I'm Female Lead In Their World: Living in the High School of the Dead

The bridge stood as a thin line of defense, barricaded with steel cages, barbed wire, and hastily assembled barriers. A police car, reinforced with steel mesh, sat in the center of the chaos. From inside, an officer used a megaphone, his voice amplified and echoing across the tense crowd. 

"Stay calm! Move forward in an orderly manner! If you suspect anyone near you of being dangerous, infected, or injured, distance yourself immediately—even if they are your family members. No exceptions will be made!" 

Beside him, another officer leaned in, whispering nervously. "Hey, are you sure this is going to work? Reports are coming in from the other bridges—infected broke through alongside rioters. It's total chaos over there." 

The officer with the megaphone scowled, lowering the device. "Tch! Orders from above are clear. We *must* stop them from crossing at any cost. If this falls apart, it won't just be this city at risk." 

The line of civilians waiting to be screened stretched far back into the city. At first, they complied with instructions, albeit grudgingly, but tension began to rise as the wait dragged on. Murmurs spread through the crowd, frustration growing into anger. 

"This is taking too long!" 

"How do they expect this to stop the spread?" 

"They don't even know what they're doing!" 

The concerns and doubts rippled outward, threatening to ignite a panic. At the barricade's command center, the leader in charge was already dealing with another crisis. 

"What do you mean, 'just do whatever it takes to hold the line'?" he barked into the radio. "Where's the backup from the prefectural HQ?" 

The response from the other side was chilling. The line crackled briefly before going dead. The leader slammed his fist against the side of his car, his frustration boiling over. 

A junior officer approached cautiously. "Sir, at this rate, the barricade won't hold much longer." 

The leader sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Of course it won't. We don't have enough personnel, and half the men here are just office workers handed guns. I've been trying to get military support, but HQ cut off communication." His voice turned bitter. "Those bastards left us to fend for ourselves." 

"What should we do, sir?" the officer asked, his voice trembling. "If the barricade falls, it'll be just like the other bridges—riots and infected flooding through!" 

The leader gritted his teeth. "We've been given permission to do whatever it takes to maintain order," he said, his tone grim. "Even if that means…" He paused, then continued coldly, "Even if we have to shoot to kill." 

The younger officer's eyes widened. "You mean… sacrifice the people for the greater good?" 

The leader turned away, unable to meet his subordinate's gaze. He remained silent, his expression heavy with the weight of the decision. 

Before the conversation could continue, a scream pierced the air. It wasn't the scream of fear—it was a war cry. The leader and his officers turned toward the noise. 

A group of rioters had gathered near the barricade. One man stood at the forefront, shouting into a makeshift megaphone. "This is abuse of power! The police are using this so-called pandemic to oppress us! It's a biological weapon, and we're just their lab rats!" 

"Unforgivable!" the crowd behind him roared. "Unforgivable!" 

But their chanting was abruptly interrupted by a gunshot. 

The noise had drawn the undead, and they were now shambling toward the bridge, drawn by the commotion. Shots rang out as officers began firing to hold them back. Among the approaching horde was a woman clutching a small child. 

"Please!" she screamed, her voice desperate. "Save my baby!" 

Her pleas turned into horrifying shrieks as the child bit into her neck, blood spraying across her tattered clothes. The woman collapsed, convulsing as the infection took hold. Moments later, her body stilled, only to rise again as one of the undead. 

The police hesitated, but the woman-turned-zombie lunged toward them, forcing an officer to open fire. The gunshot silenced her permanently. 

The riot leader seized the moment. "Did you see that? They're shooting innocent civilians! This abuse of power is unforgivable!" His voice rallied the crowd, their anger reigniting. 

The police leader approached him, trying to keep his composure. "Stop this now. You're putting everyone in danger. Disperse immediately and take cover." 

The riot leader sneered. "Screw you! We know the truth—you're just a pawn in the government's conspiracy!" 

"I repeat," the police leader said calmly, his voice firm despite the chaos, "disperse immediately." 

"I refuse!" the riot leader shouted, waving his arms dramatically. "Go away! Go away!" His followers echoed the chant, their voices growing louder. 

"Go away! Go away!" 

The police leader's patience snapped. Without another word, he raised his pistol and fired. The riot leader fell, his body crumpling to the ground. 

The crowd screamed in horror, their anger boiling over into chaos. Rioters surged forward, pushing against the barricade as panic and rage consumed them. 

The police leader turned to his men, his face a mask of grim determination. "We've been ordered to restore control. The situation is critical. Do whatever it takes." 

Gunfire erupted, both at the rioters and the undead that continued to press forward. The scene descended into madness, mirroring the disasters at the other bridges. 

For the officers on the ground, it was clear: the barricade wouldn't hold. 

---

Back in the house, the group was sound asleep, the tension of the day finally giving way to a quiet night. Takashi stirred awake, his throat dry, and groggily made his way downstairs for a glass of water. Rubbing his eyes half-open, he saw Saeko and Hisashi moving two drunken figures—Marikawa-sensei and Mr. Maresato—from the table to a makeshift sofa Niikaz had created earlier. They carefully draped blankets over the pair to prevent them from catching a cold.

"What time is it?" Takashi asked, his voice low and raspy.

Hisashi glanced at the wall clock before replying, "Around 1 or 2 AM. We'll need to leave the house by 7 or 8. Can't stay here too long."

Takashi yawned, leaning against the kitchen counter. "Planning to stay up all night?"

"Nah," Hisashi replied, stacking a few empty glasses. "Just cleaning up with Saeko. We'll head to bed soon." Saeko nodded in agreement. "Just a little more, then I'm calling it a night," she added.

As Takashi grabbed a glass of water, he remarked, "I saw Niikaz and Kazu out on the veranda when I came down."

Hisashi paused and let out a small sigh. "Niikaz… She's really something. Mysterious, but I'm glad she's on our side."

Takashi remained silent for a moment, lost in thought. Finally, he said, "Hey… would you like a drink with me?" His glance shifted to Saeko briefly, a subtle hint in his gaze.

Saeko, catching the unspoken cue, smiled faintly. "It's about time I head to bed. Goodnight," she said, heading upstairs without a second glance.