Multiverse , Leveling Up in the World I Created

"So what about the vaccines?"

"Vaccines—we already have the Biohazard virus ones, so skip those. For Dawn of the Dead, Black Wall Seed, and The Walking Dead viruses, we’ve made all of them. But the WT, DT, and DGW viruses are not done yet. The WT virus is almost complete, though."

"But why did you bring the other aircraft carrier and develop Ziking Island? And you increased the number of robot-type androids by a lot too?"

"Because those were all things you were planning in your head, so how could I, as your clone, not know? And the other aircraft carrier was just floating around the Atlantic, so I brought it over. I increased the robot-type androids because we were short on manpower."

He had a point. Those were indeed things I had been planning.

"I appreciate the hard work, but next time, let me know before you do things. Even if it’s something in my head."

"Got it. And there’s something else I didn’t mention—I brought all the gold and silver bars from banks around the world and stored them in the underground warehouse of Wall Sina. Since the trading post will only deal in gold, silver, and ammunition, I made sure to prevent wealth from concentrating on one side ahead of time."

"Good, well done."

I copied the created viruses, the modified Progenitor Virus, and the various vaccines using [Matter Copy], sterilized them properly, and stored them in my inventory. The stored Tyrants too, of course. Then Clem and I took the barge back to the house.

"What are you planning to do?"

"I’m not sure yet, I’m still thinking."

"If you decide to go, I’ll go with you. I don’t want to lose any more family. I’ll train hard too."

It seemed Clem now thought of me as family. I was a little moved. So I patted Clem’s head.

The next day, I told the android to relay that I had decided to go. They prepared a Patria TRACKX for me. Though I had prepared it myself, really. Inside, it was fully loaded with all kinds of weapons, ammunition, medicine, and food. I also added the KAC LAMG machine gun, WA2000 sniper rifle, and Barrett anti-materiel rifle that I had prepared in advance.

"You can depart tomorrow. And they said once the Ziking Island trading post is ready, you may inform survivor groups."

"Alright, got it."

"And congratulations. You have been promoted from Captain to Major. Here are your rank insignia and commission."

The android saluted and handed me the rank insignia and commission, which I suspected were a prank prepared by 2B, A2, and the clones. I couldn’t help but chuckle.

I restored the Scorpion MRAP I had been using with [Restoration], sterilized it properly, and stored it in my inventory. Then Clem and I took our new mode of transport, the Patria TRACKX armored vehicle, and hit the road.

"This armored vehicle is so spacious, I like it. It seems like it’ll be easy to wash up too."

"You’re right."

Indeed, the Patria TRACKX had an interior space incomparably larger than the Scorpion MRAP. It was also much easier to drive—the scoop attached to the front simply pushed aside zombies or vehicles blocking the road.

We took the highway and headed to the motel in Macon. The motel people welcomed us warmly. Nothing had really changed at the motel.

"Jin, Clem! Come in. You came back earlier than I expected. By the way, what’s this armored vehicle?"

"Everyone gather around first."

I gathered everyone at the motel and told them about the vaccine development and the trading post that would be established on Ziking Island.

Lee immediately got to the point.

"So from now on, gold, silver, and ammunition will be used like cash."

"Exactly. So try to secure as much ammunition as possible, and it’s a good idea to raid jewelry stores in advance. Originally, they asked me to keep it confidential until the trading post was ready, but since we’ve been together all this time, I’m telling you ahead of time. Just keep it a secret from other survivor groups."

At my words, people started murmuring.

"I should start using my crossbow more often."

"Still, if things get dangerous, I’ll have to use a gun."

"There’s a jewelry store I scouted before—how about we hit that?"

Then Lee raised his hand to draw everyone’s attention.

"Everyone calm down and listen to me first. It’s true that now that we know how goods will be traded, our group has a significant advantage. But I think we should avoid anyone getting hurt from trying to gather supplies recklessly. So let’s secure what we need, but only within the limits of not overdoing it."

As expected of Lee.

Watching him speak like this, I felt I had made the right choice in picking Lee as the leader. If Lilly or Kenny had been leader, they would have tried to secure as much gold and silver as possible, even if it meant some sacrifices along the way.

"True, if you die trying to gather supplies, it’s all for nothing."

"Lee’s right. People come first."

Judging by their reactions, they seemed to take Lee’s words positively. They appeared to appreciate Lee’s judgment to prioritize their safety over recklessly securing supplies.

After the discussion, Lee approached Clem and asked about her parents. But Clem couldn’t answer and just silently shed tears. Seeing that, Lee seemed to have a rough idea of what happened. He didn’t ask further and just quietly hugged Clem tightly.

While they were doing that, I got curious about whether Ben and Travis were properly tending the farm, so I went to the back of the motel. But as soon as I arrived, I heard an absurd conversation.

"How about we just make a mushroom farm instead?"

"Hey, the teacher said those are inedible poisonous mushrooms. But at least the potatoes are growing well, so let’s just focus on those."

