The zombies were close enough that aiming wasn't necessary. Even a half‑novice like Nathan could easily hit their heads, "appreciating" the sight of blood and brain matter splattering.
For some reason, the fear that should have come never did. He was so calm it frightened even himself, silently pulling the trigger again and again.
"Why won't they die?!"
Alice, protected in the middle by the armed mercenaries, watched them fire continuously without effect and began to panic.
That reminded Nathan. He quickly shouted to the mercenaries beside him:
"Don't waste bullets on the body! Aim for the head! Only headshots work!"
"What did you say?!"
Kaplan, holding his weapon nearby, couldn't hear clearly over the gunfire and turned his head to ask.
"Aim for the hea—"
Boom!!!!
Before he could finish, a cabinet riddled with mercenary gunfire suddenly exploded.
The shockwave blasted most of them away. Nathan was thrown backward uncontrollably, landing directly on top of Rachel.
"It hurts… you're heavy…"
Pinned beneath him, Rachel groaned in pain.
"Sorry, sorry."
Nathan quickly rolled aside and checked her condition. But more zombies were already closing in from afar, leaving him no time to focus on her. He pulled her up, scanned the area, and raised his rifle to shoot the nearest zombie.
The sudden explosion had separated him from the mercenaries, leaving him alone with Rachel. The corpses looked terrifying, but their movements were slow. Shooting them one by one prevented them from getting close easily. The problem was their sheer numbers—far too many to wipe out.
Meanwhile, the mercenaries opened the door leading back to the flooded laboratories. But on the other side, hordes of zombies were waiting. They immediately dragged J.D., the mercenary at the doorway, inside.
His shrill screams chilled the heart. Even Nathan, focused on shooting, paused briefly.
"…Someone's done for. We need to regroup with them quickly. If it's just the two of us, we…"
"Mm."
"Let's go."
Though he didn't know why things had turned out this way, Nathan knew clearly he didn't want to die. He aimed again, firing faster, his body trembling slightly with each recoil.
Even as a rookie shooter, the zombies' slow movements made them manageable.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Continuous shots cleared a path. He tried to return to the Red Queen's chamber, where the remaining mercenaries should be. But somehow, he lost his way and ended up in a room cluttered with scattered debris.
"Nathan… aren't you afraid?"
Rachel suddenly spoke from behind. She had been terrified all along, but his calm demeanor seemed to influence her. She couldn't help but feel curious.
According to Kaplan, he was just an ordinary man. Yet his actions… were anything but ordinary.
"Of course I'm not afraid. I'm a man. How could I be scared of something this small?" Nathan replied confidently without turning his head.
But Rachel could hear the tremor hidden in his voice.
She chose not to expose it. Instead, she smiled softly at his back and whispered:
"…Nathan, you really are amazing."
"Haha, well… that's what men should be…"
He laughed awkwardly, nodding. But it was only bravado. His voice trembled, and now that the battle had ended and he was alone with Rachel, even his legs felt weak.
During the firefight, adrenaline had surged, putting him in a feverish state. In that moment, he had been fearless.
But once it faded, he was just an ordinary man. And how could an ordinary man not be afraid of monsters like these?
…He was terrified. Truly terrified.
This wasn't a movie or a game. This was reality. Reality where monsters from films had appeared. What kind of joke was this?!
He wanted to scream, but with a child behind him, he forced himself to swallow his fear.
Every man wants to show his best side in front of a girl.
And Rachel, though only thirteen, was still a girl—and a very cute one. That alone stirred his protective instincts, making this pathetic man want to act strong and show off before her.
…Men really are pathetic creatures, so easily motivated. Nathan couldn't help but feel bitter at his own cheapness.
But he didn't intend to change. After all, wanting to show one's best side in front of others was human nature.
And thanks to that, he could suppress his fear and keep fighting.
The corridor was eerily silent. Nathan, suspecting Rachel's presence merely triggered his pathetic instincts, continued cautiously ahead, guarding her.
Barely five minutes later, footsteps deliberately muffled echoed from around the corner. Like a startled bird, Nathan instinctively swung his gun toward the sound.
"—Hey, hey! It's me! Me! Calm down!"
Alice raised her hands immediately as the gun pointed at her.
"…What are you doing here?"
Nathan suppressed his impulse to shoot at anything that moved. Scanning the surroundings, he noticed several dog cages, each broken open with large holes. A bad feeling crept into his heart.
Alice followed his gaze to the cages, then said:
"Nothing. After the explosion, everyone scattered. I wandered here in confusion. You too?"
"Pretty much. I'm hopeless with directions. I was trying to get back to the Red Queen's chamber."
Nathan shrugged with a bitter smile. For some reason, the dark room filled him with unease.