Chapter 345: A Day of Missing Nicholas Jensen

Chapter 345: Chapter 345: A Day of Missing Nicholas Jensen

Upon receiving the command, Flora Sullivan gave Dustin Sullivan and the others a slight nod. Although she didn’t speak, she retracted her poised-to-strike vines, clearly dropping her aggressive stance.

"Follow us."

Flora said in a flat tone.

She then turned and walked gracefully toward the skyscraper.

Chubbs and Moe flanked her, one on her left and one on her right.

Dustin Sullivan and Julian Shaw exchanged a look, each seeing confirmation and a hint of anticipation in the other’s eyes.

"Let’s keep up," Julian Shaw said in a low voice.

The four of them maintained a safe distance as they followed Flora Sullivan, remaining wary of their surroundings but focusing most of their attention on the mysterious girl and her animal companions ahead.

Soon, Moe and Tubbs took to the air, shooting like two streaks of light toward the top floor of a distant, cloud-piercing skyscraper.

Their destination now clear, Julian Shaw immediately activated [Gravity Control].

The range was wider this time, gently lifting Flora Sullivan, Dustin Sullivan, Trevor Tanner, Coco Sullivan, and himself. The five of them rose from the ground, ascending quickly but smoothly toward the skyscraper’s summit.

The night wind howled in their ears as the city ruins and scattered fires below flew past at high speed.

Before long, the five of them landed steadily on the edge of the skyscraper’s rooftop.

The moment her feet touched the ground, Flora Sullivan—who had been so calm and even a bit indifferent until now—suddenly brightened. A lively expression instantly animated her face.

Like a little bird returning to its nest, she gracefully darted toward Seraphina Sullivan, who was standing beside a rocking chair.

"Boss!" Her voice was crisp and clear, filled with unconcealed dependence and affection.

Seraphina Sullivan reached out and gently poked Flora Sullivan’s forehead with her finger.

Holding her at arm’s length, she said with a hint of resigned amusement, "Had your fun? You caused such a huge commotion and even led people right to us."

Flora Sullivan stuck out her tongue playfully but didn’t argue. She obediently moved to stand behind Seraphina Sullivan, reverting to her quiet demeanor, though she now curiously sized up the four newcomers.

As for Dustin Sullivan, the moment he stepped onto the rooftop and saw Seraphina Sullivan and Sean Chandler, the last shred of doubt in his mind vanished completely.

Although the woman before him looked different from the "Sullivan" he had met in the Dark Apocalypse Dungeon...

...her unique aura, and especially the steady, powerfully present Sean Chandler beside her, allowed him to confirm it instantly. It was them!

Dustin Sullivan understood that Sullivan must have an item or Ability that changed her appearance.

Perhaps what they’d seen back when they first met in the [Animal Slaughterhouse] hadn’t been her real face either.

But that wasn’t important. The person was what mattered.

What mattered was the brief yet reliable foundation of cooperation and trust they had built in the midst of crisis.

Dustin Sullivan took a step forward. Looking at Seraphina Sullivan, a rare, faint smile touched the corners of his lips. "We meet again."

Beside him, the lively Coco Sullivan could no longer hold back. She poked her head out from behind her brother, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Seraphina Sullivan.

With a mix of excitement and uncertainty, she asked, "You... you’re Sullivan? Is it really you?"

Seraphina Sullivan looked at the familiar yet somewhat different group before her.

Her gaze swept over Dustin Sullivan’s calm face and Julian Shaw’s scrutinizing eyes before she nodded and admitted:

"Yes, it’s me. It’s been a while, Dustin Sullivan, Julian Shaw, Trevor Tanner, and Coco Sullivan."

There was no longer any point in maintaining her Disguise.

She was already well aware of Dustin Sullivan’s perceptiveness. Ever since their first encounter in that treacherous special dungeon, the [Animal Slaughterhouse], he had been able to sense her extraordinariness from the slightest clues.

Now that they had met again, with Flora Sullivan and her pets being so conspicuous, it was only a matter of time before she was recognized.

Rather than trying to hide it, it was better to be forthright.

In this perilous Zombie Kingdom, gaining another powerful ally whose capabilities were a known quantity was hardly a bad thing.

’As for whether we’ll cooperate or compete in the future... I’ll just have to take it one step at a time.’

...

"Looks like we’re pretty lucky. After all this time, we get to team up again in this godforsaken place." Julian Shaw let out a relaxed whistle, his previously tense shoulders relaxing slightly.

Meeting a powerful "old acquaintance" with a proven record of successful cooperation...

...was undoubtedly good news in this completely foreign and perilous Zombie Kingdom.

Dustin Sullivan gave a slight nod, agreeing with Julian Shaw for a change. "Indeed. If that guy Nicholas Jensen were here too, the temporary squad we formed back in the Dark Apocalypse would finally be complete."

He remembered that young man with the peculiar and interesting Ability.

Not only could he turn toys into weapons, but he could also control metal.

In a dungeon like the Zombie Kingdom, his Ability would be a massive advantage.

It was practically overwhelming firepower.

Hearing the name "Nicholas Jensen," Seraphina Sullivan’s fingers twitched subconsciously.

She thought of Nicholas Jensen’s [Mobile Doll] Talent.

’I want to get him to make some bombs for me again.’

’What a shame...’

Seraphina mused, thinking how wonderful it would be if she could use Nicholas Jensen to stockpile a batch of custom-made bombs.

「As if by some subtle, space-spanning connection...」

In another region of the Zombie Kingdom, at a hidden sewer entrance.

"ACHOO—!"

Nicholas Jensen, who was cautiously surveying the area, suddenly sneezed. The sound echoed in the narrow space, startling him into quickly covering his mouth.

A companion beside him, who was wiping a dagger, immediately looked over warily and whispered, "What’s wrong? Trouble?"

Nicholas Jensen rubbed his nose and whispered awkwardly, "It’s nothing, nothing. It’s probably the overwhelming stench of rotting zombies, or maybe the musty smell in this sewer... ACHOO!" He sneezed again before he could finish.

"Shh! Keep it down!" his companion gestured urgently.

Seraphina’s thoughts on Nicholas Jensen and bombs led her to another, as-yet-unrealized plan.

The "Bombing Pigeon" project.

In the special Space of her [Scavenger’s Farm], the flock of pigeons she was raising had now grown to a considerable size.

Moreover, these pigeons had undergone some unexpected changes.

The source of this change could be traced back to the spoils she had obtained in the "Aberrant Radiation" dungeon.

The carcass of that enormous [Titan Python].

Originally, Seraphina Sullivan had planned to use the Titan Python’s Energy-rich flesh as "high-grade feed" for her main Battle Pets, like Chubbs and Tubbs, hoping to accelerate their growth or the Evolution of their Abilities.

However, the best-laid plans often go awry.

It all started with a bit of "competitiveness" and "ambition" on Chubbs’s part.

It saw that Moe had the obedient and capable Silenti under its command and that Ruby directed a massive insect army, while the flock of pigeons it was in charge of seemed utterly unremarkable by comparison.

So, Chubbs made a bold decision.

It secretly mixed some processed Titan Python meat into the pigeons’ daily feed.

The result was a shocking transformation.