Ch.141Chapter 18. Trust (11)

In the yard, Camilla and Leticia are stacking equipment and preparing. Cassandra agreed to watch over us from the rooftop and look out for any dangers.

“Johan. Did you get stung by a bug? Your lip is all swollen.”

Camilla pointed at my lips. I mumbled something like, “I’m not sure myself, but it seems that way.” Though it was to soothe Cassandra’s withdrawal symptoms, I felt a bit embarrassed, as if I’d been playing alone inside while the two women were preparing outside.

“What? I can’t hear you. Speak clearly.”

“No, I was just saying let’s start if you’re ready. Leticia, are you done? Good.”

The three of us rode electric bicycles with baskets attached and slipped out through the research facility’s main gate. As we circled the village ringing bells, zombies crawled out from various places.

“To the end of the road!”

The three of us rode our bicycles side by side down the road. Zombies with revived hunting instincts chased after us.

– You need to ride faster. At this speed, it’s a bit dangerous.

Cassandra is right. The road is subtly too narrow for three bicycles to ride side by side. All sorts of debris scattered about makes it difficult to gain proper speed. Meanwhile, the zombies behind us are charging forward recklessly, unconcerned with such obstacles.

I steered my bicycle toward the field. Camilla and Leticia followed a bit later. The path was rough, but we still gained considerable speed—enough to make the zombies sprint at full force, stretching their pursuit formation into a long line.

“Now, go!”

I continued straight ahead, while Camilla and Leticia reversed direction. They threw prepared lassos toward the approaching zombies.

No matter how good their athletic abilities were, using unfamiliar hunting tools was difficult. Moreover, this wasn’t just hunting but tying zombie legs. If they got bitten or scratched while already infected, acute symptoms would develop.

“Then why don’t we just throw them while riding our bicycles?”

It was a half-baked suggestion, but the two took it more seriously than I expected. And it seemed to work quite well.

The two women circled widely around the zombie horde. When they spotted one that had separated from the group, they threw hunting stones without hesitation. If they missed, they threw nylon nets without delay. Increasingly angered zombies fell one by one.

The field was filled with zombies trapped by hunting stones binding their legs and captured in nets. However, the four designated as “leaders” were exceptions. As expected, the one at the front of the pack was the military police zombie.

Camilla and Leticia were aiming their weapons at me from a distance. I stood with my back to the wind and opened a can of Cybele Company food.

“Want to eat?”

As the familiar rancid smell wafted out, the creatures drooled profusely. They had already lost interest in me and only showed interest in the food in my hand. All that previous training hadn’t been in vain, it seemed.

I put the can on the ground and stepped back. The four drooling zombies approached closer and closer. With a gun in my right hand and spray in my left, as the wind went “woong” passing from my back to the front.

Hiss—

I sprayed it in their faces.

Was it because something cold touched their faces? The four zombies seemed to flinch slightly. But only for a moment. As if compensating for their slowed pace, they took one large step forward.

“Stop.”

I aimed my M1911 pistol. It might be difficult to instantly kill those creatures with this gun. But at least I could shoot their legs and feet, then escape on the bicycle.

“I said stop!”

The zombies could surely hear me. They just didn’t care. They approached endlessly, just as they had been walking until now. Toward the opened can in front of me. Nothing seemed significantly different from before.

While considering whether to spray them once more, I accidentally triggered it. “Eek.” It sprayed slightly toward me. There was a sort of familiar scent.

So this is what I smell like. It felt as strange as hearing my own voice in a recording…

“Huh?”

I suddenly looked toward the zombies. They had stopped in front of the can and were staring blankly at me. I wondered if my “stop” command had worked, but then—

“Krrup.”

One of them picked up the can and began eating the contents with its fingers. True to their forgotten table manners, they ate with food smeared all over their mouths and fingers. But something felt different.

What was it? What had changed? The eyes. Their eyes weren’t looking at me.

One was looking at the can, another at the one eating the can, and the military police one was studying me carefully before turning its head away.

