How Zombies Survive in the Apocalypse

“What’s there to think about? We need to leave this place.”

One of the wanderers gathered in the plaza spoke up.

Sighs could be heard from all around.

Having to move in the dead of night was an immensely burdensome prospect.

But they couldn’t just stay put either.

If it was true that Fear led countless mutants in marching every night, then as the man said, remaining here would be even more reckless.

In the end, the wanderers had no choice but to opt for the lesser evil.

Those who had made up their minds exchanged glances with each other.

“It’s fine if we’re leaving, but where are we going?”

“We have to head east. That’s the only way.”

The west and south of Phoenix were already overrun with zombies.

And the north was too close to Glendale in the northwest, leaving the east as the safest direction.

As the conversation progressed to that point, some impatient wanderers had already started packing their belongings.

It was then that the woman who had first spoken opened her mouth again.

“Since we’ll be moving anyway, let’s all move together.”

She then proposed that all the wanderers travel together.

It was a reasonable suggestion.

Even if they immediately departed for the east, it would be difficult to leave the metropolitan area before nightfall.

There was also the possibility of encountering any hidden mutants if they were unlucky.

So it would be far more advantageous to move as a group rather than separately.

“That does sound better.”

“It’s unsettling, but… this is the best option for now.”

In agreement with the woman’s proposal, wanderers gathered around her.

Watching those people, Arian turned to look at Aiden.

“What will we do?”

“…Hard to say.”

Unlike his usual self, Aiden hesitated in making a decision at Arian’s question.

He was already overlapping this situation in Phoenix with his past experience – the events in Pittsburgh.

Back then, he had faced off against the Commander who had led countless zombies and mutants, and apart from the larger scale, the current circumstances were uncannily similar.

At that time, Aiden had chosen to fight rather than flee.

An inevitable choice made due to lacking the time to escape.

But the result had been disastrous.

Despite having the irregular combatant Arian, the only one he could save was Sadie.

Sadie’s mother Rebecca, and their companion Diana, had been sacrificed in that battle-torn building.

That’s why Aiden understood better than anyone how perilous it would be to confront Fear, who was said to lead even larger hordes of zombies than before.

So in this case, Aiden should have also joined the wanderers’ group, combining their strength to safely evacuate from here.

However, the reason Aiden couldn’t readily make that decision was due to a certain apprehension.

No, perhaps ‘intuition’ would be a more apt term.

The image of the nest he had seen at a certain military base refused to leave his mind.

The horrific scene blanketed in human bones.

But from that nest, one thing could be discerned.

Fear was not an ordinary mutant, exceptional not just in physical abilities but also in terms of intelligence.

That’s why the current situation bothered Aiden.

The creature was pressing inwards from three of the four cardinal directions, leaving the east that originally had fewer zombies wide open.

To Aiden, it seemed far too intentional.

Of course, rationally thinking, such a notion was absurd.

The idea that decayed-brained zombies could formulate strategies, predict human behaviors, and lure them into a trap was an extremely far-fetched story.

So perhaps it was simply a coincidence, and following that path was the correct judgment.

“Still… doesn’t something seem off to you?”

However, Aiden’s apprehension was not his alone.

Arian seemed to share a similar thought.

When Aiden asked why she felt that way, Arian nonchalantly answered.

“Well… it’s just something other people might find difficult to consider.”

“What do you mean?”

“They don’t know you like I do.”

The basis for Arian’s thinking was none other than Aiden himself.

Just as there was a human-like zombie like him, couldn’t there also be mutants somewhere in between humans and zombies?

“…”

At those words, Aiden fell silent.

It was an unconventional perspective, but it did make sense.

Aiden had judged himself to be an individual whose zombification had halted for some reason.

But if he were to be categorized as one of the mutant variants of zombies… then Arian’s words weren’t entirely implausible.

“So you’re not going to join them?”

After a brief silence, Arian followed up with another question.

By now, the wanderers had gathered around the entrance.

Their number was approximately 400.

Over 80% of the 500 or so wanderers in the camp had assembled together.

While there were those who didn’t join, even they were mostly preparing to leave this place or had already departed.

Aiden shook his head as he observed them.

“If the east really is a trap… then we can no longer leave the city.”

“Ah, just like in Pittsburgh, huh.”

“…Yeah.”

A situation with no way out.

But Aiden had faced such an enemy before, so he also knew the way to break through.

