Chương 42: Chapter 42: The Fall (Part 4)
Is the zombie virus truly incurable?
Perhaps not. In this world, there are superhumans who can resist such infections—completely transformed beings like Iceman, who has become something beyond human, Ghost Rider, supernatural entities, werewolves at midnight, or Vision, a robot immune to biological contamination.
The issue, however, is that while these individuals may resist infection, the combat prowess of those zombie-turned-heroes is not to be underestimated.
What's a missing piece of flesh or a dislodged limb compared to their insatiable hunger? In the comics, even decapitated characters like Deadpool or Wasp would desperately snap their jaws just for another bite of delicious flesh.
Against tens of thousands of superpowered zombies, a mere handful of immune superheroes cannot save the world, not even themselves.
A humanoid figure emerged slowly from the dirt, tall and imposing. Its body, formed of intertwining vines, exhibited sinewy muscles that radiated immense strength. Red Hulk locked eyes with the humanoid entity, an eerie energy pulsating between them.
Red Hulk observed the red glow in the humanoid's eyes. Within that glow, he sensed a strange power, a silent yearning for orders.
"Go over there! You're clearing the east path!"
The towering crimson giant roared, grabbing several nearby shipping containers with ease. He hoisted them high and hurled them with tremendous force toward the horde of zombies in the distance. The containers smashed apart on impact, dirt spilling out in waves that scattered like crashing tides.
One by one, the broken containers spilled their contents onto the ground. Waves of soil surged forth, creating an undulating sea of dirt.
Red Hulk grabbed the humanoid by its vine-covered arm, lifting it effortlessly as if it were a handful of mud. With a powerful swing, he launched the entity toward the distant mound of earth. The humanoid streaked through the air like a green lightning bolt, sending chunks of dirt flying in every direction upon impact.
The humanoid landed amidst the dirt mound, its body merging seamlessly with the earth as though it had become part of the land itself. Unscathed, it rose again, gazing steadily toward Red Hulk and giving a slight twitch of what appeared to be vine-like eyebrows.
Nearby, the infected Beast greedily stuffed a chunk of flesh into his mouth, his sharp teeth crunching noisily. The dull blue fur on his ears trembled with every bite.
Since devouring Xavier hours earlier, Beast hadn't had another proper meal. But then colonel came to him with an offer—an all-you-can-eat buffet.
How could he refuse? New York City had very few living beings left. To find fresh meat, one would have to venture outside the state, but Beast's stubby blue legs couldn't compete with the speedsters.
So, he immediately agreed. True to the colonel's word, the helicarrier was brimming with fresh meat, free for the taking.
Crunch.
Suddenly, a faint noise caught Beast's attention. He spun around abruptly to find a red-eyed, vine-covered monster towering behind him.
"Huh?"
Before Dr. McCoy could leverage his three PhDs and eighteen honorary professorships to figure out what this creature was, the vines shot toward him like living entities. They wrapped around his decaying flesh, forming a grotesque and terrifying prison.
The vines bristled with sharp thorns, piercing his flesh and locking him in place like iron shackles.
"Wait, I know who you are! You're the swamp monster—Man-Thing!"
Beast shrieked, realization dawning upon him. He recalled that under no circumstances should anyone feel fear in the presence of Man-Thing. Its "fear touch" would incinerate the fearful into ashes.
But like the paradox of "don't think of an elephant," Beast found himself spiraling into a self-perpetuating trap. The more he tried to stay calm, the more his fear intensified. The more he understood the creature, the more terrified he became.
Never seeing the sun again.
Never letting his thoughts wander aimlessly.
Never tasting fresh, juicy meat again.
Countless anxieties and dreads circulated in his decaying mind, each thought a barbed hook sinking into his soul, ultimately coalescing into raw terror.
As Beast's fear peaked, flames began to rise from his body. At first, they were faint sparks flickering like distant stars. Gradually, these sparks converged until, in a blinding instant, the flames exploded outward like a supernova.
The fire engulfed Beast, consuming him entirely. His roars of anguish echoed through the inferno:
"Forgive me, Xavier..."
His voice faded into the blaze, leaving only embers and black smoke drifting in the air.
Man-Thing turned slightly, its glowing red eyes scanning the nearby zombie horde. Without emotion, it advanced step by step, steady and unstoppable.
As it moved, soil residue crumbled from its body. Its vines extended outward like demonic tendrils, seizing nearby zombies and igniting them without mercy.
The burning zombies screamed in agony, their bodies quickly reduced to ashes within the flames.
"Move out! Those are Fury's reinforcements!"
A group of soldiers shouted as they rushed toward Man-Thing. Orders had come through the comms to evacuate using the Quinjet under the protection of these few remaining heroes.
Sensing the soldiers' approach, Man-Thing's red eyes flared fiercely. It lunged forward, its vines twisting into a massive, solid fist that sent the airborne Angel zombie hurtling away with a single punch.
Behind them, Red Hulk clenched his massive fists, effortlessly crushing a zombie's skull. Blood and fragments splattered everywhere.
Boom!
A deafening crash erupted behind him. A colossal figure had slammed into the ground with immense force, causing the earth to quake violently. Debris scattered, striking his broad back.
"What the hell?"
The crimson giant muttered, turning to see the newcomer. His pupils constricted instantly.
The figure wore heavy red armor, a massive helmet covering his head, leaving only his mouth and eyes visible. The helmet resembled an inverted red cauldron, and even before the nearly three-meter-tall Red Hulk, this being's stature was intimidating.
"I've fought Banner before, but never a Hulk of your shade."
The newcomer growled menacingly, his voice guttural and chilling. But this wasn't exhaustion—it was hunger.
The being's mouth opened, revealing jagged teeth, and blood-red saliva dripped incessantly from his maw, creating crimson streaks as it splattered onto the ground.
But that wasn't the blood of Juggernaut.
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