Apocalypse: King of Zombies Chapter 1176: That Area… Is a Forbidden Zone

Ethan, accompanied by his team, advanced toward the Void Realm's entrance alongside the white-furred apes and five additional mutant beasts.

Zombies lining the path didn't dare approach. The sheer ferocity of this group intimidated anything with even partial intelligence.

Within under two hours, they arrived back at the Void Realm's gateway.

Immediately, the entire party entered without delay.

Leading with the white-furred apes and bolstered by their enhanced power, they no longer needed to sneak about as they had previously. This visit aimed to dominate utterly.

Ethan chose the Ironback Rats as their initial target. It was obvious—he sought revenge for the previous encounter.

However, upon spotting the rats, all the white-furred apes displayed clear reluctance.

It seemed that even these powerful creatures avoided tangling with Ironback Rats.

Eventually, Ethan enticed them with offers of barbecue, and they reluctantly agreed.

Previously, Ethan had been at Tier 10, with the rest at Tier 9.

Now, Ethan stood at Tier 11, and the majority of his allies had advanced to Tier 10. Facing the identical Ironback Rats, the outcome was vastly different.

At Tier 10 before, Ethan's poleaxe strike on a Tier 10 Ironback Rat merely scratched its iron-like back armor shallowly.

At Tier 11 now, that very strike cleaved through the rat's defenses as if they were flimsy metal sheets.

Without its protective armor, an Ironback Rat became utterly vulnerable and simple to dispatch.

Ethan wasn't the only one improving; his companions experienced similar gains. Tier 10 warriors, coordinating their attacks with weapons, swiftly eliminated the Tier 8 and Tier 9 Ironback Rats.

Throw in those fearsome white-furred apes, and the rats' domain soon echoed with endless piercing shrieks—high-pitched “chee-chee” wails that rang out relentlessly.

True, Ironback Rats proved tough to slay, yet they yielded valuables from every part of their bodies.

The armor on their backs served as premium material for forging defensive equipment, while their tails acted as innate weapons—extremely sharp and laced with poison.

In truth, each slain Ironback Rat represented a substantial bounty.

Drawn by such rewards, Ethan and his group relentlessly pursued and hunted the rats.

These unfortunate Ironback Rats moved sluggishly and had poor vision. Once detected, escape was nearly impossible for them.

Following this, their pattern became established.

By day, Ethan's crew rampaged across the Void Realm, cutting down foes.

At night, they exited to recuperate in the nearby small town.

The primary cause was straightforward: they required the nocturnal sky to draw in mysterious energy, which remained scarce within the Void Realm.

Over the course of a complete week, Ethan and his allies thoroughly cleared out all mutant beasts within roughly six miles from the entrance, eradicating them en masse. Ultimately, they gathered nearly three hundred thousand premium crystal cores—predominantly Tier 8 and Tier 9.

The power of every individual surged forward.

All members of the Fallen Star Squad ascended to the pinnacle of Tier 10, while Ethan—having devoured three Tier 11 crystal cores alongside absorbing mysterious energy—advanced to the middle stage of Tier 11.

The sole issue lay in the scarcity of Tier 11 mutant beasts. Across the full week, they encountered only three such creatures.

Despite their rapid progress, it paled in comparison to the white-furred apes' advancements.

After a week of nightly returns to Earth to soak up mysterious energy beneath the stars, every white-furred ape had climbed to Stage C—Tier 12.

Such overwhelming might eradicated any notion of challenging them. No one even considered it.

Luckily, after extended time in each other's company, bonds with the white-furred apes had strengthened considerably.

Providing them with barbecue ensured their compliance. Typically, when the squad indicated a target for elimination, the apes assisted without protest.

Yet on this day, as Ethan and his group attempted to venture further into the woods, the white-furred apes frantically refused.

Fear was evident in their expressions.

Witnessing that look, Ethan's chest constricted.

Could there be an entity even more formidable than these apes lurking in the woods…

Ethan leaped onto a tree and invoked [True Sight], scanning the forest's inner reaches with his eyes.

