Alex and a group of girls sat in the security room, now unrecognizable after he had transformed it into a temporary base. The space was filled with numerous monitors streaming video feeds from surveillance cameras installed across the city. All the data was processed not only automatically but also with the help of two robotic dogs—GIR and MIMI—who analyzed the footage and prioritized information by importance.

During dinner, Alex and the girls occasionally glanced at the screens, searching for anything useful. However, all the cameras displayed were empty streets or zombies aimlessly wandering through the city. They understood that the real action would begin at night when the infected’s behavior patterns changed.

In addition to monitoring the zombies, Alex pondered the origin of the virus and gathered information about this world. He had two main theories.

The first was the classic but most logical one: the virus was the result of a failed corporate experiment in genetic manipulation. However, the simultaneous outbreaks across the globe suggested a deliberate act. Someone had orchestrated this chaos intentionally. If a corporation was behind it, questions arose: who did it, why, and who might be pulling the strings?

The only individual Alex could associate with such widespread destruction was the Avatar of Nyarlathotep. It was plausible that this being deceived humans by promising eternal life, enhanced bodies, and other benefits in exchange for their help in spreading the virus. If the Avatar was involved, the diversity of mutating zombies made sense.

Alex only hoped the Avatar hadn’t introduced a Marker from Dead Space into this world. If that were the case, the situation would spiral into a much graver scenario. The last thing Alex wanted was for Earth in this universe to become a massive biomass sphere.

The second theory was simpler: the Avatar of Nyarlathotep had merely scattered the virus worldwide and was now watching humanity perish in agony. However, Alex knew that Avatars rarely acted directly. They typically used mortal puppets, offering them power in exchange for loyalty. If Nyarlathotep had taken this route, it was essential to find out who had become its «conduit.»

To confirm his suspicions, Alex planned to gather as much information as possible about existing corporations. Only then could he determine which one might have caused the zombie apocalypse.

«Have you contacted your families again?» he asked the girls, pushing aside his empty plate. «I think they should know we’ve found a temporary safe haven. We’ll start rescuing them soon.»

The girls froze for a moment, surprised by the question. Saya frowned, her face reflecting a mix of sadness and irritation.

Alex recalled her story from the original timeline: her father, Soichiro Takagi, had prioritized saving random civilians during the apocalypse, completely neglecting his daughter. When they finally reunited, he had coldly remarked, «I’m proud of you; you’ve lived up to my expectations.»

Alex knew that if he were in Soichiro’s place, he’d burn down half the city to save his daughter rather than waste resources on helpless people who refused to help themselves.

«I spoke to my mom today,» Saya finally said after a pause. «She’s worried about me and kept asking how I’m holding up. But I don’t want to talk to my father anymore. Yesterday, he said that if I survived, it was thanks to his parenting. Instead of worrying about me, he’s busy saving people who do nothing but sit around waiting for help. I don’t understand why Mom supports his decision. But you, Alex, were clear from the start—no one here is allowed to slack off. Everyone has to work for the greater good.» Her voice was laced with frustration and sorrow.

Alex said nothing, but a glimmer of understanding flashed in his eyes. He could see how hard it was for Saya to come to terms with her father’s actions, but he knew she would soon have a chance to find answers to her questions.

The girls looked at Saya and felt genuine sympathy for her, given her father’s obvious coldness. Alex and Brunhilde quietly nodded, agreeing with her words. Alex was certain: he didn’t want people relying on him too much. He was willing to provide protection, lead the way, and shoulder the bulk of the struggle.

However, his plans didn’t include babysitting the survivors. Alex expected that once they reached a safe place, people would learn to rely on each other and their own strengths. He saw his role as giving them the push they needed to rebuild their world; from there, things would have to take their course.

Rei, being Saya’s classmate, gently hugged her, offering support. Saya felt the warmth of the comforting gesture and, after a brief hesitation, accepted the embrace. Rebecca and Brunhilde also shared in the sympathy, especially Rebecca, who understood what it meant to be rejected by one’s parents. Though their situations were different, it didn’t stop her from empathizing with Saya.

«And you, Rei, were you able to get through to your father? Or did you speak with your mom again?» Alex asked, shifting his attention to another girl.

«There’s still no word from my father. I thought about calling his headquarters, but everyone there is busy, and no one really knows where he is. But I did manage to speak with my mom again. She said she helped the neighbors find shelter, and now everyone’s hiding in our house. I warned her that zombies get more active at night and suggested she close the windows and keep the lights off,» Rei replied, still holding Saya.

«How much longer are you going to keep hugging me? I’m not a child!» Saya grumbled, trying to hide her embarrassment. «I’ve already gotten used to my father being like this… so I don’t need comfort.»

Rei smiled and let her go, while Alex chuckled at Saya’s tsundere behavior. He was glad that, despite the circumstances, she wasn’t giving up and was trying to keep herself composed. Brunhilde silently admired Saya’s resilience, considering it a mature response. Rebecca, too, mentally added points to Saya for her reaction.

The atmosphere in the room lightened a little as the group collectively laughed at Saya’s awkwardness. She snorted and turned away to hide her reddened cheeks.

«What about your friend Takashi? Has he finally decided to call his parents?» Alex asked, changing the subject to avoid embarrassing Saya further.

«No, he’s still acting like an idiot,» Rei replied irritably. «I called his mom myself. Like you said, the teachers evacuated the kids to a bunker under the school. We’re lucky the principal was too cheap to demolish it and used it as a storage space instead. They still have electricity, water, and food supplies for now. I told her we’d come to get them soon.»

«That’s great news for Mrs. Komuro. Does Takashi know his mom is alive?» Alex asked, raising an eyebrow slightly.

«I tried talking to him, but he’s just spouting nonsense. Let his mom deal with him and knock some sense into him. He should’ve been relieved to know she’s alive, but instead, he’s sulking again,» Rei said, frustrated.

«His reaction is understandable,» Brunhilde observed calmly. «He watched his classmates being torn apart by zombies. He’s afraid of the harsh reality and prefers to shut himself off from it. That’s a normal human response. Once his only close family member is rescued, he’ll gradually come around and stop acting this way. The key is to give him time and support.»

Her calm, rational analysis of the situation caused Rei to soften slightly, though irritation at Takashi still lingered in her expression.

Alex cast a curious glance at Brunhilde, whose way of speaking and reasoning amazed him with its resemblance to that of a professional psychologist. He was even tempted to compare her to the other girls, who reacted more calmly to what was happening. However, Brunhilde, with a stern look, silently made it clear that he had better not voice his thoughts unnecessarily.

Rebecca was equally taken aback by her friend’s behavior, not expecting the usually stern and straightforward Brunhilde to analyze others’ emotions so deeply. Even the Valkyries within Alex’s spiritual space observed her with suspicion, doubting whether this was truly their sister, who typically preferred issuing orders to offering advice.

«I get it, but he’s still annoying,» Rei said wearily. «He wants to look like a hero, but he has no plan and no idea what to do. Even Kohta figured out how to act faster and helped Saya escape. But Takashi just hopes everything will magically sort itself out.»

«Don’t compare them,» Alex said, shaking his head. «Kohta, unlike Takashi, isn’t just a high schooler. He trained under a retired Navy SEAL in America. That, let’s say, gives him a bit of an edge.»

«That chubby guy?» Saya asked skeptically, frowning. «Are you serious? Maybe he just made it up? Sure, he’s a gun enthusiast and into geeky stuff, but it’s hard to believe a military guy trained him.»

Alex smirked and pulled up Kohta’s dossier on his tablet, compiled using GIR’s program. The program, created back in their days in Night City, could collect extensive data on a person and consolidate it into a convenient file. Saya stepped closer to read it. Intrigued, the other girls glanced at the screen as well. As they read the details, they were pleasantly surprised.

«If he trained under a Navy SEAL, why did he let everyone bully him?» Saya asked, turning to Alex.

«How would I know?» Alex shrugged. «Maybe he lacked the resolve to take the final step. Sometimes, crises like this become the point where a person finds the strength to overcome their weaknesses. But that’s just my guess. You can ask him yourself tomorrow if you’re so curious.»

