When the elevator doors opened, the things we see are not what we expected... I thought we would find white walls and floor that are completely stained red with blood and also a great mess made by people in a panic on the facilities.
But there were no zombies or investigators' bodies on the floor of the place, there wasn’t even the pungent smell of rot and blood that would usually fill our nostrils in enclosed places like this. The air here was quite clean and pleasant, as if this place had not been affected by the apocalypse. For that reason we remained inside the elevator.
Bewildered with the things we witnessed, we remained in that state for several seconds until the sound of footsteps is heard coming from one of the hallways of the place.
We all prepared our weapons, waiting for whatever comes to make its appearance. We didn't wait long until a man and a woman wearing white coats arrive in front of us, but when they see us aiming our weapons at them, it is now them who are paralyzed.
"Lower your weapons... if they come walking quietly here, it means that things inside the laboratory are not as bad as we expected"
That is the only conclusion I came up with upon seeing the state of the laboratory. After listening to me, my group nods and lowers their weapons. The couple who watched us carefully finally relax and then speaks.
"W-who are you?"
"They don't look like cops or soldiers..."
"First tell me the situation here in the laboratory... then we will explain what happened outside" They ask our identity but since I want to know the situation here before anything else, I speak demanding that they tell me the information that matters to me.
"The situation of the laboratory is good, or at least it is for this level as we have no way of knowing how the others are... We survived using the provisions placed on each level prepared by the company in case of emergency, but we were beginning to worry because they were only supposed to last a little over a month... if you didn't come we would be in a lot of trouble"
"You mean there are people trapped at each level of this lab all this time?"
"That's right, the biohazard safeguard system activated, completely locking down the whole facility... In the beginning we were worried, but eventually we concluded that perhaps the leak has not reached this level and was contained in the levels further down because not one of us was affected all this time.
Then we just started waiting for the security protocols to be implemented and others would soon come to save us, but the days went by and nothing happened... exactly what happened? "
The woman takes the initiative to explain to me, the man seems to be someone proud and does not like my attitude much... haaa, I don't know if they are lucky or unfortunate people... well, seeing that they are alive and well without any clue as to what is happening to the world, they are probably one of the first.
The others in my group also look surprised because for them, the apocalypse didn't happen or they didn't witness it… unfortunately, now it's our turn to tell them that the world has changed and it's not the same they used to know.
"Well, how I should explain this in the best possible way ... the thing is… the alarms of the laboratory which activated probably has nothing to do with the things that are inside here. What it detected came from outside, although maybe you should be grateful since you all lived normally as if nothing had happened… out of here...
The situation outside is… describing it in a few words… The world you used to know was screwed up... almost nothing is as it used to be"
"E-eh?"
" W-what are you talking about, girl? "
"Alex-san... maybe you should have more tact when you say it, or you should explain them better"
The two people didn’t seem to understand what I said, I do not think it is my fault Saeko, I think I explained it very well … maybe they would understand it better when they see it for themselves.
"First, he is a man and it really bothers him that others are treating him as a girl, so avoid doing it as I am not responsible for what might happen to you.
And second, completing the words he said. The world was affected by a virus or something that turned people into something you usually only see in movies... zombies.
These have the same qualities as the ones normally shown on fictional works. They try to go after living beings and only stop moving after someone damages their brains. The epidemic was worldwide and probably more than 90% of the population is infected... now there are only small groups of survivors trying to continue living in this world.
We are one of these groups and we are also the largest survivor camp in the surroundings of this city. I regret to say that the reason we came here is not to save you all, we came to get the equipment of this laboratory for some things"
"She is right ~ The world outside now is a very dangerous place ~"
Kurisu, tells the duo who were stunned by my words, a more detailed explanation of what is happening outside this laboratory... see, it is the same as I said, only spending more saliva... I may have directed a strong gaze at the man for his words, but it's not as if I killed him for that... maybe if he keeps bothering me I would leave only him inside here once we depart from here.
" Hyaaa~"
Since it seems that they only ignore Shisuka who tries to warn them, I try comforting her so at the same time I can appease my bad mood by caressing her outstanding buttocks.
She is surprised to feel my hand suddenly, but when she saw that it is me, she could only bite the index finger of her right hand to block her groans.
...as I was eagerly waiting for my reward from Yuriko-san and I still haven’t received it yet, maybe my blood excitement is slightly above normal.
"Y-you’re kidding right?"
