Chapter 286: If You Can Live, Who Would Want to Die?

Of course, Hector Grant didn’t believe Nathan Thorne, but he just gave him a deep look and didn’t press the matter.

This wasn’t the time for questions.

Besides, he could tell that these people clearly didn’t want him to know what they had just been discussing.

Although he was on good terms with them, he wasn’t nearly as close to them as they were to each other. It was only natural that they would keep some things from him.

Hector Grant hadn’t come over to gossip or kill time; he had important business to discuss.

"The situation right now is a little dangerous."

As soon as he said this, Hector Grant’s expression became incredibly serious.

Hearing this so suddenly, Sierra and the others were stunned and didn’t quite understand.

"What kind of danger?" Sierra asked instinctively.

"For some reason, a large number of zombies and Aberrant Beasts have suddenly gathered outside. And from the looks of them, they’re not your average Aberrant Beasts and zombies. Many of them have power levels that exceed our own Superpowers. Even if we fought them head-on, we probably wouldn’t stand a chance. What’s more—"

Sierra had thought that was already the worst of the news.

But before she could even process it, she heard Hector Grant add, "What’s more..."

"What’s more?" Sierra’s heart sank a little.

’Could there really be worse news than this?’

"What’s more, there’s a steady stream of zombies and Aberrant Beasts heading this way." Hector Grant’s voice was grave, and his words weighed heavily on them. "To put it simply, we’re surrounded. We have no way out for now. This news hasn’t been made public. Only my men and you few know. We can’t let it get out, or it’ll cause a panic."

"That’s not a sustainable plan," Jayce said. "It’s unrealistic to think we can keep something this big a secret forever."

Even if Hector Grant had his men guard the entrance to keep people away, it would only buy them a little time.

Before long, people would not only grow resentful, but they would also become suspicious.

How could Hector Grant not understand this?

Hector Grant sighed. "I’ve thought about all that. We’ll just have to keep it a secret for as long as we can. Fortunately, we have Dr. Hayes. As long as things are going smoothly on his end, we should be able to break through."

Sierra instantly caught the deeper meaning in his words. "What do you mean?"

Hector Grant looked at Sierra, puzzled. "Someone as smart as you can’t figure it out? What Dr. Hayes is doing is improving our overall combat effectiveness! Once our combat power is enhanced, we won’t have to be afraid of confronting those zombies and Aberrant Beasts head-on."

’So that’s what it is!’

Sierra’s heart sank a little more.

Of course, it wasn’t that she couldn’t guess.

She was just unwilling to entertain the possibility or accept the reality of it.

Before Sierra could say anything, Hector Grant spoke again.

"Speaking of which, why did you refuse such a good opportunity to let Candice be the first to awaken a Superpower? Candice is already powerful, but wouldn’t it be better for her to have another Superpower, another way to protect herself? Even without knowing the situation outside, it was clearly something for Candice’s benefit. Why did you turn it down?"

"Mr. Grant! Everything my sister does is for my own good! Don’t say that about her!"

Candice Tate’s voice was sweet and childlike, but her tone was incredibly firm as she defended Sierra.

Seeing Candice’s earnest expression, Hector Grant couldn’t help but laugh.

"I didn’t mean anything bad by it! I was wrong! I’ll never say it again!"

Hearing Hector Grant’s apology and promise, a satisfied expression finally appeared on Candice’s little face. "Then you have to remember what you said, Mr. Grant! You can’t go back on your word, or else I’ll get mad!"

"And what happens when Candice gets mad?"

"I won’t talk to you!"

This time, Hector Grant didn’t reply and just laughed instead.

His heavy mood lightened considerably after his brief chat with Candice.

Sierra, however, was not in such a good mood.

Although everything Hector Grant had just said was perfectly logical, Sierra still felt that something was off.

But if asked what was strange, she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

She just had this nagging feeling that an unseen hand was manipulating everything from behind the scenes.

Sierra’s gaze fell on the cold metal door.

Her gaze seemed to pierce through the heavy metal door to the image of Dr. Hayes inside.

’Could it be him?’

"Sierra!"

Jayce took Sierra’s hand. "You think it’s him, too?"

Sierra had been uncertain just a moment ago, but hearing Jayce ask the same question dispelled her doubts.

She nodded seriously. "I just have this feeling he’s connected to all this. But there’s one thing I can’t figure out: how did he do it?"

Dr. Hayes might be brilliant, but getting that many zombies and Aberrant Beasts to obey him would be no easy task.

No.

To be precise, it was a nearly impossible task.

’So, how on earth did Dr. Hayes manage it?’

Without figuring that out, even if she told Hector Grant her theory, he would never believe it.

The others would be even less likely to believe it.

"Sierra," Jayce comforted her softly. "Don’t overthink it. Let’s just watch and wait for now. We’ll find a way. If he’s really the one behind this, then he must have a motive. Let’s just wait and see."

For now, waiting was indeed their only option.

When Hector Grant left earlier, Nathan Thorne went with him, saying he was going to check on the situation outside.

Sierra and Jayce didn’t go, choosing to wait for Nathan Thorne to return with news.

It wasn’t long before Nathan Thorne returned, his expression graver than ever.

"I thought Captain Grant might have been exaggerating." Nathan Thorne sighed. "But after I went to see for myself, I realized I was being naive. He wasn’t exaggerating at all; if anything, he understated it. In fact, the situation is much more serious than he let on. Right now, those zombies and Aberrant Beasts are just surrounding us. If they really decide to charge, I don’t think this place can hold out for long. When that time comes..."

Nathan Thorne didn’t continue, but he couldn’t stop his body from trembling, and fear crept into his eyes.

Although they were living in the apocalypse and were always prepared to die at any moment...

...when truly faced with death, it was impossible to avoid that instinctive, primal fear.

Even though life was hard now, if they could live, who would be willing to die?

Sierra’s heart sank even further.

’The situation was grim!’

’If Dr. Hayes really is behind all this, what is his objective?’

’Is it just for Candice?’

...

Not until the following morning did the closed metal door finally, slowly, swing open.