Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Men Really Are No Good! She Never Should Have Saved Him
Hugo Cheney nodded desperately.
But with the man’s hand gripping his neck, he could barely move.
The gesture looked somewhat comical.
The man didn’t release Hugo immediately. Instead, he looked at Autumn Lynch with great interest. "You’re a Water Ability User, too?"
Stared at by the man, Autumn Lynch felt a surge of anxiety, but she still nodded. "Yes, I am!"
’Hugo can’t die here!’
’Otherwise, even as a Water Ability User, I wouldn’t have it easy back at the base.’
’I wouldn’t die, but I’d definitely be locked up.’
’Then I’d really just become a walking water faucet.’
’That is absolutely not the life I want to live.’
So.
’Hugo absolutely cannot die!’
The man sized Autumn Lynch up. "Talk is cheap. Prove it."
"How... How do I prove it?"
The man tilted his head slightly and ordered someone inside the door behind him, "Bring out an empty bucket."
A moment later, a red bucket half a man’s height appeared beside him.
The man gestured toward the empty bucket with his chin. "Fill it."
Autumn Lynch didn’t dare hesitate for a second and immediately began filling it with water.
Her Superpower wasn’t as strong as Jayce’s, but it was still quite good.
She could fill two buckets this large in one go.
After resting for two hours or absorbing a Crystal Core to recover, she could fill another two.
’Compared to the other Water Ability Users at the base, she was already very impressive!’
Only when he saw the bucket was full and had been carried into the warehouse did the man nod in satisfaction. "Not bad!"
Hearing those two words, Autumn Lynch breathed a sigh of relief. "So, can you let Hugo go now?"
"Of course!"
"Really!" Autumn Lynch’s voice was full of surprise. "That’s great! Then hurry up and let Hugo go!"
"Not so fast!" The man shook his head.
The smile froze on Autumn Lynch’s face. "What... What do you mean? Didn’t you just say you’d let him go?"
"I did say I’d let him go, that’s right." The man’s voice was soft. "But I never said I’d let him go just like that!"
"What?"
"You trade places with him!" The man stopped playing games and stated his purpose directly. "You switch with him. You come over here, stay, and I’ll let him go."
Autumn Lynch subconsciously took two steps back. "What!"
It wasn’t a question, but a cry of shock.
’She didn’t want Hugo to die, but she didn’t want to trade herself for him either!’
Seeing her retreat, the man laughed. "Weren’t you acting so devoted just a moment ago? Didn’t you say you’d do anything to get him back? Why the unwillingness now?"
Autumn Lynch bit her lip hard. "Can we...?"
"No!"
The man didn’t give Autumn Lynch a chance to continue.
"I’m the one making the demands here. You can only accept or refuse. You’re not qualified to negotiate terms with me!"
As he spoke, the man loosened his grip slightly.
He looked at Hugo. "You’re also involved. You get to make a choice, too! What’s it going to be?"
Hugo was about to suffocate.
Now that he could finally breathe again, he was desperately gasping for air. How could he possibly answer the man’s question?
But the man had little patience. He tightened his grip, and Hugo’s eyes rolled back; he nearly passed out on the spot.
"My patience is limited, and I don’t have time to waste on you two. Speak! Do you agree or not!"
Hugo nodded for his dear life. "I... I agree!"
Hearing Hugo’s answer, the man burst out laughing.
"Good!" the man praised loudly. "You’ve made the right choice! Men, ’invite’ this Water Ability User inside!"
The moment the man’s words fell, two tall, burly men rushed out from the door behind him and charged straight for Autumn Lynch.
Autumn Lynch tried to struggle, but she didn’t stand a chance. The two men seized her by the arms and dragged her away.
The others watched helplessly, none of them intervening.
Hugo had already agreed. How could they possibly stop it?
Intervening now would be a death sentence for Hugo, wouldn’t it?
The base had more than one Water Ability User, but there was only one Hugo.
They knew perfectly well who to choose.
The two men brought Autumn Lynch into the warehouse, where someone immediately came forward with a rope and tied her upper body up securely.
The man watched this scene with satisfaction, only then flinging Hugo away from him.
Hugo stumbled several steps before steadying himself. He clutched his chest, coughing and dry-heaving nonstop.
It was a long while before he calmed down.
But his breaths were still labored and forceful.
The man looked at Hugo. "You can go now!"
Hugo didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he looked pleadingly at Autumn Lynch.
He couldn’t see her eyes through her mask and goggles.
But he knew she must be furious and heartbroken right now.
Hugo hurriedly said, "Is... is there anything else you want? Weapons! Food! Or our car... As long as you’re willing to let Autumn go! We can negotiate!"
The man sneered, "Do you think I’m an idiot?"
After all the trouble of getting a Water Ability User, why would he let her go for something else?
"However, you *can* use those things you mentioned to trade for some canned goods. Want some braised pork? Or maybe some fermented fish? I’ve got fruit, too! And luncheon meat. How about it? Want to trade for some?"
Hugo swallowed hard.
With no electricity, fresh meat had long since become a thing of the past.
Even he was living on thin, watery soups every day.
’I really want some meat!’
"But Autumn—"
The man’s voice immediately turned cold. "If you don’t want to trade, then you can leave! Otherwise, if I change my mind, none of you will be going anywhere!"
Hearing the man’s threat, Hugo felt a fire of frustration raging inside him.
But he couldn’t beat them, so no matter how resentful he felt, he couldn’t show it.
Gritting his teeth, Hugo said, "I’ll trade!"
In the end, Hugo left behind two vehicles, some fuel, and some weapons in exchange for a hundred cases of canned food.
Before leaving, Hugo looked at Autumn Lynch with a gaze full of deep emotion. "Autumn, wait for me!"
Autumn Lynch bit her lip so hard she didn’t speak.
’Wait for him?’
’Wait for him to drop dead?!’
’Men are all bastards!’
’I never should have saved him!’
But... Autumn Lynch knew she had no choice.
She had no way of leaving this place on her own.
The people who came with her all listened to Hugo, not her.
No matter what choice she might have made just now, the outcome would have been the same.
Autumn Lynch took a deep breath, and then said in a voice choked with tears, "Hugo, you... you can’t forget me!"
Hugo nodded repeatedly. "Don’t worry! I won’t!"
’When I get back to the base, I’ll definitely bring all the powerful Superpower Users back with me to rescue Autumn Lynch!’
