Alex stared in bewilderment at Joseph, who had suddenly lost consciousness after seeing the hieroglyphs from the Markers. Based on the knowledge he had gathered so far, such a reaction was highly unusual. People exposed to the Markers typically exhibited one of two behaviors: they either went into a frenzy, spouting incoherent, almost cult-like ramblings, or they gradually descended into madness, eventually transitioning to the first state.

However, Joseph didn’t fit into either category. His sudden fainting broke all known patterns. Even the girls looked stunned as they watched his motionless body. Only Rebecca and Saeko knew what Alex had shown him. But now, curiosity gnawed at them both—why was Joseph’s reaction so strange?

Alex stroked his chin, deep in thought. He was now almost certain that the Live Corporation, which Joseph worked for, was somehow connected to the Markers. But another question troubled him: what role did Nyan-Nyan’s avatar play in all of this? He had some theories, but for now, he chose not to delve too deeply.

“Can anyone explain what just happened? And why did he pass out right after you showed him that photo?” Saya’s voice broke through his musings.

Alex shifted his gaze to her, pausing for a moment.

“That’s a tough question you’re asking, my dear Saya,” he replied with a smile.

Saya’s cheeks flushed slightly. She quickly cleared her throat to mask her embarrassment, but Alex couldn’t help noticing her reaction, smirking faintly.

“And why is that such a tough question?” Kiriko interjected, seeing that Saya wasn’t quite ready to continue.

“It’s simple,” Alex spread his arms. “I don’t know most of the answers myself to properly explain what just happened.”

The girls exchanged glances before staring at him, clearly dissatisfied with his response. Rebecca and Brunhilde narrowed their eyes, knowing full well that Alex knew much more than he was letting on. They’d tested this theory many times.

Rebecca, in particular, recalled the expression on his face when they first stumbled upon those hieroglyphs in the hospital. Back then, Alex had looked as if he wanted nothing to do with whatever was written on the walls. Saeko hadn’t missed that moment either.

“You know something,” Saya insisted, her voice firm as she gathered her thoughts. “I mean, you must have some information about that photo you showed the soldier.”

Alex shrugged, maintaining his composure.

“Not much, to be honest. But think about it: history is full of mentions of strange objects of unknown origin. You find it across different cultures, legends, and myths.”

“You’re suggesting that these symbols are connected to some ancient artifact? Or maybe something extraterrestrial?” Rei asked, seeking clarity.

“Seems likely,” Alex nodded. “This language is completely unfamiliar to me, and I know a lot of languages. So, it’s logical to assume that the Live Corporation has somehow acquired an object that doesn’t belong to Earth.”

He spread his hands as if to emphasize the obviousness of his conclusion.

The girls exchanged tense looks. The mystery surrounding the Markers was only growing more complex. Alex, observing their reactions, thought to himself that there were still many questions left unanswered ahead of them.

Rebecca, however, had a different train of thought. She began to wonder what these aliens might look like and how many bullets it would take to kill them. A broad grin spread across her face as she imagined bragging back home about hunting extraterrestrials.

GIR and MIMI perked up as well, clearly excited at the prospect of fighting “xenos” and embarking on their own “crusade” to exterminate them. Brunhilde, noticing the trio’s enthusiasm, let out a heavy sigh and covered her face with a hand, realizing that instead of asking questions like “How? Why? And for what purpose?”, this trio was already mentally devising strategies to annihilate the aliens.

“So, are we going to be attacked by space zombies now?” Shizuka asked, slightly puzzled.

Alex gave her a surprised look, mentally giving her a thumbs-up for the accuracy of her guess. Rebecca immediately nodded, showing her support for the idea of destroying space zombies, while GIR and MIMI synchronously confirmed their readiness. The other girls exchanged confused glances, wondering how Shizuka had come to such a conclusion.

“That’s impossible,” Saya began, adjusting her glasses and shifting into her “know-it-all” mode. “There are no conditions in space for any virus to survive. Most likely, the corporation somehow retrieved these so-called ‘fragments’ from space and used them to create something that eventually caused humans to turn into zombies.”

