Phobos looked at the broken hammer’s handle and felt a bit awkward. He did feel that it was a bit unreasonable to make a one-meter hole, most of it solid concrete and a bit covered by tiles with a nail hammer but had a try mentality. After all, he did break an engine with his bare hands. That was different however as there are a lot of moving parts in an engine and it isn’t solid metal.

Phobos didn’t feel like sacrificing his arms to make the hole, however, even if he was capable, so he started to make a tool for it. He took the steelhead of the hammer then gathered steel materials that were unlikely to be used in the future. Then he used the same process as with his sword.

Phobos started making a sledgehammer. With his improvement ability, he was adding and refining the metal. Making it stronger and more durable at the same time forming the hammerhead. Feeling that if he were to add a normal handle, it wouldn't work, so he continued to add material and made the handle out of steel too.

In the end, he was left with a sledgehammer made wholly out of steel. It was a bit heavy but for Phobos, it wasn’t that much. The pinnacle of human power in all aspects is scary. Especially when Phobos was improving the efficiency of his movement every moment.

Even if his raw power isn’t that exaggerated he could double or even triple it with only his improved power utilization. This was nothing strange. One of the first things that are learned in physics is pressure. That is the force being applied to a given area. Even if the force stays the same the pressure would fluctuate depending on the area the force was being applied to.

This was only one of the principles being used. The body was a complicated biological machine. Phobos felt that he was still underutilizing it but for now, it was enough.

He lifted the hammer over his head and making use of all the power in his body Phobos slammed the hammer in the ground. There was an enormous noise reverbing around the room. Even the ground was shaken up.

This time it wasn’t a small crack that showed in the tile but the whole room's floor was cracked and the concrete below was cracked as well. Phobos felt that it was going well and continued. There were loud explosions like sounds being heard periodically throughout the whole restaurant even further outside.

The women inside were shocked and went to check out what was happening. When they saw that it was Phobos however they didn’t mean to ask why he was breaking the floor. There was no merit in asking. Even if he was doing it just for fun no one would stop him.

Hera and Eve would help him in whatever he wanted to do. Diana was the same as she wanted to be on his good side for some reason. Anna, Alice and Megan couldn't stop him even if they wanted to.

Of course, they wouldn't think to stop him because they were well aware of how comfortable Phobos had made their current situation. They didn’t have to look far to see how miserable the situation of other people was. They were just outside the restaurant door. Some even tried to make this their site but Hera just waved her gun and they disappeared.

The people who had populated the strip were dressed in tattered clothing and looked like they went through hell. The clothing problem was fixed fast, as this was a strip full of clothing stores but the haggard expression on their faces stayed.

When they walked around outside they overheard that most people had seen that it was a disaster situation so they stocked up on food and supplies. However, that was all for nothing as the whole day yesterday mutants showed up everywhere and started hunting for prey. Some people saw that for some reason they didn’t go to short buildings so they headed in search of such.

At some point, a big crowd had gathered and even a lot of awakened people had shown so they felt that they were safe traveling together away from the tall buildings but they were wrong. They were attacked by a swarm of mutants and the whole group was almost annihilated.

What had made it to the strip was but a small part after the whole group was scattered around. Even so from what the girls saw there were more than a thousand people. There may be a lot more but such a large amount isn’t easily countable. It would be easy for Diana to count but she didn’t have the leisure to walk around. She was recruited to help with a project Hera was doing.

The girls didn’t leave because there was also the fact that they had no other place to go to. When they went around town looking for their families they found nothing but bloodstains in their apartments. Megan was lucky that she hadn’t been home when the simultaneous coma happened because there was a big possibility that she would be a victim to a mutant as well.

Thankfully she has reunited with Anna and everyone was safe together in the restaurant. It could be said that Alice and Diana were the most unfortunate in the group. Alice’s apartment where her parents live was a mess with blood scattered everywhere. Diana on the other hand didn’t know for sure that her mother was gone but calculated the probability being very high.

The banging of Phobos had gathered a bit of attention in the crowd outside but no one came close to the restaurant. The information that the people inside had a gun had spread throughout the crowd and even a rumor that there were awakened people inside had circulated. Not like it was untrue but it was a totally unfounded rumor with no basis.

However, that didn’t influence the people in the restaurant one bit. Phobos was just continuing with no regard that he had gathered the attention of people outside. He stopped when he had cracked the whole concrete base.

The sledgehammer wouldn't bring much merit in furthering the project so he left it in the tool room he found the nail hammer in. What Phobos didn’t know was that just as he returned to the room where the floor was cracked Hera came by the tool room and grabbed the hammer for her own use.

Of course, even if he knew he wouldn’t care about it. He just focused on completing his basement plan. Now that he cracked the concrete base he started taking pieces out one by one. It didn’t matter how big they were Phobos only had to strain a little and easily lifted them out.

The best part was that because of the concentrated power he used even if the base was cracked to the bottom the pieces were fairly whole so he didn’t have to gather a lot of small pieces.

