Undead

Chapter 35

Edited by Beth

The metal gates that were topped with high-voltage electric coils, slowly drew apart, letting a blue and white Anti-Riot vehicle slowly make its way through; all under the untrusting eyes of the guards.

In front of the vehicle, was a large military base hidden in the mountain side, with a reinforced roof that glinted under the sun.

In a spacious meeting room, a graceful figure sat at the head of the table. The glass door slid open soundlessly, and a guard strode in. He bent down, quietly speaking into the ear of that figure, “They’re here.”

The figure spun his chair around, “Let them in.”

— it was a girl who looked very young.

She was very thin. Dressed in business casual, her shoulder length hair was tied in a ponytail. If not for the four savage-looking scratch marks on her left cheek, her face could have been described as beautiful.

With his head bowed, the guard withdrew.

A moment later, the glass door again slid open again. The guard gestured, “Please enter.”

Three unwelcome guests from the Anti-Riot vehicle stepped into the meeting room, coming to a stop in front of the table— two men and a woman, all of whom were caucasian.

And all Alphas.

“Yo.” The blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl had a very voluptuous figure. She looked at the seated person flippantly, smiling. “She really is an Omega... what a rare sight.”

The two-metre tall man standing beside her didn’t make a sound, while the man in front wearing shades also ignored her. Behind the table, not far away, the girl studied them silently. The room was quiet for a few moments until she slowly spoke up, “... Colonel Romuller.”

The man stood in front, removed his sunglasses, revealing a pair of greyish-blue eyes. When he opened his mouth, he spoke in extremely fluent Mandarin.

“Nice to meet you, Miss Chen Yajing. Many thanks for seeing us despite being so busy.”

He then bowed courteously, at a degree no more than twenty.

“There’s no need for mindless chatter.” Chen Yajing held her hand up, stopping the fake courtesies. She asked directly, “Who is the person you’re looking for?”

Romuller reached out, holding a brown envelope with a smooth, shapely hand. He took a few steps forward and placed it in front of Chen Yajing.

“...” The mouth of the envelope was sealed with a string. After a moment of consideration, Chen Yajing finally reached out and undid it.

There were only two thin pieces of paper within, recording the target’s history and the methods he used to deal with situations, as well as a sharp profile photo. The young man in the photo had sharp features, the profile of his face defined, looking as if he was carved from snow white marble. He had a sort of lustrous, yet stiff beauty about him, and his eyes were fixed on the lens of the camera.

It was clearly an expressionless ID photo. However, that empty yet focused gaze caused a chill to spread throughout the viewer’s body.

Chen Yajing put the envelope down. “At this critical point when the entire world faces catastrophe, your country’s army comes all this way to ours, to look for this person?”

Romuller spoke up, “You’re wrong, Miss Chen. My country no longer possesses a government nor an army. The entire fabric of society has collapsed, and now, it is every man for themselves.”

“So what do you get in return for coming here, knowing the risks?” Chen Yajing tapped the envelope. “What is so special about this person? And how does he relate to you?”

An indescribable, yet somewhat terrifying light, crossed Romuller’s greyish-blue eyes.

“He’s my brother,” he said.

Chen Yajing raised her brow slightly.

“Pardon my bluntness, Colonel Romuller. But with your appearance, you don’t look like you’d have a brother of an Asian race. And you also don’t seem like the sort of person who would make their way through a zombie-infested world due to familial ties. So if this person really does have secrets, you best tell us now, or our cooperation will become very difficult.”

Romuller smiled. “Are you threatening me, Miss Chen?”

A pocket pistol suddenly slid out from his sleeve. Catching it in his hand, he aimed it at Chen Yajing’s temple in the blink of an eye!

“What are you doing?!” The guard standing by the door shouted. Before he could make a move, the blonde woman pointed another gun at him, her finger on the trigger!

The situation changed so abruptly, and emotions flared up, making everyone tense and on edge.

However, Chen Yajing didn’t look frightened at all. She could even give a rare laugh, raising her chin up and towards Romuller’s chest. “Colonel, please look down.”

Romuller looked downwards. On his chest was a bright red dot. Despite his movements, it stayed firmly in line with his heart— realising this, he looked out of the window. In the building across from them, standing in a window with a rifle-sight glinting in the sunlight and yet barely visible.

A sniper.

“You can choose not to cooperate with us, but if you kill me,” Chen Yajing said, “both you and your subordinates won’t walk out of here alive.”

Romuller took a few seconds to think it over. Then was the first one to put his gun down; he had surprisingly given in. Giving an earnest and polite nod, he said, “Apologies, Miss Chen. I had a slip of the hand, so please excuse me. What exactly would you like to know?”

The blonde lady snorted lightly and kept her gun. The red dot on Romuller’s chest too disappeared.

