Jobless Man’s Zombie Survival Life - Chapter 76: The Matter of a Place I’d Rather Not Visit

Chapter 76: The Matter of a Place I’d Rather Not Visit

“Hey, you!”

On the first-floor corridor of Yurei High.

I came here to do my “job” (read: carefree exploration), only to get called out from behind.

Turning around, I see a middle-aged ossan standing there.

…He looks pissed.

Feels like I’ve run into trouble before even spotting Kanzaki-san.

“…Something you want with me?”

I toss out a question, keeping it casual.

No need to grovel just yet.

“Something, you say!?”

Whoa, whoa, whoa, he’s really mad.

I don’t recall doing anything to earn this kind of grudge.

“When are you gonna find my daughter!?”

…Oh, a search request client.

“We’ve been waiting forever!”

Even if you say that…

I’m just going where the wind takes me, you know?

“Well… thing is, there’s a ton of clients, and the police handle search location decisions…”

I lie as naturally as breathing.

“What!? The police…!? Damn, useless bunch, aren’t you!?”

The ossan spits the words and storms off.

Uh… could you maybe be a bit more polite?

I’m the great explorer, you know?

What a way to talk.

“Uh, excuse me~”

“What!?”

“Mind telling me the search location and your daughter’s name? I’ll talk to the police… though don’t get your hopes up.”

I put on my friendliest tone.

The ossan eagerly spills the name and place.

Hmm, got it… Alright, memorized!

“Please! I’m begging you!!”

“Ye~p.”

…Officially last on the list.

I said don’t expect much, so it’s fine, right?

If you’re so worried, go look yourself.

I’m the type to hold a grudge, sorry not sorry.

Learn to ask nicely next time.

Oh, wait, Ooki-kun’s fiancée—what’s-her-name—was already last.

Fine, this guy’s second-to-last.

A samurai’s mercy, kekeke.

“Tanakano-san, hello… What’s with that face?”

Moriyama-kun, passing by, looks horrified.

“…Handsome, right?”

“With those scars, you look like a scheming bandit.”

“…I’d prefer space pirate.”

Guess my face shows too much emotion…

Maybe grow out my bangs?

Or wear a mask or something…

Could be cool!

“…You’re plotting something bad, aren’t you?”

See! It’s on my face!!

※

“…So, let’s say search locations are police jurisdiction. On paper, at least.”

“Right… Sorry, Tanakano-san. We’ve told the evacuees to be polite, but…”

Miyata-san shrinks his massive frame in apology.

It’s not shrinking, though.

“Don’t sweat it. Miku-chan and the others aren’t here, so my rep doesn’t matter much.”

“That’s a relief to hear…”

The police have it rough.

Stuck here, working 24/7.

Defense, food procurement, production, and evacuee care.

Couldn’t be me…

I’m only good for fighting and exploring.

“Speaking of, Miyata-san… Any jobs besides searches?”

More important than evacuee requests.

Gotta stay on the police’s good side, like I always say.

Even if there’s no job, just asking makes a difference.

“…There’s one.”

Oh, rare.

“Leave it to me!”

※

“Ugh~ I really don’t wanna go~~~”

“…Rare to see you complain. Why not turn it down?”

“I said I’d do it… Gotta follow through.”

“Hehe… You’re oddly dutiful, Tanakano-san.”

In the pickup truck.

I drive slowly, staring at the passing scenery.

Kanzaki-san chuckles beside me.

“Still… the Central Library, huh…”

The job? Recon on another shelter.

The last police-run one in Shiiya City.

The “Shiiya City Central Library.”

Yep, that place the harem dude was headed for.

Unlike the three shelters we checked before, this wasn’t an official one.

It got skipped last time, but it’s apparently still active and police-run, based on recent info.

From evacuees who arrived at Yurei.

With Yurei’s food situation stabilizing, they’re taking in non-sketchy folks.

That’s the source.

Supposedly, surviving cops from Miku-chan’s elementary school and Yukiko-chan’s high school are running the library.

Some evacuees tried to stay there but were turned away for lack of space.

They were directed to Yurei.

Hmm, if they were fake cops like before, I’d have cut them down.

Could be legit.

Worth checking, but… if those four made it there, things could get messy.

“I’ll handle talking to the shelter leader. Tanakano-san, please guard my back.”

“Eh? Nah, that’s too much…”

“‘Right person, right place!’ Hehe, mimicking you.”

…Can’t win against her.

I already told her about those guys.

She saw through my attitude in a second, knew I was hiding something.

…Maybe I should consider a mask.

Or tint my helmet’s visor darker…

“…What’s that scheming face?”

“…Handsome, right?”

“Yes.”

“Pfft!?”

“Hah…!? Uh, like a cool space pirate!”

