CHAPTER 30: THE SEEDS OF REBELLION
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May 2, 20XX – 10:00 PM
On the Bus, Somewhere in Tokonosu
The bus’s dim, flickering lights cast long shadows across the cramped interior. The seats were packed with teenagers—young, impressionable minds that had long since surrendered themselves to Koichi Shido’s influence. Laughter, whispers, and low murmurs filled the air as the group engaged in debauchery, their inhibitions discarded like the remnants of the old world they had left behind.
In the back of the bus, Shido sat like a king overseeing his court, a twisted grin plastered across his face. His followers writhed in a haze of lust and rebellion, lost in what he referred to as "free time." To him, it was more than just indulgence—it was a carefully orchestrated descent into madness, a way to bind his followers to him even tighter.
‘Look at them,’ Shido mused, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. ‘So easily controlled, so eager to give in to their basest instincts. They don’t even realize they’re playing right into my hands.’
Shido’s gaze shifted to the window, where the faint glow of the moon illuminated the desolate city streets. In the distance, he could make out the looming silhouette of the Takagi Estate, barely visible but ever-present in his mind.
'They’re living in their false paradise, under the thumb of Souichiro Takagi,’ he thought bitterly. ‘But soon, they’ll see the truth. They’ll see the power I hold.'
Just then, a soft voice interrupted his thoughts. "Sensei..."
Shido turned his attention to Yamada, a skinny teen with anxious eyes, sitting near the front of the bus. The boy looked uncomfortable, his fingers fidgeting with the hem of his shirt as he glanced nervously at the others.
"I’ve been thinking..." Yamada began hesitantly, "About my family... Shouldn’t we... Shouldn’t we try to find them?"
The bus went quiet, all eyes turning to Yamada. Shido’s smile faded, replaced by a cold, calculating expression. He slowly rose from his seat, the weight of his presence palpable as he approached the boy.
"Your family?" Shido repeated, his voice dangerously low. "What did I tell you about clinging to the past, Yamada?"
Yamada swallowed hard, visibly trembling under Shido’s gaze. "I-I just thought... maybe they’re still out there... maybe we could help them—"
"HELP THEM?" Shido’s voice rose sharply, silencing any murmurs of dissent among the group. He took a step closer, leaning down until his face was inches from Yamada’s. "The only help you’ll find out there is death. Weakness has no place in the New World we’re building. Do you understand that?"
Yamada’s lip quivered, but he nodded meekly, unable to meet Shido’s piercing gaze.
Shido straightened up, turning his back to the boy. His voice dripped with disdain as he addressed the entire bus. "This is what happens when we allow weakness to fester. This... disease of caring about the past—about the people who couldn’t survive—is what will kill us faster than any zombie. I told you all before: only the strong will survive."
There was a murmur of agreement from the rest of the teenagers, most of them too far gone in Shido’s manipulation to question his words.
Shido’s eyes gleamed as he seized the opportunity. "We have a decision to make, don’t we? What do we do with someone who holds us back? Who clings to the weak and the dead?"
The silence was deafening as the teens exchanged nervous glances. Finally, one of them—Matsui, a tall boy with a sharp jawline—spoke up. "We can’t afford to have someone like that with us, Sensei. He’ll drag us down."
Shido’s lips curled into a twisted smile. "Exactly."
Yamada’s eyes widened in horror. "N-No! Wait, I didn’t mean—"
But before he could finish, two of Shido’s followers grabbed him by the arms and dragged him toward the door. He struggled, pleading with them to stop, but his cries fell on deaf ears. The door of the bus creaked open, and with a final, pitiful glance, Yamada was thrown out into the darkness.
The bus lurched forward, the sound of the engine drowning out Yamada’s desperate screams as he pounded on the door, begging to be let back in. But Shido gave no such mercy.
"Goodbye, Yamada," Shido said coldly, watching through the window as the boy stumbled into the street, only to be set upon by a horde of zombies moments later.
As the bus rolled away, the students cheered, their twisted loyalty to Shido now cemented even further. Shido watched the carnage unfold with a detached sense of satisfaction, his mind already moving on to his next target—the Takagi Estate.
‘Takagi has built himself a fortress,’ Shido thought, his grin returning. ‘But even fortresses fall. And when they do, I’ll be there to pick up the pieces.’
