In the heart of a destroyed city, Haven-12, there were no humans left to inhabit the hellish ruins. The once-thriving city had been overtaken by mindless zombies. By 2030, 70% of the human population had perished, leaving the survivors to build isolated bases far from the zombie-infested cities.
As time passed, human supplies dwindled, forcing the survivors to venture into the ruined cities to scavenge for resources. To do so, the leaders of the bases formed specialized teams known as Unity Ops. These teams were tasked with retrieving supplies from the dangerous, zombie-filled cities. Over time, the zombies grew stronger and more resilient, posing an ever-increasing threat.
After months of scavenging malls and buildings, a flicker of hope ignited among the survivors. With the supplies secured, they began to believe they might be able to survive the catastrophe. The base leaders also ordered their surviving scientists to research the zombie plague and develop an antidote for the virus. This team was called Vita Ops.
In one of the many decimated cities, a team of five was scavenging for food for their families.
A young man, Alex, was silently making his way toward a food store. As he approached the bakery, a zombie suddenly appeared before him, startling him. Alex screamed at the top of his lungs, unwittingly drawing the attention of the surrounding zombies.
"What the hell? When did this zombie get in front of me without me noticing?" Alex muttered under his breath.
Startled, Alex quickly ran toward his teammates, who had heard his scream and were already on their way. Just as Alex reached the first floor of the mall, a Japanese man stepped out in front of him, startling him again. Alex almost screamed, but the man placed a hand over his mouth and gestured for him to stay silent.
"Levi, why do you always pop up like a ghost?" Alex whispered.
Levi, his face serious, twitched slightly at the comment. He punched Alex on the head and snapped, "Can't you be serious for one minute? Stop being careless."
Alex smirked. "Nah, man. It's more fun like this. Besides, your face looks like someone just stole your last loaf of bread."
Just then, the rest of the team arrived, forming a tight group. Levi spoke urgently. "We need to leave. If we don't, the zombies will hear us and swarm."
Alex, still munching on a piece of bread, turned his head and said, "I'm not an idiot. Let's move before more zombies show up. I hear their footsteps already."
Without waiting for a reply, the five of them sprinted toward the mall's emergency exit.
But as they neared the exit, Levi suddenly stopped, holding up a hand to signal the team. Aria, a member of the team, looked at him, puzzled. "Why are we stopping, Levi? We need to keep moving."
Then, from the exit, a zombie emerged, charging straight for them. Levi quickly drew his knife and stabbed the zombie in the neck, killing it instantly.
Alex, who had been standing near Levi, grinned. "Haha, Aria, you should learn from me and Levi. We're strong like that."
Aria rolled her eyes, placing a hand on her forehead. "First of all, you're weaker than me, and I could take you down in a minute. So, no, I don't need to learn how to scream like a little kid. Shut up."
Alex defended himself, "Who's scared? That scream was just to scare the zombie away, okay?"
The rest of the team stared at him, incredulous.
"What? Why are you all staring at me like that? Let's go. We need to move!"
As they made their way to the exit, Levi suddenly noticed something strange. The zombie he had killed had red stones embedded in its neck. He crouched down to examine it, carefully cutting away the flesh around the stones.
Alex, seeing the gruesome act, grimaced. "Eww, Levi! You don't need to eat that zombie! You can have my bread if you're that hungry."
The team stared at Alex as though he had lost his mind. Aria approached Levi, kneeling beside him. She placed her arm around Alex's shoulder and said, "You're such a fool, my dear brother. A fool."
Alex feigned indignation. "Yeah, yeah. In your eyes, Levi's better than me. How did I end up with a sister like you—so heartless?"
Aria shot him a dead stare before turning to Levi. "Levi, why are you cutting open the zombie's neck? Did you find something?"
Levi, after finishing his task, held up a small red stone. "This stone was embedded in its neck. I'm not sure what it is, but we can take it to Vita Ops for analysis."
Alex, his face practically pressed against Levi's hand, asked eagerly, "Levi, can I have it?"
Levi raised an eyebrow. "What do you want it for?"
"I want to taste it," Alex said, eyeing the stone with childlike wonder. "It looks so shiny and tasty."
Aria kicked him in the side. "Shut up, fool."
"Ow! I was just joking, sister. Can't you take a joke?"
John, a muscular team member, suddenly spoke up from behind them. "Let's go. I hear more zombies coming."
Without another word, John bolted toward the exit, and the rest of the team followed suit.
As they reached the jeep, Levi noticed that his hand was bleeding from the sharp edges of the stone. When his blood touched the stone, it began to shrink, eventually disappearing into his hand.
"Huh? Where did it go?" Levi muttered, confused.
After sitting in the jeep, Levi suddenly began to feel dizzy. His head throbbed with pain, and he turned to John. "John, drive. I don't feel well."
John nodded and quickly took the wheel. "Pull over, and we'll switch seats."
As they made their way back to base, Levi's body started heating up, and he felt a surge of power coursing through him. It was as though he could punch through anything with a single blow.
Weeks later, Levi discovered something incredible. He was humanity's first awakened. His newfound power sparked hope, but also fear, among the survivors. Many others began to awaken, though most could not because the zombies killed them first or they lacked the genetic traits necessary for awakening.
Vita Ops began studying the DNA of awakened humans in hopes of mass-producing more, but their efforts ended in failure after failure.
Awakened individuals were now both revered and feared. While they could gather more supplies, their increasing power also led to a sense of superiority. Some awakened individuals, with criminal tendencies, began forming their own bases and ruling them with a dictatorial grip. The leaders of the human bases started recruiting awakened individuals to protect themselves from these rogue groups.
And so, the world that had once been dominated by the living was now a fractured, dangerous place. Survival had become more than just a matter of scavenging; it was a matter of power, fear, and trust.