That night, the Aegis Squad moved silently through an abandoned old laboratory complex. The air was heavy, filled with the scent of rusted iron and something rotting. They were on a high-stakes mission: capturing a live mutated zombie for research purposes.

"Make sure the trap is ready," whispered Major Pan Colman, directing his small flashlight toward the dark corridor ahead.

Lila, carrying a large containment device, nodded while double-checking her trap. "Trap is set, Major. Just waiting for the bait to work."

Hart, holding a small tablet to track zombie movements, looked uneasy. "These things are smarter than we thought. They're moving in unpredictable patterns. We need to be quick before they catch on to us."

Heavy footsteps echoed from the corridor. The squad immediately tensed, weapons trained on the source of the noise. From the shadows emerged a mutated zombie with a hulking frame, shield-like skin, and razor-sharp claws.

"That's it," whispered Rico. "Everyone stay calm. Wait until it's in the trap."

The zombie sniffed the air, its glowing red eyes scanning its surroundings suspiciously. Slowly, it approached the bait the team had laid out.

"Hold…" Pan whispered, his hand raised to signal restraint.

As soon as the zombie stepped into the trap, Lila pressed a button on her device. Iron clamps snapped shut around the creature's body, eliciting a furious growl as it thrashed violently.

"We've got one," Lila said with a relieved smile.

Before they could celebrate, Hart's voice broke through in a panic. "Major, there's something wrong. The tablet's picking up massive movement…"

A deafening crash behind them interrupted Hart. From the ruins on the other side of the lab emerged a creature twice as large and far more horrifying than any alpha zombie they'd encountered. Its back was lined with protruding bones, and its roar reverberated through the room.

"What the hell is that?!" Rico shouted, stepping back nervously.

The massive zombie locked eyes on them, then charged with terrifying speed for its size. Within moments, it smashed through a nearby wall, causing panic to erupt among the squad.

"We have to go, now!" Pan yelled, pulling Hart, who was frozen in place, by the arm.

"What about the zombie we captured?" Lila asked, running toward the trap.

"Grab what you can and move! We don't have time to be picky!" Pan barked.

With great effort, they hauled the trap containing the thrashing zombie into their small vehicle. Meanwhile, the colossal zombie continued its rampage, demolishing everything in its path.

"Step on it!" Pan shouted.

Their vehicle sped off, leaving the collapsing laboratory in its wake. But inside, the atmosphere was grim. Their breaths were heavy, and tension hung thick in the air.

"What was that?" Lila asked, her voice trembling.

Dr. Alaric, who had been silent throughout, finally spoke. "That wasn't an ordinary zombie. It's something that shouldn't exist. And this is just the beginning."

Then...

The atmosphere inside Aegis Squad's vehicle grew increasingly tense after their narrow escape from the laboratory complex. Lila inspected the trap holding the mutated zombie carefully, ensuring the creature wouldn't escape. The zombie thrashed about with low growls, its claws scraping against the iron restraints that bound its body.

"Major, this trap won't hold much longer if it keeps struggling like this," Lila said, glancing at Pan, who sat in the front seat.

Major Pan turned slightly, eyeing Lila and the trap. "We just need it to hold until we reach the base. Dr. Alaric, make sure all research equipment is ready when we arrive."

Dr. Alaric nodded, though his expression was grim. "This creature... it's unlike anything I've ever seen. Its structure is too perfect for a natural mutation. There's something much bigger at play here."

Hart, seated by the window with a tablet in hand, chimed in nervously. "The data I've collected shows this mutation pattern isn't random. It's as if… they were designed to evolve faster and stronger. But who did it? And why?"

The question hung in the air, adding to the weight on everyone's minds. Rico, driving the vehicle, finally broke the silence. "We can debate this later. For now, focus on staying alive. We're almost at the base."

Before relief could settle in, a loud noise suddenly came from above the vehicle. The sound of metal clashing echoed, startling everyone.

"What was that?!" Lila shouted, raising her weapon instantly.

Hart glanced at his vibrating tablet, alarms flashing on the screen. "There's something on top of us! But it wasn't detected earlier!"

Major Pan signaled everyone to stay calm. "Rico, stop the vehicle. Lila and I will check it out."

The vehicle screeched to a halt on the desolate road, surrounded by a dark forest. Lila carefully opened the door, her weapon ready to fire. Pan followed, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings. They moved towards the rear of the vehicle, where the noise had originated.

As they looked up, something horrifying greeted them. A large creature with an elongated, gaunt body, dark gray skin, and spiked hands clung to the roof. It tilted its head, staring at them with lifeless black eyes.

"What in the world is that?" Lila whispered, her voice trembling.

The creature suddenly lunged at them with incomprehensible speed. Pan and Lila rolled to the sides, narrowly avoiding its attack. Pan aimed for its head, but his bullets only grazed its skin.

"Normal bullets don't work!" Lila shouted.

"Back to the vehicle! Now!" Pan ordered firmly.

They sprinted back to the vehicle as the creature chased after them with movements resembling a wild predator. Once Pan and Lila were inside, Rico floored the gas pedal, sending the vehicle speeding away.

Inside, Hart frantically analyzed the data on his tablet. "This thing… it's not like the other mutated zombies. It's a predator—fast, strong, and seemingly designed to hunt."

Dr. Alaric, pale and sitting in a corner, finally spoke. "If this is truly a result of Dominion experiments, we're dealing with a biological weapon far deadlier than I ever imagined."

The creature continued its pursuit, its leaps bringing it closer. Lila and Pan fired out the rear windows, but the creature was too agile. In a single massive jump, it landed on the vehicle's rear, gripping the iron trap holding the mutated zombie.

"It's trying to take the zombie!" Lila yelled.

Pan grabbed a smoke grenade from his belt. "We can't let it get what it wants. Rico, steer us onto the sand road!"

Rico obeyed, sharply turning the vehicle. Pan cracked open the rear door and tossed the grenade. Smoke erupted, enveloping the creature, which let out a frustrated growl before leaping away.

The vehicle sped off, leaving the creature behind. Inside, the tension was palpable. They all knew the threat wasn't over.

"We can't keep running like this," Pan said gravely. "We need a way to fight back. And we must find out what we're really up against."

Finally, the vehicle entered the safe zone of the emergency base, but a heavy question loomed in everyone's mind: what exactly had Dominion of Varex unleashed?

The real story begins now…

The year is 2058. The world has transformed into an unending battlefield. After the cataclysmic "Great Crisis of 2041," nations fractured into two major alliances: the Dominion of Varex and the Coalition of Ardara.

The Dominion of Varex, also known as the Varexian Dominion, comprised ambitious remnants of Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and parts of North Africa. They believed that absolute power and global domination were the keys to saving the world from chaos. Their territory, drastically reduced, was fortified by the "Varex Fortress," a colossal symbol of their remaining strength.

Opposing them was the Coalition of Ardara, a union of Western nations, including what was left of America, Western Europe, and parts of East Asia. They championed collaboration, but years of struggle against the Dominion had drained their resources.

Returning to the present, where the seeds of it all were sown, with Aegis Squad at the center.

November 8, 2058

Gray clouds loomed over the borders of the Coalition of Ardara. A thin mist mingled with the ruins of a battlefield now abandoned. Major Pan Colman stood tall on a small hill, his gaze fixed on the towering wall in the distance. The massive structure looked cold and impenetrable, a stark boundary between the Dominion of Varex (DV) and the outside world.

"They really retreated just to build that," Pan muttered softly.

Lieutenant Cong Woodman, standing beside him, adjusted his binoculars toward the wall. "But something doesn't add up, sir. They abandoned vast territories just to construct this fortress. What's their goal?"

