Paige Summers didn’t consider herself a good person in the traditional sense.

She would lie, and she would kill.

At times, to save her own life, she thought, ’I wouldn’t hesitate to do things that go against the moral code of my past life.’ But if she could save some lives without much trouble, then, in her opinion, it was worth doing.

For example, threatening Samuel Hughes into announcing the Beast Tide and arranging for people to help the ordinary citizens in the base evacuate. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

She didn’t know how much of a difference it would ultimately make.

But she had done her best.

That was enough.

Content, she waited at the cave entrance. Erin Quinn was beside her, calm, a subtle expression on her small face.

Howard Everett would never have guessed that this child was peering into his thoughts.

Ever since the broadcast room incident, his feelings had been extremely complicated.

’I have to admit, this woman is quite capable—even more outstanding than I thought. I’m even a little impressed. But the more capable she is, the more uneasy I feel. It’s obvious that things have developed to a point beyond the boss’s control.’

’No, in fact, I think that ever since she decided to keep Erin Quinn, Paige Summers has been ignoring the entire team and doing whatever she wants. A person like that, no matter how capable, isn’t fit to be one of us!’

’If it were up to me, I’d kick her out without a second thought.’

’She’s a total wild card. It might lead to a good outcome, but it’s more likely to end in disaster.’

’But of all people, the boss has taken a liking to her...’

’Maybe I should have another talk with him after we get back!’

The three of them waited, each lost in their own thoughts.

Meanwhile, in Glimmerlake City, since Marcus Monroe had already secured the supplies and met up with Paige Summers’s group, he immediately ordered his men to begin their withdrawal.

Speaking of which, Shawn Monroe’s people hadn’t arrived much later than them.

But just as Paige Summers had been certain, the Shawn Monroe standing here was a complete fake!

Marcus Monroe was now one hundred percent sure.

He had dodged his attack, let Ace take over almost immediately, and then stayed close to Nora Lowell the entire time, barely using his superpower...

’How could a loser like that possibly be Shawn Monroe?’

’He’s the Young City Lord, for crying out loud. If he were the real Shawn Monroe, even if he were injured, he would never do something like hiding behind a woman!’

However, this realization didn’t improve his mood. On the contrary, it grew several shades darker.

’If not for a reason more important than supplies, Shawn wouldn’t have gone to such lengths! And there’s no way he’d go through the trouble of fooling everyone with an impostor just for my benefit.’

’Back in The Dead City, the real Shawn Monroe must have already made his move!’

Although he didn’t like Graham Monroe and no longer felt much affection for his father in name, as a man, Marcus Monroe admired his sheer power.

He wanted to defeat him, but he didn’t want to see him die in a conspiracy.

Besides, Graham Monroe was one of the few individuals in The Dead City who could be called a High-level Superpower User. If he were gone, it would do The Dead City far more harm than good.

For these two reasons, he felt he had to get back as soon as possible...

In the midst of the chaotic battle, a piecemeal withdrawal from the battlefield was undoubtedly the best course of action!

To the members of Flying Eagle, it made no difference whether they were Shawn Monroe’s men or Marcus Monroe’s. They were all there to seize supplies, so defending the warehouse they believed to be still intact was their duty!

But Shawn Monroe’s men quickly noticed a problem: Marcus Monroe’s subordinates were dwindling in number, fewer and fewer!

But they were completely unable to break away.

Most of the Flying Eagle members had been led by Marcus’s men to besiege their elite team members, leaving them no time to spare for anything else.

This included Ace, who, facing Marcus Monroe’s attacks head-on, could only barely hold on. He was surprised by his opponent’s power, and even more so by his cunning!

Just as Marcus Monroe’s men were about to vanish completely and Ace was about to erupt in a rare fit of rage, Isaiah Langley suddenly shouted to the fake "Shawn Monroe" in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, "As we agreed, we’ve taken care of things on Samuel Hughes’s end. We really can’t stay here long, so you guys can handle the rest! Don’t forget to pay us the balance when you get back!"

After speaking, as it dawned on the Flying Eagle members and they began to focus their fierce attacks on Shawn Monroe’s men, he seized the opportunity to slip away with his remaining people...

Marcus Monroe’s eyebrow twitched. He then timed his next move perfectly, smiling at Ace, "Shawn Monroe," and the surrounding Flying Eagle members. "He’s right! I don’t know what beef you all have, but we’re just here for the money. If it’s a fight to the death, you can have it yourselves!"

He jumped out of the battle ring as he spoke.

As expected, most of the Flying Eagle members hesitated for only a moment. Seeing that he had truly stopped attacking, they paid him no more mind, and all the superpowers they unleashed were aimed at "Shawn Monroe" and his men!

As for "Shawn Monroe’s" retorts of "Nonsense!" and the like, no one believed him.

It wasn’t that the Flying Eagle members were gullible, but that Marcus Monroe’s operation to secure the supplies had been too covert!

They had drawn everyone’s attention from the very beginning, making it seem like a forceful seizure. But behind the scenes, Cillian had already infiltrated the warehouse with his Space Ring and quietly taken the most important parts of the supplies—for example, weapons, medicine, rare metals, and seeds... while tossing out all the clothing and bedding from the ring. As a result, the piles of supplies didn’t look much different from the outside!

With the impression that the enemy was planning an open robbery... coupled with the fact that "Shawn Monroe" had brought more men and fought more viciously, while Marcus’s men had deliberately kept a low profile and shifted their focus after "Shawn Monroe’s" appearance... it was only natural that "Shawn Monroe" would be seen as the mastermind behind the heist!

Ace and his men, who were suffering miserably under the siege, were so angry they could have coughed up blood.

Although they felt there was something strange about Marcus Monroe’s withdrawal, it was useless to say anything now. The main priority was to resolve the immediate crisis.

The Flying Eagle members were much harder to deal with than they had imagined! ’And they’re just some insignificant Hunting Party from a small base!’

The more they fought, the more frustrated they became, while Marcus Monroe and his group made a smooth getaway.

However, as Marcus Monroe rapidly approached his destination, he suddenly sensed someone was following him!

Without betraying a thing, he brazenly slipped into the hole in the ground.

Sure enough, the person came forward.

Closer and closer.

However, just as the wary pursuer came within a meter of the hole, a soft cord SWISHED out and wrapped around their ankle...

On the other side of the tunnel, everyone was waiting for Marcus Monroe.

As everyone had hoped, he emerged quickly. But to everyone’s astonishment, after he jumped out, he turned and tightened the soft cord in his hand, dragging a long-haired... woman?!... out of the hole.

It wasn’t a convenient time for explanations, so Marcus Monroe said directly, "Take her and let’s go!"

The group quickly composed themselves and followed behind him, sprinting away in the opposite direction of Glimmerlake Base.

Paige Summers occasionally glanced at the person slung over Grant Yardley’s shoulder and felt an indescribable sense of dissonance...