Thomas Smyth refocused, unequipping the [Nightwalker] title and replacing it with [Refugee Conqueror]. He meticulously looted every piece of equipment and every item from the refugees on the fourth floor. The combination of the [Refugee Conqueror] title and the [Refugee Nemesis II] achievement boosted the quantity and quality of his spoils by over 50% compared to his haul from the Trading Center.
"Looks like this title's first effect also applies to loot from refugees," he mused.
Caban's dropped items left Thomas speechless. "Did this guy pack his entire life savings when he ran last night?"
After fifteen minutes of gathering, Thomas climbed to the tenth floor and began a systematic search of each room, working his way down. Caban's group hadn't had time to loot anything, so Thomas found decent items in almost every room until he reached the eighth floor—Caban's former headquarters and presumably the Butcher's personal quarters. The furniture and decorations were noticeably upscale.
Apparently, all refugee leaders had a penchant for displaying their possessions. Like Meat Dog's wall of valuables, the Butcher had dedicated a wall to his collection, though his passion lay not in precious metals but in ammunition. Glass display cases showcased a variety of bullets, each accompanied by a card detailing its caliber, type, and effects. The maker, listed on every card, was invariably "Kolenty (The Butcher)."
Thomas was surprised. "Didn't expect that ugly brute to be a gunsmith."
He swept the room clean, but before leaving, he began searching the furniture. Finally, he found a hidden button on the corner of the desk. Pressing it, the wall behind the desk rotated, revealing a hidden room.
"Just as I suspected," Thomas muttered.
The room was spacious, about 60 square meters. Several iron cages lined one side, and a separate, smaller room appeared to be a workshop. In the corner stood a two-meter-tall safe, requiring both a key and a combination. Thomas tried to store it directly in his inventory, but it was welded to the wall. He remembered a key among the Butcher's belongings.
Rummaging through the Butcher's bandolier, he found a long brass key and a small notebook. Inside the notebook, he found the safe's combination along with some intriguing entries:
[Hannibal is blind to promote that idiot Meat Dog.]
[Where is the CBS Lab? What is Solon up to? 5 million Apocalypse Coins!!!]
[Too many Heretic Cultists lately! Damned fake god. If Solon hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known it was just a side effect of the CBS Lab's failed serum. This is all Hannibal Zhou's scheme.]
[Something's off. Solon is trying to drive a wedge between me and Hannibal Zhou. What's his angle? My gut tells me it's connected to that lab. What does Solon know? Can't act rashly, Hannibal has connections to the Rebel high command.]
[I can't believe it!!! The lab is beneath the city! But why the explosion? What happened there? Damn it!]
[Where's Hannibal gone? This is my chance. Solon said Hannibal's idiot brother has the keycard to the lab. Unbelievable!]
[Ha! Black Dog is dead! Serves him right!]
[Solon's mercenary group has a Wanderer? He's getting more suspicious.]
[Idiot! Why did Saber go get the key for me? Now he's gone too!]
[This is a golden opportunity. Who would have thought framing Caban would work? Meat Dog and him are at each other's throats. Perfect!]
[Tonight's the night. Since Caban is missing, Meat Dog will do. The White Tower District will be mine after tonight!]
Thomas finally learned the name of the man behind Ghostface: Hannibal Zhou.
"Hannibal, huh?" he mused.
As he opened the safe, his mind raced with the implications of the Butcher's notes. He now knew of another faction in the Apocalypse Game: mercenaries. Refugees, Rebels, mercenaries, Wanderers, Heretic Cultists, and survivors—that made six factions.
No, wait. There was also the "Colonel" mentioned in the bloody letter, someone embedded within the Heretic Cultists. Not a Rebel, but perhaps part of another military force opposing the Rebels. That made seven.
A sense of unease settled over Thomas. He now had a new target: Hannibal Zhou. He was clearly a key player, connected to the Rebels, the refugees, the Heretic Cultists, and the mysterious CBS Lab. Thomas mentally circled Hannibal's name. He was a priority. Investigating him would surely uncover more secrets about the city and the Apocalypse Game.
The safe clicked open.
Thomas stared at the contents, stunned. "Holy…"
The safe was filled with stacks of Apocalypse Coins, easily numbering in the millions. In front of the coins lay an exquisite rosewood box. Inside, five black coins shimmered—Calamity Coins. Beside them were three blueprints and a book. A single glance at the title sent his heart racing: ]Bullet Theory and Practice].
