Chapter 554: Extra Chapter 5: Campaign 2

The sea was relatively calm on the day of the expedition.

A sharp, salty wind whipped Paige Summers’s clothes, making them flap violently.

She stood straight and resolute on the stone platform of the harbor, her gaze fixed on the ships on the sea.

Her uncles and cousins had already boarded their respective ships. After a simple wave, they disappeared into the cabins without a moment’s hesitation.

The ships soon weighed anchor and, one by one, began to move slowly out to sea.

Paige Summers watched them go.

Until they disappeared below the horizon.

The sound of steady, familiar footsteps came from behind her. A moment later, Marcus Monroe’s hand rested on her shoulder. “The wind is strong. Let’s go back.”

Paige Summers remained silent, her lips twitching into a helpless smile.

Marcus Monroe cleared his throat and said sheepishly, “It’s not that I didn’t want you to go, it’s just…”

“Oh, stop it!” Paige Summers cut him off. “You clearly didn’t want me to go, so don’t try to hide it. I haven’t said anything. I’m just a little disappointed, that’s all! Alright, let’s go.”

Marcus Monroe chuckled and followed after her.

He understood. Paige Summers had made a huge concession this time—for him, and for their children.

The campaign against Morindale Island was undoubtedly dangerous. But as descendants of the Summers Family, they had a score to settle, a duty from which they could not shrink.

He knew better than anyone how much Paige Summers wanted to go herself.

But those ships had carried away every member of the Summers Family, except for her.

It was only natural that she felt terrible.

At this thought, Marcus Monroe pulled her closer.

Meanwhile, aboard the ships, The Summers were also talking about it.

Lance Summers shook his head. “Seeing that pitiful look in Paige’s eyes, I almost told her to come aboard…”

Beside him, Shawn Summers chuckled. “Our brother-in-law would have chased you down personally to drag his wife back!”

“Tsk, tsk. You’re right about that,” Lance Summers said. “The way your brother-in-law coddles your sister… We elders don’t even know what to say.”

‘He’s so clingy!’

‘Back when we first met Marcus Monroe on the island, we could tell he was no ordinary man, but we never imagined he’d become the City Lord of Concordia. As City Lord, he’s stern and impartial with his subordinates, but he completely loses his composure around Paige. He’s an expert at coaxing her, treating her like his own daughter!’

‘No, that’s not right. He doesn’t even dote on his own daughter, Kexin, that much! In fact, it’s us granduncles who dote on Kexin like our own granddaughter.’

Despite these thoughts, a smile remained on Lance Summers’s face.

After all, didn’t they also dote on Paige Summers as if she were their own daughter?

Ever since returning to Astoria and joining the Bloodfall base, Paige Summers had done everything in her power to nurse them back to health. Now, several of their nephews had started families, marrying girls from the base.

The air back home must agree with them.

As soon as these young men got married, their wives started getting pregnant one after another.

It was a pity, though. When they set out on this expedition, their children were still in their mothers’ wombs. They probably wouldn’t get to see their own babies as newborns.

Lance Summers took a deep breath.

But it didn’t matter. At least the Summers Family now had a new generation. With Paige Summers looking after everyone, they didn’t have to worry about the family line dying out. However, the grudge of their generation had to be settled by them. They couldn’t—and wouldn’t—leave it for the next generation!

Fourteen days later, having cut through wind and waves, the warships arrived at Concordia’s Naval Base No. 3.

Everyone disembarked and headed to the island’s command headquarters.

They needed to regroup and resupply, as well as gather intelligence and study their strategy.

Speaking of supplies, their main requirement was food.

Base No. 3 was quite large, with its own dedicated cultivation area. The seeds, personally provided by Paige Summers, weren’t picky about soil; they could sprout even in the most barren land, though the yield would be smaller. Still, after accounting for the base personnel’s consumption, they had several warehouses full of stored food. Combined with the supplies stored in the dimensional spaces of the Superpower Users who came with the fleet, it was more than enough for the entire campaign.

