Chapter 16: The Dead Frontier (8)
"*Ahem* Now where?"
"Well, we are behind Old Hank's house and well he is already here so maybe we can check his house?"
Glen wasn't an idiot so he understood that the zombie lying on the ground with a plank nailed to his head was a native of this town and he was the owner of the house in front of them.
"Is he rich? Does he have a lot of money?"
"Money? Why do you want that useless paper?" Ezekiel was confused by Glen's weird question.
Money had lost its value long ago since people didn't even know whether the government survived or not. So with no government guarantee, money just became a useless piece of paper.
If Glen had not lived his life in the wilds for the last two years like a savage, he would be aware of this as well.
"What do you mean? Why is money useless?" When Ezekiel pointed out that money was useless Glen instantly felt something ominous. Thinking about it, he had found a lot of money in the villages he had looted in the past. He already had close to 10 thousand pestas (equivalent of dollars in this world). By modern world standards, he would be like a millionaire considering how cheap things were at this period.
Still, he kept on gathering money because he thought just 10k might not be enough to buy a ticket to the empire. Also, he didn't even know where there was a coastal city that still had boats coming and going from.
"How should I know? Only thing I know is, after the devils started attacking people stopped using money and instead traded with other goods, like tobacco, food and bullets. Though some bullets are more expensive than the others. Like 10 pistol bullets are equal to 1 shotgun bullet and 10 shotgun bullets are equal 10 rifle bullets" Ezekiel explained despite the confusion he felt. Did this big shot, possibly, did not know about this? But for him, this was common sense so he couldn't even imagine a world where someone like Glen wouldn't even know such a thing.
Our dear main character, on the other hand, was having an internal crisis. Of course, how could he be so dumb!? With the collapse of the government, the money lost its guarantee so it just became a useless sheet of paper. He should have just collected some gold instead! Now, they would never lose their value.
Sure maybe people on this continent might not like the gold but at least it would have been useful once he crossed over the continent, unlike the now useless pestas!!
Goddammit!
How could he be so dumb!?
Like literally!
He even read countless zombie apocalypse novels. Granted they were written by chinese so most of the time there was racist stuff inside with brain-dead villains but at least they would provide an accurate description of life in apocalypse.
People would always be depressed. There would be a lot of r*pists walking around for MC to face slap. Which would make sense since they are about to die and there are no governments to hold them accountable. Lastly, they would usually trade in cigarette packs and food. There were even ones that traded with bullets just like what Ezekiel said.
The reason Glen had made such a silly mistake was, to be perfectly fair, he had never imagined the dollar would lose its value even in an apocalypse. I mean even in zombie movies the USA always find a way to rebuild itself. Be it from secret government shelters or escaping to space.
However, what he didn't account for was the fact that this was the past. He didn't know the exact history of this world because he didn't go to school, (don't judge him, everyone spoke english and he already knew how to read and write so he thought it would be a waste of time), but if he is not wrong it's been about eighty years since this world's USA (United States of Albrecht) gained independence.
So they were not the super country he remembered from his previous world. They were still upstarts who just founded their countries like 3 or 4 generations ago. Even if people were proud of their nation and had a sense of identity. They didn't have the money or technology to protect themselves during the zombie apocalypse.
So to sum up Glen was f*cked.
Well, he should still keep the money. Maybe this version of the USA also found a way to keep their government. In the worst-case scenario, he can use them as emergency toilet papers.
"*Sigh* Okay, lead the way" said Glen after a deep sorrowful sigh.
"Sir, how about we visit Old Hank's house first? He was the town blacksmith so he might have some useful stuff"
"Like bullets!"
"Yeah, he makes the bullets in our town. But he can't keep them. He might still have a secret stash though"
"That's good enough for me"
After finding his gun this time Glen decided to tie it to his hand with a red handkerchief. He didn't want to have a repeat of what happened last time. Though, to be fair, it was the first time such a thing happened to him. He never thought he would be tackled by a zombie.
No wonder, they call it American Football. Even if the game is not invented yet even the zombies have the game ingrained in their DNAs.
***
How can there be nothing!?
Glen was freaking out due to his frustration. He was sure that the old man must have had a secret stash somewhere in his house like Ezekiel said.
Anyone dealing with money always embezzles some of it. This was an unfortunate fact that one needed to accept. Of course, these days or rather back in his previous life they had become so good at it that unless you majored in psychology and got a master's degree on top of that it would be hard for you to even catch a glimpse of their money trail. Not to mention the private accounts at Swiss Banks and the Cayman Islands.
Anyhow, the only thing they found at Old Hank's house was some biscuits. Though they were good rations for an apocalyptic world he was not searching for them.
He was searching for bullets that he can use to kill the zombies... though maybe he should save them. Since you know, they might be used as a currency. Well, at least he was going to save the shotgun and rifles bullets. That was for sure. Pistol bullets were the only thing he needed for taking care of the zombies inside the town.
Feeling frustrated Glen decided to check under Old Hank's bed once again. That was when his hand touched something cold and hard under the mattress.
BINGO!
This might be a secret safe!
Wait... F*CK!!!!!
It was a knife.
Glen pulled out the knife under the bed.
... It was a beautiful knife he had to give Old Hank that.
The knife was a bowie knife.
Now, THIS WAS A KNIFE!
It had beautiful curves and at the edge of the handle, there was a carving of a wolf howling at the moon. It certainly looked cool so he was keeping it.
He still preferred to use his trusty fire iron against zombies but he could use this against humans.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone