Paige Summers had only just begun to entertain the idea of establishing her own territory. In this, Nora Lowell was undoubtedly a step ahead. She was already scheming tirelessly to make that very idea a reality.
The Power Corps, led by Sheldon Reid, had already arrived Outside Norgate and set up camp.
An army of nearly eight thousand strong had pitched a sea of tents, a truly spectacular sight.
Of course, it wasnāt just about the spectacle.
The incidence of Superpower Users was about one percent. This meant that among Astoriaās nearly one hundred million survivors, approximately one million were Superpower Users.
The number seemed vast, but in reality, a large portion of these individuals possessed weaker, support-type superpowers, or even non-combat "lifestyle" abilities. The number of Superpower Users truly capable of being a main fighting force was not as large as one might think. Dispersed among Astoriaās various bases, large and small, they were even scarcer.
Besides, not all Superpower Users were inclined to join the military. In this day and age, there was no shortage of people who preferred to remain unaffiliated.
Yet Sheldon Reid alone controlled eight thousand combat-ready Superpower Usersāif anything, it was more, not less.
It was, without a doubt, a terrifying number.
Otherwise, how could he remain completely secure in his position despite the many in the Central City Government who were displeased with him? What was the source of his power?
It wasnāt the prestige his father had left behind, but simply the army under his command.
But for all his numbers, how many of those soldiers were truly loyal to Sheldon Reid? If he didnāt hold the title of Commandant, how many would still follow him?
That was the question.
But Sheldon Reid wouldnāt waste time on such hypotheticals. He was the one sitting in the Commandantās chair, and he had eight thousand soldiers at his command.
Nora Lowell, however, was different.
She would.
And she wouldnāt just think about it; she would analyze it from every angle.
For instance, now that Commander Walshās illegitimate son and adjutant, Landon Howell, was utterly smitten and obeyed her every command, wasnāt it time to proceed to the next step?
At midnight, Nora Lowell stood in a large tree far from the encampment, gazing toward Norgate through a tangle of branches.
Beneath a sky like black velvet, the cityās faint spires reflected in her eyes, which glinted with malice.
She was lost in thought when the trunk of the tree trembled slightly. A satisfied smile immediately touched her lips.
"Baby, Iāve been dying to see you!"
As the man whispered in a low voice, Landon Howell eagerly pulled her into an embrace, his hands starting to roam.
But Noraās smile vanished, and she firmly pushed his hands away.
"Business first!"
"What business? Isnāt this the most important business there is?!"
"Shut up! Listen to me!" Nora whispered, rebuffing Landon Howellās advances with an air she felt was supremely commanding.
She put on a serious expression. Landon Howell could only retreat sullenly, leaning back against a thick branch. "Fine, talk," he said, lazy and distracted. "Iām listening."
āHis behavior is so different from others under my Charm,ā Nora thought, a flicker of unease crossing her mind. But then the man took her hand, his intimate voice sounding once more. "Baby, hurry up and tell me. When youāre done, we have to go a round. No! Two rounds. Mmm, that still feels a little short, but never mind. Two it is!"
In the darkness, Landon Howellās handsome face looked as if sculpted from stoneārugged, yet not without a hint of gentleness. His eyes seemed to overflow with deep, affectionate love.
A warmth instantly filled Noraās heart, and she cast her doubts aside.
She couldnāt help but reach out to caress his face, speaking as if baring her soul. "You treat me so well, and I hate that we always have to be so secretive. But with Sheldon Reid around, Iām afraid we can never be together out in the open! You have no idea how much it hurts me."
"Sheldon Reid?" Landon Howell eyed her with suspicion. "Donāt tell me heās..."
Realizing sheād led him down the wrong path, Nora quickly backtracked. "Itās not like that. Where is your mind going? Iām talking about his orders. On the surface, heās sending me to negotiate with Gryphon Lowell, but in reality, heās just planning to use it as a chance to kill him. My father-daughter ties with Gryphon Lowell were severed long ago. He wonāt hesitate to act for fear of hurting me. Once the plot is exposed, Iām afraid Iāll be the first person Sheldon will want to kill..."