Pan sighed. "That's what we're trying to figure out. But for the past two years, we've had no clear intel on what's happening behind that wall. Just rumors and speculation."

Behind them, Lieutenant Rico Iglesias approached with a report from the scout team. "Major, the team reports strange activity in a nearby village. The locals are missing, and there are signs of resistance, but no trace of DV forces."

"No trace?" Pan frowned as he took the report. "Were there any bodies?"

Rico shook his head. "None, sir. Just signs of a struggle, but no corpses. It's… odd."

Sergeant Dail Reiner, busy inspecting the team's gear, stepped closer with a serious expression. "If there are no bodies, it means the villagers either fled or something took them. We need to stay alert."

Pan looked at his team. "Alright. We'll check out the village. Stay sharp. We don't know what we'll find."

A Silent Village

The team moved cautiously down the narrow road leading to the village. The surrounding atmosphere was eerily quiet, the only sound being the wind carrying the damp scent of wet earth. Withered trees stood like ghostly shadows along the roadside.

"Do you think this is a trap?" Cong asked, keeping his sniper rifle ready as he scanned the area.

Pan didn't respond immediately. "Let's assume it is until we know otherwise."

When they arrived, the sight that greeted them left them speechless. Wooden houses stood abandoned, some with doors left wide open. The main street was littered with debris, and a faint, foul odor hung in the air.

"This feels like a ghost town," Rico murmured.

Pan raised his hand, signaling the team to halt. "Search for clues. Don't stray too far from the group."

Cong cautiously entered one of the houses, ensuring there were no threats inside. Inside, he found a diary with the last entry hastily written:

"They came from the direction of the wall. Not human. We don't have time."

Cong brought the diary to Pan. "Major, you need to see this."

Pan read the entry, his brows furrowed. "Not human?" he murmured.

In another house, Dail discovered rotting food left on a table. "They left in a hurry. But why?"

Suddenly, a low growl echoed from a narrow alley at the edge of the village. The team immediately went on high alert, weapons trained on the source of the sound.

"What is that?" Rico whispered, his voice barely audible.

From the darkness emerged figures resembling humans, but their movements were stiff and unnatural. Their pale skin was riddled with open wounds.

"They're… not human," Cong said, his eyes wide with horror.

Pan quickly issued orders. "Defensive formation! Don't let them get close!"

The First Encounter

Cong fired the first shot, hitting one of the creatures in the chest. But the creature continued to advance, seemingly unfazed. Pan immediately gave new instructions. "Aim for their heads! That might be their weakness!"

The team began firing with precision, and several creatures fell. However, their numbers kept increasing, and the team was being overwhelmed.

"There are too many of them!" Rico shouted as he reloaded his weapon.

Pan spotted a cave on a small hill behind the village. "To the cave! Move quickly!"

The team sprinted toward the cave, shooting to clear a path. Upon reaching it, they hastily constructed a makeshift barricade using stones and branches from the surrounding area. The creatures' growls echoed outside, but they couldn't get in.

The team caught their breath, trying to regroup. Cong inspected his rifle, while Rico lamented the dwindling supply of ammunition.

"What were those things?" Dail asked, looking at Pan. "They're not human, but they're not animals either."

Pan shook his head. "I don't know. But this is clearly something new. And if they came from the direction of the wall, it means DV is involved."

A sudden downpour began, the sound of rain echoing within the cave. The tension eased slightly as the growls outside gradually faded. After a while, Cong peered through a small gap in the barricade.

"The rain is making them leave," Cong said, though his eyes remained vigilant as he scanned the area.

Pan nodded, exhaling in relief. "We'll wait until the rain stops, then head back to the border zone. This report needs to reach the base."

But before anyone could respond, a faint rustling sound came from deeper within the cave, breaking the silence. The team exchanged wary glances, their expressions tense.

"There's something else in here," Pan whispered, raising his weapon. "Stay alert."