I’m In A World Infested By Zombies… But I Have Special Perks As A Formerly Isekai’d Person!

Chapter 8: Searching for a Car

“Yui, I need to talk to you.”

When Hayato spoke, Yui tilted her head slightly.

“What’s up?”

“On my way back from looking for a bike, I stopped by a drugstore, but everywhere seemed to have been looted, and there was nothing left.”

The reason was clear: looting was rampant, and the people from the shelter had collected supplies from within the city.

Although Hayato hadn’t searched the stores thoroughly, with the entrances open, it was safe to assume that the areas without cover deeper inside had also been looted.

If that weren’t the case, the shelter wouldn’t have lasted a year.

But without production, the remaining supplies within the city would eventually run out.

Currently, Hayato and Yui were using the water and food that Hayato had brought back from the other world.

There was enough for 1,000 people to march for 10 days, so it would last for about 10,000 days.

If they shared it, it might last for around 5,000 days, or about 13 years.

But Hayato was 21, and Yui claimed to be 18; no matter how much they conserved, it wouldn’t last until the end of their lives.

Additionally, the water was also used for washing dishes and flushing the toilet.

They also needed it to wipe their bodies.

“If we stay in Kirigaoka City like this, I think our water and food supplies will eventually run out. Especially the water; I think it will run out much sooner.”

At Hayato’s words, Yui frowned.

Even though Yui had been cured of the virus in her body, she was concerned about the future.

“Also, if the people who expelled Yui find us and realize that she’s healed, not only me but Yui will also be subjected to physical examinations.”

Yui’s face tensed at Hayato’s observation.

“Immunity, right?”

“In a situation where an unknown virus has caused a global pandemic, and there’s only one person who’s recovered.”

“They might want to examine you, then.”

It would be more surprising if they didn’t.

Hayato had used sacred magic to remove Yui’s virus.

But there was a possibility that Yui’s body had developed an immunity to the virus.

“I’m not an expert on immunity, but during the coronavirus pandemic, there were multiple TV programs about viruses. When you get infected with a virus…”

When infected with a virus, the virus enters and multiplies within the body’s cells.

The immune cells then recognize and attack the virus.

Normally, the immune cells win, and the virus is eliminated, but the zombie virus is strong because it activates using magic energy.

Before the collapse of civilization on Earth, those infected with the virus had all lost.

“What about in the other world?”

“We used sacred magic to heal. The people of the other world had nanomachines from their super-civilization in their bodies, which allowed them to use sacred magic. The strength varied, but there were big individual differences.”

Hayato, who had been used the transfer device, had the power to surpass even the high priest of the other world.

If he had done some behind-the-scenes work to express his desire to become a priest, he might not have been sent back.

But he had no interest in being a clergyman, so that idea never occurred to him.

“For those who recovered from the infection, they developed a resistance, and after the second time, they could hold out for a while even if they became infected. Maybe the nanomachines became active, but it’s not really clear.”

“So you don’t know what will happen to me?”

“There are no precedents.”

In the other world, even if there were people with resistance, it didn’t matter.

There was a treatment method called sacred magic, and immunity itself was unknown.

Without a way to utilize immune cells, even if there were people with immunity, it was meaningless. Those with resistance might have been left unattended without being reported.

But on Earth, it was a different story.

By clarifying the mechanism of the immune reaction from blood and cells, it might become a clue to finding a treatment method.

Until a treatment method was established, Yui would not be allowed to leave the research institute.

And since Earthlings didn’t understand magic energy, Yui would be confined for life.

“So, in order to leave this city safely, I thought I’d secure a car as a means of transportation.”

“I understand. It might be better to move.”

Hayato sighed with relief, knowing that Yui understood.

If Yui were captured, Hayato would be caught as well.

So, it was best to run.

“An SUV would be sturdy and suitable for long-distance travel, I think.”

“What’s an SUV?”

“SUV stands for Sports Utility Vehicle, which translates to sports-utility vehicle in Japanese.

“Utility” refers to practicality, and “vehicle” means car.

