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Exchanging one point for two pieces of beef was really a generous deal. Those thin slices of beef from Blue State Ramen would only make you angry. It was almost as if they shouldn’t have bothered giving them at all.
Beef was abundant, and even with ice to preserve it, there was still more than they could consume in a timely manner. So, Chen Luo was generous, stimulating the team members to earn more points.
Gao Yue had been in the original base for a while, so she knew exactly which individuals met the criteria. Pretty girls could lower the requirements a bit, just two crystals were enough for them. Having numerous pretty girls in one base was almost more valuable than having many skilled individuals.
Chen Luo estimated that even if they didn’t ask for any crystals, many male members would still enthusiastically support his decision. Once they found someone they liked and formed a bond, it would help strengthen the cohesion within the base.
Not only did Gao Yue want to recruit, but others also had the same idea. If they could find another talent like Gao Yue, it would be worth a hundred points.
However, it wasn’t easy to accumulate a hundred points quickly. Even though they had the potential for daily gains, there were still substantial basic tasks to complete each day.
Additionally, after the roads between bases were established, many people who initially wanted to join Chen Luo but didn’t meet the requirements ended up joining larger collectives. They voluntarily helped spread the word about Chen Luo.
With limited entertainment options, their days were mostly filled with boasting and idle chit-chat.
“The people in the villa area are truly impressive. Not only are they strong, but they also have a lot of girls. I don’t know what they’re eating, but everyone seems to be in high spirits.”
“It’s just too dangerous. Meeting the crystal quota is just the basic requirement. You also have to submit at least five crystals every day, which means killing five zombies.”
“I had enough crystals to meet the initial requirement, but when I saw that condition, I thought, ‘Is it worth risking my life for this?'”
“I heard people from that side say that killing zombies is to accumulate combat experience. Otherwise, the zombies keep getting stronger, and if you don’t get stronger too, you’re just waiting to die. They even have casualties quite often. I don’t have the guts for that, so I’m just waiting for them to clear the zombies.”
Some remarks were made casually, but they piqued the interest of the listeners. If there was a way out, who would want to stay with the trash?
When the zombies came, they ran faster than anyone else, and the acquired resources had to be evenly distributed. Even those with the courage to organize a group to raid heavily populated supermarkets couldn’t find enough people.
Survivors who didn’t want to continue living on the edge were eager to find a base like Chen Luo’s. They actively sought it out as soon as daylight came.
However, such individuals were in the minority. Killing at least five zombies every day deterred many people. There were also those who refused to be someone’s subordinate, considering themselves powerful enough.
In two days, over thirty people joined, a higher number than usual. Chen Luo welcomed everyone, offering a probationary period for new members, regardless of their special abilities. He had no shortage of resources.
The remaining survivors were dumbfounded. They had absorbed the elites, leaving behind this group of ‘wastes’?
Not only was Chen Luo recruiting, but another group was as well. Even people from further away joined in when they saw someone recruiting, hoping for a meal ticket.
Outside, Shu Yun had encountered this group of people. Their leader, Zhang Kun, went by the nickname “Brother Kun.” Before the apocalypse, he was a notorious troublemaker who leveraged his pre-apocalypse experience in street fights, combined with decent talents, to thrive.
Zhang Kun grinned at Shu Yun, saying, “Hey, girl, how about joining our side? Follow me, and you’ll eat well and live the high life.”
He pulled out a bag of preserved duck legs, prepared to use it as a test.
“Is that what you’re using to assess me?” Shu Yun furrowed her brow and promptly declined.
Zhang Kun felt a bit miffed. Since the apocalypse began, no woman had ever turned him down. However, Shu Yun had a significant number of people on her side as well.
Chen Luo’s group continued to grow, now totaling 168 people. Shu Yun had a walkie-talkie, and with one call, dozens of people would come rushing in.
Seeing the formidable aura of Chen Luo’s group, Zhang Kun decided not to push it. They hadn’t crossed any boundaries yet, and Shu Yun wasn’t inclined to engage in a deadly fight with the other side.
Zhang Kun rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he watched Shu Yun’s departing figure. There was one member in his group who had harbored resentment for not being able to join Chen Luo’s side. He seized the opportunity to speak up.
