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Kisha, who had a cheat system of her own, couldn't help but feel like Duke was an even bigger cheat.

It was almost unfair. Without her system, she would have been left in the dust, nothing more than a burden to him. No wonder he became the strongest man in her previous life.

'Comparison truly breeds pain,' she thought with a defeated sigh, shaking her head as she made her way toward the gathering.

Meanwhile, Duke had already bathed in the same spot she had used earlier, cleansing himself of the grime and impurities his body had expelled. At least now, he didn't have to worry about carrying the filth outside her territory space to the hidden base for washing.

"Is everyone here?" Duke asked as he stood before the Winters men.

To his surprise, even his parents were present, along with the Evans family. Both Kisha and Duke couldn't help but twitch their eyebrows—once again, their numbers had grown.

At this point, it really felt less like a mission and more like a full-blown field trip.

Duke shot Kisha a worried look, only to find her already looking at him, her eyes searching as if she had something to say.

She bit her lip, holding herself back. If she specifically asked the Evans not to join this mission while bringing her entire family along—and if Duke seemed willing to let his own family tag along for the experience, keeping them close to the Aldens—wouldn't that make it seem like they were isolating and targeting the Evans?

They openly stated that this mission would give them the experience of facing stronger opponents and understanding what it was like to travel outside on their own while being surrounded by evolving zombies.

This way it would prevent them from becoming people sheltered in a greenhouse, ensuring they were better prepared for the worst and wouldn't panic when the time came. The same principle applied to everyone in the hidden base—they all deserved this opportunity as well.

Because of this, Duke remained silent, pretending not to notice the Evans. However, what concerned him more was Melody. She seemed to have her own intentions of joining, lurking in a secluded spot as if trying to fade into the background.

It was clear she was attempting to lessen her presence, possibly to sneak into the group unnoticed, ensuring Kisha wouldn't be able to call her out or stop her from coming along.

But what was she expecting? She wasn't a combatant, nor did she have an awakened ability, so why was she even trying to come? Did she think people would protect her like before—just so she could stay close to Duke?

Well, that was exactly her plan. Since Duke and Kisha had emphasized how dangerous it was outside, Melody intended to tag along, knowing that Duke, as the leader, would be responsible for everyone's safety.

And as the so-called damsel in distress, she would naturally need his protection. Using that excuse, she could stay close to Duke, ensuring he would have no choice but to look after her.

Kisha, who was pretending not to notice Melody, had already been aware of her for a while. With just one look at Melody's eyes, Kisha could tell exactly what she was planning.

All she could do was sigh—Melody was so naive, lost in her own little world. Even now, she was still the one living in a greenhouse, oblivious to the real dangers outside. It was clear that her family had sheltered her so well that she had no true understanding of how brutal the world had become.

If she thought their journey from the heart of City A to the hidden base during the outbreak had been dangerous, then she truly had no idea what real danger was.

Kisha and Duke silently agreed to say nothing and pretended not to see the entire Evans family—especially since Kisha had no desire to be around them. However, they were now living in the hidden base, making them part of their community. There was no valid reason to kick them out at the moment.

It wasn't as if Kisha had any particular attachment to keeping them around, but she knew her grandmother's kind heart. If she were to cast out the Evans without just cause, it would surely break her grandmother's heart to see how much she had changed. Kisha didn't want to worry her grandparents.

She had already seen their heartbreak in her past lives—how devastated they had been after her death and how deeply they mourned the shift in her personality when she returned.

They had felt helpless, unable to offer her any support, and in the end, they chose to step back, not wanting to be a burden to her.

Unfortunately, that very decision had led to even more complications, ultimately making them easy targets for exploitation—or worse, costing them their lives.

This time, Kisha wanted to be extremely careful. She knew she couldn't always protect her grandparents, especially when they themselves believed they were a burden to her.

Instead, the best thing she could do was help them grow stronger—so they could stand on their own, confident in their abilities. She wanted them to stand beside her without doubt or the lingering belief that they weren't enough.

Duke kept his speech brief, wrapping it up in just five minutes. While his men already knew what to do, he focused on instructing the Aldens and his family, ensuring they understood their responsibilities while out in the field.

His family, having gained some experience during when they were rescued by Duke and Kisha, knew better than to stray from the main group.

They understood the importance of staying close to the Aldens, sticking together to avoid unnecessary risks, and preventing Duke and Kisha from worrying even more.

During their previous beach vacation, Kisha had finally managed to give the immortal pill to her grandfather-in-law. Since she had already given one each to her own grandparents and Marcus, it was only natural that she had prepared one for him as well.

This allowed him to regain the vitality of a man ten years younger, enabling him to join the mission outside and train alongside Kisha's grandfather. It also helped strengthen the bond between the two families, ensuring they could watch each other's backs.

With everyone present and ready, Duke conducted a thorough briefing before they lined up. Once everything was set, Kisha summoned the armored military trucks they would use for the journey ahead.

No matter how many times they witnessed it, Kisha and Duke's ability to summon and store objects out of thin air remained astonishing—an invaluable skill in these apocalyptic times.

Once the armored truck appeared in the open, Kisha and Duke took their seats in the second vehicle—Duke in the driver's seat and Kisha beside him in the passenger seat.

Their family and several members of the Winters' men occupied the back of the truck.

When some of the Evans attempted to climb in, the Winters' men swiftly blocked them, ensuring there was no room left for them inside.

They all understood that this was their master's intention—keeping the Evans away from their master and young madam.

Without any other choice, the Evans settled in the third truck.

Ethan took the wheel, while his eldest brother, Eric, sat beside him, holding the radio, as each truck was equipped with one for communication.