Even for strong young people, just surviving in the apocalypse was a struggle. Yet here was a group of elderly people who had survived, and they looked to be in good health. It was clear that food and drink were not a problem.
"And what about the injuries on their faces?"
He asked everything at once.
All the elderly people looked helplessly at Lam Pham.
The old man from before sighed, slowly opened his mouth, and told Lam Pham the truth of the matter.
When Lam Pham learned the truth, he found out that several young people had been taking care of them. One of the youths, named Duong Bo, had the ability to be ignored by zombies. He had always been out searching for supplies to support them here.
But just yesterday, a helicopter had arrived here, and men with guns had tied up all these young people and taken them away, leaving only this group of elderly people behind.
Tan Linh.
Hearing the old man say this, he instantly thought that the only one who could do such a thing was Tan Linh.
The mysterious organization had always been looking for young people.
The leading old sir, named Hoang Van Hoa, wiped the corner of his eye and said, "Little Duong and his friends are all good kids. They never saw us old folks as a burden. They always took care of us, gave us good food and supplies, and even found health supplements for us from the outside. If it weren't for those kids' meticulous care, we would have died long ago."
"Young man, you are a capable person. Can you please save those kids? The people who took them all had guns. This face of mine was hit with a gunstock when I tried to stop them."
Hearing the old sir's words, Lam Pham could see that they were filled with gratitude when speaking of the young people.
To be able to unconditionally care for several helpless old people in the apocalypse was enough to prove that these young people were all very decent.
That young man Duong Bo was clearly a camouflaged Awakened one.
"Wait here for a moment. I'll give it a try, but I don't know if I'll succeed."
Lam Pham said.
Old Sir Hoang Van Hoa asked, "Do you know those people?"
Lam Pham shook his head and said, "Not really, but I know they have been capturing able-bodied survivors everywhere. I have also been looking for their location, but they have always been elusive, hiding their position, to the point that I still don't know where their main base is."
Walking to a corner.
Lam Pham took out his satellite phone and called Tan Linh.
The satellite phone rang for a long time without anyone picking up. Just as he thought Tan Linh didn't want to answer the call, it finally connected.
"You've arrived?"
"I've arrived."
"Haha, just as I thought. Your speed is beyond my imagination. How can a human body withstand such high-speed movement? I am very puzzled. Even speed-type zombies can't compare to you. I often wonder, just how did you become so powerful?"
Tan Linh was truly full of curiosity about Lam Pham. It was an inhuman ability. Even after they had conducted deep research on zombies, Professor Kim had definitively said that no matter how zombies evolved, they could never reach his level.
I suspect he is not human.
Professor Kim liked to classify all incomprehensible beings as non-human.
Lam Pham said, "You don't need to think about my problems for now. I want to ask, did you take the young people from here?"
"Yes. I found them, took the able-bodied, and left the old and weak for you. Don't you think this is a very good cooperation? You save your people, I take the people I need. In the future, I think it would be a very good thing for us to continue cooperating like this."
Hearing the other party say these words, Lam Pham knew that in the other's eyes, these old people were in fact useless beings. To them, strong young people were their targets.
Why hadn't he killed these old people?
But instead notified him.
Did the other party want to use this to test his ability data?
It should be like that.
As soon as he answered the phone, the other party asked if he had arrived, clearly having some understanding of his abilities and wanting to get a more accurate assessment.
"Can you release the young people you just captured?" Lam Pham said.
As he said these words.
The other end of the line clearly went quiet.
After a brief silence.
"Hahaha..." Tan Linh burst out laughing. "Are you joking with me? You're telling me to return them? Don't you think that's an extremely outrageous thing to ask? I found the shelter, found the people, and only took away a group of young people. I at least left a bunch of old folks for you. Not only are you not grateful, but you're giving an inch and taking a mile, wanting me to return the young people I took. Don't you think that's very outrageous?"
"Do you think we will meet in the future?" Lam Pham didn't answer the other's question, but instead asked directly about the future.
"Maybe, maybe not."
"No, we will definitely meet. What is your purpose in researching zombies? Is it to create a new species that is even more powerful than zombies, and can even be controlled, right?"
"Why are you telling me this?"
On the other end of the phone, Tan Linh motioned for the subordinate who wanted to report the situation not to speak, then walked to the side, talking to Lam Pham with great interest. He felt that Lam Pham was very different from other survivors, even different from anyone he had ever met.
Lam Pham said very seriously, "Listen to me. The world is only so big. After I knew your name, I asked others, and they showed me a photo of you in a gossip magazine. I have already memorized what you look like."
"Oh? You've memorized my appearance? That's great. To be remembered by the strongest human in the apocalypse is an honor for me."
