Chapter 90: No More Signs of Life
Different from the liveliness at the ranch center, the ranch edges were like being cut off from the world—cold and dark.
On a large tree, Daryl sat on the trunk, stuffing a blade of grass into his mouth, chewing it blandly.
Not just him—quite a few large trees around also had human figures. They were all combat squad people without families.
In the afternoon, Caesar had asked them whether they wanted to participate in the bonfire party. If unwilling, he'd arrange for them to patrol tonight.
Caesar worried that while holding the bonfire party, defenses would be weak, causing Leon's ranch or other brainless ranches to come raid.
Daryl had volunteered to serve as tonight's patrol squad captain.
Different from Daryl, Merle was still at the bonfire party enjoying himself dashingly, picking up girls.
In the dark woods, Daryl could hear sounds from the bonfire party. He occasionally picked up binoculars to look outside the ranch, wanting to see if there were any abnormal places.
Fortunately, nothing happened at night.
Suddenly, a trivial sound came. Daryl immediately became alert.
Daryl looked toward the sound source, raising his crossbow. Then he heard a familiar voice.
"Daryl? Come out quickly. I brought some food."
It was Carol's voice. Daryl relaxed his tense body. Both hands and feet gripped the large tree trunk. Hands and feet relaxed, he slid down the trunk.
Carol was holding a fragrant plate with lots of meat and vegetables on it.
Daryl came down from the tree, suddenly appearing before Carol.
Before Daryl could speak, a handgun pointed right at Daryl's face. Daryl tilted his head, looking at the mischievously smiling Carol.
"I got you!"
Daryl irritably took the food. Not caring whether his hands were dirty, he grabbed the food and stuffed it in his mouth.
Carol reminded: "There's a fork."
But Daryl clearly didn't listen to her. Carol helplessly put down the fork and called out: "You all come down and eat some."
After rustling sounds, several people walked out of the woods. They were all people scouting nearby.
"These are yours. For the others over there, I've arranged for people to deliver food."
Daryl ate very quickly. After eating his fill, he handed the plate to other people. Carol also got her wish to give out the fork.
The two slowly walked to the side. Carol looked Daryl up and down, then raised her head to look at the moon. Her face showed a mature older sister's smile: "Tonight the moonlight is very nice. Want to do it once?"
Daryl: "?"
"What's wrong?" Carol shrugged her shoulders, saying indifferently: "Physical needs!"
"Shut up."
Daryl gave Carol a look, leaned against a tree, and sucked his fingers—food grease still remained on them.
The two maintained quiet for a while. Daryl suddenly asked: "How's Sophia been lately?"
Carol thought about it and said: "Sophia is much happier than before. Now she has many friends. Plus without... that bastard Ed's domestic violence, she's living very happily."
"It's just that I'm very busy now. The time I accompany her has decreased a lot. She's often a bit sad about this."
Daryl also didn't know how to deal with this kind of children's problem. After listening he asked: "Is there anything I can do?"
"A teddy bear doll." Carol glanced at Daryl. Under the moonlight you couldn't see Daryl's features clearly, but his eyes were very bright. "She treasures that teddy bear doll of hers very much. It's just she lost it on the road before."
"Black Pine Valley is all cowboys. There are very few children. I haven't seen dolls or such."
Daryl nodded in response: "I understand."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the patrol members had already finished the food cleanly.
They successively returned to their posts. Daryl said to Carol: "I'm going up."
"That couldn't be better. A novel experience!" Carol smiled, raising her eyebrows suggestively.
Daryl dropped a line and walked away.
"Shut up!"
Watching Daryl's back, Carol held the plates and walked back to the ranch.
The ranch's bonfire party went very smoothly.
At Leon's ranch, a banquet was also underway.
It's just that compared to Caesar ranch's bonfire party, this banquet's scale was much smaller.
On a wide square table were placed large amounts of roasted meat, plus a tiny bit of vegetables, plus several bottles of alcohol.
Ford sat in the main seat. He stood up, looking at Gordon and the others before him.
These were all people who'd refused to surrender to Caesar's ranch this morning.
You yourselves weren't sensible. Then you can't blame me!
Ford's face showed a gentle smile. He knocked on his cup. Seeing everyone at the table look over—
Only then did Ford pick up a bottle of alcohol beside him. "This alcohol—I stored it before the apocalypse. Good alcohol."
"Today, we won't return until drunk!"
"Won't return until drunk!"
Everyone present were alcohol lovers. Their eyes shone looking at the bottles beside Ford, secretly swallowing.
"Boss, let's start drinking!"
"You're quite impatient." Ford pointed at the person who spoke. The arc of his mouth grew larger.
"Come come come, then let's drink."
"I saved this with such difficulty for so long, yet I'm still letting you drink it for me. But I've already brought out the alcohol. You're not allowed to escape drinking. You must drink yourselves flat today!"
Ford also didn't give the bottles to others. He insisted on pouring alcohol for each person and drove away the serving people.
Placing each cup of alcohol before each person, one bottle was just finished pouring.
Ford without changing expression took out a bottle from under the table and poured himself a cup.
Everyone didn't suspect anything. After Ford filled his own, they jointly raised cups.
In a burst of cheerful laughter, under warm yellow lamplight, cups were exchanged.
Ford ensured each person drank alcohol before passing the bottles over, letting them pour their own.
The meat and alcohol on the table were rapidly consumed. Ford sipped alcohol on one side while watching the several people at the table laugh boisterously.
They discussed something, laughing very happily.
Ford also laughed very happily. He didn't know what the other few were saying, but he was very clear—where he was happy, these people definitely couldn't be happy.
The clamorous sounds before the table grew louder and louder.
Several people drank more and more alcohol. Their movements exaggerated, faces flushed red, hands and feet somewhat disobedient.
Until one person, in a burst of boisterous laughter, fell to the ground together with his chair.
The people around pointed at him and laughed heartily. Yet they never saw him get up. One person nearby staggered and kicked him, but still didn't see him move.
"Aiya, he's drunk. Just let him continue sleeping. You all continue drinking. I still have lots of alcohol here!"
Ford brazenly waved his hand, indicating they continue drinking.
Getting drunk and passing out after drinking too much was a common occurrence. Plus their brains were already paralyzed by alcohol. They couldn't realize what "there's a problem" meant.
Boisterous laughter sounded again, growing louder and louder.
After not much longer, the laughter gradually disappeared. Accompanied by several crisp shattering sounds, there were no more signs of life.
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