Chapter 171: False Whereabouts

The sky was just beginning to lighten.

But around Lockwood Squad, it was completely silent.

Viewed from above, the entire area looked like a patch of scorched earth.

The bodies of zombies and charred remains were piled up everywhere.

In an open space on the fourth floor, many people were sprawled on the ground, completely exhausted.

They had just survived a hellish night.

Until the very last zombie was killed.

"Heh heh heh...

We held out. We held out."

Julian Dempsey chuckled, leaning against a wall.

"Walsh? You’re awake?"

Molly Ulrich was handing out small amounts of water and food to everyone.

She was pleasantly surprised to see Walsh’s eyes open.

"Ms. Ulrich...

I... I’m still alive?"

Walsh looked down at his wound and saw that the Gold Spike was gone.

The wound still ached when he moved, but he felt much better.

"Walsh, you’re finally awake."

Eric Stone walked over, supported by Kurt Garrison.

On Nina Jacobs’s advice, the Gold Spike in Walsh’s wound had been removed using a Gold Element Superpower.

Combined with Pascal Paige’s healing technique, Walsh’s bleeding had miraculously stopped.

’I really have to thank Nina Jacobs.’

’If it weren’t for her, all of us would have died here last night.’

’No exceptions.’

"What about Uncle Stone and the others?"

A look of delight appeared in Walsh’s eyes.

But when he saw the expressions on their faces fall, he immediately understood.

Seeing Walsh lower his head, Molly Ulrich offered a few soft words of comfort.

Just then, Nina Jacobs came up, bringing Wayne Warner with her.

She had just found an empty room on another floor to let Wayne Warner eat something.

After all, for the past few days, Wayne Warner had only eaten a little bread and water.

’I was honestly worried he’d pass out from hunger again.’

’As for that Walsh, I also gave him some diluted Healing Potion yesterday when no one was looking.’

’Looks like he might make it after all.’

When Nina Jacobs appeared, Eric Stone and the others walked over to her.

"I’m Eric Stone. Thank you for what you did.

If it weren’t for you, all of us might have..."

Eric Stone looked at the clean, bright-eyed young woman before her.

’It was hard to imagine that such a woman was responsible for last night’s devastating display of power.’

"That’s right, we really owe you for this.

On behalf of all the members of Lockwood Squad, thank you."

Julian Dempsey added as he walked over.

"You had already killed a lot of zombies before I even woke up.

You protected yourselves, and you protected me.

Besides, I’ve already taken my payment."

Nina Jacobs responded.

She had collected most of the Zombie Crystal Cores from outside.

Of course, Eric Stone and the others had given them to her willingly.

’If it weren’t for Lockwood Squad, we would have struggled to find a safe place to stay for four or five days.’

’Plus, the system sent a lot of rewards.’

’Including the Healing Potion I received for saving them.’

"I hear you’re from City D?

We heard the City D Base is already starting to take shape, and we’re planning to head that way."

Kurt Garrison said.

Drakonia’s official app had been down for a while.

He had only started getting news from it again in the last couple of days.

The City D Base was already under construction.

Nina Jacobs nodded. "I was just about to head back to City D..."

Before she could finish, James Fletcher approached with a group of people in tow.

"Miss Jacobs, we’re also an official organization from City D—

the Superpower User Alliance. I wonder if you’ve heard of us?

If you’re interested, you could join our Alliance..."

"I refuse."

Nina Jacobs cut James Fletcher off flatly.

"Go back and tell your leader

to have Dylan Quinn stop causing trouble for me.

Otherwise, don’t blame me for what happens next."

"Dy-Dylan Quinn?

You know our second-in-command, Dylan Quinn?"

James Fletcher was utterly shocked.

"Of course. If he hadn’t chased us all the way to City J,

why would I be here?"

’It seems this James Fletcher doesn’t know Dylan Quinn is dead yet.’

’That’s for the best. After all, Wayne Warner is still with me.’

’If Tyson Hughes sees Wayne Warner later on, he’ll definitely get suspicious.’

’I can use this chance to plant some false information about Dylan Quinn’s whereabouts.’

’Since Dylan Quinn is already dust, they’ll never find him no matter how hard they look.’

"Right, right, Miss Jacobs.

We’ll be sure to pass on the message when we get back."

Thoroughly rebuffed, James Fletcher left in embarrassment.

It was only then that Nina Jacobs learned Finn Hart had already left with his men.

"They even wanted to take Chase Gallagher with them,

but luckily, Chase Gallagher couldn’t be bothered with them."

Pascal Paige took the water Nina Jacobs offered and gulped it down.

After drinking the water, she gradually started to feel much better.

She had nearly exhausted her Superpower Energy performing healing techniques last night.

"Letting them walk away was getting off easy."

Holden Shaw said resentfully.

But Finn Hart probably left so quickly because he was afraid Eric Stone would settle the score with them later.

He had lost quite a few of his own people this time as well.

They looked to be in a sorry state.

"Nina, are we going with the Lockwood Squad?"

Wendy Marshall asked.

The bus they’d parked outside had been destroyed.

And just a moment ago, Kurt Garrison from Lockwood Squad had invited them to travel to City D together.

"Yes, I’ve already agreed."

Nina Jacobs said.

’I had no reason to refuse.’

’They even offered to provide me with a car in good condition and a driver.’

"That’s great. We can all set off together in a little while, then."

Wendy Marshall noticed that Nina Jacobs didn’t seem the least bit tired.

She couldn’t help but marvel at Nina’s recovery speed.

Sitting in the car, Nina Jacobs felt her Superpower Energy recovering.

After using her Superpowers for several hours, her Superpower Energy had been almost completely depleted.

But after using a Superpower Enhancing Potion, her Superpower Energy had already recovered by eighty percent in less than three hours.

She was very satisfied with the results of her advancement.

It was probably related to the enhancing effect of the "Mystic Ice Core," which was why her advancement had taken nearly four full days to complete.

Her status on the system panel had also updated.

[Name: Nina Jacobs

Superpowers: Fire/Speed/Earth/Wood Element

Physical Strength Value: 60/100

Superpower Value: 50/100]

She had already tested it last night. After her advancement, all four of her Superpowers had reached the Intermediate level.

This discovery thrilled her.

However, she also understood that becoming an Intermediate Superpower User wasn’t particularly difficult.

The path from Intermediate to Advanced was a long one.

"They’re stopping up ahead. I’ll go see what’s happening."

Further down the road, Chase Gallagher, who was driving, stopped the car.

Eric Stone had offered to provide them with a driver, but Nina Jacobs had refused.

Most of them knew how to drive anyway.

"I’ll go take a look, too."

Holden Shaw noted that there didn’t seem to be any zombies outside.

’I wonder why they stopped.’

There were still nearly 200 survivors in the Lockwood Squad’s convoy.

Although James Fletcher and his group weren’t traveling with them,

with the addition of Nina Jacobs’s group, their convoy was seven or eight vehicles strong.

Just then, a battered commercial van came to a stop sideways in the middle of the road, blocking their path.

A few zombies were trailing behind the van.

But the people inside seemed too afraid to get out and deal with them.

Kurt Garrison simply used a long crossbow to pick off the zombies one by one.

Only then did a few young men and women emerge from the van.

"Hello, we’re students from J High School.

Where are you all headed?

Can we join you?"

A girl in the lead hurriedly spoke up when she saw Kurt Garrison roll down his window.