Jobless Man’s Zombie Survival Life - Chapter 48: The Sinister Plan (※Contains Cruel Depictions)

Chapter 48: The Sinister Plan (※Contains Cruel Depictions)

Hitting Yurei…?

What’s that about?

An attack plan?

I was ready to slaughter them, but I’ll hold off and listen more.

※

“Huh? When was it?”

“Idiot, this Friday!”

“Oh, right, right.”

It’s Monday, so four days from now.

“Can’t Friday come faster? Too excited!”

“Don’t get hyped yet! Hahaha!”

“But dude—high school girls! High school girls!! Gotta be thrilled, right?”

“Any living woman’s fine by me!”

“Even grannies work!”

“Kill all the guys! Hahahaha!!”

…Alright, I’ll leave one alive for info and kill the rest.

These lowlife idiots probably can’t pull off anything big, but just in case.

Listening to them any longer might make me lose my cool from sheer rage.

※

While the fools babble, I slip out of the craft store, moving through shadows of the shoe and clothing stores.

They’ve set their flashlights down, and my dark-adjusted eyes clearly see their witless faces.

I reach shuriken range, crouch, take a deep breath, and aim.

Exhale, hold.

A cross shuriken flies from my tensed right arm, embedding deep in the skull of the guy obsessed with high school girls.

“Uh, wha…?”

“Too excited, you high? Idiot!!”

I throw a second shuriken.

It hits the next guy’s skull.

Third and fourth in quick succession.

The loudmouth’s neck, the “grannies are fine” guy’s temple as he turns.

“…Huh?”

“Hey… hey?”

The four collapse, convulsing, bleeding, and the remaining four finally notice.

“What…! What’s that!?”

“What the—AAAGH!! AAGH!!”

“What’s going on!?!?”

“It hurts!! It hurts bad!!”

“Where are you!! Where!!”

A shuriken hits the thigh of the one I’m sparing.

The others panic as their friend writhes.

I’m out of cross shuriken, so I draw my sword naginata and throw it.

It pierces the chest of a panicking idiot, knocking him flat.

Two left.

They don’t know where I am, just waving flashlights wildly.

I stand and sprint.

One notices my footsteps, aiming his light, but I flash my helmet’s max beam first.

“Gah!? Stay back! Stay back!!”

Blinded, he swings his machete wildly.

As it arcs upward, I strike under his right armpit, slashing the artery, then spin the blade to cut his neck’s left side.

This new sword’s sharper than the last—cuts clean unless it hits bone.

I kick the gushing guy down and face the last one.

“What… what are you… you killed them all…”

He glares, bloodshot eyes trembling, machete shaking toward me.

“I won’t forgive you… won’t forgive…”

Even subhuman scum care about their pals, apparently.

Not my problem.

“Scum like you… don’t dare use human words!!”

I shout, closing the distance.

“Take this!! …Huh?”

I dodge his desperate, Harada-level downward slash, stepping aside, and slice his right neck.

“Guh… no… no…”

“Whining pathetically suits you better.”

He collapses forward, dead, with a pitiful face.

I check the area, confirming all but the thigh-wounded one are dead.

I approach the writhing guy, gritting his teeth, and lightly kick the shuriken in his thigh with my boot.

“AGH!! Stop! Please stop!!”

Good, still lively.

He won’t die soon from blood loss.

I drag a chair they were using, sit in front of him, and point my sword’s tip at him.

“Answer my questions honestly. Got it?”

“Y-Yes… will you… save me?”

“Depends on your attitude. Understand?”

“Yes! Yes!!”

“Good… tell me about this ‘hitting Yurei’ plan. And how many buddies you’ve got.”

He’s high school age, maybe?

Whatever.

Tears and snot streaming, he talks desperately.

Scared of death, he’s shaken, but here’s the gist:

• • Their group’s middle school classmates and seniors/juniors—a “half-delinquent” gang.

• • Including them, 27 total.

• • Since the world went to hell, they’ve used a construction company warehouse owned by one’s family as a base.

• • They’ve attacked zombies and survivors, killing for fun, stealing supplies, assaulting and murdering women.

• • Survivors are scarce now, so they planned to raid Yurei for supplies.

• • They’ve scouted Yurei, confirming ample resources.

• • The warehouse has heavy machinery and explosives for blasting; they’ll use those to break the gate and storm in.

• • They’ll handle cops with hunting rifles from a nearby gun shop.

He resisted on their origins and numbers, but a light sword jab to his good thigh got him talking.

Such beautiful friendship.

What a stupid plan.

Explosives and rifles are threats, but moving heavy machinery or dump trucks makes noise audible from miles away.

Think the cops’ll just wait while they set explosives?

Even if they blast the gate, how’ll they block the hole?

Zombies’ll flood in.

Youth and stupidity—zero planning.

They’ve gotten by on bravado, but this plan’s doomed.

The cops aren’t idiots, and the shelter’s got Kanzaki-san, Miyata-san, maybe even Mondo-occhan.

Still, I can’t let them be.

Their machinery’s noise could draw zombie hordes, and if they somehow blow the gate, zombies could invade.

Good thing I ran into them… low odds, but it could’ve been a disaster.

