Chapter 473: Collateral Branch

‘That’s weird. Who are they, and why are they fighting outside my lottery shop?’

Lily Hart got off the sofa, put on her shoes, and walked over to the table. She propped herself up with her hands to look outside.

‘I don’t recognize them at all. All I can see is that they’re fighting with wild abandon, not saying a single word.’

Their movements were precise, sparks flew everywhere, and they were relentlessly spamming their superpowers.

Lily Hart was really getting into it, but she couldn’t quite figure out why they were fighting.

‘What kind of bad luck did I run into today? It’s either nobody shows up, or they all come at once.’

After fighting for a while longer, the two groups stopped and started yelling at each other.

“You people from the White Family, what do you think you’re doing?! We’re supposed to be on the same side!”

“You lot from the Rivers Family, I’d like to ask you the same thing! Who the hell is on the same side as you?! Just looking at you pisses me off! I wish I could just smash you to death!”

“Oh, so you’ve got some nerve now! Our target is Lily Hart! Don’t you get it?!”

“I don’t care! Right now, I just want to smash you to death!” he roared, swinging his Meteor Hammer.

The White Family and the Rivers Family had always been mortal enemies, so now that they’d run into each other, they fought until they couldn’t be pulled apart.

Once the fighting started, they forgot their original purpose: to cause trouble for Boss Hart.

Lily Hart pretty much understood now. ‘So they came to cause trouble for me, but ended up fighting each other instead.’

‘They’re all just crazy…’

‘Whatever. I’ll just enjoy the show.’

As the fight dragged on, casualties started to mount. They were, after all, just collateral branches of The Mysterious Clan.

They weren’t exactly what you’d call powerful, but they were still stronger than ordinary superpower users.

Once they clashed, it was like an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object. Fueled by old grudges, they all went all out.

The fighting sent customers scattering, all of them avoiding the area.

Lily Hart found it hilarious. ‘These people have no idea what they’re up against. I wiped out their main bloodlines without leaving a single one, so what do these collateral branches count for?’

‘They don’t count for shit.’

She joined in on the chaos, shouting, “Stop fighting! Please, stop fighting!”

It’s safe to say zero people paid her any mind. Both sides were completely absorbed in the thrill of the kill.

Another few minutes passed. The number of people still standing and able to move dwindled.

It was hard to say what they were even fighting for.

The energy fluctuations here also attracted Frost Shaw and the others.

They were about to intervene, but Lily Hart stopped them. Reading her lips, they could faintly make out the words: “Don’t interfere. Enjoy the show.”

So, they too started watching the show, even offering some commentary from time to time.

When only a few people were left on each side, the members of the Rivers Family finally came to their senses.

They wanted to call a truce and form a united front, but it was too late. The members of the White Family had already seen red.

In a flash, they took down the remaining members of the Rivers Family.

When only members of the White Family were left on the battlefield, they threw their heads back and laughed, wild and ecstatic.

But in the next second, they all gasped their last breaths as Frost Shaw and his group reaped their lives.

Lily Hart clapped for the second time that day. “Yay! We reaped all the rewards without lifting a finger!”

‘They must have all had a screw loose, single-mindedly seeking death. I just had to grant their wish.’

She had the system dispose of the bodies. Grumbling, the system reluctantly started its work.

‘I’m not a garbage disposal! What’s the big idea, making me clean up bodies every day? I have much more important uses, you know!’

It complained even as it worked, and Lily Hart heard it.

‘Oh, come on, you silly system. This is such a simple task for you, isn’t it? Just a little flick of the wrist,’ Lily Hart praised.

‘Fine, fine. But this is the last time~’ The system was placated.

Once the mess outside was cleaned up, Frost Shaw and the others swarmed into the RV.

They all started asking questions at once.

“Members of The Mysterious Clan?” Frost Shaw asked.

Stan Sterling had been at the fruit stand across the street and had seen most of it. “Yes, collateral branches,” he explained. “They inexplicably gathered together and then just started fighting.”

