"Chapter 356: Another Headache and a Meeting with a Group of Survivors."

While Alex and his group waited for the mysterious woman who could shed light on the enigmatic book that had become the foundation of a doomsday cult, Lehm, Price, and Payne continued chatting, reminiscing about the good old days. In truth, however, Major Payne was more interested in what the hell was happening in the rest of the world — and how Lehm and Price had managed to travel so far from home that they ended up all the way in Alaska.

Lehm and Price gladly shared their story — recounting the journey across half the globe and the hardships they had faced. Payne quickly realized that the key figure in the entire story was Alex, who had somehow managed to lead a whole group of survivors through a dying world in search of a safe haven. His respect for Alex visibly grew. A young man accomplishing something like that — it was admirable.

Meanwhile, the rest of the group was still trying to make sense of the weird story about the little train. The girls were especially curious — they couldn't understand why such a seemingly childish tale triggered such a strong reaction from Lehm, Price, and even Alex. The title sounded ridiculous, but their reaction definitely wasn't. Everyone silently wondered what kind of bizarre tale could cause such a stir.

Alex, on the other hand, was completely lost in thought. He was trying to figure out which book it could possibly be. While he had one guess at first, he was now starting to realize that there were quite a few books capable of inspiring a dangerous cult. Some could manipulate the mind, others could literally rewrite reality. And if such a book really had found its way into this world, then he had yet another massive headache on his shoulders.

"If I think logically," he pondered, "if each of these books exists only in one universe, I can narrow down the search. But even then... there are still too many."

"So, Alex, do you have any guesses what this book might be?" asked Cammy, lightly tapping his thigh to get his attention.

"No idea," he sighed, shrugging.

The entire group stared at him in surprise. Even Alex — the guy they all viewed as a walking encyclopedia — wasn't able to give a straight answer.

"What do you mean, 'no idea'?" Jill asked again. "Not even a guess?"

"The problem is, there are just too many books like that," Nathan interjected, picking up the thread. "We don't even know what the book's about, so we can't narrow it down."

All eyes turned to Nathan, and he just raised his hands in a shrug, reinforcing his point. Alex nodded — he completely agreed. From supernatural relics to books on manipulating the masses — any of them could become the center of a cult. Alex already had enough on his plate: the Marker cult was still building Red Obelisks, accelerating the "Convergence," trying to turn the planet into a flesh nightmare.

The group realized that even the two most well-read members among them — Alex and Nathan — couldn't give a clear answer. Simply because the pool of possibilities was too wide.

"What if the book they're worshiping is just some stupid fairy tale?" Jake remarked, folding his arms and leaning back in his chair.

"Maybe," Chun-Li said, crossing one leg over the other. "But considering everything happening in the world right now, I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out to be something sinister."

Everyone in the room nodded. They had more than enough to deal with already: the ancient obelisk that fell from space and could brainwash people into monsters; Wesker, who had opened a gate to hell and let demons into the world… The arrival of a creepy book only added to the chaos — but at this point, nothing surprised them anymore.

And yet, everyone was haunted by the same question — what the hell was that book?

Their thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a door opening. All eyes turned toward the entrance. A girl appeared in the doorway. Alex recognized her immediately — Lara Croft. Of course. If anyone could know about an ancient book that a cult had formed around, it would be her.

"And what are you doing here, Lara?" Nathan asked, squinting at her.

"Oh, you're alive," Lara replied with a smirk. "Luck really is on your side. Always crawling out of messes. Last I heard of you, you were heading to China... planning to steal something again, weren't you, Nathan?"

She smiled slightly as she looked at him, and the whole room fell silent, anticipating what came next.

Alex wasn't particularly surprised to learn that Lara Croft and Nathan Drake knew each other. Considering they were both archaeologists and treasure hunters, it made perfect sense. He knew well enough that Nathan was the kind of adventurer who wouldn't hesitate to snatch something from someone's pocket if it brought him closer to a discovery. And Lara could simply buy any artifact she needed, thanks to the fortune left behind by her late father.

"If you know this girl, maybe you could introduce us?" Soap asked, looking at Nathan.