As expected! Kanzaki-san gets it!

Got me for a second there.

Kanzaki-san goes quiet for some reason as I drive slowly.

Let’s see, this main road, then…

Right at this signal with the Indian restaurant…

Oh, there’s the sign.

Haven’t been here much, so it was fuzzy.

Good thing the GPS keeps me from getting lost.

The library comes into view.

It’s called Central Library for a reason—huge.

Big parking lot out front.

The building’s a four-story square.

Last time I was here… high school?

I vaguely recall a big open courtyard and a wide empty lot out back.

Big enough for a shelter.

The courtyard and lot could be farms.

Now that I think about it, this place was a designated earthquake and flood shelter.

So, probably has a generator.

Pretty solid setup, all things considered.

I park at the road-side edge of the lot.

Pointed outward for a quick escape if needed.

We get out, but no one’s around.

My gear: wakizashi, assorted shuriken, and a grenade from Kanzaki-san.

All hidden under my vest, out of sight from the front.

Left the katana in the truck—don’t wanna spook the evacuees.

No zombies in sight, so the bokken stays too.

Kanzaki-san’s got her usual rifle and pistol.

Well, she’s SDF, so that’s normal.

The library entrance is barricaded with construction-site fencing.

Sandbags stacked behind it.

Sturdier than that shopping arcade setup.

No guards or sentries, though.

Alright, time for a little disguise.

I tie a bandana from the hardware store over my mouth and lower my helmet’s visor.

Should hide my face.

Super suspicious, but behind Kanzaki-san, I’ll blend in.

A gun-toting SDF soldier draws more attention.

The entrance is sealed, so what now?

The first floor’s glass, but bookshelves block the view inside.

It’s a library—bookshelves galore.

If this were exploration, I’d turn around.

Not this time.

“Let’s observe from here.”

“Yeah, getting too close isn’t smart.”

We return to the truck, and I use the monocular to scope the library.

Second floor’s blocked by bookshelves too.

Third floor… just the ceiling, bad angle.

Fourth floor… same.

Need a higher vantage point, but no tall buildings around.

“…Laundry on the rooftop.”

“Seriously? You can see that?”

“Under the water tower… reflecting off the metal.”

…Whoa, she’s right.

Sharp eyes.

It’s just a glimpse, but there’s a decent amount.

So, a sizable group of evacuees is here.

No other signs of life, though.

Entrance is sealed… maybe check the back?

We’ve confirmed it’s operational.

Honestly, I’m not thrilled about this.

Can’t we just head back?

“…Forcing our way in’s risky. Call it a day?”

“Agreed. We’ve confirmed it’s likely active.”

Kanzaki-san’s on the same page.

Ideally, we’d spot a cop, but…

After that shopping arcade mess, getting too close risks an attack.

That place had blind spots; this doesn’t.

A bow or crossbow from above would be bad news.

“If Taniya-sensei were here, arrows’d be no problem…”

“There’s a technique for that!?”

Kanzaki-san’s all over it.

Martial arts nut, as always.

“Uh, yeah… I’m not great at it, but there’s a wakizashi technique…”

Technically a dual-sword one.

You shift to minimize your profile, use the right-hand wakizashi for defense, then close in and attack with the left-hand katana.

“Man, brings back memories… Sensei’d just shoot arrows at me like it was nothing…”

“That’s intense training…!”

Thought I’d die.

Even without arrowheads, getting hit hurt.

Came home covered in weird bruises.

My sister thought I had some disease and almost called an ambulance.

“Well, if I focus on defense, I can manage. If it comes to that, I’ll leave the offense to you, Kanzaki-san.”

“Got it! Leave it to me!”

Deflecting incoming arrows is doable.

Downward shots have predictable paths.

Moving while shooting throws off aim, so it’s tougher.

Sensei could handle it, but I’m still green.

“Let’s head back… poke around somewhere to kill time.”

“No point lingering here.”

“Since we’re here, wanna hit a game shop for a redo?”

“I’m fine with anything. Do what you want, Tanakano-san.”

Man, what a great partner.

Alright, game shop it is.

There’s a chain store nearby with video rentals.

Not many retro games, but better than nothing.

Time for a hyped-up game shop adventure—

“Excuse me! Are you SDF!?”

…What timing.

We duck behind the truck’s hood.

Should be safe from arrows here.

“I am! Sergeant Kanzaki!”

Kanzaki-san shouts back.

I check with a mirror shard.

A third-floor window’s open, a cop looking down.

Hard to tell from here, but looks like a female officer.

“Thank goodness! We’d like to talk! …Come around back! There’s an entrance there!”

“…Understood!!”

Well, demon or snake, here we go…

Exchanging a glance with Kanzaki-san, we move, wary of snipers.