Chapter 33 — Grady Memorial Hospital
Wu Fan gripped the helicopter joystick tightly, his palms slightly sweaty.
This was his first time flying a real helicopter.
Although the skill knowledge in his mind told him exactly what to do—how to adjust the controls, manage lift, and stabilize the aircraft—his body still felt disconnected, like it was borrowing someone else's experience.
"Damn, this feels weird."
Even though he understood everything instinctively, his nerves hadn't fully caught up. His fingers obeyed the training embedded in his mind, but his heart still felt uncertain.
A few minutes later, the discomfort faded as he gradually adapted.
Flying was still flying.
No matter how strange it felt, he had to continue.
Soon, Atlanta appeared ahead.
And beneath it… hell.
From above, the city was completely overrun.
Walkers filled every street like endless waves of gray ants. Roads were invisible under their mass. Intersections, parking lots, alleys—everything was packed with moving corpses.
Rick lowered his binoculars slowly.
"Too many…" he muttered. "Way too many…"
Sean's expression was serious. "At least a million… maybe more. We never knew it was this bad."
Glenn's face had gone pale. He couldn't even speak.
Wu Fan continued lowering the helicopter.
At a lower altitude, they saw survivors.
People were on rooftops, waving desperately, shouting for help.
But Wu Fan didn't stop.
"Shouldn't we save them?" Glenn asked quietly.
"No," Wu Fan replied calmly. "No proper landing zone. No safety. No way to guarantee control."
He didn't say the second reason:
In the apocalypse, saving everyone was impossible.
Only useful survival mattered.
The helicopter continued forward.
Their destination appeared ahead:
Grady Memorial Hospital.
A tall building stood in the heart of the city, surrounded by Walkers.
On the seventh floor, inside a conference room, survivors were arguing.
"We need to leave!" Hansen slammed the table. "We're running out of food!"
Dawn stood near the window, calm but firm.
"Leaving is suicide. Outside is worse."
"We'll die if we stay here!" Hansen argued.
Before the argument could continue—
A sound came from outside.
THUD—THUD—THUD—
A helicopter.
Everyone froze.
"It's a helicopter!"
Hope erupted instantly.
Hansen rushed out first, running to the rooftop.
Others followed.
On the roof, he waved desperately as the helicopter approached.
Inside the aircraft, Rick spotted him.
"There are survivors on the roof. We can land."
Wu Fan looked at the building.
Then nodded.
"Land."
The helicopter descended slowly.
Wind from the rotors shook the rooftop as people struggled to stay standing.
Finally, the helicopter touched down.
The doors opened.
Rick stepped out first, weapon raised.
"Everyone, hands behind your heads. Now."
The survivors froze instantly.
Even though they were police, they had been trapped too long. Fear had taken over.
Hansen raised his hands quickly. "We're police! Atlanta PD!"
Rick didn't lower his weapon.
Then Wu Fan stepped out.
Dressed in a clean suit, completely different from the armed soldiers behind him.
He walked straight to Hansen.
"Hansen."
The man froze.
"Wu… Wu?"
He couldn't believe it.
The lazy junior officer he once knew… now stood here, commanding armed men and a helicopter.
Wu Fan handed him a cigarette.
Hansen took it with shaking hands, lit it, and inhaled deeply.
After a long moment of silence, he finally spoke:
"What the hell happened… how did you get all this?"
Wu Fan exhaled smoke calmly.
"I was never just a police officer."
Hansen frowned.
"I was working undercover," Wu Fan said. "Umbrella Corporation assigned me to the Atlanta Police Department."
The cigarette dropped from Hansen's lips.
"You're… an undercover agent?"
The others froze.
Wu Fan continued without hesitation.
"Right now, the world is collapsing. But Umbrella Corporation is still functioning. We are researching a cure."
He looked around at them.
"We need people. Fighters. Survivors willing to act. If you come with us, you'll have a chance to change things."
Silence.
Then Hansen clenched his fist.
"I'm in."
One by one, the others agreed.
"I'm coming too."
"I've had enough of this hell."
Wu Fan nodded slightly.
"Good. Pack what you can. We leave immediately."
Behind him, Atlanta burned silently under the sky.
And Umbrella Corporation's shadow expanded once again.