«Whatever, I don’t want to talk to him about it,» Saya huffed, returning to her seat. «He’s better off hanging out with those police officers. It seems like he’s fitting in well with their group. Especially with the women.»

«Honestly, I’m also surprised at how skilled he is with weapons,» Rei admitted, sitting down next to Saya. «If it weren’t for the zombie apocalypse, no one would’ve even guessed he had those abilities.»

«Well, everyone has hidden sides,» Alex remarked philosophically, his eyes returning to the screen. «Especially in situations like this.»

Everyone settled back into their seats, chatting to pass the time. They shared stories about themselves, trying to get to know one another better. In the background, the sounds of a video game echoed, played enthusiastically by the trio of troublemakers—GIR, MIMI, and Stitch.

Alex couldn’t help but notice that if GIR and MIMI were here, how would the survivors be able to reach their loved ones to check on their situation?

The answer came quickly: both robots, unwilling to be distracted from their game, simply connected several phones so people could make calls without their involvement. This caused Alex’s eyes to twitch involuntarily. He hadn’t realized how these two, along with Stitch, had found themselves a new hobby.

«I still don’t understand how you managed to create something like this,» Saya said, watching the two robo-dogs engrossed in their game. «They’re incredibly smart and useful, not to mention that they can fight. How did you create something so far ahead of modern technology?»

«If I start explaining, you still won’t understand,» Alex replied with a crooked smile. «It’s easier to think of them as a marvel of technology. Originally, G.I.R. was designed as a guardian robot, but something went wrong. Now, he can be considered a specific assistant with ‘loose bolts’ in his head.»

«I’m also curious about how G.I.R. and M.I.M.I. were created,» Saeko chimed in, looking at the robo-dogs. «You can skip the technical details, just the basics.»

«Short version,» Alex began, «G.I.R. was developed on the basis of a self-learning AI, but someone,» he glanced pointedly at Rebecca, «interfered with the code and messed it up. I also made a mistake by giving him access to the worldwide network for training. And this is the result.»

At these words, Alex stretched Rebecca’s cheeks disapprovingly. The girls immediately guessed that it was she who had tampered with G.I.R.’s code, turning him into a somewhat chaotic creation. However, they hadn’t yet seen what this cute-looking robo-dog could do in battle mode, nor did they know about his other side—his deep loyalty to the Emperor of Humanity. Rebecca, not to be outdone, broke free and bit Alex’s cheek, showing her irritation.

«And what about M.I.M.I.?» Rei asked, pointing at the pink robo-dog. «You should have accounted for the mistakes with G.I.R. Why is she the same?»

«That’s G.I.R.’s fault,» Alex sighed. «He got jealous and started messing with her code. Now she’s his own version of a female counterpart. But you’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg, and over time, you’ll understand and see everything these two are capable of.»

«And Stitch?» Shizuka asked with affection, looking at the little alien. «He’s so cute! Kind of like a dog, but still not a dog. And he almost talks!»

«We rescued him from a lab,» Alex explained. «Who he is and where he’s from, we don’t know. But it doesn’t matter. What’s important is that he became part of our family.»

Hearing Alex’s words, Stitch turned around and waved his paw, causing another wave of adoration from the girls. G.I.R. and M.I.M.I., noticing this, decided that Stitch was attracting too much attention and began «getting back at him» in the game. After a couple of losses, Stitch couldn’t take it anymore and attacked them, starting an impromptu scuffle. Alex and the girls laughed as they watched the scene unfold, continuing their conversation.

The sun began to set behind the horizon, and the city plunged into deep darkness. The survivors from Alex’s group, following his instructions, turned off the lights in the bank building to avoid attracting the attention of the zombies, who became more perceptive and aggressive at night. Everyone moved to the lower level of the building—into the vault they had set up as a resting place.

Alex remained in the observation room, keeping an eye on the situation in the city through the camera monitors. The others weren’t worried, knowing he was thoroughly controlling the situation. Everyone was focused on their own tasks. Alex and the group of girls concentrated on studying the zombies’ behavior at night. When the girls saw the zombies’ eyes start to glow faintly red after sunset, almost like in video games, they were surprised.

