The Endgame Chronicles (by Hugh White) novel Chapter 664

Chapter 664

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If you had to compare them, the people Hayley had met before were like lambs battered by the apocalypse.

The ones standing in front of her now were wolves that had clawed their way to the top. Every single one of them carried the sharp edge of something wild.

These were real apocalypse survivors, the kind that thrived in this world.

Like Scott.

“The girl’s mine,” Hayley said, getting straight to the point.

She set two fifty-pound bags of rice on the ground.

The moment the group saw the food, their eyes lit up with hunger.

Then came the click of a rifle.

Thomas raised his gun from behind Hayley, the barrel aimed directly at them. The dark muzzle cooled their excitement instantly.

The man in front studied Hayley with a predator’s gaze. After a moment, he spoke in a rough voice.

“Fine, but one pound for two.”

He meant body weight.

For every pound the girl weighed, they expected two pounds of food.

Hayley didn’t react. She simply added two more bags of rice to the pile.

The man glanced at the food, then lifted a hand.

The two men holding the girl let go.

The girl’s lip was split, blood at the corner of her mouth. Her pale face turned toward Hayley as the men shoved her toward the sacks of rice.

Once they grabbed the food, they released her.

But the girl didn’t run toward Hayley. She spun around and bolted across the road.

Behind her, someone shouted.

“Winona! You little brat, get back here!”

They started to chase.

Bang!

A bullet struck the pavement in front of their feet.

“Who said you could chase her?” Hayley’s voice was cold. “She’s mine now.”

The group stopped.

The man who had been negotiating earlier laughed.

“You’re right,” he said casually. “That girl’s yours now. If she runs, that’s not our problem.”

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He nodded toward the rice.

“But this food belongs to us.”

Two of their men grabbed the sacks and started backing away.

The others followed, retreating in tight formation.

They moved like a pack of wild animals. If anything looked even slightly wrong, they would probably rush forward and fight without hesitation.

Hayley’s group didn’t move, either. Their rifles stayed raised.

Only after the others disappeared behind a nearby building did they slowly step back toward the armored vehicle.

Once everyone was inside, Thomas finally lowered his weapon.

“Boss… Those people…”

“Don’t mess with them unless we have to,” Hayley said.

Even if she could wipe them out, there was no reason to provoke that kind of group.

Everyone survived the apocalypse in their own way.

As long as they didn’t threaten her interests, how they lived was their business.

Those people were brutal, probably dangerous, but that had nothing to do with her.

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