"There is no normal human that can talk with an animal like that. You're an ability user, aren't you?"

'Oh, for fuck sake, how many times do I have to convince her?!'

"Miss, that old man Fei Mu already tested me before he brought me here. He forced me to eat that weird mutated fruit, and I'm not poisoned after eating it. Isn't that enough proof already?"

"Hmm…" Miss Kobra hummed for a second before she kicked the small table behind her. The fruits on the table flew up, and Miss Kobra caught it with her right hand.

She presented the fruit right in front of Yang Zhang's face, "You have to prove it to me as well, eat that," she said.

Yang Zhang stared at the same purple apple that the old man had given him.

He sighed and grabbed the apple before munching and swallowing it without the slightest care.

One second…

Two seconds…

Three seconds…

"See? Told you I'm just a regular human!" Yang Zhang insisted.

Miss Kobra finally let Yang Zhang go and put her gun inside a stash. She sat on the sofa again and said, "Come, sit with me, so we can have a chat."

'Aish, now you act so welcoming with me after pointing a gun on my head! You guys are all psychos!'

Yang Zhang quietly sat on the sofa far from Miss Kobra, and his pets jumped to hide in his pocket again, only peeking from the pocket, watching Miss Kobra cautiously.

Miss Kobra chuckled, "Your pets are very protective of you, it seems. Tell them to relax. All I did was inspect you. You know that I should be careful of any possible threat, right?"

Yang Zhang nodded. He didn't know what to say in this situation. All he wanted to do was to find any settlement. Hopefully, he could get the stuff he needed, like a first aid kit, weapons, and, if possible, normal crops and animals.

Though, it didn't seem to be the case here. He hadn't had found any normal-looking animals and plants around.

"Miss Kobra, does everyone in the settlement eat mutated animals and plants?" Yang Zhang asked.

"Yes, of course. That's what differentiates us from the ability users, right? They might have some cool superpowers that they could show off. But when it comes to basic necessity, they are the ones at a disadvantage because they can't eat anything mutated."

"We, as humans with immunity, don't have to worry about food. Because everything tasted the same for us. That's why I set up this settlement near the forest because the amount of food is abundant," Miss Kobra explained, confirming Yang Zhang suspicion that he couldn't get any normal crops here,

Miss Kobra looked at Yang Zhang from head to toe and said, "You don't need to worry about food in here. Even if you can't get any hunt from the forest, you can ask others. The food is abundant in this place, though. They would probably give you the strangest-looking animal possible."

"Also, you've passed the initiation process by eating that purple apple. It is only edible by humans with immunity, though…." Miss Kobra glanced at Chestnut and Spicy Wing peeking from Yang Zhang's pocket. "I'm still wondering how you could tame them like that. They should be feral to all humans."

"But you've proven your identity as one of us. I can put you in the scouting squad, and you'll be rewarded with your own house, food, and weapons. Don't shoot randomly with the guns. We have to keep the ammunition just in case there was an attack from the government."

…

Yang Zhang was troubled by the offer. He had no intention of joining this kind of place. Sure it was nice to have people around you, but Yang Zhang had realized how difficult it was to maintain a social life.

Everyone had to follow whatever Young Master Deng Fan said in his previous shelter. They also had to praise that guy and his gold teeth ability even though it was so damn useless.

He didn't want to experience the same social circle again, so he might as well live as a hermit in his hut with his pets.

"I'm sorry, Miss Kobra. But I have no intention of joining this settlement of yours."

"Huh? You're not interested? So you will live alone in the middle of a dangerous forest all by yourself?"

"Mhm, I'm here because the old man brought me in. And I'm amazed by how developed this place is, but... all I want is to find a supply for myself, like a first aid kit and weapons. I will also try to visit often to trade anything that I found in the forest with the shops here," Yang Zhang said.

"Ah, that was unfortunate," Miss Kobra had another idea in mind as she found that Yang Zhang with his pets was fascinating. "We could use your pets as a scouting team, you know? We need all the manpower here against those greedy ability users."

Yang Zhang shook his head. He had no intention of going to war with anyone. All he wanted to do was to live safely and comfortably. And he didn't want to use his pets as a tool for someone else's interest.

"I'm sorry, Miss. But I'm only here to visit. I'm sorry for wasting your time—"

"No, no, you're not wasting my time at all. I'm happy to always find fellow humans with immunity," Miss Kobra took something from the drawer and slid it on the table, "This is my Kobra badge. Keep this and show it to the guards at the gate if you want to enter this settlement."

"I won't force you to work with me if you don't want it, don't worry," Miss Kobra added.

Yang Zhang picked the Kobra badge from Miss Kobra and checked the shape.

It had the shape of an Arbok, and even the same color, just with red eyes.

'Kobra badge, obtained! Guess the first gym leader is a poison-type trainer!' Yang Zhang announced in his head. He pocketed the Kobra badge and bowed his head to Miss Kobra.

"Then, I will leave, Miss. If you'll excuse me."

"Yes, don't be shy to come if you want to work with me, okay?" Miss Kobra said.

Yang Zhang finally opened the door and left the room. Meanwhile, Miss Kobra was staring at the door and said, "What an interesting kid, his name is Deng Fan, right? I've got to inquire more information about him. I should ask my spies in each nearby settlement. I think he has more than meets the eyes."