The trip was rather peaceful for Markus and his team. Apart from some wandering zombies and a few other humans, they hardly encountered anyone else, dead or alive. Sabrina chatted with Markus the whole time, updating him on what happened in Marshall during the time he was away. Meanwhile, Alan and Dandelion discussed about Markus and his offer.

Only after they got close to the next town, Salisbury, did the road become crowded. It was so crowded, in fact, that even Alan and Dandelion could not slip through the traffic jam with their motorcycle. The team had no choice but to wait patiently like everyone else.

"Miss Dandelion, can you stand up and scout the road ahead?" Markus leaned out and said.

"Understood." Dandelion replied bluntly and stood up on the motorcycle's back seat. Apparently, she was still wary of Markus after what happened at the gas station.

"Some sort of checkpoint, about half a mile ahead." She reported.

"The military? Man, they sure responded fast." Alan commented.

"No, unless soldiers these days are issued medieval plate armours."

"All of their armours have a black insignia of a hand grasping a radioactive sign, right?" It was Sabrina who spoke up, "Those guys are the mercenaries guarding Salisbury. Seem like some sort of doomsday cult."

"People here would disband the police then hire a weird bunch like that to guard their town?!" Markus exclaimed in disbelief.

"Beats me." Sabrina shrugged, "I guess burning criminals at the stake is more efficient than questioning them."

That was when another car stopped next to them. A teary-eyed woman sat in the driver's seat while two young girls were sleeping peacefully in the back seats

"Is that you, Mrs Smith?" Sabrina recognized the woman at first glance and called out to her.

"I'm so happy to see you, officer Franchi." Mrs Smith's face brightened up, "Some of us was able to escape because you lured the zombies away. There were so many of them coming after your car that I was afraid you wouldn't make it out alive."

"I'm glad I could help. So where are you heading to? Did you bring enough supplies?"

When she heard the word "supplies", tears fell down Mrs Smith's eyes gain. She covered her faces and wept loudly.

"I brought a lot of food and water. But the bandits robbed us blind. Now we don't even have anything for dinner." She looked back at her sleeping daughters and lowered her voice, trying not to wake them up.

"Bandits robbing people in broad day light? Where are they, ma'am?" Sabrina asked back in surprise.

"They blocked the road in front of Bronto gas station and demanded me to hand over everything." Mrs Smith recalled, "There were so many of them and they had guns too. I was so scared the whole time."

Sabrina took some canned food and bottled water from the car and after getting an approved nod from Markus, handed them to Mrs Smith.

"We can only spare this much, but I hope you and your daughters can survive." She said.

"Thank you, miss Franchi. Truly thank you." Mrs Smith was deeply moved by the sudden act of kindness.

Markus listened to their conversation without saying anything. Only after Mrs Smith woke her children up to give them food and water did he talk to Sabrina in a low voice.

"Unarmed and unprepared. Those three won't survive for long."

"I know." She replied, "But still, I want to give them hope, no matter how dim and insignificant it is. So they never give up until the very end. Is it perhaps the wrong thing to do?" 

Sabrina hung her head low. At that moment, she looked so sad and lonely that Markus could not help but gently pat her head.

"No, you did well. It's better to struggle in vain than giving up and sinking to the depth of despair."

He could not bring himself to criticize her action. After all, he did the same thing as a squad leader in Steel Talon, encouraging the rookies to fight on even though he knew they would all perish in their very first mission. That was the only act of kindness he could do for those poor devils who were used and cast aside like spent torches.

He continued to pat her head as if in a daze, until the car horn from an angry driver behind them made him snap back to reality.

"Ah, it must have been embarrassing." He hastily withdrew his hand.

"No, not at all. It has been so long since someone patted my head that I almost forget how nice it is to be praised." Sabrina said, her cheeks flushed, not with shame but happiness.

Markus wondered why no one praised her even though she was so nice and hardworking. Then he suddenly remembered the reason and his heart sank with guilt.

From the first time they met, Sabrina had always been alone. Not because she was a shut-in, but because she never fit in anywhere, no matter how hard she tried to get along. It was as if she was a celestial being stranded in this world, forsaken by her own kind. So he befriended her, to become the chain connecting this lonely girl to the rest of the world. He could only imagine how devastated Sabrina must have felt when he left her many years ago.

