Chapter 299: Still From City F

"The Commander said only the representatives need to go in,"

"the representative for your Bishop Clan, and the one from the base."

Aiden Gordon said.

Shirley Lucas and the others were all shocked.

’We haven’t mentioned our origins at all. How do these people know we’re from a base?’

"You should go. You’re the representative for Falken Base, after all."

Seeing Adrian Shaw look at her, Nina Jacobs said this intentionally.

Adrian Shaw froze for a second before nodding.

It seemed they were from Falken Base after all.

Shirley Lucas and the others exchanged a look. Since Aiden Gordon didn’t question Nina Jacobs’s words, they all understood instantly.

’These people know we’re from a base, but they don’t know which one.’

After Trevor and Adrian Shaw followed Aiden Gordon inside, one of the men tasked with watching the group couldn’t help but glance at Nina Jacobs again.

The young woman seemed so quiet, yet all the big, strapping men around her were watching her for cues.

’Could it be...’

Nina Jacobs had no idea what he was thinking.

Just then, a man’s appearance caught Nina Jacobs’s eye.

The man was tall and rather handsome. He walked straight toward the conference room, and the guards didn’t seem to have any intention of stopping him.

"Hey, lady, that’s our Commander’s man. The guys you have are already pretty good; I’d give up on this one."

One of the men assigned to watch them said, standing beside Nina Jacobs.

???

Nina’s gaze was baffled. ’What is he talking about?’

"I get it, though. In this apocalypse, women are a rare commodity. One woman with several men is pretty normal..."

"Oh, right. My name’s Joshua Singer."

This wasn’t the first time Joshua Singer had seen a group like this; he was used to it. That’s why his mind immediately went to the gutter when he saw both Adrian Shaw and Trevor looking to Nina Jacobs for direction.

"..."

Nina Jacobs wasn’t an idiot; she understood what he was implying.

But instead of explaining, she said with a knowing look, "No wonder he can go right in."

"Exactly. No wonder our Commander likes a man like that. He’s a smooth talker, obedient, has a great body..."

"I heard you have five top experts here. Is he one of them?"

Nina Jacobs realized that Joshua Singer was quite the chatterbox.

She’d ask one question, and he’d give ten sentences in reply.

"Him?

He’s not. He’s a Space Superpower User, which is why he’s so obedient. But our Commander isn’t stupid; she doesn’t keep most of the supplies with him. Says it’s for his own safety, but who knows, right?"

Joshua Singer prattled on.

Nina Jacobs nodded. ’It seems Oceane Sutton doesn’t fully trust him.’

Inside the room, Adrian Shaw found Oceane Sutton’s words laughable.

Oceane Sutton was the Commander here, and she had just demanded that they stay and join her group.

"That’s impossible. Our people will never leave their homeland."

Trevor replied.

Oceane Sutton, who sat to one side, looked to be about twenty-eight or twenty-nine. She had curly hair, red lips, and a classic tweed miniskirt that made her look mature and sophisticated.

But when she saw the man enter, she immediately rose to greet him.

"Let me introduce you. This is my husband, Edric Holden."

"Walter, this is Mr. Trevor of the Bishop Clan,"

"and this is Mr. Sterling, from Falken Base."

Oceane Sutton introduced them.

Aurelius Sterling was a name Adrian Shaw had made up on the spot.

"Falken Base?"

Edric Holden sized up Adrian Shaw and asked, "I heard your Commander has been recuperating at the base for the past two months. Is his health any better?"

Adrian Shaw looked puzzled. "What are you talking about? Our Commander Donovan is in excellent health. He was just at another base for an event a short while ago."

’Kael Dolan is perfectly healthy; he hasn’t been recuperating.’

’This guy is testing me.’

At that, Edric Holden smiled. "I must have misremembered. Things have been hectic lately."

He glanced at Trevor, then said to Oceane Sutton, "Oceane, I know how much you value talented people, but the warriors of the Bishop Clan can’t leave the Bishop Tribe. We should respect that."

"So you’re planning to let them leave, Walter?"

Oceane Sutton asked, tilting her head.

"Of course we have to let them leave."

Edric Holden’s words made Trevor wonder if he had misheard.

In the past, he might have started to let his guard down. But before he even came in, Nina Jacobs had told him not to trust a single person here.

Sure enough, with Oceane Sutton playing along, Edric Holden stated his conditions.

"What business do you have with the Bishop Clan?"

Hearing Edric Holden’s words, alarm bells went off in Adrian Shaw’s head.

’This Edric Holden wants to go to the Bishop Clan with them?’

’Does he know something?’

"I just have an appreciation for the Bishop Clan’s culture. Let’s just say I’m trying to satisfy my own curiosity."

Edric Holden said with a smile.

"How can you go alone? Besides, if something were to happen to you, there’s no telling what I might do."

Oceane Sutton turned back to Trevor. "So, warrior, can you take our people with you to the Bishop Clan?"

Outside the door, Nina Jacobs also heard their conversation.

She couldn’t help but frown. Something about this felt wrong.

Then she heard Oceane Sutton try to appeal to their emotions:

"I heard about what happened before. It was indeed Aiden Gordon and his men’s fault."

"But Miss Maya Warner from your tribe wasn’t harmed at all, was she?"

"Maya Warner should never have been in a position to be harmed in the first place."

Trevor said, his voice tinged with anger.

’Maya Warner, and all the tribe members who died... they should all have been safe and sound.’

"So, you’re choosing to do this the hard way?"

Oceane Sutton’s voice turned cold.

Edric Holden immediately stepped in to mediate. "This is all just a misunderstanding. Oceane, everyone, let’s not get angry."

"It’s getting late. Why don’t we let the warriors rest here for the night?"

"Maybe by tomorrow morning, this whole misunderstanding will be cleared up."

Adrian Shaw looked at Edric Holden with amusement.

’He’s quite the peacemaker.’

But after all this, it was indeed getting late. Remembering Elara Thorne’s advice, Adrian Shaw held his tongue for the time being.

Adrian Shaw refused the accommodations that Oceane Sutton had her people arrange.

"Separating our people? Not a chance."

After leaving the conference room, Adrian Shaw told Nina Jacobs what had happened.

Oceane Sutton had offered them rooms, but Adrian Shaw had insisted they would just rest in the courtyard beneath the high walls.

Because if their group was split up, they would likely fall into a trap.

"If they want to go to the Bishop Clan, why don’t they just go themselves?"

Shirley Lucas asked, confused.

"Because the path to the Bishop Clan can only be found with a clansman to guide you."

Greg Unger held Maya Warner’s hand, as if afraid she might run off again.

In any case, Maya Warner was safely back with them now. The trip hadn’t been for nothing.

"Do you think someone could have leaked information about the Prayer Stone?"

Nina Jacobs voiced her suspicion.

That Edric Holden had no reason to go to the Bishop Clan, and it certainly wasn’t for some "cultural exchange."

The only thing she could think of was the Mystic Ice Core.

"Come to think of it... they did ask me about a type of stone before."

Maya Warner, who was sitting with the others on a bus, immediately remembered something when she heard what Nina Jacobs said.

"Did you tell them?" Greg Unger asked quickly.