Chapter 84: I, Zhang Yi, Do Not Keep Useless People
Zhang Yi looked at the neighbors in front of him and nodded with satisfaction.
After this fight, they could now become suitable vanguards and cannon fodder, making it easier for him to handle future attacks from other buildings. All he had to provide was a bit of junk food and various empty promises.
Zhang Yi clapped his hands and smiled. "Well done! Did you see? As long as we stand united, there's nothing to fear from these people!"
He gestured to two of the most vigorous young men. "You two, come over here!"
The two young men were overjoyed, ignoring the bloodstains on their faces as they approached Zhang Yi.
Zhang Yi grabbed a large handful of food from the ground and stuffed it into one person's arms. One handful wasn’t enough, so he added more! Inflated buns, moldy cookies, dehydrated vegetable leaves, and a big piece of white zombie meat—all good stuff!
The other neighbors watched this scene, swallowing hard, wishing those things were theirs.
The two young men, Li Chengbin and Jiang Lei, were so excited they trembled. This food was enough for them to eat well for several days! Tears flowed down their faces—they hadn’t eaten decent food in a long time.
"Brother Zhang Yi, we’ll follow you loyally from now on!"
"We'll listen to you. You’re like our brother!"
At this moment, they looked at Zhang Yi with eyes full of gratitude.
Seeing the hope in their eyes, the other neighbors regretted not putting in more effort earlier.
This was precisely what Zhang Yi wanted to see. After rewarding the two most diligent young men, Zhang Yi addressed the rest, "Now, it's time to distribute the food. Come one by one!"
Zhang Yi had observed everyone's performance during the fight. Those who worked hard got more food; those who didn't got less. Most people received just a piece of bread or a couple of cookies smaller than a child's palm.
Having raised dogs before, Zhang Yi knew one thing: if you feed a dog too much, it becomes lazy and less obedient. The best way to keep it obedient is to keep it hungry but not starving. The same principle applied to people.
The neighbors, disappointed by the small amount of food they received, dared not complain, seeing the two exemplars who got more.
Zhang Yi pointed at a wealthy heir young man, Xu Hao, who quickly stepped forward and extended his hands. "Where's my food?"
Zhang Yi looked at him disdainfully, kicked the ground, and casually threw a piece of fruit candy into his hands. "That's your food."
The surrounding neighbors laughed mockingly. Even those who received little felt better seeing someone get even less. Xu Hao stared in disbelief, humiliation overwhelming him. He shouted angrily, "Are you kidding? Why do I only get a piece of candy?"
Zhang Yi sneered, "You have the nerve to ask? While others were fighting, you were hiding at the back. Even giving you this candy is an act of charity!"
Xu Hao had pretended to be brave, shouting loudly and holding a stick, but he stayed at the back during the fight. Now, facing Zhang Yi, he felt wronged. "It wasn’t my fault! They surrounded the enemies so tightly I couldn’t even get close!"
Zhang Yi replied coldly, "Not my problem. I care about results, not excuses."
Xu Hao, enraged and unwilling to accept the injustice, shouted, "This is unfair! You’re targeting me!"
Zhang Yi laughed contemptuously, "Fair? Who do you think you are to talk about fairness with me? I’m not here to reason with you; I’m giving orders. Understand, you useless piece of garbage?"
He glanced at Li Chengbin and Jiang Lei. "What do we do with those who don’t follow orders?"
Li Chengbin and Jiang Lei, now loyal followers, put their food down carefully and approached Xu Hao. Despite his initial protests, Xu Hao was quickly beaten into submission, his body convulsing in pain.
In the apocalypse, reasoning was a fool's game. Only fists mattered. After the beating, Zhang Yi ordered, "This is what happens to those who disobey the leader’s orders!"
"If anyone thinks I’m being unfair, you can leave now. Just drop your food and go; I won’t hold a grudge."
No one stood up, unwilling to part with their food. Seeing their compliance, Zhang Yi nodded, "Good. Now we have an understanding."
He approached the beaten Xu Hao, who was still clutching the piece of candy. Zhang Yi cruelly stepped on his hand, making him release it in pain. Kicking the candy away, Zhang Yi coldly said, "Learn your lesson. I, Zhang Yi, do not keep useless people!"
After this demonstration, everyone obediently waited for their food distribution, not daring to voice any objections. Zhang Yi quickly finished distributing the food, leaving only a few without any.