Apocalypse: King of Zombies Chapter 1202: Twenty Thousand Tier 9s on the March

At 10:10 a.m., an immense battalion of Enhanced soldiers emerged from the gates of Fallen Star City, advancing in a disciplined formation toward Harrison City.

Harrison City was situated over seventy miles from Redwood County—a journey that would have taken roughly an hour during the era of normal conditions.

However, with a population exceeding twenty thousand, the compound suffered from a severe lack of vehicles. Moreover, travel by automobile had become impractical in the wake of the apocalypse. Consequently, they traveled on foot. In fact, these days, when scouting for zombies in distant zones, they usually ran to their destinations.

Crucially, every single one of these twenty thousand individuals was a Tier 9 Enhanced.

Given their Tier 9 status, their movement speed was easily comparable to that of cars.

While the rest of the ranks surged forward in a relentless display, Ethan and his inner circle trailed behind at a leisurely, unhurried pace atop their mounts.

Jealousy certainly rippled through the ranks, yet no one dared utter a complaint. As the Commander of Fallen Star City, this privilege was a mark of his rank—a clear symbol of authority.

Harrison City...

Although Harrison City was only a secondary municipality, its population had been substantial, numbering well over one million.

When the apocalypse initially unfolded, the municipal authorities had acted quickly, establishing a fortified compound and initiating rescue protocols.

Yet, unlike the situation in Clearford City, Harrison City lacked formidable military support, meaning the defensive capabilities of their compound were ultimately lackluster.

The moment the Tier 10 Zombie King descended upon them—commanding hundreds of thousands of undead—the compound crumbled almost instantly under the assault.

Now, Harrison City belonged entirely to the dead. The undead were pervasive.

Naturally, this did not mean every single human had perished.

Following the breach of the compound, while many survivors became sustenance for the zombies, a significant number managed to escape.

Some fled to neighboring townships, while others remained trapped within the city limits, eking out a miserable existence—not by choice, but because escape was no longer feasible.

Within a dilapidated chamber hidden inside a cluster of ruins, over a dozen Enhanced huddled together, trembling.

Just outside, a massive pack of zombies prowled, systematically scouring the vicinity for their scent.

"What is our next move, Captain?" a petite girl within the squad inquired, her face drained of all color. "If this continues, they will inevitably uncover our location."

"What would you have me do?" the squad leader retorted, his voice tinged with helplessness. "Under these circumstances, the moment we step outside, we will be torn to shreds. Our only option is to pray they remain oblivious to us!"

The undead crept ever closer. Every soul in the room turned pale as death, each individual bracing for a suicidal final stand if discovered.

Suddenly, the sound of chaotic footsteps echoed from nearby.

The zombies that had been methodically searching the area froze. One after another, they rotated their heads toward the commotion.

The survivors inside peered out, immediately spotting a colossal horde of people charging straight in their direction.

"Are those people out of their minds?" the petite girl murmured, furrowing her brow. "This district is teeming with zombies, and they are moving with such volume?"

"Heh," the captain replied, his eyes igniting with fervor. "Who cares? The timing is perfect. They will serve as a distraction for the undead. As soon as the fighting begins, we make our exit."

The rest of the group felt a surge of energy, their faces glowing with a mix of relief and hope. They had been certain of their impending doom, only to have a sudden stroke of fortune toss them a survival lifeline.

Only the petite girl remained anxious, staring at the incoming crowd. She desired to warn them, yet she lacked the courage to speak up.

The zombies, captivated by the sudden appearance of so many living humans, went into a frenzy, charging headlong at the newcomers.

In return, when the rushing crowd observed the zombie horde stampeding toward them, they appeared just as eager.

"Kill!"

With that unified roar, the wave of humans slammed into the undead.

Fireballs, Wind Cutters, and spears of ice tore through the atmosphere, detonating against the zombie masses.

Tier 9 techniques were leagues above Tier 6. Faced with such a devastating torrent of supernatural power, the zombies—none of whom exceeded Tier 8—were decimated in an instant.

The group swept through the wreckage with practiced efficiency, harvesting crystal cores and tossing them into the rucksacks strapped to their backs.

