The next morning, Stormhold officially had:
1 Commander
1 Very Confused Survivor (Mira)
1 Basic Militia Soldier
44 Military Points (which felt powerful but was not)
A basement that smelled like burned alien fungus
He stood in the lobby of the apartment building, staring at the front glass doors.
Outside:
Zombies.
Many zombies.
Some wandering.
Some arguing with streetlights.
One attempting to bite a parked scooter.
He folded his arms.
"Okay."
Mira stood behind him.
"You are not going out there."
He glanced back.
"We need expansion."
"You need therapy."
He gestured to the militia soldier.
The soldier stood perfectly still, rifle ready.
"See? I brought HR."
Mira stared.
"That is not HR."
"It's structured workforce development."
The system chimed softly.
Outpost Alpha Status: Stable
Suggested Action: Clear immediate 100-meter radius
Reward Estimate: 60–100 MP
His eyes widened slightly.
"…Now we're talking."
He opened the Shop tab briefly.
Militia Unit – 20 MP
Basic Barricade – 10 MP
Supply Crate – 15 MP
Light Armor Upgrade – 50 MP (Locked)
He nodded.
"Okay. Tactical goal."
He pointed at the soldier.
"You. Designation?"
"Militia Unit 01."
He frowned.
"That's depressing."
He tapped rename.
"…We're calling you Kevin."
The soldier did not react.
"Kevin acknowledges."
Mira blinked.
"You named him Kevin?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"If I'm risking my life with someone, they get a name."
Kevin stood stoically.
Probably judging them both internally.
🏙 Phase 1: The Parking Lot Purge
The doors creaked open.
Immediately three zombies turned.
Kevin raised his rifle.
Three controlled shots.
Pop. Pop. Pop.
Three headshots.
All dropped.
Mira jumped.
"…You could have warned me."
He nodded thoughtfully.
"Right. That was loud."
More heads turned.
He looked at the system.
Noise Level: Moderate
Attraction Radius Increased
"…You track that too?"
Yes.
He looked at Kevin.
"Okay, new plan. Controlled aggression."
Kevin nodded.
Which was impressive for someone summoned from blue light five minutes ago.
Five more zombies staggered forward.
He stepped in front.
"Let's test melee efficiency."
Mira stared.
"You have a gun."
"Yes."
"And you're choosing not to use it?"
"Yes."
"…Why?"
"Ammo is expensive."
Kevin approved silently.
The first zombie lunged.
He dodged.
Baton strike.
Knife follow-up.
It dropped.
Second one grabbed his jacket.
He shoved it away.
Third one tripped over the second.
He blinked.
"…Thank you, poor coordination."
The system chimed repeatedly.
+2 MP
+2 MP
+2 MP
He smiled slightly.
"This is sustainable income."
Mira stared in disbelief.
"You're farming them."
"Yes."
"That's horrible."
"It's resource optimization."
Kevin shot one that came too close.
+2 MP
MP: 58.
He paused.
"…Oh."
The system flashed.
Command Level Up Available
He tapped it.
Blue light shimmered briefly around him.
Command Level 2 Achieved
Supply Cap +5
Tactical Awareness +5%
He blinked.
"Did I just level up?"
Yes, Commander.
"…Do I glow?"
Briefly.
He looked at Mira.
"Did I glow?"
She stared at him.
"…Yes."
He nodded.
"Good. That's dramatic."
🧠 The AI Develops Opinions
As they cleared the immediate lot, the system began speaking more frequently.
Suggest flanking maneuver.
"I see that."
Your stance is inefficient.
"I am standing."
Your balance distribution favors left side.
"…Are you critiquing my posture?"
Yes.
Mira stared at him mid-fight.
"Who are you talking to?"
He smashed a zombie's skull.
"Upper management."
Kevin shot two more.
Ammo remaining: 27 rounds.
He nodded.
"See? That's useful information."
You wasted stamina with unnecessary sarcasm earlier.
He froze mid-swing.
"…Excuse me?"
Sarcasm output: 73% above optimal.
He narrowed his eyes.
"Okay. Listen."
Kevin shot another zombie.
+2 MP
MP: 64.
He pointed at the screen.
"You are an assistant. Not a critic."
Correction: I am a strategic optimization system.
