The control room bathed in a cold, sterile light. Ethan stared at the terminal screen where the Shelter Credit balance glared back at him.
[Shelter Upgrade Locked: Daily Utility Wing]• Required Shelter Credits: 250 SC• Current Balance: 87 SC
They needed more than defense—they needed sustainable living. But without enough Shelter Credits, the project would stall.
He clenched his fists. "Then we earn it. Old-school way."
Mission Directive: Weekly Operation – Target Elimination & Resource AcquisitionObjective: Earn 200 SC within 7 days through bounty hunts, scavenging, and field missions.Team Formation:
Alpha Recon (Combat Unit): • Ethan (Leader), Milo (Close Combat), Sima (Tech & Recon)
Beta Sweepers (Support & Recovery): • Rei (Scavenger), Jun (Tech Assistant), Aria (Sniper), Kenji (Mechanic)
[Log: Day 1 – Quarry Gorehorn]
Target: Mutant GorehornLocation: Quarry Town Mineshaft, Sector 14-SWThreat Class: Brute – Tier 3
Mission: Eliminate the Gorehorn disrupting sensor grid calibration and potential ore zone.
The stale, metallic smell of the mine filled their lungs as the teams moved cautiously through dimly lit tunnels. Echoes of distant rockfall sent shivers down spines, but the real terror was the Gorehorn's guttural roar, shaking dust from the ceiling.
Milo's pulse grenade burst, a shower of sparks and smoke. The beast charged, massive hooves pounding, jaws snapping. Ethan's alloy blade sliced through tendon and muscle as Sima's drone flitted overhead, marking weak points.
It wasn't an easy kill—the Gorehorn lashed wildly, the force knocking Ethan off balance more than once. Blood slicked the ground, mixing with oil and dirt.
After the final strike, the silence settled heavy and thick.
Beta Sweepers quickly scavenged the site. Rei's sharp eyes found twisted metal scraps, shards of ore sparkling faintly, while Kenji pried loose a damaged power conduit — a precious relic of the old world.
Outcome: Target Eliminated• Shelter Credits: +25 SC• Resources: Gorehide x3, Tusk Fragments x2, Mutant Core (Low Tier), Metal Scraps, Ore Pieces, Power Conduit
[Log: Day 2 – Hive Sweep]
Target: Hive Queen – Acid Crawler VariantLocation: Flooded Underpass, SE-Grid-19Threat Class: Infestation – Tier 4
Mission: Clear developing hive in submerged underpass. Threat to route stability and patrol networks.
The flooded underpass was a suffocating labyrinth of fog and mold. Spore clouds hung thick in the air, clinging to every surface.
The Hive Queen's screech shattered the eerie calm. Sima's drones buzzed furiously, trying to map the twisting tunnels.
Aria's sniper shots echoed as she picked off smaller swarm members, while Ethan and Milo set traps to isolate the queen. The creature's acid spray hissed on the stone, burning trails in the ground and air alike.
It was a grueling fight, every moment a desperate gamble. The queen's massive bulk crashed against reinforced walls, but the team held fast.
After the dust settled, Rei harvested fungal spores that might one day heal or harm, while Jun carefully collected chitinous plates—reminders that even monsters could yield value.
Outcome: Hive Destroyed• Shelter Credits: +30 SC• Resources: Acid Glands x2, Spore Cysts, Hardened Carapace x5, Fungal Spores, Chitin Fragments
[Log: Day 3 – Suburban Sweep]
Target: Scarhound Alpha PackLocation: Supermarket District, Zone 7-RThreat Class: Pack Hunt – Tier 3
Mission: Eliminate feral predator group disrupting scavenger routes. Optional: salvage old-world food.
The ruined supermarket district, once a place of bustle, now lay silent but for the low growls of Scarhounds prowling the shadows.
The pack struck with ruthless coordination, forcing the team to split and regroup repeatedly. Kenji's shock mines sent arcs of electricity through the snarling beasts. Aria's calm precision kept the deadliest at bay.
When Ethan's blade finally found the alpha's throat, a weary cheer echoed through their comms.
Amid the ruins, Rei's quick fingers pried open sealed lockers, pulling out intact protein rations — fragile treasures of a world long gone.
