Chapter 791: Suggest
The horde of zombies was in total chaos, their guttural howls echoing through the air. As strong as they were, taking down Wraithshade was no easy task.
But the central zombie nest of Frostmereâwhere Abyssion ruledâwasnât far from Clearwater Lake. Once word got out, reinforcements could arrive fast.
Abyssion had once led his forces to crush Wraithshadeâs zombie horde in a brutal campaign. That victory had earned him the unwavering confidence of his underlings.
âHeâs just a loser weâve beaten before. Once the boss shows up, Wraithshadeâs toast.â
ââŠâ
Not long after, a battered aircraft came lurching through the sky, wobbling like it was barely holding together, and crash-landed near the heart of Frostmereâs zombie nest.
BOOM!
The impact shook the ground, kicking up a thick cloud of dust and debris.
Nearby zombies turned their heads, startled. What the hell? Whatâs the rush?
âItâs bad! Wraithshadeâs backâheâs attacking Clearwater Lake!â
The hatch burst open, and a panicked Zombie Leader stumbled out, shouting at the top of his lungs.
âWhat?!â
The crowd of undead reeled in shock. That two-headed freak Wraithshade actually had the guts to come back?
They had to tell the bossânow.
A swarm of zombies stormed into a towering stone structure. The place was built from massive slabs of rock, with thick stone pillars rising from the hall like ancient monoliths. The whole place radiated power and menace.
At the center stood a tall, gaunt figureâhis back straight, his presence commanding, exuding a wild, untamed dominance.
This was the Overlord of FrostmereâAbyssion.
Ever since heâd evolved intelligence, Abyssion had played the long gameâcareful, calculating, always building his strength in the shadows. Once his psychic abilities awakened, he became unstoppable. He began conquering zombie nests, recruiting followers, and waging brutal wars across Frostmere. With the backing of the Zombie Kings from Heartland, he eventually rose to power as the undisputed ruler of the region.
Heâd ruled Frostmere for over a decade without ever tasting defeat.
The only real threat heâd ever faced⊠was the rising star with two headsâWraithshade.
âWhat? Heâs back?â Abyssion turned slowly, revealing a grotesque face.
He had four eyesâtwo where they should be, and two more perfectly symmetrical ones growing from his cheekbones. The sight was enough to make even his own followers avert their gaze.
One of his lieutenants stepped forward, head bowed, voice low. âYes, sir. No doubt about it. I saw the parasites, and even a Zombie King under mind control. That can only mean one thingâthe Wraithshade trio is back.â
Abyssion didnât respond right away. He stood in silence, deep in thought.
The other zombies were seething with rage. The moment they heard Wraithshadeâs name, they lost it.
âBoss! If that bastardâs back, letâs go crush him already! What are we waiting for?â
âYeah! That little freak doesnât have the guts to face us head-on. Heâs probably just trying to poison Clearwater Lake to piss us off.â
âWeâve gotta move now, or heâs gonna pull it off!â
ââŠâ
Their voices rose in a chaotic chorus, but Abyssion didnât flinch. He wasnât the kind of leader to act on impulse. You didnât become a regional overlord by being reckless. He was a predatorâcunning, patient, and always thinking three steps ahead.
Just like Bloodveil, he knew better than to let emotions cloud his judgment.
âIs that⊠really whatâs happening?â Abyssion muttered, his voice low and thoughtful.
Something didnât sit right with him.
Not long ago, one of his top commandersâRazorclawâhad been killed in action. Along with him, a hundred thousand zombies had been wiped out.
The whole thing stank.
Even if Wraithshade had the power to take out that many zombies, there was no way he couldâve done it so quickly, so cleanly.
And then there was the second red flag.
Razorclaw had died on the outskirts of Frostmere. But now, just half a day later, Wraithshade was already attacking Clearwater Lake?
He hadnât even stopped to rest. That kind of relentless movement⊠it didnât match Wraithshadeâs usual style at all.
âThings might not be as simple as you think,â Abyssion finally said, his voice cold and sharp. âWraithshade didnât come back on a whim. Heâs planning something.â
âOh?â The underlings looked around at each other, confused and a little stunned.
Abyssion continued, his voice calm but sharp, âWraithshade knows heâs no match for us, yet he still dared to charge into Clearwater Lake, deep in Frostmere territory. That means heâs confidentâheâs got backup. Most likely, another Zombie King is supporting him.â
âUh⊠you think so?â The zombies exchanged uneasy glances, but none of them doubted their bossâs judgment. If Abyssion said it, it had to be true.
âThen whoâs helping him?â Abyssionâs mind was already racing, analyzing the possibilities. Whoever dared to interfere in this mess had to be powerfulâat least an Overlord-level threat.
First off⊠he could rule out the Zombie Kings from Heartland.
Which left only one likely answer.
âIâd bet itâs Bloodveilâthe Overlord of Eastreach. Frostmere borders his territory, and that guyâs a smooth talker. Heâs always sending out signals to other Zombie Kings, trying to build alliances. If anyoneâs teamed up with Wraithshade, itâs him.â
âSo⊠we canât just charge in blindly. If we do, we might walk right into a trap and get swarmed.â
ââŠâ
The zombies around him suddenly looked like theyâd been hit with a bolt of clarity.
âHoly crapâŠâ
âBoss, youâre a genius!â
âThen what should we do now?â
ââŠâ
As the crowd buzzed with nervous energy, trying to figure out their next moveâ
Another figure stepped through the massive stone doors.
She was tall, lean, and powerful, with a distinctly feminine silhouette. The moment the other zombies saw her, they instinctively backed away, giving her a wide berth. The fear in their eyes was obvious.
âWhatâs going on?â Her voice was low and raspy, laced with a cold, cutting edge.
Even Abyssion straightened up and bowed slightly, his tone instantly more respectful.
âLady Nyssara, I was just about to come find you.â
This was herâNyssara. The female Zombie King from Heartland who backed Abyssion. She was no ordinary undeadâshe was SSS-class, a monster in her own right.
Handpicked and trained by the Overlord of Heartland himself, Nyssara was a fusion-type Zombie King, merged with Chameleon DNA. Her speed and strength were top-tier, but her real specialty was stealth and infiltration. She was a born assassin.
Though she looked mostly humanoid, a long tail curled behind her, and her skin shimmered faintly with a dark green hue. Her eyes were a piercing yellow, cold and emotionless.
Abyssion quickly filled her in, recounting everything in detailâhe didnât leave out a single point.
Clearwater Lake was a critical zone in Frostmere, and it was no coincidence that the Overlords of Heartland had sent Nyssara here to keep it secure.
âThis Wraithshadeâs got some nerve,â Nyssara said, her voice like a blade of ice. âTrying to make a move on Clearwater Lake? We need to take him outâfast. If anything goes wrong, the Overlords of Heartland wonât be pleased.â
âYes, absolutely!â Abyssion nodded quickly. That kind of fallout was something he couldnât afford.
âBut⊠Wraithshade came prepared this time. Heâs probably got another Zombie King helping him from the shadows. If we go in headfirst, we could be walking into serious trouble.â
âThen what do you suggest?â Nyssara asked, her tone curious but measured.
She was stronger than Abyssion, no doubtâbut when it came to strategy, she knew he had the edge. After all, psychic-type Zombie Kings were notorious for their cunning.
Abyssionâs four eyes flicked around, calculating. Then he smiled.
âI say⊠Lady Nyssara, you stay hidden in the shadows. Let me go out there and confront Wraithshade directly. Iâll stall him, draw out his trump cards. Once he thinks heâs got the upper handâbamâyou strike. Weâll catch them all in one clean sweep.â
âŠ