They arrived at the town swiftly, the journey short given the proximity to their house. The cold gnawed at the edges of their existence, but Ryo moved with purpose, his eyes scanning the familiar streets now buried in snow. The town, once bustling with life, had long become a ghostly silence, inhabited only by zombies and the echoes of a forgotten world.
Ryo approached the first shop, peering inside. A few zombies roamed within, their dull eyes scanning the aisles. His heart eased; they were exactly where they needed to be. The undead sheltered inside the buildings would stay out of the winter winds, just as Ryo had planned. It was strategic—keeping them indoors so they could be used whenever he needed them.