Apocalypse: King of Zombies

Frankie was the first to step inside.

The person who came out to greet them was a burly middle-aged man, shirtless and powerfully built. It was none other than Johnny, the Earth-element Awakener.

"Frankie, what's the situation outside?" Johnny asked urgently.

"The man-eating vines are gone! Completely dead—I saw it with my own eyes!" Frankie said, his face lighting up with joy.

This was undeniably good news for them. It would make hunting and scavenging for supplies much easier.

"That's amazing!" Johnny exclaimed, equally thrilled.

They had all dreaded those vines like the plague. Many of their comrades had fallen victim to them. Now that they were gone, it felt like a massive weight had been lifted off their shoulders.

But Johnny's attention soon shifted to Ethan. His gaze swept over him, cautious and probing.

"Who's this guy?"

"We ran into him while scouting outside..." Frankie began, recounting the events in detail. As he finished, he gave Johnny a subtle look.

"Oh," Johnny said, immediately catching on.

"Alright, let's head inside and share the good news with the Captain."

The group moved deeper into the cave. Johnny turned back and used his Earth-element powers to seal the entrance behind them.

The light dimmed instantly, leaving only the flickering flames of torches on the walls. Their glow danced across the group's faces, casting shifting shadows.

As Ethan followed them further in, he realized the entire hill had been hollowed out. The deeper they went, the more spacious it became.

Before long, they arrived at what could only be described as the "heart" of the hill—a large hall.

Torches burned along the walls, illuminating the space. There were crude furnishings—tables and chairs made of packed earth. At the center of the room was a long chair draped with a bear pelt. Reclining on it was a young man, wearing nothing but a pair of shorts. He was gnawing on a roasted rabbit head, his eyes fixed on Ethan and the others.

The way he carried himself gave off the unmistakable vibe of a gang leader.

This was clearly the leader of the group: Tyler Cross. Before the apocalypse, Tyler had dropped out of high school and worked as a security guard. While others wasted decades figuring out life, Tyler had already gained five or six years of "experience" by his early twenties. Now, he was the Captain of this ragtag crew.

"Captain, we're back!" Frankie stepped forward, his face plastered with a sycophantic smile.

"Yeah? What's it like out there?" Tyler asked, his tone casual but commanding.

Frankie repeated the story in full, not daring to leave out a single detail.

When Tyler heard that the man-eating vines had withered away, he was visibly pleased. His mind began to churn with possibilities—perhaps it was time to expand their operations, to grow his crew and strengthen their hold on the area.

His gaze shifted to Ethan, sizing him up. But instead of being hostile, Tyler broke into a grin and said, "Welcome to our little home."

"Oh, uh, thanks," Ethan replied, his tone sincere. He meant it, too—after all, he was genuinely grateful for the hospitality, however rough it might be.

As Ethan glanced around, he noticed that Tyler wasn't the only one in the hall. A few other members of the security team were scattered about. In the darker corners of the room, however, he spotted several people huddled together—men and women alike. Their clothes were tattered, some barely clothed at all. Their faces were dirty, their expressions hollow. They looked like refugees, utterly defeated.

Tyler noticed Ethan's wandering gaze. With a smirk, he jumped off the long chair and strode over to one of the corners. He grabbed a girl by the arm and dragged her into the center of the room.

The girl cried out in pain, collapsing to her knees. Her figure was slender and graceful, her curves accentuated even in her disheveled state.

"Lift your head," Tyler said, crouching down and using a finger to tilt her chin up. His tone was smug, as if he were showing off a prized possession.

"Recognize her?" he asked, looking back at Ethan.

"Huh? Who is she?" Ethan asked, studying the girl more closely. Her face was smudged with dirt, but her delicate features were still striking—an oval face, a high nose bridge, and large, expressive eyes. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, trembling with humiliation. She looked pitiful, the kind of beauty that stirred both sympathy and anger.

"Ava Sterling," Tyler said with a grin. "The big-time celebrity."

"Oh..." Ethan murmured, his eyes widening slightly. He wasn't much of a pop culture guy, but even he had heard of Ava Sterling. She was a household name, a top-tier actress. He looked at her again, and sure enough, it was her.

But the Ava Sterling he remembered was worlds apart from the woman in front of him now. Once a radiant star adored by millions, she was now reduced to this—a broken shell, stripped of her dignity and at the mercy of men like Tyler.

It wasn't hard to see why people might not recognize her at first glance. The contrast was just too stark.

Before the apocalypse, Ava had lived in a luxurious villa perched atop the hill. Now, she had fallen into the hands of this group.

"Come on, superstar, sing us a song. Lighten the mood for the boys," Tyler said with a mocking grin.

Ava had started her career as a singer, renowned for her incredible voice—people used to call her a "walking CD." Now, in this grim reality, they often forced her to sing to pass the time.

Her eyes reddened at the mention of "superstar." What was once a title of admiration now felt like a cruel taunt, cutting deep into her pride. But Ava knew these men and their methods all too well. Any resistance would only lead to unspeakable torment.

So, she began to sing.

"And I'll rise up,

I'll rise like the day,

I'll rise up,

I'll rise unafraid,

I'll rise up,

And I'll do it a thousand times again."

Her voice, though still beautiful, carried a faint rasp from dehydration. The song, filled with defiance and sorrow, perfectly captured her despair. As the haunting melody filled the cave, tears streamed down her face.

Once a dazzling star adored by millions, she had fallen so far—reduced to a plaything for the very people who used to guard her gates. The sheer magnitude of her downfall was staggering, as if she'd been cast from heaven straight into hell.

"Heh, I gotta say, the apocalypse has been pretty good to us," Frankie chuckled. "Back then, people like her wouldn't even glance in our direction. Now? She has to do whatever we say."

The others laughed in agreement, their eyes drifting toward the corner of the room.

"See that guy over there? Used to be a billionaire. And his wife? She was always looking down on me, acting like I was dirt. Now she's like some scorned housewife after her husband cheated on her. I've got her so broken she doesn't even dare talk back anymore. Finally got my revenge!" one of them said, his tone dripping with satisfaction.

Ethan followed their gaze. In the corner, a middle-aged man sat slumped against the wall, his face hollow and defeated. Beside him was a woman, trembling uncontrollably as she overheard the conversation. Whatever they had endured, it was clear it had broken them completely.

Frankie and the others continued their banter, reveling in their newfound power. They joked about how the tables had turned, spouting clichés like, "What goes around comes around," and "Don't underestimate the underdog." They seemed to see themselves as the protagonists of some twisted rags-to-riches story.

Meanwhile, Ava finished her song. She curled into herself, hugging her knees and burying her face in her arms, sobbing quietly.

Tyler, satisfied with his little display of dominance, turned to Ethan. "Alright, enough of that. Let's talk about you. If you want to join us, hand over the crystal core from the man-eating vines and any supplies you've got stashed away. Do that, and we'll treat you like a brother. If not..." He gestured toward the huddled figures in the corner. "Well, you can guess what happens. Your choice."

Ethan nodded slowly, his expression calm. "Alright," he said, his voice steady. He raised his eyes to meet Tyler's, the flickering torchlight reflecting in his pupils like tiny flames.

"You want the crystal core? Sure. I'll get it for you..."

...