Chapter 58: The Gate to a New World

So much had happened in the past few days that she hadn’t had a chance to accept [Looting Mission 13] yet.

Looting Mission 13 was a 4-star mission, and one she had completed in her previous life.

The mission was located at Rivermouth Pier in the Western Suburbs.

According to the system map, there was a relatively short route to get there from the shelter.

After accepting the mission, Nina Jacobs took out the *Earth Element Skill Book* the system had previously rewarded her with.

The Skill Book was only a few dozen pages thick. It detailed the natural principles of the Earth Element Superpower and even listed many offensive techniques.

Besides the most basic methods like creating earth walls, shields, and Earth Spikes, there were also some techniques that made her eyes light up.

For example, multi-layered shields, quicksand traps, and even using earth sense to perceive the number of enemies in advance.

"Are these the natural principles?"

Nina Jacobs felt as if the door to a whole new world had opened before her.

’If the Earth Element Superpower can use natural principles to create so many techniques, then the same should be true for other Superpowers.’

She had obtained the *Earth Element Skill Book* after killing a zombie with her Earth Element Superpower.

’Maybe there’s a *Fire Element Superpower Book*, too?’

’I just don’t know how to get one.’

Nina Jacobs asked the system but didn’t receive a clear answer.

[Besides first kills, Skill Books can also be obtained from various title rewards. The host can trigger more titles to increase the probability of rewards.]

"Title rewards?"

Nina Jacobs silently recalled the titles she had triggered so far.

’Most of the titles were triggered when I killed zombies or people. I should try to trigger more when I get the chance.’

However, these Skills all required a large amount of Superpower to use, which was beyond her capabilities as a Basic Level Superpower user who had only just awakened her Earth Element Superpower a few days ago.

’But she believed that sooner or later, she would be able to do it.’

Perhaps because the shelter made her feel secure enough, Nina Jacobs fell asleep in her room without realizing it.

She slept until she woke up naturally the next morning.

"You’re awake? Come and eat."

When Nina Jacobs opened the door, she found only Vera Coleman in the living room.

Breakfast had been saved for her on the table.

"We all figured you were exhausted yesterday, so none of us disturbed your rest."

It turned out that first thing in the morning, Leo Hale had gone with Chelsea Walsh to ask about Forrest Walsh’s whereabouts.

Last night, Chelsea Walsh had already asked Justin Lawson about her brother, Forrest Walsh, but Forrest still hadn’t returned since leading a team out on a mission.

First thing this morning, Chelsea had gone to find out the route Forrest’s mission had taken.

"Leo and Chelsea wanted to go out and look for him, but your Uncle Hale and I haven’t agreed. We heard the place Forrest went is very dangerous."

Vera Coleman said with a worried expression.

"If he still hasn’t come back by now..."

’The odds were he was already dead.’

Nina Jacobs remembered Holt Tate mentioning when Forrest Walsh had left for his mission. Five days had passed since then; it was difficult for an ordinary person to survive outside for that long.

Besides, she’d heard that Forrest was already injured when he led the team out.

"Let’s hope for a miracle," Vera Coleman sighed.

In just these past few days, death had seemingly become a commonplace event.

"I’m heading out later, too."

Nina Jacobs had already finished her breakfast.

The breakfast was said to have been sent over by Justin Lawson. Although it was just simple congee and steamed buns, Nina knew how precious these supplies were.

"You’re going out again?"

Vera Coleman was incredulous, but she quickly calmed down.

’After all, no matter how much she tried to persuade her, Nina wouldn’t listen.’

’It was just as Daniel Hale had told her: if she pushed Nina too hard, she might drive her away.’

’It was better to let her daughter go out and face the world with confidence.’

"Then you must be careful, you hear?"

Vera Coleman admonished her as she stood up and started packing a backpack for her.

Inside the backpack were some food and water.

"Don’t worry, I’ll be back before nightfall."

Watching Vera Coleman’s back, Nina Jacobs felt a stir in her heart that she had never experienced in her previous life.

’A place to call home.’

’This feeling wasn’t so bad, was it?’

「A few minutes after Nina Jacobs drove away from the shelter.」

Dawn Donovan had finally returned.

"Well now, you’re a tough one to kill."

Chester Pearson watched as a disheveled Dawn Donovan was supported by a man and a woman.

And that pair was none other than Liam Grant and Renee Strong.

"I remember you’re a Healing Element Superpower User, aren’t you?"

Chester Pearson asked curiously.

"I... my Superpower is depleted."

Renee Strong was also pale. She didn’t know what was going on; ever since awakening her Superpower, she’d found that it drained quickly and recovered slowly.

Liam Grant always comforted her by saying this was normal right after awakening a Superpower.

’But she clearly remembered it wasn’t like this in her previous life.’

’In her previous life, her Superpower would always recover most of the way after a period of rest.’

"Captain Pearson, how did you get here first?"

Dawn Donovan was very surprised. Hadn’t Chester Pearson stayed behind?

"Yeah, and I’m curious why you all were so slow."

After all, Chester Pearson had departed two days after them.

He had left in the morning and arrived the same day.

"Some things happened on the road. All the people we brought with us were lost... Even I only made it out alive thanks to Liam and Renee."

Dawn Donovan looked terrible.

After hearing that all the team members escorting Dawn Donovan had died, Chester Pearson was no longer in the mood to talk. He waved his hand, dismissing the three of them to rest.

"Liam, you’re finally back! How did it go?"

Hannah Grant and Simon Abbott had been waiting outside the door.

"Mm, it went smoothly enough. We just didn’t bring the items back."

Liam Grant said with regret.

"Did you find that batch of weapons?"

Simon Abbott asked in a low voice. In their previous life, they had found a cache of weapons in a gang’s hideout.

This time, besides going with Dawn Donovan to investigate Ian Chandler’s whereabouts, Liam Grant’s other purpose for going out was to find that cache of weapons.

They were the ones who had provided Ian Chandler’s location to Justin Lawson in the first place.

"It’s just that Ian Chandler got there a step ahead of you. And she’s back, too."

Liam Grant knew the "she" Simon Abbott was referring to was Nina Jacobs.

"We met Shannon Renner."

"What did you say?! How could that be?"

Shock filled Simon Abbott’s eyes, but he quickly understood.

’Shannon Renner must have been reborn, too.’

"Then where is she?"

"Killed her."

Liam Grant’s expression didn’t change.

’If the reborn Shannon Renner had been willing to come back to them, that would have been for the best.’

’Otherwise, leaving her alive would only have been a liability.’

’She was very likely to leak information about their group, especially to Nina Jacobs.’

"So she still made that choice."

After learning what had happened, Simon Abbott didn’t seem too surprised.

"She was still hung up on the scraps she used to get from Nina Jacobs," Renee Strong said with a sneer.

"What about Austin Young? Didn’t he go with you?"

Hannah Grant couldn’t understand what they were talking about.

She looked around and realized Austin Young hadn’t returned with Liam Grant and Renee Strong.

"He... was accidentally scratched by a zombie."

Liam Grant hesitated for a moment.

Austin Young was also a Space Superpower User. Liam had originally planned to store the cache of weapons in Austin’s space, but something had happened to him on the way there.

"That’s a real shame," Simon Abbott said regretfully.