The First Day of the Apocalypse, I Watched My Mom Get Bitten

July 15, 2024. A good day to stay home.

Lu Chen was curled up comfortably on the couch, the air conditioner blasting cold air as he scrolled through short videos on his phone, letting out a few carefree laughs now and then.

What could he do? Life as the child of a demolition compensation beneficiary was just that plain and boring.

"Experts debunk the rumors! Experts debunk the rumors! Citizens, please do not believe the rumors! Everything is normal with public order!"

On the television, the news anchor delivered the report with a solemn expression, trying to reassure the public.

But Lu Chen couldn't shake the feeling that her expression, like she was about to cry, was scarier than a zombie.

"Dad, do you think the world might really be ending?" Lu Chen asked indistinctly, grabbing a handful of potato chips.

His father was sitting on the balcony, fiddling with his old belongings. Without looking back, he said, "Quit worrying over nothing. If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. You'd better spend more time figuring out how to cash in that pile of game skins of yours."

"Heh, you're so enlightened, Dad!" Lu Chen chuckled, though he couldn't shake the unease in his heart.

Suddenly, a frantic knock at the door shattered the peace.

"Who is it? What's the rush?" Lu Chen muttered, getting up reluctantly to answer the door.

Standing outside was their neighbor, Auntie Wang, who usually looked after the Lu family and often brought them fruits and vegetables she grew herself.

Today, however, Auntie Wang looked rather disheveled. Her hair was a mess, and she had several bloodstains on her clothes.

"Auntie, what happened to you?" Lu Chen asked in confusion.

Auntie Wang panted, "Lu Chen, something terrible's happened! Outside... outside is full of man-eating monsters! Quick... let me in so I can hide!"

Lu Chen's mother heard the commotion and came over too. Seeing Auntie Wang, she hurriedly pulled her inside. "Oh my, what happened? Come in and rest."

Lu Chen's heart skipped a beat. He had a vague feeling that something was wrong.

"Thank you... thank you." But after Auntie Wang entered, her gaze turned strange, and she stared fixedly at Lu Chen's mother's neck.

Lu Chen instinctively sensed that something was off. He was just about to warn her, but it was already too late.

"Ah!"

Auntie Wang lunged at Lu Chen's mother and sank her teeth into her neck!

"Fuck!" Lu Chen cried out, his mind going completely blank.

He never would have imagined that the usually kind and amiable Auntie Wang would turn into this!

"Mom!" Lu Chen roared and rushed forward, trying to pull Auntie Wang away, only to find he had no idea where to start.

Auntie Wang was astonishingly strong. Like a raging bull, she kept her teeth clamped on Lu Chen's mother and refused to let go.

His mother struggled in pain, blood instantly staining the front of her clothes red.

"Sister Wang, what... what are you doing?!" Seeing this, Lu Chen's father grabbed a nearby ashtray and smashed it at her.

"Bang!"

The ashtray struck Auntie Wang on the head and shattered into pieces.

Auntie Wang released her bite in pain and turned to glare viciously at Lu Chen's father.

Her eyes were vacant and frenzied, and traces of blood remained in her mouth.

Only then did Lu Chen see clearly that Auntie Wang's face was frighteningly pale, her eyes had turned grayish-white, and a strange smile lingered at the corners of her mouth.

Th-this isn't a person at all!

"Dad, watch out!" Lu Chen cried in terror.

Auntie Wang let out a low growl and lunged at Lu Chen's father again.

Lu Chen's father had worked on construction sites, after all, and was reasonably agile.

He grabbed an iron rod and swung it viciously at Auntie Wang.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The iron rod struck Auntie Wang again and again with dull thuds.

Auntie Wang staggered back under the blows, but still refused to give up her attack.

Lu Chen looked at his mother lying in a pool of blood, then at his father fighting with all his might, his heart full of despair and anger.

He wanted to help, but he was too weak to truss a chicken and couldn't do anything at all.

"Lu Chen, take your mom and go! Hurry!" his father roared at him as he fought.

"Dad! I'm not leaving! If we go, we go together!" Lu Chen screamed, unable to stop his tears from flowing.

"Cut the crap! You'll only hold me back if you stay! Go! Hide in the basement! Remember, stay alive!" his father roared, using all his strength to push Lu Chen toward the basement entrance.

"Dad!" Lu Chen staggered back a few steps and tried to rush back, but his father slammed the basement door shut.

"Boom!"

The door closed tight, cutting him off from the world outside.

Lu Chen pounded desperately on the door, shouting himself hoarse. "Dad! Open the door! Dad!"

But the only answer was a series of screams and zombie roars from outside.

Lu Chen slumped helplessly to the floor, trembling all over.

He knew his father had chosen to face those monsters alone to protect him.

But he would rather fight alongside his father than hide here and cling to life!

"Dad... Mom..." Lu Chen choked out, tears blurring his vision.

Suddenly, a jumble of footsteps sounded, followed by the roars of zombies.

Lu Chen's heart leaped into his throat.

Those monsters... they actually found their way to the basement!

He stared despairingly at the basement entrance, waiting for death to come.

Just then, a cold voice suddenly rang out in his mind:

[Infinite Replication activated.]

Lu Chen froze. Before he could react, a line of information appeared before his eyes:

[Flame Manipulation - D-rank (source target: Auntie Wang)]

Automatically upgraded to SSS-rank Flame Sovereign?

What the hell is this?

Before he could figure it out, a mysterious power surged into his body.

He raised his hand instinctively, and with a thought, a tiny flame with a temperature exceeding 2,000 degrees ignited in his palm!

Though the flame was small, it radiated searing heat.

Lu Chen's eyes widened as he stared at the flame in his hand in disbelief.

Could this... be my talent?

The monsters were already close at hand. They pounded frantically on the basement door, letting out hair-raising roars.

Lu Chen took a deep breath.

Since heaven has given me a chance to be reborn, I'll stay alive!

Not only will I stay alive, I'll make these monsters pay!

He clenched his fist tightly, the anger in his heart burning ever fiercer, just like the flame in his hand.

The next second, heavenly fire erupted from his fingertips, instantly engulfing the entire basement entrance, and the horde of zombies wailed in unison.

Heavenly fire erupted from his fingertips, instantly engulfing the entire basement entrance, and the horde of zombies wailed in unison.

SSS-rank Flame Sovereign is actually this terrifyingly powerful! It's far stronger than D-rank.

Feeling the power surging through his body, Lu Chen was filled with shock.

This feels like turning on an invincibility cheat and going straight from bronze to king!

A rolling wave of heat rushed at him, distorting the air around him.

The zombies were engulfed by the flames, letting out piercing screams as the air filled with a charred stench.

For the first time, Lu Chen felt the sense of control that power brought. The feeling intoxicated and captivated him.

"Only power... is truth," he murmured. In this apocalyptic world, the weak could only be slaughtered at others' mercy. Only with great power could he control his own fate and protect those he wanted to protect.

The flames gradually died down, leaving nothing but charred ash at the basement entrance.

The once vicious zombies had now been reduced to piles of charcoal, giving off a nauseating stench.

Lu Chen slowly stood up, feeling the immense power within him.

After burning the basement zombies with his SSS-rank Flame Sovereign, Lu Chen walked out of the ruins, charred black all over.