Regressed with Omnipotent AI on Zombie Apocalypse

The next morning, sunlight poured through the third-floor windows, pulling Zack from his deep sleep. He sat up, stretched, and got dressed, casting a brief glance back, shaking his head slightly. There was too much to do today; he couldn’t afford to waste time thinking about unnecessary things.

As he made his way downstairs, he called out, "Ego, any updates from last night?"

"Nothing of note inside the mansion, Sir," Ego responded. "However, there were sounds of zombies in the nearby mansions. Likely former residents who turned after being trapped inside."

"Understood. I’ll deal with that later," Zack replied, then asked, "Anything important happening outside?"

"At 11:24 p.m. last night, a nuclear explosion occurred in Nevada, likely caused by remnants of the military. There were also reports of unusual zombies in India, and a local survivor base was destroyed."

"Skip the reports about that," Zack interrupted. "Anything closer to us?"

"An organization is gathering survivors near the capital, likely planning to establish a large base with military personnel. Additionally, reports of a new mutated zombie type, the ‘Night Stalker,’ have emerged. These creatures are pack hunters with intelligence, speed, and the ability to climb. Fires have broken out across the country due to unmanned power plants, and we expect a full power and network outage in three days."

Zack frowned. Losing power and internet access would severely disrupt his plans. Without power, the battery-operated power armor he had been working on would be useless. And without the internet, Ego’s surveillance capabilities would be limited, making it harder to track what was happening in the world.

"Ego, can you access a military satellite for intel?" Zack asked.

"Easy, Sir. Most satellites are unmonitored now." After a brief pause, Ego added, "I’ve connected to the Liberty Star intelligence satellite. The live feed is clear."

Zack grinned as a real-time image appeared on his screen, showing the area in sharp detail. "Good. This solves one problem, at least for now."

"As for power," Ego continued, "I can reroute electricity from nearby power plants, ensuring local power for the next fifteen days by cutting off supply to other regions."

"Perfect. Do it." Fifteen days wasn’t a lot of time, but it was enough to keep things running while he worked.

After washing up, Zack grabbed a canned meal and headed back to the basement. The night before, he’d gathered the necessary materials to build the graphene batteries, arranging them on a makeshift workbench—a repurposed pool table with the sides removed.

"Let’s get started, Ego," Zack muttered, and Ego displayed a step-by-step holographic guide on graphene battery production.

The process wasn’t complicated, but it required precision. As Zack extracted the material, he noticed the honeycomb-like structure forming on the graphite, which made sense now—this method was called "honeycomb extraction."

He first placed the graphite in a liquid solution to break down its layers, separating it into thin sheets. Then, he applied a small electrical current through the solution, causing the graphite to loosen and split into finer pieces.

As the current flowed, Zack carefully monitored the solution, making sure the pieces didn’t clump or dissolve too much. Slowly, the layers began to peel off in the delicate honeycomb pattern, and over time, the graphite broke down into smaller particles.

Several hours later, the powder had dried. Zack now had over ten grams of fine, black graphene powder resting in his hand. This lightweight powder, with its unique honeycomb structure, was the final product, and it had enormous potential for use in electronics and energy storage.

"Finally done," he sighed, wiping sweat from his forehead and carefully sealing the powder away. Looking at the time, he realized it was already noon.

"Guess it’s lunch time," he murmured, heading back upstairs.

On the first floor, Sophia was already sitting at the dining table, skimming through a poetry book as she waited. "Finished?" she asked, setting the book down. "The food’s a bit cold, but I can heat it up in the microwave."

"No need," Zack waved her off, taking a seat. "I’ll be back downstairs after eating anyway."

"Alright." Sophia nodded, not pressing him for details. She knew better than to ask Zack what he was working on. They ate in silence, with Sophia clearing the table and washing up afterward while Zack returned to the basement.

It didn’t take long for him to gather the remaining materials, and he soon began assembling the battery. Following Ego’s holographic guide, Zack donned a pair of homemade magnifying glasses and focused intently on the work. The production process required extreme precision; one wrong move, and the battery could be ruined—or worse, dangerous.

Zack took a deep breath, steadying his hands, and got to work.

Meanwhile, an off-road vehicle with a battered front grille rumbled down the road toward Tribeca. Inside were three brothers, each looking strikingly similar to the others.

"Check it out, Tony," Marco, sitting in the passenger seat, pointed excitedly. "This area probably has fewer zombies. The rich folks live in those mansions, and they’re usually spread out. Plus, this neighborhood’s practically new!"

"Yeah, fewer people means fewer zombies," Marco continued, getting more excited. "And we’ve got a gun. We just need to clear out a few of them, and we’ll have a whole mansion to ourselves!"

In the back seat, the youngest brother, Joey, grinned mischievously. "Hey, Tony, I heard some of these rich families had some fine company. Maybe I’ll find a lady to keep me busy."

Their oldest brother, Tony Russo, laughed. "Well, if you do, make sure she gives us seven or eight kids. Gotta keep the Russo family line going!" The car was filled with their laughter as they sped toward Tribeca, unaware of what awaited them.

After more than an hour of intense concentration, Zack finally held a high-energy graphene battery in his hands. It was about the size of a brick, entirely black with four metal contacts on each end, and significantly heavier than a lithium battery of the same size. He hefted it, feeling its solid weight.

"Ego, are you sure one of these will be enough?"

"The capacity of this graphene battery is over 2,000 times that of a lithium battery, with a charging efficiency 3,500 times higher," Ego replied smoothly. "It will power the armor for at least three hours."

"Good enough," Zack nodded, though he knew he only had enough material for a single battery. He carefully placed it back on the workbench when Ego’s alert came through.

"Sir, a vehicle is approaching the estate."

The satellite feed from Liberty Star intelligence appeared on his screen, zooming in on an off-road vehicle with a damaged front grille. Inside, three men were visible, one of them holding a shotgun.

"Zoom in," Zack ordered, studying the figures. Ego quickly identified them.

"Tony, Marco, and Joey. The brothers have served time for poaching, and the oldest, Tony, is a fugitive for murder."

Zack’s eyes narrowed. These were not harmless survivors—they were criminals. He had plans to turn this place into a sanctuary, a safe haven in this post-apocalyptic world. Allowing men like these to get too close wasn’t an option.

He looked at the battery, still the only one completed, and at the unfinished armor. Zack considered his options. "Ego, is there enough material here to make the pump-action nail gun you suggested?"

After leaving his apartment, Zack had taken an interest in silent, deadly weapons, particularly air guns. Ego had mentioned an improved nail gun, one powered by an air pump, capable of both automatic and manual pressurization. It was lethal but quiet—perfect for situations like this.

“There is enough material available,” Ego confirmed, displaying the necessary parts and their locations.

"Perfect." Zack immediately got to work on assembling the nail gun.