Apocalypse: King of Zombies

The two armed men took a step forward, but suddenly felt a tight grip around their ankles, as if something had latched onto them.

"Huh? What the hell?" They looked down and saw green vines coiled tightly around their legs.

Before they could react—

A tremendous force yanked them backward. The vines snapped taut like a striking serpent, hoisting the two men upside down into the air.

"Help! Somebody help!"

"What the hell is this thing?!"

Dangling headfirst, they thrashed and struggled, but it was no use. Around them, more vines rose like striking cobras, shooting toward them with terrifying speed.

Thwack!

The vines pierced their bodies, burrowing deep like straws. A sickening sound followed as the vines began to suck, draining their blood. Their bodies visibly shriveled, skin tightening over bones, as they were reduced to little more than husks—on the verge of becoming dried-out corpses.

Kai and the others, hearing the commotion, spun around just in time to witness the horrifying scene.

The vines, now swollen and crimson from the blood they had absorbed, writhed in the air like blood-soaked serpents, holding the two lifeless bodies aloft in a grotesque dance.

"What the hell is that thing?"

Even Donovan, who had seen his fair share of horrors, was visibly shaken by the bizarre sight.

The vines, as if awakened by the bloodshed, began slithering across the ground, rustling as they surged toward the group.

"Defensive positions!" Kai barked, immediately drawing his titanium-alloy machete.

The team sprang into action, hacking at the vines. Though the group of Awakeners was strong, the vines alone weren't enough to overpower them.

"Looks like it's just some kind of mutated plant," Donovan said, his voice calm despite the chaos. "There's probably a central core controlling it. If we take that out, this thing should die." Experience tales at empire

"Got it." Kai and the others nodded, their eyes scanning the direction the vines seemed to originate from, ready to follow the trail to its source.

But as their gaze shifted forward, they froze.

Standing in the distance was a slender girl.

Her lips curled into a wide, unnatural grin that stretched all the way to her ears, revealing two rows of razor-sharp fangs. She raised her clawed hands and let out a chilling laugh before charging toward them like a maniac.

"Heh heh heh heh heh~~~"

"Shit…" The group collectively sucked in a sharp breath, their pupils contracting in fear.

It was unmistakable—this was a Zombie King.

And not just any Zombie King.

Laura's speed increased rapidly, her movements becoming a blur. In the blink of an eye, she vanished entirely.

"Is that… a Phantom Infected?!"

The group tensed, their focus locked on the direction she had disappeared. One of the Awakeners, a psychic, closed her eyes, trying to sense Laura's presence.

But none of them noticed the shadow creeping up behind her.

From the psychic's own shadow, a figure began to emerge—a dark, humanoid shape wreathed in what looked like black flames. Its claws gleamed as it silently rose, aiming directly for her back.

Thwack!

Before anyone could react, the creature's claws plunged into the psychic's chest, piercing straight through her body. With a sickening squelch, it ripped her heart out in one swift motion.

"Gah—!"

The psychic's lifeless body crumpled to the ground as the creature, "Little Shadow," held her still-beating heart in its clawed hand, letting out a bone-chilling cackle.

"Kehehehehehe!"

Kai turned just in time to see the horrifying scene, his face pale with shock. When did this thing get here? he thought. Another Phantom Infected?!

"You bastard!" he roared, fury overtaking him. Gripping his machete tightly, he charged forward, his speed-enhanced abilities propelling him like a bullet.

But Little Shadow, having already claimed its kill, had no intention of sticking around. It darted backward with incredible speed, retreating into the darkness.

Kai was about to give chase when—

"Aghhh!"

Two blood-curdling screams rang out behind him, followed by the wet, sickening sound of flesh being torn apart.

He spun around, heart pounding.

Laura's gaunt figure had reappeared, standing over two armed men. Her claws, sharp as adamantium blades, had already slashed through their throats.

