Apocalypse: King of Zombies Chapter 1184: Touch Me, and They Die

Almost right away, the commotion within the mansion caught the attention of the guards stationed outside. Soon enough, a team of Tier 7 Enhanced burst through the doors as the security force.

The instant they laid eyes on the situation—particularly Leonard dangling helplessly in the air, gripped by the throat like a helpless bird—their expressions twisted in alarm.

"Halt!"

"Release Colonel Hale!"

Leonard’s complexion had already deepened to an ugly shade of purple. His legs kicked futilely through the empty space, while his fingers desperately scratched at Ethan’s arm, attempting to break free.

Against Ethan’s overwhelming power, the resistance appeared feeble. Utterly futile.

Ethan cast a brief look at the intruders and stated coolly, "Leave. This matter has nothing to do with you."

"...!"

The entire group fell silent in shock.

Their faces clearly conveyed utter disbelief.

Yet, with Leonard clutched in Ethan’s grasp, not a single one of them risked advancing.

The squad leader struggled to steady his tone. "Sirs... let’s discuss this calmly. Could you release Colonel Hale first?"

"Leave."

"Y-yes, sir—immediately!" Without a second’s delay, the captain signaled his team to retreat and pulled them out, fearing Ethan might truly end Leonard’s life.

As soon as they cleared the threshold, he barked to a nearby subordinate. "Report it. Summon all the high-Tier Enhanced from the base right now."

"Understood!"

Back in the mansion, Skinny Pete closed the door after the guards and approached Ethan.

"Ethan... perhaps release him for now?" Skinny Pete suggested, glancing at Leonard’s strained features. "If you keep holding on, he might not make it."

"Oh... yeah. My bad. Slipped my mind." Ethan eased his hold and flung Leonard to the ground.

"Cough—cough!" Leonard wheezed harshly, gulping air as if he’d just escaped the depths of a flood.

"You—!"

"That’s sufficient." Ethan’s words sliced through sharply. "No speaking. I question, you respond. Where are the two individuals we’re after?"

"We... we located two," Leonard croaked. "I had no idea they were fakes. Rest assured—I’ll dispatch teams to search anew right away. We’ll track them down."

"So you refuse to speak honestly."

Ethan’s gaze flickered subtly. "Skinny Pete."

"Talk less." Skinny Pete moved forward, fixed his stare on Leonard’s eyes, and triggered [Enthrallment].

However, to Ethan’s astonishment, Leonard’s features contorted in ongoing resistance. His eyes trembled, yet they refused to lose all focus.

Skinny Pete clenched his jaw. "Boss, he’s putting up a fierce fight. Pushing harder could leave him brain-dead."

This outcome caught Ethan off guard.

He hadn’t anticipated Leonard possessing such iron will.

"Very well. Hold off on controlling him." Ethan nodded toward the floor. "We’ve got another option there."

He was referring to Lucas.

Should Leonard continue his deceptions, Lucas surely held the details.

"Sure." Skinny Pete let go of Leonard and shifted his attention to Lucas.

The second Skinny Pete backed off, Leonard’s gaze sharpened. He observed Skinny Pete with the dread of impending doom—raw terror.

That power was horrifying.

Lucas, who remained floored from the earlier strike, began crawling away as Skinny Pete drew near.

"What do you intend?" Lucas’s tone quivered.

"Nothing extreme," Skinny Pete replied with a grin that held no warmth. "Easy now. It won’t cause pain."

He maintained his intense eye contact with Lucas.

Within moments, Lucas’s eyes started to dull.

His face turned vacant.

At that precise time, Leonard—flat on the ground—flicked a glance toward his guard, the one crushed by the table earlier.

The guard caught on instantly and began silently rising.

Meanwhile, Skinny Pete noted Lucas’s full enthrallment. A pleased smirk crossed his lips as he inquired, "Where are the two people?"

In that very instant, a shadow dashed forward, wielding a dagger infused with dark energy—targeting Lucas’s skull directly.

"Hmph." Ethan let out a dismissive grunt.

A blade lying nearby flew upward via Telekinesis, accelerating swiftly—arriving after but hitting before. It pierced the assailant’s neck and hurled him back.

Leonard’s face paled dramatically.

He had selected that guard personally from the compound’s elite. Devoted, powerful, dependable.

And Ethan dispatched him effortlessly.

Leonard barely had a chance to feel rage.

A forceful smack landed on his cheek, whipping his head aside.

Leonard gaped up at Ethan, incredulity etched across his features. His face stung fiercely.

Throughout his existence, he had always been the slapper, never the slapped.

He had never envisioned someone would slap him.

A wave of shame crashed over him, almost overwhelming his senses.

Yet another strike followed.

The fury that had surged to his mind was smacked away, leaving him dazed and echoing.

Ethan’s voice grew icy and piercing. "Attempt that sneaky move in my presence once more, and you die."

Evidently, Ethan had noticed the cue Leonard sent to the guard.

Leonard seethed inwardly. But he suppressed it with all his might—enough to force a strained smile.

"I wouldn’t dream of it."

Ethan felt a touch of surprise. Even in this moment, Leonard retained his composure.

Ethan pondered silently.

"Fine," Ethan declared. "Skinny Pete. Proceed."

"Mm." Skinny Pete glanced back at Lucas. "You did find those two people, right?"

"Yes." Lucas replied blankly, nodding.

Ethan sensed Leonard stiffen next to him—as though he still sought an opportunity.

No chance. Ethan had kept vigilant watch. Leonard wouldn’t succeed under his eye.

Skinny Pete breathed out, a hint of ease showing, and continued. "So where are they?"

"I don’t know," Lucas intoned flatly. "This morning, they remained in that chamber. But when I arrived to fetch them earlier, just those two were present. They claimed... they claimed Colonel Hale set it up for them to impersonate the pair."

The moment Lucas spoke those words, both Ethan and Skinny Pete whipped their stares toward Leonard.

Leonard realized his ruse had failed. He dropped the act and issued a chilly chuckle.

"Correct. I relocated them." His gaze hardened. "And should you harm me, they’ll join me in the grave."

Both men’s brows furrowed. Skinny Pete tensed completely, shooting Ethan a glance filled with worry.

Ethan returned a steady, comforting nod, then faced Leonard again.

"Do you truly believe two strangers we barely know can safeguard your existence?"

Leonard barked a laugh as if Ethan had cracked a humorous line. "Strangers? Ha. Initially, I couldn’t grasp why General Cross would spend a Tier 8 crystal core on such nobodies."

"Then I observed this."

He inched ahead a bit, his eyes gleaming with a savage confidence.

"It was flattery toward you. Nothing more. You’ve pretended indifference about those two, yet I spotted it in your expression—eagerness, strain. That look appears only for vital people."

"And you revealed only your partner’s alias—Skinny Pete—likely fearing I’d link it if I heard his true name." Leonard’s smile stretched broader. "Unfortunately, you’re inexperienced. The second I saw him, it clicked. Those two are his parents."

Leonard’s tone grew venomous. "Lay a hand on me, and his mother and father perish first."

"You—!" Skinny Pete’s expression soured.

Ethan remained relatively unsurprised. He simply regarded Leonard with mild puzzlement. "You’re no fool. That’s the puzzle. Witnessing our capabilities, you chose schemes over reconciliation."

"What do you aim for?"

"Spare me the tale of vengeance for Conrad." Ethan’s voice laced with scorn. "A man like you couldn’t care less about a follower’s fate."