Ch.158Chapter 20. Patriot (10)

I unfolded the map and looked for a suitable place to settle. Somewhere with electricity, defensible, at least two exits. Plus, a place where research and development would be possible and comfortable enough for the four of us to live.

Finding a 100% perfect location would be difficult. Instead, we could find something close enough and gradually modify it.

“First, let’s eliminate places where people would gather in large numbers. Government buildings, universities, shopping centers, large hospitals. Also gyms or evacuation shelters.”

“How about this place?”

Camilla pointed to a spot. It was a residential complex called ‘Shining Silver Town.’

A search revealed an advertisement: “A place for seniors seeking a peaceful retirement, with comfortable amenities and 24-hour resident doctors, nurses, and caregivers.”

It was a facility for people who wanted to spend their twilight years comfortably. The complex even had its own health center, which, befitting a facility for the elderly, advertised high-end equipment and various medical examinations.

“Looks good, doesn’t it? It was only built two years ago. Of course, I’m not sure if it’s still intact, but we should check it out…”

Before I could finish, all three women raised their hands simultaneously.

“If it were zombie training, that would be one thing, but for reconnaissance, you’d obviously take me, right?”

As soon as Camilla spoke, Leticia let out a scoff.

“Nothing is obvious in this world. And I know more about urban systems than you do. This is a planned city.”

I looked at Cassandra. Though intimidated by the other two women, she still kept her hand raised.

“Ca-Cassandra can fight too… And to check if the facility is good, it would be better if Cassandra saw it herself…”

“I’ll go with Cassandra.”

It wasn’t just because I’d never gone out with Cassandra before.

“There are no ‘friendly’ zombies here. But all our possessions are here. So I’d feel better if the two best fighters, whom I trust, stayed behind.”

My attempt to boost her confidence seemed to soften Camilla and Leticia’s expressions a bit. Besides, Cassandra wasn’t weak by any means. She just lacked experience.

Though not as strong as Virginia, who could tear metal with her bare hands, Cassandra had good physical strength. Her marksmanship wasn’t as good as Leticia’s, who was an active soldier, but it wasn’t terrible either. And while her movements weren’t as agile as Camilla’s, who was a former athlete, her consistent training and discipline put her well above the average person.

“Hehe… Finally, Cassandra too…”

Perhaps unable to say anything harsh to Cassandra’s beaming smile, Camilla and Leticia reluctantly agreed.

While gathering water, emergency rations, and medical supplies, I quietly called Camilla over.

“What?”

“If anything happens while I’m gone, don’t hide it from me.”

I carefully observed Leticia, but couldn’t see her “muttering to herself on her phone” as Cassandra had mentioned. Yet asking her directly based on secondhand information would seem strange.

“Of course. What would we have to hide from each other?”

Camilla looked at me as if I was saying something absurd, but she didn’t say anything more.

* * * * *

We packed our weapons and equipment as lightly as possible and got on electric bicycles. They were perfect for the apocalypse—conserving pedaling energy while making virtually no sound.

– Cassandra is excited.

Cassandra, on another bicycle, seemed to be in good spirits. Of course, I didn’t look back at her. Getting distracted by certain bouncing parts and falling face-first would be embarrassing.

Besides, the plants made it difficult to gain speed.

A city is the epitome of “artificiality.” Fountain water flows from bottom to top, air conditioners blow in cold air and extract heat.

Strangely, the most “expensive” areas in cities incorporate nature. Phrases like “elegant curves in harmony with nature” or “green-eco systems reminiscent of beautiful forests” are common descriptors.

Perhaps that’s why the central district was green everywhere. Rooftop gardens were standard on every building, and ivy densely covered the metal fences along the streets.

Even the shrubs were stylish. Somehow, they had been trained to naturally form heart shapes with their stems, pleasing to the eye.

But that was it.

Without people to keep them neatly trimmed, the plants showed signs of overgrowth, possibly due to the Rimos virus. Some ivy had grown almost as thick as my forearm.

And beneath those shrubs, corpses lay rotting everywhere. Some had bones showing white. The smell was terrible.

– This is strange.

Cassandra’s voice came through my earpiece.

