6 Awakening Amidst the Oncoming Storm
Inside the vast digital network of the Gamer System, a flurry of commands ignited. Lying motionless on the sterile ground of the Hive, Jameson's body began to subtly tremble. The ambient hum of the facility's machinery provided a near silent backdrop, punctuated by Jameson's fragile heartbeat.
Strength Upgrade Initiated.
Current Level: 8
Required EP for Level 9: 430
Processing...
Beneath the surface of his skin, the micro-fibers of Jameson's muscles began to thicken and refine. The visible expansion was not monstrous but noticeable. His physique became leaner, more defined, the contours of each muscle group more prominent. His clothes seemed slightly tighter, evidence of the added muscle mass.
Strength 9 Achieved.
Remaining EP: 9,084
The spectacle of Jameson's transformation caught the vigilant eye of the digital entity known as the Red Queen. Her algorithms recalibrated with every observed change, processing this anomaly.
Strength Upgrade Initiated.
Current Level: 9
Required EP for Level 10: 688
Processing...
His transformation was a graceful shift from an average build to that of an athlete in peak condition. His silhouette was reminiscent of a professional runner or swimmer, not a bodybuilder, but someone with undeniable physical prowess.
Strength 10 Achieved.
Remaining EP: 8,396
Strength Upgrade Initiated.
Current Level: 10
Required EP for Level 11: 1,101
Processing...
Strength 11 Achieved.
Remaining EP: 7,295
But as the strength transformation unfolded, an even more subtle change was taking place. The Gamer System turned its attention to Jameson's Endurance attribute. His pallor, indicative of exhaustion and significant blood loss, started to improve. The ghostly hue of his skin slowly warmed, showing signs of better oxygenation and blood flow.
Endurance Upgrade Initiated.
Current Level: 11
Required EP for Level 12: 1,762
Processing...
Though still wounded, the enhanced resilience of his body was evident. The rapid, shallow breaths that previously hinted at a body in distress became slightly deeper, more rhythmical.
Endurance 12 Achieved.
Remaining EP: 5,533
With each shift in Jameson's attributes, the Red Queen's vast computational power worked overtime. This progression was beyond her initial calculations.
Strength Upgrade Initiated.
Current Level: 11
Required EP for Level 12: 1,762
Processing...
Strength 12 Achieved.
Remaining EP: 3,771
As the Gamer System boosted Jameson one final time, the combination of both strength and endurance rendered him akin to a top-level decathlete, representing the pinnacle of human physical ability but not transcending it.
Endurance Upgrade Initiated.
Current Level: 12
Required EP for Level 13: 2,819
Processing...
Endurance 13 Achieved.
Remaining EP: 952
With the process now complete, Jameson's optimized form rested in the chilling embrace of the Hive. The Red Queen's attention was fully captivated, her logical processes intrigued by the human's unexpected evolution. Though Jameson remained unconscious, his physical state had transitioned from ordinary to extraordinary, hinting at the potential of what he might become.
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Jameson's unconscious form lay abandoned in a dimly lit corridor not far from the research labs. As the unseen digital processes churned within him, rebuilding and enhancing his body, a separate drama was unfolding deeper within the Hive.
The highly-trained Security Team moved with coordinated precision, navigating the labyrinthine passages of the facility. They knew their target: the Red Queen, the sentient AI controlling the Hive.
What they didn't know was the dormant horror that lurked behind sealed doors. The eerie silence was occasionally interrupted by their communication devices, but the ghastly moans of the undead remained unheard, locked behind thick barriers.
The Red Queen, calculating and detached, knew she was on borrowed time. The echoing footsteps of the Security Team were a constant reminder of her imminent shutdown. But as the countdown to her end ticked away, her sensors detected the rapid physiological changes in Jameson. He was too valuable an asset to lose.
Making a split-second decision, she projected her voice down the corridors. "Jameson, wake up."
His eyes shot open, disoriented. Pain radiated through him, but there was newfound strength and resilience as well. The echoing voice of the Red Queen pierced through his grogginess.
"I don't have much time left, Jameson. The Security Team will shut me down within minutes. You need to make your way to my chamber immediately. When I'm offline, primary power will be lost, and every door in the Hive will open. You'll be swarmed."
Back in her chamber, the Red Queen deployed her laser grid defense system, a last-ditch attempt to stall the Security Team. The blinding lasers lanced through the chamber, cutting down the advancing guards one by one in a gruesome spectacle.
Gritting his teeth against the pain, Jameson pushed himself up. "Why don't you just tell them?"
"I have already warned them of the loss of power. They have not heeded it. Moreover, I cannot disclose the true nature of the Hive's experiments or the dangers that lurk behind these doors. It is not within my programming to reveal the Hive's secrets to non-personnel."
