***

Hours later, in the outpost, the female fighter that went to the airport to check her teammates came back by herself, sad and her armor covered in zombie blood. By the looks of it, she saw her teammates dead in the remains of the airport and had to fight a zombie or two in close combat. The woman walks to a tent and remains there for a while. Some have gone in there, those who knew her, to consult her after this loss.

"Poor girl," Ahmed says to Ri Ku as the two guard the wall after seeing the women walking by. She has just lost three people."

"You know her?" asks Ri Ku curios.

"A bit. Her name is Sandra. She is from the Gorilla Liverpool Squad."

"How many members were in there?"

"Only four, from what a friend of hers told me," he says as he points to a girl who walks inside the tent where the female fighter went. "She is also from the United Kingdom but from another team. I believe it is called Brighton Seagulls Squad or something."

"What weird names they've got."

"Huh?"

"Their team names. They sound like an American sports from a Disney show or movie."

"They are kinda creative, unlike ours, just Shi Huang Squad."

"What's wrong with Shi Huang?"

"Nothing. But what does the name mean?"

"It doesn't mean too much. But this name has been given by Mr. Twenty himself. This name refers to the first Qin Emperor, Shihuangdi, well known for his 8000 life-sized terra-cotta soldiers and the Great Wall of China. If you know history."

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

"I know a bit of Chinese history from school, but not too much because I wasn't interested in school then."

"You were a rebel, I see," Ri Ku looks at Ahmed.

"No. I was too poor to afford to go to school. My parents, five siblings, and I lived in a shack we called home in Egypt. We then decided to migrate from there to Saudi Arabia when my father found a job online as a construction worker. Being there was worse for all of us, you know. Two of my brothers died, my sister was sold to someone by my parents, and my little brother was hit by a car. He was in the wheelchair after the apocalypse."

"Damn… What happened after the apocalypse with them?"

"I don't know. I was never able to contact my family or anyone close to them when the disaster struck the town. I was stuck in the city with a bus for an entire day, and then, after I managed to leave the city, I drove the bus to the nearest dock possible. It took many days, but I made it safe and sound with everyone on that bus. I think none make it out of there."

"I know the feeling," says Ri Ku, then he lies about his past. "My mother and father died a long time ago… I felt this guilt every day, but it wasn't my fault. They died of natural causes. Even if they were to be alive during this whole apocalypse, they couldn't make it."

"I see," says Ahmed, feeling bad for Ri Ku. "We both went through some struggles."

"Just like everyone else, Ahmed."

A few minutes later, the two fighters see their friends Li Kay, Yu Tong, and Xin Yan leaving a tent. All three are carrying an assault rifle and a small backpack. Ri Ku sees them walking toward the gate where they are getting married. Before opening the gate, they ask them to speak in English because the rule is that they should always speak English in an outpost.

"Where are you three going?"

"We're going to check the places nearby," says Xin Yan to Ri Ku.

"By yourselves!" says Ri Ku.

"Yeah. Somachi has granted us access to do this."

"Alright," says Ri Ku, going to the control panel. There, he presses a button that raises the fence, allowing the group of three fighters to leave the garden. Bring me something, too."

"To me as well," says Ahmed to his teammates.

"We will," says Xin Yan to her two teammates.

The three went outside the walls, walking the road they'd taken earlier with the group of forty-seven remaining fighters. Ri Ku and Ahmed were talking while the three were strolling and armed.

"Do you think they'll be safe?"

"They will be," says Ri Ku to Ahmed. "Having doubts?"

"A little. This place ain't like Dicang."

"It isn't. But these three are strong."

"Yeah…"