Chapter 99: Chapter 99: Grandpa, Aren’t You Full?

Jayce had probably been around the scent so much he’d grown used to it, so he didn’t immediately notice the fruity fragrance in the air.

Hearing General Aldridge’s words, he didn’t quite process it at first. He just glanced at the general instinctively. "What? What smell?"

General Aldridge didn’t answer right away. Instead, he took a deep breath before saying wistfully, "It’s the smell of fresh fruits and vegetables! I’ve only ever smelled this in orchards and vegetable gardens. It’s wonderful! It’s been so long, I must be starting to hallucinate."

Even a straightforward man like General Aldridge couldn’t help but look wistful as he spoke.

Jayce finally understood what General Aldridge meant. He instinctively glanced toward the room where Sierra Sullivan and the others were, the corners of his lips turning up in a smile.

"You might be mistaken, General Aldridge. Perhaps it isn’t a hallucination after all!"

"Not a hallucination?" General Aldridge let out a short, incredulous laugh. "If it’s not a hallucination, then what is it? Don’t tell me there are actual fruits and vegetables here? The only Wood Ability User on our base is Hugo Cheney, and he’s useless. He can’t even grow enough for a single dish at a time. We’d be better off not eating than relying on him."

"That’s where you’re wrong, General. He’s not the only Wood Ability User."

Sierra Sullivan said, opening the door.

As the door swung open, everything inside the room was revealed to General Aldridge.

Lush green vines and leaves, along with fruits and vegetables of every color and shape.

They appeared before General Aldridge’s eyes, sudden and without any warning.

Staring at the scene, General Aldridge was utterly stunned.

After a long moment, General Aldridge finally rubbed his eyes and spoke in disbelief. "This... I’m not dreaming, am I?"

Sierra Sullivan walked over, carrying a large watermelon. "Of course you’re not dreaming. How about some watermelon to start?"

There was a fruit knife on the table.

Sierra Sullivan picked it up. The moment the blade touched the rind, before she even applied any pressure, the watermelon split open with a loud CRACK.

The flesh of the naturally split watermelon was a beautiful, vibrant color, completely different from one cut with a knife.

The sweet aroma of watermelon rushed toward them, and the scent alone was enough to make one’s mouth water.

Sierra Sullivan and her group were fine; they had eaten watermelon recently. Though they wanted some, their faces didn’t betray any strong reaction.

But it was a different story for General Aldridge.

General Aldridge, a man with influence in all circles, couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten watermelon.

Now, smelling the rich aroma of watermelon, his eyes were practically bulging.

’This smells way too good!’

Sierra Sullivan wasted no time, quickly slicing up the watermelon. "General, please, don’t stand on ceremony. Dig in!"

The words "eat it while it’s hot" almost slipped out, but Sierra Sullivan swallowed them back down.

’That phrase didn’t seem quite right for the occasion.’

General Aldridge wasn’t a man to stand on ceremony. He immediately grabbed a slice and began taking huge bites.

Juice immediately smeared all around his mouth.

Sierra Sullivan watched, her eyes wide with shock, as the general devoured a slice nearly the size of her face in just a few bites.

’Isn’t he eating that a little too fast?’

But General Aldridge didn’t stop there; he quickly grabbed a second slice.

In a flash, half the watermelon had disappeared into his stomach.

General Aldridge let out a long sigh of satisfaction and sank back into the sofa.

"Delicious! Now this is real food! Why did I never realize watermelon was this good before?"

Sierra Sullivan answered silently in her mind. ’Because people never cherish what comes too easily.’

’Watermelons used to be everywhere.’

’Even in the dead of winter, you could find one if you were willing to pay.’

’But now, things were different.’

’From the start of the apocalypse to now, the number of people who could still eat watermelon was minuscule.’

’Most people had to ration their water, let alone their food, subsisting on dry rations.’

’So if they were to suddenly see a watermelon, how would that be any different from discovering a priceless treasure?’

’It was only natural for him to be this excited.’

’It would be strange if he wasn’t.’

Watermelon is mostly water, so it isn’t very filling.

For a man with an appetite like General Aldridge’s, half a watermelon would be digested in no time.

Looking at the remaining watermelon on the table, General Aldridge asked Sierra Sullivan and her group, "You guys aren’t having any?"

"We’re not hungry right now," Sierra Sullivan said.

"In that case, I won’t stand on ceremony!"

With that, General Aldridge grabbed another slice and began to devour it.

"There’s still plenty of food coming later—"

Before Sierra Sullivan could finish, General Aldridge waved a dismissive hand.

"Don’t you worry." General Aldridge laughed. "My appetite is bigger than you can possibly imagine. Just cook as much as you can. This is just an appetizer."

With General Aldridge’s blessing, Yvonne Shelby no longer had any reason to hold back.

Jayce stood up as well. "You all sit and talk for a while. I’ll go help with the cooking."

General Aldridge watched Jayce walk away, his eyes filled with appreciation.

"That’s a good kid! Not bad at all! To think he even knows how to cook."

Sierra Sullivan smiled at his words.

’Jayce really was wonderful.’

’It wasn’t that he was wonderful because he knew how to cook.’

’It was that knowing how to cook made him even more so.’

Soon enough, General Aldridge had polished off all the watermelon on the table.

He was leaning back with his eyes closed, savoring the taste, when he suddenly heard a small, child-like voice.

"Grandpa, how did you eat that whole big watermelon? Aren’t you full?"

The sudden sound of a child’s voice made General Aldridge’s eyes snap open.

He saw Candice Tate standing before him, and as their eyes met—his and her big, clear ones—his interest was piqued.

"Well now! This one’s a brave little thing, isn’t she? Not afraid of me at all!"

He was well aware of the effect he had on people.

Few children saw him without being frightened.

But this child wasn’t just unafraid; she had walked right up to him and started a conversation. How could he not be surprised?

"Are you... a child from the Everett Family?"

"Nope!" Candice Tate shook her head. "My name is Candice Tate."

Hearing their exchange, Sierra Sullivan was pulled from her thoughts. She looked over at them and said, "General Aldridge, the big watermelon you just ate? Candice Tate is the one who grew it."

General Aldridge had already guessed the Everett Family must have a powerful Wood Ability User.

But he had never imagined—or rather, it had never even crossed his mind—that this powerful Plant Ability User would be such a tiny little girl!

"Really?! That’s incredible! No wonder they say great talents start young—it’s the honest-to-god truth! To be this powerful at her age... she’s going to be even more amazing in the future!"