Chapter 438: The Bronze Armored Zombies
"Thud!" "Thud!" "Thud!"
A series of heavy thuds echoed from deep within the subway, their oppressive rhythm growing louder.
Zhang Yiâs group grew tense, their expressions grave.
It sounded like a terrifying creature had broken free from its cage.
"Stay sharp! Something big is coming," Zhang Yi warned the others.
Fatty Xu nervously swallowed and gripped his flamethrower tightly, scanning their surroundings.
The zombie horde, which had been forced into retreat just moments ago, seemed to be regrouping.
"Itâs fine!" Uncle You reassured them. "Even if more come, we can kill them all."
The group had already witnessed the combat abilities of the zombies. While far stronger than ordinary humans, they were no match for the team of top-tier superhumans, especially given their ample weapons, ammunition, and superhuman energy food.
But then, Hua Hua suddenly let out a sharp cry.
"Meowâ"
Its tone was filled with caution, a stark warning of a deadly threat.
Hua Huaâs combat prowess, especially in its enlarged form, surpassed even Uncle You. If Hua Hua was this alarmed, it meant the enemy ahead was extremely dangerous.
Zhang Yiâs gaze hardened, and he murmured, "Could it be the Zombie King?"
The words "Zombie King" cast a heavy shadow over the group.
Though none of them had seen it before, the entity capable of commanding thousandsâperhaps tens of thousandsâof zombies was undoubtedly a fearsome foe.
No one knew its true strength, abilities, or even if it was a mutated human or an immensely powerful zombie.
From the distant corridor, the deep, resonant thuds grew louder.
A shadow emerged at the edge of their vision.
As it stepped closer, it drew everyone's attention.
From the darkness, a tall, skeletal figure resembling a giant stick insect emerged.
When Zhang Yi saw its form, his pupils constricted.
It wasnât human.
Instead, it was a humanoid monster with a body entirely covered in bronze-colored, hardened skin.
Standing over three meters tall, its elongated arms nearly touched the ground.
Its grotesque, reddish muscles were exposed in places, wrapped tightly by its bronze-like carapace.
A triangular head adorned with enormous ears framed its face, filled with glowing fangs and cruel, predatory eyesâbrown, vertical pupils glaring with malice.
The horror didnât end there. The creature had eight eyes.
Two were on its head, while six more were spread across its arms and chest, constantly swiveling and scanning the area.
Despite having faced countless horrors in this post-apocalyptic world, none of them had encountered anything so nightmarish.
For a moment, they couldnât determine if this monstrosity was a mutated corpse or some other bioengineered aberration.
Uncle You muttered uneasily, "Could this thing be the Zombie King?"
Before anyone could respond, three more identical creatures appeared from other directions.
"These things... are they being mass-produced? Thereâs no way theyâre naturally occurring!"
Zhang Yiâs heart pounded. It was clear that something far more sinister was at play.
The creation of the zombie horde couldnât have been a random occurrenceâthere had to be a deliberate, orchestrated cause behind it.
And behind the bronze creatures, the zombie horde began to resurface, their glowing eyes fixed intently on the group.
The team was completely surrounded, the passageways now teeming with an unending sea of zombies.
Even the most battle-hardened among them felt a sliver of unease under the suffocating pressure.
Fatty Xuâs face turned pale. "These things donât look like regular zombies at all!"
Zhang Yiâs brows furrowed deeply. "I get it now! These bastards lured us here on purpose. Their goal was to trap and eliminate us!"
Though Zhang Yi had known the Zombie King was intelligent, he hadnât expected it to employ tactics so cunning.
His assessment of the Zombie King rose even higher.
A creature capable of controlling massive hordes while exhibiting such high intelligence posed an unparalleled threatânot just to Tianhai City but to humanity itself.
"Zhang Yi, what do we do now?" Uncle You asked.
Zhang Yi sneered. "What else can we do? We fight."
The open space robbed Zhang Yiâs Dimensional Gate of its maximum effectiveness.
But even without it, every member of the team was a seasoned fighter.
Uncle You and Fatty Xu raised their flamethrowers and unleashed torrents of fire upon the encroaching zombies.
Liang Yue drew her Tang Swordâfinally, it was her time to shine.
"Liang Yue, Hua Hua, stay close to me," Zhang Yi instructed cautiously. "Weâre outnumbered, so we need to stick together."
Liang Yue nodded, understanding that Zhang Yiâs melee capabilities werenât his strength. He needed protection.
Hua Hua, as always, remained loyally by Zhang Yiâs side. It would never let anything harm him.
Meanwhile, the massive bronze creatures began advancing steadily. Their hardened, armor-like skin gleamed faintly under the dim light, exuding a menacing aura.
The sight reminded Zhang Yi of a theory from a movie he had once seenâof zombies evolving into powerful forms called "Bronze Armored Zombies," their bodies impervious to ordinary weapons.
These creatures, whether mutated corpses or bioengineered creations, were formidable. Their ability to command the zombie horde was a testament to their power.
"Take down the leader first!" Zhang Yi barked.
"If we can deal with the Bronze Armored Zombies, the rest will be easier to handle."
"Understood!" the others replied.
At that moment, one of the Bronze Armored Zombies let out a bone-chilling roar, shaking the entire underground passage.
"Roar!!!"
The surrounding zombies echoed the cry in a deafening chorus before surging forward in a reckless charge.
Even the red-eyed giant rats, which had been lurking in the shadows, joined the fray, their bloodlust directed at Zhang Yiâs group.
The horde surged like an unstoppable wave, their only goal to overwhelm and destroy.
The Zombie King, commanding from the shadows, had ordered them to create chaos and weaken the groupâs defenses, giving the Bronze Armored Zombies the opportunity to strike.
But Zhang Yiâs team wouldnât go down without a fight.
In the darkness, Liang Yueâs sword flashed like moonlight. Enhanced by the abilities she had absorbed, her strikes now carried a chilling blue aura, with each slash extending over three meters.
Her blade tore through the zombie ranks, leaving mutilated bodies in its wake.
Uncle You and Fatty Xuâs flamethrowers created a blazing barrier, keeping the horde at bay.
Meanwhile, Hua Hua stayed close to Zhang Yi, guarding him vigilantly. Zhang Yi, focused on precision, fired his enhanced rifle, shattering the legs of approaching zombies to slow their advance.
Even the giant rats stood no chance, reduced to bloody pulp.
Though the horde was vast, they posed no immediate threat to the elite superhumans.
But then, one of the Bronze Armored Zombies entered the fray.
Grabbing two nearby zombies, it hurled them like projectiles toward Zhang Yiâs group with terrifying force.
Author's Note