Today, the heavy rain finally stopped. The noise outside woke Belle, and she felt a bit dizzy.
What's all the noise about...
There's sound! The rain stopped! Belle jumped out of bed and rushed to the door.
Indeed, the rain had stopped!
Her eyes welled up with tears of excitement, as if the rain had lasted for hundreds of years.
"Why does your daughter not have to do anything? Look at her face, all chubby! And my son, so thin and bony! What kind of leader are you? You all get to eat well without doing anything, while we work ourselves to death for just a bowl of thin porridge! It's not fair!!"
Belle followed the voice and saw an old woman with a dirty face, bending over and angrily pointing at her father's face. Next to her stood a small, thin boy who couldn't stand upright.
Behind them was a group of equally emaciated survivors, all wearing expressions of indignation.
Hmph, a bunch of rioters.
Belle had no intention of intervening. She knew her father would never tolerate being insulted like this. He couldn't stand such humiliation.
Tucker still wore a smile, letting the old woman point at him as if wearing a mask, though his eyes showed deep impatience and hatred.
"Sister, conserve your energy and listen to me for a moment. Ahem." Tucker raised his voice to address the crowd, "Everyone, don't be hasty. The base's basic maintenance relies on everyone's efforts! The organization will seriously consider everyone's contributions!"
"The big boss is aware of the long duration of this rain and is worried that everyone might be without food. He has already arranged for the strongest ability users to escort a batch of supplies!"
"You all know that zombies become extremely agitated after rain! So they are risking their lives to bring you life-saving food! We are all people with a conscience. Otherwise, the big boss wouldn't have taken us in. The boss values us so much, how can we let down the boss's goodwill?"
"But we are just ordinary people and cannot go out to kill zombies or find supplies. Tell me, isn't cleaning the base's floor something within our capability?!"
Tucker wiped away the forced tears at the corner of his eye and took the lead with a nearly shedding broom, stepping forward to start sweeping.
He glanced at the crowd's reactions with the corner of his eye and signaled to a few ruffians in the crowd.
The ruffians immediately, with "grateful hearts," shouted, "Manager, how can you do this? We can't do anything! We can only eat and do nothing. Not to mention sweeping, even if we had to work every day, we can't forget the big boss and Manager's kindness!"
His companions loudly agreed, seeing that the crowd's emotions were stirred. They pushed the emaciated woman aside and shouted, "Manager, let me do it! You should rest!"
The crowd looked at the emaciated woman with enthusiastic eyes, filled with admiration.
Look at them, even though they're starving and can barely stand, they still have a spirit of selflessness!
The emaciated woman helplessly rubbed her hands, unsure of what to do.
Seeing the opportunity, Tucker quickly put on a smile and walked over to shake the emaciated woman's hand, "Comrade! Thank you for your selfless dedication! I will make sure you get an extra portion when the supplies arrive!"
The emaciated woman visibly brightened up, gripping the broom tightly, "Manager, are you serious?!"
"Absolutely serious! Otherwise, may lightning strike!" Tucker let go of her hand and subtly wiped his pants leg.
He cursed inwardly, damn it! So skinny and still thinking about food! If lightning were to strike, you'd be the first to go, you rioters!
The emaciated woman didn't realize that Tucker was just saying that to fulfill his task. She foolishly knelt and kowtowed to him, "Thank you! Thank you! My child is saved! We can survive!"
The onlookers, influenced by the emotions, raised their hands and cheered.
In the middle, Tucker proudly enjoyed the attention.
The old woman and her child, who had initially stirred up trouble, were pushed to the outer circle, unable to even touch a bristle of the broom.
Seeing the tide turn against them, the old woman and her child became pariahs. Her gray eyes were filled with despair. They would no longer find any work, which meant no food, and that meant waiting to starve to death!
The boy, enduring the pain, looked up with eyes full of hatred.
He hated everyone here!
The boy gently tugged at the old woman's hand, signaling her to leave the base. Even if they had to die, they'd rather do so in a clean place!
Belle sneered, seeing through Tucker's scheme and deriding the simple-minded people in her heart.
A bunch of fools, being sold and still counting the money.
Just a few words and some insignificant promises, and a small riot was resolved.
Tucker, hands behind his back, looked around at the work. He was acting like a leader from peacetime, and no matter where he went, people around him, even if weak, wanted to show off, hoping to get a bigger share when the supplies arrived.
Belle went back into the room to search the cabinets for something to eat. She was starving after days without a full meal, and her stomach hurt so much she could hardly stand up.
At this moment, Tucker returned with a tea cup of noodle soup. Seeing Belle's pitiful state, he coldly snorted and poured her a third of the cup.
"Eat it! Just like your mother, born to starve!"
Belle pounced on it like a demon, eating the tasteless noodle soup as if it were a delicacy.
But with only this little soup, how could she be full?
Thinking of the steaming lunch boxes at the hotel, Belle looked at her father, gritted her teeth, and proposed that they stay there for a few days to recuperate.
Tucker suddenly remembered that the lunch boxes his daughter's team brought had been handed over and then disappeared without a trace. This was unacceptable. It was his daughter who discovered it, so he couldn't let 冯乐山, that bastard, steal the credit!
Seeing his father's darkened expression, Belle knew he was plotting again and felt distressed, "Dad! Let's stay for two days, get some fattening up, and then report to your superior. Won't that be more convincing?!"
Tucker was enraged by her words, and without hesitation, he slapped Belle, scolding, "What the hell do you know! Ignorant fool! Delaying my promotion, I'll break your legs and feed you to the zombies!"
The slap left five clear finger marks on Belle's face, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.
Belle felt stars before her eyes, her head spinning, and her face throbbing with pain.
Faintly, she saw him about to leave. Desperation filled her heart, and she shouted, "If Dad takes over the hotel and presents it to the superior, wouldn't that be a greater achievement?! Maybe even gain the big boss's favor and get you in charge of this base!"
Tucker stopped in his tracks, feeling that she had a point.