Apocalypse: King of Zombies

The moment Ethan spoke, the smile on Raymond’s face vanished.

He was the boss of this compound—a peak Tier 6 Awakened. In a place with over twenty thousand survivors, everyone bowed their heads when they saw him. No one dared talk back.

Yet this young man didn’t give him even a shred of respect.

Just as Raymond’s temper flared, Tyler rushed over and whispered something in his ear.

Raymond’s expression shifted. He stared at Tyler, clearly doubting what he’d just heard.

”You sure about that?”

”Positive,” Tyler said grimly, nodding.

Raymond’s face twisted through a series of emotions before he finally forced a smile back onto his face and turned to Ethan.

”If Kyle’s done anything to offend you, I’ll apologize on his behalf,” he said smoothly. ”If you want compensation, just name it. I’ll do my best to make it right. How’s that sound?”

The people around them exchanged stunned glances.

Was this really their boss?

Since when did he talk like that?

Ethan looked at Raymond with a half-smile that didn’t reach his eyes. ”You really want to get involved in this?”

Raymond chuckled. ”Come on, now. He’s one of my people, and this happened inside my compound. I can’t just stand by, can I? Wouldn’t that make me look bad in front of my men?”

”Great,” Ethan said coldly. ”Since you’re so eager to step in, I’ll give you what you’re asking for. Chris—take an arm.”

”On it.” Chris grinned and started walking toward Raymond. ”Don’t struggle. My blade’s quick.”

Raymond’s face darkened again. ”You really want to push this to the point where people start dying?”

”People dying?” Chris snorted. ”Sorry, but that’s not gonna be us.”

He pulled a dagger from his belt and lunged forward.

”Hmph. Then let me see what Tier 7 can really do!” Raymond growled.

A glowing sword of light formed in his hand and shot toward Chris like a bolt of lightning.

This was his signature move. That same Energy Blade had pierced the throat of the first Tier 6 zombie they’d ever taken down. Now, as a peak Tier 6, he was confident—if the guy really was Tier 7, maybe he wouldn’t die, but he’d definitely be seriously injured.

But just as the Energy Blade was about to hit, Chris vanished.

Raymond’s eyes widened.

”Invisibility-type Awakened?!”

He instantly activated an energy barrier around himself, eyes darting nervously in every direction.

The Energy Blade, having missed Chris, continued flying toward Sean and the others.

Sean’s arm morphed into solid metal. He casually raised it and punched the Energy Blade, shattering it like glass.

Tyler, watching from the side, felt his mouth twitch again.

Another one.

His heart sank completely. Just as he feared—this whole group might really be Tier 7s.

Shhk—

A low, slicing sound cut through the air.

Even with the energy barrier, Raymond couldn’t stop the black-edged dagger Chris had infused with power.

The blade flashed.

An arm flew.

Just like Chris said—his knife was fast.

”AAAGH!” Raymond screamed, clutching the stump of his arm, blood pouring down as he roared, ”Kill them! All of them!”

The surrounding Enhanced scrambled to draw their weapons.

”Don’t! Boss, don’t do it!” Tyler shouted, trying to stop him.

”I just lost a goddamn arm and you want me to stay calm?!” Raymond bellowed, eyes bloodshot.

”They’re all Tier 7s! Even if we all go in, we’re no match for them!” Tyler shouted back, desperate.

That hit like a bucket of ice water.

Raymond froze, the fury draining from his face as reality crashed down on him.

Chris reappeared beside Ethan, flicking the blood off his blade.

”Lucky for you, my boss only wanted an arm. If he’d asked for your head, you’d be picking your brains off the floor right now,” he said coldly. ”Still thinking about fighting? Go ahead. Try me.”

”You—!” Raymond’s face turned a deep, ugly purple. He trembled with rage, but clenched his jaw and swallowed it down. He didn’t dare make a move.

Ethan ignored Raymond completely and turned his gaze back to Kyle. ”Looks like your boss doesn’t have the guts to save you. So… what else you got?”

Panic spread across Kyle’s face. He looked to Raymond with desperate eyes, silently begging for help.

But Raymond didn’t even glance his way. In fact, if looks could kill, Kyle would’ve been dead already. Raymond was practically shaking with frustration—What kind of monster did you drag into my compound, you idiot?!

With no backup coming, the fear finally hit Kyle full force.

They’d never imagined that the boy they once treated like a house slave would grow into someone this terrifying.

As Ethan stepped closer, Kyle’s legs gave out. He collapsed to the ground, trembling. ”Cousin, please… don’t kill me. We’re family. I was just a dumb kid back then. You’re the bigger man—let it go, yeah?”

”Dumb kid?” Ethan let out a cold laugh. ”Chris, lend me your knife.”

Ethan usually only carried his two machetes, which he controlled with his [Telekinesis]. But both were still embedded in Diane’s hands, and he needed a blade in hand.

”Sure thing.” Chris tossed the dagger into the air, and it floated midair for a second before zipping straight into Ethan’s palm like it had a mind of its own.

The crowd gasped.

Ethan walked up to Kyle, dagger in hand. ”Since you never learned how to act like a human being, I guess it’s my job to teach you.”

Without another word, he slashed the blade toward Kyle’s mouth.

That mouth—Ethan had hated it since they were kids.

”Die!” Kyle suddenly roared, a spike forming in his hand as he lunged at Ethan.

But Ethan had seen it coming.

He caught Kyle’s wrist mid-swing and yanked hard.

Rip—

Kyle’s arm tore clean off.

”AAAHHH!!” Kyle screamed, his face going ghost-white as blood poured from the stump.

Ethan kicked him to the ground, then stomped on his remaining hand. With a brutal thrust, he drove the dagger through Kyle’s palm and into the dirt.

”AAAAHHHH!!” Kyle’s screams turned shrill, echoing through the compound.

Everyone watching felt their skin crawl, but no one dared move.

Raymond’s face was dark as ash.

Someone was being tortured right in front of him, in his own compound, and he couldn’t do a damn thing about it.

He didn’t need anyone to tell him—after today, his authority here would never be the same.

”Ethan, you little bastard!” Diane screamed from where she lay pinned. ”Come at me if you’ve got the guts! Leave Kyle alone!”

Ethan glanced at her, voice calm. ”Touching. A mother willing to die for her son.”

He paused, then added, ”Too bad all that love raised nothing but a parasite.”

”You shut your mouth! Kyle’s not a parasite!”

”Oh?” Ethan smiled faintly, then turned to Kyle. ”I’ll give you a chance to live. Kill her, and I’ll let you go.”

Kyle froze.

After seeing Raymond lose an arm and still not dare to fight back, he’d already given up hope.

That brief clash had told him everything—Ethan’s strength was on a whole different level. No one here could stop him.

He didn’t want to believe it, but the truth was staring him in the face.

And now… a chance to live?

”I’m supposed to believe you?” Kyle asked, voice shaking.

The moment he said it, the crowd erupted in shocked murmurs.

Just asking that question meant he was considering it.

People stared at him like he was something rotten.

He’d really kill his own mother to save himself?

”Kyle…” Diane’s voice trembled.

She turned her head toward him, eyes wide with disbelief.

Of all the people here, she was the one who couldn’t accept it.