“Which is why we need to strike first this time.”

Specifically, dealing with Fear itself.

A massive zombie horde including mutants couldn’t exist without something controlling their instincts. So if they took down the one controlling them, the zombie horde would naturally disband.

Of course, that was easier said than done… but it had been possible in Pittsburgh.

Aiden would have to utilize that experience.

“But… we won’t be enough on our own.”

After a moment’s contemplation, Aiden said those words.

He then looked towards the direction of the clinic run by the Millers.

There were people there unable to join the wanderers’ evacuation group.

Injured patients and their companions staying with them.

For them, the others’ proposal to immediately pack up and leave Phoenix was an impossibility.

Leaving Phoenix meant having to travel dozens of kilometers across the desert overnight.

Even if they carried their companions instead of belongings, there were obvious limits.

If they recklessly tried to keep up, they would inevitably fall behind eventually.

Among those people was the sight of Sophia and her companions, at a loss over what to do.

Their number totaled around 30.

Compared to the vast zombie hordes, it was a mere handful, but for Aiden, even that much assistance was desperately needed.

He immediately approached them.

“What will you all do?”

At Aiden’s words, Sophia fell silent.

They had no good options either.

So to them, Aiden proposed joining forces with him.

“Is there a way?”

Harboring a faint hope, Sophia asked.

Aiden plainly laid out his thoughts.

“We need to occupy a tall, narrow building and defend it through the night. That’s the best option. This place should work.”

Aiden pointed out a suitable building on his map.

It was a high-rise apartment complex located about 3km from the camp.

With its height reaching 20 floors and its apartment structure, it fit Aiden’s criteria precisely.

Additionally, even while carrying injured patients, it was a distance they could reach within an hour.

However, Sophia’s expression didn’t brighten upon hearing Aiden’s explanation.

In the end, it meant risking their lives in combat.

“Even then, it will be difficult to hold out against that many zombies.”

“Your words are true, of course.”

Aiden understood Sophia’s concerns.

But for them, there were no other choices left.

“But at the very least, it will be far better than staying here. If we can’t leave this place, we’ll have to fight eventually.”

“…”

Sophia closed her mouth.

Aiden was right.

After a brief consultation with her companions Mateo and Chloe, she soon nodded in agreement.

“Alright. We’ll go with you too.”

Sophia said those words as she joined Aiden’s side.

And before long, the other injured patients and their companions at the clinic also joined Aiden’s group.

“You as well?”

Among those who joined were the Millers themselves.

Unlike the injured who couldn’t easily leave the city, Aiden expressed his doubts about the Millers’ decision to accompany them.

At that, Logan shrugged his shoulders and spoke up.

“Isn’t it the same for you? You could have fled this place too. But you didn’t. There must be a reason for that.”

“…”

“All we’re doing is trusting your judgment. The people I’ve seen in you all are… extraordinary.”

If that was the case, Aiden had nothing more to say.

And so, around 30 people gathered around Aiden as the central point.

The first thing Aiden told them was to sell off all their food and water supplies.

“Use your food supplies to buy weapons. Before those people depart.”

Aiden pointed towards the wanderers who had just started their preparations to leave.

For those fleeing to avoid combat, procuring food and water for crossing the desert would be their top priority.

So if they proposed trades, the wanderers would gladly hand over any surplus weapons they had.

“But…”

However, food and water supplies were also crucial resources for Aiden’s group.

So some hesitated over the trades, but Aiden’s words were firm.

“Isn’t surviving today more important than worrying about food for tomorrow?”

Urged by his words, the people soon followed Aiden’s instructions.

The fleeing wanderers didn’t miss this final opportunity to secure more supplies before their departure.

As a result, Aiden’s group was able to obtain a considerable number of weapons.

“Move out!”

Immediately after, the 400 or so wanderers who had chosen to flee finally completed their preparations and left the camp.

With their departure, the once bustling plaza fell deathly silent, as if emptied.

All that remained were the 30 or so people and their newly acquired weapons.

“How are we supposed to carry all these?”

Seeing the mountain of weapons, Sophia asked.

The others seemed to share similar concerns, but Aiden reassured them as he spoke.

“We’ll move them by truck. No need to worry.”

“What? There was a truck?”

Of course, Aiden didn’t actually have a truck.

