A-Dong grabbed the walkie-talkie, his voice urgent, "Headquarters, this is 03. Over."
The device crackled before a deep voice responded, "Headquarters here. Go ahead."
"There's too many of them at the docks—four, maybe five thousand zombies. Our vanguard's been wiped out. Evacuate the civilians now!" A-Dong's breath was heavy, the gravity of the situation weighing down each word.
The voice on the other end fell silent for a moment before a sharp reply came through. They hadn't expected this. The initial reports suggested a few hundred, but now the number had swelled to an overwhelming force.
Immediately, the command center dispatched reinforcements to the docks while sounding the air-raid sirens. A mass text message was sent to every resident in Hailan Province, warning them of the imminent danger: Evacuate if you are near. If you are farther away, stay indoors. Lock your doors. Do not go out.
The piercing sirens cut through the night, jolting some residents from their sleep. The more alert ones scrambled for safety, while others, including night owls who had only just fallen asleep, remained blissfully unaware of the chaos outside.
At the docks, the zombies broke through the barricades, their numbers swelling into the thousands, led by second-order jumpers—zombies with enhanced agility and strength. The air was thick with the sound of their ferocious growls as they poured into the city.
In the SD community, an elderly couple took a late-night stroll, oblivious to the impending danger.
"Honey, why's the alarm sounding?" the grandmother asked, glancing around nervously.
"Probably just another drill," her husband said dismissively. "Things haven't been stable recently."
But the moment he glanced at his phone, his eyes widened in horror. "Zombies have breached the island! The military's warning us to stay inside!"
"Quick! We need to wake our son, daughter-in-law, and grandson!" The grandmother's voice trembled as panic set in.
Before they could react, two leaping zombies appeared, their bodies twisted and monstrous from evolution. With unnatural strength, they lunged toward the couple.
The grandmother froze in terror, her eyes locked on the oncoming creatures. The grandfather, with trembling hands, swung his cane at one of them, knocking it to the ground. But the jumper quickly recovered, pouncing back with deadly precision. The old man's strength was no match for the predator. He was overpowered, and the creatures tore into him mercilessly.
"Wife!" the grandmother screamed, her voice filled with despair as she watched the love of her life fall. But her cry only attracted more attention. The zombies turned to her, their hunger insatiable. They descended upon her next, leaving nothing but devastation in their wake.
Meanwhile, throughout the community, the situation spiraled further out of control. Zombies clawed their way into apartments, smashing down doors. On the second floor, a middle-aged woman, half-asleep, opened her door to the sudden sight of death itself—zombies. Her scream echoed through the corridors, but it was too late. They pounced, and soon she too joined the undead ranks.
Up on the third floor, a young couple huddled inside their apartment. They had heard the pounding at their door, the snarling just beyond.
"Brother Hong, what's going on outside?" the girl whispered, fear gripping her.
The boy cautiously peered through the peephole. "It's a zombie," he breathed, gesturing for her to stay silent. They held their breath as the creature clawed at the door, but after a tense moment, it moved on. For now, they were safe, but danger was never far.
In a village on the outskirts, Liu Mu stared at his phone, a twisted grin spreading across his face. Unlike others who panicked, he laughed. The apocalypse has come, he thought. I won't need to repay the three million I owe anymore.
Liu Mu, a compulsive gambler who'd dug himself into a deep financial pit, saw the chaos as his personal salvation. Credit card debt, bank loans, loan sharks—none of it mattered now. His debts would die with society.
Outside, his young neighbor Zhuang Zheng stepped out to take out the trash, completely unaware of Liu Mu's dark thoughts.
"Hey, boy! How many times have I told you not to throw garbage here?" Liu Mu shouted, his voice dripping with contempt.
Zhuang Zheng shot him a bored look. "It's my doorstep. I'll throw it wherever I want."
Liu Mu's rage flared. "You looking for a beating, kid?"
Zhuang Zheng smirked. "I'm not afraid of you. If you have a problem, go tell the village chief."
Furious, Liu Mu's face twisted with malice. "You stupid kid, do you know the zombies are here? The world's falling apart!"
Zhuang Zheng shrugged. "So?"
Liu Mu's grin turned feral. "In this chaos, no one will care if I kill you. I could chop you up right now, and no one would notice."
Zhuang Zheng's expression darkened. "You've crossed the line."
Liu Mu stormed into his house, emerging moments later with a kitchen knife. His hand shook with excitement as he advanced, fully intending to kill Zhuang and blame it on the zombies.
But Zhuang was faster. Before Liu Mu could swing, Zhuang dodged, circled behind him, and in one swift motion, drove a dagger into Liu's back, striking his heart.
Liu Mu's eyes bulged in shock. "Y-You… you're an Awakened..."
Zhuang pulled the blade out, coldly whispering, "Too bad you found out too late."
As Liu collapsed, blood pooling around him, Zhuang wiped his dagger, his expression emotionless. He had been harboring hidden abilities, and in this new world, his survival instincts had sharpened. This was just the beginning.
Zhuang Zheng—the 16-year-old Awakened, gifted with super speed and deadly precision—had just claimed his first victim. But he wouldn't stop there. The days to come would harden him further, as he hunted both zombies and humans alike.