You won't celebrate your next birthday

"If you don't take your fucking hands away from her face, you won't celebrate your next birthday," said Kael, gritting his teeth with an angry look on his face.

"Tsk... tsk... stop worrying about my birthday. You should worry about yours. I heard the Mutagenic Laboratory is searching for variants to do some experiments. I can exchange you for a good amount of supplies that will last for months," said the man with a sadistic smile.

Siri bit his hand, freed herself from his grasp, and ran towards Kael. "Boss Kael, I'm sorry for going out without telling anyone. Don't care about us. Thanks for taking care of us until now. My remaining brothers and sisters need you, so please escape from here."

The man shook his hand, which had been bitten by Siri, and screamed angrily, "Shoot her! Kill that little bitch for me!"

Bang... bang...

The bullet hit her, and she took a long breath before slowly falling to the ground, blood slowly seeping out of the wound.

"No!" Kael lunged forward and held the iron bars with an anxious look on his face.

"Crackle... crackle..."

[Host... Warning... Warning... Stop holding the iron bars. They are connected to electricity. If you don't move away from the iron bars, you will die.]

Suddenly, the young lady appeared behind him and pulled him away from the iron bars.

" Ha….huff….ha…." 

Kael gasped for air as his vision grew blurry. "Siri... no... no... I won't let you die in front of my eyes. Since it's me who brought you out of that colony, you became my responsibility," Kael murmured, and his body started to change rapidly.

[Host triggered the Zombie transformation... Warning... Warning...]

Grrrroar...

A blood-curdling roar escaped his mouth. He slowly stood up, opening his crimson red eyes. Standing at 7 feet tall with a strong, bulky, muscled body, he glared at the guards and the man. All of them felt a coldness sweep through their spines, their backs drenched in cold sweat.

Zombified Kael disappeared and reappeared in front of the iron bars, gripping them with both hands. He bent them, pushing them right and left. He disappeared again, and a guard's head flew into the air. Each time he vanished and reappeared, another guard's head flew into the air. He was blinking all over the place, and soon all the guards' heads fell back together with their lifeless bodies to the ground. Z Kael glared at the man whose legs shook uncontrollably, preventing him from walking properly.

"Brother, you messed with the wrong guy," said Z Kael.

Before his voice faded into the air, Z Kael disappeared and reappeared in front of the man, moving his hand.

( Z Kael - Zombified Kael )

Puchuk….

Z Kael's hand pierced into the man's chest. "Oh, it feels so nice. I can feel how your heart is beating," said Z Kael, moving close to his ear.

"Puff… Arghhh..."

Blood gushed from the man's mouth, and he screamed like a slaughtered pig. Z Kael touched the blood with his finger and said, "Hmm, your blood smells so disgusting. Not even zombies would eat a filthy body like yours. I want to torture you more, but I don't have much time left. I need to save that little girl."

As he finished speaking, he squeezed the man's heart, causing it to explode like a water bubble.

Cough… cough…

The man coughed up a few mouthfuls of blood, rolled his eyes upwards, and fell to the ground, blood slowly seeping from his chest.

"Calm down. Now everything's okay, you can save the girl."

A beautiful young lady's voice entered deep into his consciousness, and Kael opened his eyes.

Lub-dub...

He felt his heartbeat rising and slowly transformed back to normal. Exhausted and completely vulnerable, he dragged his body towards the little girl, reached out to hold her, and gently pulled her into his arms. "System, use complete recovery on this girl."

[Host, are you sure you want to use complete recovery on her?]

"Yes, hurry," said Kael impatiently.

[Complete recovery is beginning.]

"Haaa… huff… ha…" Siri took a deep breath, and her body moved for a moment.

" Cough….. cough….."

"Nice, you're okay," Kael sighed in relief.

She slowly opened her eyes and the first thing she said was, "Boss Kael, why did you die too? Haven't you escaped from these survivors?"

Kael slowly raised his hand and gently knocked on her head.

"Ouch… ouch," she said, holding her head with a pained look.

"Wake up, you're not dead and I'm still alive," said Kael in a helpless tone.

The remaining kids and teenagers, who had just witnessed some unbelievably traumatizing scenes, slowly came back to their senses and hurriedly surrounded both Kael and Siri.

"Thank God, Boss Kael, Siri, you both are okay," they all said in unison.

Feeling the cold air on his body, Kael looked down and blushed with embarrassment. "Ahem…" 

He coughed and moved into a nearby room to change into new apocalyptic-themed clothes.

He slowly walked out and said with a stern gaze, "Everyone, remember to never go out without telling anyone. And don't think about killing zombies until I say you're ready. Now let's go."

They all moved out of the enemy base and walked back to Kael's temporary base. On the way, Kael kept thinking about the woman who had helped him at every critical moment.

"Is she the same woman who showed me the enemy base where the kids and teenagers were kidnapped? Is she also a variant? Why is she helping me?" Kael thought, furrowing his brows.

Kael looked at the kids and teenagers and warned, "Don't tell anyone about my transformation. Just say that it was me who fought with the enemies and rescued you, understand?"

"Understood, Boss Kael," the kids and teenagers said in unison, respectfully.

"Let's go. I'm sure you guys are starving. Let's have a barbecue tonight," said Kael with a bright smile.

He is not weak like his past self; he is strong and will never let anyone harm the people who are close to him.

They all went inside and walked to their rooms. The kids and teenagers entered their rooms, while Kael went to his room to rest.