Teaming Up with My Enemy to Rule the Apocalypse

Sierra Sullivan looked at the speaker. "You have a problem with that?"

The man sneered and was about to speak when Sierra cut in.

"Even if you do, keep it to yourself!"

The man probably hadn’t expected Sierra Sullivan to be so assertive.

His retort was stuck in his throat, leaving him in an awkward limbo. His face flushed a deep, liverish red.

Seeing his ugly expression, Sierra Sullivan was satisfied.

She had never been a good-tempered person.

If people were willing to speak to her respectfully, she’d return the favor.

But if someone couldn’t speak like a civilized person, she had no intention of tolerating it.

The man glared daggers at Sierra Sullivan but kept his mouth shut.

When Hector Grant appeared, the man immediately raised his voice and called out to him, "Captain Grant, there’s someone here with a child! We’re heading out on a mission, not going for a stroll in the park. What’s the meaning of bringing a kid along? She’s probably just here to leech Contribution Points. You should send her back immediately!"

Hector Grant’s expression was already stern. He was just about to get down to business when the man interrupted him, and he was inwardly displeased.

His expression darkened even further after hearing the man’s complaint.

"In that case, you can leave. You’re off this mission."

The man stared blankly at Hector Grant, thinking he must have misheard. It was a long moment before he found his voice.

After a moment, he finally spoke, his voice filled with disbelief. "Captain Grant, what... what did you say? Who are you sending back?"

Hector Grant’s brow furrowed. "Are your ears broken? I said you’re off the mission. Do you understand now? If you do, you can leave!"

If he’d been wondering whether he misheard before, there was no doubt now.

But he couldn’t accept it.

She was the one who brought a child on such an important mission, so why was *he* the one being sent home?

"I won’t accept this!"

"I demand to know why!"

"Why does she get to bring a child on the mission while I get sent home? Are you playing favorites, Captain Grant? Are you just handing them an opportunity to earn Contribution Points?"

Everyone knew the reward for this mission was incredibly generous.

A high reward naturally meant high risk, but as long as there were Contribution Points to be earned, that was all that mattered. Danger? Who cared about that?

Besides, with Captain Hector Grant himself leading the team, a certain level of safety was guaranteed.

As long as you were careful, you could probably make it back in one piece without any issues.

Under these circumstances, countless people were practically killing each other for a spot on this mission.

He could understand anyone else getting a spot.

But bringing a child? That was going too far.

And for Hector Grant to side with her despite that... that was even more outrageous.

Even if he couldn’t go on the mission, he had to get to the bottom of this.

Otherwise, he would never be able to let it go!

Hector Grant looked from the man who had spoken to the others in the group.

"Are you all thinking the same thing he is?"

No one said a word.

Hector Grant had just dismissed the man. How could they dare to speak up now?

But while they didn’t voice their dissatisfaction, it was more or less written all over their faces.

Seeing their silence, Hector Grant chuckled. "You don’t have to say it; I know what you’re all thinking. Yes, she’s a child. But this is the apocalypse, and a child isn’t always just a child. Like all of you, she is a Superpower User. A Forth Level Superpower User, to be precise. Now do you understand why I allowed her to join this mission?"

A Forth Level Superpower User?

The expression on everyone’s face changed, including the man who had just been complaining.

You could count the number of Forth Level Superpower Users in all of Subterra on one hand.

They never imagined that a child who looked only a few years old could also be a Forth Level Superpower User.

Even though they knew you couldn’t judge anyone by pre-apocalypse standards, this was still beyond anything they could have accepted.

Hector Grant scanned the crowd again. "Now, do you have any other objections?"

This time, no one else spoke up.

They had no more objections.

Not only that, they were even a little relieved.

’I’m relieved I wasn’t so quick to jump in and cause trouble.’

’Otherwise, not only would I have been kicked off the mission, but I would have also offended a Forth Level Superpower User.’

As for the man who had spoken up, his expression was uglier than ever.

Though he felt a pang of regret, it was quickly overwhelmed by resentment.

’If Sierra Sullivan had just said so from the start, why would I have kept pressing the issue?’

He couldn’t hide the resentment in his expression and his eyes, and Sierra Sullivan saw it as clear as day.

In response, Sierra Sullivan just gave an indifferent smile.

’Let him hate, then.’

’There was no point in talking to someone who blamed everyone but himself when things went wrong.’

"Alright," Hector Grant spoke again. "You should have no more objections now. In that case, let’s get down to business. You already know the details of this mission. To ensure we can bring back all the supplies, we are taking a total of forty Space Ability Users. I expect all of you to protect these forty Space Ability Users if we run into danger. Otherwise, even if you make it back safely, you won’t be getting the supplies you were promised."

The statement felt a bit like a threat, but everyone knew it was the simple truth.

The supplies were all stored in the Space Ability Users’ spaces.

If those Space Ability Users didn’t make it back, they naturally wouldn’t get any supplies.

Hector Grant surveyed the group one last time. "Alright, let’s move out!"

Hector Grant led the way with the others following behind, the large party moving purposefully toward the surface.

This was the first time Sierra Sullivan had left Subterra and returned to the surface since she’d arrived.

The air in Subterra wasn’t exactly pleasant.

But at least it was clean.

At least it didn’t smell of dust and sand.

But the moment they reached the surface, every breath was thick with the smell of dust.

She hadn’t experienced this sensation in a long time, and even with a mask on, Sierra Sullivan felt the urge to sneeze.

But she managed to hold it back.

Sierra Sullivan looked down at Candice Tate. "Candice, how are you feeling?"

Candice Tate looked up at her. "I’m okay, Sierra. I’m fine."

Sierra Sullivan could tell at a glance that she was just putting on a brave face.

Sierra Sullivan knew why Candice Tate was doing it.

She was scared.

Scared she’d be sent back.

That’s why she insisted she was fine, even though she was clearly uncomfortable.

Sierra Sullivan stroked Candice Tate’s head but didn’t say anything else.

’Words of comfort would be useless right now.’

’It’ll be better once we’re in the vehicle.’

Sierra Sullivan soon spotted the vehicle they would be taking.

But you could hardly call it a car.

From a distance, it looked like a monstrous beast of steel.