It has been a week since the zombie outbreak suddenly began around the world, which ended up wiping out more than half of the total human population on Earth as the governments of many countries quickly collapsed one by one from both the chaos and anarchy of the zombie apocalypse, leaving their citizens to fend for themselves while the still-alive government officials and the rest of the military scrambled to secure their own safety either out at sea or away from the highly populated cities in some secret bunker or the still uncompromising military base.
Some countries even recklessly launched their nuclear missiles against the zombies and also against each other for some idiotic reason, giving quite a scare to the astronauts that were looking down at the planet in the space station as one of the missiles flew by near the space station, but since Zeno had already sabotaged the missiles beforehand, the nuclear missiles just ended up being useless rockets that may or may not have killed someone unfortunate enough to be present at the exact place where the missiles landed on them.
As time passed, it was clear to everyone that the chance of any government coming back and saving the day was slim to none. The once-normal modern world is now regressing back to something like a dark age where the survivors are living in fear of not just the undead but also bandits that are considerably worse than zombies, as they discarded their morality and greedily feast on the remains of civilization like starving vultures.
At present, in Tokonosu City, Japan, the Freedom Carrier company has unexpectedly risen up to fill the vacuum of power in the now fallen city as the delivery company executed a successful citywide rescue operation for the survivors in the city that was officially ended a day ago, which resulted in the rescue of 1,043 people who are still alive from the total of 800,000-something population of Tokonosu City. A grim number that shows how dangerous the first couple of days truly are in the zombie apocalypse, as people still don't know what the zombies are exactly and easily fall prey to their merciless maws in those early days.
Of course, not all of the survivors hiding in the city are just going to willingly agree to be under the Freedom Carrier company's protection/control. Some groups of the survivors, such as the quite influential Takagi family, and some survivors that are too paranoid are keeping their distance from the company, as they are very wary of the unexpected transformation of the seemingly harmless delivery company that suddenly revealed itself to be a heavily armed organization with unknown motives. It's quite understandable that they wouldn't want to entrust their lives to the mysterious company's whim so blindly.
After reading the final report of the rescue operation, Zeno can only shrug his shoulders with a chuckle inside his office as he decides to ignore those stubborn guys' existence for now. He's not going to spend any effort in trying to forcefully save the people that don't want his pretty generous help in these trying times.
"Well, they can do whatever the hell they want, I suppose."
Zeno who was sitting on his office chair said with a smirk as White Dream, who was sitting on his lap, fed him a chocolate chip cookie in a mouth-to-mouth style as her delicious red lips almost touched his lips in the flirty exchange while he bit on the cookie and playfully took it from her soft lips while he lovingly caressed her soft curves underneath the bodysuit with his hand.
It can be said that the owner of Freedom Carrier is probably the only one in the entire world right now that can afford to enjoy himself despite the zombie apocalypse that is actually going on outside of his office.
"Mmm, how the preparation is going, I wonder."
Zeno mumbles with a curious expression as he taps his index finger in the air with his free hand before a blue hologram screen appears in front of him. Zeno then navigated the screen casually until four spy drone footage windows of the four separate extraction points in Tokonosu City popped up on the hologram screen for him to see.
"It's almost done, huh?"
Zeno smirks as he watches the four extraction points on the hologram screen that were already converted into military outposts as thousands of the Freedom Guards are gathering at their assigned forward bases. This means that the next operation to retake the city will be starting soon, and Zeno can't wait to see the reaction of the people that have chosen to stay in the city when his force begins demolishing the buildings and killing the zombies with all kinds of weapons.
He really wants to see what they will do when everywhere in the city is turning into a battlefield with nowhere for them to hide... or that's what he likes to say, but well, even if he's a bit annoyed with those that refused his help and wants to just blow them up along with the zombies, he'll still have to give them a fair warning first before the operation starts; he's not an asshole, you know?
And if they heed his warning, then that's good; they could just come to his temporary shelter camp on their own; he'll even delay the operation for them to get out of the city first. They are not his enemy after all, so he can't just disregard their lives.
But what about those that still choose to ignore his warning and refuse to leave the city for their own safety? Well, he can only say that they are welcome to participate in the operation as the unfortunate collateral damage since they are that stupid and truly deserve whatever will happen to them.
"Well, enough about them. How's the camp now?"
Next, Zeno dismisses the four windows displaying the live footage of the forward bases and opens up the live footage of the temporary shelter camp on the hologram screen.
"Looks like everything is still peaceful, huh?"
On the windows of live footage that displayed various places on the campsite, Zeno could see that the camp had gotten visibly more lively as many people from all walks of life had gathered in one place, and they gradually got used to the refugee lifestyle.
Currently there aren't any issues arising from the camp since no one is stupid enough to do that with everything under watch from a group of armed guards, and all of the survivors' basic needs have been met under the strict management of the Freedom Carrier employees, aka Zeno's shadow clones, where any sign of rebellion is not tolerated, and those who can't even follow the simple and reasonable rules of the company will either simply get kicked out of the camp or, worse, get enslaved as civil servants by the company, depending on which rule they broke.
