Forty-nine rules of the end times

Chapter 44 Conflict at Supply Points
The Green Plum Club, in the group chat.

After the fourth apocalyptic rule was announced, everyone was unusually happy.

"Finally, a way that doesn't torture me has come along."

"Yes, with my old arms and legs, how could I run a marathon or go on a diet? The snow rules are much better."

"It just so happens that the small courtyard I spent several hundred million to build two years ago has come in handy. It has everything I need for food, drink, and daily necessities, and there's even its own generator in the warehouse, so there's no need to worry about power outages. Anyone in the group who has nowhere to go is welcome to come here."

"Look at what you're saying, everyone in the group has a place to take refuge."

Liu Yuqiang looked at the messages in the group and nodded slightly.

Undoubtedly, every billionaire, after achieving financial freedom, will begin to consider unexpected issues such as refuge and risk avoidance.

In addition to asset protection, personal safety protection is equally important.

Therefore, most people in the group not only have built their own shelters, but also hold multiple passports, so they can be transferred immediately if anything goes wrong.

This fourth rule is exactly what these people want to see.

Because it no longer tests an individual's physical or mental capabilities, but rather their ability to mobilize resources.

Under heavy snow, whoever has more power and can mobilize more resources has a higher chance of survival.

Even though the money in their hands is no longer of use, the members of the Green Plum Society can still form a huge resource group by relying on the network of contacts they have accumulated over the years, a large amount of assets such as gold, and the manpower of many company employees, and by supporting each other.

That's right. Even though many people's business services are now free, it's still running, still providing services to people, and still officially prohibited from being shut down.

In this way, the leaders of these large companies still retain power. Many of their employees also choose to stay with the company because they believe that sticking together is the best option under these circumstances.

Liu Yuqiang, the CEO of Jule Group, has hundreds of employees who have chosen to stay at his headquarters in Yong'an, the capital, and band together to survive.

In a post-apocalyptic world, many people develop a tendency to admire the strong. They hope to stay close to the strong, receive their protection, and obey their commands.

And isn't Liu Yuqiang, who started from scratch and built a business empire, a strongman in the eyes of ordinary people? In the hearts of his employees, being united with their iron-willed boss is much safer than messing around on their own.

It's not just Liu Yuqiang; many bosses of large companies possess a unique personal charisma that motivates others to work hard for them.

This is why, even in the post-apocalyptic era, the bosses of these industry leaders still wield considerable influence.

This is especially true in highly competitive sectors where ruthless tactics are paramount, such as coal mining, earthmoving, real estate, and logistics. The leaders in these sectors often possess the qualities of a "chairman in prosperous times, a mountain king in chaotic times."

Having fought his way up in the business for so many years, Liu Yuqiang naturally had a bit of a thuggish air about him. As soon as the rules were announced, he gathered the hundreds of employees who were holding down the company for a meeting.

He loudly declared at the meeting: "As long as we are united, I, Liu Yuqiang, will never let any of my brothers get hurt! I guarantee that every brother will survive these rules!"

The employees naturally surrounded him, cheering loudly.

The company currently has no shortage of various resources for survival, and it also has diesel generators on standby. Liu Yuqiang even specially dispatched a group of employees to procure more diesel fuel for backup.

He had a moment to himself and was looking at the messages in the group when a message that suddenly popped up caught his attention.

Hengyun Real Estate Chairman Zhao Jiping: "Brothers and sisters, someone is investigating me. It seems like I'm being watched by the authorities. If you have any connections, please help me find out what's going on!"

……

Snowflakes fluttered down, and the cold air spread everywhere.

Guan Tong, wearing a hooded scarf, was walking along the road, heading towards a supply point not far away.

Around the time of the second apocalyptic rule, the authorities announced the establishment of supply points throughout the city to allow people to obtain emergency supplies on their own in case of an emergency.

Guan Tong planned to go to the supply point to get more high-energy food and some commonly used items such as windproof lighters, and then find a car to leave the city.

On the road, you can see many people following official advice and responding to the call to go to nearby large buildings that can accommodate many people.

The Limei Hotel, where Guan Tong left, is currently overcrowded. Other places like libraries, schools, and stadiums must also be packed with people.

However, according to the hidden rules, the more concentrated the area, the greater the snowfall. From this perspective, it seems that everyone should disperse.

