Apocalypse: King of Zombies Chapter 1320: The World Just Changed

The instant The Crimson Star blazed into view, a storm of activity erupted—people shouting, leaping to their feet as if jolted by an electric shock.

The tale was widely known by now: the Awakened had gained their extraordinary abilities originally because of their encounter with The Crimson Star.

This very history was why countless ordinary Enhanced had spent the past year consumed by bitter regret, lamenting a single, foolish misstep—

So, when The Crimson Star reappeared, the common Enhanced were flooded with a wild surge of hope.

Could this possibly signify... another opportunity to ascend to the ranks of the Awakened?

In these recent times, any Enhanced still breathing had developed the discipline of cultivating during the night. Thus, this time, nearly everyone bore witness to the celestial event.

Their gazes were fixed upon that solitary crimson point piercing the heavens. Not a single soul blinked; no one dared to look away. They simply stared, their hearts pleading, yearning for any sign of an ability igniting within them.

Yet, what they remained unaware of was that it had already become too late for such a transformation.

Once the cosmic map within one's mind had been illuminated, the path to awakening abilities in that manner was irrevocably closed.

Only an individual entirely untouched—one who had never experienced the lighting of a constellation chart—held any potential to gain awakening from The Crimson Star.

And by the present moment?

Such individuals had become virtually nonexistent.

But even if its power to confer abilities was lost, the return of The Crimson Star nonetheless set in motion a monumental shift—

A complete and overwhelming resurgence of Earth’s potent mysterious energy.

That very night, the ambient concentration of mysterious energy across the globe escalated manifold, surpassing previous levels by several times. Even the ordinary Enhanced could sense its palpable presence, thick in the atmosphere, enveloping them like a warm, gentle tide.

And in that instant, the pursuit of awakening abilities became a forgotten desire.

They collapsed where they stood—atop rooftops, within courtyards, along the verges of highways—and commenced absorbing the mysterious energy with fervent excitement, propelling their Tiers upward with breathtaking speed.

While humanity rejoiced, however...

Zombies and mutated beasts were in a state of sheer elation, as if they had been anticipating this precise juncture since the world's cataclysmic end.

The moment The Crimson Star materialized, zombies and mutated beasts ascended to elevated positions—rooftops, hills, the skeletal remains of overpasses—and directed their upturned faces toward the sky like devout supplicants.

Invisible tendrils of crimson energy descended from above.

Within their skulls, their crystal cores responded as a parched land thirsting for rain, greedily satiating themselves.

And the transformation was not confined to them alone.

Flora across the entire planet began to exhibit explosive growth—sprouting with unnatural speed and density. The initial vanguard of mutated vegetation silently took root, beginning its insidious spread under the cover of darkness.

The reappearance of The Crimson Star ignited a cascading sequence of events throughout the Earth.

Concurrently, one Void Realm passage after another began to thrum with spatial distortions.

These instabilities intensified, twisting and expanding... until they ripped open into blatant spatial rifts—portals offering passage to disparate Void Realm worlds. The interdimensional conduits were now fully unfurled.

From within the Void Realms, the denizens sensed the disturbance and, driven by primal instinct, surged towards it in a ravenous wave.

But precisely as this unfolded—

The celestial bodies comprising the Nine-Star Dipper suddenly blazed, erupting with an almost unbearable radiance.

In the immediate aftermath, the spatial cracks that had fractured the world began to seal themselves shut.

With agonizing slowness. Reluctantly.

Then, they vanished without a trace, leaving behind no discernible evidence of their existence.

One by one, creatures from the Void Realms arrived at the locations where the openings had been... only to confront empty air.

Only vacant, silent space greeted them.

Some among them displayed profound confusion, their cognitive faculties seemingly unable to comprehend the abrupt shift in reality.

However, others—the more formidable beings—grew still, their gazes sharpening. A contemplative air settled upon them.

They uttered no words. They unleashed no fury.

They merely etched the location into their consciousness... and departed.

Fallen Star City...

Ethan activated [True Sight], his perception piercing the swirling miasma of thick mysterious energy that enveloped their surroundings.

It was then that his attention caught something else entirely.

Beyond the dense veil of mysterious energy, faint, almost imperceptible traces of an invisible substance could be discerned—crimson energy.

It did not possess the same pristine quality as the ubiquitous mysterious energy. However, its sheer potency... was on an entirely different plane. It felt more profound. More acute. As if it belonged to a reality far deeper than their own.

Ethan attempted to draw this energy into himself.

Futilely.

Regardless of how he regulated his breathing, regardless of the intensity of his focus, the energy resolutely refused to penetrate his form.

