Hard Times

In difficult times, everyone needs a capable leader, one who can remain composed and make hard decisions, even if it means pulling the trigger on a cat.

Dominic knew that being the leader of humanity, at least in this country, was not an easy task. Every day, he bore the weight of the organization on his shoulders. He was seen as a beacon of hope for many people in a world overrun by the undead, where death and destruction were the norm. Each day, he made decisions that affected the lives of thousands.

Dominic was prepared for this role, but he often questioned if he was making the right choices. Was it worth sending so many soldiers to their deaths for the sake of humanity? Was there a better way to protect his people?

Dominic felt responsible for each of his actions, which is why he always led from the front. Despite this, he knew it wasn't enough to prevent losses. After all, not everyone can be saved.

Understanding this, Dominic honored the sacrifices of others and had always been at the forefront, eliminating dangerous walkers since he arrived. He had discussions with Stuart and Castro, who stayed at different bases, while they decided whether to join the main CRM base to begin a thorough investigation and start unification.

Dominic didn't want to push too hard. Even though he was interested in finding a cure, he knew it wouldn't matter if they couldn't cleanse the country of walkers. Peace would not exist, and a cure wouldn't be necessary if the world wasn't stable.

...

"The variants of the normal walkers are the problem. Unlike the slow, rotting walkers found everywhere, the specially mutated infected are the main issue."

On the roof of a building cleared and maintained by the New Dawn Unification, Dominic was discussing with Okafor and Daniel the decisions they needed to make.

"I'm not denying that the cure is important, but it will be useless if dark organizations, cannibals, murderers, and suicidal cults continue to exist. You can find all kinds of horrors now."

Dominic smiled and said, "I don't deny it. I can assure you that the world before all this was just as dark, but at least we were ignorant fools about the situations around us. If it didn't affect our lives, why should we care?"

"You're truly an unpredictable man, Dominic," Okafor said, looking at Daniel and then focusing on Dominic, now the leader of the largest organization in the world.

"Oh, why do you say that?" Dominic asked, intrigued.

"Not all leaders are willing to lead from the front. Most we've encountered stay in their bases while others die outside," Okafor said, drawing from his extensive experience and noting that even in CRM colonies where the militia wasn't heavily concentrated, things were the same. But he recently met a man who was different.

"Many say that if I die, the organization would fall into a bottomless pit... But I think that's too dramatic. There are good men in the world who can succeed me, though not replace me," Dominic said, his gaze somewhat distant.

Daniel interjected, "You might be right, but no two people are the same in this world."

"I've made my decision. All this time, I've been looking for a way to help humanity's future, but I always chose the wrong place. So, if you're willing, I'll follow you," Okafor said with a determined look.

Their eyes met, and after a few seconds, Dominic smiled and said, "A man like you will serve well in my organization, so you're welcome."

"We need to stop the experiments on children. I can't be complicit in what the CRM was doing," Daniel said, now aware of everything happening there.

Hearing this, Dominic nodded and said, "Everything will proceed more calmly."

Dominic knew he had to be prepared, which is why he placed many anti-aircraft missile defenses to eliminate both fighter jets and helicopters. Turrets operated by soldiers were also positioned.

Now the problem was not at home but in other countries.

...

Two hours later,.

Central Zone of Columbia.

Many buildings had been cleared, and others were sealed off for cleaning. The city's avenues were blocked with containers, and checkpoints were established.

The streets were cleared of corpses, and the walkers removed from the area were taken to the central base for energy conversion.

After taking the city, Dominic stood on the edge of a rooftop, overlooking the ruins. In the distance, he could see the faint outlines of walkers stumbling inside buildings, searching for food. It was a harsh reality, but he and the others had grown accustomed to it.

He turned to the group of soldiers behind him, a mix of seasoned veterans and new recruits. They all admired him as their leader, trusting him to make the tough decisions that would keep them alive.

"Listen up!" Dominic's voice commanded attention. "I know we live in a world where death is a constant presence. It's easy to become desensitized to the loss of life when it happens all around us. But I want to remind you that every life is valuable. Every person, regardless of age, gender, or any other triviality, is a tragedy to lose to the walkers."

"Since the world ended, chaos ensued. People died left and right. But we refused to give up. We knew we had to fight for our survival and that of the civilians."

"We formed the New Dawn Unification to gather the best soldiers and strategists in the world. We trained hard, fought harder, and sacrificed much for humanity's sake. And we survived. But at what cost?"

"Every day we lose more soldiers, friends, comrades, brothers, and sisters in arms. It tears me apart to think we're sending so many to their deaths."

Dominic paused, letting his words sink in. "But I want you to remember that we're not just fighting to survive. We're fighting for the right to live. To have families, build communities, and create a future for ourselves and our children. And we can't do that if we lose sight of the value of life."

Dominic looked back at the city, his eyes scanning the streets for any signs of movement. "We have to keep fighting. But we also have to remember why we're fighting and dying. We can't become like the walkers we're trying to survive against, killing mindlessly. We must hold on to our humanity, compassion, and hope."

The soldiers nodded, some looking at Dominic with newfound respect. They had joined the CRM not only to fight but also to protect what they loved. Dominic's words reminded them of that.

"We'll make tough decisions!" Dominic continued. "We'll have to sacrifice for the greater good. But we'll also honor the lives of those we've lost and fight to preserve the lives of those still with us."

The soldiers stood proud, more determined. They were ready to face whatever came, knowing they were fighting for something bigger than themselves.

"Let's clean this place up and move forward!"

"Glory to humanity!"

"Glory to humanity!"

"We are all the New Dawn Unification!"

"We protect the future, pave the way, and destroy our enemies! We strengthen under the blood of the walkers, and when they touch one of ours, they will suffer the harshest vengeance!"

The soldiers, tears in their eyes, pounded their chests with pride, feeling that everything they had done was worth it when they saw the joyful faces of the survivors.

Dominic's eyes scanned the crowd, filling with determination; he had now created true combat monsters.