Chapter 189 Greed
Earl looked at Jared's determined expression and felt deep regret in his heart.
He hadn't expected that his good intentions would lead to such a result.
"Grandpa, that person has a gun! And he also has supernatural abilities. If we rashly go after him, many people will die. Besides, we can still survive on our own food supplies. Is it really worth it?" He tried to persuade Jared.
Jared took a deep breath and scolded coldly, "What do you know? In this freezing weather, no crops can be grown. We are just eating the stored food from the past."
He added, "But what will we do when that food runs out? We need to survive and pass on our bloodline. How can we dare to have children without food?"
Jared looked up helplessly at the sky. "I've been through natural disasters like this before. At times like this, you can only take care of the people around you. Robbing and killing are all for survival and the continuation of the family!"
Earl wanted to say something, but Jared glared at him.
Jared said, "Enough, don't say another word! Just follow my orders when the time comes."
"As you're the best genetic specimen of the Cox family, I will arrange for several women to bear children for you. And you can have the first pick of the supplies we seize!" he added.
Earl was terrified.
This was not how it was supposed to be. Panic tightened its grip as he thought of Steven, of the ruthless efficiency with which Steven dispatched his victims.
Earl valued his life!
He might be a coward, a man who favored the safety of the sidelines, but was that truly deserving of death? His digital fantasies, the virtual idols he so cherished, would die with him, trapped forever in the cold confines of his hard drive. It was a fate too horrible to contemplate.
He would never see his anime goddess again.
No, he absolutely could not allow such a world to exist!
Earl clenched his fists, his body trembling slightly.
Jared noticed his strange behavior and curiously asked, "Do you need to pee? Go find a place to relieve yourself, or you'll hurt your bladder."
"It's not that!" Earl suddenly shouted. "I... I won't fight that person! I can't beat him!"
Earl's last sentence was almost in tears.
He was extremely afraid of dying.
Jared was stunned for a moment, then angrily said, "Earl! Are you still a member of the Cox family? At such a critical time like this, you want to run away!"
Earl gritted his teeth, suppressing his fear of his elder, "I can't beat him. My abilities are countered by his, so it doesn't matter if I go or not. Grandpa, I don't want to die."
Jared stared coldly at him for a long time before finally snorting disdainfully. "Useless coward! Our Cox family has so many talents; we can manage without you! Get out of my sight!"
Earl, feeling relieved, turned and ran back, afraid that if he delayed, Jared might change his mind.
Jared watched the fat Earl's back and exhaled a long breath of white smoke.
"That kid is good in every way, except he's too timid. Forget it, it's better if he doesn't go. Keeping his genes might pass on his supernatural abilities to the next generation!" Jared comforted himself.
Jared straightened his chest, "Our Cox family is a big family, prosperous and thriving! We can manage without him!"
He immediately called over the Cox family leaders to share the good news.
Everyone was excited to hear that there was such a large human warehouse nearby, their faces beaming with joy.
"So, that bastard's name is Steven!" A middle-aged man with a grim face said, "He killed my son. I've been wanting to avenge him for a long time! This time, we'll settle both old and new scores!"
A tall, middle-aged man next to him said, "If he really has that many supplies, it will be enough for our Cox family to use for decades!"
"Thank God for blessing our Cox family with such a great gift in these times!" Someone prayed, thanking God.
Everyone couldn't wait to go back, gather the clan, and then go to Steven to "borrow" food.
"Let's send Earl first. His ice powers can easily break through ordinary doors and windows." Someone suggested.
Another person chimed in. "Yes, with Earl as an important asset, we will have a significant advantage!"
Jared, hearing this, said sternly, "This time, Earl will not go!"
The leaders below were immediately surprised and started discussing.
"What? Earl won't go? This... this isn't good, is it?"
"Exactly, he alone is worth a hundred men. If he doesn't go, not to mention that Steven has a gun, he'll kill many of us!"
"Mr. Jared Cox, you are the head; you can't let him get away with this!"
Jared impatiently knocked his cane. "Enough! Everyone, shut up!"
"Earl was injured internally in the last fight with Steven. That Steven is a skilled fighter. Don't be fooled by Earl's appearance; he's actually seriously injured."
"He needs to stay home and recuperate for a while. So, this time, we won't take him." Jared declared.
Although Jared looked down on Earl's cowardice, he was still his grandson and had to show some favoritism.
The others, though still resentful, didn't dare to defy him.
Thinking about the hundreds of men in the clan, they figured dealing with one Steven wouldn't be a problem, so they didn't say anything more.
Jared's expression became serious. "Alright, now, everyone go back and gather your clan members! Just like when we fought with the neighboring villages, all men over 16 should take up arms!"
He continued, "Bring all the shotguns and gunpowder from home. The opponent is a Psychic, so we must not be careless! We must win this battle with the least casualties!"
The apocalypse had been going on for over a month, and Cox Village had experienced many battles, forming a certain level of discipline.
After Jared's arrangements, the leaders went back to gather people.
With a round of mobilization, hundreds of men from the village gathered with weapons at the village square.
The crowd was dense, with everyone well-fed and in high spirits.
At night, with a command from Jared, the village chief, everyone, led by their respective leaders, formed six teams and began crossing the Mississippi River, heading towards Emerald Estate!
They muzzled the dogs to prevent their barking from alerting Steven. Then, they used the dogs to pull sleds to transport the villagers.
After crossing the river, the dogs and sleds were left on the shore.
The dogs were precious, and the villagers were heartbroken when Steven killed eight of them last time. They couldn't bear to lose any dog anymore!
Meanwhile, the central Villa 101, Emerald Estate, was brightly lit, shimmering under a canopy of stars.
Inside, Steven, Elinor, and Nora sat gathered around a table laden with a feast.
The table was set with a candelabrum and a bottle of 1983 Lafite on the red silk tablecloth, and the dishes were Michelin-starred French cuisine Steven had ordered.
Ignoring the potential dangers outside, life inside the villa was like paradise. Free from the pressures of life, they only needed to enjoy themselves.
Even Nora, who initially fantasized about leaving one day, gradually became immersed in this bliss and couldn't extricate herself.
At this moment, a faint scream from afar broke the tranquility.
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