Chapter 51

In the light drizzle, I stood on the rooftop with Oda's subordinate, serving as a night watchman for the first time in a while.

It had been two days since we went to the garrison.

As expected, no rescue helicopter came today either.

Given the state of the garrison, it was quite possible that not being rescued was a stroke of luck.

However, among the evacuees, who had no way of knowing this, a bad mood was gradually spreading.

Even though I was on watch on the rooftop now, if evacuees were to come, it would be extremely difficult to help them, given that no one was at the city hall.

According to Oda and the others, Kaede and I were the first evacuees in a long time.

It might be an insensitive thought, but I wished no new evacuees would come.

I was unsure of what to do when faced with lives that could be saved.

I could help them if I wanted to, but that would also mean exposing this power to the light of day.

"Hmm?"

While thinking about this, I looked outside and sensed a reaction to my line of sight.

It was not from the police officer on the same rooftop, but from outside the police station.

From the direction, it seemed to be from a building diagonally across the main street, a bit away.

It was a reaction from a living person.

At the same time, the reaction included a sense of hostility.

A clear sense of hostility, beyond just a warning.

There was no sense of danger, but this was undoubtedly a reaction from someone who was hostile.

The presence of new survivors other than ourselves, and the fact that they were hostile, made me feel that something troublesome was about to happen, and I sighed, holding my head.

+++++

Worried about the reaction to the line of sight I sensed last night, I went up to the rooftop the next day.

There were already two of Oda's subordinates there, keeping watch in the direction of the garrison.

"Ah, Yanagi-san. What's up?"

"Just a change of pace. It's sunny today, but... the rescue still hasn't come, has it?"

"...Yeah. At this rate, something might have happened over there."

While looking at the sky, I exchanged a few words with the bald police officer.

I could sense a reaction of hostility from the same building as last night.

It seemed I was being watched.

I had come up to the rooftop for the first time in a while last night, so I didn't know how long this watcher had been there. However, there was no reaction when the Self-Defense Forces' rescue helicopter came here, so it must have come after that.

But why were they hostile, and what was their purpose?

For now, the line of sight was from one person, but how many were there in total?

There was no sense of danger, so it didn't seem like they were aiming at us with a gun.

Speaking of guns, there was the zombie corpse with bullet wounds I saw during the food supply run. If the person who did this was related to the one who was watching me, it could become very troublesome.

...I'm torn about whether to take care of it at night.

However, even though I know they are hostile through my skill, it feels wrong to do something to someone who hasn't done anything yet.

Even if they are hostile, it's not certain that they will do something harmful to us.

In another world, such actions might be part of daily life, but I am in Japan, even though it has changed.

According to the principle of "innocent until proven guilty," I hesitate to make the first move.

However, according to the plan, if the rescue doesn't come in the next few days, I will go out to retrieve the car I came in.

I intend to go out, regardless of what Oda says, as it's just to retrieve a nearby car, but the problem is what happens afterward.

We will likely go out in a large group to collect supplies as usual.

Naturally, most of the male police officers will remain at the police station.

If the person who is watching us is part of a group with guns, I am worried about the safety of this shelter.

Moreover, the police officers going out might not only have to deal with zombies but also with humans.

In that case, what would be the best course of action...

"Hey! Yanagi-san, look!"

The bald man suddenly shouted and immediately reported it over the radio.

Looking in the direction he was looking, I saw a car driving towards us on the main street.

Thanks to his report, the police officers inside the station were already moving.

This is likely the kind of evacuees I hoped wouldn't come.

As I thought this, a glance from inside the car briefly flew to the rooftop, and it contained hostility.

The car was weaving through the haphazardly parked cars in front of the police station, trying to enter the premises.

"Damn."

Is this one of the people watching us?

I hurriedly left the rooftop and went down the stairs.

Around the second floor, I heard a few dry sounds that seemed to be gunshots from outside.

I was worried that someone had been shot, but fortunately, there was no weakened reaction from a living person in my presence sense.

"Oda-san!"

But his name came out naturally.

Rushing into the room where a ladder was set up by the window, I saw a young, dark-skinned man with a nose ring, hands raised, surrounded by armed police officers.

The man, without changing his posture, turned his gaze to me, who had suddenly entered the room.

It was filled with intense hostility.