Alex nodded, mentally agreeing. He recalled how the Markers affected people, transforming them into necromorphs. Although he didn’t remember the exact process, he knew that certain types of necromorphs could convert corpses into more of their kind.

Meanwhile, Saya continued defending her theory, while Rebecca countered, suggesting that the zombies might have arrived with the fragments on a meteorite.

“But they’re zombies! They don’t need to survive; they’re already dead,” Shizuka said thoughtfully, as if reasoning aloud.

Saya opened her mouth to argue but immediately closed it, placing a hand on her chin as she sank into deep thought. Rebecca smirked, feeling victorious in the debate. Saya noticed her expression, and a vein on her forehead began to pulse nervously.

Alex watched the entire exchange with a faint smile, but Shizuka’s words sparked an intriguing thought. He concluded that the corporation might indeed have obtained necromorphs through a meteorite, thanks to Nyan-Nyan’s avatar, and then used them for experiments. Ultimately, this could have led to the creation of a “zombie apocalypse,” where the infected mutated into various forms.

Alex also recalled encountering zombies from two different worlds and suspected there would be more in the future. However, he understood that sooner or later, there would be a leak from Live Corporation’s laboratories. Necromorphs would escape—that was inevitable, especially given that this world harbored a being that craved chaos. That being wouldn’t even have to lift a finger, as the scientists running the experiments were bound to mess something up, making the situation even worse.

“Girls, enough arguing. You’re forgetting the most important thing,” Kiriko interjected, breaking up Rebecca and Saya. “And that’s figuring out who’s behind all of this.”

Rebecca and Saya exchanged meaningful looks, smirking as if silently challenging each other. Alex chuckled at their behavior and gestured for everyone to come closer.

The girls gathered around him as he set his phone down so everyone could see the screen. Opening a news site about Live Corporation, Alex began scrutinizing all the available information on the internet.

It was immediately clear that the corporation had a grip on almost every major industry: from medicine and agriculture to energy and military technology. However, what intrigued Alex the most was the lack of information about its director and founder. The name remained a mystery, and at all official events, only representatives or board members appeared in their place.

Nevertheless, the corporation was crafting its image flawlessly: videos from charity events in the poorest corners of the world, happy faces of people grateful for the help. The director was praised as a great innovator, almost a messiah. But to Alex, all of this looked like an expertly staged theatrical performance, hiding a sinister reality.

“No wonder this corporation is behind all this chaos,” Alex said calmly, as if concluding his thoughts.

“Why do you think that?” Kiriko asked, frowning in surprise. “Live corp. has been working for the good of the people for years. They’ve helped poor countries, engaged in charity…”

Alex smiled slightly, as if challenging them to solve a riddle:

“What do you think, why?”

The girls paused, trying to follow Alex’s line of thinking. Saya was the first to catch on.

“I get it! Since they operate in all industries, the corporation gained access to every point in the world. You said the outbreaks started simultaneously everywhere. This isn’t a coincidence; it’s a planned operation,” Saya said confidently.

“Good job, my dear Saya,” Alex said with a smile, handing her a candy.

Saya looked proudly at Rebecca, as if celebrating her victory. Rebecca just rolled her eyes, not planning to engage in another competition with the pink-haired rival.

While the girls discussed the new theory, Alex was staring at the name of the corporation, barely holding back his laughter.

“What are you smiling about? Did you figure something else out?” Rei asked, noticing his mood.

“I just saw a silly, but amusing joke,” Alex said, casting a mysterious look at the girls. “Whoever guesses what I laughed at gets a prize.”

The girls stared at him as if he were an alien. Only Brunhilde furrowed her brow thoughtfully, as if trying to decipher the riddle. Her face lit up, and the corners of her lips quivered into a smile—the answer had come.

Rebecca, losing her patience, kicked Alex’s leg.

“Enough with the riddles! Just say it already!”

Alex, ignoring the kick, turned to Brunhilde:

“I see you understood, my love, right?”

Brunhilde nodded with a light smile.

“If this is what I think it is, this person has an awful sense of humor.”

The girls watched Alex and Brunhilde intently, who continued speaking in riddles. Their curiosity only grew, as it was clear that Brunhilde had figured something out, since she had mentioned the “terrible sense of humor.”