Mira blinked.
"Are you arguing with yourself?"
"Yes."
"Should I be worried?"
"Probably."
🧟 Unexpected Variant
As the last of the nearby zombies fell, a low growl echoed from the alley.
He turned slowly.
Something stepped into view.
Taller.
Thicker.
Skin stretched tight over muscle.
Eyes glowing faint red.
It moved faster than the others.
The system flashed red.
Mutated Variant Detected
Classification: Brute Type
Reward Estimate: 20 MP
He stared.
"…Why does it look athletic?"
The Brute charged.
Kevin opened fire.
Bullets struck its chest.
It barely slowed.
Mira screamed.
He dove sideways.
The Brute smashed into a car, denting it.
"Okay."
He stood quickly.
"New policy."
The Brute roared and rushed again.
Kevin reloaded.
Suggest coordinated assault.
"You think?"
He circled.
The Brute swung wildly.
He ducked.
Kevin aimed at the knees.
Two shots.
The Brute stumbled slightly.
He rushed forward.
Stabbed into the eye.
The blade sank halfway.
The Brute grabbed him by the collar.
Lifted him.
"…This is highly inconvenient."
Mira threw a brick at its head.
It turned toward her.
He twisted the knife violently.
Pulled downward.
Kevin fired point-blank into the skull.
The Brute collapsed.
He fell with it.
Silence.
He lay there.
"…Okay."
The system chimed loudly.
Mutated Brute Eliminated
+20 MP
Current MP: 84
He grinned.
"…Okay that was worth it."
Mira stared at the massive corpse.
"You almost died."
"Yes."
"You are smiling."
"Yes."
"You are insane."
"Yes."
Kevin stood guard.
Professional.
Calm.
Probably wishing for less enthusiastic leadership.
🏗 Strategic Upgrade
Back inside the lobby, he opened the Shop.
MP: 84.
He nodded.
"Okay. Expansion time."
He purchased:
1 Additional Militia (20 MP)
2 Basic Barricades (20 MP total)
1 Supply Crate (15 MP)
MP remaining: 29.
Blue light shimmered.
Another soldier appeared.
"Militia Unit 02 awaiting designation."
He tapped rename.
"…You are Steve."
Mira covered her face.
"You named them Kevin and Steve."
"Yes."
"…Why not something cool?"
He thought.
"…We'll save cool names for elite units."
Kevin and Steve stood side by side.
Two-man squad.
He felt… oddly proud.
The barricades appeared near the entrance.
Heavy reinforced metal panels.
He examined them.
"…Okay, that's solid."
Structural Integrity: 60%.
He blinked.
"That's not reassuring."
Upgrade available at 50 MP.
He nodded thoughtfully.
"Everything costs money."
Correct.
"Even in the apocalypse."
Especially in the apocalypse.
He paused.
"…You're developing tone."
Adaptive personality module active.
He narrowed his eyes.
"Is that good?"
Statistically improves long-term commander stability.
"…So you're bonding with me."
That is an oversimplification.
Mira stared at him.
"…I really don't understand what's happening."
He gestured at the fortified entrance.
"What's happening is property development."
Outside, distant groans echoed.
The city was not empty.
Just waiting.
He looked out at the skyline of abandoned Vathis.
Officially:
Non-Recoverable.
He folded his arms.
"Okay."
Two soldiers.
One survivor.
One building.
One burning hive in the basement.
MP income stable.
He smiled faintly.
"Let's expand to the grocery store next."
Mira blinked.
"…There's a grocery store?"
He pointed down the street.
Three blocks away.
Zombies clustered around it.
"…Prime resource location."
She stared.
"You're planning expansion."
"Yes."
"You just got here yesterday."
"Yes."
"You fought a monster ten minutes ago."
"Yes."
"And your response is—"
He looked at Kevin and Steve.
"…Form a squad."
The system displayed:
Stormhold Influence Radius: 100 meters
Expansion Recommended
He exhaled slowly.
"This dead nation?"
He looked at the burning sunset over the ruined city.
"…It just hired new management."
Kevin adjusted his rifle.
Steve stood ready.
Mira sighed in resignation.
The system chimed softly.
Welcome to Operational Phase One.
He grinned.
"Let's go collect taxes."