Chương 165: The Sphere and the Cop

Seeing that the anticipated conflict hadn't erupted, Ben and the rest of his crew poured out of their vehicles. The two assault vehicles, combined with the spear-wielding combat team from the bus, amounted to thirty or forty people. This dense, dark mass of humanity marched forward in total silence, coming to a halt directly behind Vince. At the very front, Ben, Zack, and a few others were decked out in the weapons and tactical gear they had just stripped from the executed soldiers.

Bruno, in particular, looked incredibly burly and imposing. Their high morale and sheer vitality stood in stark contrast to the exhausted, panicked, and disorganized stragglers huddled around the gas station. Seeing this formidable formation, the soldiers beside Travis immediately tensed up, unsure of how the situation would unfold.

But their captain, Travis, had ordered them to lower their weapons earlier, and without a new command—coupled with the terrifying rumor that this "Colonel Lin" had just executed seven men—none of them dared to make a move. They could only shift nervously and whisper amongst themselves. Seeing so many robust, healthy men pouring out of the bus, many armed with spears, Travis couldn't help but feel his stomach drop.

This was exactly how he had joined the convoy, only he didn't have a military background, nor did he bring nearly this many people with him. No wonder Evelyn Ye is acting so bold. They've clearly made a deal. She found herself a massive backer! These people were energetic, well-fed, and healthy. With so many able-bodied men, a little training was all it would take to turn them into a formidable zombie-killing force. Not to mention the two women standing directly behind "Colonel Lin."

One had just telekinetically controlled a deadly blade, and the other was holding a heavy riot shield. They were obviously both Awakened, and combat-capable ones at that!

"I never expected to run into our own people out here! What incredible luck!" Travis's mind raced, and he immediately decided to seize the opportunity to curry favor. After all, he hadn't offended Evelyn to the point of no return, and as an Awakened who provided utility to the convoy, they likely wouldn't do anything drastic to him.

"Colonel Ye, why didn't you mention Colonel Lin was nearby? Look at this misunderstanding..." Hearing the title Travis used for Vince, the community members behind him were momentarily confused. The combat team members in the back whispered amongst themselves. However, Ben, standing at the front, caught a subtle glance from Claire. Understanding the situation instantly, he let out a sharp cough. The murmuring behind him immediately ceased.

Since he understood Evelyn's intention, Ben knew that as long as they could seamlessly integrate the two groups, Vince wouldn't care what role he had to play. Ignoring the brief commotion behind him, Vince stared coldly at the Awakened with the [230] Health Bar approaching him with an ingratiating smile. Stepping past Evelyn, he asked:"Are you Chester?" His voice matched the cold, detached expression Evelyn normally wore. It held zero warmth.

It didn't sound like he was asking a name; it sounded like he was verifying a target on a hit list. Travis's expression instantly froze. A cold sweat immediately soaked through his undershirt. The question felt like a dagger pressed directly against his throat. But amidst the sheer terror, a massive wave of relief washed over him—relief that he wasn't Chester.

"This is the captain of our Third Squad, Travis. He's an Awakened, and a fence-sitter," Evelyn answered for him before he could speak.

"Oh, Colonel Ye, please, what are you saying? I just didn't want our convoy to fall into chaos. We all just want to survive and make it to the Quarantine Zone, right...? Now that Colonel Lin is here, I have absolutely no objections to him taking over command!" Travis, sweating profusely, quickly jogged two steps forward to pick up where Evelyn left off, frantically explaining himself to Vince.

"Hello, Colonel Lin. I used to be a police officer in Jishan County. When Colonel Zhou's convoy passed through, they brought us along. I just wanted to contribute what little I could..." He suddenly extended a hand. A chill radiated from his palm, and like a magic trick, a block of ice slowly materialized. It grew larger and larger until it was the size of a soccer ball. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

"I'm an Awakened. This is my ability. Sometimes, when the convoy ran dangerously low on water, it was my ability that pulled us through!" He still wore a fawning, ingratiating smile, but his trembling hands betrayed his deep-seated terror. He looked like a cornered clown, desperately performing a parlor trick for a tyrant, hoping it might buy him his life. But Vince's attention wasn't entirely focused on the ice in his hand. An Awakened with a [230] Health Bar and [230] Energy.

Vince reached out and took the ice sphere. He weighed it in his hand; it was about ten or twelve pounds. He noticed Travis's Energy Bar drop by 6 points. Not only that, but his Health Bar also dropped by 3 points. At the same time, Vince observed faint, barely noticeable wisps of heat radiating from Travis's back. An ability that consumes Energy and actively harms the body. But since it involves thermodynamics, the potential is massive. This was Vince's immediate evaluation.

