"Everyone get into the cockpit! Haruno, full speed ahead to the shore! Avoid those cargo ships!"
Sosuke Kitahara turned and shouted at them. But the flock of corpse birds was fast within a few breaths, they were right in front of them. Fortunately, the yacht's windows were reinforced, far stronger than ordinary glass. The moment they ducked into the cabin, they shut every window tightly, not leaving even a sliver of space.
And just as the last two observation windows were sealed.
Thud!
A violent crash thundered from the bow. Countless corpse birds slammed into the yacht like a tidal wave. The front windshield instantly turned pitch black, smeared with foul fluids and feathers. If the glass hadn't been high quality, it would've cracked on the spot from the sheer force.
"Hold steady! Don't panic! Veer right, we have to break away from the fleet!"
Sosuke quickly raised the binoculars and peered out the side window, giving Haruno directions. Not far away was a massive cargo ship its deck stacked with containers, its hull like a moving fortress on the sea. They could use it to shield themselves from the onslaught.
But Haruno didn't dare steer too close. It was simple physics: high flow velocity equals low pressure. If the pressure difference between the yacht and the massive ship became too great, their smaller vessel could get "sucked" in. If that happened, the yacht would be crushed instantly.
Even so, the number of corpse birds had only slightly decreased. It was like a hailstorm wave after wave crashing into the yacht. Unlike regular zombies, these birds were far more lethal. With every impact, some pierced the glass like bullets, becoming lodged in the cracks and writhing furiously.
"Die! Just die already!"
Utaha Kasumigaoka yanked out her dagger and stabbed furiously at the glass, aiming for the twitching bird heads. Yukino quickly joined in, and before long, the glass was covered in mangled corpses rotting heads smashed against the surface, enough to make anyone with trypophobia feel violently ill.
Boom!
A sudden crash from the rear. One of the fleeing speedboats slammed into a cruise liner and was instantly crushed beneath it, drawn under by the massive ship like a moth to a flame.
"Help! Please help!"
A few people had leapt into the sea in desperation, their cries shrill and terrified as they thrashed in the water. Black shadows surfaced around them corpse fish, lying in wait. In seconds, the survivors were torn apart, blood staining the ocean red, and soon only bone fragments floated to the top.
Those on the cruise liner weren't faring much better. The corpse birds had flooded the decks like a swarm of flies, darting through every open gap. Screams echoed as passengers were pecked and torn. Sosuke gritted his teeth and cursed. He remembered clearly it was this cruise ship that sounded the horn first, prompting people to stand out on the deck in prayer. Most of its windows had been left open. Now it was a playground for the infected birds.
That's the chaos of the apocalypse: sometimes you do everything right, only to be dragged down by someone else's reckless move.
Bang!
Suddenly, the yacht rocked violently like something had punched it from below. Everyone stumbled. Then Haruno screamed in panic, "We've been hit! The hull is leaking!"
At the same time, alarms on the control panel started blinking wildly.
From the left rear, the wreckage of a capsized speedboat surfaced. Several raincoat-clad corpses floated around it. The birds had likely attacked them mid-escape, causing the crash. One of their dead boats had struck them.
Now wasn't the time to dwell on it. The shoreline was still far, and the yacht might not last that long with a compromised hull. Sosuke, tense and alert, raised his binoculars and scanned the shore. Ideas churned rapidly in his mind. He turned and shouted, "Haruno, forget everything else full throttle straight to shore. I'm heading below to grab the meat from the fridge."
"What?! Are you out of your mind?! It's chaos out there and you're thinking about eating?"
Utaha grabbed his arm, her beautiful face full of concern. But Sosuke patted her hand and calmly explained, "It's not for me. It's for insurance."
"Let him go," Haruno said quickly, catching on to Sosuke's intent. "With the yacht's condition, it might not make it to shore… and he's the only one here who might survive if he has to jump."
"Then I'll go too. Our backpacks are still below, and you can't carry everything by yourself," Utaha said.
"I'm going too," Yukino added urgently.
"Alright. Yukino, you come with me."
Sosuke made a quick decision. Utaha saw the deep look in his eyes and instantly understood his worry. Her heart softened. Even with breathing techniques to reduce pain, she was still lightly injured. Her footing wasn't steady.
"Then be careful. I'll stay at the door and wait for you."
Utaha wasn't one to be stubborn. She moved her legs and marveled silently. The breathing technique really was miraculous. Even though she hadn't mastered it, just following the rhythm reduced the pain considerably.
To think this legendary technique was now being used to ease… post-deflowering pain. If the ancient cultivators who created it knew, they'd probably rise from their coffins in fury.
Sosuke placed his left hand on the sheath and gripped the hilt with his right.
The handle was cool and perfectly molded to his palm. The moment his fingers wrapped around it, the world fell silent. Every stray thought vanished, swept away like receding tides.
His eyes focused solely on the corpse birds circling above the yacht.
He took a deep breath, his dark pupils shining like stars.
"You ready, Yukino?"
Yukino's gaze swept over his poised figure. In that moment Sosuke gripped his blade, something about him… changed. She'd felt it before a strange shift in his presence. She couldn't describe it. But when she looked too closely, it almost felt like an illusion.
Could it be the breathing technique?
She wondered silently. Could it really transform someone this much?
In that fleeting glimpse, Sosuke's profile seemed more defined, more resolute. Like a sword drawn from its scabbard sharp, dangerous, utterly radiant.
"I'm ready."
The moment she spoke, Sosuke pushed open the door.
The corpse birds previously circling overhead in search of a weakness reacted instantly. As if sharing one mind, they soared to a higher altitude. Then, like a waterfall in monsoon season, they plunged down… rushing straight toward the feast that had just stepped into their sights.
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