Chapter 9 — Infiltration and Revelations
The gray sky over New York seemed to announce imminent chaos. Daniel stared at the horizon through the apartment window, while distant grunts echoed between the abandoned buildings. The smell of death began to permeate the air, even up there.
"You need to stay here," Daniel said, turning to his parents, sister, and friends. "I'm going to clear the building and the surrounding area. If we want to have a safe escape route, I need to do it now."
"Are you going alone?" his sister asked, worried.
Daniel nodded, his expression serious. The invisible system flashed in his vision, bringing crucial information.
[System Warning: Inventory Activated — Capacity: 1000m³]
[Accumulated Crystals: 40]
[Available Points for Distribution: 5]
He had already studied how it worked. The crystals served both to strengthen his body and to buy items from the System's mysterious Shop. It was the difference between life and death.
The building needed to be cleaned, but there was something else on his mind. The System had revealed information about an Umbrella base nearby. It was no coincidence. Everything was connected, and he needed answers. And, if the rumors were true, inside that facility he would find not only clues, but someone who would change the course of events.
Alice.
The name echoed in his head, along with the confused memories of the movies and the distorted reality he found himself in. Was it real? Or just another piece of this nightmare?
He grabbed the sword that absorbed vitality and his pistol with the few bullets he had left.
"Be quiet. Don't make any noise." They are attracted to loud sounds. I'll be back soon," he promised, before disappearing down the stairs, heading for danger.
And the real building was shrouded in shadows. Each floor was a minefield of wide-open doors, overturned furniture, and dried bloodstains on the walls. Daniel moved silently, his sword steady in his right hand and his pistol in his left. His watchful eyes scanned the room, while the invisible System projected information directly into his mind.
[Radar Activated: Nearby Motion Detection]
A red dot flashed ahead, in the hallway. He approached, his steps precise, without hesitation. When he turned the corner, he saw the zombie: thin, with its skin hanging in strips, its eyes dull and hungry. Daniel advanced without making a sound and, with a precise blow, pierced the creature's skull.
[Zombie Eliminated — +10 XP]
[Crystal Obtained — 1]
The body fell heavily. Daniel took a deep breath. Each death made him stronger, and the crystals began to accumulate. But he knew that this was just the beginning. The building needed to be cleaned, and the perimeter secured. He couldn't risk the lives of his parents, his sister, his friends.
On the ground floor, he found two more zombies wandering near the exit. He used the silence to his advantage. Moving like a predator, he eliminated the first with a blow to the back of the neck and the second with a direct stab to the heart, even though he knew that only the brain would erase them for good.
The System updated:
[Zombies Eliminated: 3]
[Crystals: 43]
[Skill Points: 6]
"I need to get stronger," he thought. He opened the System panel mentally.
UPDATED STATUS
Strength: 4 (+2)
Speed: 3 (+1)
Stamina: 3 (+1)
Vitality: 13 (+2)
The effects were immediate. He felt his muscles tense, his breathing stabilize, his body more agile and resistant. There was no time to waste. He needed to get information and, if the System was right, there was something much bigger going on.
Outside, the scene was a nightmare: destroyed cars, smoke on the horizon, grunts in the distance. The zombies were multiplying. Daniel activated the System's radar, mapping the movements in a 200-meter radius.
Nearby, in one of the hidden alleys, there was an underground entrance — the access to the Umbrella facility.
[Parallel Mission Activated: Infiltrate the Umbrella Facility]
"Now or never," he thought. He followed the System's map to the alley. There was a rusty trapdoor, camouflaged under boxes and trash. He forced the lid and climbed down the hatch. Darkness took over. Only the faint glow of the System interface guided his steps. The underground corridor had metal walls and a smell of oil and mold. He advanced in silence, his senses heightened. It wasn't long before the first automatic doors appeared. He had played "Resident Evil", he knew the clichés. Where there was Umbrella, there was trouble. Locked doors, cameras, sensors. But the System offered advantages. [Hacking Terminal: Success] The doors opened with a metallic hiss. The interior environment was in emergency: red lights flashing, alarms cut off, marks of combat on the walls. Something had happened there before the infection spread. Further ahead, he found the bodies of Umbrella soldiers - or what was left of them. Their armor was torn apart, their faces disfigured. No It was the zombies. This was the work of something worse.
As he advanced, the voice of the System's AI — the loli with a sarcastic tone — sounded:
— Senpai, be careful! Signs of life detected. They are not normal humans… Looks like the party has already started.
He gripped the hilt of his sword. Turning the next hallway, he saw her: blonde hair, torn tactical clothing, a cold and determined expression. Alice.
She was kneeling next to a destroyed terminal, analyzing the place. Daniel felt his heart race. It was her, in the flesh. Not a movie, not a simulation.
Alice looked up, noticing his presence. In an instant, she drew her gun and pointed it at him.
— Who the hell are you? — Her voice was firm, suspicious.
Daniel raised his hands, keeping calm.
— I am not your enemy. I am here for the same reason as you… Umbrella. They caused all this, didn't they?
Alice kept her gaze fixed on him, assessing every move.
"You know more than you should," she replied, lowering her weapon slightly, but without relaxing.
The System updated, projecting data on Alice:
[Confirmed Identity: Alice Abernathy — Level: ??? — Status: Modified Human]
[Warning: Interaction with key character detected. Main event in progress.]
Daniel took a deep breath. He knew he needed to gain her trust—and fast. Before the System could reveal more, a loud bang shook the hallway. The doors behind them burst open and dozens of zombies began to squeeze through the entrance, their bodies contorted, their mouths wide open.
Alice and Daniel looked at each other. There was no time for explanations. She threw a pulse grenade, while Daniel advanced with his sword glowing blood-red, absorbing the vitality of his enemies.
The combat was brutal. The dead advanced in waves. Daniel moved like never before—strength, speed, stamina—all amplified by the points distributed. Each blow, each cut, made the System update:
[Zombies Eliminated: +20]
[Crystals Obtained: +25]
[Skill Points: +3]
Alice fought like a veteran, agile and deadly. Bullets pierced skulls, while zombies fell at her feet. Daniel realized that she was no ordinary human either—her reflexes, her resistance, her focus—everything betrayed improvements.
When the last zombie fell, panting, they stared at each other.
"You know how to fight," Alice commented, putting away her gun. "And there's something strange about you. How did you know about Umbrella?"
Daniel hesitated for a moment. He couldn't reveal the System. Never. But part of the truth was inevitable.
"Let's just say that… I had information from unofficial sources," he answered, looking away to the hallway. "We need to get out of here. This facility will collapse or worse… If anything else escapes, we won't be able to hold it in.
Alice nodded, her face hardening.
"All of this… the virus, the experiments… It's not an accident. Umbrella did this on purpose."
Daniel already knew. And more than ever, he needed to strengthen himself. The city was falling, but he had allies—and now, perhaps, Alice would be one of them.
As they retreated together, the System sent one last message:
[Mission Complete: First Infiltration]
[Total Crystals: 78]
[Available Points: 9]
[Access to System Shop Unlocked]
He smiled slightly. It was just beginning.
The survival game was just beginning.