Chapter 242 - 230: Spiritual Ability Users Are Rare, It Would Be a Pity to Lose One

"Heh. What if I say no? What are you going to do?"

A murderous glint flashed across the man’s face. "Then I’ll just have to find a way to make you apologize."

The superpowers of two Plant Ability users in the man’s group suddenly surged. Several silver vines shot up from beneath Flora Bloom’s feet, wrapping around her slender calves.

Her calves were fair and slender, and the silvery-green vines now wrapped around them had clearly visible thorns. Just as the thorns were about to pierce her skin, a burst of fire erupted from her legs. It not only ignited the vines, instantly burning them away, but also raced along them toward a tall, thin man in the other group.

The True Sun Fire was explosive and tyrannical. A Second Level Fire Ability User beside the man tried to control it, but to no avail. Instead, the flames spread to his own hands and proved impossible to extinguish.

That Middle Level Plant Ability user’s hands were instantly incinerated to black charcoal that scattered with a gust of wind. He howled in agony, pleading with his leader, "Boss, save me! My hands! I’m going to be burned alive!"

The leader frowned, saying nothing as he glanced at the Fire Ability Users in his group. His face turned grim when he saw them shake their heads. Meanwhile, the Fire Ability User who had also been touched by Flora Bloom’s True Sun Fire was using all his might to resist the tiny spark that had landed on him. He was horrified to discover that the superpower he used to fight the flame was instead being absorbed by it. The miniscule spark flared, and before he could react, his entire hand had turned to ash.

Flora Bloom shot the leader a sarcastic look. "So, it looks like I won’t be apologizing after all, right?"

The leader’s face was grim, the murderous glint returning to his eyes. "Do you have any idea what the consequences are for provoking me?"

Flora Bloom smiled sweetly. "I have no idea what the consequences are for provoking you. But as for provoking me... well, I think you’re learning about those right now." With that, she slowly walked over to Tianna Bloom and picked up the three bee carcasses that had been sliced in half by Wind Blades, along with two worker bees whose limbs had been severed but were still barely breathing.

"You killed several of my pets. I’ll consider the lives of two of your men as compensation."

"You bitch! You dare kill our people!" A young man in the group, who looked no older than seventeen or eighteen, suddenly shouted, his face livid with rage. Simultaneously, a wave of foreign spiritual power surged from him, assailing the vortex of Flora Bloom’s mind.

But Flora Bloom’s spiritual power was immense, further enhanced by a bonus from her space. A Spiritual Ability User hovering between the Second and Level 3 was no match for her.

She merely gave the young man a cool glance. "A Spiritual Ability is rare. I advise you to cherish it. Don’t go around looking for trouble. It would be a shame if you were to... lose it."

With that, Flora Bloom walked through the isolation door, cradling the three bee carcasses. As she left, she added coolly, "This area is my territory. Anyone who forces their way in without my permission will be attacked by my swarm."

"Oh, and by the way, if even one more of my bees dies because of anyone on your team, I’ll take one of your people’s lives to make up for it. Understand?"

The leader’s face was so dark it looked as if it might drip ink. He stared at the isolation door for a long while. At that very moment, the two men in his group who had been touched by the woman’s strange fire finally crumbled into ash.

The meaningful smile Flora Bloom had given the man who attacked her with spiritual power replayed in the leader’s mind, impossible to forget.

"Who the hell is this woman? Why didn’t anyone investigate this place properly before we came?" Zane Locke’s face was grim, his anger flaring. "Weren’t we told Morgan Sterling was the only Middle Level Wind Ability User in this base? This woman not only controls a swarm of bees, she’s also a Fire Ability User! And you’re telling me none of you found any intel on her?!"

"Boss, we... we really didn’t find any information on her. It’s like she appeared out of thin air. There’s no way she’s one of Morgan Sterling’s people!"

"Then what are you waiting for? Go investigate!"

"Yes, sir! Right away!"

As his subordinate scurried away, Zane Locke suddenly turned to Tianna Bloom and Kirk Warren, a smile gracing his lips.

"Tianna, my apologies. I meant to stand up for you, but I never expected that wicked woman to be so powerful. I even lost two of my men because of it."

Tianna Bloom noted Zane Locke’s obviously fake smile and scoffed inwardly, but on the surface, she put on a matching expression of disappointment and sorrow.

"Captain Locke, I’m so sorry. My cousin is just so shameless and arrogant. For her to have offended you... please, don’t hold it against her."

Tianna Bloom watched his expression carefully as she spoke. A murderous glint flashed in Zane Locke’s eyes. "Not hold it against her? Tianna, she killed two of my brothers. This feud won’t end until one of us is dead."

The Spiritual Ability User glanced at Tianna Bloom. "Hey, don’t be so naive. That cousin of yours is a menace. You should stay far away from her, unless you want to get hurt too!"

Tianna Bloom couldn’t suppress a slight smile at his words, but it was instantly replaced by a look of utter heartbreak. "Sigh... It’s just that my cousin is so... I can’t control her anymore!"

Zane Locke gave Tianna Bloom a meaningful look. "Tianna, I don’t suppose you’ve joined a squad yet? If you haven’t, you’re welcome to join my team."

At Zane Locke’s words, Kirk Warren frowned. "Tianna has already joined our team." ’Although Tianna Bloom is pretentious, her strength as an Ice Ability User can’t be underestimated,’ she thought. ’Keeping her at our house is the same as keeping her on my brother’s and my team.’

Kirk Warren’s words made Tianna Bloom’s expression freeze for a second, but she immediately turned back to Zane Locke with a smile. "That’s right. I’m new to Morhaven and just joined Captain Seth Warren’s team. But it’s the apocalypse; we humans should help each other out. If you ever need any help, you can always come and find me."

A smile played on Zane Locke’s lips. "Even better. I’ve heard great things about Captain Seth Warren. We’ll be sure to impose on you once we’re settled. And by the way, don’t be so formal. My name is Zane Locke. It wouldn’t be out of line for you to call me Brother Zane, would it, Tianna?"

Tianna Bloom lowered her eyes, offering a coquettish smile. "Brother Zane, Coco and I will be on our way then."

Zane Locke watched the two women’s retreating figures, the smile slowly fading from his face. "Get more intel on the current situation in this base. We’re going to pay our respects to Leader Morgan."

They had started as a group of thirty, and now, right after arriving, they were down two. It was an inauspicious start. But when you enter someone else’s territory, you still have to pay respects to the one in charge.

However, when the remaining twenty-eight people arrived at Morgan Sterling’s villa, a tall, heavyset man emerged from within. Two men and a woman followed behind him, having just exited the villa themselves.

Zane Locke assumed these people were Morgan Sterling’s subordinates, so he ignored them and walked straight toward the main gate. He was stopped by the heavyset man just as his foot touched the first step.

"Hold it, pal. This is private property. What do you think you’re doing?"

Zane Locke’s face remained impassive. One of his men stepped up and said, "Our boss is here to see your Leader Morgan. Move it."

Ethan Monroe looked at the unfamiliar faces and comprehension dawned. "Leader Morgan? He’s long dead. This place belongs to our boss now! Outsiders aren’t welcome!"