One of the team members nearby saw what was happening and rushed over to help. But just as he ignited a fiery aura around himself, a sharp pain stabbed through his brain. He almost blacked out, and the heat around him instantly dissipated.

From the shadows near the alley wall, PhD's sinister face emerged, quietly observing the group with a creepy smirk.

"Damn it! A bunch of sneaky bastards!" Kai cursed silently to himself.

At that moment, vines whipped through the air as Little Shadow and Laura launched a pincer attack. From the side, PhD occasionally struck with sneak attacks. In just a brief exchange, they had already taken down several armed personnel and even a psychic Awakener.

"Mr. Donovan, what do we do now?" someone asked, panic creeping into their voice.

"Just a few B+ grade zombies," Donovan replied calmly. "Their abilities are a little strange, sure, but they haven't broken into A-grade territory. Stay steady, don't panic, and be cautious. We can beat them. Trust me—nobody knows zombies better than I do."

With that, Donovan used his Spectral Grip to snap a few of the vines in half.

"Oh…" Kai and the others felt a little reassured.

But that relief didn't last long.

Looking up, they noticed something off. On top of a distant building stood a tall figure, with several crows circling behind him.

A white shirt. Black crows. The unmistakable signature of a zombie king.

"Holy shit!"

Kai and the others cursed internally. They recognized him immediately. Their legs started trembling. Just moments ago, they'd been praying they wouldn't run into him—and now, here he was.

"Mr. Donovan, I think we should run!" Kai blurted out.

"Run? Are you crazy? Turning your back on a zombie is the most dangerous thing you can do," Donovan replied, frowning.

"But at least if we die, we'll leave behind a whole corpse!" Kai shot back, clearly not eager to face Ethan.

Donovan glanced at him, puzzled by his sudden fear. "Relax. Just follow my lead. Nobody—"

"No! You don't understand that zombie!" Kai interrupted before Donovan could finish.

Because in that moment, as he glanced back up at the building, the figure was gone.

He's here.

Ethan had arrived.

Of course, Ethan wasn't here for a fight—he was just here to "pick up a package." Since this wasn't his territory, he hadn't brought his full crew. He'd only brought Little Shadow, Laura, PhD, and Sprout—leaving even Bulldozer back home to guard the base.

Kai immediately sensed something was wrong. He pulled a few teammates aside, subtly distancing himself from Donovan. His plan? Let Donovan deal with the most terrifying zombie king while he looked for a chance to escape.

But before he could act, Laura appeared right in front of him. Her face twisted into a chilling smile, her eyes brimming with bloodlust.

Kai gritted his teeth, gripping his titanium machete tightly as he lunged forward.

"Bring it on!" As a speed-enhanced Awakener, Kai's machete swung so fast it left afterimages in the air, his attacks swift and relentless.

Laura, also known for her speed, immediately countered with her razor-sharp claws. The clash of their weapons rang out like steel striking steel, sparks flying as the titanium machete met her claws again and again.

Meanwhile, Little Shadow had silently crept up behind Donovan, his eyes locked on the briefcase in Donovan's hand. He remembered Ethan's instructions clearly: the main goal was to retrieve that briefcase.

Carefully, Little Shadow extended a claw, reaching for the case.

But Donovan was sharp. He'd been keeping an eye on the briefcase the whole time. In a flash, his right hand shot out, grabbing Little Shadow's wrist.

"Gotcha…" Donovan grinned, activating Spectral Grip. Black mist swirled around his hand.

Little Shadow froze, his body overwhelmed by an icy chill, as if a ghostly hand had seized him. He couldn't move a muscle. Even his shadowy form dissolved, revealing his true body—charred black like burnt coal.

"Huh? This one's not local," Donovan muttered, suspecting Little Shadow might be from some distant tribe.

He was just about to deliver a devastating blow when suddenly, an overwhelming pressure descended on him. It was like being submerged in a sea of blood, the sheer force suffocating.

A tall figure appeared before him.