The engine of the beat-up pickup truck rumbled, a symphony of coughs and sputters as it strained to carry the weight of the survivors through the ravaged city. The air hung heavy with the stench of decay, a constant reminder of the horrors that had befallen the world. The sun, a pale disc in the hazy sky, offered little warmth, its light casting long, distorted shadows on the cracked asphalt.

Jayden, his face etched with exhaustion, leaned against the window, his gaze fixed on the crumbling cityscape. He was a man of few words, but his eyes, a reflection of his inner turmoil, spoke volumes. He was burdened with the knowledge that he had led them into a perilous situation, a situation that had cost them a comrade.

Kristy, seated beside Jayden, her hand resting on his shoulder, offered a silent gesture of support. She knew that Jayden was struggling with guilt, but she also knew that he was a good man, a man who was driven by a desire to protect his fellow survivors.

Vincent and Liam, huddled together in the back, exchanged nervous glances. They were new to this world, their faces still bearing the shock of the undead attack, their minds struggling to come to terms with the reality of their situation.

Ginet, ever the optimist, tried to lighten the mood.

"So," he said, his voice a touch too high-pitched,

"Binarete Street. What's it like?"

"It's a military checkpoint," the soldier said, his voice flat.

"We should be safe there. At least for a while."

"Anyway, how did you learn to drive a truck?" The soldier asked me

"Just figured it out, manual cars is just.... Shit but I just did my best to learn how to drive it" I replied

I looked at the road in the distance, I started to see sandbags and 3 soldiers standing walking around. The buildings around looks fine and seems in a good shape.

"I think we are here now" I said to the others

The soldiers saw us and halted, one of them raised their arm for us to stop. I stopped as I arrived in front of them.

"Survivors" one of them asked

We nodded

"Any bitten?"

"No"

"Do you have a soldier with you"

"We have one back in the truck" I replied pointing the container

One of them went behind and opened it, I waited.

"What is your name soldier?" I heard their conversation from the back

"Hernandez Xavier"

"Rank?"

"Technical Sergeant, 15th batch vehicle from Great Adam City"

"Can we check all of you for any bites?"

"Okay"

It went silent again, I looked around. It is a big circle park right in front of us and a statue of a national hero probably in the middle. There were other soldiers walking around, people crying, people sleeping. They looked like homeless people. There are also tents around, tents of soldiers and medical tents.

Some medical people are rushing around, carrying the wounded. The soldiers, checking some people.

"Can the 3 of you come out of the vehicle for a check?" One of the soldiers outside asked

We went out of the truck cabin and did a t-pose. They started checking our bodies.

"Clear, you can go back in the cabin again. Say, I saw a big gun with you in the cabin, where did you get that?" The soldier asked

I said the whole story how we got to the gun shop, the soldier teaching us, and how we fend off the undeads.

"That's a whole lot you got through, but I had a bad feeling with Ginet, just make sure to not be with him. We've been receiving signals from the radio, I think it is the soldier with you"

We went back to the truck cabin and waited.

"Clear!" We heard a shout from the back

The soldiers gave us signals that we can enter. I drove and started to look around to park the truck, I saw an open area and parked it there. All of us went out of the truck.

We admire the view of the place, all of the buildings and houses seem fine, and the aroma of the fresh air.

"I don't think I've ever been so relieved to be inside," Kristy said, letting out a long, slow breath.

She leaned against the container of the truck, her eyes closing, the weight of the journey finally lifting from her shoulders.

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"It's a temporary reprieve," Sergeant Hernandez said, his tone a mix of caution and reassurance.

"But it's a reprieve nonetheless. We have to get organized, figure out where we stand with these soldiers."

Ginet, his eyes wide with a mixture of awe and trepidation, looked around the makeshift shelter.

"It's like a whole other world here," he whispered, her voice a mixture of wonder and disbelief. "It's almost normal."

"Can you come with me? I want to talk something with you" sergeant Hernandez said to me

I nodded, I followed him throughout the park. I just followed him, we went passed through the statue. I look at the name for a bit.

"Binarete Vincent"

I continued following and entered a tent, there's armchairs around and a whiteboard in the front.

"Okay kid, I will teach some lessons on how to lead a group like me. We will be separating again since I am a soldier and can't stick around with you and your friends." He said

He took out a 1/4 sheet of paper from his slingbag and gave pieces to me and a pen. He ordered me to sit down and go to the front.

