Chapter 231: That Bowl of Dumplings Wasn’t Free
"It was pretty serious at the time." Nathan Thorne sighed. "He almost lost an arm. Luckily, I noticed it early and started treating him right away. But you know how it is today—there are so many injured people. I only healed him halfway. The rest will have to wait until we get back to Subterra."
Sierra Sullivan knew it too. There were too many injured people. If Nathan Thorne healed Dominic Crawford completely in front of everyone, the other wounded would definitely complain.
"Getting him halfway healed is still good," Sierra Sullivan said. "It won’t cause any permanent damage, will it?"
"No, it won’t. I put his arm in a sling. As long as he’s careful, there shouldn’t be any issues. We should be back in Subterra tomorrow, and then..."
Nathan Thorne didn’t finish his sentence.
But both Sierra Sullivan and Jayce understood what he was going to say.
"I just hope he learns a lesson from this and stops pushing himself so hard. It would be best if he could rest for a while in Subterra."
If they made it back safely this time, Dominic Crawford would receive a substantial reward.
Not just Contribution Points, but also a certain amount of supplies.
If they were frugal, it would be enough for the three of them to live comfortably for a month or two.
Sierra Sullivan heard Nathan Thorne’s words but said nothing.
They all had a pretty good idea of what kind of person Dominic Crawford was.
He wasn’t the type to sit still.
Not to mention, besides himself and his family, he was also supporting two other people, one of whom was in poor health and needed constant care.
Under these circumstances, Dominic Crawford had no choice but to work himself to the bone.
Nathan Thorne obviously understood this as well, and he didn’t say anything more for a while.
While they were talking, more people boarded the vehicle.
When these people saw Jason Kane eating dumplings, their faces filled with envy, and they all started asking where he got them.
When they learned the dumplings had been bought for the price of one Second Level Crystal Core, they all fell silent.
Crystal Cores could not only be used to enhance one’s Superpower but could also be exchanged for Contribution Points to live in Subterra.
Trading a Second Level Crystal Core for a bowl of dumplings was simply not worth it for them.
Although they really wanted some, reason ultimately prevailed.
No one came to ask Sierra Sullivan to sell them dumplings, which she was quite happy about.
’Making dumplings is so much trouble. I didn’t want to sell them anyway. It’s much better to keep them for myself!’
’As for Crystal Cores, it’s not like I’m short on them!’
The number of Crystal Cores she was due from the battle at noon was not a small amount.
And that didn’t even include Jayce’s and Candice Tate’s shares.
Someone who wasn’t lacking Crystal Cores couldn’t be bothered to trade supplies for them.
Outside, it had grown completely dark, and a night wind had begun to blow.
The wind was light at first, but as time passed, it gradually grew stronger.
The strong wind whipped up sand and dust from the ground, sending it flying through the air.
Some people had originally planned to rest in the houses.
But when they saw the wind picking up, they immediately abandoned that idea and returned to the vehicles.
Resting in the vehicles might be a bit cramped, but at least their safety was guaranteed.
It would also prevent a repeat of what had happened before.
They had no desire to experience being trapped inside a house again.
That night, no one slept well. Everyone was on edge.
When morning came and the sky began to lighten, their lingering hopes were finally crushed.
The sandstorm had returned.
And it was more violent than any of the previous ones.
A tremendous wind, thick with sand, furiously battered the vehicle’s body, creating a deafening CLATTERING sound.
Inside the vehicle, the noise was amplified countless times.
Even though they knew the vehicle’s body was sturdy and wouldn’t be broken by the sand, just hearing the sound made it impossible not to feel scared and nervous.
Sierra Sullivan pulled Candice Tate into her arms, patting her back and comforting her in a soft voice.
"Don’t be scared, Candice. I’ll always be with you, and I’ll always protect you."
Candice Tate shook her head in Sierra Sullivan’s embrace. "I’m not scared, Sierra."
As long as she was with Sierra, she wasn’t afraid of anything.
Nathan Thorne sighed from the side. "You may not be scared, Candice, but I am! If this wind gets any stronger, is it going to blow the vehicle away?"
Sierra Sullivan said, "...Could you please shut your jinxing mouth!"
’Most of the time, it’s best to avoid saying unpleasant things.’
’It’s not about being superstitious; it’s just that bad predictions always seem to come true while good ones never do.’
Nathan Thorne realized he’d said the wrong thing and quickly shut his mouth.
But even so, Nathan Thorne’s words proved to be a prophecy.
At first, the vehicle’s body only shook slightly.
But as time went on, the shaking grew more and more violent, and it even showed signs of tipping over.
This made everyone’s hearts sink.
The vehicle was incredibly tough. Even though they were all Superpower Users, it would still take a lot of effort to break their way out.
Besides, destroying the vehicle wouldn’t do them any good.
The only solution now was to get out before the vehicle was blown over, store it in a spatial inventory, and take shelter in the houses.
Otherwise, they would either be trapped inside the vehicle or be blown away along with it.
Neither scenario was one they wanted.
Just as Sierra Sullivan was thinking this, Hector Grant’s voice came through the vehicle’s intercom.
Hector Grant was not in this vehicle.
His voice was choppy, likely because the sandstorm was interfering with the signal.
Although Hector Grant’s words were intermittent, if you listened carefully, you could still make out what he was saying.
Hector Grant’s plan was the same as what Sierra Sullivan had just been thinking.
He wanted the driver to move the vehicle to the door of a house. Then, everyone was to get out, tie themselves together with ropes, and head into the building together.
As for the vehicles, they would have to be moved into the houses using a Space Ability User’s power.
It all sounded simple, but actually doing it would be anything but easy.
The wind was so strong that the first person to get out would likely be blown away instantly.
For a moment, everyone in the vehicle hesitated. No one spoke. No one wanted to be the first one out.
After a long pause, someone suddenly stood up.
"Since none of you are willing, I’ll be the first!"
Sierra Sullivan looked toward the voice and saw that it was a familiar face.
It was none other than Jason Kane, the man who had just bought her dumplings.
Jason Kane had a rather stocky build, and his expression was firm and resolute.
Seeing everyone looking at him, Jason Kane patted his chest. "I can’t have eaten that bowl of dumplings for nothing! I’ll take the lead! Does anyone have a rope?"
Sierra Sullivan immediately pulled a rope out of her space, and Jayce, who was next to her, quickly took it. "We have rope here!"
