However, Myra Lawson was still a little worried.

"That Landon Hayes is a Dual Element Superpower User. If you have to compete against him, are you confident?"

Myra Lawson asked, considering the possibility.

Originally, Landon Hayes wasn’t on the list of judges for this event; he was added at the last minute.

Myra Lawson believed he might be the final touchstone for this assessment.

"No."

Nina Jacobs answered truthfully.

She didn’t know how strong Landon Hayes was, nor had she known him in her past life.

"That’s true. He is a Dual Element, after all."

Myra Lawson sighed.

But no matter what, Nina Jacobs was City D Base’s only hope for this assessment.

Just then, the door to the meeting hall was pushed open, and several more people walked in.

Nina Jacobs saw Shirley Lucas, who saw her too and started winking and making faces at her.

She’d heard that Shirley Lucas had gone to City A with a group from the Superpower User Alliance last time.

This time, he had returned with Myra Lawson.

And behind him were Kael Dolan and Irene Palmer, whom Nina Jacobs had seen just yesterday.

"The base commander from Falken Base is here this time, too,

but it’s fine if you don’t want to meet him."

Myra Lawson said before standing up.

Nina Jacobs really didn’t want to.

She could see that Kael Dolan was being extremely enthusiastic toward the people from headquarters.

"Kael Dolan wants to secure a Tier Two Base title for Falken Base,

but it seems the only real asset he has to show is that Dual Element Superpower User next to him."

Adrian Shaw, also sitting next to Nina Jacobs, was enjoying the show.

"Is there a difference between a Tier One Base and a Tier Two Base?"

Nina asked.

In her past life, City D Base had indeed been a Tier Three Base, but that wasn’t until the second year of the apocalypse.

City D Base’s initial rating had been Tier Two.

"Of course there’s a difference. A Tier Two Base can laugh at a Tier One Base."

Seeing that Nina Jacobs wasn’t laughing, Adrian Shaw rubbed his nose awkwardly and continued,

"As long as a Tier Two Base has an Intermediate Superpower User, it’s eligible to be promoted to a Tier Three Base.

Furthermore, Tier Two Bases are entitled to supplies from Drakonia. In times of need, they can even requisition materials and weapons from Tier One Bases, though they have to pay the corresponding price in Crystal Cores."

Adrian Shaw explained.

"So that’s how it is."

’That Kael Dolan is probably in for a disappointment, then. In my past life, Falken Base’s initial rating was only Tier One...’

"Summer~"

Shirley Lucas scooted over as well, plopping down on Nina Jacobs’s other side.

"I was starting to think you weren’t coming back."

Nina Jacobs said with a smile.

She had asked about Shirley Lucas before and learned that he had successfully infiltrated the Superpower User Alliance headquarters.

"That friend of yours asked me to give this to you."

Shirley Lucas took out a letter and stuffed it into Nina Jacobs’s hand.

Nina Jacobs immediately asked, "Is she okay now?"

Without even asking, she knew the friend Shirley Lucas mentioned was Melanie Lawson.

The little girl who had sworn to avenge her parents was the person Nina Jacobs worried about most.

And now, Melanie Lawson had been sent to the Superpower User Alliance headquarters in City A.

"She’s doing great. The people there are focusing on training her,

and thanks to her, we’ve even gathered a good bit of intel."

Shirley Lucas said.

"Then... is anyone giving her a hard time?"

Nina Jacobs asked, still worried.

After City D’s branch of the Superpower User Alliance merged with the base, she had gone to ask about Melanie Lawson.

It was Shirley Lucas’s people who told her that Melanie Lawson had chosen to go to the headquarters herself.

Only Nina Jacobs knew her real reason for going to the Superpower User Alliance headquarters.

She was going to get revenge on Ivan Lawson.

But she was just a little girl, only about ten years old.

And Ivan Lawson was probably at the headquarters as well.

"Who would dare give her a hard time?"

Shirley Lucas was also quite impressed when he spoke of Melanie Lawson.

