Regressed with Omnipotent AI on Zombie Apocalypse

An off-road vehicle rolled into Tribeca, and the three brothers were immediately struck by the sight of the opulent mansions surrounding them—each house grander than the last.

"Man, are all rich people's homes this fancy?" Joey, the youngest, muttered in awe, taking in the surroundings.

Marco, the second brother, wasn't as distracted. He pointed ahead, his voice low but serious. "Hold up," he said, motioning toward fresh, bloodstained tire tracks on the road. "Someone’s been here already."

The others immediately noticed the same thing. For a gated community, it was unnervingly quiet—no zombies in sight, and the usual security guards seemed to be absent.

"What do we do now, big brother?" Joey asked, his voice tinged with nervousness.

Tony, the eldest, didn’t miss a beat. He lifted his shotgun with a steely expression. "If someone's here, we’ve got enough firepower to deal with them."

"Yeah, you’re right," Marco said, nodding with growing confidence. With their nerves steeled, the three of them followed the bloodied tire tracks toward Mansion No. 9, where Zack was working.

When they arrived nearby, Tony turned to Joey. "Third, go check out how many people are inside."

Joey obeyed, slipping out of the car and moving cautiously toward the mansion. Peering through a window, he spotted Sophia’s silhouette passing by. His eyes lit up, and he waved his brothers over eagerly. "There’s a woman inside!" he whispered, excitement clear in his voice. Both Tony and Marco perked up, their grins spreading as they moved closer.

Suddenly—Bang!

A thunderous gunshot rang out. Joey screamed, clutching his face as blood poured through his fingers.

The noise stirred nearby zombies, their growls intensifying as they clawed at the barriers and walls. Despite their injuries, the brothers quickly realized they were up against a much stronger opponent than expected. "Someone’s here!" Tony shouted. "Third, get back!"

Clutching his bleeding face, Joey staggered toward the car. Another shot rang out from the third-floor balcony of Mansion No. 9. Zack had taken aim, his blast clipping Joey’s leg and sending him sprawling in pain.

Panicked, Tony and Marco dragged their injured brother back into the car and sped off, the vehicle rattling as they made their escape.

"Too bad…" Zack muttered, lowering his shotgun. The distance had weakened the blast, and only a few pellets had hit Joey. But the message had been clear—his mansion was well defended, and his weapon was not just for show.

"Ego," Zack said coldly, "keep an eye on them."

If they thought they could return here without consequences, they were gravely mistaken.

After waiting for Sophia to fall asleep, Zack slipped out of the mansion, his backpack slung over one shoulder. In his hand, he held an unusual firearm—an air-powered weapon. At its rear was a high-compression air tank capable of firing seven to ten steel balls with impressive force before needing to be re-pressurized. An electric pump attached to the air tank automatically refilled it in seconds, bringing it back to full power. There was also a manual bolt near the front that, when pulled, could deliver an extra boost of power for the next shot. The nail gun held a specialized magazine with fifty steel balls, ensuring Zack was well-prepared for what was ahead.

"Ego," he said quietly, his voice calm and controlled. "Report the target's location."

"Sir, the target is currently located in Mansion No. 4," Ego replied promptly.

Zack nodded, taking in the information. To avoid drawing attention, he decided to walk instead of drive, making his way toward Mansion No. 4 under the cover of darkness. It was the first time since the outbreak that he ventured out at night. Thankfully, the skies were clear, and the moon provided enough light to navigate, minimizing the risk of encountering stray zombies.

Ten minutes later, he arrived at his destination. On his way, he’d encountered two zombies. These creatures, now seemingly more active at night, had crawled over the walls from a neighboring mansion. They snarled and staggered toward him, but Zack took the opportunity to test his new gun. With impressive accuracy, he shot both zombies in the head, each steel ball landing between their eyes. The results boosted his confidence for what was to come.

As he approached Mansion No. 4, he could hear loud, angry voices from inside, laced with curses and painful cries.

"Brothers! That bastard shot my balls!" Joey howled, his voice thick with pain. "The Russo family name ends with me…"

Nearby, Marco was trying to calm him. "It’s fine. We’ve got the older brothers to carry the name. Now stop thrashing, or you’ll start bleeding again."

In the corner, Tony gripped a rough-looking shotgun, his eyes gleaming with cold fury. He spat, "Third Brother, did you see how many of them were there?"

"Only two," Joey answered through gritted teeth, his face contorted with anger. "A man and… and some woman. A pretty one, too, damn it…"

"Only two? And the other one’s a girl?" Tony’s face twisted into a malicious grin as he exchanged looks with Marco. "Perfect," he said softly, his tone dripping with cruelty.

Marco rubbed his hands together eagerly. "So, when do we strike?"

"Not yet. That punk has a gun, and he’ll be on guard if we go now," Tony whispered, his gaze cold. "Early morning is better. He’ll be asleep by then."

"Yes, Brother," Marco agreed, his grin widening.

"We’ll kill that boy and take the girl for ourselves," Tony sneered, his eyes gleaming with sadistic delight. Even Joey managed a twisted smile despite the pain.

Unbeknownst to them, Zack had scaled the courtyard wall and crept close enough to overhear every vile word. He stifled a laugh when he heard Joey, the one he’d shot, mutter about wanting to kill and eat his flesh.

"Did you hear that, Ego?" Zack chuckled softly, a smirk curling on his lips. "They’re talking about killing me and eating me. How charming."

"This is unacceptable," Ego replied, his voice turning steely. The brothers had officially crossed the line into high-threat territory.

"Sir, I suggest entering the house through the back door," Ego advised after quickly scanning the mansion's layout.

Zack agreed, moving quietly toward the back of the mansion. To his surprise, the back door was unlocked, a careless mistake on their part. He silently pushed the door open and slipped inside, moving down the hallway without making a sound.

The brothers were still lost in their delusions. "Soon, we’ll have our own little survivor’s base," Marco was saying. "We’ll be living like kings!"

Suddenly, there was a muffled sound, and Tony’s voice cut off. His shotgun clattered to the floor as he staggered, a small round hole appearing in his forehead. Blood and brain matter trickled out as he collapsed.

"Big Brother?" Marco turned around, confusion flashing in his eyes. Then he saw his elder brother slump to the floor, dead.

Fury twisted Marco’s face. He lunged for the shotgun on the floor, but Zack was faster. He fired twice, each steel ball hitting its mark. Marco’s lungs and heart were pierced, and he crumpled to the ground, blood bubbling from his mouth as he tried to speak.