BANG!
In the desolation of a once-thriving wildlife park in southern England, the dead silence of the post-apocalyptic world was shattered by a sudden, thunderous crash.
A coach, barreling forward like a runaway beast, smashed through the perimeter wall, breaking free of whatever restraints had once kept it at bay. With unstoppable momentum, it crashed into what was once a haven for animals, now left in eerie ruin.
The sound of metal grinding against stone and brick echoed through the empty park grounds. The front end of the coach crumpled upon impact, glass shards bursting in all directions. The air was thick with the acrid stench of burning rubber and spilled fuel.
Moments later, the coach engine shuddered violently, emitting one final, strangled roar—like a dying beast in its last throes—before falling silent for good.
"Scout, move! The engine's dead!"
Kael Voss's voice tore through the heavy air as he leapt out from the driver's seat, his actions quick and decisive. His clothes were stained with blood, and his face was taut with urgency.
Reacting to his shout, a small, agile figure wriggled through the shattered side window with practiced ease. It was the girl he'd rescued at the mall—Scout Finch.
Scout landed lightly on her feet and glanced through the gaping hole in the wall the bus had just torn open. Not far in the distance, an overwhelming tide of zombies surged forward like a relentless wave. Their numbers stretched as far as the eye could see.
Empty eyes gleamed with a crazed hunger for fresh meat, and their rotting fingers clawed blindly at the air. Low, guttural moans filled the space—spine-chilling, inhuman.
"Run! They're almost here!"
Kael darted over, grabbing Scout by the arm and dragging her deeper into the overgrown heart of the park. She'd been frozen, staring at the incoming horde—but there was no time for fear now.
Within minutes, the swarm poured through the breach. The coach was quickly surrounded, but without a sign of Kael or Scout, the zombies began to disperse after aimless circling and sniffing for several tense minutes.
"Kael, I—I can't anymore. I need to rest," Scout gasped.
She bent over, hands braced on her knees as sweat streamed down her face and neck. She was still just a child, and the exhausting sprint had pushed her past her limits. Dizziness tugged at her senses.
"Drink some Red Bull. It'll help."
Though Kael was also breathing hard, he was in far better shape. He pulled two cans of Red Bull from his pack, handing one to Scout before cracking his own open and drinking deeply.
After two days of clearing out the shopping center, Scout had been insistent on heading to the Henglong Tower. Kael knew she was desperate to search for her mother. After careful thought, he decided to take the risk.
After all, the woman who'd posted on the network about the pentagram had mentioned it being located in the Henglong Tower. Kael hadn't forgotten that, even though several days had passed. He had no idea if the lead would still be there, but it was worth a try.
Moreover, by his estimates, Lyra Solis—the real Lyra from this world—should have visited this wildlife park in the early days of the apocalypse. Kael wanted to see if anything she'd left behind ten years ago had survived.
If he could find something here in 2035 that Lyra had left in 2025, it would prove that her theory was true. And if that were the case… everything might change.
So, the two of them packed what essentials they could carry, stashing the rest of their supplies in a hidden location, then quietly slipped out of the mall and onto the road.
Once they'd left the shopping center, they followed the winding roads toward the wildlife park. Though plenty of zombies roamed the highways, they were sluggish and dull during daylight hours. As long as Kael and Scout kept quiet, they could avoid being detected.
Normally, the drive from the mall to the park would have taken only fifteen minutes. But with so many undead blocking the main routes, they were forced to detour repeatedly to avoid conflict.
After hours of careful navigation, the two finally neared the park's perimeter.
That's when they hit a serious problem: about two kilometers from the entrance, they ran into a zombie horde.
There were at least several hundred of them—too many to push through. And unlike earlier, there was no viable path to circle around. For the first time, they were truly trapped.
Zombies ahead, zombies behind.
Kael remained calm, assessing the situation. Scout, on the other hand, was visibly panicked. If he hadn't grabbed and pulled her into cover, she would've alerted the entire horde.
While scouting from their hiding spot, Kael spotted a coach parked a short distance away—its door hanging open. It looked like someone had abandoned it in a hurry during the early days of the outbreak.
The only uncertainty was whether the keys were still inside. If not, they were out of options. But Kael figured that given how sudden the catastrophe had been, there was a good chance the keys had been left behind.
His eyes narrowed as a plan quickly formed. He leaned down and whispered into Scout's ear, explaining what he intended to do.
She nodded and crept away with her backpack. A few minutes later, she returned. Her pack was visibly deflated now, but she held a remote controller in her hands.
It turned out that among the many supplies Lyra Solis had provided, there were numerous items besides food: tactical flashlights, a portable alcohol stove, headlamps, a first-aid kit, a solar charging lantern, a drone—and a wide array of protective gear.
Their current outfits included tactical cut-resistant gloves, elbow and knee guards, and even anti-stab armor—essential in a world where a single bite could mean death.
Scout's anti-stab vest, custom-made from high-density polyester fiber, was still a little too big despite being the smallest size. But with a belt to cinch it tight, it didn't impede her movement. In the apocalypse, survival outweighed fashion.
Following Kael's instructions, Scout had deployed the drone nearby. As it rose into the sky, it emitted a loud buzzing that instantly caught the zombies' attention.
Most of the horde turned toward the sound and began shambling after it. As the drone flew off into the distance, the undead followed in droves—only a small number remaining near the parked coach.
Kael and Scout seized the moment, sprinting toward the vehicle. Just as Kael had hoped, the keys were still in the ignition. The driver had abandoned the coach in a panic.
Kael slammed the door shut and fired up the engine. The coach roared to life and began plowing through everything in its path—zombies, abandoned cars, wreckage—clearing a path straight toward the park.
With a defiant crash, the vehicle slammed into the outer wall, punching a massive hole through the decaying brickwork.
And that was how it all began.