The alarm blared in Richard Gonzales' ears, rousing him from his slumber. He groggily reached for his phone on the nightstand and squinted at the glaring screen.

"Oh, no!" Richard gasped as he saw the time. He was already late for his morning class.

Jumping out of bed, he hastily donned his school uniform, his mind racing with thoughts of the reprimand he would receive from his stern professor. But as he wore his I.D and prepared to dash out the door, the entire condominium building shook violently, as if an earthquake was tearing through the city.

Confused and curious, Richard rushed to the window to see what was causing the tremors. What he saw froze him in terror. Chaos had consumed the once-busy streets of Makati City. People were pouncing on one another, their teeth sinking into flesh with grotesque ferocity. It was like something out of a nightmare.

His heart pounding, Richard witnessed the unthinkable – people turning on their fellow humans, devouring them like ravenous animals. He saw blood-soaked streets, cars colliding in a cacophony of metal and glass, and nearby explosions sending shockwaves through the city.

Fear gripped him like a vice, and he stumbled backward, his mind struggling to comprehend the horror unfolding before his eyes. This couldn't be real; it must be some kind of sick prank or a movie set gone horribly wrong. But the screams and the madness outside were all too real.

Richard's trembling fingers fumbled with his phone, desperately trying to establish a connection to the outside world. He opened his Twitter and Facebook feeds, hoping for some rational explanation for this madness. But instead, his worst fears were confirmed – videos flooded his timeline showing the same horrifying scenes he had witnessed outside his window.

As Richard scrolled through the news articles and social media updates, he was horrified to learn that the zombie outbreak was not confined to Makati City alone. Reports poured in from every major city in the Philippines – Quezon City, Manila, Taguig – all facing the same situation. The infection was spreading like wildfire, turning ordinary citizens into bloodthirsty monsters.But the horror did not stop at the Philippine borders. International news outlets were also reporting the outbreak in major cities worldwide. Seoul, Tokyo, New York, Beijing, Berlin, Paris, Moscow, Rio de Janeiro, Delhi, – no place seemed to be spared from the outbreak.

Fear and despair threatened to overwhelm Richard as he realized the magnitude of the catastrophe. This was not a localized incident or a passing nightmare; it was a global crisis. The world as he knew it was crumbling before his eyes.

He then checked his messenger to see a flood of messages from his school group chat. The messages were frantic and filled with panic, each reporting the same horrifying events unfolding in their respective locations. Friends and classmates were sending desperate pleas for help, urging each other to stay safe and avoid going outside.

"Guys, what the hell is happening? Are you seeing this?" Richard typed, his fingers trembling with every letter.

The responses came in swiftly from one of his classmates. A message read, "I can't believe what I'm seeing outside my window!" along with a photo of the school grounds in chaos.

"It's like a scene from a zombie movie!" another exclaimed.

"Shit…" Richard muttered a curse under his breath. "There is a zombie apocalypse happening right now."

Amidst the chaos, Richard received a notification that he had ten missed calls from his mother. His heart sank as he realized the urgency of her attempts to reach him. He dialed her number, hoping against hope that she was safe.

"Mom? Mom, are you okay?" Richard's voice cracked as he waited for her to answer.

The line was filled with silence for a moment before his mother's trembling voice finally came through.

"Richard, thank God you're okay! Are you safe? Have you seen what's happening outside?"

Tears welled up in his eyes as he reassured his mother that he was fine."I'm okay, Mom, but I don't know what's happening. It's like... like the world has gone crazy. Are you safe? Is everyone safe?"

His mother's voice trembled as she replied, "We're huddled in the house right now. Your father and brothers are barricading the door. Richard...where is your sister?" his mother's voice quivered with concern and a knot formed in Richard's stomach. He had completely forgotten about his younger sister, Lisa, who was studying at the same university as him. They were living together in the condominium to save money on transportation, and currently, at this time, she was supposed to be in school.

"I think she is in school… Mom," Richard stammered dreadly.

"School?!" Richard's mom repeated, her voice shaking with fear. "Richard...your school is already flooded with...zo—zombies! Oh my God...your poor little sister!"

"I'll try and call her, Mom. I'm safe in my room. I'll contact you once I reach out to her," Richard said, trying to reassure his mother.

"Okay, be careful, Richard. Lock the doors, don't let anyone in. Do you understand?"

