Virus King [Translation]

Dane stared at the creature in front of her.

If it weren't for the cold gaze of the man behind her, silently commanding her to stay put, she would have turned and run without a second thought.

No game, movie, or TV show could truly capture the horror of what she was facing now.

The stench alone made Dane, who had never toiled under the sun, feel like throwing up all the breakfast she had eaten earlier that morning.

Though the zombie's arms and legs had been torn off, its grotesquely large head continued snapping its fangs at her.

In that moment, Dane's jealousy of the young nurse cradled in Novak's arms was utterly replaced by fear.

Novak ignored Dane, who stood frozen in place. He held a sharp javelin, ready to strike, yet hesitated to act. 

He couldn't understand why Dane was paralyzed with fear. The zombie was completely disabled, unable to move except to bare its teeth. 

Moments ago, Daphne had left quite the impression on him. 

Initially, Novak had resigned himself to babysitting these three women indefinitely, even considering forcing them to act if necessary.

But after Daphne received the zombie virus serum, which granted her significant immunity to the virus, her confidence soared. Armed with a two-meter-long spear, she had faced the zombie head-on, without fear.

Despite her fitness routine and yoga practice, Novak hadn't expected her to be so capable. Yet, she swiftly drove the spear into the zombie's skull, finishing it off by herself.

And here was Dane, still trembling in front of a dismembered zombie, too scared to act.

Novak was starting to lose patience. Dane had grown up pampered, used to having others handle things for her. She had her beauty, arrogance, and privilege—but little opportunity to actually get her hands dirty.

After all, vases were meant for display, not for action. 

And if you ask what a vase holds? Flowers, of course.

What use is a vase without flowers?

As for Daphne, Novak began trying to recall what kind of talent she had displayed in his previous life. But nothing came to mind. Although he had lived in De Manila in his past life, he had spent most of his time near the capital, and later, he helped establish the White Devil City on the other side of the Yellow River in Baguette.

He knew little about De Manila's development after that.

Talents were closely guarded secrets among the evolved, and Daphne hadn't revealed hers casually. But Novak did remember her power. In his last life, he had witnessed Daphne in action—this beautiful witch possessed an ability akin to Medusa from Western mythology. She could petrify people with a mere glance.

Whether this power came from her occupation, skills, or innate talent, Novak wasn't sure.

He shook his head. It wouldn't be long before Daphne awakened her abilities in this life as well. He didn't need to worry about it for now.

What surprised Novak more was the little nurse, Aria, who sat silently in his arms.

He had expected her to show some emotional reaction to Dane's earlier display of affection, perhaps even act like a petulant child.

But from the moment she arrived, she remained calm and obedient.

What Novak didn't know was that Aria had overheard some of his conversations with Daphne at the hotel the night before.

The little nurse had spent the entire night contemplating the state of the world, Daphne's newfound power, Novak's strength, and the direction her future was heading. She wasn't the smartest person, but she understood the situation. 

After her first encounter with the zombie attack, she realized one of two things had to happen—either she needed to become strong herself, or she had to rely on those who were.

So, when Novak gave the order, Aria didn't hesitate. She picked up a steel blade and, with one clean stroke, decapitated the zombie!

All three of them—Novak, Daphne, and Dane—looked at her in surprise.

Although her face turned ghostly pale and she vomited repeatedly afterward, Aria had proven her mettle. 

"Swish!"

Dane, shaken after her first kill but still conscious, followed them back to the villa.

Novak let Dane rest while he and Daphne sat down in the living room. He wasted no time getting to the point.

"Where do you think the best terrain is in De Manila?"

Daphne immediately grasped what he was asking. After a brief pause, she replied with a hint of curiosity:

"In all of De Manila? The best location is right here."

Novak smiled upon hearing it.

De Manila Ocean Blue Villa Area.

Perched on the eastern mountain of De Manila, only a few hundred meters high, it could only be accessed by climbing or taking the narrow roads leading up the slope.

From this vantage point, they had a view of the entire Bay River and could overlook the whole city of De Manila.

The mountain was scattered with smaller peaks, and the Triumph Mountain dominated the landscape.

The villa area alone spanned over 100 square kilometers. Including the surrounding unused forest land and high-end office buildings, the total area stretched to about 500 square kilometers.

It might not sound like much, but considering the entire city of De Manila, including its suburbs and major districts, covered just over 8,000 square kilometers, it was a sizable portion.

With proper planning, the area could become a small town of its own.

Especially in this wealthy region, where each luxury villa was accompanied by a large estate, there would be no need for drastic redevelopment.

A sturdy wall surrounding the area would suffice to secure it.

Indeed, it was the best location to establish a safe zone, and potentially the foundation for a new city.

Of course, no city could be built in one fell swoop.

One had to eat a meal bite by bite and walk a road step by step.

In the early days of the apocalypse, cities would become the most dangerous places. Just securing a territory would be a victory in itself. As they gathered more people, they could clear out a city and expand their domain.

But there was still time.

Novak was determined—this time, De Manila would be his stronghold, the foundation of his future.

He nodded to himself, then turned to Daphne.

"You know what to do. While resources are valuable, for now, focus on gathering materials, recruiting people, and training them in combat. Be prepared. When the outbreak hits, we need to act quickly."

He had the blueprint for the zombie virus serum. If Daphne failed to execute this plan, Novak would be sorely disappointed.

After a few quick phone calls to issue orders, Novak finally saw a glimpse of the woman Daphne had once been—the Saint Song of his past life and the powerful Queen Song she was becoming now.

Her demeanor, the way she took charge—it excited Novak. Even before Daphne hung up the phone, he had already made his move.

A soft sound, like a cat's purr, filled the villa.

The entire house seemed to hum with an undeniable air of allure.

And Novak discovered something he hadn't noticed before—a hidden treasure within Daphne that even she hadn't realized.

An inch of time is worth an inch of gold.

At this moment, Novak wondered if Daphne still had some gold left in her body.