How Zombies Survive in the Apocalypse

“So it is.”

The man standing before Aiden nodded his head in an exaggerated manner.

He then extended his hand towards Aiden.

“I am Colonel Nelson.”

An offer to shake hands, it seemed.

Aiden lightly grasped Nelson’s hand.

However, observing Aiden’s hand, Nelson’s brow furrowed as he expressed displeasure.

“What an ill-mannered fellow.”

“What do you mean?”

“You don’t even show your face to someone requesting a greeting, keeping those gloves on instead.”

Nelson chided Aiden with an arrogant tone and attitude.

Having heard such remarks numerous times before, Aiden simply provided a straightforward response.

“It’s for personal reasons.”

Aiden offered no further explanation.

Which seemed to cause Nelson’s expression to gradually stiffen.

Unable to tolerate it any longer, one of the soldiers behind Nelson spoke up.

“A junk dealer meeting the colonel is required to show their face. That’s the rule.”

“A rule? That would be the Liberation Front’s rule. And I’m not part of the Liberation Front.”

Aiden stated that matter-of-factly.

However, his response only seemed to further solidify the tense atmosphere between Nelson and his soldiers.

Nelson raised his eyebrows in an affronted manner, and the soldiers appeared ready to draw their weapons at any moment.

The only one caught in the middle with an uncertain expression was Keira, who Aiden had saved just the previous day.

It was Nelson himself who broke through that charged atmosphere.

“Enough. He’s not wrong. This outsider isn’t part of our unit, after all.”

He spoke those words in a tone mimicking a magnanimous commander.

Only after Nelson’s statement did his soldiers’ aggressive stances subside.

He then nonchalantly continued his line of questioning.

“Do you have any companions?”

In response to that inquiry, Aiden briefly pondered before nodding affirmatively.

There was no point in concealing that fact from the individuals who had tracked them down here.

Aiden gestured with his gaze towards the area behind him.

There sat Arian and Sadie on the church pews.

“Are those two all you have?”

“That’s right. But why are you asking?”

“Then allow me to intrude for a moment.”

At Colonel Nelson’s signal, the ten soldiers accompanying him and Keira attempted to enter Aiden’s group’s temporary shelter.

“Would you step aside?”

Nelson spoke those words to Aiden, who was obstructing the entrance.

Rather than physical action, Aiden responded verbally first.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“There’s something I need to verify. Rest assured, I won’t do anything to harm you or your companions. As long as you don’t interfere, that is.”

Beneath his helmet, Aiden’s brow furrowed slightly.

To abruptly force their way into someone else’s shelter without any prior notice…

It was an exceedingly discourteous demand.

However, Aiden ultimately stepped aside to allow them entry.

If they truly intended to attack Aiden’s group, it would be more advantageous to confront them inside rather than outside the building.

Yet the actions they exhibited immediately afterwards vastly diverged from Aiden’s expectations.

Nelson’s subordinates began searching through the modest church that served as their temporary shelter.

Keira’s expression became one of utter bewilderment as well.

Clearly, she hadn’t anticipated this situation either.

“Colonel, you can’t possibly mean to-“

“Silence.”

Nelson curtly cut off Keira’s words with a dismissive wave of his hand.

Addressing the dumbfounded Keira, who had lost her words while staring at Nelson, he added a single remark.

“There won’t be any issues if this junk dealer has done nothing wrong, will there?”

“Wrong, you say? What do you mean by that?”

This time, it was Aiden who posed the question.

Without averting his gaze from his subordinates conducting the search, Nelson continued speaking.

“I’ve heard the stories. That you’re supposedly a doctor?”

“I merely reported the possibility.”

Keira hurriedly interjected.

It wasn’t surprising that she had discerned Aiden’s former profession as a physician.

During their previous encounter, Aiden hadn’t concealed his white coat or hospital ID from Keira.

“So I’m asking you directly now. Well, junk dealer? Are you truly a doctor?”

“…I was, once.”

“And therein lies your error.”

At Nelson’s incomprehensible statement, Aiden fixed him with a stern gaze.

Nelson continued in a lowered tone.

“The leisure district you were present in yesterday belongs to the Liberation Front. Naturally, any medical supplies found there are our property as well. And if you’re a doctor, you would surely covet such supplies, wouldn’t you?”

“…”

It was then that Aiden realized the reason behind their abrupt intrusion this morning.

While Nelson’s words were undoubtedly biased, they weren’t entirely without basis.

Even if the Liberation Front had failed to fully reclaim that area…

They had sacrificed personnel across four separate scouting attempts solely to secure that location’s resources, finally managing to eliminate the zombies occupying it.

From the Liberation Front’s perspective, the sudden appearance of an outsider like Aiden was akin to ants swarming over a carefully prepared feast.

