Doomsday America

Chapter 150 Gavin's First Rejection (10k)

"Stewed beef, that's the best word I've heard all day."

Sean let out a long breath, a hint of anticipation in his eyes, and followed Eugene and Old Feng into the manor.

The two F-35 pilots behind him couldn't resist giving each other a high five.

It was clear they were really hungry, so Eugene couldn't help but chuckle and blurt out.

"No wonder you're just trash flying in the sky. Once you're back on the ground, you don't know how to feed yourself anymore. Are you just reluctant to give up the sense of security the sky gave you?"

"Ha, more or less."

Despite Eugene's verbal attacks, Sean didn't pay much attention and simply nodded with a light laugh.

“We’re used to flying in the sky, and compared to the world overrun by zombies on the ground, isn’t the sky safer?”

At this point, Sean glanced back at the two students and couldn't help but curse.

"And you guys, damn it, it's already a miracle you're not starving. If we land frequently, especially too close to towns, the three of us probably won't have a chance to fly here!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Sean turned his head and looked at the long, narrow corridor of the manor.

Behind him, a student said expectantly.

"Instructor, stop thinking about it. Look at this damn manor! It looks big enough from the outside, but it looks even bigger inside. I even think I might get lost in here!"

"Huh, lost?"

As soon as the students finished speaking, Eugene, standing in front of them, nodded with a big laugh and teased them.

“You’re right, people can indeed get lost in the boss’s house. Just this morning, we welcomed a Baptist priest named Hogan.”

"He was planning to go to the basement to find Gavin, but he couldn't find the basement door at all. So when my cousin found him, he was staring blankly at a yoga ball in the yoga room. And that was the 140th door he had opened, haha~"

"So please be careful not to wander around the manor if you are not familiar with it."

"Up until now, the areas we use regularly only occupy less than one-tenth of the rooms in the manor. As for the rest, you can familiarize yourselves with them gradually, you lucky ones who fly in the sky~"

At this point, Eugene finally led the pilot through the winding corridors to the third-floor lobby.

At this point, the pilots finally saw the people in the manor.

The group had just finished eating and were now gathered near the hall chatting idly while anxiously waiting for Gavin.

After experiencing Gavin's absence last night, the field team members have become somewhat desensitized to Gavin's disappearance, but the logistics staff are not yet used to Gavin's absence.

What they are talking about now is mostly Gavin's various speculations in the forest.

Seeing everyone chatting, flight instructor Sean couldn't help but pause for a moment, then gave a knowing smile.

"Sniper!"

He then spoke to Eugene.

"I swear, when I was chatting with Albert and Gavin on the radio, this was the image I most looked forward to!"

As he spoke, he stopped, placed his hands on the railing, and greedily looked at the people in the lobby on the first floor.

He pursed his lips, giving a bitter smile that was both sad and expectant.

"In the past few days, I've seen too many dead people rise up, which makes me feel like the end of the world has come, and it makes me feel even more desperate!"

"What I wanted back then was to see more living people, to watch them sit together, or chat, or eat something, or have a few arguments, or have a party."

"Anyway, it feels so damn good to see people still alive. I even think I could continue living in this camp, maybe I'll meet a suitable woman, and maybe we can even have a few kids in the future, God!"

"Gavin is a great man, damn it, he did a fantastic job, I can feel it, coming here will definitely not make me regret it!"

"Besides, I won't need to make money in the apocalypse. As long as I still have the strength and am willing to do what I can, I can always take care of my wife and kids. This is something to look forward to!"

"Is it?"

Just as Sean got to this point, Eugene couldn't help but purse his lips, then suddenly turned around and said to Sean.

"So you look like you're thirty-six or thirty-seven, but you're still not married! Dude, aren't you pilots supposed to be quite popular? Or is it that your appearance doesn't match your job and income, let alone the woman you like?"

"Fuck Squid Soldier!"

Eugene's sharp tongue pierced Sean's psychological defenses, causing his face to contort in pain.

Behind flight instructor Sean, a young flight cadet added insult to injury, saying as he followed Eugene.

"Haha, soldier, our instructors are able to fly so well and become flight instructors precisely because they don't have any women around!"

"Well said. Women do get in the way, but you guys should come with me to get something to eat first. Gavin saved a few portions for you before he left."