It was an absolute lifesaver for a small group stranded without clean water. But for a large convoy, it could only serve to plug a few gaps. Its overall utility was limited. Fortunately, the enhanced constitution and recovery of an Awakened would allow him to maintain a decent level of combat effectiveness. Even if his ability wasn't absurdly overpowered, he at least had the physical stamina.

"Ah, Captain Travis. A pleasure to meet you..." Hearing that he wasn't Chester, Vince couldn't help but wonder: Where did Chester go? Still, he extended his other hand and shook Travis's with a smile, laughing inwardly. A fence-sitter. For someone like Evelyn to specifically point out his political stance, it definitely wasn't just to mock him in public. She was explicitly telling Vince how to handle him. Vince let go of Travis's hand. He turned sideways, cradling the heavy ice sphere in his right hand.

He aimed toward the southwest highway, then hurled it with all his might! BOOM—! The instant the ice sphere left his hand, it felt as though the very air was ripped apart, producing a deafening sonic boom akin to a sniper rifle firing! The sphere didn't follow a normal parabolic arc. Instead, it transformed into a visible, nearly perfectly straight white "laser."

Screaming with a high-frequency whistle, it left a trail of icy mist in its wake as it shot like a missile toward the ruined office building across the highway to the southwest! Fwooosh—! Seconds later, at the very end of that white trajectory, a massive explosion of black and white ice mist, ash, and debris erupted against the side of the burnt-out building. A full second later, the thunderous sound of the impact finally rolled back to them.

The sound was distant and muffled, but it felt like a sledgehammer slamming into everyone's chest. Every single pair of eyes in the gas station had been drawn by Vince's movement, and every single person was now completely paralyzed by the result. Aside from a few ignorant soldiers who lacked any real concept of physics or force, everyone present was utterly terrified by the display. A dead silence fell over the gas station. Gulp...

Standing closest to Vince, Travis swallowed hard, his eyes glued to the white trail in the distance, unable to look away. He had always felt that, thanks to his Awakened constitution, his physical strength was completely on par with the veterans, perhaps even matching Raven, who had consumed several crystals. While his ability didn't offer much in combat, when it came to raw physical stats, he considered himself the strongest in the convoy.

But that single throw didn't just smash the fence he'd been sitting on—it shattered his entire worldview. In his understanding, an Awakened was simply someone who was stronger than a normal person, recovered faster, was immune to the virus, or possessed some strange parlor trick. But what Colonel Lin just displayed didn't even belong in the same dimension. Throwing a twelve-pound ball of solid ice over three hundred meters in a straight line... This...

Watching this, Evelyn's expression also stiffened, losing its initial calm composure. Her pupils trembled slightly as she seemingly tried to calculate the sheer, absurd amount of force required for that throw. Her knuckles, gripping the walkie-talkie tightly, turned completely white. She was squeezing the device so hard that the plastic casing let out a faint creak.

On the other end of that walkie-talkie, on the rooftop of the storefront directly across from the gas station—the very spot Vince and Zoe had scouted from earlier—sat a heavy-caliber sniper rifle. Raven sat in the center of the roof, safely out of sight from anyone at the gas station. She stared blankly at the cloud of grey and white debris blossoming halfway up the ruined office building to the south. A minute ago, Evelyn had used a subtle code to inform her that the plan was successful and the operation was over.

But right now, her mind was entirely blank to that fact. Instead, she finally, completely accepted the word Holden had used last night to describe them: Generational Leap. But even they had been far too conservative in their estimates. Only someone like her, who pushed her abilities to the limit every single day, could truly understand the disparity. This wasn't the difference between a steam engine and an electric motor... This was the difference between a slingshot and a railgun.

She subconsciously raised her hand, staring at her fingers. Once upon a time, she had truly believed she was the Chosen One of this new era, the hope of humanity. But looking at it now... She let out a soft, almost soundless sigh. But a moment later, her eyes sharpened once again. A gap... just means there's something for me to catch up to!

"Woahhh—!" Behind Vince, Zoe seemed to be the only one with absolutely boundless, unquestioning faith in him. She peered into the distance, enthusiastically playing the hype-man.

"Dage, I gotta teach you how to throw a javelin later! With an arm like that, you could probably throw it a whole kilometer!" Beside her, Claire lightly tapped her on the head and pulled her back.

"Ahem..." Seeing that his flex had achieved the exact intended effect, Vince unequipped the Strength Crystal. Fence-sitters were the easiest to handle. Show them overwhelming power, and they'd fall right in line. He turned to look at Evelyn, who was still slightly dazed. Her normally stoic expression had cracked slightly, which made Vince chuckle inwardly. I walk in here and you immediately hit me with that crazy political combo, almost knocking me out. Now we're even.

Still, he maintained his authoritative posture and cleared his throat.

"Colonel Ye, where did this Chester go?"