The search for a better way

Central Base.

The experimentation room of the protected area.

Sheldon had been viewing the entire central base with total devotion. His life had taken an unpredictable turn, and everything he had learned for many years suddenly seemed worthless for survival.

Since he was a child, he had been obsessed with technology, which dedicated his life as a scientist at an early age, obtaining numerous doctorates. And just when he was about to work as a theoretical physicist in California with his friends, the virus outbreak occurred.

His sense of curiosity and always being a brilliant mind made him investigate little by little with the resources he had, what possibly could have caused such a disaster that ended up consuming the world bit by bit.

He knew that if someone was good enough, they should have made a cure long ago, but when he arrived at the S.C.T.'s central base, he discovered that it only allowed the virus in the human body to not activate upon natural death. This made him criticize the researchers at this place.

"With these well-protected and perfect facilities, they couldn't find a cure? Well, that doesn't matter as long as I understand the concepts of virology. I am sure that I will find a cure since I am a brilliant mind."

Upon arriving here, he regimented his life with programmed habits to find the cure. It is true that he needed the "help" of the Janner couple, but that was just basic tools for him.

"Yes, so this is it... I never thought I would delve into this kind of thing. Those damn scientists didn't do their job right, and now I need to intervene in a field that isn't mine..."

Since he arrived in the research room, both the Janners and any other researcher were surprised to hear Sheldon Cooper's masteries and titles, and thought that involving himself in a field that wasn't his was a bad idea. But he managed his time well, and in no time, he made great strides.

At this rate, there is no doubt that Sheldon will be of great help in finding a cure.

"These are the blueprints for the weapons we use to eliminate walkers. In open fields, we usually use the modified Scar, and in short-range areas, we use the P90 due to its high charging capacity."

Sheldon also offered to improve the weapons. After all, that field was his specialty.

"Leave it to me. I'll make the best weapons they can have in the end of the world. Even deformed infected will be like children in an amusement park."

...

South Carolina.

Safe city, main operating base to the south.

Daryl went out with a group to hunt and discovered some peculiar details.

"There's nothing in the surroundings, but there's a dead moose, and there are traces of the remaining burnt campfire. It seems like this should be a transit point for some people who are not from the city."

"What about the people who were here?"

Given the situation here, Daryl has no interest at all and now only cares about where the people are.

"They all must have moved to go hunting..."

The man turned his head to look deeply into the camp, pointed in a direction, and said, "There's a row of footprints over there, and we should be able to find them by following these tracks."

As he said that, Tommy looked at Daryl and asked, "Should we stay here and wait for them to come back or follow them immediately?"

"We need to wait for them to come back."

"We need to follow them!"

But at that moment, Daryl and Glenn among the group gave opposing responses one after another.

"Glenn, what are you talking about!"

Glenn looked at Daryl and said, "We've left our marks here. If they find out before we find them, what will we do?"

"I just think taking the risk is foolish."

"Well, then we need to split into two groups."

"I'll go with ten people, and you stay here with fifteen. Remember not to take any unnecessary risks or do anything stupid for people we don't even know."

"Of course!"

After receiving the order, Glenn stayed with fifteen people, and ten followed Daryl.

After waiting for the figures to disappear, Glenn told the remaining thirteen people around him, "Clean up this place and try to keep it as it was when we arrived."

After finishing speaking, he turned around and walked towards one of the cabins, preparing to wait for the people at this location to arrive.

But in the distance, Tommy with a sniper rifle was looking around and discovered that from his position, Glenn's location was exposed, so he reminded him.

...

On the way.

After following the tracks of the people who had left the camp, Daryl led the way without any problems.

At the same time, he also noticed several other figures following the team, knowing that Glenn was worried about going with too few people, so he pursed his lips and didn't pay much attention.

The team advanced all the way and soon came out to a distance of hundreds of meters, but there was no trace of other human beings beyond the tracks.

However, they saw scratch marks on the trees in their own path, seemingly made to prevent them from finding their way back. Although they felt a little strange, it also made them feel safer that people were around.

At the same time, a fishy smell gradually filled the air, and as they advanced, the smell became stronger and stronger.

"Look, what's that!"

Just as Daryl was baffled by the fishy smell and realized that something was wrong and planned to stop the group, the person walking in front suddenly called out, interrupting his train of thought.

Walking slowly to the front of the team, Daryl saw three elk carcasses lying under a large tree not far away.

A large amount of blood continued to flow, soaking the ground.

One of the elk corpses still showed obvious signs of being dragged; it seemed that someone had tried to move them not long ago, but for some unknown reason, they stopped suddenly.

Seeing the scene in front of him, Daryl finally understood where the fishy smell in the air was coming from.

There was silence around him, and everyone looked at each other in dismay, not knowing what to do at this moment, so they turned their attention to Daryl.

"Move and pay attention!"

Seeing the same scratches on the trees in front of him, Daryl thought for a moment, although he thought there might be a problem, he did not panic at all because of the large number of people and how experienced they were.

But he didn't walk to the front of the team, instead he waited for the people in front to walk a certain distance, and then followed them slowly. Although he is leading the way, he is not stupid and will not take risks if he sees the big picture.

People around noticed that Daryl was much more alert and everyone began to move in an egg-shaped formation. Everyone slowed down and surrounded Daryl, only a few people who had not reacted yet walked in a straight line.

As soon as they left the place where the moose were, the bushes moved slightly.

In a few minutes, the few people at the front of the team approached the moose body, turned their heads and called the people behind them.

When Daryl lowered his head, he was surprised to find that the bodies of these moose had been gutted from head to toe and the internal organs were scattered on the ground.

This discovery made him cover his mouth and nose, take another step back, and murmur, "Damn, what kind of crazy person did this?"

As he spoke, the team behind had slowly gathered.

Seeing that he was really overthinking, Daryl also slowly abandoned his vigilance, walked forward, and looked at the moose corpse on the ground, frowned slightly and said, "Are there any traces of people?"

Crack! Crack! Crack!

But at this moment, the slightly trembling ground and the crunching of dry branches being trampled made him stop his words in an instant.

Feeling the approaching movement and the trembling ground, everyone turned their eyes in the direction of the sound.

It's just that when they fixed their gaze, it was blocked by a tall bush and they couldn't see what was approaching at all.

As it was known, the unknown was terrifying, and all humans who have faced unknown creatures are much more alert to dangerous movements.

Looking at the bush where the branches were heard being trampled, the fear of the unknown arose in everyone's eyes. Some people straightened up and unconsciously backed away slowly, and even turned around to flee if the situation was not good.

"Don't retreat, we are many, we can kill anything!"

Feeling the changing emotions of the people around him, Daryl did not retreat, but raised the rifle in his hand.

Seeing this, the rest of the people raised their weapons one after another.

At this moment, a huge figure jumped out from behind the bush, letting out a roar that shocked the surroundings and echoed throughout the forest, its red eyes were full of bloodlust, in the pupils of all the hunters, it showed its fierce appearance!

"Oh, shit!"