Apocalyptic World: Surviving with my husband and my cute little babies-Chapter 162: Negotiaton

Actually, the residents covertly patrolled their building and, from a distance, observed Ethan and the others decisively overpowering the thugs in the fight.

They were amazed at how the three defeated the thugs, sending them running frantically.

The thugs had terrorized the surrounding area with their numbers, leaving the residents unable to repel them, so they decided to focus solely on defending their building.

When Ethan and the others reached Building A, a sense of wariness had settled among the residents.

"Who are you? You’re not residents of Building A," one of the patrollers demanded, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Ethan could see that they were more afraid than curious. Some had guns, while others wielded improvised weapons, mostly knives, steel bars, and hard objects.

"No need to fret; we are personnel from Paradise Shop, here to open a new branch," he replied, sounding both mysterious to elevate the shop’s reputation and reassuring to ease their fears.

Hearing this, the residents exchanged glances, excitement flickering in their eyes as they tried to determine whether Ethan was telling the truth.

They had been collectively shopping at Building C, often falling victim to criminals who forcefully took their supplies.

The prospect of a Paradise Shop opening in their building was enticing, offering them a chance to shop safely and regain some control over their situation.

This shop had everything they needed, provided they had an item to exchange and so far, their goods have been well-maintained and of good quality.

Despite the devastation that had swept through the world, the supplies from Paradise Shop remained exceptional, including a variety of meats ranging from pork and chicken to beef—anything one could think of, they had it.

This abundance only added to the shop’s allure and mystery.

"How do we know you’re not scamming us?" one resident challenged, crossing his arms defiantly.

"What could we possibly gain from you that would be worth the time to scheme?" Dr. Paige retorted, his tone sharp as he looked at the wary residents.

If Elena had heard this, she would have definitely laughed at his naivety.

In this new world, human beings had become hot commodities that criminals sought to enslave for their own bidding.

Kidnappings were rampant, and the residents were understandably alarmed, fearing that criminals might pose as Paradise Shop personnel to exploit their vulnerability and kidnap the residents living in the building.

As the residents scrutinized them, Ethan also observed their unity.

They stood together, a tight-knit group that had learned to rely on one another for survival.

He couldn’t help but be intrigued by the police officer who managed this building.

They had established a sense of order amidst the chaos, a feat not easily accomplished in these times.

’The question now was, for how long could they maintain this stability?’

Seeing the residents still unmoved by their explanation, Ethan requested to speak with the police managing the building.

To be honest, Elena and Ethan could open their shop in any location.

However, they faced numerous nuisances, from thugs to criminals eager to take over their supplies.

No matter how many times they showcased the overwhelming strength of the Paradise shop, there were always desperate individuals willing to seize their goods forcefully.

Not minding if they died in the process.

This time, Ethan and Elena decided to let the residents handle the threats while they opened their shop in their building.

This arrangement would create mutual benefits: the residents needed supplies, which Elena and Ethan would provide as long as they had jades and antiques to exchange.

In return, the residents would deal with the nuisance criminals, allowing the Paradise Shop to focus on trading.

"Can we talk to your manager or anyone in charge here?" Ethan asked, wanting to enter the building as the snow accumulated in their spot.

The residents then had a brief discussion, and afterward, they allowed them to enter cautiously.

"Alright! We’ve already notified the manager, so let’s wait in unit 1601."

While waiting, the residents kept asking questions about the supplies for sale at Paradise Shop, and Dr. Paige and Daniel answered them calmly.

"Hey! Uhmm, do you have powdered milk for sale?"

"Yes."

"Can you lower the points needed? Sigh. I don’t have any jade left."

"The prices we set for our products are the lowest we can offer. But don’t worry, we’ll have some promotions when we open our branch here, giving you the opportunity to trade at discounted prices."

"Alright," the residents said excitedly.

Soon, the police officer arrived along with the other resident officers.

He stared intently at the masked, mysterious man, already aware of what they wanted, but the question was whether they were legitimate.

"You said you’re from Paradise Shop? Then prove it. Take off your mask."

Seeing the police officer, Ethan finally understood why this building was so organized.

The man was none other than Jetro, the deputy chief of the West Area police station in City A.

As the Chief of Police in City A, Ethan knew him well. They had communicated frequently while handling various cases.

Fortunately, they wore masks covering their faces, making it difficult to be recognized.

Still, Ethan remained cautious of this man’s keen observation skills.

"Indeed, we are. However, I must decline your request. You know the rules of our shop; we maintain anonymity for our safety."

"This... Would it be too much to ask to know who we are allowing to enter our building?"

"Then there’s no need for this discussion. As I said, we are legitimate members of Paradise Shop," Ethan replied, ready to leave the unit.

Hearing this, the ten core members who run and maintain order within the building began to panic.

"Wait! Just prove that you’re from Paradise Shop personnel, then," Jetro relented, recognizing that the residents needed supplies to survive, and going out every other day would be dangerous with thugs and criminals lurking around.

"Proof? Then, look behind you. A gift from Paradise Shop," Ethan replied mysteriously.

The moment the Golden Tablet tiered up, its skills also upgraded.

The [Inventory] skill, which once could only retrieve items placed directly in front of them, now allows placing the items from specific locations within a two-meter range.

Jetro and the other residents looked behind and saw a loaf of bread and a bottle of fresh juice.

They exclaimed in surprise, "How?"

’It was indeed worthy of being called a mysterious shop.’

However, Ethan did not respond to their inquiry.

"Is this enough proof?"