Chapter 168: Recovery and the Hidden Discovery

Six hours later, Ethan slowly opened his eyes.

For a few seconds, everything was blurry.

He stared at the ceiling, trying to remember where he was. His body felt unbearably heavy, but the sharp pain that had nearly overwhelmed him earlier was gone.

Then he noticed something warm against his lips.

A woman was leaning over him, carefully feeding him a small amount of condensed Healing Essence.

Her hand trembled slightly as she guided it into his mouth.

Even half-conscious, Ethan instinctively swallowed.

"Debbie..."

His voice came out weak and hoarse.

The woman froze.

She looked down at him, her eyes widening.

"Ethan?"

He blinked slowly.

"You’re awake!"

Relief washed over her face. For a moment, she looked as though she might burst into tears.

Her complexion was terribly pale, and there were dark circles beneath her eyes. It was obvious that she had used an enormous amount of energy treating him.

Beside the bed, Tessa was leaning against the mattress, fast asleep.

She had clearly exhausted herself as well.

Ethan tried to move.

Debbie immediately placed a hand against his shoulder.

"Don’t move. You need to rest."

"I’寧 fine."

"You’re not fine. You nearly died."

Her voice cracked slightly.

Ethan looked at her tired face and gave her a faint smile.

"Then I suppose I owe you both a thank-you."

He gently pushed her hand away and struggled into a sitting position.

His body still ached, but the worst of the injuries had healed. The wounds on his back had scabbed over, and the energy in his core had recovered to roughly seventy or eighty percent.

It was all thanks to the tireless efforts of Debbie and Tessa.

He glanced at the sleeping woman beside the bed.

"She should get some rest too."

Debbie nodded, though she looked as if she might fall asleep herself.

After a moment, Ethan carefully got out of bed.

When he stepped out of the villa, he stopped.

The open ground beside the lake was filled with people.

They were sitting quietly in small groups, their expressions heavy with exhaustion and worry.

Daisy was holding Nina in her arms. Dr. Elena sat nearby with Haley, while Aria had an arm around Lana’s shoulders.

Victoria and Evelyn were leaning against each other. Penny and Maya sat close together, while Sasha, Sofia, Bella, Clara, and the others had gathered nearby.

Kate, who had only recently awakened, was also there.

Even Wu and Amy, the two women they had taken in from the museum, were among them.

Almost everyone had gathered by the lake.

Some were talking quietly. Others simply stared at the water, waiting for news.

But the moment they noticed Ethan, the entire group went still.

Then Penny jumped to her feet.

"Ethan!"

Her eyes were already red.

She rushed toward him, stopping just short of throwing her arms around him.

"It’s so good to see you’re okay!"

The others quickly crowded around.

"How are you feeling?"

"Are your injuries healed?"

"Does your back still hurt?"

"Did you recover enough energy?"

Questions came from every direction.

Ethan raised both hands.

"One at a time."

His voice was still a little weak, but seeing everyone gathered safely brought a sense of relief.

He looked around at their worried faces.

’When did things get this crowded?’

Without realizing it, he had gathered quite a large group inside his Survival Space.

And almost everyone here was a woman.

A rough count told him that at least fifteen of them met the requirements for his gift system.

Under normal circumstances, that thought would have amused him.

Right now, however, he had more pressing concerns.

Ethan lowered his hands.

"I’m all right. Debbie and Tessa have already treated my injuries."

The women visibly relaxed.

But before they could ask anything else, his expression grew serious.

"There’s something we need to discuss."

The remaining smiles disappeared.

"The oxygen in the Survival Space won’t last forever. Based on the current supply, we have roughly eighteen hours left."

A few women exchanged worried glances.

"When it runs out, everyone inside will suffocate. The trees and plants will die too."

He paused, letting the words sink in.

"And that’s not our only problem."

His gaze moved across the group.

"There’s a Quasi-SS-Rank powerhouse somewhere in the villa district. Then there’s the Eagle King in the suburbs. We can’t afford to remain in one place indefinitely."

The atmosphere grew heavy.

Everyone understood what he was saying.

The Survival Space was their safest refuge, but it wasn’t a permanent solution. If they couldn’t replenish the oxygen, they would eventually be trapped inside with no way out.

And outside, powerful enemies were still hunting them.

All eyes turned toward Ethan.

They were waiting for him to decide what to do next.

Then Victoria, who had remained quiet throughout the discussion, slowly raised her head.

"Actually... I might be able to help."

Ethan looked at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Before the Apocalypse, I stored several large barrels of gasoline in a concealed compartment beneath my villa."

She hesitated briefly.

"Five barrels, to be exact. They’re in a hidden section of the basement. Evelyn and I never used them after the Red Fog appeared because we were afraid the noise from a generator would attract zombies."

Ethan’s expression brightened.

"Five barrels of gasoline?"

Victoria nodded.

"Yes. They’re still sealed."

A wave of relief washed over him.

That was exactly what he needed.

"That’s great. Let’s go get them."

He didn’t waste any time.

Ethan took Victoria out of the Survival Space and brought her to the first basement level of the villa.

The basement was spacious and well-furnished, with shelves, storage cabinets, and several pieces of expensive equipment arranged along the walls.

Victoria led him toward a section at the back.

The wall looked no different from the surrounding panels. There were no visible handles, hinges, or signs of a door.

She ran her fingers along a narrow seam.

A faint click sounded.

Part of the wall shifted inward, revealing a concealed entrance just wide enough for one person to pass through.

Ethan raised an eyebrow.

"That’s quite a hiding place."

Victoria gave him a small smile.

"My family was always particular about security."

’Particular about security?’

Ethan looked at the hidden entrance.

’Rich people really do think of everything.’

He followed her inside.

The concealed compartment was roughly ten square meters. A large bed occupied one side, while several storage containers were arranged against the walls.

At the far end stood five large barrels.

Ethan walked over and inspected them.

They were tightly sealed and showed no signs of leakage.

He felt a surge of satisfaction.

Five barrels of gasoline would give them enough fuel to run their backup power system for several days. Depending on their consumption, it might even last around ten.

That would give him enough time to recover fully and work out their next move.

Without hesitation, he stored all five barrels inside his Survival Space.

"That’s everything," he said.

Victoria nodded.

Ethan turned toward the entrance.

But just as he was about to leave, he felt something.

A faint pressure brushed against his back.

It was so subtle that he might have dismissed it as his imagination if he hadn’t become familiar with Spiritual Power.

Someone had just swept their Spiritual Power across him.

And it carried a distinctly cold, scrutinizing intent.

Ethan spun around.

His eyes swept across the compartment.

The bed.

The storage containers.

The corners of the walls.

Nothing.

There was no one else inside.

"What’s wrong?" Victoria called from outside.

Ethan remained still for another moment.

"Nothing."

He frowned slightly, then forced himself to relax.

"Let’s go."

He crawled out of the compartment and followed Victoria toward the basement exit.

Neither of them noticed what had happened after they left.

At the luxurious villa in the heart of Crestview Villa District, a figure sat quietly in a dimly lit room.

The person wore a black mask that concealed their face.

In one hand was a dark green Core.

The figure had been holding it for some time, but their attention was no longer on the Core itself.

A moment earlier, they had sensed a familiar spatial fluctuation.

Now, the figure slowly lowered the Core.

A faint smile appeared beneath the mask.

"Space Ability..."

The voice was soft, almost amused.

"I didn’t expect Ethan Carter to have the nerve to come back here."

The masked figure leaned back slightly.

"Interesting."