When Alex’s group returned with the children from the school, the barricade builders noticed the commotion and came over to find out what had happened. What struck Alex most was that among the rescued children was the child of one of the men. The man hugged his daughter tightly, tears streaming down his face.

Alex felt mixed emotions. On one hand, as a logical thinker, he understood that this man now had a reason to live and strive for his daughter’s safety. On the other hand, his kind nature rejoiced at the reunion of a father with his child in such a grim world.

The same thing happened with Takashi. After reuniting with the mother he had believed lost, the boy, who had previously looked like a depressed teenager, hugged her and wept openly.

Alex actively helped settle the children, with Rebecca just as involved. When the children were taken care of, those responsible for cooking started distributing food to help them recover.

Earlier, when Rei mentioned that there were food supplies stored in the bunker, Alex had hoped there would be enough. However, reality turned out differently, and he was relieved he had decided to evacuate the children early.

“Here’s the list of medications we urgently need,” Shizuka said, handing Alex a piece of paper.

“No problem. We’ll head out now,” Alex replied, scanning the list.

“Can’t wait to see what a hospital looks like during a zombie apocalypse!” Rebecca exclaimed enthusiastically.

Alex smirked and patted her on the head. He pondered who to take on this dangerous mission. Looking around, he saw that Rei and Saya were busy, while Brunhilde had taken on the role of temporary leader, coordinating everyone. Alex didn’t want to put Shizuka in danger, so he settled on Saeko.

“Will you come with us to the hospital?” he asked, placing a hand on her shoulder to get her attention.

“Of course. My skills will be useful for this task,” Saeko replied with a soft smile.

Alex nodded and motioned for Rebecca and G.I.R. to follow him. Before leaving, he checked with the survivors to see if they needed anything from the hospital. After updating the list, the group headed to the exit.

At his motorcycle, Alex opened the weapons compartment, pulled out a shotgun for Rebecca, and handed it to her. Saeko peeked inside, curious, but quickly lost interest upon seeing only firearms.

“My favorite husband! You always know how to please a girl,” Rebecca joked, grinning as she kissed Alex on the cheek.

“No explosive or incendiary rounds. Stick to acid or shock rounds at most,” Alex said firmly, pinching her cheek.

“Buzzkill,” Rebecca sighed, stuffing the rounds into her pockets.

Alex pinched her cheek again as she grumbled about how he always ruined the fun. He might have let her use explosive or incendiary rounds if they weren’t headed to a hospital.

At that moment, he noticed Saeko standing idly behind him, watching.

“Do you want something too? Or are you only comfortable with a katana?” Alex asked with genuine interest.

“I’m not used to firearms,” Saeko said with a faint smile. “I’ve spent my life training with a katana at my family’s dojo. Even the katana you gave me is already a priceless gift.”

Alex nodded, respecting her choice. He appreciated that there were still people who preferred melee weapons over firearms.

Meanwhile, G.I.R., their trusty robo-dog, leapt onto the motorcycle and reached into the weapons compartment, pulling out a flamethrower. Alex didn’t stop him and instead grabbed a pair of black spheres, each the size of a fist, and slipped them into his inner pocket.

Rebecca noticed immediately, recognizing the incendiary grenades Alex had designed to burn and obliterate everything in their path. She glanced at G.I.R., who was already inspecting the flamethrower, and Alex pondered how to discreetly retrieve armor for G.I.R. and MIMI from his inventory without raising questions.

When the preparations were complete, Alex headed towards the minivan they had used before. The van was spacious enough to carry a large amount of supplies. The girls settled inside, and Alex was about to follow their example when he suddenly heard a voice behind him.

“Wait!” Takashi called out, rushing towards Alex.

Alex stopped and turned to face the boy.

“What’s going on?” he asked calmly, watching Takashi approach.

“I want to go with you,” Takashi began seriously. “I know I acted like a complete idiot. I was just afraid to face reality. At school, I had to kill a friend who had turned into a zombie and watch my former classmates tear each other apart. Even when I was told my mom was okay, I was scared to find out she had become one of those creatures.”

Alex raised an eyebrow in surprise. Even Rebecca and Saeko turned around, looking at Takashi as if a ghost was standing before them. Alex, however, noted to himself that mothers always had a profound impact on their children. He was glad that Mrs. Komuro had helped her son pull himself together.

