cap : 14

AUTOR: Hi, I'm here to tell you a few things:

-First of all, Merry Christmas, this is my gift to you. This chapter has almost 10,000 words.

- In case you haven't noticed, this story does not follow the established canon to the letter, some things were changed to make more sense and others are simply a consequence of the fact that comics, the TV series and the video games were mixed.

- Some people have told me about Fort Benning.... I would like to make one thing clear and that is that in the TV series the fate of Fort Benning is never made clear, the only people who talk about what happened there are extremely unreliable and that is being generous...

.

.

.

..

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

It had been a week since he escaped from Fort Benning, but the assault on his home had never come...

Erick took action as soon as he returned. The first thing he did was inform everyone of the tragic fate of the scout whose name he had already forgotten at the hands of Mathews.

To be honest, Erick wasn't sure if it was Mathews or someone else responsible for the scout's disappearance. But he assumed the scout was dead and wasn't willing to send any search missions knowing the danger that existed out there.

Erick ordered the defenses to be built in a hurry. Trenches were expanded, makeshift towers and trenches were built. The supply runs had also been gathering construction supplies for a wall... Although they still didn't have enough resources, and construction would take a long time... They also invested time in the improvised training of the army he had managed to form...

Calling this group of armed men an "army" was generous; they only had about 120 assault rifles, so the rest were armed with pistols and a hundred shotguns, but they were 600 armed men, after all.

There were also 25 sentinels in charge of keeping watch at all times and giving the alarm if they saw anything strange. Each had a sniper rifle with a scope, and there were about 10 men and 15 women... Although Erick didn't like sending women to fight, they were the only ones familiar with such rifles, and they couldn't afford to waste ammunition training people from scratch...

But despite all the preparations, the odds were still heavily against Erick. Though that was expected, Mathews' 500 professional soldiers were probably the core of his force, but Dr. Graham had told him that there were 1,400 men in total at Fort Benning.

If Mathews had recruited some civilians, he could show up at Erick's door with a thousand men or even more...

But Erick never expected to defeat Mathews in battle. His real hopes were on the negotiation table... After all, Erick had never killed anyone during his escape from Fort Benning in order not to give him an excuse to attack his home, and he hoped that if he gathered enough strength, Mathews would decide that it wasn't worth assaulting his home and instead opt to negotiate...

In the case of a negotiation, the best possible outcome would be to establish a border between the two, where each could focus on their own affairs without interference from the other.

Unfortunately, what little he knew about Mathews told him that he wouldn't be satisfied with that. So, he would probably have to pay tribute, either once or regularly, to stay alive.

Erick was ready for that possibility and was willing to pay tribute, whether in the form of supplies like food or medicine, or even women if it came to that... He already had a possible list and had carefully chosen them to make sure Mathews wouldn't feel insulted by what he was offering.

But if Mathews thought he could extort Erick, then war between them was inevitable, and Erick would use the time bought to gather resources, recruit people, and train his troops. No matter what Mathews wanted, his existence was a threat to his power, and the only thing that mattered right now was buying time until the day of the conflict, because at that moment, both would be aware that this world was too small for the two of them.

Fortunately or unfortunately, Mathews hadn't shown any signs of intending to attack, even though a week had passed... Erick's scouts and supply runs were going back and forth without issues... The communities under Erick's protection also had no news worth noting...

Only three possibilities occurred to him. The first was that Mathews was waiting to attack. The second was that the scout died without revealing anything, and the third was that the scout's death was caused by another community.

The first possibility meant that Mathews was busy with something else or waiting for a vulnerable moment to attack. Whatever the reason, the fact was that, at some point, he would fix his attention on Erick, and it was only a matter of time.

The second possibility would mean that the scout ran into one of Mathews' patrols and they filled his intestines with lead, unable to capture him alive, so he couldn't be tortured for information.

The third possibility implied that there was a third group out there that had nothing to do with Mathews. Their inactivity could be due to the fact that they killed the scout without extracting information from him or that they were too small to dare attack them.

But whatever the reason, Erick couldn't stay hidden forever. Reports of bandits on the road were increasing, and dealing with them was key, not just for the safety of his people but also because he had to fulfill his part of the deal he made with the allied communities.

There was also the risk that all these bandits would increase their forces over time, causing Erick to end up surrounded by enemies. His inactivity was starting to make some of his men desperate, who wanted to take the initiative and destroy their enemies.

Some of his more greedy knights wanted to attack Fort Benning, burn it to the criminals, steal the supplies, and take the women. Erick shared this feeling, but they didn't have the forces to take the place, and even if they did, they would suffer massive casualties to do so.

Taking advantage of the free time he had, Erick spent his time talking to Hector and analyzing where to spend the 7 development points he had available.

The feudal lifestyle tree he had chosen for his community had 4 main branches, which were quite obvious: agriculture, livestock, population growth, and one that was currently locked... Whether there were more branches or if these were all was unknown at this point.

Each of these branches was self-explanatory. The agriculture branch had very interesting benefits, such as resistance to drought, resistance to pests, or even an increase in yields or a reduction in soil fertility used by crops.

The livestock branch had things like an increase in wool or milk production, disease resistance, or an increase in livestock reproduction.

The population growth branch, in turn, had things similar to livestock... Except with people... Eliminating childbirth complications, eliminating birth defects, eliminating the effects of inbreeding, increasing women's fertility years, increasing the probability of twins.

However, not all benefits had the same cost. For example, eliminating childbirth complications cost three points, while increasing crop yields by 5% cost one point.

Erick decided that eliminating childbirth complications was worth the price, especially in a community with such a large number of women, so he paid for it. He also spent his fourth point reducing crop losses from pests by 8% and spent his fifth point improving that benefit to 15%.

With only two points left, Erick decided to save them for later in case they were needed in the future.

"Erick..." Gary approached him with panic in his eyes.

"What's going on?"

