Inside Haven‑45, the three leaders were gathered in their private chamber.
The room was dim, lit only by a few hanging lamps powered by some salvaged batteries.
The walls were reinforced with scrap metal, and a table made from broken planks stood at the center.
Keagan relaxed in his chair while his eyes were fixed on the door. He was obviously waiting for someone to come, and he wasn't alone.
Julian sat nearby, tapping his fingers impatiently against the table. He was thinner, with an excited look in his eyes. He often spoke less than the others, but when he did, his words carried weight. Well, it was the reason why he was managing records and logistics.
Damon, the tallest of the three, paced around the room. His broad shoulders and restless movements made him look like a true fighter…
He kept glancing at the entrance, clearly growing uneasy.
Apparently, they were waiting for William.
William was no ordinary guard. He had consumed a total of ten drops of the gold liquid over the years.
That liquid was rare. They were from the fallen World Government, which had attempted to create something that could improve the human genes to fight back against the A.I. Army.
Furthermore, it wasn't just meant to improve human genes. In rare cases, it could awaken something special, a Gene Skill.
But despite all their hopes, none of the three leaders had ever awakened such an ability. They had strength, endurance, and sharper senses, but nothing beyond that.
William, however, was still considered their strongest subordinate.
Ten drops made him tougher than most survivors in Haven‑45. They trusted him completely.
Keagan finally spoke as he felt that too much time had already passed.
"William should have finished by now. Five recruits, all newbies who didn't even know anything about the gold liquid... He could deal with them blindfolded."
Julian nodded... "Wait… Do you think that he already started enjoying that woman? Ahh… No. There's no way he'd be that brave. Let's just give him some more time."
Keagan could only sigh. "Tsk… There's nothing we can do. Anyway, once William brings her back, we'll have what we wanted."
Apparently, they didn't want to go outside the shelter.
As a matter of fact, they couldn't endure the stench of the garbage dump, and they also didn't want to risk their lives... It was enough for them to know that they couldn't beat the A.I. Army with their pitiful weapons and abilities.
So, aside from visiting the surface a couple of times due to curiosity, the three of them had never left this underground shelter. They also believed that all the dangerous things, like scavenging and searching for other survivors, must be handled by their subordinates.
Soon, as their patience started running out, Damon stopped pacing…
"He's taking too long. Why isn't he here yet?"
The three exchanged glances. None of them doubted William's strength. To them, it was impossible for five clueless recruits to resist him.
Unfortunately, they didn't know the truth. The five weren't ordinary survivors who had stumbled upon their hidden shelter.
They came from Earth, and they weren't simple at all.
Still, inside the chamber, the leaders waited. They do not want to check the situation outside.
Their confidence in William remained strong, though unease was beginning to creep in.
However, after almost an hour had passed, they couldn't help but feel that something was off.
"Did they all get captured by the Sentinels outside?" Keagan frowned.
They were worried that Kai and the other recruits made a mistake and got caught by a Sentinel, or perhaps, they might've also alarmed a Swarmer!
Thankfully, it didn't take long before they heard several footsteps approaching their chamber.
It seemed William was back with Claire!
***
Knock! Knock! Knock!
The sound echoed through the chamber, and it made the three hopeful. Finally, they could enjoy a beautiful woman!
"Enter," Keagan commanded. He did his best to make his voice calm, but he was truly expectant.
Then, the door creaked open.
To their shock, it wasn't William who stepped inside.
Instead, Kai and the four others entered, clad in camouflage suits, helmets strapped tight, revolvers raised and aimed directly at the three of them!
"Hands up," Kai ordered coldly.
For a moment, silence filled the chamber.
The three leaders stared at the five recruits with disbelief written across their faces.
It was understandable. They had never considered that William would fail at his simple mission. After all, it wasn't the first time they've done this!
Still, the three of them didn't panic.
Julian even smirked as he assessed the situation.
"Bluffing… You think you can scare us with empty guns?"
Keagan also looked at the revolvers and smiled. They had a lot of them in the warehouse as well. Unfortunately, they had no way of obtaining ammunition since they had been cut off from other shelters.
Because of that, he was convinced the recruits had no bullets, just like the guards.
'They must've stolen them in the warehouse.'
Damon, however, even burst out laughing.
His voice echoed as he looked down on them.
"Pathetic! Do you think you can stop me? I've consumed thirty drops of gold liquid! I'm unstoppable!"
Without hesitation, Damon charged forward, his heavy boots pounding against the floor as he rushed at Wallace, the closest target.
His broad shoulders lowered like a battering ram!
But then—
Bang!
The revolver fired.
Damon's eyes widened in disbelief as the impact struck his chest.
He staggered at the impact as his expression changed.
His hands trembled as he looked down at the blood seeping through his shirt.
Keagan and Julian froze.
Their bats were already raised, ready to punish the recruits, but the sound of the gunshot stopped them in their tracks.
They had bullets.
The realization hit them hard. The arrogance drained from their faces, replaced by shock and fear.
Even after consuming the gold liquid, they were still vulnerable to gunshots.