Ivy and Darren soon returned safely to the bunker. The moment they stepped out of the armored vehicle, both of them hurried inside to check on Lila, Aria, and little Hope.

The sight that greeted them immediately eased the tension in Ivy’s heart.

All three of them were fast asleep.

Lila and Aria were sleeping peacefully on the bed while baby Hope lay comfortably beside them, her tiny chest rising and falling rhythmically as she slept.

The plates they had used earlier had already been washed and neatly arranged in the kitchen. Even Hope’s feeding bottle had been properly cleaned and placed beside the other utensils.

A warm smile appeared on Ivy’s lips.

Everything was peaceful.

After making sure that everything was alright, Ivy quietly walked out of the bunker and settled onto a wooden bench beneath the dark night sky.

Darren followed behind her and sat down nearby without saying a word.

The silence between them was surprisingly comfortable.

Not far away, Sunny was curled up in her usual resting spot.

The dog had been asleep, but the moment she heard Ivy and Darren returning, her ears twitched.

She immediately lifted her head.

"Bark! Bark!"

A gentle smile spread across Ivy’s face.

"Oh, yeah, darling," Ivy said softly while rubbing Sunny’s head. "You don’t have to worry. Everything is alright. Go back to sleep, okay?"

As though she truly understood every word, Sunny wagged her tail twice before returning to her resting position.

Within moments, the dog had settled down once more.

Soon, only Ivy and Darren remained awake beneath the night sky.

I need a radar and electronic tracking system for all the survivors, Ivy thought inwardly. If this base continues growing, I’ll need a way to locate everyone at any time.

Ding!

{Congratulations, Host. Radar and electronic point-tracking system capable of locating all registered survivors has been granted.}

Good.

A satisfied smile appeared on Ivy’s face.

Then another thought crossed her mind.

What are the names of all the survivors currently registered under the base? And put their pictures beside their names.

Ding!

{Displaying survivor identities.}

Immediately, a translucent blue screen appeared before Ivy.

Rows of information instantly filled the screen.

Photographs, names, ages, and identification details appeared one after another.

Not only were all the survivors listed, but Darren’s information was there as well.

To Ivy’s surprise, Sunny had also been included.

Even Lila, Aria, and baby Hope possessed their own entries within the system.

The display looked surprisingly professional.

Almost like a military database.

Ivy nodded in approval.

Good. Keep all of these identities permanently recorded in the system. Is that possible?

Ding!

{Affirmative, Host. Permanent identity records can be established and continuously updated.}

Excellent.

Ivy’s eyes brightened.

Then prepare identification cards for everyone.

Make sure my children and Sunny are included as well.

Assign me and Sunny the first identification numbers since her replicas always accompanies me into battle.

After that, Darren should come next, followed by the remaining survivors and my children.

Ding!

{Request accepted. Creating identity records and identification cards.}

Good.

Ivy leaned back against the bench.

Then another matter suddenly crossed her mind.

"Oh right," she murmured inwardly. "Where is the Level Twenty-Five crystal core we obtained from Andrew?"

Before she could even finish her thought, a glowing blue crystal suddenly materialized in her palm.

The crystal emitted a faint humming sound.

Its brilliance illuminated the surrounding darkness.

The core looked even more beautiful than before.

Almost like a precious gemstone crafted from pure energy.

"And what exactly do you plan on doing with that?" Darren finally asked.

He had remained silent the entire time, allowing Ivy to communicate with her system uninterrupted.

Now, curiosity was written all over his face.

Ivy smiled.

"Preparing evolution liquid, of course."

The moment she finished speaking, two crystal bottles suddenly appeared on the table before her.

The bottles were completely transparent and filled with a clear liquid.

A second later, the crystal core in Ivy’s hand floated into the air on its own.

The glowing crystal dissolved into countless particles of blue light before flowing into both bottles.

The liquid immediately changed color.

What had once been transparent was now a brilliant luminous blue.

The glow was so intense that Darren instinctively narrowed his eyes.

Without wasting any time, Ivy picked up one of them.

She removed the cap and brought it to her lips.

Gulp.

Gulp.

Gulp.

She drank the entire contents in a single breath.

The moment the liquid entered her mouth, a refreshing sensation spread throughout her body.

It was slightly sweet.

Cool.

Smooth.

Almost like drinking an ice-cold soft drink after an exhausting day under the scorching sun.

A comfortable feeling spread from her throat to every corner of her body.

"It’s surprisingly good," Ivy said with a smile. "Honestly, it tastes better than I expected. It’s refreshing."

She then handed the second bottle to Darren.

Darren accepted it carefully.

At that exact moment...

Ding!

{Identity cards completed.}

A neat stack of identification cards suddenly appeared on the table.

Each card contained a photograph, identification number, and personal information.

The cards looked remarkably advanced.

Almost futuristic.

Without wasting any time, Ivy searched through the stack.

Following the system’s guidance, she located Darren’s card and handed it over to him.

"And what’s this?" Darren asked curiously.

He opened the card and immediately froze.

His photograph was attached to the front.

His name was clearly written underneath it.

Most importantly...

ID Number: 002

A look of surprise appeared on his face.

"An identity card?" he muttered.

"That’s right," Ivy replied with a nod. "Starting from now, everyone living under my base will possess one. It will serve as proof of identity and registration within the base."

She glanced at the remaining cards.

"I’ll distribute the others tomorrow."

Darren slowly nodded while continuing to stare at his card.

"That’s actually impressive."

Ivy smiled.

"Now drink your evolution liquid and get some rest. We’ve had a long day."

She stretched her arms.

"I’m exhausted myself."

"Alright, Mrs. Ivy," Darren replied respectfully. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Darren."

With that, Ivy picked up her own card and headed back into the bunker.

Soon, she disappeared behind the bunker door.

The area became quiet once more.

Only Darren remained seated outside beneath the stars.

His gaze slowly dropped toward the identification card in his hand.

A grin spread across his face.

"I’m sure she’s Number One," he muttered excitedly. "And she actually made me Number Two."

The thought alone filled him with happiness.

For some reason, being assigned such a high position made him feel important.

Curious, he reached for the stack of remaining cards.

If he was Number Two, then Ivy was obviously Number One.

At least, that was what he believed.

He picked up the first card in the stack.

The card belonged to Ivy.

However, the moment he looked at it, his smile instantly disappeared.

His eyes widened.

"Huh?"

The card clearly displayed:

ID Number: 000

Darren blinked once.

Then twice.

He looked again to make sure his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him.

But the number remained exactly the same.

Confusion immediately filled his face.

"She doesn’t have a number?"

Darren turned the card over repeatedly as though the answer might suddenly appear somewhere else.

Then he looked back at his own card.

He looked at Ivy’s card again.

A puzzled expression spread across his face.

"Wait a minute..." he muttered.

"If Mrs. Ivy is Number 000..."

His gaze slowly lowered toward his own card.

"Then who exactly is Number 001?" he asked, his confusion growing deeper with every passing second.