Apocalypse: King of Zombies Chapter 1298: Bark

Naniwa City Compound, Yamato Empire…

Ethan and his companions found themselves positioned before a colossal structure situated near the compound's central region.

He had a specific reason for instructing the Flamebirds to halt their advance.

It was evident that this edifice served as the primary repository for the compound's vital provisions, including its precious crystal cores. It would have been utter foolishness to allow thirty thousand aerial flamethrowers to complete their destructive task here.

A secondary motive also played a role.

Ethan had detected the presence of four Awakened individuals within.

These were irreplaceable assets.

His intention was to capture them alive.

With a single, decisive kick, Ethan breached the imposing front doors and advanced into the interior, his squad in tow.

In the vast hall, upwards of twenty individuals awaited them, presumably the compound's high command. They gazed upon Ethan with expressions mirroring the realization of their impending doom.

Ethan casually gestured towards four of them. "Keep those four alive. Eliminate everyone else."

"Please… don't kill us!" The assembled group immediately fell to their knees, their pleas a jumbled mess of broken Federation Standard.

Ethan's notoriety had already preceded him throughout Yamato. Resistance was not even a fleeting thought among them.

A man, appearing to be in his fifties and indubitably the leader, compelled himself to speak through trembling lips. "If you spare our lives, we will offer you anything. Resources. Crystal cores. Women. Whatever your desire—it is yours."

Ethan responded with a smile. "If I kill you, it all becomes mine regardless."

Just as he was about to signal his squad to commence, the man's satellite phone began to ring.

Initially, the man seemed inclined to ignore it, but a glance at the caller ID caused his entire demeanor to shift. Hope ignited in his eyes like a struck match.

He quickly snatched up the device. "Prime Minister! Save me!"

A brief silence ensued on the line, followed by a voice, remarkably calm, stating, "Put him on the line."

"Y-yes! Yes!"

The man nodded with frantic energy, then turned towards Ethan, his expression akin to a mouse seeking permission from a cat. "Our Prime Minister wishes to converse with you."

"Yamato's Prime Minister?" Ethan inquired, glancing at Mia. "Who exactly is that supposed to be?"

"Before the cataclysm, his name was Ryuji Takahashi," Mia provided. "After the apocalypse… I'm uncertain. However, if they refer to a 'Prime Minister,' it is highly probable they mean him."

"Y-yes," the man interjected hastily, eager to concur. "Prime Minister Takahashi."

"Still the same fellow?" Ethan let out a short laugh. "This apocalypse has dragged on for ages, and he's still drawing breath. Fortunate soul."

He accepted the phone and activated the speaker function.

"Prime Minister Takahashi," Ethan announced cheerfully, "are you prepared to greet your demise?"

An absolute silence descended upon the line. In fact, silence enveloped both ends of the connection.

Maxwell might have couched his words in politeness. Ethan, however, saw no need for such niceties. His presence in Yamato was for a singular purpose, a fact universally acknowledged.

After a prolonged interval, the voice on the phone finally spoke, exercising extreme caution. "May I inquire as to whom I am addressing?"

Ethan offered a smile and uttered a single, resonant word. "Bark."

Another pause followed, this one tinged with confusion. "…Pardon?"

"Like a canine," Ethan clarified, his tone as placid as still water.

The entire hall became unnervingly silent. Such profound stillness pervaded the atmosphere that it felt as if everyone present had forgotten how to draw breath.

On the other end of the line, the Prime Minister attempted to salvage a semblance of dignity. "…I don't believe that is—"

"You contacted me to beg," Ethan interrupted, his voice suddenly taking on a sharp, icy edge. "So, beg with proper decorum."

The very air seemed to freeze.

A more extended silence emanated from the receiver, akin to the sound of something being swallowed amidst sharp fragments. Subsequently, the voice attempted to reassert its authority.

"…This is the Prime Minister—"

"Then bark, Prime Minister." Ethan offered no allowance for him to complete the sentence.

Within Yamato's central command, the quiet was so absolute one could perceive the fall of a pin.

Moments later, an astonishingly subdued and utterly humiliated sound emanated from the speaker.

"…woof."

The hall erupted in a cacophony of disbelief.

"He actually did it!"

"The Prime Minister… he barked?!"

"This is utterly preposterous!"

Ethan remained impassive, unfazed by the commotion. He simply addressed the phone. "Louder."

A brief hesitation.

"…woof," the voice returned, now softer, as if attempting to recede into the very sound itself.

Ethan's voice maintained its level tone. "Could not hear that."

On the opposite end, the audible grinding of teeth was palpable. Finally, the Prime Minister seemed to snap, forcing the sound out at maximum volume—

"…WOOF."

Every individual within the hall froze rigid, as if struck by a concussive blast.

Only then did Ethan give a nod, as if evaluating a performer. "Good dog."