Eugene interrupted the flight cadets' banter, led them to the second-floor restaurant, and seated them at a table.

Doris brought over beef patties and tomato beef and broccoli soup.

Although the dishes were simple, Doris was truly skilled at cooking beef and making pastries. The beef patties had the perfect thickness, were crispy and fragrant, and not only did the pilots enjoy them immensely, but Gavin couldn't resist eating a couple more.

At that moment, in the forest, looking at the insulated box with only eight pancakes left, Gavin pursed his lips, finally controlling his appetite, and covered the insulated box.

Seeing this, Anthony, a guard who had already finished eating, picked his teeth with a broken twig and asked Gavin a question.

"Boss, you left food for them without even seeing them. Was that necessary?"

"Whether it's necessary or not is not important; what's important is whether we ourselves lack food."

Gavin patted the insulated box and said to Anthony with a smile.

"We have more food than we can eat, and we certainly won't be short of food for the next few months. What's the big deal about leaving a couple of pancakes for strangers?"

"They hid in the forest all the way. Although the safety was good, the living environment didn't look very good. It was time for them to eat something decent and forget about the apocalypse for a while."

At this point, Gavin moved the insulated box aside and sat down on the ground, half-lying on the wooden stake to rest.

Seeing this, Anthony stretched his beard and nodded, then sat down not far from Gavin, staring blankly at the spot where Martin had disappeared.

Old Feng's voice kept coming through the walkie-talkie; he reported the pilot's situation to Gavin.

After learning that the pilots meant no harm, Gavin was relieved and continued to wait for Martin to search for the forest duo.

We rested and waited, and about 26 minutes later, around 1 p.m.

Gavin suddenly opened his eyes and nudged Anthony's shoulder.

"Ok?"

Pushed by Gavin, Anthony woke up, shaking his head. He instinctively wiped his drool with his sleeve and then asked Gavin.

"King of Football, is anyone here?"

"Yes, they're back. They're about three footsteps away, about 120 meters from us."

Gavin answered softly, and his words earned Anthony's admiration, who gave him a thumbs up.

Meanwhile, in the distance, Martin, chuckling, carried his heavy crossbow and watched the two men in front of him carrying a white-tailed deer.

As the two men carried the load, they glanced towards their camp and then spotted Gavin and his companion.

So the younger of the group, a fair-skinned man with black hair, asked Martin expectantly.

"Hey Martin, is that really Gavin? Are you sure we're going to see the King of Football, Gavin?"

"Of course, he's already seen you. Why don't you say hello to my boss?"

As Martin responded to the young man, he waved to Gavin from a distance. Gavin grabbed his hat, sat up, put the hat on his head, and then slowly stood up.

After taking a few steps toward Martin and his two companions, Gavin chuckled and teased as he looked at the white-tailed deer they were carrying.

"A good haul! Venison is a good thing."

"Holy crap, it really is Gavin! You're not kidding me, my God!"

As soon as Gavin finished speaking, the young man couldn't contain his excitement. He dropped the white-tailed deer, rushed to Gavin's side, grabbed Gavin's hand tightly, and shook it up and down!
"Anglu!"

Behind the young man, an older man carrying a deer leg couldn't help but growl at him.

"Stop doing silly things like idol worship, come over here and take care of Lu!"

"Uh... okay, Dad..."

After being scolded by the elder, Anglu called him "Dad" and then apologized to Gavin.

"Gavin, don't mind him, my dad isn't usually like this."

"It's alright, go and process the venison, child."

Gavin patted the young man on the shoulder. The dark-haired young man was very handsome and had a bit of Keanu Reeves's charisma, but he looked to be only sixteen or seventeen years old. Gavin could easily call him a kid.

Anglu didn't mind Gavin's way of addressing him, and simply turned around, picked up the deer by the ears, and took the white-tailed deer from him.

But as he caught the white-tailed deer, his father immediately put down the deer's leg, rushed to Gavin, and, with an expression far more excited than his son, grabbed Gavin's arm tightly.

"My God, I actually saw Gavin with my own eyes! Oh my God!"

"I love your games the most. I watch almost every one of them, but I can't afford tickets, so I watch them online."

"I never imagined that my son and I, who just escaped from Star Harbor by crossing a railway track and cut through a fence to avoid a thunderstorm, would end up being approached by a superstar!"

