Chapter 43 - Increasing Population

For the next three days, Zach and his Rangers have done nothing but search for a small group of survivors in the city. With the help of James and his men, the recruiting has been going smoothly. In fact, they have not experienced any problems probably because the tyrants ruling the city have come to know the truth that one of the big groups was annihilated. 

With that, the population of the recruited survivors was increasing day by day and has now accumulated to more than fifty composed of a mix of men and women. The place they had decided to camp in has grown bigger as the survivors were staying with them slowly regaining their strength after being treated with healthy food and drink ever since they decided to join. 

However, something big was happening today after seeing that the population of the place had probably totaled more than two hundred survivors as there could be found four separated groups surrounding the camp since Zach had finally taken a move against the bigger groups of the city and right now, he was having a meeting with their leaders. 

Inside the ruined building, Zach could be found facing four people who were staring at him seriously and curiously. Together with him was James, who was familiar with them, and Sophia who was a popular idol of the past. He chose them with a purpose while having Ethan and Carl outside to watch over the people who were with them. 

"My friend James here said that you were amongst the reasonable leaders of a group ruling this place. And just like what my men have said, we are giving you a choice to join and live with us back to our base." Zach said after he had ordered his men to relay his message on his behalf to meet these leaders to talk to them appropriately. 

"Of course, we will respect your choice if you decide not to come with us." Zach followed since he was not trying to force them and was only giving them the chance to leave this place and live with them where they would no longer be concerned about where to get food to eat. 

Meanwhile, the four leaders continue staying silent as they watched Zach as they just couldn't believe that they would be talking to a young man however, they didn't voice out regarding such a thing as they were cautious not to anger him thinking that he has fifty trained and armed men outside of the building. 

"I appreciate the offer, but I think we are doing just fine so if you'll excuse me." One of the leaders which was a middle-aged man suddenly stood up before leaving. In fact, he just agreed to this meeting as he was curious as to who had the capability to annihilate one of the bigger groups in the city and now that he had seen the person responsible for it, he then immediately lost interest. 

Following that, another man also stood up however, before he walked away, he looked intently at James for a second since he had come to know him whom they had rejected join their group in the past. Without saying anything, he then just left the building quietly and his actions were clearly understandable. 

In fact, Zach's offer was quite enticing, especially hearing him promising them shelter and food but they were skeptical about such things as resources are very precious nowadays. And even if he was telling the truth, both of them didn't want to live under another person thinking of losing all the influence they have built until now. 

With that, only two leaders have remained seeing a young man and a middle-aged woman continue to stay inside while looking at Zach seriously. In fact, they were also feeling the same as the two who just left however, they have reasons for staying since it was no longer a matter whether they would live under another person since they were not just representing themselves but also the survivors who have followed them. 

"Did you really come from a base outside the city? How do we know that you're not lying and just trying to trick us?" The young man then asked while looking at Zach, in fact, among the bigger groups in the city, his group had been continuously picked on as they were smaller than the others. 

The reason why he stayed is because he was concerned about their safety when the time that they could no longer defend themselves came. Just imagining what would happen makes him think that it's better to live under another person than to stay and wait for their demise. 

"The fact that we are not killing each other and having this meeting was already proof in itself. I know that this is hard to believe so I have something for you to see and it's up to you whether to believe or not." Zach replied before taking out something from his inventory. 

The young man and the middle-aged woman looked at the thing that Zach had taken out and were surprised to see that it was two digital cameras. Both were surprised and curious as to what he was up to, but they still took one to have a look. 

Zach then just looked at them with a smile since he had already anticipated such a thing to happen, so he came prepared and took some pictures of the base before they left. With that, it will be their choice whether they believe it or not because either way is fine since they could just look for more wandering survivors and just leave this place. 

"T-This is unbelievable. Are all these real? Is there really such a place outside the city?" The young man exclaimed as he looked at the pictures inside and after seeing when they were taken were already making him believe that it was real since there's no point in editing it just to trick others. 

"You're Sophia, right?" Meanwhile, the middle-aged woman set aside the digital camera after seeing what was inside of it as she shifted her attention to Sophia who were standing next to Zach as she was very familiar with her ever since she entered the building. 

"Yes." Sophia replied. 

"As fellow women, I want you to tell me if this young man were telling the truth." The middle-aged woman seriously said. She no longer had any trust in any man after experiencing how cruel this world had become and that was why she wanted her opinion knowing that she must be living with them until now. 

