Elena paused for a moment, calculating the odds of killing the mutated cat if they joined forces.
After a short silence, she looked at General Reid and said, "Less than 70 percent, even if we go all out."
Everyone turned to Elena, surprised by the number she gave.
"Mind explaining why only 70 percent?" General Reid asked.
"There are many reasons. One is the mutated cat’s unpredictable nature—and more importantly, its ability to merge with shadows," Elena explained calmly.
The officers were stunned. They had assumed the mutated cat was simply a stronger version, with better attack and defense.
"It has a special ability?"
"Did General Kaiser not mention the upcoming awakening?" Elena asked, raising an eyebrow.
She wanted to be sure the military understood—so they could start gathering more capable people on their side.
Well, she had her own reasons. The more people with integrity survive, the better their chances of defeating future enemies.
In her past life, this military group had already endured several natural disasters.
If she helped them now, maybe they could grow even stronger than they had in her previous life.
"The abbot told us about the changes in the world—that the world we once knew is gone," General Reid said.
"He warned us to be ready for anything, including strange new abilities like the one you’re describing."
Elena smiled. At least this military group was open-minded.
"You’re right. We must stay alert for any changes. The mutated cat has a shadow ability. I don’t know the full extent of its power, but I’ve faced it once. It’s strong. It can hide in shadows and strike without warning. So killing it won’t be easy."
"How do we counter it?"
"I hope you have more jade and antiques," Elena replied slyly.
She wasn’t going to give away too much without a good price—especially since she desperately needed items filled with spiritual energy.
"No problem. We’ll pay as agreed," General Reid reassured her.
"Well then," Elena continued, "if we can cut off 60% of its body, or destroy its power source, we can win."
She didn’t mention the core—that was something she intended to keep for herself.
Then continued. "As for its shadow ability, we’ll need an open space. Make sure the fight happens far from any buildings. If it has places to hide, it’ll just vanish again."
"I see. The problem now is how to lure it into an open area," General Reid sighed.
"As for that, we can handle it," Elena replied calmly. "Just give us the exact location, and we’ll make sure the mutated cat shows up."
Seeing how confident the Paradise staff were, the military officers decided to trust them for now.
They were curious about how they’d manage it, but held back from asking—Paradise Shop’s rules didn’t allow anyone to question their methods.
"Then it’s settled. We officially want to hire you."
They quickly went over the plan to eliminate the mutated cat.
First, they would secure a wide open area for the fight.
Second, they would position themselves with mobile missile launchers, attacking the beast from all sides to make sure it couldn’t escape.
Since regular firearms were useless, the military would return to their base and bring back heavy weapons.
The operation would begin next week—once the abbot and General Kaiser arrived and the explosive equipment was ready.
"What about the government? Should we let them join?" a soldier asked, aware that the government had also been hunting the beast.
"I’ll speak to them," General Reid replied with a sigh.
"But lately, the government’s been difficult. We try to contact them, but they ignore us. Something’s definitely going on over there."
General Reid shook his head in disappointment.
Both branches were supposed to work together for the good of City A, but instead, the government seemed more focused on making itself the new ruler.
He needed to investigate their true intentions.
Soon, the military logistics team finalized their trade list, focusing on essential food supplies.
They prioritized staple foods, high-calorie options, and large amounts of canned goods and dried jerky. Meats were a major focus—especially beef, chicken, and pork.
The logistics officer was astonished by the wide selection and the massive volume of supplies they could acquire.
Well, the Southern Inventory Sector had been overflowing with meat for months, thanks to the steady output from the Farm Sector’s livestock.
What especially caught the logistic attention was the ’fresh’ status of the meats provided by the Paradise staff.
’In this kind of disaster, where are they even farming this meat?’
Besides meat, they also offered fresh eggs and a variety of fruits—mangoes, oranges, apples—things that felt like luxuries in this cold, harsh world.
Thankfully, the exchange rate using jade and antiques made everything surprisingly affordable.
So, the logistics team didn’t hesitate.
They eagerly placed a large order—not just for food, but also for cold-weather gear and equipment the base badly needed.
Finally, they completed their list by adding a large quantity of clean, drinkable water.
Elena received the list.
It had a lot of items, especially in the food section.
They needed tons, and of course, she could surpass that amount easily.
So, she readily agreed.
"Give us four days to prepare the supplies. Also, get the jade and antiques ready and deliver them to Unit 2402. You can pay half of the total for now. As for the location of the supplies, we’ll inform you soon—just be prepared to transport them."
"Well, no problem with that," General Reid agreed, fully trusting the Paradise Shop.
"Then this concludes our negotiation. We’ll take our leave now."
"Wait—would you mind opening another branch inside the military base? We can provide the location, and there’ll be no rental fees or hidden charges."
Elena smirked. Of course, she wanted to—but not yet.
She needed to investigate their side first.
Otherwise, they might get dragged into the military’s internal power struggles.
"We’ll seriously consider it. Let’s discuss that after we deal with the mutated cat," Elena replied firmly.
"Alright. We’ll be waiting for your response."
After the negotiation, Elena and the others exited the unit.
Ethan then used his [Telepathy] to contact her, asking if she could prepare some food at Xander’s unit.
He planned to invite a few of his colleagues later.
Naturally, Elena—being a good wife—gladly agreed.