“I’m Johnny Wicker, and that’s my son, Anglu Wicker. Our whole family are your fans!”

"Gavin, I want to treat you to deer heart. This heart has to be yours, you absolutely have to give me this chance!"

At this point, Johnny, a longtime fan, got so excited that his nose turned red.

His son, who was carrying the white-tailed deer, stared blankly at his father with his mouth agape, unable to believe his eyes.

Noticing his poor son Angru's expression, Martin chuckled and casually picked up a deer leg, saying to Angru.

"Don't just stand there, kid. Gavin's not going to run away. You'll get tired of seeing him sooner or later!"

"Ah, yes, yes, yes, yes!"

Anglu paused for a moment, then quickly nodded and, together with Martin, placed the white-tailed deer on the skinning rack.

Meanwhile, after shaking hands with Johnny, Gavin released Johnny's hand, gently patted his shoulder, and asked...

"You didn't come because you heard my broadcast, or you stumbled into my forest by accident?"

"Wow, you guys even have a radio station? Sorry, my son and I don't listen to the radio. It's truly God's arrangement that we can meet!"

Johnny nodded excitedly, then belatedly realized something, quickly shook his head, and began to explain to Gavin.

"Wait, I'm sorry, I didn't know this was your forest or your farm. If you allow me, I can fix your fence before I leave!"

"Haha, no need, my buddy has already gone to fix it, don't worry about the fence."

Gavin chuckled and then gestured for the group of people who had already hung up the deer to sit down next to him.

He then divided the beef patty between the two of them.

Upon seeing the beef patties, Anglu and Johnny were overjoyed. They immediately took off their gloves and went to wash their hands in the river, which was about 20 meters away from the camp.

As Anglu approached Gavin to take the beef patty, Johnny went back to his backpack, pulled out a dozen beers, and took them over.

"Thanks for the beef patty, Gavin. I only have some beer here, I hope you don't mind."

Who would dislike beer?

Gavin took the beer, opened it, and took a swig.

Meanwhile, Martin had already skillfully lit the campfire and picked out some damp firewood to dry around it for later use.

Seeing Gavin drink his beer, Johnny chuckled, found a knife, cut open the hanging white-tailed deer, and presented the heart to Martin.

"Hey hunter buddy, this heart is for your boss. He has to have the first bite!"

"Haha, why the hell do you look like an Indian? You even have this kind of tradition?"

Martin took the heart, stuck it in the knife, and carried it to the campfire, where he found a suitable spot to slowly roast it.

Johnny, after pondering Martin's statement, nodded in response.

“You’re right, we do have some Native American genes in our family. We’ve done genetic testing together.”

"Really? Then you can't tell at all by your skin color. Your skin is even whiter than rednecks!"

This statement surprised Martin a bit, after all, Johnny and his son were really too white.

Even Gavin glanced at them in surprise.

Meeting Gavin's gaze, Johnny helplessly shrugged and smiled wryly.

“I don’t know why we are so white. Maybe my ancestors were traitors among the Native Americans, the kind who joined and sided with the invaders very early on.”

"If it weren't for genetic testing, we wouldn't even know that our ancestors were Native Americans!"

After saying that, Johnny continued to butcher the venison, and soon he cut off a whole deer leg and put it in front of the ever-growing fire.

Martin and he made a stand together and placed the deer leg near the flame to slowly roast it.

While they were busy preparing, Anglu sat down next to Gavin, happily eating a beef patty and chatting with him.

As they chatted, Gavin couldn't help but ask why they had come here.

Faced with this question, Anglu was slightly taken aback, and even Johnny, who was not far away, paused for a moment.

A moment later, the handsome son Anglu sighed and said softly.

“Gavin, my dad and I are both parkour athletes. A few days ago, we were supposed to participate in an intercontinental parkour competition in San Antonio.”

"But...we had just gotten off our flight at dawn and were on our way to the hotel when zombies appeared on the airport shuttle bus..."

At this point, Andrew took a deep breath, still shaken, while Johnny, not far away, also let out a long sigh.

Anglu continued his story.

"The scene was truly astonishing. My God, there were at least thirty people on the bus, and at least three or four of them vomited."

"The others jumped and thrashed about wildly, causing the whole car to shake violently."

