Chapter 45: Chapter 45: If Only the Apocalypse Hadn’t Come

Bruce Rhodes’s brows furrowed slightly. "Why can’t you just take us with you now?"

Dominic Crawford looked helpless. "If I could, I’d take you all back right away. But we only have a few vehicles, not nearly enough to fit everyone. The ground outside is all sand; ordinary vehicles can’t drive on it. We have to wait for the rescue vehicles from the base to come get you."

Hearing Dominic Crawford’s explanation, Bruce Rhodes nodded in understanding. "Oh, so that’s how it is. Alright, we’ll wait! You must be tired, too. Perfect timing—we were just about to eat. Join us!"

Bruce Rhodes led them into a shop.

After closing the glass door, most of the windblown sand in the air was blocked outside. Sierra Sullivan and the others could finally take off their goggles and masks.

Being bundled up so tightly for so long inevitably felt stuffy.

Although the air quality was still poor, they could finally breathe a little easier.

Compared to the other shops, this one had fewer people, but there were still more than a dozen.

Luckily, the shop was quite large. The former cosmetics and other products had all been cleared out and piled in a corner. Various counters could be used as tables, and there were also plenty of soft stools.

To the right, near the counter, a few women were cooking.

They were using a barbecue grill—a long, rectangular one—with charcoal burning inside. On top of it sat three stainless steel pots.

One pot seemed to be cooking eight-treasure porridge, another held rice, and a third was boiling instant noodles.

In such a large supermarket with so few people, they really weren’t short on supplies.

Just one look at the various supplies piled in the corner was enough to know they had no worries about food or drink.

Indeed, no matter the era, it’s always ’fortune favors the bold, while the timid starve.’

There were many residential buildings near the mall, but at most, there were only a few hundred people inside it.

A few hundred people enjoying the resources of an entire mall... they were truly well-off.

Meanwhile, the more timid people who didn’t dare leave their homes could only stay inside and go hungry.

Sierra Sullivan wasn’t judging which choice was better. She just believed that people had to pay the price for their own decisions.

’Once you make a choice, you have to bear the consequences.’

Bruce Rhodes walked over, sat down next to Dominic Crawford, and casually offered him a cigarette. "We’re eating simply. After all, water is scarce, so we have to use it sparingly. We don’t have any fresh fruits or vegetables anymore, either. You’ll have to make do with what we’ve got."

"No, no!" Dominic Crawford quickly waved his hands. "We won’t eat your supplies. We have our own."

"You saw for yourself, we’re not short on food," Bruce Rhodes said, pointing to the supplies piled in the corner. "Go ahead and eat without worry."

"It has nothing to do with whether you’re short on supplies or not—" Dominic Crawford was still trying to refuse.

"Captain Crawford!" Jayce interrupted Dominic Crawford. "Since they’re being so hospitable, don’t keep refusing. But we won’t eat for free. All the water you can drink today!"

As Jayce spoke, he walked toward several water barrels in the distance.

Two of the barrels were bone-dry, without a single drop of water left.

The remaining barrel was less than half full.

In what seemed like an instant, Jayce filled all three barrels to the brim.

This display from Jayce left Bruce Rhodes and his people stunned.

It wasn’t until Jayce had walked back to Sierra Sullivan’s side and sat down again that Bruce Rhodes looked at him, his eyes filled with pleasant surprise. "You have the Water Ability! That’s incredible! We have a few Superpower Users, but not one of them has the Water Ability."

If they had a Water Ability User, their lives would be so much more comfortable.

Jayce smiled. "It’s normal that you don’t have a Water Ability User here. Out of the one or two hundred Superpower Users at the base, fewer than ten are Water Ability Users."

Hearing this ratio, Bruce Rhodes felt relieved.

After chatting for a few more moments, Jayce went with Bruce Rhodes to tour the other shops, filling up the water barrels in each one.

This act undoubtedly earned him a lot of goodwill.

He had only been back for a moment when a few small children came running in.

"Hey, this is for you!"

"No, have mine!"

"And this one, too!"

Chattering excitedly, the little kids stuffed all the candy, chocolate, and cookies they were holding into Jayce’s arms.

Before Jayce could say anything, they had already turned and run off, pressing their lips together to hold back smiles.

Through the glass door, he could see them looking back as they ran, radiant smiles on each of their faces.

None of the children were very old; the oldest looked to be about eight or nine.

The youngest was probably still in preschool.

Children this young had no idea what an "apocalypse" even was.

They only knew that life now was different from before.

They couldn’t go to school anymore, couldn’t see blue skies and white clouds, and the sweet songs of birds and the fragrance of flowers were gone.

And yet, despite all that, they still had smiles on their faces. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

’Some children truly are the most wonderful things in this world!’

Watching them, Sierra Sullivan found herself smiling too.

Jayce looked at the treats in his arms, picked up a piece of candy, and offered it to Sierra Sullivan. "Sierra, want some?"

Sierra Sullivan looked and saw that Jayce was holding an orange candy.

"Yes!"

Sierra Sullivan took the orange candy. The moment she tore open the crinkly wrapper, she smelled a rich orange scent.

Sweet and tangy, the scent instantly filled her heart.

’It smells good, and it tastes even better!’

Before long, the meal was ready.

The supermarket wasn’t short of bowls or chopsticks.

Probably worried that their guests might mind, their hosts served the food using disposable bowls and chopsticks.

Sierra Sullivan was now holding a steaming bowl of instant noodles.

The noodles also had slices of sausage, rehydrated wood ear mushrooms, and daylily buds.

Although it looked like a hodgepodge, it tasted truly wonderful.

Sierra Sullivan hadn’t eaten instant noodles in a long time.

In her memory, instant noodles had never tasted like this.

’This is the best instant noodles I’ve ever eaten!’

After finishing the steaming bowl of noodles, Sierra Sullivan felt a warmth spread through her entire body.

After the meal, it was already seven o’clock.

There was no electricity, so they had to be frugal with all forms of lighting.

The charcoal fire in the grill had also been extinguished.

The entire second floor of the mall was plunged into darkness.

Except for the people on watch duty, everyone else was getting ready for bed.

Dominic Crawford had also arranged for his people to stand watch.

Their group had many strong, able-bodied men, so a task like standing watch wouldn’t fall to Sierra Sullivan. She could rest without worry.

Sierra Sullivan, wrapped in a blanket, leaned against Jayce’s chest.

Just as she closed her eyes, Sierra Sullivan heard the sound of a voice.

The voice was very quiet.

At first, Sierra Sullivan couldn’t make it out clearly.

But as she quieted her mind, Sierra Sullivan gradually began to make out the words.

It was a mother telling her child a story.

She was telling a fairy tale.

Sierra Sullivan hadn’t read stories like that in many years.

But now, hearing that story again in the silent, pitch-black mall, a peculiar feeling spread through her heart.

’If only... there was no apocalypse.’