Bio Defense ~A City Built in a World That Has Ended~ - Chapter 2-2

Chapter 2-2

“Well then!”

Everyone had been lost in their own thoughts, but Matsushiba brightened her tone a little to change the atmosphere and began to speak.

“The situation is terrible, to put it mildly. I don’t know what’s going on, but we have to take measures to survive. You may have your own thoughts, but if you don’t act quickly, you’ll be eaten alive in no time!”

She was probably trying to encourage them, but Kanata and his friends, despite having thought about various things, were unable to keep up with the situation, which was far beyond their expectations. Still, they tried to change their mindset, and Kanata first asked about something that had been on his mind.

“Who are you, and did you know something about this incident beforehand?”

Matsushiba took a sip of her now-cold tea and answered.

“Well, first of all, this is the office of a corporation called Hinotori, and I am the chairman here. Being the chairman is a pretty easy job, as all I do is give occasional instructions and stamp my seal. Of course, I had no idea about this incident. If I had known, I wouldn’t have been walking around alone like that. In fact, if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be alive and here today.”

As she said this, Matsushiba placed a pamphlet from the rack by the wall in front of Kanata and his friends. The cover read “Hinotori Foundation,” and inside were explanations and photos of various activities they were involved in, such as medical care, welfare, and construction. To be honest, it was hard to connect the chairman with the ordinary-looking old lady in front of them and the content of the pamphlet.

Matsushiba, who seemed to have noticed their comparing looks, continued her explanation.

“The person who originally founded this place was my late grandfather, and I am not directly involved in any of the businesses mentioned in the pamphlet. A foundation is a corporation that uses an individual’s assets as capital. My late grandfather and my family were both fairly wealthy, so we never had to worry about our livelihood. However, we had no heirs, so when my grandfather passed away, he couldn’t take his wealth with him. So he decided to use it for the benefit of others. My grandfather was a very kind-hearted person, and when I see Daigo-kun, I can’t help but think of him in his youth.”

As Matsushiba spoke, everyone’s gaze turned to Daigo. Indeed, if this man had more than enough money, he would probably be involved in charitable work. Daigo, who was being compared to Matsushiba’s grandfather, seemed to understand the situation quite naturally.

“Well, since the original assets were our family’s property, even after my grandfather’s death, I’ve been able to stay here as the chairman in name only. The businesses mentioned in the pamphlet are carried out by our affiliated companies. And one of those businesses is involved in this incident…”

Matsushiba stopped there, her expression turning serious, and she leaned forward to face Kanata and his friends.

“What are you going to do from now on? Even if you get home safely, what then?”

Kanata and his friends looked at each other, but no one could give a clear answer. They wanted to go back home first and check on their family’s safety, but they had no idea what to do after that. At most, they could think of staying indoors or waiting for the situation to improve at some kind of shelter.

“Since you’ve gotten this far, I owe you a favor. If you wish, I’ll do my best to take you home and help you meet your family. The problem is what happens after that.”

Even when Matsushiba said this, the current situation was far beyond their imagination, and they didn’t understand the situation well. No one could say anything, but Subaru, who probably understood the situation better than them, asked Matsushiba.

“How long do you think it will take for this situation to be resolved?”

“I have no idea.”

Matsushiba answered firmly, and Subaru, who was taken aback by her tone, fell silent.

“I’ll be blunt. We can’t rely on the government, the Self-Defense Forces, or the police.”

“That’s… I can’t believe it,” Kanata said, but he couldn’t finish his sentence as he looked at Matsushiba’s expression. Although it was an abnormal situation, he had been thinking that the politicians and the Self-Defense Forces would come up with some kind of countermeasure, and that rescue would come soon. Rather, if they couldn’t be relied on, he didn’t know what to do.

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to scare you. But it’s already been a full day since the incident began. For some reason, it wasn’t reported until the last minute, and there seems to have been some suppression of information. There are sporadic movements like the police we saw earlier, but there are no instructions or actions from the government. Tachibana has been gathering information, but there are no instructions from the top officials of the government, the Defense Agency, or the National Police Agency, and no countermeasures headquarters has been established. Although some of their subordinate organizations are moving independently, without instructions from above, they won’t be able to take bold action.”

“So… does that mean the government doesn’t know what to do either?”

Subaru, who was unable to believe what he was hearing, said this while slightly raising his body.

Matsushiba, who was asked this, made a difficult expression and lowered her voice to answer.

“If that were the case, it would be better. But if that’s the case, there should be some kind of interim announcement. The situation is moving, after all. The fact that there is no such thing means that they are no longer functioning… I think they have fled.”

“Huh!”

Kanata and his friends couldn’t say anything in response to this answer, and they took a deep breath. It was a bit too much to take in.

“I think the reason for that is the regulation of news and information. Ordinary people can’t impose such strict regulations. Unless there are instructions from very high up. Why would they need to do that? It’s to escape while the regulations are in place. For example, would you believe it if, after the news and the commotion, someone said they were going abroad on business?”

Matsushiba said this and tried to take a sip of tea, but it was already empty, and she made a face as she put the teacup back down.

Kanata couldn’t help but put his head in his hands. Just a few hours ago, they had been planning to go to the game center and have fun, and thinking about what to do during their upcoming break, but now it felt like a distant memory.

“Anyway…”

Matsushiba, who had been watching Kanata and his friends for a while, began to speak again.

“Among the businesses of Hinotori, there is a project to build a large resort and amusement facility. Of course, we are not leading this project, but we are participating in a part of it… It’s a large-scale plan led by the government. Haven’t you heard about it?”

Kanata and his friends, who were wondering why Matsushiba was suddenly talking about this, had expressions that seemed to ask, “Why are you talking about this now?”

Indeed, they had seen such news on the internet.

“The construction site is in Shikoku, and the land has already been divided. Materials and supplies, temporary offices, and temporary warehouses are all ready on-site. We plan to use the construction materials to create a safe zone. Would you like to come with us, even with your family?”

“Huh?”

Kanata, who couldn’t keep up with the sudden change in the conversation, let out a foolish sound, but Matsushiba continued to speak.

“Think about it. How do you protect yourself from those monsters? If you hide somewhere, your water and food will run out soon. If we can’t expect organized rescue, it may become a long-term situation. If we hide separately, it will be difficult to resist, and it’s obvious that we will soon start fighting over the limited supplies. If we create a relatively safe zone and accept evacuees, we can collectively establish a living base and deal with the threats. Don’t you think so?”

When asked if they thought so, Kanata and Subaru gave vague answers.

“I think so. Please take us with you.”

Unexpectedly, Daigo answered immediately. Then he explained to Kanata and his friends in a way that was easy for them to understand.

“I think what the old lady said is right. If this situation continues, the number of those monsters will increase, and… people who don’t have much common sense will probably start looting easily.”

Daigo spoke slowly to Kanata and his friends, and finally, they were able to imagine the situation. Not everyone in the world is a good person, and when they or their families are in trouble, how many people can think of others… Being attacked by infected monsters is scary enough, but if humans start fighting over supplies and killing each other, it’s even more terrifying. Just thinking about it made Kanata and his friends shiver.

“Please… if possible, could you go to my house and… take my family with us?”

Kanata answered, and Subaru also bowed his head next to him. Seeing this, Matsushiba looked relieved and said, “Of course. Now I can repay you for your kindness. When you receive a favor, you must repay it. That’s the promise I made with my grandfather, and by keeping that pro

mise, Hinotori has grown so big.”

Matsushiba looked truly relieved and happy as she said this.