chapter 01

In the midst of the world's destruction and the collapse of civilization, the heavy armored vehicle moved slowly through the rubble and scattered rocks. The hum of the engine reverberated in the deserted air, cutting through the eerie silence that hung over the place as the passengers watched their surroundings with caution, their eyes burning with anticipation. Behind the wheel sat "Shin Ling Zhu," her face weary but determined, gripping the steering wheel as if clinging to life itself. Her gaze was sharp, scanning the debris as if she were a daring leader accustomed to navigating the most dangerous of paths.

The vehicle slid to a halt at the edge of a deserted area surrounded by the ruins of buildings, where the foul stench of blood and death lingered. She took a deep breath, then turned to glance quickly at her team. Beside her sat "Yu Shin," a large man with a sarcastic smile that he had become accustomed to wearing in the direst of situations. Behind him was "Shao Wen," the quiet man who watched cautiously, holding his weapon tightly. Last was "Yan Mi," the woman who had accompanied them through countless adventures, her features cold and harsh, reflecting her resilience.

In deadly silence, they all disembarked from the vehicle, the echo of their steps filling the air, almost like a warning of the coming storm. Their steps were steady, for they had been doing patrols like this since the beginning of the apocalypse, where a new rule had been established: every person with extraordinary abilities must contribute to clearing out the surrounding areas and eliminating zombies, so they wouldn't be trapped.

"Shin Ling Zhu" was the leader of this team, not only for her exceptional combat skills but also because she possessed the rare dual powers of ice and fire—abilities that placed her among the heroes of this destroyed world but also carried great responsibility.

Yet, "Shin Ling Zhu" was not the type to shy away from responsibility or resent it. She had been raised by her father, General "Zhu," in a military family with strict values of integrity, honor, and patriotism. He often told her, "With great power comes even greater responsibility." 

But what "Shin Ling Zhu" did not know was that her morals and values would be the very reason for her downfall. In the end of the world, all that remained was mankind's greed for life and power, and no one cared about what was called "morality."

A cold wind swept through, and enormous shadows crept between the wrecked buildings. "Shin Ling Zhu" and her team were among the most powerful teams of the M-City base, as she held dual powers of the fourth level—one of the rarest levels since the apocalypse had begun two and a half years ago. "Yu Shin," "Shao Wen," and "Yan Mi" were her closest friends, each wielding powers of fire, wind, and earth, respectively, all at level two.

After the apocalypse, zombies had begun to evolve at a terrifying rate.

But it wasn't easy for superhumans, as their power growth required numerous zombie cores and a strong will to break through. Many had died because they couldn't control the power that developed within them, causing their bodies to explode.

After the end of the world, General "Zhu" worked hard to save people and led the army to build a base on the outskirts of M-City. Since he was just an ordinary man, he left the leadership of the superhumans to his daughter. "Shin Ling Zhu" organized them and set rules to ensure that the balance between superhumans and ordinary humans was not disturbed. Many did not approve of this decision, but under her strength, no one could resist.

Heavy shadows fell on the dark, ominous battlefield, and the sky was filled with dust rising from the ruins. The ominous sounds of zombies echoed between the abandoned buildings.

The four of them rushed toward the source of the hideous sounds. There was no fear on their faces. Then they clashed with the zombies in front of them, and the killing began. It was a routine task they were accustomed to. But as they relaxed, a deafening roar was heard.

"Shin Ling Zhu's" pupils widened: "What? Is that a level ten zombie?

There shouldn't be any zombies above level six after this!"

But before them , stood the zombie unleashing a force double that of a level six zombie, powerful enough to be a deadly threat.

This was the first impression that "Shin Ling Zhu" had.

The second was that they couldn't win; they needed to escape.

The king zombie emitted a terrifying roar that shattered the silence, and the hordes of zombies surrounding it froze for a moment before charging wildly toward the four of them.

Shin Ling Zhu raised her hand and an icy power surged from her, forming a solid shield in front of them. Then, fire energy merged with it, creating a barrier that protected them and gave them a chance to survive. She looked at her team and spoke loudly to encourage them to hold firm:

"We will not break today. We will survive this, no matter the cost. Stay vigilant!"

The battle began, and the ground erupted with the clash of fire and ice. "Shin Ling Zhu" led the charge, fighting fiercely with her heart burning with determination, intent on finding an opening for her team to escape. Strikes came relentlessly, her powers merging with her teammates' as every blow brought them closer to their goal.

But when the critical moment arrived, as the king zombie was faltering, "Shin Ling Zhu" turned her head to communicate with her team, only to experience something she never expected.

In the blink of an eye, she felt a cold sensation pierce her frame from in the back of. She struggled to pay attention, her body covered in blood, and slowly came to discover that her comrades—her buddies—had betrayed her. They stood in front of her, their faces twisted with hatred and greed, their weapons aimed toward her. She stared at "Yu Shin," who laughed mockingly, as if he had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

"Yu Shin" spoke in a cold, low voice: "Sorry, Ling Zhu, be a good friend and sacrifice yourself so we can live."

"Shin Ling Zhu" felt a pain in her heart far worse than the wound she had received. She raised her hand to her chest, unable to believe what she was seeing. How could they—after everything they had been through—turn into enemies? "Shao Wen," who looked at her coldly, and "Yan Mi," who showed no emotion, as if she were watching a boring show.

