The CDC's first-floor lobby.
A group of people walked in, looking disheveled.
Eleven students, two elderly people, and several security personnel were assisting them.
The students' clothes were stained with dust and dried blood; some were helping each other, while others limped.
The two elderly people were in an even worse state—
Arthur Hawthorne's glasses had a broken temple, taped together.
Elias Benson was missing one dress shoe, wearing a strange combination of a slipper and a dress shoe, making him the most eye-catching person in the crowd.
Other survivors waiting in the lobby for isolation room assignments saw them and gathered around.
"Oh my, these children..."
"It's okay now, it's okay, you're safe."
Some offered water, some offered towels, and some helped support the students who had difficulty moving.
A middle-aged woman saw the youngest girl still trembling, hugged her, and gently comforted her: "Don't be afraid, it's very safe here, no one will hurt you anymore."
Several older boys took the water cups, their hands still shaking, spilling half the water, but no one urged them on.
An old lady walked over unsteadily and handed her bread to a skinny male student: "Child, eat, don't starve."
The boy looked at the bread in his hand, and his eyes suddenly welled up.
Before the apocalypse, he was a University of Georgia student, trapped in the university refugee camp for over a month, never imagining he would be treated like this again.
The two elderly men stood at the edge of the crowd, watching this scene, and exchanged glances.
When they arrived, they were actually very scared.
They had never heard of the Umbrella Corporation and thought it was some evil organization.
But now, looking at the elderly, children, and ordinary people around, seeing the security personnel in black uniforms being courteous to these refugees, and watching a staff member patiently registering everyone's names—
The two elderly men simultaneously let out a sigh of relief.
This was not that kind of place.
"Gentlemen..."
A staff member walked over: "Please follow me, the isolation area is on the second floor, the stairs are this way—"
"Wait a moment."
Arthur adjusted his crooked glasses: "Is there an elevator? These old bones of mine can't climb stairs anymore."
The staff member paused, then smiled: "Yes, there's an elevator over in the lobby."
He pointed to the corner of the lobby.
The two walked over and pressed the elevator button.
The numbers on the elevator door showed it was on the third basement level.
-3
-2
-1
The elevator doors opened.
Inside stood a woman in her thirties, wearing a white lab coat and holding a stack of documents.
She looked up, saw the two elderly men, first froze, then her eyes widened.
"Dr. Arthur Hawthorne?"
Arthur squinted, examining the woman in front of him. In her thirties, wearing a white lab coat, with the CDC logo, somewhat familiar, but he couldn't recall her name.
"You are?"
The woman—
Candice Jenner—was so excited she almost dropped the documents in her hand.
She stepped out of the elevator, scrutinizing Arthur up and down, unable to believe her eyes.
"It really is you! Oh my, I never thought I'd see you again after the apocalypse!"
Arthur looked bewildered.
Candice realized her gaffe and quickly composed herself, but her voice still carried excitement: "I'm Candice Jenner, a researcher at the CDC. Ten years ago, you gave an academic report at a seminar at the CDC headquarters in Washington, about host adaptive mutations of viral genomes. After your speech, several of us researchers, as representatives from Georgia, gathered around to discuss with you for a long time."
Arthur blinked, trying hard to recall.
"You said our research direction was too conservative..."
Candice continued: "You said that cross-species transmission of viruses isn't a random event, but follows a pattern, and if that pattern could be found, the direction of viral mutation could be predicted. We all agreed with your point of view and invited you to join the CDC, but you said—"
"I said I liked universities and didn't like working in an office."
Arthur finally remembered, a long-lost smile appearing on his face: "Yes, you were that... that young lady! You had just joined the CDC then and asked many questions, which really annoyed your superior."
Candice smiled, her eyes a little moist: "You still remember."
"I remember, I remember."
Arthur sighed with emotion: "I never thought I'd see you here."
Candice looked at Arthur, then at Elias next to him, and asked: "And this is?"
"Elias Benson."
Arthur introduced: "Professor of Ecology at Johns Hopkins University, a wildlife behavior expert. We were both rescued from a refugee camp."
Elias nodded politely.
Candice took a deep breath, trying to calm herself: "Doctors, do you know where this place is?"
Arthur said: "The CDC?"
"It used to be."
Candice shook her head: "Now, this is the Umbrella Corporation's base. We... are all employees of the Umbrella Corporation."
