Courtyard House: I fish in the heavens, a professional bird abuser.

Six o'clock in the morning.

The thick fog in the valley had not completely dissipated, and the air was damp and chilly.

In the small square in the center of the camp, the black Chevrolet pickup truck was already running. The deep roar of the engine hummed through the valley, like some restless beast warming up.

He Yuanchao was standing behind the truck bed, directing Greg to secure the heavy diesel generator to the support frame.

"Tighten the rope. The mountain road is shaky, don't let this metal lump smash through our truck bed." He Yuanchao gripped a nylon rope in his hand and tugged hard.

Greg, sweating profusely and with a wrench in his mouth, mumbled his reply.

Just then, the atmosphere at the camp suddenly changed.

The dozen or so people who were supposed to be repairing the fence or watering the vegetable garden did not disperse.

They surrounded the pickup truck, about five or six meters away, watching silently.

Howard was leading the way.

The former accountant had made a point of wearing a cleaner white shirt today, although the collar was still a bit yellowed, he looked much more energetic than usual. His gold-rimmed glasses were polished to a shine, and his eyes revealed a resolute air.

Martin's lawyer followed behind him, holding a small notebook in his hand.

Derek and Kenny, two young men, stood on the flank, each carrying a wooden stick.

He Yuanchao stopped what he was doing.

He turned around, placed his hands on the pickup truck's skid plates, and looked down at the group of people.

"Howard, what's up?"

He Yuanchao's voice was very soft, but it carried a chilling aura that sent shivers down one's spine.

Howard took a step forward.

He took a deep breath, as if to fill his entire chest cavity, to give himself some confidence.

"Advisor He, I heard you. Today you are taking away the three most capable fighters in the camp, as well as most of the weapons and a vehicle."

Howard pointed to the pickup truck.

"Not only that, you also need to take at least two days' worth of food with you. To rescue a group of strangers whose voices you've only heard on the radio."

Whispers began to circulate in the camp.

These past few days, He Yuanchao's autocratic rule has allowed everyone to survive, but it has also accumulated a lot of repressed emotions.

Especially regarding the distribution of supplies.

Howard seized on this point.

"We acknowledge your capabilities. But you can't risk all of our lives. What if something happens to you outside, or what if those strangers not only fail to save us but also bring disaster here?"

At this moment, Attorney Martin stepped forward. He adjusted his glasses and opened the small notebook in his hand.

"Based on the current situation, we propose an immediate halt to this risky operation. Furthermore, given that the camp has now entered a stable phase, we need to establish a management committee. All major decisions must be made by a vote of the committee. Weapons should also be centrally allocated by the committee, rather than being controlled by a few individuals."

These words sounded grand and dignified, even carrying a hint of the old world's rule of law.

Among the onlookers, a few people's eyes began to flicker.

They looked at the newly stored grain in the warehouse, then at the pistol at He Yuanchao's waist, and their hearts pounded.

Everyone wants to be safe.

But in the apocalypse, many people’s sense of security comes from the illusory feeling of “equality”.

Jill and Alice then came over.

Jill had already pulled her gun halfway out, her eyes as cold as a scalpel.

"Howard, are you trying to rebel?"

Payton also moved over, leaning on his cane, his originally sallow face flushed with a dark red from anger.

"You bastard, why didn't you talk about the committee when my boss saved you?"

He Yuanchao raised his hand.

They stopped Jill and Payton.

He looked at Howard, and the corners of his mouth slowly curled up, revealing a smile that sent chills down Howard's spine.

He jumped down from the truck bed.

The movement was very light, and the landing was silent.

He walked step by step toward Howard.

Howard instinctively wanted to back away, but remembering that there were so many people watching behind him, he gritted his teeth and stood rooted to the spot.

"Howard, I have a question for you." He Yuanchao put his hands in his pockets, his tone as casual as if he were chatting with an old neighbor.

"Where were you last week when we went to hunt down those twenty-odd zombies downstream?"

Howard hesitated for a moment, then said, "I... I'm in charge of logistics and statistics at the camp."

