Chapter 235 Her Purpose

Josie's sharp eyes swept across the corner of the corridor, catching a fleeting afterimage of someone rapidly retreating.

It was a thin figure, seemingly not expecting so many people to suddenly appear in this desolate ruin. Startled, he tried to retreat silently into the deeper shadows. Upon reaching a broken wall, he immediately quickened his pace to escape.

"Someone's there!" Josie whispered, instinctively reaching out to chase after them.

"Sister, let them guard you, I'll go!"

Xie Jue moved even faster. Before he finished speaking, his figure had vanished from the spot like a ghost, leaving only a faint energy fluctuation.

His "teleport" ability is a unique advantage in this kind of tracking situation.

Josie suppressed her urge to follow, gave a warning gesture to the team members around her, and waited patiently.

With his current skills, Xie Jue can protect himself as long as he doesn't encounter a large-scale zombie horde or an extremely strange superhuman.

Only about five or six minutes later, the air beside him distorted almost imperceptibly, and Xie Jue reappeared, his breathing steady.

"So fast?" Josie was somewhat surprised.

Xie Jue nodded, speaking slightly quickly but clearly: "Found them, in the back yard. I saw them crawl into a well-camouflaged manhole cover. Should I go and call them out now?"

He looked at Josie questioningly, deciding to follow her opinion in everything.

After a moment's thought, Josie shook her head: "No rush. Now that we've found the hideout, the people can't escape. Let's rest first, have breakfast, and replenish our energy before we talk about anything else."

In the apocalypse, having sufficient physical strength is the foundation for dealing with all unexpected situations.

The decision was accepted without objection and will be implemented immediately.

He skillfully found some discarded wood, and the fire-elemental ability user stepped forward, precisely igniting the dry tinder with a small cluster of flames.

Xie Jue took out more than a dozen potatoes of different sizes from the food bag he had brought, counted the number of people, and was about to throw them into the fire.

“Wait,” Josie interrupted, “put in more.” She gestured towards the manhole cover.

Xie Jue immediately understood, and silently took out more than ten potatoes and carefully buried them in the fire.

I can't speak for other things at the base, but we can definitely have enough of these high-yield and durable tuber foods.

Soon, the unique aroma of roasted potatoes mixed with the sweet scent of starch filled the air.

Each team member received a cup and ate it with cold water, a simple yet satisfying breakfast that warmed them up and made them more focused.

Josie carefully packed the remaining dozen or so roasted potatoes, which were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, into a relatively clean cloth bag.

After breakfast, the team, led by Xie Jue, quietly made their way to a hidden corner filled with clutter.

There were piles of broken furniture and twisted tables and chairs, covered with a thick layer of compressed cardboard and plastic sheeting, making it look like a large, neglected garbage dump, smelling musty and dusty.

But with Xie Jue's guidance, one could vaguely see a narrow gap deliberately left under the tables and chairs, just wide enough for one person to crawl through, leading into the depths.

"Clear away the obstructions," Josie ordered.

The team members immediately stepped forward and carefully but quickly moved the broken tables, chairs, and covers away, making a loud clanging sound.

The commotion sounded particularly abrupt in the deathly silence of the ruins.

Soon, a rusty manhole cover with obvious signs of frequent wear and tear was revealed.

Xie Jue stepped forward, bent down, and prepared to lift the manhole cover.

Just as the manhole cover was moved open a crack,

A scorching, not huge but fierce flame suddenly erupted from below, heading straight for Xie Jue's face!

Xie Jue reacted extremely quickly, his figure instantly flashing back five or six meters, narrowly avoiding the flames.

The air, thick with the smell of burning, swept through the hot air, and the ground where he had stood was now charred black.

A man, so thin he was almost unrecognizable, with sunken eyes, poked his upper body out of the well. A faint flame flickered in his hand, his eyes fierce like a trapped beast, and he threatened in a hoarse voice: "Get out of here now! Or I'll burn you all to ashes!"

Josie showed no fear, and even shrugged indifferently: "Then burn it."

Her completely unpredictable reaction startled the man, causing the flame in his hand to flicker. He repeated, his voice trembling with fear, "I... I mean it! I'll kill you all!"

Josie ignored his threat and threw the bag of roasted potatoes she was holding at him.

The bag wasn't tied tightly, and several golden, fragrant potatoes rolled out, emitting an incredibly tempting aroma.

The man's throat visibly bobbed violently as he stared intently at the potatoes on the ground, his eyes filled with longing, but he still resisted picking them up, glaring warily at Josie.

“We are superhumans from the Spring City Experimental Base,” Josie finally spoke, her voice calm yet strangely persuasive. “We’ve come to ask if you’d like to come back with us. At our base, we can not only give ordinary people like you the opportunity to awaken your superhuman abilities, but we can also ensure you have enough to eat every day.”

These words were like a boulder thrown into stagnant water; immediately, a suppressed yet clear commotion and whispers arose from beneath the manhole cover.

"Really... really can I become a superhuman?"

"You can eat your fill every day? Wow! Wow!"

"Don't believe them! There are so many bad people out there! They're definitely lying!" The gaunt man's face grew even uglier as he sternly rebuked his men.

"But brother...we're really starving to death..." came a weak but tearful rebuttal from below.

Josie understood their wariness; in the year since the apocalypse, who among those who survived hasn't experienced deception and betrayal?

She continued, her tone certain: "Human flesh is tough and sour, what's so delicious about it? Our base has a dedicated planting area where tomatoes, cucumbers, and leafy greens are plentiful. There's also a breeding area, although not much, but we can occasionally have some meat to improve our meals."

With each word she spoke, the sound of swallowing below the well grew louder, even drowning out the whispers.

The man called "Big Brother" remained stubbornly blocking the well opening, his eyes filled with struggle: "Since your place is so nice, why are you letting us eat and drink there for free? What exactly is your purpose?"

A hint of appreciation flashed in Josie's eyes; this was a smart and responsible leader.

She answered frankly, "Good question. I have my reasons for coming to see you."

The man remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

"The experimental base has developed a catalyst that allows ordinary people to evolve superpowers, but this news can't be kept secret, as too many people covet it. We need to strengthen our own power. We will provide you with a way to survive, a safe environment, and food. In return, we need your absolute loyalty to jointly build and defend the base and become a part of us."