Chapter 802: Shane’s Discovery and Fury
Shane’s eyes widened at the sight of the pouch. That was quite a lot considering how the previous Elf Admins had only given him 5 or 10 Elf Recruitment Stones before.
"Legendary... Elf Recruitment Stones," Shane muttered, his grip tightened on the pouch as though afraid they would vanish.
He had been fortunate before. He previously received Normal Elf Recruitment Stones and later, Epic ones from other Elf Admins during previous events.
But Legendary stones? That was something altogether different. Their value was incalculable. With them, he could call forth heroes, sages, or spellcasters whose strength would rival the highest echelon of survivors.
The Elf smiled at his expression. There was a faint amusement of one who knew just how rare her gift was.
"You are the Fairy Queen’s chosen. For one like you, rarity should never be an obstacle."
Shane bowed his head slightly in thanks, still marveling at the generous gift from the Admin.
’I hope all admins are like you...’ Shane thought.
"This will make a difference... more than you know." He said finally.
The Admin’s expression softened. "I hope it will. But, we only have five minutes before the transition resumes. Ask what you must, while time permits."
’Ohhh? I can still ask even after you said you can’t tell me about the Fairy Queen’s plan or something?’ Shane mused.
After a few moments, Shane no longer hesitated.
"Then I’ll ask directly. Is there a way to end the Zombie Apocalypse?"
For a heartbeat, the Elf tilted her head, as if listening to rules only she could hear. Then she gave a slight nod.
"That question I may answer. The Zombie Apocalypse is not endless... It has conditions. Every apocalypse event the System births is bound by a seed of origin. Unless that seed is destroyed, the plague will only adapt, only evolve."
Shane frowned. "The seed of origin... Do you mean the first infected?"
"Not exactly..." she replied gently.
"The first infected was merely the vessel. The true seed is deeper... Something that anchors the plague to your world. The more your kind survives, the more the seed grows and mutates..."
’What the heck is that kind of seed?’ Shane was stunned as he thought that he just had to find the cure and end the apocalypse by eliminating all the Zombies and making the Virus ineffective...
However, there was indeed some kind of power that was working behind the scenes.
Shane’s fists clenched. "Where can I find it?"
The Elf hesitated only for a moment before shaking her head...
"That, I cannot say. Only fragments of its existence are scattered across the continent. Each Zombie Lord, pushes you closer to uncovering its location. The Apocalypse is not random..."
Shane leaned forward, curious about the Apocalypse’s secrets.
"Then what happens if I reach it? If I destroy this seed?"
"Then you will know at that time... But remember, it is the heart of the Apocalypse, and its defenders will be greater than anything you have yet faced."
Her words were like a threat, but they also gave him hope...
For the first time, the apocalypse seemed like something that could be ended, not merely endured.
"Three minutes..." the Elf whispered as the space trembled faintly.
Shane exhaled as he thought of another question.
"Then one more question. The Zombie Lords... They’re intelligent. They have an interesting backstory as the previous guards of Sofia. Do they know about the seed?"
The Elf smiled mysteriously at this question.
"They know more than you expect. Some are drawn to it. Some are bound by it. And one, perhaps, already dreams of becoming it."
Her words made Shane’s pulse quicken.
That meant one of the Zombie Lords was more than just a ruler of the dead. It was a candidate for apocalypse itself. He couldn’t completely understand, but he had a strange understanding about what it meant.
"Two minutes..." She said.
Shane clenched the pouch of recruitment stones. He didn’t want to leave just yet, not with so many questions still burning in him.
"One last thing," he said quickly. "If the Fairy Queen has a plan for me... will I be able to rely on her when the time comes?"
The Elf looked at him for a long, quiet moment.
Then she touched her hand to her chest and slightly bowed.
"The Fairy Queen does not make mistakes when she chooses. Trust that her hand is already guiding you, even now."
"One minute."
Soon, the chamber rippled again, and Shane felt the familiar pull of the System trying to take him back to reality.
***
The light faded, and Shane’s feet pressed against solid ground once more.
He exhaled sharply, expecting relief, but the moment he breathed in, his body froze.
There was something wrong within the Eclipse Domain.
It wasn’t just the lingering scent of blood that came with the apocalypse... It was darker...
Shane’s instincts screamed. Something had gone terribly wrong in his absence.
He summoned Cloud immediately and the first report that flashed before his eyes made his jaw tighten.
"Eclipse Domain. Emergency Report. Attacker: Vampire Lord Statham
Status: Repelled. Casualties recorded. Severe injuries among defenders."
Shane was shocked as he saw this and scrolled down the list.
They were the names of survivors who had fought to their death...
They were the survivors who trusted his banner, but they were now gone.
One of the names was even someone quite close to him. Ibrahim!
The young man received his Golden Revolver after all!
"Vampire Lord Statham... You’re still alive." Shane muttered as he knew that he must actively search for this Vampire Lord this time.
"You dare..."
He clenched his fist until his knuckles whitened.
The Apocalypse was no stranger to loss, but this was different. This wasn’t a wandering horde. This wasn’t some mindless tide. This was a targeted strike against his shelter.
His vision darkened as he was soon filled with fury.
"That bastard dared to touch my shelter."
Then, the ground beneath him cracked slightly as his aura flared uncontrollably...