The loading of supplies onto the aircraft carrier took the entire day, just as Alex had predicted. He couldn’t help but wonder if he had gone overboard with the amount of resources he pulled from his inventory and discreetly added to the military stockpile, as if they had always been there. Moreover, considering their journey to Alaska, the number of people on board would only continue to grow.

Unfortunately, they faced another problem—docking at the port of Shenzhen, which would force them to take a massive detour before getting back on course to Alaska.

Alex, along with his three little helpers, was busy moving the heaviest cargo into the aircraft carrier’s storage compartments. Vehicles were being driven onto the deck one after another without pause—they would undoubtedly be needed in the future, especially upon arrival in Alaska.

Watching all the commotion, Alex smirked to himself. If people could, they would have hauled an entire military base with them. Luckily, he had already instructed the raiding groups to stock up on mattresses and sleeping bags for everyone.

“What are you standing around for?” came Saya’s voice as she approached him with a backpack slung over her shoulders.

“Standing around?” Alex raised an eyebrow. “I just helped load the heaviest stuff. And now, like a true ship captain, I’m simply overseeing the process.”

With that, he pulled Saya into an embrace.

“I’d believe you… if I didn’t know you so well,” she drawled, amusement clear in her tone.

“But we do know you too well,” Brunhilde finished for her as she passed by, carrying bags in both hands.

Alex turned and saw her with the rest of the girls, hauling their belongings toward the captain’s bridge, which would serve as their home for the duration of the journey. Brunhilde’s words sparked laughter among the group—they all knew Alex too well. If he was justifying himself, it meant he was simply being lazy.

Alex squinted but didn’t argue. She was right, after all. Still, he felt he had earned a break, especially after hauling the heaviest loads onto the aircraft carrier with his three little helpers.

Feeling a sudden surge of generosity, Alex took the girls’ bags from them, instantly transforming into a walking mountain of luggage. He immediately identified Rebecca’s bag—it was the largest and clearly filled with weapons, which she had probably been sneaking out of her inventory and packing discreetly.

Narrowing his eyes, Alex shot a look at the cunning little gremlin.

Rebecca, noticing his gaze, only smirked smugly, fully aware that he had figured her out.

Shaking his head, Alex made his way toward the captain’s bridge, only to run into a problem—loaded down with bags, he couldn’t fit through the door.

“So that’s how it is…” he muttered, eyeing the narrow doorway. “If I’d known this would happen, I would’ve made the doors wider.”

“Careful with the bags, Alex!” Rika’s voice called from behind him. “Don’t break my precious whiskey!”

Alex turned his head and squinted at her.

“What’s more important to you—your whiskey or me?”

“You, of course, handsome!” Rika laughed. “But that’s a very expensive whiskey, and there’s no guarantee I’ll find another bottle.”

Alex sighed heavily and carefully began squeezing through the doorway.

The things one does for love…

If he had known things would turn out like this, he would have stocked a couple of bottles of alcohol in his inventory for the girls in advance. But he immediately dismissed the thought. The last time they got drunk and attacked him was more than enough. He definitely didn’t want a repeat—alcohol made them far too aggressive.

“What’s this door?” Shizuka suddenly asked, pointing to one of the massive panels that stood out among the rest.

“This is my portable laboratory,” Alex replied, pushing the last of the bags aside. “I need to arm my girls and make sure they’re well-protected. Plus, I have to assemble armor for the others and finally finish working on Rika’s rifle. While we’re traveling, I’ll have time to complete most of my planned projects.”

“Can I take a look?” Shizuka’s eyes lit up with genuine interest.

Alex merely shrugged, letting the girls peek into his workshop if they were curious. Inside, there was nothing particularly special—just production machines he had pulled from his inventory, a portable workbench, and various tools necessary for his work. He stored everything else in his inventory and had set up the workspace in a separate room to ensure that no one would interfere or spy on his projects. Without prying eyes, he could complete his developments faster using magic, leaving more time for truly important matters.

