Chapter 782: A scapegoat

“How is it not related to me? I’ll just go with them!” Shrimpy declared, puffing up his chest like he was ready to march into war.

Big Ears rolled his eyes. “They’re only sending one Command Cruiser this time. Limited seats. Even Bulldozer’s waiting in line. No way they’re taking you. If you really wanna go… you better start running now.”

“Alright! I’ll run if I have to!” Shrimpy shot to his feet, dead serious.

“Hey—sit your ass down!” Mist grabbed his arm, yanking him back. “Frostmere’s on the other side of Necroterra. You’d have to cross the whole damn continent. You’d be lucky to make it there in a hundred years.”

“Besides, the boss hasn’t even said who he’s taking yet. Let’s wait and see. Maybe we’ll get a shot.”

“…Yeah, you’re right.” Shrimpy sat back down, a little embarrassed. For a second there, he’d really been ready to sprint across the wasteland.

Big Ears gave him a sideways glance, chewing on his grass stem again. “I’m telling you, it’s a long shot. Only the elite are getting picked. You? Forget it. Let’s just stay home and raise pigs or something.”

But just as he was trying to talk Shrimpy down, the crowd of zombies ahead began to stir.

Ethan had appeared—standing tall atop the massive stone platform.

Big Ears’ eyes went wide. In an instant, he dropped the whole “stay home” act and bolted forward like a man possessed.

“Boss! Take me with you! I swear I won’t let you down!”

“???”

Shrimpy and the others blinked, stunned. They turned to look at each other, speechless.

“…He just said we should stay home and raise pigs.”

“I treat Big Ears like a brother, and he plays me like a fool…”

…

Ethan stood atop the platform, the sleek Command Cruiser looming behind him like a sleeping beast. Its silver hull gleamed under the light, reflecting a cold, metallic sheen. The ship looked like it could wake up and devour the sky at any moment.

Below, the 3,000 elite zombies of the Saber Corps were boarding in perfect formation, their movements sharp and disciplined. Alongside them, 500 Guard Mech operators filed in, their mechanical escorts towering beside them.

Wraithshade, the two-headed Zombie King, stood near the ramp—calm, silent, and ready. This was his mission too, after all.

“Boss! Take me with you!” Bulldozer’s booming voice echoed from below. The massive zombie stood tall, eyes full of hope.

Ethan scanned the crowd, weighing his options. The Voidborn Undying were a given—he needed overwhelming force, not just numbers.

“Laura. You’re coming with me.”

“Yes, sir.” Laura bowed slightly, her voice crisp and confident. She turned and headed toward the cruiser without hesitation.

“Eh?” Bulldozer blinked, stunned. She was right? She actually called it?

He looked back up at the platform, eyes burning with anticipation.

“Bulldozer. You’re coming too.”

“Hehehe! Yes!” Bulldozer’s whole face lit up. He let out a laugh and charged toward the ship, his massive frame thudding against the ground with every step.

Then Ethan’s gaze shifted again—toward the edge of the crowd.

There, half-hidden in a tangle of vines, stood Sprout. Arms crossed, green eyes calm, he waited in silence.

Ethan could feel it—his aura had changed. He was right on the edge of breaking through to SSS-rank. What he needed now… was battle.

“Sprout. You’re coming.”

“…Huh? Oh—yes!” Sprout blinked, caught off guard. He hadn’t expected to be chosen. He’d already made peace with staying behind.

But then it hit him—Ethan had noticed. He’d seen the signs of his evolution. That’s why he was being brought along.

The boss… he’s been watching me this whole time.

That quiet realization hit Sprout harder than any battle ever could. If zombies could cry, he’d be flooding the entire Pacific right now.

And with that, the roll call was complete.

The rest of the Zombie Kings would remain behind, holding down the nest under PhD’s command.

Ethan turned, ready to board the Command Cruiser when—

“Boss!” a voice suddenly called out from behind.