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about. Can you please explain? I’m completely confused,” Shizuka asked shyly, looking at Alex and Brunhilde with embarrassment.

Brunhilde looked at Shizuka with a slight smile:

“The essence of the silly joke lies in the name of the corporation. If you look at it from a different angle, the answer becomes obvious.”

The girls once again focused on the name Live. Saya crossed her arms and thought deeply. Suddenly, her eyes widened, and she slapped herself on the forehead.

“I got it! It’s all in the name of the corporation Live. If you read it backwards, it spells Evil.” She looked at Alex and Brunhilde for confirmation.

“Clever girl, Saya. You’ve always been quick-witted,” Alex praised her, giving her a thumbs-up.

“Enough with the riddles! Can someone just explain it normally?” Rei huffed, puffing out her cheeks.

Saya adjusted her glasses and explained calmly:

“It’s quite simple. If you flip the name of the corporation Live, it becomes the word Evil, which means ‘evil.’ As Brunhilde said, this person truly has a terrible sense of humor.”

When the girls heard the explanation, they looked at the company name again. The answer was so obvious that it became a little awkward that they hadn’t noticed it right away.

“That’s too stupid to be a joke… but unfortunately, it’s true,” Rebecca mumbled, crossing her arms.

Alex, observing their reactions, pondered: there must have been people in the world who had long adhered to conspiracy theories, speaking of the evil intentions of the corporation and its mysterious director. Now, those people were probably laughing at those who hadn’t believed them before. Even Shizuka, though she hadn’t understood immediately, got the point after the explanation. Rebecca, on the other hand, began to laugh—not so much out of amusement, but because of the absurdity of the joke.

“The joke really is stupid, but the answer was right in front of us,” she remarked, not hiding her smirk.

Before Alex could say anything, Shizuka interrupted them:

“Sorry to interrupt, but it seems he’s awake…”

Everyone immediately turned their attention to Shizuka, who nodded toward Joseph. Being the closest to him, she heard him start mumbling to himself.

The girls stepped back, leaving Alex in front. Alex tensed and tried to make out Joseph’s words, but all he was saying was a disconnected jumble of sounds, like rambling. Gradually, however, Joseph’s speech began to form into coherent phrases:

“Do not fear death, for it is the ultimate journey. A necessary step to new life. Convergence awaits. Let go, and be made one.”

Joseph mumbled this as if in a trance. His words were ominous, and a tense silence filled the room.

These words only confirmed Alex’s thoughts: every person in the Live corporation was, in one way or another, under the influence of Markers. He wondered if there were “sleeping agents”—people who didn’t suspect their abilities until activated by a special command or sound. Alex remembered the photograph he had shown Joseph and realized that it was probably the trigger that awakened memories or hidden instructions in him.

As he thought further, Alex tried to determine whether the corporation had a complete Marker or only fragments of it. The answer came to him on its own: most likely, the corporation had gathered many fragments and was studying them, trying to restore the Marker—or, worse yet, had already built a new one.

Before Alex could delve deeper into his thoughts, Joseph, suddenly gaining unnatural strength, ripped through the ropes binding him and, with a wild look in his eyes, lunged at Shizuka.

“Make us whole!” he shouted, grabbing her by the shoulders.

Alex immediately sprang to his feet, shoved Joseph away from Shizuka, and stood between them. Joseph, still in the throes of madness, tried to attack him. Alex grabbed his head and punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground.

GIR reacted just as quickly: getting close, he drew a bolter and fired several shots—at Joseph’s head and heart. Everything happened so fast that the girls didn’t even have time to realize what had just occurred.

Shizuka stood in a daze, and Alex, quickly approaching her, began to examine her closely, fearing she might have been infected by madness or injured.

“Phew… I’m glad you’re okay. I almost died from fear again. Didn’t they teach you not to stand next to bad guys and not listen to what they say?” Alex said, his voice trembling as he continued inspecting her.

The girls also approached to make sure Shizuka was fine. Seeing the worried look in Alex’s eyes, she felt just how much he cared for her. Her heart warmed.

The moment Joseph grabbed her, she felt an icy terror at his mad gaze, but now, looking at Alex, Shizuka was able to pull herself together and push the fear away.

