{Chapter: 145 Survivors}
The helicopter soared through the skies, departing from Alaska and tracing the western coastline of Canada. It passed over the dense wilderness, then the ruined remnants of Seattle and San Francisco, pressing onward through the devastation.
"Los Angeles is just ahead," the White Queen announced, her digital voice carrying a hint of observation as she scanned the sprawling, dilapidated cityscape in front of them.
"Ah, Los Angeles..." William smirked, leaning slightly to get a better view. "The city of dreams. Or at least, it used to be. Hollywood is long gone." His gaze lingered on the skeletal remains of a once-thriving metropolis. This was the place that had captured the imaginations of countless people worldwide, but now, it was just another ruin, devoured by the plague.
Alice remained silent, her sharp eyes scanning the streets below with unwavering focus. She wasn't interested in nostalgia—she was searching for any signs of life, though she knew the chances were slim. The biochemical outbreak had raged for far too long, reducing most of humanity to rotting corpses or desperate survivors clinging to existence.
Then, her expression shifted. A flicker of disbelief flashed across her face.
"There are people down there," she muttered, her voice laced with both hope and skepticism.
"Confirmed," White Queen responded. "Life signs detected. The largest concentration appears to be in the massive prison complex directly ahead." Her AI-enhanced sight zoomed in on the structure—an imposing fortress-like building, surrounded by an ocean of undead clawing hungrily at its walls.
William grinned. "Well, what do you know? Survivors."
"Fly over," Alice ordered immediately.
"Sure, no problem," William replied, his voice laced with amusement. "It just so happens we're almost out of fuel anyway. Perfect timing for a landing."
Alice frowned. "We're running out of fuel?"
"Of course we are. You think this thing runs on hopes and dreams?" William chuckled. "We've been flying for hours. We've got enough left to make it a few more kilometers, so a controlled landing should be no problem. Don't stress about it."
Alice parted her lips as if to argue, but then she sighed and said nothing. There was no point—he'd already made up his mind.
---
Meanwhile, on the rooftop of the prison, an armed man stood near the edge, gripping a weathered pair of binoculars. His trained eyes scanned the skyline, and then—he froze.
"Shit," he whispered, lowering the binoculars. He stood in stunned silence for a brief moment before breaking into a full sprint toward the others.
Grabbing a whistle, he brought it to his lips and blew hard. The sharp, piercing sound cut through the air like a wolf's howl, carrying across the rooftop.
"It's a helicopter! A fucking helicopter!" he shouted, his voice a mix of excitement and disbelief.
At his call, more people emerged. A middle-aged man in a wrinkled suit, his large hooked nose giving him a distinct appearance, rushed forward. A shorter, sharp-eyed Korean man followed close behind, his breath coming in hurried gasps.
"Holy shit, it's real!" the middle-aged man yelled, his sunken eyes wide with exhilaration.
From another door, a tall, bald black man with a cool, composed demeanor stepped onto the rooftop. He glanced up at the sky, his face betraying no emotion.
"Save us! We're up here!" the middle-aged man called out, waving his arms frantically. "Hey! Down here!"
As the helicopter descended, slicing through the wind with powerful rotor blades, the survivors grew even more excited. It touched down slowly, its landing gear barely making a sound as it settled onto the roof.
The moment William and his group stepped out, the survivors rushed forward, their desperation palpable.
"Are you here to rescue us?" the middle-aged man with the large nose asked eagerly, nearly breathless.
"Arcadia," the Korean man chimed in. "You must be from Arcadia, right? You're here to take us there?"
William rolled his eyes. "Would you shut up with the whining already?" he snapped.
The tall black man stepped forward. "Name's Luther," he introduced himself, offering a nod.
"Otis," the armed man said curtly, adjusting his grip on his rifle.
"Alice," she replied simply.
William smiled. "Didn't expect to find anyone still alive in this hellhole. Pleasant surprise. Name's William."
