"What is that?"

"Oh, it's a pamphlet I found when we were moving."

"Wait, a shelter by the military? Why don't you tell us earlier?"

"Sorry," the man scratched his head. "I was too tense, and we were in a hurry."

"Bruh, just admit that you felt intimidated by that priest."

"So, he IS a priest?"

"He wears a priest robe from time to time-?"

"Ey! We found a bunch of those pamphlets too!"

They scampered to the balcony, staring at the pamphlets.

"Is this legit?"

"I don't know, I think it was dropped by a helicopter but when I ran out the helicopter have passed."

"Let's tell it to the others."

Cain examined the pamphlet.

"Military base 59 is not far from here. You can probably reach it within 2 hours of walking."

"Are they secure?"

If he's correct, Luann must be the one in charge there – and Major General Kim, if he's not involved with taking care of the VVIPs already.

"Yes."

"Then, are we going there?"

"No. Those of you who want to go can go, but I'm not coming."

"What, why? Is it not legit?"

"It's legit. The mark there is."

Cain left the room. The crowd looked at each other. Then, why?

"Is he a fugitive?"

"Naah, this isn't the movies or something."

"But his tattoos..."

"Pft, we're in a city, mate."

"We only have one two deaths so far, but I feel safer with the military."

"We won't have to walk around too."

"I don't know, we have been alive this far with him, even if we don't have a lot of weapon or materials."

"I want to go but going by ourselves will be suicide."

That's right, they don't even have cars.

"Should we count how many people want to go? Maybe it'll change his mind?"

"Ooh, good idea!"

The crowd gathered and started counting. 115.

Juan knocked Cain's room.

"Dude, 115. are you sure you don't want to help them at all?"

Cain stared at the ceiling. It didn't really matter, but that's more than half. And the remaining will probably diminish to shelters along the way or are hoping to get to the port and flee.

"We'll tweak the route a bit to approach the shelter. Then I'll walked them near."

"Really??"

"Do you want to go to the shelter too?"

"Tempting. But I still need to be vigilant of news from the archbishop, and I'll probably be stuck in the shelter once I get there."

"Hmm, ok."

"I didn't know you were so kind-hearted, haha!"

Kind-hearted? Cain walked into the hall. No, it's rather that if more than half of them got infected and remembered their path, it would be a hassle to fight them off.

The next morning, the group took off into the detour. They wiped out several stores, and after lunch, Cain gathered everyone who would go to the military base. The numbers turned to 145. They walked past the streets, Cain slashing every zombie they encountered.

"We're not using the guns, Sir?"

"No, not this time."

He stopped, narrowing his eyes.

"This is as far as I can go. The military base is right around that corner – run as fast as you can and make as little noise as possible until you reach the entrance gates."

"Ok, thank you!"

Cain watched as they disappeared. Several military officers walked around the avenue, patrolling. He smiled and left.

He walked through the streets, back to the lines of stores. But his footsteps froze. Isn't that the store where they stayed? Zombies on the top? Were they overrun?

Cain pulled out his gun. Gunshots rang through the air.

"JUAN! IT'S ME!"

The door swung open. He boarded the door closed. A group of people were holding a zombie down. He shot him dead.

"Isn't that a member of our group? He got bitten?"

"By the other 9, which they managed to throw out away earlier."

"9 people got bitten? But everyone looked fine when we arrived!"

"I don't know mate; I didn't see bite marks either. They really took us by surprise."

10 down, 43 people left. The roof rumbled. Cain gritted his teeth.

"Move out of the back entrance and run to the lab facilities across the bridge!"

He leapt outside and gunned the hordes down, but there were too much. They ran across the bridge, barely surviving, and reached the metal door. Cain banged his fists.

"FAISAL!! FAISAL!"

A man in a lab coat appeared, his expression blank.

"...Cain...?"

"JUST - LET US IN!"

The man realized the hordes inches behind them and quickly nodded. They rushed in and slammed shut the door.

Suddenly, the woman beside them lunged to bite Cain's jacket. Cain stabbed her death. She wasn't bitten, so how did she get infected??

He swung the rifle, smashing another zombie about to bite Juan. This guy too – could people really get infected without getting bitten?

