Raven still wore that long, serious face with no expression, but his tail was wagging like crazy. Of course, my humans have great taste! She picked me out the moment she saw me back in the army! When they got home, Caroline quickly checked the screen of her Zero System. A new option had appeared. She raised an eyebrow. "Well, this looks interesting." Purple: Extraordinary Energy. "Extraordinary energy? What kind of power is that?" she muttered. "Looks like I'll have to go find those ability users I didn't copy before, talk to them, shake a few hands, or something." Caroline sighed. Honestly, she wasn't great with people. Talking too much always made her nervous. But for the sake of copying new abilities—she'd do it! She glanced at the time. It wasn't lunchtime yet, so she probably wouldn't bother anyone. She went downstairs. The 40th floor was filled with soldiers—young men with all kinds of special abilities. There were plenty she hadn't copied yet. When she reached that floor, she heard laughter echoing down the hall. As soon as she stepped onto the floor, she heard laughter and loud voices. "Haha! You're awesome, man!" "Come here, come here—it's a big tiger this time!" "Ken, your ability is wild!" "Whoa, I can see my mom! No, Mom, don't hit me with that rolling pin!" ... Caroline saw a group of young soldiers in uniform gathered around someone in the middle. The guy in the center was also wearing a uniform, pulling funny faces at one person, and kicking his leg toward another. Clearly, he was trying to make everyone laugh. Caroline wondered what they were doing and took two steps closer.When she was about ten feet away, her head suddenly buzzed, and everything around her changed. The laughter vanished. In its place came the sound of circus music—bright, playful, and strangely distant. The tune felt so familiar that for a moment, she just froze. It was the same melody she'd heard as a child, holding her parents' hands, walking into a circus for the very first time. She was only six back then. Her parents were still alive. It was one of the few bright, peaceful memories she had left. And then, everything around her vanished. All the soldiers standing before her disappeared, except one—the man in the center, dressed like a clown, dancing in place. The music, the rhythm, the way he moved—it all felt strangely beautiful and comforting. The sight filled her with warmth and joy, making her smile without even realizing it. For a moment, she almost didn't want to leave. Then Caroline understood. This had to be someone's ability. An illusion that let people see the happiest moments of their lives. No wonder the soldiers around her were all laughing like children. Snapping herself back to reality, she quickly stepped back two feet. Sure enough, the illusion faded, and the real scene returned. Those soldiers were still cheering and joking around, completely lost in their memories. She noticed that a few of them had done the same thing, stepping back to break free, then walking forward again. The illusion was limited within a three-foot range. Curious, Caroline followed their example. She stepped back inside the circle. This time, the circus was gone. Instead, she saw her grandmother, standing on the porch, tending to her flowers. The old woman turned suddenly, frowning. "Caroline! Did you break my favorite orchid pot again?"Her face was serious. Her grandma even raised her hand to hit her, but Caroline just smiled. She hadn't seen her family in so, so long. Not after the apocalypse. Not even before it; her grandparents had passed away years ago, leaving her completely alone. But she reminded herself it wasn't real. It was only an illusion. With so many people around, she kept her emotions steady and simply looked at the woman she'd missed so much. She stepped out of the range again. The image vanished. Then she stepped back in. This time, she saw her childhood playmate smiling at her. Now she understood why the others refused to walk away. This ability was pure happiness—a colorful, dreamlike light glowing in a cold, ruined world. It was addictive. Even someone like Caroline, who prided herself on staying calm and rational, couldn't help lingering inside that warmth of illusion. She could only imagine how dangerous it would be if someone unknowingly fell into this illusion without realizing it wasn't real.