The inside of the jeep felt nothing like the rough, armoured exterior suggested.

Despite its monstrous frame and heavy-duty wheels, the cabin resembled a mobile command room more than a transport vehicle.

Soft blue light ran along the floor panels, while several holographic displays floated above the central console. Each one flickered with maps, heat signatures, squad positions and distant feeds from drones soaring above S-City.

’I didn’t know we had such advanced vehicles...’

Though he’d taken the role of Patriarch, his grandfather remained extremely frail, kept in complete sterile intensive care. His body was so worn down from repeated ensanguination that even Nikolai’s blood barely managed to stabilise him.

Nikolai sat in the centre seat, strapped in by a harness that crossed over his chest and waist.

Nikita occupied his right side, her white tail curled around her left thigh, while she examined every weapon rack with glittering yellow eyes. Selene sat on his left, legs crossed with a composed elegance as she studied the tactical display.

Sarah sat opposite him.

Her helmet rested on her lap, and the snug black armour around her body made her look completely different from the gentle clerk or assistant he was used to seeing. Her blonde hair was slightly messy after removing the helmet, but her blue eyes remained calm and sharp.

Though occasionally sweeping to glance at him.

"Husband, look here."

She tapped the console, causing the route ahead to expand.

A glowing line stretched across the map, leading from the Volkov estate toward a fortified outpost on the edge of the central district. Several warning markers popped up, pulsing along the road, while the eastern avenue remained covered in red interference.

[Civilian District - Do not use]

"The outpost is still active, but communication has become unstable. We confirmed Alexei and Vernan arrived there earlier, along with two squads of hounds."

Sarah’s change from the moment he accepted her was quite intense; she no longer held back or asked him for permission.

If she needed to do something that would benefit the family.

Then she would do it.

Nikolai leaned forward, his fingers tracing the countless routes while trying to remember the call signs and coordinates of his allies and family members.

"And my father?"

"He went ahead with Mother-in-law through a separate route, though what he plans to do I have no idea. Sir Dimitri and Lady Nagisa also joined them."

"What?"

"That old bastard ran ahead?" Nikita exclaimed.

Nikita’s ears shot up as she peeked at Nikolai’s face, a tinge of worry on her face.

Though he didn’t expect his father to help him, it was a little disheartening to know they’d gone ahead without a message.

’No.’

Nikolai shook his head because he remembered their chat in his office about what kind of leader he wished to become.

’Dad said he’d support me, I should trust him.’

Selene frowned, closed the large digital tablet in her hand, and asked. "Why?"

Sarah’s gaze shifted to Nikolai.

She hesitated for a moment, darting her eyes between Nikolai and Selene, before speaking with a slight sigh. "He said the Patriarch must learn to command from the front without chasing his father’s shadow."

"I see."

Nikolai had already settled the heavy emotions inside his chest; hearing this just reinforced his thoughts as he smiled.

"Thanks for the information, Sarah."

"It’s nothing, Husband—Kyaa?!"

The jeep suddenly swayed as it passed over a broken section of road.

Nikita immediately grabbed his arm, though not from fear. The moment he looked at her, she smiled shamelessly and pressed her chest against his shoulder.

"Ah~ scary."

"You are not scared."

"I could be."

"You were looking at the grenade launcher with excitement."

"Tch~ don’t be so stingy."

"Nikita, behave."

"You’re just jealous I grabbed him first."

Sarah smiled faintly.

"If you both fight in here, the stabilisers will compensate, but the driver may lose concentration."

Nikita turned to her.

"Why are you so calm?"

Sarah blinked, as if confused by the question.

"Because I prepared this vehicle and know its limits and what constitutes danger."

The snowy wolf stared at her for a second before narrowing her golden eyes.

"...You prepared the seats too?"

"Yes."

"The harnesses?"

"Yes."

"The centre seat?"

Sarah’s smile remained pleasant.

"Of course."

Nikita slowly leaned across Nikolai, glaring at the blonde woman.

"You sneaky little fox."

"I am not a fox."

"Why are you so strange? Normally, you should be getting angry or jealous about now..." Nikita slapped Nikolai’s thigh with her tail while grumbling about how Sarah took every complaint without batting an eyelid.

