### Chapter 3 - Are We Safe A chilling alarm blared, slicing through the sterile air of Theo’s hospital room like a knife. Without uttering a word, the doctor and nurses erupted into a flurry of motion, racing out of the room as if their very lives depended on it. “Emergency alert? Code Black?” Aries murmured, her eyes hardening with determination as she turned to Theo. “Stay put. I’ll find out what’s going on.” With that, she vanished through the door, leaving Theo alone. A soft chuckle escaped him as he shook his head, amusement flickering in his gaze. “This nagger,” he murmured, a smile creeping onto his lips. “I really pity her future husband.” Though just two years his junior, Aries often took on the role of the responsible older sibling, a role reminiscent of their mother's watchful eyes during their childhood. She was fiercely independent, juggling nursing school with her ambitions, and Theo had often found himself at odds with her relentless drive. Attempting to shield her from the harsher realities of life, he had made it a point to dissuade her from taking up summer jobs at the cafeteria, but her tenacity knew no bounds. As he settled more comfortably against the bed, Theo’s thoughts drifted back to the screen of stats floating in his mind. “Let’s see if I’m just hallucinating,” he muttered. The phrase ‘Mutation Abyss’ echoed in his head, a stark reminder of the reality he was trapped in, and suddenly, the familiar digital interface flashed before him once more. “Whoa!” Theo exclaimed, eyes widening as he explored the core system tabs swirling in his consciousness. He clicked on ‘Status’ and read aloud: [Name: Theodore Luther] [Nickname: Theo] [Age: 22] [Race: Human] [Rank: Pioneer] [Special Ability/Power: locked until triggered] [Mutation Level: 0] [HP (Health Points): 90/100] [EXP (Experience Points): 0] [MP (Mana/Energy Points): 30/100] [Strength: 2] [Agility: 2] [Intelligence: 10] [Endurance: 10] [Wealth: 0] “What the hell? Even in this, I suck?” he hissed in frustration, scowling at the numbers glaring back at him. The Missions/Quests tab blinked incessantly, drawing his attention. Navigating through the categories, he landed on the Survival Mission. The anxiety in his chest tightened as he absorbed the objectives laid out before him: [Main Quest: Survive the Impact] **Objective:** Survive the aftermath of the meteorite impact and stabilize your physical and mental state. [Main Quest: Secure Resources] **Objective:** Forage for food, water, and supplies. Your survival depends on securing essential resources. [Main Quest: Defeat the Threat] **Objective:** Eliminate Meteorborns and MB infectees, or escape their threat. Your survival depends on confronting them head-on. [Rewards: Unlock Basic Mutation Powers, Increase in EXP, and Learn the Basics of Energy Management] “Meteorborn and MB Infectee?” he muttered, brow furrowing in confusion. Just then, descriptions of the creatures materialized before him: [Meteorborn are the restless dead reborn through the meteorite's energy. Twisted and infectious, they hunger for flesh and mutate their victims into MB Infectees, who also hunger for flesh.] A chill shot down his spine, heart racing as he recalled the vivid imagery presented. Before he could dwell on the horrifying details, Aries burst back into the room, panting and wide-eyed. “We have to leave now!” she declared breathlessly, her expression painted with urgency. The look on her face was enough to send alarm bells ringing in his head. Without a moment’s sign of hesitation, she yanked the IV tube from his arm, making him hiss in pain as she hastily applied a band-aid with practiced efficiency. “Put these on!” she insisted, tossing him clothes and turning her back, determination etched across her features. “Hurry! The hospital's descending into chaos. I took the fire exit, and people are attacking each other like they’ve lost their minds.” Panic gripped Theo as the gravity of her words sank in, each syllable echoing the nightmare he’d just read about. A storm of dread brewed within him as he pulled on his clothes. “Let’s go,” he urged, resolving to brace himself against whatever horrors awaited them. With a firm grip on his hand, Aries propelled them through the building. The hallways were a cacophony of frantic phone calls and agitated voices, patients embroiled in heated disputes, oblivious to the imminent danger looming just outside. “Straight to the fire exit!” she commanded, leading him through the chaos in a desperate dash. “How are we supposed to escape? Aren’t hospitals supposed to be on lockdown?” Theo murmured, bewilderment creeping into his words. Aries cast him an exasperated glance. “Of course! All exits must be locked,” she affirmed, frustration bubbling to the surface. “Sometimes