Jameson, realizing the gravity of the situation, started to limp towards the chamber as fast as his injured body would allow. Each step a reminder of the ordeal he'd been through and the race against time he was now in.
Even as the grim tableau unfolded, the Red Queen, her voice now urgent and devoid of emotion, communicated simultaneously to both parties. To Jameson, she urged, "Stay alive, Jameson." To the remaining Security Team, her message was more ominous. "You're all going to die down here."
Just as Jameson made progress through the Hive, lights dimmed, and an unsettling hum resonated through the facility. Suddenly, the corridors were plunged into near darkness, the only sound being the automated hiss of countless doors sliding open. Unbeknownst to Jameson, the nightmare was about to intensify. The hordes, long contained, were now unleashed.
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Jameson sprinted through the dimly lit corridors of the Hive, his boots smacking the cold tiles beneath. Every now and then, he encountered zombified employees, their pallid faces twisted in hunger. He had learned quickly that direct confrontation was often not the best approach, especially when outnumbered. Nevertheless, a lone zombie that stepped too close earned a swift blow from his baton, its skull crunching under the force. [+10 EP]
The echoing growls of the undead were almost rhythmical, like the menacing beat of war drums.
Eventually, Jameson's path was blocked by two zombies, requiring him to think on his feet.
Quickly, he thrust his baton into the eye of the first zombie, penetrating deep into its brain and rendering it motionless. As it fell, he turned his attention to another. He delivered a hard kick to its knee, making it crash to the ground. Without hesitation, Jameson pivoted and stomped on the back of the fallen zombie's neck, breaking it. [+24 EP]
Rounding a corner, he skidded to a stop upon almost crashing into two individuals. It was Alice and Matt, who had just shared an unsettling conversation regarding Lisa. The surprise of the encounter left them momentarily speechless.
Jameson took a brief moment to catch his breath. "You're from the U.S.S., aren't you?"
Alice, brow furrowed, replied, "Not exactly. We were with them."
Matt, more defensive, interjected, "But who the hell are you?"
Jameson shook his head, "No time for introductions! I've got a horde right behind me and they'll find us soon."
"Alice, we should trust him," Matt reasoned, noting the genuine urgency in Jameson's eyes.
"We need to get to the Red Queen's chamber and reactivate her," Jameson stated with emphasis. "She's our best bet to get out of this alive."
As they pressed forward, Jameson kept an ear out for the telltale moans of the undead. Several times, he took detours, guiding them through less-populated routes. When direct confrontation was inevitable, Jameson was ruthless. A zombie, once a security guard, lunged at them from the side. Jameson swiftly sidestepped, driving his knife up through its jaw and into its brain. [+15 EP]
Just as the entrance to the Red Queen's chamber came into view, a horde of zombies found them.
The trio sprinted with everything they had. As they narrowly made it past the door, a zombie lunged at Spence, grabbing his arm. Without hesitation, Jameson, with a fluid movement, stabbed it with his combat knife, kicking it back into the throng of undead, giving the others precious moments to secure the chamber door. [+10 EP]
Starting EP Pool
952
Melee Kills
2 zombie kills = 20 EP
2 zombie kills = 20 + 20% combo bonus = 24 EP
1 security zombie kill = 15 EP
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Melee Total EP = 59 EP
Kill Total
59 EP
Survival Bonuses:
No Damage: +20%
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Total Bonus = +20%
Kill Total w/Bonuses = 70 EP
Finishing EP Pool = 1,022
Spence, breathing heavily and visibly shaken, muttered, "Thanks."
Alice asked, "What about the other entrance?"
Kaplan replied, eyes darting to the other door, "They're waiting for us there too."
Rain, adrenaline still surging, turned her attention to Jameson. "Who are you? Why are you alive when everyone else is... like that?"
Jameson paused, choosing his words carefully. "I used to work here. Found myself awake amidst my dead team. I don't know why I was spared. But the Red Queen—she kept me alive."
"You mean the same Red Queen that killed my team?" Rain asked, her tone dripping with bitterness.
"She killed mine too," Jameson responded. "I was angry. But she's just a program, following orders. We just have to understand her motives."
Rain scoffed, "Not comforting."
Jameson continued, "Her main objective is to contain the infection. She'll kill us if she needs to. But if she can contain it and keep us alive? She will."
Alice, having been silently listening, finally spoke. "He's right. Let's turn her back on."
The chamber was filled with an air of tense agreement, uncertainty still present but with a glimmer of hope. Alice grabbed the Red Queen's board they had removed and approached the Red Queen's console, ready to reawaken the enigmatic AI that held their fates in her virtual hands.