"The driver also turned into a zombie immediately, and the bus overturned right away. Fortunately, my dad and I are both quite agile. Before the bus overturned, when the zombies lost their balance due to the swaying of the bus, we smashed the rear window and jumped out."

"We watched as that truckload of zombies veered off the road and plunged into the forest, disappearing without a trace."

"Then, we walked about a kilometer before we saw the second taxi parked on the road."

"There were only two people in the car, both of them were tightly strapped in with seatbelts, but they still tried desperately to bite us. My dad and I had to kill them both and then drive towards Dallas!"

At this point, Anglu couldn't help but show a relieved expression and casually made the sign of the cross on his chest.

Johnny, while flipping the roasting deer leg, took over his son's words with a wry smile.

"It's pretty embarrassing, isn't it, Gavin? We spent a whole week on the road, being chased by zombies from all over the place."

"For a whole week, we only moved about 600 miles as the crow flies on the map, but our actual route took many detours!"

"And, damn it, it seems like we encounter thunderstorms everywhere we go. On the first day of the apocalypse, we encountered a thunderstorm in San Antonio, and on the fourth day, we encountered a thunderstorm near Houston."

"As for last night, Fuck, we were almost at Kilgore when a tornado hit. We were so scared we ran for over ninety miles to get here..."

At this point, Johnny covered his face in pain.

"God, are you deliberately punishing me? If this continues, how long will it take us to get back to Boston?!"

"what?"

Just as Johnny got to this point, Gavin froze.

Martin and Anthony, standing nearby, also looked at the father and son in surprise.

Gavin asked Johnny and his son in disbelief.

"You mean you're going to rush back to Boston, which is nearly two thousand miles away?"

"Uh, actually you're only about 1,800 miles from Boston, it's not that far, Gavin..."

Johnny grinned at Gavin.

Upon hearing this, Gavin couldn't help but shake his head, then pressed Johnny for more information.

"There's practically no difference between 1,800 and 2,000, buddy. This is definitely a very dangerous journey. Are you sure you want to take your son on this adventure?"

"Trust me, I suggest you stay at my camp. Your son is a great young man, strong and handsome. Perhaps he will find the love of his life at my camp. In any case, there are fewer dangers at my camp than on the road, and you can survive much more safely!"

“This…” As soon as Gavin finished speaking, Johnny couldn’t help but show a thoughtful expression. Clearly, as a father, Johnny did not want his son to continue taking risks.

Before Johnny could make a decision, Gavin's handsome son, Anglu, interrupted Johnny abruptly, giving Gavin a resolute look.

"That's impossible, boss! We absolutely cannot stop. My mom is still waiting for us in Boston!"

"Your mom?"

Gavin frowned. Anglu hadn't mentioned his mother earlier, so Gavin tentatively continued to ask Anglu.

"What I'm about to say might not be pleasant, but I have to say it: are you... sure your mom is still alive?"

"Of course!"

Hearing Gavin's question, Anglu nodded very clearly, and said with a happy expression.

"On the first night of the zombie outbreak, we called my mom. Of course, we also called my grandparents, maternal grandparents, and several of my cousins ​​and uncles."

"However, apart from my mom, I couldn't get through to anyone else on the phone!"

"Wait, did you get through to your mom on the phone?"

In the distance, Martin suddenly shouted at Anglu.

Anglu nodded proudly and happily, responding loudly.

"Of course, the first person I called was my mom, and it was my mom who told me to keep contacting other relatives!"

“Our home is located at the north end of Sandy Bay, northeast of Boston, which is the northeastern end of the Boston coastline. There is a beautiful forest park there called Halibut Point.”

"Our family runs a lobster restaurant near the resort area of ​​the forest park, but it's not very popular. Business is even worse in February, there are practically no customers!"

"After my dad and I couldn't contact any other relatives, we kept the phone on and chatted with my mom until the signal was completely cut off."

"In short, our home is very safe, and we have plenty of food. My mom will definitely be able to hold on until we find our way back, and our family will definitely be reunited!"

At this point, Anglu couldn't help but look at Gavin, but Gavin saw deep unease and insecurity in his seemingly hopeful and happy eyes.

In addition, he saw the yearning for support and recognition in Angru's eyes, so he nodded gently, patted Angru on the shoulder, and said to the young man who missed his mother.