Before she could finish, Landon Howell pulled her into a fierce hug. "I wonāt let you die!" he declared.
Nora pressed herself against him, whispering in his ear, "Iām not afraid of dying. Iām just afraid Iāll never see you again! Landon, I love you!"
As she said the word "love," her voice sounded a bit strained.
She vaguely knew that her feelings for Landon Howell werenāt purely for the sake of using him. Unconsciously, some unexpected affection had indeed taken root.
He treated her so well.
She was only human, and she needed warmth, too.
No man had ever respected her so much, had put her will first. He was exactly the kind of lover she needed! While securing a place for herself in this apocalyptic world was more important to her, that didnāt mean she couldnāt also find love along the way!
Besides, this man would be a great asset to her future.
Noraās voice softened. "I know how you feel, but in your position, even if you objected, why would Sheldon Reid ever listen to you?"
Hearing her bare her heart, Landon was both agitated and lost. "Then what can we do? How can we convince him?"
Nora pushed him away gently and said earnestly, "Why bother convincing him? Havenāt I told you before? Everyone thinks he became Commandant through his own merit, but heās just coasting on Commandant Reidās coattails. The man himself has no real ability! Heās nothing compared to Commander Walsh, who has popularity and prestige within the army and is also a brilliant strategist. As long as Commander Walsh decides to take his place, conquering Norgate will be a certainty. Afterward, Commander Walsh will surely lead the troops back to Central City to take control of the Power Corps. Norgate will need a new governor, and you can recommend yourself. With your talent, Iām sure youāll get the position easily. And then, who could stop us from being together? I could even show you where I lived as a child. We could live a quiet life in Norgate... Wouldnāt that be nice?"
"Yes, of course, that would be wonderful!" Landon said, his face full of longing. But a moment later, he frowned. "Actually, Iāve been dropping hints to the Commander just like you said, about using this as an opportunity to seize power for himself. But he always finds an excuse to change the subject! Itās so frustrating!"
"And how does he act toward you afterward?"
"No different. Same as always."
Nora nodded confidently. "That proves it. Didnāt you say heās been meeting with several other commanders recently, always in secret? It means heās already considering it. Heās probably already made some arrangements behind the scenes and is just waiting for the right opportunity."
"An opportunity? An opportunity!" Landon mused for a moment before his eyes lit up with excitement. "Thatās it! Weāll use these negotiations as our pretext! We can..."
Nora listened, nodding in satisfaction.
From what Landon had told her about Commander Walshās recent activities, she had already guessed that a burning ambition to seize power lay hidden beneath the manās deferential exterior.
For her, this was the best news she could have hoped for.
As long as Walsh could gain control of the Power Corps, he would absolutely send the person closest to him to govern Norgate.
And given his fondness for Landon, there was a greater than ninety percent chance that person would be his illegitimate son.
And she, of course, would stay behind with Landon.
āAt that point, wouldnāt it be obvious who the true City Lord of Norgate would be!ā
āAnd taking a step back, even if Walsh proved incompetent, his rebellion would at least deal a heavy blow to Sheldon Reidās power. Then, I could activate my backup plan.ā
āBesides, a defeated man is always fragile, always in need of comfort. I certainly wonāt pass up that opportunity.ā The thought of controlling Sheldon Reid, of making him her puppet... Nora trembled with excitement at the very possibility.
It wasnāt love, but a lust for conquest far more potent that instantly consumed her.
In the branches of the tree, the conversation gave way to suppressed moans. When all fell quiet, Nora, her body aching but satisfied, was the first to leave.
A long moment passed. Landon Howell, still perched in the tree, felt his expression shift. The cold hatred and mockery that had been lurking in the depths of his eyes from the very beginning finally vanished, replaced by a brilliant, excited gleam that shone brightly in the pitch-black night.
āThings are progressing far more smoothly than I expected,ā he thought. āIt looks like itās almost time to wrap this up.ā
He had been waiting for this day for a long, long time. So long that through all the humiliation, he had almost truly become someone else.