Chapter 22: Weighing the Options

"If it wasn't convenient, I wouldn't have answered this call. Go ahead, what do you want to talk about?" Sosuke Kitahara sat in the living room, turning on the TV and lowering the volume. Every channel was reporting on the recent virus outbreak and zombie attacks. Even the usual laid-back Tokyo TV station had suspended its anime broadcasts. "I'm so glad to hear that you're safe..." The voice on the other end sounded genuinely relieved. Sosuke frowned. They'd only met briefly, so why did she sound so familiar and concerned, as if they were old friends? He wasn't sure how to respond. But soon, the girl continued, "Let me introduce myself. I'm Haruno Yukinoshita, a college student. We met this morning. You swerved to avoid us and accidentally collided with my family's car, remember?" "Of course I remember. But if you're calling about compensation, I'll be honest, I probably can't come up with the money anytime soon," Sosuke replied politely, not using the zombie outbreak as an excuse to evade the conversation. "No, no, compensation can wait..." Haruno's pace was calm, but to Sosuke, she sounded a little anxious. She quickly continued, "Actually, if you're willing to help us, aside from other rewards, I can waive the compensation entirely..." "Don't joke with me." Sosuke interrupted, a little annoyed. "Haruno Yukinoshita, right? Something this big is happening out there, I know you're aware. I bet you're holed up somewhere, probably surrounded by zombies, right? You want me to come save you? That's a suicide mission. You should be calling the police, not me. Sorry, I'm just an ordinary high school student, I can't help you." "Wait! Please, don't hang up yet, just hear me out!" Realizing he was about to hang up, Haruno quickly panicked, her tone completely losing its earlier composure. Sosuke sneered inwardly. Sure, she was beautiful, but he wasn't some desperate simp. No matter how much she pleaded, he wasn't going to risk his life. "Fine, let's hear it. But I'm telling you now, I probably can't help." He had no intention of going, but he was curious about what she wanted to say. After all, she was the daughter of a wealthy family in Chiba maybe she knew something he didn't. "Thank you so much. Since you already understand the situation outside, I'll be honest we're trapped. Many people have died and turned into zombies. My sister Yukino and I are currently stuck in a room on the seventh floor of the Chizuru Hotel in Setagaya. The police lines are down. If you can come rescue us, we will reward you generously..." "Forget the reward. I just hope you make it out safely. Goodbye." Having not heard anything useful, Sosuke was ready to hang up. But Haruno quickly added, "There's a helicopter coming to pick us up. The helipad is on the roof of the Chizuru Hotel. We can fly out of Tokyo together..." A helicopter? Sosuke paused. Sensing his hesitation, Haruno rushed to explain, "Many areas in central Tokyo have already fallen. Even the places guarded by the Self-Defense Forces have strict lockdowns and entry protocols. Staying in the city is just temporary you know the longer you stay, the more dangerous it gets. My family is in Chiba. You can come with us to the countryside and take refuge there..." "Hmm..." Sosuke began weighing his options. What she said made sense. The news on TV also showed that the highways out of Tokyo were completely jammed. Other guarded safety zones had long lines at entry checkpoints, with bridges packed with cars. If even one infected person slipped through, the situation would instantly spiral out of control. The safety zone would be locked down immediately, and anyone forcing their way in would face the military's firepower. Retreating would mean facing zombies and chaotic crowds. None of the options were great. Sosuke's original plan was to find a car, bring the rations from home, and find a backroad out of Tokyo to reassess. But a helicopter was tempting. "There are two people on my side. Can the helicopter carry us? And can you guarantee we'll actually be allowed on? Helicopters are invaluable now what if the pilot refuses to take us?" "Don't worry. It's our family's private helicopter. My family already contacted me. It'll fly in from Chiba the day after tomorrow, piloted by our family's pilot. It's just my sister and me we're both light. If your friend isn't too heavy, there should be no problem fitting all of us." Sosuke was tempted. Riding a helicopter was far safer than driving, and now that he had mastered the breathing technique, as long as he didn't face a full horde, ordinary zombies weren't much of a threat. He also knew that the Chizuru Hotel was a high-end establishment. Since tourist season had ended, it likely wouldn't be crowded. If what she said was true, the risk might be worth it. But if they didn't let him on... would he have to fight for it? He didn't know how to fly a helicopter. Better to decline. With the system on his side, he could simply focus on killing zombies and training Utaha Kasumigaoka as a solid combat partner. He could afford to be patient. By the time Tier 1 zombies started appearing, he might already be a Tier 2 or Tier 3 awakened. "Sorry..." Sosuke felt a pang of disappointment, but reason told him this was the safer choice. He was just an ordinary guy trying to survive he wasn't about to perform some self-sacrificing heroic act. Just then, the familiar mechanical voice echoed. "Team-up request detected. Evaluating..." "Evaluation complete. Candidate meets requirements to join the team." Silence returned. "Wait! If you're worried about the helicopter, it's fine we also have a yacht. It's docked at Tokyo Bay. I have the key. As long as my sister gets on the helicopter safely, I can stay behind and we can leave by sea together..." Haruno's anxious voice rang in his ear, but Sosuke was still stunned the system had just confirmed they qualified as teammates. That meant if they killed zombies, he would also gain points. With more teammates, he could rack up points even faster. Forget the helicopter and yacht. Sosuke realized that what he really wanted was the points. Haruno continued pleading over the phone as Sosuke finally snapped out of his thoughts. His lips curved into a subtle smile as he softly said, "Sorry, maybe I wasn't clear, I mean, I can't make it tonight. You two should hang in there one more night. I don't want to show up tomorrow and find two zombies instead." "You mean..." Haruno's delighted voice instantly came through the phone. ... Meanwhile, in a room on the seventh floor of the Chizuru Hotel "He agreed." Yukino Yukinoshita watched her smiling sister, still puzzled. "But sis, I don't understand. There are a lot of zombies in this hotel. How can you be sure he's capable of saving us? He's just a high school student like me..."