"I do Mom."

He immediately dialed Lisa's number, praying that she would answer. But there was no response, just the trilling of the phone. Panic started to rise within him, and he tried calling again, and again, but still, there was no answer.

Seeing that his call wouldn't go through, he tried sending a message to her, telling her to call him the moment she saw his message. After that, he tapped the icon of the group message with his classmates. There, he typed a message, asking about the situation of the senior high school building.

Seconds later, there was a reply.

[The senior high school building is on fire! A lot of senior high students turned! I'll send you a picture Richard…]As Richard read the message from his classmate, his heart plummeted. The situation was far worse than he had anticipated.

"Shit…" Richard's lower lips quivered as he tried to hold back tears and fear. The reality of the situation hit him like a ton of bricks. Lisa, his little sister, was in grave danger. He needed to reach her, to ensure her safety, but the thought of facing those monstrous creatures terrified him to the core.

"What should I do…" Richard whispered to himself, trying to think rationally. He knew he couldn't just sit there and do nothing. Lisa needed him, and he had to find a way to get to her, even if it meant putting his own life on the line.

He inched towards the window wall, fear gripping his heart as he peered down. There, in the midst of the chaos, loomed a horrifying sight – a gargantuan creature, its grotesque form moving with inhuman speed on all fours. With every leap, it soared to towering heights, only to descend with a bone-chilling force, its massive arm swinging down like a deadly scythe, effortlessly cleaving through vehicles and people alike, splattering blood and debris in the air.

"What the…" Richard couldn't believe what he was seeing. This is not an ordinary zombie apocalypse with zombies chasing humans, there are mutated zombies with superhuman abilities.

And then, another figure caught his eye, and a shudder ran down his spine. Above the city, soaring through the air like a monstrous hybrid of bat and humanoid, was an even more horrifying sight. Its pinkish flesh was visible beneath scraggly feathers that hung like a curtain on both sides of its gnarled, skull-like face. Massive bat-like wings, spanning approximately two meters, flapped menacingly.

Its piercing red eyes gleamed with a malevolent hunger as it scanned the streets below. With a blood-curdling screech, the monster swooped down, talons outstretched, snatching civilians from the ground and carrying them away to god knows where.

"There's no way I can get out," Richard muttered, his heart pounding in his chest.

He pulled away from the window, his mind racing for a plan. He needed to find a safe way out of the condominium, a way to avoid those monstrous creatures. But as he looked around his room, he realized that he was ill-prepared for such a catastrophe. No weapons, no gears, just his phone and a sinking feeling of helplessness.

Just then, his phone buzzed. Thinking that it was a call from Lisa or his mother, he promptly checked the notification. To his dismay, it was not a message of hope or reassurance but an advertisement for a mobile game.

[Are you ready to defend against the zombie hordes? Build your fortress and survive the apocalypse! Download now and conquer the new world!] the ad blared on his screen.

Richard cursed under his breath. This was not the time for a stupid game advertisement. He was facing a real-life apocalypse, and his loved ones were in danger. He swiped the notification away but it won't go away.

[Please don't swipe! I'm literally giving you a chance to defend yourself and be powerful in the zombie apocalypse] the message read.

"What the heck…" Richard muttered, thoroughly bewildered by the bizarre turn of events. He stared at the persistent message on his phone, unsure of what to make of it. Was this some kind of sick joke? How could a game advertisement be appearing at a time like this?

As he frustratingly tried to get the ad out of his screen, he accidentally tapped the download icon.

[Thank you for downloading the game. For being the first person that downloaded our game, we are going to give you a special reward. Please wait as we boot up your system.]

"Fuuuuck!" Richard bellowed—and suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Richard spun around to face the door that swung open without warning. A woman in her twenties walked in, her face pale and eyes wide with fear. She slammed the door shut behind her and hastily locked it, her fingers trembling as she struggled to secure the latch. It hit him then that Sara must have forgotten to lock the door.

"Who are you?!" Richard blurted out cautiously. He instinctively took a step back, putting a bit of distance between himself and the stranger.

The woman jumped at his voice, her eyes snapping to his with a startled expression. Her disheveled appearance and the desperation in her eyes made it clear that she'd been through a lot. He recognize her, that's his neighbor.

"Please, let me stay here!" Her voice trembled.

