Chapter 24: Reinforced Encounter

Just as I noticed the unusual quiet in the alley and was about to retreat to where I’d parked, a sudden change occurred.

An automobile was hurled onto my own vehicle, instantly crushing it flat.

At the same time, a towering figure stood beside the mangled car, glaring at me with eyes that seemed ready to devour me.

It was hunched over, panting heavily. Its torn lips curled into what could only be described as a smile, directed right at me.

‘Upon witnessing this scene, I inwardly cursed my terrible luck!’

On only the second day of the zombie virus outbreak, I had already encountered an evolved zombie — and a reinforced one at that!

This muscular zombie, standing over three meters tall, was clearly different from the others. The black bulge protruding from its forehead signified its ascension from a Level 0 to a Level 1 zombie.

Zombie evolution could be identified by these cranial bulges. From Level 1 to Level 5, the protrusions on their foreheads would progressively increase in number.

However, beyond Level 5, a zombie’s body would undergo entirely different transformations.

As for how they upgraded… Ability users could evolve by absorbing core energy, and zombies were no different.

Humans, however, had only one path to upgrade: through crystal cores. Zombies, on the other hand, had a multitude of choices.

They could devour the flesh and cores of their own kind, or directly consume ability users to absorb vast amounts of energy needed for evolution.

In some respects, infected zombies and ability users were fundamentally the same organisms. The key difference was that ability users retained their consciousness and lacked the urge to feast on flesh.

To encounter a Level 1 zombie so soon meant my luck was truly out of the ordinary.

What was even more frustrating, however, was that this particular zombie was a special reinforced variant.

Observing the muscular zombie’s physique, its pale skin belied the powerful muscles rippling across its body and its unusually towering height. It was clearly distinct from ordinary zombies.

Reinforced zombies differed from their counterparts in that a specific body part would be automatically enhanced, making them significantly stronger and exceptionally difficult to deal with.

Even when a zombie evolved from Level 0 to Level 1, its body wouldn’t undergo special changes; at most, its jumping and biting abilities would improve.

Possessing special abilities, akin to an ability user, only manifested once a zombie reached Level 3 or higher.

Perhaps this arrangement was made to allow humanity a chance to adapt, though I couldn’t be sure.

Of course, nothing was absolute in this world, and reinforced zombies shattered such normal understanding.

From the moment they turned, these reinforced variants were automatically strengthened, driven to prey on humans. The muscular zombie before me, for instance, had clearly undergone full-body enhancement.

The reinforced zombie before me continued to fix its intense gaze on me, its intention to make me its prey undeniably clear.

While I found the situation exasperating, I wasn’t about to be scared witless.

I had spent a decade in the apocalypse, even slaying Level 7 zombies. A mere Level 1 reinforced zombie was hardly a terrifying prospect.

However, given my current physical condition, this would undoubtedly be a grueling battle.

Had my awakening not failed when I absorbed the crystal core previously, leaving my physical attributes entirely unenhanced, I wouldn’t be cautiously assessing its combat strength right now. I would have already charged forward with my blade, ready to dispatch this zombie!

Yet, matters had reached this point, and dwelling on ‘what ifs’ served no purpose.

Accepting my ill fortune, I gripped my blade. After taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly, I launched the first attack.

‘Today, it was either its death or mine!’