"Everything here is free?" Harrance gaped at the stacked food trays in the canteen, completely thrown off. Wesley and Eli—two brothers—were giving him a tour of the camp, with Juno tagging along. They were the same people Theresa crossed paths with in Crestmont when she took off with the missile blueprints. What left the biggest impression back then was that lunatic Cecilia, who leapt to her death beside their leader, Desmond. The only ones who made it out alive were Wesley, Eli, and Juno. All three had joined K1 Camp afterward, and they were thriving now. Wesley and Eli were standout soldiers under Lucas' command, while Juno had become the well-known beauty among K1's service crew, adored by everyone. In the latest major battle, they all performed exceptionally. Today, the trio was helping show new recruits around the grounds. "Yep. For the moment, Ms. Hall is covering the costs. Food and drinks are unlimited. Take whatever you want—no points required," Wesley briefly explained how the Alliance's point system worked. Harrance stared at the huge drumsticks, ribs the size of forearms, slabs of roasted meat, and a hearty chicken-mushroom stew—dish after dish overflowing—and he was so overwhelmed he couldn't even form a sentence. So this is the Blazing Sun Alliance? This is unbelievable. No wonder Theresa moves with such confidence. Seeing this, everything made sense to him. Like a starving mouse thrown into a barrel of rice, the apocalypse had long since stripped him of embarrassment. He grabbed a tray and hit every serving window like a storm, piling it sky-high. "Harrance, chill. This is the daily setup." "You're overdoing it—you can't finish all that." They finally talked him into cutting the mountain of food down to what seven or eight ravenous men might eat, and then they all sat together. Juno, who hadn't said much up to that point, studied him for a moment before asking, "So where'd you come from?""East Sea Camp. The original Plankton City." "Plankton City? That's far?" Juno blurted, stunned. "How'd you manage that?" "On my own. Drove when I had wheels, walked when I didn't," Harrance answered between giant bites. He needed to rebuild himself—get stronger, get sharper. Hearing his story, the others couldn't help looking at him with real admiration. One glance at the exhaustion etched into his face made his journey even more impressive. Thousands of miles from Plankton City, through a savage winter and wave after wave of zombies. It was outrageous and inspiring. Just then, a woman stepped into the canteen. "Lily!" "Lily!" Harrance barely got her name out before several others shouted ahead of him. "Lily!" Lily turned toward the voices. Kyle, Tyger, and members of Landon's team walked in right behind her. Seeing them, Lily's whole face lit up. "Hey, guys." "Hi, Lily," Kyle greeted with a slight nod. "Looks like we're teammates from now on," Tyger said in his trademark deep rumble. "Congrats, Lily." "Congrats!" "Lily, be gentle with us in the future," someone teased. Landon's squad grinned as they congratulated her. "It's the other way around—I'll be needing your guidance. You're the seasoned ones," Lily replied with a warm, easy smile. "Lily, you're being humble. Everyone's seen how capable you are." "Name one person here who hasn't praised your skills." "Elias even said he'd be lost without you." Embarrassed but amused, Lily let out a soft laugh. "You guys are exaggerating. Let's eat first. Drinks at the bar tonight are on me—anything you want." "Sweet!" "Thanks, Lily!" "Lily, you're the best!" Amid cheers and laughter, Lily walked toward the serving counters with the group. They joked and chatted on the way, and her smile grew more radiant with every step. Harrance watched her—bright, fearless, shining—and it was like sunlight cutting straight into his eyes. It almost hurt to look. He hadn't seen that version of Lily in ages. Glowing, poised, and undeniably beautiful, she reminded him of high school, back to the very first moment she had caught his attention. She had been dazzling back then too, the kind of girl everyone naturally gravitated toward. She was the perfect woman—born into a prestigious family and excelling in every subject—while he was just the worst-performing student in school. She was always meant to shine. Somewhere along the way, though, everything began to change. Probably the moment she chose to be with him. Lily dimmed all that brilliance and poured every bit of herself into him. And only now did Harrance realize just how much he had overlooked—and how much he had taken her for granted.