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Keith became the main bridge of communication between Kisha and the people in the base in City A.

Kisha, careful not to reveal the unique abilities of her territory, opted to pass her messages through him.

Although Hawk and Eagle were curious about how Kisha and Keith managed to communicate so seamlessly, they respected boundaries and refrained from asking questions.

Keith had already distributed the Scarlet Honey according to Kisha’s instructions and explained how to use it.

Although initially hesitant to teach the Evans and Blythe families the techniques Kisha had shared, Kisha’s assurance that she would remove anyone who caused trouble put Keith’s mind at ease.

Knowing that the teachings came directly from Kisha, the Winters’ men—and surprisingly, even the Evans and Blythe families—complied fully, following Keith’s guidance closely.

Day by day, they continued to grow stronger, especially as they began collecting crystal cores based on the latest communication between Keith and Kisha.

Keith passed along Kisha’s message, encouraging everyone to gather as many crystal cores as possible during supply runs.

This practice not only provided them with a valuable resource but also gave them regular experience dealing with zombies, sharpening their skills with each encounter.

At first, many were disgusted by the task of retrieving crystal cores, especially the Blythes family, who were appalled at having to dig through a zombie’s skull to find the core within its brain.

Initially, they thought Keith was playing a prank on them.

However, when they actually discovered something inside the zombies’ heads, they began to believe.

Still, the core resembled broken glass, which kept them somewhat skeptical.

Meanwhile, the Winters and Evans families accepted it more readily, having learned to trust Kisha’s guidance without question.

As for the elderly Aldens couple, they had been briefed by Kisha before her departure and believed everything she said wholeheartedly.

Kisha’s grandparents were also making remarkable progress, which even surprised Kisha.

They had quickly learned how to harness the spiritual energy within their bodies and effectively use the Scarlet Honey, becoming stronger day by day.

Grandpa Aldens no longer had to worry about struggling with heavy loads; he could easily carry a sack of rice for Grandma Aldens and even lift a horse if he so wanted.

His awakened ability was particularly impressive: he was a body enhancer, capable of doubling his strength, agility, or defense—though only one attribute at a time.

Kisha suspected that as he leveled up, he might even reach a tenfold increase, which motivated him to train intensely.

Grandma Aldens’ ability was equally intriguing.

Known as a "Home Maker," she could influence others’ emotions, providing comfort, dispelling negativity, and boosting morale.

Her awakened ability worked like a form of mental reinforcement, akin to brainwashing, though it only took effect if the individuals around her had lower mental resilience and willingly accepted her influence.

Her unique ability had become a subtle yet powerful way to support the mental well-being of everyone in the community.

Many people in the base willingly accepted Grandma Aldens’ ability, which created a sense of calm and unity.

Her influence helped dispel fear, allowing everyone to focus on growth and resilience.

As they grew stronger, many were soon ready to prepare for their first level up, diligently practicing their abilities each day.

Keith, in particular, had made impressive strides.

His ability to create realistic illusions became an invaluable asset, allowing him to lure manageable groups of zombies toward his team, so they could eliminate them without overwhelming numbers.

His tactics had transformed their battle formations, reducing casualties and improving efficiency.

Keith had drawn inspiration from watching Kisha wield her telekinesis with precision, like a formidable battle goddess.

This admiration drove him to hone his own ability in hopes of contributing as effectively as she did in combat.

Kisha had already shared information about the evolved zombies some time ago, so everyone in the base remained vigilant, particularly given that they were all still at level 0.

This caution helped keep them prepared, knowing the added danger these evolved zombies posed.

Following Kisha’s encouragement, everyone began practicing their awakened abilities and registering them, allowing others to see which roles each person was best suited for, similar to the system in HOPE Base.

Now, with nearly everyone in City A Base having awakened their abilities, they had become a formidable force.

After learning all this, Kisha felt reassured leaving her family in City A, knowing they were not only thriving but growing stronger even without her.

She felt a deep sense of pride and happiness seeing them adapt so well.

Her family shared this sentiment, feeling glad to no longer be a burden or a hindrance to Kisha, and grateful they could now stand on their own.

On the other hand, after leaving the study, Sparrow headed straight to find the five STAU.

He was eager to help them level up, as it would create more space for storing additional items.

The prospect of having more room excited him, and he hoped to maximize their storage capacity for the mission.

When Sparrow arrived at the empty lot, the five STAU had already finished unloading the supplies into the temporary warehouse and were now putting the cargo trailers to their designated spots.

As soon as they completed their task, Sparrow could see the exhaustion etched on their faces.

The five of them were on the verge of tears, longing to go home and rest.

Unlike Sparrow and the other superhumans, they felt more like regular humans, especially with their low stats.

Even as they increased their stats using the Scarlet Honey, their increases were minimal, typically just a single point each time.

This could be attributed to their support-type abilities, which primarily focused on enhancing their spatial capabilities.

Despite their pitiful appearances, Sparrow had been shaped by Duke to be a strong leader, one who wouldn’t be soft-hearted when it came to his team.

Now that he finally had a team to lead, he was determined to push them hard.

Without a hint of hesitation, Sparrow directed the five STAU to the back of Villa #1, leading them into the forest behind the villa.

This secluded area would provide them with the focus they needed, far removed from the hustle and bustle of the community and the silent tension that the zombies lurking in the sewers created.

Unable to invoke even a hint of pity from their captain, the five reluctantly surrendered to their fate and followed Sparrow, their feet dragging with each step.

They could only hope the training would be over quickly so they could get some much-needed rest before their early departure the next morning.

Upon arriving in the forest, Sparrow gathered them in a circle and instructed them to take the Scarlet Honey until they felt their spiritual energy nearing its breaking point—an indication they were at their bottleneck and ready to level up.

The five obeyed, but the continuous intake of the honey began to take a toll.

They experienced sharp pains from pushing their bodies to the limit, struggling to control their surging spiritual energy.

Sweat poured from them as they fought against the discomfort, yet Sparrow insisted they persevere.

With no choice but to push through the pain, they pressed on, determined to meet his expectations.