Rick and Shane

"You underestimated me, Dr. Castor."

Seeing no more zombies heading their way, Leon returned to the side of the heavy jeep, keeping watch for any ambushes from other directions.

In the passenger seat, Kevira stared at Leon with a peculiar look, surprise flickering across her face.

"You're stronger than I thought. Your strength, reaction speed, and explosive power are beyond what I expected. Ordinary people can't reach this level—you rival top-tier athletes in almost every aspect."

"Even the retired Navy SEAL ace my family hired at a high price can't match you physically."

Leon glanced at Kevira expressionlessly. He didn't mind others knowing he was strong, but the girl's tone carried a sense of superiority, like some clueless keyboard warrior.

"Miss Kevira talks big, but have you forgotten? You're no longer a rich man's daughter. You're a cripple now, and you'll owe me a mountain of debt."

The girl chuckled dismissively at his harsh words, then said, "I'm serious. Your physical fitness is impressive, but your combat technique is still at an amateur level. You should find a real expert to learn from, so you can leverage your strengths instead of just relying on brute force."

"Too bad I can't move right now, or I wouldn't mind teaching you a thing or two."

Leon had already noticed this flaw himself, but he didn't have any true martial arts masters around—almost everyone was self-taught.

"Are you that good at fighting?"

Kevira shook her head. "Physically, I'm no real expert, but my technique is strong."

"Since I was twelve, I've had professional coaches teaching me combat. I have talent, but physical fitness is a key factor. I've never been through real life-or-death training. I can handle ordinary people, and against true experts, I might have an edge early on, but once it comes down to endurance and strength, I'd lose."

"Still, if I land a hit on a vital point in a surprise attack, I can take down almost anyone instantly."

Leon nodded, finding her explanation reasonable. This wasn't a kung fu movie—there was no such thing as someone with a lean build yet possessing the strength and speed of a muscle-bound brute.

Standing around was boring, so Leon kept watch while chatting with Kevira. From her, he learned a lot of things ordinary people never got to know.

This rich girl was the youngest daughter in her family, with many siblings. Her family ran a multinational corporation. She couldn't inherit the business, but she had more money than she could ever spend. She inherited her parents' good genes—smart and talented—but had always been a maverick, drawn to dangerous and thrilling pursuits. Her parents rarely restrained her, so she gradually became who she was.

As they chatted, a figure emerged from behind the truck—Daryl, returning from making noise at the supermarket. He was faster than Leon expected, taking only about twenty minutes.

Leon grabbed a bottle of water and a towel from the jeep's back seat and handed them to Daryl.

"You okay, Daryl?"

Daryl panted lightly, shook his head, took the water and towel, removed his modified motorcycle helmet, and cleaned up briefly.

Once his breathing steadied, Daryl didn't stop to rest but immediately said to Leon, "I'll go help move the guns, Boss."

Leon nodded. Daryl's lack of arrogance and self-importance moved him a little as a boss.

If all his subordinates were like this—willing to fight, work hard, and not count the cost—then ruling the world wouldn't be a problem.

"Go ahead. I'll handle the outside security."

Dusk, just before sunset.

Leon's convoy finally returned to Umbrella Base. The porters from the Logistics Department, who had been notified, were already waiting.

After a quick handover, Leon's little assistant Amy stayed behind to oversee the supplies being stored, while he escorted Mrs. Moretti and the patients to the base's medical room.

The operation had been fruitful. Besides emptying the county hospital of medical equipment and a large quantity of medicine, they had also collected over a hundred rifles and more than three hundred handguns from the gun shop Kevira had provided, along with over twenty thousand rounds of ammunition.

From this alone, Kevira's value was obvious.

According to the girl, King County only had that one legitimate gun shop, while Atlanta had three larger ones. But those were all near the city center, and given the current situation, even without zombies, it would be hard to drive in without clearing the road obstacles.

Leon led the group to the medical room on the first floor of the base.

There were quite a few people inside. Besides two nurses working, Shane and Carl were sitting by Lori, talking softly.

The unlucky woman seemed to have woken up. Her face and chest were wrapped in thick bandages, leaving only her nose and mouth exposed. She looked dejected, like an Egyptian mummy.

Bright, who had been shot, had already left, probably looking for some simple work to earn Contribution Points.

Standing at the door, a sly grin crept onto Leon's face. He shouted at Carl, who was crying softly while holding Lori's hand, "Carl, look who I brought back to see you!"

Carl, still crying, and Shane, with a sorrowful expression, both turned to look at Leon.

They saw Rick lying on a hospital bed beside Leon.

Shane's face shifted dramatically—shock, joy, panic, surprise, nostalgia, and a complex emotion he couldn't name—all frozen on his face. It was like a brilliant play, and Leon felt a flicker of amusement.

Carl's reaction was simpler. The little boy, who had suffered one misfortune after another, widened his eyes, his mouth slightly open. His face turned from sorrow to joy, tears and snot still on it, as he shouted "Dad!" and ran quickly toward Rick beside Leon.

Lori, who had been slumped in despair, seemed stunned by Leon and Carl's shouts. It was a pity her expression was hidden under the bandages. She froze for nearly a minute before calling out Carl and Rick's names, trying to struggle out of bed to feel her way over.

But her limbs were still fractured, and Shane and the nurses, snapping out of it, pushed her back onto the bed.

This wife of Rick's and mother of Carl seemed to fall into a mental fog. She mumbled Shane, Carl, and Rick's names incoherently, unable to form proper words.

The whole medical room fell into a kind of chaos, noisy and bustling for three or four minutes before gradually quieting down.

"You seem pretty happy?"

Kevira, on the other hospital bed, looked at Leon with some curiosity and asked.

"Heartwarming, isn't it? Interesting, too. A family torn apart by disaster, reunited by fate right here in front of me." A faint, unreadable smile tugged at Leon's lips as he glanced at the girl.

"Shouldn't I be happy?"

The girl pursed her lips and muttered softly:

"Your expression doesn't look like you're happy for their reunion. It looks more like you're watching some kind of comedy."

Leon didn't bother responding to Kevira. Instead, he watched as Rick was held by one hand each from Lori and Carl, with Shane crowding around them in a tight circle.

They murmured their own words, softly calling Rick's name, their voices brimming with genuine emotion.

"Cough! Cough! Cough!"

"Where am I?"

It seemed even God was moved by this tender scene. Rick, who should have needed more time to wake, suddenly opened his eyes and coughed.

Leon's eyes narrowed slightly, and the smile at the corner of his mouth widened a little more.

Too interesting.