As the girls entered, they were met with rows of machines: from those used for manufacturing ammunition to assembly platforms for weapons and armor. In one corner, crates filled with various materials were stacked.

“I was expecting something more like a mad scientist’s lab, but this looks so… ordinary,” Koko muttered, looking around.

“For now,” Brunhilde responded lazily. “He hasn’t started working yet. Give him a little time, and this place will turn into complete chaos, where nothing can be found.”

“Is it really that bad?” Rei asked suspiciously, glancing at Brunhilde.

“You’ll see soon enough,” Brunhilde smirked. “Just don’t touch anything. Who knows… something might explode. I wouldn’t want part of the aircraft carrier to be blown to hell just because someone decided to play with Alex’s workbench.”

Her words made everyone pause. The girls’ gazes instinctively shifted toward three particular individuals—Shizuka, Koko, and Rebecca.

Rebecca simply threw her hands behind her head and started whistling nonchalantly, as if it were pure coincidence that her fingers always gravitated toward anything dangerous. Shizuka gave a nervous smile, insisting she wasn’t that irresponsible, while Koko just shrugged, pretending not to hear anything.

Once the workshop inspection was over, the girls stepped outside just in time to see Alex finishing the final preparations for departure with his three little assistants. He wanted to make sure everything was in order and that no issues would arise during the journey. The last thing he needed was some kind of malfunction in the middle of the ocean. Even though he did most of the work using magic, the principle of “trust but verify” still applied.

As Alex completed his final system check, he glanced at the girls and gestured toward the weapon rack.

“If it’s not too much to ask, don’t leave weapons lying around everywhere.”

“How considerate of you. You even labeled where everything should go,” Rika snorted, securing her sniper rifle. “Such a caring guy.”

“At least this way, none of us will be running around looking for our weapon left in some random damn corner,” Valmet added with a nod.

The girls nodded in agreement and placed their weapons on the rack one by one. The only problem was the sheer amount of arsenal Rebecca had. A single rack was clearly not enough for her sniper rifle, shotgun, assault rifle, a couple of pistols, and even a grenade launcher.

When the other girls saw Rebecca attaching her weapons, their lips involuntarily twitched. She was more heavily armed than anyone else, and no one even bothered to ask why she needed so many guns—the answer was obvious. She simply loved firearms. The more powerful and destructive, the better she liked them.

Noticing the stares from her friends, Rebecca frowned and tilted her head.

“What?”

“Greenie, do you really need that much firepower?” Saya squinted, crossing her arms. “You don’t even use most of it.”

“So what, Pinkie?” Rebecca rolled her eyes. “These are my babies, and they need to stay close to their mommy.”

While the girls argued, Alex finished his final checks, including the weapons system. He was curious whether the new reactor could handle the load if all the carrier’s guns started firing at once. Fortunately, thanks to MIMI’s calculations, test simulations showed that energy consumption would remain within safe limits.

Finishing with that, Alex grabbed the radio and, grinning, pressed the button to address everyone on board.

“Yo-ho! This is your super-cool and mega-handsome captain speaking!”

When Alex’s voice echoed across the carrier through the speakers, everyone stopped to listen to what he had to say. However, hearing his self-absorbed introduction about how “cool and handsome” he was, many burst out laughing, while others just rolled their eyes, long used to such antics. The girls standing behind Alex couldn’t hold back their laughter either—his narcissism was on a whole new level.

“Welcome aboard the Emperor Somnium! Your captain, Alexander, welcomes you. The weather outside is favorable, it’s five minutes to six. Our luxury cruise liner and its crew will do everything to ensure your journey is comfortable. A bit of safety advice: don’t stand at the edge of the deck, don’t go swimming, and don’t relieve yourself overboard. And most importantly—don’t even think about jumping into the sea for fun. No one’s going to pick you up!” Alex’s voice carried a hint of amusement. “And finally: we’re about to depart, so I recommend grabbing something sturdy and clenching your cheeks. It’s going to get bumpy. Have a pleasant journey!”

