After listening quietly from the safe house for a while longer, Nina Jacobs realized Icarus Golding had finally arrived.

He was two hours earlier than the agreed-upon time.

After a few moments of pleasantries, Nina heard Icarus Golding speak.

"I’ll be returning to City F next. This is your next supply pickup point."

"Tamberly? That’s so far away."

Leon Young asked.

"According to the plan, you should be able to reach it in seven days. Remember to report today’s events to Trey Windslow."

Icarus Golding said.

’Trey Windslow must be a codename,’ Nina thought. She remembered from her past life that The Aegis Conclave often used codenames for its members.

It was one of the reasons their movements were so hard to trace.

"I heard you’re looking for experts, Mr. Golding. What if they look down on us and refuse to join?"

a man asked.

Icarus Golding’s reply was dripping with acid.

"If they won’t join, just kill them. There’s no reason to feel sorry for people who don’t know what’s good for them."

The others exchanged a look.

But no one argued.

Hearing this, Nina sneered inwardly.

’This Icarus Golding really is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, hiding a dagger behind his smile.’

She climbed onto the roof of the safe house and vaulted over the deserted courtyard wall to the outside.

Less than an hour later, Icarus Golding and his group heard someone approaching from outside.

"She’s an hour early. Looks like she’s still suspicious of us."

The man called Vance said.

"She has every right to be. She managed to take on Hugo Crawford; it’s impossible for her to not be on guard."

Icarus Golding waved a hand, and a wooden chest appeared, filled to the brim with Crystal Cores and Gold.

When Nina Jacobs walked in, the wooden chest was sitting brazenly in front of her.

"This is..."

Nina asked, feigning surprise.

"An initiation gift. You see, Miss Jacobs, the organization heard about your accomplishments and would be thrilled to have you join. Consider this merely a welcoming present. There will be more to collect on a regular basis in the future."

Icarus Golding explained with a beaming smile.

"What is this organization of yours actually called?" Nina asked.

The woman to the side heard her, glanced at Icarus Golding, and then answered, "We’re all from the Mutual Aid Society. My surname is Lynch, you can call me Amy Lynch."

’Mutual Aid Society, Amy Lynch.’

’Both names are probably fake,’ Nina thought, but she asked anyway,

"Where are you from, Miss Lynch? I don’t believe I’ve seen you at the base."

"I’m from Sharrow."

Amy Lynch regretted her words as soon as they were out. Sure enough, she saw Vance shoot her a glare.

"You drove here, didn’t you, Miss Jacobs? Let Amy put these things in your car for you later. For now, you can complete the initiation registration right here."

Icarus Golding smoothly changed the subject.

With that, he had Amy Lynch prepare for the registration.

Amy Lynch nodded and pulled several metal briefcases from her spatial storage.

She deftly pulled on a pair of disposable rubber gloves, then began laying out various disinfectants and blood-drawing equipment from the cases.

Nina understood immediately.

’Just as I thought. Their ’registration’ isn’t just about filling out a form.’

She’d heard in her past life that The Aegis Conclave’s initiation process required collecting venous blood, fingerprints, a voiceprint, a facial scan, and even iris scans and saliva samples.

It seemed that was exactly what was happening.

This was tantamount to handing over all of her personal information and biometric data to a shadowy organization.

"When did I say I was going to join?"

Nina’s words made everyone’s expression sour.

"Miss Jacobs, what’s the meaning of this?

We came all this way. Are you just trying to mess with us?"

Vance asked, his voice low and threatening.

He looked to be in his thirties, with a thick black beard framing his face. That, combined with his piercing gaze, was certainly intimidating.

But Nina remained impassive. She looked at them and said,

"What, your time is precious, but mine isn’t?

You drag me all the way out here just to feed me a fake name for your group?

Mr. Golding, you must really underestimate me."

Icarus Golding’s expression relaxed slightly.

’So that’s what this is about,’ he thought. ’This Nina Jacobs is certainly clever.’

"A misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding.

My friends here meant no offense. After all, when you’re carrying valuable supplies, you have to be cautious on the road."

Icarus Golding said, trying to smooth things over.

"So, may I know the real name of your organization now?" Nina asked.

"The Aegis Conclave. That is the name of our organization.

Normally, only members who have been with us for three months learn the real name.

But you, Miss Jacobs, are an exception."

"The Aegis Conclave? In that case, I definitely can’t join."

’So it is them,’ she thought, relieved. ’I didn’t get the wrong people.’

"She really is just messing with us!"

a man shouted.

"If you’re unwilling to join, Miss Jacobs, that would be a true pity.

I was planning on reporting back to the Conclave and requesting that we provide special care for your team and family.

Now, it seems we’ll have to ’take care’ of them in a different way."

Icarus Golding said, shaking his head in mock regret.

The next second, his gaze met a pair of ice-cold eyes.

"Aren’t you going to ask me why I have no intention of joining?"

Nina said.

"You’ve heard of The Aegis Conclave?" Icarus Golding asked.

’The Conclave shouldn’t have started infiltrating City D Base yet.’

"You’re the ones who killed my cousin, Wyatt Jacobs, aren’t you?

Tell me, why did you kill him?"

Nina demanded.

Icarus Golding frowned, his expression incredulous. "What are you talking about?"

’Who the hell is Wyatt Jacobs?’

"Stop pretending. That fake Sheila Rhodes was your work too, wasn’t she?"

Nina continued, pressing him.

To her surprise, however, Icarus Golding seemed to have no idea who Sheila Rhodes was.

"Enough! I have no idea what you’re talking about."

Icarus Golding snapped.

"Mr. Golding, since registration has failed, it’s time we ’dealt’ with her."

As Vance spoke, he stretched out a hand, and the large factory door slammed shut with a BANG.

"So eager to silence your witness?"

A split second before the door sealed shut, a blurry figure shot inside.

Nina was slightly taken aback when she saw who it was.

It was Tyson Hughes.

’No wonder they said two people were invited today.’

’So the other one was Tyson Hughes?’

"What are you doing here?"

Icarus Golding said, shocked.

"Didn’t you invite me?" Tyson Hughes retorted.

"I did, but for four hours from now!"

Icarus Golding was certain he wouldn’t make such a basic mistake.

He had deliberately staggered their appointments to prevent them from running into each other.

Once they joined, they would be given new codenames and would be kept ignorant of each other’s identities for the time being.

"Are all you Drakonians this unpunctual?!"

Icarus Golding yelled in frustration.

"Enough talk," Vance declared. "I’m making this clear right now.

Anyone who refuses to register and join gets eliminated on the spot!"

As Vance finished speaking, the men surrounding them all shifted into combat stances.

"Temporary alliance?"

Tyson Hughes said, moving to Nina’s side.

Nina hadn’t expected this turn of events. Her original plan had been to use Zombie Rats to kill them all.

But with Tyson Hughes here, she’d have to scrap that plan.

"The loot is mine."

Nina had her eye on the chest, and she suspected Icarus Golding had more in his spatial storage.

"Deal."

Tyson Hughes nodded, a Thunder Ball already crackling with energy in his hand.

"Be careful, everyone! They’re both Intermediates!"

Icarus Golding warned, backing away slowly.

"What’s the big deal about being an Intermediate? They just have a few more Superpowers.

When it comes to raw power, nothing beats this."

One of the burly men took a rocket launcher from Lucy Lynch and aimed it at the pair.