The Walking Dead: A New Beginning From the End of the World

In no time, Jason began moving through the county. His first stop was a hotel, where he took a shower and changed into fresh clothes he had recently purchased at a local store. He needed to draw as little attention as possible, now that he was about to move strategically in a fight for his survival. After all, he was racing against the clock—a race he could not afford to lose.

He had thought long and hard, and the only way to get large amounts of money quickly was to steal it. And no, this wasn't about robbing a bank or anything of the sort.

It turned out that the phone he had taken from the man in the black hoodie belonged to a gang that had recently become very active in Atlanta. From what Jason could gather, the man's role within the gang was basically that of an errand boy for a criminal cell.

As he scrolled through the messages in search of something valuable, Jason came across a particularly interesting chat. Once he understood what it was about, he decided to get involved.

"[Pongo]: Pluto, the green grass will be delivered under the abandoned bridge. This time, you'll go with the new guy to train him and get him accustomed to the business."

"[Pluto]: Just the two of us?"

"[Pongo]: We've already discussed this. You handle the errand work, and you won't be short on money in your pocket. Train the new guy so you can move up in the organization."

"[Pluto]: Anything else?"

"[Pongo]: Be more cautious this time. The Atlanta Feds are breathing down your neck. You'll need to hide the green grass warehouses, and that means a lot of work for us."

"[Pongo]: Once you receive the package, take it to the workshop. We'll relocate it from there. The new guy will be waiting for you outside Martha's Laundromat."

"[Pluto]: Got it."

Jason quickly realized that Pluto was the man in the black jacket who had visited the police station a few hours ago, while Pongo was that idiot's boss.

"I guess the money wasn't all that attractive. Pluto didn't even have enough for basic stuff like snacks," Jason murmured, hatching a plan that could either go very well or disastrously wrong.

He had, of course, replied to the messages. He wanted to see if there was something in it for him. As it turned out, there was: an opportunity to rob these criminals.

That was the kind of person Jason was—a determined man with a clear mind. He intended to gather as much money as possible to prepare for what lay ahead. His first desperate attempt would be to rob these people.

Naturally, there was a risk of dying, but time wasn't on his side. He preferred to take the risk, as the potential rewards were immense.

In this world, if he couldn't accomplish such a straightforward goal, then he wasn't ready for the future. His confidence lay in his military experience, both on and off the battlefield.

In both of his lives, Jason had killed. He was no stranger to the feeling of taking a life. The mortal sin, as many called it, had been committed by Jason's hands long ago. Back then, he had mistakenly believed he was fighting for the right side.

In that regard, a part of Jason had died long ago, even before he arrived in this new reality.

That's why, in simple terms, if he couldn't secure money for more optimal plans, Jason had no idea what he would do next. Thus, he was willing to take these risks—and that's exactly what he planned to do tonight.

After getting ready, Jason rummaged through his backpack and quickly found a black military knife—long, sharp, and sheathed—perfect for use if needed.

Looking at himself in the mirror, Jason, who felt an unprecedented weight pressing down on his shoulders, walked toward the hotel room door.

The county was small; he didn't have to ask around much to figure out where the laundromat was, the spot where the new guy would pick him up.

Truthfully, if the new guy recognized who Pluto was, Jason would need to be far more ruthless from the start—and he wasn't exactly eager to spill blood before ensuring he could get the money.

Eventually, a black car pulled up. The window rolled down, and a man sitting in the driver's seat said, "Pongo sent me. Are you the guy who's going to teach me?"

"Yes, Pluto told me you're the new guy. Are you ready to learn the ropes?" Jason kept his cool. If the situation didn't feel right, he would leave without hesitation.

"I'm ready, brother. I'll learn everything, starting now," the man said with an eager grin.

Jason raised his eyebrows, slightly surprised. He hadn't expected it to be this easy. Although his outfit was similar to what the man in the black hoodie had worn, Jason hadn't imagined the process would go so smoothly.

"I'll teach you what you need. Let's get moving first." Acting as if everything was natural, Jason got into the car.

During the drive, the man—whose name was Daniel—asked a lot of questions about the business. Although he had been given an introduction, he wanted advice from someone more experienced.

"You just need to stay calm, don't ask questions you shouldn't, and don't let your emotions get involved in this business. Otherwise, you'll end up dead." Jason didn't actually know much about the business; he was already questioning whether it had been a good idea to get involved. But he did know about criminals, so he answered based on that.

"I've heard that a lot…" Daniel nodded seriously, taking the advice to heart.

Jason reminded himself during the entire trip that the benefits weren't just for his own survival—they would also help him save the people he chose to protect. Even if he had tens of thousands of dollars in his bank account, it wasn't enough. He needed more, and this was the perfect opportunity to get it.

As they headed into the Atlanta suburbs, Jason realized the trip to the meeting point would take longer. He needed to keep a cool head.

