Alex raced the Humvee through a residential neighborhood, trying to shake off the persistent “fans” in the form of zombies who refused to let up. Clutching the steering wheel tightly, he swerved sharply at intersections, steering the vehicle away from yet another cluster of undead. But just as he lost one wave, another appeared on the horizon.

After plowing through another group of the undead, Alex frowned, realizing that these might be the same zombies responsible for the carnage on the bridge, now prowling the area for prey. In the back seat, Alice—whom he had recently rescued—was still in shock from the loss of the last member of her family. GIR, attempting to distract the girl from her dark thoughts, turned on some upbeat music and started bouncing playfully like a stuffed toy, prompting Alice to cling to him tighter.

“Well, considering this feels like a scene from Tokyo, this song fits perfectly,” Alex quipped, drifting through another turn.

Accelerating out of the corner, he floored the gas pedal, leaving the pursuers behind, and headed for the bridge. Deciding not to take any more chances, Alex opted for the shortest route to the safe zone. As the bridge came into view, he relaxed slightly, determined not to lead a horde of zombies back to the bank—no one wanted to clean up that mess the next day.

Slowing down, Alex carefully navigated between abandoned cars, making sure not to damage the Humvee.

“Becca, we’re almost there. Get the gates ready,” he said through the communicator.

“I see you. Just don’t bring your fans with you. Nobody wants them partying outside our door,” Rebecca replied with a laugh.

Chuckling, Alex shook his head and continued driving. As they approached the bank’s perimeter, the area seemed much calmer than the chaotic residential district. Alex had deliberately stuck to the outskirts, avoiding the city center, where the zombie density was undoubtedly higher.

Reaching the bank, he turned into an alley and stopped at the steel gates. They creaked open slowly, allowing the Humvee to roll onto the property. Once the gates shut behind him, Alex parked and turned to Alice and GIR.

“Stay in the car while I unload the supplies,” he instructed.

Opening the trunk, he began unloading crates and bags onto the ground. Meanwhile, the girls emerged from the building and headed toward him to help.

“My hero! You brought my things! Let me hug you!” Shizuka exclaimed, throwing herself at Alex.

She hugged him tightly, burying his face in her soft chest. Alex felt warmth spread through him and briefly thought he wouldn’t mind staying like that for a while. For a fleeting moment, he even mused that being smothered by such pillows wouldn’t be the worst fate. However, the moment was short-lived as Saya and Rebecca quickly pulled Shizuka away from him.

Alex sighed, disappointed by the loss of that pleasant sensation, but before he could catch his breath, Rebecca noticed his reaction and kicked him in the leg.

“Let go of me! I’m not done thanking him!” Shizuka protested, struggling against the other girls’ grip.

Brunhilde, standing modestly to the side, simply shook her head at the scene but remained silent.

Breaking free from their grasp, Shizuka dashed toward Alex again, intent on hugging him once more. Alex didn’t mind, but his attention was caught by a faint movement nearby. He instantly tensed.

Before Shizuka could take another step, Alex swiftly shoved her aside. Something blurred through the air—a zombie lunged right where Shizuka had stood moments before. Alex grabbed the attacker by the neck and slammed it into the ground with force. To finish it off, he stomped on its head, crushing it completely.

Everything happened so quickly that none of the girls even had time to scream. They stood in shock, staring at Alex, who had already eliminated the zombie and saved Shizuka.

“What the hell just happened?!” Saya blurted out, pointing at the now-neutralized undead.

“Looks like we’ve just encountered our first mutated zombie,” Rei said thoughtfully, her brows furrowed.

Alex crouched next to the zombie, studying it closely. It bore a resemblance to the “Hunter” from Left 4 Dead—a nimble and fast predator. Shizuka, still shaken from the incident, gazed at Alex, her admiration for him shining even brighter in her eyes.

The other girls moved closer, standing behind him. They were curious about this type of zombie, which had somehow managed to breach their tall fence. Finishing his inspection, Alex stood up and lit a cigarette.

“Care to explain how you managed to catch that zombie mid-air and slam it into the ground?” Saya asked, adjusting her glasses, clearly irritated by his calm demeanor.

“I told you, I’m a little… special. Get used to it,” Alex said casually, blowing out a puff of smoke.

Saya fumed, clearly dissatisfied with his vague response, but Alex merely pretended not to notice her glare. Rebecca crouched next to the zombie’s body, studying it and wondering just how far the virus had mutated to enable such feats.