"No! Get out!" Richard said without hesitation, he can't be too careful now, especially when a zombie apocalypse is happening outside.

The woman's face contorted into a mix of fear and pleading. Her hands clasped together in front of her, almost as if she was praying, and she took a step closer submissively.

"Please, I'm begging you," she said in a quavering voice. "I have nowhere else to go. I'm scared and alone out there."

"That's not my problem, you have your own unit, stay there!" Richard's tone remained firm.

"I can't…my brother became…became…one of them, it's not safe there," the lady stammered.

"You mean to say that there are already zombies inside this condominium?" Richard questioned, his eyebrows furrowing with concern.

The woman nodded frantically, "Please, you have to understand. I saw what happened to my brother. It was…horrifying."

Richard cursed under his breath, in this situation, it's best to remain alone. Saving others would only jeopardize his own chances of survival.

"Please... sir... I'm begging you..." The woman cried. As she fell to her knees and clasped her hands together.

And then, as she knelt there, her sleeves slipped down her arms, revealing a bite mark on her right arm. Richard's eyes widened, horror and realization flooding over him. He had seen enough movies to know what that bite mark meant

"You—what's that bite mark on your arm?" Richard pointed his finger at her arm.

The woman's gaze dropped to her arm, her face contorting in horror. She tried to tug her sleeves down, but it was too late.

"This is nothing–sir!" The woman's voice quivered as she hurriedly tried to downplay the significance of the bite mark.

"What the hell do you mean by 'nothing'?! You were bitten!" Richard's voice exploded in anger as he rushed to the kitchen, swiftly pulling a knife from the drawer, and aimed it at the woman.

"I swear…suh…sar…sir..!" The woman's words stuttered and her voice trembled as her body seemed to twitch involuntarily. A wave of terror washed over her features, her skin taking on a sickly pallor.

Richard's eyes widened as he watched the woman's body convulse, her movements becoming erratic and unnatural. Bones audibly cracked and shifted beneath her skin as her limbs contorted in disturbing ways. She let out a guttural, strangled scream that sent shivers down his spine.

The woman's eyes, once filled with desperation, were now glazed over with otherworldly darkness. Her fingers twisted and stretched as if in the throes of unimaginable pain, her nails digging into her own flesh. It was like a nightmare come to life, a scene straight out of a horror film.

Time seemed to slow as he watched in horrified fascination, the knife in his hand wavering as his fingers trembled. He had to make a decision, and he had to make it fast. The woman's transformation was accelerating, her once-human form contorting into something monstrous and grotesque.

And then, with a final, gut-wrenching howl, the woman's body stilled. She had completed her transformation. Her eyes, now vacant and lifeless, locked onto Richard with hunger. Richard stumbled back, the knife still clutched tightly in his trembling hand.

Her body lunged forward with an unsettling speed that caught Richard off guard.

Richard's survival instincts snapped into action. He hoisted the knife, his muscles taut with adrenaline, and swung it at her with every ounce of force he could summon.

In that heart-stopping moment, it became painfully apparent that his lack of experience with such a weapon was a fatal flaw. The blade met the woman's shoulder, but it was like striking a brick wall. It scraped off her flesh, leaving a mere scratch as if mocking his feeble attempt. Her advance was unwavering, her fingers extended like grotesque talons, reaching for him with a chilling determination.

Panic surged through Richard as he stumbled back, the knife slipping from his grasp and clattering to the floor. His heart raced as he frantically looked around the room, searching for anything he could use to defend himself.

With a surge of adrenaline, he spotted a heavy wooden chair nearby. Without a second thought, he grabbed it and swung it at the approaching figure with all his might. The chair collided with the woman's body, knocking her off balance and sending her crashing to the floor.

"Now what?!" Richard muttered under his breath, he couldn't get out of his unit because the body was on the way, and time is running out as the zombie is slowly rising.

The zombie, once regained her footing, lunged once again. Before he could react, her weight crashed into him, the force of the impact sending him sprawling to the floor.

The zombie's body was atop him, her grip like iron as she pinned him down. Her mangled features contorted into a horrifying grin, her intentions chillingly clear. Richard felt her mouth inching closer to his neck, her breath hot and fetid against his skin.

An animalistic groan escaped him as he fought against her, every muscle straining in a desperate bid for survival. His hands pushed against her shoulders, his fingers digging into her flesh. He grunted as he strained to keep her gnashing jaws at bay.

