Corpo Age - Chapter 8: Back to the Grind

Winner of the 2017 Joara Novel of The Year Contest-

In a world plagued by Morgellons, a deadly disease that turns humans into non-human creatures, people have chosen to abandon their humanity in order to fight against the bloodthirsty corpses. In the end, there will be no humans left on Earth.

But that harsh world is, in fact, a world fabricated merely for entertainment. A world for humans to live in exists neither inside nor outside.

This is the story of a boy who, while living a miserable life, stares at the stars as he desperately tries to keep his humanity.

Betrayed. Ridiculed. Killed.That was my past life.I trusted the wrong people, and they buried me for it. But fate wasn’t done with me yet. When I opened my eyes again, it wasn’t in my old body—it was in a world overrun by the undead. And this time, I was one of them.A fucking zombie!But I’m not like the others. I think. I feel. I remember.What’s this voice in my head?[Welcome to the Silent Requiem System!]The system feeds me power, unlocking missions and skill buried within this body. I have one goal: rise in rank, take control, and make sure no one ever tramples me again.The humans I move with have no idea what I really am. To them, I’m just another survivor, clawing my way to the top. But in battle, I use my abilities in secret—manipulating the undead, eliminating threats, and turning every fight in my favor.But rumors are spreading. There’s talk of an undead hiding among them, unseen and unstoppable. If they find out the truth, they’ll hunt me down like a monster.And my past? It’s here too. The people who betrayed me in my last life are standing right beside me, unaware of who I am. But I remember them. They turned on me once—I won’t give them the chance to do it again.Then there’s him. The commander of the city, sharp-eyed and ruthless. He’s watching me too closely, asking too many questions. If he figures out the truth, I’ll have to make a choice: eliminate him, outplay him… or pull him into my trap before he can destroy me.Because in this world, power is the only thing that matters. And this time, I refuse to be at the bottom.***“How did you survive when everyone else died?”I guess death just didn’t want me.“Why do the zombies ignore you?”Maybe I just have a face they don’t like.“You were just a nobody yesterday—how are you suddenly so strong?”Hard work, luck… and a little bit of hex.“Why do I feel like I've seen you somewhere before?”Déjà vu’s a funny thing, isn’t it?“What are you?”Wouldn’t you like to know?

“Serena, you are hereby exiled from the Silverstone Pack. You will remain exiled until the day you draw your last breath.”Serena, a Healer exiled from her pack for a crime she did not commit, accused of murdering her mate, the Pack Beta. The evidence against her was damning, warranting the harshest punishment: death.However, an oath between her father and the Alpha of her pack spared her life. Instead, she was cast into the wilderness, cursed to live as a rogue until the day she dies.Life as a rogue was treacherous, seeing the next sunrise was never promised. One fateful day, Serena stumbled upon injured strangers and saved their lives. In return for her kindness, she was granted asylum in Ironshade, the strongest Western Pack.Haunted by the loss of her first mate, Serena is determined to live in secrecy, until she discovers she has yet another fated mate. Her new mate is none other than Darius, the stoic Alpha of Ironshade burdened by the dark legacy of his father.The Ironshade Pack is on the brink of collapse, plagued by a mysterious curse. Serena’s arrival may hold the key to its salvation...or its ruin.As tensions rise, Serena and Darius find themselves drawn together with an undeniable bond. Together, they must confront buried secrets, face their deepest fears, and decide if their second chance at love is worth risking everything.“When the shadow of the Thorn bleeds into the light, And the wolf who carries death finds her second life, The moon will bless the broken bond, And the cursed will find peace at dawn.”

I exist in the darkness, disappear under the bright light, and will eventually devour the sun and turn into the shadow of all things… Known by people as the indescribable terror of darkness; the king of shadows; the dark day; the existence of the shadow of the world , is still just a somewhat special high school student, facing a weird death game…

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