Apocalypse: King of Zombies

"So, does that mean... I should kill you before I leave?" Ethan asked playfully, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

Behind him, Laura, Little Shadow, and the others perked up at his words. Despite being surrounded by the Zombie Horde, they showed no fear. Instead, cruel grins spread across their faces, their expressions brimming with bloodlust.

"Uh..." Big Ears froze for a moment, realizing his attempt to intimidate them had failed miserably. His tone softened almost immediately. "Y-you... you've got to leave at least one human corpse behind, right?"

"Not even one." Ethan dismissed him coldly, turning to walk away without another glance.

The elite zombies that had been blocking their path instinctively stepped aside, cowed by the overwhelming aura of the high-tier zombie king. None dared to stand in his way.

Laura and the other zombie kings followed closely behind Ethan, their gazes sweeping over the surrounding zombies with open disdain. The contempt in their eyes was palpable.

Even as Ethan and his group disappeared into the distance, none of the zombies dared to make a move. They could only watch helplessly as the group left.

"Boss, they're so badass!" one of the elite zombies muttered in awe.

Big Ears nodded in agreement. "In this part of the city, there aren't many who can stand against him. Probably only the nest across the river has a chance."

"If they end up fighting, whose side are we on?" the elite zombie asked hesitantly.

Big Ears fell silent, his eyes darting back and forth as he considered the question. Zombies like him, who lacked strong combat abilities, were destined to lose their status as kings sooner or later. When that time came, their only option would be to pledge allegiance to another zombie king.

After a moment of thought, Big Ears finally said, "We'll back whoever wins."

...

On the way back, Laura couldn't help but ask, her curiosity getting the better of her. "Boss, why didn't you just kill Big Ears back there?"

"Someone like him might come in handy later," Ethan replied casually, not even bothering to look back.

When they returned to the area around their base, they found Bulldozer standing in the middle of the street, his massive frame impossible to miss. His expression was one of sulky frustration—clearly, he wasn't happy about being left behind during the mission. It was as if he felt... neglected.

"What were you guys up to? Why didn't you take me with you?" Bulldozer asked, his curiosity tinged with a hint of grievance.

"Because you're too big and can't hide yourself properly. This mission wasn't for someone like you," Laura said with a dismissive wave, her tone laced with mockery.

Bulldozer's face twisted in indignation. "Who says I can't hide? I'm great at hide-and-seek! Wanna bet? Let's try it out!"

"Enough." Ethan cut off their bickering with a single word. Turning to Bulldozer, he added, "Don't worry. There'll be plenty of times when we'll need you. For now, let's eat."

With a casual flick of his wrist, Ethan tossed out several fresh corpses.

"Heh heh heh..." Bulldozer's mood instantly brightened at the sight of the blood and flesh. His earlier frustration vanished without a trace. And Ethan's words—about needing him in the future—reassured him. Clearly, he wasn't being sidelined. No, he was the ace in the hole, the one who'd be called upon when it really mattered.

He wasn't being overlooked... not at all.

...

After dealing with everything, Ethan returned to his private quarters. He sank into a hot bath, letting the warmth seep into his muscles. Once he was clean, he changed into fresh clothes and poured himself a drink. Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, he sipped it slowly, his gaze fixed on the city below.

The weather, which had been clear just moments ago, had taken a sudden turn. Dark clouds rolled in, and a cold wind swept through the streets. Moments later, rain began to pour, the sound of it drumming against the glass.

It had been raining a lot lately, as if the sky itself had sprung a leak.

Down on the street below, a group of ferocious zombies had gathered. These were Ethan's elite warriors. Among them, PhD Zombie stood out, holding a syringe as he administered doses of the Y-virus to the others.

Ethan watched silently, his sharp eyes scanning for any signs of trouble. But everything proceeded smoothly.

As the Y-virus coursed through their veins, the zombies' bodies began to change. Their bones cracked and popped, as if undergoing a second growth spurt. Their frames became sturdier, their muscles denser.

