RE: The Walking Dead [Zombie LitRPG]

Michael stopped the bike at a distance from the city and pushed it to the side of the road and hid it deep within a thick shrub.

"No one would find it and steal it, right?" Michael suddenly remembered those people at Atlanta who tried to steal it before.

"Bunch of idiots."

Leaving those words that had a deeper meaning, Michael resumed his journey on foot this time, towards the small city of Meridian.

It wasn't even that long since he entered the city when he encountered a group of survivors.

Michael turned to a corner and witnessed a small group of soldiers hauling goods out from a small grocery store and onto their military truck.

"Halt! Identify yourself!"

He was about to make a hasty retreat when unfortunately, the sentry had immediately spotted him when turned the corner and immediately pointed his rifle towards him.

The soldiers immediately dropped what they were doing and turned their attention towards Michael. They immediately pulled out their weapons and aimed at him without an ounce of hesitation in their movements.

Michael let out a snort and chuckled as he slowly raised his hands in the air. "Don't shoot! I'm just passing by!"

A soldier bearing the rank of Captain immediately ordered his men. "We'll determine that ourselves. Men, search him!"

Michael helplessly sighed and just allowed the soldiers to approach and frisk him as he didn't want to confront a group of highly armed trained soldiers.

"You better not have any ideas on my mace." Michael warned the soldier who took his mace and shot him an intense glare, but just ignored him.

The soldiers confiscated his firearms, but allowed him to have his mace and the goodies in his bag.

This actually surprised Michael since there were a lot of valuable supplies inside his backpack, most especially the medicines and vitamins.

So he thought they would take it away under the excuse of safety, but won't have any intention to even return it to him.

"He's clear!"

After searching through his belongings for any hidden weapons, the soldiers were finally satisfied. Then they brought Michael before their commanding officer who smiled at him and explained why they had to do that to him.

"Don't be surprised, we're not bandits. You can keep your mace and everything, but we'll have to take possession of your firearms for the time being. I apologize we had to do this. It was for safety's sake since we don't have a really good impression of people like you lately. I'm Captain Nova, are you a local here?" Captain Nova smiled at him and brought him across the street while the other soldiers resumed what they were doing earlier.

Michael also smiled at him and shook his hand. "I'm Michael, and I completely understand, Captain. I just did not expect to encounter soldiers when I just arrived in this city."

Captain Nova nodded his head and responded. "So, you're not from around here. Where are you coming from?"

"Atlanta. I'm just passing by here. I'm actually headed to Houston to see if my family is still alive." Michael gave him half truths and half lies.

"You...you've come a long way, soldier." Captain Nova looked at him with awe and the way he looked at him even changed into a more respectful tone. That included the soldier at the side who was watching him.

The change in their attitude was understandable since the journey from Georgia all the way to Mississippi would have certainly been fraught with dangers, and even they don't have that kind of confidence on taking that road.

Michael smiled. "I certainly am, Captain. But your presence here, does that mean that there's still a standing army stationed around here?"

Captain Nova looked at him and slowly lost his smile. "No, we're the only soldiers around here. We built a small base here just north of Highway 11 with the remaining survivors of the city of Meridian and the town of Marion. Do you want to come with us?"

Learning about a survivor base here delighted Michael, but even more so when Captain Nova extended an invitation towards him. He was a little bit excited since this will be the first time that he'd truly see the world outside of the TV Series. So he only hesitated for a moment before he agreed.

"Yes..I think that's a great idea, Captain."

"Great. Come on, let's go"

Captain Nova was also eager to show him around, and so the two men boarded the military truck back to their community. The two men, having their own hidden agenda towards each other.

"Whoa, how long did it take your people to erect that wall, Captain?" They haven't reached the base yet, but Michael had already spotted a towering wall in the distance. He also realized that the wall was constructed using galvanized steel like what Alexandria did.

Looking at the expression on Michael's, Captain Nova was suddenly feeling a little proud. "It was just a small fence at first, but we managed to build it to that height in over a week with the help of the civilians we rescued or who found this place."

