Untouched by the Outbreak

Today, the snow had finally ceased, and for the first time in weeks, the sun began to peek over the horizon, casting a faint golden glow across the snow-covered landscape. The air, while still cold, had a touch of warmth to it—just enough to hint that winter was drawing to a close. Maybe another week or so, and it would be over.

Ryo stood outside on the rooftop terrace, arms folded as he gazed at the rising sun. His breath formed small clouds in the crisp air, and despite the cold, there was something peaceful about the scene. The world was still and quiet, the usual eerie groans of zombies distant today, almost as if the creatures themselves were hibernating.

Sachiko joined him outside, bundled in a thick jacket, her hands deep in her pockets. She shivered slightly as the cold wind hit her, but smiled when she saw Ryo standing there, taking in the beauty of the morning.

"It's been a while since we saw the sun like this," Sachiko said, stepping closer to him. Her breath fogged up the air as she exhaled, but there was a certain warmth to her presence as she stood beside him.

Ryo glanced at her and nodded. "Yeah... feels like forever. Winter's almost over."

Sachiko gazed out at the horizon, her eyes reflecting the soft glow of the morning light. "I can't wait for the snow to melt. Maybe we'll have more to do than just staying inside," she chuckled softly, though there was a hint of weariness in her voice. The long winter had been tedious—days and nights blending into one another as they stayed indoors, keeping warm and waiting for the season to pass.

Ryo smirked, leaning slightly into her. "Bored already?"

She laughed and shook her head. "Maybe a little. But this… this sunrise, it's nice. Gives me hope that things will start changing soon. Maybe we can go out more, explore further when it warms up."

He nodded, staring ahead. The roads were still covered in a thin layer of frost, and piles of snow lined the streets below, but it wouldn't be long before the thaw. The world, desolate as it was, seemed a little brighter this morning.

Ryo knew that even after the end of winter, the challenges wouldn't immediately disappear. The snow may stop falling, but the ice and frost would remain for a week or maybe more before everything would truly begin to melt.

He glanced at the water tank perched on the rooftop. It had been frozen solid for weeks now, the once reliable source now just a block of ice. The stream nearby that they once depended on for fresh water had frozen over too, leaving them cut off from those natural resources.

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Luckily, Ryo had planned ahead. Inside their house, tucked away in the supply room, was a large stockpile of bottled water. It wasn't the most sustainable solution, but it would keep them going until the ice melted and they could tap into their usual sources again. The sight of the sunrise gave him hope, but his mind remained practical, always calculating what would be needed for survival.

"We're lucky we stocked up on those water bottles," Ryo remarked, his voice steady as he continued to watch the light creep over the rooftops.

Sachiko nodded, a look of appreciation crossing her face. "Yeah, that was smart thinking. We wouldn't have made it through without them." She glanced toward the room where the bottled water was stored, silently thankful they hadn't run into any shortages yet.

Ryo's gaze remained fixed on the horizon, his thoughts already on the days ahead. Once the thaw began, they'd have a lot of work to do—checking the water tank, inspecting the stream, and likely scavenging for more supplies. They were prepared, but winter's lingering grip was always unpredictable. For now, they had what they needed, and that was enough to keep them going until spring fully arrived.

Ryo made his way out of the house, his breath visible in the cold air as he stepped across the snow-covered street. Sayako, the female zombie who had become fiercely loyal to him, silently followed as always, her pale form almost blending with the winter backdrop.

She was a constant guardian now, ever watchful, her white eyes scanning the area while her movements remained unnaturally swift and precise.

As Ryo moved from house to house, he checked on the various groups of zombies stationed nearby—Striders, Brutes, and Creepers. Each of these creatures served a purpose, guarding the perimeter and keeping intruders away. He surveyed them closely, ensuring none of them showed any signs of weakness or deterioration.

The cold didn't affect them the way it might a living human, but he still needed them in top condition.

Inside each house, the Striders stood alert, their black eyes meeting his for a moment before they returned to their mindless guarding duties. The Brutes, massive and imposing, lumbered in their designated spots, and Creepers, though absent in the day, would soon take over when night fell.

Satisfied with their condition, Ryo turned his thoughts to what was next. Sayako had been a game-changer. Her speed, agility, and strength were unmatched, far beyond what any of the Striders or Brutes could achieve. It was almost amusing to think of them attempting to fight her. Not one would land a blow, and he knew it.

Still, they were his army, and he considered the idea of pitting them against Sayako for practice. If nothing else, it would make them more effective fighters, even if they stood no chance against her. Every improvement in their abilities would only strengthen his control over the area.

"We'll run them through some drills," Ryo muttered under his breath, glancing back at Sayako, who remained ever-vigilant. "Even if they can't touch you, it'll sharpen them up. They'll need every advantage they can get."

Sayako didn't respond, of course, but she stood close by, ready to follow his next command.

Ryo knew his army was formidable, but in this world, strength was everything. He couldn't afford any weak links. With the end of winter approaching, they would soon need to be ready for whatever came next. The thaw would bring new dangers, perhaps even new survivors, and Ryo was determined to be ready for it all.

Ryo had been thinking about expanding the diet of his zombie army for some time. While the zombies seemed to function without regular sustenance, he wanted to experiment. He wondered if feeding them fresh food—specifically raw fish—would trigger any new evolutions or changes.

The idea wasn't far-fetched, considering how his zombies had already shown signs of healing, faster movement, and improved strength just by being in proximity to him. Maybe a diet of fresh, living creatures would enhance their abilities further.

