Chapter 190: Chapter 190: How Do You Have the Face to Say That?
Hector Grant didn’t answer right away, a hint of hesitation on his face.
After a few moments, Hector Grant finally spoke. "Even if I could take you to see him, it wouldn’t change anything. This is the policy the base is currently enforcing. Everyone who stays in the base must use their abilities to do what they can. No one gets a free ride, and no one reaps what they don’t sow."
As he spoke, Hector Grant’s voice grew louder, his tone more forceful and resolute.
It was as if this was the only way he could prove that what he was saying was true.
He wasn’t just saying this to Sierra Sullivan and the others; he was also saying it to himself.
Sierra Sullivan just watched him quietly. Once his emotions had cooled down a bit, she asked softly, "Captain Grant, do you believe a word of what you just said?"
Hector Grant’s face was cold. "What’s that supposed to mean?"
"I want to know, are the children of the higher-ups in this base also doing everything they can to contribute? Are their work assignments the same as Candice’s, or even harder?"
The moment Sierra Sullivan finished asking, Hector Grant’s expression turned even uglier than before.
His clenched jaw completely betrayed his true feelings.
Seeing this, Saul Seymour laughed.
"Why so quiet, Captain Grant? Weren’t you just delivering a passionate speech? Weren’t you just saying everyone in the base is treated the same?"
Hector Grant pressed his lips into a tight line. "You should understand that some things in this world are beyond our control. When we can’t manage others, we can only do our best to manage ourselves. As long as we have a clear conscience, that’s what matters."
"What kind of bullshit is that?" Sierra Sullivan sneered. "Those able-bodied adults get to lay back and enjoy themselves while a five-year-old child is worked to the bone, and you have the nerve to tell me that all that matters is having a clear conscience? How dare you say something like that?"
Before Hector Grant could say another word, Sierra Sullivan spoke again.
"Of course, I’m not saying this to attack you. Don’t take it personally, Captain Grant. I just want you to take me to see the person in charge. The final outcome will have nothing to do with you. Can you do that?"
Hector Grant’s brows were knitted tightly together, but this time, he didn’t hesitate. He stood up directly.
"It’s too late today. I’ll come find you first thing tomorrow morning and take you there."
With that, he walked toward the door.
He stopped at the doorway. "Nathan Thorne, are you coming?"
Nathan Thorne snapped out of his daze and quickly stood up to follow.
As he walked, he turned his head to speak to Sierra Sullivan and the others.
"I’m going to check on my parents first. Once I’m sure they’re okay, I’ll come back and find you! I’ll help you save Candice!"
Sierra Sullivan didn’t disbelieve Nathan Thorne’s words, but she had no intention of waiting for him to return before taking action. So, she simply smiled without a word.
At that moment, Hector Grant looked over again.
"I hope you can always stick to what you believe in."
Leaving them with those words, Hector Grant strode out, and Nathan Thorne hurried after him.
Seeing them leave, Sierra Sullivan turned to Yvonne Shelby. "Aunt Shelby, let’s go too. Let’s go see Candice first."
Even if they couldn’t bring her back today, they had to at least see what condition Candice was in.
Yvonne Shelby quickly agreed, "Yes, yes, let’s go right now!"
The four of them didn’t have anything to pack and left immediately.
They retraced their steps and soon arrived at the second basement level.
Following Yvonne Shelby and Kevin Everett, they wound through a series of turns for a while, passed through two checkpoints, and finally arrived in front of a metal door.
Those two checkpoints were well-fortified and difficult to breach.
The checkpoints were guarded by Superpower Users, none of whom had a low Superpower Level. They also wielded firearms that Sierra Sullivan had never seen before.
’Trying to take Candice away by force isn’t the best option right now,’ Sierra Sullivan mused. ’Subterra isn’t like the surface. We just got here and don’t know the layout. Even if we could break through these two checkpoints, escaping Subterra wouldn’t be easy. Not to mention, if we really did try to force our way out, there are many other people to consider—like Kevin Everett and Yvonne Shelby, Nathan Thorne’s family, Dominic Crawford who is close to us, and the others... As much as I hate to admit it, I really can’t be impulsive about this. We have to plan this out carefully.’
As Sierra Sullivan was mulling this over, the metal door in front of them was opened from the inside.
It wasn’t Candice who opened the door, but a young woman.
Only then did Sierra Sullivan get a clear view of the situation inside.
It was a two-room suite. The young woman was in the outer room, and through a glass window, they could see what was happening in the inner room.
The inner room was a large space, its floor piled high with vines, beneath which you could see potatoes and sweet potatoes.
A tiny figure was submerged in the middle of it all, looking incredibly lonely.
All the rationality Sierra Sullivan had carefully maintained while observing her surroundings on the way here vanished the instant she saw Candice like this.
She felt a surge of rage rush to her head, making her feel like she was about to burst into flames.
"Open the door!" Sierra Sullivan said to the young woman.
The woman froze for a second, but after glancing at Yvonne Shelby and Kevin Everett, she opened the inner door.
Candice heard the noise and turned her head. Her voice, small and weak, drifted over.
"Auntie..."
Sierra Sullivan had already rushed inside. "Candice! Big Sister is back!"
Candice saw Sierra Sullivan then, and a look of disbelief appeared in her eyes, followed quickly by them turning red.
"Big Sister! You’re back!"
The small figure, suddenly filled with a light, airy energy, launched herself toward Sierra Sullivan like a nimble kitten.
Sierra Sullivan caught her and held her tight.
The moment she held her, Sierra Sullivan could tell that Candice had lost a lot of weight.
She felt so much lighter.
Candice clung tightly to Sierra Sullivan’s neck, large teardrops falling one after another. The hot tears nearly scalded Sierra’s skin, making her own heart tremble.
"Go on and cry."
Sierra Sullivan gently patted Candice’s back.
’Kids need to let out their feelings, too. Whether it’s anxiety, fear, or something else, she needs to let it all out right now! Bottling up these emotions for a long time... never mind a child like Candice, even an adult’s body couldn’t handle it.’
Candice cried for a good while before gradually calming down.
Sierra Sullivan then took a wet wipe and a tissue from her space and carefully wiped Candice’s hands and face clean.
Candice’s hair was also a mess, looking like it hadn’t been properly brushed in days.
"Candice, have you been staying here this whole time?"
