Prologue: Chapter 0 – The End and The Beginning

A crimson sunset bathed the ruined city, painting shattered skyscrapers in shades of blood and despair. The air was heavy with decay, the stench of rotting flesh clinging to the wind. Amidst the rubble and carnage, Zhou Kai lay broken and defeated, his body battered and his spirit crushed.

He could no longer feel his legs. His right arm was twisted at an unnatural angle, bones jutting through torn flesh. Blood pooled beneath him, a crimson testament to his struggle. Surrounding him were the ravenous undead, their hollow eyes fixed on him, drooling as they inched closer.

But none of this hurt as much as the betrayal.

Standing above him, her face devoid of remorse, was Lin Mei, the woman he had loved, the woman he had sworn to protect. The same woman who had shoved him into this horde to save herself. Her voice was cold, indifferent. "You were always too soft, Zhou Kai. In this world, the weak perish. Only the strong survive."

Zhou Kai's vision blurred, pain lancing through his heart more sharply than any physical wound. "Why... Lin Mei... Why did you...?" His voice was weak, each word a struggle.

She smiled, a cruel, twisted smile that shattered his last remnants of hope. "You were useful... until you weren't. Thanks for protecting me all this time. But I've found someone stronger, someone more capable of surviving this hell."

Beside her stood Liu Chen, a man Zhou Kai once called a brother. Now, he looked down with contempt, his arm draped around Lin Mei's waist. "Trash like you doesn't deserve her. You should've known your place."

Zhou Kai's chest tightened, rage boiling within him, mixing with anguish and despair. He tried to move, to fight, but his body wouldn't respond. The undead crept closer, their hunger palpable.

Lin Mei turned away, her voice distant. "Goodbye, Zhou Kai. Don't blame me... Blame your own weakness." Without another glance, she walked away, Liu Chen by her side.

The last of Zhou Kai's strength left him as he watched them disappear into the distance. The undead descended upon him, their jagged teeth tearing into his flesh. Agony surged through him, but the pain in his heart was far greater.

As darkness closed in, a single tear slipped from his eye. If only... If only I had been stronger... If only I had another chance...

His vision dimmed, and coldness enveloped him. The world faded. His life ended.

Or so he thought.

> [Ding! Host has been detected. Initializing Super Cheat Apocalypse System...]

[Error: Host's life status – Deceased. System activation failed.]

[Analyzing... Time Reversal Protocol activated.]

[Ding! Host's consciousness will be sent back to the starting point. All memories retained. Initializing... 3... 2... 1...]

Zhou Kai's eyes shot open, his heart pounding. He was... alive? The familiar ceiling of his rundown apartment loomed above him. There was no pain, no undead, no betrayal. Just the quiet hum of the city beyond his window.

He sat up abruptly, his hands trembling. The calendar on his desk caught his eye. December 1st, the day before the world fell apart.

His chest tightened as reality sank in. He was back. Before the apocalypse. Before the betrayal. Before his death.

And then, the cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind once more.

> [Ding! Super Cheat Apocalypse System Activated.]

[Welcome back, Host. Are you ready to change your fate?]

Zhou Kai's eyes narrowed, his fists clenching. The memories of his death, of Lin Mei's cold smile, of Liu Chen's mocking gaze—all of it burned within him. This time, things would be different.

This time... he would make them pay.