“How did it even get in here? We’re behind a tall iron fence!” Rei said, still examining the zombie.

“It came from over there,” Alex said, pointing to the roof of a nearby building.

“From the roof? But how? Shouldn’t it have been killed by the fall from that height?” Saya immediately switched to researcher mode, eager to learn every detail.

“The virus gave it that capability. Now we know that encountering mutated zombies is a reality. Tomorrow, we’ll need to warn everyone to be extremely cautious during their raids,” Alex said, flicking his cigarette away.

Without much effort, he grabbed the dead zombie by the leg and tossed it back over the fence. The girls exchanged astonished glances, watching Alex perform the task with complete nonchalance.

“Shouldn’t we have gathered more information about it to share with the others?” Saeko asked with interest, closely observing his actions.

“I already got all the information we need,” Alex replied with a grin, giving her a thumbs-up.

“And how exactly did you do that? Crouched down, poked it a couple of times, and that’s it? That doesn’t sound like proper research!” Saya huffed, jabbing Alex in the chest.

Alex chuckled, exhaling another puff of smoke as he shrugged.

“I’ve got my methods, Saya. You wouldn’t understand.”

Teasingly, Alex pinched her nose, clearly trying to rile her up further. Saya swatted at his hand, but her attempts were futile—Alex skillfully dodged her every swipe and kept poking her nose. This finally pushed Saya over the edge, her irritation resembling that of a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Clenching her teeth, she lunged at him as if ready to sink her claws in.

Remaining unfazed, Alex placed a hand on her head, holding her at arm’s length. The other girls shook their heads, barely suppressing their laughter as they watched the spectacle.

“Let me go! I’ll show you what happens when you grab my nose!” Saya yelled, struggling to break free.

“Yeah, right. If I let go, you’ll attack immediately,” Alex said with a smirk. “So pick one: do you want to know what I figured out about this zombie, or are you going to keep trying to catch me?”

“Both!” Saya shot back, gripping his arm.

“It’s simple,” Alex began, glancing back toward the zombie. “It managed to sneak up because it jumped from the roof of that nearby building. The virus enhanced its body, especially its limbs. Essentially, this zombie is a hunter, silently stalking its prey. Think of it like a cheetah hiding in tall grass.”

Saya paused, clearly not ready to give up.

“Alright, enough standing around,” Alex said, releasing Saya’s head. “Grab your stuff and take it inside. We’ve got a lot of work tomorrow, and I’m so tired I don’t even remember the last time I had a decent sleep.”

The girls exchanged glances and nodded in agreement. As Saya walked past, she stealthily stepped on Alex’s foot. He merely smirked in response. Rebecca, grabbing the bag with weapons, headed off to check their condition to prepare for the morning. Saeko and Rei took boxes of supplies and went inside.

Meanwhile, Brunhild approached the car to help Alice get out. Seeing her, the little girl wasn’t scared. On the contrary, she felt warmth and reassurance, as if an older sister was standing before her. Brunhild lifted Alice into her arms and carried her inside. G.I.R. followed, holding Shizuka’s bag of belongings over his head.

Only Alex and Shizuka remained outside. She stood nearby, studying his profile, but didn’t move. Alex turned his head, wondering why she was lingering.

“Thanks for saving me and bringing my stuff,” Shizuka said suddenly, standing on her tiptoes, approaching him, and gently kissing his cheek. She then quickly hurried inside.

Alex felt the warmth on his cheek as he watched her go, a slight smile on his face. He lit a cigarette and then began checking the area. Walking along the fence and confirming its security, he returned to the building to inspect the main hall. After making sure everything was fine, Alex headed to the observation room.

The girls were busy with their own tasks: Shizuka was checking on Alice, who was sitting in Brunhild’s lap, G.I.R., MIMI, and Stitch had started playing video games again, and Rebecca was disassembling weapons. Alex lay down on the mattress spread out on the floor and soon fell asleep.

The next morning, he woke up to a soft sensation on his face. It didn’t take long to figure out that Shizuka had turned over in her sleep and was using his head as a pillow.

For the first time in a long while, Alex didn’t want to get up and wanted to continue enjoying the incredibly soft sensation of Shizuka’s chest. But as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end.

“Rise and shine! It’s already morning,” Rei’s voice rang out as she entered the room.

At Rei’s voice, everyone started waking up. Shizuka, not planning to get up, hugged Alex’s head even tighter, pressing it into her surprisingly soft chest. Alex felt his face sink even deeper into her embrace, but instead of protesting, he simply sighed.