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May 3, 20XX – 9:00 AM
Takagi Estate, Refugee Tents
The sun had barely risen over the sprawling Takagi Estate, and already the tension was palpable. Within the refugee tents set up outside the main mansion, small clusters of people gathered, their faces drawn with fatigue and frustration. Supplies were stretched thin, and the morale of the survivors had begun to fray at the edges.
In one of the larger tents, a group of disgruntled survivors sat in a circle, their voices hushed but tense as they exchanged complaints about the current state of affairs. At the center of the group was Yoshiko, a sharp-tongued woman in her late thirties, who had quickly become the mouthpiece for the growing discontent among the refugees.
"This is pathetic," Yoshiko spat, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. "We’re living like rats, while Souichiro Takagi and his family sit in their mansion, eating their fancy meals. How much longer are we supposed to just sit here and be grateful?"
One of the men sitting next to her, a burly fellow named Tanaka, nodded in agreement. "She’s right. We’re all crammed into these tents like sardines, and for what? They say it’s for our protection, but all I see is them living like kings while we suffer."
Yoshiko’s eyes gleamed with the opportunity to fan the flames of dissent. "Exactly! And you know what? I don’t trust that ‘zombie’ he showed us yesterday. Who’s to say they’re really dead? For all we know, they could be sick, and Takagi’s just keeping us in line with his lies!"
The group murmured in agreement, their frustration mounting. Yoshiko leaned forward, her voice lowering conspiratorially. "It’s time we did something. We can’t just sit here and let them control us."
Before the conversation could spiral further, a voice cut through the tension. "What are you talking about?"
All eyes turned toward the entrance of the tent, where Saya Takagi, flanked by Kohta and Takashi, stood with her arms crossed, her expression a mix of disbelief and anger.
Yoshiko’s lip curled into a sneer. "Well, if it isn’t Takagi’s little princess. Come to check on the peasants, have you?"
Saya’s eyes narrowed. "I came to see what kind of nonsense you’re spreading. You’re undermining everything my father has done to keep you all safe."
Yoshiko laughed, though there was no humor in it. "Safe? You call this safe? We’re caged like animals while you live in luxury! And those ‘zombies’ you’re so afraid of? How do we know they’re not just people suffering from some disease? Your father could be hiding the truth!"
Saya clenched her fists, her frustration boiling over. 'These people are losing it. They’re letting fear cloud their judgment.'
"You don’t know what you’re talking about," Saya shot back. "We’ve seen those things up close. They’re not human anymore. They’ll tear you apart the moment you let your guard down."
Kohta, standing beside her, nodded in agreement. "Saya’s right. You don’t know what it’s like out there. We’ve been fighting to survive every single day, and you’re going to risk everything because of some paranoid delusion?"
Yoshiko’s eyes flashed dangerously. "Children shouldn’t interfere when adults are talking. You don’t know the first thing about survival."
Takashi, who had remained silent until now, stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. "We know enough to still be alive. My friends and I have fought through hordes of those things to get here. Souichiro Takagi’s leadership is the only reason any of you are still breathing."
Yoshiko scoffed, her arms crossing again. "You think you’re better than us because you’ve seen a few zombies? The fact is, we’re all in this mess together. And I, for one, don’t trust Takagi to lead us. He’s more interested in controlling us than saving us."
Saya took a deep breath, trying to keep her temper in check. 'This is pointless. They’re not going to listen to reason.'
"Believe what you want," Saya said coldly. "But don’t drag the rest of these people into your insanity."
Yoshiko sneered. "We’ll see who’s insane when the truth comes out."
With that, Saya turned on her heel, motioning for Kohta and Takashi to follow her. As they left the tent, Kohta muttered under his breath, "They’re losing it. They’re going to get themselves killed if they keep thinking like that."
Takashi nodded grimly. "We’ll have to keep an eye on them. If this gets out of hand, it could endanger everyone here."
Saya’s mind raced as they walked back toward the main mansion. 'My father’s been trying to hold this place together, and now people are starting to turn on him. If this keeps up...'
As they reached the estate, Saya clenched her fists again, her resolve hardening. 'We need to be ready for whatever’s coming. Because something is definitely coming.'
May 3, 20XX – 10:15 AM
Takagi Estate, Central Courtyard
The morning sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows on the meticulously maintained grounds of the Takagi Estate. To an outsider, it might have seemed like a peaceful, idyllic scene, but beneath the surface, the tension was palpable.
