Apocalypse Forecast

"One bam."

"Nine characters."

"KONG!"

"RIICHI!"

A clamorous and lively scene unfolded. About a dozen salted fish zombies, exuding a rotting stench, sat at several tables. They were smoking, picking their feet, drinking beer, and playing mahjong, all surrounded by a putrid haze that gave off a terribly antisocial vibe.

When Huai Shi entered, some even turned to glance back.

"Ah, is that the new team leader?"

"Looks pretty young. Oh no, today's performance probably isn't going to be good."

"Anyway, there's no salary, so who cares about performance..."

"Damn it, did you just steal my tiles?"

"Are these tiles yours? Do they answer when you call them?"

"You! You really need to be taught some manners!"

"Come at me, grandson!"

Before they could finish their greetings, several zombies had already started fighting. One yanked off another's neck, another kicked someone's waist until it snapped. For a moment, limbs and broken body parts were scattered all over. Huai Shi's eyes nearly popped out of his sockets.

Each one truly has their own unique skill!

These guys must be here specifically to get beaten up; to think they can't die even after such a beating...

At least this group knew some rules. After the fight, they came one by one to introduce themselves to Huai Shi, stating their job positions. They told Huai Shi he could order them around anytime. As for whether they could fulfill the tasks, they'd see; if not, he shouldn't even think about it.

In a corner, two zombies were looking at porn magazines and chatting. "There's a new pachinko parlor that just opened by the Sanzu River. Want to check it out after work?"

"Can't. Riko hasn't been feeling well these past few days. I need to bring back some extra fresh meat for her."

"Pregnant again?"

"Yeah, the third one."

"Congratulations, congratulations..."

Listening to them, Huai Shi seriously doubted his sanity. Damn pregnancy? Bro, you're a zombie!

Yet the two of them chatted excitedly.

"Taro must be four years old by now, right?"

"Yeah." The chubby zombie turned to look at Huai Shi. "Team leader, you haven't seen my family photo, have you?"

As he spoke, he took out a photo of his wife and child from his pocket to show him. "I've gotten fat now, but I wasn't like this when I was thinner. Look, I'm smiling so happily."

Huai Shi stared at the photo, seeing a couple holding two children as black as charcoal.

"..."

This is messed up; these co-workers are totally unreliable...

Huai Shi's head felt like it was about to explode.

With such a team, how am I supposed to fight?

When he arrived, he had read the regulations. The Ancient Evil Spirit Castle attraction could support four visitors playing at a time. There was half an hour left until the park opened. This meant that as soon as the park opened, Huai Shi would instantly become a four-player raid BOSS, waiting for players to come and farm him.

Even a group of weak Sublimators would still number four. A moment of carelessness could capsize him. To top it off, he was stuck with this lot of broken goods. This isn't a job; it's like I'm here to hand out free points!

Huai Shi sighed and finally asked seriously, "How do you guys normally... cough, how do you work?"

The zombie at the front raised his hand to answer, "We sit at our posts, wait for people to come in, then we bite them a couple of times, trying not to let them run away."

They all seemed to have a decent work attitude. Huai Shi nodded, then asked another question,

"What if they run away?"

Another zombie raised a hand. "Then we sit back and wait for the next one."

Fine, are these guys dogs or what...?

"I'll think of something."

Huai Shi scratched his head, his brain whirring as he walked around the castle.

The atmosphere is OK, I guess. The traps were a bit cliché but still usable. The various forks and false doors were well-made enough to qualify as a labyrinth.

But they can't stop anyone...

Huai Shi toured the castle and returned. Looking at the dozen or so salted fish zombies—smoking, picking their feet, and playing cards—in the break room, he suddenly asked, "Do zombies get sick?"

"Hm?" Surprised, the zombies looked around at each other, shaking their heads in unison. "No... We're already dead, after all. Haven't even had a cold in years."

Well, that's good.

Huai Shi's eyes suddenly lit up, looking at them as if they were nutrient-rich petri dishes.

After a moment's thought, he fashioned an iron cup, about the size of a beer mug. Then he pulled out a knife and cut his hand, watching as his faintly greenish blood gushed into it. When it was about full, he dabbed some Silver Blood Potion on the cut as a makeshift band-aid.

It just so happened he'd bumped into too many trees on the way here and had over-cultivated a bit, so he might as well donate some blood.

The ominous-looking blood in the cup swayed gently. Under Huai Shi's costly Source Infusion, it rapidly transformed, and countless microscopic strains furiously grew from within...

Worried it wasn't enough, Huai Shi rubbed a couple of handfuls of Apocalypse Ash into it, turning the liquid in the cup instantly black.

Finally, he pulled out the Spear of Compassion and sprinkled dozens of grams of Dragon Blood into it.

WHOOSH.

The blood in the entire cup suddenly began to churn as if boiling, bubbling continuously.

"Drink up. This is my 'happy water.'"

Huai Shi picked up the cup, placed it in front of them, and smiled. "Come on, quick, a sip each. You'll be happy after drinking it."

Under Huai Shi's instigation, numerous zombies poured this 'happy water'—which didn't look very happy at all—into their stomachs, and then instantly became joyful.

"OH, OH, OH, I FEEL THE POWER!!!"

"So happy... This is what growth feels like..."

