Bio Defense ~A City Built in a World That Has Ended~ - Chapter 3-6

Chapter 3-6

“Hinata-chan”

As soon as she started running, someone called out to her from behind. Had she forgotten to say something? She didn’t think so, as she had only given him the Onimaru, so there was nothing to forget… Still, she stopped and turned around.

She could have pretended not to hear and kept running, but that wasn’t something Hinata could do. Plus, she had developed a slight trust in Katsuya, more than she had when they first met.

“I’m sorry, I had to stop you…”

Katsuya, with a different smile than before, approached her as he spoke.

“No, it’s fine. Is something the matter?”

The slight trust she had in him was evident in her words and attitude, and Katsuya could sense it. He smirked inwardly, but made sure it didn’t show on his face; instead, he even feigned hesitation.

“Actually, it’s a bit difficult to say, but I have a favor to ask… You see, the reason I came here wasn’t just to see you off. I…”

Katsuya began his story, which he had thought up earlier.

He had a mother, his only family. Today, she was unusually not at home, so she must be at her workplace, which was a nearby accommodation facility. Since they were a family of only two, he couldn’t bear to be apart, so he had come along. However, with the infected roaming around, it would be difficult for him to go and check on her alone. If it was possible, could she accompany him to his mother’s workplace? It was only a ten-minute walk from there, so it wouldn’t take up too much of her time. He thought Hinata would understand how he felt, so he was asking her. Even if his mother wasn’t there, he would be grateful for her company on the way. If she didn’t want to, that was fine; she could decline if she wasn’t up for it. If she could, he would appreciate her help…

He told this story with a sad and apologetic expression, adding a lot of emotion to his words.

Half of it was true. Katsuya’s family was just his mother, and she worked nearby. She might not be there today, but she could be. It would be impossible for him to go there alone, and he had woven in the fact that Hinata was also looking for her brother.

As expected, Hinata’s heart was moved. Even if she had been told she could decline, it wouldn’t be that easy.

“I understand, it must be worrying. I know how you feel… I’ll help you go and check on her.”

… Hook, line, and sinker!

Katsuya found it hard to contain his laughter.

From there, the two of them moved stealthily and returned to the vicinity of the building where Katsuya’s mother worked. There were even more infected people wandering around than before, but fortunately, they managed to avoid any contact.

“Yeah, that’s the building.”

Katsuya pointed to a building about 50 meters ahead. It was a small, unassuming structure with a weathered appearance, devoid of any decorative elements.

All the windows visible from the outside were blocked, so it was impossible to see inside.

“It looks like a place where ghosts might appear…”

Hinata muttered these words. Indeed, it might be so, but there were already plenty of ghost-like creatures roaming around. Katsuya didn’t voice his thoughts, though.

Regardless, it was time to move on to the next phase.

Katsuya wanted to search for his mother. Since he had expressed this desire, he had become incredibly calm. Even now, he was aware of the building’s presence while also keeping a close eye on the surrounding situation. He even seemed to be aware of Hinata, who was following behind him.

His demeanor was completely different from when he was panicking at the sight of the infected earlier.

Hinata felt a sense of unease and anxiety. Katsuya seemed like a machine devoid of emotions, almost.

“I hope your mother is safe.”

Hinata spoke to Katsuya, trying to shake off her worries.

“Hmm? Oh, yeah. In this situation, anything could happen, so I won’t be surprised. But are you okay, Hinata-chan? I’m sorry for making you come with me like this.”

His response was, once again, devoid of much emotion.

“That’s the entrance. The building’s layout is quite complex, and there are quite a few rooms. Would you mind splitting up and searching separately?”

“But are you sure? The inside of the building is probably narrow, and it might be difficult to fight. The iron pipes might not be effective in such a confined space, and the long mock swords could be a disadvantage. Maybe we should go together…”

Hinata pointed out these considerations for when they might have to fight. Her face was genuinely concerned.

(She’s such a good girl. She’s willing to come this far with me, almost a stranger, and she’s so strong that she could be the best bodyguard in this dangerous world. And she’s so cute. It would be a waste to let her go like this. I’ll make sure she only has eyes for me. She’s the one for me.)

Katsuya answered Hinata’s concerns with a normal face, as if these thoughts were unimaginable to him.

“Yeah, it’s true that I can’t swing the iron pipe with much force. Of course, I won’t force it; if I see any of them, I’ll hide and wait it out or escape. Or… I might ask Hinata-chan for help.”

Katsuya said this while hiding in the shadow of the building, but it was all too strange. The arrogance that had been so evident before was now completely gone. It was strange, but… maybe it was better to have him remain calm and rational like this? As Hinata was still hesitating, Katsuya continued on his way.

Hinata thought he would enter the building, but he stopped in front of what he had called the entrance.

“The shutter is open.”

Katsuya’s gaze fell on the shutter, which was half-open, probably closed at all times.

“I heard that only those related to the building know how to open the shutter… If it’s open, it means someone is inside…”

Katsuya muttered these words. But didn’t that mean there was a higher chance that his mother or someone related to her was inside? Why was he hesitating?

As Hinata was thinking this, Katsuya turned around and said,

“Hinata-chan, if you see anyone inside, please don’t talk to them. Just let me know, okay?”

“Huh?”

Hinata couldn’t understand the reason for this request, so she asked, and Katsuya seemed a bit flustered.

