How Zombies Survive in the Apocalypse

“That’s not like you can’t, but…”

Aiden’s words trailed off like that.

He didn’t care where Arian settled down. However, for a brief moment, he sharply scanned the surroundings with a piercing gaze.

It was just a fleeting, unspoken imagination in his mind.

Yet, the chain-link fence still surrounded the house intact, and the metal plate covering the window was sturdy.

There were no signs of any battle.

“Why stop talking?”

Whether Arian sensed that Aiden was contemplating something severe, she spoke in a sharp tone.

Simultaneously, she tapped on the iron door behind her.

As it creaked open, the figure of Rebecca, the woman inside, came into view.

“Oh, you’re here.”

Rebecca greeted Aiden with a faint smile.

“You brought the antibiotics, right?”

“Well, yes, but…”

Aiden glanced at Arian and asked Rebecca for an explanation.

In response, she stepped outside, shrugging her shoulders.

“Just as you see. I heard that you are already acquainted with Miss Clifford. She has decided to live with us now.”

“…Why?”

Aiden urged for an explanation in an indifferent tone.

Even if Arian had come looking for them, he hadn’t expected her to be brought into their hideout so quickly.

“She saved Diana’s life.”

That was Rebecca’s explanation.

Just yesterday, while Diana, who was searching for supplies outside, was avoiding a horde of zombies, she became isolated in a building.

In that dire situation, Arian coincidentally found her and swiftly cleared the zombies, rescuing Diana.

“After that, Miss Clifford suggested joining us.”

“So… you accepted right away?”

He understood the circumstances.

Yet, Aiden found it strange that Rebecca, who didn’t know Arian well, had quickly brought in a vampire with extraordinary abilities.

If Arian had demonstrated her power in defeating zombies, they should have witnessed her transcendental strength.

Rebecca’s group consisted of only two adult women and a child. They didn’t have a significant number of members to restrain Arian’s power, unlike the Merchant Cooperative.

So, in case Arian went berserk, they wouldn’t be able to stop her. Accepting her as a companion seemed unreasonably dangerous.

“I understand your concern.”

However, Rebecca, noticing Aiden’s thoughts, responded. Aiden’s way of thinking seemed reasonable at first glance.

However, it was only a thought that Aiden, with his limitations, could have.

“Still, we need more people. We can’t survive alone like you.”

Rebecca’s group of three constantly felt the shortage of manpower. To find what they needed to survive in this ruined city required more than just one or two people.

However, there were only two people who could go out to search.

Just a few days ago, she had to go on a risky exploration to find what they needed, leaving her child behind. Moreover, yesterday, she almost lost her only companion, Diana.

So, Rebecca couldn’t afford to let go of Arian, a new recruit with abilities far beyond an ordinary person.

“Hmm…”

Understanding her, Aiden could only let out a sigh.

Although Aiden understood her judgment, going beyond this point and discussing it further was beyond his scope.

Therefore, he quietly handed the antibiotics to Rebecca.

This time, it was one bottle of antibiotics.

Rebecca happily accepted it and handed him the agreed-upon payment.

What returned to Aiden was two grenades.

“It’s quite a rare item.”

At the same time, it was a useful item. Honestly, it seemed more valuable than one bottle of antibiotics.

Where did she manage to get this?

While Aiden was thinking about where she got the grenades, Rebecca opened her mouth.

“The medicine is working.”

“You mean the child?”

“Yes. She’s no longer vomiting blood, and the cough has improved a lot.”

Rebecca’s face gradually brightened as she spoke, and her words became faster.

Observing Rebecca’s figure, Aiden quietly watched.

“Now she’s not lying in bed and even asks to go outside.”

“That’s good.”

“Oh, it’s perfect timing. She’s awake.”

Good?

Before Aiden could follow the context, Rebecca went into the house. And soon enough her daughter came out with Rebecca.

“…”

Bright golden hair swayed gently.

And beneath it, in the dazzling emerald eyes, it was difficult to see any trace of the previous appearance, which seemed to be fading away.

Although there still seemed to be lingering signs of the illness, a vitality comparable to that of a peer-aged child could still be felt.

The child hiding behind her mother stared intently at Aiden.

Fortunately, the helmet was still on him, and in front of the child’s gaze, Aiden cleared his throat and spoke.

“Nice to meet you. So…”

“Sadie. Sadie Lewis.”

Rebecca introduced her daughter like that.

And come to think of it, he didn’t even know the child’s name until now.

Realizing this new fact, Aiden continued with his greeting.

“Nice to meet you, Sadie. I’m Aiden Lee.”

“I know. You’re the man who brought the medicine, right?”

The child’s first words were quite bold.

Even though she was in a painful condition, she must have known that Aiden was a zombie from the last time.

There was no sign of fear anywhere.

“Thank you.”

Afterward, Sadie bowed her head slightly.

Aiden, who never expected to receive thanks directly from a child, just nodded.

“You’re welcome. Well… I’ll be going then.”

Unable to find anything else to say, he tried to leave. However, Rebecca grabbed his arm.

“Oh, wait a moment.”

“…What is it?”

“I have a request.”

Upon hearing those words, Aiden looked at Sadie.

“It doesn’t seem necessary to examine her thoroughly.”

“It’s not that. Actually, yesterday… Diana brought back some useful information.”

“Information?”

“Yes. Sadie, could you come inside for a moment?”

Rebecca ushered Sadie back into the house after the child left. Once Sadie was inside, Rebecca continued.

“We found an underground warehouse.”