"Of course, I've already seen that scene. Your family will definitely be reunited, I said it!"

"That's right, haha, we even found the famous Gavin, how could we not find our family!"

Anglu jumped up excitedly, and after landing, he clenched his fists tightly, a display of power that made his father, Johnny, laugh.

After laughing, Johnny finally took a breath and patted Martin's hand.

"friend."

He spoke to Martin with a somber expression.

"Could you get me some venison? I have something I'd like to talk to Gavin about."

"Ha. I don't like doing things for others, but since you're a good husband and father, go ahead."

Martin nodded and took the deer leg, while Johnny went to Gavin's side and sat down thoughtfully.

Noticing Johnny's expression, Gavin guessed what was going on, so he looked at Johnny with a calm gaze.

Meeting Gavin's convincing gaze, Johnny took a deep breath and then whispered to Gavin.

"Thank you for your blessing, Gavin. Just like you said, I believe I will find Cecilia. By the way, Cecilia is my wife."

"However, humph, my son is a big problem. He can eat and sleep a lot but doesn't know much about wilderness survival. Apart from getting in pretty good shape with me at the gym, taking him on the road is just a huge burden!"

"Hey! Dad! I won't allow you to talk about me like that! I'm not as incompetent as you say. I even caught a rabbit yesterday!"

The handsome son, Anglu, immediately retorted to his father, Johnny.

Johnny responded to his son with a disdainful sneer, then shook his head and continued speaking to Gavin.

"Gavin, don't listen to that kid's bragging. He'll only get in my way on the road!"

"So, I'd like to ask you to take this brat in. Although he's stupid, clumsy, and doesn't really listen to me, he'll definitely be willing to obey your orders, after all, you're his idol."

“Although he’s not very bright, he’s still good at hard labor. I can give you the whole white-tailed deer; it’s the best thing I have right now. Consider it payment for asking you to take care of the child.”

“If I take him with me, I definitely won’t be able to get back to Boston. We’ve narrowly escaped death several times these past few days!”

"so……"

"Stop talking nonsense, Dad!"

Before Johnny could finish speaking, Anglu lunged at him and grabbed him by the collar.

But Johnny, who used to be as strong and upright as a mountain, seemed to have shrunk by two points at this moment.

It was only at this moment that Anglu realized with astonishment that his father had truly aged, and that he himself was now a head taller than his father.

But it was this discovery that made Anglu even more irritable. He grabbed his father by the collar and said to him, word by word.

Are you worried, or are you scared, Dad?

"This isn't like you at all. I've never heard you say you were afraid, not even when we were climbing a cliff together without any safety equipment!"

"But are you scared now? Scared that you won't be able to get home, scared that we'll die on the road, scared that we'll never see my mother and your lover again!"

"What a joke! We've been adventuring for seven days already. It's probably too late now. You'll never be able to shake me off!"

At this point, Anglu sullenly shook off his father, sat back down next to Gavin, and looked down at his wet boots, remaining motionless.

Johnny stood there frowning, staring blankly at his son's beard.

After seven or eight days without any treatment, my son's beard was starting to look like a full beard; he's growing up...

As for Gavin...

His gaze shifted between the father and son for a moment, then he gently shook his head.

He couldn't irresponsibly make a promise at this moment, telling the father and son that he could bring people to Boston to find their family.

At least for now, he cannot leave the manor for too long or too far, nor can he use any of the manor's able-bodied personnel to search for the father and son's relatives across thousands of miles.

Since a promise cannot be made, then there is no need to strive for it, because what the father and son are seeking is not some vague and unattainable hope.

They actually got through to their relatives, and Gavin had no reason to stop them!
While Gavin remained silent and lost in thought.

Between the father and son, Johnny, as the father, finally made a concession.

He silently approached his son, squatted down, picked up fallen leaves, and whispered to him.

"You've grown up, young man. Although I've known for a long time that you're not a child anymore, I only just realized that you really have grown up!"

"Yes, you're getting old, Dad. I'm even taller than you now."

Anglu responded with a forced smile and continued speaking to his father.

"That's strange. I never realized I was taller than you before. In my eyes, you've always been so tall and imposing, but just now you looked like a little old man."

