Chapter 123 Was It Her Influence?


    Their numbers were a curse as much as a blessing-so many warm bodies crammed into one ce had be a beacon to the zombies. Zombies from miles in every direction were now converging on their position like moths to me. Lucas’ expression shifted as he took stock of the situation. The scale of the horde was far worse than what he’d calcted. Wasting no time, he barked out a sharpmand: “Hold the line-just give me five minutes!”


    Without further exnation, he and the entire K1 Camp broke away from the group, disappearing through a breach in the perimeter. The reaction from the remaining four camps was immediate-tension crackled in the air like a live wire. Five minutes? Are we being ditched? Is K1 Camp leaving us to die?


    But even if doubt sank its ws into their minds, no one dared to break rank. Clenching their jaws and tightening their grip on whatever weapons they held, they braced themselves to defend their convoys. Five minutes. We have to survive those five minutes-no matter what it costs!


    The zombie horde didn’t let up-it came in endless, crashing waves, each one more savage than thest. The four small camps fought like cornered beasts, locking into desperate defense-but not a single soul from Hope Camp moved. Their vehicles sat cold and quiet, untouched by the chaos unfolding around them. By the time the third minute bled into the fourth, the cracks began to show. The ability users were spent. Powers drained, strength sapped, they were forced to abandon their gifts and resort to brute force.


    ng! Thud! Crack! Shovels, hammers, bats, machetes-whatever could be lifted became a weapon. No one held back. Every swing, every strike, was a cry of desperation, a plea to survive one more second. But even with every ounce of strength thrown into the fight, it wasn’t enough. The line kept buckling under the unending pressure, and their defensive ring began to copse inward, slowly but surely-like a noose tightening around their only hope of survival.


    Hang in there! Don’t let them break through! By the time four and a half minutes crawled by, every camp’s defense had been crushed back to the very noses of their vehicles. There was no ground left to surrender. One more step, and the only path left would be retreat-and chaos.


    At that critical moment, Charlotte was stumbling backward under the shelter of her brother’s protection, inching toward their car. “Charlotte! Get in the vehicle-now!” She replied hoarsely, “No! I’m staying!” Den bellowed, voice cracking as he shoved her toward safety, “What good is a powerless girl on the field? D*mn it, get inside!”


    Charlotte was on the brink of copse, straining to conjure one final flicker of me in her hands—but her energy sputtered out like a dying me. And that was when it struck. From the shadows, a long-haired zombie burst out of nowhere,unching itself at her with horrifying speed. Before she could even react, it was already inches from her face. Its face was a horror show-oozing pustules split open to reveal raw, rotting flesh. The monster’s jaws stretched wide, a gaping void of decay, and within it, a half-mangled tongue writhed with reeking maggots,


    Time stopped. Her breath caught in her throat. For a terrifying moment, she didn’t even try to defend herself-only one thought echoed in her mind: It’s over. But then, something impossible happened. The zombie had stoppedpletely still-its jaws hovering just before her neck, suspended in the air like time had fractured. Something unseen had locked it in ce, some invisible force holding it back with unyielding strength.


    Crack! A rusted rake tore through its skull like a spear, ripping it clean off its path and sending the zombie


    iling backward into the dirt. “Charlotte!” Den’s voice cracked with desperation as he rushed to her side, breath hitching in horror at what had almost happened. But she wasn’t looking at him. Her eyes drifted past him-drawn instead to a pair of eyes watching her from a short distance away.


    Inside one of the parked vehicles sat a girl-elegant andposed, her posture serene as if untouched by the chaos around her. She was smiling. That smile was calin, almost otherworldly. But it was her eyes- those brilliant, luminous eyes-that held Charlotte frozen. They gleamed like starlight, radiant and deep, carrying a strange, soul-stirring force that seemed to reach straight into Charlotte’s chest!


    Just then-boom! A searing ball of me tore through the night sky, brushing past Den’s temple with a hiss that made his heart tremble. Charlotte, fists trembling, had summoned another fireball. Somehow, against all odds, her power had returned. Behind him, a zombie’s skull exploded in a burst of fire and gore, dark blood sshing across his cheek like ink from a broken bottle.


    Then, without warning-whoosh! A line of fire ignited around the perimeter, a sudden ze that lit up the battlefield like the gates of hell had been flung open. Rat-tat-tat-tat! Gunfire roared back to life, rhythmic and relentless. K1 Camp had circled back, bringing the storm with them! They had turned the battlefield into a zing ring of death. Gasoline soaked the outer edges of the zone, and when fire met fuel, an inferno erupted-cutting off the undead like a ming moat.


    Through the rising smoke, the Kl team surged back toward the convoy, weapons lighting up the night like a storm of steel and thunder. Heavy gunfire tore through the inner swarm, mowing down the undead with ruthless precision. “Den! We’re not done yet!” Charlotte cried. He roared, “Then let’s finish this!” That fiery determination reignited both of their spirit. Their weariness vanished beneath a rush of adrenaline. Around them, everyst survivor mustered what strength remained and surged forward to drive the final nail into the zombie siege.


    Ten grueling minutester, silence returned. Every fighter was spent-drenched in sweat, hearts pounding —but thest of the zombies had fallen. Every survivor sank onto the ground, worn out but relieved to have made it through. Charlotte nced up at Den with a hesitant question. “Den, am I still of any use now?” He chuckled warmly, reaching out to vigorously tousle her closely cropped, prickly hair. “You’re definitely still useful! In fact, you’re even stronger than me!” At his words, her pale, cracked lips curved upward, and a soft, genuineugh bubbled forth.


    Herughter slowly faded as her eyes fixed on the unmoving car. Inside, the upant was no longer seated upfront-the space was eerily still, as if they had slipped into slumber. Her expression deepened with thought. Was it all just a trick of my mind? Why did the zombie abruptly stop? Could it really have been that girl’s influence?


    Meanwhile, Theresa inside the vehicle yawned, massaging her aching temples from overexerting her mind power before sinking into a deep sleep. Yet, this fierce night-long defense against the zombie tide was far from without losses.