“We’ve come to reclaim what is rightfully ours. Do you have anything else to say?”

Nelson maintained his arrogant demeanor as he posed that question to Aiden.

Aiden remained silent.

He had plenty of retorts, but saw no need to voice them at this juncture.

His innocence would soon be proven regardless.

“The search is complete.”

Shortly after, the soldiers who had thoroughly inspected their shelter approached, carrying items they had discovered.

Those were the medical supplies in Aiden’s group’s possession.

Upon seeing them, Nelson’s expression slightly contorted with displeasure.

“Is this everything?”

“Yes. We’ve searched multiple times, and this is all there is.”

What the soldiers had brought consisted solely of syringes for blood collection, bandages, disinfectants, and a modest quantity of antibiotics and painkillers.

Of those items, the syringes for blood collection comprised the largest portion but held little inherent value.

While the bandages and disinfectants were valuable resources, their worth paled in comparison to other medical supplies.

The antibiotics and painkillers were the most valuable, but their quantities were limited.

“Not much, is there?”

As if disappointed by the unexpected outcome, Nelson let out a derisive chuckle.

However, he swiftly continued speaking.

“But it remains an act of theft, regardless of the amount. The quantity is irrelevant.”

Nelson gestured towards the medicine bottles.

The antibiotics and painkillers were undoubtedly the ones Aiden had retrieved from the water park building the previous day.

Even so, Aiden shook his head at Nelson’s accusation.

“Calling it theft is a stretch.”

“What did you say?”

“It’s legitimate compensation.”

Averting his gaze from Nelson’s scrutinizing stare, Aiden indicated the woman standing nearby with a troubled expression – Keira.

“If you had listened to this woman’s report, you would know that I saved the life of one of your subordinates. And I did so by taking down a Wielder mutant, no less.”

“So what of it?”

“I’m a junk dealer. If I perform a task, I deserve compensation. Or are you implying that woman’s life held no value whatsoever?”

Nelson’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

While he likely desired to vehemently deny Aiden’s words through sheer obstinacy…

Keira, the very person involved, was present here alongside the other soldiers.

In a situation where morale was already wavering due to the significant casualties they had suffered the previous day…

He saw no need to further invite controversy over a single outsider.

More importantly, it seemed Aiden hadn’t tampered with the items Nelson was most concerned about.

So, with a brief sigh, Nelson chose to concede ground.

“…Very well. If that’s the case, I’ll grant you that concession. As you said, the lives of our unit members are paramount.”

Nelson spoke those words with a solemn tone, as if acknowledging Aiden’s perspective.

However, coming from the commander who had willingly led over a hundred individuals to mutual annihilation with zombies just the day before… His demeanor struck Aiden as utterly hypocritical.

“Then I suppose there’s nothing more to see here. Let’s depart.”

Nelson addressed his subordinates as he turned to leave.

However, it was at that moment Aiden verbally called out to halt him.

“Wait a moment.”

“What is it now?”

“There was something else I was supposed to receive. The right to trade with the Liberation Front.”

Hmm– Nelson let out a contemplative hum.

But without much further deliberation, he granted Aiden’s request with an air of indifference.

“Very well. I’ll permit it. Lieutenant Harris?”

“I’ll process it immediately.”

“Then I suppose that settles the matter?”

At Nelson’s words, Aiden calmly nodded in affirmation.

It was only then that Nelson, along with the soldiers who had accompanied him, finally exited the church premises in a disorderly rush.

In that interim, Keira, who had been fidgeting anxiously throughout, approached Aiden.

“I’m sorry. I truly didn’t expect things to turn out like this.”

Keira spoke those words to Aiden in a small voice.

However, she had no need to apologize. As a member of the Liberation Front, reporting information about Aiden was simply her duty.

“No, it’s alright. In the end, the situation resolved favorably.”

At Aiden’s reassurance, Keira lowered her head once more before departing with the soldiers.

* * *

Later that afternoon…

Aiden was meeting with Parker, the individual who had initially requested his services from the Liberation Front.

“So this is the medicine?”

Parker inquired as he examined the bottle of antibiotics Aiden had provided.

“That’s correct. However, be aware that the treatment won’t be instantaneous. It will likely take around three days before the fever starts subsiding, and about a week to return to a normal body temperature. Even after that, the medication will need to be continued for some time.”

“Oh, I see? Understood.”

Receiving the unexpectedly thoughtful supplementary explanation atypical of an ordinary junk dealer, Parker simply nodded his head.

He was newly realizing that Aiden had indeed been a doctor.

“Next is your compensation.”

“Sure, take whatever you want.”

Parker offered the entire ammunition belt he had been wearing.

It contained spare rifle magazines and a few grenades.

