Trading Lifelines

Since Victor was willing to meet, he clearly had an agenda.

He didn't beat around the bush and said bluntly, "Yes. Everything local here is seawater, which originally wasn't drinkable. But two years ago, during the Inferno phase, we ran out of even a drop of fresh water. Ever since the apocalypse, this area has been locked in constant conflict. The higher-level government had no ability to manage