"What nonsense are you saying? How could the world’s situation become that way? "
"Unfortunately it is not a joke, how could you explain that people like us are armed? When we leave, you can check everything we said, but for now, we will collect the things we came to this place for"
I look directly at the woman and tell her, as for the man I just decided to ignore him... it's not because of what he said, I just don't like him. Also, I was beginning to feel a bit claustrophobic for staying in an elevator and it was also a nuisance to talk while the elevator doors keeps closing and Saeko had to use her sword to keep it open.
That's why I leave the elevator, separating my hand from Shizuka's butt and the others follow me immediately, then I walk straight to where the scientists are and ask.
"Where are the equipments and materials of this laboratory? We need them, so I would appreciate if you could show us the way"
"You cannot take things from this company, this is a crime! I will inform the corresponding authorities about this, so it is better that you cease those rude thoughts"
I do not pay attention to the guy who doesn’t seems to believe one word of what I and Kurisu said. I do not blame him much for that because if I was the one in his place, I would also have difficulty believing all the words we said ... but even so, he continues to be a nuisance.
But it is a relief that when I put my eyes on the woman, she looks at me for a few seconds and answered me with a nod.
"... I will guide you to the things you want, although each level of the laboratory has its own corresponding warehouses and equipment. I don't know if what you are looking for is here, so perhaps you should also go to the other levels.
In the first three levels, we’re responsible for creating polymeric compounds, alloys and other things for the manufacture of various objects. The last two levels are from the pharmaceutical unit, the 4th level only investigated common pathogens and things like that, the 5th worked with highly risky things. "
"Kana, what are you doing revealing that information to strangers! They may have come to rob the company!!"
"Komuro, reassure that guy, it's a nuisance having him screaming all the time... so your name is Kana, well, show us the way to the warehouse, for the next levels I will look for someone from those places to do the same"
"Old man, you better calm down... seriously you don't want to see him upset. If that happens things can end up very bad for you, so I advise you to keep quiet"
After giving the instructions to Kana, she begins to direct us to the place I asked for, while we do see more people who are probably workers here, they get a little scared upon seeing that we’re armed, but perceiving that we had no plans to harm them, they calmed down a bit.
Upon arriving at the warehouse there are things in boxes and jars, I take a quick look but since there were many things that I could not even pronounce, I decided to take everything and leave nothing. They may be useful in some way and if not, the space available to me in my dimensional storage is definitely not small.
"E-eh? W-why did things disappear? "
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
"It's amazing, right? ~ It's something that only Alex-kun can do ~!"
"You can understand that later... or you will just get used to it, so don't worry about it."
Shizuka proudly inflates her chest while answering Kana's question, then Kurisu she spoke to add more information, but unfortunately the result didn’t change seeing Kana just as confused.
We left the warehouse and I also take any equipment that seems useful in these facilities. Some needed Saeko to cut some parts with her sword in order for me to be able to store them, I'm glad her sword has a high enough range to allow that.
"Well Kana, we will now go to the other levels. I need you to gather everyone who is in this lab and we will get them out of here ... I won't force them to join us, but I think it's the best option they have. Well, they would probably understand it better when you see the outside"
After cleaning this level of anything that is useful we move back to the elevator to go down to the other levels. While we are moving I ask Kana to carry out a task, when they see everything outside according to their decision we will take them with us or let them go their own way.
"I-it's fine"
The next 3 levels happen to have similar things as in the first, without any complications we also take the things from these labs, and in the same way, I found someone to gather all the people to take them out.
I am honestly a little surprised at all of them... spending almost a month locked in this place. Keeping their sanity shouldn't be easy... or they may be used to it, I don't know, but for me it seems incredible. I can hardly stand staying in the same place for a long time... the only exception is when there are girls there, so maybe I can stay locked up with them for a whole week.
"I really don't want to go to that level... is it necessary to do it?"
"They said in the 5th level, there are the last equipment that we need, Alex-kun~"
I stare at the elevator to go down to the 5th level... I don't want to go to a place where there are dangerous diseases, but unfortunately some of the equipment that Shizuka needs is in that place.
"Well, let's get in and out as fast as we can"
"Sounds right to me"
"Yes"
After Saeko and Kurisu's answer, we enter the elevator again and then I press the button to go down to the 5th level.
Following my words we enter and leave as fast as we can, it is good that the system does not detect any deadly virus or bacteria in the atmosphere. Also, perhaps because it is a very risky job, individuals at this level were only a dozen.
