Apocalypse: I Have A Multiplier System

But since their last fight, she wasn't sitting like a duck. Her cultivation has soared too.

"She's incredible," one soldier breathed.

Inspired, the others charged forward. Gunfire cracked through the air. Blades flashed.

But these were not normal zombies. Some moved with unnatural speed, darting between bullets. Others had monstrous strength, tearing metal apart.

Jake cursed as he dodged a swipe. "These things are tougher than usual!"

"Focus on the head or the heart!" Qin Feng shouted, spinning and delivering a blow that sent a Zombie King stumbling back.

Su Jiyai was already pushing toward the front, where Narak himself was fighting. Every time their weapons clashed, the ground shook.

Narak's voice was calm, even in battle. "You fight well. But you cannot stop us."

"We will see about that," Su Jiyai replied, striking again.

Qin Feng joined her side, his sword blocking a strike meant for her. "We can take him together!"

Narak's eyes flickered. For the first time, he looked slightly uneasy.

The fight raged on for what felt like hours. Finally, one of the green-skinned Zombie Kings gave a sharp whistle. Narak's head turned.

"We retreat!" Narak shouted.

The other Zombie Kings pulled back immediately.

"They're running!" XiPing called out.

"After them!" Su Jiyai ordered. She and Qin Feng pushed forward, cutting down zombies in their path. But the undead army moved to block them, throwing themselves into the fight so their leaders could escape.

In the chaos, Su Jiyai managed to knock three Zombie Kings to the ground. She moved quickly, binding their arms with heavy chains.

"Take them to the basement," she ordered her soldiers.

"Yes, Boss!" they shouted, dragging the captives away.

She didn't stop. Her eyes were locked on Narak's fleeing figure. She sprinted after him, leaping over bodies and dodging claws.

But the horde kept getting in the way. Narak glanced back once, meeting her gaze. Then he was gone, swallowed by the mass of undead.

By the time the last zombies fled, the base was left in ruins. Smoke rose from burning barricades. The air was thick with the smell of blood and ozone.

Su Jiyai stood on the wall, her chest rising and falling. Qin Feng joined her, his face set in a grim frown.

"They escaped," he said quietly.

Su Jiyai looked at him, her eyes sharp, but her voice was calm. "Yes. They escaped. For now, we wait like a duck again."

Qin Feng gave a small nod. "You are right. If we chased them now, God knows what traps they might have waiting. We could lose more people."

She glanced back at the ruined base. The smoke, the flames, the bodies... it was a bitter reminder of what they were facing. But she didn't argue. "We'll rebuild. And we'll be ready when they come back."

What they didn't know was that Qin Feng's decision was the right one.

Far away, deep inside the dreaded Red Zone, Narak and the other Zombie Kings moved in silence. The Red Zone was a terrible place. It was dark, filled with a strange red mist that burned the skin and made the air feel heavy. Here, superhumans lost half their strength. It was the perfect place for zombies to hunt.

The Zombie Kings stood in a circle. None of them spoke at first. Their faces were grim, their eyes full of frustration. Even Narak, who always looked calm, had his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles cracked.

Finally, Narak spoke. "We did not expect the humans to be this strong."

The brown-skinned Zombie King stepped forward. His voice was rough. "Our people… three of our own… they were captured. We must get them out."

Narak was silent for a moment. Then he nodded slowly. "Yes. We must free them. But this time, we cannot rely only on the suit. We will need a half-intelligent zombie to sneak into the base and release them."

The other Zombie Kings exchanged uneasy looks. One of them, a tall one with green eyes, shook his head. "Narak… other than you, none of us can plan something like that. And half-intelligent zombies… they are not easy to control."

Narak's eyes narrowed.

"Then do any of you have a way to speak with the half-zombie inside Hope Base? That is why we attacked Boss Su's base so ahead of time. To get one of them."

The circle fell silent. Finally, the brown-skinned king said,

"No. It is impossible. Their base is locked down tight. There are no other zombies inside except that one half-zombie."

