far west side of the building. Following his gesture, Theresa spotted a white strip of cloth hanging down. Dave¡¯s head appeared at the window. He said nothing, just waved frantically, urging them toe his way.


    Theresa didn¡¯t hesitate. Ignoring the snapping jaws lunging at her, she led her group straight toward the west wall.


    Within half a minute, they arrived beneath the dangling cloth. Theresa quickly lifted Vinny <ol><li>up. </li></ol>


    ¡°Can you climb?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Vinny grabbed the sheet, her small frame nimble as she kicked off the wall and scrambled upward with ease.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Kyle and Tyger held the line, hacking down zombies at the base. Sage and his shadow, Drew, made no move to fight.


    ¡°We¡¯ll head up first,¡± Sage said casually.


    Theresa shot him a re. ¡°Go on!¡± She would¡¯ve happily left him behind if she could.


    Just then, he thrust a de into her hand. ¡°Yours is broken, isn¡¯t it? Use this.¡± Without waiting for her response, he shoved the hilt against her palm and climbed the sheet himself.


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    With a weapon back in her grip, Theresa cut down zombies with fluid, practiced ease until her


    turn came.


    Once Sage and Drew were inside, she ordered Tyger and Kyle up after them, leaving herself at the rear. One by one, the rest mbered through the window.


    Finally, Theresa sheathed the knife, cast an Aeroshield to push back the closest dead, and hauled herself onto the cloth. She was nearly there when she spotted a stranger among the group above¡ªa woman she didn¡¯t recognize.


    The others hauled her up like a team in tug¨Cof¨Cwar, no effort needed on her part. The woman stepped in eagerly to help.


    ¡°Step aside,¡± Tyger barked. ¡°We don¡¯t need you.¡±


    ¡°I just want to help. One more pair of hands is better than none.¡± Her voice was sweet, her demeanor all sunshine and innocence. She reached out with long painted nails and grabbed the cloth.


    A ripping sound split the air. The sheet tore under her ws.


    The lifeline in Theresa¡¯s hands went ck, and the fabric ripped apart beneath her.


    In that instant, countless arms shot out the window. Sage leaned halfway out, seizing Theresa¡¯s wrist. Quentin lunged next, grabbing hold of her other hand by instinct alone.


    Kyle and Tyger clutched the torn sections of cloth while Dave and several others leaned dangerously far out, straining to pull her back. Even Vinny, who had stayed obediently quiet, rushed to the sill with wide eyes.


    ¡°Boss<b>!</b><b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Theresa!¡±


    Together, they hauled her inside before she could fall,


    When shended safely, every pair of eyes fixed on her with raw concern.


    The woman who had caused the mess blinked innocently, voice trembling with protest. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to! I didn¡¯t know it would rip. I only wanted to help.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s temper red hot. ¡°What did you just say?¡± She shoved past the others, ring at the woman directly,


    ¡°I¨CI didn¡¯t mean it,¡± the woman stammered, lips trembling as though she might burst into


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    tears. She was pretty, unusually well¨Ckept for the apocalypse, her long dress still clean, herplexion fresh. At Theresa¡¯s stare, she shrank into the corner like a vulnerable fawn.


    Just then, footsteps thundered from deeper inside the castle.


    ¡°Lara, what happened?¡±


    Hearing herpanions¡® voices, Lara Cirelli rushed toward them, pitifully shaking her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to, I was only helping. I never thought it would go wrong.¡±

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    Chapter 519 No Excuses in the Apocalypse


    Chapter 519 No Excuses in the Apocalypse


    ¡°What happened?¡± The group crowded around Lara, all gazes filled with pity.


    ¡°Who bullied you?¡±


    ¡°I was just trying to help. I never thought I¡¯d only make things worse.¡±


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    ¡°What did you try to do, Lara? Everyone knows you¡¯ve got a kind heart,¡± Graham said, stepping forward with concern.


    ¡°Are you blind, Graham? That woman nearly got Theresa killed!¡± Dave snapped instantly, stupefying Graham.


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t mean to,¡± Lara whimpered, eyes shining with tears. ¡°Everyone was helping, and I thought I should too. I didn¡¯t think it would go wrong.¡±


    Theresa strode over, grabbed Lara by the cor, and hauled her up off her feet. ¡°Good intentions need strength to back them. Do you have any? You think acting like some saint excuses your stupidity?


    ¡°You screw up, then try to brush it off with an ¡®I didn¡¯t mean it¡®? What are you ying at¨Ccute, innocent? You think big t*ts and no brains pass for kindness? You hurt people, then pretend to be some vulnerable fawn. Who the hell are you fooling?¡±


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t-¡± Lara¡¯s words broke off in a sob.


    Theresa swung her toward the window, leaving her legs dangling over the swarm of zombies below. The undead howled at the scent of living flesh. Lara¡¯s mind went nk as terror surged through her, and she shrieked wildly, ¡°Help me! Don¡¯t let me fall!¡±


    Theresa looked her dead in the eye. ¡°So, you¡¯re not that stupid after all! You know danger when it¡¯s right in your face, don¡¯t you? But when it suited you, you made trouble! ying dumb! Acting innocent after you caused a mess! Who¡¯s supposed to put up with that?¡± Her hand cracked across Lara¡¯s face, again and again, every word punctuated by another blow.


    Theresa never coddled anyone. Her ps rang sharp, relentless. Lara broke down, crying and begging. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I was wrong! Please, don¡¯t kill me! I¡¯ll stop pretending¨CI swear!¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you doing!¡± a man¡¯s furious voice shouted.


    One of Lara¡¯spanions charged forward. ¡°Put her down! Let her go!¡±


    Tyger, Kyle, and Dave instantly moved to block him.


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    ¡°You¡¯re nothing but thugs!¡± the man¨CL Greenwood¨Croared. He whirled toward Graham, desperate. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were regr soldiers? You know Lara¨Cshe¡¯s thoughtless<b>, </b>sure, but she¡¯s never malicious! Tell them to let her down!¡±


    Graham turned to face him, his jaw tight, his stance unyielding. He ced himself in front of Theresa, a silent shield. ¡°She nearly got our leader killed. Do wrong, pay the price.¡±


    L¡¯s face twisted with rage. ¡°And you call yourselves soldiers? When the apocalypse broke out, you weren¡¯t there for us, and now you act like savages!¡±


    <i>Another </i><i>one</i>¡­


    Theresa let Lara drop back inside and stalked straight toward him.


    L squared his shoulders. ¡°Put her down and apologize, or we¡¯ll never forgive you!¡±


    <i>p</i>!


    Theresa¡¯s palm cracked across his face, sending him sprawling.


    ¡°You know it¡¯s the apocalypse, and yet you still think the world owes you something? The nation owes you? The soldiers owe you? Or us, now?


    ¡°Do you have any idea what people gave, what soldiers gave, when it all began? Everyone out here is carrying weight, bleeding to survive, and you dare sit back and demand service? Who the hell owes you anything?¡±


    Each sentence was followed with a brutal p until L¡¯s face swelled grotesquely. She pinned him under her boot, spitting the final words, ¡°And for the record¨Cwe¡¯re not ¡®regr soldiers.¡¯ This is the new world. We are the zing Sun Alliance.¡±


    She turned her gaze on the rest. The two men nking Lara trembled, too afraid to speak. Lara herself had copsed into a heap, curling up in the corner with wide, terrified eyes.


    After surveying them all, Theresa shifted her attention to Graham. ¡°What exactly happened to you out there?¡±


    Graham¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Malcolm and Sebastian are badly hurt.¡±


    Five minutester, Theresa arrived in a room on the fourth floor. The stench of blood filled the space. On the bedsy two men inbat uniforms¨CMalcolm and Sebastian ¡ªboth pale, drenched in blood, and barely hanging on.

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    Chapter 520 The Lesson of Survival


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    Atst, Graham¡¯s squad of five had been ounted for. One had turned into a zombie, two were critically injured, and both Graham and Dave bore their own share of wounds.


    She nced at the two men who were slipping toward unconsciousness and didn¡¯t waste another second. She hurried over and slipped an Emergency Pill into each of their mouths.


    Once the medicine was down, she noted their many external injuries and pulled out two bottles of pain relief gel from her system. ¡°Treat them with this.¡±


    At the sight of those familiar bottles, Graham and Dave¡¯s eyes lit up. They had used Theresa¡¯s medicine before¡ªit worked like magic. They rushed forward, unwrapping the makeshift bandages from Malcolm and Sebastian¡¯s wounds and applying the fresh salve.


    Kyle and Tyger quickly joined in. Kyle summoned streams of water with his water¨Cbased ability to clean the injuries, while Tyger used fire to sterilize supplies. Working together, they managed to stabilize both men. When their wounds were cleaned and bandaged, the Emergency Pills finally took effect, and Malcolm and Sebastian stirred awake.


    ¡°Malcolm! Sebastian!¡±


    ¡°Where are we?¡±


    They blinked, brows furrowed, but the moment they saw Theresa standing among the others, their expressions eased.


    ¡°Theresa!¡±


    ¡°Theresa!¡±


    Just seeing her there lifted their spirits. To them, she wasn¡¯t just their leader¨Cshe was the sky above their heads, the one presence that made everything feel safe. As long as Theresa was there, they had nothing to fear.


    ¡°Rest for now,¡± Theresa said. Then she fixed her gaze on Graham. ¡°Tell me. What exactly happened to you?¡±


    ¡°It was zombies,¡± Graham answered grimly.


    ¡°Theresa, there¡¯s a zombie king¨Cat least Level 6¨Cin this area.¡± His face darkened as he began to recount what had happened.


    They had been clearing out zombies on their way into the gorge. At first, they thought the


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    ce was deserted, but then they heard cries for help¨Csurvivors. Those survivors were Lara, L, and their group.


    Back then, it wasn¡¯t just the four of them. Nine people had been trapped inside the castle. When Graham¡¯s squad arrived, the survivors shouted desperately for rescue. Graham and his men rushed in, only to be ambushed by a high¨Clevel zombie with mental maniption abilities and a massive horde of ordinary zombies.


    The horde chased them relentlessly. With the Level 6 zombie leading, they had no chance. Forced to abandon their vehicles, they barely managed to retreat into the castle. One of their own had stayed behind to buy time. That man was therade Theresa had seen earlier- already turned into a zombie.


    Hearing this, Theresa¡¯s dislike for Lara and the others deepened. <i>They </i><i>shouldn¡¯t </i><i>have </i><i>saved </i><i>these </i><i>people</i>. <i>And </i><i>now </i><i>they¡¯d </i><i>lost </i><i>a </i><irade </i><i>because </i><i>of </i><i>it</i><i>. </i>


    ¡°Did you forget what I¡¯ve told you?¡± Theresa¡¯s voice cut sharply as she looked at Graham and Dave.


    Their heads bowed instantly, like guilty students. She had always drilled it into them: saving people was a dangerous risk, one that had to be weighed carefully.


    Theresa was steady, pragmatic, even cold. Whenever she encountered survivors, she never promised salvation outright. She only offered a chance. If they could seize it, they lived. If not, she wouldn¡¯t force it.


    In this apocalypse, saving others could mean dooming oneself. Theresa would never let someone else¡¯s weakness drag her down. Seeing Graham¡¯s squad jeopardize themselves for strangers stirred her


    anger.


    ¡°Theresa, we were wrong.¡± Graham lowered his head, and the others followed, even Malcolm and Sebastian from their sickbeds.


    Theresa drew a deep breath. ¡°You need to understand¨Cyou didn¡¯t just endanger yourselves. You risked dragging all of us into the same danger toe save you. In this world, protecting yourselfes first, always.¡±


    ¡°We understand,¡± Graham said quietly. Every man there dropped his head. Aside from Lucas, Theresa was the only one whose words they followed without question.


    ¡°Rest now. I¡¯ll keep watch tonight.¡± With that, Theresa turned toward the door.


