Chapter 191: Then Just Wait to Collect My Corpse
Candice Tate nodded. "Yes, I’ve been here the whole time. All by myself..."
The tears she had been holding back threatened to spill again as she spoke.
Sierra Sullivan gently patted Candice Tate’s back, pulling some of her favorite snacks from her space. "You have some snacks. Your big sister is going to go ask what’s happening."
But before Sierra could put Candice Tate down, the little girl threw her arms tightly around Sierra’s neck. "Big sis! Don’t go!"
Her soft, sweet voice was filled with fear and terror.
Sensing Candice Tate’s panic, Sierra quickly said, "Okay, okay, I won’t go!"
"Sierra, you stay with Candice Tate. I’ll go."
Jayce said, walking toward the girl in the outer room.
The girl watched Jayce get closer, and the look in her eyes grew cold.
’This man is so handsome!’
’Not only is he handsome, but he has an exceptional presence.’
’He’s easily on par with the celebrities from before the apocalypse.’
Jayce stopped. "What’s your job here?"
The girl was taken aback by the question. "Huh? What?"
"I asked, what is your job?"
"My... my job is... well... it’s to watch her. Once the room is full, I notify someone to come pick everything up. And... and I’m supposed to handle her three meals a day."
"Her hair isn’t combed, her face isn’t washed. She’s only been here a week, and she’s already lost a significant amount of weight. Is this how you take care of her?"
The girl felt a pang of guilt, but she quickly straightened her back. "I’m here to work. I’ve completed my tasks on time. Anything else isn’t my responsibility. I’m not her nanny. Combing her hair and washing her face isn’t my job. Besides, I gave her the food. What does her losing weight have to do with me?"
Her voice grew louder as she spoke, as if that was the only way to prove she was right.
Jayce couldn’t be bothered to argue with her. "We’re taking her with us. Where’s your superior? Get him over here."
The girl’s first instinct was to refuse, but faced with Jayce’s icy gaze, the words of refusal simply wouldn’t come out.
After a moment’s pause, the girl finally said, "I can go get my superior, but there’s no way you’re taking her."
With that, she hurriedly turned, walked over to a table, and picked up a walkie-talkie.
"Group Leader, get over here, quick. Something’s come up..."
Jayce just watched her without saying a word.
Before long, a man with glasses ran over, panting and looking anxious.
Before he’d even stopped to catch his breath or gotten a clear look at the situation, he was already blurting out, "What’s going on? Young Warren, what happened? Is someone causing trouble? Who would be so bold?"
"That would be me."
"And who are—Jayce?! What are you doing here? It’s really you!"
The newcomer’s anger turned to joy.
"It’s me! Dylan Dunn!"
Jayce showed no particular emotion. "I know you’re Dylan Dunn."
Dylan Dunn also noticed that Jayce’s mood was off and found it strange. "What’s wrong with you? We’re brothers, we haven’t seen each other in so long, and now we meet again. Aren’t you happy? Why the long face?"
"What’s your position now, and what are you in charge of?" Jayce asked in return.
"Me? I’m just a group leader now, in charge of production—basically, these Plant Ability Users. You know, their work hours, how many crops they need to force-grow, that sort of thing..."
At this point, it dawned on Dylan Dunn.
"You showing up here at this time, asking me these questions... You don’t know this little girl, Candice Tate, do you? What’s your relationship? A relative of yours?
"Oh! Right! Your parents come to see her often; seems like you guys are pretty close. Wait, why are you looking at me like that? What’s going on? If you have something to say, just say it! What’s with that look?"
Jayce knew that Dylan Dunn was just a group leader. Many things weren’t his call, so it wouldn’t be right to blame everything on him.
With that thought, Jayce’s expression softened slightly. "Since you’re telling me to say it, I will. Are the other Plant Ability Users locked up in here like Candice Tate, unable to leave?"
"That’s not it. They just come here for their shift, and they go home after finishing their tasks. Some people work their butts off to finish early so they can leave a bit earlier."
Hearing Dylan Dunn’s words, Jayce’s expression grew even darker.
"If other people can even leave early, why is Candice Tate kept locked up here?"
"Wasn’t it because your family kept refusing when they wanted her to come? Plus, she’s so young, it’d be a hassle for her to travel back and forth, so the higher-ups just said it would be more convenient to have her live and work here—"
Seeing that Jayce looked like he was about to eat him alive, Dylan Dunn didn’t dare to continue.
He himself knew how messed up that sounded.
Dylan Dunn looked left and right, then leaned closer to Jayce and lowered his voice. "Brother, don’t blame me. This wasn’t my decision. I’m just following orders."
Jayce’s face was dark. "I’m only asking you one thing: how do we get Candice Tate out of here today?"
"Don’t make things difficult for me!" Dylan Dunn looked conflicted.
Jayce softened his tone slightly. "I don’t want to make things difficult for you, but I hope you won’t make things difficult for me, either. If you don’t give me a solution, then I’ll just have to use my own methods."
Having known each other for so many years, Dylan Dunn could guess what kind of "methods" Jayce was talking about.
He stared at Jayce for a moment. "Fine. What can I say, we’re brothers! How about this: have her finish today’s quota early, and you can take her home today. But you have to bring her back by eight tomorrow morning. Otherwise, you’ll be the death of me."
As he said the last sentence, Dylan Dunn stared intently into Jayce’s eyes. "I’m not kidding. I’m staking my life on you, brother."
Jayce raised his hand and clapped Dylan Dunn heavily on the shoulder. "Got it."
Before Dylan Dunn could say another word, Jayce walked into the inner room. Seeing the remaining seeds, he directly used his Superpower to force-grow them all.
Almost instantly, the entire room filled with fast-growing vines, writhing as if they wanted to devour someone.
Dylan Dunn watched this scene, his eyes wide with shock.
’This brother of his was formidable before the apocalypse. How is he even more formidable now?’
Half an hour later, Sierra Sullivan and the others left with Candice Tate.
Candice Tate seemed much more cheerful.
Not being locked up would make anyone happy.
At the door, Young Warren watched Jayce and the others leave, a worried look on her face. "Group Leader, what if they don’t bring her back tomorrow?"
Dylan Dunn narrowed his eyes. "Then you can just wait to collect my corpse."