Basement Level 2, inside the Private Apartment.
Ed had Carol bring him hot water. This foul-tempered man soaked his feet and drank white liquor while shouting:
"Damn it, I spent the whole day moving corpses outside. It was filthy and exhausting, yet I earned less than a third of what those people wandering around with guns make."
"That Caster guy is a bastard too. I was the best machine operator in the factory, but here, I can only survive by selling my labor."
"We never should have listened to his honeyed words. We should have looked for another Shelter instead. Maybe then we could have lived better lives."
Ed's voice was loud. Afraid his complaints would reach the ears of the others, Carol walked over and gently advised him:
"Ed, at least we're safe living here. I'll work harder and make our lives better."
Those words seemed to hit a nerve. Ed raised his hand and slapped Carol hard across the face, sending the woman staggering.
"Bastard! Are you looking down on me?"
Even that did not satisfy Ed. He pulled out his belt and lashed his wife again and again. Sophia, who was studying in the room, heard the commotion outside and hurried to her father's side to stop him, but the enraged man shoved her down. Her forehead scraped against the corner of the table, leaving a wound, and she fell to the floor.
That evening, Leon was reading in his office when Amy entered with a grave expression.
"Boss, there's been a murder in the apartment on Basement Level 2."
Leon's expression darkened, and he hurriedly asked:
"Who died? What happened?"
"Ed, an employee of the Logistics Department."
"According to their neighbors, Ed was drunk and abusing his wife, Carol. Their daughter, Sofia, got involved as well. In the end, Carol fought back and accidentally killed her husband."
Hearing that it was this couple, Leon nodded thoughtfully and asked the young secretary:
"How are Carol and Sophia? Are their injuries serious?"
"Neither of them is seriously injured. Mrs. Carol has a minor fracture and multiple bruises. Sophia hit her head and has a mild concussion."
Leon took a sip of hot coffee and continued:
"Since Ed was the one committing domestic violence first, it's understandable. We'll decide how to punish the matter after Carol and Sophia have recovered."
"By the way, has Ed's body been dealt with?"
Amy nodded and walked behind Leon, massaging his shoulders.
"Someone already handled it. All Umbrella Corporation employees have been informed that we'll turn into Zombies after death."
"No one will forget."
At the same time, in the base's Medical Room.
Carol's face was streaked with tears. Enduring the pain in both body and spirit, she gazed at her unconscious daughter on the other bed, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
She had killed her husband with her own hands. It had been self-defense, a moment of impulse, and the result of her fury at her daughter being hurt. Yet at the moment she fought back, it felt as though a shackle inside her heart had been unlocked.
She realized that she had never lacked courage. She had merely been too submissive, forgetting how to resist.
Now, only she and her young daughter remained to depend on each other. No matter what, for the sake of her child and herself, she had to shoulder the responsibility she owed.
Maybe I should live a little more bravely.
At noon the next day, Leon was leisurely playing games as usual when Professor Amrin came over with a grave expression.
"Mr. Castor, our Radio System has detected a Suspicious Signal."
"It's thirty kilometers south of our base, on Interstate Highway 85. It seems to be a communications system built into a vehicle."
"I suspect it's a group of well-equipped survivors. They may have seen our Recruitment Information and be heading toward the base."
Leon's expression also turned solemn.
"How fast are they moving? How long until they reach our base?"
"They aren't moving very fast. At their current speed, they should arrive at our base in about two hours."
Leon nodded and said to Professor Amrin:
"All right, I understand. Go on and attend to your work, Professor."
Time was pressing. As soon as Amrin left, Leon took out the Radio, tuned it to the Security Department channel, and said:
"Merle, Daryl, suspend construction of the wall and bring all the Logistics Department employees back. We have an important mission."
Although the two captains were somewhat puzzled, they immediately replied:
"Understood, Boss. We'll be back right away."
It would take some time for them to finish getting ready. Leon did not wait. He put on his Combat Suit, climbed into a Modified Jeep, and set out first.
After calculating the distance, Leon drove to a hillside twenty kilometers from the base, pulled out his Binoculars, and began observing.
A few minutes later, a convoy gradually appeared in the binoculars. Two Military Trucks led the way, followed by two tanks and several Military Jeeps. At the rear were some ordinary Vans and Sedans.
Through the windows, Leon could see survivors dressed as soldiers and civilians. There were even some elderly people and children.
Seeing this, Leon quietly let out a sigh of relief. A group capable of taking in elderly people and children in times like these had, at the very least, a basic moral boundary.
Such a group probably wasn't a Raider group.
He took out the Radio, tuned it to the right channel, and said:
"Merle, Daryl, set up an ambush at the Interstate Highway 85 intersection five kilometers from our base. I'm coming over to join you."
"Move quickly. We don't have much time."
The Radio immediately replied:
"Yes, Boss. We've already set out. We should reach the ambush point in ten minutes."
After putting down the Radio, Leon took the fastest route to the ambush point.
When he saw that Merle and the others were already in position, he ordered the Warriors to hide beside the road or near the buildings, in places that could not be seen clearly from a distance.
He and the two captains parked three Modified Military Trucks across the road, aiming three heavy machine guns in the direction from which the convoy would come.
About ten minutes later, the convoy led by the Military Trucks gradually appeared in Leon and the others' sight. They also spotted the Modified Trucks blocking the road. Though they slowed down, they continued inching forward.
When the two sides were about one hundred meters apart, the convoy stopped. A middle-aged officer wearing a military cap and covered in stubble climbed down from the truck.
He walked alone toward Leon and the others and shouted:
"I'm Colonel William Hank. I used to serve as the Defense Commander of the Atlanta CDC."
"May I ask if you're with the Umbrella Corporation?"
Leon climbed down from the Military Truck and approached the middle-aged colonel. After looking him over a few times, he said:
"I'm the manager of the Umbrella Corporation, Leon Castor. Colonel William, what brings you here?"
Colonel William studied Leon for more than ten seconds, then extended his right hand and shook Leon's hand, his expression solemn.
"We lost contact with our superiors. Along the way, we also took in some survivors. After hearing that the CDC still existed, I decided to bring my soldiers back here and protect this glimmer of hope for humanity to defeat the virus."
A smile touched the corners of Leon's mouth, but his voice was stern.
"Colonel William, you and your soldiers possess noble character. However, the Atlanta CDC is territory belonging to the Umbrella Corporation. We won't permit members of other organizations to establish themselves nearby."
"Are you and your soldiers willing to join us?"
Before you continue