Apocalypse: King of Zombies

”Not bad on the piano,” Ethan said casually, his figure materializing behind her.

”Huh?” Elegy Zombie King’s face froze in shock. She immediately tensed up, springing from her seat and crouching low like a startled beast, ready to attack at any moment.

”Who’s there?”

”No need to be so jumpy,” Ethan said, trying to reassure her. He couldn’t help but think, Man, this kid’s really on edge. Must be all those humans in San Bernardino. Even the slightest noise has her spooked.

Elegy Zombie King’s sharp, predatory eyes locked onto him, her guard not dropping for even a second. If anything, she seemed even more wary. After all, someone appearing out of thin air would put anyone on edge.

But as her heightened senses scanned him, she realized something—Ethan didn’t have the aura of the living. He wasn’t human. He was a zombie, just like her.

”What are you doing in my territory?” she demanded, her voice cold and unyielding.

Territory? Ethan glanced around the room, taking in the dilapidated surroundings. He raised an eyebrow. She’s calling this building her territory?

”Your ’territory’ isn’t even as big as my living room,” he said, smirking.

”...” Elegy Zombie King was momentarily speechless. ”Are you trying to say your territory is huge?”

”Not exactly,” Ethan replied with a shrug. ”But I can see you’ve got potential. Why don’t you come work for me in the future?”

He didn’t bother sugarcoating it. This Elegy Zombie King was clearly struggling under the pressure of human oppression, barely scraping by with her B+ rank. But her awakened abilities were promising, and she had talent—real talent.

In Los Angeles, there was no room for idle zombies. Sure, she was weak now, but evolution was always an option. Still, if she wanted to survive, she needed a purpose.

Elegy Zombie King frowned. ”You barge into my territory uninvited and then tell me to work for you? Do you really think I’d agree to that?”

”Oh...” Ethan nodded, amused. Figures. Musicians. Always free-spirited and rebellious.

”You don’t have to decide right away,” he said, leaning casually against the wall. ”Take your time to think it over. Wouldn’t want you regretting it later.”

”I don’t regret my decisions,” she shot back firmly. ”And besides, this place is dangerous right now. I just killed a bunch of humans. They’ll probably send stronger Awakeners soon. If you don’t leave now, you might not get the chance.”

Her tone was cautious, her instincts sharp. She was right to be wary. San Bernardino’s Awakeners were no joke, with plenty of A-rankers in their ranks. For someone like her, staying alive required constant vigilance.

But Ethan didn’t seem the least bit concerned. ”The ones who should be leaving are the humans,” he said nonchalantly.

Just then, a faint buzzing sound filled the air. Outside the window, a dozen or so drones zipped through the sky, spreading out to surround the mall. Their cameras scanned the area with precision, leaving no blind spots.

It was clear now—human Awakeners were on their way.

”Damn it! They’re already here!” Elegy’s eyes narrowed, her predatory instincts kicking in.

Ethan strolled over to the second-floor window, peering outside. Sure enough, down the street, human figures began to emerge. Dozens of them. No, more than that—there were at least a hundred.

It was a standard Operation King Hunt squad.

Leading the group were four Awakeners, with their captain standing out as an A-rank. The rest were armed personnel who had just reached the Neurocore stage of awakening.

Thanks to the development and widespread use of the ”Human Evolution Serum,” Awakeners were becoming more and more common. These days, it felt like you couldn’t throw a rock without hitting one.

Elegy’s gaze was fixed on the approaching group. ”The leader is Jonathan Reed, an A-rank psychic Awakener. His strength is second only to the Four Knights of Bernardino. This is bad.”

Ethan, however, didn’t seem fazed. Instead, he turned to her with an unexpected question. ”Hey, have you ever heard this song?”

”What?” she asked, caught off guard.

”’Open up your head and let me see inside,’” Ethan said, quoting the lyrics.

”Uh...” Elegy blinked, momentarily thrown. Before the apocalypse, she’d been a music teacher. As her mind continued to evolve, fragments of her old memories often resurfaced—especially when it came to music. She’d heard countless songs in her time.

But this one? It didn’t ring a bell.

