The city unfolded before their eyes, whole and dazzling, alive with laughter and warmth. The streets bustled with people. No zombies lurked in alleys. No fear clung to the air. Men and women walked without chains, their faces bright with ease, as if the world had never fallen apart. The newcomers froze where they stood, their jaws slack, their eyes wide. Brandon's voice broke, raw with disbelief. "This has to be heaven." Caleb and Lilian nodded so hard it hurt. Tears shimmered in their eyes. They thought of the countless times they had thrown themselves against death to reach the inner camp, crawling and stumbling until hope itself nearly left them. Now they understood how blind they had been. One of the guards rasped under his breath, his throat dry. "My God… what is this place?" They too had fled ruined cities once. But the Divine Academy had swallowed them whole, sorted them, tested them, then shoved them into the ranks of the Starborn Order's private guard. Inside that cage, they had food. They had water. But their souls were shackled. Every day they were tools. No lives of their own. No dreams. No freedom. Resistance meant execution. They had believed the outside world was nothing but endless rot. Yet here stood a city with order, with safety, with joy. Not one zombie in sight. Life had been stitched back together. Quentin smirked, his voice rich with pride. "See now? Following our beautiful leader was the smartest choice you ever made."The men nodded fast, their voices colliding with excitement. "Yeah! You're right! Quentin, we'll follow you to the end! Wherever you go, we'll be there!" Quentin's mouth twitched. "Not me. You follow our beautiful leader." The ten guards exchanged stunned looks. One scratched his head. "Quentin… truth is, we still don't remember who our captain even is." Quentin froze. His face stiffened in silence. Theresa didn't answer. She only turned and handed the new recruits to Elias. From this moment, they belonged to her base. Lucas rushed up to her, his steps quick, his eyes blazing with relief. The sight of her safe filled him with joy. "Theresa! I bring great news!" Her head snapped up, her worries for Aunt Tania quiet for the moment. "What is it?" Lucas grinned wide. "Crestmont is ours!" Theresa's eyes widened. Her lips parted. "We took Crestmont?" "Yes! Yesterday Yue Tu cleared it completely. Now we hold Ansford, Branford, and Crestmont. Branford and Crestmont will serve as our buffer!" The words hit her like sunlight after a storm. The shadow of the Starborn Order that pressed her heart for days vanished. Let them chase their twisted dream of evolution. She no longer cared. She had Tania safe in her arms. That was enough. Their traps and schemes meant nothing to her now.She would not bite their hook again. She would guard her base. She would reclaim land. She would save survivors. She would forge her alliance into iron. Her chest felt light, as if air alone could lift her. And then, joy doubled. A crisp, mechanical voice rang in her mind. "Congratulations. Enemy defeated +1. Prestige reward pack unlocked. "Camp attack power increased one hundred percent. Camp defense increased one hundred percent. Production increased one hundred percent." Her eyes gleamed with golden fire. The system had rewarded her. Rewarded her big. She had done it. She had gutted the Production Company. She had stolen a third of their food reserves. She had torched Workshop 2 until it lay in ashes. She had destroyed Workshop 3, the core of it all. She had taken every vial of Eclipse Serum. She had emptied the underground blood farm, the one that churned with chained zombies. The shell of the Production Company remained. But its heart was dead. And the rewards kept coming. "Personal prestige pack unlocked. Full Territory Shield obtained." Above her base, the air shimmered. An unseen wall spread out, covering every corner of her land. "Full Territory Shield: one-time protection from any assault on the camp." Theresa read the description. A smile curled her lips. She already had defenses strong enough to resist the Starborn Order. The shield was one-use, and it seemed small.But now she held another card close to her chest. Her smile deepened. She felt untouchable. Then a frail voice cut through her joy. Tania's eyes flickered open. "Aunt Tania?" Theresa gasped, her heart leaping with relief. The next second, Tania's body jolted. A harsh, wet sound burst from her throat. Her lips parted. A mouthful of scarlet blood poured out.