Sergeant Hernandez tapped the whiteboard with his finger, his gaze sweeping over the small tent. It was sparsely furnished, but the air within held a tangible sense of purpose.

"We're going to be separating soon," he said, his voice firm,

"But before we do, I want to give you a crash course in leadership. You've shown initiative and have a natural ability to lead. You've got the fire, Johnny, now you need to learn how to channel it."

He pointed to the sheet of paper he had given me.

"I want you to write down three things that you think are important for a leader to have in this world."

I hesitated for a moment, then began scribbling on the paper.

"Go on," Sergeant Hernandez said, encouraging me.

"Don't overthink it. Write down what comes naturally to you."

I jotted down the first thing that came to mind: Courage.

"Good," Sergeant Hernandez said, nodding.

"Courage is essential. It's the foundation of leadership. But it's not just about rushing into danger headfirst."

He paused, his gaze intense, his voice taking on a more serious tone.

"Courage is about making the hard choices, doing what needs to be done, even when you're afraid."

I added another point to my list: Resourcefulness.

"Excellent," Sergeant Hernandez said.

"In this world, resourcefulness is more valuable than gold. A leader has to know how to use what they have, how to make do with the scraps, how to improvise solutions. It's the difference between surviving and succumbing."

I took a deep breath, considering my final point. Trust.

Sergeant Hernandez's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"Trust?" he asked, his voice laced with curiosity.

"If you want your group to follow you," I said,

"You need to gain their trust. You need to be someone they can rely on, someone who will fight for them, who will protect them, who will do what's right, even when it's hard."

"That's a very insightful thought, Johnny." He said.

"It's more difficult than it seems. Trust is earned, and in this world, trust is a rare commodity.

"Now," Sergeant Hernandez continued,

"Let's talk about tactics. You've got to be able to make quick decisions, to adapt to changing situations. You've seen the horrors of this world, but you need to learn how to be a leader when the world feels like it's falling apart."

He stood up, pacing the tent, his hands clasped behind his back.

"First, you need to know your team. What are their strengths, their weaknesses, their fears? What are their skills, what are their motivations? A leader needs to know how to utilize every individual's strengths and to compensate for their weaknesses."

He walked back to the whiteboard and wrote down the following:

- Know Your Team:

- Strengths

- Weaknesses

- Skills

- Motivations

- Fears

- Trust

"Second, you need to know your environment," Sergeant Hernandez said, writing down the next point.

"What's the terrain like? What's the cover like? What's the weather like? Is there a source of water? What are the possible threats, and how can you exploit them?"

- Know Your Environment:

- Terrain

- Cover

- Weather

- Resources

- Threats

Sergeant Hernandez continued, his voice filled with passion and experience. He talked about strategic thinking, about the importance of communication, about the importance of maintaining morale. He talked about how to make decisions under pressure, how to delegate responsibility, how to inspire hope in the face of despair.

His words, laced with experience and wisdom, sank deep into my mind. I knew that he had a lot to learn, but I was determined to become the leader that my group needed, the leader that Sergeant Hernandez had faith in.

"Alright soldier" Sergeant Hernandez said, his voice firm,

"Now let's talk about some practical matters. You've got to be able to think on your feet. This world doesn't give you time to plan."

He tapped the whiteboard with a chalk-covered finger.

- Know Your Weapons:

- Ammo Capacity

- Range

- Accuracy

- Reloading Time

He pointed to the list on the whiteboard.

"You need to know the strengths and weaknesses of your weapons. How many shots can you get before reloading? How far can you hit a target? How accurate is your aim? You need to understand the limits of your gear so you can use it efficiently."

He glanced at my Farens C102, a gleam of respect in his eyes.

"You've got a powerful weapon there, Johnny, but it's a resource hog. You need to be mindful of ammo conservation, and when to use the right weapon for the job. That's how you survive in this world. It's not just about shooting everything you see."

He paced around the tent, his words coming out with a clipped, urgent rhythm.

"Next up, tactical maneuvers. You've got to be able to move your team around effectively."

