The discovery of the converting soldier, and Ethan's grim necessity to put him down, left a chilling silence in the loading dock. Anya stared at the fallen form, her face pale. Jax gripped his crossbow, his knuckles white. The realization that the Alpha could actively *create* new, faster mutations on the fly, and not just through bites, added a terrifying new layer to the threat.
"This is worse than we thought," Anya finally said, her voice tight. "This isn't just an infection. It's… a directed evolution. The Alpha isn't just a monster; it's a living factory."
"The soldier said 'the Alpha changed them, made them smart'," Ethan murmured, recalling the dying man's words. "It's not just creating them; it's coordinating them." His **Anomaly Sense** now gave him a low, continuous thrum in the air, a background presence of threats, far more numerous than he'd initially estimated.
**\[New Sub-Objective: Locate Project Chimera's primary research data. Reward: Crucial Information, 75 EXP.]**
"We need to find the core research labs," Anya decided, shaking off the horror. "If Bravo Company was here, they were likely trying to destroy or retrieve the data. That's our priority now. Find the data, then figure out how to stop this 'Alpha'."
They moved deeper into the facility, past the loading dock and into what appeared to be administrative offices. The layout was a maze of cubicles and deserted workstations, papers strewn everywhere, some stained with dried blood. The air grew colder, the humming sound from deep within the complex growing subtly louder, a mechanical heartbeat within this dead place.
They encountered more Runners, sometimes in small, coordinated groups of two or three. Ethan's **Melee Proficiency** and **Agility** were put to the test again and again, as he danced between their lunges, his hatchet a blur. Anya provided covering fire, and Jax's crossbow bolts found their marks with deadly accuracy. Each successful encounter chipped away at Ethan's experience bar, bringing him closer to his next level.
**\[High-threat Mutation (Runner) eliminated! Experience Gained: 50 EXP.]**
**\[High-threat Mutation (Runner) eliminated! Experience Gained: 50 EXP.]**
**\[High-threat Mutation (Runner) eliminated! Experience Gained: 50 EXP.]**
**\[Current Experience: 450/400.]**
**\[Congratulations, Host! You have gained enough Experience Points to Level Up!]**
**\[Level Up! You are now Level 5!]**
**\[All basic attributes +1!]**
**\[Points: +1!]**
**\[Status]**
**Name:** Ethan James
**Title:** None
**Level:** 5
**Experience:** 50/500 (Next Level)
**Strength:** 9 (+1)
**Agility:** 9 (+1)
**Stamina:** 11 (+1)
**Intelligence:** 12 (+1)
**Skills:** Melee Proficiency (Tier 1), Ranged Accuracy (Tier 1)
**Points:** 1
**Skill Points:** 1
A fresh surge of power, a renewed clarity, flowed through Ethan. He felt the familiar boost to his physical and mental faculties. He still had a stat point and a skill point to allocate, a strategic decision to make when the time was right.
They finally reached a heavy steel door, marked "Level 3 Access - Bio-Containment Labs." It was heavily damaged, its electronic lock fried, but forced open. The air beyond it was even colder, carrying a faint, sterile odor mixed with that peculiar chemical tang.
Inside, the lab was a scene of scientific devastation. Glass beakers were shattered, computers lay smashed, and scientific equipment was overturned. But amidst the chaos, a central server rack still hummed faintly, a few indicator lights blinking.
"Data," Anya breathed, moving quickly to it. "If Bravo Company couldn't destroy it, maybe it's still intact."
As Anya worked on trying to access the server, Jax covered the entrance. Ethan's *Anomaly Sense* suddenly flared, a much stronger, closer presence.
**\[Warning! High-Threat Mutation (Lurker) in immediate proximity! Ambush imminent!]**
"Jax! Behind you, on the ceiling!" Ethan yelled, pointing frantically.
Jax spun, but it was too late. A Lurker, perfectly camouflaged against the dark ceiling, dropped with horrifying speed. It wasn't the wounded one from before; this one was fresh, its movements fluid and silent. Its clawed hand lashed out, raking across Jax's arm before he could bring his crossbow to bear.
Jax roared in pain, stumbling back. The Lurker hissed, then lunged for Anya, who was still focused on the server.
Ethan didn't hesitate. He pulled out his pistol, aiming for the Lurker's head, relying on his *Ranged Accuracy*. *BANG!* The shot connected, but the Lurker, though staggered, merely shook its head, a high-pitched chittering sound emanating from its throat. It was tougher than the others, perhaps even mutated further.
It was a distraction. As the Lurker recovered, a new, massive shadow filled the doorway behind them. The ground vibrated.
**\[Threat Detected: Brute! Threat Level: High!]**
"Brute!" Anya screamed, abandoning the server and whipping her rifle around.
They were trapped. A super-tough Lurker between them and the data, and a Brute blocking their exit. The true horrors of Sierra One were only just beginning to reveal themselves.