However, the dense thickets lay in eerie silence. No movement whatsoever.

This stillness only heightened Ethan's anxiety.

He persisted in examining every detail meticulously.

Suddenly, his gaze skimmed a utterly dark cavern, causing his heart to leap inexplicably.

As if compelled, he channeled extra mental energy and compelled his vision inside the cavern.

Abruptly—

An gigantic head dominated his sight.

Ethan strained to discern its form, to identify what monstrous thing it was…

And then, as though detecting his intrusion, the creature's sealed eyes burst open.

The moment those eyes met his, it was as if a bolt of thunder exploded in Ethan's mind. His body stiffened completely, and he tumbled from the branch.

“Ethan!”

The group reacted in shock, rushing forward to support him.

“Go!” Ethan gasped, his voice feeble yet urgent. “Get out of here!”

Even more horrifying was the trickle of blood from the edge of Ethan's eye.

That sight instilled terror in all. Without hesitation, one lifted Ethan, and they all fled at maximum speed.

Far within the woods, in that cavern…

The colossal being roused briefly, confused, and peered about.

Afterward, it shut its eyes once more and resumed slumber.

At the Void Realm's entrance…

“Ethan, are you alright?” The others clustered around, their features etched with alarm. “What occurred? Why did you get injured so abruptly?”

Ethan shook his head, still reeling, and cast a cautious glance toward the Void Realm.

“A savage beast hides inside,” he croaked. “An existence far surpassing our comprehension.”

“Surpassing comprehension?” one pressed. “What Tier does it possess?”

“I can't say,” Ethan replied. “But one certainty exists—one strike from it would reduce us all to pulp.”

“…”

A wave of cold dread swept over the team. Several visibly trembled.

Ethan addressed the white-furred apes. “You were aware of its presence?”

The apes affirmed with nods.

Having shared numerous days, their exchanges had become far more fluid.

“Then… have you encountered it previously?”

The apes denied with head shakes.

“Roar…” The leader emitted a deep, strained growl.

(We’ve sensed its presence. We never approached. That region stands as the forest's forbidden zone!)

Ethan nodded gradually. He understood—they recognized its existence but avoided proximity.

His spirits plummeted heavily.

This marked the initial instance Ethan experienced genuine terror.

Not the type one could endure with determination. Not the sort one could overcome through cunning or force.

This terror stemmed from the profound realization of utter helplessness against it.

He had assumed this Void Realm merely lacked dense mysterious energy.

He never anticipated such a horrifying monster dormant within.

Please… I hope it didn't detect me, Ethan pondered.

Then his gaze firmed. “We must not reenter. Ever. Provoking that entity… would cost us our lives tenfold.”

He struggled to his feet. “Let's depart. Return to Clearford City.”

“Okay!”

No delays occurred. They assisted Ethan and evacuated the vicinity swiftly.

During the journey back to Clearford City, an immediate unease arose.

The whole city appeared deserted.

No zombies visible anywhere.

This defied logic. Despite ongoing efforts by the military and Clearford City's Enhanced to purge them, zombie numbers should have remained in the millions. Zero sightings were downright bizarre.

Could the military have eradicated millions of zombies in mere days?

They collectively dismissed the notion.

Impossible. Such a feat lay beyond possibility.

Upon arriving at the mansion, they scarcely settled before General Cross appeared—bringing Michael along.

“Sorry, Ethan,” General Cross uttered, appearing somewhat uneasy. “I realize it's unexpected. I hope we're not intruding.”

“It's alright.” Ethan regarded him curiously. “General Cross, your personal visit implies urgency?”

“Nothing critical,” Cross responded smilingly. “You've resided here for some time without a courtesy call. Today, I found a moment, so I decided to drop by. Adjusting well?”

“We've managed comfortably.” Ethan eyed him, somewhat bemused by Cross's unusually deferential demeanor. It seemed out of character.

Cross coughed lightly. “Ahem. Regarding your prior request for investigation—I have updates.”

Ethan's gaze intensified. “Really? Speak up. Did you locate them?”