It became a habit to care about Tyler. Maybe it was because she'd met Tyler from the very beginning. Caroline thought about it for a moment but didn't dwell on it. After all, she didn't see this life as something peaceful enough to talk about love. The world after the apocalypse was still long and uncertain. But this feeling of safety, this sense of having someone to fight beside her, was something she had come to treasure. It was something she once thought was too much to ask for. Tyler, on the other hand, felt his heart beating faster than it had even in battle. In front of him was Caroline's smiling face, easy and confident. Her eyes were clear and calm. It made him feel at peace. Unknowingly, he took a quiet breath. A light gleamed in his eyes as a thought came to him. He was glad to meet Caroline in the apocalypse. Something stirred in Tyler's chest, a feeling that wanted to break free. It wasn't sudden; it came from the days they had spent together, fighting side by side, trusting each other, and surviving through chaos. It was built on respect, understanding, and admiration for Caroline. From their first meeting, there had been a spark. They saw the world in the same way. Over time, that connection deepened. They learned to move together in perfect rhythm, their strengths matching evenly. Tyler liked that feeling more than he cared to admit. Their handshake lasted only a few seconds. In that brief moment, something unspoken passed between them. A quiet emotion neither could name. They didn't say a word about it. They just smiled at each other. "I'm going to find Colonel Sutton," Caroline said suddenly. She wanted to have a word with him, specifically about whatever nonsense he'd told the soldiers earlier. "Good timing," Tyler said, stepping forward first. "I was going to find him too." The two walked down the hallway together toward Francis's office. On the way, Caroline spoke her mind. "Tyler, I've been thinking. I want to leave this shelter and start my own base out there. What do you think?" Tyler didn't even slow down. He didn't look surprised either. "Count me and Denton in. Don't worry, he won't argue. Where I go, he goes." Caroline let out a small breath of relief. "That's perfect." A moment later, they reached Francis's door. When Francis saw them, he grinned from ear to ear. "Well, look who the storm blew in! Quick, join me! Try the shelter's newest creation! My treat today!" Laughing, he waved them in and welcomed them into the room. The moment Caroline stepped inside, a mouthwatering aroma hit her. There were eight full dishes laid out on the table—eight! She rubbed her chin. "Wow, the army's feeling generous today." Francis was sitting there, holding a milk bun. Yes, a milk bun as white as snow. Word was, after the shelter took heavy damage, he had gone to Nathaniel and put on quite a show. Francis had been groaning about how their survival had been pure luck. Nathaniel, soft-hearted as always, had been so moved that he sent over an entire truckload of supplies that very morning—fresh goods made from newly developed mutant wheat flour. Francis took another big bite of the bun and proudly gestured to the table. "Look at this spread! Our new chef whipped these up today. Before the apocalypse, he was head chef at a five-star hotel. I just tried everything. The flavor's great." Caroline and Tyler didn't bother pretending to be polite. They grabbed utensils and sampled a few dishes. Yep, the taste was surprisingly good, though it was difficult to tell what kind of meat it was. "It's mutant steelworm," Francis said, grinning. "I sent some of the corpses to be tested yesterday. I got a telegram this morning. Guess what? Turns out the whole thing's edible! Every inch of it's loaded with protein and minerals." He picked up another bite of the main dish in the center of the table, a piece of honey-glazed meat. It did taste good. All of these recipes had been created today for one purpose. They were trying to figure out the best way to cook steelworm for the shelter's first proper meal in weeks.When she heard it was the steelworms, Caroline couldn't help but laugh and gave Francis a thumbs-up. "Impressive. You'll eat anything, huh?" In her previous life, she'd never eat mutant steelworm. They weren't that common to begin with. Once the floods receded and the great heat arrived, steelworms almost completely vanished. Thinking about that, she realized these steelworms can be counted as wild game. Tyler then spoke up about his reason for seeing Francis. His reason surprised Caroline. "Colonel Sutton, I need your help finding a few people. They were members of my old crew before the apocalypse." Francis agreed right away. "Alright, I'll ask around." Then his tone softened. "But people are scattered everywhere these days. Things are chaotic. I can't promise when we'll find them."