These zombies… something’s not right!

"These two people..."

Ethan stared at the screen, the corners of his mouth curling into a faint smirk. If it weren't for Sean's profile tagline—"brave and brilliant"—he might've actually believed it.

The shelter's official website wasn't just a hub for rescue team details; it also had sections for distress calls, mutual aid, and community discussions.

In these forums, the residents of the shelter posted all kinds of messages—some absurd, some painfully real:

"I'm starving! Can anyone spare some food? I can offer… intimate services. I'm a professional model…"

"Damn! I'd help you if I could, but I don't have anything either!"

"I'm so hungry I can… uh… produce some 'milk' for you to drink…"

"Hey, is that even real milk?"

"Haha, yesterday I dug a foundation and got rewarded with a quarter pack of instant noodles. Way too much for me to finish! Didn't even bother adding water to the soup—just downed it in one gulp. Wasteful, right?"

From these posts, it was clear: the shelter was critically short on supplies, but its population was its most valuable resource. That's why rescue operations never stopped.

As Ethan casually browsed, his attention was drawn to a research report that had been shared countless times. The bold title read:

"Genesis Biotech Research Report"

The report detailed a shocking discovery:

"According to our research, the brains of high-level zombies contain a substance called Neurocore. When absorbed by human Awakeners, it can rapidly enhance their abilities. As such, our company has launched 'Operation King Hunt,' targeting the capture of the Zombie King."

Ethan wasn't unfamiliar with Genesis Biotech. This was the same company that had previously rolled out the "Zombie Eradication Plan." Now, with this "King Hunt" initiative, their reputation in the shelter had reached an almost obnoxious level of notoriety.

"Operation King Hunt…"

Ethan muttered to himself, his fingers lightly tapping the desk as he fell into thought.

Just as he was piecing things together, a deep, guttural sobbing sound came from outside his door.

"What's he crying about now?"

Ethan frowned, got up, and walked to the door. When he opened it, sure enough, it was Bulldozer.

The massive figure nearly filled the entire doorway. His body was a mountain of muscle, like a walking iron fortress. But right now, his face was marred by a large, blackened burn, and his body bore several bullet wounds. Though they had already healed, the scars were still gruesome.

"Wuuu… wuuu… wuuu…"

Thanks to his evolution, Bulldozer had developed basic emotional expression. At this moment, he was crying like a 500-pound child, his deep, mournful sobs carrying a simple message:

"The humans bullied me…"

Leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, Ethan asked calmly, "What happened?"

"Wuuu… wuuu…"

Bulldozer sobbed and gestured wildly, like a kid tattling to a parent. Unfortunately, his intelligence wasn't advanced enough to clearly explain what had happened.

Just then, the PhD zombie stepped out from behind him.

"Master, it's the humans. They've taken over the prison and are trying to hunt us. Among them is an Awakener who's formed a crystal core and can control fire."

"Oh…"

Ethan nodded, quickly piecing together the situation in his mind.

When a human Awakener's Neurocore evolves into a crystal core, they gain special abilities. Clearly, this time, the enemy was a fire-type Awakener.

"Crystal core…"

Ethan licked his lips, a glint of excitement flashing in his eyes.

He had already tasted the power of Neurocore. A crystal core would undoubtedly be even more… delicious.

"Looks like it's time to stretch my legs."

Turning back into the room, Ethan casually pressed a button, sending out a hunting signal to his "troops."

"ROAR—"

Bulldozer immediately stopped crying and let out a deafening roar toward the sky.

The roar was like a signal flare, triggering a chain reaction. Thousands of zombies in the vicinity of the building responded instantly, their frenzied howls echoing one after another, shaking the very air.

Ethan stepped out onto the ruined street, flanked by three of his most trusted subordinates: Bulldozer, Laura, and the PhD zombie.

Behind them, a massive horde of zombies surged forward.

These zombies, with their feral eyes and violent movements, had become an unstoppable force. In this post-apocalyptic world, such a horde could sweep away anything in its path.

On the sides of the street, mutated rats and dogs screeched in terror and scattered in all directions.

Ethan raised his hand and gave a slight wave, his voice calm and low: "All units, attack."

"Roar—"

At his command, the horde of undead let out an earth-shaking roar and surged forward like a raging flood, rushing straight toward the prison.

...

The prison stood like a lone fortress, surrounded by high walls and watchtowers. Over a hundred guards were stationed along the perimeter, armed to the teeth and clad in matching tactical gear.

They were the elite forces of Genesis Biotech—highly trained, disciplined, and efficient.

The towering walls and fortified defenses were more than enough to keep ordinary zombies at bay, so the guards were relatively relaxed.

Inside one of the spacious rooms in the prison, however, the atmosphere was entirely different. Soft lighting illuminated a luxurious sofa, where a young man sat at the center.

His name was Alex, a fire-element Awakener.

He lounged lazily on the sofa, his legs propped up on the coffee table, a smug grin playing on his lips.

In front of him, two women with graceful figures were tending to him with careful precision. Their movements were practiced, but their eyes betrayed a dull, submissive emptiness.

For Alex, this was just another day.

In the apocalypse, getting women wasn't hard. Two loaves of bread were often enough to make them willingly submit.

"Man, this is the life…" Alex sighed, closing his eyes, his voice dripping with satisfaction.

Before the apocalypse, he'd been just another office worker, living a dull, monotonous life day after day.

But now, everything had changed.

After awakening his powers, he was recruited by Genesis Biotech and given a life of luxury. Good food, good drinks, and even the women he once thought were out of his league were now his playthings.

"Talk about a rags-to-riches story, huh?" Alex thought to himself, his grin widening.

He had managed to condense a rare crystal core, making him one of the strongest in the human faction during the apocalypse.

Hunting high-level zombies, absorbing Neurocores—his power kept growing.

Sometimes, he felt like the protagonist of one of those post-apocalyptic novels, destined to carve out his legend in this wasteland.

But just as he was basking in his fantasies, the door burst open.

A guard rushed in, his face tense with urgency.

"Alex! Our drones just spotted a zombie horde heading straight for us!"

"A horde?" Alex opened his eyes, raising an eyebrow. Instead of panic, a flicker of excitement crossed his face.

"If there's a horde, that means there's a Zombie King leading them." He stood up, a cold smile tugging at his lips. "This could be a golden opportunity."

Hunting a Zombie King meant obtaining a Neurocore, or even a crystal core—his shortcut to further evolution.

He waved his hand, signaling the guard to lead the way. "Let's go check it out."

...

Minutes later, Alex stood atop one of the prison's watchtowers, gazing out at the distant streets.

A massive, dark wave of zombies was surging toward them, like a relentless tide. The undead sprinted forward, their guttural roars blending into a deafening cacophony.

"Not bad… they've got some presence," Alex muttered with a cold smirk. He wasn't afraid. To him, these zombies were just walking loot.

"Once they're in range, open fire," he ordered, his voice brimming with confidence.

"Yes, sir!" the guard beside him responded immediately.

As the horde drew closer, the prison's defenses roared to life. Machine guns mounted on the walls spat out streams of bullets, creating a storm of metal that tore through the undead ranks.

Zombies fell in droves, their bodies shredded by the relentless gunfire. Blood and flesh splattered everywhere. But these weren't ordinary zombies.

Ethan's "troops" had long since evolved. Their bodies were unnaturally tough, and their regenerative abilities were astounding. Even after being riddled with bullets, many of them got back up and continued their charge.

The horde soon reached the walls and began forming a "zombie ladder."

The undead climbed over each other in a frenzy, piling up to scale the defenses.

"Heh heh heh…" A sinister laugh suddenly echoed through the chaos.

From within the horde, a figure leapt into the air—Laura. Her movements were swift and precise, her silhouette cutting through the night like a shadow.

With an incredible leap, she stepped on the shoulder of a zombie and vaulted onto the wall. Her hands morphed into razor-sharp claws, and with a single swipe, she disemboweled a guard. Blood sprayed everywhere as the man collapsed in a heap.

At the same time, another figure made his move—Bulldozer.

The hulking zombie grabbed a massive boulder, spinning it like a discus before hurling it with terrifying force toward one of the watchtowers.

"Boom!" The boulder smashed into the tower, reducing it to rubble. The guards inside screamed as they plummeted to their deaths.

"These zombies… something's not right!" Alex muttered, his expression darkening.

It finally dawned on him that this wasn't just a mindless horde. These zombies were organized, evolved, and far more dangerous than he'd anticipated.

Suddenly, a crossbow bolt whistled through the air, striking a guard beside him square in the head.

The man's body crumpled to the ground, blood pooling beneath him.

"What the hell?!" Alex's eyes widened in shock, his heart sinking.

...