Chapter 47: Could I Really Be a Zombie?

Chief Feng resembled a kindly old gentleman, chatting with me warmly. From his words, I learned that we were in the 104th Military District, which, before the apocalypse, was known as the capital. The government of Huaxia had established survivor bases in many places, but this one’s defense system was the strongest.

Besides towering walls and watchtowers, the perimeter was riddled with traps and defensive installations, forming an impervious net that kept zombies and dangers firmly outside.

Then, Chief Feng gestured toward the center of the base, his eyes filled with hope for the future.

Inside, the base was divided into multiple functional zones. At its heart lay the command center, the core coordinating all operations. Surrounding it were residential areas, along with medical facilities, supply depots, production zones, and leisure districts.

Covering an area of 500 square kilometers with a population of roughly one million, it was the largest and most populous survivor base of all.

Listening to his explanation, I felt an indescribable awe welling up inside me. Looking out over the throng below, the bustling crowds, the ceaseless flow of vehicles, and the myriad lights glowing warmly, it seemed as if the apocalypse had never come.

For a moment, it was as though I had traveled back to the time before the end of days, my heart brimming with longing for a beautiful life. Yet when my gaze swept over the surrounding walls, the cold reality dragged my thoughts back.

Along the way, I was silent, shrouded in a heavy fog of doubt. The unsettling questions surged beneath my calm. Finally, I summoned the courage to break the oppressive silence. “Chief Feng… about that test—what exactly was it? Am I the worst?”

My voice trembled slightly, betraying my inner unease.

Chief Feng’s face flickered with an awkward smile. Scratching his head, he said, “Well... to be honest, yes.”

He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. Seeing that I neither flew into a rage nor acted rashly, he relaxed slightly before continuing.

“Looks like you really don’t understand. Let me explain. In the trial arena, the higher your rank, the stronger your strength, speed, and constitution.”

“However, no one has ever scored full marks across all categories. Usually, they excel in just a few. And no one has ever scored zero in all categories.”

“Zero?” I repeated, intrigued by this unfamiliar term. “What do you mean by zero?”

Chief Feng took a deep breath and spoke slowly.

“After the zombie outbreak, only a few hundred people worldwide were born with a rare blood type called KELL. We call these people Originals.”

“Each Original awakens different abilities. So far, including you, there are five Originals in Huaxia.”

I widened my eyes, staring at him in disbelief, as if struck by a thunderbolt. “I’m a zombie? No wonder I can connect with the regular zombies. Ha! So I’m one of them after all.”

The mystery in my heart was finally explained, but new questions arose—besides me, there are four others? What powers have they awakened?

I looked at Chief Feng eagerly, hoping for more information.

But he only smiled silently, waving his hand hastily. “Can’t say, can’t say. That’s top secret. You’ll find out some of their abilities when you go on missions together.”

Seeing his nervous expression, I realized pressing further would be fruitless. So I shifted the topic, trying to uncover the truth from another angle.

“I remember when we first met, you mentioned asking about whose serum I was injected with?”

Chief Feng visibly relaxed and nodded. “That I can tell you. The government extracted serum from those four, conducting experimental research.”

“Injecting that serum into normal humans had mixed results. Some couldn’t merge with it and mutated into monstrous zombies. Others integrated it, awakening special abilities—or not. These abilities vary in strength. At first, I thought you were one of those injected.”

He cast me a curious, probing glance then, while I was lost in thought, my mind awash with turmoil.

“Why would the government do this?” I furrowed my brows, looking at Chief Feng for answers.

“Because…”

Just as he opened his mouth to explain, a piercing alarm shattered the night sky, sharp and urgent.

My heart clenched. What was happening?

Instinctively, I looked up to see a vivid red beam slicing through the darkness from a distant watchtower—a deathly signal.

Chief Feng’s face instantly drained of color. Grabbing his radio, his voice trembled but remained resolute.

“All units, alert! Zombie horde incoming!”

I hurried after Chief Feng, rushing through a checkpoint into a concealed passage. Inside, a high-speed conveyor belt ran like an airport moving walkway, only wider and equipped with sturdy seats.

“Fasten your seatbelt!” Chief Feng shouted back, his voice resolute and commanding.

I scrambled to sit and buckle in. The belt jolted into motion, so fast I felt as if I were flying. What had seemed a distance of over twenty kilometers now took only a minute.

As we emerged from the tunnel, explosions, gunfire, and snarls crashed upon us like a tidal wave. Flames leapt, smoke billowed, turning the southern wall into an apocalyptic battlefield.

We dashed to the wall’s edge and looked down to see a black sea of zombies. They clawed upward like ravenous beasts, desperate and savage.

My blood boiled, adrenaline surged. I raised my assault rifle and opened fire.

But these zombies were unlike any I had faced before—more terrifying, more grotesque, utterly devoid of humanity.

They moved on all fours, tongues whipping like whips, claws gleaming coldly in the firelight. Their skin was as hard as iron, their features blurred and indistinct, save for their gaping mouths filled with razor-sharp teeth, constantly snarling.

My gunfire slowed and then stopped; the magazine was empty, muzzle smoking. Frantically, I shouted, “Ammo! Any ammo?”

My voice was hoarse but resolute—no novice entering this hellish warzone, but a battle-hardened soldier on the brink of war.