Jax stood behind the glass door, looking at Chloe with cold, unfeeling eyes. He did not say a word, just watching her press her dirty hands against the sparkling window.Chloe’s heart skipped a beat as she looked at Jax. He looked taller, stronger, and completely healthy. His skin was clean, his hair was neat, and he was standing inside a warm room filled with rows of bottled water, hot noodles, and fresh snacks."Jax!" Chloe screamed through the glass, her voice shaking with desperate emotion. "Oh my god, Jax, it really is you! You survived! I knew you were strong!"She turned to the six tired refugees standing behind her, a proud, fake smile spreading across her muddy face."Look, everyone!" Chloe shouted happily, pointing at Jax with her trembling finger. "I told you we would find help! This is Jax, my former fiancé! He loves me so much he would do anything for me! We are saved!"The starving refugees let out weak sighs of relief. Some of them collapsed onto their knees on the cold

Chloe slammed her bloody hands against the glass door, her chest heaving as she let out a piercing scream.The heavy thud of fifty mutated ghouls running down the street made the ground vibrate under her knees.Chad was crawling on his belly right behind her, weeping like a baby as he dragged his destroyed, bloody foot across the dirty pavement. The smell of his fresh blood was drawing the monsters straight toward them at terrifying speed."Jax! Please! Open the door!" Chloe shrieked, her voice cracking as tears cut clean streaks through the mud on her face. "They are right behind us! I don't want to die! I'll do anything! Please!"Jax stood inside the warm, bright store, looking down at her through the sparkling glass. He did not look scared, angry, or excited. His face was completely calm, as if he were watching an annoying stray dog barking at his window.He raised a clean bottle of cold water, taking a slow sip while holding Chloe’s terrified gaze."Jax! I am begging you!" Chloe s

Lieutenant Drake stood outside the glass door, his tall body framed by the bright searchlights of the military trucks. He carried a heavy iron battleax over his broad shoulder, his dark eyes fixed on Jax like a predator looking at a helpless rabbit.Beside him, Captain Vance was grinning like a maniac. Vance was rubbing his hands together in absolute glee, delighted to see an army of armed soldiers surrounding the tiny clerk who had humiliated him earlier.Inside the holding box near the entrance, Chloe pressed her dirty face against the glass wall. A sudden surge of fake hope filled her heart as she looked at the soldiers outside."Save me!" Chloe shrieked at the top of her lungs, banging her fists against the clear divider. "I am a hostage! This crazy clerk trapped me in here! Break the glass and shoot him!"Drake ignored her completely. He did not care about a dirty girl in a holding box. His greedy eyes swept over the fully stocked shelves inside the store. He saw stacks of fresh

Lieutenant Drake dragged his burnt soldiers away into the dark night, scrambling to escape the hungry ghouls closing in from the alleys.The roaring flames from the melted armored truck slowly died down, leaving a thick cloud of grey smoke hovering over the wet pavement.Jax stood near the front glass door, looking down at the two glowing orange crystals resting on his clean floor tiles. He nudged them with his boot, watching the deep, pulsing light inside them."Two Rank-2 cores," Jax murmured softly. "That dirty lieutenant thought he was threatening me, but he actually delivered a goldmine right to my doorstep."He leaned down, picking up the heavy crystals. The moment his fingers wrapped around the smooth surface of the cores, a bright golden light burst out from his palm.[Rank-2 Beast Cores Absorbed!][Energy Points Added: 2000!][Total Energy Reaches Upgrade Threshold!][Upgrading Sanctuary from Level 1 to Level 2...]A deep, powerful hum echoed through the building. The warm go

Chloe reached her long, dirty fingers toward the box of energy bars. Her heart was beating fast with greedy excitement.She was only two inches away from grabbing the food. She thought she was so clever, taking advantage of Jax leaving and Mia turning her back.BZZZZZT!A sharp red light flashed across the store ceiling, ringing a loud alarm bell that echoed inside the entire building.Before Chloe’s dirty fingers could even touch the smooth plastic box, a crushing weight slammed down on her body like a falling mountain.BANG!Chloe let out a high-pitched shriek as her entire body was flattened against the hard floor tiles. The heavy invisible force smashed her face, arms, and legs right into the cold dirt. She could not lift a single finger, her mouth pressed so flat against the tiles that she could barely draw a breath.Mia turned around calmly from the water cooler. She did not look panicked or surprised at all. She picked up her wooden clipboard, stepping over to the holding box w