However, just before, Aiden had also sold off all his remaining food and water supplies, exchanging half for weapons and the other half for blood.

As a result, Aiden’s group now had a considerable amount of blood reserves, which Aiden intended to utilize.

“…”

Without a word, Aiden gave Arian a meaningful look.

In response, Arian nodded, indicating no problems.

“Then let’s get moving too. The sun will be setting soon.”

Aiden led the group, including Sophia’s companions and the Millers, out of the camp.

* * *

Around an hour later, just as the sun had fully set.

They were able to reach the apartment complex, their destination.

“…Fortunately, the building seems to be in decent condition.”

Having arrived just in time, Aiden spoke as he observed the apartment building.

Towering alone amidst the residential and commercial areas, the apartment’s presence stood out prominently compared to the mostly one to three-story buildings surrounding it.

“Wh… When did this…”

And in front of that apartment were all the weapons they had acquired from the camp, already moved here.

But there was no time to question it.

The sun had set, and darkness had fallen.

It meant the zombies, including Fear, would start moving soon, and considering the distance, they would likely arrive here within two hours at most.

“Get up to the higher floors. I’ll secure the building.”

Aiden took the lead in ensuring the apartment’s safety.

The scattered dozen or so zombies inside had their heads instantly blown apart.

Meanwhile, the apartment’s structure had three elevators and emergency staircases at each end of the building.

As expected, those corridors and staircases were narrow and elongated.

Based on the apartment’s internal layout, Aiden began preparing their defenses.

First, he moved furniture to block the narrow emergency staircases, constructing barricades.

Additionally, he set up booby traps using grenades and such between those barricades.

He secured three of these defensive lines on each side’s staircase, spaced two floors apart.

Not stopping there, he even erected barricades in the hallways on the topmost floor.

That would be their final line of defense.

After establishing these defensive positions, Aiden stationed people and weapons at each section.

For hastily constructed defenses, their sturdiness was quite considerable.

The barricades, fortified not just with explosives but even mounted with hundreds of rounds of machine gun ammunition, were impregnable by regular zombies alone.

Moreover, with the narrow staircases they would have to climb, even most mutants would find it challenging to breach through.

As the defenses gradually took shape, the expressions of the people lightened with relief.

However, Arian, watching from behind, inwardly voiced her concerns.

“Will this really be enough?”

She too seemed to be recalling the events in Pittsburgh as she observed the current situation.

The zombies were approaching Aiden’s group in the same manner as back then.

But up to this point, Aiden’s countermeasures hadn’t differed much either.

It was merely a matter of having slightly more people this time.

That’s why the memory of losing two companions back then resurfaced for Arian. She couldn’t help but worry if similar sacrifices would have to be made this time as well.

But Aiden declared that this time would be different.

“We made a mistake back then. From the start, we should have targeted it directly.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve set up booby traps at the entrance on the first floor. If the horde comes rushing in, it should immediately draw their attention.”

Arian raised her eyebrows at those unexpected words.

She had thought Aiden would try to hole up in this building as quietly as possible today.

But he was saying he intended to actively lure the zombies to them.

And that wasn’t all.

“Also, you and I won’t be defending the front lines today.”

He said he would entrust the building’s defense entirely to the other people.

It sounded preposterous, but Arian calmly followed up with another question.

“Then… what will we do?”

“We’re going to the rooftop. From there, we’ll locate it. Once it realizes this place isn’t empty, it’s bound to reveal itself.”

Slung across Aiden’s back was a large-caliber sniper rifle equipped with a night scope.

“If we can take it down with sniping like last time, that would be ideal. But if not…”

The gaze within Aiden’s helmet silently turned towards Arian.

It was then that Arian understood Aiden’s intentions.

Rather than responding passively like before, he planned to actively lure out the creature this time.

It was an audacious approach, but not an impossible one.

The longer this dragged on, the more disadvantageous it became for their side.

That’s why, instead of playing decoy amid the zombies and mutants, Aiden aimed to hunt down the leader, Fear, as quickly as possible.

“…Got it. I’ll go.”

Understanding his plan, Arian nodded in agreement.

Coincidentally, as she looked outside, the faint moonlight illuminated the far horizon, which seemed to be stirring.

To human eyes, it merely appeared as if the darkness was rippling.

But Arian’s eyes could clearly see it.

A zombie horde numbering at least in the hundreds of thousands was surging towards this location.