Apocalypse: King of Zombies Chapter 1178: Let’s Add Another Flying Mount to the Collection

Goldcrest City...

As the grand western super-metropolis in the Atlas Federation, this city boasted a population exceeding twenty million residents. It also served as the central hub for the western Joint Military Base.

The moment the apocalypse struck, a metropolis of that scale transformed into a nightmarish inferno in mere hours.

Such a huge populace translated into an overwhelming horde of zombies. Survival in this place proved immensely tougher than in typical areas.

The sole advantage lay in the Joint Military Base's substantial garrison—and their vast reserves were impressively stocked. Unlike Clearford City, Goldcrest possessed a more comprehensive array of heavy weaponry, in greater abundance, and far more systematically arranged.

Relying on sheer firepower, the armed forces succeeded in setting up a fortified enclave within Goldcrest City and launching rescue efforts.

However, Goldcrest City surpassed Clearford in both size and inhabitants, and its commanders lacked the prowess of General Cross. Thus, despite erecting the enclave, they reclaimed only a tiny fraction of the urban expanse. The bulk of Goldcrest remained under zombie control.

Nevertheless, the enclave's fortifications stood impregnable. Zombies failed to penetrate it, and existence within remained... steady.

Steady, yet far from liberated.

In contrast to Clearford City, the Enhanced individuals in Goldcrest City were compelled to follow the centralized directives of the enclave's overseers. All supplies within were allocated by the authorities. Many harbored bitterness about this, but in such a harsh reality, complaints often lingered unspoken.

At present, within a sprawling mansion in the enclave, a middle-aged man eyed a pair of forty-somethings with an odd glint in his gaze.

He held the position of Goldcrest City's chief administrator—once known as Deputy Base Commander Leonard Hale.

"Are you absolutely certain you have no acquaintance with General Cross?" Leonard inquired once more.

The couple shook their heads in utter confusion.

They were mere everyday folks who had operated a modest enterprise in Goldcrest City. How could they possibly recognize a figure like him?

"That's precisely what baffles me." Leonard creased his brow. "If you've never met him, why would he exert such effort to have me locate you? He even compensated with a Tier 8 crystal core."

Leonard appeared genuinely perplexed.

"Colonel Hale... could you confirm we've been correctly identified?" the husband ventured cautiously.

"Absolutely not." Leonard's voice hardened like steel. "The description he provided was crystal clear, and it aligns with you exactly. No error here."

He gestured dismissively, his patience waning. "Very well. You may depart for the moment. When his people arrive, the truth will come to light."

"Yes, sir."

Once the pair had been ushered away, Leonard addressed a youthful subordinate lingering nearby.

"Assign personnel to monitor them closely," Leonard instructed. "Ensure they remain confined to their quarters over the coming days."

"Understood."

"Furthermore, General Cross mentioned they'll dispatch someone to retrieve them in a day or two," Leonard continued. "Instruct the sentries to heighten their vigilance."

The young man paused briefly, then blurted out, unable to contain himself. "But... Clearford City lies almost a thousand miles away. During the apocalypse, do they truly possess the capability to traverse such a vast distance merely to collect two individuals?"

"Hard to say." Leonard's eyes sharpened. "Yet, if General Cross parted with a Tier 8 crystal core for their sake, Clearford must be faring exceptionally well."

"Even supposing they're thriving, how could they outshine us?" the youth retorted with evident scorn. "Goldcrest City controls far superior resources."

"Never dismiss General Cross lightly," Leonard warned in a frosty tone. "His ascent from commoner to Joint Base Commander wasn't mere chance."

"Yes, sir."

The young man edged closer, his inquisitiveness overtaking him. "Uncle Leonard... since he prizes them so highly, why not demand additional crystal cores?"

"All dealings carry a cost," Leonard replied. "Push beyond fair value, and even the unwise discern the balance of exchange."

"I see."

A subtle smirk played on Leonard's lips. "That said... I'm eager to meet those envoys. Traversing a thousand miles amid the end times demands real power."

His gaze intensified. "Should I persuade them to remain in Goldcrest City... it would prove a valuable acquisition."

Several hundred miles distant from Goldcrest City, soaring high overhead, a duo of colossal birds sliced through the winds at maximum velocity. Each bore a single passenger astride.

