After I Fully Prepared for the Apocalypse, the Ungrateful Cried with Regret-Chapter 28: What a Coincidence

Leo Hale’s childhood friend was named Forrest Walsh.

Back when Daniel Hale was just a street vendor, he was a single father and would often lock little Leo Hale at home alone.

One time, a fire accidentally started in their home, and it was the family of Uncle Walsh, who lived next door, that rescued him.

After that, Uncle Walsh’s family often invited Leo, who was home alone, over to their place.

Uncle Walsh had a son and a daughter, and the three of them were childhood playmates.

Later, after Daniel Hale made his fortune, they moved away.

Unfortunately, Uncle Walsh and his wife died in a car accident, leaving only Forrest Walsh and Chelsea Walsh behind.

Forrest Walsh had been serving in the army, and Chelsea Walsh had also started working. This time, Forrest had called Leo Hale in a panic, saying something was wrong with his sister, Chelsea, and hoped Leo could go help her.

"Chelsea’s the type who hates to trouble others. She didn’t want me to go at all this time, but I have to."

Leo Hale explained.

A few days ago, Chelsea Walsh and her friend got caught in the acid rain. Fortunately, they both managed to run back to Chelsea’s apartment in time.

But over the past few days, Chelsea’s friend started acting strangely, so Chelsea had no choice but to lock herself in her bedroom.

She had originally planned to hold out for a few days until the acid rain ended, but with no food or water, she suddenly came down with a fever. In a daze, she answered a call from her brother, Forrest Walsh, and basically gave him her last words...

That’s why Forrest Walsh had asked Leo Hale, who was in the same city, for help.

"That must be the place."

Nina Jacobs and Leo Hale had reached a crossroad.

The map showed that the old residential complex diagonally across the street was the location Leo had mentioned.

"That’s right, that’s it!"

Leo Hale quickened his pace.

He had tried calling Chelsea Walsh several times but couldn’t get through. He didn’t know how she was doing.

Nina Jacobs followed behind him and activated "Five Senses Enhancement".

She focused her senses to investigate and soon heard the familiar roar of a zombie.

"Here, take this."

After confirming there was only one zombie, Nina Jacobs tossed an axe to Leo Hale.

"You even have one of these?"

Leo Hale had already led Nina Jacobs into the building’s hallway. He took off his raincoat, completely missing where Nina had pulled such a sharp axe from.

"Found it on the ground."

Nina Jacobs turned her head away.

Leo Hale hesitated for a moment but took the axe anyway.

He knocked on the door to Chelsea Walsh’s apartment and was met with a loud roar and the sound of something slamming against it.

The sound was identical to the strange noises Ben Stone and his mother had made.

’Definitely a zombie.’

"Remember to aim for the head."

Nina Jacobs reminded him.

She could see how nervous Leo Hale was.

"Aim for the head, aim for the head..."

Leo Hale took a deep breath. He first used his Superpower to open the lock, then kicked the door open with all his might.

As the door flew open, a female zombie reeking of decay was knocked to the ground behind it.

Before Leo Hale could get a clear look at her face, the female zombie was already back on her feet and lunging at him!

Leo Hale dodged and swung the axe wildly. When he saw that he had chopped off two of the female zombie’s fingers, he nearly fainted.

"It got past you!"

Nina Jacobs shouted a warning from the side. Leo Hale let out a yell and swung again.

The axe struck the top of the female zombie’s head perfectly.

The roaring stopped instantly.

Watching the figure fall, Leo Hale collapsed onto the floor.

He gasped for breath, his hands trembling.

"This...

this counts as self-defense, right?"

It only then occurred to Leo Hale that he had no proof.

"Of course it does."

Nina Jacobs surveyed the apartment.

The living room was a complete mess. Only one of the bedroom doors was shut tight.

The door was covered in bloody scratch marks.

Leo Hale struggled to his feet. He used his Superpower to open the bedroom lock and, sure enough, saw Chelsea Walsh huddled motionlessly in the corner.

"L-Leo?

Didn’t I tell you not to come?

Wow... are you Leo’s girlfriend?"

Chelsea Walsh thought she was hallucinating.

To think she’d live to see the day Leo Hale got such a beautiful girlfriend.

"Don’t be ridiculous, she’s my sister." Leo Hale’s face flushed.

"I knew it... you’re not that capable, heh heh..."

"..."

"My name is Nina Jacobs."

’Looks like we won’t be leaving anytime soon today.’

Nina Jacobs glanced at the time.

She had no objection to Leo Hale wanting to take Chelsea Walsh with them.

But Chelsea was too weak.

Tomorrow was the last day of the acid rain. Leaving first thing in the morning was an option.

Nina Jacobs took some food and water from her backpack, and Chelsea Walsh immediately began to eat ravenously.

[System detected that Host’s action will save one human life in one day. Triggering "Selfless Savior" title. Reward: one bottle of "Healing Potion".]

Nina Jacobs raised an eyebrow.

’It seems if Leo and I hadn’t come, Chelsea really would have died.’

Since they were staying the night, Nina Jacobs had Leo Hale tidy up the living room a bit.

As for the zombie corpse, Leo locked it in the storage closet.

"I don’t know why she turned into... that.

I saw the video Leo sent earlier, so I knew he wouldn’t pull a prank like that.

That’s why I hid."

Chelsea Walsh only regained the strength to speak after she finished eating.

She felt a little guilty. Leo Hale had killed someone for her sake.

"Haven’t you figured it out yet? That wasn’t a person anymore."

Leo Hale had been thinking a lot.

Those people had transformed into that state. Chunks of their flesh were falling off, and even their blood had turned black...

’Even if they were taken to a hospital, could modern medicine really save them?’

"Thank you so much for today. If it weren’t for you two, I wouldn’t have survived the night.

If there are any consequences later, I’ll take full responsibility."

Chelsea Walsh was already prepared to take the blame for Leo Hale.

Just then, Leo Hale finally got a video call through to Forrest Walsh. The signal was poor, however, and it was clearly chaotic on Forrest’s end.

"Then I... can rest easy...

Thanks... Leo... protect... my sister.

Don’t leave... her alone..."

The spotty signal made the call choppy. Forrest Walsh only managed to say that much before the call ended.

At the side, Chelsea Walsh wiped the tears from her face.

"My brother has been part of the rescue efforts. He can barely protect himself, but he’s still trying to save others."

Leo Hale fell silent as well.

The Forrest Walsh he knew had always been like this, just as he was back when he’d pulled him from the fire.

"That’s just how your brother is. But he’s lucky, he’ll definitely be fine."

Leo Hale said, trying to sound casual and reassuring.

Nina Jacobs stood by the window, listening to their conversation.

The reason she was willing to stay was that the upcoming [Free-for-All Mission 11] was nearby.

She decided she would go out again tonight.

Just then, however, a frantic knocking came from the door.

"It’s not those bastards again, is it?"

It turned out that Chelsea Walsh’s apartment had been robbed just a few days ago. All her food and water had been taken.

After hearing this, Nina Jacobs understood. Chelsea’s friend had likely turned so quickly because she had no water to drink.

But the people outside weren’t the ones Chelsea was thinking of.

It was the neighbors from across the hall.

They were a frantic-looking couple who seemed to want to borrow some medicine.

"What? Nana was pushed into the rain by that bastard Ivan Lawson?!

Is he even human?!"

Nina Jacobs had originally planned to stay out of it, but then she heard a very familiar name from Chelsea Walsh’s mouth.

’Well, isn’t this a coincidence?’