The street was quiet again.
Only the distant groans of walkers echoed between the abandoned buildings.
Sergeant Cole slowly pushed himself up from the pavement, rubbing his jaw where Alex's strike had landed. The pain was still there, dull but persistent.
Across from him, the teenager stood calmly beside the military truck, adjusting the straps of his backpack as if nothing unusual had happened.
Cole had spent fifteen years in the military.
He had seen combat.
He had seen trained fighters.
But he had never seen someone move like that.
Not even in special forces training.
The other soldiers were still recovering from the short fight.
Jackson sat against the truck tire, shaking his head in disbelief.
"That kid… just dropped all of us."
"Don't remind me," muttered Ramirez while flexing his arm.
Cole looked at Alex again.
The teenager's face remained completely calm. No arrogance. No excitement. Just quiet focus.
That bothered Cole more than anything else.
Finally he walked closer.
"Alright, kid," Cole said slowly. "Let's talk."
Alex didn't look threatened.
He simply watched.
"Where did you learn to fight like that?"
Alex answered without hesitation.
"My family."
Ramirez scoffed.
"What kind of family teaches a kid to dismantle soldiers?"
Alex paused for a moment.
Then he said something that changed the atmosphere instantly.
"The Mercer family."
For a moment no one spoke.
Cole's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Mercer?"
Jackson suddenly straightened.
"Wait— you mean those Mercers?"
Ramirez frowned.
"What Mercers?"
Jackson looked at him.
"The Mercer military line. My father mentioned them once."
Cole nodded slowly.
"They were legendary in command strategy circles. Several generals came from that family."
He looked back at Alex carefully.
"Most people thought the line died out years ago."
Alex's expression didn't change.
"They did."
The soldiers looked confused.
Alex continued calmly.
"I'm the last one."
Silence fell again.
Cole exhaled quietly.
"That explains a lot."
He looked down the street at the scattered walker corpses.
"So you grew up in a military household."
"Yes."
Cole studied him.
"You're what… sixteen? Seventeen?"
"Seventeen."
Ramirez muttered something under his breath.
"Seventeen… damn."
Cole crossed his arms.
"So let me get this straight."
He gestured toward the soldiers.
"You beat four trained soldiers in less than ten seconds."
Alex didn't reply.
Cole sighed.
"Yeah… that sounds about right."
Jackson suddenly laughed quietly.
"Well… I guess the kid wasn't joking about needing a leader."
Cole looked at his squad.
"What do you think?"
Ramirez shrugged.
"Honestly? He saved us."
Jackson nodded.
"And he fights better than any of us."
Cole turned back to Alex.
For a few seconds he studied the teenager carefully.
Then he extended his hand.
"Alright, Mercer."
Alex looked at the hand.
Cole smiled faintly.
"You're in charge."
Ramirez blinked.
"You're serious?"
Cole shrugged.
"He proved his point."
Jackson chuckled.
"I mean… he knocked me down in two seconds. I vote yes."
Alex didn't take the handshake immediately.
Leadership wasn't something he asked for.
But it was something he understood.
His family had taught him that command wasn't about authority.
It was about responsibility.
After a moment, he shook Cole's hand.
"Fine."
Cole nodded.
"Good."
Ramirez stretched his shoulders.
"Well boss… what now?"
Alex looked toward the burning skyline of the city.
The world was collapsing.
And they were standing in the middle of it.
"First," Alex said calmly, "we survive."
Jackson smirked.
"That's a good start."
Alex opened the system interface briefly.
SURVIVAL RESOURCE SYSTEM
Supply Points: 29
Mission Updated
Mission: Build a Survivor Unit
Reward:
Elite Supply Crate
Alex closed the interface again.
The system clearly approved of the new team.
Good.
That meant future rewards would probably increase.
Alex turned toward the soldiers again.
"How much ammunition do we have left?"
Cole checked his vest.
"Two magazines."
Jackson nodded.
"Same."
Ramirez shrugged.
"Three."
Alex thought for a moment.
"Then we conserve ammo."
Cole raised an eyebrow.
"What's the plan?"
Alex pointed toward the north end of the city.
"Resources."
The soldiers looked confused.
Alex had already activated Resource Detection earlier.
Through the system radar he had seen several nearby signals.
Food.
Medical supplies.
Equipment.
The city was full of resources.
But only those strong enough to claim them would survive.
Cole glanced toward the dark street ahead.
"Alright boys."
He picked up his rifle.
"Looks like we're following the kid."
Ramirez sighed.
"Never thought I'd say this but… yeah."
Alex adjusted the knife on his belt.
Then he started walking.
Behind him, four trained soldiers followed without hesitation.
None of them realized it yet.
But the balance of power in the apocalypse had already shifted.
Because the last Mercer had just taken command.