How Zombies Survive in the Apocalypse

The next day.

Aiden’s group was surveying the park, which was the agreed meeting place.

The scenery of the misty lake on the cloudy morning was truly gloomy.

Amid that gloomy park, a cracking sound echoed – Crack!

Aiden, holding an axe in one hand, was smashing a zombie’s head.

The zombie crumpled over, its waist bent and body draped like a rag over an old park bench.

Confirming that the creature had stopped moving, Aiden called out to Arian behind him.

“Next?”

“None. That was the last one.”

Aiden nodded and lowered his axe.

Since Asher’s group would soon arrive at this park, Aiden had cleared the area first.

“Then let’s wait near the lake.”

Aiden, Arian, and Sadie took a seat on a bench overlooking the lake.

Soon after, the sound of engines pierced through the thick fog.

Six yachts came into view, carrying people on board – likely cautious of the Beasts.

“…”

At this, Aiden briefly surveyed the surroundings, concerned that any overlooked zombies might be drawn by the noise.

But fortunately, there were no such signs, and the boats began docking one by one along the lakeshore.

“Move quickly, quickly!”

People disembarked from the boats, which had anchored at a spot that wasn’t an actual dock.

Amid that brief commotion, a man approached Aiden’s group.

It was Asher.

“You were here.”

Having spotted Aiden’s group from the yacht, he calmly reunited with Aiden.

His gaze then naturally fell on Sadie standing beside Aiden, and he slightly raised his eyebrow.

“And who is this child?”

“A companion who stayed in the vehicle. Didn’t I mention before that I had one more companion?”

At those words, Asher let out a wry laugh.

He had indeed heard that during his intense first encounter with Aiden.

However, Aiden had never shown any other companion besides Arian, even when reporting the results of the request.

So Asher had thought Aiden’s previous statement was mere bluster, but now there was this unexpected turn of events.

“…I see.”

“Is it inconvenient?”

“No, no. Rather, it makes me trust you more.”

With a faint smile, Asher simply said that and turned away.

He then began directing his companions and organizing the situation.

The yachts carried not only people but also supplies belonging to Asher’s group.

Asher’s companions began unloading and distributing the supplies among themselves. 

Meanwhile, those classified as combatants prepared their armaments. Their number was exactly 10, as previously mentioned.

Of them, three would join Aiden and Asher as the vanguard to clear the path. The rest would serve as the escort guarding the children, injured, and porters.

“It seems better for you and Sadie to join the escort group.”

Watching the personnel distribution, Aiden suggested this to the other two.

Arian tilted her head at that.

“Clear the path? Wouldn’t it be better if I joined that side?”

Of course, not having Arian’s strength in the vanguard was a pity.

However, considering the worst-case scenario of being attacked from behind, having Arian as insurance in the escort group was better for Sadie’s sake.

After Aiden explained this, Arian worriedly continued her questioning.

“If that’s the case, I can’t argue, but… will you be okay alone?”

“We’ll have to trust these people. At the very least, they won’t be completely inept.”

Aiden spoke while observing Asher and the vanguard members he had chosen.

Although they were all unfamiliar faces, this group had somehow survived in this zombie-infested city for over 3 years.

Combatants specially selected from among such survivors were undoubtedly highly experienced, Aiden had judged.

“Understood. I’ll do as you say.”

“I’m fine with it too.”

And so, Arian and Sadie moved to join the escort group.

Aiden approached Asher, who was studying a map with the vanguard troops.

“Have you decided on the route?”

“Hm? Yeah, I was just discussing that.”

Asher handed the map he had been looking at to Aiden.

On it, a faint reddish line had been drawn using diluted ink, tracing the path to their destination farm.

“What do you think?”

Asher asked.

While Aiden didn’t know the detailed zombie density in this area, based on the common knowledge of avoiding residential areas, the route seemed reasonably logical.

“Not bad. Have you personally followed this route before?”

“No, I haven’t. This… isn’t an area we frequented. So there could be unforeseen dangers. Let’s try to avoid using guns if possible.”

Hmm, Aiden let out a sigh.

Ultimately, Asher couldn’t guarantee their safety, but that wasn’t surprising.

If it were truly safe, they wouldn’t have needed to hire Aiden in the first place.