However, instead of getting a normal reply, the middle-aged woman immediately stood up and took out her gun after seeing Sophia doing the same and was already pointing it at her head while looking at her coldly. 

"Yes, I'm Sophia but you better watch your words as you were talking to none other than the leader of our base." Sophia replied coldly while looking at the middle-aged woman seeing how she was belittling Zach whom she and everyone regarded as the savior of their base. 

Hearing Sophia, both the young man and most especially the middle-aged woman were completely shocked by her words as they immediately looked at Zach who was smiling at them. They didn't expect that the young man they were talking to right now was actually the leader of the said base since they just really didn't expect such a thing. 

"That's enough, Sophia. Let us get back to the topic, shall we?" Zach then just calmed Sophia down as he was also surprised seeing her acting like that, but he was also feeling good seeing the loyalty she has for him and to the base. 

"Y-Yeah. I'm sorry if I disrespected you a while back." The middle-aged woman replied while finally getting nervous upon thinking that she just had disrespected Zach. Thinking that he might order his men to kill them makes her hands shake a little as they are completely in their territory. 

Meanwhile, the young man just remained silent and was feeling amazed instead after thinking that Zach, a person who was probably younger than himself, had been leading a base that big. He couldn't help but think what kind of person he was knowing that these people wouldn't just follow him if he was normal. 

"Don't worry. I didn't come here looking for trouble. I came here to look for survivors to live with us since there are no important resources right now but people." Zach said with a smile since what he just said was the truth. Of course, he was talking about reasonable people and not those who have engaged in crimes and beastly acts towards other people. 

Following that, Zach then talked more with the two as they finally started having a proper conversation. After half an hour, the two leaders finally reached a decision to join the base upon believing that he was not tricking them and that everything they had heard and seen all this time was the truth.

After having an agreement, the two leaders then formally introduced themselves. The young man's name was Viktor and together with him were his thirty companions. On the other hand, the middle-aged woman's name was Isabelle and together with her are her more than fifty brave women. 

"What are your plans now, lead?" Isabelle then asked as she looked at Zach and already treated him as her superior. Her group was among the strongest in the city, so if he ever had any orders, then they would gladly help without any second thoughts. 

"We will be staying here for two more days before leaving. I just want you to search for more wandering survivors and persuade them to come and join us. After that, we will immediately leave and head back to the base." Zach replied as he couldn't just leave the poor wandering survivors in the city knowing that they would be extorted or get killed by the tyrants of this place. 

"Why don't we persuade those two again? I bet they will change their minds if they see the pictures you have with you." Viktor suddenly suggested since it would be a shame knowing that those two who left were also among the strongest around the city. 

"No. I have already given them a choice and those two rejected because they were too prideful to join and work for me." Zach said. Also, he felt like such kind of people would not bring good to the base so he would never offer them again unless, of course, they came and begged him to let them join. 

Hearing Zach, both Viktor, and Isabelle then just remained silent as they also had seen such traits in those two. They then just felt bad for them not knowing that they just rejected such a good opportunity.

"Why don't we have a feast tonight so we can get to know more of each other?" Zach then suddenly suggested thinking that it would be a good way to know their stories up until now and also to reduce the tension between their groups. 

"T-That would be a great idea, but we were just left with a small number of Evolution Coins. I wonder if it would be enough." Isabelle felt ashamed to say it as it was really the truth. They have been saving their Evolution Coins up until now in order to maintain their group and suddenly spending them for a feast was too wasteful. 

On the other hand, Viktor was also smiling wryly as he also felt the same which he then just remained silent. In fact, the Evolution Coins that their group had was probably lesser than the number that Isabelle's group had which makes him too ashamed to share it. 

"Don't worry. I will cover all the expenses. Let us just enjoy the feast as I want to know both of your stories." Zach, upon hearing and seeing the expression on their faces, immediately guessed what they were thinking. So, to assure them and to show them a little of his sincerity, he then started taking out supply by supply which made Viktor and Isabelle dumbfounded by what they were seeing. 

With that, a feast in which everyone could be found enjoying the night then happened and that was when they came to learn more about each other. The newly recruited groups still felt like they were dreaming as they were consuming precious supplies as if it was normal, however, seeing that Zach and his people weren't concerned about their supplies depleting made them all believe that the base that they were talking to must be true and they could no longer wait to see it.