After climbing the road and reaching the gate that the two guards were supposedly keeping watch over, Danny was faced with an utter lack of acknowledgment.

The gatekeepers where so engaged in their discussion that his presence went completely unnoticed. Danny had to step right beside them and speak aloud for them to finally recognize that they were, in fact, not alone.

Danny could not help but worry for the safety of whomever lived behind those walls if that was the level of security and preparedness you could expect from the people protecting them.

If he had been a zombie, or worse yet, a group of zombies, those two men probably would not get out of there with their lives by the time they noticed the danger.

Danny did not rate their chances of surviving in the long-term very high if this was how alert they usually were and how serious they took their postings.

Hopefully, Danny simply caught them off-guard, and today was an isolated incident. Hopefully…

The man that had spoken, who appeared to be on his late forties or early fifties, was so surprised by Danny making himself known that he almost fell from his chair.

After realizing that they were not alone anymore and recovering some semblance of composure, the middle-aged man looked at Danny up and down, making a poor job at hiding his annoyance as he did so.

Seeing how heated their argument of just a few seconds ago appeared to be, Danny immediately understood that the scare he gave to this older guard must have caused him to lose quite a lot of face in front of his colleague, which explained why he looked to be so annoyed.

However, Danny could do nothing about that.

It was their own damn fault for failing to notice his arrival. That was literally their job as well. What else could he have done in that situation other than to speak up?

Danny could only internally shake his head with helplessness at the blatant annoyance that was being directed at him and hope that this moody guard would not get in the way of him getting inside the encampment.

With a bit of luck, the man would not make things hard on him just for a little scare and some embarrassment, though Danny knew better than to expect people to be reasonable at all times.

Even before the Apocalypse, people were already quite capable of being obnoxious for the pettiest reasons.

Against his expectations however, it was the other one - the partner with whom the older man had been discussing - that suddenly started showing true animosity towards him.

From the way he spoke, it seemed the settlement was having problems with an overflow of refugees.

Danny guessed it made sense that a secluded place like this would not have the infrastructure or the preparedness to support too many people, so he was not surprised by the obvious contempt the guard was showing him.

There was no doubt in his mind that the younger guard thought of Danny as just another one of those poor people that have been displaced by the undead, forced to flee in fear and look for shelter anywhere he could.

He probably thought that Danny had come here searching for a safe haven, and was just another mouth to feed. Another ‘burden’ for them to carry.

What was surprising for Danny, however, was that the first guard - the one that had been spooked by Danny’s voice - would come in his defense and stand against his partner.

Danny did not expect that this man, which had been clearly looking at him with displeasure in his eyes just a few seconds ago, would go out of his way to defend someone he had just met.

Who could have guessed that the older guard would have a complete shift in his attitude and go against his fellow guard? And for a complete stranger at that. It was not often that Danny saw something like that in his life. It was truly surprising.

After shutting his partner up with a glare, the man smiled at Danny and went on to deliver a speech about the hospitality of the settlement and its residents, no doubt trying to undo the bad image created by his companion, only to suddenly drop his monologue without warning, changing his bearing once more .

“-wait… are you a zombie hunter?”

Danny looked at the man strangely and raised his eyebrow in confusion. That was a very peculiar way of referring to someone you have just met.

Danny did not know what prompted the man’s second change in disposition. Whatever realization he suddenly had or whatever it was that drew his attention, apparently, it was important enough for the man to completely abandon his previous speech embellishing the qualities of the settlement and its inhabitants.

Nevertheless, what could the man possibly mean by ‘zombie hunter’, anyway? Was anyone who had fought and killed a zombie called a ‘zombie hunter’ around this parts?

No, that could not be it.

That would not explain the man’s surprise before asking if he was a ‘zombie hunter’. There had to be a great number of people living inside those walls that managed to slay a zombie. If so many people could be referred as such, then why would the guard be so surprised for then?

It really was a strange thing to ask someone, especially someone you barely knew though. In addition, it was weird how in just a few instants of having met Danny - just a few seconds, really - the man labeled him as a ‘zombie hunter’.

Danny supposed that he could, in fact, be addressed as such taking into consideration that he had killed dozens of zombies by now, but there was no way that the man could have known that.

Could it be that he had mistaken Danny for someone else? Where they waiting for someone specific to show up here? Someone who entitled himself or herself as a “zombie hunter”?

Maybe Danny had mistakenly assumed they were guards when, in fact, they were a reception delegation for a visitor or visitors that had been expected.

Without any other recourse to alleviate his doubts and newfound questions, Danny simply gave a mental shrug before he repeated the guard’s words in a question-like manner while looking at him with a puzzled expression.

“Zombie hunter?” Danny said without confidence, still confused by the middle-aged man’s choice of words.

