[Give it to her], Souta's voice resonated from the small device.
"Wazzup, Souta! It's been a while!" she exclaimed with genuine happiness, holding the walkie-talkie as if reconnecting with an old friend.
[Yeah, it is.]
"How are you doing!?" she asked, her curiosity tinged with warmth.
[Let's talk later. You should be low on gas right now. You need to land immediately, find a good place, and we'll go there,] Souta instructed.
"Aww, how cold, but okay. Your base is here... so this should be enough. It's at least 10 kilometers away from the crashed helicopter where you found this girl."
[Okay, good. We'll see you there,] Souta concluded, and the connection ended. The scientist handed the walkie-talkie to Roger, her face still glowing with the excitement of reuniting with an old comrade.
"How long have you two last met?" I inquired, genuinely curious.
"Five years ago," she replied, a hint of nostalgia in her voice.
"Eh? Isn't that too long? He was probably just a kid at that time," I remarked.
"That's right. He was a kid, yet he saved us."
"...I won't pry any longer. It's better for Souta to tell us directly," I conceded.
"Good to know," she responded, the anticipation of reuniting with Souta lingering in the air like a welcomed memory.
The helicopter hummed steadily as we soared through the desolate sky, the landscape below a patchwork of destruction and survival.
As the helicopter descended, seeking a suitable landing spot, I couldn't help but reflect on the significance of reuniting with Souta. The mention of their last encounter being five years ago hung in the air, a testament to the enduring bonds forged in the crucible of survival.
The helicopter smoothly touched down, and the blades slowed to a halt. The door opened, and we stepped onto solid ground, the remnants of the world we once knew. The scientist's excitement was contagious, and as we moved toward the rendezvous point, the promise of reconnecting with Souta injected a renewed sense of purpose into our journey—a journey marked not only by survival but by the enduring bonds that anchor us in a world overrun by the shadows of the past.
We waited for a few minutes, then cars arrived. The tension in the air transformed into a palpable threat as the cars rolled in. Our anticipation curdled into dread when it became clear that these weren't Souta's people but a menacing group of bandits. The leader stepped out, a twisted grin etched on his face, a stark contrast to the despair that set in among our group.
"It's good to know that there's valuable loot here," he declared, his words echoing with the ominous promise of trouble. The sheer number of vehicles surrounding us painted a grim picture, each one representing a potential threat, a silent force closing in.
"Now, hand over that helicopter before you all die," he demanded, the venom in his voice cutting through the air. His comrades, armed to the teeth, formed a menacing backdrop, their guns aimed squarely at us. The weight of their collective gaze felt suffocating, an unspoken ultimatum that hung between surrender and resistance.
In this desolate landscape, the clash of survival instincts and the cruel reality of human hostility converged. We stood surrounded, forced to confront not just the undead menace but the living threats that had risen from the ashes of civilization. The choice ahead was stark—comply with the bandits' demands and risk our own survival, or resist and face the brutal consequences in a world where alliances were as fragile as the remnants of the past.
"When I thought I was finally going to meet Souta, what a disappointment," the scientist said with an air of nonchalance, hiding the tension that gripped her. "Souta? So that's a comrade of yours, huh! Like he's any match for us. I heard he's just a little ki—" His words were cut short as a bullet pierced through the air, finding its deadly mark in his head.
The sudden violence erupted with brutal efficiency. Bullets whizzed through the atmosphere, taking down the bandit leader and his cohorts one by one. The chaotic symphony of gunfire and the impact of bullets against metal and flesh was a macabre dance, marking the abrupt end of the bandits' menacing presence.
One by one, they all fell, their reign of intimidation shattered by the unexpected attack. The scientist, unharmed, surveyed the scene with a hint of vindication, her earlier disappointment now replaced by a steely resolve. The echoing gunfire faded, leaving behind an eerie silence as we stood amidst the aftermath of a deadly confrontation.
The unexpected intervention raised questions about our saviors—who were they, how did they know we were here, and what connection did they have to Souta. The air remained thick with uncertainty, but one thing was clear: survival in this world demanded not only resilience against the undead but a keen awareness of the living threats that lurked in the shadows.
"Sorry about that," a voice lingered in the air, and when we turned, there stood Souta. Relief washed over us as we took in his presence. "It's good to see you all okay," he said, his gaze moving over our group. His eyes then fixated on Roger's left arm, a silent acknowledgment of the recent struggle.
"It's good that you're alive," Souta stated, a genuine sentiment that resonated with the gravity of the dangers we faced in this post-apocalyptic world.
As the aftermath of the bandit encounter settled, Souta wasted no time in issuing orders. "Take all their valuables, track their base, and kill them all unless they surrender," he commanded with a stoic resolve. The air grew heavy with the weight of his words, underscoring the harsh reality of survival and the uncompromising stance against those who threatened our existence.
The group mobilized, swiftly following Souta's directives. The once-hostile bandits, now lifeless on the ground, became a source of resources—weapons, supplies, and information. It was a pragmatic approach in a world where scarcity fueled desperation, and alliances were formed out of necessity
Souta's leadership, though unyielding, carries a pragmatic edge, a testament to the harsh decisions required to navigate this unforgiving reality. As we prepare to execute his orders, the echoes of gunfire and the solemn resolve in Souta's eyes become a chilling reminder that, in this new world, survival often demands actions that blur the lines between morality and necessity.
We continued our journey, driving towards the base with the helicopter on the large truck. Souta and the three, the scientist, the guy in the black suit, and the android, rode in a car that was driven by Souta. They were probably talking about something.
As we got closer to the base, I saw something new. "What's that?" I asked, pointing at a large construction site.
"Oh, that? That's where the big forest fire started. When you left, many other bases that suffered from the horde chose to join us. Now, they are building their settlement around the mountain," the one on the truck said. We were riding a pickup truck, sitting on the back.
So Souta had spread his influence that much? "How many people joined?" I asked, curious.
"About at least a thousand," he answered. That was a large number of refugees. "Will it be okay?"
"You don't have to worry. Their leader swore an alliance to our leader. We put them to the outposts that we have. Like the two outposts to the northwest, and Souta told the others to build their settlement to the southeast. It's a perfect plan. After all, the whole place is surrounded by the terrain, and the east, which is the entrance, is protected by the outposts in the farm and mansion. It's a good thing that the whole base is surrounded, right?"
"Yeah…" I agreed. Because of the horde, Souta was making the whole base a fortress. Was he that scared of the horde? Well, I was the one to talk. The military safe base had been annihilated because of the horde.
As we went to the mountains, even the whole road was under construction, making the road much better, and adding makeshift walls that were made of wood and concrete. There were also many watchtowers around. The walls were like the same as in the base, which were eight meters tall, and guards could walk on the wall. It also had a cover in case survivors attacked us with guns.