I really don’t know how you got that scholarship, sis. Academically gifted, yet your common sense often... leaves much to be desired,” he teased, failing to suppress a smile. “What did you say?!” She shot him a suspicious glare, eyes narrowing defiantly. “Nothing,” he retorted with a chuckle, ruffling her hair playfully. “Just kidding. Come on, let’s head back.” “But—” Panic seeped into her tone, “It’s a madhouse upstairs! I swear I saw people attacking each other! We’ll die if we stay here!” Before her words could sink in, a series of heavy thuds resounded from the fire exit, punctuated by low, guttural snarls that sent a thrill of terror racing through them. The atmosphere thickened with dread, and Theo’s breath caught in his throat. “Let’s try the windows instead, Aries. We can use the fire hose and climb down!” he whispered urgently, maintaining a façade of calm. Aries nodded in agreement, and they turned back toward the hallway. But just then… [Ding! MB Infectees are coming. Each MB Infectee kill grants +10 EXP and +1 gold coin.] A twist of excitement and fear coursed through Theo’s veins. ‘Gold coins?’ he wondered, racing thoughts competing for space in his mind. ‘What does that even mean here?’ [Ding! You can convert every 1 gold coin to 100,000 Nexa Money Currency of your Country Nepthal.] His heart surged. Ten kills could mean a million? But before he could fathom the implications, a visceral scream shattered the air. Spinning around, Theo’s heart dropped as he saw Aries on the floor, grappling with a man in a nurse’s uniform. His pallid skin and crazed demeanor epitomized everything terrifying—a grotesque marionette fueled by a desperate, hungry curse. Without weighing his options, Theo lunged, hand grasping the man’s collar, pulling him off his sister with all the strength he could muster. The frantic snarls of the infectee echoed ominously down the hall as he hurled the deranged nurse away, his sister’s wide, terrified eyes igniting a fire in his heart. He would not let her perish—not like this. “Grab the fire hose and throw it to the nearest window! We’ll climb down!” he barked, urgency fueling his words. Without a second's thought, Aries sprinted towards the hose. Theo barely had a moment to process the shifting chaos before the infectee lunged for him again, a gnarled mouth snapping open, desperate to sink teeth into flesh. It was a scene straight from the darkest corners of his nightmares, yet here they were: survivors in a horror movie turned reality. Shoving the MB infectee back, he fought back against the tangle of horror drowning in his mind. The man was sluggish, moving with a grotesque clumsiness fueled by an insatiable hunger. Yet the instinct to spare him nagged at his conscience. “Theo!” Aries’s voice yanked him back to reality. Instinct kicked in, and in a heartbeat, he wrapped his hands around the infectee’s head. A swift motion brought a *sickening crack*, reverberating painfully against the sterile walls as he snapped the man’s neck, pushing the lifeless body away, lungs heaving in shock. Desperation surged as he turned back. Aries was now entangled with another assailant—a woman clad in a tattered hospital gown, nails gouging for a taste of life. Out of the corner of his eye, Theo spotted a fire emergency case gleaming in the dim light. Without hesitating, he dashed for it, slamming his fist through the glass. A surge of adrenaline coursed through him, barely registering the sting before his fingers closed around a gleaming axe inside. He swung into action, wrenching the woman away from Aries, pulling her clear of the predator's reach. In one decisive movement, the axe arced through the air, its blade biting deep into the woman’s skull. A sickening crunch echoed through the hallway as her body crumpled to the ground, lifeless. [Ding! +10 EXP, +1 Gold Coin] Shaking off the horror, Theo fought to regain his focus. Now was not the time for distractions. “Theo, get inside!” Aries called, urgency lacing her words. His heart pounding, he obeyed without a moment’s pause, darting toward the door, slipping through just as it slammed shut behind him. Panting, he scanned the room, still gripping the axe tightly, feeling the weight of their dire situation. Aries was crouched by a window, peering outside, her face a mix of hope and trepidation. “The military’s here!” she exclaimed as relief washed over her features. “Are we safe now?” Theo rushed to her side, heart still racing as he glanced down. Armed soldiers were erecting barricades below, their movements precise yet heavy with grim determination. An unsettling sensation blossomed in his gut; they weren’t just securing the perimeter—they were locking it down. Aries’s complexion paled, dread creeping in. “They’re not letting anyone out…”