<strong>Day 263 - 8:36 AM - Military Camp, Infanta Settlement, Barangay Banugao, Municipality of Infanta, Province of Quezon</strong>


    Finishing the short meeting, Mark stepped out of the tent to proceed with his ns for the morning with the [Demon Sword] following behind him.


    However, there was a little bit of change.


    Initially, General Bautista volunteered to guide Mark where he wanted to go around the settlement. However, instead of the newly appointed general, Mark was currently apanied by two women and two girls. There was no need to ask who the four were. It was clear that they were na, Karlene, Ka, and Artenaris. Well, it was actually just the two adults who would guide Mark. Ka could not be left behind, while Artenaris was just doing what she wanted.


    And while it was mentioned that na and Karlene were the adults, Artenaris should be several decades older than the oldest person in the settlement. Even so, her current appearance was of a teenage beggar. It was also questionable whether it was appropriate to call the childish Karlene an adult.


    Due to the contents of the letter, General Bautista decided to remain in the tent to discuss things with General Faustino and the other important members of the settlement. Thus, only the girls could guide Mark.


    In any case, Mark set off from the tent, led by na and Karlene. Of course, Mark immediately became the center of attention. One, he was already well known within this settlement. Two, he was currently with the two most popr women in this ce. This might be several months after the apocalypse. However, it was not easy to forget that na and Karlene were pretty well-known actresses before it all began. Furthermore, their current strength and will to protect this ce had caused their poprity among the people of this ce to skyrocket.


    And another thing...


    Unknown to Mark, bits, and pieces of information about the Mountain Base leaked to the residents of this settlement. Most were spections, but there was a little bit of truth to some rumors circting. How? Well, while not spreading things on purpose, there were two women that would slip their tongues every now and then when they let down their guards. Most of it was when the two were talking about things the settlementcked,paring it to the so-called "Mountain Base." They were not talking to others, but there were times when a third party would hear them by ident.


    The five of them walked southeast and out of the military encampment. And, of course, their group was met with lots of eager stares.


    There was no way Mark would not notice, and he was sure that na, Karlene, and Arternaris also did. They might even know why.


    However, Mark did not say anything. Besides, it seemed that the reason already troubled na and Karlene quite a bit, and they hoped Mark would not ask about it. Mark did not care, though. While the stares felt annoying, he would not care as long as they would not cause him trouble.


    The five reached the first ce Mark wanted to go to pretty quick. It was the southern gate and walls. Since the military encampment was situated southwest of the settlement, the location was quite close.


    Mark stared at the wall and the gates in silence.


    "Looks worse than your ce, right?"


    na nonchntly remarked, despite Mark not saying anything.


    "There''s really no need topare, is there?"


    Mark replied.


    The wall in front of them was abination of riverside boulders, wooden barricades, and scrap material walls. The walls were then bound by a plethora of things. Vines for the wood, some sort of adhesive for the boulders, and wires for the scrap walls.


    The walls might not beparable to that of the Mountain Base. Nheless, it was already quite a feat to be able to surround the settlement with these walls. And most of all, it was the fruit of the cooperation of humans and magical races.


    While the magical tribe that Artenaris led were all outcast half-breeds, all of them had abilities corresponding to the kinds of magical races of their parents.


    There was no way it was only humans who brought these boulders to support the walls, nor could they make these vines tie these walls tightly. Even the adhesive that bound the boulders was neither cement nor y. These walls were built with mixed efforts.


    Unfortunately, these walls were not enough to defend against all types of threats outside its premises.


    And just like the other day when the settlement was attacked by a prettyrge horde of [Infected], the gates and some parts of the walls were broken down.


    From Berrak''s report, a [Armored Type Hybrid] was present in the horde. [Armored Type Infected] had armored bodies, as the name suggested, making them hard to kill. They were also dangerous in meleebat since their heavy bodies packed quite the punch. However, that body also made them slow-moving.


    On the other hand, the one that caused the damage to the walls of Infanta Settlement was a rather fast-moving [Armored Type Infected]. Its speed was notparable to [Predator Types] and was even a bit slower than a regr sprinting [Biter]. However, the speed it had was more than enough to reach the walls and cause damage before the soldiers could kill it.


    The damage done by that [Armored Type Hybrid] was still being repaired. While the broken walls and gate were temporarily blocked off using magically grown vines and nts together with other stuff, it was still far from an actual defensive structure.


    Still, the materials were quickly being gathered and transported to the area as the piles of river rocks, boulders, and newly cut trees littered the area.


    At this time, they spotted a group arriving with newly cut logs for the nned reconstruction. Two men in that group were familiar to Mark.


    "Oh, there''s Joash and Tyson!" Karlene eximed. "Let me call them."


    Karlene then stormed off without waiting for any reply.


    "Does she really have to call them?"


    Mark said in a cold tone.


    "Don''t be like that," na replied to Mark with a bitter smile. "They also owe their lives to you, remember? You can at least ept their gratitude."


