TWD - Zomboid - Chapter 274: Just How Valuable Is the G-Virus? (Patreon)

"I told you to lock the door. Did you forget again?"

Luke looked down at Ada in his arms.

Ada replied lazily, "Weren't you the one who opened it? How is that suddenly my fault? You've been getting awfully bold lately."

Luke's mood had been interrupted.

Ada had lost interest too and started to pull away. With someone else here, there was obviously no way they could continue.

But the moment she moved, Luke wrapped his arms around her again and firmly pulled her back against him.

One of his hands was still refusing to behave.

"Are you crazy?" Ada hissed softly, glancing toward Claire at the door from the corner of her eye.

"There's someone else here!"

"I know!" Luke replied as if it were perfectly reasonable. "Why should I be the only one who suffers every time? Someone with no manners needs to learn just how bad my temper gets!"

Luke was determined to teach Claire a lesson.

Claire stood awkwardly in the doorway.

Not only did her two superiors have no intention of listening to her report, they were actually planning to continue what they'd been doing right in front of their subordinate.

Seriously, could he be any more shameless?

She didn't know whether to look or look away.

"Um... you two carry on. I'll... I'll come back later."

"Get back here!" Luke called leisurely. "You think it's that easy? You made a mistake, so come back and take your punishment. Stand right there, or I'll double your training, cut your pay, and send you off to guard the pond!"

Claire gave a quiet "Oh" and obediently returned to where she'd been standing.

Luke was probably the only person who could tame this little lioness.

Normally, with Claire's decisive personality, she would have slammed the door and walked out already.

She wasn't some timid college girl. Technically she was college-aged, but personality-wise, Claire wasn't the type to let anyone push her around.

But this time...

It involved Sherry.

Claire had personally witnessed Crane's experiment. Rebecca had overcome a virus and even produced a genuine antidote.

That was the real thing.

And it had gotten Claire thinking.

Sherry carried the G-virus inside her body, something that could potentially kill her at any time.

If Rebecca could study her condition too... maybe there was hope of curing it completely.

But first, Luke had to agree.

For that possibility, Claire could tolerate standing there and watching a live show, or even...

No.

Absolutely not that.

Claire stopped that train of thought immediately.

So she could only stand there and watch helplessly as the atmosphere between those two became increasingly intimate.

Luke was deliberately making sure Claire remembered this lesson.

Some things couldn't be taught with words. Experience taught them once and for all.

He knew Claire's personality. The more stubborn she was, the more thoroughly he had to make the point.

From now on, whenever she entered her superior's office, she'd remember to knock first.

Luke and Ada began kissing deeply.

Completely absorbed in each other.

As though no one else were present.

As though there weren't a third wheel standing right beside them.

With Ada's naturally aloof personality, she could hardly bear the embarrassment.

Unfortunately, she couldn't break free.

This bastard just had to use this particular method to make Claire suffer, dragging Ada into the punishment as well.

Was this really just about teaching Claire some manners?

Ada opened her eyes and stared at him.

Luke pretended not to notice.

Flushed with embarrassment and irritation, Ada tried to push him away, only for him to hold her even tighter.

After struggling back and forth for a while, Ada eventually gave up.

She decided to pretend Claire was nothing more than a statue.

Before long, what had started as a performance began becoming a little too real.

Claire was completely overwhelmed.

Her face was bright red. When had someone as straight-laced as her ever been forced to watch something like this?

Then Luke's wandering hand went a little too far.

"Smack!"

Breathing heavily, Ada finally shoved Luke away and hurriedly straightened her clothes.

"You damn dog! Don't even think about getting into my bed tonight!"

Her eyes were still hazy as she stormed out without even looking at Claire.

Luke, meanwhile, was clearly left wanting more.

Once a man got a taste for something, things changed completely.

He only wanted more, preferably with some variety.

Having a beer with the meal was nothing.

Luke wanted side dishes too.

When was he going to get a whole feast instead of just one dish?

Claire's face was still burning red, but she forced herself to remain composed and quietly sighed in relief.

Thankfully, Ada had known when to stop and hadn't actually let Luke keep going.

Claire had definitely learned her lesson now.

"Go ahead."

Luke straightened his collar and put on a perfectly serious expression, looking every bit like a respectable gentleman.

Bullshit.

Disgusting!

Even I know to do that stuff in private!

Absolutely shameless.

"What did you need to talk to me about?"

Claire took a deep breath. She was furious, but she still forced herself to suppress it.

"It's about Sherry. I need to explain something to you clearly..."

"Sherry isn't actually my biological sister. She's a child I found in Raccoon City."

"There's a virus dormant inside her body called... the G-virus."

Claire's voice grew heavier.

"So far, it hasn't activated, but I've seen failed test subjects infected with it. They were even more terrifying than many mutant walkers."

"I've kept this hidden because I was afraid the wrong people might find out."

She raised her head and looked Luke directly in the eyes.

Her expression was sincere.

But underneath that sincerity was far more anxiety.

She had no idea how Luke would react.

Would he explode in anger?

Or would he simply turn cold?

Luke said nothing.

He had already known about this.

At present, the G-virus inside Sherry posed no threat.

Besides, it had been Milton who originally accepted Claire and Leon.

Luke had only risen to power afterward.

Still, if Claire had continued hiding this forever, Luke might eventually have brought it up himself.

If things reached that point, the conversation probably wouldn't have been pleasant.

But Claire had made the right decision.

Luke didn't mind being a little biased and giving preferential treatment to people who were loyal to him.

Claire grew increasingly nervous.

When it truly mattered, she was still intimidated by Luke, especially when he sat there silently with such a heavy expression.

An invisible pressure seemed to fill the room.

Luke: [This is boring. I'm kind of hungry. What should I eat later?]

"I didn't mean to hide it!"

Claire hurriedly continued.

"I was just afraid... afraid that if everyone found out, they'd start treating Sherry like a monster. She still needs to go to school. She needs to spend time with other kids her age, otherwise psychologically..."

"The reason I'm telling you now is because I saw what happened with Crane. Otherwise... I might have kept this secret forever."

"I know I'm asking a lot after hiding something this important, but still..."

"Please. Please let Rebecca help Sherry."

For the first time, Claire lowered herself and pleaded.

"If it's possible... maybe she can even remove the G-virus from Sherry's body completely."

Luke remained calm.

No wonder Claire had kept showing up ever since Crane's experiment.

She had even endured that chaotic scene at his house.

So all of it had been for Sherry.

Would she really do anything for Sherry?

Oh.

Wonderful.

As for the cost of researching the G-virus, Luke believed the potential returns far outweighed the investment.

The G-virus inside Sherry was currently dormant, and she was practically a perfect test subject, allowing them to conduct long-term research under stable conditions.

But Luke was thinking much further ahead.

He didn't just want an antidote.

He wanted Rebecca to use the G-virus as a foundation for further research.

Even if she couldn't create a perfect serum capable of enhancing the human body, producing a controllable Nemesis or Tyrant would already be good enough.

Now that would be something.

Ten Tyrants beating Wesker into the ground!

Didn't you have that whole seven-minute rule?

Fine.

I'll give you seven minutes too!

Luke happily lost himself in the thought.