章 5: Chapter V Agreement
In the conference room, negotiations were ongoing.
"Control of the ground buildings?" Dr. Melfa inquired, raising an eyebrow after listening to Leon's proposal. "As far as I know, the ground structures of the CDC are primarily exhibition halls, a reception area, office spaces, an underground parking lot, and a public canteen for tourists."
"They're just common decorative buildings. What use are they now?" Leon shook his head slightly, a faint smile on his lips as he met the female doctor's gaze. "Don't underestimate them, Dr. Melfa. You've overlooked an important detail."
"As the top research institution in the United States, the Atlanta Center for Disease Control and Prevention is a key national protection object. Not only does the underground research institute have protection measures, but the exhibition halls, underground parking lots, and public cafeterias on the ground are also heavily fortified."
"It's like a military fortress."
"I noticed this before entering here. The exterior glass of this building is made of advanced high-strength bulletproof glass. Only close-range high-explosive bombs, tank shells, or heavy weapons like rocket launchers can penetrate them. Ordinary gunfire is useless."
"While it may seem like there's little protection, there are only two entrances: the main entrance to the exhibition hall and the underground parking lot. Both locations are fitted with heavy bulletproof armored doors. So, once the gate is closed, this place becomes an impregnable fortress against zombies who can only use their teeth."
Leon was pleasantly surprised by the fortifications. The situation was better than he had expected. Not only had he rescued Dr. Melfa, a genius researcher, but he also found an extremely secure base, making it a dream start.
"Do you intend for outsiders to live here?" Melfa asked, narrowing her eyes and biting her lower lip. "There are no separate rooms on the ground, no beds for resting. They're empty and unsuitable for ordinary people."
Leon waved his hand dismissively. "Doctor, I know the conditions up there are crude, but compared to the wilderness, it's safe enough. It's connected to the water and electricity supply system, so you can use hot water and electrical appliances. These points alone make it a paradise."
"Moreover, the simple conditions are nothing. As long as we have our hands, we can create everything we need. In this world, as long as you can live safely, what else do you want?"
Melfa lowered her head slightly, not immediately agreeing to Leon's proposal. After a moment of silence, her voice hoarse, she said, "There is something I need to tell you."
"Go ahead, Dr. Melfa. I'm listening," Leon encouraged, sensing she was about to reveal something significant.
Melfa took a deep breath, glanced at her silent husband, then looked into Leon's eyes. With some difficulty, she said, "Mr. Custer, after the zombie virus spread worldwide, all of us humans have been infected by it."
"Some will be killed by the virus early on and mutate into zombies. Others will have their bodies gradually weakened by the virus and then die and mutate. The last group will remain normal, but when they die, the virus will take over their brains and turn them into zombies."
"Everyone who is still alive is infected."
The room fell silent as Dr. Melfa finished speaking. Dr. Jenner held his wife's hand, looking at Leon uneasily.
Leon remained unfazed. He sipped his coffee and said lightly, "I suspected as much."
"You already knew?" Both Melfas were surprised.
Leon grinned. "I know more than you think. The outside world is more chaotic and dangerous than you can imagine. In the past month, I've seen countless dead people rise again as zombies, leading me to this conclusion."
After a brief silence, Dr. Melfa spoke again, "In this case, we can reach an agreement." She stood and extended her hand to Leon. "Mr. Leon Custer, you have control over the ground buildings. You can share electricity, water, food, and other resources with us. I will seriously consider any of your needs."
"But you must ensure the CDC operates normally, ensure our research progresses, and meet all the conditions required for the research institute's experiments."
"This is not just a cooperative venture. It's a promise for the hope of mankind."
Leon's expression became serious. He stood, shook Dr. Melfa's hand, and said, "Thank you for your trust. I will do my best for the hope of mankind."
The next day, June 11th, after reaching an agreement with Dr. Melfa, Leon felt a momentary loss of direction. Though the CDC urgently needed diesel and gasoline to produce electricity, it could last for about another month. This wasn't Leon's primary goal.
The urgent task now was to recruit talents. Being alone, Leon felt limited in what he could accomplish. The efficiency of one person was too low for big projects. However, recruiting talents was no easy task, especially given Americans' strong sense of individual rights and freedoms.
Managing talents required skill. Leon needed to convince others to follow his leadership despite having no official authority.
As he pondered this, he slapped himself. "Damn it, I'm here to save people, not beg for help. I don't need to be so humble."
"No one cherishes things that come easily. People will only do things willingly if they feel they need to."
With this change in mindset, Leon's inspiration surged. He rushed to the office area, found a computer, and quickly drafted special doomsday recruitment materials.
With a smile, Leon felt he had solved a long-standing problem. He decided to start his own business, become his own boss, and recruit survivors to work with him to protect themselves and humanity.
Since his name was Leon Custer, he decided to call his company Umbrella Corporation, symbolizing the protection of humanity.
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