Chapter 174

Chapter 174 Cold Hospitality
“Welcome. Ki Camp!”
Welcome, welcome!
The shaky, half–hearted chorus echoed from the crowd, each voice more timid than the last.
Lucas scanned the group standing outside the gates. His brow creased. These people looked worse off than his own camp.
Their clothing was thin–layers of summer and fall clothes hastily thrown on. Some wore three or four pieces, one over another. A few had nothing more than short–sleeved shirts, shivering in the freezing air.
“Why aren’t they inside?” Lucas asked, his tone sharp. “It’s freezing out here.”
Wolfe, the leader of the smaller camp, smiled politely. “Everyone was eager to welcome you. When they heard K1 Camp was visiting, they insisted on waiting out here, cold or not. I didn’t want them to, but they insisted.
“Hah. Eager, or trying to play the sympathy card?” Theresa’s voice cut through the awkward air like a knife. She walked down the steps slowly, arms folded. “Anyone with eyes can see they’ve been standing out here for at least an hour or two. If you really cared, you could’ve lit a fire or let them wait inside. This whole display is just a ploy–make Lucas feel sorry for them, and maybe he’ll hand over more supplies.”
Wolfe’s composed expression twitched. Theresa always had a way of slapping him in the face with her words–blunt, unapologetic, and impossible to ignore.
Was she dense, or doing this on purpose?
He tried to keep his smile in place. “Ms. Hall, these are just the conditions we’re working with. If it looks like I’m putting on a show… well, I can’t exactly argue with that, can I? ”
“Lucas, did you catch that?” Theresa turned toward him without missing a beat. “He’s not even pretending anymore. Now he’s just throwing the problem in your lap. ‘You deal with it. You see how calculating this guy is?”
Wolfe stood frozen. He was furious. Absolutely furious.
This woman was going to drive him insane.
He took a deep breath and forced a more formal tone. “Mr. Keaton, I had no other intentions. We agreed to split supplies fairly–I just want what we’re due. But if you’re willing-”
“Willing to what?” Theresa cut in again. “If you’re just going to keep begging, maybe you’re not cut out to lead a camp. Hand your people over to Lucas and be done with it.”
“Enough!” Wolfe snapped. “Everyone, get back inside!”
He didn’t even bother finishing his carefully planned performance. Just like that, the show was over.
Of course, he wanted to play the pity card.
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Chapter 174 Cold Hospitality
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Lucas was from KI Camp–a big, well–resourced camp. If Wolfe could milk a little extra sympathy, maybe he’d get a few more supplies out of this visit. Especially since he hadn’t gotten any winter gear today, Wolfe had hoped to use this crowd to ask for more.
But now?
Theresa had ruined it. Blasted it to pieces before he could even speak.
She saw right through him–had been doing so for over a decade. Wolfe couldn’t fool her if he tried. 2
The moment he opened his mouth, she already knew what trick he was about to pull. Today, she wasn’t going to let it slide. She wanted him humiliated.
And once again, Theresa came out on top, sending Wolfe retreating with his tail between his legs.
After dismissing the crowd, Wolfe turned back with a strained smile. “Mr. Keaton, I’ve prepared a little food for you. It’s not much–our camp is poor–but I hope you won’t mind.”
“No need,” Lucas replied. “You’re short on supplies. We’ll eat our own rations.” Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by
Theresa wasn’t having it. “Oh, come on. They went through all that trouble–not eating it would be the real waste. If you’re not gonna eat, I will. Where’s the table? I’ll go right now.”
Lucas could only stare, at a complete loss for words.
Wolfe stood frozen, utterly dumbfounded.
She hadn’t lifted a finger to help, but when it came to food, she was front and center.
She really was going to drive Wolfe over the edge.
But with Lucas watching, Wolfe didn’t dare show anger. He clenched his jaw and led them upstairs.
Two banquet tables were set with shocking extravagance: stir–fried ham slices, even alcohol.
Theresa wasted no time. “Kyle, food!” she shouted.
Good food always went to her own people first.
She pulled Kyle over and sat down without ceremony.
Lucas glanced at his team. “Let’s eat a little then.”
“Please, please,” Wolfe said, his smile now painfully forced. “It’s all for you, Mr. Keaton.”
Lucas nodded to his men. “You all go too.”
Graham and the others headed to the second table.
By the time Lucas and one of his officers reached Theresa’s table, most of the smoked ham and cured meat had already been claimed–Theresa and Kyle had divided it up between themselves. All that remained was a pot of vegetable soup and some limp stir–fried greens.
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Chapter 174 Cold Hospitality
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Theresa glanced at them, then stood up and moved toward Graham’s table. “Don’t mind us. We’ll get plenty to eat.”
Lucas remained silent, his expression unreadable.
Wolfe felt hollow, as if all the fire had been drained from him.
Theresa barely touched her own plate. Most of the good food ended up in Kyle’s bowl.