The helipad is located behind the dam control station which is always guarded to some degree, and also barricaded which will slow down zombies (not humans, though)
"Alright. Since we'll need more trucks, we should move close to the factory complex. Besides, the zombie population should be relatively thin." Shizuka decided. "Any objections?"
None of the kids seemed to complain, and neither were the two newcomer adults. These people wanted to get out of here and get into a defensible position.
"Alright. Time to pack up. Load all the supplies and structural material we can get, including those nailed down." Yumiko commanded. "I'm going to load up our food."
"I'll take down the window bars for later use," Tobe said. "We're lucky that we stored almost everything in the restaurant and the adjacent apartment."
"I'm uninstalling the antenna," Hayato said. "We're going to bolt them on our new truck anyhow."
"You have radio installation?" Sachie asked. "I'll help."
"Then I'll help carry the food," Shun said.
Burned within the glamping house were their hygiene products. And if the trash were any indication, they were out of beer and assorted drinks. Basically, they lost all of their luxury except for the powdered drinks and instant coffee.
Their winter gear was also burned! And boy, was Shizuka pissed.
However, most of their food supplies were intact. Because most were stored inside the catering restaurant and the next-door apartment. Their medicine was safely stored in their car.
It was a considerable loss. But not fatal.
"Доброе утро!"
"Eh?"
Coming with the Hikigaya parents was a young Russian girl, Anastasia 'Anya' Romanovskaya. Though, at a glance, she could be mistaken for Saika's twin sister. Their physical resemblance was beyond uncanny! In some way, she might even look slightly more masculine than him due to her sharper features.
Apparently, she was his cousin from his mother's side. Her father -Saika's uncle- is Russian, which means Saika was also, technically, half-Russian.
Honestly, it wasn't surprising in hindsight. How many silver-haired students exist in Soubu, anyhow.
"Говорите медленнее, пожалуйста! I can't... respond... that quick."
Also, while she understood Japanese, she couldn't speak fluently yet.
(Also, Hikigaya family's pet cat, Kamakura)
"I'm shocked you came here. I heard you went to the countryside." Hachiman said.
"Father is dead, as is my eldest brother and some of my cousins." Shun sighed. "Even in the countryside, the disease had no bounds. This does confirm the theory proposed by Doctor Hayama, though."
"We saw no reason to stay, so we decided to come here. It took us nonstop riding, taking detours left and right to dodge the zombies." Sachie added. "Glad that you're all alive and well."
"Speaking of which, what is that gun on your back?" Komachi asked. "That's not a real gun, isn't it?"
"This? Just 22 airguns. Worthless against zombies. Great at scaring living targets, tho." Sachie grinned. "The biker gang punks probably felt it in their flesh."
Both kids were certainly spooked by her nonchalance. Shizuka has to agree, though.
"There are airguns like that, too." Shizuka was actually surprised but accepted quickly. "Most of them aren't powerful enough, are they?"
"It takes 58 foot-pounds energy to break through a human skull reliably with a bullet." Sachie raised a paper with Dr. Hayama written on it. "Pretty much all 22-caliber airguns are useless. And with a 25-caliber airgun, only the stronger ones can pierce the skull. 30-caliber airguns generally have no issue."
Although all three calibers are used in Japan, 22-caliber and 25-caliber airguns are more common than 30-calibers. This means almost half of airguns in Japan are ineffective, if not more.
"That's why Chiba sent you a supply of crossbow pistols. Sharp bolts have good mass and sharp tip, which allows them to pierce through with less energy." Sachie pointed. "But they're too reckless by sending you 40 pound recurve. It was too heavy and powerful for beginners."
The crossbow pistol didn't seem that powerful, but it packed a wallop. It can reliably pierce zombie skulls under 10 meters distance.
"Is that really the case?" Hachiman dumbfoundedly responded. "I can take 3-4 shots just fine, a bit tiring, though."
"Hikki is built differently." Yui sighed. "For me, even 2-shots takes effort, you know?"
"Same here." Hina and Saika also said. "We never use full draw because it's too heavy."
"So, I'm the weirdo here. Should not be surprised." Hachiman jibed.
"40 pounds raw draw is a heavyweight even for an athletic newbie. Beginners started with 20-25 pounds. Even the kyudo yumi bow starts with 30 pounds. Not to mention, it's easier to develop bad habits and injuries when you start with something heavy." Sachie explained. "Even if your body is strengthened by the virus, we can't be reckless about safety basics."
The four teenagers shuddered.
"Should we stop half-assing archery, after all?" Hachiman muttered. "Which genius in Chiba thinks giving us those bows a brilliant approach?"