"Fufu, oh m~ it seems you’ve finally met your match, little dog." Selene couldn’t help but take this chance to twist the knife.

Nikolai rubbed his brow.

"Can you girls stop fighting? I want to arrive at the outpost before you all start tearing each other apart..."

As if to cut the mood like a sword, a burst of static crackled through the comms.

Ryan’s voice followed from the second jeep.

"Boss, can you hear me?"

Nikolai pressed the side switch.

"Loud and clear."

"Good. Our rear is clean so far, it doesn’t seem like today’s assault was a failed attempt, maybe they were testing our defences."

It might’ve sounded like good news.

However, to Nikolai, the fact that their eastern wall fell to a simple test was dangerous; the doctor named Hanz had clearly achieved a significant breakthrough in his operations, even without the help of Nikolai’s blood.

’Well, Clara is safe away from that freak...’

The obsession in his voice and eyes, which appeared the moment he noticed Clara, still lingered in the back of Nikolai’s mind.

In the background, a low female voice hissed something.

Ryan coughed.

"Dear, please don’t wrap around the comms unit."

The Lamia’s voice became clearer.

"You are the one who asked me to come all the way here, you know I hate being outside the house in this state..."

"I know... but, ah... sorry, Boss."

Nikolai couldn’t help but smile, knowing that Ryan stood zero chance against the massive Lamia who complained.

"No, it’s fine, I understand, apologise to your little wife for me too."

Ryan laughed awkwardly.

"She says hello."

Though Nikolai heard her clearly cursing his name, and complaining that they could have spent the day trying for a child...

He chose to ignore it.

This was just how supernatural women were: haughty, a little arrogant, and harsh toward those who weren’t their direct family or lovers.

Hearing her speak gently to Ryan was enough for Nikolai.

’I’m glad for you, brother.’

Sarah tapped another display, showing the second jeep behind them. Through the rear camera, Nikolai saw Ryan’s vehicle following closely, its headlights cutting through the smoke. Inside, a long snake tail curled around the rear seats, its glossy scales shifting with each turn of the road.

Ryan sat in the front passenger seat, one hand over his headset and the other holding down part of the Lamia’s tail as it tried to slither across the dashboard.

Nikita leaned closer to the screen.

"Oh, she’s pretty."

Selene looked at her with a strange expression before snorting.

"H-Hey, what the hell was that look about! Oi Selene!" Nikita started causing trouble again, shouting over to Selene, who remained ice-cold.

But the situation wasn’t ideal, so Nikolai raised his hand and slapped the perky buttocks, saying in front of him.

Pah!

"Kyaaan!"

He also messaged Ryan.

"...Ryan."

"Yes, boss?"

"Control your wife, and prepare yourself, it’s about time we stopped playing around."

"...Understood."

There was a moment of silence in both Jeeps as Nikita curled in a ball while rubbing her ass, as Selene smugly grinned at her. Ryan’s voice cut for a few minutes before the comms buzzed once again.

"Boss, all jokes aside, the visibility is getting worse. I’m not sure why, but there’s a lot of smoke and debris ahead of us blocking the main routes. The convoy head suggested switching to the canal road... what do you think?"

Nikolai quickly checked the map.

Though the distance wasn’t much farther, there was a risk of involving civilians, and, due to the red moon, some humans and weak-willed monsters were acting strangely.

It could be dangerous.

Nikolai stared at the canal road marker for a moment, then shifted his gaze to the pulsing red section near the civilian district.

His finger hovered above the map but didn’t touch it.

"How many civilians?"

Sarah’s fingers moved quickly across the console.

"I cannot say for sure, but the amount would likely be less than two thousand at best and five at worst."

Nikolai checked the map once again, then looked away.

"Stay on course."

Ryan answered immediately.

"Understood, Boss."

Sarah tapped the console, sending the order through the convoy network. The route remained unchanged, the glowing line leading straight toward the outpost.

Nikita leaned back with a pleased hum, one hand still rubbing her butt.

"See? Simple."

Selene glanced at her.

"You are the last person who should say that."

"Hmph."

The jeep continued forward, its heavy wheels crushing debris beneath them. Smoke rolled across the road, but the reinforced lights cut through enough for the convoy to keep moving.

Nikolai rested his hand against the harness across his chest.