The Daily Life of the Demon King

Chapter 242 - 242: The Rescue of the Ryozenpaku People

The group was fully prepared for the rescue operation at the Ryozanpaku dojo. Alex's words helped ease the tense atmosphere in the transport bay. Those sitting in the vehicles, ready for the mission, were well aware that zombies could be extremely dangerous, especially mutated variants.

Alex wasn't worried about his people's safety. Brunhilde regularly held lectures on zombie combat tactics, and those who attended knew by heart how to fight them. Moreover, most of the mission participants had already been on supply runs and had combat experience.

Scanning the group, Alex ensured they were ready. Takashi had, as usual, joined Kota's team, making Alex wonder—did he really not feel out of place? That group consisted exclusively of female officers, with the only men being himself and, of course, Kota. Unlike his former self, Kota was now thoroughly enjoying life after the apocalypse and had even formed a few close relationships.

The guys in Koko's group had fully accepted Jonah into their ranks, treating him as one of their own. Itami and his squad remained composed—except for Itami himself, who was clearly nervous and would have gladly found a way to skip the mission if possible.

Alex shifted his gaze to the other teams, assessing their readiness, until his eyes landed on one of the Humvees where a group of girls was seated. Perched on the roof behind the machine gun was Stitch—the look on his face made it obvious that the alien dog was itching to start shooting zombies. Inside the Humvee, Rebecca, Rika, Saya, Saeko, Rei, Kiriko, Beatrix, Valmet, and Yuriko were chatting and laughing among themselves. Not wanting to disturb them, Alex looked away.

Brunhilde and Koko remained on the ferry. Alex understood perfectly well that Koko wasn't a fighter—her role was to command and oversee the operation. Brunhilde, though strong, had far more valuable strategic skills, which made her the best choice to manage the mission in Alex's absence.

The ferry was slowly approaching the port. Tension in the transport bay grew with each passing second. Over the last few days, Namiyo had significantly improved her ship-handling skills, so she was entrusted with docking under difficult conditions—especially since G.I.R., MIMI, and Stitch were off somewhere playing with the children.

When the ferry finally came to a stop, Alex raised a hand to get everyone's attention.

"Listen up, here's the plan. Yeah, I know horror movies always say 'don't split up,' but we don't have a choice. The city is huge, and we don't know which direction the Ryozanpaku people retreated. So, we have to split up to find them faster. Stay in constant contact! If you find them or other survivors, report immediately and fall back to the port. If anything goes wrong, return at once. This is a rescue operation, not a suicide mission. Understood?"

"Yes!" the fighters responded in unison.

Alex nodded in satisfaction. His gaze shifted to G.I.R. and MIMI, who were practically trembling with excitement, eager to start a bloodbath.

"Alright, hop on," he said with a grin.

The two instantly jumped onto him, clinging to him like a pair of monkeys.

As the ramp lowered, Alex stepped out first to check the surroundings. The port was empty—no zombies, not even tracks. The only thing that stood out was the thick black smoke rising in the distance.

Waving his hand, he signaled for departure. One by one, the Humvees rolled out of the ferry. Alex stepped aside, letting the vehicles pass, and as the Humvee carrying the girls drove by, he nimbly jumped onto the roof for a better vantage point.

The groups split up in different directions, beginning their

Some of them jumped at her lightning-fast reaction.

"What are you all standing around for? Never seen zombies before?" she shouted, slinging the shotgun over her shoulder. "Move it, faster!"

After Rebecca's words, the Ryozanpaku group decided to postpone their questions and hurried toward the port. The girls who had left the Humvee threw one last glance in the direction where Alex remained before following the others.

The group arrived at the port just as the other teams began to return. Brunhilde immediately took command, issuing clear orders to take defensive positions. The Ryozanpaku masters watched in surprise as the group moved with military precision. They even thought they weren't just survivors, but well-trained soldiers. However, they didn't know that under Brunhilde's strict leadership, the discipline in the squad had been honed to perfection, and many of the fighters were simply afraid of the stern Valkyrie.

Soon, the masters noticed a familiar elderly couple among Alex's people.

" Eijiro? Tomiko? You're alive!" Kensai Ma exclaimed upon seeing the old friends.

"Of course we're alive, you old pervert. Otherwise, how could I protect my granddaughter from your filthy hands?" Eijiro smirked at him.

