"What? Cliff’s people are here?"
Inside the RV’s lounge, Magnus rose and paced twice. This move was unexpected. Cliff’s forces folded that easily? Then all the pressure tactics he’d planned - were they still worth doing?
After thinking it through, he said to Chloe, who had just delivered the ssage, "Let them in."
Before the Ridgebreak Battalion arrived, four other groups of ssengers had already visited the grain depot. So brought words, others ca to feel things out, worried about getting fooled by Evan’s flyers. Everyone wanted to see what kind of force the Ice Regint really was.
Magnus welcod them openly. Anything they were allowed to see, he showed. What shouldn’t be seen, they couldn’t anyway. Among the four, two ca from unruly forces in mid-sized cities, claiming to have over 100,000 people each.
A hundred thousand? Maybe early on in the apocalypse. But by later stages in Magnus’s past life - especially after certain events - who knew how many were left.
Now, Cliff’s side had sent a fifty-man team, led by a regintal commander. They only allowed the officer and five of his n into the RV. The rest waited outside.
The commander, Liam Hughes, carried himself with pride. As he stepped in, his scan of the interior - just so "kids" lazing about - made his disdain plain. Magnus didn’t even offer seats. He simply sat on the couch, lit a cigarette, and watched them coldly.
"This how you welco guests?" Liam asked, annoyance tinged in his voice.
"You’re guests? That’s still up in the air," Magnus shot back. "If you’ve got sothing to say, talk. If not, take a walk."
The bluntness left Liam fuming. When had a nobody ever dared speak to him like this? Not even Cliff had treated him so coldly.
Just as he opened his mouth to lash out, two of his n quickly held him back. One stepped forward, smiled respectfully, and bowed slightly.
"We co in peace," he said. "Just want to do so trade. Swap for food. Hope the young commander here can cut us so slack - we’re just carrying out orders."
Seed like he was the political officer - smooth talker, knew when to bend. Charlotte glanced at Magnus, then returned his smile with one of her own. "Business, huh? Fine. Have a seat."
A few won from the regint dragged over so stools. Magnus didn’t bother hiding his dislike. He’d crossed swords with Cliff’s side in his last life, and those grudges ran deep.
Once seated, Liam’s face eased slightly and he pulled out a booklet the Ice Regint had distributed. He turned to Charlotte. "This was handed out by your group?"
"Yes, that’s ours," she replied, calm and steady.
"All the items listed here - you’re trading them? No limit?"
Sophia rolled her eyes with a snort. "You bunch ask the sa damn thing over and over. We gave out the book, we’ve got the goods. You bring the stuff, we trade. Simple. You think we’re sitting on a whole warehouse of grain just for show?"
Liam stiffened. His plan had been to ease into conversation, fish for details about their true situation. But the sharp retaliation from this girl threw him off, leaving him montarily speechless.
Seeing his smug face, Sophia let out a cold snort and spoke sharply, "Enough. No need for you to ask - I’ll just tell you. Our regint has over 7,600 people, more than 12,000 pistols and rifles, bullets so many we can’t run out. And yeah, shoulder-fired rocket launchers, mortars, infantry vehicles - we’ve got dozens. As for Crystals? Over two thousand, sitting right in our base."
She rattled off her claims with zero hesitation. Liam’s face darkened fast. In the end, he cut her off, snapping, "That’s impossible! Bullshit! How could a group like yours have that much? You’re not even military... total nonsense!"
Sophia sneered, turned, grabbed two large sacks from the sofa, and tossed them at Liam and his team. The bags hit the ground with a heavy thud, and a flood of Crystals spilled out, clinking across the floor. The sight made them all freeze.
They didn’t know how many Crystals Cliff’s side really had, but one thing was certain - they’d never seen this much in one go.
No way a group of a few dozen - or even a few hundred - could mine out this many Crystals. Not even close.
Just from those two sacks, Liam’s group couldn’t help but start believing. Whether they liked it or not, their expressions turned grim.
This was a show of force. Magnus had already done the sa with four other groups before. Not because he wanted to flex for glory, but because it kept people from getting stupid ideas. Fewer threats, fewer risks.
What the Ice Regint wanted most now was to trade grain, not get dragged into ssy fights. So they’d show a little power - true or exaggerated. Enough to make others take a step back.
Liam and his crew were shaken. When they first arrived, they’d seen the vehicles and weapons. Sure didn’t look like a bluff. Those were real fighting machines outside. Real mortars. Now this pile of Crystals...
And they’d just rged up with Coldre Town’s forces. But those forces had refused to ntion getting robbed by Magnus’s crew. No surprise there.
Charlotte chuckled and got up, handed them a pack of smoke. One of the female team mbers followed up, passing everyone a bottle of canned cola. No need to rush. Let them stew a bit.
Liam’s squad didn’t play coy. Cracked open the cans, took a few sips. Liam hesitated, then asked, "Could we... take a look? For real?"
"Take a look? Look at what?" Sophia snapped, straight to the point. "You here to trade? Or did you co to loot?"
"We... we’re here to trade, of course," Liam said, but his voice was weak.
"Trade?" Sophia sneered. "Co on, look in the eye and say that again. Are you seriously here to trade?"
Her words made their faces drop again. Yet they still forced themselves to nod, forced out a yes. That’s when Magnus looked over, a thought flashing in his eyes. What if... they actually were here for trade?
He gave Sophia a slight look - she got the hint and clamped her mouth shut. Magnus stood, face cold.
"Alright. I see what this is. You’re not here to trade anything - you’re here to stir trouble, aren’t you? Fine. Go back. Tell Cliff from us - we’re done doing business with Springvale City’s army."
"We’re not here to cause trouble!" Liam shot up in a panic. "We really do want to trade. Cliff sent us here to negotiate!"
Panic finally hit them like a slap. Cliff truly needed this deal, and if his people wrecked it, they’d probably end up catching bullets when they got back.
That fear was written all over their faces. Magnus saw it - his heart settled. But his voice got even colder.
"Chloe! Get these people out of here!" he barked.
User Comments
0 comments from readers