Bella’s new plan is also fraught with uncertainties. How to make the Reaper and the curse collide incidentally and how to ensure that they don’t merge and annihilate the survivors are all unknowns and currently unpredictable.
The original plan to encase the Reaper in a giant metal box hasn’t been canceled but is integrated with Bella’s plan as a backup.
There were originally sixty-one survivors of Flight 180, but five have already died. Some survivors are abroad or have lost contact, leaving a total of forty-two who gathered.
Unlike Bella, who encountered numerous lost souls along the way—spirits that seemed to want to harass her—Victoria Hand’s leadership seemed to ward off even the supernatural.
Not only were there no governmental obstacles, but even the lost souls were nowhere to be seen. This made Bella wonder if this was a world ruled by fate rather than the Marvel Universe. Were ghosts scared of officials, too? What about those souls lost in road accidents, beheadings, or buried in concrete? Where were they? Couldn’t they come out and greet Victoria Hand, maybe make friends?
From Arizona, they crossed New Mexico and finally entered Oklahoma via the highway.
They encountered five death traps along the way.
The first four targeted survivors, but the agents, agile and well-trained, easily saved them. The fifth attack targeted an agent who had previously saved others.
The Reaper had abandoned most of his killing rules; now, anyone involved was a target.
“This is good news!” Victoria Hand declared.
Bella, as the planner, silently agreed. She had noticed that the Reaper was most potent when targeting individuals because people can’t stay vigilant forever. The moment you rest, the Reaper strikes unexpectedly.
Except for those with bodies as tough as steel who could withstand close-range anti-material weapons without injury, most superhumans faced significant danger when resting.
The core of Bella’s plan was to increase variables—the more life forms involved, the better.
On the way to Arizona, she noticed the Reaper struggled with intelligence. His tactics were especially chaotic when dealing with three vampires.
What would happen if he faced thousands or millions of indestructible insects? She was eager to see that scenario.
During a rest, Bella decided to learn how to use a handgun from Claire.
She was not yet of age to handle a gun, but possessing no combat skills, she felt safer having one.
Claire didn’t object and pulled out her handgun to teach Bella how to aim.
Just as Bella was about to practice, an unexpected bump from a large woman behind them caused the gun to discharge!
Thanks to Claire’s quick reflexes, which twisted the gun away at the critical moment, and another agent’s intervention, they averted a tragic headshot for young Alex.
“Ladies, I suggest you refrain from unnecessary actions,” Victoria Hand warned sternly.
Bella and Claire shared an awkward laugh. Why practice shooting? Better to stay put!
Sapulpa Canyon in the Plains of Oasis, Oklahoma, epitomized the phrase ‘vast and sparsely populated.’ The nearest town was over ten kilometers away, and reaching it on foot required crossing at least two mountains.
The town’s residents were unaware of the early conflicts between colonizers and Native Americans. However, they still avoided the valley, partly due to the lack of roads and partly due to old warnings passed down through generations.
Even thrill-seeking American youth avoided the valley, which had become a haven for plants—there was nothing else there. Why bother going?
There were plans to develop the valley into a residential area capitalizing on its natural beauty, but those plans were still on paper.
The group didn’t pass through the town but took another route into the mountains. Many survivors, out of shape and lacking stamina, struggled, but they persevered for the sake of survival.
Claire’s classmates, better conditioned than office workers, were exhausted after climbing a mountain.
Initially, some of the men had enthusiastically caught bugs in the wilderness, showing them off to the girls as a display of bravery, but now they, too, were visibly drained.
Only the agents, Storm, the Claire siblings, and Bella still had plenty of energy.
“Bella, you have great stamina. Do you exercise regularly?” Victoria Hand couldn’t help but notice Bella’s exceptional physical condition.
Bella continued to promote Fox Town High’s “happy education”: “Yes, our school has four consecutive physical education classes each week, and we play four volleyball matches in a row! Sometimes, after our matches, we still play basketball with the boys. The amount of exercise is incredible, so naturally, I built up my stamina.”
There were flaws in her statement—she had only been at Fox Town High for ten days; how could she experience such a ‘happy education’? But Victoria Hand and the others didn’t catch this detail. Transferring schools was a big deal for Bella but just a triviality for the agents who were busy with their own lives.
Brown-haired Claire listened in surprise; she was skilled in firearms and hand-to-hand combat but always a
She was a bit weaker in terms of stamina, especially since she had to focus on studying for college admissions.
“With that much activity, can all the girls at your school keep up?” she asked.
Bella continued to praise the school’s athletic programs in an attempt to divert attention from herself: “Sometimes after volleyball, we also practice sprinting, long jump, and indoor rock climbing.”
“You’re training students or athletes?” Victoria Hand chuckled.
“That’s nice. Instead of working in the field, I actually prefer teaching at the school and conducting my research in the lab,” Victoria Hand wisely changed the topic, and Bella hummed in agreement.
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