How Zombies Survive in the Apocalypse

Several days after leaving the radio tower.

While traveling along Interstate 67 through central Texas, Arian suddenly frowned.

“It looks like it’s going to stop again.”

She tapped the car window with her finger as she spoke.

Aiden’s group was currently using the compact car they had obtained from the radio tower.

Since the very first day, this mode of transportation had exhibited numerous issues, including engine failures.

Yet its condition still hadn’t improved much.

Excluding minor problems, there were two major issues with this vehicle.

First, its maximum speed was inadequate.

At best, it could only reach around 50 km/h – a speed that would make it difficult to properly flee if they encountered a zombie horde.

And the second problem was that the engine frequently stalled, just like now.

The frequency was consistent, about once every two hours.

Fortunately, before stalling, there would be changes in the engine sound that not only Arian but even Aiden could detect if focused.

“What a piece of junk. Why does it keep stopping?”

Due to this vehicle, over the past few days, Aiden’s group had found themselves stranded multiple times in the middle of empty roads.

After stopping and resting, the engine would eventually restart.

Based on that, Aiden had his own guesses about the cause.

“It’s probably overheating. There seems to be an issue with the cooling system.”

A common problem in older vehicles.

Saying that, Aiden maneuvered the car off the road and concealed it amidst nearby trees. He then turned off the ignition and waited for the engine to cool down.

The required time was approximately 30 minutes. A clear waste of time, but their destination for the day wasn’t far.

“Wouldn’t it be better to just walk at this point?”

Arian posed that sincere question.

Due to the series of issues, there wasn’t much difference in speed between traveling by this vehicle or on foot.

Moreover, the car was so small that they could barely load any luggage.

On top of that, they were still consuming fuel, so wouldn’t it be more convenient to simply walk?

However, Aiden shook his head.

“Walking also consumes energy. That would require more food and water. Just conserving those makes it worthwhile.”

“I… suppose you’re right.”

Arian responded with a sigh-like answer before exiting the car.

Sadie also seemed to have grown restless from being confined in the cramped interior, immediately following behind her.

Aiden also stepped out of the driver’s seat to inspect the vehicle’s condition.

Arian stretched while gazing up at the sky.

“By the way… there’s nothing around here at all.”

Beneath the drifting white clouds in the sky, their surroundings were a gentle plain. The only vegetation growing there was some weeds, nameless yellow wildflowers, and short trees.

A scenery that seemed to straddle the boundary between desert and prairie.

That landscape extended all the way to the horizon.

“…”

Arian and Sadie gazed blankly at that scenery.

In the autumn weather, a pleasantly cool breeze blew.

Not a single piece of litter or abandoned vehicle could be seen on the road.

A serene view completely devoid of any human traces.

However, Arian couldn’t fully appreciate it.

Instead, she felt preoccupied with concern.

Aiden’s group needed to find people.

Since leaving the radio tower, they hadn’t encountered a single person.

Naturally, their stockpile of blood had been completely depleted.

While they had secured enough blood for four people at the radio tower, human blood would spoil within a day or two.

For purposes other than combat, frequency of supply was more important than quantity.

“Sheesh…”

Arian let out a sigh, dismayed that such worries prevented her from properly enjoying nature.

Sensing something was amiss, Sadie looked up at Arian.

Arian simply smiled softly and stroked the child’s head, as if to say it was nothing.

They had been leisurely resting like that for about 10 minutes when…

“Over there…”

Arian’s gaze towards the horizon sharpened.

Like mold devouring a beautiful landscape painting, a dense wave of green corpses had suddenly appeared in her field of view.

“Aiden.”

Arian immediately called out to her companion.

Approaching their location was a zombie horde numbering in the hundreds.

The so-called roaming hordes that drifted across these plains.

“We need to evade them.”

Upon hearing those words, Aiden quickly reached that conclusion.

There was no reason to engage in combat, nor did they have that luxury.

