Chapter 36
Enjoying a Delicious Meal
"It's been so long since I've ridden an elevator," Rick exclaimed.
Jenner was clearly aware of the situation outside. "Atlanta is without water and electricity, and survival is difficult, but you are very strong."
"I know there are many people outside who are taking advantage of the collapse of order to cause chaos. They are all very dangerous people, and I have encountered quite a few of them."
At this point, Jenna noticed Carl, who was being led by his mother, and Carl's gaze was fixed on Jenna's gun.
Jenner joked, "For example, I'd better watch out for you, you little dangerous person."
"Hahaha." Karl's lips curled up, his suppressed laughter looking especially adorable.
This caused others to burst into laughter, and the entire elevator echoed with laughter.
After the laughter came a long silence.
The entire elevator was filled with a foul stench, a mixture of putrid smells and sweat.
The smell was quite strong. Jenner sniffed, and Rick, noticing his reaction, explained somewhat awkwardly:
"These past two days, we've been running around outside, fighting zombies, so we haven't had much time to shower."
Jenner smiled politely: "I understand."
After the elevator doors opened, Jenner led everyone into a conference room.
The chairs in the conference room were all piled up together, looking like they had been abandoned for a long time. There was a musty smell in the air, and a thick layer of dust covered them.
After quickly clearing out a few seats, Jenner took a test tube and drew blood.
The blood flowed slowly into the test tube through the delivery tube.
Jenner operated the machine carefully.
Rick was the first to have his blood drawn. He looked at Jenner and asked, "If we're infected with the zombie virus, we'll immediately turn into zombies. Why do we need to be tested?"
Jenner didn't speak, but gave Rick a complicated look before slowly saying, "I've already broken all the rules by letting you in, so let me reserve a final test."
After saying that, Jenner fell silent, remaining quiet throughout the entire process.
Rick is an experienced county sheriff who can see through people's true nature and tell if they are lying.
Rick raised an eyebrow, his distrust growing stronger.
This person is lying!
"I'll do it!"
After Rick finished drawing blood, Tite sat down with his legs spread wide and reached out his hand.
Jenner noticed that Tite was staring at her, but she didn't pay attention and focused on what she was doing.
"So, Researcher Jenner, are you the only one at your CDC?"
As Tite asked the question, his gaze lingered on Jenner's chest, where Jenner's name tag was hanging.
Jenner knew this moment would come sooner or later, and he never intended to hide it.
"Yes, I'm the only one left at the CDC now."
"There were already infected people before the apocalypse began, and the CDC had obtained samples long before that."
"So, the government launched 'Project Wildfire,' summoning us to research it, but to this day, we still don't know what it is!"
Jenner's voice was filled with a deep sense of frustration. He wasn't a top researcher; he was just a survivor with some research abilities.
The real hope for developing a vaccine and saving the world is his wife, now sample 19.
Jenner then lowered her head, and everyone could feel the heavy burden she carried at that moment.
"Then, the apocalypse began. The researchers at the CDC left the CDC, wanting to spend their last moments on earth with their families."
"Some researchers couldn't bear the start of the apocalypse, couldn't bear this reality, and... they committed suicide."
When Jenner spoke of "committing suicide," his hands trembled and his speech was halting, clearly indicating that it had been a great blow to him.
Lori thoughtfully took out a tissue and handed it to Jenner, who whispered "thank you."
After calming down, Jenner continued, "I originally wanted to commit suicide too, but my wife stopped me."
"She made me promise that I would keep, keep researching this thing, whether it's a virus or whatever."
Jenner looked up, tears streaming down his face, his voice filled with despair, "But my wife is the most talented and capable researcher. She is the one who will solve the apocalypse, not me."
In the messy meeting room, sadness was evident on everyone's faces. They understood that Jenner's wife was most likely gone, and they also felt Jenner's grief and pain.
In the conference room, only Jenner's soft sobs and a few sighs could be heard.
……
The CDC, basement level, living area.
Stepping on the soft carpet, there was no unpleasant smell in the air, only a faint smell of disinfectant.
"You'll be sleeping here tonight," Jenner said, spreading his arms wide. "But remember, when you shower tonight, do it quickly and don't use too much hot water. We need to conserve resources."
"bath?"
"A shower? We can take a hot shower tonight!" Jacques exclaimed excitedly, clenching his fists and raising them high in celebration.
In the small corridor, several people cheered, their smiles barely concealed, their eyes revealing their eagerness.
Jenna then crouched down, patted Carl's head, and pointed to one end of the corridor, "There's an activity room over there with all sorts of books and toys."
"Remember one thing: don't play video games."
Carl's face instantly lit up with joy. He looked up at Lori and asked hopefully, "Can I go?"
Lori pinched Karl's cheek affectionately and said, "Go on, go on! But take a shower and eat first, then you can go."
"Eat?" Jenner paused for a moment, then asked.
"If you want to eat, our restaurant has a lot of food, including steak and red wine, so you can enjoy a meal."
"Jenna, thank you for your generosity."
Rick reached out and shook Jenner's hand, unsure of what to say.
In the apocalypse, sharing food with strangers is an extremely noble quality. Jenner may not have experienced it firsthand, but the fact that he offered it is something Rick should be grateful for.
"Yes, yes! I'm going to have a big meal!" Tite exclaimed, raising his hands in celebration.
Since leaving the ranch, Tite has rarely eaten meat. Hey, you're saying canned meat doesn't count as meat?
Sorry, I've eaten too much meat from farms that raise their own livestock, so I don't really consider canned meat as real meat; it's just a mechanical way of filling my stomach.
Jenner smiled politely. "Don't say that. It's just that I'm not a very good cook, so you'll have to cook for yourselves."
"It's okay, I'll do it." Lori raised her hand. "I've asked you to provide the ingredients, so I'll definitely cook my best dish tonight and make the most of your ingredients."
Then, everyone quickly chose their rooms.
As soon as everyone entered the room, they quickly took off their clothes as they walked, and by the time they reached the bathroom door, they were completely naked.
As the steam rises, the flowing water feels like tiny hands massaging every inch of skin, the comforting sensation penetrating deep into the bones.
The first thing everyone does when showering is tilt their head back at a 45-degree angle and let out a comfortable hum: "Ah~".
Although taking a bath was very comfortable and everyone enjoyed it, they remembered Jenner's reminder and quickly finished their baths.