It seemed that with David sticking around to teach them, at least the potatoes were growing decently.

I gave the motel people a few bottles of whiskey as a gift and prepared to leave early the next morning.

"I hope you find someone with antibodies. We’ll let you know if we find any too."

"Yeah, I hope you all stay safe."

"Take care, Clem."

"Take care too, Uncle Lee."

We said our goodbyes to the motel people and left for Atlanta.

"Do you think there will be many survivors in Atlanta?"

"In my opinion, probably not many. More people means more walkers. It was the same in Macon."

"That’s true."

"Still, just in case, it’s a good idea to send out radio signals to find survivors."

"Okay."

While traveling to Atlanta, Clem continued sending radio signals to the surroundings and practiced shooting whenever she had time. Thanks to my direct teaching and consistent training, Clem’s shooting skills improved noticeably each day. It turned out to be quite helpful that I had brought plenty of .22 LR ammunition.

Thanks to that, she had improved to the point where she could even provide covering fire from behind when securing gas stations. Of course, she still lacked real combat experience, but at least she was gradually approaching a level where she could protect herself.

Two days later, when we arrived near Atlanta, someone received our radio signal and contacted us. It seemed the tactic of having a young girl send the radio messages had worked. Using a child’s voice would naturally arouse less suspicion. And there was a reason for the signal.

— "Can you hear me?! There’s a survivor camp here! The location is Bellwood Quarry. It’s an abandoned quarry now, so there’s a lake formed from accumulated water—you should be able to find it easily."

"Okay, we’ll find you soon."

Clem responded with a bright voice and then told me.

"I think I found survivors. Let’s go quickly."

I gave Clem a warning.

"Clem, what did I say about meeting new people?"

"Always be on guard and check escape routes in advance."

"Good. When you don’t know what kind of people they are, you always have to do that. Remember, in this world, anyone can become a villain. And we have a lot of supplies, so we need to be even more careful."

"Yes."

We followed the directions from the radio, drove around the outskirts of Atlanta, and headed to Bellwood Quarry.

As described on the radio, the quarry was a deep, wide pit filled with water that had formed a lake. There was even a forest around the lake, making it seem like a fairly decent place to avoid walkers for a while.

But looking around, there were clear drawbacks as well. It was wide open on all sides, with no defensive structures to block approaching walkers. If a large group of walkers swarmed in, this place could actually become quite dangerous.

"I see cars over there. That’s probably it."

Clem pointed to a spot where several cars were gathered, and we could see people waving at us. I drove the armored vehicle straight over.

That was the Atlanta camp where the main characters of The Walking Dead drama stayed in the early episodes. I knew from watching the original that they had communication equipment there, which was why I kept sending radio signals. So coming here was entirely intentional.

"He’s a soldier? Did they come to rescue us?"

"That doesn’t seem to be the case."

"Still, we might learn something."

Clem waited inside the armored vehicle while I got out first. As I stepped out, people murmured among themselves, and I spotted a familiar face.

"Oh, hyung!"

It was Glenn. Glenn recognized me and ran over, hugging me tightly. It seemed Glenn was happy to see me after so long. But calling me hyung... By the setting, age-wise he was probably a couple years older than me, but he said it right away, which was a bit awkward.

"Long time no see. Did you meet up with your friends?"

At that, Glenn’s expression darkened.

"Well... they all became infected..."

"That’s unfortunate."

"So, is the motel family doing well?"

"Of course. They’ve grown a bit now too. I was just coming from there."

"I see. That’s a relief."

Glenn looked at the camp people and introduced me on their behalf.

"This is hyung named Jin, who served in Delta Force. I was with him before. He’s truly amazing. He took down a whole group of infected by himself."

He excitedly introduced me with grand words, which was a little embarrassing.

After that, I was introduced to the camp members one by one. At present, the camp consisted of Rick, Lori, their son Carl, Shane, Dale, Andrea, Amy, T-Dog, Jacqui, Jim, the couple Morales and Miranda and their children Eliza and Louis, another couple Ed and Carol, and their daughter Sophia.

"There’s also a guy named Daryl, but he went hunting so I don’t know when he’ll be back."

Rick was at the camp, and I didn’t see Merle, so it seemed the drama’s story had already progressed somewhat. I had wanted to come earlier, but I couldn’t have both the game and the drama, so I accepted it.

I judged the atmosphere was okay and tapped the armored vehicle to signal that it was safe. Clem got out.

"I’m Major Jin Harris of Delta Force, and this is Clementine."

"Hello, I’m Clementine."

As soon as we introduced ourselves, Rick asked.

"By any chance, do you know anything about this situation?"

Rick was a white male in his mid-thirties wearing a police uniform, with brown hair. He made a good first impression and carried himself with the neat, trustworthy demeanor of a police officer.

"Everyone gather around. I have something to share."

I told them that the military was searching for someone with antibodies to develop a vaccine and that they were currently tracking survivor locations.

"So you’re saying there’s still a functioning military?"

