TWP 12: Major Kay

“Knock knock,” the car window was knocked, and the soldiers stationed outside of Gowei City instructed the guards in the back seat and Cole to get out first.

Cole was tall, and as he got out of the car, it was as if he had finally been released, stretching his long legs and body, looking like a tourist visiting Gowei City.

“Clack clack,” two soldiers with rifles pointed their guns at his head, while two of Reid’s guards pulled on the handcuffs around his wrists with chains.

Cole had been stretching his arms but had to stop, his gaze fixed ahead, hands obediently raised high.

Lin You got out of the car, and a high-ranking officer in uniform approached him, flanked by two soldiers who seemed to be subordinates based on their ranks and positions.

“Mr. Lin You.” The leading officer was a woman with short, sharp hair, her features delicate and refined, and she saluted with a serious expression that gave her a certain elegance.

“Hello, I am Major Kay Williams, responsible for the safety of you and the rest of Reid’s personnel entering and exiting Gowei City. Before entering the fortress, we need your cooperation for a security check. Personal weapons are prohibited here, I hope you understand.”

Lin You proactively handed her the gun he had at his waist. “Not even a self-defense weapon is allowed?”

Kay took the gun and handed it to the soldier behind her. “Please trust that we can protect your personal safety. I apologize for the inconvenience.”

After saying this, she leaned closer to Lin You, carefully searching his arms for any signs of weapons.

Her gloved hands quickly checked Lin You’s raised hands, then moved down to his waist and abdomen.

Kay’s hand brushed over the wound on Lin You’s left side, feeling a rough protrusion. When she realized it was the texture of gauze, Lin You suddenly called out to her, “Major Kay, sorry to interrupt you.”

“There are two holes, just stitched up not long ago, please don’t touch them or they might tear.”

Kay looked puzzled. “Is it a gunshot wound?”

A scientist shot Reid?

“In terms of lethality, you could say so.” Lin You nodded towards Cole. “That one’s masterpiece, done with a regular ink pen.”

“Heh.”

“I don’t understand, if that one is so dangerous, why does Reid still allow him to come along?” Kay seemed to be a bit straightforward, smiling slightly and shrugging, “Also, is it really helpful to waste the remaining military strength entering Gowei City during this catastrophic disaster?”

After saying this, images of the bloody scenes she had witnessed over the past two days flashed through Kay’s mind, making her feel nauseous, disgusted, and utterly helpless.

In just two short days, she had witnessed many partings and deaths, and those who slowly transformed from having consciousness into monsters. She could only force herself to become cold-blooded and calm, giving orders or personally shooting those people.

Because she knew that the monsters those people had become were just a matter of living or dying, exuding a foul stench, attacking others as if they never tired.

Especially last night, between midnight and four in the morning, this group of zombies seemed to be summoned by something, continuously emerging and moving towards the city center.

In fact, these zombies had already been wandering around Gowei City, but it wasn’t very obvious during the day. However, at night, they suddenly went mad and surged towards the city center.

Kay had a deep impression of this; she had witnessed it firsthand last night.

Yesterday morning, the virus in Gowei City exploded during the morning commute. Two of her battalions went deep into Gowei City for rescue operations, along with her, but as night approached, they were ordered by the commander to retreat immediately.

When she left Gowei City, it was just past midnight. Kay sat in the helicopter, looking down at the terrifying scene. Amidst the stench of corpses, mountains and seas of stiff, twisted bodies moved in an eerie manner, marching orderly towards the city center, letting out synchronized roars every couple of minutes, a sea of corpses, moving in such a uniform manner.

It was like… it was like… a pilgrimage summoned by something.

Only four words could describe the scene before her—

Chilling.

A city that had been bustling with life just a few days ago had suddenly turned into a hell on earth.

“Major, there are two adults and a child waving at us from the rooftop.” The pilot’s urgent voice suddenly came through the headset, “Should we land?”

Land?

Kay’s gaze did not fall on those three people; she couldn’t bear to look. She feared that if she glanced at them, she would want to jump out of the helicopter to pull them up.

She could only helplessly gaze at the endless sea of corpses.

From a humanitarian perspective, she wanted to land, but she had to consider more.

She couldn’t guarantee whether these people had been bitten. If they were infected, they wouldn’t be able to suppress or fight on this helicopter.

She couldn’t disregard the safety of her comrades.

Taking a deep breath, it seemed she made a significant decision before speaking, “No landing, head straight back to base.”

A gust of wind blew, lifting her fiery short hair and revealing her suppressed anger in her emerald green eyes.

In her view, this group of people from Reid, especially Lin You, the developer of the E virus, was essentially the source of this disaster. If possible, she truly wanted to shoot one of them down.

But the good qualities of a soldier kept her emotions in check. Out of dissatisfaction, her voice when speaking to Lin You sounded a bit flat, as if she was suppressing something.

Kay squatted down beside Lin You’s pant leg, politely apologized again, and then pressed and stroked Lin You’s leg.

