Chapter 20: Chapter 20: I’ll Absolutely Let You Live Off Me, and Not Make Things Difficult for Your Dad

The Crystal Core looked as hard as a diamond, but the moment it entered her mouth, it instantly turned into a liquid and slid down her throat into her stomach.

Before Sierra Sullivan could even process the sensation, her entire body felt like it was on fire.

It wasn’t just hot; it was excruciatingly painful.

It was an indescribable pain that seeped deep into her bones.

Sierra Sullivan had been sitting on the sofa, but she soon couldn’t stay seated. She collapsed onto the floor and started writhing in agony.

Having been coddled and pampered all her life, Sierra Sullivan had never endured this kind of suffering.

The intense pain made her delirious, but she didn’t dare scream, forcing herself to bite down hard on her lip.

"Sierra!"

This wasn’t the first time Jayce had watched someone consume a Crystal Core to awaken a Superpower.

But watching others writhe in pain on the ground was a completely different feeling from watching Sierra go through it.

Seeing her like this, Jayce wished he could take her place.

But he knew that was impossible.

The only thing he could do now was watch over Sierra and prevent her from hurting herself out of pain.

Sierra Sullivan had no idea how much time had passed.

The pain in her body seemed to have subsided a little.

But what followed was a feeling of dryness.

Her entire body was parched, as if all the moisture had been sucked out of her.

’I don’t feel like a person anymore,’ Sierra Sullivan thought. ’More like a desert.’

’If I weren’t a desert, how could I be this dry?’

Just as Sierra Sullivan’s consciousness was fading, she heard Jayce’s voice.

"Sierra! Sierra! Wake up!"

Sierra Sullivan’s awareness slowly returned, and she could finally feel her own body again.

She slowly opened her eyes to see Jayce kneeling beside her, his face filled with panic and helplessness. The rims of his handsome, almond-shaped eyes were completely red.

"I’m still alive, you know," Sierra Sullivan chuckled softly.

Jayce’s eyes filled with joyful surprise as he carefully pulled Sierra into his arms. "Sierra, I’m begging you, don’t make jokes like that."

’He had already lost Sierra once!’

’He never wanted to experience something like that a second time!’

Sierra Sullivan only felt something warm on her neck, as if a liquid was trickling down.

’Did Jayce... cry?’

Sierra Sullivan couldn’t possibly imagine what Jayce, who was usually like a little tyrant, would look like when he cried.

Driven by curiosity, Sierra Sullivan regained a bit of her strength.

The moment Sierra Sullivan struggled, Jayce hurriedly let her go.

"What’s wrong?" Jayce’s face was full of worry and self-blame. "Did I hurt you?"

Sierra Sullivan didn’t say anything, just stared unblinkingly at Jayce’s face.

Jayce’s eyes were already beautiful, but now, having just cried, they were even clearer, like a pristine lake shimmering under the morning light.

Yet their rims were still red, and the tear tracks on his face hadn’t dried.

It was the same face, but the impression it gave was completely different.

Jayce waited for a long time, but Sierra Sullivan didn’t speak, which made him even more anxious. "What is it? Why are you just staring at me without saying anything?"

Sierra Sullivan blinked, a smile spreading across her lips. "You look really good right now. I have to look a little longer. It’s a rare opportunity."

"Sierra, you...!"

Jayce wasn’t angry, just exasperated.

’At a time like this, she’s actually focused on that!’

’But... as long as she’s okay, nothing else matters.’

Sierra Sullivan rested for only a short while before she was full of energy.

She could clearly feel that her physical condition was even better than before!

Her body seemed to be brimming with a power she had never felt before.

’Is this what it feels like to have a Superpower?’

Compared to this, all the suffering she had endured before seemed insignificant.

It had only just happened a short while ago, but thinking back on it now, it felt like something from a past life.

Sierra Sullivan didn’t dwell on it for too long and simply held out her hand, palm up.

She was more curious about what kind of Superpower she had awakened.

Seeing her action, Jayce knew what she was thinking and immediately shared his own experience.

With Jayce’s guidance, Sierra Sullivan didn’t have to fumble around on her own and quickly succeeded in releasing her Superpower.

But when she got a clear look at the clump of sand solidified in her palm, Sierra Sullivan was a bit dumbfounded.

"Is this... sand?"

Jayce was also very surprised. "A Sand Ability? I’ve never seen one before!"

’The world outside is covered in yellow sand. What’s the use of having a Sand Ability?’

’A competition to see who has more sand?’

’No, wait!’

A possibility suddenly occurred to Sierra Sullivan.

"Jayce, do you think I can control all the sand outside?"

Just asking the question made Sierra Sullivan’s heart start to race.

If she could really control the sand outside, she couldn’t even imagine how powerful she would be!

Jayce realized this too. "You can try, but at the beginning, your Superpower Level will be low, so the effect might not be as good as you think."

"What does that matter?" Sierra Sullivan said, unconcerned. "Superpowers can always be leveled up!"

Seeing Sierra Sullivan’s vibrant and spirited expression, Jayce laughed along with her. "You’re right! When the time comes, I’ll be waiting for Sierra to protect me!"

"Don’t worry!" Sierra Sullivan threw her arms around Jayce’s neck. "I’ll not only protect you, I’ll provide for you. You can just relax and be a kept man! By the way, how did you get here? It’s so dangerous outside!"

"I came with the officials. They’re going to establish a safe zone here."

Sierra Sullivan nodded. "I did hear about that on the radio. But how did you end up with the officials?"

"Did you forget about my dad?"

Sierra Sullivan was speechless.

She laughed sheepishly.

She really had forgotten.

Jayce’s mother was a very successful businesswoman, whose assets, if not number one in the city, were at least in the top three.

But Jayce’s father was a high-ranking government official.

Thinking of this, Sierra Sullivan felt she had discovered something very important.

"In my last life, there wasn’t a safe zone established here. Don’t tell me you were the one who suggested they come here?"

Hearing her question, Jayce didn’t hide it and nodded. "Yes! I needed to find you as soon as possible. Besides, this place is genuinely suitable for a safe zone. The buildings here are relatively tall and very sturdy, and they can accommodate a larger number of survivors."

Although what Jayce said was true...

...there were several other residential complexes just like this one nearby.

The final choice was made because Jayce needed to find her.

Sierra Sullivan felt her heart swell, as if it were being filled with something.

Although she couldn’t quite describe what it was, she didn’t dislike the feeling at all.

Jayce ruffled Sierra Sullivan’s hair with his large hand. "Now that the officials are here, they’re going to start requisitioning houses. If you want to keep yours, you either need supplies or connections..."

"I have supplies!" Sierra Sullivan said immediately. "Don’t worry, I’ll absolutely let you be a kept man and not make things difficult for your dad."