"I, I... I'm rotting even worse!"

"I've got an extra head..."

Catalyzed by the virus stock solution—almost as poisonous as an alchemy Potion—the zombies immediately took on a green hue. They looked utterly harmonious as mushrooms sprouted from their heads.

Within their moist, rotting carcasses, the fungal strains grew happily, rapidly dividing and spreading like dandelions, instantly turning the zombies into toxic undead.

According to Huai Shi's observations, it seemed each zombie's poison was different. Those with Type A blood contracted Source Substance Pox. Those with Type B blood got Hell Influenza. Those with Type O blood were a bizarre assortment; mushrooms grew incessantly on their heads, and one zombie even had a sunflower sprouting from its crown.

During this brief metamorphosis, time flew by.

In the blink of an eye, alarms sounded outside. In a few minutes, the 'visitors' would enter the park, and the game was about to begin...

"Alright, perk up! Time for work, time for work!"

Huai Shi urged the listless zombies to hurry to their posts. "Do you all remember where your posts are?"

"I'm in the library."

"I'm in the kitchen."

"I'll go to the hall."

"I'll just wander around..."

One by one, the zombies sluggishly dragged their feet, listlessly heading deeper into the castle. Eventually, only one last, emaciated old zombie remained sitting in the break room.

Of all the zombies, he was particularly rotten; his flesh was nearly falling off, and he looked ancient. He resembled a Skeleton more than a zombie—liable to fall apart at a touch.

To still come to work in such a state! Truly diligent and dedicated, this old fellow!

Huai Shi, full of awe and admiration, glanced at him and asked, "What are you responsible for?"

The old zombie lifted his head with a CREAK, forced a pleasing smile, and held up the eighty-year-old newspaper in his hand. "Reading... the paper..."

Right then.

The corner of Huai Shi's eye twitched. Is there office bullying among zombies too? Damn capitalists are scary...

And why is this old man still at his post at such an age? Is there no work for him? It must be boring reading the newspaper here every day!

He sighed and pointed to a table. "Then stay here."

"If someone... comes in... what do I do?"

Huai Shi studied him for a while. Although he looked terrifying, he didn't look like he could fight at all. He'd probably disintegrate if someone kicked him once. Getting caught on a live stream beating an old man would be a human tragedy... so disharmonious.

"Then you play... mahjong with them." Huai Shi thought for a moment, then brought over a set of mahjong for him. Whether it would be useful or not, it could at least serve as a diversionary tactic.

To enhance the atmosphere, Huai Shi even shoved an old humidifier under the zombie, adding a few handfuls of Apocalypse Ash. Once plugged in, thin plumes of grey mist slowly rose from the old zombie's mouth. At first glance, it looked as if he were ascending to heaven.

In the midst of the eerie and terrifying environment, a boss-like aura was created!

Ready for action!

Huai Shi clapped his hands, listening to the increasingly urgent alarm from outside the castle. He waved his hand and flipped the break room's main power switch. In an instant, darkness swept over, swallowing everything.

Only the castle's massive main doors boomed open.

Amid the groans of zombies, Ancient Evil Spirit Castle officially opened for business.

The next instant, countless figures descended from the sky.

「. . .」

[Resurrection Mission—Clear Little Cat Paradise within eight hours.]

[Clear Reward: Restore eligibility to compete; additional rewards are for you to explore.]

In an instant, thousands of Sublimators who had been wallowing in nightmares awoke screaming, finding themselves standing in the square.

The contestants eliminated on the first day were pulled into this park, specially prepared for the resurrection match, joining the ranks of countless visitors.

Then, a flood of information from the system panel poured into their consciousness...

A second chance and an opportunity to rise further.

For both these fallen contestants and the contestants hosting the park attractions, this was undoubtedly a challenge worth betting everything on.

Unlike the fodder who rushed to the front and blindly entered any random attraction, the smarter players stayed put. They eagerly scanned the hefty instruction manual in their hands, line by line, carefully selecting the attractions they wished to attempt.

Within the manual, there were brief introductions to all the 'entertainment' attractions in Little Cat Paradise.

Depending on the attraction's difficulty, different conditions were required to clear the park. High-difficulty attractions might only require one completion to clear the park. In contrast, those marked as low-threat often required clearing four to five before accumulating enough progress.

Some skilled and daring challengers immediately used their three Fast Challenge Tickets, bypassing those already in line. They locked onto the most challenging attractions: Thunderstruck Mountain, Earth's Core Pit, and Death Roller Coaster, among others, intending to minimize risk and clear the park in one go.

After all, they only had one life. Even the lowest-threat attractions could lead to disaster when facing a host with a home-field advantage. It was far better to secure victory in a single, decisive attempt.

When some challengers spotted the inconspicuous small print at the very end of the instruction manual, their eyes lit up instantly.

Kill the host, and not only do you get your eligibility to compete back, but you also inherit their clearance progress and all their equipment?

Soon, after various calculations and deliberations, the challengers embarked on their chosen paths, some full of confidence, others fraught with uncertainty.

As the frenzied crowd surged in every direction, Little Cat Paradise slowly started up, like a bloody meat grinder.

Amidst the faint, distant moans, under the grey-black sky, this place had truly become a veritable Hell.

And Huai Shi heard the sound of a door being pushed open.