"It's about the dairy farm..." Gary gestured for him to follow, and Erick obeyed. "... Andy contacted us via radio... He says some guys showed up at his door and started making demands... Their weapons and clothing are military..."

...So... Has the moment arrived?...

Erick didn't consider himself a military genius. But even he could see the possibility that this might be a trick to weaken his forces by forcing him to abandon his fortifications.

Both entered the room, and Erick approached the microphone, then spoke seriously.

"... Andy... It's Erick..." He started speaking in a controlled, almost cold tone, to not transmit the uncertainty that was beginning to settle in his mind. "Describe exactly what you're seeing. Numbers, equipment, behavior. I want everything."

There was a pause, followed by static noise on the line, before Andy's trembling voice responded:

"They're… 30 men, maybe more. They're wearing military uniforms, but they don't fully match, like pieces mixed from different groups. Some have assault rifles… others, pistols. They're demanding supplies, especially food and ammunition… they say if we don't give them what they want, they'll come back with more people."

Erick clenched his jaw. The description didn't entirely match Mathews' troops, but he couldn't rule out the possibility that it was a smaller group sent to test the waters.

"Have they shown any signs of trying to force their way in?" Erick asked, keeping his voice steady.

"Not yet… but one of them is scouting the place, like he's looking for weak spots," Andy said, now with a more alarmed tone. "Erick, I don't know how long we can keep them out if they decide to attack… I've paid you for protection, but if you don't hold up your end of the deal, then our agreement is over…"

A surge of fury struck Erick's chest with great intensity. He could understand Andy's situation, but still, he cursed the world for putting him in this position. There was no easy choice here—either he sent a group to defend the dairy farm, risking it being a trap, or he did nothing and lost an ally while appearing weak.

Erick turned to Gary, who stood by the door, waiting for instructions.

"Gather a team of a hundred men and get them ready to move to the farm. Have them bring rifles and plenty of ammunition. We're going to make sure those guys understand who's in charge here," Erick ordered before turning back to the microphone.

"Andy, listen. Stay calm and don't do anything impulsive… I have an idea. Invite them to lunch, serve them a feast under the pretense of negotiating peace and paying tribute. Buy as much time as you can and make sure you're ready to pull the trigger at any moment… We're on our way."

He cut the transmission before Andy could respond. Every second counted, and he couldn't afford distractions.

"Do you think they're from Mathews?" Gary asked as he followed Erick down the hallway.

"I'm not sure," Erick replied, grabbing his rifle from a rack on the wall. "But whoever they are, they're testing our limits. If we show weakness now, not just them but everyone else will think we're an easy target."

Gary nodded but said nothing more. Both knew that situations like this weren't just inevitable—they would become more frequent as the world continued to fall apart.

As he headed to the rally point with his men, Erick briefly reflected on Andy's words: mismatched uniforms, disparate equipment. When he'd encountered Mathews, his forces seemed better equipped and more organized. This smelled more like an independent group, maybe a band of military deserters or desperate survivors who had stumbled upon an abandoned arsenal.

But that didn't make the situation any less dangerous… This could still be a trap, and they were walking straight into it if that were the case.

When they reached the outside, the men were already gathered, awaiting instructions. Erick quickly surveyed them. Many were still inexperienced, but he had learned that even the greenest recruits could be useful if they followed orders.

"Listen up," he said, his voice cutting through the cold morning air. "We're heading to the dairy farm to show these guys that this is our territory. We're walking into a fight. Stick together, follow my orders, and remember: we don't want unnecessary casualties…"

A murmur of agreement passed through the group before they began moving toward the vehicles. Erick climbed into the lead truck, with Ralph by his side.

As the engines roared to life, Erick looked out at the horizon. The air was thick with tension, and he knew that, no matter how this ended, it was just the beginning of something much bigger.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Erick's convoy moved swiftly toward the dairy farm, traveling along dirt roads as the sound of engines shattered the morning silence. When they arrived, the vehicles stopped some distance away to avoid alerting their enemies. Erick stepped down from the truck and raised his hand, signaling his men to remain silent as they advanced on foot toward the farm.

"… Almost everyone's inside the farm… with a few outside carrying hunting rifles… They must've been placed there in case a shootout happens," Marvin reported after returning from his scouting mission.

From a nearby hill, Erick used binoculars to observe the site. As Andy had described, the men wore mixed military uniforms, carrying assault rifles and pistols. However, their behavior was chaotic and unprofessional; some smoked near the entrance, while others appeared distracted, scanning the surroundings.

"They're definitely not from that Mathews you told us about," Ralph muttered beside him. "They're deserters or some ragtag group."

Erick nodded, adjusting his rifle as he watched their movements. "That means they don't have a clear chain of command. If we take out the leaders, the rest will fall like dominoes."

Andy emerged from inside the farm, accompanied by two men carrying assault rifles. He was following Erick's instructions: acting submissive, offering what appeared to be a barrel of beer to the intruders. Erick smirked slightly, seeing that Andy was doing a good job distracting them.

"Ralph, split the men into three teams. One will flank the farm on the left, another on the right, and the last will stay with me to take out the sentries and then attack head-on. I want snipers positioned on those hills to cover us. We might need prisoners, but the priority is to make sure they're no longer a threat."

Ralph nodded and began giving orders. Within five minutes, the teams were in position.

Erick raised his hand, signaling everyone to wait. One of the deserters, apparently the leader, was shouting orders at his men, demanding they search the farm's surroundings for "anything useful." Erick seized the opportunity.

"Now," he whispered, lowering his hand.

Gunfire erupted from the hills. The snipers eliminated the two sentries near the entrance before the others could react. The left team quickly advanced, shooting at the men trying to take cover behind a rusty truck. Meanwhile, Erick and his team charged head-on, using the trees' shadows to approach undetected.

The leader of the deserters, a burly man in a military jacket, tried to rally his men, but before he could issue more orders, a precise shot from Ralph took him down.

