Jobless Man’s Zombie Survival Life - Chapter 40: The Assault on Shiiya Civic Center (※ Contains Significantly More Brutal Descriptions Than Usual)

Chapter 40: The Assault on Shiiya Civic Center (※ Contains Significantly More Brutal Descriptions Than Usual)

After slaughtering creatures far lower than zombies, we were overlooking the civic center again.

“Those two said they were scouts, so they’ll get suspicious if they don’t return.”

We decided to count those scum as “beasts.”

I refuse to classify such vermin as human.

They belong outside the ecosystem pyramid.

“Let’s do this quick, Kanzaki-san.”

“Yes. Those who prey never imagine being prey themselves. Those pistols probably make them cocky.”

“It’ll be laughably easy.”

“Confidence is fine, but don’t get careless.”

“No worries, it’s a fact. We’ve got you, and they don’t.”

“Um… isn’t that putting too much faith in me…?”

Plus, I’m a user of an outlawed style, practically disowned for its ruthlessness.

No need for Buddha’s mercy with these villains.

I’m not playing hero, but there’s no reason to let them roam.

Unlike street punks, these murder-hardened types will keep killing.

Now that we’ve seen and know, we can’t let it slide.

It’d leave a bad taste, to put it bluntly.

I’m just that kind of pain-in-the-ass guy.

※

The civic center’s layout is in my head.

A frontal assault would be idiotic.

Unless you’re in a tank, you’d get shot to death.

Even if they’re amateurs with guns, get close enough, and they’ll hit.

I’m not some master thief’s buddy who can dodge bullets.

So, Kanzaki-san and I held a strategy meeting.

“That plan’s too risky for you, Tanakano-san!”

“But it’s the most effective, right? It’s what our gear and skills allow.”

“That’s… true, but…”

As expected, Kanzaki-san wasn’t thrilled.

But this is the surest way.

“You keep ending up on the front line…”

“It’s about the right tool for the job. You’re great at close combat, but I’ve got no shooting skills.”

“If it gets dangerous, retreat immediately. Promise me.”

“My life’s the most precious thing to me. I’ve got this.”

“I’ll join after a bit, so please don’t push yourself too hard…!”

“Got it, got it…!”

Kanzaki-san grabbed my hands, staring at me with genuine worry.

What’s this… overflowing mom vibes?

Do I seem that unreliable…?

Yeah, I did get careless and earn a big scar before.

No wonder she doesn’t trust me.

Fair enough.

She reluctantly agreed, so good!!

Can’t dawdle.

Speed is key in battle… or something like that?

※

So, I’m now on the second floor of a building next to the civic center.

I sneaked through blind spots to avoid the fake cops in the parking lot.

Kanzaki-san’s in another position.

The civic center has a main gate, a large parking lot, and a big hall.

Seven fake cops are in the parking lot.

That leaves six inside the hall.

The plan: I infiltrate from the neighboring building.

At the set time, Kanzaki-san starts sniping the parking lot enemies.

As the ones inside panic, I go wild and wipe them out.

Sun Tzu said something like, “Hit ‘em by surprise and crush ‘em fast to win,” right?

…Did he say that?

※

I slid down the building’s rain gutter into the grounds.

No enemies nearby.

I crept along the outer wall to the staff entrance.

Carelessly, it was unlocked, so I slipped in.

Here’s where it starts.

I hid in a small room, checking the time.

Both Kanzaki-san and I have radio watches, so no delays.

Two minutes left…

Right on time, a “bang” rang out from outside, followed by screams.

More shots echoed, sounding like a firefight.

Idiots, Kanzaki-san’s on a rooftop 100 meters away.

No way their pistols hit her.

Alright, my turn.

“Nagumo-ryu, Tanakano Ichirouta… pushing forward.”

…God, that’s cringey.

But I always wanted to say it once.

It’s all about experience.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, I left the room.

“What!? Who’s the idiot shooting!?”

“Bullets are precious, damn it!”

Two beasts came out of a guardroom ahead.

Good start.

I threw a cross shuriken while drawing my sword naginata and charged.

“Guh!?”

The shuriken sank deep into the back of the right fake cop’s head.

As the left one froze, stunned by his collapsing buddy, I dropkicked him to the ground.

“Gah!? Wha—!?”

I stabbed the sword naginata into his medulla, twisting.

A crunch, a convulsion, and he went silent forever.

“You…! Who the hell are you!?”

Another beast was in the guardroom, apparently.

I threw the bloody sword naginata backward without turning.

“Gi…!?”

Crouching low, I spun to see it lodged in his calf.

I kicked off the floor, sprinting, and drew my sword.

As he reached for his pistol, I slashed his right wrist’s artery.

I reversed the blade, cutting down from above.

Blood sprayed like a fountain from the gash on his neck’s left.

I flipped my wrist, slicing his throat from left to right.

He collapsed, mouth flapping, bleeding out massively across the floor.

“Aaaah!? You bastard!!!”

A man at the hall’s entrance shouted, holding a pistol.

I rolled over the bleeding corpse into the guardroom.

A gunshot rang out, something piercing the door.

“Hey! He’s here! He’s in here!!”

“Damn you for killing Nakagawa and the others… I’ll murder you!!”

Two more beasts hooked.

How to cook them up?

As I stood, the room’s contents hit me.

Their “spoils,” probably.

Piles of clothes, food, bags, backpacks, and…

A brand-new schoolbag.

…I knew it, those two scouts told us.

Their deeds.

But seeing it in front of me forces the reality to sink in.

