Hive Entrance
The lights on the platform were bright, casting long shadows of everyone.
The tracks gleamed with a cold metallic luster under the lights, extending deep into the tunnel, pitch-black and endless.
An armored train sat silently beside the platform, its silver-grey body bearing the red and white Umbrella Corporation logo on the front.
The windows were made of thick bulletproof glass; everything looked slightly cyan when viewed through them.
A row of hooks hung from the side of the carriages, though it was unclear what they were for.
A remote-controlled machine gun was mounted on the roof, its barrel pointing toward the tunnel like a silent sentry.
Rick stood on the platform, looking at the train, then glanced at Lori beside him.
Her hand was tightly clutching Carl's small hand, her knuckles white.
Carl didn't know what was happening, but sensing his mother's tension, he stood quietly without making a sound.
"Lori..."
Rick's voice was very low: "Are you sure you want to take Carl?"
Lori didn't look at him, her eyes fixed on the train.
"I won't leave Carl here alone."
Rick opened his mouth, wanting to say something.
He glanced at Wu Fan.
Wu Fan was standing at the other end of the platform, talking to Amy. As if sensing his gaze, he turned his head.
Rick walked over, his steps heavy.
"BOSS..."
He cleared his throat: "Lori... she wants to take Carl with her."
Wu Fan looked at him without speaking.
Rick quickly added: "I know the conditions here at the base are better—there's a school, teachers, a community—but Lori... she can't be without Carl, and I also..."
He paused, not continuing.
"Then take him."
Wu Fan's tone was as flat as if he were discussing what to eat in the cafeteria today.
Rick didn't know what to say, so he said: "Thank you! BOSS."
He looked into Rick's eyes: "You are going to manage the prison, not to go on vacation. Everything you need will be provided, but the rules will be strictly enforced as well."
Rick nodded.
"I understand."
Wu Fan said nothing more and turned to leave.
If Lori continued to cause trouble at the prison like in the original story, he wouldn't be merciful; he would cut off their supplies and send them back to the cold weapon era.
Rick stood there, watching his back, a strange, indescribable feeling welling up in his heart.
This man never wasted words, yet every sentence made you feel like he had thought of everything and arranged everything perfectly.
Lori walked over holding Carl's hand and asked in a low voice: "Did he agree?"
Rick nodded.
Lori breathed a sigh of relief, but her hand remained tightly gripping Carl's.
On the other end of the platform, Carol knelt on the ground, eye-level with Sophia.
The little girl's eyes were red, but she held back her tears.
"Mommy has to go to work..."
Carol's voice was soft and steady: "You need to listen to big sister Amy at home, eat well, sleep well, and go to school."
Sophia nodded, pressing her lips together.
"If you miss Mommy, ask big sister Amy to call me. Mommy will come back to see you as soon as I have time."
"Mommy..."
Sophia's voice was tiny: "When will you be back?"
Carol paused for a moment, then smiled.
She pulled her daughter into her arms and hugged her tightly.
"Soon."
She said.
Sophia leaned on her shoulder and whispered: "Then you must come back quickly."
Carol didn't answer, just hugged her daughter a little tighter.
She stood up and placed Sophia's hand into Amy's.
"I'm counting on you."
She said.
Amy shook her head: "It's no trouble at all. Go ahead and don't worry."
Carol took one last look at Sophia, then turned and walked toward the train.
Her steps were quick; she didn't look back.
Sophia stood there, watching her mother's back disappear into the carriage door, and finally, she couldn't hold back, and tears fell.
Amy knelt down and picked her up.
"Let's go, big sister will take you to see your new room."
Glenn stood at the carriage door, watching the people coming and going on the platform, feeling a bit excited.
He was going to the prison.
Not for a few days, but to live there long-term.
It was close to the farm; he had seen the map.
That's why he signed up to go to the prison with Rick and the others.
He withdrew his gaze, took a deep breath, and stepped into the carriage.
T-Dog was already sitting inside, his backpack on his knees, checking the contents.
"Glenn, how many packs of cigarettes did you bring?"
"None, I don't smoke."
