Chapter 10
Once Moore's condition stabilized, Glenn went outside to clean up the camp, while Lina was left behind, since she had just had a lot of blood drawn.
“Rick, you need to talk to Lina,” Lori said hesitantly. “She just chopped off Moore’s hand without batting an eye, I mean, it’s a bit…” She trailed off, “and there are so many children.”
Rick put down the shovel, bracing himself, "Lowry, this is an emergency measure..."
“No, no,” Lori interrupted Rick, “she’s laughing,” Lori glanced around, “like a deranged serial killer, she’s laughing, is that something to be happy about?”
Rick was silent for a moment, then rubbed his temples with a hint of helplessness. "I'll talk to her, but Lori, she's just... she might be a little special, but she's not a bad kid. Lori, she's been out there alone for two months. She might have sent her own family away, met a lot of strange people. She's not a pervert or anything, she just wants to do something... Lori, please help me, help her, she saved me." Rick pleaded in a low voice.
“I know,” Lori looked at him helplessly. “I’m sorry, I just…” She sighed helplessly, seemingly unaware of why she had just said such hurtful things. “I was just a little scared, what if that knife… Karl, I… I’m sorry.”
“She won’t,” Rick said. “I promise.”
Lowry glanced helplessly at Rick. She really wanted to question Rick, "What gives you the right to vouch for her?" But looking at her exhausted husband, Lowry said nothing and simply helped everyone carry the body.
"..." Rick looked at Lori's back, sighed wearily, and helplessly continued what he was doing.
Daryl, standing to the side, curled her lip. A psychopathic killer? Her? If she were really a psychopath or a lunatic or something, Moore should be lying here, not in the tent.
What's going on in these people's heads?
Lina was unaware of Lori and Rick's conversation. She was eating Daryl's specially prepared charred roasted squirrel while staring blankly at Moore.
Logically speaking, this old bastard should be fine, but why hasn't he woken up yet?
Also, Daryl's roasted squirrel was awful, so bitter!
Lina sullenly peeled the dark, raw meat. It was uncooked inside and burnt on the outside. Was the old man doing this on purpose?
There was no campfire outside; everyone was busy tidying up the campsite tonight. Lina didn't go out to make a fool of herself, since she had heard Sean's insults.
Perhaps he was just speaking the minds of everyone.
As dawn broke, Moore woke up.
“I thought I was going to dig a hole for you,” Lina said, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at Moore. “You’re really lucky, you old bastard.”
"..." Moore was in too much pain to speak. He used his other hand to give Lina the middle finger. What a pity, otherwise she could have gotten two.
“Hey, you have my blood in you now,” Lina grinned wickedly. “How does it feel? White supremacy, huh?”
“…You might as well let me die.” Moore said hoarsely, glancing at Lina’s pale lips, a strange feeling rising in his heart.
He vaguely heard the arguing outside, and he had to admit, this little brat really saved his life.
Damn it.
It's as if Old Moor's reputation was ruined the moment he met her!
“Hey,” Amy said, carrying a cup of water. “You’re awake!” she said with a hint of surprise. “Perfect timing, I brought some hot water.” Amy happily handed the two cups to Lina and Moore.
“I just wanted to say thank you, Moore.” Amy looked at Moore earnestly. “You saved my life, and I really don’t know how to repay you.”
"...Once I'm better, let's have a big, passionate session?" Moore said lewdly.
"Hey!" Lina punched Moore on the head. "You're much more pleasing to the eye when you're asleep!"
“Don’t listen to him, Daryl says he has gonorrhea!” Lina said seriously to Amy.
"..." Amy gave an awkward but polite smile. "I, I'll go outside and help out first." Amy took a deep breath, turned around and left.
“Tsk, you’re really ruining my plans,” Moore said with displeasure. “I only have it occasionally, not lately.”
"Ugh—" Lina looked at Moore with disdain, "Men who don't respect themselves are like rotten cabbages."
“It’s the 21st century already. Let me think, how should I put it? Princess?” Moore said sarcastically.
“Hey! I’m Han Chinese,” Lina retorted.
"Who cares about you?" Moore rolled his eyes and finished his hot water in one gulp. "Hey, pour me another cup."
"You'd better be polite to your savior." Lina snatched the cup and glared at Moore.
"Okay, then, we'll wait until you're an adult..."
"You can't expect anything good to come out of a dog's mouth. If you sexually harass me again, I'll cut you up right now," Lina threatened, staring at Moore's lower body.
"...Where's my brother?" Moore remembered his hand that had been neatly severed and honestly changed the subject.
"I'm delivering packages outside," Lina said.
"What?" Moore looked at her in confusion.
"Death Express." Lina lifted the tent flap and went outside. The camp was almost ready, and they were burning the zombies.
"Do you need my help?" Lina asked as she walked up to Glenn.
“No, you should go and rest for a while.” Glenn looked at Lina’s carriage. “It’s a pity,” he said, guessing they would be leaving the camp soon.
