Nina Jacobs hesitated for a moment.

"Alright."

’This was a friend she had no intention of making.’

’But she remembered hearing in her past life that some high-level executives within The Aegis Conclave had connections to Aeridor.’

"That’s wonderful! I have a new friend."

Icarus Golding was clearly delighted.

"The passage between the two cities has been cleared. I’ll come visit you in City D,"

"my new friend."

Icarus Golding said with a smile.

Nina Jacobs gave a slight nod. It was time for them to leave.

"Wait."

Just then, Irene Palmer called out to her.

"Is there something you need?" Nina Jacobs asked.

"Would you be willing to come to our Falken Base?"

The moment Irene Palmer spoke, the expressions of everyone around them changed.

Especially Chester Pearson’s.

Fortunately, Nina Jacobs rejected her without hesitation.

"Why not think about it a little more?

If you come to our base, your treatment will definitely be better than at City D Base."

Irene Palmer ignored Percival Miller and Wyatt Vance’s attempts to dissuade her and insisted.

’She hadn’t managed to secure any supplies, but if she could bring a powerful Superpower User back with her, that would be a gain in itself.’

’Besides, if Nina came, Icarus Golding wouldn’t have to go to City D Base.’

Irene Palmer even stepped in front of Nina Jacobs, blocking her path.

Nina Jacobs hadn’t wanted to pay her any mind, but seeing her way blocked, she had no choice but to speak.

"Just a moment ago, you were treating us like thieves,"

"and now you want us to be one of your own?

You sure do change your tune quickly, miss."

"Besides, you were the ones who led those Zombie Rats here.

Being your companions doesn’t seem very safe."

Nina Jacobs’s words plunged the scene into silence for several seconds.

No one had expected that Nina Jacobs, who seemed so easygoing, could be so blunt.

Chester Pearson started to laugh.

’As expected, Nina holds a grudge and is fiercely protective of her own.’

’She was still upset about what Irene Palmer had said to Leo Hale and the others earlier.’

"You... Those Zombie Rats were already headed in this direction!

Even if we hadn’t run into them, you wouldn’t have been able to escape!

If it weren’t for us, how would you have discovered them so early?"

Irene Palmer argued defensively.

’She knew Wyatt Vance was a Spiritual Element Superpower User.’

’As they were fleeing for their lives, Wyatt must have been the first to spot them.’

"Oh? Are you telling me you weren’t trying to lead those Zombie Rats right to us just now?"

Chester Pearson glanced at Percival Miller and the others with a look of pity.

"Captain Miller, having to go on missions with someone like her..."

"...we offer you our deepest sympathies."

Ignoring Irene Palmer’s furious words, Chester Pearson simply called for his group to leave.

"You really meet all sorts of weirdos these days."

In the car, Leo Hale couldn’t help but complain.

He could see in the rearview mirror that Irene Palmer was still arguing about something with Percival Miller and his team.

"She’s a Dual Element Superpower User, and I hear she’s the base commander’s childhood sweetheart,"

"so she holds a very high position at the base."

Chester Pearson said.

Percival Miller had told him this back at the industrial park.

"She’s a Dual Element Superpower User, but not even a tenth as strong as Nina."

"I just wonder who cleared out that cannery," Ian Chandler said with a hint of regret.

"It’s better than her getting it,"

Nina Jacobs said. Ian Chandler immediately thought she had a point.

In truth, Nina Jacobs didn’t mean anything else by it.

It was just that the system had notified her that the supplies there would be depleted.

The most likely reason for this depletion was Irene Palmer’s group, who had arrived at almost the same time as her.

As for how they were depleted, she had no way of knowing.

"That guy from Aeridor doesn’t seem like a good person either. Nina, don’t let him fool you,"

Chester Pearson said.

"Mm, don’t worry."

After returning to the base, Nina Jacobs, Leo Hale, and Wayne Warner headed straight for the base hospital.

But they discovered that Daniel Hale wasn’t at the hospital.

"He went out for something. He should be back in a little while."