Phobos took a big piece of concrete out of the room and then went back inside for another piece. He was thinking of transporting the lot of them somewhere where they wouldn't hinder people when they were gathered a bit but when he came out he saw that the last piece he took out was gone.

Phobos was somewhat surprised but then he felt that Hera was moving away from this spot. He concentrated a little and saw that she was carrying the concrete slab and going to the backyard of the restaurant. He was a bit interested in what she was doing but would ask after he finishes his job.

Phobos never had imagined that he would be doing a construction project with his bare hands. He was involved when he designed and directed the construction of the off the grid villa but not much else. It took him about two hours to clear out all the debris and as he was about to commence with improving the basement Hera called out to him.

“Boss do you have the time to help me out with something? Although I don’t want to bother you, it would be a bit hard without your ability.”

“Hera? Of course.”

Phobos didn’t mind helping much. He followed Hera to the backyard of the restaurant where Diana was. There he saw a big change to what it was yesterday. For some reason, there were all kinds of blacksmith equipment and the broken foundation of the room was remade like a puzzle in a corner of the yard. Seeing Phobos’s confused face Hera began to explain.

“When we were gathered for breakfast today I mentioned that it would be useful if we had some blacksmith equipment for me to make some stuff and Anna said that she knew a place because she had to commission custom knives for one of the chefs. We transferred some stuff from there and also some stuff for sustaining us long term.”

When Hera said that she pointed at the rainwater collection tanks. Three enormous water tanks were standing on the side.

“Of course. There is a need for water when the water pressure drops in the coming weeks.” Phobos nodded and approved.

“Yes. Although it was a bit hard transferring all this only with the vans even if we found trailers for them. Boss, first if you could repair the concrete foundation. We have already pieced it together.” Hera gestured to the foundation that would be hard to believe was broken if it wasn’t for the cacks. “After that if you could help improve the eclectic furnace that we have brought.”

When Phobos looked at the furnace the only question in his mind was how they brought this thing here. It didn’t look small at all and he was sure it weighed a lot more than it looked. However, didn’t linger that much on that problem and just started fixing the foundation.

“By the way where is Eve?” Phobos asked as he was a bit curious. He could feel that she wasn’t far but she was outside the restaurant.

“Eve? She went to gather a bit of information on the people that appeared around the restaurant. If they posed any danger to us. You know that her thoughts are a bit extreme. The first thing that crossed her mind was that they would attack us.” Hera looked at how the cracks in the concrete were being fixed and was fascinated.

Although everybody in the restaurant was already aware of what Phobos’s ability entailed. However such visual representation was rare. Diana on the side was also amazed.

It took Phobos half an hour to finish repairing the foundation. Hera and Diana in the meantime had moved the water tanks close to it and when it was finished they moved them on top of the foundation. Hera thought that it was better to place the water tanks on a concrete base so that they aren't affected by the weather changes.

“Boss next is the electric furnace. Although we won’t be able to utilize it that much because of the lack of energy. However, I should be able to make a few small things.” Hera led Phobos to the furnace.

Phobos didn’t say anything and again just started improving. He didn’t really care what they were doing. If Hera wanted help with something it didn’t matter what it was he would do it. It was not that he would unconditionally help but knew that she would only ask him to do something when it was way more efficient to.

Phobos took half an hour more to finish improving the electric furnace. When he was done he had gained a lot of knowledge while analyzing and improving it. It may come in handy at some point in the future.

“Well girls, have fun. I will go and continue my project.” As he was saying that Phobos started going to the restaurant. However, Diana followed him inside and stopped him.

“Mr. Gold, if you could spare some time for me.” Diana asked carefully and gestured toward the dining room for them to find a table to have sit and talk.

Phobos didn’t have a reason to refuse so he nodded and followed Diana. When they were seated she poured a cup of tea for both of them from the teapot that was already there. The tea inside was still steaming. Most likely Diana had prepared it while he was still improving the furnace and had calculated the time he would take.

Phobos was not really a person that would go out of his way to make and drink tea but if it was before him he wouldn’t reject it. Picking up the cup and tasting the tea Phobos looked at Diana and waited for her to start speaking. He didn’t have to wait long.

“Sir, I understand from miss Eve that you are uncomfortable with a relationship that could lead to complications. Even if you yourself are in one. However as this is an extraordinary time, I hope that sir makes some concessions.” Diana was calmly narrating what she had rehearsed since this morning.

“It isn’t that I am pushing sir to make a decision.” She continued as she was carefully studying Phobos’s face. “I am perfectly aware that you could easily expel me from the group if I overstep. However, Miss Eve assured me that your answer yesterday was very promising for me. This is why I am here today to make things easier for sir.”

Phobos was quite intrigued at that. He knew that the times are special and he felt the need to gather a reliable group that would help with upcoming survival. If he was a normal person before and gained this power he would feel that he could do everything by himself but he wasn’t normal before. Standing on top of behemoth companies, Phobos knew the power of collective effort.

