Apocalypse Villainess? Nah, I'm Nice

Things have been unsettled in Central City lately.

Whether it was the regular troops permanently stationed in District Five or The Power Corps from the other districts, patrol frequencies had clearly increased. Normally, you would only see them on the streets occasionally when nothing was going on. Now, however, attentive observers noticed they could be seen at least two or three times a day.

And that wasn’t all. Every one of these fully-armed soldiers carried a menacing, murderous aura. It was enough to make not just ordinary citizens shudder, but even low-level Superpower Users couldn’t help but feel their hearts pound with anxiety.

Before long, a sense of panic spread throughout the city.

Everyone was worried.

Such an anomaly had to mean trouble.

Something was obviously happening!

But there were no Zombies or Mutant Beasts attacking the city, which meant the only other possibility was internal strife.

This thought made everyone even more uneasy.

Those with the means and connections began to make inquiries, trying to figure out what was going on so they could plan accordingly.

Soon, all sorts of rumors began to circulate.

Most of them mentioned the Dudley Family.

Some said the Dudley Family had grown too arrogant and angered the military, which now intended to make an example of them. Others claimed the Dudleys had offended another Noble House, which had then brought in the military for backup. And some even whispered that the Noble Houses were the cancer of Central City, and that The Government and the military were finally going to purge them, starting with the Dudley Family...

It had to be said, these vague rumors struck a nerve with certain people. Instantly, factions within both The Government and the Noble Houses grew restless.

Marcus Monroe read through the various reports his subordinates had delivered, a knowing smile playing on his lips. ’Just as I thought.’ He folded the papers, tucked them into his pocket, and headed out.

’Paige will be pleased to know the plan is going so smoothly.’

’Looks like it’s time for the next move...’

「Two days later」

Trouble befell the peripheral members the Lowell Family had left behind in Central City!

The two people involved both held positions in The Government. Their ranks weren’t high, but they held a small amount of authority in roles that were not critical.

Truth be told, their connection to the Lowell Family wasn’t particularly close; they were barely on the fringe of a collateral branch. But they shared the Lowell surname, and they had gotten their jobs through the Lowell Family’s influence, so they considered themselves members of the family.

Since they were considered part of the Lowell Family, the Mercer Family had included them in their protection when they first decided to shield the Lowells.

For a while, they had thoroughly enjoyed the treatment of being under the care of a great Noble House.

But later, when the enemy of unknown origin seemed to have ceased their activities, they let their guard down.

As a result, both were ambushed on their way home that day.

One died, one was injured.

The former died a gruesome death, in the exact same manner as the several elite Lowell Family members before him. The latter, who was lucky to escape with his life, owed his survival to a miniature fog bomb he had bought at a high price from the Black Market for self-defense.

The Mercer Family had people in the hospital, so they learned the news quickly and sent someone over. Blake Morrison came along as well.

Not long after, Paige Summers rushed over.

Upon seeing her, Blake Morrison felt quite guilty. After all, he was the one who had personally told her that the Mercer Family would protect these people.

”This time...”

Although Paige Summers looked upset, she quickly waved her hand. ”This has nothing to do with the Mercer Family. It’s impossible to guard against a determined enemy indefinitely. We can only blame our opponent for their ruthlessness...” She paused, then looked Blake Morrison straight in the eye. ”If possible, I’d like to meet with Clan Leader Mercer. I want to thank him for his protection during this time!”

Blake Morrison froze for a moment, then understood. ’She doesn’t just want to offer thanks. She probably has something else to say to my brother.’

He was well aware that he couldn’t represent the Mercer Family in these matters.

He didn’t feel slighted; after all, this sort of thing was never his strong suit anyway.

”Sure, I’ll arrange it for you.” After a moment’s thought, he added hesitantly, ”You need to be careful, too! I heard... I heard that you were also one of their original targets. Now that they’re active again, who knows...”

This ”rumor” was something he had pieced together from snippets of a phone call he’d accidentally overheard between his brother and someone else. Although he couldn’t be sure, he felt he had to warn her. His friendship with Paige Summers transcended their age difference, and it was genuine. If possible, he truly didn’t want anything to happen to her.

Paige Summers appreciated his concern and smiled. ”Don’t worry, I can protect myself.”

’Not only will I protect myself, I’m going on the offensive!’

The next day, Blake Morrison arranged a meeting for her with Zachary Mercer.

Paige Summers was still living back in District Four. Before heading out, she specifically instructed the people Marcus Monroe had left behind to keep an eye out, as Sweetie would probably be back soon.

After they had finalized the plan that day, she had sent Sweetie to deliver a message to Claire Chapman. Calculating the travel time, it should be arriving within the next day or two. The reply it brought back would determine the extent of her potential cooperation with the Mercer Family. She hoped there wouldn’t be any delays.

When she arrived at the Mercer estate, Blake Morrison personally came to greet her and prepared to take her directly to see Zachary Mercer.

As a gesture of her gratitude, Paige Summers had brought a gift.

Blake Morrison turned the small, date-sized sphere over and over in his hand. The object’s surface was a thin layer of metal that looked as if it would break with a hard squeeze. It seemed very ordinary. The only unique feature was its completely seamless surface, with just a small protrusion at the top where a knotted cord was tied... No matter how he looked at it, it didn’t seem like a weapon. It looked more like a child’s toy!

”I mean, what the hell is this thing?!” ’Is it really worth giving me as a gift...?’ He swallowed the second half of his sentence.

Paige Summers smiled. ”Remember what the guy who barely escaped with his life said at the hospital yesterday?”

Blake Morrison thought for a moment, then his eyes widened. ”You’re saying this is that... that miniature fog bomb?”

Paige Summers nodded.

”You actually copy other people’s work?” Blake Morrison asked, surprised.

An established Artifact Maker would never normally do such a thing, not without permission from the original creator! Although people’s moral baselines had dropped significantly, someone like him still paid close attention to such matters. It wasn’t just about reputation, but also a question of an Artifact Maker’s professional integrity.

How could Paige Summers not understand this? She couldn’t help but laugh. ”How is that possible? I made this myself for self-defense. But Marcus Monroe saw it and thought it was quite good, so he specifically asked for two to test the waters on the Black Market...”

”And you didn’t expect a member of the Lowell Family to buy one, which then happened to save his life, right?” Blake Morrison chimed in. ”What a fortunate coincidence!”

’A coincidence...?’

Paige Summers smiled but said nothing.

’The truth of the matter wasn’t actually important.’

’What was important was that the one who should live, lived, and the one who should die, died, fulfilling his obligation in the process.’

’As a member of the Lowell Family, being a traitor is unacceptable.’

’Repaying the Lowell Family’s kindness with his life wasn’t a bad way to go, either.’

Blake Morrison looked at the sphere in his hand again, his gaze now exceptionally fervent. To be able to escape from those people’s grasp with its help showed just how effective this thing was! He wished he could take it back to his workshop right away and ”dissect” it.

With this thought in mind, his pace quickened.

He hurriedly led Paige Summers into Zachary Mercer’s reception hall, then seized the first opportunity to slip away.