"I am not going to become a zombie," Richard uttered with a strained voice.

And then, in the midst of the life-or-death struggle, Richard's eyes caught a glint of metal within his reach. The knife, that slipped earlier, lay just inches away.

Richard reached out, his fingers closing around the hilt of the knife. He wrestled it free from the floor while preventing the zombie on top of him from biting into his neck.

With a primal roar, Richard brought the knife up between them and repeatedly stabbed the zombie's neck. Blood trickled down onto his neck, and Richard averted his face to prevent the blood from reaching his mouth.

Seconds later, the zombie stopped, and Richard threw her aside.

Richard breathed in and out raggedly; he had just killed a person… no, a zombie. He immediately got to his feet and dragged the zombie corpse out of his room with its blood trailing beneath its body. After getting it out, Richard closed the door and locked it.

Richard walked over to the sofa and sat down, his blood-stained hands still shivering. The new reality is sinking on him now.

As he sat there, staring blankly ahead, a holographic message suddenly appeared in front of him, breaking through the haze of his thoughts.

Congratulations on completing your mission: Kill a single zombie]

[Reward: Activation of the Military System]

Richard's brow furrowed as he read the message. "What the heck…what is this?"

Richard tried to touch it but his hands went through as if it was a solidified mist. He withdrew his hand in confusion, his brow furrowing even deeper. The holographic message remained suspended in the air, tauntingly out of his reach.

Moments later, the display on the holographic screens changed, showing a different display.

[Military System is now successfully activated!]

[User: Richard Gonzales

Age: 21

Level: 1

Skills: Weapon Proficiency Level 1, Melee Proficiency Level 1, Driving Proficiency Level 2.

Health: 100/100

Experience points: 0/660

Inventory:

Shop:

Summoned Troops: 0/10

Wheel of Fortune:

Daily Rewards:

Basic Survival Guide:

Zombie Encounters: Tactics and Strategies ]

"What the…" Richard muttered as he processed the holographic screen before him. He had watched a lot of anime, and movies, and read light novels. Everything is starting to make sense to him now, just like every character in every system genre he read, he too has his own.

Richard's eyes remained fixed on the holographic screen hovering in front of him. Everything felt like it was spinning, and he had a hard time wrapping his head around the whole situation. The zombie outbreak and this weird system thing – it was like he'd been dropped into a messed-up video game.

"I can't even tell what's real anymore," he muttered to himself, frustration creeping into his voice. He wanted to figure things out, but the whole situation was like a puzzle with missing pieces. He squinted at the holographic tabs, feeling a mix of confusion and curiosity bubbling up inside him.

Just as he was about to poke at one of the tabs to see what would happen, a new message popped up.

[Notification: If you want to learn about your system, please tap me to display the instruction manual]

Richard's eyebrows shot up in surprise. An instruction manual? It was like this system thing was trying to help him out, even though it felt more like a glitchy dream. He hesitated for a moment, then shrugged and tapped the message.

The screen shifted, and words appeared.

Welcome to the Military System

Your Stats: Check your health, experience, skills, and other vital information here.

Inventory: Manage your items and resources.

Shop: Spend your hard-earned points on supplies and equipment.

Summoned Troops: Unlock and command troops for your survival.

Wheel of Fortune: Test your luck and win rewards, available once a month.

Daily Rewards: Claim daily items to aid in your survival.

Missions: This is where you can accept missions and earn rewards upon completion.

Basic Survival Guide: Tips and tricks for navigating this new world.

...9. Zombie Encounters: Check information about zombies you encountered...

Tactics and Strategies: Develop strategies to deal with zombies.

Richard blinked at the list. It was like a menu in some kind of bizarre game. He shook his head, trying to wrap his mind around it all.

"Alright, so I guess this is my lifeline," he muttered to himself, looking at the options laid out before him. It was weirdly organized like someone had carefully designed it all. He couldn't deny that it was useful, though. If he was going to survive in this new world, he needed every advantage he could get.

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One prompt that got his attention is the summoned troops. He tapped that tab and a further explanation for Summoned Troops appeared.