"Her name's Lara Croft. We're... rivals, I guess. Both archaeologists," Nathan replied, grimacing.

"You forgot to add, Nathan, that I'm better than you. And that you're always trailing behind," Lara added with a friendly smile, teasing him.

Nathan sighed in frustration, not even trying to argue. He was still bitter about the times Lara had beaten him to a discovery and claimed the prize while he was still fighting through the jungle or deciphering puzzles. While he struggled, Lara was already standing on the pedestal with the artifact in hand. Those sitting nearby patted him on the shoulder in sympathy but didn't bother hiding their grins. Nathan thought they were trying to comfort him, but when he saw the smirks on their faces, he realized — those bastards were just glad for an excuse to mess with him.

"And what the hell took you so long, woman? Was it really that hard to drag your ass over here so we wouldn't be waiting all goddamn day?" Major Payne grumbled, glaring at Lara.

"How many times do I have to tell you — stop calling me 'woman.' I don't call you 'bald bastard with a gold tooth,' do I?" Lara shot back irritably.

"And what the hell am I supposed to call you? I don't see anything swinging between your legs. The moment you grow one, I'll stop. Now shut up and tell these idiots about the damn book before I lose my patience and put a bullet in your ass," Payne snapped in the same grating tone.

Silence fell. Everyone in the room froze, stunned by how Payne spoke to Lara. Alex watched her reaction with interest. He knew that if someone had talked like that to the women in his group, he wouldn't even have to lift a finger — they'd turn the guy into a pile of broken bones themselves. And if Payne had insulted any of them, he probably wouldn't be talking anymore — literally.

Everyone held their breath, watching Lara. She slowly reached for her pistol, her face twisted in irritation. One more word, and she might've turned and emptied the entire clip into Payne. But, to the disappointment of a few onlookers, she didn't. Lara let out a heavy sigh, held back her anger, and moved her hand away from the weapon. Alex immediately understood — this clearly wasn't their first clash, and Lara had learned to manage her emotions.

"Looks like there won't be a shootout. I was hoping she'd at least put a round in that idiot," Becca muttered in disappointment.

"Maybe she's just used to him by now and doesn't give a damn anymore," Rika said, tossing her legs onto the chair in front of her.

"Would you not give a damn?" Cammy asked, glancing over at her.

"Hell no! I'd have emptied a mag into that bastard the second he opened his mouth," Rika snorted, rolling her eyes.

The girls exchanged glances and, without saying a word, nodded — yes, they would've done the same. Alex shook his head and turned his gaze back to Lara. She was taking deep breaths, trying to fully suppress her irritation. Finally, regaining her composure, she walked further into the room and sat down on a chair, casting a heavy glare at Payne.

"So why did you call me here? If it was just to throw insults, I'm leaving," she said coldly, crossing her arms.

"Hell no! I didn't call you here just for that. Tell these idiots about that damn book you wouldn't shut up about," Payne snapped, pointing at Alex and his team.

Alex's eye twitched. Watching a movie with Major Payne was one thing — but meeting him in real life? That really made you want to smack him across the face with a stick. Lehm and Price, already used to Payne's antics, knew there were a few people on their team who might actually follow through if he kept going. They exchanged glances and looked at Alex, hoping he could keep the hotheads from throwing punches.

Lara raised an eyebrow at Payne, then looked over at Alex's team.

"There's not much to explain. A bunch of lunatics got their hands on a very dangerous book I'd been hunting for a long time," she said calmly.

"Get to the point. We don't have all day to listen to how you dusted off library shelves," Revy muttered, shifting in her seat.

"Alright, straight to the point then: a group of fanatics got hold of a book called Naturom Demonto," Lara said without expecting much of a reaction.

"Fuck…" Alex cursed, clenching his jaw.

He buried his face in his hands and groaned in frustration. His worst fears had come true — on top of everything else, now he had a new headache. Just what he needed — Naturom Demonto had found its way into this universe.

Nathan's eyes widened in disbelief. He hadn't expected a book like that to even exist here — let alone surface in a place like this. As an archaeologist, he knew full well about the book's existence and had been searching for it across the globe, just like Lara.