Their regenerative abilities improved, their reflexes sharpened, and their bones hardened to an almost unbreakable degree. Their overall strength had risen to the equivalent of a B-tier, or even B+ in some cases.

However, because their enhancements were artificially induced through the virus, they hadn't developed any unique abilities. As a result, they still couldn't compare to the likes of Bulldozer or the other zombie kings.

These elite warrior zombies were more like living weapons—designed purely for combat, with no individuality or special powers to speak of.

"Genesis Biotech really knows their stuff..." Ethan thought to himself, a faint trace of admiration flickering in his eyes.

Ethan casually flipped his hand, producing the crystal core of an A-rank Awakener he had just captured. Without hesitation, he raised it to his mouth and swallowed it.

The crystal core melted instantly on his tongue, leaving a faintly sweet aftertaste. The energy within the A-rank core was exceptionally pure and began to flow through his body, nourishing every inch of him.

Ethan felt his pores open up, his entire body basking in an almost euphoric comfort as the energy was absorbed. His body continued its relentless evolution.

His physical strength had already reached terrifying levels. His bones were harder than steel or even advanced alloys, and his durability was unmatched. Yet, Ethan had no idea what he would eventually evolve into. He was part of the fastest-evolving group of zombies, with no precedent or reference to guide him.

Downstairs, the zombies who had just been injected with the Y-virus were clearly feeling the effects. They could sense their newfound strength and were visibly ecstatic, letting out excited roars.

After their brief celebration, they returned to their posts, resuming their duties. Little Shadow continued to guard the northern sector, PhD held the southern front, while Bulldozer and Laura were stationed in the east.

Ethan had also assigned the newly crowned zombie king, Sprout, to the eastern sector. That area bordered Angeles National Forest and the Pasadena, making it relatively more dangerous. Additionally, Sprout's original habitat had been on Mount Wilson, giving him a home-field advantage. It was a logical placement.

Everything was meticulously organized under Ethan's command.

Meanwhile, Ethan stayed in his clean, comfortable home, safe and undisturbed. He pulled out his phone and logged into the Genesis Biotech website to check on their latest updates.

The homepage was surprisingly quiet, with no new announcements. However, the comment section was buzzing with activity as survivors flooded it with questions:

"Didn't you say there was an A-rank Awakener? Are they coming or not?"

"It's been days. Shouldn't they have arrived by now?"

"But there's been no news at all."

"Don't tell me something happened to them on the way?"

"Yeah, what's Genesis Biotech's next move?"

Genesis Biotech had actually responded to the flood of inquiries with a brief and straightforward update:

"Due to thunderstorms, the plane has been delayed. The A-rank Awakener will not be arriving for the time being."

The comment section immediately exploded with replies:

"Huh???"

"What do you mean, delayed?"

"How does a plane get delayed for this long?"

"Are you serious? Did something happen to them?"

The thread quickly devolved into a sea of question marks and speculation.

...

Outside, the rain continued to pour, heavier than ever. The overcast sky brought an early nightfall, casting the city into darkness.

By the river in the eastern sector, Bulldozer stood tall, his massive frame unyielding as the rain lashed against him. He was like a steadfast pine tree, unmoving in the storm.

The days of relentless rain had caused the river to swell significantly. The rushing water roared as it surged downstream, sending mist into the air. The scene was almost surreal, like a dreamscape of clouds and mountains—a fleeting glimpse of paradise.

Bulldozer's eyes gleamed with a rare sense of awe. The beauty of the moment stirred something deep within him. He wanted to recite a poem, to capture the grandeur of the scene. But after a long pause, his limited vocabulary failed him, and he could only mutter:

"FUCK! That's a lot of water."

Still, he wasn't discouraged. The heavier the rain, the more fish there were to catch. During storms like this, the larger fish in the deeper parts of the river often swam closer to the surface, making them easier to snag.

Over the past few days, Bulldozer had caught plenty of fish, feasting to his heart's content. And now, with the rain coming down just right, he decided it was time to try his luck again.

"Let's catch some fish..." he muttered, stepping forward toward the river.