This stamina-recovery potion was the Doom Trio’s second-greatest asset—next to their third-tier abilities.
When Xu Qi produced the blue vial, even their own team members stared at it with naked desire.
“Fine, I’ll ask for you,” the supervisor said, accepting the vial. He had heard rumors about the Doom Trio’s miracle drug, so he didn’t question its authenticity.
As the supervisor walked away, Ye Xiangxiang’s gaze lingered on the bottle, reluctant. But for the sake of securing a place in the capital’s base, she hardened her resolve.
——
“Stamina-recovery potion? From the Doom Trio?” The doctor didn’t even glance up from his notes, his tone dripping with disinterest. “And they claim they can provide the formula?”
“Correct,” the supervisor confirmed.
The doctor snorted. “Save it. Don’t waste my time with this nonsense—I don’t have the luxury to meet just anyone.”
There was a time when he’d have been intrigued.
But now? He’d found something far superior.
Compared to Ye Shaohua’s mental-recovery potion, this so-called stamina booster wasn’t even worth a second glance.
The supervisor wasn’t surprised by the doctor’s reaction. Frankly, he’d have been shocked if the man had agreed to meet them.
——
The matter ended there.
Ye Xiangxiang and her team waited confidently for the doctor to summon them—only for night to fall without a single word.
They assumed he must be occupied with critical research.
Yet by the next day, there was still no response.
Even the supervisor had vanished.
“We demand to see the supervisor and the doctor. Let us through!” Only now did Ye Xiangxiang’s group realize the base had a restricted Zone A—a tightly guarded area no larger than a basketball court, housing the base’s most pivotal figures.
Rumors placed the doctor inside.
“Unauthorized entry is punishable by death,” the guards at Zone A’s perimeter warned, weapons raised.
Every attempt to approach was met with force.
When they caught sight of Zone A’s plaza—complete with a functioning fountain—the trio fell silent, their resolve hardening.
We will live there.
They stationed themselves outside Zone A, lying in wait until the supervisor finally emerged.
“Sir,” Ye Xiangxiang couldn’t contain herself any longer, “why hasn’t the doctor contacted us about the stamina potion?”
The supervisor narrowed his eyes. “I delivered it to him days ago.”
“Impossible!” Xu Qi scoffed, incredulous. “If he’d received it, he’d have begged to meet us!”
His confidence in their drug was absolute.
In their past life, the capital base had paid three third-tier cores for a single vial—all because the doctor wanted to reverse-engineer it.
“Believe what you want. Do I look like the kind of man who’d lie about this?” The supervisor’s temper flared at the accusation.
Ye Xiangxiang hastily restrained Xu Qi, offering an apology. “Our mistake. But are you certain the doctor refused to see us?”
It made no sense.
“The doctor is occupied with a breakthrough project,” the supervisor said dismissively. “He has no time for distractions.”
With that, he shoved the blue vial back into her hands.
His expression didn’t betray it, but inwardly, he sneered. The doctor called your ‘miracle drug’ garbage.
Gu Yuan, ever the tactician, stepped forward.
“Sir, regarding our application to join the base—has there been a decision?” he asked politely.
The supervisor nodded. “I was just coming to inform you. Approval’s been granted. As ability users, you’ll need to register at the Ability Assessment Center. You can form teams to take missions from the task office or scavenge independently. However you manage it, just ensure your monthly rent is paid. Mission rewards include core bonuses.”
Having delivered the news, he hurried off.
With the base on the cusp of a revolution, he had no patience for these delusional upstarts.
——
Xu Qi’s face darkened as he scanned the registration slip. One of their lackeys spat on the ground. “That damn supervisor. Just wait till they learn we’re third-tier—they’ll come crawling.”
Ye Xiangxiang, who hadn’t suffered such humiliation since her rebirth, smirked coldly. “Then it’s time we stopped hiding our strength.”
No more restraint.
They marched to the Ability Assessment Center with swaggering confidence.
Since Ye Shaohua’s arrival, the base’s quality of life—for both civilians and ability users—had skyrocketed, drawing waves of wanderers seeking shelter.
When Ye Xiangxiang’s group arrived, a ragged team was ahead of them in line.
“Yu… First-tier ability user.”
Enhanced senses allowed them to overhear the evaluations.
All first-tier. Not a single second-tier among them.
Xu Qi and the others couldn’t suppress their derisive laughter.
Pathetic.
Their nonchalant chatter and relaxed postures drew curious stares from onlookers.
“Name, age, origin, and ability status,” the registrar droned, fingers clacking on the keyboard.
Ye Xiangxiang answered mechanically—until the question of ability rank.
Pausing, she lifted her chin and delivered the line they’d all been waiting for:
“Ye Xiangxiang. Lightning affinity. Third-tier ability user.”
