Chapter 142: A Reward for Answering

It sounded like a lot of vehicles had arrived outside.

Nina Jacobs was still trying to process it.

The man beside her was like a mouse seeing a cat—he vanished in a flash.

???

’What in the world is he so afraid of?’ Nina Jacobs wondered.

"Let’s go. We should head back for now."

She really wanted to trade for the Gold Bars with that man.

But it looked like that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon.

The stairwell faced a heavy, closed metal gate.

Just as Nina and her companion were about to head upstairs, the gate crashed down with a deafening BOOM.

"Listen up, everyone!

We’re looking for someone. There’s a reward for anyone who reports them!"

A group of people charged in, and the man standing in the center shouted.

The air was silent for several seconds.

Everyone turned to look.

"Everyone, what is the meaning of this?"

Stephen Rhodes stepped forward and asked.

"What’s the meaning?

Let me ask you, have any new Superpower Users arrived today?"

Jordan Vaughn scanned the crowd and demanded.

’New Superpower Users?’

Nina Jacobs watched the group with interest.

’If they’re talking about new Superpower Users, that would include me and Wayne Warner.’

Stephen Rhodes’s expression didn’t change as he said,

"We have people coming and going here every day.

How would we know who’s new and who’s old?"

"Yeah, is this any way to look for someone?

Looks to me like you’re just looking for trouble!"

A few men who had been playing cards threw down their hands and stood up one after another.

Besides them, many others emerged from the surrounding rooms.

They stood behind Stephen Rhodes, glaring menacingly at the sudden intruders.

Their presence was no less intimidating than the intruders’.

"As long as you all cooperate,

we have no intention of causing unnecessary trouble.

On the contrary, there will be a reward of supplies."

A woman in a tight-fitting tracksuit walked in.

Behind her was a man in a sharp suit, his leather shoes polished to a mirror shine.

Jane Dixon had expected them to jump at the mention of a reward.

But to her surprise, no one paid them any mind.

"I’ll ask again.

Are there any new teams of Superpower Users,

or any Superpower Users who returned this afternoon?"

Jane Dixon asked.

Still, no one answered.

The man behind her seemed to grow impatient and waved a hand to someone behind him.

A woman came in, dragging a little boy by the collar.

Stephen Rhodes’s face changed instantly.

"Yuri?

Let him go!"

Autumn Lewis panicked at the sight; that was her and Stephen Rhodes’s child, Yuri Rhodes.

"As long as you tell the truth,

the child won’t be harmed in the slightest."

Phoebe Vance said.

"Bad guys! You’re all big liars!"

Yuri Rhodes struggled angrily.

Just moments ago, these people had said they were just asking for directions, so he’d told them about the hideout. He never imagined they would grab him right after.

"Don’t you dare hurt the child!

Or I’ll fight you to the death!"

Stephen Rhodes yelled.

A whole case of instant noodles was thrown onto the ground.

"We’re just looking for someone.

Whoever speaks up gets this,

and you’ll be saving the kid at the same time."

Phoebe Vance didn’t believe that a case of instant noodles wouldn’t tempt anyone.

Sure enough, everyone present stared intently at the case of noodles on the ground.

But still, no one spoke up.

Stephen Rhodes and his wife also seemed to be hesitating.

However, their primary concern was Yuri.

This surprised Nina Jacobs as well.

’I remember Stephen Rhodes mentioning it when he let me in.

The only new arrivals today were me and Wayne Warner.

And I only gave him a small bag of flour.

Are they really protecting me, a total stranger?’

"Wayne Warner, go get the noodles."

Nina Jacobs said suddenly.

"Okay."

Before everyone’s eyes, Wayne Warner picked up the entire case of instant noodles from the ground.

Then he returned to his spot behind Nina Jacobs.

"So you know?"

Finn Hart looked at Nina Jacobs, a scornful sneer on his face.

’So much for their tough talk. A measly amount of supplies is all it takes to buy a survivor’s loyalty.’

"Of course I know.

The only people who arrived this afternoon are the two of us."

Nina Jacobs answered directly.

"What did you say?"

Jane Dixon stared at Nina, seemingly unable to comprehend her words.

"I’m saying,

that we came here for the first time this afternoon.

There’s no one else besides us.

So, are you going to let the child go now?"

Nina Jacobs retorted.

"Just the two of you?"

Finn Hart’s expression darkened.

They had already scanned the entire vicinity with a Spiritual Element Superpower.

Other than this place, there were no traces of anyone else nearby.

But how could two people possibly have cleared out all the supplies from the entire Verdant Supermarket?

"It’s true, it’s just the two of them.

We have a registration log here."

Seeing that Nina Jacobs had stepped forward, Stephen Rhodes brought out a registration book.

After reading the log, Phoebe Vance shook her head at Finn Hart.

She let go of the little boy, Yuri Rhodes, and turned to ask Nina Jacobs:

"Where did you come from?

And what are your Superpowers?"

"Is there a reward for answering?

I don’t believe I’m under any obligation to answer your questions, am I?"

Nina Jacobs asked with a smile.

Phoebe Vance frowned, then took out a five-pack of instant noodles.

"We came from City D.

I have a Fire Element Superpower, and he has a Strength Element.

Are there any other questions I can answer?"

Nina Jacobs seemed eager to keep answering.

"City D?

People from City D came all the way to City J?

Are you kidding me?"

Jane Dixon asked.

Right now, everyone from City J was flocking to City D. Why were these two going in the opposite direction?

Nina Jacobs held out her hand.

Phoebe Vance felt like they were being played for fools.

But the people around them started to jeer.

"Who was it just now that said there was a reward for answering questions?

You people wouldn’t go back on your word, would you?"

The one who spoke up was one of the male vendors who had been about to trade with Nina Jacobs earlier.

"Give it to her."

Finn Hart glared at Nina Jacobs.

’Let’s see what kind of story this woman can spin.’

Running from City D to City J was indeed unbelievable.

After receiving a few more packs of instant noodles, Nina Jacobs sighed and said:

"We got lost."

"What did you say?!"

Jane Dixon already had the urge to hit someone.

"We were being chased by a horde of zombies and ran for a long time.

I only remember passing a place called Hawthorne Village along the way.

Then we somehow ended up here."

Seeing the increasingly dark expressions on their faces, Nina Jacobs added helplessly:

"Every word I’ve said is true."

After hearing this, Phoebe Vance whispered a few words in Finn Hart’s ear. Apparently, the people they were looking for weren’t here.

"We’ll rest here tonight.

We’ll set out again tomorrow."

As Finn Hart said this, his eyes were still fixed on Nina Jacobs.

He still seemed to doubt her words.

However, Phoebe Vance had already confirmed that the route the woman described was indeed correct.

"Since it’s all a misunderstanding,

this can be resolved easily.

I’m the person in charge here..."

Stephen Rhodes had his wife take their son away while he began to negotiate with the group.

"You should have said so earlier! You came from City D?

What’s the situation over there right now?"

The tension in the air dissipated, and the people around them crowded around Nina Jacobs and her companion.

Nina didn’t hide anything, telling everyone about the situation at the shelter.

"I’d also like to ask you all for some directions.

Tonight, I’ll treat everyone to some noodles."

Nina Jacobs took a few more packs of dried noodles from Wayne Warner’s backpack.

There weren’t that many survivors in the abandoned construction site, so this would be enough to cook a large pot for everyone to share.