It had been more than a week since the outbreak of the corpse-virus swept through H City. By now, communication with the outside world was nearly cut off, leaving the city isolated and dangerous. With the authorities gone, all manner of opportunists and hidden factions began to sneak into the city, each with their own agendas.
Some came searching for answers. Some came to exploit the chaos. And some, whispering of ancient secrets, sought a being known as Long You, believing he was tied to the source of the disaster.
But those who came hunting had no idea what kind of force they were meddling with.
After parting ways with Shane Mountain, Noah Blaze carried his girlfriend Vivi across the ruined cityscape. With his newly awakened strength, moving across rooftops and leaping between broken buildings felt natural. He didn't bother hiding his presence. Why would he? In his eyes, this world still looked relatively peaceful.
He had gained powers beyond human limits. In this city, among collapsing streets and endless hordes of infected, he was invincible. Even the so-called corpse-brothers mutated monsters born from the virus were no match for him. He could cut through them without effort.
And even if there were others as strong as him in this world, they were still human. Surely they wouldn't see him as an enemy.
That was why Noah carried himself without fear. Until, suddenly, danger struck.
Two shuriken whistled through the air. Noah twisted his body mid-leap, barely dodging as the blades embedded themselves in the wall behind him. He landed, narrowing his eyes, muscles tensed.
From the shadows stepped a figure clad in black, face obscured beneath a hood. His voice carried a harsh accent as he spoke broken Chinese.
"You can run across rooftops like that. Then you must know… where the Corpse King is hiding."
Noah frowned. The man's clothes and mannerisms weren't local. He was no survivor, no citizen of H City. He was something else entirely.
But Noah didn't dignify the question with an answer. Instead, his thoughts sharpened. This stranger wasn't looking at him with caution or respect there was only contempt in his eyes. He regarded Noah as if he were lesser, as if his life were just another resource to exploit.
That alone sealed the man's fate.
Noah's expression hardened. He let the killing intent inside him surge outward like a tide. Invisible blades of murderous will ripped through the air and pierced the intruder's body before he could react.
The man's lips parted in shock, but no words came. His life was extinguished instantly.
Noah exhaled, shaking his head in disdain. "And you dared step foot here, thinking you could treat this place like your playground? What a fool."
With a faint snort, he turned away. He had more important things to do.
Noah's goal was clear: he needed to find the official evacuation point. Shane had entrusted him with a vial of serum, something vital to humanity's survival. He had already heard through emergency broadcasts that the government had established a retreat outside the city. If he could just reach them, he could hand the serum over to the right people.
But the road was long. Even at his full speed, it would take him more than ten minutes to get there. And right now, he wasn't running at full speed he was carrying Vivi on his back.
As they leapt from rooftop to rooftop, Vivi finally spoke. Her voice trembled with unease.
"Noah… I think Shane was right. Maybe the world really is about to fall apart."
He glanced over his shoulder. He remembered Shane's words too, spoken half in warning and half in prophecy that the world was on the verge of great upheaval. Back then, Noah and Vivi hadn't taken it seriously. But now, after being ambushed in the middle of the city by strangers, Vivi couldn't ignore the truth any longer.
Noah smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry too much. We'll hand over the serum to the officials first. After that, we'll head to L City and bring both our families together. Then we'll regroup with Shane and the others. As long as we're all together, nothing can break us."
Her eyes softened, her lips curving into a small smile. "You're right. As long as we stay together, we'll be fine."
To lighten the mood, Noah chuckled. "Besides, don't forget who your husband is. I'm probably the strongest man in the world right now. Even if things really do fall apart, I'll stop it with my own two hands."
That earned him a laugh, bright and genuine. "That's true! My husband is the strongest!"
The two of them pressed on, weaving through shattered towers and streets littered with silence. Yet neither realized that they were being watched.
High above, aboard a hovering vessel, a group of operatives monitored their movements.
"Eldon," a sharp voice called, "is that man one of ours?" The speaker, Lynn, a young woman with commanding presence, looked at her red-haired subordinate.
"My name's Eldo, not Eldon," he muttered irritably. Then, louder: "No. Based on what we're seeing, he doesn't match any recorded member of our special operations."
Beside them, a mechanical rabbit Unit Mau, a combat AI housed in a robotic body shaped like a white hare confirmed the assessment. "Cross-referencing database. Subject does not appear in any known registry. Likelihood of new awakening: high."
Lynn's eyes gleamed. "So he's either newly awakened, or a foreigner… Interesting."
Another operative, Kai, leaned against the console. "Don't forget the massive energy spike we felt earlier. That came from this district. It might have been him."
Lynn considered. The idea of recruiting Noah into her ranks tempted her. With that kind of power, he could shift the balance. "Maybe we should bring him in."
Eldo shook his head immediately. "Forget it. Based on that energy signature, if he joined the official forces, he'd qualify as a high-tier operative, maybe even higher than us. He's not someone you can treat like a private soldier."
Lynn scowled but didn't argue. She knew he was right. Even if she tried to claim Noah for herself, the higher-ups and her father most of all would never allow it.
Before she could respond, the ship shuddered violently.
Boom!
A shadow streaked across the sky, striking the vessel with devastating force.
"Protect the captain!" someone shouted.
But it was too late. A second explosion rocked the air, and the ship disintegrated into fire and smoke, scattering debris across the city.
On the ground below, Noah froze mid-leap. A chill raced down his spine as he felt it the suffocating presence of something overwhelmingly dangerous. His instincts screamed at him. Every muscle in his body locked with tension.
"What's wrong?" Vivi asked quickly, sensing his change.
"Something's coming. Something strong. Stay behind me and protect yourself!"
Even as he spoke, a blazing streak tore through the sky and slammed into the street ahead. The ground cracked open from the impact, dust and debris rising in a choking cloud.
From within the smoke came a voice, deep and resonant, carrying a weight that made Noah's blood run cold.
"Well, well. I didn't expect that after waking, the first one I'd meet would be a familiar face. You've grown, and not without promise. It seems you haven't shamed his bloodline after all."
Noah's fists clenched. He called out cautiously, "Who are you? Are you with the authorities? Or… are you another intruder?"
The dust cleared with the sweep of a breeze, revealing a tall man with long white hair, his entire body covered in strange markings that pulsed faintly with power. His eyes were calm, yet ancient, like a predator appraising its prey.
Noah's heart pounded. "That face… He looks just like one of the corpse-brothers. Could he be… an evolved one?"
The man didn't answer his thoughts. Instead, he smiled faintly.
"I am neither soldier nor intruder. As for who I truly am… that is of no concern. What matters is this: your power has awakened, but you lack the understanding to wield it. Allow me to teach you. Consider it a favor… and the settling of an old debt."
______________________________________________________________________________________________
If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to leave a comment, drop a power stone, or add it to your collection your support keeps the journey going!