The rest of the group descended into chaos. Some tried to flee into the forest but were intercepted by the right team, who quickly eliminated them.

A couple of Andy's men on the roof of a barn began firing at the bandits, easily killing those attempting to hide.

In less than fifteen minutes, the skirmish was over. Erick's side had no casualties, though some of Andy's men weren't as lucky.

Erick walked toward the farm, his rifle still raised. Andy emerged from the main house, looking relieved, though he was still trembling.

"Is everything okay here?" Erick asked, glancing at Andy and then at the surroundings.

Andy nodded quickly. "Y-yes, thank you. I don't know what we would've done without you."

Erick didn't respond immediately. He scanned the area, ensuring all the deserters were dead. Finally, he turned to Ralph.

"I want you to search their belongings. Look for maps, notes, anything that might tell us where they came from and if there are more like them."

Ralph nodded and began searching the bodies with some of the men. Erick turned back to Andy.

"This isn't over," he said seriously. "If these guys made it out here, there are probably other groups in the area. Reinforce your farm's defenses and keep your men alert. Next time, we might not get here in time."

"Our new friend might help us with that…" Roger appeared from a barn, followed by two men dragging a soldier in a military uniform.

"Please… mercy… We just wanted food…" The man begged as they dragged him before Erick.

"Couldn't you look for food elsewhere? There are plenty of places to scavenge," Erick said, ignoring the growing stain on the man's pants.

"…We've tried searching farms and gas stations… But there's less and less, and it's not enough for all our people…"

Erick smiled slightly, seeing that the man had a loose tongue, so he kept him talking.

"…What about towns and cities? Don't you think you could search there?" Erick raised an eyebrow.

"Cities?… We lost half our men and nearly all our ammo the last time we tried that… Most of our people are women and children now…" The man stopped, realizing he'd said too much.

This wasn't surprising; most people didn't yet know tricks to move among walkers undetected, like using guts as camouflage or having pets.

Erick observed him closely, narrowing his eyes as he analyzed every word. The mention of women and children caught his attention, revealing that this group wasn't just disorganized raiders; they were likely a desperate group of survivors trying to stay alive. This complicated things but also presented an opportunity.

"How many are 'most'?" Erick asked, his tone calm but loaded with intent.

The man hesitated, but fear forced him to answer. "A-around a hundred… maybe more…"

Erick crossed his arms, weighing what he'd just heard. On the one hand, he couldn't let this group continue to exist in his territory, as they posed a latent threat. On the other, the resources this group likely had—or even the people who could be useful to his community—gave him reasons to consider an alternative to total extermination.

"And where's your camp?" Erick pressed, stepping closer.

The man shrank back, trying to avoid the young leader's gaze. "S-south… near the old processing plant… by the river… Please, officer, we're just trying to survive."

Erick nodded slowly. The location made sense; it was a strategic spot to access both water and nearby resources. This also explained why they'd started searching so far from their base.

He turned to Ralph, who was watching the scene intently. "Make sure to search this place. If they have maps or anything to confirm what he said, I want it in my hands before we leave."

Ralph nodded and returned to his task. Meanwhile, Erick focused back on the prisoner, who was now visibly trembling.

"Here's what's going to happen," Erick said firmly. "…You'll stay here, and my boys and I will go check out what you said to make a deal with your people… And if anything you said is a lie… We'll tie you up and let the walkers eat you one limb at a time."

The man nodded frantically, desperation clear on his face. "Yes… yes, I'll do it… Please, don't kill us!"

Erick studied him for a moment before signaling the men holding him. They tied him up and followed Andy to find a secure place to lock him up.

The men gathered everything useful from the site. The loot was split in half, with one portion given to the dairy farm as a goodwill gesture and to compensate for the food and men they'd lost.

The bandits' vehicles could be useful as a Trojan horse, so they took them as well and set off immediately toward the water treatment plant marked on the map.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Erick had sent his scouts with instructions to check the water treatment plant and study its defenses in detail. Meanwhile, he remained with the bulk of his forces, observing from a safe distance, knowing the information gathered would determine his next steps.

After a few minutes, the scouts returned with news—and an unexpected opportunity: about twenty young women, some armed with fishing rods and others washing clothes near the river, close to the water treatment plant. Their clothing was simple, and their demeanor seemed more like struggling survivors than combatants.

"What do you know about them?" Erick asked, looking at the men before him.

"They're from the community, no doubt. There don't seem to be any men with them. The women don't seem to realize the danger they're in here," replied Marvin, somewhat uneasy.

Erick nodded slowly. This slightly complicated his original plan, but it wasn't a significant concern.

"We're going to approach. I'll pretend to be a lone survivor," Erick ordered. "Stay quiet and don't act until I give the signal."

Cautiously, Erick entered the small clearing where the women were fishing, pretending to be a tired man with a lost, somber look. He approached the riverbank, watching the women with a grim expression.

"Hello?" Erick said, his voice hoarse and weary. "... Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt..."

The women glanced at him sideways, some with distrust, others with curiosity. At first, none dared to respond, but eventually, one of the younger ones, probably the bravest, stepped forward, challenging the apparent threat.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice firm but not hostile. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm just a police officer. I was fleeing the walkers and got lost," Erick replied, raising his hands in a gesture of peace. "I mean no harm; I just need to rest a bit before continuing my journey to Macon."

The woman studied him for a moment, clearly unsure if she could trust him. However, his uniform and body language seemed to win over her suspicion.

"Alright," she finally said. "You can stay for a while, but don't get too close to us. We're all women here, and we don't want any trouble."

Erick nodded, grateful that the conversation was proceeding smoothly. However, deep down, he knew he wasn't there just to rest. As she gave him space to sit by the river, he signaled his men, hidden in the nearby underbrush. The time to act had come.

