The message came from someone Elric hadn't expected to hear from again.
Nina—once the most talked-about girl in the Music Department of the Chicago Conservatory of Music. Her name had been whispered in hallways, her performances legendary among students. She had been untouchable, admired, desired.
Elric's mind drifted back to those final chaotic hours on campus. When he had been forced to flee for his life, Nina had tried to contact him. At the time, the entire university had been obliterated by that colossal monster—its massive form crushing buildings like cardboard, its roars shaking the very earth. Elric had assumed no one there could have possibly survived that cataclysm.
Apparently, he had been wrong.
He typed a simple reply, keeping his tone neutral.
"You're still alive?"
The response came within seconds, as if she had been clutching her phone, waiting.
"A superpowered individual saved me and several other girls that day."
"We escaped the campus together."
"But supplies are running out now."
"Can you help us?"
Elric stared at the screen for a long moment, weighing his options. His finger hovered over the keyboard before he finally typed his response with calculated calm.
"Yes. Come to the Ginkgo Society community."
"There are plenty of supplies here."
"But you already know the price."
He didn't need to elaborate. Nina was intelligent enough to understand what he meant. Nothing in this new world came for free—especially not safety, food, and shelter. Everyone paid their dues one way or another.
The reply came without hesitation.
"Okay. We're nearby—about two subway stops away."
Elric slipped the phone back into his pocket, a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth. Things were falling into place nicely.
By the time he returned to the hospital floor, the scene had transformed considerably.
Oli stood near the window, her face now covered with a thick layer of medicinal ointment. The white cream stood out starkly against her skin, but her expression was one of pure relief. Elizabeth and Emily flanked her, carefully sealing the containers of leftover medicine with practiced efficiency.
"This is the most effective anti-allergy treatment we could find in the entire hospital," Elizabeth explained, turning as Elric approached. "Under normal conditions, it works quickly. Very quickly."
"Three days," Emily added, adjusting her glasses with professional precision. "At most. The swelling and irritation should be gone completely by then."
Elric nodded his approval.
"That's good enough."
Oli touched her cheek gently with her fingertips, as if afraid the medicine might disappear. Her eyes shone with genuine relief and gratitude. For the first time since the apocalypse had begun, she allowed herself to smile without restraint—no longer hiding behind fear or uncertainty.
Elric felt a quiet satisfaction settle in his chest.
Her recovery meant something else too—another qualified woman who met the system's standards, another piece falling perfectly into place on his growing board. The foundation he was building required capable people, and Oli had just proven her worth.
At this point, he already had four candidates lined up and waiting: two girls secured in the Mirror World under Grace's watchful eye, and now two more doctors standing right before him. Emily and Elizabeth were intelligent, skilled, and most importantly, useful. The kind of people any leader would want in their inner circle.
The base was waiting for them.
"Let's go," Elric said simply.
They returned to the Ginkgo Society community together, but Elric didn't come alone.
Along with Emily and Elizabeth, he brought back the remaining doctors and nurses who had managed to survive the chaos at the hospital. They were obedient, useful, and possessed skills that would be invaluable in the days ahead. The shelter would need medical professionals—people who could treat injuries, prevent disease, and keep the population healthy and productive.
When the convoy of survivors arrived at the community's outer perimeter, everyone froze mid-step.
Above the residential buildings, suspended impossibly in the sky like something from a dream, the floating island hovered in silent majesty. Sunlight glinted off its crystalline structures. Waterfalls cascaded from its edges, the water disappearing into mist before it could reach the ground below. Gardens of vibrant green were visible even from this distance, a stark contrast to the gray devastation that surrounded them on all sides.
Emily stared upward, her mouth falling slightly open in undisguised wonder.
Elizabeth forgot to breathe entirely, her professional composure cracking as she took in the impossible sight.
"…Is that… real?" Emily finally whispered.
"That's where I live," Elric said calmly, as if discussing ordinary real estate. "Clean air. Stable power supply. Endless food and water. Temperature control. Everything you could possibly need."
Emily and Elizabeth's eyes lit up instantly, hope and desire flooding their features in equal measure. The promise of such luxury in this broken world was almost too good to believe.
The other doctors and nurses looked at them with barely concealed envy—but no one dared say a word. They understood the hierarchy well enough by now. Some people earned privileges. Others simply survived.
Before Elric could begin leading the group upward, Natasha appeared at the community entrance, flanked by Elsa and Rachel. Several other women who had taken on leadership roles within the shelter followed close behind, their expressions efficient and focused.
They quickly reported the day's progress: population consolidation was proceeding smoothly, food distribution had been organized into proper schedules, and the early framework of governance had been established. People were beginning to understand the rules. Order was taking root.
Elric listened carefully, then nodded his approval.
"Good work."
He gestured behind him toward the cluster of medical professionals.
"These doctors and nurses are yours now. Integrate them into the shelter's structure. Assign them quarters, give them supplies, and put them to work immediately. We'll need a proper medical center established within the week."
Natasha accepted the directive without question, already mentally organizing the logistics.
After a few final instructions regarding security patrols and supply rationing, Elric glanced toward two familiar figures standing quietly nearby— the maids who had proven their loyalty repeatedly.
"Take care of them," he said calmly, his tone carrying clear authority. "Emily, Elizabeth, Mia, and Kelly."
"Clean them up properly. Let them rest and recover. Provide whatever they need."
"I'll come later tonight."
"Yes, Master," the two maids answered immediately, bowing their heads in synchronized acknowledgment.
Elric raised one hand toward the sky.
A brilliant beam of golden light descended from the floating island like a divine stairway, its radiance pushing back the surrounding gloom. The light passage solidified, forming a tangible pathway upward.
Without hesitation, he stepped onto it—bringing Oli, Emily, Elizabeth, and the two maids with him. Their feet left the ground as the light carried them effortlessly upward, rising higher and higher until the watching crowd below became tiny figures.
In the span of a single breath, they vanished into the sky.
The floating island welcomed its new residents with open gates and warm air.
And below, in the Ginkgo Society community, the shelter continued to take shape—its inhabitants working, organizing, and surviving.
None of them were aware that their master was already preparing for the next expansion.
Nina and her group would arrive soon.
And with them, new opportunities would present themselves.
There is 70 chapter Advance, in my patreon. If you are interested can check it out.
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