About half an hour later, Derek and the others returned — now a group of five. Each of them carried heavy bags stuffed with supplies. After dumping everything in a corner, they began setting up sleeping spots on the floor. Derek’s girlfriend, Holly, was a lively and spirited girl much like himself. Nate’s girlfriend, Amber, was quieter, more reserved. The last addition was Holly’s younger brother, Sam — a tagalong Derek couldn’t shake off, though Miles didn’t mind. They all knew each other well enough, having hung out a few times before.

  "The two ladies can take the bed," Miles said as he looked around. "Us four tough guys will rough it on the floor. But let me make one thing clear: Derek, you are not taking off your shoes. I swear, if you do, we’ll be dead from the stench before the zombies even get here."

  "Agreed," Nate chimed in firmly.

  Derek threw his hands up in defeat. He knew full well the devastating power of his feet.

  That night, excitement and anxiety ran high. They stayed up late, talking well into the early morning before finally washing up and turning in.

  The next day, Derek and Nate went to the cafeteria early to fetch breakfast — no need to survive on emergency rations when fresh hot food was still available. By the time the others finished washing up, the two were back with six plates loaded with food.

  Miles chuckled. "You two really are model boyfriends. We all get to benefit from it."

  Derek grinned. "Hey, don’t mention it. After what you gave us yesterday, Qin Boss, we owe you a few breakfasts, at the very least."

  They sat down, eating while watching the news unfold — and as Miles had predicted, reports started coming in about deliberate virus outbreaks. Mutant zombies had appeared in several remote corners of Chicago, with casualties already mounting and many more reported missing.

  But what worried Miles most was also beginning to happen: animals were getting infected. And when it came to threat levels, humans were actually the least concerning. Animals were worse. Birds worse still. But the real nightmare was insects.

  Compared to their size, no creature matched an insect’s strength. A flea, for example, could jump two hundred times its own height. If a flea were to mutate, the devastation it could cause was almost unimaginable.

  And then there were plants — another kind of infected entity. Once infected, they wouldn’t just mutate individually; they'd spread across entire cities like a living plague. Due to their unique nature, unless their core was found and destroyed, they were practically immortal.

  The footage showed a group of reporters being attacked and torn apart by zombie dogs before military forces finally gunned them down. The dogs were terrifyingly fast — so fast that no one at the breakfast table could honestly say they’d be able to outrun them.

  After finishing his meal, Miles packed up and said, "Alright, I'm heading out to stock up on some supplies. You all figure out your own plans for now."

  "Where you headed?" Derek called after him. "It’s dangerous out there! Need backup?"

  Miles made a finger gun gesture. "Just picking up some more firepower. We’re gonna need it. Right now, we're still a little under-equipped."

  Hearing this, both Nate and Derek were thrilled. "Go for it! We’ve got the fort covered!" they shouted.

  Miles had just stepped out the door when he popped his head back in and grinned. "Also, if you mess around in my room while I’m gone, you'd better clean up. If I come back and see something I shouldn't, you’re on your own."

  "Go die, Miles!" Holly yelled, throwing a pillow at him.

  Outside Chicago First Military Medical Center, the area had been transformed into a military fortress. Under strict military sweeps, all the zombies and corpses around the perimeter had been cleared, and the facility now served as both a command hub and emergency treatment center. Its central location and ample medical supplies made it the perfect strategic stronghold.

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  At the entrance, Miles approached a soldier. "I need to speak with Officer Paige from the Special Forces. I have urgent intel to report."

  "If it’s about the biohazard incident, you can go straight in," the soldier replied, per protocol.

  "It is. I have information about the people responsible for the virus release."

  The soldier stiffened, realizing the gravity of the situation. "Follow me. I’ll take you straight to the commanding officer."

  —

  At the top floor of the main building, Lieutenant General Craig was hunched over a city map with a group of senior officers, working through battle strategies. Paige was there too, now promoted to Second Lieutenant after her outstanding performance during the outbreak.

  A knock at the door. A soldier saluted crisply. "Sir, a civilian claims to have information about the virus spreaders."

  Craig's tired face lit up. "Bring him in!"

  Miles stepped inside. Paige’s eyes widened in surprise at the sight of him.

