NOVPUBIt was a while before Susanna found her voice again. "What would you think if a stranger could recite all your details at once?"
Without much thought, Akid responded, "A stranger? They must’ve done their homework on you. Why do you ask?"
Continuing, Susanna elaborated, "The man in that car... he detailed all our information with unsettling familiarity and precision."
This revelation caused the other three to freeze momentarily.
Joey inquired, "What kind of information?"
"All of it," she paused, "Including our abilities."
The weight of that statement hung heavily, leaving everyone in a state of shock.
Aesop, with a hint of disbelief, asked, "Are you sure?"
Watching Susanna slowly nod, a wave of unease washed over the group.
Deep in thought, Joey furrowed his brow, pondering the implications.
The rest mirrored his thoughtful expression, racking their brains for any hint of who Daniel might be.
Huddled together, they traded speculations back and forth, only to realize that none of them recognized the man in the car.
A level 3 Evolver wasn’t just an ordinary individual.
If they really knew one, it would be impossible to forget.
Suddenly, Akid proposed, "Could he have discerned our purpose and thus investigated us?"
Joey’s expression darkened. Chewing on his lip, he strained to think, "It shouldn’t be. The information about that item was paid for with my younger brother’s life."
"I’ve never told anyone else except you guys."
"Unless…"
Joey’s gaze shifted, scrutinizing each of their faces.
His implication was clear; he suspected a leak among the four of them.
Aesop quickly defended, "It’s impossible. You personally relayed the news to Akid and me. From that moment, we resolved to join you in this quest. We would never share it with outsiders."
Casting a seemingly casual glance at the two brothers, Joey countered, "That doesn’t prove anything. Who’s to say you didn’t secretly contact others?"
With a sharp slap, Akid angrily hit the armrest, glaring at Joey, "What are you implying?"
"Do you honestly think my brother and I would have ulterior motives?"
"We aren’t after gold or jewels. We have no reason to act this way."
Joey realized Akid had a point.
Disputes could arise from a shared hoard of gold or treasure.
However, what they sought didn’t present such complications.
There simply wasn’t a logical reason for any betrayal.
Joey chuckled, patting Akid’s shoulder gently, "Don’t be angry. I was merely speculating. I didn’t say you two did anything."
But Joey’s amiable gesture failed to douse the flames of Akid’s anger.
Eyes still locked on Joey, he retorted, "You better clarify what you meant. My brother and I have toiled ceaselessly, undertaking all the grunt work. Yet in the end, not only did we not find the item, but we also get branded as traitors."
A hint of embarrassment colored Joey’s face, but it was Susanna who deftly stepped in.
"Akid, don’t be rash," she urged. "I didn’t sense any real animosity from Joey just now. It was a passing comment, nothing more."
Hearing this, Akid’s expression softened marginally.
Aesop had remained silent, reflecting.
Unlike Akid, he wasn’t irate; he was deep in thought.
Why would that man be privy to such intimate details about them?
Only someone backed by a formidable force could possibly gather such detailed intel.
Yet the four of them were ordinary Evolvers.
They had never been entangled in disputes or provoked any adversaries.
Who would go to such lengths, and for what purpose, to investigate their identities?
Unless...
Suddenly, Aesop voiced his thoughts, "What if, just what if, this is his ability?"
Akid, taken aback, asked, "What ability?"
From the front seat, Joey quickly caught on, "You mean to suggest his ability might be to discern our information?"
Aesop nodded in agreement. "It’s a plausible scenario. In the past year, apart from venturing into the city for supplies, we’ve had no significant interactions with anyone. It’s improbable that we’ve offended anyone to that extent."
"Therefore, it’s unlikely he’s targeting us intentionally."
Susanna chimed in immediately, "Exactly. He might possess a Support Ability similar to mine, perhaps an Information Detection ability."
No one contested this theory.
A collective sigh of relief permeated the car.
If it was merely a supportive power, its combat efficiency would be greatly reduced.
Joey’s apprehension melted away.
His skill was a formidable Combat Ability, capable of easily overpowering a Support Ability Evolver of the same rank.
The morning in the Sahara Desert comes swiftly.
