Teaming Up with My Enemy to Rule the Apocalypse

"Sierra," Nathan Thorne said, a little baffled. "Why are you looking at me like that? Is something wrong?"

Sierra shook her head. "No."

Before Nathan could say anything more, Sierra turned to look at Jayce.

Sierra had noticed that Jayce had been on edge ever since they got in the vehicle.

This was unlike the Jayce she knew.

Leaning closer to Jayce, Sierra asked softly, "What’s wrong? You can tell me anything."

Jayce had been looking out the window. He turned his head when he heard her, his brow still furrowed tightly.

"I was just thinking... last time we came back to Subterra, so much had changed. My parents... This time, I don’t know if..."

Jayce didn’t finish, but Sierra already knew what he was worried about.

Sierra squeezed Jayce’s hand tightly. "Don’t worry. No matter what happens, we can solve it. I’ll be with you."

Jayce squeezed her hand back and nodded firmly. "I know! We’ll face whatever happens together!"

They weren’t that far from Subterra to begin with.

They had only been stuck outside for so long because they couldn’t see the road clearly before.

Now, with their vision unobstructed and no Aberrant Beasts or zombies besieging them, they made it back to Subterra smoothly before nightfall, even though the vehicle wasn’t moving very fast.

The moment the vehicle stopped, many of the people inside burst into excited cheers.

Even Sierra let out a long sigh of relief.

’Finally, no more unexpected problems!’

Although they had been delayed for quite a while, their gains from this trip were substantial overall.

They had brought back everything for their missions, and while they had lost one vehicle, it wasn’t a major issue.

After getting out of the vehicle, Sierra spotted Hector Grant in the distance.

Hector was no longer the gloomy, frowning man he had been before.

Even from a great distance, she could see his brilliant smile.

The sandy wind was still blowing in, and grinning like that would only get him a mouthful of grit. But he didn’t close his mouth, which showed just how happy he truly was.

Just as Sierra was thinking this, her eyes met Hector’s.

Hector immediately started walking toward them. "Don’t be in a hurry to leave. Get your payment before you go back and rest."

Hearing this, Sierra subconsciously raised an eyebrow. "We’re getting paid now?"

’This quickly?’

In her experience, when you worked for the authorities, you were expected to do your job diligently and quickly.

But when it came time to settle the payment, it was almost always delayed again and again.

’Why so fast this time?’

’Has the leadership had a change of heart, or is it because Hector is the one in charge of this?’

Hector smiled and nodded. "You all risked life and limb with me, completed your missions well, and have now returned safely. Of course I have to give you the payment you’ve earned. I’m no Skinner Shaw. I’ll need you all again in the future, and offending you now would do me no good."

His words were remarkably frank, which was very much in line with Hector’s character.

Sierra wasn’t short on Contribution Points, but she certainly wasn’t going to pass up what was rightfully hers.

"Alright, we’ll head back after we get paid. Where do we collect?"

’It’s not going to be right here, is it?’

"There are quite a few of you, so let’s go to the conference room!"

As Hector spoke, he raised his voice, looked at the others gathered around, and repeated what he had just said.

Knowing they would be paid immediately, many of them grew excited, one after another praising Hector nonstop.

Hector was long used to such praise, to the point of being immune to it. He made no comment and simply led the group toward the conference room he’d mentioned.

The conference room was quite large. It could easily hold more than just their group of one or two hundred; even if that many people came again, there would still be plenty of room.

"Everyone find a seat for now. In a moment, when I call your name, come up, collect your payment, sign for it, and then you’re free to go."

With payment just moments away, everyone was on their best behavior.

They did exactly as Hector said, without a single complaint. They didn’t even dare to speak loudly.

Hector took out a ledger, and someone next to him brought over a box.

The box was opened, revealing it was full of Contribution Points.

Hector started reading from the first name on the list. The person whose name was called immediately went up, received their payment from the side, and then signed where Hector pointed.

The entire process went smoothly. No one tried to cause trouble or deliberately make a scene.

Sierra and her group weren’t the first to go up, but they weren’t the last, either.

When about half the people in the conference room had left, it was finally Sierra’s turn.

Sierra immediately went forward and took a thick stack of Contribution Points from Hector’s hand.

Though it was just ordinary paper, its contents made it something special in Subterra—something everyone wanted.

Seeing this, the people around them couldn’t help but gulp.

They had guessed Sierra would get a lot of Contribution Points, but they hadn’t expected it to be *that* much!

So much... it made them envious!

Sierra walked off the stage under everyone’s envious gazes and waited to the side.

She had collected her own share.

Next, Jayce, Nathan, and even Candice Tate went up to sign and collect their own shares.

Jayce, however, didn’t seem to have any particular reaction and came down calmly.

He walked over to Sierra and gave her all the Contribution Points in his hand. "Sierra, you hold on to these."

Before Sierra could reach out, she saw Candice offering her Contribution Points as well.

"Sierra, you take these too! Buy whatever you want!"

Hearing Candice say such domineering words in her small, child-like voice, Sierra was both touched and amused.

’This little girl is always subtly competing with Jayce.’

’If Jayce is good to me, Candice tries to be even better.’

Although Sierra was the beneficiary of all this, she still found the antics of the big one and the little one rather funny.

Nathan looked at the three of them, then down at the Contribution Points in his own hand, a conflicted expression on his face. "At a time like this, if I don’t contribute my Contribution Points, am I going to be left out? Will I even be able to squeeze my way back into this group later?"

His words made the other three laugh.

Sierra reached out and took the Contribution Points from both Jayce and Candice.

"I’ll hold on to these for you for now. Just let me know when you need them!"

Sierra had just finished speaking when she heard Nathan cluck his tongue twice.

Sierra followed the sound with her eyes, and when she saw it was Nathan, she relaxed.

"What? Are you upset that I’m not taking yours?"

Nathan nodded seriously. "Yeah! Of course I’m upset you’re not taking mine! How am I supposed to freeload off you with a clear conscience in the future?"