Flora Bloom, Hugh Warren, and the rest of their group followed Milton Adler around the plaza and armory. After several winding turns, they came to a small path by the sea.

At first, they passed some posts with soldiers standing guard, but the farther in they walked, the fewer people they saw, until finally there was no one in sight.

The sky had grown completely dark. All nine of them—their group and Milton Adler—walked along the seaside path, listening to the soft crash of waves against the rocks and hidden reefs below, creating a peculiar atmosphere.

Flora Bloom, however, was not afraid. In a place so rich with water, she held a natural advantage. What’s more, Milton Adler was by himself, posing no threat to their group.

Moreover, the path was right by the ocean, and through her mental link, she could sense several giant horse mackerels leading a school of their followers. They had trailed her to a nearby reef and were now patrolling the area.

Cynthia Grant stealthily sidled up to Flora Bloom and whispered furtively in her ear, "Flora, that Milton Adler is definitely up to no good bringing us here. We need to be careful."

Flora Bloom just smiled, unconcerned.

Those with superpowers have extremely sharp senses. Having overheard Cynthia Grant’s muttering, Milton Adler let out a cold snort. The glare he shot her way made her shudder.

"Mr. Adler, surely you won’t hold it against a young girl?"

"Hmph."

The group ambled toward a building standing right on the coast. It resembled an airport terminal, isolated and set apart from the main area of the base by a vast empty lot. A dedicated tram line was meant to connect them, running in both directions.

The Naval Base was likely suffering from a power shortage, as the tram sat abandoned and useless, forcing them to make the journey on foot.

"This is the tallest building on the Naval Base, and it also serves as a lighthouse for the surrounding Azure Sea. You can see the beacon on its roof from many miles offshore."

Flora Bloom understood. This building must be a special navigational beacon the Naval Base used for drills or to coordinate voyages. In essence, it served the same purpose as a regular offshore lighthouse.

It was just that an ordinary lighthouse had a range of about 30 to 50 nautical miles. Since this building was much taller than a typical lighthouse, she figured the light from its top floor must reach much farther.

"Let’s go. This is the only place on the entire Naval Base that still has power. Right now, it’s also the safest place in all of Azuregard City."

With that, Milton Adler led them into the building. Just inside was an elevator that went straight to the top floor. The elevator car was dimly lit and carried the faint, briny smell of the sea. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

The moment she stepped inside, Flora Bloom began to assess the building’s potential for danger.

’Safe? The place Milton Adler considers the safest is the very same one I’d label the most dangerous in all of Azuregard City.’

’This building’s foundation is subterranean, separated from the sea by nothing more than reinforced concrete. A rising tide wouldn’t submerge the entire structure, and the top floor would remain completely unaffected.’

’But in the apocalypse, zombies aren’t the only threat. Evolved creatures are far more dangerous and terrifying. And the greatest threats of all aren’t on land—they’re in the uncharted depths of the ocean, with the creatures that live within.’

’And in the near future, the skies will also become the predators’ hunting grounds.’

’There’s no such thing as a truly safe place. One must always be vigilant.’

If the school of horse mackerels patrolling the area hadn’t informed her through their mental link that the surrounding sea was clear of danger for three kilometers, Flora Bloom would never have set foot in this building.

Just imagine: if Flora Bloom hadn’t subjugated that school of horse mackerels back on Military Avenue, this isolated lighthouse terminal would have been a sitting duck against their attack.

The people inside, caught unawares, wouldn’t be able to react fast enough to fend them off, even with firearms.

And horse mackerels were merely one of the countless, well-known species of fish in the ocean.

The top floor of the building featured floor-to-ceiling windows on all four sides. The glass had likely been certified as bulletproof by military standards. But in Flora Bloom’s eyes, this bulletproof glass was completely useless.

"I’ve had some dinner prepared. Young lady, would you and your companions do me the honor of joining me?"

Milton Adler glanced at the people behind Flora Bloom, the compliments rolling effortlessly off his tongue. Flora Bloom herself had no reaction, but Cynthia Grant and Hugh Warren stared with wide-eyed disbelief.

