The Flame came quickly.
Perhaps because of the intense heat, Paige Summers could feel the searing wave before it even reached her. It made her eyes sting, but at the same time, it served as a warning!
With fire to her left and the tentacle monster to her right, just as Sylvester Marshall expected her to dodge forward or backward, Paige Summers suddenly made a move that surprised everyone.
She dove sharply toward the ground on her right, evading the ball of Flame. And just as the tentacle monster rounded on her to bind her, she shot back up, grabbed a section of vine, and yanked it toward the blazing fire...
The smell of scorching filled the junkyard. As expected, the vine snapped.
Not only did it snap, but the Flame also traveled up the vine like a lit fuse, even spreading to another...
In no time, the vines were burned to bits, and the Flame was reduced to a small flicker.
Watching the scene unfold in silence, the two members of the Lucky Hunters stopped their attacks. Even Sylvester Marshall was momentarily stunned.
'This girl's speed is nothing to scoff at,' he thought. 'It might even surpass other Second Order Superpower Users.'
'After all, every Superpower User's physical abilities are enhanced to varying degrees when they advance, and that naturally includes speed. That's why Speed Superpower Users have been losing their edge. It's also why most of them have gradually grown accustomed to a comfortable life inside the city walls, losing the courage to venture out. Otherwise, finding someone wouldn't have been this difficult!'
'But her reaction time is even faster than I expected.'
'She must be a Superpower User with great potential...' He suddenly felt uncertain. 'Was it really a good idea to let her join this hunt? If she found out the truth...'
While he was lost in thought, the woman to his right couldn't help but yell, "You idiot! We're here to see your speed! What do you think you're doing?!"
Paige Summers tilted her head and offered a sincere defense. "But doesn't catching this tentacle monster also prove my speed?" 'Actually, even I was a little surprised by how cleanly that worked out,' she thought. 'But it's a good thing, isn't it?'
"Ten-tentacle monster?!" the woman repeated, dumbfounded. Then, in a fit of rage, she whipped out a wooden vine and lashed it viciously at Paige.
Paige sighed inwardly, but her body was already moving nimbly into a new round of evasions.
Surprisingly, the man on the left chose not to interfere. He just folded his arms and watched the two of them, who had sent gravel and trash flying everywhere in a chaotic mess.
Sylvester Marshall understood his colleague's stance. Looking back at the scene, he saw that under the full power of Nola, the Second Order Wood Element Superpower User, Paige Summers had come dangerously close to being hit by the whip several times. But in the end, she always managed to avoid it, albeit a bit disheveledly.
He let out a breath. 'This is good enough!' he thought. 'Even if something unexpected happens, I'm sure that guy over there has a way to handle it. For example, the fact that Paige Summers's uncle seems very protective and has connections with people in the Upper District...'
Having sorted his thoughts, he immediately raised his voice. "That's enough!"
As the three walked over at his signal, he smiled and extended a hand to Paige Summers. "Welcome to the Lucky Hunters!"
After using her superpower so intensely, Paige's legs couldn't help but feel a bit weak, but hearing his words still filled her with genuine happiness. "Thank you."
Ignoring Nola's sullen expression and the Fire Ability User's distracted air, Paige asked Sylvester Marshall about many things she needed to be aware of as they walked out of the ruins, aside from the time and place to meet. For instance, what to prepare, how long they would be outside the city, and so on.
Sylvester Marshall was very thorough in his explanation, except for the specific purpose of their trip out of the city.
Paige, of course, wasn't reckless enough to press for more. 'After all, that must be classified,' she figured.
After finding out the location of the trading street, she took a detour on her way back to the furniture store. She took out her only three Crystal Cores and used them to purchase first-aid supplies, some portable Nutrition Cakes, and a sturdy backpack. Only then did she head back with peace of mind.
Night had already fallen.
The lights in the furniture store were on.
Paige was pleasantly surprised.
"Boss! Is that you?"
She called out, and before she could even put her things down, the owner rushed out from a corner, grabbed her by the shoulders, and started shaking her back and forth.
"What in the world are you up to? Didn't I tell you to wait here? Why did you go out on your own? And how did you get mixed up with the Lucky Hunters?..."
Paige gritted her teeth and cried out in pain.
Only then did Woody Warren realize he'd lost his composure. He quickly let go, took a step back, and cleared his throat awkwardly. "Uh, ah, well... what's going on?"
Paige rubbed her shoulders twice. 'Still hurts! A strength-based superpower is pretty brutal!'
But she quickly dropped her hands and, acting as if nothing was wrong, gave the owner a report. Of course, she limited it to the fact that she had joined the Lucky Hunters and was leaving the city tomorrow.
The more Woody Warren listened, the tighter his brow furrowed. Finally, he said bluntly, "Go quit! I've already sold the things you made, and we'll get paid soon! With that, you'll have enough to live on. There's no need to take this risk!"
As he spoke, Paige felt a warm current slowly flow into her chest.
It wasn't an illusion, nor was it because she was moved. Her chest was genuinely warm.