[As you progress and accumulate experience, you'll have the ability to summon troops to bolster your survival efforts. With each level you attain, your troop capacity will grow, enabling you to command a larger force. These troops offer a range of advantages, including scouting, defense, and scavenging. What's more, their loyalty is unwavering, making them indispensable companions in your struggle for survival.]

"So basically, I can summon soldiers huh?" Richard remarked.

He then tapped the Shop and the virtual marketplace sprawled before him:

[Current balance - 0 gold.

Firearms:

Handguns -

Submachine Guns -

Rifles -

Carbines -

Shotguns -

Machine Guns -

Rotary Guns -

Artillery -

Melee Weapons:

Blunt -

Edged -

Pointed -

Military Vehicles:

Armored Personnel Carrier -

Armored Vehicles and Supply Transports -

Main Battle Tanks -

Military Aircraft:

Fixed-Wing Aircraft -

Rotary-Wing Aircraft -

Tiltrotor Aircraft -

Drones -

Computer & Electronics:

Spare Parts & Fuel:

Ammunitions:

Construction Tools, Equipment, Materials, & Vehicles:

Foods:

Troops -

Combat Troops -

Communication Troops -

Engineering Troops -

Medical Troops -

Logistics Troops -

Intelligence Troops -

Special Forces -

Reconnaissance Troops -

Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) Troops -

]

There were a lot of products displayed, and almost all of them are locked but can be unlocked upon reaching certain levels. And based on the interface, it seems that gold is the currency

If gold is the currency, then how to earn it?

Richard's gaze flickered over to another floating screen, and there he found that he can earn gold by completing missions, unlocking daily rewards, and by spinning the wheel of fortune.

The more he looked at it, the more it started to look like a game.

And just as he was busy studying the system, another interface popped up.

[As a reward for activating the system, you are rewarded with a beginner's pack! You can find it in your inventory.]

"Beginner's pack?" Richard repeated. He had played a lot of games before, so he knew what it entailed. He quickly navigated through the system and opened his inventory. There he found the beginner's pack, displayed like a supply crate.

He tapped it and suddenly, numerous holographic screens popped up before him.

[Congratulations! You received the following.

10x Combat Troops

10,000 gold coins

Tactical Swat Uniforms Set

M4 carbine fitted with suppressor and flashlight

6x magazine with 30 rounds capacity. Ammunition included.

Beretta M9

6x magazine with 15 rounds capacity. Ammunition included.

Tactical Knife]

[Would you like to try out your new outfit?]

A grin tugged at Richard's lips, his heart racing with excitement. With a firm tap, he confirmed his decision – and in an instant, a swirling light enveloped him.

As the light receded, Richard found himself clad in the sleek tactical uniform set, a perfect fit from helmet to boots. The weight of the gear felt strangely comforting as if he was stepping into a new identity.

Not only did the clothes appear, but the weapons he had received from the system materialized as well. The M4 Carbine felt heavy but manageable, the armored vest featured magazine pouches where the magazines were stowed, and at his hips, holsters held the M9 Beretta and the tactical knife securely.

He had never held a gun before, but he has this odd familiarity that he had once did. He wondered if it was caused by the system, and by looking at the interface again, he confirmed. In the skill tab, he found a "Weapon Proficiency Level 1" tab. He checked further information about his skills and there he found "Melee Proficiency Level 1" and "Driving Proficiency Level 1".

He also learned that he could level it with skill points, which can be earned by leveling up.

Speaking of levels, according to the manual, experience points can be earned by completing missions and killing zombies. So it'll be like other games, he has to grind to raise his level, which means he has to kill a lot of zombies. And it also seemed that level is the main factor of strength. The higher your level, the more powerful you'd become. In his case, he would be able to purchase powerful weapons and vehicles that are currently locked and master his skills.

Earlier, he had almost lost hope of saving his sister when he encountered that monstrous beast leaping and flying outside. But with this system, he may have a chance to stand against it.

[Would you like to summon the troops you have received?]

Summon the troops? Is the system referring to those troops in the beginner's pack? If so, he wanted to. Without hesitation, he confirmed it and a ten holographic magic circle appeared on the ground, and in it, ten tall figures emerged equipped with the same uniform and weapons as him.

Richard's eyes widened in shock. Questioning the reality he is living in. Is this world some sort of simulation? But before he could contemplate on that idea, the troops that were summoned performed a salute.

"We are ready to receive your orders, sir!" They intoned.