Zhang Yang strode confidently to the subway entrance.
Ba Dao followed closely behind, always half a step behind to show his respect for the Zombie King.
A low growl echoed faintly.
Noticing the commotion, the battle-weary zombie horde turned their murky gazes toward the newcomers. Some even let out guttural snarls, laced with menace, as if warning these intruders to retreat from their territory.
But these protests soon faltered and faded.
Why?
Because Zhang Yang unleashed his kingly aura!
In the presence of a fifth-tier Zombie King with sovereign potential, these pitiful zombies guarding the subway entrance were nothing more than inferior rejects, utterly unworthy of challenging a true ruler.
And so,
As Zhang Yang's gaze swept over them one by one,
The zombies, whether aimless zero-tier wanderers or slightly stronger first- and second-tier ones,
Were instinctively compelled to kneel in submission.
Acknowledging Zhang Yang as their master.
"Rise."
At Zhang Yang's command, the newly-subjugated underlings rose to their feet.
Under the leadership of a few second-tier zombies, the horde surrounded the subway station, forming a tight perimeter.
They left the central, most spacious area vacant, reserved for their revered Zombie King.
Standing motionless at the center, Zhang Yang's gaze was fixed on the descending entrance of the subway.
He waited, silently, for the chaos within the station to subside.
…
Meanwhile, on the first level of the subway,
At this moment,
Mang Xiong and the Black Shadow Society members found themselves trapped, struggling to advance or retreat.
They had assumed the first level of the subway, though potentially more dangerous than the horde outside, would pose no insurmountable threat.
But reality far exceeded their expectations.
The subway's first level was teeming with a variety of mutated beasts drawn by the artifact's energy fluctuations.
Not only were they numerous, but their types were incredibly diverse.
Mang Xiong's group witnessed a bizarre green snake, its body adorned with white ring-shaped patterns, coiling tightly around a deep gray rat the size of a husky. Before the snake could feast, a silver-white web descended from above, ensnaring both creatures. A massive white spider, as large as a small car, hauled its prey upward to feast—a vivid demonstration of the predator-prey chain.
Scenes like this played out constantly on the subway's first level.
Moreover,
These creatures, lured by the artifact's energy,
Were fiercely territorial and hostile toward any intruder.
The aggressive entry of Mang Xiong and his companions provoked the resident beasts, resulting in a relentless assault.
The horde of beasts was overwhelming in number and higher in average strength.
Though Mang Xiong and his team were considered elite within the Black Shadow Society,
They were utterly outmatched in this scenario.
Within moments,
Their formation was shattered by the endless waves of attacking beasts, forcing them to fight individually.
Even when grouped, they struggled to hold their ground; scattered, they were even more vulnerable.
Screams echoed.
"Stay back!"
"Help me! No—no!"
Amidst the chaos, Black Shadow Society members were slaughtered one after another.
In no time, their numbers halved,
Leaving only Mang Xiong, Skinny Monkey, Biao Zi, Rose, and two others alive.
Even they bore injuries, their combat effectiveness significantly reduced.
The survivors, unwilling to give up, made a desperate attempt to break through and reach the second level.
But soon after,
Biao Zi, one of the few second-tier evolvers, fell into the trap of the silver-web spider.
Entangled in its web,
He was bitten deeply by the spider's venomous fangs.
Before he could react,
He was dead on the spot!
"Biao Zi!"
"No!"
Cries of grief echoed.
From the outset, these Black Shadow Society members had harbored thoughts of retreat. At their core, they were nothing more than a band of self-serving miscreants.
Initially, they had grudgingly obeyed the branch leader's orders,
Hoping the artifact hunt would be relatively safe.
Instead, the mission had gone disastrously wrong from the start.
Now,
Biao Zi's death was the final straw.
Mang Xiong and the others abandoned all thought of their leader's commands,
Turning to flee from the hellish subway station.
As for the branch leader's wrath?
Who cared?
They were staring death in the face—fear of punishment was a luxury they could no longer afford.
Thus,
Mang Xiong, Skinny Monkey, Rose, and the two remaining first-tier members sprinted toward the exit.
However,
Entering was far easier than escaping.
The furious and ravenous beasts quickly caught up.
Facing annihilation,
Mang Xiong suddenly turned back to the seductive Rose, who lagged behind,
And without hesitation, struck her leg with a crushing blow.
"Ahhh! Mang Xiong! How dare you betray me!"
Rose screamed in agony.
Her leg broken, she could only crawl forward with her hands, desperate to escape or drag Mang Xiong down with her.
But Mang Xiong, his eyes cold and merciless, stomped on her hands, shattering them.
He spat disdainfully.
"Rose, just because you've shared my bed, you think you're special? You're nothing but a filthy whore!"
"You dared to threaten me earlier with reporting to the branch leader? Report in hell!"
With that, Mang Xiong ran off without a second glance.
Skinny Monkey and the others turned a blind eye,
Leaving Rose to be caught and devoured by the pursuing beasts.
Even in her final moments, her curses echoed:
"Mang Xiong! All of you! You won't live long—I'll be waiting for you in the afterlife, hahaha!"
Such curses were nothing new to the Black Shadow Society.
Now,
All that mattered to Mang Xiong and the survivors was the joy of escaping with their lives.
Racing up the steep stairs,
They emerged from the subway station,
Once again greeted by the dim, ash-gray sky,
And the eerily docile zombies encircling the station, standing in orderly ranks.
At the center stood two figures.
Mang Xiong and the others froze,
Their minds swirling with confusion.
The zombies, once feral and chaotic, now exuded an uncanny discipline,
As if obeying the young man before them.
On the other side,
Seeing Mang Xiong and his team emerge,
Zhang Yang crossed his arms and tilted his head toward Ba Dao, saying:
"Look, the appetizer has arrived."