"Umbrella Corporation?"
Arthur frowned.
"A biotechnology company."
Candice explained: "It existed before the apocalypse. They have complete facilities, ample supplies, armed forces, and most importantly—"
She emphasized: "They are fully committed to vaccine research and are recruiting scientific personnel from all over the country to join."
The two elderly men were stunned simultaneously.
"Vaccine?"
Elias spoke for the first time, his voice hoarse: "A vaccine against that virus?"
"Yes."
Candice nodded: "My husband Edwin Jenner, and Dr. Green, and a dozen other researchers are working every day. We are short-staffed, we lack experts—"
She looked at Arthur, her eyes burning.
"Dr. Arthur, you are the person we need most. Human genetics, viral genomics—your research direction is the key to deciphering this virus."
Arthur was silent for a long time.
Then he took a deep breath and said: "I want to meet the person in charge here."
Candice smiled: "You already have."
"Already have?"
Arthur was surprised: "When?"
"The one who rescued you by helicopter."
Candice said: "Wu Fan, the director of the Umbrella Corporation; he personally went to rescue you."
Arthur and Elias exchanged glances, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes.
They thought the helicopter pilot was a military person or some other personnel.
They didn't expect it to be the boss himself.
"He... personally went to rescue old guys like us?"
Elias was somewhat incredulous.
Candice nodded: "He often does that. Last time, he even personally flew to Atlanta to rescue people. All the elderly people in our base were rescued by him or people he sent."
Arthur fell silent.
In the apocalypse, the highest leader of an organization personally flying a helicopter to risk his life to save a group of strangers.
This wasn't just "great personal charisma."
This was genuine kindness.
"Take us to the isolation area then."
Arthur said, his voice a little hoarse: "After the isolation period, I want to meet him. If possible..."
He paused.
"I want to use the last bit of strength in these old bones to help him complete the vaccine."
Elias also nodded: "Me too. I study wildlife behavior and the patterns of disease transmission in natural populations—the behavior patterns of those Walkerss might be helpful."
Candice smiled and led them towards the elevator.
Evening
Third-floor office.
Wu Fan returned, tired, leaned back in his chair, lit a cigarette, and looked out the window.
In the distance, the construction team was working overtime to pour concrete walls.
"Damn it..."
He mumbled to himself: "A city with over a million permanent residents, if not a million, then at least seven hundred thousand Walkerss must have come out of Athens City. In Atlanta, who knows when a large-scale migration will happen."
He remembered the black dots he saw from the helicopter today.
Dense and overwhelming.
If Atlanta's millions of Walkerss also migrated on a large scale, let alone the CDC, the entire state of Georgia would be swept and overrun.
He had to speed up.
He picked up the phone: "Have Jackie come over."
Ten minutes later, Jackie pushed the door open and entered.
She had lost a lot of weight, had heavy dark circles under her eyes, but her spirits were good.
Since taking over the wall planning project, she had been almost constantly at the construction site.
"Boss, you called for me?"
Wu Fan pointed to a chair: "Sit down. How's the wall progress?"
Jackie sat down and opened her notebook: "The foundations for the north and east sides are laid, and concrete pouring is 60% complete. The west side just started, and the south side hasn't moved yet."
"Too slow."
Wu Fan said.
Jackie was taken aback: "Boss, the workers are already on three shifts, and the materials are—"
"I know."
Wu Fan interrupted her: "But time waits for no one."
He stood up, walked to the window, and pointed into the distance: "Today I saw from the helicopter that the Walkerss in Athens City have begun a large-scale migration, hundreds of thousands of them, spreading to the surrounding areas."
Jackie's face changed.
"Atlanta is twice the size of Athens City."
Wu Fan turned to her: "The Walkerss there could crush us into powder. Do you think those workers will care how many hours they work each day then? They'll only care if they can live to see tomorrow's sun."
Jackie was silent for a few seconds.
"I understand."
She stood up: "I'll adjust the schedule. Three shifts will become two shifts, twelve hours each, aiming to complete the main structure within a week."
Wu Fan nodded: "Thank you for your hard work. Go ahead!"
Jackie turned and quickly walked out of the office.
Wu Fan sat back down in his chair, looking at the construction site outside the window.
The sun was setting, and the busy figures cast long shadows in the afterglow.
Was he building a second Raccoon City?
A modern city with walls...