"Oh, little Kana... Who would have thought you'd grow up into such a beauty, heh-heh-heh..." Kensai said with a lustful grin.

"Dad, stop it!" Renka scolded, kicking him in the back. "Even in times like this, you can't stop hitting on women! If mom were here, she'd kill you!"

"Daughter, you underestimate me. I'll always find time for my hobbies, even during the apocalypse!" Kensai proudly responded.

As soon as he said that, all the women in the port looked at him with expressions as if he were the worst person on earth. Their gazes were full of clear disgust, and some even wondered whether it was worth saving such a person at all.

Realizing that her father had once again made himself look bad, Renka angrily charged forward, intending to kick him again. However, Kensai skillfully dodged and began teasing his daughter, never losing his smug grin.

"Maybe we should just leave this old pervert here?" Valmet asked irritably, watching the scene unfold.

"I think that's a good idea," Rebecca agreed. "Although, if he really tries something nasty, Alex will either throw him overboard or just refresh him."

"Enough talking, ladies!" Brunhilde's stern voice rang out. "The zombie horde has arrived at the port! Prepare for battle!"

The conversation stopped immediately. Everyone turned toward the port entrance, where a new wave of the dead was breaking through. But for Alex's group, this was far from their first encounter with such hordes. They knew that if they followed Brunhilde's orders, they would survive.

The members of Ryozanpaku were astounded. They were once again reminded of just how well-coordinated this group was. From the conversation with the elderly Agatsuma, they realized that these people had come here solely to rescue them. They also learned that the man in beach attire they'd encountered earlier was the leader of this group.

What surprised them the most, however, was the stark contrast between Alex and his team. The person who was supposed to fight an entire zombie horde appeared utterly carefree when they saw him, while his fighters, in contrast, held their positions with military discipline. This contrast was so striking that it was hard for them to grasp.

Meanwhile, in a secret location, sat the man whom Alex had not yet met but already despised—Caleb Williams, Director of the Analytics Department and, simultaneously, the second-in-command at the Live Corporation, just below the mysterious Director.

Caleb sat at a massive desk in the Analytics Department, observing the events through the network of cameras. On the large monitor, two key situations unfolding in the city, where the Ryozanpaku dojo was located, were being broadcast. He rhythmically tapped his fingers on the desk, his gaze fixed on the screen.

On one side of the monitor, Alex, G.I.R., and MIMI were holding back the massive zombie horde, preventing it from advancing further. On the other side, Alex's group was maintaining their position at the port, acting with coordination and confidence. In both cases, the undead couldn't pose any threat to these people.

"Hmm, interesting…" Caleb squinted thoughtfully. "He's exceeded my expectations again. How did such a person manage to avoid the Corporation's attention? Leadership qualities and strength, all in one person… This is extremely troubling. But at the same time… damn fascinating." His voice held almost a hint of admiration, though his expression remained cold.

The atmosphere in the room was tense. All the staff held their breath, making no sound as they observed the situation on the screen. They didn't need to guess to know that Director Williams was irritated. His rhythmic tapping on the desk was pressing on the psyche of everyone present, and the fear of making a mistake kept them from even lifting their gaze.

But Caleb was no longer paying attention to that. His focus was entirely on Alex. The situation at the port no longer interested him.

"Director Williams, your orders?" came a cautious voice. It was Frank, one of the staff members, standing nearby.

Caleb smirked.

"Release the experimental product. This man will be the perfect subject for testing."

Frank swallowed.

"But, sir... The experimental zombies are still unstable. We don't know what might happen if we release them."

"Did I stutter?" Caleb slowly turned his head toward his subordinate, his gaze cold and his voice sharp. "Execute the order."

"Yes, sir!" Frank quickly nodded, feeling a cold sweat run down his spine.

Realizing Caleb was losing patience, he immediately contacted the research department and relayed the order to release the experimental zombies. There were objections in response—scientists claimed the zombies were still not stabilized, and the consequences could be unpredictable. However, as soon as they heard the order came from Caleb Williams himself, and sensed the hint of irritation in Frank's voice, they quickly agreed to comply.

"Sir, what should we do about the Ryozanpaku people?" Frank asked, trying to hide his nervousness.

Caleb thoughtfully ran his finger across his chin.

"What was his name... Isshinsei Ogata? He expressed his desire to deal with the Ryozanpaku masters himself. Let him handle it. Does he think that just because we gave him power, he can sit idly by? We gave him the opportunities—now he needs to earn them."

