Chapter 26 – The Evolution of the Zombie
The midday sky was scorching, yet the atmosphere at the main base felt cold. A heavy tension lingered in the air as Sofia stepped into the large military-style room, alongside several other Awakened Team Captains. Some were already seated, engaged in hushed conversations. Everyone seemed more on edge than usual.
The room was oval-shaped, with a large screen at the front and semi-circular tables facing the podium. Standing there was Colonel Ren, the commanding officer of the Awakened operations in this zone. His expression was stern, eyes sharp as he scanned each of the team representatives.
Sofia sat in the middle row. She didn't know why her heart was racing, but her instincts told her: this wasn't a regular meeting.
And she was right.
Colonel Ren began speaking, his deep voice echoing through the room.
"Footage from our recent reconnaissance missions shows a resurgence in high-level zombie mutations." He pressed a button, and the large screen lit up. Several drone and helmet cam recordings played: teams of Awakened fighting against creatures that... weren't ordinary zombies.
"We've classified them into several new types," Ren continued.
The screen changed, displaying a tall, hulking creature with skin like rough, blackened steel. Its movements were slow, but every step shattered the ground.
"TANK," said Ren.
"Extreme durability. Resistant to high-caliber bullets. Takes at least three elemental users—lightning or fire—to bring one down."
The next footage showed a gaunt zombie with elongated arms like sickles. It moved fast, vanishing from camera view multiple times.