Chapter 105 - CHAPTER 105 - Land of the Dead?

After walking for a while, they noticed many abandoned, tattered household items scattered along the roadside. Severed buildings jutted out from the mounds of earth, old and riddled with cracks—cracks that didn't seem to be naturally formed. Rosen spotted a wall intricately carved with floral patterns. Though dirty, the material appeared relatively new. However, judging from the clean cut along its broken edge, it seemed as if something sharp had sliced through it. Similar structures were everywhere. And yet, up until now, Rosen hadn't seen a single living creature. Occasionally, eerie growls echoed from the cave-like openings in the earth. Lantis Island was eerily silent—so silent that even the sound of the wind felt deafening. It was hard to believe what Pitas had said, that this place was once a prosperous nation with a population exceeding a million. "Weapons are scattered all over the ground, which suggests there was a large-scale rebellion or upheaval here—maybe even a war," Rosen observed, scanning the surroundings. He was curious—where had all the people gone? Unbeknownst to Rosen, the island was practically devoid of human life. In his understanding, Lantis Island was still a densely populated nation, and even Pitas had believed the same. Pitas assumed that, even if there were monsters on the island, they would be a minority. The majority of the population should be in a state of illness—that was the only explanation that made sense. After all, that was what the government had publicly claimed: Lantis was quarantined due to fears of a contagious disease. But now, looking at the desolate world before them, that explanation seemed utterly absurd. They had traveled a significant distance, yet not a single person had appeared. That alone was unnatural. "A war? Impossible. If there had been a full-scale war, the neighboring islands would have known about it. I used to think people avoided Lantis because of the disease and rumors of monsters, but now... where is there any sign of human life?" Pitas' voice was heavy with doubt. Rosen was less affected, but Pitas was different. He had seen Lantis in its prime, and now, faced with this desolation, the stark contrast was difficult for him to accept. "There's a pirate's corpse up ahead... probably someone who came here with us. Damn..." Pitas stepped closer to examine the body but immediately gagged, nearly throwing up his last meal. The corpse had been gnawed on by beasts—its flesh torn apart yet not entirely consumed. It was a gruesome, sickening sight. "No signs of beasts... It must have been the monsters. Stay away from the mounds," Rosen warned, frowning. Even though he had seen plenty of zombie movies, witnessing such a scene in reality was something else entirely. The gruesomeness of it defied description. "Haaah... haaah..." Just as Rosen finished speaking, heavy breathing echoed from the caves within the mounds. Suddenly, he felt countless cold, piercing gazes lock onto him. "ROAR!" A deafening growl shook the ground. Perhaps the corpse had attracted something. Rosen could see shadowy figures emerging from every cave opening nearby. "People?! They're people, sir! We can ask for directions and explain ourselves. It should be fine—I even know their native language! Although they mostly use the common tongue, speaking their dialect would make them more comfortable..." Pitas had never felt so relieved to see people. Maybe the residents of Lantis had just relocated—there were still survivors after all. "Look carefully before you speak. Do you really think... those things still count as human?" Rosen bit down on his cigar, taking a deep drag as the figures from the caves stumbled into view. An overwhelming sense of dread took shape in his mind. Perhaps the so-called monsters and infection on this island weren't rumors at all. From what Rosen could tell, these were neither ordinary zombies nor those controlled by some special ability. These were truly the living dead—filthy, rotting, devoid of emotion, driven only by their instinctual hunger. "Are they all sick? But... why are there so many of them?!" Pitas was horrified as the creatures let out low growls and began encircling them. In his understanding, the concept of the living dead simply didn't exist. But why did these "sick" people have exposed organs, yet still move as if they were alive?! Were the infected nothing more than mutated monsters? Rosen, however, understood perfectly. He just hadn't expected the entire island's population to have become like this. The swarm of undead surrounding them was vast, and more kept emerging. A few rotting corpses dragged their putrid bodies toward the pirate's remains, feasting on what was left of it. For now, they hadn't turned their attention to Rosen. "We need to get out of here." Rosen grabbed Pitas and leaped into the air using Moonwalk. Carrying someone with him made the technique more difficult, but escaping the immediate area wasn't an issue. However, the moment he took to the sky, his instincts screamed in alarm. A thick, green liquid was spewed from the mouths of massive, two-headed zombies below. "Damn it." Rosen dodged swiftly, but there were dozens of these projectiles. Staying airborne had made him a perfect target, and in the air, he couldn't manipulate sand from the ground to defend himself. To make matters worse, the liquid seemed to interfere with his ability to transform into sand. He could still activate his elemental form, but accurately predicting the trajectory of every projectile required immense mental effort. "Sandstorm!" He had wanted to avoid conflict—this island was already proving to be highly dangerous. But there was no choice now. A violent sandstorm erupted, blocking the incoming liquid. Rosen took the opportunity to land. He was far more effective fighting on the ground than being a sitting duck in the air. The moment he touched down, the sandstorm had already drawn every zombie's attention. They roared and charged, no longer sluggish but rabid, moving with unnatural speed. It was as if the staggering creatures from before were completely different from the ones now sprinting toward him. Their speed was terrifying. They were furious, violent—like rabid dogs. And yet, their tattered clothes suggested they had once been ordinary people: fathers, grandfathers, mothers, children... "Desert Sunflower!" The horde surged forward, moving even faster than Rosen had anticipated. He had assumed their movements would be slow and cumbersome, but reality proved otherwise. They were fast. And they could jump. Within moments, countless zombies were leaping through the air toward them. But their decayed bodies couldn't handle such sudden bursts of speed. Limbs tore off mid-stride, pieces of their flesh flung through the air—yet they showed no sign of pain. Rosen activated Desert Sunflower, causing the ground beneath them to collapse into a deep pit. Many of the charging zombies fell straight into the hole. But Rosen's body tensed. As the ground caved in, he saw something terrifying beneath. Hidden within the collapsed earth was an intricate network of tunnels—dozens of underground passages, now severed by his attack. And within those tunnels... Countless undead. And as the collapse triggered a chain reaction, deep beneath the surface... A vast underground chamber was revealed. Inside, lying in horrifying numbers—like a swarm of locusts—were thousands upon thousands of zombies. And now, they were all waking up. He had stirred the hornet's nest. 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