Vampire Overlord's Harem In The Apocalypse-Chapter 52: Connections (III)

"Damn these roads," Leo muttered under his breath as he trudged forward, the remnants of the storm still lingering in the air.

The rain had passed, but the damage it left behind was evident. The roads, if they could even be called that, were caked with mud and sludge, thick and sticky, and each step felt like wading through treacle. Although it was dried...

Their boots stuck to the ground, each movement an effort as they slogged along the path. The air was damp, heavy with the smell of wet earth and the sharp tang of chemicals from the acid rain that had been falling for hours, only stopping about an hour ago or so.

Rita walked beside him, her rifle slung across her back, but she was alert, scanning the area with sharp, calculating eyes.

Her posture was one of readiness, and Leo knew she was always prepared for whatever might come next.

They had been walking for quite some time now, and still, the journey felt endless.

"Are we going the right way?" Leo asked, breaking the silence. His voice carried the impatience of someone who had been on their feet for too long, walking through endless dried muck without a clear idea of when it would end.

"Yes... we would be faster if we had a vehicle," Rita replied, her voice steady despite the grim conditions. Her gaze lingered on the road ahead, though her mind seemed miles away.

Leo could tell she wasn’t entirely convinced by her own words, but they pressed on, trusting their instincts.

And then, they stopped.

The sight that greeted them made their blood run cold. Ahead, lying in a heap on the ground, was the corpse of a Zombie. But this was no ordinary Zombie.

The creature had been burned, charred by the acid rain that had poured down for days. Its skin was blistered and blackened, chunks of flesh missing, and there were patches where the muscle and bone were exposed.

The entire body had been ravaged by the acidic rain, leaving it a grotesque and hideous mockery of life. The stench of decay mixed with the pungent odor of burnt flesh filled the air, a sharp, acrid scent that nearly made Leo gag.

Rita stopped, her eyes widening in horror at the sight. She sucked in a breath, struggling to keep her composure.

"Is it... dead?" she asked, her voice soft but tinged with disbelief. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Leo didn’t answer right away. He stepped forward cautiously, his boots squelching in the dry muck. He crouched down beside the corpse, his eyes scanning it for any signs of life.

The Zombie’s eyes were clouded and unseeing, and there was no sign of the usual steam rising from its body, which was a common occurrence for Zombies in this environment — especially the ones that needed to heal.

He reached out, poking at its skull with the tip of his boot. "Well, there’s no steam. That’s a good sign," he said, glancing back at Rita. "Its brain’s melted out. It’s dead."

But something felt wrong about this one. The damage to the body was worse than usual. It looked as though it had been subjected to some sort of brutal force — perhaps even deliberate torture. This Zombie hadn’t just succumbed to the acid rain.

No, it looked as if someone or something had pushed it into the storm, forcing it to endure unimaginable pain. Leo frowned, uneasy.

Before they could examine it further, the sound of a door creaking open broke their concentration.

Both Leo and Rita instinctively reached for their weapons, their muscles tensing, ready for whatever might come next.

From the door of an apartment nearby, a figure emerged into the street. Simon.

He stepped out onto the sidewalk, his gaze immediately locking with Leo’s. For a moment, neither of them moved. The tension in the air was palpable.

And then, in an instant, Leo raised his rifle and fired. The shot was a blur, a sharp crack of thunder cutting through the air.

The bullet was aimed squarely at Simon’s chest, but Simon, quick as a flash, saw it coming.

With an almost supernatural agility, Simon twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the bullet. It whizzed past him, missing by mere inches.

In a fluid motion, Simon darted to the side, his body a blur as he sprinted away from them. Leo cursed under his breath, but he didn’t hesitate.

He took aim once more, firing again. And again. The shots rang out, but Simon was always one step ahead, ducking and weaving, avoiding the gunfire with unnerving precision.

"Who the hell are these human survivors?" Simon thought, his mind racing as he darted through the street.

Simon’s instincts told him to keep moving. He wasn’t looking for a fight, not yet. He had enough problems of his own. But these survivors seemed determined to make him one of their problems.

"Shit, they’re persistent," Simon muttered under his breath as he tried dodging the bullets, he needed to check if they had supplies too.

He pushed himself harder, his feet pounding the pavement as he gained speed.

Simon’s eyes flicked to the side, and he saw Leo closing in. There was no way to outrun him forever. Simon gritted his teeth. It was time to act.

With a surge of energy, he planted his feet into the ground, bent his knees, and exploded forward like a spring uncoiling.

The ground shook as he shot toward Leo, his body propelled with terrifying speed. Leo barely had time to react. He raised his rifle in a panic, but Simon was already upon him.

In a blur of motion, Simon slammed into Leo, knocking him to the ground with a force that sent the rifle flying from his hands. Leo gasped as the air was knocked from his lungs. Simon had him pinned, his knees pressing into Leo’s chest, but Leo didn’t panic.

Instead, his hands shot out, pushing Simon off with surprising strength.

The two men scrambled to their feet, both of them breathing heavily, eyes locked in an intense stare.

Simon was fast, but Leo was no slouch either. This wasn’t going to be easy.

Leo stood tall, his face set in determination. "Who are you?" he demanded, his voice low but steady, his eyes never leaving Simon.

Simon paused for a moment, eyeing Leo’s stance, the way his hand hovered near where his rifle had fallen.

He was calculating, weighing his options. He didn’t have time for this. He wasn’t here to get caught up in a confrontation.

"Doesn’t matter," Simon said flatly, his voice cold. "But you should stay out of my way. Let me leave here free and I’ll spare you... or else... I hope you’re ready to die,"

His eyes glowed in deep crimson as he talked.