Chapter 450: The Contention of the Three Branches
Chapter 450: Chapter 450: The Contention of the Three Branches
All eyes fell on Nina Jacobs.
Seeing Nina Jacobs smile at her, Julia Hughes felt more confident.
But then, Nina Jacobs said calmly, "Julia wanted that boy to bark like a dog and kicked him. After that, the boy slapped her in retaliation, and then all these puppets and you people showed up."
She was telling the truth, but no one present expected her to be so honest.
Including Arcadia White.
"Miss Jacobs, you... you..."
Julia Hughes was instantly flustered and exasperated, glaring at Nina Jacobs with hatred in her eyes.
"Julia, didn’t I teach you before? You should be an honest child."
Nina Jacobs said, her expression unchanging.
General Hughes cleared his throat twice and said, "Miss Jacobs is right. Since you started it, you can’t blame Brock anymore."
The middle-aged man immediately shot Nina Jacobs a grateful look.
"So that’s how it was. Then it really is just children squabbling. If we brought family law into this, it would be making too big a deal out of it. What do you think, Arcadia?" the First Madam asked.
"You’re right, Sister-in-law. I just brought it up on a whim. Julia was being ignorant. I’ve made a fool of myself in front of everyone."
And just like that, the farce was over.
Recalling the looks from all her relatives just now, Arcadia White couldn’t help but regret speaking too soon.
But she hadn’t expected Nina Jacobs to shield the other party.
Just then, she realized Nina Jacobs and Wayne Warner had already left.
"I told you before, none of these people in your family are easy to fool. And yet you just had to say something like that," General Hughes chided.
Arcadia White retorted, also a little angry, "That Brock is an idiot anyway. What right does he have to hit Julia? And as for this Nina Jacobs, how much nerve did you give her? Does she have no sense at all?"
General Hughes gazed in the direction Nina Jacobs had left.
"I originally wanted to cultivate her into a trusted subordinate, but now it seems your idea might be more appropriate."
’This Nina Jacobs is far too rebellious.’
At that moment, Nina Jacobs was about to head back to the log cabin.
But she saw the man with glasses from earlier standing by the roadside, holding Brock White’s hand.
When he saw Nina Jacobs approaching, he immediately came forward to thank her. "Thank you so much for what you did just now. If it weren’t for you, Brock might have had to face the family law."
"Don’t mention it. I was just telling the truth. The family law... is it very strict?" Nina Jacobs asked curiously.
"The White Family’s law is divided into levels. Even the lightest punishment requires being hit on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet 100 times each with a wooden plank. People have been crippled by it before, to say nothing of the fact that Brock is just a child."
As the man spoke, he actually started wiping away tears.
It was only then that Nina Jacobs learned the man’s name was Wendell Lynch, and that he was the White Family’s third son-in-law.
But unlike General Hughes, Wendell Lynch was a live-in son-in-law, and Brock White had taken his mother’s surname.
Brock White was born with Down’s syndrome. Early in the apocalypse, his mother passed away tragically, leaving only the two of them as the last of the White Family’s third branch.
The second branch consisted of Arcadia White and Ambrose White, while the first branch was led by the First Madam, whose son was Flynn White.
Wendell Lynch sighed and continued,
"Let them have their fights. We’re already in this state, yet they still won’t leave us alone. It may be safe here, but we’d have more freedom living outside," Wendell Lynch said.
"Why are the three branches fighting amongst themselves?" Nina Jacobs asked, confused.
Wendell Lynch paused.
He looked around again, and only answered after confirming no one was listening.
"It’s because of the resources, of course. Since you’re here, you should already know the inside story. They all want control over the resources and the right to distribute them. Although Anselm Hughes is an outsider by blood, he’s responsible for transporting most of the resources here. Plus, he recently advanced to the Intermediate level. Flynn White is formidable as well. It’s really hard to say who will come out on top between their two branches."
"So that’s why."
Nina Jacobs understood.
