Vikram looked at the gathered crowd and called out, "Aiden, Chandan."

Both of them immediately stepped forward.

"I want you two to personally select ten loyal and brave members from the shelter. They must be reliable and capable. I will be taking them with me. Understood?"

"Yes, Boss!" both replied in unison.

"Make sure they are trustworthy," Vikram added seriously. "I don’t want any weak links."

After giving them the instructions, Vikram turned and walked toward Shalini’s residence. Shalini had been waiting for him, standing near the entrance with a soft, expectant smile.

As soon as Vikram entered her room, Shalini gently closed the door behind him. The moment the latch clicked shut, she stepped close, pressing her body against his.

"Boss... you finally came," she whispered, her voice full of longing.

Vikram didn’t reply with words. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply. Shalini responded eagerly, her hands sliding up his chest as she melted into him. Clothes were slowly discarded, and the two of them moved toward the bed in a heated embrace.

For the next hour, the room was filled with soft gasps, whispered names, and the rhythmic creaking of the bed. Shalini gave herself to him completely, her body moving with passionate devotion. Vikram took his time, enjoying her warmth and eagerness.

When they finally finished, both of them lay tangled in the sheets, breathing heavily. Shalini rested her head on Vikram’s chest, tracing lazy circles on his skin with her finger, a satisfied and blissful smile on her face.

"Boss... stay with me a little longer," she murmured softly, nuzzling closer.

Vikram stroked her hair gently, a small smile playing on his lips.

---

After thoroughly satisfying Shalini, Vikram finally emerged from her room. His expression was calm and refreshed as he adjusted his clothes.

As soon as he stepped outside, Chandan came forward with a proud look on his face.

"Boss, I’ve already selected ten brave and loyal members as you instructed. They are all waiting inside the RV."

Vikram nodded in approval. He glanced toward the RV and saw that the chosen members had already boarded.

Meanwhile, the other residents of the Savage Wolf Shelter were gathered at a distance, staring with awe and slight nervousness at the Phantom Druid standing silently beside the vehicle. Phanty, sensing all the curious and fearful gazes directed at him, felt a little weird but remained completely motionless, not reacting in the slightest.

The members couldn’t help but admire the shadowy figure. They still clearly remembered how this single plant had effortlessly slaughtered all the high-ranking officials of the Savage Wolf Shelter. Many of them were also amazed by how easily the Phantom Druid could turn invisible and move like a ghost.

Seeing Vikram approach, Alex stepped forward and reported respectfully, "Boss, the ten members have all boarded the RV."

Vikram nodded, then asked, "What about Sunil? How has he been behaving?"

Alex thought for a moment before replying, "He hasn’t caused any trouble so far. I don’t think he’ll be a problem."

Vikram nodded again, satisfied with the answer. He then turned and entered the RV along with the Phantom Druid.

Once inside, he started the engine. The powerful roar of the RV echoed through the shelter as he began driving toward his own territory.

Through the rearview mirror, Vikram could see many members of the Savage Wolf Shelter still standing there, watching his departure with respectful and reverent eyes.

He leaned back in his seat and let out a long breath. With the new members selected and everything arranged, it was finally time to head home.

---

Inside the RV, the ten newly selected members sat somewhat nervously, looking around at the clean, well-lit interior with wide eyes. The vehicle was far more comfortable and advanced than anything they had seen in the Savage Wolf Shelter.

A muscular man named Ryan broke the silence first, speaking in a low but excited voice.

"Shalini Boss wasn’t lying... This RV alone is already better than most houses back at our old shelter."

The woman sitting beside him, Elena, nodded eagerly. "She kept telling us that Boss Vikram’s territory is the most advanced shelter in the entire wasteland."

Marcus, sitting near the window, leaned forward. "She said they have proper houses, lights that work at night."

A younger man named Lucas chuckled nervously. "She also mentioned they have running water and hot water for bathing. Hot water! Can you imagine that in this wasteland?"

The only other woman in the group, Sonia spoke softly, "Shalini said the temperature inside their territory is warm and comfortable, even when it’s -20 degrees outside."

Ryan grinned. "She also told me they have farmlands and don’t need to risk their lives hunting every day. If that’s really the case, then we’ve struck gold by coming with Boss Vikram."

Daniel, who had been quiet until now, muttered, "I just hope it’s not too good to be true. I’ve heard stories of shelters that look nice from the outside but are hell on the inside."

Elena immediately shook her head. "No way. Shalini wouldn’t lie about this. She said Boss Vikram is strict but fair. As long as we work hard and stay loyal, we’ll live much better than before."

Lucas looked toward the front where Vikram was driving and whispered in awe, "Just look at this vehicle... and that shadow guy. If their shelter is even half as good as Shalini described, then we really won the lottery."

The group fell into a mix of excited whispers and hopeful silence as the RV continued its journey through the wasteland.

---

"Rumble—" Through the endless black fog, an RV, somewhat out of place with the surrounding scenery, was driving across the Wasteland.

The vehicle continuously weaved through the zombie-infested black fog.

Inside the RV, to make enough space for the ten new members, Vikram had removed all the seats except for the driver’s and front passenger’s. The vehicle had now truly become his mobile command center. Sitting in the driver’s seat, he couldn’t help but think that this setup would be perfect for filming a gangster movie.