The numbers were too overwhelming.

“Evade them is fine, but where to?”

Zombie hordes didn’t remain stationary, sweeping across the land like waves.

So to avoid them, the best choice was to hide inside a building out of their line of sight and wait for that wave to pass.

However, there was nothing to conceal themselves within in these surroundings.

Hiding among the trees or bushes, no taller than 2 meters, felt too unsafe.

“For now, let’s walk along the road. Something should appear eventually.”

Aiden spoke those words.

It was a makeshift measure, as there hadn’t been any suitable buildings along the path they had traveled thus far.

At least the zombie horde was still distant, and their next small-town destination was nearby.

Increasing the likelihood of finding a building to take shelter in.

“Gather our belongings. Pack lightly. We might not be able to return to the vehicle today.”

Aiden urged his companions.

In response, Sadie and Arian prepared the necessary food, water, and other supplies.

Aiden also armed himself, and once ready, the group immediately set off.

As they departed, Aiden briefly glanced back at the vehicle concealed amidst the bushes.

While somewhat rudimentary, it wasn’t easily noticeable to passersby on the road.

Despite being a barely functioning junker, Aiden hoped it would still be there upon their return, quickening his pace.

“There’s a side path over here.”

After walking along the road for a while, Arian spoke those words.

As she said, a dirt path branched off from the road.

Its entrance was blocked by a wire mesh gate, but at a height easily climbable.

It didn’t seem to have been erected by survivors.

This gate had likely been there to block this makeshift road since before the apocalypse three years ago.

What lay at the end of this road was obscured by the trees.

However, Aiden didn’t hesitate to change their direction towards it.

The existence of this path and gate naturally implied there was private property not far away.

“Over there.”

True to Aiden’s prediction, after proceeding a short distance, several buildings came into view.

Perhaps once someone’s residence or a farmstead.

A single container-like structure, a dilapidated house, and a large brick building could be seen.

Not the safest structures, but they had no choice at this point.

The zombie horde would be passing through here in just a few minutes. They needed to conceal themselves inside.

So Aiden led his group into the largest brick building.

Upon entering, they realized it was a stable.

However, the horses had clearly vacated long ago, leaving only some piles of hay behind.

“This should suffice.”

Aiden spoke as he closed the door.

If they remained quietly here for a while, the zombie horde would simply pass them by.

Just as Aiden’s group was feeling reassured, it was then that Arian, having sensed something, opened her mouth.

“Wait a moment. There are people heading this way.”

“You mean… humans?”

“Yes, humans.”

Arian pointed in a particular direction.

The opposite way from where Aiden’s group had approached.

“How many?”

“Six.”

It seemed they had also noticed the zombie horde and were rushing towards this building to evade it.

“What should we do?”

Arian asked.

While encountering people was a positive, the situation wasn’t ideal.

At this rate, they would have to directly face those people without any preparation.

Aiden contemplated briefly before speaking.

“If they enter here, it would be better to accept them.”

“Are you sure?”

“They likely won’t be able to fight either way.”

The zombie horde had already approached quite close.

Even if those people turned out to be plunderers or Eaters, firing guns here would be impossible. Doing so would only attract all the zombies outside straight towards them.

A surefire way for everyone to meet their demise.

So Aiden decided to first accept them inside, then observe their response.

“…Understood. If anything happens, I’ll deal with it.”

As Arian spoke those chilling words, the sound of multiple footsteps could be heard approaching.

That noise, rushing towards the stable Aiden was in, soon reached the entrance.

And just like that, the door was opened by someone.

“Eh…!”

The one who opened it was a man appearing to be in his 30s.

However, he simply froze at the entrance, not taking another step.

Upon discovering Aiden’s group already inside the stable, he was stunned into inaction by the surprise.

Then, another man following behind shoved him aside in annoyance.

“Why aren’t you going in? What’s in-“

But he too soon noticed Aiden’s group and couldn’t conceal his consternation.

