The little white tiger lived up to expectations. The force of its claws was just right, attracting the three zombiesâ attention without scaring them off. The enraged zombies seemed to have their gazes locked on the little white tiger, following it step by step into the backyard.
Just as the three zombies entered the backyard and Flora Bloom was about to release Vert and the others, a piercing roar, like the screech of tires braking suddenly on a highway, echoed out.
The three zombies suddenly acted as if they had received a command. They ignored the little white tigerâs attempts to lure them and charged back into the house instead.
Seeing this, Flora Bloom had already prepared for a fight, only to find that the three zombies didnât linger inside at all. Instead, they walked unhurriedly toward the fence in the front yard.
Everyone inside had long since been woken by the commotion downstairs. They gathered together and, upon seeing this scene, followed Flora Bloom outside to see what was happening.
The moment Flora Bloom and the others stepped outside, the sight before them made their scalps tingle. One, two, three... She counted; there were at least a hundred zombies surrounding the yard. Among them, Flora Bloom even spotted the zombified Toby Warren.
She had cured Toby Warren right before he went home. To have turned into a zombie again, he must have been infected sometime after. Moreover, the zombie that injured him must have been higher than Level 1; otherwise, Toby Warren wouldnât have turned so quickly.
What was even stranger was that they were just standing there, not attacking. Even when they saw Flora Bloom and her group come out, they showed no hunger for fresh flesh.
Among them were quite a few Quasi-second-level zombies, just like the ones that had attacked Flora Bloom earlier. Connecting this to the urgent roar from before, the color drained from Flora Bloomâs face.
âSomething that can control a group of Quasi-second-level zombies must be at least a Second Level zombie.â
The source of that roar didnât keep Flora Bloom and the others wondering for long. It came charging over from the banks of the Perilla River with great momentum.
Not even the dark of night could hide its massive and grotesque form. Its eyes were scarlet, radiating a thirst for slaughter. Two enormous, towering horns glinted with a metallic sheen in the darkness.
Its frame was robust, and every step it took had the visual effect of a Power Typeâs explosive burst.
It was actually a gigantic zombie cow.
Flora Bloom couldnât help but think of those bodybuilders with their explosive, terrifying physiques; the upper body of the monster before her looked just like that.
She never would have imagined that just six or seven days into the apocalypse, she would be "lucky" enough to encounter a zombified creature. No wonder it could control those Quasi-second-level zombies; even a true Second Level zombie would be under its control.
This zombie cow was clearly more than just an ordinary zombified creature. Even from a distance, Flora Bloom could feel a surge of Fire Element energy, even denser than Neal Wallaceâs, raging within it.
âVery dangerous. Extremely dangerous.â
"This zombie cowâs superpower aura is unstable. Iâm afraid it has already broken through the Second Level and is transitioning to Level 3."
At that moment, Caleb Bloom, Jade, Ethan Monroe, Neal Wallace, and Mervin Warren stood behind Flora Bloom. Micah swallowed hard, fighting to keep his legs from going weak, and stood behind them as well. The youngest, Caleb, clung tightly to Flora Bloom. Though his face was ashen, his small fists were clenched tight.
Only Tianna Bloomâs family was hiding inside Flora Bloomâs house, not even daring to peek out.
The zombie cow let out a world-shaking roar. The previously motionless zombies, like string puppets suddenly given souls, fixed their gazes on Flora Bloomâs group and charged forward like beasts that had starved for countless days.
Flora Bloom wanted to have Ethan Monroe take her parents and Caleb back inside to hide. She was already mentally calculating her chances of winning if she summoned all her evolved creatures to fight.
But at that very moment, the door to the house was suddenly slammed shut. In the instant before it closed, Flora Bloom saw Stephen Bloomâs sinister and venomous eyes.
Flora Bloom was so furious she wanted to drag Stephen Bloomâs family out, beat them to a pulp, and then toss them to the zombies to fend for themselves. To think they would hide in her house at such a critical moment, only to lock the door, shutting the true owners out to face a massive zombie horde and a zombie cow whose strength was far beyond Flora Bloomâs capabilities.
âIf it were just me, it would be fine. I have my pocket dimension, so I could just hide if I couldnât win. But my parents, Caleb, Ethan Monroe, and Micah are all ordinary people. I canât possibly protect them while fighting so many zombies. Even with Neal Wallace, a Fire Ability User, heâs only Level 1. Itâs completely useless.â
âItâs bad enough that Tianna Bloomâs family is hiding in our house, but to lock us, the rightful owners, outside to face all these zombies the moment danger appears...â
"Stephen Bloom, do you have a death wish?"
With an furious roar, Flora Bloom summoned Vert and had it strike her own front door with its scythe. âIf we canât take shelter, then Iâll just destroy it.â
And with that, both the front and back doors of Flora Bloomâs house were destroyed. If a real fight broke out, there would be nowhere in the house safe from the fallout.
At the same time, Monkey Two, Monkey Three, Big Kong, Little Kong, Little Jia, and Golden Cicada all appeared by Flora Bloomâs side. Their task was simply to protect her parents and the others; naturally, her parents were the top priority.
Meanwhile, she sent Vert and the little white tiger to pin down the zombie cow.
Through their mental link, Vert and the little white tiger revealed to her that the zombie cow was already close to Level 3. They could hold it back for a short time, but they couldnât kill it, and they probably wouldnât be able to withstand its attacks for long.
âFlora Bloom was shocked by this news. Vert has the advantage in the air and is practically invincible against opponents of the same level. The little white tiger was born with a Thunder Ability that can annihilate anything; even Vert is no match for it.â
âBut the two of them combined canât beat this zombie cow?â
âDonât tell me I really have to summon the behemoth? Thatâs my last resort.â
But she had no time to think any further. The zombie cow, hiding behind the horde, began to command the other zombies to attack.
Over a hundred zombies charged at them simultaneously, a sight that made even Flora Bloomâs heart pound with fear.
Caleb Bloom and Jade watched as so many familiar villagers, now turned into zombies, swarmed the area. They were overcome with a mix of complex emotions. The fear made their legs go so weak they couldnât move, and their minds went blank.
Calebâs little face was pale, but there wasnât a single sign that he was about to cry.
Ethan Monroe and the others also gripped their weapons, ready to fight at a momentâs notice.