Apocalypse: King of Zombies

It didn’t take long for Ethan to catch wind of the situation. He’d been holed up at home for over a month now, barely stepping outside, but anything involving Genesis Biotech was worth keeping an eye on.

And according to Big Ears, they were planning to deliver something to the Black Hand Legion.

Ethan couldn’t help but feel curious. What exactly were they delivering? Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to intercept it himself and take a closer look.

Without hesitation, his figure dimmed, and he vanished into thin air.

For this little operation, Ethan decided to bring along one of his subordinates, Lil’ Shroom. He figured it’d be a good chance to give her some extra training—help her evolve a bit more.

The two of them slipped through an old subway entrance, stepping into the pitch-black tunnels below.

The air was damp and cold, the kind that clung to your skin. Following the intel Big Ears had provided, Ethan led the way to a spot where the Black Hand Legion members were guaranteed to pass through.

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before Ethan picked up the faint trace of human presence.

”They’re here. Go on,” he said calmly.

”Got it,” Lil’ Shroom replied with a respectful nod. Her body began to shift and change. The tattered clothes she’d been wearing morphed into a sleek, black nano-combat suit, complete with the Genesis Biotech logo emblazoned on her chest. Her pale, grayish skin smoothed out, becoming flawless and porcelain-like. Her face transformed into that of a stunningly beautiful woman, delicate and perfect.

Even her wild, straw-like hair turned into a cascade of silky black strands, flowing down her back like a waterfall.

The terrifying zombie from moments ago was now the spitting image of a Genesis Biotech female Awakener—gorgeous, confident, and utterly convincing.

Ethan’s sharp eyes scanned her from head to toe, and he nodded in approval. Lil’ Shroom’s shapeshifting abilities had clearly reached an impressive level of mastery.

Without another word, Lil’ Shroom stepped forward, her figure melting into the shadows ahead.

...

Not long after, faint echoes of human voices began to bounce off the walls of the empty subway tunnel.

”We should be close now, right?” one voice asked.

”Yeah, just two more stops,” replied a short-haired man, his gaze fixed ahead.

Beside him, a man nicknamed Smirk couldn’t help but marvel aloud. ”Man, who would’ve thought Genesis Biotech would ever want to work with us?”

”It just shows how far we’ve come as a group,” the short-haired man, Matt, said with a hint of pride.

Before the apocalypse, the Black Hand Legion had been nothing more than a ragtag bunch, skulking in the shadows and barely scraping by. But now, after months of growth and survival, they’d earned an invitation to collaborate with Genesis Biotech.

It was a kind of recognition—a badge of honor.

”Guess it’s true what they say: tables turn,” Smirk added, grinning. The group of five couldn’t help but feel a little smug about their progress. But their moment of self-congratulation was cut short when one of them, a young woman with furrowed brows, suddenly tensed.

She was a psychic-type Awakener, her senses far sharper than the average person’s.

”Matt… there’s something nearby,” she said, her voice low and cautious.

”Huh?” Matt’s eyes narrowed, his expression turning serious. They hadn’t encountered any trouble on their way here so far. Could there really be something lurking in the dark?

Smirk scratched his head, unconvinced. ”Nah, no way. Genesis Biotech gave us this route themselves. They’ve swept it clean multiple times. There’s no way anything dangerous is hanging around.”

”Even so, we should stay alert,” Matt said firmly. If there was one thing that had kept him alive this long, it was his cautious nature.

And then they heard it—a faint sound of footsteps, coming from up ahead. The noise grew louder, closer, with every passing second.

There really was something.

The five of them froze, their eyes locked on the darkness ahead. Tension hung thick in the air as they strained to see what was coming.

Even in the dim light, their Awakener-enhanced vision allowed them to make out the figure approaching from around the bend. It was a woman, her silhouette graceful and striking. The tight combat suit she wore hugged her figure perfectly, accentuating every curve. Her long, sleek hair flowed down to her waist, and her pale, flawless face was breathtakingly beautiful.

Lil’ Shroom’s transformation wasn’t just convincing—it was mesmerizing. Her eyes sparkled with life, but if you looked closely, you’d catch a glimmer of something darker—a bloodthirsty excitement, a hunger for violence.

”Is that… someone from Genesis Biotech?” Matt muttered, his voice tinged with surprise.

