"Please take a seat first, Mr. President." Arlan smiled as he pointed at the seat in front of his desk.
"Thank you, Mr. Roa." Manuel Chavez sat down and observed the man in front of him.
"Mr. President, how is the construction of the shelter's wall?" Arlan was no longer the uneducated man he was before. The experiences in the past few months shaped him into a capable leader. Although he still needs some improvements, he is no longer scared when speaking with important people.
Manuel Chavez turned serious when he mentioned this. "Since you've done us a great favor, I won't keep it from you, Mr. Roa. The construction of the walls has slowed down because of the presence of the zombies. People are too scared to leave their homes and only a few brave citizens volunteered to help in doing the construction work. It's a good thing that the horde gathering near the shelter was cleaned up by the army led by Sir Cedrick and Sir Conrad." He said.
Arlan nodded his head. This was already reported to him by his subordinates. "Then, do you have any plans for the shelter? How would you cater to the needs of the people you took in? With millions of mouths to feed, I believe the government would have a hard time in the future."
Hearing this, Manuel Chavez sighed as he nodded in agreement. "That is also one of my concerns. However, the most pressing matter at the moment is the greed of those high officials. I noticed that they are gathering people on their sides, even going as far as forcing ordinary civilians to work for them in exchange for food."
"That's indeed problematic. If they are allowed to do as they please, the shelter would soon be in chaos. Mr. President, how about this?" Arlan's eyes turned serious as he looked at the acting president. "I will provide the shelter with military support. In exchange, I want you to send a batch of talented individuals to Last City." He continued. Although Last City was prepared for the zombie apocalypse, there were still many things left to do. For example, Arlan needed engineers and architects to help him design a residential district in Catanduanes. His territory was also lacking in doctors, nurses, and medical practitioners.
Manuel Chavez turned silent at his words. The shelter also needed those talented individuals, but what they needed the most at this moment was protection from the military. Without them, the high officials might take action and possibly rebel against the government.
Arlan didn't rush the acting president. He didn't say anything and just patiently waited for him.
After careful consideration, Manuel Chavez raised his head and said. "I agree with your proposal. However, you must promise me that you won't sit by if the shelter is in danger."
This was no different than asking him to protect the shelter forever, but the shelter was also important for Arlan's future plans so he nodded and said. "I promise you that, Mr. President."
Manuel Chavez's face eased up upon hearing his words. "Great!"
"I'll have my people prepare the documents. We will send it to you once we have finalized the details."
"Alright."
Arlan stared at the time on his watch and said. "It's getting late, Mr. President. You should get some rest. Tomorrow, I will give you a tour around the city." He then slowly stood up from his seat.
Manuel Chavez stood up and extended his hand.
Arlan shook hands with him. "I'll send you off." He brought him out of the mansion.
Manuel Chavez saw the commanding general waiting for them outside the mansion.
"General, please send the president to the residence I prepared for him." Arlan told the commanding general.
"Yes, Mr. Roa." Lieutenant Genera Rivera nodded his head. He then looked at the president and said. "Mr. President, let's go."
Manuel Chavez nodded his head. He bid farewell to Arlan before leaving with the commanding general.
Inside the car, he saw the residents of Last City walking around the streets without worry. Compared to the desolate streets of the shelter, this place was like heaven. This also made him admire Arlan even more. "No wonder you are willing to work for him." He mumbled while looking at the commanding general who was seated in the front seat.
Lieutenant General Rivera seemed to have understood his words, but he just chuckled.
After a ten-minute ride, they arrived in front of a two-story mansion. It was a luxury in this apocalyptic world.
"Mr. President, this residence is yours from now on. You can come here whenever you want. If you want to bring people to the city, just inform me to save some trouble of registering by yourself." The commanding general said as he brought the acting president to his residence.
"Alright. Thank you for bringing me here." Manuel Chavez smiled.
Lieutenant General Rivera grabbed something from his pocket and handed it to the acting president. "Here's the key to your residence. Use this device if you need something." He handed him a key and a communication device. The internet was still working and there was also a signal in some networks, but they would soon be gone.
Manuel Chavez accepted the items. "Please convey my thanks to Mr. Roa."
The commanding general nodded his head. "I will take my leave now, Mr. President. Just call me through the device if you need anything."
"Alright. Take care."
"You too."
Looking at the car leave, Manuel Chavez turned his gaze to the key and the communication device. He then headed inside the mansion with a faint smile on his face.
Meanwhile, Arlan received the commanding general's report that the acting president was already sent to his residence. "With the acting president's promise, the lack of talents in the territory will soon be solved. Now, we just need to gather more zombie corpses for our research." He said while walking towards his room. He still had to entertain the acting president tomorrow so it was necessary to have some rest.
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