Suddenly, a few of his men emerged from the bushes, quickly surrounding the women. Before they could react, more figures appeared from a distance, trapping them in a perfectly orchestrated ambush. The women, caught off guard, tried to defend themselves, but the speed and violence of Erick's men overwhelmed them.

The brave young woman who had spoken to Erick attempted to draw a pistol from her belt. Erick, noticing the movement, reacted immediately. He lunged at her, disarming her with a precise strike to her wrist and pushing her against a rock, pinning her arm with force.

She struggled to break free, but her resistance was futile. When she tried to elbow him, Erick pressed her arm harder against the rock with such precision that the pain forced her to let out a stifled cry.

"You're mistaken if you think you can stand against me," Erick said, his voice cold and commanding. The woman, fighting against his strength, realized she had no chance.

Taking the opportunity, Erick looked at her closely. She had black hair tied in a ponytail and brown eyes that glared at him as if she wanted to tear his throat out—and she probably did.

"What do you want from us?" she asked before spitting in his face.

That was a grave mistake. Erick slapped her without hesitation, her head snapping to the side as her cheek swelled and turned red.

"Haven't you ever had a history lesson? What do men usually do to women they capture?" he asked.

The captured women widened their eyes in panic as the implications of his words sank in.

"Rape them, of course... We'd screw you all until we got bored and then throw you to the walkers," Erick mocked.

He let the terror sink in for a few seconds before bursting into loud laughter at their reactions.

"... Relax, we have women back home who are far better-looking than you lot anyway... You all look malnourished, honestly," Erick reassured them.

Erick stood up slowly, leaving the young woman still lying on the ground, tears streaming from her eyes and her cheek swollen. He looked at the rest of the captured women, who remained frozen in fear.

"Alright, listen up," Erick began, his voice as cold and sharp as a blade. "Here's what's going to happen. You're going to lead us to your community. And don't even think about playing games with me... If anyone leads us to the wrong place, we'll burn you alive in front of the others. Got it?"

The women glanced at each other, trembling, but no one dared to answer. Erick stepped closer to one of the women in the group, leaning in with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Got it?" he repeated, this time in a lower, more menacing tone.

The woman nodded frantically, tears streaming down her face. "Yes... yes... please, don't hurt us."

"That depends on you," Erick replied indifferently. He then turned to his men. "Tie them up and get ready to move. If anyone tries anything, kill them on the spot."

With brutal efficiency, Erick's men tied up the women and began guiding them toward the water treatment plant. Erick walked beside the brave young woman who had confronted him earlier, who now avoided looking at him.

"I hope this isn't a waste of time," Erick said quietly, his eyes fixed on the path ahead. "Because if it is, your friends will pay for it."

The young woman didn't respond, biting her lip to hold back her tears and avoiding his gaze, fearing the consequences.

When they reached the vicinity of the plant, Erick signaled his men to stop. He observed the location from a distance, assessing possible entry and exit routes as well as visible defenses.

"Here's what we're going to do," Erick said, addressing both his men and the captured women. "You," he pointed to two of the women, "will go in first and tell your people we're here. If they don't surrender unconditionally in the next ten minutes, we'll set fire to their precious refuge and kill anyone who tries to leave. One by one."

The women's faces paled at his words. One of them tried to protest, but Erick raised a hand, silencing her.

"This isn't a negotiation," he added coldly. "It's an order. So decide: do you want everyone to die now, or would you rather have a chance to survive? Because believe me, I can make it a very painful spectacle."

A tense silence settled over the group. Finally, the young woman he had spoken to earlier stepped forward, her eyes lowered.

"Please... let us try. We'll tell them to surrender."

"Good choice," Erick replied with a satisfied smile. "But remember, I'm watching. If I see anything suspicious, everyone here will pay the price."

Roger approached with a very familiar bag that reminded Erick of something important, bringing a smile to his face.

"There's one more thing," Erick stopped the woman and handed her the bag containing three heads. "I'm sure these will look familiar to your people... We found them trying to rob a community under our protection... Hopefully, this helps you convince them."

The woman froze for several seconds as she processed his words, then nodded quickly and ran toward the water plant with the bag in hand to carry out his orders.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The doors of the water treatment plant slowly opened with a metallic screech that echoed through the air. Several residents, mostly women and small children, watched with terrified expressions as Erick and his men entered, the captured women at the front.

The place was larger than it seemed from the outside, with a water reservoir in the center and a small area that appeared to be an improvised shelter.

They forced everyone present to hand over their weapons and gather in the center, where they could be easily monitored.

"Alright," Erick said, scanning the area with the cold gaze of a predator. "No one moves. My men will search the premises, and if we find anything suspicious, you know what will happen."

A group of his men quickly dispersed, checking every corner of the facility for weapons, supplies, or traps. Meanwhile, Erick stood in the center of the area, observing the residents, who seemed too scared to speak.

One figure caught his attention: a boy of about eight, with dark hair and a dirty face, clinging to his mother. The boy stared at him with a mixture of anger and fear. Erick barely paid him any attention, focusing instead on giving orders to his men.

Suddenly, a gunshot rang out. Erick barely had time to step back before feeling the impact on his chest. His bulletproof vest absorbed the shot, but the blow made him stagger backward. His men reacted instantly, aiming their weapons in the direction of the shot.

"It was that damn kid!" shouted Roger, pointing at the boy, who had fallen backward from the gun's recoil, the pistol lying just a few inches from his hand.

Erick slowly got up, clutching his chest where the bullet had hit. His expression shifted from surprise to rage. "Did you shoot me, kid?" His tone was deadly low, seething with restrained fury.

The boy, though trembling, didn't back down. "You killed my dad!" he shouted, tears streaming down his face. "I heard them talking! You killed them all!" The boy reached for the gun again.

Before anyone could react, Erick drew his pistol and fired. The bullet tore through the boy's face, and he fell to the ground like a broken doll. A heart-wrenching scream filled the air as the boy's mother ran to him, kneeling beside his lifeless body.