The atmosphere in the hall immediately shifted, becoming… unsettling.

Even Henry couldn't suppress a questioning glance directed at Ethan.

That had been their nation's Prime Minister.

Ethan acted as though none of it registered. "Now, say it."

"…Say what?" The voice on the phone had lowered significantly, now laced with caution.

"Declare who your master is," Ethan stated, his demeanor as cold as tempered steel.

Silence descended once more.

It stretched on, long enough to create the impression that the connection had been severed entirely.

Then, at last—

"…You are."

The hall practically imploded with shocked exclamations.

"He called him master?!"

"That's not mere surrender!"

"He's pledging allegiance like a slave!"

Ethan's expression flickered with profound disgust. He turned to Henry. "You didn't record that, did you?"

Henry froze, responding, "...I didn't stop it."

Ethan grimaced, ordering, "Cut it. I don't want that on the record."

Henry nodded swiftly. "Yeah. But the storage system belongs to Rowan. I'll have to ask him."

Unbeknownst to them all, the Atlas Federation was currently broadcasting a live feed to the entire planet.

Every single person watching displayed the same stunned expression: jaws agape, minds struggling to process the scene.

The phone crackled once more. "...Master, we are willing to join the Atlas Federation—"

"Stop," Ethan interrupted immediately, his brows furrowed. "Don't call me that. It's repulsive."

A moment of shocked silence followed. "...Understood."

After a brief hesitation, Ryuji Takahashi spoke again, his voice strained yet composed. "We surrender. The Yamato Empire wishes to join the Atlas Federation."

"Join the Atlas Federation?" Ethan's smile was chillingly devoid of warmth.

"Yes," Ryuji said rapidly, as if speed could hasten acceptance. "I am prepared to bring the entirety of the Yamato Empire under the Atlas Federation. Henceforth, Yamato will be a part of you."

"It's the apocalypse. Population is the most scarce resource. Yamato's surrender provides you with immense manpower. We are resource-rich, militarily formidable, and possess advanced medicine. We can offer the Atlas Federation colossal advantages."

"Heh," Ethan chuckled softly. "Alright. I'll discuss it with my superiors. Stand by."

He then disconnected the call.

The individuals kneeling in the hall exhaled in near-collapse from relief for a fleeting second – until Ethan turned his gaze back to them.

"Eliminate them."

"No! Wait!" the leader, a middle-aged man, pleaded desperately. "We surrender as well! We will abide by our Prime Minister's decision! From this moment on, we are the Atlas Federation's hounds—please spare our lives!"

Ethan's expression turned to ice. "The Atlas Federation has no need for dogs."

He tilted his head slightly. "Especially ones that still possess a bite."

A glint of cold steel flashed—

—and the man's severed head clattered onto the floor.

Big Mike and the rest of the team moved in unison, dispatching the remaining individuals in mere seconds.

Only the four Awakened individuals Ethan had specifically identified remained alive.

They were already slumped on the ground, trembling so violently they could no longer even attempt to crawl away.

Garrick approached them, his face impassive, and methodically broke their limbs – swift, efficient fractures – before they were unceremoniously dumped into a makeshift cellar, treated as prisoners.

This was the standard procedure for Awakened individuals captured in other strongholds: keep them alive, render them incapable of resistance, and transport them collectively once the operations in Yamato concluded.

At their current condition, a few days without sustenance would not prove fatal.

Furthermore, with the sheer number of Flamebirds available, transporting additional "cargo" was no longer a logistical concern; they could accommodate as many Awakened individuals as they desired.

In fact, the squad had even jested about bringing back other "mementos" – perhaps porn stars or celebrities. With so many Flamebirds, leaving without any unusual acquisitions felt strangely uneventful.

Once the hall was secured, Ethan led the entire group down into the building's subterranean storage facility.

It was overflowing with crystal cores and valuable provisions.

Ethan proceeded to empty the contents of his storage ring, dedicating its entire capacity to crystal cores. The remaining supplies were consolidated for transport; the Flamebirds would ferry everything back later.

He had no other option, as his personal storage capacity was insufficient.

While his group was busy looting the warehouse, the Flamebirds completed their mission upstairs, systematically eradicating all remaining personnel within the compound.

By the time Ethan's team ascended back to the surface, the entire complex had been reduced to smoldering ruins.

Ethan brushed the dust from his hands, a grin spreading across his face. "Excellent. Our next destination—Edo City."

He surveyed the squad. "I mean... the fellow practically barked at us. Called me 'master.' Even if I have no intention of accepting that title, I must witness the expression on his face."

He began to walk.

Then, as if recalling something amusing, he murmured under his breath – partly to himself, partly directed at the absent Ryuji on the other end of the line:

"Join the Atlas Federation?" Ethan let out a short, sharp laugh.

"You bark once, and suddenly you desire a leash?"

"Apologies. I'm not in the market for adopting any pets."