Teaming Up with My Enemy to Rule the Apocalypse

General Aldridge roared with laughter. ”Don’t tell me you actually think I’m that petty?”

”Of course not!” Trevor Thorne denied hurriedly. ”How could General Aldridge possibly be a petty man? Everyone, whether they’re on the right side of the law or the wrong, knows that General Aldridge is the most honorable, magnanimous, and forthright person there is. It’s my honor to know you, to be able to sit and share a meal with you!”

After this speech, Trevor Thorne finally noticed that General Aldridge had been watching him the entire time with a calm and collected expression.

”What... what is it?” Trevor Thorne stammered, feeling a little uneasy.

’Was General Aldridge dissatisfied with what I just said?’

’But those were the most... obsequious, fawning words I could possibly muster.’

’If he’s still not satisfied after all that, then I honestly don’t know what else I could say.’

”I just didn’t expect you to be able to say such things to my face,” General Aldridge said, his expression serious. ”I was also wondering what you were feeling inside when you said all that. Can you tell me?”

General Aldridge’s expression was earnest, his eyes filled with a thirst for knowledge.

He seemed genuinely curious, not like he was saying it just to be difficult.

But regardless of his motives, being asked such a question made Trevor Thorne’s whole being recoil.

”I can’t.”

Leaving those two words behind, Trevor Thorne stood up and walked away.

After a few steps, he turned back, picked up his tray and soup bowl, and then strode away once more.

’It was only because he was dealing with General Aldridge.’

’If it had been anyone else, I would have already lost it.’

’But then again, if it were anyone else, I never would have spoken to them like that in the first place.’

Trevor Thorne was overwhelmed with emotion.

’In the past, he never would have believed he could say such things.’

’But now...’

’Forget it.’

’A true hero doesn’t boast about past glories.’

’And a true hero knows not to pick a fight they can’t win.’

’Everything is for the sake of the base!’

Getting sleepy after a full meal is a habit no one has been able to control for years.

Full and satisfied, a wave of drowsiness washed over them, and they each found a spot to close their eyes and nap for a bit.

When you’re this exhausted, even a short nap of just fifteen minutes can make you feel much more refreshed.

Sierra Sullivan also closed her eyes, preparing to take a short nap.

To keep from oversleeping, Sierra Sullivan even deliberately set an alarm.

But in the end, it wasn’t an alarm that woke Sierra Sullivan, but a panicked shout.

”Get up, get up! The Aberrant Beasts are attacking the base!”

Sierra Sullivan was still groggy with sleep.

But at these words, she was instantly wide awake.

’The Aberrant Beasts are attacking?’

’It’s just as I feared!’

’My biggest worry was a sudden attack from the Aberrant Beasts, and now it’s really happening!’

Sierra Sullivan instinctively glanced at Jayce beside her and saw that his expression was also incredibly grim.

The two merely exchanged a look, and without time for words, followed the crowd outside.

As they headed out, they didn’t forget to put on their protective gear.

Although night had fallen, the sandstorm hadn’t lessened with the darkness.

In fact, Sierra Sullivan felt that the sandstorm now was even stronger than it had been during the day.

This was the first time since the apocalypse began that Sierra Sullivan had voluntarily stepped out of a building at night.

To prepare for battle, Dawnlight Base had already managed to set up lights at its entrance.

They weren’t particularly bright, but it was still enough to see the situation at the base entrance without any issue.

The main gate of Dawnlight Base was actually the gate of a residential complex.

A Gold Ability User had simply added an incredibly sturdy iron mesh over the original gate.

During the day, the Aberrant Beasts had tried to attack the iron mesh, but they had all been blocked.

Throughout that time, Gold Ability Users had come by continuously to reinforce the mesh, preventing the Aberrant Beasts from truly breaking through.

But despite all their efforts to maintain it, the iron mesh was now shaking and groaning under the assault of so many Aberrant Beasts, looking as if it could shatter at any moment.

Aberrant Beasts of all kinds were shoving and pushing against each other, desperately squeezing forward.

Their eyes were all bloodshot red, locked onto the iron mesh before them.

Some Aberrant Beasts even frantically gnawed at the iron mesh.

Their frenzy and persistence far exceeded Sierra Sullivan’s expectations.

Even through the iron mesh, Sierra Sullivan could clearly feel their killing intent.

’If they really break through, the consequences will be unimaginable.’

Sierra Sullivan’s heart tightened.

At the same time, she was also a little curious.

”Why have they suddenly gone so berserk for no reason?”

’There has to be a reason, right?’

Nathan Thorne was standing nearby. Hearing her, he immediately said, ”We’re wondering the same thing. Nothing happened, so why on earth did they suddenly become like this...”

Sierra Sullivan raised an eyebrow. ”Nothing happened? I wouldn’t be so sure!”

”You mean—” Nathan Thorne’s expression turned grave. ”You mean the appearance of those zombies? But how would they know about that?”

Not everyone in Dawnlight Base even knew about the zombies yet.

The Aberrant Beasts can’t get into the base, and they don’t understand human speech. How could they have gotten the news?

”The Aberrant Beasts and the zombies... are both new species that appeared after the apocalypse. Maybe there’s some kind of special connection between them that we don’t know about,” Sierra Sullivan said, voicing her own theory.

Hearing Sierra Sullivan say this, Nathan Thorne was visibly stunned for a moment.

But after thinking it over, he realized what she said made a lot of sense.

’It really seems plausible!’

”Then what are they trying to do?” Nathan Thorne thought of another question. ”Don’t tell me they’re trying to rescue those zombies?”

Before Sierra Sullivan could answer, Nathan Thorne shook his own head.

’How is that possible?’

’Even if they’re both new species from after the apocalypse, they’re still very different from each other.’

’Why would these Aberrant Beasts risk their lives to save those zombies?’

Sierra Sullivan hadn’t expected Nathan Thorne to come up with such a statement, and the way she looked at him changed.

Being stared at by Sierra Sullivan like that, Nathan Thorne felt a bit uncomfortable.

”What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that? Was I wrong? It was a reasonable guess...”

He claimed it was a reasonable guess, but before Sierra Sullivan could say anything, his own voice trailed off, clearly lacking confidence.

Sierra Sullivan sighed internally before saying, ”Have you considered the possibility that they just want to devour the zombies? Or rather, they’re after the Crystal Cores in the zombies’ heads.”

’Weren’t these Aberrant Beasts gathered here for those stones in the first place?’

’Now the stones have been absorbed by people, those people have turned into zombies, and Crystal Cores have formed in their brains.’

’If the Aberrant Beasts were to absorb the Crystal Cores from these zombies’ brains, wouldn’t that be almost the same as absorbing the stones?’

’That would explain why they’re so frantic.’