Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Where Are You Taking Me?

The survivors weren’t about to listen to the man’s excuses and lies.

Under normal circumstances, some of them might have believed him.

But now, with everyone’s lives on the line, of course no one was going to fall for his bullshit.

"Enough with the crap! If he won’t hand over the item, then throw him out of the car!"

"Yeah! Throw him out!"

"Throw him out right now!"

The crowd was in an uproar, and a few burly men began to close in on him.

Seeing this, the man no longer dared to talk tough.

With so many Aberrant Beasts in pursuit, if they opened a window now and threw him out, he would be instantly torn to shreds.

"Don’t!"

"Don’t throw me out!"

"I’ll get it! I’ll get it out right now!"

As he spoke, the man carefully pulled a cloth-wrapped bundle from inside his shirt.

Dominic Crawford had already strode back over.

Seeing the cloth bundle in the man’s hand, he snatched it away.

The man instinctively tried to grab it back.

Dominic Crawford didn’t flinch, just stared quietly at the man.

The man’s hand was already touching the bundle, but when he met Dominic Crawford’s gaze and felt the stares of everyone around them, he slowly let go.

His life was more important than some object, of course.

If he was dead, he would have nothing.

The other survivors looked at the object in Dominic Crawford’s hands, some with curiosity in their eyes.

"What in the world is in there?"

"Open it up and let’s see!"

"Maybe it’s actually something valuable."

"Isn’t that obvious? If it wasn’t valuable, would those Aberrant Beasts be chasing us so relentlessly?"

Dominic Crawford made no move to stop them. He even held the object out toward them. "Who wants to see? Who wants it? You can have it right now!"

The people who had been eager just a moment ago instinctively took a few steps back when they heard Dominic Crawford’s words.

No matter how good the item was, you had to be alive to enjoy it!

’We’re not strong enough to handle something like that,’ they thought. ’Better just forget it.’

When they all fell silent, Dominic Crawford picked up his walkie-talkie and explained the whole situation to Jayce.

Jayce listened in silence. When Dominic finished, Jayce said slowly, "Throw it out."

Jayce wasn’t an idiot; of course he knew it had to be something valuable.

By the same token, he knew that giving it to the Aberrant Beasts might make them even more powerful.

But... ’if they didn’t, were they supposed to lead this many Aberrant Beasts back to the base?’

’Who knew how many more there were?’

’If they really led all these Aberrant Beasts back and the base couldn’t handle them, they would be responsible for its downfall.’

’There were people in the base he cared about!’

’The base absolutely could not fall!’

’Everything else would have to wait.’

Dominic Crawford had already been thinking of throwing it out, so after hearing Jayce’s order, he didn’t hesitate for a second.

Dominic Crawford went to the window and carefully opened it.

Instantly, a blast of wind and sand forced its way in through the opening.

Everyone instinctively shut their eyes.

Dominic Crawford didn’t dare to hesitate. He forcefully threw the bundle out and quickly shut the window.

The vehicle was moving fast.

His vehicle quickly left the spot where he’d thrown the bundle far behind.

Even Jayce’s vehicle, at the rear of the convoy, soon put distance between itself and that spot.

But at that moment, the Aberrant Beasts following them came to a stop.

A black tide of Aberrant Beasts all swarmed toward a single spot.

Then, they began to fight.

Aberrant Beasts of all different types and sizes began to tear into each other as if their lives depended on it.

From a distance, it looked like a massive free-for-all.

Even from a distance, where they couldn’t hear the sounds or see the spray of blood, just watching the tangled mass of bodies, they could guess how ferocious the fighting was.

Dominic Crawford saw this scene from the window, and his heart began to pound.

’If they hadn’t thrown that thing out, they would have all ended up being torn to pieces, wouldn’t they?’

Dominic Crawford wasn’t the only one who saw this.

Many others in the vehicle sitting by the windows saw it too, and a lingering fear gripped each of them.

At the same time, they felt incredibly fortunate.

’Thank god they’d suppressed their greed!’

’Otherwise, they’d probably be getting devoured by the Aberrant Beasts right now!’

The man saw it too, and his expression grew even more conflicted.

’He knew it! That thing had to be valuable! Otherwise, the Aberrant Beasts wouldn’t be fighting over it so desperately!’

’If he’d used it himself, could he have become incredibly powerful?’

’More powerful than any Superpower User!’

Dominic Crawford had just turned back from the window when he saw the expression on the man’s face and immediately guessed what he was thinking.

"Stop dreaming," Dominic Crawford sneered. "You’d have been torn to shreds long before you got any stronger."

The man instinctively wanted to argue, but in the end, he said nothing.

He knew, of course, that what Dominic Crawford said was the truth.

He just didn’t want to admit it.

Seeing the man remain silent, Dominic Crawford didn’t press the issue.

But with Dominic Crawford staying quiet, the man himself couldn’t help but speak.

"Why don’t you ask me what that thing was?"

Dominic Crawford gave the man an indifferent glance and said nothing.

’Even if I ask now, he won’t tell me. So why bother?’

’Once we’re back at the base, it won’t be his decision whether he talks or not.’

’He can only act tough for a little while longer.’

Seeing Dominic Crawford’s reaction, the man’s heart clenched.

’I have to get out of this car!’

’But that was just a thought.’

’Getting out now would be certain death.’

’But would things really be any better at the base?’

...

Half an hour later, they finally made it back to the base.

By then, the sky had completely darkened.

They hadn’t had much farther to go, but because it had gotten completely dark and the sandstorm had intensified, the vehicles had been forced to slow down.

Not only were they moving slower, but they also had to constantly watch their surroundings, which naturally made the journey take longer.

Fortunately, despite the close calls, they had made it back safely.

As soon as Jayce got out of his car, he went straight to Dominic Crawford’s vehicle.

The door opened, and Dominic Crawford stepped out, dragging a man with him.

Jayce took one look and said, "Hand him over to me. You go get the others settled."

"Got it," Dominic Crawford replied, then went to see to the survivors.

How to make the man talk was no longer his concern.

Jayce grabbed the man’s arm. "Let’s go."

The man was frantic. "You... who are you! Where are you taking me! I’m telling you, you’d better let go of me right now! I’m not afraid of you!"

He said this while struggling with all his might.

But Jayce merely tightened his grip slightly, and the man winced in pain, falling silent immediately. He didn’t dare to shout again.