- Tactical Maneuvers:

- Formations: Line, Wedge, Circle, Echelon

- Fire and Maneuver: Covering Fire, Flanking

- Recon: Send Out Scouts, Look for Ambushes

"Learn those formations, and practice them with your team. Know when to create a line to hold a position, when to use a wedge to push through a bottleneck, or a circle for defense. Remember, fire and maneuver is key. You don't just stand and shoot, you move, you take cover, you outmaneuver the enemy.

He paused, his gaze piercing.

"And never forget recon. Don't just walk into a situation blind. Send scouts ahead, look for potential ambushes. If you know what to expect, you're less likely to get caught off guard."

"Now," Sergeant Hernandez said, his voice a low growl,

"We're going to talk about something you don't want to hear, but it's crucial to survival. We're going to talk about the ugly side of this world, the things you don't want to think about. I'm going to tell you what the world is like on the other side of the line, the world where your survival depends on trust and loyalty, but betrayal can be the only way to survive."

He paused, his eyes taking on a faraway look.

"We're going to talk about the things that can break a team, about the choices you have to make when you're out there, about the things that make you question your own humanity."

Sergeant Hernandez took a deep breath, his eyes hardening as he faced me.

"The world is full of survivors, Johnny. But not all of them are good. Not all of them have your kind of heart. Some are driven by greed, by fear, by a desperate hunger for power. They are wolves in sheep's clothing. They'll use anyone, anything to get what they want."

He leaned against the whiteboard, his voice a low, gravelly whisper.

"You might find yourself in situations where you have to make choices that go against your morals, choices that you don't want to make. The world is no longer black and white, Johnny. It's shades of gray, and sometimes you have to choose a shade of gray to survive. But that doesn't mean you become one of them. You have to hold onto what makes you a good man, even when it's hard. You have to be strong enough to make those hard choices while staying true to your own compass."

"Take, for example," he said, leaning in closer, his voice dropping to a barely audible murmur,

"A situation where you have to choose between two bad options: Do you betray one group to save another? Or do you sacrifice a few to save the many? These are the kinds of questions that haunt a leader in this world. You have to learn to weigh the consequences of each decision, to understand the cost of survival."

Sergeant Hernandez straightened, his gaze steely.

"It's about knowing your people, knowing the world, and knowing yourself. It's about having the courage to do what you think is right, even if it's not easy, even if it means making choices that will haunt you. Because in this world, even a good man has to make hard choices. That's the harsh reality of survival, Johnny."

"But you can't let that darkness consume you." He took a step closer, his voice low but firm. "Remember, you are a good man. Hold onto that. Don't let the world break you. You have to find ways to stay strong, to stay grounded, to remind yourself why you fight."

"There are things that can help you through the darkest times: Keep your faith, even if you've lost it. Find a purpose, a reason to keep going. Remember the people who depend on you, the people you're fighting for. And hold onto hope. Hope is a powerful thing. Even in the darkest nights, even when it seems like everything is lost, there's always a flicker of hope. It's what keeps us going."

He glanced at my face, his gaze searching.

"These lessons are not easy. They are not meant to be. But they are essential. This world is unforgiving, and those who survive are the ones who are prepared for the worst. You're a good man, Johnny. But you have to be a strong man, too. You have to be ready to make the hard choices. You have to be ready to face the darkness, and to fight for your survival, even when it seems like there's no hope."

He held my gaze for a moment, a silent understanding passing between them.

"But you can do this," he said softly.

He looked at his watch, he took out a paper, write something on it and gave it me. He also took out a badge and gave it me.

"I think that's all for today soldier, the paper I gave to you is a pass for anything around here like a real soldier, you can shooting range. The badge is sergeant badge, I got it from my dead friend from the war 4 years ago. I decided to give it to you to show that you are a sergeant and makes you remember that you are a sergeant, you can go back to your friends now, dismissed"

He did a salute, I saluted it back. I turn like a soldier, I learned this from highschool. I went back to the truck, I found Jayden and the others outside talking. Vincent, Liam, and Ginet are nowhere to be found.

"What happened? And where is he?" Jayden asked

"He teached me some military training, we might never seeing again since he can't stay with us and help the others. I will be leading all of you like a leader and as a sergeant" I replied

Jayden's eyes are full of surprise, the others heard our conversation. They all lined up and saluted.

"Are you all mocking me?" I said

"Sir no sir!" they shouted

"Just do what you want, I don't want to see you guys saluting"

They started laughing, we went inside the truck container and rest.