The power of the authorities can never be rivaled by an individual.
Even in the apocalypse, it is still the officials who hold the greatest resources and enforce the harshest control.
They possess armies, weapons, and a surplus of ordinary people to force into labor.
At this moment, Miles felt a pang of unease.
Though his current abilities were sufficient for self-preservation, that was only enough for survival, not for conflict.
As for the house he owned now, along with Lisa and Ryan, they were all at risk of being lost.
After planning for so long, he had only just begun to establish a modest power base. The thought of having it wiped out now was something Miles could not accept.
But if a fight broke out, he was far from confident in his victory.
After a brief pause, Miles tossed a walkie-talkie to Anthony and said, "Take your people and go negotiate with them. See what they're up to."
He had initially intended to go himself, but reconsidered, thinking it too risky.
Though the abilities of the mutants were formidable, even they could exhaust their energy.
Against four to five hundred people, he couldn't possibly kill them all, and once his energy was depleted, Isaac and Nathan might not be able to hold the line.
Moreover, he had no intention of involving Ryan and Isaac at this stage.
He still didn't know enough about the other side's strength, and in such a situation, it was best to send expendable men first.
Anthony, though ruthless and violent, had one commendable quality: he knew how to read the situation.
He understood that Miles was using him as the first line of offense, or more bluntly, as cannon fodder. However, instead of showing any discontent, he looked honored by the task.
"Rest assured, Boss Miles, I will not fail you!"
Miles nodded, smiling. "Do well, and I'll make sure you're rewarded. Especially those who have helped me."
Anthony's eyes gleamed with anticipation, and he responded loudly, "Yes, Boss!"
Since the number of zombies had dwindled, life had become much more difficult for Anthony and his group.
Previously, he had relied on the support of others, with guns in hand, receiving the largest portions of food for the least amount of work. Life had been easy, and he could even flatter Ryan from time to time to score a pack of cigarettes.
Lately, however, his cravings for cigarettes had returned, but with the loss of zombies, he no longer had any excuse to curry favor with Ryan.
Now, however, a new opportunity had arisen.
As someone used to seeking underhanded gains, Anthony knew the risks of chasing after fortune.
If he handled this situation well, Miles would surely look at him favorably. And after that, would there ever be a shortage of supplies?
With that thought, Anthony hastily gathered a dozen or so men and hurried to the front gate.
"What a fine place!"
A young man, around twenty years old, stood at the front, gazing enviously at the villas within.
An excited youth, about eighteen or nineteen, exclaimed, "Luther, I heard the people living here are wealthy. They might even have food!"
"Of course they do!"
Another young man, slightly older, spoke up.
He wore thick glasses, giving him a bookish appearance that contrasted sharply with the muscular men around him.
Stepping forward, he added, "Luther, if things turn violent, don't just charge in. We need to secure the gate first, to prevent any underhanded tricks."
Luther, the young man leading the group, chuckled. "Don't worry, Thomas. I'll do exactly as you say."
At that moment, Anthony and his group arrived.
The property owners blocking the gate breathed a sigh of relief.
They were only a handful, facing over four hundred young men, and had only managed to hold their ground because of Anthony's intimidation.
One of the property owners jogged over and asked, "You're back, Anthony. What did Miles say?"
The answer was clear.
In the current city, Miles was the undisputed ruler, the king without a crown.
And against four to five hundred strong youths, everyone was reliant on Miles; without him, they would lose everything, even their lives.
Anthony ignored the man's question and walked up to the front with a cold expression.
He addressed the others, "Is there anyone in charge here? Come forward and speak!"
A man named Thomas stepped forward, followed by Luther.
Anthony and his three subordinates stepped forward as well.
Taking the lead, Anthony spoke. "I'm Anthony, and everyone on the streets knows me. I used to run the entertainment district in the city center. Tell me, where do you guys come from?"
This was a move to assert dominance and ensure that the opposition didn't underestimate him.
But Thomas remained calm and unperturbed. Adjusting his glasses, he smiled. "I'm Thomas. We are students from Nanshan Military Academy. We ran out of supplies at the school and thought maybe Anthony could help us out."
In this world, the one with the most power held the reins.
It didn't matter if you had once been part of the underworld—now, even the underground kingpin was useless if he didn't have power.
Anthony's face darkened. "Listen, friend, you've already crossed the line. Even if you truly need help, we don't have anything to spare."
Thomas smiled as he surveyed the property owners, casually remarking, "Really? I'm not so sure. They seem to be in good condition—don't look like they've been starving for days."
He could tell that these people were well-organized, with someone controlling them from behind the scenes.
In this environment, the only things that controlled people were absolute force and food.
Anthony, his face growing grim, responded, "We don't have much food. It's barely enough for our own people. If you're here to negotiate, I can give you two packs of biscuits as a gesture of goodwill. But if you're here to cause trouble…"
"And if we are?"
Luther, unable to tolerate Anthony's arrogance, stepped forward and shouted, "Anthony, aren't you just that small-time thug who used to run with Andrew? Who do you think you're fooling here?"
Anthony's face turned a deep shade of green.
Suppressing his fury, he coldly replied, "No one has spoken to me like that since I started out. You… you've got guts!"
"Damn you!"
Luther was now completely enraged. Without warning, he lashed out, kicking Anthony.
However, the kick missed as Thomas, standing beside him, grabbed Luther's arm and stopped him.
With a smile, Thomas spoke, "Anthony, you see? We're just here looking for some food and a place to stay. Please, be a good sport and help us out."
Anthony's anger boiled over, but he managed to sneer, "You sure you want to stay here?"
Thomas quickly grabbed Luther, who was about to explode again, and smiled, "What? Is Anthony not in favor of that?"
"It doesn't matter if I approve…"
Anthony glanced back at the direction of Area D, his voice cold. "I'm just giving you some friendly advice. This isn't a place for you. If you don't want things to end badly, take your men and leave. Go back to where you came from."
"Damn it! I've had enough of your bullshit!"
Luther finally snapped, slapping Anthony across the face.
Anthony stood stunned, clearly shocked that he was on the receiving end of a slap.
Now, truly furious, he raised his leg and kicked back.
The two immediately engaged in a fierce struggle.
Meanwhile, Thomas, the bespectacled man, calmly took two steps back, a composed smile on his face.
With the fight now erupting, the hundreds of military academy students behind him surged forward, quickly overwhelming the ten or so property owners blocking the gate.
The battle was about to begin!