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Standing on top of a concrete wall, I stared ahead with determination.
I was dressed in the iconic attire seen in the videos. Without a doubt, this appearance filled me with the most energy and strengthened my resolve.
“Everyone, it’s time for battleeeee!”
“Yeeeeeaaaah!”
“Y-Yeah!”
I raised my fist and let out a roar, and the others who had also climbed the wall responded in kind.
Only older sister Yae seemed a bit embarrassed.
There was only a little time left until the promised hour. Our preparations were in perfect order.
Most of the cars and heavy machinery had been moved to the backyard. Leaving them outside increased the likelihood of them being damaged.
The concrete wall beneath my feet was solidly built. Its thickness and height provided a formidable barrier.
Furthermore, we had set up a moat surrounding the wall. Overcoming this double defense would be a daunting task.
Originally, the plan for the moat was to dig it in a U-shape, only in front of the gate. However, we had some extra time, so we decided to enclose the entire area, except for in front of the gate, with the moat.
If the zombies (Modokis) still retain some intelligence to avoid the moat, they will likely gather in front of the gate. Anticipating this, we have constructed barricades using the remaining logs and debris.
Though it also restricts our own movement, we can easily remove them once this is over.
We have replaced the gate with a sturdy, foreign-made one. It is made of steel with a lattice-like structure of iron beams. The gaps are only wide enough for a fist to fit through, making it impossible for any modoki to squeeze through no matter how they struggle.
Through these gaps, we can launch attacks with spears and sticks, ensuring a clear line of sight. We also have unlimited shots with the crossbow.
Our weapons include metal bats, crowbars, crossbows, and various others.
There are a few items among them that, if discovered by the police, could land us in trouble… Let’s just pretend we didn’t see them. Besides, in two days, both the police and the law will become meaningless in this world, so we should be fine.
“The preparations for our defense seem to be abundant, my lord.” I said
“How long will this play continue? By the way, am I the lord?”
While I enthusiastically play the role of the lord’s subordinate, Jin wears an exasperated expression.
“Guys with no enthusiasm don’t attract anyone, you know?”
“What’s the point of trying to be a ladies’ man in this situation? Should I let myself be lured by zombie-like women?”
“Well, being a decoy in that case could be quite effective.”
It seems like there’s enough room for banter. But hey, this isn’t the time to be worrying about others.
I may be putting on a cheerful act, but it’s definitely scary. If I stayed silent, my trembling hands and legs would surely be exposed. So, I raise my voice dramatically, with exaggerated gestures.
It’s to boost the morale of my comrades and myself.
“Jin, your dark circles under the eyes look really bad. Couldn’t you sleep?”
“Well, you guessed right. I’m quite nervous.”
“You should take a nap. It’s going to be a long haul.”
“If things start off smoothly, then maybe I’ll consider it.”
While saying that, it’s clear that he’s going to do something reckless.
I mean, how many times have we exchanged words on the internet? I can see through Jin’s thoughts.
…Though the premonition dream was unexpected.
“Uncle, have you made up your mind?”
“Heh, a detective shines in adversity, you know.”
“Detectives don’t have that kind of trait.”
Hinoyama-san interjects with a retort towards my uncle, who’s striking a pose on top of the wall.
It seems like we’re operating as usual.
And then… there’s one person left. The one I’m most worried about.
When I shift my gaze to my left, I meet the eyes of older sister Yae who’s staring at me intently from close range.
“Diya-chan, don’t worry, everything will be fine,” she says, tightly gripping my hand.
Her touch is warm. Despite my hands being cold from nervousness.
“Let’s do our best, so we can welcome tomorrow together.”
“Yeah!”
In my attempt to uplift others, I ended up receiving encouragement myself.
The purpose of our defense is for everyone to survive, not just to exterminate the Modokis I must not forget that.
—I still haven’t prepared myself to kill former humans.
If this were only for today, we could somehow endure it. But this abnormal world will continue beyond this. I know, I know, but…
“Diya, stop hesitating and overthinking. Leave the dirty work to me. When things become truly hopeless, that’s when you can start thinking about it.”
“I don’t want to rely on others completely and avoid getting my hands dirty.”
Uncle seems to have completely let go of any hesitation. He has reached the point of readiness to kill. Hinoyama-san seems to be in the same mindset.
If I leave it to them, I won’t become a killer.
But that’s not it. I’m tired of relying on others to design my own life. I will seize my own path!
“It’s about time. Looks like the other side is ready too,” Jin comments.
In the direction Jin is looking, there are five large trucks.
Although there is still quite a distance between us, there doesn’t seem to be any sign of movement from there.
