Chapter 117: Chapter 117 - New Armor

Leaving the biology lab, Zack stepped into the dark night. Outside, in the Mansion area, countless manufacturing bugs worked tirelessly, their glowing outlines moving with purpose. “Ego, how’s the progress on the upgrades?” Zack asked, his tone steady but firm.

“Sir,” Ego’s voice responded immediately, calm and efficient, “all Avalons and armors have been equipped with anti-electromagnetic and anti-magnetic devices. Nearly 70% of the Ant and Spiders have been upgraded as well. The rest are on schedule and expected to be completed by 4 a.m.”

After experiencing the devastating effects of an electromagnetic pulse bomb attack, Zack had issued a strict directive to upgrade all mechanical equipment in the base with anti-electromagnetic and anti-magnetic capabilities. These upgrades would now be the standard for all future creations. “Good,” Zack replied, his eyes narrowing slightly. He strolled toward the high wall surrounding the community and looked out at NYC in the distance.

The skyline, once alive with lights, was now an eerie steel jungle. The high-rises stood in complete darkness, no signs of life or the familiar, haunting roars of zombies—just an unsettling silence. “Has the city been fully cleared?” Zack asked, breaking the quiet.

“The port along the river where the Tyrant Beast was last seen was the final area to be cleaned,” Ego answered. “With the Tyrant Beast eliminated, the operation has been completed. NYC is now 100% cleared.” Ego continued, “Over eight million zombies have been eliminated, their corpses destroyed. During the operation, we lost 21 mechanical dogs and 75 spiders. All recoverable materials from them have been salvaged. Ammunition consumption was significant.”

“Eight million zombies…” Zack muttered, exhaling slowly. “The total population of NYC was about eight million. That means nearly the entire population—close to 100%—turned into zombies.” He shook his head, his expression grim.

“Starting tomorrow, have the Ant and Spiders patrol the perimeter of NYC around the clock. Prioritize repairing the city’s main power and water supply lines. Deploy manufacturing bugs to assist,” Zack instructed, his voice decisive. “Also, install more laser interception devices to ensure the Sky Defense System covers the entire city. Any abandoned or dangerous buildings should be demolished. Recycle any useful materials.” He paused briefly before adding, “Oh, and find people with driving experience. Train them to operate construction vehicles. We need a defensive line outside the city.”

Ego’s voice chimed in, “Sir, this is a large-scale project, and we may face a manpower shortage.”

Zack smirked, as if anticipating the concern. “Ego, you’re overthinking this. Building a defensive line doesn’t mean constructing a massive wall. Even the strongest wall can’t hold back a massive zombie horde.” He continued, “The goal isn’t to stop a tidal wave of zombies—it’s to manage the day-to-day. Set up sentry towers at regular intervals around the city and equip them with automatic machine guns. They’ll handle stragglers or small groups. If we face a full-blown zombie wave, we’ll take the fight to them with the mechanical army.”

“Understood, Sir. I’ll implement your orders,” Ego replied, sending the commands across the city’s systems.

“That’s all for now.” Zack nodded, leaping down from the wall and heading back toward the Mansion. The upgrades to the base were almost complete. Now, it was time to focus on his larger plans.

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The next morning, Zack arrived at the biology lab, carrying a sleek, compact deployment pod. The design was based on his latest advancements in modular exoskeleton systems, incorporating ideas he’d refined after brainstorming improvements late into the night. Most of the credit, however, went to Ego’s assistance in execution. He placed the pod on the table. “Put it on,” he instructed.

Lilian, standing nearby, eyed the compact cylindrical device curiously. “How am I supposed to wear this?”

Zack gestured toward it. “Press the activation panel on the top, and hold still while it deploys.”

Following his instructions, Lilian pressed the panel. A faint hum resonated as the pod opened, revealing a set of modular armor components housed within. The pieces moved swiftly, guided by internal mechanisms and magnetic locks. They attached themselves to her body with seamless precision, aligning perfectly with her frame.

The clinking of armor echoed in the lab as a black-and-white exoskeleton emerged around Shadow. The white sections, made of Ultralium alloy, strategically covered vital areas for maximum protection. The more flexible parts—such as the joints, waist, and abdomen—were crafted from a black, nanofiber combat suit. “Wow, it’s so light…” Lilian said, twisting her torso and flexing her arms. “It doesn’t restrict movement at all.”

“Try the helmet next,” Zack instructed, his arms crossed.

The visor fell into place with a crisp click, enclosing Lilian’s head in a sleek helmet. The translucent mask, built using advanced graphene technology, offered incredible protection rivaling that of alloy steel. “Can this armor turn invisible?” Shadow asked as the HUD inside the helmet lit up, revealing the armor’s main functions. Her curiosity sparked as she skimmed through the system interface.

“Yes,” Zack replied with a nod.

This suit of armor wasn’t built for brute strength or speed enhancements. It didn’t even include weapons. Its design revolved around two key functions: optical invisibility and biological scanning. That’s all Zack needed to give her.

Lilian herself was the ultimate weapon. Her synthetic body had near-impenetrable defenses, unparalleled speed, and incredible strength. She never tired, and her superhuman capabilities far exceeded anything mechanical enhancements could provide. Giving her invisibility only elevated her potential. Now, with this new feature, Shadow was undoubtedly Zack’s most formidable creation. Not even his Ant and Spiders or other experiments could compare. “Try it,” Zack instructed.

“Yes, Master!” Lilian activated the armor’s stealth mode without hesitation. A faint ripple in the air marked her transformation as her body vanished from sight. The perfect figure, hidden beneath the armor’s sleek design, dissolved into the surroundings.

Zack watched carefully. The invisibility wasn’t flawless; small distortions in the air and faint traces like footprints could give her away to a trained observer. However, in darkness or low-light environments, Shadow would become a spectral assassin, a terror no one could see coming. “It’s effective,” Zack remarked, nodding in approval. Without warning, he extended his hand and grabbed her arm despite her invisibility.

“The biggest flaw of optical invisibility,” he said with a smirk, “is the spatial distortion when moving. It’s subtle but visible if someone knows what to look for.”

Lilian reappeared, kneeling on one knee as she deactivated the stealth mode. “Thank you, Master!” she said, her voice filled with gratitude and reverence.

“Remember,” Zack said, his tone sharp as he turned to leave, “don’t get too close to Sophia.” Shadow froze momentarily at his words but didn’t respond. Zack left the lab without looking back, his mind already shifting to the tasks ahead.

The past two days had been consumed by Shadow’s transformation, delaying Zack’s other plans. But he felt it was worth it. He now had an absolute, loyal killer—a phantom in the night. “With Shadow in my arsenal, I now hold two sharp blades,” Zack muttered to himself as he walked toward the basement of Mansion No. 9. He hadn’t forgotten about his other project—the “dancer.” While Shadow was powerful and devoted, the dancer’s “monster” form might still prove useful. “It’s time to put her to work,” Zack decided. “Ego, you mentioned Antonny has been stirring up trouble recently?”