僵尸觉醒：从行尸走肉到传奇

第13章：无助的孩子

Gene Serum: A miraculous substance that triggers genetic restructuring, enhancing human DNA to provide superior biochemical abilities!

"Roar!!! Roar!!!" The Mother Zombie let out a deafening scream at Nathan, while the mass of zombies behind it slowly surrounded them...

"Run!" Nathan grabbed the woman who had just saved his life, and together they bolted toward the edge of the rooftop where the helicopter waited—where their last hope of survival lay.

Nathan, with newfound speed, pulled Jessica along as they dashed across the rooftop. Behind them, zombies were being hurled at them.

The mere twenty or so meters felt like an eternity.

They were getting closer! The helicopter was just within reach when Nathan suddenly felt a chilling surge of killing intent from behind. Without a choice, he turned to confront the threat. If he didn't, he might make it onto the helicopter—without his head.

Clang! The sound of Nathan's dagger clashing with the Mother Zombie's claws sparked a flurry of bright sparks. The intensity of their battle was palpable. Even after the genetic enhancement, Nathan could tell he wasn't strong enough. The Mother was at least two levels stronger. His unrivaled combat skills gave him a few extra rounds, but the overwhelming strength and speed of his opponent left Nathan with no hope of winning.

Putting every last ounce of strength into one final push, Nathan forced the Mother Zombie back. He turned to see Jessica already on the helicopter, reaching out her hand. He stretched his arm toward her, trying desperately to grab hold.

"Puppet! Grab on, now!" Jessica, her lips pale from the exertion, bit down as blood seeped from her mouth. She reached for Nathan's hand, grasping it tightly.

"Ratatatat!"

The gunfire from the people inside the helicopter erupted, providing cover.

But the blood-red figure moved with eerie speed, seemingly unaffected by the barrage of bullets. Enraged, the Mother Zombie charged forward, its claw aiming for Nathan's back. If it connected, Nathan would be ripped in two like a piece of paper.

In a last-ditch effort, Nathan spun around again, silver flashes arcing as his knife collided with the Mother's claws. This time, Nathan was completely overpowered. The Mother pressed him down, its razor-sharp claws closing in on his head. If Nathan hadn't blocked with his knife, he would have been dead already.

"Puppet! Kick it off!" Silver Fox yelled, his gun blazing as he fired at the Mother. The enraged Mother glanced up, its crimson eyes radiating murderous fury. It dragged Nathan's body with it, leaping backward into the sea of zombies.

"Puppet!!" Jessica's outstretched hand froze midair, her gaze fixed on Nathan, now being swallowed by the swarm of zombies.

"We can't hold out much longer! If they catch us, we're done for!" A regular zombie crashed into the side of the helicopter, and the pilot shouted, hastily lifting the helicopter higher into the sky.

"No! Puppet!! No!!!" Jessica's hoarse voice rang out. In her hand, she could still feel the warmth of the man who had saved her, who had held her hand as they fled together.

"Humans!!! Roar!!!" The Mother Zombie howled in rage at the retreating helicopter. Several zombies stumbled forward, trying in vain to grab hold of the aircraft, only to plummet from the skyscraper.

The Mother Zombie grabbed a regular zombie, ready to throw it at the helicopter, but suddenly felt a disturbance nearby!

"Let go of me!" Nathan swung his dagger, driving it deep into the Mother Zombie's skull.

The Mother Zombie's fury intensified. With a savage swipe, it ripped open Nathan's chest, tearing off chunks of flesh, which it stuffed into its gaping maw.

"Ahh!" Nathan screamed in agony. The searing pain from the massive wound in his chest was unlike anything he had ever felt before.

"Roar!!! Roar!!!" As the helicopter flew farther away, the Mother Zombie let out another furious roar. The regular zombies, as if responding to a command, slowly parted, forming a circle like a Roman gladiatorial arena, leaving Nathan and the Mother Zombie at its center.

The Mother stood still, transforming from a rampaging beast into a statue, its gaze fixed on the helicopter disappearing into the distance. Its eyes radiated resentment, frustration, and burning rage.

Nathan, watching the helicopter grow smaller, smiled bitterly. Faces he knew so well flickered through his mind. In just one day, it felt like years had passed...

The towering, solitary figure of Black Bear, standing against the tide of zombies, his final words echoing in Nathan's ears: "I give you my life... in exchange for your promise..."

The silent but loyal Snow Leopard, devoured by ravenous zombies, his disbelieving eyes staring from within the horde, now etched forever in Nathan's memory: "Rookie... maybe you should pray to God... or better yet, pick up your gun and send them to Him. Let Him taste what it's like to be bitten..."

Tiger, the boisterous and brave, his face pale, clinging to his heavy machine gun but unable to hold on till the end: "If I turn into one of them... put a bullet in my head, kid. Don't miss."

The ruthless Hound, the grieving Lion, the bloodthirsty Jessica... one by one, the images of the fallen, the injured, the dead floated through Nathan's mind.

And now... it was his turn. Would he really die at the hands of the Mother Zombie?

Slash...

The sound of claws clashing with a knife rang out! The battle was intense! Even with the gene serum coursing through his body, the Mother's speed was too much for Nathan.

"Roar!!! Heh... heh..." The Mother Zombie hissed, its clouded eyes burning with hatred and the desire to kill.

The helicopter was now airborne, and the crew inside had stopped firing.

"A gun! Give me a gun!" Jessica's normally cold eyes were now bloodshot. Ignoring the others' attempts to console her, she grabbed a sniper rifle with a scope, her hands steady as she aimed from the helicopter.

"Blood... flesh...!" The blood-red Mother Zombie roared toward the sky, slamming its foot down toward Nathan. He was the one who had helped its prey escape!

Nathan rolled swiftly out of the way, the Mother's powerful stomp leaving a crater in the ground.

"Hiss... roar..." The guttural noises of the regular zombies surrounded them, turning the ordinary rooftop into a hellish battlefield.

"No... no... Puppet! No..." Jessica's lips trembled, her hands shaking as she aimed down her sniper scope. The fight between Nathan and the Mother was fierce and evenly matched.

Tearing through the scope's lens, Jessica could clearly see the Mother Zombie's left hand gripping a bloody chunk of flesh, ripped from Nathan's chest.

"No! I can't... I can't see... I..." Jessica's voice cracked as tears blurred her vision, her hands shaking uncontrollably. She couldn't find an opening. The intense battle between Nathan and the Mother made it impossible to take a clean shot.

"No!" Jessica threw the rifle down in frustration, burying her face in her knees. In that moment, the once-cold assassin seemed like a helpless child: "I can't see... I really can't see... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."