Although the crisis had been averted, the guard still looked very resentful. However, Chen Yajing did not fuss over this phoney, alarming slip of the hand. She rotated her neck, stiff from having sat down too long, then pointed at the envelope. “How is this person you’re searching for related to you?”

“He really is my brother.”

“Oh?”

“Although we have different parents, in the eyes of the law, we were once brothers.”

“So why did he come to our country, and does he carry any sort of risk?”

Romuller pulled out a swivel chair and sat down across Chen Yajing. His index and middle fingers pressed against each other, and he tapped lightly on the thin brown envelope. “I am not certain as to where he is, and when I previously contacted your army, I received no response. I assumed that it was because your country’s government had collapsed as well.”

“Throughout our journey, I contacted a few known survivor bases. Unfortunately, these bases were shabby and so were quickly overrun by zombies. Some, in order to gain power and control, fought among themselves and died, thus becoming the trigger for the collapse of the base.”

“I will continue up north, but it seems like only your base is the most secure and orderly one that I’ve seen in this world of chaos.”

Chen Yajing replied politely, “Although things are not what you see, I thank you for it.”

“There’s no need to thank me, I believe what I see. However,” Romuller changed the topic, “if you really found my brother, please remember one thing: he will become the most serious threat your base has ever seen.”

Chen Yajing’s brows tightened. “Oh? He’s very dangerous?”

“... Very dangerous,” Romuller repeated these two words. His tone was a little peculiar, and he started smiling.

“He’s a complete and utter murderer, a natural born sociopath. He has the talent to turn any ordinary item into a murder weapon: chopsticks, spoon, plastic film, stones, and even an average cup of water. Broken, fractured body parts along with blood, would stimulate him— and the cries of a dying Alpha even more so. The first time he killed someone, he was only six.”

“Yes, an Alpha.” Romuller paused under Chen Yajing’s astonished gaze. “As he was growing up, he didn’t have many opportunities to interact with Betas nor Omegas. However, he viewed Alphas as his enemy— and just like a serial killer, he would focus on a specific characteristic of his prey.”

Chen Yajing frowned. “Why?”

Romuller shook his head, he did not give her a direct answer. “I can tell you about his most famous incident.”

“One afternoon, a few years back, he left a restaurant to go to the bathroom. When he returned, there were a few Alphas sitting at his table. At first, he didn’t show any signs of unhappiness at all, sitting down, he picked up his burger and took a bite then suddenly commanded them to leave his table, if not he would kill all of them.”

“Terrified, two of them left, while a few others didn’t take him seriously. He counted to three, then the next ten minutes was a nightmare for those who would be unwilling to recall it even if they were reincarnated. Using a fork, he pierced their throats—”

“All of this derived from others sitting down beside him while he was eating.”

“...” Chen Yajing was silent for a moment, then she spoke, her voice indifferent, “Colonel Romuller, you’re making me a little hesitant to work with you. Maintaining the balance of this survivor base is already a very delicate operation, and this dangerous individual...”

Romuller smiled insouciantly, signalling the blonde lady to bring the suitcase forward.

The small metal suitcase was locked by a password. When it opened, a cold, misty air spilled out from within. Chen Yajing glanced at the contents, only to see three syringes the size of an index finger on a suspended shelf, and they were filled with a light red medication.

“This,” with Chen Yajing’s look of disbelief, Romuller spoke, “is an antiviral vaccine.”

Chen Yajing reached out involuntarily, but she was quickly blocked by Romuller. He then laughed oddly. “— But it’s now only a fragment of the vaccine.”

Downstairs, ten minutes later.

Carrying the suitcase, Romuller led his two subordinates out of the building. Chen Yajing’s guards pushed her along in her wheelchair, and they stopped at the steps.

“One last question, Colonel Romuller.”

Halfway through opening the door to the vehicle, Romuller paused. He heard Chen Yajing’s voice coming from behind him, laced with mockery that could barely be detected.

“You don’t look like a person who aspires to learn about my country’s culture, but your Mandarin pronunciation is very good. Did you learn it specially for your legally recognised brother?”

Romuller stood there, motionless for a long time. He then turned his head around, his gaze dark. “Miss Chen, I’ve said it before,” he said slowly, “we were once brothers.”

***

“Haha—”

“Hahaha—”

“Hahahahahaha—”

Si Nan sat cross-legged in the back of the vehicle. He was covered by a hooded coat that could almost bury him within. Using the huge hood to cover his entire face, he still could not block out the wild laughter coming from the front.

“Captain, have you had enough?! Are you looking for a fight?!”

“Hahaha Rong-ge’s and Yan Hao’s Alpha pheromones repel each other, how can they be dating? Is theirs a pure, platonic love? What a touching romance hahahahaha—”

“Pa, so it turns out Yan Hao is my biological mom that I’ve never acknowledged before! Why did you ever tell me the truth, how hurtful hahahahahaha—!”