"Hmmm.." Listening to his words, Michael was suddenly hit with a thought. "Are..the civilians in any way helping your soldiers in supply runs or in regards to security?"

Captain Nova chuckled as he quickly understood what Michael's concern was. "Of course. We don't feed freeloaders. Everyone is obligated to contribute towards the base or they wouldn't have any to eat. Though this rule is more lenient towards children, especially the orphaned ones."

Rumble!

Soon, the massive gate the size of a two story tall building opened up with a soft rumble as the truck unhesitatingly drove past it with the gate slowly closing shut behind them.

Michael followed Captain Nova down the truck and the sight that first greeted him was the three huge warehouses erected along the road and the busy residents moving about the place while small kids were running all over in their peals of laughter.

"Welcome to Greenville"

A hand patted his shoulder and Michael turned to see Captain Nova looking at him with an enthusiastic smile on his face.

"What do you think?"

"Amazing actually, how many people do you have here?" Michael got to admit. He is amazed since these people are probably one of the first groups of survivors to erect a safe haven from the threat of walkers or from the dangerous elements outside these walls.

'They're probably even faster than Alexandria by the looks of it.' Michael thought while watching the soldiers and a couple of people in civilian clothing unloading the things the soldiers had brought home.

Captain Nova smiled. "Walk with me."

"We currently have one hundred-three people here. My platoon, well, the remaining half of it runs this place alongside five police officers and a couple of retired veterans we rescued. It's not much compared to the original population of the city, but it's a work in progress." Captain Nova looks and sounds extremely proud of their achievements.

"This is already amazing."

Michael then spotted a graveyard with makeshift crosses made of wood over the graves. 'Those must be the people they had lost building this place.'

Captain Nova noticed the direction he was looking at and suddenly became a little sad with a tinge of nostalgia. "There were more of us before this."

He didn't need to elaborate further for Michael to understand.

"Everyone lost someone during the construction of this place. I also lost my daughter after a brief reunion with her."

"Sorry."

"It's fine. This place was the result of their sacrifice." He tried to smile, but Michael saw the grief hidden behind it.

Michael had also realized something from the soldier's earlier words. "You..you don't happen to be soldiers from Fort Benning, right?"

"We were. We are probably the last survivors of that place." He responded with a face filled with complex emotions, like his body wasn't sure what emotions it should express right now.

"You indeed are. That place was teeming with walkers when I rode past it." Michael lied since he's actually not sure if that base is still standing, but he knows it will fall soon.

Captain Nova just smiled and the two men suddenly stopped talking and just stood there, gazing towards the graveyard in silence.

"So, what's really your purpose for coming to this place?"

The silence didn't last long before Captain Nova assumed a stern expression.

"As I said before, I was just passing by and happened to stumble upon your group. I actually lied a little. So this time, I want to formally introduce myself. I'm Michael, one of the leaders of Hope 101. It's an honor to meet someone like you, Captain Nova." Michael finally tore down the facade both men were wearing earlier and made bold introductions. He even took the liberty of naming their base on his own discretion.

Captain Nova wasn't the least surprised. He already noticed that there was something peculiar about him when they met. Especially his gaze that never was once shown panic or fear, which was a common indication people would exhibit when they see them.

"Once again, Welcome to Greenville, Michael." Captain Nova smiled and shook his hand. This time, his smile was truly genuine.

"And to name your place Hope 101. An introductory course to Hope and a place where it begins." This soldier was amazed and suddenly felt the name Greenville was lacking some substance.

Michael just smiled at his words and didn't want to say anything more than its name.

"Anyway, let's go to my office, shall we? Since I can't treat someone like you. Especially one who came from such a distant place by just standing here."

Michael chuckled as he followed him inside the warehouse nearest to the wall and on the way there, people would occasionally greet them while throwing curious looks towards Michael.

'Hmm..though they look tired, they still look happy and satisfied. It seems Captain Nova is doing a good job running this place.'