She pressed a hand to it with a strange expression on her face.
'How bizarre!'
She stared at the owner's serious face, seeing the sincere concern in his eyes.
A few thoughts suddenly flashed through Paige's mind.
"Boss... are you... worried about me?"
Woody Warren's temper flared. "Of course I am! If it were John Archer or John Doe, I wouldn't give a damn if they died! But you're a young girl who rarely even leaves the house! Your only skill is running faster than others. Going out to kill Mutant Beasts is a suicide mission, isn't it? And do you even know what kind of people the Lucky Hunters are? They may have some fame, but those guys have ice in their veins, not blood, you know? I don't know why they're looking for a Speed Superpower User, but you don't need to be a genius to figure out they're looking for cannon fodder! Do you have a death wish or something?"
Paige suddenly broke into a brilliant smile.
Though her face was half-covered, filthy, and smudged with dust, the joy in her smile was incredibly infectious.
Woody Warren was a bit flustered. "What... what are you smiling about..."
Paige shook her head.
She was just so happy.
'See? Even though it's the apocalypse, the survivors aren't all as cold-hearted as they're described in books. They still care about the people around them, even if they haven't known them for long!'
As for that warmth gathering in her chest, she now had a faint suspicion.
'It must be goodwill!'
'And by contrast, the chill I felt before must have been the malice coming from them...'
'If this is also a kind of ability, then this is getting very interesting.'
Seeing her lost in thought, Woody Warren couldn't help but put on a stern face again. "Kid! Did you hear a word I said?!"
Paige finally scratched her head and smiled sheepishly.
"I heard you, but I still have to go."
"Huh? That's what you call listening?! You..."
"Boss!" Paige interrupted, pressing her hand to her chest. "I know you're genuinely looking out for me. But I have to get stronger. You of all people should understand that in this era, the weak can encounter a tragic fate at any moment. The only ones who can control their own destiny are the strong. I have my suspicions about why the Lucky Hunters are recruiting. The truth is, it doesn't matter which Hunting Party I join; just leaving the city is dangerous. I don't have time to wait any longer. I don't want to miss this chance!"
Woody Warren stared at her for a long time, finally understanding her resolve.
He sighed softly. "My niece is about your age. When I see you, it's like I'm seeing her. Don't mind my meddling, I just..."
"I understand. I understand everything."
Paige's voice softened too. 'The boss's niece... she's probably gone, isn't she? No wonder he treats me like one of his own younger generation.'
Woody Warren hummed in acknowledgment and told her to wait, then went back to his room. A moment later, he came out with a foot-long Short Sword.
"Take this. You need a weapon when you go outside the city; don't think just being able to run is enough. Also, don't blindly trust anyone in the Hunting Party. Sometimes you're comrades, but other times, you're enemies..."
Woody Warren began to ramble on, sharing his experiences, and Paige listened with unusual seriousness and a heart full of gratitude.
「Meanwhile, in a room in a certain building in the Lower District.」
On a double bed, after a man and woman had finished their lovemaking, the woman spoke softly. "Is Paige Summers really joining your Hunting Party?"
The man, still lingering, buried his head in the woman's chest. "Yeah, the captain said that's her name. Why?"
"Then... could you do me a favor?"
"Anything!"
"Help me... kill her!" As she said this, the woman smiled as brightly as a spring blossom, but a trace of sinister cruelty flickered in her eyes.
The man's movements paused. "I heard she's just a little girl..."
"What, are you scared? Can't do it?"
"You're kidding!" The man lifted his head and scoffed, his coarse face filled with arrogance. "She's just a little girl. Taking care of her will be a piece of cake! Besides, I might not even have to lift a finger. This next hunting mission isn't easy. It's hard to say if she'll even make it through."
The woman let out a small gasp. "Is it very dangerous? Then you have to be careful!"
The man burst out laughing, fondling the woman's body while boasting about his own strength.
But the woman, outwardly calm, let her mind drift.
'Dangerous is good! The more dangerous, the better! I can't wait for the owner of that face to disappear from this world!'
'Last time, I set up such a perfect trap to completely eliminate her, but in the end, it actually failed!'
'The memory of seeing the other woman safe and sound in front of the mission hall made hatred surge uncontrollably within her. The agony of her past life—being lured into a horde of Mutant Beasts and dying a miserable death—tormented her every night, robbing her of sleep. If she allowed that murderer to continue living in this world, how could she ever be at peace?!'
'Oh, Paige Summers, Paige Summers, you could never have imagined this, could you? I, Leanne Walsh, may have been killed by you once, but I was blessed by the heavens and was able to be reborn!'
'In this life, I will make you pay the price!'
'You must die!'
'Only when you're dead can I proceed with the next step of my plan!'
'I will take your place and firmly claim the man who is destined to stand at the very top!'
"Baby, let's go again!"
The brutish man on top of her pressed against her, his desire flaring once more.
The woman looked at him as if he were the finest tool in her hands. She gave a delicate smile and seductively opened her body to him.