“OH… look at me and my silliness. Never mind it young man, I just blurted out loud something that came to mind without thinking properly.” The man slapped his forehead and responded after seeing Danny’s confusion, a big goofy smile splattered across his face.

On a side note, Danny had to give it to the people calling the shots in the settlement. Other than his carelessness in not keeping a close eye to his surroundings, the older guard was a great fit for the job. The man oozed charisma. There was no better way to put it.

After interacting with him for a while, Danny discovered that the gatekeeper’s mannerisms and contagious smile spoke of a person whom made friends left and right and was easy to get along with.

Danny was sure that the man’s attitude had an incredible soothing effect on any survivors that managed to reach this position, while, at the same time, putting them at ease.

It also made it more likely for them to lower their guards for sure.

Whatever the specific intentions the ones in charge had by posting the older man here, it could not hurt to have the ones entering the settlement for the first time become more docile, right?

Danny could clearly picture a bunch of stressed-out and jumpy refugees on the brink of breaking down getting there, only to receive an immediate dosage of the man’s infectious charisma.

After enduring many days of hardship and a long trek to get here, being subjected to the man’s aura as soon as they reached the gates must have been like finding an oasis after a long trip through the desert. Like finding a savior after praying so long for their suffering to end.

The gatekeeper’s charismatic personality undoubtedly calmed the weary survivors down, while also making them more amenable to the ruling of those in control of the settlement.

Danny thought that whoever had the idea to employ the man as a gatekeeper had a very good head on their shoulders and great foresight, not to mention a very discerning eye for talent.

The man’s inattentiveness was not of critical importance, as it could be supplemented by another guard that was better trained and had more experience.

Moreover, you could not teach someone to be charismatic, at least, not in the way this man was. That was something innate to your personality, in other words, a talent you were either born with or not.

There was one thing the one responsible for assigning the pair to this position did not count on though - their terrible compatibility.

Their affinity with one another was so bad that it got in the way of both tasks - the guarding and the welcoming.

In one hand, the younger guard got distracted by the older man’s opinions and completely failed to see Danny’s approach. On the other, the young guard’s abrasiveness diminished the effects of the older one’s charisma while also hindering his efforts to appear welcoming and magnanimous to any newcomers.

They had no synergy working together whatsoever.

That only went to show that even if you planned everything well, sometimes things just went awry. It was just bad luck. As the saying goes, man proposes and God disposes.

At the very least, that was how Danny analyzed the pair’s repertoire, anyway. It was all a conjecture derived from what he had seen, but one he was fairly confident of being the truth or close to.

“You see, the higher-ups have been looking for capable people to deal with the zombies problem for them. I am not too sure about the details myself, but an order was passed down not too long ago to keep a look out for anyone that could aid us in getting rid of a large group of those creatures somewhere close by…” The man explained while portraying his rage and disgust toward the undead as he spoke.

“You appeared to fit the bill in my mind, with the way you look and carry yourself with,’ The guard gestured to Danny’s body up and down with both hands, as if the image explained itself. “so, when I took a closer look at you I just suddenly remembered that and spoke without thinking.” The man shrugged his shoulders and grinned, explaining his previous surprise before finally adding:

“I mean it’s not every day we come across someone as… intense as you.” The man added in the most polite way he could think of, avoiding to mention the biker gang comparison that went on in his mind not too long ago as to not offend their latest visitor.

‘I see. They have been looking for someone to hunt down zombies for them. But why? Don’t they have the guns and the people to do it? Why seek out an outsider’s help? It would be faster and more reliable to do it themselves for sure.’ Danny scratched his chin pensively.

That explained why the man suddenly changed gears after paying closer attention to how Danny looked.

Danny himself obviously knew how he was dressed and, consequently, how he looked to anyone else watching, even then, he did not connect the dots initially.

He forgot to consider how much different he appeared from all the other refugees that arrived at those same gates he now stood in front of.

Even if he knew that almost no one was as well prepared for the apocalypse since day one as he was, and even knowing that he also had the advantage of his improved strength and stamina from consuming crystals to rely on that others did not, it was easy to overlook something like that still.

After all, his interactions with other survivors since the start of it all were pitifully few.

Those few interactions in the past were the only frame of reference Danny had, and both Lara and Carl’s group were in overall superior conditions than the vast majority of the people that had arrived to the settlement looking for shelter.

Therefore, Danny had not understood the surprise on Geoffrey’s face when the man registered the bloodied hammer attached to Danny’s waist and the dried blood caked on his clothes.

In his mind, he did not look that different from other survivors. In Danny’s imagination, anyone still alive and roaming around should have looked like himself, Carl’s group and Lara.

This assumption could not be further from the truth however.

Most people that survived long enough to reach the settlement had avoided battling with the undead with all their power, prioritizing running over fighting. Surviving by the skin of their teeth and making do with what they had available, which was not much.

