Virus King [Translation]

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"Madam Song, there's a monster up ahead! Tell the driver to stop!" 

"That's right! That thing isn't afraid of submachine guns or even grenades. It's terrifying—no human could deal with it! I'm sure even a tank would be crushed under its strength!"

Both Ruri and Tad, still reeling from their near-death encounter, were speaking breathlessly, their voices rapid and frantic as they recounted the horrifying scene they had just escaped. 

The terror was enough to make anyone's worldview collapse.

Hearing their words, Novak raised an eyebrow, deep in thought. If even grenades couldn't hurt it, this mutant's power might exceed all his expectations. But this was exactly the kind of opponent he was looking for. With enemies like these—and the strength of the zombie virus—he could accumulate evolution points faster.

Ruri, still shaken, asked curiously, "Madam Song, where exactly are you headed?"

With chaos sweeping across De M-anila, and the world itself descending into madness, Ruri couldn't understand why someone as powerful as Daphne Song would choose to stay here, wandering so recklessly amidst the turmoil.

Daphne simply smiled, rolling down the window as the car passed by Ruri and Tad's abandoned vehicle. She gestured toward the factory in the distance—the very place Ruri and Tad had barely escaped from.

"We're going there."

At that, Ruri's face drained of color, and Tad visibly tensed, his body going rigid. 

"Madam Song, if you're really going there, please let me out of the car! I won't trouble you any further," Tad pleaded desperately. In his mind, getting as far away as possible was his only chance of surviving this nightmare.

Daphne, however, paid no attention to Tad's request. His fate was irrelevant to her—whether before the apocalypse or now, he was of no value. But Ruri, on the other hand, had potential. She was attractive, no doubt about that. 

Daphne mused inwardly. If Novak rose to power amidst the chaos of the apocalypse, Ruri's beauty might become a tool for Daphne to maintain or even elevate her own status. In a world where capable and beautiful women abound, competition was inevitable, and Daphne was not one to underestimate the power of ambition. 

Meanwhile, Ruri, oblivious to Daphne's calculating gaze, stared at the factory with mounting dread. She had no idea that she was being silently evaluated as a pawn in someone else's game. 

Novak, sensing the tension, exhaled slowly. The pungent smell of gunpowder hung thick in the air as the car came to a gradual stop.

The door opened, and Novak stepped out, his eyes immediately drawn to the distant chemical plant, which was still smoldering from the earlier carnage. Blood splatters, like macabre street art, painted the landscape.

A scream pierced the air—a high-pitched, gut-wrenching sound that echoed from the direction of the factory. The guards, realizing their weapons were useless, had given up hope and were now fleeing in desperation.

As Novak moved forward, one of the guards wiped blood from his cheek and yelled, "Go back! This is a restricted military area—no civilians allowed!"

The guard's sense of duty was almost admirable, given the situation, but Novak ignored the warning, walking calmly toward the scene as everyone else watched in astonishment.

It didn't take long for the creature to reveal itself fully to Novak's eyes.

It really was the monster he thought it was.

Novak narrowed his eyes, studying the massive figure. The zombie virus had led to various evolutions, creating different types of mutants. There were the 'lords,' highly intelligent beings with psychic abilities that could control other zombies and launch mental assaults. Then there were the 'tyrants,' mutants focused on pure strength and speed. Additionally, there were 'heretics,' mutants with elemental powers. 

And then there were special variants, rarer and more dangerous.

The one standing before Novak now belonged to a terrifying class known as 'Roshan.' These creatures could grow stronger by devouring other zombies—or even humans. Their potential for near-unlimited growth and their immense physical strength made them some of the most fearsome beings in the apocalypse. Among the hordes of zombies, Roshan stood out as monstrous giants, leaving a bloody trail of destruction.

Novak's expression remained calm, devoid of any fear.

The moment Roshan noticed Novak, its attention shifted completely toward him. It showed no interest in the fleeing humans. Instead, the hulking creature seemed focused entirely on Novak, who hadn't even bothered to bring a weapon.

Roshan's primal instincts kicked in. Every fiber of its being, every gene infected by the zombie virus, screamed one command:

Devour this human. Absorb his power. Grow stronger.

Overcome with excitement, Roshan let out a deafening roar, its bloodshot eyes filled with murderous hunger. It swung one massive arm toward Novak with terrifying speed.

'It's over!'

Ruri, Tad, and the remaining guards watched in horror. They had witnessed firsthand how easily Roshan had crushed human bodies and even mangled steel with those enormous hands. No one could survive that kind of attack.

In sheer terror, they all closed their eyes, bracing for the inevitable.

But curiosity quickly got the better of them, and they reopened their eyes—wanting to see, one last time, the fate of the strange young man who had walked so calmly into death.

But what they saw left them utterly stunned.

Roshan's colossal hand, which was poised to flatten Novak like a fly, collided with a single punch from Novak. The sickening thud echoed like a hammer striking their hearts.

The impact was enormous, a visual spectacle of raw power. But to everyone's shock, Novak stood his ground. Despite the massive size difference, his punch had stopped Roshan's attack cold. The monster's hand, which had crushed countless lives moments before, couldn't move an inch past Novak's fist.

This... was a human?