    They would have to stay here. Evening had fallen, and the wounded wouldn¡¯t be fit to travel until after a night¡¯s rest<b>. </b>


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    Just then, Graham called after her urgently. ¡°Theresa! There¡¯s something else¡ªsomething important!¡±


    She paused. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°There are still huge numbers of residents deeper in the gorge. At least one or two thousand people.¡±


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    Chapter 521 Holding the Fortress


    Theresa quirked a brow at that.


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    ¡°Lara and her group came out of a camp in the gorge. There used to be a water station there. Hardly any survivors lived around it, and zombies rarely got inside. Over the years, all the smaller camps nearby have merged in that direction, forming a big camp.


    ¡°Theresa, the location of that camp is perfect. It sits right at the choke point between Branford and Crestmont. With mountain ranges on both sides, it¡¯s easy to defend and hard to attack. If we take control of it, we can block the zombies outside Branford and Crestmont, set up guard posts, and even move in on Crestmont itself!¡±


    Instantly, Theresa¡¯s mind filled with the map of the region. If her first line of defense was like the waistband of a pair of shorts, then this gorge was the crotch. Taking it meant she could push forward on both sides with ease while holding back the zombies outside.


    ¡°We came to scout the gorge in the first ce,¡± Graham said. ¡°We just didn¡¯t expect all this to happen.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Theresa patted his head. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. Once we¡¯re out of here tomorrow, we¡¯ll send in the main force.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±


    When Theresa left Graham¡¯s room, she spotted the group waiting in the hall. Lara, L, and the other two they had rescued were chained in a corner.


    The four of them lookedpletely beaten down, especially Lara and L, who had been on the receiving end of Theresa¡¯s fists. They slumped there with swollen faces, as if all the fight had been drained out of them.


    Tyger and Quentin were sitting by the window with Vinny, folding paper into little shapes, while Kyle stayed in another room tending to the injured.


    ¡°Told you I wasn¡¯t lying.¡± A calm, smooth voice drifted over. Sage leaned against the opposite wall, smiling as he lifted his head.


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    He was referring to Graham¡¯s whereabouts¨CTheresa knew now that Sage had told her the truth.


    ¡°Then you¡¯d better keep your word on what you promised me.¡± Sage pushed off the wall, his


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    smile looking all the more refined.


    :


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    ¡°We¡¯ll talk once we¡¯re out of here,¡± Theresa said and then turned toward the four in the corner. ¡°Don¡¯t just sit there. Get up and get to work!¡±


    Lara and the others could only stare back at her, speechless.


    Theresa directed everyone to the first floor to reinforce the doors and windows. The old fortress had five levels in total, filled with furniture that had been left to rot for over a decade. Most of it was falling apart, but at least the weight still counted. Heavy wooden tables were dragged to block every entrance.


    The first and second floor windows already had security bars, but Theresa had them nailed over with nks and backed up with bedframes and cabs. They had to spend the night here, and this ce needed to hold.


    Outside, the zombies circled the fortress, snarling and howling. Inside, anyone who could still move was put to work¨Cincluding Drew. By the time the sun had set and the moon had risen, they had barely managed to secure the first two floors.


    They decided to hole up on the fourth floor. Everyone had to stay together, no splitting up. They set traps along the stairs, hanging wires studded with des. The room itself was fortified with every piece of junk they could find¨Ctables, chairs, doors, cabsyer afteryer until the barricade felt strong enough to give them peace of mind.


    Only once Theresa had inspected every blind spot did she allow the group to rest.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat first,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±


    Everyone gathered close, except for Lara and the others. Theresa told Quentin to hand out the meal boxes they had brought.


    ¡°I came out with you this time, so you¡¯re feeding me,¡± Sage said with a calm smile.


    That made Theresa remember thest time she had been with him. Back then, he had fed her and hadn¡¯t asked her to lift a finger. Now the tables had turned, and it was her time to return the favor<b>. </b>


    She wasn¡¯t that stingy¨Cshe handed him two boxes of food.


    Across the room, Lara and L¡¯s group stared hungrily at the steaming meals, swallowing


    hard.


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    Theresa opened her own box. This time, the canteen had prepared beef bourguignon, grilled chicken, curry stew, stir¨Cfried zhini, garlic spinach, and half a braised egg.


    Since the alliance had been established, Theresa¡¯s meals had improved dramatically. Gone were the days of Kyle cooking whatever he could scrape together, or relying on pot stew and survival rations.


    Now, professional chefs from before the apocalypse were at the helm, serving up nutritious, bnced meals every day¨Cmeals rich enough to make anyone¡¯s mouth water.


    Back in the day, Graham¡¯s camp had survived on a single dish and a piece of bread day after day. But now, those days felt like a distant memory.

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    Chapter 522 The Night Siege


    Chapter 522 The Night Siege


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    Everyone in the zing Sun Alliance had long since stopped worrying about food. Still, the sight of the meals Theresa served up every single day left the others stunned.


    When Sage and Drew received their boxed meals, their eyes lit up at the spread inside. Drew, in particr, stared in shock. He had been following Sage for a while now, and life in Dawnwatch Camp was already considered high¨Clevelpared to most. But never¨Cnot once -had he eaten anything this luxurious.


    <i>Meat</i><i>! </i><i>Actual </i><i>meat</i><i>! </i>And so <i>much of </i><i>it</i><i>! </i>


    As core members of Dawnwatch Camp, they had ess to meat sometimes¨Cunlike the poor souls at the bottom who ate human flesh. Even then, it was only once every three days. But here, staring back at him were beef bourguignon, grilled chicken, curry stew¡­ his eyes went wide with disbelief.


    <i>How </i><i>can </i><i>their </i><i>standard </i><i>of </i><i>living </i><i>be </i><i>this </i><i>high</i><i>? </i>It¡¯s <i>a </i><i>hundred </i><i>times </i><i>better </i><i>than </i><i>ours</i><i>! </i>


    Even Sage, everposed, showed a glimmer of awe in his gentle gaze. Nothing Theresa brought out was ever ordinary.


    Across the room, Lara, L, and their twopanions couldn¡¯t take their eyes off the food.


    ¡°It smells amazing!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re eating meat?!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s chicken! Curry stew! Even fresh greens!¡±


    They stared at the steaming meals, breathing in the fragrance, swallowing hungrily.


    <i>This </i><i>is </i><i>the </i><i>apocalypse! </i><i>How </i><i>can </i><i>they </i><i>eat </i><i>like </i><i>this</i><i>? </i>


    Back in the gorge camp, they had lived almost like hunters and gatherers from another age- digging wild nts<b>, </b>gnawing on bark, lucky to catch fish when they could. Yet here, this group was feasting like it was a dream.


    ¡°How are they eating like this?<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°That¡¯s a whole other league!¡±


    ¡°I want some so badly.¡±


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    Chapter 522 The Night Siege


    ¡°I¡¯m starving.¡±


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    Just then, a few pieces of bread and a couple of packets of cheese spread were tossed their way. L caught them, then looked up at Theresa. ¡°Where¡¯s our dish?¡±


    Theresa nced at him coolly. ¡°You think you deserve it?¡±


    The four fell silent. If they hadn¡¯t worked earlier that afternoon, she wouldn¡¯t even have spared them the bread.


    They huddled together, splitting the scraps, chewing dry bread with cheese spread while the smell of meat filled the room. The contrast nearly killed them with envy.


    Once everyone finished eating, Theresa pulled out hermunicator to try contacting the outside. There was no signal at all. She tucked it away, only to hear the scratching and howling begin outside the windows.


    The fortress was surrounded. Under the full moon, the zombies¡® senses grew sharper, their strength heightened. They wed at the walls and hammered against the doors and windows.


    A dozen mmed against the heavy iron gate, sharp ws leaving deep scratches and curling kes of metal raining to the ground.


    Then came the crash of shattering ss. One of the east¨Cside windows on the first floor had given way.


    A female zombie, skin ashen and body wasted, wed desperately at the bars, forcing herself through the broken frame. A jagged end of rusted iron pierced into her temple, tearing along her jaw as she shoved forward, spilling foul, ck pus.


    She scraped and mmed against the barrier, snarling. Her head banged repeatedly against the bars until strips of flesh tore free, leaving bloody tatters hanging from the rust. The stench drew more zombies to the window, their gray¨Cwhite faces pressing together, fighting to break inside.


    Just then, a sh grenade streaked overhead andnded in the grass beyond. The sharp noise drew arge cluster of zombies away, though they found nothing waiting for them there.


    On the fourth floor, Theresa <i>stood </i>by the window, watching the scene below¨Cthe mass of undead still wing at the walls, others lured into the distance. ¡°We¡¯ll run two shifts tonight. No one is allowed to sleep too deeply. Stay ready at all times.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±


    They couldn¡¯t afford to let their guard down¨Cnot with a mental maniption ability user of


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    Level 6 or higher somewhere among the horde.


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    Chapter 523 Promises in the Smoke


    Chapter 523 Promises in the Smoke


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    Graham and Dave took the first half of the night watch, while Kyle and Tyger covered the second. Theresa, however, had to remain on alert through the entire night.


    By the time the shift changed, it was already past two in the morning¨Cthe hardest hour to <b>stay </b>awake. Surrounded by people guarding her while they dozed off, Theresa quietly rose to her feet and slipped toward the restroom to smoke a cigarette and clear her head.


    She had just lit the me when a shadow appeared in front of her.


    ¡°Give me one too.¡±


    She looked up to see Sage walking toward her. Without a word, she handed him a cigarette.


    ¡°Here, your knife.¡± Theresa held it out to him.


    Sage nced at the de. ¡°That knife was yours a long time ago.¡±


    Theresa froze. Then, without any pretense, she slid it back into the sheath strapped to her back.


    ¡°You people in the alliance seem to have plenty of supplies. You¡¯ve already restored food and meat production, haven¡¯t you?¡± Sage asked with his usual polite smile.


    ¡°Something like that,¡± she replied, slipping into her perfunctory mode.


    ¡°Don¡¯t downy it. The way you all eatpared to us¡­ that¡¯s no ¡®something like that.¡±


    ¡°Not really. I had ribs at your camp justst year. You guys are the ones who have it good. Our Alliance isn¡¯t much.¡±


    Sage held the cigarette between his lips, watching her. When she smiled, he smiled back. But after a moment, his expression shifted into something darker, disappointment shadowing his face. ¡°You don¡¯t want us to join you, do you?¡±


    Theresa blinked. <i>It¡¯s </i>so <i>obvious</i><i>, </i><i>isn¡¯t </i>it<i>? </i><i>So</i><i>, </i>why <i>bother </i><i>asking</i>?


    ¡°Sage, don¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me.¡± His eyes carried the sadness of a lost puppy. ¡°You don¡¯t want us. That¡¯s why you keep brushing me off, using me. And tomorrow, when you¡¯re out of <b>here</b><b>, </b><b>you¡¯ll </b><b>walk </b><b>away </b>without hesitation¨Cjust likest year.¡±


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    Theresa had no answer. What was she supposed to say now? He¡¯d already said everything


    himself.


    The truth was, she really did think that way. She had never been the type to care about moral restraint. So what if she promised Sage something? If promises meant anything in this world, Morgan wouldn¡¯t have torn up their agreement and attacked her.


    In a world of survival of the fittest, promises were worthless. If they benefited one, one kept them. If not, one tore them apart. Flexibility was the only reliable bottom line.


    She didn¡¯t want Sage¡¯s pack of jackals, and if it meant going back on her word, so be it.


    Sage chuckled softly, though his pale, refined face looked lonelier than ever. ¡°I¡¯m used to it. If you want to go back on your word, then go


    ahead.


    ¡°My father was an heir, my mother the only daughter of another powerful heir. And me? The sole legitimate child of a political marriage between two corporations. But I ended up as nothing. Both of my grandfathers once spoiled me, promised I¡¯d always be their grandson. Andter? Their promises became a joke.


    ¡°My parents split, the two families turned theirpanies against each other, and their illegitimate children walked in to be the real heirs. Overnight, I became the one everyone despised. Friends drifted away, ssmates mocked me, and even the housemaids and chauffeurs scolded and humiliated me.


    ¡°I heard too many promises. They were all lies, but still, I can¡¯t help fighting for a sliver of hope.