Narak's jaw tightened. He could feel the frustration in the group. Still, he kept his voice steady.

"Do not worry. I will make a plan. I underestimated them this time. But next time… we will be ready. For now, we will hunt smaller bases, grow stronger, and then return to crush Hope Base."

The other kings nodded reluctantly. But a few of them kept glancing at Narak with strange expressions. Something in their instincts told them this path might not work. But they said nothing.

Suddenly, two figures appeared from the shadows. It was Tarak and Sarak.

They were like brothers, but no one would guess they were Zombie Kings. Their clothes were messy, their movements awkward, and their faces full of excitement.

"Boss! What happened?" Tarak called out before he even reached the circle. "Did you destroy Hope Base? I bet you did! There's no way they could stop you!"

Sarak grinned and puffed out his chest. "Of course they won. The humans are nothing! Right, Narak?"

Tarak laughed. "Ha! Our king is the greatest! No one can beat him!"

Sarak suddenly turned to his brother and frowned. "Your words are too slippery. You sound like you are making fun of him. Shut up."

"What? I am praising him!" Tarak shouted back.

"Praising? You? You don't even know how to talk properly!" Sarak snapped.

"Shut up, both of you!" Narak's voice cut through their bickering like a blade. His eyes were cold, and his tone was sharp. "You sound like fools. Do you have no dignity as Zombie Kings?"

The air went still. Even the red mist seemed to stop moving.

The other Zombie Kings quickly stepped forward and explained the battle to Tarak and Sarak. They spoke of the strong humans, the loss of three kings, and the retreat.

By the time they finished, Tarak and Sarak's smiles were gone. They exchanged a quick look, their earlier excitement fading. They could feel the heavy mood pressing down on everyone.

Then Tarak suddenly straightened. "We have good news."

Sarak nodded. "Yes. You will like it."

The circle of Zombie Kings turned toward them. Narak's gaze was sharp. "Speak."

Tarak grinned again. "We have breached the first line of defense of Cedar Base."

For a moment, no one moved. Then a ripple of surprise went through the group.

"You… what?" the green-eyed king asked.

Sarak folded his arms. "You heard him. The first line of Cedar Base's defense is gone. It is open."

The brown-skinned king raised his eyebrows. "Is this true? You are not just saying it to cheer us up?"

"It's true," Tarak said quickly. "We broke through their gates. The soldiers there were weak. Their defenses are nothing like Hope Base."

For the first time since the battle, some of the Zombie Kings smiled. The thought of an easier target was like fresh blood in the air.

Narak's expression, which had been dark since the retreat, finally softened. He nodded slowly. "You have done well."

Tarak's grin widened. "We knew you would say that, Boss."

Sarak smirked. "See? I told you he would be happy."

"You didn't say that!" Tarak shot back.

"I did!"

"You didn't!"

"Quiet!" Narak barked again, but this time his tone was lighter. He looked at the two people. "If Cedar Base is weak, we will take it. We will grow stronger there. Then we will return to Hope Base."

The Zombie Kings murmured in agreement. The air in the circle no longer felt so heavy. Plans were already forming in their minds.

Tarak and Sarak looked at each other, both smiling now. For once, they had brought good news instead of trouble.

The brown-skinned king stepped closer to Narak. "When do we move?"

Narak's eyes glowed faintly in the red mist. "Soon. Very soon. First, we rest. Then we strike. Cedar Base will fall, and our power will rise."

Su Jiyai stood in the middle of the pathway, still thinking about the strange suits the Zombie Kings had been wearing. Her eyes were sharp but calm, and inside, her thoughts kept spinning.

How could zombies have such technology? Zombie Kings were strong, yes, but they did not have the brains to build something like that.

Those suits were not normal at all. They could even hide from her system completely, as if they were not in this dimension at all. That alone was terrifying.

She had already asked her system about it.

"System, what is going on? Why can't you detect them?"