Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Brother Wants to Give It to Sister, Sister Wants to Give It to Her

Sierra and Jayce didn’t stay to listen, heading straight back to the tenth floor.

They had just stepped through the main entrance of the building and weren’t even close to their apartment when the door swung open from the inside.

It was Yvonne Shelby.

"You’re back!"

She had only said those two words when her voice choked up, and her eyes reddened.

As a strong businesswoman, Yvonne Shelby had rarely shown her emotions so openly in all her years.

But now, looking at Sierra and Jayce, she couldn’t hold back her tears.

Yvonne Shelby hadn’t cried when she was consumed by worry just moments ago.

But seeing them return now, battered and disheveled, she could no longer control her feelings.

Jayce had never seen his mother like this.

Seeing Yvonne Shelby’s reddened eyes, Jayce was at a loss for the first time.

"Mom! What’s wrong?"

Jayce looked at her, paused for a moment, and then added...

"Did the sand get in your eyes? Let’s hurry inside!"

Sierra was speechless.

’Jayce is really something else...’

’How did I never notice how clueless he can be with words?’

But as awkward as his words were, they did, in a way, help to ease the tension.

Yvonne Shelby, who had been on the verge of tears and couldn’t hold them back, actually stopped crying when she heard what Jayce said. She even laughed through her tears.

Yvonne Shelby wiped her eyes. "Yes, the sand was just too strong and got in my eyes. Hurry up and get inside. Close the door."

With that, Yvonne turned and went inside.

Jayce smiled at Sierra before pulling her inside.

The moment they were inside, Candice Tate, like a cheerful little butterfly, spread her arms and came flying toward Sierra.

Before Sierra even had time to bend down, Candice was already there, hugging her legs tightly. She looked up and cried, "Big Sis!"

"I’m right here!"

Sierra bent down and scooped Candice into her arms.

Candice was very thin and light.

To Sierra, whose strength had increased immensely, Candice felt as light as a feather.

Sierra was about to tell Candice to make sure she ate well and gained some weight, but Candice reached out her hand first.

Her small, soft, fair hands gently patted the sand from Sierra’s clothes.

"Big Sis, were you just in a big fight with monsters?"

Kids will be kids. She didn’t quite understand what an Aberrant Beast was, instinctively calling them monsters.

"Fighting is dangerous, and it hurts! Are you hurt, Big Sis? Let me blow on it to make it better!"

Hearing Candice’s concerned words in her sweet, childish voice made Sierra’s heart skip a beat.

When it started beating again, each thump felt heavy, making her chest ache with a bittersweet warmth.

Sierra took a deep breath, a brilliant smile returning to her face. "Don’t worry, Candice. Big Sis is really strong! Big Bro is really strong, too! We already beat the monsters! And I’m not hurt at all!"

"Big Sis is amazing! And Big Bro is amazing, too!"

Candice cheered, pumping her little arms, her smile impossibly bright.

Seeing Candice’s radiant smile, Sierra felt that all her hard work had been worth it.

It was as if... she had found a new purpose.

’If it was just about surviving...’

’She could live perfectly well just by hiding in her room.’

’She had everything she needed—food, drink, and supplies.’

’The easiest way out would be to stay in the space with Jayce; they could live there safely for decades.’

’But that wasn’t the life Sierra wanted.’

’It never had been.’

But seeing Candice’s smile and hearing her cheers just now, Sierra suddenly understood.

She wanted Candice to always be this happy.

She wanted everyone like Candice to be this happy.

Sierra blinked, pushing all those emotions down.

Jayce had walked over to Kevin Everett and was telling him everything that had just happened downstairs.

Kevin Everett’s brow was deeply furrowed. He didn’t say a word, but the worry in his eyes was plain to see.

He probably wasn’t good at expressing his feelings, so he remained silent.

After a moment of silence, Kevin Everett snorted. "That Cheney father and son are a couple of bastards! We can’t let this go! Once the sandstorm dies down, I’m going to settle this score with them!"

Jayce grinned. "Then take me with you! I’ll be your backup!"

"You brat!"

Kevin said, breaking into a laugh himself.

Father and son looked at each other.

They didn’t need to say a word; the tacit understanding between them was enough for each to know what the other was thinking.

After a few moments, Kevin Everett looked over at Sierra.

"Sierra, you’ve been through a lot, too. In the future... you have to be more careful. Your safety is important!"

"I know, Uncle! Don’t you worry!"

As she spoke, Sierra took out the Crystal Core.

The red Crystal Core glowed like a pigeon’s blood ruby.

Inside the room, its magnificent radiance was even more apparent.

The moment it appeared, it captured everyone’s attention.

Kevin Everett looked on with curiosity. "Is that the Crystal Core you just got?"

"Yes!" Sierra nodded.

Yvonne Shelby looked at it with fascination. "It’s gorgeous! I’ve never seen a Crystal Core like it!"

"Beauty like that also means danger," Kevin said, his voice laced with concern rather than admiration.

Hearing Kevin’s words, a song lyric suddenly popped into Sierra’s head.

But this clearly wasn’t the time for jokes.

Sierra pushed the thought from her mind and stated her intentions seriously. "I want Candice to absorb this Crystal Core."

"Sierra!" Jayce immediately shot her a look, his eyes filled with disapproval.

A Crystal Core like this was bound to be incredibly powerful. Absorbing it would surely raise one’s Superpower by more than a single level.

He wanted Sierra to be the one to absorb it.

"Jayce!" Sierra’s gaze was firm. "If we could kill one Aberrant Beast like that, we can kill more! I believe in you, and I believe in myself."

"I have a feeling there are plenty more of those Aberrant Beasts out there, and we’ll probably run into them more often. Let’s give this one to Candice. Next time, we’ll just kill two! Then we can each have one!"

Candice didn’t fully understand what they were talking about, but she got the gist of it.

The pretty red stone was very valuable.

Big Bro wanted Big Sis to have it, but Big Sis wanted to give it to her.

Candice shook her head, her sweet voice firm despite her age. "Big Sis, I don’t want it! You take it, Big Sis. You can get stronger, and then give one to Candice later!"

Kevin Everett chimed in, "She’s right, Sierra! I know what you’re thinking. You’re hoping that if Candice’s Superpower gets stronger, she can solve the base’s food problem sooner. But there are too many people here. The amount of food we go through every day isn’t something Candice can handle right now. Even if she absorbs this Crystal Core, it won’t solve the problem."