Chapter 187: Chapter 187: Is Everyone Dead? Must a Five-Year-Old Child Work So Desperately?
Although Sierra Sullivan already had a few guesses, the moment she heard Yvonne Shelby’s words, her heart still clenched painfully.
Sierra Sullivan took a deep breath, trying to keep her tone steady. "Aunt Shelby, please don’t panic. Just tell us what happened."
Jayce also hurried to comfort her. "That’s right, Mom. Tell us what happened first. We can only figure out how to solve this if we know what’s going on."
Kevin Everett sighed. "I’ll be the one to explain."
At his words, the three of them turned to look at Kevin Everett.
Through Kevin Everett’s explanation, Sierra Sullivan finally understood what had happened.
It turned out that the day after they left, a large group of people had arrived at the Red Sun Base.
These people were all well-trained, and they were all Superpower Users with relatively high Superpower Levels.
After arriving at the base, they went directly to Kevin Everett.
The person leading the team at the time was none other than Hector Grant.
Although Hector Grant’s tone was pleasant enough, his attitude was extremely firm.
He had been sent by a commander with orders to build a Subterra beneath the Red Sun Base.
No matter what his considerations were, Kevin Everett had no way to refuse, so he could only step aside and let Hector Grant and his people build the Subterra.
Kevin Everett was well aware of how difficult it was to build a Subterra; after all, he had been busy with that very task for some time.
But after Hector Grant took over, the situation changed completely.
Hector Grant and the people he brought with him were like construction fiends. In just ten days, they had already built the prototype for the Subterra they were currently in.
After that, Hector Grant took another five days with his people to refine the details.
In just half a month, a Subterra had appeared just like that.
If he hadn’t watched this Subterra being built piece by piece with his own eyes, Kevin Everett would never have believed such a thing was possible.
After the Subterra was completed, Hector Grant’s commander arrived with tens of thousands of survivors.
Naturally, Kevin Everett could no longer be the leader of this base.
He was now assigned to the logistics department as a captain, responsible for the food and clothing of a team of about three thousand people.
Because Kevin Everett had been the former base leader, and was now considered a minor leader, he was allocated a one-bedroom apartment.
As for the other members of the Everett Family.
Charlotte Morgan, because of her Wood Element Ability, was also conscripted and assigned a certain amount of tasks each day.
Although it was a bit tough, the benefit was that her family of four was allocated a place to live.
Charlotte Morgan’s two children could also attend school for free.
As for her husband, Tim Everett, he wasn’t a Superpower User, but he couldn’t be idle either. He was now working as a kitchen helper, putting in ten hours a day. Although it was tiring, his meals were covered, so their three meals a day were secure.
Hearing this, Sierra Sullivan felt a wave of emotion.
Although their lives weren’t as carefree and comfortable as before,
compared to the vast majority of people in this apocalypse, this family of four was living quite well.
Both husband and wife had jobs, their meals were provided, and they could save all their wages.
Their two children could also attend school for free.
Living in the Subterra, their days were safe and stable—a life that many in the apocalypse couldn’t hope for.
As for Jayce’s older brother, Quinn Everett, and his wife, Bella Bauer, neither were Superpower Users, but they were both very experienced in management. They were also assigned jobs, responsible for managing the survivors on one of the Subterra’s levels.
For the convenience of their work, the housing allocated to them was also on that same level.
Similarly, their son, Howard Everett, could also attend school in the Subterra for free.
From these aspects, although the Everett Family’s status in the base was not what it once was, their family life was still quite good.
Kevin Everett wasn’t a man greedy for power. If someone else could manage the base better, he was willing to step down and yield his position.
However, the one thing he could not accept was that the higher-ups had ordered Candice Tate to work as well.
The reason given was that Candice Tate was currently the only Fourth Level Wood Ability User in the base. By working ten hours a day, the potatoes and sweet potatoes she could grow could feed one-fifth of the base’s population for a day.
As a Superpower User and a member of the base, Candice Tate was expected to shoulder this responsibility.
When they came to take Candice Tate away, both Kevin Everett and Yvonne Shelby had disagreed.
How old was Candice Tate?
Even if she was a Fourth Level Superpower User, she was still only five years old.
Forcing a five-year-old child to work ten hours a day, endlessly growing crops—was that something a human being would do?
At the time, Yvonne Shelby and Kevin Everett had risked their lives to stop them.
And they had nearly paid for it with their lives.
In the end, it was Candice Tate herself who came out and volunteered to go with those people, which was the only reason Kevin Everett and Yvonne Shelby were spared.
Seven days had passed since Candice Tate was taken away.
Seven days!
Hearing that number, Sierra Sullivan’s fists clenched.
’I can’t imagine how Candice Tate, a five-year-old girl, has endured these seven days.’
Although they had also asked Candice Tate to grow plenty of crops before, they had always done so while keeping her schedule and stamina in mind.
How could it be like this now, where she was forced to work ten hours a day!
’It’s obvious. They must be making her use Crystal Cores to replenish her Superpower after it’s exhausted, then forcing her to continue working.’
’An adult couldn’t even stand it, so how could Candice Tate, a five-year-old child, possibly endure it?’
’"With great power comes great responsibility?" What a load of crap! Have all the other adults died?’
’How could they force a five-year-old child to work herself to death like this?’
"This is outrageous!" Nathan Thorne shot to his feet. "How can they be so unreasonable? Treating a five-year-old child like this... what’s the difference between them and animals!"
Sierra Sullivan suppressed her fury. "Mr. Everett, Aunt Shelby, have you seen Candice Tate over the past few days? Do you know where she’s been assigned to work?"
"Yes! Yes!" Yvonne Shelby nodded repeatedly. "It’s on the level right above us. There’s a separate, very large room. Candice Tate is in there all by herself, with lots of seeds... When I went to see her, she was just sitting there alone, surrounded by potatoes and sweet potatoes.
That child, Candice... she’s just too good. She didn’t cry or make a fuss when she saw me. She even comforted me, telling me not to be sad or worry, that she was doing fine, eating well, and all that..."
The more Yvonne Shelby spoke, the more furiously her tears flowed.
’Such a good child, and I couldn’t protect her. It’s all my fault!’
"It’s all my fault!" Yvonne Shelby sobbed, tears streaming down her face. "It’s all because I failed to protect Candice Tate! I let you down, Sierra! I’m so sorry, I’m sorry to you, and I’m sorry to Candice...!"
Sierra Sullivan walked over and hugged Yvonne Shelby. "Aunt Shelby, this isn’t your fault! You don’t have to take all the blame! I will definitely bring Candice Tate back!"