Observing it, Aiden couldn’t help but inquire out of lingering uncertainty.

“Is it really alright for you to hand over these kinds of items? As a sentry, weren’t they issued to you by the Liberation Front?”

“It’s fine. Those bastards refuse to give out even basic medicine if your rank is too low, no matter how hard you work. This is practically my wages. And if I claim I encountered zombies during patrols, they won’t have any grounds to object.”

Parker dismissed it with a casual wave of his hand, asserting he would take responsibility.

Since his words rang true, Aiden collected an appropriate portion as compensation before returning the ammunition belt.

“Speaking of which, what about the rest? You already received the trading rights, didn’t you?”

Recalling the additional promised compensation, Parker posed that question.

In truth, Aiden hadn’t deemed anything else particularly suitable as an alternative.

So Aiden carefully presented him with a syringe instead.

“Would you be willing to donate some blood?”

“My blood? Why?”

“I can’t disclose the reason.”

Aiden’s firm statement caused Parker to regard him with a brief suspicious gaze.

However, he soon seemed to dismiss that doubt, shrugging his shoulders as he responded.

“I see? Well, alright then. If that’s sufficient…”

Aiden then skillfully drew Parker’s blood.

Perhaps due to recognizing Aiden as a former doctor, Parker calmly observed the process before speaking up in a friendly manner.

“If this ends up curing my wife, I’ll have her donate blood too.”

“I appreciate it.”

Whether it was merely an empty platitude or a sincere gesture, Aiden simply accepted it with those words.

And so, Parker’s request had been fully resolved.

Seemingly eager to administer the medicine to his wife as soon as possible, Parker hurriedly departed from their meeting location, while Aiden watched his retreating back before turning away.

* * *

Ten days later…

During that period, Aiden’s group had been accepting and fulfilling requests from the Liberation Front while preparing for their long journey ahead.

However, the compensation provided by the Liberation Front was bizarrely meager.

Despite Aiden and Arian actively completing two requests per day on average, it was barely sufficient to replenish their depleted supplies.

Even so, Aiden’s group had fortunately managed to complete their journey preparations to a reasonable extent.

And today marked the final stage of those preparations.

“Hmph…”

The Liberation Front’s technician, who had inspected Aiden’s vehicle, let out a brief sigh.

An aging Native American man well into his 60s, gradually approaching elderly status.

He rolled his shoulders as he turned to address Aiden.

“You really found yourself quite the vehicle here. This thing is incredibly old, you know.”

“Old, you say? How old exactly?”

Aiden inquired.

While he had sensed the vehicle’s design exuded a distinctly classic aesthetic, he hadn’t known its precise age.

“This model came out right around the time I first moved to Texas… so yeah, it’s probably around 40 years old. Whoever owned it before must have really taken care of this thing.”

“…”

The technician’s response exceeded even Aiden’s expectations.

40 years old, practically an antique.

“So will you be able to repair it?”

“Nah, not unless we completely replace the engine. You said it keeps overheating and stalling, right? Well, this model has some fundamental design flaws with the engine that cause those issues.”

Aiden let out a contemplative hum.

Vehicle repairs had been his top priority, but it seemed there was no viable solution.

As if offering consolation, the technician continued speaking.

“That said, if we replace some consumables like the engine oil and coolant, we might be able to reduce the frequency of those overheating incidents. It’s the best we can do, so shall we give it a try?”

Aiden nodded in agreement.

While unsatisfactory, it appeared he would have to settle for that level of repair.

Acquiring an entirely new vehicle was hardly a simple task, after all.

Wooooooong!

After completing the vehicle maintenance, Aiden climbed into the driver’s seat and started the engine.

Indeed, the engine sound seemed to have improved compared to its previous condition, if only slightly.

“Well, take care out there.”

Bidding farewell to the technician, Aiden drove the vehicle out from the Liberation Front’s base premises.

Having navigated the arduous procedures to exit once more, he returned to the church serving as their temporary shelter, where his companions awaited.

“I suppose it’s time we departed from here as well.”

Aiden muttered those words as he stepped out of the vehicle upon arriving at the church.

By now, they had essentially concluded their business in Amarillo.

Whooooosh-

A gust of wind blew in at that opportune moment.

The wind’s chill had transitioned from merely cool to outright cold.

The autumn, which had approached the cusp of summer not long ago, had swiftly advanced towards winter.

Should their next destination be westward, as expected…?

Just as Aiden had contemplated discussing that with his companions-

Bang!

The sound of distant gunfire reached his ears.

There was no need for Aiden to be on heightened alert – the source was quite far away.

So he simply gazed in the direction from which the gunshots had emanated.

It was… the area where the Liberation Front’s base was located, the very place Aiden had departed from earlier.

And for some reason, that gunfire didn’t cease after a single shot.