Apocalypse: King of Zombies

After a while, the human screams faded completely, leaving only the grotesque sounds of zombies feasting. A few crows pecked at scraps of flesh scattered across the ruins.

It was nearing dusk now. The setting sun, blood-red on the horizon, cast an eerie glow over the scene, creating a surreal and haunting picture.

Once the bloody feast was over, the zombie horde dispersed, each returning to its own place.

Ethan, however, didn’t head home. Instead, he wandered along the edge of his territory, with Bulldozer trailing behind him. Overhead, a few crows circled, giving the whole scene the vibe of a leader inspecting his domain.

Bulldozer silently prayed, Please, no more humans or other creatures showing up right now. Just let it be quiet.

As they walked further, the distant sound of rushing water grew louder until he found himself standing by a river.

What used to be just a small stream had now swelled into a full-blown river, wide enough to block his path.

The water surged endlessly, roaring like a giant serpent charging forward.

Before the apocalypse, this place had been a popular spot for camping. Couples would come here for romantic walks, families would gather for picnics, and some even swam in the river...

Now, the once-bustling area was deathly silent. The only remnants of life were bloodstains and decaying bones scattered along the shore.

The river shimmered under the fading sunlight, its surface reflecting a crimson hue. Occasionally, a corpse or severed limb floated by, carried downstream.

Across the river, a few zombies wandered aimlessly. Even though they were hundreds of feet away, they spotted Ethan and let out feral, guttural roars that echoed across the water, reverberating for what felt like forever.

That wasn’t Ethan’s territory.

”Man, these guys are really testing my patience…” Bulldozer muttered, visibly irritated by the zombies’ taunts. He looked ready to jump into the river and swim across to deal with them.

”Stand down,” Ethan ordered, stopping him in his tracks. ”They’re just small fry. Let them bark all they want—it’s not worth the effort.”

Besides, crossing the river wasn’t exactly easy.

The waters were teeming with mutated aquatic creatures. Who knew what kind of monsters might be lurking beneath the surface? In the apocalypse, water was one of the most dangerous places to be—especially the ocean.

Marine life had always outnumbered land creatures, and many were massive even before the mutations. With the abundance of prey in the sea, it was terrifying to imagine what kind of deep-sea monstrosities might have evolved by now.

Reluctantly, Bulldozer backed off, grumbling under his breath.

The two continued walking along the riverbank. Before long, they came across a modern highway bridge. The bridge was completely jammed with abandoned vehicles—some had collided, others had flipped over, and a few had exploded, leaving behind charred, blackened wreckage.

On the far side of the bridge, more zombies were wandering. Their grotesque faces twisted into snarls, their eyes gleaming with a savage, predatory light.

It was clear these weren’t ordinary zombies. They were more evolved—elite among their kind.

”Are they guarding the bridge?” Ethan thought to himself. The placement of these elite zombies at the bridgehead wasn’t random. The message was clear.

The zombie king on the other side knew that a confrontation with Ethan was inevitable.

Two kings can’t coexist.

It was either him or Ethan—one of them had to go.

After crossing the bridge, the riverbank led to a sprawling forest. The dense, overlapping ridges stretched endlessly into the distance. This was Mount Wilson, one of Los Angeles’ most famous landmarks.

Before the apocalypse, many well-known billionaires, entrepreneurs, and celebrities lived in the luxurious villas scattered around the Mount Wilson area.

The mountaintop estates, in particular, were nothing short of extraordinary—designed with such opulence that they defied the imagination of ordinary people. From these villas, you could take in breathtaking views of the entire Los Angeles Basin, with the majestic mountains at your back and serene natural landscapes all around. These homes offered their residents not just unparalleled privacy and comfort but also a lifestyle that felt like the perfect escape—far from the chaos of the city, immersed in the tranquility of nature. Gazing out over the sprawling city below wasn’t just a visual treat; it was a way of life, one that promised peace and a connection to the natural world.

