The morning light was beautiful as we walked through the market. There were fewer people than yesterday; most had already sold what they needed and were leaving the common ground quickly to avoid paying the daily fees. Still, the place remained lively even in the early hours, with many people continuing to arrive.
The common ground would remain open for two more days before closing until next month. Operating it for more than four days was simply too expensive. The primary reason was the steady decline in visitors, which made an open trade market increasingly unprofitable. Another major cost was security. Nearly 150 temporary guards were hired to patrol the routes, each receiving one meal a day, not including the additional 50 to 60 permanent guards. These expenses added up quickly.
I glanced at Clementine and Molly as they talked while we walked. Eventually, we reached the common ground office, one of the largest cabin houses, where all official meetings were held. Inside, 30 to 40 people had gathered. Every one of them was either an exceptional fighter or possessed a specialized skill, each was there for a reason.
I left Molly and Clementine in the living room with the others, as they were not permitted to enter the meeting room. They had to wait like everyone else. I then went inside, where only the elders and key figures were allowed.
The first people I noticed were the Moonshine Boys, three brothers who had once been famous moonshiners in South Carolina. Despite their name, there were no "boys" among them; all three were nearly fifty years old. The eldest brother was the camp leader of Sweet Home. Their community had survived largely because of the brothers' exceptional hunting and tracking skills. They knew the land and wildlife like the back of their hands, and under their guidance, the community had endured harsh winters with enough food left over to trade.
The eldest brother shook my hand firmly.
"Baby brother, look—a man is here. How are you doing, lad?" he said in a smoky voice.
The brother beside him frowned. "Can you stop with that 'baby brother' nonsense? We're almost fifty years old."
The eldest sneered at them both. "I'll stop when either of you beats me the way this lad did in a drinking contest. Until then, you're stuck with the nickname. I've been calling you that since you were in diapers, I thought you'd be used to it by now."
He laughed heartily as the other two fell silent. The youngest brother, missing a few fingers, muttered under his breath, "How the hell did this boy beat our alcoholic brother?" He was clearly still bitter about last month's incident.
After greeting them, my attention shifted to Nicole, the leader of Copper Camp. In her thirties, she looked harmless at first glance, but she was the most ruthless leader among the four communities. She would do almost anything to survive. Many believed she was a psychopath, someone who thought only in cold, ruthless logic.
Because of her ruthless nature, she had amassed vast supplies by looting other communities and travelers, using forced labor to build an almost impenetrable camp before winter even began. That was how they survived. It would not be wrong to say they were the most heavily protected community of all.
"It was nice meeting you again, Max Walker. I heard you became the leader of this community." Her eyes assessed me carefully.
"Just a temporary one," I replied casually, unwilling to give her any information she could use against me.
"Where's Clementine?" she asked, holding up a condom. "She asked me to bring this. Is it okay if I give it to you?"
I froze, staring at the condom in her hand. Then her hand landed on my shoulder, I only realized it when I felt the pressure. She smiled and said softly, "Clementine is a big weakness of yours. Make sure others don't use it."
For a moment, I nearly reached for my sword to cut her down right there. I forced myself to stop.
"Thank you," I said, taking the condom and slipping it into my pocket.
"You're welcome. Take care," she replied gently, turning to speak with her right-hand man.
Finally, Robert and Daniel arrived, along with the leader of the Frozen Lake community. He was in his thirties, a former drill sergeant. His community was the smallest, only around twenty people, compared to Common Ground's two hundred but all of them were military-trained soldiers. They had the highest-quality guards and often acted like mercenaries, taking on various missions to survive this long.
Now, all four community leaders gathered around the large round table. The drill sergeant spread a map across its surface.
"According to the latest report, the undead have reached nearly twenty thousand. We need to break this group apart as quickly as possible. I have a plan, but I'll need your cooperation. If anyone has objections, say them after you hear it."
He spoke confidently as he explained his strategy for dispersing the horde. After nearly half an hour, he stopped and looked around, waiting for a response. Among us, he was the best strategist. No one doubted his ability, yet everyone remained cautious. In the end, they agreed to the plan and began discussing details with their people.
I went back to Clementine, who was talking with Molly and Michonne, I quietly pulled her aside.
"Nicole gave me this," I said, handing it to her.
She looked confused at first, but the moment she realized what it was, her face turned bright red. She let out a small shriek and quickly stuffed it into her pocket, "Stop, looking!" But I did not stop, she covered her face with her hands, unable to look at me. Then she ran back to Molly, almost hiding behind her.
Seeing her like that, I couldn't help but smile. We had never gone beyond kissing and holding hands, both of us were afraid of having children. Because of that, we had always held back. Now, though, I didn't know what to say.