A Doctor, A Debt, and a New Dawn

As Jason had expected, Jenner eventually gave in. The truth was, he felt like he had no secrets left in front of Jason. There were things only he should have known—yet somehow, this strange man had figured them out with ease.

The CDC still had large energy reserves, so Jason wasn't going to leave empty-handed. Bringing back a doctor was already a win, but he intended to take more.

Mobile backup power units, essential medicines, medical equipment, and various tools—all of it was packed up and hauled out, like debt collectors cleaning house. They took everything they could.

Before nightfall, Jason and his crew loaded up the vehicle with people and supplies, bypassed the zombie-infested zones, and made it safely back to the temporary camp.

When the others saw Jason return with yet another stranger, their faces weren't exactly welcoming.

Henry had just joined not long ago, and now here was another new face. It was as if Jason had made a habit of resurrecting people from thin air.

"You really went into the city just to find this guy?" Rick asked, clearly confused. The logic didn't make sense to him—it wasn't rational to risk everything for one person.

"I guess you could say that," Jason replied vaguely. He didn't offer more. Instead, he turned to introduce Jenner to the group.

But when people heard that Jenner was a medical doctor, their skepticism vanished. Shock spread across their faces. What they lacked most was healthcare. They had weapons, ammo, and food—but the smallest illness, a simple fever or infection, could mean death out here.

A doctor changed everything.

Jenner was a little stunned himself. He hadn't expected the group to be this large. He'd thought Jason was bluffing to trick him into joining. But after meeting the team, he quickly did a round of medical checks.

Aside from a few weak children and Rick, who seemed a bit worn down, everyone else was in decent shape.

"I told you guys to slow down, but no one listened."

Jason sighed and rubbed his forehead. He had warned them. Turns out, there were gifts that could wear you out—but no land that could be exhausted by over-farming.

"Random skill acquired: Beast Taming Mastery!"

The moment had come to receive a new skill. Jason stepped away to a quiet spot and closed his eyes, focusing inward to sense the shift in his abilities.

This time, the skill felt... odd. It was animal taming—the ability to train and command all kinds of beasts.

"Well, that's kind of useless."

Jason frowned and muttered, "Where am I supposed to find wild animals out here? Am I supposed to tame a rabbit? That's not exactly helpful."

Right now, the skill didn't have much use. The wilderness was barren of anything resembling trainable animals.

Still, the idea of heading to a zoo someday crossed his mind. If there were any lions or tigers still alive... having a few of them as bodyguards wouldn't be bad at all.

Night began to fall.

From the hillside near the camp, the sunset cast the sky in vivid shades of purple and pink.

"This view's as stunning as the Northern Lights."

Rick stood beside Jason, gazing at the clouds glowing in the last light of day. He let out a long breath and said, "This journey we're on—it's far from over. We don't even have a clear goal yet. But maybe that's okay."

"Our goal is to survive," Jason replied, clapping his hands and letting out a yawn. "Survive first. Then we can worry about the rest."

He looked out over the land and nodded.

"I think we're doing alright. We've got food, clean water, and now a doctor. The zombie threat's a lot more manageable. All we need now is a proper place to set up camp. That goal… might not be so far off."