    ¡°Surviving the apocalypse is too hard. Do you think I wanted the meatfolk market in our camp? I didn¡¯t. But I couldn¡¯t control it. The need was there, and without answering that need, everything else was empty talk. I want your help.¡±


    Theresa met the fragile glow in his eyes. <i>Great</i><i>. </i><i>Another </i><i>performance </i><i>just </i><i>like </i>Quentin¡¯s. Really? I¡¯m <i>supposed </i><i>to </i><i>fall </i><i>for </i><i>that </i><i>again</i>?


    ¡°Sage, don¡¯t sell yourself short. You¡¯re strong. Someone like you could rule a camp of your own without a problem.¡± Her words came out as another brush¨Coff.


    ¡°Theresa Hall.¡± This time, Sage called her by her full name. His gaze locked on hers. ¡°I never med you forst year. And when I saw your car again this time, I thought maybe I had hope. Can¡¯t you take me just a little more seriously? I¡¯m struggling.¡±


    Theresa dragged hard on her cigarette, trying to steady herself. Anyone else might have stepped forward by now, pulled him into aforting embrace.


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    She just shook her head. Was it really worth all this effort? For a moment, he almost made her forget exactly what kind of man he was.

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    Chapter 524 The Power of the Detox Pill


    Chapter 524 The Power of the Detox Pill


    Just then, Theresa heard a blood¨Ccurdling scream.


    ¡°Ahhh<b>!</b>¡±


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    It was a man¡¯s voice, strained and stifled, but in the silence of the night, it was loud and clear. The noise stirred the zombies outside, sending them into a restless frenzy.


    She and Sage rushed out to find Drew writhing in agony on the floor, clutching his head. He had stuffed his arm into his mouth, biting down to muffle the sound while trying to keep himself conscious through the pain. It was useless, though. His arm was shredded and bleeding, his throat emitting beast¨Clike howls as he rolled across the ground in torment.


    Everyone woke instantly. Shock rippled through the group as they stared at the man convulsing before them. Only Quentin remained calm¡ªhe had seen this before with Theresa, but the others paled, thinking he was turning into a zombie.


    Weapons were drawn. Some stepped back. Lara, L, and their twopanions huddled in a corner, terrified¨Cthey had clearly never witnessed anything like it.


    Theresa knew the truth. It was the result of people in Dawnwatch Camp eating zombie gleamstones raw. Of course, it hade to this.


    Sage¡¯s face hardened as he stepped toward Drew, his voice calm and cold. ¡°Can you hold it in?¡±


    This outburst seemed to have been building for a long time. Drew lifted his head, eyes crimson, face twisted with pain. When he met Sage¡¯s gaze, fear flickered through his madness, yet he could not stop himself from thrashing, clutching his skull, desperate and helpless. He fell to his knees, trying to plead. ¡°Boss, boss, save me, save¡ª¡±


    Sage¡¯s gentle eyes glinted with malice as he drew Drew¡¯s knife, ready to put him out of his misery.


    Then Theresa¡¯s voice cut through. ¡°I¡¯ve got this.¡±


    Sage turned to her. She walked forward, palm open, revealing a small ck pill. ¡°Swallow this.¡±


    Barely clinging to reason, Drew loosened his jaws from his mangled arm and snatched the pill, gulping it down. It dissolved instantly, releasing a cool sensation that spread through his entire body.


    The raging fire in his mind, the madness driving him insane, was doused like <b>a </b>spring poured over mes. The agony melted away. The crimson in his eyes faded visibly. His convulsions


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    slowed, then stilled. Atst, Drew copsed, gasping for air.


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    Sage¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight. Even Theresa couldn¡¯t hide her surprise at how well it worked<b>. </b><i>System</i>¨Cmade <i>really </i><i>is </i><i>unbeatable</i>.


    It was the Detox Pill she had bought earlier that day. She had given it to Drew partly to test its effect, and partly because she had just discovered a way to control Dawnwatch Camp.


    Sage looked <i>at </i>Drew¨Ccalm now, the madness gone from his gaze¨Cand turned back to Theresa, shocked. ¡°What was that?¡±


    ¡°Something our alliance developed. Come, I¡¯ll exin.¡± She beckoned him to follow her back into the restroom, away from the others.


    Behind them, Lara and L¡¯s group stared wide¨Ceyed at Theresa, shock and disbelief written all over their faces. Whatever they were thinking, they kept to themselves.


    Inside the restroom, Sage asked, ¡°Can you spare me one of those pills?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re friends, of course. But it¡¯s rare.¡± Theresa drew out another Detox Pill and held it between her fingers.


    ¡°One hundred gleamstones,¡± Sage said without hesitation.


    ¡°Deal.¡± She handed it to him.


    Sage turned the pill in his hand, inhaling its faint, calming fragrance¨Cthe same scent from the pill that had saved Drew. After a moment¡¯s thought, he swallowed it.


    The effect hit instantly. A wave of coolness swept through his body, easing every ache and burning nerve. The chronic side effects of consuming gleamstones¨Cthe stiff joints, the throbbing pain in his head¨Call faded away.


    His body felt lighter. His mind was clearer, fresher than it had been in years. <i>It </i>was <b>as </b>if years of filth and poison had been scrubbed clean.


    He stared at Theresa in disbelief, utterly shaken by what she had just handed him.


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    Chapter 525 A Deal Struck


    Chapter <i>525 </i>A Deal Struck


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    <i>The </i>kind <i>of </i><i>drug </i><i>she </i><i>has</i><i>! </i><i>It¡¯s </i><i>actually </i><i>so </i><i>effective</i><i>! </i><i>This </i><i>can </i><i>especially </i><i>counter </i><i>the </i><i>unbearable </i><i>aftereffects </i><i>we¡¯ve </i><i>been </i><i>suffering </i><i>for </i><i>years</i><i>! </i><i>If </i><i>the </i><i>whole </i><i>camp </i><i>can take </i><i>it</i><i>¡­ </i>Even Sage¡¯s calm, steady eyes couldn¡¯t hide their tremor as he stared at Theresa.


    When the shock passed, he asked, ¡°Ms. Hall, can you supply this pill to me on arge scale?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Arlen, listen to yourself. Of course not,¡± Theresa replied tly.


    Sage fell silent, exasperated.


    ¡°This pill is too rare, too difficult to produce. Our research division has just developed it. There aren¡¯t even a hundred in the whole alliance. My men haven¡¯t even had the chance to try it yet.¡± She paused deliberately, then smiled. ¡°But you and I¡ªwhy, you¡¯re my brother from another mother, no? I know the state of your camp. I¡¯ll find a way to supply you.¡±


    Sage studied her, the corner of his lips lifting into a foxlike smile. ¡°And the catch?¡±


    ¡°You and Dawnwatch Camp stay put and help us clear out Branford and Crestmont.¡±


    Sage and his men were jackals. Turned inward, they were dangerous. But aimed outward, they were <i>a </i>de sharper than steel. They killed zombies like soldiers filling a quota, as vicious as Theron¡¯s army¨Csometimes even more so. And Sage¡¯s rule was bloodier than Theron¡¯s iron discipline.


    Now that Theresa had found a way to control them with the Detox Pill, she had already decided on their role. Let this pack of mad dogs do the dirty work¨Cughtering zombies and clearing ground. That way, their strength was spent on the right target.


    ¡°Besides the Detox Pill, I can provide you with supplies. All you have to do is kill. Leave the rest <i>to </i>me.¡±


    ¡°So, this makes me part of your alliance?¡±


    ¡°When Branford and Crestmont are clear, the zing Sun Alliance will wee you with open arms. We¡¯ll be waiting.¡±


    Sage¡¯s foxlike eyes glimmered with amusement. He knew she was using him as a weapon. But the Detox Pill was <i>too </i>tempting. For years, he and his people had eaten gleamstones raw, poisoning their bodies until every outbreak was more unbearable than thest. Without relief, they would copse sooner orter.


    In fact, he sometimes thought that if Theresa hadn¡¯t swindled their gleamstonesst year,


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    many of them might have overdosed and exploded by now. She had told him cooking <b>the </b>stones reduced the side effects, and he¡¯d found it true¨Cbut by then, the poison inside them was already too heavy.


    Now, just one of Theresa¡¯s pills left him feeling half renewed.


    ¡°Fine. But I want 300 Detox Pills every week.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡± Theresa agreed without hesitation. The deal was sealed: she would provide Detox Pills and supplies, and Sage would throw his people against the zombies.


    When they stepped back out, most of the others were still awake, unsettled by Drew¡¯s earlier outburst. No one dared sleep.


    Outside, the chorus of zombies grew louder, but the fortress still held. Everyone waited for the zombie king to appear. Yet even as dawn came, it never showed.


    Theresa was surprised. <i>Could </i><i>it </i><i>really </i><i>have </i><i>gone </i><i>this </i><i>smoothly</i><i>? </i>


    As the first light broke, the horde outside slowed, their frenzied movements weakening. At the eastern window, the zombie that had wedged its skull through the bars still battered its head against the barricade, its withered face mangled and bloody. Every strike dragged bone against metal, screeching in the morning air.


    ¡°Roar¡­¡±


    ¡°Roar¡­¡±


    The zombies stood stiffly around the fortress, mindlessly crashing against the walls.


    When the night finally passed without disaster, Theresa checked below, found nothing out of the ordinary, and gave the order to move.


    ¡°You two all right?¡± she asked Malcolm and the other wounded.


    ¡°We¡¯re fine now,¡± they said. After a night¡¯s rest, their wounds had nearly healed.


    ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s get out of here,¡±


    She gathered the group, everyone packing their things quickly before they <b>set </b>out.


    They pushed open the doors to find the traps they had set the night before untouched.


    ¡°What a waste,¡± Graham muttered.


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    ¡°Waste, my *ss. You want zombiesing through instead?¡± Dave smacked him on the head. Better wasted traps than a fight for their lives.

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    Chapter 526 The Level 6 Zombie


    Chapter 526 The Level 6 Zombie


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    Everyone moved toward the right¨Chand staircase, pulling away the barbed wire blocking the path. Just as they reached the stairwell, a short zombie suddenly appeared at the end of the old corridor.


    It stood barely five feet tall, dressed in tattered pajamas. Its face was a rotten, shattered mess. covered in long scars that split across its features, cutting through eyes, nose, and mouth.


    The swollen, festering wounds had pushed its features into grotesque distortions. One eyeball dangled from its socket while the other was shattered, red and ck cracks spreading across the eyeball until the cloudy gray pupil was shoved toward the corner.


    The zombie stared straight at the intruders. Its swollen mouth gaped unnaturally wide, and with a sharp crack, its jaw unhinged and dropped, exposing the gaping abyss of a throat like a cavern of blood.


    ¡°Roarrrr!¡±


    It lunged with frightening speed, wing and scrambling forward at the group.


    The staircase was strung thick with barbed wire, yet shockingly, the zombie¡¯s body slipped right through without a single strand stopping it.


    Theresa didn¡¯t flinch. She stood cold and still as the zombie sprang at her from above, its mutted face twisted, its bloody jaws gaping for her. Behind her, Kyle and the others snapped into alertness, while Lara¡¯s group shrieked and scrambled backward.


    Just as the zombie tore through thest of the barbed wire and closed in, the air rippled with invisible waves. In the blink of an eye, the creature vanished, leaving only the trembling wire behind.


    ¡°Boss, what was that?¡±


    ¡°A Level 6 mental maniption zombie.¡± A glint of excitement shed in Theresa¡¯s eyes. It even knew how to hide its body and strike from cover.


    The vanished zombie reappeared a secondter at the far end of the corridor. Its face twisted into a snarl as it sprinted like a sprinter out of the blocks, arms iling, legs pumping straight toward Lara and the others.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡±


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    Screams echoed. Lara¡¯s group panicked like startled rodents, stumbling backward <b>in </b><b>terror</b>.


    As they fled to the safety of Theresa¡¯s position, her mind power surged outward, <b>a </b><b>vast </b>waveshing back against the charging zombie.


