Apocalypse: King of Zombies

Heartland City compound sat in the middle of the Atlas Federation—prime location.

Which also meant it was a magnet for trouble.

Fights broke out here almost every day.

The ones occupying Heartland City compound were a group of light-type Void Realm creatures—Luminari. They weren’t like the Flamekin, who burned humans on a whim, but that didn’t make them ”good.”

They just had a different kind of cruelty.

They saw themselves as inherently superior. Whenever a battle came, they forced the humans inside the compound to go first—to act as cannon fodder—so the Luminari could probe the enemy’s strength and abilities with zero risk.

Because of that, Heartland City’s death rate was far higher than any other compound’s.

Heartland City had once been the most populated compound. Now, aside from Fallen Star City, it had become the smallest—its population had been slashed from over five million to a little over two million.

More than half gone.

After Graham died, the Commander’s position in Heartland City compound fell to Edmund Fletcher, the former Commander of Crownfall City compound.

In normal times, Edmund probably would’ve been ecstatic.

But with the world like this, the ”promotion” felt like holding a red-hot iron.

Still, there were over two million people left. Someone had to command them.

Otherwise, these Void Realm creatures would play with them until none were left.

At that moment, inside Heartland City compound’s central hall, several high-ranking Luminari were drinking and laughing together, while a group of humans stood silently off to the side, waiting on them.

”Haha—this life is way more comfortable than Dawnreach Continent,” a young Luminari man said with a grin. ”I don’t even want to go back.”

”If the dimensional rifts stop opening,” another young man agreed, nodding, ”staying here wouldn’t be a bad choice. This place has plenty of mysterious energy—no worse than Dawnreach.”

A Luminari woman let out a sharp, mocking laugh. ”Seriously, how stupid are the humans here? With an environment this good, they’re still this weak. They deserve to be cannon fodder.”

They didn’t bother lowering their voices around the humans at all—talking like the people standing right there were furniture.

The humans’ eyes flickered, emotion flashing under the surface.

But nobody spoke.

They simply acted like they hadn’t heard a word.

”Don’t put it that way,” someone else said, almost lazily. ”I heard this world didn’t even have mysterious energy before. It only appeared in the last year or so. For humans to reach this level in a year… that’s honestly impressive.”

”Impressive?” another Luminari scoffed. ”They’ve just been feeding off endless crystal cores. If Dawnreach Continent didn’t restrict hunting Outland Beasts, we’d already be Stage SS.”

”Enough.” The middle-aged Luminari seated at the head finally spoke, voice calm but heavy. The room quieted immediately. ”What about the investigation I ordered?”

”We checked.” A Luminari man stepped forward. ”This world seems connected to many others. When the dimensional rifts opened, powerhouses from multiple worlds entered this continent.”

”The region we’re in is called the Atlas Federation. There are five human city compounds here.”

He hesitated, then continued.

”The strange part is… only four of the five human cities were taken by outsiders. One city is still in human hands.”

”That’s impossible,” the Luminari woman snapped, disbelief written all over her face. ”With the strength of the humans on this continent, how could they hold a city?”

”That’s why I said it was strange,” the investigator said, frowning. ”But based on what I found… there really is one city still controlled by humans.”

The middle-aged Luminari at the head of the hall narrowed his eyes, thinking.

”If that’s true, then these humans may not be as simple as they look.”

He tapped a finger once on the armrest.

”What races hold the other three city compounds? How strong are they?”

”The other three are held by the Verdants, Flamekin, and Stormkin,” the investigator replied. ”Each has a Tier 35 powerhouse overseeing them. Their overall strength should be… not below ours.”

The middle-aged man nodded slowly.

”Looks like more than a few powerful races have entered this world.”

”A race that can send a Tier 35 powerhouse as an advance force…” His eyes narrowed. ”Their overall strength shouldn’t be any weaker than our Luminari.”

”Have you found any Stage SS powerhouses?”

”Not yet,” the investigator answered. ”Even among top-tier races, it’s unlikely they’d send Stage SS experts for something like exploring an unknown world. There are too many uncertainties. Stage SS is too important to risk.”

”Mmm.” The elder’s expression didn’t relax. ”Still—watch for the ones who don’t follow common sense. The reckless types. If a Stage SS powerhouse appears, I want to know immediately.”

”Yes.”

”However…” the investigator hesitated. ”We haven’t seen Stage SS people… but we’ve heard reports of Stage SS feral beasts. Even Stage SSS.”

”—!” The room jolted.

”Are those reports reliable?”

”The Stage SS one probably is,” the investigator said quickly. ”Multiple witnesses saw it—a massive Glacial Bear. As for the Stage SSS… that one might be false. They only said they saw a terrifying beast walking through the air. They didn’t even get a clear look at what it was.”

The elder’s gaze turned colder.

”I’d rather believe it’s real than gamble that it isn’t.” He looked around the hall. ”From now on, have the humans keep watch day and night. The moment anything looks wrong, we’re notified.”

”Yes!”

A young Luminari man leaned forward. ”Elder… if a Stage SS feral beast really comes, what do we do?”

”What do you think?” The elder didn’t even blink. ”We make the humans hold it back, and we retreat. Don’t even consider fighting it. A Stage SS feral beast is not something we can handle.”

”Understood.”

That was the moment a young human woman in the crowd finally snapped.

”You… you’re demons.”

”Demons?” A Luminari laughed softly, amused. ”Then you truly don’t understand the most basic rule of the world—survival of the fittest. The weak don’t get to resist. If you want to blame someone… blame yourselves for being weak.”

”Is that so?”

A voice cut in from outside the doors—cool, skeptical, edged with danger.

The hall froze.

A heartbeat later, a group of figures walked straight through the entrance like they owned it.

The Luminari powerhouses frowned instantly, alert.

Meanwhile, the humans inside… started shaking. Not from fear.

From something that felt almost unreal.

”Ethan… it’s Ethan!”

A young Luminari man snapped, face dark. ”Without our permission, who gave you the nerve to walk in here?”

”Your permission?” Ethan’s voice dropped, cold as iron. ”This is human territory. Since when do we need your permission to step into our own city?”

A burst of laughter from the Luminari side.

”Human territory?” the same young man said, eyes full of contempt. ”You must be new. No one told you? This city belongs to the Luminari now. You humans are, at best, our servants.”

”No.” Ethan’s gaze didn’t move an inch. ”All I know is this is human land.”

His lips curled.

”It doesn’t become yours just because a few glowing dogs decided to squat here.”

”You’re courting death!” The Luminari youth snorted and flicked his hand.

A spear of light shot toward Ethan’s head.

Ethan didn’t even flinch—hands clasped behind his back, posture relaxed, like he was watching a firework that bored him.

The light vanished when it came within three feet of him, snuffed out like it had hit an invisible wall.

Everyone in the hall frowned, surprise flashing across their faces as they reevaluated Ethan.

Then—

Psshk.

A sharp sound of something punching through flesh.

A muffled grunt.

The Luminari youth’s eyes widened. His throat had been pierced clean through by a long spear.

Chris’s figure shimmered into view behind him, stepping out of concealment with a cold stare.

”Try to lay a hand on our boss again,” Chris said flatly, ”and you’ll learn what ’courting death’ really means.”