“What is?”

– This area was supposed to be where zombies were confined, right?

“Yes. They herded infected people into the central district and sealed off the entire area. Why?”

– Then there should be tons of zombies. But why do there seem to be… so few?

I stopped my bicycle. Cassandra followed suit. She was right. The streets were unnervingly quiet. Cassandra’s bicycle pulled up beside mine.

“You know the boundary fence? There were lots of bodies there. Maybe they all gathered there? Or maybe everyone who could escape already did before we arrived…”

My questions made Cassandra’s expression turn serious.

“Nearly a million people lived in this city. Even if only 1% developed acute zombie syndrome, wouldn’t that be more than the bodies we’ve seen so far?”

She was right. Come to think of it, there were hardly any zombies around our trailer either.

Suddenly, an eerie sensation crept up my spine. A feeling I hadn’t experienced in quite a while—the sense that something was about to happen.

“Cassandra. Let’s calmly start moving again, and stop at that bus stop ahead.”

“O-okay.”

Just as I felt we were missing something, a faint sound reached us. Cassandra must have heard it too, as she froze. I raised my hand.

Pitter-patter.

Stone dust was falling from the building ahead. Cassandra and I simultaneously looked up at the roof.

It was a high-end residence that would have required a hefty sum to move into before the zombie outbreak. Not just that building, but the entire surrounding area was such a luxury housing complex, with reddish roof tiles.

But there was a human-like figure standing on that building. With a very long tail.

“A monkey…?”

Cassandra let out a groan.

She was right. It was a monkey. Soon, other monkeys revealed themselves. Pitter-patter. Pitter-patter. They were clutching roof tiles. I raised my binoculars to look closer. Bloodshot eyes, dripping saliva, bodies covered in sores and abscesses. The signs of infection were evident.

“A-are the monkeys watching us?”

“No. They’re looking in the opposite direction.”

They didn’t seem interested in us. Something else in that direction was drawing their attention. Looking around, I spotted a billboard. It was about three stories high and had a ladder, making it a good vantage point.

“Let’s go there.”

Cassandra climbed up without much difficulty. She was breathing a bit heavily, causing her chest to bounce considerably, but I tried to ignore it and focused on the monkeys.

The monkeys were sitting in a circle on the rooftop of the housing complex we had seen earlier. There appeared to be at least forty of them. Though there were different species mixed in, they were all generally small and similar in size. It seemed like escapees from a zoo had gathered together.

“What are they doing?”

A long-tailed monkey in the center bared its teeth, while a white-headed monkey growled back. Both had their tails standing straight up, suggesting they were about to fight.

The long-tailed one picked up a roof tile and threw it. The white-headed monkey dodged easily, and the spectator monkeys weren’t hit either. Despite nearly being hit, the audience didn’t intervene.

Screech! More spectator monkeys gathered. They all held food in their hands—bread, snack bags, bones with bits of flesh. Meanwhile, the long-tailed monkey’s roof tile struck the white-headed monkey’s stomach.

Surprisingly, the white-headed monkey didn’t fall. Instead, it charged forward more angrily. The long-tailed monkey tried to grab another tile but couldn’t match the white-headed one’s speed.

After a fierce fight, the long-tailed monkey lay on its belly in submission. The white-headed one looked up at the sky and howled.

And then.

“…Huh?”

Cassandra, looking through her scope, covered her mouth in shock. I was dumbfounded but couldn’t lower my binoculars. The two monkeys had begun mating vigorously. I hadn’t realized due to their frantic movements, but the white-headed one was female.

Soon, squeaking sounds could be heard. One monkey trembled and collapsed onto the other.

The watching monkeys created chaos, moving around with squeaks, then suddenly all fled across the neighboring rooftops, screeching. Even the exhausted mating pair hurriedly got up and followed.

Shortly after, a black panther leaped onto the rooftop. It made no sound, like a cat climbing a tree. Unsurprisingly, it was also infected.

“…No.”

Cassandra’s face was filled with horror.

“H-how can this be…?”

The black panther had something small and wriggling in its mouth.

It was a cub. An infected cub.

The infected animals were reproducing.