Chapter 415 - 296: Invitation Letter
Marcus Monroe didn’t press the issue any further. Paige Summers wasn’t sure if it was because of what she’d just said, because he was too worried about her degrading superpower, or simply because she didn’t want to talk.
In any case, he gave her a long, hard look before changing the subject.
He said that Leo Joyce was currently rounding up the top experts from various nearby bases, preparing to form a temporary elite Hunting Party for a major undertaking.
He also mentioned that Bloodfall Base would likely receive an invitation from Leo Joyce soon.
He was right. The day after he returned, a messenger from Southreach arrived.
The couriers were familiar faces.
Evan Carter and Norman Ross were among them.
They delivered the letter into Claire Chapman’s hands but then lingered, seemingly unwilling to leave.
Paige Summers went over to ask a few questions.
They told her everything they knew.
Of course, this was all likely within the bounds of what they were allowed to share.
It was like a eunuch passing messages from the Emperor. If you were on good terms with him, he might reveal a little extra. If not, he wouldn’t tell you a thing, even if he knew. But there was always a limit to these revelations—nothing that would put his own neck on the line.
Apparently, the operation was to retrieve supplies. The location where these supplies were stored was extremely dangerous, and while Southreach might have been able to handle it alone, their losses would have been immense. That was why Leo Joyce had to come up with this plan.
Letting everyone get a slice of the pie might not have sounded ideal for Southreach, but Superpower Users were the very foundation of a base’s survival. Leo Joyce’s move was quite shrewd.
And this way, his good name would surely spread!
’Hmph, that last part is just my own guess, though.’
There was also the question of how many bases had been notified.
Evan Carter said at least ten.
The "nearby" area had been expanded to include all bases within a ten-day journey.
Ten didn’t sound like a lot, all things considered.
Every base that managed to survive had at least a few High-level Superpower Users, and these were Leo Joyce’s targets.
But how many High-level Superpower Users could those small bases possibly have? Not to mention, most of them were concentrated at the Sixth and Seventh Ranks. An Eighth Rank was rarely seen, and a Ninth Rank was the stuff of legends!
So, when the team was actually formed, Leo Joyce’s people would make up the vast majority. The members from other bases would do most of the hard work, but when it came time to divide the supplies, they’d be lucky to get the leftover broth! Even so, people were still willing to go.
For various reasons.
After Evan Carter and the others left, a small meeting began in the Base Chief’s office.
Mason Hayes spoke with a solemn expression, "We’re all neighbors. It would look bad if we didn’t go."
Claire Chapman sneered. "They’re just afraid Leo Joyce will hold a grudge and make things difficult for them! Knowing how ruthless he is, he might even lure a horde of Mutant Beasts over to wipe out their bases." Ever since returning from Southreach and learning the Joyce Family’s dirty secrets, he had lost all faith in Leo Joyce’s character and didn’t hesitate to assume the absolute worst of him.
Heath Hughes added, "That’s part of it, but not all. Every base is running out of food, and the surrounding areas have been picked clean. It’s rare to find a place that still has supplies... Besides, the Mutant Beasts are getting harder to deal with. Taking risks is unavoidable! I bet they’re probably grateful that Leo Joyce is even willing to let them tag along."
Paige Summers looked at him, impressed. "Foxy, I just realized how talented you are!" That analysis was both rational and comprehensive, and it perfectly described the current situation!
Marcus Monroe immediately shot him a threatening glare.
’Praising another man like that right in front of me, huh?’
Paige Summers blinked.
’Actually, you’re the most talented!’
Marcus Monroe was satisfied.
’That’s more like it!’
He turned to the others, his voice calm and unhurried. "They aren’t the only ones going. We’re going too."
"Is that really necessary?" Claire Chapman scratched his head. He was reluctant to let his base’s people get mixed up in whatever Leo Joyce was planning.
"Why do we need to get in on the action?" Heath Hughes was even more confused. "We’re not short on food or supplies at all! Once the crops in the fields are ripe, we’ll be looking for buyers!"
Marcus Monroe glanced at them. "The supplies are military hardware."
Paige Summers immediately nodded in agreement. "That’s one thing we’re desperately short on!"
That was the absolute truth.
The base had no worries about food or drink. They had cotton, and Paige had recently cobbled together a spinning jenny and a loom just for fun. The few women in the base were figuring them out, and it was only a matter of time before they were producing cloth. They wouldn’t have to worry about clothing, even if it might not be very durable at first.
As for smelting, that work was ongoing. Combined with the materials in Paige’s space, the only thing they lacked for cold weapons was manufacturing time.
But military hardware, firearms—those were things they were completely lacking! You couldn’t find them for sale anywhere!
Paige had dabbled in this area but was by no means an expert. She was extremely interested in this cache of hardware and desperately wanted to get her hands on it for research...
Of course, she would never say that out loud, lest she add to everyone’s pressure.
However, when Marcus had discussed it with her yesterday, that wasn’t the only reason they had decided to go.
More importantly, life at the base had become too peaceful.
That’s just how people are. Once they get used to a certain way of life, they inevitably grow complacent.
Although the small teams rotated out on hunting expeditions, Marcus believed that was far from enough!