"Before thinking of stopping, start learning properly! Let us readjust the poundage of your bows."
"Is that possible?"
"Adjust the limb angle clockwise to reduce the draw weight. Let's follow the guidebook just to be sure." Hayato pointed. "Let me do it, just to be sure."
Item received:
A Basic Guide to Archery (Skill book, 4) - A comprehensive guide on Western archery as a sport, which hugely differs from Japanese traditional archery (Kyuudo). Comes with a tutorial DVD.
Gear received:
12-lb Training bow (T0 Bow, 4) - Low draw bow made of resin plastic. Use to train forms safely.
Training arrow (T0 Arrow, 24) - Fiberglass arrow equipped with a suction cup instead of a point. Use on slippery targets like lacquered wood, porcelain, polished metal, or thick glass.
Portable bow press (Tools) - Used to restring bows. Made of thick but flexible metal cable.
Gear downgraded
40-lb Recurve bow (T2 bow, 4) -> 25-lb Recurve Bow (T1 bow, 4)
(This model can be upgraded to 55-lb (T3). Will break T2 arrows every use.)
The kids decided to pilfer the abandoned motorcycles and scooters for their own use. While it was significantly less safe than a car, a two-wheeler consumed less gas and was more agile to wander around the town.
When it comes to the ATV, however, it was a question. Most commercial ATVs use a large engine with short gearing, which means they excel at off-roading but consume as much fuel as the average car. Some may even rival a truck.
So they abandoned it.
"We need more motorcycles and scooters," Tobe said. "I think it would be helpful."
"How many of you can even ride anyway?" Yumiko said as she checked the scooter.
With the sheer unadulterated irony, only Hayato and Hachiman couldn't ride.
"I'd honestly question why you guys could even ride anyhow." Hachiman pointed.
"Most of us probably have moped licenses just for part-time working." Yui grinned. "The pizzas and ramen aren't going to deliver themselves, right?"
What are scooters if they aren't a big moped with the power of a motorcycle? They don't even have the hassle of manual clutch and gearing! Twist and go, literally.
"Well shit, I never worked as a delivery guy," Hachiman recalled. "Hayama is too rich, so he wouldn't do part-time work."
"I find that offensive, but unfortunately, you're correct." Hayato popped a vein even though he was smiling. "I only occasionally help with family business, you see."
Shizuka thought that teaching them to drive a car was too much of a hassle for now, so if they could have independent mobility, that would immensely boost their survival skill.
"Go and negotiate with the locals on how to obtain more bikes," Shizuka said. "Tell them we're officially at war with the biker gang and avenge our old base."
Shizuka hadn't planned to go offensive anytime soon. All she knew was that the kids were mad and would stand their ground if these idiots decided to attack.
...
"This is the most suitable building in this area." Komachi pointed as they arrived in front of the giant cafeteria they had used the night before. "This was a catering company that made food for all the schools in Minakami. What makes it different is they're all electric."
"That means we don't need fuel to cook anything," Hachiman added. "And we can cook in so many ways."
"What? It's just a giant kitchen! Are you nuts?" Yumiko asked. "Are you trying to feed 1000 survivors on your own?"
"Tsk." Komachi wiggled her finger. "It's more than just cooking. It means boiling water without fuel and disinfecting all our tools and weapons. Not to mention, it has a massive storage room! It's also, literally, next door from the truck factory!"
"The position is fairly defensible as well. Not to mention, the fire safety should be top class." Shizuka analyzed. "But Miura is right. Accommodation and amenities will be an issue."
Komachi whined.
The second base candidate is more sensible in terms of living quarters. If anything, it was way too comfortable. The whole place was constructed of wood logs, like a giant cabin hotel. This was clearly not a Japanese architecture.
And, of course, there is onsen!
Between the location and the fully enclosed bedroom, this place should give substantial safety from zombies.
"Now, this is perfect." Yumiko clapped.
"Yeah, until they burn our place down again." Komachi snarked. "We expect honorable citizens who obey non-incendiary weapon laws."
Just about everyone in the vicinity cringed, Yumiko included. Even she understands a lot of why Komachi said that. After their second base camp burned, choosing a more durable place was more sensible.
Not to mention the distance. This ryokan is not that far, but a 1.2 km distance is hardly next door.
"It shouldn't be an issue if we build a wall around it." Hayato decided. "Tobe, do you think it is possible?"
"If we steal wire fences from all over the area, certainty," Tobe said.
"Tobe... can I punch you now?" Yumiko asked. "Do you know how painful doing that would be in one day?"
"Hell no, what is your problem? I was serious." Tobe said. "Building a wall from wood would be time-consuming and pointless. We can use alloy sheet, which requires us to strip the roof of multiple buildings."
"Vandalizing houses for material randomly would also piss the locals, no matter how underpopulated the area now." Hina agreed. "Tobecchi is right. Wire fence is the only realistic option. Especially with how many factories around us use wire fences."
"Besides, we're only here for two days or so." Yui raised her hands. "Yumiko, can you hold it for a while?"
"...Alright." Yumiko gave up. "Let us use the cafeteria kitchen."
Because the building was sturdy, they were only concerned about ensuring the interior was at least livable. The second floor has offices and an inspection room. They unloaded all the furniture to make room for bedding. The furniture they used to make outdoor dining place.
Stealing beds from the nearby houses was not hard, just tedious. Hachiman used the opportunity to test the newly adjusted bow and found it more pleasant and accurate. He alone managed to wipe out the entire neighborhood from zombies. Everything within 300 meters of the factory is dead for the second time.
Granted, most of them were old and slow. Hachiman's kill range was also severely reduced from 20 to 15 meters. However, this doesn't change how Hachiman was able to reliably hit moving targets with his bow, unlike before.
Even if most weren't headshot, it was still a staggering progress.
"Wow, Hikki, you're great!" Yui praised him as she finished a zombie with her hammer. "You didn't look like someone who picked a bow yesterday."
"I think I grasped it for the most part," Hachiman said as he rubbed his upper arm. "My shoulder is still uncomfortable, which means my form is incomplete. But I got this, in theory."
Tobe and Hayato spent the rest of the morning sleeping. They deserved it. At least a nap until lunchtime.
Shun was pivotal in hauling heavy objects and supplies in and out of the truck. Sachie seemed to use the radio for... something, and it was unclear what she used it for. Shizuka will make sure to ask later.
Tobe and Hayato woke up somewhere early noon, about three hours and a half nap. They haven't fully recovered but don't feel sleepy anymore.
"Careful! Careful!"
The proximity between the truck factory and the cafeteria kitchen allowed them to bring the more impractical equipment. Instead of the flexible but large crane platform truck, they stole five self-propelled units called [sky towers].
The sky towers came in vertical and scissor mast types. The vertical mast types are smaller and only reach 4.8 meters high, while the scissor mast types can rise much higher. Shizuka decided to stick with the 7-meter platform she 'docked' with the roof for safety. This height still gives a 1-meter higher vantage over the 6-meter-tall, two-story building.
"Secure the pegs! We can't let the platform be toppled easily!"
The chassis were tied to the ground using heavy-duty chains and concrete-filled pegs. However, the booms and platforms themselves rein freely. Nevertheless, they decided not to play with the platform and instead use ladders to climb up and down.
"We'll make a sunroof tomorrow. For now, be patient and use an umbrella!" Hayato shouted from the top.
The final touch was to use steel wires as additional fencing. These wires are commonly found around the farm in their old base camp to prevent and discourage bears. Farms often use two wires with a wide gap between them.
But the Soubu students think differently. They used four wires with 15 cm gaps each, outwardly flaring. This extends the height of the wire fence by 60 cm and prevents zombies from climbing it through brute force.
They transported leftover pipes from the metal factory in the south for the material needed to strengthen the base fence.
The cafeteria kitchen had been transformed into half a fort. Only the right and rear sides were fenced out because of the farms and grassland. Nevertheless, the front and left side are protected by three 4.8-meter class sky-towers. And the road is also narrow, making it an effective killzone.
"Alright! Time to rebuild our shooting practice area!"
The grassland behind the cafeteria kitchen was a perfect spot to make a shooting range for practice. Of course, they only use airsoft guns and practice arrows to minimize danger to themselves and random passersby, as unlikely as they exist.
"Anya, use this to practice." Sachie gave her the 22-caliber airgun. "It's not like they're useful against zombies, so we can afford to waste 22 pellets... for now."
For now?
"If we have the tools, we can reconstitute one pellet into another. Lead was chosen as bullet material not just for its weight but also its softness." Sachie said. "In other words, one bullet can be reshaped to another as long as the mass is suitable."
"Do you know about it?" Sachie and Shizuka asked simultaneously.
"I just happened to make one yesterday. I forgot about it because I was sleepy." Hayato gave out a strange spring-mounted contraption. "This is swagging dies used to form a 12 gauge slug. It's made from a modified 15mm impact socket and machined dome stamp."
15mm socket... this means the slug should fit, given the suitable sabot or cup. And there's no problem shooting it out of a full choke barrel.
"You're a freaking GENIUS!" Shizuka was so overjoyed that she inadvertently hugged her student. "No more dealing with fucking birdshots!"
"Ah, Sensei! Sensei! There's a small problem!" Hayato said. "Please listen to me!"
"What?"
"If we want to cold form a 12 Gauge slug, it has to be done with a hydraulic press," Hayato explained. "410 gauge and airgun slug can use hand press, but we don't have one either."
"There is a solution, but it's a bit dangerous." Hayato sighed. "That is... to melt the lead and recast it inside swagging die."
"Lead fumes are no joke," Sachie remarked. "Even with a high-powered ventilator, you wear a 3M mask."
It was easy, in theory. But Shizuka had never done it before. And she didn't have the heart to let her student do it just yet.
"We could ask Satou-san a favor to make a hand press machine, but I doubt it would be easy or cheap." Hayato shrugged. "He might appear shy, but he's no pushover. He knew his knowledge worth its weight in a diamond."
"Hmm, even then, we'll have to rely on converting one ammo to another," Sachie said. "Unless we can find a good quantity of lead."
"There is a place for that," Hachiman said, leaning on the wall with arms crossed. "I can think of two."
"What? What do you mean?"
"The first one is the fishing pier in Lake Akaya. There should be a fishing shop that sells lead weight." Hachiman said. "But there's a risk that it might be already looted by local hunters."
"The second spot is close to us." Hachiman pointed back. "The recycling center."
Indeed. Southwest of this very area is a recycling center and landfill. While lead garbage is unlikely to show up, if it does show up, it will be separated to prevent toxic leaching.
So, it depends on which gamble they pick on.
"It's so close to dark, and zombies will be more active at night," Shizuka said. "We only have one chance. We can't have a big party, either, because we have to stand guard just in case the scum comes again to make trouble."
[ ] Go to Lake Akaya and loot the shops nearby.
[ ] Go to the recycling center and salvage something. (Wits check)
[ ] Experiment with hot lead casting. Very carefully. (Wits + Craftsmanship check)
[ ] Forget it. Focus on resting today.
It is unlikely that you will bring out the skytowers out of Gunma, because they're battery powered and their moving speed are 2-3 km/h.
If you choose any other base location, you'll be stuck with one truck based watchtower like this
Which granted, can take 3-4 people at once. The skytowers could carry 2 people but they can't move around due to cramped space. So effectively speaking, the skytowers are 1-man tower.
And yes, not being restricted by canon game mechanics basically result in the quest going wild.
"Forget it. Let's focus on resting today." Shizuka waved her hand dismissively. "People taking night duty, please sleep early. We'll wake you up close to midnight."
"Right." Hachiman decided to leave.
"That boy always took the initiative when it comes to security. He might appear laid back, almost lazy at times. But no, he always be on guard and think outside the box." Shizuka said to Hachiman's parents. "If he could put more effort into school school life, he'll be amazing academically. Not to mention appeal as a person and a man. He got a lot of friends that he didn't realize."
"Overpraise." Sachie scoffed. "I know how much wasted potential my son is. And we were entirely at fault for it."
"We treated him with tough indifference, thinking it would shape his mentality and allow him to survive the cruel world." Shun sighed. "All it did was cause him to lose passion and stop caring."
"Honestly, we've been entirely regretful on that ordeal, but we're trapped in an endless work-and-no-life cycle." Sachie looked at the reddening sky. "Now that the world collapsed, it was our only chance to make a difference. We didn't plan to ask for forgiveness, nor did we plan for a happy reconciliation. All we want is to be parents for him."
"That's why you took a risk traveling here."
Even if they took a relatively safe route, there's no doubt they faced a lot of danger on the road. Shizuka was sure that Hachiman realized this, too.
However, most likely, he probably thought they were here for Komachi and not him. Shizuka knew enough about Hachiman to understand how his mind works.
Hachiman valued himself too little.
"By the way, Hikigaya Sachie-san, what are you doing with the radio console?"
"Oh, I just use the satellite to access to government database. With this, we'll get the same information as the law enforcement and military, not the sanitized public info."
WTF?
"Isn't that illegal?"
"Sensei, we're guilty of trespassing, squatting, vandalism, theft, and brandishing," Saika commented as he passed by.
"I mean, true, but we never fucks with the government." Shizuka pointed out.
Sachie signaled Shizuka to follow her. They needed privacy to talk about it, so they chose to walk northwest alongside the grassland.
"Either way, do you know why Chiba will be evacuated?" Shun asked.
"Because it's surrounded by inescapable urban hell?"
"That is true, but there is another reason," Sachie said. "There are talks about firebombing Tokyo's highway networks.
Shizuka's heart stopped for a moment.
"Are you serious?"
Are they trying to burn Tokyo... or bury it?
"Americans, Chinese, and Russians already prepared to nuke their own cities as well," Shun said. "Japan is only willing to give up parts of Tokyo. And the refusal to use nuclear warheads is understandable since they're awful at killing zombies."
"Although the plan was to burn Tokyo's highway network 14 days after the outbreak, we don't know if the plan could be changed any day. It's why Chiba's evacuation has to be completed within day 10."
"If Tokyo is nuked, Chiba will suffer as well. Ibaraki and Saitama already considered lost causes and evacuated, so there's no concern. Only Chiba and Kanagawa held out until the last moment. And if we're talking nuclear radiation, only Chiba is in danger."
"But if they decided to use incendiary, most of Tokyo would be standing, then Chiba could still be saved... in the future."
Still, the JSDF firebombing of Tokyo in 2017 has to be the greatest irony of the century. Shizuka could only be thankful that it was unlikely anyone surviving today remembered what happened in 1945.
"So basically, they're baiting zombies to go through the highway and pour the gas, is that right?" Shizuka finally understood. "Are they confident that the zombies are vulnerable against fire?"
"Full body combustion, as far as they are concerned, is effective." Shun pointed. "A cooked brain is a dead brain."
"It is the only way." Sachie nodded. "Otherwise, killing over 27 million zombies would not have been possible. At least it is believed that 8 million people had escaped, thanks to the swift action of the TMPD and local Defense Force detachment. It's the reason both of us survived, as well."
"It was mostly an estimation," Shun said. "But anywhere between half to one million people might still be trapped in the metropolis."
"It's hard to imagine that many people living." Shizuka lit a cigarette.
"But Sensei, you seem to have things sorted out," Shun told her. "These kids are shockingly well organized. If only Chiba shelter is that good."
"I think it was because they got eased into it." Shizuka grinned. "Miura was insistent about keeping our life clean and luxurious. The seemingly unimportant insistence allowed them to get stronger without ever losing hope against increasingly difficult odds."
"Sadly, even though we decided not to bother anyone, someone seemed to take problem with our presence."
"The biker gang, huh." Shun cracked his enormous fist. "Did you have a run-in with them before?"
"Nope. Never seen a trace of them. The police did warn us about a biker gang that attacked independent shelters. There used to be a lot more pocket survivors around this town." Shizuka waved her hand. "The police thought we might be a threat to their street supremacy. We didn't expect them to strike us that soon."
"So you haven't fought other humans?"
"Nope. Hopefully never." Shizuka's face darkened. "But if they come again and make trouble, the law won't protect them from what I will do."
"...I know this is unreasonable, but Sensei." Sachie stopped walking. "Just for now, can you make sure the kids didn't commit a murder?"
Shizuka and Shun also stopped.
"I'd rather they not," Shizuka said. "Not until they're 18. Although I won't chastise them if they had to defend themselves."
"So did we. Looking at their eyes, it was clear they went through many life-or-death battles in the last six days." Shun said. "What my wife is saying is that..."
"Let me take lives in their stead." Sachie firmly finished.
"...I understand," Shizuka said. "I will also do my best."
The three adults formulated a defensive plan in case the biker gang started making trouble again. When it was time to change shifts, everyone gathered for a briefing.
"Get it? You kids might have to have a skirmish with the goons, so it is not like you will be free of danger." Shun explained the plan to the teens. "However, we should avoid extended melee at any cost. As soon as the leader can be identified, Sachie-san will take them out. Gangs are inherently hierarchy-based. Once the leadership is gone, they'll collapse."
"Yes, Sir!"
"A question." Hina raised her hand. "Are you sure the gangs will give up once the leader is out?"
"That depends on how they're formed and whether the group values something other than strength." Shizuka crossed her arms and huffed. "I've been in rough spots in my youth, so I understood. A more organized group with a purpose would replace their leaders on a whim because they have a defined goal. But the majority of gangs are not like that."
"Majority of gangs are formed because they don't feel belong to the society around them." Tobe suddenly spoke. "Whether out of anger, fear, or desperation of acceptance, gangs are formed by people who could not fit in."
"It is also why they saw us as a rival. Although we worked well with the police and local shelters, we are still outsiders gaining power and influence." Tobe punched his hand and grinned. "We should show them we earned it."
It was strange to see Tobe being serious and mature. Tobe Kakeru has always been on the goofy side. But perhaps he had his own share of a dark past.
Of course, Shizuka is aware of it.
"What Tobe said is correct," Shizuka confirmed. "The worst you can show to these gang members is fear. Have faith. Us adults aren't going to stay still, but you still need to pull yourself together."
While they looked uncertain, fear was the last thing these kids showed. And Shizuka was relieved.
Losing their precious base camp didn't seem to demoralize them. If anything, they were encouraged. Because soon, they will be reunited with their family members. Or what's left of them, anyhow.
CHAPTER 11 END
DAY6 -> DAY 7
06.00
Schedule Board
Hikigaya Hachiman: Sleeping
Yuigahama Yui: Sleeping
Totsuka Saika: Sleeping
Anastasia: Sleeping
Zaimokuza Yoshiteru: Looting - Clothes and luxuries (Low-risk zone)
Ebina Hina: Looting - Clothes and luxuries (Low-risk zone)
Tobe Kakeru: Tinkering with trucks (Safe zone)
Hayama Hayato: Working with a metal fabricator (Safe zone)
Miura Yumiko: Training - Shooting
Hikigaya Shunsuke: Standing guard - Tower
Hikigaya Komachi: Cooking action - Preserving vegetables
Hikigaya Sachie: Hacking - Searching for information
What to do in the morning?
[ ] Looting - Recycling center (Low-risk zone)
[ ] Trading - Shelter 1 (Safe Zone)
- [ ] Take Komachi along
[ ] Cooking - Starts making energy bar
Ye. Shelter 1 had functional economy (still using yen) and Shelter 2 is a complex enough community to barter with.
Influence system/favor points may or may not show up depending on situation. But the skill and traits involved will translate to other economic system.
[X] Trading - Shelter 1 (Safe Zone)
- [x] Take Komachi along
Ah, here comes some of the major impacts of the collapse, the governments bombing major city centers to eliminate swarms of zombies.
I'm worried about China and North Korea. Nuclear fallout from strikes on their city centers can cross the Sea of Japan and bring radioactive dust with it.
Might not be a concern, or this part of Japan may not have that issue, while other parts do.
"Alright." Shizuka licked her lips. "Time to go shopping!"
And Shizuka knew the little devil she should bring along.
"Hikigaya-san, I'm bringing Komachi for shopping." Shizuka told Shunsuke. "Is that fine?"
"By shopping, you mean literally?"
"As far as I know, Evacuation Shelter 1 still uses yen for trading. We might be outsiders, but we have a good rep with them. So it might be possible to trade." Shizuka said. "Hopefully, they didn't change their mind."
"In that case, please take this with you." Shunshuke rummaged in his pocket. "Ah, right, Sachie-san! Sachie-san!"
"What?!" The wife peered out of the radio truck.
After Shizuka explained the situation, Sachie nodded. "I can't believe these worthless papers still have value. They are worth less and less the longer we survive the apocalypse, so don't be too stingy."
"I sincerely hope this money won't cause local inflation." Komachi winced as she received a thick envelope. "But Komachi won't let us get swindled."
"I'll have to trust your judgment on that."
Honestly? Shizuka is more afraid of Komachi stepping on someone's toes by bargaining too hard.
"Is there anything specific you wanted or needed?" Shizuka asked.
"Other than generally asking for more ammunition, not particularly," Sachie said. "I have a 9mm gun, and my husband has a 12 gauge."
"I'm afraid getting 9mm ammo is impossible here, but I'll see about it."
"In terms of ammunition, we have two cans of 22 pellets and one can of 25 and 30-caliber each." Shun counted. "22-caliber are useless for now, but if we can make a suitable mold, we can have a 3:1 conversion rate to 30-caliber or 2:1 conversion rate to 25. caliber pellets."
"Hayama-kun said he's trying to make swagging dies for pellet conversion, but we'll still need a hand press to use it."
"In terms of lead conversion rate, 25 calibers might seem to be more efficient. But a .25 caliber airgun that punches through zombie skulls tends to be expensive." Shunsuke sighed. "I leave it to Sensei."
"Gotta use the minibus for this. The more familiar, the better." Shizuka said. "Come to think of it, we might have to secure fuel for a long-distance trip."
"Right. Let's talk about it once everyone is awake." Komachi happily nodded. "Shopping! Shopping!"
Shizuka thought it was unlikely to find a quantity of gasoline for sale in the first shelter. Fuel is vital for survival. Komachi decided to pick the fully electric cafeteria kitchen for this reason.
They will have to loot it.
...
The first shelter was more rugged than Shizuka imagined, though considering how much steel and wood they hauled to fortify it, they shouldn't have been surprised.
"Hello, we're from Soubu High." Shizuka waved at the guard. "We came here to trade."
The guards looked at each other, and then one left to find the nearest police officer. Shizuka and Komachi didn't wait too long until a familiar face showed.
"Welcome! Welcome!" The officer greeted them. "Please come in."
"Woah! So many people." Komachi gasped. "Though still fewer than Komachi guessed."
"Yeah, over half the people already started working."
"Working?"
"There are too many of us to stay idle. We're trying to expand territories and regain what we had lost." The officer explained. "The farm in the south is particularly sought after. Fewer zombies and fewer threats from wildlife."
"We aimed to expand northward, but the risk means we haven't started developing it." The officer sighed. "Still, the cost of food is rising steadily. 10x the cost of normal is not unheard here."
"Well, we're more surprised you still accept yen bills." Shizuka inwardly thought.
"Hmm, carb cost is up." Komachi looked around. "Woah, preserved fruit and veggies cost insanely high!"
"Part of it is sugar and salt cost." The trader explained. "Do you have one to sell, Ojou-chan? Preserved cabbages, 8.000 Yen a kilogram."
If only Kawasaki Saki is here! They could rob the actual bank!
"Do you have something to sell?" The officer asked.
"We didn't bring any. Remind us to do it next time." Komachi shrugged. "We don't use much sugar or salt, modern chemistry and all."
"Shame. I'd still buy it, though." The trader smiled.
"Food-wise, I don't think we're in concern," Komachi said. "We could sell some of our stuff. But honestly, we need something else, right?"
"True," Shizuka said. "Officer, you know the good stuff?"
The officer was quiet and then brought them to the police office. It was one of the repurposed school facilities.
"I'm supposed to wait for the chief, but I think it'll be a while, " the officer said. You need weapons, right?"
"Now we're talking." Komachi grinned. "I trust you'll make us a great offer, right?"
"That would be difficult. Especially concerning limited inventory and what essentially banned goods." The officer stood. "Not to mention private sales."
"What about those?" Shizuka pointed at the shotguns in the heavy locker.
"Not for sale. Law enforcement use-only."
Drat. They're only selling us inferior products!
The negotiation—no joke—took over 30 minutes. Komachi is a persistent devil.
Although they sold weapons, they didn't sell any ammunition. A gun with no ammo is no better than a club. And they need ammo to survive the damned zombie horde too.
"Hiratsuka-sensei, please understand we're only doing this because we trusted you." The officer cried.
Hike price is something expected, but Komachi had none of it. Thanks to Komachi's effort, Shizuka can buy these weapons at the original price.
"By the way, what is a half-rifle?" Komachi asked. "Komachi only know smoothbore shotgun and rifled... well... rifles."
"Half-rifle is uniquely Japanese creation." The officer pointed. "Because Japan essentially forbids rifled shotgun, and you needed 10 years of experience to get a rifle, half-rifles got created as an intermediate. They are designed to shoot saboted slug at extreme accuracy."
"That sounds like an awful legal loophole," Komachi remarked.
"As far as we concerned? It is." The officer laughed.
"They suck at using buckshots, and using a normal lead slug would foul it. But using a saboted slug, you can shoot twice as far. And you could probably kill a brown bear with it." Shizuka winced. "It's a very specialized weapon."
"Komachi isn't usually the type to go FOMO, but..." Komachi squirmed, clearly conflicted. "It sounds like a good weapon, too, just not something we can use now."
"Minakami is a deer country. It'd be weirder if we can't find a saboted slug." Shizuka said. "But you're correct. We don't have suitable ammo at this moment."
If they can find ammo for this gun, they will have access to the most powerful shotgun in Honshu. Only 30-caliber firearms are deadlier. Making it would be a different ordeal since it requires both knowledge and tools. They have the tools, but no one has the knowledge to manufacture a precision slug.
"Sensei already has a semi-auto Beretta. The over-under is redundant, and I doubt Sensei wanted to give us kids actual firearms anytime soon."
"As a matter of fact, I don't plan to." Shizuka nodded. "If I buy it, it would be your mother's."
"Ah."
One reason was her promise to Sachie. The other reason is that 12 Gauge has extremely high recoil.
But she could probably give it to Sachie to conserve her 9mm ammo. While 9mm is much weaker than the 12 Gauge shell, it's also a military ammo. Even the police barely use it. Finding a reload would be a pain.
"The airguns are great against normal zombies. Beat the pistol crossbow any day. But if we encounter more mutants, anything less than a shotgun or a rifle would be useless."
"Well, we have another offering."
Shizuka and Komachi were surprised when the police force offered them a set of hand presses. One for shotgun and one for airgun.
We MUST get this one. Shizuka decided.
"Eits." The police Chief finally arrived and said. "Please don't be greedy. We're selling some of these to the second shelter as well."
"Well, it is not like we have the money to hoard them all." Komachi shrugged. "Right, sensei?"
"We have to make a call." Shizuka nodded. "Can we borrow the, uh, long-range radio?"
"Eh? Sure. Who are you going to call?"
"We have an augmented radio truck in the base, remember? But our handheld doesn't have the range to make the call." Shizuka smiled.
"Alright."
Shizuka made a call to the specific frequency of their truck radio.
"This is Hiratsuka, can you hear me, Hikigaya-san?" Shizuka asked.
"[I can hear you, is this police radio]?"
"Indeed it is. We have an interesting situation at hand." Shizuka grinned. "But I need a second opinion."
Shizuka summarized the equipment offered, and Sachie took notes before making another call.
"[We can make the suitable slug, especially since they gave us the tool. Unlike Brenneke or Foster, Lee slugs won't foul the barrel much]."
"Real?"
"[Yeah, but to do that, we'll have to use lead melting method]." Sachie said. "[As far as converting bird or buckshots into a slug, that's the easy part. But making an actual reload is harder. We're at the mercy of gunpowder scarcity]."
"[The accuracy of a homemade slug also can be questionable. Conservatively speaking, don't expect it to be more accurate than 50 meters]." Sachie said. "[But we can make it work]."
"Alright." Shizuka closed the call. "Over and out."
Now, what should Shizuka pick?
[ ] Airgun package (600.000 Yen)
PressSlug (150.000 Yen)
An expensive set of airgun slug presses. Engineered to precision and usable even by amateurs.
Cometa Orion .30 (T2 Air Rifle) (200.000 Yen)
Spanish air rifle brand. It's not uncommon in Japan. Not luxurious, but trusty and reliable. (10 pellets)
FX Streamline 2 .30 (T2 Air Rifle) (250.000 Yen)
Swedish air rifle brand known for quality and precision. This model is only sold in Japan and carries a certain prestige. (15 pellets)
Shotgun press (Tool, 50.000 Yen)
Used to reload shotgun shells or change the load. Reloading empty shells requires powder and payload.
2x Lee Slug Mold 1 oz (Tool, 40.000 Yen)
Used to make 12 gauge slug suitable for rifled and smoothbore barrels. Requires molten lead.
Miroku A-Bolt 12G (T4 Half-rifle) (250.000 Yen)
Japan's exclusive version of the famed Browning A-Bolt. Shoot saboted slugs up to 100 meters. (2+1 shells)
Silver Reserve 12G (T3 Shotgun) (200.000 Yen)
Mossberg's over-under shotgun for all-purpose shooting. Elegant yet cost-effective. (2 shells)
On the one hand the Airgun pack is awesome crutch. We can give them to the students so they can grind shooting zombies up the arse. However it is practically useless against mutant (feral)
On the other hand the shotgun pack is a boost for the firepower among the adults. And will be useful after ferals become more common.
Well, you already have two airguns, although only one is useful.
Also, there's always choice of arming them with shotgun. I do NOT recommend giving anyone with less than shooting 4/8.
Speaking of which, Anya's stat
Anastasia
HP: 120
Stamina: 120
Reputation: 0
Basic Skill:
Cardio: 6/8
Wits: 4/8 (+50% Loot Speed)
Fighting: 3/8
Shooting: 7/8
No 5th skill yet
Traits:
Night watch - No debuff when doing night duties.
Equipment:
Shooting Gloves (T3, Armor) - Steady hands, non-sweaty hands, ensure maximum grip and comfort on the gun grip, not suitable for physical work (+1 Shooting)
FX Dynamic 25 (T2, Air Rifle) - A Swedish airgun capable of slugging above its caliber. Capable of punching through deer, hog, and zombie skulls.
MCX Virtus 22 (T1, Air Rifle) - Easily mistaken for an actual assault rifle. This automatic airgun is used for training and small-game hunting. Useless against zombies.
Note: Air rifle tier is not the same as firearm tier, you could consider they're one step below i.e. T2 air rifle = T1 firearm
[x] Shotgun package (540.000 Yen)
If the setting were the US then I'd maybe lean more to the airguns, but this is Japan and getting high tier guns with resources that could soon become trash is a golden opportunity. And we also have the t1 airgun for training if need be.
At t3 and t4 level, I doubt we ever loot guns randomly unless the RNG gods Uber bless us. Maybe at a military base?
Well as tri said the airguns are a crutch/training equipment for shooting practice mostly. In the US wed be likelier to find high tier guns so I could see a better argument for the airguns to train everyone to be able to shoot.
As for the gunpowder problem maybe looting a fireworks store. By then hopefully we can find enough ammo and also have tobe and hayama learn how to reload the ammo to reuse the casings. Or at least I think that's how it works I'm no gun expert.
