How Zombies Survive in the Apocalypse

That evening, bathed in moonlight, at a hotel in Long Beach.

Inside the dilapidated lobby, Aiden reunited with Arian after a week apart.

After briefly exchanging greetings, they immediately shared the information each had gathered.

“I see.”

Aiden nodded his head.

As expected, the details Arian had brought exceeded Aiden’s anticipations.

Who would have thought she would directly visit city hall and eavesdrop on the entire meeting between the mayor and his inner circle?

Thanks to that, Aiden was able to grasp an overall picture of LA’s situation, albeit roughly.

Regarding the city government’s composition, the state of affairs within the city, and the mayor himself as an individual.

And the result was partially as Aiden had predicted.

Aiden and Arian were now poised to reach their final conclusion about LA.

“What do you think?”

“…There doesn’t seem to be any particular issue.”

“I’m of the same opinion.”

Arian concurred with Aiden’s assessment.

In the silence following Fear’s disappearance, there were no major threats lingering around LA.

And while there were signs of a potential change in leadership, it wasn’t a situation that warranted concerns of civil war.

Some disruptions to the food supply and other provisions were anticipated, but those seemed capable of being resolved over time.

Moreover, above all else, this place possessed a future.

Not only could the city continue growing by accepting more evacuees. But they could also identify talented individuals among them, utilizing their skills and abandoned technologies to pioneer new infrastructures, elevating LA beyond its current state.

It was a potential none of the other cities Aiden’s group had passed through possessed.

Just like the radio broadcasts they had once propagated, LA might truly be the last remaining hope in this world overrun by the dead.

So neither of them could disagree that LA was the most suitable place for Sadie to live.

“But was that story about the zombies in the sewers actually true?”

Of course, among the information Aiden had obtained, there were some dubious elements as well.

Specifically, the claim about zombies infiltrating LA’s sewers.

“No, that part isn’t true. But we should still verify it, just to be sure.”

At this, Aiden shook his head.

Objectively speaking, it wasn’t particularly credible information.

If there had been any other substantial leads, he likely wouldn’t have even considered investigating it.

However, Aiden didn’t dismiss it outright either.

Since he had come across that piece of information, after all.

Viewing it as the final wrap-up wouldn’t make it a wasted effort.

“Then should I go and check it out?”

The sewer entrance connecting the river to LA’s underground was naturally located near the city’s walls, of course.

So Arian made that suggestion, but Aiden shook his head in refusal.

He didn’t want to unnecessarily burden Arian any further.

“No need. I heard you’ll be deploying outside of LA starting tomorrow, right? Leave this task to me.”

“Oh? Alright then.”

“But… does that mean Sadie will be left alone while you’re away?”

“Well, I suppose so.”

Arian responded nonchalantly, as if it were a given.

At her casual reaction, Aiden looked at her with a perplexed gaze.

He had expected Arian, as he knew her, to be unable to hide her dismay over Sadie being left unattended.

“Why is that?”

In response to Aiden’s puzzled reaction, Arian questioned him in return.

After Aiden explained his reasoning, Arian let out a slight sigh as her eyes drooped slightly.

“The thing is, after hearing what you said last time, I gave it some serious thought.”

“What I said?”

“Yes, you had asked me if I could truly live in LA, didn’t you?”

He had asked that.

Just as Aiden himself couldn’t live among humans, he had guessed Arian would ultimately face the same problem.

And that prediction had proven accurate.

While it might be possible for a short while, the current Arian was now fully aware that she couldn’t remain in LA indefinitely.

“But after mulling it over… it does seem rather difficult, after all.”

Arian offered a wry smile.

Her gaze briefly wandered across the shattered glass tabletop.

“isn’t that only natural? In LA, unless I commit crimes, I have no way to obtain blood. And if my true nature as something other than human is exposed, I’ll simply be expelled.”

LA’s citizens were different from the mere survival-focused survivors in other cities they had encountered.

They wouldn’t desperately seek to sell their own blood just to secure food for the day.

Nor would they readily join hands with unidentified monsters simply to combat the undead threats closing in on them.

Ultimately, they had no need for someone like Arian.

So if Arian’s true identity and abilities were to be revealed, they would undoubtedly view her as a threat that could potentially undermine the very city they had established.

Just as the people from Arian’s original world had regarded her.

There was no place for Arian to stand within that city.

While Arian had journeyed all this way to LA for the sake of a single child, the reality was that she herself could not linger there for long.

“So you see. Sooner or later, I’ll have to leave LA. I can’t stay there forever like this.”

“…”

“Which is why… this is practice. That child needs to become accustomed to living without either you or me around. Of course, Sadie is a smart girl, so it likely won’t be a major issue. But it’s better than leaving suddenly, isn’t it?”

Arian spoke those words with a deliberately lighthearted tone.