"So, how many zombies did you kill?"

"This has nothing to do with the distribution of power," Martin tried to interject.

He Yuanchao completely ignored him.

He stared intently into Howard's eyes.

"Let me ask you one more question. Can you farm? Can you repair generators? Can you formulate the kind of inhibitor that suppresses mutations?"

Howard's forehead began to break out in a cold sweat.

"I...I can learn..."

"study?"

He Yuanchao sneered and suddenly moved forward half an inch.

His face was almost touching Howard's nose.

"There's no time for you to learn in this apocalypse. In this world, the capable eat, the incapable wait to die. That's the only rule."

"You keep talking about saving everyone's lives. Then let me ask you, if it weren't for my seeds, what would you be eating now? Grass roots? Or would you be gnawing on each other's flesh?"

He Yuanchao's voice suddenly rose, like a thunderclap exploding in the square.

The surrounding crowd was so shocked that they took a half step back.

The baby in Emily's arms was frightened and cried.

Emily glared at Howard with disgust and shouted, "Howard, don't talk nonsense! Consultant He saved us, so I believe him!"

The old pastor, Phillips, also came out. He held the crucifix in his hand, his face solemn.

"Howard, vanity and greed are original sins. In this hell, only a guide can lead us out. You are not a guide."

With these two leading the way, the previously wavering crowd quickly sided with He Yuanchao.

"Exactly! If you want to rescue people, go ahead and do it. The food is in the warehouse anyway!"

"Howard, if you're afraid of dying, don't drag us down with you!"

Howard's face turned from flushed to deathly pale within seconds.

He looked around at those who had once supported him, now all of them looking at him as if he were a plague.

He suddenly realized.

His meticulous calculations proved as fragile as a piece of paper soaked in water in the face of absolute strength and guaranteed survival.

"Derrick, Kenny." He Yuanchao turned to look at the two young men behind Howard.

The wooden sticks in the hands of the two boys were shaking like sieves.

"Put down the stick. Go back and move the wood. Today's 5km cross-country run is doubled. If you don't finish, no dinner tonight."

Without a word, Derek and Kenny threw down their sticks and ran, faster than rabbits.

In the end, only Howard and Martin were left standing there awkwardly.

He Yuanchao walked over to Howard and reached out to straighten the collar of his white shirt.

The movements were very gentle, but Howard felt as if it were the touch of death.

"Howard, I know what you're thinking. You want to be a leader, to build your little kingdom in this remote mountain village. That's a good idea, quite ambitious."

He Yuanchao leaned close to his ear, his voice so low that only the two of them could hear it.

"But let me give you a heads-up. Next time you try this, see if you can survive being eaten by zombies."

"If there is a next time."

He Yuanchao patted his face, which had completely stiffened.

"I'll tie you to the back of a pickup truck and drag you to the ruins of Raccoon City. I'll let you hold your committee meetings there at your leisure."

Howard made a gurgling sound in his throat, but couldn't utter a single word.

He Yuanchao turned around and walked back to the pickup truck.

"Greg, is it done?"

"Alright, boss!" Greg shouted back, casually flashing the thick nylon rope at Howard in a provocative manner.

Jill, Alice, and Old Tom boarded the bus one by one.

He Yuanchao got into the driver's seat.

He rolled down the car window and glanced at Payton standing in the distance.

"Keep an eye on the camp. Deal with any disobedient individuals as appropriate. I don't want to see any unfamiliar faces taking my place when I come back."

Peyton chuckled and pulled the bolt of his rifle.

"Don't worry, boss. Anyone who dares to make a move will have a few more holes in their body."

The pickup truck roared, its tires rolling over the soft ground and belching out a plume of black smoke.

The car sped out of the camp gate.

He Yuanchao glanced at it through the rearview mirror.

Howard and Martin remained standing there, frozen in place.

In the rising sunlight, their shadows stretched long, yet appeared exceptionally small.

"A clown jumping around like a tree trunk."

He Yuanchao made a comment.

He stepped on the gas.

The roar of the pickup truck echoed through the valley.