Apocalypse: King of Zombies Chapter 1183: I’ll Ask You Myself

In the mansion, they exchanged sporadic bits of small talk.

The two women kept circling back—serving up fruit, tea, beverages—ever watchful, eternally grinning.

Ethan and Skinny Pete ignored every offering.

Leonard sat powerless, his helplessness mounting with each passing moment.

Originally, he'd simply wanted his men to gauge their power lightly.

He never foresaw these two acting so aggressively that they'd outright execute Conrad.

Serving as Provost Marshal, Conrad enjoyed lofty standing in the compound—one of Leonard's sharpest lieutenants.

To see him slain right at Leonard's entrance... that surpassed mere disrespect. It was pure degradation.

Against any other foe—even a Tier 9 Enhanced—Leonard would have forced bitter remorse.

But blast it... these were Tier 10.

Such might was potent enough to smother his fury entirely.

Observing their youth, he'd shifted to a gentler strategy, yet he hadn't anticipated their profound vigilance.

Even so, while they lingered in Goldcrest City, openings would emerge.

Minutes ticked by until footsteps echoed from beyond. Lucas reentered, guiding a middle-aged duo—each in their forties—inside the mansion.

Skinny Pete stiffened alertly, a burst of eagerness lighting his features as he eyed the doorway.

Yet the instant he spotted them, that eagerness locked rigid on his countenance.

Ethan eyed the pair, then Skinny Pete, murmuring lowly, "These aren’t them?"

"They’re not." Skinny Pete shook his head.

Ethan’s face hardened with chill.

Leonard rose and indicated the couple, beaming at Ethan and Skinny Pete. "Ethan, these two are the individuals you requested we locate."

"You’re sure it’s them?" Ethan asked.

"Of course," Leonard said. "I followed the information General Cross provided. Their age and names match. With the network down after the apocalypse, we couldn’t send photos, so I don’t know exactly what they look like—but it shouldn’t be wrong."

Ethan frowned, glaring intently at Leonard.

But Leonard’s face revealed zero tells.

Ethan’s thoughts churned swiftly.

One scenario: Leonard never located them, and he’d snatched a random pair to deceive—delaying deliberately for that Tier 8 crystal core. This struck as highly credible.

Another scenario: Leonard had found them, but for some motive he refused to yield them—or at minimum, not immediately.

Leonard tilted his head, feigning puzzlement. "What, did we make a mistake?"

"They aren’t who we’re looking for," Ethan said flatly.

"They aren’t?" Leonard looked genuinely surprised. "Does that kind of coincidence really exist?"

"Whether it’s coincidence, Colonel Hale... you should know better than anyone," Ethan said calmly.

Leonard spread his hands. "I honestly don’t understand what you’re implying, Ethan."

"You don’t understand?" Ethan chuckled, no humor in it. Then he turned his head slightly. "Skinny Pete. Take those two over there and have a talk."

"Okay." Skinny Pete nodded and immediately walked toward Lucas.

"Hand them over."

Lucas glanced at Leonard.

Leonard laughed awkwardly. "If these two aren’t the ones you need, then like this—I’ll have people keep looking right away. Maybe there really is another couple with the same names."

"No need," Ethan said. "Skinny Pete can ask them right here."

"Fine," Skinny Pete said.

He walked straight up to the middle-aged man, met his eyes, and asked, "What’s your name?"

"I..." The man had just started to speak when Skinny Pete activated [Enthrallment].

The man’s eyes quickly went vacant.

"My name is Michael Peterson."

"Oh, so you lied to me. Seeking death!" Lucas exploded, cocking his fist and smashing it toward the middle-aged man’s head.

But Skinny Pete was ready.

He reached out and caught Lucas’s punch. With a slight squeeze, Lucas’s fist crunched—bones breaking under the pressure.

"Aaah!" Lucas screamed and stumbled back, face turning ashen as he glared at Skinny Pete. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

"What’s it supposed to mean?" Skinny Pete snapped. "I should be asking you that. Since when do you get to butt in while I’m asking questions?"

"I—I was just pissed," Lucas said, clutching his ruined hand. "This guy told me his name was Joseph Turner. Now he’s saying Michael Peterson. He lied to me."

"Whether he lied to you or not—we’ll know after I’m done." Skinny Pete turned back, ready to continue.

And then—

Two gunshots cracked through the room.

The couple’s foreheads bloomed with nearly identical blood holes. Their eyes went wide, and they toppled slowly to the floor.

"..."

Skinny Pete whipped around, fury twisting his face. "You—!"

Leonard, gun still up, wore a righteous, furious look. "These two dared to deceive us—made me waste time and search the wrong direction. They deserved it!"

He lowered the gun and spoke like a man doing Ethan a favor. "Don’t worry. I’ll immediately send people to keep looking for the ones you want."

Ethan looked at him with a half-smile. "Colonel Hale, you’re pretty practiced at ’killing the witness.’"

"Overthinking it," Leonard said smoothly. "I didn’t expect anyone to impersonate them either. It’s on me—I was too eager to help you quickly, offered a generous reward, and that tempted people to take risks."

Ethan’s smile thinned. "Colonel Hale, do you think we’re idiots? Or do you think once they’re dead, there’s no proof?"

Leonard’s eyes chilled. "Heh. Forgot to mention—I do things by instinct. I don’t need proof."

"Since you won’t tell the truth," Ethan said, voice dropping, "I’ll ask you myself."

He moved.

One second Leonard was across the room—then Ethan was right in front of him, his hand reaching for Leonard’s throat.

In the same instant, a black energy shield snapped into place around Leonard.

And Leonard’s bodyguard moved too—his hand forming a dagger made of black energy as he lunged, stabbing straight for Ethan’s neck.

"Nice reaction," Ethan said, almost approving.

He flicked his hand.

The marble coffee table beside them lifted off the floor as if grabbed by an invisible giant and smashed into the bodyguard.

Marble exploded. The bodyguard was sent flying, slamming hard into the wall.

Leonard finally fully reacted, jerking backward. Lightning flashed in his palm, and a bolt ripped toward Ethan.

But just before it hit—

Ethan vanished.

When he reappeared, he was behind Leonard.

He drove one punch into the shield, shattering it, then clamped a hand around Leonard’s throat and lifted him off the ground like he weighed nothing.

"Uncle!" Lucas blurted, shocked out of his skin. The two bikini-clad women flinched too, faces draining.

"Someone! Get help!" Lucas yelled.

"Shut up." Skinny Pete backhanded him so hard Lucas spun in midair and crashed to the floor, instantly—and successfully—silenced.

The two women clapped hands over their mouths, terrified, eyes wide as they stared at Ethan and Skinny Pete.

Were these two insane?

This was Goldcrest City, and they were laying hands on Colonel Hale.

They had guts. Or they had a death wish.