Had Memphis proudly claimed credit for the achievement, Richard would have gradually pressed the narrative of the "greater good” cornering him, or at least finding an excuse for future actions.But now, by shifting the credit to others, Memphis had effectively told the government: “The heroes you're looking for are over there—more than 30 of them. Go ahead and honor them. I'm just a regular guy."An inflation of heroes, a surplus of good citizens.But Richard was quick-witted. If he couldn’t indirectly take power, he'd try a more direct approach, though first, he had to put on the mask of righteousness.He walked over to the excited group of 30 people, delivering a long speech full of praise, commendation, and heartfelt emotions, concluding by promising that they would be protected and rewarded by the government.Of course, if the government wanted to make inroads here, it had to project an image of justice, loyalty, and benevolence. Richard's display wasn’t just for Memphis—it was fo
Memphis took a sip of his tea, answering casually: “That’s true, but you might not know, we used almost all the ammunition there to wipe out the zombie horde in the center of Renaissance County. There’s not much left now, only about 20,000 rounds, which have already been distributed among the team leaders under my command. I don’t have full authority over them.”Hearing this, Richard finally exhaled. As expected, the other side wasn’t completely rigid and left room for negotiation. Clearing his throat, he continued: “It’s commendable that you’ve safeguarded national assets. Though there’s no official reward, we recognize your efforts. How can we facilitate the government’s retrieval of these weapons?”Of course, this roundabout phrasing was typical of government officials, designed not to provoke offense. However, the bandits of Hope Town weren’t fond of such roundabout language. Hearing talk of an exchange, Wylie immediately blurted out: “Exchange each professional soldier for 500 bu
This time, Memphis found himself genuinely thinking. Renting? That was an unexpected suggestion. After a brief consideration, he concluded that this must be a personal request rather than an official one from Lakeside. Lakeside District would likely want full ownership of such assets, allowing for continuous use without dependence on anyone, whereas renting would leave them reliant on Hope Town."Another sheep waiting to be fleeced.” he mused silently. Then he asked calmly:"What would you offer for rent?""Whatever you choose. But I only have 14 magic crystals, and I don’t have any zombie corpses with me.” Starla replied.At this, even Memphis reevaluated the blue-haired woman. Was she too "clever" for her own good? Negotiating by revealing all her cards upfront, without fear of being lowballed?He decided to probe further."One magic crystal per boat per day, but you can only use them under our supervision and within the local river area."Starla didn’t think too much about it. She
Yes, this is the perfect environment to encourage rebellion, so why hesitate? Why not seize the chance to rise, to become a towering tree, a slippery fish, a fierce tiger, or an eagle soaring in the skies?Rebellion is an instinct of the weak, even if it starts as a mere thought. Once conditions are favorable, the seed of resistance will undoubtedly sprout, transforming thought into action—an unstoppable force.At this moment, even Richard felt a tinge of envy toward Memphis. He, too, wanted to rebel against his current circumstances, against the lack of real authority, the pressure from competitors and superiors, and the harsh quotas of this mission...To rebel against this harsh apocalypse.However, he had too many constraints, preventing him from enjoying the freedom Memphis had. Behind him were his family, his wife, and children—both his motivation and his chains, holding him back.He exhaled deeply, then smiled and said:"Leader Jackman, thank you for clarifying things. I assure
Richard’s eyes gleamed with excitement. This was his opportunity. If he could secure the position of overseer at Hope Town, he would finally break free from his superiors' control and slowly build his own power base, acquiring resources beyond imagination.He had solid ground to convince Lakeside’s leadership to appoint him to this position. First, he had firsthand knowledge of the situation here, making him more effective than anyone else. Second, Lakeside needed a forward base in Renaissance to gather resources and eliminate zombies while seeking out survivors. Hope Town’s existence might not be "officially" allowed, but given the post-apocalyptic context, it made perfect sense.Next to them, Starla maintained her look of boredom through
After a long while, Memphis finally smiled warmly and said:"Wallflower, can you stay here with me?"In Wallflower's eyes, a thick mist slowly appeared—this shameless bandit had finally said it.She bent down, letting out a soft sob to cover the storm of emotions raging in her mind. After a long moment, Wallflower slowly looked up, her gaze once again resolute and determined, then calmly shook her head:"I can't."Memphis wasn't too surprised. He smiled gently and extended his hand, bowing slightly:"Then I want a handshake. That shouldn't be too shameless, right?"The sobbing of the woman once again filled the surrounding space. Her slender, fair arm reached out and grasped Memphis's hand—one that was already beginning to show callouses, full of strength."I allow you to be shameless."...The convoy from Lakeside County departed first, followed by the convoy from Hope Town. Both sides decided to proceed along Route S9 towards the Renaissance County Center, coordinating an operation
Memphis raised his hand to cut him off and countered:"So why didn't they wait for a true zombie commander to be born, carefully gather their forces, and then attack?"Jarred was rendered speechless by the interruption. It made sense. If that Manipulation Type M2 monster had emerged or reached level 25, the humans might not have stood a chance. Why didn't it wait another day or two to strike? Was there any urgency forcing them to act?Was there really any urgency...?Seeing that Jarred was about to ask another question, Memphis immediately raised his hand to silence his brother and calmly said:"You should learn when to stay silent in certain situations."The car fell into a deep silence. Observing his brother's next hand gesture, Jarred couldn't help but shiver, a cold chill rising from the depths of his heart.He swallowed hard, looking out the window, and then up at the clear blue sky above....The convoy quickly arrived at the junction of S9, Sapphire, and Pinecrest before coming
Boom...Boom, boom, boom...A dozen strikes like a torrential storm were delivered by Jarred, each one so powerful that the surrounding air trembled violently, causing the glass windows of nearby villas to crack and shatter from the shockwaves. When an F2 evolves, it experiences a brief period of attribute reduction, and during this time, Jarred intended to chase it down.The entire intersection had been pulverized into dust, the road surface completely destroyed, covered with dense cracks, making it impossible to discern its original form—there wasn't even a decent place to stand.