“Huh?”

It was almost embarrassing to be aiming my gun, as they seemed to have little interest in me.

From a distance, I could see Camilla’s frantic gesturing. She was telling me to stop fooling around and maintain a safe distance immediately. Leticia had even aimed her rifle in my direction.

But there didn’t seem to be any need for such hostility.

What makes zombies grotesque? Is it because they move while dead? Because they don’t feel much pain or emotion like normal people? No.

Zombies don’t take their eyes off you. Even when an animal stares at me, I sometimes think, “What’s this, is it challenging me?” Let alone zombies—once human but now monsters that eat people.

They keep staring as they rush to devour you. Despite any obstacles, even if half their body is blown away, even if only their forearm, chest, and head remain, they drag what’s left of their body toward you.

Because that’s how they were made. Yet now these creatures had turned their eyes away from me.

“Kruk.”

The zombies’ heads whipped around. All in the same direction. Camilla and Leticia, unable to wait any longer, were approaching on their bicycles.

Thump.

My heart beats. Sudden excitement. Breathing. The zombies’ breathing quickened. They hunched forward, ready to spring, their eyes fixed on the two women.

Their excitement transferred to me.

I knew zombies had emotions.

They have no reason to be rational. Only the minimum necessary for survival remains. But they know how to be angry, how to be hungry, and how to rage when provoked. But that wasn’t all.

Anxiety. Impatience. Anger. Fear. Various emotions rose within me. Most were negative. I could feel the emotions that these four zombies were feeling.

Then one possibility occurred to me.

I opened all the remaining cans and placed them on the ground. Before the zombies could get closer, I rode my bicycle away from them.

“Johan, what are you doing?!”

Camilla approached, pedaling vigorously. I got off my bicycle. Camilla practically threw her bicycle down as she dismounted.

“Are you okay? Did you get scratched—oof?!”

I suddenly pulled her close and kissed her. Camilla struggled at the unexpected action, but soon embraced me tightly. My lips, which had been sucked on by Cassandra earlier, grew hot again. I hoped they weren’t getting infected.

A putrid smell wafted over. The zombies. They had already devoured all the canned food and were approaching. Click. I could see Leticia aiming her rifle.

“Do whatever you want. I’ll just stupidly pull the trigger here.”

Leticia seemed quite displeased. I firmly gripped Camilla’s shoulders and moved next to Leticia.

“What are you doing? It’s dangerous! This is loaded!”

Of course, I didn’t jump directly in front of her. Instead, I stood beside her and pressed close.

“Don’t you see the zombies approaching? What are you doing right n—oof?!”

As soon as I kissed her lightly, Leticia raised her gun barrel upward. I could see her desperately turning her body and glancing sideways to avoid an accidental discharge. Not wanting to make her uncomfortable, I quickly pulled away.

“You just… kissed that woman and then me… without even wiping your mouth…”

Leticia seemed dumbfounded. Camilla also appeared equally bewildered. But I was enjoying myself. The absurd situation. The two women hesitating in confusion.

And the zombies standing there.

“What’s wrong with them now?”

They looked like they had malfunctioned. They stood in bewilderment, looking at me, Camilla, and Leticia.

“I think I understand.”

I’m not sure if these words would reassure the two women. But I walked toward the zombies anyway. This time, they didn’t take their eyes off me.

The zombies were agitated.

I recalled seeing the zombie birds. The human zombies had hidden in the forest to escape the small, fierce predators that darkened the sky.

Zombies could feel fear too. Feeling fear means having at least a basic survival instinct. And humans, like most animals, live in groups and communities.

But there isn’t just one way to communicate. Dolphins talk using ultrasonic waves, birds communicate by cawing. Trees are said to communicate by emitting certain types of scents.

Human communication methods are particularly diverse. Writing. Speaking. Gestures. And emotions. Humans know how to read and feel others’ emotions.

And zombies are transformed humans.

Zombies communicate through emotions.