"Yes, let's save Arnold first!"
"Without Arnold, what will we do if we encounter zombies in the future?"
"Let Arnold decide what to do!"
People with a bit of intelligence quickly realized this point. They could save Arnold without saving Clark. Arnold's sister and relatives were in the hotel, so there was no way he would leave zombies behind. This way, they wouldn't appear heartless, and there would be no danger involved.
The crowd stopped arguing, and some of the more proactive individuals even nervously gripped the weapons they had found to prepare for Arnold's arrival.
Augustus watched this scene with a faint smile. He had anticipated this. A motley crew, driven by human weakness.
Whether considering their own safety, conscience, or future prospects, people would make this choice. Essentially, everyone was thinking about their own safety.
Seeing the rope had been lowered and Arnold was about to reach the bottom, Augustus suddenly spoke again.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I managed to contact the military during the day, and they promised to come to our rescue in the next few days. You don't need to worry about future safety."
"The military has established safe zones, and many of their members are stronger than Clark and Arnold!"
Augustus smiled with confidence. He directly addressed the most significant concern in everyone's minds, which was safety.
"So, for safety reasons, we shouldn't let them in. When the military rescue personnel find out that we rescued individuals who appeared to be zombies before, hehe, don't blame me for not reminding you."
Behind him, several white-collar workers who had already conspired silently rushed into the crowd to snatch the rope.
At this moment, Arnold was less than thirty meters away from the hotel, stumbling forward. Behind him, hundreds of zombies were howling and charging wildly, with the closest ones just two meters away.
"Lower the rope!" Arnold's eyes widened with anger, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at the shattered second-floor window sill. The figures inside were moving, and he believed that the people inside had heard his voice. What's going on? Why haven't they lowered the rope yet?
"Uncle!"
"Charles!"
No one responded. Feeling helpless, he could only hurriedly carry Clark into the back of an overturned truck.
Behind him, Clark's breath grew weaker, and he felt a burning sensation in his chest. The back of the truck wouldn't provide safety for long. Once a group of zombies surrounded them, there would be no escape. Arnold gasped heavily, urgently looking at Clark.
As an Awakened, he had immense strength, but the consumption of food was equally great. Depleted of physical and mental strength, he felt a strong hunger rising in his throat. Without food to replenish his strength, even if he managed to hide here without being overrun by zombies, Arnold's strength would not recover. He needed a safe place to rest, and so did Clark.
Arnold frantically rummaged through the first aid kit, not knowing what exactly the girl with bandages had eaten. He didn't have time to figure that out now, so he simply stuffed all the medicine into Clark's mouth. However, without water to wash it down, it was quickly spit out.
Arnold felt desperate, watching Clark's breath weaken further, afraid that he might not resist turning into a zombie in the next moment.
"What should I do? What should I do? Food, water! I need both, and I need them now!"
Meanwhile, on the second floor of the hotel, Augustus appeared composed, watching his uncle and the others who were glaring at him.
"I'm also considering everyone's best interests. When the military sends people to rescue us, you'll know who was right and who was wrong."
Augustus let out a long sigh, but his inner disdain was evident. A group of commoners, easily swayed; he had manipulated them with just a few words. The crowd began to discuss the words Augustus had spoken.
"Augustus, is it true that the military is sending rescue teams?"
"But there's no cell signal, and our phones are dead!"
Someone questioned, but they were quickly interrupted by Augustus's accomplices who stood behind him.
"Augustus, don't you know his status? Just because you can't contact him doesn't mean he can't handle it! Think with your brains; he's a big shot!"
"Besides, we're in the city center. How could they possibly abandon us?"
"When the people from above come, if we can't take too many people at once, don't blame us for not taking you!"
Half explanation, half threat, the questioning crowd quickly fell silent.
Augustus maintained a calm expression, his sincerity apparent. He cleared his throat.
"I hope everyone won't doubt this anymore. I vouch for it with my integrity that the authorities will send help! What we need to do now is ensure our safety and avoid getting infected so that we can board the plane when it arrives!"
Augustus thumped his chest, sounding convincing as ever. Yet, in his heart, he knew that the notion of authorities arriving and safe zones was nothing but a fabrication. The phones had been turned off for a while, and there was no signal to contact anyone. Still, he was a member of the leadership, and he was confident that the authorities wouldn't abandon him. Given a few more days, even if the military didn't come, surely the armed police or someone else would show up.
Most of the indecisive crowd, after hearing Augustus's assurances, ceased their objections.
Among the group Arnold had brought along, a few who still cared about their friendship could only feel frustrated. Augustus had recruited a bunch of tall and burly individuals who were among the few young people in the hotel. These individuals brandished fire axes, consciously or unconsciously threatening them. They might be afraid of zombies, but they were bold enough to threaten a group of old, weak, sick, and helpless people.
Augustus watched as he had effectively controlled the situation, his face revealing a self-satisfied expression. He had merely made promises on a whim. As long as they followed him, they would have opportunities to work in the government in the future. Moreover, once the military arrived, his followers would be given priority to board the plane. These people were incredibly foolish and easily manipulated.
Just as everyone was about to return to their rooms, a sorrowful voice of a young girl rang out.
"Uncle, please, lower the rope! My brother is still down there."
With tearful eyes, Marlene, her eyes red and her body trembling with excitement, pleaded with Augustus.
Hmm? Augustus, who had a flirtatious woman in his arms, stopped in his tracks as he turned to look at her. She was quite the lovely young lady, a budding beauty.
Marlene was dressed in a cute and innocent manner, her eyes watery and filled with pleading. Her body trembled with emotion. Augustus couldn't help but feel a sense of pity. She had rosy cheeks, and her clear eyes were filled with pleading. Her fair feet were adorned with a pair of sandals, her plump toes like a handful of jade beads to be cherished. Her skin was fair and smooth, akin to milk freshly poured from a steaming teapot.