Chapter 325: Chapter 224: Backlash
Sean Raines’s suggestion sounded quite simple.
He had an Array that could help Paige Summers transfer some of her energy to Marcus Monroe.
After some research and speculation, he had a rough understanding of Marcus Monroe’s condition.
Marcus Monroe was using his own energy to fight against this foreign spiritual power.
It was the only way.
At the same time, the consumption was enormous.
Marcus Monroe couldn’t actively draw energy from Crystal Cores right now. Therefore, only by actively supplying him with more energy could they ensure his victory in this internal battle. And, hopefully, shorten the duration of the fight as much as possible.
After all, the battlefield was his mind.
If it dragged on for too long, the outcome might be a pyrrhic victory where the enemy was destroyed, but he was left grievously wounded.
"But..." Sean continued, "this method has its risks. There’s no guarantee that the energy you transfer will be fully absorbed by Marcus Monroe. After all, your superpowers are of two different types. If his body rejects it, you could suffer a backlash from your own energy. You... should think this over carefully."
Hearing this, Paige Summers smiled.
"What is there to think about? Even if it isn’t fully absorbed, as long as some of it gets through, that’s enough."
Sean Raines was silent for a moment, then clicked his tongue in amazement. "I really didn’t expect you to have such deep feelings for him!"
Paige Summers’s smile slowly faded. She didn’t speak, just shook her head slightly.
’What does this even count as?’
’If it weren’t for me, Marcus Monroe wouldn’t have gotten involved in this matter in the first place, much less been injured.’
’He might have already returned to Southreach to be with his brothers.’
’It wasn’t guilt, exactly. It was more like heartache and regret.’
’When they were together before, they were lovers, but they barely had any time for romance. There was too much to face, too much to do, and the time they actually spent together was far too little. Even when they were together, they had to discuss this and that...’
’Truthfully, she just wanted to forget everything and simply sit on a sofa together—reading a book, drinking tea, it didn’t matter—with eyes only for each other.’
’So, until that kind of life could begin, nothing could happen to Marcus Monroe!’
"It’s decided. You go ahead and set up the Array. I’ll go talk to the others."
Sean Raines nodded.
Paige Summers walked to the mouth of the cave, found the members of the Orange Team, and explained the situation. "...Let everyone else know that if they find any sign of Sheldon Reid, they are not to startle him. Everything will have to wait until we’re finished here."
The team members quickly nodded in agreement. No one had any objections.
Marcus Monroe’s recovery was the top priority. Everything else could wait.
"Leave security to us!"
"Okay."
After giving them their instructions, Paige Summers returned to the cave.
Sean Raines explained what she needed to do while he set up the Array.
This Array wasn’t originally designed for Superpower Users. It was used by disciples of The Taoist Order to heal one another, but Sean Raines had since modified it.
"Don’t worry, this Array has been used before, so there’s nothing inherently wrong with it. But you need to be sharp. The moment you sense any rejection from his body, you must stop immediately, understand?"
"I understand."
Sean Raines nodded in satisfaction.
It took an hour to draw the Array. Pieces of jade were placed at key points to activate it.
Marcus Monroe was at the center, so he didn’t need to be moved.
"Alright, sit across from him and press your palms against his. You don’t need to do anything else. The Array will naturally guide the energy in your body, you just have to not resist it. Remember, if you notice anything unusual, pull your hands away immediately!" Sean Raines cautioned her one last time.
Once Paige Summers was ready, the Array was quickly activated.
On the ground, the lines of the Array that Sean Raines had drawn dimmed after an initial flash of light. But if one looked closely, a faint radiance could still be seen flowing through them, as if to prove they were still active.
Marcus Monroe sat in the center. The moment Paige Summers placed her hands flat against his palms, his body seemed to tremble slightly. But in an instant, he returned to his previous state.
Sean Raines sat nearby, quietly watching the two of them, a faint sense of envy stirring in his heart.
’Come to think of it, he had been interested in Paige Summers himself.’
’She was beautiful and powerful.’
’In the apocalypse, that kind of partner was far more reliable than some pretty face.’
’Less chance of betrayal, and you wouldn’t have to worry about them all day. How great was that?’
’Men, well, they have certain needs.’
’Many male Superpower Users liked to use ordinary women to blow off steam. Since those women couldn’t fight back, the men could act without restraint, and just switch to a new one when they got bored.’
’He didn’t like that. He found it sordid.’
’That’s why he’d had those ideas after meeting Paige Summers. A shame that before he could make a move, Marcus Monroe beat him to it.’
’He was a little disappointed, sure.’
’But that was all it was.’
’In this era, talking about love was too much of a luxury. What people called "being together" was really just companionship.’
’At least, when you came back from fighting outside, you could feel the warmth of someone close, proof that you were still alive, that you had a heartbeat and desires, that you hadn’t been assimilated by the Zombies outside—creatures that were once human, just like you.’
’He’d thought it was the same for Marcus Monroe and Paige Summers.’
’But now, it seemed it was more than just that.’
’When he mentioned the risk of backlash, Paige Summers had agreed without a moment’s hesitation. That alone was enough to prove that she and Marcus Monroe shared genuine feelings.’
Sean Raines sighed to himself.
’Why wasn’t he ever this lucky? These days, the chances of meeting a woman who would stick by you through thick and thin... were even smaller than the chances of running into a Zombie Leader!’
’But then, when he thought about all the things Marcus Monroe had done for Paige Summers, it all made sense again.’
’If it were him, he could never plot and scheme so meticulously for a woman, not even for a partner.’
’Seemed like fate was fair after all...’
While Sean Raines’s thoughts were running wild, Paige Summers slowly felt herself entering a profound and mysterious state.
According to what Sean Raines had said, she was supposed to be merely transferring energy into Marcus Monroe’s body.
But in reality, it wasn’t just energy. The worry and heartache in her heart seemed to be transmitted to Marcus Monroe along with it.
She even faintly felt his response.
It was an incredibly resolute feeling, as if telling her, ’I will survive! I swear it!’
When she first received this response, she couldn’t believe it, thinking she was just being overly hopeful and imagining things.
But it wasn’t!
It was incredible, bizarre even, yet the steady stream of resolve that flowed into her mind was so clear, so distinct.
She couldn’t have misunderstood it even if she tried!
At that moment, she was so overjoyed she could have wept.
Her heavy worries seemed to be soothed away by his resolve.
Her heart was instantly filled with confidence!
’Yes,’ she thought. ’Just like he said, he will survive. He will make it through this!’
And so, she would stay right here, guarding him, without leaving his side for a moment.
The energy pulsed into Marcus Monroe’s body, wave after wave. Right now, Paige Summers felt nothing but joy, because there was no rejection. He was accepting all of it!
