Apocalypse: King of Zombies Chapter 1274: They Knew Where to Go

As the zombie horde finally retreated, the cleanup of the battlefield commenced with great haste.

Despite some casualties, the spoils of war were immense. The countless zombie corpses, numbering in the tens or even hundreds of thousands, translated directly into an equal number of crystal cores, a fortune that could not be ignored.

With such a large contingent of survivors, the scavenging process was swift, and soon every last crystal core was recovered. The convoy regrouped and continued its arduous journey.

The path ahead remained challenging.

It took an additional two days to escort the massive population, exceeding one million, safely to the Silverlake City compound.

Along the way, several more large-scale zombie tides were encountered, resulting in the loss of tens of thousands more lives.

The sheer volume of people acted as a beacon, attracting every nearby threat, from zombies to mutant beasts, creating a constant danger.

Even with the personal escort of Ethan and the Fallen Star Guard, the situation remained dire.

For any ordinary compound attempting such a mass relocation, reaching the destination with even half of their original population would have been a monumental achievement.

Upon the arrival of the million-plus refugees, Silverlake, now renamed Fallen Star City, was immediately overwhelmed by the influx of people.

Even as a major settlement with a vast territory, it struggled to accommodate such a significant increase in population.

Silverlake’s existing population of over 2.6 million, combined with the new arrivals, pushed the total to a staggering 3.8 million.

This surge in population brought a host of multiplying challenges.

Resources became scarce almost overnight.

Interpersonal tensions escalated rapidly.

The amalgamation of four distinct compounds inevitably led to friction, with minor disputes, conflicts, and power struggles amplifying due to the sheer density of people.

Even Miles found himself stretched thin, needing to be in multiple places at once.

He had always harbored ambitions of building something grand in this post-apocalyptic world.

However, the sheer scale of his current responsibility had surpassed his wildest imaginings.

He now found himself managing the largest compound in the entirety of the Atlas Federation.

As problems continued to mount, Miles experienced a stark realization: life in the previous Fallen Star City had been incredibly comfortable in comparison.

Ethan and his closest companions could only offer looks of understanding to Miles.

This wasn't due to a lack of capability on Ethan’s part; he possessed the means to intervene decisively.

However, if Ethan were to involve himself in the daily administrative affairs, it would undermine Miles’s authority, making long-term governance more difficult rather than easier.

Consequently, Ethan chose to adopt the role of a symbolic Commander, a figurehead whose presence alone commanded respect.

His reputation and formidable power served as a deterrent, a threat no one would dare to challenge.

As long as his strength remained undisputed, micromanagement was unnecessary.

And his strength was, without a doubt, absolute.

The original inhabitants of Silverlake had witnessed him effortlessly decapitate a Void Realm cultivator with a single, decisive strike of his poleaxe. To them, Ethan was a legend brought to life.

Meanwhile, the refugees from the other compounds had watched the Fallen Star Squad valiantly battling and overcoming untold horrors on their journey. Their fear and reverence for Ethan’s group were equally profound.

Therefore, while the aftermath of the merger was undeniably chaotic, a complete breakdown into widespread anarchy was averted.

Although the Fallen Star Squad maintained a non-interference policy in the internal affairs, Vivian, Grace, and the other key members continued to provide support to Miles, alleviating some of his burdens, even if his perpetually exhausted demeanor remained unchanged.

On the second day following the integration of the four compounds, Ethan finally received a crisis that fell squarely under his purview.

A distress call arrived from the Nova City compound.

Rowan Pierce was on the line, requesting urgent assistance.

A group of menacing red-skinned monsters was advancing towards his compound, closing in rapidly, with less than six miles remaining.

Rowan’s voice on the communication device conveyed a palpable sense of desperation, as if he were on the verge of tears.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Ethan assembled his team and departed from the newly expanded compound, heading for Nova City via airborne transport.

They were not the type of individuals who could afford to remain idle in the face of such threats.

This mission to Nova City was anticipated to be a protracted engagement, requiring them to first neutralize the red-skinned monsters within Nova City’s immediate vicinity before they could consider returning.

There was no alternative; within the vast expanse of the Atlas Federation, only their formidable strength was sufficient to confront and eliminate such abominations.

The silver lining was that the internal turmoil within Fallen Star City did not necessitate their immediate presence. The Squad’s participation, or lack thereof, would have minimal impact on the situation there.

Regarding Nova City compound…

Rowan’s voice, strained with anxiety, crackled over the communication line, “Are they… are they still advancing towards us?”

“Yes,” came the sharp, urgent reply. “They continue to close the distance. In a few more miles, they should be able to spot the compound from their current position.”

Nova City compound had been established at a considerable distance from the initial landing zone of the red-skinned monsters. Furthermore, Ethan’s previous presence had deterred the creatures from straying too close, preventing them from discovering the compound until now.

