Apocalypse Villainess? Nah, I'm Nice

Paige Summers led Levi Young, dodging the eyes of their watchers as they tore through the streets.

They couldn’t take the main roads, sticking to dark, narrow alleys that they weaved in and out of. It wasn’t long before she confirmed they weren’t being followed and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Even though she was a Sixth Rank, sprinting at top speed with someone in tow left her gasping for breath. Sweat beaded on her forehead and trickled down her temples. When she looked up, the sight made Levi Young shudder.

’Her smeared makeup... How terrifying!’

Paige Summers sighed in resignation. She had no choice but to wipe off her disguise and put on a hat. Otherwise, this "sweat-smeared makeup" of hers would attract far more attention than her real face.

"There’s no way we can get out of the city like this." Though Levi Young was a shut-in, he wasn’t an idiot. That much was obvious.

Paige Summers nodded. "First, we find a place to hide. Then we’ll figure out our next move. No matter how capable Shawn Monroe is, he just took over The Dead City. He can’t possibly conduct a door-to-door search just for us!"

"Do you have anywhere in mind?"

Paige Summers shook her head honestly. "We need to find someone we can trust. Otherwise, we’ll just get caught faster." Unfortunately, she knew very few people in the city, let alone anyone she could actually rely on.

Levi Young thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, "What about that boss you’re always talking about? He’s always looked out for you, right? Could he help?"

The boss... Paige Summers hesitated.

’Logically, he’s Nora Lowell’s uncle, and they’re really close. There’s no way he’d help me instead of her. But Nora should still be at Mount Turol or Glimmerlake Base right now... That means the boss probably doesn’t know how badly things have gone between us.’

’If I go to him for help, would it work?’

’Most importantly, I really don’t have any other options!’

"I guess... we can give it a try."

She led Levi Young to the area near Woody Warren’s furniture shop. The sky was just beginning to lighten; the boss probably wasn’t up yet. She thought for a moment, then settled Levi Young in a hidden corner. "I’ll go scope things out. If it’s safe, I’ll come back for you. If something goes wrong..."

"There is no ’if something goes wrong’!"

Levi Young cut her off curtly, his tone harsh. He looked so determined to go with her if she said another word that Paige swallowed the words she’d been about to say—the location of Marcus Monroe’s contact point in the Lower District, which would have been his escape route.

She laughed sheepishly. "I was just saying. It’ll be fine. The boss... even if he can’t help, he’d never sell me out."

Levi Young snorted. "Don’t be so naive! People these days will do anything for Crystal Cores, or to save their own skin. If you sense anything is off, get out immediately. Don’t take any chances!"

Paige Summers bared her teeth in a mock snarl. "Like I need a lecture from you, punk! Just wait here quietly for me."

"Keep your meds and weapons ready..."

Knowing he was just worried about her, Paige Summers dropped her feisty act. She grunted in acknowledgment and turned to leave. She was well aware of how fickle people could be; of course she wouldn’t go in unprepared.

Because it was just a furniture shop, which wasn’t a prime target for thieves, Woody Warren didn’t have much in the way of security. Paige Summers slipped inside with ease. She first checked that the other rooms were empty before heading straight for Woody Warren’s.

Unexpectedly, Woody Warren was already awake. He had just finished washing up and getting dressed, and was about to head to his workshop. When a dark, round shape suddenly appeared outside his window, it nearly scared him to death.

"Boss, it’s me."

Paige Summers popped the window open in a flash and greeted him with a wide grin.

Woody Warren’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. He was about to yell at her—why climb through the window when there’s a perfectly good door?!—but with a sharp kick off the windowsill, Paige Summers landed in front of him and clamped a hand over his mouth.

"Not so loud!" Seeing that he had quieted down, though his eyes were filled with confusion, she scratched her head. "You haven’t heard? About what Shawn Monroe did..."

Living in The Dead City, how could Woody Warren not know about Shawn Monroe’s "coup"?

That’s right, a "coup"!

The City Lord had been perfectly fine just a few days ago, then suddenly abdicated due to "illness." Anyone with half a brain could tell there was more to the story.

’Because of what happened with Paige Summers, he already had a poor impression of Shawn Monroe. He’d even lamented it before: the man was already the Young City Lord, so why be in such a hurry? He couldn’t even spare his own father! The man’s ambition was terrifying. But such thoughts were just thoughts. For a nobody like him, romantic entanglements were a minor issue. As long as the new ruler wasn’t a complete monster, it didn’t really matter who was City Lord.’

’Besides, while his niece Nora Lowell didn’t tell him much about her life outside the city, he knew she and Shawn Monroe were on good terms. On the one hand, he felt he had to warn her when she got back that a man like that was unreliable. Working with him was one thing, but she absolutely shouldn’t let it develop into anything more. On the other hand, he figured that because of this connection, his and Nora’s safety wouldn’t be an issue.’