Chapter 71 - Seventy - Beginning Negotiations (1/2)
The unnatural quaking of the earth was naturally going to attract those meant to be protecting the walls; soldiers and recruited civilians rushed to the gates and proceeded to climb up ready to defend their base from what they feared. But as they withdrew their guns and crossbows, they came to realise that actually, it was not an earth-based zombie at all. In fact, the lurking undead that had gathered at the gates, growling without much threat had been lured away. They grabbed binoculars and small scopes off of their belts or the hands of others, jostling about until one voice yelled out; ”It's Chang Min! He's come back!”
There were numerous whispers in the crowd of guards and a few curious onlookers, who seeing that the soldiers were not shooting down the lingering zombies, paused mid flee and began to return to see if they could figure out what was going on. Chang Min's name to some was well known, to others it was a myth or legend. He was the man whose powers had not been weak and could make the ground tremble at a mere thought. He was the man that had much of the original surrounding walls thrust upward from the earth with a gesture. He was the man that could deal with a whole swarm of undead by himself using a sword and his powers.
The men and women on the wall watched wide eyed as the crowd of zombies suddenly vanished from the road as it vanished beneath them. The pit they descended into closed suddenly causing a loud bang and a ripple effect that forced the occupants of the base to stumble and many more to fall. Fortunately, no one who fell from the wall hurt themselves badly nor fell into the dangerous zone outside. But more than one person cursed Chang Min at that moment.
Word of Chang Min's return reached the barracks shortly after the weakened tremor and a couple of officer's stood from their desk chairs and jumped onto the solar powered golf cart parked outside after exiting the building. The vehicle was not fast, but the journey from the barracks to the gates was not short. As Officer Rouse drove, Officer Randall muttered crossly; ”That Chang Min ought to be tried for insubordination and desertion. And on top to try break down the walls!”
”What are you on about, Randall?” Rouse sighed. Losing Chang Min had been a blow to the base, but it couldn't have been helped. However, Zane Randall had always taken the matter of Chang Min leaving personally. Chang Min had left them while out on a mission he lead after all. As for the walls, the report stated that Chang Min was dealing with the crowd of lurking zombies out front. How was that destroying the base defences?
”But Sir, he betrayed us!”
”Chang Min was a civilian, Randall,” Rouse reminded him. ”The agreement between us and civilians like him is of mutual cooperation. He helped us with the walls, with reducing zombie numbers and even went out on several supply runs. He chose to leave the base of his own accord. It was never up to us to stop him.”
”This is why I say that all ability users ought to be conscripted,” Randall muttered, his arms crossed about his chest.
Rouse sighed. ”Just shut the f.u.c.k up about that crap. We're an army in name only. If ever the civilians decide that we're not on their side, do you think the fact that we were soldiers before the end will subdue 'em? Stop being a fool.”
The golf cart pulled up to the gates in silence and was greeted by a soldier who saluted them and told them of the current situation. ”Sirs, Chang Min is waiting outside of the gates with a group of survivors. He says they wish to discuss trade with us.”
The two officers glanced at each other, the disdain still evident on Randall's face, while Rouse couldn't hide his curiosity. He gestured for the twin set of gates to be opened. This was an additional security measure. The walls at the gates had been formed in the shape of an eye, with the gates at the widest points from each other. That way any zombies that managed to scr.a.p.e in through the outer gates would be killed in the gap between the walls and not breech the base itself. The walls themselves were currently around ten feet high in this area. Others were a little lower, topped up with barbed wire. The same barbed wire that thickened defences in other areas while the walls themselves were strengthened over time. Having dealt with metal ability zombies and earth ability zombies as well as undead that could leap to great heights had forced them to realise that they could not rely on the walls they originally had built.
A large van drove through the gates, smeared in places by zombie remains and with a hefty dent in one side. A few experienced guards began to hose down the van with water stored in barrels and butts specifically for this task. It was not pure like that from a water user, but the virus was believed to be less potent in the water than in zombie guts. That was the theory anyway based on the few facts they currently knew. No one was willing to test it.
Chang Min exited the vehicle with five other men, all fairly imposing individuals. However, the gate guards and the officers were soldiers, not so easily intimidated. Still, Chang Min himself was a walking powerhouse. It would be an idiot who was disrespectful. Rouse through a glare of warning at Randall, before Chang Min amicably introduced his comrades.
Dexter's eyes ran over the officers, just as they were checking him out. He hadn't been there when Jonah found Chang Min, so he didn't know if any of these people before them had been amongst those who'd been there that day. He could only speculate. Seeing as Rouse was definitely more ready to welcome them, he stuck out a hand in greeting towards the officer. ”Nice to meet you, as Chang Min stated, I'm Dexter,” he said. ”I was a construction worker before the end. For whatever reason, some of my former neighbours and co-workers decided to form a squad with me and with others, we've been helping each other to survive since.”
”Welcome to the Base,” Rouse shook his hand, noting the firmness of the other. ”The name's Rouse.” His eyes flickered about the area, noting the growing crowds. ”My soldiers inform me you want to discuss some sort of trade?”
”En,” Dexter agreed. He too noticed that the number of people gathering around them was increasing so did not elaborate. Chang Min had mentioned that there were a few thousand people on base. There definitely was not enough meat to go around. Rouse gave a curt nod and gestured that Dexter join him, Cole followed looking over his shoulder as Chang Min leapt on top of the van and settled upon it. Harry and the others also remained with the truck. This was the arrangement that they had discussed, worried that their produce would be coveted. It was doubtful that the base would assume they had brought something as precious as meat to trade, but why take the risk?
Randall glared angrily at Chang Min, but followed Rouse and the others in the direction of the barracks.