After I Fully Prepared for the Apocalypse, the Ungrateful Cried with Regret

”The temperature dropped again.”

Nia Quinn gazed out the fog-covered car window.

After the zombies on the ground died, they froze into solid blocks of ice. The people who had wanted to dig out the Crystal Cores found they had become too hard to extract.

Recalling Nina Jacobs’s recent actions, Nia Quinn hesitated for a moment before speaking:

”The Holy Water you just took out... you got that from the people of Veridia, didn’t you?”

”You know about Holy Water too?”

Nina Jacobs asked upon hearing this.

’Nia Quinn has probably been with The Aegis Conclave for a long time. She might know something.’

Nia Quinn nodded. ”I know Holy Water is an invention of the people of Veridia,

because my Superconductive Hand Grenades were traded for it.”

Those two sentences contained a lot of information. Nina Jacobs mulled them over, pondering their authenticity.

’Holy Water is an invention of the people of Veridia?’

’Does that mean the other person with a system is in Veridia, or is from Veridia?’

She had never considered that line of thought before.

”Are you sure?”

Nina Jacobs asked immediately.

Seeing Nina Jacobs’s dead-serious expression, Nia Quinn couldn’t help but nod.

”They don’t hide much from me. That’s what I heard,

at least, before the people from Veridia came to trade, I’d never heard of anything called Holy Water.”

”When did they make the trade?” Nina Jacobs asked again.

”A little over two months ago. I tried to refuse, but it was useless.”

Nia Quinn replied after a moment of thought.

’A little over two months ago.’

That lined up almost perfectly with the timeline from the investigation in Veridia.

’It seems what Nia Quinn said is very likely true.’

To verify it further, Nina Jacobs silently added Nia Quinn to her system’s team function.

[Name: Belle Nia

Superpower: Space Element

Physical Strength Value: 20/100

Superpower Value: 18/100

Friendship: 70/100]

After seeing Nia Quinn’s status screen, Nina Jacobs fell silent for a moment.

’Nia Quinn is of mixed heritage. The name in the system must be her foreign one.’

’She said her mother’s surname is Quinn, so it’s likely she took her mother’s surname after returning to Drakonia.’

As for her Physical Strength Value and Superpower Value, both were surprisingly low.

Numbers that low were usually only seen in the early days of the apocalypse.

But perhaps this was also a sign that she’d been under constant protection while participating in weapons research.

Her Friendship level, however, was much higher than she’d expected.

’Since her Friendship wasn’t in the negatives, what Nia Quinn was saying had some credibility.’

”You don’t believe me, do you? To be honest, I already regret lying to you before.”

Nia Quinn perceptively picked up on something.

Nina Jacobs replied, ”I was just thinking about some things that happened recently.

Also, I’ll just call you Nia from now on.”

”Okay! That’s what my mom calls me, too.”

Nia said, sounding happy again.

”But the fact that you managed to get Holy Water... I’m guessing you killed those people from Veridia?”

Faced with Nia’s curiosity, Nina Jacobs didn’t deny it.

”What else do you know about this Holy Water?”

she continued to ask.

’So, has the system user in that other country already reported the system to their government?’

After hearing the question, Nia thought for a moment, as if trying to recall something:

”I only know that the Conclave wanted the formula for this medicine, but they were refused. The story is that it was passed down from the ancient Holy Emperor and the supply is limited... But that’s probably just a bunch of nonsense the Veridians made up to trick people.”

Nia pursed her lips after she finished. Even she didn’t believe that story.

”Then what kind of organization is this Aegis Conclave you were in? What are they trying to do?”

Nina Jacobs took the opportunity to ask.

Nia shook her head. ”I don’t know what the Conclave’s goal is either. They communicate with the Drakonian Command Headquarters and are even registered.

The registration lists them as a research and experimental institution focused on finding a cure for the zombie virus.

I was managed by specific personnel and didn’t get involved in these matters, but I know that the Conclave supports Superpower Users and collects supplies.”

’A research and experimental institution?’

That was more or less consistent with what she knew from her past life.

”But based on my observations, The Aegis Conclave has a complex structure. They might be made up of different factions, maybe even different countries, but they’re united by common interests.”

Nia continued.

”I only know that two of the factions seem to be constantly searching for someone. One is looking for people who have inherited Ancient Martial Arts,

and the other is looking for a ’forerunner.’”

Forerunner...

This was the second time Nina Jacobs had heard that term.

The first time was after the fake ”Sheila Rhodes” died, from a Superpower User she had fed a Truth-telling Talisman.

”What exactly is a ’forerunner’?”

Nina Jacobs asked.

”Who knows? I’m afraid only Caleb Lennox would know that.”

Nia replied.

Nina Jacobs had never heard of anyone named Caleb Lennox. By now, Riventon Base was in sight, and the temperature outside had dropped to negative 35 degrees Celsius.

The entry inspection at Riventon Base had done away with the strip search, replacing it with a two-hour wait in a holding room.

After all, no one was willing to take off their clothes in this freezing weather.

”This is my first time experiencing what it’s like to be a survivor.”

Nia said.

Before the apocalypse, she was Aeridor’s youngest weapons development expert and was transferred to a position in Drakonia’s headquarters—a transfer she had, of course, worked hard to apply for herself.

She had grown up in Drakonia. Although she had the blood of Xenor in her veins, she had always considered this place her home.

After the apocalypse broke out, she was constantly under protection, and then later, she inexplicably became a member of The Aegis Conclave...

She had only ever heard about the hardships survivors faced on the outside. Now, crammed into a chaotic waiting room with a crowd of other survivors whose faces were pale from the cold, she didn’t feel annoyed at all.

She curiously sized up every survivor who came in.

Seeing her like this, Nina Jacobs understood why her Physical Strength and Superpower Values were so low.

”That guy who was talking to you earlier already went in.”

Nia said, pointing to an exit.

”Mm.”

Nina Jacobs knew she was talking about the man in the gray coat, the same one who had tried to buy her Healing Potion before anyone else could.

The staff here clearly recognized him.

In fact, besides him, a few other people also finished their inspections after waiting only about ten minutes.

They didn’t have to wait the full two hours.

The others seemed used to it, and no one raised any objections.

Before long, a group of people walked in.

They wore thick, tall hats and matching dark blue overcoats.

The man in the gray coat from before walked in again.

He pointed at Nina Jacobs, who was sitting off to the side, and shouted, ”That’s her! Get her!”

Everyone around them immediately stared in astonishment.

”I’d like to see who dares touch them!”

A sharp rebuke rang out. Nina Jacobs gestured for Wayne Warner, who was already preparing to make a move, to sit back down.

It was Aurelius Marshall and his men.

”Marshall, this is an order from the Base Commander.”

said the man leading the group.

Aurelius Marshall had also brought quite a few people with him. It seemed his search and rescue team had a separate inspection procedure, which they had already completed.

”I know. I’ve already submitted a request to the Base Commander to personally bring these two to see him.”

Aurelius Marshall took out a stamped piece of paper and handed it over.

After seeing the paper, the group leader glanced at the man in gray, then nodded.

”Miss Jacobs, I’m sorry. I’m the one who dragged you into this.

Lucian Phelps told the Base Commander that you have Holy Water.”

Aurelius Marshall first pulled Nina Jacobs aside, then began to explain the situation.