After finishing the announcement, Alex put the radio down and heard muffled sounds of laughter behind him. Turning around, he saw the girls doing their best to hold back their laughter, but their flushed faces gave them away.

“Come on, just laugh already,” Alex said with a smirk.

“Pfft… Hahahaha!” The girls burst out laughing, no longer trying to hide their amusement.

“This is something else! It feels like we’re heading on a world tour, not escaping a zombie apocalypse,” Rei managed to say between laughs, holding her stomach.

“Something like that. Now stop laughing and hold on tight. If you fall, no one’s going to pity you… well, actually, they will, but not right away,” Alex grinned.

The girls were still laughing, but they grabbed onto something to keep their balance. Alex picked up the radio again, reminding everyone that the aircraft carrier was ready to depart. Soon, the readiness signal echoed across the ship, and the massive vessel began to move. The control was handed over to G.I.R., the trusty robo-dog, who was excellent at handling tasks like this.

Alex approached the large monitor with the map, plotted the route to the port in Shenzhen, and, confirming everything was set, nodded to G.I.R. In response, the robo-dog raised a paw, giving a thumbs-up, and the aircraft carrier started moving, leaving the docks.

As Alex had warned, the hull shook slightly, but he had forgotten one important detail: G.I.R. was a real speedster and loved sharp maneuvers. As soon as the ship left the docks, the dog sharply turned it with such force that, for a moment, it seemed like the aircraft carrier was about to tip over.

Alex grabbed onto the nearest panel and, glancing at G.I.R., gave him a dry look. The girls, who had barely managed to stay on their feet, also stared at the robo-dog with clear disapproval… though some of them looked rather amused.

“Alright, the docks are behind us, the route’s set. I’m stepping out for a couple of minutes,” Alex said, stretching.

“Why?” Valmet raised an eyebrow.

“I’m going to say goodbye to our ‘friends’ who are always watching us,” Alex replied with a wide grin.

“You mean the Evil Corporation? But how can they be watching us? I haven’t noticed anything suspicious,” Beatrix said thoughtfully, raising a finger to her lips.

“Drones,” Alex answered briefly, pointing upwards. “Those birds have been circling the base for a few days now. So… I think it’s time to say goodbye to them.”

“Heh, not for me,” Rika lazily waved her hand. “I’ll just lie down. I’ve had enough of all this gear. You say goodbye to your ‘friends’.”

Alex shrugged and left the bridge. Meanwhile, the girls decided to sort through their things and put them in their places.

Heading down to the deck, Alex leisurely walked toward the runway. Reaching the edge, he looked up and noticed several drones hovering high in the sky.

Taking out a cigarette, Alex lit it and placed his hands above his head in a heart shape, sending a “warm” signal to his constant watchers. Then he pulled out his phone, showed the drones the middle finger, and activated interference, completely blocking the Evil Corporation’s surveillance.

He could already imagine the face of that unlucky operator who would see this farewell gesture…

“You have some very strange rituals before departure,” a voice came from behind.

Alex turned his head and saw Takashi, Jonah, and Kota approaching him. Smiling, he decided to explain his actions. When Takashi and Kota understood why he did it, they just exchanged glances and looked in the direction Alex was pointing, trying to spot the drones watching them.

Since the guys had approached, Alex decided to chat with them, but what interested him most was how far Takashi and Jonah had progressed in their training.

“Jonah, aren’t you worried that soon Malka will kick your ass?” Alex asked with a wide grin.

“That won’t happen,” Jonah replied dryly.

“Heh-heh-heh. We’ll see. When I finish her training, she’ll become the head of your family,” Alex continued to smile.

Takashi and Kota laughed upon seeing Jonah’s expression. There was some truth to Alex’s words, and it especially amused them.

“You’d better stop laughing, or the Valkyries will throw you overboard again,” Jonah said calmly, looking at Takashi.