“Well, it’s probably my mother or someone related to her, but if it’s someone dangerous, you might not know, right? Only I would know their face.”

“Oh, I see. If there’s someone inside, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re related to the building.”

Hinata had heard that even in large-scale disasters, there were people who resorted to theft and looting. If the person inside was a thief, they might take drastic actions if they encountered each other. To put it extremely, they might even consider killing Hinata as a witness.

Hinata seemed to understand, and Katsuya asked her to let him know if she saw anyone, reiterating his request several times before entering the building.

“Then, Hinata-chan, could you start from the back of the first floor and work your way through? I’ll check the upper floors.”

Katsuya said this and started climbing the stairs without waiting for a response.

Katsuya knew that the first floor of the building only had storage, employee lockers, and a parking lot for guests. If someone was there, they were probably on the third floor, which was the guest room floor. As he considered various possibilities, he took a slight detour to the second floor before rushing up to the third.

He made sure to make some noise as he climbed the stairs, and as he did, he saw that the corridor was blocked by a bed. It was a narrow passageway that employees used for cleaning and other tasks, so it wasn’t wide.

“So they set up a barricade…”

Katsuya said this aloud, and from the end of the corridor, he sensed someone’s presence, and the person he had expected to see appeared.

“Katsuya…”

The person probably hadn’t expected to meet him here, as their expression showed no sign of relief at his safety.

“Hey, old hag, I came all the way here for you. Why are you looking at me like that?”

Katsuya’s mother, Sachiko, made an even more sullen face. Next to her were two other women, probably colleagues or friends, of the same age.

One of them was a sturdy-looking woman with a strong build, and the other had strikingly bright-colored hair.

Hinata could hear them whispering, “Is that the one?” So, they must have been complaining about Katsuya at work.

The three-story building where Katsuya’s mother worked was a simple accommodation facility where cars could enter and use the rooms, so it could also be called a motel.

However, it was an old building located away from the main street, and it had become a place used for illegal transactions and by those who couldn’t use regular hotels due to their illicit relationships.

Originally, Katsuya had planned to bring Hinata here and, if possible, confine her. The first floor had a parking lot, and the rooms were designed to be accessed directly from there, which was convenient for keeping someone locked up.

But considering that someone might already be there, he had thought of an easier method. If he played his cards right, he might be able to brainwash Hinata. That was why he had told her not to make contact with him, and that was also the reason for their separate actions.

“What’s wrong with you? You always have that look on your face when you’re up to no good. What are you planning?”

As Katsuya immersed himself in his thoughts, smirking secretly, his mother, Sachiko, raised her voice in caution.

“Huh, so you’re my parent after all. You know what your child is thinking?”

Katsuya said this sarcastically, and Sachiko scowled at him.

At that moment, the woman with the sturdy build stepped forward to protect Sachiko. Katsuya could hear Sachiko calling her Tanaka, so that must be her name.

“Listen, kid. We can’t accommodate any more people here, so you should go somewhere else. What do you say, Okura-san?”

Tanaka stepped forward and spoke to Katsuya like this. Then, she turned to Sachiko for confirmation, but since she didn’t say anything, it seemed they shared the same opinion.

The woman with the bright-colored hair kept glancing at Katsuya and talking to the other two in a voice that couldn’t be heard from where Hinata was. Her expression clearly showed her disgust, and although Katsuya couldn’t hear what she was saying, he could imagine the content… Tanaka called her Maejima.

Katsuya didn’t think of them as people he could rely on anymore. He only saw them as tools he could use.

“Don’t worry, I’ll leave as soon as I’m done. I have something I want to give you at the end.”

Katsuya said this and lifted the large plastic bag he was holding slightly. Even if they had heard that their relationship wasn’t good, as a relative, if he said it was something he wanted to give her at the end, it would be hard to refuse.

As Katsuya had imagined, they seemed cautious, but no one tried to stop him. Tanaka stepped forward to protect Sachiko, and she probably thought Katsuya would give her the bag. Maejima was glaring at them from behind Sachiko.

Katsuya didn’t mind who received the bag; it was all about timing. He inserted some irrelevant actions from time to time to adjust the timing, concentrating on the faint footsteps he could hear from downstairs…

“What is that?”

Sachiko asked, her caution evident in her tone. The other two were a bit more relaxed, thinking it was a family’s final farewell, but Sachiko, who knew Katsuya well, seemed to think it was strange that he had brought something with him.

Katsuya didn’t answer, and he grinned. His repulsive smile made everyone in the room alert, but it was too late.

Sachiko probably hadn’t expected her son to go that far. She was shocked, and her mouth hung open in disbelief.

The plastic bag Katsuya was holding was just an ordinary bag from the lower floor, and its contents were just a random assortment of things he had found lying around. Apart from the mock sword he had hidden inside…

“You… what are you doing?”

Sachiko was so confused that she couldn’t form a coherent sentence. In front of her eyes, the mock sword was protruding from Tanaka’s stomach.

“Haha, even though it’s a mock sword, the tip is sharp, so it pierces well. It’s easier than with zombies.”

Katsuya, his face twisted in malice, was laughing as he pushed the hilt of the mock sword, which was deeply embedded in Tanaka’s stomach, back and forth.

With each movement, a gush of blood spilled from Tanaka’s mouth, and when Katsuya withdrew the mock sword, he pushed the woman aside with his foot.