“Sorry, Takashi, but we’re heading to a pretty dangerous place,” Alex explained calmly. “There could be too many of the dead. Saeko and Rebecca are experienced enough to handle confined spaces. If you want to help, it’s better to practice shooting with Kouta. This guy might seem harmless, but he’s had military training. You can see his comrades trust him, and he frequently goes on expeditions. Once you learn, I’ll take you with me or send you with other groups.”

Takashi looked a little disappointed but nodded, understanding that Alex was right. A spark of determination lit up in his eyes.

“Thanks for saving my mom again,” he said with a faint smile.

“Anytime, kid,” Alex replied, giving him a friendly tap on the head.

Takashi shook his head and walked back to talk to his mother and find Kouta. Meanwhile, Alex, ignoring Takashi’s gratitude, got into the vehicle. He started the engine and headed toward the hospital for the supplies. As he drove through the iron gates, he waved at the people on the street, signaling that he was leaving.

Turning on the music, Alex quietly hummed the melody, sinking into his thoughts. He pondered what to do next: if they finished quickly at the hospital, they might try to stop by the police station in search of weapons and ammo. If worst came to worst, he could simply retrieve whatever they needed from his inventory and come up with some story, claiming it was their find.

“Alex, sorry to interrupt your thoughts,” Hlökk’s voice echoed in his head. “But why did that guy thank you for saving his mother again? As far as I remember, that was the only time.”

Alex paused for a moment. His thoughts returned to Takashi’s last words. He tried to reconstruct the chain of events, but the more he thought, the more uneasy he became. Something was definitely off. Especially recalling how MIMI had looked at Takashi strangely during their first meeting.

“Shit,” Alex muttered, his eyes widening with sudden realization.

“Darling, what happened? Why are you nervous?” asked Göndul, sensing the change in his demeanor.

“It could be… David,” Alex replied, his tone slightly stunned.

“Which David? The one? The deceased son of your fiancée Gloria?” Geirölul clarified, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Alex didn’t answer; he just sighed heavily. He felt a sharp urge to smoke. If Takashi really was the reincarnation of David, that complicates things. Even without words, the Valkyries already understood what was going on in Alex’s mind.

He rolled down the window and lit a cigarette, trying to sort out his thoughts. Now everything started to fall into place: Takashi’s headache during their first meeting, his strange behavior, the gratitude for “saving his mother again.” Alex remembered helping David recover his memories before he crossed over to the other world. But if this was reincarnation, past memories might start surfacing due to meeting him.

“Well, this is fucked up,” Alex muttered, blowing out a puff of smoke.

Rebecca heard his mumbling and turned to look at him. The expression on Alex’s face said it all — he was irritated and tense.

“What happened?” she asked, patting his thigh to get his attention.

Alex flicked the cigarette out of the window and looked at Rebecca. He didn’t know how to explain everything to her, especially in a way that wouldn’t let Saeko know too much. Rebecca noticed his thoughtful look and immediately understood that something was going on.

“I think we found him,” Alex quietly said, so only Rebecca could hear.

“Found ‘him’?” she asked, tilting her head, looking at him in confusion.

“His, Rebecca. Luna… Gloria,” Alex replied, trying to speak in hints.

At first, Rebecca didn’t understand what he was talking about or why he was using such strange words. But gradually, her eyes widened as the meaning of Alex’s words became clearer. She remembered the promise Alex made to Gloria: to find David’s reincarnation and see how he would live in this new world. And now, it seemed, he had found him. But in one of the harshest worlds one could imagine.

“Well, fuck… What are you going to do?” Rebecca asked, her voice turning serious.

“I don’t know yet. It looks like he’s gradually recovering his memories. But first, I want to talk to him, then I’ll tell Gloria,” Alex replied, his smile forced.

Rebecca sighed, fully understanding his state. She knew how much Alex loved Gloria and the other girls, and why he was willing to do anything for them.

Saeko, noticing that Alex and Rebecca were whispering and Alex’s face looked tense, couldn’t help but ask:

“What are you two whispering about?” she asked, leaning her head forward.

Alex and Rebecca exchanged a glance, understanding that it wasn’t the right time to discuss it.

“Rebecca wants a workshop,” Alex began calmly, as if it were an ordinary everyday topic. “And I’m explaining that we don’t have space to set one up just yet. But I promised her that once we acquire a ship from the military base in Okinawa, she’ll have her own corner.”

Saeko nodded, intrigued, and began asking Rebecca about what she planned to do in her workshop. Rebecca threw a brief glance at Alex before shifting her attention to Saeko and starting to explain. Alex occasionally joined in, adding details.

Saeko listened with surprise, learning that all the weapons Rebecca used, she had assembled herself. Her admiration was obvious—she hadn’t expected to meet someone with such skills.

