The five paused for a moment as they saw the message. They even got 10 Experience Points from that.
"Alpha Gene Enhancement Serum… This is awesome." Victor muttered.
"There's also the Gene Skill. I wonder if the others obtained them." Claire muttered.
Ralph nodded as he also confirmed that only three were left. "Instability, huh. Maybe that's why there were still some of them left."
Wallace agreed. He knew that those three would've consumed it all if it were possible. Perhaps, they sensed some rejection in their bodies at some point and didn't dare to continue using the liquid.
Nonetheless, it wasn't important.
Soon, the four glanced at each other before nodding and turning to Kai… They all had the same thoughts.
While Kai was confused, Claire spoke.
"Kai, you should take most of it. You can have the two full vials. We'll share the last one with half-filled serum among ourselves. You deserve it."
Wallace nodded without hesitation. "You've given us so much already. Food, weapons, even gear without asking for anything. If anyone deserves the serum, it's you."
Victor added, "Exactly. You can produce revolvers, helmets, camouflage suits, and food packs like it's nothing. But we know it costs you something to produce those… We'd be fools not to let you grow stronger. If you're stronger, we're safer."
Ralph smirked, but his tone was serious. "Besides, we've already benefited from your talent. You've carried us this far. We owe you. Don't even try to argue."
The four of them looked at Kai with firm resolve. They didn't mind giving him the two full vials. They would just share the last one, just for the sake of experiencing how it would affect their bodies.
The other survivors who were listening finally understood the situation.
The source of the food and the leader of the five was actually Kai!
Now, they also wanted him to have those vials!
The food and drinks had come from Kai's generosity. He had given freely, never asking for anything in return…
Kai smiled at them, touched by their trust. "Alright. I'll accept them."
But instead of consuming the serum, he tried storing it in his Inventory. But after failing to do so, he carefully placed the vials back into the vault. "Not yet. We'll use them later… There might be some side effects or something, so let's do it once we've settled everything here."
The others looked surprised, but Kai's calm tone reassured them.
"For now," he continued, "we need to understand this shelter. If we're going to survive here, we need a clear picture of everything."
The five of them already knew the basics. Haven‑45 was divided into several groups.
The combat division, made up of fighters and scouts.
The technical division, with boiler room operators, wire technicians, and mechanics.
The logistics division, including builders, repair crews, and sanitation workers.
The food and medicine division, with cooks, food handlers, medics, foragers, and resource gatherers.
But Kai wanted more than just names. He wanted to know their numbers, their strengths, their weaknesses, and how they had survived under the three leaders.
He looked at Russel and Augustine. "Tell me everything. How many people are in each division? What resources do you have left? What threats are you facing?"
Russel and Augustine exchanged glances. They had waited years for someone capable of asking those questions.
Augustine sighed. "It's worse than you think. The divisions exist, yes, but they're broken. The combat division is under-equipped. The technical division is overworked. Logistics barely keep the shelter standing. And food and medicine… well, you've seen it. We're starving."
Russel added, "The leaders hoarded everything. Supplies, weapons, even the gold liquid. They gave scraps to the rest of us. That's why morale collapsed."
It wasn't just the two, the others also provided Kai and the rest with the information they needed.
The five survivors listened intently as this place would be their new home…
This was especially true for Kai, he didn't just want to survive. He wanted to rebuild Haven‑45 into something stronger!
"Then we start by fixing this," Kai said firmly. "We'll reorganize, redistribute, and make sure everyone has a role. No more wasted potential."
The four behind him straightened. Their confidence was at an all-time high with Kai leading them.
He looked so reliable!
Even without saying out loud, they knew that Kai was now their leader. There was no one else who could replace him.
Then, just as Kai wanted to say more, they heard footsteps echoing from the corridor.
A man in ragged clothes and hands still stained with dirt rushed in. He seemed nervous as he breathed heavily. Russel and the others immediately recognized him.
He was one of the resource gatherers, tasked with scavenging from the garbage-filled land above the shelter.
"Russel! Augustine!" he shouted after seeing the trustworthy scouts.
"I just came back from the dump site… Something's wrong!"
Everyone turned to him immediately.
"There are Sentinels up there," he continued, and there was panic in his tone. "Five of them! They're patrolling the garbage fields. And… and there's a new type even! It's the first time I've seen that thing!"
The man exclaimed, and after hearing this, Kai and the others immediately realized something.
This must be related to their action of going out of the Beginner Protection zone!