Apocalypse: King of Zombies

The young man was diligently digging up bones, his heart brimming with joy. Clearly, he had a bit of a crush on the girl. He figured that if he helped her out a few more times and showed her some extra care, maybe—just maybe—he could win her over and she’d fall for him.

And, well, the girl did have plans to give herself to him. Just… not in the way he imagined.

Daisy’s gaze sharpened slightly, and with a sudden squelch, her abdomen split open. A tentacle shot out like an arrow, piercing straight through the young man’s back.

The tentacle quickly swelled, forming a bulge that began moving into the young man’s body. It was a parasitic creature, a smaller monster that had split off after consuming flesh and blood.

As the bulge disappeared into his body, the young man’s bones began to crack and shift audibly. His expression of pain faded quickly, replaced by a dark, emotionless look.

”Go infect someone else,” Daisy said coldly.

”Yes,” the young man replied calmly. He turned and began walking toward the shelter.

As long as there was enough flesh and blood, the creatures could grow rapidly—one becoming two, two becoming four, multiplying exponentially. Their spread was terrifyingly fast.

What made it worse was that once the monsters parasitized a host, they could access the host’s memories. They could map out social connections, making it easier to find their next target.

Take the young man, for example. His next target? His own mother.

Because… family is always easier to approach.

...

Daisy also returned to the shelter. She had completely mastered the weaknesses of human men and knew how to use her advantages—like her beauty—to get close to them.

The shelter was bustling with activity. There were houses built by Earth-element Awakeners, as well as plenty of temporary tents. People were coming and going, the place alive with chatter and movement.

”Hey, Daisy! Back so soon?” a burly man called out in surprise.

”Yeah,” Daisy replied, her delicate brows furrowing as she put on a pained expression. ”I just twisted my ankle a little… it hurts so much~~~”

The man immediately stepped forward. ”What a coincidence! Before all this apocalypse stuff, I was an orthopedic doctor. Let me take a look for you.”

”Thank you,” Daisy said sweetly, limping over to him. She grabbed his arm for support, leaning her body against his.

”Uh…” The man froze for a moment, clearly feeling the softness pressing against him. His expression shifted, and it was obvious he was overthinking things.

Was she… hinting at something?

Could it be that he was that attractive?

But then again, he was much older than her. It didn’t seem appropriate, and if others found out, there’d definitely be gossip.

Then again… it was the apocalypse. Did any of that even matter anymore?

With that thought, he wrapped an arm around Daisy’s waist and led her into a nearby building.

As for what happened next… well, there’s no need to spell it out.

Daisy didn’t parasitize the man, though. Instead, she devoured him completely. After all, she needed enough flesh and blood to split off new monsters.

”Hmm?”

At that moment, Sean happened to be walking past the building. As an Awakener with enhanced hearing, he picked up on faint squelching and crunching sounds, like something was being chewed.

”Why does that sound so familiar?” Sean scratched his head, trying to place it. Then it hit him—when they’d discovered a monster last time, Megan had made the exact same sounds.

No way. No way there’s another monster here, right?

Without hesitation, he pushed the door open.

Inside, Daisy was sitting on the edge of the bed, her abdomen slightly swollen. The air was faintly tinged with the smell of blood.

”What were you just eating?” Sean asked bluntly, his sharp eyes locking onto her.

”I…” Daisy’s mind raced. She knew Sean was the second-strongest Awakener in the shelter and not someone she could easily deal with. Luckily, he wasn’t exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, which made him easier to fool.

Her eyes darted around the room and landed on a few packs of compressed biscuits sitting on the table.

”Oh… those,” she said quickly. ”I was just eating some biscuits. Want some?”

”For real?” Sean’s face lit up. The thought of food immediately pushed any suspicions about monsters to the back of his mind.

”Well, don’t mind if I do!”

He walked in, grabbed a pack of biscuits, and tore it open, stuffing his mouth with large bites.

There were red date-flavored ones, scallion-flavored ones, peanut-flavored ones, and even chocolate-flavored ones. They were surprisingly tasty.

Daisy watched Sean as he stuffed his face with biscuits, stepping closer to him one careful step at a time. What an idiot, she thought to herself, fell for it just like that.

And Sean wasn’t just any idiot—his level was high. If she could devour him, her strength would skyrocket, and she’d be able to split off a whole bunch of new little monsters. He was practically a walking buffet.

”You eat the biscuits, and I’ll eat you,” Daisy muttered internally, now standing right behind him. Sean was so focused on his food that he didn’t even notice her. She couldn’t help but feel smug.

But just as she was about to strike, Sean suddenly turned his head. His mouth was covered in biscuit crumbs, and his wide eyes stared directly at her.

Daisy froze, her heart skipping a beat. Did he figure it out?

”What… what are you doing?” she asked, trying to sound casual.

”Got any water? I’m thirsty,” Sean said, completely oblivious.

”...” Daisy was speechless. She turned around, suppressing her frustration, and poured him a glass of water.

Sean grabbed the cup and chugged it down in big gulps, the sound of him drinking echoing in the room. Glug glug glug.

Daisy watched him closely, her mind racing. Her sneak attack had failed, and she’d almost blown her cover. It seemed like she’d have to resort to her usual tricks.

”Sean, you must be tired. Want me to give you a massage?” she offered, her voice soft and sweet.

”Sure!” Sean replied without hesitation, clearly liking the idea.

Daisy’s lips curled into a barely noticeable smirk. Even an idiot has basic instincts, she thought.

She stepped to the side and slowly took off her jacket, revealing a snug tank top that clung to her figure. Her curves were on full display.

Sean stared at her, his expression blank. For some reason, he suddenly remembered the taste of milk from his days at the orphanage.

Daisy, still smiling, moved closer to him. She placed a hand gently on his shoulder.

The room grew quiet. Just the two of them, alone. The atmosphere shifted, becoming… charged.

Daisy leaned in, her flawless face inching closer to his. She could feel his breath now, warm and steady. Her heart swelled with triumph. To seal the deal, she decided to go all in, leaning forward to press her lips to his.

”I think I…” Sean started, his voice trailing off.

Daisy smiled, her tone dripping with seduction. ”Whatever you’re thinking… just do it.”

”Oh, okay. I need to pee,” Sean said, standing up abruptly. He turned and walked toward the door, muttering to himself as he left. ”Man, those biscuits were so good. But all that water… whew.”

”...” Daisy stood there, completely stunned, watching him leave. Her mind went blank for a moment.

This stupid human!

Her fists clenched tightly, her face twisting with frustration. Another failed attempt at parasitizing him.

”One day,” she hissed under her breath, ”I’ll get rid of him.”

But she knew the truth. She’d only just infiltrated the shelter, and there weren’t enough infected humans yet. It wasn’t the right time to make a move.

For now, she had to keep infecting more people.

Daisy sifted through the memories she’d absorbed, trying to find a more suitable target. Someone easier to manipulate. After a moment of thought, a name popped into her mind.

Chris.

...