Arriving at the hospital, Alex turned into the ambulance parking lot and parked near the entrance.

“We’re here. Let’s check out the ambulances first, then we’ll head inside,” Alex suggested, getting out of the car.

The girls agreed with Alex’s decision and got out of the car. Unfortunately, there were only a few ambulances in the parking lot, but even that might be enough to replenish their medical supplies.

Approaching the first ambulance, Alex cautiously opened the doors. He involuntarily recalled scenes from horror movies where zombies jump out when the doors open. However, it was quiet inside. Only the floor and walls of the vehicle were stained with blood.

“Someone had a rough shift,” Rebecca joked, jumping into the back of the ambulance.

“Tell me about it,” Alex replied, glancing around warily.

Saeko circled the vehicle to inspect the area. Meanwhile, Rebecca, along with G.I.R., began rummaging through the inside, searching for useful medical supplies. Unfortunately, they didn’t find anything of value except for a couple of packs of painkillers. Finishing with this vehicle, they moved on to the second.

This time, Alex decided not to take any risks and simply knocked on the rear door to make sure there was no one inside. Listening carefully and confirming it was quiet, he opened the door. Rebecca jumped inside again, but the situation was the same—nothing useful except for painkillers.

“This place is empty too. Unless you want to collect painkillers,” Rebecca said, showing what she had found.

Alex shook his head.

“Alright, time to head into the hospital itself,” he said.

Approaching the back door of the building, Alex listened. It was suspiciously quiet—so quiet it felt unsettling.

“If you see any bodies after we go in, just shoot them in the head, just in case. Who knows, maybe they’re faking it,” Alex said with a slight smirk.

“No problem, handsome. Now open the door, I want to see what’s inside,” Rebecca responded impatiently.

Alex sighed, shook his head, and opened the doors. Rebecca and G.I.R. quickly slipped inside, followed by Saeko, with Alex bringing up the rear.

Inside, the corridor was eerily dark, but G.I.R. switched on the lights, dispelling the gloom. As they moved further, they entered a spacious room where black body bags lay scattered around.

Alex approached one of the bags and lightly kicked it with the toe of his boot, checking if the body would “come to life.”

“Are you hoping to see them wriggle like worms in those bags?” Rebecca asked with a smile, watching his actions.

“Of course not. It’s just… if they start moving, it would be… strange,” Alex replied, rolling his eyes.

“Why strange?” Saeko asked, intrigued.

“Well, imagine it. They’d be twitching and kicking, like worms you pull out of the ground. Only the noise would be louder than usual,” Rebecca said, nodding.

Saeko nodded thoughtfully at Rebecca’s explanation, while Alex continued to carefully scan the room, sensing that something unpleasant might be ahead.

Saeko nodded and looked closely at the black bags with bodies. Deciding to help Alex, she began walking around the bags, gently poking them with the hilt of her katana to make sure nothing inside was coming to life.

After finishing her check, Alex headed toward the wall where a map of the hospital was hanging. He was interested in the location of the pharmacy, where prescription medications were distributed, as well as the storage room from which the medications were supplied.

Finding the map, Alex raised G.I.R. to the level of the schematic so that he could memorize the layout and guide the group. The robo-dog flawlessly completed the task and led them forward.

Meanwhile, Rebecca curiously peered into each room, trying to make sense of what had happened there. In some rooms, everything was soaked in blood, while others were surprisingly clean, as if they hadn’t been used at all. Finally, the group reached the necessary room and began searching for medical supplies.

“Alex, what did you feel the first time you killed someone?” Saeko suddenly asked, looking at him with a serious expression.

Alex stopped rummaging through the boxes and looked at her.

“Hard to say. Honestly, I didn’t feel anything special. It depends on how you view killing and the reason behind it. Why do you ask?”

Rebecca, intrigued by the topic, also diverted her attention from the search, waiting for Saeko’s response. She had seen how easily Saeko dealt with zombies, not holding back her strength, as if she were a born killer. Alex guessed that the question was tied to Saeko’s past, specifically to the incident when she almost beat a pervert to death.

Saeko took a deep breath and began:

“A couple of years ago, something happened that still haunts me. I had been training in kendo since childhood, but over time, I stopped enjoying fights with ordinary opponents. I wanted more — not just battles, but a real fight on the edge of life and death. One day, at school, they started talking about a pervert who was stalking girls. I purposely chose a path where he usually appeared. When he decided to attack me, I could no longer hold back my bloodlust. I attacked him, and when I came to my senses, I realized that he was completely crippled and would never be able to live normally again.”