As for spare parts, the ships were already equipped with some. If they ran out, they could simply request more from Base No. 3.

Nothing else was needed.

The ships were powered by Crystal Cores. The hull’s power system was co-designed by Levi Young, who successfully applied his experience from modifying vehicles. This aspect required no resupply, as each ship was self-sufficient.

Each ship was assigned at least one Third Rank Water Ability User. Unless the crew decided to take daily baths, fresh water was not a concern. Of course, no one would do such a thing. Being a little dirty and smelly wasn’t a problem. Besides, could they possibly smell worse than those mutant fish? After being steeped in that stench day in and day out, everyone had grown used to it. They couldn’t even smell their own body odor anymore!

The captain of each ship gathered in the command room. Along with the base personnel, the room was packed to the brim.

After listening to the latest reconnaissance report from the base personnel, Kane Summers, the overall commander of the operation, presented the general plan. Kane Summers was the eldest of The Summers present; he was a calm man with a talent for command. He had discussed the battle plan with Paige Summers and Marcus Monroe back at the base. Of course, it was only a rough outline; specifics would be arranged according to the situation on the ground.

In recent years, Kane Summers had often gone out to sea and had built up considerable prestige within the navy. The moment he began to speak, everyone fell silent.

“…We will divide our forces into two prongs. One will attack here.” He pointed to a spot on the map that was once the Summers Family’s base, his eyes burning as he looked at the crowd. “Maintain stealth and strive to catch them completely off guard! This is Morindale Island’s production zone. A surprise attack here is bound to make them nervous. If Morindale Island sends out ships to confront us, all the better. We will use a pincer formation to surround them and ensure they never return. If they decide to dig in and not come out, that’s fine too. Once we occupy the production zone, the sea lane back to Base No. 3 will be open. As long as our supply lines hold, they won’t be able to outlast us! Then we will…”

A considerable amount of time passed as the captain of each ship confirmed their position and understood their mission. Kane Summers had analyzed every possible scenario, leaving everyone feeling confident and prepared.

All that was left was to get a good night’s rest. Tomorrow, the battle would officially begin!

But Summers Twelve was tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

He left his room and went to sit on a tall rockery in the courtyard.

He couldn’t see the ocean’s surface from there, but he could see the warships hidden under the cloak of night.

The thought of what was to come tomorrow made it impossible for him to calm his excitement.

“Twelve?”

Summers Twelve turned to see his big brother, Kane Summers. He gave a sheepish smile. “It’s me. I couldn’t sleep either, so I came out to sit for a bit.”

Kane Summers didn’t reprimand him, because he, too, was wrestling with complex emotions that kept sleep at bay.

Following Twelve’s gaze, he fell silent for a long moment before letting out a sigh. “The day has finally come!”

Summers Twelve slowly nodded. “Yes.”

Kane Summers glanced at him and smiled faintly. “Twelve, you know, I originally didn’t want you to come…”

Summers Twelve froze, about to say something, but Kane Summers held up a hand to stop him. “Hear me out. I did mention this to Paige. But she told me that if you weren’t allowed to come, you would never be at peace for the rest of your life. I thought about it carefully, and she had a point, so I took back my words… But you must understand, your value isn’t just in this one battle. The future navy will need your support! So, take care of yourself. Don’t face danger head-on. Promise me!”

Summers Twelve pressed his lips together tightly. After a long moment, he gave a slight nod.

Hearing his promise, Kane Summers breathed a quiet sigh of relief, feeling a weight lift from his chest.

Summers Twelve was a Summers, but more than that, he was an Astorian.

After this apocalypse, Astoria’s future would undoubtedly include a navy. Twelve’s talents shouldn’t be used solely to serve the Summers Family’s quest for revenge. He needed to contribute more to this era, to this country!

That was what he truly ought to do!