Humanity's Hope

At the sound of the voice, Dr. Jenner was stunned. After the army and the other Researchers had left one after another, he and his wife hadn't heard anyone else's voice for a whole week.

The voice in the headset did not stop.

"Hello!"

"Is anyone there?"

"I'm Leon Castor."

"I'd like to talk with you."

Dr. Jenner gripped the headset but did not answer. He raised his head and looked at his wife, asking helplessly:

"Melpha, what should we do?"

"Should we respond?"

Dr. Melpha silently approached the Display Screen, bent over, and stared at the figure that had suddenly appeared on it, studying him carefully.

He was in his twenties, around six feet three, with a strong build and handsome features. He wore police riot armor, with a gray-green county police uniform underneath.

He held a modified baseball bat, its surface covered in dense bloodstains.

Melpha's brows tightened as she controlled the cameras and swept her gaze around the plaza in front of the gate.

To her surprise, the seven or eight Zombies that had been wandering around the plaza all this time had already been killed.

Melpha pondered for half a minute, switched on the headset, lowered the volume, and spoke in a husky voice:

"I'm Melpha Pascal, the Research Director of the Atlanta CDC."

"Mr. Leon Castor, may I ask what brings you here?"

Whew, they finally responded. If they hadn't, I would've had no choice but to force my way in after a while.

Leon was secretly relieved. He lifted his head toward the camera and said steadily, one word at a time:

"Good afternoon, Dr. Melpha. I'm Leon Castor."

"I came here to discuss a mutually beneficial partnership with you."

The woman's voice from the loudspeaker fell silent for several seconds before asking without the slightest change in tone:

"A partnership? I'm sorry, Mr. Castor, but I don't quite understand what you mean."

"This is one of the most professional pathogen research institutions in the entire country. There's nothing we can cooperate with you on personally."

Leon's expression did not change. With absolute certainty, he said:

"No, Dr. Melpha. I know very well that you're in desperate need of help."

"The CDC's supplies are severely depleted, aren't they?"

"How long can your food and electricity last?"

"Without outside help, do you really plan to stay inside and wait to die?"

The voice from the loudspeaker fell silent. Only after several dozen seconds did it speak again:

"Mr. Castor, how did you learn this information?"

Leon shook his head.

"That isn't important, Dr. Melpha. But I can tell you."

"On my way to Atlanta, I encountered a Researcher who had escaped. He had been bitten by a Zombie. I never learned his name, but before he died, he told me this information."

The loudspeaker was silent again for a while before the voice finally spoke:

"Let's assume that's true."

"Mr. Castor, you should understand the situation outside better than we do. The CDC does indeed need a large amount of supplies, as well as a long-term, stable source of provisions."

"But with your personal strength, accomplishing that is basically impossible."

"And the CDC is a research institution. Even if we received enough supplies, we couldn't offer you any help outside of pathogen research."

"As I said before, it seems there's nothing we can cooperate on."

Leon gave a short laugh, then reined in his smile and said solemnly:

"That's true. Given the current situation, there's basically nothing you can do for me."

"But I know that the Atlanta CDC may be one of the few pathogen research institutions left in the world."

"If this place is lost as well, humanity may never be able to defeat the Zombie Virus."

"I'll do everything I can to establish a settlement in Atlanta and gather the good people struggling to survive this disaster."

"We'll work together, support one another, defeat those damn Zombies, rebuild our homes, and protect humanity's hope."

Leon's gaze was resolute as he stared at the camera, as if he could see the people on the other side through the lens.

"Dr. Melpha, are you willing to believe me?"

"To become my companion."

"Are you willing to take a chance for humanity's future?"

This is my goal as well.

The woman's voice from the loudspeaker remained silent for nearly a minute before she finally spoke hoarsely:

"That's a truly grand idea."

"Mr. Leon Castor, we can't simply place our complete faith in your words."

"But, as you said, for the sake of humanity's future, I'm willing to try."

With a series of metallic clicks, the armored gate slowly began to open.

"Come in, Mr. Castor. We'll discuss this partnership of yours in detail."

Dr. Melpha was probably in her forties. She had ordinary features and a serious expression. What left the deepest impression were her profound, vivid, pale-blue eyes.

After Leon entered the Atlanta CDC, this capable and astute Research Director held nothing back. She gave Leon a detailed explanation of the base's current situation, including its supply reserves, various equipment and machinery, and the progress of its current virus research.

"So what you're most urgently lacking right now are virus samples, followed by the large amount of diesel or Gasoline needed for the generators?"

In the conference room, Leon sat back in a leather chair with his arms folded across his chest, asking solemnly.

"Yes. At present, the base's power supply can last for around thirty days. Because so many Researchers have died or fled, our food and daily necessities are relatively abundant, enough to support around one hundred people for roughly three months."

"And most importantly, we've completely used up all our virus samples."

"Without virus samples, all related research will come to a complete halt."

After speaking, Dr. Melpha tapped the tabletop and said urgently:

"So, Mr. Castor, we need you to obtain new virus samples for us as soon as possible."

"Every minute of delay means the antibody serum will be completed one minute later in the future."

"I know it's extremely dangerous outside, but..."

Leon shook his head indifferently and said sincerely:

"It's all right, Dr. Melpha. That's precisely why I came."

"Don't worry about my safety. I've lived alone in the environment outside for a month and know how to protect myself."

"You only need to tell me how to obtain those samples."

Upon hearing that Leon had survived alone outside for a month, Melpha's expression shifted slightly. Her tone softened as she said:

"Your abilities are admirable, Mr. Castor."

"We currently need four types of virus samples."

"First, blood and DNA from ordinary humans who have survived in the outside environment; second, brain tissue and flesh from active Zombies; third, brain tissue and flesh from dead Zombies."

"And fourth, brain tissue and blood DNA from living humans infected with the Zombie Virus."

Leon frowned and was just about to speak when Dr. Melpha continued:

"Of course, I'm not demanding the fourth type of virus sample. But if conditions permit, I hope you can obtain it for us. It's extremely important to our research into the Zombie Virus."

"The more hosts we have for each type of virus sample, the better. Ideally, no individual type should have fewer than ten."

"These samples need to be replaced every half month."

"This is a long-term task."

"For today's task, you only need to collect samples from the few infected bodies that just died in the plaza."

Leon nodded. This task posed no difficulty for him.

"I'll collect those samples before nightfall."

"Now then, let's discuss my terms."