“You saved me again. You’re my hero. Here’s your reward,” she said with a gentle smile, carefully taking Alex’s face in her hands and kissing him on the cheek.

She then turned to GIR, who had quickly neutralized the remaining threat.

“And you, little GIR, well done. You’re my little hero too,” Shizuka added, patting the robot on the head.

GIR proudly puffed out his chest, showing off his “dignity,” and tapped his paw on his body, as if saying that he could be relied upon. Shizuka laughed, looking at his proud pose, and stroked his head again. Meanwhile, Alex lit a cigarette to calm down after what had happened. Despite his habit of being ready for anything, Joseph’s first reaction had been unexpected, and his final madness was even more unsettling.

What bothered Alex the most was that he wouldn’t be able to get any information now. Even mentions of the nearest headquarters or the reason why the zombies avoided soldiers were lost.

“What the hell made that bastard go insane? And how the hell did he manage to tear those strong ropes?” Rebecca said indignantly, kicking Joseph’s dead body.

“Who knows,” Alex replied, exhaling smoke. “I’m more concerned about the fact that now we’re left without answers. He might have known where their headquarters was, and maybe why the zombies don’t touch them. Now all of that is gone with him.”

With a slight sigh, Alex accepted the fact that some questions would remain unanswered for now. What bothered him most was how the corporation’s soldiers could pass by zombies freely. He walked over to Joseph’s body, crouched down, and began inspecting his gear. However, all he found was standard special forces equipment.

Alex was losing hope of finding anything unusual, but a theory crossed his mind: perhaps the zombies perceive soldiers infected by the influence of the Markers as one of their own. But even that seemed far-fetched. Besides, he didn’t want to perform an autopsy in front of everyone.

“Why are you inspecting him? Hoping to find something useful? Or some item that makes them invisible to zombies?” Saya asked, sitting down next to him.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t find anything like that. We’re left empty-handed,” Alex replied with frustration, standing up.

He glanced at the girls, who had now surrounded Shizuka. She was trying to convince them that she was fine and had just been a little scared. Alex sighed, grabbed Joseph’s corpse by the leg, and began dragging it. A body on the roof, where he usually rests and reflects, was definitely not something he needed.

The girls watched as Alex moved the body, while GIR and MIMI armed themselves with mops and cleaning supplies to clean up the blood. The three of them worked so seamlessly together that the girls couldn’t help but think, “Seems like this is a regular thing for them.”

After dragging the body to the edge of the roof, Alex decided to run an experiment: would the zombies attack Joseph’s body, or would they ignore it? He tossed the body down, directly into a crowd of zombies, and froze, watching. As soon as the body hit the ground, the zombies immediately swarmed it, tearing it apart. This partly confirmed Alex’s theory: if Joseph had been alive, the zombies would likely have avoided him, but now that he was dead, they saw him simply as food.

“What’s going on here? Why are there gunshots?” Takashi’s voice rang out.

Alex turned around and saw Takashi, Namiyo, and Kota making their way up to the roof. Kota, holding an assault rifle, was carefully surveying the area, while Takashi and Namiyo waited for an explanation.

“What brought you here?” Alex asked, glancing at the trio.

“The lights flickered, and everyone got curious about what happened. When we came to ask your opinion, we heard gunshots and decided to check it out,” Kota replied, lowering his weapon.

“Well, a lot has happened recently…” Alex said with a crooked smile. “For example, the substation blew up. And that’s not all.”

His words sounded light, but the tension and exhaustion were still palpable.

Kota nodded, but after a couple of seconds, realized he was talking about the substation explosion. Alex decided to explain the situation without going into too many details to avoid causing panic among the other survivors. He briefly stated that a group of soldiers had infiltrated the substation and blown it up. The gunshots they had heard earlier happened because a captured soldier tried to attack during interrogation, and he had to be dealt with.

Kota sighed heavily, realizing that these unknowns were going to cause them even more problems. Namiyo, being the kind and caring woman she was, approached the girls to make sure they were alright. Alex glanced at her briefly, noting that Namiyo reminded him of Gloria with her genuine kindness.