Saeko fell silent, waiting for their reaction.

“Well, you crippled a pervert. So what?” Rebecca said nonchalantly. “If I were you, I would’ve cut off his balls and shoved them down his throat. Then I’d grind him through a meat grinder for a snack.”

Alex smirked slightly, but his response was much calmer:

“Saeko, don’t blame yourself for what you did. You stopped him, protected other girls, and prevented future crimes. Every person has their own understanding of good and evil. Some might say you acted inhumanely, others might support you. But what matters most is how you see the situation. Can you forgive yourself and move forward? Or would you rather continue blaming yourself for ridding the world of a man who wanted to do harm?”

Alex struck a pose reminiscent of Buddha when giving wise advice, adding a touch of seriousness to his words, though, unlike Buddha, no golden halo appeared behind him to make the situation even more serious.

Saeko thought for a moment. She acknowledged that her actions had been driven by bloodlust, the desire to unleash the beast inside her. But at the same time, she realized that perhaps she had saved many others from that pervert.

Rebecca, watching Alex’s pose, couldn’t help but laugh:

“You should talk to Buddha less. You’re already copying his habits. Even the pose is identical!”

“Don’t insult my friend,” Alex replied, pouting. “He might be a little strange, but his words are always accurate.”

This moment of levity offered the group a brief respite from the grim atmosphere, allowing each of them to reflect on their thoughts and actions.

Rebecca laughed, reminding Alex how Buddha once sought him out solely to replenish his stock of sweets that had run out. Alex found no rebuttal and, shrugging, silently returned to searching for medical supplies. Smiling at her victory, Rebecca continued her work.

Saeko, lost in her thoughts, watched their interaction. Instead of condemnation, she received support and advice, which helped her relax. The girl couldn’t help but smile, feeling relieved, and decided to help Alex and Rebecca so they could finish their search faster. Meanwhile, G.I.R. stood at the counter, keeping a vigilant eye on the surroundings.

“Well, we’ve almost found everything. How about checking the rest of the hospital? Maybe we’ll come across something useful?” Rebecca suggested with noticeable enthusiasm.

Alex glanced at Saeko, waiting for her opinion.

“I’m fine with it,” she replied with a light smile. “Maybe we’ll really find something useful.”

Having made the decision, Alex settled G.I.R. on his shoulder, and the entire group headed out for reconnaissance. They climbed to the second floor and began searching the rooms, sifting through forgotten items in search of something valuable.

Apart from junk in bags and old phones, they found nothing noteworthy, although Alex and Rebecca thought the phones might be useful in the future. After finishing with this floor, they moved to the third.

During another search, Alex heard a shuffling sound, as if someone were dragging their feet across the floor. Rebecca immediately perked up — she was clearly excited about the possibility of encountering an unusual zombie.

Saeko, in turn, unsheathed her katana and took a combat stance. A figure appeared from a distant room: a thin, twisted zombie in hospital clothes, with a metal neck brace. The creature stared at them, and its mouth began to stretch, as though about to tear open.

“Damn it! Get in the room!” Alex ordered, grabbing the girls and pulling them back into the room.

Rebecca didn’t have time to protest when the air was torn by the deafening scream of the zombie, shattering glass throughout the floor. The girls’ ears felt as though they were blocked, and it seemed like blood would start pouring from them. Alex, wasting no time, assessed the distance and made a decision. To avoid facing the screamer directly, he decided to break through the walls.

With a sudden movement, Alex covered his face with his hand and began smashing through the walls, aiming for the source of the sound. His power left a trail of holes, like a tunnel. Finally, he reached the room where the zombie had emerged, and without hesitation, grabbed its head and slammed it into the wall. The dull thud reverberated through the room, and the Screamer fell silent forever.

Rebecca and Saeko quickly followed Alex, using the openings he had made.

“Damn screamer,” Rebecca muttered, kicking the immobilized body. “I almost went deaf. My ears are still ringing!”

“I never thought I’d crave silence this much,” Saeko added wearily, putting away her katana.

“I’m more worried that this screeching bastard didn’t attract all the zombies in the area. If it did, we’ll be stuck here for a long time,” Alex remarked, lighting a cigarette and shaking his head in annoyance.

While Rebecca examined the body of the Screamer and G.I.R. gathered data for further transmission, Alex approached the broken window and looked outside. Saeko followed him, standing next to him and also glancing down.

“We’re lucky,” Saeko said with a light smile, looking at Alex.