“Yes,” Lina said, sounding somewhat annoyed.
“The hot water is in Dale’s RV,” Glenn said. “Is he awake?”
"He's awake." Lina's eyes scanned the crowd. "Hey! Squirrel Killer! Your stupid brother's awake!"
Daryl glared at Lina, stuck the shovel into the ground, and turned to go back into the tent.
Lina shrugged and walked toward the RV with her cup in her hand.
"Lina!" Rick called out to her. Lina, somewhat puzzled, came to Rick's side with her cup in hand.
"What's wrong?"
“A little,” Rick said, sounding a bit helpless. “They were a little scared…” Rick whispered. “Lorraine told me that you chopped off Mor’s hand without batting an eye, and you were still laughing.”
Lina looked at Lowry, and Lowry and Carol guiltily looked away.
“Yes,” Lina didn’t deny it. “I’m happy, Rick.” She looked at Rick seriously. “I don’t have any homicidal tendencies or sadistic tendencies. I’m just happy that Moore isn’t beyond redemption. He’s not a complete bastard. Isn’t that something to be happy about?” Lina was a little confused.
“Of course it’s worth it,” Rick laughed. “Maybe next time you should laugh at a different time. Half a face of blood, laughing, you know what that looks like?” He knew Lena wasn’t what they thought; she was a good girl.
"A psychopathic killer?" Lina whistled. "Then I won't change. I'm so cool."
Teenagers! Rick covered his head in despair.
Lena ran away with a mischievous grin. "Don't worry, I won't corrupt the children." There's no need for her to corrupt them; the world is strange enough as it is.
“Hey, Lori, hey Carol, hey… um, Mrs. Morales,” Lina greeted them. “I just wanted to let you know that I’m not a pervert or a lunatic. I’m just glad Morales saved Amy. He’s not a complete jerk, is he?”
Lina ran off happily.
“Mom?” Carl looked at Lori in confusion. “A pervert? A madwoman?”
Lori was a little embarrassed. "It's just that we had a small misunderstanding..."
“But she really scared my children,” Mrs. Morales said helplessly.
“But she saved Moore, right?” Carl looked at Lori for confirmation.
“Yes,” Lowry nodded, “but…”
“Isn’t that enough? Moore saved Amy,” Carl said, finding their behavior strange for the first time. “Why are you saying such things about her?”
“…Sophia was scared,” Carol said weakly. “Me too, I’m so sorry.”
Lori crouched down and took Carl's hand. "I was scared too. We don't know her. I was afraid she would turn around and slash at you or someone else with a knife. I'm sorry, Carl, I was wrong."
Carl was displeased. "You should apologize."
“I have to go see the children,” Mrs. Morales said awkwardly, and quickly left.
Carol looked away from Karl with a guilty expression, "I, I..."
Lori was a little embarrassed. "Go see Sophia, darling."
Carol breathed a sigh of relief, gave Lowry a grateful look, and quickly left.
Carl looked at Lowry with some frustration.
Lowry looked at him helplessly, "I will go, because you are right."
Carl looked at Lori happily and threw himself into her arms.
Lowry gently patted Carl's back, a smile playing on her lips, when she caught sight of Sean not far away, who was glaring at her with a sinister look.
Lowry's breath hitched, and she hurriedly lowered her head to kiss Karl's head.
She didn't notice that Rick had seen everything; he silently gripped the shovel in his hand.
*
“Hey, Lina,” Lori looked at Lina somewhat embarrassedly, “I wanted to say, I’m sorry, I…”
“It’s okay, that’s really weird,” Lina shrugged.
“No,” Lowry said somewhat awkwardly, “we’re just not used to it, and neither are Carol and the others. We’re sorry, we’re very sorry.”
Lina looked at Carol, who gave her an awkward smile, while Mrs. Morales looked away.
It seems that not everyone feels apologetic.
Lena shrugged indifferently. "But you'll have to get used to Lori. No one can protect you forever, and you can't protect your child forever either. In this world, only strength is the most reliable thing."
Lowry's smile froze; she didn't know what to say.
“Of course you guys are amazing too, I mean you made a huge contribution, but that’s different. Doing laundry and cooking won’t make you survive when facing walkers,” Lina said seriously. “So will they.” Lina looked at Karl and the others.
“…I, I’ll consider it.” Lowry’s breath hitched, and she forced a smile.
"Also, thank you for your apology; it makes me quite happy. Although I know some people weren't sincere." Lina gracefully took her water glass and left.
Lowry stood there, took a deep breath, and looked helplessly at her back. A teenager... Good heavens!
"You're so choked you can't speak?" Rick teased Lowry.
“Yeah—” Lowry said with a hint of helplessness, “The truth is always hard to hear, isn’t it?”
“I’m glad you think that way.” Rick was somewhat surprised.
“…I’m not a shrew.” Lowry glared at Rick.
“How could that be? You’re the most responsible mom in the world,” Rick joked.
Lori smiled helplessly, and looking at Karl in the distance, she felt even more melancholy.
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