Apocalypse: King of Zombies Chapter 1322: Stronger… But Dumber

It seemed that the majority of major compounds shared the same grim narrative.

Those who were Enhanced, having charged out with high spirits and a desire to prove themselves... nearly all of them encountered precisely that fate.

In the most fortunate of scenarios, they sustained losses exceeding half their numbers.

In the direst situations, the entire squad was annihilated.

Even the formidable Fallen Star City was not exempt from this harsh reality.

Certain individuals, typically unremarkable but prone to boastfulness and restlessness, experienced a significant surge in power. This led them to become overconfident. Within the city's confines, everyone had experienced improvement, negating any sense of accomplishment or individuals to impress.

Consequently, they ventured outside to 'farm' zombies, hoping to recapture that exhilarating feeling.

Instead, the zombies delivered a brutal lesson that left them barely capable of crawling back alive.

Fallen Star City — Council Chamber...

Miles was engrossed in receiving reports from his subordinates when Ethan and his companions made their entrance.

"Captain!"

"Commander!"

Instantly, everyone present in the chamber rose to their feet, voicing their greetings.

"Be seated," Ethan commanded, gesturing for them to relax. "Take it easy. It's alright."

He then took his seat and directly addressed Miles. "You indicated this was an urgent matter. What is transpiring?"

A grave expression settled on Miles's face. "Captain... the zombies have undergone a tremendous enhancement."

Ethan regarded him with a steady gaze. "And? Isn't that expected? Humans have grown stronger—are zombies not permitted to advance as well?"

"This isn't a minor increase," Miles stated, his voice strained. "Their evolution far surpasses our own."

"Today, every significant compound dispatched teams to hunt zombies, and nearly all of them suffered devastating casualties."

He paused, as if intent on ensuring Ethan absorbed every syllable.

"Based on the intelligence we've obtained... Tier 15 and Tier 16 zombies are now prevalent in the outside areas. Furthermore, we have even encountered Stage B zombies."

"...What?" Ethan's eyes widened in disbelief. "Stage B? Are you certain you aren't mistaken?"

"I am certain," Miles affirmed, unwavering. "An Awakened individual possessing detection capabilities verified this and transmitted the report."

Ethan's lips twitched.

Prior to the appearance of The Crimson Star, the most powerful zombie he had personally encountered was merely Tier 12.

Now, Miles was informing him that within ten days, Stage B zombies were roaming freely?

Was it possible they were gaining a Tier each day? Had The Crimson Star singled them out for some preferential treatment?

It wasn't that Ethan harbored fear of the zombies.

The issue was the sheer, unadulterated insanity of their growth rate.

Miles continued his report. "There is also something else. It's... peculiar."

"Peculiar in what manner?"

"The zombies appear to have suddenly lost their cognitive functions," Miles explained. "As if they have regressed. They seem mindless once more—akin to genuine walking corpses."

Ethan knitted his brows. "Hmm."

"A consequence of evolving too rapidly?" he mused, partly to himself.

"There's no definitive answer," Miles replied. "However, based on our observations, most zombies in the vicinity seem to lack any genuine consciousness. They resemble the earliest forms of zombies—with one crucial distinction."

He spoke deliberately, emphasizing his point.

"They are vastly, incomparably stronger."

Ethan leaned back, falling into a prolonged silence.

The transformation of the zombies was undeniably linked to their sudden surge in power.

Yet, if all entities had existed under the same sky, breathing the same air...

How on earth could the zombies have achieved such an unprecedented level of growth?

Following the acquisition of the Energy Absorption Technique by humans, their cultivation speed generally outpaced that of the zombies.

However, on this occasion, humanity had been unequivocally crushed.

This led to a singular conclusion.

The zombies had discovered something else—something far superior.

In a flash, Ethan recalled the crimson energy he had previously witnessed.

"Yes," he uttered, more to himself than to those present. "That's it. It must be the reason."

While humans were incapable of absorbing such energy, it did not preclude the zombies from doing so.

If the zombies were indeed assimilating this mysterious energy, this potent crimson energy, then their preposterous growth finally became comprehensible.

He had personally sensed it. That crimson energy represented a significantly higher echelon of power. If it could propel zombies to such an advanced stage, then their current state was hardly surprising.

Furthermore, he had detected something mingled within it—an element of impurity.

Perhaps this was precisely the reason the zombies had reverted to their mindless state.

Once Ethan connected these disparate pieces of information, the initial shock dissipated. His gaze, instead, sharpened, shifting towards the broader implications of the situation.

"Frankly," Ethan declared with a slight smirk, "this presents us with an opportunity."

A Fallen Star City administrator looked perplexed. "Commander... how can this be considered an opportunity?"

"Because while, yes, the zombies are currently more powerful than humans once again," Ethan explained, "they have lost their intelligence. This signifies that they are incapable of orchestrating those terrifying, horde-level zombie tides anymore. For humanity, this represents the most favorable possible outcome."

Miles immediately concurred. "The Captain is correct. This is an opening for humankind."