Takashi immediately fell silent. The last time was enough for him to understand how serious the Valkyries were with their threats. Now, all three of them were laughing at him, not even trying to spare his feelings.

Alex, on the other hand, wondered if Takashi had really activated the so-called “harem protagonist aura” or if it was just a ridiculous excuse authors used to justify the sudden affection of the girls.

“Next time, I just won’t ask R… for advice,” Takashi muttered, wincing. “Because of his advice, I almost became the enemy of all women.”

“You might as well have asked Kensai for advice,” Alex smirked, shaking his head. “Then they’d definitely throw you overboard, and this time with a stone tied to your legs.”

After these words, Jonah, Takashi, and Kota laughed together. There was no question about it—asking Kensai for advice was like shooting yourself in the foot while hoping for a miracle.

Alex laughed along with the guys until he noticed Kensai standing nearby. His face was covered in black lines, and his expression grew angrier—because not only Alex and the three guys were laughing at him, but also his friends from Ryozanpaku. Even his daughter, barely holding back her laughter, was pointing at him.

Unable to take it any longer, Kensai ran up to the group, clearly intending to argue.

“Show some respect to your elders!” he exclaimed indignantly. “For your information, when I was young, crowds of girls chased after me! I was a real heartthrob, and I couldn’t get away from all the female attention!”

Alex, Takashi, Kota, and Jonah went silent for a moment, appraising Kensai… and then they all burst into laughter. None of them could imagine that this short, slightly balding man with silly mustaches was ever popular with women. Especially considering his status as a hardened pervert.

“And does Madam Ma know you were a ladies’ man?” Alex asked with a smirk, wiping away the tears that had formed from laughing.

“Hmm… She doesn’t need to know that. After all, she’s my wife!” Kensai declared proudly, folding his arms across his chest.

“Unfortunately for you, old man, she will find out,” Alex smirked.

“What do you mean by that?” Kensai immediately tensed, sensing trouble.

Alex silently pulled out his phone and played the recording of their recent conversation. Hearing his own words, Kensai instantly turned pale.

The masters from Ryozanpaku burst into laughter again, and Kensai’s face twisted in panic.

“Delete that recording right now!” he squealed, trying to snatch the phone from Alex’s hands. “Otherwise, I won’t let you anywhere near my daughter!”

Alex skillfully dodged Kensai’s hands, clearly not taking the old man’s words seriously. But as soon as Renka heard her father’s words, her face twisted with anger. Like an enraged buffalo, she charged at Kensai. Alex just took a step to the side, watching as the girl kicked her father in the chest, knocking him off his feet.

“I don’t need your help in choosing a partner!” Renka exclaimed, her eyes flashing. “I’m a grown woman, and I will decide who I want to be with! You should’ve worried about that when you decided to leave home! I’m going to tell Mom everything—about all your actions, about your… collection! Just wait until Mom deals with you!”

Kensai, who had quickly recovered after the hit, froze, realizing the threat. His face turned pale, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead. If his actions reached his wife’s ears… no one would be able to save him. Not martial arts, not his many years of experience as a master.

“No, honey, listen!” he screamed in panic, rushing to Renka and clinging to her legs as if holding onto his last hope. “Please! You know how strict she is! You don’t want your father to die a horrible death, do you? You still love your daddy, right, Renka?”

“Get off me, old man!” the girl snorted irritably, trying to shake off his tight grip. “This is your fault! You’ll have to answer to Mom, not me!”

The others watched this comedic spectacle, and Alex, unabashed, filmed everything. He barely held back a smirk, eagerly anticipating the moment when Madam Ma would see this priceless blackmail material.

At that moment, the masters from Ryozanpaku approached the group, including Miu and Shigure. They saw what Alex was up to, and curiosity got the better of them.

“Alex, why are you recording this?” Miu asked, peeking over his shoulder.

“Heh-heh, it’s blackmail,” Alex smirked. “The more Kensai messes up, the more fun it will be later. When Madam Ma sees this, it’s going to be just amazing! I can’t wait for that moment.”

