Unknowingly, nearly an hour had passed.
"All done everyone's cleared. You've passed the inspection. Now for the settlement: the testing fee is thirty-eight jin of rice, plus another eight for parking and storage, forty-six in total. Will you be paying in rice, or offsetting with other goods?"
A young woman smiled as she pulled an electronic scale onto the desk. Her movements were crisp, professional, leaving the group staring in surprise.
Sosuke Kitahara waved for Kasumigaoka Utaha, who managed the team's supplies, to come forward and settle it. Utaha couldn't be bothered to fetch rice from the truck. Instead, she casually tossed over a bundle of sausages, resolving the matter instantly.
Sosuke stepped closer and asked, "Miss, how are food exchanges calculated here? Is there a fixed standard?"
"There are four public notice boards across the city with all the rates clearly posted. And if you don't want to bother with barter, you can go to an official exchange station. They'll take a small handling fee, but you'll get food vouchers in return. With those, buying things is far more convenient."
The girl collected their payment, inwardly surprised by how generous this group was they didn't even haggle. Wanting to be helpful, she added: "Each of you, with your new IDs, can collect two liters of clean water per day for free. But remember always boil it before drinking. Some people turned into zombies from drinking it raw."
"Is your water supply secure?"
Sosuke's tone grew serious. Water meant survival. He dismissed the talk of infection from raw water as nothing but fearmongering.
"Of course. But drinking water and daily-use water are separate. We've got eight wells, each guarded. Ordinary people aren't allowed near them. Officers oversee the distribution water's still scarce, after all."
"Good. It's been days since we had a proper wash. I'm going crazy."
Utaha let out a delighted laugh. The others' faces brightened with relief.
"Alright, everyone, that's it for now. I hope Yamanashi can bring you more safety and maybe even happiness."
The older woman who had handled their registrations smiled as she gave her parting words. But she left them with a final note: "One last reminder don't look at this city with your old world eyes. Out here, the rules of the apocalypse still apply."
"Understood. Thank you."
Sosuke nodded respectfully. He recognized the weight behind her words. No matter where they were, as long as zombies existed, the laws of the apocalypse would never vanish from the human world.
Leaving the registry, the group returned to the parking lot. With Captain Eguchi's hearty assistance, they unloaded all their supplies into supermarket trolleys.
Mrs. Yuigahama pushed a cart alongside Sosuke, concern in her eyes. "Sosuke, we've been on the move for so long. Supplies are running thin, and most of us don't even have enough winter clothes. The days are fine, but at night everyone's struggling in the cold."
"It's fine. There'll definitely be places selling clothes here. As for food we'll organize a scavenging run in a few days. With a base to return to, we can afford to bring in more this time."
Sosuke gave her a reassuring smile, then turned to Eguchi. "Captain, you've already helped us a lot. We'll handle it from here. Once we're settled, we'll treat you to a proper meal."
"No problem. Plenty of empty houses in the city. A little food and you can claim one. I need to get back to my shift anyway. If you need me, come here or straight to my place. Here's the address."
He handed Sosuke a slip of paper. Sosuke nodded, gestured for Mrs. Yuigahama to give him two more packs of cigarettes, which Eguchi refused a few times before accepting with a grin. After a cheerful farewell, he headed back.
"Look around, onee-chan. This place... it's almost nostalgic."
Yukino brushed her hair back from her cheek, her eyes shining. "The order, the planning it feels like the world we lost. If we can find our parents, I'd gladly stay here forever."
"Yeah," Sosuke agreed, his voice tinged with emotion. "For a place in the apocalypse, this level of management is no small feat."
The women with him wore hopeful smiles. For the first time in weeks, they allowed themselves to imagine Yamanashi as a safe haven, a true home.
Pushing carts, they approached the inner gate. Just as they were handing over their medical reports, a girl with bright, round eyes hurried over. She scanned them quickly, then bounded up to Sosuke with a sweet smile.
"Good morning, everyone! Need a guide?"
"A... guide?"
Hiramiya adjusted his glasses, studying her curiously. She was seventeen, maybe eighteen. Pretty, though thin clearly malnourished. He looked her over and muttered, "What for? We're not tourists." He tore open a sausage and bit into it.
The girl's eyes lingered on the sausage, throat bobbing, before she forced a grin. "Hehe, onii-chan doesn't get it. This base covers over two thousand mu. Just walking from one gate to another takes half an hour. Without someone who knows the city, you'll be wandering aimlessly. For just five sausages, I'll tell you everything you need to know and show you around too! Look, I even have an official guide license." She tapped the card hanging from her neck, its seal clearly authentic.
"Oh? And how'd you know we're newcomers?" Sosuke asked, eyeing the badge. It was clearly a new job created post-apocalypse.
"I've never stepped outside these walls since Day One. I can tell at a glance who's fresh. And the past two days? So many new arrivals! Business has been great!"
Her big eyes sparkled with calculation, but her tone was playful. "So? Want me to help you find a place to stay, maybe show you around the city?"
"I need to find some people. Can you do that?" Sosuke cut her off, his gaze steady.
"Hah, then you've come to the right person! As long as they're in Yamanashi and still alive, I can find them for you." She puffed her chest proudly.
"Good. Ten sausages. Five as deposit, five upfront. Each person you find earns another five." Sosuke gestured for Utaha to hand over the food. The girl's eyes lit up as she grabbed them, babbling, "You're generous! Yesterday some cheapskates promised me five sausages and then tried to pay me with a handful of rice. If it weren't for the police, I'd have been cheated blind."
She happily tucked the sausages away but suddenly, a firm hand clamped on her wrist.
Sosuke's eyes bore into hers, voice low and sharp. "Don't do anything stupid. I expect efficiency."
The killing intent in his gaze crushed the air around her. She felt like a fish gasping on land, lungs screaming. Only when he released her did she gulp in air, trembling. She knew this man had killed before. She had seen this aura only in the most ruthless hunters.
But then, as if nothing had happened, Sosuke smiled cheerfully and asked, "So, the people you mentioned yesterday where are they staying?"
Rubbing her sore wrist, the girl quickly fell into step beside him. "Hard to say. Rich ones buy houses or check into hotels. Poorer folks live in shelters whole fields of tents and shacks. Seven, eight people crammed into one. Free, but harsh."
Her matter-of-fact tone showed she was used to it.
Sosuke gave her another look. She wasn't beautiful, but pleasant to the eye. If she wanted to, she could have lived off her looks. Instead, she chose labor to survive. That earned her some respect.
"Hm. So the class divide's pretty sharp here."
Yukino frowned, voicing the thought aloud.
"Hehe, wasn't it always?" the girl countered. "At least our leaders try. They give everyone a chance. Those with skills or courage get better lives. Those without... well, it's inevitable. This isn't about labor anymore it's about ability. The best off are the scavengers, followed by managers and researchers."
"Not bad. This feels like a real settlement."
Sosuke was impressed. The spotless streets and tidy order shocked him it hardly felt like the apocalypse at all. For a moment, he even wondered if he was dreaming. But deep down, he remembered: one day, this city would fall to a tide of corpses. The thought brought a pang of sorrow.
"Look! Jujube trees! They're fruiting!"
Haruno cried out in delight, pointing to the roadside. The rare sight of greenery sent the group into excited chatter. Several flight attendants, starved of fruit for weeks, nearly rushed forward.
"Don't! Stop!"
The guide girl lunged to block them, panic in her voice. "You can't pick those. They belong to the state. Anyone caught gets jailed!"
"What? Just for picking a date?"
The women quickly pulled back, sulking.
"Of course. If everyone took one, they'd be gone in an hour. These trees are carefully cultivated by scientists. Damage them and you'll face bullets." She explained breathlessly, then added, "Fruits are precious now. Most trees outside the walls are gone. These researchers are the city's treasure. Without them, we'd have nothing."
She pointed ahead at a group of workers pushing carts of tools. "See them? They're our farmers. Don't underestimate them becoming one requires exams. Dozens compete for a spot. Even students from Yokohama University failed the tests."
"Yokohama University? And they weren't accepted?"
"Not unless they're truly skilled. Competition's fierce. I heard those rejected by our examiners had their applications graded by graduates from Tokyo University."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We've officially caught up to the latest raw chapters for this story! ❤️ Thank you so much for your incredible patience and support, every comment, every power stone, and every bit of encouragement keeps me going at full speed.
I'll continue the moment new raws are released. If I can't get the next batch immediately, here's the current raw title so you can keep an eye out yourself:
TITLE: 我在末世拯救二次元女主
AUTHOR: 小点点不太多
While you're waiting for new updates, feel free to check out my other ongoing stories, there's plenty of action, survival, and cross-world drama waiting for you there too!
Stay tuned, the journey isn't over yet! Your support means the world to me, and as soon as I have raw, updates will resume without delay.