Chapter Nineteen: The Offensive (Part Two)

“Senator, it has already been five days!” As Alice slipped into the top floor of the skyscraper, a group of people sat together in a concealed office reminiscent of Laura’s own: apart from the ordinary furnishings, there was a layer of hardened, color-changing glass doors. The speaker was a plump, middle-aged man with blond hair. If Laura could see them, she would surely recognize the questioner as Byrne Gray, the highest chairman of the Gerlandsk Group. Seated in the main chair, his expression stern, was Senator Allen, one of the four presidential candidates.

Just as with Laura, the food and water in the office were in short supply, and besides the two of them, there were also two bodyguards of special forces caliber. Their situation was even more dire than Laura’s.

“It should be soon. The Federation military is highly trained—at least the suburban garrison stands a good chance of regaining control from the chaos caused by the infection. Once they reorganize their forces, they will surely reclaim the city.”

“Yes, I think so too, Senator.” Gray’s agreement sounded weak, his voice dulled by days of hunger, but both men made every effort to display their best spirits for the benefit of the bodyguards.

Their conversation was not merely to comfort themselves, but mostly for the bodyguards’ sake. As professional military men, their loyalty was presumably solid, but the situation was delicate. If sudden danger arose, Gray believed the bodyguards would risk their lives to protect them; but in these circumstances, it was less certain. From the start of the disaster, all supplies in the room had been divided equally—a decision in which Gray and Allen demonstrated foresight. Had they been the slightest bit selfish, the bodyguards might have erupted and seized the food days ago.

Nevertheless, Gray keenly noticed today that the bodyguards’ gazes had changed; hunger burned in their eyes, and they were beginning to look at the two men differently. Though not overt, certain thoughts had begun to take root. The situation was extremely dangerous.

“My visit to your company was public, and the military high command surely has intelligence on it. Once they organize their armed forces, they’ll come for us first,” Allen said confidently, offering reassurance. Gray played along enthusiastically, and the bodyguards’ spirits lifted a little.

Seeing the bodyguards’ expressions, the two men breathed a secret sigh of relief, barely managing to keep things under control. In truth, they were well aware of their predicament: this was a densely populated area, and the military would reclaim it last, perhaps using heavy firepower. The chance of anyone searching for survivors here was very slim. Their status might slightly improve their odds, but Allen himself remained pessimistic. If the disaster was nationwide, even global, then the government was likely paralyzed. Would those generals with the army in hand come to rescue him? He thought about it—if it were him, he would never come.

Still, he wanted to live, holding out for a miracle.

Tap tap… Just as the group’s minds were running wild, a sudden knock shattered the silence. All eyes snapped to the door in terror.

“Senator Allen, could it be the rescue team?” The two bodyguards asked nervously.

Allen’s pupils contracted, his expression stirred—he desperately hoped for rescue. Had the army really deployed a unit to save them? Yet reason prevailed; he gestured for everyone to remain calm.

Holding their breath, they waited tensely. After a few knocks, a gleaming knife slid through the crack in the door, blood dripping from its blade. Their hearts leapt to their throats, and the bodyguards drew their pistols, aiming at the entrance.

The intruder acted skillfully: with a flick of the wrist, the blade popped the door open easily. But what met their eyes stunned them—a little girl in a tracksuit, perhaps five or six years old, her hair in a ponytail, tilting her head toward their glass door. “Mom, are you there?”

What was going on? The people inside froze. They had expected a soldier, a walking corpse, or perhaps some desperate survivors searching for supplies, but a tiny girl? The scene was eerily bizarre.

“Mom?” The little girl stepped forward, her face puzzled as she continued to ask.

Squeak! The glass door was designed to be opaque from inside, but Allen pressed the color-change button, making it transparent. Seeing only men inside, Alice’s expression darkened, her tone unfriendly: “Who are you?”

“Ch—child!” Allen was the first to react, swallowing nervously. He asked, “Are there no monsters on this floor?” The question was crucial. He didn’t know why such a young girl was here, but if she was unharmed, perhaps it wasn’t so dangerous outside. Even if they couldn’t break out, as long as this floor was safe, they could search for supplies—just a bit more water would help.

“Isn’t this the manager’s office?” Alice ignored his question, coldly asking what she wanted to know.

“This is the chairman’s office. The manager’s is one floor below,” Gray responded quickly.

“One floor down?” Alice’s eyes brightened, and she turned to leave.

“Wait, child… hold on…” The men were anxious, but dared not open the glass door.

Roar! Suddenly, a beastly growl echoed. Allen’s face changed as he swiftly pressed the color-change button, his eyes wide. The scene that followed nearly made his eyes pop out.

The little girl with the sword didn’t even turn her head. She sidestepped the attack, and with a backhanded swing, pinned the zombie to the wooden door beside her.

What was happening? Their worldviews crumbled. Was this an action movie? Were the zombies this weak?

“That was the last one on this floor. Your voices were too loud, attracted it,” Alice said, then prepared to leave.

“Wait!” The glass door swung open, and Allen and Gray scrambled out. “I am Senator Allen Hogg. If you get me out safely, I will reward you generously!”

Alice paused—not because of the promise of reward, but because a voice came through her earpiece: “Two people are coming, fast. The zombies seem afraid of them. Your mother should be on the next floor down. They’re already at the twentieth floor. You should hurry and try to engage them on the lower floors—don’t let it spill over to where your mother is.”

“Understood.” Alice turned, her face breaking into an innocent, sweet smile. “Alright, what sort of reward?”

--------------------------------

“Ian, what floor is the target on now?” Jones, racing upward, asked.

“Sixty-eight, only ten floors from you. There are others following behind. Their goal is likely to rescue the people at the top.”

“To rescue the top-floor occupants?” Jones’s eyes lit up.

“Yes, the top floor houses a government senator—also a presidential candidate. He’s partnered with the chairman, Reg Gray. The senator is his political asset. I suspect this is the Lord’s mission: to have the target connect with the native power and earn the trust of the remaining government forces.”

“Interesting. In that case…” A cold smile briefly flickered across Jones’s face.

Time passed quickly. Both sides stopped when they were separated by only one floor. Jones and Raine simultaneously removed their earpieces.

On the floor above, Alice signaled for her party to halt, then turned: “Give me your guns, and the suppressors.”

Alice’s display of strength gave her words great weight; the bodyguards, without even seeking the senator’s permission, eagerly handed over their pistols.

“Has something happened?” Allen asked cautiously. Alice’s prowess made him extremely respectful, and he saw hope for escape. Yet, she had dealt with zombies using only melee weapons—her sudden request for guns made him nervous.

“We have guests,” Alice replied coldly, removing her own earpiece and tucking it into her pocket.

On the sixty-seventh floor of the Imperial Tower, in this world, the forces of Night and Undead finally met face to face for the first time.