"Haha, kid, I'm not as old as you say, but I'm getting old soon. Even when I become an old man, I'll still be much stronger than you. You have a lot to learn, and I'll teach you everything along the way!"

"Okay, teach me everything, old man. I can learn it. We'll be going home soon. I'm already looking forward to Mom's cooking. At least it won't taste any worse than today's beef patties, right?"

After chatting for a while, the father and son finally laughed and let bygones be bygones, and even raised their fists to bump against each other.

Seeing this scene, Gavin sighed softly, then clapped his hands and said to the father and son.

"I'm so glad to see you two reconciled. By the way, I was a little touched by you. For a moment, I really had an urge to go to Boston with you and witness your family embracing each other in person."

"Believe me, I was absolutely moved to tears at that moment."

"But I'm sorry, my home is right here, right here, and my family..."

At this point, Gavin turned to look at Anthony, who was reeking of alcohol, and Martin, who couldn't help but be slightly taken aback.

Gavin then continued.

“My family still needs me, and I will never leave easily, but that doesn’t mean I can’t help you!”

“Johnny, Anglu, my strong Wicker family, I now sincerely invite you to rest for a few hours at my camp!”

"Want to go back to Boston? That's not going to be easy. Your current equipment is just too poor!"

"I can send you some guns, bullets, fuel, and a nice car, as well as food and water!"

"So, bring your white-tailed deer and let's rest at my house for a while!"

At this point, Gavin stood up and gently adjusted his hat.

Martin and Anthony also stood up, assuming a posture as if they were about to leave.

Overjoyed, Anglu immediately grabbed his father's arm and shouted to Gavin.

"That's fantastic! Haha, Dad, did you hear that? Gavin's actually going to treat us!"

“Yes, our idol is just that kind and generous, but no matter what, we can’t go!” Johnny suddenly said.

"That's right, we can't... what?"

Anglu was about to continue his father's words when he realized what his father was talking about. He stopped celebrating in surprise and looked at his father, Johnny, with confusion.

At the same time, Gavin and the other two looked at Johnny in confusion!

Meeting the astonished and puzzled looks of the four people, Johnny took a deep breath and then said seriously.

"Gavin, thank you for your offer of gifts and support, but... I'm sorry, we don't want to accept them!"

"Because you can give us fuel, food, and water, even weapons and vehicles, but... you can't give us the courage to move forward; instead, you'll undermine us!"

"With a leader like you, your camp must be very happy. Even I'm starting to look forward to it. So the more I look forward to it, the more afraid I am. If I see your camp, then... my home won't be the only place I long for anymore. Can you understand me?"

“I’m not very good with words, damn it. I’m not saying your camp is bad, I just… I mean… you know how difficult this path is, right? We need more inner strength, like when we push our limits!”

“Even though climbing shoes provide us with traction, so does magnesium powder, and safety ropes and climbing hooks provide us with protection.”

"But no matter what equipment we have, it can't help us climb to the top of the mountain. The only thing that can support us to the end is our own will, that is, our own will to fight against the soreness and pain!"

"Only willpower!"

At this point, Johnny, contrary to his usual behavior, forcefully grabbed his son's arm.

Instead, Anglu silently lowered his head, following his father's words, and glanced at Gavin with regret.

After listening to his father Johnny's words, Gavin remained silent for a long time before finally nodding and saying softly.

"At least we can take a photo or video to remember this. Did you bring your phones?"

"Ha, that's great, of course we brought it!"

Johnny was overjoyed and quickly took out his phone.

Reluctantly, he turned on the phone, pointed it at himself with the remaining 44% battery, and then brought his son to Gavin's side.

Looking at the camera, Gavin put his arm around the shoulders of the father and son and spoke to the screen that was recording the video.

"Hello, Cecilia, or Mrs. Wicker, I'm Gavin from Texas. It's an honor to meet your brave and handsome husband and children; they are wonderful people!"

At this point, the video recording had ended, and Anglu couldn't wait to snatch his dad's phone and examine the video frame by frame.

Johnny let out a long sigh, gently patted Gavin on the shoulder, and said gratefully to Gavin.

"Thank you for your understanding, idol."

"Hmm, although you are the first people to reject me, I understand you. You're not bad."

Gavin chuckled and patted Johnny on the shoulder, then casually pulled out the PV pistol hanging from his waistband and handed it to Johnny.

