Chapter 338: Chapter 234: Shameless
From Kent Kane, Paige Summers and Marcus Monroe learned the full story of the battle for Norgate.
Of course, it was far more detailed than the reports from the scouts.
He described the initial failed siege, Shawn Monroe’s plot to sow discord, their confident entry into Norgate, and finally, the appearance of Nora Lowell.
"That woman—no, no, she’s a Zombie now. But she’s nothing like an ordinary Zombie! Not only does she look human, she can talk, give commands, and use superpowers. It’s beyond freaky! She let out a few howls, and hordes of powerful Zombies and Mutant Beasts gathered outside the city. It goes without saying that the death toll in Norgate was immense. There were rivers of blood! But the real nightmare was all the people who got bitten and turned into Zombies. In short, the enemy’s numbers kept growing, and we in the Central Army suffered massive losses. So, you see, General Walsh saw that the situation was hopeless. If we had stayed, we’d have been completely surrounded. That’s why she ordered everyone to break out."
As Kent Kane spoke, he couldn’t help but shudder at the memory.
Although he had rarely led campaigns in person in recent years, he was once a battle-hardened veteran who had killed countless Zombies. Yet the memory of Norgate was still unbearably gruesome.
’That Nora Lowell... no matter how human she looks, she isn’t human anymore. She’s lost all her humanity!’
’She specifically targeted High-level Superpower Users, catching them and sinking her teeth into them while they were still alive...’
’Thinking of the subordinates who had died so tragically, he was filled with an intense hatred.’
’Even for those lucky enough not to turn into Zombies, the gruesome sight of their mangled flesh after being bitten was horrifying to witness.’
After a moment of silence, Kent Kane leaned back in his seat with unconcealed dejection and looked out the window. "Honestly, I should have stayed with the General to continue the assault on Norgate. But the situation is just too dire right now. I can’t dare to gamble with the lives of these soldiers any longer. This temporary retreat... let’s just call it a tactical necessity..."
Marcus Monroe nodded slightly, successfully concealing the contempt he felt.
’A tactical necessity? More like he’s just scared of dying.’
Paige Summers felt the same way. ’If the Power Corps won’t deal with this kind of Zombie, are they expecting ordinary people to do it? Giving the enemy a chance to breathe is the same as letting them grow stronger. If Nora Lowell is really as formidable as he claims, time will only make her more terrifying!’
’But of course, she couldn’t say any of that out loud.’
’It would be completely pointless.’
Kent Kane must have felt a pang of guilt, as he said helplessly, "I’m getting old..."
Marcus Monroe didn’t take the bait. Instead, he changed the subject. "What’s the situation on General Walsh’s end? Her losses must have been heavy as well, right?"
That question was exactly what Kent Kane wanted to hear. He slapped his thigh. "Tell me about it!" After a pause, a strange look crossed his face. "Of course, losses are one thing, but someone has to maintain a line of defense in the north. If that horde of Zombies breaks through, they’ll plow through all the small outposts on their way straight to Central City. Who could possibly bear that responsibility? And then there’s Seth Howell—I mean, her aide-de-camp—he was captured on the spot. After Nora Lowell took Norgate, he was strung up on the city walls... She hasn’t killed him, she just tortures him day after day... The General has always prized his immense talent. Even knowing he’s being used as bait, she can’t help but try to rescue him. Sigh. The whole thing is just a terrible mess!"
Hearing this, Paige Summers had to lower her eyelids to hide the cold fury in her eyes.
’What kind of Power Corps commander is this scumbag? Whoever promoted him must have been blind!’
’He lives on the military’s payroll, enjoying the fruits of the labor of Central City’s people, yet instead of leading his troops to fight Zombies, he runs away. Deserting his post is shameful enough, but now he’s bad-mouthing the one who stayed to hold the line!’
’"Who could bear that responsibility?" "Prized his immense talent?" How can he say such things—all backhanded compliments—without even blushing?!’
’He’s terrified that people will think General Walsh—Kiera Walsh—stayed behind for the greater good, making him look like the coward he is. That’s why his every word is meant to imply some ’unusual relationship’ between her and her aide-de-camp... The conclusion he’s pushing is that Kiera Walsh is only fighting the Zombies to save her own illegitimate son.’
’"Shameless" doesn’t even begin to describe him.’
Paige Summers had to fight to keep her composure. In that moment, she couldn’t help but admire Marcus Monroe. If she hadn’t sensed the fury raging within him, she would have actually believed the calm on his face was genuine.
Kent Kane was naturally pleased with Marcus Monroe’s reaction. He hesitated, about to say something more, when he saw a car catching up to them from behind. Delighted, he immediately turned to Paige Summers. "Commander Shields has sent a car. He’s personally quite interested in weaponry, so why don’t you go ahead and have a chat with him, Vice-Captain Summers?"
He knew a little about Paige Summers—about the Bloodfall Hunters, her status as an Artifact Maker, and her connections to the Mercer and Lowell Families. So, while she wasn’t his primary focus, he had maintained a polite attitude toward her. It was obvious now that he wanted to speak with Marcus Monroe alone and was trying to get her out of the way.
Paige Summers, for her part, immediately agreed with a crisp, "Alright."
’Frankly, she was more than happy to leave. She didn’t want to be in this man’s presence any longer, lest she lose control and try to kill him.’
Marcus Monroe didn’t get the chance to object. His eyes darkened for a moment, but seeing how eager Paige Summers was to leave, he ultimately just nodded.
A moment later, Paige Summers leaped from the side of their vehicle onto the other car. Though neither vehicle had slowed down, her movements were as light and graceful as a falling leaf.
After this small display of skill, Kent Kane hurriedly praised her to Marcus Monroe. Noticing that Marcus’s mood had visibly improved, he finally revealed his true intentions.
As she left, Paige Summers could already guess his intentions.
’The Central Army had suffered a major defeat and taken heavy casualties. He was bound to be held accountable when he returned. Sucking up to Marcus Monroe was most likely an attempt to use Jovitas’s power to help him quell some of the fallout.’
’People like him...’
’Ugh.’
Paige Summers sighed to herself. Given Kent Kane’s performance, she didn’t hold out much hope for the other commander. Anyone who would also choose to abandon their comrades-in-arms and scurry back to Central City was probably cut from the same cloth.
Despite her prejudice, when she finally met Jean Shields, the commander of the Power Corps’ Third Division, she was still taken aback.
’This man... was far too good-looking!’
Seeing him, Paige Summers finally understood what true elegance looked like. Even sitting in the cramped space of the vehicle, nothing could conceal the otherworldly aura of a banished Immortal about him.
’Compared to Rhonda Rhodes, he seemed more like someone who’d actually come from the Cultivation Realm!’
’If he were to put on wide, flowing robes and stand atop a mountain as the wind billowed around him, no one would doubt he was about to ascend to the heavens.’
The look of stunned admiration in her eyes lasted for several seconds before she suppressed it.
For her, that was a rare occurrence.
After all, the people she kept company with were all remarkably good-looking.
Take Marcus Monroe and Claire Chapman, for instance; it was just that their auras were vastly different.
Jean Shields, however, was in a league of his own.
Her quick recovery, however, seemed to take Jean Shields by surprise.
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