Chapter 104: Transaction Complete
The vaccine matter was like a shot of adrenaline injected into Hershel. His originally ruddy cheeks flushed even redder.
Caesar pushed Morales to Hershel while he himself walked out of the house.
Seeing Caesar's figure walking out, Maggie froze for a moment and looked toward the guest room. She only saw Hershel clutching at Morales asking something urgently.
That enthusiastic appearance reminded Maggie of how Hershel had pursued her stepmother.
But her stepmother now... well, Maggie glanced at the barn.
The barn's red exterior looked like it carried a cold feeling.
Caesar walked toward the two. At this time Glenn was still holding Maggie. The way the two pulled and tugged looked very intimate.
Intending to tease, Caesar deliberately said: "Oi, you two have eyes for each other this quickly?"
Glenn instinctively raised his eyes, just colliding with Maggie's eyes looking over.
Deep, dark green eyes—like a green sea, carrying seductive allure.
Immediately, Glenn was dazed.
Maggie also froze for a moment. After looking for a while, her gaze fell on Glenn's eyes, also fell on Glenn's lips.
Glenn seemed to also sense something, secretly swallowing saliva.
At such close distance, Glenn's small movement—Maggie naturally saw it. The corners of her mouth curved slightly upward.
Just then, a large hand grabbed Glenn's shoulder, pulling Glenn back a step.
Caesar lowered his head and said in a small voice: "Maggie's old man is still in the house behind. He has a gun in his hand. Do you want to see him rush out with a gun to shoot you?"
Finished speaking, Caesar as if nothing had happened nodded at Maggie and walked outward.
Glenn had a guilty conscience. He thought he was being very stealthy as he looked back at Hershel in the guest room.
Hershel was still communicating with Morales, not even glancing this way once.
Glenn let out a breath of relief.
"Glenn, your task is complete. You don't need to block Maggie anymore."
Caesar's voice came from far away. He was walking toward the stable.
Only then did Glenn look at Maggie, saying: "Sorry about earlier."
Finished speaking, Glenn walked twistedly toward his squad members and left.
Maggie watched Glenn's figure, lightly brushing her hair.
As soon as Glenn walked over, Rick teased: "Yo, back so quickly."
"I thought you'd stay with her all night."
"Hahahaha..."
Glenn's face instantly exploded red. A good portion of the squad had already married. Teasing Glenn, who hadn't really been in love much, could be said to be easy pickings.
After their interest dissipated, they returned to alert status.
Jimmy then walked to Glenn's side, asking in a small voice: "Glenn, are you in love with her?"
Glenn looked at Jimmy in surprise. "Not yet. This was only the first meeting."
"Oh, oh." Jimmy nodded in sudden understanding. "I heard Lloyd say that many barrel-racing cowgirls, as long as they take a liking to you, that very night they can..."
As Jimmy spoke, he even made a gesture.
Glenn was quick-eyed and quick-handed, quickly pressing it down. He looked left and right at other squad members. Fortunately no one saw.
If someone had seen, they'd definitely tease again.
"You also haven't been in love much?" Glenn asked in a small voice. Though his level wasn't high, he could tell Jimmy was also a rookie.
Jimmy nodded.
Seeing this, the corners of Glenn's mouth curved in a smile. He extended his hand around Jimmy's shoulders and began to fool him...
---
Inside the house, Beth, Patricia, and the others had already walked out early.
Patricia led Beth and Maggie, serving tea and pouring water for everyone, very diligent.
When Maggie poured water for Glenn, she deliberately blinked her eyes. Glenn's heart trembled watching.
Near evening, Caesar led everyone to depart.
They agreed that the next day, Hershel would load up seed grain and needed items, bringing personnel to Black Pine Valley.
Black Pine Valley wasn't far from Greene Farm. Hershel had been several times and knew some of the situation inside.
With Caesar's display, he'd probably integrated the entire Black Pine Valley together, condensed into one rope. Then how many people were under Caesar's command?
Thinking carefully, Hershel inevitably felt somewhat frightened.
After bidding farewell to Caesar and the others, Hershel's family began eating dinner.
The lamplight was soft. Everyone at the table ate in silence.
Hershel sat in the primary seat. He finished chewing the food in his mouth, wiped his mouth, and rubbed both hands together.
"For Black Pine Valley, tomorrow just Otis and I will go."
"I also want to go." Maggie suddenly spoke.
Hershel looked at Maggie once. He knew it was very likely because of that Asian boy. He said coldly: "No."
Maggie seemed to have prepared early. Both eyes looked directly at Hershel, her gaze firm. "On the farm right now, only you and Otis have relatively strong combat ability. If Otis leaves, who will protect the farm?"
Hershel turned his head. He could clearly see the non-yielding in Maggie's gaze.
On Otis's obese face, flesh trembled slightly. He felt the atmosphere at the dining table starting to tense up.
Jimmy, who couldn't read the situation, raised his hand high. His youthful cheeks were full of "I can do it" expression.
"I can protect the farm."
"Shut up." Maggie turned her head. Her gaze like a knife stabbed at Jimmy. "Your marksmanship is terrible, not even as good as mine."
Jimmy's high emotions were instantly extinguished. His shoulders drooped down. He withdrew his hand.
Beth pursed her lips, carefully extending her hand under the table to hold Jimmy's hand, using eye contact to convey encouragement.
Jimmy secretly smiled. His dejection also disappeared.
Maggie looked at Hershel, waiting for Hershel's decision.
Hershel's hands crossed and gripped before him. Only after quite a while did he say: "Alright, but tomorrow you must pay attention. You can't be like today without rules, pulling and tugging with a boy over there."
Seeing Hershel agree, Maggie was greatly delighted in her heart. On the surface, she was calm as still water.
Dinner quickly ended.
The farm's sky was like ink spreading open. The moon hung high, illuminating the grassland brightly.
Hershel slowly walked to the barn's side, staring at the barn in a daze for half a moment.
A gust of wind blew past. The chain lock on the barn's front door made clattering collision sounds.
Afterward, the slapping sounds inside the door grew louder.
The door began to shake. Several bluish hands extended from the gap between the two door panels.
The chain pulled taut. The door couldn't be pushed open. The walkers inside the door could only keep slapping.
Hershel took a deep breath, waking from the long river of his memories. Old tears streamed down.
He casually wiped his cheeks, climbed up the wooden ladder beside the barn to the barn's second floor.
The second floor had a small platform with some dry grass piled on it.
Hershel sat his butt on the dry grass, looking down at the barn's first floor.
The first floor was incomparably pitch black. Not much light entered—like a black hole, dark and gloomy.
Hershel was silent for a moment before opening his mouth to speak about his longing for his wife, stepson, and others.
His voice was gentle, without the usual hardness. Only an elderly person's reminiscence of the past and regret for the irretrievable past.
Outside the door, Maggie leaned against the barn wall, covering her mouth as she sobbed.