It was clearly unrealistic to rebuild a new Shelter in a short time. Most people hoped to rely on someone else’s Shelter to get through the insect plague, and then establish their own and redevelop after the plague passed.

"Yes, Big Boss Vikram, show us, won’t you? It won’t cost you anything, and it will also solidify your status as a Big Shot in the group, won’t it?"

[Lucas: You see, Big Shot, so many of us are waiting for you. If it’s convenient, Big Shot, would you mind letting us little Survivors see the situation of your Shelter?]

[Vikram: Lucas, did your already not-so-smart dog brain get kicked by a donkey recently?]

[Vikram: Do I need to prove my strength to trash like you?]

[Vikram: Besides receiving praise from a useless person like you, what benefit do I get?]

[Vikram: Instead of slowly putting on a showp6 here, why don’t you just tell me what supplies you’re trying to get your hands on this time?]

[Vikram: Anyway, which member in the group doesn’t know what kind of person you are? If you want to freeload, just say it directly. Why go through such a big roundabout?]

[Vikram: As for those of you following behind Lucas, every single one of you, get lost immediately.]

[Vikram: If Lucas is useless trash, then you are even worse than useless trash.]

[Vikram: If you can’t survive the insect plague, you just wait for others to give you handouts. Do you really think that I and those big factions are fools who need good-for-nothings like you?]

Vikram sat with his legs crossed, smiling as he edited one string of insults after another.

He showed absolutely no mercy to these people, even to a Survivor who had only echoed a single sentence; he cursed them all the same.

To him, these people were like dogs, only approaching when there was profit to share. Other times, what help could they be besides playing dead?

Vikram felt no burden in insulting them like this. Anyway, these words were only directed at that group of people; those not mentioned naturally wouldn’t care.

And those who were cursed were rotten people to begin with, so Vikram had even less reason to hold back.

As expected, once these words were spoken, the group chat immediately erupted with a barrage of verbal attacks against Vikram.

"This is truly an animal! We used to respect you as a big shot when you were willing to share your methods for growing crops. Now, even if you don’t help, we haven’t said anything, so why are you cursing us like this?"

"Big shot, huh? I’ve been saying it for a long time; everyone in this group, one by one, is on the same level. His previous farming techniques were probably just trash found in some supply box."

"If it were me, I could make up stuff like that myself. If that’s enough to be called a big shot, then I could be Vikram’s father."

Vikram didn’t care much, watching the screen-filling insults in the group chat.

Now, he was enjoying a warm room and never-ending food and drink in his Shelter; he had all the time in the world to argue with them.

As for those people, if nothing unexpected happened, they should all be wandering among the ruins, wondering how to get through the night.

Taking time to curse now would only hasten their demise, with no benefits whatsoever.

Thinking of this, Vikram suddenly felt a bit playful.

[Vikram: Hey, aren’t you guys just looking for a place to temporarily take refuge?]

[Vikram: I can’t accommodate big shots like you, but isn’t your Lucas, Big Shot Lucas, very generous?]

[Vikram: Didn’t he say his Shelter wasn’t affected? So why don’t you go find him instead? Why waste your breath on me here?]

Vikram’s three consecutive questions instantly stunned them.

Yes, it was clear Vikram had no intention of taking them in. Wasting time would only lead to their deaths, not Vikram’s.

After this hint, the members who had just been condemning Vikram all turned their attention to Lucas.

"Big Shot Lucas, you wouldn’t despise us like that dog Vikram, would you?"

"Since your Shelter wasn’t affected, how about we come to your Shelter?"

"Don’t mind that our own shelters couldn’t withstand the insect plague, but our individual strength isn’t bad; otherwise, we wouldn’t still be alive."

"As long as you’re willing to temporarily take us in, not only will you get the resources we carry, but your Shelter will also gain several more combatants, wouldn’t you say?"

Not a few people were saying this; at least a quarter of the group was asking Lucas.

Even though the number of people wasn’t large, each of them basically represented a small to medium-sized force, with at least ten people under their command.

If all of them were included, Lucas’s Shelter would have to take in at least a hundred people at once.

With that many people, let alone him not being a true big shot, even the Savage Wolf Shelter didn’t have that many people before.

"Hahahaha!"

On the sofa, Vikram couldn’t help but laugh out loud, seeing how easily these Survivors were fooled.

"These people are truly incredibly stupid."

—

Meanwhile, at Lucas’s Oasis Shelter.

Their Shelter had a total of thirty-something people, which was actually pretty good; at least it had the ability to withstand basic risks.

However, this Fourth Disaster was no basic risk. The invasion and destructive capabilities of the insects were simply incomparable to previous weather disasters and zombies.

At least zombies only ate flesh and blood and wouldn’t climb or consume various structures.

But these disaster insects were terrifying entities that spared neither stone nor metal.

His Shelter was merely a convenience store in a remote location.

That’s right, Lucas’s Oasis Shelter was built entirely relying on a small resource point.

Although the exterior of the convenience store was covered with a lot of metal, which must have taken a lot of effort to build, it was still riddled with holes at this moment.

