Chapter 493 Negotiations on the Stairs

    Chapter 493 Negotiations on the Stairs.

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    The group ahead was a mix of men and women. Through the ss stairwell door, more people could be seen inside–seventeen or eighteen in total.

    All of them looked pale and gaunt. Aside from the three men in front, who were still somewhat broad- shouldered, the rest were rail–thin, clothes grimy, hair unwashed. It was summer, so most wore very little. A few of the men were bare–chested, wearing only shorts.

    Every single one of them watched the neers with sharp, guarded eyes.

    “Where did youe from?”

    “Are you survivors here?” Lucas asked.

    “I ask the questions here! Answer me–where did youe from?”

    Lucas kept his tone even. “We’re from the zing Sun Alliance. Do you have a radio? If you do, you should’ve heard of us.”

    The leader’s face hardened. “Never heard of any zing Sun Alliance. The outside’s crawling with zombies -how could you possibly get in here?”

    “We came by helicopter,” Graham said.

    At that, several sets of eyes lit up. The leader’s gaze sharpened, flicking back to Lucas. “And what are you here for?”

    “Just passing through. We need to get to the Military Garrison next door.”

    The man frowned. “With that many zombies outside, how do you expect to cross?”

    “We n to get across from your fifth or sixth floor.”

    “You want to go down?” The leader’s eyes shifted, calction written all over his face.

    “That’s right. Don’t worry–we won’t harm you. Just let us through,” Lucas said.

    “No way. If you want us to let you pass, it’s gonna cost you.”

    “What’s your pricei?/i”

    “Two hundred pounds of food, and five weapons for toll.” His eyes swept over their gear. Armed to the teeth, well–equipped–obvious fat sheep ripe for ughter. If he didn’t squeeze them now, when would he?

    Lucas nced at Theresa. “Should we give them some food?”

    Her gaze flicked up. “You decide But we’re not giving them weapons.”

    Lucas nodded and turned back. “We can give you food, but no weapons.”

    “Not good enough. No weapons, no deal!”

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    11:05 Mon, 25 Aug J

    Chapter 493 Negotiations on the Stairs

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    Click.

    Every gun on the uppernding came up at once. Giving them supplies was an act of courtesy, not weakness–but if these people mistook it for fear, they’d be corrected fast.

    In the apocalypse, the rule was simple: survival of the fittest.

    The men below shrank back a step at the sight of so many barrels. The leader swallowed hard. “Forget it, you can pass–but the food’s four hundred pounds!”

    “Four hundred?” Theresa gave a sharpugh. “You’ll get a hundred. Take it or leave it.”

    “Wasn’t it two hundred?”

    “One more word,” she said coldly, “and you won’t get a pound.”

    He shut up fast. Inside, he cursed himself for being greedy. If he’d agreed to two hundred at the start, they might’ve gotten it. Now…

    “How about a hundred and fifty?”

    “Fifty.”

    “You’re going lower?!”

    “Thirty,” Theresa said tly.

    “All right, fifty it is!” he blurted before she could speak again, not daring to push his luck further.

    She smiled faintly at the surrender. With a nce at her team, they began jumping down to the nextnding, filing through the path the others had opened.

    When Theresa passed the leader, she tossed him a sack of grains–fifty pounds. He caught it quickly, and the people behind him lit up at the sight.

    Grains! Real grains!

    They hadn’t tasted it in a long time, and fifty pounds would feed them for a good while.

    By the time Theresa’s group reached the sixth floor, the leader had followed with a few men. The door ahead was still locked. He produced a key and opened it for them.

    “You’d better hurry. And if you n to stay the night, there’ll be a lodging fee,” he said shrewdly.

    “Get lost,” Theresa told him with a nce.

    He swept bhis /beyes over their group, then stepped back without another word.

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