The secret research facility was situated on an offshore island, just off the coast of Haven City. Here, both humans and animals alike are experimented on as part of a human genetic enhancement project. The goal of such a project was to create super soldiers who could fight back against the Otherworlders.
Otherworlders was a vague term to describe all the foreign races that came to their world through gateways that randomly appeared all over the world one day, the day of Reckoning, Doomsday, and even Judgement day. It had many names, but it was collectively known as the day the world ended. A century war was thought for not only the sovereignty of their own planet but the survival of their human species.
With the human's superior firepower, they won every battle against the foreign races spewing from the gateway, except the war itself. They failed to destroy the indestructible gateways that appeared without sign or rhythm. The gateways eventually fused with the planet Earth. Not only did the foreign races continue to enter Earth in an unending stream, but even their home world was also squeezed through and became a part of the planet.
From the human's perspective, it was like the lands and seas expanded as the planet Earth enlarged by hundreds of folds and caused all human settlements to be separated and disconnected by a great distance.
Such a seismic event shattered the cohesiveness of humans as they were all thrown them into disarray. It was also the time when every law of physics was broken as they knew it and the existence of magic couldn't be more obvious. If not for the birth of awakened humans, their race would have ended right there and then.
At some point, humans had completed the erection of high walls and sealed themselves off from the outside world. Only awakened humans were capable of leaving the safety of the city walls to hunt Otherworlders and gather resources for the continuation of their race. Eventually, they came to be known as Hunters.
The reason the super soldier project exists is that the chances of becoming an awakened human were just too rare. In the city of Haven with a human population of 10 million, only 1% becomes awakened humans.
While 1% was still equivalent to 100 thousand awakened humans, there differences even amongst the awakened humans. No one can guarantee whether they would unlock a powerful or a useless ability upon their awakening.
Albion's heart went cold when he thought about everything that had happened to him in the last 10 years. Originally, he would have become an excellent super soldier in the first two years of his arrival, however, the whitecoats never treated him like a human.
After he was successfully transfused with vampire blood, the whitecoats realized that apart from excellent regeneration speed and a change in appearance, there was nothing else special about him. He didn't inherit the abnormal physical strength of vampires nor the rest of their abilities.
However, his blood had become precious. It didn't just grant high-speed regeneration to himself but also others when ingested. Furthermore, it was not the same vampire blood and they didn't have to worried about undergoing a vampiric transformation from ingesting it.
But it was also because of that, that he had been demoted from a potential super soldier to livestock. The whitecoats fatten him up, only to drain his blood and the process is constantly repeated like a vicious cycle. As such, he didn't hold any good feelings for the research facility.
Although, Albion was given a great degree of freedom within the facility due to his previous absolute obedience, now that he recovered his memories, it never feels good to be treated like livestock.
"These people might have a noble goal, but that's no excuse for their sins. I'm not a good person, but such an evil research facility should be destroyed!"
Albion gripped his fist tightly before he helplessly relaxes his fist.
"This facility is guarded by many armed soldiers. Even if I want to destroy this place, I don't have the power to carry it out. I better think of how to escape this hellhole instead." Albion contemplated, he suddenly frowned and gripped his head. "It seems like my head is still a bit fuzzy. What exactly happened?"
Albion subconsciously glanced at the VR Headset, toasted by a sudden strong power surge.
Ding!
[System Notification: mental reparation completed.]
Albion blinked at the sudden message that seemingly came from nowhere but within himself.
"Did the power surge messed with my mind while I was still immersed in virtual space?"
Albion frowned as he stared at the VR Headset. Clearly, he wasn't immersed in the customized virtual reality game [Battlelust] anymore. But it was also clear that he had heard a synthetic NPC voice from the game.
Ding!
[System Notification: a quest has been issued.]
Albion blinked again. No doubt about it. He wasn't hearing things. The synthetic NPC voice was coming from inside his mind. Although he was still doubtful, Albion seemed to have noticed something and blinked a few more times, before shutting his eyes entirely.
Within the apparent darkness of his mind, a few texts were found in the supposedly empty space.
[Status]
Name: Albion Black
Age: 25
Race: Human (95%), Vampire (5%)
Abilities: C-Rank Regeneration (Passive)
System Remarks: Not a human, not a vampire, but still useless regardless of which race he belonged to! But fret not, for that can change! The System is here to help!
'Are you here to help me or roast me!? Fuck off!' Albion mentally cursed.
He didn't read very far before his face was completely black. He felt like someone had just rubbed salt into his wounds.
At the same, his expression became ugly to behold. Rather than a magical system that only appears in novels, he suspected that the whitecoats had implanted a computer chip into his mind to monitor him!
Ding!
[System Notification: The System is not some garbage chip implanted by a bunch of third-rate scientists!]
Albion's expression changed as the system seemed to have read his thoughts. He grew even wearier.
Ding!
[System Notification: The system is detecting a high level of distrust from the Host in the system! That cannot do! Host's quick recovery from a vegetative state is owed to the system! The system does not deserve such distrusts! The host is an ungrateful bastard! However, to gain the Host's trust, the system willing to offer a short tutorial to prove the authenticity of the system!]
Ding!
[System Notification: A side-quest has been issued!]
"…"
Albion felt his eye twitched. This system has such a potty mouth. Sidequest? Where is the side quest? Doesn't he still have to read through the texts in his mind? Albion rolled his eyes.
However, he was at least slightly convinced by the audacity of the system. It had quite a persona! There was no rigidness of a computer-generated A.I chip. Instead, it was acting more like a keyboard warrior!
Even back during humanity's prime technology age, artificial intelligence had not evolved to such a level.
Albion skipped past the status texts and began reading through the quests...