Chapter 38 - Let’s go

7 PM.

Everyone was seated around the corner table in the meeting room.

Tonight’s agenda was to decide the members for tomorrow’s expedition.

“For now, Ryuu, Rei, and I are already decided.”

“Eh!? Me!?”

Rei was the first to be surprised.

“See, you were good at throwing stones.”

“Uh… well.”

“Then it’s settled.”

“Yeah. Huh?”

He was half-forced into joining the team.

“Also, we’d like Yūki-senpai to come.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

A ranged attacker was essential.

“Understood.”

“Also, Takumi-senpai, Kazuma-senpai, Jun-senpai, and Seiji-senpai, we’d like you to come too. Anyone else suitable or anyone who wants to volunteer?”

“What about me?”

Daiki asked, pointing at himself.

“Daiki, you and Tsubasa-senpai will stay here to defend the school.”

“Got it.”

“Anyone else?”

“I’m going too.”

Sayo volunteered.

“Sayo-senpai?”

“Yeah, if Jun’s going, then I have to go too.”

Not sure what the logic was, but for now, Sayo and Jun were paired together.

“Me too.”

Shinji also volunteered.

“Understood. Then Ryū will drive. Takumi-senpai and Yūki-senpai will defend the bus. Supply Team 1 will be Jun-senpai, Kazuma-senpai, and Sayo-senpai. Supply Team 2 will be Rei, me, Seiji-senpai, and Shinji-senpai.”

Everyone agreed, and the meeting was adjourned.

The next day.

Under a clear blue sky completely different from yesterday, the bus transformed into an armored vehicle roared.

"Yaaaahhhh!!!"

Daiki let out a mighty yell as he opened the gate.

For the first time in a while, there were no zombies in sight outside.

That was because Tsubasa was making noise on the opposite side to lure them away.

“All right, let’s go then!”

Ryuu pressed the accelerator, and the bus slowly started moving.

And so, the shopping district expedition began.

Inside the bus, not a single person spoke.

The tension and fear of heading into a deadly zone kept everyone’s mouths tightly shut.

Surely, soldiers marching into battle must have felt the same way.

It was only a few minutes to the shopping district.

All the windows were covered with iron plates, so there was no way to see outside.

The front windshield had been removed, half covered with iron plates and the other half with wire mesh, allowing a partial view ahead.

By the way, the hole Ryū had blown open with a bomb the other day was now patched with wood.

The bus slowly applied the brakes and came to a stop.

“We’ve arrived.”

“All right, as planned: Team One moves east, Team Two heads west. Secure food, drinking water, clothes, and weapons. If there’s time, bring back snacks and entertainment goods. Make sure to come back often to drop off supplies.”

“Understood.”

Since all the doors were welded shut, they crawled out through the hole cut into the ceiling.

“This is…”

Terrible.

The scene was so gruesome that words failed them.

Except for Takumi and Tooru, everyone was seeing a hellscape unprotected by sturdy gates for the first time.

Stunned, the members were snapped back to attention by Takumi’s sharp shout.

“Operation start!”

Pushed forward by that voice, Team One and Team Two each moved off in opposite directions.

He walked slowly down the main street of the shopping district.

Then, a zombie appeared on his path, walking toward him.

He loaded a stone into his sling and aimed for the zombie’s head.

The released stone, aided by centrifugal force, flew straight and struck the head.

With a squelching sound, the zombie’s brain burst open, and brain matter scattered all around.

Tooru gave a thumbs-up, and the boy let the tension in his body ease.

At that moment, something struck him on the head.

Then his head was yanked sharply.

“Ow ow ow ow!”

“Don’t go relaxing now.”

It was Seiji.

Pinned by Seiji’s fierce glare, the boy found himself unable to move.

“S-sorry…”

He managed to squeeze out an apology.

“…You’ll die.”

With just those words, the boy realized Seiji’s actions came from an awkward kind of kindness, and a small smile formed on his lips.

“Senpai, you're kind of a tsundere.”

“…What?”

“I mean, you suddenly got all sweet there.”

“…You’ve really changed.”

“Well, I’ve graduated from being a coward.”

“I’m punching you when we get back.”

“I’m really sorry—I got carried away.”

“…Seriously.”

“Ah—hey, isn’t that a police car?”

He pointed in the direction of a patrol car, its body stained red in places with blood.

Tooru approached cautiously and observed the situation.

Inside, there appeared to be a police officer’s corpse.

Shinji moved in even closer, but since the body wasn’t moving, it seemed he hadn’t turned into a zombie.

They rushed over and opened the door.

“For now…”

Tooru awkwardly performed a body check and pulled a New Nambu revolver from the holster at the officer’s waist.

“A gun,” he said.

He held it up for everyone to see.

The black, metallic object seemed to be quietly waiting for the moment it would come to life.

“Who’s going to carry this?”

“I will,” Shinji volunteered.

He accepted the gun from Tooru and slipped it into his pocket.

“Alright, let’s split up and scout the area from here. Me with Shinji-senpai, and Rei with Seiji-senpai.”

“Let’s go, Rei.”

“Yes.”

He began walking down a sunlit road alongside Seiji-senpai.