"No! ... My son!" the woman cried, clutching the boy as tears streamed down her face. But her grief didn't last long. She lunged for the gun, murderous intent in her eyes.

Erick, utterly calm, raised his weapon again and fired, killing the woman with a single shot to the head.

The room fell into absolute silence, broken only by the sobs of the women and the echo of the last gunshot. Erick walked slowly toward the two bodies, his expression one of complete indifference. He crouched down and picked up the gun the boy had used, inspecting it briefly.

"I can't tolerate insubordination, not even from a brat," he said loudly, addressing both his men and the residents. "This is what happens when someone does something stupid."

The rest of the residents, utterly terrified, didn't dare make a single move. Some lowered their heads, while others simply closed their eyes as if wishing to disappear.

Erick stood and handed the gun to one of his men. Then he pointed to Roger. "Make sure these people understand how things work now. Divide them into groups and find something useful for them to do. I want a full inventory of the supplies before nightfall."

As his men began mobilizing the survivors, Erick stayed behind, staring at the bodies of the boy and his mother. A trail of blood mixed with the dust on the ground, but it didn't bother him much. Finally, he turned and walked toward the center of the area, his posture firm and his face impassive.

"Alright," he said, addressing everyone. "Listen and listen well: you're under my protection now. This means you follow my rules. Those who cooperate will live; those who don't..." He paused, letting his gaze sweep over the group, "...will end up like them." He pointed at the bodies on the ground without the slightest trace of emotion.

No one responded. No one dared. Erick smirked slightly, satisfied with the silence. "Good. We have work to do... However, those who want to leave and never come back can do so. But you won't take anything with you except the clothes on your back since the resources here are now our spoils of war."

Without another word, he turned and began issuing orders as if the events of the past few minutes were nothing more than a formality. Erick suddenly heard footsteps behind him.

"...What's the next move, boss?" Ralph asked.

Erick turned to him, his gaze hard as steel.

"...Tonight, we'll secure the perimeter. I want men at the entrances and strategic points. No one approaches without us knowing..." he ordered.

Ralph nodded and walked away to relay the orders. Erick, for his part, cast one last glance at the residents, now sitting on the ground under his men's watchful eyes.

"Remember this..." he murmured to himself, a barely perceptible smile on his face. "...Everyone follows the rules... or there's no place for them in my world..."

As the sun began to set, casting long shadows over the treatment plant, Erick took a seat near a map spread out on an improvised table. His eyes scanned the markings in pencil: suspicious roadblocks, known shelters, and supply routes.

"...Tomorrow, we start with the next objective..." he murmured to himself, tracing a line on the paper. "...One by one... until there's no one left to challenge us... This will be our domain, our kingdom..."

Darkness finally fell over the place, but for Erick and his group, the night was merely the prelude to another day of conquests.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Erick took his radio, adjusted the channel, and brought the device to his face while watching his men organize the terrified inhabitants of the refuge. With a sense of satisfaction, he entered his tent and pressed the button to speak.

"…Gary… This is Erick… Over."

The response came quickly.

"…This is Gary. Everything is good at home. What happened with the farm?…" the man replied.

Erick gave a slight smile before proceeding to explain what happened.

"Mission accomplished… The bandits who attacked it are no longer a problem… We wiped them out. We've secured the farm, and along the way, we now have control of their women and children…"

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line before Gary responded, his voice tense with curiosity.

"…And the resources? Was it worth the effort?…"

"…Not really…" Erick grunted. "We got some weapons and ammunition, but these people are nearly starving. Luckily for us, they can still be useful… We also have enough space to stay here tonight. We won't be going back home immediately."

Erick paused, remembering how Roger and the rest of his men were organizing the residents into smaller groups. Then, he continued:

"…Change of plans, Gary. We won't be returning to the refuge tomorrow. I've decided we'll keep moving forward. We'll use the dairy farm as a temporary base, and we'll take care of all the bandits in the area… Bandits, looters, or anyone who's a problem… they'll be eliminated…"

Gary hesitated for a few seconds before responding:

"…Understood. But be careful, Erick. We don't want to attract too much attention from, you know who…" He pointed out.

Of course, he hadn't forgotten that Mathews was still out there. He was increasing his forces day by day, and who knows what he had planned.

"…Mathews' attention is not a problem for now…" Erick replied coldly. "He must be busy with his own affairs, and while we can't take him out yet, we can eliminate these pests from our territory…"

With that, Erick released the radio button and looked toward his tent. The sobs of the women and the oppressive silence filled the place. Inside his tent, the woman he had spoken with in the woods was looking at him with an indignant expression on her face.

"So is that it… Are we part of your group from now on?" she asked.

"…For now, you're spoils of war… Whether you become members depends on how you behave…" Erick answered, staring at her. "…I didn't catch your name, by the way…"

"…May… My name is May…" she replied.

She was thin and looked like she had dark circles under her eyes, probably due to hunger... Her black hair was messy and... Her face reflected general exhaustion, but despite everything, she had a certain charm even with all of that. She didn't have much of a chest, but her body had curves in the right places; that small, round backside would surely keep him entertained.

"Alright, May... You probably have an idea why you're in my store... right?" Erick explained.

Upon hearing this, she looked at him with disgust and indignation.

"Do you expect me to open my legs for you after everything you've done...? The men you killed!... What you did to poor Abby and her son!" she reminded him.

"The men in your group were bandits..." Erick reminded her. "...I don't care if they were part of the army or had families... They were a threat and had to die... Just like the woman and the child who tried to kill me... Just like you, if you make the wrong decision and try to stab me..."

May flinched a little unconsciously before regaining her composure to speak.

"I don't know what you're talking about..." May lied.

Erick scoffed mockingly, then threw himself on her, pinning her wrists above her head with his left hand while using his right to begin undressing her.

He took off her jacket, her shirt, and made a point of pressing her breasts over her bra before opting to rip that off as well.