"I'm sorry for leaving you alone." When the car stopped, he patted her head again and apologized.

"You only realized that now, huh?" Sabrina tried to sound sulky, but it was not so convincing with her blissful face.

"Stop, stop. That's unfair. How can I get angry if you keep patting my head like that?" She finally overcame her desire and stopped his hand, "Alright, I'll forgive you if you tell me about all the exciting things you have done in the past six years."

"It's about time I tell you everything. Let's talk tonight." Markus nodded.

"Yay! Night talk!" Sabrina cheered happily like a child.

Unfortunately, the line of cars moved very slowly and it was already past 6 p.m. when Markus's team finally reached the checkpoint. Needless to say, everyone was tired, including Sabrina who lost all of her earlier excitement. She leaned back lazily in her seat, totally uninterested in what happened outside. Alan struggled to hold back a yawn, while Dandelion fell asleep clinging to his back.

On the other hand, Markus had taken interest in the weird mercenary group and were carefully observing them.

Most of them dressed in medieval plate armours and carried thick bible-like books strapped to their belts, giving them the impression of a religious fanatic or inquisitor group. In contrast to their attire, they were armed with surprisingly modern weapons, from M4 carbines to M249 machine guns and even military flamethrowers.

But the one who stood out the most was a masked figure who seemed to be the one in charge of them. His outfit resembled a black clerical robe, but with a ballistic vest and a hooded red cloak. His face was covered by a gas mask, its eyepieces emitting an ominous red light. His left hand held a makeshift sceptre tipped with a round metal ornament which produced a ghostly blue flame. He would talk to everyone who passed through the checkpoint and give them a leaflet before sending them on their way.

When Markus's team stopped at the checkpoint, the masked man introduced himself in an oddly mesmerising voice.

"Good day to you, weary travellers. I am confessor Lazarus, a devout worshipper of the Monolith and a proud member of the Order of the Black Hand. May I interest you in sharing our belief?"

"Maybe. But let's keep this short." Markus replied.

He soon regretted saying that, as confessor Lazarus went on a mad rambling about a magical artifact called the Monolith, an incoming Deluge of Fire which threatened to wipe out humanity and the Black Hand's ambitious plan to build an Ark to protect its believers from the aforementioned disaster. Alan fell asleep half way through, while Markus and Sabrina simply let his words go in one ear and out the other.

"So, will you join us in our effort to preserve humanity?" At the end of his fervent rant, Lazarus asked. 

Markus and Sabrina could feel his eyes looking at them expectantly from behind the eyepieces of his mask.

"No. Seriously, no." Both of then refused firmly.

"And why is that, if I may ask?" Lazarus asked back, slightly surprised.

"I left a cult recently. Don't feel like joining another one right after that." Markus answered.

"I will only join if he does." Sabrina pointed at Markus.

Obviously, Alan and Dandelion were not interested in joining, given their current state.

"Interesting. But it's still a bit too soon to refuse, no? Why don't you stay for a while in our safe haven and decide later?" Lazarus proposed, looking like a salesman advertising his goods.

"Can we take a bath?" Markus asked, causing Sabrina to stare wide-eyed at him, "Are you serious?"

"We have two girls here, you and Dandelion, so hygiene is a priority. It's not like we can jump into the river to clean ourselves while the cause of the zombie outbreak is still unknown."

"There are only public bathhouses in the haven, but we do provide clean water and good security." Lazarus did not miss such a good chance.

"Alright, we'll stay. But don't expect us to join your cult." Sabrina finally gave in.

"Yes yes. This way please. Oh, and here's a rough map of the haven to help you navigate." Lazarus pointed them toward the town of Salisbury and gave them a hand-drawn map. Markus woke Alan up and they left the checkpoint.

"Excuse me, your Excellency. Is it necessary to let these dissidents stay even after they have been so rude to you?" A cult member asked confessor Lazarus in a low voice.

"That is not simply rudeness, sister Killian." He knelt down to meet her eyes and placed his hands on her shoulders, "These people resisted my divine influence."

Then he announced to every other cult members, "Many years ago, the almighty Monolith had prophesied that the arrival of these two travellers will mark my third and final trial. I ask that you lend me your help in these perilous moments."

"We await your order, your Excellency!" Starting from the short girl, they all knelt down and said in unison.