Strongest Boyfriend In The Apocalypse: Every Girl Depends On Me!-Chapter 42: Leader

More Special Force officers gathered, murmuring among themselves, their gazes constantly shifting back to Ethan with a mix of disbelief and curiosity.

One of them crouched beside the largest corpse, inspecting it carefully before standing up and turning toward the leader.

"It’s a Grade 5 Zombie, sir," he said.

The words hit the group like a shockwave.

"A Grade 5?" someone whispered.

The leader stared at Ethan again, this time with open amazement. "That’s incredible," he said slowly. "No one has taken down a Grade 5 without a firearm before."

Ethan simply nodded, too tired to say anything else.

Later, as the area cleared and the bodies were dealt with, Ethan made his way back toward his quarters, his muscles aching and his mind still replaying everything that had happened. He hadn’t gone far when a Special Force officer approached him and stopped him politely.

"The Commander wants to see you," the officer said.

Ethan sighed inwardly but nodded and turned back, even though he wasn’t thrilled about being summoned again.

When he arrived, the Commander greeted him with a smile that Ethan had never seen before. It wasn’t fearful or forced... It was genuine.

"You did something extraordinary today," the Commander said after commending him properly. "Killing a Grade 5 zombie with just a knife... that’s something no one here will forget."

Then, after a brief pause, he made the offer.

"I want you to join the Special Force," the Commander said. "Not as a regular member. As the leader of a raid group."

Ethan’s eyes widened slightly.

"You want to get to Atlanta?" the Commander continued. "Raiding Atlanta while you search for your family might not be such a bad idea."

For the first time in a long while, genuine excitement surged through Ethan’s chest. Despite everything, despite the danger and the bloodshed, this was an opportunity, one that could change everything.

And this time, he didn’t think he would hesitate to accept it.

******

Ethan didn’t need to inform the girls about it before accepting the Commander’s offer It was something he had always wanted, one way or the other, and now that he had gotten the ticket to get to Atlanta without causing any problems with the Special Force, he was deeply satisfied.

He already knew that the Special Force were the last standing armed authority in the state, and having a case against them would only result into prolonged disaster.

It wasn’t as if Ethan was afraid, at this stage of his life, he had understood that it was better to avoid problems rather than getting into one even though one has the capability to get away from it.

The next morning arrived quietly, almost too quietly for a place that had seen so much blood and panic in such a short amount of time, and Ethan found himself awake long before he was summoned, sitting at the edge of his bed while the first faint light of dawn filtered through the small window of his quarters.

His mind was clear, not restless, not confused, but sharp and focused in a way he had never experienced before, as if the weight of responsibility he was about to carry had already settled on his shoulders even before it was officially placed there.

When the knock finally came, firm and professional, Ethan stood up without hesitation and followed the officer through the compound, passing soldiers on patrol and workers already moving supplies, all of them unaware that the boy walking among them was about to become something far greater than just another survivor.

The Commander’s office felt different in the daylight. It was no longer shadowed or tense like it had been the night before. The large desk was neatly arranged, maps were pinned properly to the wall, and the air carried the scent of old paper, metal, and authority. The Commander stood as Ethan entered, his posture straight and his expression serious, but not cold.

"Sit," the Commander said, gesturing to the chair in front of the desk.

Ethan obeyed, his back straight, his gaze steady, saying nothing as he waited.

The Commander picked up a small object from the desk and placed it carefully in front of Ethan. It was a badge, worn but clean, engraved clearly with words that made Ethan’s chest tighten the moment he read them.

Raid Group Eight

Leader

"This is yours now," the Commander said slowly. "From this moment on, you are officially the leader of Raid Group Eight."

Ethan picked up the badge, feeling its weight in his palm, heavier than it looked, heavier than any weapon he had ever carried, because this was not just metal, it was responsibility, lives, decisions, and consequences.

The Commander leaned back slightly and folded his arms. "I won’t sugarcoat this. The outside world is worse than anything you have seen so far. It’s not just zombies. It’s hunger, desperation, broken people, and enemies that don’t growl before they attack. As a leader, you won’t just be fighting. You’ll be deciding who moves, who stays behind, and sometimes who doesn’t come back."

Ethan listened carefully, his expression unchanged.