Looking at the exceptionally finely crafted pistol in his hand, Johnny gasped in surprise. Gavin, before Johnny could speak, smiled and said something to him.

“Don’t refuse, buddy. This gun isn’t my trophy, it doesn’t have any special sentimental value for me, but it’s different for you.”

"Keep it, just like I'm with you. Although I don't want it to serve any special purpose, because that would mean you might encounter dangers that require the use of a gun."

"But in any case, perhaps it has a chance to replace me and save your lives at a crucial moment!"

At this point, Gavin continued to remove a series of his pistol cartridge belts and hang them over Johnny's dirty sweatshirt.

Johnny gritted his teeth, gripping the exquisite pistol tightly, and remained silent for a long time.

Anglu put down his phone in surprise, then lunged forward to snatch the pistol and examine it.

Johnny belatedly remembered something, and he hurriedly returned to the campfire, took out the deer heart that had been almost roasted, and presented it to Gavin.

"I really have nothing to give you, Gavin, but please don't refuse this deer heart!"

As he spoke, he solemnly raised the deer heart and brought it to Gavin's lips.

Gavin nodded slightly as he looked at the deer heart that was now emitting a delicious, caramelized aroma. He reached into his waistband and under his armpit, pulled out a small Spanish silver dagger he had hidden, cut off a piece of the deer heart, and put it in his mouth.

After chewing his heart thoroughly and swallowing it, Gavin smiled and gave Johnny a thumbs-up.

"Perfectly cooked, and quite fresh!"

"I'm glad you like it. I'll never forget today!"

Johnny breathed a sigh of relief, then took a big bite of the deer heart.

Martin also took out a knife, cut the deer leg in half, and distributed the outer layer of skin and meat to everyone.

Everyone carried their beers and ate the venison and beef patties for a while until they were all full, at which point the impromptu mini-party came to an end.

Johnny then pulled out a map and had a brief discussion with Gavin, a local, about the route.

While the two were studying the map, Gavin handed Johnny his zombie survival manual and talked to him for a while.

Once the route was confirmed and Johnny and his companion had gained a better understanding of the existing zombies, it was time to say goodbye.

Gavin and his two companions mounted their horses, while Johnny and his son packed their belongings and rode their motorcycles. The five of them then sped out of the forest along the same road they had come from.

When the sunlight is no longer blocked by the cedar trees.

When the clear blue grassland and the bright sky reappeared before my eyes.

They stopped at the edge of the forest and looked at each other from left to right.

Meeting Anglu's eager yet determined gaze, and then looking at Johnny's confident yet worried expression.

Gavin couldn't hold back any longer and finally spoke to the father and son.

"Guys, my house is only about ten miles from here. Are you sure you don't want to come over and have a chat?"

“I admit you’re right. A promising environment could indeed demoralize you, but I think you’re all fighters, and you can overcome those obstacles.”

"How about we come to my place and rest for a bit? What do you think? Would you like to consider it?"

After saying that, Gavin held the reins with both hands and looked expectantly at Johnny and his son.

but……

After hearing these words, Johnny and Andrew, though their eyes gleamed with anticipation, ultimately shook their heads in unison.

Johnny then spoke to Gavin.

“I can imagine how amazing that place is. Gavin, the three of you are as handsome as cowboys in a movie. I bet my son and I would look just as handsome if we wore the same outfits.”

"So let's keep this expectation alive a little longer!"

"After we get home, find my lover, and find Andrew's mother, we will still have to work on how to survive the apocalypse."

"By then, having already embarked on one long journey, we might just be able to take another exciting trip, and what we'll be looking forward to then is you and your campsite!"

With that, Johnny waved to Gavin one last time, then started his motorcycle and drove off with his son toward the farm town.

Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, and Johnny carrying most of a white-tailed deer on his motorcycle, Gavin waved to them from afar.

Just then, Anglu couldn't help but turn around and look at Gavin.

Noticing Gavin waving at them, Anglu was startled and immediately raised his right fist and shouted at Gavin.

"Thank you for the gun. We'll be back, Gavin. I'll definitely bring my parents back, I promise!"

"Ha, see you in the future, guys!"

Gavin shouted to them one last time, then lowered his hand and watched their backs disappear completely from his sight.

(End of this chapter)