“You’re so evil,” Miu said with a smile, lightly patting Alex on the shoulder.

“She’s right,” Takashi smirked, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t want to be your enemy.”

“What do you mean ‘evil’?” Alex protested, his grin widening. “I’m just speeding up the inevitable. Kensai has to face the consequences of his actions. It’s better if Madam Ma finds out right away than later. He’ll suffer once—maybe she’ll even forgive him. Though, if I were in her shoes, I’d break his legs and lock him in the basement for ten years.”

“That’s something only villains say,” Kota chimed in, laughing.

Alex shrugged and continued recording every word Kensai said, capturing all his vows to change. However, no one present believed any of it.

“Daughter, I’m telling the truth! I will change! Just don’t tell your mother!” Kensai pleaded, still clinging to his daughter’s legs.

Alex, not looking away from the camera, smirked.

“Even if Renka doesn’t tell her… I will. So, old man, get ready. Either way, you’re in for… a fun adventure when you meet your wife.”

The masters from Ryozanpaku burst into laughter again, and Kensai lost the last remnants of hope.

Kensai froze for a second, his face paling when Alex demonstratively pressed the record button. All the excuses, pitiful pleas, and fear of his wife were now captured on video. When it sank in that the blackmail was already recorded, Kensai’s face went even paler.

Alex, on the other hand, smiled widely.

“Listen, Kensai,” he began, raising his finger, “as one of my friends once said: ‘All our actions from the past inevitably return to us in the future. Only by facing the consequences of our choices can we move forward. Only by accepting our past can we see the future.'”

“Hah, wise words,” Akisame nodded, stroking his mustache. “Alex is right, Kensai. You will have to pay for your deeds.”

“That’s nonsense!” Kensai barked, pointing a finger at Alex. “You just want my wife to beat me! Don’t try to hide behind fancy words!”

“Of course, I do,” Alex admitted carelessly. “And you better accept it, embrace your fate… because it’s inevitable.”

Kensai’s face went even paler. Alex stopped having fun, put the phone back in his pocket, exchanged a couple more words with the others, and headed back to the captain’s bridge, deciding to spend time with the girls.

As he passed Renka, she playfully stuck her tongue out at him. Alex just smirked, threw his hands behind his head, and hummed softly as he leisurely walked ahead.

On his way, he thought about how he definitely wouldn’t leave this aircraft carrier in this world — it was too valuable to give up. Who knows when it might come in handy in the future?

When he reached the captain’s bridge, Alex saw the girls setting up the place, trying to make it more comfortable. He wanted to tell them that they wouldn’t be here for long, just until they reached Alaska, but decided not to spoil the mood.

Instead, he sat off to the side, opened a pack of snacks, and took out his phone.

Opening GIR’s and MIMI’s logs, Alex began reviewing the latest collected data. The satellite images made him frown. Some photos looked as if they had captured the surface of hell rather than Earth. Various parts of the world appeared bleak, but the most troubling were the thick dark clouds that had appeared in several regions.

If it had only been a couple of pictures, he would have thought it was just bad weather. But there were more than ten — and all of them captured strange phenomena from different corners of the world.

The photos of massive holes in the ground, appearing right in the centers of some cities, made him even more uneasy.

Alex reached for a cigarette, but hearing a persistent cough, he looked up and met Yuriko’s gaze, who smiled at him sweetly.

He immediately understood, put the cigarettes back, and instead pulled out a candy. Yuriko nodded in satisfaction and returned to her tasks.

Shaking his head, Alex looked back at the photos. He was trying to figure out what could have caused the appearance of these gigantic holes and the anomalous weather phenomena.

Then a light bulb went off in his head.

It seemed to him that in the areas where dark clouds tightly covered the land, new Markers were beginning to rise. And, as everyone knew, those had an impact on the climate.

On one hand, the theory sounded crazy. On the other, he had no better explanation.