Rebecca, who had been sleeping on his chest, opened her eyes, stretched, and looked around. Seeing Rei and Saeko enter with plates of food, she was about to wake Alex up but then noticed where his head was.

“Stop hugging him with your huge breasts!” Rebecca exclaimed, struggling to pull Shizuka away from Alex.

“Give me five more minutes,” Shizuka mumbled sleepily, tightening her embrace around him.

“I said, let go of him, busty!” Rebecca declared loudly, refusing to give up.

The room gradually came to life with the morning bustle. Brunhild, who had slept next to Alice the night before, opened her eyes and looked at Rebecca, who was making noise from the very start of the day, and saw her trying to pull Shizuka away from Alex. Brunhild sighed and ignored it; she had already gotten used to Rebecca’s antics over the week they had lived together in Valhalla, so she simply pretended not to notice. Instead, she gently began waking Alice.

With a loud yawn, Saya, who had somehow managed to grab Alex’s arm in her sleep, sat up. Shaking her head, she sleepily mumbled:

“Why are you yelling so early, Green?”

“Who are you calling Green, you Pink?!” Rebecca immediately retorted, not backing down.

A familiar morning argument flared up between the girls. Alex realized it was pointless to pretend to still be asleep. With a light movement, he freed himself from Shizuka’s tight embrace. She pouted in annoyance but got up anyway. Alex just shook his head and, separating the bickering girls, said:

“Enough already, you two. We’ve got a lot to do today.”

Rebecca and Saya, casting each other annoyed looks, snorted and turned away. Alex took a deep breath and turned to Rei and Saeko, who were already setting up food on the table. Saeko, smiling politely, handed him a plate. Alex, knowing her commitment to traditional Japanese values, smiled in return and took the food.

Sitting down at the table, Alex quickly flipped through the footage from the surveillance cameras that had been set up the day before. While eating, his attention was drawn to several frames showing unusual zombies, reminiscent of those encountered in the game Left 4 Dead.

When breakfast was over, Alex stood up and asked the girls to get ready. They quickly tidied themselves up and followed him to join the other survivors.

Approaching the place where the group had discussed plans the previous evening, Alex looked at the people gathered around the table and, smirking, said:

“Looks like you all slept well last night.”

Some people in the group just shook their heads, indicating that sleep had eluded them that night. Dark circles under some eyes were a testament to a rough night, while others looked rested.

Alex approached the table and spread out a city map so everyone could see it.

“I hope you’ve prepared the lists, as we agreed yesterday?” he addressed the group.

“Yes, here,” Asami replied, placing two lists on the table.

“My list is ready too,” Shizuka added, laying down a list of medical supplies next to it.

“Great,” Alex nodded, taking the papers in his hands.

First, Alex went through Shizuka’s list. In their current situation, medicines were the highest priority, as they would soon become scarce. He then glanced over the list of materials for reinforcing the barricades, quickly scanning it before setting it aside. Finally, Alex checked the list of people they had managed to contact and the locations where they were hiding.

“So, as you can see, we have a lot of work to do today,” he began, scanning the group with his gaze. “We need to gather medicine in case of illness or injury, food supplies, materials to strengthen our base. And we also need to rescue those who are still hiding.”

He pointed to the map and continued:

“I suggest we split into groups to get all this done. The first group—guards—your task is to survey the nearby houses and gather anything useful, from food to first-aid kits. The second group—Kohta and the police officers—your task is to find materials for reinforcing the barricades. If you encounter anyone on this list, bring them here. The third group will focus on pharmacies and collecting medical supplies. The last group will take care of the vehicles: move them to create a barrier and remove the batteries to prevent any unexpected alarms at night.”

Takashi furrowed his brow and asked:

“What about you? What will you be doing?”

“I’ll head to the electronics store to get parts for the wind turbine and solar panels. We need to prepare for the possibility that electricity may go out,” Alex replied calmly.

“If everyone understands, let’s get to work,” he concluded.

The group nodded and began to form groups according to the plan. Alex called the girls aside.

“Becca, take the girls and head to the pharmacies,” he said, looking at Rebecca.

“And how am I supposed to know what to grab? Or are you suggesting I take Shizuka?” Rebecca raised an eyebrow challengingly.

“No, take MIMI with you. She knows what we need. Your task is to gather everything essential. If you find any transportation, use it,” Alex said softly, placing a hand on her head.

“Alright, you’ve convinced me,” Rebecca replied nonchalantly, spreading her arms out.

