Chapter 333: Intelligence

At these words, many people’s eyes lit up with even greater fervor.

If any distance remained between them before, it had now vanished completely.

“Alright! Boss, we’re with you all the way!!”

“The boss is awesome!!”

Zhang Wenda understood that winning people’s loyalty couldn’t be done by force alone. That’s not how management works. The carrot and the stick is the only way to go.

Anyone who’s been a corporate drone knows it doesn’t matter what kind of person your boss is, as long as you get your paycheck every month. If your salary were to double, you’d call a dog a brilliant and visionary leader if it were your boss.

In a situation like this, whoever could provide a stable supply of food was the real boss. Nothing else mattered.

The meat from the metro was quickly carved up, and everyone was given a large piece. There was no fuel here, so a barbecue was out of the question. They could only eat it raw, like sashimi.

To be honest, the taste wasn’t great. It was like eating a cold, giant piece of fatty meat. But hunger is the best spice. When you’re starving, anything is delicious.

Wang Shaojie chomped down on the metro meat with relish, filling his empty stomach.

By now, the skeletons of two metros, one large and one small, lay on the white-tiled territory. An event this significant naturally drew the attention of the traders. Many eyes were fixed on the scene, and upon seeing the red metro meat, more than a few people began to salivate.

Zhang Wenda called over a clown not far away who was balancing a gun on its big red nose. “You, take some men and give everyone a piece. Tell them that from now on, the Small Circle’s rules have changed. The entrance fee is halved, and we’ve bought all the information—it will all be shared with everyone for free.”

“COUGH, COUGH, COUGH~” The old man nearly choked. He looked at Zhang Wenda in surprise. “For free? How much profit will we lose?”

Zhang Wenda shot him a glance. “What profit? A bit of fish, some random stuff that’s barely edible? Nitpicking over this all day, do you really think you’re some kind of savage? Have you forgotten what life was like before the apocalypse?”

“Cooperation and mutual aid are how we maximize our benefits. Don’t just focus on what’s in front of you. Look at the bigger picture. Our goal is to return to the world we came from, not to be some local warlord in this godforsaken place.”

Hearing this, the old man’s expression faltered for a moment, then a bitter look crossed his face. “How could I forget? For the past four months, I’ve dreamed of going back every single day. But we can’t go back. It’s only been four months, but it feels like it all happened in a past life.”

Hearing this, Zhang Wenda paused for a moment before speaking. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way. It’s not necessarily impossible to go back.”

As the clowns distributed the piled-up fish meat piece by piece, the once tense and indifferent train car instantly became lively. After confirming again and again that it was free, some people didn’t hesitate to stuff it into their mouths. They were clearly starving.

Many people called out their thanks to the clowns. And when they learned the entrance fee would be halved from now on, everyone instantly grew enthusiastic.

Some people were so excited they even tore off the cloths covering their faces. The cruelty of the Dark Forest seemed to dissipate in that moment, as if the old days had returned.

No matter what the rules here were before, Zhang Wenda decided he would change this world according to his own principles.

With a CLANG and a BANG, a huge sign was erected nearby. It listed everything Zhang Wenda had just said.

From now on, anyone who came to trade would see it. Zhang Wenda believed that before long, his words would gradually spread.

Watching everyone wolf down the raw meat, Zhang Wenda couldn’t help but feel a little hungry himself.

The scythe monster exerted its strength, and with a screech of metal, the metro’s outer shell quickly warped. Soon, a simple iron pot had been formed.

Zhang Wenda tossed a block of instant noodles into it, added some water, and then Red provided a flame. Before long, the instant noodles were bubbling away as they cooked.

The simple aroma attracted the gazes of everyone nearby. It had been a very, very long time since this place had seen such normal food.

Edible food was one thing, but delicious food was another matter entirely. Judging by their reactions, this stuff was definitely a rarity here.

Otherwise, that oil packet from before wouldn’t have drawn them over.

Zhang Wenda ate a few bites but then lost his appetite, especially when he saw the young man next to him practically staring holes into the noodles. He simply handed the pot to him.

However, the young man, who looked to be in his twenties, didn’t eat it. Instead, he passed it to the old man at his side.

‘It’s clear that even though he’s been overthrown, he still has some loyal men.’

Zhang Wenda looked at the plain-looking old man with some curiosity. “I’m a little confused. Do you have some special ability? How could an old man like you have managed to occupy this place?”

After swallowing the noodles in his mouth, the old man immediately replied, “I have three sons and five grandsons. The one whose hand was just cut off is my grandson.”

‘So that’s it,’ Zhang Wenda thought with a flash of understanding. ‘The law of the jungle is so absolute that even human relationships are regressing to a clan system.’

‘In a world fragmented like this, the methods used in other places are probably even stranger.’

Zhang Wenda pulled out an apple and started munching on it with a CRUNCH. “So, can we have a proper chat now? No need for any more conditions, right?”

A fawning expression immediately appeared on the other man’s face. He nodded repeatedly. “No problem. Please, ask away.”

“There’s no need to barter for any more conditions, right?”

“How could you say such a thing? As long as you can lead us all to survive, we’re all one family.”

“By the way, why is it all men here? Not a single woman?” Zhang Wenda asked, feigning casualness.

“That was intentional. I only accepted able-bodied young men. That way, everyone could huddle together for warmth. A few women joining would only create disunity and cause trouble. Too many would reduce our overall strength. So I decided not to accept any women or children at all.”

‘I have to admit,’ Zhang Wenda thought, ‘as cruel as it sounds, it’s certainly an effective way to quickly build up strength and seize resources in an extreme environment.’

“So, do you actually know what’s been happening with the other factions outside, or not?”

Hearing this, an embarrassed look appeared on the other man’s face. “I… I actually don’t know. I was trying to bluff you.”

“You…” Zhang Wenda was speechless. “And you lot wanted to go to Area 1? If you actually went, you wouldn’t even know what hit you.”

Just then, a clown came skipping toward him from a distance. A masked person followed behind it.

“What is it?” Zhang Wenda looked up at the clown. ‘Normally, it would know I’m in the middle of a conversation and wouldn’t interrupt.’

The clown leaned in and whispered in his ear, “This person says they want to sell information. It’s about how to enter a new area.”

“Oh? Is this area special?”

“The area isn’t special, but he mentioned someone. He said he saw a little girl in that place who can read people’s minds.”