I knew I shouldn’t have asked, Si Nan thought expressionlessly. Let’s just kill off all these Alphas.

Zhou Rong turned his head around from the passenger seat in front. Through the hood, he patted Si Nan’s head, his voice filled with delight, “Let me take a look. Oh? You’re still angry?”

Let’s just kill off all these Alphas, Si Nan thought, turning his head away and dodging him.

Pressing against his head, Zhou Rong forced Si Nan to lean into his arms, and even pinched his cheeks while laughing. “You little kids who grew up in Country A are really very imaginative. What can two Alphas do when in bed together? Come, tell me, have you seen people go to bed before, and do you know what happens when they go to bed?”

Si Nan huddled into himself, avoiding him.

“... You, why didn’t you ask earlier...” Yan Hao poked his head out from the back seat. Ever since he woke up, he had an expression as though he wanted to cry, but no tears would come. “Then, after you left the military zone, and knew that we were all Alphas, why didn’t you ask Chuncao, Xiangzi or Da Ding?”

Si Nan: “...”

“What did Captain and I do to make you misunderstand?” Yan Hao asked earnestly. “It’s already been so long, but haven’t you ever doubted it, even just once?”

... Of course I did, I frequently did, Si Nan thought.

But who knows why your 118 had to design your locator beacons into something so ostentatious? The idiot designer must have been an Alpha.

Si Nan sighed. Resting his forehead in his hand, he turned his gaze towards the window. The ruby ear stud on his left ear glowed in the sun.

Just as he thought, he should just kill off all these Alphas.

“There’s a civilian-owned airline company located near the local airport. Yesterday, Chuncao and I monitored the surroundings. On the tarmac are two large helicopters that can just about meet our desired size in order to transport everyone all at once.”

The vehicle jerked slightly as it progressed. Holding onto a short, stubby pencil, Zhou Rong made a cross on the location of the airport on the map.

“This is the preliminary plan. Yan Hao, Chuncao, Ding Shi and I will form a team, using strong firepower as suppression and burst through the railings of the tarmac. We’ll force our way onto the runway, and fly the two helicopters; Si Nan and Xiangzi will lead the rest of the people, and search for a nearby platform suitable for a helicopter to land, as well as help our little Omega friend find a pharmacy... If you can’t find one, don’t take the risk. Your lives are more important.”

“When you find a platform and arrive there safely, Si Nan will activate the locator beacon— which is the gay-ear stud. Within a thousand metres, the other gay-ear stud on Yan Hao’s ear will receive the signal, and both locations will be confirmed. We will then fly the two helicopters to pick you up.”

Zhou Rong folded the map back up, surveying the crowd. “Any questions?”

Yan Hao: “Which part of me looks like I’m someone who will like being with the Captain? And yes, I’m talking about the implied meaning of being with.”

Chuncao: “Papa, Papa, is Yan Hao my mother? Then is Si Xiaonan my new mother?”

Xiangzi: “If you can’t find a partner, then don’t force it. I’m saying, it’s fine if you don’t look for anyone as well... Rong-ge? Rong-ge!”

Zhou Rong punched Yan Hao, knocked Chuncao on the head, and in the limited space of the vehicle, kicked Xiangzi. In the chaos, across him, he saw Si Nan raising his hand.

Zhou Rong thought: now, in our team, the only ones left who love and are fully dedicated to their jobs are the temporary personnel.

“Comrade Xiaosi, please speak.”

Si Nan asked, “How do you confirm if the signal has been sent successfully?”

“Originally, once you’ve signalled your location, the Beidou-Satellite-System will then transmit it to both the tablets and terminals which are for the specific use of 118. However, a month after the crash of GPS, Beidou was also destroyed; a moment of silence for the unnamed base-station worker in an unknown part of the world,” Zhou Rong said. “So, it is now left only with its physical reaction. Once the signal within a thousand metres has been received, the two gay ear studs will vibrate together.”

Silently, Si Nan nodded, showing that he understood.

“Are there any more questions?”

The ones who were covering their heads, covered their heads, and the ones who were covering their faces, covered their faces. They quickly all expressed that they had no other questions.

“Very good,” Zhou Rong raised a fist, encouraging everyone confidently. “Let us set our objective to survive the night, and tomorrow we’ll set out towards the beautiful Nansha Islands!”

He stood up, leaving the back of the vehicle and returned to the front seat, watching the disordered, cluttered road to the airport as well as the occasional zombie that had been sent flying by the vehicle.”

“... They will vibrate together,” Zhou Rong came to a sudden realisation.

Ding Shi turned to glance at him while driving, his gaze indescribable.

Zhou Rong muttered, “... Don’t tell me this thing is really something for gays.”