But will this really work?

Guan Tong's situation is uncertain.

He himself had the powerful support of his "shadow," which gave him the courage to leave the crowd and venture alone to remote and distant areas to survive.

But what about those who lack useful mental power items, or those who have even shut down their personal terminals? Are they really suited to follow the hidden rules? Wouldn't it be more beneficial for them to stick together and survive?

Like Xu Xiaotian, his prop is the ability to generate a box of instant noodles every day using his mental power. Can this alone really support him to survive alone? Just thinking about it makes the risks seem incredibly high.

Guan Tong believes that even if the authorities are aware of this hidden rule, they will most likely still stick to the centralized rescue strategy. However, they may evacuate a small number of more important people to remote areas.

This may be unfair, but there is no such thing as fairness in this world.

Just like those who were sleeping when the first apocalyptic rule, "Sleep Deprivation," was announced, those who had just worked the night shift the day before, those undergoing surgery under anesthesia, and infants who had no idea what rules were... Where is the fairness in this world for them?

However, Guan Tong believes that the hidden rules will be discovered soon.

Just because some people live in remote villages doesn't mean they live a primitive life.

Others will still go online, play games, and have the same online life as city dwellers.

When these people go online and see that it's snowing heavily in densely populated big cities while their own small villages are getting very little snow, they will definitely post the situation online.

Once the official departments notice and discover differences in snowfall across different regions, it won't be long before the clever people in the countermeasures research office will be able to determine the content of the hidden rules.

Just like the three hidden rules corresponding to the previous three rules: [Plunder Clarity], [Winning Through Mind], and [Paying to Avoid Disaster]. Although the official team did not know these three names, they quickly discovered their contents and included them in the white paper.

Guan Tong's advantage lies in his ability to personally witness the hidden rules, giving him access to the information firsthand and timely information.

He thinks this is important.

Because from the "Plundering Awakening" rule, it can be seen that the official may have discovered the hidden rules under certain circumstances, but chose not to disclose them due to various factors.

What has happened will happen again.

The practice of withholding or selectively disclosing information will inevitably continue to occur in the future.

This will create an information gap between the inside and outside.

Guan Tong can see the hidden rules with his own eyes, which means that he doesn't have to rely on secondhand information that others have already "chewed" over. Instead, he can quickly grasp firsthand information, which gives him a significant advantage.

After clearing her mind, Guan Tong quickened her pace and soon arrived at the nearest supply point.

Dozens of people were crowded in front of the warehouse gate, their faces filled with resentment, yet also with fear, too afraid to go in.

what happened?

Guan Tong sensed something was wrong and went to check.

Upon approaching, he immediately noticed a group of people dressed in matching blue work clothes guarding the warehouse entrance. They were carrying wrenches, pliers, fire axes, and other weapons, threatening to prevent anyone from entering.

"The supplies here are ours! You all go get more from somewhere else!"

"Why should we?" someone couldn't help but ask, "Seven or eight of you are taking so many supplies?!"

"With these tiger-head pliers in my hand!" A fierce-looking man brandished the pliers. "Come on, try and take a hit if you dare!"

"You dare hit someone? Believe me or not, we'll call the sheriff!"

"With snow this heavy, it's impossible for the sheriff to come! Besides, what's a few supplies to our 'Longxiang Pharmaceutical' workers? Believe me, I can just make one phone call and bring dozens more brothers from the factory!"

Hearing this, the others shrank back. These workers from the pharmaceutical factory were banded together and carrying weapons. If they really clashed with them, they would definitely be the ones who suffered.

Many people were forced to leave, but some stubborn ones refused to go and continued to confront the pharmaceutical factory workers.

Guan Tong silently retreated to the back and hid in a milk tea shop that was already deserted.

He wasn't trying to leave; in fact, he couldn't. Going to other supply depots would waste too much time, which he couldn't accept.

He slightly raised his hand, and the wordless book appeared in his palm.

He then took off his coat, trousers, shoes, gloves, scarf, mask, etc., leaving only a [temperature-controlled technology underwear] on his body.

"Shadow, come out."

The next moment, the shadow stood in front of him.

"Put these clothes on," Guan Tong commanded telepathically, looking towards the supply depot warehouse. "Then go and take down those people."

(End of this chapter)