Chapter 77: Rick Is Angry
In the open space of the prison, the sunlight made the gray cement ground appear white.
Rick sat on an overturned metal bucket, a cigarette between his fingers, a long pile of ash he'd forgotten to flick off.
Standing before him were several survivors who had just arrived from Woodbury, their faces still bearing the terror of the previous night. They spoke incoherently, each telling a different version of the story, but the core message was remarkably consistent.
"It's that tall..."
A middle-aged man raised his hand above his head and gestured. "Wearing a black overcoat, bald, and bullets hitting him sounded like they were striking a metal plate."
A woman nearby chimed in, "I saw him slap the iron door so hard it flew off the frame. The whole door was torn off."
Another young man, his neck hunched and his voice trembling, said, "He grabbed Tim's head and just squeezed it—bang! Like he crushed a tomato, and then he threw the body aside like trash."
Rick threw the cigarette butt on the ground and stomped it out.
"Five or six meters tall? Slapping people hundreds of meters away? Can a single finger explode someone's head?"
He stared at the middle-aged man gesturing. "Are you sure you're not telling me about Kentucky Superman?"
The middle-aged man became agitated. "I didn't say five or six meters. I said a little over two meters—about two and a half! And I didn't say he slapped someone hundreds of meters away. I meant he threw them and pinned them to the wall!"
The people around him nodded in agreement.
Rick looked at their terrified faces and swallowed the rest of his words.
These people weren't lying; they really had seen that thing.
He stood up and dusted off his pants.
"Alright, go get your things and settle in. It's safe here."
The crowd dispersed.
Rick stood there, watching their backs, the image still swirling in his mind—invulnerable to swords and bullets, over two meters tall, and strong enough to throw people around.
Where did the Boss find such a thing?
Glenn walked over from the warehouse with his hands in his pockets, his expression strange, as if he wanted to say something but was holding it back.
"The Governor is dead."
He walked up to Rick. "We found him in his house, his head crushed."
He paused for a moment. "He also had many human heads hidden in his house, soaking in fish tanks, and a child named Walker locked in a room."
Rick frowned.
"Where's the stuff?"
"The weapons and food have been stored away, and the heads and Walker have been cremated."
After Glenn finished speaking, he stood there without leaving.
Rick looked at him. "Is there anything else?"
Glenn opened his mouth slightly, then closed it again.
"Fine."
"No..."
Rick stared at him. "Your face says it all."
Glenn was silent for a few seconds, then, as if he had made a great decision, his voice softened. "I want to go see that ranch."
Rick paused for a moment, then laughed.
That girl.
He remembered that day at the farm gate: Glenn standing by the car door, helmet tucked under his arm, mouth slightly open, eyes fixed on the girl on horseback.
He patted Glenn on the shoulder. "That girl is nice, very energetic. Nothing serious is happening here, so you can go every day. Just remember to come back."
Glenn blushed but couldn't suppress the smile tugging at his lips.
"Of course I'm coming back. This is my home."
He said, "Thanks," then turned and ran, his steps so fast it was as if he feared Rick would change his mind.
The sound of a Humvee starting up came from the parking lot, and the engine roared away into the distance.
Rick stood in the open space, watching the dust kicked up by the car, and shook his head with a smile.
Carol walked over from the distribution point, carrying a duffel bag that hadn't been fully distributed yet.
She saw Rick, paused for a moment, then walked toward him.
"Rick..."
She stopped, her voice low. "There's something I don't know if I should say."
"You can say it."
Carol hesitated for a moment.
"Lori was chatting with the new people over there, and she said this place belonged to her."
She paused, carefully choosing her words. "She said that this prison was taken over by you and would be under your control from now on. That it had nothing to do with Umbrella Corporation."
Rick's smile vanished.
Carol quickly added, "I didn't mean to meddle in your family's affairs, but those people just escaped from Woodbury and are still in shock. Hearing her say that made them think this place has nothing to do with Umbrella Corporation anymore. We were all saved by Umbrella Corporation. Without the company and without the Boss, we would have died long ago."
After speaking, she glanced at Rick, then turned and left.
Rick stood still, clenching his fist.
He took a deep breath and walked toward the crowd.
Lori was surrounded by a group of women near the distribution point.
She wore a clean shirt, her hair neatly combed, and she spoke softly, but everyone around her was listening.
"This used to be a prison. The conditions were a bit poor, but it was safe. The walls have been repaired, and there's barbed wire outside. It's much better than those messy places."
Someone asked in a low voice, "Who's in charge here?"
Lori smiled naturally.
"We are. My husband, Rick, is in charge here. If you need anything, just ask him."
The people around nodded. Some breathed sighs of relief, while others began asking about housing and meals.
Lori enjoyed this feeling—being surrounded, being listened to, and being needed.
At the CDC, she was nobody.
Rick was the security captain, Carl was a student, and she was simply "Rick's wife."
This place was different.
This was a new place, a new beginning.
A hand grabbed her arm forcefully and pulled her out of the crowd.
Lori stumbled and nearly fell, then looked up and saw Rick's face.
His expression was cold—so cold that she barely recognized him.
"Rick, what are you doing—"
Rick didn't let go. He turned to face the group of women, who were still stunned.
His voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear. "This prison is an asset of Umbrella Corporation. I am a manager sent by the company, not the owner of this place. You are able to live here, have food to eat, and have a place to sleep because the company is supporting you."
People in the crowd began whispering to each other.
Lori's face burned.
The way the people who had been surrounding her now looked at her had changed.
Some stepped back, while others whispered to the person beside them, "So after all that talk, she's just the manager's wife? I thought this place belonged to her."
T-boy leaned against the wall, arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips.
He had been left out while Lori spoke animatedly and hadn't been able to get a word in edgewise.
Now things had changed.
He coughed twice, walked over, and waved to the group of women. "Come on, let me explain the company's rules. There's a set procedure for allocating housing, receiving supplies, and scheduling work shifts. Don't listen to nonsense."
The women followed him.
T-boy glanced back at Rick, then at Lori, and the smile on his face widened.
Only Rick and Lori remained in the open area.
Lori's face turned bright red, and her lips trembled.
"Why did you have to say that? Wouldn't it have been better if they thought this place was ours? Do you really enjoy being someone else's dog?"
"Smack."
Lori froze completely when Rick's hand struck her.
She covered her face, her eyes filled with disbelief.
This gentle, accommodating man who never spoke harshly to her had hit her.
"Wake up."
Rick's voice trembled, but not from fear. "Umbrella Corporation will not allow us to separate. When you joined the company, did you read the contract? Betraying the company is forbidden, and violators will be dealt with by the company."
Lori's tears streamed down her face. She covered her cheek and took a step back.
"You hit me... you hit me for the sake of this lousy company..."
She turned and ran, her steps hurried, nearly tripping over the pebbles on the ground.
Rick's heart skipped a beat. Lori was pregnant!
Several newcomers looked on curiously before being pulled away by those around them.
Rick stood there, watching her figure disappear into the dormitory area.
He slowly walked back, sat on the overturned iron bucket, rested his hands on his knees, lowered his head, and rubbed his face with both hands.
It felt heavy.
The sun shone on his back, making it feel hot.
In the distance, people moved supplies, talked, and children laughed.
He sat there motionless for a long time.
Glenn's Humvee was long gone.
Carol was busy at the distribution point, finishing the distribution of the last few boxes of supplies.
She glanced up at Rick's back, then lowered her head and continued working.
Suppressed sobs came from Lori's room, but no one knocked on the door.
Outside the wall, the sun slowly set in the west.
And so, the prison's day came to an end.
....
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