Smiling, Alex ruffled her hair. He was calm: with her strength, gained in Orario, zombies wouldn’t pose a threat to her. Before they left Orario, Rebecca had reached level 4 faster than anyone, clearing multiple floors filled with monsters.

Alex instructed G.I.R. to stay at the base and monitor security to protect Shizuka and Alice in case of any unforeseen situations. When everyone was ready, they headed out to the backyard of the bank, where an unexpected sight awaited them.

“Where did the Humvee come from?” Kohta asked in surprise, looking at the military SUV.

“I brought it in last night,” Alex replied, lighting a cigarette. “I was setting up cameras around the city and came across it.”

Everyone looked at Alex with an expression that seemed to shout, “Are you serious right now?” But he skillfully ignored their stares. Approaching his motorcycle, Alex opened the weapon compartment and pulled out communicators to distribute to the groups. Just then, Rebecca returned, hauling a bag stuffed with weapons and throwing it down with a loud thud in the center.

“Here, arm yourselves,” she said casually, crossing her arms.

Alex surveyed the gathered group and, handing out communicators to the leaders, began a brief briefing:

“Alright, basic briefing for those who weren’t paying attention. First rule: don’t split up. Second: a headshot is mandatory. Third: no wandering in dark places. And last, but most importantly: always stay in contact and forget about heroics. If you get bitten… well, let’s just say I highly recommend either jumping out of a window headfirst or putting a bullet in your skull. Got it?”

“Why can’t we go into dark places?” Takashi asked, furrowing his brows.

“Don’t tell me,” Kohta responded darkly, as if he already knew the answer.

“Right thinking, Kohta,” Alex nodded. “New types of infected are starting to appear. They hide in dark places—basements, tunnels, and similar shelters. Stay away from these zones.”

Alex’s words caused unease in the group, but everyone understood that following the rules was key to survival.

“Dammit,” Kohta cursed.

“So, be extra careful. And lastly, before entering any building, make some noise. Let the zombies come to you, don’t let them surprise you.”

With that, Alex finished the briefing, and everyone nodded, signaling their readiness. The group of police officers, including Kohta, climbed into the Humvee to help survivors on the way. The builders and guards armed themselves with makeshift weapons and set off for supplies. Rebecca, along with Rei, Brunhilde, Saeko, MIMI, and Stitch, jumped into the nearest vehicle and headed to their destination.

Only Alex and Saya remained in the parking lot. He turned to her with an eyebrow raised, clearly surprised.

“Why didn’t you go with Rebecca’s group?”

“I’ll help you,” Saya replied, confidently tossing her braid. “I’m a genius, I can handle any solar panels and wind turbines.”

“Alright then,” Alex said, shaking his head with a slight smile. “Since you’re with me, we’ll have to move differently. I wanted to take my bike…”

“How differently?” Saya asked, becoming cautious.

“You’ll find out soon,” Alex smirked and motioned for her to follow.

They stepped outside the gate, and Alex waved at the camera. Behind them, the iron gates creaked as they closed. While Saya was still trying to figure out what was going on, Alex started stretching and loosening his muscles. Once done, he suddenly crouched down with his back to Saya.

“What are you doing?” she asked warily.

“Hop on my back. It’ll be faster.”

“You’re going to run while carrying me?” Saya asked in surprise, still standing still.

“Exactly. Now stop wasting daylight,” Alex said, rolling his eyes.

Saya hesitated for a moment but eventually climbed onto Alex’s back. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she blushed slightly at the close contact. Alex stood up, and Saya almost fell, but he quickly caught her before that could happen.

“Why are you groping me, you pervert?” Saya exclaimed, starting to hit him on the head as she felt his hands on her rear.

“Then hold on tighter so you don’t fall next time,” Alex said, rolling his eyes and ignoring her blows.

Saya let out a heavy sigh and tightened her grip around him. Feeling her firm hold, Alex started picking up speed toward the wall. Saya noticed this, got scared, and in panic, yanked his hair, trying to stop him.

Ignoring her attempts, Alex accelerated, jumped, and pushed off the wall to climb onto the roof of the building. Saya, not feeling any impact, cautiously opened her eyes and saw that they were already on the roof. She turned her head and noticed how far behind they had left the cliff and the bank building.

“How did you do that?” she asked, her voice filled with surprise.

“I told you, I’m a bit special,” Alex replied with a grin, moving forward.