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Saya, Kohta, and Takashi had just returned from their confrontation with the mutinous refugees, and the strain was clear on their faces. Saya's expression was one of cold frustration, while Kohta seemed distracted, his hands twitching as if he was itching to grab a weapon. Takashi, as always, kept his emotions in check, but there was a hard edge to his eyes.
"We can’t ignore this," Saya muttered, her voice tight with anger. "Those people are dangerous. They’re spreading their paranoia like a disease, and if we don’t stop it, it’ll infect the entire camp."
Kohta nodded, still fuming from the confrontation. "They’re going to get people killed. What happens when someone listens to them and decides to stop following the rules?"
Takashi, ever the voice of reason, placed a hand on Saya’s shoulder. "We’ll talk to your father. He needs to know what’s going on."
Saya exhaled sharply, her frustration bubbling to the surface. 'This shouldn’t be happening. Father has done everything he can to keep these people safe, and this is how they repay him?'
As they reached the central courtyard, the sound of an engine rumbling in the distance drew their attention. A faint cloud of dust rose up from the estate’s entrance, and moments later, a bus came into view, pulling to a stop just outside the front gates.
"Is that…?" Kohta’s voice trailed off as the three of them exchanged uneasy glances.
Before they could process what was happening, the gates opened, and the bus rolled forward, its engine idling as it stopped in the middle of the courtyard. The doors creaked open with an ominous hiss.
A moment of silence hung in the air, thick with tension, before Koichi Shido stepped out of the bus, a smug smile plastered across his face. He was followed by a group of teenagers, his loyal followers, their faces twisted with a strange mixture of adoration and fanaticism.
Saya’s blood ran cold. "What the hell is he doing here?"
Kohta’s hand instinctively moved to the pistol at his waist. "This isn’t good. Not good at all."
Takashi narrowed his eyes, his body tensing as he watched Shido’s every move. "Stay calm. Let’s see what he wants."
Shido’s eyes scanned the courtyard, taking in the sight of the estate with an almost predatory glint. He looked like a man who had just walked into the heart of a kingdom he was about to conquer.
"Ah, Takagi-san!" Shido called out, his voice dripping with false charm as he approached the group. "What a pleasure it is to see you again. I must say, your estate is as magnificent as I imagined."
Saya’s jaw clenched, her fists tightening at her sides. "What are you doing here, Shido? You were supposed to be gone."
Shido’s smile didn’t falter. "I couldn’t possibly leave without thanking you for your family’s hospitality. After all, it’s because of you that we managed to survive as long as we did."
Kohta muttered under his breath, "Survive by brainwashing those poor kids, more like…"
Takashi took a step forward, his voice calm but firm. "What do you want, Shido?"
Shido’s eyes gleamed with amusement as he looked Takashi up and down. "Ah, Komuro-kun, still playing the hero, I see. But no need to be so hostile. I’ve come here as a friend. A fellow survivor. We’re all in this together, aren’t we?"
Saya’s patience was wearing thin. "Cut the crap, Shido. We know what you are. You manipulated those kids to follow you, and now you’re trying to cause trouble here."
Shido’s smile widened, his expression growing more predatory by the second. "Trouble? On the contrary, I’m here to help. You see, I’ve heard whispers—rumors, really—about discontent brewing among the refugees. It seems not everyone is happy with the way your father is running things."
Saya’s heart sank. ‘He knows… How the hell does he know?’
Before she could speak, Shido continued, his voice dripping with faux concern. "I couldn’t stand idly by and watch as innocent people suffered under such harsh conditions. I thought it only right to offer my assistance in helping to… calm things down."
Kohta’s eyes blazed with anger. "You’re here to make things worse, aren’t you? You’re just waiting for an excuse to take over."
Shido’s face remained impassive, but there was a flicker of something darker in his eyes. "I’m simply offering my help, Hirano-kun. Nothing more."
Saya, Takashi, and Kohta exchanged glances. They all knew Shido’s true intentions, but they couldn’t act rashly—not with his followers watching their every move.
Suddenly, from behind them, a figure emerged from the mansion—Yuriko Takagi, her eyes sharp and assessing as she took in the scene. "What’s going on here?"
Shido’s smile grew even wider, as if he had been waiting for her appearance. "Ah, Yuriko-sama, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person. I’ve heard so much about you."
Yuriko’s expression was cool, her eyes flicking from Shido to his followers. "I’ll ask again—who are you and what do you want?"
