"This was a stupid idea after all," Saya murmured while looking through the binoculars.
"That kid's idea was far more stupid." Nach said, making sure everyone knew how dissatisfied he still was with their group splitting into two—all thanks to Hisashi's suggestion.
Ignoring Nach's bickering, Saya continued to assess their situation.
Their group tried to approach the hospital as closely as possible without causing a loud ruckus, eliminating the few undead loitering in the streets—until they reached the main road across the hospital and found the answer to their question as to why there were so few undead and where the rest had gone.
Past the barricade of cars in front of the hospital was a horde of undead numbering more than a thousand, swarming outside the building.
"At least the hospital doesn't seem to have completely fallen," Saya said before handing the binoculars to Nach and telling him to look at the fourth-floor window.
Taking the binoculars from Saya, Nach didn't miss the chance to pat her head—only to receive a punch to his left flank in response. He then looked and saw faint but steady flickering lights through the bloodstained windows.
They were probably from candles or lanterns—or so Nach thought.
Either way, it meant some survivors were hiding inside the hospital.
"If there are lights and survivors, maybe they've found a way to fix the emergency generator to keep the hospital's storage running," Shizuka said, hoping they would find the blood plasma in good condition and bring it back for the elderly woman's transfusion.
"Let's do our best then," Nach said, not only to boost her and everyone else's morale, but also taking the chance to pull Shizuka closer, his right hand holding her waist. His erection—something he hadn't fully calmed down after being with Rei—pressed against Shizuka's belly.
"Mhm~!" Shizuka agreed as she hugged Nach, responding to both his words and his lustful intent.
Regardless, that still didn't help with the problem at hand.
"Getting inside would be impossible, even with our guns," Kohta said, voicing the realization everyone had already come to.
"What if we cause a diversion to attract the undead away from the hospital entrance?" Hiro suggested, earning questioning looks—who would even volunteer to be the bait?
Obviously, it wouldn't be Saya or Shizuka.
Kohta was out of the question as well. With his low stamina, the horde would quickly outrun and catch him.
Nach shook his head when Hiro looked at him, silently making it clear that he wouldn't leave Saya and Shizuka and risk their safety like he just had with Rei.
Saya's five bodyguards might be considered disposable—fodder who would die first—or so Nach thought. But they were the ones carrying the supplies they intended to salvage from the hospital.
Although they were loyal to Saya's father and willing to follow any order, Saya herself wasn't the type to send someone to their death.
That left Hiro as the only one to act as bait.
"Fine... I'll act as bait..." Hiro said, his voice trembling along with his body. Still, he steeled his resolve. "Just promise me you'll bring the blood for Obaasan."
Is this just your character background, or are you really a good guy? Nach thought, surprised by Hiro's selflessness—though not enough to distract him from feeling Shizuka.
"Stop being perverted adults and focus on our situation," Saya grumbled, pouting as she kicked Nach on the shin.
***
With Hiro volunteering, the group quickly planned their way in.
"This one only has three bullets," Kohta said as he handed a revolver to Hiro.
"So don't forget to count and reserve the last one for yourself," he added with a teasing grin.
"Don't assume I'm going down already, kid," Hiro shot back, though his crumbling confidence showed in his awkward smile.
"We won't take long, so just wait for us out here," Nach said—only to quickly realize his supposed reassurance sounded more like a death flag.
Hiro let out a heavy sigh before rushing out from the corner of the building where they were hiding, heading toward the street and into the middle of the main road.
"Make sure you all come back alive!" he shouted, raising his revolver—but before he could fire a shot to attract the undead horde swarming in front of the hospital—CRASH!
BAM!
An ambulance burst out, crashing through the hospital's parking gate before ramming into the barricade of cars.
Still, it didn't stall. The engine roared as it forced its way through and drove off, drawing most of the undead horde along with it—intentional or not, it cleared a path for their group.
"That's our way in," Nach said as he picked up Shizuka, carrying her over his right shoulder, his hand gripping her soft rear with every intention of fondling it.
"Where do you think you're touching, pervert?!" Saya exclaimed in embarrassment as Nach carried her over his left shoulder in the same way—though without the same indecent intent, despite still grabbing her rear.
Nach sprinted across the street, passing Hiro and the barricade, heading straight for the hospital's emergency entrance, with everyone else following behind.
"Can I have the revolver back, mister?" Kohta asked while running beside Hiro.
"Stop hoarding all the guns, kid!" Hiro shouted, though he sounded more relieved than annoyed now that he no longer had to act as bait.
The moment they reached the emergency entrance, Nach put down Shizuka and Saya before kicking the doors open, breaking the lock and knocking down the cabinets barricading it from the inside.
Although the hospital's doors and windows had been barricaded, they still expected undead inside.
BANG!!!
Kohta fired his assault rifle, Saya blasted her shotgun, and Hiro followed with his revolver—taking down the undead patients, nurses, and doctors that greeted them.
Nach rushed ahead, cutting down any undead that came too close.
After clearing nearly two dozen undead at the entrance—and before the ones behind them could catch up—the group rushed inside and shut the doors, reinforcing them again with the cabinets.
"Let's hurry and find what we need," Nach said, asking Shizuka to guide them, assuming a school nurse like her would have some idea of a hospital's facilities.
Shizuka grabbed the hospital directory map hanging on the wall.
"The labs, the medicine storage, and the blood bank are all on the ground floor," she said, leading the group.
But as they passed the stairs leading to the second floor, a voice called out.
"Marikawa-san?"