The night was deafening, filled only with the roar of zombies and the crackle of the energy device. Min-jun fired a shot into the air, signaling the start of the operation. Instantly, hundreds of creatures surged from the shadows, their guttural screams shaking the air, mingling with the smell of gunpowder, sweat, and decay.
Min-jun moved forward. His rifle flared with burst after burst, driving the zombies back. He slid across the ground, rolled over debris, feeling every sharp intake of breath, every racing heartbeat, every pulse of adrenaline coursing through his veins.
So-hyun stood at the device, trembling with tension. His fingers held the Stella crystal, which glowed brighter with every second. The energy vibration coursed through his arms and back, making the hairs on his neck stand on end. He tasted electricity on his tongue, and his eyes watered from the light and strain.
"Min-jun! They're almost here!" So-hyun shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.
Min-jun glanced quickly — the zombies were just meters away. He leapt, firing to repel the nearest ones. Their eyes were empty, yet something strange flickered within them — the virus coursing through their veins began to react.
So-hyun fully activated the device. The crystals blazed with bright white light, sending waves of energy into the ground, the air, and the zombies' bodies. Min-jun felt a tingling sensation run through his arms and shoulders. The vibration seemed to penetrate the very fabric of reality, and he saw the energy spreading through the streets, crashing over the creatures.
At first, nothing seemed to happen. Then the first creatures convulsed as if shocked by electricity. Their movements slowed, clumsy, and then they began to collapse, losing coordination. Min-jun saw some eyes dim, bodies gradually falling to the ground. The air filled with the scent of oxidized flesh and fresh energy sparking between the device's wires.
"It's working!" So-hyun shouted, voice trembling but ecstatic.
Min-jun watched the energy flow through the zombies' bodies, almost tangible, like a wind on the skin. He saw the virus inside them start to break down, cells trembling as if resisting, then dissolving. Every creature caught in the energy wave lost aggression and slowed to complete stillness.
"Hold on, So-hyun!" Min-jun shouted, pushing back a nearby figure and holding him close. Their breathing mingled — sharp, ragged, full of adrenaline and tension.
So-hyun focused on the energy flow, adjusting the crystals. He felt the pulse pass through him, making his body shiver and his heart race. Every breath of Min-jun, every shot, every scrape of claws was part of this rhythm.
The zombies fell one by one; their movements became uncoordinated, skin quivering, slime and blood mixing with the beams of energy to create a strange glowing mist. Min-jun saw chaos transform into control, death into the cessation of infection.