This time, Saya immediately reacted and tightened her grip around Alex’s neck. He continued jumping across rooftops, occasionally checking the map on his phone. The map marked locations where they could find the necessary materials. After a few minutes of moving, Saya began to relax, stopped being afraid, and even started enjoying the rooftop leaps. She was amazed at how unusual this journey felt for her.

“I never thought I’d be running across rooftops on a guy’s back,” she muttered to herself, smiling.

Alex stopped on one of the roofs, looking at the map and thinking about the next move.

“Why did you stop?” Saya asked, peering over his shoulder.

“There’s a fork in the road,” Alex replied, showing her the map. “I’m deciding which store to go to first.”

“How about this one?” Saya suggested, pointing to one of the stores.

Alex decided to trust her choice and headed in the indicated direction. Jumping across rooftops, he soon stopped at the edge of a building, carefully scanning the street below. There were few zombies in this area—they had likely scattered into the surroundings.

“Hold on tight,” he warned her before she had a chance to ask anything.

He jumped down, skillfully grabbing the ledges to descend. Saya barely had time to recover when Alex was already heading toward the electronics store. Once there, he immediately closed the doors to avoid any unexpected guests.

Lowering Saya to the floor, Alex drew a black pistol from his holster.

“Don’t move, I’ll check if anyone’s here before we look for supplies,” he said, glancing at her briefly.

“I know, I’m not a kid,” Saya retorted, kicking him in the leg, showing her displeasure over the rooftop jump.

Alex knocked the barrel of the pistol against a metal shelf, making noise to attract the zombies. He repeated it several times, but no one appeared. Despite this, he didn’t want Saya wandering alone and asked her to stay close. The girl silently nodded and followed him closely.

After checking all the rooms, including the warehouse, Alex and Saya began searching for the necessary materials to build the windmill. Alex was glad he had asked the guys to remove the batteries from the cars near the bank beforehand—they would definitely come in handy later.

In the warehouse, they systematically searched for everything they needed. After an hour, everything was gathered; they just needed to find transportation to take the materials back to the base.

“What about the van? Should we take one from here?” Saya suggested, turning to Alex.

“Good idea, but we should check if it’s still here or if the store employees managed to escape with it,” Alex replied with a slight smile.

They headed to the back of the store. Stepping outside, they noticed a van parked against the wall, but a few zombies were wandering nearby. Alex easily dealt with them, and soon they were at the vehicle.

After checking the cabin, Alex started the engine and drove the van to the warehouse to load the materials. He parked it closer and, along with Saya, went back inside.

The solar panels were the heaviest items, but for Alex, it was an easy task. After loading everything into the van, they climbed into the cabin. Glancing at the clock, Alex realized about an hour and a half had passed.

“Well, are you ready to go?” he asked, starting the engine.

The van smoothly pulled away, and soon they were on the road.

“Do you want to go back to your parents?” Alex suddenly asked, his eyes focused on the road.

Saya hesitated, staring out the window.

“I’ve thought about it… But when it all started, my father didn’t even send anyone after me. He was saving the closest survivors. My mom told me about it, and I still can’t understand what I felt back then. Acceptance? Disappointment? Maybe he always put his career above me. Even the guards at the house addressed me not as Saya, but as ‘Miss Takagi.’ If I scored the highest on a test or won a contest, all anyone ever said was, ‘What else would you expect from Soichiro’s daughter.’ My whole childhood, they saw me as ‘the daughter of my father,’ not as me,” she said sadly.

Alex smirked.

“If you want, we can go to your house. You can have a talk with your father. And if needed, I can give him a punch to knock some sense into him,” he said, laughing.

Saya suddenly smiled, imagining the moment. Sometimes, she wanted to punch her father herself but never had the courage.

“Maybe… Though, honestly, I would love to give him a punch,” she admitted, turning to Alex.

“Great! Then let’s add that to our to-do list: head to the Takagi estate and punch Soichiro Takagi in the nose,” Alex announced cheerfully with a wide grin.

Saya laughed along with him. This conversation brought them closer. Alex even turned on some music to make the drive more enjoyable and started singing along. Saya couldn’t resist and joined in, savoring the moment.

When they reached the bank, Alex stuck his head out of the van window and waved to the camera so G.I.R could open the gates. The group of people moving cars noticed them but didn’t stop—the work was still not finished.

Alex contacted G.I.R, asking for help unloading the materials and moving them to the roof of the bank. Together with Saya and G.I.R, they quickly got to work, preparing for the next stage of construction.

To be continued…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep