Chapter 623: Last Light

"I’m having Christmas dinner with Ethan... Baked ham, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, and sugar cookies," Mia said casually.

"...???" Dr. Morgan was speechless. Seriously? Ethan could barely feed himself, and now he’s dragging someone else into it?

"Mount Elbert’s in serious danger right now. You two need to get over there and help—ASAP!"

"Got it," Mia replied, then set her phone down and popped another bite of baked ham into her mouth.

Mount Elbert was perched on rugged terrain, fortified with layers of defenses. The zombie horde wouldn’t break through anytime soon, so there was no need to panic—yet.

Ethan took a slow sip of juice, his eyes fixed on her.

"I’m heading back to the northern border. That’s where the most foreign-infected are pouring in. I need to deal with it before it gets worse."

"Okay. Got it," Mia nodded.

Ethan paused, his voice low and steady. "If Mount Elbert falls... don’t hesitate. Get out."

"It’s not going to fall," Mia said, lifting her eyes to meet his. There was something resolute in her gaze, like she’d already made peace with whatever came next.

Ethan didn’t push it. He just went back to sipping his drink in silence.

The room fell quiet again.

Only Sean’s loud chewing broke the stillness. He was going to town on his food, grease glistening on his lips, clearly enjoying every bite.

In no time, he’d polished off an entire platter of baked ham and leaned back, belly full and satisfied.

Sean gave his stomach a pat and grinned like a kid on Christmas morning.

Mia set down her knife and fork, turning to him.

"Full?"

"Yeah, but I could go for some soup," Sean said with a wide grin.

"...Seriously?" Mia stared at him, exasperated. This guy could really eat.

Well, if he’s having soup... might as well join him.

So the two of them helped themselves to big bowls of butternut squash soup.

Of course, Nina had made it. She figured as Ethan’s housekeeper, she ought to contribute something to the holiday meal.

They didn’t stop until they were completely stuffed. Only then did the feast finally come to an end.

"Thanks for the meal. We’ve gotta head out," Mia said, rising slowly from her chair.

"No problem. I’ll walk you out," Ethan said, following them to the door.

Sean crouched in the hallway to tie his shoelaces, then stood up and gave Ethan a knowing look. "We’re off. Try not to miss me too much."

"Yeah, yeah, get going," Ethan waved him off with a smirk.

"Oh! Wait!" Sean’s eyes lit up like he’d just remembered something important.

"What is it?" Ethan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Merry Christmas!" Sean beamed.

Ethan chuckled, his expression softening into a warm smile. "Merry Christmas to you too."

And with that, they parted ways. Mia and Sean’s figures slowly disappeared down the corridor, their footsteps echoing faintly until they faded into the distance...

...

Back at the Los Angeles shelter, the Awakener squad was already assembling.

Among them were the edgy teenager, Robert, and every other combat-ready fighter.

They were gearing up to throw everything they had into supporting Mount Elbert.

Each face was set with grim determination. They were ready to face the zombie horde pouring across the northern border—ready to fight to the death if that’s what it took.

Even if it cost them their lives, they would defend this last patch of clean earth.

In moments like these—when survival hangs by a thread—someone always has to step up.

Right now, Mount Elbert had become a rallying point, drawing in the top-tier Awakeners from shelters across the country. These weren’t rookies—they were the elite.

Together, they’d formed a special ops unit called "Last Light."

The name stood for more than just a team—it was a symbol. A flicker of hope before the world plunged into darkness. A vow to keep fighting, even when everything else was lost.

"..."

At Ethan’s place.

Nina was clearing the table, humming to herself. She spotted two slices of baked ham left on a plate and, without hesitation, popped them into her mouth. Waste not, want not.

"I’m heading out. You’ll be on your own here," Ethan said, standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, not even glancing back.

"Oh, okay, boss!" Nina perked up instantly, a little thrill running through her. It felt like when your parents leave the house and suddenly, you’re free to do whatever you want.

With the place to herself, she could finally let loose.

But then Ethan added, voice calm but heavy, "If I don’t make it back... run. Save yourself."

"...Huh??" Nina froze mid-wipe, her hand clutching a napkin, eyes wide.

What the hell did that mean?

Was this trip that dangerous?

"Hey! Boss! Don’t say creepy stuff like that!" she shouted, spinning around—only to find the window empty. Ethan was already gone.

The whole house suddenly felt too big. Too quiet.

Nina stood there like a puppet with its strings cut, staring into the silence, a knot of unease tightening in her chest.

...

Ethan was already on the move, heading due north—straight toward the U.S. northern border.

That was where the real threat was. The largest surge of zombies from outside the country was pouring in from that direction—millions of them.

If it came down to a head-on fight, even he couldn’t guarantee victory. Maybe a 99% chance, but not a hundred.

So he had a different plan in mind.

He was going to stir the pot.

Ethan didn’t believe that the pureblood zombies should be taking orders from The Crimson Count—that half-breed freak.

Back on Tasmania, he’d tried to recruit Gunner, Monroe’s right-hand man. But Gunner was a vampire, and vampires didn’t exactly do loyalty. In the end, he’d rather die than serve.

Ethan figured the pureblood zombies under The Crimson Count were probably the same—no real loyalty, just fear.

So why not flip them?

He was going to poach them. Turn them against their so-called master. After all,

he

was the true Zombie King.

The further north he went, the colder it got.

Thick snowflakes fell like feathers, blanketing the ruined world in white. The apocalyptic wreckage—shattered buildings, frozen corpses—was slowly being buried beneath the snow.

Ethan pulled out a white fur coat and draped it over his shoulders.

With each step, he seemed to blur, flashing forward thousands of feet in an instant.

The distance from L.A. to the northern border wasn’t small—but it didn’t take him long. Soon, he arrived at the invasion zone.

In the middle of a snowy wasteland, the air was suddenly filled with the guttural howls and tortured screams of zombies.

A group of them came sprinting across the snow, fleeing in panic.

They were covered in blood and grime, many of them wounded. The leader—clearly a higher-ranking zombie—was missing an ear, with bite marks still fresh on the side of his head.

"Run, boys! The mutant vampire zombies are coming!"

"Shit! One of them bit my ear off!"

"We can’t keep running forever! One day, we’re gonna take those bastards down!"

The group tore across the snow, surprisingly fast for the undead.

Ethan stopped in his tracks, watching them approach.

The one-eared leader was a mess—blood smeared across his face, eyes wild with fear. He kept glancing over his shoulder as he ran.

Seeing no one behind them, he finally started to relax—until he looked forward and spotted Ethan.

"...Huh?"

The snow was slick, and the leader tried to stop too fast. His feet skidded forward, and he nearly fell flat on his back.

Two of his elite zombie lieutenants rushed in, grabbing his arms and steadying him just in time.

All of them stared at Ethan, stunned.

He stood there in his white fur coat, blending into the snowy landscape like a ghost. Snowflakes drifted down toward him—but none touched him. They curved around his body, as if repelled by some invisible force.

The scene was eerie as hell.

The zombies, already on edge, froze in place. Their eyes locked with Ethan’s, tension crackling in the air.

Then the one-eared leader narrowed his eyes, his face twisting into a scowl.

"The hell you starin’ at?" he growled.

...