He was forced to relinquish the effort, a wave of frustration washing over him.

It was evident that this energy operated at a level far superior to mysterious energy. If he could somehow absorb it, the resultant benefits would be immeasurable.

"The mysterious energy is exceptionally dense tonight," Ethan stated, his voice resonating with firm resolve. "Everyone—absorb as much as you possibly can."

"Understood."

There was no need for explicit instruction. The realization was palpable to all of them.

By that point, every individual had already assumed a seated position, eyes shut, drawing the essence of the night into their beings as if fearful of its imminent dissipation.

Throughout the entire night, all were utterly consumed by the task of absorbing the pervasive mysterious energy. Auras signifying breakthroughs flickered into existence all around them—one after another, akin to unseen fireworks, perceptible only through the profound internal sensations they evoked.

By five in the morning, the Nine-Star Dipper and The Crimson Star had vanished together. However, this time, the mysterious energy that permeated Earth did not recede into silence as it usually did. Instead, it remained thick, creating an almost palpable weight in the air. This single observation sent waves of elation through the populace. Everyone abandoned all other concerns, isolating themselves to focus solely on cultivation, with some even forgoing food. A collective understanding permeated their beings: this was a critical race for spiritual essence, a moment that wouldn't persist indefinitely. Ascending even a little was a victory; ascending greatly meant pushing oneself to the absolute limit. The entire planet fell into a profound quietude. Humans, zombies, and mutant beasts alike were all caught in a frantic race against time, desperately drawing in the abundant energy from the heavens.

Deep within the mountains of Karst Valley State, the Stoneborn powerhouses exchanged looks of utter astonishment. "Is the mysterious energy in this world truly this dense!?" one exclaimed. "It defies logic. With such potent energy, even a pig could ascend," another voiced, their tone sharpening with bewilderment. "Then why are the humans of this world so weak?" The leader pondered for a moment before slowly offering a theory. "Perhaps it is a world only beginning its resurgence. And this surge of energy... it cannot last." He then gazed upwards, his eyes alight with intensity. "But regardless, we have stumbled upon it. This presents an opportunity." One of them, their face contorted with hatred, declared, "The strength of that soulless thrall is fixed. It cannot improve. As long as I can break through to Stage S, I might not need to fear it." "We will have our revenge then," he vowed, and the others echoed his sentiment with fervent nods. Without further delay, they immediately assumed seated positions, commencing the forceful absorption of the dense, mysterious energy as if their very survival depended on it.

In the Yamato Empire, a nation already erased from the world map, complete dominion had fallen to the Infernals. When the Infernals, having pursued a group of Flamebirds, emerged through a newly discovered passage, they were rendered speechless by the sight. Their original world was a desolate landscape of deep crimson, devoid of plant life and utterly barren, reflecting a despairing scarcity. Yet, this new world? It was awash in greenery, boasting mountains and rivers—a veritable paradise. Consequently, nearly all the Infernals abandoned their crimson wasteland and settled in this new realm. Initially, they attributed their good fortune solely to the superior environment. However, they soon discovered the true treasure: this world possessed an abundant supply of mysterious energy. And today, with the sudden surge in its concentration, the Infernals found themselves struggling to contain their overwhelming excitement. A significant portion of them had been stagnating at the peak of Stage B for an extended period, their advancement capped by the limitations of their homeworld. Upon entering this new world, the tier restriction gradually loosened. And this energy surge? It didn't just loosen the restriction; it shattered it. In a single night, at least half of the Stage B Infernals successfully advanced into Tier 19.

This phenomenon was not isolated. Across other nations, more creatures from the Void Realm had emerged. Some burst forth, engaging in open slaughter. Others lurked in the shadows, awaiting their moment. Still others adopted a different strategy, quietly asserting control over human groups, much like a master leashing a pet. These Void Realm creatures likely never imagined that while their arrival was seamless, their departure was now impossible. This meant they were trapped on Earth, at least until the Void Realm passages reopened. The sealing of the passages might have served as Earth's defense, but it was clearly not a permanent state. It was plausible that the passages would reopen in the not-too-distant future. And the next time they opened, they would do so completely. At that juncture, humanity would be forced into a direct confrontation with these Void Realm entities. However, none of this was known to anyone at present. For the moment, the entire world was engaged in a singular pursuit: absorbing the surging mysterious energy and elevating their tiers to the highest possible level before the phenomenon subsided. This state of global absorption persisted for a full ten days. During this decade, Earth was unnervingly silent. And in those ten days, every remaining living entity on Earth—human, zombie, and mutant beast alike—witnessed a dramatic and immense increase in their strength...