At that very moment, in one of the secret facilities of the Evil Corporation…

Caleb Williams had just left the mysterious Director’s office.

He came to get his boss’s opinion on the situation. They were losing branches, which were being taken over by someone using a virus. Moreover, even the zombies controlled by the system were getting infected.

But the Director’s answer was, as always, painfully simple:

“Everything is going according to plan. Don’t worry.”

Caleb wanted to argue, but he understood he had no strong counterarguments. The Director always said the same thing…

As he descended in the elevator, Caleb pondered how to minimize the losses and regain control over the enhanced dead.

He had only spent a few minutes in the office, but when he exited, his phone was flooded with messages from the analytics department demanding his presence.

When the elevator reached the desired floor, Caleb stepped out and calmly made his way to the analytics department.

Several dozen employees turned to him as soon as he entered.

“What happened while I was gone?” he asked in a cold, furrowed tone.

“Director Williams, sir!” one of the analysts spoke with a worried voice. “We’ve started losing control over even more experimental samples. Not long ago, we managed to intercept a signal, but now the connection is completely lost. All the specimens are out of control, and the labs where they were created… no longer belong to us.”

A tense silence spread through the room.

Caleb clenched his fists.

Let the Director say everything is going according to plan, but he wouldn’t allow anyone to keep shaking up this chessboard.

Caleb furrowed his brows even deeper. There were already plenty of problems — the lost connection with branches around the world, and now this strange computer virus, which not only fully seized control over the experimental specimens but also took control of the labs where they were created.

“Sir, we tried everything to regain control over the objects, but this virus… it’s unusual,” one of the analysts spoke. “The symbols we saw on the strike team’s recordings from Africa started appearing in the virus’s code. We had to urgently isolate the servers to prevent its spread.”

Caleb exhaled heavily, walked over to his desk, and sat in his chair.

“Show me the surveillance footage from all the lost branches,” he ordered. “Everything that was extracted before the servers got infected.”

The data immediately began loading onto the screen. Caleb quickly scrolled through the reports and video recordings and soon noticed a pattern. All the locations that had lost control contained one of the Marker fragments.

His fingers tapped quickly on the keyboard, comparing the symbols engraved on the fragments with those that had appeared in the virus’s code.

“This can’t be…” he muttered, narrowing his eyes.

The Marker affected dead flesh, causing it to move, turning people into monsters. But it couldn’t affect computers. It couldn’t… or was there something they didn’t understand?

“Red Queen,” he called to the AI.

A hologram flickered to life in front of him.

“How can I assist you, Director Williams?” she replied in a calm voice.

“What do you know about these fragments? How could the Marker’s symbols appear in the virus’s code?”

“The available data is insufficient. According to research, the Marker is capable of influencing dead flesh, resurrecting and transforming it. However, no recorded anomaly has involved interaction with digital systems.”

“And what about the history of the Marker?”

“For centuries, the found fragments have been mentioned in various documents, but no one has been able to decipher the inscriptions. All those who ever possessed them died under mysterious circumstances. The first discovered fragment was delivered to a secret laboratory in the North Pacific. The facility is now abandoned. All research data has been erased, and the person responsible for the experiments was eliminated by order.”

Caleb gritted his teeth.

“Is there any way to recover any of that data?”

“No. The only thing recovered was the last recording of the scientist working on the research. In it, he mentions… something called the Moon.”

Caleb’s frown deepened.

The search for the fragments had originally been conducted on the Director’s orders. Caleb wanted to know everything about them, and now he was determined to uncover the truth.

“Send me all the available data to my computer,” he ordered.

The files began to download.

He was confident that if he solved this, he would regain control of the situation.

But he didn’t yet know that in this game of chess, there was someone playing by their own rules. And if they grew bored… they would simply shake up the board and see what happened next. After all, the more chaos, the more interesting the game became.

To be continued…

+3 Chapters on my Patreon: /GreedHunter

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep