Paige Summers had only just begun to entertain the idea of establishing her own territory. In this, Nora Lowell was undoubtedly a step ahead. She was already scheming tirelessly to make that very idea a reality.

The Power Corps, led by Sheldon Reid, had already arrived Outside Norgate and set up camp.

An army of nearly eight thousand strong had pitched a sea of tents, a truly spectacular sight.

Of course, it wasn’t just about the spectacle.

The incidence of Superpower Users was about one percent. This meant that among Astoria’s nearly one hundred million survivors, approximately one million were Superpower Users.

The number seemed vast, but in reality, a large portion of these individuals possessed weaker, support-type superpowers, or even non-combat "lifestyle" abilities. The number of Superpower Users truly capable of being a main fighting force was not as large as one might think. Dispersed among Astoria’s various bases, large and small, they were even scarcer.

Besides, not all Superpower Users were inclined to join the military. In this day and age, there was no shortage of people who preferred to remain unaffiliated.

Yet Sheldon Reid alone controlled eight thousand combat-ready Superpower Users—if anything, it was more, not less.

It was, without a doubt, a terrifying number.

Otherwise, how could he remain completely secure in his position despite the many in the Central City Government who were displeased with him? What was the source of his power?

It wasn’t the prestige his father had left behind, but simply the army under his command.

But for all his numbers, how many of those soldiers were truly loyal to Sheldon Reid? If he didn’t hold the title of Commandant, how many would still follow him?

That was the question.

But Sheldon Reid wouldn’t waste time on such hypotheticals. He was the one sitting in the Commandant’s chair, and he had eight thousand soldiers at his command.

Nora Lowell, however, was different.

She would.

And she wouldn’t just think about it; she would analyze it from every angle.

For instance, now that Commander Walsh’s illegitimate son and adjutant, Landon Howell, was utterly smitten and obeyed her every command, wasn’t it time to proceed to the next step?

At midnight, Nora Lowell stood in a large tree far from the encampment, gazing toward Norgate through a tangle of branches.

Beneath a sky like black velvet, the city’s faint spires reflected in her eyes, which glinted with malice.

She was lost in thought when the trunk of the tree trembled slightly. A satisfied smile immediately touched her lips.

"Baby, I’ve been dying to see you!"

As the man whispered in a low voice, Landon Howell eagerly pulled her into an embrace, his hands starting to roam.

But Nora’s smile vanished, and she firmly pushed his hands away.

"Business first!"

"What business? Isn’t this the most important business there is?!"

"Shut up! Listen to me!" Nora whispered, rebuffing Landon Howell’s advances with an air she felt was supremely commanding.

She put on a serious expression. Landon Howell could only retreat sullenly, leaning back against a thick branch. "Fine, talk," he said, lazy and distracted. "I’m listening."

’His behavior is so different from others under my Charm,’ Nora thought, a flicker of unease crossing her mind. But then the man took her hand, his intimate voice sounding once more. "Baby, hurry up and tell me. When you’re done, we have to go a round. No! Two rounds. Mmm, that still feels a little short, but never mind. Two it is!"

In the darkness, Landon Howell’s handsome face looked as if sculpted from stone—rugged, yet not without a hint of gentleness. His eyes seemed to overflow with deep, affectionate love.

A warmth instantly filled Nora’s heart, and she cast her doubts aside.

She couldn’t help but reach out to caress his face, speaking as if baring her soul. "You treat me so well, and I hate that we always have to be so secretive. But with Sheldon Reid around, I’m afraid we can never be together out in the open! You have no idea how much it hurts me."

"Sheldon Reid?" Landon Howell eyed her with suspicion. "Don’t tell me he’s..."

Realizing she’d led him down the wrong path, Nora quickly backtracked. "It’s not like that. Where is your mind going? I’m talking about his orders. On the surface, he’s sending me to negotiate with Gryphon Lowell, but in reality, he’s just planning to use it as a chance to kill him. My father-daughter ties with Gryphon Lowell were severed long ago. He won’t hesitate to act for fear of hurting me. Once the plot is exposed, I’m afraid I’ll be the first person Sheldon will want to kill..."

