With both sides willing, it was quickly decided that the members of Flying Eagle would leave Glimmerlake Base with Marcus Monroe and his group.

Only now did Forrest Chapman realize that the supplies that had vanished had been taken by Marcus Monroe’s group—but now, they were back in his own son’s possession. After a long silence, he sighed and patted Claire Chapman’s shoulder. "Sorry to have worried you."

Claire Chapman shook his head and said nothing.

’Compared to everything his father had sacrificed over the years, this is nothing at all.’

His mother had died in the chaos shortly after the apocalypse began. His father had raised him all by himself since he was just a child, and Claire had witnessed every hardship firsthand.

’It really hadn’t been easy!’

Since they had decided to team up temporarily, the matter of the ring also had to be addressed.

Claire Chapman wasn’t old, only three years Paige Summers’s senior, but he was outgoing and energetic. He knew the base’s trading streets and the Hunting Parties’ gathering spots like the back of his hand. He was flexible in his dealings and always thought a few steps ahead. He knew the ring had to be returned, but for the sake of his father and Flying Eagle’s survival, he brazenly demanded some food and weapons from Marcus Monroe...

He wasn’t greedy, and the amount he requested wasn’t large. Marcus Monroe agreed after only a moment’s consideration, earning Forrest Chapman’s profound gratitude. Forrest felt that a man this magnanimous was a rare find indeed.

Marcus, however, was thinking, ’This father-son duo seems decent. If I can actually win them over to my side, they’ll be a valuable asset.’

’This investment will surely pay off!’ 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Each had their own thoughts on the matter, but in the end, it was an outcome that pleased everyone.

Paige Summers, who had been at the center of the issue, breathed a great sigh of relief. At least her insistence on saving Erin Quinn hadn’t resulted in any losses for Marcus’s group. Otherwise, she couldn’t have helped but feel guilty.

’When I think about the way Howard Everett looks at me, like I’m some kind of ticking time bomb, I just want to tear my hair out.’

’Fine, I’m really not used to this kind of group living!’

While they were talking privately in the warehouse, they had no idea how bizarre the situation outside had become. One by one, the faces of the Flying Eagle members turned unnaturally grim. The feeling of suddenly being unable to use your superpower? It was more terrifying than being struck by lightning! Worse, they had to desperately conceal it, as the other Superpower Users—whose status as friend or foe was still uncertain—were all watching.

They felt utterly vulnerable.

Fortunately, by the time Forrest Chapman and the others emerged from their talks, many of the members already felt their superpowers beginning to return.

They couldn’t help but let out a collective sigh of relief. It had been a false alarm!

None of them could have guessed the reason why, and Paige Summers, the one person who knew exactly what had happened, would absolutely, positively never tell.

They were actually quite lucky. Since they hadn’t started a conflict with Marcus’s group, they managed to get through their period of weakness in peace. Caleb Yorke and his people, on the other hand, were not so fortunate.

Before they could reach Samuel Hughes, while they were still in the Outer City, they ran into a mob of rioters.

Once the news of the Beast Tide was announced, the people in the upper echelons were worried, but that was nothing compared to the terror gripping those at the bottom. This was especially true for ordinary people and low-level superpower users. The base would prioritize sheltering those from the Inner City. As for the Outer City, they would be saved if possible, and simply abandoned if not.

Everyone knew this deep down.

But who was willing to be devoured by Mutant Beasts? Who didn’t want to live?

So, to increase their odds of survival, they naturally turned to looting.

It wasn’t that Samuel Hughes hadn’t sent men to get the situation under control, but the number of people in the Outer City vastly outnumbered the base’s guards. They were simply overwhelmed. The looting parties, made up of armed civilians and low-level superpower users, only grew larger.

After looting several shops, they decided it wasn’t enough. And so, the moment Caleb Yorke’s supply truck entered the street, it was targeted.

They hadn’t gone far before a barrage of rocks rained down in front of the truck, forcing it to a halt. The rioters seized the opportunity and swarmed forward.

At first, they held their ground. With their superpowers and firearms, they managed to kill or injure a number of the attackers.

But after the first assault, the Superpower Users suddenly realized they couldn’t use their powers!

At the same time, the number of rioters was swelling. Some even started using corpses as shields as they charged forward.

The situation took a drastic turn for the worse.

The now-powerless Superpower Users, Caleb Yorke included, were in utter despair. They had thought themselves tigers, but now they were less than cats—even ordinary people could kill them with ease!

They had no choice but to retreat again and again, letting the guards with guns take the lead.

But ammunition was not unlimited. The crowd of rioters was constantly growing as more people joined the fray, and soon, the guards could no longer hold them back.

By the time reinforcements arrived, the scene was already a bloodbath. Not only had everything been looted clean, but the bodies of Caleb Yorke and his men had been trampled so badly they were unrecognizable.