"Maybe I should find a couple of Awakeners to see how they taste."
Ethan leaned casually against the doorframe, a sly, knowing smile playing on his lips.
His fingers tapped lightly on the wooden panel as he mulled over his newly awakened ability—Domain of the Dead—and just how much destruction it could unleash.
"Wonder which 'lucky soul' will cross my path today," he murmured to himself before pushing the door open and stepping outside.
Outside the building, the air was thick with the stench of rot and the metallic tang of blood.
The streets were a wasteland of crumbling buildings and scattered debris, a grim testament to the apocalypse.
The zombies wandering aimlessly froze the moment they saw Ethan.
Their heads bowed low, as if compelled by some primal instinct to submit to his presence.
The King of the Dead had arrived, and his subjects—millions of them—knelt in silent reverence.
Ethan's three subordinates weren't around; he'd sent them off on separate missions. Not that he needed them today.
Today, he wanted to act alone. To test his new power.
With no particular destination in mind, he decided to walk.
His steps were unhurried, almost leisurely, as if he were simply out for a stroll. The streets were littered with shattered glass and dried blood. The walls bore the scars of past battles, their surfaces marred with dark, jagged stains.
In the shadows of alleyways, moss crept up the cracks, and rats scurried about, dragging mangled fingers in their teeth. Their sharp squeals echoed briefly before they disappeared into the sewers.
Everywhere he looked, there was only desolation and death.
But Ethan seemed utterly at ease.
His crisp white shirt remained spotless, a stark contrast to the decay around him. His calm, measured steps and indifferent expression made it seem as though none of this concerned him in the slightest.
About half an hour later, he stopped abruptly.
The faint scent of blood hung in the air.
It wasn't the stale, cloying smell of decay—it was fresh. The scent of the living. With his heightened senses, Ethan could pinpoint its source with ease.
He turned his head, his gaze landing on a dilapidated gate by the side of the road.
The faded lettering on the rusted sign above it was barely legible: "Zoo."
The place had an eerie vibe.
Inside, there was no sign of zombies. Not even corpses. Only dark, dried bloodstains smeared across the ground, like a silent warning. It was clear this place had become the territory of something else. Something unknown.
Keep out.
For most people, this would've been a death trap.
But Ethan wasn't most people.
He pushed the gate open and stepped inside.
The zoo was unnervingly quiet.
The wind rustled through the leaves, the only sound breaking the oppressive silence. The cages that once held animals were now empty, their iron bars streaked with dried blood. Tufts of fur and gnawed bones littered the ground, grim reminders of what had happened here.
Whatever had been here before was long gone, devoured by something far more dangerous.
Ethan walked on, eventually reaching what appeared to be the zookeeper's quarters.
The building's doors and windows were sealed shut, reinforced with welded steel bars. Whoever had done this had clearly been desperate to keep something—or someone—out.
Though the place seemed lifeless, Ethan's sharp hearing picked up faint, uneven breathing from inside.
Humans.
A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, but he didn't approach just yet.
Instead, his attention shifted to the distance, where two figures were making their way toward him.
The pair were men.
One was short and stocky, his rough, pockmarked face resembling the surface of the moon. The other was tall and lanky, dressed in a wrinkled, ill-fitting suit that gave him the air of a washed-up office worker. There was something unsettling about him, a cold, calculating sharpness in his demeanor.
Their appearance made it clear—they weren't zoo staff.
Ethan narrowed his eyes, carefully observing the two men.
Their steps were steady and deliberate, their movements brimming with strength. Their vitality was palpable—these weren't ordinary people.
"Awakeners?" Ethan speculated silently, a flicker of excitement flashing in his gaze.
His fingers idly stroked his chin as he considered whether to crack open their skulls and see what secrets lay inside.
At the same time, the two men noticed the sealed-off building. They exchanged a glance, their lips curling into knowing smirks.
"Hey, looks like we've got some survivors here," the tall, lanky man said in a low voice, a hint of excitement creeping into his tone.
The short, stocky man nodded, his face twisting into a grotesque grin. "Oh, this is gonna be fun. Let's hope there's a little 'surprise' waiting for us inside."
"There will be," the tall man replied, licking his lips as a glint of greed flashed in his eyes. "I remember the zookeeper here—she was a real looker."
Their conversation was casual, unrestrained, dripping with malice and arrogance.
