As expected of a military academy student, their physical fitness and endurance were unparalleled.
Before long, the super-zombie was surrounded by dozens of students. Some of them retrieved ropes and bound it tightly.
Elated, they made their way to the D district villa.
However, due to previous agreements, Luther only took Charles and one other brother along.
On the way, they encountered Anthony, and, as expected, no words were exchanged between them due to their mutual disdain.
Luther stood before Building 104, holding the rope in his hand.
"We need to see Miles!"
At that moment, Ryan emerged from the building, wearing a 95 submachine gun slung across his chest and two grenades hanging from his waist.
"I…"
Luther instinctively took two steps back, his confidence suddenly wavering.
"Who are you looking for?"
Ryan, with his finger resting on the trigger, gave him a cold, dismissive glance.
The oppressive air he emanated made Luther and the others involuntarily shudder.
"We… we're looking for Miles... no, we're looking for the 'leader'!"
Under the pressure, Luther was quick to shift his tone by 180 degrees.
The "leader"...?
Ryan almost wanted to laugh. This Anthony sure had a way of getting things done.
Then, with a solemn and cold demeanor, he looked at the group and said, "The leader's busy. If you need something, speak to me."
Luther swallowed hard and, after a moment of hesitation, spoke with difficulty, "We caught a big zombie and wanted to trade it with the leader for a roasted chicken…"
"Wait here."
Ryan gave them a quick, indifferent glance before turning around. When he returned, he was holding a roasted chicken, which he unceremoniously tossed outside the door.
There it was! Roasted chicken!
The three of them immediately beamed with joy, their pride swelling as they observed the villa before them.
But then, they froze…
Though this villa was not the most luxurious in the district, it was undeniably the brightest and most inviting.
The lights inside were dazzling, and they could faintly smell the delicious aroma of food wafting from within.
This…
It wasn't just Luther and his companions who were stunned. When Anthony and his group had first seen this place, their reaction was even more exaggerated.
This was why, despite the risks, over a thousand residents still dreamed of breaching this place.
This was paradise!
Ryan's cold voice pulled them back to reality: "Tie it to the railing, you can leave now."
"Huh?"
Only then did Luther and the others snap back to their senses, muttering in agreement, "Oh… okay…"
They walked away, constantly glancing back, their eyes filled with envy and jealousy.
Had it not been for the intimidating weaponry Ryan carried, they might have rushed into the villa and claimed this paradise as their own.
On the way back, Luther and his companions were lost in thought, their roasted chicken now seeming tasteless.
How could this be?
How could he live so extravagantly?
The question echoed in all their minds. They simply couldn't comprehend how much resources Miles had stockpiled to afford such reckless indulgence.
"Luther, brother…"
Charles spoke up from behind, his tone full of disbelief. "Is that for real? That house—it felt like a dream. How could he possibly…?"
Yes!
How could he be so audaciously extravagant?
Luther shook his head in frustration.
All he wanted now was to return, report everything to Thomas, and strategize. They had to seize that house!
"Did the leader really give you guys a roasted chicken?"
As the trio exited the villa district, they ran into Anthony walking towards them.
His words made Luther chuckle coldly. "We caught the zombie, of course the leader rewards us. What, don't like it?"
"How could he do this?!"
Anthony, seething with fury, glared at Building 104 and spat bitterly, "I've been serving him, and now he turns his back on me like that!"
"Idiot!"
However, Luther and the others were unmoved by his anger. After all, they'd seen this kind of melodrama in countless TV shows. Who knew if this was just another act?
As they walked away, Anthony muttered "idiot" under his breath and headed toward the C district.
He found Nathan and smiled. "Nathan, brother, my mission is done. Now it's your turn."
Nathan didn't like Anthony's cold-blooded ways, but he knew he wasn't in a position to indulge personal preferences.
He, like Anthony, Isaac, and even Ryan, was just another pawn in Miles' game. To be blunt, they were like dogs—Miles spoke, and they obeyed. No one dared defy him.
Nathan adjusted his mindset, smiling. "Don't worry, the six brothers are ready. Tomorrow, we'll all be on top of our game!"
Six brothers?
Anthony nearly burst into laughter at this nickname!
Suppressing his amusement, he said, "Alright, I'll head back now. I still need to report to Boss Miles."
"Okay…"
Once Anthony was out of earshot, Nathan couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Idiot… hahaha!"
Meanwhile, Nathan stood there, bemused, scratching his head. "What's that idiot laughing about? What's so funny? Did he find money or something?"
"Nathan, big brother!"
Just as Nathan was pondering, someone called out to him from the opposite villa.
"Nicole?"
He was currently staying in a house just a few meters away from Nicole's villa.
What had made him choose to live here—was it an unintentional decision, or had he deliberately chosen this spot in the C district?
Nicole emerged from the villa, wrapped up in a thick coat.
Since Nathan had moved in, her life had become quieter. The more scheming residents no longer dared to lurk around.
Moreover, while everyone knew that Nicole was Miles' girlfriend, only Nathan and a few others didn't understand the situation. They assumed she and Miles were just "close," not knowing the true nature of their relationship.
Miles, however, didn't care to clarify, knowing that any further explanation would only complicate things.
Seeing Nicole, Nathan immediately approached with respect. "Miss Nicole, why are you out in this cold weather? If you need anything, just let me know."
After all, she was Miles' woman—Nathan didn't dare take her lightly.
Nicole sighed inwardly as she noted Nathan's respectful attitude. She knew he must have misunderstood.
Somewhat embarrassed, she spoke, "I overheard you guys talking about a performance tomorrow?"
In the apocalypse, a lonely, defenseless woman like her had almost no means of survival. She could only rely on her indomitable will and a bit of cleverness to survive in the cracks of society.
So when she heard that Nathan and his group were going to perform, she saw an opportunity.
Though Nicole didn't know exactly what their "performance" was for—who were they performing for when the world outside was nearly empty?—she still seized the chance.
To survive longer in this world, one had to grasp every opportunity, no matter how small!
Nathan, unaware of her intentions, nodded. "It's an order from Boss Miles. Tomorrow, we're…"
He then recounted everything that had happened the previous day, not sparing any details.
After all, despite the tension between Nicole and Miles, they were still considered a couple. Nathan, of course, didn't suspect anything—he thought that, despite any disagreements, Nicole wouldn't harm him.