Welcome Dinner

Umbrella Base, Operating Room No. 1.

Carl sat in low spirits, eating the candy Leon had given him, occasionally glancing up at the two men still talking nearby. He was too young to understand what they were saying. The events of the past month or so had left this little boy, who had just started school, completely at a loss.

"That's how it is."

Leon and Shane sat across from each other. His face was expressionless as he stared at Shane's still somewhat haggard features and said:

"Umbrella Corporation won't help all survivors for free. Either you become our employees, or you leave."

"Of course, out of humanitarian spirit, if you choose to leave, I'll wait a few days until Ms. Lori can move again before carrying out that order."

Seeing the dazed look in Shane's eyes, Leon added flatly:

"I think you should understand—in a world like this, I'm already a very merciful person."

Shane snapped back to reality, glanced at Carl beside him, then at Lori still unconscious on the hospital bed, and said in a hoarse voice:

"Of course, Mr. Castor. Choosing Umbrella Corporation is the wisest decision for me and for everyone."

"I hope to serve you."

A warm smile broke through Leon's otherwise expressionless face. He patted Shane on the shoulder and said:

"Very well, Mr. Shane. Since that's the case, I won't be too stingy either."

"We'll cover 70% of Ms. Lori's medical expenses. The rest will be on you."

"But don't worry—your salary as a combatant is quite generous. Supporting a woman and a child won't be a problem at all."

He stood up, smiled, and patted Carl's cheek, saying:

"Tomorrow, you'll start work along with the other survivors."

"At eight tonight, I'll host a lavish Welcome Dinner for all the employees joining Umbrella Corporation."

"I invite you and Carl to come along. Relax and enjoy yourselves."

Eight o'clock at night, the communal cafeteria.

Outside was a world of despair, danger, and terror; inside was a safe, harmonious, joyful human sanctuary.

After more than ten days of getting to know each other, most of the older employees had grown familiar. Encouraged by a few social butterflies, everyone let down their guard and began to revel in this rare banquet.

Some danced wildly with passion, some embraced and kissed heatedly, some sang at the top of their lungs, some drank heartily and laughed freely.

The joyful atmosphere quickly infected the newcomers who had just joined the company that day.

The children responded first. Forgetting the hardships and struggles of the past month, they gathered in groups, rushed to the tables, and joined the kids who had already been stuffing themselves, picking out their favorite food and drinks, bouncing around and playfully tussling.

The elderly survivors also found their place. They slowly gathered in a corner of the banquet, sitting with the lonely old folks who had survived the Nursing Home, sipping wine and reminiscing about the glorious days of their youth.

The remaining adult men and women caught the mood as well, each finding a group willing to accept them, sharing past experiences, encouraging and praising one another, savoring this rare joy.

Everyone melted into the atmosphere of the banquet. Smiles hung on every face, and even if tears occasionally trickled from the corners of their eyes, deep down they seemed to have found a place of peace.

After giving the usual inspiring speech, Leon sat in his exclusive seat at the head of the table, a glass of champagne in hand, like a king surveying his domain. A smile played on his lips as he propped his head on his right hand and watched the performances below.

With the survivors from the Chemical Plant Camp and the Quarry Camp joining, Umbrella Corporation's staff had expanded to 76 people. Counting the four prisoners meant to be used as labor, the number was exactly 80.

According to preliminary estimates, among these two groups, there were likely three technical personnel for the Engineering Department: old Dale, the auto mechanic from the Quarry Camp; Walter, the high school chemistry teacher from the Chemical Plant Camp; and Jon, the veteran welder from the Chemical Plant Camp.

Adding the technical staff who had joined earlier and the newly recruited High-End Talent, Professor Amrin, the Engineering Department now had ten employees. Although aside from the university professor, the rest were fairly ordinary skilled workers, with proper use they could still produce many decent products.

As for the combat personnel in the Security Department, Leon was pleasantly surprised. Besides Shane, the seasoned county sheriff, four people from the Chemical Plant Camp were willing to fight.

Perhaps having suffered abuse and imprisonment at the hands of the Fire Bull Gang thugs had taught them that in this world, only those who wield weapons can protect themselves and their families.

Two young girls who had endured prolonged assault, along with their vengeful relatives, all chose to fight.

With that, the Security Department now had 16 Warriors, enough to split into two Combat Squads.

As for the Logistics Department employees, aside from nine children under ten, twelve elderly who could barely take care of themselves, and three women handling administrative affairs, the actual able-bodied young adults numbered only 36.

Just as Leon was savoring his champagne and pondering the assets under his command, two smooth, slender arms suddenly wrapped around his neck from behind.

A familiar fragrance lingered at his nose. Amy, her face slightly flushed and her gaze hazy, rubbed her cheek against his stubbled jaw like a kitten.

"Mr. Castor, why do you always look so lonely? Don't just sit here—let's dance together! You can party with everyone too!"

"Everyone respects you, you know. They all want to get close to you."

Hearing the girl's tipsy murmur, Leon reached out, pulled Amy in front of him, and let her lean against his chest.

He stroked her pointed chin like teasing a kitten and said in his deep, mellow voice:

"Too much closeness breeds forgetfulness of fear. Without fear, order cannot be enforced."

"Loneliness is the pass of the strong."

"I enjoy this feeling."

The girl seemed not to fully understand his words, rubbing her face against his chest a few times.

Leon helped Amy up, patted her bottom, and said:

"Go play on your own. I still have things to think about."

Amy nestled against him for a little while longer, then cheerfully joined the lively crowd.

Watching Amy's graceful figure, Leon's thoughts drifted back to business.

Recruitment and construction.

He planned to set up a dedicated recruitment team, composed of Andrea, Glenn, one Warrior, and one logistics staff member. Within the communication range of the Umbrella Base, they would use broadcasts, bulletin boards, and searches to recruit surviving humans.

Within this radius, any situation—whether it be elimination, rescue, capture, or other emergencies—could be swiftly responded to.

This would ensure their safety while also clearing the surrounding area.

The most pressing construction task at the moment was housing renovation.

With the base's population now reaching eighty people, relying on tents or RVs as before was no longer appropriate. More comfortable, private residences were needed to meet the residents' demands.

He decided to allocate all thirty laborers to push this project forward.

In his plan, there would be two tiers of housing.

The first was high-end residences on the second floor of the office building, with sunlight, good air circulation, convenient water and electricity, and a comfortable living environment.

The second was the civilian housing he planned to convert on the second level of the Underground Parking Lot. Other aspects were fine, but the main drawback was its underground location, which made the environment somewhat oppressive.

Just like the work meals provided in the Public Cafeteria, food and housing at the Umbrella Corporation required Contribution Points.

To enjoy better services, one had to pay more Contribution Points.

Take the average logistics staff member earning seven hundred points a week, for example. At present, they only needed to work one week, and their actual wages were already enough to cover their most basic needs for three weeks.

Of course, that was just the bare minimum. If they wanted entertainment or luxury items to enrich their lives, they would have to work harder.