"Why...?" "Shin Ling Zhu," she whispered, her voice faltering. 

Blood seeped from "Shin Ling Zhu's" wounds, dripping slowly onto her hand, each drop telling a tale of struggle, of fighting desperately in a world torn by death and despair. She questioned herself, as if trying to soothe the pain and betrayal she felt.

"Why... why did they do this? I was with them. We were family..."

She closed her eyes, recalling Yu Shin's laughter, which had once eased her fears, and Shao Wen's warmth behind a facade of scorn, yet he had been a warm brother who softened the harshness of reality. They had almost become her only family, and now they stood on the other side, each holding a weapon aimed at her.

Suddenly, one of them fired. The bullet struck her left shoulder. The pain flared up like flames searing her bones, but still, she held on. She screamed, her voice choked with the blood filling her mouth.

"Why? I always protected you, fought for you. Why did you abandon me?"

No one answered her. There was only the echo of her cries. Their bodies moved like programmed puppets, devoid of mercy.

They had fled, leaving her as bait for the zombie king, buying themselves more time to escape.

"Ling Zhu, ah, Ling Zhu, how foolish you were," she murmured softly, clutching her wound, as the remnants of her strength began to fade. Memories flooded her mind like rivers of blood, their faces, their laughter, their conversations in the dark nights. There had been no one to protect them but her. She had always been the mother who gathered them, the protector who never gave up, and now, they had left her to die.

For a few moments, she held on, as if trying to catch her breath attempting to resist the harsh truth that tore her heart. She moved her hand slowly, summoning the icy power from her palm. Ice shards rose and formed a shield before her, but she could feel the weakness of her crumbling body.

As she struggled against death, the "Zombie King" roared in the distance, challenging everyone with an evil laugh. It was a level ten zombie, not easily defeated. "Shin Ling Zhu" felt fear in that moment, but something else made that fear seem insignificant—betrayal from those she had trusted.

"You bastards..." she muttered, her words choking in her throat.

Tears gleamed in her eyes, filled with pain and fear. She knew this was the end; she wouldn't survive this time. She turned to face the Zombie King and released the last of her strength, combining ice and fire to create a massive explosion that shook the earth. It was nothing more than a final attempt to cling to life, even for just a few more minutes.

The ground trembled beneath her, and darkness swallowed her light.

 "Shin Ling Zhu" felt her vision blur as the force she summoned faded, her body quivering from the weight of her injuries. The unrelenting sorrow, the load of betrayal, and the hopelessness of her quandary had been draining her ultimate ounce of power. The coolness emanating from her wounds seemed to sink into her very soul, chilling her to the bone.

The ground beneath her shattered and split, creating a shockwave that threw her off balance. She sank on the dirt, her breathing harsh and shallow. As she lay there, half-conscious, a distant growl from the Zombie King resonated through the ruins, reminding her of the impending peril. But it was no longer the dread of the undead that weighed on her; rather, it was the realization that her closest friends had abandoned her.

"Yu Shin... Shao Wen... Yan Mi..." she whispered through the blood in her throat, her voice barely audible.

She was fithful to them and entrusting them with her existence, she hadn't in no way wavered. Together, they had confronted countless threats, battled hordes of zombies, and even rescued harmless survivors. Yet, in her final moments, they'd grown to turn their backs on her, selecting self-preservation over the bonds they'd shared.

 Her body shook as the tears began to pour, mingling with the blood that seeped from her wounds. "Why.... why did it have to end like this?" she thought, her thoughts swirling with confusion and sorrow. She had given everything to protect them, and now, in her time of need, they had left her to die.

The harsh wind blew through the shattered ruins, carrying with it the fragrance of decay and the sound of distant screams. The apocalypse had claimed the whole thing, from towns to households, and now, it had taken her way inside the people she had cherished and fought beside.

 As a dying moment of her life came near, "Shin Ling Zhu" strove to summon one last burst of power, hoping against hope that she could at least delay the inevitable. But her body refused to obey, and the ice and fire she had once wielded with ease flickered out, like a dying flame.

She felt her flames fading, and the cold crept in, not the cold from the power of ice, but from the death approaching her, a chill deeper and harsher than anything she had ever known. She closed her eyes and whispered to herself as if surrendering.

– "Is this... the end? After everything..."

She thought her final moments would be silent, with nothing but the weak beating of her heart, no echo of pain. But there was another sound... a voice whispering in her ear, as though she could hear the voices of her companions again, their laughter and whispers, even their promises that they would remain together until the end.

But now she knew it was all just a lie.

– "If only I could... if only I had a second chance..."

Slowly, the voices around her faded, and the darkness enveloped her, taking her far away, toward the comfort of death.

But suddenly, in the midst of the blackness, she felt a strange pulse, as if something was pushing her to return. A new warmth, different from what she had known before, pierced her body. This was not death, but something else...

She opened her eyes slowly, and gradually, her vision returned.

 She found herself in a different place, with white walls and strange equipment. She was lying on a soft bed, something she had never

experienced in her harsh world.

She raised her hand to feel her face, unable to believe...