”Told you,” Smirk said with a smug grin. ”I said there wouldn’t be anything dangerous here. Genesis Biotech’s got this place locked down.”

”But… why is she here?” Matt didn’t move, his instincts still on high alert. Something about this didn’t sit right with him.

Lil’ Shroom was doing this kind of thing for the first time, so it was no surprise she felt a little nervous. When she saw the humans, her first instinct was… well, to lick her lips and teeth. Her mouth started watering almost immediately.

Gulp. She swallowed a bit of saliva.

The scent of humans—it was irresistible to a zombie. Lil’ Shroom walked straight up to the group, stopping about twenty feet away. Her bright eyes scanned them one by one.

She thought for a moment. When humans meet, they usually greet each other first, right?

”Hello,” she said, her voice soft but clear.

”Ha, well, hello there,” Smirk replied, grinning wide. His small eyes lit up with a flicker of admiration.

Now that she was closer, he could really take in her appearance. Genesis Biotech must be doing pretty well for themselves, he thought, to keep someone looking this clean and pristine. In a world like this, it was rare to see a woman who looked so… untouched by the apocalypse.

Especially that little lip-licking thing she’d done earlier—he’d caught it, and it had definitely left an impression. There was something oddly alluring about it.

”For the sake of our partnership with Genesis Biotech,” Smirk thought to himself, ”I’d be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice… and marry her.”

Matt, however, wasn’t so easily distracted. His sharp eyes narrowed as he asked, ”Why are you here?”

”Uh… where should I be?” Lil’ Shroom replied instinctively, tilting her head slightly. Her big eyes blinked with a hint of innocent confusion.

The five of them exchanged glances, clearly finding the situation a bit odd.

Smirk decided to step in. ”Hey, uh, weren’t we supposed to meet at the next station? That was the plan, right?”

”Oh, right,” Lil’ Shroom said quickly, nodding as if she’d just remembered. She turned her head slightly, glancing back into the pitch-black darkness behind her.

That small movement didn’t escape Matt’s notice. His expression immediately grew more serious.

”What are you looking at?” he asked, his tone sharp.

”N-nothing,” Lil’ Shroom stammered, quickly turning back to face them. ”I’m just here to meet you guys and make sure you’re safe. You know, in case anything dangerous showed up.”

Her eyes darted between them, and she couldn’t help but swallow again. Gulp.

Smirk, ever the smooth talker, tried to ease the tension. ”Hey, hey, no need to get all worked up. We’re partners now, right? Friends, even.”

”I’m still a little nervous,” Lil’ Shroom admitted honestly, her voice small.

”Aw, don’t worry about it,” Smirk said with a chuckle. ”I’m a pretty gentle guy, you know. By the way, judging by how you’re acting, I’m guessing you’re a newly awakened Genesis Biotech recruit?”

”Uh-huh, I am,” Lil’ Shroom said, nodding enthusiastically like a woodpecker.

”Ah, that explains it…” The group visibly relaxed a little. She really did seem like a rookie—clueless and harmless.

Their guard dropped just a fraction. After all, who would ever suspect that someone so adorably awkward could be a bloodthirsty monster?

Her innocent demeanor had become her perfect camouflage.

”Well, why don’t we head out together?” Smirk suggested.

”Sure, sounds good,” Lil’ Shroom replied, falling into step with them.

The group began moving forward into the darkness of the subway tunnel. However, the Black Hand Legion members were nothing if not cautious. They kept a consistent twenty-foot distance between themselves and Lil’ Shroom—a survival habit they’d picked up in the apocalypse. You never got too close to strangers.

The only exception was Smirk, who edged a little closer to her, clearly intrigued.

”So, uh, what’s your name, miss?” he asked, his tone a little too friendly.

”Shroom,” she answered simply, without hesitation.

Smirk blinked, momentarily caught off guard. ”Shroom?” he thought. Was that a codename? Like ”Gray Wolf” or ”Night Hawk”? Still, he had to admit, it was kind of unique. It had a nice ring to it.

”That’s a pretty cool name,” he said, flashing her a grin.

”Of course it is. My boss gave it to me,” Lil’ Shroom replied, her bright eyes flicking over the group. Her mission was clear: gather intel and memorize their faces.

And when she’d glanced back into the darkness earlier? She wasn’t just being nervous. She’d been looking at Ethan, who was still hidden in the shadows, silently watching everything unfold.

...