We take the things we need and the people in this place and we immediately leave the premises returning to the 4th level. Since all people of the 5 levels do not fit in the elevator, we take them floor by floor until after several trips we all arrive with Yuki, Niki and Misuzu.
"Well ... didn't you find too many people?"
"But it's good that they all survived since these people can be relatives of someone in the camp"
"Yes, but I think it will be a problem to transport them all"
"... Yamada, go and report that we found a large number of survivors and we need to transport them to the base"
Listening to the words of the three, I also realize the problem, all the staff of these laboratories was more than 500 people after all... without any alternative, I ask Yamada to contact the base to ask for a team to bring more cargo trucks to be able to transport them.
When I saw Yamada walking to the exit of the laboratory I prayed that Yuriko-san will be the one that comes here rather than Soichiro since I can take the opportunity to demand my reward from her... but of course, that depends if I can distract Kurisu with something else.
"Do not make much a fuss when we go out since that is very dangerous... it may be difficult, but try to keep calm"
After warning them, we started walking to leave the laboratory facilities... even knowing that perhaps it is impossible, it is worth doing it. After walking a few steps, the appearance of a zombie body that we eliminated when entering here made them quickly forget my words.
"Kyaaa !! ~"
"A-a dead person !!"
"T-they killed someone !!"
"Silence!!"
We had to stop to reassure the crowd and after a couple of minutes, we continue to leave the laboratory. Then everyone finally witness what the outside looks like... if you think about it, it is surprising how much the cities deteriorate without the presence of humans who maintain them.
"I-It was true... the world has totally changed..."
"N-no, it can't be ..."
"My family! What happened to my family !!"
"I-I have to go to my house ... I have to look for my wife and children!!"
Seeing the soldiers collecting zombie bodies to gather them in one place, the streets where my Venus is, and also beyond where the zombies walk between the stopped cars and abandoned buildings. The people of the laboratory begin to go through what every survivor of this world have experienced before.
"This is the world now so get used to it. The more quickly you can, the better it will be for you if do so... As for those who feel concern about their relatives, I can only say that if you are lucky you’ll find them in a camp of survivors that are scattered around the city, but most likely, they’re already dead.
I cannot deny that some are still alive, but the possibility of that is very low... yet for those who want to go and try to find them I will not stop you, I will only tell you that you will surely die before even moving through some streets.
There are zombies out there everywhere, your screams and pleas will not make them stop sinking their teeth in your flesh. I advise you to come with us, there, you will have more chances to survive. And maybe, just maybe, you could find your loved ones in the population of our camp or in the future you might find them within the people we rescue every day"
When I start talking, people continue to be upset, looking for answers to their questions, but then, they start listening to me carefully. Later, tears and cries echo in the parking lot of the laboratory.
"P-please you should take me to my house... if my family died I need to see it myself!"
"I also!!"
"Stop! Do you see these people with weapons? They also have the same problem as you, but unfortunately, we cannot go through house by house looking for people... the population in our camp exceeds 4 thousand people, so looking for someone by the request of each one of them is impossible. Besides, every expedition that we do is a great risk and it is not as simple as driving through the streets"
Before I can say anything, Saeko speaks for me, I simply assent to her words confirming them. Then many of the people who approached, asking for the same thing lower their discouraged heads or collapse on the ground while they cry.
It had been a while since going through such a situation. Most people had become used to this or only concentrated on living each day. It is a pity that this kind of atmosphere makes many remember their own problems and then they get these depressing emotions, so to change this a little, I decide to change the subject by speaking.
"All those who want to come with us must prepare themselves with the things they want to take with them. In the camp, the others here will indicate the way in which how people would now live in this world. For those who insist on leaving to look for their relatives, I only can wish you good luck...
The soldiers and those of my team focus on protecting the surroundings until the other team arrives. We are in the center of the city so do not slack off, a horde of zombies can form very quickly. "
After speaking, I took Shizuka's hand and walked to a TR-12, while reinforcements arrive, I plan to rest on my human pillow to improve my state of mind.
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Written by:
Drack
Edited by:
Vyrphax
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Hello everyone!!
Thanks to everyone for your support and reading SES, now there are 25 people who support the novel. Remember to visit my (p-a-t-r-e-o-n) so this novel can continue, no matter the amount of contribution Alexander and I will be very grateful and you will have the benefit of being able to read the chapters before the others.
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Thanks for reading SES, see you in the next chapter.