“I’m sorry and I understand your feelings, Kay.” Lin You calmly looked at Kay’s expression and said, “Reid has deduced that the catastrophe in Gowei City originates from a high-level infected individual, which can also be described as the call of a assimilator. This call has driven the infected into a frenzy, gathering and wandering in Gowe City, exacerbating the spread of the virus within the city.”

“So, the real reason for the virus’s spread is this infected individual?” Kay asked quietly, “But the zero case came from a junkie at the end of the street who devoured his girlfriend. The subsequent cases also started from those who were with the zero case and used the new type of drug.”

“The high-level assimilator is unrelated to the cause of the spread. Of course, finding out why it spread is important, but controlling the outbreak is also crucial.”

“This high-level assimilator has told us he knows how to control the virus and wishes to see me to explain in person. This is also a solution for developing new inhibitors and addressing the zombies that have appeared in Gowei City from nowhere.”

“Moreover, if he doesn’t see me within three days, he will summon and create a larger number of zombies to head to Gowei City. At that time, it won’t be just a few more soldiers that can quell this turmoil.”

“Cole is the strongest specimen, capable of protecting my safety in front of an unknown assimilator.”

Kay nodded expressionlessly, stood up silently, and slightly raised her toes, leaning close to Lin You’s ear.

“Then, how can you guarantee that this remarkable Mr. Cole, who stabbed you with a pen, will keep your clever head safe?”

“We have our own solutions; you need not worry.” Lin You turned his head, pressing the cold frame of his glasses against Kay’s temple, “Moreover, ensuring my safety is also your duty as soldiers, isn’t it?”

He smiled, lowering his head to glance at Kay’s chest, where a silver cross shimmered with a soft glow.

Then Lin You’s gaze continued to scrutinize Kay without revealing any emotion.

Her back was straight, her military uniform neatly pressed without a wrinkle, and the badge representing her rank as a major was still quite new. Given her age, it seemed a bit small; there must be some connections behind it, most likely from a military family. Her short hair, closely cropped, was red, not recently cut, as the areas that would be covered by hair, like her neck and ears, were very close in skin tone to her face, showing no color difference. Her bare face, dry lips, and cracked skin indicated a lack of special care.

In almost an instant, Lin You mentally tagged Kay with several recognizable labels.

A tomboy, from a traditional Christian family with a militarized education, who felt pride and identification with her identity as a soldier, always maintaining the most proper demeanor, yet possessing a somewhat impulsive sense of justice…

“Ms. Kay, I wonder if your anger stems from the disaster caused by the virus created by Reid, or if you believe the existence of this virus desecrates the Creator?” Lin You chuckled lightly.

Kay’s body stiffened for a moment, and her lips twitched.

“I understand you and feel very sorry for the disaster in Gowei City.” Lin You smiled with pursed lips, appearing like an extremely elegant gentleman from a distance, but up close, one could see the coldness and mockery hidden behind his lenses, “As a soldier, having to point the gun meant to protect the homeland at the people is truly heartbreaking. However, this is also a matter of circumstance, isn’t it?”

Lin You suppressed the emotions in his eyes, looking down at Kay, offering a smile.

“I must say, your eyes are beautiful, full of spirit, with a wholehearted faith in the Lord and a commitment to beauty. This is very commendable, Ms. Kay. I’m glad you are responsible for ensuring our safety on this trip. I believe that an excellent soldier like you will surely accomplish your ideals and ambitions smoothly…”

Kay shot him a deep glance but did not respond.

Then she stepped back, turned to confirm the results of the other personnel’s checks with the soldiers on either side, and after confirming everything was in order, she used the radio to notify the camp. It wasn’t long before another large van slowly approached from a distance.

Lin You concealed his noncommittal smile behind the reflection of his lenses.

With the American military and Kay, there were a total of seven people. Kay sat in the passenger seat, the driver was an American soldier, and Lin You was sandwiched in the middle, sharing the same treatment as Cole, while Xia Zuo and one of Reid’s guards and an American soldier sat together.

The American soldiers sitting next to them were all holding guns.

It was more like suppressing prisoners than escorting them.

The two guards sent by Reid were only allowed to take one of them. After much thought, Lin You chose the female guard, Vivian Berry.

Before getting in the car, Cole gave Vivian and Xia Zuo a meaningful eyebrow raise and whistle.

Then Cole walked over to Kay.

“He’s quite charming, isn’t he?” Cole leaned down slightly, laughing softly. Even though his hands were restrained behind him, he still appeared calm and unhurried.

Kay was only as tall as Cole’s shoulder. Facing the tall and powerful specimen, she showed no fear, merely raising an eyebrow at Cole in confusion.

“I mean my Honey, he’s quite charming when he speaks, right?”

Honey? Is Cole referring to Lin You? That sharp-tongued rogue?

Kay gave Cole a disdainful look and turned to step into the passenger seat.

“Then,” Kay turned her head from the passenger seat to ask Lin You, “where will that assimilator be?”

Lin You glanced at Cole’s reflection in the window.

“On the top floor of the teaching building at New World State University, Gowei branch.”

Cole’s golden eyes flickered, smiling as he locked eyes with Lin You by the window.