Listening to the strict rules just announced by the one-eyed officer, the gathered crowd stood in stunned silence.
After listing the most important regulations, the officer said no more. He simply gestured to the soldiers and ordered:
"Take them to their assigned areas."
Several soldiers led the group through the camp until they reached a large gate spanning the entire street. This gate clearly divided the area into inner and outer sections, with two separate passageways for entry and exit, each guarded by armed soldiers. The passage was wide enough to allow military trucks to pass through.
On top of the gate ran a patrol path where two soldiers constantly walked back and forth. To one side stood a watchtower beneath which the American flag waved proudly. Inside, another soldier observed the surroundings carefully.
On the other side of the gate, only a few scattered people wandered aimlessly through the streets — some strolling without purpose, others leaning against walls chatting casually. Upon seeing the newcomers, they all cast curious glances toward them.
"Now, those whose names are called should step forward to receive your identification cards."
Once the group had stopped, the leading soldier retrieved a small box from the guard post, pulled out several ID cards randomly, and began reading off names.
"Kenny."
"Mearns."
"..."
One by one, the survivors stepped up to collect their documents. Brian also received his. Looking down at the photo on it, he couldn't help but grimace slightly.
"Hmm... this picture looks terrible."
Once all the IDs were distributed, the soldier fixed the crowd with a serious gaze and continued:
"What I told you earlier were just the most important rules of the quarantine zone. Now I'll explain the full set of regulations in detail."
"First, the Atlanta Quarantine Zone is now divided into seven sectors. Each connection between these sectors has a checkpoint. You will now draw lots to be randomly assigned to one of these seven zones. Then, designated personnel will lead you to your assigned area and arrange your accommodations."
"Each sector has key industrial zones reserved for labor. These will be your future workplaces. Except during official working hours, unauthorized access outside of these times will be considered theft, and offenders will be expelled immediately."
"Second, all children aged six to fourteen must attend school. Those aged sixteen to eighteen may choose freely whether to continue studying or join the workforce. Once reaching eighteen, unless possessing special skills, students will no longer be accepted by the school system."
"Also, starting tonight, an 8:00 p.m. curfew will be enforced across the quarantine zone unless otherwise notified by the military. Anyone found wandering the streets after curfew without a valid reason will be considered in violation of military orders and punished accordingly."
"And finally," the soldier's tone turned cold as his eyes narrowed, sending a chilling look across the crowd, "under absolutely no circumstances should anyone approach the military district. If patrolling soldiers spot you near the restricted area, regardless of your identity or reason, you will be shot on sight."
Many who met his icy stare shivered involuntarily and quickly looked away.
"If you're interested in knowing more about each sector, you can ask around once you arrive."
Then the soldier brought out a lottery box and had everyone line up to draw numbers. Since Brian, Sarah, and Alan were all under fifteen, they would definitely be sent to school and therefore didn't need to participate in the lottery.
Anna, though only a few months away from turning eighteen, knew that going to school wouldn't change much. She also had her own plans, so she chose to take part in the drawing.
She asked Sarah for Sylvie's last possession — the silver necklace. Since Sylvie had sacrificed herself to save her father and Sarah was about to enter the school, unlikely to leave easily, Anna decided to take on the responsibility of finding Sylvie's younger sister. Besides, the necklace contained a photo of both girls together, making it easier for her to identify the person.
Although Sarah was initially reluctant — because that necklace had been entrusted to her by Sylvie — after weighing the situation, she handed it over to Anna, reminding her firmly:
"Just promise me that if you find her, you'll let us know right away."
The results came back: Anna was assigned to Sector A, located in the southwest corner of the quarantine zone, closest to the main entrance. Lucy and Daphne were placed in Sector D, directly north of the zone. Dick and Alan, both only ten years old, were also being sent to school.
Once the assignments were finalized, the survivors followed the soldiers assigned to each sector, waiting for the gate to open before departing. Meanwhile, the children remained behind, preparing to be taken together to the school.
Before leaving, Daphne specially approached Brian, pleading earnestly for him to take care of Dick while they were in school.
Brian, grateful for the mother and son's earlier help, naturally agreed without hesitation.
Finally, the children passed through the gate under the lingering, reluctant gazes of their parents, disappearing from view.
Looking around at the remaining four children besides himself, Brian couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. Thinking back to when they first set out, there had been seventeen or eighteen kids in total. Now, only eight remained.
Not long after, a military truck arrived. Under the soldiers' instructions, Brian and the others climbed into the cargo area.
Once everyone was aboard, the truck slowly started moving deeper into the quarantine zone. Unlike the outside, snow here had been cleared to the sides, allowing clear visibility of the roads. Occasionally, people could be seen walking by, but what caught Brian's attention was something else.
He could clearly see expressions not of peace or joy on their faces, but rather confusion, emptiness, and numbness.
Though many still wore smiles of happiness and satisfaction, there were still some showing signs of heading in that direction. It made Brian instinctively furrow his brow. Although he couldn't fully understand why these people looked like this, he knew deep down — this was not a good sign...
The truck bounced along the road, passing two checkpoints before finally stopping in front of a university.
As Brian stepped off the truck, what greeted him were several buildings whose names he didn't recognize, but all looked impressive. Surrounded by countless leafless trees, narrow paths connected the entrances of the buildings, stretching deep into the campus. Though it wasn't particularly beautiful now, come spring, when greenery returned, the scenery would surely be stunning.
At the entrance of the university stood a rectangular stone monument. On its front was carved a shield with a trumpet and torch crossed inside — forming a symbol, likely the university's emblem.
Behind the emblem were engraved several English letters spelling out Emory University , and at the bottom, the founding year: 1836 .
Brian tried to recall any knowledge he had of this place. Hmm… apart from famous names like Harvard or Cambridge, he had never even heard of it before.
Soldiers continuously patrolled the area. As they entered through the small paths, they discovered that most of the buildings were separated by dense forests — truly a town covered in forest.
Soon after entering the university, soldiers led Brian and the others to a castle-like classroom building, handing them over to a black woman waiting at the door. She had an ordinary appearance, a slightly overweight figure, and short curly hair.
The soldier spoke briefly with the black woman, handing her a list to sign before turning and leaving.
Watching the soldiers disappear, the woman finally turned her gaze to the children. Her previously neutral expression softened instantly, and she warmly greeted them:
"Hello, my name is Miranda. I'm very happy to meet you all. For the next few years, we'll be living together in this school. No matter what happens, feel free to come to me anytime!"
Then she slowly walked to a girl around fourteen or fifteen standing at the front, crouched beside her, and kindly extended her hand:
"Can you tell me your name?"
The girl had been a bit nervous and scared when the dark-skinned woman suddenly appeared in front of her. But upon meeting the woman's warm gaze, she inexplicably relaxed and instinctively reached out, shaking hands lightly while stuttering:
"I... I'm June. It's... it's nice to meet you..."
Observing the girl closely, Miranda briefly showed disappointment in her eyes, but quickly masked it. After asking a few questions, she stood up and moved toward the other children.
Brian kept watching the woman named Miranda as she moved among the children. He noticed how her eyes continuously scanned each child's face and body, as if observing something. And every time she finished speaking with a child, she wrote something on the paper in her hand.
Tilting his head slightly, Brian pondered for a moment and then somewhat understood what she was doing. This black woman was assessing each child's psychological state and resilience, judging their current value based on that evaluation.