"Here…"
Haizaki handed over mineral water, biscuits, and sausages.
"Thank you…"
Yukino first twisted open the mineral water and took a few sips, then unwrapped the sausage. This was probably the simplest breakfast she had ever eaten.
Haizaki, however, ate an extra piece of chocolate. As a girl, Yukino instinctively avoided high-calorie foods like chocolate, politely refusing it. Haizaki didn't insist.
This time, he had brought some toiletries. Compared to the 10-kilogram carrying limit of D-level in "Solitary Apocalypse," the 100-kilogram limit of C-level in "Crystallization Mutation" gave Haizaki room to bring non-essential daily items.
But… Haizaki thought that if he hadn't gained enough experience in "Solitary Apocalypse" to upgrade from D-level to C-level, he might have died last night. His apocalyptic journey would have ended before it even began.
After all, with only a 10-kilogram limit at D-level, he couldn't have brought back large amounts of guns and ammunition. Without them, last night he would have had to face the mutants directly.
Remembering the stench when he was knocked down by a mutant, Haizaki felt a wave of nausea. He forced himself not to think about it.
"What's wrong?"
Sitting on the bed, Yukino focused on her simple breakfast, but her gaze kept flicking toward Haizaki. His odd reaction made her instinctively ask.
"Nothing."
He couldn't say he had been disgusted by the memory of the mutants. That would ruin her appetite too. Besides, Haizaki had already decided to dissect the mutants later.
As creatures born of the crystallization virus, they were closely tied to it. Observing and studying them could provide valuable information. His bioengineering skills might finally be useful.
But suddenly, Haizaki frowned. Hacking, bioengineering, close combat— these were skill rewards from "Solitary Apocalypse," and all of them were useful in "Crystallization Mutation."
Even the beginner rewards—driving skills for three types of vehicles—were the same. Coincidence, or deliberate? The system's skills seemed designed for the next world.
Haizaki fell into thought again.
"Is there a problem? Maybe I can help you."
Yukino noticed his reaction and asked again.
"I'll tell you later. For now, eat."
If he told her he was going to dissect mutants, she might lose her appetite.
Haizaki quickly finished his biscuits, washed them down with mineral water, and ended breakfast.
"Mm."
Seeing this, she sped up her own eating.
"Awwooo…"
As Haizaki handed her the toiletries after breakfast, a howl sounded outside the door.
"Hungry?"
If it were hunger, it shouldn't sound like that. With the husky's nature, it should have been pounding on the door, barking and scratching.
"Duke, what are you doing…"
Haizaki opened the door, annoyed, speaking to the husky. This silly dog was reliable most of the time, but sometimes it acted foolish.
"Awwooo…"
The wolf and dog both raised their heads, howling toward a certain direction outside the villa. It wasn't a warning howl. Was it instinct, now that it was daytime? But wolves usually howled at night.
What was in that direction?
"Awwooo…"
A distant howl answered.
Wolves. No—a wolf pack.
"Yukinoshita-san, quick, there's a wolf pack."
Who would have thought a wolf pack would appear now? And with the husky and female wolf howling, there was no way to avoid it. They could only prepare.
"Wolf pack?"
"Yes…"
Haizaki picked up his rifle, switched off the safety. Yukino reacted quickly too. The cold weight in her hands made her sigh inwardly. For survival, there was no choice.
At that moment, the female wolf rushed to the villa door, scratching urgently, desperate to get out. Clearly, it wanted to return to its pack.
The husky, beside it, looked at the female wolf, then back at Haizaki, then howled again.
They couldn't be kept. The female wolf had decided to return to its pack. Last night it had only stayed with them for survival.
And the husky… After spending the night with the female wolf, how could it abandon her and the pack to stay with them? Besides, the thought of a litter of husky pups made Haizaki's head ache.
If they wanted to go, let them.
"Alright then."
After all, in 270 days, he and the husky would likely part ways anyway. Haizaki respected its choice.
Now, what needed to be done was… letting them go.
Haizaki approached, unlocked the door. The moment it opened, the female wolf bolted out. The husky glanced at Haizaki, then followed her.
Haizaki immediately shut the door.
No matter how many wolves there were, they couldn't climb to the second floor like mutants. If they could, Haizaki thought the crystallization virus must have affected them too.
"Will Duke be in danger?"
Yukino couldn't help but worry about the husky.
"It'll be fine. They're a pack. Otherwise, the husky wouldn't have gone."
Animals instinctively avoided dangerous creatures. The husky running with the female wolf showed they were part of the same group.
"They're close. Let's go upstairs."
Focusing, Yukino heard the heavy footsteps of many running together.
The two quickly went to the second floor.
In the distance, more than ten large wolves—actually a mix of wolves and medium-sized dogs—were approaching the villa. They had smelled the heavy blood scent from the neighboring villa. Some wolves showed hunger, but without the wolf king's command, they continued forward.
Finally, the female wolf and husky joined them.
"Awwooo—"
It sounded like communication, maybe even scolding. The two sides howled back and forth.
From his hidden vantage point upstairs, Haizaki couldn't tell what they were saying. For Yukino, it was her first time seeing so many medium-sized dogs. Even knowing the villa was safe for now, she still felt nervous. She instinctively moved closer to Haizaki, as if only then could she feel secure.
"Awwooo…"
The wolf king led its pack to the villa door, sniffed, its sharp eyes scanning. Finally, it turned and left.
The female wolf followed without pause, but seeing the husky still lingering, it howled once.
