The elevator soon reached Basement Level Two and slid open with a soft mechanical hiss.

What greeted the group was not the horrifying sight they had expected.

Instead, a bright, clean, and surprisingly spacious area stretched before them. The floors gleamed under the white lights overhead, while the walls and ceiling were painted white. It looked as though the apocalypse had never touched this place.

The unexpected sight made everyone tense up even further.

Their weapons remained firmly gripped in their hands as they scanned every corner cautiously.

Just because there are no monsters in sight right now doesn’t mean we won’t encounter any," Josh said seriously as he narrowed his eyes at the empty hallway before them.

"He’s right," Erick agreed with a nod. "Some of us should step out first and check the area. If there are any monsters lurking around, we’ll deal with them before the others come out."

Without wasting any time, several members of Erick’s team exited the elevator with their guns raised.

They advanced slowly down the hallway, carefully checking every corner, doorway, and blind spot for signs of danger.

The silence was unsettling.

No growls.

No footsteps.

Not even the slightest movement.

The hallway felt as silent as a graveyard.

After several tense minutes, one of Erick’s teammates turned back toward the elevator and raised a hand.

"It’s clear!" he called out.

The announcement prompted the rest of the group to finally step out of the elevator.

Ivy walked out alongside Darren while the six illusion dogs followed closely behind her.

Even then, she remained vigilant.

I’ll use the dogs to scout the area further, Ivy thought to herself. Just because this place looks safe doesn’t mean it actually is.

She was about to move forward when someone suddenly stepped into her path.

Nathan.

He blocked her way completely and lowered the tip of the longsword in his hand.

"And where do you think you’re going?" Nathan asked coldly.

Ivy raised an eyebrow.

"Where do you think I’m going?" she replied with a scoff. "I want to scout the area too. You think I’m here just for decoration?"

"There’s no need for that," Nathan answered immediately. "The men are already handling it."

For a moment, the hallway fell silent.

Then Ivy’s expression darkened.

"What the fuck is your problem?" she demanded.

Before anyone could react, she grabbed Nathan by the collar and lifted him completely off the ground.

Gasps echoed throughout the hallway.

Everyone stared in stunned disbelief.

Nathan’s feet dangled helplessly in the air.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Ivy growled.

No one stepped forward to interfere.

Not even Erick.

The scene unfolding before them was simply too shocking.

"Damn," Darren muttered under his breath while trying not to laugh. "A woman actually lifted him off the ground."

He shook his head.

"Then again, Ivy isn’t exactly an ordinary woman."

Nathan struggled frantically.

"Let go of me!" he yelled while attempting to pry her fingers away from his collar.

Unfortunately for him, Ivy’s grip felt like steel.

The more he struggled, the tighter her grip seemed to become.

His face gradually turned red.

Breathing became difficult.

For the first time since meeting Ivy, genuine fear appeared in Nathan’s eyes.

The realization that he was completely powerless against her finally sank in.

Seeing no other option, Nathan swallowed his pride.

"P-Please..." he gasped. "Please let me go. I won’t disturb you again."

His voice was far less arrogant than before.

Ivy stared at him for several seconds.

Then, with a look of disgust, she released him.

Or rather....She threw him.

Nathan crashed onto the floor and rolled several feet before finally coming to a stop.

The impact knocked the air from his lungs. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Ivy casually dusted her hands together as though she had just finished handling a pile of garbage.

"You’d better not," she said coldly.

Nathan remained on the floor, clutching his chest while trying to recover what little dignity he had left.

A few members of Erick’s team exchanged awkward glances.

Others looked away entirely.

The humiliation was painful to watch.

Sensing the growing tension, Erick quickly stepped forward with an awkward smile.

"Uh... now that that’s settled," he said, clearing his throat, "I think we should continue exploring."

His gaze swept across the group.

"And stay alert. Just because we haven’t encountered any monsters yet doesn’t mean there aren’t any nearby. They could appear at any moment."

Everyone immediately straightened.

"Yes, Captain!" Erick’s teammates responded in unison.

Erick nodded in satisfaction.

"Good. Let’s move."

The group resumed their advance through the facility.

Ivy continued forward with the six illusion dogs following closely behind her while Darren walked beside her while keeping watch on their surroundings.

At the very back of the formation, Nathan slowly rose to his feet.

His face burned with humiliation.

The memory of being lifted off the ground like a child by Ivy replayed repeatedly in his mind.

His fists clenched tightly.

Yet despite the shame and anger raging inside him, he kept his mouth shut.

For once, he had learned exactly where he stood.

And challenging Ivy again was the last thing he wanted to do.