Since the minimum ground clearance is high, the bottom of the vehicle is less likely to come into contact with the road even on bumpy mountain roads, and it has excellent ride height and off-road capabilities.”

“It’s a good car that’s tall, sturdy, and can drive on mountain roads and rough terrain.”

“So it’s safer from zombie attacks?”

“In a nutshell, yes.”

Yui thought about Hayato’s proposal and eventually nodded.

“Yui, please wait at home. I’ll go look for one.”

“Okay. Be careful.”

Yui saw Hayato off as he left the house and got on his bike.

“I’d like to find a nice, sturdy car.”

Hayato searched for a car that would become his legs and protect Yui’s safety.

It was only natural to choose a car that was comfortable to ride, didn’t break down, and was sturdy.

Cars that met those conditions were inevitably more expensive.

Hayato had a driver’s license, but he didn’t own a car.

When he was summoned to the other world, he was a third-year high school student, so it was only natural that he didn’t have a car.

The school’s consideration was to allow students who planned to work immediately after graduation to obtain their licenses while still in school.

Although Hayato had planned to go to college, he had obtained his license just in case.

At the time, it was completely unimaginable that he would live in a world where he couldn’t get a driver’s license.

“If I had gone to college and worked normally, how old would I have been when I could buy an SUV?”

Even if he could have bought one, it would have been on credit.

Or he might have had to compromise on the price and never been able to afford an SUV.

But an unexpected opportunity had arisen for Hayato to acquire an SUV.

Although Hayato was forced to live a very inconvenient life, he had no intention of thanking the empire that had summoned him and brought the zombie virus to Earth.

With these thoughts in mind, Hayato rode his bike through the residential area.

— Maybe a rich family would have an SUV.

Hayato pedaled his bike, carefully observing his surroundings.

He felt a little like a thief, and was shocked by his own actions.

As he made excuses to himself, such as exercising his right to survive or acting in emergency evacuation, he continued through the residential area and eventually came across a house with a grand gate and a large plot of land.

Hayato got off his bike and peered into the house’s parking lot.

But what he found there was an ordinary sedan.

“Come on, rich people, drive a nicer car!”

Hayato grumbled as he stepped on the pedals again.

As he continued through the residential area, he finally found an SUV parked in front of a house.

That house also had a grand gate and a spacious garden, and it looked quite wealthy.

Hayato carefully got off his bike and approached the SUV.

It was a domestic SUV, which was expensive but not as rare as some foreign luxury cars.

The series had sold tens of thousands of units in Japan.

On average, there were about 30 of these SUVs in each municipality in Japan.

— It’s covered in dust.

The car looked like it hadn’t been moved in a while.

But it seemed to be in fairly good condition, and it seemed like it could be driven normally.

Hayato couldn’t open the car door, so he looked at the exterior of the house.

“Where is the key, I wonder?”

The front door of the house was unlocked, and Hayato stepped inside.

The interior was silent, with no sound of appliances like refrigerators running.

Hayato first checked the shoe cabinet in the entrance, but he couldn’t find the key there.

— Next, the living room or the kitchen?

Hayato, still wearing his shoes, searched various places in the living room and kitchen.

The furniture and decorations in the house were luxurious, indicating the wealth of the residents, but they were in disarray, suggesting that the house had been searched to some extent.

There were no useful supplies to be found, and if Hayato couldn’t find the key, it would be a fruitless search.

“If it were my house, I’d know where the key is, but I have no idea where it is in someone else’s house.”

Hallway, living room, bedroom.

Hayato searched each room in turn, looking for where the key might be placed.

He was still on the lookout for zombies when entering a new room.

Although he could win in hand-to-hand combat, he didn’t want to be infected with zombie saliva.

His opinion on this matter would not change, even if the zombie in question was a former beauty.

He would like to request such things before she became a zombie.

While fantasizing, Hayato checked the drawers in the bedroom and finally found the car keys.

The keys were stored in a radio-blocking case inside the bedroom drawer.

Hayato took out the key embedded in the smart key and sighed.

— Please start.