They barely had the strength of body and mind to oppose the zombies, much less winning against them.

More often than not, battles against the undead were the result of there being no other recourse, be it because the survivors found themselves surrounded, or because the hunger and thirst led them to make desperate gambles.

It goes without saying that almost all of those confrontations ended in tragedy for the living.

Therefore, the many people that stepped foot on this dirt road did it while hungry, thirsty and tired beyond measure.

They climbed the slope with unsteady steps, stomach pains, dry throats and heavy eyelids. All in an effort to get to these shabby-looking repurposed wooden gates and improvised walls that represented their salvation, their safety.

In other words, they were at the end of their rope. A stark contrast with Danny indeed.

To be fair, there had been a scattered few that did better for themselves, of course. Some managed to loot easy spots early on, while others had something to protect themselves with from the get go, like a handgun or a rifle. Some have started from an isolated place like Lara and had a larger timeframe to adapt than others as well.

Those were the only people that managed to get there practically unscathed, even if plagued with nervousness and fear. They had not been as weakened and starved as the majority of the survivors.

That was also the only reason why it took some time for Geoffrey to realize Danny’s unique situation and differentiate him from the others that came before him, delaying his surprise for a few instants.

It was not surprising for Geoffrey to see a healthy and well-fed person among the incoming survivors. Ever since he was appointed as a gatekeeper, Geoffrey watched quite a substantial number of people like that crossing the gates, even if in fewer numbers than their less fortunate counterpart.

However, none came looking exactly like Danny. Like they had engaged in short range combat against a horde of zombies and, astoundingly, lived to tell the tale, not to mention winning.

Nevertheless, all of that was of little importance at the moment.

Danny was still caught in his own thoughts, trying to understand why the higher-ups of the settlement would be on the lookout for someone to deal with their zombie problems instead of handling it themselves.

His conjectures and deductions would have to wait, however.

Seeing the thoughtful expression on Danny’s face, Geoffrey mistook his silent musings for reluctance, so he quickly added.

“But never mind that! You obviously don’t have to take the task upon yourself if you don’t want to! We would never force anyone to do anything like that against their will!”

“You are welcome to our little haven whether you decide to help us fight off those monsters or not. No matter your background and skillset, all are welcome here.” Geoffrey said with a charming smile.

The charismatic guard misinterpreted Danny’s silence as apprehension, as if Danny was afraid he would be forced to take to the frontlines against the deadly menace.

Geoffrey was worried that his words spoken in haste would scare away a promising helper to the settlement. He would not forgive himself in that case, especially given the overcrowded state of their compound and the food shortage situation.

They needed all the assistance they could get to help mitigate and eventually solve those problems, and someone seemingly as capable as Danny was a rare sight these days. The settlement could ill afford losing a helper at this time.

Geoffrey’s worries were utterly misplaced though.

Danny was not worried about the things the middle-aged man was fretting about in the slightest. If anything, he felt this was a good opportunity for him.

If he could hunt down the zombies giving them trouble, while also building goodwill towards this human encampment AND getting a trading partner to offload some of his goods he did not have a use for and to look for things he needed but could not find on his own, wouldn’t this be an ideal scenario for him and a super efficient way of handling the situation?

He could hardly get a better deal than this.

By promising them his help, Danny also would have an easier time looking for Lara’s family and fulfilling his promise. After all, if Danny proved to be an immensely valuable asset to the settlement, would they get in the way of his quest?

Of course not!

On the contrary, they would probably even go out of their way to help him in order to keep him happy. All to secure his assistance in the future and to maintain a good and stable relationship.

The only thing that gave Danny some pause was the question about how this collaboration would take form. In order to keep his secrets and to maintain the existence of the crystals hidden, Danny had to work alone.

That was non-negotiable. He could hardly explain why he was going around breaking skulls open and rummaging their insides. However, he was confident he could get what he wanted without appearing suspicious.

All he had to do was keep a front of a lone wolf and no one would suspect a thing. If he said he did not play well with others and kept to himself whenever he went hunting zombies down, others would have no choice other than accept his explanation.

Moreover, whenever there was something down the road he could not explain or did not want to, Danny could also hide it under the guise of his lonesome persona, refusing to talk about it.

People would then attribute all his peculiarities and oddities to this ‘quirk’ of his, so Danny was not worried too much. He knew he could easily get away with it.

The best and most concealed lies were those that others came to by their own conclusion. One often tended to lend their own ideas more credibility than ideas introduced by others, no matter their actual reliability. It was a bias that everyone was prone to having. That was only natural.

He would not even need to say anything at that point and people would create all sorts of explanations for the things he did by themselves without any input on his part.

