Zion struggled to help Uncle Leonard move to a corner of the wall.
Leonard gasped for breath. "Kid, leave me here. I can't make it. Just seeing that bastard Dyson dead with my own eyes… I'm satisfied. Cough, cough!"
Zion quickly reached into his sports backpack and used his ability to summon a bottle of water. He unscrewed the cap and handed it to Leonard.
"Uncle Leonard, have some water. Don't push yourself too hard."
Leonard shook his head with a faint smile. "Cough, cough! Kid… do you have any whiskey left? I'd hate for my last drink to be plain water."
Zion sighed helplessly and reached into his bag again, summoning a bottle of whiskey.
"Here you go, Uncle Leonard. This is the last bottle."
Leonard's eyes lit up immediately. He grabbed the bottle and took a big gulp.
"Ha! Now that's what I call a proper drink! Hahaha, I'm satisfied!"
"You're going to be fine, Uncle Leonard!" Zion insisted.
"Kid, don't be sad… In this godforsaken world, having you and a bottle of whiskey with me at the end… That's heaven."
Leonard took another deep breath, his voice softening. "Alright, is there anything you want to ask me? If not… I'd like to rest for a bit."
Zion's heart clenched. He knew that if Leonard closed his eyes now, he'd never open them again.
"Uncle Leonard, tell me about Dyson," Zion asked hurriedly.
At the mention of Dyson, Leonard's face instantly darkened.
"That damned rat!" he growled. "At the start of the zombie outbreak, the government was still broadcasting. They told everyone to head to the nearest police stations or supermarkets for shelter. They promised aid and free food for everyone."
Leonard paused, gulping down another mouthful of whiskey before continuing.
"But everything changed when that bastard Dyson showed up. When he arrived, he already had the ability to manipulate ice. I still remember the scene—he just waved his hand, and a bunch of ice balls appeared out of nowhere. He declared himself the 'chosen one,' the savior who would lead us through the apocalypse."
"You know, kid, in those terrifying days, showing a 'miracle' was enough to make people follow him. The leader of the survivor base took him away for a private discussion. Nobody knows what they talked about, but the next day, Dyson announced himself as the base leader."
Leonard clenched his fist so tightly his knuckles cracked. "He imposed brutal control over everyone in the base. Survivors were forced to collect food in exchange for survival time in the base. Worst of all, he made them gather zombie crystals for him."
He sneered bitterly. "And the so-called free food? It turned into this disgusting sludge-like paste. It was so foul that survivors would only eat it when they were on the brink of starvation. Half the time, they'd vomit more than they managed to swallow."
Leonard shook his head and chuckled darkly. "Kid, we were lucky. Dyson must've been injured and exhausted this time; otherwise, you wouldn't have had a chance to take him down. If he were at full strength, we'd already be frozen statues."
The thought of that vile food made Leonard gag, and he coughed violently again. Breathing heavily, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a key, handing it to Zion.
"Here, kid. Take this," he said weakly. Zion finally noticed the full extent of the wound on Leonard's chest—his flesh was mangled, and it was a miracle he was still alive.
"Uncle Leonard…" Zion's voice choked with emotion.
"Don't cry, kid. This is the key to my house—address: 150 30th Street. I've hidden some zombie crystals in the basement. This is my gift to you." Leonard's lips curved into a faint smile as he added, "Don't be sad. For me, this is a release… I'll finally get to see Martha and Mark again. I can already see them waving at me."
He took another deep breath, his voice barely above a whisper. "Listen, kid, head toward City Hall. The broadcasts mentioned that it's the largest survivor base in the city. They've got armed forces to protect people and maintain order… Now go. It's my time."
Leonard's face lit up with a serene smile, as if he had finally found peace.
Zion stared at him, overwhelmed by a wave of sorrow. Leonard was the only person he'd met since the apocalypse began who had treated him with genuine kindness.
"Damn this apocalypse! Why does it have to be this way?" Zion screamed inwardly, his heart full of grief.
After a moment of silent mourning, Zion steadied his emotions and sat with Leonard for a little longer. Looking at Leonard clutching his whiskey bottle, he murmured softly, "Goodbye, Uncle Leonard…"
Zion gave Leonard one last, lingering look before standing up and setting out on a new journey.
Leonard's house wasn't far; that was likely why he'd managed to hide the zombie crystals there. Zion decided to head there first before making further plans.
Opening his sports backpack, Zion saw that little Nana was still fast asleep. He couldn't help but envy Nana's carefree slumber. Closing the bag gently, he adjusted the straps and began walking toward Leonard's house.