Prelude

"Bang! Bang!" The sound of the iron hammer breaking the door echoed in the dark corridor.

In the dimly lit room, Dirk stared at the loudly banging iron door with his eyes fixed, holding a crude iron rod high and hiding behind the door. The occasional cursing from outside the door indicated the ill intentions of the newcomers.

Dirk's rotten skin was covered with gauze, and his breathing was heavy, as if a torn bellows. The trembling in his arms holding the iron rod was unstoppable, but it was not because of fear.

Eight days ago, he had awakened under the effect of the necklace suppressing the zombie virus, but his bodily functions were severely damaged after being infected with the zombie virus. Moving even slightly felt like a knife cutting through his corroded bones.

Viola was hiding behind the bedroom door, which was piled high with food, looking anxious.

"Brother, someone is banging on the door..."

Her lips trembled, and Viola wanted to be with her brother but was stopped by Dirk's stern gaze. Her voice was fearful and helpless, as she had struggled to sleep every night during these days, always hoping for Clark's return. However, the one who had returned now was not Clark.

Voices came from outside the door.

"Boss, this door feels a bit strange. It seems to have been reinforced with steel bars."

Yellow-hair held a broken door's iron hammer and, along with others, tried to smash the reinforced security door for a long time but couldn't break it open.

"Useless stuff! Only he's got the strength of a man! What use are you all? Get lost!" Bernard was impatient, slapped the back of Yellow-hair's head, and then pressed his right hand directly against the iron door.

Yellow-hair grinned, a hint of fear flashed in his eyes, and he quickly followed the others, staring intently at his right hand. The boss was about to use his superpower again.

In an instant, a purple-red high-voltage electric current surged from Bernard's palm and, in just a few seconds, melted the junction of the iron door into molten iron.

"Boom!" The high-temperature molten iron splashed onto the floor, flames rising. Dirk's pupils contracted. Who were the people outside the door!?

"Damn it! Whoever's inside, get the hell out!" Bernard shouted loudly, stepping into the room on the flames and casually shaking his right hand before surveying the dimly lit living room.

His expression suddenly brightened, and his enhanced vision allowed him to see the various military canned foods piled in the hall clearly.

"Damn it, there's really something to eat!"

"Phew!" The iron rod whizzed as Dirk, with all his strength, swung the iron rod when Bernard's attention was on the canned food.

He heard the voices of the people outside the door, and even if the other party was non-human, he would never let anyone harm Viola, even if he had to die.

However, the iron rod in his hand was instantly grabbed by Bernard. The sound was dull, as if what he had caught was not flesh and blood but solid rock.

"Damn, you dare to ambush me!?" Bernard tilted his head, looking at Dirk, who was covered in bandages, with interest, a hint of disdain in his eyes.

One second later, "Boom!" He smirked, slowly retracting his right foot that he had kicked out.

Under the tremendous force of this kick, Dirk's body flew backward, breaking tables and chairs along the way, and dark red blood seeped from beneath the bandages.

"Brother!" Viola, who was hiding behind the door, had red eyes and couldn't help but cry out in concern.

"Hey, there's a lot of food in here!" Bernard heard voices inside the house, noticed the piled-up supplies, and couldn't help but feel excited. When he saw it clearly, his face instantly filled with an excited expression.

"Haha, it's an extra meal for us tonight, brothers!"

"Get hold of both of them!" The group of followers behind them cheered and rushed out.

"No!" Dirk struggled to stand up and tried to pick up the iron rod that had fallen to the side. His eyes were filled with rage. In front of him, Viola's hands and feet were already captured by Frankie.

Meanwhile, the henchmen who had broken into the room were tearing open food packaging and devouring it greedily. In the corner of his eye, Bernard glimpsed Dirk trying to get up.

"Oh, still trying to move? What's the matter, you useless piece of trash? How do you want to die?" Bernard had a sinister grin on his face. His favorite sound was the beautiful wailing when he broke someone's limbs.

In this apocalypse, it was just too beautiful. No one could take him back anymore.

"Still want to pick up the stick?" He sneered and stomped on Dirk's arm with his right foot.

"Crack!"

"Ahhhh!" Dirk's arm was brutally snapped, and he couldn't help but cry out in pain and humiliation.

Why? Why am I so powerless!?

"Scum!... I'll kill you!" He gasped for breath, struggling desperately to get up again.

"Kill me?" Bernard stomped his foot on Dirk's head, firmly pinning him to the ground. "Brothers! Bring that little girl over here; I'm going to kill her in front of him!"

"Boss, please, let her stay! It'll be so much fun!"

"Aren't you trying to save your sister? Come on, get up and kill me!"

"Ugh... Don't... hurt my brother..." The girl's sobbing was drowned out by laughter.

Dirk, who was being crushed underfoot, roared and struggled. His sister was crying, but he was powerless. Viola's hands and feet were held down by the others, and her desperate resistance was in vain. How could a frail girl resist a group of strong men?

Bernard had a wicked grin on his face, and his knife slid playfully across the bloodless face, but just as he was about to cut the girl's snow-white neck with the blade, he suddenly stopped.

What's this? Bernard's face was filled with shock as he looked at the necklace he had accidentally touched.

"Ding! White Equipment Discovered: Poison Resistance Pendant."

Game equipment? The blade fell to the ground, and with wild excitement, he ripped the necklace off Viola's neck.

However, in his frenzy, he didn't notice that Viola, who had been crying and struggling moments ago, had suddenly stopped resisting and lowered her head strangely.

In the dimly lit living room, several henchmen, seeing their boss seemingly discover something extraordinary, hurriedly gathered around him to find out what it was.

Unnoticed, the girl's lowered eyes revealed a crimson glow.