Chapter 428: A New Storm

Chapter 428: A New Storm

The rapid expansion of the Followers of the Snow God had swelled their numbers to over 10,000. Most resided in the buildings around St. John’s Cathedral.

To conserve warmth, dozens of people often shared a single room, creating an extremely high population density.

When the zombie attack began, the crowded conditions left little room to escape.

On the floor where Li Kaile and Xu Beibei lived, zombies surged upward.

Even in the dark, the creatures could sense the presence of living humans, moving through the dim hallways with eerie precision.

“Bang! Bang!”

Doors were smashed open, and zombies poured into the rooms, slaughtering indiscriminately.

Terrified screams echoed as some fainted, meeting their gruesome fate regardless.

Others leapt from the building in a desperate bid to escape, only to find more zombies waiting below with jaws agape.

It was as if "meat pies" were dropping from the sky.

Li Kaile turned pale with fear, but seeing Xu Beibei trembling and unable to stand, he mustered his courage. Grabbing her hand, he led her upstairs.

Zombies acted purely on instinct, attacking anything alive. Heading to the upper floors was their best chance.

“Let’s find my parents first!”

Li Kaile pulled Xu Beibei out of their room, just as his frantic parents appeared searching for him.

Li Jian and Zhang Jianfang breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing their son unharmed.

They noticed Li Kaile clutching Xu Beibei’s hand but said nothing. Even in the apocalypse, they respected his pursuit of love—a symbol of humanity’s resilience and hope for the future.

“Upstairs, quickly!”

The parents shielded the young couple as they ascended.

Behind them, the horde’s eerie growls grew louder, drawing closer.

Suddenly, two figures stepped into the hallway, blocking the zombies’ path.

These were Superhumans, tasked by Zheng Yixian to protect Li Jian’s family.

One of them faced the approaching zombies and, without a word, smashed his fist into the wall. He then ripped the entire section free, creating a barrier of debris that temporarily stopped the zombies.

With their path blocked, the zombies turned their attention to other victims, unleashing carnage throughout the building.

The air was filled with screams, blood sprayed in every direction, and the sound of zombies tearing into flesh and crunching bones was everywhere.

The Followers’ camp had become a living nightmare, a vision of hell on earth.

At St. John’s Cathedral, the situation grew dire as the zombie horde surrounded the sacred grounds.

Inside, the core members of the cult and countless followers huddled together.

The zombies, drawn by the scent of living humans like sharks to blood, attacked with red eyes and relentless hunger.

Then, the cathedral doors suddenly swung open.

An invisible force blasted out, sending dozens of zombies flying.

The High Priest Zheng Yixian emerged, flanked by over a dozen Superhumans.

The grisly scene outside made even these seasoned warriors’ pupils contract in shock.

Zombies, once confined to fiction, were now a terrifying reality at their doorstep.

Though briefly shaken, Zheng Yixian quickly regained his composure and began issuing orders.

“Tong Zhan, Geng Lei, stay inside the cathedral and protect the Chief Priest and the followers. Do not step out under any circumstances!”

“The rest of you, follow me. Let’s kill these zombies!”

Under Zheng Yixian’s leadership, the Followers began to organize and counterattack.

The addition of powerful Superhumans turned the tide, allowing the group to mount an effective defense.

Even the once-panicked followers found their resolve, grabbing whatever weapons they could to fight back.

“Swish, swish, swish!”

In an instant, a dozen flashes of cold steel lit the air, and the heads of over a dozen zombies hit the ground.

Han Chang, having activated his Beast Transformation, took on the form of a honey badger—a small yet ferocious creature with sharp claws and fangs.

Using what he knew from television, he decapitated more than a dozen zombies, assuming this would end them.

But to his shock, the headless zombies merely staggered briefly before resuming their attack.

“What? They’re not dead?”

Though startled, Han Chang, true to his honey badger nature, was unafraid.

“Fine, I’ll take you apart completely!”

Moments later, another flurry of blows left the zombies in seven or eight dismembered pieces. The fragments wriggled grotesquely on the ground.