  Without wasting a second, Craig said, "Tell me everything you know."

  Miles nodded. "There are three people involved. First is Ronan, a foreigner who lived in Apartment 702, Building 5 of the Peaceful Garden Complex. He was a broker who acquired the initial virus from a group known as Maya. He was also behind the Xikang Pharmaceutical plant incident."

  "Second," Miles continued, "is someone Paige has encountered — the man in black. He's no longer fully human. You already know this. He’s most likely a member of the Maya organization too."

  "The third is Viktor. He's responsible for multiple biohazard outbreaks around Chicago. That’s all I know about him."

  Craig frowned, studying him. "And how exactly do you know all this? You seem suspiciously well-versed in biohazard situations. Should I assume you’re involved?"

  Miles casually pulled a chair and sat down. "Naturally, if I said I had no ties, you wouldn’t believe me. I've been dealing with these mutations for four years now — humans, animals, birds, insects, even plants. I can tell you: human mutants are the least of your worries. The real nightmares are yet to come."

  Paige leaned in. "I've seen you fight. Are all Demon Hunters as strong as you?"

  Miles chuckled. "I’m just a rookie — barely out of my novice phase. There are others much stronger than me, though Demon Hunters are few and far between. I've never even met another one."

  Paige stared at him in shock. If a "rookie" was that strong, she couldn't even imagine what the veterans were capable of.

  Craig studied Miles carefully for a while, then nodded. "For now, I’ll trust you. We'll verify your intel on those three individuals. Meanwhile, I want you to assist us in combating these bioweapons. I also need detailed combat reports. You've survived four years of this; you must've seen enough."

  "No problem. Keep me under watch if you like. Send me to the worst hotspots. My life is built on fighting," Miles said with a small smile.

  Craig frowned thoughtfully. "Aren’t you afraid? Most people would run from these things, not chase them."

  Miles shrugged. "Only by dancing on the edge of death can we grow stronger. Demon Hunters live and die on that line. We fight to survive — and to protect the people we care about. Even if we have few."

  Craig was visibly moved. "If Demon Hunters are truly as you say, you have my deepest respect. You protect the people silently."

  Just then, another officer hurried in, saluting sharply. "Sir! We've lost contact with the 13th District. Massive zombie outbreak — zombie dogs and cats. Last signal received was ten minutes ago. Here's the footage."

  They loaded the video. On the giant screen, soldiers were initially holding their ground against regular zombies — until zombie dogs and cats tore into their ranks. The fast, brutal assaults completely broke their formation. A few survivors were seen retreating toward Building 17 before the feed cut out.

  Paige immediately turned to Craig. "Sir! I request permission to launch a rescue operation. I’ll take Miles with me."

  Craig looked at Miles. "You’re not military. I can't order you. Are you willing?"

  Just then, Miles received a system prompt:

  Emergency Quest (Grade G): Rescue the trapped soldiers. Reward: 1,500 Game Coins, 20,000 XP. Time Limit: 6 hours.

  Miles smiled. "Count me in."

  Craig nodded. "Good. Paige, you and Miles head out immediately. I’ll coordinate additional forces to assist. Once survivors are clear, we'll unleash full artillery."

  Paige saluted and rushed Miles outside. At the square, she opened up an armored vehicle packed with weapons.

  "Pick your favorites, Demon Hunter," she said with a grin.

  Miles grabbed an SMG, several pistols, and slung a huge backpack full of ammo and grenades over his shoulders.

  "Take as much as you can carry," Paige laughed.

  Miles did just that, loading up heavily before jumping into the jeep beside her.

  As they sped toward the 13th District, Miles casually asked, "Those two partners of yours back at the center — you never got them out, did you?"

  Paige’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. "They’re dead," she said quietly. "I... I shot them myself."

  Miles gave a small, bitter smile. "It’s something you’ll face again. I just hope you’re truly ready for it — not just suppressing it. Otherwise, one day, it’ll break you."

  Paige looked over at him seriously. "Have you ever... had to kill your own comrades?"

  Miles leaned back, watching the city blur past. "Many times. So many, I lost count."

  He left out the rest — that it had been in the game, at first.