Those who didn't know what was going on began glancing at each other in confusion. But Alex's reaction made one thing abundantly clear — the book wasn't just dangerous. It was potentially catastrophic.

Meanwhile, Alex was already running through possible scenarios in his head. They needed to act fast before the situation got any worse. The last thing he wanted was for a fourth party to join the conflict — one that, just like the others, would turn against humanity.

He came to a simple but reliable solution: kill the cultists, take the book, seal it, and hide it in the inventory where it would gather dust until the end of time. In the worst case — destroy all versions of it across all universes to permanently eliminate the threat.

"Did you really manage to find Naturom Demonto? How did you even pull that off?" Nathan asked, surprised.

"Unlike you, I know how to get things done," Lara smirked. "Though, honestly, I didn't exactly 'find' it. I almost got to it, but as soon as I got close, the whole world went to hell, and the book ended up in the hands of those maniacs. Now I have no idea what they're doing with it."

"Wait, hold on. Can someone please explain what's even going on? What book are we talking about?" Ada interrupted, trying to make sense of the situation.

"Naturom Demonto, or simply put, the 'Book of the Dead.' Cursed trash. In short — it's an ancient spellbook written in cursed blood on the skin of a cursed man," Alex explained, pulling his hands away from his face and showing his frustration. "Honestly, I'm shocked the world hasn't completely collapsed just because this crap is in the hands of idiots."

"Wow, looks like you've got competition, Nathan. Now you're third," Lara teased with a smirk.

"Don't start," Nathan waved her off. "If I knew half the stuff in Alex's head, I'd have long surpassed you as an archaeologist."

"Alright, you two, enough arguing about who's better at digging up stuff that's been buried for ages. Let's solve the problem with this cursed book," Saya said firmly.

"So, Alex, what's the plan? And what's this book all about? You're the most informed here," Lehm asked, lighting a new cigarette.

Everyone stared at Alex, who rubbed his face irritably. It was clear — if anyone could find a solution, it was him. Noticing how everyone awaited his answer, Lara raised an eyebrow in surprise and scooted closer to Nathan to learn more. He began whispering quietly in her ear, sharing details about Alex so she'd understand why his word carried the most weight here.

Meanwhile, Alex was formulating a plan. First — deal with the KKK, then the cultists. What annoyed him the most was how quickly the infection spread from the possessed — the so-called deadites. These tiny demons inhabited human bodies, and the only way to stop them was to dismember the body and burn it to ashes. Even if only the skeleton remained, it would still be controlled by the entity.

"Payne, do you have any intel on where the cultists and those idiots from the KKK are hiding?" Alex asked, looking at Payne.

"Damn it, no! If I knew where those bastards were, I'd have leveled them to the ground long ago. They're like rats, hiding in their holes and only coming out when they think it's safe," Payne replied irritably.

"What, we seriously have to go hunt them down? That sucks…" Shizuka groaned, slumping her shoulders.

Everyone expressed their disappointment. Time was already tight, and now they had to search the whole city.

Alex tapped his fingers on his knee as he opened a map on his phone and started pondering where both groups might be hiding. He guessed that among the KKK members, there were surely those preparing for the apocalypse — so it made sense to look for bunkers. Maybe they had one big centralized bunker if they were an organized group.

As for the cultists with Naturom Demonto, that was simpler — those idiots had probably, as the genre dictates, holed up in a cabin in the woods and set up their sect there.

"Alex, I hope your brilliant brain has already come up with something? I don't want to be running all over the city hunting these lunatics," Rei said, hugging his arm.

"Come on, Alex, we're counting on you," Soap encouraged.

"Don't distract me while I'm thinking," Alex muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Well, do you at least have some ideas?" Saya asked, leaning on his back and peeking over his shoulder.

Alex nodded, stood up from his chair, and stretched, loosening his stiff shoulders. Scanning the room, he spotted a table pushed aside, walked over, and with some effort slid it into the center of the room. Everyone immediately understood it was time for a briefing and took their seats without further ado.

Payne, sensing the seriousness of the moment, approached with interest. Alex waited for everyone to gather, then flipped his phone over and activated a projection. Above the table, a hologram of the nearby area appeared, with marked points already highlighted.