“Brother Kun, I know them. They live in the nearby villa area and have ransacked all the resources that used to be close to us. That’s why we’ve run out of food, and all we have left is rice. Their group isn’t large, just a bit over a hundred people.”
Zhang Kun pondered this information. “They seem well-fed, and they have a lot of supplies, right?”
The informant nodded. “Exactly, they’ve got plenty of resources. We’re struggling to get by here with our limited supplies. Plus, the people in that group don’t number too many.”
Zhang Kun’s interest was piqued. He knew his group was running low on supplies, and they had to make do with rice. On the other hand, Chen Luo’s group appeared to have an abundance of resources.
Moreover, he couldn’t ignore the fact that Shu Yun had left them with a feeling of unease. He was clearly interested in recruiting her, and if she didn’t join willingly, he might resort to force.
Zhang Kun gathered more information about Chen Luo’s group, but details were scarce. He knew their numbers were not large, but every member was considered an elite. In contrast, Zhang Kun’s group had just over three hundred people.
With the idea of forming an alliance with them to seize the girls from Chen Luo’s group and secure more resources, Zhang Kun approached the group led by Zhao Hai.
This group was none other than Zhao Hai’s.
Though it would take a slightly longer route of around ten miles, the straight-line distance was only seven to eight miles.
When Zhang Kun found Zhao Hai, Zhao Hai was also surprised. Zhang Kun was in the vicinity as well? Before the apocalypse, Zhang Kun wouldn’t even be considered worthy of Zhao Hai’s attention. Their interaction had been minimal.
One of Zhao Hai’s subordinates, Song Ling, chuckled and asked, “Hey, what’s up, A-Kun?”
Zhang Kun gave a fake smile and said, “Song Ling, I’m the leader of several hundred people now. Calling me A-Kun doesn’t quite fit anymore. How about you call me ‘Brother Kun’from now on?”
Zhang Kun felt a sense of satisfaction. Before the apocalypse, he had to bow and scrape in front of Song Ling, but now he was a leader with more people under him than Song Ling’s group had.
Zhang Kun thought to himself that Song Ling no longer had the qualifications to talk to him.
Song Ling was momentarily taken aback but then burst into laughter. “You’re right, Brother Kun! My apologies, it was my mistake. Let me make it up to you.”
Song Ling believed that a real man should be adaptable and didn’t care much about superficial pride. Zhang Kun was satisfied with Song Ling’s response and continued with his proposal.
” Brother Zhao Hai, there’s a group of people who keep encroaching on our territory, and they have a lot of resources, at least dozens of tons of rice. What do you say we cooperate this time?” Zhang Kun said, trying to convince Zhao Hai.
“Brother Zhao Hai, you wouldn’t want your people to be poached, would you?” Zhang Kun added, hinting at the possibility.
“It’s the villa area to the east,” he specified.
Zhao Hai was taken aback. There was only one villa area to the east, and it was Chen Luo’s group. Zhang Kun’s people had already been poached.
“Goodness, they actually want to go against Chen Luo? Are they crazy?” Zhao Hai thought. “I was just wondering how to improve my relationship with Chen Luo. Now you show up?”
Zhang Kun continued, “We won’t go overboard. We’ll ask him to share some resources with us and maybe allocate a few beautiful girls. It wouldn’t hurt to have some eye candy once in a while.”
Zhao Hai quickly agreed to the plan.
“Thank you, my brother. Consider this a gift,” Zhang Kun said.
With Zhang Kun’s group of over three hundred people and Zhao Hai’s nearly three hundred, they combined forces, totaling around six hundred people. There was no need for any further deceit or tricks.
Without waiting for the next day, both groups swiftly mobilized and arrived at the villa area.
It was a little past 4 PM, and the members were returning from their tasks, gathering at the base.
As Zhang Kun stepped out of his vehicle, he shouted to catch the attention of Chen Luo’s group. “We have over six hundred people here. If you don’t want to die, you better kneel down.”
Chen Luo observed the scene with curiosity, wondering why Zhao Hai seemed so desperate. On the other hand, Song Ling saw Chen Luo and decided to make a statement by playfully smacking Zhang Kun on the head from behind.
He teased, “You want to challenge Chen Ge? Do you really have the strength for that?”