In the eyes of others, she always seemed weak, pitiful, and helpless, but it was precisely this weakness that proved to be a great asset.

After all, they were used to all the scheming and backstabbing there. In contrast, the "helpless" Melanie Lawson managed to win the trust of those old geezers.

Plus, her healing technique is more powerful than any other Healer’s. No one dares to bully her now.

"That’s good."

Hearing this, Nina Jacobs finally felt a little relieved.

"You two... are close?"

Adrian Shaw couldn’t help but ask from the side.

He knew Shirley Lucas, but he hadn’t realized he was so familiar with Nina Jacobs.

"Oh? Looks like our little Adrian is getting jealous?"

Shirley Lucas laughed, earning a sharp eye-roll from Adrian Shaw.

"I think you’d be better off staying on mission duty.

I’ll be sure to prioritize you for the next one."

Adrian Shaw said.

He hated it when people called him by a nickname.

"Aren’t you just jealous that Summer and I are so close?

Don’t tell me you’ve got a crush on my Summer, Mr. Connections?"

Shirley Lucas was no pushover, either. Others might not have known Adrian Shaw’s background, but he knew it like the back of his hand.

Adrian Shaw shot back, not to be outdone, "Who are you calling Mr. Connections?

And who says she’s ’yours’?

I think it’s the androgynous freak like you who’s the jealous one!"

"..."

Seeing their argument was starting to draw attention, Nina Jacobs had no choice but to make them shut up for the time being.

’How had she never noticed before how childish these two were?’

The meeting in the hall didn’t last very long.

In the hallway, Wystan Sullivan walked beside Landon Hayes and said, "That Nina Jacobs is no simple character.

If you two have a chance to compete in the future, you must not underestimate her."

"I know, Uncle Dawson. I won’t bring shame to Arisdale Base."

Landon Hayes could also see that the management of City D Base was incredibly lenient and indulgent toward Nina Jacobs.

’Is this the privilege of an Intermediate Superpower User?’

’But maybe, just maybe, I’m about to be the one to shatter that privilege.’

’Arisdale Base is packed with experts and serves as the headquarters. I’ll make Nina Jacobs see the gap between our two bases...’

...

To prepare for the Superpower User competition, Chase Gallagher and the others only took a short break even after returning from their outing.

They quickly threw themselves into sparring with one another.

When Nina Jacobs returned, however, she heard the sound of an argument coming from the next courtyard.

"What’s wrong?"

Seeing Nina Jacobs walk in, Alaric Fletcher didn’t dare complain anymore, but he looked absolutely furious, his face flushed red.

Across from him was Althea Coleman. It looked like the two of them had been arguing.

Wayne Abbott also had a look of helplessness on his face, mixed with a hint of anger.

"Kyle Keaton, you tell me."

Nina Jacobs said, seeing that no one else dared to speak up.

Kyle Keaton, having been called out, was slightly surprised but still recounted what had happened.

Apparently, while they were out killing zombies today, Elara Dolan had accidentally gotten injured.

But Alaric Fletcher claimed it was because Althea Coleman had used Elara Dolan as a shield to dodge an attack from a Mutated Zombie.

Alaric was the only one who had seen it happen, which was why he was so furious that he’d come to confront Althea Coleman.

"Everyone on the team knows you always pick the safest spot!

When other people are fighting zombies, not only do you not help, but you always just get in the way!

And you—you even secretly hide Crystal Cores! Don’t think I haven’t seen you!"

Alaric Fletcher blurted it all out in one go.

Althea Coleman’s face instantly turned crimson. "What makes you think you saw me hide Crystal Cores?

I’ve killed just as many zombies as you! What right do you have to say that about me?!"

"Isn’t that just because all you do is kill-steal?

You just swoop in to land the final blow when a zombie is almost dead! If that’s not kill-stealing, what is?"

Alaric Fletcher’s chest heaved with anger.

Before, when the team was suffering under the Crawford Army, everyone was united against a common enemy, so their internal conflicts didn’t surface.

But things were different now.