Hinoyama-san has completed her surveillance of the surroundings using drones.
The road leading to this house has been completely blocked off. People disguised as construction workers have been obstructing access to the entire lakeside area.
There are no signs of people in the surrounding vacation homes, even though it’s the spring break season when it wouldn’t be strange for someone to be staying there.
The eviction plan is flawless, and there’s little chance that anyone will come to help even if we cause a commotion.
Two minutes remain until the starting time. As everyone remains silent, monitoring the large trucks, a ringtone echoes.
“It’s mine… from Mikishima,” Jin says.
Jin turns on the speaker function of his smartphone.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment. How do you feel?” the voice from the other end says.
“Terrible,” Jin responds.
“Oh, really? I’m feeling absolutely fantastic. Well then, let’s review the rules one last time. If you can survive for twelve hours starting from now, it’s your victory. I’ll return the cure and Iwaro-kun. If you’re wiped out along the way, it’s your defeat.”
Of course, that’s right. It’s impossible for us to win if we’re wiped out.
“Remember the rule that if I die, it’s your victory,” the voice from Mikishima continues.
“Of course, I remember,” Jin responds.
Mikishima, will give orders from a distance of over one kilometer only.
It’s because he’s confident that he won’t be defeated.
Knowing that we’re fully occupied with defending ourselves, he added that rule.
He’s capable of cold-heartedly considering such despicable tactics, teasing us with a glimmer of hope before plunging us into despair.
“Very well then. Let’s begin. Five, four, three, two, one, zero. The battle begins.”
The call ended.
The canvas covering the back of the large truck in front of us was removed. As expected, there was a massive cage inside, filled with over a dozen Modokis wriggling around.
Only one of the cage’s locks was undone, and a Modoki rushed out from within.
“Well, let’s see what kind of moves they’ve got in store for us,” Jin said.
Uncle was licking his lips while peering through his binoculars.
It’s a bit unsettling to see him enjoying himself in such a situation… It’s actually quite off-putting.
The obedience of Modokis to commands has always been questioned, and we still haven’t figured out how they control them. Everything might become clear here.
There’s still about 500 meters of distance, so we can observe them carefully.
For now, they are just wandering around the vicinity of the truck. They don’t seem to have any clear purpose or intention behind their movements.
There is a German car parked a little distance away from the truck, and it has been confirmed through a drone that Mikishima and his accomplices are there.
We are currently observing the car from above, and the live footage is being displayed in real-time on a laptop that Jin possesses.
“The driver and Mikishima have emerged from the car.”
Upon hearing Jin’s murmurs, everyone simultaneously focused their attention on the laptop.
Mikishima sits on the car’s bonnet, crossing his legs.
“Hah, trying to look cool for no reason. Is he showing off his long legs?”
“Don’t worry, Senior, you have a higher seat height advantage!”
“I’ll deal with you later.”
Ignoring their banter, we continue observing Mikishima’s actions. Suddenly, he takes out a smartphone from his chest pocket. As he swipes his finger across the screen, all the Modokis start walking towards us at that precise moment.
“Wait, so they control the Modokis with an app?”
Jin couldn’t help but interject with a comment.
Phew, I’m glad Jin said it. I was about to say the same thing.
The Modokis’ movements are slightly faster than an average person’s walking speed, but not quite a sprint.
Their movements resemble those in typical zombie movies. It’s strange how movie depictions actually came close to reality, and I find myself oddly impressed by it.
“They seem to be walking on the road. I wonder if they have the capability to navigate like that, or if they still retain some human instincts and choose walkable paths.”
“Speaking of which, I wonder how they are being controlled. It’s not just through an app; I don’t understand the underlying principle.”
“If we consider that they are being controlled through radio waves, it raises the question of how the Modokis are receiving those signals. In movies and games, they often use the concept of embedding chips in the brain. But if we think about the effort and cost required to implant chips in a large number of Modokis, it seems absurd.”
The group discusses the puzzling aspects of the Modokis’ control mechanism and speculates on various possibilities. The exact method remains unknown, leaving them with unanswered questions and a sense of disbelief at the complexity of the situation.
The group agrees with Hinoyama’s speculation.
Controlling one or two individuals might be feasible, but there are currently over a dozen Modokis in motion. Moreover, there are still dozens more waiting in the cage. It would be impractical and inefficient to perform brain surgery and implant chips in all of them.
“If it were up to me, I would consider an operating method that would work on all Modokis. The idea of using electromagnetic waves isn’t bad. There could be a specific frequency that only Modokis respond to, and they’re moving towards it. That smartphone might not be used for direct control but rather to activate something specific.”
