How To Be Misunderstood as a Villain in a Zombie Apocalypse

Chapter 12. New Life (4)

“Cassandra. “I threw that away when I was distributing the jewels?”

“People in the Hamptons are a lot more lewd than you think, John. There are many things out there that are worse and more hideous than that. If you don’t believe me….”

“No, don’t get up! Camilla, stop laughing!”

I think it’s only right for a firestorm to fall in the Hamptons. Camilla, who was worse off, proposed an intervention.

“Then let’s do it like this. When we travel, Johan and I ride in different cars, and Cassandra rides in the car she wants to ride. How is it? “Do you feel safe about this?”

“There doesn’t seem to be any reason to refuse.”

Surprisingly, Cassandra accepted it readily.

* * * * *

Not all the luggage from Safe House was moved. We left behind long-term food, three months’ worth of drinking water, and some clothes.

The rest, including ammunition, jewelry, alcohol, and a small amount of electronic equipment, were divided into a 2.5-Ton truck stored in the fire department garage and a pickup truck brought from Hampton.

Still, we were able to finish all the camouflage work by 9 a.M. Cassandra and I decided to ride in a 2.5 Ton truck and Camilla drove a pickup truck.

“Is there a map?”

The destination is clear. Cultured meat research center located on the outskirts of Samarano. This is the place Cassandra mentioned. It’s only half a day away from the Hamptons, so it’s not too far from Leticia.

The problem is the way to go.

The ‘half-day’ distance mentioned above refers to passing through the small city of Szzern and two more small villages. Of course, this is also a human-free zone. They say it will be infested with zombies or gangs. It’s too dangerous.

“If we were to go round and round, it would take about two to three days. “If you think about the fact that you will have to add oil along the way, you can’t just spin it too fast.”

Camilla’s point. I agree with that thought.

“I think it would be okay to spend more time looking into it. I think I’ll have to stay here for quite some time. By the way, Cassandra. “I said the research center doesn’t have to be here, right?”

He said there was no reason to go there. Any place where cells can be observed and blood analyzed can be used.

However, she said that the Cultured Meat Research Institute was the most secretly hidden place she knew, and because it was located near a large farm, the density of people was low, so she recommended it.

“Let’s do it this way.”

Camilla pointed to another point on the map. According to the map, it is next to a fairly large lake. It is a quiet place with a forest next to it and a small yacht dock.

“How about using this as a temporary base? It is also 1 hour and 30 minutes away from the cultured meat research center. Stay here and clean up the area around the lab, and if you feel it is safe, then move on. Even if someone finds traces of us, it won’t matter since we’ve already moved on.”

I’m a little worried. This is a place where I have absolutely no information. Sammarano, as I remember it, is a land that was flattened by indiscriminate bombing.

“What do we have here?”

“It was a small supply depot built during the war, and was later used as a training center for the Central Liberation Corps. I heard that this place was discovered and abandoned long before the zombie outbreak, but was not destroyed. “It’s similar to a bomb shelter, so it must be pretty sturdy, right?”

It was a bit strange when I first heard it, but when I thought about it again, it made some sense. You wouldn’t know it in normal times, but this is the middle of a human unprotected area. Even the Liberation Corps, let alone the Elsa National Military Police, will not step in. Camilla added.

“And, I was an instructor here for a short time. When I taught combat swimming. So I know some of the surrounding geography. “At least which street corner is the point?”

Being somewhat familiar with the terrain is a clear advantage.

“Camilla. “By the way, hasn’t there been a bombing or something like that around here?”

“Bombing? Well? It probably wouldn’t have been a big deal in the war 10 years ago, and it might have failed in the war before that. After that, there would have been no such thing as dropping a bomb. “Why is that?”

“No.”

Camilla looked curious, but she quickly shrugged her shoulders.

* * * * *

Camilla left first in her pickup truck. Cassandra and I followed behind, keeping a little distance between us. Cassandra said she couldn’t drive a 2.5 Ton truck, so I took the wheel.

The sunlight is brilliant, the sky is blue, and the dry, dead forest is yellow and dark brown. Against the background of a vast wilderness, zombies were leisurely tearing at corpses. It was early summer.

