There was some small text written on the body of the power bank.
The sentence was quite long, but to summarize in my own words—
It stated that it could charge not only smartphones but also a coffee pot and even can help to run a TV.
"So that's why it cost 100 Faith Points in the shop."
Compared to the zombie cure, this versatile power bank wasn't really anything cutting-edge… just a small piece of technology.
I moved the power bank from the smartphone to the coffee pot.
The charging terminal smoothly connected to the pot, and it powered on.
While heating water, I opened the Google Maps app.
Liverpool Central Library.
Just above it was the Education Office and Metropolitan City Hall.
A bit further down, there were both Walker Art Gallery and St. George's Hall, right in the city centre.
This meant—
"If there was a zombie wave, they would've been the first ones to get swept away…."
How did they survive?
If they're doing so well that they aren't even considering heading to the shelter…
I poured hot water and the spice packets into my pot noodles and opened the group chat again.
The government-designated shelter was the "Liverpool Soccer Stadium, Anfield."
In the exact opposite direction from the library.
There must be a reason the military designated this place as a shelter.
No one would be stupid enough to set up a shelter in a zombie-infested city center.
Besides, there aren't many places better than a stadium for defence and housing citizens.
"Hmm…."
The important thing was just one.
'The Central Library.'
Is it a place worth checking out?
The lively group chat had suddenly gone silent.
In this world, where anything can happen, it wouldn't be surprising if their 'camp' at the library had collapsed by the time I arrived.
Anyway, the library was much closer than the stadium from my Apartment.
I'd already decided to keep moving until I found a place where people gathered, so I leaned toward checking out the library first.
"Alright. Let's go."
After hastily cleaning up my cup noodles, I lay on the bed and held my smartphone in my usual position.
With a bit of hope, I opened the web novel platform.
There wasn't a single new update. Just the occasional announcement with notices of hiatus.
"Damn it, even if the world's ending tomorrow, can't these authors keep posting their stories?"
If it's come to this, at least spoil the story before going on break.
I probably won't get to see the next chapters of my favourite stories for a long time.
I closed the platform and opened YouTube.
As always, YouTube was already flooded with zombie apocalypse videos.
The trending page was full of videos about zombies.
There were ones showing people holding up sketchbooks with their addresses, begging for help.
And… oh, that looks like a scene from a recent movie.
The mutated zombie video left by Steel Man before he died was still in the top ranks.
There were no edited videos. The algorithm mainly showed the same kinds of videos.
Quiet ones or loud ones.
The quiet videos mostly had people whispering about their near-death experiences.
With an end-of-the-world vibe, there were also tons of confessional videos.
"Jeez, if you cheated on your wife, apologize to her, not on YouTube."
I scanned the comment sections with half-closed, sleepy eyes.
Some cursed God.
Some denounced the government.
There were pleas for rescue and aimless anger that was almost tangible.
'Screeeeech!'
'Aaaah!'
'Please save me! Please save me!'
The screams I had grown used to now looped in the background, like ASMR.
My eyes started closing. My tired hands rested on the pillow beside me.
The next video played automatically on the black screen.
[Please, anyone who can, come save us. We will reward you for it. My young son hasn't eaten in three days. Outside is full of zombies, and we can't take a single step out.]
[Waaaah— Dad, I'm hungry.]
[Shh! Shh! Jake, you must be quiet. I'll get you some hamburger in a little while.]
[Sniff… really?]
[…Yeah, just hold on one more day, okay? …If anyone sees this video, my family is trapped in a building. Please save us. We're located in Manchester, Mabfield Rd—]
Screeeeeech!
Bang— bang—
[Waaaaaah! Dad! The monsters are here! The monsters are here!]
[Shh! Shh! Jake! Shhhhhh!]
Screeeeech!
Thunk—
There was the sound of something breaking.
[Aaaah! Dad! Daaaaad!]
[No! No! Damn you! Jake!Ahhhhh!]
I remembered someone's words.