With the fishing tools and nets he'd scavenged earlier, the sea was his next logical destination. The world's oceans, untouched by human hands for years now, were likely teeming with fish. There was no one left brave enough to venture out to the sea, or even through towns, for that matter.

The remaining survivors were huddled inside the last strongholds or hidden survivor camps, terrified of the speed and strength of the mutant zombies. Ryo knew that without the kind of protection he had—his army of zombies—scavenging would be a death sentence for most people.

Ken was the only other survivor Ryo had encountered who could move about freely, thanks to his twisted reliance on his group of female zombies. While Ken's companions were stronger than regular zombies, they were still no match for Ryo's Striders or Creepers, and they definitely wouldn't survive a fight against Sayako.

The zombies near Ryo's base were unlike those wandering aimlessly through the rest of the town. His zombies had evolved, showing no signs of rot, emitting no foul smell. They healed over time and moved faster than the regular zombies out in the wild. It was as though his presence, his aura, was making them stronger, refining them into the best versions of what they once were.

Ryo planned to head to the sea as soon as the weather permitted. With winter nearly over, it wouldn't be long until he could set out. The streams were still frozen, but he knew the thaw was coming, and with it, the opportunity to fish and see if this new experiment would bear results. He would feed his army fresh fish and observe—would they become faster? Stronger?

Or perhaps even something entirely new?

But Ryo wasn't naïve. The sea, like the land, likely held new dangers. He had already encountered Striders, Brutes, and Creepers, but there were probably other mutants out there, ones he hadn't yet met. No matter what awaited him, though, his current army was already formidable.

The Striders were quick and lethal, Brutes powerful and imposing, and Creepers—though only active at night—made for excellent stealth units. And Sayako, his greatest creation, was unmatched by any of them.

Ryo returned to his house, leaving his zombie army with clear instructions. "Be alert and come to me if anything happens," he had told them. They were his eyes and ears in this dangerous world, each one of them finely attuned to his commands. They had grown to trust him, follow him without question, and Ryo trusted them to protect his base.

Inside, Sachiko was preparing breakfast. The aroma of food greeted him as he entered, but his mind was elsewhere—on Sayako, and the peculiar evolution she had undergone. Ryo had always been fascinated by the transformations in his zombies, but Sayako was special. She wasn't just another member of his horde; she had become something far more powerful, far more unique.

Sachiko had been documenting the changes meticulously. She wanted to study the effects, observe the result of Ryo feeding Sayako the same food he consumed. Sachiko was thorough in her research, making notes every time Ryo gave Sayako anything—whether it was food or something else. And the results spoke for themselves.

Sayako's agility had skyrocketed, her strength increasing exponentially, and her loyalty was unmatched. She was faster than any of the Striders, stronger than the Brutes, and far more agile than even the Creepers who stalked the night.

But Ryo knew that Sayako's evolution wasn't just about the food. It was because of something more intimate. His sexual encounters with Sayako had changed her. He remembered the first time—when she had been just another regular zombie, and he had chosen her for an experiment. He hadn't anticipated what would come of it, but the act of ejaculating inside her had brought forth a transformation.

Injecting his sperm into her had given her a boost that Ryo hadn't expected.

Sayako had gone from being just another zombie to becoming the best among them. Her speed, agility, and power were unrivaled, even compared to the mutant zombies that wandered outside his territory. She had become Ryo's perfect creation, a reflection of his dominance and control over the zombies around him.

Ryo's mind drifted back to when he had first picked Sayako from the horde. She was a regular female zombie, unremarkable except for her smooth, pale skin and the dead look in her eyes. But after the experiment, after that first intimate encounter, Sayako had changed. Her transformation was undeniable, and now, she was his ultimate weapon.

As he sat down to eat with Sachiko, his thoughts were on the future. He knew feeding his zombies would work. The experiment with Sayako had proven that, and Sachiko was eager to continue documenting every step. But Ryo also wondered what other changes could occur, what new heights his zombies could reach. Would feeding them fresh fish from the sea trigger another transformation?

Or perhaps more intimate interactions could bring about even greater results?

One thing was clear—Sayako was just the beginning. Ryo had unlocked something extraordinary, and he wasn't about to stop now.

In Sachiko's mind, a whirlwind of curiosity and hesitation stirred. She had been observing the results of Ryo's experiments with Sayako and documenting the zombie's rapid evolution. But despite her meticulous notes, there was one thing she hadn't yet been able to witness—the direct interaction between Ryo and Sayako that she suspected had led to such drastic changes.

The truth was, Sachiko had a deep, scientific urge to see Ryo having sex with Sayako. She believed that this could be the key to fully understanding how the zombie had transformed so drastically. It wasn't just a passing thought; she had considered asking Ryo to let her record the act multiple times. But fear held her back.

She didn't know how Ryo would react to such a request, and she didn't want to cross a line with him.

Sachiko wasn't aware that Ryo had already had sex with Sayako twice before, and those experiences had contributed to Sayako's current state. All she knew was that there was something about Sayako now—her agility, speed, and strength—that far exceeded any of the other zombies. The changes had been triggered by more than just feeding her human food, and Sachiko was dying to confirm her theory.

As she worked in silence, preparing breakfast for both of them, the thought gnawed at her. Should she ask? Would he be open to such an experiment? She understood that this was far from a simple scientific observation—there was something deeply personal about it, something that made her heart race with a mix of excitement and anxiety.

Sachiko glanced at Ryo as he sat at the table, his mind seemingly elsewhere. She knew she couldn't just blurt out the request, but the urge was becoming too strong to ignore. This could be the breakthrough she needed to fully understand the connection between Ryo and the zombies around him. But for now, she remained silent, waiting for the right moment, unsure if it would ever come.