From within the ruins, the hidden survivors stared in disbelief—eyes wide and mouths agape—thoroughly stunned by the display they had just witnessed.

"Th-they are... impossibly powerful," the petite girl stammered, her throat tight.

The others nodded in solemn agreement.

Thousands of zombies had been wiped out in a heartbeat. Just how significant was the strength of these individuals?

"Captain, where could they have come from? Back at our compound, I never encountered a team this formidable."

"How should I know?" the captain fired back. "Dismiss the thought. While they are distracted, we must retreat. If they prove to be of the violent sort, we are as good as dead."

"But... they are essentially our saviors. Should we not at least offer our gratitude?"

"Gratitude? For what? Their intention was never to save us. Move!"

"...Understood." The petite girl sighed, sensing her lack of leverage, and complied as the squad retreated from the room, sprinting into the distance.

They did not get far.

Moments later, the entire squad came scrambling back, their faces twisted by raw terror.

The clamor of the battle had acted as a beacon. From every quadrant, zombies swarmed inward like a deluge. With no other direction to run, they had no choice but to duck back into the ruined structure to hide.

Fortuitously, the zombies did not even acknowledge their existence, opting to charge directly at the troops from Fallen Star City instead.

However, against twenty thousand Tier 9 Enhanced, those zombies were not "attacking"; they were lining up for their own executions. For every horde that arrived, every single individual was felled.

The Enhanced operated with incredible cohesion, their roles strictly defined—frontliners absorbed the shock, long-range specialists unleashed damage, melee combatants carved paths, and dedicated harvesters secured the crystal cores. Every motion was refined and habitual, suggesting they had practiced this procedure a thousand times over.

They advanced steadily, obliterating every wave that reached their perimeter. Whenever a soldier reached fatigue or their mental pool drained, they rotated out perfectly—consuming crystal cores to recover while gathering further spoils from the bodies. The handlers would then slot into the formation to replace them seamlessly.

It was akin to watching an inexhaustible slaughterhouse engine grinding through an army.

Even Ethan and his companions were impressed by the sheer velocity of the operation.

Hovering in the sky, Ethan sat astride Flint, his peregrine falcon, observing the battlefield with a flicker of genuine surprise.

Yes... numbers truly did hold significant weight.

And if one possessed volume combined with strength? The prospect was simply overwhelming.

Wherever the twenty thousand Tier 9 Enhanced traversed, zombies were dismantled before they could even exchange a blow. Ethan and his elite guard had effectively been relegated to observers.

"It appears there is nothing left for us to do," Chris remarked nearby, stifling a yawn.

"Truly," an associate agreed. "We shouldn't have bothered coming. With their current efficiency, even a Tier 10 zombie appearing would simply be an exercise in futility."

Ethan chuckled. "Since we are already here, do not just sit idle. Get moving—let us secure Harrison City with all haste."

"...Very well." Chris and the others nodded, resigned to the situation, before leaping from their mounts, drawing their blades, and plunging into the fray.

Ethan did not linger either. He vanished in a flicker—a single Teleportation—and materialized deep within the enemy heart.

The mutant beasts followed his lead, including several white-furred apes, all of whom dived headfirst into the combat.

"Holy mess! Look!" a soldier of Fallen Star City suddenly bellowed.

At his exclamation, every eye turned toward the sector he was indicating.

One by one, their eyes widened in awe.

They had harbored the belief that reaching Tier 9 meant hitting the ceiling of human potential. The way they had been reaping zombies like wheat had inflated their confidence significantly.

However, the spectacle before them flattened that pride into the earth.

The Fallen Star Squad was present—each individual holding their own personal sphere of carnage.

Zombies lunged from every angle, wave after wave, yet they remained entirely serene. Regardless of how the horde surged, it could not breach their six-foot radius. Wherever their weapons carved, the zombies collapsed like grass beneath a scythe.

"So powerful!!"

"The Commander is a monster!"

"I had heard rumors about how terrifying the Fallen Star Squad was, but witnessing it firsthand... the descriptions were vast understatements."

"Indeed. With a Commander of this caliber, how could Fallen Star City ever be weak?"

"Then we had better step it up. We must not allow the Commander to look down upon us!"