Chapter 88: Chapter 88: Cast Her Aside, Choose Me

Sue plundered Jason Sterling’s Luck Value, just as she always did.

20% equated to 10 Luck Value, and it decreased from there.

Sue was perfectly calm as she plundered his luck, but Jason Sterling was growing more and more unsettled.

He was discovering that as he fought Elliot Lawrence, he was finding it harder and harder to keep up.

For example, things were fine at first. But then his focus would suddenly waver, and he’d take a punch before he could react. It felt as if something was deliberately distracting him.

Then, things took an even stranger turn. For instance, he’d clearly raise his fist to throw a punch, only for his elbow to suddenly ache. The motion would falter for a split second, making him a step too slow. The punch that should have landed on Elliot Lawrence ended up landing on him instead.

Jason Sterling: ????

’This is insane. Utterly bizarre. What is going on? It’s like I’ve been cursed with bad luck!’

The result was a completely one-sided fight. Boosted by Sue’s siphoning of his luck, Jason Sterling’s misfortune grew until Elliot Lawrence had him pinned, pummeling him mercilessly.

Everyone: ...

"This young master of the Sterling Family is a little weak, isn’t he!"

"Yeah, surprisingly weak."

Jason Sterling: ...

He was about to climb to his feet and keep fighting when a commotion rippled through the crowd. Someone shouted, "Silas Hawthorne is here!"

The crowd fell silent at once. Even the armed soldiers instinctively glanced over. A path parted through the onlookers, and those near the main gate could clearly see a group approaching.

Silas Hawthorne led the way. He had shed his usual business suit for a form-fitting tactical suit, visibly equipped with high-tech components. Seven or eight young men and women followed him, all in matching tactical gear covered with various gadgets. Behind them was Theodore Frost, who had also brought a team.

"What’s going on?"

"I don’t know!"

The onlookers whispered among themselves. No one knew why the reclusive man had suddenly appeared.

"What’s going on?"

Silas Hawthorne surveyed the messy scene, clearly not expecting a brawl at the main gate.

"It’s nothing," Sue said, stepping forward. "Just two people sparring."

Jason Sterling’s expression turned cold. ’Does she really not care about me at all anymore?’

’I’m beaten to a pulp, and she calls it sparring?’

"I see." Silas Hawthorne was clearly uninterested in the drama. He turned and addressed the crowd. "Everyone in the base needs to earn Points, myself included. I’ll be leading a team out today."

He didn’t specify the mission, but the fact that even someone like Silas Hawthorne had to go out and earn Points made many people’s eyes light up.

’It seems things are fair and just after all. Even Silas Hawthorne has to go out on missions?’

Hearing this, even more people grew eager to participate.

"Then let’s go too!"

"Yeah, I’ve already signed up for a mission. I’ll be able to go out in a bit."

Everyone whispered.

Sue’s reaction, however, was different. ’Does Silas Hawthorne really have that many cold-weather suits?’

’Can he really guarantee that everyone who wants to go on a mission will get one?’

She turned her head to glance at the small screen by the entrance. It showed the outside temperature had dropped to negative sixty-six degrees Celsius. The snow depth hadn’t increased, but twelve meters was already incredibly deep.

She turned back, deciding to re-evaluate just how many resources Silas Hawthorne actually possessed.

"Mr. Hawthorne." Jason Sterling wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and volunteered himself. "I think I can help. I have a superpower, after all, even if it’s only C Level."

Silas Hawthorne glanced at him. "You should go to the infirmary and get those injuries treated first. The temperature outside is extremely low. If your open wounds get frostbite, you’ll be in serious trouble."

Intact skin offers protection. Without it, frostbite on an open wound would lead to widespread necrosis and infection—an agonizing experience.

Jason Sterling looked utterly defeated. ’If I’d known this would happen, I never would have fought Elliot Lawrence. I’ve missed the perfect opportunity.’

He turned to Sue. "I got beaten up."

His expression clearly said, ’Your guy beat me up, so you need to take responsibility.’

Sue had to laugh. In the past, she had revolved around Jason Sterling. If he so much as had a headache, she would have doted on him, fussing over his well-being. But now? They were broken up. Did he really expect her to act the same way?

’What is he thinking?’

’How ridiculous!’

"Hey, why are you just standing there? I said I got beaten up!"

Jason Sterling glared at her, refusing to budge, acting as if Sue was still supposed to dote on him.

Elliot Lawrence snorted from the side. "She’s not your servant anymore. Stop dreaming."

"You..."

"Enough!"

Silas Hawthorne’s voice cut in sharply. Jason Sterling’s heart sank. He had forgotten the big shot was still here—and that the Sterling Family desperately needed to stay on Silas Hawthorne’s good side.

"Um, sorry, the two of us used to..."

"Mr. Hawthorne, when can we leave?"

Sue cut him off, clearly not wanting to listen.

’Used to?’

’Sorry, there is no "used to." There never was.’

Jason Sterling stared at her as if she were insane. "Are you crazy? You don’t have any skills. You’re useless. Why would Mr. Hawthorne take you on a mission?"

"Hmph. Desperate for Points, are we?" Tia Norris chimed in coldly from the side. "You have no abilities of your own, so you want to latch onto Mr. Hawthorne? Right. Following Mr. Hawthorne, the Points would practically be a handout. That would be way too easy, wouldn’t it?"

Tia Norris’s taunts hit home, and Jason Sterling found himself agreeing. He turned to Silas Hawthorne, his expression earnest. "Mr. Hawthorne, I don’t know what Sue told you, but she doesn’t have a superpower. She’d be nothing but a liability. You’d be better off taking me, or Tia Norris, or even Dominic Trent."

He spared no effort in recommending his own companions. After all, compared to someone useless, his own people were a much better choice, weren’t they?

Nearby, Theodore Frost was watching Jason Sterling with the expression one might reserve for a complete moron.

’Sue has no superpower?’

’Is he joking?’

’Our base has an advanced superpower energy scanner right at the main gate. Everyone who enters gets scanned. You all probably think it’s just for personal info and facial recognition, but it also measures energy levels. And you know what we found?’

’Sue’s energy fluctuations are the second strongest in the entire base, second only to Silas Hawthorne. Even my energy signature, as an S Level superpower user, isn’t as strong as hers. The experts analyzed it—she has to have a Double S Level superpower at minimum. You’re telling me this incredibly powerful person has no superpower? What kind of cosmic joke is that?’

Theodore Frost could barely stifle his laughter.

No one knew that Sue currently possessed two S Level superpowers, plus a few others on the side. Of course her energy fluctuations were off the charts.

Yet Jason Sterling stood there, utterly convinced of his own assessment. He waited for Silas Hawthorne to speak, fully expecting him to ditch the "useless" Sue and choose him instead.