’Even a small place like Whittaker Town runs so deep.’
"But from what I can see, the White Family Elders still favor Flynn. Not only does he have the White family bloodline, but he’s also young and talented. Ambrose White used to be a rival, but now that he’s dead, the second branch’s power has probably been greatly diminished. Oh, right, I also heard that Anselm Hughes lost some resources?" Wendell Lynch asked.
Nina Jacobs concealed the curiosity in her eyes and replied, "Thank you for telling me all this, but I have no intention of getting involved in their mess."
’This Wendell Lynch seems isolated and helpless, but his words are all pointed. He’s probably not a simple man.’
Wendell Lynch was stunned for a moment, then he chuckled.
"Miss Jacobs is a sharp one, as expected. But you really did help us today. If you run into any trouble, feel free to come and ask me."
"Alright, I’ll keep that in mind," Nina Jacobs replied.
Wendell Lynch took a few steps, then pointed at Han Lewis. "Them making Miss Jacobs take him with her is nothing more than exploitation. I advise you to get rid of this hot potato as soon as possible, even if you have to stage an accident to kill him."
After saying that, Wendell Lynch left.
Nina Jacobs looked helplessly at the mentally challenged "hot potato" behind her.
"No one here is simple, are they? Let’s just go back and eat first," Nina Jacobs said.
"Mhm."
At the mention of food, Wayne Warner’s pace quickened.
Nina Jacobs found a room for Han Lewis. "I don’t know where you were staying before, but you can stay here for the next few days. You are not allowed to enter either of our rooms without my permission."
Although she wasn’t sure if Han Lewis could understand, Nina Jacobs said it anyway.
"Eeya eeya eeya..."
Han Lewis drooled as he stared into the air, seemingly not having heard a word she said.
Nina Jacobs shook her head. Just as she was about to leave, Han Lewis suddenly grabbed her pant leg.
Immediately after, two large boxes of self-heating hot pot appeared in his hands.
"Eee eee eee..."
Han Lewis looked at the items in his hands and actually raised his head to offer them to Nina Jacobs.
Although his gaze was still directed elsewhere.
"For us?" Nina Jacobs’s interest was piqued, and she squatted down in front of him.
’This Han Lewis is a Space Superpower User. Which means Ambrose White’s puppet was a Space Superpower User.’
Recalling what Arcadia White had said, a glint appeared in her eyes.
’Arcadia White said Han Lewis had helped them a lot before. Could he know where the resources are stored?’
"Where did you get these from?" Nina Jacobs asked tentatively.
"Eee eee eee..."
A long string of drool trickled from Han Lewis’s mouth.
"..."
Nina Jacobs sighed in exasperation, pressing a hand to her forehead.
’I was being too hasty. How could I pin my hopes on a simple-minded person?’
As if sensing that Nina Jacobs was about to leave, Han Lewis "materialized" another pile of food.
There were instant noodles, ham, canned sardines, and even various types of vacuum-sealed meats.
But his hand remained tightly clasped around Nina Jacobs’s pant leg.
Nina Jacobs also noticed the bruises on his wrist.
After lifting his shirt, the dark purple bruises on his abdomen were even more shocking, and there were even many cigarette burns on his back.
"No wonder you ran away."
Nina Jacobs had Wayne Warner bring in a bottle of water and fed it to Han Lewis.
"You must be very tired. Get some good sleep here. We’ll be right next door."
After Nina Jacobs finished speaking, Han Lewis did indeed babble and release his grip.
Before leaving, Nina Jacobs had Wayne Warner put away all the things Han Lewis had taken out.
It wouldn’t be good if someone came in and saw them.
After taking care of that, just as Nina Jacobs and Wayne Warner were about to return to their room, they saw Diana Tate arrive at the door, carrying a number of things.
"The First Madam had me bring these for you. She said that if you’re feeling uneasy, you can eat these first."
Diana Tate’s gaze towards the two of them held a hint of inquiry.