Apocalypse: King of Zombies

Big Ears and his crew scrambled away in a panic, practically tripping over themselves as they fled the scene...

Those Awakeners from Genesis Biotech? Yeah, they were the elite squad sent straight from Global Headquarters—the so-called Perfect Team. And damn, they lived up to the hype. These were top-tier humans, the cream of the crop. In just a few swift moves, they wiped out a five-thousand-strong Zombie Horde like it was nothing.

Truth is, they’d already sensed Big Ears and his crew nearby. But they were so weak, the Perfect Team didn’t even bother acknowledging them. Not worth the effort.

Big Ears and the others, still shaking with fear, bolted all the way back to San Antonio. When they finally reached Ethan, they were breathless, flailing their arms and talking over each other, trying to describe what they’d just seen. Their voices were high with panic, their faces pale with shock.

”Powerful humans?” Ethan narrowed his eyes, thinking it over. It didn’t take long to figure it out—these had to be the people Richard brought in from Global Headquarters to deal with him.

That sand manipulation ability... definitely a variant of earth-based powers. Not something to take lightly.

Ethan’s assessment? ”Extremely dangerous.”

Meanwhile, with hundreds of thousands of zombies from Los Angeles closing in, the entire state of Texas was on edge. Every faction was secretly preparing for what was coming.

The battle that would reshape the future of America was about to begin.

...

Back at the Los Angeles Safe Zone, things had been going surprisingly well since Ethan left. The crops they planted had flourished—more than enough to feed everyone.

They’d even set up a school: the Los Angeles Academy of Survival. It focused on teaching kids how to fight and survive, with classes on monster biology and combat tactics.

Chris, Brandon, and a few others had taken up roles as instructors. They weren’t the strongest fighters around, but they’d seen a lot and knew their stuff.

Right now, on the school’s training field, a bunch of teenagers had gathered around Chris, calling out ”Instructor Chris!” like he was some kind of celebrity. He was grinning ear to ear, clearly loving the attention.

”Instructor Chris, is the zombie nest in L.A. the strongest in the country now?” one kid asked.

”Yeah, you could say that,” Chris nodded. ”Not many forces out there can stand up to it anymore.”

A girl chimed in, ”Besides the Zombie King, who’s the strongest under his command?”

Chris scratched his head. ”Hmm... they’re all pretty tough, honestly.”

The girl leaned in, curious. ”I heard that during the battle in San Diego, the whole Zombie Horde got swallowed up by black mist and never came out. People say that mist means death. So... does that mean the Mist Zombie King is the strongest?”

”Nope!”

Chris chuckled. ”That’s just what people say. Most of them don’t know what they’re talking about. The Mist Zombie King might seem scary, but truth is? He’s kind of a coward. Not nearly as terrifying as the rumors make him out to be.”

”For real?”

”Of course! Would Instructor Chris lie to you?” he said with a wink.

Chris had spent a lot of time hanging around Mia, so he’d seen things most people hadn’t. He knew which rumors were real and which were just campfire stories.

He shifted gears and started explaining the different types of zombies.

”Right now, there are all kinds of zombies out there. One type is the fusion-type Zombie King. They merge with mutated animals or plants, and their powers are tied to whatever they fused with.”

”Then there’s the ’Freaker’—that’s a zombie that’s eaten other zombies. But if it goes too far, it turns into something way worse: a Black-Skin Zombie. Those things are mindless, pure monsters. Basically, zombies among zombies.”

”Whoa, that sounds terrifying!” the students gasped, wide-eyed.

Chris soaked in their reactions, his ego swelling. These kids had never been outside the Safe Zone, so to them, he was practically a legend.

Then a younger girl piped up, ”Instructor Chris, I heard from Mr. Brandon that you know the most about parasite monsters. Can you tell us about them?”

”Uh... maybe let’s skip that one,” Chris froze for a second, then forced a smile to cover his awkwardness.

Damn it, Brandon. Teaching kids the wrong stuff again...

Just then, Mia showed up with Sean, Brandon, Griffin, and the rest of the crew, walking toward them from across the field.

”Hey, Chris! You coming or not?” Mia called out.

”Going where?” Chris blinked, confused. Things had been calm in L.A. lately—no missions, no emergencies. What could be going on?

”To Texas,” Mia said casually.

”Pfft—!”

Chris nearly choked on his own spit. He already knew the zombie horde from L.A. was on the move, sweeping across the land like a tidal wave. And now it was heading straight for Texas.

The North American regional headquarters of Genesis Biotech was gearing up to build the ultimate line of defense—a last stand against the incoming Zombie Horde. And right there, smack in the middle of it all, was Blackhand City, home base of the infamous Black Hand Legion. With so many heavy hitters converging, it had become the most dangerous place in America, no question.

Most survivors from other shelters had already fled to the Mount Elbert Safe Zone, doing everything they could to stay as far away from the chaos as possible. But Mia and her crew? They were heading straight into the fire.

”Wait, wait, wait... why the hell are we going there?” Chris stammered. ”We’re way out here, safe and sound. Can’t we just... not?”

”We’re going to kill Slade,” Mia said flatly. ”Last time, he got lucky and slipped away. This time, we’re finishing the job.”

The feud between the Safe Zone and the Black Hand Legion had always been blood-deep. There was no middle ground. As long as the Legion existed, they were a threat. And threats had to be eliminated—period.

Chris mulled it over. It sounded insanely dangerous. Way more dangerous than teaching a bunch of kids how to swing a bat or identify a mutant. Honestly, he’d much rather stay behind and keep playing the wise instructor.

But then he glanced at the students around him. Their eyes were wide, sparkling with admiration.

”Whoa! You’re going to take down the leader of the Black Hand Legion?!”

”That’s seriously badass!”

”Instructor Chris, you’re amazing! I know you can do it!”

”Yeah! We believe in you! Taking down Slade will be a piece of cake for you!”

”You’re our hero!”

”...”

Chris felt their hope, their excitement, their belief in him—and suddenly, the words ”I’m not going” just wouldn’t come out. He swallowed them down hard.

He couldn’t let them down.

”Alright then... let’s move out!” he shouted, puffing up his chest.

...

Mia and the crew boarded their custom-built crystal core aircraft, engines humming with power. With a roar, the sleek machine lifted off the ground and shot into the sky, streaking toward Texas like a comet.

Griffin was with them too. He was a Texas native, and deep down, he wanted to see his home again—if there was anything left of it.

...

Meanwhile, Texas was turning into a powder keg. More and more powerful factions were arriving by the day, and the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife.

But it wasn’t just Texas heating up.

Back at the Mount Elbert Shelter, things were stirring too.

Dylan stood on a raised platform in the central plaza, addressing a crowd of over a thousand people. He was holding a rally, trying to rally support for a counterattack against the Zombie King. Even though Mia had tricked him, the mission still had to go on.

”The Zombie Horde from Los Angeles is closing in on Texas,” Dylan declared, voice booming through the speakers. ”This is a critical moment for humanity. If we don’t stand up now, we may not get another chance. Who among you will rise to fight? Who will stand for the future of mankind?”

The crowd shifted uncomfortably. Murmurs rippled through the plaza. People exchanged nervous glances.

Go down the mountain to fight the Zombie King?

That sounded a hell of a lot like a suicide mission.

Just as the hesitation reached its peak, a sharp, clear voice rang out from the crowd.

”I don’t agree!”

”Huh?”

Everyone turned in surprise.

A young girl stepped forward, her face beautiful and fierce, her eyes burning with resolve.

It was Lily—Leah’s younger sister—who had just recently arrived at the shelter.

...