By around four in the early hours, the sky is already dimly lit.
When Daniel opened his eyes, he saw frost covering the car window, obscuring the view outside.
After a quick clean up, he stepped out of the vehicle to find the exterior shrouded in a dense fog.
Visibility was limited to less than a meter.
He couldn’t even see the three cars on the other side of the road.
But through the mist, he could hear sounds from across, indicating that the others were awake as well.
"What the fuck! This is the Sahara Desert. How can there be such thick fog?"
Following the sound of a car door opening, four figures of distinct colors emerged from the vehicle.
Joey lifted his hand, watching the fog weave through his fingers, visible to the naked eye.
Such a thick and swift-moving fog was indeed rare.
It was exceedingly strange.
Aesop and Akid checked the steel cables around the car, finding no signs of strain.
Stretching, Akid joked, "Seems I didn’t sleep too deeply last night; the sandstorm simply didn’t come."
Joey shrugged, "I just mistook the fog as a precursor to a sandstorm."
"An occasional oversight can be excused."
Swiftly, the group removed the pegs that anchored them to the ground and stowed away their belongings in the car.
Then, they set up a table, laying out their cooking tools and food.
No matter the weather, they still had to eat.
Susanna glanced at the nearby vehicle and, as if drawn by some unseen force, approached it.
On the other side, Daniel was using the car’s stored water for a quick wash-up.
As he was about to get back in, a figure in a pink windbreaker approached. It was Susanna.
"Hello, I’m Susanna."
"I gather you already know that, but I don’t know your name yet."
Bending down to place his toiletries back in the car, Daniel straightened up and met her gaze, "Daniel."
"Daniel, nice name. We’re preparing breakfast; would you like to join us?"
Without a moment’s hesitation, he responded, "Sure, I’ll be there in a bit."
Susanna flashed a smile, "I’ll be waiting."
Watching Susanna return to the convoy, a subtle change flickered across Daniel’s expression, leaving one to wonder what thoughts might be stirring in his mind.
When Daniel approached the dining setup of the quartet,
Aesop was in the midst of spreading salad dressing on freshly toasted slices of bread.
Under such circumstances, enjoying a meal like this was quite a luxury.
Spotting Daniel, Aesop greeted him courteously, "Daniel? Hello."
Daniel nodded in acknowledgment, "Good morning, Aesop."
Following suit, Joey and Akid also exchanged pleasantries with Daniel.
Though he possessed a Support Ability, he was still a level 3 Evolver, and thus deserving of respect.
At least, that’s how they saw it.
Setting the prepared toast on a plate, Aesop said with a smile to Daniel, "Please have a seat. Breakfast will be ready in a moment."
"Thank you."
With a nod, Daniel turned and took a seat beside Susanna.
Soon, Aesop distributed the freshly made sandwiches onto plates and poured a cup of hot milk for everyone.
This breakfast felt no different from one at home, and the group chatted and laughed as they ate.
Daniel glanced at the sandwich in his hand, ensuring it was all right before taking a bite.
As he focused on his meal, he suddenly noticed a used plate to his right with a sandwich that had several bites taken out of it.
The chair at that position was slightly pushed back, as if someone had been sitting there just moments ago.
Looking up, he saw Joey, Akid, and Aesop sitting opposite him, with Susanna to his left.
Everyone had their designated spots, all engrossed in their breakfast.
Whose was the extra, sixth meal?
Bear in mind, Aesop had just prepared and distributed the food.
For a moment, unease replaced Daniel’s relaxed mood.
He distinctly remembered that when he walked over from the opposite side of the road, there was no one sitting in that spot, nor was there a plate.
Which meant, the cutlery and the bitten sandwich appeared just as he began eating.
But that was simply impossible, for since their meeting last night, there had only been four of them!
Looking at Aesop, he asked, "Aesop, how many sandwiches did you make?"
Without hesitation, Aesop replied, "Five. Why? Is it not enough? I can make another one for you."
"No need."
A dark expression clouded Daniel’s face.
He stared intently at the vacant spot to his right, a growing sense of menace swelling within him.
If his eyes weren’t deceiving him, then a creature must have just been here!