"Looks like you've marked several targets," Price noted, lighting a cigar. "Quick work."

"That wasn't hard," Alex shrugged. "First up — those damn KKK. They're the easiest to track. Usually, you find people who seriously expected the end of the world among them. So — bunkers. And yeah, they love shooting to keep in practice. So our first target…"

He zoomed in on the map, highlighting a specific point.

"Shooting range," Soap finished for him, slamming his hands on the table. "I wouldn't be surprised if one of those bastards ran the place. So we check the nearest shooting ranges first. If they're empty — we move on to the other spots."

"It's not that simple, Johnny," Ghost quietly interjected, his voice dull, almost emotionless. "Among such paranoids, anything is possible. Explosives, traps, mines. Our gear protects us, of course, but if someone gets caught in a big blast — no armor can save you from shrapnel or shock."

"Skeleton face, you forgot to mention one more thing," Chiquita said with a smirk. "They might have hostages. People they grabbed in the first days of the apocalypse. They use them as slaves. And if we're not careful, we won't be the only ones going up in smoke. We'll all be scattered around like damn confetti."

A chill ran down the spines of many at her smile. Alex nodded in agreement. He fully understood that among the possible "hostages" there could be slaves. The only question was how many people both groups had managed to capture. The KKK most likely used people as labor. But the cultists…The chances that they left anyone alive were vanishingly small.

"So, who do we start with?" Ada asked lazily, leaning her elbow on Alex's shoulder. "The racists or the crazies?"

"I think we'll start with the racists. As for the cultists in the woods, I don't want to mess with them just yet. Because, like in every stupid horror movie, they're probably holed up in some damn cabin. And, of course, in the forest," he added, rubbing his face tiredly.

"Seriously?" Shizuka asked, her voice trembling. "Like in the movie The Cabin in the Woods?"

"Shizuka, you silly fool," Rika sighed, ruffling her friend's hair. "Do you even realize how many movies have that exact title? I'm too tired to list them all."

"Alright," Alex concluded. "The cultists will be dessert. For now, we'll check the nearest possible locations—maybe not everything is lost, and there's still someone to save and bring back to base. Then we'll deal with the sect."

He turned off the hologram and slipped the phone into his pocket. Everyone nodded in agreement and started preparing for the operation. Fortunately, Payne agreed to provide transport. Alex had already sent the locations to search. Dividing into two groups, he went with the girls in one direction, while the men headed the other way, agreeing to meet somewhere midway.

Waving goodbye, Alex got behind the wheel, and the convoy set off. Almost immediately, zombies started appearing on the road—wandering aimlessly and without purpose. As if on cue, they began throwing themselves under the wheels, grabbing at doors, and jumping on the hoods. They had to take two vehicles to fit everyone.

When they reached the first location, Alex slowed down near a roundabout fountain.

Before he could get out, Revi, Becca, and Rika, positioned on the roof of the Humvee, opened fire and cleared the area.

"Where to now?" Valmet asked, standing beside Alex.

"Hold on… Let's see if anyone's hiding here. I don't want to believe they've already been taken," Alex replied with a quiet sigh.

"Then why the delay?" Juri snorted and slapped him on the butt. "Use your miracle powers and let's move on if it's empty here."

Alex felt the smack and rolled his eyes in annoyance—typical Juri behavior. Sighing, he sent out a mana pulse in all directions, checking the surroundings for any signs of life. Catching faint traces of a small group of people, he glanced at Chiquita, who was already behind the wheel, and nodded at her.

"Alex, did you find something?" Jill shouted, peeking out of the window of the second car.

"Yes, a little further down the street. There's a group hiding there. We'll need to cover a couple of blocks," he informed them, turning his head toward the others.

Chiquita and Jill nodded, started their engines, and led the vehicles forward. Alex signaled to move slowly—better to be cautious. He walked ahead of the convoy, guiding the way. Beside the vehicles marched Valmet, Claire, Becca, and Rika, ready to repel an attack at any moment—whether from zombies or mutants jumping out of an alley.

