Chapter Forty-Six: These Words Spoken

As expected, the contest for captain should now be declared over. No matter what, the supplies brought back by Shen Dong's team paled in comparison to a truck and a half of weaponry. With such arms and equipment, an armed force could be formed to search or plunder continuously.

Though the population of Solitude was considerable, their firepower did not match it. Taking a bunch of pistols to trouble other settlements and rob their supplies? You’d likely be taken out by their sniper before even pulling the trigger.

I noticed a remarkable phenomenon: since the goods brought back by Huo Bing and me were made public, nearly everyone in the settlement looked at me with awe. It was something unimaginable before—how could two people possibly return with such a haul of weapons?

I suppose I benefited from old connections; after all, I happened to know the location of the ZM City arsenal, which was military confidential information, hidden so well that ordinary people would never stumble upon it.

Of course, those living in the lower sector were exceptions. These people scraped by on the edge of starvation, unable even to secure basic needs, so who would have the mood to admire anyone? Frankly, though what I brought back was of immense value, what did it matter to them? Ordinary folk cared only about food and warmth.

Yet, the settlement was facing hard times now—grain was scarce, which explained the increasingly frequent dispatches of scavengers.

After leaving the parking lot, I first took Fourth Uncle back to the room. Han Shuqing sat quietly by the bed, reading a book, while Chen Yunyun leaned against her mother, asleep.

Not wishing to disturb the mother and daughter, I set Fourth Uncle down and left.

There was important business to discuss next—about Shen Dong. This matter was urgent, affecting the future of Solitude’s settlement.

For now, I had no plans to leave; the living conditions here could not be allowed to deteriorate.

I entered Room 01 at the very back. Huo Bing and Shen Dong were already inside, and Huo Tian sat in the boss’s chair. The three sat in silence, each staring at the others.

“Brother Cao, you’re finally here. May I ask why you called Shen Dong and Bing here?” Huo Tian’s face wore the merchant’s signature false smile.

I pulled over a stool for myself and sat down, smiling. “I think there might be some misunderstandings between you, Brother Huo, and Shen Dong. I’d like us all to talk and see how to resolve this. Honestly, I’m quite fond of Shen Dong—he suits my taste. It seems a waste to kill him outright.”

The others’ faces changed at my blunt words; perhaps they hadn’t expected me to be so direct.

Since we were here to solve a problem, there was no point in beating around the bush. The conflict between Huo Tian and Shen Dong had reached a life-or-death pitch; further pleasantries were pointless. Better to cut straight to the heart and clarify matters.

Huo Bing was certain her father had not killed Shen Dong’s father, while Shen Dong stubbornly believed Huo Tian had used underhanded means to do so. Huo Tian, for his part, had never stated clearly whether he was responsible.

But one fact was undeniable: after Shen Dong’s father died, Huo Tian immediately began seizing power, and had little communication with Shen Dong, who harbored deep resentment.

That was the crux of the issue.

The reason I dared bring Shen Dong to see Huo Tian was not only because of the boy’s straightforwardness and passion, which I liked, but also because I was convinced Huo Tian had not harmed Shen Dong’s father.

If Huo Tian admitted to killing Shen Dong’s father, I’d have slapped myself in the face, making things difficult for myself.

As for why I was so certain—well, it was my own deduction. When I visited Huo Tian that day, despite his merchant’s cunning, he was not a man who would stop at nothing.

On the contrary, he was nostalgic and somewhat sentimental.

He would don a suit in his own room, unable to wear it outside, sighing at memories of better days, then fold the suit meticulously, not a single wrinkle allowed.

From my observations, he might be an old fox, but he was not a tiger that devoured all and spat out nothing.

Moreover, if anyone knew his true character, it would be his daughter, Huo Bing. She was so certain her father was a good man, and she didn’t seem foolish enough not to recognize what kind of person he was.

“It’s best we speak plainly today. I know what you want to ask, Shen Dong. I can tell you clearly: I had nothing to do with your father’s death. I’ve told you this before, but you wouldn’t listen.” Huo Tian paused, then sat up straight, eyes fixed on Shen Dong, solemn and earnest.

Huo Bing quietly dragged her chair closer to me, leaving Shen Dong alone facing her father.

Shen Dong bit his lip, his eyes suddenly reddening. He choked out, “Then why—right after my father died, did you move to seize control of the scavenger team? Why did you suppress me, ignoring everything? The scavengers were my father’s pride!”

Huo Tian was silent for a moment. “You must understand—in this apocalypse, especially in a settlement with so many people, what’s needed most is stability and unity. The scavengers, under your father, were the unstable factor in this family. They brought in many supplies, yes—but they also brought instability. In your father’s era, the scavengers acted arrogantly in the settlement, looking down on others and bullying those in the lower sector. People were angry but dared not speak out. I talked about this with your father, but he never cared, nor allowed me to manage the scavengers.”

“Though I was displeased with Shen Lin, I never intended to remove him. Perhaps in this world, everyone’s mind is somewhat dark, always suspecting conspiracy, but I never sought to harm him for power. It’s just that, during his tenure, the scavengers became unruly.”

“Can you imagine? Some team members, relying on their status, acted like saviors and abused women from the lower sector at will. After Shen Lin died, I seized control of the scavengers because of this. Only when there is a single leader can this family avoid division!”

“If there are two leaders with different beliefs and opinions, the settlement will destroy itself, possibly even descend into rebellion!”

Shen Dong said nothing, tears streaming down his cheeks. His fists clenched tight, he kept silent through gritted teeth.

I was surprised—the scavengers were so brazen? But it made sense: those who contributed most would elevate their own status, looking down on others and even disrespecting other survivors.