"You’re young," the Commander continued. "Younger than anyone who has ever held this position. But age isn’t what made me choose you. I watched you. I listened to the reports. I saw what you did against that Grade Five. I saw how people reacted to you, even when they were terrified. You have something rare. Instinct, control, and the ability to stand when others freeze. That’s why I trust you with this."

Ethan nodded once. "I won’t disappoint you."

"I believe that," the Commander replied. "But remember this. The moment you put personal feelings over the mission, people die. Never forget that."

There was a brief silence before Ethan spoke again.

"I have a request," he said calmly.

The Commander raised an eyebrow slightly. "Go on."

"I want my friends in my team," Ethan said. "All of them."

The room seemed to darken instantly, not physically, but in atmosphere, as the Commander’s expression hardened and his gaze sharpened.

"No," he said without hesitation. "We have enough trained men for the job."

Ethan didn’t back down. "I work better with people I know. People I trust. They’ve survived just as much as any trained soldier out there."

"They are civilians," the Commander replied. "Young civilians. This is not a scouting trip. This is raiding."

Ethan leaned forward slightly. "You trusted me, didn’t you. And I’m young too."

The Commander stared at him for a long moment, weighing his words carefully, before finally sighing and looking away.

"I said no," he repeated.

Ethan hesitated, then spoke again, his voice steady but firm. "They’re stronger than you think. And they won’t slow me down."

The Commander drummed his fingers against the desk, silent for a long while, before finally shaking his head.

"I won’t release all of them," he said. "But I’ll release two."

Ethan’s eyes lifted immediately.

"The two armed officers you mentioned," the Commander continued. "The ones who had rifles when you were coming from New Land. Eva and Helen. They’ll be assigned to your group."

Ethan felt a mix of relief and frustration settle in his chest. "And Audrey."

"No," the Commander said flatly. "Miss Audrey stays. She is not cleared to leave the zone to look for family."

Ethan clenched his jaw slightly but said nothing.

"This is the best I can do," the Commander finished. "Accept it."

Ethan stood slowly, clipping the badge to his belt. "I understand."

He didn’t fully agree, but he understood there was no room left to argue.

As Ethan stepped out of the office, the morning sun hit him fully, and he barely took a few steps before a familiar voice stopped him.

"Ethan."

He turned to see Mister Fred standing nearby, his expression serious, his hands folded behind his back.

"I heard," Mister Fred said. "About the raid group."

Ethan nodded. "I’m taking some of them with me."

Mister Fred frowned. "You shouldn’t."

"They’ll be safe," Ethan replied after a brief pause. "With me."

Mister Fred shook his head slowly. "This place is the safest it’s been in months. Outside is hell. You don’t bring people you care about into hell."

Ethan met his gaze. "I don’t leave them behind either."

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

"I want all of them with me," Ethan added quietly. "If possible."

Mister Fred didn’t argue again. He simply watched as Ethan turned and walked away, his face tightening with something close to worry and regret.

Moments later, the walkie talkie at Mister Fred’s waist crackled to life.

"Release of update, over," a woman’s voice said.

Mister Fred raised it to his mouth. "We might be getting short of two figures, over."

The connection cut.

The scene ended there.

---

The cottage was quiet, almost painfully so, the kind of quiet that pressed against the ears and made every breath feel louder than it should have been. Nina sat on the edge of the narrow bed, her hands resting loosely on her lap, her eyes unfocused as she stared at the wooden floor beneath her feet. She had been released. They had told her that clearly. She was free to go.

Yet she hadn’t moved.

The girl dressed in white stood near the door, arms crossed, watching her closely, while the girl dressed in black paced slowly across the room, her footsteps sharp and impatient.

"You’re free," the one in white said again, her tone calm but questioning. "Why are you still here."

Nina didn’t answer immediately. Her silence stretched longer than it should have, heavy enough to shift the mood of the room completely.

The girl in black stopped pacing and turned sharply. "That silence is suspicious," she said coldly. "That gives us a reason to believe you have a plan against us."

Nina finally lifted her head, her eyes steady, her voice quiet but firm when she spoke.

"I need your help."

The room fell silent.

And whatever was about to begin, none of them would walk away unchanged.

.

.

[A/N: Apologies for the Chapter repeat. Realised it after almost took late and can’t delete because it’s a paid Chapter.]