Wasteland: I Awakened A Plant System-Chapter 81: Killing Zombies Horde

It was another iron door. To avoid touching anything again, Vikram only gave Sunil a look, signaling him to open it.

This time, Sunil was more cautious. Before pushing it open, he raised a finger to his lips, signaling everyone to stay quiet.

The others immediately understood and nodded.

Slowly, he pushed the door.

"Screech—"

A harsh, grating sound echoed as the rusted iron door moved.

This door was even more worn than the previous one. The frame and edges were smeared with layers of dried and fresh blood. Under the dim light, the dark red stains looked almost black, sending a chill through everyone present.

As the door gradually opened, the scene behind it was revealed. Sunil and his group were already familiar with it.

But for Vikram, it felt like stepping into a completely different world.

Inside was a large office area. Rows of desks and chairs were scattered chaotically, as if people had fled in panic. Papers were strewn everywhere, mixed with thick bloodstains covering the floor and furniture.

Some stains had long dried.

Others were still wet. The metallic smell of blood filled the air. And scattered throughout the office, were zombies.

Dozens of them.

Just like the one before, their bodies were decayed, skin hanging loosely, organs exposed. Some dragged their limbs, others stood crookedly, but all of them radiated the same lifeless hunger.

For a moment, everything was still.

Then, the sound of the door reached them.

One by one, the zombies turned. Their hollow eyes locked onto the group at the entrance.

A strange silence filled the room. Both sides stared at each other.

"Hoo—"

A horrifying, gurgling sound came from their throats, as if something thick was stuck inside. Blood and saliva dripped continuously from their ruined mouths.

Then, they recognized them as food. In the next instant, the zombies moved.

Their bodies lurched forward, dragging themselves toward the group with sudden aggression.

But before anyone else could react.

"Whoosh!"

An arrow shot out. Fast. Precise.

It pierced straight through the head of a zombie in a torn suit.

The creature dropped instantly.

The group didn’t even need to think. They all knew it was the work of the two Archer Sprouts behind Vikram.

Vikram looked at the group calmly and said, "Kill all of them."

The others immediately nodded and raised their aluminium bows, firing one arrow after another toward the incoming zombies. Since they had already been detected, there was no point in holding back.

Arrows flew across the office. But the difference was obvious.

Compared to the Archer Sprouts, their accuracy was far worse. Most arrows struck the zombies’ chests or abdomens instead of their heads. Even so, it was enough to slow several of them down.

Vikram quickly scanned the area.

At least thirty...

Far more than the Wolf Spirit Guards he had faced before.

A few zombies that avoided the arrow rain broke out from the group and rushed toward them, dragging their bodies faster with twisted movements.

Seeing this, Sunil’s expression changed. "Boss Vikram, even if this is better than last time, there are still too many. Why don’t we retreat first?"

"No," Alex said immediately. "We can finish this!"

He was unwilling to give up such an opportunity. But before he could push further.

"Don’t worry," Vikram said calmly, stepping forward slightly. "I plan to clear this place today and go back to sleep. Leave the rest to me."

As he spoke, he reached into his inventory. And took something out. A rifle.

The moment the weapon appeared, the entire group froze.

"What... what is that...?" someone whispered.

Their aluminium bows suddenly felt like toys in comparison.

The sleek black body, the cold metallic shine, the unfamiliar yet terrifying design, it gave off a completely different presence.

Vikram held the M416 casually, as if it was nothing special.

But to them, it was shocking.

"Boss... that... that’s a gun?!" Chandan’s eyes widened, almost popping out.

Alex’s breathing became heavy, his gaze filled with awe. "Boss Vikram... this... this is a firearm, right?!"

"Too strong... this is too strong..."

"No wonder Boss isn’t afraid at all..."

Their voices trembled with excitement.

At this moment, their respect, completely transformed. If the Sprout Team had brought fear, this weapon brought absolute shock.

Chandan almost looked like he was worshipping. "Boss, you’re amazing! With this, these zombies are nothing!"

Alex quickly followed, his tone filled with admiration. "Boss Vikram, with you here, clearing this ruin is guaranteed! We’re lucky to follow you!"

The others also reacted. "Boss is too powerful!"

"This is the first time I’ve seen such a weapon!"

"These zombies are finished!"

Cheers and praise erupted behind him.

Their morale, which had been shaken just moments ago, rose instantly.

Vikram didn’t respond to the cheers. He simply raised the M416, his stance steady and relaxed, as if he were about to perform something routine rather than face a horde of monsters.

His eyes locked onto the nearest zombie, and without hesitation, he pulled the trigger. A sharp burst of gunfire echoed through the office, the muzzle flashing in rapid succession as the dim room was briefly illuminated again and again.

The first zombie’s head snapped back and burst apart before it could even take another step. Vikram didn’t pause. His wrist adjusted slightly, the rifle shifting with precision, and the next burst followed instantly.

Another zombie collapsed. Then another. His movements were smooth, controlled, almost mechanical. There was no wasted motion, no panic, no excess effort. Every shot was deliberate, every bullet finding its mark.

The zombies surged forward, their rotting bodies dragging faster in response to the noise, but they were simply too slow. Before they could even close half the distance, Vikram had already repositioned his aim.

The recoil of the weapon seemed nonexistent in his hands, his enhanced physique completely stabilizing it. He stepped forward once, just a single step, and continued firing.

The sound of gunfire mixed with the wet, dull impacts of bullets tearing through flesh and bone. Heads burst, bodies dropped, and the floor quickly became a mess of blackened blood and collapsing corpses.

Some zombies tried to veer to the sides, attempting to flank, but Vikram’s reaction speed made it meaningless.

The moment one moved out of line, his barrel followed, and another controlled burst ended it instantly. Within seconds, the entire front wave was gone.

The remaining zombies staggered forward blindly, stepping over the fallen bodies of their own kind, but it only made them easier targets.

Less than a minute passed before the final zombie fell. The last one had barely lifted its arm when a single shot pierced straight through its skull, dropping it where it stood.

Silence followed immediately. The only sound left was the faint clinking of spent shell casings rolling across the metal floor.

Behind him, the group stood frozen. Their bows were still raised, arrows not yet released, as if time had stopped for them. None of them had even managed to contribute. They had only watched.

Then the silence broke.

"Yes! Yes! We did it! Boss Vikram is unstoppable!"

"We’re conquering this place today!"

Chandan’s face was flushed with excitement, his fear completely gone. Alex clenched his fists, looking at Vikram as if he were something beyond human.

The others quickly joined in, their voices filled with admiration and relief, their earlier hesitation completely replaced by blind confidence.

Sunil stood slightly behind, his expression stiff. He said nothing, but his eyes had changed. The casual confidence Vikram had shown before was no longer something he could dismiss. He had witnessed it with his own eyes now. This was not someone he could control or deceive easily.

Alex was the first to regain focus. He signaled forward without hesitation, and the group began moving deeper into the structure.

However, as they approached the next section, a low, disturbing sound reached their ears. It wasn’t just a growl. It was heavier, deeper, carrying a strange weight that made everyone instinctively slow down.

From behind the next iron door, something was moving.

Inside that sealed section, in a dim corridor, six figures stood silently. Their faces were obscured by darkness, but their positions were clear. Four of them stood further back, keeping distance from the two near the door. The atmosphere was tense, almost suffocating.

Then one of them moved. A tall, well-built figure stepped forward, dragging something heavy in his hand. The object scraped against the ground with a dull sound, leaving a faint trail behind. Without hesitation, he reached the door and threw it forward with force. The impact echoed loudly through the corridor.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then a low, guttural growl came from the other side.

It was followed by violent pounding. The iron door began to shake under repeated impacts. The sound grew louder and more frantic, as if something inside was desperately trying to break free. The metal started to bend inward, unable to withstand the force for long.

Suddenly, with a loud crack, a gap appeared in the door.

From that gap, a hand slowly emerged.

It was long and unnaturally thin, the skin rotted and peeling. Its fingers stretched outward, tipped with blackened, sharp nails caked in dried blood and dirt. The arm twitched as it extended, blindly grasping at the air outside, as if searching for something alive.

Flesh continued to fall from it in small pieces, but it showed no reaction. It just kept reaching.

"Stay behind," Vikram said calmly, his voice steady but firm. He knew these people were useful, but not capable enough to face what was coming.

From the violent pounding on the door, it was obvious that the number of zombies behind it far exceeded the previous group. There was no reason to let these newly submissive subordinates die meaninglessly.

He raised his M416 and took aim, while the Archer Sprouts behind him simultaneously lifted their bows. At the same time, he gave a slight signal.

The Warrior Sprout stepped forward.

With its blade gripped tightly, it walked straight toward the door without hesitation. The iron door was already on the verge of collapse, shaking violently under the continuous pounding from the other side. That rotting arm still stretched out through the gap, twitching and clawing blindly.

The Warrior Sprout raised its blade and brought it down in one clean motion.

The impact felt different. There was no soft resistance of flesh, only the hard resistance of bone. For a brief moment, the blade met resistance, but it was insignificant. With a slight increase in force, the arm was severed instantly, snapping off and falling to the ground while still twitching.

Without wasting even a second, the Warrior Sprout grabbed the door handle and pulled it open.

The reaction was immediate.

The moment the door opened, the low growls turned into deafening roars. A mass of zombies surged forward all at once, at least a dozen of them packed tightly together. Their combined force slammed into the doorway, twisting and pushing against each other as they rushed out.

The sheer impact forced the Warrior Sprout back a few steps.

But before the horde could break through, the Guardian Sprout moved.