Thomas returned to his hideout at 5:00 AM. Exhausted, he collapsed onto his cot, nestled amongst piles of supplies, without even bothering to wash up. He wasn't the only one who hadn't slept. The regional chat was still buzzing with speculation about the battles at the Trading Center and the Opera House. Some survivors near the Trading Center had even posted pictures, silencing the chat. Ben Walker was among those who saw the photos. His messages to Thomas went unanswered, confirming his suspicions.
Thomas finally woke up at 3:00 PM, his body aching. He had fallen asleep in his full combat gear. After shedding his equipment and showering, he ate a quick meal, restoring his hunger and thirst. He then noticed several messages from Ben:
[Ben Walker: Legend, was that you over the Trading Center last night? [Picture of the hang glider]]
[Ben Walker: What happened last night? Why were there battles at the Trading Center and the Opera House?]
[Ben Walker: Legend…]
Thomas considered his reply.
[Thomas Smyth: Yeah, that was me. Recognize your gift? I have some questions for you too. Today's the last day of the Calamity. We should exchange information.]
Ben's reply was instant.
[Ben Walker: You just woke up? Makes sense, after last night…]
Thomas answered some of Ben's questions, confirming that he was the hang glider pilot and explaining that the battle had started when the Opera House refugees attacked Meat Dog. Ben was surprised. He knew who Meat Dog was from their previous conversation about the 4S shop. He immediately suspected Thomas of orchestrating the attack.
Thomas denied involvement, explaining how the Butcher had framed Caban, leading to the infighting. He claimed his presence at the Trading Center was unrelated, that he was there to retrieve an item and had been monitoring Meat Dog for that reason. He feigned ignorance about the battle's outcome and the situation at the Opera House. The photos showed him still flying while the battle raged, providing a convenient alibi. Despite his trust in Ben, he kept the two rare titles a secret. His inherent distrust of human nature made him cautious.
After Ben's questions were answered, Thomas posed his own:
[Thomas Smyth: What do you know about the world after the first Calamity, the different factions, and what we should watch out for?]
Ben wasn't surprised by the question. He paused, seemingly weighing his options. Thomas waited patiently. Two minutes later, Ben replied:
[Ben Walker: Legend, a word of advice, something I hate to admit but it's true, something the higher-ups kept from the public: After the first Calamity, trust no one, not even fellow survivors from Earth. Never reveal your hideout.]
[Ben Walker: There are traitors among us, many who have sided with the other races.]
[Ben Walker: As for the factions… the base knows little. Rebels, Revolutionaries, Refugees, Heretic Cultists. Even the intel we have comes from a Seed who got an Epic item that lets them send a 30-character message back to Earth after each Calamity.]
[Ben Walker: That's all I know.]
Thomas was disappointed but not surprised about the traitors. He had expected as much. This confirmed humanity's disadvantage against the other races. The mention of "Revolutionaries" validated his theory of a second military force.
Thomas sent one last message:
[Thomas Smyth: Gather flood supplies today. It might help.]
He closed the chat. Ben stared at the message, a shocking realization dawning on him. He suppressed the urge to ask for clarification, rereading the message, his eyes widening with excitement, hope, and elation.
[Ben Walker: Thanks, Legend!]
He immediately began his preparations.
Thomas smirked. "Let's see how resourceful you are."
He then noticed a message from a Liam Brightman offering a [Thermostat] for 15 bowls of [Nourishing Mutton Stew]. It was sent at 9:00 PM last night, while Thomas was busy. He saw Liam's location in the Depot district and understood. He scoffed, about to ignore it, but then changed his mind.
[City - Thomas Smyth: You mean this thing? Sorry, already got one. [Picture of a Thermostat]]
He blocked Liam.
The Thermostat was salvaged from the Butcher's generator, which had been destroyed, leaving only usable parts. Thomas remembered asking Howie Wang to craft him some wooden boxes. Howie had delivered them immediately without asking for payment and hadn't contacted him since. The boxes weren't valuable, but they had been crucial. Howie was a stand-up guy, and Thomas valued their relationship.
He selected a complete set of equipment from his loot—primary weapon, secondary weapon, melee weapon, 5 grenades, level 4 body armor, level 3 helmet, and 300 rounds of ammunition—and traded it to Howie.
Howie, busy crafting items in exchange for supplies, was stunned by the unexpected gift.