Chapter 558: Important Evidence
Chapter 558: Chapter 558: Important Evidence
"Nothing escapes you, as expected," Adrian Paige replied. "To avoid the Command Center’s surveillance, they cut off all routes connecting Stenmore to the Command Center months ago."
This was the most crucial piece of intelligence they had gleaned from the interrogation.
Nina Jacobs couldn’t help but frown. They cut off the routes to the Command Center... Audrey Crowley had explicitly stated that they sent people to the Command Center to report the border situation, yet they never received a response. Perhaps the people they had sent were compromised. Furthermore, she remembered that Audrey also planned to make a personal trip to the Command Center.
"I know a bit about the situation in Stenmore. Had the Command Center never received any messages from the Crowley Group before this?" Nina asked.
"The Crowley Group?"
Seeing Adrian’s reaction, Nina was almost certain that the previous intelligence gathered by Audrey and her people had never actually been sent out.
"The Crowley Group has been fending off the border incursions on their own. Their previous requests for support from the Command Center were fruitless." Nina then gave a brief overview of her encounter with Audrey.
"Such a thing happened?" Justin Lawson expressed his concern. Stenmore was indeed right next to Veridia.
"We never received any such news. It seems highly likely that someone is causing trouble from within Stenmore," Adrian said with a frown. Moreover, it sounded like the people from the Crowley Group hadn’t realized there was a mole in their own ranks.
"Fortunately, we are in the middle of a deep freeze, so they shouldn’t make any immediate moves. Did those people reveal their next plan?" Nina asked after a moment of thought.
"These people only knew the general outline since they acted separately. They didn’t know much about the situation in Stenmore," Adrian continued. "Their original mission was to find the Mystic Ice Core and bring it back to their country. However, they received another mission halfway through. Someone told them to sell Holy Water at City D Base, trading it for supplies."
It just so happened that the people delivering the Holy Water ran into the extreme cold weather. After that, Lucas Holden and his partner killed them and stole their loot.
"This Finn only came to the base a month ago. Rumor has it that he ranks seventh in Veridia." When bringing up the man in black, Myra Lawson’s expression became somewhat complex.
After their battle that day, he vomited blood and fell into a coma. They immediately rushed him to the base hospital for treatment, but they couldn’t save him. The doctor said that he had lost the will to live. Coupled with the severe depletion of his Superpower, even the combined efforts of a Healer and medication failed to bring him back.
Although some people in the base gossiped that he was practically angered to death by Nina, Justin strictly shut down those rumors and publicly announced that the man died from excessive Superpower depletion.
"Let’s just consider it a life for a life," Nina said.
Soul Slayer’s Space Superpower User had indeed been kidnapped and murdered by Finn. Furthermore, the zombie horde that Caleb Carter and the others encountered had been deliberately lured over by those people. The man’s death was well deserved.
"They also confessed to one more thing. They were the ones who recently destroyed the ice walls in the river channel," Myra added.
"Their motive?" Nina asked.
"No motive. Just sheer jealousy." This was precisely what made Myra so angry. The malice of human nature was truly omnipresent; she had witnessed it in all its ugly glory over the past few days.
"No, they probably still had a motive," Adrian disagreed.
However, the few individuals on whom the Truth-telling Talisman didn’t work had committed suicide out of fear of punishment during the night. By the time they were discovered, it was already too late.
People on whom the Truth-telling Talisman didn’t work. Nina recalled Sherry Renner telling her that her Talisman Paper did indeed have a failure rate. It seemed she would have to ask her about it again later.
"This is all vital intelligence. I will compile their statements into relevant evidence," Adrian said. He finally understood why Justin and Myra had followed Nina’s instructions to lock down the base without a moment’s hesitation. Had they hesitated for even a second, they would have missed the opportunity to obtain this crucial information.
Justin chimed in, "The extreme cold isn’t entirely a bad thing. At least it gives us time to prepare."
"The temperature has dropped again over the past two days. Last night’s lowest temperature reached minus eighty degrees. I imagine it’s the same globally; no one would dare venture outside," Myra sighed.
During their five days of interrogation, City D Base had also initiated various winterization and heating measures. In this kind of weather, an ordinary person without protection would probably die within ten minutes of being outside. Even Superpower Users couldn’t operate outdoors for long periods.
Adrian looked at Nina and noticed a look of concern on her face. "What’s wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing. I’m just wondering how long this weather will last," Nina replied. She was worried about Holly Morgan and the others who had set out from Tomorrow Base. Although Claire Warner had instructed them to stay in bases along the way if the temperature continued to plummet, she wondered how they were holding up now.
"True. Fortunately, we don’t need to worry too much about the river channel for now. We owe it all to you and Stella these past few days," Myra said with relief. A few days ago, many rescue team members were suffering from frostbite or hypothermia every day. If they had to spend extended periods outdoors these next few days, it would undoubtedly lead to far more severe consequences.
"Indeed, Nina. On behalf of City D Base, I thank you." Justin was at a loss as to how to reward her this time.
"The supplies found on Lucas Holden rightfully belong to Stella. I will have Ian Chandler deliver them later. The Holy Water should be included as well, but..."
Before Myra could finish, Nina interrupted her.
"We don’t want the Holy Water. You can just exchange it for Crystal Cores or supplies," Nina said. "Holy Water can only heal injuries; it cannot cure the Zombie Virus. Perhaps the base and the Command Center need it more."
Hearing Nina’s explanation, Justin was deeply moved. He thought she would keep some of the Holy Water for herself, never expecting her to willingly hand it all over to the base.
"Good, very good. If you ever need anything in the future, just name it. City D Base will support you unconditionally!" Justin felt incredibly fortunate to have Nina at the base. He even wanted to assign her a special position, but Nina politely declined.
"This is just what Stella ought to do," Nina said.
"Understood. Stella takes the credit this time. We will also arrange for someone to explain the situation to Caleb Carter," Myra said, understanding Nina’s intent. She was building a reputation for Stella while avoiding personal fanfare.
"I’ll talk to them," Nina offered. Caleb and Fern Spencer had already made an appointment with her, saying they wanted to pay a visit.
Myra nodded. "That works. Although they suffered a disaster this time, the base will provide them with appropriate compensation to serve as a consolation."
In this entire incident, Soul Slayer was the most innocent party. What was clearly an act of goodwill had brought a fatal disaster upon themselves and their team.
"I’ll drive you back." Seeing Nina getting ready to leave, Adrian offered to personally take her home.
"Okay." Nina didn’t refuse. In this kind of weather, even if they were just moving around the base, it was best to travel by car. Otherwise, within minutes, their clothes would freeze completely stiff.
However, she had a feeling that Adrian had something on his mind.
"You possess the Wind Element Superpower, don’t you? Why keep it a secret?"
It was just the two of them inside the car. With one hand resting on the steering wheel, Adrian leaned his body slightly toward Nina in the passenger seat and stared at her as he asked the question.
"You really don’t beat around the bush, do you?" Nina chuckled.