After my explanation, Shane asked urgently. Shane looked like the Punisher, no need for a better description. If I had to put it, he was a Caucasian with a big nose, with a hot-tempered look.

"Yes. Right now, two nuclear aircraft carriers are operating in the Atlantic. They’re developing a vaccine there."

"Are there any plans to take in civilians?"

"Not sure. They’re building something, but construction isn’t done yet, so I don’t know what will happen. Anyway, is there anyone here—or anyone you know—who doesn’t turn even after being bitten by a walker?"

At my question, people fell silent.

"Nothing..."

Then Rick made a request to me.

"The people here are running low on supplies. Could you share some weapons or supplies with us?"

I could have just given them for free, but I had a plan, so I couldn’t.

"I can trade. Can you obtain any gold, silver, or ammunition?"

At that, people hurriedly handed me rings and necklaces. Shane, looking confused, frowned and challenged me.

"What are you going to do with gold jewelry in a time like this?!"

I said calmly.

"This is a hint. Think carefully about why I would want gold, silver, and ammunition. And please understand that I can’t say more due to classification."

"..."

At my words, Shane began to think deeply.

I checked the gold and silver I received and exchanged them all for ammunition. Since many of them were married, they had quite a bit of gold jewelry and were able to get a large amount of ammunition.

"This amount should be enough for the gold you just gave. So tell me what you need with that ammunition—I’ll trade."

Andrea raised her hand and spoke. Andrea was a strong-looking blonde woman with blue eyes.

"How much ammunition for a pistol?"

"Thirty rounds. For a rifle, fifty."

"Seems fair. Do you have food?"

"I have canned fruit, snacks, canned bacon, and military emergency rations."

At that, Andrea seemed quite surprised.

"W-what? Canned fruit? You have that?"

"Yeah. Hey, Glenn, come here for a second."

"Yes, hyung."

When Glenn approached, I handed him a can of fruit and a can of bacon.

"This is a gift. Next time, you’ll have to buy. And I’ll say this in advance—I wouldn’t try stealing. Fighter jets could fly over and bomb this entire area, and soldiers could swarm in and wipe everything out. I’m on an important mission to find someone with antibodies. So it’s better to drop any thoughts of causing trouble early on."

I had a specific reason for giving this warning in advance.

The expression on Shane’s face, standing behind Glenn, bothered me. He had a look that suggested he was about to do something.

"How much for a can of fruit?"

Andrea asked, and I answered.

"Fifty rounds."

"W-what?! That’s the price of a rifle! Why so... ha... Well, I guess in times like this... Then what about canned bacon and military rations?"

"Canned bacon is thirty rounds, and military rations are ten. The prices might change next time I come. If supplies run low, prices could go up. But gold, silver, and ammunition probably won’t change. That’s another hint."

"I see."

Andrea took out a gold ring from her pocket and handed it to me.

"How much will this get me?"

Her sister Amy quickly tried to stop her. Amy, like her sister, was also blonde with blue eyes.

"That’s Dad’s ring, sis!"

"That’s not important right now. We need to survive first. If Dad were here, he would have agreed."

When Andrea said that, Amy could no longer stop her.

I checked the ring and handed Andrea ammunition worth its value.

They gathered the ammunition they received and started discussing what to do.

"What should we do, buy food?"

"We still have food. Shouldn’t we just buy guns?"

"But what’s this hint supposed to mean?"

"I think the military will only trade in gold, silver, and ammunition from now on."

"I get ammunition, but what do they want with gold and silver?"

"I don’t know... I can’t figure that out either."

Listening to them, they hadn’t figured out all the hints I gave, but at least it was a relief that they had caught on to some of it.

After their discussion, they ended up buying two pistols and some canned bacon. They seemed determined to conserve ammunition as much as possible.

As the sun began to set, Clem and I set up empty cans and did our usual shooting practice.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

"How was that? I didn’t miss a single shot."

"Good job. Your shooting skills are getting better and better."

"Right?"

Clem’s improvement wasn’t limited to her shooting.

Her hands were still small, so there were limits, but her draw, aim, and fire sequence had gotten noticeably faster. She was definitely much more skilled compared to when she first held a gun.

Then Rick came over and asked.

"Hey Jin, Clementine looks pretty young. Are you sure it’s okay to give her a gun?"

"Walkers—uh, I don’t know what you call them—the infected don’t discriminate between adults and children. So to survive, you need to learn how to protect yourself as quickly as possible. That’s just how this world is."

Rick, being a police officer, didn’t seem to like seeing a young girl like Clem handling a gun. It probably bothered him even more because his son Carl had been watching Clem shoot with envious eyes the whole time.

"But it’s dangerous..."

"Of course I teach her about that danger and responsibility too. I’m not stupid enough to just hand guns to kids who don’t know anything."

I looked at Clem and asked.

"Clem, what did I teach you about guns?"

"You said they’re like fire. Used well, they’re beneficial like fire, but used wrong, they can seriously hurt people."

"You hear that?"

"..."

Rick said nothing and just returned to his family.