But after the apocalypse, everything changed.

The animals and plants in the area mutated, turning Mount Wilson into a chaotic and dangerous place. When the outbreak first began, thousands of people from the city fled to the mountains, hoping to escape the zombie hordes.

None of them ever came back. No one knew if they were alive or dead.

To make matters worse, Mount Wilson was a dead zone. No signals from the shelters could reach it, cutting it off completely from the outside world.

Ethan had his theories. While the mountain likely didn’t host a massive zombie horde, it was the perfect breeding ground for powerful individual creatures. And then there was the Black Hand Legion—a notorious group rumored to operate in the area. Most of their members were probably hiding somewhere in the forest.

Mount Wilson was a chaotic mess, a place where danger lurked around every corner.

It wasn’t the kind of place you’d want to visit. Even Rambo would need an army to survive here, and the Terminator would probably think twice before stepping foot in this hellhole.

From a distance, Ethan noticed the forest was overrun with dense patches of climbing vines.

These plants were bizarre—far thicker than they had been before the apocalypse. Their roots and tendrils glowed faintly with a crimson hue, as if veins filled with blood were running through them. A strange liquid seemed to pulse within, flowing visibly through the vines.

The thick clusters of vines appeared to be spreading outward. Some had already crept beyond the forest, inching closer to the city streets.

”This isn’t normal…” Ethan thought, his expression darkening.

He glanced over at Bulldozer, who stood there with his usual clueless look. Leaving him alone to guard this area didn’t seem like the most reliable plan.

”Buddy Crow,” Ethan called, looking up at the sky. ”Go find Laura. From now on, she’ll guard this place with Bulldozer.”

”Got it. On my way.” The red-eyed crow let out a sharp cry, flapping its wings as it darted off into the distance.

”Little Western Banshee… Little Western Banshee… I’m coming to find you!”

Its unique, piercing birdcall echoed across the entire territory as it flew.

Before long, the crow reached the western part of the territory. Its crimson eyes scanned the area until it spotted a slender figure standing atop a clock tower in the distance.

”Little Western Banshee… Little Western Banshee…” Buddy Crow called out again.

Laura glanced up. She had heard it long before it arrived but had been deliberately ignoring it. Lately, this little black bird had been getting on her nerves.

”Can you stop calling me ’Little Western Banshee’?” she said, her tone exasperated.

”Sure thing, Little Western Banshee,” the red-eyed crow replied without missing a beat.

”…” Laura was speechless. If the bird weren’t flying so high, she would’ve plucked every feather off its smug little body.

”What do you want?” she asked, clearly annoyed.

”The boss says you’re needed to guard the eastern side,” Buddy Crow replied.

”Oh?”

Laura’s eyes flickered with interest. Without another word, she leapt from the clock tower. In an instant, her speed surged to its limit, and she shot toward the east like a gust of wind.

Moments later, she activated her Phantom Dash ability, vanishing entirely from sight.

Buddy Crow, still flapping its wings in the air, blinked in confusion.

”Huh? Where’d she go?”

...

After completing his inspection of the territory’s borders, Ethan returned home.

The interior of his home was spotless—clean and orderly, like a peaceful oasis completely cut off from the horrors of the outside world.

”Nothing beats being home…” Ethan sighed as he sank into the couch.

Even though he was incredibly powerful, the world outside his territory was still far too dangerous. Places like Mount Wilson were crawling with hidden threats, and there was no telling what kind of monsters might suddenly appear.

Fortunately, his base was well-protected. Surrounding the building were 500 elite zombie soldiers and thousands of other highly evolved troops. It was as secure as a fortress.

Still, Ethan preferred to play it safe. Instead of venturing out, he decided to go online and look for potential prey. It was a much less risky way to hunt.

Picking up his phone, he thought for a moment. Then, just like he had done with Mia and Sean before, he updated the bio on his social media profile.

”I’m just a timid boy… always looking for a little security.”

...