«So this is what you meant when you mentioned their changes at night,» said Saya, looking at the monitors displaying images of the city streets.

«Yeah, pretty much,» Alex nodded. «At night, they get a lot more active. During the day, zombies move slowly and seem lethargic, but as soon as it gets dark, they start hunting actively. I suspect that in the future, we’ll see some that won’t revert to their daytime state at all. The virus is evolving too quickly. It’s still just a theory, though, since this is only the second day of the outbreak, and predicting how things will develop is difficult.»

The girls exchanged glances and then turned their attention back to the screens, carefully observing the undead’s behavior. Meanwhile, Rebecca was actively looking for signs of mutated zombies. She was sure that the aggressive nature of the virus was causing the nighttime changes in the zombies. The more aggressive the virus, the faster mutations occur.

In the meantime, Alex gently lifted Rebecca, who had been sitting on his lap, and stood up from the chair.

«What’s this? Are your legs numb? Want me to give you a massage?» Shizuka offered with a sly smile. «I used to do that for Rika when she was tired after work.»

«Tempting, but I’ve got work to do. I need to set up new cameras to expand the coverage. Some of them are damaged, so I’ll have to work on it. Maybe we’ll catch something interesting,» Alex replied with a grin.

«Are you serious?» Saya exclaimed, raising her hands. «You’re going out now, when the zombies are more active? What’s going on in your head?!»

«Trust me, you won’t like it if you find out what’s going on in my head,» Alex replied, smirking as he poked Saya on the nose. «And as for me going out at this time, don’t worry. I’m a capable guy, I’ll figure things out. Besides, I’ve got some experience with this kind of thing.»

«And how are you going to do that?» Saeko asked calmly, folding her arms across her chest.

«Easy. I’m a ninja!» Alex declared nonchalantly, making a hand seal.

The girls looked at Alex with dry stares, then glanced at Rebecca and Brunhilde for help. But both girls simply waved them off, saying they should let Alex do whatever he wanted. The girls could only give in and let Alex go, with reminders to be cautious.

«Alright, do whatever you want, but be careful,» Saya gave in, poking Alex in the chest with her finger.

«It’ll be fine. It’s not my first time,» Alex replied, turning to his robo-dogs. «GIR, MIMI, which one of you is coming with me?»

The robo-dogs exchanged glances and then started playing rock, paper, scissors. GIR won in three rounds and immediately ran up to Alex, proudly giving him a thumbs up to express his excitement. Alex shook his head, sat the dog on his shoulder, and turned to MIMI, noticing her disappointment.

«Don’t be sad, MIMI. I’ll take you next time, I promise. And you,» he addressed the girls, «if you want to watch what’s going on, ask MIMI to connect to GIR’s camera. She’ll be able to broadcast the whole operation to you in real time.»

The girls could only nod silently, no further questions arising. Alex exited through the back door of the bank, finding himself in the armored car parking lot. The weather was cold, and the night shrouded the city in thick darkness, broken only by the occasional sound of scraping and growling from the zombies.

Alex turned to his robo-dog GIR for help:

«Show me the locations for camera installation to expand the visibility zone.»

The robo-dog began processing the information, and soon an image with marked points appeared on Alex’s phone. Quickly scanning the map, Alex let out a quiet sigh—the distances between the points were significant. He knew he’d have to run a lot. These points were located in potentially dangerous areas where zombies might start gathering or even create nests.

After checking the map once more, Alex jumped over a fence, landing in a narrow alley. His gaze landed on the wall of a neighboring building. He moved closer, crouched down, then suddenly leapt, pushing off the wall with his feet to get on the roof. Once on top, Alex paused and checked the map again. The decision came quickly: move across the rooftops—this way, he’d avoid attracting unwanted attention from zombie «fans» who might start chasing him.

Meanwhile, the girls in the bank connected to the stream and watched his actions with interest.

«Does he always move like this?» Saya asked, surprised, watching Alex’s smooth jumps from roof to roof.

«This is something new,» Saeko replied with a smile, barely hiding her admiration.