Milton Adler, a man who normally wouldn’t even give a leader like Sherman Lynch the time of day, was now speaking so pleasantly and trying to curry favor with a young girl like Flora Bloom? A leader of Hugh Warren’s rank found this revelation impossible to digest.

Cynthia Grant, however, couldn’t care less. She pulled Flora Bloom over and sat her down in what was clearly Milton Adler’s seat at the head of the table, then plopped down in the chair next to her.

"Aunt Jade, you sit here. Flora’s father, you take this seat. And you, little one, come sit by your big sister." As she spoke, she shot a defiant look at Milton Adler.

Milton Adler was, after all, a man in charge. Yet here he was, his seat stolen by a young girl. He watched as this girl, Flora Bloom, coolly took her place at the head of the table where he should have been, and he found himself unable to protest.

His face paled with anger, but he had no choice but to take a seat at the opposite end of the table.

Dinner was a simple affair of four dishes and a soup—four vegetable dishes and a vegetable soup that contained only a few specks of minced meat. At least the rice was plentiful, with everyone receiving a large bowl.

"My sincere apologies. Our Naval Base’s food stores have been stretched thin since the apocalypse began. The people of Azuregard City now depend on our reserves to survive, so our resources are extremely scarce."

Flora Bloom and her group didn’t mind in the slightest. They hadn’t gone hungry on their journey, so they weren’t picky. In the good habit of not wasting food, they all finished every grain of rice and cleaned their plates.

After dinner, Milton Adler stopped beating around the bush with Flora’s group and got straight to business.

"Young Lady Flora, if I may ask, for what purpose are you looking to borrow a boat and head out to sea?"

"I’m not at liberty to say. Just know that if you lend us the boat, I, Flora Bloom, will owe you a favor."

Milton Adler’s eyes flickered as he looked at Flora Bloom, his expression unreadable. He let out a sigh. "Alas, it’s not that I’m unwilling. It’s that national regulations from the higher-ups state that military vessels are not to be loaned out for civilian use. I cannot violate a direct order."

"Bullshit! You imprisoned Mr. Lynch and used the apocalypse to stage a coup, and now you’re talking about regulations? Milton Adler, I’m telling you, let Mr. Lynch go, or else! Or else I’ll make you regret it!" Cynthia Grant shouted, pointing right at Milton Adler’s face and showing the outwardly dignified leader zero respect.

Flora Bloom pulled Cynthia Grant’s hand down and drew her aside, giving her a look that told her to calm down.

"Cynthia, getting emotional won’t solve anything."

"Indeed. Cynthia Grant, you’re someone who is well-read on military regulations. How can you be so ill-tempered? I suppose you’re still too young, not quite smooth enough in your dealings. A little too green."

The corners of Flora Bloom’s mouth curled into a smile as she looked at Milton Adler. The smile transformed her still-childlike face, revealing an alluring charm. If she was this stunning now, in a couple of years, wouldn’t she possess the kind of beauty that could topple nations? In the apocalypse, it was hard to say whether such outstanding looks on a young girl were a blessing or a curse.

"Mr. Adler, I can’t be bothered to mince words. This is the apocalypse. I’m sure you know better than I do what Azuregard City has become. The nation? Regulations? Frankly, the heavens are high and the emperor is far away; no one from on high can manage what you do here. Whether you want to seize power or crown yourself king, it’s none of my concern."

"Flora! How can you say that?" Cynthia cried out. "Mr. Lynch poured his life’s blood into this Naval Base! We can’t let this villain usurp his power! You have to make Milton Adler hand over Mr. Lynch right now!"

Milton Adler frowned at Cynthia Grant. There was anger in his eyes, but Flora also caught a flicker of something more complex.

"Cynthia, be quiet for a moment." Flora could understand Cynthia’s feelings, but she also knew the world had changed. The old rules no longer applied.

Stunned by Flora’s sharp tone, Cynthia Grant turned away without a word, her cheeks puffed in a pout. She knew she was being impulsive, but she couldn’t help her anxiety when Mr. Lynch’s safety was at stake.

"Mr. Adler, it’s just one boat. If you lend it to us, I can solve one of the Naval Base’s current troubles for you in return."