Eli’s gaze locked onto a middle-aged man. He held his breath, his eyes fixed on him.


    At that moment, the air seemed to freeze.


    The man’s steps suddenly halted. The coffee in his hand slipped and crashed to the floor, the sound ringing out clearly.


    His face twisted, an eerie mix of pain and emptiness distorting his features.


    The man’s eyes rolled upward, revealing pale gray sclera. Bloodshot veins spread rapidly, covering the surface like a spider’s web.


    His mouth twitched uncontrollably, teeth grinding together with a sharp, grating sound.


    As he opened his mouth, his teeth clashed with crisp, piercing clicks, like steel blades striking each other.


    By then, his teeth were no longer human—they had become long and razor-sharp, gleaming with a cold, cruel precision.


    Dark liquid seeped from his crimson gums, like a sinister lubricant for these deadly weapons.


    Meanwhile, his lower jawbone cracked and shifted audibly, as though reinforced by some unnatural power, becoming sturdier and more menacing.


    The veins on his neck swelled rapidly, darkening to a bluish-black hue, their surface gleaming as if ready to burst at any moment.


    His skin darkened quickly, taking on a decayed blue-black tone, as though a corrupting force was eating away at him.


    Then his muscles began to swell at an alarming speed, tearing through the seams of his clothes with faint ripping sounds.


    The skin stretched taut before splitting open, revealing dark gray muscle fibers beneath. Thick, oil-like black blood oozed from the cracks.


    His arms convulsed as they mutated, the bones twisting forcefully. His fingers grew thick and elongated, while his nails quickly extended into sharp, metallic tips, gleaming like dagger-like weapons.


    The next second, Eli saw it—a terrifying glint in his eyes.


    That gaze no longer belonged to a human. It was a chilling blend of hunger, savagery, madness, and primal instinct.


    Eli, surprisingly calm in this moment, fixed his eagle-sharp gaze on the zombie before him.


    The sounds around him faded away, even his heartbeat steadying to an even rhythm.


    Every subtle movement, every twitch of the zombie’s muscles, was crystal clear to him.


    He could even feel the air currents and the faint breeze brushing against his skin.


    His mind raced, analyzing the threat in front of him:


    The time from infection to full transformation? Less than five seconds.


    Their claws are as sharp as blades, and their teeth are like metal. Let alone tearing through human flesh and bone, they can even bite through steel with ease.


    Its powerful limbs gave it explosive strength, making escape almost impossible for an average person.


    Its hardened body boasted incredible resistance to damage. Attacks from a standard handgun would hardly faze it.


    A rifle might pose some threat at mid-range, but without a precise shot to the head, the impact would be negligible.


    Even when heavily injured, it could rapidly regenerate.


    Severed limbs? No problem—it would quickly regain mobility through grotesque regeneration.


    Unless its brain core was completely destroyed, this thing would never stop, never tire.


    Even worse, they possess a sense that goes beyond the five basic senses.


    This ability allows them to precisely detect the presence of life and emotional fluctuations.


    At the same time, this awareness functions like an invisible web, enabling them to share information seamlessly.


    The more powerful zombies act as key nodes in this web, linking and expanding the entire network, making their group movements far more coordinated and efficient.


    These are not ordinary creatures—they are nightmares in the truest sense.


    Eli’s gaze didn’t linger on the zombie for long. He quickly scanned the entire hall, taking in every potential threat at a glance.


    The air was heavy with tension, an oppressive atmosphere spreading. The movements of the crowd were starting to slow.


    Though most people were still hurrying about or waiting in lines, some had clearly noticed that something was wrong. The once-bustling noise was gradually replaced by an eerie silence.


    In the central area of the hall, a few people stood frozen in place, staring blankly at the floor.


    Others tried to move but stopped abruptly, frightened by a person who had suddenly collapsed ahead of them.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    The fallen figure lay curled unnaturally on the ground, limbs twisted and rigid, their nails scraping against the floor with a piercing sound.


    Near the ticket counter, a man leaned against the wall, his hands trembling as they clutched at his throat, struggling to breathe.


    A few steps away, several bystanders instinctively backed away, clearly realizing that something was wrong with him.


    On the side near the shops, a woman’s body suddenly began convulsing violently.


    The people nearby recoiled in fear, their eyes filled with terror and confusion at the abrupt movements.


    Every corner of the hall was touched by chaos. At a glance, it seemed that at least 30% of the crowd was about to turn into zombies!


    Eli’s gaze quickly shifted from the chaotic scene in the hall to the plainclothes officer nearby.


    The officer, not far away, had a deep frown etched on his face, his eyes constantly scanning the surroundings. He had clearly noticed something was amiss.


    His hand instinctively moved toward his chest, but he didn’t fully draw his weapon.


    It seemed he was evaluating the situation, the tension on his face growing more pronounced.


    Eli made a rapid judgment in his mind before looking away, focusing instead on the direction where the zombies were about to strike.


    Just as Eli’s gaze left the plainclothes officer, a piercing scream shattered the air, echoing through the hall!


    A zombie suddenly lunged at a nearby woman, its sharp fangs sinking deep into her throat. Blood sprayed like a fountain, splattering across the floor.


    The woman flailed her arms desperately, trying to escape, but her strength quickly gave out, and she collapsed, convulsing in a pool of blood.


    In that instant, the hall descended into complete chaos. Screams erupted one after another.


    The chaotic screams were like a deathly trumpet, awakening more zombies from their "dormant state."


    They charged at the nearest targets like enraged beasts, their suffocating aura of ferocity driving the chaos to its peak.


    "Bang!"


    A zombie leaped with a feral roar, landing with a thunderous thud that shook the marble floor beneath its feet.