Alex, meanwhile, was heading toward the first point but suddenly stopped. The brief pause was not from fatigue, but from the desire to add some «eyes» on the street. Taking out his communicator, he connected with Rebecca:

«I need your eyes. Connect to the cameras along my path and let me know if you see anything unusual.»

Rebecca immediately got to work, ignoring the curious glances from the other girls who were trying to figure out what she was looking for. Alex continued moving, listening to the sounds of the night. The only things he heard were the scraping of feet and the low growl of zombies wandering the streets.

After jumping onto the next building, Alex saw a bridge in the distance where there had been a police checkpoint the day before. Now the place looked deserted, which didn’t bode well. He crouched down to get a better look and lit a cigarette.

«Why are you standing still? Enjoying the night view?» came Rebecca’s voice from the communicator.

«Not exactly,» Alex replied, exhaling smoke. «I’m listening to what’s going on around. Check the cameras on the bridge, I want to understand where everyone went.»

«Got it, checking,» Rebecca responded, her voice immediately replaced by the sound of typing.

Rebecca’s actions caught the attention of Shizuka, who squinted and moved closer. She pressed her chest against Rebecca’s head, causing the latter to huff in annoyance.

«What are you looking for? Need help?» Shizuka asked with a friendly smile.

Rebecca’s eye twitched from the unexpected sensation—Shizuka’s soft chest was pressing against her head. It gave her mixed feelings: on one hand, she liked the feeling, but on the other, it stirred irritation and a pang of jealousy. Rebecca envied girls with larger breasts, especially since her so-called «rival» and «indirect twin,» the goddess Hestia, regularly flaunted her advantage over both Rebecca and Loki.

Deciding not to give in to these emotions, Rebecca silently promised herself she would deal with Shizuka and her «advantages» in the future.

«Alec asked me to check the cameras on the bridge. There was a crowd of people there yesterday, but today it’s quiet. He needs to know what happened,» Rebecca replied, trying to ignore the softness pressing against her head.

«You think it’s that bad?» Ray asked, her worry evident.

Instead of Rebecca, it was Brunhilde who answered. Her cold voice was confident:

«Even though I’m not as familiar with zombies as Alex and Rebecca, it’s obvious. The crowd of people undoubtedly attracted their attention. If these creatures become more active at night, survival there was nearly impossible. Those who made it out were incredibly lucky.»

The other girls exchanged glances. Brunhilde’s cold tone slightly surprised them, but no one commented on it. It was clear she was trying to keep a clear head and act rationally in the situation.

Meanwhile, Rebecca found the right camera and began reviewing the footage from last night, fast-forwarding through it. The girls gathered around, watching what was happening on the screen.

The footage began with the police setting up a checkpoint, followed by people gathering on the bridge, being stopped from passing. The sun set, night fell, and the streetlights turned on, but the tension only grew. Even without sound, everything was clear: the crowd was nervous, and the noise grew louder.

The climax came suddenly. A horde of zombies emerged from the shadows and rushed onto the bridge, tearing the living apart. The subsequent footage lost its meaning—everything was predictable. As Brunhilde had said, only those with extreme luck managed to survive.

When the recording ended, Rebecca contacted Alex:

«You were right, it was a massacre on the bridge.»

«Anything unusual?» Alex asked, stopping to get a response.

«There are a couple of odd details,» Rebecca replied thoughtfully. «I’ll ask MIMI to analyze them. The quality of the footage isn’t great, so a lot was missed.»

«Alright. Have the girls keep an eye on the other monitors. If they notice anything strange, get in touch with me right away. I’ll check it out,» Alex said before ending the call.

After passing along Alex’s instructions, Rebecca returned to her work. Even though they had G.I.R. and MIMI handling the data, that didn’t mean they could relax.

Even Stitch, seeing that the others were busy, decided to temporarily forget about video games and join the search efforts. The girls scattered around the room, carefully studying the monitors. They were interested not only in the standard zombies but also in potentially mutated ones—more dangerous creatures.

Meanwhile, Alex was nearing the first point. He could move faster, but that would draw unwanted attention. So, he decided to proceed cautiously, like a person with just slightly more strength than the others.

To be continued…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep