Chapter 49
Upon hearing those words, Knox’s face turned as pale as a man receiving a death sentence. He gasped and shook his head violently.
“I’d rather just die here than let a Lancaster see me being carried on Miss Cherry’s back.”
I suppose it was fine earlier because no one saw, but now it wasn’t. Was he the type to live and die by his image? Seeing as he placed a fair amount of importance on his appearance, it made sense.
Regardless, Knox ran his hands through his hair as if he were utterly fed up with the entire situation.
“Once the reinforcements arrive from the capital, I won’t let the bastards who caused this mess get away with it.”
Oh dear. It seemed Knox, like Eden, believed reinforcements were coming. These poor people, still clinging to such hope.
I slung the bag over Knox’s shoulder and firmly tucked the axe into his hand. While he stared at me with a bewildered expression, I hoisted him up onto my back.
“Let’s get moving for now.”
“Wa—Wait…!”
I didn’t need Knox’s opinion. Saying he’d rather die than be seen by Eden—what kind of nonsense was that? Especially after I’d gone through all the trouble of climbing that clock tower to save him!
I slapped his uninjured thigh. Smack!
“Stay still. Before I actually drop you.”
Only then did Knox settle down.
The moment we stepped out of the grocery store, we saw a virus monster sprinting toward the clock tower.
Had Eden finally reached the tower where we were supposed to meet?
I tried to hurry in that direction—or I would have, if not for the virus monster lunging at Knox and me.
Bang!
From a distance, my eyes met Eden’s. He looked at me and the Knox on my back with a somewhat peculiar expression. But there was no time to stand around.
“Miss Cherry? I think it’s best we run.”
Knox urged me from behind. Eventually, summoning every last bit of strength, I dashed toward Eden. Snatching Eden’s wrist in a flash, I sprinted straight for the police station.
Skreeee!
The monsters let out piercing shrieks. Soon after, the sound of sprinting monsters slamming into things echoed behind us.
The sound of feet leaping off the dirt ground followed close on our heels.
Beads of cold sweat formed on my forehead. I could feel it trickling down my back as well. Fortunately, we managed to wrench open the back door of the police station, get inside, and slam it shut.
My legs gave out, and I lowered Knox to the floor before collapsing myself.
It seemed that as long as the monsters didn’t see or hear anything they were certain was human, they didn’t go out of their way to do things like break into buildings.
Eden immediately moved a heavy desk to block the door. Meanwhile, I calmly scanned the interior of the station.
“I think being bitten to death by a monster would have been less humiliating than this,” Knox muttered repeatedly, his face full of self-loathing. I watched him and shook my head. Tsk, tsk.
Eden finally approached us and spoke.
“I’m glad everyone is safe.”
“Sir Eden, where did you go?”
“Monsters suddenly swarmed the roof. They must have been drawn by the sound of gunfire.”
Well, the gunshots had been rather loud. I nodded and let out a sigh of relief. Being inside a sealed building made me feel like I could finally breathe.
Now, all we had to do was call the capital and head to the outskirts of town through the morgue Eden mentioned.
“But from what I hear, Miss Cherry was the vanguard of the assault? While our police officer stayed back for cover?”
Knox, sitting with his back against the wall, asked us in disbelief. Eden looked at Knox without batting an eye.
“You don’t get a vote, so just be grateful you were saved and shut up, you bastard.”
“Miss Cherry, did you hear that? What kind of noble is he? He’s a thug.”
“He’s helpful for survival.”
Knox stared at me with a face full of betrayal. Leaving the two of them behind, I scanned the police station.
It was silent inside. The place was filled with traces of people who had fled in a hurry.
As I searched every nook and cranny, my eyes fell on the front door. We had entered through the back, but fortunately, the front door was still tightly shut.
“We should call first.”
In fact, our primary reason for coming all the way down here from Happy House was the telephone. To make the calls that would confirm the safety of our loved ones.
Knox stood up with an intrigued look.
“Where is the phone?”
“It should be around here somewhere,” Eden muttered, looking around. In any case, it meant the phone was on the first floor.
Thump—
Just then, a dull noise of something hitting the floor drifted down from the upper level.
Eden quickly pulled out his revolver and cocked it.
Click.
Following Eden’s lead, I gripped my axe and slowly rose. We both stared at the stairs on the right side of the station at the same time.
The police station was a three-story building; the second floor housed the other officers’ quarters, and Eden’s quarters were on the third.
“Is someone there?” Knox whispered.
Eden stared up the stairs with an expressionless face and replied, “In a situation like this, humans are often scarier than monsters.”
He was right. When it comes to survival, humans can become far more cruel and terrifying than any monster. Following Eden’s lead, I looked up the stairs, my body tense.
“Sir Eden, try to connect the call first. I’ll keep watch to see if anyone comes down.”
It would be more efficient than dragging out someone hiding upstairs and getting into a scuffle.
“I’m here too, Miss Cherry,” Knox said, raising a hand to assert his presence.
“The injured should stay still.”
Without even glancing at Knox, I glared at the landing and swung my axe through the air.
“Miss Cherry, it’s danger—”
Eden’s voice trailed off as he watched me. However, he soon rubbed the back of his head awkwardly and holstered his pistol.
“Then I’ll leave the rear to you.”
Judging by his tone and the look in his eyes, he seemed to trust me quite a bit now. More accurately, it was probably my strength he trusted.
Since he’d witnessed me sending a massive monster flying with an axe, it was only natural he’d believe in my super strength. Yes, indeed.
Eden began looking around for the telephone. I took a quick glance at him.
Knowing the current situation through the novel, I was actually very skeptical about calling the capital, but I still held onto a sliver of hope.
I hoped for a butterfly effect—that because I hadn’t acted according to the original plot, the future had changed. I hoped that while Brunel was a mess due to the virus, the capital might still be safe.
“Found it.”
Eden’s voice came from behind me.
“Does it connect?”
Eden, holding the receiver, dialed the number and replied, “It’s ringing.”
Thank goodness. It seemed the telephone exchange hadn’t been attacked by monsters yet.
But even after a long while, there was no news of a connection. I didn’t hear Eden’s voice speaking to anyone on the other end, either.
I looked up the dark stairs and then turned back to Eden.
“It’s no use. I’ve already tried dozens of times. No one answers. It’s the same for the capital.”
“Who’s there!”
At the sound of the voice coming from somewhere, I gripped my axe tight and shouted. It sounded like it came from the top of the stairs.
“Even if the capital were fine, there’s no way the trains are running. People won’t come down to this mountain village of Brunel.”
Tap. Tap.
The sound of footsteps in dress shoes descending the stairs echoed. From the darkness above, a pair of worn brown shoes appeared first. Then, a pair of familiar navy cotton trousers came into view.
Next, a pistol holster at the waist and a police jacket appeared, and finally, the face of a middle-aged man, stained with splatters of blood, was revealed.
“Inspector?”
Eden exclaimed, dropping the receiver in surprise. I glanced briefly at Eden before fixing my gaze back on the man on the stairs.
Looking closer, it was Inspector Hans, whom I had encountered several times at the police station.
“Sir Eden. I knew you’d be alive.”
The Inspector—Hans—approached us with an exhausted sigh. His face was glistening with sweat.
I flinched and stepped back, pointing my axe toward him.
“Wait. Please stop right there.”
Both Hans and Eden looked at me with puzzled expressions.
“Have you been bitten?”
“What?”
Hans stared at me blankly, as if he didn’t understand my question.
Silence hung heavy inside the grimy police station. Because of it, the footsteps and shrieks of the monsters roaming outside could be heard clearly.
“By those monsters… have you ever been bitten?”
At my words, Hans looked back and forth between Eden and me with a flustered expression.