Unfortunately, this was the Wasteland World. Even when simply transporting people, the zombies outside refused to stay quiet.

The members sitting in the back watched with growing admiration as the Phantom Druid effortlessly dealt with every zombie that collided with the RV. The collisions weren’t intentional, it was simply that the zombies had a natural advantage in the thick black fog. Combined with the loud roar of the vehicle, they were constantly drawn toward it.

Driving through the black fog already demanded intense concentration. Small mistakes were inevitable.

Fortunately, the territory wasn’t far away now. Thinking about successfully bringing back ten new members and finally getting some proper rest, Vikram felt a rare surge of excitement.

Ever since arriving in the Wasteland World, even a single day of true rest had become a luxury. Despite having the system, the endless constructions, resource management, and daily responsibilities consumed a massive amount of his mental energy.

"The weather is so clear today, beautiful scenery everywhere~" Vikram muttered to himself with a relaxed smile.

Just as he was happily anticipating a good rest, the scene outside suddenly shifted.

---

A group of people was crouching a distance from the Shelter, whispering and plotting something in the grass.

This place was the only way Vikram could drive back to the Shelter.

And they were the group of people who had triggered the Shelter’s observation room alarm earlier.

"Are we really just going to wait here for that kid to come back?"

"What if he goes to another Survivor’s place to spend the night?"

"Zombies are everywhere out here; what if we don’t wait for him and get bitten ourselves first?"

"Stop talking nonsense, isn’t he coming back?"

The man who had spoken earlier heard the sound of a vehicle approaching.

"Quick, quick, find a way to stop him and make him get out of the RV."

"Then it’ll be six of us ganging up on him; I don’t believe we can’t beat him."

Their previous plan to ambush Vikram near Vikram’s Shelter was ruined by the observation room’s alarm.

So they temporarily changed their plan to ambush Vikram as he drove home.

Seeing the vehicle approaching closer and closer, the few people exchanged glances and simultaneously chose to block the middle of the road.

The next second, a bright RV burst through the black fog and appeared in their sight.

However, they seemed to have overestimated Vikram’s driving skills a bit.

Vikram was able to react the moment he saw a few people in the middle of the road.

But his driving skills did not allow him to stop the vehicle quickly.

So, tragedy struck very quickly; four of the six people blocking the road were directly hit and sent flying several miles.

Only two survived because they were standing closer to the edge.

"What the heck?"

"It’s the apocalypse, and people are still setting up roadblocks?" Vikram scratched his head, a bit confused, as he continued to drive the vehicle.

As for the few Survivors he had hit, Vikram thought, ’So what if I hit them?’

Anyway, he had crashed many times on the road, so one more wouldn’t make a difference.

After a long and bumpy ride through the wasteland, the RV finally slowed down. The ten new members inside grew quiet as they stared ahead.

What greeted their eyes left them completely stunned.

Massive, sturdy walls rose high into the sky, far grander than anything they had seen in the Savage Wolf Shelter. The enormous iron gates looked strong enough to withstand a siege. The entire structure gave off an aura of power and security, making them feel as if they had arrived at the gates of an ancient kingdom.

"Wow..." one of the women whispered in awe. "This... this is really Boss Vikram’s territory?"

Even before entering, they were already overwhelmed.

Vikram parked the RV near the entrance and turned to them. "Before you go in, listen carefully. This is the disinfection area. Every time you return from outside, you must go through this process. No exceptions."

He personally led them into the Vine Mist Entry Chamber. The members watched in amazement as the living vines sealed the chamber and released a gentle cleansing mist. Then they passed the Verdant Scanner Plant, whose vines glowed green, confirming they were clean. Finally, they stepped into the Spore Purge Pod, where glowing spores swirled around them, removing any remaining contamination.

"Remember this process well," Vikram said seriously. "If anyone tries to skip it, they will be punished."

After the disinfection, Vikram took them to the newly developed area in Territory 2. He showed them the vast farmland, where crops were already growing under the care of the Earth and Water Mages. Then he pointed to a row of ten newly built simple but sturdy houses.

"These ten houses are for you," Vikram declared. "From tomorrow onward, you will stand guard on the walls and keep watch for any approaching enemies. In return, you will receive regular meals, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. As long as you work hard and remain loyal, you will be treated well here."

The ten members nodded vigorously, their eyes shining with gratitude and excitement.

"Thank you, Boss!"

After that, someone hesitantly asked, "Boss... can we see your main shelter?"

Vikram smiled faintly. "Come with me."

He led them through another gate into Territory 1.

The moment they stepped closer to the main gate, several of them suddenly felt dizzy. Strange illusions flashed before their eyes, beautiful scenery, warm sunlight, and the faint scent of flowers. When the effect passed and they finally entered, their jaws dropped.

If Territory 2 felt like a kingdom, then Territory 1 felt like heaven.

Neat pathways, glowing street lights, lush greenery, a massive beautiful treehouse rising high, and warm, comfortable temperature despite the freezing wasteland outside. They saw pens full of healthy livestock, clear ponds with swimming fish, and many strange but obedient plant beings (Sprouts) moving about, helping with various tasks.

"Those... those are also members of your territory?" one of the women asked in disbelief, pointing at the Sprouts.

Vikram simply smiled without explaining further.

The ten newcomers stood frozen in place, completely overwhelmed by everything they saw.