Watching them leave, Yang Bin's expression twisted with indecision.
He genuinely couldn't make up his mind.
Lightning-Type Ability was easily top-tier among elemental abilities. He wanted it badly.
But getting Xiao Han to join Star Fall Squad would be difficult-and even if he could, the man's personality might not mesh with how they operated.
There was always the other option. Kill Xiao Han. Let Old Hei plunder the ability.
But Xiao Han left a good impression. Yang Bin couldn't bring himself to pull the trigger.
He was ruthless, yes-but he wasn't a monster who killed indiscriminately. He had his lines.
"Forget it. We'll stay a couple days and see." Yang Bin shook his head with a sigh.
On the other side...
"These people are way too arrogant! Captain, let's rally every evolver in the base and show them who's actually in charge here!" A-Zhe's face was dark with anger.
"It's pointless." Xiao Han shook his head.
"He's not just a Tier-6 evolver-he's an ability user. That move earlier was definitely space-type. Numbers won't help against that."
"Then we grab the others as hostages!" another young man suggested.
"Any one of them who walked out was peak Tier-5. You think the rest are weaker?"
"......"
"So we just roll over and let them kick us out?"
"What else would you do? The fact that they didn't kill us is mercy. It's the apocalypse-haven't you seen enough ruthless people by now?"
"......"
"They won't stay forever. We'll crash at Xiao Gang's place for a few nights."
"Fine."
That evening, a massive factory building inside the base fired up its cookstoves. Residents lined up with their bowls, waiting for their share.
Under Xiao Han's instructions, someone even came to the villa to invite Yang Bin's group to dinner.
Yang Bin declined. They'd brought plenty of supplies-enough for several days without issue.
The squad stood on the rooftop, looking down at the scene below. People eating together. Talking. Laughing.
Something stirred in their chests.
Xiao Han really was a decent man. The base ran well under his hand.
Yang Bin was certain the people here lived better than those in the official Survival Base. The government side had too many mouths to feed-resource consumption was staggering, rationing inevitable.
"Bin-ge... how about we let him go?" Hu Wenliang said quietly.
Since the last time Yang Bin had dressed him down, he hadn't spoken up like this in a long time.
But tonight, watching the smiles on those faces below-genuine smiles, not the desperate grimaces he'd grown used to-he couldn't stay silent.
This time, Yang Bin didn't snap at him.
Because he felt it too.
Almost a month into the apocalypse. They'd waded through the worst of human nature-betrayal, cruelty, cowardice. Seeing something like this, something that still worked, something still worth protecting... it hit different.
Yang Bin was quiet for a moment. Then he nodded.
"Yeah. We leave tomorrow."
He was ruthless. But he wasn't evil. Let this one stay intact.
Ability users were rare, but they'd find another eventually.
That night, Yang Bin had Skinny Monkey deal with Shen Hong, then transferred her ability to him.
With that, all seven members of Star Fall Squad were ability users-except Old Hei.
Strength-wise, Chen Hao and Hu Wenliang had both reached peak Tier-5. Zhao Kun had consumed four Tier-5 crystals already; one more day should push him to the peak as well.
Tier-5 Zombies weren't as scarce as before. On a decent day, they could bag ten or so without much trouble.
After a night spent watching the stars, the squad grabbed four hours of sleep and dragged themselves up at nine.
They packed their gear and headed out.
Right outside, they ran into Xiao Han's group walking toward them.
Xiao Han spotted the backpacks and blinked. "You're leaving?"
"Mm. Stayed the night, slept well. No reason to overstay our welcome." Yang Bin smiled easily.
"This..."
Xiao Han and his people stared, thoroughly confused.
Yesterday these guys had been domineering as hell-they'd assumed the squad planned to seize the entire base. And now they were just... leaving?
"Captain Xiao." Yang Bin stepped forward and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "A word of advice. If you're serious about building a base and growing your force, don't do it in the city. Find somewhere remote. You don't have the capital to stand against the military yet."
"Got it. Thanks for the warning." Xiao Han nodded, expression serious.
"And if the day comes when you can't hold it together anymore-come find me." Yang Bin's smile turned slightly crooked. "I don't know where I'll be by then, but I'm pretty sure the name Star Fall Squad will be impossible to miss."
"......"
The others stared at him, speechless. They'd met narcissists before, but this was a new benchmark.
Xiao Han, though, nodded without a trace of irony.
"I believe that. If that day comes, I'll find you."
Someone who'd reached Tier-6 this fast-there was no ceiling on a person like that.
He was certain: even the military didn't have a Tier-6 evolver yet.
"Captain Yang-can I ask one thing?"
"Shoot."
"After reaching Tier-6... is the change significant?"
"Significant doesn't cover it. Strength doubles. You randomly awaken a second ability." Yang Bin held up a finger. "That's why Tier-6 shouldn't be called Tier-6. It's called the Yaoguang Realm."
"Yaoguang Realm!!"
Xiao Han and his people went wide-eyed.
"No wonder..."
Xiao Han exhaled slowly. No wonder he'd had zero chance yesterday. The gap between Tier-5 and Tier-6 wasn't a step-it was a cliff.
"Alright. We're out." Yang Bin raised a hand in a lazy wave. "Hope you all survive."
He turned and led Star Fall Squad away from the base without looking back.
Xiao Han's group watched them go, faces full of bewilderment.
"Captain... what was that about? Yesterday they were tyrants, today they're completely different people. They didn't even mention you joining their team again."
Xiao Han shook his head.
"No idea. Maybe they decided I wasn't the right fit."
He paused, then straightened.
"Alright. Notify everyone-pack up. We're relocating within two days."
"Captain, we're really going to listen to him?"
"He's right. We don't have the strength to oppose the military. If they find us, it's either absorption or annihilation. They won't tolerate independent warlords carving out territory."
"Moving this many people is going to be a massive operation..."
"No choice. We're the weaker side. Maybe someday, when evolvers no longer fear conventional weapons-that's when the real era of competing powers begins."
"Yeah."
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