    Joash and Tyson. The two men were in a group with Karlene and na when Mark first met them. It was when they were ambushed by bandits on the Marikina-Infanta Highway, and Mark saved them in order to get some information. Of course, that event led to the current situation where the two women became closely rted to Mark in one way or another. And since then, the group disbanded as the members now had different goals.


    "That Joash is a pretty annoying fellow, though."


    Mark said to which na replied with a sigh.


    "That''s because he is aiming for Karlene at that time, remember? Then you came, and Karlene began sticking around you like a kid. It won''t be the same now."


    Those words made Mark turn to na. Then, to what she was looking at.


    In the group Joash and Tyson were with now, there was a pretty-looking woman. She might not be of the caliber of actresses like Karlene and na. Nheless, she was quite the eye candy if not for the fact that she looked dirty like most people nowadays.


    "Joash moved on from Karlene to that girl. When we were not around, Joash fell injured from a mission. It looks like she was a nurse who tended to his injuries at that time. You can see what happened next."


    Mark stared at the group, now heading in his direction due to Karlene. It was quite a cliche progress on Joash''s love life. And it was actually a better oue. After all, Karlene was not interested in Joash in any way, and there was less likelihood of the two being a couple, given the childish [Mutator Trait] that Karlene had.


    "Hey!"


    Joash greeted Mark. Compared to his snarky attitude in the past because of his jealousy, his greeting felt free-spirited. While he still sported quite the rich-kid vibe due to his upbringing, he did not have a bad character overall.


    This might not be included in his ns, but Mark faced the sudden meet-up pretty positively. Since the jealousy was gone, Joash''s gratitude and sorry for the past events became more apparent.


    The members of the new group of Joash and Tyson were happy to meet Mark face to face. Well, Mark was now well known in this settlement due to various things, especially his feats in the past. Unfortunately, unlike celebrities, Mark would not fake being an approachable kind of person. Thus, only a few people had the opportunity to meet the powerful man named Mark.


    It was just a short meet-up. After all, everyone had a ce they had to be, work or not.


    Joash''s group went back to work while Mark went to his next destination.


    "Why do you want to see the dump site?"


    Karlene asked in confusion. After all, no one would want to linger around the ce where they dump unwanted things.


    "I have my reasons."


    Mark said, following na''s lead.


    Their next destination was the dump site. Specifically, the ce where destroyed [Mechids] were thrown away.


    Compared to [Infected] and [Evolved Animal] attacks, [Mechid] attacks were, thankfully, rarer in this ce. It was a good thing since the military of Infanta Settlement did not have a lot of resources to constantly deal with these alien robots.


    They went out of the settlement''s premises. It was about half a kilometer away southeast.


    The dump site was far for a reason. Not only the dead [Infected] was also being dumped here, but the ck goo from the [Mechids] was an obvious reason.


    Upon reaching the dumpsite, Mark found a fewrge holes dug in the ground at quite a reasonable distance from one another. It was clear that the military segregated the dumped things, at least.


    "It''s there."


    na pointed at the northmost hole.


    Mark began to approach, only to look back. Aside from Ka, the other three were not keen on approaching the hole at all.


    Seeing their hesitation, Mark shrugged. He could understand their hesitation. The ck goo released fumes that smelled disgusting, which could also cause various effects on humans, simr to radiation.


    Not to mention that the entire dumpsite was not good smelling at all.


    Mark grabbed Ka''s hand and approached the hole with Ignis floating closely behind him. It was while he activated the [Wind Maniption Mental Crystal] to at least block the smell.


    Arriving at the vicinity of the northmost hole, Mark saw the thrown bodies of [Mechids]. The fumes from the ck goo were thick to the point of being visible to the naked eye.


    "Stand behind me."


    Mark said to Ka, and the purple-haired girlplied without question. Not like she could already dish out questions, though.


    And there, Mark extended his right hand.


    With the loud crackling sound, ck-colored lightning shot out of Mark''s hand.


    The ck lightning quickly cleared the fumes and slowly worked on the ck goo. Ka, and even Ignis, watched the ck goo slowly get erased from the hole filled with destroyed [Mechids].


    After a few minutes of continuously dishing out the ck lightning, the ck goo waspletely eliminated from the hole and the bodies of the [Mechids].


    Mark then jumped in to check the bodies of [Mechids], looking around like a scavenger from a sci-fi robot invasion film. His goal was not different than a scavenger, though. He was there to search for intact parts, especially the weapons. It was definitely a scavenger-like action.


    Finding some interesting things, Mark immediately stored the items in his [Spatial Ring].


    Mark went out of the hole after a few minutes, looking satisfied with the things he found.


    Returning to the three waiting women, Mark was met with exasperated stares.


    "As time went on, the more absurd you be, you know that?"


    na asked Mark. There was no way they would not be surprised to see Mark erasing the harmful substance that none of them could fathom.