CHAPTER 313: APOCALYPTIC ROMANCE 23

Sasha did not expect to see Commander Cloud sitting stone-faced inside the armored van.

There were only seven of them: a driver, his shotgun partner, two nervous first-timers... and then Cloud, Alvaro and Sasha in the back. The only woman — though the stares she received made it clear that wasn’t the problem.

Everyone was armed. Everyone looked tense. Except Alvaro, who looked like he thought they were on a field trip.

"So... where exactly are we going?" Alvaro asked, cheerfully out of place.

"A city a few miles from the Bastion," Cloud replied, eyes forward. "We haven’t raided that sector yet. If we’re lucky, it wasn’t fully looted."

Alvaro looked around the cramped space. "But aren’t we... a little short on manpower for this?"

"Small groups move faster and draw less attention," Cloud explained. "We have other squads sweeping other zones. Efficiency through division."

"Makes sense," Alvaro nodded. Then he raised his tiny pistol. "But can I get a bigger gun? Holding this feels like walking naked into hell."

Cloud’s gaze slid to him, unimpressed. "When you’ve proven you won’t shoot your own foot and you could be trusted, we’ll talk."

Alvaro just grinned. "Worth a shot."

Sasha stayed quiet, one hand casually brushing the magic ring hidden beneath her glove. She had enough firearms stored in there to start a private army. If Alvaro needed more firepower later — she had him covered.

She wasn’t letting him die.

Especially if he turned out to be the villain.

Probably.

The van eventually slowed as they reached the outskirts of the ruined city. The sun was up — good news for them, bad news for undead. The monsters moved slower, hid from the heat, decayed faster.

Still dangerous, though. Danger didn’t decay.

Buildings loomed like rotting teeth. Cars clogged the road like frozen corpses of civilization.

Cloud raised a fist — a silent signal. They halted.

"We stay quiet," he warned. His voice dropped into a whisper that demanded obedience. "They’re here. Just not awake enough to care... unless we give them a reason."

The team moved toward a convenience store with smashed windows. The metallic scent of dried blood lingered inside.

Cloud and two soldiers slipped in first. No wasted movement — silent knife strikes, clean decapitations. The undead dropped without a groan.

Alvaro snorted. "Looks like we’re just the pack mules."

"We are," one of the newbies said bluntly.

"Speak for yourself," Alvaro added with a scowl.

Once everyone gathered inside a large grocery store, Cloud tossed large duffel bags their direction.

"Split into three teams. Ten minutes. If you’re not out when the clock hits zero, we leave you behind."

"And remember," Cloud continued, gaze sharp. "Silencers in your guns help, but don’t waste bullets unless you must."

Then he looked at Sasha — directly. "You’re with me."

Alvaro grabbed Sasha by the wrist immediately. "Sorry, Commander. She’s coming with me."

Cloud arched a brow. "Are you two married?"

Alvaro flashed a cocky grin. "You could say that."

"No, you could not." Sasha snapped.

He leaned in, whispering, "Work with me here, honey."

"We’re not married," she repeated sternly.

Cloud sighed. "We’re wasting time here. You come with us too. Henry and Grey, go partner with the newbies." His tone left no room for argument.

Alvaro opened his mouth — but Sasha gave him a look that said don’t argue anymore.

He gritted his teeth but relented.

They spread out, gathering whatever wasn’t expired or rancid. Sasha and Alvaro filled their bag quickly.

Alvaro leaned close, voice low. "You want to stick near that guy?"

Sasha’s eyes lingered on Cloud’s rigid back. "He might be the one I’m looking for."

"I thought you knew who you’re searching for?"

"Yes... and no."

"What does that even mean?" Alvaro whispered sharply.

Sasha just rolled her eyes.

"Wait... don’t tell me you like the pretty soldier boy?"

"Is that a problem if I do?"

Alvaro froze, caught off-guard — then sighed dramatically. "Not a problem for you. But definitely for me."

Sasha chuckled. "Jealous much?"

"Maybe I am."

And then he pulled her — gently but firmly — into his arms, close enough to smell the faint gun oil on him.

Sasha blinked, genuinely surprised. Alvaro wasn’t the type for emotional honesty.

"I like you," he murmured. "And I hate the thought of you looking at someone else."

Her hand rose to caress his cheek, warm and reassuring. "Hey... you’ll always be my first man."

Alvaro frowned. "First man? That implies a second... and a third... and a—"

She laughed softly — just before a low voice cut between them like a blade:

"Hate to interrupt your romance," Cloud said coldly, "but we have a problem."

Sasha jerked away from Alvaro instantly — both of them snapping back to alertness. They rushed toward Cloud’s position.

In the canned goods aisle, two undead stood swaying, heads tilted as if listening. Their pale eyes twitched toward sound like hungry animals waking from sleep.

Cloud drew his knife slowly.

Sasha reached for her gun.

Alvaro clicked the safety button of his gun.

The undead turned to them... And moaned loudly.

Cloud moved first — fast as a blade cutting air — and the undead lost its head before its brain could even register movement. The corpse slumped with a wet thud.

At the same moment, Alvaro’s pistol cracked quietly. A rotting skull exploded near the far shelves.

Cloud shot him a sidelong look — cold, assessing.

Alvaro winked and twirled his pistol like a show-off cowboy. "That enough proof that I know how to use a gun, right?"

Cloud said nothing. The silence was enough to say: Don’t get cocky.

They resumed stuffing bags — canned goods, powdered milk, water, medicines. But then—

A strangled scream tore through the supermarket.

One of the newbies.

Cloud’s face turned to pure thunder. "Idiots," he snarled. He slammed a button on his radio. "Henry, Grey — fall back! Meet at the van!"

Then to Sasha and Alvaro: "We move. Now."

They sprinted down the aisles, boots pounding beneath flickering lights. Undead began pouring in through shattered windows like rats catching the scent of blood and noise.

Cloud pivoted, raised his rifle, and fired in tight bursts — clean shots, no bullets wasted.

Alvaro covered the rear with equal precision, shooting only when it counted.

Sasha vaulted over debris and tossed Alvaro a rifle fully loaded — from her ring — while Cloud’s back was turned.

His eyes lit up like a kid receiving the best illegal toy in the apocalypse.

"NOW we’re talking!"

He pumped rounds into advancing corpses with terrifying accuracy — a devil unleashed with a grin.