The plant was eerily silent, completely devoid of any human presence, yet the number of zombies here was staggering—almost like a densely populated city. Something was drawing them in. As Zack moved deeper into the plant, a shocking sight unfolded before him. He turned a corner into a dimly lit corridor, which opened into a large hall—likely the control room, given the consoles and monitors along the walls. But the machinery was nothing compared to the scene at the heart of the room.
Hundreds of zombies were packed into the hall, all facing the same direction, their empty eyes locked on something at the center. Among them were various mutated types: Hunters, Bloaters, and even a towering giant zombie over four meters tall. Its gray skin stretched tight over bulging muscles, making it look like an undead colossus.
"Lord," Zack muttered, his expression tightening at the sight of the massive zombie standing above the others. According to Ego's data, this monstrous creature was known as the Lord—a powerful mutation capable of destroying a fortified base single-handedly.
"What are they all gathered around?" Zack wondered aloud, taking in the odd scene. Surprisingly, none of the zombies had noticed him yet—not even the Hunters, who usually reacted instantly to movement.
Zack squinted, trying to make sense of it. He finally focused on the object that had all their attention. At the center of the room stood a grotesque mass, resembling a twisted tree trunk. It pulsed rhythmically, like a living heart, and long, root-like tendrils snaked out from its base, disappearing into the walls and floors, connecting to who knew where.
With every pulse, a flower-like bud on top opened briefly, releasing a dense cloud of murky gas that drifted through the air. As the gas spread, the zombies grew more agitated, shuffling forward and reaching toward it like worshippers at some kind of altar.
"What in the world...?" Zack muttered, eyes wide in disbelief. This was unlike anything he had ever seen. Even Ego's database didn't have any records of such a thing.
"Analyzing target," Ego's voice cut through Zack's stunned silence.
"Go ahead," Zack replied, his eyes never leaving the bizarre formation, staying on guard.
"Preliminary analysis suggests that this 'tree' is composed largely of pathogen matter with active biological responses," Ego explained.
Zack frowned. "So... it's alive?"
"Analysis complete!" Ego's voice came through more urgently. "Tentative designation: Sarcoma. This appears to be the larval form of a viral life form. During its growth, it releases pheromones to attract zombies, who protect it."
Zack's suspicions deepened, but more questions flooded his mind. "But zombies are humans infected by a virus... how could there be something like this?"
"Sir, I cannot determine its final form, but based on energy readings, the adult version is likely to be extremely powerful," Ego replied.
Zack's heart skipped a beat. The larva was already stronger than him. He could only imagine how powerful it might become. A determined fire burned inside him as he made his decision. 'This thing has to be destroyed now.'
He turned to Ego. "Can we use a graphene battery to make a plasma bomb?"
"Certainly, Sir," Ego responded immediately. "However, graphene batteries will slightly alter the blast compared to the plasma core."
"Will it reduce the power?"
"Minimal impact, Sir."
"Good enough."
Without wasting time, Zack popped open the battery compartment on his MV-02 armor and pulled out two fully charged graphene batteries. Instantly, his armor's power dropped from 90% to a low 67%.
Ego's scanning began, pinpointing every material Zack would need for the bomb. Step by step, Ego guided him through the process.
First, he found high-voltage transformers nearby, stripping thick copper wires from them. These wires would help channel the necessary energy into the bomb. Next, he found an empty pressure cylinder in a storage area—perfect for containing the plasma long enough to concentrate its energy. He also tapped into the generators and gathered enough hydrogen gas from the fuel cells to load into the cylinder. Hydrogen, when heated, becomes plasma, an extremely hot and energy-rich state of matter.
For ignition, Zack scavenged tungsten filaments from some discarded lightbulbs. Tungsten could withstand high temperatures, making it ideal for sparking the hydrogen into plasma. He carefully wired the filament into the containment cylinder and connected it to the copper wires.
With most of the materials gathered, Zack hooked one of the graphene batteries directly to the copper wires. The battery would surge a powerful charge, igniting the hydrogen and creating a superheated plasma blast.
When Zack returned to the hall, he was holding the makeshift bomb. It didn't look like much—just a jumble of exposed wires and two dark graphene batteries strapped together. It looked like something that could fall apart at any second.
"Sir, I've seen scrap metal put together better than this," Ego remarked, a rare note of sarcasm in its tone.
"As long as it gets the job done, Ego," Zack muttered under his breath.
Without another word, Zack stepped back into the hall full of zombies, stopping just before the writhing horde. Taking a steady breath, he pulled a red wire to arm the bomb and hurled it into the crowd before sprinting away.
The bomb sailed through the air and struck a swollen zombie in the stomach, bouncing to the ground. The casing of the graphene battery cracked open, releasing a violent electric charge. A loud hum filled the room as arcs of electricity danced across the floor, grounding themselves on the nearby metal surfaces.
Then, the explosion came.
A blinding white flash erupted, followed by the deafening roar of superheated plasma bursting outward. The blast tore through the zombies, burning everything in its path and lighting up the entire hall. Sparks leapt from metal to metal, amplifying the destruction as the energy raked through the horde.
BOOM!
Zack was already running down the corridor when the shockwave hit. The building quaked violently, and outside, one of the cooling towers collapsed in a cloud of smoke and debris. Shards of graphite rained down, scattering like shotgun pellets.
"Is this whole place going to collapse?" Zack muttered, sprinting toward the exit as debris rained around him.
But then the tremors stopped, fading as quickly as they had started. "Ego, structural scan," Zack ordered, slowing his pace.
"Significant damage detected, Sir, but the main structure remains intact. Collapse risk is minimal," Ego responded.
Zack breathed a sigh of relief. 'Good. One less thing to worry about.'
He made his way back to the blasted hall, but the damage was massive. The explosion had left a huge hole in the room, with smoke, fallen rubble, and twisted beams filling the space. The room was barely recognizable.
"Ego, overlay navigation," he said, trying to make sense of the chaos.