Boom.
Boom.
The moment Yukino finished speaking, deafening explosions erupted in rapid succession. A flash of blinding light pierced the sky, followed by thick plumes of black smoke rising high into the air. Even the helicopters hovering above were shaken violently.
The massive blasts swallowed the entire bridge. Even without binoculars, they could see vehicles and zombies falling like petals from the sky, plunging straight into the sea below.
Boom!
Another bomb was dropped, and the already unstable bridge could no longer withstand the force. The steel cables snapped like rubber bands, and the broken structure collapsed into the ocean, sending up a towering spray of seawater.
Staring at the burning, crumbling bridge, everyone was dumbfounded. Many were frozen mid-cheer, unable to believe what they were witnessing. This bridge was a critical route leading directly to Narita Airport blowing it up held massive strategic implications.
And the bombing wasn't over. One of the helicopters that had been circling nearby shifted to the other side of the bridge and hovered once more. The scene felt all too familiar.
Everyone's faces turned grim. That bridge had a secondary span, used for railway transport, and it didn't take long before this fear was confirmed.
Boom.
Three more thunderous explosions rocked the air. Fire and smoke shot toward the sky. Even without looking, they knew the railway bridge was gone too.
Lowering her binoculars, Yukino's face had gone pale. "Why would they bomb the bridges? The broadcasts said the JSDF was about to begin a full-scale sweep of Tokyo…"
"They came from the northeast Narita Airport is in that direction," Sosuke said quietly. "That road is wide and straight. They probably blew up the bridges to keep the zombies in Tokyo from swarming through the fast lanes into the suburbs."
With a heavy sigh, he added, "If they're resorting to this… things must be far worse than we thought. The illusion of hope should be tossed in the trash now."
Using helicopters to drop bombs, instead of dispatching fighter jets clearly, the JSDF was short on resources. In a post-apocalyptic world, it wasn't the aircraft that were rare, but the trained pilots and the aviation fuel.
Both of which were nearly impossible to replace in a world like this.
The worst part? The JSDF seemed fractured. Internal divisions, cliques hoarding power for survival, no centralized command. It was the very scenario Sosuke had feared most.
"There might be another reason for bombing the bridge," Utaha said, raising the binoculars Sosuke had handed her. She pointed toward the remains of the structure. "The zombie horde is coming."
Yukino quickly picked up her own binoculars. Her view filled with a sea of heads, a densely packed swarm of undead stumbling stiffly toward the collapsed bridge. One by one, they fell off the edge and plunged into the water below, making the sea froth like boiling water.
"Huh… that's actually a clever way to deal with zombies," Yukino said, eyes lighting up. "If we could find a way to lure them all into the ocean, maybe they'd end up fighting those corpse-eating fish instead of us. And no one would have to get hurt."
Before she could finish her thought, a piercing screech echoed in the distance. The mindless zombies halted instantly, then turned in unison and began shambling back toward the city.
"Wait… is that the same Screecher we ran into before?" Utaha's voice trembled. A tightness gripped her chest as a chill ran through her.
"Could it really be following us? That's… incredibly persistent."
Sosuke shook his head, lips pressed into a grim line. "The one we met before shouldn't be that smart. Most Screechers are low-intelligence mutants. They usually manipulate other zombies from the shadows. There's no reason for one to target us like this."
Which meant… it was probably a different one.
But if that were true, then zombie evolution was accelerating far faster than he remembered.
In his previous life, he had survived nearly half a month in Tokyo and hadn't encountered a single Screecher. And now, he'd seen two already. Should he take this as bad luck?
Sosuke's brows knitted tighter. Something about this world was veering off the rails straying from what he thought he knew. And that was not a good sign.
"Hey… what's that?"
Haruno, who was steering the yacht, suddenly pointed to the sky. From afar, a massive dark cloud pierced through the heavens and plummeted downward, hurtling straight toward the helicopters.
"It's birds! No, mutated birds!"
Yukino cried out in shock, peering through the binoculars. What looked like a storm cloud was actually a swarm of zombified birds. The black mass engulfed the hovering helicopters like a vortex, tearing through them with terrifying force.
The aircraft shook violently, screams piercing the air. Several dark figures tumbled out, falling like stones into the sea.
"Rat-a-tat-tat!"
Gunfire erupted from within the helicopters. Sparks flared at the open hatches as panicked soldiers opened fire inside their own cabins. Before anyone on the ocean could react, a brilliant flash erupted from within then the choppers exploded into flaming wreckage, torn apart midair.
The flames spread rapidly, even igniting vehicles on the broken bridge. One explosion triggered another, until a wall of fire roared upward, its reflection dancing across the surface of the sea.
Just moments ago, it had all looked so promising.
Now?
Now the sea looked like it was on fire.
That was it? They were really gone? Those were military helicopters…
Countless survivors stood in stunned silence, eyes locked on the carnage, as if a spell had been cast. The previously lively harbor fell into eerie quiet.
Yukino's voice trembled. "Even birds can mutate now? Can we really make it back home alive?"
Leaning against the railing, Sosuke stared at the circling flock that hadn't dispersed.
"Don't give up just yet. Even though those three helicopters were destroyed, at least it proves that there are still JSDF forces active in Chiba. Narita Airport might not have fallen completely…"
"Bwoo bwoo bwoo!"
Just then, three solemn blasts echoed across the waves. A massive cruise ship nearby sounded its horn, paying tribute to the downed aircraft.
One after another, more ships joined in.
The solemn chorus of horns swept across the sea.
"…Not the best timing," Sosuke muttered, narrowing his eyes at the sky.
Sure enough, the flock circling above turned sharply.
They had found their next target.
And they were diving straight down.
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