    Beside her, Sage turned his gaze toward her in shock<i>. </i><i>Such </i><i>powerful </i><i>mind </i><b><i>strength</i></b><i>! </i>


    The zombie vanished again before it reached her, reced by a piercing shriek echoing from below.


    It¡¯s <i>on </i><i>the </i><i>fifth </i><i>floor</i><i>! </i>


    ¡°You all stay here! Don¡¯t move, and don¡¯t touch the wire¨Cit¡¯s all an illusion. I¡¯ll finish off that Level 6 zombie myself!¡± Theresa bolted up the stairs.


    A mental maniption zombie of that tier was extremely dangerous. If she let it escape now, no one else would be able to handle it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll check too.¡± Quentin dashed after her without hesitation.


    The others wanted to follow, but they didn¡¯t have Quentin¡¯s reckless disregard for orders.


    ¡°I¡¯ming as well.¡± Sage followed quickly behind.


    Then, Vinny broke from the group and ran after them too.


    With so many of the strongest gone, Lara¡¯s team of four nearly lost theirposure.


    ¡°The strongest just left¨Cwhat do we do?¡±


    ¡°Should we go down too?¡±


    ¡°Stay put!¡± Tyger¡¯s face was grim as he red at them. ¡°The boss told us to wait here. She said it¡¯s all an illusion.¡±


    The moment his words fell, the corridor ahead erupted with a flood of zombies.


    ¡°Roarrrr¡­¡±


    They came pouring out of the darkness, grotesque and blood¨Csoaked. Some had gaping stomachs, others half¨Ceaten heads, their long decay leaving bodies shrunken and ckened, skin stretched tight over bone. Yet every pair of cloudy zombie eyes glowed with ravenous hunger.


    One dropped to all fours, racing toward them with a guttural growl.


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    Tyger and Kyle exchanged a look. Kyle lifted a hand, sending a stream of water slicing smoothly through the swarm.


    Illusions. As long as they didn¡¯t fear them, they were safe.


    ˢƷ


    Years of fighting their way through hordes had hardened Tyger¡¯s group long ago. This much was nothing. They stood like sentinels at the four corners of thending, unshaken, letting the illusory zombies crash against them without moving an inch.

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    Lara¡¯s group of four didn¡¯t have the same nerves <b>of </b>steel. When a recking, half¨Crotted zombie suddenly appeared behind one of them, he froze in terror. Forgetting all about what was <b>real </b>and what was illusion, he bolted forward in a blind sprint.


    Directly ahead was a razor¨Csharp strand of wire. Behind him came the guttural roars of the zombie.


    ¡°Stooop!¡±


    ¡°Nooooo!¡±


    The others screamed, but nothing could halt his charge. The wire sliced clean through his neck. Even as his head tumbled free, his body kept running on muscle memory alone. It carried him all the way to the next stairwell before copsing in a heap, his severed head rolling seven or eight yards away.


    In Lara¡¯s mind, all she could see was herpanion¡¯s body being torn apart by zombies. The three remaining survivors cracked under the pressure, shrieking in panic. Their screams carried outside, and the horde surrounding the castle suddenly grew frenzied.


    <i>Thud</i><i>! </i>


    A crash echoed as a cab splintered. To the east, a window shattered. After a night of relentless battering, the zombies finally broke through.


    The first to crawl in was a female corpse with half her face mangled. Her temple was nothing but gore and bone, her gray eyes vacant yet locked on the sound of the shrieks above. With limbs twisted out of joint, she scrambled upright and began wing her way upstairs.


    One after another, more zombies poured in, shattering ss and forcing their way through windows. Unstoppable, they surged deeper into the castle.


    On the fifth floor, Theresa heard the shrieks and felt her patience snap. She wanted nothing more than to storm back down, p the screaming idiots, and toss them straight into the horde.


    Beneath her feet, the vibrations <i>of </i>countless zombies reverberated through the floors¨Cyet her focus stayed fixed on the elusive Level 6 mental maniption zombie.


    Mental¨Ctypes were always cunning. The Level 4 she¡¯d fought back at the zombie¨Cfilled high school had known how to hide. This one, a Level 6, was even more of a coward.


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    She had tracked itsst appearance to a fifth¨Cfloor room, only to find it empty. It seemed to realize it wasn¡¯t her match and slinked away.


    By then, Quentin, Sage, and Vinny had reached her.


    ¡°Beautiful.¡±


    Theresa shot a nce over her shoulder. Her eyesnded on Vinny, panting at the rear. ¡°Who told you toe?¡±


    ¡°I only follow you,¡± Vinny said.


    Theresa had no idea what to say to that. Quentin and Sage were one thing¨Cthey could fend for themselves¨Cbut Vinny? That girl had no business here.


    ¡°Theresa, there.¡± Vinny lifted a finger, pointing at the wardrobe inside the room.


    The moment Vinny spoke, Theresa¡¯s mind clicked. <i>This </i><i>girl </i><i>really </i><i>might </i><i>have </i>a <i>knack </i>for finding <i>people</i>!


    ¡­


    Back on the fourth floor, Lara¡¯s group had finally calmed down under Tyger¡¯s re. They understood now¨Cthe horrors they¡¯d seen were illusions. Still, with one of their own dead, they could hardly process it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just tear this thing down,¡± L muttered.


    ¡°No, we wait for our boss to return.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all illusions! Keeping this here just hurts us!¡± Lara¡¯s voice cracked with tears.


    ¡°Exactly¨Cwe were supposed to retreat anyway! No zombies areing up. This wire is nothing but dead weight!¡± one of them snapped and moved to rip away a strand.


    At that instant, a zombie staggered into view from the eastern stairwell. Its face was shredded raw by some unknown de, flesh hanging loose and bone exposed. The man stared at it as it advanced step by step, its presence chillingly real.


    ¡°Another illusion,¡± he told himself, trying to muster courage. Standing beside the wire, he red at the creature rushing closer. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you!¡±


    Theresa yanked open the wardrobe. Instantly, an Aeroshield red before her. But inside,


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    there was no zombie¨Conly the stench of decay and a narrow passage no wider than a man.


    ¡°It¡¯s inside,¡± Vinny whispered from behind.


    Theresa stretched her mind power into the passage, but the tunnel below was empty.


    ¡°You guys stay here. If you get bitten, there¡¯s nothing I can do for you.¡±


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    ¡°Don¡¯te in. Stay outside. If you get bitten, I won¡¯t be able to do a thing for you,¡± Theresa said as she stepped into the passage.


    ¡°Beautiful, I¡¯m not afraid.¡± Quentin followed without hesitation.


    ¡°Me neither.¡± Vinny, that stubborn girl, didn¡¯t seem scared of zombies <b>at </b>all. She trailed right after Quentin.


    Sage stayed silent, but he too went in.


    Theresa led the way with her Aeroshield fully expanded, shlight in hand, cutting through the darkness ahead. The narrow tunnel sloped downward, its sides solid brick, the stairs old wood that creaked and banged with every step. Then, abruptly, the steps ended, and the sound of her boots echoed into open space.


    Whaty before her stunned her¨Cit was aboratory.


    White research beds lined the room. Rows of dead ck screens sat atop research instruments. Two white file cabs leaned against the walls. On a white desk sat an open lockbox containing a single ampule of clear liquid.


    fixed on the smallbel stuck to it: rows of abbreviations followed by a date-


    Her eyes 08/09/2031.


    Theresa¡¯s heart jolted. That was the <i>day </i>the zombie virus outbreak began¨Cfour years ago.


    Then came movement. From the corners, small, twisted figures sprang forward. A swarm of zombies appeared out of nowhere, jaws gaping as they hurled themselves at her.


    ¡°Arrrrghh¡­¡±


    They crashed toward her, bloodied mouths open wide. The others behind Theresa shouted in rm, but she didn¡¯t flinch. Instead, she charged straight into the pack.


    The beam of the shlight flickered across the room. A sh of silver cut through the dark, and then came the shrick¨Chigh¨Cpitched, agonized.


    It sounded like a zombie, but there was something human in it too. Fear. Terror.


    At once, a wave of overwhelming mental force burst across the chamber.


    Sage, Quentin, and Vinny reeled as if struck by a hammer. Their fragile nerves felt pierced by


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    a thousand needles, their skulls heavy and throbbing, their vision darkening until they could barely breathe.


    Words caught in their throats, their nervous systems thrown into chaos.


    Vinny clutched her head in agony. Quentin, whose nervous system was different from most, suffered even more. Even Sage, a Level 5 ability user with formidable mind power, was crushed beneath the psychic storm of a Level 6.


    And then, a sharp, clear voice cut through it.


    ¡°That¡¯s all you¡¯ve got?¡±


    Theresa withdrew her de. In an instant, the illusions and the storm pressing on their minds dissolved. Sage and Quentin forced their eyes open¨Cjust in time to see Theresa standing over the corpse of the Level 6 mental¨Ctype zombie, de dripping.


    Against her, it had been hopeless. Its mental powers alone had been nothing but <i>a </i>gift- wrapped death. And with it came a prize: a gleamstone.


    Theresa¡¯s knife pried free a gleaming crystal the size of a baby¡¯s fist, bright and wless.


    A <i>Level </i><i>6 </i><i>mental</i><i>¨C</i><i>type </i><i>gleamstone</i><i>! </i>


    She tucked the precious core into her domain, then strode to the desk. Lifting the ampule, she studied the words and the date again.


    Most of the writing was abbreviations and scientific jargon, but one word stood out to her ¨C¡°evolution.¡± And the date stamped above was unmistakable. It was the day the outbreak began.


    Beneath the ampule, she pulled open the lockbox¡¯s lowerpartment. Dozens of empty ampulesy within, their dates stretching back more than a year before the outbreak.


    The sight left her reeling<i>. </i>Her mind buzzed, a single thought shing fast and sharp.


    She turned <i>to </i>the dead body slumped nearby, its white coat smeared with decay. It wasn¡¯t a dress¨Cit was ab uniform. The <i>tag </i>still bore abel¨CNo.3, S¨CRank Evolver.


    Realization hit.


    This wasn¡¯t just a hidden chamber¨Cit was a researchb, one that had been experimenting on the zombie virus even before the apocalypse<i>. </i>The dated ampules showed injections carried out month after month, deliberately feeding some substance into the creature here.


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    For a full year, it had been cultivated, bred like venom in a jar. That was how it had reached Level 6 so quickly, barely four years into the apocalypse.


    Theresa¡¯s brow furrowed tightly. She didn¡¯t feel as though she¡¯d found an answer. On the contrary, she was left with even more questions.


    In herst life, she¡¯d heard countless stories about the virus¡® origin. Everyone had a version, theories piled upon theories. But one thing she knew for certain¨Cand had proven true herself.

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    The virus had been discovered long before the outbreak. The three Ark Camps <b>were </b>the proof.


    But something about thisb didn¡¯t add up. None of its records had ever appeared in <b>Ark </b>Camp archives. That was impossible. The government had done everything it could to <b>trace </b>the source of the virus, gathering and syncing all research data to the Ark Camps for preservation, ensuring the work could continue even after the apocalypse.


    If thisb wasn¡¯t in the official records, then there was only one exnation¨Cit wasn¡¯t a government facility. But if not, then what was it? Who had the resources to research the virus even before the state?


    What was in those ampules? Was Subject No. 3 truly a man¨Cmade mental¨Ctype zombie? If there was a No. 3, then surely there had been a No. 2, a No. 1, perhaps even a Zero. Where were those subjects now?


    Theresa felt herself caught in a far deeper mystery than before.


    ¡°Theresa, I¡¯ve been here before.¡±


    Vinny¡¯s small voice cut through her thoughts. Theresa turned sharply to her. The girl walked to a white cab, crouched, and fumbled in the gap beneath it. After a few tries, she pulled out a doll.


    ¡°This was my mom¡¯s gift to me,¡± Vinny said, clutching the toy in her hands.


    Theresa¡¯s expression darkened.


    Vinny was only six and a half. With the apocalypse already four years in, she must have been here before it began¨Cwhen she was just two.


    ¡°What did your mom do?¡± Theresa asked.