Outcome: Pack Eliminated• Shelter Credits: +21 SC• Resources: Scarhound Pelt x4, Protein Rations (Old-World) x30, Bone Fragments, Scrap Electronics
[Log: Day 4 – Blood Crow Roost]
Target: Mutant Carrion BirdsLocation: Broadcast Tower, North RidgeThreat Class: Sky Swarm – Tier 3
Mission: Remove airborne predators interfering with long-range comms.
The wind whipped fiercely atop the broadcast tower's crumbling skeleton. Carrion birds circled, their shrill cries cutting through the cold air.
Fighting a swarm of winged predators was no easy task. Ethan climbed with careful steps, dodging dive-bombs. Aria's sharpshooting brought down the fastest and deadliest.
When the central nest was destroyed, Kenji's salvage of optical lenses and wiring hinted at future repairs—small threads of normalcy in chaos.
Outcome: Nest Cleared• Shelter Credits: +26 SC• Resources: Feather Alloy, Signal Crystal, Optical Matrix (Damaged), Optical Lenses, Wiring
[Log: Day 5 – Factory Rescue]
Target: Rogue Defense UnitsLocation: Old Manufacturing Zone, Block DeltaThreat Class: Autonomous Defense – Tier 4
Mission: Terminate rogue security droids. Survivor signal confirmed.
Old manufacturing zones hid secrets and dangers. The buzz of rogue defense droids was a chilling reminder of the past.
The mission turned from pure combat to a rescue operation. Ethan fought tooth and nail to save Lira, an engineer trapped in the mechanical maze.
Her gratitude was unspoken but deeply felt—a fragile spark of humanity rekindled.
Kenji's team recovered circuits and weapon casings, salvaging tools vital for their survival.
Outcome: Units Disabled• Shelter Credits: +19 SC• Resources: Circuit Shards, Weapon Casings, Damaged AI Core, Power Cells• Survivor: Lira (Age 25, Engineer-Class)
[Log: Day 6 – Rust Marsh Pack]
Target: Swamp Leapers (x7)Location: Rust Marsh WetlandsThreat Class: Amphibious Ambush – Tier 3
Mission: Neutralize threat near water purification route.
The Rust Marsh was a quagmire of mud and decay, thick with the smell of rot and stagnant water. The amphibious leapers emerged suddenly, their acidic bile hissing in the air.
Ethan fought through sharp claws and venomous spray, his body aching but undeterred. Kenji's electrified traps made the marsh come alive with dangerous light.
Rei's knowledge of swamp plants uncovered medicinal herbs, a small comfort amid the brutal fight.
Outcome: Pack Eliminated• Shelter Credits: +23 SC• Resources: Bile Glands, Reptile Skin x6, Monster Core x1, Medicinal Plants
[Log: Day 7 – Titan Molar Nest]
Target: Titan Molar (Lone-Type)Location: Drainage Tunnel Beneath Plaza Sector 3BThreat Class: Subterranean – Tier 5
Mission: Eliminate single apex beast to secure subterranean shelter expansion.
The subterranean drainage tunnel was claustrophobic and dark, save for the flicker of Sima's drones. The Titan Molar was a force of nature—a living mountain.
The first charge nearly crushed Milo, but Ethan's quick thinking baited the beast into a collapsing tunnel. The final sniper shot echoed like a thunderclap.
As the dust settled, Beta team gathered heavy bones and rare resins — materials both strange and precious.
Outcome: Target Slain• Shelter Credits: +34 SC• Resources: Monster Bone x3, Tunnel Resin, Core Fragments (Mid-Tier), Mechanical Parts, Old Piping
[Shelter System Log: Expedition Report Completed]• Total Shelter Credits Earned: +178 SC• Total Creatures Eliminated: 7 Threats• New Resources Gained: 55+ materials from combat and scavenging• Survivors Rescued: 1 (Engineer)• Final SC Balance:265 SC
As the seventh day closed, the fortress sat under a violet dusk. Smoke from the day's dinner stew mingled with laughter. Aria helped Lira configure her bunk while Milo cracked jokes about Ethan finally getting gray hairs.
No speeches were given. No toasts raised. But everyone slept lighter that night—fed, healed, and protected.
Ethan stood by the new construction schematic under the stars. Tomorrow, he'd finally unlock the Daily Utility Wing.
But more than that, he'd proved something to everyone watching.
They weren't just surviving anymore.
They were living.