Apocalypse: King of Zombies Chapter 1321: They Got Stronger… So Did the Monsters

Fallen Star City...

A full ten days had elapsed, and Ethan and his companions concluded their intense training regimen.

Throughout this period, they had virtually abstained from both eating and drinking, dedicating every conscious moment to the absorption of energy.

Having confronted a multitude of Void Realm creatures, a sense of ease was a luxury they could no longer afford. The lingering pressure from those encounters had become deeply ingrained. Consequently, when such a valuable opportunity presented itself, letting it pass was simply not an option.

Ethan, feeling the potent surge of power within him, couldn't help but smile.

In just ten days, his progression had been from Tier 19 to Tier 22—a significant leap of three Tiers.

It is a known fact that the higher one's Tier, the more arduous the climb becomes. Under normal conditions, even if Ethan, at Tier 19, were to utilize the ritual circle daily for energy absorption, a single Tier advancement would demand a substantial amount of time.

Yet, this time, a mere ten days had resulted in a jump of three.

This rate of progress was nearly on par with the massive energy infusion experienced during the ascent of the Celestial Stairway. This alone underscored the extraordinary nature of the mysterious energy surge.

If even individuals like Ethan had achieved such remarkable gains, it was reasonable to assume that those at lower levels must have witnessed even more astonishing improvements.

However, it's important to acknowledge that such substantial gains are intrinsically linked to one's innate talent.

In this regard, those who had successfully navigated the Celestial Stairway—namely the Fallen Star Squad and the Fallen Star Guard—possessed a considerable advantage.

The Celestial Stairway was instrumental in augmenting an individual's talent. While this enhancement might not be overtly apparent on a day-to-day basis, during a significant surge of mysterious energy like the current one, the difference in potential becomes starkly evident.

Within the ranks of the Fallen Star Squad, every member had commenced this surge at Tier 19.

Ethan, having reached the pinnacle of the Celestial Stairway, now stood at Tier 22.

Chris secured the second position, reaching the peak of Tier 21.

All other members of the squad found themselves around the mid-stage of Tier 21.

The disparity in their current Tiers alone served as undeniable proof that the talent boost provided by the Celestial Stairway was far from trivial.

Within Fallen Star City's Fallen Star Guard, the impact of the energy surge was equally dramatic.

The ten thousand members who had previously been at Stage B largely advanced by two Tiers.

Furthermore, the ten thousand individuals who were previously around Tier 15 experienced a jump of approximately three Tiers, propelling them into Stage B.

Having also ascended the Celestial Stairway, their physiques had undergone improvements. Consequently, their gains naturally surpassed those of ordinary individuals, though they still fell short of matching the Fallen Star Squad's advancements.

While on the surface it appeared that everyone gained approximately two Tiers, the Guard's lower starting point facilitated easier progression.

The critical issue, however, was that despite the seemingly similar gains, the existing gap between the two groups had not diminished—it had, in fact, widened.

The least advanced members of the Fallen Star Squad were now at the mid-stage of Tier 21, whereas the majority of the Fallen Star Guard had only just reached Tier 20.

Beyond the Squad and the Guard, the overall strength of Fallen Star City had undergone a complete and profound transformation.

And this transformation was not isolated to Fallen Star City; every other fortified compound experienced similar advancements.

Individuals who were previously at Tier 12 now found themselves at least at Tier 15 or Tier 16.

The lowest-ranking Enhanced individuals—those who had been at Tier 8 or Tier 9—showcased even more astonishing progress, likely jumping four to five Tiers.

While talent undoubtedly played a role, with such an abundant concentration of mysterious energy, even lesser talents could achieve significant advancements through sheer force of cultivation.

As the mysterious energy gradually subsided, all training activities ceased.

Experiencing the explosive surge of newfound strength coursing through their bodies, individuals were practically vibrating with exhilaration.

On the morning of the eleventh day, an innumerable host of Enhanced individuals emerged from their respective compounds, their confidence soaring.

Such a significant increase in power invariably brought about a restless urge.

An undeniable desire to venture out and confront zombies, simply to test their augmented capabilities.

Certainly, some harbored a fleeting concern about whether the zombies' strength had also escalated.

However, a deeply held conviction persisted: humans must have gained more—primarily because humans possessed the Energy Absorption Technique, a capability that zombies lacked.

What they remained unaware of was the chilling reality that—

In contrast to humans, the zombies and mutant beasts had undergone an evolution that was genuinely terrifying.

If the sole criterion for improvement was the absorption of mysterious energy, then yes, zombies might not surpass humans equipped with the Energy Absorption Technique.

But zombies possessed an additional, crucial advantage.

They were capable of absorbing crimson energy, a form of energy that eluded human assimilation.

This crimson energy represented a significantly higher tier of power. It not only amplified their strength but also fortified their physical structures, pushing their resilience to even greater extremes.