She fought every step of the way, but he was too strong, and in the end, the only thing she could do was move away from him after he got off her to inspect the clothes he had taken off.

"A pocket sewn into the garment," Erick murmured, examining the shirt he had taken. "...Quite clever, what were you planning to do with this?... I ordered them to turn in all their weapons..." He held the knife in its sheath in front of May's face.

She only had a look of resignation and sighed as she continued covering her small breasts now that she was naked from the waist up.

"Don't think you're special... I carry this everywhere just in case..." she defended herself.

"Well, since it's obvious I can't trust you... Why don't I finish what I started?" he said with a smile, looking at her pants.

"Wait..." she stopped him. "...I'm not wearing anything else, I swear…"

Erick scoffed, mocking the fact that she actually expected him to believe her at this point. Still, he decided to experiment and try another approach this time.

"...You're hungry, right?" Erick pulled a chocolate bar out of his pocket. "...What a stupid question, of course, you are... You were starving before we even got here..."

He opted to open the chocolate and held it in front of her for a few seconds, causing May to salivate a little from hunger and try to grab the snack, only for Erick to pull it away at the last second.

"If you want it, you'll have to give me your remaining clothes to make sure you really don't have any weapons..." Erick offered.

She seemed hesitant for a few seconds, but hunger really seemed to affect her since Erick could even hear her stomach growling.

"…Alright, it's just temporary…" she murmured to herself.

May turned around so that he could only see her back and not her breasts, then began undressing.

Erick arranged all the woman's clothes into a folded pile while enjoying the show before him. He raised an eyebrow when she stopped, but May finally took off her underwear and handed them to him, now naked and defenseless before him.

"Isn't it nice that we can trust each other now without fear?" Erick asked with a smile while watching her eat.

"Go to hell..." May replied, hugging her knees to cover herself while eating the chocolate. "…You're a degenerate…"

"Degenerate me? But you're the one who stripped in front of a stranger…" Erick mocked.

"You're a barbarian and an idiot who enjoys making others suffer..." She stopped when he slapped her.

"Be careful, woman... I like you, and I find you attractive... But be careful..." Erick warned her. "…I'm not a barbarian; if I were, I'd take you by force and share you with my men one after another... Would you like me to act like a barbarian?"

She quickly shook her head, which left Erick satisfied. While he enjoyed the submission of his women, it was also fun to tame them from time to time.

"I wonder what your father would think of you if he saw you now... He'd probably tear my head off, but he's not here, so now you're defenseless..." Erick was interrupted.

"I'm not defenseless!" she shouted at him bravely. "…I can protect myself…"

The way she said it was comparable to a one-month-old kitten trying to play-fight with adult cats. It was simply impossible to take it seriously.

"If I wanted to take your body by force, you wouldn't be able to stop me... We both know it's true, and without a man to protect you, you won't get far…" Erick mocked her.

"And you're going to be that man?" she laughed a little. "…You're the kind of man a woman would be afraid to go outside with…"

"I guess it's fair that you think that, but still, you can have a better life under me than against me... You just have to be smart enough to see it..." He opened a bottle of water and drank.

"And what does being under you imply?... Opening my legs whenever you want and putting up with your attitude?..." She rolled her eyes and looked away.

"Is that really too much to ask?.... Do your life and the lives of your community mean so little?..." Erick added, and immediately she shuddered.

Obviously, she knew what was at stake here. With almost all her men dead and her food nearly gone, the alternative to joining Erick's group was a death sentence.

"I told you that you and yours were spoils of war... If I decide it's not worth keeping them, they'll be on their own out there... I'm not going to force any of you to do anything... Your fate is in your hands..." Erick finished, and he saw despair in May's eyes.

The woman stopped covering herself and simply looked down at the floor, defeated. It wasn't a surprising outcome, considering Erick had already won even before entering the store.

Erick approached her when she started crying and placed her on his lap, holding her while she cried on his shoulder, enjoying the warmth and softness of May's naked body.

"... Calm down, all this is going to get better, and you'll be thankful for it someday... I know it's hard to see now, but you'll understand that I was right..." Erick comforted her.

She just cried louder at his words, but Erick shrugged it off, letting her vent. There was something about her tears and sobs, along with the whole situation, that aroused him.

When May calmed down for a moment, Erick kissed her on the lips. He pressed his face to deepen the kiss, and she allowed it, so he lowered his hands, sliding them over her shoulders to her small, firm breasts, then caressed them.

"... If it comforts you... I don't care about size, I prefer firmness, and in that, your breasts are magnificent..." Erick commented.

She made some strange noises, and Erick couldn't tell if she was laughing or crying, maybe both, but it didn't matter.

He placed May on the floor and took the time to admire his new acquisition. She was a bit thin and exhausted, but a little food and rest would fix that. Otherwise, she looked fine, and her femininity greeted him, asking him to claim her.

Erick inserted two fingers into her slit making her squeal in surprise as her moans echoed in her head and he stopped abruptly before starting to unbutton his pants and pull them down revealing his member.

He wasted no time as he forcefully spread her legs apart and plunged into her roughly, making May scream as the pain shot through her as he rammed into her again and again harshly. May began to cry out loud.

Erick stopped when he noticed red marks around the inside of her thighs after a moment. It seems she was a virgin and while he knew not all women bleed on their first time, it didn't hurt to have confirmation that his product was new.

"....Slower....Slower..." She pleaded and while he enjoyed seeing her so scared and moaning he decided to be considerate and slowed down the pace.

She calmed down a bit and began to adjust and even enjoy it a bit if her moans and the fact that she wrapped her legs around his waist was any indication.

"..... Erick, the men are ready and waiting for you..." Roger entered the tent and snorted in amusement at what was happening.

Erick just chuckled and continued to move in and out of her as he turned his head to answer.

" Give me a few minutes... I'll finish this bitch and then I'll go...." Erick answered then buried his face in May's breasts who looked embarrassed and humiliated.