Miyata-san mentioned suspicious survivors scouting Yurei—probably these guys.

Scary part is, it might not be just them.

I got their base’s address; no more useful info.

I pause questioning, retrieve my cross shuriken and sword naginata from the bodies, wiping them on their clothes.

Back to the guy, I yank the shuriken from his thigh.

“Ow!?”

“Anything you haven’t told me?”

“N-No… I told you everything! Really!!”

“Got it.”

I wipe the sword, sheathe it.

His face brightens, but darkens as I lift the bloodied sword naginata.

“Your pals are waiting in hell. I’ll send you so you don’t get lost.”

“N-No… wait, wait, wait!!”

He pleads, tears streaming.

“I told you everything!! You said you’d save me!!”

“Never said that, moron. Besides…”

“No! No way!! Please!!”

I swing the sword naginata down hard, embedding it in his skull and the floor.

I overdid it in my anger.

“…I’m killing you because you told me everything.”

I grab my backpack, eco-bags, and their two machetes, heading to the truck.

After unloading, I spot two mid-sized trucks in the lot, marked with their construction company’s name.

The shelter can use these.

I took their keys, so their pals can’t drive them.

I won’t give them time to retrieve them.

No waiting till Friday—I’ll raid tomorrow and wipe them out.

I’m no saint, but I choose who I kill.

Arrogant to pick who lives or dies, but some people shouldn’t exist.

First, I need to report to Miyata-san.

Back to the shelter.

In the truck, I notice blood on my vest and jacket, so I strip them off.

Not too bad—washing’ll fix it.

Just don’t want Miku-chan worrying.

“Tanakano-san, hello! …Something happened?”

Moriyama-kun, on gate duty, looks concerned.

Was my face that bad?

Gotta be careful.

“Nah, just been in a place crawling with zombies and bugs… Where’s Miyata-san?”

“Wow, rough… Inspector’s in the judo dojo.”

“Thanks!”

I park, head inside.

I’m too worked up—better avoid Miku-chan till my face calms down.

“Tanakano-san, hello… Something happened, didn’t it?”

Busted by Kanzaki-san!

No fooling her sharp instincts.

“…Yeah, I need to report to Miyata-san. Will you come, Kanzaki-san?”

“Yes, I’d follow even if you said no. Can’t leave you with that face.”

So pushy!

Is my face that bad!?

I knead my cheeks, heading to the dojo.

At the dojo, Miyata-san’s lifting dumbbells.

Wait, those are for two hands!?

“Tanakano-san… Something happened.”

What’s with everyone!?

Are they all psychic, or am I just terrible at hiding my face?

Probably the latter—my poker face sucks.

Feeling down, I explain the superstore incident.

It’s a long story, so we sit on the floor.

“…That’s the deal.”

Silence fills the dojo after I finish.

Kanzaki-san’s eyes are razor-sharp, like unsheathed blades.

Miyata-san’s… not calm!

His arms! They’re like metal!?

“It’s a sloppy plan, but as Tanakano-san said, we can’t ignore the risk.”

Kanzaki-san sighs.

“…Thank you, Tanakano-san. Good we know now…”

Miyata-san’s voice is heavy.

“I’ll dispatch a police team, including myself—”

“No, no, no, Miyata-san! You can’t leave this place unguarded!!”

He’s casually planning to lead a raid!?

“B-But…”

“Listen, I told you so you’d lock this place down tight, not go on the attack!”

I stop him.

Sure, he’d crush a dozen punks, but they need to stay and protect.

Police are way better at defense than me.

I attack, they defend.

“They’re not a big group. Leave it to me.”

“But you’re always taking the burden…”

“It’s fine, it’s my thing. I do it ‘cause I want to. Oh, if I die, then raid them.”

“No way…”

“Tanakano-san…?”

Eek! Kanzaki-san’s terrifying!!

Knowing this, I can’t just say, “Good luck!” and leave.

I don’t want regrets.

No “if only I’d done that” thoughts.

Helping Ogahara-san wasn’t pure kindness.

It’s about living with peace of mind.

Killing for my own ease.

A different angle, and I’d be a monster.

I’m already one, picking who dies.

“By the way, Tanakano-san.”

Kanzaki-san leans closer.

“I can come along, right?”

“Was about to ask. It’s dangerous, but will you join?”

“Y-Yes!”

I hate dragging others in, but shuriken won’t cut it against rifles.

I don’t use guns, so Kanzaki-san’s essential.

She’d follow anyway, like last time.

“Occhan… don’t come. Protect Miku-chan and the others.”

“Don’t worry, I ain’t that tactless.”

Occhan’s at the dojo entrance—ninja much?

I hand the trucks’ keys to Miyata-san.

After this mess, the shelter can use them.

They won’t fit in my parking space.

Kanzaki-san and I set the raid for tomorrow morning.

Waiting risks them moving their base.

I give Miku-chan’s grandma the fabric and souvenirs, then head home.

…Even she asked if something happened.

Maybe I need a mask…

I install the new parts—my truck looks tough now.

Might as well get premium tires next.

I’ll hit a big auto shop soon.

To prep for tomorrow, I sleep early.