When the rebirth of the zombie apocalypse occurred, the younger brother was the first to choose the safe zone at sea

"I'm going with Victor. I want the offshore sanctuary."

The moment those words left my brother Leo's mouth, I knew: he had been reborn, too.

It had been three days since the first zombies appeared on the streets. In that short time, the undead had overrun our world, and the fragile order of society had crumbled. While survivors scattered like rats, two men rose rapidly to power, both extending offers to my father.

One was Victor, formerly my father's star pupil, who planned to seize a coastal island and establish a maritime refuge.

The other was Marcus, an elite mercenary commander my father had saved years ago. He was heading for a fortified inland military base.

Greedy and wanting to hedge his bets, my father proposed a plan: Leo and I would each pick a side to ensure the family had a foot in both camps.

In our previous life, Leo hadn't hesitated to choose Marcus. To him, guns, ammo, and the vast resources of the mainland were the winning ticket in the apocalypse.

Marcus, honoring his debt to our father, had treated Leo like royalty.

As the one left with the short end of the stick, I was forced to join Victor.

But fate has a twisted sense of humor.

A year later, a massive zombie horde swept across the mainland. Marcus's base fell. He was torn to shreds by thousands of infected while trying to cover the retreat of his people.

My small island, however, remained a paradise. Because the zombies couldn't swim, we lived in safety and abundance while the world burned.

Eventually, Leo fled to my island with our parents.

Who could have guessed that my own brother, consumed by jealousy, would knock me out and throw me into the ocean?

And my parents didn't shed a single tear.

Now that I'm back, I have no expectations for them.

"Leo, are you out of your mind?" My mother's shrill voice snapped me back to the present. "Marcus has high walls! Heavy machine guns! Your father saved his life—he'll put you in his inner circle. You'll be completely safe!"

"She's right," my father added, frowning. "The ocean has nothing. If supply lines are cut, how will you survive? You should go to Marcus."

"You don't get it! Water is the ultimate barrier," Leo argued, his eyes manic. "The land is going to be overrun, no matter how many guns Marcus has! The ocean is the only place that's actually safe."

My parents exchanged a look.

They had always coddled their youngest son. Faced with Leo's intense resistance, they folded.

My mother sighed. "Fine. If you're that set on it, I won't force you. Victor is a sharp kid; I'm sure you'll live well out there."

My father turned his indifferent gaze to me. "Arthur, since your brother has made his choice, you go to Marcus."

"Understood," I replied calmly, hiding the cold satisfaction in my heart.

My dear brother still didn't know. After he threw me into the ocean in our last life, I didn't die immediately.

I saw the truth. Zombies aren't static rotting meat—they evolve.

Unfortunately, Leo died too early in the last timeline to learn that lesson.

Let him have his "safe" offshore base.

In this life, I will wield Marcus like a weapon and carve a bloody path to survival right here on land.