Reborn Cave Queen of the End Times novel Chapter 55

Chapter 55 A Hive of Vipers

The whole hillside erupted into activity.

Luckily, though the hill had weathered the drought and the megastorms, it had never been touched by wildfire, so dead trees stood everywhere.

As long as you had the muscle for it, throwing together a rough little shelter was no trouble at all.

In the span of a single day, the once-bare hill was crowded with huts of every size.

And just like that, the two camps became neighbors.

Because Autumn had killed a good number of their people, they despised her.

But they also knew they were no match for her, so they gave her a wide berth.

Whenever Autumn stepped out of the cave, they’d scatter aside and do everything they could not to cross her.

And whenever she wasn’t around, they’d play helpless, going to Leonel’s people to beg and grovel.

They were especially fond of sending the old, the frail, the women, and the children to kneel in front of them and keep begging for mercy.

It was hard for anyone with a shred of conscience not to soften.

If Leonel hadn’t hammered it into his men’s heads-warning them not to play the hero and making it clear that anyone who gave away their own supplies out of pity would be kicked out of the squad and off the hill-those guys probably would have gone ahead and starved themselves just to give their own rations to the women and children.

David couldn’t wrap his head around it. He asked Autumn, “They’re just old folks, women, and kids. They can’t do much harm. How can you lump them in with those men?”

Autumn didn’t launch into a speech. She only said mildly, “Give it a little while, and you’ll understand.” That day, as always, David rowed to another hill to bring food to the apprentices on patrol.

He was about to turn back when a young woman spotted him and dropped to her knees with a thud. “Please, sir, have a heart, save me! Just one bite to eat, and I’ll do whatever you say. Anything at all.”

Flustered and completely out of his depth, David’s face flushed a deep crimson. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? Get your clothes back on!”

“Sir, if I had any other choice, do you really think I’d resort to this? I don’t care if I starve, but if I die, my elderly parents won’t survive a week out here.” She looked at David, desperate and broken. “Please… I’ve never been with anyone else. I’m yours. Just save us.”

The moment she finished, she flung herself at him.

David yelped and scrambled backward. “Don’t come near me!”

The woman seized her chance and threw her arms around his leg.

David went white with panic, sweat breaking out at once. “Let go, let go, don’t do this…”

Just as David floundered, helpless, the pitiful woman’s face flipped in an instant, and she shouted over her shoulder. I’ve got one!”

The next second, three men burst out of hiding and pinned David to the ground on the spot.

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