The members needed to be baptized by more numerous and dangerous battles. That was the only way for their superpowers to Promote, and the only way they would find the courage to face even stronger enemies in the future!
Paige Summers thought he had a good point.
When it came to training people, neither she nor Claire Chapman could compare to Marcus. She had realized that long ago.
She wasn’t the only one who agreed with Marcus.
Seeing the determined look on his face, the others began to reflect.
Was this just for military hardware?
Not necessarily.
The real reason wasn’t that hard to guess.
So, without Marcus even needing to explain, they nodded one by one in agreement.
After they reached a unanimous decision, Claire Chapman remarked, "You really are Jovitas’s former second-in-command! It hasn’t been that long since you left Southreach, and you’ve already obtained such critical intelligence! Leo Joyce must have been keeping the news about the hardware under tight wraps."
Marcus Monroe accepted the compliment with a confident smile.
The importance of intelligence was self-evident.
One of his goals in going to Southreach had been to establish an intelligence network for Jovitas there.
Not to mention, he already had foundations in that city.
"Then it’s settled. We leave in a month. Everyone, use the time to prepare."
This operation would certainly be led by Marcus. As for the other members, to be fair, they decided to hold a base-wide voluntary competition.
In short, the strongest would go!
Of course, none of this involved Paige Summers. She could only sigh wistfully, losing even her appetite for dinner.
Seeing her picking at her food like a bird, Marcus Monroe finally made a decision.
That evening, he unleashed his full power and shattered the barrier around Rhonda Rhodes’s home in a single blow, even kicking down a section of the low courtyard wall. If Rhonda Rhodes hadn’t emerged, he probably would have kicked his way right through the door!
Standing at the entrance and looking at Marcus, Rhonda Rhodes didn’t say anything else. He just frowned, took out a medicine pill, and tossed it to him. "Eat this."
Marcus ate the pill. A warm current quickly flowed into his chest, which had been stinging slightly from the overexertion. He took a deep breath and felt much more relaxed.
"Come in."
Rhonda Rhodes beckoned him in. He understood that Marcus wouldn’t have done something like this, risking injury, for no reason. Still, it was too reckless... If he hadn’t been just about to come out of seclusion, Marcus could have suffered a cultivation deviation, resulting in a great loss to his cultivation! ’I should probably replace that gentle defensive formation outside,’ he mused. ’Switch it with one that’s really intimidating but won’t actually kill any intruders...’
"What’s happened?"
Marcus Monroe hesitated. "It’s Paige Summers. You’ll understand when you see her."
Rhonda Rhodes followed him without much hesitation.
His feelings toward Paige were complicated.
But just for the fact that she had managed to procure so much jade from the Mercer Family for him, he was grateful. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to Promote so smoothly this time.
So, it was only natural that he would go take a look.
But when he saw her, he was genuinely shocked.
"The Rejuvenation Technique?!"
Paige Summers immediately rolled her eyes. "Exactly how old do you think I am?"
Realizing his slip of the tongue, Rhonda Rhodes looked embarrassed. "I misspoke..."
Paige didn’t say anything more, just shaking her head and glancing at Marcus Monroe behind her.
She had made him worry after all...
Taking her pulse didn’t take Rhonda Rhodes as long as it had taken Sean Raines, but his expression wasn’t good. In turn, Marcus’s face grew even grimmer.
After letting go of her hand, Rhonda Rhodes frowned and contemplated for a long while before finally speaking. "I never thought Voidspawn Worms still existed."
"A worm?! It can’t be!" Marcus and Paige exchanged a look of shock. They had thought it was just some medicine. Even Sean Raines hadn’t detected anything else. How could it be...
But Rhonda Rhodes said, "It’s true."
According to him, in his homeland, this creature was called a Voidspawn Worm. It was incredibly tiny, barely visible to the naked eye. Anyone who didn’t know better would probably mistake it for a stray piece of thread.
It was a common living ingredient used in Alchemy Pills.
Elixirs made from it were typically used to alter one’s appearance. The effect was even better than the Disguise Technique. After swallowing one elixir, you could transform your appearance completely according to your own thoughts, becoming whatever you wished to be.
Paige Summers rubbed her temples and cut in, "But when I drank that medicine, I had no intention of turning into... this!"
Rhonda Rhodes said calmly, "Your case is somewhat special. The alchemist, due to excessive contact with the Voidspawn Worms, transferred his own will into it. He must have had a powerful desire for whoever consumed it to become younger."
That was highly possible.
The realization dawned on Paige.
A chill went down her spine. The thought of having a worm inside her body was horrifying. She hadn’t felt anything before, but now her skin crawled with discomfort!
"How do I get rid of it?"
Rhonda Rhodes didn’t answer her. Instead, he turned to Marcus. "I’d like to speak with her alone, if I may."
Marcus’s expression was strange.
Paige thought he would object or at least ask why, but his lips moved for a moment before he looked at her, and in the end, he said nothing. He just turned and walked out.
The sound of the door closing, however, was a little too loud.
Paige asked with a sense of helplessness, "What was it that you couldn’t say in front of him?"
"I thought you would prefer it this way. You haven’t told him about being from another plane, have you? I’m about to bring that up."