"Awwooo…"
The husky turned back toward the villa door, scratching with its paws—"pat, pat"—a few times, but when nothing happened inside, it kept howling mournfully.
"Is this… alright?"
Hearing the husky's sorrowful cries, Yukino felt a pang of sympathy.
"It should be with them."
Haizaki felt stifled, but still made his decision.
"But…"
Yukino wanted to say more. Though she feared dogs, she had a good impression of this husky—brave in battle, sometimes playful. As long as she didn't have to touch it directly, she thought she could live with it. But the female wolf… she couldn't treat it the same way.
"It has its own place. Its companions, its mate, are all there…"
Haizaki looked at Yukino seriously.
"Staying with us isn't the best choice. Maybe it just wanted to say goodbye."
Yes. Perhaps it was only here to say farewell. So let it be.
"Awwooo…"
The female wolf ran back, barking at the husky, while the distant pack howled together. Finally, the husky, with reluctant ice-blue eyes, looked once more at the villa, then turned and ran.
It understood—it had lost its master again. It would once more live under the open sky, roaming with its pack.
"Goodbye…" Haizaki whispered as the husky disappeared from sight.
Yukino sighed inwardly. Haizaki must have liked that husky very much.
…
Haizaki and Yukino headed toward the Chiba Police Headquarters, searching along the way for a vehicle. Whether going to Tokyo or to the police headquarters for more weapons and equipment, they needed transport.
Cars left outside had gasoline in their tanks. After long storage, the fuel oxidized, forming gum, lowering octane. These cars couldn't be used. Even if they could start, they wouldn't last long. Without a major overhaul, they couldn't be relied on.
So the only option was sealed new cars. If there were nearby Japanese or American military bases, they might find suitable vehicles—
the military always kept sealed reserves.
But here in Chiba… First, look for civilian cars. Later, check the police headquarters for patrol cars.
"Let's check that car dealership…"
Haizaki pointed to a Japanese auto shop nearby.
All morning, they hadn't seen any crystallization mutants. It made them wonder if last night's mutants had appeared out of nowhere.
"Clang…"
Pushing open the dusty door, they entered the dealership.
Diesel-powered cars. Compared to gasoline, properly sealed diesel could last longer without degrading.
"This one looks usable… the keys are here…"
Haizaki jogged over to Yukino. It was a diesel Japanese SUV.
"Let me see…"
A minute later, Haizaki smiled.
"As expected of you, Yukino. This one will do."
At his praise, Yukino gave him a sharp look, displeased. There was no need for compliments. She wasn't happy at all.
Next, they only needed sealed diesel. Diesel stored for less than three years was still safe to use.
Half an hour later, the SUV roared to life. They had their first vehicle.
Haizaki drove toward the Chiba Police Headquarters.
"Here… wait…"
The weapons vault door was forcibly broken open by Haizaki. The two swept through the headquarters, taking all police equipment.
Not only guns and ammunition, but also uniforms, riot shields, bulletproof vests, radios, batons, grenades, and tear gas. But the largest haul was bullets and grenades.
Especially grenades—after last night's battle, Haizaki realized that against large numbers of enemies, he needed area-killing weapons. Grenades were the best choice.
"Yusuke-kun, you're…"
Yukino looked incredulous as Haizaki entered a police helicopter and began operating it.
"Testing if it still works."
If usable, a helicopter would be far more convenient. But after sitting idle for two or three years, Haizaki was nervous. Still, he had to try.
"You can fly a helicopter?"
"How do you think I came from the Eastern Union to Japan?"
"Then… your previous plane…"
"It broke down. I couldn't fix it."
Hearing this, Yukino stopped asking. But she hadn't expected Haizaki to know how to fly helicopters. He seemed to have many skills.
Five minutes later, Haizaki gave up. The helicopter wouldn't start. Even if he repaired it, he wouldn't dare fly. Too risky.
Abandoning it, Haizaki and Yukino returned to the SUV.
He told her their next destination.
"We're going to the hospital…"
"Medicine? But medicine has expiration dates…"
Medicine wasn't like food. Eating expired food might not be too harmful, but expired medicine was unpredictable.
"Alcohol, iodine, gauze, some medical protective gear, and surgical tools."
The first two were understandable, but the last made Yukino frown.
"Why surgical tools? Do you plan to cut something open?"
She asked, puzzled. What needed cutting? She thought of something, but couldn't grasp it fully.
"Yes. To dissect mutants."
In the passenger seat, Yukino turned in shock, unable to believe it.
"You're sure you want to dissect those creatures?"
"Yes. I need to dissect them, to understand them…"
The appearance of crystallization mutants had intensified Haizaki's urgent desire to study the virus. With no new mutants appearing in daylight, he decided to dissect the corpses, to learn about these new beings.
"Then you…"
She suddenly remembered Haizaki had said he studied and trained at the Eastern Union base, serving as a research assistant. So it wasn't strange that he had knowledge and ability.
The Haizaki before her wasn't the ordinary Eastern Union exchange student she remembered, but a man with survival skills, capable of living in the apocalypse.
"Be careful. If you need help, tell me."
She had no grounds to stop him. She knew even if she tried, Haizaki wouldn't listen.
But Haizaki, hearing her answer, suddenly thought of Utaha. In "Solitary Apocalypse," when he insisted on flying, Utaha hadn't stopped him either.
She and Utaha…
Were alike.
…
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This story's an impostor. Vote for it with your stones.
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