On one hand, Bob was a talented person Lux valued. On the other, the military shelter that Darren's daughter could go to was not necessarily good news.
Lux intended to establish his own settlement. For daily operations, he planned for Bob to assist with management.
But with the military as a big player, it would be hard for him to keep Bob's loyalty.
As for Candice… she looked about ten. Lux couldn't bear leaving such a young girl to wait for death here.
Even if she survived, a child this small had almost no survival ability in the apocalypse.
Most importantly, he couldn't enter the military shelter.
HK416 and MDR's existence as tactical units would be noticed. The military would surely inspect survivors for the zombie virus, and that could lead to them being taken to a lab.
"Give him some painkillers. Let's talk outside," Lux told HK416.
HK416 handed a few pills to Candice, then followed Lux outside.
"How serious is his injury? Can he survive?"
"The wound's inflamed; surrounding tissue is necrotic. To save him, it would need to be fully excised. He's severely anemic—his survival this long is due to luck and his strong will to live."
HK416 reported quietly.
"What do you think I should do?"
Lux asked.
"I'd prioritize your personal safety, Lux. If it were me, I'd take most of the resources in this store, leaving only food and water for the girl, then separate from Bob and continue toward your original target."
"But as a human, you can't be cold-hearted. You never asked for my opinion."
"Just remember, no matter what, MDR and I will stand by you and protect you."
HK416 answered without hesitation.
Lux sat on the counter, thinking.
The military shelter—though he couldn't enter—wasn't necessarily bad. Establishing a settlement was just a concept for now. Early food collection was needed to attract people. To gather grain, he'd have to expose the system space.
In truth, bringing Bob along was somewhat troublesome. Maybe it was better to let him learn management at the shelter first.
Building a settlement takes time; he couldn't just move in anywhere.
Once he collected the resources from surrounding warehouses, he could raid large supermarkets. With enough supplies, survivors would naturally come, and then he could recruit Bob to help. He would likely agree.
He wasn't worried the military would clear warehouses quickly—they have supplies and vehicles, but not enough to empty everything at once. Lux had time to collect grain before them.
Now, Lux was already formulating a plan.
For Candice, he planned to keep her with him. Leaving her at the shelter, with no productivity, would be dangerous. Early in the disaster, the military might still distribute enough food, but as more survivors came, rations would deplete quickly, and labor would be required. A child couldn't manage that.
From Lux's perspective, when resources ran low, Candice would either be adopted or forced to exchange her body for food. Better to keep her with him.
She had already shown initiative—hiding and trying to ambush him. With proper guidance, she could become a self-sufficient survivor, rather than live a constrained life.
Lux didn't believe joining a shelter guaranteed safety. When supplies ran low, survivors would be forced to barter their dignity for food.
"Looks like you've made a decision. Don't worry—I'll support it."
HK416 placed her hand over Lux's.
He nodded and returned inside.
Darren leaned back, took the painkillers, and regained calm. When he saw Lux, a glimmer of hope appeared.
"First, I won't join the military shelter. I plan to survive alone, scavenging resources."
"So I'll go with Old Bob to X High School and try to rescue his daughter."
"Thank you, sir! Thank you!"
Bob's eyes welled with tears. He had prepared to go alone but hadn't expected Lux's sense of honor.
"After you rescue her, could you come get Candice? You'll need food anyway. Coming here lets you resupply—you won't lose out."
Darren still pleaded, his eyes full of hope.
"Okay. But I don't recommend leaving her alone in the military shelter."
"W-why?"
Darren looked at Lux in confusion.
"Most farmers are dead; grain regeneration is low. Labor is scarce. Later, the shelter won't feed idlers."
"Your daughter can't do physical labor. Going out to scavenge would make her bait. To survive there, you understand the risks."
Darren's face turned pale. He'd only been thinking about how to keep his daughter alive, not how she'd sustain herself afterward. Now he understood completely.
"So… what do you mean, bother?"
"Let her come with me."
"Are you like those scum? You'd even… take in a little girl like this?"
Darren's eyes blazed as he tried to sit up.
"Calm down, brother. He's not that kind of person. He has no money or power, but he's risking his life to help me save my daughter. He's a good man."
Bob quickly held Darren down, urging him to calm himself.