“When are we departing?”

“As soon as we’re ready. Charlie! Is it still a long way?”

In response to Aiden’s question, Asher immediately urged his companions.

The people who had been in disarray slowly formed ranks.

At the front were the injured, their slower pace setting the speed for the rest.

Meanwhile, despite their various injuries, those injured still carried at least one pistol in hand, prepared for combat if things went awry.

Behind them were children carrying small loads.

Although the children weren’t armed, their faces were filled with anxiety.

And at the very back were the porters carrying the heaviest loads.

The escort group encircled this formation in a ring.

“We’re ready!”

As the formation assembled, Charlie reported to Asher.

Asher nodded and turned his gaze towards the vanguard.

“Alright. Let’s begin.”

At Asher’s command, the five-man vanguard began moving.

Behind them, Charlie followed at a distance to adjust the pace of the group based on the vanguard’s position.

And so, with his rifle slung over his back and an axe gripped in both hands, Aiden entered the desolate residential area.

It was a gray road with an open field on one side and scattered houses where people had once lived on the other.

However, the thick fog still lingering from the lake severely limited visibility.

“…”

Aiden and the vanguard members advanced cautiously through the residential area, spreading out to the left and right, their eyes fixed on the unseen beyond the fog while suppressing even their breaths.

Soon, the hazy silhouette of a house with a large garden came into Aiden’s view.

A brick house with a gray roof surrounded by a black fence.

Beyond its tightly closed doors and windows, only stillness prevailed.

How far had they walked through this residential area?

Thump! Thump!

Suddenly, amid the tranquil, desolate scene akin to a watercolor painting, a peculiar sound emerged.

A noise resembling something striking the ground with a hammer.

Aiden’s gaze immediately turned in that direction.

The source of the sound was the garden of a house with an iron fence slightly shorter than an adult’s height.

In front of the brown building, with two large oak trees standing guard, a single zombie was visible.

For some reason, the creature was repeatedly ramming its head into one of the trees.

“That guy…”

While it hadn’t noticed their presence, it posed a threat that couldn’t be ignored.

So Asher tried to step forward, but Aiden blocked his path.

Asher glared at Aiden.

“What is it?”

“Look at the ground.”

At Aiden’s words, Asher examined the garden’s floor.

The weed-covered garden initially appeared normal.

However, Asher soon felt a peculiar sense of unease as he noticed traces of the ground being dug up, obscured by the overgrown weeds.

“Do you know what that is?”

Aiden asked.

Instead of answering, Asher cautiously approached the garden and prodded the ground with the shaft of his spear.

Pock – the spearhead sank deeply into the ground, the sensation akin to piercing a sponge rather than typical soil.

Asher frowned at the unexpected softness.

“Damn it… what is this?”

“It’s Trappers’ nest.”

A Trapper – a mutant that dug tunnels underground, creating a hazardous trap zone.

While individual Trappers weren’t particularly powerful, they ambushed anyone who stepped into their well-camouflaged tunnel networks.

“It’s not just the garden. That field on the other side also seems to be their territory.”

Aiden added.

As he said, the Trappers had dug up even the grassy area beyond the concrete road.

Asher’s brow furrowed at this realization.

With Trappers lurking on both sides of the road, advancing wasn’t safe.

More importantly, for the sake of the group following behind, these Trappers needed to be dealt with.

“We… have to eliminate them.”

At Asher’s judgment, Aiden nodded.

Dealing with Trappers was relatively simple compared to other mutants.

Within their territory, there was an entrance to the nest they cherished.

If that entrance was disturbed, the Trappers would frenziedly emerge from underground, making it far easier to engage them on the surface.

However, Asher let out a frustrated sigh.

“Junk dealer, are you familiar with Trappers?”

“Aren’t you the one… who doesn’t know about Trappers?”

“To be honest, I don’t know much. I’ve only heard the name and basic information. Aren’t they not very common mutants?”

Asher’s words were somewhat unexpected to Aiden.

After all, in the Pittsburgh area Aiden was from, Trappers were among the most common mutants.

But were they rare in this southern region?

Aiden soon continued speaking.

“They were common in the Northeast. The tactics are simple.”

Aiden then explained to Asher and the vanguard what he knew.

Understanding this, Asher nodded.