T-Dog shook his head and continued checking.
Glenn leaned back against the seat and closed his eyes.
The train vibrated slightly; the electrical system had started.
The lights were bright and steady, and the air from the air conditioner carried a faint scent of disinfectant.
Wu Fan stood at the edge of the platform, watching the last few people board.
Rick, Lori, Carl, Glenn, T-Dog, and those ten former National Guard Soldiers.
He noticed that when Carl boarded, he looked back, scanning the platform as if looking for something.
Then Lori pulled him into the carriage.
The doors closed.
The pneumatic valve made a muffled sound, and the rubber seals pressed tightly against the door frame.
The train vibrated slightly, the lights flickered for an instant, and then stabilized.
A faint electrical hum came from the tracks, and the wheels began to turn, slowly and steadily.
People on the platform began to step back.
The train slowly pulled out of the platform, its headlights illuminating the depths of the tunnel, devouring the gloomy, endless darkness inch by inch.
The sound of wheels rolling over the tracks echoed in the tunnel, growing fainter and further away.
When the carriages disappeared into the tunnel entrance, the platform was silent for a long time.
Then people began to disperse, their footsteps echoing on the empty platform.
Wu Fan stood there, looking at the empty tracks.
There was still a bit of light deep in the tunnel—the train's tail lights—growing smaller and smaller until they finally vanished.
"BOSS?"
Amy's voice came from behind.
Wu Fan turned around.
"Let's go! Back to the office."
Third-floor office.
Just as Wu Fan sat down, there was a knock at the door.
Wells stood at the door, wearing a flight jacket, his face still bearing the weariness of having just returned from outside.
"BOSS, we ran out of fuel during training yesterday, so we landed at Fallbrook Airport for the night and only came back after refueling."
He scratched his head: "I wanted to make it back overnight, but it was too dark to see—"
There was no help for it; the satellites were down, and GPS positioning was inaccurate.
"It's fine."
Wu Fan pointed to a chair: "Sit, I actually have something to discuss with you."
Wells sat down, waiting for him to speak.
"The results of your training need to be put to the test."
Wu Fan took a map from the drawer and spread it on the table: "Atlanta city center. Send helicopters to bomb it every day first. Later, I'll arrange for people to lead the Walker hordes to designated locations, and you'll be responsible for the bombing."
Wells's eyes lit up.
"What kind of ammunition?"
"Autocannons, rockets, anything is fine. Don't use missiles; that stuff is expensive."
Wu Fan drew a few circles on the map.
"These areas have the highest density of Walkers. Start from the perimeter and slowly push inward."
Wells stood up and stood at attention.
"Understood, I'll go back and plan the flight routes."
He turned to leave, but Wu Fan called him back.
"Wait, one more thing."
He picked up the phone and dialed an extension: "Have Jackie come over."
When Jackie entered, the expression on her face looked like she was ready to snap at someone at any moment.
Her hard hat was tucked under her arm, blueprints rolled in her hand. Her skin was already dark, and now her dark circles were so heavy it looked like she'd been punched twice.
She had been busy running around these past few days, barely pausing—walls, containers, housing, drainage, sewage—everything required her supervision, everything required her signature.
"BOSS, you can't work me to death just because of my skin color."
She slapped the blueprints onto the table, her tone half-joking, half-serious: "I have six other projects waiting in the queue."
"That's why I'm finding you help."
Wu Fan pointed to a location on the map: "Across the road, plan a military heliport."
Jackie opened her mouth, looked at the map, then at Wu Fan, and finally at Wells.
Wells quickly turned his head to look out the window.
"Recruit a few assistants."
Wu Fan said: "You pick the people yourself, I'll approve them."
Jackie stared at that spot on the map for a long time, then sighed.
"Fine! I'm used to being tired anyway."
She picked up the blueprints, rolled them up, and tucked them back under her arm: "Anything else?"
"No."
Jackie turned to leave, and as she reached the door, she turned back and glared at Wells.
Wells pretended not to see.
After the office door closed, Wu Fan leaned back in his chair and lit a cigarette.
~~~~~~
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