Chapter 469: The Death of the Zombie King
The investigation team carved through the zombie horde like a blade through cloth, rapidly closing in on the Zombie King.
For the first time, they got a close look at the white-furred monkey.
It was protected by six massive armored zombies, one of which carried the creature on its back as they fled deeper into the subway.
“Capture it alive!” Bian Junwu commanded.
Qi Guangming raised his peculiar black sniper rifle, aiming for the leg joint of the armored zombie carrying the Zombie King.
A sharp crack echoed as a bright beam struck its target, shattering the zombie’s joint with a sickening snap.
The towering creature roared in pain and collapsed, sending the white-furred monkey tumbling to the ground with a shrill scream.
Before it could recover, Baili Changqing surged forward with his knight’s lance, pressing its tip against the monkey’s head.
The surrounding armored zombies growled and paced, unwilling to attack but clearly desperate to protect their leader.
Bian Junwu’s cold gaze locked onto the monkey. “If I’m watching, there’s no chance for escape,” he said, his tone like ice.
The team surrounded the creature, paying no attention to the armored zombies. They knew the zombies wouldn’t act without the Zombie King’s orders.
“So this is the Zombie King, the one commanding the entire horde?” Bian Junwu muttered, raising an eyebrow as he studied the trembling creature.
Wu Di let out a loud laugh. “I thought it’d be some kind of unstoppable beast if it could control a horde this big. Turns out it’s a weak little thing!”
Baili Changqing, however, remained composed. “This actually makes sense,” he said.
“If it’s the brain of the horde or some kind of control-type superhuman, it doesn’t need to be physically strong. It just needs to command from the back.”
Meng Siyu stroked her chin thoughtfully. “No wonder it doesn’t dare launch a full-scale attack on human settlements. Its body is too weak, so it has to keep a large portion of the horde and armored zombies nearby for protection.”
“With combat abilities this poor, even an ordinary adult could kill it,” she concluded.
The surrounding armored zombies growled again, clearly agitated, but without direction from their leader, they hesitated to act.
The white-furred monkey shrieked oddly, its eyes filled with a mixture of fear and resentment.
Bian Junwu pressed his gun to the creature’s head. “Order them to kill each other,” he demanded coldly.
A flicker of hatred flashed in the monkey’s eyes, and its cries grew louder.
Suddenly, the six armored zombies roared in unison and charged at the team, the creature having chosen to go down fighting.
Baili Changqing spat on the ground, gripped his lance tightly, and grinned. “Looks like it wants a fight!”
His body radiated black energy, enveloping him like a shroud. With the strength of a titan, he charged into the fray, his lance sweeping out in a deadly arc.
In one devastating strike, all six armored zombies were cleaved in half. Green blood sprayed through the air, mingled with the shattered remains of crimson bones.
“Ha! Who’s next?” Baili Changqing roared, his voice echoing through the tunnel.
Despite their terrifying strength, the armored zombies were no match for the deputy captain of the investigation team, Iron Grip Baili Changqing.
However, the tunnel reverberated with distant roars as the horde surged forward, summoned by the Zombie King.
Bian Junwu narrowed his eyes at the creature beneath his gun. “You’re not playing fair,” he muttered coldly.
Realizing that the horde would soon surround them, Bian Junwu made a swift decision.
He pulled the trigger.
The gunshot rang out, and the monkey’s head exploded. Its body collapsed lifelessly, its skull punctured by a massive hole.
Without a word, Meng Siyu pulled a body bag from her pack and carefully stored the corpse.
The team retreated from the subway, emerging through the nearest exit back to the surface.
What awaited them was a shocking sight.
Under the pale expanse of the snowy plains, tens of thousands of zombies had gathered, standing motionless and gazing toward the subway entrance.
Without the Zombie King to guide them, they appeared disoriented, their movements slow and aimless.
“They’ve lost their coordination,” Bian Junwu remarked, watching the scene with a calm expression.
Meng Siyu nodded. “Without a leader, even a massive horde can’t pose a serious threat to large human settlements.”
Intelligent zombies were an entirely different challenge compared to mindless ones. Without direction, even the largest horde could be managed with time and resources.
A few zombies spotted the team and charged, their eyes glowing red with aggression.
“Let’s move,” Bian Junwu ordered. “No need to waste time here. They’ll decay soon enough without a leader to sustain them.”
The zombies, being mere carriers of the virus, would rapidly deteriorate without sustenance.
The team swiftly returned to their vehicle.
Nearby, clusters of zombies wandered aimlessly, paying no mind to the armored vehicle. After clearing a small group blocking their path, the team loaded the monkey’s body into the car and drove off.
Their next task was to analyze the corpse, uncovering its biological secrets and searching for clues about the zombie virus.
Inside the vehicle, Meng Siyu donned a white protective suit and began dissecting the body on a portable surgical table.
The others rested in shifts, their rest brief and uneasy.
As dawn broke, the pale light of day spilling across the frozen wasteland, Meng Siyu removed her gloves and looked up at Bian Junwu.
Her face was solemn as she delivered her findings.
“It’s not a monkey or any type of primate,” she said.
“What we’re dealing with... was once human.”