Nevertheless, the assimilation of crimson energy came at a steep cost.

Just as Ethan had intuited, crimson energy was inherently impure.

While it could fuel a dramatic surge in their power, it simultaneously acted as a corrosive agent, relentlessly eroding and destroying their consciousness—

ultimately reducing them to nothing more than mere mindless, shambling corpses.

The initial squad of Enhanced individuals who ventured beyond the compound's boundaries soon encountered a horde of zombies.

However, the moment they obtained a clear view of their adversaries, the entire team found themselves collectively frowning.

"Something feels off," a young man murmured, his gaze fixed on the approaching figures.

"Yeah... it's definitely off," another voice chimed in. "I just can't quite pinpoint what it is."

"I think I've got it." A third individual spoke up, his voice carrying a note of realization. "They look... sluggish. Unresponsive. Like genuine walking corpses."

"Yes, exactly—that's it!"

"Aren't zombies supposed to look like that?" the young man inquired, genuine confusion clouding his features.

"Slap—"

The squad leader delivered a sharp smack to the back of his head.

"Are you dense?" he barked. "What year do you think this is? We're a full year into the apocalypse. The weakest zombies roaming these lands are Tier 8 or Tier 9 now. Their intelligence is hardly worse than ours. When was the last time you witnessed zombies resembling those?"

He squinted, his gaze fixed on the distant cluster of undead.

"They look like they just recently turned."

"Oh... yeah, right." The young man rubbed the back of his head, a flush of embarrassment rising.

"So... you mean they're Tier 1 zombies?" he stammered out. "Or perhaps... newborn zombies or something similar?"

"How in the nine hells could that possibly be?" another voice interjected. "Where on earth would you even find Tier 1 zombies at this point?"

"Then what exactly is happening?"

"Don't look at me. If you have questions, go ask the zombies themselves."

"Could they be faking it?" another survivor suggested, their voice dropping to a near whisper. "Trying to lure us into a trap?"

"That's not entirely out of the question," someone else remarked grimly. "Zombies have become incredibly cunning these days."

"So, boss—should we engage them?"

"Naturally, we engage them," the leader retorted, as if the question itself were an insult. "We're all at least Tier 13 now. Do you honestly believe we should still be intimidated by a mere few hundred zombies?"

A sneer twisted his lips.

"If they intend to bait us, so be it. We'll simply use them for target practice."

He turned his head slightly. "Shorty—scan the surrounding area. Are there any large hordes nearby? If not, we advance."

"You got it!"

A diminutive figure detached from the group, scaled a nearby vantage point, and spent a minute sweeping the horizon with binoculars before jogging back.

"Boss, it’s just these few hundred. Nothing significant within a three-mile radius."

"Perfect." The leader’s grin widened into a savage rictus. "Let’s go show them the true meaning of a power disparity."

With that declaration, he spearheaded several hundred Enhanced individuals in a direct charge towards the zombie pack.

"Time to eradicate the vermin!"

They bellowed their war cry as they charged, their hands already a blur—skill after skill unleashed, smashing into the onrushing zombies.

"Raaah—!"

The zombies let out guttural roars upon spotting the humans, then surged forward with a disturbing, almost fervent aggression.

Devastating skills impacted the undead bodies.

Yet, they seemed to have almost no effect.

The horde plowed through the barrage as if it were mere drizzle, closing the distance in mere seconds.

"Pff—!"

The initial wave of Enhanced soldiers at the front didn't even have time to utter a cry. Zombie claws tore them asunder and ripped them apart, their torsos splitting open as easily as peeling paper.

"What the—how is this even possible?!"

Shock rippled across the entire line, eyes widening in disbelief.

"Didn’t we just get stronger?" someone shrieked in panic. "Why do we feel more fragile than before?"

"Stop gawking and fight!" the leader bellowed, snapping into action himself even as disbelief threatened to overwhelm him. "Controllers—pin them down! Everyone else, concentrate your fire! Now!"

Entangling vines shot forth. Treacherous swamps materialized underfoot. Icy shards erupted to ensnare ankles—control abilities were layered one upon another, desperately attempting to immobilize the advancing zombies.

It proved futile.

The zombies tore themselves free almost instantly, as if the restraints were nothing more than flimsy threads.

Then, they crashed into the main body of the humans.

Every lunging strike, every sweeping claw, every brutal tackle claimed a life.

"Damn it all!" the leader roared, his voice thick with rage. "What level are these monsters?! Why are they so incredibly powerful?!"

He wasted not another fraction of a second.

"Fall back! Scatter!"

The squad fractured, turning on their heels and sprinting towards the open ground. Their retreat, however, was anything but orderly.

But the zombies harbored absolutely no intention of allowing them to escape.

They pursued in a relentless tide—closing the gap with terrifying speed, claws glinting—transforming a tactical retreat into a desperate, bloody hunt.