On Wolf's back sat GIR, MIMI, and Stitch. They looked around while softly humming a marching song to pass the time on the journey.

Meanwhile, Chun-Li, Cammy, Juri, Miu, Renka, and Shigure moved across the rooftops, carefully watching their surroundings. Their task was to spot any possible threats in advance and warn the group.

"Alex, we found parked vehicles a couple of alleys away from your position. Is this what you were talking about?" Cammy asked over the radio.

"Yes, that's them. Wait for us, we're coming," he confirmed.

Alex nodded to the others, and the group quickened their pace. Turning around another corner, they entered a spacious alley. Along the walls were various vehicles — from RVs to regular sedans and even a motorcycle. Within seconds, the scouts jumped skillfully from the roofs to the ground.

"How many of them are there?" Sherry asked, approaching Alex.

"Apparently, it's a pretty large group. And, by the feel of it, there are children among them. I hope they're peaceful. I don't want to start a fight, especially with kids around," he answered grimly.

The girls exchanged glances. The presence of children was definitely not encouraging — no one wanted a firefight to turn into a tragedy. Lighting a cigarette, Alex asked everyone to stay alert. He took Recca and Shizuka with him — just in case there were wounded among the group.

The rest took up defensive positions. Alex and the girls approached the vehicle parked crosswise in the street, as if it served as a barricade protecting the building's entrance. Dead zombies lay scattered everywhere, and a bloody trail stretched all the way to the door.

"Looks like someone was seriously hurt," Recca noted, pointing at the bloodstains.

"Or bitten…" Alex muttered, shaking his head.

Shizuka and Recca silently nodded. Alex was the first to climb onto the vehicle, crossing the barricade, then helped the girls follow. He carefully scanned the surroundings until he felt someone's gaze. Looking up, he noticed a curtain moving in one of the windows. They had been spotted.

He gestured to the girls toward the window; they understood the signal and tensed. Alex drew a black pistol from his holster and cautiously approached the door. Shizuka and Recca stood on either side of the entrance, ready for a sudden shot — even with energy shields, getting shot in the face isn't exactly pleasant, even if the shot won't hurt them.

Pressing his ear to the door, Alex started listening. Through the whispers, he recognized a child's voice — the kid had noticed them. Arguments could be heard behind the door: someone was scolding the child, another trying to reassure everyone that everything would be okay. Alex's expression darkened — the situation was complicated.

"I know you're inside. Maybe you'll open up? Let's talk calmly. We're not enemies. We're from the Lewis-McCord military base. Nobody intends to harm you," he said, lightly tapping the door with the pistol's barrel.

Silence immediately fell behind the door, only faint sounds of someone moving quietly were heard. Alex rolled his eyes in irritation.

"Alex, has anyone ever told you that sometimes you sound like a villain?" Recca smirked.

"Why's that? I just politely asked them to open the door," he replied, puzzled.

"For starters, how you said it: 'I know you're inside.' That's literally a line from movies where villains break into their victims' places," Shizuka added with a grin.

Alex sighed, raised his eyebrows, and muttered, "Great... Now I'm scaring peaceful people again. Perfect."

Both girls quietly giggled at Alex's words, while he just shook his head, showing patience. Alex knocked on the door again and repeated that he and his group meant no harm—they came in peace.

From inside, muffled whispers could be heard again. The people behind the door were debating whether to open it or wait until the uninvited guests left on their own. If Alex hadn't wanted to avoid becoming a target unnecessarily, he would have kicked the door down long ago. But he didn't like to barge in without reason, especially when other lives were at stake. He waited patiently.

Finally, there was a scraping sound behind the door—someone was removing a barricade. Alex noticed the lock click, and the door slightly opened. A revolver barrel appeared through the narrow gap, aimed right at his face.

Recca and Shizuka tensed but did not intervene. They knew that even if Alex were in the middle of a nuclear blast, he'd probably just light a new cigarette.

"It's very kind of you to point that gun at my face," Alex said dryly, exhaling a cloud of smoke right into the gap. "But I'd advise you to put that iron away. If I wanted to do something to you, I wouldn't be waiting so long outside the door."