Bite marks from insects and traces of corrosion from insect venom were everywhere.

"It’s no good, Boss. Our Shelter can only hold out for two more nights at most."

"If we don’t reinforce it or find another solution, in two days, we’ll end up just like those people in the group chat."

He was naturally referring to the small group Vikram was in. Those people in the group had no idea that Lucas’s Shelter couldn’t withstand the insect invasion at all.

At this moment, they were still asking Lucas if they could enter his Shelter for refuge.

"Damn it!"

"Why is this kid so cautious? All I want is a picture or video of his Shelter’s current state; why is it so difficult?"

Lucas ignored his subordinate’s message and punched the wall hard.

The already unstable wall immediately shed a handful of dust, and an insect fell out of a crack in the wall.

It quickly burrowed back into the pile of stones.

Just then, the subordinate beside him suddenly said, "Boss, if you ask me, we should still find an opportunity to look for another way out. I don’t think relying on others is reliable."

Lucas didn’t even think before scolding him, "Shut up! What’s the point of saying that now? We already agreed that as long as we could get information about Vikram’s Territory, that person would be willing to help us seize Vikram’s Territory."

"Do you think that person is someone you can just fool around with? If we don’t help him figure out the situation of Vikram’s Territory, not only will we not get any benefits, but we might even be killed by him!"

The subordinate’s heart tightened, "Boss, is that guy really that terrifying?"

"Do you think? He even said he came from a large force in the center of the Wasteland. How can we compare, being from a small, out-of-the-way force like ours?"

"I estimate that even the strength of the Crimson Desire Shelter’s director is probably no match for him."

Even though East’s region had already undergone several regional mergers due to the shrinking landmass, it was still extremely far from the true center of the Wasteland World.

According to information gradually gathered by Survivors over time, not everyone from Earth had descended into the Wasteland World at the same time.

Instead, the Wasteland World was divided into several major regions, and each region received Earth’s Survivors at different times.

The very first region to receive Survivors was known as the Wasteland Central Area.

It wasn’t called the Central Area because of any official announcement from the Wasteland System, but because it was the birthplace of the very first batch of Earth’s Survivors. Compared to every other region, its population density was unbelievably high. It was said that when people first descended there, they could see other Survivors within a hundred meters in almost every direction.

Unlike Vikram, who hadn’t found another person within a ten-mile radius after arriving, the Survivors in the Central Area had been forced to compete, cooperate, and fight from the very first day.

Those Survivors had arrived two months before Vikram’s group, giving them two full months to develop their Territories before his region even descended.

Naturally, after such a long period of growth, the overall strength of the Central Area far surpassed every other region.

However, this advantage came at a price.

Since they had arrived first, the disasters and monsters they faced also evolved much earlier. Their enemies were far more terrifying than those in later regions, and many powerful Survivors had died before they could fully grow.

Western Region was another major region.

Its Survivors had descended one and a half months before Vikram’s group, giving them roughly one extra month to develop before facing disasters comparable to Vikram’s.

The Northern Region arrived next.

Its Survivors had descended one month before Vikram’s group, giving them only half a month of additional development compared to Vikram’s region.

As for Vikram’s own East region, it was among the last to receive Earth’s Survivors.

Only the Southern Region arrived later.

According to the rumors circulating throughout the Wasteland, the Southern Region’s Survivors had descended half a month after Vikram’s group.

Even more strangely, despite their late arrival, not a single natural disaster had reportedly appeared there so far.

Whether those rumors were true or false, no one could verify.

Because of that mystery, the Southern Region remained the most enigmatic place in the entire Wasteland World.

Hearing Lucas say this, the subordinate beside him no longer dared to harbor any other thoughts.

Let alone a figure like Lilith, even for their medium-sized Shelter, if someone with over fifty points of physique came, they could kill half of their Shelter’s population.

"Then, Boss, that kid won’t take the bait, and we can’t do anything about him. What do we do now?"

Lucas’s face was equally grim; after a moment of contemplation, he lowered his head and sent several messages in the chat channel.

Half a minute later, a look of joy returned to his face, "That person said that as long as we trick Vikram out, he will personally deal with Vikram."

"As for the supplies in Vikram’s Territory, he said he doesn’t need them and we can keep them!"

The subordinate’s eyes widened in surprise, "A big shot from the Wasteland Central Area comes all the way to our remote corner just to kill someone?"

"Boss, the more I hear, the more something feels off."

Lucas was also a bit suspicious, "That’s what he said, but judging by his tone, it doesn’t sound fake. He probably offended someone earlier, and now that person has become a big shot and wants revenge."

"Who cares? We don’t have a choice now. Just find a way to lure that kid out."

"You can manage that, right?"

"That’s easy, leave it to me!"

"Uh... Boss, what about the members in the group who are making a fuss about coming to our Shelter? Should we manage them?"

Lucas scoffed when he heard that, "These brainless pieces of trash, I’m tired of even talking to them. Why would I bother?"

"Later, just randomly send a coordinate in the small group and tell them it’s our Shelter’s location."

"Let them die however they want, preferably far away."

"Understood, Boss!"