    ¡°She was a doctor, I think. She gave people shots,¡± Vinny answered.


    ¡°Where is she now?¡± Theresa pressed.


    ¡°Dead.¡±


    ¡°How? Where?<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember,¡± Vinny admitted. She had been far too young to recall.


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    Theresa studied the girl¡¯s small face, wanting to ask more, when screams rang out from below.


    ¡°Ahhhhh!¡±


    Theresa nced around the room. ¡°Quentin, pack everything up!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Beautiful!¡± Quentin immediately began collecting everything in sight.


    Meanwhile, on the fourth floor, fire, water, and metal abilities red wildly, hammering the endless wave of zombies flooding the corridor. Blood beaded along the barbed wire strung across the hallways and stairs, traps snapping shut <i>to </i>ensnare countless undead. But still, the tide pressed forward.


    The defenders¡® space grew smaller with every minute. A zombie gnawed on the body of one victim, then dropped it and lunged toward fresher prey. Its crimson maw dripped warm blood as it scrambled across the ground in a blur, straight for Lara cowering in the corner.


    Her pupils widened in terror. <i>I¡¯m </i><i>doomed</i><i>¡­ </i>


    But just as the creatureunched itself, it mmed into an invisible wall and froze.


    ¡°Fall back!¡±


    A crisp voice rang out.


    Theresa appeared, battle uniform gleaming under the dim light. She swept her gaze over the windows¨Cthe zombies had been drawn inside, which meant the streets outside were clear.


    The group¡¯s spirits soared the moment they saw her.


    ¡°Boss!¡±


    ¡°Theresa!¡±


    ¡°All <i>of </i>you, get <i>down</i>. I¡¯ll hold them.¡± She raised a wall of air between her team and the horde, then tossed a <i>rope </i><i>out </i>the fourth¨Cfloor window, letting it drop to the ground below.


    Relief washed over every face. With Theresa there, everything felt under control.


    Graham went first, sliding down and clearing out a few stragglers at the base. He <i>stood </i>guard, ready <i>to </i>receive the others as they descended one <i>by </i>one¨CDave, Malcolm¡­ Lara, and L.


    As Lara clutched the rope and lowered herself, her thoughts spun back to the <i>day </i>before. There hadn¡¯t been a single zombie outside now, and she still found it terrifying. At the time, with the undead swarming below, it was beyond imagining. Too terrifying to even think about.

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    Lara couldn¡¯t help but think of Theresa. She had screwed her up, and Theresa had only pped her a few times. If she had been in Theresa¡¯s ce, she would have torn herself apart.


    Clutching the rope, Lara scrambled down with the others¡® help, stumbling as shended. One by one, the rest evacuated as well.


    Theresa looked at the mass of zombies still wing below. They weren¡¯t worth the trouble. Better to leave them for Sage to deal withter. With a sharp pulse of her mental power, she stunned the horde, then seized the rope and vaulted out the fourth¨Cfloor window.


    The moment her boots hit the ground, the zombies above rained down behind her.


    ¡°Run!¡± Theresa barked.


    At once, everyone bolted across the clearing. Behind them, the undead shrieked and scrambled in relentless pursuit.


    <i>Run</i><i>! </i><i>Faster</i><i>! Just </i><i>a </i><i>little </i><i>faster</i><i>! </i><i>They¡¯re </i><i>right </i><i>on </i><i>us</i><i>! </i>


    Theresa led them out of the castle and into waist¨Chigh weeds, retracing their path toward the cliffside where their vehicles waited.


    The horde poured out after them, never tiring, while desperation pushed the humans to their very limits.


    ¡°Arrghhhhh¡­¡±


    ¡°Aarrrrghh¡­¡±


    ¡°Arrrghhh¡­¡±


    Then came the thunder of engines. An armored truck roared to life. Two Reapers fired up beside it. Doors flung open, the vehicles rolled forward even as people mbered inside, each pulling the next up by the arm. <fnc050> This content belongs to Find[F]ovel</fnc050>


    A blood¨Csoaked zombie, its joints twisted, mmed into the side just as thest of them boarded.


    All three doors mmed shut at once. The convoy rumbled away, leaving the horde far behind, their howls fading into the distance.


    Inside the armored truck, Sage nced at Theresa, who was at the wheel. ¡°Ms. Hall, surely


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    He thought of her bottomless strength. She had cut down a Level 6 mental¨Ctype zombie as if it were nothing. A pack of Level 3s or weaker could never threaten her. So why run?


    ¡°Stray dogs aren¡¯t my match either,¡± Theresa said tly. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I go out of my way to beat every single one I see.¡±


    Sage was at a loss for words.


    Strength or not, survival meant caution. And Theresa always yed it safe¨Cif she could dodge, she dodged; if she could run, she ran. There was no sense wasting energy, especially when she intended to leave those zombies for Sage¡¯s training.


    Before long, their convoy reached Sage¡¯s camp.


    ¡°Mr. Arlen,¡± Theresa said, ¡°I¡¯ll have supplies and Detox Pills sent here in the next couple of days. In return, I expect you to cooperate with clearing the zombies in this area.¡±


    ¡°Once the supplies arrive, I¡¯ll start,¡± Sage replied.


    Theresa nodded, shifted gears, and sped away toward her own base. She had bigger questions to answer¨Cwhat exactly had that hiddenb been researching?


    One name came to mind. Her aunt, Tania.


    Hourster, Theresa arrived back at camp and went straight to Tania¡¯s researchb.


    Tania was hunched over her instruments, frustration etched on her face as she studied the weakened zombies in the observation chamber. ¡°Why does it always fall just short? What exactly is the zombie virus made of?¡±


    ¡°Aunt Tania.¡±


    The familiar voice carried from outside. At once, the irritation melted from Tania¡¯s features.


    ¡°Terry, what is it?¡±


    ¡°Take a look at this.¡± Theresa handed her the unbroken ampule she had taken from theb.


    Tania examined it closely, eyes narrowing at the abbreviations on thebel. When she finished, her expression turned to disbelief. She looked up at Theresa. ¡°How did you get Evoloid from the Starborn Order?¡±


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    ¡°The Starborn Order?¡± Theresa repeated, startled. It was the first time she had heard the name<b>. </b>


    Tania gave a knowing smile. ¡°Of course, you wouldn¡¯t know them. But you must have heard of the Priory of Sion.¡±


    The Priory of Sion¨Clegendary, shrouded in secrecy, filled with historic figures whispered about across Europe.


    Theresa¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I know it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a member of the Priory,¡± Tania said. ¡°And within the Priory, I once encountered an even more secretive, far more powerful organization¨Cthe Starborn Order.¡±

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    ¡°The Starborn Order? Ordinary folks don¡¯t even know they exist,¡± Tania exined, her tone sarcastic. ¡°They¡¯re a bunch of fanatics obsessed with this thing they call the ws of nature. In their minds, humanity is still crawling at the bottom, nowhere near real progress.


    ¡°They¡¯re convinced higher civilizations came from the stars, and everything we¡¯ve built so far is nothing more than cheap scrap.¡±


    Theresa squinted. ¡°So¡­ they also look down on themselves?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± Tania replied without hesitation. ¡°Most of them aren¡¯t even fully human anymore. They carve away their own limbs to strap on mechanical parts, dead certain that metal outdoes the human body.¡±


    Theresa nearly choked. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡±


    Tania gave a wry smile. ¡°Dead serious. They¡¯re crazy, no doubt about that. Still, they¡¯re not idiots. Every single one of them is a top scientist, a specialist, or some genius gone off the rails. They all share one obsession¨Cforcing mankind to ¡®evolve¡® and chasing this fantasy of a true evolution.¡±


    The words struck Theresa like lead weights sinking straight to the bottom of her chest<i>. </i><i>Inferior </i><i>species</i>? <i>True </i><i>evolution</i><i>? </i>


    Her stomach tightened. ¡°So, you¡¯re hinting the zombie virus came from them?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Tania hesitated, weighing her words. ¡°And no.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s pulse kicked up.


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°They never had the skill to design the zombie virus from scratch,¡± Tania exined, her brows knitting together. ¡°What they did was discover it. A meteorite crashed, carrying something theyter named Evoloid. My ex¨Chusband was the one who told me about it.¡±


    Theresa blinked. ¡°Wait¨Cyour ex?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he was one of them.¡± Tania exhaled and leaned back. ¡°He even tried to drag me into their cult. Luckily, I cut him out of my life before he got the chance.¡±


    Theresa couldn¡¯t find the words to respond.


    ¡°Anyway, five years ago, that meteorite hit Earth. They found an active substance on it.¡± Tania lifted a small vial from her pocket and held it up. ¡°This is what they turned into Evoloid.¡±


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    She the vial between her fingers, her voice dropping to a whisper. ¡°He swore this liquid


    spun could turn people into something better. He experimented with cells¡ªcancer vanished, old cells began regenerating, and people¡¯s bodies appeared to grow younger. It was like hitting a reset button on life.¡±


    Theresa swallowed hard as Tania continued, ¡°In a few cases, people awakened abilities. Fire, water, telekinesis¨Cyou name it. Sound familiar? That¡¯s where our ¡®abilities¡® came from.


    ¡°For the Starborn Order, this was their golden ticket. They were convinced they¡¯d finally unlocked the key to evolution. From then on, every scrap of zombie¨Cvirus research¨Cwhether by governments or privatebs¨Cwas rooted in Evoloid. The Starborn Order was the source.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s heart skipped. <i>So</i><i>, </i><i>that¡¯s </i><i>why </i><i>the </i><i>three </i><i>camps </i><i>know </i><i>nothing </i><i>about </i><i>the </i>Starborn Order. All <i>along</i><i>, </i><i>they¡¯re </i>building their <i>research </i><i>on </i><i>its </i><i>groundwork </i><i>without </i><i>even </i><i>realizing </i><i>it</i><i>. </i>


    The truth hit her hard. <i>These </i><i>lunatics </i><i>aren¡¯t </i><i>just </i><i>involved</i><i>; </i><i>they¡¯re </i><i>the </i>first <i>to </i><i>dig </i><i>into </i>it<i>, </i><i>the </i>ones who <i>know </i>it <i>best</i><i>. </i>


    Tania¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°Of course, what they called ¡®salvation¡® turned into a nightmare.


    ¡°Initially, the virus actually cured the sick. The original strain had a slow onset. It lingered quietly, making its way through DNA gradually and persistently.


    ¡°People didn¡¯t just flip into zombies overnight.¡± Her eyes darkened. ¡°The turning point was when mature zombies showed up. A single bite or scratch, and the victim transforms in just five minutes. The Starborn Order didn¡¯t create the virus, but they sped it up, warped it into something horrific.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s chest tightened as the truth mmed into her. <i>The </i><i>zombie </i><i>virus </i><i>isn¡¯t </i><i>some </i><i>freak </i><i>of </i><i>nature</i>¨Cit¡¯s <i>a </i><i>fabricated </i><i>disaster</i>. <i>A </i><i>cursed </i><i>seed </i><i>fallen </i><i>from </i><i>the stars</i><i>, </i><i>twisted </i><i>by </i><i>madmen </i><i>until </i><i>it </i><i>grows </i><i>into </i><i>the </i><i>end </i><i>of </i><i>the </i><i>world</i><i>. </i>


    Her mind then shed to her own rebirth. The outbreak had started earlier this time, all because she came back. That wouldn¡¯t make sense if it were a natural disaster. Since it was artificial, even the slightest ripple could throw the whole chain of events off.


    Her stomach turned. She had changed everything.


    ¡°Then, why are there survivors with abilities instead of infection?¡± Theresa asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s probably what the Starborn Order wanted all along,¡± Tania replied softly. ¡°The original virus didn¡¯t take hold in everyone. In the early wave, nearly a third of the frailest dropped straight into zombification. The rest survived.


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    ¡°Then came the mature zombies, and once they bit you, that was it¨Cno exceptions.¡± She tapped the vial with her finger. ¡°Those who made it this far are basically untouchable by the original strain. A handful even gained abilities.¡±


    Her lips twisted into something between a smile and a grimace. ¡°If you squint at it, you could almost call it human evolution.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s thoughts spun in circles.


    <i>Evolution</i>¡­ <i>So</i><i>, </i><i>this </i><i>hell </i>we¡¯re living <i>through </i><i>is </i><i>nothing </i><i>more </i><i>than </i><i>a </i><i>fabricated </i><i>disaster </i><i>disguised </i><i>as </i><i>evolution</i>?

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    ¡°They¡¯repletely out of their minds! What kind of twisted logic is that?¡± Theresa¡¯s teeth ground together as fury red in her chest. She could picture herself storming in and punching one of those lunatics in the face right now.


    One thing was clear¨Cthe Starborn Order had just be top of her hit list.


    She vowed to herself, Run into <i>them </i><i>once</i><i>, </i><i>and </i><i>I¡¯ll </i><i>cut </i><i>them </i><i>down </i><i>until </i><i>there¡¯s </i><i>none </i><i>left </i><i>breathing</i>.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it either,¡± Tania admitted with a sharpugh. ¡°Most of what I know came from my ex¨Chusband. To the Starborn Order, humans are pathetic¨Cfrail bodies, short lives, no special abilities¨Cyet we strut around like we own the universe. To them, we¡¯re just weak little carbon creatures who don¡¯t know our ce.¡±


    Theresa just stared, saying nothing.


    Tania kept going, ¡°Honestly, I hope the whole bunch ends up as zombies. They¡¯re so eager to throw away their humanity¨Cfine, let them. If advanced beings ever arrived, those idiots would bow first and hand over the whole on a silver tter. The thought alone disgusts me.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s head bobbed before she even realized it. She couldn¡¯t agree more. ¡°So, Aunt Tania, how in the world did you ever fall for someone like your ex?¡±


    Tania sighed heavily. ¡°Honestly? He was gorgeous.¡±


    Theresa blinked in silence.


    Tania smirked. ¡°You don¡¯t get it. The way he looked at me¡­ three seconds and I¡¯d already want to drag him <i>to </i>bed.¡±


    Theresa just gawked at her,pletely speechless. ¡°Then why did you break it off? Was it just different values?<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Not really. He was too intense¨Calways stuck to me, never letting his eyes wander. It wore me out, and he kept ruining my focus. So, I dumped him,¡± Tania told her bluntly.


    Theresa¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Savage.¡± <fn797e> ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? </fn797e>


    ¡°Terry, when are you going to find yourself a man? Life¡¯s finally slowing down. I¡¯m dying for a little one to fuss over.¡± Tania¡¯s smile was all mischief.


    Theresa shot up straight. ¡°Nope. Not happening.¡±


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    She spun on her heel. That conversation was over.


    s


    Tania called after her with augh, ¡°Why are you running? I¡¯m the most easy¨Cgoing aunt in the world. I don¡¯t nag about marriage. Just grab yourself a guy and enjoy life! Lucas, Theron- they¡¯ve got the looks and the muscle. Even those two young men working for you¨Cthey¡¯re polite, thoughtful, and know how to keep a woman happy. They¡¯d pamper you like a queen.¡±


    Theresa picked up speed like her life depended on it. No way was she hanging around for this.


    <i>Seriously</i><i>, </i><i>what¡¯s </i><i>the </i><i>big </i><i>deal </i><i>about </i><i>men</i>? <i>Do </i><i>they </i><i>show </i><i>up </i>with <i>crates </i><i>of </i><i>supplies</i><i>? </i><i>Do </i><i>they </i><i>hand </i><i>me </i><i>the </i><i>power </i><i>to </i><i>call </i><i>the </i><i>shots</i><i>? </i>


    <i>Watching </i><i>my </i><i>camp </i><i>grow </i><i>stronger</i><i>, </i><i>piece </i><i>by </i><i>piece</i><i>¨C</i>that¡¯s <i>absolute </i><i>satisfaction</i>. <i>No </i><i>man </i><i>could </i><i>ever </i>top


    <i>that</i><i>. </i>


    After getting away from Tania¡¯s ambush, Theresa called over to Tyger and told him to bring Vinny to her office. She needed more details about thatb.


    Vinny mentioned that her mom was a doctor who gave injections, and since that facility was already connected to the Starborn Order, her mother might be part of it.


    It might be the key she¡¯d been waiting for.


    Theresa sat in her office, waiting. Soon, a knock came at the door, and it swung open to reveal Vinny, with Lara and L right behind.


    Lara¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as she took in the room. Since joining the zing Sun Alliance, she had felt like she was in a different world.


    <i>Did </i><i>I </i><i>somehow </i><i>step </i><i>back </i><i>into </i><i>the </i><i>world </i><i>before </i><i>the </i><i>apocalypse</i><i>? </i><i>How </i><i>can </i><i>life </i><i>here </i><i>be </i><i>so </i><i>great</i><i>? </i><i>It </i><i>feels </i><i>like </i>I¡¯ve <i>stepped </i><i>into </i><i>paradise</i>.


    ¡°You two¡­¡± Theresa had almost forgotten she¡¯d dragged them back as well.


    They were lucky¨Cstill alive after everything.


    After staring death in the face, Lara and L now saw Theresa in apletely different light. She might¡¯ve roughed them up, but she hadn¡¯t given up on them, and she hadn¡¯t crushed them just because they were weak.


    They realized that if they stayed out of her way, Theresa barely noticed them at all. She wasn¡¯t


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    Chapter 532 Picking Sides


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    :


    ¡°We want to join you.¡± Lara fiddled with her hands, clearly nervous.


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    * Free Cous


    Her pale face drooped, the fake sweetness fading away. The delicate flower act had wilted. What stood before Theresa now was someone worn down by survival.


    ¡°You want in? Then tell me what you can actually do.¡± Theresa didn¡¯t waste words.


    Theresa¡¯s standards were simple. If someone had practical skills, she¡¯d keep them. If they didn¡¯t, she had no problem letting them walk away. She couldn¡¯t care less about appearances or anyone¡¯s past.


    Lara peeked up atst, big eyes wet and uncertain. ¡°I¡­ I can doundry.¡±


    Theresa almost burst outughing. ¡°We¡¯ve got washing machines, so why would I need you for that?¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ I can pick wild veggies, maybe cook something simple¡­¡± Lara tried again.


    Theresa waved her hand dismissively. ¡°We¡¯ve got machines for farming, pigs on arge scale, and actual chefs. Nobody needs that.¡±

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    Lara¡¯s eyes welled up as she turned to Theresa<b>, </b>face full of confusion.


    ¡°Step aside. You¨Cwhat can you do?¡± Theresa demanded.


    L scratched his head. ¡°I can fish, Does that count for something?¡±


    45 Free Cors


    Theresa¡¯s stare was t; her silence was louder than words. Finally, she broke it with a dry bite. ¡°You¡¯re telling me you two had no skills before the world went to hell?¡±


    Lara and L traded an embarrassed look before admitting together, ¡°We were trust fund kids. All we ever did was travel and collect rent.¡±


    Theresa nearly rolled her eyes. <i>Unbelievable</i>.


    L hurried to exin, ¡°We only learned foraging and fishing after things copsed. Our camp was divided into two parts¨Cthe inner camp and the outer camp. The inner one had walls and stockpiles. Outsiders like us got dumped in the outer ring. We scraped by on wild greens and whatever fish we could pull up.


    ¡°In summer, the insiders would asionally barter with us when the fish were abundant. Sometimes they¡¯d hire extra hands and toss us a few scraps. Yet most of the time, they never showed up.¡±


    His voice was deliberate, carrying the weight of experience. <fnf99b> Follow current nov?ls on F¦ÉndNovel</fnf99b>


    Theresa furrowed her brows. ¡°Inner camp?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Two camps, no real contact.¡± L rubbed the back of his neck.


    Theresa tilted her head. ¡°Your camp was in the canyon?¡±


    L nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°What kind of people lived in the inner camp?¡± Theresa leaned forward across the table, her frown deepening as her voice dropped low.


    ¡°No idea.¡± L shook his head, and Lara echoed him. ¡°They stayed hidden. Only showed up for trades. They carried guns, so no one dared to push them. The moment the gates shut, they vanished. No one ever knew what happened behind those walls.¡±


    Theresa fell quiet, her mind racing. <i>That </i><ib </i><i>we </i><i>stumbled </i><i>upon </i><i>today </i>is <i>located </i><i>right </i><i>outside </i><i>the </i><i>canyon</i><i>, </i><i>surrounded </i><i>by </i><i>zombies</i><i>. </i><i>No </i><i>way </i><i>that¡¯s </i><i>a </i><i>coincidence</i>.


    Chapter 583 Secrets Behind the Canyon


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    Those cult freaks probably never <i>leave</i>¨C<i>they </i><i>just </i>ditch <i>the </i><i>castle </i><i>and </i>hole up <i>in </i>the <i>canyon </i><i>instead</i>,


    ¡°You know anything else? Numbers? Why are they recruiting?¡± she pressed.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± L admitted. ¡°They stayed disguised¨Cfaces hidden by masks and hoods. All you ever saw were eyes, and you couldn¡¯t tell one from another. They came out whenever they wanted, no routine. And once someone got taken in¡­ they never came back.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Never?¡±


    ¡°Never,¡± L confirmed. ¡°Our outer camp used to have over 1,300 people. Now<i>? </i>Barely a thousand. The rest were all recruited, and none of them ever returned.¡±


    Her gut tightened. <i>Something </i><i>about </i><i>that </i><i>inner </i><i>camp </i><i>stank</i>.


    ¡°Kyle, take these two and stick them on some basic job,¡± Theresa ordered.


    ¡°On it!¡± Kyle shot back.


    Lara and L shuffled after him, looking relieved to be still alive.


    The door shut, and Theresa turned to Vinny. ¡°Come here, kid.¡±


    Vinny hurried over. ¡°Theresa.¡±


    ¡°Do you recall where your mom used to work?¡± Theresa asked, her tone calm but probing.


    Vinny shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    Theresa went on, ¡°How did you get out when she died?¡±


    Vinny scowled, searching through her memories. ¡°I don¡¯t remember much. I was asleep when Mom handed me to Dad. Next thing I knew, I was at my uncle¡¯s farmhouse. Dad told me Mom had died. Thenst year, he ran into zombies and¡­ he was gone too.¡±


    Theresa listened carefully, but with Vinny barely two at the time. There was little she could recall.


    Theresa waved it off. ¡°Forget it. For now, you stay here and go to school.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want school. I want to stay with you!¡± Vinny bolted to her side, clinging tight.


    Theresa¡¯s mind shed back to James¨Csame stubborn streak, same insistence. She¡¯d already dumped him into the fighter squad. With three people trailing her already, she wasn¡¯t about to add another tag¨Calong.


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    ¡°You¡¯re at the age to study, not fight. Get your learning done before you think about following me.¡±


    Vinny¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°I can do everything, Theresa! I can fight zombies, hunt for food, and catch animals big or small. I can handle cooking, chores, and even tracking people. My nose is sharp¨CI can smell if zombies or humans are nearby. If there¡¯s something I can¡¯t do, I¡¯ll learn it now. Just let me stay with you!¡±


    Theresa blinked at her. <i>Seriously</i>? <i>Two </i><i>grown </i><i>adults </i><i>can¡¯t </i><i>do </i><i>a </i><i>d</i><i>*</i><i>mn </i><i>thing</i><i>, </i><i>and </i><i>here¡¯s </i>this kid <i>spitting </i><i>out skills </i>like <i>a </i>veteran <i>fighter</i>. <i>How </i><i>embarrassing</i>.


    Her phone buzzed on the table. Lucas.


    She grabbed it. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    NOV


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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    ¡°We¡¯ve advanced the line to the western outskirts of Branford,¡± Lucas reported. ¡°Branford¡¯s in our hands now.¡±


    The moment his wordsnded, the familiar system alert chimed in her head.