“A warehouse…?”

“There seem to be weapons inside. I can’t give a precise answer on the types and quantity of weapons, though.”

Aiden clicked his tongue in response.

“Sorry… but I find it hard to believe. It sounds like you couldn’t even get inside the warehouse. Did you see the stockpile of bullets yourself? What evidence is there that there are weapons?”

“There will be weapons. I guarantee it.”

The response didn’t come from Rebecca but from Arian, who was quietly standing by.

“I smelled iron and strong gunpowder there. And the grenades I gave you? I found them near the entrance.”

Aiden changed his attitude at her words. Arian’s heightened senses, something he had experienced during the five days of traveling together, were beyond common sense.

Even if he hadn’t seen it himself, Arian’s assurance was different.

Moreover, Aiden received the grenades from her, proving that she got them from that place. This was more than enough evidence.

“So, what’s the request exactly?”

“To retrieve those weapons along with Miss Clifford and Diana. The commission fee is to divide the recovered weapons to a certain extent. How about it?”

“…Isn’t it just a bunch of weapons lying around?”

Diana and even Arian were present, and the situation of bringing Aiden into this had already been noticed, but it seemed that the weapons storage place carried a considerable risk.

Arian agreed with that assumption.

“Yes, and… it seems there’s a special one.”

“Is there a mutant too? Where is it?”

“I can’t tell you that. Until you accept our proposal.”

It was a natural condition.

Therefore, Aiden asked questions about the number of zombies there and the terrain.

“Most of the zombies are underground. The weapons storage is also there.”

“Underground?”

“Yes. So, probably, we can’t avoid a fight.”

Exploring the city’s sewers, perhaps?

Aiden coughed for a moment at Arian’s words. Certainly, this request carried inherent dangers.

But… had he ever received a safe request until now?

So, he nodded without hesitation.

“Alright. Let’s give it a try.”

Rebecca smiled satisfactorily at his response and immediately spoke.

“The location is the power plant.”

“The power plant?”

“Yes. The abandoned power plant on Brunot Island.”

Brunot Island was a small island in the middle of the Ohio River, penetrating east and west through Pittsburgh.

Built on it was a thermal power plant, which had stopped operating a long time ago.

Apart from one bridge leading south, there were no access routes to the isolated location.

“It seems you explored a dangerous place.”

Aiden delved into his memories.

Until just about a year ago, Brunot Island had been a gang’s stronghold.

Of course, there were no resources worth mentioning on the island.

But the only advantage the island had was the narrow iron bridge one had to cross to reach it.

Unfortunately, the gang’s choice soon turned into an unfavorable outcome.

The island’s isolation was advantageous in keeping zombies at bay, but it became an extremely disadvantageous factor when dealing with people.

The problem arose during the gangs’ fights.

At that time, their opposing gang, instead of attempting to invade the isolated Brunot Island, decided to blow up one of the two bridges connecting the island to the mainland.

They decided to cut off all bridges to Brunot Island completely, leaving it isolated and gradually withering away, intending to dry up the gang living on the island.

This was an efficient tactic, requiring some time.

If all the bridges were severed, transportation to and from the island would have to rely on water vehicles like boats.

However, without military submarines and only with motorboats, crossing the river guarded by the enemy gang was practically suicide.

So, the gang on the island, having realized their enemy’s intention, urgently fortified the only remaining bridge to the south.

The following fierce battles over the bridge lasted for two days.

But defending such a narrow bridge was as challenging as crossing it, and, with the next enemy assault, the gang on the island eventually faced the worst self-destruction.

That was setting fire to the island.

The midnight flames became light and sound, attracting not only zombies but also dangerous mutants.

In other words, they had devised a dreamlike plan of making zombies their allies and attacking their enemies.

However, the formidable horde of zombies, mixed with powerful mutants, not only engulfed the hostile gang but also swept across the gang on the island, even before dawn, crossing the bridge.

In the end, with both gangs annihilating each other amicably, the story of Brunot Island came to an end.

That was the fate of the island that Aiden knew of, but… the information that there were remaining resources there was a new story.

Since it was where the gang stayed, it was natural that some scrap dealers went in with their eyes on that jackpot.

Most of them had wandered around, avoiding the zombies concentrated in the power plant and returning empty-handed, but could these people have found what others had not found?

“Diana found that place. If you get the chance, ask her tomorrow.”

“…Is that so.”

Hmm- Aiden made a short sigh.

“She luckily found what the previous gang had hidden. It’s dangerous, but there shouldn’t be any surprises.”

Looking at the information so far, it was an assignment with a reasonable chance of success.

Convinced that it was okay to proceed with the mission, Aiden urged them on.

“So, when are you planning to leave?”

“Tomorrow. Let’s meet here at this time tomorrow.”

“Got it. But… what about the person who actually found the place?”

He was referring to Diana.

Rebecca responded with a bitter expression.

“She’s sleeping. Maybe she was shocked yesterday, or couldn’t sleep at night. Maybe tomorrow will be better.”

Isolated by zombies, there seemed to be a psychological impact.

So, Aiden pointed at Rebecca.

“Then, wouldn’t it be better for you to go?”

But Rebecca shook her head.

“While you guys are at the power plant, I need to get food. There’s nothing to eat starting the day after tomorrow. It’s probably better on this end than sending Diana alone, right?”

“…I see.”

If that was the case, there was nothing more to say.

The conversation with Rebecca and her group ended there.

Aiden anticipated tomorrow and parted ways with them.