"Mhm, you can consider it an honor. But as long as I meet you, you definitely won't escape. I will personally hand you over to Officer Hoang. For me, no matter what kind of zombie you research, or how strong you become, you cannot escape from my hands."
Lam Pham's tone gradually became serious.
On the other end of the phone, Tan Linh could clearly feel the firmness in Lam Pham's tone.
Hearing this, Tan Linh's eyes narrowed slightly, and he forced himself to say calmly, "Is that so? Are you that confident you can meet me?"
Lam Pham said, "Are you saying you will be a turtle hiding in its shell for the rest of your life, that you will never appear in the sunlight for your entire life?"
Silence. Utter silence. There wasn't even a trace of static.
A moment later.
Tan Linh, who had taken a deep breath, said, "What exactly do you mean?"
Indeed, just as Lam Pham said, Tan Linh did not think he would hide forever. One day he would appear in the sunlight, bringing his research results, descending like a true god.
At that time, he would have thoroughly researched zombies, found the true mystery of human evolution, and would possess extremely powerful abilities. But even so, he still didn't think he could contend with Lam Pham.
Tan Linh refused to admit defeat. He always thought there would be a chance in the future, that he could also find a way to become as formidable as Lam Pham.
But for now, Lam Pham was still like a great mountain, pressing down heavily on his heart.
"It's very simple. I can swear an oath. I will let you go once," Lam Pham said.
"Haha, hilarious. On what basis can you guarantee you won't go back on your word?"
"I guarantee it on my character."
Lam Pham didn't want to see those young people become test subjects. They had been able to selflessly care for these elderly people for months. Such spirit, such character, should not end up as test subjects on someone's operating table, but should have a bright future.
Tan Linh said, "I believe in your character, but I also believe that in order to prevent more people from being taken by me, you would abandon your character and capture me. Relatively speaking, I'm more inclined to believe the latter."
For him, he knew Lam Pham was definitely a man of his word, but based on his investigation and analysis, the other party had been constantly searching for survivors, unconditionally providing them with a normal life, which showed that Lam Pham was the type who valued human life above all else.
And what he, Tan Linh, did was constantly kidnap survivors and use them for research. Therefore, to prevent ordinary survivors from being tragically kidnapped by him, he was very confident that Lam Pham would cast aside his character and capture him.
"You don't believe me, then name another condition. As long as there is one, I am willing to satisfy you," Lam Pham said.
Tan Linh said, "Lam Pham, I am very willing to know someone like you. If this were a time of peace, perhaps I would very much want a friend like you. But our paths are not the same. You have your ideas, I have my ideas. You want to save more people, let them breathe fresh air. Everything you do, the premise of stabilizing order, is that your strength makes them see terror. No one dares to have thoughts of resistance, or even violate the rules you set. To be honest, isn't this also a form of oppression? It's just that your kind of oppression satisfies the needs of the majority, thus making them grateful to you to the point of tears."
"Fine. This is the first time you've requested something of me. I'm willing to give you face this one time. I will inform them to return the captured survivors to their original place. You wait there. Remember, you owe me a favor."
Hearing Tan Linh say these words, Lam Pham immediately let out a sigh of relief. Being able to bring those young survivors back was his only thought.
"Thank you."
Although he did not agree with the other's actions, for this matter, he still thanked the other party for being able to agree to his request.
For Lam Pham, what he feared most were favors. Favors were the hardest to repay.
Just like in times of peace, he was clearly very poor, but if someone treated him to a meal or helped him with something, he would always think about repaying them. Especially when it came to help with a matter, he felt that this wasn't something a meal could settle, but required him to always remember the other's kindness.
"I hope we won't see each other again."
After Tan Linh said this, he hung up the phone.
"Can they all come back?" Old Sir Hoang Van Hoa asked.
Lam Pham said, "Mhm, they can all come back. I just negotiated with them. Don't worry, it will be quick."
He looked at the sky. Perhaps in a little while, a helicopter would arrive.
"Thank you, thank you so much. I thank you on their behalf for your kindness."
Hoang Van Hoa was very grateful.
Lam Pham smiled. He had encountered such situations many times, especially in the apocalypse where too many people needed help. Despair and disaster often went hand in hand.
What he could do was what was within his ability.
He did these things not to be thanked by others, but simply because he thought, if even compatriots were unwilling to help and unite with each other, then what could they use to fight against the apocalypse.
Look at the situation with the zombies. They clearly had no rationality, yet they were abnormally united. Under such unity, if humans were still like a sheet of loose sand, then the only outcome would be extinction.
The sound of rotor blades.