Vera Coleman seemed to hesitate, as if she wanted to say more but held back.

But seeing how exhausted the two of them were, she didn’t say anything further.

When she went to see Sabrina Hale and Leontine Hale, Nina Jacobs resisted the urge to touch them.

It was only because she reeked of smoke and fire.

"Hurry back, wash up, and get some rest. I’ve already prepared water for you at home."

Vera Coleman urged with a smile.

Every day, she would walk from the hospital to their home.

She would fill up their water storage tank and also replenish the water at the place next door where Chase Gallagher and the others lived.

Her goal was to make sure everyone had water available as soon as they returned.

"Okay, we’ll head back first, then."

"We’ll come back tonight."

The solar panel mission was complete. Walking through the base now, Nina Jacobs felt quite relaxed.

"Dad?"

Leo Hale, standing to the side, looked astonished. He had just seen Daniel Hale walk out from a building.

"You’re back?"

When Daniel Hale saw the three of them, he walked over, overjoyed.

"Dad, what are you doing here?"

Leo Hale pointed at the temporary shelter behind his father.

The temporary shelter had been set up by the base to house survivors who had nowhere else to live.

Most of them were people who couldn’t support themselves.

"It’s nothing, I was just bringing some food to a few friends..."

Daniel Hale’s expression was a little unnatural.

"Friends?"

Leo Hale didn’t know his father had friends like these.

"Mr. Hale."

A rather childish voice came from behind him.

A small boy ran out and tugged on the corner of Daniel Hale’s shirt.

"Sawyer? Why did you come out?"

Daniel Hale was startled.

The boy looked to be about seven or eight years old. He took Daniel Hale’s hand and placed a few Gold Coins in his palm.

"Daddy said we can’t take this."

"This belongs to Mr. Hale."

The little boy looked up at Daniel Hale, his eyes clear and bright.

"This is a gift from me to you. You should take it, Sawyer."

Hearing this, Daniel Hale tried to put the Gold Coins back in the boy’s hand.

"Mr. Hale, we can’t accept this."

A tall man walked out and took the little boy by the hand.

The man appeared to be in his thirties.

Leo Hale was still wondering what was going on, not noticing the slight change in Nina Jacobs’s expression beside him.

Nina Jacobs hadn’t expected it either.

To see Wayne Abbott here.

Previously, when she was selling supplies on the second floor of the shelter under the identity of Claire Warner, Wayne Abbott had come to her to buy cough medicine.

He had even helped her out of a tight spot, driving away Kevin Holden and others who were trying to cause trouble.

’But how did he and Daniel Hale know each other?’

Seeing that Wayne Abbott and his son absolutely refused to accept the items, Daniel Hale had no choice but to give up.

He then introduced the father and son to Leo Hale and Nina Jacobs.

"So it was you."

Leo Hale’s face instantly filled with gratitude.

It turned out that Wayne Abbott and his teammates were the ones who had saved Daniel Hale outside the base.

’That explained why Daniel Hale was trying to give him Gold Coins; it was perfectly reasonable.’

’But he remembered their team being quite large and strong. Why were they living in the temporary shelter now?’

"Mr. Abbott and his team were probably dragged into this because of me,"

Daniel Hale said with a sigh.

"Mr. Hale, you don’t have to say that. The more people there are, the more conflicts arise."

"We already had a grudge with them. Adults can take responsibility for their own actions. It’s not a matter of being dragged down by anyone."

Wayne Abbott didn’t seem to agree with what Daniel Hale was saying.

Helpless, Daniel Hale could only say goodbye to them for now.

That was when Nina Jacobs learned the truth of the matter.

She hadn’t realized that the people who saved Daniel Hale were Wayne Abbott and his group.

Then what Chase Gallagher had said before—about their team’s Space Superpower User taking all their supplies—must have happened to Wayne Abbott’s group.

"They’ve had a rough time lately."

"The Space Superpower User on their team was poached, several of their vehicles were smashed, and other teams treat them like a plague, refusing to offer any help."

"Now, they can only live in a place like this."

Daniel Hale explained helplessly.