In response, Aiden simply nodded silently.

Whether for Sadie’s sake or Arian’s, it was a decision they would eventually have to make.

“…Let’s change the subject.”

Seemingly dissatisfied with the somber mood that had settled, Arian shook her head once before shifting topics.

“More importantly… about that research lab where the accident occurred. Did you know they were researching a vaccine for the zombie virus there?”

“Of course.”

It was clear what purpose that research lab had been established for.

The city government had even publicly declared its goal of conquering the zombie virus, no doubt to inspire the citizens’ morale.

“This is just a rumor, but… there’s talk that the vaccine development was nearly complete.”

“Where did you hear that from?”

“From my coworkers. As I mentioned before, the unit captain’s family member was in charge of that research lab.”

Aiden nodded, and Arian continued speaking.

“Apparently, that person used to visit our unit occasionally before I arrived in LA.”

This was before Arian had even reached LA herself.

Nora Hill, the lead researcher overseeing the vaccine development, would sometimes drop by to visit her sister Ava, who worked in this unit.

During her most recent visit, Nora had subtly mentioned to Ava that the vaccine development was nearing completion.

“Another soldier overheard that conversation by chance. But with the recent lab accident and Nora’s death being announced, that person has been whispering about those words.”

“…Is that so?”

Aiden tilted his head slightly.

Compared to such a claim, the city government’s response to the research lab accident seemed rather puzzling.

If vaccine development had truly been imminent, they should have been scrambling to recover those research results by any means necessary.

“Doesn’t that seem a bit strange?”

“…”

Arian had that same doubt.

After briefly contemplating it, Aiden soon arrived at one potential possibility.

“It could be a political maneuver, perhaps.”

“Political?”

“If the development was indeed nearly finished, then it was likely not a widely known fact. Probably only the lead researcher and the mayor knew it.”

It was evident from the contents of the meeting between the mayor and his inner circle that Arian had relayed.

If everyone had been privy to that information, they wouldn’t have simply left the damaged research lab untouched.

“So then?”

“But now, the lead researcher is dead, and only the mayor remains. A mayor whose own position is becoming increasingly precarious, at that. So what if he still possesses the vaccine research data?”

“Ah…!”

Arian let out an exclamation, as if realizing Aiden’s implication.

The mayor was already in the process of rebuilding that research lab, after all.

While claiming it wasn’t for immediate use, if he could complete the remaining vaccine development at that newly reconstructed lab and unveil those results, it would undoubtedly be an immense achievement that could offset all his recent failures.

In other words, it would eliminate any justification for the opposition to remove him from the mayor’s office.

“That mayor turned out to be quite the schemer, didn’t he?”

Arian’s brow furrowed slightly in displeasure.

But Aiden, who had voiced that speculation, maintained a cautious demeanor instead.

“It’s just a hypothetical scenario. I simply tried to find an explanation that fits the observable facts. We can’t claim it as the definitive truth.”

“…I suppose so.”

Arian nodded, shrugging her shoulders.

Truthfully, regardless of how it unfolded, it wasn’t a matter that greatly concerned her.

“So then… where shall we meet next time?”

Sensing their conversation was largely concluded, Aiden asked that question as he handed Arian a few bottles of blood.

Arian pondered it briefly before continuing.

“Let’s make it another week from now.”

It was a rather generous timeframe.

Sufficient enough that he could even postpone investigating those sewers until afterward.

Not that there was any issue with that timing.

Aiden hadn’t been able to properly replenish his expended weapons and munitions lately, having focused more on information gathering instead.

It would be better to tackle the sewers after ensuring he was fully prepared and equipped.

As Aiden was nodding in agreement to those thoughts, Arian’s following words caught him off guard.

“And I’ll bring Sadie along with me then.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

Abruptly mentioning bringing Sadie – it sounded like a reckless proposition.

Aiden raised his brow at those unexpected words.

But rather than showing any concern, Arian responded as if puzzled by his reaction instead.

“This is the final stretch, isn’t it? When we meet again next week, your request will be completed. You realize that, don’t you?”

Aiden let out a contemplative hum.

It was an undeniable fact.

By next week, Aiden would be convinced of LA’s safety, finalizing Sadie’s residency there.

It would mark the true completion of the request he had undertaken.

“So you didn’t want to see Sadie’s face even once before that happens?”

“I… can’t refuse. But will it be alright? There won’t be any risk of exposure, will there?”

“Don’t worry about it. I just need to replenish a bit of blood, that’s all.”

Arian waved her hand dismissively as she spoke those words.

If she was asserting it so confidently, Aiden had no reason to refuse.

The idea of parting ways with Sadie without even a proper farewell was difficult for him to accept as well.

Rather, he was grateful for this opportunity.

“Very well. Then… I’ll leave it to you.”

So Aiden readily agreed to Arian’s proposal.