He paused and glanced over his shoulder. It was the Overlord Squad—Big Ears, Mist, Shrimpy, and Locomotive—standing together, looking both nervous and hopeful.

Mist scratched his head awkwardly, then stepped forward. “Boss, ever since we landed on this planet, Shrimpy’s been working hard raising pigs and stuff. He’s been dying to see the ocean in Frostmere. And, uh… we can actually help. I can release black mist to cover the Saber Corps—give them some stealth support. That’d make the whole operation even smoother…”

“Yeah! And me too!” Big Ears jumped in. “Once we get to Frostmere, someone’s gotta scout out enemy targets, right? Bring me along, and I swear I’ll rack up some serious merit for you!”

Ethan listened quietly, then turned back toward the cruiser. As he stepped through the hatch, he spoke—calm, almost offhand.

“Get on.”

The four zombies froze for a beat, stunned.

Then it hit them.

He said yes.

“YEAH!!”

They exploded with joy, practically tripping over each other as they sprinted toward the ship.

“This is amazing!”

“Boss is the best!”

“We’re gonna give it everything we’ve got—no fear, no regrets!”

“Even if we die a hundred times!”

The moment they scrambled aboard, the hatch sealed shut behind them with a hiss.

The engines roared to life, a deep, thunderous growl like a beast awakening. Blue flames burst from the thrusters, and with a surge of power, the massive Command Cruiser lifted off the ground, rising into the sky like a silver mountain taking flight.

This was the beginning of Operation: Decapitation Strike.

Ethan’s strike force was stacked:

3,000 elite zombies of the Saber Corps, trained in lightsaber combat.

500 Guard Mechs, heavy firepower and defense.

Laura, the speed-type Voidborn Undying.

Bulldozer, the brute-force tank.

Sprout, the plant-type hybrid on the verge of evolution.

Elegy, the battlefield amplifier.

The Overlord Squad, chaotic but loyal.

And Wraithshade, the local Zombie King of Frostmere.

It was a full-spectrum assault team—balanced, deadly, and mobile.

Still, Ethan felt like something was missing.

A scapegoat.

So, he sent out a psychic signal to Bloodveil.

“We’re heading to Frostmere. You ready?”

The reply came quickly.

“Of course I’m ready! It’s not like I’ve got anything else to do. I’m not fixing a Dreadnought-class Starcruiser. I’m not absorbing crystal cores. I’m just sitting here, totally free!”

Ethan stared at the message, brow twitching slightly.

Why does this guy sound so… passive-aggressive?

The mighty Overlord of Eastreach was giving off serious “bitter housewife” energy.

A moment later, Bloodveil added, “If you’re passing by Eastreach, swing by and pick me up!”

“Sure,” Ethan replied simply.

Frostmere was located on the far side of Necroterra, directly opposite Southvale. A straight path would cut through Heartland territory—something Ethan wanted to avoid. The last thing he needed was to alert the Heartland Zombie Kings before he was ready.

So, he decided to take the long way around—through Eastreach.

Might as well scoop up Bloodveil on the way.

The Command Cruiser was massive, and while it packed serious firepower, it wasn’t exactly built for speed. Even with optimal routing, it would take several days to reach Eastreach.

Bloodveil, meanwhile, had been waiting like a kid at the window on Christmas Eve.

And finally—there it was.

A silver behemoth appeared on the horizon, gliding through the sky like a floating fortress. Sunlight gleamed off its hull, casting a radiant glow. It looked like a mountain with engines—majestic, intimidating, and absurdly cool.

The zombies of Eastreach all looked up, jaws slack.

“Whoa! Look at that thing!”

“Is that the Dreadnought-class Starcruiser?!”

“No, no, that’s just one of the Command Cruisers from it. The real Dreadnought’s way bigger.”

“Still… damn.”

Some of the smarter Zombie Kings recognized it right away.

But most of them just stared, a little bitter.

“Whatever it is, it’s way cooler than that little toy our boss brought back…”

…

Here’s a redemption code for everyone: