Just as Daniel Hale frowned and was about to say something, Nina Jacobs spoke first:
"The security team is tasked with patrols, maintaining the baseâs security, and stopping threats before they occur."
"Since when does that include holding trials?"
"Besides, I had no quarrel with the deceased."
"Why are you and this woman conspiring to frame me?"
"Are you two in this together?"
Apparently not expecting Nina Jacobs to be so sharp-tongued, Zephyr Lucasâs expression flickered with panic for a moment:
"I was just trying to save time."
"Since Miss Jacobs is unwilling to cooperate, we can just drop it."
"What do you mean, âjust drop itâ?"
"Thatâs slander. Shouldnât you apologize when youâve made a false accusation?"
Sherry Renner blocked Zephyr Lucasâs way.
"If you donât apologize today, then weâre going to the security team to sort this out and see whoâs really in the right."
"Get out of my way."
Seeing the growing crowd, and even his own security team members looking at him with confusion, Zephyr Lucas had no choice but to concede:
"My apologies, Miss Jacobs. I was being too hasty."
Watching the crowd gradually disperse and the other group depart, Nina Jacobs turned to head back inside.
"Itâs getting late. Letâs go back and get ready to head out."
"Captain, this is almost certainly another one of Crawfordâs schemes."
Warren Ramsey couldnât help but step forward and say.
That Nerissa Sutton was Hugo Crawfordâs woman, but now she was dead right on Nina Jacobsâs doorstep.
"Donât worry about it."
"Let them stir up whatever trouble they want."
Nina Jacobsâs calm demeanor reassured Wayne Abbott and the others.
"Our new captain, she really knows how to stay cool under pressure."
Inside Building 73, Warren Ramsey said in praise.
If he had been in her shoes, he probably wouldâve blown a gasket.
But Nina Jacobs acted as if nothing had happened at all.
The others nodded in agreement. "Itâs probably because of Daniel Hale, right? Theyâre family, so theyâre not afraid of that Hugo Crawford fellow."
"Thatâs not it. Our captain is plenty strong on her own,"
Alaric Fletcher said.
"Alright, alright, we know youâre the captainâs biggest fan."
"Weâre not saying she isnât."
Valerian, one of the team members, said with a smile.
They hadnât witnessed Nina Jacobsâs true strength.
Their feelings toward her were mostly gratitude and respect.
"So none of you suspect her, not even a little?"
A voice cut in, and everyone turned to look.
"What are you talking about, Althea? Isnât it obvious?"
"Thereâs no way the Captain would kill that woman."
Eleanor wondered if Althea Coleman was still half-asleep.
"Oh, not really. Iâm just saying itâs a possibility, you know?"
Althea Coleman feigned innocence.
Wayne Abbott frowned. "Althea Coleman, donât say things like that again."
"Besides, itâs not a possibility."
Nina Jacobs was young, around the same age as Althea Coleman.
But in Wayne Abbottâs eyes, Nina Jacobs was a person of great depth and shrewdness.
She would never do something as foolish as killing someone on her own doorstep.
Although Wayne Abbott was no longer the captain, he still held a degree of authority among them.
Althea Coleman immediately apologized. "I know, Abbott. I was just kidding."
"Althea, sheâs our benefactor,"
"Even if you like to joke around, you canât make jokes about her."
Rosamund Hayes said with a resigned look, setting out bowls and utensils for everyone.
"I really didnât mean anything by it."
"I wonât say it again. Letâs just eat breakfast."
Althea Coleman hadnât expected that in just a few short days, everyone would already be hanging on their new captainâs every word.
The morning sun was already blazing high in the sky.
Two cars pulled to a stop in a flat, open space.
It looked like an abandoned basketball court.
Since it was enclosed by a chain-link fence, there were only a few zombies inside.
But the moment they stepped out of their vehicles, a horde of zombies swarmed the outside of the fence.
"This... is our training ground for today?"
Alaric Fletcher instantly grew tense.
Previously, they had only dared to kill zombies near the base.
The farthest theyâd gone was only a half-hour drive away.
But today, it had taken them over an hour to get here.
The farther they were from the base, the more zombies they encountered.
ROAR!
All the zombies outside the fence were roaring, their mouths agape.
They could feel the pressure mounting.
But Alaric Fletcher also noticed that Holden Shaw and Chase Gallagher showed no reaction.
Even Leo Hale looked eager for a fight.
It was as if this was routine for them.
"Captain Jacobs, isnât this place a little too dangerous?"
Althea Coleman couldnât help but say.
Chase Gallagher frowned at her.
Nina Jacobs, however, didnât seem angry. "Why donât you wait in the car? Itâs safe there."
âWait in the car...â
âHow could I possibly do that?â
Feeling her teammatesâ eyes on her, Althea Coleman quickly said:
"Itâs fine, Captain. I can handle it."
Nina Jacobs said no more, turning instead to Wayne Abbott and the others:
"As I said yesterday, and in line with your own thoughts,"
"You will need to stay here for at least six hours today."
âSix hours...â
Eleanorâs face paled.
But remembering that this was training, she shouted her assent along with everyone else.
"Looks like weâre going all out today, hahaha!"
As Warren Ramsey spoke, Leo Hale was already using his Gold Element Superpower to open one of the basketball courtâs gates.
ROAR ROAR ROAR!
As zombies squeezed through the opening, a sharp Wind Blade shot out, slicing off half of oneâs head.
To the astonishment of Wayne Abbott and the others, a few more zombies were suddenly sliced into pieces as they ran, as if they had hit an invisible trap.
"Hehehe, if you guys donât put in some effort,"
"you wonât even get a chance to fight."
Leo Hale said.
As if to prove his point, Holden Shaw became a blur, lopping off the heads of several zombies in quick succession.
Even Wendy Marshallâs Water Needles could pierce straight through a zombieâs eye socket.
"So, before..."
Wayne Abbott was too stunned to speak.
He suddenly understood. Before, when Chase Gallagher had taken them out, he had just been protecting them while they did the killing.
This was their true strength.
Nina Jacobs also took note of Jessica Vanceâs performance.
She had transformed from the timid girl she once was into a ruthless zombie-killing machine.
Every move was deliberate and deadly.
Previously, Nina Jacobs had only given Holden Shaw and Chase Gallagher Mystic Ice Cores to absorb. Now, it seemed, the time was right to give them to Jessica Vance and the others.
"Mr. Vance, take me with you!"
A young manâs eyes lit up as he watched. His name was Theodore Thorne, and like Eleanor, he was a Wind Element Superpower User.
Since Nina Jacobs had told them to learn from Jessica Vance yesterday, he immediately fell in behind her.
As for Chase Gallagher, he was a Dual Element user with Speed and Wind. Even if Theodore wanted to follow him, he couldnât possibly keep up...
More and more zombies poured onto the court.
Althea Coleman noticed that Nina Jacobs was just standing on the sidelines, watching them kill zombies.
More than half an hour passed, and Nina Jacobs still hadnât lifted a finger.
The tall man beside her, Wayne Warner, protected her so thoroughly that not even the Superpowers of Mutated Zombies could get close.
"Iâm so envious of the Captain, having such an expert to protect her."
Althea Coleman deftly dodged a Wood Element Mutated Zombie.
She then slipped behind Elara Dolan.
Left with no choice, Elara Dolan had to face the zombie herself.
And Nina Jacobs saw all of it.
Including what Althea Coleman had just said.
"Elara Dolan, with a Fire Element Superpower, you have to focus on speed, or your impact will be severely weakened."
Nina Jacobs said.
According to Chase Gallagher, Elara Dolan had a very low presence in the team.
Hearing her name called out, Elara Dolan grew even more flustered.
The Superpower she was holding went wide, and a moment later, a vine shot out and wrapped around her wrist.