Miles returned to the villa.
Lisa was curled up on the sofa, fast asleep.
Her legs were drawn up to her chest, her long hair falling across her face, her eyes rimmed with red—evidence of tears shed not long ago. The sadness lingered on her face, still heavy with the weight of her emotions.
"Lisa..."
Miles called out softly, his voice laced with concern, then gently scooped her up in his arms.
Lisa instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, her eyes fluttering open. She smiled faintly, murmuring, "Hmm? Master, you're back... I'm sorry, I must have fallen asleep."
"It's fine, go back to sleep," Miles reassured her.
He carried her to the bedroom and, with tender care, draped a thin blanket over her.
Lisa shook her head slightly. "But I haven't made dinner yet."
"I'm not hungry. We'll eat when you wake up. Sleep now..." Miles smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her face before lying down beside her, holding her close.
Lisa gently closed her eyes, nuzzling into his embrace like a contented kitten, finding a comfortable position before drifting back to sleep with a soft, sweet smile.
Sigh...
Miles lay there in bed, staring up at the ceiling, a wry smile tugging at his lips.
He couldn't possibly be oblivious to the little thoughts running through Lisa's mind. Having spent so much time together, he was acutely aware of her feelings for him.
And so, he didn't mind the occasional girlish sentiment.
The night passed without a word.
The following morning, Miles rose early. Having gone to bed so early the night before, his empty stomach was making its discomfort known.
He made himself a quick breakfast of sandwiches and milk, then returned to the bedroom, giving Lisa's small bottom a playful pat as he smiled. "I'm heading out. Remember to eat the food in the kitchen when you wake up."
"Hmm? Are you going to hunt zombies again?"
Lisa groggily opened her eyes, grabbing hold of his hand with a look of concern on her face.
Though there was nothing left in the world that could truly threaten Miles, he was still just one person—a wealthy one, at that.
Zombies weren't the problem. It was people that were dangerous.
"Zombies? Nah, today I'm heading out with Ryan to scavenge for supplies," Miles replied with a grin as he lightly tapped her nose. "We might not be lacking anything right now, but supplies have a way of running out. Better to be prepared."
Miles headed out, and when he reached the car, he found that Ryan was still sleeping—likely due to a late night.
He started the car, pulling out the walkie-talkie. "Ryan, let's go. Time to get to work!"
"Alright, coming right up!"
The sound of clothes rustling and a few murmurs from a woman followed on the other end.
"Ryan, so early in the morning? Where are you off to?"
"We're heading out to look for useful resources. Stay here and take care of the kids, and don't bother the doctor..."
"Got it," Betty replied.
Betty had been living here for over twenty days now, and had gradually adapted to her new life.
However, her little schemes were as present as ever.
Miles had considered confronting Ryan about it, but felt that doing so might disrupt their brotherly bond.
It all depended on whether Betty would wise up. If she continued to play games, Miles wouldn't hesitate to make her disappear without a trace.
"Miles, where are we headed today?"
"The hospital."
Since it was just the two of them, and Miles trusted Ryan completely, he took the wheel.
Ryan, noticing Miles driving, teased, "Didn't expect you to be such a good driver."
Miles chuckled and replied, "I'm a seasoned pro, alright?"
As he spoke, he pulled a small notebook from the center console.
"I can drive a bus, so what's so hard about this?"
Before he could finish his sentence, the car jolted violently.
With Ryan's quick reflexes, he grabbed the steering wheel, saving them from crashing into a tree.
"Damn, who put a trash can here?"
Miles looked out the window, eyeing the damaged trash can with lingering disbelief.
Ryan burst into laughter, his body shaking with amusement. "Wasn't it you who insisted on practicing your shooting skills and put the trash can there?"
"..."
The two of them eventually reached the heart of the city, heading straight for the Chicago City General Hospital.
This was the largest public hospital in Chicago, equipped with state-of-the-art medical facilities and housing some of the most advanced medical equipment in the entire country.
As for the best female doctor in the U.S.? She was currently resting in his bed.
Miles drove the car straight into the emergency entrance parking lot.
They jumped out and rushed toward the operating rooms, where most of the medical equipment was stored. While Miles didn't recognize most of it, that didn't hinder their looting.
After all, with Lisa at home, what medical equipment wouldn't she recognize?
From the first floor to the fifth, wherever Miles went, not a single item was left untouched. He even took the chairs from the hallways outside the rooms.
"What do you need all these things for?" Ryan asked.
Miles gave a mischievous grin. "You wouldn't understand. In case we find ourselves in danger out in the open, these things could serve as ready-made weapons."
Though mental abilities were powerful, they did have one significant drawback—limited offensive capabilities.
If Miles encountered a combat-type esper, even a low-level one could put him in a perilous situation.
Right now, aside from controlling object movement, he could also use his psychic powers to dodge attacks. But against a strong esper, these tricks would be as good as signing his own death warrant.
After raiding the hospital, the two of them hopped back into the car and drove off to their next destination.
Having spent so many years in Chicago, Miles knew the city center well.
While the logistics district in the South had plenty of supplies, who would complain about having too much when it came to these kinds of resources?
The city center was home to over a dozen large supermarkets, each paired with dozens of enormous warehouses containing all kinds of goods.
If he could secure all the available supplies in Chicago and store them in his space, he'd have enough capital to rebuild the city when the time came. He might even be able to fund the construction himself.
However, whether he could actually get his hands on those supplies remained uncertain.
The heavy snowfall over the past few months had raised Chicago's elevation by more than ten meters in some places. The lower-lying areas had long since been buried under the snow.
Even if there were things buried beneath, how could they be retrieved?
Soon, they arrived at the Wölma Mall.
This was a top-tier shopping center, much like the Weidu Trade Center, housing all the essentials one could find on the market.
But when Miles finally managed to break through the ice and descend to the first floor, he was left stunned by the emptiness before him.
"How is such a large mall completely empty?"
Ryan, too, looked around in confusion, then exclaimed, "Could there be other espers who can store items?"
"I don't think so," Miles shook his head. "While spatial abilities may not be unique, they're certainly rare. If everyone had them, Chicago would be in complete chaos by now."
"Given the thickness of the ice, it's likely someone moved everything out during the first days of the apocalypse."
In such harsh conditions, it was no doubt a well-organized operation, not something a private individual could accomplish.
They didn't linger long and drove straight to their next location.
As Miles had expected, most of the central city malls had been emptied, leaving only the distant warehouses with some leftover supplies.
But even those warehouses had been ravaged, likely by desperate ordinary people.