Over recent days, Golden Eagle Nugget and Dire Eagle Pebble had gorged on Tier 10 mutant beast flesh. Their power had surged to the pinnacle of Tier 9, rendering their velocity formidable indeed.

And their might ensured that most commonplace aerial mutant creatures steered clear upon detecting them.

Not every one, though.

Certain formidable beasts disregarded the aura of Nugget and Pebble entirely.

During their journey, they had endured several airborne assaults—predominantly swarms of pack-hunting birds, alongside a handful of ferocious raptors whose prowess rivaled that of Nugget and Pebble.

Fortuitously, the passengers possessed sufficient strength to support them. In each clash, they battled through the peril, averting catastrophe by a slim margin.

Aerial travel might outpace ground routes, but the risks were no less severe.

In fact, they loomed greater.

Up in the skies, combatants struggled to unleash their full potential. A single lapse...

You wouldn't merely "sustain injury."

You'd end up as a pulped stain upon the soil.

As Goldcrest City loomed ever nearer, a spark of anticipation lit Skinny Pete's features.

"Skinny Pete, is your family residence smack in the heart of Goldcrest City?" Ethan queried.

"No," Skinny Pete replied. "Our home's in the outskirts. But my folks conduct business in the central district, so they're usually there."

"Understood."

Suddenly, shadows engulfed the heavens.

A gigantic peregrine falcon materialized overhead without warning. Folding its wings, it plummeted in a dive—then surged faster, hurtling downward like a guided projectile. Its pace outstripped even Golden Eagle Nugget and Dire Eagle Pebble.

Ethan's eyes sparkled with interest.

"A Tier 10 peregrine falcon."

He shot a look at Skinny Pete. "You can handle taming it, correct?"

"Definitely." Skinny Pete exuded assurance. "I've reached the summit of Tier 10. The quartet under my command—Goldie, Speckles, Nugget, and Pebble—linger at Tier 9. Incorporating one more at Tier 10 poses no issue."

"Excellent." Ethan offered a slight grin. "In that case, let's claim an extra aerial steed for our arsenal."

The peregrine falcon struck without delay, its claws targeting Nugget's skull—blithely overlooking Ethan perched there.

Ethan chuckled darkly. His poleaxe materialized from the spatial storage ring into his grasp, and he swung fiercely toward the falcon's torso.

The abrupt retaliation caught the peregrine falcon off guard. It flapped desperately, attempting to veer away—

But it was too slow.

The poleaxe plunged deeply into its breast.

Injured, the bird grew feral. Its claws seized the weapon's shaft, and with a savage exertion, it rocketed skyward.

Ethan gripped firmly, and in an instant, he was wrenched from Nugget's perch, hauled into the void by raw force.

"Watch out!" Skinny Pete's expression grew tense, his stare fixed on Ethan.

The instant the peregrine falcon had torn Ethan free from Nugget, it let go—evidently plotting to let him plummet and shatter.

Yet Ethan acted swiftly.

Via Teleportation, he disappeared—

—remanifesting directly atop the falcon's spine.

Then he plunged the poleaxe downward, impaling the peregrine falcon's back with a savage stab.

"SKREE—!"

The falcon screeched in agony, twisting wildly through the clouds in a bid to dislodge Ethan.

Ethan clamped his arms around its throat like iron, enduring every wild contortion.

Had elimination been his goal, his Tier 11 prowess would have ended it instantly—snapping its neck without fuss.

But he sought a flying mount.

Thus, he wore it down relentlessly. Wounds on its chest and back continued to weep blood, and its endurance waned.

The peregrine falcon hauled Ethan through a frenzy of death-defying sky acrobatics. All the while, Nugget and Pebble maintained pursuit, ferrying Skinny Pete in tight formation.

At last—following over thirty minutes of desperate resistance—the falcon's twists began to falter.

Its vitality drained with each labored wingbeat.

Suddenly, its form drooped, and it spiraled toward the terrain below.

The peregrine falcon collided forcefully, crashing into the dirt. By instinct, its wings spread at the end, cushioning the descent somewhat, preventing total devastation.

Ethan teleported just in time, alighting firmly on solid ground.

Seconds later, Golden Eagle Nugget and Dire Eagle Pebble descended with Skinny Pete aboard, settling close by.