The girls chat, the team strength ranking!

In the spacious living room of the villa, everyone gathered around on the soft couches, the room filled with casual conversation. Ruoruo leaned forward and asked, "Hu Tuan'er, you just got back from the capital, right? Didn't you run into any zombies or monsters?"

Hu Tuan'er shook her head, looking perplexed. "Nope, didn't see a single one. It's strange. The capital is really well-guarded."

Yun Yun's lips curved into a knowing smile. "There are zombies and monsters in the capital, but the army dealt with them quickly. I could sense traces of their presence lingering there."

"Did they take the bodies, too?" Hu Tuan'er asked, eyes wide with curiosity.

"To prevent further spread," Yun Yun explained calmly, "the corpses are always taken to the crematorium for disposal. It's standard procedure."

Ni Shuang chimed in, her voice thoughtful. "The capital is the Dragon Kingdom's most vital city. Many important people live there, and of course, they've got military forces stationed everywhere to maintain order."

Hu Tuan'er nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it really feels like they have everything under control."

Natto sighed, her expression darkening. "I just read some news... Wu City's not doing so well. The whole city's been overrun, and now several neighboring cities have fallen, too. I just hope it doesn't spread any further."

Nazi, always bold, made a suggestion. "Why don't we head to Wu City and check out the surrounding areas tomorrow?"

Mina agreed, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. "I'm in. There should be plenty of zombies and monsters for us to take care of over there."

As the conversation died down, Yuto Saito, seated apart from the group, opened his personal panel to assess his stats. He had gained a lot recently—after defeating two snipers, he had copied their LV3 visual talent, amassed 90 attribute points, and collected a treasure trove of spar and gold sore medicine. His stats now read:

[Name: Yuto Saito]

[Sex: Male]

[Level: 4 (0/100000)]

[Strength: 416] (Average human: 10)

[Agility: 416]

[Physique: 416]

[Spiritual Power: 416]

[Combat Strength: 1664]

[Strength Rating: 16 stars]

[Talents: Psychic LV3, Juli LV3, Thunder LV3, Frozen LV3, Charm LV3, Strong Recovery LV3, Flying LV3, Beast Master LV2, Hearing Talent LV3, Power Attack LV2, Golden Bell Cover LV2, Visual Talent LV3]

[Experience: 16,7400]

[Items: 2 red sapphires, 950 white sapphires, 2 replica cards, 7 storage rings, 60 bottles of gold sore medicine]

Yuto couldn't help but feel pleased as he scanned the panel. His combat power had skyrocketed to 16 stars, largely thanks to the buffs from his team and the numerous talents he'd copied along the way. He was far ahead of most Awakened at his level.

Glancing across the room, Yuto's gaze landed on Yun Yun, his most trusted companion. She had also grown stronger.

[Name: Yun Yun]

[Level: 4 (0/100000)]

[Strength: 204]

[Agility: 204]

[Physique: 204]

[Spiritual Power: 204]

[Combat Strength: 816]

[Strength Rating: 8 stars]

[Talents: Control Lightning LV4, Ice LV3]

[Experience: 2780]

[Appearance Rating: 96]

[Loyalty: 100]

He noticed that Yun Yun had now reached 8-star combat power, an impressive feat. The recent additions to their team had boosted her attributes, and her lightning control talent had evolved to level 4. Her loyalty remained unwavering, sitting at a perfect 100.

Yuto smiled fondly at her, his thoughts drifting. Xiao Yun, you've always been the one who stands by me the most.

Sensing his gaze, Yun Yun looked up, her beautiful face lighting up with a soft smile that melted Yuto's heart. He returned her smile, then shifted his attention to the others in the room, checking their stats one by one.

Ni Shuang had grown considerably as well.

[Name: Ni Shuang]

[Level: 4 (0/100000)]

[Strength: 175]

[Agility: 175]

[Physique: 175]

[Spiritual Power: 185]

[Combat Strength: 710]

[Strength Rating: 7 stars]

[Talent: Juli LV4]

[Experience: 3880]

[Appearance Rating: 95]

[Loyalty: 97]

Yuto was impressed by her progress. Ni Shuang had reached 7-star combat power, with her Juli talent rising to level 4. Her loyalty was just as high, at 97.

One by one, he reviewed the rest of his team—Natto, Mina, Yu Ruoruo, Xiao Orange, and the others. Each had grown stronger in their own way, but Yuto knew they still had room to improve. They would need all the power they could muster if they were going to face the rising threats beyond the capital.

As Yuto finished his inspection, Hu Tuan'er spoke up, her voice carrying a playful edge. "Captain, you've been staring at everyone for a while now. What's on your mind?"

Yuto smiled, not hiding his thoughts. "I'm just checking how strong everyone's become. Xiaoshuang, you've hit 7 stars. That's impressive!"

Ni Shuang beamed at the praise, her eyes sparkling. Mina, sitting nearby, looked surprised. "Sister Shuang, you've already reached 7 stars?"

Ni Shuang nodded with a hint of pride. "Yep. How about you, Mina?"

"Not yet," Mina admitted, sounding a bit embarrassed. "I'm still at 6 stars, with a combat power of 692."

Yuto chuckled. "Xiaoshuang's talent is at level 4, Mina. Your charm is only at level 3, so you're just a bit behind in experience."

Mina sighed, but smiled at Ni Shuang. "Well, I guess I'll catch up eventually."

As the conversation carried on, Yuto reflected on the challenges ahead. There would be more battles, more opportunities for growth—and he knew that with this team, they were ready for whatever came their way.