Apocalypse: King of Zombies

The strike was unbelievably fast. Megan didn't even have time to react, and the others just stood there, dumbfounded, as a severed head rolled across the floor.

But then, something even more horrifying happened.

From the jagged neck stump, tiny, writhing tendrils began to sprout, squirming their way back toward the body.

"She's… not dead?"

Everyone's eyes widened in shock before snapping back to reality.

"Stop her! Don't let her get back together!"

The group surged forward, weapons swinging wildly. Blood splattered everywhere, and chunks of flesh flew in all directions. But the creature was so grotesque, so unnatural, that no one dared to stop hacking.

"Keep going! Kill her!"

"Isn't she already dead?"

"Then kill her again!!"

"…"

They kept at it for what felt like forever, slashing and smashing until Megan was well and truly dead—so dead that there was no possible way she could come back. Only then did they finally stop.

The room was a complete disaster. Blood pooled on the floor, and the air was thick with the metallic stench of death.

Everyone stared at the scene, their faces a mix of exhaustion and grim reflection.

"What a shame… Megan was such a good person. Who would've thought she'd been taken over by a monster?"

But before they could process it further, someone turned and noticed Chris lying flat on the ground. His face was ashen, his eyes shut tight, and he wasn't moving.

"Uncle Chris! Are you okay? Wake up, man!"

"Hey! Don't scare me like this!"

"Crap… I think he's not breathing…"

"…"

They all rushed over to check on him, but no matter how much they shouted or shook him, Chris didn't respond. It seemed like the monster's earlier attack had been too much for him, and his life had slipped away.

Normally, this group was all about cracking jokes and teasing each other, but they'd been through thick and thin together. They'd fought side by side, saved each other's lives countless times. Seeing Chris like this hit them hard.

Brandon, his eyes red and voice trembling, was the most desperate of all. "Uncle Chris! You can't die on us! Open your eyes, man! If it'll help, I'll even introduce you to my online girlfriend, okay?!"

"Pfft! Cough Cough cough!"

Chris suddenly gasped like he'd been yanked back from the dead, coughing violently as he sucked in huge gulps of air. Life returned to his face as he sat up, looking dazed but very much alive.

...

At the official shelter, the first hidden monster had been discovered.

But what really sent chills down everyone's spine was the realization that Megan had only ever worked at the registration desk. She'd never left the shelter, never gone on any missions outside.

Which could only mean… the monster wasn't the only one.

It didn't take long to connect the dots. Because of her job, Megan had frequent contact with Awakeners who came and went from the shelter. The higher-ups decided to use this as a starting point, launching an investigation into her social circle to root out any other potential threats.

What they uncovered was… shocking, to say the least.

Turns out, Megan had been very close with over a dozen male Awakeners. And by "close," I mean really close.

When Chris heard the news, his emotions were all over the place. Anger, disbelief, humiliation—it all swirled together as he stared blankly ahead, feeling like a giant neon-green sign had just been planted on his head.

Brandon, ever the joker, couldn't resist. "Uncle, weren't you just about to win her over? Looks like she's already collected the full set of elemental Awakeners."

"Shut up!" Chris snapped, his grip tightening on the hilt of his tachi. His injuries from earlier were only superficial, but his pride? That was another story. His teeth clenched as his anger boiled over. "They're all monsters! Weapons ready—let's go! We're taking them down!"

What followed was pure chaos. The shelter turned into a battleground as Awakeners hunted down and eliminated more hidden monsters. It seemed Megan wasn't the only one who'd been compromised.

Chris, still fuming, stormed toward the room of an Awakener named Dominic. According to the investigation, Dominic had also been… involved with Megan.

With a single kick, Chris sent the door flying open, his eyes scanning the room like a hawk. But it was empty. Dominic was long gone.

"He ran?"

...

As the shelter ramped up its efforts to root out the monsters, a few shadowy figures quietly slipped away, disappearing into the dense forest nearby.

