Paige Summers didn’t notice who threw the first punch. All she knew was that after her attention had drifted for a few dozen seconds, she looked back at the standoff between the Mercenaries and The Power Corps to find they had actually started fighting.

Both sides were holding back, so no one used their superpowers. It was just a brawl of fists and feet.

In this regard, The Power Corps was undoubtedly stronger.

After all, their training regimens were far more extensive than those of the Mercenaries, who were often busy hunting. Physical conditioning was a mandatory part of their routine.

The Mercenaries, on the other hand, excelled at teamwork and weren’t afraid to fight dirty.

This was especially true for members of the same Hunting Squad. Many of them had fought side-by-side, killing countless Mutant Beasts. Though their enemies were now their own kind, a single glance was all it took to know where they needed to attack.

For a moment, Sidney Warren’s attempts to stop the fight were useless, and the military couldn’t unilaterally call a halt either. The two sides were surprisingly evenly matched, with some winning their scuffles and others losing.

Fortunately, not everyone had joined the fray.

On both the Mercenary and Power Corps sides, there were people who stayed out of it for various reasons.

Bloodfall’s collective decision to stay on the sidelines wasn’t particularly conspicuous.

Aside from Paige Summers and Claire Chapman, the other members of their squad were also relatively calm, not prone to such pointless displays of bravado.

They were heavily influenced by their two captains. Although they were privately just as displeased with The Power Corps’ attitude, a pointless fight like this was nothing but a waste of energy!

’Alright, the real reason is there are no Crystal Cores or Credit Points to be had. Who would waste their energy on this? Better to save it for the Mutant Beasts!’

Paige Summers thought that this time, the person in the military jeep would surely have to come out.

Just a moment ago, the window had been partially lowered again when a subordinate went to report, but unfortunately, her view was still obstructed. She couldn’t tell if the person inside was Sheldon Reid.

However, regardless of whether it was him or not, she never expected the military to end the conflict in such a direct and brutal manner.

With a few soft gunshots, three of the most vocal Mercenary protesters, including Maxim Wendell, and one soldier from The Power Corps—four people in total—were each shot in the head.

These weren’t ordinary bullets. The moment they hit, the four individuals’ heads exploded, splattering blood and brain matter everywhere.

A few people standing close to them were covered head to toe in the gruesome spray.

As the horrifying scene unfolded, a military officer bellowed, "Anyone who provokes infighting again, regardless of which side you’re on, will be dealt with under military law on the spot—summarily executed! They are your example!"

It had to be said, this move successfully intimidated everyone who had been fighting.

No, it would be more accurate to say that everyone was utterly stunned.

The gaping black barrels of the guns, still smoking faintly after being fired, were not put away. Instead, they were turned on those who still looked ready to cause trouble.

That settled them down.

Everyone knew that, with the exception of extremely High-level Superpower Users, firearms were still the most lethal weapons against most humans.

And the Mercenaries had no idea how many people on the other side were equipped with such weapons...

As the charges were announced, Paige Summers learned that the executed soldier from The Power Corps was the one who had started the fight.

People want to live.

This is especially true for those who have survived so many years in the apocalypse; they understand the value of life all too well.

Everyone had their grievances, but whether it was worth losing their life over them right here and now was a question that gave them pause.

And so, the turmoil subsided.

At least, that’s how it appeared on the surface.

Everyone wore ugly expressions, but they all returned to their assigned military trucks and sat down.

Soon, the vehicles started up and began to move forward.

In the truck Paige Summers was in, the Storm squad had lost a member. As its captain, Connor Grant was naturally in a foul mood. The others had strange looks on their faces as well; the six of them had all joined the fight. Now that Maxim Wendell was dead, what would happen to the rest?

The members of Bloodfall were also silent.

After suppressing some of his anger, Connor Grant spoke up. "Captain Chapman, don’t you think the military went too far? They actually opened fire on us, ordinary civilians! There’s no respect for human rights whatsoever! How can you stand for this?"

Claire Chapman had no desire to speak. As a fellow captain, he really couldn’t bring himself to like Connor Grant.

’Anyone can talk big after the fact. If he was so unhappy, why didn’t he stand up for his own team member back then? What’s the point of saying this to me now? Is he hoping someone else will stick their neck out for him?’

Seeing him remain silent for a long moment, Connor Grant realized his words had been inappropriate and quickly explained, "What I mean is, all of us should unite and protest the military’s brutal actions together!"