"I'll relay the message now," Frank quickly replied, already contacting Ogata.

Caleb slightly turned his head, his gaze lingering on Frank again.

"Since you brought it up… How's the fusion with the U virus progressing?"

Frank nervously adjusted his glasses and began his report:

"After merging with the U virus, Isshinsei Ogata remains stable. He has gained significant physical enhancements—strength, endurance, and regeneration. According to him, he has reached a new level of skill in martial arts. However, the research department warns that the virus is still unstable and could spiral out of control at any moment."

Caleb raised an eyebrow.

"And?"

"Given that the virus was brought from Africa, our specialists are continuing attempts to stabilize it. They're unsure how it will behave in the body of a person with the martial arts mastery of someone like Isshinsei Ogata. Too many unknown factors that could lead to mutation," Frank quickly explained.

Caleb smirked.

"All the more interesting."

His gaze returned to the screen where Alex was fighting the zombie horde. Now, this battle promised to be even more exciting.

Caleb nodded and narrowed his eyes as he stared at the large screen. Frank waited patiently for further instructions.

"Hmm... Interesting. Another product they can't stabilize. First the G-virus, now the U-virus. Is the research department really that incompetent?" Caleb said coldly, his gaze sharpening.

"Sir, regarding the G-virus, all developments and data were destroyed before it reached us. The U-virus is still in its early stages, but it's much more stable than G. At least that's what the research department says. The virus was only recently delivered to us, but they've already made some progress, thanks to data provided by the branch head in Africa," Frank attempted to explain.

"Hmm. That person is earning his funding from us. But still, we should keep an eye on him. I don't want a repeat of the situation with the one who created the G-virus. I trust I'm being clear?" Caleb slowly turned his head toward Frank.

"Yes, sir. Albert Wesker is under surveillance," Frank quickly replied, almost stumbling over his own words.

"Hmm... Well, fine. Don't let Wesker gain too much power. That man is far too ambitious. I noticed that look in his eyes when we first met... the look of someone aiming for more than they're allowed," Caleb said with a slight smirk, tapping his finger on the table.

He fell silent and refocused on the screen, where Alex was finishing off the last of the zombie horde. Alex didn't even realize that he was about to be used as a test subject for the new experimental zombies.

Alex wiped the blood off his blade and sheathed the katana. Around him lay hundreds of dead zombies, their bodies filling the street, leaving no room to step.

"Well, at least I got a good warm-up," Alex lazily stretched. "I was starting to think I was rusting away while stuck on the ferry. You guys don't think so, right, kiddos?"

"Killing zombies is fun!" MIMI cheerfully declared, bouncing up and down.

"More filth to eradicate," G.I.R. added grimly, still in combat mode.

"Heh, maybe next time," Alex smirked, already preparing to head back to the port.

But at that moment, his ears caught a strange sound, and he quickly turned around. His eyes immediately twitched with irritation.

A new horde of zombies was emerging from around the corner... but now they were cybernetically enhanced. Metal implants, mechanical limbs, built-in weapons—they looked like something straight out of DOOM.

Alex even suspected that the Corporation had somehow contacted Davoth, but upon closer inspection, he realized they were just mechanized zombies. Although they resembled DOOM demons quite closely.

"Yay! New zombies!" MIMI squealed, raising her mace above her head.

"More filth to cleanse," G.I.R. growled ominously, switching back into his Ultramarine mode.

"To hell with these cyber-zombies! This isn't even the right genre! Who's the idiot who thought mechanized zombies were a good idea? I'll shove a stick up his ass!" Alex shouted irritably. "Stop mixing genres! Only I get to do that!"

The zombies, of course, didn't respond. Instead, one of them raised its mechanized arm, and a plasma shot flew straight at Alex.

In the next moment, his eye twitched even more violently.

A flame of irritation literally oozed from him, but it wasn't just because he had just been hit with a plasma charge to the face. He understood what this could lead to. There was a Marker in this world—and if it took control of these cyber-zombies, the situation could get a whole lot worse.

"Well, damn... Fine, you bastards, you asked for it," Alex exhaled, holding back his growing fury. "First, I'll deal with you, and then I'll handle the idiot who created you."

Alex gripped the katana's handle and, along with G.I.R. and MIMI, charged into the fray.

Before engaging the new horde, he made an important decision: as soon as he got back to the ferry, he would just lie down... and not move until evening.

To be continued...

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