Chapter 41: Betrayal!
"Thank you for your kindness, but I don't need these supplies." Xiao Yi said indifferently, not even glancing at the items in the shopping cart.
Did he need their pity and their charity?
It was simply a joke!
The things in the shopping cart were treasures to these people, but to Xiao Yi, they were nothing more than trash.
Food, water, and all sorts of daily supplies. He could have them as much as he wanted!
The entire city of Jiang was his warehouse, to take from as he pleased!
Suo Ruoqing also caught the meaning in the warehouse manager's words and said unhappily, "Old Zhang, what do you mean by that? If you're reluctant to part with them, you can put these on my tab! At least half of these supplies were brought back by me and my team, right?"
"Officer Suo, I know you and your team found these supplies, and we are all grateful that you saved us. But these supplies are now public property. For you to just give them away to an outsider like this... isn't that going a bit too far?" the warehouse manager said.
"We're already in a difficult situation. If you keep giving things away so carelessly, I'm afraid we'll starve to death in less than three months!"
Suo Ruoqing frowned deeply and said angrily, "If we run out of food and water, we can just go somewhere else to establish a new shelter! We can also go to other places to find supplies! As long as we all stick together, things will definitely get better!"
"But the area around here is crawling with zombies. It's very difficult to fight our way out and find a new gathering point."
Zhou Zhengyu walked up from behind again and said to Suo Ruoqing and the others with a smile, "That's why we can't afford to support freeloaders anymore! From now on, everyone in this settlement must obey my command and take turns going out to find food!"
As Zhou Zhengyu appeared, the Scarred Man and several other men, all holding weapons, slowly encircled them.
Zhou Zhengyu then pointed to the two old men and three girls cooking by the warehouse.
"As for these two old folks and the children, I can only say I'm very sorry, but from now on, they must learn to fend for themselves!"
Hearing Zhou Zhengyu's words, the two old men seemed to have already known, as they just stared vacantly at the unfolding scene, sitting on the ground in resignation without a word.
One of the older men, a white-haired elder, stood up, knelt before Zhou Zhengyu with a thud, and said, "Mr. Zhou, if we two old codgers die, we die. We're just a burden to everyone alive anyway. But these three children are innocent! They are our hope for the future! Can't you let them stay?"
"Fuck! We can barely protect ourselves, and you're talking to me about hope for the future? At this rate, will we even live for another three months?" The Scarred Man stepped forward and kicked the white-haired elder hard, cursing, "Besides making kids isn't hard. With so many women here, the brothers can have some fun, and there'll be hope! Hahahaha!"
The few men who had followed the Scarred Man all burst into laughter, their smiles filled with a beastly desire.
Xiao Yi could see that these men were at their breaking point.
It was no wonder. Because of Suo Ruoqing's protection, these men could only look at the many alluring young women before them but could not touch.
After more than two months, they must have been driven mad with frustration.
This wouldn't have been a big deal in the law-abiding society of before.
But now, it was the dark apocalypse, with no laws and no restraints.
The evil in everyone's heart would be infinitely magnified.
Xiao Yi didn't even need to think to know that these men were joining forces to go against Suo Ruoqing.
And the main reason for their alliance was to satisfy their own desires.
Hearing the Scarred Man's words, the few women who had been whispering on the side all shrank back, expressionless.
But not one of them dared to speak up.
Because the atmosphere had already become fraught with danger, the air thick with the smell of gunpowder, as if a single spark could ignite it.
Behind Zhou Zhengyu and the Scarred Man were eight armed men watching them like hawks, all their blades pointed at Suo Ruoqing and her group.
On Suo Ruoqing's side, including Xiao Yi, there was only one armed man and six armed women.
Suo Ruoqing glanced at the silent old men and women huddled to the side and had probably guessed the whole story.
While she was away leading a team to search for supplies, Zhou Zhengyu and the Scarred Man's factions had secretly reached an agreement.
Now, the two of them had joined forces.
Their goal was to force her into submission and take complete control of the settlement's power.
And this matter... the old men and women present had probably known about it all along!
Suo Ruoqing suppressed her anger and disappointment, coldly watching everything unfold before her.
*****
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