mousepad-d2 Chapter 340: Disguise
Chapter 340: Disguise
Once she was certain they were no longer being followed, Nina Jacobs finally took the SUV out of her storage space.
"They should be heading down the mountain by now, too," Nina said.
Today was also the day Adrian Shaw and his group were heading back.
Meanwhile, on a road in another direction, two large buses were stopped by a group of people.
"Don’t tell me Nina Jacobs was right?" Shirley Lucas said before getting out of the bus, her eyes fixed on the five men and one woman on the road.
’Are people really blocking the road to fish for information?’
"Whether they are or not, we can’t expose our identities."
Adrian Shaw believed there were definitely more people lying in ambush nearby. He quickly formulated a plan and had Joanne Page and Shirley Lucas get out of the bus first.
For now, the best course of action was to bluff their way through. If that didn’t work, their only option was to fight.
Shirley Lucas looked at the people in front of her and asked with a frown, "What’s going on here?"
"We just ran into a Mutated Animal. We were wondering if you have a Healer on your bus?" Veronica Ziegler asked, her face pale.
"Walter, what’s going on?" Joanne Page walked over and asked, affectionately taking Shirley Lucas’s arm.
"They say they need to borrow a Healer. Oceane, you should just stay on the bus. I’ll handle this," Shirley Lucas said sternly.
"Get on the bus. We have a Healer." Joanne Page lifted her chin and directly called out Timothy Spencer’s name.
"Timothy Spencer" was the name of a Healer from Oceane Sutton’s base.
Impersonating others was a decision they had made after discussing it with Nina Jacobs earlier.
And when it came to Magnus York, the most suitable and hardest-to-trace identities to assume were those of Edric Holden and Oceane Sutton.
After all, Edric Holden was Trey Windslow, and also a member of The Aegis Conclave.
Although Veronica Ziegler was hesitant, she still got on the bus.
After some probing, she learned that these people were from Veridia County and they claimed to be in the area only to search for supplies.
Even after the two buses had driven away, the suspicion in Veronica Ziegler’s eyes had not faded.
"These people definitely have another reason for being here," her assistant beside her said.
"Yeah. When Alistair and the others get down, I have to ask him to help me investigate just who this Edric Holden and Oceane Sutton are," Veronica Ziegler said.
Meanwhile, in the other direction on this road, an SUV was driving slowly.
Nina Jacobs had already set her destination to Meridia Base on the system map.
The map showed an estimated travel time of nine hours.
"Nine hours for just a few dozen kilometers?"
Nina Jacobs sighed.
On the map, Meridia Base was located on the outskirts of Veridia, only a few dozen kilometers from the Mornfell mountain range.
That was quite close.
But she could also see from the map that the road would not be an easy one.
It would be a blessing if they could arrive before dark.
After driving for a while longer, Nina Jacobs noticed a strange sedan behind them.
’Are they just heading the same way?’
The sedan kept following them.
When a mutated leopard appeared up ahead, the person in the sedan got out and attacked it before Nina and Wayne could even exit their own vehicle.
’A Strength Element Superpower User.’
Nina Jacobs observed the strange man outside.
Even though he was already covered in wounds, every punch landed true.
Although he was nowhere near as strong as Wayne Warner, he still managed to slay the leopard with his blade.
Seeing the man store the leopard’s carcass in a pocket dimension, Nina Jacobs realized he must be a Dual Element Superpower User with the Strength and Space Elements.
The man glanced at the SUV, then got back in his car.
The sedan drove straight on, and Nina Jacobs relaxed.
There were many lone wolves in the apocalypse. They had usually been through something and didn’t trust anyone but themselves.
Perhaps this man was one of them.
However, Nina Jacobs didn’t follow him. Instead, she found a spot on the side of the road to stop and rest.
She also took out lunch for her and Wayne Warner to eat.
Only after half an hour did Nina Jacobs get back on the road.
For the rest of the journey, the two of them didn’t encounter any more Mutated Animals, but the number of zombies began to increase.
Nina Jacobs knew this was because they were getting closer to a city.
As evening approached, about five kilometers from Meridia Base, the SUV was stopped by an impenetrable checkpoint.
The checkpoint looked like it had been built some time ago and resembled a defensive wall more than anything.
Nina Jacobs noticed that the sedan from before was also parked a short distance behind them.
’Did he get stopped, too?’
"Who are you?"
Someone walked out from inside. The man wore a mustard-yellow uniform with the words "Aethelburg Garrison" printed on it.
"We’re from the Silvercreek County area, and we’re heading to Meridia Base."
Silvercreek County was near Mornfell. Nina Jacobs had previously heard there was a small safe zone there, but it had recently come under frequent attack by Mutated Animals, so the survivors inside had all scattered.
"Just the two of you?"
The Garrison soldier walked a lap around the SUV, then opened the trunk.
Seeing that there were no supplies in the trunk, his attitude grew even worse.
"No one is allowed through the checkpoint after 6 p.m. Go on, get out of here."
The man made a shooing gesture.
"It’s not six o’clock yet," Nina Jacobs said.
It was only a little after 5:40.
The man’s face immediately filled with impatience. "I said no, so it’s a no! You think the inspectors don’t want to clock out early?"
"And what if I insist on passing?"
’If I took out some supplies, it might solve the immediate problem, but I don’t want to indulge him.’
"A Superpower User, are you? Then why don’t you give it a try?"
With a wave of his hand, a row of dark gun barrels on top of the checkpoint wall immediately aimed at them.
Seeing this, Wayne Warner stepped in front of Nina Jacobs, his expression grim.
"Let them pass."
Just then, a voice came from behind them.
The man from the sedan got out, and Nina Jacobs noticed the Garrison soldier’s expression change instantly.
Even the guns on top of the defensive wall were withdrawn one after another.
’Looks like they know him?’
The checkpoint gate was opened, and several Garrison soldiers in the same uniforms walked out.
"You... You’re still alive?"
One of them asked, looking at the man with a face full of astonishment.
"Are you disappointed that I’m alive?" the man asked.
"No, not at all! It’s just... that’s the rumor going around the base, so we thought..."
"Cut the crap and open the gate."
The man didn’t seem surprised.
As the gate below the checkpoint opened, Nina Jacobs nodded to the man and said, "Thank you."
’This man’s identity doesn’t seem simple. He should have arrived here before us.’
"You’re welcome. My car broke down. Can you give me a ride?" the man said, walking over.
’So his car broke down.’
Nina Jacobs didn’t refuse. "Sure."
The Garrison soldier from before shot Nina Jacobs a strange look.
But Nina Jacobs had already gotten into the SUV with Wayne Warner.
After thanking her, the man took a seat in the back on his own accord.
Only after the vehicle had slowly driven onto a road did he ask, "Have you been to Meridia Base before?"
"No," Nina Jacobs answered truthfully.
"Then I’m afraid this place will disappoint you," the man said.
"It’s fine. I’m leaving in a few days anyway."
Hearing Nina Jacobs’s words, the man fell silent for a moment before saying, "Turn right at the next intersection. I’ll get you into the base."