“Disgusting! What the hell are these things?”

Han Chang’s face twisted in revulsion.

While their strength surpassed that of ordinary humans, they were no match for a Superhuman like him in one-on-one combat.

But their sheer numbers, combined with their resilience, posed a dire threat—even to Superhumans, should they become surrounded.

The battle to defend the camp was grueling.

With so many zombies and over 10,000 Followers, the dozen or so Superhumans couldn’t possibly protect everyone.

For most of the fight, they focused on thinning out the densest clusters of zombies, while ordinary followers had to fend for themselves and their families.

After more than half an hour of brutal combat, the ground was littered with blood and corpses.

No one could tell how many were zombies or Followers.

When the horde finally receded into the darkness, a collective sigh of relief swept through the survivors.

But the lingering fear gripped their hearts, refusing to fade.

“What were those things?”

Han Chang, his hands in his pockets, surveyed the carnage with a gloomy expression.

The cries of mourning followers filled the air—a haunting lament for the countless lives lost.

When they had joined the cult, they believed it to be a sanctuary, a utopia amidst the apocalypse.

Han Chang’s chest tightened with a dull ache as he approached Zheng Yixian, his frustration plain on his face.

By now, the exhausted Superhumans had gathered, awaiting further orders.

Zheng Yixian, ever composed, methodically directed the survivors to clean up the aftermath.

“Move all the bodies to that abandoned building.”

“Check for injuries. These zombies are highly unusual and could be carriers of a biochemical virus. Isolate anyone wounded and monitor them closely.”

“Increase patrols tonight. Organize the strongest men to guard the camp perimeter. The horde may return.”

Though fatigued, the survivors understood the urgency and quickly got to work.

Han Chang approached Zheng Yixian, frowning deeply.

“These things are absurd! They can’t be killed, and they even know when to retreat. This isn’t the mindless behavior of TV zombies.”

Zheng Yixian gave him a long, measured look, his brow furrowing slightly.

“This matter must be thoroughly investigated. With our high population density, we’re at constant risk of another attack.”

“And we still don’t know if this involves the other factions.”

Han Chang clenched his teeth in frustration. “If those scumbags are behind this, I’ll make them pay!”

The cult’s strength had grown exponentially, with a surge in both followers and Superhumans.

Han Chang itched for a chance to crush the factions that had oppressed them.

But Zheng Yixian placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Calm yourself. It’s just a theory for now. Our priority is protecting those who remain.”

After a moment of contemplation, Han Chang nodded. “You’re right.”

He turned to help manage the post-battle cleanup.

Standing amidst the chaos, Zheng Yixian gazed into the distance.

Somewhere in the shadows, a powerful enemy might still be lurking.

“A new storm is brewing,” he muttered.

In one of the residential buildings, Li Jian cautiously peered downstairs.

After confirming the zombies had left, he exhaled deeply. “It’s finally over.”

Zhang Jianfang approached, and the couple embraced tightly.

Nearby, Li Kaile held Xu Beibei’s hand firmly, their eyes meeting with shared affection.

Watching this, Zhang Jianfang smiled softly. “Our son is growing up—he’s pursuing happiness.”

The couple approved of Xu Beibei. In these desperate times, survival skills mattered far more than family background.

Having lost her entire family, Xu Beibei’s ability to endure spoke volumes.

But deep within Li Jian’s eyes was a flicker of concern.

“I just hope this doesn’t bring trouble,” he murmured, careful not to be overheard.

Curious, Zhang Jianfang asked, “Why do you say that?”

Li Jian hesitated before answering.

“You know how the cult treats underage boys—they’re taken for… that.”

Zhang Jianfang shuddered, remembering how terrified she’d been that Li Kaile might suffer the same fate.

Thankfully, Li Jian’s Superhuman abilities and his favor with cult leaders like Yuan Kongye had spared their son from that grim ritual.

Still, the couple couldn’t shake the shadow of worry over what the future might hold.

Zhang Jianfang hugged her husband tightly, resting her head on his chest.

“We’ll be okay. As long as we’re together, we’ll survive.”

Author's Note