"The most formidable aspect of zombies was never their individual strength," Miles elaborated. "It was the sheer scale of the hordes—the synchronized onslaughts. If that existential threat is now eliminated, then even with their increased power, humans still possess viable methods for their destruction."

"And truthfully," he stated, his tone shifting to a more pragmatic one, "eliminating even a single zombie right now can essentially be seen as a reward for any settlement."

"The crystal-core decomposition technology has already been made public by Atlas City. So long as we manage to defeat high-Tier zombies, a settlement's might will skyrocket. This, in turn, will make it simpler to take down more zombies. It's a cycle that builds upon itself."

A few of the more experienced individuals in the vicinity perked up, a sudden understanding dawning on them.

"Indeed—why hadn’t we considered that?"

"If this trend continues, there's a possibility that humanity's overall strength could see a resurgence..."

Ethan, however, waved their concerns aside. "Very well. That particular matter is not something you need to trouble yourselves with excessively. Zombies are capable of growing as powerful as they desire—it will pose no threat to us. With the Fallen Star Guard in operation, the situation is straightforward. They arrive, we annihilate them. Their numbers are irrelevant."

"Ah... right." A couple of them let out sighs of relief, as if they had just been reminded of their secure location. "The Fallen Star Guard possesses such formidable strength. We are indeed safe."

The oppressive atmosphere within the room began to dissipate. Initially, they had been gripped by fear, but upon further reflection—residing within Fallen Star City meant they were far less exposed to danger compared to the rest of the world.

Miles interjected abruptly, inquiring, "Captain, do you require the assistance of the Fallen Star Guard at this moment?"

"Not for the next couple of days," Ethan replied. "However, after that period, I intend to lead them to the Yamato islands to eradicate the Infernals."

"Understood." Miles offered a nod. "In that case, I shall deploy them to hunt zombies over these next two days. With the escalating strength of zombies, we can acquire a substantial quantity of high-Tier crystal cores. My objective is to commence the fortification of the Fallen Star Corps."

"The Guard is currently at its peak strength, and they will likely be accompanying you outside the city with greater frequency," he added. "Nevertheless, Fallen Star City still necessitates a continuous defensive presence."

"Indeed. Proceed with what you deem most appropriate." Ethan rose to his feet. "I have my own pressing concern to address first—those Void Realm entities that we failed to fully eliminate. Leaving them unchecked feels like a persistent annoyance, akin to a splinter beneath my skin."

"Understood."

Following their departure from the council chamber, Ethan contacted Maxwell, requesting the precise whereabouts of the remaining hostile creatures.

The information he received proved to be... rather irritating.

They had not ventured out; they had remained concealed deep within the mountainous terrain throughout the entire duration.

Ethan clicked his tongue in mild frustration.

The region of Karst Valley State was predominantly characterized by its mountainous landscape. An unending succession of mountain ridges stretched as far as the eye could see. Attempting to locate a small number of monsters concealed within such a vast expanse would be akin to trying to capture wisps of smoke with one's bare hands.

"It appears we will have to wait until they reveal themselves," Ethan commented, shaking his head.

He then turned his attention to the others. "Let us proceed. We shall go and observe the current state of the world."

The advent of the Crimson Star had profoundly impacted the Earth. The most conspicuous alteration was the significant enhancement in power—experienced by both humans and zombies alike.

However, if Ethan had to venture a guess, this was not the sole transformation that had occurred.

They were just on the verge of departing when Miles dispatched a runner to summon him.

"Commander! The Deputy Commander requests your presence at the Beast Enclosure."

"The Beast Enclosure?" Ethan paused, inquiring, "What has transpired?"

"I received word... the white-furred apes are in a state of unrest."

"The white-furred apes?" Ethan's brow furrowed in confusion. "What could have possibly instigated a riot among them so suddenly?"

The messenger hesitated for a moment before responding, "They... appear to have been affected in a manner similar to the zombies. Their cognitive abilities have seemingly diminished."

Ethan froze for a brief instant, then instinctively smacked his own forehead in realization.

"Blast it. I can hardly believe I overlooked such a critical detail."

He turned, stating, "Very well. Let us proceed immediately."

The group moved with haste, making their way directly towards the Beast Enclosure.

On their path, Ethan found himself compelled to ask, "The Flamebirds have not commenced a similar disturbance as well, have they?"

He attempted to maintain a casual demeanor, yet the underlying tension in his voice was palpable to everyone present.

An uprising involving thirty thousand Flamebirds would be catastrophic... Fallen Star City would be utterly overwhelmed.

Skinny Pete let out a dismissive snort. "Rest assured, Captain. Their leader, Ember, remains under my command. Even if its intellect has been compromised, it will still adhere to directives."

"Furthermore, the Flamebirds instinctively follow Ember's lead," he elaborated. "This inherent connection will persist even if their minds are adversely affected."

Ethan released a sigh of relief. "Excellent."

He cast a glance forward, his jaw setting with determination. "Let us move. If the situation necessitates it... we shall simply exert control over the white-furred apes as well."

"Agreed," Miles affirmed. "Should the circumstances demand it."