Canned goods have a long shelf life.

Although the food in her system storage would never expire, the packaging was still printed with production dates.

That’s why Nina Jacobs had been using her Claire Warner identity to prioritize selling supplies with shorter shelf lives.

This was to avoid diminishing their value.

But canned goods were different. They could be stored for several more years without a problem.

The route to the Paradise Food Factory also completely overlapped with their route for the day, which made things even more convenient.

"We’ve already cleared over 40 kilometers of that road. There are about 23 kilometers left."

Chester Pearson said, referring to the day’s mission.

The further they went, the more time it took, because they had to leave enough time to get back to the base.

"What have the casualties been like these past few days?"

Nina Jacobs asked.

"Thirty-nine dead, seventy-three injured."

Chester Pearson sighed.

Even though they had made extensive preparations, there were too many unexpected incidents on this road.

Especially the Zombie Rats that would pop out of the desolate field ridges from time to time, not to mention other zombie animals.

They were almost impossible to guard against.

’Almost forty people in four days?’

Nina Jacobs knew that this number of casualties wasn’t considered high.

The rescue team was clearly doing everything it could to minimize casualties.

Soon, the vehicle was on their mission route.

It was a highway.

Both sides of the road were mostly barren fields and forests of dead trees.

There weren’t many zombies, true, but the vehicle’s windshield was already a gory mess.

That was from the zombie birds that occasionally dove at them, as well as Zombie Rats and other undead animals.

"These things are far more dangerous than zombies,

so you all need to be extremely careful when you get out."

Chester Pearson warned.

As the vehicle slowed to a stop, Ian Chandler pulled several sets of protective helmets and gloves from his spatial storage.

"These are vital. Everyone must wear them."

Ian Chandler passed them out to everyone in the vehicle.

Nina Jacobs didn’t refuse. She picked up her walkie-talkie and gave an order to the two trucks behind them:

"Everyone stay in your vehicles. Don’t get out until I give the word."

"Nina, what are you going to do?"

Ian Chandler asked, curious.

"The most effective way to deal with zombie animals is with traps," Nina Jacobs said as she opened the car door.

The sunlight outside was blinding.

The scent of hot asphalt rose from the road, mixed with the stench of rot and decay.

Nina Jacobs walked alone toward the blocked road up ahead.

"What is she doing?"

In one of the rear trucks, a team member couldn’t help but ask.

"I don’t know. Have you heard?

She’s the only Intermediate Fire Ability User at our base right now."

"For real? An Intermediate Superpower User?"

Everyone stared outside, their faces full of curiosity.

They saw Nina Jacobs place both her hands on the surface of the road.

Two streams of a bright, liquid-like substance flowed forward along both sides of the road.

"I see."

Chester Pearson understood.

Nina Jacobs was setting up traps along the sides of the road to prevent any sudden attacks from zombie animals.

’But that’s no small feat...’

"Just what you’d expect from an Intermediate Superpower User."

Only when Nina Jacobs gestured to them from a distance did Chester Pearson order the team members to get out and assemble.

"This... Captain, will it really work?"

A rescue team member, Caius Stone, asked.

The liquid fire along the roadside looked like a shimmering, thin line, so distinct from the filthy black asphalt that it looked like it was on a different layer entirely.

’Can this really stop zombie animals?’

"Let’s start clearing the road. Time is tight."

The words had barely left Chester Pearson’s mouth when a gout of flame erupted from the roadside nearby.

With the shriek of a Zombie Rat, one that was about to pounce was instantly burned to a crisp.

The thin line of fire, however, seemed completely unaffected.

"Incredible."

Someone couldn’t help but mutter.

In just over ten minutes, half-man-high flames had already flared up in several places along both sides of the road.

Any zombie animal that tried to cross the two thin lines was instantly burned to a cinder.

"Chase Gallagher, Jessica Vance, try using a Wind Wall,"

Nina Jacobs said.

Jessica Vance nodded. She and Chase Gallagher took up positions on either side of the group and condensed a flowing Wind Wall above everyone’s heads.

The two had often used their Wind Wall in battle to block zombies in front of them.

This was the first time they had used it in midair.

The two Wind Walls connected, forming what looked like a protective shield above their heads.

BANG!

A zombie bird appeared without warning and slammed into the Wind Wall shield.

Although the zombie bird wasn’t killed by the impact, it proved the Wind Wall could indeed block sudden attacks from the creatures.

"It’s working! All Wind Element Superpower Users, come help!"

Chester Pearson shouted upon seeing this.

"Space Superpower Users and Gold Element Superpower Users, clear the road!

The rest of the Superpower Users, follow Captain Pearson and take out the zombies in front and behind us..."

Looking at the endless line of vehicles of all sizes piled up before her, Nina Jacobs was struck by how difficult clearing this road would be.

This would be a major test for the Space Superpower Users.

"That kid, Ian Chandler, is pretty impressive."

Leo Hale had joined the Gold Element Superpower Users, using his Gold Element Superpower to clear away the metal wreckage and vehicles on the roadside.

Ian Chandler was using both hands, and the vehicles on either side of him were vanishing in quick succession.

Compared to the other Space Superpower Users, his clearing speed was the fastest.

Without the surprise attacks from Zombie Rats and zombie birds, the team’s progress sped up significantly.

On top of that, even the Wood Element Ability Users began using vines to clear debris to the sides.

The team’s coordination reached an unprecedented level.

"Everyone did an excellent job today. To thank you all for your cooperation, I’ll be giving out a small token of my appreciation."

Before they headed back, Nina Jacobs made sure to acknowledge the team’s efforts.

No one really thought much of it at first.

But unexpectedly, after they returned to the base that evening, someone actually delivered several boxes to them.

The items were delivered by Wayne Warner and Leo Hale.

When the group opened the boxes, they were stunned to find several cases of beer and beef jerky! 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"She actually gave us a reward."

Caius Stone and the others stared in delight at the delivery.

The beer was even ice-cold.

The sound of people swallowing audibly echoed down the dormitory hallway.

"Nina Jacobs asked an Ice Ability User to chill these for you.

Tomorrow’s the last day, so keep up the good work."

After dropping off the items, Leo Hale and Wayne Warner left without a backward glance.

This gesture made everyone look at Nina Jacobs with a bit more warmth in their eyes the next day.

"A lot of Wind Element Superpower Users were scrambling to sign up for today’s mission.

I didn’t expect you to actually pay for that out of your own pocket."

On the road, Chester Pearson mentioned that he had heard about Nina Jacobs giving supplies to the rescue team members.

Only a few people were injured on yesterday’s mission, and no one died, so a lot of people were eager to join this one.

"But where did you get all that beer?

Everyone’s been craving some for a long time."

"I bought it at a small shop."

Nina Jacobs replied.

"Claire Warner? You know, I’ve actually been there myself."

Speaking of Claire Warner’s little shop, Chester Pearson felt it was about time for him to pay another visit.

"That woman, Claire Warner, might be a Space Superpower User, but she’s definitely got a few tricks up her sleeve.

I suspect she has a powerful team of Superpower Users backing her."

Chester Pearson said.

"Oh? Is that so?"

Nina Jacobs just smiled, saying nothing.

She had also heard plenty of gossip about the small shop back at the base.

Everyone was curious about the shop’s owner, which lent the place an air of mystery.

Some said she was the heir to a reclusive, ancient family.

Others said she had a powerful organization backing her.

Some even claimed she was a relative of the base commander...