「The second day of the Superpower User tournament.」

Stella simply took the day off.

"Today is free. Anyone who wants to go watch the matches can go."

Nina Jacobs announced to the group that had gathered early in the morning.

Today was for the remaining matches of the round of 50.

Nina Jacobs didn’t plan on going to the arena again.

There was nothing more she could learn from the fights there.

"Yes, ma’am!"

The moment they heard it was a free day, the group collectively relaxed.

After all, their team dinner the previous night had gone on quite late.

"The captain is so considerate. Where are you guys headed?"

Theodore Thorne, one of the team members, nudged Kyle Keaton to his left and then poked the young Samuel Dempsey to his right.

"Let’s go watch the matches. What if we end up facing one of them in the next round?"

Samuel Dempsey replied.

"Good point. I was thinking the same thing."

Theodore Thorne agreed. While some of the matches were dull, there were still a few impressive Superpower Users.

In the special viewing section of the arena, Myra Lawson was explaining something to Brendan Hart, who sat beside her.

Not far away, Heath Chandler saw this and ground his teeth.

"What’s that sound?

Oh, it’s just you, Mr. Chandler. For a second, I thought a rat had gotten into the arena!"

Rowan couldn’t resist teasing him.

Heath Chandler’s gaze was practically glued to them, a clear sign of how much it bothered him.

He’d heard that when Myra Lawson returned, she had only expressed mild surprise at his presence at the base.

Then, she had immediately turned back to her own business.

The tearful reunion Heath Chandler had been hoping for never happened.

Not only that, but there was another man by Myra Lawson’s side—Brendan Hart.

Rumor had it that even before the apocalypse, the man had his eye on Myra Lawson, who was already divorced at the time.

He had simply been transferred to a post in the more distant Oakhaven later on.

It was a surprise that he had managed to come to the City D Base this time. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"Alright, stop staring. If you still want her, go after her. You two have a son, after all."

Rowan said, exasperated.

"That brat is useless."

Heath Chandler stood up. He might as well go over himself.

’Seriously,’ Rowan thought. ’If you were going to regret it this much, why did you do it in the first place?

Serves you right!’

Rowan ignored him and turned his attention back to the matches.

This City D Base was certainly interesting, he had to admit. The tournament, in particular, was getting his blood pumping.

The roar from the arena swelled at that moment.

Meanwhile, Nina Jacobs had already left the base and set up her small shop outside its walls.

Because of the Superpower User tournament, many teams were staying inside the City D Base.

But there were also plenty of non-participating teams and a few walk-in customers who came to buy supplies.

After one group of customers left, Nina Jacobs felt a small sense of satisfaction as she watched her System Experience Points slowly tick upward.

She had been working diligently since the last system upgrade, and the results were undeniable.

Her Experience Points toward Level 3 were already more than halfway full, mostly thanks to selling supplies.

"This is the place."

A woman’s voice came from outside. Nina Jacobs looked toward the door, her eyes darkening slightly as she saw who it was.

It was Tyson Hughes.

Tyson Hughes glanced first at Claire Warner, then sized up the simple, sheet-metal hut.

"What do you want to buy?"

Claire Warner asked in a perfectly ordinary tone.

Behind Tyson Hughes stood a woman in glasses and high heels, who looked more like an office worker.

"We’re here to take a look. What kind of supplies does the owner have?"

The woman replied, pushing up her glasses.

"My inventory is a bit assorted. You can refer to the supply list up there."

Claire Warner pointed to a price list for common supplies hanging on the wall.

The list was printed and contained dozens of items, including both food and practical goods.

"You have a large spatial storage, then?"

Tyson Hughes asked bluntly.

A flicker of wariness appeared in Claire Warner’s eyes.

’Recalling the Superpower User Alliance’s methods,’ Nina was already trying to figure out how to get rid of them.

"Don’t misunderstand," Tyson Hughes said. "Supplies are the last thing I care about."

’Cares the least about supplies?’

Nina didn’t believe him for a second, but she didn’t let it show.

"I’m not at liberty to answer that question."

Claire Warner said.

"It’s like this, Miss Warner. Our Mr. Hughes is looking for partners. I was wondering if you might be interested?

The benefits would certainly be better than what you get running a stall here."

The secretary’s tone was polite and earnest.

’If she didn’t know they were from the Superpower User Alliance,’ Nina thought, ’she might have been more pleasant.’

"Not interested."

Claire Warner replied flatly, only to find Tyson Hughes staring at her.

He just chuckled self-deprecatingly. "A few months ago, someone else gave me the exact same answer."

"She said the same thing when I tried to hand her a flyer."

The tone and inflection were identical, too.

"..."

Nina didn’t remember saying that.

’But if he was talking about flyers,’ she recalled, ’it must have been the man in the mask she’d encountered at the shelter, back when she was sneaking Wayne Warner in through a side door.’

’So that person really was Tyson Hughes.’

’Back then, Tyson Hughes had Dylan Quinn impersonate him while he disguised himself as a member of the Superpower User Alliance and used the opportunity to kill Cole Dempsey...’

’Still, it was just one sentence. It didn’t prove anything.’

Claire Warner’s expression remained impassive. She simply said:

"You two, I’m running a business here. If you don’t intend to buy anything, please don’t disturb my other customers."

"Since we’re here..."

Tyson Hughes had his assistant take out something she had prepared and place it on the table in front of Claire Warner.

It was a small case of gold bars, and quite a few of them.

"What would you like to buy?" Claire Warner asked.

"I haven’t decided yet. I’ll leave these with you for now. I’ll come back for the goods once I’ve figured it out."

To her surprise, that’s what Tyson Hughes said.

???

Claire Warner didn’t understand his intentions.

Just as she was about to refuse, the two of them walked out the door.

They left the case of gold behind.

"Mr. Hughes, I don’t believe that was a meaningful use of your resources," the female assistant said.

"Hmph. They’re just sitting around idle anyway.

Better to use them to mark a little territory here than to have them all confiscated."

Nina Jacobs overheard their conversation.

’Marking territory...’

The corner of Nina’s mouth twitched. For some reason, she was reminded of Treasure marking his territory on a walk.

’But "all confiscated"... Could it really be like Shirley Lucas said?’

Nina recalled Shirley Lucas telling her a couple of days ago that almost all the supplies raised by the City D branch of the Superpower User Alliance were being confiscated and sent to The Alliance’s headquarters.

That even included some of the more powerful Superpower Users.

If that was true, then Tyson Hughes was likely just a disposable pawn.

Nina remembered that Tyson Hughes had a powerful Superpower; he was a Dual Element Superpower User.

Yet for some reason, the main Hughes Family hadn’t recalled him.

The pair outside had already gone. Gazing at the case of Gold on the table, Nina Jacobs unceremoniously transferred it into her system’s inventory.

[Congratulations, Host, for successfully collecting 330 pounds of Gold. You have triggered the "Doomsday Gold Digger" title and have been awarded one Level 3 inventory slot!]

"Warner! Not heading into the base to watch the fun today?"

A familiar voice called out as Chester Pearson entered with several other rescue team captains.

They were all here to buy Blood Stopping Spray.

"You mentioned before that rescue teams get special treatment,

so I was wondering if we could get 100 bottles for each captain this time?"

Chester Pearson asked, his tone hopeful and ready to bargain.