"... Have fun..." Roger replied and walked out of the tent.

Erick turned his attention back to the crying young woman, which he could understand since the moment between them was interrupted and would have to end too soon.

" Well honey forgive me..." He stroked May's hair. "....I'm going to have to finish quickly and attend to some business..."

He leaned over her and kissed her as he thrust into her with speed and power. Applause echoed around the room at his wild investigations as May squealed and moaned at the pace.

Erick launched one final thrust as he grabbed her hips hard spilling his seed inside her, he stayed in that position for several seconds before pulling out of her and pulling his pants back up.

"Don't worry, I'll be back for round two in a little while.....Why don't you stay naked until I get back and wait for me ready....?" He didn't wait for a response but instead grabbed his clothes from the pile and walked out of the tent leaving her with nothing to cover herself but her sleeping bag.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

As he walked to meet his men, Erick couldn't help but reflect on his community....

There were a large number of women in his home, and if you added those they had captured here, along with those who would join in the future, that number would increase considerably.

Erick knew the "bandit group" stereotype that appeared in fiction... Groups made up solely of men, without women or children, who go around killing, robbing, and raping anyone they come across.

That stereotype was pure bullshit in real life. In most history books and in the two bandit groups he'd encountered, there were a significant number of women compared to the total number of the group.

Having living women made sense even when talking about bandits. After all, someone had to cook, clean, and do all the domestic chores while a bandit went out to kill and rob people... It made no sense to rape and kill any woman you find when keeping the women alive is much more useful, not to mention that female company is enjoyable for any man.

As they marched, killing bandits and hostile communities, they would have to decide what to do with the women once the men were dead. While it made sense to incorporate them into their community, Erick was already starting to feel pretty concerned.

With only 700 men and 3,500 women, there was already a huge difference between the number of men and women in his community. There was nothing wrong with having many women since it meant more hands to tend the fields and help with domestic tasks, but having so few men would make his community weaker, at least in the short term.

The simplest solution would be to recruit men, but that solution could be worse than the disease. Those men could be violent, dissidents, or even create rebel factions to take control of the community. They couldn't afford to take their sweet time determining if they were useful or not; resources were limited, and a bad judgment could end in betrayal, which would weaken their community.

But even if he wanted to recruit men, that wouldn't necessarily make that difference disappear. Almost every man had mothers, daughters, sisters, or girlfriends they would give their life to protect, and most likely, many had already done so at this point.

Recruiting men also meant recruiting women, and with war looming and bandits they would have to eliminate, the ratio of men to women would almost certainly remain the same, or even tilt further toward women in the future.

Polygamy was something Erick would have to accept whether he liked it or not. He had already made that clear in his community, and to keep his men happy, he allowed them to have more than one woman in their cabins. But for their numbers to grow, it wouldn't be enough for each man to have one or two women; they would need four or even more.

Some men probably wouldn't have the character to handle even one woman, let alone several. But others, like Marvin, who had been hesitant at first, turned out to be real assholes; the guy already had about five or six women, surpassing Erick himself.

And speaking of polygamy, Erick should think about getting more women for himself. He only had two officially, or three if you included May, but his reputation and status could be hurt if he didn't have enough women as polygamy started to spread in his community.

"... Well, sorry for the delay... We can finally start the meeting..." Erick entered the room where all 20 of his knights he brought for this mission were present.

Some, like Ralph or Roger, were already accustomed to these meetings, but others, like Marvin, were recent additions. Erick decided to make Marvin a knight and appoint him as the head of the scouts to keep the survivors from the refugee center loyal.

Although Erick wasn't the biggest fan of Marvin, the guy had remained loyal and had earned his respect in scouting missions; he was also popular with the women and already had his own harem.

"... So far, Mathews hasn't appeared to cause us any trouble, that's known by everyone, and although there's a risk it could be a trap, we can't hide forever until he shows up. We need to take the initiative..." Erick began, and everyone agreed.

"Is there really any reason to fear him anyway?... He's just another asshole from the army who thinks he has some authority..." Ralph replied, and many agreed.

"... His authority means shit to me; it's his strength that makes me constantly look over my shoulder... He has 500 professional soldiers and ambitions of conquest..." Erick reminded them.

"But he's not our only enemy..." Marvin concluded with a sad look on his face.

"He isn't... We're going to spend the next few days traveling through our territory, cleaning the land of bandits... But we're also going to subjugate all the nearby communities..."

That caught his men off guard, and rightly so; he had even offered protection in exchange for tribute without imposing it on anyone. Everyone could reject it without retaliation so far, although no one had, because they saw the benefits of the alliance.

"But that's..." Marvin was interrupted.

"I know..." Erick nodded. "... But it's the lesser evil... If we don't recruit all the communities for our cause, they might join Mathews, and that would strengthen our enemy... There's no choice, they're with us or against us..."

"... You said the land belongs to us; if they want to live on it and be protected, they'll have to pay for it..." Roger smiled, pleased with what he heard.

"... Now that that's clear, we need to talk about women..." Erick began, and someone interrupted.

"Do you prefer tits or ass?" someone asked, and laughter filled the room.

"Both..." Erick answered, shrugging. "I like firm tits and round asses... Size doesn't matter to me... But that's not what I wanted to talk about..."

Erick looked at all his men, and seeing that no one was going to interrupt him again, he continued.

"... As I mentioned before, we're going to have to deal with bandits in the coming days, and it's almost certain those bandits will have women in their camps..." Erick explained with a serious expression.

"... The way you say it makes it sound like you're giving bad news... I don't see how that's a problem..." Ralph shrugged. "... In any case, they're more women for us."

"... You're right... We'll assimilate the women from the groups we defeat... But we must be careful..." Erick warned them. "... A resentful woman can be even more dangerous than an armed man... You face a man head-on, and it's live or die... But a resentful woman can poison you or even slit your throat while you sleep..." He took May's blouse from his backpack and showed the hidden pocket with the knife.