“In other words, we need to find the nest entrance.”

“Finding it won’t be difficult. They have a habit of strangely decorating their exits. If it comes into view, it’ll be immediately noticeable.”

Saying that, Aiden surveyed the surroundings.

Although visibility was obstructed by the fog, Aiden had a rough idea of where the nest entrance might be located.

“It’s probably behind that house. Trappers are smart enough. That’s why they prefer areas near obstacles like that rather than open ground.”

“And then after finding it?”

“Normally, you just blow it up with a bomb. That will make the Trappers come out on their own. After that, you can mow them down on the surface. That’s it.”

Asher shook his head while stroking his chin.

In their current situation, where they didn’t know how many zombies were in the vicinity, making a loud noise with explosives was concerning.

“Bombs are too noisy. Isn’t there another way?”

“Then… let’s use fire instead. With this thick fog, there’s less risk of being noticed.”

“That seems like the best option. Understood. Prepare molotov cocktails.”

The vanguard, now armed with molotov cocktails, circled around the Trapper’s territory and the garden, approaching from behind the house.

As Aiden had said, a peculiar structure was visible right behind the building.

Mounds of dark soil were scattered everywhere, having been dug up haphazardly. Amid those mounds, several rotten branches were stuck upright, with various scraps of cloth hanging like laundry from those branches.

“I’ll throw the molotovs. Everyone, prepare for combat.”

Asher spoke as he lit the rag attached to a fuel-filled bottle.

The other vanguard members nodded with grim expressions and immediately readied their weapons. Asher then hurled the bottle he had been holding.

Bang!

The sound of shattering glass and a small explosion overlapped.

Simultaneously, the flaming gasoline engulfed the bizarre structure of the Trapper nest.

“…”

After throwing three molotov cocktails in succession, the rotten branches and dirty cloths caught fire, rapidly emitting black smoke.

The vanguard members gripped their weapons, watching that scene unfold.

A few seconds later, the Trappers underground began stirring as the acrid smoke seeped into their tunnels.

“Keeek!”

“Greeee!”

The ground, where they had been quietly waiting for prey, irregularly twitched here and there.

Finally, unable to endure any longer, one Trapper burst out onto the surface.

Covered in black soil as if it had been coated in mud, the Trapper shrieked at the sight of its burning nest.

“Kaaaaahh!”

That was the signal for the battle to begin.

Sensing the crisis to their nest, the Trappers that had been hiding underground all came crawling out, swarming like a massive colony of ants.

Asher’s expression involuntarily twisted at the sight.

“How many of them are there?”

One of the vanguard muttered.

The number of Trappers filling the house’s garden and the field beyond exceeded 50.

Fortunately, however, most of them were simply screeching at the sight of their burning nest.

Only half of them had noticed Aiden, Asher, and the vanguard.

“Here they come!”

Soon, those Trappers charged like a swarm of bees towards the vanguard that had attacked their nest.

Around twenty Trappers rushed forward on all fours, clawing at the ground.

“Use melee weapons as much as possible! If it’s too difficult, use pistols with silencers!”

Asher shouted those words and thrust his spear at the nearest approaching Trapper.

The Trapper’s heart was instantly impaled, but as a zombie, it wouldn’t die from just that, instead going into a frenzy.

However, Asher kept it skewered on his spear and slammed it to the ground before stomping on its head with his steel-spiked combat boots.

Crunch!

Such was the force exerted that the Trapper’s head burst open like a watermelon.

Asher’s considerable brute strength befitting his large build made the fluid motion of pulling out his spear and dealing with the next one in the same manner seem natural to Aiden.

“Kak!”

Next to Asher, one of the vanguard members swung a hammer, felling another Trapper.

Asher’s other companions in the vanguard were also fighting skillfully, not inferior to Asher himself.

Truly veterans handpicked for the task, their abilities surpassed even capable junk dealers.

At this level, Aiden could entrust the battle to them.

With that judgment, Aiden moved even more proactively.

The combat axe he had received in Shreveport sliced through countless zombie necks and cleaved their heads.

The shrieks of the zombies and the tearing sounds of blades cutting through rotted flesh alternated.

“…”

It was only a few minutes later that the small garden shrouded in fog finally fell silent once more.