Initially, Nora Lowell did want to use the information she’d gotten from Evan Pierce to help Shawn Monroe.

After all, Shawn Monroe had been very good to her. This was especially true on their trip to Central City. Although he had grown quieter along the way, he had also matured a great deal and was incredibly considerate of her.

She hadn’t been cherished like that since her mother passed away.

And so, she had gradually developed feelings for him. ’If we can take back The Dead City,’ she thought, ’we can use it as a base to expand toward Norgate. Our chances of success would be much greater!’

But as good as the idea was, putting it into practice was far from easy.

The moment she got the information, she began rushing about, searching for potential partners, only to be met with repeated setbacks. It was exhausting.

But just then, she met someone. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Gilbert Lawson had been a friend of her mother’s from long ago, and the two had been very close. From what Nora Lowell knew, it wasn’t until after her mother gave birth to her that they ended up in different places. Their contact gradually dwindled until they lost touch completely.

Upon their reunion, Gilbert Lawson was both shocked and overjoyed.

His grief over her mother’s passing and his compassion for Nora herself were both clearly genuine.

Seeing this, an idea began to form in Nora Lowell’s mind.

Gilbert Lawson currently worked for the Central City Guard, Logistics Division. Although his rank wasn’t high, his position held real authority. It was lucrative, and more importantly, it guaranteed he had contact with people in the upper echelons. ’If he helps us find partners,’ she thought, ’it would be far more convenient—and safer—than Shawn Monroe and I trying to do it ourselves!’

Later, when Gilbert Lawson mentioned he would arrange for her to be moved to the Second District, she became even more convinced that he genuinely wanted to help. So, one day, she decided to test the waters and cautiously broached the subject with him.

Gilbert Lawson was, of course, thrilled.

The Research Institute was currently under the joint control of The Government and Military Command. Both factions placed immense importance on it, eagerly awaiting the day an Antidote for the Zombie Virus could be developed. Unfortunately, high-level researchers had been extremely scarce since the apocalypse began. After the first version of the Antidote was created, progress had stalled. At a time like this, anyone who could provide such valuable information would be hailed as a great hero.

He was naturally eager to get a piece of such a promising opportunity. He assured her that if she could truly obtain the information, he would offer her his utmost support.

And so, the two had a long, earnest conversation.

However, after hearing Nora Lowell’s plan, he said, "The Dead City is basically a lost cause. I’d advise you to give up on it. Norgate, on the other hand..." He trailed off meaningfully. "Central City is currently plotting to reclaim some of its control. With your status as the City Lord’s daughter, if you were to cooperate with The Government or the military, you could very well become the next administrator to succeed your father."

For Nora Lowell, his words hit the bullseye.

Wasn’t Norgate the one thing she had her heart set on? Taking The Dead City was just supposed to be an indirect route to that goal. But now, a straight path lay right before her. Was there any need to take the scenic route? It would be a waste of time, not to mention that a single misstep could undo everything she had worked for.

The more she thought about it, the more sense it made. She immediately reached an agreement with Gilbert Lawson. They chose the military as their target for cooperation, and Gilbert would be the one to make the connection.

Afterward, however, she felt a pang of guilt toward Shawn Monroe.

After all, she had made him a promise.

’But on second thought,’ she reasoned, ’I was the one who provided the information on Evan Pierce. Shawn Monroe and his men just helped look for him. When you get right down to it, the information belongs to me alone. What do I have to feel guilty about?’

’Besides, once I successfully become the ruler of Norgate, I wouldn’t mind helping Shawn Monroe take back The Dead City. We could still form a powerful alliance then.’

But thoughts were one thing. Until her plan came to fruition, she didn’t breathe a word of it to Shawn Monroe.

But Shawn Monroe had grown extremely suspicious. He could no longer fully trust even his most loyal men, let alone Nora Lowell. They spent every day together, and it wasn’t hard for him to notice the subtle shifts in her mood.

His suspicions reached a boiling point on the evening Woody Warren failed to return and Nora Lowell secretly slipped out of their residence.

Without a second thought, he tailed her.

What he didn’t expect was that Nora Lowell would enter the military restricted zone in the First District.

To cooperate with the military, the prime candidate was naturally Sheldon Reid, the commander of The Power Corps. His family had a long and storied military history, and he now commanded a significant force, making him a pivotal figure in Central City. When it came down to it, even the officials from The Government had to defer to him. In Gilbert Lawson’s eyes, as long as Sheldon Reid agreed to cooperate with Nora Lowell, the matter was as good as settled.

This time, Gilbert had called in many favors and spent a considerable sum to arrange a meeting for Nora Lowell with Sheldon Reid. Finally, word came from Sheldon Reid himself: Gilbert was to bring Nora Lowell to Military Command.