”Never heard of it,” she admitted.

”Oh, well,” Ethan said with a grin. ”I’ll teach it to you later.”

...

By now, Jonathan and his team had arrived near the mall. They stood tall and imposing, clad in matching combat uniforms that gave them an air of authority and precision.

Occasionally, a few low-level zombies would lurch out from the shadows, but they were swiftly and effortlessly dealt with by the team.

”So, it’s true. There’s a Zombie King with strange abilities hiding in this mall,” Jonathan said, his sharp gaze fixed on the building ahead.

One of his teammates nodded. ”That works in our favor, Captain. Your A-rank psychic abilities are a natural counter to a Zombie King with powers like that.”

”Exactly,” Jonathan replied confidently. ”I’ll handle her attacks and keep her abilities at bay. You all charge in and take her down as quickly as possible. Let’s not give the other squads a chance to steal our glory.” His tone was calm, almost casual, but it carried an unmistakable weight of authority and self-assurance.

”Yes, sir!” the team responded in unison before storming into the mall.

The first-floor lobby was a scene straight out of a nightmare. Blood was smeared across the floor, and half-eaten corpses lay scattered about. Bloody handprints clawed down the walls, a haunting testament to the victims’ final moments of despair.

”I’ll avenge you,” one of the female team members murmured, her voice tinged with emotion. Her eyes scanned the area, and she gestured for the group to head upstairs in search of the Zombie King.

But before they could move, the eerie sound of a piano echoed through the blood-soaked lobby. The melody was hauntingly beautiful, crisp and flowing, like a gentle breeze weaving through a secluded valley. It was captivating, almost otherworldly.

Elegy Zombie King was at it again, using her music to ensnare her enemies.

The Awakeners froze in place, their bodies stiffening as if bound by invisible strings. The melody seemed to seep into their very bones, compelling them to move in rhythm with its haunting tune.

”Cap... Captain, something’s wrong with this music,” the female team member said, her voice trembling as she struggled against the invisible force.

”It’s fine,” Jonathan said dismissively, his tone calm and assured. ”It’s just a zombie using sound as a medium for psychic control. Not exactly rare.” His experience with such abilities was evident in his composed demeanor.

With a flicker of concentration, Jonathan unleashed his psychic energy, forming a barrier that blocked the sound waves from reaching his team.

The pressure lifted instantly. The team members exhaled in relief, their movements no longer restricted.

”Captain, you’re amazing! Let’s keep moving!” one of them said, their confidence restored.

The group charged up the stairwell, their boots echoing against the cracked tiles, and soon reached the second-floor entrance.

”Raaaghhh!”

Before they could step into the second-floor lobby, a horde of zombies surged out to meet them. These were Elegy Zombie King’s few remaining underlings. They crowded the dim, decrepit hallway, their bloodied faces twisted into grotesque snarls. Some were piled on top of each other, creating a wave of undead that surged forward like a tide.

”Perfect timing. Flame Barrier!” the female team member called out. With a sharp motion of her hand, a wave of searing heat erupted from her, forming a wall of fire that began to push forward, consuming everything in its path.

The flames engulfed the zombies, their agonized screams filling the air. Some of the weaker ones were reduced to ash almost instantly. But the more resilient ones—those with tougher, more evolved bodies—emerged from the inferno, their flesh ablaze. They charged forward like living torches, undeterred by the fire.

”What the...?” The woman’s brow furrowed in frustration. She hadn’t expected the zombies to be this relentless.

A young man stepped forward, drawing two alloy short blades from the sheath on his back with a sharp metallic hiss.

”Elite zombies are tougher to deal with. Let me handle this,” he said, his tone calm but confident.

”Alright,” the woman said, stepping aside.

The young man was a speed Awakener, his movements a blur as he darted forward. In the blink of an eye, his blades flashed, and the heads of two flaming zombies hit the ground, their bodies collapsing in a heap.

”Eli, you’re amazing!” the woman said, her eyes lighting up with admiration.

Eli chuckled and reached out to ruffle her hair affectionately. ”You’ve only just awakened your abilities. Keep practicing and building your strength. One day, you’ll be even stronger than me.”

...