“Don’t I know it,” Alex replied, then, looking at her, asked, “How about you? Did it get easier after you talked about it? Or do you still feel like you did something wrong?”

He gently placed his hand on her head and lightly stroked her hair.

“Actually, I do feel better,” Saeko confessed, leaning slightly into his hand. “I realized that I don’t have to pretend to be someone else anymore. I want to be myself.”

“That’s the right way,” Alex said approvingly, continuing to smile. “If someone can’t accept you for who you are, then those people aren’t worth being in your life.”

Saeko’s eyes brightened as she looked at Alex. His words gave her determination. She made a firm decision in her heart and decided to follow that feeling wherever it might lead.

Glancing at the street for any signs of approaching zombies, Alex and Saeko returned to Rebecca. In the meantime, it seemed Rebecca had decided to play surgeon: the robo-dog had already gotten a mask, gloves, and tools, while Rebecca eagerly dissected the zombie.

“Come here, miracle doctor,” Alex shook his head and pulled Rebecca away from the Screamer’s body before she went too far.

Rebecca crossed her arms, puffed her cheeks, and looked at Alex with puppy eyes, hoping he would let her go. But Alex didn’t relent and, without ceremony, threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

“Hey!” she protested, slapping him on the back to express her indignation.

Climbing to the fourth floor, Alex suggested splitting up to finish the search faster. If they didn’t find anything useful here, they would leave the hospital. Alex took G.I.R. with him and headed to the end of the hallway, while Saeko and Rebecca decided to start from the other side.

Alex and G.I.R. carefully examined each room, but found only signs of chaos: blood on the walls, pieces of flesh, and destroyed rooms. Meanwhile, Saeko and Rebecca came across a strange room.

Rebecca was the first to enter and froze, staring at the blood-stained wall. Strange hieroglyphs and phrases were scrawled on it, as if written by the hand of a madman.

“Hey, handsome!” she shouted, calling to Alex. “This is definitely something for you. You’re the smartest, you know how to deal with this kind of thing.”

Hearing her voice, Alex stopped his search and quickly headed in their direction.

Alex and G.I.R. exchanged a brief, silent glance and made their way to the room where Saeko and Rebecca had hidden. As soon as they entered, Alex immediately noticed the walls. What he saw made his face darken. He recognized the hieroglyphs instantly.

Written in blood on the wall was: “I see him. I see him. I see the light.” Below was an unfinished phrase that confirmed Alex’s worst fears: “Convergence will come and we will be made whole”

“Am I the only one who thinks this was the place where some psycho was kept, who escaped during the apocalypse?” Rebecca said doubtfully, frowning and raising an eyebrow.

“Unfortunately, it’s not that simple,” sighed Alex, rubbing his temples. “The situation is much worse than it seems at first glance.”

“You know something, don’t you?” Saeko looked at him closely. “You’ve got that look on your face like you’d rather not have seen this.”

“Yes, I do, but now is not the time to explain everything,” Alex turned away from the wall, his voice becoming more serious. “If we find more of these inscriptions, I’ll tell you everything. But for now, we need to leave this place. Everything here needs to be destroyed.”

Rebecca immediately understood where Alex was going with this. She remembered the one time he decided to burn a place to the ground: it had been when he was investigating the Arasaka cases and their connection to the avatar of Nyan-Nyan in Night City.

As soon as G.I.R. heard the words about fire, he got excited. His mechanical paw immediately reached for the flamethrower, which he aimed at the wall.

“Hold on, cleaner,” Alex squinted, stopping him. “You’ll have plenty of time to get rid of the heresy. For now, take photos of all this madness.”

G.I.R. disappointedly lowered the flamethrower, kicked the nearest shard in frustration, but complied. After finishing with the photos, he approached Rebecca and wrapped his paw around her leg, seeking comfort.

“Oh, my poor baby,” Rebecca laughed and bent down to stroke his green-furred head.

Meanwhile, Alex took a black sphere from his pocket and dropped it on the floor.

“We need to hurry,” he warned, looking at the girls. “This thing has a rather… destructive nature.”

Saeko, not understanding exactly what he meant, hurried to follow the others. G.I.R. followed, tapping his flamethrower as he walked.

When they stepped outside, Alex stopped and looked back. A few seconds later, the fourth floor of the hospital erupted in bright flames. The explosion shattered windows, and fiery tongues shot out, seemingly consuming the remnants of madness hidden inside.

“As always, dramatic,” Rebecca smirked, watching the flames.

To be continued…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep