How could a high-level Superpower user sense the attributes of a lower one? Kael's sudden question sent a chill down Dorian's spine.
Kael Voss turned his head, a half-smile playing on his lips. "Generally, high-level Superpower users can sense the attributes and levels of relatively lower-level ones. When did you awaken yours?"
"I…" Dorian Hale swallowed hard. "The night the Apocalypse… started…"
"Hmm," Kael Voss turned back, continuing forward. "Got questions about cultivation later? Come find me anytime."
"As for the Safe Zone? I need you to step up."
Reno Stark must've told you about my plan to build the Blaze Legion, right?"
He paused, then shot Dorian a sharp glance. "Interested in being a squad leader here?"
Dorian Hale scurried to keep up. "Yes… he did."
He also said Miss Voss formed the first direct squad—named White Tiger."
"I… I wanna join the Blaze Legion. I'll run the Safe Zone right, you… you can count on me."
Kael's lips curled. "Smart guys like you are hard to come by. Of course I trust you."
"Starting today, you're captain of the Blaze Legion's Qilin Squad. Welcome onboard!"
Kael stopped, spun around, and held out his hand.
Dorian froze for a beat, then quickly clasped Kael's hand.
A sigh of relief slipped out, and a faint smile tugged at his lips.
"Thank you, boss!"
"Now, let's get back to talking about the Safe Zone's construction and management!"
Kael's face softened into a knowing grin.
In less than an hour, Elias Voss and Milo Voss returned driving a Dongfeng truck.
"How was it? Did you encounter any danger?" Elara Voss stepped forward to ask.
"Smooth enough. Ran into a couple Mutated Dogs," Elias pushed his glasses up his nose.
"You good here?"
"I'm fine. Let's start moving supplies," Elara said, her gaze locking on the distracted Milo.
"Milo Voss—can your men help?"
"Oh, uh, yeah," Milo jolted as if awakened from a trance.
He hurried toward Bai Shi and the others.
Elara narrowed her eyes, tracking Milo's retreating back.
"What's with Milo? He seems… distracted."
"He's been like this since halfway back," Elias said, his expression hardening as he stared at Milo.
"We ran into three Mutated Dogs. After I took one down, I saw him zoning out—almost got his neck bitten off by another!"
"He's in the Blaze Legion now, but don't trust him yet. Stay sharp!"
Elara watched Milo talking to Bai Shi and the others from afar.
A meaningful smirk played on her lips.
"Don't worry. Even if he has other ideas, he won't succeed."
At that moment, Milo Voss walked over with Bai Shi and four others.
"They're almost recovered and can help," Milo said to Elara, looking a little sheepish.
"The others can't move yet."
"Hmm… Recovering fast," Elara smiled.
"Thanks for your help!"
"We're one team now, Miss Voss. No need for formalities!" Bai Shi spoke up quickly.
The others nodded in agreement.
Elara glanced at Milo in surprise.
He smiled awkwardly.
"I told them I'm joining the Blaze Legion. They all wanna follow me."
Can I keep them?"
"Of course!" Elara laughed softly.
"From now on, they're your team. As for your squad's name, I'll ask my brother when we get back."
"Okay!… Thanks!" Milo exhaled in relief, grinning widely.
"Let's go. First, move the grains, oils, rice, flour, and non-staples from the first floor!"
Elara waved her hand.
Even Silas and Piper, now rested and energized, joined the moving crew.
The nine of them worked fast.
In about an hour, the truck was packed—mostly grains, oils, rice, flour, and non-staples, plus quilts, blankets, and daily essentials like laundry detergent, soap, toilet paper, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and towels.
"Elias, drive the truck with Milo," Elara assigned tasks crisply. "Bai Shi, take the Land Rover with Piper."
"Bring the supplies back to the Safe Zone. Tell my brother to send a large truck over."
"Silas, the wounded, and I will stay here."
No one objected.
The four of them drove off in two cars, disappearing into the distance.
By then, the sun was setting.
Orange hues dyed the sky, painting a stunning scene.
"Will they be okay?" Silas stood beside Elara, watching the trucks vanish with a worried frown.
"That Milo… he's not ordinary…"
"You noticed too?" Elara turned, a surprised smile playing on her lips.
"Just a weird vibe…" Silas frowned.
Is he a Superpower user?"
"Yeah," Elara nodded.
"I thought he'd awakened a strength-type Superpower at first. But I was wrong."
"His Superpower's special. Like it's not fully awakened…"
"That… doesn't make sense," Silas muttered, deep in thought.
"Logically, no," Elara mused.
"A normal person couldn't live this normally in a semi-awakened state. That's why I said his Superpower's special."
He's not like Kael—whose awakening was forcefully cut off.
Back then, Kael was muddle-headed, acting like a raving lunatic. Milo can't possibly be this calm if he's in the same state!
Yet, from her senses, Milo was exactly that—Superpower awakened, but not fully. Like he'd stopped halfway down the path.
And somehow, he was perfectly normal.
Worst of all, she couldn't pinpoint the exact attribute of his Superpower.
"But no need to worry," Elara smiled reassuringly.
"Elias and Piper's skills and combat experience are top-tier now. Their vigilance is way above average."
"With their weapons, taking down Milo and Bai Shi is child's play!" She added, teasing gently.
"I should've let you go if I knew you were this worried about Piper."
Silas froze.
"I was wondering why you didn't let me go back too."
"Heh～ Well…" Elara smiled.
"I want you to stay here while I scout the surrounding Mutated Beasts. You have Superpower—I feel safe leaving these people with you."
"That's too dangerous!" Silas frowned, objecting firmly.
"Don't you trust my skills?" Elara waved a hand, cutting him off mid-sentence.
"I have to check. It's been ages since the Apocalypse."
We've run into Mutated Beasts all the time, but only one Mutated Plant."
"Logically, there should be more here. But we haven't seen any. It's bugging me."
I need to find out why. I'll be right back!"
Elara patted Silas's shoulder casually.
She jumped onto the roof of a car two meters away, then sprinted into the distance.
Silas opened his mouth to call her back, but the words died in his throat, turning into a sigh.
He watched dusk creep in, then shook his head and walked back into the supermarket.
Elara stood on a building's rooftop, scanning the area.
The Safe Zone's outline was visible in the twilight, and X City's dozens of high-rises loomed faintly in the distance.
Her eyesight had improved drastically since awakening her Superpower.
She could even make out the silhouettes of Mutated Beasts wandering the nearby streets.
Except for the occasional Mutated Beast's howl, the city was deathly silent.
Elara frowned. Many city dwellers had kept pets, not to mention potted plants and flowers.
Even if those potted plants hadn't mutated, what about the street greenery? The park vegetation? The botanical garden's diverse plants?
It was impossible for none of them to become Mutated Plants!
So why hadn't they seen a single one in X City?
At first, she hadn't thought much of it.
But when she met Milo at the supermarket entrance, she'd caught a faint scent in the air—other than blood.
A very faint, but unmistakable, scent!
She'd thought her nose was playing tricks on her at first.
But when Milo and Elias returned with the truck, she'd smelled that same scent on Milo!
And his demeanor had been off too—suspiciously so!
That's when it hit her: since they'd arrived in X City, they hadn't encountered a single Mutated Plant.
Kael and Reno had never mentioned them either!
That meant one of two things: either there were no Mutated Plants in the city, or they were all hiding.
The first option was nearly impossible.
If it was the second, they—out in the open—were in grave danger!
Elara checked several high vantage points.
No sign of Mutated Plants. Yet she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched!
When she got back to the supermarket, Silas was just jumping down from the third floor.
A green, vine-like plant was wrapped around his wrist, the other end clinging to the third-floor air conditioner.
Once he landed, the vine twisted in the air a few times.
It shrank into a thin green ribbon, coiling around his wrist and going still.
"What's wrong?" Elara Voss frowned and asked.
"Something's watching us!" Silas's expression turned grim.
I couldn't catch it, though. It was way too fast!"
"Did you see what it was?" Elara tensed, instantly on guard.
"No. Just a round shadow…" Silas's brows furrowed deeply.
I have a bad feeling—something terrible's gonna happen…"
"Heh～" Elara chuckled.
"Didn't take you for someone with a sixth sense."
Silas caught her implication.
His fair face turned pink. Elara found it even more amusing.
Shy guys like him were rare these days.
She teased: "What could be worse than the Apocalypse? A meteor hitting Earth?"
Silas was too embarrassed to respond.
Suddenly, the roar of car engines echoed from the distance.
"They're back!" Elara's gaze snapped to the direction of the noise.
When the cars were still over ten meters away, a tall figure suddenly appeared on the leading military truck's roof.
He spread his arms like a roc taking flight, leaped off, tapped the ground lightly, flipped in the air, and landed steadily in front of Elara.
He ignored Silas entirely.
Yanking Elara into his arms, he hugged her tightly—so tight it took her breath away.
"Elara～ I was so damn worried about you～"
Next Chapter Highlight:
Kael's sudden embrace sparks jealousy in Silas, but before the tension eases, the invisible watcher strikes! A massive Mutated Venus flytrap bursts from the ground, targeting the wounded! Elara and Kael join forces to fight it off, but Kael notices the faint scent on Elara—same as Milo's! Furious, he demands answers: "Did Milo touch you?!" Just as Elara tries to explain, Milo's voice comes from the walkie-talkie, panicked: "We're under attack by Mutated Plants! Bai Shi is dead!" The hidden Mutated Plants launch a full-scale assault, and the Bai family's killers arrive at the same time! Trapped between plants and enemies, Elara discovers the scent on Milo is the key to controlling Mutated Plants—will this secret save them, or push them into deeper danger?