Upon hearing what Nathan Thorne said, the expressions on both Sierra Sullivan and Jayceâs faces turned grim.
Nathan Thorne might joke around normally, but he would never, ever joke about something like this.
In that regard, Sierra Sullivan and Jayce trusted him completely.
Raising zombies...
The two words felt surreal when put together.
âWould someone really do something so deranged?â
âWhy raise zombies?â
âCould it be for their Crystal Cores?â
âOr is there some other motive?â
Sierra Sullivan furrowed her brow in deep thought, but she quickly pushed these questions to the back of her mind.
âThe exact reason didnât matter.â
âAnyone who would do something like this could no longer be called human.â
Jayce took a deep breath before pressing the button on his walkie-talkie and speaking in a low voice. "Donât make any sudden moves. Find a place to hide and wait for us."
Nathan Thorne had clearly been waiting for their reply.
The moment Jayce finished speaking, Nathan Thorneâs voice crackled through the walkie-talkie.
"I wonât do anything rash, I know my limits. Just get here fast!"
It was a serious matter, a critical moment that called for solemnity.
And yet, hearing Nathan Thorneâs hushed, urgent words, Sierra Sullivan couldnât help but find it a little amusing.
She had to admit, Nathan Thorne truly was self-aware. He knew his own capabilities and wouldnât act rashly.
âThatâs a good thing!â
âActing rashly wouldnât solve the problem; in fact, it would probably get him killed.â
âNo matter how you looked at it, that wouldnât be a wise move.â
Fortunately, Nathan Thorne wasnât about to cause trouble for them.
Jayce gave Nathan one last instruction, then handed the walkie-talkie to Sierra Sullivan. "Letâs pack up, then weâll take Candice Tate downstairs."
Sierra Sullivan nodded.
The two of them didnât really have much to pack.
Sierra Sullivan simply took out a hiking backpack and handed it to Jayce.
The backpack was filled with essential survival supplies.
Since Sierra Sullivan was a Space Ability User now, no one would find it strange if she didnât carry a bag.
But Jayce wasnât a Space Ability User.
Inside the base, if he needed anything, he could just ask Sierra Sullivan for it.
But once they were outside the base, anything could happen.
With the backpack, even if they got separated, Jayce wouldnât be at a major disadvantage on his own.
Sierra Sullivan found Candice Tate and took her downstairs, explaining on the way that she and Jayce had to leave the base.
She didnât, however, tell Candice Tate what they were going to do.
Over the past ten days, Candice Tate and Nathan Thorne had gotten along very well. Just a moment ago, sheâd been sad to see Nathan go.
If she told her now that Nathan might be in danger, the little girl would probably be very worried.
Sometimes, not telling the truth was for the other personâs own good.
Fortunately, Candice Tate was already used to Sierra Sullivan and Jayce occasionally leaving the base on missions. Though she was a little surprised when they suddenly announced their departure, she didnât cry or make a fuss.
In Candice Tateâs eyes, this trip was just like all the others; Sierra Sullivan and Jayce would be back before long.
After Yvonne Shelby led Candice Tate into her room, Sierra Sullivan and Jayce went to the study and told Kevin Everett what Nathan had reported.
Kevin Everettâs face was a mask of disbelief upon hearing the news.
"Raising zombies? Are you sure?" Kevin Everett frowned. "Could it be a misunderstanding? Or perhaps they were just infected with the zombie virus? After all, youâve already confirmed that the virus is infectious, havenât you?"
Sierra Sullivan shook her head. "You know Nathanâs personality. He wouldnât make something up if he wasnât sure. I believe what he said is likely the truth. Besidesâ"
"Besides what?" Kevin Everett pressed.
Sierra Sullivan hesitated for a moment before voicing her suspicion.
"That residential complex is very close to the cannery. I suspect this incident might be related to it."
To be more precise, Sierra Sullivan suspected it was related to Autumn Lynch.
Sierra Sullivanâs days had been packed lately, with an endless list of things to do, and she had rarely thought about Autumn Lynch.
The reason she hadnât gone to the cannery to find Autumn Lynch was that sheâd assumed things wouldnât end well for Autumn after falling into those peopleâs hands.
But now, it seemed she had underestimated Autumn Lynch.
Autumn Lynch was very likely doing quite well for herself at the cannery.
After all, she was a Water Ability User.
In the apocalypse, the importance and status of a Water Ability User went without saying.
There was no way those people would be willing to kill Autumn Lynch.
Autumn Lynch was cunning and resourceful. As long as she was alive, she would find a way to improve her situation over time.
Realizing this, Sierra Sullivan felt the urge to sigh.
âSure enough, failing to cut the weeds and pull up the roots would likely lead to future trouble.â
But it was useless to think about that now.
There was no way to turn back time.
The only thing to do now was to go over there and see what was happening for herself.
Regardless of whether this incident had anything to do with Autumn Lynch, this time, she had to be dealt with for good.
Kevin Everett knew about Autumn Lynch from Jayce as well.
So when he heard what Sierra Sullivan said, he didnât doubt the truth in her words.
"Since you have your suspicions, go and investigate thoroughly. Nathan is waiting for you, so pack your things and get going! As for who to take with you, thatâs your decision."
Sierra Sullivan looked at Jayce. "You can decide."
The number of Superpower Users at the base was growing, and some of the newcomers had already surpassed the veterans, possessing even stronger Superpowers.
But when it came to leaving the base for a mission, the most important thing was never how powerful a personâs Superpower was.
What mattered most was whether a teammate was reliable, whether you could trust them to have your back.
"In that case..."
Jayce quickly listed a few names.
Ten people in total, with Dominic Crawford being an obvious choice.
Kevin Everett had no objections to his selections.
In his opinion, they were all well-suited and trustworthy individuals.
However, he still felt the number was a bit small.
"Given the situation Nathan described... are you sure ten people is enough? Isnât that too few?"
Jayce shook his head. "Itâs about quality, not quantity. We donât know the exact situation over there. More people could be a help, but they could also become a liability. This number is fine."
Kevin Everett, having never experienced combat firsthand, deferred to Jayceâs judgment in this regard.
"If you say so, weâll do it your way. When are you setting out?"
"Iâll notify the team now. We leave immediately."
Nathan was still waiting out there. Time was of the essence.
Kevin Everett nodded. "Alright, then go. Be safe, and come back soon."