However, several days had passed since Ethan and his contingent had departed.

The absence of their deterrent presence had allowed the situation to change.

Consequently, the red-skinned monsters had resumed their predatory movements, venturing out once more.

Earlier that morning, scout patrols had detected a small group of these monsters heading directly towards Nova City. Their proximity had instilled a paralyzing fear in the soldiers, who promptly reported the sighting to Rowan.

Upon hearing this, Rowan didn't hesitate, immediately calling Ethan for assistance.

However, a significant obstacle remained: even with Ethan's ability to fly, covering over six hundred miles would inevitably consume a considerable amount of time.

As Rowan listened to the report on the line, a knot of dread tightened in his chest.

At the current rate of advance, the crimson-skinned abominations would surely detect the compound long before the Fallen Star Squad could possibly arrive. Should that dire scenario unfold, Nova City would be utterly doomed.

A count of five creatures might seem insignificant, but only until one had witnessed their terrifying destructive capabilities.

Their fiery onslaughts erupted across vast expanses, leaving behind a trail of monstrous devastation. If these fiends were to breach the compound's defenses and unleash their infernos while rampaging through the streets…

It would not be a battle; it would be nothing less than a wholesale massacre.

Rowan's voice deepened, resonating with a steady, solemn resolve. "In that case, we must draw them away."

He was a man of swift decisions. Calculating the variables in his mind—the distances, the speeds, the necessary response times—he grasped a single, stark reality:

Waiting was no longer an option.

"Dispatch several teams," Rowan commanded without delay. "Have them circle around behind the creatures and divert them from the compound's vicinity."

"Understood, sir!"

The personnel below moved with urgent haste to execute the orders.

Every individual present understood the grim implication of Rowan's directive.

It was, in essence, another mission destined for martyrdom.

Yet, no more viable alternative presented itself. In such dire straits, the survival of the many necessitates the sacrifice of the few.

In this desolated world, 'selflessness' had become a rarity—a treasure more scarce than ammunition or vital medicine.

At least, among the civilian populace.

Within the ranks of the military, however, such virtues still endured.

Before long, multiple squads were rapidly advancing towards the location of the crimson-skinned monstrosities.

Their objective was to offer their very lives as a lure, drawing the creatures in an opposing direction.

The critical issue, however, was their vastly inferior speed.

The instant they revealed themselves, the abominations would apprehend them with terrifying swiftness—rending them asunder before consuming the remnants.

The sight was ghastly, even when observed from a considerable distance.

Nevertheless, the soldiers displayed no trace of hesitation.

One by one, they deliberately entered the monsters' field of vision, shouting, firing their weapons, and waving frantically—employing any means necessary to capture their attention. Gradually, inch by bloody inch, they lured them further and further away.

Finally, after the tragic loss of over a dozen soldiers, the crimson-skinned monsters had been successfully diverted approximately seven miles from the compound.

For a fleeting moment, a glimmer of hope suggested their plan might succeed.

Then, the creatures abruptly halted their pursuit. Their heads cocked, their bodies unnaturally still, as if an internal mechanism had suddenly reset.

Following a brief, unsettling pause that resembled contemplation, they simply turned their backs on the sacrificing soldiers and began retracing their steps.

The surviving soldiers felt their hearts plummet into their stomachs.

A few desperately charged forward once more, their cries growing more frantic, attempting to re-engage the creatures.

It proved futile.

The crimson-skinned monsters were not devoid of cunning. They had deduced the truth: if these humans were expending such extraordinary effort to divert them, the original direction must hold something of significant value.

The more the soldiers persisted, the greater the monsters' certainty grew.

They even increased their pace.

Far in the distance, the reconnaissance team observing the unfolding events adopted grim expressions. They immediately relayed their perilous findings up the chain of command.

Rowan listened, his face hardening with grim determination. Then, he issued his decisive command.

"Initiate highest alert. Immediately." His voice sliced through the air like cold steel. "Deploy all heavy weaponry. Assemble all high-tier Enhanced individuals. Prepare for full combat deployment."

"Yes!"

Within mere minutes, klaxons blared across the entire Nova City compound. The facility instantly galvanized into action—checkpoints sealed, combat units mobilized, and armaments were rapidly moved into strategic positions.

Five crimson-skinned monsters might pose little threat to the formidable Ethan and his elite cohort.

But to everyone else?

It represented an apocalyptic scenario of the highest order.

Even for a major stronghold like Nova City.

The crimson-skinned creatures returned to their previous position, advancing another few miles…

…and then, beyond the undulating terrain ahead, the imposing silhouette of a massive compound materialized into view.

The instant their gaze fell upon it, all five creatures seemed to radiate an intensified aura—their eyes sharpened, their postures stiffened.

It was as if they had just discovered a most welcome feast.