He knew his skills were exceptional, far superior to those of an average person. As a former special forces operative, Jason had no hesitation when it came to killing. He was trained in hand-to-hand combat, which made him a lethal machine capable of achieving whatever he set his mind to.

As he browsed through the phone, Jason discovered several things from the photos that had been taken.

The gang that idiot had belonged to was despicable. Not only were they involved in money laundering, but they were also deeply entrenched in the drug trade. This group of scum undoubtedly needed to meet their end.

"Looks like we arrived before everyone else," Daniel said as he turned off the car under the bridge and lit a cigarette. "I thought you'd be darker, but I guess not."

"Lately, I've been using a skin-lightening cream. I'll recommend it to you once we're done with this," Jason replied coldly.

As time passed, Jason silently observed the peaceful surroundings, feeling uneasy about what was about to unfold.

"I wish everything could stay this calm forever…"

"What did you say?" Daniel asked, confused.

"Looks like they're here. Let's make this quick so we can get back and have an early dinner." Jason stepped out of the car and waited silently for the opposing group to appear.

A black truck pulled up not far away, coming from the opposite direction where Jason and Daniel stood. A dark-skinned man got out and began walking toward them.

"Are you Pongo's men?" the man asked coldly, his eyes scrutinizing Jason, who immediately gave him a bad feeling.

"Yeah, that's us," Daniel replied casually and added, "We're here for the package. We were told time is a priority, so you'd better hurry up."

The man stared at Jason for a moment, spat on the ground, and pulled out his phone. "Pongo, you bastard, did you seriously send just two of your guys?"

"You know how important this money is. You'd better not lose it, or the boss will cut your damn head off."

"Yeah, I don't give a damn that you trust these guys. Fine, screw you, you black piece of shit."

Jason watched silently, keeping his thoughts to himself. He knew these men were dangerous and that he had to tread carefully.

"Two guys who can barely wipe their own asses show up to pick up the money. Damn it, unload the packages!" the man shouted angrily, glancing behind him and signaling to his men that it was safe to bring the money out.

The truck parked in the distance slowly moved closer, and two more men got out. From their expressions, it was obvious they were heavily drugged.

"Open the trunk..."

Jason maintained a calm demeanor as he eyed the ten suitcases. Walking over to the trunk, he watched as the men carefully loaded the cases.

"Hey, check the cases and make sure everything's in order," Jason said, looking at the man standing at a distance.

"What do you want me to check?"

"That one. Looks like one of the cases is open."

At that, the man quickly walked over, and Jason seized the moment to plunge a knife into his throat.

Slash!

As Jason struck, he felt nothing. His next movements were swift and deliberate. Without hesitation, he grabbed the pistol tucked into the belt of the man he had just stabbed, who was now desperately trying to stop Jason from taking it.

"You... son of a bitch. I knew it... You're not part of the gang."

In seconds, the nearest man to the dark-skinned one tried to pull his gun, but Jason, quicker on the draw, shot him twice in the head.

Bang! Bang!

The last man, horrified at the sight of his two fallen companions, looked at Jason in shock and fumbled to pull his own weapon.

His movements were clumsy, slow, and uncoordinated. That was the effect of the drugs dulling his nervous system and survival instincts. Even though he felt fear, his body couldn't respond quickly.

Bang!

Slash! Slash! Slash!

Before the man could aim his weapon, Jason rushed him and stabbed him multiple times in the throat. The knife in Jason's hands moved fluidly, as if he were accustomed to slicing through flesh.

Seconds later, the man, who had tried to fire one last shot, felt his strength drain away. Moments after, he collapsed to the ground, bleeding out.

"Was it that easy?"

Reflecting on what he had just done, Jason kicked the guns away from the hands of the criminals and turned his attention to Daniel, who was just a bystander—and the next person who had to go.

"Was that part of the plan?" Daniel asked, staring at the bodies on the ground. His body trembled as he processed what had just unfolded.

"Sorry, Daniel, but I have to ensure my survival."

With that, Jason pulled the trigger and fired.

Bang!

A criminal like Daniel, with no moral compass, would only create more chaos once the law and order collapsed. It was better to eliminate him now and avoid future trouble.

Loading the suitcases into Daniel's car trunk, Jason transferred them to the black truck and secured them. He glanced at the guns on the ground and decided to take them, along with the cash from the wallets of the lifeless men.

In this world, it was kill or be killed by people like them. Jason knew he had to be resolute now more than ever. The faster he adapted to this mindset, the easier it would be to survive in the near future.

Staring at the bodies on the ground, Jason felt nothing. He climbed into the truck, knowing he had to leave before someone alerted the police about the gunshots.

Starting the truck, he quickly left the area, seizing the moment and thinking about the future. He would make good use of the money he had been "gifted."

But first, he needed to find out where the vaults of this criminal cell were located. If he had the chance to raid them, he would. After all, no matter how much money he had, it would never be enough before the world fell apart.