Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Laughing at Your Redundancy

Sue smiled sweetly. "I’m laughing because you’re being so redundant."

’Isn’t it true? An A Level Ability... If it were an Attack System type, that’d be one thing. Take Tia Norris’s Ice Element Ice Control Skill, for example—an A Level Ice Control Skill is an incredibly powerful Attack Skill. But an A Level Investigation Ability? That’s useless. The main problem is that you can’t even see Superpowers of a higher level. Doesn’t that mean you’re naturally firewalled from all High Level Superpower Users??’

’Completely firewalled.’

’Totally pointless, indeed.’

The color drained from Tiana Lynch’s face. She never imagined Sue would say something like that right to her, and her expression flickered between pale and flushed.

’Damn it, what kind of incoherent bullshit is this bitch spouting?’

She desperately wanted to leap forward and slap Sue hard across the face, but she couldn’t. Too many people were watching, and most importantly, Jason Sterling was there too.

She could only force a hurt expression, her eyes reddening pitifully. "Sue, I know you don’t like me because you still love Jason, right? But you already gave up on him, didn’t you? If you insist on fighting me for him, I... I can step aside..."

It was the same magnanimous act again, but unfortunately for her, the Jason Sterling of today wasn’t the same man he was before the apocalypse.

Hearing that Sue might still have feelings for him, he instinctively looked over, staring at her with genuine curiosity. "You still like me?"

Sue was speechless.

"It’s one thing for her to spout nonsense, but how can you believe her? Are you brainless?"

’Good heavens, is he for real? Just because she says I still like him, he believes it? Is Tiana Lynch somehow Sue Lawrence now?’

"Sue, why do you have to target me like this?" A single tear rolled down Tiana Lynch’s cheek, the very picture of pitiable grief. "I know I’m stupid, but did you have to be so blunt and call me brainless?"

"..."

’I had to hand it to her. I’d seen people scramble to pick up money off the ground, but never someone so eager to put on a dunce cap.’

"If you’re sick, go get treated. We have doctors in the fallout shelter. They can even prescribe you something for that neurosis of yours. It’ll be good for you, good for me, and good for everyone!"

After saying her piece, Sue turned and walked over to her older brother’s side. She really didn’t want to look at those two for another second. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

But Tiana Lynch burst into tears. They streamed down her face as she collapsed into Jason Sterling’s arms, a tragic, beautiful sight. "Jason, I feel so terrible," she sobbed. "How could Sue treat me like this?"

The moment she started crying, the few people who had come over with Jason Sterling grew indignant on her behalf.

"Who is that woman? What’s her problem?"

Miles Finch glanced over. The speaker was a new recruit Tiana Lynch had just brought into their group yesterday. His nickname was Ox.

True to his name, Ox was built like one. He looked like he’d been a fitness coach. His Superpower was from the pure Attack System: a B Level Wind Slash. Of course, that was all information from Tiana Lynch; they wouldn’t have known what his Superpower was otherwise.

Because he had a Superpower, Ox didn’t give a damn about anyone else. In his eyes, people without Superpowers were no different from ants on the sidewalk; he could crush them whenever he pleased.

Having a Superpower was why he signed up for today’s mission, which meant he’d been eating A Level meals for the past few days.

At mealtimes, he would look at his own food and then at everyone else’s, a feeling of smug pride swelling within him. He looked down on ordinary people more than ever.

He even thought that if he really wanted to, he could move faster than the soldiers could draw their guns.

Miles Finch explained, "They used to be friends, but they had a falling out. She’s always bullying Tiana."

"Her? Who does she think she is?" Ox snorted, then reassured Tiana, "Don’t worry. I’ll teach her a lesson for you."

Tiana Lynch shook her head. "Forget it. She’ll only retaliate twice as hard..."

As she spoke, she looked up at Jason Sterling. Seeing him still staring at Sue Lawrence’s retreating back, she bit her lip in resentment and gently shook his arm. "Jason, I don’t mind..."

"That’s enough."

Jason Sterling suddenly frowned. "She just insulted you, why are you still defending her? She doesn’t even have a Superpower, yet she insists on coming out on the mission with us. Sue Lawrence... she’s too arrogant. Sooner or later, her recklessness will get her killed. I would never fall for an idiot like that again."

At his words, the corners of Tiana Lynch’s lips curled into a smirk. ’Just as I thought. It was the right move not to tell Jason Sterling about her Superpower. As long as he thinks Sue Lawrence is a useless nobody, he won’t give her a second glance.’

However, Ox had overheard Jason’s words and took them to heart.

’This Sue Lawrence has no Superpower?’

’Ha, that’s perfect. An ordinary person insisting on going out on a mission? He’d show this bully a thing or two.’

’Should he slash her thermal suit and let her limbs freeze off? Or should he just make sure her fragile bones met a nice, hard rock and snapped her leg?’

’Or maybe... he should just kill her and be done with it. Eliminate the problem for good...’

He began to seriously consider his options.

Just then, a group approached them. It was Silas Hawthorne and Theodore Frost.

As it was the first mission, Silas Hawthorne was taking it very seriously. This batch of supplies was crucial for him and for everyone else in the fallout shelter.

Upon seeing Silas Hawthorne, even Jason Sterling sobered up, straightening his back and watching him with respect.

The surrounding soldiers all snapped to salute, the sound of their movements crisp and uniform.

Silas Hawthorne’s gaze swept over the people assigned to the mission. It passed over Jason Sterling without a flicker of recognition, but when he saw Sue Lawrence, he clearly paused for a second.

"Ms. Lawrence, you’re coming along as well?"

"Yes. My brother and I. We’re eating A Level meals, so it’s only natural that we contribute a corresponding level of effort. No one in the Lawrence Family is a freeloader."

She was calm, her attitude forthright. Her words were delivered at a steady, unhurried pace, and she appeared completely at ease. Only then did Silas Hawthorne nod.

"Just what I’d expect from Mr. Lawrence’s daughter."

Seeing Sue Lawrence singled out for praise by Silas Hawthorne, Jason Sterling’s expression darkened.

Even Tiana Lynch was surprised. Jason Sterling had mentioned on his return last time that Silas Hawthorne had a good impression of Sue Lawrence, but who would have thought it was *this* good?

’Tiana Lynch recalled the information she had gathered in her past life. Everyone who had ever met Silas Hawthorne described him as stern and unsmiling, as cold as a machine. He barely even spoke, to the point that many people found it easier to believe he was an AI than a human being.’

’And yet, the Silas Hawthorne before her now was nothing like an AI. He was a living, breathing human being—and what’s more, he only seemed to be this way in front of Sue Lawrence.’

’What on earth was so special about this Sue Lawrence?’

Tiana Lynch’s expression grew even uglier. Jealousy churned inside her, so intense she almost dropped her disguise, jumped out, and screamed, ’Bitch!’

"Alright. Allow me to reiterate the details of this mission."

Silas Hawthorne’s voice was calm and steady, each word delivered with unhurried precision.

At that moment, Tiana Lynch subconsciously activated her Skill: A Level Investigation. Ever since her past life, she had wanted to know what Silas Hawthorne’s Superpower truly was.