As they fled, their fat trembled with every step, glinting in the sunlight like liquid oil. Caroline froze for a second. “Are you kidding me?” She hadn't even broken a sweat. There had been hundreds, and she'd only taken out 50. Why did they give up now? She'd planned to hit at least a hundred to upgrade her storage space. But within moments, they were gone—vanished into burrows and shadows, not even a tail in sight. They didn't give her a single chance to chase them down. She exhaled hard and looked at the pile of bodies. “Whatever. Free kills are still free kills.” She checked the time. It was almost time to see that so-called leader. Mounting Raven's back, she sped off, the wind slicing past her face. Ten minutes later, a small group arrived at the same neighborhood. They stood quietly, their eyes wide as they took in the battlefield. “That woman survived the raccoon swarm. Her combat power's off the charts. “We stayed back earlier, but we saw everything. The raccoon king pulled the whole pack out. How'd she manage that? No one in our group could've done it. Hell, none of the nearby factions could. “She's strong... Maybe we should try to team up with her.” Caroline had no clue that someone was tracking her again. Caroline rode Raven through the dark night, and the wind rushed around her. Jet had warned her during the fight that someone watched from nearby, yet those people never stepped in. She chose to sprint out fast before anything changed. She rode a few miles, then glanced back. No one followed her, and a slow breath slipped out of her chest. Jet scanned the area one more time and spotted no threat. The group headed toward the place where the “leader” lived. Sunrise was only 30 minutes away. She feared someone might spot Jet and decide to claim him. This area belonged to others, and she heard that the leader loved roasted chicken. So she told Jet to hide inside the storage space. The sky grew pale as Caroline and Raven arrived at the leader's front door. A six-story building rose over them, and people claimed the whole place belonged to the leader's family. She felt eyes everywhere. A few people circled the building and drifted closer as if pulled toward her. They carried different items in their hands. These things had to be offerings for the leader. Yet none of them tried to get in her way. They stayed in the dark and watched her movements. A man stepped out from the side of the building. He fixed his eyes on Caroline and said, “You from outside?” His voice cut through the quiet like ice. Caroline gave a light nod. “I heard about your leader's ability, and I came here to trade.” The man looked around 25 or 26. He stood a little over five-four with a solid frame. His face looked harsh and twisted, and a large mole sat on it like a stain. From what she learned earlier, he was the leader's oldest son, a wind-type ability user with serious strength. His name was Windsor Gogh. Windsor frowned, yet he said nothing. Another man stepped out from behind him. This second man looked like he walked out of a different world. He stood a little over six feet with a smooth, even build. His face looked sharp and handsome, and he seemed about 20. His lips held a faint curve that looked like a smile even when he stayed silent. Before the world fell apart, a face like that would have turned every head on the street. He looked like the kind of guy people stared at without shame. He was the leader's second son. Next to his short and rough brother, he looked like someone born under a lucky star. The two brothers looked nothing alike when they stood side by side. The older brother had taken after their mother, the woman who carried the saintess-type ability but never looked like someone you would call a saint. The second son had taken after their father. He was tall. He was striking. He was the kind of young man people remembered. His name was Wilbur Gogh.His looks were not the part people feared most. His ability was. According to the people who had informed Caroline, no one knew what Wilbur could do. They only knew he was the strongest in the family. Every single person who saw Wilbur use his ability died. “You came here for my mother?” Wilbur walked closer and looked her over from head to toe. Caroline gave a small nod. She did not want a fight. Her voice stayed even. “Yes. My friend and I need holy water, and we are ready to trade for it.” Windsor looked her up and down again. He saw the small bag she carried and released a sharp sound that cut the air with disdain. The noise came out like a harsh scoff punched into the silence. “That tiny bag is all you brought? What could you even have in there? You should know the holy water here is not something we hand out to people.”