    Ding<i>! </i>


    <i>Mission </i><i>Update</i><i>: </i><i>Territory </i><i>Expansion aplished</i><i>! </i>


    <i>Reward </i><i>unlocked</i><i>: </i><i>Super </i><i>VH100 </i>Anti¨C<i>Air </i><i>Defense </i><i>System</i><i>! </i>


    <i>Original </i><i>defense </i>grid <i>upgradedto </i><i>deliver </i><i>total </i><i>aerial </i><i>protection </i><i>at </i><i>all </i><i>ranges</i><b><i>! </i></b>


    <i>System </i><i>synced </i><i>with </i><i>system </i><i>manager</i><i>, </i><i>Tessa</i><i>. </i><i>She¡¯ll </i><i>monitor </i><i>every </i><i>inch </i><i>of </i><i>airspace </i><i>above </i><i>the </i>territory<i>! </i>


    Theresa grinned. <i>Finally</i>.


    She¡¯d been stuck with a ring weakness for too long. Her radar only tracked movement; UAVs were limited to ground strafes, and missile batteries handlednd¨Cbased threats. If someone had sent in an air raid back then, she would¡¯ve been finished. That blind spot had already cost


    her once.


    On the ground, she¡¯d been untouchable before she crossed paths with those three camps. Yet an aerial strike in the apocalypse? That would¡¯ve been a crushing blow, the kind that flipped the whole board in a single move.


    Not anymore. That hole in her defenses was gone.


    Now, if anyone buzzed her skies, she¡¯d light them up. The ground was fortified, the air secured, and her fleet now prowled the waters.


    Land, sea, and sky¨Cher territory was sealed tight.


    Her mood shot through the roof. <i>With </i><i>Branford </i><i>down </i><i>and </i><i>Crestmont </i><i>next </i><i>on </i><i>the </i><i>list</i>, <i>we¡¯re </i><i>about </i><i>to </i><i>carve </i><i>our </i><i>mark </i><i>into </i><i>the </i><i>eastern </i><i>region</i><i>. </i><fn440e> Get full chapters from f¦É?dn¦Ïvel</fn440e>


    <i>Once </i><i>those </i><i>two </i><i>cities </i><i>fall </i><i>under </i><i>our </i><i>banner</i><i>, </i><i>Ansford </i><i>will </i><i>be </i><i>wrapped </i><i>in </i><i>steel</i><i>. </i><i>Inside </i><i>that </i><i>shield</i>, <i>people </i><i>can </i><i>finally </i><i>breathe</i><i>, </i><i>work</i><i>, </i><i>and </i><i>rebuild </i><i>without </i><i>zombies </i><i>gnawing </i><i>at </i><i>their </i><i>heels</i><i>. </i>


    Tania¡¯s words about ¡°evolution¡± came back to her. She thought, <i>Humanity </i><i>is </i><i>never </i><i>weak- </i><i>everything </i><i>we¡¯ve </i><i>built </i><i>matters</i>.


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    Inside, she nced at them in the rearview mirror. ¡°So, tell me¨Cwho runs your outer <b>camp</b>?<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Mr. Hershberge,¡± Lara answered.


    Theresa inched closer. ¡°Who¡¯s he?¡±


    ¡°His name¡¯s Herman Hershberge,¡± L exined. ¡°Mid¨Cfifties, one of the earliest settlers. He talks with the inner camp more than anyone, so he knows that canyon inside out. People trust him, so he ends up leading us.¡¯


    ¡°We all go to him whenever something seriouses up,¡± Lara chimed in. ¡°He¡¯s fair, usually makes good decisions, but¡­ he¡¯s stubborn. If the rules say no, then no. Sometimes we have to sneak around to get things done.¡±


    Theresa narrowed her eyes. ¡°Such as?¡±


    Both of them tensed up, fingers tugging at their sleeves.


    Finally, Lara spoke up, ¡°Like when we wanted to leave. Mr. Hershberge shut us down.


    ¡°Our camp is safe¨Cno zombies, no one starving¨Cand he¡¯s determined to keep it that way. Nobody is allowed to leave. He¡¯ll lock them down if outsiders wander in, and won¡¯t let them leave. He once imed that¡¯s the only way to keep the location a secret.¡±

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    ¡°Mr. Hershberge runs our camp like a hawk. Nothing inside ever links up with the outside. world. We just wanted to see for ourselves. Perhaps the zombies are gone and things have gotten back to normal¡­ so we snuck out.¡±


    Lara and L took turns exining, voices low.


    Theresa couldn¡¯t help but wonder, <i>Did </i><i>they </i><i>even realize </i>how <i>insanely </i><i>reckless </i><i>that </i><b><i>was</i></b><b><i>? </i></b><i>If </i><i>Graham </i><i>and </i><i>I </i>hadn¡¯t run <i>into </i><i>them</i><i>, </i><i>they </i><i>would </i><i>already </i><i>be </i><i>dead </i><i>and </i><i>rotting </i><i>in </i><i>that </i><i>ruined </i><i>castle</i>.


    <i>They¡¯re </i><i>not </i><i>terrible </i><i>people</i>, <i>just </i><i>clueless</i>.


    <i>That </i><i>canyon </i><i>of </i><i>theirs </i><i>is </i>like <i>living </i><i>in </i><i>a </i><i>bubble</i>. <i>They </i><i>don¡¯t </i><i>have </i><i>to </i><i>worry </i><i>about </i>zombies, <i>and </i><i>although </i><i>food </i><i>and </i><i>water </i><i>are </i><i>scarce</i>, <i>they¡¯re </i><i>still </i><i>manageable</i><i>. </i><i>Plus</i><i>, </i><i>nobody¡¯s </i><i>breathing </i><i>down </i><i>their </i>necks.


    <i>Compared </i><i>to </i><i>those </i><i>poor </i><i>souls </i><i>who </i><i>fight </i><i>tooth </i><i>and </i><i>nail </i><i>every </i><i>day </i><i>just </i><i>to </i><i>wake </i><i>up </i><i>the </i><i>next </i><i>morning</i>, <b><i>these </i></b>two <i>have </i><i>it </i><i>pretty </i><i>easy</i>.


    Theresa could almost see their point. Living cooped up in one spot for ages, it was only a matter of time before curiosity took over and caution took a backseat.


    She cut in, steering the talk back. ¡°That Herman¨Cany family?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lara chimed in. ¡°He has a grandson, Asher Hershberge. That poor kid is a bit slow. And a granddaughter, Elsie Hershberge¨Cshe was taken into the inner camp.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°That¡¯s the recruitment you mentioned?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Lara confirmed quickly. ¡°Every six months, they pull people from the outer camp. Whoever gets chosen, their family gets loaded with supplies. Everyone fights tooth and nail to be picked.¡±


    ¡°So, why not you two?¡± Theresa asked bluntly.


    ¡°The requirements are pretty strict. They¡¯ve been hiring only people with special abilities for the


    <i>past </i>few


    years. Unfortunately, we don¡¯t have any,¡± Lara admitted, her voice dull.


    Theresa pressed, ¡°What happens once they go inside? Any idea?¡±


    L shook her head. ¡°No one knows. We¡¯re not even supposed to ask. Mr. Hershberge just said families get a voice recording every six months¨C<i>a </i>brief message, always the same, saying everything¡¯s fine.¡±


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    Chapter 535 The Canyon Wall


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    Theresa¡¯s curiosity only grew. <i>Every </i><i>half </i><i>year</i><i>, </i><i>they </i><i>send </i><i>people </i><i>in </i><i>and </i><i>poof</i>¨C<i>gone</i>. The only <i>thing </i><b><i>that </i></b><ies </i><i>back </i><i>is </i><i>some </i><i>chirpy </i><i>little </i><i>recording </i><i>saying </i><i>everything¡¯s </i><i>great</i>. <i>That </i><i>smells </i>fishy as hell.


    Plus, <i>that </i><i>whole </i><i>¡°</i>no <i>zombies </i><i>inside</i>, <i>only </i><i>outside</i><i>¡± </i><i>thing</i><i>? </i><i>Oh</i>, please. <i>Like </i>I¡¯m supposed to believe <i>that¡¯s </i><b>just </b><i>luck</i>.


    Her armored car barreled toward the canyon, engine growling.


    Shouts hit them before the camp even came into view.


    ¡°Go away!¡±


    ¡°This is ournd!¡±


    ¡°No outsiders allowed!¡±


    ¡°Leave!¡±


    Dozens of ragged figures stood in the way, holding spears, forks, and any other sticks they could make sharp. They looked more like cavemen than survivors.


    Standing in their way was Sage¡¯s crew, rifles slung over their shoulders and faces showing clear annoyance. It was like predators eyeing their prey.


    Thousand¨Cstrong, the canyon folk might¡¯ve outnumbered them, but all they had was fury in their eyes and curses on their lips.


    Drew shouted, ¡°Come on, people! Drop your toys and use your heads. We¡¯ve already cleared two cities of zombies. My boss wants to take you <i>to </i>a safe zone, so don¡¯t risk it all!¡±


    ¡°Screw your safe zone!¡± a wiry old man roared back. His face was deeply lined, but his expression was resolute. ¡°This is our home. We don¡¯t need rescuing. Get out!¡±


    The old man scoffed inwardly. <i>Safe </i><i>zone</i><i>? </i><i>What </i><i>a </i><i>joke</i>.


    <i>We¡¯re </i><i>already </i><i>safe </i><i>here</i><i>. </i><i>No </i><i>one </i><i>invited </i><i>these </i><i>clowns </i><i>to </i><i>crash </i><i>in</i><i>, </i><i>as </i><i>if </i><i>they¡¯re </i><i>the </i><i>answer </i><i>to </i><i>everything</i>. It¡¯s <i>the </i><i>d</i><i>*</i><i>mn </i><i>apocalypse</i>. <i>Who </i><i>knows </i><i>what¡¯s </i><i>really </i><i>happening </i><i>out </i><i>there</i><i>? </i>


    <i>Two </i><i>whole </i><i>cities </i><i>clear </i><i>of </i><i>zombies</i>? <i>Please</i><i>. </i><i>There </i><i>are </i><i>millions </i><i>of </i><i>dead </i><i>on </i><i>those </i><i>streets</i><i>. </i><i>No </i><i>way </i><i>they </i><i>clear </i><i>everything</i><i>. </i>


    <i>This </i><i>is </i><i>nothing </i><i>but </i><i>a </i><i>scam</i><i>¨C</i><i>outsiders </i><i>trying </i><i>to </i><i>force </i><i>their </i><i>way </i><i>in </i><i>and </i><i>take </i><i>our </i><ind</i>.


    ¡°Get out!<i>¡± </i>


    13:25 Mon, Sep 29 <b>N</b>¡­


    Chapter <i>535 </i>The Canyon Wall


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    ?


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    Then an armored car screeched into the canyon, swerving to a stop right between the two sides. Dust kicked high as every eye turned.


    The door mmed open.


    Lara and L climbed out first.


    ¡°Lara! L!¡± The elderly man, Herman Hershberge, standing at the center of the crowd, stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes went wide as recognition dawned on him. <i>Wait</i><i>¡­ </i><i>aren¡¯t </i><i>those </i><i>our </i><i>people</i><i>? </i>


    ¡°Mr. Hershberge?¡± Lara said quietly, her shame evident in every syble. ¡°It¡¯s us.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re alive? Where did you vanish to, and where¡¯s everyone else?¡± His voice trembled with


    anger.


    The two dropped their heads, guilt written across their faces. They couldn¡¯t bring themselves to look him in the eye.

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    Chapter 536 The Stubborn Herman


    ¡°Start talking! What happened?¡± Herman snapped angrily.


    ¡°We ran into a zombie horde. Everyone¡¯s dead, Mr. Hershberge,¡± Lara said quietly.


    <b>+10 </b>Free Coins


    ¡°And what possessed you to think that going out there was a good f*cking idea?¡± Her answer only made Herman¡¯s anger balloon further.


    ¡°W¨CWe just wanted to see what it¡¯s like out there. We wanted to know whether things have already, you know¡­ gone back to normal,¡± she stammered meekly.


    ¡°Normal? You risked your life and their lives for normal? I¡¯ve said it over and over again, haven¡¯t I? I told you it¡¯s dangerous out there. And what did you do? You disobeyed my orders and left! Even worse, you got people killed!