It was clear they were Awakeners, emboldened by their powers in this lawless, post-apocalyptic world. The collapse of society had turned them into predators, scavenging for supplies, hunting survivors—especially women.
Whenever they found their prey, they didn't hesitate to exploit, torment, and destroy. To them, it was all just a game.
"Don't rush it," the tall man said with a cold smirk. "Let's trick them into opening the door first."
The stocky man nodded, his expression one of practiced ease. This wasn't their first time pulling a stunt like this—it was routine, almost boring.
"Leave it to me." The stocky man thumped his chest confidently before stepping forward. He raised his hand and knocked lightly on the steel door, his voice suddenly soft and warm, laced with feigned concern.
"Hello? Is anyone in there? We're Awakeners from the official rescue team, here to help survivors."
Inside, the oppressive silence was broken.
"Official rescue team?" A faint voice came from behind the door, trembling with barely contained hope.
"Finally… someone's here to save us!" another voice chimed in, this one quivering with emotion.
Inside the building, four people were hiding: three young female zookeepers and an elderly security guard. The guard clutched an old hunting rifle, its barrel loaded with tranquilizer darts—once used to subdue wild animals, now their only means of defense.
"Shh! Keep your voices down!" the guard hissed, his face etched with caution. "Don't forget, there are monsters out there! And what if they're lying?"
"But…" A petite girl hesitated, her voice tinged with worry. "What if they really are from the rescue team? If we don't open the door, we might miss our only chance."
"I did hear that the official shelters sent out Awakener squads to rescue survivors," another girl added, her tone uncertain.
"Still…" The guard frowned deeply, his unease evident.
"Open it!" the third girl said firmly, her expression resolute. "We're almost out of food anyway. If we don't take this chance, we'll die here. I'd rather take the risk than starve to death."
After a heated debate, they finally decided to open the door.
The metal screeched as the door cracked open, the sound grating against the eerie silence.
The stocky man and the tall man slipped inside immediately, smug grins plastered across their faces.
Their eyes swept over the room, scanning the survivors like predators sizing up their prey.
Women.
The stocky man's eyes lit up, his gaze shamelessly roaming over the three girls. His grin grew even more lecherous.
"Are you really from the rescue team?" one of the girls asked cautiously, her voice tinged with hope.
"Of course," the stocky man replied with a nod.
"Oh, thank goodness!" The petite girl let out a sigh of relief, her face lighting up with joy. "Please, take us out of here!"
"Not so fast," the tall man said, raising a hand to stop her. His lips curled into a sinister smile. "We'll save you, sure. But first… you'll have to agree to one condition."
"What condition?" the girl asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.
The stocky man licked his lips, his voice dripping with undisguised malice. "You've gotta… make me feel good first."
"What… what did you just say?" The girl froze, her face draining of all color.
"You… you're not from the rescue team!" another girl finally realized something was wrong, her expression twisting in terror.
"Heh, smart girl." The stocky man's grin turned savage as he suddenly lunged forward, grabbing the first girl by the throat. With a single motion, he lifted her off the ground like she was nothing more than a rag doll.
Her legs kicked frantically in the air, her face turning bright red as she gasped for breath, but no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't break free.
"Let her go!" the old security guard roared, raising his hunting rifle and pulling the trigger.
Bang!
The tranquilizer dart shot through the air, but before it could hit its target, the tall man casually reached out and caught it mid-flight.
He glanced down at the dart in his hand, then let out a cold chuckle. "This little toy? You think this can hurt an Awakener?"
The guard's face turned ashen.
"Help! Somebody help us!" one of the girls screamed, her voice echoing through the empty building.
She knew the sound might attract the monsters outside, but at this point, she didn't care. She was desperate.
"Shut up!" The tall man snarled, swinging his arm in a brutal backhand. The girl's body flew across the room like a broken kite, slamming into the wall with a sickening thud.
"Damn it, you're asking for it!" the stocky man growled, tightening his grip on the girl's neck. Her struggles grew weaker as her face turned a frightening shade of purple.
The survivors' faces were painted with despair. They hadn't been killed by zombies or monsters, but now they were going to die at the hands of their own kind. And before death, they would endure unimaginable torment.
"It's the end of the world. Who's gonna save you now?" The stocky man sneered, his eyes gleaming with madness. "I'm an Awakener! This world belongs to me now!"
As his words echoed through the room, a low, chilling voice suddenly cut through the air.
"Awakener… huh. I wonder… do they taste good?"
...