But they weren’t survivors. The Hollows had evolved. They no longer just felt rage — they learned . And what they learned, in the absence of human voices, was silence. But the moment Tuga’s broadcast pierced the electromagnetic spectrum, it was like ringing a dinner bell across the dead continent.

Then to 10.

His heart pounded. For the first time in 28 years, he could send a message beyond the ruins. Someone might be out there. Survivors. Rescue. Hope.