    Its movements were as swift as a whirlwind, closing the distance to a man attempting to flee in an instant.


    Just as the man took his first step, the zombie''s razor-sharp claws slammed down onto his shoulder from behind, dragging him to the ground like a ragdoll.


    The zombie’s mouth, dripping with dark, viscous fluid, opened wide. Its blade-like fangs sank into the man’s shoulder with a sickening crunch.


    Blood sprayed violently, splattering across the zombie’s gray-black face. Oblivious to the gore, it tore into the flesh hungrily, its chewing noises wet and nauseating.


    The man’s screams were abruptly cut off, replaced by weak, guttural whimpers before the zombie dragged him into the shadows behind a row of seats.


    The area near the ticket counters had descended into a living hell.


    A tall man made a desperate dash for the exit but was tackled by another zombie from behind.


    The zombie’s claws pierced his back with a wet squelch, tearing off an entire section of flesh in one brutal swipe.


    The man struggled, trying to turn and fight back, but in the next moment, the zombie’s jaws snapped open and clamped down on his neck, severing it in one brutal bite.


    "Run! Run for your lives!"


    Desperate screams echoed through the hall as the survivors scattered in all directions, but the zombies moved far faster than any human.


    Each attack was like a predator hunting its prey, and in the blink of an eye, they caught their targets, ripping them apart into mangled pieces.


    The air reeked of blood and decay. The floor was littered with abandoned luggage, shattered phones, and shredded clothing.


    The hall’s high ceilings amplified every sound—the cries, the screams, the chaos—all pounding relentlessly on the nerves of the surviving few.


    The terror wasn’t just in the zombies’ relentless assault; they carried with them a twisted aura of mental corruption.


    This psychic pollution pushed ordinary people into overwhelming fear, despair, and helplessness.


    Some collapsed to the ground, trembling and sobbing uncontrollably, unable to move a muscle.


    "I can’t run… I can’t…"


    The next moment, a zombie lunged at her.


    Its razor-like claws slashed through her chest, and dark red blood gushed out in a horrifying spray.


    "Boom!"


    Another zombie crashed through the station’s automatic doors and bolted outside, sprinting at breakneck speed toward a car parked by the roadside.


    Its claws latched onto the car door, ripping off an entire metal panel with ease.


    The zombie reached inside, dragging the driver from the seat.


    The driver let out a desperate scream, but within seconds, he was devoured completely.


    The survivors in the hall no longer cared about direction, scattering like headless chickens in a frantic attempt to flee.


    Eli’s gaze shifted slightly, quickly catching the movements of the plainclothes officer, Alan.


    Alan’s furrowed brow radiated vigilance as his eyes darted between the fully mutated zombies and the panicked crowd.


    Reaching into his jacket, Alan drew a handgun while attempting to contact his superiors through his earpiece.


    Eli could sense the urgency in Alan’s low, tense voice as he reported, “The situation inside the station is extremely dangerous. Requesting immediate backup!”


    But from the subtle tilt of Alan’s head, it was clear there was no response—or perhaps the information he received offered no meaningful help.


    In that moment, Alan grew visibly tenser. Yet, his professionalism kept him grounded. Instead of succumbing to the chaos, he began scanning his surroundings, evaluating the situation with purpose, clearly preparing to act.


    Eli took a deep breath. His immediate objective was clear: get closer to Alan.


    Though the reason was unclear, Eli’s instincts had already proven accurate. Now, he had no choice but to trust them.


    However, Eli understood that appearing too calm in this situation might arouse Alan’s suspicion.


    He knew there was something wrong with himself, and until he figured it out, he had to avoid exposing anything.


    Otherwise, he might end up in unpredictable danger.


    Eli quickly adjusted his expression, letting a slight tremor creep into his voice, as if he too were overwhelmed by the chaos.


    “Oh my God… what’s happening?”


    He deliberately made his movements appear clumsy, stumbling as he avoided the frantic crowd, feigning the confusion of a terrified bystander.


    Catching sight of a middle-aged woman who had fallen to the ground, Eli moved to help her up, his voice urgent and tinged with a touch of panic.


    “Stay calm! Don’t run aimlessly!”


    Pointing toward the nearest exit, he shouted in a deliberately shaky voice, “Go that way! Don’t stop!”


    His tone carried urgency but was carefully restrained, as though masking his underlying composure.


    Several frightened onlookers, driven by his shouts, instinctively moved toward the exit, desperate to escape the hellish scene.


    "Good," Eli thought to himself, carefully ensuring his movements maintained the panicked demeanor of an ordinary person.


    At the same time, Eli’s ears caught Alan’s voice.


    “Everyone, stay calm! Don’t panic!”


    Alan’s voice rang out sharply above the chaos in the hall.


    He pulled a badge from his pocket, holding it high, while gripping a handgun in his other hand, his gaze cold and resolute.


    “I’m a police officer! Follow my instructions! Move quickly to the west-side exit! Don’t shove—stay calm!”


    While Alan worked to evacuate the crowd, Eli swiftly moved closer to his position.


    He carefully concealed his inner composure, acting like a panicked but still helpful civilian.


    Eli helped a young woman who had fallen to the ground, his tone deliberately tinged with urgency as he said, “Come on, get up!”


    The woman, clearly paralyzed with fear, let Eli help her to her feet, choking out a question: “What’s happening here?”


    Eli didn’t answer. He simply shook his head and pointed toward the exit. “This isn’t the time to ask—just listen to the officer!”


    Alan turned his head briefly, noticing Eli assisting with the evacuation. He gave a quick nod of acknowledgment but said nothing more.