"Don't make it look like I'm taking advantage of you guys. Line up properly, or I'll tell your colonel later!" Caroline grinned as she half-joked, half-warned them. The soldiers groaned but laughed anyway. They moved to form a line in front of her. Soon, about a dozen of them lined up neatly, waiting for their turn to shake her hand. Caroline thought it'd be over in a minute, just a quick handshake with these few guys and be done with it. But apparently, these men had friends. Lots of them. "Come on, everyone! Line up! Let Caroline copy your abilities too!" The first soldier who'd shaken her hand ran off, yelling at the top of his lungs. In no time, five or six more came running. "I'll grab the ones downstairs! Don't go anywhere, Caroline!" Another soldier sprinted off before she could say a word. A few minutes later, more came rushing up the stairs. Then a third soldier called out, "I know some civilians with abilities. I'll get them too! Don't leave just yet, Caroline!" And off he went, all excited and determined. She had planned to do this quietly, but somehow, it turned into a full-blown event. Sure, it saved her a lot of time, and she was grateful for their help, but still ... this was getting ridiculous. She watched as those energetic soldiers ran up and down the building, dragging in group after group. Soon, there were dozens of them lining up for their turn. Caroline couldn't help but feel touched by their enthusiasm but also completely overwhelmed. Still, as time went on, she found herself getting used to it and getting a little excited. Because in just that short while, she had copied over a dozen new abilities. Some of the soldiers and civilians here were people whose abilities Caroline had already copied before, so she couldn't copy them again.But one thing that made her excited was that her old abilities had recharged. The one called "The Triangle You Don't Know" now showed five uses again. And "Ugliness Is a Weapon" was also back to five. That made her pretty excited. Both were useful abilities. She had been hoping the system would recharge them someday. Now, it finally had. She made sure to remember the faces of the two people whose powers had recharged her skills. If she ever needed more, she'd know who to find. After shaking hands with dozens of people, she was already on friendly terms with the whole group. The soldiers even told her that if she ever needed to "top up" again, she could come back anytime. They'd set it up nice and easy. By the end of it, everyone was calling her Caroline with cheerful familiarity. She found it funny and oddly heartwarming. She hadn't even gotten around to checking what new abilities she'd gained when another hand suddenly appeared beside her. It was strong, with a few faint scars on the knuckles. The skin was lighter than before, probably from staying indoors for too long. Tyler smiled at her. "Caroline, want my ability? I-I think mine's pretty good," he teased, lifting a brow playfully. It was the first time he had ever called her in such a warm and affectionate tone. Plenty of others called her Caroline, but Tyler was never the type to get that casual with people. He'd always kept a bit of distance, out of habit. Yet today, the word slipped out naturally. Caroline had already copied his ability before, but she didn't overthink it. She just reached out and took his hand. "Sure." His palm was warm—solid, steady. When she held it, she could almost feel a quiet strength flow through his skin, like his calm could anchor her. During their time together, she'd come to see what kind of man Tyler really was. Reliable. Steady. The type who didn't talk much, but when he did, his words made sense. He never tried to boss people around; he just offered his thoughts at the right time.He actually listened, too. In every way, he was reliable. Someone you could trust with your back in a fight. And in everyday life, he was the kind of man who never caused trouble. He would stand quietly behind you, steady as a wall. Being around him felt comfortable. But then, a thought hit her. What if she decided to move out and live in her mobile base and Tyler refused to go with her? For the first time, that idea made her feel lost. That's when she realized something: in this world where everything had fallen apart, she'd finally found people she didn't want to lose. Tyler. Denton. Nelson—each one mattered to her. But when it came to Tyler, it felt a little different.