“Zombies are often depicted as being sensitive to sound, right? If that’s the case, could there be a device in this house emitting such sounds?”
“It’s a highly plausible possibility. However, finding such a device would likely be challenging, if not impossible.”
“If it’s a bug, my uncle and Mr. Hinoyama-san can handle it. Apparently, detecting bugs is part of their detective work, and they have a detection device for that purpose.”
In fact, they have a track record of finding two bugs that were planted in this house.
However, that is assuming we’re dealing with bugs, so they wouldn’t necessarily detect devices that attract Modokis.
“Don’t dwell on things you don’t know. Focus on dealing with the Modokis for now.”
That’s right. Even if we solve this mystery, it’s meaningless if we don’t have a solution.
While we were talking, the Modokis have approached to a distance of about a hundred meters.
Since they’re following the road, they won’t fall into the moat. However, we’ve also placed barricades along the road.
There’s a pile of logs completely blocking the road. If the Modokis avoid it by moving to the left, they’ll encounter a small cliff ahead, and falling off it would lead them into the lake.
On the opposite side to the right, there’s the moat waiting for them.
Once again, it’s a strategically favorable location for defense. We owe our gratitude to Jin and Yae’s father, who built this house here.
“Well then, let’s see what you’ve got.”
The Modokis are stuck in front of the barricades. Some of them are attempting to climb the pile of logs, but they keep falling and trying again.
About five of them are moving around the barricades, but when they reach the cliff side, they end up falling into the lake.
The remaining two bodies advanced towards the moat and… fell in. They rushed in without any hesitation.
Perhaps due to the fall, their legs seemed injured so they crawled forward instead. They collided with the logs but still struggled to move forward.
Of course, they couldn’t progress any further.
“It seems like there are individual differences in their movements. Not all of them have the same thought patterns, which means their personalities or traits from their previous lives are somewhat reflected. Alternatively, the progression of the drug may have resulted in differences in their cognitive abilities.”
If I were to become a Modoki, I would probably think of ways to somehow climb over the barricade. The reason Modoki gain superhuman strength when they transform is that the limits of their brains are removed, allowing them to unleash powers beyond human limits.
Humans are originally designed with bodies capable of exerting greater strength. However, the brain controls this power because the body cannot withstand it.
Top athletes achieve superior physical abilities by breaking free from the restraints imposed by their own brains.
Modoki don’t care if their bodies break down, so those restraints don’t exist for them. That’s why they can exert superhuman strength surpassing that of humans… It’s all just what I heard from Hinoyama-san.
I can understand this easily. After all, I remember reading a martial arts manga that had a similar description! Limiters are like restraints, I know that!
“If only the next twelve hours would pass by smoothly,” my uncle said.
“Well, if that happens, it would certainly be easier,” Hinoyama-san replied.
My uncle and Hinoyama-san are expressing their wishes.
It would be great if it turned out that way, but I don’t think the other side would allow it.
…
One hour has passed.
So far, they haven’t done anything. The individual (Modoki) who was attempting to climb the barricade finally gave up and committed suicide by jumping into the lake.
There’s also a troubling voice coming from the Mōdoki that fell into the moat, saying “ooh-ooh.”
Using the telescope I borrowed from my uncle, I take a closer look at Mikishima and saw him sitting on a fabric chair, elegantly enjoying a cup of tea.
“Ugh, his face is infuriating.”
“He knows we’re watching and he’s deliberately provoking us, isn’t he?”
As if affirming my uncle’s words, Mikishima looked at us and winked.
I want to punch that smug face with my fist.
For Mikishima, this battle is just his pastime or entertainment. He seems to be attacking with a gamers mentality.
After all, there’s no point in silencing us at this point. We’ve already leaked information on the internet, and there’s no way to stop the zombie crisis in the remaining three days, including today.
Even if we defeat Mikishima, he himself said that the plan won’t stop.
“Let’s enjoy a game where we never lose, the pinnacle of bad taste.”
“There’s no difference. Hard mode is more fun in games.”
“Senior, that’s not what I meant.”
We criticize, but if someone were to observe us from the sidelines, it might seem like we lack a sense of crisis.
Even if it’s just bravado, we won’t succumb to despair and cry out. Absolutely not.
In a situation like this, we won’t be gloomy!
Even if I were to die here, I’ll maintain a cheerful demeanor until the very end. Not as former idols or Hanako, but as Diya.
“Oh, it seems the other side is getting impatient.”
The remaining trucks that were stationary started moving all at once, heading towards us.
