Chapter 87: Chapter 87: You’re the One I’m Hitting

’Why are they so calm? Why aren’t they reacting at all?’

’Three points is a lot! Many people don’t even have a single one!’

Jason Sterling’s expression darkened, but then, it was as if a light bulb went off in his head.

’That’s right, the Points system was only announced a few days ago. The Lawrence Family probably doesn’t even know about it yet!’

He had come here to show off, and now he spoke even more smugly, "Judging by your expressions, you don’t have a clue what’s going on, do you?"

Sue scratched her head. Mia Keller glanced left and right, thought for a moment, and then asked with a smile, "Jason, what are you talking about?"

Ha!

Jason Sterling was delighted. ’See? I knew it. Sue and these people had no idea what’s happening.’

So he put on a magnanimous air. "You really don’t know yet? Something huge happened today. But I don’t mind telling you. I’ve always been a very generous person, after all."

He said with a smile, but his eyes never left Sue.

He thought he was over her, but he subconsciously found himself watching Sue’s every move, every subtle change in her expression.

"The shelter has implemented IDs now, kind of like our old national ID cards, but they’re confidential. They award Points based on how many missions you complete. You get it, right? The more Points you have, the more stuff you can redeem..."

Mia Keller looked a little awkward. ’Sue already told us all this when she got back last night,’ she thought.

But she glanced around, and seeing that Sue was silent and Elliot Lawrence had no reaction, Mia Keller decided to play dumb as well.

"Oh, really? That sounds pretty good."

Mia Keller was at least playing along.

The praise pleased Jason Sterling, and he went on, "Of course it is. You can redeem Points for all sorts of things. It may not seem like a big deal now, but you’ll understand in the future. You can get fuel, supplies, even equipment—all to guarantee you’ll survive the cataclysms. It also provides access to shelters and the ability to request aid from any base in Veridia. It all helps guarantee our survival..."

Jason Sterling rattled on, explaining every last detail as if he were afraid Sue was too stupid to understand.

And yet, Sue still showed no reaction, which made Jason Sterling’s expression sour even more.

"Hey, Sue, you don’t seem interested? Do you have any idea how important Points are? Sue, if I were you, I wouldn’t be so useless. Go accept some missions, get a job! Anything would be better than this attitude."

Sue was dumbfounded. ’Did I do something to set him off? I haven’t said a single word to him.’

"Jason, why are you wasting your breath on her?"

Tia Norris snorted, her voice dripping with ice. "She doesn’t even have a Superpower. What can she possibly do? She’s just counting on the Lawrence Family to keep her alive. Oh, and Mia Keller, haven’t you realized you’ve become Sue’s pack mule? That Luck Value Superpower of yours is just going to end up benefiting someone else."

Mia Keller was bewildered. ’Huh? Sue doesn’t have a Superpower? Who told them that?’

Mia Keller’s mind was reeling with questions, but since Sue and Elliot Lawrence remained silent, she calmly kept her mouth shut as well.

Sue couldn’t be bothered to say anything. She was just waiting for Silas Hawthorne so they could go on a mission. As for Jason Sterling, she might as well be listening to a dog bark. It wasn’t worth her energy to respond.

As for Elliot Lawrence, he had zero interest in engaging with Jason Sterling at all.

That just left Mia Keller to smile awkwardly, playing the part of the good-natured peacekeeper and occasionally chiming in.

Tia Norris’s interruption eased Jason Sterling’s awkwardness, but she was just as aggressive.

"Still don’t get it?" She stared at Mia Rhodes with a look of pure exasperation. "I always thought you were naive, but now I see you’re just painfully stupid. How can you not understand? The Lawrence Family has a pregnant woman and a child. Oh, right, so that’s old and young covered. It’s like those priority seats on the subway for the elderly, weak, sick, and pregnant—their family’s got four of those categories covered. And you? You’re just their beast of burden, their livestock, born to be exploited by this family!"

Mia Keller shook her head. "That’s not true. The Lawrence Family has been taking care of me. If it weren’t for Sue, I’d probably be dead by now. I—"

"Enough!"

Tia Norris couldn’t bear to listen anymore. She glared at Mia Keller, her face a mask of exasperation. "You’re so naive. You’ll believe anything, won’t you? Just because they didn’t ’abuse’ you, you think they’re saints? Then what are you doing here right now? Aren’t you being dragged out on missions? You probably won’t even get to keep your own Points. Mia Keller, I’m telling you, you should come back. Come back to us, with Jason and Tiana. We’ve always stuck together. Tiana and Jason look out for their own. Do you understand or not?"

Mia Keller grew flustered and instinctively glanced toward Jason Sterling.

Hearing his name, Jason Sterling naturally straightened his posture, nodding with great solemnity. "Haven’t Miles Finch and Adam Zane been following me this whole time? One’s a squad leader now, the other’s a deputy leader. When we’re dividing supplies, they always get the biggest share. Mia Keller, I don’t mistreat my own."

"Heh..."

Sue found the whole thing so ridiculous she couldn’t help but let out a scoff.

"What’s so funny?"

Jason Sterling was thoroughly infuriated. He hated Sue’s expression, her tone, the look in her eyes, and that smile. It all disgusted him, making him feel pathetically small in comparison.

"I’m laughing at how you can say that with a straight face. Do you even have a conscience?"

"What’s that supposed to mean?"

Jason Sterling’s brow furrowed. Then, as if he’d remembered something, he burst out in anger, "I broke up with you because you were the one who wronged me first! Sue, you know better than anyone whose child that really is!"

The topic had been a sleeping dog, but now that it was kicked, the previously quiet Elliot Lawrence could no longer contain himself. His fist slammed viciously into Jason Sterling’s face.

Jason Sterling had a Superpower, but it was only C Level, and he had been caught completely off guard. He was sent sprawling to the ground, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

"Elliot Lawrence, are you insane?!"

Jason Sterling gritted his teeth. The commotion drew the attention of everyone nearby, and all eyes turned toward them.

Elliot Lawrence ignored him, surging forward and pinning him to the ground. He grabbed Jason Sterling by the collar, his voice a low, furious growl. "Anyone in the world can say that, but not you. Jason Sterling, does your conscience not ache when you humiliate my sister? You know perfectly well what disgusting things you’ve done!"

Jason Sterling was completely baffled. "What are you talking about? What did I do? Elliot Lawrence, I’ve been giving you some respect out of courtesy for your age. Don’t... OOF!"

Another fist crashed viciously into his face. Elliot Lawrence was seeing red.

’Jason Sterling was at the bar that night, so why did it still happen? It was because of you! It was all your fault, Jason Sterling!’

"What is wrong with you!"

Jason Sterling violently shoved him off, leaped to his feet, and lunged forward to grapple with him. An even larger crowd of onlookers gathered to watch the spectacle. As for Sue, she was busy with only one thing.

Using her Eye of Barrier Breaking, she saw that Jason Sterling’s Luck Value had recovered to 50, so she activated Plunder Mode.

Alert: Jason Sterling’s Luck Value is now greater than 1.