Western Jakarta Alliance

Adam moved toward the store window, carefully pulling the curtain aside. A thin beam of sunlight slipped through, casting a faint glow on his face. From the small gap, he could see everything clearly: two massive tanks rolled down the road, crushing whatever debris remained in their path. Behind them, a military jeep followed, trailed by a large truck that looked heavily loaded.

Standing atop the jeep, several uniformed soldiers maintained a watchful gaze, their stances rigid with discipline.

"Government people again?" Adam muttered under his breath, his brows furrowing. He had just dealt with them yesterday, and now they were here again. This couldn't be a coincidence. There had to be a reason why they showed up in this exact place.

Light footsteps approached from behind.

"Boss, who are they?" Amel whispered, her voice low but laced with concern.

Adam simply raised a finger to his lips, signaling for silence. His eyes remained fixed on the movement outside.

The convoy came to a halt directly in front of the computer store where they were hiding. Adam clenched his fists, his jaw tightening.

Do they know we're in here? he wondered, sensing something was off.

As his mind raced with possibilities, his gaze landed on a woman standing behind the jeep, operating a device with a spinning satellite dish.

"A radar?" Adam murmured.

Now it all made sense. They weren't randomly patrolling—they were using a radar to detect human presence inside buildings.

But a more pressing thought struck him, sending a pulse of tension through his body.

Can they also detect the factory's location and contents?

If they could, then they were in serious trouble.

Adam shook his head slightly, pushing away the creeping anxiety. As long as the system was strong enough, a regular radar shouldn't be able to penetrate it. He could only hope he was right.

His attention snapped back to the convoy when a middle-aged man stepped down from the jeep. With unwavering confidence, he grabbed a megaphone and spoke in a commanding tone that echoed through the street.

"I am Captain Rio! Whoever is inside the computer store, come out now! If you don't, we will enter by force!"

There was no room for negotiation in his voice.

Amel stiffened beside Adam, her fists clenching at her sides. Her eyes darted to Adam, silently seeking a decision.

Adam finally glanced at her and let out a quiet sigh. "Let's go out. They already know we're here," he said calmly, though his mind remained on high alert.

Before they could move, another voice interrupted.

"Amel? Boss?"

Serina, who had been tending to her baby, stood up and walked over, concern etched on her face.

Amel hesitated for a moment before turning to her mother. "Stay inside," she said softly but firmly. "Boss and I will see what they want."

There was a determined glint in her eyes—the same resolve that had driven her to push herself beyond her limits. No matter what happened, she didn't want her mother to be in danger.

Serina looked unsure, but Adam spoke up in a casual tone. "Yeah, Amel's right. Stay put. Nothing's going to happen."

Despite the lightness in his words, there was a quiet confidence behind them. From the way Captain Rio had spoken earlier, it seemed like they were here to negotiate, not attack outright.

Serina hesitated for a moment longer before finally nodding. "Be careful, Amel. Boss." Her voice carried a mix of hope and worry.

Adam and Amel both nodded before turning toward the exit.

Adam took a deep breath before pushing the door open. The moment they stepped outside, the heat hit them—thick, oppressive, carrying the metallic scent of dried blood. Dust swirled in the air, stirred by the light breeze.

His eyes swept over the military vehicles—trucks, jeeps, and tanks stained with blood splatters. Red streaks remained on the pavement, mixed with chunks of flesh, likely from zombies or mutants crushed beneath their treads.

His steps were steady as he stopped about two meters from the man who seemed to be in charge. He studied the man for a second before speaking.

"I'm Adam," he said directly. "I want to know why Captain Rio is here."

No small talk. No tricks. Straight to the point.

Captain Rio sized him up for a moment before a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips, as if he approved of the direct approach.

"Good," he said casually. "At least you're not wasting my time."

Crossing his arms over his chest, he continued in a calm, almost indifferent tone, as if what he was saying was nothing more than a routine announcement.

"I'm here under orders from General Kojan. The Western Jakarta Alliance has been established, and all factions must join. No exceptions. Those who refuse… will face force."

His voice was emotionless, devoid of exaggeration or intimidation. He was simply stating a fact.

Adam remained silent for a moment, processing the words. Join the alliance? he thought.

Ozan—the man he had met earlier—had warned him to avoid the government, especially the military, whenever possible. And now, those warnings were proving to be true. If they refused, violence would follow.

He gave a slow nod, signaling that he understood the situation. But joining without any benefits? That didn't make sense.

"What exactly is this alliance?" he asked. "And what do I gain from joining?"

Captain Rio gave a subtle signal to the woman beside him. Without hesitation, she began operating a tablet, her fingers swiftly moving across the screen before she spoke.

"The Western Jakarta Alliance is a coalition of all survivors in this region. Our primary goal is cooperation to survive the monster apocalypse," she explained, her tone professional—practiced, as if she had repeated this speech countless times before.

Adam and Amel listened closely as she continued without pause.

"The alliance's top priorities are fortifying defenses and restoring a stable economic system. Resources are running low, so cooperation is essential."

Her tone remained neutral, but Adam could read between the lines—they weren't asking for cooperation; they were demanding it.

"As members of the alliance, each group will receive several benefits, including access to critical information, centralized resources, and protection from the main fortress," the woman added.

Adam stayed quiet, absorbing the information. The concept made sense—it was more practical than simply forcing everyone into a strict military hierarchy. By allowing smaller groups to maintain some independence while being connected to the alliance, they could balance power and prevent unnecessary internal conflicts.

He glanced at Amel beside him. She was deep in thought as well, her eyes narrowing slightly as she weighed the woman's words.

After a brief silence, Adam finally spoke.

"Alright. And what's the cost of joining?" he asked casually.

Because even though it wasn't really a choice, he still wanted to know the 'price' they were expected to pay.