__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
[System]: Detected that group member "Poison Island" is in a life-threatening situation. Issuing emergency quest.
[System]: Due to her high activity, she's about to face a critical moment.
[System]: In the Biohazard incident in Bedmaster City, her actions have drawn the attention of the mastermind. Surveillance satellites have captured her unusual performance during the virus outbreak, and they've dispatched powerful forces to hinder and test her.
[System]: Main Objective – Ensure "Poison Island" survives and remains healthy. Eliminate the mastermind, Umbrella Corporation. Reward: 20,000 points.
[System]: Optional Objective – Protect the survivors under "Poison Island's" care. Each survivor alive at mission's end: +1,000 points.
[Poison Island]: ?
[Poison Island]: How did I suddenly become the target? Someone's got their eye on me?
Saeko stared blankly at the chat.
One second everyone had been complaining about how lazy the group was… and now she was the main character of a mission?
She skimmed the quest description.
Sure, she'd wanted the group's heavy-hitters to deal with the outbreak—but that didn't mean she wanted to be thrown into danger herself!
[Shut-In Angel]: Huh? This is… a new group quest?!
[Shut-In Angel]: Damn! Finally! Guess cursing out the group really does work!
[Poison Island]: I'm thinking maybe don't curse it…
[Shut-In Angel]: Why not?
[Shepherd]: We don't know if it's because we cursed it that the quest appeared, but based on the details… Saeko's probably been targeted by Umbrella. Hard to rule out the group's involvement.
If it wasn't, fine. But if it was… that was unsettling to think about.
Personally, Lawson leaned toward it just being a coincidence.
The reason Saeko Busujima got targeted was actually pretty simple.
Most likely, it all came down to that genetic enhancement serum she'd lucked into during a free lottery pull.
After the injection, she'd evolved into something straight out of a Resident Evil movie—practically on par with Alice herself.
But after spending so much time wiping out zombies, she'd drawn Umbrella Corporation's attention. They'd dispatched a team to "test" her combat capabilities.
After all, Umbrella's original goal with the virus had been to rewrite human genes. Biological weapons were just a happy little side project.
Shepherd: "Of course, that's just my wild guess. Pretend I didn't say anything."
Blizzard of Hell: "Anyway, who's taking the mission?"
Shut-In Angel: "Me, obviously! Who could say no to a real-life zombie hunt?"
As a hardcore gamer, this was her dream field trip.
Old Mage: "Guess I'll tag along too."
Bad Woman: "I'll pass. My post isn't something anyone else can fill."
Shepherd: "I'll come. I already promised Saeko I'd help."
Saeko: "Got it. When are you coming over? I'll get things ready."
Shut-In Angel: "If you can have a gun waiting for me, that'd be perfect."
Old Mage: "Can you prepare some desserts? And if you've got a magic grimoire, even better."
Blizzard of Hell: "You two are forgetting this isn't a vacation. And Saeko's place has the roughest living conditions out of all of us, so maybe keep your demands in check."
Old Mage: "Alright, alright."
Saeko: "It's fine. I'm happy to have your help. And I've got both guns and desserts here."
Saeko: "Blizzard, Shepherd—anything you two need?"
Blizzard of Hell: "I'm fine. Let's focus on the mission."
Shepherd: "Same here."
Of course, "nothing" didn't literally mean nothing. Shepherd had a soft spot for pretty girls in apocalypse worlds, but that wasn't the kind of thing you just blurted out.
Saeko: "So, aside from Miss Makima, everyone else is coming?"
Bad Woman: "As long as someone streams it so I can watch."
Saeko: "I'll handle the stream."
She closed the chat.
She was just about to let the others in the shelter know when she caught something in the corner of her eye.
A blood-red creature, its skin entirely flayed away to reveal raw muscle and an exposed brain, was sprinting up the side of a distant building. A long crimson tongue dangled from its mouth, whipping back and forth as it climbed.
"..."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________