The person behind the door seemed to snap out of it and immediately lowered the weapon. The door swung wider open, revealing a man on the threshold whom Alex instantly recognized as Rick Grimes—the hero of a famous zombie series.

Alex raised an eyebrow, unable to hide his surprise. It made sense that in a world full of the undead, he could meet anyone, but seeing Rick himself was unexpected. That meant the rest of Rick's group could be nearby.

"You said you're from a military base?" Rick asked skeptically.

"More like we're temporary guests there. Just arrived from Alaska today. But that can wait. Judging by the bloody trail leading to your door, someone here is wounded. And we have everything needed to help him," Alex replied, shrugging.

"Come in," Rick nodded briefly.

Alex signaled to Recca and Shizuka, and the three entered the building. Inside, in a cramped room, the rest of the group was gathered. Alex quickly scanned them and counted twelve people, not including Rick.

Surprise flickered in his eyes. Shane was alive, despite Hershel and his daughters—Maggie and Beth—being in the room. And Merle, judging by the absence of his iconic metal hand, wasn't thrown onto the rooftop of the mall as expected.

Pale Glenn was sitting on the floor, his leg tightly wrapped in cloths soaked through with blood.

"Before talking, maybe we should help your friend first? He's got, to put it mildly, a hole in his leg," Alex said, pointing at the wound.

"We'd be very grateful. We're almost out of medical supplies," Dale said—usually the voice of reason in the group.

Alex nodded and glanced at Shizuka. She understood him without words, took a medical capsule from her backpack, and headed toward Glenn. The others made room for her to work. Glenn was pale but conscious.

"While your friend is helping, maybe we can talk," Hershel began. "You said you came from a base? Did I get that right?"

"Almost. We're not exactly military. We were invited to help. The base is having problems with those causing chaos in this city. We were assigned to deal with it," Alex said with a slight smile, sitting down on a chair.

"And what can you do?" Merle snorted, twisting his face. "Shake your rattle in front of them? Or will that busty blonde scare them with her chest? Ha!"

He didn't finish his sentence — a metallic object whistled past his head and hit the wall.

Merle's mouth hung open, as if he'd swallowed a fly. All eyes immediately turned to Alex, whose hand was stretched forward. A thin scratch appeared on Merle's cheek, a drop of blood trickling down. Behind Merle, deep in the wall, an iron coin was embedded. Its sharp buzzing still echoed in the silence. Several people in Rick's group swallowed involuntarily — everything had happened too fast.

"I don't care how much crap your mouth can spew," Alex said calmly, a disturbingly kind smile spreading across his face. His sharp teeth gleamed like a predator's. "But know this: I'm more than capable of turning you inside out if you don't shut up in time. You're not the first fool with a long tongue, and you certainly won't be the last. The coin didn't pierce your skull only because there are kids here. I don't want them to see your stinking corpse."

Daryl immediately raised his crossbow, aiming at Alex. Shane followed suit, lifting his shotgun. But Alex didn't even glance their way. His gaze remained fixed on Merle — a look so cold it felt as if death already rested on his shoulder.

"Calm down!" Dale intervened, raising his hands in a placating gesture. "Everyone's on edge, that's understandable. But let's not turn this into a bloodbath just because someone can't keep their mouth shut."

"As you say, old man," Alex smirked, leaning back in his chair and clasping his fingers behind his head. "Better tell me how it happened that your guy got hurt?"

"It's all that idiot's fault," Glenn spat, glaring angrily at Merle. "He said he had friends here. Just didn't warn us those friends were damn racists who opened fire on me the second they saw me."

"Quite the twist," Alex whistled. "And we just came for their souls. So, maybe you'll tell me where those bastards are hiding? Would hate to waste time looking."

"And... what do you plan to do with them?" Beth asked cautiously, her voice trembling with tension.

"Beth," Hershel said sharply, shooting his daughter a stern warning look, "don't ask questions you don't want the answers to."

Alex only smiled softly. But anyone who knew people well understood everything: neither he nor his group intended to spare those who attacked Glenn.

Alex decided to wait a bit longer. Let Shizuka finish helping the wounded — the conversation would definitely continue.

To be continued...

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