They had clearly never expected anyone to be present here.

As he flustered and reached for the rifle slung across his back…

Aiden spoke in a low voice.

“It’s alright, come inside. We need to evade the zombies.”

At Aiden’s voice suggesting they avoid outright hostility, the man’s hand moving towards his rifle paused.

He had grasped Aiden’s intention of not antagonizing each other unnecessarily.

Even so, the wanderers didn’t easily enter.

Out of suspicion.

An understandable suspicion that couldn’t be faulted.

With that strange distrust in their gazes directed at Aiden…

However, their distrust didn’t last long.

“Keeeeeh…”

“Kiiiie…”

The cries of zombies had already approached perilously close.

No longer able to waste time, the wanderers forcibly suppressed the doubts surfacing in their minds and rushed into the stable.

And closed the door behind them.

“Phew…”

One of the wanderers let out a relieved sigh.

But that was the only sound they made.

“Kiee…”

Soon after, the distinct sound of decaying corpses dragging their feet past the building could be clearly heard.

Hundreds of footsteps scraped against the ground, separated only by the thin door.

Amidst that, the wanderers didn’t properly exhale, didn’t easily raise a finger.

If the zombies detected their presence, even for an instant, it would mean certain death.

“…”

All that could be heard from every direction were the footsteps and growls of the corpses.

In that nightmarish tension, the wanderers observed Aiden’s group, while Aiden’s group observed the wanderers.

As Arian had said, there were six wanderers.

The most noticeable were a Caucasian man and woman in their 40s, and a teenage girl in her mid-teens.

Based on their demeanor, they seemed to be a couple with their daughter.

Next to them were an Indian man and woman in their 30s.

And finally, there was also a black man appearing to be in his 20s.

Meanwhile, the wanderers were regarding Aiden’s group with great suspicion.

It wasn’t a strange reaction.

Above all else, Aiden was wearing a bulletproof helmet covering even his face, completely concealing his appearance.

Then there was Arian accompanying him.

If Aiden exuded an overtly suspicious aura, Arian was an existence that inexplicably provoked a sense of disquiet in people.

Outwardly an ordinary person, but with those crimson eyes and pallid complexion.

And that underlying aura of eeriness that instilled an inexplicable dread in humans.

However, the reason the wanderers didn’t outright show hostility towards them was due to Sadie’s presence.

Seeing the unknown child clinging closely behind Arian, it was clear she heavily depended on her companions. No matter how suspicious those people seemed, the fact that they were properly caring for a child instilled a minimum level of trust.

And soon, the zombie horde passed by the vicinity of that small factory building.

As the sound of their footsteps gradually faded until disappearing completely…

The Indian man and woman among the wanderers began whispering to each other.

“It’s quiet?”

“Does that mean… it’s over?”

“How should I know?”

“Instead of just talking, why don’t you go check?”

Prompted by the woman, the man grumbled as he approached the stable door.

Holding a club in one hand, he cautiously opened that door a crack.

Fortunately, there were no corpses suddenly bursting through.

“…”

He opened the door and surveyed the surroundings.

Then, he boldly stepped outside before soon returning with a relieved expression.

“They’re gone. Looks like they’ve all passed through.”

At those words, sighs of relief escaped from the wanderers.

With the external threat now gone, their awareness naturally shifted towards the interior of the stable.

It was right after that when they refocused their attention on Aiden’s group.

“…”

A strange silence lingered between the two groups for a moment.

It was the wanderers’ side that first spoke up.

“Umm… well, thanks for that, I suppose.”

The oldest among the wanderers, the Caucasian man in his 40s, addressed those words to Aiden.

After Aiden nodded, the man flashed a slight smile as he continued.

“Name’s Carter Young. What about you?”

His tone carried a vaguely casual air.

Pondering that impression, Aiden introduced himself as usual.

“Aiden Lee, a junk dealer.”