Chapter 236: Apple Tree and Apple
Nathan Thorne was on another level entirely!
The three of them had to combine their efforts to get that much.
But Nathan Thorne had earned that much all by himself!
’You really can’t compare people!’
Thinking this, Sierra Sullivan shot Nathan a complicated look.
’No wonder they say fools have the best luck!’
Nathan Thorne usually seemed a bit unreliable,
but when he got serious, he was *really* reliable!
Hector Grant could naturally figure out what Sierra Sullivan had just realized.
And when he saw the ecstatic Nathan Thorne counting on his fingers, Hector’s expression darkened.
"Our relationship—"
"What relationship?" Sierra Sullivan immediately cut Hector Grant off. "Captain Grant, you can’t just say things like that! What kind of relationship do we have? You can’t show favoritism!"
Jayce didn’t say a word, but he stared at Hector Grant without blinking.
Nathan Thorne stopped counting, too, his gaze on Hector Grant full of restless energy.
It was as if he was ready to teach Hector Grant a lesson on how to behave if he said one more wrong word.
Stared down by the group, Hector Grant couldn’t remain silent any longer and had no choice but to nod.
"Of course, what I said before still stands. I won’t play favorites. You’ll get Contribution Points for every level you’ve gained."
Finally hearing the answer he wanted from Hector Grant, Nathan Thorne broke into a satisfied grin.
’I’ve struck it rich!’
It wasn’t that Nathan Thorne was short on Contribution Points, but as the saying goes, this was free money.
No matter how wealthy you were, it was always a joy to get a little something extra.
They weren’t speaking quietly, and everyone nearby heard them loud and clear.
In that moment, the way everyone looked at Sierra Sullivan and the others changed.
But no matter how their gazes shifted, they felt no sense of injustice.
’Can you blame Sierra and her friends?’
’Of course not!’
’If they had to blame someone, it would be themselves. After all, they only had one Superpower!’
But if they were actually given the chance to awaken a Second Superpower, they might not even want to.
Talent was something you could sense in yourself, even if others never mentioned it.
Even if they did awaken two Superpowers, they might not be able to manage both.
Let alone three.
Just seeing how much Nathan Thorne could eat was enough to dissuade many from the idea.
If the Superpower they awakened was rare and valuable, that would be great.
But if they awakened an ordinary, common Superpower, they wouldn’t even have a shoulder to cry on.
Therefore, even though they envied Sierra Sullivan’s group for getting more Contribution Points, it was only a slight envy.
There was truly nothing more to it.
When Hector Grant handed out the Contribution Points, he did feel a pang of regret for a moment.
But it was only for a moment. More than that, he was happy.
These people were all residents of Subterra. The stronger their Superpowers, the better it was for Subterra.
Even now, it was a good thing for him personally.
At the very least, their chances of survival would be higher when facing danger!
Hector Grant’s gaze burned with intensity as he looked at Candice Tate. "Candice, how many crops can you grow at once now?"
Candice Tate thought for a moment, but instead of answering directly, she opened the small satchel at her side.
Candice Tate’s satchel was filled with all sorts of seeds.
This time, Candice Tate took out a small, round, black seed.
Hector Grant looked at the seed, unable to recognize it at first. "What kind of seed is this?"
"An apple."
The moment Candice Tate finished speaking the two words, the seed in her hand sprouted.
A tiny, delicate apple seedling appeared, seeming to grow with a shaky tremor.
But in reality, in just a few breaths, it shot up from a fingernail-sized sprout into a small tree taller than Candice Tate herself.
After that, not a single person spoke.
Everyone held their breath, witnessing the growth of an apple tree with their own eyes.
It was like watching one of those time-lapse videos from before the apocalypse, sped up countless times.
Watching a video was enjoyable.
But seeing it happen in person, the crowd was left with nothing but shock, unable to describe their feelings.
Anyone would be stunned to see a single seed grow into a huge apple tree right before their eyes.
The apple tree was laden with apples.
Unripe green apples matured in a matter of breaths, turning a vibrant, ruby red.
Even the air filled with the sweet fragrance of apples.
Candice Tate smiled at Hector Grant. "Apples for everyone!"
Hector Grant finally snapped out of his daze and applauded forcefully. "Excellent! Candice Tate is treating everyone to apples!"
"Thank you, Candice Tate!"
The thanks of one or two hundred people shouting in unison was almost deafening.
Everyone’s gratitude was heartfelt and sincere.
The way they looked at Candice Tate was like they were looking at a precious treasure.
And in truth, Candice Tate was indeed a great treasure.
Without Candice Tate, it was hard to say if they would have ever had the chance to eat an apple again in their lifetimes.
Hector Grant called some people over to pick the apples one by one and count them.
There were four hundred apples in total.
Enough for two per person.
Since Candice Tate was treating, Hector Grant certainly wasn’t going to hold any back. He had the apples distributed immediately.
Everyone received two large, bright red apples.
These apples were picture-perfect, exactly what one would stereotypically imagine an apple to be.
They were bright red, and each one was two sizes larger than a grown man’s fist.
Not only were they large, but their fruity aroma was also rich and intense.
Before the apocalypse, apples weren’t really considered a luxury fruit. Only certain varieties were a bit pricier.
Most apples were very affordable, and many people didn’t even like them.
But now, everyone gazed at the two apples in their hands with immense joy and excitement.
Some people stared at them for a long time before carefully tucking them into their backpacks, unable to bring themselves to eat them.
These were usually the ones with families.
They wanted to take the apples back to share with their loved ones.
Even though they didn’t know when they’d be able to go back, it didn’t stop them from having the thought.
Another group of people put one apple away and started munching on the other.
The apples were crisp, sweet, and juicy, making a CRUNCH CRUNCH sound as they were eaten.
They already smelled sweet, but once bitten into, the fragrance became even richer.
The people who hadn’t eaten their apples started to drool, but they still couldn’t bear to take them out.
Hector Grant naturally got two apples as well.
He didn’t save his either and took a bite out of one.
After just one bite, he gave a sincere nod. "This is the most delicious apple I’ve ever eaten in my life!"
Hector Grant’s praise made Candice Tate’s eyes curve into a smile.
"If you’d like more, Hector, I can grow more for you!"
For the current Candice Tate, growing an entire apple tree had used less than a tenth of her Superpower.