Leading the group was Dominic—or rather, what used to be Dominic. The man had long since been taken over by a parasitic creature.

"These humans are sharper than I expected. Looks like they were already on high alert," Dominic muttered darkly, his expression twisted with frustration.

Staying in the shelter any longer would've been suicide. Sooner or later, they'd have been discovered. And if the environment became too hostile for survival, their ability to reproduce would be compromised—a biological instinct they couldn't ignore.

Now, their only option was to find new hosts or a fresh breeding ground.

"There's bound to be humans hiding somewhere in this forest," one of the others behind Dominic speculated.

They had wandered into the mountainous outskirts of Ethan's territory. Before the apocalypse, many humans had fled to these remote areas, eking out a meager existence. Scattered groups and small factions were known to exist here.

"Even if we don't find humans, hunting some zombies for Neurocores or crystal cores wouldn't be a bad alternative," Dominic mused, his tone calculating.

The parasitic creatures disguised in human skin behind him nodded in agreement. Their heightened senses allowed them to sniff out potential prey as they moved deeper into the forest.

But it didn't take long for things to get… strange.

The trees around them began to show signs of infestation—red, pulsating growths that throbbed like living organisms. The air grew heavier, the atmosphere more oppressive. They had unknowingly wandered into a fungal zone.

Not far from their location, Lil' Shroom was patrolling the area with her mimic underlings. She had been given clear orders from Ethan: if they encountered humans, capture a few alive. There were still four doses of the G-virus serum left, and Ethan didn't want them going to waste.

So, Lil' Shroom had been diligently searching her assigned section of the forest, knowing it was one of the likeliest places for humans to show up.

"Hmm? Looks like we've got some movement," she murmured, her senses immediately picking up on the intruders. The red fungal growths she had spread throughout the area acted as her eyes and ears, alerting her to their presence.

Her mimic subordinates straightened up, their expressions sharpening. Ethan had been very specific: live captures were the priority, and deception was the preferred method.

Lil' Shroom shifted into her human disguise—a stunningly beautiful woman, flawless in appearance. With her mimic lackeys in tow, she began moving toward the source of the disturbance.

It didn't take long before they spotted the group. Sure enough, it was Dominic and his companions, the ones who had fled the shelter.

"Humans? For real?" Lil' Shroom's eyes scanned the group, her mind already calculating.

Dominic, on the other hand, was having similar thoughts.

"Humans! And there's a decent number of them…" he thought, a sinister grin creeping onto his face. If he could infect this group and bring them under his control, his forces would grow significantly.

Dominic stepped forward first, putting on a friendly smile. "Hello there, miss. We're rescue personnel from the official shelter."

"Oh, really? That's great to hear! We're just survivors hiding out in the mountains," Lil' Shroom replied, her tone cooperative and cheerful.

Dominic smirked inwardly. Well, isn't this convenient?
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"That works out perfectly. We're here to rescue survivors. Why don't you come with us?" he offered, his voice warm and inviting.

"Wow, I never thought we'd run into a rescue team out here in the forest," Lil' Shroom said, feigning excitement. Her eyes, however, were quietly assessing the situation. Six of them. That was more than enough to exceed Ethan's target.

Behind her, the mimic underlings exchanged subtle nods, playing along with the act.

"Are we really saved?"

"Finally, we can go to the shelter!"

"There must be plenty of food there, right?"

"…"

Lil' Shroom decided it was time to make her move. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a pristine White Button Mushroom. "I found some mushrooms earlier. Here, let me share one with you."

At the exact same moment, Dominic reached into his own pocket and pulled out a small wild fruit. "I just picked this fruit. Why don't you have it?"

The two of them spoke almost in unison, their words eerily similar. Even their gestures—offering the food—were perfectly synchronized.

"Uh…"

Everyone froze, staring at each other in stunned silence. The atmosphere grew awkward, the tension palpable. Both sides exchanged wary glances, each trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

The air between them felt… strangely off.

...