Although it was early summer, it wasn’t that hot. Cassandra and I opened the window halfway. The warm wind mixed with the smell of blood and rot had already numbed my sense of smell, but it wasn’t enough to turn on the air conditioner.

It is an idyllic travel route.

Cassandra rested her chin and looked out her window indifferently. She got into the car and hasn’t said a word since. I was like that too, but it was so awkward that I couldn’t stand it.

It’s awkward. It seems like I have changed a lot since I started hanging out with Camilla.

Before that, I wasn’t bored at all even when I was alone. Because that was natural. However, when Camilla and I rode together, we talked about useless things and shared body heat a little. Anyway, it was fun every time.

But Cassandra said nothing at all. I can’t tell if he’s angry or if he’s just a quiet person.

“That. Greatness. Cassandra?”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t abandon you. You got shot in the back. I didn’t have any medication at the time. But there were a lot of your doctor colleagues behind you, right? So I think handing you over to them is a reasonable decision.”

“Yes.”

“… “Are you okay with your previous injury?”

“Yes.”

He doesn’t seem to be interested in anything other than what he wants to say. She suddenly wondered if Camilla was going to turn on her radio at least. Or would she just hum her song as she went on her way? Still, this is so awkward. I have to say something.

“Why does the grass do what it wants?”

After I said it, I said nothing. Cassandra doesn’t move at all. Feeling embarrassed, she didn’t bother to add an explanation.

“It’s strange. Some are dry and dead, but the one right next to them is green. And some grow too fast.”

“It’s a manipulation.”

“Ah, manipulation… huh?”

Not only is this the first time I’ve heard a decent answer, but the content is a bit strange. Manipulation.

“What operation?”

“Plant rapid growth experiment. Should we call it artificially induced progeria? Taking corn as an example, in southern Elsa, corn takes an average of 110 days from sowing to harvest. But what if I told you that you could harvest it in 50 days?”

“Well, if you think about it simply, cultivation costs will be low. Of course, this assumes that sufficient nutrients are supplied. But is that possible?”

“You’re watching it now.”

Was it a transmission line forest? Vines had clearly grown from zombie corpses that had just died.

Weeds are said to grow quickly, but it was a bit questionable whether they would grow to the point where they almost covered a two-lane road. Moreover, it did not grow from the ground.

“I’m sure they also experimented with weeds.”

“No. I tried everything I could on the plants. “I had to collect as many cases as possible.”

It was something I couldn’t quite understand. More than anything, I wonder if there is any need to force the plants to grow.

“Was it really necessary to force it like that?”

“Yes. “We had to artificially increase production.”

As I listen, something sends a chill down my spine. The Cassandra I know is a researcher at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It means doctor. But now she is saying, ‘I had to increase it.’

As if she were an employee of Cybele.

“Cassandra. How do you know all that? No, it’s not that I don’t trust you. “I want to know how you know all this.”

“How is that different from not believing?”

“Because I want to understand.”

Cassandra’s empty green eyes looked at me blankly. Her sigh came out naturally.

“I want to understand what you are saying. “I’m not asking because you’re unreliable, but because I want to know why it happens and how it was possible.”

Cassandra twisted her mouth. She thought for a moment, then reluctantly opened her mouth.

“… Okay. But please don’t ask any more questions than that. It’s painful. Cassandra was a researcher at Cybele before she became a doctor.”

It was too strange to just say, “Oh, I see.” She’s Cassandra, and no matter how you look at her, she doesn’t look like she’s older than her mid-twenties.

“You must have been busy. She graduated from medical school and worked as a researcher… “

“This was before she went to medical school.”

“… What?”

“Before she became an adult, she was a researcher at Cybele. For almost 6 years. So from thirteen to eighteen.”

“That was possible?”

“Because Cassandra was smart.”

No, I think that’s a completely separate issue from being smart. But she didn’t seem to be joking. Because she was extremely serious.

“They told Cassandra. If you can complete all this research quickly, there will be fewer people in Erza starving.

I explained that if food production increases, the price will naturally go down, and when the price goes down, Erza’s workers will eat their fill at a low price.