"My name's Krista," a curvy, black-haired woman interjected, her face lighting up with relief as she stepped forward.
The middle-aged man's patience wore thin. "Enough of this crap. Are you from Arcadia or not?" he demanded.
"It must be them," Krista interjected, a spark of hope gleaming in her eyes. "Arcadia is a safe haven. No infection, plenty of food, security—"
Alice shook her head. "No. We're not from Arcadia. We heard the same broadcast you did."
The hope on their faces flickered.
"That doesn't matter," the middle-aged man snapped. "Your helicopter can still take us there!"
"Yeah, about that..." William smirked. "It's out of juice. We've only got enough left for a few kilometers, tops. Not exactly flight-worthy anymore."
The middle-aged man's face twisted with frustration. "So you're just another mouth to feed. Goddamn it."
The Korean man and Krista looked equally crestfallen.
The short Korean stick, Christa, was disappointing. "How could this happen?"
"No, don't kill me, I said something wrong, please don't mind."
William's expression darkened. "Oh? Is that so? Idiot, how can you talk like that? Believe it or not, I will throw you down from here." " He stepped forward, grabbed the middle-aged man by his collar with one hand, and effortlessly lifted him off the ground. The man's feet dangled above the rooftop.
Then, without hesitation, William strode toward the edge.
The middle-aged man paled instantly. William walked in front of the big-nosed middle-aged man, grabbed the middle-aged man's clothes with one hand, lifted him up, and walked to the edge of the roof. The big-nosed middle-aged man was immediately frightened and trembled all over. There were countless zombies below, stretching their hands in the air, waiting for his piece of meat. "No—wait! Don't! I take it back!" he stammered, his voice quivering. "No, don't kill me, I said something wrong, please don't mind."
The big-nosed man was panicked. "Hey, you, what are you going to do to Bennett?" The Korean stick said timidly.
Luther walked to William's side, "He's a bad talker, and I don't like him either, but we're all survivors, so don't bother with him."
The growls of the undead below grew louder as the swarm reached upward, eager for fresh meat.
"You—what are you doing to Bennett?" the Korean man asked hesitantly, his face filled with apprehension.
Luther stepped in, his tone measured but firm. "Look, I don't like him either, but we're all survivors here. Let's not turn on each other."
William scoffed. "People like him? They're dead weight. All they do is whine and drain resources." I can't stand this kind of idiot the most. Just throw him away."
Without another word, he let go.
Bennett's scream pierced the air as he plummeted down. The second he hit the ground, the zombies swarmed over him like a tidal wave, tearing into his flesh.
A stunned silence fell over the rooftop. The others stood frozen, staring at the carnage in shock.
"Jesus Christ," Otis muttered, gripping his weapon tightly.
"You—you really threw him down," the Korean man stammered, stepping backward, fear evident in his eyes.
Alice remained impassive. To her, Bennett's death meant little. He was just another weak link removed.
Luther clenched his fists. "That was too much, William."
William shrugged. "I do what I want. There's no right or wrong in a world like this."
"I want to see what you can do?" Without warning, Luther lunged at him, throwing a powerful punch.
The strike halted mid-air—ten centimeters from William's face. Luther's muscles tensed as he struggled against an unseen force.
William yawned. "Cute effort."
A pulse of telekinetic energy exploded from his body. Luther screamed as he was hurled backward, slamming into the rooftop with a harsh thud.
"Luther!" Otis raised his rifle, firing several rounds at William.
The bullets stopped mid-flight, hovering in the air before rotating lazily around William.
William smirked. "Tell me, should I return these?"
He flicked his fingers, sending the bullets hurtling back toward Otis.
Alice's eyes narrowed. A wave of telekinetic force erupted from her, stopping the bullets just in time, saving Otis' life.
"William," she said coldly, stepping between him and the others, "I didn't come here to watch you slaughter survivors."
The tension thickened as the rooftop stood divided, the weight of William's actions sinking in.
******
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