Rebirth in the Apocalypse: Third Time's a Charm



"Apparently, there is another horde in City B trying to take over," I said with a shrug. "What do I call you?" I asked, calling out to the Alpha that was walking just in front of us.

The zombie turned and looked at me over his shoulder, his head tilted so far to the right that it looked like it was about to fall off. "Alpha," it replied after a moment. I snorted in response. "You expect me to call you Alpha?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. I had been living in this world long enough that I knew that if I called someone Alpha it meant that I was willing to submit to them. And I was not the type of girl to submit.

The zombie thought for a moment before shrugging its shoulder. "That is my name, it is what they call me," he replied, not really understanding. To him, being called Alpha was just a matter of course, however, if he wasn't the Alpha, there was no way that he would think like that.

"Fine, I'll call you my Beta," I said, showing off my teeth in a grin that was more threatening than anything else. The zombie thought for a moment before nodding its head. "I am your Beta," he agreed. I nodded in satisfaction.

"I feel a bit lost," admitted Liu Yu Zeng as he looked behind him at the over 100 zombies gliding behind us, their movements lending the body to a back-and-forth motion as if they were swimming in the water.

"You and me both," I admitted. "However, the short of it was that I won an Alpha battle and unknowingly became the Alpha of this horde. The Alpha that I beat," I paused to indicate the zombie in front of me. "Followed me to City J and then to City Y. However, the reason why I didn't feel my stalker around all the time, was because, in its free time, it was taking over City B."

I looked at Liu Yu Zeng and gave him a tight smile. "Yeah," I agreed nodding my head at his look of complete disbelief. "It was not on my bingo card of possible scenarios either," I admitted.

"Bingo card?" asked Liu Yu Zeng confused.

"Long story, but it is a game that was played in my first life," I said with a shrug of my shoulders. "Anyways. I thought that it would be better for a zombie that had submitted to me to be in charge of a zombie-run city than some unknown zombie."

"Makes sense," agreed Liu Yu Zeng with a nod of his head. Looking down, he saw his mist still clinging to my arm like it was a vine or a snake or something. "You okay with that?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah," I said with a small smile. "It's kind of cute," I admitted. Before Liu Yu Zeng I was completely terrified of anything that had to do with toxic power users, now I had the poisonous mist on me like a pet and I wasn't even flinching.

"It's not hurting you or anything?" he asked concerned as we continued to follow the Alpha down the street. I mean, he could be leading us into a trap, but at this point, I really didn't care. I was considering this more as a date with Liu Yu Zeng than a potential battle.

"No," I said as I stroked it gently where it was on my arm. I had a happy, welcoming feeling, and I wondered if his mist was as sentient as my flames were. "It can stay here for as long as it wants," I continued with a shrug. Maybe my flames would act the same way to the boys. After all, I had yet to burn them with it yet.

Liu Yu Zeng grunted as if I was petting him instead. "Keep it as long as it's not hurting you."

We walked in silence for a while longer and I could have sworn that I heard the purr of Cerberus' engine, but with so many zombies around us, my vision was pretty much blocked.

"Here we are, my Lord," said my Beta as we came to a stop in front of a mall. "This is where the other horde is." The Alpha of City B tipped back his head and roared out a challenge.  A few seconds later, there was an answering roar from inside of the mall. It was so loud that even I could hear it clearly.

Within minutes, a zombie horde poured out of the building and spread out in front of us. I could feel Liu Yu Zeng stiffen as I tried to suppress a yawn. Pulling out another travel mug filled with more sugar and milk than coffee, I took a sip.

"Seriously?" asked Liu Yu Zeng wide-eyed as he indicated my mug. Written on it was 'I kill zombies'. "What?" I asked a look of confusion on my face, but the smirk I was trying to hide behind the mug told a different story. "I thought it was appropriate," I continued with a shrug. "Besides, it is really hard to stop yawning when you guys keep limiting my coffee intake."

"Why did you come?" growled a different voice, and I looked over the lid of my coffee to see a new zombie coming to stand in front of my Beta. "We have an agreement with the human female."

I raised my eyebrows to look at Liu Yu Zeng. I understood that it was a big city, but the only human female I could think of was Wu Bai Hee. Was she really making deals with zombies? And if she was, why?

Liu Yu Zeng looked back at me and slowly shook his head as if to indicate that he didn't know what was going on either.

"The human female doesn't control the city," hissed my Beta. "I do. And I say leave!"

"No," responded the other zombie. The zombies pacing back and forth behind him hissed in agreement with his words.

"Then submit!" growled my Beta crouching down and opening his mouth to show off his teeth.

"Enough!"