With a satisfied expression, Arian nodded before adding one more request.

“And after the request is completed, don’t just disappear without a word either.”

“I had no such intentions… do you really think I would do that?”

Unless it was a truly urgent situation, even Aiden wouldn’t simply leave without any notice to them.

But Arian firmly affirmed that concern.

“Yes. I do think you’d do exactly that.”

“…”

“So how about we agree to meet up regularly instead?”

“I’ll think about it. And if I do have to leave at some point, I’ll at least notify you beforehand.”

“Well, alright. I suppose that’ll do.”

Arian flashed a slight smile.

Their conversation concluded there.

After exchanging a few more casual remarks and lighthearted jokes, they soon parted ways to return to their respective residences.

* * *

The next day.

As had been forewarned, Arian was deploying for the operation alongside the soldiers.

Their objective was to secure an oil refinery facility located to the northeast of LA.

That site was a considerable distance away, around 200km from the walls, which was why the soldiers were loaded onto large troop transport trucks.

Kukung!

The truck jolted heavily as it ran over a pothole in the crumbling asphalt road.

“…”

At the jarring motion, Arian’s eyes narrowed slightly.

This truck Arian was aboard had originally been intended for cargo transport.

It had been converted for troop deployments, which was why the roof was open-air, and the long bench seats the soldiers were seated on were mere temporary installations.

As such, the ride quality was far from comfortable. But beyond that discomfort, Arian found the equipment they had been issued rather unpleasant as well.

The standard-issue American military rifles felt cumbersome, like unwieldy metal rods.

And the bulletproof helmets they had been forced to wear emitted an unpleasant odor.

Neither option was particularly agreeable, and yet she couldn’t simply discard them as she pleased either.

Consequently, Arian could only remain seated rigidly atop the swaying truck, her expression stiff.

“Feeling tense?”

It was then that one of the soldiers seated across from Arian, noticing her demeanor, spoke up.

A brown-haired black woman.

With some difficulty, Arian recalled her information from memory.

Her name was Olivia, if she wasn’t mistaken.

Whether she viewed Arian favorably or not was unclear.

But Arian, who wasn’t one to engage in casual conversation herself, was someone this woman frequently initiated conversations with nonetheless.

“It’s understandable for your first real combat operation.”

Supporting Olivia’s remark was Harris.

He was the one who had been surprised by Arian’s work capabilities on the very first day she had been assigned to this military unit.

Nodding as if it were only natural, he affirmed her words.

“We’ll be facing off against zombies, after all. What’s more, that refinery hasn’t had anyone venture inside for years, apparently.”

“Well, it has only been about three weeks since we last deployed outside, hasn’t it? Operations have been relatively infrequent lately. But Arian is a soldier too, no need to be too anxious.”

Olivia spoke those reassuring words to Arian.

While she didn’t find the situation particularly daunting, Arian didn’t outright refute their comments either.

Instead, she simply offered them a faint smile in response.

At that, they both smiled back at Arian as well.

Having worked here for some time now, her coworkers didn’t seem to be bad people.

Not exceptionally kind individuals by any means, but just ordinary, average people.

Which was why Arian’s inner thoughts were rather conflicted as they headed towards today’s operation area.

During this mission, she would undoubtedly encounter zombies, as expected.

So how should she engage them in combat?

It wasn’t as though Arian was incapable of firing a gun herself.

While her experience was limited, her innate senses should allow her to handle at least the workload of a single ordinary soldier without issue.

So if the operation proceeded smoothly, that would likely be sufficient.

But it was the potential for complications that posed a dilemma.

There was no telling what might be waiting at that oil refinery they were heading towards. If a powerful mutant was present there, endangering someone’s life, would Arian still have to conceal her true abilities even then?

“…”

Unable to find a suitable answer to that lingering question, Arian’s expression hardened once more.

She didn’t want to simply stand by and allow any of these people to die.

And yet, the truth was, she felt burdened by the prospect of openly revealing her abilities in front of them.

The total personnel deployed today numbered over a hundred individuals.

If she were to flashily slay any mutants before their eyes, there would be no excuses or explanations she could offer.

If that were to happen… wouldn’t she be chased out of LA without even seeing Sadie?

As her thoughts were wandering, unsure of what to do-

Screech!

The truck had stopped in the middle of the desert.

Arian lifted her head, which had been bowed, and looked around.

The place was a flat expanse of ochre-colored sand and cacti.

But at the far end of that plain, a gray monstrosity was visible.

A massive tank and a complex web of steel structures, with a chimney towering like a turret, and thick oil pipelines.

Looking ominous like a fortress, it was a massive oil refinery facility.

“All troops! Disembark!”

The platoon leader, Ava, commanded the soldiers in front of it.

Arian also followed the order and stepped down from the truck, feeling the familiar touch of the desert beneath her feet.