My 100th Rebirth a day before the Apocalypse - Chapter 185

Chapter 185: Chapter 185 The Evolved Zombie
Only now did they realize, thanks to Vulture’s insight, that they had always been surrounded by these deadly machines—they just hadn’t noticed them because of their ability to hide and change size at will. This camouflage allowed them to seamlessly blend into their surroundings like ordinary insects.

Kisha didn’t interrupt Vulture as he shared more insights with the group about the apocalypse, recounting their own journey, and preparing them for what lay ahead. His stories kept everyone engaged and fascinated, adding a lively dynamic to an otherwise potentially dull journey. Vulture’s penchant for gossip and storytelling was evident, and Kisha saw no harm in letting him continue. She trusted Aston’s team not to betray her, and Vulture’s explanations helped fill in the gaps, reducing the need for her to explain everything herself.

Upon reaching the military truck, Aston and his team finally caught up on crucial information, including details about the awakened abilities, the events surrounding the blood rain that triggered the zombie raid towards the shelter, and numerous lingering questions that had previously gone unanswered.

They began to grasp their tasks and anticipate what lay ahead, trusting implicitly in the knowledge possessed by Kisha and her team. Initially, they attributed their team’s proficiency to their combat skills alone. However, as time went on, it became evident that their expertise extended far beyond battle prowess; they possessed a great familiarity with the nuances of the apocalypse itself. Despite this realization, the origins of this knowledge remained a mystery. Vulture had chosen not to disclose Kisha’s identity as a reincarnator with extensive experience of the apocalypses for many years, and thus, it remained unspoken.

When Aston and the others climbed back into the truck and found it empty, there was little surprise among them. They had witnessed Kisha’s ability to make items disappear and reappear at will, so they understood how the supplies could be under her control. Thanks to Vulture’s explanations about abilities, they now had a vague understanding that Kisha had secured the supplies for safekeeping, ensuring they couldn’t be stolen by others. This arrangement was the best outcome they could hope for, as it guaranteed both the security of their essential resources and no one finding how many supplies they had, which gave them more security.

But trouble seemed to follow them relentlessly. Even before they departed, wave after wave of zombie hordes assailed them without respite, denying them any chance to rest. Kisha couldn’t shake off the feeling of oddity in this relentless assault. She exchanged a knowing look with Duke, and amid the ongoing fight, they scanned the area attentively. They dispatched Sparrow to scout the surroundings, hoping to glean some insight into this unrelenting onslaught.

And there, they found out that there really was an evolved zombie that was directing the attack, the zombie they encountered to save the dog. It tracked their truck and waited there patiently to ambush them while keeping the place looking as normal as possible. Luckily, Kisha had her scarlet bees patrolling and her system radar and she immediately noticed that seemingly coordinated attack, the evolved zombie kept its distance away from Kisha and her group for a few kilometers, it seemed intelligent and knew that it could hide itself from the shadows while making the regular zombies do its bidding.

t remained concealed and at a distance from Kisha and her team, preventing them from retaliating. It was wary of Duke’s Ice Spears and Fireballs, which could strike the evolved zombie from afar. The creature exploited its ability to command lesser zombies to shield itself from direct confrontation.

Whenever Kisha made a move and the evolved zombie sensed that she had detected its position, it didn’t halt the wave of zombies attacking. Instead, it maneuvered itself among the horde to obscure its location and shield itself from its enemies.

Kisha wasn’t certain if the evolved zombie held a grudge for thwarting its original prey or if it had shifted its focus to them after losing its initial target. Seeing the zombie’s unwavering persistence, Kisha suspected it had become aware of the utility of crystal cores. These cores weren’t just beneficial to the awakened superhumans; they also accelerated zombie evolution, boosting their strength and capabilities. Crystal cores obtained from awakened superhumans, mutant animals, or plants functioned similarly in enhancing the zombie’s or human’s abilities. Mutant animals and plants could also utilize the crystal core from whichever to increase their strength.

Kisha’s eyes narrowed with concern. The level of intelligence displayed by this lower-evolved zombie was deeply unsettling and posed a significant threat to the future. Typically, only high-level zombies regained enough intellect to think like humans, whereas lower-evolved zombies weren’t supposed to possess consciousness beyond basic instincts. While stronger than ordinary zombies, they shouldn’t exhibit such strategic thinking. Kisha feared that if this zombie wasn’t dealt with, it could potentially evolve into a zombie king capable of terrorizing and destroying any shelter it encountered.

Kisha’s determination to eliminate the threat surged as she directed more scarlet bees to lock down the evolved zombie’s position. Simultaneously, her team worked to stealthily extract themselves from the area. Aside from Sparrow, who else among them was best suited for this mission?

If the evolved zombie was indeed that intelligent, Kisha suspected it had already marked her and Duke as targets, ensuring that the lesser zombies kept a vigilant eye on them. To confirm her suspicions, Kisha and Duke attempted a coordinated attack to breach through the defenses. However, as they advanced towards the center, they encountered increasing resistance. Whenever one of them momentarily vanished from sight, the lesser zombies became unusually protective of the evolved zombie, which would then conceal itself behind layers of earth armor and earth wall.

The evolved zombie and the lesser zombies seemed less vigilant towards the other members of Kisha’s team. From this, Kisha deduced that they were specifically targeting her and Duke. Regardless of the reason behind this targeting, Kisha was determined not to let the evolved zombie survive, as she knew it would spell disaster for their group if it did.

Getting close to the evolved zombie seemed nearly impossible, even with the assistance of the scarlet bees. The relentless waves of zombies made it exhausting, and they had the additional challenge of protecting Aston and his team while feeling cornered by the zombie’s onslaught.

Kisha and Duke refrained from overusing their awakened abilities in this situation to avoid exhausting themselves, knowing the evolved zombie would seize any opportunity to attack with full force. Currently, it remains vigilant and on guard.

The only option they considered was sending Sparrow to assassinate the evolved zombie while its attention was focused on them. They knew they had only one chance, and failure meant they might not get another opportunity.

Without exchanging words, Kisha and Duke reached the same conclusion and exchanged a knowing glance. Their minds raced as they contemplated ways to distract the evolved zombie and its protective horde, creating an opening for Sparrow to strike.

But Sparrow also needed to get closer to the evolved zombie for his attack to be more effective and deadly, unlike if he were to strike from afar. They hadn’t made a decision yet, so they instructed Sparrow to remain hidden for the time being, ensuring he wouldn’t alert the zombies while they strategized their next move.