Chapter 116

Wagner watched how Reaz approached Celeste and forced her to her feet. She was equally terrible with kids as Dreadus, as she wasn't hesitant, nice, or very attentive with them. At least Hound didn't snap at her, since it was buried under Celeste and that cloak.

Wagner didn't do a thing; he couldn't. They were Walkers and he was a humble owner of this shop, and these... people were no simpletons. Before him was a team equal if not better than a bunch of Rank 7 Walkers added together. Especially Dreadus was a significant component of the upper-rank society of important Walkers, and Wagner knew him for many years.

They could do whatever they could here. It wasn't about money or class. Wagner respectfully remained aside and let them deal with Celeste as if his shop turned into their free showroom.

Dreadus wanted it this way. He agreed with Reaz on many terms and how to deal with Celeste might not be simple. The clothes were simple. The rest had many steps, and this one was the first.

After all, she might be the worst youth this place had ever witnessed.

However, there were two of them in this shop, albeit only one of them was truly the worst.

“If you need anything, I will be always around,” Wagner said at last and Reaz unapologetically dragged Celeste away.

She hugged Hound and lost that warm cloak that fell to the ground. Dejected and dragged, she watched it leave her with teary eyes.

Dreadus didn't follow. He stayed with Wagner and the siblings before the entrance. “Actually, there are some things that I want to deal with, Wagner. You say how some business isn't ready, but we are still up to some business. Are you still open in that regard, or should I contact Japan or Assembly like usual?” Dreadus said to Wagner and let Celeste shop to Reaz's heart's content.

“I own nothing like that, but if you speak of anything or that, it will be done in days or weeks. I have my ways if you don't want to deal with the Assembly or anyone. As usual, I reckon.”

Dreadus liked this answer and kept talking.

***

Away, William was still curious about these people and didn't know what they talked about. He watched enough. Through his hands went the fifty-fifth pair of shoes. It wasn't his fault. He barely paid them attention, nor was he sure if they were for men or women.

He didn't hear these people, but that laugh and lofty woman was hard to miss. And that girl? That Hound?! That big guy lost his finger because of that dog and didn't miss it.

William was puzzled and kept touching shoes without even trying them out. Wagner forgot about him completely, talking about important business instead.

Shoes like these would be sought out Outside like candy. People were always on the move. It was a fact that the Federation knew as well, and quality clothes or shoes were like a blessing that many took for granted.

William never did. He was satisfied with little what he had and knew that regular goods provided by some deals with the military, merchants from the Federation, or other camps, still occurred Outside. Without that, what would people do? They would be freaking ruffians and wearing old or barely proper clothes. At least, some farming and leather and wool provided natural resources.

He got some insight from Miss Anderson, but it happened far too late, that it wasn't convincing or changing his mind too much. What were a few years to a boy who saw the destruction of many camps and battled for his life Outside for numerous years?

Outside had its ways of gathering food and goods, and... live. Half of it went out of spoils of destruction and survivors, and the rest was either dealing with other people in bad ways or doing business appropriately.

Farmed goods and trading were great ways to do it as well, but bandits weren't uncommon, while proper manners Outside were rarer than common. Camps were proper, thanks to the links to the Federation, so they had many things to offer and also protect.

The military within most camps acted as a proxy to these links as well as defenses. It wasn't always reliable or effective. People weren't loyal forever, and someone or anything could disappear without a trace.

It stemmed from the basics of humanity, even when many people tried to do good. Trading limits and deals were one way to make living possible outside of the camps, or within, but the further it went, the rougher it got. It wasn't about maintaining some order. To remain ignorant and good was a focus of many shortcomings or compromises, or nothing good. Few would bear with it since survival was always the number one priority.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Outside hold bitterness of humanity, as well as slacking hope. They had relations to many terrible things that people endured or caused. Darks didn't have to be in the picture for it to turn nasty. In many ways, they were just different animals.

But if they did move, people might reconcile against something worse than themselves. Against the primal urges and instincts of these beasts, even killers and thieves could become cowards and start working together, or sacrifice one another. Walkers were included in this idea as well.