Besides, if he wanted to take the challenge all by himself, why would the ones running the place reject him? Wouldn’t that save them resources and manpower that they would have to dedicate to the dangerous task otherwise?

If he wanted to go out there, without any form of support, and still managed to achieve the objective assigned to him, delivering what he promised, wouldn’t it be the best-case scenario from their perspective?

“By the way, you can call me Geoffrey or Joff as everyone else likes to call me. You are Mister…” The older guard said, letting the unasked question linger on the air.

“Just Danny is fine.” Danny responded with a smile of his own.

“Well Mr. ‘Just Danny’,” Geoffrey smirked at his own cheeky joke and paused for effect as he opened the wooden gates that led to the settlement proper before continuing while gesturing grandiosely with one arm towards the sights Danny was seeing for the first time. “I welcome you officially to our humble camp. It is not much, I know, but it is cozy. A new home for many of us. Maybe in time you will learn to call it that as well.” Geoffrey concluded.

Danny took in the sights as he walked the main road of the settlement.

The place had very few buildings and most people huddled together in tents or close to them. Some had apprehension stamped on their faces, uncertain about their own future, while others were simply glad to be alive and to have survived long enough to find a relatively secure shelter.

There were also some kids running around and playing, chasing around or petting the few cats and dogs that called this place their home as well.

The sight of the carefree and cheerful children warmed Danny’s heart and remembered him of a time when things were simpler. A time when he did not have to keep looking over his shoulder every single night, spooking himself at every passing shadow. A time long gone and almost entirely forgotten.

The tents themselves were highly varied. There were many shapes, sizes and colors out there. Some were proper tents, while others were improvised patchworks made with blankets, sheets, curtains and whatever else the people of the settlement managed to get their hands on.

The tents accompanied the main road that stretched from the main gate to the center of the encampment and extended in all directions, taking over all the available space.

The humble abodes were placed in a systematic and orderly fashion from what Danny could see, making it easier to travel in between them and to orient yourself while exploring the interior of the encampment.

The tents had more breathing room in between one another closer to the center of the place and grew more tightly packed as they approached the perimeter of the settlement marked by its walls.

‘The tents probably started being placed down closer together as more and more refugees got here. They probably didn’t plan for so many people to fit in here initially.’ Danny thought examining the place’s layout.

After being granted access to the encampment, Geoffrey gave him directions on how to reach the main plaza - which was located at the center of the settlement - where the building that served as an improvised command and administration center stood.

The older guard also ran by him a few rules and warnings he had to pay attention to while inside the compound.

Geoffrey could not abandon his station, so after saying his goodbyes and inviting Danny for a beer and a meal after his shift he finally left Danny to his own devices.

The rules were all pretty straightforward stuff, like no stealing, no fighting, no burning down buildings and such. All things that anyone with half-a-brain and a measure of common sense could expect without being told.

Danny had been worried about a possible inspection of his possessions and eventual confiscation of his crossbows and bolts, but in the end, his worries were unnecessary.

Only the main building - where all the important decisions were made - had stricter security protocols, and carrying weapons inside the settlement in these trying times was allowed, as long as you made sure to behave yourself.

Punishments here included banishment - which for most was basically a death sentence -, so most people got in line from the get go, and until now, there was no need to dish out such severe punishments. All they had to deal with so far was a couple of drunken brawls.

In the beginning, the higher-ups had debated whether to prohibit carrying weapons within the confines of their walls, but in the end they felt that it would cause too much apprehension and unrest.

With zombies roaming around everywhere, would anyone be comfortable in handing their own weapons just because they said so? Some might, while some might not.

Whilst the encampment looked safe for the moment, who could say that it would remain so in the long run? For all these people knew, the walls could be toppled, its defenders overwhelmed and the settlement overrun any day. Who could predict the future, anyway?

Who could say for certain they would be able to endure against a horde of the undead? Could they survive against ten thousand zombies? What about a hundred thousand then?

To surrender your weapons was to put your fate in the hands of others and this outpost had been established for far too short of a time to elicit that level of trust.

Besides, since there was much that was still unknown about the zombies and how they propagated, the ones in charge felt it was prudent to leave the people with the means to defend themselves. Just in case.

Anyway, Danny would have to go through those inspections in any case since he was heading exactly to that main government building.

In order to find out more about this ‘zombie hunter’ business, Danny had to go there. He had to talk with someone in charge to find out the details behind this opportunity, so there was no way around it.

Nevertheless, Geoffrey had assured him that the inspection he had to go through to get in was just a formality to ensure he was not carrying anything too dangerous into the place, and they would not confiscate anything as well.

At most, they would retain some of his weapons at the entrance until he left, but even that was not enforced sometimes. After all, who would want to cause trouble and strife among their fellow men when there were countless undead roaming out there to worry about?

Truly, all you had to do to unite people was to create a common enemy.