Shido inclined his head in a mock bow. "I’m sorry I forgot to introduce myself, I’m Shido Koichi one of the teachers in Fujimi Academy and I was just telling your daughter that I’m here to offer my assistance. It seems some of the refugees are becoming… unruly, and I thought perhaps my presence might help keep things under control."
Yuriko’s gaze hardened. "Shido? I’ve heard of that surname before. But I’m sorry to say but we don’t need your help, Mr. Shido. The situation is under control."
Shido’s smile faltered for the briefest of moments, but he quickly recovered. "Of course, of course. I wouldn’t dream of interfering. But I must say, it would be a shame if things were to… escalate."
Saya’s fists tightened, her anger barely contained. ‘He’s threatening us. He’s trying to use the refugees to start a mutiny.’
Yuriko, ever composed, didn’t miss a beat. "You’re free to leave, Mr. Shido. We won’t be needing your assistance."
But Shido remained unmoved. "Very well, Yuriko-sama. I’ll leave... for now. But should you change your mind—or should the situation worsen—don’t hesitate to call on me. After all, we’re all in this together, aren’t we?"
With that, Shido gave one last smirk and turned back to the bus, his followers trailing after him like loyal dogs. As the bus rumbled to life and began to pull away, Saya let out a shaky breath, her hands trembling with suppressed rage.
Takashi placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice low. "He’s not done. He’s going to try something. We need to be ready."
Yuriko turned to the group, her expression unreadable. "You’re right.
"He’s playing a dangerous game. And we need to be prepared," Yuriko added, her gaze steely as she watched the bus slowly disappear beyond the estate's gates. The distant rumble of its engine faded into the quiet air, leaving a heavy silence in its wake.
"We can't let him cause a rift among the survivors here," Saya said, her voice still trembling with anger. "That man is dangerous, and he's already planted the seeds of doubt in the refugees."
Kohta, gripping the handle of his pistol tightly, paced back and forth. "He's going to turn them against us, against your father. He’s already gotten inside their heads. If they revolt…"
Takashi nodded in agreement. "Shido’s trying to use the growing frustration in the camp. He’s exploiting the lack of supplies, the fear. He's a snake—he knows when to strike."
Yuriko looked at each of them in turn, assessing the situation. "We need to act quickly. Souichiro must be informed. The refugees are vulnerable, and if Shido manages to stir them into rebellion, we might not be able to contain it."
"I’ll go tell Father now," Saya volunteered, taking a deep breath as she tried to regain her composure. The rage that had been coursing through her veins was slowly cooling, replaced by the logical, strategic side of her mind. 'We can’t let him win. I won't let him.'
Before she could move, Yuriko stopped her. "Wait. Before we do anything rash, we need to get a clear picture of the mood among the refugees. We need to understand just how deep Shido’s influence runs."
"How do we do that?" Takashi asked, frowning. "If we just go and ask them, it could make things worse."
Yuriko’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "We’ll have to approach it carefully. Kohta, Takashi, and Saya—go back to the tents and speak with some of the refugees. Keep it casual. See what you can learn about their state of mind. Meanwhile, I’ll alert Souichiro to this new threat," Yuriko continued, her tone decisive. "But don’t provoke anyone. We can’t afford an incident, especially not now."
Saya, Kohta, and Takashi exchanged glances before nodding in agreement. They knew the situation was volatile, and a wrong move could lead to chaos. Shido was banking on the survivors’ desperation and fear, and that made him more dangerous than any horde of zombies.
"We’ll be careful," Takashi promised. "But we need to figure out who else might be spreading these ideas. Shido couldn't have planted doubt without some kind of help on the inside."
Yuriko nodded. "Exactly. There's no way he would have walked in here without knowing the tension was already bubbling under the surface. Find out what you can. We’ll regroup once we know more."
Saya’s mind was racing as she, Takashi, and Kohta made their way back toward the refugee tents. She couldn’t shake the disgust she felt toward Shido—the man was a predator, manipulating the weakest among them for his own gain. Her father’s leadership was strong, but even the most well-built fortresses could crumble from within.
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May 3, 20XX – 10:45 AM
Takagi Estate, Refugee Tents
As the group approached the tents, they noticed that the atmosphere had shifted since their earlier confrontation. The air was thick with tension, and hushed whispers floated through the canvas walls. People sat in clusters, some with hardened expressions, others looking lost and afraid.
"I don't like this," Kohta muttered, scanning the area. "It feels like the calm before a storm."