Zeno knew that even though the majority of the survivors that had been rescued and settled down in the shelter camp all seemed very cooperative and grateful, some of them still had suspicions or harbored a dissatisfaction towards him; they just wouldn't try anything right now since they still wanted to live safely in his camp without having to struggle to survive on their own, and that's all that mattered to them at the moment.
"I wonder how long it will be before someone thinks they matter to me and tries to demand things because I am helping them…"
Zeno muttered with a bored expression as he still had to wait a bit longer for someone to actually start something first before he could make an example out of them for the others to stay in line.
"It's a lifesaver that I have a shadow clone technique to handle every little thing…"
Zeno can't imagine how troublesome everything will be if he doesn't have that convenience cheat jutsu from the Naruto universe.
"Just thinking about it makes me want to rage quit..."
Zeno sighed in relief as he thanked the Gacha system with all his heart. Everything is so much easier with loyal and competent subordinates that don't need a salary after all.
÷×÷×÷
Meanwhile, at the Takagi estate in Tokonosu City, the Takagi family and their loyal subordinates had barricaded themselves in as they turned the entire estate into a fortress with some small group of survivors that didn't go with the Freedom Carrier's rescue vans. Right now the Takagi family, consisting of the husband, Souichiro Takagi, and his wife, Yuriko Takagi, along with their high-ranking subordinates, had gathered in the study to discuss their next steps.
"We can't stay here forever. The food won't last, and we can't ignore the fact that we're running out of ammunition for our guns."
Yuriko, a beautiful mature woman with long purple hair and purple eyes, dresses in a thin red dress, a white cloth wrapped around her arms, a silver necklace with a small charm on the front, and pink lipstick. Said with her voice filled with helplessness as she glanced around the table at her husband and their subordinates.
"Mm."
Souichiro, a tall, muscular man with short black hair, orange eyes, and an intimidating face, nodded solemnly.
"I know, but we can't trust that Freedom Carrier and their owner. They're up to something, and I won't risk our lives just for their so-called protection."
Souichiro made his point clear that they will not go under the Freedom Carrier rule as he leaned over the map of the entire prefecture laid out before them on his desk, tracing a finger to the surrounding area of Tokonosu City where small settlements and villages are located.
"We need to find a new place in the countryside where we can set up a more sustainable base, ideally with a lower number of the dead that we have to face than in the city."
The room was filled with murmurs of agreement, but also a tension that hinted at fear and uncertainty. They had heard and witnessed the Freedom Carrier's power, its seemingly endless resources, and the way it had swooped into the city like an unstoppable force, saving everyone in its path so effortlessly.
Some of the people from the Takagi estate are even tempted by the Freedom Carrier company's protection, but the distrustful nature of their extreme right-wing political ideology mindset is steering them away from seeking help from a bunch of foreigners, and Souichiro, their Don, had always been skeptical of those who sought power in chaos, especially a foreigner trying to take control of their city with such an ostentatious display of military might.
The time passed by slowly as their discussion about Souichiro's plan grew more heated while they debated about the potential dangers and the risks of moving versus staying put and waiting for the military, which the debate seems to be only going in circles with no sign of reaching any conclusion.
It was clear that most of them were all tired, worn down by the constant vigilance and the horrors they had witnessed outside their walls. Especially the absence of the daughter of the Takagi family, Saya, whom they thought was dead, also weighed heavily on their minds.
"We should probably send out several scouting parties to find a suitable location first."
One of the subordinates suggested, breaking the ongoing argument with his calm and collected demeanor.
"We can't just pick a spot on the map and hope for the best; who knows what kind of horrors lurk outside the city?"
Souichiro and the others nodded in agreement; it's a reasonable approach without risking everything.
"You're right. We need to be prepared. We'll send out four teams, three to scout for a new location and one to gather supplies in the city before we depart."
Yuriko sighed in relief after some plan was actually agreed upon, her fingers gently massaging her temples, her thoughts inevitably drifting to her lost daughter.
"But what if she's still out there?"
Her question once again leaving her lips as she turned to look at her husband with a pleading gaze.
Souichiro closed his eyes and clenched his fists at the mention of Saya, but he remained steadfast.
"We have to believe she's okay."
He said, trying to convince himself more than anyone else.
"Maybe she was already rescued by Freedom Carrier. Or she could have found another group. Our priority is to ensure the safety of everyone here; we can't risk many lives for just one."
The subordinates hesitantly nodded, though their faces reflected a mix of doubt and guilt. They knew all too well the dangers that lurked outside their fortress. The zombies were not the only threats; the city right now had turned into a breeding ground for desperation and madness. The once bustling streets now echoed with the cries of the undead and the occasional gunshot from the lowlife survivors fighting over dwindling resources after the Freedom Carrier rescue operation swept through the city.
Souichiro and Yuriko can only say sorry in their minds to their daughter, whose fate is unknown to them, while the said daughter is currently watching over Takashi and Rei flirting in the temporary shelter camp with jealousy.
"Gununununu~!"