Meanwhile, Takashi and Kota approached Alex, intending to have a conversation with him.

“So, what brought you here, Takashi?” Alex asked, glancing at the young man, who was still wearing the yellow jacket Alex had given him.

“Kota said I needed my personal weapon so I could practice more and get used to it,” Takashi replied, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

Kota nodded, confirming his friend’s words. Takashi, upon hearing the advice, immediately thought of Alex, knowing that Alex surely had both the weapons and useful tips to offer. Alex squinted, assessing the young man from head to toe, wondering what he could give him. The first thing that came to mind was a pistol and a shotgun, a reliable combination for a beginner.

“I think I can find a couple of weapons that will suit you. But you’ll have to wait a bit until I get them back. In the meantime, practice more,” Alex said with a nod.

“And if it’s not a secret, what exactly are you going to give me?” Takashi asked, a hint of uncertainty in his voice, remembering that Alex was indirectly his stepfather.

“A shotgun and a pistol,” Alex explained. “In a zombie apocalypse, those are the most versatile options. Kota, you’ll need to teach him how to handle them properly before he gets his hands on them.”

“Wait a second… You want to give him something from your arsenal?” Kota said, surprised. “Is he really going to get a legendary item again? I already saw that your robo-dog has a bolter and chainsword from that legendary universe. Maybe you’ll give me something like that? Please!”

“No, Kota,” Alex replied firmly, patting him on the shoulder. “Your weak hands couldn’t handle the recoil of a bolter. What, do you think you’re an Adeptus Astartes now? You’ve got a long way to go before that.”

“How could you!” Kota groaned, clutching his head. “I know it’s powerful, but… I’m so jealous! I want a bolter too. Damn, life is so unfair!”

Kota theatrically dropped to his knees, pretending to be in cosmic despair. Alex just smirked, watching the scene unfold, and then lit a cigarette, sinking back into his thoughts.

Alex looked at Kota and could only sigh as he watched the chubby guy. Takashi, standing nearby, kept glancing from Kota to Alex. From all their banter, Takashi only understood one thing: the conversation was about weapons. Everything else sounded like a jumble of words to him.

Kota, with tears streaming down his face, looked like a child who didn’t get the gift he wanted for Christmas. Instead of a toy, he was given books, and it seemed to have shattered his heart. Alex didn’t know whether to laugh or feel sad at such a reaction. He understood how hurt Kota was, but Alex could just go and borrow the desired weapon from the owner. Unfortunately, Kota didn’t have that skill set.

“Alright, enough whining,” Alex said, patting Kota on the shoulder. “If I find something suitable, I’ll definitely make you happy. But only if you behave yourself.”

“I promise! I’ll be a good boy!” Kota jumped up, standing straight like a soldier at attention.

Alex laughed, slapped Kota on the shoulder again, and exchanged a few more words with him and Takashi before heading toward the girls. Reminding them that it was time to go back downstairs, he began mentally running through plans for the next day.

The recent attack on the substation only confirmed his suspicions: the group of soldiers who had managed to avoid an encounter with the zombies clearly knew how to bypass or even control them. Alex had no doubt that soon, an entire horde of infected could arrive from Tokyo. This could only mean one thing—they needed to urgently reinforce their transportation. Additionally, they had to prepare for a trip to the Takagi estate to retrieve Sai’s parents.

When the group descended, Alex, along with the girls, entered the observation room, which was being used as a bedroom. Inside, he was greeted by a familiar sight: most of the screens were black. This meant they had lost a significant number of their “eyes” in the city, except for the cameras installed at key points.

Alex briefly considered obtaining a new power source that could supply energy to the whole city. However, it seemed pointless—soon, they were planning to leave this place anyway.

Lying down on the mattress, Alex closed his eyes, pushing aside unnecessary thoughts. Tomorrow promised to be busy: they needed to secure transportation, visit auto shops for parts, and possibly check out stores that might have heavy machinery parts. Alex was also considering installing something like a snow plow at the front of the vehicle, similar to those on trains, so they could plow through zombie hordes.

He also thought about checking the Depot—maybe they would find something useful there. With these thoughts in mind, Alex fell asleep, contemplating the plan for tomorrow.

To be continued…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep