Chapter 6

To get to the city hall would be a bit of a detour, but I had come to a home center in the suburbs. I wanted a sturdy weapon, something like a crowbar, and I also needed alternatives to electricity, which was currently unavailable, as well as portable stoves.

Home centers are often used as barricades in zombie movies, so I had a faint hope, but unfortunately, from the outside, it didn't look like it would meet my expectations. The walls of the store were mostly made of glass for the layout, and most of them were cruelly broken.

Seeing the zombies overflowing in the parking lot in front of the store, I decided to circle around and try to enter from the back. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a back door, so I ended up entering from almost the front after passing by the side of the store. It was a better way to enter than walking boldly through the middle of the large parking lot and cutting down zombies.

The store was a bit dark without electricity, but enough sunlight filtered in that it wasn't pitch black. Even in the dark, I could sense the presence of zombies, so I could take them down even with my eyes closed. Besides, it seemed that the "Night Vision" skill was probably effective, so I could see clearly even in the dimly lit store if I focused.

On the first floor of the three-story building, the spacious store was filled with an overwhelming number of zombies. If I had to take them all down with a metal bat, the bat would probably break first. Fortunately, when I entered the store, I found a sturdy metal rod of some kind, which saved me.

I could take them down with my bare hands, but I didn't want to touch them. I think martial artists in the other world often did that.

The sound of taking down zombies drew the attention of the zombies near the front entrance, who entered the store, so I had to take them down each time, which was troublesome. After things calmed down a bit, I started searching the store.

On the first floor, there were a wide variety of portable food, drinks, and camping equipment.

I threw the water and portable food on display into my item box. My item box could only hold about 1000 kg, and it was frustrating that I couldn't carry much of the considerable amount still here. The other three members of the hero party could have carried a lot more.

I also picked up some camping equipment that I might use and put it in my item box, then moved on to the second floor.

The emergency stairs were blocked by a fire door, so I took the non-operational escalator. According to the floor map, the second floor should have tools.

The fact that the fire door was closed suggested that someone might have barricaded themselves here. However, I didn't sense any survivors on the second floor while I was on the first floor.

There were far fewer zombies on the second floor compared to the first.

While taking them down, I first looked for a new crowbar and found one that was longer and sturdier than the metal rod I was using, so I switched to it. I also put a few spares in my item box.

With my new weapon in hand, I thought I would clear out all the zombies on the second floor first, but just as I started moving, I sensed a presence that wasn't a zombie on the third floor. It was a weak signal, but it was probably a survivor. And there was also the presence of a zombie nearby.

"Damn."

I kicked the remaining zombies out of the way and ran, sprinting up the escalator. Beyond that was a barricade made of furniture.

I leaped over it and landed on the third floor. This floor seemed to be a furniture sales area.

Unlike the other floors, the third floor was eerily quiet except for the presence I had sensed.

As I moved in the direction of the presence I had sensed, I found a silver swing door ahead.

"Back room, huh..."

I quietly opened it and entered. On the left side of the corridor was a door marked "Staff Room," and on the right side were two doors marked "Changing Room."

I sensed the survivor's presence from the staff room and the zombie's presence from the changing room at the back. Furniture was piled up in front of the changing room, probably as a barricade. I was a bit anxious that the survivor might be under attack by the zombie, but it seemed there was no immediate danger.

I knocked softly on the door of the staff room where I sensed the survivor's presence, making sure the zombie in the back room wouldn't hear.

"Is anyone in there?"

No response. The presence didn't seem to move either.

"I'm coming in."

I had intended to use my stats honed in the other world to force the door open, but contrary to my expectations, it wasn't locked and opened with a creak.

In the center of the room was a four-person office table, and along the right wall were desks with computers and other equipment for administrative work.

When I looked to my left upon entering the room, I saw a girl curled up on a sofa, wrapped in a blanket, asleep.