Chapter 155 - 143: Quarantine

’Just what kind of person is the leader here? Or rather, what level of superpower user must they be to have Second-level Superpower Users patrolling the outer perimeter of the base?’

’They must be at least Level 3, I’d bet.’

In their group of nineteen, she was a Second Level Water Element user, Neal Wallace was a Second Level Fire Element user, Cynthia Grant was a Second Level Plant Element user, her father and Sherman Lynch were both Level 1 Metal Element users, Ethan Monroe was a Level 1 Earth Element user, Shauna Wallace was a Level 1 Healing System user, Caleb was a Level 3 Spiritual Ability user, and Lucia was a Level 1 Water Element user. The remaining ten were ordinary people.

"When we get inside, get a feel for the place first. Keep a low profile, understand?" Flora Bloom said, her gaze landing specifically on Ethan Monroe and Cynthia Grant. One was a show-off, the other impulsive; she was most worried about those two.

"Got it."

She remembered from her past life that housing in the safe zones had to be purchased with Crystal Cores. To be safe, Flora gave each of the ordinary people a Crystal Core, then distributed some to the superpower users as well, including her father, Caleb Bloom, and Ethan Monroe.

"Once you’re inside, get settled. Don’t be stingy. Dad, you all go in first. Caleb and I will go into quarantine with Mom."

"Flora?" Caleb Bloom glanced at his daughter. When he saw her give him a pointed look, he said no more.

"Are you done talking yet?"

"Stop rushing us! We’re almost done!" Ethan Monroe snapped, glaring at the patrolman. He then said, "Seriously, Flora, after we fought tooth and nail for these Crystal Cores, giving so many of them away... it’s fucking painful!"

"Were you the one fighting for them?" Flora said bluntly, showing no regard for his pride. "We’ll discuss everything tomorrow when we regroup."

So Flora took her mother’s arm, held Caleb’s hand, and was about to head to the guard post when Shauna Wallace called out from behind.

"Could I have a Crystal Core, too?"

Seeing the beautiful, sexy, professional-looking woman before her, Flora gave her a Crystal Core without hesitation. It didn’t matter what she needed it for. The knowledge that Shauna had saved her little brother’s life, combined with her status as a Healing System user, filled Flora with goodwill toward her.

With so many people in their group, it took a long time for everyone to line up and fill out the registration forms. They had arrived in the early morning, and now, groups of people were beginning to emerge from inside the base. Some carried various weapons; they looked like teams heading out to hunt zombies.

It had been a long time since any newcomers had arrived at the base. The onlookers stopped to watch, trying to see which of the new arrivals were superpower users. Perhaps they could recruit some for their own teams.

But their gazes weren’t just sizing up potential superpower users. Most of the men’s eyes were glued to the women in Flora’s group.

How long had it been since they’d seen women so beautiful and clean? ’If they aren’t superpower users,’ they thought, ’how can we get our hands on them?’

Shauna Wallace was filling out her registration form in line ahead of Flora. With a casual glance, Flora saw that in the "Superpower" column, Shauna had written ’No’.

This made Flora’s opinion of her rise even higher. ’This woman isn’t just beautiful; she’s smart.’

The base was full of all sorts of people, and they didn’t yet know the lay of the land. With Shauna’s looks and figure, she could easily be targeted by those with malicious intent.

Healing System abilities had no offensive power before reaching a high level. Revealing her ability too early would make her a prize for the base’s various factions to fight over, thrusting her into the spotlight. It might even attract the attention of some powerful individual. "If I can’t have it, I’ll destroy it"—that was a common tactic for many of the powerful during the apocalypse as they gathered followers.

In this world, powerlessness was the original sin.

In the apocalypse, beautiful women without power lived a life comparable to hell. They clung to a miserable existence, wishing for death but not daring to seek it.

After the forms were filled, the superpower users had to demonstrate their abilities as proof. A Plant Element vine danced in Cynthia Grant’s palm, while Ethan Monroe’s Earth Element manifested as a clump of gravel in his. The Metal Element users, Caleb Bloom and Sherman Lynch, simply metalized their arms.

Once their abilities were tested, they were told to wait inside the gate. Lucia had eagerly written "Water Ability User" on her registration form. She then conjured a small ball of water in her palm for the registration staff before walking over to Cynthia Grant, who had already passed through.

The eyes that had been on Cynthia Grant immediately shifted to Lucia. Lucia seemed to relish the attention. Standing beside Cynthia, she lowered her head coquettishly, a faint smile playing on her lips. She was like a flower blooming out of season, a welcome sight on a late autumn day.

Having traveled with Flora, Cynthia Grant had never lacked food or clothing and had even developed a fussy habit of staying clean. Coupled with her own pretty face, she naturally stood out from those who hadn’t washed in a month.

But Lucia was different. She might be covered in dirt, but compared to Cynthia’s girlish, still-developing figure, Lucia’s body was far more curvaceous and alluring. The subtle sway of her hips, the way she stood with her legs together—that slender waist, full bottom, and long legs—were enough to make lustful men overlook the grime.

Cynthia Grant walked away in disgust to stand on the other side of Sherman Lynch. Staring at Lucia with contempt, she muttered, "Look at her, striking a pose. Who is she even showing off for?"

Joel Bloom witnessed the entire scene. With a grim expression, he followed a man from inside the base toward a low-rise building to the side. Soon after, Flora, Shauna Wallace, Lisa, and the others were also led into the same building.

Before they were separated, Flora had the little white tiger and the big white goose go into the main part of the base with Cynthia Grant’s group.

They followed behind a hunchbacked man, with a tall, skinny man from the same escort party trailing at the very rear.

Before entering the low-rise building, they had to take off their backpacks and hand them over for safekeeping to a short, fat man with a scruffy beard.

When the short, fat man noticed Flora and Shauna Wallace, a lecherous glint flared in his eyes, though he quickly masked it.

He led Flora’s group to the building’s entrance with a fawning smile. Rubbing his hands together, he pointed at the hunchback. "Men, follow him to the left. Women, you’re with me." After speaking, he glanced at the tall, skinny man at the rear of the group.

Caleb, holding Flora’s hand, was about to follow her when the short, fat man called out, "Hey, kid. Boys go with that uncle. This way is for the girls."

Flora frowned at the short, fat man. "He’s my little brother. He’s young, he can stay with us. It’s just quarantine. Does it need to be so complicated?"

Flora’s gaze was chillingly clear, making the short, fat man shudder. For some reason, he sensed a faint threat in the girl’s eyes, as if something would happen if he refused.

"W-well, alright then. As long as you don’t mind the squeeze."

The short, fat man shot a resentful glare at Caleb, then led the women to their destination.

To call it a quarantine room was generous. To be blunt, it was no bigger than one of those old pre-apocalypse ATM vestibules. Inside was a simple toilet and a few long benches—nothing else. There wasn’t even a screen for the toilet.

The moment Flora stepped inside, she was hit by a strange smell. It wasn’t just the stench of sewage rising from the toilet; a faint, sordid odor also hung in the air. Clearly, this room had been used for more than just quarantine.

"You’ll be quarantined in here for twenty-four hours. Someone will come get you when the time is up." With a final glance at Flora and Shauna, he sauntered out. As the door closed, they heard the sound of a lock turning from the other side.