Before she could finish, Landon Howell pulled her into a fierce hug. "I won’t let you die!" he declared.

Nora pressed herself against him, whispering in his ear, "I’m not afraid of dying. I’m just afraid I’ll never see you again! Landon, I love you!"

As she said the word "love," her voice sounded a bit strained.

She vaguely knew that her feelings for Landon Howell weren’t purely for the sake of using him. Unconsciously, some unexpected affection had indeed taken root.

He treated her so well.

She was only human, and she needed warmth, too.

No man had ever respected her so much, had put her will first. He was exactly the kind of lover she needed! While securing a place for herself in this apocalyptic world was more important to her, that didn’t mean she couldn’t also find love along the way!

Besides, this man would be a great asset to her future.

Nora’s voice softened. "I know how you feel, but in your position, even if you objected, why would Sheldon Reid ever listen to you?"

Hearing her bare her heart, Landon was both agitated and lost. "Then what can we do? How can we convince him?"

Nora pushed him away gently and said earnestly, "Why bother convincing him? Haven’t I told you before? Everyone thinks he became Commandant through his own merit, but he’s just coasting on Commandant Reid’s coattails. The man himself has no real ability! He’s nothing compared to Commander Walsh, who has popularity and prestige within the army and is also a brilliant strategist. As long as Commander Walsh decides to take his place, conquering Norgate will be a certainty. Afterward, Commander Walsh will surely lead the troops back to Central City to take control of the Power Corps. Norgate will need a new governor, and you can recommend yourself. With your talent, I’m sure you’ll get the position easily. And then, who could stop us from being together? I could even show you where I lived as a child. We could live a quiet life in Norgate... Wouldn’t that be nice?"

"Yes, of course, that would be wonderful!" Landon said, his face full of longing. But a moment later, he frowned. "Actually, I’ve been dropping hints to the Commander just like you said, about using this as an opportunity to seize power for himself. But he always finds an excuse to change the subject! It’s so frustrating!"

"And how does he act toward you afterward?"

"No different. Same as always."

Nora nodded confidently. "That proves it. Didn’t you say he’s been meeting with several other commanders recently, always in secret? It means he’s already considering it. He’s probably already made some arrangements behind the scenes and is just waiting for the right opportunity."

"An opportunity? An opportunity!" Landon mused for a moment before his eyes lit up with excitement. "That’s it! We’ll use these negotiations as our pretext! We can..."

Nora listened, nodding in satisfaction.

From what Landon had told her about Commander Walsh’s recent activities, she had already guessed that a burning ambition to seize power lay hidden beneath the man’s deferential exterior.

For her, this was the best news she could have hoped for.

As long as Walsh could gain control of the Power Corps, he would absolutely send the person closest to him to govern Norgate.

And given his fondness for Landon, there was a greater than ninety percent chance that person would be his illegitimate son.

And she, of course, would stay behind with Landon.

’At that point, wouldn’t it be obvious who the true City Lord of Norgate would be!’

’And taking a step back, even if Walsh proved incompetent, his rebellion would at least deal a heavy blow to Sheldon Reid’s power. Then, I could activate my backup plan.’

’Besides, a defeated man is always fragile, always in need of comfort. I certainly won’t pass up that opportunity.’ The thought of controlling Sheldon Reid, of making him her puppet... Nora trembled with excitement at the very possibility.

It wasn’t love, but a lust for conquest far more potent that instantly consumed her.

In the branches of the tree, the conversation gave way to suppressed moans. When all fell quiet, Nora, her body aching but satisfied, was the first to leave.

A long moment passed. Landon Howell, still perched in the tree, felt his expression shift. The cold hatred and mockery that had been lurking in the depths of his eyes from the very beginning finally vanished, replaced by a brilliant, excited gleam that shone brightly in the pitch-black night.

’Things are progressing far more smoothly than I expected,’ he thought. ’It looks like it’s almost time to wrap this up.’

He had been waiting for this day for a long, long time. So long that through all the humiliation, he had almost truly become someone else.