    ¡°Yet, you still have the gall to show your face after screwing things up so badly.¡± Herman¡¯s scowl deepened in his displeasure. However, he still brought them back with him.


    His actions could only mean that he wasn¡¯t about to chase them out of the base after all.


    Lara hastily tried to salvage things, exining, ¡°Mr. Hershberge, we messed up. We really did, but the outside world really has gone back to normal. I swear it! The zombies aren¡¯t infesting the city anymore.


    ¡°People have returned to the city to work and study. Even the supermarket and the malls are back in business. You guys have toe with us. Please!¡±


    Herman and the others couldn¡¯t help but regard Lara dubiously, frowning in disbelief.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look. I swear to God I¡¯m not joking. I¡¯m being serious here. Hell, L¡¯s my witness. Tell them!¡±


    ¡°Lara isn¡¯t lying. The alliance has formed several departments with the precise goal of making a future in this apocalypse. I¡¯m working under the agriculture team. There are only about ten people in our group, but we have thousands of acres of food nted.


    ¡°I promise you, we¡¯re no longer struggling to survive out there,¡± L added.


    Once she was done, the silent Herman finally spoke up. ¡°That¡¯s great. Just wonderful. You were such good kids before you left. Yet, here you are now, making up tall tales! Do we look like fools to you?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Hershberge, I swear to you that I¡¯m not yanking your chain. Okay, listen. I know it sounds


    Chapter 536 The Stubborn Herman


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    like it¡¯s too good to be true, so that¡¯s why you can¡¯t bring yourselves to believe us. That¡¯s fine. You could just send a representative over with us to check things out. Seeing is believing. right?¡±


    ¡°Stop it! Cease with your lies. Be honest. Why have you returned? What do you want from us?¡± Herman demanded sharply.


    ¡°That¡¯s simple, really. We want your people to join the alliance. Of course, we also came here because we wanted to know just what this ¡®inner camp¡® fuss was all about,¡± someone said ndly.


    Theresa, who was dressed in abat suit, jumped down from her vehicle.


    Herman red at her stubbornly with hostile eyes. ¡°I knew it. I knew you guys were here to screw us over. I¡¯m warning you, you will never be able to conquer our territory or meet a single inner camp member!¡±


    ¡°Ms. Hall, I¡¯ve been trying to convince these old bags for ages. They¡¯d sooner starve to death than join us. We might as well kill them all. It¡¯s honestly way more efficient that way,¡± Sage called out.


    Theresa shot him a pointed look. ¡°And that¡¯s enough out of you. Tell our men to retreat. Leave the negotiations to me.¡±


    ¡°Really? You want them?¡± Sage¡¯s brows furrowed in clear distaste.


    Of course! Why wouldn¡¯t she want them?


    Theresa wasn¡¯t a ruthless killer. Besides, these people weren¡¯t irredeemable monsters who had wronged her or her allies. So, why should she spill their blood?


    Naturally, it also helped that she had a change of heart. In the beginning, she agreed with the philosophy that it was every man or woman for themselves. Everyone, from the oldest of men right down to toddling children, was a potential enemy.


    As time passed, she gradually opened her heart to her allies. Her allies eventually became her friends, people she would scorch the earth for. It was her allies versus the world.


    Now, she was wise to the ways of the world. She now understood that the true enemies were the zombies and those who sided with those brain¨Ceating monsters.


    Everyone else was her ally. Anyone who stood against the zombies, man, woman, or child, was an ally.


    She had drawn the line in the sand.


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    Chapter 536 The Stubborn Herman


    Humans and zombies could never coexist.


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    So, she promptly shooed Sage away before turning her full attention on Herman. ¡°Rx. You¡¯re safe.¡±


    ¡°Do you think any of us will fall for your savior act?¡± Herman scoffed derisively.


    ¡°Listen, old man. I¡¯m not a patient woman. So, you¡¯d best shut up before I actually do something to you,¡± Theresa shot back.


    ¡°How dare-¡±


    ¡°Mr. Hershberge!¡± Lara and L cried out as they rushed to his side, grabbing his arms before he could do anything rash.


    Then, they wasted no time trying to convince him, saying, ¡°We haven¡¯t been lying! We promise!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s Theresa Hall. She¡¯s the leader of an alliance, and she¡¯s insanely strong!¡±


    ¡°There are tens of thousands of people under the alliance¡¯s protection. The people there aren¡¯t just surviving, they¡¯re living! They have food, clothes, entertainment, and medicine! Anything we had back before the apocalypse. You name it, they have it.¡±


    Only then did Herman finally notice just how much healthier and cleaner Lara and L were looking.


    They hadn¡¯t been gone that long, but he couldn¡¯t deny that they looked a hundred times better than before. They were no longer one of the many sallow faces in the camp. Heck, even the clothes they had on were brand new.


    Was it possible that they weren¡¯t talking out of their *sses?


    Still, Herman wasn¡¯t buying it. He harrumphed and spat, ¡°Hmph! Either way, we¡¯re not moving our camp, and we¡¯re definitely not joining you or leaving our camp!¡± Then, he turned and led his people back into the canyon.


    ¡°See what I mean, leader? I told you Mr. Hershberge was as stubborn as a mule. I freaking called it.¡±


    Theresa justughed their frustration off.


    ¡°So, Theresa¡­ What¡¯s the n now?¡±


    ¡°Now, all I want to know is what this inner camp is all about.¡±


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    Chapter 536 The Stubborn Herman


    Just then. Theresa heard a low chiming sound echoing across the canyon.


    Lara and L¡¯s faces paled. ¡°Crap, the inner camp members areing! They must¡¯ve heard themotion!¡±


    Everyone in the canyon started running back at the strike of the bell.


    Theresa figured that when in Rome, one should do as the Romans do. So, she, Quentin, and Vinny promptly followed the locals.


    She¡¯d only brought Quentin and Vinny along with her on this trip.

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    Chapter 537 Mysterious Members in White


    Chapter 537 Mysterious Members in White


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    Theresa brought Quentin everywhere she went. Meanwhile, Vinny would do anything to follow Theresa around like a duckling.


    So, the trio followed the throng of people rushing to a certain destination. Soon, they saw a group of people dressed in white uniforms. They were so mysterious that they even went the extra mile to hide their identity with masks and wide¨Cbrimmed hats.


    It seemed that white was a theme here, as those inner camp members wereing out of a snow white building. The building was encircled by a tall electric fence with several ck, metallic barrels aimed outside.


    There wasn¡¯t a single weed or even a hint of green within 160 feet of the building. The dirt was an unnatural shade of pitch ck.


    It seemed that they¡¯d doused the ground with chemicals, preventing any growth from urring. In a way, they¡¯d created a buffer zone between the fence and the building.


    Meanwhile, all the locals who had rushed over stood a respectful 160 feet away from the building as well. Not a single one of them dared to step a single toe out of line.


    They were all silent as they waited for the group to walk toward them with bated breath.


    ¡°Sir, you¡¯re here.¡± Herman, who had been a growling Pitbull in human form, did aplete 180. He had squeezed a smile on his face as he hesitantly approached the clear leader of the inner group members.


    The man leading the group in white merely graced him with a dispassionate look. He didn¡¯t even bother replying. Instead, he took a cursory nce across the area, seemingly trying to ascertain what themotion was about earlier.


    Everything was the same as usual. The people before him were still sickly and starving.


    Well¡­ everyone except for the two standing at the very edges of the crowd.


    The man immediately caught sight of Theresa and her group. After all, they did stick out like a sore thumb with their vitality<i>. </i>So, he wasted no time questioning Herman, ¡°Why are there strangers here?¡±


    Herman¡¯s head jerked around upon hearing the man¡¯s displeased inquiry. Only then did he realize that Theresa and her entourage had tagged along.


    ¡°She¡­ That is¡­¡± Herman frowned, stammering as his mind whirled with a usible excuse.


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    Eventually, he bit the bullet and lied through his teeth. ¡°They¡¯re new here! They just joined us!¡±


    ¡°Newbies, you say?¡± the man in the white coat echoed.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Herman replied, taking extreme care to projectplete and utter confidence.


    The animosity in the leader¡¯s eyes faded slightly as he regarded Theresa and the others. Then, he turned to look at Herman. ¡°So, all thatmotion carlier was because of these newbies?¡± <fn0f8a> This update is avable on f?ndnovel</fn0f8a>


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m very sorry that we disturbed you. We¡¯ll keep it down. Promise.¡±


    s, the man¡¯s tone only turned colder as he berated, ¡°Do I have to remind you that you¡¯re only allowed to stay as long as you stick to the rules? You lot had better keep the noise down


    you were?¡± next time. Do you know how loud


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re very sorry. We won¡¯t do it again,¡± Herman murmured as he lowered his head in deference.


    The man clicked his tongue and said a few more choice words before letting Herman off the hook, his humble demeanor saving his saggy skin. Then, the leader announced coldly<i>, </i>¡°We¡¯ll be picking <i>50 </i>more recruits to join the inner camp tomorrow. Leave and get some rest. Get ready for tomorrow.¡±


    After that, he spun on his heel and left with the other people in white.


    The electric door mmed shut behind them with a loud bang of finality as soon as they stepped through the threshold.


    People from the outer camp immediately began to buzz with excitement.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re picking people again!¡±


    ¡°50 people!¡±


    ¡°I hope they pick me!¡±


    ¡°God, same!¡±


    Theresa got an earful of their genuine happiness before turning to Lara, asking, ¡°Is this the selection thing you were talking about?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Lara quickly bobbed her head.


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    ¡°Lara, there you are! Finally! I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be one of the lucky stars this time!¡± a <b>skinny </b><b>girl </b>called out to Lara as she slinked through the crowd. The skinny girl was none other <b>than </b><b>Ava </b>


    Sommer.


    Lara knew her. How could she not? After all, they used to be pretty good friends. <b>¡°</b><b>It¡¯s </b>fine, <b>Ava</b>. I won¡¯t be participating.¡±


    ¡°What? Why? The inner camp is great. You¡¯ll get all the food and drink you could ever want! Plus, you¡¯ve always wanted to get in, didn¡¯t you?¡± Ava gasped, aghast at Lara¡¯s change.


    ¡°Trust me. You won¡¯t be saying that if you know what it¡¯s like out there. I joined the zing Sun Alliance, and oh, my God. Living there is like living a life back before the apocalypse struck. They¡¯ve got food and drinks everywhere. They provide three full meals a day at work,


    too!


    ¡°And I¡¯m not talking about gruel. I¡¯m talking about actual meat and fish. Life there is literally a dreame true!¡±


    Ava¡¯s eyes went as wide as saucers. She looked as though she¡¯d been hit by a sledgehammer as she tried to understand the wordsing out of Lara¡¯s mouth as she whispered, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really. You have to believe me. I¡¯ll never lie to you about this. The outside world isn¡¯t some hellhole dog¨Ceat¨Cdog world now. I¡¯m not saying everything is totally back to normal, but I can promise that there isn¡¯t a single zombie in zing Sun Alliance¡¯s territory.


    ¡°Everyone there is super nice too. No one has to go to bed hungry. It¡¯s like a utopia. You guys shoulde with me and join the zing Sun Alliance.¡±


    Just as Lara was hyping up the zing Sun Alliance, a harsh voice cut in, ¡°Enough!¡±


    Herman stormed over, looking thunderous. He dragged Ava aside and red at Lara ferociously. ¡°I haven¡¯t even punished you two for sneaking out, and now you¡¯re trying to spread misinformation?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Hershberge, we¡ª¡±


    ¡°Can it!¡± Herman¡¯s face got even darker. ¡°If life¡¯s so great out there, then leave! Leave and don¡¯te back!¡±


    Lara and L both fell silent.


    Herman turned his re on Theresa. ¡°As for you¡­ What exactly are you


    after?¡±


    ¡°Exactly what I said.¡±


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    Herman sized her up, his gaze unyielding. ¡°Well, you can forget it. You guys had better leave the camp before the sun rises tomorrow. Otherwise, I¡¯ll toss you out myself!¡±


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