The man thrashed for a while, then his body started shaking. Within seconds, he stopped breathing. Everyone froze. Even Natalie was stunned by what she saw. That fierce, deadly dog—was that really her little princess Lucky, the one who whined for attention every day at home? Yes, it was her. Because Kevin had been kicked too hard earlier, he was now lying on the ground twisted in pain, while Lucky stood tall and proud. Natalie couldn't help but smile with pride. Good job, Lucky! She didn't strike often, but when she did—two enemies went down. All the training hadn't been for nothing. Natalie waved her hand. Lucky released the bald man and came bounding happily toward her. "Boss!!!" The desperate cry broke the silence. The battlefield went still. Every fighter stopped. The men from Ironclaw Base stared in shock. Some rushed to the bald man's body, crying loudly. Others stood frozen, not knowing what to do. The two sides weren't even close in strength. Ironclaw's men had only been hanging on. Once their leader went down, they gave up the fight right away. Natalie twitched her lips. What just happened? Did Lucky really just kill their leader? Kelvin glanced at Lucky, blood still on her muzzle, then at Natalie. Without hesitation, he ordered his men to round up everyone from Ironclaw Base.The battle was over. Cassiland Base had won a sweeping victory. They captured piles of supplies, vehicles, and fuel. They even dragged back a full truck of half-clothed women. Natalie felt a knot at her chest when she looked at them. Cassian noticed. "Feeling sorry for them? Want to save them?" She turned the question back on him. "And you?" Cassian was quiet for a moment. "We can't save them." Natalie pressed her lips together. "Yeah." The truth was plain. Anyone could see what kind of life those women had endured in Ironclaw Base. Now they were being hauled away as prizes of war. Their faces showed no fear—only numbness.To them, it didn't matter. It was just moving from one base to another, continuing the same misery. Even if Natalie tried to rescue them, eventually another group would come along and drag them away again. It was the way the world had become. If you were strong, you get to choose your life. If you were weak, you had no choice—unless you were lucky enough to find someone powerful to protect you. Natalie never thought of becoming that protector. The most she could do was keep her Lucky safe. Lucky didn't need Natalie's protection anymore. Now, she could protect her instead. Natalie stroked the dog's head with affection. "Good girl! You did great today!" Lucky wagged her tail and rubbed against Natalie's hand. Then, as if by accident, she brushed against Cassian's leg. Natalie froze. Whose shameless little dog is this? Surely, it wasn't mine! Cassian chuckled, glancing at the pup. "What kind of dog is she? She acts like she's human." Natalie waved it off. "I don't know. Probably some kind of mix." But Cassian wasn't so easy to fool. He looked serious as he said, "She looks like a French Bulldog. But with that size, I'd say she's mutated." Natalie was stunned. He nailed it in one guess. Did this man have X-ray vision or something?Most people would only assume Lucky was a rare breed, not a mutation. Cassian caught the worried look on her face and smiled. "Relax. My company never cared about animal research. They won't be cutting Lucky open in some lab." He paused, then added, "But you should be careful of Tyro Group. Theodore loves running experiments on animals." "Tyro Group?" Natalie frowned. That was the same company she'd once cleaned out—a group forever stuck in second place behind Holland. Cassian nodded. "Yeah. They were working on animal mutation experiments for years. I heard they had big results. But once the apocalypse hit, I doubt they kept going." Natalie remembered what Braxton had said about a mysterious mutant beast.Could it be tied to Tyro Group? She silently etched down both the company and Theodore's names in her mind. If she ran into them, she'd be ready. Soon, they arrived back at the Cassiland base. As they entered the inner gates, Magnus's guards guided them deeper inside. They stopped in front of the iron gate Natalie hadn't been able to pass before. Now the gates stood wide open. Inside, lights blazed across a large courtyard. Rows of tables and chairs lined both sides. Kitchen staff bustled back and forth, carrying trays stacked with food. What are they doing? An outdoor party? Just then, Magnus stepped out of the main villa, Kelvin trailing behind him with a grin. Both men walked to the head table, smiling proudly, as they sat down. Magnus raised his arm and shouted, "Welcome home, brave warriors! Tonight, eat and drink your fill—this victory feast is for you!" The tables were already covered in platters of food—every kind of meat, cooked in every way imaginable.