The old box truck finally gave up.After struggling uphill for three hours, moving away from the highway littered with vehicle carcasses, its diesel engine died completely with a pathetic 'krak' sound on a rocky path at the foot of Mount Manglayang."Well... Innalillahi," Ujang mumbled, affectionately patting the truck's dashboard. "Thank you, pretty one. You've brought us this far. Rest now."In front of them, hidden behind a thin mist and dense pine trees, stood an old colonial-style villa. Its white paint was peeling, its roof tiles mossy, but the building was still sturdy. Its iron fence was tall, covered in climbing plants, giving the illusion of perfect security."Get out," Irene ordered softly. "We'll rest here until sunrise. The truck can't go any further, and Boby needs a flat place to lie down."They unloaded their belongings. The orphanage children ran in small groups towards the spacious villa yard, as if forgetting that the world had ended. For them, green grass and fresh

Time didn't just slow down. Time felt like it was shattering into pieces.On Boby's retinas, he could see every horrific detail with painful, high-definition clarity.He saw Dogy's jaws wide open. He saw the saliva dripping from the dog's tongue. He saw the metallic gray muzzle of the micro-missile that had just launched from the drone pod.And then... the impact happened.CRUNCH.Dogy's canines, which had once torn through zombie necks and chewed on beef bones, were now clamped firmly onto the body of the missile in mid-air.It was only a meter in front of Boby's face. Too close. Too brave.The proximity sensor on the missile's warhead detected the impact. The trigger activated.BOOOOOOOOOOM!An orange fireball exploded in the air, instantly engulfing Dogy's head and neck.The shockwave hit Boby like a giant hammer swung by God. The thick wooden door behind Boby's back shattered into pieces, its hinges torn off, the wood turning into sharp splinters.Boby was thrown backward, his bod

Time became a blur.Boby didn't know how long he had been running. How many days? How many weeks? All he knew was the stabbing hunger, the thirst burning his throat, and the guilt gnawing at his soul like sulfuric acid.He was no longer an IT manager. He was a sewer rat. A ghost hiding in the ruins of the dead city of Bandung. He ate whatever he could find: leftover biscuits in looted shops, sewage water filtered through a sock, even packets of chili sauce.But no food could fill the void in his stomach. No water could wash the bloodstains of his family from his memory.One cold night, in a narrow alley behind Kosambi Market—which had already become a mass grave—Boby reached his limit.He sat leaning against a pile of wet, stinking trash. A light drizzle soaked his matted, dirty hair. His once-neat work clothes were now just rags clinging to his thin frame."I’m trash," he whispered to the darkness. His voice was hoarse from dehydration and disuse. "Trash belongs here."His sunken eye

The battle ended as quickly as it had begun.What should have been a one-sided ambush by Ghost Squadron had turned into a slaughterhouse where they were the harvest. Roy’s zombie army, rising from the muddy ground, didn't fight like wild undead. They moved with silent coordination, surrounding and tearing the elite soldiers apart with organized brutality.The Ghost Squadron commander was the first victim. His hand holding the shotgun was forcibly pulled down by a corpse gripping his leg. Before he could react, two other zombies pounced from the side, ripping through his composite armor like wet paper. His scream was cut short, replaced by the horrific sound of chewing.Mega, seeing the situation controlled by an unexpected "third party," moved quickly. She dashed into the villa."Irene! Ujang! Watch the kids! Don't let anyone out!" she ordered.In the yard, Boby just stood still, letting the heavy rain soak his expressionless face. He didn't join the fight. He just watched. Watching t

The night crept slowly. The air inside the villa felt heavy and suffocating, as if all the oxygen had been sucked out by the tension.No one spoke. Ujang and Mega sat on the worn sofa in the living room, pretending to be busy checking ammunition, though their eyes occasionally darted anxiously towards Irene. The orphanage children were already asleep in the upstairs rooms, exhausted after a full day of terror, unaware that their rescue family was on the brink of collapse.Irene stood in front of the broken window, staring at Boby's back as he sat alone outside, beside Dogy's grave. His figure looked small and fragile amidst the night fog. But Irene knew that within that fragility resided a crazy plan that could kill thousands.One hour passed. Two hours. Finally, Boby stood up.He didn't come in through the back door. He walked around, then entered through the front door whose glass was shattered. As if to show that he was now an outsider.He walked straight towards the table where th