A little while later, Bella and Sebastian were summoned by the commander of the base, leaving Ross behind in the bustling common area.
As they disappeared down the corridor, Ross remained where he was, calmly observing his surroundings.
The base was lively—soldiers chatting, weapons being cleaned, laughter mixing with exhaustion. Before long, a few of them began to notice the strange man wrapped in a dark cloak despite the heat.
"Hey, Ross, what's up with the attire?" one soldier finally asked, nodding toward the heavy cloak and hood.
"Seriously, take it off. It's boiling in here," another said, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Aren't you burning alive in that thing?" a third added, clearly puzzled.
Ross glanced around, then let out a low chuckle.
"I just got used to hiding during the apocalypse," he replied calmly. "Zombies are dumb in the dark. If you don't stand out, they usually ignore you."
A few people exchanged looks, some nodding in understanding.