Happy families look alike, but every unhappy family has its own reasons for unhappiness.
However now, all unhappy families…
are unhappy for the same reason.
****
"Ugh— what time is it?"
I rubbed my eyes against the bright sunlight and checked the time on my smartphone.
11:50 a.m.
This was the second day since I woke up, and it had been 4 days since the world ended.
As I got up immediately to prepare for departure, I realized how much I'd changed since becoming an awakened one.
Every morning, when my body used to feel as heavy as lead, now it felt as light as a feather.
I checked the kitchen knives and food I'd stored in my inventory, then changed into light workout clothes.
Oh, how much has my Faith grown?
[Faith: 950 (50/H)]
"Oh, crap!"
Even though I hadn't eaten anything, seeing my Faith rise while I slept made me feel strangely full.
Alright, now how should I spend this to make it worth talking about?
For now, I decided to invest everything into my exclusive skills.
[Mimicry Body Lv.4 -> Lv.5]
[Divine Perception Lv.1 -> Lv.2]
[700 Faith has been consumed.]
[Corrupted Faith permeates your body.]
A bright light burst from my body, and I immediately felt my telekinetic and physical abilities rise.
Well, I could try out the Divine Perception skill on the people I'd meet.
I'd packed everything I needed into my inventory.
Now it was time to leave the house.
I purposely left the door open as I exited. There was no reason for me to return.
The buzzing sound grew louder as I approached the stairwell.
Getting closer, I saw more flies gathered around the corpses than yesterday.
If I look closely, I might even see maggots crawling.
Ugh, bugs are the worst.
"Shit! I should've brought some bug spray!"
Grumbling, I used telekinesis to scatter the mass of black, dust-like flies.
With both hands in my pockets, avoiding any chance of touching a fly, I headed toward the rooftop.
Creeeeak—
The rooftop door creaked open, and a warm breeze greeted me.
Ordinarily, it would be that time of year when the cold fades and warmth begins. But March, the time for nature to shake off winter, was gone.
As I moved to the edge of the rooftop, I took in the view I hadn't seen yesterday.
From the 15th floor, which wasn't exactly high, I could see Liverpool.
As if yesterday's silence had been a lie, a series of gunshots tore through the air.
The deafening sound of artillery echoed, along with faint screams.
To my left, in the direction I was facing was the "Anfield Soccer Stadium."
Something must have happened at the shelter.
Not that it was any concern of mine.
In fact, if the zombies' attention was focused over there, it was actually good news for me.
I turned my attention away from the shelter and scanned the right side, my destination.
Normally, I'd be able to faintly see Blackpool Tower in the distance, but a vast barrier separated Liverpool and the coast beyond.
"What the hell is that? Zombies and now this? Aliens??"
What on earth was that barrier?
It was, simply put, a total mystery.
But London wasn't my priority anyway.
Getting to Liverpool Central Library was what mattered most.
After a quick deep breath, I gave my overall condition a final check.
Thanks to "Divine Body" reaching Lv.5, I could feel my mana and telekinesis flowing even more abundantly.
Telekinesis.
This ability, practically omnipotent in a physical sense, suited a cult leader perfectly.
"After all, a cult leader should at least master levitation before calling themselves one."
Levitation, should be something I can do lightly if I'm going to make a name for myself.
I pictured telekinesis slowly enveloping my whole body.
Then, I began to lift myself into the air.
My whole body floated effortlessly, lighter than I expected.
"Oh— shit—"
I almost lost my balance a few times, but I quickly got the hang of it.
I moved around in mid-air, calculating the mana usage.
"Hmm… an hour?"
I could move freely for about an hour.
An hour was more than enough time to get to France by sea and back.
Good.
Now, let's really go.
"Wheeww---"
As I gradually ascended, my old living area below me shrank into a dot.
My pathetic home, with no good memories.
"Let's never see each other again, trash apartment."
Cutting through the wind, I began flying toward the Liverpool Central Library.