They stop in front of the barricade, and men in work clothes emerge from the driver’s and passenger’s seats.
They begin removing the barricade using tools they have in their hands.
“Ah! Disgusting! They’re using humans too, not just Modoki!”
“There were no rules against using humans.”
“We should have clarified that as a condition beforehand.”
Upon reflection, we never made such a promise, and it wasn’t a violation of the rules either.
But it still infuriated me, so I dialed the number that Jin had given me.
After two rings, someone answered the call.
“Hey! Isn’t it unfair to use humans?”
“There shouldn’t be any violation of the rules.”
“I knew you would say that! It’s just… it feels dishonest! They already have the advantage in numbers!”
It’s impossible to win against a slick politician just by having a normal discussion. We need to use emotional arguments, not just logic, to push our point!
“Right. In that case, we’ll break down this barricade, but we swear not to involve any more humans afterwards.”
“But aren’t the Modoki also former humans?”
“Don’t provoke me, you idiot!”
I received a light tap on the head from my uncle, but I couldn’t help but make a sarcastic remark.
“You spit poison in adversity. You’re quite a spirited woman. If I were twenty years younger, I would have taken you as my mistress.”
“No thanks! Just send the money instead!”
Saying that, I abruptly cut him off.
I may have irritated the other person’s nerves, but I felt relieved!
“Diya, even during your idol days, you couldn’t stand it and caused trouble with your fans—”
“Ahh! I can’t hear you!”
I covered my ears with both hands and loudly interrupted him.
I’m aware that I have a quick temper without needing to be told. Especially when malicious intent is directed towards my comrades more than myself, I can’t tolerate it.
“But well done, anyway.”
“Yes, Diya is right.”
“That’s true.”
“But reflect on your actions… Anyway, enough of the idle chatter. Let’s move!”
The road barricade was destroyed, clearing the way.
Now, this is where the real challenge begins!
We move along the top of the fence, right up to the gate.
Although the road barricade has been breached, the front gate is still intact.
As we approach, they opened the cage on the nearby truck, unleashing countless zombies.
“Maybe around ten, twenty, give or take.”
“That sounds about right. We’ll manage somehow.”
“We have to do something, or we’ll end up dead.”
The struggling Modoki gathered in front of the gate, trying to break through the barricade.
The ones that moved to the side ended up falling into the ditch.
“Intelligence is crucial.”
“Without the fear of death as living beings, they might not even have the desire to avoid danger.”
“They also seem to be immune to pain.”
“Half of the Modoki that fell into the ditch seem to have injured one or both of their legs, but they’re still trying to climb up the fence.”
“The ditch is dug so deep that no one can get out, even if they stretch their hands.”
“There’s a concrete wall right in front of them even if they manage to climb up somehow.”
“All we can do is hope that none of the Modokis can overcome this two-step obstacle.”
“Senpai, look over there!”
As the Modoki that fell into the hole clings to a log, another Modoki climbs on its back.
That action is not a result of thinking. They are simply moving on instinct.
Even in games, zombies sometimes exhibit such behavior. It’s the same thing.
My uncle descends the ladder leaning against the concrete wall and brings a stainless steel clothesline pole.
“Here you go. Thrust, thrust!”
He handed one to me as well, I took it and started thrusting the Modoki from above.
“If they catch you, release them without resistance. Don’t engage in a strength contest; you’ll lose.”
“I know!”
As I aim for their heads, the Modoki at the front fell down one by one.
Alright, onto the next one.
“Diya-san, look down!”
“Huh?”
Prompted by Hinoyama-san’s intense voice, I shift my gaze downwards. There, a young Modoki, using the others as stepping stones, reaching out with its hand to grab my leg.
Oh no!
I tried to quickly step back, but the Modoki’s hand grabbed my ankle—
With a dull thud, an arrow swiftly released by my uncle hits the Modoki in the head, causing it to stagger back and fall.
“Don’t let your guard down.”
In my uncle’s hand is a crossbow.
In other words… that’s what it means.
“Yeah, sorry.”
Perhaps having crossed a certain line, my uncle releases the clothesline pole and continues shooting the crossbow. Even with arrows stuck in their bodies, the Modoki keep moving, but those with arrows in their heads no longer move.
This is just like in movies and games.
“We have to reduce their numbers, or we’ll be in a tight spot. In the end, this was the only way,” my uncle says, spitting out his words.
Both Hinoyama-san and I can only nod in silence.
“If it has come to this, then we’ll go all out! Bring the Molotov cocktails!”
“Understood!”
No more hesitation.
I have no choice but to do what needs to be done!