"Let’s split up," Takashi suggested. "We’ll cover more ground that way. Saya, you go toward the tents where that group of troublemakers was earlier. Kohta and I will handle the perimeter and see if anyone else is talking."
Saya nodded, her mind already focused on the task ahead. "Be careful. We don’t know who’s already been swayed by Shido’s lies."
With that, they separated, moving quietly through the tents. As Saya approached the area where she had confronted Yoshiko and her group earlier, she could hear voices murmuring inside one of the larger tents.
'This is it,' she thought, steeling herself before stepping inside.
Inside the tent, Yoshiko and her cronies were gathered again, though their conversation had taken a more sinister turn.
"Takagi’s had his chance," Yoshiko was saying, her voice low but filled with venom. "He’s had days to fix things, and what have we gotten? More rules, more restrictions. While we starve, they feast in their mansion. It’s time we take matters into our own hands."
One of the men next to her, Tanaka, nodded in agreement. "She’s right. We can’t keep following their orders like sheep. We need to act now, before it’s too late."
Saya’s blood boiled, but she forced herself to stay calm. 'I need to play this smart,' she thought. 'If I rush in, they’ll just see me as part of the problem.'
Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward, making her presence known. "Is that really what you think, Yoshiko? That my father’s just sitting back, doing nothing?"
Yoshiko turned, a sneer already forming on her lips. "Ah, Takagi-san. I see you’ve come to defend your father’s little kingdom."
"Kingdom?" Saya repeated, her voice sharp. "Do you really think this is about power? My father’s doing everything he can to protect all of you, to keep us alive. You don’t even know what’s out there."
"And you do?" Yoshiko shot back, crossing her arms. "You’ve been lucky. You and your friends have weapons. We’re just regular people, struggling to survive while you live in luxury."
Saya clenched her fists. "You think we’re living in luxury? We’re fighting just as hard as you are—maybe harder. We’ve been out there, risking our lives every single day."
Yoshiko’s eyes narrowed. "Then maybe it’s time we stopped following your rules and made our own. Maybe it's time we stopped relying on people like your father to make decisions for us."
"Is that what you really believe?" Saya challenged. "That you could do better without the protection of this estate? Without the food, the shelter, the resources my father has provided?"
Yoshiko hesitated, but her defiance remained. "What I believe," she said slowly, "is that your father doesn’t have our best interests at heart. He’s more concerned with keeping control than keeping us safe."
Saya stepped closer, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "You have no idea what you're talking about. You haven't seen what we’ve seen. Those things out there, they're not people anymore. They won't stop until they tear you apart, and you think you can survive without structure? Without leadership?"
The tension between the two women was electric, neither one willing to back down. But as Saya stared into Yoshiko's eyes, she realized something—Yoshiko wasn't just angry. She was scared.
'Fear is driving all of this,' Saya realized. 'Shido’s feeding off their fear, turning it into anger. And if we don’t stop it now, it’ll be too late.'
Before she could say anything else, the tent flap opened, and Kohta and Takashi stepped inside. The look on their faces told Saya everything she needed to know.
"We've got a problem," Takashi said grimly. "More people are talking like Yoshiko. Shido’s poison is spreading."
Saya’s heart sank, but she kept her expression firm. "Then we’ll have to deal with this quickly. Before it gets out of hand."
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May 3, 20XX – 11:00 AM
Takagi Estate, Main Mansion
Yuriko Takagi was pacing in her husband’s office, the weight of the situation heavy on her shoulders. She had informed Souichiro of the growing unrest, and as always, her husband had taken the news in stride, his stoic demeanor betraying little emotion.
"We knew this might happen," Souichiro said calmly, his hands folded on the desk. "This Shido fellow is a threat, but not one we can’t handle. We’ll crush this rebellion before it starts."
Yuriko frowned, her brow furrowing with concern. "It’s not just Shido. The people are losing faith. They’re scared, Souichiro. And fear makes them unpredictable."
Souichiro leaned back in his chair, his gaze thoughtful. "Fear is a tool. One we can use to our advantage. If the people need reassurance, we’ll give it to them."
"And what if that’s not enough?" Yuriko asked, her voice low. "What if this turns into something we can’t control?"
Her husband met her gaze, his expression unyielding. "Then we remind them of who we are. Of what we've done for them. And if that doesn’t work..." He paused, his eyes hardening. "Then we make an example of those who would betray us."
Yuriko looked away, a flicker of doubt crossing her face. 'He’s right. But is it really the best way to handle this?'
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End of Chapter 30