That is true. There are so many places in Erza’s land that have been devastated by the long war. The land itself is good, but there are few places where large-scale farming can be done. But there is a large population to support.

And Cassandra found a formula. However, since nothing in the world can be predicted using formulas alone, it had to be applied to plants one by one. Observe mutations and identify unexpected problems during the growth process.

Isn’t it plausible? As the plant growth cycle becomes faster, the processing cycle must also become correspondingly faster. There will be more jobs in Elsa. Because you have to do a lot of work in a short period of time.

Jobs would increase, food prices would become cheaper, and Elsa’s people would enjoy greater abundance. Cassandra naively believed that.”

It seems like a plausible story at first glance, but if you think about it carefully, it doesn’t make sense.

First of all, there is a clear limit to the acceptable intake whether it is a human, an animal, or a plant. If you can eat unlimited amounts of food, you won’t experience indigestion from overeating.

If a person is poor, he or she may have no choice but to starve for at least one meal. However, being wealthy does not mean eating 10 meals a day.

Who on earth eats all that?

– Cybele’s food contains ingredients that stimulate hunger.

Cassandra said.

– Not only me, but the people of Erza eat Cybele for the rest of their lives! Even though it doesn’t taste bad, this is the cheapest! Children from families without Cybele will starve to death! Do you think only kids do that? Adults, poor workers, absolutely depend on Cybele!

Camilla said.

“… Why? Why bother increasing food production and then adding hunger-stimulating ingredients to processed food? “Why do you have to push yourself so hard?”

“Because Cybele makes money.”

“You’re pushing one company that far?”

“It’s not just one company. Cybele’s major shareholders and board of directors are all members of the prestigious Römer noble family. To be precise, ambitious people who broke away from Römer’s power struggle and set foot in the ‘colony.'”

Cassandra added darkly.

“… The same goes for Elsa’s government. People say that Elsa’s government is Römer’s puppet. That’s only half true. To be precise, they are puppets of a company founded by the children whom Roemer abandoned.

All Elsa people are materially subordinated to Cybele and politically controlled by Cybele’s puppets… That was the future Cybele envisioned. And nothing puts a stranglehold on people like food. But it failed.”

“Not success?”

“I failed.”

Cassandra decided.

“… Cybele was arrogant. He had no doubt that he would become more and more wealthy, but he did not know that within the blessing was the goddess’ curse. I’m blind and can’t see clearly, but I’m not Cassandra. That is… That’s why I’m here now. “We need to stop the Erijkton Protocol from progressing.”

Title of this game. Title. Erijicton Protocol.

“You said before that you need to find a counterexample. “What is the Erijkton Protocol?”

“It’s simple. “It’s just a great containment protocol to prepare for the end times.”

Cassandra’s hands were shaking. The convulsions that started in her hands spread throughout her body. Even her chin was trembling and she continued her words with difficulty.

“The entire area of Erza will become a human non-protection zone. All borders will be closed. Just like it did outside the Hamptons. Everyone thinks that then the zombie outbreak will calm down. Isolate and destroy. That’s the point.

But no. Everyone is thinking too one-dimensionally. No one wants to accept that viruses mutate. But mutations are already occurring at a very rapid rate in all biomes.

The ecological cycle will disappear, and all species will be desperate to eat each other. Just as animals eat grass, a flycatcher the size of a building will melt and eat people.

Where they are trapped, they mutate with each other, and eventually only the most dominant will survive and devour the world. Until finally, there is nothing more to eat and it eats its own body. “Until there is nothing, nothing to protect.”

Cassandra sank her shaking body into her sheets. She seemed to be trying to stabilize herself somehow. With difficulty, she finished her sentence.

“The Erijkton Protocol should not be implemented. If the competition for survival is added to the already severe mutation, the mutation of living things will become faster. They will compete to survive, evolve, and eventually… Something will emerge that no one can stop. . Cassandra emphasized, proved and explained two or three times…”

“No one believed it?”

Cassandra nodded her head twice or three times.

“…No one.”

“I believe it.”

No. It would be accurate to say that I know. Because I saw what happened to the world after that. Bizarre creatures. A broken world. Humans wandering around the world for fun. Even though Cassandra was shaking, she smiled.

“Lie.”