Roman Rowe scratched his head. “What is it with today? People just keep lining up to die.”

“They probably wanted to cause trouble for Lily Hart,” Leo Colby guessed, “but, well… this happened.”

The families of The Mysterious Clan can’t stand each other, with the rivalry between the White Family and the Shaw Family being the most pronounced.

Their grudges ran deep. Usually, when they ran into each other, they would trade a few barbs and a few blows.

It was unclear who made the first move just now, but in any case, the result was mutual destruction, with no one left standing.

Lily Hart was very satisfied with this outcome. She had eliminated a major hidden threat without lifting a finger.

She hadn’t even planned on dealing with the collateral branches, but they just had to come and serve themselves up on a platter.

It really made Lily Hart laugh.

Everyone gathered together and talked about the day’s events for a while longer. The more they talked, the funnier it seemed.

‘I guess those people did have a reason to exist after all,’ Lily Hart thought. ‘At least they could give everyone a good laugh.’

As they shot the breeze, time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was lunchtime.

They didn’t bother figuring out whose turn it was to cook. In high spirits, they all swarmed into the kitchen.

There was no way that many people could fit.

Lily Hart and Cynthia Whittaker stood outside the kitchen, arms around each other’s shoulders, watching them.

She whispered, “So, how have things been with Sue Sutton lately?”

She still remembered the bit of gossip she hadn’t gotten to finish that day and had been dying to know what happened next, but she never got a chance to ask in detail.

Cynthia Whittaker’s expression stiffened. “They’re… they’re fine,” she stammered.

She was living in the staff dorm now, which was outside Central Command.

Sue Sutton would often come to the hot pot restaurant to see her. They wouldn’t do much, just chat or keep her company while she minded the store.

But with the recent natural disasters, she’d been busy, and her time to come out had become more and more scarce.

‘To be honest, it’s been a few days since I’ve seen her, and I kind of miss it…’

Seeing Cynthia Whittaker’s shy reaction, Lily Hart smiled knowingly and didn’t press the issue.

‘Ah well, as long as my employees are happy. It’s the apocalypse, after all. Who has time to care about all that other stuff?’

She draped one arm over Cynthia Whittaker’s shoulder and put her other hand on her hip, scrutinizing every man inside.

‘This is the life, huh? Not bad at all~’

Thanks to their combined efforts, lunch was ready in no time.

Each person made one or two of their specialty dishes, and they soon had a full table of food.

Lily Hart’s appetite was as huge as ever. Even after downing three bowls of rice, she felt she wasn’t done yet.

She didn’t even feel full, just… a little bit satisfied.

Frost Shaw promptly stopped her from acting on her impulse to get another bowl, giving her just half a bowl instead. “Eat more of the other dishes.”

Lily Hart mumbled, “But I feel like the rice is tastier…”

Besides, all these dishes were perfect with rice. One bite of a dish was enough to make you eat two or three mouthfuls of rice.

But she still accepted it happily. ‘Worst case, I’ll just get more after I finish this. Who would dare to stop me?’

Strangely enough, after finishing that half bowl, she was about seventy percent full.

She went to the kitchen to put her bowl away and grabbed a bottle of yogurt on her way. Roman Rowe’s eyebrow twitched when he saw her. “How many yogurts is that for today? You’re having another?”

“None of your business!” Lily Hart shot him a glare.

Roman Rowe didn’t dare to interfere, and neither did anyone else, afraid of earning a signature eye-roll from Lily Hart.

Even Frost Shaw only asked, “How many is that for today?”

Lily Hart couldn’t remember exactly. She vaguely recalled it was her third, so she held up three fingers.

‘That is a bit much,’ Frost Shaw thought to himself.

But he didn’t dare say more. If Lily Hart wanted to drink it, he’d let her drink it.

‘At least it’s just yogurt and not alcohol,’ Frost Shaw consoled himself.

‘Knowing Boss Hart’s fickle nature, she’ll be sick of it in three days, tops.’