CDC Rooftop
Morning sunlight spilled onto the concrete, dispelling the night's chill.
In the distance, the Atlanta skyline was still shrouded in faint smoke, with sporadic gunfire occasionally drifting on the wind—the last struggles of survivors still resisting, or those already in despair.
Wu Fan leaned against a water tank on the roof, looking at the five people standing in a row before him.
Fully armed.
Black tactical gear, bulletproof vests, helmets, knee pads, and elbow pads.
Every piece of equipment was emblazoned with a striking red logo—the umbrella of the Umbrella Corporation.
U.S.S., Quick Biochemical Response Team.
Although it was just a name, wearing it on their bodies, it actually felt like something.
"From today on, you are security personnel for the Umbrella Corporation."
Wu Fan's voice was not loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the morning silence: "I don't expect you to become special forces soldiers, but you must master the most basic survival skills."
The five people stood straight, eyes fixed on him.
From left to right: Brock, the bald, burly man, forty years old, formerly a construction worker, strong and bold.
Marcus, twenty-three, just graduated from community college, had worked odd jobs, and was very fast.
Dylan and Kyle, a pair of cousins, in their early twenties, had worked on a family farm and knew how to use guns.
And Sandra, thirty-two, a female veteran who had served in the National Guard, the only one of the five with military experience.
"Guns must be practiced well."
Wu Fan picked up an M4, checked it, and handed it to them: "But having a gun isn't enough."
He put down the gun and drew a machete from his waist.
This was something he had found at an outdoor supply store, sixty centimeters long, sharpened, and gleaming coldly in the sunlight.
"Bullets will run out, guns will malfunction, when they jam, when you're out of ammo—"
He waved the machete: "This thing is your only hope for survival."
The five people looked at the blade, their expressions serious.
"The weakness of a Walker is its head."
Wu Fan continued: "No matter how you hit their bodies, as long as you don't hit the head, they won't fall. So, when shooting, aim for the head. In close combat, decapitate them. After confirming the kill—"
He paused.
"Finish them off."
"No matter if you see a Walker lying on the ground that you shot or not, as long as it hasn't been headshot, you must finish it off with a blade, because you never know when it will suddenly jump up and bite you."
Brock nodded: "Understood, Boss."
"Good."
Wu Fan pointed to the row of weapons beside him: "Pick what you're comfortable with. Handguns, rifles, shotguns, they're all here. Put on the silencers too—too much noise will attract more."
The five people walked over and began to choose their weapons.
Sandra skillfully picked up an M4, checked the bolt, pulled the charging handle a few times, and nodded with satisfaction.
Brock chose a shotgun, feeling that it packed a punch, and picked up a handgun as well.
Marcus picked an AR-15 with a scope, Dylan and Kyle each took an M4, and also brought extra handguns.
"Attach the silencers."
Wu Fan reminded them.
Five minutes later, everything was ready.
Wu Fan walked to the edge of the roof and looked down.
In the open space around the CDC, dozens of Walkers were wandering.
They had been attracted by the previous gunfire and the crowds, and were now wandering aimlessly downstairs.
There were also some lying in the distance—those killed by the military earlier but not headshot; occasionally, one could see a legless one crawling on the ground.
"See that one in the blue clothes?"
Wu Fan pointed to a Walker about fifty meters away: "Brock, you go."
Brock raised his handgun and aimed.
Bang—the silencer turned the gunshot into a muffled thud, like the sound of beating a carpet.
A hole exploded in the Walker's chest, but it only swayed, turned around, and continued to walk toward this side.
"Aim for the head."
Wu Fan said.
Brock aimed again.
Bang.
This shot hit the head squarely.
The Walker collapsed to the ground as if its bones had been pulled out.
[Walker kill + 1, points + 10]
A prompt popped up in Wu Fan's mind.
He smiled slightly.
Next, the five people took turns shooting.
The muffled sounds of the silencers rose and fell, and the Walkers downstairs fell one by one.
Occasionally, when someone missed, their teammates would immediately finish it off.
Wu Fan leaned against the water tank and opened the system panel.
[Current points: 2470]
[Redeemable items: Basic Medical Kit (50 points), M4 Magazine (30 points), Military Rations (20 points), Drinking Water (10 points/liter)...]
[Employee Loyalty: Brock 97%, Sandra 96%, Marcus 93%, Dylan 92%, Kyle 91%]
[Suggestion: Continue to improve loyalty to unlock more employee benefits]
Wu Fan closed the panel, looking at the fallen Walkers downstairs, feeling pretty good.
Points were rising, employees were training, everything was going according to plan.
But it still wasn't enough.
Five people were too few.
Security needed people, logistics needed people, and in the future, exploring for supplies and establishing outposts would all need people.
He had to recruit more.
"Stop."
Wu Fan called a halt to the shooting.
The five people lowered their guns and looked at him.