By pulling the knife from the blouse and holding it up in front of his men, his message was clear... And if that wasn't enough, he also had that bullet hole in his shirt that the kid had made... Luckily, he was wearing a bulletproof vest...

"So the bitch was armed?... I hope you fucked her good to show her who's in charge here..." Roger said.

"... I saw it coming from miles away, and if you don't want to be stabbed in the back, you'll need to do the same..." Erick added. "... But moving on to the last matter of the night... If we want to dominate Georgia, we need a name for both ourselves and the castle we'll build as our home..."

Several names were proposed, and some were ridiculous or too exaggerated to be taken seriously. They needed something simple but intimidating, without undermining what they truly were.

"We're going to do much more than dominate a couple of farms and motels..." Erick interrupted his men. "... We're going to forge an empire that will be the start of a new America... Empire... Yes, that will be our name... We'll be the empire..." Erick decided.

Although they were just beginning to form an army, it was only fair that the one they had right now would be known as the First Legion, with a second, third, and fourth likely to be built in due time.

"I think it's only fair that our home be known as the manor... Our power starts there... and will spread across the map like a spiderweb!" Erick proclaimed.

They roared in agreement, some out of true conviction, while others just went along with it. But that was to be expected, as in time they would realize he was always right...

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The first sensation was a strange cold that ran across his skin, as if the air itself had turned into an enemy. A disturbing whisper filled the room, the distant hum of flickering fluorescent lights.

Rick Grimes slowly opened his eyes, the white light from the ceiling making him blink repeatedly, as if his eyelids had forgotten how to protect him.

The world was blurry, the contours of the room blurred in shadows and blinding lights. His mouth tasted of metal and dryness, as if he hadn't drunk water in days, and his tongue was rough against his palate. He tried to move, but his body didn't respond fully. A sharp stab of pain in his abdomen made him groan, vaguely reminding him that something had happened... something serious.

The room smelled of old disinfectant, of stagnant humidity. When he managed to turn his head to the side, he saw the plastic curtains hanging around him, some slipping off their tracks, as if they had been ripped off in a hurry. The monitors that should have been by his bed were off, the screens black, the tangled wires hanging purposelessly.

"...Is anyone there...? ..." Rick tried to speak, but his throat was as dry as a desert. Only a hoarse whisper escaped his lips.

There was no answer. The loneliness in that room was deafening. With effort, he tried to sit up, his back protesting with every inch he managed to lift. Looking down, he saw the hospital gown hanging from his body, dirty and yellowing in some places, and a catheter still dangling from his arm. On the furniture next to his bed, the flowers Shane had brought him were dry and wilted, as if they'd been there for weeks.

A jolt ran through him when a rhythmic dripping sound echoed nearby. He looked at the floor and saw a line of dried blood stretching from the bed to beneath the closed door. A reddish trail that mixed with the black shoe marks of people who had hurried in and out.

He disconnected the catheter with a clumsy tug, the pain burning his skin. He took a deep breath, leaning against the edge of the bed as his legs tried to hold him up. The floor was cold against his bare feet. Step by step, swaying, he made it to the door and opened it, then pushed the stretcher that had been placed blocking the exit.

The hallway was in ruins. The fluorescent lights flickered on the ceiling, casting a trembling light that made the shadows seem to move. There were overturned stretchers, puddles of dried blood, and stains on the walls he didn't want to look at too long. The remains of what appeared to be medical supply bags were scattered across the floor, mixed with crumpled papers and broken syringes.

The air was thick with a stench that made Rick cover his nose: blood, rot, and something else, something he couldn't identify but that filled him with overwhelming nausea.

"...Hello? ..." he tried again, his voice breaking in the silence.

There was no answer.

He stumbled down the hallway, stopping to lean against the stained walls. At the end of the corridor, a door with a large bloodstain had the words "DON'T OPEN, DEAD INSIDE" hastily painted on it, as if someone had done it with trembling hands. The letters seemed to shout at him in the dim light, each word laden with a silent threat.

His breathing quickened, but something inside him pushed him to keep going. Where was he? What had happened? Where was his family?

The world he had known seemed to have crumbled while he slept.

.

.

.

..

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

[Character Summary:

- Name: Erick Bolton

- Age: 18

- Combat Attributes:

(Take into account that C- is the average)

 * Melee: B-

  * Ranged: C-

 * Physical condition: A

 * Stealth: B

 * Plot Armor: Low

- Army quality: Very low.

- Inventory:

 + Pistol (ammo x15)

 + Tactical knives x2

-unlocked features:

+"Sacrifice Resources" 

(You can sacrifice resources in exchange for improving your attributes... For example, food for physical conditioning, ammunition for ranged combat, etc... but the resources you sacrifice will be lost forever, and the cost increases exponentially based on how high your attributes are.)]

+ "Pocket warehouse 1" (Allows you to carry objects without physically holding them, and they'll be available at any time. The current limit is 100 kilograms and can be upgraded by completing missions.)

+ "Perceptive leader" (You'll be able to see detailed information about all the members of your group, including their perception of you.)

+ "Walker Domestication 1" (Domesticated walkers can follow you or stay in a location on command without the need for ropes.)

[Community summary:

-name : Empire

-base : "the manor"

-members : 4200

-Food (remaining days: 68 )

- Army quality: Very low.

-weapons:

 + sniper rifle x25

 + crossbow x5

 +bow x114

 +pistol x421

 +shotgun x 90

 +bolt-action rifle x1

 + AR-15 x2

 + M16 x123

 + spears x150

- lifestyle tree: Feudal

- Community benefits:

 +["Accelerated Harvest": Crops need half the usual time to grow and be ready for harvest.]

 +[Resilient Crops 2: Pest resistance increases by 15%.]

 +[Safe Childbirth: The women in your community will not die from childbirth-related complications.]

]