"Sir, those three zombies outside, weren't they fine a while ago?"

That's... right. 5 down...38 people left.

"STEP ASIDE!"

Faisal pressed a hose, watering down the zombie corpses. Cain looked at him.

"What is that for, Mr. Chemist?"

"This liquid is a disinfectant. See those faint colors, Mr. Cold Face? Your people got infected because the infection had evolved to aerosol-borne under humid temperatures. It rained yesterday – you and Juan, is it? Your scans come back clean but stand in the disinfection chamber there for a minute."

"Wow, I didn't thought university could really make you survive this far, Mr. Nerd."

"Well, neither did I ever expected to have to save your ass, Mr. Psycho. Oh, now you can step out."

Cain laughed. He turned to the others.

"This is Research Chemist and Professor Faisal, a friend of mine."

Their jaws dropped. T-the young virologist who got nominated twice in the international awards...?

"Are you planning to move here?"

"No, we'll get moving tomorrow. Your lab is too crowded anyways, right?"

"Well, I mean..." Faisal hesitated. He looked at the newcomers.

"It is too crowded, but please feel free to rest up and get whatever you need here. Security, please take care of the zombie corpses!"

"Yes, Professor!"

Faisal and Cain walked into a room.

"That priest collar looked good on you, Father Cain."

"Hey, now."

"Juan is a real priest, though, right?"

"Ok, now I am more offended. Do you think I'm unfit or something?"

"Ohh, totally not."

Cain rolled his eyes.

"Where are you heading to, by the way? Seeing you're not planning on staying long, you're heading for a specific place?"

"The orphanage."

Faisal dropped his glasses.

"T-the orphanage?"

"Yes. It's between the cityscape, desert, and had agriculture means, so it would make an excellent fort-"

"If you're looking for all that, I can let you stay here. We have grown our own sustainable food system, and the defence infrastructure is decent-"

"I made a promise to come back too."

"I didn't take you as the type who'd fulfil a promise-"

"I can't stay here for long anyways. The military base must've heard my gunshots. You don't want to get in trouble with them, right?"

"Well..."

"Last time I checked this is a lab. What's up with the civilians staying here?"

"Ah..."

The room fell silent. Faisal thought for a while. How should he tell him?

The door swung open. A little girl ran in. The students outside gasped, trying to chase her.

"Uncle Faisal!"

"Sorry Professor, we've tried stopping her but she's very energetic!"

That girl looked very similar to... Cain's face paled.

"H-he didn't make it, does he?"

Well, that's it. Faisal avoided his gaze, smiling bitterly as he lifted the girl to his lap.

"No. But his daughter and friends do."

Cain walked outside to a dark room and fell to the ground. He wasn't sure how long he stared at the empty ceiling. When he walked out, the lab had fell silent. Only a few operators remained, working their nightshifts.

"Professor Faisal left your dinner on the table, Sir."

"Thank you. Is this the room to the barracks?"

"Ah, yes."

He glanced at the makeshift beds. The little girl was shivering in her sleep. Her breath was rapid, cold sweats running down her forehead. Cain walked closer and slowly tapped her back.

"You're having a nightmare. It's just a dream."

The girl woke up in terror, looked around, and stared blankly at him.

"Uncle Cain? Where's dad?"

"H-how do you know my name?"

"You're Cain, right? Dad talked a lot about you. Where's dad?"

"He's in your heart. You can't see him, but he's always with you."

"You mean he's invisible?"

"Haha, you can say that."

He reached out her hand, unsure if she trusted him. But she hugged him.

He hummed, and as the melodies flowed, she fell asleep.

***

"From the looks of it, the survivors have fled a while ago, Commander."

"Lead me to the scene."

"Yes, Ma'am!"

Luann's blood ran cold. Stacks of lifeless zombies laid, with a bullet hole in their forehead. The survivors said they weren't with anyone, but now, she was sure. Cain.

"Should we report to the headquarters, Ma'am?"

"No, let it be. Continue the patrol."

"Aye, Commander!"

She leapt onto the structures. She heard Cain left the special forces a while ago – did something happened?

Luann shook her head. It's none of her business. They have been getting used to securing the shelter and can even do patrols peacefully now – it's all that matters.