Chapter 306: Even Hector Grant Can Act Shamelessly?!

With their seamless teamwork, the battle finally concluded half an hour later.

The moment they returned to the lab, Nathan Thorne wanted to heal the wounded, but Hector Grant stopped him.

“Don’t rush to heal them. Recover your own strength first,” Hector said. “They’re injured, yes, but it’s nothing too serious. There’s no need to push yourself.”

The wounded nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, Nathan, don’t worry about us too much! It’s just a few scratches. Take your time and get your energy back first.”

“Exactly! You can only help us better if you’re fully recovered!”

“Hurry up and get some rest!”

Hearing their genuine concern, Nathan didn’t say anything more, but a bright smile broke across his face. Although he was helping them voluntarily, he didn’t want to be treated like a pushover. Even if he didn’t expect anything in return, he didn’t want the people he saved to be completely self-serving.

Things were perfect just the way they were.

Nathan found a spot to sit down and began using a Crystal Core to restore his Superpower. Watching from the sidelines, Sierra Sullivan retrieved various food and drinks from her spatial storage. Once Nathan’s Superpower was replenished, a feast would be waiting for him.

As she watched Nathan chow down, taking massive bites, Sierra couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy. It wasn’t about anything else—she was simply jealous that he always had such a hearty appetite.

Sierra’s own appetite was quite large nowadays, and she put away a considerable amount of food at every meal. While having a good appetite was usually a blessing, eating had sometimes become a chore for her. When she had to eat simply to fuel herself, the experience lost its joy and comfort. Unlike Nathan. No matter how much he ate, he savored every bite with absolute relish, never seeming to tire of it.

That kind of gift wasn’t something just anyone possessed.

Being stared at so intently by Sierra made even the usually carefree Nathan feel a bit self-conscious. “Sierra, why do you keep staring at me? Is there something on my face?”

“It’s nothing. Just watching you enjoy your food.”

“Well, there’s no other entertainment nowadays. Eating is the only hobby I have left!” Nathan sighed as he spoke.

His words cast a heavy mood over the group. The truth was a bitter pill to swallow, but they couldn’t deny that Nathan was right. If there were anything else to do, who would treat eating as their sole source of joy?

Fully recovered, Nathan didn’t waste another second. He quickly went around and healed everyone’s injuries. Once everyone was back in top condition, Sierra called Nathan and Hector over, sharing the intel she had gathered earlier.

“…So we know now that these zombies and Aberrant Beasts are coming strictly for me,” Sierra explained. “Tomorrow, you guys will leave first. I’ll clear a path and cover your retreat. They shouldn’t bother chasing you…”

“Sierra!” Nathan stood up, his expression turning icy. The look he gave her was borderline dangerous. “What kind of nonsense is that? Are you telling me to abandon you and scurry off to save my own skin? Is that the kind of person you think I am? The kind who ditches his friends at the first sign of danger?”

The more Nathan spoke, the angrier he got, his face flushing red.

Seeing him so worked up, Sierra was momentarily at a loss for words. She knew perfectly well that Nathan wasn’t that kind of person. But at the same time, as his friend, she refused to drag him down with her.

“Sierra,” Hector spoke slowly, his voice calm and resolute. “I know you’re telling us to leave for our own good. But we’re friends, and more importantly, we’re comrades-in-arms. There’s no way I’m abandoning you.”

“Captain Grant.” Sierra was moved, but she held her ground. “I know you’re a good man, but this isn’t some trivial matter. Besides, you’re not just making a decision for yourself—you have your men to consider…”

“Any man who calls himself my brother wouldn’t be a coward who’d turn tail to save his own skin, nor would he abandon a comrade to flee. No matter what you say, we are not leaving.”

Hector’s words rang with finality; his mind was firmly made up. As long as he held his ground, nothing Sierra said could change things. Nathan had sat back down, still looking puffed up with anger, but it was obvious he had made up his mind too. He absolutely would not leave her behind.

Looking at the two of them, Sierra let out a helpless sigh. Even before she brought it up, she had anticipated this outcome. It was impossible not to be touched. But the more touched she was, and the more she recognized their loyalty, the less she could bear to drag them into her mess.

The rest of the night passed in silence.

In the early hours of the morning, Sierra and Jayce quietly got up, preparing to slip away with Candice Tate. Sierra had originally intended to leave Candice behind as well, but the girl seemed to have anticipated this. Even in her sleep, she had kept a death grip on Sierra’s clothes. Left with no choice, and remembering her past promise, Sierra could only take Candice along.

The three of them rose to their feet as quietly as possible. But just as they were about to sneak out, the room suddenly lit up.

Hector looked at them with an expression of sheer exasperation. “Sierra, Jayce, and Candice… Do you three think I’m an idiot?”

Nathan looked even more furious. “Or did you think I was the idiot? Did you really believe I wouldn’t expect you to sneak off?”

Sierra was speechless. Getting caught red-handed like this was nothing short of mortifying.

Jayce stepped forward, flashing a perfectly natural smile. “Who said we were sneaking off? We just couldn’t sleep, so we got up to stretch our legs. Are you guys having trouble sleeping too? Want to take a walk with us?”

Seeing Jayce spin this lie without batting an eye, Hector and Nathan exchanged a helpless glance. They knew full well that Jayce was spouting utter nonsense. But his delivery was so flawless. If he refused to admit it, what could they really do about it? As long as they stopped Sierra’s trio from running away, the details didn’t matter.

Nathan was the first to march over. “Sure! I just so happen to be wide awake too. Where are you planning to walk? I’ll join you!”

“Me too,” Hector added, stepping up to them.

Flanked by the two men, Sierra let out a yawn. “Actually, I think I’m feeling a bit sleepy after all. Let’s just go to bed! We can talk about everything else when the sun comes up. Time for bed, Candice!”

She pulled Candice back down to the floor, pulling the blanket up so high it covered most of her face.

Seeing this, Jayce hastily chimed in, “Wow, I’m suddenly exhausted too. Guess it’s time for sleep! Sleep, sleep, sleep!”

Nathan let out a huff and immediately lay down right next to Jayce. “Fine, then let’s sleep!”

Hector squeezed in on Jayce’s other side. “I’m so tired I can’t even walk anymore. Let’s just squeeze in together!”

Even Jayce was left entirely speechless as he looked at the two men boxing him in. It was one thing for Nathan—he was thick-skinned by nature. But to see the usually stoic, composed Hector acting like such a shameless rogue? That was truly a shock!