There were enough of them around the globe that many places had full-fledged military of them, or bandits made out of them. They might be leaders of their respective settlements or lands, living away from the Federation. They might even act against what was proper, or act for their own sake. It wasn't a wrong thing to do. People had to survive and they wanted it badly.

In the Federation, the idea of brutality that was Outside was somewhere between rebels and refugees, or straight-up monsters no different from Darks. There were almost no differences between them depending on their views. Many Walkers thought about them whatever they wanted, and elites did as well, while those grown up in the Federation didn't have much to do with them. Citizens had to act to stay.

William was familiar with all sorts of themes between these topics. Outside often meddled with the Federation because it was the biggest influence in this part of the world. At least where he grew up, he heard of everything. Many didn't want to follow the Federation, which was foolish under many views, or a natural matter of humanity.

William didn't get how it made sense, or he couldn't think of it because he had preferences. Perhaps it was about freedom? How about sticking together and surviving in this hellish world? Why make it more complicated with Darks around?

He never understood some dramas, but he respected the hassle and choice that some people made for their beliefs or others.

There were no wrongs as far as this world went. Losers or winners were always walking on thin ice, while Darks weren't on it at all. They were below in the depths of insanity or flying over the ice to try and do much better than any human could.

Whatever reason they found, lack of care, power, or protection, was the cause of numerous situations. Even though there were Walkers in the camps at all times, what if Walkers fought against Walkers? That sounded wrong, yet it wasn't that rare, unfortunately.

Many outsiders could become jealous and angry at their basic standing in the Federation, which was wonderous, if not better than their imaginations. Hatred grew. Greed rose. A lot of goods were hiding in the camps, looking like treasures, and depending on the location, or Ranks of Walkers, wars or heisting could happen.

William hated dealing with such nonsense, but he had seen them. Most outsider Walkers were rebellious fools. It was a common belief. Many kids out there ended up dead, fewer in the Federation, or some outer forces away from the Federation took them. When William wasn't in the shade, he was his own camp, usually with Dann.

Everyone Outside knew of Walkers and how Outside had its rules and fronts. There were ugly things under many rocks and corners, and not everything and everyone was worth protecting. Safety was subjective.

In any case, children and even young Walker weren't worth mentioning. William knew plenty of people who looked at him with contempt, hope, or jealousy. Sometimes these emotions fused and created terrible faces.

Young Walkers were always open to fuss and grudges since they were useless magnets for Darks, usually held no parents, nor did they have proper power. The same thing didn't occur with the births of Walkers. Those babies could disappear, for it was a wish of their parents, the work of their kidnappers, or places.

Very few details about this were notable in the Federation, which was like a different world under William's gaze. Perhaps people around here didn't know of atrocities happening not so far away across the ocean. But he bet most of them weren't clueless; they just pretended to be fine and do their best for their sake and this place. They had different visions and expectations. Outside was separate. Like a different world.

Citizens assumed the birth of new Walkers to be a very rare and splendid opportunity. It happened regularly thanks to so many people living in the same location, and increasing the population was more than recommended. In camps, that wasn't always the case. Most births followed difficult decisions since no one was sure if the mother would birth a regular baby or a future Walker, and taking care of any baby was a tough choice. That was the same almost everywhere.

In truths hidden by many, Walker babies were regularly bought out by military organizations behind the scenes. In the name of the military, no parents in this harsh world would say no to a payment and rewards that always remained anonymous.

It was a rule of power that had been around for decades because the resources that were Walkers weren't infinite. Thus, normal babies were left behind. Walkers were way too important in their fight in this fucked up world. It wasn't safe to call it fair.

***

William composed himself, rethinking and seeing a lot of interest around him. He was almost overwhelmed with memories and by how unexpectedly this shop looked. The whole Federation felt very different than he imagined, while his own opinions about what he would do almost startled him. If it weren't for the library or talking with some people, he would probably not settle or walk into any shops just because he wasn't used to it.

Seeing the people who just entered caused weird thoughts than having many shoes on hand. Who were those people, what they were talking about, and how did the owner forget about him?

In a way, William was unwilling to steal or do any wrongdoings upon his arrival to the Federation. He learned it wasn't a good thing Outside, so in this place, things must be even worse.