Even now this group is rapidly progressing without his interference. In the time it took him to improve the refining of thought energy a lot of things had happened. The problem was that he didn’t know how to keep a group tightly together. When the world was normal it was easy. If you just give the right remuneration for the service most people wouldn’t leave from a group.

However, now it was different. Phobos thought logically that the food, electricity and safety that his group offered was way more than enough to keep a group together. But an extreme situation like this breeds many variables. That is why both Phobos and Diana were unconsciously searching for a stronger bond.

For Diana the thought process was easy. Even if her ability wasn’t prompting her she could think of it. The best possible outcome for her was joining Phobos’s harem. Since ancient times in most cases, females had secured their safety and social status by choosing their males.

That isn’t to say that there were no exceptions. There are documented instances where women were absolutely equal in social status or even were the dominant figure in some social groups.

In this instance, however, it had nothing to do with social status, even if clearly Phobos was at the top. In this instance, it was clear that Phobos and Hera had the best possibility for continued survival in a chaotic world. Diana had the option of befriending Hera which didn’t seem that likely. Diana was closer to her today only because Phobos seemed open to the prospect of welcoming her.

There are two options left for Diana. Her becoming intimately close to Phobos or keeping her distance and hoping that for some unknown reason she will be taken care of by Phobos and Hera.

There is the possibility that they take a liking to her ability and keep her for that but Diana didn’t want to bet on that. Especially because when Diana found that Hera’s calculating capabilities weren’t far off from what she was capable of.

Although there was some difference because it was natural as if breathing to Diana and Hera was more traditionally using her brain for it. The end result didn’t differ much. Hera encouraged her and said that her ability would become stronger especially if Diana let Phobos help her form a word for her ability but that didn’t help her discouragement.

However, the biggest factor in Diana's decision was that Phobos looked handsome. Even if she took out all other factors if she met him somewhere in the street she would likely try to get into his bed. With no other expectation than experiencing what it was like to have done it with someone like him. Diana had never seen a man as beautiful as him. Whether you use handsome or beautiful to describe him won’t be incorrect.

So for her ‘safety’ Diana didn’t mind ‘sacrificing’ her body. Phobos on the other hand didn’t think that much. Although he had a little doubt in it he decided to follow what Eve was telling him for the last few years. She said it almost every night. That being “If a woman falls in your grasp she will never escape.”

Phobos was ready for a bit more complications in his life for a more secure group but now that Diana was telling him that she would make it easier for him he was quite interested. Reading that interest in his face Diana started speaking a bit more confidently.

“Miss Eve had told me that Mr. Gold is quite fond of contracts. Because they have clear obligations and expiration dates.” As Diana was saying that she took out a paper that was filled out as a contract. “This contract is very simple. There are only two contractual terms in it. The first being for sir. It states that sir should guarantee my life for the duration of the contract. The second pertains to me. It is that I have to follow Mr. Gold’s every whim and desire.”

“This may seem a bit counterproductive for sir but please hear me out.” Looking at Phobos’s confused face Diana tried to explain quickly. “It may seem that this unreasonable contract would make our relations even more complicated but rest assured. This contract is entirely made to put any worries of Mr. Gold at ease.”

Looking at Phobos who had a face full of unbelief and seemed to be thinking of all the ways such a contract could be used against him Diana was feeling that she had done something unnecessary. Phobos had already said to her that if she just joined them tonight she wouldn't be rejected. Diana just felt that she should show sincerity in joining his inner circle without any conspiracies. Not that she didn’t see that such a move stank of conspiracy.

“Sir, please do think about it.” Diana was a bit desperate at this moment. Even if she knew that it could be taken this way. She even rehearsed with such a situation in mind. Still, her long term peace and safety depended on this talk. “ The laws that we followed before are unlikely to apply in the near future. This contract is only made to negate all psychological burden of Mr. Gold in you allowing me to enter your inner circle.”

Seeing that Phobos had focused on her again Diana calmed down. “Sir, in reality, both of us know that a piece of paper has no binding power without an institution to enforce it. Therefore what this contract represents is that I have no other expectation from Mr. Gold other than keeping me alive.”

“The term, in which it states that I must follow sirs all whims and desires, just copies what Miss Eve said was your agreement with her and Miss Hera. Although apparently sir is not aware of that.” Diana felt that maybe Eve had fed her a bit of misinformation. Maybe it was the truth for Eve and Hera but Phobos didn’t seem to approve much of that notion.

“Either way, sir has nothing to worry about if he signs this contract. It is to ease sir to the notion that he has no obligation in this relationship. And that other people's view has no impact on our agreement. Mr. Gold can terminate the contract whenever he feels that I have not followed the contract by serving you with my utmost capabilities. And if Sir breaks his term in the contract… I wouldn't be able to complain much.”

Phobos looked at Diana as she finished her pitch and started thinking. Diana was right. He had nothing to lose in this transaction. Phobos was stirring the tea in the cup while thinking. After about five minutes he was ready to answer.