The silence in the Shelter was broken by a sharp, rhythmic ping.
• New Survivor Signal Detected• Location: Eastern Quadrant – Ruins of New Hope General Hospital• Vital Signs: Weak• Threat Level: Moderate to High• Potential Profession: Medical (Combat-Field Designation Suspected)
Ethan's eyes narrowed as he stared at the screen. His fingers danced across the command console, bringing up a grainy satellite overlay of the ruins.
Beside him, Caden clicked the safety off his rifle. "Hospital's in mutant territory, isn't it?"
Ethan nodded. "Yeah. Which means they're either really lucky or really skilled to still be alive in there. Either way, we need them."
"We move now?"
Ethan's eyes lingered on the signal for a moment longer. "We move."
New Hope General Hospital was a husk—a collapsed relic of steel and sorrow, overgrown by nature and riddled with the stench of rot and death. Ivy and corrosion battled for dominance over crumbling medical signs.
Ethan activated his Scanning Pulse.
• Hostile Lifeforms Detected: 5• Signal Source: Sublevel B1, Emergency Surgery Wing• Environmental Hazard: Structural Collapse Warning
They crept inside. Each step brought the scent of decay, each hallway another memory of a world that had collapsed under its own weight. Broken wheelchairs lay discarded, smashed gurneys twisted in doorways.
Then came the first screech.
From the ceiling, a long-limbed mutant dropped like a spider—skin flayed, eyes milky white. Ethan sidestepped, drew his sidearm, and fired a burst.
CRACK–CRACK–CRACK!
The creature spasmed and fell backward, its blood steaming as it soaked into the moldy tiles.
Two more mutants emerged from behind a surgery curtain, jaws slack, arms stretched into weapon-like bone protrusions. Caden and Ethan ducked behind a fallen desk as acid saliva hissed across the tiles.
BLAM–BLAM!
Caden landed a headshot, then flanked left while Ethan slid to the side, firing precision shots. The final beast lunged—but Ethan met it mid-air, driving his reinforced dagger into its chest and slamming it into a wall with brute force.
It squealed, then fell limp.
[System Notification]• Mutant Creature Eliminated ×3• Shelter Credits Gained: +6• Loot Acquired: – Mutant Biomass ×4 – Bone Shards ×2 (craftable) – Neural Fiber (rare material)• Morale Boost: +3%• Tactical Blueprint Fragment (Creature Study Tier I) ×1
Breathing hard, Ethan looked to Caden. "Keep moving. We're close."
The signal led them to an old elevator shaft. Rubble choked its base. Beneath a beam, half-pinned, lay a girl—bloodied, her breath shallow.
Ethan dropped to one knee. "Hey! Stay with us."
She cracked an eye open. "You're... not infected?"
"Definitely not."
"Aria," she whispered. "Dr. Aria Lin. I didn't think anyone would come."
Before they could pull her out, the shaft trembled.
A hulking mutant burst through the side wall—a brute, its body covered in pulsating tumors, arms like clubs. It roared, charging.
"MOVE!"
Ethan shoved Caden and Aria aside. The beast slammed the floor where he'd just stood. Dust exploded upward. Ethan rolled, fired a pulse blast, striking the creature's thigh. It stumbled—Caden followed up with explosive rounds.
Still, the mutant kept coming.
Blood ran down Ethan's temple. He gritted his teeth and activated Overclock Mode on his exo-bracer.
Time seemed to slow.
He dodged, slid under the beast, and jammed a frag grenade against its spine.
"Here's your damn cure!"
BOOM!
The monster exploded in a geyser of foul ichor, raining acid and bone. Ethan collapsed next to Aria, shielding her with his jacket.
She stared at him in disbelief. "You're insane."
"I've been told worse."
The return was somber but filled with hope.
Aria received immediate care. Her skills were undeniable—within hours, she began treating minor injuries, reordering supplies, and instructing two other survivors in field sanitation.
Later that evening, Ethan found her gazing out the window at the darkened landscape.
"I never thought I'd feel safe again," she whispered. "Not until now."
"You helped us too. It's not just about surviving anymore. It's about rebuilding."
She gave a soft smile. "Then let's start with healing."
• System Notification
[Survivor Rescued: Dr. Aria Lin]• Profession: Virologist / Combat Medic• Special Trait: Field Stabilization (Medical treatments in Shelter 30% faster)• Unique Skill Unlocked: Instant Diagnostics (Chance to auto-cure minor ailments)• Shelter Credit Gained: +15• Blueprint Unlocked: Medical Cultivation Lab• New Research Available: Adaptive Mutagen Stabilizers• Shelter Morale Boost: +8%
[Hostile Den Cleared – Mini-Mutant Nest]• Creatures Eliminated: 6• Shelter Credits Earned: +12• Resources Acquired: – Mutant Biomass ×10 – Acid Gland (craftable) ×1 – Neural Fiber ×3 – Structural Alloy Fragments• Blueprint Gained: – Creature Behavior Analysis Terminal (Tier I) – Defensive Wall Mod: Sonic Emitter (Rare)• Unlock: Region Scan Extended +1km Radius• Regional Threats Visible on Tactical Map