The meal didn't feel unpleasant, though. They ate in silence, neither of them speaking. "I'm going to the bathroom." When they finished eating, Charlotte stood up to use the restroom. "I'll wait for you," Tyger replied. Reassured by his answer, she headed for the restroom. … But he was gone when she returned to the table. And their seats had been taken by someone else who was already eating there. A strange feeling rose in her chest, making her frown. She wasn't exactly angry, but… anyone would be upset if they were eating with someone and the other person suddenly disappeared. He even said he would wait for me… Forget it. Maybe something urgent came up. Just as she turned away in disappointment, she suddenly bumped into a solid figure behind her. The other person reacted quickly, grabbing her by the shoulders to steady her. Once she regained her balance, she realized it was Tyger. He pressed a warm bottle of ginger tea into her hands. "I asked the kitchen to prepare this for you." A warmth immediately spread through her chest when those words reached her ears. It was comforting and unfamiliar—something she'd never experienced before. Such kindness was something her brother had never shown her. Her brother would always feign ignorance, whether he knew or not, even at home, never showing the slightest concern, let alone handing her a cup of warm water. In his mind, kindness would only make him look weak. … Afterward, Tyger walked Charlotte home. He didn't say a word throughout the journey.Charlotte carefully cradled the steaming ginger tea in her hands. Though she wanted to speak, she held back. It wasn't until they reached the door of her building that she looked up and asked, "Do you want to come upstairs for some tea, Tyger?" He shook his head. "No, I still have work in the afternoon." "Okay." She nodded. "Alright then… Bye." "Bye." Charlotte lived on the third floor. Tyger stood at the entrance of the stairwell, watching her climb the stairs. Upon reaching the second-floor landing, she glanced downward. He was still standing there. He's worried that something might happen to me on the way home. A strong sense of comfort and security washed over her at the thought. Hugging the bottle of warm ginger tea to her chest, she cheerfully headed inside. She went straight to the window as soon as she entered the door and waved at the figure downstairs. Tyger waved back before turning and leaving. … "Who are you waving at?" Seeing his sister waving at someone outside the window, Declan immediately strode over. He was just in time to catch a glimpse of Tyger walking away. "None of your business." Charlotte huffed and headed to her room. "Stop right there, Charlotte! Don't forget what you said today! If I'm getting married, then you're getting married too!" He limped after her. "Don't even think about running this time. Starting tomorrow, you'll be going on blind dates. We've already picked out several candidates for you. "They're gentle and good-natured. With your explosive personality, we don't think you should be too picky about their other qualities. You need a patient man with a good temper—so you won't end up fighting every day." His relentless nagging made her remember what Theresa had said.D*mn it! I really should've brought her along to beat the crap out of him! … Theresa arrived at Tania's house. Tania's husband, Herold, had been away on his last excursion for some time, only recently returning with many others in tow. A crowd of disheveled, gaunt researchers in white lab coats stood inside Tania's research facility, looking exhausted. These were members of the Starborn Order, gathered from various branches around the world. Their local food reserves had quickly dwindled once supplies from headquarters stopped arriving. But they had no means to contact the higher-ups and lacked the strength to scavenge for supplies outside. As a result, they had been living in miserable conditions. It was no exaggeration to say that Herold's appearance felt to them as though a savior had come. Since he was originally their superior, none of them questioned him when he told them to follow him. After all, these were low-level workers. They were only focused on their work. Who they worked for or where they worked didn't matter. "Terry, I've gathered everyone from the Starborn Order who could be found." Herold stepped forward, holding out a large external hard drive. "And the data." All of the Starborn Order's research data was on the hard drive. A large number of research equipment had also been transported over by several space-based ability users. Theresa nodded in satisfaction. "Good job." As for the group of researchers, she kept them intact as a team, leaving them in the capable hands of Herold and Tania. They would continue their research on zombies. At the same time, she tightened her control over them. None were allowed contact with the outside world, and they would be monitored around the clock. In addition, their research projects required strict approval at every stage. It was better to be cautious. There could be psychos hiding among them, so she needed to "cleanse" them first.