Damn it, I’ve been ignoring emotions to stay sharp, but no more.

“Scum…!!”

Two sets of footsteps approached the guardroom.

“Okano and Yamashita are dead too…!”

“You! Don’t think you’ll die easy, bastard!!”

Worrying about your buddies like proper scum, huh?

Laughable.

Don’t think you’ll die easy…?

That’s my line!!!!!

I hid behind a desk in the guardroom.

The glass cabinet doors reflected two beasts, both with pistols aimed at the entrance.

“Alright, everyone, now! Get him!!!”

I shouted as if ordering allies to attack.

The two spun toward the hallway, startled.

Kanzaki-san’s actual shots made it convincing.

I dove sideways from the desk, throwing cross shuriken with both hands.

“Gah!?” “Ow!!”

One hit the left beast’s neck, the other the right’s upper arm.

I bit my sword’s spine, crawling low and sprinting.

The right beast tried aiming, but I dropped the sword into my hand.

From an odd side stance, I slashed upward like a rising swallow.

A split second before he pulled the trigger, my blade hit the grip, half-severing his pinky and ring finger.

The pistol fired upward from the impact, flying out of his hand.

I kicked his knee, snapping it, while stabbing a rod shuriken into the gut of the left beast, who was clutching his neck to stop the bleeding.

“Nnnnn!!!” “Guh, gah!?”

I looked down at them on the floor.

I slashed the left beast’s wrist, taking his pistol.

Same for the right one’s.

Then, I cut their armpits and crushed one ankle each with my boots.

Arteries severed, movement sealed.

They’ll die slowly now.

“Don’t think you’ll die easy. Writhe and croak.”

I spat, glaring at their pale faces, and collected the remaining pistols.

Leaving the groaning beasts behind, I moved on.

…One left.

※

I walked down the hall toward the entrance, wiping and sheathing my sword, loosening the scabbard for a quick draw.

The gunfire outside had stopped.

Pistol-wielding punks against an active SDF member? No contest.

The main hall was empty.

Where are you?

Where’s the last one?

I reached the backstage area for concert staff.

I kicked a metal trash can, making a loud crash.

Listening, I heard a noise from a dressing room.

I stomped loudly toward it, then faked steps by the door.

Gunshots punched holes through the door.

One, two, three, four, five.

“Guah!?”

I shouted dramatically, collapsing to make noise.

I crawled silently to the door’s blind spot.

Slowly kneeling, I gripped the hilt.

The knob turned slowly, the door creaking open.

A trembling muzzle appeared, then the pistol.

The moment I saw the wrist, I rose from my kneel, unleashing a draw strike.

The most precise, fastest, and most powerful slash of my life severed the wrist holding the pistol.

“Gaaaahhh!!!”

The beast screamed as I kicked the door hard.

It slammed his severed wrist, drawing another ugly scream.

I kicked the fallen wrist away and yanked the door open.

A burly man in his 50s writhed on the floor, clutching his bleeding wrist with his left hand.

“Hey, you the ‘boss’?”

He glared at me.

Still got some fight, huh?

“You… when my men get back, they’ll tear you apart. Run now…”

“So, you the ‘boss’ or what?”

“Can’t you hear!? My men—”

“They’re all dead.”

“…What?”

“Your crew’s all in the afterlife, I said.”

…Some might still be alive, barely.

Close enough.

They’ll die soon anyway.

“Whatever, boss or not, one question.”

“Liar!! No way that many men—”

I lightly cut his face.

“Ow!? S-Stop!!”

“Answer. Wanna die now?”

“W-What do you wanna know…!?”

“…What happened to the evacuees here?”

“Huh…?”

“What happened? Answer quick, or you’ll bleed out.”

Thinking I’d treat him if he answered, he spoke.

“W-We stripped ‘em, k-killed ‘em… dumped ‘em in the river out back…”

“…Got it.”

Nothing more to ask.

“H-Help, save me… I don’t wanna die!!”

“You killed kids and have the gall to say that…?”

As I raised my sword, he crawled back.

He hit the wall, stood, and said something insane.

“Stop, please! I-I’ve got a daughter, a kid!! I don’t wanna die here!!”

For a moment, I couldn’t process it.

Rage blanked my mind.

Goosebumps covered me.

I felt the hairs on my neck stand up.

“That true…?”

“It’s true! I-I’ve got a photo!!!”

Seeing a chance, he frantically dug in his pocket with his good hand, pulling out a photo.

“S-See! This is my daughter—”

“If you’re her dad, she’s better off without you.”

I slashed his throat clean across.

He couldn’t speak, staring at the blood gushing from his neck in disbelief.

“Filthy rat… die!!”

My spit and his collapse hit at the same time.

He gurgled, staring at the photo in his hand, and died in a pool of blood.

※

I left the dressing room, leaning against the hall’s wall.

My strength drained, and I slid to the floor, legs sprawled.

I desperately wanted a smoke.

I tossed my sword aside, pulling the pack from my chest pocket.

My trembling hands fumbled the lighter, striking it repeatedly.

Finally, it lit.

I inhaled deeply.

Coughed hard.

Tears in my eyes, I kept smoking.

Damn, even now, cigarettes taste good.

Sudden footsteps.

Kanzaki-san was running toward me, fast.

“Oh no! No, no!? Tanakano-san! Tanakano-san!!”

…I think she’s got the wrong idea.

I’m covered in blood.

But… I don’t wanna get up until I finish this cigarette…

Sorry, Kanzaki-san.