"Good practice."
Wu Fan nodded: "Starting tomorrow, go out in groups to sweep. Remember, safety first. Don't be greedy. If you encounter a large group of Walkers, retreat immediately."
"Understood!"
"Go down and rest now."
The five people carried their guns and walked into the stairwell.
Wu Fan stood on the roof, looking at Atlanta in the distance, lost in thought.
He remembered a place in the show.
The quarry.
That guy Shane had a group of survivors holed up there.
There were old and young, labor, and dead weight.
But regardless, it was ready-made human resources.
If he could recruit them...
Wu Fan turned and went downstairs.
B1 Laboratory.
The elevator doors opened, and the smell of disinfectant rushed over him. Wu Fan walked through the corridor and into the experimental area.
Several researchers in white coats were surrounding a transparent isolation chamber.
Inside the chamber, a Walker was tied to a metal bed, covered in electrodes, with a scanner on its head.
"The Boss is here."
Someone reminded.
The researchers turned around and nodded in greeting: "Boss."
Wu Fan waved his hand and walked to the isolation chamber.
The Walker sensed the presence of a living person and began to struggle.
It opened its mouth, letting out a low hiss, its teeth clattering against the metal bed.
"How is the situation?"
Dr. Jenner walked over, holding a stack of data: "Incredible, Boss."
He pointed to the image on the scanner: "Look, this is a brain CT. Its cerebral cortex is completely necrotic, but areas of the brainstem and cerebellum are still active, especially the areas controlling basic motor functions and instinctive reactions."
Wu Fan leaned in to look.
On the screen, the Walker's brain did indeed have some bright spots, like candle flames remaining in the dark.
"So, their brains are still active?"
"To be precise, the virus is in control."
Edwin adjusted his glasses: "The virus invades the central nervous system, replacing part of the brain function. It can maintain basic motor functions, sensory abilities—mainly the perception of living things—and the most primitive hunger drive, but higher cognitive functions are completely lost. Memory, emotions, logical thinking, all are gone."
Dr. Green on the side added: "The research direction of Project Wildfire was to make the virus attack only specific populations, like enemy troops, but the experiment went wrong. The virus mutated, becoming what we see now."
"Can it be cured?"
Dr. Green was silent for a few seconds and shook his head: "It's difficult. The virus has integrated with the host's nervous system. Killing the virus will also kill the host, unless it's in the early stages of infection, before the virus has spread to the brain, I can research a vaccine to resist this viral invasion..."
Wu Fan nodded.
It was just as he thought.
In the original work, Edwin had already researched a vaccine method, and was just a step away from developing it, but the CDC had no energy to maintain his research, and the self-destruction took the vaccine method to talk to God.
"Continue the research."
He said: "No matter what, a vaccine or treatment method is our hope for survival."
"Understood, Boss."
Wu Fan was about to turn and leave when he suddenly remembered something: "By the way, the weakness of a Walker is the brain, right?"
Edwin was stunned: "How did you know?"
"I guessed."
Wu Fan smiled: "You guys continue."
He walked out of the laboratory, and that prompt sounded in his mind again.
[Research progress: Walker neural activity mechanism research 10% complete]
[Suggestion: Continue to invest resources to accelerate research progress]
Wu Fan ignored it and walked into the elevator.
One week later.
On the roof, the five people stood in a row, each holding a gun, their expressions much calmer than a week ago.
"This week, each of you has taken out at least a hundred Walkers."
Wu Fan looked at them: "Your marksmanship has improved, although it doesn't compare to regular troops, at least you can hit the head."
A little pride appeared on the faces of the five.
"But remember, this is just the beginning."
Wu Fan changed the subject: "Marksmanship is just the foundation. Courage, adaptability, and teamwork are the keys to survival."
He pointed to the black armored vehicle parked downstairs.
It was a modified military armored vehicle, entirely black, with the striking red Umbrella logo on the side, bulletproof glass, reinforced body, and a remote-controlled machine gun on the roof—although it had no ammunition, it looked intimidating.
"Today, we're going out."
Brock's eyes lit up: "Boss, where to?"
"Near Atlanta."
Wu Fan opened the door of the armored vehicle: "The quarry."
"The quarry?"
Sandra frowned: "What's there?"
Wu Fan sat in the driver's seat and started the engine.
"People."
He said: "A group of living people."
The armored vehicle roared out of the CDC gate.
The Walkers downstairs were attracted by the sound and shambled after them, but were soon left behind.
Wu Fan gripped the steering wheel, recalling the plot from the show.
Shane Walsh, Rick's good partner, who later became enemies because of Lori.
He took a group of survivors and hid in the quarry, with old and young, men and women.
Wu Fan stepped on the accelerator, and the armored vehicle accelerated toward Atlanta.
Behind him, the CDC was getting further and further away.
Ahead, unknown survivors awaited him to recruit them.