Chapter 31 — Redeem Puma
Wu Fan sat alone in his office, the dim light of the third floor casting a calm shadow over the room.
In his mind, the Hive Mall system slowly unfolded.
Lines of options appeared before him.
His gaze locked onto one section.
Vehicles
SA330 Cougar Helicopter — 250 points
Below it were pilot skill books.
Basic Pilot Skill Book — 100 points
Intermediate Pilot Skill Book — 200 points
Advanced Pilot Skill Book — 500 points
Wu Fan leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing slightly.
He didn't hesitate for long.
Pilots weren't something he could casually recruit. Even drivers were rare in this world, let alone someone capable of flying a helicopter.
If he relied on others, he would have to wait. If he drove himself, it would be too slow—and far too dangerous in a world full of chaos and walkers.
So there was only one choice.
He would learn it himself.
Without further hesitation, Wu Fan made his decision.
Purchase: Basic Pilot Skill Book.
Purchase: Intermediate Pilot Skill Book.
A total of 300 points vanished instantly.
The moment the transaction was confirmed, a violent wave of information surged into his mind.
His vision blurred slightly.
Rotors. Lift control. Tail balance. Instrument readings. Altitude adjustment. Emergency descent procedures. Hover stabilization.
All of it poured into his brain like a flood breaking through a dam.
It didn't feel like learning.
It felt like remembering something he had always known.
Wu Fan pressed a hand lightly against his temple as the dizziness slowly faded.
After a long moment, he exhaled.
When he opened his eyes again, his gaze had changed.
He understood flight now.
Not in theory—but in practice.
He stood up.
"Red Queen."
The air beside him flickered as the system responded.
A digital figure in red appeared on the interface.
"Yes, Supervisor."
"Where is the helicopter stored?"
"There is an open clearing outside the town perimeter," the AI replied. "A landing platform has been activated and connected to the Hive entrance system. The SA330 Cougar is fully operational."
Wu Fan nodded once.
Everything was ready.
No delays. No hesitation.
He picked up the internal phone and spoke calmly.
"Bring Merle here."
Ten minutes later, the door opened.
Merle Dixon stepped inside.
He looked different now compared to when he first arrived. The messy, wild energy was still there—but now it was controlled. Focused. A man who had found his place in this new world.
He closed the door behind him.
"Boss," he said. "You called?"
"Sit," Wu Fan replied.
Merle pulled out a chair and sat down, only half leaning back, still carrying his usual restless posture.
Wu Fan placed a file on the desk and opened it.
"Ten recruits so far. All civilians."
Merle nodded. "Yeah. No trained soldiers. A few hunters, but that's it."
Wu Fan's expression didn't change.
"It's enough for now," he said. "But keep recruiting."
He paused slightly.
"Only take those who are not afraid to kill. Skills can be trained. Fear cannot."
Merle smirked faintly.
"Got it."
Before anything else could be said, there was a knock on the door.
Amy entered.
"Boss, Rick and the others are here."
"Let them in."
Rick entered first.
Rick Grimes
Shane Walsh
Glenn followed quietly behind them.
All three sat down, waiting.
Merle leaned back slightly, watching them from the corner of his eye.
The atmosphere in the room was calm—but there was always something beneath it. Old tensions. Unspoken competition. Different ways of surviving.
Wu Fan didn't waste time.
"I'm going to Atlanta."
The room immediately went silent.
Shane frowned. "Atlanta? That place is crawling with millions of walkers."
"I know," Wu Fan said evenly. "That's why I'm not going by car."
He spread a map across the table.
It was detailed—streets, marked zones, red circles, unknown locations.
"I suspect there are still refugee camps around Atlanta. National Guard setups. Military bases. Police shelters. Medical teams."
His finger tapped lightly on several points.
"If they're still alive, I want them."
Rick looked at the map for a long moment without speaking.
Glenn blinked. "Boss… you can fly a helicopter?"
Wu Fan didn't answer directly.
Instead, Merle chuckled from the side.
"You heard him. Boss doesn't need explanations."
Wu Fan finally spoke again.
"You three will come with me."
Then he turned slightly.
"Merle stays here."
Merle raised an eyebrow.
Wu Fan continued calmly.
"You will handle recruitment, training, and formation of the second exploration team. This mission is reconnaissance, not war. We need structure behind us."
Merle didn't argue immediately.
He understood the meaning.
This wasn't rejection.
It was responsibility.
A different battlefield.
After a pause, he nodded.
"Fine."
Rick stood up slightly. "We'll be ready by tomorrow."
"Good," Wu Fan said. "We leave first thing in the morning."
That night, the base slowly settled into silence.
One by one, people prepared for the upcoming mission.
In his office, Wu Fan stood by the window.
Outside, the distant outline of Atlanta was barely visible through the haze.
A dead city.
A city full of millions of walkers.
But also…
possibly survivors.
Doctors. Soldiers. Specialists.
People he needed.
Wu Fan exhaled slowly.
"Tomorrow," he said quietly.
And turned away from the window.
The night deepened.
The mission was about to begin.